What a great actress. Believe it or not, THIS was my first exposure to her, playing the iconic character Helen Lawson (this is the mini-series opening credits, the title song is WONDERFUL):

This opening is made of awesome. And it's, like, five minutes long!

There was a Daily Mail writeup on her a few days ago. They talk about the claims that saying no to Howard Hughes is one of the reasons she didn't get Roman Holiday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1245806/Jean-Simmons-Beauty-said-Howard-Hughes--sabotaged-Hollywood-career.html

Huge Jean Simmons fan

she was a huge lead actress

back in the gap. Always liked

her movies a real class act.

Edited January 26, 201016 yr by Cyberologist

As a tribute... a fan of hers uploaded her pivotal scenes from "Valley Of The Dolls 1981"... SO FULL of campy goodness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTkuSKiSaY4

Now that was a "magnetic diva" move right there.

Ha, Nathan Lane!

I don't know why I find Bert Convy's enthusiastic clapping at 0:13 so funny.

I always forget Bert Convy was a TV personality--I know him best from his 60s Broadway roles (Starring in Cabaret, etc) Wow now I need to see the Dolls miniseries (HAHA that hair of the person who wins the award!) looks wonderfully awful

Cat, I totally forgot she was in Black Narcissus! that's one of my top 5 films of all time, great taste!

Bert also did soaps - Love of Life.

Edited January 27, 201016 yr by Paul Raven

Cat, I totally forgot she was in Black Narcissus! that's one of my top 5 films of all time, great taste!

I love that movie. It's still really fresh and timeless after all these years. And the Jean Simmons/Sabu story was light-hearted and helped balance the movie out.

Yeah a big fan of Pressburger/Powell's films in geenral but I think BN is my fave--though it's hard to go wrong with Nuns and repressed sexuality played out in lurid three strip technicolor (that red lipstick! )

LOL. And that deathly white skin! I love that scene where Kathleen Byron applies the lipstick while looking at Deborah Kerr. Kerr grips the bible like it's the only thing between her and the devil.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is also a great Powell/Pressberger classic (and was when Deborah Kerr became Powell's lover. By the time Black Narcissus came around, Kerr was no longer his mistress -- but Kathleen Byron was. Must have made for some interesting backstage dynamics). And of course, The Red Shoes. Less well-known but also good are I know Where I'm Going and The Man in Black.

The early 80s -- such an awesome era soap- and mini-series-wise. LMAO at those humugous GM cars everybody drove -- and at Neeley's super-tight disco jeans. That awards show music is so dated, it is a thing of beauty.

Edited January 27, 201016 yr by Cat

LOL. And that deathly white skin! I love that scene where Kathleen Byron applies the lipstick while looking at Deborah Kerr. Kerr grips the bible like it's the only thing between her and the devil.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is also a great Powell/Pressberger classic (and was when Deborah Kerr became Powell's lover. By the time Black Narcissus came around, Kerr was no longer his mistress -- but Kathleen Byron was. Must have made for some interesting backstage dynamics). And of course, The Red Shoes. Less well-known but also good are I know Where I'm Going and The Man in Black.

And of course the film that basically killed Powell's career--the horror classic Peeping Tom. I actually haven't seen Blimp--it's the only film directed by either of them solo or together I haven't--should add it to my list.