joe cocker
Dear Esther …
I couldn’t help but notice some startling parallels between certain negative experiences you had and current events of today/2017. I point to your troubles with gay Director Dorothy Arzner and movie mogul Louis B. Mayer (Metro/Goldwyn/Mayer/MGM) which directly mirror current controversy’s.
From Why Do All My Husbands Want to Kill Me? Part II Copyright Robert J. Avrech
“Open about her homosexuality, director Dorothy Arzner, during production of Fashions for Women and Ten Modern Commandments, 1927, is in the habit of dragging Esther into her lap and groping her breasts. Esther rejects Arzner’s crude advances and Arzner takes revenge by browbeating Esther, making her perform take after take of a single scene. Ironic, because Esther was known as One-Take Ralston.”
This amounts to sexual assault in my book, yet it appears Arzner was neither charged – nor fired. No wonder people get away with it – for years.
From: “My Love of Hollywood” http://myloveofoldhollywood.blogspot.ca/2010/10/esther-ralston-1902-1994.html=
“Esther Ralston Facts:
She (Ralston) worked in England during 1932 and upon returning to Hollywood she was loaned out by Louis B. Mayor after denying his sexual advances. (She had worked at Paramount prior to this) This does answer the question as to why a previously successful actress would be cast in B rated movies that led to her early retirement.”
It’s astounding that someone would destroy someone’s career, because they rebuffed. Yet it’s a certainty that this kind of thing goes on all the time.
It would nice to think that will live in an enlightened age where such behavior and abuses will stop. But they won’t.
My own brief experience in the Film Industry saw this kind of kind of thing first hand. The power and money floating around in Big Time entertainment assures there are a plenty of people who care ONLY about 3 things: Money, Power, and Sex – not necessarily in that order. ART is not on the list.
And any Movie Set, I’d guess there a mere handful of folks who are care about the creative/Art aspect – the Director and the Actors mainly. A lot of other people (most?) are just there for the money – or whatever else they can get. It was not an uplifting experience.
Next: Esther Ralston Part 3 …
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Or, as Garry said, “It comes with the territory.” Powerful people abuse less powerful people, no matter what the industry. The more money is at stake, the more fragile victims are.
It never ends does it? And much of the time they seem to get away with it. Sadly.
I LOVE Esther Ralston. Nice tribute, JC.
Thank you Cindy. I figured you’d know about her. A rather amazing career.