TV and Movies

[Pearlee]

@countrylady. Vaccaro is still alive and is 80 yrs old. Yes she used to live with Michael Douglas (I think in his Streets of San Francisco days).
Her bio says she's been married 4 times.

[beach-mom]

@Pearlee - Another one of my favorites! I love Pierce Brosnan in this - well, I love Pierce Brosnan in ANYTHING! 

[Oznell]

Wow, @Pearlee --  I did see "A Mirror Has Two Faces",  years and years ago, but for some reason did not remember our girl Brenda Vaccaro as being in it.  I'm losing my mind!

Now that you all have refreshed my memory, I think I can visualize her in the "best friend" role.  She's always good, but I must have been a little too dazzled by darling, pre-tons-of-facial hair (why oh why jeff-- clean shaven is your best look!) young Jeff Bridges.....

Thanks so much for the recommendation, @Pearlee .  It is well worth a look, esp. for the humor and the fairy tale romance aspect-- huge fun.

Here are pictures of Brenda at different points in her career-- she's adorable at every stage:

[Johnnyeager]

Lauren Bacall was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for this film.

At the time she was a clear favorite and considered a sure winner. (She had won the Golden Globe.)  There was audible surprise when the winner was announced:  Juliette Binoche for The English Patient.

Juliette was as surprised as anyone, given her acceptance speech:

JULIETTE BINOCHE:
I'm so surprised. It's true I didn't prepare anything, I thought Lauren [Bacall] was going to get it. And I think she deserves it. Where are you? I think we all tried our best on this film, and Anthony was there to help us. I'm so amazed. This is a dream. It must be a French dream, I think. Bye.

[Pearlee]

@Oznell. 😄 Yes it was definitely hard to focus on anyone else in that film other than Bridges in his prime. ❤ Vaccaro had several lines acknowledging her love of eating (and hence her weight) in the film including a scene in a restaurant where, after Barbra starts to trim down to make herself attractive to Jeff, Vaccaro is disappointed that Barbara isnt ordering a big hamburger like Brenda is and, seeing her friend's disappointment, Barbra suggests splitting a burger between them.

The photos of the young Brenda are reminding me a lot of Dinah Manoff daughter of actress Lee Grant. Dinah was Tim Hutton's friend from the institution in Ordinary People who kills herself in the film.

[Oznell]

Good call-- the young Vaccaro does have that "waif-like" quality of Dinah Manoff, who was quite good in that small role in "Ordinary People"!

[Pearlee]

@Oznell. It's the mouth especially.

[Shelbelle]

Dinah Manoff was also Marty in Grease. And of course she starred on TV in Empty Nest. Remember Vaccaro as Sophia's DIL in one Golden Girls episode. Also starred in 1971 with Elliott Gould in a movie called I Love My Wife.