Fay Wray Part II
Fay wasn't overly enthusiastic when she first heard producer Merian Cooper describe King Kong (1933) to her. Still, she gave in her friend's enthusiasm and agreed to make some test scenes in the clutches of a six foot model ape hand.
Much to Fay's mortification, the test scenes were eventually used in the final movie. She had followed Cooper's instructions to scream loudly and often, and she had only agreed to go over the top because she thought the scenes would not be a part of the final product. However, sometimes she was screaming for real; the hand had flexible fingers and occasionally the grip would loosen, almost causing her to drop several feet.
Kong required an immense amount of special effects work, and while Fay waited between set-ups, she worked in other movies. The word got out that she was in a big horror production, and soon producers were offering her roles almost exclusively in that genre. She did a lot of screaming on the screen for the next two years, in scary movies that ranged from classic (Mystery of the Wax Museum and The Most Dangerous Game) to mediocre (Vampire Bat and Doctor X ).
Today, these thrillers are the best known and the easiest to find of Fay's movies. Though the movies were a small part of her decades-long career, it is easy to see why she became the first horror movie sex symbol. In the midst of the most sordid stories, Fay's porcelain beauty, determination, and bright charisma brought fresh air to the grim proceedings.
After finishing Kong, Fay traveled to England with her husband John Saunders. There she appeared in an installment of the Bulldog Jack series. She also made yet another thriller, The Clairvoyant with Claude Rains, whom she admired very much.
One night, Saunders casually suggested to Fay that she go home to California and get a divorce. Stunned by his sudden decision to leave her, Fay took a boat home to America, not to get a divorce, but to finalize her American citizenship.
By the time she got home, Fay had decided that she wanted a baby. She knew that she couldn't get Saunders to love her, and though she didn't want to find another man, she did want somebody to love. After finishing her business, she returned to England; not long after, she was pregnant by Saunders.
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