Women He's Undressed - Orry-Kelly Documentary

[+ ArVaGuy]

While surfing Netflix last night, I found this documentary about the life of Hollywood costume designer Orry-Kelly. Kelly was born in Australia and spent decades in Hollywood designing costumes for Warner Bros. and other studios. He dressed Bette Davis in Dark Victory, Jezebel, and Mr. Skeffington. He also designed costumes for my favorite film, Casablanca. He made Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon look like women in Some Like it Hot, his Marilyn Monroe dress was scandalous at the time.

 

Most notable is his relationship with Archie Leach, better known as Carry Grant. They lived together in Greenwich Village in the 1920's. Both were struggling to make it on Broadway and Grant sold neckties designed by Kelly for the couple to make ends meet. When Grant makes it big in Hollywood, with Kelly's help, he (Grant) dumps Kelly and later moves in with Randolph Scott.

 

The documentary is a warts and all review of his life and delves into his alcoholism and homosexuality in great detail. Among the cast is Jane Fonda and Angela Lansbury who discuss aspects of him they experienced.

 

He won Academy Awards for costume design for American in Paris, Les Girls, and Some Like it Hot. With 300 films to his credit, we've all seen his genius including Oklahoma!, Gypsy, and Auntie Mame to name but a few.

 

I highly recommend watching this documentary, it's a must see for anyone who loves Hollywood's Golden Age of movie making.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3735686/

[actor61]

I loved this documentary too, especially the way they combined actors with real footage. The man who played Kelly in the acted scenes was delightful, and the actress who played his mother was equally good. I understand how impossible it would have been for Cary Grant to have come out; it certainly ruined Billy Haines's career, but what a shame that so many of those men had to live closeted and consequently sometimes tortured lives. I also watched the Tab Hunter documentary on Netflix and he was eventually able to be his real self but so many of the others had to hide forever. From what I gathered, it was a bit easier to be openly gay behind the scenes but impossible if one was a star. And the subterfuge is ultimately very futile because everybody finds out eventually anyway.

[Okliehomo]

I watched both docs too and enjoyed them.

 

Unless I misunderstood, they said quite plainly that Archie Leach was selling more than ties to make ends meet.... he was literally making ends meet, so to speak. He was a rent boy in NYC and Orry Kelly did not approve but could not stop him..... the money was too good. Still true today. Was not quite clear of the sex of his clientele.... Think I read somewhere that Clark Gable did the same with older wealthy women, or maybe he just a married them. Didn't Lombard always tease him about what a lousy "lay" he was?

 

Also, I do not recall any mention of Dyan Cannon or his daughter with her. Guess that could be because Kelly died before that marriage or that they are still alive.

[+ ArVaGuy]

I watched both docs too and enjoyed them.

 

Unless I misunderstood, they said quite plainly that Archie Leach was selling more than ties to make ends meet.... he was literally making ends meet, so to speak. He was a rent boy in NYC and Orry Kelly did not approve but could not stop him..... the money was too good. Still true today. Was not quite clear of the sex of his clientele.... Think I read somewhere that Clark Gable did the same with older wealthy women, or maybe he just a married them. Didn't Lombard always tease him about what a lousy "lay" he was?

 

Also, I do not recall any mention of Dyan Cannon or his daughter with her. Guess that could be because Kelly died before that marriage or that they are still alive.

 

It was implied that Grant was available for hire as a "Walker" to wealthy older women. He escorted them to various social events. This was a common practice in NYC for decades - gay men as paid companions to old wealthy widows. I think the ambiguity around this issue as it relates to Grant comes from the autobiography Kelly wrote about his life. I think Kelly sanitized the real story due to Grant's concerns.

 

Gable is rumored to have escorted and had been hired by Cukor numerous times. Cukor was a "woman's director" which implied he was gay and that his films highlighted the female leads at the expense of the males. Hence, Gable did not want to work with him for several reasons.

[body2body]

During the Hal Wallis film series at LACMA there were talks given before each film. Orry-Kelly was mentioned frequently. At the screening of The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex they discussed the battles Bette Davis fought regarding her appearance. First she fought with Jack Warner regarding her hairline ( she shaved it back). Then when she showed up for a costume test in an elaborate and accurate ( for the period ) gown by Orry-Kelly, the Director Michael Curtiz stamped his foot and exclaimed loudly "No! It's too beeg!". Orry-Kelly was Davis favorite designer, and they conspired to make two sets of costumes, a scaled down version for the tests, and a full scale set to be worn in the filming. I have to watch this documentary. Thanks for the info.

[+ ArVaGuy]

@body2body, that very incident was mentioned in this documentary. Curtiz apparently was none the wiser to the switch.

