I received a phone call today from the high school, asking me if I would come next Thursday and discuss films of the 'Classic Years' 1930-1950's, in their film class...AND...to Introduce them to my favorite actress
SUSAN HAYWARD. They would "love to have young film students study Miss Hayward's style of acting". BOY...I JUMPED at the chance to do this! I will also show them clips from three films that I have choosen.."WITH A SONG IN MY HEART", "I'LL CRY TOMORROW" and "I WANT TO LIVE!". I felt these showed some of 'the best' and all three were Oscar nominations...and 'her win!". HOPE it all goes well..and that they will be happy to know of her great work on the silver screen.

Errol that is just wonderful. What an opportunity for you and how lucky those students will be to "discover" the greatest actress EVER. Wish I could be a fly on the wall during your talk.

Now we have more potential young fans for Susan.

TRISH

P.S. Could I suggest something - maybe you could have someone download a certain video from Susan's site on YouTube. Someone put up an amazing clip with close-ups of Susan from I'll Cry Tomorrow and I Want To Live. It is called IN BELOVED MEMORY OF SUSAN HAYWARD and was uploaded on March 14th this year. It is just amazing and could fit in with your talk.

Errol,
Wondering how your visit with the film class at the
high school went. Any feedback/reaction regarding
Susan?

Thanks Trish and Elaine. I didn't have time to do any download clips. I actually had too much for the entire 80 min. class with me, as it was..and 'had'to do more than just Susan.

As to Elaine's asking how they 'took' to Susan..it came as no surprise, that many (but not all) of the students had never seen a Susan film. BUt...they will now!!

The 'farewell performance' from WITH A SONG IN MY HEART touched both the teacher and the students and they could NOT BELIEVE that Susan was not doing the singing.

BUT...the clip that got the 'gasps...and oooohhs, awwws' was the clip when Susan has the angry fight with her mother (JO VAN FLEET)...when Susan tells her..."look at me...LOOK AT ME...THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED" *NOt the exact words..but you know the scene I mean*..there was 'total silence' when that was over...and the...APPLAUSE!!

THEY had just seen two great actresses 'doing their Best work'...and many questions on TITLES of her films, etc. came after. It was also the 'last clip' i showed that day.

I got a gift certificate from the teacher/class to a restaurant in town...and they have begged me to 'come back again, next year...and give them...more'.

I know they learned a lot that day and was so surprised about HOW CINEMASCOPE, 3-D, SUPERSCOPE, etc all started in the '50's..I have 'so much more' to educate them on and I am thrilled they want me back. The teacher emailed me and said.."next year..he would like me to do more than one class" with them.

I am very proud and happy at the response and to be able to share my knowledge with....'younger students of film'.

I am so pleased Errol that everything went well at the school and that you have been invited to return next year. You must be thrilled to impart your knowledge but it is sad to know so many of the younger generation have never heard of Susan. They have missed seeing "the champ!"

TRISH

Trish,
Wish I could say that I was surprised that Errols'
audience was generally not acquainted with Susan.
If TCM has anything to say about it,Susan may slip
into oblivion. Let's not even mention their "Star
of the Month selections-many highly questionable!
As Susan's birthday approaches,once again there are
no films of hers scheduled for a BD tribute on June
30th. Don't mean to appear paranoid,but really what
gives? Wish I knew who makes these decisions!

Errol, that is really wonderful that you got a chance to teach film and Susan Hayward to the class. I've always thought it would be so wonderful to teach a college class on classic film or just Susan Hayward films~

It is true that so many young people have never heard of Susan Hayward - actually, unless they are film students or buffs, they don't know much of anything about the classics. So much could and can be learned from these films.

We have a couple of "adopted" grandchildren, age 10, who visit us a lot. To start small with them, I have introduced them to The Little Rascals, The Three Stooges, and I Love Lucy. (They had never heard of any of these, until I got hold of them!). As they get older, I wills start on the classic films, and I'll work my way up to Susan Hayward. Good lord, they had never even heard of Shirley Temple. I just can't stand it!

I teach piano to college students, and when I bring up some of these classic films, they are a total blank...so much word to do, so little time~ Of course, it works both ways I guess, since I don't too much about the newer films or stars, but as a general rule, from what I've seen, they pale in comparison - however, there are some very talented people today -- it's just not the same, and I guess my old age has a lot to do with my thoughts on this --but as far as I'm concerned " they just don't make them like they used to," and to prove my point, the newer films have to go back to the older films to get their material.

I'm glad you got to share in that way, Errol.

I was moved by Errol's "Plugging Susan" story and your comments,Ginger, about today's generation not knowing about the great film and television stars of yesteryear, because I feel the same way. I taught my fifth grade students about many of our beloved stars by bringing in classic movies and showing them to the class.They were amazed at the talent and heartwarming stories of these films. Three of my favorites were "With A Song in My Heart","Lassie Come Home", and "The Fighting Sullivans". All on VHS of course.
Having been retired now for ten years I find myself educating my young niece and nephew on the careers of Susan Hayward and Lucille Ball among others.They both love Lucy and admire Susan for her great and powerful screen roles. I have some memorabilia that I bought them. I even visited the Lucy-Desi Museum with Trish a few years back.
Let's hope that through our love for these cherished and talented stars, we can foster a new interest and appreciation for them in our young people today. Thankfully their work is preserved on film and will be there for many more generations.

Joanne, I appreciate your post, and just to add to your thoughts, I am very happy that my daughter, Kelly, is studying film restoration and archiving at NYU - working on her master's (actually she is in Ghana, Africa right now working on film restoration and archiving there, but that is another story - a part of her quest for her degree)--anyway, I'm happy that she will share in a part of helping to restore these wonderful films, and I am so glad we have the technical ability to do that now, because so much would be lost. My daughter said once to me, wouldn't it have been amazing to have had this ability from early early history--it's remarkable and future generations will certainly benefit.

I'm so sorry...that I did not get to read the replies to my school 'outing' of classic films and Susan until just now. I had looked in on my post, shortly after it had been posted and..there seemed to be no replies. But I do thank ALL OF YOU for your responses back to me.

Ginger...I hope her being over in other countries can help continue to 'preserve the classic films'. And..NO the movies and 'actors' we have no are 'not' in the same class as 'the golden years of Hollywood'. Many actors (you note I do not say...'stars')of today, may only last for a span of one to two years..and they are never heard of again. 'They just don't have 'IT' and that...'IT'..went out with the 'studio system'. No matter how 'bad' it may have seemed, it still produced the 'best' of the STARS..and they should never be forgotten.

I am looking forward to the new school year and hopefully, to continue to educate the younger generations with some more classes on film from the golden age. It will also be in their 'new' high school, which should be super great!!