Post by Teleadm on Oct 20, 2023 20:19:08 GMT
She begun modelling as a child at age 11, to went on stage at age 13 and into the movies at age 15, encouraged by her mother. She initially was rejected by film studios and was sent home because she was declared "too young". RKO gave her a contract but never used her, and unwilling to let her go when Darryl F. Zanuck of 20th Century Fox (TCF) became interested, that was eventually settled. According to Zanuck "because he felt that the name would advertise her beauty and suggest a Latin quality that matched her coloring".
Her career is filled with tops and bottoms, since it feels like when she hit the top, her company was nearly clueless in what to put her in next.
This year we celebrate her birthdate a hundred years ago in Dallas, Texas.
Linda Darnell (1923-1965)
Hotel for Women 1939 starring Ann Southern, and she was only 15.
Day-Time Wife 1939 was just a fill-out movie for Tyrone Power, the chemistry between them didn't go unnoticed.
That led to Brigham Young 1940...
...and box-office hit The Mark of Zorro 1940.
Technicolor debut in Chad Hanna 1940, this time with a young Henry Fonda.
Blood and Sand 1941 with Tyrone again.
As good as her role was, Fox couldn't find suitable roles for her to follow it up.
and had to fill out time with minor movies like The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe 1942 starring Shepperd Strudwick as the famous writer.
As Virgin Mary uncredited in The Song of Bernadette 1943.
Hangover Square 1945 with Laird Cregar (who died shortly after making this movie) made Fox see her again.
Fallen Angel 1945 with Dana Andrews. she got great reviews. And Fox didn't find a suitable vehicle to follow it up as usual.
As the tragic Tuptin in Anna and the King of Siam 1946.
John Ford's My Darling Clementine 1946 with Henry Fonda and Victor Mature.
Forever Amber 1947 based on a risque novel and TCF's most expensive production to date. Audience were lukewarm and critics wasn't too enthusiastic, yet it was a massive box-office hit.
Unfaithfully Yours 1948 with Rex Harrison and one of the last directed by Preston Sturges.
A Letter to Three Wives 1949, there were talks about an Oscar Nomination, but it never materialized.
No Way Out 1950 she herself crowned this as the best movie she ever was in, even if her own role was was overshadowed by Sidney Poitier and Richard Widmark.
The 13th Letter 1951 a noir co-starring Michael Rennie and Charles Boyer.
Many of her movies at Fox was directed by Otto Preminger, but somehow survived his cruelty towards actors. During the same time she had sadly got a taste for alcohol resulting in alcoholism, that also resulted in weight gain. Though she got a new TCF contract that only obliged one movie a year she had troubles even filling that contract, and was released.
Blackbeard the Pirate 1952 at RKO co-starring Robert Newton.
Second Chance 1953 for Howard Hughes in 3-D co-starring Robert Mitchum and Jack Palance. Famous for an aerial tramway sequence.
She made a two-picture deal in Italy making Angels of Darkness 1954 with Anthony Quinn and It Happens in Roma 1956 with Vittorio de Sica (not as director).
When she returned to America she noticed that anthology series was very popular on television and very much wanted to be part of that bandwagon. She did around 14 different roles during mid 50's until her untimely death.
Dakota Incident 1956 co-starring Dale Robertson, John Lund and Ward Bond, a stagecoach western, and she got the chance to promote it on popular quiz show "What's My Line?".
Reunited with old co-star Dana Andrews in Zero Hour! 1956, a commercial airplane drama, and thanks to a parody became even more famous in 1981.
In 1965 she visited her former secretary and her daughter to go through possible contracts, she was trapped when the house caught fire on the second floor, she survived but passed away the day after.
Released after her death, Black Spurs 1965, a western co-starring Rory Calhoun, Bruce Cabot and Lon Chaney Jr,
The above is not complete.
She has a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame since 1960.
First published in 1991.
Thanks for watching!
Opinions of all kinds are welcome!
Her career is filled with tops and bottoms, since it feels like when she hit the top, her company was nearly clueless in what to put her in next.
This year we celebrate her birthdate a hundred years ago in Dallas, Texas.
Linda Darnell (1923-1965)
Hotel for Women 1939 starring Ann Southern, and she was only 15.
Day-Time Wife 1939 was just a fill-out movie for Tyrone Power, the chemistry between them didn't go unnoticed.
That led to Brigham Young 1940...
...and box-office hit The Mark of Zorro 1940.
Technicolor debut in Chad Hanna 1940, this time with a young Henry Fonda.
Blood and Sand 1941 with Tyrone again.
As good as her role was, Fox couldn't find suitable roles for her to follow it up.
and had to fill out time with minor movies like The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe 1942 starring Shepperd Strudwick as the famous writer.
As Virgin Mary uncredited in The Song of Bernadette 1943.
Hangover Square 1945 with Laird Cregar (who died shortly after making this movie) made Fox see her again.
Fallen Angel 1945 with Dana Andrews. she got great reviews. And Fox didn't find a suitable vehicle to follow it up as usual.
As the tragic Tuptin in Anna and the King of Siam 1946.
John Ford's My Darling Clementine 1946 with Henry Fonda and Victor Mature.
Forever Amber 1947 based on a risque novel and TCF's most expensive production to date. Audience were lukewarm and critics wasn't too enthusiastic, yet it was a massive box-office hit.
Unfaithfully Yours 1948 with Rex Harrison and one of the last directed by Preston Sturges.
A Letter to Three Wives 1949, there were talks about an Oscar Nomination, but it never materialized.
No Way Out 1950 she herself crowned this as the best movie she ever was in, even if her own role was was overshadowed by Sidney Poitier and Richard Widmark.
The 13th Letter 1951 a noir co-starring Michael Rennie and Charles Boyer.
Many of her movies at Fox was directed by Otto Preminger, but somehow survived his cruelty towards actors. During the same time she had sadly got a taste for alcohol resulting in alcoholism, that also resulted in weight gain. Though she got a new TCF contract that only obliged one movie a year she had troubles even filling that contract, and was released.
Blackbeard the Pirate 1952 at RKO co-starring Robert Newton.
Second Chance 1953 for Howard Hughes in 3-D co-starring Robert Mitchum and Jack Palance. Famous for an aerial tramway sequence.
She made a two-picture deal in Italy making Angels of Darkness 1954 with Anthony Quinn and It Happens in Roma 1956 with Vittorio de Sica (not as director).
When she returned to America she noticed that anthology series was very popular on television and very much wanted to be part of that bandwagon. She did around 14 different roles during mid 50's until her untimely death.
Dakota Incident 1956 co-starring Dale Robertson, John Lund and Ward Bond, a stagecoach western, and she got the chance to promote it on popular quiz show "What's My Line?".
Reunited with old co-star Dana Andrews in Zero Hour! 1956, a commercial airplane drama, and thanks to a parody became even more famous in 1981.
In 1965 she visited her former secretary and her daughter to go through possible contracts, she was trapped when the house caught fire on the second floor, she survived but passed away the day after.
Released after her death, Black Spurs 1965, a western co-starring Rory Calhoun, Bruce Cabot and Lon Chaney Jr,
The above is not complete.
She has a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame since 1960.
First published in 1991.
Thanks for watching!
Opinions of all kinds are welcome!