Seeing Stars: Part Five

As I continue to visit these All-Star Party broadcasts, I wish I'd have done them in chrono- logical order instead of so randomly. But they haven't been uploaded in such a time-line anyway, so I didn't have much choice. This one, a tribute to Miss Ingrid Bergman, was from 1979 and has a different feel than the more garish ones that came later in the 1980s. (Even considering that the video quality is less than amazing, there's a overriding aura of brown/beige to it! Occasionally a hint of pink here and there bursts forth.) Needless to say, fans of Bergman ought to enjoy this, but fans of her movie Casablanca (1942) ought to really appreciate it even more!

The evening is kicked off by the prior year's honoree, in this case Mr. James Stewart. Stewart was growing a beard for what would be his last (and surely most obscure!) on-screen motion picture, A Tale of Africa, released in 1980.

Eventually, he moves to what may seem a familiar spot; it's the actual set from Rick's Cafe in the movie Casablanca!

Next, he introduces Dan Seymour, the original doorman in the film...

...followed by Leonid Kinskey, the original bartender!

As Dooley Wilson, the original pianist, had long since passed away, Stewart introduced Teddy Wilson (no relation) to play the piano.

Still not finished, the actor who played her husband in the film, Paul Henreid, is brought out to round out the scenery.

Is has to have been interesting for Casablanca fans to not only see these folks reunited, but on the set in which they acted and in color now (not that the decor is bursting with many varied hues.)

At last the guest of honor is announced and Miss Bergman comes forth.

Bergman, heralded as one of the screen's natural beauties, is lovely, but I have to confess that I HATED this dress. I hated the design and the tailoring of it. Whoever came up with it may have wanted to pay tribute to her Joan of Arc, but it paid her no favors as far as I'm concerned.

Henreid and Bergman are seated and given drinks from the familiar bartender.

As seen here, she is delighted to be reunited with Kinskey after more than 35 years. (This smile turned to a frown when they brought out the remnants of the original hamburger that Ilsa had ordered at Rick's Cafe American back in '42... okay, I made that up....)

Soon enough, the evening gets a lift when no less than Frank "Ol' Blue Eyes" Sinatra comes out to croon "As Time Goes By!" Note that big ol' pinky ring.

Bergman's appreciation of the performance is obvious.

Cary Grant soon bursts forth and is in charge of assisting her to her seat. He and Sinatra escort her to her table. Grant and Sinatra had once costarred in The Pride and the Passion (1957), during which Sinatra was quite a pill, but they appear to have enjoyed this little reunion all right.

Stewart calls upon Goldie Hawn to speak next. At her table, just behind her, is Mike Frankovich, a producer who had much to do with Hawn's early film career. Next to him is his elegant wife, veteran actress Binnie Barnes.

Some of you may be wondering... Goldie Hawn? But she was a costar in the 1969 Frankovich-produced film Cactus Flower, in which Bergman was the lead. And she won and Oscar for her kooky performance. 

After an anecdote about meeting Miss Bergman for the first time on set, Hawn is called upon to introduce the folks seated at Bergman's table.

Among them are Barbara Marx (Mrs. Frank Sinatra), Henreid's wife (of over 50 years) Lisl, Bergman's daughter Pia Lindstrom, Roberto Rossellini Jr, Isabella Rossellini, her husband (never had a clue about this!) Martin Scorcese and Gloria Stewart (James' wife.)

This was probably my favorite part of the program. The whole situation of Bergman being practically run out of Dodge for her affair and eventual marriage to Roberto Rossellini was not glossed over, but dealt with head on. And Bergman's fellow player in her comeback film, Anastasia (1956), Miss Helen Hayes came forth to run a clip from the movie (for which Bergman won her second Oscar.)

Upon seeing Hayes, Bergman sprang from her chair and ran to her for an emotional reunion. Even though modern science has sort of spoiled it, Anastasia is a beloved movie of mine and I loved both of these ladies in it.

Danish comic pianist Victor Borge is next with one of his incident-laden routines.

Then, amid a train car set from Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Richard Widmark sings the praises of Bergman (who won her third Oscar for a remarkably small role in said film.)

Peter Falk appears to relay a tale about that Oscar night. He was the presenter of the Best Supporting Actress statuette and when Bergman won, she revealed that Valentina Cortese (in Day for Night, 1973) really ought to have won as far as she was concerned. 

Fellow Swede, and one-time drama school classmate of Bergman's, Signe Hasso stands up to recall the actress's breakthrough film Intermezzo (1939), which is followed by a procession of violinists. (Note Sammy Davis Jr next to Hasso, just across the aisle from Sinatra.)

Then Sweden's Council General is brought out to punctuate the proceedings with a special announcement and presentation.

He bestows on Miss Bergman, a rarely-given medal dating back to the 1700s for her artistic merit, offered by the King of Sweden! This shaped up to be quite the night.

One of her costars from Gaslight (1944), Joseph Cotten, introduces a climactic clip from that film, which earned Bergman her first Oscar. 

Out of what seemed like a sea of thick eyeglasses comes Jack Albertson. (I don't know if today's older stars have all gotten Lasik or walk around half-blind or what, but there are fewer examples of this now!) Albertson is one of only two-dozen (to date) thespians to have won the "Triple Crown of Acting" (an Emmy, a Tony and an Oscar.) Miss Hayes is also one and so is Bergman. Having heard rumors that Bergman might retire, Albertson breaks into a rather startling rendition of "You Oughta Be in Pictures." As it was, Miss Bergman was already grappling with cancer and made one final TV-movie before it claimed her in 1982 at only age 67.) 

As was the custom, Monty Hall then came forth and made the presentation of a hospital wing in Bergman's name. "The Ingrid Bergman Pediatrics Floor" was granted to a Des Moines, Iowa hospital.

Two-time costar Cary Grant stood up to introduce Bergman in order for her to give her remarks on the night. Even though he'd requested this spot in the show, his intro was so very brief it was downright awkward! Just as we settled in to hear a long list of accolades for her, he was down after a brief sentence or two...! (Seen in the lower left corner at his elbow is Barbara Harris, who would become his fifth and last wife.)

This was surely a memorable, emotional evening for Ingrid Bergman, from various reunions to the presentation of her medal and her hospital floor. The evening wrapped up with Bergman narrating some rare, early home movies of her. She had a fourth child, Isabella's twin Isotta, who was not there for some reason. Few knew that the star was battling a disease that would take her life in just a couple of years. 

We wrap up this post, as usual, with a selection of crowd shots that include various notables. Here is David Janssen with wife Dani Crane. He would be dead even before Bergman after suffering a heart attack in 1980 at only age 48!

Behind Jack Albertson can be found Charles Bronson and his wife Jill Ireland. They were virtual fixtures at these events.

Ted Knight of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Too Close for Comfort.

Hal Linden of Barney Miller.

Laugh-In's Dick Martin was also nearly always at these events. Behind him is prickly, legendary TV host Jack Paar.

Oscar-winner and disaster movie staple, Mr. George Kennedy.

On the left is Martin Balsam while on the right is Keenan Wynn.

Finally, adding a splash of color to the rather neutral proceedings is Miss Rhonda Fleming. The program can be seen in its entirety right here.