Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Who Wears Short Shorts?


Columbia Studios starlets Adelle August, Lucy Marlow, and Jane Mason, for starters. In a publicity stunt revolving around producer Jonie Taps's search for the world's most beautiful legs, "The trio demonstrates they are ready to match legs with any contender as they walk down a Hollywood movie set."


Silly gags aside, we always kinda liked Lucy Marlow. She was cute and perky, very much in the Terry Moore/Maggie McNamara mold of the day -- apple cheeked, Peter Pan-collared, pert-bosomed, yet wholesome. After an unbilled bit in the Doris Day vehicle, Lucky Me (1954), Marlow made a brief yet memorable appearance in Judy's A Star is Born (1954), as Lola Lavery, Norman Maine's ditzy movie star gal pal.

Vicki Lester, not Lola Lavery, wins an Oscar in A Star is Born (1954).

After making a film with Judy Garland, there was really only one other place ror Lucy Marlow to go -- the 58-degree set of a Joan Crawford picture. In Queen Bee (1955), Marlow's role is quite prominent, as the sweet ingenue who slowly catches wise to the silky machinations of Crawford's rich bitch character.
John Ireland, Betsy Palmer, Lucy Marlow, and Miss Crawford assume the poses of religious icons in this still from Queen Bee (1955)

After that, Marlow married Yankee third baseman, Andy Carey, abruptly ending her career. Aside from a few television appearances, she had more or less retired by the end of the decade. Her filmography may be abbreviated, but Lucy Marlow's appearances with two of the Pagan Goddesses of Fagdom mean that she at least brushed up against greatness. And for that, we salute her.

5 comments:

  1. Sometimes I wonder if I imagined seeing "Queen Bee" in a feverish haze. What the hell is up with that movie??? No one believes me when I try to describe the plot.

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  2. One of the ALL TIME greatest slaps in that one. Betsy Palmer seemed to think that Joan was disappointed in Lucy's talent and decided to give her a real good one on purpose!

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  3. ilduce -- It's a quasi-glamorous, C-level Tennessee Williams ripoff, held together by glue and toothpicks. A few Jean Louis gowns and furs an A picture does not make, but of course, La JC is SOOOOO watchable.

    Poseidon3 -- Ha! I wouldn't be surprised, although Lucy reputedly said that JC was very kind and motherly towards her.

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  4. Now that's the way to hail a cab.

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