Thursday, March 28, 2019

Clifton Webb and Friends



The man on the right is actor Clifton Webb.  Curiously what's written on the back, "Dave McIntyre Don Larson June 59"  doesn't mention Webb.  Perhaps the writer assumed that  identifying Webb wasn't necessary.  I couldn't find any info on McIntyre and Larson, but for those of you too young and don't watch old movies.....

Webb was born Webb Parmalee Hollenbeck in 1889 in the less than cosmopolitan Indianapolis, Indiana.  As a child he studied voice and dance and was a professional ballroom dancer by his late teens.  His early career was mostly in the theater.  He had the occasional film role, including in silent movies, but didn't become a star until 1944 when he played villain Waldo Lydecker in Otto Preminger's Laura.  In 1948 he starred in Sitting Pretty as Lynn Belvedere an eccentric genius who takes a job as a babysitter.  The movie was so successful that Webb ended up making a series of Mr. Belvedere films.  He was in Titanic opposite Barbara Stanwyck, still my favorite film version of the sinking of the ship.  (Sorry James Cameron.)  Some of his more memorable films,  The Razor's Edge,  The Man Who Wasn't There, Three Coins in a Fountain, Cheaper By the Dozen,  and as Victor Parmalee, in Boy on a Dolphin.  I wonder if he chose the name of the character.  He lived with his overbearing mother Maybelle  until she died in 1960.  He died six years latter in 1966. 

Going by the backdrop, I'm thinking this photo was taken in a television studio. Perhaps he was being interviewed.

2 comments:

  1. Hi, THIS comment is about a one of your much earlier posts dated Saturday, Aug 1, 2009 titled "Rogers Corner, Souvenir Photo Folder." Like you I was also trying to find any information online about this place online because I have a photo folder with 5 women (including my late mom and aunt) dining there and also a postcard. The date stamp on the back of the photo is Oct 1944. My blog post is scheduled for Tues, 4/2/2019 in case you want to check it out too. Also I would be curious if you ever found out anything about Rogers Corner. Thanks.

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    1. Everything I was able to find out is in the post.

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