Bedtime Story (1941). Comedy film directed by Alexander Hall. Cast: Fredric March, Loretta Young and Robert Benchley.
After seven years of marriage, stage actress Jane, has her heart set on leaving the stage and live on a farm in Connecticut. Her husband, producer-playwright Luke Drake, has different plans and is ready to start rehearsals for his new play and is late showing up for their retirement party.
Where Luke, informs Jane and the others that he has sold their dream farm and bought a theater. Heartbroken, she packs her suitcase and travels to Reno for a divorce. Wanting to stop the divorce, Luke plants a false story in a gossip columns, announcing that he is ill and that he has cancelled his play. Reading a newspaper article, that Luke is not well and has given up working, she rushes back only to find that it's not true.
Jane, goes back to Reno to get her divorce and begins dating banker, William Dudley. Luke follows Jane to Reno and arrives at her hotel just as William Dudley, shows up to take her to dinner. When Luke asks for a chance to talk to Jane alone, Dudley hands over the keys to his car and Luke and Jane go for a drive to talk things over.
Luke, accidentally runs out of gas and needing a place to stay for the night they get a hotel room. While there, she helps him with his script and tells him to cast someone else to perform in it. She, then tells Luke, that he owes her $4.40 for his share of the gas and hotel.
When Luke reads that Jane has become engaged to Dudley, he wants to win her back. Learning that the police plan to raid a club named Billy's that night, Luke suggests to Jane that she and Dudley join him for dinner. Asking Jane to meet him at the theater, Luke then phones Dudley and asks him to meet them at Billy's.
When Jane arrives at the theater in the middle of rehearsals, Luke pretends to chastise Virginia's performance and Jane offers to coach her. Jane, gives such a wonderful reading that Virginia leaves the stage. Now, without a leading lady Luke, says he has to cancel the play, Jane then offers to take the part until he can find someone to perform in the part. As they leave the theater, a policeman informs them that Dudley has been arrested and Jane, realizing that she has been tricked backs out of her promise. Then bails Dudley out of jail and elopes with him.
The next morning, Luke and Eddie, arrive at the apartment with flowers, to apologize. Only to find out that Jane has just married William. Luke, hires two men to act as inspectors, questioning Jane on the validity of her marriage. She hands William all of her Reno receipts... except the one from the California hotel. When she refuses to give Luke that receipt, he admits the inspectors are fake.
Their friend Emma, comes over to tell Jane, that the production has shut down and that Luke, paid them off with the last of his money.
Realizing how much he loves her, Jane hands Emma, the receipt and tells her that she wants the money Luke, owes her for the hotel room. It takes Luke a minute, to realize that with the receipt, he can prove that Jane's marriage is not legal.
At the hotel, Luke sends a parade of plumbers, electricians and maids... to interrupt Jane and William on their wedding night. Will he be able to break up the honeymooning couple for good?
"Bedtime Story", is a stylish comedy with a wonderful cast. Frederic March, was at the height of his movie career and Loretta Young, also has some fun scenes in the film. The supporting cast: Eve Arden, Allyn Joslyn, Helen Westley and Joyce Compton, will charm their classic movie fans.
Helen Westley (March 28, 1875 – December 12, 1942). A character actress and member of the original board of the Theatre Guild.
Westley, played roles, both comic and dramatic in many films: Death Takes a Holiday, All This and Heaven Too, four films opposite child star Shirley Temple (including Dimples and Heidi), the 1934 surprise hit Anne of Green Gables, the 1935 film version of Roberta, and the 1936 film version of Show Boat, in which she replaced Edna May Oliver.
She also appeared in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm in 1938 with Shirley Temple and Randolph Scott as Aunt Miranda.
In 1936 she played in Banjo on My Knee with Barbara Stanwyck, Walter Brennan and Buddy Ebsen.
Westley was married to John Westley, an actor on Broadway, on October 31, 1900. The couple separated in 1912 . The marriage ended in divorce. The couple had one daughter, named Ethel.
The Farmer's Daughter(1947). Cast: Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore, and Charles Bickford. Directed by H.C. Potter.The film won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Loretta Young and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Charles Bickford. In 1963, a television series based on the film was produced, starring Inger Stevens, Cathleen Nesbitt and William Windom.
