Here in the Hills

Sunday, June 16, 2013

maxine

I always seem to be writing about dear friends or family who have just died.

I guess it is a sign of the age I am at.....Well, I apologize for being the bearer of bad tidings.....again, but I just need to write about Maxine.

My good and dear friend for 51 years, the adorable Maxine Stuart died early Thursday morning, June 6th...(The Anniversary of my brothers death....)

She was an "Original".....I've known lots of people in my life and I think Maxine was the most unique person, in every way, that I have ever known.

A truly exceptional actress.....a very funny and fun loving person, who's second act, her 30 year marriage to David Shaw, was probably the greatest joy of her life.

Maxine would have turned 95 on June 28th---her Birthday was one day after mine, and over the years we celebrated our Birthdays together many many times......
She was here for my 80th Birthday, and she had the best time.
And everyone had a great time with her, too. Betty's then 15 year old granddaughter, Maddy, fell in love with dear Maxine---then just 93....That says a lot about how current she was even though in her early 90's! Full of life and always having great enthusiasm for just about everything!

I met Maxine in the late summer-early Fall of 1962. Theatre West was where we met.....I was a fairly new member---I had been there about 7 weeks or so and really wasn't sure what I was doing there....It was a very very small group at that point----maybe 30 or 35 people, at the most----And Maxine was one of the 'founding' members.

Joyce Van Patten (also a 'founding' member), called me and asked me would I be willing to work on a mailing---they were going to do an 'invited' audience weekend of "Spoon River", 40 minutes of which had just been done on the Monday Workshop. I was bowled over by it......I jumped at the chance. I was happy to be asked to do anything....(The following day Charles Aidman called me---he was the Actor Director Adapter of "Spoon River" and asked me to participate as a singer----beginning one of the most exciting and creative collaborations of my life....) The "mailing" was at Maxine's apartment in Westwood, near UCLA, and there was just the three of us Maxine, Hanna, and me. That was the first time I actually talked to each of them, and oh, what fun we had together that 'mailing' day---we laughed a lot!
I've written a lot about Hanna in the past, especially when she died.....Below, from right to left; Maxine, Hanna and Norma Connolly....At someones Birthday lunch---I don't remember the year---but I think it was some time in the mid 1980's.

Maxine and Hanna were very very good friends, and that day of the 'mailing' was the beginning of two very important and treasured friendships for me, both of which continued till the day each of them died......

The last time I saw Maxine was at my "Ladies Who Lunch" celebrating Halloween, 2012.

It was so great to have her here.....a real treat in every way, for all of us. She was so much fun....And she had a wonderful time. She enjoyed every minute of it and told us all so, any number of times during the afternoon. I was so happy that she was happy.

Here below, is a link to her Obituary, which was in the Los Angeles Times, on Wednesday, June 12th.

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-passings-20130612,0,4023039.story

I wrote a post about Maxine and her daughter Chris Maxwell about seven years ago, showing some pictures that I had taken of the two of them, in 1978.

And in that post, I talked a lot about Maxine and what a unique person she was, and also about her specialness as an actress. One of the great and really memorable TV shows she did was one of the more famous "Twilight Zone" episodes called "EYE OF THE BEHOLDER". I wrote about that, too. Here is the link to that post.
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=18631779#editor/target=post;postID=114678177267163133;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=7;src=postname
A wonderful highight for Maxine and for all of us who loved her was an Emmy Nomination as a Guest Actress in "The Wonder Years", I think that was 1989.

Maxine was such a talented and inventive actress---very brave and deliciously daring, too.
I saw her play Amanda Wingfield in "The Glass Menagerie" on stage here in Los Angeles, and she was brilliant!
I think that was her very favorite part throughout her long and wonderful career!
Dear Dear Maxine.....you will be missed by all of us who were touched by you and your specialness.
I miss you already, my dear old friend.

More To Come........

