Battle of the Blondes: Judy Holliday VS Jean Harlow.

Both of these actress died, at the height of their careers. Both actress were great comediennes and I often wonder what great roles they might have had if they had lived longer.

Born Yesterday(1950). A corrupt tycoon brings his showgirl mistress with him to Washington when he tries to buy a Congressman. He hires a journalist to educate his girlfriend, and in the process, she learns just how corrupt her boyfriend is.

The Solid Gold Cadillac(1956). Directed by Richard Quine and written by Abe Burrows, Howard Teichmann and George S. Kaufman. It was adapted from the hit Broadway play of the same name by Teichmann and Kaufman, in which they expose corrupt businessmen. The film stars Judy Holliday and Paul Douglas.

Bombshell(1933). Pre-Code film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Jean Harlow, Lee Tracy, Frank Morgan, C. Aubrey Smith, Mary Forbes and Franchot Tone.

Please click here to view Bombshell(1933) post.

Platinum Blonde(1931). Romantic/comedy, starring Jean Harlow, Robert Williams, and Loretta Young. The film was written by Jo Swerling and directed by Frank Capra.

The story begins when news Reporter Stew Smith, is covering a breach of promise suit filed by chorus girl Gloria Golden, against wealthy Michael Schuyler. Stew, then tricks Mrs. Schuyler into admitting Gloria was paid off, then calls in his story to his editor, Conroy.

That night Stew, talks about the case with reporter Gallagher, who is secretly in love with Stew..

The next day, Stew goes to see Ann, to return Michael's letters, which he took while he was interviewing Gloria and they begin dating.

A month later, Stew and Ann elope. The Schuyler family, are not very happy about the marriage, but Ann promises them that everything will work out. When Stew arrives, he reluctantly agrees to move into the mansion.

Later, at a party for the Spanish ambassador, Stew is bored out of his mind, until.. he sees Gallagher. They are soon joined by rival reporter Bingy Baker, who offers Stew a job, writing a article for Bingy's paper. He then makes the mistake calling Stew, "Cinderella Man," which angers him and he punches him in the nose. The next day, the argument is slapped on the front page of Bingy's newspaper.

On the night, before going to the mayor's reception, Ann leaves without Stew, when he tells her, he can no longer tolerate her friends. Stew then asks Gallagher for help with the play he is writing. She asks Hank and his friends to chaperon. When Ann returns, she orders Stew to throw everyone out, but Stew packs his bags and leaves with his friends. Will Stew return to his wife or will he marry Gallagher?

Video: First of 6.



Jean Harlow, plays the society dame and Loretta Young, plays the reporter. I think it might have made more sense if they switched roles. There are some Pre-Code, sexy love scenes between Williams and Harlow...

The Girl from Missouri(1934). Romantic comedy-drama film starring Jean Harlow and Franchot Tone. The movie was written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway.

Eadie runs away from her and while traveling by train, she tells her friend Kitty that she wants to marry a some one very important.

It does not take her long before she finds a job as one of the chorus girls entertaining at a party at the mansion of wealthy Frank Cousins. She finds away to see Cousins alone, where he wants to give her a expensive gift, but she refuses to accept them until they become engaged.

She is surprised to learn that T.R. Paige had refused to save Cousins from financial ruin. After Eadie leaves Cousins shoots himself. Eadie, then meets T.R. just before the police arrive on the scene.

Eadie goes to visits T.R. and when she says that she wants to marry a rich man, T.R. gives her some money and high tails it for Palm Beach, Florida. Eadie and Kitty, hot on his heels visit T.R.'s office, where Eadie meets Tom T.R.'s son. Eventually, she learns who he is, but it is clear that he is not interested in marriage. Tom gets her alone in his bedroom, but she is able to stop his advances.

Tom, changes his mind and tells his father, that he wants to marry Eadie and T.R. gives his blessing, but after Tom leaves, he calls the district attorney, who comes up with a plan to accuse her of stealing Cousins' jewelry and then has her arrested. When Tom and his father come to see her, she tells Tom that she must have been framed , but Tom does not believe her and breaks up with Eadie.

Her friend Charlie Turner, bails Eadie out. For revenge, she sneaks into T.R.'s stateroom on the ship he and Tom are taking to London. Eadie, wearing only lingerie, hugs T.R just as photographers take his picture.

Heartbroken, Eadie gets drunk and turns to Charlie Turner. Tom arrives just in time, having changed his mind. T.R. wanting to save his reputation, has told the press she was innocent of the theft. Will he now allow the happy couple to marry?

"The Girl From Missouri" is worth seeing though it's not as wonderful as her earlier films, "Red Dust", "Red-Headed Woman" and "Dinner at Eight". It does have some great supporting actors, Lionel Barrymore and Patsy Kelly. If you are a Jean Harlow fan this film is fun from start to finish.

Libeled Lady(1936).

Libeled Lady(1936). Comedy. Cast: Jean Harlow, William Powell (who were romantically involved at the time), Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy. The movie was written by George Oppenheimer, Howard Emmett Rogers, Wallace Sullivan and Maurine Dallas Watkins, and directed by Jack Conway.

