Son(s): Anthony Dion Fay. [37] The Lady Eve is among the top 100 movies of all time on Time and Entertainment Weekly's lists,[38][39] and is considered to be both a great comedy and a great romantic film with its placement at #55 on the AFI's 100 Years ...100 Laughs list and #26 on its 100 Years ...100 Passions list. [63] After moving to Hollywood, the couple adopted a ten-month-old son on December 5, 1932. Barbara Stanwyck with her son Dion Anthony Fay (called “Tony”), whom she adopted with husband Frank Fay in 1932. On December 5, 1932, they adopted a son, Dion Antony “Tony” Fay. A pair of hours later, one of the reporters was back, armed with the knowledge that Miss Stanwyck's son's legal name was Anthony Fay. Her first husband was established actor Frank Fay, and they were married from 1928 to 1936. Stanwyck brings out the cruel nature of the "grim, unflinching murderess", marking her as the "most notorious femme" in the film noir genre. Stanwyck's retirement years were active, with charity work outside the limelight. There are a lot of words, but not a lot of heart here. Stanwyck’s two marriages, first to vaudevillian Frank Fay and next to MGM superstar Robert Taylor, both ended in divorce. An Interview with Victoria Wilson, Author of A LIFE OF BARBARA STANWYCK: STEEL-TRUE (1907-1940), An Interview with Kendra Bean, Author of VIVIEN LEIGH: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT, Olivia de Havilland–Lady of Classic Cinema. If you would like to contact the author, please send an email to. "[29], Around this time, Stanwyck was given a screen test by producer Bob Kane for his upcoming 1927 silent film Broadway Nights. I could go on and write a book about the research for the book; of the stories of finding people; of being lead to others, of leads that appeared one day and didn’t make sense or were answered until months or years later . Stanwyck and Robert Taylor married in 1939 and divorced in 1951. I conducted an interview with Victoria Wilson a few weeks ago, and her answers appear here.Thank you to Vicky Wilson for this interview, and please be sure to pre-order your copy of the book by clicking here. Can’t wait for Volume 2. Each marriage was complex and came about because of complex reasons – and stayed in tact because of equally complicated reasons; neither marriage came about because of homosexuality. It is so sad to see how many bad things have been said about my dear friend. Stanwyck became a Broadway star soon afterward, when she was cast in her first leading role in Burlesque (1927). "[72], Stanwyck and Taylor mutually decided in 1950 to divorce, and after his insistence, she proceeded with the official filing of the papers. She stepped back into film for the 1964 Elvis Presley film Roustabout, in which she plays a carnival owner. ", Kathleen Howard of Stanwyck's character in, Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series. Here you will find pieces on frequently seen classics and some lesser-known gems, as well as book reviews, festival coverage, and pieces on the history, theory and culture of film as it relates to the study of classic cinema. Each was put in chronological order in large 3-ring notebooks I amassed. I pieced together her upbringing in Brooklyn, bit by bit. [26] The Noose re-opened on October 20, 1926, and became one of the most successful plays of the season, running on Broadway for nine months and 197 performances. I don’t like to gossip about other « lousy Hollywood parents, » because there is always a 3-dimensional portrait to be painted and it’s never as easy as writing them off as bad parents or bad people. It was a take it or leave it tiny bit of what she had. Her ability to play drama, film noir, and comedy with equal flair is almost unmatched. I’m well- It gave her the sense of belonging which is what work did for her and did for her throughout her life. One of the most fascinating things about Barbara Stanwyck, to me, is how much her rocky childhood influenced who she became as an actress and a person, yet she still refused to let that childhood define her. 141, Corliss, Richard. He was extremely helpful during the writing of the book and we became quite close. [36] Film critic David Thomson described Stanwyck as "giving one of the best American comedy performances",[1] and she was reviewed as brilliantly versatile in "her bravura double performance" by The Guardian. *Uncle Buck was the boyfriend of Stanwyck’s sister Millie, who was one of Stanwyck’s closest friends and biggest supporters. Shortly after Holden's death, Stanwyck recalled the moment when receiving her honorary Oscar: "A few years ago, I stood on this stage with William Holden as a presenter. "That Old Feelin': Ruby in the Rough. After she moved into television in the 1960s, she won three Emmy Awards – for The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1961), the western series The Big Valley (1966), and miniseries The Thorn Birds (1983). Stanwyck then played nightclub performer Sugarpuss O'Shea in the Howard Hawks directed, but Billy Wilder written comedy Ball of Fire (1941). November 2020. And her son realized that and forgave his mother, even though he had been pretty scarred for life by her treatment of him. Husband/Boyfriend: Frank Fay (m. 1928; div. I think the easy answer to that is that