Tag: women

“On The Basis Of Sex” and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Harvard Classmates

Working on a chapter about the film On the Basis of Sex which is a biopic based on the early life and career of Supreme Court associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg I came across this podcast that researched the other 8 women who were part of her Harvard Law School class of 1956. 

If you’ve seen the film (and you should because it’s good!) or read much about the Justice you’ll have heard the story of how the Dean of the law school invited them along with some male students to his house for dinner.  Then he asked each of the women in the class to stand up and explain why she’s at Harvard, taking the place of a man. 

Ugh! 

We all know Ginsburg’s career was such a skyrocket that it put that jerk in his place – but then some journalists thought about researching those other 8 women to see how their careers went – and they started a podcast about the women’s lives. 

I love finds like this!

Read more about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in the book series I am editing — Women Making History from ABC-CLIO.


 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life in American History (Women Making History) by Nancy Hendriks

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life in American History explores Ginsburg’s path to holding the highest position in the judicial branch of U.S. government as a Supreme Court justice for almost three decades. Readers will learn about the choices, challenges, and triumphs that this remarkable American has lived through, and about the values that shape the United States.=

Ginsburg, sometimes referred to as The Notorious RBG or RBG was a professor of law, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, an advocate for women’s rights, and more, before her tenure as Supreme Court justice. She has weighed in on decisions, such as Bush v. Gore (2000); King v. Burwell (2015); and Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (2018), that continue to guide lawmaking and politics. Ginsburg’s crossover to stardom was unprecedented, though perhaps not surprising. Where some Americans see the Supreme Court as a decrepit institution, others see Ginsburg as an embodiment of the timeless principles on which America was founded.

Related posts:

  1. Our New Book: Women Making History: Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Nancy Hendriks – Part of new series from ABC-Clio Edited by Dr. Rosanne Welch and Dr. Peg Lamphier
  2. Where’s Her Movie? US Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Maria Sotomayor – 14 in a series
  3. 20 Ruth Gordon & Garson Kanin from Why Researching Screenwriters (has Always) Mattered [Video ] (53 seconds)
  4. Women’s History Month 11: Myra Bradwell
  5. Quotes from When Women Wrote Hollywood – 15 in a series – A Team in Passionate Action: Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin

Where’s Her Movie? Gymnast, Dianne Durham – 22 In A Series

“Where’s HER Movie” posts will highlight interesting and accomplished women from a variety of professional backgrounds who deserve to have movies written about them as much as all the male scientists, authors, performers, and geniuses have had written about them across the over 100 years of film.  This is our attempt to help write these women back into mainstream history.  — Rosanne

Where's Her Movie? Gymnast, Dianne Durham - 22 In A Series

Dianne Patrice Durham (June 17, 1968 – February 4, 2021) was an American artistic gymnast. In 1983, she won the all-around senior title at the women’s US National Championships, becoming the first African American athlete to do so. She was Béla and Márta Károlyi’s first elite athlete in the United States, helping establish their coaching credentials outside of the state-sponsored program of their native Romania, and trained with Mary Lou Retton, who called Durham her “best competition”. After injuries and competition stipulations prevented her from competing in the 1984 Summer Olympics, Durham retired from competition in 1985. She later ran the Skyline Gymnastics school in Chicago.. — Wikipedia

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  1. Where’s Her Movie? Scientist, Valerie Thomas – 21 In A Series
  2. Where’s Her Movie? Activist, Mary Church Terrell – 19 in a series
  3. Where’s Her Movie? Fashion Designer, Anne Lowe – 20 In A Series
  4. Where’s Her Movie? Activist, Dolores Huerta – 17 in a series
  5. Where’s Her Movie? Sculptor, Selma Burke – 15 in a series

TikTok Response to comment from @itsmeimgarbage : Polly Platt [Video]

@drrosannewelch

Response to @itsmeimgarbage : Polly Platt ##screenwriting ##movies ##history ##women ##lastpictureshow ##film

♬ original sound – Dr. Rosanne Welch


TikTok Response to comment from @itsmeimgarbage : Polly Platt [Video]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Related posts:

  1. Have questions about the craft and/or business of screenwriting for film and TV? Drop them in the comments! via TikTok [Video]
  2. Screenwriting Question #3 : Act lengths in TV scripts via TikTok [Video]
  3. Screenwriting Question 2: Do Act Breaks Still Matter Even On Streaming Shows? via TikTok [Video]
  4. 05 Do You Know Who Wrote Your Favorite Films? from Why Researching Screenwriters (has Always) Mattered [Video] (51 seconds)
  5. Watch this presentation on “When Women Wrote Hollywood” for the Empire State Center for the Book [Video] (1 hour)

A Woman Wrote That – 28 in a series – The Birdcage (1996), Witten by Elaine May

This new “A Woman Wrote That” post is an echo of the Writers Guild campaign of a few years ago (“A Writer Wrote That”) where they noted famous movie quotes and credited the screenwriter rather than the director.  The difference here being that we will be posting lines from films written by female screenwriters.  Feel free to share! — Rosanne

A Woman Wrote That - 28 in a series - The Birdcage (1996), Witten by Elaine May

ALBERT

There’s no need to get hysterical. All I have to remember is I can always get more toast.

