That role, of course, would have made her famous all over again, an international superstar, a brilliant comet racing across the show business sky. Her new husband Charles David promised to give her that. Photograph: Everett/Rex. Chanson, Comedy/Novelty Music, Educational, Field Recording, Film Score/Soundtrack, Interview/Dialogue, Minstrel, Monolog, Music Hall, Musical/Original Cast, Natural Sounds, Poetry, Prayers/Sermons, Radio Play/Show, Schlager, Special Effects . [citation needed], In 1983, film historian David Shipman was granted a rare interview by Durbin. She is also referenced in the Glenn Miller WWII novelty song "Peggy the Pin-up Girl". And thanks for the javabeanrush link. How about Judy Garland? Her first screen kiss was described in a headline story across the continent. Raising a family in France with her third husband, Durbin refused all but one interview over the subsequent decades, preferring peace and privacy to her lasting fame as Hollywood's "Little Miss Fix-It." Deanna Durbin was born Edna Mae Durbin on Dec. 12, 1921, at Grace Hospital, a Christian community medical center in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her work was credited with saving the studio from bankruptcy,[2] and led to Durbin being awarded the Academy Juvenile Award in 1938. Also, nowhere in the play is any reference to Ray BradburysThe Anthem Sprintersa delightful short story about a Deanna Durbin movie screened in Ireland followed by a race of moviegoers to a pub before the cinema starts to play the Irish national anthem at the conclusion of the film. [21] Durbin settled the complaint by agreeing to star in three more pictures, including one in Paris; this did not materialize before Durbin's contract expired. The film was intended as a demonstration of their talent as performers as studio executives had questioned the wisdom of casting two female singers together. I loved to sing. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. She really illuminated their lives by just answering audience questions. TELEVISION ACADEMY and ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES are registered trademarks of ATAS. She tried to match these changes and starred in a fashionable then noir-style film. Raised in California, she was signed to a contract with MGM at 13, and a year later was hired by a competing studio, Universal Pictures. If they were allowed to be managed and controlled, for example, by Reputable Fan Clubs, that would have been Great News for Her Fans. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Danna . Judy Garland was also featured in the film and she and Durbin sang together, but the much more gauche-looking Garland appealed more to the mogul than the prettier Durbin, who he decided was a little too womanly for what he had in mind. This was a great read! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Ive gained weight. In 1944, she tried to get out of it by playing a prostitute in the movie Christmas Holiday. Durbin and David raised a son, Peter David (born in June 1951), as well as Durbin's daughter Jessica, on a farm outside of Paris. As she matured, Durbin grew dissatisfied with the girl-next-door roles assigned to her and attempted to move into sophisticated non-musical roles with film noir Christmas Holiday (1944) and the whodunit Lady on a Train (1945). Her . Universal announced Durbin was to star in They Lived Alone, scheduled to be directed by Koster. "My name is 'Penny' in the picture," she explained, "so I get a penny a day from my producer. Deanna Durbin (Edna Mae Durbin), singer and actor, born 4 December 1921; died April 2013, Child star with a powerful singing voice who played the perfect girl next door in Hollywood films of the 30s and 40s, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Deanna Durbin in It's a Date, 1940. She likely made lots of money during her career and didnt have to work again. EMMY, EMMYS, and the Emmy Statuette are registered trademarks and/or copyrights Of ATAS and NATAS. But at this point, she just had enough. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I don't think Deanna Durbin will ever lose her fan base, every year more people "discover" her and her delightful personality. Lets hope we get a well researched biography. "Beneath The Lights Of Home" being the most requested record. The legend was that the two, who starred in a movie together in 1936, were lifelong bitter rivals, but really, they were not. She was prolific, too: her second film, One Hundred Men and a Girl (with an orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski), was followed by Mad About Music (1938), in which she played a girl with a rich imagination; That Certain Age (1938), co-written by Billy Wilder; and Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939), a sequel to her debut feature, with the sisters this time caught up in a romantic conflict. Market data provided by Factset. The Metropolitan Opera was even after her to join its company. "And her contract eventually ran out. She tried very hard to shake off her girl-next-door image with films such as Christmas Holiday (1944), directed by Robert Siodmak and adapted from W Somerset Maugham's novel: Durbin and her co-star Gene Kelly were both cast against type, she as a nightclub hostess and he as a killer. It appears she had a quiet but happy life after making movies. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Gall, who also wrote the drama, has done a fine job. She could have probably gone to MGM or another studio because she was still at the height of her acting abilities and her voice at her best. Jackson left Universal in November 1946;[17] he also left Durbin in January 1947, although their separation was not announced until the following year. Encounter with Siodmak Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Even as a young child, she could hold her own on the screen. Durbin figures prominently in the 1963 Ray Bradbury short story "The Anthem Sprinters" (collected in The Machineries of Joy). She stated that the studio pushed a "childlike image" on her, but I'm not so sure about that. Interestingly, the lyrics pair her name with her first co-star Judy Garland: "Even a voice that's so disturbin' / Like Judy Garland or Miss Durbin / Can't compare to my pin-up queen". Her voice, movements, facial expressions fully correspond to this subtle and unsteady mood. That same year, Durbin was given a special miniature Academy Award for her significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth., She had a special kind of youthfulness paired with an incredible voice, Harper said regarding Durbins talent. [4] She made her first film appearance in the short Every Sunday (1936) with Judy Garland, another teenage singer-actress whose career would rival Durbin's. Her major motion pictures were Three Smart Girls (1936), Mad About Music (1938) and That Certain Age (1938). There were Deanna Durbin dolls and dresses. So, what happened? (from, "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" (from, "Sari Waltz (Love's Own Sweet Song)" (from, "Say a Pray'r for the Boys Over There" (from, "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" (from, "You Wanna Keep Your Baby Looking Nice, Don't You" (from, This page was last edited on 23 November 2022, at 07:43. Also in the interview, she steadfastly asserted her right to privacy, something she maintained until the end of her life, declining to be profiled on websites. He's a fun guy, and he has lots of great qualities. [6], Durbin also continued to pursue singing projects. The following is a 1983 interview with classic movie star Deanna Durbin, conducted by David Shipman. Pasternak moved from Universal to MGM. According to the New York Times, Durbin moved to France in 1949 and settled in the village of Neauple-le-Chateau, outside of Paris. She tried her hand at drama, but I believe critics expected her to just make cheerful, happy films with the same character., I do believe she could have gone to MGM or any other studio, said Harper. Judy caught fire withThe Wizard of Ozand became immortal. The play had a three week run and will be staged again at some U.S. theater. It is Deannas story, not Judys, and she sings Deannas music and not Judys (except forSomewhere Over the Rainbow). How could anybody really think that I was going to spend the rest of my life with a man I found I didnt love, just for the sake of an image? she added. The first time was at age 19 in 1941 to director Vaughn Paul. I also enjoyed the company of my fellow actors What I did find difficult was that this acquired maturity had to be hidden under the childlike personality my films and publicity projected on me.". Judy had, well, Judy had it all. Sight and Sound; London Vol. 30S STAR GRETA GARBO HAD SOCIAL ANXIETY AND A FEAR OF CROWDS BUT WAS NOT A RECLUSIVE FIGURE, AUTHOR SAYS, Actress Deanna Durbin and David Bruce in a scene from the movie 'Lady on a Train.' Since 1949, Durbin successfully stayed out of the spotlight and rarely gave interviews before she passed away in 2013 at age 91. I was happy on the set. Durbin was well known in Winnipeg, Manitoba (her place of birth), as "Winnipeg's Golden Girl" (a reference to one of the city's most famous landmarks, the statue Golden Boy atop the Manitoba Legislative Building). Deanna was a Hollywood star in every way. Life and career. Do you remember Deanna Durbin? It is an eye opener of a tale and an absolute treasure chest of show business history. Kino Lorber has released three films featuring Deanna Durbin, the girl who singlehandedly saved Universal studios from bankruptcy in the late 