So, I was having brunch with Olivia de Havilland in Paris last week . . .

[Eve]

. . . and if you don't think I am going to casually work that into every conversation, including at the dry cleaner's and the deli . . .

I was staying in Montmartre with friends last week, and on Thursday Olivia de Havilland invited me over for demi-tasse and macarons at her home on the rue Benouville, a residential district (no shops, my dear). Livvy was charming and funny and gracious, and looks lovely: same voice, same smile, perfectly coiffed white hair, flawless complexion (she is 95!). She was wearing a white silk blouse, black skirt, big pearl necklace and earrings. She was eager to hear about my John Gilbert book—or at last she feigned interest, which is the definition of graciousness.

She had some wonderful stories: though, sadly, she gave up on her memoirs, as her eyes cannot stand computer-screen glare anymore. I warned her that if she doesn’t write her own book, others will write horrible lies about her, and she said “they already have—have you read that dreadful Charles Higham?” I’ll bet his recent death tickled her. I mentioned the hilarious Captain Blood publicity photo of her I’d sent her years ago, in a sexy girl pirate outfit, and she laughed, “well, you had to do whatever they told you when you were starting off! Once they had me pose with an alligator—you know, ‘eccentric starlet Olivia de Havilland has a pet alligator.’ They told me to pat it on the nose and warned me, ‘don’t worry about its mouth, but look out for the tail—that’s what they use to sweep you into their mouth.’”

The subject of Edward Everett Horton came up (I mean, doesn’t it always?) and she told us how she was staying at the Zanucks’ [I am mentally fainting about now] and Edward Everett Horton was so sweet and funny and charming, he would bring everyone breakfast in bed, pretending he was a valet.

I had only planned to stay 15 minutes—that’s what one should do when “paying calls”—but I was there for 45, and I finally said, “well, I do not want to overstay my welcome,” and her “girl” Megan showed me out. I waited till I got half a block away before jumping up and down and squealing "omigod I just had lunch with Olivia de Havilland!"

Oh, yeah, the rest of Paris was nice, too.

[Cub Mistress]

Wow, I am so happy for you, Eve!

More details please, and a link to the sexy girl pirate picture!

[not what you'd expect]

Very Cool! She is a great actress.

[Northern Piper]

That is very, very, cool!

[August West]

You continue to be the most amazing person on the 'dope, Eve!

[carnut]

Eve, what a fantastic experience! I'm glad it happened to you.

I wouldn't know what to say to her face myself. She has always been one of my favorite heroine actresses.

[WordMan]

Wow.

[shantih]

So, there I was, posting in a thread started by Eve about her having brunch with Olivia de Havilland in Paris last week ...

By the third time I mention this, I'm going to work up to how delicious the macarons were.

How seriously cool for you, Eve!

[Rick]

Eve wins the internet.

[Taomist]

<jumps for joy for Eve!>

My first thought when reading that Ms. DeHaviland can't tolerate the computer screen was that she needs a scribe. And since Eve is an authoress...well...sounds like some amazing stories might disappear forever if someone doesn't get them on paper.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

10 Achievement points for you, Eve!

[Loach]

I hope you weren't wearing your "Team Fontaine" shirt.

[Eve]

I really can only remember half of what she said, as my brain was shorting-out with "I am sitting on a sofa three inches from Olivia de Havilland!" I did tell her The Heiress was my favorite of her movies, and she said, "Oh, I'm so glad, it's mine, too," and she told me of her daughter in Malibu and how happy she was that she'd remarried after being widowed (the daughter, I mean).

I've met lots of celebs before, but that was business: I was interviewing them, taking notes, we both had our jobs to do. But this was sitting and chatting like girlfriends! Perhaps after I left she said, "well, thank goodness that's over, I thought she would never shut up and leave," but I prefer to imagine her telling her assistant, "what a charming and amusing young lady! She reminds me of Ina Claire."

[ftg]

You realize, you'll never have brunch with Joan Fontaine now that you've posted this, don't you?

[Eve]

Originally Posted by Loach

I hope you weren't wearing your "Team Fontaine" shirt.

I did think about bringing her the head of Joan Fontaine on a silver platter, but those things are so hard to get through Customs.

[etv78]

Sorry to say, but she's on my List for next year.

[Khadaji]

Wow, what a great story - thanks for sharing it with us.

[Quartz]

That's so cool. But Captain Blood? Isn't that the one where she dove nude from the ship into the sea?

[Cheez_Whia]

Eve, you have the most amazing life!

[gwendee]

I'm giddy reading that you got to do this. I cannot even imagine how you must feel 'cause it's, you know, ...you and all.

[Soylent Juicy]

"Melanie"!

Wow, I had no idea that anybody from Gone with the Wind was still alive. What a cool story. Thank you for sharing, Eve.

[Sunspace]

Cool! I'm happy for you!

Sometimes I regret that I actively avoid celebrity culture. This is one of those times.

[Baker]

I'm going to print this thread out and give it to my mother, who will faint away with envy. She and her sister, my aunt, have two favorite movies, The African Queen and Gone With the Wind. And Mom loved Olivia de Havilland in many other pictures as well.

