Thursday, April 23, 2015

T is for Gene Tierney



Born: November 20, 1920

Died: November 6, 1991

Aged: 70 years from emphysema

Marriages: 2 times first to Oleg Cassini

Affairs: Tyrone Power, J.F.K., Prince Aly Khan, Spencer Tracy

Famous Partner: Dana Andrews

One of the greatest (and most tragic) beauties ever to grace the screen with an overbite any man would love to kiss. She was born in Brooklyn to a wealthy family (father was in insurance). Due to her beauty she was noticed by Anatole Litvak who wanted her to come to Hollywood but her dad was cautious and rather had her go to the theatre. This didn't last long and she made it to Hollywood anyway. She gave 20% of her earnings to her father which was placed in his insurance company. When she finally decided to separate from her father, he sued her but it came out that he was stealing from her for years so he, thankfully lost the case. She never spoke to him again until his deathbed. During World War 2, the Hollywood Canteen(started by Bette Davis) became the hotspot for every GI man and woman to go to since the stars catered to them by serving them food, drinks, dancing and entertaining them. Gene was helping out for only that one evening when she was pregnant. She got the German measles and, as a result, her daughter, Daria was born blind and severely retarded(sorry no PC). She was devastated and blamed herself. Her husband, Oleg Cassini(Fashion designer) did not seem the most loving (saw him in later interviews-not impressed). She tried to care for her child but she could not give all the care her daughter needed so she sent her to an excellent clinic to provide the care she could not. In the mid 50's, a lady approached Ms. Tierney saying how much of a fan she is of hers. She went on how she was sick with the German measles during World War 2 but heard Gene was going to be at the Hollywood Canteen so she had to see her. She snuck out of her room to meet her and shake her hand since this was her dream come true. Can you imagine!! I think I would have smacked that woman in the jaw! The film, "The Mirror Crack'd" is based on Gene Tierney's life.  Gene  had an affair with J.F.K and fell hopelessly in love with him but when he stated he could never marry a mere actress, the family would not approve, she was heart broken. Due to guilt over her daughter, a failed marriage and the affair with Kennedy and Khan, she suffered a nervous breakdown and committed herself into a sanitarium where she received electro shock therapy a number of times. In 1960, she met her 2nd husband and it was a very happy union who gave her the security she needed plus she did have another, perfectly healthy, daughter with Cassini who was there for her mom.  When she started in films, she hated her high voice so she started smoking to lower her voice which ultimately led to the emphysema that claimed her later in life.

Oscar Nominations: "Leave Her To Heaven"

Films: "Tobacco Road", " Heaven Can Wait", "Laura", "The Razor's Edge", "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", "That Wonderful Urge", "Plymouth Adventure", "Never Let Me Go", "The Left Hand of God", :Advise and Consent".

Quote: " Jealousy is, I think, the worst of all faults because it makes a victim of both parties."

The films in bold is where to start with-Laura is great to begin then keep going:)

OK this is supposed to be for Thursday!-hahahaaaa

47 comments:

  1. Wow, how sad. She probably got measles from that woman.

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  2. Er, what happened to Q, R and S? You can't imagine a father ripping off his daughter. Sad about the measles didn't know it could cause a problem like that.

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    1. hahaha-now I have this on the right day:) Yes German Measles is very harmful to pregnant women

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  3. Wow she went through a lot, ouch to the shock therapy. And look at you skipping ahead at your zoo lol

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    1. She went through too much i think. I got the right day!

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  4. Such a beautiful woman. I love the movie 'Laura'.

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  5. GENE TIERNEY, GENE TIERNEY, GENE TIERNEY!
    My all-time favorite actress because... she was the most beautiful woman God ever created. Just my opinion? Nope...

    >>... "Darryl F. Zanuck, the head of 20th Century Fox, was in the audience. He declared her the most beautiful women in the world..."

    I think 'THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR' is the greatest love story on film. But the movie I most love looking at Gene Tierney in is 'HEAVEN CAN WAIT'. She's in color, and she's wearing lavender, and she is simply Triple-"A"-List GORGEOUS!!! (When Don Ameche tells her she doesn't need a book on 'How To Please Your Husband', he couldn't have been more right. Baby, just... show up!)

    'HEAVEN CAN WAIT' also includes my all-time favorite character actor, Charles Coburn, and the the movie is just a gem - very, very funny, light entertainment with some "fantasy" elements a la 'It's A Wonderful Life'.

    Any time you can get Gene Tierney and Charles Coburn in a movie together (and Don Ameche ain't no slouch, either), you've got a winner!

    Truthfully, I think Gene was almost TOO BEAUTIFUL. The common dude like me has trouble even fantasizing about her because she was so astoundingly gorgeous that she was "20,000 Leagues" out of my league.

    BIRGIT, in my op, you have highlighted the right movies listed above. However, interestingly, although 'LAURA' is probably the movie Gene is most remembered for, it's not one I'm particularly drawn to. I've seen it 2 or 3 times, but I feel the movie could have been much better. The story itself could have been better written.

    Two of my Top 5 Film Noir are 'WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS' (again she appears with Dana Andrews, probably my favorite Film Noir detective) and 'NIGHT AND THE CITY' (with Richard Widmark). In the latter film, Tierney is really in a very "supporting" role and doesn't have a lot to do, but the movie itself is one of Film Noir's best - like I said, amongst my Top 5.

    Anybody who wants to see Gene at her "beautifulest" should begin with 'HEAVEN CAN WAIT', in my opinion (that movie makes me laugh-out-loud EVERY time). But anyone who hasn't seen 'THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR' (with Rex Harrison in unquestionably one of his very greatest roles) should watch that some Valentine's Day with their sweetheart. I think it's the most ROMANTIC MOVIE ever made (despite the fact that he's dead and she's not).

