Veronica Lake : Film Noir's Unsolved Mystery
Mar 1, 2021 0:11:01 GMT
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Post by petrolino on Mar 1, 2021 0:11:01 GMT
* Veronica Lake : 'The 3-Dimensional Face Of Eve' *
Veronica Lake speaking in 1952
'The career of Veronica Lake is proof that it takes only one or two great films to make a timeless screen legend. Working steadily for just a five-year period or so in the early to mid-1940's, Veronica quickly became one of the most popular and sought-after performers in Hollywood, with starring roles in some classic movies such as 'Sullivan's Travels' in 1941 and the film noir, 'The Blue Dahlia' in 1946.
Her movie success was short-lived and her later career was marked by personal tragedy, alcoholism and mental illness, but despite her early death in 1973, she has gone on to become an iconic figure in Hollywood history, and the irresistible charm and undeniable beauty displayed in her best work, justifies her lasting fame.
Veronica Lake was born Constance Frances Marie Ockelman in New York in November, 1919. Her father, an oil company worker, died in an accident when she was 10 and after her mother remarried the daughter took her stepfather's name and became Constance Keane. The family moved several times, ending up in Florida. Constance grew into a teenage beauty and began entering, and winning, beauty contests becoming well known as a local Miami beauty.
She moved with her mother and stepfather to Beverly Hills, where she enrolled in the Bliss-Hayden School of Acting. She first appeared on screen in a small role in the 1939 film, 'Sorority House' followed by similar roles in 'All Women Have Secrets' and 'Dancing Co-Ed'. In 1940 Constance continued her movie education, both at Bliss-Hayden and with small roles in two more movies, 'Young as You Feel' and 'Forty Little Mothers'. In the same year she married art director John Detlie and gave birth to a daughter Elaine in 1941.
Up to this time, her movie billing had been under her natural name of Constance Keane but with her next movie, as William Holden's love interest in 'I Wanted Wings' in 1941, she became far better known and was advised to change her name. She had just signed a contract with Paramount and one of their top producers, Arthur Hornblow, suggested "Lake" for the blueness of her eyes, and "Veronica" because of her classic beauty.'
Her movie success was short-lived and her later career was marked by personal tragedy, alcoholism and mental illness, but despite her early death in 1973, she has gone on to become an iconic figure in Hollywood history, and the irresistible charm and undeniable beauty displayed in her best work, justifies her lasting fame.
Veronica Lake was born Constance Frances Marie Ockelman in New York in November, 1919. Her father, an oil company worker, died in an accident when she was 10 and after her mother remarried the daughter took her stepfather's name and became Constance Keane. The family moved several times, ending up in Florida. Constance grew into a teenage beauty and began entering, and winning, beauty contests becoming well known as a local Miami beauty.
She moved with her mother and stepfather to Beverly Hills, where she enrolled in the Bliss-Hayden School of Acting. She first appeared on screen in a small role in the 1939 film, 'Sorority House' followed by similar roles in 'All Women Have Secrets' and 'Dancing Co-Ed'. In 1940 Constance continued her movie education, both at Bliss-Hayden and with small roles in two more movies, 'Young as You Feel' and 'Forty Little Mothers'. In the same year she married art director John Detlie and gave birth to a daughter Elaine in 1941.
Up to this time, her movie billing had been under her natural name of Constance Keane but with her next movie, as William Holden's love interest in 'I Wanted Wings' in 1941, she became far better known and was advised to change her name. She had just signed a contract with Paramount and one of their top producers, Arthur Hornblow, suggested "Lake" for the blueness of her eyes, and "Veronica" because of her classic beauty.'
- Hollywood's Golden Age, 30 Years Of Brilliance : 1930 - 1959
Veronica Lake on the run ...
'Lake’s real name was Constance Frances Marie Ockelman — we can see why she invented a stage name. She was born on November 14, 1922, in Brooklyn. It’s worth pointing out that Lake’s birthday is highly contested amongst the sources about her life. Several sources indicated that Lake was born in 1919, but a 1920 United States Census claimed that her father was unmarried and childless at the time. A 1930 Census claimed that Lake was only 7 years old at the time, which would make a birthday in 1922 at least plausible. Lake herself claimed 1922 as her birth year in an autobiography.
While one would guess from the surname of Lake’s father that she was descended from Germans, this was only partly true. Lake’s father had a German background, but only on his father’s side. Lake’s paternal grandmother had been Irish, while both sides of her mother’s family were also first-generation Irish-Americans.
