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Post by teleadm on Dec 10, 2021 20:32:19 GMT
She retired when most other actors got started, but through her early career she was Little Miss Fix it, and later matured a bit, she is said to have saved Universal Pictures from bankruptcy. During the late 1930's and early 1940's she was box-office material. This year we celebrate 100 years of her birth! Deanna Durbin (1921–2013)
She actually was born in Canada, Winnipeg and at a young age said that she is going to be bigger than Shirley Temple, and she nearly managed that, she had a wide voice range from operatic tunes to jitterbug. She was also the one L.B. Mayer rated after watching a short called Every Sunday 1936, "dump the fat fat one" according to legends. Three Smart Girls 1936, Durbin surrounded by Nan Grey and Helen Parish. One Hundred Men and a Girl 1937 with famed conductor Leopold Stokowski as himself. Helping unemployed musicians. There was much publicity as to who was going to give Deanna her first screen kiss, well it became Robert Stack in First Love 1939. By 1940's she was payed $400.000 per picture, a huge amount back then, and maybe even today. It Started with Eve 1941, with Charles Laughton and Robert Cummings. Christmas Holiday 1944, though the title sounds merry, the story certainly isn't, with Gene Kelly as a murderer. She retired at the right age and never looked back, and was never desperate for a comeback. She settled with a wine merchant and never looked back, and lived to be 91, outliving many of her fans. Thanks for watching! Opinions of all kinds are welcome!
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Post by Penn Guinn on Dec 10, 2021 20:43:01 GMT
The Ideal toy company produced a Deanna Durbin Doll in several sizes which are quite collectible today. This one is in a Gulliver's Travels costume More dolls here
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Post by timshelboy on Dec 10, 2021 20:45:59 GMT
This song won an oscar for CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
LADY ON A TRAIN my favourite film of hers
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Post by Rufus-T on Dec 10, 2021 22:09:25 GMT
Beautiful singing voice, lovely looking, but too short an acting career.
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lune7000
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Post by lune7000 on Dec 10, 2021 22:10:57 GMT
Durbin was the last torchbearer of the operatic style of singing so popularized on film by her predecessor Jeanette Macdonald. It would only exist in a few occasional songs after her (Climb Every Mountain, etc.).
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Post by politicidal on Dec 11, 2021 2:42:59 GMT
She was great in Lady on a Train (1945).
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spiderwort
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Post by spiderwort on Sept 18, 2022 14:59:48 GMT
I just recently watched her in one of her early films, Mad About Music (1938), and was reminded again of how enjoyable she was as an actress, and, of course, what a great voice she had. I have her final film, For the Love of Mary (1948) recorded, but haven't watched it yet. Look forward to that. My favorites of her other films I've seen are It Started with Eve (1941) and Lady on a Train (1945).
When she left the business at the age of 27, she never looked back. She was still getting offers in the 1980s, but she said she would never return to Hollywood again. She loved living in France where she led a normal life. I was told this by George Furth, actor and writer of the book for the musical, Company, who was a friend of hers and used to visit her in France.
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Post by Richard Kimble on Sept 19, 2022 0:16:45 GMT
I posted my legendary DD story in the "Stars Who Just Quit" thread, might as well post it here for the official record:
In the '70s I was a very wee tot watching Carson, w/guest James Coco. Coco was talking about his recent trip to the Soviet Union, and mentioned how audiences there were "very big on Deanna Durbin". I had never heard of her. And I was a fairly sophisticated movie buff for a young teem: Marx Bros fan, had seen Kane and even some silents. But DD was unknown to me.
She was one of the big stars who never had a real revival. Probably due to the change in music tastes.
I don't know if DD had kids after retiring. That's a fairly common career arc among ingenues; aging out of their casting category, rather than stick it out and become character actresses they marry a producer or San Fernando Valley real estate magnate and settle down to raise a family.
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Post by Penn Guinn on Sept 19, 2022 0:32:33 GMT
I don't know if DD had kids after retiring. That's a fairly common career arc among ingenues; aging out of their casting category, rather than stick it out and become character actresses they marry a producer or San Fernando Valley real estate magnate and settle down to raise a family. Deanna's final film was For the Love of Mary (1948), whereupon, at the age of 27, she simply walked away. Spouse French Director Charles David (21 December 1950 - 1 March 1999) (his death) (1 child - Peter) Felix Jackson (13 June 1945 - 8 November 1950) (divorced) (1 child - Jessica Louise) Vaughn Paul (18 April 1941 - 14 December 1943) (divorced)
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spiderwort
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Post by spiderwort on Sept 20, 2022 2:44:35 GMT
She was one of the big stars who never had a real revival. Probably due to the change in music tastes.
