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Richard Ewing Powell Excels as Multi-Faceted Entertainer
This delightful episode takes a trip down memory lane as it concentrates upon the life and career of Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell, from his 1904 birth, in Mountain View, Arkansas, as the second of three sons of Sallie Thompson and Ewing Powell, through his busy career on radio, stage, screen and television.
One of history's hardest-working and most versatile entertainers, Dick Powell wears many hats throughout his multi-faceted career, as singer, actor, producer, director and studio executive, after starting his public performances in churches around Mountain View at a very young age.
In 1923, Dick realizes a dream while attending Little Rock College, as he becomes leader of its dance band, and naturally capturing the attention of pretty young ladies who attend his concerts because of his handsome appearance, pleasant disposition and wonderful talent with vocals and on saxophone.
In 1925, he marries the lovely Mildred Maund, who reportedly doesn't care for traveling although she accompanies him along Dick's road to discovery.
Unlike many a future American star, who achieve an early fame on Broadway or in Hollywood, Dick Powell receives his national fame in Pittsburgh, while performing at Enright Theater, displaying his skills on saxophone and vocals, while leading the band. While in Pittsburgh, Dick signs on to perform on radio's "Pow Wow Club," upon which he receives national acclaim and recognition.
In 1931, Warner Bros. Studio offers Dick a screen test, but Mildred says her good-byes, as she reportedly does not care to travel west, and so ends this happy marriage.
After appearing in his debut film, "Blessed Event" (1932), Dick Powell receives 20,000 fan letter from Pittsburgh, and so Warner Bros. realizes that it has a star upon its hands and rushes him through a string of Musicals during this early Talkie period in pictures.
While at Warner Bros., Dick and the lovely leading lady Joan Blondell discover many common points, as she rears her two-year-old son from a previous marriage, and she often turns to a welcoming Dick for guidance. Upon their 1936 wedding, he adopts her son, and the two welcome a daughter in the coming years.
But Musicals begin to lose favor with audiences toward the latter part of the 1930's, and Warner Bros. curtails Dick's chances to grow as a star, and when he requests opportunities to prove himself, Warner Bros. discharges both Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who head for Broadway.
While on Broadway, Producer Mike Todd takes a special interest in Joan Blondell, whose career begins to thrive again, while Dick's remains stagnant, thus leading to the break-up of another happy marriage, and so Dick returns to Hollywood.
MGM offers Dick another chance to shine, as he takes a shining to lovely actress June Allyson, who says that when he doesn't propose to her, she proposes to him, but first she needs the permission of MGM Chief Louis B. Mayer, who gives June away at her wedding. She actually does file for divorce at one point because of his devotion to business, but he doesn't allow her to slip away, to June's delight.
While on loan to RKO-Radio Pictures, Dick Powell proves his talents once again, starring as detective Philip Marlowe in "Murder, My Sweet" (1944), in a spectacular performance for which author Raymond Chandler remarks that Dick Powell is the best Philip Marlowe ever.
With the advent of television, which film studios fear, film performers disdain, but film audiences embrace, Dick Powell launches into a new career, as producer and director of several series which revolutionize the medium because of his hard work and creatively innovative style, as he forms "Four Star Playhouse" (1952-56) with three other stars: Ida Lupino, Charles Boyer and David Niven.
Dicks' marriages are with Mildred Maund (1925-27), Joan Blondell (1936-44), and June Allyson (whom he marries in 1945). With Joan he adopts her son, Norman, and welcomes daughter Ellen. With June he adopts daughter Pamela and welcomes son Richard Powell Jr.
Interview Guests for this episode consist of June Allyson (Wife), Mary Brian (Actress), Frances Langford (Singer), Norman Powell (Son), Richard Powell, Jr. (Son), Bill Powell (Nephew), Edward Dmytryk (Director), Aaron Spelling (Producer), and Christopher Knopf (Screenwriter).
Archive footage includes Dick Powell, Sallie Thompson Powell, Ewing Powell, Gary Cooper, Jean Harlow, Al Jolson, Lee Tracy, Busby Berkeley, Ruby Keeler, Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak, Fred Allen, Patsy Kelly, Madeleine Carroll, Ellen Drew, Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Stewart, Tyrone Power, Clark Gable, Betty Hutton, Louise La Planche, Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley, Ida Lupino, Charles Boyer, David Niven, Jack Lambert, Edward G. Robinson, Dean Jones, Chris Alcaide, Malcolm Brodrick, Sammy Davis, Jr., Milton Berle, Jan Sterling, John Wayne, Wendell Mayes, Robert Mitchum, Curd Jürgens, Russell Collins, Peter Falk, Robert Redford, Dana Andrews, and David Rubinoff.
Film Clips include a screen glimpse of Dick Powell through the years, in scenes from "Blessed Event" (1932), "42nd Street" (1933), "Gold Diggers of 1933" (1933), "Footlight Parade" (1933), "Wonder Bar" (1934), "Dames" (1934), "Thanks a Million" (1935), "On the Avenue" (1937), "Hollywood Hotel" (1937), "Christmas in July" (1940), "In the Navy" (1941), "Happy Go Lucky" (1943), "Meet the People" (1944), "Murder, My Sweet" (1944), "The Conqueror" (1956), "The Enemy Below" (1957), "The Hunters" (1958), plus Newsreel coverage, home movies and Television's "David Sarnoff, RCA's Chairman of the Board" (1950), "Four Star Playhouse" (1952-56), "Zane Grey Theater" (1956-61), "Zane Grey Theater: The Accuser" (1958), "The DuPont Show with June Allyson" (1959-60), "The Dick Powell Show" (1961-63), and "The Dick Powell Show: The Last of the Big Spenders" (1963).
