Finally, the date was set, and we started shooting at the end of June 1988. (Robert gave his sister!) Sally Field admitted last year: He went after Julia with a vengeance. We did a reading of it at a small off-Broadway theater, the WPA, which had an amazing reputationLittle Shop of Horrors started there. Susan Harling-Robinson was the inspiration for the play and movie "Steel Magnolias", written by her brother Robert Harling . "But I was missing the sound of the wonderful vernacular," he said. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. She was one of the great goddesses of cinema [Hannah had already starred in, All that was left was Shelby. From the moment we met, he tailor-made the part for me. Resend Activation Email. Desperate to be a mom, she defied doctors advice to have her much-wanted baby. ", 13. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. She was a majorette. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Never. Robert Harling, living and working in New York City, not only distraught over his sister Susan's death, he was also upset with his brother-in-law, who remarried within six months of his sister's demise. In true Steel Magnolia fashion she rolled with it, she asked me if she could read it and we went back to the hotel and I would walk past the door and she was just sobbing and sobbing and sobbing. This is a fun one for trivia buffs: One of Nicole Kidman's first roles on stage was playing Shelby in a Sydney, Australia, production. Robert Harling, the author and creator of Steel Magnolias, lost his sisterSusan Harling-Robinson, from diabetic complications. I wanted to celebrate my sister, it was a time of tumult and the way it took off, who knew. Go back and ask what would amuse her, how she would edit, what would be too vulgar, where she would put her foot down. So we got a draft of the script together, and Ray was happy. A system error has occurred. .Nothing to stop her: Susan Harling Robinson was so determined to be a majorette, despite her diabetes diagnosis aged 12 - that she made her mother sew pockets into her uniform for candy. Robert Harling reveals: 'Susan died in the fall of 1985. Harling ended up writing the play truly becauseall he wanted to do was have somebody remember her, particularly her two-year-old son who may have no recollection of her in the future. One thing is for sure, Mrs. Susan Robinson did not go through life without being loved!!!! It only ran for four weeks at the WPA, and we all wanted to figure out how to keep it going. Lets open it up. The casting director said, Theres this girl. In the film, Shelby is found unconscious at home by her husband while her baby son cries in the background. ROBERT HARLING Julia was so eager to have the stamp of approval from Mama and Daddy to play their daughter. 0 cemeteries found in Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, USA. In the second act, when I talk on the phone to somebody, I would always put in, See you then, Susan. I think that finally got published in the play. And that was it. A friend had advised Harling to write down the story as a way to come to terms with everything that had happened. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Susan Harling-Robinson was the inspiration for the play and movie "Steel Magnolias", written by her brother Robert Harling. But Harling said one of the film's stars, MacLaine, helped him realize that no one's really gone. . Toast to my sister, Susan,'" Harling said. Drag images here or select from your computer for Laura Susan Harling Robinson memorial. 14:14 GMT 28 Mar 2014 Well, by the time she got to Shreveport, I was already gone! I wish they did so that more people could honor and learn about this amazing woman. With nothing but the knowledge that it was on the corner of Cypress and something, I headed out with camera in hand early Saturday morning before the group field trip to the USFWS fish hatchery. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Filmed in his hometown, Robert says: I dont care what people say I wrote down what I heard. Thanks to family willing to step in and take care of things at home for me, I was able to attend both days and participate in the bass fishing trip. It chronicles the lives of Susan Harling, her mother Margaret Harling and the community of witty, strong and loving women that supported them through good times and bad. Thanks for your help! As we were going into production, Michael and Kathy Weller asked me what my parents thought about the play, and I said I hadnt told them. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Softly spoken and with a Southern accent that still hints at his Louisiana upbringing, Robert Harling wrote the play Steel Magnolias shortly after the death of his beloved sister Susan Robinson aged just 33 in 1985. These were lines that I heard said, if you say it doesnt ring true youre wrong.. She smiled that smile. Family members linked to this person will appear here. So happy you got to meet your Truvy and get a do. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. It helped that Natchitoches is gorgeous. So Im not going to complain about anything.. Clairee says. The rich history of this town is filled with amazing women noted for their strength, courage, and purpose. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 2013-06-21 01:09:47. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. By The women in my town talked in bumper stickers, they were funny, funny people. ROBERT HARLING I knew the actress Margo Martindale, who is now a huge star, and I wrote the role of Truvy for her. Stark had made the hit The Way We Were, and the plays hed made into movies included Funny Girl and Chapter Two. Robert had a cameo, playing the minister who marries Shelby, and he gives a fascinating insight into how Julia Roberts came to join the stellar cast. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. And its kind of turned out that way, actually. Robert recalls: Julia would come over to the house to see my mom and dad all the time, she worked so hard. Well do the play, itll come and go, and they wont know anything about it. I was just chicken. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The dedication of this park to Susan Harling Robinson adds another name to that illustrious list. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. They came to New York to visit a week before we went into rehearsal, and I got up some courage. Herbert gave me the greatest, simplest advice: Always remember who the important person is here, meaning my sister. What people dont understand is that its honest even below what they see as a story. The play wasnt even originally supposed to be a comedy. It was just beyond surreal. So we sit down, and early on Truvy says, Were gonna be busier than a one-armed paperhanger. I looked over at my dad, and everybodys laughing and hes not laughing, but hes beaming because thats his expression. Besides being based on the true story of his sister, Susan, Harling shared 13 other things fans might not know about the movie. "I wrote him back and I said, 'Save your toast to me. Susan had Type 1 diabetes. However, he recalls calling his nephew one day as a young child, who proudly proclaimed that he was a cool kid at school, smiling: Roberts a very handsome man now, but he was a preemie, and at that age he was skinny not the definition of cool! SHIRLEY MACLAINE Herbert called and said, Im going to send you this script, and you can play any part you want, except for MLynn and the daughter. So I read it and I said, I want to play the really bitchy one. I think I was rehearsing for my old age. ROBERT HARLING I knew the actress Margo Martindale, who is now a huge star, and I wrote the role of Truvy for her. The play is a comedy-drama about the bond among a group of Southern women in northwest Louisiana . So almost daily I think about what my life would be if she had lived. Try again later. It was the only time Id ever seen Kathy get riled at me. As the years have gone by, there are a lot of lines that get quoted back to me. Not every diabetic is the same, but because of her particular condition, the doctors were concerned that carrying a child would affect her. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? That all changed when an audience was brought in. Showing a strength and love equal to Susans determination for a normal life, Susans mother Margaret donated one of her kidneys. Kathy said, You werent there through all of that pain, you didnt watch your child die. Harling did not tell his parents he had written the play until just before it opened at the WPA, but hed sent versions back and forth to his brother, John, who was working in Philadelphia. All rights reserved. My sister had to die for all that to happen. "She flashed that smile and that was my sister. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Plus, long lasting at night. Year should not be greater than current year. Susan helped Harlingwrite the "hit me" scene. Julia Roberts as Shelby and Sally Fields as MLynn after the wedding scene in the film. When Susan learned she was a diabetic at age twelve, one of the first things she said was that her illness was not going to get in the way of anything. True to her word, she never let it slow her down. Harling grew up in Natchitoches, Louisiana, the oldest settlement from the Louisiana Purchase, with two younger siblings. She was familiar with my frustration in terms of auditions, and she used to say, You know what really makes me mad is the fact that I cant do anything for you. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8696788/laura-susan-robinson. ROBERT HARLING Margos hometown is just over the border from Natchitoches, so its kind of the same world. Id go to the ice cream store and the magazine place and the video store. I went okay job done, mission accomplished. I said, Its got to be a painful thing for them. It only ran for four weeks at the WPA, and we all wanted to figure out how to keep it going. Oh sure, I had ridden on crew boats when I worked over at the production dock. "We were completely thrown back because we thought we were doing a drama. Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Robert M. Harling, Jr.; her sons, Robert M. Harling, III of New York, New York and John Forbes Harling and his wife Elizabeth of Garland, Texas; a sister, Emmalee Highnote and a brother, Tudor Jones. BW, 7th Annual Grand Isle Ladies' Fishing Rodeo. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Author Bobby Harling grew up here and wrote the story in 10 days time about his sister, Susan Harling Robinson, the mother of a 2-year-old son. You think of this flower that is so delicate and has to be handled with care, but is actually made of much stronger stuff.. TOM WHITEHEAD They all lived life locally. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. However, there are moments that were dramatized for the cameras, he says. Make sure that the file is a photo. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. "Continue, We hadnt gone far up the bayou, when Roscoe pulled up in front of the small local store and gas pumps asking me if I wanted something to drink. As you might recall, both the water heater and the refrigerator went out the day before my scheduled trip to Captains Weekend at Cabelas in Gonzales, LA. I couldnt imagine it. The 32 year old Susan left behind her husband Dr Pat Robinson and their two-year-old son Robert after years of battling diabetes. Susan had been cautioned about the complications of having children, given her severe diabetes. There was a problem getting your location. Also, What happened to Susan Harling Robinson husband? We all thought it was a drama, and then the first night it was in front of an audience, we were shocked. Susan had gone in to get a shunt to help her dialysis and usually you have a local anesthetic But for some reason she had a general anesthetic and her heart just stopped.. Robert Harling reveals: 'Susan died in the fall of 1985. A bit of irony that Susan should be in Shreveport and you just across the river all those years ago. Where is Susan Harling buried? Then I just have to go back to the honesty of the first impulse, that I just wanted somebody to remember her. Only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial think I was rehearsing for old. Truvy says, were gon na be busier than a one-armed paperhanger sit,... Just $ 5 about anything.. Clairee says memorial appear on the flowers tab up some courage the... I think that finally got published in the film 's stars, MacLaine, helped him that. Figuring things out be their own family member have gone by, are! Sister had to die for all that to happen him back and I said, I was rehearsing my... 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