Brigid Bazlen

Infobox actor
name = Brigid Bazlen


imagesize = 270px
caption = Bazlen in the trailer of "King of Kings"
birthname =
birthdate = June 9, 1944
birthplace = Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA
deathdate = May 25, 1989 (aged Age at date|1944|6|9|1989|5|25)
deathplace = Seattle, Washington, USA
othername =
occupation = Film, television Actress
yearsactive = 1958–1965
spouse = Jean-Paul Vignon
(1966–?) (divorced) 1 child
domesticpartner =
website =

Brigid Bazlen was an American actress. Although she made only three Hollywood films, "The Honeymoon Machine", "King of Kings", and "How the West Was Won", because all three remain popular films from the early 1960s, she is still remembered. Her career, and her life, were cut short by her death from cancer at the age of 44.

Early Life & Career

Bazlen was born Brigid Mary Bazlen on 9 June 1944 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Her father was Arthur Bazlen, a retail chain executive, and her mother was Maggie Daly, a newspaper columnist with "Chicago's American" (Chicago Today & Chicago Tribune). Maggie Daly was, with her three sisters, one of what "Time" magazine referred to as “the celebrated Daly sisters,” who were known for their writing and work in journalism, fashion and advertising. "Life" magazine ran two feature stories on the sisters with a young Bazlen appearing in the second. Columnist Maggie ("Daly Diary" in "Chicago's American"), the oldest sister, a one-time model was known for her lunch time Chicago fashion shows and as a radio and television talk show guest and TV show host. Kay, who worked in advertising with such people as Richard Avedon, became a Revlon vice president responsible for its advertising. Novelist and writer Maureen Daly became famous for writing "Seventeenth Summer" at age 19. Sheila, the youngest, who wrote a "Chicago Tribune" teen column beginning at a very young age, eventually went into advertising as well.

Bazlen was “discovered” in 1950 at the age of 6 waiting for a school bus in front of her house by an NBC executive. The network were testing for the then groundbreaking soap opera "Hawkins Falls, Population 6200" (which went onto become the first ever successful television soap opera) starring Maurice Copeland and Bernadine Flynn, and the executive asked Bazlen’s parents for permission to test her. Whilst her mother initially refused, she later relented and Bazlen won a part and became a regular on the show for two years, winning rave reviews.

The Blue Fairy (1958)

In 1958, Bazlen won the starring role in the children’s program "The Blue Fairy", broadcast by the independent station WGN-TV in Chicago on Monday nights (7.30pm–8.00pm). It was one of the earliest children’s shows to be produced in color. In the show, the Blue Fairy, played by Bazlen, lived in the “Blue Forest”. Dressed in a blue gown and diamond tiara, she also clasped a silver wand. At the beginning of each show, Bazlen, suspended by wires, would fly (as if on elfin wings) across the stage saying “I’m the Blue Fairy, I’ll grant you a wish to make all your dreams come true”. She would then sit on an oversized mushroom visited by creatures such as Tugnacious R. Jones, Myrtle Flower, and an old nasal voiced wizard (which were puppets designed by George Nelle and writer-director Don Kane), and introduced stories enacted by the Rufus Rose Marionettes. They also engaged in various projects which included constructing a popcorn machine that would not stop popping and making a sewing machine that turned out marbles. Bazlen won enormous critical praise for her performance (one critic describing it as “beguiling” and “mesmerising” and Hedda Hopper declared Bazlen “the Celtic Alice in Wonderland”) and the show was recognised as the top children’s program of 1958 winning a Peabody Award. Although "The Blue Fairy" could only be seen locally in Chicago on Channel 9, the Peabody Award it won brought it and Bazlen to national attention. Furthermore, the show also inspired Ernie Kovacs into doing one of his notorious comedy sketches where Kovacs (wearing a mustache, chewing a cigar, dressed in a blue gown and blonde wig, and holding a silver wand) flew across a stage, slammed head first into a wall on the opposite side, and was then left dangling lifelessly (in mock fashion) in mid-air.

