Shirley Booth: 03/01/2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

The Musical BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA Opened On Broadway In APRIL!

Here's some of Shirley Booth's anniversaries in April:

April 4, 1954: Shirley was heard on radio in Stage Struck, "The Story of Spring on Broadway."

April 8, 1954: By the Beautiful Sea opened on Broadway. See my current book (pictured above) for never-before-published photos from this show. For further details on this book, go to http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com/.
April 9, 1937: Excursion opened on Broadway.

April 9, 1948 : Shirley played lead Miss Brooks in the audition of Our Miss Brooks, Audition, which was not broadcast on radio.

April 12, 1948: Shirley was heard on radio in Cavalcade of America, "The Man Who Took the Freedom Train."

April 12, 1953: Shirley was heard on radio in Theater Guild On The Air, "The Glass Menagerie."

April 13, 1970: A Second String opened on Broadway.

April 13, 1970: Shirley appeared on television - The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

April 14, 1943: Tomorrow, the World opened on Broadway.

April 16, 1961: Shirley appeared on television as a presenter on the 1961 Tony Awards.

April 19, 1951: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn opened on Broadway.

April 21, 1931: School For Virtue opened on Broadway.
April 21, 1968: Shirley appeared on television as a presenter on the 1968 Tony Awards.

April 29, 1951: Shirley appeared on television - This Is Show Business.

April 30, 1944: Shirley was heard on radio in Freedom Never Dies, "Freedom House."

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!

*****
For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com

*****

Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2

Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story
by Jim Manago
Radio Research by Donna Manago
Foreword by Ted Key
BearManor Media, May 2008
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com

Friday, March 30, 2012

Reader Writes: "Quite An Impressive Book -- A Must READ..."

ANNIVERSARY TODAY:

March 30, 1953: A letter from Shirley's scrapbooks...From Gritti Palace-Hotel, Venezia novelist Edna Ferber wrote to Shirley. The details are found in my biography.

*****

I am repeating a recent review of my first book, Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story (BearManor Media, 2008)...

Today I share with you the most recent Amazon.com review of my first book, Love is the Reason it All: The Shirley Booth Story (BearManor Media, 2008):

5.0 out of 5 stars "Love Is The Reason For It All ... Shirley Booth ... Jim Manago (Author) (2008)", November 18, 2011

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

BearManor Media presents "LOVE IS THE REASON FOR IT ALL:THE SHIRLEY BOOTH STORY" (Paperback) ~ by Jim Manago (Author), Ted Key (foreword)

Author Manago states, Shirley Booth once said, "I feel sorry for people that don't have the pleasure of acting because I think it's a great release. Nothing has ever come easy for me anyway. From the very beginning my parents were set against my going on the stage and what coaching I got had to be kept from their ears."

"If Booth gets any mention in theater literature, it is primarily for playing the "slovenly" wife Lola in her tour de force of acting, 'COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA'. Her other great achievement playing the title character on the television show 'HAZEL', draws the rest of the attention. But the endearing Shirley Booth accomplished so much more. She appeared in over thirty Broadway shows creating distinctive and vastly different characters, toured the country performing thousands of times in over 600 stock theater productions."

"At her peak, Booth earned acclaimed, winning every major acting award, including an Oscar, three Tonys, two Emmys and numerous other awards -- all of this accomplished without ever receiving any formal dramatic training or schooling."

Very reasonable and a good value for the price --- For product description and editorial review check this out on the Amazon site above my review.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: (Chapter, Title and Page Numbers)

Foreword by Ted Key --- 5

Introduction --- 11

Stage-Struck Kid --- 17

The 1900s - early 1920s

Broadway Thespian,, Next A Star! --- 31

The Mid-1920s - 1930s

Hello, Miss Duffy --- 53

The 1940s

Glowing With Success! --- 83

The 1950s

Everyone's Favorite Maid --- 167

The 1960s

Mrs. Claus' Spirit Till The End --- 221

The 1970s - 1990s

References --- 245

Credits --- 247

Index --- 269

BIOS:

Shirley Booth

Date of Birth: 30 August 1898 - New York City, New York

Date of Death: 16 October 1992 - North Chatham, Massachusetts

Thank our lucky stars for Ben Ohmart and his staff, BearManor Media, a small press that publishes BIG books. They pride themselves on publishing quality entertainment biographies, so they often put out the first book on unique subjects -- plus specializing in books with nostalgic themes and keeping classic Hollywood alive not only thru his publishing house, but thru his own books.

