Elizabeth Taylor’s famous beauty was partly because of a genetic cause. After she was born, a doctor informed Taylor’s parents that their baby daughter had a condition called lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome.
The syndrome (which is caused by the FOXC2 gene) was responsible for her double rows of eyelashes, which did enhance her stunning eyes.
Peter Sellers Was Superistious
Comedic actor Peter Sellers was actually afraid of a specific color. Sellers had an unfortunate reputation for being very hard to get along with. On set, he would have people fired because of the slightest whim and threw tantrums whenever things weren’t going his way.
But, along with this, he was also scared of the color purple! Apparently, Sellers was superstitious about the color being a bad omen.
Sellers Had Issues With Certain Colors
Sellers' fear of the color was so bad that it would lead to even more screaming fits if he saw purple near him. The staff even had to ensure that Sellers never had to stay in a hotel room that contained the color purple.
And if you thought he wasn’t high-maintenance enough, he also couldn’t stand the color green. Reportedly, if someone was wearing green on set, Sellers would refuse to act alongside them.
Elvis Presley and His Chimp
Elvis had a pet chimpanzee. At one point in his career, Elvis acquired a pet chimpanzee which he named Scatter. The chimp had previously been part of a show on a local Memphis TV station, and when the station decided to get rid of him.
Fortunately, Elvis took him in. The king of rock let him scatter and roam free in his Graceland estate, which led to some disastrous experiences.
Monkey Troubles
The animal would rip up the curtains, torment visitors, bite people, and of course, would throw...well...you know what chimps tend to do. According to his friend Lamar Fike, Elvis didn't treat his chimp the best.
Clearly, Elvis did not want to care for his pet. Sadly. the poor creature died while still in the care of Elvis and his staff.
Hepburn, The Deer Lover
Audrey Hepburn also had an unusual pet. She got along on set so well with her baby deer co-star for the film "Green Mansions" that she took her home with her. Hepburn named the deer Pippin, or just “Ip” for short.
Though she may have looked like a delicate woman, Hepburn was more than up for the challenge of raising a deer.
It Was a Special Bond
She made sure that Pippin had a custom-made bathtub to sleep in, though at times, Hepburn would let her sleep in her bed. Pippin was quite attached to her and would even follow Hepburn to the supermarket.
Her relationship with her unusual pet both amused and amazed those around her.
Elizabeth Taylor's Weird Eye Diagnosis
Elizabeth Taylor’s famous beauty was partly because of a genetic cause. After she was born, a doctor informed Taylor’s parents that their baby daughter had a condition called lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome.
The syndrome (which is caused by the FOXC2 gene) was responsible for her double rows of eyelashes, which did enhance her stunning eyes.
More Medical Issues
Having two beautiful sets of eyelashes had its appeal, but unfortunately, the syndrome can also come with a slew of other problems. Taylor reportedly suffered from medical issues her entire life, this has obviously also affected her career.
It is thought that her death (which was from congestive heart failure) was most likely linked to her lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome.
Jayne Mansfield's Wardrobe Malfunctions
Jayne Mansfield created her own wardrobe malfunctions. Mansfield was considered a bombshell beauty and, when she would go out on the town, she wasn’t about playing coy with the paparazzi.
Apparently, she would wait for the photographers and then allow part of her outfit to “accidentally” slip off. Once, she even dove into a swimming pool and came up topless.
All Eyes on Jayne
This, along with her scandalous magazine photoshoot and her rivalry with Marilyn Monroe, all got Mansfield a lot of publicity, which didn’t seem to bother her at all!
Back then, this unseemly behavior was heavily frowned upon, but Mansfield seemed to rather enjoy the attention. We can say, however, that she perhaps paved the way for the liberation of women in the years to come.
Natalie Wood's Injury
Natalie Wood was self-conscious about an old injury. Like many starlets of yester-year (and of course, today), any blemishes or imperfections were simply off the table, and even the great beauty Natalie Wood suffered from this greatly.
As a child star, Natalie Wood suffered an injury on the set of "The Green Promise." A bridge rigged to collapse fell down too early, breaking the young star’s wrist, and sadly, it never properly healed.
No Healing Time
The accident left Wood’s left wrist in a not-so-great condition. This made the talented actress very self-conscious. It was noted that she consistently wore something over the old injury, such as a bracelet, watch, or long-sleeved gloves to cover the area.
