Elsa Lanchester was an incredible chanteuse. The stories she would tell and funny British songs she sang were fabulous. If I could travel back in time, I'd go see her perform.
She's hilarious! I love her. She doesn't hide anything. I love the albums that she put out "Songs for a Smoke Filled Room" etc... this interview shows that side of her.... the playful, upfront, honest, brilliant woman she was.
No....she was certainly not honest...she was skillfully hiding the aberrant nature of her marriage to Charles Laughton...I will say though...she was truly beautiful, as a younger woman...even when she played a female "monster" she exuded sensuality. Why she did not receive more leading lady roles in Hollywood is a mystery to me...Sadly, she wound up bed-ridden for the last few years of her life, after suffering a stroke...She died in that home for Actors that is located in Hollywood...she was, however, worth nearly a million dollars at that time.
These interviews are wonderful. You would never hear a 'celebrity' today chat so openly and honestly for a full hour. Everything is so orchestrated and un-organic today.
She let herself gain too much weight to be considered beautiful...but she sure was charismatic. I mean, this woman had two Academy Award nominations, and won a golden Globe...she was a wonderful talent.
1970 was around the time of Ken Russell's film "Loves of Isadora" and there was a revival of interest in her. I was very interested in her comments about Isadora and was amazed to learn she was one of her "Isadorable" students. The kissing of the hand routine was something I had never heard before, many thanks for uploading this!
I have always adored this marvelous talented smart beautiful woman. I actually saw this interview of Elsa Lanchester on the Dick Cavett show years ago: I also read her autobiography "Elsa Lanchester Herself".
SHE certainly has , or rather had, a dellightful speaking voice. if only people spoke like that today, whether in england , america or anywhere else. god, education has become dumbed down, has it not? even though elsa left school at 13, she obviously became self-educated. she probably read educated newspapers like the london times. the lower classes today refer to the sunday times as The Fucking Times. the world is now a dirtier world. men who hang around men's toilets want to get married and adopt children. disgusting. even if charles lalughton was gay himself.
JOSEPH McBLOGGS men who hang around toilets? god, you're the disgusting one for thinking that's something a typical gay man does. this isn't 1950. why did you add that onto the end of your rant about the dumbing down of people, anyway? just makes you sound uneducated.
Blondie Mckenzie Aside from being a bitter, and hateful homophobe, you're hung up on class in the most despicable way. Best of all, with your air of superiority, and disdain for all current education, your writing and punctuation is a disaster, as is your lack of capital letters, and incorrect spacing. I can only conclude, based on the what you've written, that you failed to enjoy good schooling, did not read educated newspapers, and have a need to be seen otherwise. I feel sorry for you.
Joseph Preston I hear you. Just the same... Not all americans, or all of any one group of people, are that foolish. We don't think actors that speak with english accents are American, but thanks for that broad brush you painted us with. There are too many in the U.S. that are willfully provincial, though the same could be said of people in any country. Case in point, Blondie McHateful, and the global list goes on... I'm sure you already know this.
What a relaxed, unpretentious, enjoyable guest -- who had a great career and an obviously great bond with Mr. Laughton. Looking back at photos of Elsa Lanchester in the 1920's, 1930's, and even in this video from the early 1970's, I always thought she was incredibly cute. I mean, physically, really a cute pixie. She probably got a lot of attention in the old days. She exhibited a lot of humor and talent in many amusing character roles. She was, you might say, the Angela Lansbury of her era.
This is just amazing. Thank you so much for uploading it! 'You cover as much territory as you can in these quick interviews' - if only it could be longer, especially when she's talking about Duncan.
I think he was being tactful, and dutifully avoided the more controversial aspects of her life...her marriage to a gay man, and likely her affection for women...no kids, etc. She likely was busy being his "beard"...a very common thing in Hollywood, even now.
