Sunday, July 15, 2012

Celeste Holm was one of my very favorite actresses

I saw her years ago one night in Santa Monica as I walked out of a restaurant...she happened to look up and I said "Celeste Holm? I think you're fabulous"  and she gave me a huge smile.  I loved her as KAREN in ALL ABOUT EVE, I adored her in the wonderful film GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT, for which she won BEST SUPPORTING  ACTRESS, and I was glad to give back to her even something that small.  She never made a bad film but her personal life seems to have been pretty tumultuous!
She died today.
Rest in Peace, Miss Holm (or Holmes, as many refer to her on the internet).   You will be remembered.
(If you have not seen Gentleman's Agreement, please do)z

14 comments:

Ed Bonderenka said...

When I was a youngster there was a movie called Windjammer that was filmed in Panavision or something like it, a predecessor to IMAX.
It was about the crew of the Christian Radich, a training tall ship of the Norwegian Naval Academy.
In the movie, one of the young crew is related to Celeste Holm and they visit her or vice versa.
My first exposure to her, my parents had to explain.

Brooke said...

Wow, Z! You've met a lot of famous people!

I hope she rests well.

elmers brother said...

Not another one.

Ducky's here said...

A Letter to Three Wives, Snake Pit.

She had a pretty solid portfolio.

R.I.P.

Ed Bonderenka said...

I forgot she was in Letter to Three Wives.
Excellent movie.

beakerkin said...

Actually, I meet many famous people in NYC. However, there was one funny
encounter in the NYC Gourmet Shop.
I was on line and I asked the woman in front of me if she used to be Debra Harry. She laughed and stated she still is.

Trekkie4Ever said...

I have never heard of her, but sad that she is gone.

I have to admit I love watching old movies and when watching TCM I never have to worry about anything inappropriate popping up while watching them with my boys.

Z said...

Ed, can you explain it to ME? :-)
Or by 'visit' do you mean....??

Brooke....it's kind of weird, but you're right. Of course, living in LA helps, I guess.

Elbro...the good ones.

Ducky and Ed, only her voice was in A Letter to THree Wives...She played Addie, who'd written the letter but we never see her. That's another of my VERY faves.
Snake Pit, too, for that matter.

Beak, that IS funny! Debbie Harry is gorgeous.

Leticia, I hope you can see her films; she's really in good ones.
And yes, TMC is terrific, isn't it.

Anonymous said...

We're all reaching that time when our heros and heroines....are passing.

The greatest generation is fading into history....the achievements and people whom we most admired are leading us into eternity.

And...it's a sign and the truth...that we all must follow...sooner or later. Our time is not that far behind theirs.

Make the most of it....it cannot be avoided or delayed.

God has His plan....and we're all going to meet him one day soon.

Anonymous said...

I've met many famous people too in my flying career....one thing I noticed and observed about most of them...is they all lacked humility.

I suppose it's natural since they're all.."famous"...but...one should know that any fame is fleeting and temporary.

Z said...

I keep listening to that Nashville Cats video in my post below!...man, it is SO good, and I love to see the enjoyment in the other musicians as their buddies are playing. THat's the one thing everyone says about country music, that the musicians really support each other. THis is some of THE best picking I have ever heard......


Imp, I've been lucky and haven't met many with attitude, honestly...But I KNOW a LOT have it!
If anything, 'fame' should always make people MORE humble because if it wasn't for the people, they wouldn't be famous and, usually, RICH!

I've had the same thought you have...I think losing the greats like this is a sign of a time gone by. I think Obama's actions have made us all more aware of what we have to lose, or ARE LOSING......and that there's a great chunk of America being cut right out of her middle.
I feel for our kids because they're not going to know what happened to them; they think there's always going to be a gravy train and they think Obama's so cool...
how awful when they get hit by the truth.

FreeThinke said...

People forget today that Celeste Holm created the role of Ado Annie in Oklahoma.

How I wish I could have seen that!

She also starred with Loretta Young in Come to the Stable -- one of my childhood favorites. The two women played nuns. I haven't seen the film since it first came out in the late 1940's, but remember enough to make me want to see it again. It has been on TCM, but rarely, and somehow I've always managed to miss it.

I think one of Celeste's finest performances was as Margot Channing's loyal, long-suffering friend and confidante in All About Eve.

I loved her as Elizabeth Imbry in High Society too. Remember the terrific song and dance she did with Frank Sinatra in the drawing room?

I'm sorry to hear she has died, but I know she lived well past the age of ninety, which makes it hard for me to feel TOO bad about it.

I looked her up not long ago, and thought she looked elegant and well turned out in her old age -- still completely recognizable as Celeste Holm.

Holm was her real name. I believe she was of Swedish descent. No relation to Hanya Holm, the great choreographer, however.

~ FreeThinke

Always On Watch said...

I didn't learn about her passing until today as I was off the grid most of yesterday.

I always liked her. All About Eve was great (Bette Davis, too1) and so was The Snake Pit.

Alligator said...

We got to meet Celeste Holme about five years ago. My wife got her autograph and she visited with her for almost 30 minutes. She was a very cordial, down to earth person and talked about some of the leading men she played opposite to and what they were like in real life.