Some biographers said that Wood’s mother did not follow through on getting the injury treated properly, which is why it did not heal well.
Marlon Brando Was Super Forgetful
Though he is praised as one of the greatest actors, it may shock you to hear that Marlon Brando did not memorize his lines! That’s right; the actor would use cue cards with his lines on them, print them out, and hide them around the movie set.
Brando can at least be given some credit for being strategic in the placement of his cue cards. He tried to hide them in places where he could read them in a natural way.
Radio Interference
Sometimes he would even tape his lines on the walls off camera. He also utilized another method to help him say his lines correctly. Reportedly, in the 1996 movie "The Island of Dr. Moreau," Brando was fed his lines through an earpiece.
This method, for the most part, seemed to work, but it had its downsides. The radio system he used would sometimes pick up signals from interfering radios, specifically police radios, resulting in him probably saying some interesting lines.
June Vlasek Loved Her Baths
June Vlasek took a lot of baths. We may be used to seeing the skincare and beauty routines of a lot of stars today on social media, but in earlier days, they had to use other outlets.
The beauty routines of certain starlets were often printed in newspapers so that their fans could get their tips and tricks. Actress June Vlasek (or June Lang) shared her unusual beauty tip in "The Fort Worth Star-Telegram" in October 1932.
Passion For Hygiene
Vlasek confessed to the newspaper, “Frequent baths — say twice a day — are my beauty hint.” She also shared that her soaping and scrubbing regimes really helped with pore cleansing. It sounds like the Golden Age of endorsements, too! Vlaske continued saying that it also really helped with circulation and healthy skin.
It sounds like Vlasek was really passionate about cleansing and exfoliating, which really does help the skin. We're glad she figured that one out.
Doris Day Loved Vaseline
Doris Day was a big fan of Vaseline. The beauty tip that actress Doris Day used for beautiful skin was Vaseline, but her application process was a little messy. In her 1975 autobiography "Doris Day: Her Own Story Day," she said that once a month, she covered her entire body.
Yes, she would do this all over her entire body with Vaseline. It doesn't sound very comfortable. Then she would put on her pajamas and hop into bed. That’s what probably resulted in her silky smooth skin.
Slipping Out of Bed?
Surprisingly, this was met with criticism from columnists. Jean Kerr wrote in "The New York Times" in 1977 about the strange beauty routine. Where does Day sleep, he asked? How she would not accidentally slip right out of bed?
Certainly, you can’t satisfy everyone. Not even the supposedly more evolved press from "the New York Times." Sounds very challenging to uphold that perfect girl persona.
Lauren Bacall Was Feisty
Lauren Bacall was a force to be reckoned with. Bacall was a tenacious, free-thinking woman in an era where women were confronted with rigid societal expectations. Those around her were often not approving of her demeanor.
In fact, she was labeled the second “Least Cooperative Actress” in 1945 by the Hollywood Women’s Press Club (runner-up to Greer Garson.)
A Run-in With The Israeli President
In 2014, former Israeli president Shimon Peres revealed to "Haaretz" newspaper that he was distantly related to the actress, but when he met Bacall, he was surprised by her character. He confessed that she was rather quiet and gloomy.
The former president said that “she told me a bit about acting, about love, but she was not an easy woman. She had very strong opinions, was protective of her dignity, and was not easy to converse with.”
Grace Kelly Wasn't That Innocent
The image created around Grace Kelly as an actress was that of a classy, delicate, and even naive woman. But according to her biographers, she was quite different off-screen. In fact, Kelly was thought to have been romantically involved with nearly all of her leading men.
These were big names that included stars like James Stewart, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Ray Milland, and William Holden. Clearly, Grace Kelly was a sought-after woman. She did end up marrying the Prince of Monaco, after all!
Kelly's Lovers
TV and theatre director Don Richardson (who was interviewed for the 1987 biography "Grace: The Secret Lives of a Princess") claimed that Kelly indeed had many lovers. Don Richards also conveyed that the woman didn't let her Catholicism get in the way of her passions. You go, girl!
"She would jump out of bed on Sunday morning, wearing nothing but the crucifix, go to church, come back in an hour and jump into bed.”
Orson Welle's Secret Nose
Orson Welles couldn’t stand his nose. In 1955, actor and filmmaker Orson Welles confessed in a sketchbook, “You may have wondered why I look so peculiar on the television. And it’s partly; I must confess to you the fact that you see my nose as it is. In most of the films that I appear in, I put on a false nose. Usually as large as I can find.”