She’s hilarious as is her husband Charles Laughton in Witness for the Prosecution. The way they play off each other with a wink and twinkle in her eye. ❤❤
Self-important? She was famous for her movie roles, and known as a music hall comedienne who sang funny old bawdy cockney tunes which were made into an LP and singles. She was honest, witty, and talented. Can you say the same about yourself? No? Then clam up.
yeh but you have to take it as from one performer with an ego about another--per the wiki on Elsa "Elsa studied dance in Paris under Isadora Duncan, whom she disliked. When the school was discontinued due to the start of WW I, she returned to England. At that point (she was about 12 years of age) she considered herself capable of teaching dancing in the Isadora Duncan style (despite her own scathing remarks about her former teacher's style) &started to give classes to children..." at 12...
I miss class, wit and intelligence on television. That lady was absolutely delightful. Cavett is one of the most brilliant and personable interviewers of all times.
I would love to have heard her talking more about both her & Charles' experiences with James Whale. I'm sure Charles had some tales from The Old Dark House.
Hmmm, thank you for your good perspective on matching egos.....Duncan and Lancaster. Acerbic Elsa does present herself to have invented! I love them both. Isadora first and foremost, and I enjoy her firsthand account of dancing under/with her.
What are struggling to say? Do you like her or not? Was that an insult or what? Having sensed some tawdry, left handed spin I would caution you that given your poor manner of communicating ideas that you have not and probably will not ever be in this great ladies orbit.
There's a bit more of her on the Alain Delon interview segment of this same episode- you can also find that here on youtube. Beyond that I don't know of any other clips.
Since she was a pupil of Isadora Duncan, I was hoping that she would mention any impressions she had of the the great Russian poet Sergei Esenin, who was married to Duncan in the early 1920s.
Есенин совсем не “незаметный”. Исключением Пушкина, он самый возлюбленный поэт России. И мне всё равно, как Вы думаете. И кроме того, Вы самый не умеете на писать на английском!
He always had great guests, but not the sense or humility to not try to compete with his guests. Even as a child, I always found him completely insufferable. I just wanted to listen to these amazing people share their experiences and thoughts.
Cult? 1970's had funky fashion and decor! Elsa's career was during the 1920's to the 1950's with guest roles on TV shows in the 1960's to the early 1970's She started out in plays and also sang in British Music halls (UK's equivalent to US's Vaudeville -- live entertainment) venues and in early films.
whatever their sexual preferences, it's obvious that their marriage was not only convenient but also suffused with warmth, humor, understanding and mutual admiration. both odd ducks and an oddly good fit--
No, Elsa was definitely heterosexual. From my point of view, that was a sad side of her life. But when Laughton was dying of cancer, Elsa would walk up in the Hollywood Hills behind their houseat 1825 Curson just half a block up from Hollywood Blvd and across from the Wattles Estate. She would pick wild flowers to bring back to Charles. That was a sign of devotion and love. Like most couples, there were ups and downs. Charles Laughton didn't have appreciation for Elsa's taste in art and would remove, then sell art works that she had purchased and hung in their home. Laughton collected pre-Columbian art. Years after he died, she was at a Turnabout Christmas party in which I too attended. It was a grab bag party in which each person brought a wrapped gift and placed it under a sheet in the middle of the living room. Everyone sat in a circle around the sheet. Each person had a turn to reach in and pull out a present. I picked a small present that turned out to have been brought by an antique dealer. Inside was a pre-Columbian chicken head. I wanted it as a Punch and Judy enthusiast. I knew that Punch original name was Pulcinella which in Greek Commedia del Arte meant chicken beak for his large nose. Elsa wanted the chicken but I wanted it more. I kept it. Elsa was gracious and didn't insist. I still have my pre-Columbian chicken head.
This interviewer, who’s name I can’t remember, had a voice which grated on me ever since I first saw him. His banal monotonous delivery and tone laced with interruptive futile attempts at smart humorous remarks only served to bring the interviewees down to his uninteresting level. This style of interview is pervasive now, with the interviewees being reduced to mere props for these failed comedians.