In closing, author Jim Manago has dug deep with quotes from Booth, as an "actor's actor", she once said, "Actors should be overheard, not listened to, and the audience is 50 percent of the performance." -- Everyone today due to re-runs on television knows her better from "Hazel" TV Series, not her films. But thanks to this book, we now know better!

Quite an impressive book -- A must read ~ Highly recommend!

Total Page: 276 Pages ~ BearManor Media #ISBN-13: 978-1593931469 ~ (April 5, 2008)

*****

THANK YOU "Mr. Jim" (Jim Lovins) for your thumbs up!

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!

*****
For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com

*****

Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Shirley Booth's Final Musical Opened Today 42 Years AGO!

ANNIVERSARY TODAY:

March 29, 1970: Previews of Shirley's last musical Look to the Lilies began. The show previewed 31 times before the premiere opening at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater. It then closed after only 25 performances.

*****

I have been cleaning through the many boxes of material I accumulated on Shirley Booth...I came across the library record from New York Public Library, the Research Center at Lincoln Center. It's for Shirley Booth's last musical, Look to the Lilies, on LP as well as the voice and piano vocal selection. At one time this soundtrack was available.

Here's a portion of that library record:

Look to the lilies; vocal selection

by Styne, Jule, 1905-1994.

New York: Chappell-Styne; sole-selling agent: Chappell [c1970]

Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Book by Leonard Spigelgass, based on Lilies of the Field, by William Barrett.

Contents:
 Look to the lilies. - I, yes me! That's who! - Follow the lamb! - There
 comes a time. - Some kind of man. - One little brick at a time. - I'd 
sure like to give it a shot!

*****

42 years ago today, Shirley Booth's final (of five) Broadway musicals, Look to the Lilies, opened. Shirley had been absent from Broadway for ten years (since the May 7, 1960 closing of A Second String). Look to the Lilies tells the story of Homer Smith, a black handyman (played by Al Freeman, Jr.), who is caught up with a group of German nuns. They tell him that God wants him to build them a chapel in New Mexico. Shirley played the Mother Superior Maria.

Clive Barnes observed, "Miss Booth, with her German accent you can strain sauerkraut through, is a delight as the totalitarian Mother Superior who is determined that God's way is her way and that He shall have it." Booth and Freeman offered "two very polished and enjoyable performances."

Nevertheless, Look to the Lilies closed on April 18, 1970. The show had several faults, particularly the static story, poor staging, shortage of suspense, and the "deplorable frowsy settings," noted Barnes.

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!

*****
For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com

*****

Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2
Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story
by Jim Manago
Radio Research by Donna Manago
Foreword by Ted Key
BearManor Media, May 2008
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com/

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Shirley Booth Shared Company Of Luminaries In THE PHILADELPHIA STORY!

ANNIVERSARIES TODAY:

March 28, 1939: The Philadelphia Story opened on Broadway and closed a year later on March 30, 1940.

Lyricist Dorothy Fields died today in 1974 (born July 15, 1905).

*****

Fields is responsible for some of the wittiest and most pleasant lyrics in American song history. She's wrote the lyrics to the short-lived Broadway musical version of Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (267 shows). Nonetheless, Fields (with music by Arthur Schwartz) created a quite memorable production as evidenced by the CD of the cast album.

Among Dorothy Fields many contributions was offering the lyrics (with Jerome Kern composing the music) to the songs in the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers 1936 classic, Swing Time.
In particular, the song "The Way You Look Tonight," was awarded an Academy Award for Best Song. This superb song, with Fred's beautiful and heartfelt delivery, can melt your heart.

*****

Though neither Fred Astaire nor Ginger Rogers worked with Shirley Booth, Shirley did share the company of some other great Hollywood luminaries on Broadway - including Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn.

Seventy-three years ago today, The Philadelphia Story (the rather familiar comedy of manners written by Phillip Barry) opened on Broadway. Shirley played Elizabeth Imbrie, the sardonic society photographer/magazine writer for Destiny magazine. Elizabeth tries to get the scoop on the expected second marriage of society goddess Miss Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) to straitlaced George Kitteredge (Frank Fenton) at the latter's upper-class estate. Complexities arise when the first husband, C. K. Dexter Haven (Joseph Cotten), enters the scene. Van Heflin played the other man that Tracy had a drunken swim with.

