The Gay Faln (1941) - Turner Classic Movi

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• THE MASK: GEE SANRS’S WEARY ROADIN THE LATT STALLMENT OF OLD HOLLYWOOD BOOK CLUB, LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE AND TIM OF THE WILDLY ENTERTAG GEE SANRS.BY HADLEY HALL MEARNOVEMBER 16, 2022RSIAN-BORN BRISH ACTOR AND SGER-SONGWRER GEE SANRS (1906 - 1972) PARIS, FRANCE, 12TH SEPTEMBER 1960.BY MICHAEL HARDY/DAILY EXPRS/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVE“MY OWN SIRE AS A BOY WAS TO RETIRE,” GEE SANRS ONCE SAID.IN SANRS’S 1960 TOBGRAPHY, MEMOIRS OF A PROFSNAL CAD, THIS WORLD-WEARS IS ON FULL DISPLAY. THE SUAVE, SARDONIC OSR-WNG STAR OF GOLN AGE HOLLYWOOD MA HIS LIVG PLAYG, AS HE PUT , A “HIGH-CLASS SORT OF HEEL,” CLASSICS LIKE REBEC, ALL ABOUT EVE, AND THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY. ALONG THE WAY, HE ALLEGEDLY RACKED UP AFFAIRS WH DOLOR L R, GENE TIERNEY, HEDY LAMARR, AND LUCILLE BALL AND WAS MARRIED TO NOT ONE BUT TWO OF THE LEGENDARY GABOR SISTERS.HIS BOOK IS NSTANTLY CED AS ONE OF THE ALL-TIME BT CELEBRY MEMOIRS FOR A REASON: IT IS LGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY. HIS CYNIL OBSERVATNS ARE SO PRECISE, CUTTG AND ARCH, THAT THEY SEEM AS IF THEY ULD HAVE BEEN WRTEN FOR ONE OF HIS CHARACTERS.BUT WAS SANRS REALLY SUCH A LDHEARTED CYNIC? IN THE SIGHTFUL, PERFECTLY TLED 1990 BGRAPHY AN EXHSTED LIFE, THOR RICHARD VANDERBEETS POSS THAT THIS IMAGE WAS REALLY A VER FOR AN EMOTNAL, SENSIVE, TELLECTUAL MAN WHO MUCH PREFERRED VENTG OR READG, OR SLEEPG TO TERACTG AND EXCELLG A WORLD HE FOUND SO HARSH. “JT LOOK AT THAT FELLOW,” NOEL COWARD ONCE EXCLAIMED, PER VANDERBEETS. “HE HAS MORE TALENTS THAN ANY OF , BUT HE DON’T DO ANYTHG WH THEM!”BY THE END OF MEMOIRS OF A PROFSNAL CAD, THE REAR IS LEFT WH A PORTRA OF A MAN NSTANTLY GIVG UP ON HIMSELF- AND EVENTUALLY THE WORLD. OBSERVATNS OF GREAT W AND SENSIVY ARE MIXED WH LONG-WD BCHS, MISOGYNISTIC AND OCSNALLY RACIST NOT, AND THE REAR WORRI ABOUT WHAT HE IS GOG TO SAY NEXT. SANRS SEEMS WORRIED AS WELL BUT RIGNED TO HIS ROLE OF “ELEGANT VILLAY.”“THAT I SHOULD CHOOSE TO PROTECT MY EASILY WOUND AND ULTRASENSIVE NATURE BY ADOPTG MY PARTICULAR MASK IS UNRSTANDABLE,” SANRS WR. “FORTUNATELY, MY MASK HAS NOT ONLY PROTECTED ME BUT PROVID ME WH A LIVG.”THE PRCE“I WAS BORN TO A WORLD THAT WAS SOON TO DISAPPEAR,” SANRS WR. “IT WAS A WORLD OF CLKG CHAMPAGNE GLASS, OF LONNAD PRIVATE BALLROOMS WH SCTILLATG CHANLIERS, OF HEEL-CLICKG BE-MONOCLED PRC GEO UNIFORMS TENT UPON THEIR LADI AS THEY DROVE THEIR JGLG TROIKAS THROUGH THE MOONL SNOW.”GEE SANRS WAS BORN ST. PETERSBURG, RSIA, ON JULY 3, 1906. HIS MOTHER, MARGARET, WAS A BETIFUL, WEALTHY HEIRS OM A STORIED FAY. “TO THE BT OF MY KNOWLEDGE, MY FATHER ME THE MAIL,” HE WR OF HIS FATHER, HENRY. IN REALY, ACRDG TO VANDERBEETS, HENRY, A HANDSOME BALALAIKA PLAYER, WAS PROBABLY THE ILLEGIMATE SON OF A NOBLEWOMAN AND A PRCE MARRIED TO ONE OF THE CZAR’S SISTERS.SANRS POIGNANTLY SCRIB HIS LH CHILDHOOD AND THE SOPHISTITED, LOUCHE CHARACTERS THAT POPULATED . “ONE OF THE GREAT HERO OF MY CHILDHOOD, MY UNCLE JACK, NTENTEDLY PURSUED ONE OF HIS FAVORE PASTIM,” HE WR. “FROM HIS GREAT RVED BED, A 22-LIBER PISTOL HIS HANER-SHAKG HAND, HE WOULD SHOOT FLI THAT HAD GATHERED TO EAT THE JAM HE HAD SMEARED ON THE CEILG.”THE DDLED, ALREADY WTY YOUNG ARISTOCRAT WOULD FOREVER BE CLOSE TO HIS FAY, AND HIS LOVE FOR THEM IS THE PURT PART OF HIS MEMORI. “IF IS TE THAT A MAN’S CHARACTER VELOPS FOR THE GOOD PROPORTN TO THE FUN, THE GREE OF