MGM Turns 100, and A Little Girl Turns 97
Cora Sue Collins is the last living MGM contract player from the 1930s, and more than 20 collectors put together this special MGM 100th Anniversary and the Gold Age of Hollywood exhibit on display at the museum, lovingly called “The Barn.”
By Mike Szymanski
It’s a true Hollywood story.
On April 19, 1935, MGM Studio chief Louis B. Mayer had a brainstorm and celebrated the joint birthdays of the studio’s youngest star Cora Sue Collins along with one of the oldest stars Mae Robson. It was to be a great publicity stunt with every major star on the lot in attendance, including her young peers Mickey Rooney and Jackie Cooper.
“I was turning eight, not seven,” says Cora Sue, remembering the story. “But Mr. Mayer thought seven to 70 sounded good and said that for that day I was turnings seven.”
The actress faked a scowl. “I was not happy.”
As a child actress from the age of four, Cora Sue worked with the likes of Bette Davis, Norma Shearer, William Powell and was hand-picked by Greta Garbo to play her as a child in “Queen Christina.”
This past week, at the Hollywood Studio Museum, Cora Sue celebrated her upcoming 97th birthday with some of the world’s greatest collectors of some of the actors who were at that party so long ago.
“This is truly overwhelming,” Cora Sue gushed as Hollywood Heritage’s Darin Barnes explained how tough it was to get the birthday cake just like the actual one in 1935. “I remember the candy parakeets on top of the cake. It’s like it happened yesterday.”
Cora Sue is the last living MGM contract player from the 1930s, and more than 20 collectors put together this special MGM 100th Anniversary and the Gold Age of Hollywood exhibit that was on display April 6 and 7 at the museum, lovingly called “The Barn.”
Costumes, letters, autographs, photos and rarely seen memorabilia have been gathered from stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Marion Davies, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Greta Garbo, Ann Miller, William Powell, Jane Russell, Barbara Stanwyck, Lana Turner and many more. Movies represented include “Gone with the Wind,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Grand Hotel” and other classics.
Collector Greg Schreiner brought in a kilt worn by George Chakiris in the 1954 MGM musical “Brigadoon.” And the actor was there to see it and was in awe.
“It is nice to see an actor appreciate seeing the costume they wore in their films,” Greg said. “George seems particularly moved by it.”
At 91, George Chakiris — who won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role of Bernardo in “West Side Story” — said he had fond memories of working with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse in “Brigadoon.” He not only is known for dancing next to Marilyn Monroe in the “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” number in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” but also danced in “White Christmas” and other classics.
“You never know when you are working on a film whether it’s going to be remembered 40 years later, but I am glad to have worked in a few that are well remembered now,” George told me.
Some items shown at the special MGM exhibit have been offered to the public for the first time, such as a stunning 1938 painting of Hedy Lamarr accompanied with photographs of the actress with the painting.
“I have wanted this painting since I was 15, and I finally got it in 2012,” says collector Roy Windham, who also owns the Baby Jane of Hollywood autograph store which is now only online. “This is the first time it is out in public.”
Next to Hedy is a display of Lucille Ball’s wig from the 1943 film “Du Barry Was a Lady.” Across the other side is a display of Mae West and Jean Harlow. Tim Malachosky collects the West items and Darrell Rooney is fascinated by Harlow.
A more than 7-foot-tall painting of Harlow was thought to have been lost for decades after her sudden death due to kidney failure at 26 years old. A chemist owned it in Missouri and that’s where Darrell bought it after searching for many decades.
A prop trophy in two of Harlow’s movies proves that long-lost items from Hollywood legends can still be found even today, points out the trophy’s owner Brian Bundy.
“We also just saw it in the background in “Singin’ in the Rain” and that makes it even more valuable,” he said.
Hollywood Heritage is planning other fascinating displays at the Barn in the next year, like this one.
Keep up with other one-of-a-kind exhibits, displays, historic walks and other events by going to HollywoodHeritage.org
You can reach the author at mikeszy@aol.com.
