Maybelline's, Yankee Doodle Dandy Girl, Joan Leslie, stars with James Cagney, in 1942 all time favorite 4th of July film

 

       Maybelline Joan Leslie, endorses Maybelline 

James Cagney and Joan Leslie, in 
Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) is one of Hollywood's greatest, grandest and slickest musicals. The nostalgic, shamelessly-patriotic, entertaining film also supported the war effort as it paid tribute in its mostly fictional story to a popular Irish/American entertainer and the grand American gentleman of the theatre in the early 20th century.

click video to see a trailer of Yankee Doodle Dandy.

James Cagney, spent several weeks touring the US, entertaining troops with vaudeville routines and scenes from Yankee Doodle Dandy. 

James Cagney with Joan Leslie, Lobby Card. In September 1942, Cagney, was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild.

Joan Leslie has a star on the Hollywood

 Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street.

James Cagney sings Yankee Doodle Dandy

Buy a signed copy of the Maybelline Story,

 or get it on your  Kendle.

Maybelline Story will be in Laguna Beach Nov 5th.

Sharrie's article in the Laguna Beach Magazine, fits perfectly with it's feature on Old Hollywood movies, filmed in the tiny beach community throughout the years.

Sharrie will be at Laguna Beach Books for a presentation for The AAUW, Nov 5th , not 10th, as the article indicates.

Maybelline family films the movie Goodbye Norma Jean, at their estate in Palms Springs,

Noel Williams, Tom Lyle Williams nephew at his cousin Bill Williams estate in Palms Springs, 1975 in front of a 1934 Packard.

Author Sharrie Williams, Bill's daughter and Tom Lyle Williams great niece at her fathers estate in Palm Springs 1975.

Bill Williams at his estate in Palms Springs during the filming of the movie Goodbye Norma Jean, 1975

A scene from the film Goodbye Norma Jean, shot at Bill Williams estate, 1975.

Filming the movie, Goodbye Norma Jean at Bill Williams Estate in Palms Springs. Excerpt from Sharrie Williams Diary.

The next morning, old classic cars, brought in on flat bed

trucks arrived at the estate, and the camera crew, producer, director, costume designer, set designer, and the producers wife and mistress. were all on the  set. Dad started freaking out, when he saw all the cables, strung across his manicured lawns, and I kept assuring him that any damage would be taken care of. I had some great old costumes, I'd collected over the years, and we all got our make up and hair done, then dressed for our parts.  We had no speaking parts, we were just background dressing for Norma Jean Bakers Scenes, but we added the feeling of wealth, and status, the director was looking for.  The scenes got a little steamy, with nude bath tub shots, and obvious sexual scenes that made the future Marilyn Monroe, look like a whore, but it didn't bother anyone of us.

Read more about the wild ride after the Maybelline Company sells and the family lives out their fantasies in Sharrie Williams book The Maybelline Story.

Maybelline founder's nephew takes family on wild ride after inheriting millions at 45.



Maybelline Story Author Sharrie Williams with her father, Bill Williams, at his estate in Palm Spring California,  during the filming of the movie Goodbye Norma Jean, in 1975.

Read more about Tom Lyle's nephew Bill Williams in the Maybelline Story, and the wild ride he took his family on after the sale of the Maybelline Co. sold in 1968. 

 It could be said that all hell broke lose after Bill inherited millions overnight at only 45, but in the end I'd have to say "it sure was a fun ride."

Also stay tuned for Sharrie's cousin Chuck Williams as he discusses his great uncle Tom Lyle Williams love of beautiful automobiles while at the Barrett Jackson Classic Car Auction in Scottsdale next week.