MovieChat Forums > Follow the Fleet (1936) Discussion > Harriet Hilliard

Harriet Hilliard

posted 17 years ago by go_oranje3
4 replies | jump to latest

I'm was reading Ozzie Nelson's autobiography and according to him; Irene Dunne was originally going to play the part that Harriet played in this movie. Harriet had done a screen test in Hollywood the year before. But she didn't get the part. While the director; Mark Sandrich was looking for a replacement; he happened to see her screen test and called Harriet's agent to offer her the part.
Harriet was actually in Hollywood at the time for only six weeks to do a minor part in another movie and turned the part in "Follow the Fleet" down. She and Ozzie had just recently gotten married and she knew that if she accepted the part; they would be apart longer. Ozzie was in New York, his orchestra playing in clubs and on a regular weekly radio show on Sunday evenings. Ozzie thought that this would be great for her career so he told her to take the part.
Ozzie also said that Harriet and Ginger Rogers became great friends during the movie and that Mark Sandrich use to refer to them as "Topsy & Eva".

[–] Greenster 17 years ago

This is interesting about Harriet Hilliard. I remember hearing the radio report upon her passing, with which the announcer remarked that Harriet's “film career had peaked in 1936 with the Astaire-Rogers film Follow the Fleet.”

I also remember the reports of Irene Dunne's turning down the role of Connie. She had previously starred with Ginger, Fred and Randolph in Roberta and had done well there. Perhaps she was focusing upon Theodora Goes Wild at the time although I also heard that Irene initially didn't care for that role either (which is understandable, but I believe that she was one of the least demanding stars).

Granddaughter Tracy has also said that Harriet and Ginger remained lifelong friends in the aftermath of Follow the Fleet. I wish that we could have seen more of Harriet's vocal talents afterwards — or, more to the point, could have heard her singing more than this because she does smoothly and melodiously here.

On the bright side, Harriet did remain famous throughout, primarily for her work in television, but I have always liked her work in Follow the Fleet and feel pleased that she also encouraged Ricky to embark into a recording career.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” — Charles Dickens

[–] marknpnk 13 years ago

I found her rendition of Irving Berlin's "But Where Are You?" to be very, very heartfelt and poignant. Even after 75 years, in a silly (but wonderful!) musical, the emotion of the moment hasn't lost a thing. And, as others have mentioned, the same can be said for "Let's Face the Music"
Just timeless.......

[–] steven_torrey 11 years ago

She was really quite the hottie in this movie, to use modern parlance. By Ozzie and Harriet TV--she would have been what 46 (give or take) looking like a housewife...

[–] liscarkat (16469) 2 years ago

She was excellent in "Follow the Fleet". She should have had a bigger movie career.