We are family... Few families were as quintessential to the nineteen-thirties and forties as the Hardys, with the focal point, being, of course, Andy Hardy. Between 1937 and 1946, movie audiences could expect to see at least one Andy Hardy film from MGM a year. Since they used mostly existing sets, they were not only … Continue reading Andy Hardy In the Big City
Stage To Screen: Grand Hotel
"Grand Hotel. Always the same. People come. People go. Nothing ever happens." So intones the lonely and forgotten Doctor Otternschalg as he watches guests and former guests mill around in the lobby of Berlin's Grand Hotel. For him, a former First World War military doctor and burn victim, nothing ever does happen. No one writes … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Grand Hotel
Andy Hardy Grows Up (Again)
Here we go... There were sixteen Andy Hardy movies made between 1936 and 1958. They were relatively cheap and quick to shoot, audiences loved them, and they were a lot of fun. They were also a way to showcase up-and-coming young actresses such as Judy Garland, Donna Reed and Esther Williams. One of 1941's Hardy … Continue reading Andy Hardy Grows Up (Again)
The Hardys Take Manhattan
Anything that can go wrong... MGM made sixteen Andy Hardy films. It might sound funny to us today, but movie serials were the thing before the advent of TV, and the Hardy movies were easy and quick to shoot because they used the same sets and mostly the same cast every time. Plus the stories … Continue reading The Hardys Take Manhattan
Christmas In Carvel
Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel! ¡Feliz Navidad! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Feliz Natal! Erry-may Istmas-chray! 🙂 Before the advent of TV, studios invested in movie serials, and one of MGM's most popular franchises was the Andy Hardy series, which followed the adventures of its young protagonist in the Midwestern (?) town of Carvel. The films were sure bets … Continue reading Christmas In Carvel
Taking Up Room 