MITZI GAYNOR
BIRTH: September 4, 1931
DEATH: October 17, 2024
AGED: 93 yrs
DIED FROM: Natural Causes
REAL NAME: Francesca Marlene De Czanyi Von Gerber
NICKNAME: Mitzi
MARRIED: Once, to Jack Bean, talent Agent and her manager, until he died. 52 yrs.
CHILDREN: None
FRIENDS: Bob Mackie, Liza Minnelli
TALENT: singing, dancing, knew how to entertain
KNOWN FOR: her perky demeanour. Knew how to calm a situation ie. Ethel Merman was fuming when Marilyn Monroe was late or would not come out of her trailer. Mitzi would give a wink making Merman believe Monroe was having a sex time with someone. This would neutralize Merman’s anger.
Known for her perky and effervescent personality, this sweet gal wished she could be known for her sexiness so she could get some roles that went to Marilyn Monroe but she did pretty good for herself, regardless. She is, actually, from Hungarian aristocracy ( sorry Zsa Zsa but she really is aristocracy)on her father’s side, who was a classical violinist and music director and her mom was a dancer, so her talents were inherited. Her nickname, “Mitzi” is a German endearment from the name “Maria” and she was called this since she was a child. When she came to Hollywood, a talent scout( I think), decided to change her last name to Gaynor, from the film actress, Janet Gaynor, which was fine by Mitzi who loved the actress. Her biggest time in film, were the 1950s with, her last film, being in 1963 when she realized her natural talents would be better utilized on stage. She began appearing in Las Vegas to sold out shows and she would often appear in Vancouver, BC- Canada, to try out a new show and loved the city and the people. She brought the house down during the 1967 Oscars when she sang the Oscar nominated song, “Georgy Girl” receiving a standing ovation that did not stop. The execs had a hard time to get the audience to stop clapping so they could continue on with the show. Mitzi, and her husband, who was her manager, had many TV specials during the late 60s and 79s where she won many Emmys and other awards. She knew how to stop the show especially in her famous Bob Mackie gowns. She continued to perform, on stage, well into the 1990s before she semi retired. She still would dance every day even into her 80s and kept her gorgeous figure. A fun note, she appeared on the Ed Sullivan show when the Beatles performed back in 1964. Afterward, she went out to dinner with them and they asked for her autograph! I love that:)
I’m going to list her film from my favourite on down but the last 4, I did not see but want to.
FILMS
1. South Pacific-1958
2. Les Girls-1957
3. Anything Goes-1956
4. Were Not Married-1952
5. The Joker Is Wild-1957
6. For Love Or Money-1963
7. Happy Anniversary- 1959
8. Surprise Package-1960
9. The Birds And The Bees-1956
10. The “I Don’t Care” Girl-1953
Thanks for the background info on Mitzi! Sounds like she was a wonderful person who had a good life. Les Girls is a favourite film.
ReplyDeleteFrom. All accounts, she was a very nice person whom everyone loved
DeleteOnly one I have seen is South Pacific. very unusual for a show biz marriage to last so long!
ReplyDeleteYes...there are a few that last. No messy love affairs, addictions etc... followed her.
DeleteI always love to see that an actor or actress was married to the same person until one or the other died and was, to the best of anyone's knowledge, faithful to that person the whole time.
ReplyDeleteYes, she had a loving marriage. Jimmy Stewart, Rosalind Russell and William Daniel's is married to Bonnie Bartlett, also an actress, since 1951! They are still alive and have been married for 74 years!
DeleteShe was amazing. I didn't realize she had only recently died.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was sad when I heard she passed away 1 yr ago.
DeleteWonderful choice for the month Birgit!! Love Mitzi!
ReplyDeleteVery talented and she always came across as a genuine person (despite her adherence as the years passed to a makeup application that can only be described as heavy-handed). I've never read a single negative comment about her as far as her kindness and thoughtfulness is concerned.
I have seen all her films, not a giant feat considering she only made 17, and they are a mixed lot. She always said she didn't get the movies and the movies didn't get her and I'd agree with that at least in part. She had some of the same sort of impact that other performers, such as Dinah Shore and Perry Como, had though she was more brash. She came over more forcefully on the smaller TV screen or in live performance. Also I think she was canny enough to realize that her type of picture was going out of fashion and to get while the getting was good. That isn't to say though that she didn't have a few pictures that showed her to advantage.
Her persona came through with a native intelligence and level-headedness that ruled out any sort of bubblehead sex kitten.
In honor of her birthday I re-watched her final film "For Love or Money" today because it had been years and it was a pleasant if unremarkable picture which might have played better with Rock Hudson in Kirk Douglas's role (though Kirk did okay, but comedy was not his forte) but because of the cast (Thelma Ritter (all glammed up), Gig Young, William Bendix, Julie Newmar) it went down easy.
My top 5 of her films:
1. Les Girls-Along with being her best film I think this contains her best performance. Also the divine Kay Kendall!!
2. The Joker is Wild (1957)
3. For Love or Money (1963)
4. There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
5. Happy Anniversary (1959)
Sorry but I loathe "South Pacific"! Hard to put my finger on why even, I love the stage show, but while Mitzi is fine from the minute the overbright credits roll I start squirming. Same goes for "Guys and Dolls".
Hi Joel...I knew you loved Les Girls and so do i and maybe, another day, I would choose that film but, I love South Pacific even Rossano Brazzi's pursed lips. I was not very interested in the sub plot with the young France Nuyen, but love Juanita Hall and Ray Walston was great.
DeleteYeah, she didn't have too many films but I recall her on TV during the 70s when these shows were great and Bob Mackie ruled in the costume hall of fame Dept.