Trivia of Jean Arthur

 Trivia of Jean Arthur (17 October 1900 - 19 June 1991)

*She began her film career appearing in silent comedies in minor roles in late 1920's. During this time she adopted her stage name from two of her greatest heroes, Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) and King Arthur.

*James Stewart called Jean "the finest actress I ever worked with. No one had her humor, her timing".Director George Stevens called her "one of the greatest comediennes the screen has ever seen", Frank Capra credited her as "my favorite actress."

*Her studio boss Harry Cohn was set against Jean Arthur being cast as the female lead in film Mr Deeds Goes Town (1936). Frank Capra was finally able to persuade him by insisting that Cohn listen to her voice, not study her face.Her voice was her best asset. Throaty, high-pitched squeaky voice—which was perfectly suited for the comedic roles she was used to playing.

*She had chronic anxiety.During filming Mr Deeds Goes Town (1936), she often vomited before scenes and would run back to her dressing room after each take to have a good cry. Yet she was totally cool on camera. Gary Cooper was one of the few actors who could make her feel comfortable on the set.Another story while filming the night club scene in film The More Merrier (1943) , Jean Arthur who suffered from chronic anxiety, locked herself in her dressing room and refused to come out. When even director George Stevens could not make Arthur open the door, he sent Joel McCrea, who successfully persuaded her to resume shooting.

*Mr Smith Goes To Washington (1939) is Jean Arthur's favorite of her films.Gary Cooper and Joel McCrea were her favorite leading men.

*Jean frequently intervened when she saw animals harmed on set. On both film Arizona (1940) and Shane (1953), she arranged veterinary care for sick animals.

*Director Billy Wilder said famously of his difficulties with Marlene Dietrich and Jean Arthur in the film A Foreign Affair (1948), "I have one dame who's afraid to look at herself in a mirror and another who won't stop looking!".Billy Wilder persuaded Jean Arthur to play as Phoebe. Throughout filming, Jean felt the director was favouring Marlene Dietrich, and late one night she and her husband Frank Ross went to Wilder's home to confront him with her suspicions. "Marlene told you to burn my close-up", an extremely upset Jean insisted. "She doesn't want me to look better than she does." Wilder, knowing such insecurities were common when two very different personalities were working together, tried to reassure her he was not playing favourites, although of all the actresses he directed, he admired Dietrich most of all. "The crews adored her ... She liked to find somebody with a cold, so she could make chicken soup for him. She loved to cook", Wilder recollected. Years later, Jean called Wilder to tell him she finally had seen the film and liked it, apologised and said she would act in any future Wilder project.