tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post3373691206851573909..comments2024-03-24T21:42:48.278-04:00Comments on Another Old Movie Blog: Alexis SmithJacqueline T. Lynchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-15011276480961704862016-02-24T07:14:21.999-05:002016-02-24T07:14:21.999-05:00Thanks, Vienna. So glad that even a few small cli...Thanks, Vienna. So glad that even a few small clips were recorded from the show. Quite a performance.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-58866125911798911072016-02-24T03:15:24.135-05:002016-02-24T03:15:24.135-05:00Fab post especially about Follies. Loved that rare...Fab post especially about Follies. Loved that rare clip from the show, Lucy and Jessie. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-17390862653713962252012-01-15T08:40:26.999-05:002012-01-15T08:40:26.999-05:00Okay. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but ...Okay. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but errors make me grind my teeth, especially when they are mine. I suggested in the last comment that Alexis Smith dropped her first name, "Margaret" (once again, Margaret Alexis Fitzsimmons Smith is the full name), upon starting her film career. That's what it sounds like. This is not the case. Though Margaret was indeed her first name, her parents called her Alexis from childhood. I refer you to the June/July 1970 edition of "Films in Review" magazine where Alexis is interviewed by Lennard DeCarl.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-1641729771828194372011-11-27T12:04:47.921-05:002011-11-27T12:04:47.921-05:00I should have responded to the comment by SPEEDbit...I should have responded to the comment by SPEEDbit earlier, but I got sidetracked. In fact, Alexis' real name was not Gladys. That has been repeated in several Internet sites, but it is wrong. Her real name was Margaret Alexis FitzSimmons Smith. Her two middle names were from her parents: Alexis was meant to be a derivation of her father's name, Alexander. FitzSimmons, I believe, was her mother's maiden name.<br /><br />When the studio wanted to change her name, "Margaret Smith" to something more glamorous, she refused to change her surname, and compromised by using her middle name, Alexis.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-91671050573527847362011-10-16T07:53:02.980-04:002011-10-16T07:53:02.980-04:00Thanks, Lady Eve. The studio system launched and ...Thanks, Lady Eve. The studio system launched and maintained some wonderful acting careers. For others, the studio was a more of a restraint. I think the bit players and character actors made out the best.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-88088303169900601712011-10-15T23:09:01.912-04:002011-10-15T23:09:01.912-04:00Jacqueline - I'll admit going in that I never ...Jacqueline - I'll admit going in that I never quite got Alexis Smith in the films of her earlier career. After reading your great & detailed post I'm inclined to blame that on Warner Bros.<br /><br />Smith's later career - especially the Sondheim and Scorsese credits - seems to tell the real story her talent/potential. Kudos to the tall girl...The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-10198543018913137952011-10-15T10:43:06.075-04:002011-10-15T10:43:06.075-04:00Thanks Jacqueline for the great post! Alexis was i...Thanks Jacqueline for the great post! Alexis was indeed Canadian. She was born Gladys Smith in Penticton, British Columbia, she was raised in Los Angeles. Keep blogging! We really enjoyed this one!SPEEDbithttp://blog.speedbit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-41607409209446190092011-10-14T12:42:00.701-04:002011-10-14T12:42:00.701-04:00Thanks, Kevin. "Thank Your Lucky Stars"...Thanks, Kevin. "Thank Your Lucky Stars" was on TCM recently and my recording got messed up in the middle of it. So annoying.<br /><br />Definitely look for the hat with the cherries next time you see "San Antonio". It's a wonder she didn't get shot by the bad guys, she made a great target.<br /><br />Alexis's "Follies" comeback was sensational.