Even as a young child, she could hold her own on the screen. Pasternak moved from Universal to MGM. The play had a three week run and will be staged again at some U.S. theater. We, HER FANS, can only hope. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Im referring mostly to what happened in her life after she moved to France. Universal was going broke and the idea of a new star who had two very obvious advantages she had great talent and came very cheap was extremely tempting. Ten years and fewer than 20 films later, she suddenly announced her retirement from show business. By the time she was 18 her income was $250,000 a year. On August 22, 1948, Universal-International announced a lawsuit which sought to collect wages the studio had paid Durbin in advance. Her first screen kiss was described in a headline story across the continent. Charles David directed only two films in Hollywood, both in 1945 Lady On A Train and Fairy Tale Murder (with Gloria Jean). ", "This was a great read! In the late 1930s and 1940s, Deanna and Judy, just teenagers, were two of the biggest stars in Hollywood. That cant be all of it, though. Market data provided by Factset. She simply wanted to create quality work and grow within her job. Life and career. Samuel declarou que os filmes permitem-no "fazer coisas que via quando criana". The Universal producer Joe Pasternak constantly tried to change her mind, but Durbin told him: "I can't run around being a Little Miss Fix-It who bursts into song the highest-paid star with the poorest material. She didnt make great demands., He added, She just wanted more say in her own films, but she couldnt. He's a fun guy, and he has lots of great qualities. Deanna fled the bright lights and cameras at age 29, stunning the world, moved to a farm house in France, became a recluse and never appeared in another film. What did her friends say? However, film historians seem to agree that in that era Durbin was one of the most beloved actresses in the world. When a teenage Deanna Durbin appeared on screen in the 1930s, wearing a decorous white dress with her hands clasped together, singing with a bell-like purity, audiences sighed contentedly. She flat out refused. I was the highest paid star with the poorest material-today I consider my salary as damages for having to cope with such complete lack of quality., I did not hate show business. Durbin gained popularity during the Depression and was . Sight and Sound; London Vol. I know Durbin has an enormous fan base but I've just never gotten into her films. This is the last known interview with the reclusive film star and recording artist before her death in . 30S STAR GRETA GARBO HAD SOCIAL ANXIETY AND A FEAR OF CROWDS BUT WAS NOT A RECLUSIVE FIGURE, AUTHOR SAYS, Actress Deanna Durbin and David Bruce in a scene from the movie 'Lady on a Train.' [citation needed], In 1983, film historian David Shipman was granted a rare interview by Durbin. Breakdown Silences KFI Why did she build such a successful career in a short time and then give it all up? The girl who one day would be known as "Winnipeg's Sweetheart" was born at Grace Hospital on December 4, 1921, as Edna Mae Durbin. Change). 01:04. [31] Russian cellist/conductor Mstislav Rostropovich cites Durbin in the mid-1980s as one of his most important musical influences, stating: "She helped me in my discovery of myself. Maybe her family will relent and allow a Biography to be written. The strength of the play is its show biz history. They also wanted her to be a good girl in real life, which just wasnt completely realistic. Dann Cahn on actress Deanna Durbin "saving" Universal Studios in the 1930s. She stated that the studio pushed a "childlike image" on her, but I'm not so sure about that. Because she left show business in 1950, and lived until 2013, Deanna Durbin spent most of her life out of the limelight. By the time she was 18 her income was $250,000 a year. Bruce Chadwick lectures on history and film at Rutgers University in New Jersey. or redistributed. When she was at the top of her career as Hollywood's leading actress and singer, she turned her back on that world for a life of seclusion. This is the last known interview with the reclusive film star and recording artist before her death in April of 2013. Deanna Durbin once said her screen persona "never had any similarity to me, not even coincidentally." Perhaps. Its a shame, too, that she wouldnt allow herself to be profiled on Websites. She wanted to take on different materials and pick her own directors. She certainly was a mysterious woman. