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Jean Pierre Aumont Born: January 5th, 1911 France Remarks: Aumont was a twice-decorated hero of WWII with both the Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor from his native country. He came back to the USA and starred in films that almost documented his wartime experiences. Films (92): in Europe and the USA included “Assignment in Brittany” (1943),“Heartbeat” (1946), “Song of Scheherazade” (1947), and “Lili” (1953). |
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Maria Montez Born: June 6th, 1917 Dominican Republic Remarks: The daughter of a Spanish diplomat, she began and ended her career with sand and sin adventures, often paired in American films with Sabu,Turhan Bey and Jon Hall, who became the King to her Queen of Technicolor. She was also known as the Caribbean Cyclone. Films (29): included “Arabian Nights” (1942), “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” (1944), “Cobra Woman” (1944) and “Siren of Atlantis” (1949). |
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Dick Haymes Born: September 13th, 1916 Argentina Remarks: In the opinion of most critics, Dick Haymes came in second only to Nelson Eddy as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century ( I will get mail now from opera lovers and Presley fans) Unfortunately alcoholism and financial woes (i.e. alimony payments) destroyed his career. Films (16) included “Du Barry Was a Lady” (1943), “Four Jills in a Jeep” (1944),“Diamond Horseshoe” (1945), and “One Touch of Venus” (1948). |
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Joanne Dru Born: January 31st, 1922 Remarks: Joanne was the sister of game show host Peter Marshall. Her career consisted mostly of Western films even though she was a former showgirl. Films (28) include “Red River” (1948), All the Kings Men” (1949), “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” (1949) and “Forbidden” (1953) |
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Burgess Meredith Born: November 16th, 1908 Marriages: Four. Three ended in divorce including his 6 year marriage to PauletteGoddard. Meredith’s fourth marriage to Kaja Sundstrom lasted 47 years until his death and produced two children. Remarks: Meredith’s voice was ultimately his trademark and later in his career he made documentaries and commercials where he often narrated unseen. His career diminished in the 1950’s when he was stamped an “unfriendly witness” to McCarthy’s HUAC. He was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in “The Day of the Locust” (1975) and again for “Rocky” (1976). Films (79) include “There Goes the Groom” (1937), “The Story of G.I. Joe” (1945),“Magnificent Doll” (1946) and “The Cardinal” (1963). |
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Paulette Goddard Born: June 3rd, 1911 Remarks: Goddard joined the Ziegfeld show at 13, married wealthy Edgar James at 16 (it lasted only 27 months). She tested for the role of “Scarlett” in GWTW but lost it to Vivien Leigh. One of her more memorable roles was that of the bond servant in Cecil B. DeMille’s “Unconquered”(1947). Films (50) included “The Women” (1939), “Northwest Mounted Police” (1940), “Reap the Wild Wind” (1942) and “The Unholy Four” (1954). |
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Johnny Weissmuller Born: June 2nd, 1904 Roumania Remarks: Weissmuller won 5 Olympic Gold Medals for swimming but it was his Tarzan yell that made his career. When he died, they honored his final request by having it played as his coffin was lowered into the ground. Films ( 28) include 12 Tarzan films and 13 Jungle Jim movies. Outside the series he mad very few pictures….”Swamp Fire” (1946) was one of them.
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Lupe Velez Born: July 18th, 1908 Mexico Remarks: Known as the Mexican Spitfire, she made a career of films based on the image and usually costarring with comic Leon Errol. Her mangling of the English language also gave her portrayals flair. Films (43) include “The Gaucho” (1927), “The Squaw Man” (1931), “Strictly Dynamite” (1934) and “The Mexican Spitfire at Sea” (1942).
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Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Born: May 23rd, 1883 Remarks: It was Fairbanks, Sr. who brought swashbuckling heroes to prominence followed later by Douglas, Jr. After 5 years on Broadway, he joined wife #2 Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin to form United Artists in 1919. Their home, Pickfair became the social mecca in Hollywood. Films (48) include D.W. Griffith’s “Intolerance” (1916), “The Mark of Zorro” (1920),“The Thief of Bagdad” (1924), and “The Iron Mask” (1929. |
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Mary Pickford Born: April 8th, 1892 Canada Remarks: Mary was known as America’s Sweetheart and became one of the first stars with name recognition. She was making more than a half million greenbacks in 1916. Pickford’s films numbered 251 from 1909 through 1935 when she retired although the most of the early ones were one and two reelers. Films (251) include “Tess of Storm Country” (1914), “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” (1917), and “The Taming of the Shrew” (1929). |
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Fredric March
Born: August 31st, 1897 Remarks: One of the screen’s finest actors, he chose his roles carefully to avoid filmdom’s worst pitfall… typecasting. He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his his gripping portrayal of Willy Loman in the 1951 version Of “Death of a Salesman”. Films (76) include “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (1931), “Smilin’ Through” (1932), “Man on a Tightrope” (1953) and “The Bridges at Toko-Ri” (1955). |
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Florence Eldridge Born: September 5th, 1901 Remarks: After high school, with no singing or dancing experience she got a job on Broadway in the chorus of “Rock-a-bye Baby”. After several seasons in stock, she would literally conquer Broadway. She met March in 1926 and they teamed in life and often on stage and screen. Films (19) include “Six Cylinder Love” (1923), “Les Miserables” (1935), “Another Part of the Forest” (1948) and “Inherit the Wind” (1960). |