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.
I was on my way to a show rehearsal at a live theater in Hollywood. I had walked from 1245 N. Vine..the Villa Elaine, where I now lived..and they still had the records of Susan living there in her early days in Hollywood.
Susan had been on my mind, all day, since I knew how ill the reports had been about her and I had a sinking feeling in my stomach every time I thought of her, that day.
I had walked as far as Sunset and Las Palmas, where there was/or maybe still is...a quaint little mall of offices, many Hollywood photographers, agents, etc and a huge round glassed travel agency next to the sidewalk.
As I was going past a man was coming out of the travel agency. A woman appeared in her doorway of one of the theatrical agencies and called over to him saying, "We lost her!" WHY..I will never know, but I knew who they were talking about, before any more was said.
The man stood stunned and called back.."SUSAN?"
"yES..." she replied and began to cry. "Oh, God..NO!" the man said, lowering his head in shock and sadness.
I stood on the sidewalk...and I felt the sadness welling up and into tears. They were still talking, but I couldn't hear a thing they were saying. I was in my own mourning and all else was blocked out.
I finally walked on toward the rehearsal in a daze, thinking of how much she had suffered and tried so hard to hold on to life. Susan was a strong willed woman and she had finally lost the battle.
When I reached the theater for rehearsals, which was off Hollywood Blvd on La Brea...I was in no mood to be at a rehearsal and as I came into the front of the theater, it was plain to see that neither were the other actors. Some just stood in silence, others were weeping, openly..both men and women.
Someone finally said..."Well, at least Susan is out of her misery and pain....but what a loss this is.."
Of course...the rehearsal was cancelled and I knew I didn't want to go back home..alone..with only the thoughts of Susan on my mind.
I walked to Hollywood Blvd. and wound up at the Chinese Theater. I thought the best thing for me, right now, is to be in a movie theater, so I bought a ticket and went in. They were playing "FUNNY LADY" with Barbara Streisand. To this day, I cannot tell you one thing about that film...I vaguely remember Streisand singing while walking across a long cigarette holder...and that has never even made sense to me, because I will NEVER watch that film again. I sit through it...in the dark...but know nothing about what was on the screen. My thoughts were only of the loss of my favorite, beautiful SUSAN.
I hope she is looking down here, on this day that is still a day of mourning for many of her family and fans. I hope she knows just how much she put into all of our lives and how much she will always be missed.
I hope she is smiling that pretty smile. that is still as fresh in my mind today as it always has been..and I hope she is in a happy place...and knows that she is still loved and missed...and never to be forgotten.
