Happy 102nd Luise Rainer! Celebrate The Oldest Living Oscar Nominees!
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 12:01AM 2020 NOTE - Louise Rainer lived to be 104!!! Here's the updated list of list of Oldest Living Oscar Nominees or Winners
The double Oscar winner (The Great Ziegfeld and The Good Earth) turns 102 today! She's the oldest living Oscar nominee or winner! Her most recent appearance was just four short months ago when she showed up for her star ceremony in Berlin. They now have a "Boulevard des Stars" much like Hollywood's walk of fame and as the only German Best Actress winner (Hollywood and the media who nicknamed her "The Viennese Teardrop" promoted her as Austrian for obvious reasons in the 1930s), she was a natural for inclusion.
happy birthday to you
happy birthday dear Luise,
happy birthday to you
.......and many more ♫
Odets and Rainer in Hollywood. Odets also romanced actress Frances Farmer (as seen in the Jessica Lange picture "Frances")Luise is on record as saying that she doesn't believe in the Oscar curse and her short-lived Hollywood career was her own doing.
"The Oscar jinx! There is no Oscar jinx. I couldn't carry the burden of being the middle of the universe. I had to withdraw and find myself".
My favorite anecdote about Luise is that her husband during those heady Oscar years activist / screenwriter / playwright Clifford Odets (Luise was not his only actress romance) was so furious with her for flirting with Albert Einstein at a party that he took a photo of Einstein and chopped off Einstein's head with a pair of scissors. Hee! But also: flirting with Albert Einstein at a party???. What storied lives those Golden Age movie stars lived. You can read a lot more about Luise's life at this comprehensive unofficial fan site.
My friend Nick is also discussing Luise's odd legacy and one of her lesser known films today on this historic occassion. As per usual he puts her efforts in brilliant context.
Reader Comments (15)
Cloris, sadly, was only nominated for an Emmy for Raising Hope. She totally deserved to win though. That show is great.
One addition: Joan Lorring should sneak in between Roger Corman and Cloris Leachman.
YAY Luise! I'm so happy she made it to 102! xoxo Here's hoping for many more! Oh the stories her maid could tell - I know she lives in London. I think it was last year someone interviewed her and it was a very interesting read!
Ms. Lansbury (why is she still not a Dame and where is her Honorary Oscar, or better yet why can't someone give her a nice film role so she could win a competetive one and set another record?) will be back on Broadway this March with the revival of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man co-starring Candice Bergen, James Earl Jones, John Larroquette, Michael McKean and Eric McCormack. Can't wait.
Excellent post Nathaniel, but I miss Mr. John Briley (Winner Best Screenplay for 'Ghandi'). He's 86 year old.
Oh, and a very Happy Birhday to Ms. Rainer, of course!
Happy birthday Luise, and wonderful list Nathaniel! One correction though-Cloris Leachman didn't win an Emmy for Raising Hope, she was just nominated (let's not take away that Emmy in Gwyneth's inevitable Triple Crown).
Great post. Wow Angela Lansbury has been nominated for like 19 Emmys and never won one? How Susan Lucci of her :)
Endora and Mr W. I have fixed. thank you
Rami -- right ;) ?but she hasn't won the Oscar either so that triple crown is just not working out.
Amanda --i've corrected. I was so annoyed that they were "cheating" with her category placement (she's on every episode! how is she a "guest star?" ) that i assumed it would benefit her. But i should have remembered Gwynnie's "Holly Holiday"
I've recently seen ( and talked to! ) Ernest Borgnine and Eva Marie Saint on the TCM Cruise in December. They both look fantastic and more than willing to share stories. Such great people.
you went on a TCM cruise? how fun.
Happy birthday Louise!
Wow, a TCM cruise sounds like a lot of fun if you're a big movie fan. I'm jealous. I think that Luise looks really fantastic in that photo. She sure wears a century pretty well.
Referring back to one of your recent posts, maybe Oscar should pull people from this list to present the Best Picture Oscar in February. Such as:
1. Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland (I know it would never happen)
2. Doris Day and Angela Lansbury
3. Celeste Holm and Eva Marie Saint (my favorite choice)
4. Stanley Donen and Franco Zeferelli
5. Sidney Poitier and Christopher Lee
You forgot Lisabeth Scott!! I think she will be 90 this year!