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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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BLESSED AWARDS AND POT HOLES...1955-1956...

I just was re-reading some of the things in the book...THE FILMS OF SUSAN HAYWARD by EDUARDO MORENO..and came across some 'tid-bits' that I don't think has ever been mentioned on the message board before. Some we knew about, but some..I never was aware of:

SUSAN was offered many chances to continue her singing career in night clubs including Las Vegas and places like Cuba's Montamartre, but she refused, saying she was not ready to face a live audience.

HONORS for her role in I'LL CRY TOMORROW continued. She was on the cover of LOOK magazine along with JAMES CAGNEY for his role in LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME as BEST ACTRESS/ACTOR OF 1955. REDBOOK magazine, MOTION PICTURE, EXHIBITOR and England's PICTUREGOER also named her Best Actress of the year.

SUSAN finally consented to appear on television as a guest star in the hour-long tv show "CLIMAX" in the dramatized version of Susan's old friend LOUELLA PARSONS, played by TERESA WRIGHT. The tribute was crowded with other stars..GENE AUTRY, ROCK HUDSON, IDA LUPINO, JEANETTE MAC DONALD, KIM NOVAK, JACK BENNY, CHARLES BOYER, GEORGE BURNS, GINGER ROGERS, JOHN WAYNE, JOAN BENNETT, JACK LEMMON
MERLE OBERON and ROBERT WAGNER.

SUSAN did make some more 'guest appearances on a few programs and in the late '50's was offered a special of her own. She jokingly said.."Sure..for $100,000 dollars. That would end tv..for another 15 years.

NOT WINNING THE OSCAR for "I'LL CRY TOMORROW" caused a big upset with 'a virtually disappointed Oscar ceremony audience and irate fans. The 'blame' for the no-win rested on the 'scandalous headlines (*quoting from this book)..the past year...(meaning the suicide attempt...etc) But SUSAN went on to win the CANNES FILM FESTIVAL..as THE BEST ACTRESS IN THE WORLD. When she sent a telegram home...she signed it...SUSAN..MAGANINI...(ha!) (from loosing the Oscar to ANNA MAGANINI.)

BUT HERE ARE THE FIMS SHE WAS OFFERED IN THAT ONE-YEAR PERIOD:
THE HELEN MORGAN STORY...THE WAYWARD BUS (the Joan Collins role)...LES GIRLS (the Kay Kendall role). She didn't want to play any of these because they were all films dealing with 'alcohol.

YES..she wanted Nellie Forbush in SOUTH PACIFIC and turned down THE THREE FACES OF EVE. She was suppose to have done the film...STOPOVER TOKYO opposite ROBERT WAGNER (a real dull run-of-the-mill film that went to JOAN COLLINS).

SUSAN appeared on tv again..to accept an award for PEARL S. BUCK, the famous writer.

SUSAN was also being considered for the following films:
THE SEVENTH SIN (the remake of the Garbo film..The Painted Veil) which went to ELEANOR PARKER.
BAND OF ANGELS opposite CLARK GABLE that wen to YVONNE DE CARLO.
THE SUN ALSO RISES...opposite ERROL FLYNN and TYRONE POWER..that went to AVA GARDNER.

ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPENED IN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD..1955-1956

AT THE END OF THE YEAR...BOX OFFICE MAGAZINE that represents the Theater Owners and representatives of various groups, SUSAN was #5 on their list. MARILYN MONROE was #4...WILLIAM HOLDEN was #2 (the only male star on the list) and the #1 star...was...KIM NOVAK.

BLONDES were becoming the 'new trend' in Hollywood..But SUSAN was the only REDHEAD left in the TOP STARS at that time!

Sorry..this has been 'long'..BUT..it has brought some things out that maybe many of us did not know...on what all happened for SUSAN...in the span of 'one year'..after her greatest performance..ever..in "I'LL CRY TOMORROW".

Re: BLESSED AWARDS AND POT HOLES...1955-1956...

Thanks for highlighting much of the info contained in that book.

I have the Eduardo Moreno book on my side table in the living room as it has been virtually my Susan bible for years. Not just that it holds a hell of a lot of detailed information, but he has selected some of her best photographs as well.

Re: BLESSED AWARDS AND POT HOLES...1955-1956...

Kerry...I know I had read the entire book...(ans as you said, it has some of the BEST pictures of Susan..ever!)...BUT...I had forgotten about some of those 'dud'films that they were considering her for..STOPOVER TOKYO was sooo awful and I just can't see her in THE WAYWARD BUS..(really considered, by the time it was cast and made to be almost a b-flick).

I know it had been discussed before, many times...fans wanting to know if she did 'much' tv at all..and these 'few' had seemed to have fallen through the cracks, when we were discussing her doing hardly ANY tv until HEAT OF ANGER came along...then SAY GOODBYE MAGGIE COLE. But it seems that she did do a 'few' small (shall we say...Cameo...spots with other big Hollywood stars that never did tv either....