Granger arrogant and difficult - The Silver Screen Oasis (2024)

Given Stewart Granger's reputation of being diffficult to work with I wondered how the likes of James Drury and Dog Mclure got on with him during the final season of The Virginian, given it was probably Grange's first serious venture into tv. It's been said Tony Curtis had problems relating to supporting actors in The Persuaders, though he got on ok with co-star Roger Moore, believing himself to be a major star above actors working on tv.

The other day on you tube I got watched a Virginian reunion where James Drury more or less stated Granger riuned the show in that final season, which ended up cancelled. He sacked long standing members of the crew, much to the anoyannce of Drury. I did disagree with Drury on one thing though. He said Granger wasn't a cowboy actor like the other owners of Shiloh ranch like L.G Cobb, Charles Bickford and John Mcintire. IMO Granger made several good western films in his time. I also think the final season suffered coes of the lack of a regular female actor like Roberta Shore and Sarah Lane.

The reason why I wondered about Granger on The Virginian was hell raiser Richard Burton even had cause to be upset at Granger's behaviour on the set of The Wild Geese, claiming he was unprofessional and was disrespectful to the crew on the film. He also beleved Granger had a hard neck, given hadn't made a film in 10-years.

I heard that he was difficult to get along with lot of people when he did Salome with Rita Hayworth. Rita complained to Director William Dieterle that Stewart wanted to do some romantic scenes with Rita his way and not the Director way. I learned this from several of my collectors friends and I find that interesting to know.

Perhaps, our dear Larry can share more about it. This is one film that I have a difficult time keeping track of all the background of actors/actresses in this movie because most of these stars that I hardly know about and frankly it is very frustrating for me to understand all of it.

Of all the leading men, that Rita had ... I find Stewart Granger one of my least favorite men along with James Cagney who did Strawberry Blonde with Olivia de Havilland and Rita Hayworth.

I do find James Cagney and Rita Hayworth an unusual combination. I do like Jimmy but more for his gangster/crime genre movies.

I've never really warned to the onscreen Stewart Granger but I haven't read or heard of anything about his onset behaviour.

charliechaplinfan wrote:I do find James Cagney and Rita Hayworth an unusual combination. I do like Jimmy but more for his gangster/crime genre movies.

For him (Cagney) to do a musical is shocking ... I love Cagney in gangster/crime genre movies instead.

Just coes to show you. I thought Cagney and Olivia De Havilland were a great couple in The Strawberry Blonde. IMO it may be ODH's best film, though I also thought her just as great in They Died With Their Boots On and To Each His Own.

I also think, and clearly you'll disagree with me, Cagney was the screens greatest male all-round entertainer, ahead of Astaire, Sinatra, Crosby, Kelly and Martin

Alison

A lot of what I said came from Roger Moore's biopic