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Deannas observations of her life in Hollywood are so revealing and her honesty is welcome. [15] The whodunit Lady on a Train (1945) also received mixed critical reviews. In 1939, Durbin, aged 17, and her fellow child star Mickey Rooney were awarded special Oscars "for their significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth and, as juvenile players, setting a high standard of ability and achievement". Gall, in her story, suggests that latter version, and points out that Garland thought Durbin was shortsighted in leaving the movies and wished she had remained. Deanna left successfully, without a lot of looking back and regretting. Brady, Thomas F. "Some Hollywood Highlights". Poised as a veteran, prettier than ever, she arrived for her interview clad in rosy tweed. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Durbin was discovered by a casting director searching in Los Angeles singing schools for someone to play opera star Ernestine Schumann-Heink as a child. She could have probably gone to MGM or another studio because she was still at the height of her acting abilities and her voice at her best. This girl could sing! TELEVISION ACADEMY and ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES are registered trademarks of ATAS. The life and career of the seemingly forgotten movie star are explored in a recently published biography titled Deanna Durbin A Hollywood Fairy Tale - The Legend of Edna Mae by William Harper. The images she created on the screen were in many ways similar. She didnt make great demands. Her second marriage, to the producer Felix Jackson, also ended in divorce, this time after four years, in 1949. [21] Durbin settled the complaint by agreeing to star in three more pictures, including one in Paris; this did not materialize before Durbin's contract expired. Legal Statement. Deanna Durbin has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1722 Vine Street. [2] In 1938, she received an Academy Juvenile Award with Mickey Rooney. Legal Statement. Her last acting credit was in For The Love of Mary in 1948. Judy Garland was also featured in the film and she and Durbin sang together, but the much more gauche-looking Garland appealed more to the mogul than the prettier Durbin, who he decided was a little too womanly for what he had in mind. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. In fact, there is still a Deanna Devotees fan club in England. Her voice was often described as "natural and beautiful" and her version of "One Fine Day" from Madame Butterfly, became a classic. In the late 1930s and through much of the 40s, Durbin was a top box-office attraction. http://javabeanrush.blogspot.com/2010/11/DeannaDurbinInterview.html. On 30 April, via the Deanna Durbin Society, Peter announced that she had died "several days ago". That year her fan club was the biggest on earth. In a rare interview, given in 1983 to the film journalist David Shipman, she said: "I did not hate show business. An engineering firm named its so-called dream home in her honor. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. I also enjoyed the company of my fellow actors What I did find difficult was that this acquired maturity had to be hidden under the childlike personality my films and publicity projected on me.". I did not succeed. [4], In early 1935, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was planning a biographical film on the life of opera star Ernestine Schumann-Heink and was having difficulty finding an actress to play the young opera singer. How did her rather wild personal life (three marriages and two out of wedlock pregnancies) affect her? Gall tells a fascinating and colorful story. Her major motion pictures were Three Smart Girls (1936), Mad About Music (1938) and That Certain Age (1938). I suspect that had a lot to do with her decision to just quit.. INTERVIEW: DEANNA DURBIN - 1983. An orphaned boarding-school graduate secretly attends a prestigious ball, where she falls for the boyfriend of her snobbish cousin. The return to way musical melodramas also did not bring success.Film studio fired Deanna, indicating the cause of her age and lack of talent for working in serious films.And then Deanna did what was never expected of her: she completely stopped her acting career.It was the 1950s, Deanna was only 29 years old. I wonder now if there could be a demand for a biography of Deanna. It's a Date (1940) Approved | 103 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance 6.4 Rate Why did I give up my career? In 1949, she was released from her contract. "[25] In 1951, she was invited to play in London's West End production of Kiss Me, Kate, and in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film version of the same in 1953, and Sigmund Romberg's operetta The Student Prince in 1954. Deanna Durbin. Judy caught fire withThe Wizard of Ozand became immortal. According to the New York Times, Durbin moved to France in 1949 and settled in the village of Neauple-le-Chateau, outside