He did have a rather small nose, so it makes sense as to why he wanted to hide it, but still, we think Welles looked just fine.
An Unfinished Film
Once he completed filming "Macbeth" in 1948, Welles flew to Rome for another film project, and, according to his biographer Barbara Leaming, he “seemed far more worried about the supply of false noses he left in Hollywood than about his unfinished picture.”
What’s even more unusual is that, as Welles aged, his false noses in movies grew even bigger. Though, if you're going to start with a masterpiece at 25 years old, there's not much room for nose growth.
Greta Gabo's Eating Habits
Greta Garbo had a bizarre diet. While there is pressure for actors to be in shape these days, there was even more pressure in Hollywood’s golden age -- especially for actresses. The pressure to stay marketable for film projects and appealing to fans was so intense that these starlets had to make sure they stay in shape.
At one point in Greta Garbo’s life, she reportedly ate nothing but spinach, and at another point, she ate only dried apricots, brown beans, biscuits, and chicken.
The Strange Food Combinations
In addition to this, Garbo was known to have some odd food combinations. She was known to eat raw eggs mixed with orange juice, buttermilk combined with yeast, or cornflakes together with lingonberry jam and coffee.
Despite some of the off-putting creations, adventurous foodies claim that that last one is pretty good.
James Dean Got Dirty
James Dean: guys wanted to be him, and women wanted to be with him, but he had a dirty side. Reportedly, the grungy star was, well, really unkempt. Dean didn’t particularly care to wear shoes very often or launder his clothes regularly!
There were times that he wore the same unwashed t-shirt for over two weeks. "The Detroit Free Press," said in May 1955 that the teen idol “dresses like an unmade bed.”
Jeans and Safety Pins
While it sounds a little gross, we can't really blame the guy. 'Bad boys' shouldn't really worry so much about their hydergine, right? That is what shot him to stardom in the first place. It's all about the persona.
But, it was a little out of hand at times. According to eyewitnesses, Dean showed up to rehearsals in jeans held together with only safety pins and apparently. It’s amazing he made it to icon status with this kind of behavior.
Tippi Hedren's Lion
Tippi Hedren loved exotic animals but she should have been more careful about what creatures she brought home. She decided that a large male lion (who was named Neil) would be the perfect addition to her family.
Hedren demonstrated a misplaced sense of philanthropy when she believed that she should care for the wild animal as a conservation effort. Neil was a wild animal, and he was later joined by others.
The Lion Attack
Hedren went so far as to allow the lions to sleep in the same bed as her own daughter (actress Melanie Griffith). Unexpectedly and tragically, Griffith was attacked and needed surgery on her face.
In 2014, Hedren confessed to the "Daily Mail" newspaper that, looking back, her idea to have lions in her home was “stupid beyond belief.”
Charlie Chaplin and the Tramp
Charlie Chaplin had a freaky alter ego. Chaplin became iconic in cinema for his comedic characters. But underneath it all, there were deeper issues in Chaplin’s life. The Tramp, Chaplin’s most famous character, was a comical yet extremely tragic character who would often wind up in some unfortunate situations.
The character is so synonymous with Chaplin that it's hard to think it came from anywhere else. But the real origins of that character actually came from his father.
Marilyn Monroe the Nerd
Marilyn Monroe was a bookworm. She seemed like nothing more than a pin-up girl, but there was much more beneath her classic beauty. She married playwright Arthur Miller in 1956, and it was thought that Miller had married beneath his intellectual level.
"Variety" magazine plastered the marriage with the headline, “Egghead Weds Hourglass.” On the contrary, Monroe was intelligent and well-read and was even told to stop reading more “radical” books when she was on set.
A Beautiful Bookworm
Before her tragic death, Monroe had accumulated 400 books. The beautiful bookworm liked novels such as: “Ulysses,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” and the children’s book “The Little Engine That Could.”
She also took literature classes and had personal writings, which have been praised by critics. It's a true shame that the talented actress didn't live to see a fruitful literary career.
Alec Guinness Was Embarrassed Over "Star Wars"
The highly acclaimed stage actor Alec Guinness reached new heights of Hollywood success when he landed the iconic role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and while many considered him lucky, he was rather disappointed by the whole thing.
The actor couldn’t stand "Star Wars." Though he became the revered Obi-Wan Kenobi and gained fans worldwide, Alec Guinness felt the whole film to be far beneath him.
