Another blogathon! This time we're going to be honoring the Ephron family, who have been involved in various forms of American entertainment for decades. The late Nora Ephron is the one people immediately ask about due to her body of work, which, of course, includes numerous books and essays, not to mention such classic films … Continue reading Announcing the Everything Is Copy Blogathon
One Month Until the Sixth Broadway Bound Blogathon
It's one month until we go back to Broadway, and I'm so glad people are enthusiastic about our second go-round in less than a year. So far we've got a little bit of everything--musicals, comedies, dramas, a little Ziegfeld, not to mention the 1930s are really popular this year. It's going to be fun, and … Continue reading One Month Until the Sixth Broadway Bound Blogathon
Carmen At MGM
Olá... Like many contract players of the studio era, Carmen Miranda started freelancing once her contract with Fox ended, and after making Copacabana for United Artists, Miranda made two films for MGM, the first of which was 1948's A Date With Judy. The film was a departure for her in some ways and in other ways it was more … Continue reading Carmen At MGM
Hitch Films A Play
Good evening... Ever heard of Juno and the Paycock? Any Irish people reading this probably have, but the rest of us, not so much. I hadn't, either, although I've owned the movie for a couple of decades or so. That's what I get for buying a Hitchcock collection sight unseen from the bargain bin at Wal-Mart, … Continue reading Hitch Films A Play
When MTV Does Sci-fi
Cue the ghosts of future past... MTV has turned out some pretty memorable movies but they're not always memorable for the same reasons. There's 2001's Save the Last Dance, with all its ballet-meets-hiphop coolness. There's 2004's Napoleon Dynamite with its endlessly quotable kitsch. There's the unbelievably low-key 2006 movie, Broken Bridges starring Toby Keith, Burt Reynolds, Kelly Preston … Continue reading When MTV Does Sci-fi
Van and Judy
We are now entering the Shane universe... The one and only time Van Heflin worked with Judy Garland in any significant capacity was on the 1943 film, Presenting Lily Mars, a light fun comedy that showed both actors to their best advantages and sometimes unexpected ones. Lily Mars (Judy Garland) is a native of Midhaven, Indiana … Continue reading Van and Judy
Announcing the Betty Grable Blogathon!
The Second World War saw tons of pinup girls, and I mean tons (we'll talk about this more on another day), but no one topped Betty Grable. Well, Rita Hayworth came very close, but even she didn't get past Betty. Grable was born on December 18, 1916 in St. Louis and was thrust into show business by … Continue reading Announcing the Betty Grable Blogathon!
The Seen On the Screen Blogathon: Wrapup
Hi, all! We have come to the end of our blogathon scrapbook of all of your familiar locales, and all of you have risen to the challenge in interesting and fun ways. I'm still working through your posts, of course, but look forward to reading the rest of them. Thank you, thank you, thank you … Continue reading The Seen On the Screen Blogathon: Wrapup
Hollywood Comes To Auburn
Off we go... Placer County is no stranger to the film business. Not to brag, but Hollywood has loved our scenery since the silent era. Charlie Chaplin, of course, filmed The Gold Rush in Truckee. Nike, when much wiser and more daring heads prevailed in the PR department, used Foresthill Bridge for the bungee-jumping scene … Continue reading Hollywood Comes To Auburn
The Seen On the Screen Blogathon Has Arrived
We're here, guys, and we're about to go places this weekend! Can't believe this blogathon has come already, because I feel like I just announced this thing and 2023 is flying by. As usual, if anyone's coming in late and wants to join us, because impulse trips are a thing sometimes, please let me know. … Continue reading The Seen On the Screen Blogathon Has Arrived
Different Year, Different Weirdness
The weirdness is back, bay-bee, and since my last go-round I've been dubbed the Queen of the Bad Movie by Michael of the wonderful Maniacs and Monsters blog, a title I wear proudly because Michael and his co-writer, Andrew are well-acquainted with weirdness themselves. So yeah, thank you, Michael. 🙂 Now, with the title comes … Continue reading Different Year, Different Weirdness
One Week Until the Seen On the Screen Blogathon
Seven days left, all, and I don't know about you, but I'm getting excited because we're gonna be going all kinds of places. Thanks once again to everyone who's signed up, and as usual, if anyone would like to join us, there's plenty of room, so just drop me a line and we'll get you … Continue reading One Week Until the Seen On the Screen Blogathon
I Have the Power…Kinda
Here come the B's... What Gen Xer doesn't remember the original He-Man cartoon? And the toy line? Everyone I knew at school, including me, were huge fans and would play He-Man at recess all the time. And of course, we all remember the 1987 live action film, Masters of the Universe. The question is, though, do we really … Continue reading I Have the Power…Kinda
Announcing the Sixth Broadway Bound Blogathon!
OK, it seems like we just did this, right? Well, yes. Yes, we did. I feel weird announcing our sixth trip to Broadway only six months after our last one, but since those wacky folks at the American Theatre Wing decided to move the Tonys to September in 2020 and then move them back to … Continue reading Announcing the Sixth Broadway Bound Blogathon!
A Tale of Sentinels and Fire
TV's on again, guys... One of my favorite shows in college was The Sentinel, and by far one of my favorite episodes of the series is "Light My Fire," which was originally broadcast on February 5, 1997 as part of the show's second season. I don't think it's the show's best episode, but it has a … Continue reading A Tale of Sentinels and Fire
One Month Until the Seen On the Screen Blogathon
We're getting close, all...are you ready? I'm so glad everyone has gotten into this topic, which is, admittedly, pretty unusual, and I'm curious to see what kinds of stories you've got about the places you've picked and how this works into the film or films you've picked. Thanks everyone who's signed up so far--you all … Continue reading One Month Until the Seen On the Screen Blogathon
The Allure of the Bad Boy
Nice to see Mr. Keaton again... Early sound films can be funny. The stereotype is, of course, that actors had to huddle around a microphone badly hidden or not while punching out their lines with all the sincerity of rain-soaked fence posts. Buster Keaton being Buster Keaton, though, all bets were off, and one of … Continue reading The Allure of the Bad Boy
Taking Up Room 