*****UPDATE BELOW*****
One thing I've learned scouring the historical photo archives on the internet is just how many people are famous at any given moment only to be forgotten just a few years later. This is Sabrina and when I happened across the caption concerning "the television rage in England in 1958" I had to see who they were talking about. Up came this photo.
The next thing I did was go to Wikipedia to look up this mysterious Sabrina, born Norma Ann Sykes on May 19, 1933. It took only reading to the second sentence to discover that her "main claim to fame" involved her "prodigious breasts." I was, shall we say, unsurprised. And apparently, and I refer to the photo caption, she did a tv show as well although Wikipedia doesn't mention it. Later she was involved with Steve Cochran, which is kind of fitting I guess because he was famous in many circles for his, uh, prodigious penis. That's mentioned in Wikipedia too, although they use the term "well endowed." They must have made quite a pair. Or should I say trio?
Sabrina is still alive and well and living in Hollywood, no longer required to wear ridiculous torpedo bras that make it look as if she is concealing two Renaissance conical hats under her blouse. She has fan sites dedicated to her, including this one, The Sabrina Site, as well as that site's offshoot, a society devoted to preserving her heritage called Best Of Our Beautiful Sabrina. Yes, yes, take a look at the letters and figure out the acronym for yourself.
Her last movie was The Phantom Gunslinger with Troy Donahue in 1970 and though a very quick and admittedly lazy search produced no results, I could swear someone whose blog I follow reviewed that movie at some point. I'd love to hear more about it if that's true. Never seen it so if you have please chime in with some thoughts on it. And wish Sabrina a Happy Birthday this May 19th. She will be 76.
*****UPDATE***** Since Satan in High Heels was mentioned not once but twice in the comments I figured I'd upload a clip so we could enjoy the acting stylings of Sabrina. From the Sabrina website mentioned above, here's the clip. Enjoy.
25 comments:
This reminds me of a music video I saw yesterday: "Stupid Girls" by Pink. She sees her boyfriend eying a Sabrina, and the next thing you see is her breasts inflating with a tag that says "Inflate in case of emergency."
According to the entry, they made "Sabrina" jokes on the Goon Show a lot, coming up with exclamatory phrases like "by the measurements of Sabrina!" and "by the sweaters of Sabrina!"
Sometimes I'm completely out of the loop with pop culture of the past and this is one case. I had never heard the term "Sabrina" before to reference a large breasted woman.
And the scene in the Pink video sounds pretty funny actually. Is her boyfriend Arbo?
Later she was involved with Steve Cochran, which is kind of fitting I guess because he was famous in many circles for his, uh, prodigious penis.
Usually, when someone pauses, or says "uh", in this context, they ultimately go with a euphemism, or some other kind of veiled reference to the topic. But you just go ahead and say it. I admire your subverting of the norm.
Actually, I was doing just what you said, really I was. It just didn't play that way. See, for me, people would say of Steve Cochran that he was known for his "big dick" or "huge cock" and so the "uh" signified I was pausing to go ahead and use the same polite anatomy class speak that Wikipedia had used for Sabrina.
Listen up though - Go to Steve Cochran's Wikipedia entry here and read the section on his death. Seriously, I was going to put it in this piece but it was too much of a sidetrack but I want everyone to read it because while very sad that he would die at 48 of a lung infection, it's also like a farce given the circumstances. Like an improv skit or something.
I would not have wanted go onboard that boat on the tenth day!
Nor would I...that's awful and absurd. It's "awbsurd". Couldn't one of them have, you know, taken a stab at it?
Also, there's a movie, or a play, in that story somewhere.
Couldn't one of them have, you know, taken a stab at it?
Jesus, I know! That's what my wife said. I mean, you know, look at the damn ignition, turn the key, push up on the throttle, turn the wheel. Really. What the hell? I've handled boats before (never my own of course, but my friend worked on the commercial docks where I grew up) and believe it or not, it's about that simple.
Also, there's a movie, or a play, in that story somewhere.
It's true. You could write a play about the three women alone on the boat with a corpse for ten days. Why hasn't someone yet?
I can't help but picture them as the cliche, sexist 1940s/50s ditzy airheads from old sitcoms with the squeaky voices.
I can't help but picture them as the cliche, sexist 1940s/50s ditzy airheads from old sitcoms with the squeaky voices.
Well, that story leaves one little choice. What did they do for ten days? What did they say?
"Oh. My. God! I Can Not take that smell anymore. Why doesn't someone save us?" [looks at dead body] "It's all your fault!" [kicks body and eyes pop open - runs screaming onto deck]
And they had names like Rose, Penny, and, I guess, Sabrina.
It's hard to believe he was connected with Merle Oberon at one point. I mean, she seemed so refined compared to him.
