Entertainment News
Dyan Cannon gets the luv on — and remembers Cary Grant By Liz Smith
“When ca-ca hits the fan, I’ve learned how to pick myself up and make lemonade out of that ca-ca!” That’s Dyan Cannon, with whom I had a fast, uplifting chat last week. Dyan was one of the great figures of movies back in the late ‘60s through a good deal of the ‘80s. With her delectably oversize features and energy to burn, Dyan gave her all to superior material and lifted mediocre fare considerably. She was nominated for best supporting actress Oscars twice — for 1969’s “Bob & Carol & Ted and Alice” and again in 1978 in Warren Beatty’s “Heaven Can Wait.” She was memorable in “Such Good Friends,” “Child Under a Leaf,” “The Last of Sheila,” Deathtrap” and “Author! Author!” Dyan was also nominated for an Oscar as a filmmaker, in 1976, for the live-action short “Number One,” which she wrote, directed, produced and also starred in. More recent generations recall her stint on TV’s “Ally McBeal.” But Dyan wasn’t calling to chat about her film career. She has just finished a book, “Dear Cary,” which will tell of her short, fabulous but fraught marriage to Hollywood’s great matinee idol, Cary Grant. Dyan has waited a long time to tell her story. She and Grant married in 1965 and were divorced three years later. But the fallout, especially surrounding their daughter, Jennifer, dragged on for years. Why did she wait so long? “I wasn’t ready. I really wasn’t. It took me a long time to heal. This book has taken five years to write. And even though I thought I had healed, I found there were still areas to be explored. “You know, when Jackie Onassis was the editor at Doubleday, we met many times. She was always gently — that was her way — very gently, trying to persuade me to write my tale. I just couldn’t. It was so raw, still. “A week after Cary died, Swifty Lazar called me and said, “Come on, it’s time!” God bless, Swifty, but I certainly wasn’t going to do it then.” The book isn’t yet available for an advance peek, and Dyan herself didn’t seem to want to tell much of what was in the book — no dishing her ex. Rather, she seemed very committed and sure that she has written something that will help “Everybody, women and men, in a relationship where you think only of the other partner, only how to please them, make them happy. You leave yourself naked and empty. It is a very long road back. That’s my story. “And it’s a very simple story — give all, lose all. It was a great romance that went south. It broke down. I healed myself and put the stars back in my eyes.”
Dyan is full of philosophical musings, and invigoratingly optimistic, she is romantic without ever speaking of romance. Of her famous love, she would only say, gently, “He was one in a billion. Really, one in a billion.” Aside from promoting her book, Dyan’s great project, her genuine “labor of love,” is something called “Get Your Luv On!” The actress has pulled this bimonthly gathering together on the CBS Studio lot. It’s a great big cozy happening where people — “all people, men, women, gay, straight, from 18 to 80” — Dyan emphasizes — are welcome to come and discuss love “in all its wonderful, challenging, terrible hopeful aspects.” Dyan says, “It’s not that I help people and their relationships. They all help each other, by simply being together in this atmosphere. I hate to use a cliche but — it’s a beautiful thing.” (Go to your computer to find out more about “Get Your Luv On!”) I would have liked to really dig into the nuts and bolts of Dyan’s book, but she seemed tentative about going too far right now. She wanted me to have an essence. And an essence from Dyan Cannon is better than the kit n’ caboodle from most other stars. Just before we hung up, I mentioned I’d been having trouble sleeping. Dyan was electric with concern and information. “I have the remedy — at least it works for so many I’ve shared it with. It’s simple. Get some Epsom salts. Just before bed, the hottest bath you can stand. Be generous with the salts. Verrrry generous. Then soak. Just soak. All the strain of the day will just melt away and you’ll sleep like a baby. Try, it, please, Liz! Oh, and a prayer helps too.” I don’t know if I am ready for “the hottest bath I can stand.” But I love that Dyan took the time to advise me. She’s a doll. And I can’t wait to read “Dear Cary.”
Cary Grant trivia
Kathy Fox has now watched all 72 movies and has made some compilations with regard to certain things Cary does on his movies. The results are listed below: Rides in plane - 13 movies Mentions chin - 3 movies Plays piano/harp - 12 movies Kisses hand of woman - 21 movies Elevator scenes - 11 movies Rides in top down vehicle - 26 movies Sings, whistles or hums - 33 movies Shower or tub scenes - 9 movies Smokes pipe/cigar - 15 movies Shows necklace - 18 movies Says darling - 24 movies Wears hat - 61 movies Shoots gun - 9 movies Rides horse/donkey - 7 movies Speaks French - 13 movies Tears envelope on side - 6 movies Has children - 10 movies Writes on paper - 24 movies Puts both hands in pockets - 47 movies Rides train - 13 movies Rides boat/ship/submarine - 20 movies Wears boutonnière - 13 movies Wears Tuxedo - 31 movies
Says “shut up” - 17 movies 26 August 1, 2011 THE MILITARY PRESS