Shirley had been in Hollywood a year earlier because her first husband Ed Gardner was headquartered there as a radio director. Shirley gave up her acting career for a short time and had rented a house on a hill. She is quoted in my book (Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story, 2008) as saying that she "thought it important to be a good wife and follow her husband."

The couple would return back to the East Coast in 1939. Shirley failed to notify the post office of the change of address. So a friend had to contact her to tell her that for weeks the Theater Guild was trying to wire her in California.

The Philadelphia Story came at a point when Shirley had some interest in going back to Hollywood to make a picture. But she had some reluctance, so this production on Broadway gave her time to drag her feet about doing a movie. Of course, her first movie (Come Back, Little Sheba) wouldn't be made until a dozen years later in 1952.

Shirley chose not to be in the first film adaptation of The Philadelphia Story, which retained Hepburn in her lead part and added Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. Ruth Hussey would play Shirley's part in this 1940 screwball comedy version. Later on, in 1956, a musical rendition of the story called High Society had starred Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and John Lund. Celeste Holm played Shirley's role in this film version.

In terms of Shirley Booth's Broadway shows, The Philadelphia Story had a fairly substantial run of 417 performances, and it closed on March 30, 1940. Her next show began in December of 1940, and it ran for 864 performances. That's the hysterically funny My Sister Eileen. More on that show in a future blog post...

*****

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Shirley Booth: "Always Been A Believing CHRISTIAN!"

For your convenience, my biography Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story offers an excellent index revealing her opinion on many topics.

Some readers have questioned what Shirley Booth's religious beliefs were. Yes, Shirley did believe in God. As I quoted in my book, Shirley noted: "I’ve not always been a dutiful Christian but I’ve always been a believing Christian!"

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

*****

Monday, March 26, 2012

Recent Blog Post: I Failed To Mention Shirley Booth's Bowmont Drive House In BEVERLY HILLS!

ANNIVERSARY TODAY:

March 26, 1950: While doing the play Come Back, Little Sheba on Broadway, Shirley revisited Ford Theater on CBS radio to co-star with Danny Kaye in "The Milky Way."

Tennessee Williams was born on this day in 1911 (he died on February 25, 1983). See my posts regarding Shirley Booth's involvement in the radio and television productions of The Glass Menagerie.

*****

My recent blog post told of Shirley Booth's apartments and houses in four states. Shirley Booth's niece Leslie wrote to tell me about over the weekend about the house that her Aunt had at 2276 Bowmont Drive in Beverly Hills ...

"[Regarding] your post of 3/14 about Shirley Booth living in NY PA CA MA...

You missed her Beverly Hills house (Bowmont Drive BH). I 'guesstimate' she had it from 1961 or 62 until 1969 when she sold it to (actor) James Stacy (TV's Lancer) as part of the divorce settlement for (actress) Kim Darby (True Grit."

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

*****

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Shirley Booth: "...When Success Arrives In Your Later Years, No One Is Envious At ALL!"

ANNIVERSARIES TODAY:

March 25, 1945: Shirley Booth was heard on radio on The Kate Smith Show. She gave her rendition of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart."

March 25, 1954: Shirley Booth appeared on television at the 26th Annual Academy Awards as Presenter of Best Actor Award.

*****

To reporter Hal McClure, Shirley Booth once said: “I wish I hadn’t won the Academy Award so soon . . . But, I felt it came much too quickly. It was my first motion picture, you know. I always think you should work up to something.” She continued, “It’s a funny thing when success arrives in your later years, no one is envious at all. Older people hope the same lightning might strike them; the younger folks aren’t a bit jealous because they know you’ve been working for a long time . . . Now it’s nice to just sit back and rest. Oh, not that you ever stop trying, but when you’re a success your efforts don’t have to be so strenuous.”

In a newspaper article called “Shirley Booth Tells Why She Isn’t Stage-Struck,” the actress said, “As much as I enjoy acting, I could give up my career tomorrow and be very happy. I’m not like so many others of my profession who wither and die on the vine when they’re not performing. For me, acting is not a compulsion. I am able to stay at home and fill my life with many things that may not seem important in themselves but spell contentment and happiness.”

Shirley went on to say that she did not intend to give up her career, “I fully expect to act until I drop, if audiences will have me.” This outlook, of not seeing her theater work as all life had to offer her, admittedly came with “maturity.” She acknowledged that she could not have said this earlier in her career.

