Birthday Wishes September 5

Sandy has requested that we no longer post photos taken from other Internet sources. This is to comply with a crack down on illegal use of copyrighted pictures. Since this is a gray area on what is copyrighted or not I will no longer be posting photos. I will only post names and date of birth and death if relevant.

Daryl F. Zanuck [1902 - 1979]
Jack Buetel [1915 - 1989]
Raquel Welch [1940 - ]

Howdy Manco!!

Daryl.F.Zanuck was one of the most prolific producers ever in Hollywood. He began his career in the 1920's with Warner Brothers Studios and produced such hits as the Rin Tin Tin series and the Shirley Temple films. He was so important to Warner Bros., that during the depths of the great depression, they were paying him 5,000.00 per week. Zanuck began to understand that he would never be anything but an employee at Warner Bros., so he managed to buy out the bankrupt Fox Studios and created 20TH Century Fox Studios. He produced such hits as, How Green Was My Valley, The Grapes Of Wrath, The Ox Bow Incident and 12 O'clock High among hundreds of others. Then for some unknown reason, he left for Europe. He returned to Hollywood and Fox Studios in the 60's and produced one of his greatest films in, The Longest Day. Unfortunately, 20TH Century Fox had also produced the "moneypit" film, Cleopatra, in his absence and it would take them 10 years to recoup these losses. Zanuck was the last of the Hollywood Kingpin producers who actually took a hands on approach to his films and if you believe the rumors, also to many of his starlets!! According to gossip, it was Zanuck's exploits, that coined the phrase" casting couch".


Most actors start off in bit parts and build their reputation in larger and larger roles in films. Actor Jack Buetel is the exception!! His first film was opposite Jane Russell in Howard Hughes' 1943 production of The Outlaw, in the role of Billy The Kid. He continued to act with roles in Mustang and a few others, including a regular role on Edgar Buchanan's t.v. series, Judge Roy Bean, but by 1961 he was out of films.

I first saw Raquel Welch in a 1960-1961 episode of The Virginian, titled, Ryker, in a bit part of a saloon girl. The next time the world saw .Miss Welch, she was emerging from the sea, in a tiny fur bikini, in One Million Years B.C. With this film, , she announced the emergence of a new sex symbol on the Hollywood scene. Her next roles were in Banderlero with Jimmie Stewart and Dean Martin and The Three Musketeers, Kansas City Bomber, Hannie Caulder, Mother, Juggs And Speed and she hasn't looked back. At 72 years of age, she continues to appear in film, Her last role was on N.C.I.S. this year. and judging by her photographs, she's going to be around for a long time!!

Ed

Also today:

Gloria Holden (1908-1991; Dodge City, Apache Trail)

Gloria Holden's two most remembered roles were Dracula's Daughter (1936) and Mme. Zola in The Life of Emile Zola. She also had parts in The Man Without a Country, Test Pilot, Miracles For Sale, and The Corsican Brothers (1941).

Also of note: Jesse James (1847-1882)