HAPPS AND THE AMOUNT OF BOUNTIFUL LOVE HE EXPERIENC CHILDHOOD, THEN I MT HAVE THE MOST NOBLE AND WONRFUL CHARACTER ALL THE WORLD,” HE WR. “PERSONALLY, I FEEL THAT I AM THE LIVG PROOF OF THIS NTENTN. HOWEVER, A SURPRISG NUMBER OF PEOPLE THK OTHERWISE.”MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISTHE PPERTHE 1917 RSIAN REVOLUTN WOULD SHATTER SANRS’S GOLN CHILDHOOD, ALONG WH— ONE SENS—HIS VIEW OF THE WORLD. “THE TSAR HAD SIGNED AWAY OUR HERANC, OUR HOLDGS, AND OUR GILT-EDGED FUTURE,” HE WR. “AN ACTN FOR WHICH I, PERSONALLY, HAVE NEVER FIVEN HIM.”THE SANRS FAY PED TO ENGLAND, AND THE YOUNG MAN FOUND HIMSELF A HIGH-CLASS REFUGEE. HIS MEMORI OF HIS TIME AT BOARDG SCHOOL ARE BGLY BTER, ALTHOUGH HE WAS A TOP STUNT WHO EXCELLED SPORTS, PECIALLY BOXG. “THE SUDN SCENT OM A WEALTHY AND PRIVILEGED EARLY CHILDHOOD…TO THE LONELY, PRER, AND OFTEN HUIATG YEARS AS A FOREIGN-BORN SCHOOLBOY OM A FAY LIMED FANCIAL CIRCUMSTANC ENGENRED EP SECURY,” VANDERBEETS SURMIS.BUT SANRS FOUND SOLACE ADVENTURE. IN 1926 HE BEME A MANUFACTURER’S REPRENTATIVE FOR THE BRISH AND AMERIN TOBAC COMPANY. IN MEMOIRS OF A PROFSNAL CAD, HE IS AT HIS BT RELLG HIS LORFUL REER AS AN AD MAN ARGENTA AND CHILE. HE SWAM FORMAL WEAR ACROSS THE LAKE PARQUE BELGRANO, KEPT A PET OSTRICH HIS APARTMENT, AND TOSSED CIGARETT TO RAL VILLAGERS WHILE STANDG PRERLY ATOP A SMALL PLANE, WHILE THROWG UP A GLOVE.HE IS ALSO LIGHTFULLY SELF-PRETG, SCRIBG A DNKEN DUEL WH A MAN THAT LAND HIM JAIL, WHICH SANRS CLAIMED RULTED HIS EXPULSN OM THE NTENT OF SOUTH AMERI 1929. TALENTED MILLY, WH A RICH BARONE VOICE, SANRS WAS DISVERED TKLG THE PIANO AT AN ENGLISH SOIREE AND BEME A STAGE ACTOR THE BRISH THEATER.HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE RIDICULONS OF HIS NEW PROFSN. IN HIS FIRST FILM, THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACL, HE APPROPRIATELY PLAYED ONE OF A TR OF HUNKY GODS. “THE PART LLED FOR ME TO RI HALF-NAKED AND SHY WH GREASE, AT FOUR O’CLOCK THE MORNG DURG ONE OF ENGLAND’S LST WTERS, ON A HORSE WHICH WAS ALSO ATED WH GREASE,” HE WR. “I WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE THREE THAT DIDN’T FALL OFF. IN THIS REGARD AT LEAST I WAS ALREADY A SUCCSFUL FILM ACTOR.”ZSA ZSABY THE 1940S, THE RECLIVE SANRS WAS WELL TABLISHED—IF NOT PERSONALLY BELOVED— HOLLYWOOD, EXCELLG PLAYG WHAT HE LLED “DAMNED WNG HEAVI.” A FAILED MARRIAGE UNR HIS BELT, HE WAS PLAYG PIANO AT A PARTY NEW YORK WHEN HE WAS APPROACHED BY THE GLAMORO HUNGARIAN ZSA ZSA GABOR, RECENTLY DIVORCED OM CONRAD HILTON, SR. AND ALREADY TERMED TO MAKE THE UNAPPROACHABLE SANRS HER THIRD (OF NE) HBAND.“MR. SANRS, I’M MADLY LOVE WH YOU,” SHE SAID BY WAY OF TRODUCTN, PER VANDERBEETS. “WH A NSCENDG SE GEE REPLIED, ‘HOW WELL I UNRSTAND, MY AR.’”TH BEGAN A TUMULTUO, TRAGI-IC LOVE AFFAIR. IN HIS MEMOIR, SANRS IS STILL BEMEDLY FOND OF AND FASCATED BY GABOR, WHO HE MARRIED 1949, EXTOLLG HER GUTS AND GUILELSNS—WHICH SEEMS HE CLEARLY WISHED TO POSSS. “SHE ALLOWS HER VALY AND STCTS TO SPRG OM HER WHOUT DISTORTN. SHE DON’T DISGUISE HER LOVE OF AMORO ENTANGLEMENTS OR JEWELS OR WHATEVER ELSE TCH HER FANCY, BEE HER CHARACTER IS PURE,” HE WR. “NOT FOR HER IS THE NVENTNAL MASK OF STUDIED BEHAVR. HER BEHAVR IS SPONTANEO AND GENUE.”MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT THEIR HAPPS WAS SHORT-LIVED. IN 1951, A HILAR TALK-SHOW APPEARANCE THST GABOR ONTO THE NATNAL SCENE, AND SANRS SOON FOUND HIS HOE OVERN WH PHOTOGRAPHERS, REPORTERS, AND GAY DNERS WH “A LOT OF RICH GENTLEMEN OM SOUTH AMERI.” THOUGH HE DON’T ADM , IS CLEAR