Gene Tierney--Rare TV Interview, 1979--Cornel Wilde, Dick Van Patten

[@igeogeoi9340]

Being that open about mental health in 1979!!!! This woman was ahead of her time being so open. Much respect.

[@hudsony777]

Even now it would be noteworthy. People are still afraid of mental illness.

[@ellejay2021]

She was such a beautiful woman, inside and out. So talented as well. I agree, she was way ahead of her time in her effort to destigmatize mental illness. The first time she openly spoke of it was during the '50s, I believe. That required bravery and courage, most certainly. Ms Tierney was absolutely brilliant in The Razor's Edge with her co-star, the gorgeous Tyrone Power. Fantastic movie. She was also amazing in Leave Her To Heaven and Laura. What's sad is that mental health issues still carry a stigma in 2022, which is so unfortunate and can prevent sufferers from seeking help. As a society, we must change this. Alan, thank you for this wonderful upload!

[@opale1572]

@@ellejay2021 Totalmente de acuerdo. Gene Tierney era única. En mi opinión, la mayor belleza del cine, junto a Ava Gardner y Audrey Hepburn.

[@inkyguy]

Things had begun to change by the 1970s. Lyndon Johnson’s social programs did a great deal to provide services to anyone in need of mental health care and went a long way to reducing the stigma, as had the Second World War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War because of the number of men who came home requiring mental health care.

[@TheRetroWoman80]

Same thing I said. Awesome beauty and courageous heart. What a life lived.

[@olive3700]

I always knew she was beautiful and a great actress, but this shows what a kind, intelligent, lovely person she was in every way. Not a bad word to say about anyone.

[@gigigiseleworld]

Very true 💐💐💐

[@yvonneplant9434]

Absolutely one of my favorite actresses of all time. It's almost 80 years old but Leave Her To Heaven is still a fantastic movie! ❤

[@rogerpropes7129]

Maybe JFK should have married her??

[@XX-gy7ue]

SHE WAS ONE OF THE MOST STUNNING ACTRESSES OF HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN AGE ! ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT !

[@robertm7071]

What a self-effacing, honest, dignified lady Gene Tierney was and how she suffered. This show is a real sign of those times - people who were somebody with something fascinating to say. Now it is nonentities with nothing to say.

[@inkyguy]

There are many people with something worthwhile to say and be heard but our deregulated ratings obsessed television industry has no room for such dialog because it is “too intellectual.”

[@Modmansf]

Once again, Mr. Eichler, you have enriched us with this terrific material. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@opaulamorgan4265]

Robert M, yes, and despite her talent and beauty none of them as open, real, and down-to- earth as Gene! Merv Griffin deserves mention as the perfect host, always treating every guest as a friend and bringing out the best in them.

[@JohannaLeigh]

I know.... NOTHING like the character in LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN.

[@headron66]

Such a beautiful and classy lady who suffered terribly. It was very brave of her to talk about mental illness in a day when it was so very misunderstood. Thank you Gene for being a trailblazer and a warrior. ❤️

[@chris47363]

When I was almost 4 years old. My Mother took me to the Houston Galleria Mall. Gene Tierney sat next to my mother and myself on a bench in the mall. Mom asked her what make up she used and Gene took it out of her purse and showed her.. This was 1971 and Gene made her home in Houston for years.Very nice lady.

[@summermen]

She's such a superb conversationalist -- all the pain in the world, yet she looked on the bright side.

[@mallorygraf8574]

Merv's gift was that he made his Old Hollywood guests feel very comfortable...Gene seems very comfortable and relaxed with him. It's like watching two friends talk.

[@saran3214]

Loved Merc Griffin, he was so nice. He was massively wealthy, close to being a billionaire. But he never discussed his money. He said "If people know you're rich, they don't talk with you when you walk down the street."

[@hudsony777]

Very true. As a child I thought he was a bit dull, but now I see that he had a real talent and pure charm.