Note: Here is a link to the wonderful NY Times Obit, appearing today, June 18th, 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/18/arts/television/maxine-stuart-94-dies-acted-on-stage-film-and-tv.html?ref=obituaries&_r=0

15 Comments:

Ileana had this to say:: I'm sorry you lost another good friend and fellow actress. I remember seeing her face many times, both on TV and in your celebrations. She looked like such fun in your photos. I'm sure she'll be missed and always remembered. Hugs from Miami...♥; Sunday, June 16, 2013 at 12:14:00 PM PDT
Arkansas Patti had this to say:: I am so sorry you have lost yet another friend. I do remember her from your party.
It is a tribute to you that you keep your friends in your life for such a long time.
The saddest part of aging is not the frailties or pains, but the losing of family and friends. Just not fair.; Sunday, June 16, 2013 at 5:40:00 PM PDT
VV had this to say:: I remember those posts about her. You should print out all the years of your blog so your memories of her, and others, will help them all live on. Your memories, stories, and pictures are very precious. I am grateful that I found your blog all those years ago, but sad, that you have lost another good friend. My condolences.; Sunday, June 16, 2013 at 7:58:00 PM PDT
DesLily had this to say:: I am so sorry for your loss Naomi. Sometimes I think Hell has nothing on "living to a ripe old age" and having to live thru loosing family and friends.
I wish I could give you a long hug even if it can't be of help...I hope you know the friends you've made in "real live" and "computer life" care how you feel..*hugs*; Monday, June 17, 2013 at 7:29:00 AM PDT
Riot Kitty had this to say:: Big hugs to you! I am sorry, that's a huge loss. I am so glad, though, that you had such good friends for so long.; Monday, June 17, 2013 at 6:27:00 PM PDT
Diane J Standiford had this to say:: As sad as such losses are, I would take great comfort to know many of your friends are 'in the archives.' Their craft seen by many for years to come. I find comfort in that thought. You have been blessed with such good friends. Thank you for sharing your love of them.; Monday, June 17, 2013 at 7:41:00 PM PDT
Vagabonde had this to say:: It seems I have been away from the computer for so long, apart for writing my last post. I went back and listened to your song “In my Father’s House” - so melodious and beautiful and your voice sounds terrific, soft and with so much feeling – I loved it.
I am so sorry about the tragedy with your gardener’s helper – how sad and stressful for all.
I saw a special on Hummingbirds on TV a couple of nights ago and though about you – they are amazing birds – your photos of them are so pretty.
I missed watching the Best Years of our Lives as we were traveling but I’ll try to see it when they play it next – I remember some of it from watching it in Paris with my dad.
I remember Maxine from your blog. I am very sad that she passed away. It is hard to see good friends go. When we went to San Francisco we knew so many of our friends would be gone because they had been older than us when we lived there, but we remember them well. Losing friends is indeed one of the sad parts of getting old.; Monday, June 17, 2013 at 7:59:00 PM PDT
Lynn had this to say:: What a lovely, wonderful lady - I know her face from TV. (The Young and the Restless is a guilty pleasure, and I remember her from the show when she was on.) I will read your past posts when I get a break in my work day today. This was a lovely tribute to your friend.; Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 3:19:00 AM PDT
LL Cool Joe had this to say:: Oh dear I'm so sorry. I remember Maxine from your blog too not on TV though I'm afraid. You have had so many wonderful friends it must be devastating to lose them. At least you have all these wonderful photos and memories.

I'm really thinking of you at this time. Losing someone you love is so hard.; Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 9:12:00 AM PDT
sonia a. mascaro had this to say:: Oh my dear Naomi, I'm so sorry you lost your good friend Maxine. I remember well Maxine from your party "Ladies Who Lunch" celebrating Halloween. I remember too the post you did with
Maxine and her daughter.
This post was a lovely tribute to your dear friend and great actress.
Many hugs to you.; Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 12:37:00 PM PDT
Janet had this to say:: I'm very sorry to hear about your friend Maxine...what lovely hair she had!; Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 7:37:00 AM PDT
Pat had this to say:: I know how sad you must feel Naomi.
I dread anything happening to my one remaining close friend Joy, who lives nearby.
The only comfort is there will be lots of loving faces when one reaches the other side.
What a shock to read of James Gandolfini dying in Rome aged 51.; Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 8:07:00 AM PDT
Nikki - Notes of Life had this to say:: I'm sorry for your loss. What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman :); Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 3:03:00 PM PDT
Lydia had this to say:: Hugs and prayers in this difficult time.; Friday, June 21, 2013 at 5:29:00 PM PDT
Jeanie had this to say:: I remember Maxine Stewart. It is hard to be older and see our friends die, isn't it. I'm so sorry for your loss.; Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 9:29:00 AM PDT