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Harlow met Ouspenskaya?

posted 16 years ago by s-hill4
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In this '65 filmed biography "Harlow" starring Carol Lynley, one episode depicts Ms Harlow briefly walking out on her Hollywood career to take dramatics lessons with veteran actress Maria Ouspenskaya from the Moscow Art Theater (played in '65 by Celia Lovsky). Does any Ouspenskaya or Harlow expert out there know whether these "lessons with Ouspenskaya" are documented as having REALLY HAPPENED? Or do you suspect that this episode was inspired by Marilyn MONROE'S similar lessons with Russian dramatics coaches Natalia Lytess and Michael Chekhov, which did happen in the 1950s, and that no lessons of this sort ever happened between Ouspenskaya and Harlow? -- Thanks from Prof Steven P Hill, University of Illinois ............................................................." S (DASH) HILL4 (AT) UIUC (DOT) EDU "

[–] Troy202 16 years ago

No, the real Jean Harlow never took lessons with Ouspenskaya. The drama coach at MGM during Harlow's tenure was Lillian Burns. Jean's reason for the walk out was simply more money. She was MGM's most bankable star in the 1930's yet she received less money than Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, and Joan Crawford.

"Any girl can look glamorous. Stand still and look stupid."
--Hedy Lamarr