She was a stage, film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional for a strong, realistic screen presence. Barbara Stanwyck. Nice character sketch of a very troubled man… And, lest we forget, a rabid Red-baiter of the blacklist years. William Wellman, Jr., son of William Wellman who directed “A Star is Born” (1937), said Norman Maine was based on the marriage, career, and death of John Bowers, though Wellman was two weeks into shooting the film when Bowers died, according to Wilson’s book. The Star Is Born quasi-franchise is wheeled out almost every 20 years, meaning we can chart shifting attitudes towards fame over the course of … Their relationship may have been the basis for “A Star is Born.” IMAGE COURTESY OF FRANK FAY PRODUCTIONS. This is the last line in both the 1937 and 1954 version. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. One of Birdwell’s publicity stunts included hiring an actress in 1927 to dress in all black and lay flowers on the tomb of Rudolph Valentino on the first anniversary of his death, known as “The Woman in Black.”, Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page, follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet or e-mail at cometoverhollywood@gmail.com. Some claim that this union was the … Some run-ins were far less light-hearted. John Gilbert was one of the top stars of the silent era, and his alcoholism was part of his downfall — similar to John Barrymore. https://www.barbara-stanwyck.com/.../young-stany-or-a-star-is-born During the run of the highly successful play it was suggested that she change her name, and Barbara Stanwyck was born. David O. Selznick even wanted John Barrymore for the role of Norman Maine in “A Star is Born” (1937), but at this point Barrymore had a hard time remembering his lines. Reid died due to complications from his addiction to morphine. Toggle navigation. 'A Star Is Born' is a classic Hollywood tale that's been told many times. A Star Is Born has almost never ... the public collapse of the marriage of Barbara Stanwyck and her troublemaking alcoholic husband, vaudeville performer Frank Fay, a year earlier. But as Moore became even more famous, her husband’s alcoholism deepened and she covered up for him when he was hospitalized or at the studio. An early example of the arrogance that was to overshadow his reputation throughout his career occurred at this early stage. Frank Fay was born Francis Anthony Donner on November 17, 1891 in San Francisco. Sister of Dale (predeceased) (Michelle) and Rosalee Martel (Larry, predeceased). 2: In Hollywood, everywhere he went, Frank Fay did not make a lot of friends. He has written for the NY Times, the Village Voice, American Theatre, Time Out NY, Reason, the Villager and numerous other publications. The womanizing, alcoholic Fay’s career floundered, while Stanwyck’s flourished for decades. She was the oldest daughter of James Arthur Young and Mazel Pauline Young, (both predeceased). That same year she married vaudeville comedian Frank Fay, but their marriage was stormy — it reportedly inspired “A Star is Born.” “Their levels of success completely reversed,” said Smith. And he played the Palace sixteen weeks when it was two a day. Well, it ain’t exactly Duck Soup, but with his wavy hair, straight teeth and twinkling eyes, one gets the feeling that Fay sold his jokes through charm. McCormick was responsible for Moore cutting her hair into a sleek bob for the flapper look. Thank you. The title of Trav S.D.’s article about him was “The Comedian Who Inspired Hatred.” He was also Barbara Stanwyck’s first husband and their story was rumored to have been the […]. The established star falling for an unknown as she climbs to the top was seen in actors Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay's relationship, with the pair marrying in 1928 when the former was an unknown after starring in a Broadway show together. His first vaudeville act was the team of Dyer and Fay, but it must have been pretty awful: Fay later downplayed his involvement with it. In 1928, as she was beginning her rise to fame, the 21 year-old Stanwyck married Frank Fay, her first husband. Writer and performer Trav S.D. While there was no t.v. Bruce was gaining popularity while Gilbert was practically a has-been. Early life and education. He cultivated the aloof arrogance of the aristocrat – his trademark