@@curbozerboomer1773 I believe it has a lot to do with the fact that England was one of the first country to industrialize, had a very big working class wich went through the most terrible forms of exploitation, thus creating the ideal conditions for socialist ideas to emerge.
Wish she could be less witty and more insightful about what Isadora Duncan was trying to accomplish, but that' s the danger of being lionized as entertaining.
![Bette Davis on The Dick Cavett Show 1971, Nov 17th [complete]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jsKGXFuXbbo/mqdefault.jpg)
She seems like one of those rare people you could talk to for hours.
TBH on Dick Cavett everybody was like that. What a time and what a show.
I agree. She’s fascinating on so many levels.
She would talk for many hours.
SHE WAS BRILLIANT -
HE HAD THE BEST GUESTS !
This is the first time I've seen her in an interview. How charismatic and witty.
Elsa Lanchester was an incredible chanteuse. The stories she would tell and funny British songs she sang were fabulous. If I could travel back in time, I'd go see her perform.
She's hilarious! I love her. She doesn't hide anything. I love the albums that she put out "Songs for a Smoke Filled Room" etc... this interview shows that side of her.... the playful, upfront, honest, brilliant woman she was.
No....she was certainly not honest...she was skillfully hiding the aberrant nature of her marriage to Charles Laughton...I will say though...she was truly beautiful, as a younger woman...even when she played a female "monster" she exuded sensuality. Why she did not receive more leading lady roles in Hollywood is a mystery to me...Sadly, she wound up bed-ridden for the last few years of her life, after suffering a stroke...She died in that home for Actors that is located in Hollywood...she was, however, worth nearly a million dollars at that time.
These interviews are wonderful. You would never hear a 'celebrity' today chat so openly and honestly for a full hour. Everything is so orchestrated and un-organic today.
She was beautiful as The Bride and still beautiful during this interview.
She let herself gain too much weight to be considered beautiful...but she sure was charismatic. I mean, this woman had two Academy Award nominations, and won a golden Globe...she was a wonderful talent.
Talented and stylish but not beautiful
1970 was around the time of Ken Russell's film "Loves of Isadora" and there was a revival of interest in her. I was very interested in her comments about Isadora and was amazed to learn she was one of her "Isadorable" students. The kissing of the hand routine was something I had never heard before, many thanks for uploading this!
That film was directed by KAREL REISZ, not Ken Russell.
Yeah well what about 2022……3 words: Ida Celestia Pond
I have always adored this marvelous talented smart beautiful woman. I actually saw this interview of Elsa Lanchester on the Dick Cavett show years ago: I also read her autobiography "Elsa Lanchester Herself".
she is so refreshing. charming lady
When I was 13, I bought an album called Elsa Lanchester Sings Bawdy Cockney Songs and I still remember the songs from it. They are a lot of fun.
th-cam.com/video/DerARIX5pZI/w-d-xo.html
This is awesome!
Such an adorable spirit
Truly - its amazing the way she speaks of a world so long ago .
She is fascinating. Her voice and her diction, are fascinating.
Thanks to tv....no one has a unique personality or speech anymore
It's an educated English accent. No more, no less. Listen to the BBC.
Thanks for posting this. I find Elsa Lanchester so charismatic and witty in these clips. I love her stories.
Ms Lanchester raised the enjoyment level of every scene she ever played on screen. I loved the bawdy number she did called "When a Lady Hazza Piazza."
Damn, she was great. Real character.
I didn't realise she was English and a Londoner as well. An enjoyable and relaxed interview and she had a delightful speaking voice.
SHE certainly has , or rather had, a dellightful speaking voice.
if only people spoke like that today, whether in england , america or anywhere else. god, education has become dumbed down, has it not? even though elsa left school at 13, she obviously became self-educated. she probably read educated newspapers like the london times. the lower classes today refer to the sunday times as The Fucking Times. the world is now a dirtier world. men who hang around men's toilets want to get married and adopt children. disgusting. even if charles lalughton was gay himself.
