We are an eBay affiliate and may be compensated for clicks on links that result in purchases.

ROSEMARY'S BABY was a 1968 horror movie directed by Roman Polanski and based on the novel by Ira Levin.  The movie is notable for having so many old character actors and actresses.   Mia Farrow was cast in the lead as Rosemary Woodhouse, a newlywed.  The notable John Cassavetes, the cynical and ambitious young actor, plays her husband.   The couple decides to move to a more upscale apartment building (The Dakota in real life) and encounter pleasant but odd elderly neighbors. 

The neighbors, the Castevets, are portrayed by veteran stage and film stars Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer.  The young couple has another older friend in "Hutch," played by Maurice Evans.   Tony Curtis gives an uncredited voice performance.  Ryan O'Neal's mother, Patricia  O'Neal, is one of the guests at the New Years' Party thrown by the Castevets.  George Savalas, the brother of Telly Savalas, is a curious workman drilling a hole, watching the young couple as they enter the building.

Among the others who appear in the movie are no less than six alumni of The Andy Griffith Show.  They were Hope Summers, Walter Baldwin, Jean Inness, Lillian Sessions, Roy Barcroft, and Pearl S. Cooper. 

Double asterisks after the name means there is an exemplar shown within this discussion.

CREDITED CAST:

Mia Farrow  (Rosemary Woodhouse) **

John Cassevettes (Guy Woodhouse) **

Ruth Gordon (Minnie Castevets) **

Sidney Blackmer (Roman Castevets)

Maurice Evans (Hutch) **

Angelia Dorian (Victoria Vetri)

Patsy Kelly (Laura Louise)

Elisha Cook, Jr. (Mr. Nicklas)

Emmaline Henry (Ellse Dunstan)

Marianne Gordon (Rosemary's friend)

Charles Grodin (Dr. Hill)

Hanna Landy (Grace Cardiff the friend of Hutch)

Philip Leeds (Dr. Shand)

D'Urille Martin (Diego, the elevator operator)

Hope Summers (Mrs. Gilmore)

Ralph Bellamy (Dr. Abraham "Abe" Saperstein)

Wendy Wagner (Rosemary's friend.  Closing credits only)

Tags: Baby, Bellamy, Blackmer, Cassavetes, Evans, Farrow, Gordon, John, Maurice, Mia, More…Ralph, Rosemary's, Ruth, Sidney, Vetri, Victoria

Views: 1440

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Yes, I remember that I loved all of those ABC horror movies.  Something Evil with Darrin McGavin, Sandy Dennis and Johnny Whitaker was great.  So was Horror at 37,000 Feet with Chuck Connors, Russell Johnson, William Shatner, and Buddy Ebsen.  So many great made-for-tv movies in the 70s.   Duel with Dennis Weaver!

We can never forget Duel With Dennis Weaver and Dr. Cook's Garden with Bong Crosby.

And Ordeal with Arthur Hill.

Those are great and I loved "Brotherhood of the Bell" with Glenn Ford and Will Geer.   Arthur Hill was great in the Stepford movies and Futureworld.   Remember Bradford Dillman was in so many of them.  That reminds me of my favorite werewolf movie "Night of the Wolf" with David Jansen and Brad Dillman.   Those movies were made cheap but never looked it in my book.  They were as good or better than most movies made today.  You could probably have made 50 movies for it costs for one today.

I am in 100% agreement on that comment.

I loved those ABC Movies Of The Week.

Remember an early movie with Bradford Dillman titled "Compulsion?"  Great movie.

I remember Compulsion it was an older movie it also had Dean Stockwell in it I think.  Dillman played John Wilkes Booth in "The Lincoln Conspiracy" a great movie (about 80 percent accurate historically lol).

Dean Stockwell; great child actor.  Had a great career.  I believe he was also in two Columbo episodes.

He was also in a favorite of mine titled "To Live And Die In LA."

JOHN CASSEVETES (1929-1989) was great American actor, director and writer.   He was wonderful in movies such as The Dirty Dozen and Capone.  He had a small uncredited role in one of my favorite comedies If Its Tuesday It Must Be Belgium.     Cassevetes directed and acted in the 1972 Columbo episode entitled "Etude in Black." Later he would direct Peter Falk in the comedy Big Trouble.  He almost did not get the part of Guy Woodhouse in Rosemary's Baby originally Robert Redford was considered for the part. 

Oh yes, great actor.  I didn't know that Redford was considered for that part; John was perfect as the husband.

JOHN CASSAVETES this is one of the earliest autographs I have found of his.  It was from a prolific and artistic collector in England who decorated all of his pages with ornate borders.  He usually put down exactly when and where the autograph was from.  In this instance, he states: "RISING NEW HOLLYWOOD STAR JOHN CASSAVETES ELSTREE STUDIOS NR LONDON MARCH 28th 1958."  I got it from JGAutographs a few years ago.

RUTH GORDON (1896-1985) her first talking movie was playing Mary Todd Lincoln in the 1940 film Abe Lincoln of Illinois followed by playing Edward G. Robinson's wife in Dr. Erlich's Magic Bullet.  Not long after she left movies to do stage work in New York.  For her portrayal of the devil worshiping nosy neighbor in Rosemary's Baby she won an Academy Award.   She also appeared in Harold and Maude in 1971.  She worked right up until here death in 1985.  She appeared in two episodes of Newhart as the ex-con grandmother of Kirk Devane.   This is a very scarce check signed by Ruth Gordon.

Very nice, Scott.   She was also in Clint Eastwood's "Any Which Way" movies.

RSS

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

© 2024   Created by Steve Cyrkin, Admin.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service