Remember when actresses, particularly attractive ones, were referred to as sultry? Or how about spunky? Or sassy? Such descriptions apply to Beverly Garland, who has starred in dozens of films (many for the legendary Roger Corman) and in almost every television series worthy of note in the 1960s and ’70s. Now celebrating her 50th year in show business, Beverly is as active, lively, funny and outspoken as when she made her film debut in D.O.A. in 1949.
Beverly, who with her son Jim, owns and operates the prestigious Beverly Garland Holiday Inn Hotel in Los Angeles, sat behind her mahogany office desk and related hilarious tales of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a working actress in a sometimes unforgiving industry. After receiving rave reviews for her debut film, Beverly conveys that while being ushered about Hollywood promoting D.O.A., she inadvertently made a remark that studio moguls felt defamed the film, and showed a lack of gratitude on her part for being cast in the role. Beverly explains, “I was very young and things began to move quickly after the release of the film. One evening I was asked if I thought the film had a chance of winning an Oscar. Now, I thought the film was very good, but doubted whether or not an Oscar was in its future, and I said that. Boy, if I ever knew what trouble that was going to cause!” Studio heads were furious that their young actress apparently didn’t know how to “play the game: and even after apologizing…………………………………………….