JOSEPH McBLOGGS men who hang around toilets? god, you're the disgusting one for thinking that's something a typical gay man does. this isn't 1950. why did you add that onto the end of your rant about the dumbing down of people, anyway? just makes you sound uneducated.
Blondie Mckenzie
Aside from being a bitter, and hateful homophobe, you're hung up on class in the most despicable way. Best of all, with your air of superiority, and disdain for all current education, your writing and punctuation is a disaster, as is your lack of capital letters, and incorrect spacing. I can only conclude, based on the what you've written, that you failed to enjoy good schooling, did not read educated newspapers, and have a need to be seen otherwise. I feel sorry for you.
No, I don't feel sorry for you. Shame on you for putting down so many types of people, painting them with broad strokes of ignorance.
Joseph Preston
I hear you.
Just the same... Not all americans, or all of any one group of people, are that foolish. We don't think actors that speak with english accents are American, but thanks for that broad brush you painted us with. There are too many in the U.S. that are willfully provincial, though the same could be said of people in any country. Case in point, Blondie McHateful, and the global list goes on...
I'm sure you already know this.
I just read this was done in 1970. Never saw this before and never knew she was that witty and interesting
What a wonderful beautiful lady.
Dear Elsa is the most wonderful. She accepted Charles in a way nonone else would have. How they must have adored each other. ❤️
but did she accept Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and savior before she died? that is the question for all eternity.
"Are you enjoying your corpse?"....Love it!
She's terrific fun. I hope she was a nice a person in real life as she was here.
What a relaxed, unpretentious, enjoyable guest -- who had a great career and an obviously great bond with Mr. Laughton. Looking back at photos of Elsa Lanchester in the 1920's, 1930's, and even in this video from the early 1970's, I always thought she was incredibly cute. I mean, physically, really a cute pixie. She probably got a lot of attention in the old days. She exhibited a lot of humor and talent in many amusing character roles. She was, you might say, the Angela Lansbury of her era.
This is just amazing. Thank you so much for uploading it! 'You cover as much territory as you can in these quick interviews' - if only it could be longer, especially when she's talking about Duncan.
Wonderful interview. She's a gem. Elsa came of age in the 1920s , was a student of Isadora Duncan and the wife
of the great Charles Laughten.
The wife! Unless …
@@tommoncrieff1154 Whooops!
What a interesting woman she was 😊 so full of life and the interviewer was a total gentleman as well very classy
I think he was being tactful, and dutifully avoided the more controversial aspects of her life...her marriage to a gay man, and likely her affection for women...no kids, etc. She likely was busy being his "beard"...a very common thing in Hollywood, even now.
Wonderful. Great information about Isadora from one of the greatest actresses of the 20th century.
Elsa's 110 on October 28th!!! Brilliant actress and lovely woman, reading her biography at the moment- hilarious :)
More, I want more Elsa Lanchester and before this I would have said that I was simply a Laughton fan.
LOL!
She is utterly adorable!
she aged well :) always will be the bride of frankenstein
She was mentally together...but looked her age.
She’s hilarious as is her husband Charles Laughton in Witness for the Prosecution. The way they play off each other with a wink and twinkle in her eye. ❤❤
Love her she was also in an episode of the Night Gallery
What an amazing lady i wish i couldve met!
Self-important? She was famous for her movie roles, and known as a music hall comedienne who sang funny old bawdy cockney tunes which were made into an LP and singles. She was honest, witty, and talented. Can you say the same about yourself? No? Then clam up.
I wish I could hear more ! What a fascinating interesting woman !
love Elsa ,,,she was a great character actress and more......
She is fascinating!
This was a fantastic interview.
On both sides.
Dick Cavett was a genius
Very down to earth lady,not ostentatious like some of today's actors
Excellent points.
I love both Isadora and Elsa.
Love this Lady
they don’t make ‘‘em like this anymore,a beautiful lady
Filmed 1970....lovely lady.
what a lady :)
love her
Lanchester is my role model!
What an enchanting person she was. ROFL at 8:36!
That is a super intelligent woman!