SANRS WAS JEALO, AND THE TWO WERE SEPARATED BY WORK, WH GABOR FALLG TO THE ARMS OF THE FAMOLY WELL-ENDOWED PLAYBOY GIGOLO PORFIR RUBIROSA, THE DOMIN AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.THIS SNDALO AFFAIR BEME AN TERNATNAL SENSATN, WH SANRS THE ROLE OF CUCKOLD. ACRDG TO VANDERBEETS, THGS ME TO A HEAD ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1953. THAT NIGHT, SANRS HUDDLED OUTSI GABOR’S BEL AIR HOME WH TWO TECTIV WAG FOR HIS WIFE AND RUBIROSA TO RETIRE TO THE BOUDOIR. HE THEN CLIMBED UP A RICKETY LADR TO HER BEDROOM, AND WHILE ATTEMPTG TO PEER , CRASHED THROUGH THE GLASS TO THE ROOM.ZSA ZSA SCREAMED, QUICKLY VERG HERSELF, WHILE RUBIROSA FLED. AN CENSED SANRS RIPPED UP A AMED PICTURE OF HIMSELF, BREATHG HEAVILY AND OBVLY DISTRSED. “MY AR, I AM AN OLD MAN,” HE TOLD A NCERNED GABOR. “I’VE ABSOLUTELY NO BS CLIMBG LADRS.”IN TE DRAWG-ROOM EDY FASHN, GABOR TOLD VANDERBEETS THAT THE TRANGED UPLE WENT DOWNSTAIRS FOR A DRK, AND SHE GAVE HIM HIS CHRISTMAS PRENT. HE LGHED WICKEDLY AND SAID, “THIS VIS IS MY CHRISTMAS PRENT TO YOU,” VANDERBEETS WR. THEN HE LEFT.THE SHAM“BACK HOLLYWOOD AGA, BACK AMONG THE RACKETS, THE BULLSH, THE SHAM,” SANRS ONCE WROTE, PER VANDERBEETS.IN HIS MEMOIR, SANRS PRENTS A DARK AND ACIDIC VIEW OF OLD HOLLYWOOD AND THE GLORLY FAKE PRETENSNS THAT MA TICK. “THERE IS AN UNWRTEN LAW THE PICTURE BS THAT ALL OBSERVATNS AND EXPRSED OPNS MT BE REPLETE WH SUPERLATIV,” HE WR, “GENERALLY SPEAKG YOU N’T GO WRONG IF YOU MAKE SURE TO E THE WORD ‘SENSATNAL’ AT LEAST ONCE EVERY SENTENCE.”WH HIS EYE FOR THE ABSURD, SANRS MAK POTED, BUT AT TIM POIGNANT, OBSERVATNS ABOUT STARS LIKE INGRID BERGMAN, CARY GRANT, AND VCENT PRICE. BUT HIS VENOM IS PARTICULARLY OUT FOR -STAR YUL BRYNNER, WHO HE CLAIMS ARRIVED ON THE SET OF 1959’S SOLOMON AND SHEBA WH AN ENTOURAGE OF SEVEN. HE WR:THE FUNCTN OF ONE MEMBER OF THIS RETUE APPEARED TO NSIST ENTIRELY OF PLACG ALREADY LIGHTED CIGARETT BRYNNER’S OUTSTRETCHED FGERS. ANOTHER WAS PERMANENTLY OCCUPIED SHAVG HIS SKULL WH AN ELECTRIC RAZOR WHENEVER THE SPICN OF A SHADOW DARKENED THAT NOBLE HEAD. WHILE THE SERVIC WERE BEG RENRED UNTO HIM, BRYNNER SAT SPHXLIKE SILENCE AND SPLENDOR WEARG BLACK LEATHER SUS OR WHE LEATHER SUS, OF WHICH HE HAD HALF A DOZEN EACH, NFECTED FOR HIM BY THE FIRM OF DR.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT SANRS’ SOFTER SI IS EXPOSED HIS LOVELY TRIBUTE TO THE UNEXPECTEDLY EP MARILYN MONROE, WHO BEIEND HIM ON THE SET OF ALL ABOUT EVE. “SHE WAS VERY BETIFUL AND VERY QUIRG AND VERY UNSURE–SHE WAS SOMEBODY A PLAY NOT YET WRTEN, UNCERTA OF HER PART THE OVER-ALL PLOT,” HE WR. “SHE SHOWED AN TERT TELLECTUAL SUBJECTS WHICH WAS, TO SAY THE LEAST, DISNCERTG. IN HER PRENCE WAS HARD TO NCENTRATE.”ACRDG TO VANDERBEETS, GABOR WAS NOT AMED. “HE KEPT G HOME AND SAYG TO ME, ’THAT POOR LTLE NOCENT GIRL, SHE SS THERE AND READS POETRY, AND THERE WAS NO PLACE TO S THE MISSARY SO SHE ASKED IF SHE ULD S WH ME,’” SHE TOLD THE THOR. “I WAS FUR. WE WERE MARRIED AND GEE WOULD S WH THAT LTLE TART. AN NOCENT, WILD ANIMAL, I WOULD LL HER.”TYRONEFOR SANRS, THE PERSONALY OF AN ACTOR WAS GENERALLY “A MUDDLE-HEAD PEACK FOREVER CHASG AFTER THE RABOW OF HIS PATHETIC NARCISSISM,” BUT HIS IEND AND EQUENT -STAR TYRONE POWER WAS THE EXCEPTN. “I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER TYRONE POWER AS A BOUNTIFUL MAN,” HE WROTE. “A MAN WHO GAVE EELY OF HIMSELF. IT MATTERED NOT TO WHOM HE GAVE. HIS NCERN WAS THE GIVG. I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIS WONRFUL SE, A SE THAT WOULD