Seraphic Secret

Robert J. Avrech: Emmy Award winning screenwriter. Movie fanatic. Helplessly and hopelessly in love with my wife since age nine.

Friday Photos: True Hollywood Confessions

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“Acting is experience with something sweet behind it.” —Humphrey Bogart
“Acting is experience with something sweet behind it.” —Humphrey Bogart

Carmen Herrera Futuro (diptych), 2009 Acrylic on Canvas 72 x 72 in. overall
Carmen Herrera b. 1915, age 100
Futuro (diptych), 2009
Acrylic on Canvas
72 x 72 in. overall

 

Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Girl with Racket and Shuttlecock, 1740, oil on canvas, 82 x 66 cm (Uffizi Gallery, Florence)
Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Girl with Racket and Shuttlecock, 1740, oil on canvas, 82 x 66 cm (Uffizi Gallery, Florence)

 

Photo by Adriana Duque “Aurora 2” 2015
Photo by Adriana Duque
“Aurora 2” 2015

 

Egon Schiele, Edith Schiele In Striped Dress, 1915 Oil on canvas 180.2 X 110.1 CM.
Egon Schiele, Edith Schiele [the artist’s wife] In Striped Dress, 1915
Oil on canvas 180.2 X 110.1 CM.
This is not just shameless self-promotion but a lesson in what's wrong with current movie posters. "Body Double” (1984) was my first Hollywood credit. The peeping tom graphic is powerful and entirely appropriate. The problem is the massive block of credits at the bottom. Union contracts mandate font size and placement. And yes, I'm proud to have my name on posters. But currently credits take up as much as a third of every poster which greatly limits graphic creativity.
This is not just shameless self-promotion but a lesson in what’s wrong with current movie posters. “Body Double” (1984) was my first Hollywood credit. The eye-catching graphic and tag line are powerful and entirely appropriate. The problem with the poster is the massive block of credits. Union contracts mandate font size and placement. And yes, I’m proud to have my name on posters. But credits now take up as much as a third of every poster which greatly limits creativity.

 

On her studio’s attempts to promote her as “America’s Answer to Brigitte Bardot”: “Anyone who’d want to build me up as a sex siren would have to be crazy. Why is it most actresses must be bizarre, vulgar or temperamental to make good copy? Everyone in Hollywood tells me I have to develop an interview personality if I want to keep the press happy. They want me to be something I’m not…I’m an actress and a woman and I hope, a lady. But I found being a lady is a hardship here. It’s not encouraged. What I should be is a glib person, quick on repartee, and full of colorful quotes I gleamed from the ‘Reader’s Digest’ just before the interview!’” ‘All I need are one or two good quotes, either controversial or funny, and I’ve got a column,’ I said.“ ”’No,’ said Miss Remick firmly. ‘I can’t think of one!’ Then she brightened, ’I have it,’ she said, ‘you can compare me with Greta Garbo. I have big feet too.’ —excerpted from Joe Hyman’s 1959 New York Herald Tribune profile, “Lee Remick Boasts Garbo Feet”
On her studio’s attempts to promote her as “America’s Answer to Brigitte Bardot”:
“Anyone who’d want to build me up as a sex siren would have to be crazy. Why is it most actresses must be bizarre, vulgar or temperamental to make good copy? Everyone in Hollywood tells me I have to develop an interview personality if I want to keep the press happy. They want me to be something I’m not…I’m an actress and a woman and I hope, a lady. But I found being a lady is a hardship here. It’s not encouraged. What I should be is a glib person, quick on repartee, and full of colorful quotes I gleamed from the ‘Reader’s Digest’ just before the interview!’”
‘All I need are one or two good quotes, either controversial or funny, and I’ve got a column,’ I said.“
”’No,’ said Miss Remick firmly. ‘I can’t think of one!’ Then she brightened, ’I have it,’ she said, ‘you can compare me with Greta Garbo. I have big feet too.’
—excerpted from Joe Hyman’s 1959 New York Herald Tribune profile, “Lee Remick Boasts Garbo Feet”

 

Carmen Herrera Estructura Roja, 1966/2012 Plywood, automobile paint 27 5/8 x 49 1/4 x 5 in.
Carmen Herrera
Estructura Roja, 1966/2012
Plywood, automobile paint
27 5/8 x 49 1/4 x 5 in.

 

Director Josef von Sternberg, b. Jonas Sternberg, gave Marlene Dietrich this 1931 forest green Rolls Royce as a gift. Her chauffer, Briggs—perfect name—carried a set of revolvers to protect his famous employer. When Dietrich traveled to Europe, she sent her Rolls and Briggs in advance. David Niven notes in his excellent autobiography, “The Moon's a Balloon” that Dietrich supplied Briggs with a mink trimmed uniform, which, I suppose, qualifies Briggs as Hollywood's first metrosexual chauffer-bodyguard.
Director Josef von Sternberg, b. Jonas Sternberg, gave Marlene Dietrich this 1931 Rolls Royce as a gift. Her chauffer, Briggs—perfect name—carried a set of revolvers to protect his famous employer. When Dietrich traveled to Europe, she sent her Rolls and Briggs in advance. David Niven notes in his excellent autobiography, “The Moon’s a Balloon” that Dietrich supplied Briggs with a mink trimmed uniform, which, I suppose, qualifies Briggs as Hollywood’s first metrosexual chauffer-bodyguard.

