Photo Of The Day

"Ray Milland was Christened Reginald Truscott-Jones in Wales. Barbra Stanwyck was Christened Ruby Stevens in Brooklyn, New York. They each starred in about one hundred feature films and ended their careers as TV stars, she with a hit series that still re-runs, 'Big Valley' (1965-69) and he with two series 'Meet Mr. McNutley' (1953) and 'Markham' (1959). Milland and Stanwyck were very good friends, great admirers of each other's work, and both were really a kick to be around. They called each other by their given names, 'Reggie,' and 'Ruby.' Milland, who had an extra dry sense of humour, explained this habit by saying, 'We use our real given names out in public, so that our adoring fans will not recognise us.'
Despite Stanwyck's fame, she was rather reserved. After her marriage to Robert Taylor ended, she continued to live in their house on North Beverly Glen Boulevard in the Bel Air District of Los Angeles. The house was just a few doors south of Sunset Boulevard, on the southwest corner of which, as Beverly Glen, there was a fire station. On an assignment to photograph Stanwyck at home, I suggested that we create a photo opportunity by paying a call on the firefighters to bring some cookies and other treats. Her firm reply was, 'No, I'd rather not.' She didn't like the idea of PR as a 'set-up,' and she was uncomfortable at the thought of using firefighters as stage props. Her last words particularly startled me: 'I hate being on display. Attention embarrasses me.'"

Photo and exert from Hollywood Moments by Murray Garret.

~Bette