Monday, 16 July 2012

Celeste Holm, R.I.P.

Another 95 year old has departed .... (Ernest Borgnine, last week). Celeste Holm (1917-2012) was a witty, sophisticated actress who scored some great roles in a long career mainly as second lead, or supporting actress - after creating the role Ado Annie in the original production of OKLAHOMA!   She is second lead in one of my favourite '40s noirs, Negulesco's ROADHOUSE in 1948 and the voice of the unseen Addie Ross in A LETTER TO 3 WIVES in '49. Mankiewicz then cast her as Karen in the ever-fascinating ALL ABOUT EVE in 1950 - probably the best movie sceenplay ever (along with SOME LIKE IT HOT).  Stories are legion about the making of EVE and a supposed fued between Bette and Celeste ...but their scenes together sparkle.

Celeste won the Best Supporting Actress award for GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT in 1947, so-starred with Loretta Young as nuns in COME TO THE STABLE in '49 - and then had second leads again with Sinatra in THE TENDER TRAP in '55 where she has some witty lines as the successful career girl looking for love; and stealing scenes again as Liz Imbrie the photographer in HIGH SOCIETY, 1956. She also returned to the stage and had a lot of television work in that long career, as per her IMDB credits.

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