Norma Shearer Interview - Louella Parsons (Sunkist Radio, 1931)
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- Опубліковано 9 вер 2024
- TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW IS IN THE PINNED COMMENT.
Catalog No.: NONE
Track: 1 of 1
Label: Flexo
Release Date: 1931
Recording Date: March 25, 1931
Other: Hollywood Film Enterprises Inc.
All audio on my channel is ripped directly from vinyl & shellac records in my personal collection, and restored by me unless stated otherwise.
Thanks to Jeremy Passarelli for restoring the audio.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Announcer: Ask for Sunkist oranges (…) bump us up, because they have the richest juice and finest flavor (?). And now, ladies & gentlemen, Sunkist presents Louella Parsons - world’s most widely-read motion picture writer - who will introduce your guest of the evening. Ms. Parsons?
Louella Parsons: Good evening, I wish you could all see how Norma Shearer looks as she sits here ready to talk to you. She looks just like a fashion plate. You know, I’m not (…) but I’m going to try to describe to you what she’s wearing. She’s sitting down here (…) set with her makeup on, and she’s wearing one of the costumes she’s wearing in one of her pictures. It’s tangerine with a hat and coat to match. (…) Now that’s pretty good, isn’t it, Norma? I want to introduce to you Norma Shearer - one of our finest dramatic actresses on the screen, and a real beauty.
NS: Thank you, Louella, dear; and I’m coming right back here to say I remember the time when you wouldn’t have had any of those bouquets (?)
LP: Norma, I don’t know what you mean!
NS: Remember a few years ago, back in New York? When you, the famous Louella Parsons, managed to spare a few minutes for lunch (…) with an obscure, would-be movie actress, who happened to be me?
LP: Norma, I will never forget that day or the determined, youngness (?) of you. And yes, I have to say it, the crowd (…).
NS: Oh, that was determination. I was determined to impress you, and I was having an awfully hard time doing it, too, because of how many famous people were in the dining room looking for you. Every time I began telling you what a great actress I was going to be, there was (…) woman waving goodbye.
LP: I hope I wasn’t rude!
NS: Rude? Oh, no, darling; you were just very bored. Who could blame you? You’d probably heard the same story all too often.
LP: Well, it came true, didn’t it, Norma?
NS: Well, (…), Louella.
LP: Why? (…) far away then?
NS: Those were the days when jobs were few and far between for me.
LP: I believe the radio fan (…) listening to this interview would love to hear about your arriving in California. Was it what you expected it would be? Come on, tell us, Norma!
NS: (…) (…) (…) You know, I thought they’d have the red carpet, the brass band, an array of (…) photographers & reporters, and maybe even an executive or two rolling in. Can you imagine my embarrassment, Louella, when my mother and I stepped off the train to find that apparently no one knew or cared whether we were going to arrive or whether we weren’t.
LP: Oh, poor Norma. California has been very kind to you since, though, hasn’t it?
NS: Louella, I should say it has. It’s been wonderful to me. You know, I’ve been (…) since I came over here? (…) it’s been wonderful, I’ve been terribly happy.
LP: Well, I have to say, (…) I know I have to give them all the credit; (…) you’ve been pretty good, yourself. You’ve given us a wonderful story. (…) I think they used real good judgment in getting away from the Snow White heroine. People were (…) gaga (?) girl (…) 100% pure.
NS: Mhm, well, you know, (…) like I had in ‘The Divorcee’ (…) they’re lots of fun to play and I don’t think the audiences mind if you misstep (…) perform in the end.
LP: You (…) gave the world an illustrated idea of how to (…) wondering (?) husbands.
NS: (…) (unintelligible)
LP: (…) I’m sorry!
NS: You’re forgiven.
*END*
Norma Shearer...what a doll. So glad to hear this for the first time.
I think I can help with the end of the transcription a bit: LP: I think they used rare good judgment in getting away from the Snow White heroine. People were fed to the teeth with gaga girl's who were 100% pure.
NS: Mhm, well, you know, I had parts like I had in ‘The Divorcee’ and things like this, they’re lots of fun to play and I don’t think the audiences mind if you missteps as long as you reform in the end.
LP: I've very glad you reformed. You certainly did give the world an illustrated idea of how to interest a wandering husband in The Divorcee.
NS: No Louella I thought you weren't going to mention husbands...
LP: (…) I’m sorry!
NS: You’re forgiven.
Thanks for posting, I have the original Flexo as well!
