Bette Davis and Leslie Ann Down with Hollywood Borderline Producer, David Van Houten

We ran across this photo in the Borderline Hollywood archive from September 1978 of David Van Houten meeting Bette Davis. 

The great Bette Davis stopped by the 29th floor Publicity Office of Paramount Pictures in New York City with a bottle of Scotch, to just thank us for helping her promote Death on the Nile, which was released theatrically September 29, 1978. What an amazing and thoughtful person she was.

Van Houten's mother, who's name was also Bette, happened to be in New York that day and ran over from her hotel, The Essex House, to meet her as well.

Scene from Death on the Nile

 with Bette Davis and Maggie Smith

Bette Davis interview on the Dick Cavett Show, November 18, 1971 

Dr. David Van Houten with actress Leslie Anne Down.

 He remembers her as Georgina, in the English television series from 1975, UP STAIRS, DOWN STAIRS...."Such an amazing television series from that period"  he said, "and she was amazing in it.   She's still an iconic beauty today."

The changing styles of young women was captured accurately in the brilliant 1970′s TV period drama – Upstairs Downstairs, where the young Georgina, wonderfully portrayed by Lesley-Anne Down, evolved from war nurse to frivolous flapper. 

Read more  about The Flapper on Glamour Daze.

Upstairs Downstairs, Series 3, Episode 9.

Sharrie and David, 1993.

Dr. David Van Houten, Owner of Borderline Hollywood Productions, is a long time friend of author, Sharrie Williams... Please click on these links to learn more about him.

http://www.maybellinebook.com/2013/07/id-like-to-introduce-my-dear-friend.html


http://www.maybellinebook.com/2013/06/hollywoods-mermaid-ester-williams-my.html

http://www.maybellinebook.com/2011/08/eyes-on-stars-as-tom-lyle-slowly-slips.html

Borderline Hollywood specializes in Behind the Scenes, Documentaries and EPK production. Our focus is primarily in the Film and Television industry, but we also have provided for Live Music and Comedy for either Broadcast or DVD.

Call: 310.570.6290

borderlinehollywood@gmail.com

Borderline Hollywood Productions

Meet DAVID E. VAN HOUTEN Founder/Producer of BORDERLINE HOLLYWOOD...

BORDERLINE HOLLYWOOD

David Van Houten and Sharrie Williams - Newport
 Beach California, December 1993.

 This picture was taken while they were partners, under contract with William Morris Agency... for a book and movie deal based on a book they were writing called,
 The Maybelline Story.

 Unfortunately Sharrie had to drop out of the project after her home was destroyed in the Laguna Beach Firestorm.  At the time, William Morris was going for a $250,000 advance for an unwritten book with a movie option.

Sharrie rebuilt her life and eventually wrote and published The Maybelline Story, while David completed his master's degree and doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Today Dr. Van Houten's company Borderline Hollywood specializes in Behind the Scenes Documentaries and EPK production. With a focus primarily in the Film and Television industry, However they also have provided for Live Music and Comedy for either Broadcast or DVD.

 David has over 25 years experience as a marketing
 and publicity expert. His background includes Vice President of International Marketing at Paramount Pictures, and Vice President of Corporate Communications at Trimark Pictures.

Maybelline Story excerpt with pictures of Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray and Eleanor Fisher.

Excerpt from The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

BILL WANTS TOM LYLE TO INTRODUCE HIM TO MISS TYPICAL AMERICA.

Tom Lyle continued to take Bill with him when they visited actress Hedy Lamarr, Joan Crawford and Carole Lombard, but nothing was more exciting for him than meeting the newly crowned "Miss Typical America, Eleanor Fisher," who won a chance to appear with Carole Lombard in her final film at Paramount "True Confession." Taken from the top selling magazine "True Confessions," that held the contest that Eleanor Fisher won.

The Magazine was a top selling magazine for teenage girls and it struck a deal with Paramount and Maybelline to do a sweeping marketing campaign to bring in a larger audience of youth.

Paramount gave Eleanor a small part in their film staring Lombard and Fred MacMurray, while Maybelline splashed full page color pictures of her in magazines across the country saying Eleanor Fisher had been chosen from thousands of America’s most dazzling beauties in a great magazine’s nationwide search for ‘Miss typical America!"

The ad continued, saying "of supreme importance in helping her to win, were Miss Fisher’s beautiful eyes, framed with the glamour of long, romantic lashes. The charm of beautiful eyes, with natural-appearing long, dark, luxuriant lashes can be yours too, instantly, with but a few simple brush strokes of Maybelline Mascara."

The Ad, combined with the film and True Confessions magazine audience expanded Maybellines scope and increased their teenage market to a new level. It was a win win for everyone and young Bill now  fourteen, was introduced to one of the many beauties who would usher him into the "the girl-crazy" part of his life. 

Carole Lombard and Eleanor Fisher, in True Confessions.

Bill begged Tom Lyle to get him car for his fifteenth Birthday, so he'd be popular at school with all the guys and especially the girls.

Tom Lyle told him he’d think about it.

"I promise I’ll help mom do errands around town," he said, trying to convince his uncle to see it from his perspective.

Did Tom Lyle break down and get his nephew a car?  You can scroll down to earlier posts to find out - or you can read The Maybelline Story and get the whole scoop.