THE FORTIES - Part Two (1946 thru 1949)

Statue of Liberty Pamphlet
Charm's Note says: "Feb 11, 1946 Bill & I"

Charmian with high school pal, Florence Ostling - February 23, 1946

Bill & Charmian attended an Exhibition of new paintings by Thomas Hart Benton,
who autographed this cover: "To Willy's daughter, Thomas H. Benton"
Chicago, February 27, 1946

Charles Wilimovsky and Thomas Hart Benton were longtime friends.

As young men, they were both enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago,

and they both had taught at the Kansas City Art Institute.

Charm with boyfriend Bill Leibfried, Chicago - 1946

Note by Charmian: "Michigan Ave, Grand St. Bridge,

 April 1946 - Bill took it"

Note: "Dad & Student, Art Institute, May 1946"

Note: "Charm & Bill, Mother's Day 1946, May 12"

Private William Leibfried's Dog Tag

Joe Louis, Compliments of Charlie's Rhumboogie Cafe, Chicago.
Charm's Note on Back: "July 27, 1946 with Flo, Frankie & Hank"

Chicago Times - November 12, 1946

No Man's Land

by Betty Walker

To people who think a successful movie actress must be a drug store blonde wearing dark glasses and a mink coat, wide-eyed, chestnut-haired Jain Wilimovsky is quite a shock.

Her unstudied warmth and naturalness silkily conceal the fact that she is playing the part of Lady Macbeth in the motion picture, "Macbeth," now being filmed by a company of local "cinemen" and women under the aegis of the Willow Productions of Winnetka, Ill.

The daughter of a well-known local artist, she "grew up in Guatemala, Taxco, Houston -- wherever Dad's painting took us"; graduated from the Goodman School of Theater, class of '42, and did part of her post-grad work selling hats in Marshall Field's millinery department. As a matter of fact, she "was doing ceramics in San Diego" when she received a wire from David Bradley, who is directing, acting in, writing the script, etc., for "Macbeth," asking her to take the lead...

Chicago Daily News, 1946 -- Pictorial: Filming Bradley's Macbeth

The witches' scene -- filmed in [Producer/Actor] Bradley's backyard [in Winnetka, Illinois] with the furnace ash pile used to give authenticity to the boiling cauldron. The witches from left are Jain Wilimovsky, Irene Elster, and Tom Blair [Director]. Marjorie Minsk is holding the reflector and 15-year-old Bob McKisson is taking a light reading. 

Left: For Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene the arches of Northwestern's Deering Library [in Evanston, Illinois] are used for a castle effect and, here, Tom gives Jain some last-minute direction. Center: At night in his bedroom Bradley cuts the film -- retaining only the choice shots. Right: The final step in the amateur movie-making begins as Bradley and Jain read their lines for the recording of dialogue in a rented studio. (Articles submitted by Warren Hartmann from his grandmother Julia Wilimovsky Hartmann's collection)

Charmian's Note: "Me 1947"

Production of "Call Me Mister" featuring famed

choreographer/director Bob Fosse, whose autograph appears on
this cover. Bob & Charmian were good friends in high school.

(See Amundsen Yearbook 1945)

Note by Charmian: "May 24 -- Matinee -- Swell fast

moving show -- slap stick in parts -- Bob darn good"

This must have been a great show: Also in the cast were the brilliant

writer/comic Carl Reiner and popular comedian Buddy Hackett 

Charmian with Jain's first child, Roark - 1947

Charmian - 1947

The 1947-48 school year would be his last term at the Art Institute of Chicago. After teaching here for 25 years, "Bill" Wilimovsky retired at age 63 and moved to California.

Bill at AIC - 1947

Note on Back of this Photo by Charmian:

Mother's "mad" crew -- shot in their one rare second of leisure -- Oakland - August '47

Al - Photographer & caller

Deno - Caller

Joe - Photographer

Martin - Salesman

Has - Photographer & crew manager & husband

Charmian - Manager

Mother - The machine behind them all

Note on Back by Dorothea: "Dotty & Has Scheneman -

Broke ankle April 24, used crutches until June 2. Used walking

iron until July 3 when Dr. Scofield took the cast off."

BOOKLET: San Diego This Week - January 13 to January 19, 1948
"Hedda" is Ibsen's portrait of an intelligent and talented but vicious woman of powerful personality, driven to destructive rather than constructive channels through the frustration of her age.

