Sadly, Mr. Crane passed away on August 21, 2008.

He was near completion of a book under the title:

FROM TARA TO TARLETON OAKS, A GONE WITH THE WIND SCRAPBOOK.

Fred Crane was recently inducted into the George Reeves Hall of Fame.  You can read the story here.

To learn more about Fred Crane, visit the Glass House Presents website and read the wonderful interview with him in “Meet Fred Crane.”

You can also see the list of his screen credits by clicking here.

And here is an interesting article about Mr. Crane’s Tarleton Oaks Bed and Breakfast.

You can read Mr. Crane’s Obituary here.

Fred Crane, Vivien Leigh, and George Reeves in Gone with the Wind.

Gone with the Wind  make-up still for the Tarleton Twins, George (Stuart) and Brent (Fred Crane).

Note that George is listed in the Notes as G. Bessolo.  This was before George changed his stage name to  “Reeves.”

Porch scene from Gone with the Wind (George is on Scarlet’s left).  This particular scene was shot five times (first under the direction of George Cukor and later under Victor Fleming, who took over after Cukor left the production) before producer David O. Selznick was satisfied.

Gone with the Wind is quite possibly the most famous movie ever made.  Based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell, the film was released on January 17, 1941  and won eight Oscars:

Best Picture: David O. Selznick, producer

Best Actress: Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara

Best Supporting Actress: Hattie McDaniel

Best Director: Victor Fleming

Best Screenplay: Sidney Howard

Best Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler

Best Cinematography: Ernest Haller and Ray Rennahan

Best Film Editing: Hal C. Kern and James E. Newcom

One Oscar that is notably missing is Best Actor -- which Clark Gable should have won.

What were they thinking???

Fred Crane was an actor, an author, and a close personal friend of George Reeves.  They first met when they were cast for the roles of the Tarleton Twins in Gone with the Wind.  But they maintained a friendship long after the movie completed filming.

I am very proud to display the photograph above, with the wonderful inscription from Fred Crane.  He sent me this picture along with a very nice letter, after I’d sent him a copy of my CD of “Oh, George.”  I am pleased to report that Mr. Crane liked my song very much and he also added,

“If it is any consolation to you, we strongly feel that George did NOT commit suicide.  He was not the type, nor did he have the mindset for it.”

As I told Mr. Crane, my mother was a big Gone with the Wind fan.  I’m sure she must have read the novel at least one hundred times and I know she saw the movie dozens of times.  But it wasn’t until the two of us were watching the A&E Biography of George Reeves that she realized, for the very first time, that my childhood hero had appeared in her favorite movie.  This was a special connection between us that I will always remember.

I’m sure my mother would be extremely proud to know that I had actually received a letter from a movie star like Mr. Crane and that he liked my song.

Fred Crane in the 1960’s.

There are interesting articles about the movie and the novel at Wikipedia.  And there are numerous websites dedicated to GWTW, including the official website as well as one for bloopers.

Behind the scenes during shooting.