Presiding over the town for more than another decade, Mousie remained desert royalty until her death in 1997. The couple spent countless evenings in the Bamboo Room at the Racquet Club with the owners, their close friends Charlie and Virginia Farrell. 2023 www.desertsun.com. He was often called one of Palm Springs favorites residents. The tangled tale of Jean Harlow, her dead husband and a woman - SFGATE List of the best William Powell movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. She appeared on Broadway in supporting rolls between 1917 and 1931. The affectionate sparring and chemistry between Powell and Loy delighted audiences, and the pair went on to make five more Thin Man movies together. Mousie and William Powell would be in the mix through it all. Diana Lewis was an American film actress and a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract star. The one ex was Carole Lombard, who stood by him when he was so ill, and her death was also heartbreaking for him. The Powells were happily married living in Palm Springs for 44 years until his death in 1984. Then was on his way. [2], On Saturday, December 22, 1956, at age 31, Powell wed former child actress Patricia Parsons (1931-2006), exchanging their wedding vows at the home of his father, on Vereda Norte in Palm Springs, California. He would go on to play opposite such glamorous Hollywood leading ladies as Kay Francis, Carole Lombard, and Jean Harlow. Although they never married, he was devastated by her death and paid all funeral and burial expenses when she died. Once logged in, you can add biography in the database. Diana gave Carole a gold cross in 1938 that she wore for the rest of her life, and was buried wearing. He then worked in road and stock companies before appearing as the heros rival in the hit Broadway play Spanish Love (1920). The private tennis club opened in 1934 and many of the members had connections to the film industry. He had so much tragedy in his life, but always carried on with such dignity. He was starred as S. S. Van Dine's resourceful sleuth, Philo Vance, in ''The Canary Murder Case'' and three sequels. William Powell was on the New York stage by 1912, but it would be ten years before his film career would begin. These were broadcast in front of a live audience and its nice to hear them speak as themselves after the show too. Mr. Powell's wife of 44 years, the former actress Diana Lewis, was at his bedside. The nearly six-foot-tall actor came to dislike being described as suave and sophisticated. An interviewer reported in 1949 that Mr. Powell spent most of the time on a set deleting his dialogue, prefering a gesture to a page of conversation. Someone said in the comments that Williams son killed himself because he was the victim of Narcissistic parentswhile this comment doesn't even deserve a reply it is indictive of the writer of such an untruthful comment being the victim and perpetrator himself of narcissism in his life, One comment indicated that in retirement Powell was well regarded in Palm Springs. four paged note addressed to his father, of which only the last two A sad but interesting story, David. As an adult, William David talked about how, as a child, he acted out and felt more important than he was because he was William Powell's son. I enjoyed him with Kay Francis in One Way passage and a favorite was the great Ziegfeld. He worked less frequently thereafter, however, needing time to recover first from Harlows unexpected death and then from his own surgery and treatment for cancer. After they married, Lewiswas known by the name of Mousie Powell. And he is a great musician too! Powell, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, Myrna Loywe just don't have that variety and depth today. The Racquet Club became the center of their social life. He is so very handsome and seems like a very loving character. How bitterly ironic that Powell's son should suffer kidney problems. The couple almost immediately decamped to Palm Springs and would live in the desert for the rest of their lives. But sound movies projected his polished charm and wit, making him a highly paid hero and leading box-office star for more than two decades. Actress Jean Harlow dies - History He was an excellent dramatic actor, but his ability to play light comedy was unsurpassed. In the mid-1950's he retired to Palm Springs to play golf, oversee his investments and lead a leisurely life with his wife in their desert sanctuary. Discovered his movies once I started watching Turner Classic. Resting place Desert Memorial Park, Cathedral City, California, U.S. Both Lewis and Powell were under contract withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer and joined Mayer and other Hollywood big names at a luncheon in Beverly Hills. Looking for a job? They costarred in a total of 13 films.By 1936 William Powell was among the top 10 male box office attractions, and four of the five films in which he appeared that year received Academy Award nominations (My Man Godfrey, The Great Ziegfeld, Libeled Lady, and After the Thin Man), with Powell himself earning a nomination as best actor for his deft performance in the title role of My Man Godfrey. [1][2] She almost did not get the role. An american actor, William Powell is paired in many films with Myrna Loy. Physical Characteristics: I adored William Powell in every movie from the Thin man right to mr Roberts. I too wish that I could transport myself into the times of real Hollywood, the 30s, 40s and 50s. He worked less frequently thereafter, however, needing time to recover first from Harlows unexpected death and then from his own surgery and treatment for cancer. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. I love William Powell alsoI had an uncle who looked just like him too! Ambling up the driveway toward the house at 383 W. Vereda Norte was a strange-looking man in tennis shoes holding a cardboard shirt box. Wife of actor William Powell. He was so amazing!! My Man Godfrey and Life with Father are my too favorites! [2] A B movie, The Thin Man was a box office and critical hit. Thank you for taking the time to write it. He graduated from Princeton, magna cum laude in English. Jr served in WWII and The Korean War (where he contracted the hepatitis that would become debilitating). He was greatly loved in Hollywood and known for his generosity, kindness, thoughtfulness and so many more wonderful traits. Hes one of my faves too. [2] The wedding ceremony which was performed by Judge Eugene Therieau, with his father as best man and Parsons' sister Mrs. Kenneth Zook as matron of honor. He seemed to have such a rare strength and dignified character. He was a great actor and