*****

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Shirley Booth Knew "A Smile Takes You Much Further Than A FROWN!"

Shirley Booth would be starring on Broadway in the short-lived "Love Me Long" the day after Marion Kelley wrote this in her BACKSTAGE column (November 6, 1949):

Shirley  Booth, who makes a business of being funny, is a serious-minded person  when she steps out of character. You can count on her, however, to  recognize a humorous situation a shade sooner than the average person,  but she is a down-to-earth individual who fought her way to the top of  her profession under her own power and learned early that life is no  laughing matter. But she also found out at a tender age a smile takes  you much further than a frown. So Shirley seldom frowns....

Shirley says she likes life on the farm, loves to cook and does, but not that she would want to retire from the stage to rusticate.

She  is a very feminine person, mild mannered and soft voiced. She loves to  decorate a home and thinks nothing of painting a room herself. Shirley  also likes to decorate herself and adores clothes, and prefers clean  colors. Green is a favorite hue and in Love Me Long  she wears electric blue, but that is because the decorative scheme was  chosen ahead of the wardrobe. But Castillo, Elizabeth Arden's special  designer, did very well by the cast, according to Shirley, who believes  what one wears does so much to promote what one knows.

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!

*****
For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com

*****

Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2
Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story
by Jim Manago
Radio Research by Donna Manago
Foreword by Ted Key
BearManor Media, May 2008
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com

Friday, March 23, 2012

Joan Crawford Is Absolutely Superb In MILDRED PIERCE!

ANNIVERSARIES TODAY:

March 23, 1943: One of the two episodes of Duffy's Tavern with Shirley Booth that have been found to still exist. Shirley was on the show from 1940, and left in June of 1943. This particular show has Susan Hayward and Frank Buck as the guest stars.

March 23, 1947: Last broadcast of The Eddie Bracken Show on radio. Shirley played the role of Betty Mahoney. Bracken played his usual bumbling persona on this situation comedy that ran for eighteen weeks on Sundays from January 28 to May 27, 1945. It hopped over to CBS from for an additional 26 weeks beginning September 29, 1946.

March 23, 1954: Letter dated from a physician, Dr. Arthur First, who saw the production of By the Beautiful Sea in Philadelphia. He found the "Lottie Gibson Specialty" number upsetting and in poor taste as contrasted to the nostalgia of the rest of the show. Shirley kept this letter in one of her fourteen scrapbooks, which I examined in researching her biography.

*****

Joan Crawford was born on this day in 1905 (died May 10, 1977)....As I said a few weeks ago I just viewed again (for probably the fiftieth time over my life) one of her best films, Mildred Pierce. Crawford received the Best Actress Oscar for this one. The whole production is a standout one, particularly the adaptation from the James M. Cain novel, the perfect casting of Ann Blyth (who should have won Best Supporting Actress), Zachary Scott, Jack Carson, Eve Arden, and others; a superb Max Steiner score, solid direction by Michael Curtiz, and all of the other great Warner Brothers production values...it is one of the few films that can be seen repeatedly and still be so fascinating and memorable! This film masterpiece also serves as a good warning to over-indulgent parents that try to satisfy all of their children's material desires.

I saw a part of the miniseries from 2011...I didn't like it, especially troubling is its absolute slavery to Cain's novel. The 1945 version improved upon Cain's original by putting in the film noir crime elements, etc. Plus, the casting of Crawford and Blyth is near perfect and they bring real life to the script. Their timing is impeccable! The miniseries is a big waste of time in my opinion.

Just love so many scenes...one that is played quite well is when Mildred (Crawford) tears up the ill-gotten $10,000 check from her daughter Veda (Blyth).

If you could see only one film in celebration of Joan Crawford, see Mildred Pierce!

*****

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Here's Shirley Booth's Broadway Show RUNS!

ANNIVERSARIES TODAY:

March 22, 1953: Shirley appeared on CBS television in Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town.

March 22, 1961: Shirley appeared in a live television production of The United States Steel Hour. She played a housekeeper named Jenny in N. Richard Nash’s "Welcome Home." For my post on this production, GO TO: http://shirleyboothstory.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-wish-united-states-steel-hour-episode.html

*****

As best as can be determined, here's a list of Shirley Booth's Broadway shows in order of performance runs.

This list excludes previews.