Katie Holstrom , a Swedish-American, leaves the family farm to follow her dream of becoming a nurse. Barn painter Adolph Petree, offers her a ride, but robs her of her money. Katie, now needing money to support herself, goes to work as a maid in the home of Agatha Morley and her son, U.S. Representative Glenn Morley.
She impresses Agatha and Joseph Clancey, with her down-to-earth way of thinking and Glenn, with her charms. Things become complicated when the Morleys and the other leaders of their political party pick a replacement for a deceased congressman.
Knowing of his bad reputation, Katie, attends a public meeting to ask Finley, some embarrassing questions. The leaders of the opposition party are impressed and offer to back her in the coming election.
When she accepts, Katie reluctantly has to quit her job and when it looks like she has a chance of winning. Finley resorts to smearing her reputation. He pays Petree to claim Katie spent the night with him when he gave her a ride.
Heartbroken and embarrassed, Katie goes home. Glenn, goes to her home to proposes to her.
After hearing the news of her son's engagement, Agatha and her butler, gets Finley drunk and tricks him into revealing that he bribed Petree, and that he has him hidden away. Will they be able to save her reputation, so she can continue on with her political career ?
The Stranger(1946). A film noir directed by Orson Welles. Cast: Welles, Edward G. Robinson, and Loretta Young. Sam Spiegel was the film's producer, and the film's musical score is by Bronisław Kaper. It is believed that this is the first film released after World War II that showed footage of concentration camps.
In 1946, Mr. Wilson of the United Nations War Crimes Commission, is hunting for Nazi war criminal, Franz Kindler, who has assumed a new identity, Charles Rankin, and has become a school teacher in a small American town.
He is married to Mary Longstreet, daughter of Supreme Court Justice Adam Longstreet.
Wilson releases Kindler's former associate Meinike, hoping the man will lead him to Kindler. Wilson follows Meinike to the town of Harper, Connecticut, but loses him before he finds Kindler.
When Meinike finds him, he begs Kindler to confess his crimes. To keep his identity a secret Kindler strangles Meinike.
Eventually, Wilson realizes that Rankin is Kindler, but.. he has no proof.
Only Mrs. Rankin knows that Meinike came to meet her husband. Now, Rankin must kill her to keep her quiet.
Things become complicated for Rankin when Red, the family dog, discovers Meinike's body. To protect his secret, Rankin poisons Red.
Mrs. Rankin, begins to suspect her husband, but cant wrap her mind around the truth. Mr. Wilson shows her graphic footage of Nazi concentration camps, and explains how Kindler/Rankin developed the idea of genocide. She keeps quiet until Mary discovers Rankin in planning on killing her.
Rachel And The Stranger (1948). A western. Cast: Loretta Young, William Holden and Robert Mitchum. The Norman Foster-helmed film was one of the few to address the role of women in the pioneer west, as well as portray early America's servant trade. It was based on the Howard Fast short story "Rachel".
Despite its low budget, the film became RKO's most successful film that year, making over $350,000.
In colonial America, David Harvey, a recent widower living in the wilderness, decides that his son Davey, needs a woman around to help raise him. He goes to the nearest settlement and asks Parson Jackson to help him .
David gets talked into buying a bonds woman named Rachel and marrying her. Rachel serves more as a servant than a wife and Davey resents what he sees as an attempt to replace his dead mother Susan.
Jim Fairways, a family friend (and former suitor of Susan's), visits and falls in love with Rachel. When he offers to buy her, David discovers he is love with her.
Along Came Jones (1945). A Western/comedy. Cast: Gary Cooper, Loretta Young, William Demarest, and Dan Duryea. The movie was adapted by Nunnally Johnson from the novel Useless Cowboy by Alan Le May. Directed by Stuart Heisler.
The film's ironic title probably inspired the popular 1960s Coasters song "Along Came Jones" written by Leiber and Stoller; songwriter Mike Stoller had studied orchestration under Arthur Lange, the composer of the film's score.
Much of the movie was filmed at the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, Calif. This was the only film produced by Cooper during his long movie career, and he had roots at Iverson, having worked there in, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) and other productions. Cooper had a Western town built at the movie ranch for Along Came Jones, which was then used in many other productions during the next 10-plus years and became a fixture in B-Westerns in particular.
Easygoing Melody Jones and his friend George Fury, travel into town. Jones, is mistaken for the wanted bandit Monte Jarrad, which causes him plenty of trouble.
