Read I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead Online
Authors: Charles Tranberg
Agnes saying, “I’m as big a star as Greer Garson” to Paul Gregory and his
response was told to the author by Mr. Gregory in an interview, 11/5/03.
The sections regarding Vincent Price replacing Charles Laughton in
Don
Juan in Hell
are drawn from Victoria Prices’
Vincent Price, A Daughter’s
Biography
(pg. 204-205).
“Actors go through dry spells . . . ,” Paul Gregory to the author, 11/5/03.
“I am almighty serious about this reading thing . . . ,” Charles Laughton
to Agnes, 6/5/49, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State
Historical Society Archives, Box 145.
“I hope to goodness you persist with the reading thing . . . ,” Charles
Laughton to Agnes, 7/11/49, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin
State Historical Society Archives, Box 145.
Comments by James Thurber thanking her for helping him sell more
books through her “popular readings,” came from Warren Sherk’s
A Very
Private Person.
Agnes reading Queen Elizabeth’s letter to the Bishop of Pike
(“Prrroud Prrrelate . . . ”), from James Robert Parish’s
Good Dames.
Selections which Agnes used in her one-woman show are included in
Warren Sherk’s
A Very Private Person
(pg. 67).
Paul Gregory overhearing an audience member refer to Agnes as “The
Fabulous Redhead,” Paul Gregory to author, 11/5/03.
Charles Laughton’s directorial advice to Agnes prior to her Salt Lake City
show, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, The Wisconsin State Historical
Society Archives, Box 150. Paul Gregory’s comments that “all Agnes wanted
him (Laughton) to do was view the show and say, ‘you were wonderful,
darling . . . ,’” to author on 11/5/03.
Paul Gregory’s assertion that Agnes “threw a fit” when he offered Robert
Gist a part in
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,
interview with author on
11/5/03.
Jane Wyman’s comments regarding the film
Magnificent Obsession
were
made in a phone interview with the author. Otto Kruger’s comments
regarding the same film came from
Jane Wyman: The Actress and the Woman
(Lawrence Quirk, December Books, 1986). Agnes’ comment that there was
“something starry-eyed, something out of balance . . .” about the film
Magnificent Obsession
were also from the book,
Jane Wyman: The Actress
and the Woman
(pg. 160).
Paul Gregory’s comment that Agnes was “a shit” for directing an
independent version of
Don Juan in Hell
in 1955, was said in an interview
by Mr. Gregory to the author, 10/22/03. Mary Astor’s regard for Agnes as
a director and her lack of comfort on the road touring in
Don Juan in Hell
come from Miss Astor’s autobiography,
A Life on Film
(Dell Books, 1967,
pg. 209).
Mary Astor’s letter to Agnes regarding her complaints about
Don Juan in
Hell,
The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society
Archives, Box 150. “Mary was not steeped in the classics,” Agnes quoted in
Role Agnes Moorehead Loves Most,
from
Cincinnati Post,
11/29/72.
Synopses of Agnes’ appearances on
Suspense
during the 50’s, from Martin
Grams, Jr’s book,
Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills.
Agnes not getting the TV version of
Sorry, Wrong Number,
produced by
John Houseman, came from
Front and Center.
The synopses and reviews of Moorehead films released in 1956 come
from
Agnes Moorehead: A Bio-Bibliography
(Lynn Kear, Greenwood Press,
1992).
“Wouldn’t you?,” Debbie Reynolds to author, 6/20/04.
Sources of information regarding the film
The True Story of Jesse James
come from
Nicholas Ray
(John Francis Kreidl, Twayne Publishers, 1977)
and
Nicholas Ray, An American Journey
(Bernard Eisenschitz, London;
Paul Gregory to Harold Williams (“you and I had better get together . . .”),
The Paul Gregory Papers, American Heritage Center, University of
Wyoming, Laramie.
Paul Gregory to St. John’s Military Academy, The Paul Gregory Papers,
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
Sean was a “very dear and very sweet-natured boy . . . ,” Paul Gregory to
the author, 10/22/03.
Norman Corwin’s comments regarding Agnes and
The Rivalry
were
made to the author in an interview on 9/30/03.
Letter from Paul Gregory to
The Rivalry
actors (“as you know . . . is
based on a very controversial subject . . .”), dated 9/17/57, The Agnes
Moorehead Papers, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 151.
