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Forgotten Hollwood.

Hello everyone, and welcome to Forgotten Hollywood, your podcast and memories of Yesteryear.

My name is Doug has An.

If you tuning in Forgotten Hollywood for the first time, what I do on this podcast is take you on a journey back in time and share with pieces of Hollywood that you may or may not know about.

And today we have a very very special guest with us today.

That is the daughter of Donna Red Mary owned Mary.

Welcome to Forgotten Hollywood.

Thank you.

It's a pleasure to be here.

It's a pleasure of all, and thank you for agreeing to spend just a few minutes of your busy time to be with us and and share a little bit about your mother's life and her work in film.

Yeah, there's a lot to talk about.

She had quite an incredible life from you know, from the early movie career to the TV show to the trying to end the Vietnam War.

And yeah, now you know you and I kind of joked a little bit.

Obviously your mother is not a forgotten Hollywood Star by no stretch of the imagination.

But you know, one of the things, and one of the reasons I named it Forgotten Hollywood is because I'm a big believer that we're just one generational way of forgetting some of these stars, especially with this new generation coming up.

But you know, your your mother has a film that gets showing every Christmas Eve and is kind of reminded and centerfold there, and that is with It's a wonderful life in terms of that.

I guess my first question we'll just kind of touch on that.

Briefly, is how do you think your mom would react knowing that a film like that is still around and touching so many lives this many years later.

Well, I know she'd be so thrilled.

And it's such an incredible phenomenon.

Because of course, the movie, you know, for various reasons which are slightly mysterious, didn't really do very well when it was released, and it sort of became forgotten right right, yes, And then it was the small screen television that brought it back to life because in the I think the late seventies, the networks were looking for, you know, themed free movies.

That they could show.

So It's Wonderful Life was on at Christmas like all the time, right, and they forgot to renew the copyrights, and so the small screen brought it back to the big screen.

And now you know, since two thousand and seven in New York City, I introduce it in theaters and it's when I started.

You know, they'll be be like four or five people, and now it sells out.

And I have to tell you the audience now to see it on the big screen in the movie theater are mostly in their twenties and early thirties because they grew up watching it with their family.

They want to keep through to tradition.

And it's a very important movie to a lot of people.

And it continues to grow, which always amazes me.

Absolutely after all these years later and it still has an impact on us.

And I think the chemistry between your mother and Jimmy Stewart is just wonderful on the screen, whether it's on television or on the silver screen.

And you don't get that with every Milk movie.

You know, sometimes people kind of fake it for lack of a better word, But your mother and Jimmy Stewart really had that chemistry in that film.

Yeah, Yeah, well, I think I like to think that the end of World War Two had something to do with the chemistry of everybody in the movie, because it was the first movie that Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart made after World War Two, and a lot of your listeners made or not know.

You know, Jimmy Stewart came back a highly decorated bomber pilot from World War Two.

Capra was making the y we fight serious, so even though he wasn't necessarily on the front lines, he was participating in the war effort all the way and started this Liberty Films, which was their first film together.

And so there was this tension on the set.

I think being away from Hollywood for four or five years, there was this insecurity, like, you know, Jimmy Stewart maybe didn't want to go back to acting and Capra had you know, hadn't directed like a Hollywood movie.

So I think somehow that tension created really an almost flawless film because everyone had experienced.

The war effort, whether you were over there or not.

And my mom, you know, wrote to soldiers, she went to the Hollywood canteen, and you know, spent time with soldiers and things like that, and I even have some ration cards.

Of her school.

Yeah.

So, I mean everyone came together and created this incredible movie, like in some way that I don't think was conscious, you know what I mean?

Like, yeah, yeah, it just kind of happened, and it wasn't meant to be what it is today, but it just kind of blossom into something really special.

Yeah, and it really the movie is so important and poignant for a lot of people.

Absolutely and appreciated NBC playing it every Christmas Eve and really brings in in all series is a new generation every single year of folks being able to watch that film and be introduced to not only a great Christmas film, but also some great actors and actresses that's been out there as well.

Now, speaking of fordn in Hollywood, I have to ask, do you think is a film that you think your mother was in that kind of overlooked in your personal opinion?