The real Jarrad, is hiding out in the home of, Cherry de Longpre. At first, she tries to use Melody, to tick the townsfolk, into thinking that he is the real Jarrad, but.. as it goes... they fall for each other. Well, it is Gary Copper after all.
Key To The City (1950). A romantic/comedy. Cast: Clark Gable and Loretta Young. This was the second (and final) time that Gable and Young performed together in a film, the first being in the film, Call of the Wild(1935). The film was the final performance by character actor Frank Morgan, who died before the film was released.
Mayor Steve Fisk, is at a convention in San Francisco, he mistakes Clarissa Standish, the mayor of Wenonah, Maine, for a "balloon dancer". Steve feels that Clarissa might be too refined a woman for him, but he wants to get to know her better.
He needs to be careful, because a crooked city councilman would love to have something to use against Steve back home. Clarissa, is arrested twice, first after a brawl in a Chinatown restaurant, then on their way to a costume party.
A photographer takes a picture of Clarissa making it look like she's arrested for public drunkenness. She doesn't think it funny, but her uncle, Judge Standish, is happy thinking that she is finally having some fun.
The real balloon dancer, Sheila, shows up, causing Clarissa to think that Steve's going to see her. And she's angry when Steve disappears, unaware that he had to hurry home on business. Steve, is in love with her and can't wait to give her with the key to his city and his heart.
Cause For Alarm (1951). A film noir/suspense. Directed by Tay Garnett (The Postman Always Rings Twice). Cast: Loretta Young and Barry Sullivan.
Ellen narrates the tale of how she was taking care of her bedridden husband George Z. Jones when he suddenly dropped dead:
Ellen first meets George in a naval hospital during World War II while she was dating his best friend, Lieutenant Ranney Grahame, a military doctor who had little time for her.
George was a pilot, when Ellen fell in love with him and they soon married and moved to Los Angeles.
George, is now confined to his bed with a bad heart and Ellen, spends most her time caring for him. George's doctor is their old friend Ranney, with whom George thinks his wife is having an affair with. Ranney, thinks George may need psychological help.
George has written a letter to the district attorney in which he claims his wife and best friend are killing him with overdoses of heart medicine.
A little neighbor boy dressed as a cowboy becomes friends with Ellen, she gives him cookies. He hands her a toy television set and asks Ellen to give it to George.
George, asks her to mail a letter for him, thinking a letter has something to do with insurance, Ellen gives it to the postman, who sees George in the upstairs window.
When Ellen goes up to find out why he has gotten out of bed, George lets her know what the letter says and pulls a gun and is about to kill her when he drops dead.
Ellen panics over the letter and running from the house, she chases down the postman, to who she gave the letter, but.. he won't give it back to her without talking to George first. The postman says she can ask the supervisor at the downtown post office, who has more authority.
When she gets back to the house, she finds George's Aunt Clara walking up the stairs to see George and stops her. Clara, tries to go up the stairs again but, Ellen tells her, George told her not to let his aunt see him. Clara leaves in a huff.
Ellen goes back up to the bedroom to change her clothes and sees the gun still in George's hand, she grabs the gun from his hand, it fires. Leaveing the house, a notary rings the doorbell, telling her he has an appointment with George to go over some legal papers. She tells him that George is too sick to see anyone.
Ellen, drives to the post office to see the supervisor, who gives her a form for George to sign, but changes his mind, because of Ellen's odd behavior, then tells her he is going to allow the letter to be delivered.
After she returns to the house, Ranney shows up to check on George, by this time Ellen, has become hysterical. Ranney, tells her to be calm and goes up to the bedroom.
Showing no emotion for George, sees the bullet hole in the floor, finds the gun in a dresser drawer, moves George's body in the bed and pulls down the window shade.
Back downstairs with Ellen, she tells him what happened, saying "I did everything wrong, just like he said I would." The doorbell rings. She thinks the police have come to arrest her. Ranney tells Ellen, to answer the door.
When she does, it is the postman, returning the letter for insufficient postage. Ranney, rips up the letter and burns it in an ashtray along with a matchbook with the embossed names George and Ellen.
The Unguarded Hour(1936). Cast: Loretta Young and Franchot Tone. Director, Sam Wood. The prosecutor in a murder trial is unaware that his wife is involved.
I was thrilled when I received this wonderful poem yesterday in my comments from... Dominic Campisi, and thought I would share it with all of you.. Thank you Dominic, for sharing your wonderful poem with all of us..
