Darlings, Why Can't We Have Actresses (Or Actors) Today, Like The Kemble-Cooper Sisters??????????????????

                                                                                   

               

                                                            The Kemble-Cooper Sisters were the products of a British acting family from the late nineteenth, into the latter twentieth century.  They were as unattractive as can be; but, unlike today, where, if one does not look like Ryan Reynolds or Blake Lively, forget about having any kind of acting career!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              Why have character actors seemingly become extinct?  In another era there was a plethora of them--Walter Brennan, Donald Crisp, Beulah Bondi, Anne Revere, Gladys Cooper (no relation to the Sisters!), Mary Wickes, Roland Young.....I could go on.

                                                                None of the above were beauties by any conventional definition of the word, but they were glorious actors.  Whom can be counted among their like today??????????

                                                                  The Kemble-Cooper Sisters worked steadily, more than many, including myself known.  But both managed to distinguish themselves, in several iconic films.  Violet, pictured first, portrayed Miss Jane Murdstone in Selznick and George Cukor's definitive 1935 film adaptation of "David Copperfield--" and no other exists, as far as I am concerned.

                                                                    The final two pictures are of Lillian, and film mavens may know both these roles--first, as Bonnie's Nurse in 1939's "Gone With The Wind."  Her best line, on being discharged, was "As you say, sir!"  The second photo, twenty-five years later, and directed by George  Cukor, was the Lady Ambassador, in  1964's "My Fair Lady."  The one who says, upon appraising Eliza's beauty, in the ballroom scene, to Rex Harrison...."Such a faraway look, as if she's always lived in a garden."  On such things careers were made.

                                                                         Not now.  If you thought things were bad during the Julia Roberts era, they have gotten worse.  No ordinary person has a chance making it as an actor!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                          Like Bebe says, in "A Chorus Line," "Different is nice, but it sure isn't pretty/Pretty is what it's about."

                                                                          Bring back more, like the Kemble-Coopers!!!!!!!!!!!!