was the barbed put-down delivered on the spot with dependable lethalness. Inspired by the upcoming film called “A Star Is Born,” I built a one page web application in tribute of Barbara Stanwyck. To play the Palace – at all — was the very highest aspiration of most vaudevillians. Through his friend Oscar Levant, Fay met and married Barbara Stanwyck, then a young chorus girl who’d just gotten her first starring part in a Broadway show (Burlesque, 1927) In 1929 they did a dramatic sketch, as “Fay and Stanwyck” at the Palace. He is probably best known as actress Barbara Stanwyck's first husband. The play drew him rave reviews. Barbara was married twice. He originated the stand-up comedy style we associate with Hope, Benny, Carson, Leno and Letterman, the extremely polished “American Institution” style, an unspoken confidence that says “an army of people made me possible.” You might call such performers “comic laureates”, almost branches of the U.S. government. Fay was born in Toronto and grew up in Copper Cliff, Ontario. https://travsd.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/stars-of-vaudeville-80-frank-fay OpenLink Faceted Browser; OpenLink Structured Data Editor In Hollywood, as everywhere he went, Fay did not make a lot of friends. A select handful ran a week there. Fay's successful career on Broadway did not translate to the big screen, whereas Stanwyck achieved Hollywood stardom. I never could make it through Barbra Streisand’s version as I personally can’t watch her. Fay was an established Broadway star when they married in 1928, and, shortly after, Hollywood came calling for both of them. They divorced in 1935; afterwards, Fay became more known for his notoriously racist beliefs and Nazi sympathies than for his influence on comedy. They moved to Hollywood in 1929 so Fay could star in a movie, but Stanwyck's career benefitted more from the move than Fay's. I notice that he doesn’t say a word about sugar! When A Star Is Born was first released in 1937, rumors swirled that it was based on the real-life marriage of rising star Barbara Stanwyck and vaudeville actor Frank Fay. The Long Hollywood History of A Star Is Born. Fans were surprised when A Star is Born only took home one Academy Award at the 2019 Oscars, for Best Original Song, despite scoring eight nominations. Frank Fay (November 17, 1891 – September 25, 1961) was an American vaudeville comedian and film and stage actor. Barbara Stanwyck also did not attend the premiere of “A Star is Born” (1937). He is probably best known as actress Barbara Stanwyck's first husband. The "Born This Way" singer made a surprise appearance at the Black Rabbit Rose restaurant and lounge in Hollywood, where she took the stage to perform a couple of Frank Sinatra hits. That same year, Monogram Pictures teamed him with the urbane stage comedian Frank Fay for a comedy series; Fay left the series after the first entry. Fay and Stanwyck’s marriage and their experience in Hollywood later became the basis of a Hollywood movie – A Star is Born. I’ve always wondered who could be the inspiration for A Star is Born. The early Star is Born (1937) was said to have been based on/inspired by husband and wife thespians Frank Fay (at one time he was very famous in America; he was a well-known vaudeville comedian/stage actor) and Barbara Stanwyck. Trav has been in the vanguard of New York’s vaudeville and burlesque scenes since 1995 when he launched his company Mountebanks, presenting hundreds of acts ranging from Todd Robbins to Dirty Martini to Tammy Faye Starlite to the Flying Karamazov Brothers. Stanwyck’s first husband, the controversial vaudeville genius Frank Fay, was a lot of things: an alcoholic, an abuser, a racist (there’s a long list), but we have to thank him for her movie career. Marriage ∙ August 1928. ), […] Miss Brown. The fact that his life became a punchline in an RKO musical comedy is depressing. Since the first studios were built in Hollywood, the lives and deaths of film stars were as dramatic as the roles they played on the screens. Today Frank Fay lives on in the recorded memory as a notorious S.O.B. He changed his name for the stage at a young age and started getting a lot of attention as a comedian in vaudeville, enjoying huge success throughout the 1920s. When Bowers left, he said, “Well, this is the last time you’ll ever see me. IMDb ∙ 1928. Unlike you, I loved Judy Garland’s version, though I’ve never seen the Janet Gaynor movie, but I will. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! His troubled marriage with Barbara Stanwyck might have been the inspiration for the film “Frank Fay was something else and I saw them all. He had a very distinctive, swishy style of walking that was almost effeminate, but it was so effective that both Bob Hope and Jack Benny emulated it to their dying day. 'A Star Is Born' is a classic Hollywood tale that's been told many times. Bastard or not, Fay’s vaudeville success led to several Broadway shows during the years 1918-33. The funeral scenes in the 1937 and 1954 versions are said to be inspired by Irving Thalberg’s funeral and the response the crowd had to his widow, Norma Shearer. https://cometoverhollywood.com/2018/10/05/who-is-a-star-is-born-about Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Helene. A Star is Born is a movie of grand scope and intimate moments, featuring Judy Garland's possibly greatest performance. Highly successful on the stage, he originated the role of "Elwood P. Dowd" in the Broadway play Harvey by the American playwright Mary Coyle Chase. The actress and producer were married in 1923, collaborated on 20 films together and made millions of dollars. In 1925, Fay ran ten weeks. Business-wise, it was a successful match. Frank Fay was born in in November 17, 1891. However, his daughter Leatrice Gilbert Fountain says “A Star is Born” is not based on her father in her 1985 book, “Dark Star: The Untold Story of the Meteoric Rise and Fall of Legendary Silent Screen Star John Gilbert.” But Gilbert being an inspiration for Norman Maine would make sense, particularly, because he was married to up-and-coming starlet Virginia Bruce from 1932 to 1934. Frank John Fay was born on August 31, 1927 in York, North Dakota. In the incident, which became notorious throughout theatrical circles, Fay let the audience wait several minutes while he struggled to tie his tie in the dressing room. Ever see Fay in the Warners’ movie “God’s Gift to Women”? Frank Fay is the host of the more than 70 well-known stars who show various acts. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Hope decided that he would be more successful as a single at this point, and […], […] He returned to vaudeville in 1927 with a sketch called “The Fallen Star” prepared for him by Frank Fay and Tom Barry. John Bowers and Marguerite De La Motte in a publicity photo for Daughters Who Pay (1925), Silent film actor John Bowers started in films in 1914 and was in 95 films from 1914 to 1931. Of course this is the original version that was written for Judy by Harold Arlen for the film A Star Is Born in 1954. […], […] he had graduated to Broadway Revues: e.g., Snapshots of 1922, The  Passing Show of 1922, Frank Fay’s Fables, Vogues of 1924, Greenwich Village Follies (1924), The Little Show (1927) while […], […] is a hit in every one. That’s where the 21-year-old starlet met vaudevillian Frank Fay, 37, in 1928. Some claim that this union was the basis for dialogue written by William Wellman, friend of the couple, for A Star Is Born. Marguerite De La Motte, who started in films in 1916, was a frequent co-star of Bowers’s. There was much to set Fay apart. To Berle’s challenge to a battle of wits on one occasion, Fay famously said, “I never attack an unarmed man.”. On one occasion, he attempted to humiliate Bert Wheeler by dragging him onto the stage unprepared, and firing off a bunch of unrehearsed lines at him to which he was supposed to attempt rejoinders. Highly successful in vaudeville, he originated the role of "Elwood P. Dowd" in the Broadway play Harvey by the American playwright Mary Coyle Chase. But the partnership at the heart of the 1937 movie was modeled on that of Frank Fay, the alcoholic vaudeville and Broadway star … He was honorably discharged on June 16, 1946 with the rank of Seaman First Class. Moore divorced McCormick in 1930. Highly successful in vaudeville, he originated the role of "Elwood P. Dowd" in the Broadway play Harvey by the American playwright Mary Coyle Chase. Director Marshall Neilan is cited as an inspiration for Lowell Sherman’s director character of Max Carey in “What Price Hollywood?” (1932), who drinks too much and commits suicide at the end of the film, according to Kellow’s book. Fay was reportedly physically abusive to his young wife, especially when he was inebriated. He played his first part at age three in a Chicago production of Quo Vadis? Do you have any information regarding living descendants of Frank Fay? He graduated from Rugby High School in 1945. He became unreliable, and his roles became fewer and lacked prestige as the years wore on and he drank more. That is what audiences prized him for. I did though, totally dislike the “I was born in a trunk” song and I think she sang it twice in the movie, didn’t she? Stanwyck and Fay: A Star is Born. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel-True 1907-1940, Dark Star: The Untold Story of the Meteoric Rise and Fall of Legendary Silent Screen Star John Gilbert. He did a popular sketch in vaudeville called  […], […] announce upcoming shows – his first true assignment as a monologist. You’ll have a real life picture. Fay's successful career on Broadway did not translate to the big screen, whereas Stanwyck achieved Hollywood stardom. Later that year, they were called to Hollywood, so Frank could star in the film Show of Shows. On May 11, 1945, Frank entered active military service in the United States Navy. Read stories about Frank Fay on Medium. Unlike the fictional Norman Maine, however, Fay got sober and made a stunning Broadway comeback as the star of Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Harvey" (1944). Two years later saw Stanwyck on the way to Hollywood with her new husband Frank Fay. I’m going to jump overboard.”. Fay was a headliner in the prosperous era of vaudeville during the 1920s. Unfortunately, Fay was jealous of Stanwyck's star power, and he began to … On Nov. 13, 1936, John Bowers rented a boat, sailed it out into the Pacific Ocean and drowned. It was the all-time record for a man to emcee. By 1935 when they divorced, Stanwyck’s star was rising, and Fay helped guide her success: from convincing Harry Cohn to hire her for “Mexicali Rose” to giving her screen test to director Frank Capra. Although the true inspiration for the script hasn't been confirmed, speculation that it's based on the relationship of Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay has circulated. Billy Gilbert-Wikipedia. Neilan died in 1958 of throat cancer. From 1913 to 1937, Neilan directed 107 films, but his work slowed after the dawn of sound due to his alcoholism. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Police found his body floating near Las Flores, according to the book “A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel-True 1907-1940” by Victoria Wilson. ( Log Out /  Here’s a guy that has enough tea for two. Answer: "Barbara Stanwyck." In 1935 the two were divorced, and Fay continued his downward spiral, until 1944, when he was chosen to play Elwood P. Dowd in the original Broadway production  of Harvey. He has directed his own plays, revues and solo pieces at such venues as Joe’s Pub, La Mama, HERE, Dixon Place, Theater for the New City, the Ohio Theatre, the Brick, and 6 separate shows in the NY International Fringe Festival. Doing the ground work right now and any assistance would be greatly appreciated. […] be a cruel alcoholic. https://travsd.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/stars-of-vaudeville-80-frank-fay Barbara Stanwyck (born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, … Barbara Stanwyck (born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model, and dancer. Faceted Browser ; Sparql Endpoint ; Browse using . Of any actor, John Barrymore has the most parallels to Norman Maine, the once famous matinee idol who fell into alcohlism as his career declined. Frank Fay (November 17, 1891 – September 25, 1961) was an American vaudeville comedian and film and stage actor. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The play drew him rave reviews. Apparently, Fay had one of those smirking faces that’s just itching to be smacked. View all posts by travsd. The established star falling for an unknown as she climbs to the top was seen in actors Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Fay's relationship, with the pair marrying in 1928 when the former was an unknown after starring in a Broadway show together. Introducing Edgar Bergen for his first Palace date, he said: “The next young man never played here before, so let’s be nice to him.” As any performer can tell you, such an introduction is patronizing at best, sabotage at worst. Generation generation). Born Francis Anthony Donner in San Francisco, he took the professional name of Frank Fay after concluding that his birth name was not suitable for the stage. Niles is played by Adolphe Menjou in the 1937 version and Charles Bickford in the 1954 version, Russell Birdwell was the model of ruthless publicity agent Matt Libby, according to Victoria Wilson’s book. Libby is played by Lionel Stander in the 1937 version and Jack Carson in the 1954 version. “I’m in love. I am mulling over the idea of writing a biography on Fay. Their marriage fell apart after she rose above him and he fell into alcoholism. So could the … Bowers began to have a drinking problem after his career ended, according to the website Silents are Golden, and the couple separated. They divorced due to his abuse and alcoholism. Vicki Lester’s closing line of “I am Mrs. Norman Maine” was inspired by Dorothy Davenport who was billed as Mrs. Wallace Reid after her husband, actor Wallace Reid, died in 1923. and a mean drunk, with nary a kind anecdotal word from anyone who knew him. Barbara Stanwyck biographer Victoria Wilson writes that the Vicki Lester and Norman Maine acting marriage was based on Frank Fay and Barbara Stanwyck during their marriage from 1928 to 1935. “Of all the great vaudevillians, I admired Frank the most” — James Cagney. John Bowers and Marguerite De La Motte were married in 1924. His 8 year Broadway career culminated with the review Jim Jam Jems (1920) starring Frank Fay, Harry Langdon and Joe E. Brown. A Star Is Born is a 1937 American Technicolor romantic drama film produced by David O. Selznick, directed by William A. Wellman from a script by Wellman, Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker, and Alan Campbell, and starring Janet Gaynor (in her only Technicolor film) as an aspiring Hollywood actress, and Fredric March (in his Technicolor debut) as a fading movie star who helps launch her career. Colleen Moore was one of the influences for “What Price Hollywood?” (1932), according to the book “The Bennetts: An Acting Family” by Brian Kellow. What they do is tell America the jokes they will repeat around the water cooler at work the next day. A standard joke of the time went "who's got the biggest prick in Hollywood?" A Sept. 16, 1936, newspaper said 1,500 attended Thalberg’s funeral. James Stewart-Wikipedia. Frank Fay was born on November 17, 1891 in San Francisco, California, USA as She met and married Frank Fay, a famous vaudeville star, in 1928. ( Log Out /  Maybe I’m wrong. He even wrote and produced two starring vehicles for himself (a la Ed Wynn): Frank Fay’s Fables (1922) and Tattle Tales (1933). In his last film, “Playmates” (1941), co-starring comedic big band leader Kay Kyser, Barrymore’s character is a has-been who drinks too much. Highly successful on the stage, he originated the role of "Elwood P. Dowd" in the Broadway play Harvey by the American playwright Mary Coyle Chase. Barbara Stanwyck's first husband who was also a successful vaudeville comedian. William Wellman’s son, William Wellman, Jr., wrote in the book “Wild Bill Wellman: Hollywood Rebel,” that John Gilbert and the decline of his career was another inspiration for his father’s Norman Maine in “A Star is Born” (1937). Fay was reportedly physically abusive to his young wife, especially when he was inebriated. A Star Is Born (1937) starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March is said to be modeled after Stanwyck's rise to stardom and first husband Frank Fay's descent into obscurity. He was the toast of Vaudeville and Broadway and was, like many stage performers of the time, being wooed to star on the silver screen. Forman directed successful films in Hollywood such as “Shadows” (1922) and “The Virginian” (1923). By 1926, she’d changed her name to Barbara Stanwyck and became a star on the Great White Way. Fred Allen said: “The last time I saw Frank Fay he was walking down lover’s lane holding his own hand.” He passed away in 1961, a humbler, and, one hopes, a wiser man. “The Great Faysie”, as he styled himself, was appallingly successful on the vaudeville stage. However, his career took a turn and Forman was left with low-budget directing projects. While Stanwyck’s films were successful, Fay’s failed, and he began to drink.