I've been reading and hearing the news on the terrible fires occuring in Australia. I thought about Kerry, I don't know where he actually makes his residence there; in any case I hope he is fine and out of harms way. Take care.

Thanks Ray, for your concern. It is appreciated. I am a long way from the site of the fires fortunately. I don't know how au fait you are with Australian geography, but where the firestorms have been raging is in Victoria, which is the south east corner of the continent. Up from them is New South Wales with Sydney etc, then further up the East Coast is Queensland where I reside.

The quirky aspect of this situation, is that while the southern states have been battling record high temps and now the fires, the tropical north of Queensland where the Great Barrier Reef is located, has had over 43 days and nights of rain - non stop - and is flood bound to the extent that entire townships are deluged, roads and airports are cut and food and emergency supplies are either being air dropped by the Air Force or shipped to the ports by sea.

So we have one end of the continent in flames and the opposite end underwater. By great good luck, I dwell more or less around the centre of the East coastal region, so have been personally spared the extremes.

Thank you again for your concern.

Kerry

HI Kerry...I emailed you....asking the same question that Ray has asked you...and now I am glad that you are safe, since I have now read this..Errol

DOES ANYONE AT THIS SITE KNOW IF SUSAN HAYWARD EVER VISITED AUSTRALIA ? EITHER ON BUSINESS OR AS A TOURIST ?

~ ANN ~

Ann,

To my knowledge Susan never went to Australia at all as I have never read anything about it. In one biography it stated she had been to China with Eaton but I don't think that is the case either.

Maybe Tim could correct me if I am wrong?

Trish

Thanks Trish. I was just wondering if Susan had been able to enjoy travel very much, out of the country here in the US. Australia was a good point to begin asking about that. I know she must have had the means $$$ but might not have actually had the time or the inclination.

~ANN~

Ann - Susan and Jess took a European motoring tour through France and Spain in 1953 and were actually overseas when the Oscars took place. She had been nominated for "With a Song in My Heart" and she and Eaton were frequently in Europe during their marriage.
She filmed Stolen Hours in Cornwall and London and went to Liverpool and Ireland to film I Thank a Fool.
In fact, I am planning on visiting the village in County Cork, Ireland where Susan filmed some scenes in April. They still have a picture of her hanging in the local bar in Crookhaven.

Trish

Kerry, yes, I thought about you immediately when I first heard of the fires, and then when I realized where they were, I knew that you were far away, and I'm glad you are safe.. from the floods AND the fires!

As far as Susan in Cannes--remember, at one time there were some yahoo videos ( great ones at that)of Susan being very much "herself" in Italy. I think the links are posted within this message board somewhere. I'll try to find them and repost.

Kerry:

Thanks for letting us know that you are safe. I'd also wondered if you were affected by these devastating fires. And, in addition to being worried about all the people affected, as an animal lover, I was also concerned about the wild animals and saw some running in the midst of the fires.

Today, one of the network news programs showed a fireman actually giving water from a bottle to a young animal (I think it was a panda) whose paws had been burned. Fortunately, the animal was turned over to wildlife rescuers who said it would recover.

This kind of devastation is terrible, and what makes it more monstrous is the report that some of the fires might have been purposely set. I know what I would do to the perpetrators if they were found and I was in charge, and it wouldn't be politically correct.