Saturday, February 20, 2021

Edward Albert, Forever Young in “Butterflies Are Free” 1972

Edward Albert & Goldie Hawn get romantic in 1972's "Butterflies Are Free."


Edward Albert was just 20 when he starred in his first major film, Butterflies Are Free. Sadly, Albert only lived to be 55. Edward would be 70 as of 2/20/21. This post is written as a tribute to the appealing actor with a fascinating life.

Leonard Gershe’s stage smash Butterflies Are Free, which ran three years on Broadway, was snapped up as a movie for Goldie Hawn. Producer Mike Frankovich, Jr. had showcased Hawn in her Oscar-winning role from another stage hit, Cactus Flower.

That '70s movie poster! "Butterflies Are Free" was a Broadway smash and movie hit.

With Butterflies Are Free, there are essentially three characters: Jill Tanner (Goldie Hawn), Don (Edward Albert), and Mrs. Baker (Eileen Heckart.) Paul Michael Glaser appears in the last act, Starsky and Hutch just around the corner, as a douche director.

Butterflies Are Free is the story of Don, a young blind man who falls for the free spirit next door, and fights with his overprotective mother for his own space. Don was played onstage by Keir Dullea. The actor was 35 when Butterflies was filmed, too mature onscreen for a young guy who has just flown from the nest. Edward Albert was 20 when he was cast. Aside from some acting work as a child, this was Albert’s first screen role.

Keir Dullea & Blythe Danner originated Don & Jill in "Butterflies Are Free."

Hawn’s Jill is just 19 and an aspiring actress (Goldie was 26), who has already been married once, and is anti-commitment. Yet, Jill literally barges in on the life of neighbor Don Baker, a blind musician on his own. In less than two days, the two fall madly in love, nearly break up, and reconcile! Aside from that, their rapport and romance is charming, until overprotective Mom (Heckart) “drops by” from a suburb near the San Francisco-set film. Mrs. Baker finds the shabby chic apartment appalling and is on high alert when she finds Jill cavorting with her baby boy. Don has already experienced a bad romance with a similar type, who encouraged him to move to the city, only to dump him.

Free spirit Jill (Goldie Hawn) and blind Don (Edward Albert) get to know each other.

As Jill, Goldie Hawn is the hippie chick successor to Marilyn Monroe. Seemingly a dumb blonde, Hawn’s Jill is actually pretty smart, aside from some ditzy moments. Goldie’s role has similarities to Marilyn’s sexy neighbor next door in The Seven Year Itch. She’s realistic about men and relationships, and her own limitations. She’s child-like yet wise, with a distinctive star persona. Like MM, Hawn is effortless in navigating between comedy and drama, and Goldie’s most appealing here.

Goldie Hawn's appeal is effortless as aspiring actress Jill, in "Butterflies Are Free."

Eileen Heckart won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar as Mrs. Baker. She lost the Tony for the same role to Blythe Danner, who created the role of Jill Tanner onstage. Heckart is an old pro at playing vinegary but essentially likeable characters. Eileen and Goldie ping pong the smart lines as the two adversaries. But Heckart gets to show more, once Mrs. Baker sees that Don might get hurt again by another fluttery girlfriend. It’s in these moments that Heckart is most understated and affecting, as she starts to see the light, to set her son free.

A heart-tugging moment in "Butterflies Are Free," when Eileen Heckart's mother
lets go of her blind son, despite his distress at the moment. 

As for Edward Albert, he holds his own against these two comedic pros as the blind aspiring musician. Albert is appealing, intelligent, empathetic, and just happens to look a bit like young Montgomery Clift. Also, he sings quite pleasantly. Edward researched his role well, studying at the Braille Institute. After this film, Albert teamed with many of the Butterfly crew to film another Broadway hit, 40 Carats. Unfortunately, it flopped, and Albert went from promising young lead to journey man actor. If Albert was starting out in today’s show business, his diverse talents would have afforded Edward more of a shot at stardom.

At 20, Edward Albert played the independent blind man in "Butterflies Are Free."

Part of the problem was Albert started out as a likeable, handsome young actor at the height of the realistic filmmaking era, with stars like Hoffman, Pacino, and Hackman setting a very high standard, without relying on movie star looks. Younger actors who were more lightweight and handsome, like Edward Albert or say, Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Christopher Reeve, or a younger Kurt Russell, didn’t get the top film roles. Jeff Bridges, whose background was similar to Albert’s, was able to leave the boyishness behind and move on to meaty roles.

