Ross Alexander Chronicle

2012-01-02T01:10:00.000-08:00

This evening, seventy-five years ago, Ross Alexander slipped away into that dark night.

"....bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray."

Always.

~REMEMBERING SYBIL JASON~

2011-08-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

As of this writing, the loss of this very special lady has not yet been publicized, but obviously will be soon. It is with great sadness that I must report that child star, Sybil Jason passed away on August 23, 2011. Having been ill for half a year, Sybil, surrounded by her beloved family, left peacefully late Tuesday afternoon to begin life anew.

Born Sybil Jacobson on November 23, 1927 in Cape Town, South Africa, by the age of three Sybil was making public appearances doing impersonations and playing the piano. This led to London where she performed on stage and was to make two 1935 film appearances in England, BARNACLE BILL and DANCE BAND. Her unique beauty, obvious intelligence and talent was noted by Irving Asher, head of Warner Brothers' London based studio. This led to a contract with Warners, which brought Sybil and her family to Los Angeles. She made her US screen debut in LITTLE BIG SHOT released in 1935. She co-starred in six films and four shorts at Warners, making her final WB film, COMET OVER BROADWAY in 1938. She scored her greatest hit at Warners in THE SINGING FOOL, appearing with the legendary Al Jolson. 1939 found her at Republic Studios, co-starring in WOMAN DOCTOR. Sybil then was to make two films in 1939/1940, THE LITTLE PRINCESS and THE BLUE BIRD, both starring her soon-to-be lifelong friend, Shirley Temple. It is her engaging performance as the little cockney maid, Becky for which she is best remembered.

On New Years' Eve of 1947, Sybil Jason married the love of her life, Anthony Drake. Mr. Drake passed away in 2005. They had one daughter, Toni Maryanna who now is married to Phillip Rossi, producer of THE NEW PRICE IS RIGHT.

Sybil was the author of three well received autobiographies, "My Fifteen Minutes: An Autobiography of a Child Star of the Golden Era of Hollywood" (2005), "Five Minutes More" (2007), and "What's It All About, Sybil? The Sybil Jason International Fan Club" (2010).

This wee biography is by no means complete nor is attempting to be. Undoubtedly there will be accolades and obituaries shortly to follow in both print and on the Internet. But I simply could not let Ms Jason's passing go unmentioned by yours truly as she has been such gracious and thoughtful friend to me. For whenever possible in her busy schedule over these past years, she has taken the time to answer my questions regarding Ross Alexander with accuracy, detail, and sincere enthusiasm. Throughout our correspondence, she offered me viable information with a unique perspective. Sybil's intelligence and memory were truly a priceless rarity and I am forever grateful.

Miss Jason will be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, which--ironically as such--is within eyesight of Warner Brothers Studios and is now reunited with her cherished husband in their family plot. I shall miss my dear correspondent and her charmingly insightful letters. Later tonight, when all is quiet, I think I will watch THE LITTLE PRINCESS once more, savor her performance and weep a little weep. Goodnight sweetheart.

~Kisses for Mr. Alexander Upon the 104th Celebration of His Birth!~

2011-07-27T00:12:00.000-07:00

January 2, 1937~In Memoria~ Eternus Altum

2011-01-02T03:22:00.001-08:00

~In Memory of Gloria Stuart~

2010-09-27T16:50:00.001-07:00

It was with great regret to learn that the glorious Miss Stuart took leave of our company, on the evening of Sunday, September 26, 2010. She was a delightful soul, intelligent, talented, artistic, chronically beautiful. Her career was varied and interesting, co starring in such 1930s classics as The Invisible Man, The Old Dark House, Secret of the Blue Room, Roman Scandals, Here Comes the Navy, Gold Diggers of 1935 and Poor Little Rich Girl. In 1982, she provided a lovely guest appearance in My Favorite Year when waltzing with Peter O'Toole. And needless to enumerate, lots and LOTS of television and documentaries starting in 1975 up until 2009.

And then *of course* there is Titanic. No doubt it will be her Academy Award nominated performance as the elder Rose for which she will be best remembered. By everyone except me.

I was delighted when first learning she would be co starring in a major motion picture, appearing in a film which looked to be a success. "Success" doesn't even begin to describe the ensuing results of Titanic. When the Motion Picture Academy nominated her for Best Supporting Actress, I damn near did a happy dance on my roof. I watched every award show and guest appearance possible and stared in awe when seeing her arrive at the Academy Awards. I so wanted her to win. I was so disappointed when she didn't. But---please forgive this smitten bloggeress---what I would not forget, what I could not get past, was here was one of the last people on Earth who actually knew Ross, acted with him, touched him, kissed him, shared their day with him.

