A “Fair” To Remember!….

State Fair 1933 ….

….an ample slice of farm life during the 1930s

from an novel by Phil Stong.

Will Rogers
as Abel Frake…

the family patriarch with a prize hog and a penchant for “well-laced” mincemeat!

Born: November 4 th, 1879 in Oologah, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma ) Real name: William Penn Adair Rogers Died: August 15 th, 1935 near Barrow, Alaska Territory (now Alaska )
Cause of death: killed in a plane crash (age 55)
Marriages: One to Betty Blake that lasted 27 years until his death (1908 – 1935). They had 4 children.

Remarks: He was an adventurer, a humorist and an author….the voice of America ’s common man using his horse and lariat to capture the attention and the hearts of audiences all over the world. While he acted in silent films, it was sound that gave him a platform for his homespun humor. Will’s son, Will Rogers, Jr. played his father in 1952’s “The Story of Will Rogers ” with Jane Wyman as Mrs. Rogers.

Janet Gaynor as Margy Frake…

…Abel’s daughter who was looking for love.

Born: October 6 th, 1906 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
Real name: Laura Augusta Gainor
Died: September 14 th, 1984 in Palm Springs , California
Cause of death: pneumonia (age 77)
Marriages: Three. The first to Jesse Lydell Peck lasted less than 3 years before ending in divorce. The second to designer Adrian lasted 20 years until his death (1 child). The third to Paul Gregory lasted 20 years until her death.

Remarks: On May 16th, 1929 , the first Academy Awards were presented at a black tie dinner in the Blossom Room of the Hotel Roosevelt Hotel. Janet Gaynor won the first Best Actress award ever given for her work in 3 films (“7th Heaven”, “Street Angel” and "Sunrise”), the first and last time an actress would be awarded for multiple roles. She later paired with Charles Farrell for 11 films and they became known as “ America ’s Love Birds”.

Lew Ayre as Pat Gilbert…

the reporter who wins the heart of the farmer’s daughter

Born: December 28 th, 1908 in Minneapolis , Minnesota .
Real name: Lewis Frederick Ayres III
Died: December 30 th, 1996 in Los Angeles , California
Cause of death: became comatose and died in his sleep (age 88)
Marriages: Three. Marriages to actresses Lola Lane (1931 – 1933) and Ginger Rogers (1934 – 1940) both ended in divorce. His third to Diana Hall lasted 32 years until his death. They had one child.

Remarks: Lew made his mark as Paul Baumer in “All Quiet on the Western Front”. It also shaped his life and career. As a conscientious objector in WWII, he was scorned by his fans even though he served as a medic and chaplain’s aide. His career tanked and it wasn’t until 1948 when his role in “Johnny Belinda” won him an Oscar nomination that he was forgiven.

Norman Foster
as Wayne Frakes…

who had a one night fling with a trapeze artist!

Born: December 13 th, 1900 in Richmond , Indiana
Real name: Norman Hoeffer
Died: July 7 th, 1976 in Santa Monica , California
Cause of death: cancer (age 73)
Marriages: Two. The first to Claudette Colbert lasted 7 years before ending in divorce. His second to Sally Blane lasted 39 years until his death (2 children).

Remarks: Norman played leads on stage and in Hollywood films of the early 1930s, but shortly after doing this picture he turned his attention to directing. After helming many routine films like the Mr. Moto and Charlie Chan series, Norman got critical acclaim as the director of “Journey Into Fear” in 1942. His marriage to Sally Blane made him Loretta Young’s brother-in-law.

State Fair 1945….

….. the remake took a musical turn with a

Rodgers & Hammerstein score!

Jeanne Crain
as Margy Frakes…

who lost her heart on the ferris wheel!

Born: May 20 th, 1925 in Barstow , California Died: December 14 th, 2003 in Santa Barbara , California
Cause of death: heart attack (age 78)
Marriages: One to Paul F. Brinkman that lasted 57 years until his death. They had 7 children.

Remarks: She was “Miss Long Beach ” at 16 and “Camera Girl of 1942” at 17. Fox gave her a part in “Home from Indiana ” with Lon McCallister, her first big break. In 1949, she won an Oscar nomination for her role as “Pinky”, the story of a black girl passing as white. Jeanne passed away less than 3 months after her husband in 2003.