Edward Albert as a boy, with parents Eddie Albert & Margo. Adopted daughter
 Maria is the only survivor of the immediate Albert family.

Edward Albert was the son of beloved character actor Eddie Albert and Mexican actress Margo. Eddie was most famous for Green Acres and Margo for Lost Horizon. Like the Bridges family, the Alberts were very politically and socially active. And like Lloyd Bridges, the Alberts were blacklisted for awhile during the ‘50s. Eddie later became an environmentalist. I mention this because Edward also became strongly involved in environmental and Native American causes, and spoke with pride about his parents standing up to the blacklist. Like his father, Edward had a prolific career as a character actor rather than leading man. Later came unfortunate times for the Alberts. First, Margo died at just 68 of a brain tumor, in 1985. Later, when Eddie was in his 80s, Albert was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Edward put his career on the backburner to care for his otherwise healthy father, who lived to be 99! Sadly, Edward found out that he had lung cancer a mere month before father Eddie died. Edward Albert died Sept. 22, 2006, 18 months after his father. A sister, Maria, was the only survivor of the small Albert family.

Edward Albert's first film role, "The Fool Killer." His co-star was Anthony Perkins,
who plays a possible ax murderer. Need I say more?

Edward Albert’s career was prolific, he was educated at Oxford, and was multi-lingual. He also came from a great lineage (Xavier Cugat was his great uncle, and his godfather was Laurence Olivier), he enjoyed one long, happy marriage, and became a father to a daughter.

Edward Albert & Eddie Albert, later in life.

Edward Albert lived a short life, but one that was well-lived. How lucky that movie watchers can watch him in his leading man debut, Butterflies Are Free.

Here’s Army Archerd’s obit for Edward in Variety: https://variety.com/2006/voices/columns/edward_albert_d-1200571358/

And here’s Edward’s actual film debut, in 1965’s “The Fool Killer.” Edward plays a runaway boy during the Civil War era, who encounters a number of odd characters, including Anthony Perkins!

https://ok.ru/video/2631968754356

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/ 

Edward Albert & Goldie Hawn, forever young on film, in "Butterflies Are Free."

10 comments:

  1. Thank you for this article! Butterflies Are Free is one of my super-faves!

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    1. Glad you liked it. The response to this piece surprised me pleasantly! Cheers, Rick

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  2. I love this beautiful film and your wonderful article, Rick! Especially how you point out the parallels of Goldie's Jill to Marilyn as The Girl in Seven Year Itch - I never saw before but so perfect! I ADORE Eileen Heckart in this role, even more than her wonderful supporting performance in The Bad Seed...would have loved to have seen her reprise her Broadway role in the film version of Picnic too but Roz Russell got it!! And lastly, thank you for this wonderful tribute to one of the most handsome and sensitive actors of all time, Edward Albert. This was the zenith of his career, though he did not know it...His lovely plaintive voice as he sings and strums his guitar capture the entire 'hippie' generation, and he plays his role of 'Donny Dark' so perfectly...I need to write about this movie too, but your article here just says it all!
    -Chris

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    1. Hey Chris, I'd love to read your take on this movie. The MM connection really hit me watching Goldie in this film. And Eileen, one of a kind! Love her as George Segal's Mom in No Way to Treat a Lady, which I wrote about last summer. Albert was terrific on all counts in this movie, and sounded like a great guy off camera, too. That "Donny Dark" reference kept making me think of "Donny Darko!"
      Cheers and hope you are well!
      Rick

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  3. Woof! I had a huge crush on Edward Albert! He was especially beautiful in this film and ‘40 Carats’ — such gorgeous eyes and lips. He passed way too soon.

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    1. Same! He reminded me of a softer, more lush Monty Clift.
      Edward sounded like a very cool guy before he passed away, yes, too soon...
      Rick

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  4. Great review of a film that captures the spirit of the late '60's-early '70's. Goldie Hawn was adorably ditzy and Edward Albert endearing as the blind neighbor. My favorite scene is when Goldie takes him shopping for new clothes.

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    1. Thanks, Judy!
      I thought "Butterflies" caught the era in an entertaining way. And a great cast, too!
      Cheers, Rick

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  5. Always enjoy your reviews and learn something new. I didn't know about the black list effecting this family and that they were environmentalist. Super cool.
    Beautiful film, thanks for the great review.

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    1. Hi, Thank you! I enjoyed writing this one. The Alberts sounded like a loving family. And "Butterflies" is still a fun film. Cheers, Rick

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