LIGHT UP THE DARKT HOUR OF THE DAY LIKE A SUNBURST.”SANRS WAS ON THE SET OF SOLOMON AND SHEBA MADRID ON NOVEMBER 15, 1958, WHEN THE 44-YEAR-OLD POWERS STAGGERED BACK WHILE SHOOTG A FENCG SCENE. HE WENT TO HIS TRAILER, WHERE SANRS WENT TO CHECK ON HIM:HE WAS STG A CHAIR TWISTED OVER ON HIS LEFT SI AND HOLDG ON TIGHTLY TO HIS ARM. HIS HEAD WAS TILTED OVER RIGIDLY AS THOUGH SOME CRICK HIS NECK PREVENTED HIM OM STRAIGHTENG . EVEN THOUGH HE WAS WEARG MAKE - UP HIS FACE HAD A SORT OF BLUISH LOR, BUT HE GREETED ME WH A SE.POWER NVCED SANRS HE WAS FE BUT DIED OF A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPAL. THE ATH OF POWER CLEARLY AFFECTED THE MORBID SANRS EPLY, AND WHEN HE MAT EXPANSIVELY ON THE HANDSOME, ENERGETIC POWER’S LOST DREAMS, ONE GETS THE SENSE HE IS REALLY THKG OF HIMSELF. BUT HE IS BACK HIS UAL CYNIL PROTECTIVE FORM BY THE TIME OF POWER’S L.A. FUNERAL, WHICH BEME A HOLLYWOOD CIRC:AT ONE POT THE BEHAVR OF THE PUBLIC BEME SO UNLY THAT THE POLICE WERE OBLIGED TO PUT TO EFFECT RT PROCRE NUMBER 3, WHEREBY THEY NTROL THE CROWD BY SIMPLY RIDG TO A PHALANX. THE EXHSTS OF THEIR MOTORCYCL SHATTERED THE AIR, DROWNG OUT CAR ROMERO WHO WAS SPEAKG THE LOGY … BUT SOMEHOW FAILG TO FFLE THE LM OF A STRANGE…WOMAN FULL CHE STUME WHO HAD BEEN STANDG A SORT OF TRANCE BY THE FF DURG THIS PORTN OF THE SERVICE. IT WAS LATER REVEALED THAT THE…WOMAN WAS NONE OTHER THAN MISS LORETTA YOUNG WHO HAD E STRAIGHT OM THE SET OF A TV SHOW.THIS SWEET CSPOOLIN 1959, AFTER SANR’S DIVORCE OM GABOR, HE MARRIED THE ELEGANT ENGLISH ACTRS BENA HUME, THE WIDOW OF MOVIE STAR RONALD COLMAN. “I LOOK UPON BENA AS THE BT THG THAT HAS HAPPENED MY LIFE,” HE WR.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISONE WISH 1960’S MEMOIRS OF A CAD CLUD MORE OF THEIR TENR, LOVG RELATNSHIP, WHICH IENDS AND FAY TOLD VANDERBEETS WAS ONE OF MUTUAL ADMIRATN AND LM. BUT BENA’S ATH OM NCER 1967, A SERI OF STROK, THE ATH OF HIS MOTHER, AND BROTHER (THE ACTOR TOM CONWAY), AND DISASTRO BS CISNS WOULD SET SANRS ON A PATH TO .IN HIS MEMOIR, SANRS ALREADY HTS AT MEMORY PROBLEMS AND STABILY WHICH WOULD PLAGUE HIM LATER YEARS. IN 1970, ZSA ZSA GABOR, STILL CLOSE AND UNWAVERGLY LOYAL TO SANRS, NVCED HIM TO MARRY HER SISTER MAGDA, WHO HAD ALSO SUFFERED A BILATG STROKE.THE FARCE OF A MARRIAGE WAS SOON OVER AND A BEFUDDLED, FIRM, AND EXHSTED SANRS NTUED A DOWNWARD SPIRAL. ACRDG TO DAVID NIVEN, PERHAPS THE ONLY ACTOR TO SURPASS HIM WRG ABILY, SANRS HAD LONG HELD A WISH TO DIE BY SUICI. ON APRIL 25, 1972, GEE SANRS DIED OF AN OVERDOSE AT A HOTEL BARCELONA. “DEAR WORLD,” HE WROTE HIS FAREWELL NOTE. “I AM LEAVG BEE I AM BORED. I FEEL I HAVE LIVED LONG ENOUGH. I AM LEAVG YOU WH YOUR WORRI THIS SWEET CSPOOL. GOOD LUCK.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)HADLEY HALL MEAR
• #TBT: BREAKG THE GAY CO THE MOVI
• THE GAY FALN

THE MASK: GEE SANRS’S WEARY ROADIN THE LATT STALLMENT OF OLD HOLLYWOOD BOOK CLUB, LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE AND TIM OF THE WILDLY ENTERTAG GEE SANRS.BY HADLEY HALL MEARNOVEMBER 16, 2022RSIAN-BORN BRISH ACTOR AND SGER-SONGWRER GEE SANRS (1906 - 1972) PARIS, FRANCE, 12TH SEPTEMBER 1960.BY MICHAEL HARDY/DAILY EXPRS/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVE“MY OWN SIRE AS A BOY WAS TO RETIRE,” GEE SANRS ONCE SAID.IN SANRS’S 1960 TOBGRAPHY, MEMOIRS OF A PROFSNAL CAD, THIS WORLD-WEARS IS ON FULL DISPLAY. THE SUAVE, SARDONIC OSR-WNG STAR OF GOLN AGE HOLLYWOOD MA HIS LIVG PLAYG, AS HE PUT , A “HIGH-CLASS SORT OF HEEL,” CLASSICS LIKE REBEC, ALL ABOUT