Monthly Archives: April 2013

Ann Dvorak Blogathon – The First 100 Days

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 100

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Hard to believe that we are already 100 days into 2013. Even harder to believe that I have actually managed to write about Ann Dvorak for every day this year.

In honor of day 100, here is one of my favorite photos of Ann with James Cagney in The Crowd Roars. This image was used on one of the lobby cards for the film. It came up for action a few years back and was breathtaking. This was back in my pre-wife & mother days when I had some money to burn and bid $500. I did not get it, or you would be seeing it here instead of this still. This image was also used on the 24-sheet for The Strange Love of Molly Louvain with a banner of text blocking Cagney’s face.

That’s 100 down and 265 to go. Oy!

Ann Dvorak Pops up in the Darndest Places: The Little Shop at My Work

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 99

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I work at the Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles which has an especially cool little shop on the premises. The Library Store has an assortment of unusual gifty things along with books (of course), and if you’re related to me you have probably received a B-Day or X-Mas present from the store.

One day while I was in line to purchase something, I had to stop myself from screaming when I saw this postcard. To the untrained eye, this may look like a bizarre photo of girls sprawled out on giant letters spelling out HOLLYWOOD REVUE. Well, it actually is that – but, I knew that this kitschy display was a “living billboard” set up at the corner of Wilshire Blvd & Shatto Place in June of 1929 advertising MGM’s all talking, all singing, all dancing Hollywood Revue of 1929. I also instantly knew that sitting on the first O in Hollywood is none other than Ann Dvorak.

I actually think the display was re-created somewhere on the MGM lot for this photo, because I don’t see how the photographer would have gotten this vantage point on the street where the billboard was built-up fairly high. Also, the girls look way too happy which leads me to believe they are not being exposed to the elements in this particular image. I have a photo of the actual street side display, which I am using in the book, and the ladies look miserable.

I ended up purchasing 3 or 4 copies of the postcard, but didn’t bother explaining to the cashier why even though I really wanted to. I would have probably confused and bored her if I did. I hung one card up in my office and have no clue where I put the other ones, meaning Ann Dvorak will pop up in the darndest place when I am cleaning out a closest at home.

Photos Purchased For the Book But Not Used: Sylvia Sidney in “The Way to Love”

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 98

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There was so much news about the book last week that I was sidetracked from posts about photos I had picked up over the years to use, but didn’t because they are not of Ann. Today’s entry is a still and postcard of Sylvia Sidney in costume for The Way to Love.

Sidney had originally been cast as Madeleine, a forlorn gypsy opposite Maurice Chevalier in this 1933 feature from Paramount. A combination of illness and studio difficulties caused Sidney to walk off the picture, and Ann was loaned-out to Paramount from Warner Bros. to fill in. Therefore, this first film Ann made after returning from an 8-month long honeymoon in Europe with Leslie Fenton was not for her home studio.

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Sidney had worked on the film for around a month, which apparently was ample time for her to pose for publicity stills. Ann stepped in and can be seen wearing these same costumes in the movie. Ann later claimed that fans would sometimes mistakenly ask her to sign materials from The Way to Love with Sidney on them, which she found amusing.

“The Way to Love” Jumbo Lobby Card

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 97

I am not exactly sure what the deal with jumbo lobby cards are. Unlike the standard 11″x14″ lobby cards, which were issued for all movies, jumbo lobby cards were created for select films and printed at 14″x17″ on a linen stock. In all my years of collecting, I have not come across too many jumbo lobby cards in general, so it’s rather amazing that I own three with Ann Dvorak. Two of them are from the 1935 20th Century feature Thanks a Million and the other is this one from Paramount’s The Way to Love. Both these titles were loan outs for Ann, and come to think of it, I can’t recall ever having seen a jumbo lobby card for a Warner Bros. film. Does anyone know if Warner put these out for any of their films? What I wouldn’t give for a Three on a Match jumbo lobby card, though I seriously doubt they were ever produced.

The Way to Love is not one of Ann’s best movies, but this card is so beautiful that it’s a favorite piece in my collection and occupies precious space on a wall at home. However, I’d probably take it down and replace it in a second if one of a coked-up Ann in Three on a Match ever showed up.

The “Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel” Facebook Page is Up

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 96

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For those of you who reside in Facebookland, the official FB page for the book is now up. It’s pretty sparse right now, but I’ll be adding some photos and other content in the near future, assuming there are enough followers to keep it up (hint, hint). Once the book is out, it’ll be useful for keeping track of, what will hopefully be, a full calendar of events.

