Articles by Lorraine

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REMEMBERING BETTY GRABLE

Betty Grable December 18th 1916 – July 2nd 1973

Remembering the beautiful Betty Grable, on the 45th anniversary of her passing. Betty was the reigning Queen of the Fox lot when Marilyn Monroe came along, having succeeded Alice Faye as the most popular blonde in Hollywood. She was a top box office draw throughout the 1940’s and a huge moral booster during WWIi. Her legs were reportedly insured for $1 million! She co-starred alongside Marilyn in How to Marry A Millionaire (and darn near stole the show with her one-liners and great comic timing). She only made one more picture after How To Marry A Millionaire and reportedly asked Daryl Zanuck to tear up her contract. She continued working on television and in the theatre. She passed away of lung cancer at the young age of 56.


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JULY 1ST 1956 – MONROE MARRIES MILLER

1st July 1956 Marilyn and Arthur Miller were married in a traditional Jewish ceremony at the home of Arthur’s agent, Kay Brown. Lee Strasberg gave the bride away in front of 25 invited guests. Marilyn had previously converted to Judaism and promised to learn how to make noodles like Arthur’s mother. They had been married in a civil ceremony two days earlier.
Both entered the marriage with high hopes. Sadly, the union was dissolved five years later.



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REMEMBERING ROBERT MITCHUM

Today we are remembering Robert Mitchum, who died on this date 21 years ago.  Mitchum (August 6th 1917 – July 1st 1997) was an American film actor, director, author, poet, composer, and singer.  He worked consisently over 5 decades and some of his biggest film credits include: “Cape Fear,” “The Longest Day” and “Heaven Knows Mr Allison.”  Marilyn fans will recognise him for his starring role alongside Monroe in the 1954 western “River Of No Return.”

Mitchum had first encountered Marilyn many years earlier as Norma Jeane, when she was just seventeen and married to Jim Dougherty, then a colleague of his at the Lockheed factory in Van Nuys.  Norma Jeane and Mitchum met once or twice at the time and Mitchum reportedly thought she was “very shy and sweet, but not very comfortable around people.”

After working together on “River Of No Return,” Mitchum and Marilyn remained friends.

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HAPPY CANANDA DAY

Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian members.

These photos were taken during the filming of “River Of No Return” in 1953, whilst on location in Canada, in the national parks of Banff and Jaspe, in Alberta, and in the Canadian Rockies.