Stanwyck had been a neglected child herself. A few years later she married swoonworthy actor Robert Taylor; they divorced in 1953. I was very saddened to learn of the 2006 death of Barbara Stanwyck’s only son, Dion Anthony Fay. After a series of unsteady daily performances, he was about to be fired, but Stanwyck staunchly defended him, successfully standing up to the film producers. I have read Miss Stanwyck was a very private person. When will the 2nd part be available? BarbaraStanwyck’s most notable two relationships were her marriages. I am expecting (do not know) a thorough examination of her filmography, a bio, we know she came up the hard way, her dancing days, her first marriage, and her marriage to Robert Taylor has been touched upon elsewhere, as well as the misguided adoption of her son. She never was part of any studio family; was under contract to more than one studio when that was unheard of beginning in the early 1930’s whereas Robert Taylor, who grew up in a real family of loving parents who adored him, stayed within his Metro family for decades, longer than any other contract actor at MGM. [20] In Meet John Doe she plays an ambitious newspaperwoman with Gary Cooper (1941). Stanwyck’s sister Mildred was a chorus girl, and she soon followed suit. I’m trying to read this book. Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins CBE (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, composer, director and film producer. One of the first modern stand-up comedians. And chances are her answer would be not at all, that she was here for a time, did an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, and when it was over, it was over. I’m looking forward to learning more about the later years of Barbara Stanwyck’s life. In 1944, the government listed her as the nation's highest-paid woman, earning $400,000. Barbara Stanwyck with her son Dion Anthony Fay (called “Tony”), whom she adopted with husband Frank Fay in 1932. Why? The mission of this group was to "... combat ... subversive methods [used in the industry] to undermine and change the American way of life." She is my favorite of the Classic Stars, nobody had her range or longetivity. In 1934, he married actress Caryl Lincoln, remaining together until his death from a heart attack. He became estranged from his mother as he grew older. [96], Stanwyck died on January 20, 1990, aged 82, of congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. On August 26, 1928, Stanwyck married her Burlesque co-star, Frank Fay. She became estranged from her son in February, 1951. On the set of LADIES OF LEISURE (1930), her breakout role and her first film with director Frank Capra. [10], Stanwyck's first sound film was The Locked Door (1929), followed by Mexicali Rose, released in the same year. Fascinating subject. Tony talked to me in great detail of his years growing up, of his nurses, his years with Fay in the house, and then after, being sent away, first to schools, then to camps, of his loneliness, of his fears of his mother, and bewilderment towards her,and his defiance; of his mother’s marriage to Bob Taylor; of the years Tony lived at home during the war when Bob was in the Navy as a training officer; of his relationship with Uncle Buck*; his years after, going to various schools; of living in Beverly Hills and much much more. She publicly supported the investigations of the House Un-American Activities Committee, her husband Robert Taylor appearing to testify as a friendly witness. I can see why with the amount of research done and interviews conducted resulting in many stories would cause one to go off on side tracks. Here’s hoping that we won’t be waiting another 15 years!! In 1929, she began acting in talking pictures, receiving her major break when Frank Capra chose her for his romantic drama Ladies of Leisure (1930), which led to additional leading roles. Barbara Stanwyck. Join us at the Backlot Commissary, the place for Backlots' readers to share content and discuss movies! [92] She later converted to Roman Catholicism when she married her first husband, Frank Fay.[93]. Her ability to play drama, film noir, and comedy with equal flair is almost unmatched. Enjoy the site, and thanks for reading! [75], Stanwyck was one of the best-liked actresses in Hollywood and was friends with many of her fellow actors (as well as crew members of her films and TV shows), including Joel McCrea and his wife Frances Dee, George Brent, Robert Preston, Henry Fonda (who had a lifelong crush on her),[76][77] James Stewart, Linda Evans, Joan Crawford, Jack Benny and his wife Mary Livingstone, William Holden, Gary Cooper, and Fred MacMurray. And so, tonight, my golden boy, you got your wish."[56]. Through his friend Oscar Levant, Frank Fay met Stanwyck, a former chorus girl who had just gotten her first acting role on Broadway (in "Burlesque", 1927), earning good reviews. [46][47], She plays the columnist caught up in white lies and a holiday romance in Christmas in Connecticut (1945). "Barbara Stanwyck: Uncommon Heroine. . Stanwyck served as support and adviser to the younger Taylor, who had come from a small Nebraska town; she guided his career, and acclimated him to the sophisticated Hollywood culture. . She was the fifth – and youngest – child of Catherine Ann (née McPhee) (1870–1911) and Byron E. Stevens (1872–1919), working-class parents. She tried to ease his failure. 