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Barbara Stanwyck & Helen Ferguson
Jul. 16th, 2014 06:59 am
Actress Barbara Stanwyck was often cast as a tough woman in a man’s world, always in command and control, whether playing a reporter (Meet John Doe), a criminal manipulator (Double Indemnity, The Lady Eve), or a husbandless rancher (The Big Valley). She played a lesbian in Walk on the Wild Side, and it wasn’t much of a stretch. (P: ©Alfred Cheney Johnston (1885-1971)/LOC cph.3b20150. Barbara Stanwyck, holding fan, ca. 1920s (©1))For nearly thirty years Stanwyck had an intimate relationship with her publicist Helen Ferguson. During much of that time Stanwyck was married—unhappily—to actor Robert Taylor.
While playing in The Noose, Stanwyck fell in love with her married co-star, Rex Cherryman, who became her fiancée in 1928. Cherryman had become ill early in 1928 and his doctor advised him to take a sea voyage to Paris where he and Stanwyck had arranged to meet. While still at sea, he died of septic poisoning, at the age of 31.
On August 26, 1928, Stanwyck married her Burlesque co-star, Frank Fay. She and Fay later claimed that they disliked each other at first, but became close after the sudden death of Cherryman. After moving to Hollywood, they adopted a son, Dion Anthony "Tony" Fay, on December 5, 1932. The marriage was a troubled one. Fay's successful career on Broadway did not translate to the big screen, whereas Stanwyck achieved Hollywood stardom. Fay engaged in physical confrontations with his young wife, especially when he was inebriated. Some claim that this union was the basis for A Star is Born. The couple divorced on December 30, 1935. Stanwyck won custody of their troubled adoptive son.
Actress Barbara Stanwyck was often cast as a tough woman in a man’s world, always in command and control, whether playing a reporter (Meet John Doe), a criminal manipulator (Double Indemnity, The Lady Eve), or a husbandless rancher (The Big Valley). She played a lesbian in Walk on the Wild Side, and it wasn’t much of a stretch. For nearly thirty years Stanwyck had an intimate relationship with her publicist Helen Ferguson. During much of that time Stanwyck was married—unhappily—to Robert Taylor.
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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Stanwyck
Helen Ferguson was an actress and then she became a publicist. She was born in Decatur, Illinois around July 23, 1900 although according to the social security records the year might have been 1892. She died in Clearwater, Florida on March 14, 1977 and she was buried at Forest Lawn, Glendale in California and her Hollywood star is located at 6153 Hollywood Blvd.For nearly thirty years Helen Ferguson had an intimate relationship with Barbara Stanwyck. During much of that time Stanwyck was married—unhappily—to actor Robert Taylor.
Helen graduated from the Nicholas Senn High School of Chicago, she became a stenographer, attended the Academy of Fine Arts, worked as a newspaper reporter all before becoming a movie actress around 1914. In‘The Temper’ (Eassanay Studio, 1915)Helen was not credited but by 1917 she was working in films full time beginning with Max Wants a Divorce.
The first on screen credit seems to have been in 1917. Vitagraph Studios made a film called ‘The Romance Promoters’ in 1920 in which Helen co-star. By the 1920, she was starring in Fox Films’ Westerns; she went on to make comedies and serials.
Helen was described as a ‘regular girl’ starting in her film career as an extra; she is reported to have appeared in the 1915 production of ‘The Tempter’, Henry B. Walthall’s first picture at Eassanay Studio.
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Source: http://looking-for-mabel.webs.com/helenferguson.htm
Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Elisa RollePaperback: 760 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500563323
ISBN-13: 978-1500563325
Amazon: Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time
Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I kept learning things. I love the decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun.” Jack FritscherSadly, William (Bill) Russell died in 1929. Bill had been ill in the hospital for just a week with pneumonia. He died before Helen could reach his bedside, he was just 45 and was known for his ‘he man’ roles although he had been on the stage since he was 8 years old and had played opposite the young and beautiful Ethel Barrymore, and many others. He had three sisters (Emma, Clara, Florence,) and his brother was Albert E. Lerch. Bill’s estate was large in 1929 standards and Helen was named his executrix.
From palace-hopping across the Rajasthan Desert to sleeping in train stations in Bulgaria, from spinning prayer-wheels in Kathmandu to exploring the skull-gated graveyards of the indigenous Balinese tribes, Geoffrey Knight has been a traveller ever since he could scrape together enough money to buy a plane ticket. Born in Melbourne but raised and educated in countless cities and towns across Australia, Geoffrey was a nomadic boy who grew into a nomadic gay writer. When he's not travelling the world, Geoffrey is travelling the world of his imagination--where the adventures, thrills and romance are limitless.
The Riddle of the Sands by Geoffrey Knight
The military has never been sexier than when these hunky heroes serve their country and each other in Active Duty: Gay Military Erotic Romance, an anthology edited by Neil Plakcy. Experience the thrill of romantic trysts in the middle of battle, witness the everlasting bonds that develop between men who have put their lives on the line for one another day after day, and swoon over the charismatic charm and hard bodies that only the most disciplined of soldiers possess. With the abolition of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, we are entering a new era of being gay in the armed services, and this collection has fourteen stories celebrating the freedom of our heroes to love and to lust after whomever they desire.
Gay Anthology / Erotica
Gay Erotica
Gay Contemporary Romance
Even if I was never a huge fan of fantasy, this one was a pleasure to read. While I know the author isn't young by birth, the style was young, so that it well adapt to the purpose of the book, i.e. being a novel for young adult readers. I would have no problem to recommend this book to a young person, moreover I would probably recommend it to students, to entice them reading more. This novel will also allow them to digress with their mind, into an imaginary world that was masterfully recreated by James Elrich. And as in the best fantasy tradition, if the reader enjoyed this one, they already have 2 more books to prolong their full immersion in this world.