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Mary Wickes Appreciation Thread


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Lucy always regretted tonque-in-cheek-ly that she told her real age when she came out to Hollywood, because she could have fudged like a few other stars and gotten away with it. Had she not appeared as an extra in all those early 30s films as an full adult she might have gotten away with a full ten years like Shirley Booth. Mary's YOB is more often given as 1916 than the actual 1910 because of Mary's persistent hiding of the year which she went to great lengths to do. Am midway through the book now and it is a great read.

One question: WHEN did Lucy work with Izzie Wolfinton?

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Yes of course it's Iggie not Izzie.

 

Did I ever mention that I wrote a fan letter to Mary Wickes when I was in Junior High? I received a hand-written response which sadly I no longer have. I remember it started out with "You certainly have followed my career! And it's nice to know somebody is." Then went on to talk about how she was getting her masters degree and that she had done a couple of "Jimmy Stewart Show"s.

I don't have many regrets in life and the only one I can think of is that when I was in LA I didn't try to make contact with all these wonderful people who were still alive. I don't know that they really knew how much we appreciated them.

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I don't have many regrets in life and the only one I can think of is that when I was in LA I didn't try to make contact with all these wonderful people who were still alive. I don't know that they really knew how much we appreciated them.

So true, Neil and I feel the same way. That's one of the main reasons I still enjoy getting to go to the autograph shows here every chance I get: I've had the opportunity I never thought I would growing up telling some of these folks how much they mean(t) to me, what an impact they had on the life of a young (then) closeted gay fat boy growing up in the middle of nowhere, with few friends and fewer still who he felt he "fit in" with yet had these WUNDAFUL folks on TV that he looked up to, admired, revered, wanted to be like, to meet someday and never dreamed it would, many years later become reality. I still have to pinch myself sometimes.... I've been fortunate to meet (or be nearly run over by!) almost all those I admired growing up... So grateful! Now the hard part is knowing that so many of them have left us or given their respective ages, won't be here forever. That's hard, sad. But I suppose I should look at the bright side... thankful that they've been with us as long as they have! ;)
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Who? Who? WHO? List the people you've met!

You're talking to someone who stood outside the stage door after a "Merv Griffin Show" to meet Kaye Ballard. The crowd grew impatient and left and the stage door fans dwindled down to two: me and Mrs. Miller!

 

So true, Neil and I feel the same way. That's one of the main reasons I still enjoy getting to go to the autograph shows here every chance I get: I've had the opportunity I never thought I would growing up telling some of these folks how much they mean(t) to me, what an impact they had on the life of a young (then) closeted gay fat boy growing up in the middle of nowhere, with few friends and fewer still who he felt he "fit in" with yet had these WUNDAFUL folks on TV that he looked up to, admired, revered, wanted to be like, to meet someday and never dreamed it would, many years later become reality. I still have to pinch myself sometimes.... I've been fortunate to meet (or be nearly run over by!) almost all those I admired growing up... So grateful! Now the hard part is knowing that so many of them have left us or given their respective ages, won't be here forever. That's hard, sad. But I suppose I should look at the bright side... thankful that they've been with us as long as they have! ;)

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Who? Who? WHO? List the people you've met!

You're talking to someone who stood outside the stage door after a "Merv Griffin Show" to meet Kaye Ballard. The crowd grew impatient and left and the stage door fans dwindled down to two: me and Mrs. Miller!

You and Ms Miller????? Oh my, now THAT's someone I would have wanted to get some star seeking tips from. Remember when Lucy told Merv, while telling a story, she stops mid sentence and says as she spots her in the audience, HEY, Ms Miller.

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  • 6 months later...
  • 5 months later...
  • 1 year later...
  • 10 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

The communications director of our local theatre company came into my office a little while ago to discuss an ad for a future edition of the paper. In our conversation, she casually mentioned she used to be an actress.

 

Me: Oh? Can I IMDB you?

Her: Yes.

(So I do, and as I am doing...)

Her: I was in LIttle Women with Susan Sarando--

Me: YOU WERE IN LITTLE WOMEN WITH MARY WICKES?!!! :HALKING:

 

Because...priorities.

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Oh of course. How'd she take that outburst?

 

She got a kick out of my enthusiasm from an unexpected corner of that film. lol

 

The woman also co-starred in the TV movie The Other Mother with Frances Fisher and they remain good friends, she added, noting Frances reveres Lucy and still has posters and other items of note from Before The Laughter in her house.

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  • 1 month later...

The Chicago Now blog has launched a week-long salute to La Wickes:

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/intellectual-chicago-suburbs/category/mary-wickes-week/

 

:D

"Mary Wickes Syndrome" :HALKING:

 

LOVE THIS! Never heard of the columnist before but I think with this intro he's someone I'd like to follow and read regularly; thanks Boss once again for finding and sharing this with us who are just as fond of "Sister Wickes" as this author obviously is!

(I'll never know how you find all this stuff but I'm sure glad you do!) :gary:

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The latest issue in blogger Steven Krage's week-long tribute to Mary Wickes (see above) is all about her friendship with Lucy. You can find it here:  http://www.chicagonow.com/intellectual-chicago-suburbs/2016/10/a-mary-wickes-week-celebration-6-mary-and-lucille-ball-treasures-from-a-friendship-with-tvs-favorite-redhead/ 

 

 

Thanks, Steve! I love his appreciation for La Wickes, although I hoped to see a photo or two of one of the "sexy body" letters you have in your wondaful book!

Thanks gentlemen to both of you for keeping the love for Sister Wickes alive!!

 

Now pardon me while I dig out my DVDs for a Mary-thon of The Trouble With Angels, Sister Act and Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame!! :blink:

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