Category Archives: Classic Actress Tournament

A Farewell to Classic Actress Tourney 2013

Dear readers,

I have had so much fun co-hosting this tournament this year. In fact, I think I had more fun this year than last year, my first time at bat. I think this is because I knew more about my duties and what I am supposed to do as a co-host, as well as the fact that I hosted the same 1940s decade as last year, which is also my favorite decade of film.

As you all know, this is a blog dedicated to Rosalind Russell, and while she did not even make it past Round 1 (tear!), I hope she will do better in the future. I have always considered Rosalind a severely underrated actress, even though she was nominated for an Oscar four times and nominated for a Golden Globe five times (and won every time!). However, the truly remarkable thing about Roz is her true personality and real self. From what I know of her, I think of her as a rather selfless person who would give so much of her time away from her “day job” as actress, wife, and mother to charities. The only Oscar she received was not for her acting work, but for her charity work. I just started writing this freely as words came to my mind, so now that this is in the front of my mind, I’d like to share with you Roz’s acceptance speech of that lone Oscar, which was so special and sweet to her and to her fans, I am sure. This video always makes me tear up a little because she had been so ill at the time (from her cancer, perhaps, but mostly from her rheumatoid arthritis, for which she had to take cortisone shots that disfigured her figure and bloated her face). Take a look!

And once again, I would like to thank Monty of All Good Things for asking me to co-host the tournament this year and I hope to make a good impression next year as well. I hope everyone had a good time voting for their favorite actresses, even if some were surprised by the results. It was such good fun! Until next year!

Better luck next year, Roz! We love you!
Here is the video:

Round 3 Matches… it’s getting closer to the end!

The tiebreaker poll is now closed and we have a winner! LAUREN BACALL has made it through to the next round with 14 votes to Ida Lupino’s 9.
Here are the final category matches that will appear tonight in the polls on my sidebar to the right:
Happy voting!

DRAMA QUEENS


Bette Davis
Born 1908
Known for: All About Eve
VS
Vivien Leigh
Born 1913
Known for: Gone With the Wind

ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS

Judy Garland
Born 1922
Known for: The Wizard of Oz

VS

Teresa Wright
Born 1918
Known for: Shadow of a Doubt

SOPHISTICATES

Rita Hayworth
Born 1913
Known for: Gilda

VS

Loretta Young
Born 1913
Known for: The Bishop’s Wife

FILM NOIR FEMMES

Gene Tierney
Born 1920
Known for: Laura

VS

Lauren Bacall
Born 1924
Known for: The Big Sleep

Final Results for Part 1 of Round 2!

Here are the final results for Round 2 of DRAMA QUEENS and ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS!

DRAMA QUEENS



BETTE DAVIS beat Olivia de Havilland 31-13


VIVIEN LEIGH beat Ingrid Bergman 30-18


ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS


JUDY GARLAND beat Ann Miller 25-22


TERESA WRIGHT beat Virginia Mayo 22-21

Have to admit, I was excited to see such close matches in the All-American Girls categories. Judy won by only 3 votes and Teresa by just 1!

Congratulations to these four ladies, who have just made it to the final 8 in the 1940s era!

P.S. In case you are interested, these are the results for the other decades of the tourney:

1930s
Barbara Stanwyck beat Claudette Colbert 47-25
Norma Shearer beat Marlene Dietrich 39-32
Greta Garbo beat Kay Francis 44-18
Lillian Gish upset Gloria Swanson 38-33

1950s
Kristen will be starting the second round (all 8 matches at once) today, since she is behind.

1960s
Natalie Wood beat Ann-Margret 31-17
Shirley Jones beat Liza Minneli 34-18
Catherine Deneuve beat Claudia Cardinale 27-20
Romy Schneider beat Liv Ullman 29-28






DRAMA QUEENS and ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS Round 2 Polls Now Open

Here are the matches that will appear tonight in the polls on my sidebar to the right:

DRAMA QUEENS


Bette Davis
Born 1908
Known for: All About Eve
VS
Olivia de Havilland
Born 1916
Known for: The Adventures of Robin Hood

Vivien Leigh
Born 1913
Known for: Gone With the Wind
VS
Ingrid Bergman
Born 1915
Known for: Casablanca

ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS

Judy Garland
Born 1922
Known for: The Wizard of Oz

VS

Ann Miller
Born 1923
Known for: On the Town

Teresa Wright
Born 1918
Known for: Shadow of a Doubt

VS

Virginia Mayo
Born 1920
Known for: White Heat