- Jessie Ralph, The Good Earth, 1936. Among those in the mix for Cuckoo from Pearl S Buck’s best-seller were Marjorie Gateson, Blanche Yurka and Ottiano (from Venice) (er, Italy), This was the only film with a credit for MGM’s in-house genius, Irving Thalberg – after his shock death at 36. His boss, LB Mayer, had told him: “The public won’t buy pictures about American farmers, and you want to give them Chinese farmers?” Thalberg, as usual, was right – three Oscars from six nominations!
Birth year: 1888Death year: 1942Other name: Casting Calls: 1