THE FINAL FOUR Update: Day 2

After a close first day, things have opened up on day 2 with Bette Davis and Barbara Stanwyck firmly in control of their matches. Bette leads Elizabeth Taylor 33-14 whille Barbara Stanwyck leads Audrey Hepburn 34-19. On day one, Bette and Liz was tied at 10 votes each and Babs was actually trailing Audrey 14-12. But things have turned around big time. Matches continue through Wednesday evening!

THE FINAL FOUR..Classic Movie Actress Style begins tomorrow

Last month we began with 132 actresses competing for the title of Favorite Classic Movie Actress. Well we have now made it to the final four and what a foursome we have. Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. And it's notable as three of the women present are first time Final Four finalists. Bette Davis is the only returnee. Here are the breakdowns and match-ups that will begin tomorrow afternoon (3 pm EST). Note: tourney record is for all tourney appearances since inception.

BARBARA STANWYCK

30'S ERA CHAMPION

Tourney record (11-3)

Number of final fours: 1st time

How she got here:

defeated Thelma Todd 38-4

defeated Marlene Dietrich 49-7

defeated Norma Shearer 40-19

defeated Greta Garbo 49-16

defeated Myrna Loy 51-43

total votes accumulated so far 227

VS

AUDREY HEPBURN

50'S ERA CHAMPION

Tourney Record (13-4)

how she got here:

defeated Shirley Booth 40-4

defeated Eva Marie Saint 46-9

defeated Susan Hayward 51-23

defeated Grace Kelly 54-20

defeated Doris Day 65-60

total votes accumulated so far: 256

******************

BETTE DAVIS

40'S ERA CHAMPION

Tourney Record (16-3)
How she got here:

defeated Katharine Hepburn 50-25

defeated Rosalind Russell 40-36

defeated Judy Garland 53-16

defeated Rita Hayworth 50-7

defeated Olivia de Havilland 35-34

Total votes accumulated so far: 228

VS

ELIZABETH TAYLOR

60'S ERA CHAMPION

Tourney record (10-3)

How she got here:
defeated Vanessa Redgrave 41-17

defeated Julie Andrews 37-11

defeated Jean Simmons 46-26

defeated Lee Remick 45-17

defeated Natalie Wood 41-27

Total votes accumulated so far: 210

It's interesting to note that while Elizabeth Taylor has the smallest amount of accumulated votes out of all the finalists, she is the only one not to have a close match. Her smallest margin of victory was by a double digit win of 14 votes over Natalie Wood. All the other finalists had at least one close call. Bette Davis even had two, narrowly surviving Rosalind Russell in round 2 by four votes and then just the other day edging Olivia de Havilland by one vote. Audrey Hepburn has racked up the most votes in this year's tourney with a whopping 256 votes and racked up a tourney high 65 votes against Doris Day. Barbara Stanwyck has been quite consistent with averaging over 40 votes per match but topped 50 with a solid win over Myrna Loy in the previous round. So it looks like each actress brings an impressive resume to the table with some great wins in pivotal matches. Bette Davis is the only returning Final Four finalist and she looks to bring home a crown this time. But the other three ladies might have something to say about that. The matches begin tomorrow at 3 pm EST and will run through Wednesday evening! 

Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor...now that's a FINAL FOUR!

The Elite 8 matches just wrapped up and we now have our final four set. And what a final four it is. Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. Wow! You couldn't have asked for a better foursome. But it wasn't easy, especially for Davis and Hepburn. Here's the complete wrap up of their stellar matches.

30'S ERA CHAMPION: Barbara Stanwyck

In the 30's era, it was Barbara Stanwyck (a pre-tourney number 1 seed) out-lasting Myrna Loy 51-43. Since the previous tourney champions have all come out of the 30's era and Babs made it all the way to the 30's era championship match last year  before losing to eventual champion Carole Lombard, she was a heavy favorite to win it all this year. But Myrna gave her some serious competition before Babs was finally able to pull away.