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-14957501234740598632011-10-14T12:07:28.223-04:002011-10-14T12:07:28.223-04:00That was a great post. I liked her dancing in &quo...That was a great post. I liked her dancing in "Thank Your Lucky Stars" and always wondered why Warners didn'tput her in more musicals. <br /><br />I've seen "San Antonio" several times and never noticed that hat. I'll be sure to look for it next time. <br /><br />Jacqueline, your section on her "Follies" comeback was sensationsl.Kevin Deanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697597405552599370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-1575213633324020102011-10-13T19:31:24.081-04:002011-10-13T19:31:24.081-04:00Thank you very much. It is gratifying to see that...Thank you very much. It is gratifying to see that she did have such a "fabulous second act in her life". <br /><br />I'm not sure if she was exactly typecast or if they just didn't know what to do with her. I'm not sure she was assertive enough to fight for roles the way Bette Davis or Olivia de Haviland did. Of course, they had much more clout in the studio than Alexis. Complaining might not have gotten her anywhere.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-38083762041610106342011-10-13T19:04:32.272-04:002011-10-13T19:04:32.272-04:00Wonderful review on Alexis Smith and her career! H...Wonderful review on Alexis Smith and her career! Her movie roles seem to have been limited by studio typecasting, because of her looks. (Wonder why she didn't try Broadway sooner?) It's good to know that she had a fabulous second act in her life - thanks for such a great post.Grand Old Movieshttp://grandoldmovies.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-55308336985992668802011-10-13T18:54:36.217-04:002011-10-13T18:54:36.217-04:00I knew there was a reason I liked them.I knew there was a reason I liked them.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-53232592725671706072011-10-13T18:51:40.838-04:002011-10-13T18:51:40.838-04:00Bingo!
Talented Canucks who took cross border sho...Bingo!<br /><br />Talented Canucks who took cross border shopping to the next level.Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-7003842391584666142011-10-13T17:21:57.137-04:002011-10-13T17:21:57.137-04:00Wait a minute. Were they all Canadian?Wait a minute. Were they all Canadian?Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-46102767616881220562011-10-13T17:20:58.918-04:002011-10-13T17:20:58.918-04:00Thanks, CW.
Adorable is a good word, she was ad...Thanks, CW. <br /><br />Adorable is a good word, she was adorable in "Here Comes the Groom". I wish she'd done more comedy.<br /><br />"H'm, can you tell me what binds the three "Follies" co-stars Dorothy Collins, Yvonne De Carlo and Alexis Smith?"<br /><br />Other than I think they all made their Broadway debut in that show, I can't think what. Tell me, tell me, tell me.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-58671979790854890992011-10-13T16:55:55.131-04:002011-10-13T16:55:55.131-04:00The clips were a real treat, but only because they...The clips were a real treat, but only because they were enhanced by your wonderful insights on the lovely Alexis. I always come up with the word "adorable" when I think about her and Franchot Tone in "Here Comes the Groom". <br /><br />H'm, can you tell me what binds the three "Follies" co-stars Dorothy Collins, Yvonne De Carlo and Alexis Smith?Caftan Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936895555808823221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-90577966460864799872011-10-13T15:56:38.007-04:002011-10-13T15:56:38.007-04:00Thanks, Laura. I've not been able to get my h...Thanks, Laura. I've not been able to get my hands on that book by Daniel Bubbeo yet, but I hope to someday, if only for the chapter on Alexis Smith.<br /><br />I really couldn't concentrate on the rest of that movie after that hat with the cherries showed up. It had me in its evil power.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by on your lunch break. See you after work.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-87819437708034563702011-10-13T15:35:04.026-04:002011-10-13T15:35:04.026-04:00An outstanding piece, Jacqueline! I look forward ...An outstanding piece, Jacqueline! I look forward to watching these clips later today after I finish work. (You were my lunch break!)<br /><br />If you've not yet come across it, there's a very nice chapter on Alexis in THE WOMEN OF WARNER BROS. by Daniel Bubbeo. Recommended.<br /><br />When I saw SAN ANTONIO I was fascinated by how beautifully the cherries showed up on DVD -- I almost felt like I could reach through the screen and touch them, the picture was so beautiful. I guess that distracted me from the silliness of her wearing a mini-Carmen Miranda hat! :)<br /><br />Best wishes,<br />LauraLaurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09626109831176745957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-70539152824328271612011-10-13T15:24:25.890-04:002011-10-13T15:24:25.890-04:00Yay, I'm glad to hear from another theatre nut...Yay, I'm glad to hear from another theatre nut. The reason, I guess, for not filming shows is the whole who gets paid and who does not, and copyrights and such. I wish, however, there could be some agreement to film a show and just archive it, have it available for musuem showing or something like that. Just for historical purposes.