No Fan Mail Please
Additionally, Guinness did not hide his hatred of the film. He reportedly would send back fan mail and begged George Lucas to allow him to leave the film. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the rest of us) for the huge stars, efforts were futile.
His abhorrence for "Star Wars" was so strong that, according to one of his autobiographies, he made a childhood promise to never watch the film again. We hope we haven't angered too many "Star Wars."
Alfred Hitchcock's Obsessions
Alfred Hitchcock was obsessed with Tippi Hedren. He was known to cast cool, collected, fair-skinned blondes in his films, but it seems he took an inordinate interest in one of his actresses - Tippi. After casting her to play in his film "The Birds," things got bad.
The master of suspense decided to more than overstep his bounds on set. He reportedly made a romantic advance toward Hedren, who totally turned him down.
Breaking Boundaries
The director became vengeful, and, for one particular scene in the horror film, he threw live birds at her instead of fake ones. He also paid people to stalk her offset. Hitchcock even took his spite out on Hedren’s child.
The director had a mask made of Hedren’s face, created a realistic-looking doll out of it, and then gifted the doll to young Melanie Griffith. Griffith reportedly (and unsurprisingly) still hates Hitchcock today.
Cary Grant Could Get Trippy
Cary Grant used some illegal substances. Despite his abundant handsomeness, charm, and suave persona, Cary Grant did not like the celebrity life and was looking for an easy escape. Grant eventually stumbled upon recreational substances.
These habits offered him temporary relief from the burdens of stardom. It was thought that he consumed these substances around a hundred times throughout his life.
Becoming Cary Grant
This rarity of Grant’s intimate life eventually spawned the documentary "Becoming Cary Grant" in 2017. The quintessential Hollywood leading man was a real mystery by all accounts.
Grant was a private man and not one for interviews, but with the "help" of these substances, he started opening up about his internal world.
Jimmy Stewart Wrote Poetry
Jimmy Stewart was a closeted poet. The actor was known for his likable personality, patriotism, and of course, his acting talent. But later on in his career, Jimmy Stewart revealed an interesting aspect of his private life.
Stewart was a poet and had written a small collection of poetry called "Jimmy Stewart and His Poems." He revealed one of his writings on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson about his dog Beau, which made Carson tear up with emotion. His favorite poet was apparently Edgar Allen Poe.
Hedy Lamarr Was an Inventor
Hedy Lamarr was super smart. Yet another actress who was unfortunately limited by societal standards, Hedy Lamarr, did not receive credit for her remarkable intelligence until later in life. The actress had a mind for engineering and was even partially responsible for inventing the fundamental structure for WiFi.
She partnered with George Antheil in developing the structure, but Lamarr herself was shafted by the National Inventors Council. Pitifully, she was more or less told to remain a beautiful face on-screen and not an inventor. It was not until 2014 (long after her death) that Hedy Lamarr was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
The Germaphobe
Clark Gable was a clean freak. In stark contrast to James Dean, Clark Gable was very, very into good hygiene. The dashing actor and serial, leading man were known to shower around several times a day and did not believe in taking baths.
He found the thought of soaking in stagnant water utterly repulsive. The actor also changed his sheets every single day.
Insecure Jean Arthur
Jean Arthur battled crippling insecurity. Though she eventually became a well-known star, Arthur was very unsure of herself early on in her career. She was insecure about how her voice sounded and her abilities as an actress. She faced so much criticism at the beginning of her career that she was too quiet.
But Arthur persevered and eventually received praise for her work. She was successful in branching out for a female in the industry at the time. She was known for landing comedic roles and was often cast as a capable woman.
Russian Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier was fluent in Russian. The elegant and talented actor studied the Russian language in-depth and spoke it fluently.
It’s not known why Poitier was motivated to study the language, but he took the lingual pursuit pretty seriously.
Katharine Hepburn the Stuntwoman
Katherine Hepburn did many of her own stunts. That’s right; the confident, fast-talking actress thought she was the best person for her stunts.
It’s not that there were no stunt people available, but Hepburn insisted upon doing the stunts herself. This included taking it upon herself to dive headfirst into a lake for her part in On Golden Pond...at 74 years old!
Tardy Robert Redford
Redford has gained a reputation for being late for his meetings. To both his personal and professional contacts, Redford was known to not keep track of time.
