JANE RUSSELL DEAD AT 89

[gregg75]

....way before my time......your thoughts and comments

 

[azumanga]

In knew Jane best as the spokeswoman for the Playtex "Cross Your Heart" bra back in the 1970s.

 

[bpatrick]

I think that's how most of us who were born in the
1950s remember her and her talking about "us full-
figured gals." She created quite a stir, though, in
the '40s; I think it was Howard Hughes who cast her
in "The Outlaw" in 1943, and her figure, when people
saw it, caused some outrage. One of my local stations
mentioned her passing this morning and cited one film:
1952's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."

 

[LKellerIII]

I think that's how most of us who were born in the
1950s remember her and her talking about "us full-
figured gals." She created quite a stir, though, in
the '40s; I think it was Howard Hughes who cast her
in "The Outlaw" in 1943, and her figure, when people
saw it, caused some outrage. One of my local stations
mentioned her passing this morning and cited one film:
1952's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."

One of the obits on Ms. Russell mentioned that when Howard Hughes bought his movie studio (RKO, I think), he put Russell under contract for $1,000 per week. Not long after, the director of The Outlaw quit in frustration because he could no longer deal with Hughes, who as we know now - was starting to have serious mental issues. Hughes took over direction of the film, and totally botched it. Critics trashed the film mercilessly.

After that, he allowed Russell to work on movies at other studios (notably Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) while continuing to pay her $1,000 per week for years even though she did no more movies for RKO...big money in the early 50s, and not a bad gig...

 

[landtuna]

....way before my time......

With movie services like TCM virtually nothing is "way before my time". What might be is the culture of the movie-going public and the effect it had on the infamy of various pictures of the day. It really was a different world back then.

 

[bpatrick]

True. "The Outlaw," which was so controversial
in 1943, wouldn't even raise an eyebrow today,
and as pointed out, the critics weren't kind to it,
and it wasn't even a good movie.

 

[gregg75]

....way before my time......

With movie services like TCM virtually nothing is "way before my time". What might be is the culture of the movie-going public and the effect it had on the infamy of various pictures of the day. It really was a different world back then.

You are free to watch all the old movies you want, but don't expect others to do the same.