***refers to the fact that Shirley left the show before it ended and so did not appear in the entire run.

# refers to a tie between two or more shows.

SHIRLEY BOOTH'S BROADWAY SHOW RUNS:

1. Three Men on a Horse ran for 835 performances.
2. My Sister Eileen ran a total of 864 performances***
3. Tomorrow, the World ran for 500 performances.
4. The Philadelphia Story ran for 417 performances.
5. Goodbye My Fancy ran for 446 performances***
6. The Desk Set ran for 297 performances
7. By the Beautiful Sea ran for 270 performances
8. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn ran for 267 performances
9. The Time of the Cuckoo ran for 263 performances#
10. Laff That Off ran for 263 performances#
11. Come Back, Little Sheba ran for 190 performances
12. Hell's Bells ran for 120 performances
13. Excursion ran for 118 performances
14. The War Song ran for 80 performances
15. Miss Isobel ran for 53 performances
16. Hollywood Pinafore ran for 52 performances
17. The Mask and the Face ran for 40 performances
18. Coastwise ran for 37 performances
19. A Second String ran for 29 performances
20. Look to the Lilies ran for 25 performances
21. Hay Fever ran for 24 performances
22. After Such Pleasures ran for 23 performances
23. High Gear ran for for 20 performances
24. Love Me Long ran for 16 performances#
25. Too Many Heroes ran for 16 performances#
26. Juno ran for 16 performances#
27. Buy, Buy Baby ran for 12 performances
28. The Camels Are Coming ran for 11 performances
29. School for Virtue ran for 7 performances#
30. Claire Adams ran for 7 performances#
31. Land's End ran for 5 performances
32. The Men We Marry ran for 3 performances

Even though My Sister Eileen had more performances compared to Three Men On A Horse, the latter is still listed as first place. This is because Shirley left My Sister Eileen six months before it ended.

As to the fourth place entry of The Philadelphia Story coming ahead of Goodbye, My Fancy: Shirley dropped out of Goodbye My Fancy about a month and a half earlier to appear on Broadway in the short-lived domestic comedy Love Me Long. So even though Goodbye My Fancy had more listed performances (446) than The Philadelphia Story (417), Shirley did not appear in the show that long.

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Unfortunately, This PLAYHOUSE 90 Episode Starring Shirley Booth Is UNAVAILABLE!

ANNIVERSARY TODAY:

March 21, 1957: Shirley Booth was seen on a live CBS television production of Playhouse 90. The episode entitled "The Hostess with the Mostes’ " told the story of the Washington, D.C. party-giver named Perle Mesta. Shirley starred as Perle in this ninety-minute dramatization program, which chronicled Perle’s true story from her childhood to the current day.

March 21, 1959: After a meager 16 performances, Juno closed on Broadway.

*****

Anyone remember when television dramas used to be done live? Well today I want to tell you about the production in which Shirley Booth suffered an injury on a live show....The Hostess with the Mostes.' Unfortunately, it's never been made available anywhere since it aired 54 years ago.

Perle Mesta is best remembered for the fabulous parties she would give in which she would hobnob with Washington bigwigs. This happened because her husband George, a steel manufacturer, managed to get an advisory post in Washington.

Ethel Merman played Perle in the 1950 Broadway show Call Me Madam. The title of the Playhouse 90 show comes from that Broadway production, specifically from an Irving Berlin tune called "The Hostess With the Mostes' on the Ball."
I came across a clipping that described the show as follows: "...Ethel Merman rollicked through a dizzy diplomatic career. A more accurate picture of the former ambassador to Luxembourg is promised by CBS-TV's Playhouse 90 March 21 when Shirley Booth portrays "The Hostess With the Mostes' Mrs. Mesta's life story."
The Playhouse 90 cast included Evelyn Rudie, Shepperd Strudwick and Frank Milan. Shirley was linked to possibly marrying her friend Frank Milan in press reports prior to this production. But these were just publicity efforts, and not at all true. Milan had been just one of Shirley's good friends for many years.

While acting in this live telecast production of Playhouse 90, Shirley suffered a sprained ankle. The injury happened when Shirley played young Perle. As Shirley said it best: "According to some directors, you can't be young standing still. You have to run around and whirl - like this - and kick one leg up at the back." She continued to recount how her sprained ankle never got a chance to stiffen because she kept going through the actions required. She had some nineteen changes, with the staff unable to keep up with her!

