Word Association

Merle.

Haggard.

Exotica...

...Hollywood style.

From Mrs. Miniver to Auntie Mame

Oh, how we wish there was preserved video of this performance!!! As much as we adore Roz Russell, and revere the film, one can only imagine the superbly silky heights that Miss Greer Garson achieved when she took over the role from Russell on Broadway. Imagine that deliciously plummy voice reeling off those one liners! Garson's appearance on What's My Line? during her run as Mame Dennis is as close as we'll get to having been there. Listen to the wild crowd reaction as Garson enters, in costume!

Garson won rave reviews for her performance; and, from the looks of this photograph taken a few years later, she and Russell maintained a mutual admiration society of Mames (who mingle with Merle).

All I Desire

My, we certainly have Merle Oberon on the brain lately, don't we? Poseidon3 recently suggested we check out her final film, Interval (1973). It was co-produced by Merle herself, co-stars her much-younger, then-new husband, Robert Wolders, and was brought to the screen by Joseph E. Levine, the maestro responsible for such triumphs as the Carroll Baker Harlow (1965) -- we're sure we'll love it. However, we're even more eager to finally see Merle's legendary South American soaper, Of Love and Desire (1963).


An overheated stew of nymphomania, promiscuity, rape, incest, and an abrupt, morally-safe happy ending, Of Love and Desire sounds like the ultimate trashy Douglas Sirk rip-off, and We Must Watch It. Plus, it features a fifty-something Merle Oberon writhing around like a cat on a hot tin roof, and the always-watchable Steve Cochran as her swarthy knight in sweaty armor.

If anyone out there has a copy to lend us, we'll love you long time.

THANKS for the Of Love and Desire images.

More Merle

Shown above holding a hair hopper's conference with Anne Ford, Charlotte Ford, and Mrs. Henry Ford III. As noted by the everlovin' Peenee, Ms. Oberon's last husband was former actor Robert "Robby" Wolders, aptly described as "humpalicious."


Mr. Wolders, after being widowed by Ms. Oberon, went on to become Audrey Hepburn's longtime companion until her death. As as been mentioned, such was Robby's beauty, he more than held his own next to the formidable Oberon and Hepburn; and we think he would have made an even prettier pairing with his Laredo co-star Peter Brown.

A Merle of a Girl

Merle Oberon
February 19, 1911 - November 23, 1979

Headdresses 101

School Pageant Showgirls Carole Lombard, Myrna Loy, Merle Oberon and Anna May Wong  

THANKS