No other Actress worked with them all. Only actress in the silent era, the golden age of film and golden age of Television. First actress to win Oscar Emmy golden globe award. Should be in Television hall of fame. More famous on TV in 50's then Lucy. Total tragedy and unjust should have been there first three years. Also because of religious beliefs did not get more honors from Academy, Sag, Kennedy, Foreign press. No other actress had this kind of career. Not even the superstar actress's that are in living in there 90's: Olivia DeHavilland, Joan Fontaine, Eleanor Parker, Maureen O'Hara, Lauren Bacall, Eleanor Williams, Doris Day.
A poem I wrote for Ms. Young. Who told me it was the nicest thing a fan ever wrote to her.
My Favorite Star:
Here's a Story of a Screen Legend's Life
A Star Kept Shining through unlimited time
Just a young girl extra when Valentino shined
A Teenage Beauty when the Talkies arrived
Through Hollywood's golden era
Of Power, Grant, Cagney, Tracy, and Gable
Her good girl image was always her label
Her romantic aura that filled the screen
Brought out the best in men like these
Through the movie mogul's dynasty and the years of war
Her stardom never died
She gave us Ramona, Mabel Bell, Sister Margaret,xx
And Sweet Julia, from the Bishop's wife
Her sparkling eyes found your heart
In the Farmer's Daughter her award winning part
She had made her mark on the silver screen
Now it was time try TV
She entered the room in the most glamorous way
When she left she had something to say
The God giving Goodness that came out to reply
Our morals and values are important in Life With movies and Television her legend survives
God's gift of an angel by heaven's design
When you are mentioned in the great actress' club
We'll always remember you Loretta Young.
The Doctor Takes a Wife(1940). Directed by Alexander Hall, with Loretta Young, Ray Milland, Reginald Gardiner.
June Cameron has written a best seller about spinsters: women who don't need men for fulfillment. Some how the press believes she's married to Tim Sterling, a university instructor, whom she's just met.
Her publisher wants her to continue the ruse for a few weeks, so she can write a best seller about marriage.
Tim cooperates because, he thinks it may help with his promotion. Things do not go very smoothly for the bickering couple, not to mention.. Tim's jealous girlfriend Marilyn, who may not want to keep quite.
Bedtime Story (1942). A comedy directed by Alexander Hall. Cast: Fredric March, Loretta Young, Eve Arden and Robert Benchley.
Stage actress Jane Drake, wants to leave the theater and live on a Connecticut farm. Her husband Luke, wants to continue to work on his latest play, which is being written for her. Jane takes off for Reno to get a divorce.
Reading a newspaper article, that Luke is not well and has given up working, she rushes back to his side, only to find that it's not true. Jane, goes back to Reno to get her divorce and begins dating, William Dudley.
Luke, invites her out for a drive and accidentally runs out of gas. Needing, a place to rest they get a hotel room. While there, she helps him with his script and tells him to cast someone else to perform in it. She, then tells Luke, that he owes her $4.40 for his share of the gas and hotel.
After arriving home she reads a false article in the paper, that Luke has cast Virginia Cole, as the lead in his play. Virginia agrees to fool Jane, by pretending to be cast in the new play.
Jane and Luke agree to sell their furniture. Dingelhoff, buys everything, except the vase that Luke gave Jane, which Jane buys.
Pretty soon the play rehearsals begin, with Virginia playing Jane's part. Luke, finds out that Jane is engaged to William.
Luke tricks Jane, into coming to a rehearsal for the play. She gives Virginia some tips and Virginia pretends to be upset and "storms off." With the prospect of Luke losing all the money he's sunk into the play being lost without a leading lady, Jane, agrees to fill in.. only until Luke, can find someone else. When she finds out that Luke and Eddie had William arrested, she leaves to bail William out of jail.
The next morning, Luke and Eddie, arrive at the apartment with flowers, to apologize. Only to find out that Jane has just married William. Luke, hires two men to act as inspectors, questioning Jane on the validity of her marriage. The fake inspectors insist that she had to have stayed in Reno, for six weeks straight without leaving the hotel room. She hands William all of her Reno receipts... except the one from the California hotel. When she refuses to give Luke that receipt, he admits the inspectors are fake.