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  1. A Woman Wrote That – 14 in a series – The Birdcage (1996) Wr: Elaine May
  2. A Woman Wrote That – 25 in a series – Thelma and Louise (1991), Writer, Callie Khouri
  3. A Woman Wrote That – 11 in a series – Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
  4. A Woman Wrote That – 26 in a series – Fleabag (2016), Writer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
  5. A Woman Wrote That – 10 in a series – When Harry Met Sally (1989) by Nora Ephron

Where’s Her Movie? Scientist, Valerie Thomas – 21 In A Series

“Where’s HER Movie” posts will highlight interesting and accomplished women from a variety of professional backgrounds who deserve to have movies written about them as much as all the male scientists, authors, performers, and geniuses have had written about them across the over 100 years of film.  This is our attempt to help write these women back into mainstream history.  — Rosanne

Scientist, Valerie Thomas

Valerie L. Thomas (born February 8, 1943) is an American scientist and inventor. She invented the illusion transmitter, for which she received a patent in 1980. She was responsible for developing the digital media formats image processing systems used in the early years of the Landsat program. — Wikipedia

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  3. Where’s Her Movie? Actress, Maria Félix – 18 in a series
  4. Where’s Her Movie? Activist, Dolores Huerta – 17 in a series
  5. Where’s Her Movie? Educator, Salomé Ureña – 13 in a series

Dorothy Parker: Born to be a Star of Poignant and Pointed Word Play, Dr. Rosanne Welch, Script magazine, May 2021

Dorothy Parker: Born to be a Star of Poignant and Pointed Word Play, Dr. Rosanne Welch, Script magazine, May 2021

Mention of the name “Dorothy Parker” conjures up thoughts of New York’s famed Algonquin Round Table and the lone woman (though Edna Ferber and Ruth Gordon often stopped by) trading quips with the greatest male writers of her day. Few know that Parker pounced on Hollywood, following in the footsteps of many those male writers looking for a quick – and hefty – payoff. Parker’s second husband Alan Campbell (who knew she was married?) had heard the call of the West but her name in their shared credits cinched those extra 000s on their shared studio checks.

The imbalance of fame in their marriage lead to one of Hollywood’s greatest stories, one that is remade in almost every generation. But Parker lived emotional experience gave the story its birth. If you’ve seen any of the myriad versions of A Star is Born I believe you have seen into Parker’s heart as much as if you’ve read any of her poetry or short stories. All these writings share a voice dripped in sarcastic wit and word play used as brain armor to combat an ever-present tide of melancholia and loneliness.\

Star originally focused on an up and coming actress (Janet Gaynor) who falls in love with a partner whose fame is on the wane. Remade in 1954 for an up and coming musical comedy performer (Judy Garland) it was reconfigured for a rock star (Barbara Streisand) in 1976 and a pop star (Lady Gaga) in 2018. All but the latest version share the tragic concept that society couldn’t condone a woman more successful than her man. Parker’s lived emotional experience encompassed more sadness than her marriage.

Born Dorothy Rothschild in New Jersey in 1893, her mother died when she was five years old. Her father raised her with the help of a stepmother Parker disliked. In her late teens Parker, who was even then witty, wrote what she characterized as ‘light verse’ that didn’t sell – until it did. Parker’s reputation as a writer grew from writing for The New Yorker and then publishing Enough Rope, a collection of poetry, in 1926.

Her first marriage failed after her husband returned from World War I. Her second ended in divorce, remarriage and then Campbell died of a drug over dose. Her career largely never wavered, moving from magazines to screenplays, including Saboteur for which Alfred Hitchcock courted her contributions and counted them as so important he offered her a shared cameo in the film.

You can find comments about how Parker and Campbell worked together in S.J.Perelman’s published letters or in reminiscences of prolific (and also married) screenwriters Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett who had the office next door. It amounts to the idea that Dottie, as she was called by friends, did the bulk of the writing and character creation and Campbell did not. You’ll hear more about Goodrich next month! Meanwhile, it is hard to decide which cultural icon has become a more enduring and influential touchstone to the twentieth century – A Star is Born or Dorothy Parker.

