topic Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM in TV and Movies

Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

drizzellla — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 17:49:12 GMT

Glad to see her movies. She was quite a character.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

TexasMom1 — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 18:25:47 GMT

She was great in "Lady Be Good" with Robert Young, Eleanor Parker, Ann Sothern, Red Skelton, and John Carroll!.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

Oznell — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 18:38:15 GMT

I couldn't place her, @drizzellla . You and @TexasMom1 are so knowledgeable on musicals.

Looks like she had a wonderful career. RIP.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

drizzellla — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 19:53:25 GMT

@TexasMom1 wrote:
She was great in "Lady Be Good" with Robert Young, Eleanor Parker, Ann Sothern, Red Skelton, and John Carroll!.

Too bad that TCM did not show "Lady Be Good" today.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

golding76 — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 20:01:27 GMT

Such wonderful reservoirs of all sorts of knowledge on this forum!

I know Virginia Mayo (Michael O'Shea's wife -- see, I'm showing off), but I am unfamiliar with Virginia O'Brien.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

drizzellla — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 20:59:00 GMT

@golding76 wrote:
Such wonderful reservoirs of all sorts of knowledge on this forum!

I know Virginia Mayo (Michael O'Shea's wife -- see, I'm showing off), but I am unfamiliar with Virginia O'Brien.

Here is a list of some of the movies she was in -

1946 Till the Clouds Roll By
Ellie May Shipley (segment "Show Boat") / Virginia O'Brien
1946The Harvey Girls
Alma from Ohio
1945Ziegfeld Follies
Virginia O'Brien ('Here's to the Ladies')
1944Meet the People
'Woodpecker' Peg
1944Two Girls and a Sailor
Virginia O'Brien
1943Thousands Cheer
Virginia O'Brien
1943Du Barry Was a Lady
Ginny / Du Barry's Companion
1942Panama Hattie
Flo Foster
1942Ship Ahoy
Fran Evans
1941Lady Be Good
Lull

Here are a few pictures but they don't seem to capture her character.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

Shelbelle — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 21:06:52 GMT

I have seen some of these movies, but still had not heard of her before. We learn something new every day.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

golding76 — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 21:30:25 GMT

drizzellla, like Shelbelle, I've seen some of these movies (about four of them), but Virginia's name never registered with me. Yes, I do look at opening and closing credits. It might be that in many of the older films, I have paid attention to only those names I already knew.

Today I was coasting along the channels and stopped at TCM when Dubarry Was a Lady was airing. I noted Red Skelton, Lucille Ball and Gene Kelly had roles. Upon returning to the channel after flipping away, I saw a lovely brunette songstress take her place in front of an orchestra; I noted that she was wearing a chartreuse-colored blouse; thought about the fact that most brunettes avoid that shade of green; and then skipped off, never thinking about who she was. The woman I left nameless was, of course, Virginia O'Brien.

I guess that's how it happens.

Thank you for bringing her alive for me.

Re: Today is Virginia O'Brien day on TCM

drizzellla — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 22:29:46 GMT

I read this tidbit about Virginia O'Brien.

Was pregnant with daughter Terri during the making of The Harvey Girls (1946). Delays on the film caused by star Judy Garland made her condition harder and harder to conceal, which is why her character seems to disappear in the second half of the film.

I just watched the movie. And in the beginning of the movie they introduced all the Harvey Girls in a song. And Virginia O'Brien had a dress with a tiny waist. Made me wonder how long they spent shooting the movie.