2019 CMBA Award for Best Profile of Classic Movie Performer or Filmmaker--"The Activism of Myrna Loy", Winner of the 2018 CiMBA Award for Best Classic Movie Series, BACKLOTS AT THE COURTHOUSE: OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND VS. FX, Winner of the 2014 CiMBA Award for Best Profile of a Classic Movie Performer or Filmmaker: A Q&A WITH JOAN FONTAINE IN HONOR OF HER 96TH BIRTHDAY, Winner of the 2011 CiMBA Award for Best Classic Movie Discussion, THE FINAL SCENE OF THE HEIRESS. . I really enjoyed the side ventures. Rather than a torrid romance, their relationship was more one of mentor and pupil. In 1946 she was "liquid nitrogen" as Martha, a manipulative murderess, costarring with Van Heflin and newcomer Kirk Douglas in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. [41][42], In Double Indemnity, the seminal film noir thriller directed by Billy Wilder, she plays the sizzling, scheming wife/blonde tramp/"destiny in high heels"[43][44] who lures an infatuated insurance salesman (Fred MacMurray) into killing her husband. [52] In reference to the actress's film work during the early sound era, Kael observed that the "[e]arly talkies sentimentality...only emphasizes Stanwyck's remarkable modernism. "Wagner Memoir Tells of Wood Death, Stanwyck Affair. Regarding their supposed ‘lavendar’ marriage, what about Farley Granger’s story in his autobiography: “After he asked Stanwyck how her husband, actor Robert Taylor, was doing, Granger says, “She just stared at me very coldly and said, ‘You mean Mr. Taylor? And he needed her – just not as his beard. Today. I enjoyed the process of working with biographers as they did their research; helping them to think about their subject and what they were discovering about him or her and I decided one day to think of writing one myself. This promises to be a terrific read! He was adopted on December 5, 1932. 6. [51], Pauline Kael, a longtime film critic for The New Yorker, admired the natural appearance of Stanwyck's acting style on screen, noting that she "seems to have an intuitive understanding of the fluid physical movements that work best on camera". ", King, Susan. Thank You. But I’m very much into the style of the old academics, and that’s the way Wilson writes. She doesn't make heavy weather of it."[33]. I am honored to be a judge of the Animal Film Festival in Grass Valley, CA. I thoroughly enjoyed the first volume of Barbara Stanwyck’s life. Lara is the author of CAPTAIN OF HER SOUL: The Life of Marion Davies (UC Press, 2022). I have pre-ordered it. She was a complex and dynamic human being with complex and dynamic problems that influence behavior. There was no competing with them. Time magazine previously reported Dion was … I agree wholeheartedly. She landed her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress when she was able to portray her character as vulgar, yet sympathetic as required by the movie. This is probably my #1 favorite biography I’ve ever read–and I’ve read a lot. On December 5, 1932 they adopted a son, Dion Anthony “Tony” Fay, who was one month old. Ruby attended various public schools in Brooklyn, where she received uniformly poor grades and routinely picked fights with the other students. She and Fay later claimed they disliked each other at first, but became close after Cherryman's death. A The answer to the question of research is a huge one . I had always been aware of Barbara Stanwyck as an interesting actress. ( Log Out /  Her childhood totally made who she was, just as our childhoods make or have made who we are. [57][58] Later, in 1961, her drama series The Barbara Stanwyck Show was not a ratings success, but it earned her an Emmy Award. This was Stanwyck's first film appearance. Stanwyck was private but she did talk about her childhood. Can’t wait for vol.2!! [54] Her professionalism on film sets led her to be named an Honorary Member of the Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame. She is a fascinating subject! [69], In 1936, while making the film His Brother's Wife (1936), Stanwyck became involved with her co-star, Robert Taylor. [10] A botched abortion at the age of 15 had resulted in complications which left Stanwyck unable to have children, according to her biographer. That’s fair. "[53] While working on 1954s Cattle Queen of Montana on location in Glacier National Park, she did some of her own stunts, including a swim in the icy lake. As I mentioned in my previous comment response, it’s not for everyone. Finally, all of the hurt and abandonment and anger and terror that she experienced as a child, and the will to survive and make something of herself, and also the love of her own sisters and brother and nephews informed the complex range of feeling and intelligence and humor and spirit and sense of fun that comes through on the screen. ( Log Out /  Francis was born on November 17 1897, in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA. This was an expensive book, and I expected a whole lot more. My wife KT Sullivan knows it. I had one ambition for my biography of Barbara Stanwyck, and that was to write a book that reflected the truth about my subject and her world, regardless of what it was. [21] One of