Is Ruby Too Nice For Films?

[Graham Bunn]

An Article taken from "Picturegoer" week ending September 8th 1956.

Ruby had just finished her film "A Touch Of The Sun" and Dick Richards put the Spotlight on several people connected with the film.

Producer Raymond Stross said"I thought she'd be good but she passed my wildest expectations.She has a sort of magic sincerity and simplicity that shine out.
The distributors like her so much that I've a three month option to prepare a film specially for her.......The next will probably be with Dickie Valentine and an American star"The Louder They Sing"

I guess this film never took off but I would have loved to have seen her in a film with Dickie Valentine I think it would have been a winner.

Director Gordon Parry said"She's the best beginner I've ever directed.Naturally she was terribly nervous at first...but she moves extremely well and she learned her small part quickly.

Cameramen Arthur Grant said"I was a bit worried at first.I'd seen her on T.V and she hasn't always been flattered by the lighting.I thought I might have difficulty.But no,her fresh complexion and wonderful smile help a lot.If she doesn't get sophisticated like so many young starlets she'll go a long way.

Frankie Howard the star of the film said I never met Ruby on the film set all I can tell you is She's a sweet girl.Very nice.And they say she works very hard.

Ruby herself has no illusions about her first skirmish with film."Come to my dressing room yes I've got a room somewhere she said with wide eyed wonder,"I was petrified the first day or so.But everybody was so kind.

It's only a small part..two songs and a few lines..so I don't think I've learned much.But I think I shall in my next film.

Dick Richards conlcudes his article by saying"I saw rough cuts of Ruby on screen.Her performance is appealing and wholesome...and she sings as we've come to expect her to sing.
But two things are certain.It would be fatal to try and Teach her to act.Secondly success will not spoil Ruby Murray,anyway...She has several million as yet unrecorded gramophone discs to take care profitably of her future.

The article indicates that Ruby had done well at Nettlefold studios and was given full marks for her industry,ability popularity and eagerness to learn.........But would this be enough .Would her so sweet personality cloy after a while?Would she be able to tackle varied roles to stimulate and retain picture goers interest...Would her very niceness be a drawback in the film jungle.

Article concluded.......

I think it would have been nice to see more of Ruby upon the big screen but she has often been honest in interviews about "A Touch Of The Sun" saying that she was no actress.........As a singing star she was making records from1954 until the Seventies thats a wonderful achievement so I don't think that she was a big loss to films.

Best Wishes

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Graham.

You frequently manage to come up with some really old and interesting snippets from the past, very enjoyable too Graham. I will be eagerly awaiting your next find. I keep telling myself that I should set aside some time so that I can delve deep into my press cuttings box to see what interesting items I can find. It has been lying dormant ever since Gerald flew over here to go through all the photos with me. I really should paste all the press cuttings into sizeable albums but that would be a marathon of a job. however I will do it.

Regarding the topic of filming. Ruby was absolutely terrified by television studios and recording studios so her feelings about performing in film studios must have been those of sheer terror.

Keep up the good work Graham.

Adios Amigo, Bernie

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi Graham, Hi Bernie,

Hope you are both well.

Very interesting article Graham. It is a shame Ruby never made any more films as I thought she was very good in her (too) small role. Perhaps she was too sincere for the movie industry as it is very false.

Talking about film clips, I have been looking on Youtube at some old episodes of the Patti Page show from the 1950s. Does anybody know if the episode Ruby appeared on was recorded as it seems that a lot of them were?

Best wishes.

Martin

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Martin.

I had hoped that someone might have posted a message to answer your question. All that I can add is - If you have seen some of The Patti Page shows then it follows that the programme that Ruby appeared in should also be available to be seen. HOWEVER. It would depend on what year the shows that you have seen were screened, it might be that they were telefilmed much later than the show Ruby was in. The earlier show might have gone out 'live' and not telefilmed.

In any case, don't be too disappointed because, as I previously pointed out, Ruby's appearance was reduced from 3 songs to a very short one and the sketch that they cast Ruby in was not in any way flattering and Ruby was hugely disappointed in the whole episode. I am not sure that you would wish to see Ruby cast as Patti Page's elderly mother wearing a non flattering grey wig and a very drab dress.

Ruby deserved better from the American producer but one has to think deeper to figure out his possible motives, after all he was producing The Patti Page Show?????

Adios Amigo. Bernie.

[Gerald Lawrence]

Hello Graham, that is a really nice article you have found about Ruby and "A Touch of the Sun". It would have been lovely if only they had found a few more parts for her, because we seem to be desperately short of video of the time when Ruby was at her peak, in the 50s. Obviously this is due to lack of tape recording in those days.

I can remember pestering my mother and father to take me to the cinema to see the film when it came out, and being thrilled by every moment Ruby was on screen. That was it - I saw it once, and never again. Or so it seemed. I cannot recall it ever being on television. Then some time after I had found this great website and made contact with Timmer (that would have been about 8 years ago), it occurred to me to try and get a VHS copy of it. I tried my local stores, but the bad news was that it was out of print. However, one kind person gave me the website of a group called The FilmVault and after a couple months they came up with a copy - it cost me just £15.

I was quite excited at opening the package and sitting down to watch the film again, and I wasn't disappointed! It brought back all the old lovely feelings I had when first I saw Ruby sing in Quite Contrary and fell for her charms, back in 1954. Some months later I had worked out how to get some samples of the film into our Library here, and I well remember how equally excited John Kendall was getting as each one was processed and posted - he knew that the last one to appear would be O'Malley's Tango!

Now I have a copy on DVD, of course, and seeing your posting Graham has reminded me that it is time to get it out and watch it again.

Regarding the Patti Page enquiry from Martin, I cannot add anything. I just wish the BBC had been more careful in keeping telefilm copies of more of their shows during the 50s. The American TV industry were much more capable of this, and that goes to explain why whenever we get a programme on our TV about life and music of the 50s, we are forever inundated with American singers, as if they were more significant to our lives here in the UK than our own singers. That does annoy me!

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi Bernie, Hi Gerald, Hi Graham,

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine.

Thanks for your replies. I think the Patti Page clips I was viewing were from 1956, so it all depends which date Ruby appeared or if, as Bernie pointed out, it went out live or not.

Gerald, I agree with you entirely about American singers from the 50s. I actually prefer our British singers from that era as they are less brash, especially our female singers like dear old Ruby! It also annoys me when programme makers focus on rock 'n' roll instead of all the other great music around at that time.

Thanks guys.

Martin