Jain Wilimovsky plays Hedda and George Tesman is portrayed by Hurdman Wiese. The production is directed by Caradoc Rhys.

San Diego Journal - Thursday, May 6, 1948 "San Diegan 'Macbeth' Star" by Peter Pinney
Monday evening in the Globe Theater workshop members and patrons of the San Diego Community Theatre will be given the opportunity of seeing, for the first time, a film version of Shakeseare's "Macbeth."

Jain Wilimovsky, daughter of Mrs. Dorothea Scheneman, 4429 Arizona, plays Lady Macbeth. She has been seen locally in the Footlights Theater production of "Hedda Gabler" and "Family Portrait" at the Globe.

The ambitious dream to film Shakespeare was born six years ago at the Goodman School of Theater, where Miss Wilimovsky met Tom Blair and David Bradley, working with them on the latter's production of "Peer Gynt"...

FILM BOOKLET: William Shakespeare's Macbeth - 1948
Back Cover: Jain as Lady Macbeth - Front Cover: David as Macbeth

Notes on Macbeth by William Leonard (Drama critic, Chicago Journal of Commerce)
"Macbeth," penned in 1606 and first staged in 1610, has had a career almost as checkered as that of the original Scottish chieftain who murdered his royal house guest about the middle of the 11th century and provided William Shakespeare with plot material.

One of the earliest productions, at Lincoln's Inn Fields, in 1664, with Thomas Betterton as the Thane, was a monstrosity in hippodrome style, with elaborate dancing and singing interludes, colored lights, complicated stage effects and a half dozen new scenes written by Sir William Davenant, the regisseur [production manager]...

David Bradley - Producer

In 10 years of movie making, David Bradley, who plays the title role in MACBETH, has been director, producer, scenario writer, actor, electrician, cameraman, prop man for upwards of a dozen motion pictures. All of this started back in 1935, when he entered the Todd school, in Woodstock, just a year after Orson Welles left. There, Bradley obtained his early motion picture training from Roger Hill, head of the school, who collaborated with Welles on his Mercury theater recordings of MACBETH several years ago…

Thomas A. Blair - Director

As director of MACBETH, Thomas A. Blair tried to impress his actors with the fact that "Like many writers of his day, Shakespeare's philosophy is applicable to the individual and social problems of this modern world." In this film version of the tragic play, Blair worked for a more intimate approach and projection of the complex lives of the 11th century characters…

About the Players
Miss Wilimovsky's talents were first evidenced in another form of theater art. At an early age she began making pencil sketches and water colors, sold a few at the Art Institute of Chicago, where her father, a noted artist, is an instructor. From painting and sketching she turned to ceramics, traveling extensively in Mexico and in the Indian regions of the Southwestern states, learning of the more primitive forms of pottery making.

Her early theater training was obtained at the Goodman Theater school in Chicago, where she acted in "The Farmer Takes a Wife," "Stage Door," "The Pillars of Society," and other plays. After graduation, Miss Wilimovsky acted in summer theaters in the Chicago area and in Texas, before turning to ceramics again and working in California.

Two days after receiving a telegram from Bradley, asking her to tryout for the role of Lady Macbeth, Miss Wilimovsky flew from San Diego to Chicago. 

[It's amusing to find Charlton Heston listed in the "Macbeth" credits as Costume Designer -- he did not act in that film, but he was still involved as Bradley's associate and supporter]

Jain & Charmian's friend, "Chuck" Heston, would go on to star as Mark Antony in Bradley's production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Director David Bradley appears as Brutus in this movie.

Bradley envisioned a series of films that would be freely available to high school students to enlighten them about the great works of literature. The advent of television changed all that.

Torrance Herald - June 3, 1948

Peckham-Wilimovsky Tell Wedding Vows Saturday by Mary Vonerahe

In a pretty candlelight ceremony performed Saturday evening in the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Peckham at 1518 Post avenue, their son Robert S. Peckham took as his bride the lovely Miss Florence Wilimovsky, daughter of C. A. Wilimovsky, noted Los Angeles artist... Given in marriage by her father, the bride was beautifully attired in blonde satin with matching accessories. Her costume was complemented by a beautiful bouquet of green orchids... Upon their return from a honeymoon at Yosemite National Park, Mr. and Mrs. Peckham will make their home in Torrance, where he is employed with his father's firm, Schultz & Peckham.

