Monthly Archives: September 2013

Hollywood’s Latest Cinderella

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 253

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I recently won this Sky Devils publicity photo on eBay, which arrived in the mail yesterday. It was issued by Howard Hughes’ Caddo Company and the snipe on the back of the photo refers to Ann as “Hollywood’s latest Cinderella.” In late 1931/early 1932, this, along with the variation of “Hollywood’s new Cinderella,” was a label applied to Ann often. She had endured the lowly role of chorus girl for over two years at MGM, but referring to her casting in Scarface as an overnight success made for better press. The columnists ate up the Cinderella angle, and even though Ann had been at her wits end at MGM for quite some time, landing the role of Cesca Camonte as her first speaking part was indeed rather fantastic.

Less than a year after snagging Scarface, Ann would be on a slow boat to Europe for a honeymoon unauthorized by her studio and the press would stop making mention of her Cinderella story.

Ann Dvorak’s Los Angeles Pt 7: 6128 Wilshire Blvd.

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 252


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If you look beyond the No. 1 Furniture Group and Chiropractic Group offices at 6128 Wilshire Blvd, you’ll see a thirty unit apartment building. This is where a teenaged Ann Dvorak was living with her mother and stepfather, Anna Lehr and Arthur Pearson, in 1929. This is where Ann would have been residing when she made the trek down to the MGM Studios to appear as a chorus girl in Hollywood Revue of 1929.

Marlene Laskey Collection/Los Angeles Public Library

A couple of years ago, a patron came into the library doing research on this building, specifically about Lane’s Cocktails which occupied one of the storefronts in the 1960s. When she gave me the address and said she was looking for information about the building, I responded, “Oh, that’s where Ann Dvorak lived when she first started as a chorine at MGM.” I’m fairly certain I am the only librarian on the face of the planet who could have answered with that.

Ann Dvorak’s Los Angeles Pt.6 – Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 251

MGM Studio in Culver City Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection

Ann Dvorak is usually associated with Warner Bros., the studio she was under contract to, and warred with, from 1932-1936. However, the first studio to sign a deal with Ann was Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

Ann was an unfashionable, but spunky teenager when she showed up at MGM’s fabled studio gates, hoping to land a gig in the chorus for The Hollywood Revue of 1929. She made the line-up by the skin of her teeth and was eventually offered a contract as a dancer and assistant choreographer.

Chorine wasn’t a long-term career plan for Ann and when she was still getting cast in uncredited dancer or extra parts two years later, she ceased being enchanted with the studio that boasted, “more stars than in the heavens.”

She eventually left to make a little film called Scarface, but did return to Culver City a handful of times as a freelancer.


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The massive MGM backlot is a thing of the past (check out this book if that’s of interest), and the water tower now reads Sony, but the studio that Ann set foot on countless times and its gates are still there, and always give me a cheap thrill every time I drive by them.

Calendar Now Available For Your Ann Dvorak Event Planning

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 250

I have added a calendar to the site which will hopefully be chalked full of events promoting Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel. 

There’s a link to the event calendar on the sidebar under “Pages” and the bottom of the sidebar will list upcoming events. There’s also an option to subscribe to the calendar if you’re paranoid you might miss out on something.

Right now, I just have the book release and the launch party listed, but there are more L.A. events to be posted soon. I am also hoping the calendar will soon list 2014 appearances in Chicago, Boston, and Pittsburgh, but those are still in the works.

If the Dvorak loyal will find it useful, I can also list upcoming airings of her films on TCM. Let me know if that’s of interest.

We’re officially at less than two months until D(vorak)-Day, so let the event planning begin!

This Day in Ann Dvorak History: Begins Production on “College Coach”

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 249

When Ann Dvorak returned from her extended honeymoon abroad in March of 1933, she made amends with Warner Bros., signed a new contract with them, and was ready to get in front of the cameras again. Instead, she waited…and waited.

Towards the end of the summer, the studio loaned Ann out to Paramount for The Way to Love, co-starring Maurice Chevalier. Then, they let her wait a while longer. Finally, they cast her as the leading lady in College Coach opposite Pat O’Brien and Lyle Talbot. Ann began production on September 6, 1933, and while the role was small and uneventful, at least she was working again.

“A Life of Her Own” on TCM

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 248

A Life of Her Own is going to air on Turner Classic Movies on Friday, September 6, at 8:30am PST.

Click here to see previous comments on A Life of Her Own.

Ann Dvorak’s Los Angeles Pt. 5 – Page School For Girls, 4511 N. Pasadena (Figueroa) Ave.

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 247

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Ann Dvorak may have started her Los Angeles education at the Elliott School, but she ultimately ended up at the Page School For Girls in the Highland Park neighborhood. This is from where she graduated around 1927 or 1928. After Ann became a known actress, she visited her alma mater on at least one occasion.

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1920 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map

Like the Elliot School, Page was a converted Victorian home that served as a boarding school.  The school, who advertised it would prepare its students for “useful womanhood” was started by sisters Emma & Della Page. Della later broke off to start the companion Page Military Academy which served the young male population. There are still Page private schools in existence which are offshoots of the military academy and operated by the descendants of Della Page. Unfortunately, they do not have any records from the girls school.

 

I have never been able to find a photo of the Page School, which drives me nuts. The above photo, taken by one-time Disney engineer Herman Schultheis is especially maddening. While taking this shot, he was standing at the lower lefthand corner of the above map. Had he just turned around he could have gotten some photos of the school! This image is in the photo archive I oversee, so Herman definitely did not turn his camera behind him.


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While this stretch of Pasadena Ave (actually, it’s now Figueroa) maintains many remnants of its long history, the site Page School For Girls is now a rather unsightly shopping center.

 

This Day in Ann Dvorak History: Loaned to RKO for “Racing Lady”

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 246

On September 3, 1936, Warner Bros. and RKO Pictures reached an agreement for Ann Dvorak to be loaned out to the latter for All Scarlett, which was ultimately released as Racing Lady. Ann had not made a film for Warners for a year, and actress and studio had spent the first half of 1936 embroiled in litigation over the terms of her contract. The only thing they seemed to have agreed on was Ann making movies for RKO – this was her second visit in less than two months, the first being for We Who Are About to Die.  For her services, RKO handed $3,000 a week to Warner Bros., half of which covered Ann’s weekly salary.

Ann was probably relieved to have the steady work, and to not have it be at the studio she’d been warring with. She didn’t need to worry too much – her days at Warner Bros. were numbered.

Happy Labor Day!

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 245

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In honor of today’s holiday, here is a photo of Ann Dvorak and Leslie Fenton hard at work on their Van Nuys ranch in 1933.

Even though Ann & Leslie joined the Screen Actors Guild pretty early on, I don’t have a sense of how strongly they supported the union. As far as I can tell, they were not active or vocal members and they even withdrew their membership for a time, something that was almost unheard of, according to SAG’s archivist. They eventually rejoined, which was a decision that would serve Ann well in her post-retirement years.

Fun in the Sun – Ann Dvorak in Malibu

Year of Ann Dvorak: Day 244

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It’s so hot in Los Angeles this week that it was 90 degrees in the Valley last night at 9:00pm. I think we should all follow Ann’s lead in the 1947 photo and hang out in Malibu – with a giant bucket.

Hope you’re all having a marvelous holiday weekend!