Shirley noted: "After the performance, I had three hours to go home and rest before the kinescope went on for West Coast audiences. I sat watching myself, with my foot up on a cushion, and my ankle began to stiffen. Then I went out to Perle Mesta's party for the cast, I danced quite a lot, and I exercised the ankle all evening. The upshot was, it never did get sore, and my sprain healed in a hurry."

All I can say to this is "What a trouper!" Shirley's life is certainly inspiring when you see what she went through and kept going on.

*****

Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Rare Photograph Inside Shirley Booth's Cape Cod House...Courtesy Of Her Niece Leslie!

Pictured above is Shirley Booth's niece Leslie. This photo was taken by Shirley Booth's maid Eleanor Muto (October 1992) in a small sitting area at Shirley's Cape Cod house just after she had died.

Leslie writes: "Mom and I were there at Aunt Shirley's house to clean up and close up. If I look tired...I was EXHAUSTED! I had done all the heavy work and it showed on my face! Since we were talking about it, I thought I would share the picture with you..."

SPECIAL THANKS To Leslie for allowing me to share this photo with my blog readers. More rare photos (also provided by Leslie) are found in my current book, For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story (pictured above).

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!

*****
For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com

*****

Monday, March 19, 2012

Before JUNO, Shirley Booth Starred In The Failed LAND'S END And THE MEN WE MARRY!

ANNIVERSARIES TODAY:

March 19, 1951: The musical version of Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn began a one-week trial run at the Shubert Theater in New Haven, Connecticut, after two previews.

March 19, 1953: With a reported 15,000 fans enduring the drizzle outside the RKO Pantages Theater, and Bob Hope as the Master of Ceremonies, the 25th Annual Academy Oscars were first televised. Television paid $100,000 for the rights to broadcast the ninety-minute show. See my blog posts concerning Shirley's winning of the Academy Award.

*****

It may have seemed like a complete failure for Shirley Booth on Broadway in Juno, which closed after sixteen performances fifty-three years ago this week (March 9 - March 21, 1959); however, there were worse failures earlier.

Shirley starred in the Broadway show Land's End as the betrothed bride moved by her reading of the legendary romance of Tristan and Isolde. The title "Land's End" refers to what's known as the "jumping-off place" in Cornwall, England. It's an area of spooky folk-tales and mysterious carved stones. But the critical response to the woefully inadequate script shut the doors after a measly five performances (December 11 - December 14, 1946). The critics said the cast was good ("nice performances," "distinguished cast," and Brooks Atkinson noted: "Miss Booth is correctly wanton..."and so on). The fault they said was in the undeveloped script which weakened the show considerably.

Jump ahead one show (after Arthur Laurents' Heartsong....which Shirley bowed out of before it failed on Broadway). You'll find Shirley in The Men We Marry, which opened on January 16, 1948 and closed after only three performances on the following day. Things couldn't be any worse! This botched comedy about some sophisticates had what critic Brooks Atkinson called a "good cast," including Margaret Hamilton (best known as the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz). Atkinson concluded that the inept direction and monotony to the parts makes it pointless to discuss the actors.

Too bad that no copies were made of Broadway shows when Shirley Booth was performing. It would have been interesting to see firsthand what the critics were seeing when they expressed their undying love for her over and over again in thirty-plus shows!

I did have the pleasure of seeing a short segment (without any sound) that was taken in 16mm of Shirley Booth dancing in her third of five musicals she did. That one - By The Beautiful Sea - I will discuss on its anniversary in April.

*****

Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Did You Say Shirley Booth In ROUTE 66?

ANNIVERSARY TODAY:

March 18, 1945: Shirley was heard on radio in The Kate Smith Show.

*****

I came across the following clipping with byline of Louella G. Parsons, Motion Picture Editor, International News Service. She wrote the following (date unknown) concerning a film that was then to be called 'Route 66.' There's a picture of Shirley Booth in the article with the caption "SHIRLEY BOOTH, Another Good One."

'Route 66 For Shirley'

Hollywood, March 15 - THE GOOD LUCK Shirley Booth had with "Come Back, Little Sheba" in winning an Academy Award may very well be an encore in "Route 66," a romantic comedy by Erna Lazarus.

This ends Hal Wallis' long search for the right story for that great actress. It's no secret that he wanted "Solid Gold Cadillac" for her and when it got away from him he vowed he'd get something equally good. He believes he has it in the Lazarus comedy about a shopworn girl and a lazy, loveable, tinhorn sport who are thrown together on a cross-country trip.

Since the picture starts in the Fall, I doubt very much if Shirley will be accepting any Broadway plays this season.

