Spies and Nazis and Feuds, Oh My!

Rebecca Gossip!! Go see the film, this Saturday 7pm, Sunday 7:10pm

Laurence Olivier a spy? Yes, it is likely that Sir Larry was recruited by film producer and MI5 operative Alexander Korda to further British Interests in America and to help determine whether Churchill was receiving accurate information from the Roosevelt government. Mmmm, it just adds yet another layer of dashing to the Sexiest Man Not Alive.


Rebbeca the key to busting a Nazi spy ring? True! The key to the code that German spy John Eppler used was found in the English version of Daphne du Maurier's novel.  In 1942 the British discovered a copy of Rebecca on a captured German telegraph operator and subsequently broke the spy ring. For the full story, see  this article  about Egyptian national and Nazi spy John Eppler.

And our last item of the day is a tangled little web. Miss Joan Fontaine, who plays the Mrs. to Laurence Olivier's Mr. Maxim De Winter, is actually none other than the little sister of Olivia de Havilland, "Miss Melanie" herself. The two sisters, though they bear different names, shared a profession and a spotlight, being two of Hollywood's brightest stars in the 1940s. Sister Olivia had actually gained notoriety by playing opposite Errol Flynn's swashbuckling in 8 films. But the spotlight was perhaps not big enough for the both of them. In 1942 Joan and Olivia were both nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress...and Joan nabbed the Oscar. Rumor is that Joan refused to acknowledge Olivia's congratulations, and this slight was not forgotten. Their relationship became strained and continued to fall apart over the next couple of decades. Though both ladies are still alive, they allegedly haven't spoken in over 30 years.   Meow!!