Clara Rhoades was a great
lady and friend. Her strong leadership qualities and gracious heart
were just a couple reasons why I wanted her to be the President of my
fan club. When she decided she would, she told me she would to
it to her last breath. You all know her, and you know her word
was always golden. She kept it to the very end. There will never be
another Clara.
Tessa Williams / JMIFC President
***
Dear JMFC Fans and
Friends, I send my love to
all of my JMFC Fans...
At 5:22 P.M., Sunday August 11, 2013 the great love
of our lives, Mom, smiled at my sister, Valerie, in Venice, Florida
and said "I love all of you, and wish my darling Sunny Boy, Mio
Figlio, Gio and my darling Gia were here...) and closed her eyes
from this world she so much loved.
One day I will write a book about Mom; she was a
grand lady everyone loved. And why was this so?...; because
her soul was full of love. Her great passion was music, and
she had a beautiful voice that sung everywhere on the North Side of
Chicago when she was a young woman. She wrote hundreds of
songs and poems by hand in her beautiful penmanship. She
self-taught herself the piano, violin, mandolin, accordion, and
played to friends an hour before she said good-bye forever.
Mom was 99 and lived long enough to celebrate my birthday on July
24.
A great lover of music, Jeanette was her favorite
singer and she adored watching her movies over and over. When
I told her I was going to start the JMFC Website, she told me that
when that day came that she was no longer with us, one of her wishes
was to give her fond love to Clara and Tessa. So, Clara, up
with Jeanette, and darling Tessa in Topeka, Lili-Diane sends her
love to you, wishing you health and joy.
It is difficult to think about this world without
Mom. And so, Gia and I will lower the flag at half staff and turn
the Marquee lights off until after December 31, 2013 when she would
have celebrated her 100th Birthday.
We love you, Mom, and to our last days you will
always be the diamond in our hearts--and seeing your sparkling eyes
smiling like in the picture below taken in 1961.
Love...your Gio and Gia
A message from Gia, your JMFC Hostess....
Topic: JULY 24, 10:10am
... Gio's Birthday celebration began.
Gio talked with his mother,
(99.5yrs young), in Florida and as he always does, wished her the best
on the day she gave birth--for it was really her joyous day he said
I am so overjoyed by the
hundreds of email birthday wishes to my Gio, . They came from
all over the world pouring in
saying ... "Happy Birthday, Gio, we love your sight and we love you
and Gia! Please, keep our
Jeanette's Flame burning brightly. Only you two can do it."
What a lovely sentiment.
Of course we will continue to stand strong for all of you who have
stood strongly behind JMFC for
more than 11 years. It is a purpose that we love, too.
We talked to our darling Tessa
and she wished him a wonderful birthday and gave us her support and
love sharing with you and all the world what she and Clara had done
for 5 decades.
Thank you Europe, thank you
Japan, thank you New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, South America,
and all of you here in the United States. Thank you for showing
how much you appreciate what Gio started for all of you. I send
my love and our Hugs and Kisses to you all.
Gia
***
To
her thousands "True Loyal Fans" who
keep the spirit of Jeanette's torch burning
brightly by sending pictures, stories, memories,
songs, lyrics, and other
treasured gifts to us, our Beloved Golden Diva's website has become a great
Tribute!
There is still more to do and to come. We send our heartfelt thank you to
everyone who has been so generous with their donations. With your love
and support to honor our lovely Jeanette, this website shall continue
to blossom, bringing the best of the Golden Angel.
Fans, now you can
send in
breaking news and comments directly to the JMDD Webgroup Club to be
posted!
***
TCM
JMFC thanks you for the years of
dedication to our Jeanette by featuring her movies. We look to years more of celebrating
with the world the Queen of the Movies.
***
June is La Dame Jeannette's Birthday Month
(Reposted from June 18, 2004)
La Dame Jeanette
by
Gio
This is what the world was cheering
about last year on Jeanette's 100th Birthday. Viva La Jeanette!
We Love You, Jeanette! You are our Queen--our Angel--our
favorite! And come this Friday, June 18, 2004, Jeanette
MacDonald, the Golden Diva of the Silver Screen, the Musical Stage,
Opera, Radio, Records, and Television will give us all another
opportunity to celebrate her birthday.
