Okay...here is my little tid-bit..and Ginger, you may have known about this, but I never did, so I know we have never talked about it.

While being down..and home most of the time, it gave me a chance to see some pics on TCM that I hadn't seen before. Of course, they always have a ONE STAR DAY now and...still...NO..SUSAN DAY!! I have written in, asking them to give us a SUSAN DAY...like others are getting.
To name a few...JOHN IRELAND was yesterday, JOAN FONTAINE (what a bland actress..no wonder she and real life sister, Olivia de Havilland never got along, since Olivia was ten times the actress that Joan was.
I always called JOAN FONTAINE...'the stick woman' because she seemed to be nothing but skin and bones...and not much talent..but that's just MY opinion, so if I have offended any 'stick woman' fans, I apologize! (lol)

Anyway, while watching all these 'greats' get their TCM DAY..I got to see JANE RUSSELL in "THE FUZZY PINK NIGHTGOWN", which I had never seen. After the showing there was an interview with Robert Osborne talking to both JANE RUSSELL and ROBERT MITCHUM, who had been life-long friends and did some good films together.

At the very end of the interview, Osborne ask Jane if there was ever a film that she really wanted...but didn't get. She said.."YES...ONE for sure! I wanted to play Lillian Roth in I'LL CRY TOMORROW, and they wanted me to...but I had to make a choice on that film or another one...and of course, I choose the wrong one"

nOW..she did say the name of the other film and I'll bet she had never made that picture...PERIOD! It was
GENTLEMEN MARRY BRUNETTES...(what a BOMB that was!)

Later...Errol

Errol,

That is all news to me. I don't ever recall that Jane Russell was "wanted" for ICT. I can't even it imagaine it, even though I liked her well enough, but not for ICT. She would have never have done it justice.

Susan was the one!

Hi Errol...

Great that you asked TCM for a Susan Hayward day....it is weird that they have not featured her yet since they did place her in their nice book of the 50 most legendary actresses of the studio area.....and Joan Fontaine,among many others was not included for instance...

Hope you keep coming visit here now you are better.

You must know by now about the official DVD releases of "Song" by Fox and "I'll cry tomorrow" by Warner in november. ...which is quite exciting news for us at last...

Phil.

Well...Ginger...it sure was news to me (the JANE RUSSELL thing) I could not believe it! But that's what she said.
They did pan over to Mitchum (who we know did NOT like Susan at all) and he was very stone faced. I really thought he was going to say something...like Jane would have been wonderful in the role of Lillian Roth..(NOT!)
but he said nothing. As I remember, it was the very last question the Osborne asked.

I knew that JUNE ALLYSON thought she had the role..FOR SURE..since she was a part of the MGM FAMILY. There, again, it would have been such a bad choice. Neither of these actresses had the 'power and presence' needed to do justice, to the telling of this woman's life story. SUSAN was the one and only actress I can see ever playing this role. JUNE and JANE...HA! That really tops it.

Those choices are as bad as the FIRST CHOICES that FOX had for ALL ABOUT EVE. Eve Harrington was supposed to be played by JEANNE CRAIN, but she became pregnant, (thank God) and could not do the film. And...Margo Channing was all scheduled for CLAUDETTE COLBERT (the bun lady, as I call her. Never saw a woman wear her hair throughout her career, as if it looked like a hot crossed bun sitting on her head..lol) Colbert was OUT once Crain was unable to do the film...so all stops went out..until they could find the correct match for the film. Thank you, God, once again, for giving us the right actresses to make another Hollywood classic, that almost became a Hollywood BOMB!

Now...PHIL...I guess I would have never known about the releases scheduled for WASIMH..and ICT..if I hadn't got over here and read it in the discussions.
You see...where I am now 'planted'...(maybe for the rest of my life) they don't live in the times..of the rest of the world...UTAH is...I'd say...about 15 years behind the times that the rest of the world is living in. VERY STRANGE place here! But I have worked at the most wonderful outdoor theater, with the largest stage and 'real red cliffs background' that I have ever had the privledge of working, in all these years of theater.