Actually, she just didn't want to do it anymore. She wanted a normal life. IMDb bio note: "Her first two marriages had failed, and before she married her third husband, director Charles David, she set one condition: he had to promise that she could have what she yearned for - 'the life of nobody'. Her seclusion is incomplete. She lives in the French village of Neauphlé-le-Château, and for over 35 years has resisted every approach from film companies. Her husband has told journalists that 'Mario Lanza pleaded with her for years to make a film with him. But she will never go back to that life.' She granted only one interview since 1949 to film historian David Shipman in 1983."
As I noted in my post above, actor/writer George Furth verified these facts -- which I heard from him directly. She was absolutely committed to leading a normal life away from Hollywood.
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Post by louise on Sept 25, 2022 14:40:25 GMT
It Started with Eve is my favourite of her films, so funny. She and Charles Laughton are great together. Lady on a Train is another one I like very much.
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Nick91
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Post by Nick91 on Oct 6, 2022 8:42:59 GMT
Durbin was the last torchbearer of the operatic style of singing so popularized on film by her predecessor Jeanette Macdonald. It would only exist in a few occasional songs after her (Climb Every Mountain, etc.). Joe Pasternak tried to create a mini-Deanna in Gloria Jean, who got her breakthrough in the midst of Durbin's prime. She was quite talented too, but didn't reach the same career or fame heights. Interestingly, Durbin and Jean were born 5 years apart (1921 vs. 1926) and died 5 years apart (2013 vs. 2018).
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Post by london777 on Oct 6, 2022 14:59:14 GMT
I am hopeless at musicals. It is only fairly recently that I stopped confusing her with Diana Dekker.
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spiderwort
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Post by spiderwort on Oct 6, 2022 16:35:39 GMT
I am hopeless at musicals. It is only fairly recently that I stopped confusing her with Diana Dekker.
Hey, London. You might want to watch a film of hers I saw recently that was not at all what I would have expected: a film noir directed by Robert Siodmak, Christmas Holiday (1944), co-starring Gene Kelly. (Don't let the title fool you; it is a noir film.) She and Kelly both give terrific performances -- maybe their best -- and Siodmak does a great job, too (of course). A real, but pleasant, surprise. You might enjoy it. Found it on YouTube, excellent quality:
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Post by london777 on Oct 7, 2022 4:27:13 GMT
I am hopeless at musicals. It is only fairly recently that I stopped confusing her with Diana Dekker.
Hey, London. You might want to watch a film of hers I saw recently that was not at all what I would have expected: a film noir directed by Robert Siodmak, Christmas Holiday (1944), co-starring Gene Kelly. (Don't let the title fool you; it is a noir film.) She and Kelly both give terrific performances -- maybe their best -- and Siodmak does a great job, too (of course). A real, but pleasant, surprise. You might enjoy it. Found it on YouTube, excellent quality:
Thanks, spider, but no dice. Every few months I check titles from my 'wants' list in YouTube. I never found this title. Your post prompted me to try again this evening. This time, a message popped up saying the title was banned in 'your country' on instructions from the copyright holders. mY trusted supplier has also let me down over this film, so I may never get to see it.
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Post by Penn Guinn on Oct 18, 2022 13:51:43 GMT
You might want to watch a film of hers I saw recently that was not at all what I would have expected: a film noir directed by Robert Siodmak, Christmas Holiday (1944), co-starring Gene Kelly. (Don't let the title fool you; it is a noir film.) She and Kelly both give terrific performances -- maybe their best -- and Siodmak does a great job, too (of course). A real, but pleasant, surprise. You might enjoy it. Found it on YouTube, excellent quality: Thanks for the link to this ... just watched it and as you said ..a pleasant surprise ! Gale Sondergard terrific, as always ! Gene as a non singing dancing happy guy and Deanna not perpetually smiling made for a different experience !
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Post by timshelboy on Oct 19, 2022 8:55:12 GMT
Hey, London. You might want to watch a film of hers I saw recently that was not at all what I would have expected: a film noir directed by Robert Siodmak, Christmas Holiday (1944), co-starring Gene Kelly. (Don't let the title fool you; it is a noir film.) She and Kelly both give terrific performances -- maybe their best -- and Siodmak does a great job, too (of course). A real, but pleasant, surprise. You might enjoy it. Found it on YouTube, excellent quality:
Thanks, spider, but no dice. Every few months I check titles from my 'wants' list in YouTube. I never found this title. Your post prompted me to try again this evening. This time, a message popped up saying the title was banned in 'your country' on instructions from the copyright holders. mY trusted supplier has also let me down over this film, so I may never get to see it. try this link xmas holiday
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Post by london777 on Oct 19, 2022 12:50:28 GMT
Works great. You are now my official best friend.
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Post by timshelboy on Oct 19, 2022 15:29:32 GMT
Works great. You are now my official best friend.
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