Libeled Lady was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film was remade in 1946 as Easy to Wed with Esther Williams, Van Johnson, and Lucille Ball.

Wealthy Connie Allenbury is falsely accused of breaking up a marriage and sues the New York Evening Star newspaper for libel. Warren Haggerty, the chief editor, turns to reporter and ladies man Bill Chandler for help.



Bill comes up with a plan, to be alone with Connie when his "wife" shows up, the suit will have to be dropped. Bill is not really married, so Warren has his neglected fiancee, Gladys Benton, play the part, which she is not to happy about.

Bill returns to America from England on the same ocean liner as Connie and her father J. B.. He pays some men to pose as reporters and harass Connie at the dock, so that he can "rescue" her. Connie believes that he is just a fortune hunter after her money, but Bill quickly wins her trust.

The plan falls apart when Connie and Bill actually fall in love. They get married, but Gladys interrupts their honeymoon to reclaim her husband. Bill reveals that he found out that Gladys' Mexican divorce wasn't valid, but then Gladys tops him. She got a second divorce and she and Bill are really man and wife. Will Connie and Bill manage to convince Gladys that she's really in love with Warren?

I always love to see a performance of Powell and Loy together, they really seem to enjoy each others company. Tracy, is wonderful as always. There are many amusing character actors, in this film. The film offers humor and gorgeous sets and costumes. Harlow, also gave a wonderful zany performance in this film.

Fun Facts:

Lionel Barrymore was originally cast as Mr. Allenbury while Rosalind Russell was originally considered to play Connie Allenbury.

Harlow wanted to play Connie Allenbury, so that her character and Powell's would wind up together. MGM insisted, however, that the film be another William Powell-Myrna Loy movie, as they originally intended. Harlow had already signed on to do the film but had to settle for the role of Gladys Benton.  As Gladys, top-billed Harlow got to play a wedding scene with Powell. During filming, Harlow changed her legal name.

The fifth of fourteen films pairing William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Walter Connolly (April 8, 1887 – May 28, 1940), who performed in almost fifty films between 1914 and 1939. His first film performance came in two silent films, The Marked Woman (1914) and A Soldier's Oath (1915), and a talkie in 1930, Many Happy Returns, but his Hollywood film career really began in 1932, when he performed in four films. His trademark role was that of a business tycoon or newspaperman, often as the father of the female lead character, as in It Happened One Night (1934) with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, Broadway Bill (1934), supporting Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy; and Libeled Lady (1936) with William Powell and Loy again. Other notable roles included the worthless uncle of Paul Muni's character in, The Good Earth (1937) and one of the two con men encountered by Mickey Rooney's, Huckleberry Finn in, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939). Connolly was particularly memorable as General Yen's American advisor in, The Bitter Tea of General Yen.

Connolly mostly played supporting roles, but starred occasionally, as Nero Wolfe in The League of Frightened Men (1937), 5th Ave Girl(1939), opposite Ginger Rogers and as the title character in, The Great Victor Herbert (1939), his last film.

Great On Screen Couples: Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.

Jean Harlow, is probably most remembered for the films she made with Clark Gable. Gable and Harlow sparkled together on screen, with a sense of playfulness and fun. The two were close friends off screen. Gable's wife Carole Lombard, once said that she loved Jean Harlow, because Gable thought of her "as one of the guys."

Clark Gable once said, " She didn't want to be famous. She wanted to be happy."

Harlow and Gable, co-starred in a total of six films. The first on screen film was, The Secret Six (1931). Pre-Code crime film. Cast: Wallace Beery as a character loosely based on Al Capone. Also featuring: Lewis Stone, Johnny Mack Brown, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Marjorie Rambeau and Ralph Bellamy. The film was written by Frances Marion and directed by George W. Hill for MGM.

Clark Gable and Jean Harlow followed with their second film, Red Dust(1932). A Romantic drama directed by Victor Fleming. Produced during the Pre-Code era of Hollywood. Gable's performance in Red Dust, soon made him MGM's most important male star.

Please click here to view Red Dust movie review.

Next, they performed in the huge hit, Hold Your Man(1933). A story about a young girl who falls in love with con man, who accidentally kills the man they were setting up. The con man takes off and leaves the young girl behind to take the rap..



Soon after, MGM recognized the goldmine of the Gable-Harlow pairing, putting them in a couple more films, China Seas(1935). A adventure film where Clark Gable plays a sea captain and Jean Harlow as his ship mate.



Next they went on to perform together in the film, Wife vs. Secretary(1936). A story about wife of a publishing executive who believes that her husband's relationship with his sexy secretary is more than professional.



In their sixtieth and final film collaboration., Saratoga(1937). Directed by Jack Conway. After bookie Bradley wins a horse ranch he turns his attentions to the daughter of the now deceased gambler. When filming was 90% completed, Harlow collapsed on the set and died about a week later, reportedly of uremic poisoning. Harlow, was a wonderful comedic actress, I can not imagine how far she would have gone in Hollywood if she a lived longer.

Everyone on the MGM lot called her The Baby with the exception of Clark Gable. A very close friend, he always called her Sis.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Jean Harlow and her kittens