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.
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?
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.
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.