So, go and “like” it!

Biography Progress Report #17: Go Ahead & Judge This Book By Its Cover

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 95

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Well, the Amazon listing for the Ann-D book has the cover design posted, so I guess it’s ok to share it here. I am absolutely thrilled with it and cold not be happier with the photo they choose. Years ago, my good friend Laura Wagner emailed this image to me with the subject line “THIS is the Cover of the Book!” I did end up sending the University Press of Kentucky eight different images to choose from, but I was secretly rooting for this one and was certain it was what they would choose.

Seven months and counting!

 

 

This Day in Ann Dvorak History: Ann Finishes “Midnight Alibi”

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 94

On April 4, 1934, Ann Dvorak finished up her scenes opposite Richard Barthelmess in Midnight Alibi. Ann’s role was a sparse leading lady one, and she worked on the film for only two weeks. By this time she had been back in Hollywood for a year following a lengthy honeymoon which had not been approved by Warner Bros. Upon her return, the studio let her stew for nearly six months before casting her in anything, but seemed to be trying to make up for lost time as Midnight Alibi was her sixth film in less than seven months.

Overall, I think Midnight Alibi is watchable enough, though anyone viewing it for Ann will certainly be disappointed. Even if you don’t want to watch the film, be sure to check out the goofy trailer that seemed to be promoting the film as a screwball comedy.

Biography Progess Report #16: Pre-Orders Now Available!

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 93

Two bits of good news came down the pipeline yesterday. First off, the University Press of Kentucky sent me cover art for the book. Unfortunately, I cannot post it quite yet, but will as soon as UPK gives the green light. What I can share is that it’s gorgeous and features a very sultry pre-Code pic of Ann. When I saw it, I damn near cried like a baby. After so many years, this book is really going to come out.

As if seeing the cover wasn’t enough excitement for one day, I also discovered that the book is now posted on UPK’s website as well as Amazon, meaning that pre-orders are now available! There isn’t too much information yet, but it does list a release date of November 4th and 376 glorious pages of Ann Dvorak. The exact date is subject to change, but November should definitely be the month.

Just a word of caution. If you click on my name from the Amazon listing, and see  A Child’s Life Inside a Cult, I am in no way shape or form the author of that one. As my boss pointed out, I should have used a middle initial.

Let the countdown begin!

It’s Time to Get Your “Massacre” On (Your DVD Player)

Year of Ann Dvorak Day 92

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Just in case you missed the announcement on Day 77 of the Ann Dvorak Blogathon, today is the day that Ann’s 1934 feature Massacre can be yours, courtesy of the Warner Archive. It’s part of the Forbidden Hollywood Volume 6 box set which features some other pre-Code goodies, so what are you waiting for?

If by chance you were wondering what I think of Massacre, you can take a look here, here, and here.

Photos Purchased For the Book, But Not Used: Sammy Lee Portraits

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 91

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After spending the past 15 years of my life with Ann Dvorak, I have ended up with a handful of items relating to her. Some things I bought with the intention of using them in the Ann-D book, while others I picked up just because I liked them. These two portraits of Sammy Lee are a little bit of both.

Sammy Lee was the head choreographer at MGM from 1929-1931, during the early craze of talkie-movie-musicals. The studio had recruited him from Broadway to oversee the dance numbers on  The Hollywood Revue of 1929, and he stuck around to work on shorts and features, including Chasing Rainbows, It’s a Great Life, and Lord Byron of Broadway.

He came on board at MGM right around the same time as a 17-year-old Ann Dvorak, who fought her way into the chorus on Hollywood Revue. It did not take Sammy Lee long to notice Ann’s gumption and strong work ethic, and she was eventually signed to a contract,  becoming Lee’s assistant choreographer. Once the public grew bored of these early musicals, Lee briefly returned to the stage and Ann started getting cast as an extra, and not much else.

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The top photo was issued by MGM which I bought with the idea of using it in the book. Since I have a few photos of Ann and Sammy working together, I went with one of those instead. The second image is an 11″x14″ print from his Broadway days that I bought for dirt cheap just because he was an important figure in Ann’s early life, and it’s pretty.

Lee eventually came back to Hollywood and worked as a director and choreographer for a number of years. The last film he worked on was 1946’s Abilene Town starring – you guessed it – Ann Dvorak. I don’t know for sure that she had anything to do with his being employed on the movie, but I like to think they always remained friends.