For more than 80 years, the world have
been enthralled by this gorgeous copper-red haired, sea-green eyed
star, sparkling her way across generations of theater goers, and each
person who has seen and heard her has done the same thing as millions
before them--fallen in love with her. Words have failed to
explain this Shining Stars brilliant, sustaining success for all these
years. Yes, it is true she has the world's loveliest voice, the
great sense of stage presence and acting, a phenomenal sense of humor
and timing. It go without saying, she was a raving beauty all in
a class of her own. She was the spirit in all of her movies, for
without her, the movies would never have been bright and shining,
alive with vitality and lavishing from one scene of her to another
without her great beauty. Take Jeanette away from San Francisco
and all you have are two guys in a heap of bricks. But with
Jeanette in it, you have the whole reason for going to the movie, to
see the true star of MGM and Hollywood. She is what made each
scene in the movies worth the price of a ticket, and during the
depression years, Gia and I have heard from many people who have told
us--yes, money was real tight, but it was worth every penny going to
see a Jeanette MacDonald movie. It was never a MacDonald and
Chevalier, or MacDonald and Gable or MacDonald and Jones, but a
Jeanette MacDonald movie.
And even when she discovered and
teamed up with Nelson Eddy, it was still Jeanette the audience was
going to see. How do we know this, because in 1937-38 Photoplay
magazine announced to the world that once again, Jeanette MacDonald
was chosen by the "PEOPLE" as their choice for Queen of Hollywood.
So, the record speaks for itself! So do the fans speak for
themselves! Jeanette MacDonald was the rarest of all Gems and
she sparkled into our lives forever and ever. It is not
surprising that Turner Classic Movies constantly play her movies.
Why not! The fans, especially the new generation is discovering
what we have known all of our lives, that there is only one Jeanette
MacDonald, and we have her in so many ways today to enjoy: records,
tapes, CDs, DVDs, VCRs, and ton of pictures and articles.
There are those who will try to cash
in on her fame and success, but we here at JMFC only wish to bring
you, free, the greatness of La Dame Jeanette. To our darling
Diva, Happy Birthday and another hundred more.
We pay tribute to our Golden Star with
humble, but grateful hearts...
As the world knows, Jeanette handpicked Clara Rhoades in 1961 to be the
President of her Fan Club; something no one else in the world can
say. What Jeanette and Gene told Clara on what to do in running the
Jeanette MacDonald International Fan Club is still locked in her
heart, where their wishes have been kept safely guarded all these years.
During the past years, Clara and Tessa have honored the JMFC Website by
periodically posting their Articles, Comments, and Thoughts, which
all of Jeanette's True Loyal Fans have delighted in (your
emails have shown this). Like many of Jeanette's fans know, the
two Presidents still love your support, and more importantly, are
steadfast in always giving you the real truth like only they can!
We can't predict the future; but, we here at the JMFC will be thrilled
for any future postings they send us about our Golden Diva.
These two Giant Jeanette Pillars of Trust have held in check for
more than four decades: idle gossip, fantasy wishing, false and
fictitious tales, and hearsay money-venture seekers.
We are forever indebted to them, and do realize that time weighs heavy
on one with each passing day. And with this thought, we send them
our love and appreciation, and thank them for all they have given the
world, the JMFC, and to their Beautiful Jeanette.
***
< SPECIAL REVIEW on JEANETTE, 1927>
Posted in the
THE HARVARD CRIMSON
THE AYE'S HAVE IT AT THE WILBUR
"Yes, Yes, Yvette" Succeeds "No, No,
Nanette, as Another Typical and Musical Comedy.
(WGN
Medical News Report Link (October 16, 2006) proves that JMIFC has
been right all these years about the impossibility for Blossom to
have ever been able to speak about Jeanette after she had her
stroke and had aphasia.
The
question everyone asks is--where was the tape recorder. There were
miniature, portable tape recorders in the early 1960s. Seeing that
writers and real journalists employ these devices when
interviewing a person, one would think that this would have been
done with any interview Blossom gave! But we have not seen or
heard of any such tapes. If there was, it would put many issues to
rest of anyone purporting Blossom spoke reams about many private
parts of her sister, Jeanette's life. When we ask for these tapes,
all we get is dead silence. As far a the whole world knows, there
has never been any tapes available to the public for literature
support for statements puts forth in books, journals or net
postings to help one believe that Blossom ever spoke to anyone
about Jeanette. If one was to take it one step further, why would
Blossom give a "tell all" to a nobody, no matter how old or young,
instead of to a national magazine who would have paid a nice price
for this "supposedly special "Exclusive" story?
It is
not the first time there have been "made-up" stories. Just in the
past few years we have seen Pulitzer Prize recipients for
journalistic reporting called on the journalistic carpet to defend
their stories, only to be proven fakes. There have been fakes
throughout the ages, and there are still well and alive today. So,
to all of those who wish us to believe the fables they write about
Jeanette, start with the TAPES of Blossom first. Without these
tapes for proof, there is nothing else believable, even if they
claim they may have hundred's of tapes of other people.
