Five Stars – The Favourites of My Favourites

The following classic movie actors have a special place in my heart because of their ability to make me feel good whenever they appear on the screen. As the national classic movie day has arrived again, I decided to to pay them back some of the happy moments they caused me by listing the things that used to make them happy. Prepare yourselves for some interesting facts about my all-time favourite movie stars!

Charlie Chaplin

• favourite food: stewed tripe, lamb stew and curry
• favourite sports: tennis and boxing

Charlie Chaplin playing tennis, racquet in his left hand, running for every ball, not liking to lose, and showing his dissatisfaction every time he lost a point, giving his all to the game, in total concentration, and never, never losing track of the score… – Lilian Gish, a family friend of the Chaplins’

• favourite instruments: violin and cello

• favourite clothes: blue suit and patent shoes

The regular studio staff members claimed that they could gauge his mood by the suit he was wearing. (…) If he were wearing a blue suit with pin stripes, that would be a sign of a good day; he would be in a jovial all’s-right-with-the-world mood, and we would get some fine scenes shot. – Adolphe Menjou, who appeared in Chaplin’s A Woman of Paris

• favourite colours: black and dark blue
• favourite pet: parrot

[Pet] greeted him with a warm ‘Hello Charlie’ every evening on his return home. Charlie said, “I’ve had Pet for many years. He’s now part of the family, and I just love him. He has cheered my heart many times with his happy ‘Hello’ – Georgia Hale, Chaplin’s leading lady in The Gold Rush

• best friend: Douglas Fairbanks

I have missed Douglas – I have missed the warmth of his enthusiasm and charm; I have missed his friendly voice over the telephone, that used to call me up on a bleak and lonely Sunday morning: ‘Charlie, coming up for lunch – then for a swim – then for dinner – then afterwards, see a picture?’ Yes, I have missed his delightful friendship. – Charlie Chaplin in his autobiography

Audrey Hepburn

• favourite colour: cyan

• favourite flower: white tulip
• favourite season: spring

Every spring, especially here in Rome, you have this smell of orange blossom in the air. Spring is coming and it was her favorite season. It makes me think of her. – Luca Dotti, Audrey’s second son

• favourite books: The Secret Garden, Heidi
• collection: musical records

My biggest joy is to unlock my door and find a new record that the store down the street delivered during the afternoon. I get into old, soft, comfy clothes and then I play the new music while I cook. – Audrey Hepburn

• favourite hobby: gardening

To grow a garden is to believe in tomorrow. – Audrey Hepburn

• favourite food: chocolate and pasta

My mother didn’t snack, but when she had a dessert, it had to be sweet. After her afternoon nap, which she had learned to take because of the early calls and long hours of film production, she would often have a piece of chocolate – one piece! She said that chocolate chased away the blues. – Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey’s first son

Barbara Stanwyck

• favourite book: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

I read in the morning papers today your official announcement that Miss Patricia Neal is going to play the role of ‘Dominique’ in ‘The Fountainhead’. After all, Jack, it seems odd after I found the property, brought it to the attention of the studio, had the studio purchase the property, and during the preparation of the screenplay everyone assumed I would be in the picture, and now I find someone else is definitely playing the role. – Barbara’s telegram to Jack Warner after she’d found out she was not to play the lead role in ‘The Fountainhead’

• favourite food: thick steak and green vegetables
• best friend: Nancy Sinatra
• favourite colour: ruby red

Barbara’s dress for the 1981 Oscar ceremony was designed specially for her by her friend Nolan Miller in her favourite colour

• favourite meal of the day: breakfast

Having breakfast on the set in 1947

• favourite director: John Cromwell
• favourite actor: William Holden

I wish to share this moment with the memory of the late William Holden. A few years ago, I stood on this stage with William Holden. I was a presenter. I loved him and I miss him very much. He always said he knew I would get an Oscar so — golden boy, tonight you got your wish. – Barbara Stanwyck accepting her Honorary Oscar

Judy Garland

• favourite actors:

My favourite movie actors are Spencer Tracy,  Clark Gable, Robert Donat and Charles Boyer. If I ever get married, which I do not intend to do until I am thirty because when I marry I intend to give up my career, I would like my husband to be a mixture of these four men. – Judy Garland, 1938

• favourite food:

Everyone was certain that I would be pudgy and fat. I have always loved chocolate and chocolate cake and peanut butter fudge. And I was always warned that I must not eat the things I liked. – Judy Garland, 1945

• favourite school subjects: history and literature
• favourite colour: green
• favourite sports: cycling and baseball

• favourite comic character: Popeye
• favourite composers:

My personal preferences go to the classics. I love to listen to classical music but I have no desire to sing it. I’m satisfied with the popular stuff I do now. It gives me a kick. When I’m on the listening end, I prefer Ravel, Debussy and Tchaikovsky. I suppose Wagner was the greatest, but he’s too heavy for me. – Judy Garland, 1940

James Stewart

• favourite role: in Harvey

Of all the films that I’ve made, Harvey is one of my favourites. There’s no question about that. I have a special admiration and love for that big white rabbit. – James Stewart, 1990

• favourite food: pork chops
• favourite movie genre: western
• best friend: Henry Fonda

Our views never interfered with our feelings for each other, we just didn’t talk about certain things. – Stewart on Fonda

• favourite actresses: Greta Garbo and Irene Dunne
• favourite hobby: building model airplanes

• favourite music genre: jazz and blues

Playing the piano with his mother in 1945

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This is my contribution for Classic Film and TV Café‘s exciting initiative, the National Classic Movie Day, the topic of which this year is “Five Stars”. Don’t forget to check out all the exciting articles!

Sources: 1. discoveringchaplin; oldmagazinearticles; 2. Sean Hepburn Ferrer: Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit; Barry Paris: Audrey Hepburn; everythingaudrey; Vanity Fair; image; 3. Axel Madsen: Stanwyck, A Biography; Patricia Neal: An Unquite Life 4. Randy L. Schmidt: Judy Garland on Judy Garland; thewizardofozblog; image; 5. IMDb; YouTube; famousfix; image