her good friends during those years was pianist Oscar Levant, who described her as being "wary of sophisticates and phonies. I made a list of various subjects and Barbara’s name was on the list. The author mentiones a second volume. .but that particular childhood also prepared her to make her way in Hollywood. What a woman was Barbara! The couple married in 1928 and divorced in 1935. In the latter film's soundtrack, the piano music is actually being performed by Ania Dorfmann, who drilled Stanwyck for three hours a day until the actress was able to synchronize the motion of her arms and hands to match the music's tempo, giving a convincing impression that it is Stanwyck playing the piano. Arthur Hopkins described in his autobiography To a Lonely Boy, how he came to cast Stanwyck: After some search for the girl, I interviewed a nightclub dancer who had just scored in a small emotional part in a play that did not run [The Noose]. Like so many other star bios it relied on what was published in the fan magazines of the day, and published interviews. When Fay’s career paled in comparison, he turned to alcohol, becoming increasingly violent. But there are no easy answers. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. (London, 2003). As Stanwyck's film career declined during the 1950s, she moved to television. If yes, when might we expect the second volume of her wonderful biography of Barbara Stanwyck? I was left hanging at the end of Volume 1. . She gave him loyalty, devotion and her money to invest. What was your research process like in writing a book of this caliber and magnitude? She felt that if someone from her disadvantaged background had risen to success, others should be able to prosper without government intervention or assistance. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, three BAFTAs, two Emmys and the Cecil B. DeMille Award.In 1993, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts. Someone slightly odd, compelling, not beautiful but sexy, intelligent, sometimes off-putting in her off-centeredness – but always interesting on screen. In 1944, she was listed as the nation’s highest-paid woman, earning $400,000.Stanwyck made 85 films in 38 years. [32] In The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933), another controversial pre-Code film by director Capra, Stanwyck portrays an idealistic Christian caught behind the lines of Chinese civil war kidnapped by warlord Nils Asther. It is the #38 film of all time on the American Film Institute's list, as well as the #24 on its 100 Years ...100 Thrillers list and #84 on its 100 Years ...100 Passions list. A: From what I can find, the acclaimed actress Stanwyck had only an adopted son, Dion Anthony Fay, from her marriage to actor Frank Fay. She then took a job cutting dress patterns for Vogue magazine, but customers complained about her work and she was fired. Barbara Stanwyck in “The Thorn Birds,” a TV miniseries she made in 1983 and which also won her the 1983 Emmy and Golden Globe. Can’t wait for volume 2! She and Fay later claimed they disliked each other at first, but became close after Cherryman's death. However, she was estranged from him for decades. [12] Ruby's next job was as a typist for the Jerome H. Remick Music Company; work she reportedly enjoyed, however her continuing ambition was in show business, and her sister finally gave up trying to dissuade her. There is very little of Barbara Stanwyck, and nothing new. Barbara Stanwyck is often described as “the best actress who never won an Oscar,” and indeed, her versatility is staggering. [17], In 1923, a few months before her 16th birthday, Ruby auditioned for a place in the chorus at the Strand Roof, a nightclub over the Strand Theatre in Times Square. As for Fay, he never clicked in pictures. A page-turner it is indeed. [89][90], She was a fan of Objectivist author Ayn Rand, having persuaded Jack L. Warner at Warner Bros. to buy the rights to The Fountainhead before it was a best-seller, and writing to the author of her admiration of Atlas Shrugged. And so it made me wonder if there were other inaccuracies. Fay’s successful career on Broadway did not translate to the big screen, whereas Stanwyck achieved Hollywood stardom. [88] Stanwyck shared conservative Republican affiliation with such contemporaries as Mary Pickford, Walt Disney, Hedda Hopper, Randolph Scott, Robert Young, Ward Bond, William Holden, Ginger Rogers, Jimmy Stewart, George Murphy, Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Walter Brennan, Shirley Temple, Bob Hope, Adolphe Menjou, Helen Hayes, director Frank Capra, and her Double Indemnity co-star, Fred MacMurray. 