In her teens, Lake and her family moved from New York state to Beverly Hills. From there, she enrolled in acting classes at the Bliss-Hayden School of Acting. This was due to her receiving a contract from the film studio known as MGM; Bliss-Hayden was under MGM’s control, known as an “acting farm” in the days of Old Hollywood. The institution is now known as the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
One of Lake’s lesser-known accomplishments was her acquisition of a pilot’s license in 1946. She had initially gotten it during the process of buying a plane for her husband, Andre de Toth. After their marriage fell apart, she made a cross-country solo flight from Los Angeles to New York!
When Lake was a child, she attended St. Bernard’s School in New York. After that, she was sent to Montreal to attend classes at Villa Maria, an all-girls Catholic school that still exists to this day (it turned co-ed in 2016). However, for reasons that we couldn’t find, Lake was expelled from the school.'
- Factinate : 'Bombshell Facts About Veronica Lake, Hollywood's Bright Flame'
"Now where do you propose we put all this ..." : Joan Caulfield & Veronica Lake
While one would guess from the surname of Lake’s father that she was descended from Germans, this was only partly true. Lake’s father had a German background, but only on his father’s side. Lake’s paternal grandmother had been Irish, while both sides of her mother’s family were also first-generation Irish-Americans.
In her teens, Lake and her family moved from New York state to Beverly Hills. From there, she enrolled in acting classes at the Bliss-Hayden School of Acting. This was due to her receiving a contract from the film studio known as MGM; Bliss-Hayden was under MGM’s control, known as an “acting farm” in the days of Old Hollywood. The institution is now known as the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
One of Lake’s lesser-known accomplishments was her acquisition of a pilot’s license in 1946. She had initially gotten it during the process of buying a plane for her husband, Andre de Toth. After their marriage fell apart, she made a cross-country solo flight from Los Angeles to New York!
When Lake was a child, she attended St. Bernard’s School in New York. After that, she was sent to Montreal to attend classes at Villa Maria, an all-girls Catholic school that still exists to this day (it turned co-ed in 2016). However, for reasons that we couldn’t find, Lake was expelled from the school.'
- Factinate : 'Bombshell Facts About Veronica Lake, Hollywood's Bright Flame'
"Now where do you propose we put all this ..." : Joan Caulfield & Veronica Lake
'Despite the fame and fortune that Hollywood brought her, Lake wasn’t the biggest fan of Hollywood. She thought it was a shallow industry that often changed people for the worst. The final straw for Lake was being typecast in sex-symbols roles. So, in 1951 she packed her bags, grabbed her children and left.
After leaving Hollywood, Lake’s personal life took a hit and by 1962 she was living at the Martha Washington Hotel. Stories began to circulate that she was living in extreme poverty and fans began sending her money. She sent it back because, well, she wasn’t poor… She had a job as a waitress at a cocktail lounge that she was actually quite happy with, and she was able to pay all of her bills.
As we all know, the old Hollywood studios liked to embellish a bit when it came to their stars. So, obviously no one questioned when they said that Lake’s height was 5’2”, the lower side of average in the 1940s. In reality, she was about 3 inches shorter, standing at about 4’11”. Another fun little fact: That’s how tall I am.'
- Minoo Allen, Classic Movie Hub
"Down poverty row ..." : Veronica Lake pays a visit to a school to meet with local schoolkids
"Though biographies do exist, you can read them all and you still won't come any closer to knowing who the real Veronica Lake was. Fact is, the more I've read about her across all these years, the greater her mystery has become. Even her height remains widely disputed, and this in the age of computer analysis. Of course, there's something perfect about Lake's life remaining a mystery. Her short, explosive Hollywood life is a riddle that will outlive us all, and ain't that the truth."
- Alvin Menard, 'Veronica Lake : Star Of Stars'
- Alvin Menard, 'Veronica Lake : Star Of Stars'
"Sister, my sister ..." : Veronica Lake & Lana Turner
"There's no doubt I was a bit of a misfit in the Hollywood of the forties. The race for glamour left me far behind. I didn't really want to keep up. I wanted my stardom without the usual trimmings. Because of this, I was branded a rebel at the very least. But I don't regret that for a minute. My appetite was my own and I simply wouldn't have it any other way."
- Veronica Lake
"The most beautiful person who ever came to Hollywood."
- Bette Davis on Veronica Lake
'Your Heart Is As Black As Night' - Melody Gardot
