Pawsome Pet Pictures: Brigitte Bardot.

Personal Quote:

"I am really a cat transformed into a woman... I purr. I scratch. And sometimes I bite".

Battle of the Blondes: Janet Leigh VS Brigitte Bardot.

Both Janet Leigh and Brigitte Bardot, were well known as the "sex kittens" of their era.

Janet Leigh (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004). Discovered by actress Norma Shearer, landed a contract with MGM and began her film career in the late 1940s. She performed in Alfred Hitchcock's, Psycho (1960) and Living It Up(1954). She also played more dramatic roles: Safari (1958) Touch of Evil (1958) and The Manchurian Candidate (1962). She also performed in one of my favorite Musicals, My Sister Eileen (1955). Directed by Richard Quine. It stars Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett and Jack Lemmon.

Ruth and her "blonde bombshell sister Eileen,(that all the boys go gaga over), come to New York looking for "fame and fortune". After they find a small apartment, Ruth catches the eye of playboy publisher Bob Baker, after she submits a story about her sister Eileen. She tries to keep his attention by convincing him that she and the gorgeous, Eileen are one and the same person.

This is a very charming musical with a wonderful score by Jule Styne. Betty Garrett and Janet Leigh, both shine in their performances. And the film spotlights some wonderful choreography by Bob Fosse.

Houdini (1953). Biographical film about the life of the magician, Harry Houdini. Directed by George Marshall, based on the book Houdini by Harold Kellock. The music score was by Roy Webb and the cinematography by Ernest Laszlo. Costume design by Edith Head.

Brigitte Bardot(September 28, 1934). By the time she was 15 Brigitte was modeling and posed for the French magazine "Elle". She performed in her first french film, Crazy for Love (1952). She made her first US film in, Act of Love (1953) with Kirk Douglas. Brigitte's "sex kitten" sexuality took the US by storm. In 1965 she appeared as herself in, Dear Brigitte (1965) with James Stewart (she only appeared in one scene). Just before she turned 40, Brigitte retired from movies after filming, The Edifying and Joyous Story of Colinot (1973).

I'm really looking forward to viewing these two Brigitte Bardot films listed below:

And God Created Woman (1956). A French drama film directed by Roger Vadim and starring Brigitte Bardot. This was the film that created her "sex kitten" image.

A Very Private Affair(1962). A French film directed by Louis Malle and starring Brigitte Bardot.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte and her friend, both aging gracefully thru the years...

and don't forget her other little friend underneath her elbows....

Act of Love(1953).

Act of Love(1953). Romantic drama directed by Anatole Litvak. Cast: Kirk Douglas, Dany Robin and a very young Brigitte Bardot. It is based on the novel, The Girl on the Via Flaminia by Alfred Hayes.

After Robert Teller, arrives in a small town on the French Riviera, he reaches the Hotel Belle Rive, where he requests a specific room. Soon, a woman, who happens by, joins him at an outdoor cafe table, where Bob, tells her about the first time he visited France during the U.S. Army liberation of Paris:

After fighting in the war, Bob returns to Paris, working as a clerk, in an Army office. Bob locates his friend Nina, who trades his German camera on the black market so he can pay for private room. When Nina, makes plans to move to Cannes, with an American captain, she tells Bob he can rent her apartment, as long as he will share it with her friend, Lise, a woman who has lost her family in the war. Lise, is not too happy that they must pretend to be married so that the owners, will allow them to stay there.

Lise, can not find employment and is about to pawn her necklace when she is caught up in a police round-up, but.. she is quickly released. Bob, has been pacing the floor in hopes that Lise will return home. Now, a couple, they visit the palace at Versailles and later attend a USO square dance.

While traveling home by subway, Lise tells him that the happiest time of her life, was during a family vacation at the Hotel Belle Rive and dreamed some day she would return.

Bob, is forced to return to the barracks, leaving Lise alone on the dark streets where she is rescued by Claude, who gives her a gift of a German bullet hanging on a chain.

The next day, military police come to the cafe and Lise, is ordered to show her documents with a magistrate. When Lise does not return, Fernand goes to see Bob at his office and tells him what must have happened to her. Meanwhile, Lise is documented and released. When, Lise returns home in a daze, she is attacked by Claude, who grabs her by the hair and threatens to cut it off. Bob, comes to Lise's rescue and promises to marry her.



When Bob, goes to get permission from his commanding officer Henderson, he refuses, thinking that Bob is making a mistake and has him transferred immediately. Bob, jumps off the transport truck, but.. is caught and is unable to meet Lise. A military police officer agrees to call Lise, to tell her what happened but.. Claude interferes and tells her she has been used. Broken hearted, Lise, walks to a bridge by the river and is gone. Kirk Douglas, gives a unforgettable performance and the ending was very sad and moving.

Fun Fact:

Kirk Douglas met his German wife-to-be, Anne Buydens, when she applied for a job as his assistant on the French location shoot for this film.