Telegram from Arlene Francis Gabel to Agnes, 9/22/57, The Papers of
Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historic Society Archives, Box 151.
Telegram from Paul Gregory to Agnes, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead,
Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 151.
Agnes’ comments that there are “3 stars and not one or two . . . ,” and
Paul Gregory’s observations that “If Ray Massey had an interview, she had
to have one too,” Paul Gregory to author, 10/22/03.
That Agnes had an “absolute fit” when he cast Robert Gist in
The Naked
and the Dead
, Paul Gregory to author, 11/5/03.
Gregory’s letter that Gist had been cast “completely against my wishes,”
The Paul Gregory Papers, American Heritage Center, University of
Wyoming, Laramie. Agnes response that Gist is “the malaria kid in every
sense of the word . . . ,” The Paul Gregory Papers, American Heritage
Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
Agnes comments on
Tale of Two Cities
to Kay Gardella, 3/27/57, Paul
Gregory’s congratulations on her performance as Madam DeFarge, The
Paul Gregory Papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming,
Laramie.
“The part of the mother in Ben-Hur isn’t so great — it’s only long,”
Agnes to Paul Gregory, The Paul Gregory Papers, American Heritage
Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie. Gregory also confirmed that
Agnes had been offered this part in an interview with the author.
Details on
The Scourge of the Sun,
from correspondence between Paul
Gregory and Agnes, The Paul Gregory Papers, American Heritage Center,
University of Wyoming, Laramie.
“Darling, don’t worry about making a living . . . ,” Paul Gregory to
Agnes, The Paul Gregory Papers, American Heritage Center, University of
Wyoming, Laramie.
New York Times
review of
The Psalms of David,
7/6/58.
Lynn Kear’s comment about
Night of the Quarter Moon
being “hilariously
dated” is from her book,
Agnes Moorehead, A Bio-Bibliography.
Comments made by Carol Lynley regarding working with Agnes, from
an interview with author, 4/10/03.
“In view of the approach of Halloween . . . ,” The
New York Times,
10/28/58.
Announcement of Agnes and Viveca Lindfors appearing in
Mary Stuart
appears in The
Vancouver Sun,
March 7, 1959. Information regarding
Agnes’ demand for a maid and apartment at the expense of the Vancouver
International Festival, in addition to $8,000 salary, is confirmed by Paul
Gregory in an interview with the author on 10/22/03, who added, “Agnes
was always making outlandish demands.”
Paul Gregory spoke extensively with the author in interviews on 10/22
& 11/3/04 regarding problems with Ginger Rogers and the interference of
Ginger’s mother, Lela, on
The Pink Jungle.
Paul Gregory’s quote from Fred
Astaire about “Gin” requesting a “dance-in” were also made to the author
on 11/3/04. Additional sources include,
Variety,
10/16/59, Hedda Hopper,
Los Angeles Times,
10/30/59,
Boston Daily Globe,
December 3, 1959, and
the
New York Post,
December 9, 1959 (where Ginger is quoted as saying, “it
needs more than a face-lift. They better bury it.” Also consulted was a letter
from Paul Gregory to Ginger Rogers, dated 1/19/60, which outlined to
Ginger his view that she was “laboring under a delusion” as to why the show
closed as well as the interference of her mother, The Paul Gregory Papers,
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie. Ginger
Rogers comments regarding
The Pink Jungle
appear in her autobiography,
Ginger: My Story
(HarperCollins, 1991). Vernon Duke’s comment to Agnes
regarding Paul Gregory’s intention to “reopen the show minus G,” was
written on a postcard Duke sent to Agnes, dated 1/3/60, The Papers of
Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 153.
Malden to author, 10/1/02.
“We were like a family . . . ,” Malden to author, 10/1/02.
“Aggie was a strong, solid person . . . ,” Malden to author, 10/1/02.
Richard Anderson was interviewed by the author on 5/27/03.
“The reason I suggested her,” and other background information on
“The Invaders,” from
The Twilight Zone Companion
(Marc Scott Zicree,
Silman-James Press, 1992).
Detailed proposal of
Agnes Moorehead Presents
found in The Papers of
Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives.
The information that Agnes auditioned for the role of
Hazel
, provided
by Ted Key, the creator of the comic strip which appeared for many years
in
The Saturday Evening Post,
in a letter to the author dated 3/25/04.
