Talk:Patsy Ruth Miller

Personal Life
Spent a good deal of time this morning looking for verification on Miller's supposed affairs with Valentino and Nazimova, as suggested by an anonymous updater (in point form, no less; both "red flags" as far as I'm concerned). Could find no indication of either, and even found [], which, although a secondary source, quotes from Patsy Ruth Miller's book, explicitly states that Miller did NOT have anything more than a limited social friendship with Mr. Valentino. As for Nazimova, I've all sorts of mysterious stories attributed to her (foreign apparently equalled exotic in the 1920s) but cannot find even the remotest hint of Miller being linked with her romantically. I remember a few years ago reading a compendium of silent film actors' biographies (would that I could have it now or even recall its name!), one feature of which included the author asking one young starlet if it was true she detested Patsy Ruth Miller, the reply being something like "Of COURSE I did. Nobody liked Patsy Ruth Miller." I found this quite charming at the time and wish I could recall the rest of that book. In any event, I've removed both aspects of her personal life for dubiousness (and given that a website I rather trust overly defies the Valentino bit), both in content and manner of update (this may have been subtle vandalism). As per usual in my deletions, I invite anyone to post on this talk page (or MY talk page) if they know better. Wencer 16:29, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

The book you are referring to is Anthony Slide's SILENT PLAYERS - the quote is used in part for Slide's excuse for not including Miller in the book which was about as ridiculous as the book itself. Miller's own autobiography illustrates she had plenty of friends and I used to correspond with the young man who did the filmography for her book who told me she was a very friendly, talkative person. Obviously, nobody is universally loved. I stumbled onto the Miller wikipedia entry due to the Nazimova which makes the same charge and probably was posted by the same person. Maybe you can edit that page, too. I'm very tired of these people who keep posting rumors, usually gay ones, on th wikipedia threads and state them as facts. I just cleaned up the Madge Bellamy page who somebody apparently confused with Miller and said the very same thing re Nazimova when I have never read anywhere Madge Bellamy even met her much less was discovered by her or romantically involved with her!

Thanks mystery person! (Ted Wilkes?) I'm also always stumbling upon pages edited by those who have read a sensationalist, revisionist book from the '70s and '80s, written by an author either intent on blowing minds, or on interviewing some old, cynical actors who want to have some fun with the public before they die. I blame Kenneth Anger for all of it. I'll see if I can figure any of this out tomorrow..... Silent film is really a field in which sourcing can help everyone, as many books or authors are notoriously unreliable. Maybe Silent Film wikipedians could get together and try to agree on a few sources to unilaterally accept or condemn. Wencer 21:07, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

Totally unsubstantiated, but I once talked with someone who said he had known Miller's grandson / nephew, (I don't recall) who had said he recalled her as being quite demanding and difficult at times, reminding the family of how famous she'd once been. Actually she was never one of the big stars, her career consisted mostly of pictures like "Lenore of the Lions". I've seen one of her talkies and her voice was very good. She had a nice line as a flirtacious secretary who's boss fails to notice her: "I guess my "It" isn't working". --Saxophobia 22:24, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

I knew Patsy for twenty years+. She was demanding as a perosn and a professional. Her last film was MOTHER (1978) with Coleen Gray. I wrote, produced and directed it for them. Shot in Houston, Texas. It was an experience. Both are lovely ladies and nice to work with. Brian Pinette75.54.81.97 17:53, 21 June 2007 (UTC)damienrecords

Mystery Poster
Took out the lesbian reference AGAIN (same poster). Judging by the user contribs chart [] they're just running around posting each nutty rumour they can find, probably all from the same book or two. I'm going to leave a message on the anonymous talk board, and probably spend a lot of this weekend checking up on everything they've been massacreing the past few days. Sigh... Wencer 22:24, 17 February 2006 (UTC)

I've also removed a number of unfounded lesbian references from this poster, who seems as obsessed with Nazimova's insatiable appetites as a notorious poster at imdb.com is with Milton Berle's penis size. According to the Wikipedia poster, even Virginia Rappe had a fling with Nazimova. (GB)