Their friend Emma, comes over to tell Jane, that the production has shut down and that Luke, paid them off with the last of his money. Realizing how much he loves her, Jane hands Emma, the receipt and tells her that she wants the money Luke, owes her for the hotel room.
Luke, Emma, and Eddie, sit around drinking, sad about the end of the play and about Jane's marriage. It takes Luke a minute, to realize that with the receipt, he can prove that Jane's marriage is not legal.
At the hotel, Luke sends a parade of plumbers, electricians and maids... to interrupt Jane and William on their wedding night. Will he be able to break up the honeymooning couple for good?
Wife, Husband, and Friend (1939). Comedy, starring Loretta Young, Warner Baxter and Binnie Barnes in the three title roles.
The film, directed by Gregory Ratoff. The film was remade as... Everybody Does It (1949),
Building contractor Leonard Borland, is trying to deal with the musical ambitions of his wife, who comes from a wealthy family.
He believes that she has no talent, even though she has been trained by the voice teacher Hugo.
Doris, prepares for her up coming recital that Leonard, hopes will backfire and get singing "out of her system." The performance is watched by opera singer Cecil Carver, who is attracted to Leonard and believes that Doris will never become a singer.
Cecil, discovers that Leonard, a beautiful operatic voice and offers to train him.
Leonard, goes along thinking that this will allow him to be on Doris' social level.
Leonard's career as "Logan Bennett", is successful and he goes on tour with Cecil.
After returning to New York in preparation for a national tour, Leonard discovers Doris, has become ill, because she was booed off the stage in her singing debut. He decides not to join Cecil on the rest of the tour.
That night at a party, Doris is confronted by Cecil. Leonard insist that they are not having an affair and performs "On the Road to Mandalay" to prove that he has musical talent.
Doris and Leonard split up. Cecil talks him into performing the lead in an opera. It does not go well and he goes back to his life with Doris.
A Night to Remember(1942). A mystery/comedy starring Loretta Young and Brian Aherne. Directed by Richard Wallace, and is based on the novel The Frightened Stiff by Kelley Roos.
A mystery writer and his wife try to solve a murder after they find a dead body in their apartment. After which, Nancy and Jeff Troy move into a sad looking basement apartment building on 13 Gay Street, Greenwich Village, where the residents all seem a bit odd. Nancy recognizes one of the residents, Anne Carstairs.
At dinner, Nancy overhears Louis Kaufman, talking on the telephone asking someone to meet him in the basement apartment. Louis, is later found dead in the backyard, after having been drowned in the bathtub.
Jeff recognizes the basement apartment as a former speakeasy and that the "monster" the housekeeper was afraid of turns out to be a turtle called "Old Hickory".
Jeff and Nancy, discover that all the residents are being blackmailed by a man named Andrew Bruhl, who used to be a private investigator. Bruhl made all the people being blackmailed live in one building to keep an eye on them.
Week-End Marriage (1932). Directed by Thornton Freeland. Cast: Loretta Young, Norman Foster, Aline MacMahon, George Brent.
After Lola's husband loses his job, Lola sets out to be the breadwinner, and succeeds. But it's a success that might just be too much for her husband's pride. Has she saved her marriage, only to see it ruined?
Grand Slam (1933). Directed by William Dieterle. Cast: Paul Lukas, Loretta Young, Frank McHugh and Glenda Farrell.
After waiter and would-be novelist Peter Stanislavsky marries Marcia, he learns to play bridge to please his wife, despite the fact he thinks it is a childish game.
He's hired one evening to serve as a waiter at a bridge party given by Lola Starr, but is asked to play bridge with expert Cedric Van Dorn instead. Peter beats the expert, and when asked what method he uses to play, he jokingly says the "Stanislavsky method," which has no rules of bidding or play.
It makes headlines; Speed McCann ghostwrites a best-selling book for him and a national tour is set up with Marcia as his partner. Peter and Marcia, begin to argue over his system....
Judy Lewis was born Judy Young on November 6, 1935. Her parents were the Hollywood actors Loretta Young and Clark Gable. Because of the morality clause in both their contracts and the fact that Clark Gable was married, Loretta Young brought Judy up as her adopted daughter.
When Judy was four, her mother married advertising executive Tom Lewis. By the time Judy was nine, she had two half brothers, Christopher and Peter.
This video, produced by her brothers and features Peter Lewis performing his composition 'Pictures Of The Past'. Judy passed away on November 25, 2011.