One of history's hardest-working and most versatile entertainers, Dick Powell wears many hats throughout his multi-faceted career, as singer, actor, producer, director and studio executive, after starting his public performances in churches around Mountain View at a very young age.
In 1923, Dick realizes a dream while attending Little Rock College, as he becomes leader of its dance band, and naturally capturing the attention of pretty young ladies who attend his concerts because of his handsome appearance, pleasant disposition and wonderful talent with vocals and on saxophone.
In 1925, he marries the lovely Mildred Maund, who reportedly doesn't care for traveling although she accompanies him along Dick's road to discovery.
Unlike many a future American star, who achieve an early fame on Broadway or in Hollywood, Dick Powell receives his national fame in Pittsburgh, while performing at Enright Theater, displaying his skills on saxophone and vocals, while leading the band. While in Pittsburgh, Dick signs on to perform on radio's "Pow Wow Club," upon which he receives national acclaim and recognition.
In 1931, Warner Bros. Studio offers Dick a screen test, but Mildred says her good-byes, as she reportedly does not care to travel west, and so ends this happy marriage.
After appearing in his debut film, "Blessed Event" (1932), Dick Powell receives 20,000 fan letter from Pittsburgh, and so Warner Bros. realizes that it has a star upon its hands and rushes him through a string of Musicals during this early Talkie period in pictures.
While at Warner Bros., Dick and the lovely leading lady Joan Blondell discover many common points, as she rears her two-year-old son from a previous marriage, and she often turns to a welcoming Dick for guidance. Upon their 1936 wedding, he adopts her son, and the two welcome a daughter in the coming years.
But Musicals begin to lose favor with audiences toward the latter part of the 1930's, and Warner Bros. curtails Dick's chances to grow as a star, and when he requests opportunities to prove himself, Warner Bros. discharges both Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who head for Broadway.
While on Broadway, Producer Mike Todd takes a special interest in Joan Blondell, whose career begins to thrive again, while Dick's remains stagnant, thus leading to the break-up of another happy marriage, and so Dick returns to Hollywood.
MGM offers Dick another chance to shine, as he takes a shining to lovely actress June Allyson, who says that when he doesn't propose to her, she proposes to him, but first she needs the permission of MGM Chief Louis B. Mayer, who gives June away at her wedding. She actually does file for divorce at one point because of his devotion to business, but he doesn't allow her to slip away, to June's delight.
While on loan to RKO-Radio Pictures, Dick Powell proves his talents once again, starring as detective Philip Marlowe in "Murder, My Sweet" (1944), in a spectacular performance for which author Raymond Chandler remarks that Dick Powell is the best Philip Marlowe ever.
With the advent of television, which film studios fear, film performers disdain, but film audiences embrace, Dick Powell launches into a new career, as producer and director of several series which revolutionize the medium because of his hard work and creatively innovative style, as he forms "Four Star Playhouse" (1952-56) with three other stars: Ida Lupino, Charles Boyer and David Niven.
Dicks' marriages are with Mildred Maund (1925-27), Joan Blondell (1936-44), and June Allyson (whom he marries in 1945). With Joan he adopts her son, Norman, and welcomes daughter Ellen. With June he adopts daughter Pamela and welcomes son Richard Powell Jr.
Interview Guests for this episode consist of June Allyson (Wife), Mary Brian (Actress), Frances Langford (Singer), Norman Powell (Son), Richard Powell, Jr. (Son), Bill Powell (Nephew), Edward Dmytryk (Director), Aaron Spelling (Producer), and Christopher Knopf (Screenwriter).
Archive footage includes Dick Powell, Sallie Thompson Powell, Ewing Powell, Gary Cooper, Jean Harlow, Al Jolson, Lee Tracy, Busby Berkeley, Ruby Keeler, Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak, Fred Allen, Patsy Kelly, Madeleine Carroll, Ellen Drew, Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, James Stewart, Tyrone Power, Clark Gable, Betty Hutton, Louise La Planche, Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley, Ida Lupino, Charles Boyer, David Niven, Jack Lambert, Edward G. Robinson, Dean Jones, Chris Alcaide, Malcolm Brodrick, Sammy Davis, Jr., Milton Berle, Jan Sterling, John Wayne, Wendell Mayes, Robert Mitchum, Curd Jürgens, Russell Collins, Peter Falk, Robert Redford, Dana Andrews, and David Rubinoff.
Film Clips include a screen glimpse of Dick Powell through the years, in scenes from "Blessed Event" (1932), "42nd Street" (1933), "Gold Diggers of 1933" (1933), "Footlight Parade" (1933), "Wonder Bar" (1934), "Dames" (1934), "Thanks a Million" (1935), "On the Avenue" (1937), "Hollywood Hotel" (1937), "Christmas in July" (1940), "In the Navy" (1941), "Happy Go Lucky" (1943), "Meet the People" (1944), "Murder, My Sweet" (1944), "The Conqueror" (1956), "The Enemy Below" (1957), "The Hunters" (1958), plus Newsreel coverage, home movies and Television's "David Sarnoff, RCA's Chairman of the Board" (1950), "Four Star Playhouse" (1952-56), "Zane Grey Theater" (1956-61), "Zane Grey Theater: The Accuser" (1958), "The DuPont Show with June Allyson" (1959-60), "The Dick Powell Show" (1961-63), and "The Dick Powell Show: The Last of the Big Spenders" (1963).
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- WeatherViolet
- Jun 11, 2010
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