EVE, AND THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY. ALONG THE WAY, HE ALLEGEDLY RACKED UP AFFAIRS WH DOLOR L R, GENE TIERNEY, HEDY LAMARR, AND LUCILLE BALL AND WAS MARRIED TO NOT ONE BUT TWO OF THE LEGENDARY GABOR SISTERS.HIS BOOK IS NSTANTLY CED AS ONE OF THE ALL-TIME BT CELEBRY MEMOIRS FOR A REASON: IT IS LGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY. HIS CYNIL OBSERVATNS ARE SO PRECISE, CUTTG AND ARCH, THAT THEY SEEM AS IF THEY ULD HAVE BEEN WRTEN FOR ONE OF HIS CHARACTERS.BUT WAS SANRS REALLY SUCH A LDHEARTED CYNIC? IN THE SIGHTFUL, PERFECTLY TLED 1990 BGRAPHY AN EXHSTED LIFE, THOR RICHARD VANDERBEETS POSS THAT THIS IMAGE WAS REALLY A VER FOR AN EMOTNAL, SENSIVE, TELLECTUAL MAN WHO MUCH PREFERRED VENTG OR READG, OR SLEEPG TO TERACTG AND EXCELLG A WORLD HE FOUND SO HARSH. “JT LOOK AT THAT FELLOW,” NOEL COWARD ONCE EXCLAIMED, PER VANDERBEETS. “HE HAS MORE TALENTS THAN ANY OF , BUT HE DON’T DO ANYTHG WH THEM!”BY THE END OF MEMOIRS OF A PROFSNAL CAD, THE REAR IS LEFT WH A PORTRA OF A MAN NSTANTLY GIVG UP ON HIMSELF- AND EVENTUALLY THE WORLD. OBSERVATNS OF GREAT W AND SENSIVY ARE MIXED WH LONG-WD BCHS, MISOGYNISTIC AND OCSNALLY RACIST NOT, AND THE REAR WORRI ABOUT WHAT HE IS GOG TO SAY NEXT. SANRS SEEMS WORRIED AS WELL BUT RIGNED TO HIS ROLE OF “ELEGANT VILLAY.”“THAT I SHOULD CHOOSE TO PROTECT MY EASILY WOUND AND ULTRASENSIVE NATURE BY ADOPTG MY PARTICULAR MASK IS UNRSTANDABLE,” SANRS WR. “FORTUNATELY, MY MASK HAS NOT ONLY PROTECTED ME BUT PROVID ME WH A LIVG.”THE PRCE“I WAS BORN TO A WORLD THAT WAS SOON TO DISAPPEAR,” SANRS WR. “IT WAS A WORLD OF CLKG CHAMPAGNE GLASS, OF LONNAD PRIVATE BALLROOMS WH SCTILLATG CHANLIERS, OF HEEL-CLICKG BE-MONOCLED PRC GEO UNIFORMS TENT UPON THEIR LADI AS THEY DROVE THEIR JGLG TROIKAS THROUGH THE MOONL SNOW.”GEE SANRS WAS BORN ST. PETERSBURG, RSIA, ON JULY 3, 1906. HIS MOTHER, MARGARET, WAS A BETIFUL, WEALTHY HEIRS OM A STORIED FAY. “TO THE BT OF MY KNOWLEDGE, MY FATHER ME THE MAIL,” HE WR OF HIS FATHER, HENRY. IN REALY, ACRDG TO VANDERBEETS, HENRY, A HANDSOME BALALAIKA PLAYER, WAS PROBABLY THE ILLEGIMATE SON OF A NOBLEWOMAN AND A PRCE MARRIED TO ONE OF THE CZAR’S SISTERS.SANRS POIGNANTLY SCRIB HIS LH CHILDHOOD AND THE SOPHISTITED, LOUCHE CHARACTERS THAT POPULATED . “ONE OF THE GREAT HERO OF MY CHILDHOOD, MY UNCLE JACK, NTENTEDLY PURSUED ONE OF HIS FAVORE PASTIM,” HE WR. “FROM HIS GREAT RVED BED, A 22-LIBER PISTOL HIS HANER-SHAKG HAND, HE WOULD SHOOT FLI THAT HAD GATHERED TO EAT THE JAM HE HAD SMEARED ON THE CEILG.”THE DDLED, ALREADY WTY YOUNG ARISTOCRAT WOULD FOREVER BE CLOSE TO HIS FAY, AND HIS LOVE FOR THEM IS THE PURT PART OF HIS MEMORI. “IF IS TE THAT A MAN’S CHARACTER VELOPS FOR THE GOOD PROPORTN TO THE FUN, THE GREE OF HAPPS AND THE AMOUNT OF BOUNTIFUL LOVE HE EXPERIENC CHILDHOOD, THEN I MT HAVE THE MOST NOBLE AND WONRFUL CHARACTER ALL THE WORLD,” HE WR. “PERSONALLY, I FEEL THAT I AM THE LIVG PROOF OF THIS NTENTN. HOWEVER, A SURPRISG NUMBER OF PEOPLE THK OTHERWISE.”MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISTHE PPERTHE 1917 RSIAN REVOLUTN WOULD SHATTER SANRS’S GOLN CHILDHOOD, ALONG WH— ONE SENS—HIS VIEW OF THE WORLD. “THE TSAR HAD SIGNED AWAY OUR HERANC, OUR HOLDGS, AND OUR GILT-EDGED FUTURE,” HE WR. “AN ACTN FOR WHICH I, PERSONALLY, HAVE NEVER FIVEN HIM.”THE SANRS FAY PED TO ENGLAND, AND THE YOUNG MAN FOUND HIMSELF A HIGH-CLASS REFUGEE. HIS MEMORI OF HIS TIME AT BOARDG SCHOOL ARE BGLY BTER, ALTHOUGH HE WAS A TOP STUNT WHO EXCELLED SPORTS, PECIALLY BOXG. “THE SUDN SCENT OM A WEALTHY