The first time I saw GWTW Mom taught me something. You know the scene where Pork, Gerald O'Hara's valet, asks Scarlett who will milk the cow, as he and Mammy can't "We's house servants, Miss Scarlett." In the theater(it was a revival theater) a lot of people laughed at that, but Mom said it was sad, the people can be conditioned to think that way.

[Missy2U]

Eve, I can't even tell you how extraordinary you are!!

[Morgyn]

That is so very cool, and I'm so happy for you, Eve.

And like Taomist, my first thought was, "dang it, girl, when someone says something like that to you, offer to help! She knows you're a good writer already, and you might get to live in Paris for a while!"

[Askance]

Originally Posted by Cub Mistress

Wow, I am so happy for you, Eve!

More details please, and a link to the sexy girl pirate picture!

I wonder if it was this one.

[Marley23]

Originally Posted by Eve

Once they had me pose with an alligator—you know, ‘eccentric starlet Olivia de Havilland has a pet alligator.’ They told me to pat it on the nose and warned me, ‘don’t worry about its mouth, but look out for the tail—that’s what they use to sweep you into their mouth.’”

That might be the least reassuring thing I've ever heard. But the chat sounds like a lot of fun and I'm glad you got to have this experience, Eve.

[Rhiannon8404]

That's just so amazingly cool, Eve!

[Zebra]

Sweet zombie Jesus Eve. You realize this will make a great movie.

[panache45]

This beats the hell out of me chatting with Truman Capote, in the men's room line at Studio 54 . . . and I didn't even recognize him.

But you really should have offered to work on her memoirs.

[Antigen]

How awesome are you?

[Sigmagirl]

Swooon.

And swoooon again.

You mean you didn't have a tape recorder in the pocket of your . . . well, what were you wearing?

[Bricker]

No "What's it like working with Erroll Flynn?"

How disappointing.

[RealityChuck]

Very impressive.

[Eve]

Originally Posted by Askance

I wonder if it was this one.

It was from that same sitting, yes, but even sillier--she was sitting in a chest of gold pirate treasure.

No, I did not mention Gone with the Wind or Errol Flynn, and my goodness not her sister! Did not ask for an autograph or take a photo, that would be de trop--I did tell her if she does write her memoirs, I will be happy to edit them for her, but I think she has pretty much given up on them.

Just dropped a thank-you note in the mail today. Back at work today and reminding myself to be grateful I have a job. After a week in Paris--mostly in Montmartre--I got off the plane and I was in Newark. I got out of the cab and asked the driver, "just run over me repeatedly, OK?"

[kombatminipig]

I feel like I'm the only one completely clueless here...but how the heck and why? =) Is your general profession just being awesome?

[gwendee]

I hope this thread stays on the front page for ever. Just seeing the title makes me so happy!

[Robot Arm]

Originally Posted by kombatminipig

Is your general profession just being awesome?

Eve has raised "being awesome" to an art. The great ones just make it look easy.

[kombatminipig]

Originally Posted by Robot Arm

Eve has raised "being awesome" to an art. The great ones just make it look easy.

Oooh. Is there a best of Eve thread somewhere around? If not, there should be.

[Eve]

Originally Posted by kombatminipig

Is your general profession just being awesome?

But let me tell you, the dental and prescription benefits are terrible.

[Eve]

Originally Posted by panache45

This beats the hell out of me chatting with Truman Capote, in the men's room line at Studio 54 . . . and I didn't even recognize him.

That is pretty goddam cool--what did he say?

[FairyChatMom]

Originally Posted by Eve

--what did he say?

No, I do not want to hear about Amway...!!!

[Sailboat]

Very cool.

Originally Posted by Eve

. . . and if you don't think I am going to casually work that into every conversation, including at the dry cleaner's and the deli

Heh. During my honeymoon, I was permitted to take the wheel of our windjammer cruise ship for about two minutes. My idyll ended abruptly when a stray schooner failed to acknowledge right-of-way and the captain, with strained politeness, asked me to yield the helm. But for weeks afterward I labored to work the story into mundane conversations.

"Oh, your Excel table didn't align correctly? That sort of thing never happened back when I was steering the S/V Flying Cloud through the Caribbean."

[handsomeharry]

I'm impressed. I would have started a thread about just having heard that O dH was in the same town as me...but this!

[Morgyn]

Originally Posted by Eve

No, I did not mention Gone with the Wind or Errol Flynn, and my goodness not her sister! Did not ask for an autograph or take a photo, that would be de trop--I did tell her if she does write her memoirs, I will be happy to edit them for her, but I think she has pretty much given up on them.

She could dictate them. Get her a Gooch! Then you edit (but no bleak childhoods, please).

[rocking chair]

paris is indeed a magical city. i'm so glad you were able to chat up ms de havilland. so very wonderful.

[Askance]

Originally Posted by kombatminipig

I feel like I'm the only one completely clueless here...but how the heck and why? =) Is your general profession just being awesome?

Judge for yourself.

[Dangerosa]

I'll squeal and jump up and down with you and I'm some stranger on the internet. She'd be pretty high on my list of golden age film stars still living to have tea with. Course, there aren't many left.

[psychobunny]

So-had you met her before or did she hear through the grapevine that you were in Paris and just call you up out of the blue?

[alice_in_wonderland]

Well, as awesome as THIS story is, I'm still waiting for your tale of your tryst with a charming French rake names Yves...