Man's Castle (1933). A pre-code film directed by Frank Borzage. Cast: Spencer Tracy and Loretta Young.
During this film, Loretta Young and Spencer Tracy, began an affair that lasted about a year. Young ended the relationship when she wasn't granted absolution because she was dating a married Catholic.
The surviving film, shown on TCM, is the edited 1938 (post-Production Code) re-release, with redesigned title credits.
The story begins with Trina, watching and secretly wishing for the popcorn Bill, is feeding to the most beautiful white pigeons, I have ever seen. He wants to help her, after he hears that she has not eaten anything for two days. He then decides to take her to dinner at a fancy restaurant.
After her meal, Bill calls for the manager, so he can inform him that he has no money, also.. to point out that the restaurant throws out food every day, thinking that he could allow her to eat for free just this once. After, Bill's scene the manager throws them both out.
After finding out that Trina, has no place to live, he takes her to his home, located in a riverside shantytown. Even though, he does not want to be tied down to one woman, he allows her to stay. He loves sleeping under the stars and has put a hole in the roof so that he can always watch the sky.
Trina sets up housekeeping and tries not to interfere with his life and even ignoring his fling with a singer named Fay(pictured above).
It is not long before, Trina tells Bill, that she is pregnant and for the first time in his life he cares more about some one other than himself. They ask their friend and neighbor, preacher Ira, to perform their marriage ceremony.
Bill, now needing money for Trina and her baby, reminds Bragg of his plans to rob a toy store payroll. When the robbery fails, Bragg, who has eyes for Trina, calls the police to arrest Bill, hoping she will turn to him.
Flossie, suggests that the couple run away together and then, shoots Bragg and then herself. Trina and Bill, now on the run head for the passing train ....
This is the first time that I had ever seen this film and I absolutely loved it. Loretta Young and Spencer Tracy, have a wonderful on screen chemistry and they help turn this movie into a wonderful romance. It is filmed in such a dreamy way, that their humble home looks very charming and homey. If you get a chance to see this film I do not think you will be disappointed.
Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971). Farrell began her career with a theatrical company at the age of 7. She played the role of Little Eva in, Uncle Tom's Cabin.
She later was in the cast of, Cobra and The Best People in 1925.
Farrell was first signed to a long-term contract by First National Pictures in July 1930. She was given the female lead in Little Caesar.
Warner Brothers signed her to re-create on film the role she played in, Life Begins on Broadway.
Farrell worked on parts in twenty movies in her first year with the studio. She came to personify the wise-cracking, hard-boiled, and dizzy blonde, along with, Joan Blondell, with whom she would be frequently paired.
Her brassy persona was used in the films: Little Caesar (1931), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Havana Widows (1933), Gambling Ship (1933), Bureau of Missing Persons (1933), Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) and The Big Shakedown (1934).
She became one of Warner Brothers’ most prolific actresses of the 1930s, solidifying her success with her own film film series, as Torchy Blane, "Girl Reporter". In this role Farrell was promoted as being able to speak 400 words in 40 seconds.
Farrell would portray the character Torchy Blane in seven films, from 1937 to 1939 when the role was taken over by Jane Wyman.
in the first of the Torchy Blane series, Smart Blonde (1937)
In 1937 she starred opposite Dick Powell and Joan Blondell in the Academy Award nominated Lloyd Bacon and Busby Berkeley directed musical comedy, Gold Diggers of 1937.
When her Warner Brothers contact expired in 1939 she opted to focus on her stage career once again. She said that working in plays gave her more of a sense of individuality whereas in films you get frustrated because you feel you have no power over what you're doing.
Farrell went out of vogue in the 1940s but made a comeback later in life, appearing in Secret of the Incas (1954), the Charlton Heston adventure epic upon which Raiders of the Lost Ark was based a quarter century later, and winning an Emmy Award in 1963, for her work in the television series Ben Casey.
She was appearing on Broadway in, Forty Carats in 1969 when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She remained with the show until ill health forced her departure in November 1970.
Her son with her first husband Thomas Richards was B-Western "sidekick" actor Tommy Farrell. She dated Hollywood film writer Robert Riskin in the early 1930s and married Jack Durant of the Mitchell and Durant vaudeville team in June 1931. In 1941 Farrell became the wife of Dr. Henry Ross, a West Point graduate and Army physician who served on General Eisenhower's staff.