4. Wonderful interview, Lara. I didn’t know much about her and did some preliminary research and realized that there hadn’t been a serious book on her; that her career spanned the history of Hollywood in its second stage and onward through television; that she’d worked with almost every major director; that she as an actress who could do almost anything onscreen; and there was the question of what she projected on the screen and where did that come from and what did it come out of . Such a woman is KT! Finally, the beatings forced Stanwyck to admit she had to get away. .I went to Chelsea, Mass and found in the records where her family moved and moved again and again, up in stature and closer to the center of town away from the rough edges of the city on the river. ", Lady Be Good – A centenary season of Barbara Stanwyck, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barbara_Stanwyck&oldid=1004816828, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "That is the kind of woman that makes whole civilizations topple. I almost think it should be called A History of Old Hollywood with an Emphasis on Barbara Stanwyck. Clearly, it would be very difficult to say for certain whether or not this was the case, especially as so many years have passed. There was the process of collecting materials – press books, articles, objects, photographs, letters, scrapbooks, reading them, taking the information I needed, thinking about it, having it lead me to other people, ideas, and so on. I want that “steel-true” strength and guts across from me, beside me, upholding me, knowing me in every way. Excellent side stories on many of the movie folks who crossed Barbara’s path. [86][87] It opposed both communist and fascist influences in Hollywood. "A coincidence," he explained. Neither film was successful; nonetheless, Frank Capra chose Stanwyck for his film Ladies of Leisure (1930). I was disappointed to see a photo of Jean Harlow in 1938, when many of us know, without looking it up, that she died in 1937. Next, she played Molly Monahan in Union Pacific (1939) with Joel McCrea. "I just wanted to survive and eat and have a nice coat", Stanwyck said. By 1944, Stanwyck had become the highest-paid woman in the United States. Adopted Son California Birth Index, 1905-1995 Name: Dion Anthony Fay Birth Date: 5 Feb 1932 Gender: Male Mother's Maiden Name: Stanwyck Birth County: Los Angeles Source Citation: Birthdate: 5 Feb 1932; Birth County: Los Angeles Source Information: Ancestry.com. Often called "The Best Actress Who Never Won an Oscar". Comprised of tireless research and interviews with the star’s family, friends, and acquaintances, the work promises to become one of the most complete and enduring biographies ever written about a motion picture star. [20] The show ran for a total of thirty-six episodes. [13] At the age of 14, she dropped out of school, taking a package wrapping job at a Brooklyn department store. I was extremely fond of Tony. Barbara Stanwyck had a reputation for being an intensely private person, refusing to talk about her difficult childhood or go into detail about her romantic relationships. . Though it seems impossible to fathom, there has never been a major biography of Barbara Stanwyck. After the divorce, they remained friendly and acted together in Stanwyck's last feature film, The Night Walker (1964). [82][83][84], Stanwyck opposed the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Their adoption of a boy, Dion Anthony Fay, didn't salve their aching marriage, and in 1935 they were divorced. This was so dangerous that the movie's professional stunt person refused to do it. It’s one of the most boring biographies I have ever read. However, their 1939 marriage was arranged with the help of Taylor's studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a common practice in Hollywood's golden age. How did your interest in Barbara Stanwyck as a subject come to be? She received her second Academy Award nomination for Ball of Fire, and in the decades since its release The Lady Eve has come to be regarded as a comedic classic with Stanwyck's performance called one of the best in American comedy.[1]. Volume Two portrays the shape of the marriage and how and why it ultimately fell apart, which, as in real life, happened over time and grew out of a set of subtle and complicated circumstances – and out of two people changing and changing out of different needs at different stages of their life, and their work. Truthfully, I don’t trust anyone who isn’t in love with her, man or woman. [18] A few months later, she obtained a job as a dancer in the 1922 and 1923 seasons of the Ziegfeld Follies, dancing at the New Amsterdam Theater. [8][9] When Mildred got a job as a showgirl, Ruby and Byron were placed in a series of foster homes (as many as four in a year), from which young Ruby often ran away. "[68] Her son died in 2006. It is often difficult to make non-fiction read well, but this book does it. She is Barbara Stanwyck. Comprised of tireless research and interviews with the star’s family, friends, and acquaintances, the work promises to become one of the most complete and enduring biographies ever written about a motion picture star. ( Log Out /  I began with making lists – of films, directors she worked with,  living people to interview, archives. “She was lucky to be alive,” writes Wilson. That scene from the thorn birds never ceases to give me goose bumps. Later on December 30, 1935, Barbara divorced her husband Fay. She and [Hal] Skelly were the perfect team, and they made the play a great success. [48][49] Stanwyck was also the vulnerable, invalid wife that overhears her own murder being plotted in Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)[50] and the doomed concert pianist in The Other Love (1947). You’d have to ask that of Stanwyck herself. Unable to have children, the couple adopted a son, Anthony Dion Fay, in 1932. I have known about this book for a long time.