Dany Robin (14 April 1927 – 25 May 1995) was a French actress of the 1950s and the early 1960s who was married to actor, Georges Marchal.

She performed in the films: The Waltz of the Toreadors, Act of Love(1953), Follow the Boys (1963), and in Alfred Hitchcock's, Topaz (1969).

Dawn's Favorite Movie actresses and their films of the "60's".

These are my top 10 movie actresses of the 60's and the films that they performed in:

Katharine Hepburn:
1962 Long Day's Journey Into Night
1967 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
1968 The Lion in Winter
1969 The Madwoman of Chaillot

By the 1960′s Katherine Hepburn had been making films for over 30 years, with 8 Academy Award Nominations and one win. In 1960 she was nominated a 9th time for Best Actress in the film, Suddenly Last Summer, opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. In 1963, she again was nominated for a tenth Oscar as Mary Tyrone in the film, Long Day’s Journey Into Night(1962). Then in 1968 and 1969, Kathrine won her second and third Oscar for Best Actress in, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and The Lion in Winter. The 1960′s introduced her to a whole new group of fans.

Video is from: (1969) The Madwoman of Chaillot, which is based on a Giraudoux play about modern society endangered by the forces of power and greed.

Fay Dunaway:
1969 The Extraordinary Seaman
1969 The Arrangement
1968 A Place for Lovers
1968 The Thomas Crown Affair
1967 Bonnie and Clyde
1967 The Happening
1967 Hurry Sundown

Her first film was in 1967 in, Hurry Sundown, but that same year, she got the leading female role in, Bonnie and Clyde (opposite Warren Beatty) which won her an Oscar nomination. Very few actresses started off their Hollywood careers with Oscar nominated roles.

It would be another ten years before she won her Oscar, but in my opinion her greatest role was that of Bonnie Parker in, Bonnie and Clyde.

Audrey Hepburn:
1967 Wait Until Dark
1967 Two for the Road
1966 How to Steal a Million
1964 My Fair Lady
1964 Paris When It Sizzles
1963 Charade
1961 The Children's Hour
1961 Breakfast at Tiffany's
1960 The Unforgiven

Audrey Hepburn, best work may have been in the 1960′s with one of her best known roles as Holly Golightly in, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or Eliza Doolitle in, My Fair Lady (even though her voice was dubbed in the singing parts). Beautiful, elegant, Hollywood.. had very few actresses like, Audrey.

Audrey's work with UNICEF, made the organization a household name.

Elizabeth Taylor:
1969 Anne of the Thousand Days
1968 Secret Ceremony
1968 Boom!
1967 The Comedians
1967 Reflections in a Golden Eye
1967 Doctor Faustus
1967 The Taming of the Shrew
1966 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
1965 The Sandpiper
1964 Becket
1963 The V.I.P.s
1963 Cleopatra
1960 BUtterfield 8
1960 Scent of Mystery

In the 1960′s Taylor was known for her beauty, but she also was very talented. She was the winner of the 1960 Best Actress award in the film, Butterfield8 as a prostitute and in 1963′s Cleopatra and in 1966 she won the Best Actress award for the second time for her performance in, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe. Based on the controversial play by Edward Albee, this noir-ish 1966 drama stars former real-life couple Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, which maybe their best performances.

Video: 1960 BUtterfield 8 movie Trailer.

Jane Fonda:
1969 They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
1968 Barbarella
1968 Spirits of the Dead
1967 Barefoot in the Park
1967 Hurry Sundown
1966 Any Wednesday
1966 The Game Is Over
1966 The Chase
1965 Cat Ballou
1964 Circle of Love
1964 Joy House
1963 Sunday in New York
1963 In the Cool of the Day
1962 Period of Adjustment
1962 The Chapman Report
1962 Walk on the Wild Side
1960 Tall Story

Her stage work in the late 1950's help prepared her for her film career in the 1960s. She averaged almost two movies a year throughout the decade, starting in 1960 with Tall Story, in which she recreated one of her Broadway roles as a college cheerleader pursuing a basketball star, played by Anthony Perkins. Period of Adjustment and Walk on the Wild Side followed in 1962. In Walk on the Wild Side Fonda played a prostitute, and earned a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer.

Fonda's breakthrough came with the film, Cat Ballou (1965), in which she played a schoolmarm turned outlaw. This comedy Western received five Oscar nominations. Soon after she performed in the comedies, Any Wednesday (1966) and Barefoot in the Park (1967).

In 1968 she played the lead role in, Barbarella, directed by her French film director husband Roger Vadim. The film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) earned her first Oscar nomination. Fonda was very selective by the end of the 1960s, turning down lead roles in Rosemary's Baby and Bonnie and Clyde.

Video from: Barefoot in the Park.

Marilyn Monroe:
1960 Let's Make Love
1961 Misfits
1962 Something's Got to Give

Marilyn, had no real acting techniques. It was only Marilyn, a "star" and "sex symbol" of the "60's".

Her last completed film, The Misfits, was directed by John Huston and costarring Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach and Thelma Ritter. Shooting taking place in the hot Northern Nevada desert. Monroe was frequently ill and unable to perform. Making the film was a difficult experience for all the actors; in addition to Monroe's illness, Montgomery Clift had frequently been unable to perform and by the final day of shooting, Thelma Ritter was in hospital suffering from exhaustion. Gable, commenting that he did not fell well, left the set without attending the wrap party. Within ten days Gable had died from a heart attack. Gable's widow, Kay, commented to Louella Parsons that it had been the "eternal waiting" on the set of The Misfits that had contributed to his death.

In 1962 Monroe began filming Something's Got to Give. It was to be directed by George Cukor, and co-starred Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse.

On May 19, 1962, she attended a birthday celebration of President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden, at the suggestion of Kennedy's brother-in-law, actor Peter Lawford. Where Monroe performed "Happy Birthday".

Monroe returned to the set of, Something's Got to Give and filmed a scene in which she performed nude in a swimming pool. Commenting that she wanted to "push Liz Taylor off the magazine covers", she gave permission for several partially nude photographs to be published by Life. Monroe was dismissed and was replaced by Lee Remick, and Dean Martin refused to work with any other actress.

Following her dismissal, she gave an interview to Cosmopolitan and was photographed at Peter Lawford's beach house sipping champagne and walking on the beach. She next posed for Vogue in a series of photographs that included several nudes. Published after her death, they became known as "The Last Sitting".

In the final weeks of her life, Monroe was planning future film projects, and to continue negotiations on the film, Something's Got to Give.. Among the projects was a biography of Jean Harlow filmed two years later with, Carroll Baker. Starring roles in, Irma la Douce and What a Way to Go! were also discussed. A film version of the Broadway musical, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, and an unnamed World War I–themed musical co-starring Gene Kelly were also discussed, but the projects were never to be.

Brigitte Bardot:
1969 Les femmes
 1968 Shalako
1968 Spirits of the Dead
1967 Two Weeks in September
1965 Dear Brigitte
1965 Viva Maria!
1964 Agent 38-24-36
1963 Contempt
1962 Love on a Pillow
1962 A Very Private Affair
1961 Famous Love Affairs
1961 Please, Not Now!
1960 The Truth
1960 It Happened All Night

Brigitte's, "sex kitten" beauty took the US by storm. In 1965 she performed as herself  in, "Dear Brigitte" (1965) with James Steward (she only appeared in one scene).



She prefers life outside of stardom. The Paparazzi constantly hounded her with their cameras. After her life in the spotlight, Brigitte went on to become a leading spokesperson for animal rights and started the "Foundation Brigitte Bardot".

Goldie Hawn:
1969 Cactus Flower
1969 Five the Hard Way (unconfirmed)
1968 The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band.

Hawn, began her acting career as a cast member of the comedy Good Morning, World during 1967-1968, her role was the girlfriend of a radio disc jockey, with a stereotype "dumb blonde" personality. Her next role, was as one of the regular cast members on the 1968-1973 comedy show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. On the show, she would break out into giggles in the middle of a joke, and deliver a perfect performance a minute later. Hawn, was known as the "60s It" girl.

Hawn's Laugh-In personaiity was used in the film, Cactus Flower. Hawn had made her feature film debut in a bit role as a giggling dancer in the 1968 film, The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, in which she was billed as "Goldie Jeanne", but in her first major film role, in Cactus Flower (1969), she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as Walter Matthau's suicidal fiancée.




 

Sharon Tate:

Sharon Tate had performed only bit parts, but was considered a beautiful and rising actress. Tate met film director Roman Polanski then starred in Valley of the Dolls, followed by, The Wrecking Crew with Dean Martin.

1969 The Wrecking Crew
1967 Valley of the Dolls
1967 The Fearless Vampire Killers
1967 Don't Make Waves
1966 Eye of the Devil

Ava Gardner:
1968 Mayerling
1966 The Bible: In the Beginning...
1964 The Night of the Iguana
1964 Seven Days in May
1963 55 Days at Peking
1960 The Angel Wore Red

Ava Gardner, is thought of as one of the most beautiful actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age. In 1966, Gardner tried out for the role of Mrs. Robinson in the film, The Graduate (1967).

In 1968, she made what some consider to be one of her best films, Mayerling, in which she played the Austrian Empress Elisabeth of Austria opposite James Mason as Emperor Franz Joseph I.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Brigitte Bardot & Friends

Brigitte with a rabbit  in the woods

Brigitte with a baby duck

Brigitte with a cocker spaniel

Brigitte has always been a big animal lover and these pictures show her at her most loving with all kinds of animals

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Brigitte Bardot.

Personal Quote:

On experience: Every age can be enchanting, provided you live within it.