They made one film together in 1935. An engaging little movie titled, Maybe It's Love. They were adorable together and it's a pity Warners did not team them up again. Based on the play, Saturday's Children, by Maxwell Anderson, this second of three efforts veered more towards comedy than the final version starring John Garfield. Maybe It's Love had a sprightly cast, whose forte tended to be comedic and included Frank McHugh, Ruth Donnelly, Helen Lowell, Henry Travers, Joseph Cawthorn, Phil Reed, Dorothy Dare, J. Farrell MacDonald, Maude Eburne, Mary Treen, and Edward Chandler. It spiffs along at a speedy pace and as it tells the story of a full length play in 63 minutes, you may be certain that the original play's plot points and characters were dropped faster than an uncooperative starlet's contract.

Over a decade ago I wrote Miss Stuart, asking if she could share any remembrances of Ross. She didn't recall the film very well, but she certainly remembered him. "Funny," she wrote, "the man was just plain funny. And patient. It seemed like we were always waiting and when we were, he never complained. I would get frustrated and he'd jolly me out of it. I remember his friendliness and how he'd chat with the crew, making jokes. He was very kind and his death was a shock. He changed after his wife died. I wasn't at Warners anymore but did see him from time to time. He was still friendly, but withdrawn. I certainly liked him a great deal."

Tonight I'm going to watch their little film and as I do, remember this lovely woman and her amazing 100 years of life. And the young man who 60+ years later, was still lovingly recalled by someone who obviously cared.

Honoring the 103rd Anniversary of Your Birth with Blessings and Loving Wishes

2010-07-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

January 2, 1937~Requiescat in Pace

2010-01-02T03:41:00.000-08:00

FELICITATIONS FOR THE BIRTHDAY BOY!

2009-07-27T02:07:00.000-07:00

~BEVERLY ROBERTS~

2009-07-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

In loving memory of Beverly Roberts, a fine actress whose mellifluous voice enhanced her nearly two dozen feature film. A Brooklyn girl, Miss Roberts was born on May 19, 1914 and while in her teens, studied drama at Eva Le Gallienne's prestigeous Civic Repertory Theatre Company. She later was also to study with famous actress/drama coach Maria Ouspenskaya.

Initially signed by Warners Brothers in the mid 1930s, she made a total of 21 films, including two with Ross Alexander. They costarred together in Hot Money (1936) and along with Pat O'Brien in China Clipper (1936).

Miss Roberts made her film debut in The Singing Kid (1936) which starred Al Jolson and Sybil Jason. Two other career highlights include her appearance with Errol Flynn in The Perfect Specimen (1937)and starring in Warners' first technicolor feature, God's Country and the Woman, a 1937 film which was first offered to Bette Davis. Miss Roberts gave an excellent performance and it is for this film that she is best remembered.

A singer and stage actress, she toured with the Dorsey Brothers Band in the 1940s and continued as a singer well into the 1950s. Her acting career ended in the early 1950s after making several television appearances. In 1954 she was appointed administrator of the Theater Authority, whose members comprised the five entertainment unions.

She retired in 1977, although would occasionally attend film events and corresponded with fans including this fortunate writer. I am forever in her debt as she generously and painstakingly shared her memories of Mr. Alexander with me.

The year 2002 was certainly a gratifying one for Miss Roberts as she was honored in March at the grand reopening of Santa Cruz's Del Mar Theatre; the featured film being China Clipper. Later in August, she was in the spotlight once more at the Cinecon Film Festival in Hollywood. Her final screen appearance was in 2000's I Used to Be in Pictures, a wonderful documentary which also included among others, Sybil Jason, Ruth Clifford, Frances Drake, Edith Fellows, Rose Hobart, Hazel Court, Murial Evans, Lucille Lund, Joan Marsh, Anita Page, Peggy Moran, Fayard Nicholas, Lupitar Tovar and another costar of Ross's, Gloria Stuart.

According to her close friend, Sybil Jason, Miss Roberts passed away, due to natural causes, in her sleep this past Sunday, July 12 at her Laguna Niguel home. At her personal request, there were no services. This kind and generous woman shall be missed.

January 2, 1937~In Loving Memory

2009-01-02T23:44:00.001-08:00

BETTER LATE (A WEEK AND TWO DAYS) THAN NEVER!

2008-08-05T03:16:00.000-07:00

Belated best wishes on your 101th, Birthday Boy.....

