On this date in 1956, Eva Gabor married Dr. John Williams. This was Eva’s third marriage and her shortest. The couple divorced March 20, 1957.
Eva Gabor Marries John Williams, April 8, 1956
Merry Christmas From The Gaboratory
May your holiday be filled with the love, joy, and fabulousness.
Eva Speaks
I’m starting a little something new today. Lovely little memes with quotes from the Gabors. Some of these will be exactly what you expect to hear while others will be quite different than the stereotypical image of a Gabor. But then, that is part of what I love best about this family. They can be entirely unpredictable when speaking.
To be honest, the motivation behind this is that daily, for who knows how long, the only quote I see from Eva on Twitter is “Love is a game that two can play and both can win.” I find it amazing that this quote is posted DAILY to Twitter when she passed away in 1995. She said so much more though and it deserves to be shared. So the series begins with “Eva Speaks.” I hope you enjoy.
January 24, 1950 – Eva Gabor Makes Her Broadway Debut in The Happy Time
On January 24, 1950, Eva Gabor made her broadway debut in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Happy Time, in the role of Mignonette. The production was staged at the Plymouth Theatre and ran for 614 performances.
Eva was asked to read for the role by Richard Rodgers after he saw her performance in L’Amour the Merrier on television. Eva read for the role a few days later at the Majestic Theatre. She then flew to Boston to read for the director, Robert Lewis.
Eva devotes a whole chapter to The Happy Time in her autobiography, Orchids and Salami. Her memories of the production are positive. The cast enjoyed each other and were very supportive of each other on-stage. “Every day was Christmas. Everyone was helpful, no one was jealous.”
Eva’s program bio lists a few of the stage productions she was in while in Hollywood, including The Farewell Supper, The Play’s The Thing, and By Candlelight. Eva has an extensive theatrical resume, something that I find completely fascinating. I would love to have a complete list of her theatrical credits, along with any taped footage that might exist.
Inside the Playbill is an ad for the Jolie Gabor Pearl Salon, aka mom’s store, featuring a photo of Eva wearing a cultured pearl necklace. This ad MADE the program for me. The fact that her mother bought an ad in the program of her daughter’s Broadway debut caused me to laugh out loud. Jolie was a self-admitted stage mom and she proves it with this ad for her ADULT daughter’s show. Believe me when I say I am going to use this as a selling point for program ads (if it is good enough for Eva’s mom, then it is good enough for your mom!).
Orchids & Salami – Eva Gabor’s Autobiography
I’m always on the lookout for a good deal on Gabor memorabilia, so imagine my surprise when a copy of Orchids and Salami by Eva Gabor came up on Ebay at a price I was willing to pay. It didn’t have the dust cover and the book WAS used, but the binding was in great condition. Did I grab it? You bet I did! The book was delivered much more quickly than the estimate and the packaging was impeccable.
Orchids and Salami (with the dust cover)
The book was published in 1954, making Eva Gabor approximately 35 at the time of publication. At just over 200 pages, the book can easily be consumed in a couple of hours.
Eva discusses her childhood in Hungary, her loves (details on Charles Issacs are off-limits and that is fine), coming to America, theatre, film, buying and remodeling a house, and being a cheese cake. She’s a frustrated glamour girl, who likes hots dogs and beer, and she’d much rather be taken seriously as an actress than anything else.
Several passages stand out.
She tells the story of one of her first loves in Hungary, a solder. He proposed, but her parents said they couldn’t marry. Eva mentions that, at the time of publication, they still corresponded with each other. I though that was sweet.
Another story involves a very young fan of 13 years who was completely infatuated with Eva. His father, in an effort to protect his son from heartbreak, approached Eva to give her a heads up that the boy would find a way to meet her while she was in town. Eva ended up having dinner with the family and answering the boy’s many personal questions. She and the boy then shared a cab to the theatre. While enroute, the boy asks Eva how old she is. Eva tells him and he replies that she is old! Ah, young love!
