A Tribute to Cary Grant: From Bristol to Hollywood's Charisma, and Dyan Cannon's Candid Memoir

As the golden age of cinema flickers on in our memories, I bring to you a heartfelt homage to the unparalleled Cary Grant. From the rough edges of Bristol to the intoxicating lights of Hollywood, we trace the remarkable journey of Archibald Alec Leach, who charmed his way into becoming one of the silverscreen's most unforgettable icons. His roles, ranging from the farcical delights of "The Awful Truth" to the thrilling escapades in Hitchcock's masterpieces, are discussed with the same warmth and admiration that Grant himself inspired. But beyond his cinematic legacy, we peel back the layers to reveal the man in the impeccable suit, exploring his personal quest for love that led him through five marriages, his business acumen post-retirement, and the paternal joy he found with his daughter Jennifer—all painted against the backdrop of his challenging early years.

Shift the spotlight to the vivacious Dyan  Cannon, and her journey is as compelling as any Hollywood script. Through the pages of her candid memoir, "My Life with Cary Grant," she brings forth an inspiring tale of glamour, personal transformation, and the strength of motherhood, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of her readers. Her authenticity shines as a beacon for all, and I extend a warm invitation for Diane to grace our show with her presence, her insights, and her remarkable story. This episode isn't just about the legends of the past; it's a celebration of the enduring spirit of those who loved, lived, and shaped the narrative of Tinseltown's brightest era. Join us for this cinematic journey that promises to touch your heart and stir the nostalgia of a bygone era.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

Morning bitches and dolls, and no one told me they love you today. Then I love you because you are you. Oh my God. I got all of the information I will tell you what that is from my podcast for the last year. Oh my God, is that amazing. So I just want to say thank you for sending me all that stuff buzzsprout. I'm very, very excited and pleased. So now let's talk about Carrie Grant, who I absolutely positively love, and I had to watch his show on Britbox. And let's talk about old Carrie Grant, who was gorgeous, fabulous, suave, jebanier. Okay, he was born Archibald Alec Leach, january 18, 1904. So that makes him let's take a look. Is that an Aquarius, just over the Aquarius? No, he was a Capricorn, okay, so all right. So let's talk about it.

Speaker 1: 1:19

Died November 29, 1986, was an English-American actor. He was also known for his mid-Atlantic accent, devinea gemina, light-hearted approach to acting and sense of comedy, timing, which he had. He was one of classic Hollywood's definite leading men. He was nominated twice for the Academy Award, was honored with an Academy Honorary Award in 1970, and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 1981. He was named the second greatest male star of the Golden Age of Hollywood by AFI, the American Film Institute 1999. Okay, so it had. Let's see how many wives One, two, three, four, five wives Virginia Cheryl, barbara Hutton, one of the richest women in the world. Betsy Drake, actress Diane Cannon, fabulous actress, gorgeous woman and the mother of his only daughter, jennifer. Okay, and then the last one, barbara Harris.

Speaker 1: 2:25

He was born and raised in Bristol, england. He became attracted to theater at a young age when he visited the Bristol Hippodrome. At 16, he went as a stage performer with a Pender Troop for a tour of the US. After a series of successful performances in New York City, he decided to stay there. He established a name for himself in Boardville in the 1920s and toured the United States before moving to Hollywood in the early 1930s. By the way, this is from Wikipedia, so I'm reading this.

Speaker 1: 3:02

Grant initially appeared in crime films and dramas such as Blonde Venus and she Done Him Wrong, but later gained renown for his performances in romantic screwball comedy such as the Awful Truth. Great movie Bringing up Baby. I Didn't Like as Much His Girl Friday loved the Philadelphia story. I really didn't like that one that much. I loved my Favorite Wife. That movie was wonderful. Okay, these pictures are frequently cited among the greatest comedy films of all time. That Awful Truth. That movie was brilliant. That's probably my favorite of all of his movies. All the well-known films he starred in was Gangadine, which was good, orsonick and O Lace only angels have wings, penny Severinade and none but the lonely heart. He was really great in that that was. He was nominated for his Academy Award for Best Actor for the Last Two.

