Ona Munson
Biography: Ona Munson (June 16, 1903 – February 11, 1955) was an American actress perhaps best known for her portrayal of prostitute Belle Watling in Gone with the Wind (1939). She first came to fame on Broadway as the singing and dancing ingenue in the original production of No, No, Nanette. From this, Munson had a very successful stage and radio career in 1930s in New York. She introduced the song "You're the Cream in My Coffee" in the 1927 Broadway musical Hold Everything. Her first starring role was in a Warner Brothers talkie called Going Wild (1930). Originally this film was intended as musical but all the numbers were removed prior to release due to the public's distaste for musicals which had virtually saturated the cinema in 1929-1930. Munson appeared the next year in a musical comedy called Hot Heiress in which she sings several songs along with her co-star Ben Lyon. She also starred in Broadminded (1931) and Five Star Final (1931). She briefly retired from the screen, only to return in 1938. When David O. Selznick was casting his production Gone with the Wind, he first announced that Mae West was to play Belle, but this was a publicity stunt. Tallulah Bankhead refused the role as too small. Munson herself was the antithesis of the voluptuous Belle: freckled and of slight build. But her skills as an actress electrified her screen test: it was all in the voice. She spoke deep and throaty in her test, and her voice conveyed sexiness and worldliness. The rest could be remedied by the wardrobe and makeup departments. Munson’s career was stalemated by the acclaim of Gone with the Wind; for the remainder of her career, she was typecast in similar roles. Two years later, she played a huge role as another madam, albeit a Chinese one, in Josef von Sternberg's film noir The Shanghai Gesture. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Ona Munson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6211 Hollywood Boulevard. Munson was married three times, to actor and director Edward Buzzell in 1927, to Stewart McDonald in 1941, and designer Eugene Berman in 1949. In 1955, plagued by ill health, she committed suicide at the age of 51 with an overdose of barbiturates in her apartment in New York. A note found next to her deathbed read, "This is the only way I know to be free again...Please don't follow me."
Place of Birth: Not available
Birthday: June 16, 1903
Deathday: February 11, 1955
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Known For
Gone with the Wind
1939-12-15
Gone with the Wind
Overview: The spoiled daughter of a Georgia plantation owner conducts a tumultuous romance with a cynical profiteer during the American Civil War and Reconstruction Era.
Genres: Drama War Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-12-15
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The Red House
1947-02-04
The Red House
Overview: An old man and his sister are concealing a terrible secret from their adopted teen daughter, concerning a hidden abandoned farmhouse, located deep in the woods.
Genres: Mystery Thriller Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1947-02-04
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The Head of the Family
1928-01-18
The Head of the Family
Overview: Silent Comedy of the battle of the sexes for dominance within the home.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1928-01-18
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Five Star Final
1931-09-26
Five Star Final
Overview: Searching for headlines at any cost, an unscrupulous newspaper owner forces his editor to print a serial based on a past murder, tormenting a woman involved.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-09-26
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The Shanghai Gesture
1941-12-25
The Shanghai Gesture
Overview: A gambling queen uses blackmail to stop a British financier from closing her Chinese clip joint.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1941-12-25
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Dakota
1945-12-15
Dakota
Overview: In 1871, professional gambler John Devlin elopes with Sandra "Sandy" Poli, daughter of Marko Poli, an immigrant who has risen to railroad tycoon. Sandy, knowing that the railroad is to be extended into Dakota, plans to use their $20,000 nest egg to buy land options to sell to the railroad at a profit. On the stage trip to Ft. Abercrombie, their fellow passengers are Jim Bender and Bigtree Collins, who practically own the town of Fargo and Devlin is aware that they are prepared to protect the little empire... trying to drive out the farmers by burning their property, destroying their wheat, and blaming the devastation on the Indians. Continuing their journey north on the river aboard the "River Bird', Sandy and John meet Captain Bounce, an irascible old seafarer. Two of Bendender's henchmen, Slagin and Carp, board the boat and relieve John of his $20,000 at gunpoint. Captain Bounce, chasing the robber's dinghy..
