Joan Blondell

Just about, you know, I am very big on images.

Anything where Joan Blondell shows up and does anything.

And Gold Diggers of 33, it's either on tonight or it's on very soon.

And now you're talking my language.

I love Joan Blondell to death.

Well, you know who I love from that? And when you were talking about Alice White and what a short career she had, I started thinking about someone who had a much longer careers.

I love Aileen McMahon.

[laughs] It is.

And when, and when I watched it, you know, and I looked at it, I'm like, B- you know, Barbara Stanwyck was 24 and Joan Blondell was 26.

And so, you know, of c- y- you know, 'cause, 'cause, 'cause I just watched the movie and I'm like, man, they look great.

They look amazing.

Yeah, they're so young.

And especially for Barbara Stanwyck, you know.

I, o- obviously Joan Blondell, the Gold Diggers movies are just mind-blowing.

Ugh.

I am your host, Erin Carlson.

[upbeat music] [gentle music] Welcome back to the conclusion of Joan Blondell's amazing story.

If you have not listened to part one, please go back and do so before listening to this episode.

You have to know the story of her early life.

Unfortunately, I have to do a little trigger warning at the top of this episode too.

I'll be talking a bit about domestic violence, so please proceed with care and caution if that might be a discussion that is difficult to hear.

I present to you the rest of Joan Blondell's story.

After Joan Blondell's divorce from George Barnes in September of 1935, she vowed to give her life a much-needed refresh.

James Stewart returns to his film role as Tom Destry Jr., the deputy Wash summons to Bottleneck.

Joan Blondell plays Frenchie, the town's saloon singer, and Leo Cleary is Wash. Gertrude Purcell and Henry Myers wrote the radio adaptation, with William Keeley serving as producer and host in his first regular Lux broadcast.

And now, we return to the original broadcast.

Lux presents Hollywood.

The Lux Radio Theater brings you Jimmy Stewart and Joan Blondell in Destry Rides Again.

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we're happy to announce, as regular producer of the Lux Radio Theater, the appointment of Mr. William Keeley, who has been our guest producer several times in weeks past.

Prior to three years of active service as colonel in the Army Air Corps, Mr. Keeley directed such screen hits as The Fighting 69, Each Dawn I Die, George Washington Slept Here, The Man Who Came to Dinner, and a score of other stage and screen successes.

He appears in one of his favorite roles.

Ocean Park, California.

There's a rumor that Guy Kibbe was seen here going around with Joan Blondell.

But don't worry, folks.

It was a merry-go-round.

But no, the Three Stooges I find annoying.

So I didn't, care about any of their stuff I was hoping maybe the musical numbers would do more for me or the plot you know the snappy dialogue I feel like the better versions of these kinds of musical reviews that even if the plot isn't like super intricate and you know engrossing they have good witty repartee and actors like Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell who can pull that off and really get the the back and forth going and you you are engaged with the movie when there isn't a musical number going on and i didn't think

that what uh what one would you recommend josh

i mean gold diggers of 1933 is is a favorite of mine

So, I always check around to see what is considered the best biographies of our stars as I'm preparing for my research.

For Joan Blondell, I discovered it is the book Joan Blondell, A Life Between Takes by Matthew Kennedy.

Perfect, got it ordered up.

And sweet, it's under 300 pages, which is uncommon.

I kept writing a few more pages.

But there was still lots more to come.

Joan Blondell's childhood and early adulthood is a wild ride, and I found myself wanting to use just about everything Matthew Kennedy shared in his book, where normally I may read and read and read pages of a biography before finding something I feel important to share with you in order to pull their whole life story together.

So today, I will tell you the wild story of Joan Blondell's childhood.

The film's portrayal of Johnny is both tender and tragic, capturing the complexity of a man who is loved despite his shortcomings.

Aunt Sissy, played by Joan Blondell, adds a layer of complexity to the family dynamic with her vibrant personality and unconventional lifestyle.

Her presence in the film highlights the societal norms of the time and the challenges faced by women who dared to defy them.

Sissy's character, though somewhat constrained by the era's censorship, is brought to life with warmth and humour, providing a counterbalance to the film's more sombre moments.