Although her character wasn't very admirable. There's this from wikipedia:
"During her time as a film star, Oberon went to great lengths to disguise her mixed-race background and when her dark-skinned mother moved in with her, she masqueraded as Oberon's maid"
and this:
"Her mother died in 1937, and in 1949 Oberon commissioned paintings of her mother from an old photograph, instructing the artist to lighten her mother's complexion"
Mother: "Gee, thanks loving daughter, for being totally ashamed of me."
Sorry, just felt like getting a Merle Oberon dig in there.
Since I haven't heard anything as off-putting about Steve Cochran as I now have about Merle Oberon, I feel comfortable saying that it sounds like Cochran was the one who was slumming!
TAKE THAT, MERLE!
Zing!
Merle Oberon's name is in a review I'm working on right now. Go figure...
The kismet continues...
The Scarlet Pimpernell was on last night and we were going to watch it but alas, life intruded.
Stupid life.
That's exactly the context I wrote about. Greg.
I never wrote about Sabrina. But I did see Blue Murder at St. Trinian's, and Satan in High Heels, so I guess that counts for something. (?)
Speaking of Satan and body parts, you can see the first two Art of the Devil movies on Netflix instant viewing so you know what I'm talking about on my April 1 post, when I review Art of the Devil 3.
Hmmmm... I wonder what Peter will be reviewing April 1st...
I bet it'll be... Art of the Devil 3
And I want to see all the St. Trinian's movies but I haven't seen the one with her.
She's the best thing in Satan in High Heels, but that's not saying a whole lot.
Kimberly, I just posted a clip from that movie since it was mentioned by both you and Peter. I've watched a few other clips from it and I believe you are right, on both counts.
It's too bad that Steve Cochran's legacy is so tied to tabloids of the 50 and 60s. Not that the term "womanizer was incorrect, but many unmarried actors of that generation were dubbed the same.Cochran was first and foremost a working actor. A graduate of Wyoming University, he had planned to be a commercial artist, but got the acting bug after taking a Drama classs. He appeared in regional theatre till WW2, and directed plays on Military bases after being rejected for service because of a heart murmur. In 1945, he was wsigned by Goldwyn, and played supporting roles in films; then headed for Broadayway to appear opposite Mae West, in 2 shows. This brought him to the attention of WB where he made 15 films during the early 50s, usually as the bad guy, tough cop or gangster. He formed his own production company-Robert Alexander Prod. in the mid 50s and his first producion was with Michaelangelo Antonini in Italy--Il Grido, which won several film festival awards, with Steve playing the lead. Hollywood still cast him him in noir, or villain roles. In 1963, he met Merle Oberon and she financed a comeback film for herself and Steve. "Of Love and Desire" filmed in Mexico. they remained friends and when he was found dead off the doast of Guatemals in 1965, Oberon went to the LA police pleading for them to investigate his death, fearing foul play. The LA police accepted the verdict of the MI calling the death natural--fast acting edema. Steve's last film--Tell Me In The Sunlight was written scored, produced and directed by him. It was not released until 1967. and had good reviews but a short run. Itwas never made availavle o video of Tv until in Jan,this year, amazon announce it was being released in DVD format in April. To Sabrina, Mamie Van Doren, both of whom are still living, add Kay Kendall, Ida Lupino, Joan Crawford, Oberon. Denice Darcel, Joan Crawford, and many others--they were only part of the picture. He's buried in Monterey, Ca, among many o John steinbecks pals--Steve used to take his boat up to Monterey to hang with his pals there RIP
Robert Alexander Cochran aka Steve.
Chris
Chris, thanks for that wealth of information.
In 1963, he met Merle Oberon and she financed a comeback film for herself and Steve. "Of Love and Desire" filmed in Mexico. they remained friends and when he was found dead off the doast of Guatemals in 1965, Oberon went to the LA police pleading for them to investigate his death, fearing foul play.
I had read that but it didn't provide any further info. Why did Oberon suspect foul play? Did she think the assistants on board were in a position to inherit money from him? I don't understand why she thought it was murder.
And Sabrina also had a long list of men she was involved with, including Sean Connery at one point.
Greg, If Merle Oberon gave the police any details of her suspicions, it was never reported. In the 1960s she was married to an Italian industralist. they were separated when she and Steve were involved and during the filming, much of which was done in her mansion in Mexico. A few months later she and her husband reconciled and the relationship with Steve ended, but they kept in touch. There was no suspicion of the women on his boat. Reports said they encountered high winds and there was damage to the boat, Steve ecame ill, semi paralyzed, according to the women, and could not make them understand how to use the radio to call for help. the theor, unproven, was that he might have eeen poisoned, by a jealous boy friend or husband.
It was revealed after his death that 3 weeks before, on May 18, 1865 his 49th birthday, that he had sent his mother $100,000--his ex wife and daughter tried to sue to recover it but lost out to his mother. She handled his burial in Monterey and the ex and daughter did not attend the services.
Chris
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