- Miriam Hopkins
-
Miriam Hopkins 
Born Ellen Miriam Hopkins
October 18, 1902
Savannah, Georgia, United StatesDied October 9, 1972 (aged 69)
New York City, New York, United StatesOccupation Actress Years active 1928–70 Spouse Brandon Peters (1926–31)
Austin Parker (1931–1932)
Anatole Litvak (1937–39)
Raymond B. Brock (1945–51)Ellen Miriam Hopkins (October 18, 1902 – October 9, 1972) was an American actress known for her versatility in a wide variety of roles.[1]
Hopkins was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Bainbridge, a town in the state's southwest near the Alabama border. She attended a finishing school in Vermont and later Syracuse University in New York.
Contents
Career
At the age of 20, she became a chorus girl in New York City. In 1930, she signed with Paramount Pictures, and made her official film debut in Fast and Loose. Her first great success was in the 1931 horror drama film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in which she portrayed the character Ivy Pearson; a prostitute who becomes entangled with the lead protagonists Jekyll and Hyde. Hopkins received rave reviews, however due to the controversy that surrounded the finished film and in particular, her character, many of Hopkins's scenes were cut before the official release. This reduced Hopkins to approximately five minutes of screen time.[2] Nevertheless her career ascended swiftly thereafter and in 1932 she scored her breakthrough in Ernst Lubitsch's Trouble in Paradise, where she proved her charm and wit as a beautiful and jealous pickpocket. During the pre-code Hollywood era in the early 1930s, she appeared in such other films as The Smiling Lieutenant, The Story of Temple Drake and Design for Living, all of which were box office successes and critically acclaimed.[3] Her pre-code films were also considered quite risqué for their time, with The Story of Temple Drake depicting a rape scene and Design for Living featuring a menage-a-trois plot with Fredric March and Gary Cooper. Hopkins also had great success during the remainder of the decade with the romantic screwball comedy The Richest Girl in the World (1934), the historical drama Becky Sharp (1935), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, Barbary Coast (1935), These Three (1936) (the first of four films with director William Wyler) and The Old Maid (1939). Hopkins was one of the first actresses approached to play the role of Ellie Andrews in It Happened One Night (1934), however she famously rejected the part.[4] The role went to Claudette Colbert and resulted in an Academy Award win.
Hopkins had well-publicized fights with her arch-enemy Bette Davis (Davis was having an affair with Hopkins' husband at the time, Anatole Litvak), when they co-starred in their two films The Old Maid (1939) and Old Acquaintance (1943).[5] Davis admitted to enjoying very much a scene in Old Acquaintance in which she shakes Hopkins forcefully during a scene where Hopkins' character makes unfounded allegations against hers. There were even press photos taken with both divas in boxing rings with gloves up and director Vincent Sherman between the two.
After Old Acquaintance, she did not work again in films until The Heiress (1949), where she played the lead character's aunt. In Mitchell Leisen's 1951's screwball comedy The Mating Season, she gave a comic performance as Gene Tierney's character's mother. She also acted in The Children's Hour, which is the theatrical basis of her film These Three (1936). In the remake, she played the aunt to Shirley MacLaine, while MacLaine took Hopkins' original role.
Hopkins auditioned for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, having one advantage none of the other candidates had: she was a native Georgian. However, the part went to Vivien Leigh.
She was a television pioneer, performing in teleplays in three decades, spanning the late 1940s through the late 1960s, in such programs as The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (1949), Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (1951), Lux Video Theatre (1951–1955), and even an episode of The Flying Nun in 1969.
Though she is best remembered for her film work, she has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for motion pictures at 1701 Vine Street, and one for television at 1708 Vine Street.
Private life
Hopkins was married and divorced four times: first to actor Brandon Peters, second to aviator Austin Parker, third to the director Anatole Litvak, and fourth to war correspondent Raymond B. Brock. In 1932, Hopkins adopted a son, Michael Hopkins.
Hopkins died in New York, New York from a heart attack nine days before her 70th birthday.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes 1930 Fast and Loose Marion Lenox Hopkins's film debut 1931 The Smiling Lieutenant Princess Anna The first of three films Hopkins made with Lubitsch 1931 24 Hours Rosie Duggan 1931 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Ivy Pearson Fredric March won an Oscar for his performance 1932 Two Kinds of Women Emma Krull 1932 Dancers in the Dark Gloria Bishop 1932 World and the Flesh Maria Yaskaya 1932 Trouble in Paradise Lily Second film directed by Lubitsch and starring Hopkins 1933 The Story of Temple Drake Temple Drake 1933 The Stranger's Return Louise Starr 1933 Design for Living Gilda Farrell Third and final film Hopkins and Lubitsch made together 1934 All of Me Lydia Darrow 1934 She Loves Me Not Curly Flagg 1934 The Richest Girl in the World Dorothy Hunter First of five films Hopkins and McCrea made together 1935 Becky Sharp Becky Sharp Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress
The first feature film made in the three strip technicolor process1935 Barbary Coast Mary 'Swan' Rutledge Second film starring Hopkins and McCrea 1935 Splendor Phyllis Manning Lorrimore Third film starring Hopkins and McCrea 1936 These Three Martha Dobie The film was adapted from the 1934 play The Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman.
Fourth film starring Hopkins and McCrea1936 Men Are Not Gods Ann Williams 1937 The Woman I Love Madame Helene Maury Hopkins married director Anatole Litvak shortly after this film was made.
It is the only film Hopkins made with Paul Muni1937 Woman Chases Man Virginia Travis Final film Hopkins and McCrea made together 1937 Wise Girl Susan 'Susie' Fletcher 1939 The Old Maid Delia Lovell Ralston The first of two films Hopkins made with Bette Davis 1940 Virginia City Julia Hayne Hopkins co-starred with Errol Flynn 1940 Lady with Red Hair Mrs. Leslie Carter 1942 A Gentleman After Dark Flo Melton 1943 Old Acquaintance Millie Drake Second of two films Hopkins made with Bette Davis. 1949 The Heiress Aunt Lavinia Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture 1951 The Mating Season Fran Carleton 1952 The Outcasts of Poker Flat Mrs. Shipton/'The Duchess' 1952 Carrie Julie Hurstwood 1961 The Children's Hour Lily Mortar Hopkins had starred in the original film adaptation of the play The Children's Hour entitled These Three in the role of Martha Dobie. In this film Shirley MacLaine played Martha and Miriam Hopkins played her Aunt Lily. 1964 Fanny Hill Mrs. Maude Brown 1966 The Chase Mrs. Reeves Hopkins played the mother of Robert Redford's character 1970 Savage Intruder Katharine Parker Hopkins's last film Short Subjects:
- "The Home Girl" (1928)
- "Hollywood on Parade No. B-1" (1933)
References
- ^ Obituary Variety, October 11, 1972, page 71.
- ^ http://allanellenberger.com/tag/miriam-hopkins/
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0394244/bio
- ^ Wiley, Mason; Damien Bona (1987). Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards. Ballantine Books. pp. 54. ISBN 0-345-34453-7.
- ^ Soares, Andre (December 3, 2006). "Miriam Hopkins Biography in the Works". Alternative Film Guide. http://www.altfg.com/blog/actors/miriam-hopkins/.
External links
Categories:- 1902 births
- 1972 deaths
- American film actors
- Syracuse University alumni
- American television actors
- People from Savannah, Georgia
- Deaths from myocardial infarction
- Actors from Georgia (U.S. state)
- 20th-century actors
- People from Decatur County, Georgia
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