“When I was a kid I adored Katharine Hepburn, especially when she played Jo, the ballsy sister in Little Women. All the kids in school started calling me “Jo.” I also loved Barbara Stanwyck, Ann Sheridan, Bette Davis, Claire Trevor—I… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“Her face gave her away: the half-smirk, her shadowy eyes and that look were sure signs that she was up to no good, even if she wasn’t. You somehow suspected her motives might just be tainted. Not an asset for an actress who wants to play traditionally romantic leading roles, but great viewing for her fans who wanted her to… — Ray Hagen Copy Share
“In typical [Joan] Blondell fashion she dreams of “being respectable, to live up there with those fine people, to be a civilized human being. I don’t want to be a gambling house gal all my life. I want to be quality folk.” But, again, she ultimately realizes she’s better than the snobs. “I’m Jenny Blake,” she defiantly announces at the… — Ray Hagen Copy Share
“Yes, she was probably the most blatantly carnal vixen ever filmed. And yes, she led a private life of considerable vitality and color. But… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“I regret the passing of the studio system,” Lucille Ball once said. “I was very appreciative of it because I had no talent. Believe… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“The Depression was at its peak in 1933, and so was Blondell. She exemplified the average woman of that dismal period. Audiences could relate to her honesty, her drive, and her humor and strength in the face of adversity. She came across as one of them—a down-to-earth gift she never lost. “I related to the shopgirls and chorus girls, just… — Ray Hagen Copy Share
“The vocal credits for Singin’ in the Rain are interesting, and rather confusing. In the film, Debbie Reynolds has been hired to re-dub [Jean Hagen]’s dialogue and songs in the latter’s first talking picture. We see the process being done in a shot of Reynolds, back to camera, matching her dialogue to Jean’s and synchronizing it while watching the sequence… — Ray Hagen Copy Share
“If any actress best represents the snappy 1930s dame, it’s Joan Blondell. During that era she played a lively assortment of chorus girls, waitresses,… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“So here they are, a gaggle of highly skilled and utterly unique actresses whose pre-feminist strength and independence were awesome to behold. Whether with… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“The only way to conquer Barbara Stanwyck was to kill her, if she didn’t kill you first. Lynn Bari wanted any husband that wasn’t… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“[Lucille Ball]'s such a TV icon it’s hard for some to separate the two Lucys—the gorgeous, snappy actress of film and the wacky, slapstick… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“Joan [Blondell] had always kept it real, always kept her priorities straight. “I wasn’t that ambitious. I enjoyed a home life more than a… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
“A point often ignored in cinema history studies of [Bette] Davis,” wrote Jim Parish and Don Stanke years later of Housewife, “is that Ann… — Ray Hagen Copy Share Image
![“[Lucille Ball]'s such a TV icon it’s hard for some to separate the two Lucys—the gorgeous, snappy actress of film and the wacky, slapstick queen of television. On TV she was a middle-aged housewife, on film she was a dazzling beauty. The difficulty with her movie career wasn’t that she was bad or…” quote by Ray Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dd0/ray-hagen-36017_beauty_lucille-ball-s-such-a-tv-icon-it-s-hard_2062114.jpg){kind=icon}
![“Joan [Blondell] had always kept it real, always kept her priorities straight. “I wasn’t that ambitious. I enjoyed a home life more than a theatrical career. I just took what they gave me, because I wanted to get home quickly.” Joan, said one writer, personified everyone’s “good friend,” on- and…” quote by Ray Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b54/ray-hagen-36017_good-friend_joan-blondell-had-always-kept-it-real-al_2309407.jpg)
![“A point often ignored in cinema history studies of [Bette] Davis,” wrote Jim Parish and Don Stanke years later of Housewife, “is that Ann Dvorak, who plays the film’s title role, was established as a strong dramatic actress long before Bette, and it was she who set the standard for battling with…” quote by Ray Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7b1/ray-hagen-36017_history_a-point-often-ignored-in-cinema-history_2356172.jpg)