Sidney Pollack simply said that Redford was “late all his life.” Apparently, his tardiness never resulted in serious consequences, and Redford was unbothered by his lateness; in fact, he denied this part of his reputation.
Bogart's Secret Scar
Humphrey Bogart was secretive about the scar on his lip. He may not have won over other actors for leading man status, but he did have rugged good looks.
He had a scar above his lip which he claimed was from an unspecified childhood injury, but there was a rumor that he got it during the war. Though it’s still a mystery, it added to Bogart’s tough-guy appearance on-screen.
Gene Kelly Made it Rain...Tears
Gene Kelly was a tyrant. The twinkling-eyed, beaming smile actor and dancer weren’t always so charming. Kelly was a dedicated actor and dancer who took rehearsals very, very seriously. "Singing in the Rain," co-star Debbie Reynolds said he never offered encouragement, only criticism.
His co-star for “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” Esther Williams (who was a tall woman), said that he would make her slouch so Kelly would not appear so short next to her. A number of people who worked with him would praise his talent as a performer, but when it came to his working relationships, Kelly’s behavior ruined the experience for those involved.
Walter "Joe" Pidgeon
Walter Pidgeon could not remember names. The classic film star had trouble remembering names even of people he saw or worked with frequently. He notoriously would call anyone whose name he could not remember “Joe.”
It became so bad that, in jest, the cast and crew gifted him with a chair “Joe Pidgeon.”
Bette Davis Smoked Like a Chimney
Bette Davis was a smoke show. Yes, she was beautiful, but Bette Davis liked to smoke...a lot. Even after a lot of different medical problems she had, she still loved to light up.
Until the day she died, Davis smoked around 100 cigarettes a day. It’s amazing considering her chain-smoking that she lived to the age of 81.
Joan Crawford Adopted Her Kids "Under the Table"
Joan Crawford adopted her kids through shady means. When the “Mommie Dearest” actress decided to become a mother in real life, she chose adoption. Though adoption is wonderful, it was illegal to adopt as a single parent in California at the time.
Crawford selected child “brokers” who helped her adopt two of her three children. Her daughter’s adoption was finalized in New York and Nevada to circumvent Californian laws.
Rita Hayworth Struggled With Parenting
Rita Hayworth was known for her incredible beauty and captivating on-screen presence, but she had a rough upbringing. This sad beginning, accompanied by bad romantic relationships, affected the parenting of her two daughters.
At one point, she left her daughters with a babysitter and took off on vacation. She was even charged with child neglect after a neighbor noticed her girls playing in the trash.
Gregory Peck's Unlikely Friendship
Gregory Peck was good friends with Michael Jackson. It may seem like an unlikely friendship, but the seasoned actor and the King of Pop were actually close confidants. Reportedly, for the last 25 years of his life, Peck would spend time with Jackson at Neverland Ranch, bonding over their appreciation for art.
He even visited the singer on the set of Smooth Criminal. Jackson called Peck “one of the nicest people in the world.” That says a lot for a megastar who knows a lot of people.
Yul Brynner the Photographer
Yul Brynner was a photographer. The actor is known for his performances in “The King and I,” “The Magnificent Seven,” and “The Ten Commandments” had an artistic hobby. Brynner loved photography and would often take photos on the sets of the films he was a part of.
Despite his icy and edgy persona, his photographs demonstrated a softer, more intimate side of Brynner, that of someone who saw the value of life in moments. And who wanted to share those remembered moments in a unique way.
Ava Gardner Had to Hide Her Accent
When Ava Gardner first stepped into Hollywood, she, of course, brought her North Carolinian accent with her. As show business professionals took it upon themselves to craft young starlets into marketable performers, it was decided that her southern accent was too distracting.
A speech coach (Gertrude Fogler) was then hired to help the young actress. Thankfully for Gardner, she was able to have a relatively unhindered career with the help of her coach.
David O. Selznick Was Known for his Mind-Boggling Memos.
The brilliant producer who was responsible for numerous classics such as “Gone with the Wind,” “Rebecca,” and “Spellbound” cared about the smallest details in filmmaking. Apparently, Selznick was known for his lengthy, and at times confusing memos to the cast and crew.
The filmmaker would not read through his dictated thoughts to make sure they were fluid for the reader, which often lead to confusion for the recipient. Selznick was known so much for his complex memos that there was even a book written about them, "Memo from David O. Selznick."
