Christine Photo

McIntyre Family Scrapbook

page last updated: 4/12/2005

[Susan McIntyre B. is the daughter of Christine's brother, John, Jr. Ms. B. writes that her Aunt was known to her as Teenie and "was given that nickname by her family, long before I came on the scene. She was petite and her siblings all towered over her. I remember when she discovered I had grown taller than she - I don't know which of us was sadder." This page, in large part, is dedicated to Ms. B.'s remembrances of her aunt, with whom she had a very special relationship. -- BT]

"My parents lived with 'Papa' and 'Ma' in their beautiful home on Holly Mont Drive in Hollywood, during and after the War. My Dad was in the Army Air Corps and my mother and I lived there during the war, with my Dad joining us after. I know Teenie and her sister Annes were not married and lived there too. Their stories were about my father and his antics, so I have very little memory of Teenie during that period. I still have an organdy dress Teenie made for me - she was extremely talented in many disciplines. In this she took after her mother.

"All the McIntyre women were strong personalities, intelligent and talented musically, possessing a wicked sense of humor. They all played musical instruments and sang. Teenie played the piano, Marian played the violin and piano, Jean played the piano, violin and harp, and Annes played the piano and violin professionally. She played the violin with one of the motion picture studio orchestras for a while. She was one of the first female aerospace engineers. My father, who would have been diagnosed with ADD in this day, played the piano, trumpet, violin, cello, and drums - none terribly well, however. Marian was the school orchestra director and had the pleasure of tossing him out of the orchestra, after complaining about him to their mother. She said, 'Throw him out if he won't settle down.' And Marian did just that. Teenie loved him and just chuckled at his antics... to the day he died at the age of 65, he was her 'darling Johnny.'

"I loved attending High Mass with them and sitting next to Teenie and hearing her fabulous voice. I drew a clown in the back of her missal which she carried to mass every day of her life. My aunt Annes had it when she died and I am sad to realize it is lost now.

"Additionally, they were fantastic cooks. Our family gatherings were feasts. Thanksgiving and Christmas were days of wonder, warmth and fun. Teenie always had the most fabulous Christmas trees. Every year they had different themes and colors. She would usually have a "flocked" tree - some years pink, others blue, white or even red. Her gift boxes were fantastic, too. I'm sure you think I am exaggerating, but they were matched to the colors of the trees. All the decorations matched - the wreath or swag on the front door gave a hint as to the color and theme for that year. Had she not been an actress, she could have been an incredibly successful interior designer. She made wonderful eggnog and Tom and Jerrys; although,I never really liked her frozen salad - it had nuts in it and they were really like frozen pebbles.

"'Ma's' favorite holiday was the 4th of July. I think this was the source of the family's deep feelings of patriotism. Her grandfather was paid a bounty by Congress during the Civil War for the capture of Jefferson Davis.

"But, getting back to Teenie... I spent a great deal of time with her in her homes." [After her parents' divorce in 1948, and with her father winning custody of her, Ms. B.'s relationship with her aunt deepened, and 'Teenie' took care to spend as much time as possible with her young neice. -- BT] "I attended St. Paul the Apostle elementary school and would meet her for mass every morning. Afterward, she would bundle me into her gorgeous pink Cadillac and feed me toast fingers and hot chocolate. Many afternoons she would be waiting for me when school let out, too. She taught me all the courtesies and polish she possessed. She taught me to be gracious and to smile even when life is handing you a bunch of lemons, and to always wear clean white gloves. To insure this, she frequently presented me with a new pair. I still have them... white cotton with embroidery on the fingers, white leather driving gloves when I got my license. I remember sweeping through her house modeling her fabulous peniors and matching slippers with dyed-to-match ostrich feathers... then I would switch to her English riding attire. I thought I was just as elegant as she was... I loved watching her in the kitchen and helping her set the table. It was always formal with sterling, crystal and china and flowers. When her father was alive, he presided over the meals. Did you know she nursed him in her home until his death?

"As I married and had children, she was a loving 'grandmother' to them. I know she was so pleased that Jill [one of Susan's children, now herself an adult -- BT] was learning to play the piano and gave her a little stuffed frog which, I believe, Jill still has."