“Screaming Howard . . . but I loved him,” Karl Malden to the author,
10/1/02.
“Jim was a professional . . . ,” Karl Malden to author, 10/1/02.
“In one scene our movie family was required to witness a trading post
burn . . . ,”
Baby Doll
(Carroll Baker, Arbor House, 1983).
“. . . but I also discovered that she had a very dry inside type of
humor . . . ,” Debbie Reynolds to author, 6/20/04.
“You know, it’s rare to form a lasting friendship . . . ,” Agnes in
Photoplay,
October 1966,
My Son Owes His Life to Debbie.
“I thought she was quite brilliant . . . ,” Debbie Reynolds to author,
6/20/04.
“I tried setting her up a few times . . . ,” Debbie Reynolds to author,
6/20/04.
“The logs of the raft were slippery . . . ,”
Baby Doll
(pg. 217)
“Theater is the best ambassador of peace I know of . . . ,”
Dayton Journal
Herald
(
Actress Sees Theater as Peace Instrument,
10/26/61).
Letter from James Clavell to Agnes, 2/19/62, Wisconsin State Historical
Society Archives, Box 64.
Letter to Agnes from Anthony Lyons, 2/6/62, The Papers of Agnes
Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 128.
Details on how much actors made and their billing are found in financial
information/contracts found in
Prescription: Murder
files in the Paul
Gregory Papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
“It never bothered Aggie that she was only in the first act . . . ,” Paul
Gregory to author, 11/5/03.
“. . . made us feel welcome to the Golden Gate . . . , ”
Vanity Will Get You
Somewhere
(Joseph Cotten, toExcel Press, 1998, pg. 148).
“. . . justifiably earned her the title Queen of the Road . . . ,”
Vanity Will
Get You Somewhere
(Cotten, pg. 147)
Story about Agnes describing the pains of labor she experienced delivering
Sean was told by Paul Gregory to the author, 11/5/03.
“Jo murdered Aggie just before my entrance . . . ,”
Laid Back in
Hollywood
(Patricia Medina Cotten, Belle Publishing, 1998, pg. 126).
“I was slowly pulling on my gloves . . . , ”
Vanity Will Get You Somewhere
(Cotten, pg.148-149)
Letter from William Barrett to Agnes, 1/31/62, The Papers of Agnes
Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 128.
Wierum was “able and professional . . . ,”
Vanity Will Get You Somewhere
(Cotten, pg.149)
Letter from Gavin Lambert to Agnes, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead,
Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 65.
“A very satisfying show . . . ,” Paul Gregory to author, 11/5/03.
“Boyer wouldn’t let her . . . ,” Paul Gregory to author, 11/5/03.
“By no means is it all I hoped for from the stand point of Miss
Swanson . . . ,” Paul Gregory to Agnes, 7/10/62, Paul Gregory Papers,
American Heritage Center, The University of Wyoming, Laramie.
“. . . she didn’t push herself on you . . . ,” Laurie Main to author, 4/21/04.
Good luck telegrams to Agnes on the opening night of
Lord Pengo
from
the Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical Society
Archives, Box 66.
Basil Rathbone to Agnes, 11/25/62, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead,
Wisconsin State Historical Society Archives, Box 66.
Mrs. Kennedy being presented to the cast of
Lord Pengo
in the “only
secure room deemed by the secret service,” was told to the author by Laurie
Main, 4/21/04.
“Not that I want to crowd J. Edgar Hoover out of a job . . . ,” Agnes to
Vincent Price,
Vincent Price: A Daughter’s Biography
(pg. 288)
“. . . it is good to know he has been freed . . . ,” Remsen Dubois Bird to
Agnes, 2/4/63, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical
Society Archives, Box 68. (Bird was an educator and President of Occidental
College).
“. . . you are so clever . . . ,” telegram from Paul Gregory to Agnes,
12/6/62, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State Historical
Society Archives, Box 66.
“I consider it a privilege to work with such a fine actress . . . , ” Jerry
Lewis to Agnes, 4/11/63, The Papers of Agnes Moorehead, Wisconsin State
Historical Society Archives, Box 67.
“The picture is getting along beautifully . . . ,” Agnes to Georgia
Johnstone, 4/21/63, The Georgia Johnstone Papers re: Agnes Moorehead,
T-Mss 2003-039, Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public
Library for the Performing Arts, Box 1, folder 2.