1930's in Canada // Interview

Interview with Deanna Durbin

Deanna Durbin, Winnipeg’s Sweetheart, has graciously allowed us, the Winnipeg Free Press, one last interview.  Ms. Durbin was a popular singer/actress in the 1930’s and 40’s.  Her popularity rivalled Shirley Temple and, in her 1936 audition for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, she preformed with Judy Garland.  However, Garland got the contract with MGM – and quite possibly by mistake.  Legend has it that Louis B. Mayer, the studio head at MGM said “drop the fat one” in reference to Judy Garland.  However, that was misinterpreted and Deanna Durbin was ‘dropped’ and Garland got the life-time contract.

Bob Cox :  Hello Ms. Durbin.
Deanna Durbin:  Hello.
BC:  Ms. Durbin, what made you accept this interview?
DD:  Well, I still feel sort of bad for deciding not to reply to letters in ’99.  Hopefully this interview will make up for it.  (She laughs)
BC:  This is a question that everyone has.  Why is it that you decided to dropout of public life?
DD:  It was beginning to ruin my life, of course!  The stress of being a star was a contributing factor in my first two divorces.  And, well, looking at the lives of many other celebrities, it was perhaps a good thing I dropped out of public life.
BC:  So what have you done in your retirement off?
DD:  Well, up until recently, I have been replying to letters (laughs).  And signing autographs, still.  It kind of amazes me that people still actually want my autograph.  Of course, I have been looking after my family and the like.
BC:  What prompted you to enter re-retirement?
DD:  In all honesty, I ran out of hours in the day to respond to the letters!  I really do wish that I didn’t have to ‘re-retire’, but my family insisted.  I guess I was neglecting them a bit.
BC:  So you got a lot of letters?
DD:  In all honesty, ‘a lot’ doesn’t even begin to describe the number of letters I have received!  I must have the greatest fans in the world; I have, after all, been out of the public life for over fifty years!
BC:  What do you feel was your biggest disappointment in your acting career?
DD:  Well, it’s hard to say.  I loved a lot of it, but some of it drove me crazy!  The stress was horrible, and sometimes you just wanted to sleep in – but you couldn’t.
BC:  Do you ever get random fans showing up on your doorstep?
DD:  Of course!  What celebrity could ever escape such a thing (laughs).  I cannot make up my mind whether or not I like it or not.  Most days, I lean towards the not, however.
BC:  How are your interactions with the Deanna Durbin Society?
DD:  Oh, we have excellent exchanges sometimes.  I’m on good terms with them all and greatly enjoy them.  It is quite excellent having such amazing fans.
BC:  Well, that’s all the time that we have.  Thank you for allowing us to interview you, Ms. Durbin.
DD:  It was my pleasure.