<br /><br />There are some other clips of "Follies" stuff put together on YouTube. Rehearsal footage. Fabulous. It has something of a cult status among fans.<br /><br />Yeah, that hat in "San Antonio" is something, isn't it? I find those cherries mesmerizing. They bounce a little every time she moves her head.<br /><br />Thanks so much, Becky.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-34322313183475157352011-10-13T15:01:30.813-04:002011-10-13T15:01:30.813-04:00Jacqueline, this is certainly one of my favorite o...Jacqueline, this is certainly one of my favorite of your articles. I ADORE Broadway, musicals and plays, and love to read anything I can about it. What a treat to get to see a real number from Follies. I've always wished soneone had had the foresight to film Ethel Merman in Gypsy, or the original King and I with Gertrude Lawrence, so many treasures that we will never get to see. Alexis was wonderful! I wish I had legs that good -- it's funny that she wanted to be short and cute, because I was and I always wanted to be taller with long legs! I guess we all want what's different from us!<br /><br />She was so beautiful and always the ice queen...the few times her real personality got to peek through, you could see she wasn't really that way. You made some very astute observations about her career and her feelings. And I agree -- as a Flynn fan, I've seen San Antonio several times, and I always laugh at that cherry hat..I too have wondered if she felt stupid wearing that thing. <br /><br />Really excellent post, Jacqueline, for many reasons. Thanks for the wonderful clips (I loved the TV clip too...she was indeed the consummate professional, and funny!)ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-46279839214757937172011-10-13T13:57:21.391-04:002011-10-13T13:57:21.391-04:00Thank you so much, my friend. I like this bit:
&...Thank you so much, my friend. I like this bit:<br /><br />"I also think she may have reminded studio execs of the aloof girl that got away."<br /><br />Could be. I also wonder if they paired her with Errol Flynn so often because he was 6'2", and so many of the Warner male stars were shorter men (Cagney, Bogie, etc.)<br /><br />Interesting observation about Mary Astor, too. You may have something there.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-53748389923521145202011-10-13T13:44:15.721-04:002011-10-13T13:44:15.721-04:00Love, love, LOVE this post, Jacqueline. Wait, have...Love, love, LOVE this post, Jacqueline. Wait, have I said that before? <br /><br />Of course. Can't help it. :)<br /><br />Alexis was probably too patrician and perhaps, too chiseled, for the films of the earlier era she was working in. I also think she may have reminded studio execs of the aloof girl that got away.<br /><br />And thanks for reminding me of THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS, I haven't seen that in so long. She was wonderful in it. I, too, thought Newman should have wound up with her. <br /><br />I'm wondering if Alexis wouldn't have been wonderful in THE MALTESE FALCON. But maybe she would have been too young.<br /><br />Both Mary Astor and Alexis had the curse (?!) of looking like something they probably weren't.<br /><br />They both had an icy coolness about them that might possibly have daunted film makers. They didn't bother to look for the fire simmering beneath.<br /><br />Great post, J.<br /><br />Loved the links, too. :)<br />She was fabulous!Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-76753559400594173922011-10-13T11:15:02.112-04:002011-10-13T11:15:02.112-04:00Thanks, Lucie. I don't know how she would far...Thanks, Lucie. I don't know how she would fare in the business these days, but it would be interesting to know what kind of roles she'd like to play, if she could take any role she wanted.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-41181793817597662212011-10-13T10:54:20.002-04:002011-10-13T10:54:20.002-04:00Wow. What a wonderful summery of Alexis Smith'...Wow. What a wonderful summery of Alexis Smith's shamefully under-recognized talent! I always loved her stately, goddess-like appearance. Do you think she would have been more appreciated nowadays? Somehow, I don't think she would've been the Alexis we all know and love.LucieWickfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17734638254779469066noreply@blogger.com