Howard Meets Davis - Part Two

Upon arriving in Hollywood in the fall of 1933 to begin filming Of Human Bondage (1934) Leslie Howard found that nothing was ready. Even though RKO had urged him to hurry up and return from England, Howard found himself sitting around waiting, as usual. The cast had not been selected and it appeared the studio was in no hurry. Howard sat through Christmas in California without his children who were old enough to decide where they wanted to be and they had opted to stay at home in Stowe Maries. He fumed. And bought horses.

The director of the film, John Cromwell, had noticed Bette Davis in The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) and thought she would be perfect for the role of Mildred Rogers. Pandro S. Berman, who was producing the film, agreed. Meantime, after Bette Davis was shown the screenplay by Wilson Mizner and Davis learned that RKO owned the rights to the film she petitioned Jack Warner to let her try for the part of Mildred Rogers. Other actresses had turned down the part, unwilling to be shown in such an unflattering light. But Davis was not afraid. After much back and forth and trade agreements Davis got the part.

Howard was shocked and dismayed.

To be continued...

[Leslie Howard and Bette Davis
in Of Human Bondage, 1934]

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