HOLLYWOOD — Sisters are a totally different act than brothers, who seem to be more competitive. The Andrew Sisters — LaVerne, Maxene and Patty — had hit records from 1938 to 1951. The 1974 musical “Over Here!,” which starred Maxine and Patty Andrews, launched the careers of John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Treat Williams and Ann Reinking.
The McGuire Sisters — Christine, Dorothy and Phyllis — had hit records from 1954 to 1968. They were forced to retire because of Phyllis’ relationship with mobster Sam Giancana, which got them blacklisted. They made a comeback in 1986, playing Toronto, Las Vegas, Atlantic City and New York.
The Gabor Sisters — Magda, Zsa Zsa and Eva — were mostly famous for who they dated and married, though Zsa Zsa made movies and Eva made her mark with “Green Acres.”
Olivia De Havilland won two Oscars, “To Each His Own” (1946) and “The Heiress” (1949), and her sister Joan Fontaine won for Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Suspicion” (1941). They had a feud and haven’t spoken in years. Olivia, 96, lives in Paris, and Joan, 95, lives in Carmel, Calif.
Vanessa Redgrave won an Oscar for “Julia” 1977, and her sister Lynn Redgrave scored with the l966 film “Georgy Girl” and “Gods and Monsters” 1998. Vanessa and Lynn starred together in the remake of the 1962 Bette Davis/Joan Crawford classic, “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane,” currently getting the remake treatment.
Vanessa Redgrave’s daughters Natasha and Joely Richardson also were actors. Natasha played Patty Hearst in 1988 and did the remake of “The Parent Trap” with Lindsey Lohan in 1998. Jolie played with Glenn Close in 1996’s “101 Dalmations” and last year’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”
Space prevents us from doing more than listing Veronica and Angela Cartwright, Joan and Jackie Collins, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, Brittany and Jamie Lynn Spears, and Emily and Zooey Deschanel, as some of the most noted.
This brings us to Barbra Streisand and her half-sister, Roseland Kind, who could never get her career in gear because of Barbra’s enormous success. During Barbra’s recent tour, she sang the duet “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again” (with sister Roz) that she originally sang with Judy Garland on her CBS show.
Which leads us to Liza Minnelli and her half-sister, Lorna Luft. They both sound like their mother, Judy Garland, but Lorna has remained in Liza’s shadow. Liza has been playing The Hollywood Bowl and big venues, while Lorna has been playing in “The Palm Springs Follies.” Lorna did win an Emmy for producing the mini-series “My Life with Judy Garland.”
Well there’s one thing to be said about living in your sister’s shadow — the spotlight keeps you warm!
© 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.