AN UPDATE OF SORTS

2008-06-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

In response to your many kind inqueries regarding the book, herein is a short update. It plods along. What I am in need of is more personal commentary from friends or family who are actually related to Ross. There are huge gaps in his earliest years and there doesn't seem to be much reliable information to fill them. Please, no friend of the friend of the neighbor who *might* remember something if they only knew who or what they were "remembering" in the first place.

For example, I was contacted by a woman who thought she could possibly be related to Anne Nagel. During our brief correspondence, I asked her how and she replied that she wasn't sure but wanted *me* to tell her. Needless to say, the correspondence ended quietly.

I appreciate all suggestions and am so grateful for your concern and input; do keep in touch!

SO WHERE IS THE BIOGRAPHY?

2007-09-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

Back at the starting point....one more time. Not long after setting up this blog, I was contacted by author Lisa Burks ("Urbane Rebel: The Franchot Tone Story") and author/editor/reviewer Laura Wagner who both kindly suggested that I contact a certain publisher and offer my manuscript for publication. This I did and much to my happy surprise, I received a positive response. I am now engaged in a detailed rewrite and upon completion, the manuscript shall then be professionally considered for book publication.

No one could be more surprised and quite frankly, shocked that this could be a possibility. I am grateful to both Lisa and Laura for their encouragement and to Mr. Ben Ohmart for his kindness and patience.

So good, bad, indifferent...whatever the results, however it goes...I will update this blog accordingly. Wish me luck.

FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL PARK

2007-07-28T03:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSS

2007-07-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

2007-01-02T03:01:00.001-08:00

~*~*~IN MEMORIA~*~*~

DEDICATED IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF ROSS ALEXANDER

JULY 27, 1907~JANUARY 2, 1937

This site has been created not only to serve as a memorial but as a celebration of Mr. Alexander's birth centenary. It also has been established to correct the continuing inaccuracies, rumors and outrageously indulgent lies which have been perpetrated and perpetuated for the last decade and a half. Incessantly, misinformation has been eagerly proliferated by the ignorant and careless. Blatant fabrications are cheerfully published by authors with a ravenous self- appointed agenda; clearly manufacturing their personal version of Ross Alexander to season their worthless biographies of Mr. Alexander's associates. It is obvious that said authors think Mr. Alexander is so obscure that they can write virtually anything about him and who would possibly know the difference?

Well, think again.

Welcome to the Ross Alexander Chronicle. My name is Melissa Delgado. As a devotee and collector of Mr. Alexander for 45 years, I felt that if anyone was going to attempt to record Mr. Alexander's life incorporating legitimate source material as well as correspondence with people who actually knew the man, it would have to be yours truly.

The greater part of material herein was originally a 100 page article intended for Classic Images Magazine. Although lauded, I was informed by the editor that it would have to be pared down to 20 pages. My first thought was-----and precisely which 80 pages of information should I discard? Even though the length was previously discussed with Mr. King and agreed upon, the revised editing mandate was simply too severe. Thus, I declined to publish.

Since then, the article has been periodically updated and is now ready once more for perusal. Needless to say, as more information and data is discovered, it shall be included herewith. Although this site is formatted as a blog, the primary use is to issue Mr. Alexander's biography. Any comments kindly given by readers shall remain private and not for public examination.

It is my sincerest hope that any reader, either a fellow admirer, a neophyte fan or the merely curious, will come away with a sense of the man and respect for both Mr. Alexander and his work. The restoration of Mr. Alexander's dignity and an appreciation of his engaging talents is a personal objective. If the reader is educated, entertained but most of all, beguiled by the charm and endearing persona that is Ross Alexander, then this site will have served its purpose.

"Demetrius, I will keep my Word withThee."

~A Midsummer Night's Dream~

THAT'S GRATITUDE:

2007-01-02T02:33:00.000-08:00

Heartfelt appreciation to my beloved whiz kid, Denise Fetterly for both her incredible networking as well as technical assistance with this site. With her continual encouragement, patience and generosity above and beyond the call of friendship, she has inspired and helped me in ways she has never realized. I simply could not have lived my life without her. A loving hug to Ginny Michaels for her amazing contributions, not only as a dear and giving friend, but by way of genealogical research and the time and effort it took to locate and photograph family burial plots as well as pertinent landmarks. Because of her, I have been generously gifted with information I never could have had otherwise. Another affectionate hug of gratitude goes to Anne Parisi who first photographed the Freile internment plot as well as attempted to locate the family home. Kind as well as intrepid, her efforts are also treasured. I have been truly blessed by these three and I am forever in their debt.