Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Secrets of an Actress

  • 19381938
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 10m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
415
YOUR RATING
George Brent and Kay Francis in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
  • Drama
  • Romance
Two architects lose their heads over a glamorous actress.Two architects lose their heads over a glamorous actress.Two architects lose their heads over a glamorous actress.
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
415
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William Keighley
  • Writers
    • Milton Krims(original screenplay)
    • Rowland Leigh(original screenplay)
    • Julius J. Epstein(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kay Francis
    • George Brent
    • Ian Hunter
Top credits
  • Director
    • William Keighley
  • Writers
    • Milton Krims(original screenplay)
    • Rowland Leigh(original screenplay)
    • Julius J. Epstein(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kay Francis
    • George Brent
    • Ian Hunter
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 14User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos9

    George Brent and Kay Francis in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    George Brent and Gloria Dickson in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    George Brent and Kay Francis in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    George Brent and Kay Francis in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    George Brent, Kay Francis, and Ian Hunter in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    George Brent, Gloria Dickson, Kay Francis, Ian Hunter, and Isabel Jeans in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    George Brent and Gloria Dickson in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    George Brent, Kay Francis, and Ian Hunter in Secrets of an Actress (1938)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kay Francis
    Kay Francis
    • Fay Carteras Fay Carter
    George Brent
    George Brent
    • Dick Orras Dick Orr
    Ian Hunter
    Ian Hunter
    • Peter Snowdenas Peter Snowden
    Gloria Dickson
    Gloria Dickson
    • Carla Orras Carla Orr
    Isabel Jeans
    Isabel Jeans
    • Marian Plantagenetas Marian Plantagenet
    Penny Singleton
    Penny Singleton
    • Miss Reidas Miss Reid
    Dennie Moore
    Dennie Moore
    • Miss Blackstoneas Miss Blackstone
    Selmer Jackson
    Selmer Jackson
    • Thompsonas Thompson
    Herbert Rawlinson
    Herbert Rawlinson
    • Harrisonas Harrison
    Emmett Vogan
    • Spenceras Spencer
    • (as Emmet Vogan)
    James B. Carson
    • Carstairsas Carstairs
    Brooks Benedict
    Brooks Benedict
    • Dining Extraas Dining Extra
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Currier
    Mary Currier
    • Playgoer in Theater Lobbyas Playgoer in Theater Lobby
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Deery
    • Waiteras Waiter
    • (uncredited)
    Jerry Fletcher
    • Theater Usheras Theater Usher
    • (uncredited)
    George Ford
    • Party Guestas Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Jack A. Goodrich
    • Playgoeras Playgoer
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Eddie Graham
    • Playgoeras Playgoer
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    • Director
      • William Keighley
    • Writers
      • Milton Krims(original screenplay)
      • Rowland Leigh(original screenplay)
      • Julius J. Epstein(original screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Play Girl
    6.3
    Play Girl
    Stranded
    6.5
    Stranded
    Women Are Like That
    5.7
    Women Are Like That
    Transgression
    5.7
    Transgression
    British Agent
    6.1
    British Agent
    Living on Velvet
    5.8
    Living on Velvet
    Women in the Wind
    6.0
    Women in the Wind
    Stolen Holiday
    6.3
    Stolen Holiday
    Comet Over Broadway
    5.6
    Comet Over Broadway
    Always in My Heart
    6.2
    Always in My Heart
    Raffles
    6.4
    Raffles
    Another Dawn
    6.1
    Another Dawn

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Fay states she has $3,000 saved up when turning down the part in Carstair's play. That would equate to nearly $59,000 in 2021.
    • Goofs
      At the opening night of Fay's play "Springboard", pages from the program are shown to indicate the play's progress. The one for the second act reads: "Springboard, Act II, Interior Fay Carter's living room, next day." Fay Carter is the *actress*. Unless the character has the same name as the star, this was an error.
    • Quotes

      Dick Orr: Goodbye, Fay. Make him very happy... he deserves it. I'll send you an icicle from Norway.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits show a woman's hands opening a locked diary, which when opened, displays the credits as the pages are flipped.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Please Be Kind
      (1938) (uncredited)

      Music by Saul Chaplin

      Played while Fran and Dick go over figures at lunch

    User reviews14

    Review
    Top review
    Kay Francis Star Vehicle
    Kay Francis stars as a minor actress who wants to make it on Broadway. She meets a bored architect (Ian Hunter) who has always wanted to produce a play. She has one. They team up and she becomes the toast of the Great White Way. But Hunter also has a partner (George Brent)and it's love at first sight. But he has a grasping wife (Gloria Dickson)....

    Fast-paced with a lot of one liners, this little Warners film is fun from the getgo. Francis is, as always, a delight to watch. Brent and Hunter are solid. Dickson is suitably vile as the shrew wife. Isabel Jeans is very funny as Marion, playing a combination of Alice Brady and Eric Blore. The 2 secretaries are nicely played by Dennie Moore and Penny Singleton.

    This was one of Kay's final film for Warners, and you'll note they had already demoted her to first billing but beneath the title. Her legal battles with the studio were front-page news in the late 30s. The studio put her in B films and then blamed her for slipping at the box office. Still, Francis had the last laugh; she turned in great performances even in the drek Warners gave her (while handing the plums to the new Warners queen, Bette Davis).
    helpful•13
    1
    • drednm
    • Sep 18, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 10, 1938 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Lovely Lady
    • Filming locations
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • First National Pictures
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 10 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    George Brent and Kay Francis in Secrets of an Actress (1938)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Secrets of an Actress (1938) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    Editors' Picks: What to Watch Now on Netflix
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.