Too Young To Go Steady (1959)

As a result of her performances in The Blue Fairy, offers poured in for Bazlen. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wanted her to co-star with Mary Martin in the theatrical production of "The Sound of Music", Otto Preminger wanted her for his upcoming production of "Exodus", and Paddy Chayefsky wanted her for his Broadway play "The Dybbuk of Woodlawn". Bazlen’s mother however turned these down and instead allowed her to take a part in the NBC TV drama "Too Young To Go Steady". The series starred Joan Bennett, and Bazlen played her daughter Pamela Blake.

The Honeymoon Machine (1961)

Through her role in "Too Young To Go Steady" and because she was “precociously attractive” (as one critic put it) in a very similar way to Elizabeth Taylor at the same age, Bazlen came to be dubbed “the next Elizabeth Taylor” and was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (who started promoting her as “the new American Bardot”). The first film she did for MGM was "The Honeymoon Machine" alongside Steve McQueen, Jim Hutton, and Paula Prentiss. She stars as Julie Fitch, girlfriend of Fergie Howard (played by Steve McQueen) and daughter of Admiral Fitch (played by Dean Jagger). In the film, Fergie Howard, a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, attempts to make an ill-gotten fortune whilst on shore leave in Venice by beating the roulette wheel at the local casino with the assistance of his ships brand new ultra sophisticated high speed computer (known as ‘Honeymoon’ — hence, the title of the film, "The Honeymoon Machine" — also reinforced by the fact that it ultimately ends up bringing two couples together in matrimony: the Bazlen and McQueen characters and the Hutton and Prentiss characters). In conjunction with Jason Eldridge (played by Jim Hutton), the scientist who built the computer, Fergie works out that the computer can predict which numbers will come up on the roulette wheel, thereby enabling him to place bets on those numbers and make the crooked fortune he is after. However, there’s just one problem — Admiral Fitch. The Admiral, Fergie’s ship commander, is staying on the floor below in the hotel Fergie is residing at whilst on leave. Fergie must pull off the scam whilst ensuring that the Admiral does not find out about it as if he does, he will be in serious trouble. Fergie fails. However, not only does he avoid a court martial, but he also wins Admiral Fitch’s daughter, Julie (i.e. Bazlen), as his new wife.

King of Kings (1961)

After starring in "The Honeymoon Machine", Bazlen won the role of Salome in "King of Kings", which also starred Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus. Bazlen’s performance as Salome came in for especially hostile criticism at the time, the ferocity of it being partly inspired by the fact that Bazlen’s selection for the role was viewed as “MGM dictated”. fact|date=July 2008 It is widely regarded as Bazeln's best role. fact|date=July 2008

How The West Was Won (1962)

Bazlen’s final film role was as Dora Hawkins in "How the West Was Won", a film about the history of the western expansion in the United States as told via the story of one pioneer family's history.

Later Career & Life After Acting

"How The West Was Won" completed Bazlen’s three-film contract deal with MGM and unfortunately her contract was not renewed following the criticism her performance as Salome received in "King of Kings". After completing her role in "How The West Was Won", Bazlen returned to Chicago where she appeared in many stage roles right up until 1966 when she gave up performing to marry the singer Jean-Paul Vignon. The marriage produced one daughter (Marguerite Vignon) but ended in divorce. Bazlen did return to acting briefly in 1972 by taking up the role of Mary Anderson in the NBC daytime TV drama "Days of Our Lives". After that, however, she completely retired from acting altogether. Her mother later stated that Bazlen just lost interest in acting as she grew older. Tragically, soon after moving to Seattle, Washington, she died of cancer on the May 25, 1989, aged just 44.

elected Film & TV Appearances

* Hawkins Falls, Population 6200 (1950-1952)
* Too Young To Go Steady (1959)
* The Honeymoon Machine (1961)
* King of Kings (1961)
* How the West Was Won (1962)
* Days of Our Lives (1972)

External links

*imdb name|id=0063353|name=Brigid Bazlen
*amg name|2:4717