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1945-12-15
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Going Wild
1930-12-21
Going Wild
Overview: Rollo and Lane just happen to be tossed off the train at White Beach where Robert Story -Air ace and writer- is supposed to stop. It is a case of mistaken identity as no one knows what Story looks like. So they get free room and meals at the Palm Inn and everything is going well until they want Story to fly in the race on Saturday. Rollo has never even be up in a plane, never mind fly one, so he must figure a way out. But the girls have everything bet on his winning the race. Written by Tony Fontana
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1930-12-21
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Scandal Sheet
1939-10-16
Scandal Sheet
Overview: The crimes of a tabloid publisher are exposed by a reporter, his secret illegitimate son.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-10-16
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Drums of the Congo
1942-07-17
Drums of the Congo
Overview: A safari sets out to find a meteorite that fell in the African jungle.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-07-17
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The Cheaters
1945-07-15
The Cheaters
Overview: An eccentric wealthy family facing bankruptcy schemes to steal an inheritance, but an alcoholic ex-actor they take in for Christmas charity complicates their plan.
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1945-07-15
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Broadminded
1931-08-01
Broadminded
Overview: Jack's father lowers the boom when his irresponsible rich-kid ends up in jail after a night of debauchery. The father appoints Ossie, Jack's cousin, as guardian, not realizing that Ossie is just as bad. They set off on a transcontinental trip with mischief on their minds.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-08-01
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The Hot Heiress
1931-03-28
The Hot Heiress
Overview: Classes clash when a poor riveter and wealthy society woman fall in love with each other, much to the shock of her friends and family.
Genres: Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1931-03-28
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Lady from Louisiana
1941-04-22
Lady from Louisiana
Overview: Northern lawyer John Reynolds travels to New Orleans to try and clean up the local crime syndicate based around a lottery. Although he meets Julie Mirbeau and they are attracted to each other, the fact that her father heads the lottery means they end up on opposite sides. When her father is killed, Julie becomes more and more involved in the shady activities and in blocking Reynolds' attempts at prosecution.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1941-04-22
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An Intimate Dinner in Celebration of Warner Bros. Silver Jubilee
1930-08-01
An Intimate Dinner in Celebration of Warner Bros. Silver Jubilee
Overview: Mr. and Mrs. Warner Bros. Pictures and their precocious offspring, Little Miss Vitaphone, host a dinner in honor of Warner Bros. Silver Jubilee, attended by most of the major players and song writers under contract to WB at that time.
Genres: History Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1930-08-01
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Wild Geese Calling
1941-08-15
Wild Geese Calling
Overview: In the 1890s lumberjack John leaves Seattle for Alaska to look for gold. After he marries dancehall girl Sally, he finds she used to be in love with his best friend Blackie.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1941-08-15
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Wagons Westward
1940-06-19
Wagons Westward
Overview: David Cook and twin brother Tom are poles apart in disposition and traits. When their father dies, Tom goes to New Mexico to live with his Uncle Hardtack while David remains behind to care for their mother. The grown Tom becomes an outlaw while brother David becomes a government lawman. David is charged with apprehending Tom...
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1940-06-19
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Legion of Lost Flyers
1939-11-02
Legion of Lost Flyers
Overview: A group of pilots, because of unsavory or unearned reputations, establish an outpost squadron of their own, led by "Loop" Gillian, running charter-flights and hauling supplies in the frozen wastelands of Alaska. The operation does not go without misadventures, foul-ups, and a bit of treachery tossed in.
Genres: Comedy Action Adventure
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-11-02
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His Exciting Night
1938-11-11
His Exciting Night
Overview: A milquetoast clerk is betrothed to the socialite whose aunt holds a big account with his company.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1938-11-11
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Idaho
1943-03-10
Idaho
Overview: A deputy sets out to prove that a respected judge, who had once been a criminal, is being framed for crimes committed by a crooked saloon owner.
Genres: Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1943-03-10
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The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988-10-01
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Overview: This documentary revisits the making of Gone with the Wind via archival footage, screen tests, insightful interviews and rare film footage.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1988-10-01
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Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
1942-10-05
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
Overview: Narrator Hopper covers two war benefit affairs, a garden party and a USO fashion show, at Pickfair, "The White House of Hollywood."
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1942-10-05
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The Big Guy
1939-12-22
The Big Guy
Overview: A man is given the choice between having fabulous wealth or saving an innocent man from the death penalty.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1939-12-22
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