Elsa Lanchester starred as the bride in The Bride of Frankenstein (1935).
yeh but you have to take it as from one performer with an ego about another--per the wiki on Elsa "Elsa studied dance in Paris under Isadora Duncan, whom she disliked. When the school was discontinued due to the start of WW I, she returned to England. At that point (she was about 12 years of age) she considered herself capable of teaching dancing in the Isadora Duncan style (despite her own scathing remarks about her former teacher's style) &started to give classes to children..." at 12...
A truly great lady - articulate, witty, talented and a personality that completely obliterates many of today's mass produced, overpaid prima donnas.
I miss class, wit and intelligence on television. That lady was absolutely delightful. Cavett is one of the most brilliant and personable interviewers of all times.
She was a good actress. I liked her in "That Darn Cat".
isadora's life was tragic to say the least
she deserved better
RIP
I have her portrait tattooed on me as the bride of frankenstein lol
Great woman!
I would love to have heard her talking more about both her & Charles' experiences with James Whale. I'm sure Charles had some tales from The Old Dark House.
@lbr1234 she played Katie Nanna in mary poppins right?
Hmmm, thank you for your good perspective on matching egos.....Duncan and Lancaster. Acerbic Elsa does present herself to have invented! I love them both. Isadora first and foremost, and I enjoy her firsthand account of dancing under/with her.
LANCHESTER!
What are struggling to say? Do you like her or not? Was that an insult or what? Having sensed some tawdry, left handed spin I would caution you that given your poor manner of communicating ideas that you have not and probably will not ever be in this great ladies orbit.
Well, don't forget her most famous role ..... "The Bride of Frankenstein"
her autobiograpy is so much fun...just like this only more so. ever hear her performances of baudy cafe music?
@cheeriosinabowl Elsa played the Bride of Frankenstein in the 1935 film. Isadora is the Founder of Modern Dance.
Cool, loved her In Bell Book and Candle
Somehow she sort of reminds me of Helena Bonham Carter, and I love that kind of energy.
Who would have ever thought that the 'Bride of Frankenstein' would be so charming?
I remeber the episode of I love Lucy she was in. She was hilarious and could do comedy too
There's a bit more of her on the Alain Delon interview segment of this same episode- you can also find that here on youtube. Beyond that I don't know of any other clips.
Oh how I wish there was more -sometimes Cavett’s attempt at glib wit go horribly wrong
Very cute. Like the bit about the boy's school. Sounds like she was a St Trinian's type schoolgirl.
The Bride! Gosh!!
Did anyone ever see her on an episode of I Love Lucy? Really funny.
She played a " hatchet murderous Evelyn Holmbly" as I recall. Great episode.
She played a " hatchet murderous escaped convict Evelyn Holmbly".
@@billross5084 she was not the hatchet murderous...but Lucy and Ethel thought she was.
Yes you are correct. And she thought Lucy was the hatchet murderess " traveling with her blonde companion".
@@billross5084 yes. We just watched that episode last tonight! 😂
Since she was a pupil of Isadora Duncan, I was hoping that she would mention any impressions she had of the the great Russian poet Sergei Esenin, who was married to Duncan in the early 1920s.
Есенин совсем не “незаметный”. Исключением Пушкина, он самый возлюбленный поэт России. И мне всё равно, как Вы думаете. И кроме того, Вы самый не умеете на писать на английском!
She's simply impossible charming...
She's such an interesting lady....would love to drink tea with her... ☕
talented like her husband
It kinda sucks being in love with someone that passed before you were born
Is this a reference to the Pond-Duncan Love Letters?
I would love to have her over for coffee
what year is this video from ? she died in 1986 I know
ISADORA DUNCAN FOUND IMMENSE INSPIRATION IN THE JOYFUL, IRREVERENT AND FREE DANCERS OF CAN-CAN, WHICH I TALK ABOUT IN A VIDEO ON MY CHANNEL.
Beautiful woman.
She's throwing off witty & esoteric one-liners left and right, and it's all going over his head -- an interview ruined by the interviewer.