40'S ERA CHAMPION: Bette Davis

In the 40's era, Bette Davis stormed out of the gate and jumped out to big lead over Olivia de Havilland before Livvie made a charge. de Havilland was down by as many as 10 votes before she made a rally only to fall short by one vote, 35-34. Due to Kristen's class running late the poll remained up after the official cut off time and Livvie actually tied up the match. But we called the match over at 6 pm declaring Bette the winner. So Bette heads back to the final four for the second consecutive year. Great showing by Olivia though! Damn great showing!

50'S ERA CHAMPION: Audrey Hepburn

Doris Day was looking for a return trip to the final four as she and Audrey Hepburn had one of the best matches of the tourney. They had multiple lead changes before Audrey managed to pull away slightly on the last day to win 65-60. On Doris Day's birthday no less. Ouch! So Audrey earns her first trip to the final four!

60'S ERA CHAMPION: Elizabeth Taylor

And in the 60's era, it was fantastic news for Elizabeth Taylor. This was her first year competing in this era as she normally competes in the 50's era. But we decided to move her to the 60's due to her two Oscar wins during that decade. It paid off for Liz as she defeated Natalie Wood 41-27. It was a lopsided loss for Natalie as she normally dominates in her matches. In fact her 27 votes is the lowest amount out of these four matches. Seems her fans just disappeared when Natalie needed them the most.

So the final four is now set and as tradition, the 30's era champion will face the 50's era champion while the 40's era champion meets the 60's era champion. Which means Barbara Stanwyck vs Audrey Hepburn while Bette Davis will face Elizabeth Taylor. The matches will begin on Saturday right here on All Good Things and run through Wednesday evening. I will write a post tomorrow detailing these sure to be thrilling matches. Thanks to Desiree, Kristen and John for their help once again in helping me put together another great tourney!

Bette Davis vs Carole Lombard for the title

You couldn't have asked for a better championship match to decide the favorite classic movie actress for 2013. After years of higher seeds such as 10th seed Irene Dunne and 7th seed Ginger Rogers winning the coveted title against a 4th seed Vivien Leigh and top seed Natalie Wood, this is the first match in tourney championship history, where both actresses are number 1 seeds. Bette was a top seed in the 40's era in the drama queens category while Carole was a overall top seed for the top four women in the entire tourney. So this should be one doozy of a match. Here are the stats for the two ladies:

CAROLE LOMBARD
Tourney Record 14-3 (through 3 years)
wins so far:
Doris Day 43-19
Barbara Stanwyck 36-27
Joan Blondell 39-20
Myrna Loy 61-21
Jean Harlow 50-31
Margaret Dumont 58-7
Number of posts on All Good Things: 91
Rank on my Favorite Actresses List: 1
Number of Monties: (1) Best Actress for My Man Godfrey (1936)
My top 3 favorite Carole films: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, My Man Godfrey, and In Name Only


VS

BETTE DAVIS
Tourney Record 11-2 
wins so far:
Diana Rigg 48-15
Rita Hayworth 25-13
Judy Garland 44-39
Vivien Leigh 32-18
Olivia de Havilland 31-13
Jane Wyman 55-4
Number of posts on All Good Things: 55
Rank on my Favorite Actress List: 9
Number of Monties: (1) so far for The Little Foxes (1941) as Best Actress
My top 3 favorite Bette films: All About Eve, The Man Who Came To Dinner, and Old Acquaintance

And the odds are dead even, according to the oddsmakers in Las Vegas. So this match can go either way. The match begins tomorrow morning and runs through Sunday morning. So all Bette and Carole fans, please come out and show your support by casting a vote for your favorite.

Day 2 of the Final Four has Bette Davis and Carole Lombard in complete control

The two matches in the final four of the favorite classic movie actress tourney have shaped up to be blow-outs. Top seeds Bette Davis and Carole Lombard are having very little trouble in their matches. Bette leads Diana Rigg 32-9 while Carole leads Doris Day 31-9 as of 8 pm EST. There is one more day of voting but it's looking like we will be seeing a championship match between Bette and Carole. Which is fine with me. I will write a post on that big time match-up on Tuesday. And will start the championship match on Wednesday morning to run through Sunday.

