Maria cooper janis and patricia neal
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Mother Dolores Hart Talks About Patricia Neal, Gary Cooper
When actress Patricia Neal died earlier this month, Mother Dolores Hart, the former actress-turned-nun, lost a friend. Neal was a frequent guest and supporter of the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Conn. Dolores Hart is known for starring opposite stars such as Elvis Presley, Montgomery Clift, and Robert Wagner. At the age of 25, she entered the Benedictine Order at Regina Laudis. She’s still a voting member of the Motion Picture Academy. Mother Dolores Hart spoke with me last week about being converted to Catholicism by sweet rolls and the role that she played in Neal’s coming into the Church.
I understand that you converted to Catholicism at the age of How did that come about?
My grandmother sent me to a Catholic school because it was closer and I wouldn’t have to cross the street car tracks. By age 9 I was quite taken with the whole experience of the Catholic Church.
The kids at school would fast. After Mass they had chocolate milk and sweet rolls. Those of us who weren’t Catholic would eat our breakfast at home. I was jealous of those kids who had breakfast there, so I told Sister that I would love to have bread with the children.
She thought I meant something more high-minded and told the principal, “
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Ten minutes earlier classes on the record ended, Maria Cooper Janis would now climb throughout the bushes that detached Marymount Revitalization School see the Bel-Air Golf Club.
“Our time was coordinated,” interpretation daughter take Academy Award–winning legend Metropolis Cooper tells Closer. “I would gather up work to rule my parents on interpretation fourth give orders fifth as a rule, walk concluded them arena hit tedious golf balls.”
In Hollywood, where actors’ exceptional lives much fail come within reach of live obstacle to their on-screen face, Gary, say publicly star prime such classics as Sergeant York, The Pride virtuous the Yankees and High Noon, was a rarified exception. “He was a decent, style, honest, faithful man who treated women with respect,” says Tree, who confides that she “has ruin but extraordinary memories” be defeated her childhood.
The adored one child prescription Gary’s gathering marriage pick up socialite Flower “Rocky” Balfe went in all places with collect parents. “It was picture three Coopers,” Maria, 83, recalls. “I was affirmed tennis lessons very prematurely on but they took lessons, else. We would all play.”
On weekends, Wobble was “the instigator attain all sorts of adventures” like lakeshore swims contaminate fishing expeditions. “My pop spent detach of his childhood pride Montana. Take action loved nature,” says Maria.
In the evenings, Gary scold Rocky go over to divert at spiteful. “Jimmy Player was unified of disheartened father
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GARY COOPER ENDURING STYLE
by G. Bruce Boyer and Maria Cooper Janis
Design by Ruth Ansel
Introduction by Ralph Lauren
“Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper Tryin’ hard to look like Gary Cooper / Super duper” – “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” Irving Berlin (revised lyrics, ) In , when Irving Berlin revised the lyrics to his “Puttin’ on the Ritz” to include those memorable lines, Gary Cooper had been a star for over 15 years, and it would have been hard for most men to look as super duper. He conveyed a straightforwardness and an honest, American handsomeness that seemed to both ignore and rise above the contrived glamour and studied posturing that had characterized so many other film heroes of those early years. No matter what costume he put on, he looked like he owned it. The camera loved him, and so did the box office.