Jean Arthur filmed Shane and then was away from filmed work for 15 years. It took Lucille Ball, CBS Biggest Star and CEO of Desilu to entice Ms. Arthur to return to work. Lucy and her programing chief flew to Carmel discuss with Ms. Arthur to do a pilot of "Mrs. Aris Goes To Paris" . Lucy invited Jean Arthur to fly down to Hollywood and observe the filming of The Lucy Show. Ms. Arthur was impressed. Lucy was. A supporting player in a Jean Arthur film in the 1940'sand now the tables were turned with Ms. Ball being the greatest star of her era on TV and CEO of Desilu.
Jean Arthur was signed by Universal to star in "Mothers Word Is Law" produced by Richard Quine who directed those great Kim Novak movies at Columbia: Bell BookAnd Candle, Strangers When We Meet and The Notorious Landlady! Quine signed Ron Harper to star with Ms. Arthur as a 'Mother -Son' legal practice. Ms. Atthur was stylish in Nolan Miller creations and Universal was optimistic of the show's future re titled "The Jean Arthur Show"
CBS slotted the show at 10PM possibly too late for Ms. Arthur's aged fans. Ms Arthur claimed she was born in 1908 and all marveled how youthful she looked for a woman in her late 50's in reality Jean Arthur was born in 1900 and more remarkably she looked in her orly 50's rather than 66! The Network gave up on Ms. Arthur too soon. I feel if Jean Arthur had done the Desilu pilot that Ms. Ball would have had the power with CBS Bill Paley to keep the show running despite weak ratings. Too bad Universal couldn't find a Director assignment for Frank Capra doing one episode. More to the point a cameo was on for the great Capra on the Jean Arthur show would have been great. Arthur and Caprrs made several films when both were at Columbia that are now legendary.
Ms. Arthur was a recluse in Carmel and frankly her show failed because she lost her audience. Jean Arthur never appeared on the Annual Oscar show and or a Playhouse have done a Playhouse 90 but didn't do shows like that.
Jean Arthur returned to Carmel and passed on playing Steve McQueen's Mother in "Junior Bonner" and also a supporting role in Ross Hunter's disastrous remake of" Lost Horizon".
Jean Arthur like Susan Hayward, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe had unique voices. A quality missing today.
Read John Oller's great book," The Actress Nobody Knew' to learn more of this magical actress who worked with the best of Hollywoo: George Stevens, Howard Hawks, Billy Wilder and most notably Frank Capra, and her co stars were the top talent in Hollywood: Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, .John Wayne, Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant, and my favorite Joel McCrea who was splendid in " The More The Merrier".
