SYNOPSIS
New York City, 1937. Maeve Beckenstein, a spitfire producer, writes the best radio plays at WARC, including her latest pet-project. She leaves her successful career behind to prepare for parenthood with novelist husband Ezra. After four previous miscarriages, Maeve is determined to carry this child to term.
But tragedy strikes, and Maeve’s dream of motherhood dies.
Maeve and Ezra bury their still-born daughter, Máire Maxine. After months in a depression, Maeve discovers that WARC has bastardized her pet-project. Her motherly instinct repurposed, she meets with her narcissistic, former boss, Ivan Olshansky, to ask for her job back. During the encounter, she recognizes her true value.
Maeve chooses never to work for this man again.
Pondering their future over drinks at a bar, Maeve and Ezra decide to start over in a new town and change their last name to Becker, Ezra’s pen name. To honor their daughter, Maeve changes her first name as well. When she suggests adapting Ezra’s novel for film, he balks at the idea. However, fate intervenes when the head of a major Hollywood studio, and an old family friend of Maeve, walks in.
She greets him, introducing herself anew as…
(1904-1971)
- Born in New York
- First known female war journalist
- She wore pants
- Portrait of Myself - her autobiography
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(1902 - 1970)
- Born in Chicago
- One of a handful of women producers in 1940s Hollywood
- Bristled when told she wrote like a man. Writers of either sex are writers!
- Most famous film: Gilda (1946)
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(1905 - 1996)
- Born in Balitmore
- Full partner at ad agency by 28
- Leading creator of daytime radio serials with husband Frank (‘30s & ‘40s)
- Created Ma Perkins, Young Widder Brown and Stella Dallas
Image from CBS Photo Archive.