Included in the book are her recipes for cooking hamburgers and for Eggs Eva. Eva’s not a cook, she doesn’t like it. This means the recipes are almost foolproof. I say this as one who has to look up a recipe in order to boil an egg.
The Eva you see in the book is an imperfect creature. She makes mistakes, she works hard, she loves, she loses, she learns, and she keeps pushing. And through it all, she keeps the glamour girl image going.
Did I write a structured review? Nah, I’m still too excited to have the danged book to write something that makes sense. Should you read this book anyway? Yes!
January 4, 1964: Eva Gabor and Richard Brown Robbed and Beaten in Miami Hotel
On January 4, 1964, Eva Gabor and Richard Brown were robbed and beaten in their hotel room in Miami by Jack Murphy (Murf the Surf) and Allan Kuhn. The pair were attacked shortly after midnight as they entered their room. The couple were tied up using a chord from a blind and an electrical chord. The thieves hit Eva several times and pistol whipped her. Richard was forced to retrieve a $25K diamond ring from the safe while Eva was held in the room. Eva was taken the a Miami hospital with several bruises, a bleeding ear (from an earring being ripped out), and a cerebral concussion.
Newspaper reports from the time can be found at https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DS19640104.2.8 and https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DS19640104.2.8
Vanity Fair has a very nice article regarding this crime and several others committed by the attackers, including a heist at the American Museum of Natural History on October 29, 1964.
Two weeks later, on January 16, 1964, Eva appears on Password, where the attack is momentarily mentioned.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to all of you. Today is the beginning of a whole new adventure. Take a page from one of the most positive of Gabor qualities and live this year to the fullest. The past is the past. Move forward and make this year your best year yet.
OTD – The Rescuers Down Under Premieres
On November 16, 1990, The Rescuers Down Under premiered in theatres. The film is the sequel to the 1977 The Rescuers. In Rescuers Down Under, Miss Bianca and Bernard head to Australia to save a young boy and an eagle from an evil poacher.
The film has a top-notch vocal cast which includes Bob Newhart, John Candy, Tristan Rogers, George C. Scott, and Eva Gabor.
Eva Gabor reprises her role as Miss Bianca, the Hungarian Ambassador for the Rescue Aid Society in New York.
I have to say that my first memories of any Gabor involve Disney films. First was The Aristocats, followed by The Rescuers. It has been many years since I’ve seen these films, but what sticks with me is the soothing quality of Eva’s voice as Duchess and as Miss Bianca. I’m looking forward to revisiting this film over the weekend.
OTD – Artists and Models Premieres
On November 7, 1955, the Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin film, Artists and Models, premiered. The film also starts Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone.
The story revolves around a struggling painter (Martin) and his comic-book addict of a roommate who talks in his sleep (Lewis). Martin’s character ends up writing a comic based on the stories that Lewis tells in his sleep. Unfortunately, the stories include part of a secret formula our government has and that other governments want. Eva Gabor plays the seductress spy sent to obtain the rest of the secret formula.
In the end, good prevails, Eva’s character is left tail up in a large flower pot, and Lewis and Martin get their girls (MacLaine and Malone).
The love story between the leads is predictable, but entertaining. Lewis and MacLaine share a quirky dance on the stairs outside their apartment building. The choreography is fresh and fun. Lewis’s physical comedy is top rate. Martin sings several numbers in the film. What a smooth voice he had.
I absolutely loved Edith Head’s costuming of this film, with the “bat girl” costume being my favorite. Eva wears a beautiful blue dress when her character attempts to seduce Martin and Lewis.
She even gets a turn in the “bat girl” costume when her character kidnaps, then slips a mickey to Lewis’s character.
This is a fun film, with a solid cast. You can find the film in the usual places, but it is not available via Amazon Prime at the time of this post. Shop around for the bargain deal.
OTD – A New Kind Of Love Premieres
On October 39, 1963, A New Kind of Love premiered. The film stars Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
Eva Gabor has a fun supporting role in the film.
The story is a playful romance with off-beat fantasy sequences throughout.
The film is currently available via Amazon Prime. Check it out.