Moviegoers comprehend her because the housekeeper in White Christmas, the nurse in Now, Voyager, and the crotchety choir director in Sister Act. This publication, choked with never-published behind-the-scenes tales from Broadway and Hollywood, chronicles the lifetime of a classy lady who introduced an collection of unforgettable nurses, nuns, and housekeepers to existence on display and stage.

Wickes used to be a part of probably the most major moments in movie, tv, theatre, and radio historical past. On that scary evening in 1938 that Orson Welles recorded his earth-shattering "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast, Wickes used to be ready on one other soundstage for him for a practice session of Danton's Death, oblivious to the havoc happening outside.

whilst silent movie celebrity Gloria Swanson made up our minds to host a dwell speak express in this new factor known as tv, Wickes was once considered one of her first site visitors. while Lucille Ball made her first television visual appeal wherever, Wickes seemed with her--and turned Lucy's closest buddy for greater than thirty years. Wickes was once the unique Mary Poppins, lengthy prior to an umbrella carried Julie Andrews around the rooftops of London. And whilst Disney all started developing 101 Dalmatians, it requested Wickes to pose for animators attempting to seize the evil of Cruella de Vil.

The pinched-face actress who cracked clever through day turned a confidante to a couple of the day's largest stars via evening, together with Bette Davis and Doris Day. reinforced via interviews with virtually 300 humans, and through inner most correspondence from Ball, Davis, Day, and others, Mary Wickes: i do know i have noticeable That Face Before comprises rankings of never-before-shared anecdotes approximately Hollywood and Broadway. within the technique, it introduces readers to a posh girl who sustained a outstanding occupation for sixty years.