--------

Well, what became of Route 66, after the original screenplay was reworked from Lazarus' original story, is now known as Hollywood or Bust. This is Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin's last team effort which was released in 1956. It co-starred Anita Ekberg and Pat Crowley (belated Happy Birthday wishes to Jerry!)

Humphrey Bogart had been considered for the lead as well. Why Shirley Booth did not do it is uncertain...but I know she did not like working with Bogart. In fact, her first start on Broadway was with the then-unknown Bogart in the 1925 play Hell's Bells. Shirley Booth's comment about Bogart is among her many distinct thoughts on a variety of subjects found in my indexed biography of her.

*****

Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Shirley Booth's Short-Lived Musical JUNO Centered On Dublin Slums Of 1921!

Today is a day of celebration of The Emerald Isle and the wearing of the green!

*****

Shirley Booth performed in a period piece that was on Broadway fifty-three years ago this week. The show was the short-lived musical Juno.

The setting is the Dublin slums of 1921. The musical tells the tragic story of a poor Irish family that believes they are inheriting a fortune. The story is based on the Sean O'Casey drama Juno and the Paycock. Marc Blitzstein wrote the words and music, Joseph Stein wrote the story, and Jose Ferrer staged the musical. Shirley played Juno Boyle, the long-suffering wife of the non-working Captain Jack Boyle (Melvyn Douglas). Of course, Juno holds the family together. For further information, see my blog from last week -http://shirleyboothstory.blogspot.com/2012/03/happy-birthday-to-joe-franklin.html

The CD to this show is available.

*****

My personal favorite film to watch today is John Ford's powerful The Informer. This superb production opened nearly 77 years ago on May 9, 1935. It won four well-deserved Academy Awards (Best Director, Best Actor to Victor McLaglen, Best Screenplay to Dudley Nichols, & Best Score to Max Steiner)!

Another recommendation is John Ford's The Quiet Man from 1952. This film gave Ford another Oscar for Best Direction, and the film received an Oscar for the beautiful color cinematography (Winton C. Hoch & Archie Stout). The film has a great cast including Maureen O'Hara, John Wayne, Victor McLaglen, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond, and so on. Look for Barry Fitzgerald's brother Arthur Shields...

The Informer and The Quiet Man are two enjoyable films worth seeing every year, especially at this time. They certainly don't make 'em like they used to!

*****

Friday, March 16, 2012

Shirley Booth: "The Reason I Act Is Because I Had To ACT!"

Shirley Booth spoke clearer than anyone I've known or read about in biographies. Her quotes are down-to-earth, at times witty, and usually get straight to the point.

My first biography (Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story, published in 2008) is a treasure trove of Shirley's quotes. I even indexed the topics so that you can locate her opinion on various subjects.

My latest release (For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth and Bill Baker Story, published in 2010) has a transcript of Shirley's interview on The Merv Griffin Show from 1963, in which she tells one of her stories as only Shirley could tell it.

*****

July 28, 1958: Shirley Booth received attention in a New York Journal-American article entitled "Neurotic? Be an Actor." Phyllis Battelle quotes from whom she calls "typical, off-beat stars": Shirley Booth, Sal Mineo, John Drew Barrymore (a.k.a. John Barrymore, Jr.), Anita Ekberg, Kirk Douglas, and Kim Novak.

Shirley noted, "I was incredibly self-conscious of myself. The reason I act is because I had to act. The only way I could speak, really, was to take on the character of another, stronger person."

*****

THANKS FOR VISITING!

JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!

*****

For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com/

*****
Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2
Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story
by Jim Manago
Radio Research by Donna Manago
Foreword by Ted Key
BearManor Media, May 2008
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com/

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS BLOG SITE:

Judy:

I have just ordered both of your books from Amazon and am eagerly looking forward to reading them. I adore Shirley Booth, I always thought she was a wonderful, multidimensional actress. She could make you laugh out loud one minute and tearing up the next, she was that good. I wish I could have seen her on stage, I'm sure she was magical. Thanks for sharing your love of Shirley with the rest of us."

*****

Actress June Harding:
"Your Shirley Booth site is very nice"

*****

Lauramac1:

"Thank you so much for keeping the world aware of the glorious Shirley Booth's character, personality and talent.