Burt Reynolds, The Club Owner
During the 70s, when nightclubs were a major social excursion, Burt Reynolds thought he would get in on the action. The actor decided to establish “Burt’s Place,” a nightclub featuring a stained glass dance floor with a rendition of Reynold’s face.
The trendy venture that was opened in downtown Atlanta, unfortunately, was not successful for Reynolds and was closed after just one year.
Doris Day Had a Swear Jar
Doris Day hated foul language and decided to put a swear jar in her recording studio to keep people in check. The wholesome star was careful about her image as well and made sure that her songs were not used in films.
The golden actress had a reputation to keep after all. She was the good girl of Hollywood and couldn't stray from her brand.
Sophia Loren Had Terrible Stage Fright
The beautiful Italian star known for performances in “Two Women” and “Houseboat” had terrible stage fright. She would never do live theater performances and only preferred to work in film, where mistakes could easily be corrected.
She even avoided awards shows and, when she landed an Academy Award for best actress, Loren had to be called by Cary Grant to let her know she had won.
Rock Hudson Loved Gardening
You would imagine that the favorite hobby of actor Rock Hudson (the 6’4” heartthrob) would be something like golfing or hunting, but it was actually gardening. Hudson found the nurturing hobby of gardening to be soothing to the soul and had a personal rose garden.
He even said at one time that if he had not become an actor, he would have wanted to be a gardener.
Steve McQueen Was In a Gang
Before becoming an icon, Steve McQueen was involved in a gang. When he was young, his mother sent him to live with his grandparents. McQueen soon thought he found the stability he was looking for in a street gang in Indianapolis. At this point, McQueen was uncontrollable.
His mother eventually had him sent back to live with her, and he then became involved in another gang when the family moved to L.A. Sadly, before he would make it in Hollywood, McQueen would face more hardships. Considering his dark past, it is remarkable that he turned his life into such a success.
Lucille Ball Was Not a Redhead
She may have been known for her orange-red hair on screen, but Lucille Ball was actually a chestnut-haired girl at one time. Her hair was first dyed for her role in “Du Barry Was a Lady,” and it remained the same shade when she began the beloved “I Love Lucy" sitcom.
Apparently, the specific color was a challenge to maintain and required a dyeing process involving henna. Still, Ball never returned to her dark roots and maintained her red hair till her death.
Brigette Bardot Had Eye Problems
One of the beautiful qualities of French bombshell Brigette Bardot was her big eyes. Unfortunately, Bardot had a serious eye condition called amblyopia. Amblyopia is where the brain does not recognize the inputs from one eye and devotes more attention to the other eye.
The result is decreased vision in the neglected one. Bardot’s eyesight was reduced in the affected eye, but thankfully, it did not significantly hinder her life or career.
Laurence Olivier was a Failed Fighter Pilot
The accomplished actor once endeavored to be a fighter pilot during World War II. But this was one arena where Olivier was not born to shine. He is rumored to have destroyed about five planes during his training.
It was then recommended to Olivier that he focus on acting instead. It was actually a bit amusing when he was later cast as a pilot in the film Battle of Britain.
Marlene Dietrich's Bacillophobia
The actress was an absolute germaphobe. The sultry, German-born actress suffered from bacillophobia (fear of germs). Dietrich combined her bacillophobia with being a neat freak as well and reportedly kept her mansion extremely clean.
In Hollywood, she was even given the nickname “Queen of Ajax” after the disinfecting product.
Betty White's Guinness World Record
We all knew and loved Betty White. By the time of her death in 2021, she was an icon with fans of all ages. But how did she reach that status?
Well, she has had the longest TV career for an entertainer, in like, ever! She even won a Guinness world record in 2014. The record was for being in show business for over 70 years. Only one other person but Betty received such an honor — Bruce Forsyth, who was a British TV host.
Betty White's Dream Job
Many times actors are asked in interviews what kind of profession they would pressure if they weren't actors. When Betty was asked that question, she had an unusual answer. White is known to be an animal enthusiast, which is why she said she would have been happy as a zookeeper.
As an actress, she used her fame to help animals, donating and raising money for both farm animals and wild ones.
Ingrid Bergman Did the Same Movie Twice!
Swedish beauty Ingrid Bergman had a peculiar experience with the film "Intermezzo." She first starred in the Swedish version of the film in 1936 as a piano teacher who ends up coming between a violin player and his wife.
After the movie's success, an American version was produced, starring none other than Ingrid Bergman in the exact same role. It might sound boring to be in the same movie twice, but the 1939 Hollywood version kickstarted her career in America.
