The Backlot Film Festival - August 17 to August 21, 2011

JANE WITHERS

Jane Withers, one of the most popular child film stars of the 1930s will be the recipient of the Backlot Film Festival's Thomas Ince Award at The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, on Saturday evening, August 20, 2011 and will sign authographs afterwards.

Previous Thomas Ince Award recipients include Mickey Rooney, Carl Reiner, Budd Schulberg and Daniel Selznick.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Withers by age four was the star of her own radio show in Atlanta as "Dixie's Dainty Dewdrop," where she sang and gave uncanny imitations of famous celebrities such as Greta Garbo and Maurice Chevalier.

Withers came to Hollywood in the early 1930s where she worked as a bit player in several films. She recalled that she was personally cast by W.C. Fields for a small role in his classic comedy, "It's A Gift" and they remained friends until his death in 1946.

Jane Withers' big break came in 1934 when she landed a supporting role in 20th Century Fox's "Bright Eyes" starring Shirley Temple. She remembered that she was reluctant to take the role of Joy Smythe a spoiled and obnoxious brat who torments Shirley. In the movie she tells Temple "There ain't any Santa Clause, because my psychoanalyst told me!"

Withers got rave reviews for her role in "Bright Eyes" and was awarded a long term contract at Fox.

For the rest of the decade, Jane was the tyke star of close to 50 feature films where she played a scrappy little tomboy, rambunctious and full of kinetic energy. Her lively vehicles took full
advantage of her talent for impersonating movie stars. In 1937 she was named one of Motion Picture's Poll's Top Ten Box Office Favorites (#6). Shirley Temple was number one. It has been said that she and Ms. Temple saved 20th Century Fox during thos depression years.

Her popularity was such that in 1939, she was able to get Republic Pictures to loan Gene Autry to Fox to co-star with her in "Shootin' High" where Autry played "Will Carson," whose family is engaged in a decades old feud with with the Pritchert Clan.

The 1940s saw a change in movie tastes. Darryl Zanuck let both Shirley Temple and Jane Withers go in July of 1942. She signed a three picture deal with Republic Pictures with lukewarm results. She received good reviews for her role in the Lewis Milestone directed World War Two Drama "The North Star" starring Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews and Walter Huston.

In 1947, Jane retired and married a wealthy Texas oilman, William Moss and had three children by him. They were divorced six years.later.

In 1955, she married Kenneth Errair, one quarter of the harmonizing group "The Four Freshmen." At the same time she met George Stevens at Film School at USC and he cast her in a supporting role in "Giant" starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. Other film roles followed including "The Right Approach" and "Captain Newman M.D." starring Gregory Peck and Tony Curtis. She was instrumental in getting Bob Newhart his first dramatic role as her henpecked husband in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour's "How To Get Rid Of Your Wife."

Tragically in June 1968, her husband of 14 years, Errair was killed in a plane crash in California. And sadly, Withers lost adult son Walter Randall “Randy” Moss (from her first marriage) on Jan. 15, 1986, just two days after his 34th birthday. Miss Withers often claimed, a strong spiritual faith got her through many personal challenges.

It was television that would turn Jane into a wealthy woman as a friendly household pitchwoman, Josephine, the Plumber pushing Comet Cleanser. She would guest star from time to time in television shows, "The Munsters," "The Love Boat," Hart to Hart" and "Murder She Wrote". She has done voice-over work for Disney's Animated Features and has appeared for television interviews and convention signings.

She has three warehouses filled with movie memorbilia and a huge doll collection . In her doll collection is Franklin Roosevelt's Teddy Bear, (which he gave her.)

Currently, she is writing four books and claims that she is best inspired in the wee hours of the morning.


