Semi-OT. Dead Ringer and Greystone

[michael c]

i'm not sure if this information has been posted here before but i recently bought the 1964 bette davis thriller "dead ringer"...

while i as actually watching it i didn't notice but most of it was filmed at "greystone", the location for the 1991 series.

the dvd extras include a behind the scenes tour of what was then known as "the doheny mansion". lots of footage and davis and company on the grounds and inside the house itself during filming as well as lots of background on the property itself.

as one can imagine it's quite antiquated but still very interesting.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I can understand why you didn't realize it was Greystone because so much of the woodwork was painted white back then.    To me it's a crime to paint over stained wood - but thank heavens someone came to their senses and restored everything to its original glory.

And thanks for the info about the DVD - I didn't realize there was a featurette like that.

[Gothick]

I saw and loved Dead Ringer back in the 1990s.  My copy was taped off a television broadcast--I think it was AMC back when they did not have commercial breaks in the films.  Never bothered to rent the DVD so I did not know about the featurette, and I certainly did not recognize Greystone.  Thanks for the info!

G.

[Gerard]

I had no idea it was filmed there, either.  I thought those were all stage sets.  But while we're on the cross-catagorical subject of The Divine Miss D and DS, it's too bad she didn't do a stint on DS.  Wouldn't she've been great in the 1840/41 flashback as maybe the wife of Daniel Collins, being the feisty matriarch trying to preserve secrets and maintain control of all the on-going situations?  Mama Collins to Gabriel:  "Butchya aahh in that wheelchair, Gabriel, ya aahh!"

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

OK, Gerard, fess up - just how long have you been waiting for the right time to adapt that Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? line for DS and to stick it into a post?  

As for Greystone. back when it was announced that the house was going to be used for the '91 Series, several of the movies and TV shows that had been shot there were also mentioned, with Dear Ringer being one in which the house and the grounds had been used extensively. So, with my fascination for the houses that are used as Collinwood, I immediately sought out a VHS (no DVDs back then) of the film (and several of the others). And actually, even though I'd really enjoyed it, I haven't watched the film again since 1990, so I would definitely enjoy tracking down the DVD and watching the film again.

[michael c]

another flimsy DS connection but davis was 56 year sold at the time of this production...the same age as joan bennett when she took on the role of elizabeth stoddard.

it's interesting how things have changed for an actress in their 50's since then. davis and bennett had already entered their "gothic old lady" years. both looked quite "matronly" at the time.

then take a look at michelle pfieffer...just three years younger and cast as elizabeth in the upcoming DS film. her youthfulness is striking by comparison.

b.t.w. the film is alot of fun. a notch above some of the dreck davis was reduced to appearing in by the 1960's.

[alwaysdavid]

Another Bette Davis connection is on the In This Our Life DVD.  There is a featurette of the Warner Bros stars in Washington D.C. meeting the Brass and then driving around in Jeeps.   Joan Bennett is seen shaking hands and in the company of the Warner A list stars such as Claudette Colbert. 
Also A Stolen LIfe is much like the Alexis/ Angelique story.

[Gerard]

OK, Gerard, fess up - just how long have you been waiting for the right time to adapt that Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? line for DS and to stick it into a post?  

You wouldn't be treating me like this, MB, if I wasn't still sitting in front of this keyboard!

Now you've got me curious, MB - I'm going to hafta google Greystone and see what other movies/shows it was in.

Gerard