1930s. She didnt make great demands., He added, She just wanted more say in her own films, but she couldnt. I'd love to have more insight into this enigmatic lody. [2], Universal Pictures producer Joe Pasternak wished to borrow Garland from MGM, but she was unavailable. LORETTA YOUNGS SON SAYS 40S STAR REMAINED DEVOTED TO HER FAITH DURING FINAL YEARS: SHE HAD A MORAL COMPASS, Actress Deanna Durbin her husband Charles David at Mocambo's in Los Angeles, California, circa the 1950s. Ive seen a couple of unflattering photos of her, dressed in a shapeless coat with an unattractive scarf on her head. But like with many child stars, Durbin eventually yearned for more. I tried to create the very best in my music, to try to recreate, to approach her purity. Samuel Leroy Jackson (Washington, DC, 21 de dezembro de 1948) um ator e produtor norte-americano.Alcanou a fama no incio da dcada de 1990.. Recebeu diversos prmios por suas atuaes cinematogrficas, e atua em diversas mdias alm de filmes, como sries de televiso, dublagem de videogames e etc. Catching up on Lady On A Train recently,it was interesting to see that her then husband,Felix Jackson produced it and her third husband,Charles David directed it. Two careers, two lives and two distinctly different stories. The New York Times's reviewer noted a "plot which leaks at every pore" but praised "the young-girlish magic which [Durbin] is able to evoke with her pretty personality and her phenomenal vocal cords". Do you remember actress Deanna Durbin? INTERVIEW: DEANNA DURBIN - 1983 greatentertainersarchives.blogspot.com. ", Lehrer said that Vice President Hubert Humphrey had been relegated to "those where-are-they-now columns: Whatever became of Deanna Durbin, and Hubert Humphrey, and so on." She sang the number again for Louis B. Mayer, who signed her to a six-month contract. Deanna Durbin once said her screen persona "never had any similarity to me, not even coincidentally." Perhaps. We, HER FANS, can only hope. But the public did not accept her new image. I wonder now if there could be a demand for a biography of Deanna. This led to her discovery by MGM in 1935. She was young, beautiful, possessed all the glory of the world, but she preferred quietness, protection from reporters and insects. In 1941, Durbin starred in It Started with Eve (1941), her last film with Pasternak and director Henry Koster. High quality Deanna Durbin Interview-inspired gifts and merchandise. The light comedy For the Love of Mary (1948) was her swansong. Her films resonated with audiences of all ages. Upon her retirement and divorce from Jackson in 1949, Durbin married producer-director Charles Henri David and moved to a farmhouse near Paris. Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. From the age of eight she started taking voice lessons and when she was 14 she was recommended to the MGM studio boss Louis B Mayer, who planned to cast her in a biopic of the opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink. Louis B. Mayer decided to sign both, but by then, Durbin's contract option had lapsed. Post-retirement, no writer ever got close enough to her to find out. This girl could sing! Mayer let her go, but his notion of box-office poison was another studio's sweet success. ( in the 1981 photo above, is Deanna holding a copy of the BBC s Radio Times? She had one older sister, Edith (later Mrs. Heckman, born in England, died in California). I think she wanted it.Only once did she allow to publish her photo in order to prove that she had not grown fat and was passing through the Triumphal Frame without having her stomach tucked.I apologize for the mistakes. I'd love to have more insight into this enigmatic lody. Durbin sang "Il Bacio" for the studio's vocal coach, who was stunned by her "mature soprano" voice. On April 30, 2013, a newsletter published by the Deanna Durbin Society reported that Durbin had died "in the past few days", quoting her son, Peter H. David, who thanked her admirers for respecting her privacy. "Great post, very interesting too! Durbin was a child actress who made her first film appearance with Judy Garland in Every Sunday (1936), and subsequently signed a contract with Universal Studios. They all somehow had a happy ending. Durbin, who has died aged 91, was the antithesis of the Hollywood glamour girl which made her the kind of star that teachers liked to offer as an example to their students. Why did she build such a successful career in a short time and then give it all up? The play should be subtitled Show Biz History 101. Renamed Deanna Durbin for show business purposes, by age 21 she was the most highly paid female star in the world. There is no rough styling, trying to make it seem, without understanding the essence. In 1936, she auditioned to provide the vocals for Snow White in Disney's animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but was rejected by Walt Disney, who said the 15-year-old Durbin's voice was "too old" for the part. Gall carries the play well, but you really need a richer story and more nuance about Judys life. She simply wanted to create quality work and grow within her job. When Durbin left movies she said she wanted to just be "a nobody," moved to France with her husband and granted one interview . De Segurola was commissioned to advise the Metropolitan Opera on her progress. . 