Comments on: Roman Bohnen: A Forgotten Man “And Five Thousand Others!” http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/ MovieMorlocks.com is the official blog for Turner Classic Movies (TCM). No topic is too obscure or niche to be excluded from our film discussions. And we welcome your comments on our blogs and bloggers. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:34:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: moirafinnie http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-11265 moirafinnie Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:52:48 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-11265 Hi Corey, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the blog on character actor <strong>Roman Bohnen</strong>. I've always been fascinated by the Group Theatre too and I love spotting your legendary teacher <strong>Jeff Corey</strong> in so many tiny, small and generous sized parts in older movies. Have you ever seen him in <strong>Canon City</strong>(1948-Crane Wilbur)? He is excellent and so memorable in each of his scenes. I hope that you will post again when your play about the Group Theater is ready for production. It would be great to know more about that period of the American theater. Hi Corey,
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the blog on character actor Roman Bohnen. I’ve always been fascinated by the Group Theatre too and I love spotting your legendary teacher Jeff Corey in so many tiny, small and generous sized parts in older movies. Have you ever seen him in Canon City(1948-Crane Wilbur)? He is excellent and so memorable in each of his scenes.

I hope that you will post again when your play about the Group Theater is ready for production. It would be great to know more about that period of the American theater.

]]> By: Corey Fischer http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-11263 Corey Fischer Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:22:12 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-11263 Thank you for your great research. I share multiple connections to this material. On a personal level: my father briefly worked for the Actors Lab in L.A. in the 1940s and maybe early 50's (?) Much later, I studied with Jeff Corey, another legendary character actor who was hounded for years by the HUAC and the blacklist. The silver lining was that he became a brilliant teacher -- not in the tyrannical ego-driven style of too many wannabe Strasbergs, but in his own rigorous yet gentle way, without dogma, always guiding the actor toward his or her own creativity and imagination in relationship to a role. He helped be recover from 4 years of really bad training in a university theatre department. Now, more than 40 years later, I'm writing a play based on the history of the Group for a theatre that I helped found in 1978, TJT. (http://www.tjt-sf.org/). Some of your references look like they might be helpful, so again, I thank you. Thank you for your great research. I share multiple connections to this material. On a personal level: my father briefly worked for the Actors Lab in L.A. in the 1940s and maybe early 50′s (?) Much later, I studied with Jeff Corey, another legendary character actor who was hounded for years by the HUAC and the blacklist. The silver lining was that he became a brilliant teacher — not in the tyrannical ego-driven style of too many wannabe Strasbergs, but in his own rigorous yet gentle way, without dogma, always guiding the actor toward his or her own creativity and imagination in relationship to a role. He helped be recover from 4 years of really bad training in a university theatre department. Now, more than 40 years later, I’m writing a play based on the history of the Group for a theatre that I helped found in 1978, TJT. (http://www.tjt-sf.org/). Some of your references look like they might be helpful, so again, I thank you.

]]> By: moirafinnie http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10259 moirafinnie Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:23:35 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10259 <strong>Jenni</strong> asked about what happened to <strong>Roman and Hildur Bohnen</strong>'s daughter after his death in 1949. After verifying the background information with the family archivist, <strong>Dennis Goodno</strong>, it appears that <strong>Marina Bohnen</strong> lived with Roman's brother, Arthur and his family and later stayed with her maternal aunt, Signey Bremer and her husband Al. Ms. <strong>Bohnen</strong> is still living and I hope she derives some satisfaction from our collective appreciation of her father's life work here. It is very touching to read so many comments here about the effect of <strong>Roman Bohnen</strong>'s work on viewers to this day. The scene when he reads aloud his son's citations to his wife (the gifted <strong>Gladys George</strong>) in<strong> Best Years of Our Lives</strong> is beautifully done; not because of the words he reads, but the intense feeling he imbues every formal phrase with throughout that scene. I'm so glad that we have all had a recent chance to see <strong>Bohnen</strong>'s exemplary work in <strong>Of Mice and Men</strong> again, thanks to TCM. I share Suzidoll's fascination with the Group Theatre and have always found myself drawn to the Group actors who emigrated to Hollywood, (many of them had moved to LA by 1942), even before knowing their connection to one another. Thanks to each of you for taking the time to comment. Jenni asked about what happened to Roman and Hildur Bohnen‘s daughter after his death in 1949. After verifying the background information with the family archivist, Dennis Goodno, it appears that Marina Bohnen lived with Roman’s brother, Arthur and his family and later stayed with her maternal aunt, Signey Bremer and her husband Al. Ms. Bohnen is still living and I hope she derives some satisfaction from our collective appreciation of her father’s life work here.

It is very touching to read so many comments here about the effect of Roman Bohnen‘s work on viewers to this day. The scene when he reads aloud his son’s citations to his wife (the gifted Gladys George) in Best Years of Our Lives is beautifully done; not because of the words he reads, but the intense feeling he imbues every formal phrase with throughout that scene. I’m so glad that we have all had a recent chance to see Bohnen‘s exemplary work in Of Mice and Men again, thanks to TCM.

I share Suzidoll’s fascination with the Group Theatre and have always found myself drawn to the Group actors who emigrated to Hollywood, (many of them had moved to LA by 1942), even before knowing their connection to one another.