[@patrickwork6579]

Beautiful. Visited Mrs. Tierney's grave twice. The second time I took her flowers and laid them on her head stone.

[@patriciamartinez5836]

I am so jealous. I would love to pay my respects to her. A beautiful remarkable woman. She lived through a lot of terrible things. RIP 🌹🌹🌹

[@inkyguy]

You sound like my kind of man, Patrick. What a beautiful act.

[@edgallagher7097]

I think my reaction will be tearful when seeing Gene’s resting place. Hope no one is around. I love her beyond words. In “Way Of A Gaucho” I love when Rory Calhoun and Gene Tierney say “Go with God” to each other. Possibly my favorite GT film.

[@oldsoldier8139]

When Hollywood had class. Its a shame this clip can't show you her gorgeous eyes

[@henrikechers9995]

I love that she don`t let him cut her off. She just keeps talking

[@janupczak1643]

One of my favorite actresses of all time...Laura, Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Leave Her to Heaven, ...my God she was lovely. Thank you for this upload.❤

[@fuzzamajumula]

Yes. I loved her movies!

[@nicolevaldes8891]

My favorite Gene Tierney movies are Leave Her to Heaven and The Mating Season.

[@rogerpropes7129]

She got top billing over Don Ameche in 1943's 'Heaven Can Wait' (not the later film with the same name) which you may have missed.

[@laurademilio4475]

The most gracious, intelligent, beautiful actress in hollywood. Thank you so much.

[@samydiesta7460]

Goddess-like and doll-like. ❤❤❤❤

[@MN-ij9yr]

She was an such an incredible beauty and so brave to have talked honestly about mental illness.

[@barryc1592]

Thank you Alan. I only recently - at age 65 - discovered Gene Tierney's movies and fell in love with her. Leave Her To Heaven did it for me. Not only was she beautiful, but so classy - true Old Hollywood style. I appreciate her even more seeing her in this clip at age 59. She survived so much heartache, but still carried herself with grace, style and strength.

[@Cynthia.Cinderella]

Her very best you have to see is ghost and mrs muir. The best!

[@ellyreginald6546]

Exceptional woman. Very genuine. How can anyone dislike her. Beautiful and witty. The Ghost and Mrs Muir one of my favorites.

[@tomfinland9572]

Back when they knew how to interview .... and converse. CLASS all the way. Tierney, one of the true beauties and Cornel, the total real gent..... so different than the fakes and bores of today.

[@whatfreshhellisthis8810]

As it turns out, as breathtakingly lovely as she was on the outside (even here), this woman was even more beautiful on the inside.

[@vistaestrada]

Thank you for sharing this rare interview with us. Gene Tierney was such a brave and sincere lady.

[@fuzzamajumula]

What a sweet woman! And so open about her mental illness! She was also very educated about it, evidently. Forty-two years later, and most people don't know that much! She was a breath of fresh air.

[@misskim2058]

I’m halfway through the video, and so far, she very graciously never mentions the fact that that it was a fan who was contagious, but selfishly wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to meet Gene Tierney face-to-face, and I think also to give her a kiss on the cheek), which gave her the measles, and disabled her child, and made her life hell on that front. The fan knew she was contagious and wasn’t supposed to be around anyone, but just had to go ahead and see her anyway. It’s been decades since I read that book, but it seems like Gene was doing something for the servicemen, or basically making the appearance for charitable reasons. I don’t remember all the details, I remember reading her book shown here when I was about nine years old, just because it was lying around the house. Back in then, there was no Internet to just jump online and watch clips or movies, so it would be quite some time before I would get an opportunity to see a film of hers. I noticed Merv here keeps trying to talk about her overbite, which I never noticed she had. It wasn’t as if it were huge, (and she’s already told him that she’s self-critical, so why would he try to point out some insignificant detail?), and she wisely continues the conversation as if she didn’t hear the comments he makes at all. She really was a class act, gracious even to her own detriment. It is nice to see people actually converse, take their time a little bit, and not be given the “bum’s rush” after 3-5 minutes.