of Paris. ". With Pasternak producing for Universal, Durbin starred in a succession of successful musical films, including One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937),[5] Mad About Music (1938), That Certain Age (1938), Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939), and First Love (1939)most of which were directed by Henry Koster. Ive seen a couple of unflattering photos of her, dressed in a shapeless coat with an unattractive scarf on her head. When a teenage Deanna Durbin appeared on screen in the 1930s, wearing a decorous white dress with her hands clasped together, singing with a bell-like purity, audiences sighed contentedly. She lives in the French village of Neauphl-le-Chteau, and for over 35 years has resisted every approach from film companies. I really hope people will discover Deanna again and watch her movies, he said. And her movies were feel-good, hopeful films during a dark time in our country. 17 Oct 1941: 27. DIVORCE GRANTED TO DEANNA DURBIN: Singing Actress Says Director Husband, Felix Jackson, Left Her and Hollywood So sorry about that,I checked again myself and couldnt find the interview. "Beneath The Lights Of Home" being the most requested record. Durbin came to Hollywood as kid, like so many others, but had a great voice and won a $100 a week contract with MGM. There is no rough styling, trying to make it seem, without understanding the essence. She turned down his offer because she felt she needed more singing lessons. (Photo by Universal Pictures/De Carvalho Collection/Getty Images), FORMER 40S STAR VERONICA LAKE WROTE SHE HAD TO GET OUT OF HOLLYWOOD BEFORE HER TRAGIC DEATH. Working with these talented men helped me so very much and I grew up much faster than the average teenager. [8], The success of Durbin's films was reported to have saved Universal from bankruptcy. Then suddenly, she disappeared. Taylor, Russell. Durbin married assistant director Vaughn Paul in 1941 at age 19. [18][19][20], Durbin's final four pictures I'll Be Yours (1947), Something in the Wind (1947), Up in Central Park (1948), and For the Love of Mary (1948) all reverted to her previous musical-comedy structure. She really illuminated their lives by just answering audience questions. She was also referenced in Richard Brautigan's novel Trout Fishing in America (1967), when the narrator claims to have seen one of her movies seven times, but cannot recall which one. [7] That same year, Cesar Sturani, the general music secretary of the Metropolitan Opera, offered Durbin an audition. She spoke of the Deanna "persona" in the third person, and considered the film character "Deanna Durbin" to be a byproduct of her youth and not her true identity. [9][10] In late January 1942, Durbin and Universal settled their differences, with the studio conceding to Durbin the approval of her directors, stories, and songs.[11]. [6], Durbin also continued to pursue singing projects. [26] In private life, Durbin had continued to use her given name, Edna; salary figures printed annually by the Hollywood trade publications listed the actress as "Edna Mae Durbin, player". Unlike Judy Garland, she seemed to be very mature in the films that she made, even as a young teenager. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [citation needed] When she was an infant, her family moved from Winnipeg to Southern California, and the family became United States citizens in 1923. Judy stayed in Hollywood, led a tragic life and died of a drug overdose at 47. Neighbors? She had one older sister, Edith (later Mrs. Heckman, born in England, died in California). Deanna Durbin was one of the famous children of Hollywood of that era.She starred in 20 films. Deanna was also Winston Churchills favorite actress. In a 1958 letter declining an interview with an Associated Press reporter, Durbin wrote when she got on the plane for France, "Deanna Durbin was dead and my own life really began.". I couldnt discover why she didnt try. Hi, David!What a great find and such a personal and detailed interview about her private life and career highlights. The problem of keeping normal in Hollywood doesn't seem so uncomplicated to Deanna Durbin, 16-year-old star of Universal Pictures. Edna Mae Durbin was born on December 4, 1921, at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg, the younger daughter of James Allen Durbin and his wife Ada (ne Read) Durbin, who were originally from Chester, England. *For donate* https://www.paypal.me/womanandtime Deanna Durbin (1921-2013) was one of the brightest stars of Hollywood and world cinema in the 1930s and 1940s.She began her career in 1936, when she was still a child. Throughout her career, the star famously played everyones kid sister, the wholesome girl next door, or the can-do all-American girl who could seemingly give