A quick primer on Diana Rigg

The wonderful Diana Rigg

Carole Lombard. Bette Davis. Doris Day. All classic movie fans recognize these names immediately. But a few of my followers and friends have shook their heads and asked me who the heck is Diana Rigg. Since Diana is in the final four for this year's tourney, I thought it would be prudent to shed some light on her. So here we go.

Born Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg on July 20, 1938 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, UK.
Got her start in small bits in British tv films in the late 50's and early 60's.
Caught her first major break when cast as Emma Peel in 1965 on the hit spy TV series, The Avengers, with co-star Patrick Macnee. She was not in the series when it first started in 1962. That honor went to the wonderful Honor Blackman who played Cathy Gale. And when Diana left the show in 1968 her replacement was the spunky Linda Thorson who portrayed Tara King.

As Emma Peel..always prepared

Diana first major film came after she left The Avengers. It was in 1969 and it was the James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service with George Lazenby, who replaced Sean Connery as the super spy. Rigg was cast as Tracy and has the distinction of being the only woman to carry the name Bond and become his wife. Bond may have lots of girlfriends and one night stands, etc..but he only settled down the one time...and it was to Tracy. Diana Rigg gives one of the best performances you will ever see in a Bond film. She is engaging, resourceful, melancholy, funny...just all around and memorable.

The only woman to become wife to James Bond

Her next biggest and most know film has to The Hospital (1971) co-starring George C. Scott, a black comedy about the day in the life of a hospital. I only saw it one time many, many years ago but remember it  being pretty good.

Diana would land her own TV series called Diana in 1974 but sadly it only lasted one year. Not too many people even realize she had her own tv series. It was a comedy and center on a young woman (Rigg) who moves from London to New York. 

Diana...giving all to any part she takes in

For the better part of the 80's and 90's Diana concentrating on theater work, starring in such works as Medea, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Mother Courage and Her Children, Britannicus and Phedre. And tons of movies for PBS. Oh and she has appeared on the long running UK series, Doctor Who. And was made a dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth the second in 1994 for her contributions to theater and film. In short, Diana is a well respected actress and definitely deserves to be in the conversation of all time great actresses.

Good luck Diana!

And one more thing..she will be appearing in this year's season three of Game of Thrones, starting Sunday, March 31st...super cool!

The matches are underway...and Diana Rigg is ready!

The matches to decide who will face off in the championship match to decide the favorite classic movie actress of 2013 have begun. Carole Lombard faces Doris Day while Bette Davis takes on Diana Rigg. These matches will run through Tuesday evening at 6 pm EST. 

Whoa Diana...it's just a match....no need for that knife!

THE FINAL FOUR begins tomorrow

The Final Four for the 2013 Favorite Classic Movie Actress will begin tomorrow and I think this year's foursome represents each specific era quite well. These four actresses: Carole Lombard, Bette Davis, Doris Day and Diana Rigg are all making their first final four appearances. In the case of Diana Rigg, it is her debut tourney. I was getting used to see tourney mainstays like Grace Kelly and Natalie Wood being in the final four that it is something of a shock to not see them here this year. But the show must go on and here is the rundown on this year's final four.

CAROLE LOMBARD
Tourney Record 13-3 (through 3 years)
wins so far:
Barbara Stanwyck 36-27
Joan Blondell 39-20
Myrna Loy 61-21
Jean Harlow 50-31
Margaret Dumont 58-7




VS

DORIS DAY 
Tourney Record 9-2
wins so far:
Ava Garder 40-19
Audrey Hepburn 34-32
Jane Russell 54-22
Cyd Charisse 51-17
Vera-Ellen 45-13




Carole has logged 244 votes in her favor in her five wins for a 48 vote average.
Carole leads the final four finalists with most votes gained. Hope that's a good sign.
Doris has logged 224 votes in her favor in her five wins for a 44 vote average. 
So they are pretty close and will go into this match evenly matched.


