“She Could Get Any Man She Wanted”
When I was younger and I still believe this, that Ann Blyth is one of the most gorgeous women that ever graced the planet. When I was younger, I used to think that she was the epitome of beauty and that every woman wanted to be her, but there was a caveat, she was still alive and sometimes, beauty is seen differently in other people.
Ann Blyth was and I believe still is, the epitome of beauty and grace. The fact that I’ve encountered this beauty five times over the phone was quite the milestone for me. I didn’t know if I should tell her that I have idolized her beauty from the time I first laid eyes on her, which was 10 years old. When I was 10, I was already told by family members that I would never attract anyone. I was envious. When I was growing up, I always wanted to be just like Ann Blyth, why? Because she had BEAUTY. I don’t know why it was so important to idolize her, but to me, she was everything I was not: attractive, funny, smart and above all- normal. I wasn’t normal and she was. She was beautiful and got to follow her dreams of being famous. How I wanted to be famous and to change the world, but I’m not famous. I don’t know how she handles the fame, but I always wanted to get fan-mail and read letters from people. It seemed like a lot of fun .
Beauty, I know, isn’t everything, but to a little girl, who had black hair and brown eyes, and never thought she was pretty, wanted to be just like this woman, who according to me “Could get any man she wanted.”
I wrote a diary entry, (or something like a diary entry)
“Ann Blyth could get any man she wanted. She could get any man, just by standing still and looking pretty. That’s all she had to do. Nothing else. She could have any man from Donald O’Connor to Howard Keel and yet, she chose a doctor to marry, and have a family. I wish I could attract a doctor? But who am I kidding? I’ll never be Ann Blyth. She’s too beautiful and yet, she still could get any man she wanted. All she had to do was sit there and look at a camera and she was beautiful. The world fawned over her and what does that say about me? I’ll never be Ann Blyth or Merle Oberon. They’re gorgeous, and look at me, the one with glasses and braces: Ugly Betty, so to speak. I feel like Ann’s beauty will never fade, she’s always a beauty. Even now, she’s gorgeous! Not fair! I want to look pretty too! I dream of that!”
When I was privileged enough to interview Ann Blyth for my University, UHCL, I was so start struck by how lovely she was. I really loved her, and I still do. I just wished I could have established a friendship with her like I did with Gloria Jean, but I guess that was not in the cards for me. It’s ok, because we got to talk about Gloria Jean, who was Ann’s friend. But, you know, if it wasn’t meant to be, it wasn’t meant to be, but you know, it was something that I’ll never forget.
I wrote about Ann Blyth again to a family relative when I turned 16 and was in High School.
“Ann Blyth is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. I know that sounds strange coming from me, but I really think she’s gorgeous! How do I even get her hair or her eye color? If I could make myself look like her, I’d be most happy! But she is probably happy with her aging looks, but I honestly want to know what it takes to be Ann Blyth!”
Ann’s beauty I always wondered how God created such a beautiful woman.
“Kate, it’s not the outside that counts! It’s the inside that counts even more!” Yes, I know, I know, but to me, I felt like I was never going to measure up. Was this unhealthy? Of course it was, but I really really wanted to be Ann Blyth.
I love Ann and I always have admired her talent, but I really wanted to be just like her.
Is Ann Blyth still the most gorgeous woman I ever saw? Yes, and she always will be.