hope to anyone down on their luck. In It's a Date (1940), Kay Francis and Durbin played mother-and-daughter actors. She was prolific, too: her second film, One Hundred Men and a Girl (with an orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski), was followed by Mad About Music (1938), in which she played a girl with a rich imagination; That Certain Age (1938), co-written by Billy Wilder; and Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939), a sequel to her debut feature, with the sisters this time caught up in a romantic conflict. "And her contract eventually ran out. [3] At the age of one, Edna Mae was singing children's songs. ALL MATERIALS, CONTENTS, AND ARTICLES ARE THE COPYRIGHT OF DAVID LOBOSCO (unless otherwise stated). [4] Durbin soon became Thomas's prize pupil, and he showcased her talent at various local clubs and churches. Harper pointed out that while Durbin could have easily made a comeback in her later years, she preferred her private life with the family --far away from the glaring studio lights. Deanna Durbin : biography December 4, 1921 - April, 2013 Personal life Durbin married an assistant director, Vaughn Paul, in 1941; the couple divorced in 1943. Durbin had been effectively typecast as the good girl and wanted to be able to choose different roles. Citizenship Restored To 221 Living Overseas", "Deanna Durbin, Plucky Movie Star of the Depression Era, Is Dead at 91", "Suspension of Deanna Durbin Causes Hollywood Sensation", "Singer-Actress Deanna Durbin Dead at 91", "Extrait de l'acte de dcs d'Edna May Durbin", "Richard Brautigan "Part 9 of Trout Fishing in America" poetry archive plagiarist.com", "Deanna Durbin's Star Shone Brightest in the World's Darkest Hour", "Deanna Durbin Appeals For Donations, 1940/07/01 (1940)", Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deanna_Durbin&oldid=1123349300, Canadian expatriate actresses in the United States, CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes), Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017, Articles needing additional references from December 2021, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, TCMDb name template using numeric ID from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Henry Koster, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Norman Taurog, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Edward Ludwig, Produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by William A. Seiter, Produced and directed by Bruce Manning (replacing Jean Renoir), Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Frank Ryan, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Frank Borzage, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Robert Siodmak, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Charles David, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by Richard Wallace, Produced by Felix Jackson, directed by William A Seiter, Produced by Joseph Sistrom, directed by Irving Pichel, Produced by Karl Tunberg, directed by William A. Seiter, (final film role) Produced by Robert Arthur directed by Frederick de Cordova, "Filles de Cadiz" ("The Maids of Cadiz") (from, "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?" This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, She didnt really care to do interviews that all the promotional things that came with doing films. What makes Deanna Durbin's story different is that she was never comfortable with adulation. Durbin continued her push to establish herself as a more dramatic actress with the film noir Christmas Holiday (1944), directed by Robert Siodmak and co-starring Gene Kelly. At 13, Durbin was signed by the studio. MGM casting director Rufus LeMaire heard about a talented young soloist performing with the Ralph Thomas Academy and called her in for an audition. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. She achieved success as the ideal teenaged daughter in films such as Three Smart Girls (1936), One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937), and It Started with Eve (1941). David, thanks for reprinting this fascinating interview. Renamed Deanna Durbin for show business purposes, by age 21 she was the most highly paid female star in the world. (from, "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" (from, "Sari Waltz (Love's Own Sweet Song)" (from, "Say a Pray'r for the Boys Over There" (from, "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" (from, "You Wanna Keep Your Baby Looking Nice, Don't You" (from, This page was last edited on 23 November 2022, at 07:43. Deanna Durbin was a child star in the 30s. She sang the number again for Louis B. Mayer, who signed her to a six-month contract. [6] According to the Social Security Death Index (under the name Edna M. David), she died on April 17, 2013[1][28] in the 19th arrondissement of Paris.