Friends of Betty MacDonald

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Topic: New Photos of Betty

Last Reply: Jul 27, 2010 10:33 PM

Joined: Jul, 2009

Aug 04, 2009, 7:37 PM

4692

Hi all, followed Linda's lead and looked up Life Magazine on web. Typed in Betty Macdonald in title seach and 9 photos came uo taken during a promo shoot on Vashon. One group one shows Joan dancing,with Betty smiling in the corner and Sydney sitting in the chair. Has to be Sydney with the ever present cigarette in her hand! The others I would imagine are Mary, Jim and their daughters. Don of course, and Anne sitting on the floor. What a wonderful picture thanks Linda for the tip.

debbies

Joined: Jul, 2005

Location: Northern California

Occupation: Vagabond

Oct 05, 2009, 6:31 PM	4774
Well, they aren't really "new" photos to us, Eleni, but certainly worth looking at again. It was fun to see (in person) that bathroom where the girls were washing their hair! I'm including the link here for everyone. Go to the bottom of the page to see all the great photos. Enjoy! http:/ / www.life.com/ search/ ?q0=betty+macdonald& x=0& y=0

Anne Duke

Joined: Jan, 2010

Jan 03, 2010, 7:37 PM	4906
Thank you so much for passing on this site of photos. The only one I'd ever seen was the one on the dust jacket of The Egg and I.

LouiseC

Joined: Jan, 2010

Location: Perth, Australia

Occupation: counsellor

Jan 03, 2010, 10:04 PM

4907

Hello everyone, I'd like to introduce myself - as a very long-time reader of first Betty's books, and then Mary's. My mother intoduced me to 'The Egg and I' - a penguin edition, I believe - when I was about 12 in 1966, and together we found all of the others in secondhand bookstores. I can still remember loving Betty's descriptions and wishing that I was a member of such a happy-go-lucky family. Fancy being allowed to disappear to friends' homes for days or weeks without even TELLING anyone! And to have a 'Gammy' who wore her corset upsidedown! Bob seemed to be handsome. clever, and somewhat elusive...Mary dynamic, and probably a hard act to follow. Oh, the family seemed so close, and real. MUCH more exotic than my own family where everything was rather ordered, and noone came to dinner, let alone by candlelight because the electricity had been cut off... in fact, the family reminds me of Gerald Durrell's in 'My Family and other animals' - similiar freedom and eccentricity.

I was delighted to find this website, and check out photos and articles which add depth to Betty's works. However I've trawled through old postings and find I am quite intrigued at the 'stories behind the story'. Is there any more information on Betty's actual marriage to Bob? Where was it celebrated? Betty never mentioned Gammy's death in any detail(although there is a fleeting reference to Sydney speaking about it in 'Anybody' and also 'Plague' and I see a recent posting on a newspaper orbit - was she still living with the family when she passed away? Did Sydney go back to the family home after the war? I look forward to more postings - happy new year!

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jan 03, 2010, 11:01 PM	4908
Lousie, I am John, the Media Coordinator for FOBM,welcome to our little nest. As you read though past posts you will discover alot of great things about Betty, Mary and the rest of the Bard family. If you have questions please, don't hesitate to ask. John

johnftwa48in

Joined: Feb, 2005

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jan 03, 2010, 11:02 PM	4909
Anne, keep looking as in the following months more pictures, some never before been seen outside of the family, will be shared with one and all.

debbies

Joined: Jul, 2005

Location: Northern California

Occupation: Vagabond

Jan 04, 2010, 1:10 AM	4910
Welcome Anne & Louise! As John has said, we will be adding new features and "goodies" in 2010. So please stayed tuned and don't forget to check out the Resources section of the web site. It has some really fun video and audio clips of Betty! Again, WELCOME!

debbies

Joined: Jul, 2005

Location: Northern California

Occupation: Vagabond

Jan 04, 2010, 1:23 AM

4911

To answer your questions, Louise, Gammy had moved in with her niece, and died there. I believe that was in Boulder, Colorado. Kind of ironic, as that is where Betty was born! As for Bob and Betty's marriage, they were wed in Seattle in 1927. I'm not sure I would use the word "celebrated" to describe their union, but it did produce two lovely daughters and fodder for a best selling book, so we celebrate that aspect of it! I have to admit, The Egg and I never gets old for me. I have read it several times, and always enjoy it. Does anyone else find that's true?

RicktheLibrarian

Joined: Jan, 2009

May 04, 2010, 9:15 PM	4998
I've read it uncounted times and enjoy it as much as I did the first time! :)

LouiseC

Joined: Jan, 2010

Location: Perth, Australia

Occupation: counsellor

Jun 05, 2010, 11:43 PM

5026

Hi debbies! thanks for your reply some time ago - I've been busy, and have not had time to come back and visit here! Maybe my wording wasn't very clear - by 'celebrated' I was asking: where did Betty and Bob get married? was it a church, or a registry office? Are there any photos of their wedding? I know they must have had some sort of ceremony, because Betty refers to various wedding presents which they traded for more usable items! in 'The Egg and I'.

debbies

Joined: Jul, 2005

Location: Northern California

Occupation: Vagabond

Jul 27, 2010, 10:33 PM

5035

Louise - Thanks for your posts! We have to remember that Betty's books are merely based on events in her life, and not take them too [pardon the pun] ... literally! It seems Betty and Bob were married in a justice of the peace's office in Seattle, no big wedding, per se. Personally, I think Betty blended elements of both her weddings and marriages into "Egg." For instance, I have a theory (unverified) that she and DON went to Victoria, B.C. for their honeymoon, and not she and Bob. Anyone care to chime in on that theory?

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