THOSE WERE THE DAYS by Stuart

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THOSE WERE THE DAYS

Sunday November 20, 2005

MA KETTLE

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Ma & Pa Kettle

Marjorie Main (pictured with Percy Kilbride).

February 24, 1890 – April 10, 1975

"Pa ain't much for working and the rest the youngen's seem to take after him." - Ma Kettle

Marjorie was born Mary Tomlinson in Indiana in 1890. Marjorie's father was a minister, and didn't approve of his daughter's intention/desire of becoming an entertainer. Nevertheless, Marjorie briefly attended college in Indiana, but left to attend drama school. After she graduated, she taught dramatics for a year but eventually went into vaudeville. She would make her debut on Broadway in 1916, and her first film was A House Divided in 1931.

Marjorie married Dr. Stanley Krebs in 1921, and decided to put her movie career on hold for several years. But after her husbands death in 1935, she would "plow" (I almost said bury!) herself right back into her work. She would never remarry, or unlike Ma Kettle ever have any children (in an interview she said that television sitcom star of December Bride-Spring Byington, and her were lovers).

Marjorie would not only star in over a hundred "A & B" movies in her career, she would co-star with some of Hollywood's biggest and brightest stars. Just to name a few: Fred MacMurray, Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Wallace Beery, Joan Crawford, Za Su Pitts, Donna Reed, Harry Morgan, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Paul Langton, and last (of just the few) but not least, Spring Byington.

I can vividly remember watching Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride (Pa Kettle) with my mom and dad on our old b&w boob-tube, and just laughing our butts off. If you have never seen a Ma & Pa Kettle flick (even if you have) it would be well worth your while to see one on video now. Humor may change with the years, but laughter will never go out of style.

Ma and Pa Kettle films:

The Egg and I - 1947 (pilot)

Ma and Pa Kettle - 1949

Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town - 1950

Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm - 1951

Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair - 1952

Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation - 1953

Ma and Pa Kettle at Home - 1954

Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki - 1955

The Kettles in the Ozarks - 1956

The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm - 1957

Posted by Stuart at 2:34 AM - 29 Comments Add a Comment

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Comments:

That picture is too, too funny! |< << >> >|

by Trying Not to Come Undone (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 3:57 AM

Stuart, I have seen many funny movies in my life-Ma and Pa Kettle movies are hiliarous-like you saw them on black and white t.v--nothing can compare to them.		\|< << >> >\|
by Topaz (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 11:12 AM

"Well, I'll be gettin' around to that, Ma, one of these days..." Ah yes! It has the ring of truth, to it...Dad used to bting home warm donuts, and all the family would gather 'round to watch "Ma & Pa", drinking coffee and cocoa...Indeed, those were the days, my friend. Kinder, gentler, darn right funny days...thanks, for the memories...& on that subject, whatchagot on the subject of Harry Morgan? Or my personal favorite(please?) Ruth Gordon of aforementioned "Maude" fame? You do know, that it is my heart's desire is to be Maude when I grow up...you do know that about me, don't you?		\|< << >> >\|
by sharingcher (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 12:00 PM

How well I remember those wonderful, funny movies! Since I'm older than most of you bloggers, my family and I went to the movies to see Ma and Pa Kettle. No one in our neck of the woods had TV's back in the late forties; we all flocked to the only movie theatre in the county to see them. Thanks for the memories, Stuart. Your blogs are GREAT!		\|< << >> >\|
by SarahW (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 12:31 PM

Stuart--great posts! I'm embarrassed to say I've never seen Ma and Pa Kettle--I have big gaps in the comedy classics--but I remember Marjorie well from Meet Me in St. Louis with Judy Garland and the hilarious Heaven Can Wait with Don Ameche and Gene Tierney. Say...Spring Byington was in Heaven Can Wait too! I will never be able to see that movie again without thinking of Marjorie + Spring...! I always thought that there was something very sexy about Spring Byington--she was one of the original "MILFs!" And you're right, Richard Farnsworth does look like Sam Elliott in that shot.--Sir Cranky		\|< << >> >\|
by Sir Cranky (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 12:52 PM

Like Sir Cranky, I loved Spring Byington! There was a sitcom back in the 50's in which Spring Byington starred, "December Bride," and in my early teens I fought the whole family to watch it. Another of my favorites was "Life of Riley," starring William Bendix. (His favorite statement was, "What a revoltin development THIS is!") Your blogs really make one think; I love it, Stuart, and I'm rating you five stars.		\|< << >> >\|
by SarahW (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 1:22 PM

Thanks so much for bringing back at least some of the memories. I never saw them in the movies, but I remember my grandparents laughing about them and loving them!		\|< << >> >\|
by 13Ruby (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 1:30 PM

You ever considered doing a "modern times" feature on the side, there Stu? Kind of like once a month maybe, highlighting one of todays top-level stars the way that you so well do the ones of yesteryear? Have a great Sunday, my friend. d		\|< << >> >\|
by E.M. Diesel (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 3:30 PM

Hey Stuart!!! I used to love Ma & Pa Kettle!! Their old black and white movies were so funny!! I used to watch them on Sunday afternoons when I was a young girl. -Hey BTW- thanks for visiting my site and glad you like it- you are welcome to drop by for a visit anytime! PolarB ;)		\|< << >> >\|
by PolarB (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 6:58 PM

TNTCU, they were a very funny team too. lol		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:38 PM

Topaz, there's something magic about watching a b&w show, and not really missing the color.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:41 PM

I loved Harold and Maude, myself. I will spotlight Ruth before long, and give you mention. Thank you, SC.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:43 PM

SarahW, thank you so much.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:44 PM

Thank you for the trip down memory lane, Sir Cranky. Those shows were some great classics.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:46 PM

You're welcome, 13Ruby. If you get time check one of their shows out.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:48 PM

Thanks for the suggestion, Diesel. Sounds like a great idea, and I'll get to working on it.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:49 PM

Thank you for visiting, and your comments, PolarB. I appreciate your offer, and the same goes for you.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:51 PM

I love Ma & Pa! Those movies are humor at it's best. :)		\|< << >> >\|
by Puppy (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:52 PM

Puppy, thank you for visiting, and the comment (I sound like a broken record, don't I?). lol But I really do mean it. I'll be sure to visit your site.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 8:59 PM

How right you are Stuart --------enjoyed reading about Ma. I wonder about Pa though. lol =========ice		\|< << >> >\|
by Icemelts (PM , CC ) on Sunday November 20, 2005 @ 11:45 PM

Pa was always cracking me up. If he wasn't the lazyiest man in the world, he sure held the honor of being the second laziest. Thanks for visiting, ice.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 1:40 AM

Hey Stuart how about doing something on Burt Lancaster?		\|< << >> >\|
by Scratch (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 5:39 AM

I love how you get all the little often unknown details about your stars. Thanks Stuart we all love it here		\|< << >> >\|
by Coloconnect (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 1:41 PM

Great blog!		\|< << >> >\|
by Kay Sara Sara (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 1:49 PM

Congrats - you are a FEATURED BLOGGER today!!!		\|< << >> >\|
by Trying Not to Come Undone (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 3:43 PM

I will put him on the up & coming. Thanks, Scratch.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 7:27 PM

Thank you for the compliment, Colo. I love it here too. There are some of the greatest bloggers I've known here at Blogstream (of course you're one of them).		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 7:31 PM

Thank you very much for the compliment and your visit, Kay Sara Sara.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 7:34 PM

Thanks, TNTCU. I really appreciate being on that list.		\|< << >> >\|
by Stuart (PM , CC ) on Monday November 21, 2005 @ 7:36 PM

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Author: Stuart
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