As for
Wikipedia, this site that has been proven not to be accurate or
factual, and many falsehoods posted there. Anyone may posted
statements which are basis or use any source in printed. However,
when the sources they use for support are not supported
themselves, it winds up in a vicious cycle. One fable chasing
another fable, until it snowballs into a bottomless pit, where the
real truth has been buried, and only a rash of writing that anyone
can makeup using other unsupported materials continues to rear
their incorrect fairy tales.
There
was a fairy tale that was placed out in the public that we were
suppose to believe. It was just one of hundreds, but in trying to
keep the record correct -- for further indication that Clara and
Tessa have always been correct, G.D. Hamann blog posted an article
stating exactly where Jeanette was during her concert tours, and
how another "so-called" source reported she was elsewhere is very
questionable. It is also interesting to know that Jeanette dislike
flying, especially back then. If our fans keep in mind, this
article was written when these stars were alive, you will notice
it states they were at least 350 miles apart. If this was not
true, both Jeanette and Nelson would have set the record correct
immediately. Seeing it never happened, they never had to, proving
we only hear fairy tales after they have passed on. It is sad to
think Jeanette is being used to make a buck for others.
Nevertheless, Jeanette's True Loyal Fans know better, and keep on
asking -- "Where are the Blossom's tapes talking about Jeanette?"
"1/1/1940 EHE Harrison Carroll
Hundreds of fans are writing Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy,
begging the stars to give at least one joint concert when they go
on their singing tours in February after New Moon is finished.
Unfortunately, this can't be arranged, not this year. Both
Jeanette and Nelson are booked completely and, never at any time
during their tours, are they closer than 350 miles to each other.
Looking at it commercially, there would be no point to a joint
concert, anyway. Appearing alone, the stars sell out every
performance."
We will
continue to respond to all of your comments on this issue, and
post when we have real, concrete facts, not just fairy tales.
The beauty and grace of Jeanette
still lives strong today around the world. She was more than the
greatest singer, the most beautiful woman, a true artist in every
way--she was also a true, devoted, loving Queen to all of her
fans. Jeanette cherished her adoring fans and made every effort to
bring joy to them personally, whenever and wherever she went. She
welcomed them with open arms at her concerts, social events, and
yes--by writing to them.
JMFC has written about her many
different times, and by all of the JMFC's fans gracious emails,
there is no doubt that Jeanette is still the Queen they love the
most. We know she would have been thrilled how you have continued
to visit this website devoted to her and if she was with us, would
have told you herself right here. We know this because her two
Greatest fans, Clara and Tessa, the presidents of the JMIFC would
have been right at her side telling her how you love her, as they
tell us.
June was a very important month for
our Golden Diva. She was born in June, met her true sweetheart,
Gene in June, and she married her beloved in June. Yes, June is a
great month for all of her True Loyal Fans to have a magnificent
reason to celebrate. So, let's do that! Let us join hands from
around the globe and make this June the best time of our lives.
TESSA
AND CLARA HAVE BEEN JEANETTE'S TWO GREAT PILLARS OF STRENGTH AS
PRESIDENTS OF THE "JEANETTE MacDONALD INTERNATIONAL FAN CLUB" FOR
MORE THAN 5 DECADES, WHICH WE KNOW JEANETTE WOULD BE PROUD.
MORE THAN 5 DECADES,
WHICH WE KNOW JEANETTE WOULD BE PROUD.
See What
William Holden, Randolph Scott, Jack Hawkins,
Jean
Arthur, Loretta Young, Rosalind Russell, Irene Dunne,
Ann
Todd, Greta Garbo, and other actors Said or Did...
What Two
Great Stars Felt About Our Jeanette ...
Jane Powell: "Her role model and
favorite actress is the lyrical soprano/actress,
Jeanette MacDonald."
Kathryn Grayson: "Kathryn and
Jeanette MacDonald
did become great friends. Jeanette became a mentor and anolder
sister figure for Kathryn." Source: IMBD
G.D.
Hamann's Blog --
"Every
Day Something New and Exciting!"
Mr. Hamann's sends his
gracious words to the JMFC...
"Thank you for your
kind words about the blog, and thanks for making the link. The
next time Jeanette MacDonald makes the rounds on the blog, there
should be a fair amount of new material in it, if I get lucky,
there will be enough so that I can finally do a separate volume
for Jeanette MacDonald In the 40's which means she'll
show up twice as often. Yours, G.D. Hamann"
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