“An actor has to work hard to get up to 25 thousand dollars a picture, then he has to struggle to 50 thousand dollars. Then he’s over the hump and moves upwards by the 25 thousand.” – Dick Powell, explaining movie star salaries in 1946.
By the way, Powell reportedly earned $150,000 for making Johnny O’Clock (1947).
Dames (1933). With Ruby Keeler.
A kiss is still a kiss? Not according to movie sound technicians who worked during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Apparently, many of them had a cheat sheet on stars, listing distances that they needed to keep during love scenes.
“Dick is like a bashful lover. He kisses softly, without making much sound. The microphone must be held six inches away.” — Richard Williams, sound technician at Warner Bros. in 1936.
Quote source: newspaper scribe Donna Risher.
Photo> With Ruby Keeler.
Happiness Ahead (1934)…or is it Happiness a Head?
Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell from the Field & Turf Club at the Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel.
2 thoughts on “Dick Powell”
Interestingly, Powell’s third wife, June Allyson, stated in her autobiography that he and Ruby Keeler had a brief affair after the latter separated from Al Jolson. It was noted in the press that Keeler “stirred up a minor scandal” when she moved into a house that was in close proximity to Powell’s bachelor pad. He was married to Joan Blondell at the time but the marriage was in trouble by then and would be over in a few years. Powell did have a tendency to become involved with his leading ladies, but his liaison with Keeler had to be delayed because Jolson was extremely jealous and hated Powell for being his wife’s frequent leading man. Thanks for the quote about Powell’s on-screen kissing!
Dick Powell was a fantastic actor.To the Ends of the Earth was a masterpiece