Hollywood House Hunting: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

There is a gene in my lineage that manifests itself in a physically-humiliating way upon unsuspecting generations of family members whenever it rears its recessive head - a solid yellow stripe right down the back.  Yes, for ages a super-strain of Scaredy Cat-ism has plagued members on the weakest branches of my family tree, not the least of which is Mr. Tiny.  I, in particular, do not like horror movies.  Psychological thrillers and mildly-spooky films are okay when strictly relegated to daytime viewing, but slasher/monster/nightmare-inducing movies are totally unacceptable (remind me sometime to tell you how I still have visions of a headless Christopher Lloyd lurking outside my bedroom window).  So saturated is my yellow streak that it took me until the dawn of my nineteenth year to get up the nerve to watch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).

"I've Written A Letter to Daddy" - Bette Davis from What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Now if that doesn't scare the bejeezus out of you, I don't know what will!!

Before there was Misery, there was What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, made all the more scary by the family dynamic.  I knew from the first viewing that it had become a film favorite.  Such a richly-disturbed character, Baby Jane Hudson is now a Halloween fixture; every year, for the last few years, I've had at least one friend dress up as Baby Jane complete with baby doll.  I, myself, have considered going as the mercenary heavy, Edwin Flagg, but it doesn't really translate well from film - a fat guy in a suit is just a fat guy in a suit.  Rather than focusing on the film's  costumery during this the spookiest of all seasons, I thought I'd instead search for the home where the sisters Hudson played out the ultimate in sibling rivalry.

Home of the Sisters Hudson - Hancock Park, CA

It is no wonder that location scouts for What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? sought a Hancock Park home for Jane and Blanche Hudson.  Hancock Park is exactly the kind of neighborhood about which California dreamers dream.  Terrific estates built at the height of old Hollywood's heyday are perfectly authentic to the homes that budding movie stars would have purchased with their studio contract riches.  But buyer beware; I've heard that homes in this neighborhood are often prone to "rats in the cellar!"

Aside from the addition of some tasteful awnings and a
trespassing freak, the Hudson home remains eerily unchanged.

Bette Davis as Jane Hudson with Victor Buono as Edwin Flagg
in a scene from What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Looking very much like a soundstage replication of the actual residence,
one can see that the iron gates and scrolled window screens original to the
home have been maintained on-set and off.

Have you ever seen What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? or the lackluster remake starring real-life sisters, Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave?  Rather than the Redgraves, I would have much preferred to see real-life sisters and bitter rivals, Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine duke it out on screen (Team Joan all the way). Wouldn't that have been something?!!

Although it is difficult to imagine any two people
loathing each other more than Bette and Joan!
There's just something about those eyes...

I love What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, making this Hollywood House Hunt particularly meaningful.  Standing in front of this house, I couldn't help but consider the very real possibility that one of my siblings will hobble me, psychologically torture me, and keep me as a prisoner in my own home.  With two brothers and two sisters, the odds are decidedly against me...or maybe it's just my cowardly imagination.

"Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes

The Hudson Home from What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
172 S McCadden Pl
Los Angeles, CA


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

wacky tacky goes Hollywood!

The Paley Center for Media - Beverly Hills

Just by the very skin of our teeth did we manage to see the exhibit of Debbie Reynolds' priceless collection of Hollywood history before it goes to auction tomorrow, June 18.  Okay, maybe it isn't exactly priceless (every item was marked with an estimated auction value) but imagine the feeling you'd get knowing you owned the iconic dress Marilyn Monroe wore while the subway gave her a moment of very-personal air conditioning in The Seven Year Itch - pretty priceless, I'd say.

"The" dress
The Seven Year Itch (1955)
worn by Marilyn Monroe
designed by Travilla

The crowd was densely-packed but well-behaved.

For the last few weeks, The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills has hosted a preview of Reynolds' collection.  As world-champion procrastinators, we - of course - waited until the last day to go.  It was an amazing experience to see the very costumes that inspired my love of costume history and design.  Pieces worn by Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Debbie Reynolds, Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, Claudette Colbert, Julie Andrews and more were on display.  Pieces from some of my favorite movies were less than two feet from me.  Pieces from my favorite Hollywood designer, Walter Plunkett, were close enough to touch - but I refrained.  Maybe I'll do a future post on the art of self-control!

