A Star is Born

A Star is Born is the title of several successful movies. All are variations on the same plot: talented girl meets and falls in love with successful performer. His career wanes as her popularity increases, with their relationship ending in tragedy.

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In 1937, David O. Selznick produced and William A. Wellman directed the first version of A Star is Born, with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. Although the Academy Award-winning screenplay by Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell, and Robert Carson is similar to the 1932 picture What Price Hollywood?, about a rising star and her alcoholic director, the 1937 picture is not officially a remake.

Related Topics:
1937 - David O. Selznick - William A. Wellman - Janet Gaynor - Fredric March - Academy Award - Dorothy Parker - Alan Campbell - Robert Carson - What Price Hollywood?

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The 1954 musical remake, directed by George Cukor and starring Judy Garland and James Mason, is the best known, and in 2000 the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. Musical highlights included "The Man That Got Away" and the "Born in a Trunk" sequence. Garland was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress for her tour-de-force performance, but lost to Grace Kelly (The Country Girl). This version of the film was re-edited several times. Premiering at 181 minutes, the studio (Warner Bros.) cut the film by 30 minutes despite the objections of director Cukor and producer Sid Luft (then-husband of the female lead). In the early 1980s, all but 5 minutes of the cut footage was found and re-instated, but some of the footage had to be reconstructed using production stills.

Related Topics:
1954 - George Cukor - Judy Garland - James Mason - 2000 - Library of Congress - National Film Registry - The Man That Got Away - Academy Award - Grace Kelly - The Country Girl - Warner Bros. - Sid Luft

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The premiere of the 1954 film at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles was star-studded, to say the least. Besides Garland, Mason, and Jack Carson (who emceed), the following celebrities attended: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Dorothy Lamour, Gordon MacRae, Dean Martin, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, James Dean, Sophie Tucker, Mamie Van Doren, Marie Wilson, Sonja Henie, Vera-Ellen, Gloria Grahame, Andy Devine, Peggy Lee, Jean Hersholt, Sheilah Graham, Hedda Hopper, Edward G. Robinson, Ray Bolger, Edward Arnold, and Doris Day.

Related Topics:
Pantages Theater - Los Angeles - Jack Carson - Lucille Ball - Desi Arnaz - Gary Cooper - Clark Gable - Humphrey Bogart - Lauren Bacall - Dorothy Lamour - Gordon MacRae - Dean Martin - Marlene Dietrich - Elizabeth Taylor - Michael Wilding - Frank Sinatra - Ava Gardner - James Dean - Sophie Tucker - Mamie Van Doren - Marie Wilson - Sonja Henie - Vera-Ellen - Gloria Grahame - Andy Devine - Peggy Lee - Jean Hersholt - Sheilah Graham - Hedda Hopper - Edward G. Robinson - Ray Bolger - Edward Arnold - Doris Day

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The 1976 version, helmed by Frank Pierson and starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, updated the story by bringing it into the rock era. The film was plagued with problems during production but, despite mixed reviews, was a huge box office success and spawned a best-selling soundtrack album. Streisand and co-composer Paul Williams won a Best Song Oscar for the film's main theme, "Evergreen."

Related Topics:
1976 - Barbra Streisand - Kris Kristofferson - Soundtrack - Album - Paul Williams - Best Song - Evergreen

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