 

Gustav Klimt, Eugenia (Mada) Primavesi, 1913/14 Oil on canvas 140 X 85 CM
Gustav Klimt, Eugenia (Mada) Primavesi, 1913/14 Oil on canvas 140 X 85 cm.

 

Ty Cobb, 1913 Everything you think you know about Ty Cobb is wrong.
Ty Cobb, 1913
Everything you think you know about Ty Cobb is wrong.

 

Utamaro “Women Playing with the Mirror” 1797
Utamaro
“Women Playing with the Mirror” 1797

 

“When you’re thirty you’re old enough to know better, but still young enough to go ahead and do it.” —Brigitte Bardot
“When you’re thirty you’re old enough to know better, but still young enough to go ahead and do it.”
—Brigitte Bardot

 

Carmen Herrera Untitled, 2007 Acrylic on Wood 60 x 50 in.
Carmen Herrera
Untitled, 2007
Acrylic on Wood
60 x 50 in.

 

Peter Paul Rubens Samson and Delilah 1609–1610 Oil on wood 73 in × 81 in National Gallery London
Peter Paul Rubens
Samson and Delilah
1609–1610
Oil on wood
73 in × 81 in
National Gallery London

 

Michal Baratz Koren “Delilah” 2014, C-Print
Michal Baratz Koren “Delilah” 2014, C-Print

 

N. Jay Jaffee, American, 1921-1999 Kishke King, Brownsville, Brooklyn, 1953, printed later Gelatin silver print 13 15/16 × 11 in. (35.4 × 27.9 cm)
N. Jay Jaffee, American, 1921-1999
Kishke King, Brownsville, Brooklyn, 1953, printed later
Gelatin silver print
13 15/16 × 11 in. (35.4 × 27.9 cm)

 

Touching Mezuzah Sari Srulovitch, Israeli, b. 1964 Israel, 2002 Silver: hand-worked with repoussé 7 11/16 × 2 3/8 × 5/8 in. “This mezuzah is indented like the well-worn steps of ancient buildings, as if to reflect the touch of thousands of hands that have reached up to kiss the mezuzah on the doorpost of Jewish homes for generations. The gentle indent on the clean, modern lines of this mezuzah beckons us to touch it. As we do so, we recall our heritage and the ancient command of the Lord to the Israelites in Egypt to mark the doorposts of their homes to protect them from the plague on Egypt’s firstborn. The touch of the ages has left an indentation in the shape of the Hebrew letter shin, a traditional ornamentation on mezuzot symbolizing one of God’s names. Part of the permanent collection at the Israel Museum, the Jewish Museum N.Y.and the Jewish Museum Berlin.”
Touching Mezuzah
Sari Srulovitch, Israeli, b. 1964
Israel, 2002
Silver: hand-worked with repoussé
7 11/16 × 2 3/8 × 5/8 in.
Artist’s statement: “This mezuzah is indented like the well-worn steps of ancient buildings, as if to reflect the touch of thousands of hands that have reached up to kiss the mezuzah on the doorpost of Jewish homes for generations. The gentle indent on the clean, modern lines of this mezuzah beckons us to touch it. As we do so, we recall our heritage and the ancient command of the Lord to the Israelites in Egypt to mark the doorposts of their homes to protect them from the plague on Egypt’s firstborn. The touch of the ages has left an indentation in the shape of the Hebrew letter shin, a traditional ornamentation on mezuzot symbolizing one of God’s names. Part of the permanent collection at the Israel Museum, the Jewish Museum N.Y.and the Jewish Museum Berlin.”

 

Robert Clary was the youngest of 14 children. In 1942, because he was Jewish, he was deported to the Nazi concentration camp, Ottmuth. He was later sent to Buchenwald where he was liberated on 11 April 1945. Twelve other members of his immediate family were sent to Auschwitz. Clary was the only survivor. When he returned to Paris after the war, he learned that 3 of his siblings had not been taken away & survived the Nazi occupation of France. Clary played LeBeau on the t.v. show “Hogan's Hero.”
Robert Clary, born Robert Max Widerman, 1926, a French Jew was the youngest of fourteen children. In 1942 he was deported to the Nazi concentration camp, Ottmuth. He was later transferred to Buchenwald. Twelve other members of his immediate family were sent to Auschwitz at the same time. Clary was the only survivor. He was liberated in April 1945. When he returned to Paris after the war, he discovered that three of his siblings managed to survive the Nazi occupation of France. Clary’s best known role was as Corporal LeBeau, “Frenchie,” on “Hogan’s Heroes.”  In 2001 Clary wrote a touching memoir, From the Holocaust to Hogan’s Heroes: The Autobiography of Robert Clary. 