[body2body]

Walkers have continued to exist in New York and L.A. I attended a very odd New Years Eve party at an old Mansion in Bel-Air back in the late 80s or early 90s. It was like something out of SunsetBoulevard. Phyllis Diller, Anne Jeffreys, Anne Miller, Sybil Brand, Henny Backus, all in their 80s arrived one by one, each on the arm of a handsome, built, impeccably dressed gay man- most in their early 40s. I knew several of them from the Gym or from the Interior Designers they worked for as Assistants. The Walkers sat close to their dates, and made sure their cocktails were freshened. George Burns arrived and stayed for a few minutes, and left. Phyllis Diller told the filthiest jokes I'd ever heard. Shortly after midnight. Each of the old girls got up and took the arm of her handsome companion and left one at a time in some kind of pre-ordained order of precedence.

[+ ArVaGuy]

Walkers have continued to exist in New York and L.A. I attended a very odd New Years Eve party at an old Mansion in Bel-Air back in the late 80s or early 90s. It was like something out of SunsetBoulevard. Phyllis Diller, Anne Jeffreys, Anne Miller, Sybil Brand, Henny Backus, all in their 80s arrived one by one, each on the arm of a handsome, built, impeccably dressed gay man- most in their early 40s. I knew several of them from the Gym or from the Interior Designers they worked for as Assistants. The Walkers sat close to their dates, and made sure their cocktails were freshened. George Burns arrived and stayed for a few minutes, and left. Phyllis Diller told the filthiest jokes I'd ever heard. Shortly after midnight. Each of the old girls got up and took the arm of her handsome companion and left one at a time in some kind of pre-ordained order of precedence.

 

Wow! That's a hell of a gathering of Hollywood notables. Too bad that wasn't caught on tape. It must have been rip-roaring fun.

 

A friend of mine in NYC also earned side money as a Walker in the 1960s and 1970s. He also worked in the interior design business. Maybe there's a correlation to that industry and walking these older women. Handsome gay men decorating the arm of a wealthy dowager.

 

He also told stories of hooking up with the husbands of wealthy couples who would retain his company to decorate their new, expensive, apartments. The husbands would turn up at the showroom to drop off the check and he'd invariably wind up fucking them in the stockroom or some hotel.

[actor61]

I have a 26 year old, very goodlooking and well built dancer friend who is currently in a show on a cruise ship. He calls me on his days off (I'm not exactly sure why but that's a subject for a different thread!) and describes how the guys in the show are asked to dance with elderly female passengers whose husbands either can't or won't. I exclaimed, "You're a walker!" He had no idea what that was, and when I explained, he was very offended. I told him the stories of Rudolph Valentino starting his career as a paid dance partner for older ladies but he had no idea who Rudolph Valentino was or why that would relate to his situation. Sigh.

[actor61]

Wow! That's a hell of a gathering of Hollywood notables. Too bad that wasn't caught on tape. It must have been rip-roaring fun.

 

A friend of mine in NYC also earned side money as a Walker in the 1960s and 1970s. He also worked in the interior design business. Maybe there's a correlation to that industry and walking these older women. Handsome gay men decorating the arm of a wealthy dowager.

 

He also told stories of hooking up with the husbands of wealthy couples who would retain his company to decorate their new, expensive, apartments. The husbands would turn up at the showroom to drop off the check and he'd invariably wind up fucking them in the stockroom or some hotel.

I have also seen gay walkers for elderly gay men. In the 1970s and 1980s, I attended gatherings in Los Angeles where Paul Lynde, Richard Deacon, Alan Carr and the like would arrive with very goodlooking, well dressed, intelligent young men as escorts, and the word truly had a double meaning. In some cases, the young hunks actually did escort them in the true sense that they attended social functions with them and were paid but there was no sex involved. In other cases, the evening of course ended up with a hot hump and large bills left discreetly on the dresser.

[+ ArVaGuy]

I have a 26 year old, very goodlooking and well built dancer friend who is currently in a show on a cruise ship. He calls me on his days off (I'm not exactly sure why but that's a subject for a different thread!) and describes how the guys in the show are asked to dance with elderly female passengers whose husbands either can't or won't. I exclaimed, "You're a walker!" He had no idea what that was, and when I explained, he was very offended. I told him the stories of Rudolph Valentino starting his career as a paid dance partner for older ladies but he had no idea who Rudolph Valentino was or why that would relate to his situation. Sigh.

 

SMH

 

I could accept the fact your young friend would not have a clue about the concept of a "walker" if he'd at least known of Valentino. The younger generation is depressing sometimes.

 

 

I have also seen gay walkers for elderly gay men. In the 1970s and 1980s, I attended gatherings in Los Angeles where Paul Lynde, Richard Deacon, Alan Carr and the like would arrive with very goodlooking, well dressed, intelligent young men as escorts, and the word truly had a double meaning. In some cases, the young hunks actually did escort them in the true sense that they attended social functions with them and were paid but there was no sex involved. In other cases, the evening of course ended up with a hot hump and large bills left discreetly on the dresser.

 

I seem to recall rumors that Paul Lynde had a heart attack while having sex with his "Walker" / escort. The younger man is alleged to have freaked out and left in a hurry. It could also be that Lynde sent him home as he felt unwell. Lynde was a great talent and it's kind of sad that he passed in these circumstances.

[+ friendofsheila]

I hope I get to see this documentary. It's not at our local library (yet).