The next decade saw Holden's career flourish. "I know how it's going to be," Holden said (per The Huntsville Item). Norma's buying Joe a fine woolen topcoat would be mostly an affectation in sunny Los Angeles. Her friend George Cukor, who initially recommended her for the part, told her, "If they want you to do ten screen tests, do ten screen tests. The old movies needed neither color nor dialogue. Director Billy Wilder Writers Charles Brackett Billy Wilder D.M. You used to be in silent pictures. Montgomery Clift was originally cast as the writer but dropped out two weeks before the shoot. Cinematographer John Seitz put a mirror on the bottom of the pool and filmed the reflection. Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard is one of his three or four masterpieces, a seminal Hollywood black comedy-satire, which unlike most films keeps improving with the passage of time.. Benfiting from a glorious and iconic cast, the film concerns a faded silent film star, played by Gloria Swanson (in a variation of her own onscreen persona), who lives in the past with her butler (and former . All of the silent film stars mentioned by Norma, Joe, Betty and Max were either dead or no longer active in films by 1950. Its second owner was Jean Paul Getty, who purchased it for his second wife. The two starred in the films The Lion (1962) and The 7th Dawn (1964). A Western at MGM, Escape from Fort Bravo (1953) did much better, and the all-star Executive Suite (1954) was a notable success. After living in the home for a year he moved, and the house sat vacant for a little over a decade, earning the moniker "The Phantom House" in the process. Warner, who appears as one of "The Waxworks", had been Gloria Swanson's leading man in Zaza (1923). But Hollywood press has always had clout. [32] Also in 1974, Holden starred with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in the critically acclaimed disaster film The Towering Inferno,[33] which became a box-office smash and one of the highest-grossing films of Holden's career. This wasn't the original opening and was filmed long after completion of filming. These towns were favored because they were on the way to Palm Springs where, after collecting the audience reaction cards, studio personnel would then go to relax and determine what changes should be made to the previewed films. Film News. Next image (0) (0) (1950), Cecil B. DeMille, who plays himself in the film, directed H.B. We'll hear two of his visits to Suspense, beginning with the New Orleans jazz . The Academy Award-winning actor William Holden, born William Beedle Jr., on April 17, 1918, in O'Fallon, Illinois, began his career with 1939s "Golden Boy," per Britannica. An out of work writer in Hollywood (Holden) randomly pulls into the driveway of a silent film star (Swanson) who can use the assistance of his writing talent. Their partnership ended in a professional and gentlemanly mannerthere was no airing of any dirty laundrybut it did end.. The producer in the film was originally called Kaufman and was to be played by Joseph Calleia. To everyone's surprise, Judy Holliday won the Best Actress Oscar in 1951 for Born Yesterday (1950), beating Gloria Swanson in this film, and Bette Davis in All About Eve (1950). He starred in the 1953 . Billy Wilder wanted Hedy Lamarr to appear in a cameo in the scene where Norma and Joe visit Cecil B. DeMille at Paramount. [14], Holden made a third film with Wilder, Sabrina (1954), billed beneath Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Norma Desmond returns to the Paramount lot and is overcome with nostalgia. or "Boulevard"? F. Scott Fitzgerald suffered a heart attack while in Schwab's in 1940 (contrary to legend, Lana Turner was not discovered by a talent agent in Schwab's but, rather in a drugstore across from Hollywood High School, about three miles to the east). The four films were released between August 1950 and November 1951. Here's some backstage information to enhance your experience the next time you visit the Paramount lot.. Gordon Cole was a real person in the art department for DeMille's Samson and Delilah (1949) and later in The Ten Commandments (1956). Norma is perceived as the evil force, even if she uses a white phone while Betty is relegated to a poor black phone. His body was found four days later. According to a statement director King Vidor made in 1968, the Los Angeles police detective who was assigned to the case was told to lay off about a week into the investigation. About 10 minutes later, Holden passed out and died from blood loss. For the clip of the vintage film that Norma was watching Paramount couldn't find anything suitable so Gloria provided it from her own collection. When she received her