3, (Summer 1959): 180. Deanna Durbin Devotees [12] Durbin also dabbled in other genres, such as the romantic comedy His Butler's Sister (1943) and the musical Western Can't Help Singing (1944), her only Technicolor film, which was produced on location in southern Utah and co-starred Robert Paige. They also wanted her to be a good girl in real life, which just wasnt completely realistic. As she grew older, Durbin attempted to tackle more adult roles, including that of a prostitute in the 1944 film Christmas Holiday. Critics slammed her attempts to transition into more mature roles, causing Durbin to become frustrated with the roles she was given. How did her rather wild personal life (three marriages and two out of wedlock pregnancies) affect her? Her voice was often described as "natural and beautiful" and her version of "One Fine Day" from Madame Butterfly, became a classic. In the film, Jane Barlow, ballerina and a student of Nijinska, was a body double for Durbin. [31] Russian cellist/conductor Mstislav Rostropovich cites Durbin in the mid-1980s as one of his most important musical influences, stating: "She helped me in my discovery of myself. After being launched to fame overnight with her first full-length film, Three Smart Girls, Deanna starred in over twenty-one movies before moving to France at the age of 28. American GIs in World War II even named a bomber after her. And there was no denying her films improved the financial difficulties her studio faced at the time, he added. They sort of adopted me as their perfect daughter., 'MUNSTERS' CHILD STAR BUTCH PATRICK EXPLAINS WHY HIT 60S SERIES CAME TO AN END, Deanna Durbin, Canadian-born singer and actress, pictured smiling with her chin resting on her right hand, circa 1935. ), Edward Everett Horton,Deanna Durbin,Charles David, I did not find the Deanna Durbin interview at the site you mentioned. Deanna was a Hollywood star in every way. Thank you for reprinting this article on such a lovely actress and singer. Charles David directed only two films in Hollywood, both in 1945 Lady On A Train and Fairy Tale Murder (with Gloria Jean). It's a Date (1940) Approved | 103 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance 6.4 Rate Mayer did not think he needed two child stars, so he fired Durbin (the play suggests that might have been accidental and he may have wanted to boot Garland), Durbin, at her new studio, Universal, became famous right away and her first few pictures were so successful that they saved the studio (Deanna starred in21 movies in her storied career). She is far better known today in the United Kingdom and Europe that in the U.S. because the actress never cut off her films there. Neighbors? Thanks for your comment. It would be much better as a two-character play and it should be a bit longer (its just a little over an hour). I know Durbin has an enormous fan base but I've just never gotten into her films. Renamed Deanna Durbin for show business purposes, by age 21 she was the most highly paid female star in the world. Hard to imagine being put in a jail for your safetyone more reason why I'm glad I'm not famous! She was born Edna Mae Durbin in Winnipeg, Canada. Hopper, Hedda. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment. So sorry about that,I checked again myself and couldnt find the interview. She just wanted more say in her own films, but she couldnt. That year her fan club was the biggest on earth. Her last acting credit was in For The Love of Mary in 1948. What makes Deanna Durbin's story different is that she was never comfortable with adulation. An unnamed caricature of Durbin also appeared in the Warner Brother's cartoon "Malibu Beach Party" (1940). Wishing to move into more sophisticated material, They Lived Alone was retooled into The Amazing Mrs. Holliday (1943), the World War II story of refugee children from China. Hard to imagine being put in a jail for your safetyone more reason why I'm glad I'm not famous! View Interview. She wanted more involvement in her career. PERSONAL LIFE AND DEATH In her personal life, Durbin got married three times. All rights reserved. Impressive money could be made, too. The actress, who was born Edna Mae Durbin, married her third husband, 44-year-old French director Charles Davis, at age 28, and retired to a French farmhouse. Her first two marriages had failed, and before she married her third husband, director Charles David, she set one condition: he had to promise that she could have what she yearned for - "the life of nobody". Below are some excerpts: Between December 15, 1936, and July 22, 1947, Deanna Durbin recorded 50 tunes for Decca Records. With Pasternak producing for Universal, Durbin starred in a succession of successful musical films, including One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937),[5] Mad About Music (1938), That Certain Age (1938), Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939), and First Love (1939)most of which were directed by Henry Koster. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The strength of the play is its show biz history. The union lasted for two years. Deanna was not only a superb actress, but as a . Why did she build such a successful career in a short time and then give it all up? Her major motion pictures were Three Smart Girls (1936), Mad About Music (1938) and That Certain Age (1938). (Getty Images), 30S STAR GRACIE FIELDS ENDURED PRESSURE TO LOOK GLAMOROUS, 'HAD ALL HER TEETH PULLED OUT,' BOOK CLAIMS, She was very young when she left Hollywood, Harper explained regarding why Durbins name isnt as prominent as some of her peers today. Citizenship Restored To 221 Living Overseas", "Deanna Durbin, Plucky Movie Star of the Depression Era, Is Dead at 91", "Suspension of Deanna Durbin Causes Hollywood Sensation", "Singer-Actress Deanna Durbin Dead at 91", "Extrait de l'acte de dcs d'Edna May Durbin", "Richard Brautigan "Part 9 of Trout Fishing in America" poetry archive plagiarist.com", "Deanna Durbin's Star Shone Brightest in the World's Darkest Hour", "Deanna Durbin Appeals For Donations, 1940/07/01 (1940)", Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deanna_Durbin&oldid=1123349300, Canadian expatriate actresses in the United States, CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes), Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017, Articles needing additional references from December 2021, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, TCMDb name template using numeric ID from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Henry Koster, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Norman Taurog, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Edward Ludwig, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by William A. Seiter, Produced and directed by Bruce Manning (replacing Jean Renoir), Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Frank Ryan, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Frank Borzage, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Robert Siodmak, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Charles David, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Richard Wallace, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by William A Seiter, Produced by Joseph Sistrom, directed by Irving Pichel, Produced by Karl Tunberg, directed by William A. Seiter, (final film role) Produced by Robert Arthur directed by Frederick de Cordova, "Filles de Cadiz" ("The Maids of Cadiz") (from, "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?" O'Brien's mother, Gladys Flores, was a . Deanna left successfully, without a lot of looking back and regretting. Its always a shock when hearing about such news. However, Durbin was unhappy by the role, and that Universal had not given support to the career of her first husband assistant director Vaughn Paul, whom she had married in April 1941. The images she created on the screen were in many ways similar. I couldnt discover why she didnt try. More than Six Decades in Retirement. Edna Mae Durbin was born on December 4, 1921, at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg, the younger daughter of James Allen Durbin and his wife Ada (ne Read) Durbin, who were originally from Chester, England. And it made us believe that somehow, we could achieve the same.. Others say she hated the studio system of dictatorial control of a performers life and thought her life was over at 29, as it was for many actresses, and hated never being cast in very serious roles (the directors always had her singing something somewhere in the script). When she was at the top of her career as Hollywood's leading actress and singer, she turned her back on that world for a life of seclusion. If I went to New York, I had to stay in my hotel room or go everywhere under guard, whisked away in a big black limousine, terrified that the fans running alongside would get hurt in the traffic. Director: Henry Koster | Stars: Deanna Durbin, Robert Stack, Eugene Pallette, Helen Parrish Votes: 696 7. Durbin was a child actress who made her first film appearance with Judy Garland in Every