Yes, the so-called "ice lady" had her moments of humor. In all that I've read about Susan, I've found her to have had a great wit. As examples:

While making "The President's Lady," after spending three hours being made up to look like Rachel Jackson in her older years, Charlton Heston was said to have asked her in mock horror, "What have they done to you?" To which she replied, "Remember, Mr. Jackson, you took me for better or worse!"

In "White Witch Doctor," a a real tarantula got away from its trainer (never knew there were such people lol), and it crawled up Susan's arm. In terror, Susan screamed and, in trying to brush the creature off, fell to the floor, tearing several shoulder ligaments.

When the studio doctor asked, as he tendered to her injuries, "Isn't that carrying realism a bit too far? Susan said that "they assured me it was a reliable tarantula!"

Okay, Susie fans, I got you started. Let's see if you can add to the list.

There is a quote of hers from an interview that is not specifically a witticism as such but carries a soupcon of her wry humour -

"I never thought of myself as a movie star. I'm just a working girl. A working girl who worked her way to the top -- and never fell off."

(Don't chide me savagely Gloria, for heading slightly off target from your post, but a line just came to mind - do you recall Rupert Everett's character George from "My Best Friend's Wedding" saying at one stage "Oh the Susan Hayward of it all".)

Kerry

Ah.. gloria, thanks for the jumpstart.. I'll get started looking up some examples of her with and charm... okay, "I'll see you in the funny papers."

sorry, duh.. I meant "wit".

Kerry:

I didn't see that film, so can you tell me in what context the line was used?

Gloria -
I am quite useless as I also have never seen the film. It was an anecdote that I read, maybe in the IMDB ?, Yes that would be it. Probably among memorable quotes for the film ( "My Best Fr...W").

Kerry

Gloria and Kerry.. I saw that film and remember the quote but I don't remember the specific scene. I don't recall that it was a derogatory remark just associated with something going on that consisted of exaggerated high drama.

Thanks Ginger for the clarification. Having not seen the film I had no idea how the quote fitted with the script in whatever scene it was mentioned. But I also don't imagine it was in any way derogatory - I am assuming that since it was uttered by Rupert Everett's character who was gay, that it was one of those gay sub-culture lines in which certain movie stars are iconic images.

Usually it would be people like Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford etc and it also customarily idolises the star in question.

Kerry

I thought of a Hayward humourous zinger the other night...When she appeared on the Joey Bishop talk show in the late 60's, Don Rickles was a guest the same night. Rickles was asking Susan why did she make the film "Valley of the Dolls" and Susan told him him, "because I needed gasoline for my boat."...good comeback to Rickles ..she got laughs and applause.

Ginger: And the funniest part of it is that Susan wasn't kidding!

As in my favorite film "Back Street", Rae and Paul are driving in Paris, finally being able to see each other again. They are in traffic, and he says something like,---It is great to finally be alone with you. The camera pans accross the road and they are in the center of the road with cars completely surrounding them. And with that expression on her face as only she can give, she looks to the left, then to the right, and says, "Yep, Alone at last. You have to see the scent to get the impact, but it was great.

Dave.

Yep, I remember that scene.. she was showing her cute/humorous side which she really didn't show too often in film.