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Post by Doghouse6 on Sept 14, 2017 20:20:56 GMT
Stanwyck - at the age of 35 - as she appeared in the prologue and epilogue scenes of The Great Man's Lady (1942) as centenarian Hannah Sempler Hoyt. Credited makeup artists were Wally Westmore and Robert Ewing, although this special makeup was likely done by uncredited Charles Gemora, a multi-talented film veteran of many accomplishments including painting, sculpture, costuming, practical special effects and performing, and whose work in all those endeavors could be seen in approximately 140 films.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Sept 14, 2017 20:39:50 GMT
Another unsung artist that made the movies what they were ! Fantastic job. Was this the same Charles Gemora ? , Doghouse6Stowed away on an American vessel sailing out of the Philippines, a young Charles Gemora arrived in California while the birth of cinema was in full swing. To help earn a little extra cash, Charlie would hang around the Universal entrance offering to sketch portraits. It wasn't long before his natural artistic abilities were noticed and Charles Gemora was working on such films as Phantom of the Opera and Noah's Ark as a sculptor. When Charles began working on creating gorilla suits for film, he realized that with his diminutive stature (5'5") and his commitment to excellence, he could do well to carve himself a niche as a gorilla man. Charles would spend almost 3 decades honing his realistic performance and leading the evolution of suit effects. While early appearances such as Seven Footprints to Satan were grotesque and horrific, later films like The Monster and The Girl were distinguished by gorilla suits that were grounded in reality and performances that were informed by much study at the nearby San Diego Zoo. Gemora was equally adept at comedic roles, racking up credits alongside legends like Laurel and Hardy, Zasu Pitts, Charley Chase, Our Gang, the Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, and Hope and Crosby. Moving from Universal to Paramount in the early 1930's, Charles Gemora continued to work in the makeup and effects department there up until his death in 1961. Throughout his stay at Paramount, Charles racked up numerous unaccredited gorilla suit appearances while working on other films like Gunga Din, Around the World in Eighty Days and The Ten Commandments. Perhaps the most recognizable contribution he made to cinema was the memorable alien menace from War of the Worlds; the result of a last minute change of plans, Charles and his daughter Diana created the creature in a late night marathon. Gemora made his final gorilla suit film in 1954 with Phantom of the Rue Morgue. A stunt man filled the hairy boots for strenuous action scenes but none could replicate the subtle pantomime skills that were unique to Charles. Sans Gorilla suit. Perhaps even working on make-up for Barbara Stanwyck above.
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Post by Doghouse6 on Sept 14, 2017 20:57:14 GMT
Another unsung artist that made the movies what they were ! Fantastic job. Was this the same Charles Gemora ? , Doghouse6 The very one. He worked on two more Stanwyck films, Double Indemnity and California.Here he is preparing to go before the cameras... ...with one of his creations for Phantom Of the Opera... ...and hangin' out with friends.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Sept 14, 2017 21:05:46 GMT
Doghouse6So many talented people many (most?) of us have probably never even heard of. Thanks for pointing him out. The Westmores, I knew, but this guy I have seen and never knew his name. Another to watch the credits for.
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Post by Nalkarj on Sept 14, 2017 21:14:18 GMT
Thanks, Doctor, I feel better having worked through that. I'll see you next session. You're very welcome, patient. Now be sure to pay the receptionist on your way out. This office accepts cash or credit, but no personal checks. Seriously, I love these extended discussions and dialogues, so thank you for them. As I've written before, I don't think we really disagree here. Good acting is good acting, and believability a very important feature thereof (even if, in my opinion, not the most important). Thus Stanwyck's break with her own--shall we say?--"persona" (and I know that's not the most apt word, as "persona" probably better refers to the individuals to whom you referred earlier who make the roles them instead of making themselves the roles) ends up leaning more towards reality than artificiality, as in All About Eve and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? for Bette and Stella Davis and The Great Man's Lady for Barbara. (I must confess I'd never seen--or even heard of--the latter.) This is (I think--correct me if I'm wrong) the unity of performance and performer on which you wrote so eloquently before. Perhaps it is that unity which breaks the boundaries of reality and artifice that is naturally a part of cinema. Hmm... Food for thought.