Here's a bit clearer transcript of this. It's still not perfect as I wasn't able to pick up certain words/phrases clearly, either. Hope this works just the same.
*Voiceover:* Prudent shoppers ask for Sunkist oranges, the pick of California's bumper crops, because they have the richest juice and finest flavor. And now, ladies and gentlemen, Sunkist presents Louella Parsons, the world's most widely read motion picture writer, who will introduce your guest of the evening. Miss Parsons.
*Parsons:* Good evening! I wish you could all see how Norma Shearer looks as she sits here, ready to talk to you. She looks just like a fashion plate. You know, I'm no society editor, but I'm going to try to describe to you what she's wearing. She came down here right from the set with her makeup on and she's wearing one of the costumes she's wearing in her picture. It's tangerine with hat and coat to match, trimmed with ermine. Now, that's pretty good, isn't it, Norma?
*Shearer:* (laughs)
*Parsons:* I want to introduce to you Norma Shearer, one of our finest dramatic actresses on the screen, and a real beauty.
*Shearer:* (laughs) Thank you, Louella, dear. And I'm coming right back at you by saying I remember a time when you wouldn't have handed me those bouquets.
*Parsons:* Norma, I don't know what you mean!
*Shearer:* Remember a few years ago? Back in New York? When you, the famous Louella Parsons, managed to spare a few minutes for lunch at the Algonquin Hotel with an obscure, would-be movie actress, who happened to be me?
*Parsons:* (laughs) Norma, I shall never forget that day! The determined [indistinct] of you! And, yes, I have to say it: the proud independence.
*Shearer:* (laughs) Oh, that was determination. I was just determined to impress you! And I was having an awfully hard time doing it, too, because there were so many famous people [indistinct]. Every time I'd begin telling you what a great actress I was going to be, [indistinct].
*Parsons:* I hope I wasn't rude!
*Shearer:* Rude? Why, no, darling! You were just very bored. And who could blame you? You've most likely heard the same story too often.
*Parsons:* But your story came true, now, didn't it, Norma?
*Shearer:* Well, this is a Cinderella business, isn't it, Louella?
*Parsons:* Why? [indistinct]?
*Shearer:* Those were the days when jobs were few and far between for me.
*Parsons:* I believe the radio fans who are listening in would be interested about your arriving in California. Was it as you expected it would be? Come on, tell us, Norma.
*Shearer:* (laughs) Well, I must confess, I was a little disappointed in my reception. You know, I thought upon [indistinct], they'd have the red carpets, the brass band, a ray [?] of expectant photographers and reporters… all with an executive or two thrown in! Can you imagine my embarrassment, Louella, when my mother and I stepped off the train to find that, well, apparently, no one even knew or cared whether we were arriving or whether we weren't?
*Parsons:* Aww, poor Norma. But California's been very kind to you since, now, hasn't it?
*Shearer:* Louella, I should say it has. It's been wonderful to me. You know I've been with the same company ever since I came out here? They've been [indistinct] to me. They've been wonderful. I've been terribly happy.
*Parsons:* Well, I have to say, [indistinct]. I don't want to give them all the credit because you've been pretty good yourself. They've given you some wonderful stories, especially since the talkies came in. I think they used rare good judgement in getting away from the snow-white heroine. People were fed to the teeth with gaga girls who were 100-percent pure.
*Shearer:* Mm-hmm. Uh, you know, I think, um, parts like I had in 'Divorcee' and 'Strangers May Kiss,' mmm, they're lots of fun to play. And I don't think audiences mind a few missteps, you know, if you reform in the end.
*Parsons:* Well, I'm very glad you reformed!
*Shearer:* (laughs)
*Parsons:* You certainly did give the world an illustrated idea of how to interest a wandering husband in 'Divorcee.'
*Shearer:* Now, Louella, I thought you weren't going to make your husband [indistinct].
*Parsons:* [indistinct]?
*Shearer:* [indistinct].
*Parsons:* That's all right, I'm sorry.
*Shearer:* You're forgiven.
Rare and wonderful!
Thanks for posting! Could anyone transcript what they're saying? I can't quite make out what Norma is saying
Hi, I'm working on a transcription for the interview. It was transferred from a 78rpm copy with excessive iron deposits in the grooves due to the older, metal needles used to play records at the time, so the audio is somewhat compromised. If I can't get an accurate enough transcription, I'll transfer it again, restore it (to the best of my abilities), and repost it.
Just wanted to let you know I finished the transcription and pinned the comment under the video.
Norma’s voice has a charming ring