Marjorie Main: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Ma Kettle

By Michelle Vogel

Book Overview

She was a slum mother, witty housekeeper, nosy neighbor, meddling maid, town gossip, and most memorably, Ma Kettle. Marjorie Main is best remembered for her portrayal of the farm mother of 15 children and wife of shiftless Pa Kettle. The characters were introduced in the 1945 film The Egg and I , and were such a hit that eight films followed. At an age when most actresses' careers are waning, Main's star was just beginning to rise. In real life, Main was as down to earth as characters she played. Her attire on the set and around her house were the same: a simple cotton house dress or jeans. She preferred riding the bus because she enjoyed interacting with regular people--the inspiration for her characters. This book chronicles Main's childhood on an Indiana farm and the inspirations that led her to the stage. After a distinguished theater career and minor film roles, at age 50 she was offered a long-term contract with premier studio MGM. Details of her acting career and personal life covered here include her marriage to a scholarly widower 26 years her senior, and her work with actor Percy Kilbride, who was the antithesis of his character, the slothful Pa Kettle. A detailed filmography includes cast and credit lists and trivia about each of Main's 85 films.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786464437
• ISBN13: 9780786464432
• Release Date: June 2011
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.9" x 9.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Long awaited - Well Researched - Thoroughly Enjoyed

Marjorie Main was the glue that held many of the old Hollywood films together. While she is best known for her role as "Ma Kettle," she was one of Hollywood's greatest character actresses and helped to keep a flagging film from flopping or bring light to a classic, such as "Meet Me in St. Louis," "The Harvey Girls," "Heaven Can Wait," The Women," "Test Pilot," "Stella Dallas," the list goes on and on. Her character of "Ma" was developed in "The Egg and I" and "The Kettles" were so popular with audiences, the studio spun them their own series of films. Low budgets. Quick to film. Big profits! This books covers Ms. Main's rise to stardom, from her Indiana farm, to the stage and screen, her marriage to the somewhat eccentric, Dr. Krebs, and beyond...speaking of the good Doctor, I was thrilled to FINALLY see a photo of the man. How the author found that, I'll never know! Great job. I have long been a fan and I've collected many items (photos, letters, autos, etc.) on Ms. Main over the years. While most actors back in the day were featured heavily throughout newspapers and fan magazines, Ms. Main stayed out of the spotlight. A very private person, she was a star, but she was successful in keeping her private life - private! The author has uncovered many aspects of her life that I did not know (that's NOT easy!) and the filmography section serves to inform the reader of everything from cast, crew, shooting locations, length of each film, synopsis, quotes, reviews and trivia. As thorough as I've seen any filmography to be. It's a very interesting read. Broadway performances are also included. The Bibliography and Index proves the author's footwork was thorough and exhaustive. The Indiana Historical Society, Margaret Herrick Library and USC were instrumental in the research. Loads of info relating to the "Ma and Pa Kettle" series is particularly impressive. If you're a fan of these films (who isn't!) then this book will be just what you're looking for. Photographically it's well represented. Lots of stills, lobby cards and candid snapshots too. Yes, it's expensive but all McFarland books are pricey. Blame the publisher for that one. While I pick and choose my McFarland books BECAUSE of the price factor, they always serve as something more than "just" a book. For me, they're "guides" and "reference works" - the money is well spent here if you're a fan of this lovely lady. Very enjoyable. A keeper!

Definitive Hollywood Biography / Filmography

This is not only a candid biography, but also a thorough, complete filmography. In typical McFarland fashion, the illustrations are reproduced with excellent quality, and include not only movie stills but also lobby cards and posters. The research is highlighted by letters written by Marjorie's husband that reveal much about their relationship and offers a different side of Marjorie. Michelle Vogel has written a MUST HAVE bio for fans of Marjorie and anyone interested in the Golden Age of Hollywood. If you only knew her as Ma Kettle, this fine book will illuminate one of the great American character actresses. What an excellent choice for a biography!

Loved this book!

This long awaited biography on Marjorie Main is such an enjoyable book. The filmography is extensively researched and peppered with trivia relating to each film and co-star. A trivia buff's dream! The rare press book info, childhood stories, studio archive papers and personal letters to Marjorie from Dr. Krebs, her very strange husband, is a treat to read. Their relationship has to be read about to be believed and even then, you're left scratching your head. Marjorie seemed like a very jealous woman, even though her husband was 25 years her senior, she was exceedingly accusatory of his actions and in turn he would feel the need to write long letters of explanations to calm her down. Dr. Krebs would even go as far as to write her IOU's for small amounts of money leant to him, by her. After his death, she would continue to talk with him as if he were alive and she'd even set a place for him at the dinner table! Don't want to give too much away so I'll end this before I do. As I said, it was a VERY strange relationship, even by Hollywood's standards... Marjorie Main comes across as a real character, both on and off the screen. Her eccentric lifestyle makes for a real page turner and the photographs are reproduced well. Clean, sharp images (which many books do not have these days) and there are a lot in here to look at too. Just about every one of her 80 plus films is represented as well as many rare promo and portrait photos. This is a great companion to the recent 'Ma and Pa Kettle' DVD sets that were released last year. Reading about Marjorie Main's life and career makes you want to pop in a movie and watch her work her magic. Long overdue book this one and kudos to the the author who does a fabulous job of weaving everything together for a most enjoyable and informative read. A great tribute to a great star!

It was worth the wait!

Finally a bio on one of Hollywood's greatest character actors of all time, Marjorie Main. When you read this book and remember the countless classic films that she was in, it makes you wonder why she hasn't been written about before and why, and this is perhaps the biggest crime of all, she hasn't got a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Something should be done about the latter! This book is a loving tribute, well researched, beautifully arranged with some super photos and very informative about what Marjorie Main was like both on screen and off. Her marriage to the eccentric Dr. Krebs (a much older man) makes some of today's Hollywood partnerships seem somewhat normal! What a strange relationship! The filmography is peppered with facts about the making of each film and/or the stars involved. I wish more filmographies were set out like this. Reading this part of the book is just as entertaining, if not more so, than the biography section. Overall an extremely enjoyable read and one that Marjorie would be proud of. Thanks to the author for doing this wonderful lady justice. A job well done!

Wonderful Read!!

I bought this book for my mother who is now living in a nursing home. We used to watch the Ma and Pa Kettle movies together when I was younger and I thought this would be an interesting read to bring those memories back. On each of my visits with Mom I'll read a chapter of the book. We're now mid way through the filmography and we're enjoying the film facts and trivia as much as the biography itself. We never did hear a lot of gossip on Miss Main back in the day so this book enlightens you on all aspects of her personal life and career. This is a must have if you're a fan of the classic film comedies of yesteryear and especially if you're a fan of Marjorie Main. The photographs are wonderful too.