A couple of questions about Mary

[Chiss_Sweeze_Sandwich]

This is my first post. I hope it's in the correct forum.

I've been reading about Mary Livingstone a lot on the net lately (websites devoted to Jack) and in George Burns's books, All of My Best Friends and Gracie: A Love Story, and there is some inconsistency in the spelling of Mary's birth name. Is it spelled Sadye or Sadie? I thought it might be Sadie because I figured that since Jack and Mary were George's best friends, he would know. However, I've seen the spelling 'Sadye' used quite frequently. I'm confused. Which one is it?

Also, how did Mary come up with her stage name of Mary Livingstone? Did Jack call her Mary or did he continue to call her Sadye/Sadie?

Thanks![/i]

[shimp scrampi]

Welcome to the madhouse, Chiss!

Mary's name basically came from the character she played, the writers wrote in this quirky girl named "Mary Livingstone" from Plainfield NJ, Sadie played the role and became so identified with it, she ended up taking the name as her own. Jack and everyone else came to call her Mary - she apparently disliked "Sadie" very much.

In Mary's book she spells it "Sadie" - not sure where the "Sadye" spelling came from. I'm sure someone (maybe Laura) has seen official documents somewhere to confirm one way or the other.

[Chiss_Sweeze_Sandwich]

Thanks for the nice welcome.

If Mary herself used the spelling Sadie, then it must be Sadie, lol. I'm not sure where Sadye came from either. Hmmm...

Does Laura check the forums? I'd love to know where the Sadye spelling originated.

Thanks so much for your reply!

[ClassicFilmFan]

Hello, I'm also new here! [I don't know if here's a special topic to introduce yourself]

Well, I have a question too & I take the liberty to use this topic for it Does anybody know the date of the show where Mary made her first appearance as Jack's fan..?

[Maxwell]

Hello, I'm also new here! [I don't know if here's a special topic to introduce yourself]

Well, I have a question too & I take the liberty to use this topic for it Does anybody know the date of the show where Mary made her first appearance as Jack's fan..?

Mary's first appearance was on the Canada Dry show on July 27, 1932 (according to "39 Forever). Unfortunately now recording or even script is known to exist for that show at this time. (I LOVE "39 Forever"!)

[ClassicFilmFan]

Oh, that's a pity - I was really curious at that episode
Thanks for anwering!

[LLeff]

Thanks for the nice welcome.

If Mary herself used the spelling Sadie, then it must be Sadie, lol. I'm not sure where Sadye came from either. Hmmm...

Does Laura check the forums? I'd love to know where the Sadye spelling originated.

Hello again,

I do check the forums, but not as often as I would if I didn't have to make a living...

The spelling Sadye originated with...Mary herself. I've got an autographed photo of her from the late 20s (given to me by a relative of hers) that I ran on the back cover of the Times a couple years ago, and she spelled it "Sadye" there. Also in the early Canada Dry scripts (c.f. 39 Forever Volume 1 introduction) her lines are also prompted as "Sadye". So that's the original spelling of her name.

Can't say why it got somewhat Anglicized in her biography, maybe a holdover of the dislike of the name to begin with. Or maybe there was concern that some readers would end up pronouncing it Sad-yeh.

And while we're on the subject, I have a letter in front of me from another of her relatives who confirms that the name Marks is a shortened form of Markowitz from Romania. This puts another hole in the assertions of her blood relationship to the Marx Brothers (which was a revision of Marrix, from Germany).