Happy Birthday Veronica
On this day in 1922, the lovely Veronica Lake entered this world as Constance Frances Marie Ockleman. I’ve discussed in various posts and reviews of my admiration for Veronica Lake, and it seemed only appropriate to celebrate her life on what would have been her 90th birthday. Sadly TCM doesn’t appear to be doing anything to celebrate Veronica’s day nor can you purchase her films on DVD (except for So Proudly We Hail and Sullivan’s Travels). I’m actually contemplating starting a petition for some type of box set, or at least release of the rest of Veronica’s (Ronni to her friends and husbands) ouevre of work. Today, let’s just celebrate what I wonderful actress Veronica was. I hope to watch Sullivan’s Travels sometime this week in honor. Happy birthday Veronica! After the jump you’ll find some of my favorite photos of Ronni, and links to purchase what few films of hers are available. I’m trying to get #VeronicaLake trending on Twitter if possible.
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Kristen Lopez View All
A freelance film critic whose work fuels the Rotten Tomatoes meter. I've been published on The Hollywood Reporter, Remezcla, and The Daily Beast. I've been featured in the L.A. Times. I currently run two podcasts, Citizen Dame and Ticklish Business.
Ticklish Business 
I gladly suppourt you in your Veronica Lake Petition. I have only seen Sullivans Travels. and Kim Basinger’s trying to look like her in LA Confidential. but I know that doesnt really count
Don’t feel bad, I’ve only seen 2 Lake films (Sullivan’s and I Married a Witch), and while I love L.A. Confidential I think Basinger looks more like Rita Hayworth than Lake. Once school let’s out I think I’m going to draft up the petition, find out who to send it to, etc. From the looks of it Lake has no estate proper so I’m assuming it’s going to whatever studios put out the biggest output of her work. Thanks for the support!
You should definitely check out her pairings with Alan Ladd in This Gun For Hire and The Glass Key. They were a perfect match, heightwise. I always say of her, “So much woman, in such a little package!”
I do have The Glass Key which I’m hoping to review soon! In reading both Lake bios it’s funny that Lake even acknowledged her and Ladd were the same height.
Hello Kristen. Thanks so much for posting this:) I’ve seen quite a few of her movies. I married a witch is really good so is Sullivan’s Travels. I’ve also seen This Gun for Hire (Love it!) The Glass Key, Saigon (Here is the link for the movie on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsSS-t8dBX0) its in part form.. Slattery’s Hurricane is also good. Here is the link to that as well (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGPkYVBKs5k) part form as well. When you get a chance to watch the movie will you tell me what made her sick? Thanks:) Um what else is good….I’ve also seen some of her TV apperences as well. They are on youtube as well:)
As for the books they are both good. I love her book. Where did you find it? And do you know if there are any other books on her other then the one she wrote and the one by Jeff Lenburg? Also do you think She had schizophrenia? Thanks again for posting this:)
Ashley, it’s always nice to meet a fellow Veronica Lake fan! I Married a Witch and Sullivan’s Travels are the must-sees of the Lake world. I actually have This Gun for Hire to watch soon, and reviewed The Glass Key a few weeks ago. I also have a review of her performance in I Wanted Wings, a film worth seeing for her only. Thanks for sending me the links to Saigon and Slattery’s Hurricane! I know ClassicFlix has a copy of Ramrod as well. Lake’s official certificate lists her death as hepatitis, and it’s been alluded (thought never proven) that her liver problems stemmed from uncontrolled drinking. I actually found Lake’s autobiography at my library, seems I was lucky in that regard. Sadly, outside her book and the Lenburg (both have heavy bias) there hasn’t been any other biographies written on her, which is sad and puzzling. I don’t believe she was schizophrenic, as she did have a successful career. If anything, a possible harsh upbringing could have caused her to feel distant from her friends and family. She was noted for being difficult to work with, and according to her that was due to her fears of being taken advantage of. Thanks for letting me talk more about Ronnie, hope you’ll come back soon!
Kristen, I’ll have to look up that movie it does look good:) Is she in it right off? Or is she in it halfway through? I hate it when movies are like that. Your welcome:) I’m glad i could help you out:) There’s also a TV show called: Mysteries and Scandals. They have an episode on Veronica Lake, but I’m not able to find it:( There’s also a box set of Dark Crime. Its got The Glass Key, The Blue Dahlia and another movie (but its not Veronica Lake) Here is the link for that as well :
http://shop.tcm.com/detail.php?p=382488&SESSID=0cd4a2edb50c2f35ca65fa2bc5da188d
I so wish someone would write another book on her. Find out more things, things that have come up over the years. You could write it:) Okay I knew she had died of hepatitis, but I was wondering if she really had a mental illness. Thanks for answering my question:) I wish I could find that book at a yard sale or a used book store. Its 200 some dollar on amazon.
In I Wanted Wings she shows up about an hour in, which irritated me because she’s worth it. I didn’t know about Mysteries and Scandals, I’ll have to do some digging and see if I can find it! Thanks so much for letting me know, I’m not as well-versed in Lake’s television appearances. I do hope to get the Dark Crimes set soon! I do try to push Veronica Lake day to the TCM people via Twitter, hopefully that comes about. Haha, as an English major, people expect me to write a book so who knows! Maybe one day Veronica will get the respect she deserves. Yeah, there’s no one whose come out and said she definitely was mentally ill. Sadly, the only family she has left are her two children who have been living off the grid for decades. I’ve seen her book for as low as $50 on Ebay, but I’ll keep an eye out for a cheap copy.