Well, gosh, that is a good question, because she made over forty films and there are many that you know, you just don't it's hard to see, right, yeah, because they're not you know, it's not from you know, from here to Eternity is big and of course, she's phenomenal in that sure.

You know.

The thing is, she's good.

In all of the movies, even if they're clunkers.

She is always excellent.

There's a light comedy called See Here.

Private Hargrove is kind of a B film from MGM that a lot of the guys saw her in when they were in base camp and overseas and really identified with her.

And then I think that got them struck their imagination and they wrote to her and she answered all the letters.

The picture of Dorian Gray's pretty good.

I mean, she's always good.

Favorite.

Sorry, go ahead, no, I was gonna say, do you have a personal favorite?

I really love they were expendable, Okay, john Ford john Wayne Montgomery movie.

This is incredible.

I mean, she doesn't have a lot of screen time, but the screen time is very, very powerful, and she and John Wayne have great chemistry.

And it's just also an excellent movie about kind of why we're still even doing war, you know, which we don't seem to learn to not do anymore.

So I like that, But I don't know.

I think my mother's acting holds up very well in all of her films, even though I don't think she's considered, you know, a huge movie star like Betty Davis or Elizabeth Taylor, which is too bad because I think she's.

Just as good.

Absolutely, I couldn't disagree with you.

I couldn't agree with you more in terms of that, really have us passed the test of time?

In terms that I would agree with you?

I want to kind of make the jump over to television because she was, like you said, on the big screen and on television as well, the Donna Rico.

In terms of that, did she have a preference?

I mean, did she really enjoyed television versus the big screen?

Was it more work less work relief?

How did she kind of approach that?

Yeah?

I think it's a little of both.

So what had happened was she won the Oscar in nineteen fifty four for her role in From Harry Returning, which was fantastic, and after that they just didn't Hollywood didn't really know what to do with her.

She's in one good movie that's hard to see called Scandal Sheet that's based on a book called The Dark Page by Sam Fuller, and.

That's a fun little movie.

But otherwise she was in ended up in a lot of b westerns, which she hated.

So she and my father decided to start their own production company.

Made a couple of movies, one in Mombasa, Africa on location, which actually you can see it on YouTube.

It's a pretty good little film.

And they decided to try their hand to television because it was a fairly new medium.

So this was like nineteen fifty eight, and so she and my dad they had established its production company, and my dad got the money together.

You know, he was really the principal architect.

They had various ideas.

You know, maybe she would be a spy for the FBI or other things.

And then someone saw a picture of her back in Iowa on the farm with my siblings and her.

Young much younger sister.

Anyway, it's a beautiful, kind of iconic picture, and they said, well, why doesn't she play a wife and mother?

And my dad thought that was a great idea because he thought that she was good at both.

And that's how that started.

I mean, it was their show.

I mean, she her name was on it.

Yeah, completely responsible for hiring and firing you know, directors.

I mean, idol Apino directed a few episodes.

They hired a couple, blacklisted couple and kind of a don't ask, don't tell way too, and their episodes are fantastic, So it was I think in a lot of of course, it was a lot of work because the show, I mean, the first season has like thirty nine episodes.

You know, they worked from September to May.

But I think the freedom she had to kind of I mean, she does a lot of more acting, and she's more there's a lot later years, there's more slapstick and just kind of like a looser acting style for her, which and plus she was in control, and plus you know, the writing and the episodes are really good.

I mean, she's in charge.

Right, and I would have to assume that that would be something that was very appealing that you know, anytime that you're in charge, you get to dictate which direction you're going to go and what the mood's going to be.

Like the scripts, et cetera, et cetera.

Where As if you're a contractor with the film, here's the script.

Especially back in the days when when your mom was in film, there wasn't a lot of wiggle room, where television probably gave her a lot more flexibility.

Well exactly, I mean the real constraint, of course, in those days were the sponsors.

Oh, yes, good point.

They had a lot of control.

However, you're absolutely right, and I think that also my mother took her role of really speaking to the American family quite seriously, and so if a scene called for it could go either dramatic or comedic, she would choose dramatic.

But she also was very nervous because she didn't have much training in comedy.