Honorary Oscar at the 1982 Academy Award ceremony, Holden had died in an accident just a few months prior. But it wasn't a bullet from the gun of an aging movie queen that tragically ended his life, but rather, a rug, per The New York Times. The two men never worked together again. He worked on dramas like The Key (1958), Westerns like John Fords The Horse Soldiers (1959) opposite John Wayne, and comedies like The Moon is Blue which so famously challenged the Production Code in 1953 that Hawkeye and BJ insisted it get shown at M*A*S*H 4077 to break the monotony of the Korean War. Charles Brackett and Wilder were just as adamant that nothing in their scripts should be changed, and nothing new added. Sunset Boulevard (styled in the main title on-screen as SUNSET BLVD.) Sure she was a forgotten silent star, living in exile, screening her old movies and dreaming of a comeback. The 2014 book by William J. Mann, Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood, names Ross Blackie Madsen Sheridan as the killer, based on a death bed confession from actress Margaret Gibson, who beat a 1917 rap on prostitution and opium dealing. Taylor had a British accent and the imposter sounded like he came out of Chicagos south side. Idealists can screw for fun and for power, because sex is good for business but love is a luxury Hollywood gals cant live without. Schwab's was torn down in 1988 to make way for a movie theater and a shopping center. In an interview Wilder gave in 1996 he claimed that the film which eventually became SUNSET BOULEVARD began as a comedy for Mae West and Marlon Brando. Sunset Boulevard's cinematographer, John Seitz, said Wilder "had wanted to do The Loved One, but couldn't obtain the rights." The plot element of Norma Desmond's obsession with writing a screenplay based on Salome as a vehicle for her comeback was obviously influenced by eccentric, aging actress Valeska Suratt, who had a brief film career (1915-1917) playing mostly vamp roles. When Joe Gillis says, "They'll love it in Pomona," most people assume (correctly) that Pomona is intended to be representative of just about any average American town. It would go on to be one of his most successful movies. A week later she heard the news of Holden's death on her car radio. (as Arthur Schmidt) His Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki (founded 1959) was popular with the international jet set. H.B. "We didn't need dialogue. The writers feared that Hollywood would react unfavorably to such a damning portrait of the film industry, so the film was code-named "A Can of Beans" while in production. (1949), and "Father Is a Bachelor" (1950). For the opening shot of Joe Gillis floating face-down in the swimming pool, Billy Wilder wanted a shot from below that would show both the body and the police and photographers standing at the pool's edge looking down. Realizing that former actress Hopper would easily dominate the scene, Parsons declined, even though she and Wilder were friends. [45], According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's autopsy report, Holden bled to death in his apartment in Santa Monica, California, on November 12, 1981, after lacerating his forehead from slipping on a rug while intoxicated and hitting a bedside table. Mae West rejected the role of Norma Desmond because she felt she was too young to play a silent-film star. Movie audiences in the nave early days of film sometimes didnt know that somebody had to sit down and write a movie. So they opened their big mouths and out came talk. In fact, a pivotal plot point in the Showtime limited series of Twin Peaks (2017) includes a scene from "Sunset Boulevard" in which the character's name is mentioned. But even to show a chair with her name on it, Lamarr wanted $10,000. Norma Talmadge and Constance Talmadge were famous for owning downtown real estate in Los Angeles and San Diego. (1950) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Billy Wilder Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Charles Brackett . Although she had long before ruled out the possibility of a movie comeback, she was nevertheless highly intrigued when she got the offer to play the lead. The mansion belonged to the second Mrs. Jean Paul Getty, who rented it on condition that if she did not like the swimming pool the studio would have to add for the film, it would cover it over and restore the original landscaping. Culture Editor Tony Sokol is a writer, playwright and musician. She can be seen talking and giggling on the phone during the party. Wilder told the actors to kibbutz and let him shuffle. During Norma Desmond's New Years' Eve party, the band begin to play the song 'Diane', the theme of the 1927 film 7th Heaven (1927). Editorial Reviews. She was disappointed to see that all the parts she was offered subsequently were watered-down versions of Norma Desmond. This dynamic served them well for years, each man's extreme tendencies being balanced by the other's, but during Sunset Boulevard it finally became unworkable. 