{"id":4613,"date":"2016-07-11T16:39:39","date_gmt":"2016-07-11T16:39:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/repeatright.com\/engine\/?p=4613"},"modified":"2018-10-09T02:33:02","modified_gmt":"2018-10-09T02:33:02","slug":"astor-mary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.repeatright.com\/engine\/astor-mary\/","title":{"rendered":"ASTOR, Mary"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1453315804311{margin-top: -40px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_tta_tabs style=”modern” shape=”square” active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-book” add_icon=”true” title=”Citation” tab_id=”1449531588223-e020d87d-f7dd094f-cf635381-89e5f05a-b7f6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]\n

“A painter paints, a musician plays, a writer writes \u2013 but a movie actor waits.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

~Mary Astor<\/strong>, American actress<\/p>\n

A Life on Film<\/em> (1967) New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1971, p. 219; online via Open Library [free subscription service] openlibrary.org<\/a><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-plus-circle” add_icon=”true” title=”Context” tab_id=”1449531588755-96303790-852e094f-cf635381-89e5f05a-b7f6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]\n

Extended excerpt\u00a0<\/em><\/strong> [Autobiography \u2013 Astor reflecting on her retirement from acting]:<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t underrate the satisfactions by any means. But it\u2019s like pressing food through a sieve: You obtain a delicious pur\u00e9e, but the bulk remains in the sieve. The extraneous things, the things that add up to fatigue and boredom. A painter paints, a musician plays, a writer writes \u2013 but a movie actor waits.<\/span>\u201d (p. 219)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-search” add_icon=”true” title=”Source Link” tab_id=”1449531589797-29580b31-8c50094f-cf635381-89e5f05a-b7f6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]\n

Source link<\/em><\/strong><\/span>: A Life on Film<\/em> (1967 | 1971 Delacorte Press edition) online via Open Library [free subscription service]: https:\/\/archive.org\/stream\/lifeonfilm00asto#page\/n231\/mode\/2up<\/a><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tabs][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_tta_tabs style=”modern” shape=”square” active_section=”1″][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-book” add_icon=”true” title=”Citation” tab_id=”1453315829087-ce67c619-0fbc5381-89e5f05a-b7f6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]\n

\u00a0Old joke – not originally coined by Mary Astor<\/em><\/strong><\/span>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a very old joke in the profession about the five stages in the life of an actor. Supply the name of any well-known player, and the producer\/director\/casting office says,<\/p>\n

1. Who’s Mary Astor?\u00a0 2. Get me Mary Astor.\u00a0\u00a0 3. Get me a Mary Astor type.\u00a0 4. Get me a young Mary Astor.\u00a0 5. Who’s Mary Astor?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

~Mary Astor<\/strong>, American actress<\/p>\n

Putting her personal spin on an old joke, in A Life on Film<\/em> (1967) New York, NY: Delacorte Press, 1971, p. 194; online via Open Library [free subscription service] openlibrary.org<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-ban” add_icon=”true” title=”Re-Quote” tab_id=”1453315829287-33b1178b-1c815381-89e5f05a-b7f6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]\n

Re-quote notes<\/em><\/strong><\/span>: Mary Astor<\/strong> was clear that she didn\u2019t coin the \u201cvery old joke\u201d \u2013 so who did?<\/p>\n

The earliest print edition of the joke we have located to date is a newspaper column quoting actor Tighe Andrews<\/strong><\/span>. At least two other actors and a theater director, however, were also quoted repeating a version of the joke during the same general time frame.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s possible that one of the following people coined the joke, we suspect that there is probably an earlier source \u2013 possibly a live comedy act or a Hollywood-based magazine that isn\u2019t in the digital collections we have searched? We\u2019ll keep looking…but in the meantime, here are a few of the earliest examples:<\/p>\n

September 1, 1960<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Actor Tighe Andrews<\/strong><\/span>, cited by Hollywood columnist Bob Foster:<\/p>\n

\u201cTighe Andrews has it all figured out. In the career of an actor, Andrews, one of the stars of \u201cThe Detectives\u201d says, there are five stages.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 \u2013 Who is Tighe Andrews?<\/span><\/p>\n

2 \u2013 Get me Tighe Andrews;<\/span><\/p>\n

3 \u2013 Get me a Tighe Andrews type;<\/span><\/p>\n

4 \u2013 Get me a young Tighe Andrews and the final stage;<\/span><\/p>\n

Who is Tighe Andrews?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 This is one of many quips and witticisms that the young actor tossed at me while visiting the set of Robert Taylor\u2019s popular detective show.\u201d (p. 27, column 1)<\/p>\n

[Source<\/em>: Tighe Andrews, cited by columnist Bob Foster, \u201cTV Screenings\u201d (1 September 1960) San Mateo Times<\/em>, San Mateo, CA, Vol. 60, No. 210, p. 25, column 1; online via Newspapers.com [subscription service] <\/span>www.newspapers.com<\/span>]<\/a><\/p>\n

September 23, 1960<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Actor Hugh O\u2019Brian<\/strong><\/span>, cited by columnist Mike Connolly:<\/p>\n

\u201cHugh O\u2019Brian gave me the following points \u2013 as The Five Most Important Stages in the Life of an Actor:<\/span><\/p>\n

(1) \u201cWho is Hugh O\u2019Brian?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

(2) \u201cGet me Hugh O\u2019Brian as the star of our next picture!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

(3) \u201cGet me somebody who\u2019s a Hugh O\u2019Brian type.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

(4) \u201cGet me a young Hugh O\u2019Brian.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

(5) \u201cWho WAS Hugh O\u2019Brian?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

