49 Fun Facts About A Star is Born

How many official film versions of A Star Is Born have been made, from the 1937 original to 2018?

Four: 1937, 1954, 1976 and 2018, and between them they earned 25 Oscar nominations but won only three.

Which 1932 film's plot heavily inspired the original A Star Is Born?

What Price Hollywood? (1932) follows a waitress turned star and her self-destructing alcoholic mentor; RKO considered suing producer David O. Selznick over the 1937 film's similarities.

Who starred as Esther Blodgett in the 1937 original?

Janet Gaynor played Esther Blodgett, a small-town girl who dreams of Hollywood; the role brought her a Best Actress nomination at the 1938 Academy Awards.

The 1937 original was the first Best Picture nominee of what kind?

It was the first colour production nominated for Best Picture; shot in three-strip Technicolor, it also earned W. Howard Greene a special Academy plaque for colour cinematography.

What stage name does the studio give Esther Blodgett?

Vicki Lester is the name the studio invents for her; in the 1954 film Esther only learns it when she tries to collect her paycheck.

In the 1937 and 1954 films, how does Norman Maine die?

He walks into the sea and drowns after overhearing Esther plan to give up her career to care for him; in the 1932 precursor the equivalent character shot himself.

When Esther wins her Oscar on screen in the 1937 film, whose real statuette is she holding?

The statuette is Janet Gaynor's own: she had won the very first Best Actress Oscar in 1929, for Seventh Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise.

With what famous line does Esther end the 1954 film at a charity benefit?

She introduces herself with 'Hello, everybody. This is Mrs. Norman Maine' at the benefit; her old bandmate Danny McGuire had coaxed her out of seclusion.

Who directed the 1954 musical version starring Judy Garland?

George Cukor directed it; he had turned down the 1937 film, and the long 'Born in a Trunk' sequence was added after he left the production.

Which actor did the 1954 film's director want as the male lead, reading the whole script with him?

Cary Grant turned it down even after Cukor read the entire script aloud with him; Cukor had directed Grant in Sylvia Scarlett, Holiday and The Philadelphia Story.

Which song from the 1954 film was ranked No. 11 on the AFI's list of top movie songs?

Judy Garland's torch song 'The Man That Got Away', written by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin, ranked No. 11 and was nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar.

About how many minutes did Warner Bros. cut from the 1954 film after its premiere?

About 27 minutes: the 182-minute premiere cut was trimmed to 154 minutes so theaters could fit more daily showings, and Cukor, abroad at the time, was not consulted.

Which film preservationist reconstructed the 1954 film to 176 minutes in 1983?

Ronald Haver, film historian at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, rebuilt it with rediscovered footage and production stills; the 176-minute restoration premiered at Radio City Music Hall in July 1983.

Whose 1954 Best Actress Oscar win over Judy Garland did Groucho Marx call 'the biggest robbery since Brink's'?

Grace Kelly won for The Country Girl; Groucho's telegram to Garland called it 'the biggest robbery since Brink's', a reference to the 1950 Boston armoured-car heist.

The 1954 film was Judy Garland's first movie since leaving which studio in 1950?

MGM released her from her contract in September 1950, after suspending her when she missed rehearsals for Royal Wedding; the 1954 film was billed as her comeback.

In the 1954 film, how does Esther save a drunk Norman Maine from humiliation on stage?

She pretends he is part of the act, steering the drunken Norman through her number at the benefit; afterwards he takes her to an after-hours club and urges her to try movies.

The 1976 remake moved the story from Hollywood filmmaking to which world?

The music business, so the heroine wins a Grammy rather than an Oscar, a change the 2018 film kept.

Who plays fading rock star John Norman Howard opposite Barbra Streisand in 1976?

Kris Kristofferson played John Norman Howard and won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy; his then-wife Rita Coolidge appears briefly as herself at the Grammy scene.

Which superstar did Streisand and Jon Peters want for the 1976 male lead, only for his manager to scupper it?

Elvis Presley wanted the part, hoping it would revive his film career, but his manager Colonel Tom Parker demanded top billing and a large fee, and the talks collapsed.

Where did the film credits say Barbra Streisand's wardrobe came from?

The credit reads 'Miss Streisand's clothes from... her closet'; she also served as executive producer.

Which love theme from the 1976 A Star Is Born, composed by Barbra Streisand, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song?

'Evergreen' made Streisand the first woman to win the songwriting Oscar as a composer.

How many weeks did the 1976 film's love theme spend at number one on the Billboard Hot 100?

Three weeks, in March 1977: the theme was Streisand's second US number one after 'The Way We Were', and it also won the Grammy for Song of the Year.

Which Tempe, Arizona venue hosted the 1976 film's concert scenes?

Sun Devil Stadium, Arizona State University's football ground, hosted the concert scenes in March 1976; the crowd was drawn by a real concert featuring Peter Frampton and Santana.

How much did the 1976 film gross in North America against a $6M budget?

It grossed about $80 million in North America, the second-highest total of any 1976 release behind Rocky, despite reviews that panned the screenplay and length.

Which pair of married writers co-wrote the 1976 screenplay with director Frank Pierson?

Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne wrote the early drafts, having conceived the rock-world update; Frank Pierson rewrote it and directed, later publishing a bitter account of the shoot.

At which festival did the 2018 A Star Is Born have its world premiere?

The 2018 film premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2018, then screened at Toronto before opening in US cinemas that October.

Which singer was attached to the 2018 film's lead role before Lady Gaga was cast?

Beyoncé had been attached to the project for years; Cooper instead cast Lady Gaga after watching her sing 'La Vie en rose' at a cancer-research benefit in April 2016.

In which US state did Jackson Maine grow up on his father's pecan farm?

Jackson grew up on a pecan farm in Arizona; when he returns there in the film he finds Bobby has sold the land and it has become a wind farm.

Which song from A Star Is Born (2018) won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, one of the film's eight nominations?

'Shallow', written by Gaga with Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt, also won the Golden Globe.

Where was the scene of Ally joining Jackson on stage for the film's Oscar-winning song filmed?

The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles hosted the duet scene, shot in April 2017 in front of a live audience rather than extras.

Which veteran actor plays Bobby, Jackson Maine's older half-brother and manager?

Sam Elliott's voice was the model for Jackson's before Cooper even approached him; Howard Stern was reportedly the first choice for Bobby and passed.

Which comedian plays Jackson's best friend George 'Noodles' Stone?

Dave Chappelle plays Noodles, the old friend on whose lawn Jackson passes out; it is at Noodles's house that Jack proposes to Ally with a ring made from a loop of guitar string.

At which music festival did principal photography on the 2018 film begin in April 2017?

Filming began at Coachella in April 2017, where concert footage was shot in front of the real festival crowd; more was shot weeks later at Stagecoach on the same Indio grounds.

Which TV show let Cooper film Ally's breakthrough performance on its real stage with its real crew?

Saturday Night Live: Lorne Michaels let Cooper shoot on the real Studio 8H stage with the show's crew, and Alec Baldwin appears as the host introducing Ally.

Which musician, spotted by Cooper at Desert Trip, contributed songs and led Jackson's on-screen band?

Lukas Nelson, Willie Nelson's son, co-wrote several of Jackson's songs, and his band Promise of the Real plays Jackson's band on screen.

Which classic song does Ally hum as the film's title appears, in a nod to Judy Garland?

She sings a snatch of 'Over the Rainbow', Judy Garland's signature song from The Wizard of Oz, while walking out of work through an alley as the title card appears.

According to writer Will Fetters, which rock star inspired the 2018 script's male lead?

Kurt Cobain: Fetters wrote his first draft asking what the Nirvana frontman's life might have looked like had he survived; Cooper later reworked it with Eric Roth.

At the Grammys in the 2018 film, an intoxicated Jackson performs a tribute to which singer?

He joins a Roy Orbison tribute and fumbles the guitar part; Ally then wins Best New Artist, and Jack wets himself on stage and passes out during her speech.

What condition, besides addiction, does Jackson tell his rehab counsellor is getting worse?

Tinnitus: Jackson has been losing his hearing for years and resists wearing in-ear monitors; in rehab he tells his counsellor the ringing is getting worse.

Roughly how much did the 2018 film take at the worldwide box office?

About $436 million worldwide against a budget of roughly $36 million, making it one of Warner Bros.' biggest hits of 2018.

Lady Gaga became the first woman to win which four awards in one year for the film and soundtrack?

The soundtrack won four Grammys from seven nominations, including Song of the Year nods two years running.

Who plays Rez, the manager who reshapes Ally into a pop act in the 2018 film?

Rafi Gavron plays Rez, the British manager who steers Ally toward pop and later tells Jackson it is 'embarrassing' that she is married to him.

How does Jackson Maine die in the 2018 film?

He hangs himself in the garage after promising to come to Ally's concert; her manager Rez had told him it was 'embarrassing' that she was married to him.

Who plays fading star Norman Maine in the original 1937 A Star Is Born?

Fredric March played the alcoholic star Norman Maine and earned a Best Actor nomination; William A. Wellman directed for producer David O. Selznick.

Which writer is credited among the screenwriters of the 1937 A Star Is Born?

Dorothy Parker shares the screenplay credit with her husband Alan Campbell and Robert Carson; the film's Oscar went to Wellman and Carson for Best Original Story.

Who plays Norman Maine opposite Judy Garland in the 1954 musical version?

James Mason played Norman Maine and earned a Best Actor nomination; Jack Carson, another name in the cast, plays the vindictive studio publicist Matt Libby.

The 1954 film switched days into production to which widescreen process?

CinemaScope: Warner switched formats days into shooting, so early footage including 'The Man That Got Away' was reshot in the anamorphic widescreen process.

Which songwriter co-wrote the songs for the 1976 Streisand A Star Is Born with Kenneth Ascher?

Paul Williams shared the writing with Streisand herself and Ascher, with underscore by Roger Kellaway; Gary Busey appears in a supporting role.

Which director was in talks in January 2011 to make a new A Star Is Born?

Clint Eastwood was attached from January 2011; by 2012 Cooper was in talks to star for him, and after Eastwood moved on Cooper ended up directing himself.