Fun article!

Also, I liked your conjecture about the reasons for MM’s constant tardiness. A long time ago I wrote a photo-driven career bio of MM, and while reading the countless stories about her bad habit of being late, the idea that she was doing it as a kind of protest against the way Fox and other Hollywood types treated her came to my head — just like it did to yours. However, I could find nothing to back it up, so I did not speculate about it. It was not the forum for it. But, I think you are on to something.

I have been reading a lot about Hal Wallis lately, particularly his use of Elvis Presley, so it is a coincidence that you should bring him up. I think he might be the subject of a future post for me.

I’ve never seen any assessment of this movie by a critic or even a blogger and I totally agree with your comments about it. It’s Alright with Me is an amazing number. How did that happen in this mediocre movie?

I really suspect that the publicity hungry Hollywood executives knew exactly what the reaction to the Can-Can would be.

I am sympathetic toward you regarding the flak you took. I just suffered a professional setback in Pittsburgh.
I thought what you wrote was fine. Of course, I didn’t see the original article he was talking about and I do know a little about the subject (just as I’m sure this character who attacked you knows little about old-time Hollywood and what went on there – Has he ever written in before?). Many people never saw the article he loves so much. So, it is hard to defend you against the smear. Just like innocent people had a hard time defending their reputations against the righteous folks demanding their heads because they’re communists. Who knew the facts?
You can’t even criticize Mr. Hern’s writing in return. He only wrote one sentence and a disagreeable one at that.
Some of the facts you relate were in newspaper articles and in a book reporting that incident, among many other subjects. Name it? The Decline and Fall of Hollywood by long-time reporter Erza Goodman. He quotes the Daily Reporter, Daily Variety and various columnists and talks about some of the same things you do – Debbie and Liz, the Russian leader’s speech, Skouras, Marilyn Monroe’s tardiness, etc.

Her celebrated tardiness has been discussed in various books and psychological reasons have been given for it. But I wonder if she was rebeling against her bosses; most of us, at one time or another, would have liked to exact revenge against some superior. According to books, Martin and Lewis drove Hal Wallis nuts because they felt frustrated by his employment.