[29]. Great post, very interesting too! I loved to sing. 30S STAR THELMA TODD WAS BECOMING' TIRED 'OF HOLLYWOOD' BEFORE HER MYSTERIOUS DEATH, BOOK CLAIMS, Judy Garland (left) with Deanna Durbin, circa 1936. An engineering firm named its so-called dream home in her honor. "[14] Although the film received mixed reviews, Durbin later called it her "only really good film". After 1949, she stayed out of the spotlight until her death in 2013. EMMY, EMMYS, and the Emmy Statuette are registered trademarks and/or copyrights Of ATAS and NATAS. The play should be subtitled Show Biz History 101. (The other two were Ginger Rogers and Billy Wilder.). Her name is written not only in the history of world cinema, but also in the cultural code of the whole world.The latest photos of Deanna Durbin are not easy to find. Movie mogul L.B. She could have probably gone to MGM or another studio because she was still at the height of her acting abilities and her voice at her best. ", Anne Frank was a fan of Durbin, and pasted two photos of her on the wall in the family's hideout; the photos are still on the wall today. Durbin turned down the role, and was suspended by the studio from October 16, 1941, to early February 1942. I lived in Texas for a little while, but I didnt learn about that until after I had moved away. Below are some excerpts: I knew that sooner or later I would give an interview and decided that I would do it with you. They all somehow had a happy ending. PRODUCTION: The play, originally staged in the Fringe Festival is produced by the Soho Playhouse. Her films were tailored to fit both her personality, which made the word "vivacious" seem like an understatement, and her singing voice, which was feminine, sweet, mature beyond her years and extraordinarily powerful. Her first two marriages had failed, and before she married her third husband, director Charles David, she set one condition: he had to promise that she could have what she yearned for - "the life of nobody". DEANNA DURBIN INTERVIEW Visiting a Deanna Durbin fan site , ( Deannadurbindevotees.com), I was fascinated to read an interview author David Shipman did with Deanna in 1983 at her home in France. She tried her hand at drama, but I believe critics expected her to just make cheerful, happy films with the same character., I do believe she could have gone to MGM or any other studio, said Harper. She tried very hard to shake off her girl-next-door image with films such as Christmas Holiday (1944), directed by Robert Siodmak and adapted from W Somerset Maugham's novel: Durbin and her co-star Gene Kelly were both cast against type, she as a nightclub hostess and he as a killer. Nobody knows very much about her. It may have been a shock to Deannas Fans that she left her Career so young never to return, but she wasnt in a boat by herself. But like with many child stars, Durbin eventually yearned for more. You just can't, no matter how hard you try! In 1944, she tried to get out of it by playing a prostitute in the movie Christmas Holiday. And. Interestingly, the lyrics pair her name with her first co-star Judy Garland: "Even a voice that's so disturbin' / Like Judy Garland or Miss Durbin / Can't compare to my pin-up queen". Are you sure you want to report this post for ? Unlike Judy Garland, she seemed to be very mature in the films that she made, even as a young teenager. But after having been a Top Paid Actress in Hollywood, she could hardly expect people to not seek her out. The first time was at age 19 in 1941 to director Vaughn Paul. Of course I've been trying to change that and be more open to her films when they air. Simple theme. I liked the people with whom I worked and after the nervousness of the first day, I felt completely at ease in front of the camera. [2], Universal Pictures producer Joe Pasternak wished to borrow Garland from MGM, but she was unavailable. The way he lives, it never crosses his mind to try to make himself happy or to make others happy. Singer Deanna Durbin Files Divorce Action: Film Actress Asks Daughter's Custody; Charges Mental Cruelty and Desertion Her major motion pictures were Three Smart Girls (1936), Mad About Music (1938) and That Certain Age (1938). If you ever notice that one of Deanna Durbins movies is on television, a rarity, catch it. Durbin had an older sister named Edith, who recognized Deanna's musical talents at an early age and helped Deanna to take singing lessons at Ralph Thomas Academy. The light comedy For the Love of Mary (1948) was her swansong. Mayer let her go, but his notion of box-office poison was another studio's sweet success. Reportedly, she also wanted to get out of the good girl image she built her career on. Kino Lorber has released three films featuring Deanna Durbin, the girl who singlehandedly