[@richarddixon7855]

Miss Kim - Just my two cents. Gene was known for her distinctive overbite from early on and the fans from that period were not being critical... in fact, they loved her for it. It was not a negative. Also, younger generations have only seen most Golden Age films on TV, but magnified on the big screen audiences and fans certainly noticed physical traits that made an actor/actress stand out. You're certainly right about Gene being thoughtful, gracious and lovely!

[@rharvey2124]

@@richarddixon7855 I thought Merv had a bit of an overbite. Don't know.

[@estherluttrell4527]

It was a woman who had the measles... a woman in the service who just wanted to give Gene a quick kiss of gratitude for being there. She slipped out of the hospital to see her favorite actress, never realizing what she had was contagious, let alone what it would do it Tierney's baby ... if she even knew Gene Tierney was pregnant.

[@ElvisandAmy8]

Yes I agree with you - that’s what I think is cool about podcasts now because they are able to interview people in longer time and more depth - it’s just they’re hardly any (if at all )celebrities anymore that are worth listening to like the classics huh?

[@fringedwellermccatintyre730]

My grandmother lived in a different city than I did. For years, I thought Merv Griffin was a dear friend of hers, because she was always saying, "Merv said the other day..." "Merve was talking about _ _ _ _ last week."

[@Binnystar25]

That is so sweet

[@correioanacabral]

Stunning, sweet looking and a proponent of mental health when it was a taboo. Love her!

[@sharonboies9459]

Yes a

[@Douglas-up2vh]

In her prime, she was absolutely STUNNING..Cigarettes are so evil ..RIP Gene..You made your mark in Classic Hollywood Legends

[@tg995nation6]

Laura was in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most watched movie on television

[@chucksellers8422]

in her hey day she was perfection personified.

[@victorsilvester78]

My goodness, Gene was only 58 here! Adorable women, a great beauty and superb actress.

[@christinascibetta1043]

People dressed older then too.....still beautiful

[@Ozefan2580]

I cannot thank you enough for posting this. I've been looking for it for decades! I saw this when it aired back in '79 and was introduced to Gene Tierney and became a lifelong fan of her work. Thank you again!

[@inkyguy]

Wow! Her husband was less than two years from his death in 1981.

[@Countrygirltori24]

Gene Tierney was decades ahead of her time when she spoke out about mental illness. It's only now that people are finally getting comfortable talking about it. I respect her soo much in general, but ESPECIALLY for that. I also love how she does not care for Cornel Wilde putting down the studio system. They definitely had different views of those days. And that comment from James Bacon about DeNiro not gonna last @50:40 ...didn't age well.

[@jgg59]

Tori Mentz I know I was like really

[@clubhead433]

That look on her face and her body language when the cut to a commercial @ 45:55 says it all! Don't come for Zanick in front of her, the shading is real!

[@fuzzamajumula]

I agree with you. I seldom hear anyone in Hollywood admitting to mental illness, even today! She was way ahead of her time. And such a sweetheart!

[@lindaosika7648]

I love the classic movie stars. So different from today.

[@ThePiratemachine]

The best of those type of shows - relaxed, sweet, and normal.

[@inkyguy]

The end of this era began in the mid- to late-1980s when the federal government deregulated the broadcast industry and allowed stations and networks to put profits first and foremost above public service and responsibility. It quickly turned into channels full of ever increasingly vulgar talk shows and infomercials.

[@juliaread8980]

Watched her in Leave her to Heaven today. She won an academy award for her role. A beautiful lady and loved all of her movies. This is little gem of an interview. Thank you for posting. 💖

[@caseyalx1651]

She was nominated, but did not win.

