ALICE FAYE
BIRTH: May 5, 1915
DEATH: May 9, 1998
AGED: 83 years
DIED FROM: Stomach Cancer
REAL NAME: Alice Jeanne Leppert
AFFAIRS: Possibly Rudy Vallée
MARRIED: Twice- singer Tony Martin and Phil Harris-actor and Bandleader
CHILDREN: 2 daughters with Phil Harris
FRIENDS: Betty Grable
TALENT: Her beautiful singing voice and was known as the female crooner
KNOWN FOR: Her snarky one liners on TV with husband, Phil. Her wonderful attitude, Calling 20th Century Fox, Penitentiary Fox and her genuineness
Alice Faye is little known now but she was one of the biggest stars of the 1940s often playing with Don Ameche( 6 films) or Tyrone Power( 3 films) and introducing the famous song, “You’ll Never Know” which became her signature tune even though she did not have the ability to claim rights to sing it nightclubs etc…She was a no nonsense, true lady who grew up in the notorious Hell’s Kitchen where her dad was, actually, a cop. She started in Vaudeville, ending up in a feature lead in George White’s Scandals on Broadway. Rudy Vallée saw her and snapped her up for his radio show and helped show her the ropes. When the star, Lilian Harvey, left the film, “George White’s Scandals”, Alice Faye became the star of the film opposite Rudy Vallée. From there, she became a hit as a wise-cracking gal who looked like Jean Harlow, with the platinum hair and pencil thin eyebrows. Darryl F. Zanuck, from 20th Century Fox, decided to make her his protégé softening her look by letting go of that platinum hair and letting her eyebrows grow in. After starring with Shirley Temple a couple of times, she really hit her stride in a number of musical films and biopics. She was well liked by directors, stars and staff for her style, always on time, knowing her lines and never having airs. She showed her acting metal in “4 Jill’s and a Jeep” and was given the lead in “Fallen Angel”. When she saw the rushes of that film, she realized her part was cut way back favouring Linda Darnell. Alice was very hurt and angry, walking out and handing her keys to the security guard as she drove off the lot never to return. She only made a few films after that but, with her 2nd husband, Phil Harris, they star on a radio program before going to television. Phil, a part of the Jack Benny show, often referenced his wife and Alice was fine with this since her main focus was on her family and her home. She was one of many that starred in the movie, “Won Ton Ton, The Dog That Saved Hollywood” and, her last appearance, in an episode of “Love Boat.” She deserves to be better known today but, alas, even big names like Katherine Hepburn and John Wayne are not known by the average person. At least, we have her singing, which many composers thought she was the best, like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter. She was a true Lady Dame.
FILMS
1. Poor, Little Rich Girl-1936
2. In Old Chicago-1938
3. Alexander’s Ragtime Band-1938
4. Rose Of Washington Square-1939
5. Lillian Russell-1940
6. Tin Pan Alley-1940
7. That Night In Rio-1941
8. Hello, Frisco, Hello-1943
9. The Gang’s All Here-1943
10. Four Jills and a Jeep-1944
11. Fallen Angel-1945
You're right: her voice was gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit,
ReplyDeleteLovely choice for the month!
Alice is one of the ladies on my list whose filmography I’ve managed to complete, even her final cameo, obviously filmed at a different locale from the rest of the movie, in “Every Girl Should Have One” a truly terrible picture.
I think it’s hard now to understand how enormous her fame was at her peak. Just as 20th tried to mold her into an ersatz Jean Harlow once she made it to the top (ironically taking over the role intended for Jean before her death in “In Old Chicago”) all the studios switched to making their starlets emulate Alice.
Funny considering how they were such a team in the public mind that she and Ty Power shared the same birthday (he was born exactly one year before her). They did make a striking contrast on film. Betty Grable said how welcoming Alice was to her when they made their first film together and it was clear that Betty was on the ascendent, with Fox trying to threaten Alice that she was her replacement. She said that Alice felt that she’d had her success and if Betty was to be the one now so be it. Betty took the same attitude when Marilyn Monroe came along, and the studio paired them the same way. Neither Alice nor Betty apparently cared much for the interim proposed threat June Haver.
While she wasn’t an actress of great depth, though honestly her roles never asked that from her, she had a beautifully smoky voice that she knew how to use to its maximum effect. However, it speaks to the second-string nature of Fox’s musical department versus MGM’s that with all the musicals she made only “You’ll Never Know” really emerged as a signature tune for her. She had an easy charm on screen (and she looked great in period clothing) that made her partner well with almost any leading man.
Since you listed eleven films I’ll do my eleven faves of her films in order of preference:
Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943)-Bonus points for this one having June Havoc as the second lead!
The Gang’s All Here (1943)
Week-End in Havana (1941)
Tin Pan Alley (1940)
Every Night at Eight (1935)
Poor Little Rich Girl (1936)
Stowaway (1936)
Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938)
Little Old New York (1940)
In Old Chicago (1938)
That Night in Rio (1941)
To me those are her best but all her movies, except for her final one and Won Ton Ton, are worth seeing if you can.
Oh yes, I know her name. Can't blame her for walking off like that. She was probably happier after she left.
ReplyDeleteI would love to watch some of these films, I was cleaning a home for an older gentleman and he had That Night in Rio playing.
ReplyDelete