Here we go... You all know character actors rarely get famous. Most of the time they show up, and our response is something like, "Oh, it's that person. What's their name again?" That's to be expected; I've heard it said that the sign of a good character actor is when audiences don't know who they … Continue reading Discovering Eve Arden
Garbo At M-G-M
Once Greta Garbo came to America, the only studio she ever worked at was M-G-M. She was never loaned out, she never went freelance, and she didn't divide her time between the movies and the stage like many other actors of that era. M-G-M was Garbo's studio, and she knew how to use what it … Continue reading Garbo At M-G-M
Ninotchka’s Guide To Paris
Garbo was definitely not known for being a comedienne. Oh, no. This screen queen was in deadly earnest. Dramatic. Serious. Always, dahling. As time went on, though, M-G-M tried revamping Garbo's image, which is why it took thirteen years for her to make her first comedy, and that was the 1939 film, Ninotchka. Three Russians, Iranoff, … Continue reading Ninotchka’s Guide To Paris
Ballet Garbo
Garbo is in the house! One of the wacky things about the studio system was that an actor or actress could be conscripted into certain roles in films, whether they liked it or not. Depending on the studio or on their status as a star, refusing a role could mean hurting one's career or risking … Continue reading Ballet Garbo
NOW: Dear Friend 2.0
We've seen the "Then," and now for the "Now"... By far, one of my favorite current-day screenwriters is the late Nora Ephron. She came by writing naturally, seeing as her parents both authored plays, books, screenplays, and the like. Before her death in 2012, she crafted films with deft and memorable dialogue, often collaborating with … Continue reading NOW: Dear Friend 2.0
THEN: Dear Friend…
Get ready for the "Then" in the Then and Now Blogathon! Who's up for a little shopping? In 1937, the play, Illatszertár, or Parfumerie premiered at the Pest Theatre in Budapest. Written by Miklós László, the play followed the story of a cosmetics shop in Budapest, and in particular two of the clerks, Amalia Balash and George Horvath. The … Continue reading THEN: Dear Friend…
Guess Who’s Coming To Connecticut
It's well-known that food was a very real concern during the Second World War. There were many, many desperate and starving people all over the world. In Holland, for instance, people were chewing on tulip bulbs and making bread out of peas. England was better off, but since they depended so heavily on imports, things … Continue reading Guess Who’s Coming To Connecticut
Observe the Ramen
Who doesn't like ramen? The instant kind is the food of college students and those on budgets. And everyone else, because we just can't leave ramen behind. There are a million ways to make it and dress it up, not to mention there are tons of different brands and restaurants out there. To the Japanese, … Continue reading Observe the Ramen
Cuisine, Stars Hollow Style
Time to tuck in, people... Thanksgiving is on the horizon (unless you're Canadian, in which case you've already had it), and food is on everyone's mind. Even fictional food. Anyone who's spent any time watching Gilmore Girls knows Lorelai and Rory like to eat. A lot. Stuff that would make the rest of us gain weight just … Continue reading Cuisine, Stars Hollow Style
Jane and Edward
Presenting Miss Joan! Joan Fontaine wasn't a lady to be pigeonholed. She could be sweet, she could be romantic, and she could be steely. In the case of 1944's Jane Eyre, she was a mixture of all of these qualities and more, sharing scenes with Orson Welles, one of the most formidable figures in entertainment history. … Continue reading Jane and Edward
To Spencer, With Love
The relationship between Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy is the stuff of legend. They were together for twenty-six years, and while morally their relationship may raise some red flags, it was always good to see their love for each other every time they locked eyes. Almost twenty years after Tracy's death, Hepburn, along with many … Continue reading To Spencer, With Love
What’s There Is Cherce
Katharine Hepburn was famously athletic for most of her life. She played sports of all kinds and loved swimming in the ocean. It was only a matter of time before a role came along that would show off her abilities, and that was the title character in 1952's Pat and Mike. Pat Pemberton is a widow … Continue reading What’s There Is Cherce
Boys Town Revisited
Everyone knows (and is probably sick of) the way sequels, prequels, and remakes are such a big part of Hollywood's output nowadays. We've been down Reboot Road plenty of times just on this blog. Classic Hollywood was no different than today in terms of capitalizing on older properties, although the new-to-retread ratio was obviously different. … Continue reading Boys Town Revisited
He Ain’t Heavy, Father, He’s My Brother
Time to talk about Spence and Kate! December of this year will be the one-hundredth anniversary of Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, better known as Boys Town. Father Edward J. Flanagan, an Irish priest working in Omaha, Nebraska borrowed $90 and sought to provide a home for homeless, neglected, or delinquent boys, where they could receive … Continue reading He Ain’t Heavy, Father, He’s My Brother
Strange Bedfellows
Mr. Breen, I presume... The thing that people talk about when it comes to the American home front during World War Two, besides rationing, war jobs, and scrap drives, is how crowded the cities were. Residents of Mobile, Alabama liked to say that all someone had to do was bend down to tie their shoe … Continue reading Strange Bedfellows
Somebody’s Watching Me
Here's June... So many of the early stars got their start on the stage, such as on Broadway or in vaudeville, and June Allyson was no different. She went from working in Vitaphone shorts and in the choruses of various Broadway shows to her first lead in the successful 1941 musical, Best Foot Forward. M-G-M soon bought … Continue reading Somebody’s Watching Me
Just the Two of Us
It's the Dynamic Duos! Betty Grable and Don Ameche were each icons in their own right. Ameche was a durable lead actor who did everything from drama to comedy to musicals, whether on the screen or on the radio. Betty, was, of course, the A-number one pinup of the Second World War, and a popular … Continue reading Just the Two of Us
Taking Up Room 