The newspapers have, yet again, handed me a rather bizarre bit of information regarding Agnes and Robert Gist. May 8th, 1956 in The Algona Upper DesMoines newspaper on page 22 there is a little blurb that goes like this:
"All hands were gleefully discussing a forth coming straw hat theatre venture to open its first summer stock season next June 4th at the Little Mill Creek Theatre of Hinsdale, Illinois. The incorporation papers list the stock company officers as: Sidney Blackmer, President; Ruth Birch, Vice President; Robert Gist, Treasurer and Faye Roop, Secretary.
Bob Gist and his famous wife, Agnes Moorehead, and Sidney Blackmer were busy lining up top Hollywood names and plays. The lovely, talented darling of newspapermen, Joan Fontaine, will team with Blackmer in "Kind Sir." Paul Douglas and Jan Stirling will star in "Born Yesterday." Dana Andrews is scheduled for "The Glass Menagerie.""
Well damn, now I'm really confused. This is the only mention I've found of this venture. The divorce rumor and speculation surrounding Agnes and Robert Gist was in every single newspaper beginning in 1955. This blurb leads me to believe that one of two things happened:
1. Robert did this and threw Agnes' name around to pull in some folks who might not have invested just in him.
2. The whole marriage was a charade and so was the divorce.
I have absolutely no further information on the venture and I'm throwing my rule book out the window because this entire 8 year stretch that seems to be the beginning, middle and end of a marriage has me more tense than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. It appears as though the search will be never ending!
1 comment:
It's official- trying to understand Agnes Moorehead's life will lead to more white hairs on my head.
So. Confused. 🤔
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