In Philadelphia, we've recently discovered "Antenna TV" a terrific station playing great shows from the 1950s, 60s & 70s including "Hazel"! Our 7 year old daughter is entranced by these shows and loves Hazel most of all...and we are so happy to share Hazel with her! She hasn't even mentioned anything about the fact that it's in black and white, which is saying something!

Again, Thank you, Mr. Manago! keep up the good work!"

*****

Salvatore Somma:

I admire the continual work you do on the blog, and I am impressed by your knowledge of the film and entertainment field!"

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT "LOVE IS THE REASON FOR IT ALL: THE SHIRLEY BOOTH STORY"

Joyce Van Patten, Actress:

"I applaud you for doing the book. I fear so many people have forgotten all our great ones. They turn everyman into a celebrity. These great artists were artists first, and celebrities maybe. Their interest was their art. Thanks for keeping these stories alive!

Richard Herd, Actor:

"Read it! Loved it! Passed it on to my 101 yr. old Mother-in-Law."

Wanda Clark, Personal Secretary to Lucille Ball:

"I thought I knew about this talented lady, Shirley Booth, from the awards for theater and movies and the wonderful television show. However, Jim Manago's book gives much more about her life and career. It's a very good read with so many beautiful pictures and I'm delighted I found it, and highly recommend this book."

Julie Harris, Actress:

"Thank you for the book about Shirley Booth. She was a gifted actress, and I loved her!"

Thomas A DeLong, Reviewer, Radiogram (SPERDVAC publication):

"Author Jim Manago's presentation reads like a heartfelt Valentine card to actress Shirley Booth from her friends, associates and fans. It's loving and upbeat with fond recollections and reviews of a much-honored performer on stage, radio and television."

Tommy Garrett, Editor, Canyon News (Beverly Hills, CA):

"This book is inspiring, but most of all it is honest...Recently some biographers seem to show disdain for their subject, instead of admiration.

But although Manago admires Booth, he's able to separate his affection and go in depth into her life story and does so with ease. The book is chronologically correct, and Mr. Manago is an amazing fact checker...Despite the tough and aggressive nature of her business, you come across wanting to like and feeling like you know Shirley Booth in a way only Jim Manago could deliver. This is a must-read for historians and should be required reading for anyone interested in entering the field of acting via the Broadway stage."

Sal Somma, Professor of Music:

"I especially enjoyed the quotes from Shirley Booth because I was able to get a good feeling about her character through her own words. I applaud Jim for keeping it legit and not throwing in the trash and gossip that most biographies have. I can also appreciate the research and work that went into this endeavor - and he didn't have Shirley to consult with! Good book."

Jim Lovins (Amazon customer)

Thank our lucky stars for Ben Ohmart and his staff, BearManor Media, a small press that publishes BIG books. They pride themselves on publishing quality entertainment biographies, so they often put out the first book on unique subjects -- plus specializing in books with nostalgic themes and keeping classic Hollywood alive not only thru his publishing house, but thru his own books.

In closing, author Jim Manago has dug deep with quotes from Booth....Quite an impressive book -- A must read ~ Highly recommended!

Prof. Edward Wesley, Chairman, English Department, St. Francis College, Brooklyn, NY

I enjoyed your book. It was a good read and as I planned, I brought it with me on vacation up in the Berkshires.
We accompanied it with Netflix's Come Back, Little Sheba and The Matchmaker. My parents took the book back to their apartment and have it circulating among their friends.

Associate Professor of Communication:

"Yes the book was interesting. Good research. I wish there were more personal reminisces of Shirley, tho...interviews with key people in her life were probably impossible because so many have passed on. Thanks again for sharing it with me!

Anonymous
"Mr. Manago has written an informative and positive book (by that I mean not overemphasizing any negative or squalid life details) that zeroes in on the facets that will ever matter to fans and aficionados; her career and what good a person did in life to counterbalance her imperfections. "

Tom Watson, President, We Love Lucy Fan Club (http://www.lucyfan.com/)
"I loved your book about Shirley! Long over due! There was wonderful new information on almost every page... So much of her career was spent on the "live" stage or on radio -- and there is little spoken or written about those years today... What little the public knew about Shirley was from the Hollywood PR people that handled her few movies and HAZEL... Your book was a wonderful opportunity to "meet the lady" herself... I tried to interest publishers in doing a book 25 years ago, and everyone turned me down. If I couldn't do it -- I'm glad you did!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Friday, March 30, 2012

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Friday, March 23, 2012

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Monday, March 19, 2012

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Friday, March 16, 2012

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