Read Dorothy Parker: Born to be a Star of Poignant and Pointed Word Play on the Script web site

Read about more women from early Hollywood


Related posts:

  1. 26 Dorothy Parker and A Star Is Born from “When Women Wrote Hollywood” with Dr. Rosanne Welch [Video] (55 seconds)
  2. Celebrating the Female Screenwriters Who Came Before Us by Dr. Rosanne Welch — Script Magazine, March 2021
  3. Women Prefer Anita Loos: Celebrating the Female Screenwriters Who Came Before Us, Dr. Rosanne Welch, April 2021
  4. When Women Wrote Hollywood – 35 in a series – “A Star Is Born” (1937), Wr: Dorothy Parker
  5. Dr. Rosanne Welch Presents “Female Creatives & A Star Is Born” [Video]

A Woman Wrote That – 27 in a series – 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Written by Karen McCullah & Kirsten Smith

This new “A Woman Wrote That” post is an echo of the Writers Guild campaign of a few years ago (“A Writer Wrote That”) where they noted famous movie quotes and credited the screenwriter rather than the director.  The difference here being that we will be posting lines from films written by female screenwriters.  Feel free to share! — Rosanne

A Woman Wrote That - 27 in a series - 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Written by Karen McCullah & Kirsten Smith

KAT

But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

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  2. A Woman Wrote That: “It’s A Wonderful Life”, Written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett – 1 in a series
  3. A Woman Wrote That – 25 in a series – Thelma and Louise (1991), Writer, Callie Khouri
  4. A Woman Wrote That – 11 in a series – Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
  5. A Woman Wrote That – 24 in a series – National Treasure (2004), Writer, Marianne Wibberley

Where’s Her Movie? Fashion Designer, Anne Lowe – 20 In A Series

“Where’s HER Movie” posts will highlight interesting and accomplished women from a variety of professional backgrounds who deserve to have movies written about them as much as all the male scientists, authors, performers, and geniuses have had written about them across the over 100 years of film.  This is our attempt to help write these women back into mainstream history.  — Rosanne

Where's Her Movie? Fashion Designer, Anne Lowe - 20 In A Series

Ann Cole Lowe (December 14, 1898 – February 25, 1981) was an American fashion designer and the first African American to become a noted fashion designer.[1] Lowe’s one-of-a-kind designs were a favorite among high society matrons from the 1920s to the 1960s. She was best known for designing the ivory silk taffeta wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Bouvier when she married John F. Kennedy in 1953 — Wikipedia

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  3. Where’s Her Movie? Educator, Salomé Ureña – 13 in a series
  4. Where’s Her Movie? Physician/Author, Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler – 7 in a series
  5. Where’s Her Movie? Activist, Dolores Huerta – 17 in a series

A Woman Wrote That – 26 in a series – Fleabag (2016), Writer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge

This new “A Woman Wrote That” post is an echo of the Writers Guild campaign of a few years ago (“A Writer Wrote That”) where they noted famous movie quotes and credited the screenwriter rather than the director.  The difference here being that we will be posting lines from films written by female screenwriters.  Feel free to share! — Rosanne

A Woman Wrote That - 26 in a series - Fleabag (2016), Writer, Phoebe Waller-Bridge

CLAIRE

The only person I’d run through an airport for is you.

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  1. A Woman Wrote That – 25 in a series – Thelma and Louise (1991), Writer, Callie Khouri
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  3. A Woman Wrote That – 19 in a series – You’ve Got Mail (1998), Writer: Nora Ephron
  4. A Woman Wrote That – 20 in a series – Dirty Dancing (1987), Writer, Eleanor Bergstein
  5. A Woman Wrote That – 17 in a series – Father of the Bride (1991), Writer: Nancy Meyers

Where’s Her Movie? Activist, Mary Church Terrell – 19 in a series

“Where’s HER Movie” posts will highlight interesting and accomplished women from a variety of professional backgrounds who deserve to have movies written about them as much as all the male scientists, authors, performers, and geniuses have had written about them across the over 100 years of film.  This is our attempt to help write these women back into mainstream history.  — Rosanne

Where's Her Movie? Activist, Mary Church Terrell - 19 in a series

Mary Church Terrell (born Mary Eliza Church; September 23, 1863 – July 24, 1954) was one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree, and became known as a national activist for civil rights and suffrage.[1] She taught in the Latin Department at the M Street school (now known as Paul Laurence Dunbar High School)—the first African American public high school in the nation—in Washington, DC. In 1896, she was the first African-American woman in the United States to be appointed to the school board of a major city, serving in the District of Columbia until 1906. Terrell was a charter member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (1909) and the Colored Women’s League of Washington (1894). She helped found the National Association of Colored Women (1896) and served as its first national president, and she was a founding member of the National Association of College Women (1910) — Wikipedia

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  3. Where’s Her Movie? Sculptor, Selma Burke – 15 in a series
  4. Where’s Her Movie? Civil Rights Activist, Elizabeth Peratrovich – 5 in a series
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