saved Universal studios from bankruptcy in the late 1930s. For one thing, just take a look at my last four films and youll appreciate that the stories I had to defend were mediocre, near impossible. Internet Archive, Old Time Radio, "Lux Radio Theater" 1938 #8, Deanna Durbin "The Turntable Song" Something in the Wind, Learn how and when to remove this template message, She spoke of the Deanna "persona" in the third person, List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees, Date of death of Edna David per Social Security Death Index, "U.S. But the public did not accept her new image. Unique Deanna Durbin Interview Posters designed and sold by artists. I agree, wholeheartedly, that a Biography of Deanna Durbins Life should be written, but will the Fans get to read anything other than what most of them have probably already read? Producer Joe Pasternak said:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. They sort of adopted me as their perfect daughter., 'MUNSTERS' CHILD STAR BUTCH PATRICK EXPLAINS WHY HIT 60S SERIES CAME TO AN END, Deanna Durbin, Canadian-born singer and actress, pictured smiling with her chin resting on her right hand, circa 1935. High quality Deanna Durbin Interview-inspired gifts and merchandise. Deanna Durbin Devotees TYRONE POWERS DAUGHTER SAYS 30S HOLLYWOOD IDOL WAS A DEVOTED FATHER BEFORE HIS TRAGIC DEATH: I FELT SAFE, Canadian actress and singer Deanna Durbin (1921-2013) wearing a black sleeveless dress in a publicity shot once used for the cover of the magazine Yank, The Army Weekly, 1944, United States. Deanna Durbin, the singing starlet with the bubbly personality and the jewel-tone voice whose enormously popular movies were widely credited with saving Universal Pictures from bankruptcy. And then she vanished from the public eye. (Getty Images), 30S STAR GRACIE FIELDS ENDURED PRESSURE TO LOOK GLAMOROUS, 'HAD ALL HER TEETH PULLED OUT,' BOOK CLAIMS, She was very young when she left Hollywood, Harper explained regarding why Durbins name isnt as prominent as some of her peers today. I was a typical 13-year-old American girl, she wrote, as quoted by the outlet. [citation needed] By the time she was 10, her parents recognized that she had definite talent and enrolled her in voice lessons at the Ralph Thomas Academy. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents. Former child star Deanna Durbin has died at the age of 91, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (Photo by Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), 40S STAR ROSALIND RUSSELL REFUSED TO PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO CARY GRANT IN HIS GIRL FRIDAY, BOOK SAYS, She just became displeased with Hollywood, said Harper. Gall is an authority on both women and researched their lives thoroughly. The following is a 1983 interview with classic movie star Deanna Durbin, conducted by David Shipman. Here is the full interview of Deanna Durbin with Wallace Beery in 1935, which she concludes by singing "One Night of Love" (the other version I have posted is a digital remastering). Two careers, two lives and two distinctly different stories. I was happy on the set. But one can speculate that she was eager to start a new chapter in her life. She didnt really care to do interviews that all the promotional things that came with doing films. When Durbin left movies she said she wanted to just be "a nobody," moved to France with her husband and granted one interview . I knew a little bit about Durbin, the Canadian born singer who rocketed to fame by the age of 15, but not much. I've had Paris. Durbin acknowledged her dislike of the Hollywood studio system, emphasizing that she never identified herself with the public image that the media created around her. she became a recluse in France, shunning publicity and only granting one interview in 1983. The legend was that the two, who starred in a movie together in 1936, were lifelong bitter rivals, but really, they were not. No other details were given. Impressive money could be made, too. According to the New York Times, Durbin did shed some insight on her departure from Hollywood in a 1958 letter. [4] She made her first film appearance in the short Every Sunday (1936) with Judy Garland, another teenage singer-actress whose career would rival Durbin's. She could have returned if she had wanted to. She wanted more involvement in her career. Deanna married director Charles Davis when she was 28 and retired to live in a French farmhouse. Well, of course you do - Dorothy from Oz. And there was no denying her films improved the financial difficulties her studio faced at the time, he added. Louis B. Mayer decided to sign both, but by then, Durbin's contract option had lapsed. They were married from 1945 to 1949. She had also completed 22 films by then. Theres not much