[@denverdubois5835]

Her dress is so beautiful and I love her matching handbag! What a lovely lady. Apparently she had bipolar disorder, then known as manic depression. It sounds like her depressive phases were manageable but she would have difficulty with psychotic breaks (hallucinations, hearing voices) during her manic phases. Back in the 40s, afaik, mood stabilizers did not exist, so she probably had to make do with heavy duty antipsychotics like Haldol or Thorazine. My Dad was schizoaffective, very high functioning but he would have terrible low phases where he could not manage without those types of meds. His descriptions of how disabling and disorienting they felt were very vivid and I've never forgotten. Mental illness back then entailed especially terrible suffering as so many helpful medications simply did not exist yet.

[@caribbeantigress]

they still use Thorazine in the prison system

[@sally-kz7nz]

I've always love Gene Tierney since I first watched, as a child, The Ghost and Mrs Muir. My bf has bi polar and even these days and with 17:37 the medication available , it's a horrible condition for the poor victims. I hope one day there will be a cure rather than meds that very barely manage the condition. Thank you for posting the interview. What a beautiful and classy lady she was.

[@estherluttrell4527]

What a wonderful interview. I had the pleasure of working for Cornel Wilde when I first moved to Hollywood (1980). He was such a gentleman, frugal but a gentleman. Lovely memories. Thanks for triggering them.

[@XX-gy7ue]

Cornel Wilde was really handsome ! WOW !

[@ronm8948]

Beautiful, brave,graceful,brilliantly talented, full of personality and a great sense of humor and joy that is Gene Tierney.Meth Griffin was also great.

[@norahdenovan8658]

Bless you Gene, we loved you , respect for talking about this back then , now it’s all out in the open 🙏❤️💕

[@edgallagher7097]

The Greatest Of All Time - Gene Eliza Tierney so lovely

[@louisgonzalez8846]

Class all the way , like Audrey Hepburn. And a great actress as well.

[@loulou-hz9qq]

Leave her to Heaven is an excellent film. Gene acted in some incredible scenes. The Ghost and Mrs Muir "BLOOD and SQUASH" so funny !!!!

[@Guphil]

Swash

[@CJBlanda]

TV had memorable shows that l am now seeing for the first time, the famous actors that l see on TCM become alive for me!

[@markboulanger1113]

Outstanding. Gene Tierney was such a class act---a true Hollywood star!

[@georgiaamanatides4207]

Merv absolutely adored Gene Tierney.

[@inkyguy]

He was absolutely enamored of Hollywood, which he was introduced to by his uncle.

[@333-u9o]

She's 59 in this interview.. 🤔 Wonderful, wonderful actress ❤️

[@CrystalM1917]

She smoked.

[@PollyEdwards1]

This is truly awesome. Thanks so much for preserving and sharing it. She was just so REAL in this interview. I've just tracked down a copy of her book. Can't wait to read it!

[@oisindurkin]

Thank you Alan, such a treasure. Made my day. Stay well and safe. X

[@MrDasher01]

That was so much fun to watch. Everyone is so respectful to one another. Thanks for posting it.

[@andrewsharisky7259]

Haven't seen this since it originally aired. Great to see it again. Many thanks, Alan.

[@gilliatt1027]

Merci pour cette vidéo, très émouvante. Gene Tierney a beaucoup d'admirateurs en France. Thank you for this very moving video. Gene Tierney has a lot of admirers in France.

[@inkyguy]

Merci pour votre message. J'apprécie toujours l'opportunité de pratiquer mon français et d'apprendre de nouveaux mots et expressions. (C’est aussi gentil à vous d’avoir inclus la traduction anglaise.)

[@rbielarski]

God, just love her, this is wonderful!

[@poshmum]

This is fantastic thank you. I have long admired and loved this actress she was one of the most beautiful humans authentic and I can only imagine her pain. But how brave to speak so openly about mental illness.

