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Pauline Wagner McCourtney was a contract actress with MGM in Hollywood in the '30s and '40s. She danced with Fred Astaire, flirted with James Cagney, blew a date with Cary Grant, and learned how to knit from Joan Crawford. She served as a stand in for Fay Wray, and was picked up by King Kong's giant hand in the 1933 version of "King Kong." A long career as a background glamour girl gave her a familiarity with such stars as Katherine Hepburn, Marion Davies, Joel McCrea, Gary Cooper, and Jimmy Stewart, and a working knowledge of the big studios of the time.Polly, as her friends call her, is a long-time Glendale resident, and is nearly 100 years old! She's sharp and lively, and a great storyteller. She'll be joined on our program by her good friend, CV Weekly reporter Mary O'Keefe who is currently helping her write her memoirs.
Come and hear tales of the glamour of Hollywood, from someone who lived it.