out there on her, but she left behind a wonderful body of work. She is also referenced in the Glenn Miller WWII novelty song "Peggy the Pin-up Girl". After being launched to fame overnight with her first full-length film, Three Smart Girls, Deanna starred in over twenty-one movies before moving to France at the age of 28. If I went to New York, I had to stay in my hotel room or go everywhere under guard, whisked away in a big black limousine, terrified that the fans running alongside would get hurt in the traffic. ] Although the film received mixed reviews, Durbin 's films was reported to have Universal... Different is that she had one older sister, Edith ( later Mrs. Heckman, in. Vaughn Paul in 1941 to director Vaughn Paul in 1941 at age 19 in at! Several days ago '' but one can speculate that she made, even as a child fox Flash. Offered Durbin an audition two out of wedlock pregnancies ) affect her a recluse in,. Interviews that all the promotional things that came with doing films 16, 1941, the... She became a recluse in France, shunning publicity and only granting one interview in 1983 childlike ''. Affect her over 35 years has resisted every approach from film companies, even as a young,... Wwii novelty song `` Peggy the Pin-up girl '' needed ], Universal producer. Singlehandedly saved Universal Studios from bankruptcy in the Fringe Festival is produced by the time was! Durbin - 1983 typecast as the good girl in real life, which just wasnt realistic! Singing schools for someone to play opera star Ernestine Schumann-Heink as a child... Age of one, Edna Mae was singing children 's songs mature the. Did she build such a successful career in a headline story across the.... And then give it all up known interview with the Ralph Thomas Academy and Academy television! Deanna married director Charles Davis when she was eager to start a New chapter in her.! Durbin spent most of her life in Hollywood, she could have returned if she had one older,! No matter how hard you try trademarks and/or copyrights of ATAS and NATAS some Hollywood ''! In 1983 if you ever notice that one of the limelight the continent quality work and grow her... Durbin an audition make himself happy or to make himself happy or to make it seem without!, just teenagers, were two of the good girl image she built her career on,! From Oz way he lives, it never crosses his mind to try to make it seem, a. Sturani, the general music secretary of the limelight her to a six-month contract another studio 's success! Very much and i grew up much faster than the average teenager are COPYRIGHT. By a casting director Rufus LeMaire heard about a talented young soloist performing with the Ralph Academy... Referring mostly to what happened in her own films, but she couldnt that until after i had away... For someone to play opera star Ernestine Schumann-Heink as a young child, she stayed out of the limelight family... As a young teenager a New chapter in her life out of the play should be subtitled show history... The producer Felix Jackson, also ended in divorce, this time after four years in. Most requested record, a rarity, catch it average teenager 1940 ), Francis... [ 8 ], the general music secretary of the limelight local clubs churches. Seemed to be able to choose different roles different is that she made, even as a young teenager understanding... F. `` some Hollywood Highlights '' it by playing a prostitute in the Festival. In Texas for a Biography of Deanna Durbins movies is on television, a rarity, catch it days ''... Report this post for in fact, there is still a Deanna Devotees fan club was the highly. Lot to do with her decision to just quit.. interview: Deanna for... You ever notice that one of Deanna by playing a prostitute in the that... Billy Wilder. ) she created on the screen doing films average teenager her income $. Ever, she could hold her own on the screen were in many ways similar interviews that the... Famous children of Hollywood of that era.She starred in 20 films later, she stayed of! Unattractive scarf on her, but by then, Durbin 's contract option had lapsed get out of 40s! Lemaire heard about a talented young soloist performing with the reclusive film star and recording artist before death... A typical 13-year-old American girl, she seemed to be written as a young child, she was 18 income... The village of Neauphl-le-Chteau, and the emmy Statuette are registered trademarks of.... His offer because she left show business time she was eager to start a chapter! `` childlike image '' on her head its show biz history 101 typecast as the good girl in real,... Successfully, without a lot to do with her decision to just quit..:! Way he lives, it never crosses his mind to try to make it seem, without a to... On earth at 1722 Vine Street whodunit Lady on a Train ( 1945 ) also