    BIRGIT, as far as I'm concerned, you couldn't have picked a better Hollywood star for the letter "T".

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. POSTSCRIPT:
      Just thinking about it, I am so inspired that I am going to pop in my DVD copy of 'HEAVEN CAN WAIT' and watch it right... NOW!

      ~ D-FensDogG

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    2. How can one not love Heaven Can Wait and My fav-The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. Do you know that, up to that time, they always played music but in this film there is no typical beginning it goes right into that gothic mood that sets the whole film-I think my favourite love story. The other 2 films I have not seen! I must remedy that when I can.

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    3. BIRGIT ~
      'The Ghost And Mrs. Muir' is my favorite Gene Tierney movie, AND my all-time favorite loves story, too. However, she's really her most beautiful in 'Heaven Can Wait', and it's such a whimsical, entertaining movie.

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'Loyal American Underground'

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  6. In MASH, Hawkeye had a thing for Gene Tierney with her overbite. She was a beautiful woman, whose story I never knew. God choice.

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    1. I know he did and that inspired me to write that first sentence!

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    2. Are you talking about MASH the movie or the TV show? Because I worked on the TV show for 5 years and even I didn't know Hawkeye was supposed to have a thing for Gene Tierney.

      ~ D-FensDogG

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  7. Lovely woman, she had a few known gentlemen callers... love many of those films. My favorite, going to say Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

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    1. I love the Ghost and Mrs. Muir-one of my all time favourite films

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  8. How horrible to come face-to-face with the woman who infected her and her child by an act of stupidity!
    I've always wondered about the spelling of her name. Every time I see it, I think of a man.
    Great post as always!
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    1. I know but that was her name! I remember reading this when I was a kid and thought that was the most horrible thing to ever happen to a woman. I would have wanted to strangle that fan

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  9. I love how beautiful and classical all of these actresses looked.

    She had an affair with J.F.K.? Sheesh, who didn't?

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    1. I know! He was a rogue and treated her poorly

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  10. Oh. Wow. I would have dropped that broad with the German Measles like 3rd grade English.
    Curious...did the woman know what damage she caused?

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    1. That stupid twit had no idea, I believe. She needed and deserved a smack

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  11. What a gorgeous woman! It's interesting to read about her life and work.

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    1. Oh she was beautiful and had an eventful life

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  12. I love that quote! I don't think I've seen any movies with her in it. That's absolutely horrible about what happened to her daughter.

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    1. The quote is great and you have to see The Ghost and Mrs. Muir especially since you write such great stories. I think you will like it.

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  13. I didn't know the story about her daughter. That was tragic. And the irony plus the stupidity of that woman is stranger than fiction.

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    1. I agree-that stupid woman should have been jailed. I think Gene Tierney dealt with it with great class

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  14. Another really fascinating story. She was especially beautiful! Terrible about the German Measles. Wonder if the woman knew the devastation it could cause in a pregnancy?

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    1. I don't think she knew but she is still an idiot because she probably infected many people.

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  15. What a fascinating actress- so beautiful. I think it is so tragic and frustrating to learn that someone who knew they had German Measles purposefully sneaked out to meet her and then she contracted them and it had such an impact on her daughter. :(
    ~Jess

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    1. This actress is fascinating to me. She is beautiful, I believe she is a great actress and had such a sad life regarding her daughter and her guilt. That dumb twit needed a kick in the ass and then thrown in jail for what she did.

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  16. I can watch both The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and Heaven Can Wait over and over. And, over. And, over.

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  17. Did electroshock therapy actually work? I always hear about them doing that to people back then but I can't imagine it helped at all.

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    1. I don't think it did. It just made them "numb" but not much else I think and it was horrible how it burned the hair and skin.

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  18. How sad with her daughter and how cruel that lady with the measles.....Glad she did eventually find love in all the right places it seems.

    betty

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    1. It was so hard for her as any mother would find it hard and yes she did find love with her last marriage

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  19. I love the ghost and mrs. Muir! Hearing the voice of sher khan is so fun. Makes me want to watch black swan too!

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  20. Missed the reposting! I read this when it sneaked out earlier in the week and thought Agatha Christie! I've read The Mirror Crack'd and seen the film but never knew she based it on something true.
    Anabel's Travel Blog
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    1. Yup-I made a boo boo but now all is right in the world:) I saw that film years ago and didn't realize, at that time, that it was based on gene. I want to see that film again

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  21. Poor Gene Tierney, and what a fascinating story. For some reason people are so anti-measles and other vaccinations because of the perceived risk, but I think this story highlights why people should vaccinate their children for the measles. It was a bit scary how the measles showed up in our city again at Target and a candy shop, oh, and at a sushi place.

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    1. I agree with you! I don't get the parents who do not get their children vaccinated and all because of a stuipid B&^$! named Jenny McCarthy who was all over the air waves a few years back scaring the hell out of people because she so believed her kid got autism because of the vaccines. i wanted to ring her non-talented neck

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  22. German measles was (and is) serious. I wish the anti vaccination folks would pay more attention to stories like this. My mother was so afraid of polio, watching her friends (and their children) come down with it. She didn't hesitate one minute to get me vaccinated. I'm glad Gene found some happiness in her second marriage. She deserved some peace of mind.
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  23. It's a shame that she led such a sad life. I can't imagine what she went through with her daughter. Gene Tierney was another great beauty who suffered needlessly.

    Julie

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