AN EVENING AT THE PALEY CENTER

June15th

Yesterday I completed the unabridged audio recording of my new book, “Prime Time,” which comes out August 9th (but can be pre-ordered through Amazon..hint, hint) . They’d scheduled 5 days for it and I did it in 3! I liked doing it. It was fun.

Then I went to The Paley Center to get ready for an event that I had agreed to do with Pat Mitchell, Paley’s CEO. She is doing a series of taped interviews with women about women and media. The interviews will air on PBS this fall and then will be archived at The Paley Center.

With my dear friend, Pat Mitchell, president and CEO of The Paley Center before the evening's event

There is a Paley Center in New York and one in Beverly Hills. It used to be the Museum of Radio and Television, founded years ago by the famed Bill Paley. Right now, at the Beverly Hills Center, Debbie Reynolds’ immense collection of important costumes from films is being shown there…at least a small portion of the costumes are being shown…and drawing a huge crowd to the Center every day. I can see why. It is exciting to see the actual dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in “Some Like it Hot” and “The Seven Year Itch.” Or the great dresses from “My Fair Lady, “The Sound of Music,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Hello Dolly,” and so many more, I actually took a lot of pictures of the collection but, for some reason, only this one came out. Boo Hiss. There will be an auction of the costumes this coming Saturday. One striking thing about some of the costumes was how petite the actors were. There’s a gorgeous Claudette Colbert gown that is as big as my arm! And the same can be said for one of Rudolf Valentino’s suits!

Standing next to the display of the dress Audrey Hepburn wore in 'My Fair Lady.'

Pat and I had a grand old time during the interview. She is a terrific interviewer, really does her homework. AND, she managed to find footage of me that I had never seen… Like a Lux Soap commercial I did in the late 1950s! I would never even have recognized myself, especially my voice, all high and weird. There was also a snippet from an interview with Charles Collingwood. When the interview was over, I read from my new book. The feedback I am getting from people who were in the audience has shown me that it was a success.

Afterwards, Richard, Pat, Carole Black, Cindy Horn and I went to dinner at the Soho House where we saw and then were joined by my daughter-in-law, Simone, ad the beautiful Italian woman whose northern Italian family is the Max Mara family. She is here because Max Mara sponsors the Women In Film (WIF) event which, this year, is honoring Katie Holmes. I saw her at the WIF party at Soho and she looked great! We had a really good time and stayed out probably too late.

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16 Comments
  1. Good Luck with the book!

  2. Hello Jane once again,

    I have to make a commet on Media, being a Media
    Specialist. I see no comflict in being a Artist and making studies on media, it’s a way of looking at the information in a real light. I like woman, and find Media a true woman medium in this real world and the transmissions of a desseminated surrounding environment. Men may serve as some intermediary between the living and the dead or a state of between extremes the middle postion, one could say, this one most likely, could say. I also like the idea of ownership of film costumes. I recall seeing a Bogart tux from the Film Casablanca, I was close to his size and could have owned it cheap, now would be priceless or higher.
    On the film script, Marlee Matlin agent has it and up them for casting, any ways and out and about.

    with love and care,

  3. My sister and I were just talking about Debbie Reynold’s collection of costumes. My sister, working at a museum herself, was saying how wonderful it would be if the collection made it’s way to a museum. I’m curious, what was your favorite costume or prop that you saw?
    As for your book, I will definitely preorder it! (I caught on to your “hint”!) You have such a way with words, they seem to come out so naturally. Also, you captivate your audience from the first words they read. Did you always love to write, even as a kid, or was this a talent you discovered later on in life?

    • Thanks, Susan. I always liked to write. I am just learning how and so loving it even more. In the brief time I had to look at the costumes, I think I liked a beaded one of Claudette Colbert’s. Sooooo tiny!!!

  4. Dear Jane,you said that you don´t know mutch about Brazil´s music.As a brazilan proud of our music that is internacional, and singers like Joao Gilberto,Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento or the maestro Antonio Carlos Jobin,if you have the time,please ask your boy friend who is a musical producer, to show you some of our best like “The girl from Ipanema”, recorded by Frank Sinatra, or others “Bossa Nova” songs by Sarah Vaugh.Try Bebel Gilberto.You have so many fans in Brazil, you should came here sometime.
    Best regards from Brazil.

    • I am quite familiar with A. Carlos Jobin, Gilberto and others and we listen to Brazian music all the time. But not as mmuch familiar as I would like. I adore Brazil and have visited many times.My dream (Bucket List?) is to go to Bahia

  5. I am a top reviewer at Amazon, would love to review your new boook.

  6. Indeed, peopl used to be shorter. I’m quite worried about those costumes, though. I think AMPAS or some organisation should buy the them and open an old Hollywood museum. I think that would be the greatest. As much as I’d love to buy, I can’t go there and I would probably have to get my dad’s 200-year salary. 😀

    • Daniel, Debbie Reynolds, who, at her own personal expense, bought these costumes over the years. She tried valiantly to create a museum but it didn’t happen. That is an extremely expensive undertaking, I assume.

  7. How great that you know about Bahia! Just there, in the capital, Salvador, there is a very beautifull beach,where this guy who is a big fan of yours, has a kind o a Beach “Bar” , by the sand,that sells everything, from beer to apetizers, and all those kind of Beach “Bar” has a name, usually a funny one,or the owner´s.So this guy named his “JANE FONDA”,has your name in a FLAG, and it atracts tourist a lot to take pictures on it! It´s funny cause I just ask a sister who is your n.1 forever fan,who lives there,to take a picture so I would send it to you!Unbeliavable,because I was just going to tell you about it, but I didn´t know you knew Bahia!!Best regards from Brazil and Bahia!

    • First,pardon my english.I would like to explain better about the “JANE FONDA” Flag,at a Beach in Bahia:This is a kind of”bussines” for poor and humble people.It is a Kiosk made from Canvas, and the people sells Cocconut water,sodas,tipical Bahia food,beer etc..This man is known to be your big fan, so he named his Kiosk,”Jane Fonda”and like the others similars,has a Flag with your name on it.I already ask my sister to provide the picture to send to you, as I sad before.But we would like to know if you really would like to came to Bahia,so with some conections I have, I would start to find out “How”to have you invited to came as a very especial Guest to visit Bahia,and to met the local artists,musicians,culture atc..Would you like that?Best regards from Brazil(Rio)and Bahia.
      (God, how dare I?)

      • Wow, Yone. That is so kind and generous of you. It is impossible for at least a year but I will let you know later.

  8. Always find it a bit depressing when film museums are not as popular as they should be. I remember The Museum Of Moving Image in London, quite an amazing experience i had when I went to visit it when i was a kid but that was the only chance i got because it closed down.

    Anyway was there any items from “Singing In The Rain?” at Debbie’s Museum?

  9. Dear Jane,

    Thank you for twittering the link to the Paley Center. I just watched your interview with Pat Mitchell and I liked it very much. It’s always great not only to read your thoughts but also to listen to your voice.

    I followed your career, your acting and your activism, since the 1970s when I grew up in East Germany. I read your memoirs some years ago and I wish there would be a German translation so that my mother and my friends could read it too.

    Your’re such an inspiration and a role model to me.

    Thank you and best wishes
    Andrea from Berlin/Germany

  10. Congratulations on a phenomenal performance of your audiobook! It was an honor to witness you “at work.” You are a superwoman. Like we didn’t know …

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