Jeanette MacDonald’s gold cape ornament as worn in her 1937 film, The Firefly, is up for auction.
Here is the description:
A gold bullion braided cape ornament worn by Jeanette MacDonald in her role as Nina Maria, a beautiful singing spy for Spain during the Napoleonic Wars in The Firefly (MGM, 1937). The ornament is embellished with small gold sequins, beaded and sequin fringes, and a rosette closure. Costume design by Adrian. Accompanied by a copy of the film and a studio image.
PROVENANCE From the MGM haberdashery department
From the Collection of Glenn Brown
Below are photos of her wearing it in the film.
And the actual item “in person.”
To bid on this item worn by Jeanette MacDonald, visit this link.
Jeanette MacDonald’s red Spencer Jacket from her 1937 film The Firefly is up for auction.
From the auction description:
A crimson silk velvet Spencer style jacket worn by Jeanette MacDonald in her role as Nina Maria, a beautiful singing spy for Spain during the Napoleonic Wars, in The Firefly (MGM, 1937). The tailored jacket has puffed long sleeves and is embellished with silk faille frogs to the sleeves and center front, with silk faille cord trim to collar and tails, box pleated organdy to the collar, and hand finishing work. Costume design by Adrian. Accompanied by a copy of the film.
Previously exhibited at The Sharon Landa Gallery in Hollywood, California, 1971.
PROVENANCE “M-G-M Auction After Sale,” David Weisz Co., Los Angeles, 1970
“As long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right.” – Franklin Roosevelt
Shirley Temple Black, the darling of Depression years and the most famous child star ever in Hollywood history, passed away last night at the age of 85.
Shirley Temple’s life story is well known – she was a child star who, as an adult, used her fame to help others…but the Nelson Eddy connection may not be so well remembered. Shirley herself referred to it in her autobiography. Nelson was working with her the night of her radio debut and also the night she was almost killed! The date was December 24, 1939. Nelson was the host and narrator for the Screen Guild presentation of “The Blue Bird,” young Shirley Temple’s radio debut. During this live broadcast, a mentally unbalanced woman stood up in the studio audience and aimed a gun at Shirley. The woman was hauled away before she could pull the trigger… Amazingly, both Shirley and Nelson had a “show must go on” attitude and they continued the program without a hitch. Near the end, Nelson and Shirley sang a duet of “Silent Night” and he gave her a protective hug as they smiled for the cameras.
Many celebrity teenagers go through a bratty or rebellious period…but not so many in fully recover, or transition into their adult lives with the grace, optimism and good deeds that Shirley Temple displayed.
Her last major public appearance was receiving the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and she was just as bubbly and gracious “in person” as she appeared on screen all those years ago. You can watch a video clip of it here.
Our very best thoughts and wishes go to her family and friends…and to all of us who mourn today and feel she was a national treasure and “one of our own.” For several generations, whether you saw her films in theaters or on TV, she was a part of our childhoods.
This month is fairly meager for films of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, despite the fact that it’s the “31 Days of Oscar” month! Here’s the schedule (all times Eastern):
February 9, 10:30 AM: San Francisco
Feb 15: 2 AM (actually is early Sunday morning on the east coast) The Love Parade
Nelson Eddy…at last a screenshot that captures his emotion during the operatic number, “Czaritza”, with co-star Jeanette MacDonald, from the 1937 film Maytime. Thank goodness for today’s high-definition which allows us to see what was generally only spotted in 35mm theater prints of this film – and only if you knew precisely when to look closely and catch the light reflecting on Nelson’s tears. (In 16 mm prints and on VHS tapes, the picture quality was always slightly muddied and details like this were harder to spot.)
Art mirrored life at this time; in the film sequence the two characters loved each other but were forced to part. Same as it was in life, for Jeanette was recently engaged to actor Gene Raymond and Nelson tried in vain to get her to call off that marriage, warning her that she would regret it the rest of her life.
Did she live to regret it? There is much evidence to substantiate that in a big way. Even the naysayers who want to believe all the hundreds of happily posed shots of Jeanette and Gene over the years – have to ask themselves why Jeanette suffered breakdowns in the late ’40s and early ’50s. These were admitted to both in the press and by Jeanette herself in her autobiography. If so happy with her life, why would this normally optimistic, focused woman emotionally flounder and crumble?
Thanks to Kitty Job for catching the screenshot and to Katie Gardner for forwarding it to me, with this comment:
The guy is crying. This of course is right before she reaches up and strokes his hair…..So you know, either Nelson was ONE HELL of an actor or……he wasn’t!
Did Nelson Eddy make an appearance in the 1942 movie Cairo starring Jeanette MacDonald, Robert Young and Ethel Waters? You betcha! See the screenshots above for proof! Here’s the back story: in 1942, both stars had one project remaining under their MGM contract. Nelson, disgusted with studio head Louie B. Mayer, decided to buy out his contract instead before his last film, Lucky Star (which would have co-starred teenaged Kathryn Grayson) began production. Jeanette’s last film under her contract was the above-mentioned Cairo, a WWII spy spoof. Jeanette was initially far more upset and destabilized than Nelson by leaving the studio that had been her professional home since 1933. But director Woody Van Dyke found a way to cheer her up with one of his pranks – see the lifesize photo of Nelson hanging in the movie theater lobby during this scene with Jeanette, Robert Young and Ethel Waters.
Above, Jeanette MacDonald and Gene Raymond, along with the couple that honeymooned with them, Mary Pickford and Buddy Rogers. Others include Jeanette’s wedding party: Basil and Ouida Rathbone, Johnny Mack Brown and wife Connie, Allan Jones and his wife Irene Hervey, and Fay Wray.
Yes, we’ll admit it, it’s difficult sometimes to understand WHY the marital ties of Jeanette-Gene and Nelson-Ann occurred and endured for all the years it did. We will never totally understand it all as the existing written documentation is from the 1940s onwards. The many interviews done over the years give us insight into what Jeanette and Nelson themselves said to others. And of course, each saw it from their own viewpoint. As some have suggested, perhaps it was just easier to remain married. How many couples have you known that aren’t particularly happy together romantically but find it easier to keep the status quo? There is also the factor of theirs being “Hollywood” marriages, which is a whole different animal.
Here’s a link to an article that explores in more detail the Gene Raymond – Buddy Rogers connection. We don’t know whether Mary Pickford went into her second marriage wanting more than a handsome man on her arm as an escort and close companion. From many reports, Pickford apparently never never truly got over the love of her life, Douglas Fairbanks. Here’s the article to read, with many great photos, at this link.