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Post by Doghouse6 on Sept 14, 2017 23:14:57 GMT
Thanks, Doctor, I feel better having worked through that. I'll see you next session. You're very welcome, patient. Now be sure to pay the receptionist on your way out. This office accepts cash or credit, but no personalized checks. Seriously, I love these extended discussions and dialogues, so thank you for them. As I've written before, I don't think we really disagree here. Good acting is good acting, and believability a very important feature thereof (even if, in my opinion, not the most important). Thus Stanwyck's break with her own--shall we say?--"persona" (and I know that's not the most apt word, as "persona" probably better refers to the individuals to whom you referred earlier who make the roles them instead of making themselves the roles) ends up leaning more towards reality than artificiality, as in All About Eve and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? for Bette and Stella Davis and The Great Man's Lady for Barbara. (I must confess I'd never seen--or even heard of--the latter.) This is (I think--correct me if I'm wrong) the unity of performance and performer on which you wrote so eloquently before. Perhaps it is that unity which breaks the boundaries of reality and artifice that is naturally a part of cinema. Hmm... Food for thought. Hafta kinda chaw on your final thought for a spell (and refresh my memory about what I meant when I said whatever the hell I said about it...honestly, I confuse myself sometimes). I hadn't heard of The Great Man's Lady either, until I saw it a year or so ago. It's not normally the sort of thing that's up my alley: a saga of western expansion and empire-building spanning decades, full of pioneers, prospectors, politicians, railroad barons and gamblers - as well as hardship, tragedy, betrayal and redemption - that I found surprisingly satisfying. Based on a story by Adela Rogers St. Johns and directed by William Wellman, it adopts an epic tone in spite of its 90-minute compactness, and also features Joel McCrae, Brian Donlevy and a raft of familiar character players (Thurston Hall, Lloyd Corrigan, Irving Bacon, George Chandler and Mary Treen among them). Did you catch that image I posted earlier of Stanwyck in her centenarian makeup? Remarkable for '42, huh? She rather resembles Grandma Moses (appearing below for comparison).
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Post by teleadm on Sept 15, 2017 15:43:50 GMT
Ingrid Bergman once said "Until 45 I can play a woman in love. After 55 I can play grandmothers. But between those ten years, it is difficult for an actress", and I think that is true for many actresses. Not many actresses managed those 10 years in between that Bergman mentioned, but Barbra Stanwyck did, by working hard, sometimes taking roles beneath her talents, but kept on working. That could be the reason she had such a long career. A strong actress who played strong women, that's why I admire her.
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Post by wmcclain on Sept 15, 2017 17:41:27 GMT
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Post by petrolino on Sept 16, 2017 1:21:51 GMT
Amazing actress. So many great performances. Can't say I love her in everything though; the last movie I saw her in I thought she was all over the place (including her accent), portraying Nora Clitheroe in John Ford's drama 'The Plough And The Stars' (1936). Oh, I haven't seen this but now I must, petrolino. It sounds like a bit of terrible casting to me. I don't think Sean O'Casey and Barbara Stanwyck would be a good mix. It also doesn't appear to be one of John Ford's best efforts. Can't wait till it shows up on TCM. Interesting to ponder. . . Hi spiderwort. I read that this film was mutilated by studio interference which may have dimmed the overall effectiveness of Stanwyck's performance somewhat. She does seem miscast though, despite submitting occasional moments of power during raw close-ups.
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Post by outrider127 on Sept 16, 2017 1:27:21 GMT
Barbara Stanwyck#2 Ranked Actress 50 films seen (top 30 listed) 01 Double Indemnity 02 Baby Face 03 Ball of Fire 04 Executive Suite 05 Titanic 06 Remember the Night 07 Christmas in Connecticut 08 Annie Oakley 09 Night Nurse 10 Meet John Doe 11 These Wilder Years 12 Walk on the Wild Side 13 Stella Dallas 14 No Man of Her Own 15 The Violent Men 16 The Gay Sisters 17 The Strange Love of Martha Ivers 18 Hollywood Canteen 19 Variety Girl 20 East Side, West Side 21 The Two Mrs. Carrolls 22 Always Goodbye 23 Blowing Wild 24 Clash by Night 25 Ladies They Talk About 26 This Is My Affair 27 Forbidden 28 Crime of Passion 29 Red Salute 30 The Bride Wore Boots Whoa--those last two shots,what movie is that from?
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