Yes. She was (accidentally) running circles around him.
She is much a lady as not to out him as a dweeb.
He always had great guests, but not the sense or humility to not try to compete with his guests. Even as a child, I always found him completely insufferable. I just wanted to listen to these amazing people share their experiences and thoughts.
Isadore Duncan
Ha! As as child I often had to wear nasty clothes & it was horrible!
Whoa whoa whoa my name is isadora but I’m only 10 years old
*aside from the "...talks about Charles Laughton" one I think you've already seen.
The bride of Frankenstein
LOOK AT HER NECKLACE - listen to her story - whoa this is like a cult from the 70’s
Cult? 1970's had funky
fashion and decor!
Elsa's career was during
the 1920's to the 1950's
with guest roles on TV
shows in the 1960's to
the early 1970's
She started out in
plays and also sang
in British Music halls
(UK's equivalent to
US's Vaudeville --
live entertainment)
venues and in early films.
whatever their sexual preferences, it's obvious that their marriage was not only convenient but also suffused with warmth, humor, understanding and mutual admiration. both odd ducks and an oddly good fit--
No, Elsa was definitely heterosexual. From my point of view, that was a sad side of her life. But when Laughton was dying of cancer, Elsa would walk up in the Hollywood Hills behind their houseat 1825 Curson just half a block up from Hollywood Blvd and across from the Wattles Estate. She would pick wild flowers to bring back to Charles. That was a sign of devotion and love. Like most couples, there were ups and downs. Charles Laughton didn't have appreciation for Elsa's taste in art and would remove, then sell art works that she had purchased and hung in their home. Laughton collected pre-Columbian art. Years after he died, she was at a Turnabout Christmas party in which I too attended. It was a grab bag party in which each person brought a wrapped gift and placed it under a sheet in the middle of the living room. Everyone sat in a circle around the sheet. Each person had a turn to reach in and pull out a present. I picked a small present that turned out to have been brought by an antique dealer. Inside was a pre-Columbian chicken head. I wanted it as a Punch and Judy enthusiast. I knew that Punch original name was Pulcinella which in Greek Commedia del Arte meant chicken beak for his large nose. Elsa wanted the chicken but I wanted it more. I kept it. Elsa was gracious and didn't insist. I still have my pre-Columbian chicken head.
This interviewer, who’s name I can’t remember, had a voice which grated on me ever since I first saw him. His banal monotonous delivery and tone laced with interruptive futile attempts at smart humorous remarks only served to bring the interviewees down to his uninteresting level.
This style of interview is pervasive now, with the interviewees being reduced to mere props for these failed comedians.
The Bride of Frankenstein
cheeriosinabowl who?
Those glossy eyes.. 🍸 🍸 🍸 🍸 I'll bet she was a friend of Aleister Crowley
She had me at “my parents were socialists”.
I thought that most English folks were socialists; their system of government has a lot of socialist features.
@@curbozerboomer1773 I believe it has a lot to do with the fact that England was one of the first country to industrialize, had a very big working class wich went through the most terrible forms of exploitation, thus creating the ideal conditions for socialist ideas to emerge.
@@curbozerboomer1773No, the English are probably the least socialist country in Europe. They’re an essentially centrist people.
Wish she could be less witty and more insightful about what Isadora Duncan was trying to accomplish, but that' s the danger of being lionized as entertaining.
Her accent seemed american to me...because she left england and she became american
Cavett seems not to know quite what to do with her -- I think she's a little outside of his comfort zone. Too bad, I think she's fascinating.
He was in his early thirties here...she was from another generation in time.
She is so interesting and so wonderful to listen to. I never liked Dick Cavett
I'll always think of her as Henry VIII's German wife. th-cam.com/video/WgL9AlYzv7Y/w-d-xo.html
Unlikely as it seems , some people were not so conformist in the near past as they are nowadays.... I wonder why ?
She's delightful, but wearing a terrible outfit in exactly the wrong colour for her! Maybe it was to spite Isadora!