And she was great, I mean, she was a natural.

Yeah, you really couldn't tell now obviously during that period, you know, your mother being a woman being in charge.

Yeah, that was kind of refering some feathers at that point too, right, I mean there was some risk in that as well.

Yeah, I think I think a lot of women in that a lot of actresses from that generation really had to learn how to deal with the men in charge, right, in a much different way than women can deal with men now.

And of course women have more opportunities.

But yes, there, I think, you.

Know, in a lot of ways, even though it's from the woman's point of view and from the mom's point of view, and she's very strong mother, and she kind of gets her way and she's always fixing things.

And you know, I mean this.

I love the show.

I think it holds up really well.

A lot of the episodes are not predictable at all, and you know, yeah, most of them have happy endings, but some of them don't.

You know, there's definitely an edge there.

But yeah, that took quite a bit of finesse, and I think, you know, having my dad be sort of on the production end made it a little easier.

Yeah, absolutely absolutely.

And you know, again, your mom was in film, she was in television, but she also had a life outside of stardom.

Was used the word and you know you've kind of alluded to it a little bit.

She was very active in trying to end the war, etc.

Did that cost her anything?

Not financially, but do you think that hurt her in any way?

Well, she was a very private person, right, and unlike my father, who loved the business, I mean, I loved the business.

It was twenty four seven for him.

When she came home at night, she really, you know, wanted her privacy and didn't want to, you know, have to deal with a lot, although you know, she had to like learn her lines and all that kind of stuff.

But I think you know, as a as a working mom back in the day when it wasn't normal.

Sure, you know that was the cost to you know, especially I'm younger than the rest of my siblings, and you know, I had a nanny and she really was a working mom back in the day where it wasn't regular.

So I mean for me to be on the set was like totally.

Boring, you know.

As a little kid, it's just like take retake, you know.

So I usually hung out with her makeup person.

Her hair and makeup people were really fun.

And but yeah, I think I don't know what she would say about that, because I think she felt vindicated by some of the struggles she had the film career.

Okay, yeah, very interesting, you know.

And it's kind of a shame because I just couldn't to jump back to where you we were talking about your mom went in the oscar and then the studios didn't know what to do with her.

That that happens occasionally.

I mean, there's other stories out there, which is really a shame because you have this individual that is perfected a craft and has one an oscar, and then everybody kind of goes but we don't know what to do with that that individual, And I think that's kind of a shame, and I would assume your mother was maybe a little hurt by that as well.

I mean, who wouldn't.

Yeah, yeah, I mean too, you know, I mean Harry Cone was so involved and from here to eternity, and he helped make sure she and Frank Sinatra got those roles because the director didn't really want either one of them.

And then to have this incredible awarded perform and then you know, like the directors for the Westerns like, oh what bra are you wearing today, honey or whatever?

It just like so bizarre.

Yeah, you know, So I'm you know, I'm so glad that she and my dad were able to you know, make the transition into this new medium and really you know, be part of the golden Age of television and have success.

Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely, And it's amazing that we're, you know, in a lot of cases still talking about some of these films all these years later.

That that's a huge tribute to your mother that, you know, she was part of something in her acting basically stood the test of time in terms of that.

Absolutely.

What would you think your mom would say today about Hollywood?

Well, I'm sure she would be very very happy with all the women, you know, the scenes, Yeah, and behind the camera and in power.

Definitely she would approve of that.

Yeah.

I don't know, that's a good question.

I think with all the social media, considering she was such a private person, I don't know how she would that she would, you know, but it is incredible how I mean.

The truth is, my mother started the TV show when she was thirty six, which I mean now doesn't sound that old.

But in those days, that's like your career's over.

Right, yes, yeah, yeah, No, I'm just going to say a lot of times people didn't want to go to TV because just exactly to your point, because.

That was a sign that your.

Big screen days were over and it was a kiss of death for lack of a better word.

It sounded like your mom really embraced that instead of letting it go as a negative, turned it into a positive.

Yeah.

You know, she was very close with Shelley and Paul, who played her kids on the show, and they you know, she simultaneously was their boss and playing their mother and also kind of an acting mentor, especially for Shelley.

And also they stayed close up until my mom passed away.

I mean, they definitely stayed very close and got together for lunches, and you.

Know, it was an intense it was a good relationship.

Yeah, I think it was.

Just in the last week or so, I read an article from I think it's a remind magazine that basically had an article in there that was talking about the relationship that her mother had with the children, and they spoke very highly and it was all positive in terms of that.

You don't always get that with working on sets like that because you're with somebody a lot.

Yeah.

Yeah, right, that's a lot of time together.

Yeah, no, Paul, I think Paul was very upset when the show ended.

Shelley had left the show.

You know, she's had such an incredible career.

So I know that last day of shooting, my mother sat down with Paul for about an hour because he was quite upset that the show was ending.

And you know, so, yeah, I've been assuming your mom had mixed feelings about the show ending.

Well, yeah, that's funny.

You should ask she wanted to end it after the fifth season.

I think.

You know, there's this great quote my mother says, well, you know, I grew up in rural Iowa on a farm, and I was up before dawn and doing shorts and now I have a TV show and I'm up before dawn.

What happened?

So I think she felt like five years was enough.

You know, maybe she had said all she wanted to say.

I'm not sure if I was pretty young then, but the Columbia made her an offer that she and my dad couldn't refuse, so they did extend it another three years.

But yeah, I think, you know, it was exhausting, but I mean interesting, I still watch the show now and I find it really sophisticated.

There's adult humor there too, It's not just kids.

Well in an eight year run is nothing to laugh at.

I mean, you know a lot of shows don't even make it, you know, through season one alone.

To have eight seasons on that, so that's a pretty incredible run for televisions.

It is.

Yeah, two hundred and seventy five episodes.

Yeah, that makes me tired thinking about that.

You know, man, I know we're getting close here on time.

But just a couple of quick things.

I know that your mother has a museum that people can come and visit.

Yes, we want to just touch about on that for just a second.

Yeah, the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts, We own this beautiful, huge building that has a museum.

We have a temperature controlled archive in the basement.

She saved everything, yeah, from the film career and the television show.

These incredible scrap books from her film career with you know, clippings and telegrams from peers, especially after receiving the oscar.

We have a vintage theater and yeah, we give tours by appointment, and that was established.

The foundation was established a couple of years after she died in eighty seven eighty eight.

And yeah, and.

Right now we're just We used to have a festival and.

Gave a lot of money away.

We just give them.

It's all mostly online.

Now.

We give scholarships away the kids who are going on to study performing arts in college.

Oh, excellent, excellent.

One last thing is I'm just going to give you kind of the last word.

Any remaining thoughts or anything you want to say about your mother as we wrap up this episode.

Well, I think my mom was really ahead of her time, and I think she's very interesting and she's worth getting to know.

So if any of you listeners aren't familiar with her, you can find out more at the foundation looking us up at Donnery dot org.

But please, you know, watch her films.

From Here to Eternity is incredible.

It holds up very well.

I don't know if she's good and everything, and like I said, she really was ahead of her time and she's definitely worth looking into now.

I couldn't agree with you more on that.

And as much as a lot of us love it's a wonderful life, she's much more than just that one film at Christmas time, like you said, from Here to Eternity, but there's a lot of great and I also go out and YouTube and then watch some of the Donna Rico on.

From her television side as well.

So that's that the TV show streaming you know, to be Amazon, all those places.

I love watching it and it holds up real well.

And also there's something also and it's a wonderful life.

She's there's something very modern about her in that role too.

I don't know how to explain it, but yeah, she's just got a certain way about her that really transcends time.

Absolutely.

Well, Mary, again, thank you so much for coming on spending a few minutes and talking about your mother.

She was an amazing actress and we really appreciate your time and thank you for what you guys do to preserve her career for future liperations.

Yeah, well, thank you for what you're doing too.

I really appreciate talking to you and asking good questions.

Thank you well, thank you, and I want to thank our listeners for listening to this episode forgotten how you search for Doug Caster for Garden Hollywood.

You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram at HS Doug fourteen.

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Tune in next time for late US episode for Garden in Hollywood.

Thank you for listening and we will see you then