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Ginger's Susan Hayward Message Board: To reach If You Knew Susie by Trish Sharp, click the profile photo at www.facebook.com/susanhaywardclassicfilmstar and you will see the link.

Ginger's Susan Hayward Message Board
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Re: BETTE DAVIS CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

Hi Jill

Re the 'Witch-Way' reference. What is also interesting with that, is that on her FATHER'S side she was descended from a long line of staunch New Englanders ( James Davis, a Pilgrim sailed from Wales to the New World and helped found Haverhill, Massachusetts.)

Apparantly, James Davis became a selectman of his community and during the madness and hysteria that infected that era of religious persecution and witch mania, he accused a man of 'familiarity with the Devil'- the man was named John Godfrey I think. At the ensuing trials, 20 people, ( mostly women, surprise, surprise) were executed.
In a quirk of fate, one of those women was an ancestor of Bette's on her MOTHER'S side.

So it makes for interesting genetics - the father's ancestry being rock solid, stoic and stern, while her mother's ancestry ( the LeFievres) were French Huguenots, and numbered amongst those ancestors were some musicians, actors and even an early vaudeville star.

I ahve always thought that she ( Bette) was a mixture of those two natures.

Kerry

Re: Re: BETTE DAVIS CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

Jill, keep your stories coming! That is amazing regarding Olivia de Havilland's age...very classy lady!


James Stewart - yes, please fill us in on that event.
I have a James Stewart story---Once when my family was visiting Californina (mid-80's).. you know.. the Hollywood deal--Universal studios, Grauman's Chinese Theater, etc... we were taking the tour of Hollywood homes. Along with me were my husband, Bob, my son, Scott, and my daughter, Kelly. The bus we were on was passing by Jimmy Stewart's house and about that same time, this little volvo passed the bus coming down the other side of the road. The bus driver said, "hey, there's Jimmy Stewart, now."...Everyone starting screeching and I had my old fashioned video camera with me. I yanked that out as fast as I could and was happy to get Jimmy Stewart pulling into the driveway of his home, getting out of his car, and waving to all of us. What a class act guy! My kids still talk about it, and we get the video out every once in a while a watch it.

"It's A Wonderful Life" is one of my all time favorite films. My daughter thinks it's so corny and won't watch it, but you know, I love it. It speaks volumes about what really is important in life. James Stewart brought to us so realistically and beautifully the absolute desperation that many of us feel at times and then in the end gave us this joyous hope and belief that life isn't so bad after all. I'm a sucker for warm and cuddly movies. I will always love Jimmy Stewart for this film alone, and I don't necessarily just watch it a Christmas!

Re: Re: Re: BETTE DAVIS CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

Ginger:

That's a great story about Jimmy Stewart waving to you. I think that some celebrities would just as soon moon their fans as acknowledge them, LOL.

Gloria

Re: BETTE DAVIS CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

Ginger:

How lucky that you got to see a genuine movie star on your first trip to L.A. Most tourists are not so lucky! Good for you, and it must be wonderful to have that video on him. Your story reminds me of the time just before his death when he was released from the hospital after a fall in his home. On the local news he was seen returning home, and he waved to the cameras as he got out of his car. I thought that was such a nice gesture to acknowledge his fans.

I think you're due for another trip to L.A. How about it?

Re: BETTE DAVIS CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

Kerry:

Thanks for the rundown on Bette's genealogy. I wouldn't be surprised if her ancestor did indeed influence the name of her house. And I agree with you that that combination of genes no doubt contributed to her feisty but contradictory personality.

BTW, I can see why Susan and Bette did not mesh together. When hearing both Olivia de Havilland and Gena Rowlands discuss their relationships with Bette, it seemed that these two women basically accepted the more passive role and were not a threat to her. It took time but they finally got her on their side. In Gena's case she said that no matter what Bette did, she loved her -- had loved her since she was a little girl and "nothing she could do would change that." I thought that was very sweet of her to say, and I could understand the admiration she felt. She told a funny story about Bette grousing that Gena "was too big" to portray her daughter in the TV movie they were making. Gena said that she thought that was funny because Bette's real-life daughter was 6 feet tall.

From all I've heard about Bette I think she was a person who tested you by making trouble and if you accepted the challenge, you were hers. I don't think Susan was equipped (personality wise) nor willing to do that. More's the pity because in a better vehicle I think they would have been a dynamite combination.

Re: Re: BETTE DAVIS CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

Jill, yes I'd love to bring my little video camera and come out to L.A...I'll let you know when I'm coming.. move over.. LOL

Actually, I might try to get that little video I have a Jimmy Stewart on youtube. I think that would be kind of cool.

Re: BETTE DAVIS CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

Ginger:

I was going to suggest that you put the video online but I wasn't sure if it was feasible to do so. But since you are so good at those things...

I just found out that the Academy's Web site has posted a video with snippets from the Centennial, including Robert Osborne, Olivia de Havilland, Gena Rowlands and Bette's son. They've never done a video before so that is a real treat, especially for those who were not able to attend. Hope you all can check it out. Log on to oscars.org and you will see it on the left-hand side.