Cladrite sweetheart Annette Hanshaw was born 120 years ago today in Manhattan. For us, she’s the gold standard for songbirds of the late 1920s and early ’30s; we think she’s keen. She retired after only a few years—the spotlight didn’t suit her—but what a legacy she left. We’ll featuring her music all day today on Cladrite Radio, so why not tune in now?
The immortal Groucho Marx was born Julius Henry Marx 131 years ago today on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He is, for us, in the show-business pantheon, perhaps the funniest man who ever lived. We loved him while he was still with us, and we miss him dearly today.
The lovely Fay Wray was born 114 years ago today in Cardston, Alberta.
Here’s the story of our one personal encounter with Ms. Wray. She was a patron and paying member of Film Forum, a terrific repertory movie theatre here in NYC, and every now and then she would attend a screening there.
We were waiting in the lobby one evening when one of her movies was on the bill—it might have been King Kong, we can’t be sure—and as the credits rolled on the previous screening, we heard a round of applause from within the auditorium. That’s not unusual at Film Forum; old-movie fans often show their appreciation at the end of a picture they’ve enjoyed.
But perhaps thirty seconds later, there was another, more boisterous round of applause. Why would they be clapping again?, we wondered. But then it occurred to us that there was likely an actor in the house who was being introduced to the audience, and we guessed—correctly, as it turned out—that it must be Ms. Wray.
The funny thing was, no one else waiting in line in the lobby seemed to be paying attention to these rounds of applause. They were in pairs and threes and were chatting among themselves, so we were, seemingly, the only ones aware that Ms. Wray might be on the premises. And when she left the auditorium, we were the only ones who took any notice whatsoever of the elderly lady making her way through the lobby.
“Hello, Ms. Wray,” we said as she drew near, and she, still on an emotional high from the ovation she’d just received in the theatre, said, “God bless you!”
“God bless you, too, Ms. Wray,” we replied, and off she went.
The great Louis Armstrong was born 120 years ago today in New Orleans, Louisiana. We’ll be featuring his wonderful music all day today, so why not tune in now?
Myrna Loy was born Myrna Adele Williams 116 years ago today in Helena, Montana. She ranks very highly indeed in our personal pantheon of Hollywood stars, so her birthday is always cause for celebration.
