July Star of the Month-Janet Leigh

 

JANET LEIGH

BORN: July 6, 1927

DEATH: October 3, 2004

AGED: 77 years

DIED FROM: Vasculitis 

REAL NAME: Jeanette Helen Morrison

MARRIED: 4 times, 1st one was annulled, she was young 15/16 yrs. 3rd to Tony Curtis. Few days after that divorce, she married Robert Brandt, a stockbroker, from 1962 until her death.

AFFAIRS: Arthur M. Loew Jr. Possibly Frank Sinatra

CHILDREN: 2 daughters, Kelly Curtis, Jamie Lee Curtis. Was pregnant, much earlier, but miscarried.

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Psycho- 1960

TALENT: highly intelligent-graduated high school at age 16. She could sing and dance  was in a choir when she was young.

KNOWN FOR: The first sream Queen.  Her versatility. Her bodacious ta-tas..sorry, but true

Everyone knows the famous shower scene when Janet Leigh let out those screams before grabbing the shower curtain and falling onto the floor, still as a dead person is supposed to be( except her eyes are not dilated as Doctors noticed). She had to lie there for a long time which is no easy feat and this scene caused her to never take showers ever again. This young girl, born to very poor family, excelled at school and graduated high school by the age of 16. The impetuous girl decided to marry but, this marriage was annulled. When she turned 18, she married again right around the time, Norma Shearer, a huge actress during the 1930s, saw her photo at a ski resort where Leigh’s parents were working. Shearer was struck by the beauty of Leigh, sought her out and decided to bring her to Hollywood. That is how Leigh ended up in the big town and onto to celluloid. The good thing is this very pretty gal with the 37-23-25 measurements could fill out a torpedo bra like no one, but she could, also, act. She met Tony Curtis at a party and soon, they were an item. She divorced her 2nd husband and, at age 23, married Tony Curtis with great friend, Jerry Lewis, as Best Man. To say their marriage had its ups and downs, is an understatement. She dealt with his numerous affairs and his narcissistic jealousy. Finally, after 12 yrs of marriage and 2 daughters, he filed divorce! He claimed adultery etc.., which blindsided Leigh to the point where she, allegedly, overdosed and her stomach had to be pumped. she was able to survive this publicity ridden fiasco and find the love of her life and married in 1962 staying with this man until she died. 

She was well liked, amiable and was a pretty good actress who could also sing and dance but when she took on the role in Bye Bye Birdie, the one dance scene was enough for her to say, “Never Again”. She ventured onto TV giving some great acting spots like the aging, forgotten star who commits murder in Columbo ( a really excellent episode if you can watch it). She starred with her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis in “The Fog” and "Halloween:20 Years Later” confirming that both mom and daughter could be scream queens together. Sadly, she developed this Vasculitis and struggled with it in the final year of her life. I looked it up and saw a picture of a person’s lower legs…it’s not pretty. It’s a sad end to someone who was a solid leading lady in major roles and supporting roles. I chose most of the films from what I have seen. I always like to see Joel’s top 10 who has seen far more films than me:) 

FILMS

1. Bye, Bye, Birdie-1963

2. Psycho-1960

3. Who Was That Lady-1960

4. Holiday Affair-1949

5. Angels in the Outfield-1951

6. The Manchurian Candidate-1962

7. The Naked Spur-1953

8. My Sister, Eileen-1955

9. The Vikings- 1958

10. Touch of Evil- 1962

I'm going more by her performance, than the actual film which is why "The Manchurian Candidate" is low on my list. "Touch of Evil" is a star-studded film considered a gem in film. Everyone seems to love it, except me. Charlton Heston as a Mexican is as true as the Pope wearing the white jump suit from Elvis. 

I believe this interview is from a Canadian TV Program called, Saturday Night at the Movies with host, Elwy Yost..I miss this man.