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Every month we throw the spotlight on an actor or actress who exemplifies what it means to be a class act. As always, we welcome your emails if you have a suggestion for a future Star of the Month. The Midnight Palace is pleased to present the Star of the Month for September 2007: Barbara Stanwyck.
Date of Birth
July 16, 1907, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Date of Death
January 20, 1990, Santa Monica, California, USA.
Birth Name
Ruby Catherine Stevens
Nickname(s)
Missy
The Queen
Height
5' 5" (1.65 m)
Overview:
There's no doubt that little Ruby Stevens was destined for greatness. As a young orphan, she'd learned the tough ways of the world while most children were busy with games and the joys of adolescence. It soon became clear that if she was going to survive, she would have to rely on her wit and a no-nonsense attitude. Ruby's sisters contributed very little to her upbringing. They were more wrapped up in their own lives and found that caring for a younger sibling wasn't the most time-efficient endeavor. After staying at a few boarding houses and with various families, Ruby took off on her own and landed various jobs, notably as one of Florenz Ziegfeld's "Ziegfeld Girls" between the ages of 15 and 16. She was on her way up after starting with nothing.
Not long into her career, Ruby took the name Barbara Stanwyck after playwright Willard Mack scrambled the title of a play and its star to form a new moniker. Her initial film roles were of varying success and some were downright forgettable. Her first film with director Frank Capra, Ladies of Leisure, was an example of triumph while 1931's Ten Cents a Dance is barely remembered. Never one to give in, Stanwyck continued to impress co-stars and film crews by showing up on set earlier than anyone else - with her lines fully memorized. She was known for nailing her scene in one take by living her character rather than acting. Baby Face gave Barbara the chance to showcase her ruthless side. It was a side she would go on to repeat throughout her career but the 1933 pre-code drama was the perfect launch pad for the blossoming tough girl image. While many of Stanwyck's films are revered and some are timeless, there are also those that she personally regretted in hindsight. As with many stars, the key is to find a niche and Barbara became known as a tough-as-nails workhorse who could still make the audience cry. In films like Meet John Doe, Christmas in Connecticut and Ball of Fire, she radiated with determination and made the viewer take her side. Though they were very different in demeanor, she perfected each character to the point that no other actress would've compared in the same role.
In the case of the 1944 classic Double Indemnity, Barbara gave evil a beautiful face as Phyllis Dietrichson. Her simple stroll out of an upstairs room to gaze down at a mesmerized Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is regarded as one of the best entrances of all time. The seductive Phyllis is a blood-thirsty monster who masquerades behind a helpless facade. She was a femme fatale like no other and Stanwyck would continue to be lauded many years after for the flawless portrayal. Barbara's work after Double Indemnity would also be looked upon favorably. In a rare role-reversal, she played a victim in 1948's Sorry, Wrong Number with Burt Lancaster. A confined invalid, she becomes terrorized after accidentally overhearing a murder plot on the telephone. With the menacing city night lurking through her bedroom window, she tries in vain to reach out for help as it becomes apparent that she may be in danger. Victim or predator, Barbara Stanwyck has set herself apart in the world of Classic Hollywood.
Points of Interest:
Film Review: Baby Face (1933)
Film Review: Ball of Fire (1941)
Film Review: Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Film Review: Meet John Doe (1941)
Film Review: The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)
Book Review: Barbara Stanwyck - A Biography
Downloads:
Lux Radio Theatre - Remember the Night (3-25-1940) - Click for mp3
Barbara Stanwyck Wallpaper
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