The Long, Long Trailer (1953)
worn by Lucille Ball
designed by Helen Rose

To Catch a Thief (1955)
worn by Grace Kelly
designed by Edith Head

It was a slightly-unsettling moment when Mary became giddy over the very-faint "pit stains" on the above Edith Head creation.  "Grace Kelly sweat too!"

Mildred Pierce (1945)
worn by Joan Crawford
designed by Milo Anderson

Many of the garments I recognized on sight.  I tried to remember the history of every item, but as you'll see with some of the garments featured below, I failed.  If you know the provenance of an unmarked piece, please feel free to let me know.

A Royal Scandal (1945)
worn by Tallulah Bankhead
designed by Rene Hubert

Blood and Sand (1922)
worn by Rudolph Valentino
designed by Travis Banton

Cleopatra (1934)
worn by Claudette Colbert
designed by Travis Banton/Vicki Williams

detail of the bust/neckline

The jewel in this collection's crown, in my opinion:

My Fair Lady (1964)
worn by Audrey Hepburn
designed by Cecil Beaton

Oh yeah, she's got the hat too.  It was Ascot!

We're pretty sure Audrey Hepburn farted in that dress...

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
worn by Mary Astor
designed by Irene Sharaff

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Nightgown worn by Margaret O'Brien
Party dress worn by Judy Garland
designed by Irene Sharaff

The costumes for Singin' in the Rain were designed by Walter Plunkett who designed many, many Hollywood classics including Gone With the Wind and Pollyanna.

Singin' in the Rain (1952)
worn by Gene Kelly & Donald O'Connor
designed by Walter Plunkett

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

worn by Debbie Reynolds

 designed by Walter Plunkett

The green frock is definitely one of my favorites!

Singin' in the Rain (1952)
worn by Jean Hagen
designed by Walter Plunkett

The Littlest Rebel (1935)
worn by Shirley Temple
designed by Gwen Wakeling

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
worn by Marilyn Monroe
designed by Travilla

 Lana Turner                            Deborah Kerr

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
worn by Maureen O'Hara...
just checking to see if you're paying attention
worn by Edmund Gwen
designed by Mrs. Claus

Annie Get Your Gun (1950)

worn by Betty Hutton

designed by Walter Plunkett/Helen Rose

 The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)

worn by Debbie Reynolds
designed by Morton Haack

Salome (1953)
worn by Rita Hayworth
designed by Jean Louis

Cover Girl (1944)
worn by Rita Hayworth
designed by Travis Banton

The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
worn by Ginger Rogers
designed by Irene

Gaslight (1944)
worn by Ingrid Bergman
designed by Irene

The Wizard of Oz (1939)
worn by Judy Garland
designed by Adrian
The backside of Dorothy! A rough draft for the final costume.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

worn by Eleanor Powell
designed by Adrian
completely covered in silver, bugle beads

No Man of Her Own (1932)
worn by Carole Lombard
designed by Travis Banton

Susan Hayward

The Virgin Queen (1955)
worn by Bette Davis
designed by Charles LeMaire/Mary Wills

Gone With the Wind (1939)

worn by Clark Gable

designed by Walter Plunkett

The collection consists of more than just costumes.  Reynolds has amassed many pieces of ephemera, artifacts, and art by, about, and for Hollywood heavyweights.  Here are but a few.

Monkey Business (1952)
Roadster driven by Cary Grant & Marilyn Monroe

Harpo's Hat!!

A painting of Marion Davies by Frederico Beltran Masses

A more thoughtful, conscientious blogger would have posted all the details weeks ago so those who were unaware of the event could have gone.  Being the very mean-spirited, thoughtless person that I am, I will just tell you that if you missed this, you missed a GREAT thing!!  As many of these gems will be sold off to private collectors, it is not only the last time they will be seen together, it may be the last time that they are ever seen publicly!  Surprisingly, not all of the estimates seemed outrageous.  We'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how it all plays out.  The infamous dress featured below has an auction estimate of $1-2 million - well worth it at twice the price!!!

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny (Hollywood Square)