Last night Miss Ginger watched a classic film that she had never seen before: the 1942 William Keighley film "The Man Who Came to Dinner". It's a wonder she'd never seen it before, and would have seen it much soon if she had known several things about it:
1. It's a Christmas Movie.
2. It has Bette Davis in it.
3. It has Billie Burke in it.
1. It's a Christmas Movie.
2. It has Bette Davis in it.
3. It has Billie Burke in it.
4. It has Mary Wickes in it!
Miss Ginger can't remember Mary Wickes ever being in a bad movie! And what a long career she had! She was actually schooled as an attorney (imagine HER in a courtroom!) but the acting bug bit and she started as a character actress on Broadway in the 30's. Successful at first, her career began to falter until she was asked by Hollywood to reprise a role she created on Broadway in the 1942 film of "The Man Who Came to Dinner". Because she and her Broadway co-star Monty Woolley were so unknown to nationwide film audiences, Warner Brothers pulled a Joker out of their deck and used their contract box office favorite Bette Davis to lend the film some credibility. It was a really great film, and it began a long, illustrious career for Mary that led her to Hollywood and a home down the street from Lucille Ball, who became one of her best friends and favorite costars. Lucy also introduced Mary to television audiences, and she starred in everything from "The Lucy Show" to "Sigmund the Sea Monster!" Many of her comedic roles placed her in nurses garb or a nun's habit, and 2 of her trademark roles were Sister Clarissa in "The Trouble with Angels" franchise and Sister Mary Lazarus in the "Sister Act" franchise. Her final role before her death in 1995 was the voice of Laverne in the Disney animated film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
She also guest starred on almost every television show known to man in the 60's and 70's, including one of Miss G's favorites, "The Match Game"! ( and how many episodes of M*A*S*H?!)
Miss Ginger can't remember Mary Wickes ever being in a bad movie! And what a long career she had! She was actually schooled as an attorney (imagine HER in a courtroom!) but the acting bug bit and she started as a character actress on Broadway in the 30's. Successful at first, her career began to falter until she was asked by Hollywood to reprise a role she created on Broadway in the 1942 film of "The Man Who Came to Dinner". Because she and her Broadway co-star Monty Woolley were so unknown to nationwide film audiences, Warner Brothers pulled a Joker out of their deck and used their contract box office favorite Bette Davis to lend the film some credibility. It was a really great film, and it began a long, illustrious career for Mary that led her to Hollywood and a home down the street from Lucille Ball, who became one of her best friends and favorite costars. Lucy also introduced Mary to television audiences, and she starred in everything from "The Lucy Show" to "Sigmund the Sea Monster!" Many of her comedic roles placed her in nurses garb or a nun's habit, and 2 of her trademark roles were Sister Clarissa in "The Trouble with Angels" franchise and Sister Mary Lazarus in the "Sister Act" franchise. Her final role before her death in 1995 was the voice of Laverne in the Disney animated film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
She also guest starred on almost every television show known to man in the 60's and 70's, including one of Miss G's favorites, "The Match Game"! ( and how many episodes of M*A*S*H?!)
Miss Ginger learned a lot of this info from one of her favorite Websites, the "Internet Movie Data Base" (IMDB) which she will add to her "favorites" list after finishing this post. It has lots of juicy tidbits about all of your favorite stars and movies, including this one: she was the "longtime companion" of Playwright Abby Conrad. Sounds like lesbo love to Ginger!
Here's a classic scene from "The Man Who Came to Dinner" with Jimmy Durante:
Here's a classic scene from "The Man Who Came to Dinner" with Jimmy Durante:
3 comments:
She also played the nurse in Now voyager, love the Man who came to Dinner, Jimmy Durante was hilarious in this, you and me are gonna have talk movies one day I have a huge collection all the greats.
Have a good Sunday
Yasmin
xx
Wow!
Lot's of great info here. I was blown away at Wickes LOOONG career. Thanks for sharing!
I have not seen that movie! I'll watch for it on AMC. I luuuuuuv IMDB, it's a must for any movie lover!
Speaking of luuuuuuving, I do love Lucy!
B.
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