Speaker 1: 4:06

During the 1940s Grant had a close working relationship with director Alfred Hitchcock, who cast him in four films Suspicion great movie. Notorious. Fabulous to catch a thief fabulous. North by Northwest. It didn't really thrill me. Okay, so there you go. No big deal For the suspense drama. Suspicion and notorious.

Speaker 1: 4:30

Grant took on Dr Daca, morally ambiguous characters, both challenging Grant's screen persona and his acting abilities. Toward the end of his career he started in the romantic comedy indiscreet, great. That touch of mink. That movie was so unbelievable oh, come on, let's be real here. And charade, oh, I did love that movie. He is remembered by critics for his unusually broad appeal as a handsome, suave actor who did not take himself too seriously and able to maintain his dignity in comedies, not sacrificing it entirely. He was married five times, three of them elopements with actresses Virginia Sherrill never heard of her Betsy Drake, yes, and Diane Cannon. He had a daughter, jennifer Grant, with Cannon. He retired from film acting in 1966 and pursued business interests, represented cosmetics firms like Faberge and sitting on the board of Metro Golden Mayor. He died of a stroke in 1986 at the age of 82.

Speaker 1: 5:39

His early life was in Bristol, which I already said. He was the second child of Elias James Leach and Elsie Maria Leach. His father worked as a tailors presser at a clothes factory, while his mother worked as a seamstress. His older brother, john William Elias, died of tuberculosis two days before his birth, his first birthday. Grant may have considered himself partly Jewish. He had unhappy upbringing. His father was an alcoholic and his mother had clinical depression. Grant's mother taught him song and dance when he was four and he was keen on having piano lessons. She occasionally took him to the cinema where he enjoyed the performances of Charlie Chaplin.

Speaker 1: 6:26

Why love? Chester Conklin, fanny Faddy-R, buckleford Sterling, max Swain and Bronco Billy Anderson. Grant's biographer claimed that his mother did not know how to give affection and did not know how to receive it either. His biographer, jeffrey Wansel, notes that his mother blamed herself bitterly for the death of Grant's brother, john, and never recovered from it. Grant acknowledged that his negative experiences with his mother affected his relationships with women. Later on in his life she found on alcohol and tobacco and would reduce pocket money for mine and mishap. Grant attributed her behavior to overprotectiveness, fearing that she would lose him, as she did. John.

Speaker 1: 7:18

When Grant was nine years old, his father placed his mother in Glencide Hospital and mental institution and told him that she had gone away on a long holiday, later declaring she had died. He grew up resenting his mother, particularly after being told she left the family. After she was institutionalized, grant and his father moved into his grandmother's house in Bristol. When he's 10 years old, his father remarried and started a new family. Grant did not learn that his mother was still alive until he was 31. His father confessing to the lie shortly before his own death, grant made arrangements for his mother to leave the nut house, as I like to call it because I've been in one. Okay, in 19, 1935,. Shortly after he learned of her whereabouts, he visited her in October 1938 after filming was completed, but Gunga completed for Gunga Jin.

Speaker 1: 8:22

Grant enjoyed the theater, particularly pandemines at Christmas, which he attended with his father. Okay, all right, so let me go on. He befriended a troupe of our about acrobatic dances known as the Penders or the Bob Penders stage troupe. He subsequently trained as a steel walker and began touring with them. Okay, so we'll move on.

Speaker 1: 8:48

I want to talk about more stuff anyway. His film Korea, all right. So I just love some of his films, so let's go on here. She done him wrong. I'm no angel. Okay, he gained attention for peering in the pre-code films. She done him wrong and I'm no angel, opposite Mae West. Wow, mae West later claimed that she discovered Carrie Grant. Of course, grant had already made Blonde Venus, in which he was Marlena Dietrich's leading man. Oh, anyway. So let's see.