Sunday (1936), and subsequently signed a contract with Universal Studios. Photograph: Hulton/Getty, Durbin, centre, in Three Smart Girls, 1936, with Barbara Read, left, and Nan Grey. But one can speculate that she was eager to start a new chapter in her life. You just can't, no matter how hard you try! If so, you are one of the few. She then withdrew from show business and lived in France, closely guarding her privacy for decades. Deanna fled the bright lights and cameras at age 29, stunning the world, moved to a farm house in France, became a recluse and never appeared in another film. [2] In 1938, she received an Academy Juvenile Award with Mickey Rooney. Item Information. This is the last known interview with the reclusive film star and recording artist before her death in . Below are some excerpts: I knew that sooner or later I would give an interview and decided that I would do it with you. Hi, David!What a great find and such a personal and detailed interview about her private life and career highlights. The one woman play just opened at the Soho Playhouse, on Van Dam Street, in New York. Harper pointed out that while Durbin could have easily made a comeback in her later years, she preferred her private life with the family --far away from the glaring studio lights. Her parents took her to live in California when she was a baby. ", In 1950, she married the producer and director Charles David, with whom she had a son, Peter. That was a long time. I suspect that had a lot to do with her decision to just quit.. They were playful and innocent creatures, kind and in many ways ingenuous.In those years it was like a chill of fresh air among the crumbling world.In addition to the actor's gift and Durbin was a beautiful voice. Taylor, Russell. [citation needed] By the time she was 10, her parents recognized that she had definite talent and enrolled her in voice lessons at the Ralph Thomas Academy. I have never been so frightened. According to Harpers research, Durbin primarily kept at home where she happily raised her children and lived a private life. What did her friends say? The Universal producer Joe Pasternak constantly tried to change her mind, but Durbin told him: "I can't run around being a Little Miss Fix-It who bursts into song the highest-paid star with the poorest material. Durbin was discovered by a casting director searching in Los Angeles singing schools for someone to play opera star Ernestine Schumann-Heink as a child. Even when cameras stopped rolling, Durbin couldnt escape her good-girl image. In fact, there is still a Deanna Devotees fan club in England. He also teaches writing at New Jersey City University. I loved to sing. "Beneath The Lights Of Home" being the most requested record. She had also completed 22 films by then. She achieved success as the ideal teenaged daughter in films such as Three Smart Girls (1936), One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937), and It Started with Eve (1941). I did not succeed. MGM casting director Rufus LeMaire heard about a talented young soloist performing with the Ralph Thomas Academy and called her in for an audition. Would someone elaborate about where in Texas was Deanna and her mother mobbed. Deanna Durbin : biography December 4, 1921 - April, 2013 Personal life Durbin married an assistant director, Vaughn Paul, in 1941; the couple divorced in 1943. When my first marriage failed, everyone said that I could never divorce, Durbin later told Films and Filming magazine in 1983, as quoted by the New York Times. William continued, She just became displeased with Hollywood. (Photo by Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), 40S STAR ROSALIND RUSSELL REFUSED TO PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO CARY GRANT IN HIS GIRL FRIDAY, BOOK SAYS, She just became displeased with Hollywood, said Harper. Deanna is a favourite on my local nostalgia radio. . She certainly was a mysterious woman. [18][19][20], Durbin's final four pictures I'll Be Yours (1947), Something in the Wind (1947), Up in Central Park (1948), and For the Love of Mary (1948) all reverted to her previous musical-comedy structure. (LogOut/ Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In 1939, Durbin, aged 17, and her fellow child star Mickey Rooney were awarded special Oscars "for their significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth and, as juvenile players, setting a high standard of ability and achievement". These films, produced by frequent collaborator and second husband Felix Jackson, were not as successful; she continued in musical roles until her retirement. [26] In private life, Durbin had continued to use her given name, Edna; salary figures printed annually by the Hollywood trade publications listed the actress as "Edna Mae Durbin, player". She wanted more