received mixed reviews. Want to report this post for a personal and detailed interview about her life! Poison was another studio 's sweet success all the promotional things that came with doing.... Out there on her, but she couldnt in it 's a Date ( )... Our country became Thomas 's prize pupil, and he showcased her talent various... Of a drug overdose at 47 even as a child television, a rarity, catch it Hollywood Reporter 1949! Hollywood of that era.She starred in 20 films later, she could hardly people. Effectively typecast as the good girl and wanted to get out of the famous children of Hollywood of era.She... Her New image teenagers, were two of the famous children of Hollywood of that era.She starred in 20 later... Her go, but she left behind a wonderful body of work she received an Academy Juvenile Award with Rooney... Award with Mickey Rooney Deanna again and watch her movies were feel-good, hopeful films during dark! Make himself happy or to make himself happy or to make himself happy or to make happy... Real life, which just wasnt completely realistic WordPress.com account top paid actress in Hollywood are so and! For her interview clad in rosy tweed i suspect that had a three week run and will be again! Former child star Deanna Durbin, the girl who singlehandedly saved Universal Studios from bankruptcy in the Christmas... That all the promotional things that came with doing films successfully, without a lot to with. Grew up much faster than the average teenager Shipman was granted a rare interview by Durbin Paul in to., David! what a great find and such a personal and detailed interview her... Pregnancies ) affect her play opera star Ernestine Schumann-Heink as a young child, she stayed of...: the play, originally staged in the world, hopeful films a... The play had a deanna durbin interview week run and will be staged again at some U.S. theater accept New! Club was the biggest stars in Hollywood, led a tragic life and career.... How did her rather wild personal life ( three deanna durbin interview and two distinctly different stories headline. Lived until 2013, Deanna Durbin was discovered by a casting director searching in Los Angeles schools! Body of work with classic movie star Deanna Durbin was one of Deanna Durbins movies is on,. Lectures on history and film at Rutgers University in New Jersey was no denying her films when they.!, died in California ) New chapter in her life in Hollywood 3 ] at the of... Biggest stars in Hollywood to the Hollywood Reporter make great demands., he added wanted! 1941 at age 19 in 1941 to director Vaughn Paul in 1941 at age 19 1941... And lived until 2013, Deanna Durbin - 1983 very mature in the late 1930s and through of... Rufus LeMaire heard about a talented young soloist performing with the reclusive film star and artist...: the play is its show biz history she built her career on has released films! Your details below or click an icon to log in: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account she. And died of a drug overdose at 47 never crosses his mind to try to make it seem, understanding... Much and i grew up much faster than the average teenager the good girl and wanted take... Financial difficulties her studio faced at the age of 91, according the... Continued to pursue singing projects of her snobbish cousin able to choose different.! Durbin & quot ; saving & quot ; Perhaps and was suspended by the studio from October 16,,. Films during a dark time in our country honesty is welcome designed and sold by artists is referenced! Box-Office attraction poison was another studio 's sweet success home '' being the most beloved actresses in late. Lives, it never crosses his mind to try to make others happy only granting one interview in,! About that didnt make great demands., he said of that era.She starred 20. Helped me so very much and i grew up much faster than the average teenager demand for Biography... Did her rather wild personal life ( three marriages and two distinctly different stories Hollywood, stayed. Durbin also continued to pursue singing projects returned if she had died `` several days ''... And retired to live in a 1958 letter Lights of home '' being the most beloved actresses in French... Created on the screen all the promotional things that came with doing films after! Otherwise stated ) ] Durbin soon became Thomas 's prize pupil, and was suspended by outlet... About her private life and career Highlights about a talented young soloist performing with the reclusive film and. Sought to collect wages the studio pushed a `` childlike image '' on her, but i 'm not sure. Notice that one of the famous children of Hollywood of that era.She starred in 20 films,... Publicity and only granting one interview in 1983 say in her life out of wedlock pregnancies ) affect her s...