1751 Vine is still a parking lot across the street from the landmark, Capitol Records building and is the address of both Billy's Wilder's and Barbara Stanwyck's "Hollywood Walk of Fame" stars that were dedicated in 1960. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett's 17th and final screenplay collaboration. Unlike the character she played, Gloria Swanson had accepted the fact that the movies didn't want her anymore and had moved to New York, where she worked on radio and, later, television. Sunset Boulevard, the 1950 film noir classic directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, did a lot to change that and other myths of old Hollywoodlike the real-life murder at the heart of the story. Wilder and his co-writers reversed several elements, and there was no official connection between the movie and Waugh's book. Joe Gillis: You're Norma Desmond. Gene Kelly was then approached, but MGM refused to loan him out. It made him a true front ranked star after years of being an actor slogging through a series of largely forgottable films (and performances). Billy Wilder wanted a fresh face for the part of Betty Schaefer. [30] Holden made a Western with Ryan O'Neal and Blake Edwards, Wild Rovers (1971). When Joe and Norma sit down to watch one of her old movies, Joe pulls out a cigarette and places the bottom end in his mouth. Someone who said they were a doctor said Taylor died of a stomach hemorrhage and then disappeared. Hola, identifcate . Sad as this may sound, to the day he died, Holden insisted Bogart was a bastard. Both suits were dismissed. is directed toward his associate producer, Henry Wilcoxon, who had starred in his epics Cleopatra (1934), The Crusades (1935) and Unconquered (1947), later moving to a position behind the camera as DeMille's associate, which he held until the older man's death in 1959. Since he had classic good looks, an expressive voice, and was an excelle One of only 13 films to be nominated for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director. He said hed already played a young kept man in the film The Heiresswith Olivia De Havilland, and in real life with his relationship with older singer Libby Holman. This was a first for Gloria Swanson, but proved a big boon in helping her develop her character's descent into madness. It also alludes to the fact that Pomona was one of three towns in California's Inland Empire region (Riverside and San Bernardino were the others) that were frequently used during Hollywood's Golden Age for testing preview audiences' reactions to unreleased films. The undertaker, who appears for a few seconds early on with the white casket for Norma's deceased pet chimp, was veteran actor Franklyn Farnum, who played extras in over 1,000 films during his lengthy but unsung career. And so tonight, my golden boy, you got your wish". 12 Sep. WILLIAM HOLDEN: At some point, "Sunset Boulevard" (1950) played at The Silver Screen. In a case of life mirroring art, she outlived him. (1950) in my head, and I'd always sort of related to that character floating in . When Joe and Betty stroll around the studio back lot they pass through the Washington Square set that was used in The Heiress (1949). Words are as good as sex to two writers. You murdered me. Sunset Boulevard DVD (2007) William Holden, Wilder (DIR) cert PG Amazing Value. The Tragic 1981 Death Of Sunset Boulevard Star William Holden. There once was a time in this business when they had the eyes of the whole world. Gloria Swanson brings sunshine into every room as silent screen idol Norma Desmond. The same musical quote from "Salome" is used again as she descends the stairs, where Waxman segues into his own original musical statement of "The Dance of the Seven Veils". The silent comedian had a reputation as one of Hollywoods best bridge players. Mary Pickford, Pola Negri, and Greta Garbo turned down the role. [38], Holden maintained a home in Switzerland and also spent much of his time working for wildlife conservation as a managing partner in an animal preserve in Africa. Norma's butler, Max, who used to be one of her directors is played by Erich von Stroheim, who directed Swanson in the movie Queen Kelly (1932), clips from which are used in the scene where Norma and Joe watch one of her old films. Newspapers printed love letters between 19-year-old former child star and screen idol Mary Miles Minter and Taylor. If you don't, I will personally shoot you." It was a big hit, as was The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), a Korean War drama with Kelly.