I never need much of excuse to feature Joan Rice

The pictures BELOW are taken from a very short promotional film shown over Christmas on Talking Pictures.

It was called ‘The Postman’ and featured David Tomlinson as a postman delivering letters and introducing very short clips of stars such as Phyllis Calvert, Harry Fowler, Joan Rice and others at Christmas 1952 wishing us cinema-goers Best Wishes for the New Year.

And what a year 1952 had been for Joan Rice.

The wonderful ‘The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men’ had been released here in March of that year – and in June she was offered the female lead opposite Burt Lancaster in ‘His Majesty O’Keefe’ to be filmed in Fiji later in the year.

She got engaged and then flew out to Fiji – returning in November of 1952. She then broke off her engagement and met David Green in late December and married him in February 1953.

The past two years for Joan Rice had been meteoric.

One thing that does please me – after Robin Hood she got this major part and travelled round the world to film it and the film – ‘His Majesty O Keefe’ – was ‘big’ and well known and very well received.

Richard Todd was particularly scathing in his comments about Joan Rice and her acting abilities in ‘Robin Hood’ – but he got his come uppance – his next film after ‘Robin Hood’ was ’24 Hours in a Woman’s Life’ and he even missed the Robin Hood premiere to be on location on that film.

It was a dud – whereas Joan Rice in ‘His Majesty O Keefe again hit the jackpot as it did so well on a World scale.

From

I am so sorry not to have posted many articles in December – in truth I have been unwell and lacked the zest that normally helps me along with this. When you are fully well, almost anything is possible but even one degree under removes the energy and the interest.

I hope to be back OK soon