Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Speaking Of Supporting Actor Nominees ...


... I promised faithful reader lupner a picture of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., nominated for the Joan Crawford-Anita Page flapper picture, Our Modern Maidens.

I don't know enough about lupner's socks to know whether this picture will knock them off or not, but it pretty well captures the man. "The trouble with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.," said writer Clemence Dane, "is that he likes everything he sees—and he sees everything." On the other hand, two of his marriages lasted until death did one of them part (for 49 years to Mary Lee Eppling, until her death, then to Vera Shelton until his own death at age 90), so he either had some restraint or very understanding wives.

Only a brief marriage to Joan Crawford, whom he met on the set of Our Modern Maidens, was a bust.

He made several fine movies, among them Dawn Patrol, The Prisoner of Zenda and Gunga Din.

He was also, of course, the son of two-time Katie winner Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., a frequent commenter here at the Monkey. Of his father, Junior said, "I never tried to emulate my father. Anyone trying to do that would be a second-rate carbon copy."

Well said.