AND PRIVILEGED EARLY CHILDHOOD…TO THE LONELY, PRER, AND OFTEN HUIATG YEARS AS A FOREIGN-BORN SCHOOLBOY OM A FAY LIMED FANCIAL CIRCUMSTANC ENGENRED EP SECURY,” VANDERBEETS SURMIS.BUT SANRS FOUND SOLACE ADVENTURE. IN 1926 HE BEME A MANUFACTURER’S REPRENTATIVE FOR THE BRISH AND AMERIN TOBAC COMPANY. IN MEMOIRS OF A PROFSNAL CAD, HE IS AT HIS BT RELLG HIS LORFUL REER AS AN AD MAN ARGENTA AND CHILE. HE SWAM FORMAL WEAR ACROSS THE LAKE PARQUE BELGRANO, KEPT A PET OSTRICH HIS APARTMENT, AND TOSSED CIGARETT TO RAL VILLAGERS WHILE STANDG PRERLY ATOP A SMALL PLANE, WHILE THROWG UP A GLOVE.HE IS ALSO LIGHTFULLY SELF-PRETG, SCRIBG A DNKEN DUEL WH A MAN THAT LAND HIM JAIL, WHICH SANRS CLAIMED RULTED HIS EXPULSN OM THE NTENT OF SOUTH AMERI 1929. TALENTED MILLY, WH A RICH BARONE VOICE, SANRS WAS DISVERED TKLG THE PIANO AT AN ENGLISH SOIREE AND BEME A STAGE ACTOR THE BRISH THEATER.HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THE RIDICULONS OF HIS NEW PROFSN. IN HIS FIRST FILM, THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACL, HE APPROPRIATELY PLAYED ONE OF A TR OF HUNKY GODS. “THE PART LLED FOR ME TO RI HALF-NAKED AND SHY WH GREASE, AT FOUR O’CLOCK THE MORNG DURG ONE OF ENGLAND’S LST WTERS, ON A HORSE WHICH WAS ALSO ATED WH GREASE,” HE WR. “I WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE THREE THAT DIDN’T FALL OFF. IN THIS REGARD AT LEAST I WAS ALREADY A SUCCSFUL FILM ACTOR.”ZSA ZSABY THE 1940S, THE RECLIVE SANRS WAS WELL TABLISHED—IF NOT PERSONALLY BELOVED— HOLLYWOOD, EXCELLG PLAYG WHAT HE LLED “DAMNED WNG HEAVI.” A FAILED MARRIAGE UNR HIS BELT, HE WAS PLAYG PIANO AT A PARTY NEW YORK WHEN HE WAS APPROACHED BY THE GLAMORO HUNGARIAN ZSA ZSA GABOR, RECENTLY DIVORCED OM CONRAD HILTON, SR. AND ALREADY TERMED TO MAKE THE UNAPPROACHABLE SANRS HER THIRD (OF NE) HBAND.“MR. SANRS, I’M MADLY LOVE WH YOU,” SHE SAID BY WAY OF TRODUCTN, PER VANDERBEETS. “WH A NSCENDG SE GEE REPLIED, ‘HOW WELL I UNRSTAND, MY AR.’”TH BEGAN A TUMULTUO, TRAGI-IC LOVE AFFAIR. IN HIS MEMOIR, SANRS IS STILL BEMEDLY FOND OF AND FASCATED BY GABOR, WHO HE MARRIED 1949, EXTOLLG HER GUTS AND GUILELSNS—WHICH SEEMS HE CLEARLY WISHED TO POSSS. “SHE ALLOWS HER VALY AND STCTS TO SPRG OM HER WHOUT DISTORTN. SHE DON’T DISGUISE HER LOVE OF AMORO ENTANGLEMENTS OR JEWELS OR WHATEVER ELSE TCH HER FANCY, BEE HER CHARACTER IS PURE,” HE WR. “NOT FOR HER IS THE NVENTNAL MASK OF STUDIED BEHAVR. HER BEHAVR IS SPONTANEO AND GENUE.”MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT THEIR HAPPS WAS SHORT-LIVED. IN 1951, A HILAR TALK-SHOW APPEARANCE THST GABOR ONTO THE NATNAL SCENE, AND SANRS SOON FOUND HIS HOE OVERN WH PHOTOGRAPHERS, REPORTERS, AND GAY DNERS WH “A LOT OF RICH GENTLEMEN OM SOUTH AMERI.” THOUGH HE DON’T ADM , IS CLEAR SANRS WAS JEALO, AND THE TWO WERE SEPARATED BY WORK, WH GABOR FALLG TO THE ARMS OF THE FAMOLY WELL-ENDOWED PLAYBOY GIGOLO PORFIR RUBIROSA, THE DOMIN AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE.THIS SNDALO AFFAIR BEME AN TERNATNAL SENSATN, WH SANRS THE ROLE OF CUCKOLD. ACRDG TO VANDERBEETS, THGS ME TO A HEAD ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1953. THAT NIGHT, SANRS HUDDLED OUTSI GABOR’S BEL AIR HOME WH TWO TECTIV WAG FOR HIS WIFE AND RUBIROSA TO RETIRE TO THE BOUDOIR. HE THEN CLIMBED UP A RICKETY LADR TO HER BEDROOM, AND WHILE ATTEMPTG TO PEER , CRASHED THROUGH THE GLASS TO THE ROOM.ZSA ZSA SCREAMED, QUICKLY VERG HERSELF, WHILE RUBIROSA FLED. AN CENSED SANRS RIPPED UP A AMED PICTURE OF HIMSELF, BREATHG HEAVILY AND OBVLY DISTRSED. “MY AR, I AM AN