September 10, 2007

"It's bad taste to talk about ex-husbands and ex-wives, that's all."

Said Jane Wyman about Ronald Reagan:
"It's not because I'm bitter or because I don't agree with him politically. I've always been a registered Republican. But it's bad taste to talk about ex-husbands and ex-wives, that's all. Also, I don't know a damn thing about politics."
He didn't talk about her either:
In Reagan's autobiography "An American Life," the index shows only one mention of Wyman, and it runs for only two sentences. "That same year I made the Knute Rockne movie, I married Jane Wyman, another contract player at Warners," Reagan wrote. "Our marriage produced two wonderful children, Maureen and Michael, but it didn't work out, and in 1948 we were divorced."
Good taste! Who remembers that anymore?

This was sweet:
A few days after Reagan died on June 5, 2004, Wyman broke her silence, saying: "America has lost a great president and a great, kind and gentle man."
A fine first wife and a fine actress, Jane Wyman died at home at the age of 93.

28 comments:

rhhardin said...

Good taste! Who remembers that anymore?

There's Bush in October 2000, at the Al Smith dinner, talking about Gore :

He's a man who clearly respects and loves his wife and family. Like me he married-up. I've also learned he is a person of energy, skill and determination. This year, Mr. Vice-President, I can't wish you success, but I do wish you well.

which was and continues to be a reason to vote for him.

Anonymous said...

"You've come a long way from Smith, Molly."

Mortimer Brezny said...

Good taste! Who remembers that anymore?

Must be referring to the Britney thread.

steve simels said...

According to Wyman's autobiography, the reason they broke up is that when they had people over, all Reagan ever wanted to do was show a print of "King's Row."

Even more interesting, according to Peter Lawford's autobiography, Nancy Reagan (then Davis) was mostly known for giving the best blowjobs in Hollywood.

Anonymous said...

Good taste! Who remembers that anymore?

Trooper York said...

That would just make Ms. Davis the perfect second wife.

Maxine Weiss said...

She wasn't 93.

She was 90. Her birthdate was January 5, 1917, according to Wiki.

At that age, every little bit counts.

Palladian said...

I just had a horrible image appear in my mind of simels giving Peter Lawford a blow job.

Talk about bad taste!

blake said...

Apparently not pop music critics.

Which comes as no surprise.

Laura Reynolds said...

Well Lawford was not a vaunted pop music critic but he was a bastard, drunk, drug abuser and "Lawford's mother was said to have dressed him as a girl in private up until age eleven".

Kinda sounds like you Simels.

Kirk Parker said...

"Also, I don't know a damn thing about politics."

Neither does our current crop of Hollywood actors, but somehow that doesn't seem to stop them from talking, alas.

Maxine Weiss said...

Hello, my name is Jane Wyman, and I'm not 93. Whoever this gal, 'Ann Althouse' is, if she prides herself on accuracy, she should list my correct age, that of 90 as verified on Wikipedia, and in the UPI press release.

Yours truly,
Ms. Jane Wyman

Skeptical said...

'verified on Wikipedia'

Good one!

Joe said...

It does appear she was born in 1917. She first started working in movies in 1932 and apparently lied about her age to prevent the problems of working as a minor.

(Interestingly, she's uncredited for almost all her roles until was 20 [in actual age]. While they were small roles, I'm not sure this was entirely non-coincidental.)

vnjagvet said...

According to IMDB, she was born on January 4, 1914. That would make her 93. I guess, therefore, there is conflicting evidence.

I would pick the older date, as she would have been only 23 in 1940 when she married Reagan (her third husband) and 16 in 1933, when she was married to Ernest Wyman were she born on the later date.

Ann Althouse said...

NYT has 93 in its front page teaser (but mentions the alternate age inside).

Maxine Weiss said...

Her father was sick, and she had to go to work to support the family. Back then, before child labor laws, it wasn't uncommon for children to have to support the family, or marry young, even as teenagers.

It discounts a significant part of her history, to not recognize the 1917 birthdate.

Meade said...

Assuming the birth date argued by Maxine is accurate, that would mean Ms. Wyman was 4 when her parents divorced and 5 when her father died unexpectedly - events which would be emotionally damaging and difficult to overcome for most ordinary children. It's reasonable to think those events played a part in the failures of her many marriages.

Taste aside, not publicly speaking ill of your former spouse is a kindness to any shared children. It also helps in avoiding slander just in case you don't have all your facts straight. In a private confidential setting, venting about the dirty lying two-timing cheating rat is probably healthy and therapeutic.

ìgbàlonígbàńlò said...

Letting go and moving on to enjoy the rest of ones life is probably healthier.

Swifty Quick said...

Probably none of us really knows her exact age for a fact, but I will say that I always liked her more than Nancy no matter how old she was.

Lou Minatti said...

I can only hope to live to be 93, but the genes on the male side of my family say I'll croak well before hitting 70, most likely from aortic aneurysm. From what I hear, it's a particularly painful way to croak.

Simels, you are a moron.

Jim C. said...

"Good taste! Who remembers that anymore?"

Not steve simels, apparently.

Mutaman said...

"Neither does our current crop of Hollywood actors, but somehow that doesn't seem to stop them from talking, alas."

I think Fred has as much right as anyone else to run for president and I resent the slurs on him because of his acting profession.

Unknown said...

Lou Minatti said...

I can only hope to live to be 93, but the genes on the male side of my family say I'll croak well before hitting 70, most likely from aortic aneurysm. From what I hear, it's a particularly painful way to croak.


Lou, if you're telling the truth, it's easy to prevent. An ultrasound - about $100, if you don't have insurance - will show it. If you have one, it's corrected with surgery. It's actually not that painful - not as bad as heart attack, much less than cancer - but if you have a family history for heaven's sake go get it checked.

blake said...

But on the bright side, the pain is over in minutes.

I always wonder with these people who get married and divorced frequently, then spend the last decades alone, whether they found happiness in those last years.

Revenant said...

Even more interesting, according to Peter Lawford's autobiography, Nancy Reagan (then Davis) was mostly known for giving the best blowjobs in Hollywood.

If true, that certainly undermines the urban legend that Republicans don't know how to have fun in the sack. :)

An Aesthete's Lament said...

According to Wyman's family, she added three years to her age in order to work as an actress early in her career. The family's website states that both her driver's license and her passport give the 1917 birth date, as does the birth certificate obtained from the hospital. Check out www.jane-wyman.com.

An Aesthete's Lament said...

According to Wyman's family, she added three years to her age in order to work as an actress early in her career. The family's website states that both her driver's license and her passport give the 1917 birth date, as does the birth certificate obtained from the hospital. Check out www.jane-wyman.com.