Ingrid Bergman Was Exiled
In 1949 Bergman worked with director Roberto Rossellini. While on set, the two got involved with each other. There was just one problem — they were both married to other people. The public was shocked to hear of the affair, which stained her good-girl reputation.
Things took a turn for the worst when the actress stopped being welcome in Hollywood whatsoever. The couple stayed together, but they had to move to Italy to protect their love.
Fred Astaire Was Overshadowed by His Sister
Fred Astaire became a big Hollywood name, but did you know that before he did, he had to live in the shadow of his sister who was thought to be a lot more talented than he was? The two started performing together as kids and continued till they were over 30, which sounds taxing to us.
During the time the two were partners, no one really noticed poor Fred and his sister raked in all the compliments. After they went their separate ways, Fred was really hesitant about partnering up with new actresses.
Fred Astaire Wanted All His Films to Be the Same
Today, many actors are scared of being type-casted and only getting the same kind of roles again and again. But Fred actually had a formula for his movies, and he basically wanted all of them to be the exact same. If this sounds pedantic to you, it's because it was.
His formula was so precise that he had written down an exact number of minutes each part should last. Yes, each of his movies was practically the same, down to the minute.
Kirk Douglas' Real Name Was Issur Danielovitch
Kirk Douglas was such a successful iconic actor that he was worth over $6o million when he died in 2008. But, Kirk wasn't actually his name. He was born in New York to a Russian-Jewish family and was named Issur Danielovitch by his parents.
He changed his name before he became a huge star, as he wanted to assimilate in Hollywood. Still, he cared about his faith, and he even had two Bar-Mitzvahs. One at 13, as is customary, and another when he was 83.
Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster Were Frenemies
Kirk and Burt starred in no less than seven films together. You'd expect people who chose to work so much together to be good friends and to get along great, right? Well, their relationship was a lot more complicated than that.
At times it felt like they were more foes than friends, and they always felt like they had to compete with each other. When presenting Kirk with an award, Burt confessed Douglas was a very difficult man to work with.
Mae West Went to Jail?
West wasn't only an actress and singer with a seven-decade-long career, she was also a screenwriter and a playwright. She wrote her plays using a pseudonym because they were, how shall we put it? Quite risqué.
In 1926, she starred in one of her own plays and ended up paying a heavy price. Religious groups complained to the police and West found herself spending 8 days in jail. But, rumor has it she enjoyed the publicity it gave her.
Mae West Didn't Want to Be on the Beatles' Album Cover
One of the Beatles' masterpieces, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", featured iconic actress Mae West on its cover. Weirdly enough, when they first approached her and asked if she wanted to be on the cover of their album, she was hesitant.
She was quoted saying "What would I be doing in a lonely hearts club?” They had to convince her to agree and we bet she ended up being very pleased that she did.
Judy Garland's Confidence Was Ruined by MGM
Judy Garland's singing voice as a young teenager impressed everyone, and at 13 she signed with MGM. Three years later she got one of her most iconic roles — Dorothy in “The Wizard Of Oz.” But, at this point, the studio executives controlled almost every aspect of her life, a fact that really ruined her self-esteem.
They decided what she gets to eat, and got her to work on two different movies at the same time, which meant she had no time for herself.
Judy Garland Was and Still Is a Gay Icon
Something about Judy really appealed to almost everyone. Many gay men really enjoyed her shows and her music so much so that she had become a part of their secret language.
“Are you a friend of Dorothy?” became a question they asked each other in order to know if they were talking to a fellow gay man. She was so influential that a lot of academic research has been conducted to try and understand her place in gay culture.
Shirley Temple Always Had 56 Curls
Hair is one of these things that can look a little bit different each and every day. But, when you are a young star, you can't risk something as important as your hair!
Apparently, both Shirley and her mother knew that, and the proud mom always made sure to put the exact same number of pin curls in her hair — 56. We wonder why they chose this number specifically, this quirk is one we just can't wrap our heads around.
Shirley Temple's Husband Didn't Like Her Movies
Usually, we expect partners to be supportive, but sadly that isn't always the case. In the case of Temple's second husband, Charles Black, he didn't really care for her movies. Two weeks after the two met, they got married. so maybe she didn't know that about him?
Turns out he told her he had never watched any of her movies. Whether he tried to watch some after they got together will remain a mystery. They had two children together, we hope they liked her movies.