Speaker 1: 9:27

I want to read some of this stuff and talk about more about Carrie Grant, because, having seen the Brit Fox show about Carrie Grant and I guess it's based on the Diane Cannon book, which was just amazing I have to say that A really amazing, amazing. So, thank you, diane Cannon. I would love to get you on my podcast, but I'm more than bitches, but I don't even know. So, anyway, let's see. Let me see what else have we been If we go here from that part, okay, we'll go to. I'm trying to find out, because the girl that she picked to star as a self is beautiful, it's just beautiful. Anyway, let's go here. Let's talk about his personal life, who you know. I want to talk about her because I'm looking here. Okay, grant lived with I don't do that. Grant's daughter, jennifer, has denied her father was bisexual, and Chevy Chase, who joked on TV that Grant was a homo. What a gal. Grant sued him for slander and Chase was forced to retract his words. Okay Good, grant became a fan of the comedians Mocamba and Wise and remain friends with Eric Mocamba I don't know who that is until his death.

Speaker 1: 10:53

But he began experimenting with the drug LSD in the late 1950s. For anybody who's ever done LSD and I had it once by mistake it's a horrible drug. His wife at the time displayed a keen interest in psychotherapy and though her grant developed a considerable knowledge of the field of psychoanalysis. Radiologists, mortem Hartman. Now, why would a radiologist begin treating someone with LSD? He was optimistic that the treatment could make him feel better about himself and rid the him of the inner turmoil stemming from his childhood and his failed relationships. He had an estimated 100 sessions over several years. Oh, he Vey.

Speaker 1: 11:41

For a long time, grand viewed the drug positively and stated it was the solution after many years of searching for his peace of mind, and that for the first time in his life, he was truly, deeply and honestly happy. Diane Cannon claimed during a court hearing that he was an apostle at LSD and then he was taking the drug in 1967 as part of a remedy to save their relationship. Grant later remarked that taking LSD was an utterly foolish thing to do. But I was a self-opinionated bore hiding all kinds of layers and defenses, hypocrisy and vanity. I had to rid them and wipe this late glee. So of course, he was married to like Virginia Cheryl, an actor, barbara Hutton, one of the wealthiest women in the world. So there you go. Then Betsy Drake, I did know that, but he married one of my favorite actors in the whole wide world, diane Cannon at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, and Jennifer. His only child, was born in 1966. They separated and then Grant was involved in a car accident when the side of truck hit the side of his limousine. He was hospitalized for 17 days with broken ribs and bruising. Oh, a, baroness Grashi, yvonne Firstenberg, she was also there. Then, nine days later, grant and Cannon divorced.

Speaker 1: 13:13

So anyway, I just want to talk about. It's just amazing to me that the incredible Diane Cannon and I say that you know incredibly that one thing that they showed in the movie just and blew my mind and in the book was that he took her door away. Oh my God, come on, is that the most horrible thing ever? I'm just saying so you know, give me a break for that. If any of one of my husbands ever took away any one of my animals, you know what I'd say to that Don't hit you, don't let the door hit you on the way out. So she's so beautiful and still beautiful to this day.

Speaker 1: 14:05

Okay, so she was a beauty queen from Seattle, a nice Jewish girl. So I just have to say that she was amazing. She was 33 years younger than Carrie Grant. They had one daughter. So I just want to say thank you for writing that book. I absolutely loved it. Now she's a born again Christian A. Whatever helps you, honey, if that's what you want, and that you're just amazing. So I just briefly wanted to talk about this because I saw the movie, the series on Brit Box. I had to read the book, of course, my Life with Carrie Grant by Diane Cannon, and, oh my God, so I love her so much I love you. If you ever listened to any of this Tik Tok, bobby loves you, diane Cannon, and I would love to interview you on here. So if nobody told you they love you, today I love you, diane Cannon, because you're you and because you're honest and because you raised a beautiful child. You're terrific. So that's it for me. I'm ending the session now. Have a fabulous day in the rainy Los Angeles, california.