1941 - on the set of "Penny Serenade"

Irene Dunne Blends Own Perfumes

Lovely aromas floated through Columbia's stage 9 while "Penny Serenade" was in production.

 Cary Grant turned to Beulah Bondi. "Mum, very nice, what kind of perfume are you wearing?" Miss Bondi shook her head and denied ownership. A few minutes later the flower fragrance seemed to have an added spicy note. Ann Doran asked Berryl Vaughn, who asked the wardrobe girl, who asked the hairdresser. "What kind of perfume are you using?"

 Finally, Grant tossed aside his script and with his best Sherlock Holmes manner set out to track down the fragrance.

 At the door of Irene Dunne's dressing room he was stopped by the scent of carnations, roses, violets and varied posies. He stuck his head in the doorway and in "you're under arrest" tones demanded to know what was going on. Miss Dunne smiled sweetly. "Just blending perfume, isn't it lovely?"

 His co-star in "Penny Serenade", George Stevens' new production, had brought to the studio a case of assorted bottles of perfume and was indulging in her favourite hobby of blending them to obtain a completely destinctive perfume for her own use.

(Filmland News, Cairns Post, Australia, July 16th 1941)

Besides admiring Irene's timing, Cary Grant called her the best smelling actress he ever worked with, certainly due to that distinctive, self-blended creation of a fragrance.