But Alive

Lauren Bacall

Anne Baxter

Arlene Dahl

Eleanor Parker

All but one of 'em.

Welcome to the Dahl House

"Joan Crawford can't forget an innocent remark I made at my first Hollywood party...I said, 'I'm glad to meet you, Miss Crawford. You've always been a great favorite of mine, and my mother's, too.' I didn't mean to say that she was older than Methusela, but there was such an embarrasing silence I wanted to die." - Arlene Dahl

Queen Joan

Was there every any real doubt as to who would ultimately wear SSUWAT's coveted crown? Joan Crawford's entire life was an upward struggle to succeed, and she fiercely protected and defended the image she had worked so hard to create and maintain. It's easy to make fun of Crawford: the exaggerated eyebrows, shoulders and lips; the overly coordinated ensembles (with plastic-covered handbags and f*ck-me pumps to match); the intensity she would bring to scenes and dialogue that sometimes cried out for a lighter touch; the endless spate of tacky Mommie Dearest jokes.


But, in the end, Joan Crawford deserves our respect for her unyielding devotion to the business of being a Movie Star. Whatever her talent was as an actress -- and we do think Crawford's abilities are often given short shrift -- it paled in comparison to the frighteningly focused way she managed her fame and her public. No one played the game better than Joan Crawford, and she rarely let the facade drop. If Joan's biggest failing as a human being was her complete lack of empathy for those who were less driven than she, it must be noted that she demanded no more of her children, co-workers or employees than she demanded of herself -- it's just that very few others possessed her superhuman capacity for self-discipline.


In compiling our list of the dozen most-frequently-posted divas (who actually comprise the Top 10; there were two "ties" with equal numbers of posts), Joan Crawford far outpaced the competition; we have featured her no less than 135 times! Her closest competition was, ironically, her old nemesis Marilyn Monroe, who logged 66 posts -- tying her with rival bombshell Jayne Mansfield. The "runners up" who didn't make the Top 10, but still have been featured over 20 times a piece are:

Arlene Dahl

Doris Day

Ann-Margret

Sophia Loren

Barbara Stanwyck

Arlene Francis

Susan Hayward

What sayeth thou, fair readers? Who do you think deserving of a place in the Top 10? Who should be edged out of the current crop? Discuss!

Scarlet Woman

Puff

With and without a muff.

A Cautionary Tale

It's not as far a slide from divine to debauched as you may think!

(Thankfully, Arlene Dahl has remained divine.)

The image of "Belle Poitrine" from the fabulous MATT ADORE!

One Day at a Time

We're one step closer to reaching the Valley of the Dahl: we have vowed to henceforth no longer dangle a cigarette from the corner of our mouths while we make a left turn; and to always depend upon a man to tell us if we look good in a Granny dress.

This will no doubt help us find a man as dependable as Chad Everett, co-star of MGM's The Singing Nun.

Yes, Poppets, We're Back...

...and, my, you're saying, how we've changed. It's been an exhausting summer, darlings. We have, however, taken up a new regimen guaranteed to turn us into the ever-youthful, always vibrant, eternally glamorous Arlene Dahl in no time.




We'll let you know as soon as it lands us a Lex Barker or Fernando Lamas - but, of course, that might bring on another hiatus.

Pink Lady

We're sure that Miss Dahl used this...

The Eyes Have It

Donna Mills, eat your heart out.

Fifty Two Years Ago Today...

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With such a gene pool, it's not surprising that birthday boy Lorenzo Lamas turned out to be delectably humpalicious in his youth. Admittedly, though, the aroma of cheese always lingered about his persona and career and, unfortunately, he's aged less like a stately Stilton and more like a runny Limburger. Still, he was a peppery Jack in his prime, and we still think that Olivia Newton-John should have at least given him a roll in the backseat before settling for even cheesier John Travolta in Grease.

LORENZO LAMAS
January 20, 1958

Why Weren't We Invited?

We'd certainly have a beter time than Mme. Elsa Schiaparelli seems to be having.

Paper Dahl

MGM goes mod - Arlene Dahl, and her Culver City-polished diction, presents a fashion show of psychedelic paper dresses.

Dancing With the Stars