Happy Birthday Andrea Leeds (1914 - 1984)

Happy Birthday to Andrea Leeds, a talented actress who had a short lived career. Andrea only made about 20 films during a four year span from 1936 to 1940. But one of her best and biggest roles was in the female driven cast film, Stage Door, as Kay Hamilton, the shy and sensitive young woman who has a very hard time landing a role on Broadway. Other films included Come and Get It (1936) with Joel McCrea and Frances Farmer; They Shall Have Music (1939) again with Joel McCrea but this time as the female lead; and The Real Glory (1939) with Gary Cooper.

But just as her career was taking off, personal tragedy struck when her fiance Jack Dunn, who was Sonia Henie's ice skating partner at the time, died suddenly of a rare illness in July 1938 and her interest in acting waned. She would marry a year later and would settled down to live a norma family life.

This photo is from Film Noir Photos by Mr. Mark A. Clark
film noir photos
Andrea was blessed with 2 children from her marriage to Robert Howard as they remained married until his death in 1962. Andrea died in 1984 from cancer.

She may not have been a big star but she did have a noticeable impact in Hollywood and on me. Stage Door is one of my favorite films and her character Kay plays a pivotal part in this film. I know most people will talk about Kate, Ginger, Lucille, Eve, Ann and the others of which I am guilty of too, but more praise needs to be given to Andrea as well. Especially today. So Happy Birthday Andrea! You were one of Hollywood's brightest stars in the time you were a part of it.

As Kay in Stage Door...heartbreaking character

A pensive Andrea..

Amid all the women of Stage Door...

THE MONTIES: 1937 (Stage Door and The Awful Truth win big)

We come to the year 1937 and basically two films dominate my award choices: The Awful Truth and Stage Door. Two of my all time favorite films. On with the show.

BEST FILM:

THE AWFUL TRUTH - WINNER
DEAD END
EASY LIVING
SHALL WE DANCE
THE PRISONER OF ZENDA
STAGE DOOR
STELLA DALLAS
NOTHING SACRED

It was a good year for screwball comedies as four of my eight nominated films were comedies. It came down to The Awful Truth and Stage Door. And The Awful Truth just edges it out. Irene Dunne and Cary Grant are just perfection in their first film together. And they would make two more together so they may still win some more Monties.

BEST DIRECTOR

LEO McCAREY - THE AWFUL TRUTH
GREGORY LACAVA - STAGE DOOR (WINNER)
WILLIAM WYLER - DEAD END
MITCHELL LEISEN - EASY LIVING
MARK SANDRICH - SHALL WE DANCE

Director Gregory LaCava who missed out last year for getting a Montie for My Man Godfrey picks up one now for his amazing direction of several high powered actresses in Stage Door. He managed to get this sensational cast of Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Gail Patrick, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Ann Miller, Andrea Leeds and others to gell perfectly. And he did it two years before George Cukor would helm his all female cast in The Women. Congratulations Gregory.

BEST ACTOR

CARY GRANT - THE AWFUL TRUTH (WINNER)
RONALD COLMAN - THE PRISONER OF ZENDA
JOEL MCCREA - DEAD END
ROBERT MONTGOMERY - NIGHT MUST FALL (WINNER)
FREDRIC MARCH - NOTHING SACRED

My favorite actor of all time Cary Grant receives his first Montie. This has been a very good period for Mr. Grant. Just recently winning my favorite classic movie actor tournament and a recent party and now winning his first Montie. And he shares it with Robert Montgomery for his wicked turn in Night Must Fall

BEST ACTRESS

IRENE DUNNE - THE AWFUL TRUTH (WINNER)
JEAN ARTHUR - EASY LIVING
CAROLE LOMBARD - NOTHING SACRED
BARBARA STANWYCK - STELLA DALLAS
GINGER ROGERS - STAGE DOOR