In 1971, she died from lung cancer, aged 66, at her home in New York City. When Dr. Ross died in 1991, he was buried with her.
A Man's Castle(1933). Pre-code film directed by Frank Borzage. Cast: Spencer Tracy and Loretta Young.
A very kind man named Billtakes, meets a young woman named Trina in a city park.Trina, has not had much to eat for a couple days, so Billtakes decides to take her to a dinner in a fancy restaurant. He does not have the money to pay, so he raises so much ruckus that the manager asks them to go.
When, Bill learns that Trina is homeless, he lets her stay at his home in a shanty town. Among their neighbors and friends are a group of fun characters.
Bill, has itchy feet and does not live in the same place for too long. Trina falls in love with him, but makes no demands on him that will make him want to leave.
When she needs a new stove, he raises the down payment by serving a summons on actress Fay La Rue. Fay, in turn.. wants him for a playmate, but he turns her down.
Just as Bill's restless nature starts kicking in, Trina tells him she is pregnant.
After, Bill and Trina get married, Bill agrees to help Bragg rob the payroll from a toy factory, to use the money to support his family.
Ira, the night watchman, shoots Bill before recognizing him, thankfully, it is only a flesh wound. Wanting Trina for himself, Bragg trips the burglar alarm. Will Bill get away before the police arrive?
Video: 1st of 7.
Suez (1938). A film account of the building of the Suez Canal by Ferdinand de Lesseps, played by Tyrone Power. It was so highly fictionalized that de Lesseps' descendants sued (unsuccessfully) for libel.
De Lesseps, is a young aristocrat who conceives the idea for the Suez Canal. When Napoleon fails him, the British show interest.
It was nominated for three Academy Awards: Cinematography, Original Music Score, and Sound, Recording (Edmund H. Hansen).
Kentucky (1938). Cast: Loretta Young, Richard Greene, and Walter Brennan. Directed by David Butler. It is a Romeo and Juliet story of lovers Jack and Sally, with the Kentucky horse-racing as the backdrop. The family feud goes back to the Civil War and is kept going strong by Sally's Uncle Peter.
During the Civil War, horse breeder Thad Goodwin of Elmtree Farm, refuses Capt. John Dillon and his company of Union soldiers his prize horses. He is killed by Dillon and his son Peter watches as the soldiers ride away with the horses.
75 years later, Peter now a crotchety old man, is still living at Elmtree Farm and raises horses with his niece Sally. Dillon's grandson Jack and Sally meet, her not knowing that his last name was Dillon. Peter Goodwin, dies after he hears the price of cotton drops.
The Goodwins are forced to auction off almost all their horses and Jack offers to train Sally's, last prize horse, "Bessie's Boy", who becomes ill.
Sally, loses the farm and Mr. Dillon makes good on his bet with Thad and offers her any two year old on his farm.
She picks "Blue Grass" instead of the favorite, "Postman", and Peter trains him for the Derby. She soon learns Jack's true identity.
During the race, Blue Grass runs neck and neck with the Goodwin's horse Postman, but Blue Grass wins. Sally embraces Jack, but.. Peter dies before the decoration ceremony begins.
At his funeral, Dillon eulogizes him as... "The Grand Old Man of the American Turf".
The Life Of Jimmy Dolan(1933). Cast: Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Loretta Young. It features John Wayne in a small supporting role as a boxer. It was remade into the classic film, They Made Me a Criminal(1939).
Not a picture from the film Beau Ideal
Beau Ideal (1931). Directed by Herbert Brenon. The film was inspired by the adventure novel Beau Ideal the third novel in a five book pentalogy.
John Geste, joins the French Foreign Legion to find a old childhood friend, Lester Veil, who is imprisoned in a desert grain silo with other captured Legionaries.
Following a flashback to their childhood in England, they make their escape.
After many adventures, Geste finally helps Vail to avoid keeping his promise to marry the Emir's favorite dancer, who is known as "the Angel of Death".
They return to England where Vail's platonic love Isobel Brandon is waiting for him.
Video: full movie.
Big Business Girl (1931). This is a Pre-code film about a woman with brains, beauty and the drive to get ahead who loves a guy who is a loser. She helps land him a big job without him knowing it. Then uses his boss to make her secret husband jealous. The fun really begins when Pearl and the husband play cards while they wait for the photographer to arrive.