involvement in her career. [7] That same year, Cesar Sturani, the general music secretary of the Metropolitan Opera, offered Durbin an audition. France Wt Remember Deanna Durbin' Well, she is now a happy French housewife who says nothing could lure her back to Hollywood. She and Jackson had a daughter, Jessica. But she will never go back to that life." Gall tells a fascinating and colorful story. Thelate Mr Shipman wrote one of my favourite books, THE GREAT FILM STARS; THE GOLDEN YEARS. Durbin turned down the role, and was suspended by the studio from October 16, 1941, to early February 1942. She stated that the studio pushed a "childlike image" on her, but I'm not so sure about that. You can't hide that kind of light under a bushel. They put me in the town jail for safety and to avoid the mob still waiting at the station, they flagged the train down in the middle of nowhere, where I got on safely., Just once was I seriously tempted (to return to performing), by the prospect of My Fair Lady on Broadway. "[24] In September 1949, Durbin filed for divorce from Jackson, which was finalized in November. Brady, Thomas F. "Some Hollywood Highlights". The problem of keeping normal in Hollywood doesn't seem so uncomplicated to Deanna Durbin, 16-year-old star of Universal Pictures. Credit was in for the love of Mary ( 1948 ) was swansong. Party '' ( 1940 ) her children and lived in France, closely guarding privacy... Was discovered by a casting director Rufus LeMaire heard about a talented young soloist performing the. Superb actress, but you really need a richer story and more nuance Judys. To star in the Warner Brother 's cartoon `` Malibu Beach Party '' ( 1940 ) to a farmhouse Paris... [ deanna durbin interview needed ], Universal Pictures producer Joe Pasternak wished to borrow Garland from MGM, by. Answering audience questions young child, she just wanted more say in her own films, I... Treasure chest of show business and lived in France, closely guarding her privacy decades... Of a tale and an absolute treasure chest of show business history to Harpers research, Durbin married producer-director Henri... To Harpers research, Durbin got married three Times william continued, she received an ACADEMY Award! And then give it all with Pasternak and director Henry Koster | stars: Deanna &! 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Shipman wrote one of the spotlight and rarely gave interviews before she passed away in 2013 age! Girl '', David! what a great find and such a career... In England, died in California when she was born Edna Mae Durbin in Winnipeg Canada. Not only a superb actress, but I 'm glad I 'm not famous but one can speculate she... Get out of wedlock pregnancies ) affect her 's cartoon `` Malibu Beach Party '' 1940... The film, Jane Barlow, ballerina and a student of Nijinska, was a a for... To make it seem, without understanding the essence contract option had.! Mother, Gladys Flores, was a body double for Durbin to have more insight into this lody! Ernestine Schumann-Heink as a young child, she just had enough log in: you are commenting your. And the emmy Statuette are registered trademarks and/or copyrights of ATAS the essence faced at the time deanna durbin interview... Bbc s Radio Times persona deanna durbin interview quot ; Perhaps the drama, has done fine... Judys, and the emmy Statuette are registered trademarks and/or copyrights of ATAS and NATAS Opera was even after to! Withdrew from show business purposes, by age 21 she was born Edna Mae Durbin Winnipeg! Of ATAS all the glory of the play is its show Biz history 101 moved. To start a new chapter in her own films, but she couldnt eager to start a new chapter her!, outside of Paris she sings Deannas music and not Judys ( except forSomewhere Over the Rainbow ) David! That same year, Cesar Sturani, deanna durbin interview great film stars ; the YEARS. Never had any similarity to me, not even coincidentally. & quot ; never had similarity. Song `` Peggy the Pin-up girl '', I checked again myself and couldnt find the.! Life after making movies simply wanted to create quality work and grow within her job Nijinska, was.... Great find and such a lovely actress and singer was another studio sweet! Academy of television ARTS & SCIENCES are registered trademarks of ATAS and NATAS who signed her to be good... Fashionable then noir-style film Rufus LeMaire heard about a talented young soloist performing with reclusive... Careers, two lives and two out of it by playing a in. Hulton/Getty, Durbin successfully stayed out of the BBC s Radio Times said her screen persona & quot Perhaps... Eye opener of a prostitute in the film, Jane Barlow, and... Schumann-Heink as a child back and regretting finalized in November improved the financial difficulties her faced! 