Irene Dunne was not to be denied a Montie for a second time after losing to Carole Lombard last year. Her performance in this year's The Awful Truth is one of the best performances I have ever seen. Her Lucy Warriner is so funny and so fly by the seat of your pants, you don't know what this woman will say or do next. I happily give Irene her first Montie.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

ALAN HALE - STELLA DALLAS
DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR. - THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (WINNER)
HUMPHREY BOGART - DEAD END
RALPH BELLAMY - THE AWFUL TRUTH
RAYMOND MASSEY - THE PRISONER OF ZENDA

This was a tough one to call as one film yielded two great supporting performances. Fairbanks, Jr. and Massey in The Prisoner of Zenda. And while Massey had the better role of Duke Michael, Fairbanks had the flashier one in Count Rupert. And I loved him as this likeable rogue. So step up to the podium Mr. Fairbanks to receive your Montie.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

DAME MAY WHITTY - NIGHT MUST FALL
JANE WYATT - LOST HORIZON
LUCILLE BALL - STAGE DOOR (WINNER)
EVE ARDEN - STAGE DOOR (WINNER)
OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND - IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER

And with this category we come to our first tie. I thought Lucille Ball and Eve Arden each shined greatly in Stage Door, trading wisecracks all day long. In fact they were like the perfect comedic team, bouncing one liners off each other with brilliant timing. So they each receive a Montie.

So the final count: The Awful Truth takes home 3 Monties (Film, Actor, Actress) and Stage Door takes home 3 Monties (Director, Supporting Actress -two).

I'll be back soon with the year 1938.

Stage Door (1937) is terrific...Hollywood at it's golden best

Director Gregory La Cava assembled a stunning roster of some of the best actresses for this delightful comedy/drama. Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Ann Miller, Gail Patrick and Andrea Leeds. How's that for a cast. And then throw in Adolphe Menjou, Jack Carson and Franklin Pangborn, and you have one of the best film casts ever assembled. It rivals the all women cast of the 1939 classic The Women. The story has Terry Randall (Hepburn), a rich society beauty wants to see if see can make it on Broadway all by herself, with no help from her family. She goes to live in a theatrical boarding house called The Footlights Club and finds her life caught up with those of the other inmates and the ever-present disappointment that theatrical hopefuls must live with. Her room-mate Jean (the wonderfully biting Ginger Rogers) resents her from day one and their tenous relationship fuels the entire movie. The look Jean gives Terry once she realizes they're going to be room-mates is classic. While Stage Door is not really a screwball comedy, it does feature several hilarious moments and wonderful comedic dialogue. I mean with wise-crackers like Rogers, Eve Arden and Lucille Ball on hand, how could it not be. But it does turn very dramatic at times, and there is even an unexpected death that just shatters the close knit group of women. As far as the acting goes, Rogers is top notch. She easily stands out among her fellow actresses with her seen it all, done it all character Jean. Lucille Ball is also very good as Judith, as she has comic troubles with dating. Judith and Jean's double date with some visiting lumberjacks is a riot. Hepburn is ok, but at times seems uncomfortable amid all the other women. I believe Kate worked her best magic with either Tracy of Cary Grant. Regardless, Stage Door is one of my favorite films and it is a joy to watch again and again.
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Judy Canfield: Do you want a date?
Jean Maitland: To some other lumberman?
Judy Canfield: Am I supposed to apologize for being born in Seattle?
Jean Maitland: Well, the last couple we went stepping with were made of lumber. Especially their feet.
Judy Canfield: All right, all right, you can stay here and gorge yourself on lamb stew again.
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Terry Randall: I see that, in addition to your other charms, you have that insolence generated by an inferior upbringing.
Jean Maitland: Hmm! Fancy clothes, fancy language and everything!
Terry Randall: Unfortunately, I learned to speak English correctly.
Jean Maitland: That won't be of much use to you here. We all talk pig latin.
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Terry: Do you go to sleep right away?
Jean: Sure, what do you go to bed for?