Bess Flowers

My father was very strict, and when I had a date, my poppa came in and just bawled the boy out, and I was furious with my father, My momma used to keep extra money in the sugar bowl, and I thought to myself, 'Well, I'm going to take that money, and I'm going to New York - because I wanted to be an actress. As I went to the station, I saw a great big sign with oranges growing which said California, and I said, 'What the devil! I'll go to California and get in pictures! And so I did. I got a job the first day I went on an interview Show less «

[Asked about her career philosophy] I made a good living. I'm lazy, from the South, so I never took anything that was hard. I was always good to Bess. Show less «

I was always clothes-conscious. I wanted to be an individual always, never one of the horde. Mitch Leisen started making clothes for me at Paramount, when he was head designer there. He used to rave about my figure, and he introduced me to Walter Plunkett at MGM as a wearer of beautiful clothes Show less «

I admired Chaplin so extravagantly. He introduced me to Rupert Brooke's poetry. If he couldn't start a scene, he'd go back in the flaps and play the violin until he got an inspiration. Then he'd come out and do the scene. Show less «

Once I rushed to go for an interview at some studio, and the man had his feet up on the desk. Well, I walked out - I wouldn't even stay and talk to him because I don't approve of a man meeting a woman with his feet up on the desk. I have principles and ethics for myself, and I don't cut them one damn bit to work. Show less «