[Source<\/em>: Hugh O\u2019Brian<\/strong>, cited by Mike Connolly, Hollywood columnist, \u201cLet\u2019s Make Love but Money Too\u201d (23 September 1960) Pasadena Independent, <\/em>p. 15, columns 6-7; online via Newspapers.com [subscription service] <\/span>www.newspapers.com]<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

November 28, 1960<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Broadway Director Alan Schneider<\/strong><\/span>, cited by columnist Drew Pearson:<\/p>\n

\u201cAlan Schneider, the Broadway director, offers this five-stage cycle of the theater: (1) \u201cWho is Tom Smith?\u201d (2) \u201cI want Tom Smith.\u201d (3) \u201cGet me somebody like Tom Smith.\u201d (4) \u201cWhatever became of Tom Smith?\u201d And, finally, (5) \u201cWho is Tom Smith?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

[Source<\/em>: Alan Schneider, cited by columnist Drew Pearson, \u201cWashington Merry-Go-Round\u201d (28 November 1960) San Mateo Times<\/em>, San Mateo, CA, Vol. 60, No. 285, p. 21, column 5; online via Newspapers.com [subscription service] <\/span>www.newspapers.com]<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

December 8, 1960<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Actor Chick Chandler<\/strong><\/span>, cited in a brief \u2018TV and Radio\u2019 newspaper update:<\/p>\n

\u201cChick Chandler, of the coming \u201cOne Happy Family\u201d series, says there are five stages to an actor\u2019s career: (1) Who is he? (2) We want him. (3) We want someone like him. (4) We want a younger version of him. (5) Who is he?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

[Source<\/em>: Chick Chandler, cited in \u2018TV and Radio\u2019 short feature, \u201cFive Stages\u201d (8 December 1960) The Cincinnati Enquirer<\/em> (Kentucky edition), No. 243, p. 43, column 5; online via Newspapers.com [subscription service]<\/span> www.newspapers.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Since the early 1960s, a number of other performers have repeated variations of the \u2018five stages in the career\/life of an actor\u2019 joke. More contemporary examples include actors Don Cheadle<\/strong><\/span> (June 2007), Burt Reynolds<\/strong> <\/span>(January 1983), Robby Benson<\/strong> <\/span>(November 1981), Mickey Rooney<\/strong> <\/span>(April 1980), Herschel Bernardi <\/strong><\/span>(March 1979), Jack Riley<\/strong><\/span> (February 1975), Michael Parks<\/strong><\/span> (April 1966), and Bob Crane<\/strong> <\/span>(August 1965).<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-plus-circle” add_icon=”true” title=”Context” tab_id=”1453315829475-7c82a017-1e625381-89e5f05a-b7f6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]\n

Extended excerpt\u00a0<\/em><\/strong> [Memoir \u2013 Chapter 14 – Referencing an old acting joke]:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a very old joke in the profession about the five stages in the life of an actor. Supply the name of any well-known player, and the producer\/director\/casting office says,<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Who\u2019s Mary Astor? 2. Get me Mary Astor. 3. Get me a Mary Astor type.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Get me a young Mary Astor. 5. Who\u2019s Mary Astor?<\/span>\u201d (p. 194)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Note<\/span><\/em>: Please see the ‘Re-Quote’ tab for notes on earlier sources.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-search” add_icon=”true” title=”Source Link” tab_id=”1453315829682-63e8fade-cf4c5381-89e5f05a-b7f6″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none”]\n

    Source link <\/em><\/strong>[Tighe Andrews \u2013 1 Sept. 1960<\/strong>]<\/span>: \u201cTV Screenings\u201d (1 September 1960) The Times, online via Newspapers.com [subscription service]: https:\/\/www.newspapers.com\/image\/51744196\/?terms=%22career%2Bof%2Ban%2Bactor%22%2B%2B%2Bwho%27s%2B%2B%2B%22get%2Bme%2Ba%2Byoung%22<\/a><\/p>\n

    Source link <\/em><\/strong>[Hugh O\u2019Brian \u2013 23 Sept. 1960<\/strong>]<\/span>: \u201cLet\u2019s Make Love but Money Too\u201d (23 September 1960) Pasadena Independent, <\/em>online via Newspapers.com [subscription service]: https:\/\/www.newspapers.com\/image\/38892549\/?terms=%22five%2Bmost%2Bimportant%2Bstages%22%2B%2B%2B%22get%2Bme%2Ba%22<\/a><\/p>\n

    Source link <\/em><\/strong>[Alan Schneider \u2013 Nov. 1960<\/strong>]<\/span>: \u201cWashington Merry-Go-Round\u201d (28 November 1960) San Mateo Times<\/em>, online via Newspapers.com [subscription service]: https:\/\/www.newspapers.com\/image\/38978558\/?terms=%22five%2Bstages%22%2B%2B%2B%22get%2Bme%22%2B%2B%2B%22Who%2Bis%22<\/a><\/p>\n

    Source link <\/em><\/strong>[Chick Chandler \u2013 Dec. 1960<\/strong>]<\/span>: \u201cFive Stages\u201d (8 December 1960) The Cincinnati Enquirer<\/em>, online via Newspapers.com [subscription service]: https:\/\/www.newspapers.com\/image\/101138583\/?terms=%22five%2Bstages%2Bin%2Ban%2Bactor%27s%2Bcareer%22<\/a><\/p>\n

    Source link <\/em><\/strong>[Mary Astor – 1967<\/strong>]<\/span>: A Life on Film<\/em> (1967 | 1971 Delacorte Press edition) online via Open Library [free subscription service]: https:\/\/archive.org\/stream\/lifeonfilm00asto#page\/193\/mode\/2up\/search\/young+mary+astor<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tabs][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

    Resources<\/h4>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css_animation=”none” el_class=”Wrapper-Author-Resources”]Learn more about Mary Astor <\/strong><\/span>| Here are a few good places to start –<\/p>\n