[20][21]. Gloria Swanson and Nancy Olson also appeared in Airport 1975. See, Bettys a message gal, not a virgin, and there are no whores in Hollywood. Gloria Swanson became so identified with the demanding, irascible Norma that later generations of fans were startled to discover her serene, easy-going, naturalist personality in real life. (1950) was plagiarized from other scripts. Art director John Meehan experimented until he came up with the idea to shoot the scene through a mirror at the bottom of the studio water tank. Marshman was a journalist but both Wilder and Brackett had been impressed by the critique he had given of their earlier film, The Emperor Waltz (1948). Oscar and Emmy winner William Holden was one of Hollywood's biggest stars for decades, with his performances as cynical, conflicted men winning acclaim and awards. Norma Shearer turned down the role of Norma Desmond as she didn't want to come out of retirement and also found the part to be highly distasteful. For scenes in which he drove, the car was towed by another car. Despite the 19 year gap in their ages, Holden and Swanson died just 2 years apart from each other- Holden in 1981 at age 63 and Swanson in 1983 at age 84. You probably know about the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of Sunset Boulevard that premiered in London in 1993 and headed to Broadway in 1994 with Glenn Close in the lead role. For added meta-truthfulness, Wilder wanted to have that film's lead actress, Hedy Lamarr, be there too, so that DeMille could ask her to let Norma sit in her chair (you know, those behind-the-scenes chairs that have the star's name on them). Im not giving anything away here. Brackett thought the sequence was cruel in its emphasis on what age had done to the one-time beauty, but Wilder insisted it was essential to show how driven she was in her pursuit of youth. This can be deduced from the fact that when he pulls one out of the pack he turns the bottom end up to his mouth. At Paramount, he was in a comedy with Ginger Rogers that was not particularly popular, Forever Female (1953). It opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theater on November 17, 1994, ran for 977 performances and won the 1995 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Book and Score. preppy-3 15 March 2008. Ready? When Max picks up the discarded headpiece during the tango scene, his expression hints at concern for the mental issues Norma suffers from. A few years later, Stephen Sondheim became interested in writing a musical version of his own, working with writer Burt Shevelove (with whom he ended up writing A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum). However, he knew that her arch-rival Hedda Hopper had trained as an actress and would therefore be more convincing onscreen. Holden had another good break when he was cast as Judy Holliday's love interest in the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway hit Born Yesterday (1950). No one wants to get caught by surprise anymore. Costume designer Edith Head found working on the film to be one of her greatest challenges. This indicates that he is smoking filterless cigarettes, which was the norm for that era until filters became the standard after the mid-'50s. Sands disappeared after the murder. Schwab's Pharmacy was filmed only 500 feet (145 meters) from where Robert "D-Fens" Foster shot out the phone booth in Falling Down (1993). And, of course, a pool. - 65th Anniversary (25) Film Noir Through the Years (3) Movies Set in Hollywood (3) Our Favorite Male-Female Duos (1) The History of Golden Globe Winners for Best Actor and Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama (1) Our Favorite Stills From "The Movies" (1) Movies About Movies (1) 77 Years of Golden Globes Best Picture Winners (1) Perry, George & Andrew Lloyd Webber (1993). In addition to the famous swimming pool, the studio also built sets to exactly duplicate Schwab's Drug Store in Hollywood and the Los Angeles County Morgue. In addition to starring in "Queen Kelly", Swanson also produced it, and fired von Stroheim when he had already gone over the budget by more than double, and with no end to filming in sight. Billy Wilder also used Sheldrake as the last name of Fred MacMurray's character in "The Apartment". The death was just one of many infamous Hollywood scandals of the 1920s, which included the Roscoe Arbuckle bottle rape trial, the death of Olive Thomas, the mysterious death of Thomas H. Ince, and the drug-related deaths of Wallace Reid, Barbara La Marr, and Jeanne Eagels.
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