September 23, 1957: "The Three Faces of Eve" Premieres

September 23, 1957: The film The Three Faces of Eve premieres, directed by Nunnally Johnson. It is based on the book of the same title by psychiatrists Corbett H. Thigpen and Hervey M. Cleckley, who also helped write the screenplay. They wrote about their patient, whom they identified only as "Eve" to protect her privacy. Joanne Woodward played all three "faces of Eve," and won the Academy Award for Best Actress, the 1st performer of either gender to win an "Oscar" for playing multiple personalities.

There is a misconception that schizophrenia and "split personalities" are the same thing. They're not. Schizophrenia is characterized by hallucinations, of the ear more than the eye; delusions, and disorganized thinking and behavior.

Then there is the similarly labeled schizoid personality disorder, characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency toward a solitary or sheltered lifestyle, secretiveness, emotional coldness, detachment, and apathy. Affected individuals may be unable to form intimate attachments to others and simultaneously possess a rich and elaborate but exclusively internal fantasy world. But this is not what Eve had, either.

What Eve had was then known as multiple personality disorder, and is now generally called disassociative identity disorder. When the film begins in 1951, Dr. Curtis Luther (played by Lee J. Cobb) takes "Eve White" on as a patient. She is a timid, self-effacing wife and mother who has severe and blinding headaches and occasional blackouts. While speaking with Dr. Luther, a "new personality,", the wild, fun-loving Eve Black, emerges. Eve Black knows everything about Eve White, but Eve White is unaware of Eve Black. Hence, the updated term "disassociative."

Eventually, the actions of the Eve Black personality, including an assault on Eve White's daughter, Bonnie, cause Eve White's husband, Ralph (David Wayne), to divorce her and take Bonnie away.

Under hypnosis at one session, a 3rd personality emerges, a relatively stable woman, but with no name and little memory of her past. She chooses to take the name Jane. Dr. Luther eventually prompts her to remember a traumatic event in Eve's childhood. Her grandmother had died when she was six, and according to family custom, relatives were supposed to kiss the dead person at the viewing, making it easier for them to let go. While Eve screams, her mother forces her to kiss the corpse. Apparently, Eve's terror led to the creation of different personalities.

After discovering the trauma, Jane remembers her entire past. When Dr. Luther asks to speak with Eve White and Eve Black, Jane says they are gone. Jane marries a man named Earl (Ken Scott) whom she met when she was Jane, and reunites with her daughter Bonnie.

That's where the movie ends. That's not where the story ends. Under the pseudonym Evelyn Lancaster, "Jane" published her own book in 1958, titled The Final Face of Eve. If only: In her next book, I'm Eve, published in 1977, she revealed her full name: Christine Costner Sizemore, born on April 4, 1927 in Edgefield, South Carolina, and that she was not cured by the time of the movie, needing more treatment, saying that, now cured, she was in her 23rd and, she hoped, true self.

Lee J. Cobb died in 1976, Nunnally Johnson in 1977, Hervey Cleckley in 1984, Ken Scott in 1986, David Wayne in 1995, and Corbett Thigpen in 1999. Chris Sizemore, apparently cured, outlived all of them, dying on July 24, 2016, at the age of 89.

In 1960, with the establishment of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Joanne Woodward was the 1st celebrity to agree to pose with her star for photographers, and therefore was, incorrectly, singled out in the collective public imagination as the first awardee.

As of September 23, 2022, she is still alive. However, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and last appeared in public in 2013. She is probably better known for having been married to actor Paul Newman than for The Three Faces of Eve or any other role she played. She and Paul had 3 daughters: Nell, Melissa and Clea.

Terry Ann Ross, who was 5 years old when playing Bonnie, gave up acting while still a child, and appears to also be still alive.

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September 23, 1957 was a Monday. There were 4 games in baseball's major leagues that day:

* The Milwaukee Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2 at Milwaukee County Stadium. Hank Aaron hit a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving the Braves the win, and clinching the National League Pennant for them. I have a separate entry for this event.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Senators, 9-4 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Frank Malzone hit a home run for the Red Sox. Ted Williams went 1-for-1... with 3 walks. Harmon Killebrew hit a home run as a pinch-hitter.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-4 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Dick Brown singled Billy Harrell home with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning. Cal McLish -- in full, Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish -- went the distance for the win. Hitting home runs for the Indians were Brown, Rocky Colavito, and a rookie named Roger Maris. It is interesting that, on a night when Aaron hit a major home run, Maris -- who, like Aaron, would break a home run record set by Babe Ruth -- also hit a home run. For the Tigers, Al Kaline went 3-for-4 with 2 walks and 2 RBIs.

* And the Kansas City Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-5 at Kansas City Municipal Stadium.

There was another notable sporting event: Carmen Basilio won a split decision over Sugar Ray Robinson to win the Middleweight Championship of the World at Yankee Stadium. They would have a rematch 6 months later, at Chicago Stadium on March 23, 1958. It was another split decision, awarded to Robinson.