Eve Arden is one of my favorite First Rate Second Bananas.
She wasn't the typical "tough broad" -- she was more like the wisecracking conscience of the leading lady. In Mildred Pierce, My Reputation, My Dream is Yours and countless other films, Eve Arden tossed out the witty one liners while simultaneously cheering up or cheering on the leading lady in the film.
There are some character actors that are understandably relegated to "supporting" status; even though he was a terrific actor, you really can't picture Eric Blore as the romantic lead in a film, can you? But Eve Arden was really pretty! Except for a few token films, she never really had the chance to get the man, and I think that's a darn shame! I don't know about you, but I think it would have been swell if she stole the leading man away from Joan Crawford!
Now pardon me, while I go on about art for a second--- this Eve Arden painting is NOT the final one. I'm determined to do another one that looks more like her. I've had a very difficult painting day, and nothing has turned out right. I have a new Jean Harlow painting (that red full-body one) and yet again, she is faceless! Ergh! I also painted Grace Kelly, who is drying right now, and depending on whether or not I'm 95% okay with how she turned out, I may upload her tonight... if you paint or write, or do any kind of creative work, you know how I feel-- like my brushes literally beat me over the head today, and my canvases all ganged up together to throw wads of paint at my face. Seriously! So I'll attempt this all over again tomorrow, hopefully with better results!
4 comments:
Find some old "Our Miss Brooks" old time radio CDs, or download them free from the Internet Archive site (www.archive.org/details/radioprograms). Eve Arden is hysterical. That superb voice of hers catches irony and sarcasm in everyday speech like a diamond catches the light.
I love Eve Arden! "Our Miss Brooks" was one of the first radio shows that I started listening to! You made a beautiful sketch of her!
I agree with Jaqueline...you have to get a old of some Our Miss Brooks radio shows, not to mention TV episodes if you can. She was one of the all time great sitcom stars.
Our Miss Brooks was a terrific TV sit-com. Not only Eve Arden but a very young Richard Crenna and the great Gale Gordon who worked not only with Arden but with Lucy on her post I Love Lucy series. There is even a feature film made, I believe in 1956 or '57, with the same cast.
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