Several Hundred Toast Director Vincent Sherman
on his 98th birthday

Courtesy of actress Francine York
and Ian Birnie, director of the LACMA film department

Behind the Scenes "Moments"
by event photographer John Michael Ferrari, Hollywood, CA

July 10, 2004

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[Hollywood Toasts Director Vincent Sherman July 2004]
Vincent Sherman and Francine York with original painting of Bette Davis commissioned by Warner Brothers for movie "Mr. Skeffington" (1944).

Toast to Director Vincent Sherman on his 98th

Several hundred gathered at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on July 10, 2004, to toast director, writer, actor Vincent Sherman on his 98th Birthday. The audience was entertained by Mr. Sherman's comments in response to a Q & A, a surprise birthday cake, and a showing of "Mr. Skeffington" (1944), Bette Davis. There wasn't a dry eye in the house (museum).

The event was hosted by actress Francine York with the assistance of Ian Birnie, director of the film department at the Museum. Casting director, Marvin Paige, arranged to have the original portrait of Bette Davis at the event that had been commissioned by Warner Brothers for movie "Mr. Skeffington".

Vincent Sherman's directorial credits include Humphrey Bogart in "All Through The Night" (1942), Ida Lupino and Joan Leslie in "The Hard Way" (1943), Bette Davis in "Mr. Skeffington" (1944), Ann Sheridan in "Nora Prentiss" (1947), Errol Flynn in "Adventures of Don Juan" (1948), Ronald Reagan and Patricia Neal in "The Hasty Heart" (1949), Joan Crawford in "The Dammed Don't Cry" (1950), Paul Newman in "The Young Philadelphians" (1959), and scores of other movies and television episodes. Mr. Sherman also worked with Eva Gardner, Glenn Ford, Rita Hayward, John Saxon, Mark Harmon, Chad Everett, Edmond O'Brien, Debbie Reynolds, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Angie Dickinson, and Don Ameche, to name a few.

In attendance at the Toast were Ann Rutherford ("Adventures of Don Juan"), Joan Leslie ("Sergeant York"), Peter Mark Richman ("Judgment Day"), Ron Harper ("Planet of the Apes"), Fayard Nicolas of the Nicolas Brothers, Booth Coleman ("Planet of the Apes"), producer Pepper Jay ("Hercules In Hollywood"), Countess Yola and Captain Ed, Vincent Sherman's son, film producer and author Eric Sherman, Errol Flynn's daughter and grandson Rory Flynn and Sean Flynn, Marvin Paige of the Motion Picture & Television Research Achieves and many others. The event was photographed by John Michael Ferrari.

Vincent Sherman autographed copies of his book, "Studio Affairs, My Life as a Film Director."

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