OLD MAN,” HE TOLD A NCERNED GABOR. “I’VE ABSOLUTELY NO BS CLIMBG LADRS.”IN TE DRAWG-ROOM EDY FASHN, GABOR TOLD VANDERBEETS THAT THE TRANGED UPLE WENT DOWNSTAIRS FOR A DRK, AND SHE GAVE HIM HIS CHRISTMAS PRENT. HE LGHED WICKEDLY AND SAID, “THIS VIS IS MY CHRISTMAS PRENT TO YOU,” VANDERBEETS WR. THEN HE LEFT.THE SHAM“BACK HOLLYWOOD AGA, BACK AMONG THE RACKETS, THE BULLSH, THE SHAM,” SANRS ONCE WROTE, PER VANDERBEETS.IN HIS MEMOIR, SANRS PRENTS A DARK AND ACIDIC VIEW OF OLD HOLLYWOOD AND THE GLORLY FAKE PRETENSNS THAT MA TICK. “THERE IS AN UNWRTEN LAW THE PICTURE BS THAT ALL OBSERVATNS AND EXPRSED OPNS MT BE REPLETE WH SUPERLATIV,” HE WR, “GENERALLY SPEAKG YOU N’T GO WRONG IF YOU MAKE SURE TO E THE WORD ‘SENSATNAL’ AT LEAST ONCE EVERY SENTENCE.”WH HIS EYE FOR THE ABSURD, SANRS MAK POTED, BUT AT TIM POIGNANT, OBSERVATNS ABOUT STARS LIKE INGRID BERGMAN, CARY GRANT, AND VCENT PRICE. BUT HIS VENOM IS PARTICULARLY OUT FOR -STAR YUL BRYNNER, WHO HE CLAIMS ARRIVED ON THE SET OF 1959’S SOLOMON AND SHEBA WH AN ENTOURAGE OF SEVEN. HE WR:THE FUNCTN OF ONE MEMBER OF THIS RETUE APPEARED TO NSIST ENTIRELY OF PLACG ALREADY LIGHTED CIGARETT BRYNNER’S OUTSTRETCHED FGERS. ANOTHER WAS PERMANENTLY OCCUPIED SHAVG HIS SKULL WH AN ELECTRIC RAZOR WHENEVER THE SPICN OF A SHADOW DARKENED THAT NOBLE HEAD. WHILE THE SERVIC WERE BEG RENRED UNTO HIM, BRYNNER SAT SPHXLIKE SILENCE AND SPLENDOR WEARG BLACK LEATHER SUS OR WHE LEATHER SUS, OF WHICH HE HAD HALF A DOZEN EACH, NFECTED FOR HIM BY THE FIRM OF DR.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISBUT SANRS’ SOFTER SI IS EXPOSED HIS LOVELY TRIBUTE TO THE UNEXPECTEDLY EP MARILYN MONROE, WHO BEIEND HIM ON THE SET OF ALL ABOUT EVE. “SHE WAS VERY BETIFUL AND VERY QUIRG AND VERY UNSURE–SHE WAS SOMEBODY A PLAY NOT YET WRTEN, UNCERTA OF HER PART THE OVER-ALL PLOT,” HE WR. “SHE SHOWED AN TERT TELLECTUAL SUBJECTS WHICH WAS, TO SAY THE LEAST, DISNCERTG. IN HER PRENCE WAS HARD TO NCENTRATE.”ACRDG TO VANDERBEETS, GABOR WAS NOT AMED. “HE KEPT G HOME AND SAYG TO ME, ’THAT POOR LTLE NOCENT GIRL, SHE SS THERE AND READS POETRY, AND THERE WAS NO PLACE TO S THE MISSARY SO SHE ASKED IF SHE ULD S WH ME,’” SHE TOLD THE THOR. “I WAS FUR. WE WERE MARRIED AND GEE WOULD S WH THAT LTLE TART. AN NOCENT, WILD ANIMAL, I WOULD LL HER.”TYRONEFOR SANRS, THE PERSONALY OF AN ACTOR WAS GENERALLY “A MUDDLE-HEAD PEACK FOREVER CHASG AFTER THE RABOW OF HIS PATHETIC NARCISSISM,” BUT HIS IEND AND EQUENT -STAR TYRONE POWER WAS THE EXCEPTN. “I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER TYRONE POWER AS A BOUNTIFUL MAN,” HE WROTE. “A MAN WHO GAVE EELY OF HIMSELF. IT MATTERED NOT TO WHOM HE GAVE. HIS NCERN WAS THE GIVG. I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIS WONRFUL SE, A SE THAT WOULD LIGHT UP THE DARKT HOUR OF THE DAY LIKE A SUNBURST.”SANRS WAS ON THE SET OF SOLOMON AND SHEBA MADRID ON NOVEMBER 15, 1958, WHEN THE 44-YEAR-OLD POWERS STAGGERED BACK WHILE SHOOTG A FENCG SCENE. HE WENT TO HIS TRAILER, WHERE SANRS WENT TO CHECK ON HIM:HE WAS STG A CHAIR TWISTED OVER ON HIS LEFT SI AND HOLDG ON TIGHTLY TO HIS ARM. HIS HEAD WAS TILTED OVER RIGIDLY AS THOUGH SOME CRICK HIS NECK PREVENTED HIM OM STRAIGHTENG . EVEN THOUGH HE WAS WEARG MAKE - UP HIS FACE HAD A SORT OF BLUISH LOR, BUT HE GREETED ME WH A SE.POWER NVCED SANRS HE WAS FE BUT DIED OF A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPAL. THE ATH OF POWER CLEARLY AFFECTED THE MORBID SANRS EPLY, AND WHEN HE MAT EXPANSIVELY ON THE HANDSOME, ENERGETIC POWER’S LOST DREAMS, ONE GETS THE SENSE HE IS REALLY