Thanks to each of you for taking the time to comment.

]]> By: CineMaven http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10257 CineMaven Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:38:02 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10257 Bohnen broke my heart in "The Best Years Of Our Lives" and infuriated me in "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers." And the detailed thoughtful research that Morlock writers put into their essays and articles are a wonder to behold. Thank you! Bohnen broke my heart in “The Best Years Of Our Lives” and infuriated me in “The Strange Love of Martha Ivers.” And the detailed thoughtful research that Morlock writers put into their essays and articles are a wonder to behold.

Thank you!

]]> By: Suzi http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10240 Suzi Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:50:39 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10240 I love anything about the Group Theatre, so this was right up my alley. And, I knew nothing about Bohmen. Great post. I love anything about the Group Theatre, so this was right up my alley. And, I knew nothing about Bohmen. Great post.

]]> By: Patricia http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10234 Patricia Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:56:17 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10234 Thank you for the fascinating insights into the Group Theatre and Mr. Bohnen. When my daughter was beginning high school they studied "Of Mice and Men" and she thanked me for sharing the 1939 version with her before they viewed one of the later movies in class. Thank you for the fascinating insights into the Group Theatre and Mr. Bohnen.

When my daughter was beginning high school they studied “Of Mice and Men” and she thanked me for sharing the 1939 version with her before they viewed one of the later movies in class.

]]> By: Jenni http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10228 Jenni Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:55:51 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10228 Great post! I watched Of Mice and Men this summer, when TCM ran it. Very powerful movie imho, and was moved much by Mr. Bohnen's performance as Candy, and especially when his dog was shot, and the aftermath of that. Living in the St. Louis area, I hadn't heard about a school talking about banning the book for un-pc language. My son read the book at his highschool last year, he really liked the story, but the movie he viewed in class was the remake with Gary Sinise as George, and John Malkovich as Lenny. I will tivo this version again, and have my son watch it. Since he knows Burgess Meredith from Rocky, and Lon Chaney Jr. from The Wolfman, I am sure he'll enjoy this version of OM&M. Sad about Mr. Bohnen's daughter left an orphan. Who took her in I wonder? Relatives? Did you find out about that, Moira? Great post! I watched Of Mice and Men this summer, when TCM ran it. Very powerful movie imho, and was moved much by Mr. Bohnen’s performance as Candy, and especially when his dog was shot, and the aftermath of that. Living in the St. Louis area, I hadn’t heard about a school talking about banning the book for un-pc language. My son read the book at his highschool last year, he really liked the story, but the movie he viewed in class was the remake with Gary Sinise as George, and John Malkovich as Lenny. I will tivo this version again, and have my son watch it. Since he knows Burgess Meredith from Rocky, and Lon Chaney Jr. from The Wolfman, I am sure he’ll enjoy this version of OM&M.
Sad about Mr. Bohnen’s daughter left an orphan. Who took her in I wonder? Relatives? Did you find out about that, Moira?

]]> By: Nancy Kleeman http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10227 Nancy Kleeman Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:35:12 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10227 I'm so glad and excited to see a good article on our cousin, Roman and special thanks to my cousin Dennis, who has been so dilligent about the geneaology of our family. His website and contact with me have made my searches more fruitful, as we continue to find out more and more about our family. Nancy Kleeman I’m so glad and excited to see a good article on our cousin, Roman and special thanks to my cousin Dennis, who has been so dilligent about the geneaology of our family. His website and contact with me have made my searches more fruitful, as we continue to find out more and more about our family.

Nancy Kleeman

]]> By: Medusa http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10226 Medusa Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:29:47 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10226 Wonderful piece on Bohnen. I've always particularly loved him in "The Best Years..." and can't wait to catch "Of Mice and Men" after many years of not seeing it. Fascinating about his theatre background and the flack he took from colleagues about choosing to go to Hollywood. He sounds like a truly decent man in addition to being such a fine actor. I loved reading this, though it was ultimately rather tragic. Quite a story. Wonderful piece on Bohnen. I’ve always particularly loved him in “The Best Years…” and can’t wait to catch “Of Mice and Men” after many years of not seeing it.

Fascinating about his theatre background and the flack he took from colleagues about choosing to go to Hollywood.

He sounds like a truly decent man in addition to being such a fine actor. I loved reading this, though it was ultimately rather tragic. Quite a story.

]]> By: Andrew http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/10/07/roman-bohnen-a-forgotten-man-and-five-thousand-others/#comment-10224 Andrew Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:51:22 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=14940#comment-10224 Moira, I really appreciate your drawing our attention to one of the best actors of his generation--even if he is one mostly known by sight rather than name. It would be great if both Maria Ouspenskaya and Roman Bohnen received a day devoted to their appearances in film. I look forward to the next two posts on character actors. Hope this marks a trend. Andrew Moira,
I really appreciate your drawing our attention to one of the best actors of his generation–even if he is one mostly known by sight rather than name. It would be great if both Maria Ouspenskaya and Roman Bohnen received a day devoted to their appearances in film.

I look forward to the next two posts on character actors. Hope this marks a trend.
Andrew

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