**************************************************
BETTE DAVIS
Tourney Record 10-2 
wins so far:
Rita Hayworth 25-13
Judy Garland 44-39
Vivien Leigh 32-18
Olivia de Havilland 31-13
Jane Wyman 55-4




VS


DIANA RIGG
Tourney Record 5-0 (first year)
wins so far:
Shirley Jones 30-17
Catherine Deneuve 38-14
Julie Andrews 48-20
Angela Lansbury 44-40
Julie Christie 43-19

Bette has logged 187 votes in her favor over five wins for an average of 37 votes per match.
Diana has logged 203 votes in her favor over five wins for an average of 40 votes per match.
Diana has had some impressive wins, particularly over 60's titans Catherine Deneuve and Julie Andrews. She did struggle with Angela Lansbury though. While Bette has been pretty consistent with her only real close match coming against last year's final four finalist Judy Garland.

I will have the polls up early tomorrow morning and will have the matches run through either Monday evening or Tuesday evening. Not quite sure yet.

The third time's the charm as Carole Lombard is headed to the Final Four...

After two consecutive years of heart-breaking losses in the 30's era final match, Carole Lombard finally broke that streak with a win over Barbara Stanwyck 36-27. She previously had lost to Irene Dunne in 2011 and Ginger Rogers in 2012, who both coincidentally went on to win the Favorite Classic Movie Actress crown. I know that has to be a big relief for all of her fans, myself included. It was a hard fought victory for Carole over the seemingly unstoppable Stanwyck, who had been laying waste to her previous competition. In other era final matches, it was Bette Davis beating Rita Hayworth 25-13, earning Bette her first ever trip to the final four as well. In the 50's era, it was Doris Day defeating Ava Gardner 40-19. And in the 60's era it was Diana Rigg 29-17 over Shirley Jones, making it an all new final four affair. The matches will be Carole vs Doris and Bette vs Diana Rigg. Scheduled to start Friday morning and run through Monday afternoon.

Carole still can't believe she finally is going to the final four

CAROLE LOMBARD 36-27 over BARBARA STANWYCK
BETTE DAVIS 25-13 over RITA HAYWORTH
DORIS DAY 40-19 over AVA GARDNER
DIANA RIGG 30-17 over SHIRLEY JONES

Grace Kelly and Natalie Wood are in the Final Four for the second year in a row

The 50's and 60's era final matches are completed and we have our first final four finalists. And guess what, they're the same two actresses who made the final four last year. Grace Kelly and Natalie Wood. Kelly edged out Elizabeth Taylor in the 50's era final match 48-40 while Natalie Wood ripped Jean Simmons 45-25 in the 60's era final match. So Kelly and Wood will make a return trip to the final four. The only difference will be who will they face. Last year Kelly took on eventual tourney champion Irene Dunne while Wood faced Vivien Leigh. Well both those women are gone. Looks like Kelly will face Ginger Rogers, who is lighting up my girl Carole Lombard in the 30's era final by the count of 137-92 with less than a hour to go. Meanwhile over in the 40's era, Bette Davis and Judy Garland are trading blows back and forth with Garland currently holding an 10 vote egde. Their match will conclude on tomorrow. And the winner will face Natalie. And then the final four will kick off on Tuesday with the two semi-final matches. And run thru Friday night. We will then begin the championship match on Saturday and run thru Tuesday night.

Natalie Wood has an unbelievable comeback and earns the last spot in THE FINAL FOUR

Natalie Wood was down by as many as 11 votes against Doris Day in the 60's era final match. She made a blistering comeback today to win 31-29 and earn the last spot in The Classic Movie Actress Final Four. Congratulations to Natalie and better luck next year Doris, who if she had won, would have been the lone top seed to make it to the final four. As it is, Natalie Wood is the highest ranked actress seeded 2nd. She will face Vivien Leigh in one of the semi-final matches which will begin tomorrow. In the other match Irene Dunne will battle Grace Kelly. I will have a post later on detailing the Final Four. It has been a wild and exciting tournament and we finally have arrived at the last four actresses left.

Natalie can't believe it that she is in the Final Four...Congratulations!