THKG OF HIMSELF. BUT HE IS BACK HIS UAL CYNIL PROTECTIVE FORM BY THE TIME OF POWER’S L.A. FUNERAL, WHICH BEME A HOLLYWOOD CIRC:AT ONE POT THE BEHAVR OF THE PUBLIC BEME SO UNLY THAT THE POLICE WERE OBLIGED TO PUT TO EFFECT RT PROCRE NUMBER 3, WHEREBY THEY NTROL THE CROWD BY SIMPLY RIDG TO A PHALANX. THE EXHSTS OF THEIR MOTORCYCL SHATTERED THE AIR, DROWNG OUT CAR ROMERO WHO WAS SPEAKG THE LOGY … BUT SOMEHOW FAILG TO FFLE THE LM OF A STRANGE…WOMAN FULL CHE STUME WHO HAD BEEN STANDG A SORT OF TRANCE BY THE FF DURG THIS PORTN OF THE SERVICE. IT WAS LATER REVEALED THAT THE…WOMAN WAS NONE OTHER THAN MISS LORETTA YOUNG WHO HAD E STRAIGHT OM THE SET OF A TV SHOW.THIS SWEET CSPOOLIN 1959, AFTER SANR’S DIVORCE OM GABOR, HE MARRIED THE ELEGANT ENGLISH ACTRS BENA HUME, THE WIDOW OF MOVIE STAR RONALD COLMAN. “I LOOK UPON BENA AS THE BT THG THAT HAS HAPPENED MY LIFE,” HE WR.MOST POPULARTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYESTE AND OPPENHEIMER’S REAL RELATNSHIP WAS CORDIAL AND COMPLITEDBY HILLARY BISONE WISH 1960’S MEMOIRS OF A CAD CLUD MORE OF THEIR TENR, LOVG RELATNSHIP, WHICH IENDS AND FAY TOLD VANDERBEETS WAS ONE OF MUTUAL ADMIRATN AND LM. BUT BENA’S ATH OM NCER 1967, A SERI OF STROK, THE ATH OF HIS MOTHER, AND BROTHER (THE ACTOR TOM CONWAY), AND DISASTRO BS CISNS WOULD SET SANRS ON A PATH TO .IN HIS MEMOIR, SANRS ALREADY HTS AT MEMORY PROBLEMS AND STABILY WHICH WOULD PLAGUE HIM LATER YEARS. IN 1970, ZSA ZSA GABOR, STILL CLOSE AND UNWAVERGLY LOYAL TO SANRS, NVCED HIM TO MARRY HER SISTER MAGDA, WHO HAD ALSO SUFFERED A BILATG STROKE.THE FARCE OF A MARRIAGE WAS SOON OVER AND A BEFUDDLED, FIRM, AND EXHSTED SANRS NTUED A DOWNWARD SPIRAL. ACRDG TO DAVID NIVEN, PERHAPS THE ONLY ACTOR TO SURPASS HIM WRG ABILY, SANRS HAD LONG HELD A WISH TO DIE BY SUICI. ON APRIL 25, 1972, GEE SANRS DIED OF AN OVERDOSE AT A HOTEL BARCELONA. “DEAR WORLD,” HE WROTE HIS FAREWELL NOTE. “I AM LEAVG BEE I AM BORED. I FEEL I HAVE LIVED LONG ENOUGH. I AM LEAVG YOU WH YOUR WORRI THIS SWEET CSPOOL. GOOD LUCK.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRPHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE ON HER “SURREAL” JOURNEY FROM FLEABAG TO INDIANA JONTHE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)HADLEY HALL MEAR

Sanrs portrayed a siar character The Gay Faln (1941), A Date wh the Faln (1942), The Faln Tak Over (1942), and The Faln’s Brother (1942). movi as Simon Templar--the Sat--and as Gay Lawrence, the Faln. Pl Giant gets some kd of an award for the most gay and bisexual actors ever one film: Jam Dean, Rock Hudson, Sal Meo, Earl Holliman, and while Merces never personally me out, she played the most fiercely dykey rol on-screen to perfectn.

#TBT: BREAKG THE GAY CO THE MOVI

Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger) Rope, 1948 Aled Hchck was fascated by gay and lbian characters, and there are sly and not so sly referenc many of his films.

THE GAY FALN

This time bi actor Farley Granger gets to be smacked around some for beg hysteril and nelly, which is fely for gay.

Jam Stewart's Rupert Call may or may not be gay tentn, but if the origal stg choice of Ray Milland had played the role we would have been much more likely to see him as gay. Phillip Vandamm (Jam Mason) and Leonard (Mart Land), North by Northwt, 1959In another gay-clive Hchck classic, suave villa Phillip Vandamm has a thg gog wh Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Sat), who's actually an Amerin spy tryg to fd out how he's exportg secrets to our Cold War-era enemi.