Note: Louann Hogan sang for Jeanne in this film.

Dana Andrews
as Pat Gilbert….

the reporter who melted like cotton candy!

Born: January 1 st, 1909 in Covington County , Mississippi Real name: Carver Dana Andrews
Died: December 17 th, 1992 in Los Alamitos , California
Cause of death: pneumonia/congestive heart failure (age 83)
Marriages: Two. His first to Janet Murray lasted 3 years until her death. They had 1 child. His second to Mary Todd lasted 53 years until his death. They had 3 children.

Remarks: One of 13 children, Dana studied business management but also had vocal training with an eye to the opera. He had an excellent voice but for some strange reason, the studio had Ben Gage dub his voice in this film! Dana was the first actor to take his problem with alcohol public and did service announcements and speaking tours to shed light on the problem of addiction. His brother was actor Steve Forrest. In his later years, Dane suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease and died in a nursing home.

Dick Haymes
as Wayne Frakes…

who had his heart broken at the fair!

Born: September 13 th, 1916 in Buenos Aires , Argentina Real name: Richard Benjamin Haymes
Died: March 28 th, 1980 in Los Angeles , California
Cause of death: lung cancer (age 63)
Marriages: Six, four to actresses. Of the six, there was 1 annulment, 4 divorces and 4 children. His sixth wife, Wendy Smith outlived him after 15 years of marriage (they had 2 children).

Remarks: Considered one of the best singers of the 20 th century, Dick’s life was a web of trials and errors. Raised by his mother, a singer/vocal coach after his parents separated, he was educated on the continent before coming to the US in 1936. Fox signed him to a movie contract but his acting career never had the same success as his singing career. However alcohol, marital woes and immigration problems left him bankrupt with the only legacy his music.

Vivian Blaine
as Emily Edwards ….

the singer who loved and left!

Born: November 21 st, 1921 in Newark , New Jersey . Real name: Vivian Stapleton
Died: December 9 th, 1995 in New York City , New York .
Cause of death: congestive heart failure (age 74)
Marriages: Three, all ending in divorce.

Remarks: Vivian did this film five years before she originated her most memorable role in the 1950 Broadway production of “Guys and Dolls” and then the 1955 film version. She continued her stage and film career in tandem and even took “Miss Adelaide” to the London stage. Vivian’s second husband was Milton Rachmil, president of Universal Pictures and Decca Records but the marriage only lasted 3 years.

Charles Winninger
as Abel Frake…..

mincemeat “mixologist” extraordinaire and owner of champion hog “Blue Boy”

Born: May 26 th, 1884 in Athens , Wisconsin
Real name: Karl Winninger
Died: January 27 th, 1969 in Palm Springs , California
Cause of death: after an unidentified long illness (age 84)
Marriages: Two. The first to Blanche Ring ended in divorce after 39 years. The second to actress/writer Gertrude Walker lasted 18 years until his death.

Remarks: A member of a vaudeville family act, Charlie made his Broadway debut at 18. He appeared in L-KO comedy shorts in 1915 and several feature films in the 1920s but it was his role as Cap’n Andy in the 1927 Broadway production of “Showboat” that gave him his big break. He left the stage role after 3 years to do the 1936 film version.

Fay Bainter
as Melissa Frake….

the family’s matriarch and prize-winning cook.

Born: December 7 th, 1891 in Los Angeles, California Died: April 16 th, 1968 in Los Angeles, California
Cause of death: pneumonia (age 76)
Marriages: One to Reginald Venable that lasted 42 years until his death. They had 1 son.

Remarks: Fay first appeared in stock at the age of 5 and made her Broadway debut at 10. Her film debut came in 1934’s “This Side of Heaven”. She won two Oscar nominations in 1938 (Best Actress “White Banners” and Best Supporting Actress “Jezebel”) winning for “Jezebel” Fay was nominated again for her supporting role in “The Children’s Hour” (1962). Fay was buried at Arlington National Cemetery next to her military officer husband.

State Fair 1962…..

…..this was the least successful of all the “Fairs”

but it did bring Alice Faye out of retirement!