Actress and writer Evelyn Keyes, who played Scarlett O’Hara’s younger sister Suellen in “Gone With the Wind” died at age 91 on July 4th. If you don’t really know or remember her it’s because she mainly played “b” parts in movies. Her personal life was more Academy Award winning stuff. She had turbulent marriages to John Huston, band leader Artie Shaw and Charles Vidor. She lived with the flamboyant producer Mike Todd for three years during his preparation and filming of “Around the World in 80 Days.” She played a cameo role in the movie and helped on publicity. He later called her from Caracas with this line “Listen, I have to tell you. I’ve fallen in love with Elizabeth (Taylor).” Hollywood who can figure them out? She definitely gave the tabloids juicy, juicy stuff.
Keyes gives an honest account of her love affairs and life in Hollywood in her book “Scarlett O’Hara’s Younger Sister.” Among her notable roles: as Robert Montgomery’s lover in “Here Comes Mr. Jordan” (1941), the Ruby Keeler role as Al Jolson’s wife in “The Jolson Story” (1946), and as Dick Powell’s wife in “Mrs. Mike” (1949).
She also starred in B pictures that were later praised by movie critics as prime examples of film noir: “Johnny O’Clock” (1947), “The Killer That Stalked New York” (1950), “The Prowler” (1951), “99 River Street” (1953) and “The Big Combo” (1955).
In a 1999 interview she said : “To become a big movie star like Joan Crawford you need to wear blinders and pay single-minded attention to your career. Nobody paid attention to me, including me. I was the original Cinderella girl, looking for the happy ending in the fairy story. But my fantasy prince never came.” Rest in peace.