	HISTORY AND INCE AWARD The Backlot Film Festival was founded in 2004 by writer/producer Ross Hawkins to pay tribute to the rich motion picture history in Culver City and LA's Westside. The first Backlot Film Festival was held at West Los Angeles College because a portion of the campus was used by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios until 1967. The two motion picture and television studios in Culver City, (Sony Pictures Entertainment and The Culver Studios) were both built by pioneer filmmaker Thomas H. Ince. Ince is mainly remembered for the mysterious circumstances of his death and it is forgotten that he built three major studios, produced and directed thousands of films and created the studio system still in existence today.
	JANE WITHERS Jane Withers, one of the most popular child film stars of the 1930s will be the recipient of the Backlot Film Festival's Thomas Ince Award at The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, on Saturday evening, August 20, 2011 and will sign authographs afterwards. Previous Thomas Ince Award recipients include Mickey Rooney, Carl Reiner, Budd Schulberg and Daniel Selznick. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Withers by age four was the star of her own radio show in Atlanta as "Dixie's Dainty Dewdrop," where she sang and gave uncanny imitations of famous celebrities such as Greta Garbo and Maurice Chevalier. Withers came to Hollywood in the early 1930s where she worked as a bit player in several films. She recalled that she was personally cast by W.C. Fields for a small role in his classic comedy, "It's A Gift" and they remained friends until his death in 1946. Jane Withers' big break came in 1934 when she landed a supporting role in 20th Century Fox's "Bright Eyes" starring Shirley Temple. She remembered that she was reluctant to take the role of Joy Smythe a spoiled and obnoxious brat who torments Shirley. In the movie she tells Temple "There ain't any Santa Clause, because my psychoanalyst told me!" Withers got rave reviews for her role in "Bright Eyes" and was awarded a long term contract at Fox. For the rest of the decade, Jane was the tyke star of close to 50 feature films where she played a scrappy little tomboy, rambunctious and full of kinetic energy. Her lively vehicles took full advantage of her talent for impersonating movie stars. In 1937 she was named one of Motion Picture's Poll's Top Ten Box Office Favorites (#6). Shirley Temple was number one. It has been said that she and Ms. Temple saved 20th Century Fox during thos depression years. Her popularity was such that in 1939, she was able to get Republic Pictures to loan Gene Autry to Fox to co-star with her in "Shootin' High" where Autry played "Will Carson," whose family is engaged in a decades old feud with with the Pritchert Clan. The 1940s saw a change in movie tastes. Darryl Zanuck let both Shirley Temple and Jane Withers go in July of 1942. She signed a three picture deal with Republic Pictures with lukewarm results. She received good reviews for her role in the Lewis Milestone directed World War Two Drama "The North Star" starring Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews and Walter Huston. In 1947, Jane retired and married a wealthy Texas oilman, William Moss and had three children by him. They were divorced six years.later. In 1955, she married Kenneth Errair, one quarter of the harmonizing group "The Four Freshmen." At the same time she met George Stevens at Film School at USC and he cast her in a supporting role in "Giant" starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. Other film roles followed including "The Right Approach" and "Captain Newman M.D." starring Gregory Peck and Tony Curtis. She was instrumental in getting Bob Newhart his first dramatic role as her henpecked husband in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour's "How To Get Rid Of Your Wife." Tragically in June 1968, her husband of 14 years, Errair was killed in a plane crash in California. And sadly, Withers lost adult son Walter Randall “Randy” Moss (from her first marriage) on Jan. 15, 1986, just two days after his 34th birthday. Miss Withers often claimed, a strong spiritual faith got her through many personal challenges. It was television that would turn Jane into a wealthy woman as a friendly household pitchwoman, Josephine, the Plumber pushing Comet Cleanser. She would guest star from time to time in television shows, "The Munsters," "The Love Boat," Hart to Hart" and "Murder She Wrote". She has done voice-over work for Disney's Animated Features and has appeared for television interviews and convention signings. She has three warehouses filled with movie memorbilia and a huge doll collection . In her doll collection is Franklin Roosevelt's Teddy Bear, (which he gave her.) Currently, she is writing four books and claims that she is best inspired in the wee hours of the morning.

	THOMAS INCE Biography read more		JANE WITHERS Biography read more

	MICKEY ROONEY Biography read more		CARL REINER Biography read more

	BUDD SCHULBERG Biography read more		DANIEL SELZNICK Biography read more

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