HELLO AMERICA!—My dear friend Sue Ane Langdon shot to fame in the early 1950s appearing with such stars as Elvis Presley, Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford. She married wonderful, level headed Jack Emrek who helped to keep her existing in the real world. He died in 2010 and suddenly Sue Ane had to take hold of her life alone, trying to remember all the positive and good things she learned from her late husband.
MSJ: Sue Ane, how tough is it to be alone especially when you’ve spent so many years living and sharing a wonderful life with a guy like Jack?
SAL: Of course I miss Jack but when I remember all the beautiful things we shared every moment we were together it’s not as painful. I can laugh and even cry remembering the all the joy we did have together. After all, we were married in 1959, and very seldom we were apart. As you know we didn’t live in Hollywood but way out in the country where each morning we’d get up with the wild animals that were always there. We built our ranch house together, and everything else that had to be done.
MSJ: I remember giving a party at my Hollywood hillside home and you performed singing one of the songs from the Broadway musical you had appeared in. And I still hear the applause from everybody. It was quite a night.
SAL: Oh..yes! I remember that. It was from “The Apple Tree” And it was quite a night, and from your living room I remember, one could see all of Hollywood. It was beautiful. You know I first began singing at Radio City Music Hall. That was quite an experience – that stage is unbelievable. I love going there anytime I get to New York.
MSJ: You and I had a mutual friend in Elvis Presley. I never asked you but how was it to work for a guy that millions of women the world-over fell apart for?
SAL: Very easy. No pressure at all. He was polite, very genuine in every respect. You know I worked with him in two films “Roundabout” and “Frankie and Johnny” and both were happy, beautiful experiences. And yes, I knew that he liked you very much. He felt that you had more guts than Carters had liver pills; I also heard that he went out of his way to give you what you needed for your syndicated column at that time. Elvis was quite sensitive and understanding as you might remember.
MSJ: Yeah, he was quite a guy. And he did do some wonderful things for me as well as my writing career. I was quite lucky to say the least. How was working with the likes of Walter Matthau and Jimmy Stewart?
SAL: It was like talking a master class in acting from those guys. And Walter was wonderful to work with, nothing like some of the roles he created for film. He was very serious and quite aware of everything imaginable. He cared very much about the struggling actors in our business, and did everything he could to make life easier for those who were not as lucky as himself. The man was beautiful and I learned much from him as an actress, but mostly about being a good human being. I will always remember and miss him.
MSJ: You won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for your work in the TV series “Arnie.” How did that affect your career?
SAL: Oh, a lot really. I loved doing the show with Herschel Bernardi, Roger Bowen, Charles Nelson Reilly and all the other actors who came aboard. And receiving an award such as the Golden Globe gives you the spotlight for a time, and it was easier to get to see producers whom you’d like to work with either in TV or motion pictures. So, receiving the award brought more notice to me.
MSJ: By chance are you thinking about going before the cameras again now that you are single again?
SAL: I’ve had several offers for television work, and I’m considering a few other things as well. Of course I’m always hoping for that special role that I can sink my teeth into. Not to worry, Sue Ane Langdon is still here!
By Michael St. John
