Edna in "Limelight?"

lonnien.TakeThisOut@starpower.net (Lonnie) wrote in message news:<c4915e11.0401061042.6c3c8df9.TakeThisOut@posting.google.com>...
> I was reviewing some silent film analyses on IMDB website, and I
> noticed that they have Edna Purviance is said to have played,
> uncredited, a "Mrs. Parker" in Chaplin's "Limelight." Is this true?
> I always thought that "Monsieur Verdoux" was the last Charlie film
> that Edna played in - and whtehr she was even in it was also a
> controversy. Anyway, I'd be interested in any thoughts on whether
> anyone thinks she is in Limelight.

When Rollie was interviewed in 1964 he talked a little about Edna's
screen test for the part of Madame Grosnay in Monsieur Verdoux.
Although none of the interviewers knew enough at that time to ask him
specifically about other roles in post-Woman of Paris films (I've
since heard rumors of Edna being in the audience of The Circus, a
member of the garden/wedding party in Verdoux and one of the 'acts' in
the booking agent's office in Limelight), the opportunity was there
and I'm convinced that had there been anything other than the Verdoux
screen test, Rollie would have mentioned it. He didn't.
 >> Stay informed about: Edna in "Limelight?" 

dtotheroh.TakeThisOut@aol.com (David Totheroh) wrote in message news:<31dd3eaa.0401070823.412496f2.TakeThisOut@posting.google.com>...
> lonnien.TakeThisOut@starpower.net (Lonnie) wrote in message news:<c4915e11.0401061042.6c3c8df9.TakeThisOut@posting.google.com>...
> > I was reviewing some silent film analyses on IMDB website, and I
> > noticed that they have Edna Purviance is said to have played,
> > uncredited, a "Mrs. Parker" in Chaplin's "Limelight." Is this true?
> > I always thought that "Monsieur Verdoux" was the last Charlie film
> > that Edna played in - and whtehr she was even in it was also a
> > controversy. Anyway, I'd be interested in any thoughts on whether
> > anyone thinks she is in Limelight.
>
> When Rollie was interviewed in 1964 he talked a little about Edna's
> screen test for the part of Madame Grosnay in Monsieur Verdoux.
> Although none of the interviewers knew enough at that time to ask him
> specifically about other roles in post-Woman of Paris films (I've
> since heard rumors of Edna being in the audience of The Circus, a
> member of the garden/wedding party in Verdoux and one of the 'acts' in
> the booking agent's office in Limelight), the opportunity was there
> and I'm convinced that had there been anything other than the Verdoux
> screen test, Rollie would have mentioned it. He didn't.

Chaplin's autobiography directly refutes the claim that Edna appered
in any Chaplin films after _Woman of Paris_. Chaplin decided to test
her for a part in _Verdoux_, but, he writes, "I had not seen her for
twenty years, for she never came to the studio because her weekly
check was mailed to her by the office." He continues, "When Edna
arrived, Rolly, the cameraman, came into my dressing room. He, too,
had not seen her in twenty years. 'She's here,' he said, his eyes
glistening'" (493). And after Chaplin decided not to cast her in this
part, "I did not see or hear from her again until she wrote to me in
Switzerland."

As we established earlier on this newsgroup, Chaplin did mention
Rollie in his autobiography, contrary to the widespread belief that he
didn't.

Chaplin goes on to clarify the issue of Edna's salary. When he sold
the studio
he did send Edna severance pay, but after she wrote mentioning her
poor
health and other financial hardships, he resumed paying her salary
until her death(493-97).

Connie K.
 >> Stay informed about: Edna in "Limelight?" 

>From: ckuriyam RemoveThis @ttacs.ttu.edu (Constance Kuriyama) wrote:

>And after Chaplin decided not to cast her in this
>part, "I did not see or hear from her again until she wrote to me in
>Switzerland."


I did a Yahoo search on "Edna Purviance Verdoux" and came up with several Web
sites claiming she was in MONSIEUR VERDOUX as an extra, and LIMELIGHT as a Mrs.
Parker.

One Web site- "clown ministry"- has a biography about Edna, claiming her and
Chaplin never again met after her audition for MONSIEUR VERDOUX. How, then,
could she be in LIMELIGHT? (Which is also listed on this Web site.)
 >> Stay informed about: Edna in "Limelight?" 

Bobster123 (bobster123@aol.com) writes:
>>From: ckuriyam.DeleteThis@ttacs.ttu.edu (Constance Kuriyama) wrote:
>
>>And after Chaplin decided not to cast her in this
>>part, "I did not see or hear from her again until she wrote to me in
>>Switzerland."
>
>
> I did a Yahoo search on "Edna Purviance Verdoux" and came up with several Web
> sites claiming she was in MONSIEUR VERDOUX as an extra, and LIMELIGHT as a Mrs.
> Parker.
>
> One Web site- "clown ministry"- has a biography about Edna, claiming her and
> Chaplin never again met after her audition for MONSIEUR VERDOUX. How, then,
> could she be in LIMELIGHT? (Which is also listed on this Web site.)

All I can say is that anyone can put anything on a web site. I don't doubt
that these people are sincere, but I think Chaplin knew what he was talking
about. He was in relatively good shape while he was writing his autobiography.

Connie K.
--
"Our century is inconceivable without its . . . inconclusive mob of isms."
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