he got everybody's attention when he was on screen. It's so amazing that his career started on the stage in the 1910s! Eventually, the Mouseburger had so many participants every court at the Racquet Club on Wednesday night was part of the tournament. He would go on to play opposite such glamorous Hollywood leading ladies as Kay Francis, Carole Lombard, to whom he was married from 1931 to 1933, and Jean Harlow, to whom he was engaged at the time of her death in 1937. He also worked as a story editor and coordinator, later an associate producer at Warner Bros. and Universal Studios, and held an executive position at NBC. ', Yes, why no pictures of William Powell Jr.? How Diana Lewis became Mousie Powell - The Desert Sun Ruth Waterbury writing for Photoplay Magazine at the time recounted the story the studio concocted about the couples meeting: William Powells elopement with Diana Lewis was the last thing Hollywood expected, but then few knew the romantic truth behind it. He was 91 years old. William Powell was engaged to marry Jean Harlow, his co-star in Reckless (1935), until her sudden death in 1937. She hadn't really attained stardom yet. One weekend,as the couple packed up their car for a weekend sightseeing trip to Yosemite, they received a call from afriend, actor Adolphe Menjou, who told them about a house that was for sale just a couple of blocks from him. William Powell became a star as detective Philo Vance in the talkie The Canary Murder Case (1929), based on a novel by S.S. Van Dine. They divorced on September 19, 1957. The smoothest, most debonair man who ever graced the screen. William Powell retired from acting in 1955 and moved to Palm Springs. William Powell, in full William Horatio Powell, (born July 29, 1892, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.died March 5, 1984, Palm Springs, California), versatile American motion picture and stage actor who played villains in Hollywood silent films and intelligent, debonair leading men in the sound era. src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height="", data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=1861888&cache=false" All rights reserved. William Powell, in full William Horatio Powell, (born July 29, 1892, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.died March 5, 1984, Palm Springs, California), versatile American motion picture and stage actor who played villains in Hollywood silent films and intelligent, debonair leading men in the sound era. // If he were indeed, narcissistic it would more than likely showed up while working with other artists he spent a good amount of time with such as Myrna Loy. His movies were hits with the public and brought into the studio coffers much coinage, yet he was never properly thanked for his work by his peers in the industry. [4], "Bill Powell Jr. Weds Former Child Actress", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_David_Powell&oldid=1114510168, This page was last edited on 6 October 2022, at 21:33. No one had a bad word about him, it seems. Decades later, he acknowledged that the illness had been rectal cancer. Simple theme. Carole Lombard was an American film actress. When he reached stardom, he also helped polish his scripts. I couldn't agree more. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. That would not have impacted the extent of Powell's grief at her untimely death. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CO8B5ZU/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CRP6AG4/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001N3P6M0/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I6C3DRQ/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0079HI1TY/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005F265CU/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001L4I952/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SVZIP8/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004L11LPM/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075KLCBZ3/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075KNV8M7/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CH2YDH4/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UY598G/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DHH9QJS/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BZX9SY0/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K1WI36U/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087YS706/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0199I9M6Q/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001N31H6Y/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LJ60FO/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D81R9O2/?tag=2022091-20, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DN9FU3Q/?tag=2022091-20. That success led to his appearance as Professor Moriartys evil henchman in the silent film Sherlock Holmes (1922), starring John Barrymore. William Powell was tall and dapper, with white hair and a trim mustache. The Brits do, but their actors don't specialize and they do a number of things. The Final Films. Class, a peek into how was life before inventions, and so on.But who would guess I would find more. After surviving Harlow & Lombard, he married a starlet, a union that lasted to his death (decades after beating cancer - why he missed starring opposite Garbo in Ninotchka. Your tribute was lovely by the way! When asked why he seldom left the desert at all and almost never visited New York City again, Powell quipped, Why should I? He was treated with radiation, pronounced cured, and told an interviewer in 1963, ''I was one of the lucky ones.''. Actor William Powell at work in the kitchen with his wife Diana He then worked in road and stock companies before appearing as the heros rival in the hit Broadway play Spanish Love (1920). Wm Powell was a kind and sad man. When Palm Springs made their Walk of Stars, William Powell was one of the first ones honored. Some very sweet ones when Bill, jr. Was young. He was so debonair, suave; and the epitome of cool; and a gifted and talented actor! Mother: xxxx xxxxx . Sorry for the sadness he experienced. ''I highly recommend worrying,'' he replied. He and his father would stay up all night talking. His son's suicide was perhaps William Powell's greatest tragedy in his life, but a look at this man's fascinating life and career show so much more heartbreak for him. Good catch! In 1915, William Powell married Eileen Wilson (18941942), who was born Julia Tierney, by whom he had his only child, William David Powell, before an amicable divorce in 1930. A doctor in Los Angeles determined that Williams had multiple sclerosis.
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