[@brianoyler706]

Interesting that Gene Tierney had such a marvelous professional career but so much heartbreak in her personal life. Many Hollywood film stars experienced similar. Gene Tierney's heartbreaks with Daria and mental illness made her a stronger person. I love her.

[@Weeeewriter]

*I'm gonna toot my horn a bit when I say we brunettes rock!!! lol*

[@jamesfox2579]

RIGHT ON!!💕😁

[@zdenkakathyanderson7890]

So beautiful and a great actress

[@norahdenovan8658]

Such a beautiful woman, one of my favourite films is The Ghost& Mrs Muir 🌹❤️

[@jamesfox2579]

THIS... Is a REAL Treat!❤️

[@peace-yv4qd]

I visited the Eight is Enough set in the mid 70's. They weren't shooting that day, but me and two of my friends just strolled in. Surreal to look back on it.

[@inkyguy]

What studio and stage was it being filmed at?

[@peace-yv4qd]

@@inkyguy Warner Bros studios. I couldn't tell which stage it was on it's been 47 or so years. We also watched The Waltons and Police Woman being taped that day. Unless the sets were closed, like Wonder Woman, you could just walk on and stand behind the camera as long as you kept quiet during a scene. Today I don't think they'll allow that due to all the craziness of today.

[@gailjarvis2592]

Cornel Wilde: "What good old days?" - What a rebel and talent he was. Wish we could understand this - any attempts at subtitles? She was a major player in the Hollywood System and he was a rebel who fought to make fine films. He ooks great here.

[@ccmarcum]

He died from leukemia the same year.

[@oliviamartini9700]

@@ccmarcum No, he died a decade later.

[@mariegachon-gr4fz]

Oui dommage qu il n y ait pas de sous titres Je n ai pas pu tout comprendre

[@roundtwo3321]

Isn't Gene wonderful to share her life story with the world. It makes her more beautiful inside and out. Cornel Wilde has always been fit and handsome. I love his work and his candor. Poor James Bacon. He tried to scare DeNiro into giving him an interview by saying DeNiro's career wouldn't last. Jokes on Bacon. It was the other way around. 🤣

[@XX-gy7ue]

the sad thing about Gene Tierney's story is that no one could have survived her life ! !

[@misskim2058]

Lots of people have.

[@angiepronzola6622]

@@misskim2058 Exactly!It ‘s called resilience

[@Muirmaiden]

@@angiepronzola6622 With mental illness, it's not always that simple.

[@claudiascott6484]

My mother did, what a lovely strong woman as was Gene Tierny.

[@samsmom400]

That's a bit inflated.

[@edgallagher7097]

Love her so much it runs deep with admiration. Greatness personified.

[@maddmonk505]

Great lady

[@ervina02]

So good to see and listen to one of The Legends of the Golden age of Hollywood The Beautiful Gene Tierney!! I always loved her name It's the name meant for a Movie Star! She was so down to earth and spoke of Mental Illness so knowingly and wisely to everyone. Such strength. Thank you for all of the great movies your beauty and great acting,! RIP

[@deerobertson7655]

Love looking back at the olds !! Then and now. !

[@Clapstick77]

This was a fantastic watch. Just watched Laura and Leave her to Heaven for the first time, so I searched this out. All interviewees are a fun throwback to a different time.

[@HAPPYTHELEAF]

This is a rare treat...

[@temeculajoe]

What an open class act.

[@jadezee6316]

i loved Monty Woolley....from the man who came to dinner and the Bishops Wife.....gay and the best friend of Cole Porter....he was a stage hit..more than a movie star

[@jadezee6316]

Naked Prey...still a movie that shocks.....highly recommend it...

[@jmh27]

What a lovely and sweet lady!❤️

[@krstr5960]

Oh … I wish we had shows like this now .. where every one speaks their mind.