 

Robert J. Avrech, (Pink) Firehouse, Station No. 2, Teaneck, N.J. 2016
Robert J. Avrech, (Pink) Firehouse, Station No. 2, Teaneck, N.J. 2016

 

Lielle Meital wishes all our friends and relatives an inspirational and peaceful Shabbat.
Lielle Meital wishes all our friends and relatives an inspirational and peaceful Shabbat.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Lee Remick was in one of my favorite movies, “Anatomy of a Murder.” The novel is also excellent. The movie had to change the ending a bit to make it visual. Joseph N Welch, whose only acting job was as the judge, became a close friend of the author during the movie shoot. The author was a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court. He also wrote an excellent book on trout fishing that I have somewhere.

  3. Body Double – always remember the drill. Can’t forget it.

    Clary – a monument to the human spirit

    Posters – I was showing a friend from Michigan around my area and the conversation turned to the fall of the Detroit Auto Makers. We both agreed it was a combination of arrogance and intransigence in both unions and management. Flint MI used to be a GM town – GM needed some concessions and the union wouldn’t budge.

    Now look at it.

    I mentioned to him yesterday that Hollywood in the 40s would crank out dozens of pictures a year, lower cost production and hoping that a few would be hits. Now they put most/all their eggs in one basket and hope that 1 or 2 movies will make it.

    I am wondering if this is due to the costs of production?

    Everything I have read about Marlene seems to indicate that she was a character. And I believe the name “Marlene” didn’t exist before her.

    Lielle Meital seems to be in a reflective mood.

    • Dietrich was named Marie Magdalene, which was combined later into Marlene. I was able to find another Marlene born after her but before she acquired fame, so I suspect the combined name is common to the “Marie Magdalene” name and not an honorific to Dietrich.

  5. Humphrey Bogart, Lee Remick, Ty Cobb, Robert Clary, Brigitte Bardot, Lielle Meital, Kishke King and a 1931 Rolls Royce… what’s not to like about this edition of Friday Photos?

    1) I read a Bogart biography years ago and, even though he was “before my time” (so to speak), I found him to be an interesting actor.
    2) Lee Remick was always beautiful, but she seems to have been very grounded in her own identity (unlike most “stars”).
    3) The Ty Cobb story is fascinating. I grew up believing he was a dirty, albeit immensely talented player. This just goes to show that a person’s true character is often unrelated to the “common knowledge” that history repeats.
    4) I know, Robert, that you are a life-long fan of BB, but this photo is not her most flattering! She looks a little “wild” in this photo (that’s as gentle as I can say it here 🙂 ).
    5) I grew up loving Hogan’s Heros as a kid. I was disappointed when I learned that Robert Crane was not the clean cut, All-American boy he portrayed, but I was fascinated to learn the Clary was an actual concentration camp survivor. I can’t imagine wanting to play a character who lived in a prisoner of war camp in Nazi Germany — I would have thought that could have (potentially) been torturous for him.
    6) I must admit, I have not seen Body Double. I shall have to remedy that oversight!
    7) The Touching Mezuzah is awesome.
    8) I’m assuming the Kishke King is no longer in operation… As a kid, I loved hot dogs. They were a summer treat in my family. As an adult, I’ve come to love sausages. Polish sausage, hot dogs, smoked sausage, brats, Italian sausage. It’s a vibrant and versatile food group which is (all too often) looked down upon. I notice on the left side of the building, the sign says Salami and Franks for 78 cents. That must be either a meal, or for a whole package of uncooked franks, because you also see “2 large hamburgers” for 25 cents or a pack of cigarettes for 22 cents… plus free cole slaw! Those were the days…

    Have a wonderful Sabbath everyone!

    • Definitely a good post, although I’m sorry that the BB photo didn’t show up for me. Something broken about the link.

      1. In my mind, Bogart is timeless despite the timeliness of his various parts. (I was just as gratified to discover him in my family tree as I was mortified to discover my relationship to the Roosevelts.)

      6. I saw “Body Double” when it first came out and thought it was excellent — one of the best films DePalma directed. Discovering Robert’s site several years ago (while researching some info about Lillian Gish) was a serendipitous joy when I found that he wrote the screenplay. Thank you again, Robert, for your continually interesting site.

      • Joe, what you are embracing is a publicity story like any other, but in Lee Remick’s case she, or someone, has chosen to present the prosaic rather than a more tawdry story. One thing is for certain, these people who are front and center, are never, never, ordinary, no matter their shoe size. We are in a; business largely driven by stars, some of whom are also directors, but all of whom are part of an industry. I have never met someone in the business who wasn’t bright and cooperative. The alcoholics and druggies in the main do not last without accommodating reality.

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