An article in National Geographic Magazine captured Wilimovsky's imagination. The May 1948 issue told of a Reservation in the Grand Canyon: "Land of the Havasupai - With 8 Illustrations & Map, 10 Natural Color Photos." This region has been home to the Havasupai for 800+ years. Bill arranged an excursion to the location, accessible only on horseback. It was quite an adventure for my mother, as well as for her Uncle Clint (Clinton Lewis 1890-1973) & Aunt Lil (Marguerite's sister, Lily Thompson 1891-1967) who accompanied them. In 1970, mom relived the experience when she brought me (Grady), my brother Chuck & his girlfriend, Wendy, to visit Havasupai (see photos below). It continues to be a popular tourist destination that provides income for the tribe that still lives there.

Here is a page from the May 1948 National Geographic article:
Mooney Falls in Havasupai. You can understand the scale by noting
the tiny figures of four people swimming at the bottom.

Bill's picture of Mooney Falls, September 1948

Wilimovsky's 1948 photo of Havasu Falls

A recent shot of Havasu Falls (Wikipedia)

22 years later, Charmian returned to Havasupai on a vacation with her sons (Charles & Grady), and friend Wendy

Charm by the river in 1970; Charles at the Havasupai village; Mooney Falls; Wendy, Grady, and Chuck at the base of the falls

Grady at age 15 in Havasupai

Grady riding horsebackward into the canyon. Photo by Wendy (Carpenter) Wallace.

Note on Back by Charm: "Daddy on way to 
Havasupai w/ Uncle Clint & Aunt Lil & me"

Charm on horseback. Her Note: "Supai, Ariz --

September 1948 -- Havasupai Village"

Bill's artistic darkroom wizardry. Note by Charm:
"Double exposure of side view of #1 falls & me just
returned from 8 mile trip to the 3 falls. Havasupai 9 '48"

Note: "Our horses in Chinle, Ariz --
Canyon de Chelly -- 9 '48"

Note: "Only one example of sheer walls of
Canyon de Chelly - 9 '48"

Note: "Canyon de Chelly Sep. '48 Witch's Pt." 

Bryce Canyon National Park

Zion National Park

Note: "Montezuma's Castle Cliff dwelling -- Arizona 9 '48

-- Wouldn't let me climb those ladders alone, either"

Note: "Our cabin for the night on North Rim, Grand Canyon - 9 '48"

Wilimovsky's image of the Grand Canyon: Apparently he left his tripod
there -- front & center -- so you can comprehend the scale (it's BIG).

Meteor Crater, Arizona

Charm with Doberman - 1948

Bill's Ex Libris Woodcut Print for newlyweds Lu & Charm - 1949

1945 Photo of Charmian that Bill used for the

above artwork. He flipped the image for his design.

Lu Lyda (Grady Luther Lyda, Jr) 

Wedding pictures of Lu & Charmian Lyda in San Diego, February 11, 1949
(Photos taken by Has Scheneman)

Charmian & Lu Lyda - 1949

The San Diego Union - Sunday, April 3, 1949
Vere Alward, left, and Jain Wilimovsky in waterfront pub setting from Footlights Theater's "Anna Christie," to be played Wednesday through Saturday at Roosevelt Auditorium. The play is a Eugene O'Neill prize winner.

The San Diego Union - April 6, 1949 - O'Neill Play Opening at Auditorium

Jain Wilimovsky is starred in the title role in Footlights Theater's version of "Anna Christie," Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize play, which opens a four-performance engagement tonight at 8:30 at Roosevelt auditorium… Miss Wilimovsky is a graduate of the Goodman Theater in Chicago and is remembered for her portrayal of "Hedda Gabler" in Footlights Theater's production of the Henrik Ibsen classic last season.

Pamphlet: San Diego Workshop Theater - Friday, May 13, 1949

ONE-CAR WEDDING by Seyril Schochen

Produced through special arrangement with the author

"... Mr. Shulz was not able to direct 'One-Car Wedding' during the final two weeks of rehearsal. JAIN WILIMOVSKY graciously consented to take over polishing the play…"

Besides stepping in for the absent director, Jain's theatrical career expanded into extra duties: The last page of this pamphlet (not shown) lists several "Help Wanted" positions for the production company and gives a phone number to contact Jain Wilimovsky to secure interviews for the jobs.

See the Next Part of the Story: 1950 thru 1959

To See the Previous Entry, Go To: 1940 thru 1945