[@dolcevitausa6448]

a great Hollywood beauty

[@Tim1963-u6n]

Wouldn't it be great if we had talk shows like this today

[@marilynadams349]

Precious story about Texas

[@yvonnedobell8793]

Gee she was beautiful, what an elegant lovely woman, I loved her movies,

[@mariawest1484]

A true Lady

[@virginiaallen3406]

Thankyou for posting this♡♡♡

[@janet8418]

Loved her movies and was such a beautiful woman.

[@gentlemanjake8005]

I can see why many people didn’t care for Cornel Wilde. Though I like him as an actor.

[@sandiangel]

I've contemplated shock treatments for my chronic depression, but my friend had it, and it messes w your memory.

[@inkyguy]

It can. It can affect different people in different ways. It is also more carefully administered now. There is hope in the use of hallucinogenics being brought back for therapeutic use rather than maintaining them as strictly illegal substances.

[@ElvisandAmy8]

I bet she didn’t even need shock therapy or sanitarium had she lived now in these times with Xanax and all the antidepression medications we have now . Poor Gene . If only they had the knowledge about mental illness back then that we do now . For all we know she could have just suffered panic and anxiety disorder and depression that could be treated easily . I wish I could go back in time and tell her and talk to her about it .

[@Cua-tanet]

Saw her in The Mating Season. Great, cute movie!

[@deannawitt9376]

I love her❤

[@AlabasterJar7]

what a beautiful soul and so humble

[@samydiesta7460]

Though elderly, her beauty did not diminish. ❤❤❤❤

[@ElvisandAmy8]

The Ghost and Mrs Muir is my favorite movie

[@ivanigorpollick6690]

great,brave lady

[@loriejackson6031]

Loved her in The Ghost and Mrs Muir.

[@CarolynMarotti-ps9zo]

Gene Tierney was my mother's favorit movie star....she would tell me story's of her when I was a child

[@edgallagher7097]

I love her thank you all 😊

[@pennydreadful5217]

Cornwell Wilde is unpleasant, humblebragger. Gene Tierney is a lovely lady

[@jillyc3777]

She was only 59 in this interview.

[@inkyguy]

Smoking ages people so quickly.

[@acuriousergeorge]

Thank you so much for posting this. I saw it live and never forgot it. She was a favorite. Question. I recall that at the beginning Merv played a beautiful version of Laura. Is that clip available anywhere?

[@minekara6407]

Gene Tierney together with Rita Hayworth and Yvonne Decarlo are my 3 very favourite actresses of that era. I sense they were all very strong women having to deal with various issues. Love their films and lasting images. Sadly I think both of Gene's daughters have passed away. But her grandchildren will no doubt be proud of her legacy. Lastly I don't think Oleg was very kind or good for her. I'm glad so found better love later in life.

[@kazior6521]

Oleg didn’t treat Gene the best. Upon his death, he left all his money to his last wife. Gene and his daughter was struggling with cancer. She was also struggling financially. She did contest the will. Regretfully, she died. Oleg’s last wife never gave a cent.

[@sherrimiller987]

So beautiful!!

[@dawnemerson3604]

Excellent thank you

[@CarolynMarotti-ps9zo]

Love Cornell Wilds laugh....it's so cute

[@elysedewyngaert178]

Loved the Ghost and Mrs. Muir

[@chetyoubetya8565]

She really shows how society really viewed mental illness as a weakness that is something you get over. Ahh the good old days.

[@emerald637]

I noticed that Gene Tierney always carried her handbag to every on-stage interview, which reminds me of how Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, always carried her handbag during every Royal outing. Gene Tierney was a true lady and a genuine Hollywood superstar whose light still shines bright here on Earth. There was so much more artistic wealth within Gene Tierney that could have been Oscar-worthy performances if only mental illness, and especially, her controlling father (and often times her mother), as well as several others which, included her mad doctors, would not have manipulated her.

[@edgallagher7097]

Even though she didn’t win the award she is still the greatest actress, the most beautiful and charming lady of the silver screen.

[@IsabelSantosCunha1972]

Lovely woman and a very good actress.