Devotees

The Deanna Durbin Devotees has a rich history. The original Deanna Durbin fan club was founded in 1937 by four teenage girls (Marguerite Slancy, Mary Blockwell, Ann Inman, Marian Jentz). The fan club published a newsletter called DEANNA'S JOURNAL. In 1938, a LIFE magazine feature on Deanna Durbin generated many fan letters. One of the letters was written by Jay Gordon who wrote, "Thanks a million for the liveliest picture ever printed in LIFE - that full page photograph of Deanna Durbin. I'm framing it and redecorating my room around that picture!" Gordon received hundreds of letters and decided to form his own fan club called the Deanna Durbin Devotees which eventually merged with the original club. The newly organized club soon enjoyed its own feature article in LIFE magazine in a profile that detailed club activity. Within two years the Deanna Durbin Devotees had grown to over 300 chapters and the largest fan club in the world. A quarterly newsletter called DEANNA'S DIARY was posted to all members. Today, the Deanna Durbin Devotees administrator uses the Internet to communicate and publish information for the rapidly increasing membership.



One of the goals of the Devotees was to have Deanna Durbin constitutionally declared Queen of the United States!

Devotee Loraine McGrath was the champion collector of Deanna Durbin items. She had four scrapbooks with clippings and 1,500 pictures.

A Devotee put much effort into this drawing of Deanna Durbin to much applause from fellow fans at this Riverside Drive meeting of the New York chapter. Director John McCarthy stands right of the drawing:

Betty Howell was the winner of a contest that determined which Devotee most closely resembled Deanna Durbin.



INTERESTING NOTE: In real life, Deanna Durbin's movie stand-in was Betty Harrison.

In the 1938, the Devotees voted against a merger with Deanna's Canadian fans called the Durbinites.

DEVOTEES VERSES HARVARD:

In 1938, John Otvos, who was President of the "We Love Deanna Durbin Club" of Harvard, said the following:

"Love her? Why we are thrilled every time we see her; she is the greatest little girl in the world!"

The only requirement for Harvard membership was that a prospective member must see every Deanna Durbin movie three times and dream about her four nights in succession.

Because of that silly rule, a feud began with the Deanna Durbin Devotees. When Nelson Blair, who was the National Secretary of the Devotees at that time, was informed of the Harvard club's stiff admission requirements, he replied that the Devotees were much more loyal to "the most beautiful girl in the world." Blair also stated that he had seen ONE HUNDRED MEN AND A GIRL 24 times.

INTERESTING NOTE: Another Devotee had seen MAD ABOUT MUSIC 144 times and counting!



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OUR PRECIOUS DEANNA



I've been to many movies
And seen some wonderous views
Have read of famous people
In magazines and news

Her golden voice re-echo
Into the sky above
And to her chosen Devotees
They hold both joy and love

Among all famous singers
If I could have my choice
I'd pick Deanna Durbin
For her lovely glorious voice

What should we Devotees care
For treasure chests of gold
When we'll always have Deanna
Whose worth could never be told

Jack Bilbano (DDD)

This a 1938 photo of Deanna Durbin holding a gift from the Devotees on her 17th birthday:

A letter from Deanna Durbin to the Devotees:

"1939 is swiftly drawing to a close and I want you all to know how much your association has meant to me. I am still at a loss for a way to adequately express my thanks for the interesting letters, cards, and lovely presents with which you have showered me during the past year. Please forgive me for being so slow in answering your letters. All have been safely filed away and each one of you will hear from me just as soon as I have a few minutes to spend with my typewriter. Since we finished FIRST LOVE, I have been doing my best to catch up with my correspondence, but there is so much of it I hardly know where to begin. You are a grand group of friends to be so patient and I appreciate it very much."

The Deanna Durbin Devotees headquarters is now situated in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia:



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Close to the gorgeous Gold Coast tourist city:



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And close to the world famous Australia Zoo:



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A September 1937 photo of Deanna Durbin receiving a toy Australian koala: