During this period of honoring women that bloom like flowers with greatness, who better to celebrate than my mother, Margaret Muir McIlveen - the epitome of elegance, honesty, spirit, savviness, sophistication, and a strong businesswoman. Let me tell you a charming story of my ideal lady, a woman of great character and wisdom. In the late 1940s, her beauty was breathtaking and caught the eye of gentleman callers as well as Hollywood executives. For those of a certain age group, everyone knows Gene Wilder from the movie “Young Frankenstein” or as the husband of Saturday Night Live’s Gilda Radner, but it was Gene’s father, Billy Wilder, who was the Hollywood magnet of my mother’s day.
Nicknamed Greta, she was a young aspiring gal in fashion, starting as a clerk for ready-to-wear clothing at a prominent clothing store in New Orleans. A talent agent spotted her and sent a message straight to Hollywood. He found the gal they were looking for – a fiery redhead with a striking look to star in a new comedy show about a woman with a Cuban-born husband. Billy Wilder, along with a few other execs, flew to New Orleans to meet my mom. They arrived at the store, spoke to her and she agreed to take some professional portrait photographs. The courting of her went on for a few months. Billy Wilder was ready to pop the question, not marriage, but for my mom to move to Hollywood and become the next Bette Davis or Joan Crawford.
Invited to lunch at one of the old-line restaurants in the French Quarter, Wilder knew Greta liked meatballs, so when the group sat for lunch, she - of course - ordered the meatballs. As she sliced into her first meatball, a modest diamond ring appeared. Wilder said something to the effect that there would be a lot more diamonds if she accepted the offer to move to California for a test pilot of this potential show. Greta graciously did not accept.
Here, I have to jump in – I can’t help but think, was she just crazy?! My mom could have played the character we know now as Lucille Ball, which I proudly explained to her when she told me of her experience. But, back to the story…
My mom was told that respectable women did not belong in Hollywood and that the women on the big screen had to do things that are against their better judgement. That was not acceptable – she wanted to earn an honest living, work hard, use her brain, and follow a natural career path. They followed up again, but it was a firm “No.”
Funny enough, Greta was a woman that did not take no for an answer. Hence, she became one of the most admired clothing buyers for designer and ready-to-wear clothing for all three of the family-owned top stores in New Orleans – Gus Mayer, Godchaux’s, and D.H Holmes.
I’m grateful she did not move to California, otherwise I would not have learned the importance of a strong work ethic and respectable character. Plus I would not be here exactly...hmmm! And also I would not have known my best gal!