I have pics that I wish I could get for all of you to see...(I think they were not lost in the computer crash) of the area...which is also 'the very spot' that they filmed THE CONQUERER and if you ever get to see the pics, you will KNOW I'm not making this up!
Every time I go out to Tuacahn, I am driving right through the desert where Susan's caravan was traveling when JOHN WAYNE and his warriors came swooping down to attack them...and swoop sexy SUSAN off to his camp.

GINGER...I am going to send those pics to you again and maybe you could find a place for them on your site somewhere...or if not...I could send the pics out to the fans that would like to see them. Let me know which would be best, since you may not have a place where they would fit in on the site, since some would be of the desert and some of the ampitheater, to show the red rock background for the theater. I'll look for some reply, on here, to see which way would be best.

But...Phil...I am soooo delighted that 'finally' they are releasing some of her films for dvd. I hope this will mean that more will be on the way. There are so many great films that everyone is missing out on, because of not releasing them for others to find our dear SUSAN in. I think Susan would have a much younger following, of people who love film and film greats that they have never had the opportunity to see yet.

AND...TO CLOSE...this long reply. If you think I'm lying about UTAH being behind the times, just ask our dear friend KERRY, who I correspond with now and then.
If an actor or personality DIES...I have to hear it from KERRY..IN..AUSTRALIA. He always knows about what's going on with the stars, before it ever hits...
SOUTHERN UTAH..(ha!)...THANK YOU, KELLY, for being my information-man on what's happening. You have helped me to know who's still with us..and who has gone to greener pastures! (LOL TO EVERYONE)...Errol
(GOSH..it sure feels good to be back over here again.
I have missed chatting on Ginger's wonderful site!

Did anyone know that Susan was offered the part of Mrs Robinson in "The Graduate", but turned it down? She would have been great in that role.
Christina

Errol

Merci for the kind words. Admittedly, the Internet now negates where one resides to an extent, but before that, the tyranny of distance certainly applied and when it came to opportunities such as your getting to see Susan live etc - we were almost at the end of world here. No wonder so many Australians travelled extensively in the Northern Hemisphere between the 50's and the 80's.

Glad to hear you sounding stronger - I hope your health improves rapidly.

Kerry

So pleased to hear you are feeling better Errol - my sympathies regarding your computer loss.

Regarding the fact that Jane Russell was offered the role of Lillian Roth - I had read at the time of the filming that she was one of the girls up for it - but if I remember, not that she was definitely offered it. I have been searching through my Scrapbooks to verify this but haven't come up with anything. I could never imagine Jane as Lillian but then we were all treated to the fantastic Susan in the role. NO-ONE COULD EVER HAVE COME CLOSE to how she played Lillian. Well, no-one could ever come close to Susan Hayward period!! Also, we would never have had the pleasure of hearing Susan sing - and all these years later - still playing her songs from this wonderful movie.

Trish

Ginger,

I have just come across a letter on Susan's IMDb Board for I'll Cry Tomorrow dated August 3, 2006.

The writer mentions June Allyson, Jane Russell, Jane Wyman, Janet Leigh, Jean Simmons, Piper Laurie and Grace Kelly to play Lillian.

Thank heavens it was Susan! (not that I have anything against the afore-mentioned ladies).

Trish

I have just realised that there was mention of Jane Russell for I'll Cry Tomorrow on page 131 of The Divine ***** by Doug McClelland.

Trish

Okay, thanks Trish, and I just hated the title of that book...it was changed later wasn't it?

Yes Ginger, when the book "The Divine ******** was reprinted in 1975 it included a few extra pages saying that Susan had passed away and was then re-titled "The Complete Life Story of Susan Hayward ... Immortal Screen Star. I have copies of both books.

Apparently Susan was curious regarding the title of The Divine ***** but McClelland told her it was just applying to her "screen" roles so she gave him the "go ahead" with the title. I loved the mention in his book that Hayward had given him the most pleasure over the years as she was always more "alive" than any other actress. We can all attest to that can't we?

Trish