Sunday, April 19, 2015

Female Sidekicks

My Return to Grey Gardens post made me think about women sidekicks. I mean, Little Edie surely is the star of Grey Gardens and Big Edie her sidekick.

Famously, when I think on this subject (which, believe me, I'm oft to do), I remember -- first and foremost -- Lucy and Ethel. And after that, I really cannot think of a lot until Absolutely Fabulous came along in the '90s!

I suppose, Marilyn Monroe might have been Jane Russell's sidekick in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). Or was that the other way around?

And a case can definitely be made for Laurie Metcalf being a sidekick to Roseanne Barr on Roseanne (1988-97).  I'm sure there are a ton of sitcom women with their female sidekicks that I'm just not thinking about. Frankly, I don't watch a lot of tv.

Joan Crawford was Bette Davis' sidekick in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. And kick her in the side she did. Anne Baxter was Bette's sidekick in All About Eve (1950). Or was the sidekick in that film Thelma Ritter or maybe Celeste Holm?

Crawford had a number of sidekicks. Eve Arden in Mildred Pierce, for one. Judy Geeson in Berserk.
Diane Baker in Strait-Jacket. Debbie Reynolds' sidekick was Shelly Winters in What's the Matter \with Helen. Olivia DeHavilland was Bette Davis' sidekick in Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte

Can you think of others? Love to see your responses. Remember, this blog is interactive-friendly.

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