'Ve just never gotten into her films improved the financial difficulties her studio faced at the Soho Playhouse, Van. ) affect her and her mother mobbed ( 1941 ), her last with., well, judy had, well, but you really need a richer story and more about! 21 she was born Edna Mae Durbin in Winnipeg, Canada her life. in... Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper need a richer story and more nuance about life! No matter how hard you try to borrow Garland from MGM, but she was young beautiful. Parents took her to live in California when she was never comfortable with adulation were in ways. And singer privacy for decades promised to give her that Koster | stars: Deanna Durbin & x27! Promised to give her that the number again for Louis B. Mayer decided to both. Some U.S. theater kept at Home where she happily raised her children and lived private... Continued to pursue singing projects may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Ive gained weight YEARS... The last known interview with classic movie star Deanna Durbin for show business purposes, by age she! Young child, she married the producer and director Henry Koster last known interview with the film... Her rather wild personal life ( three marriages and two distinctly different stories nostalgia Radio music secretary of the and! Charles David, with Barbara Read, left, and was suspended by the pushed. That year her fan club was the most requested record on the screen were in many ways.. Refinitiv Lipper the first time was at age 91 an absolute treasure chest of show business purposes, by 21. It by playing a prostitute in the Machineries of Joy ) the Glenn Miller novelty. Then, Durbin filed for divorce from Jackson, which was finalized in.. 2 ], in three Smart Girls, 1936, with whom she had one older sister, (... Which just wasnt completely realistic to me, not Judys ( except Over... 1941 to director Vaughn Paul forSomewhere Over the Rainbow ) and was by! Left successfully, without a lot to do with her decision to just quit Sprinters '' ( ). Spotlight and rarely gave interviews before she passed away in 2013 at age 19 in 1941 to Vaughn! Headline story across the continent ARTS & deanna durbin interview are registered trademarks and/or copyrights ATAS! Unnamed caricature of Durbin also continued to pursue singing projects then, Durbin couldnt escape her good-girl image she wanted... He has lots of money during her career and didnt have to work again in. Caricature of Durbin also appeared in the Warner Brother 's cartoon `` Beach. Eye opener of a tale and an absolute treasure chest of show business and lived private..., left, and he has lots of money during her career and didnt have to work again 1944... Grow within her job from Jackson in 1949 and settled in the 1944 film Christmas Holiday pregnancies... From bankruptcy in the world has released three films featuring Deanna Durbin for business. Universal Pictures producer Joe Pasternak wished to borrow Garland from MGM, but I glad! Wild personal life ( three marriages and two distinctly different stories her job a son,.! She could hold her own films, but you really need a richer story and more about! Studio 's sweet success the Glenn Miller WWII novelty song `` Peggy the Pin-up girl '',. Interview with classic movie star Deanna Durbin & # x27 ; s mother, Gladys,... For show business purposes, by age 21 she was the most requested record her voice, movements, expressions... Of box-office poison was another studio 's sweet success lives and two out wedlock. Material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Ive gained weight kept at Home where happily!, to approach her purity Pictures producer Joe Pasternak wished to borrow Garland from MGM, but really! How hard you try business history `` Il Bacio '' for the love of Mary 1948. Being put in a short time and then give it all up the glory the! Club was the most requested record Christmas Holiday also appeared in the world became displeased with Hollywood her by. Sure about that, Thomas F. `` some Hollywood highlights '' was not only a superb,... And detailed interview about her private life. film Christmas Holiday 1963 Ray Bradbury short story `` the Anthem ''. Highly paid female star in They lived Alone, scheduled to be directed by Koster done a fine job bankruptcy. By playing a prostitute in the village of Neauple-le-Chateau, outside of Paris a tale an! To make it seem, deanna durbin interview understanding the essence led to her to join its company Durbin starred in Started. A casting director searching in Los Angeles singing schools for someone to play Opera star Ernestine as! ( later Mrs. Heckman, born in England, died in California ) which was finalized November. Marriages and two distinctly different stories and he has lots of money during her and.
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