37-year-old William Powell looks very tan in this 1929 Paramount Pictures publicity photograph. Powell also looks like he has a case of the mumps.
Powell is best known to classic movie fans for author Dashiell Hammett’s creation; Nick Charles, a former private detective, in a series of hugely popular Thin Man films with Myrna Loy Continue reading
We don’t know who took this publicity photograph of Clara Bow. We do know it was one of a series about Clara being a helper to Santa that appeared in Photoplay Magazine in 1927. Continue reading
In these politically correct times even the smallest transgressions will be pointed out and removed by “cancel culture”.
Frequently in Warner Bros. cartoons the animators would superimpose whatever they wanted for a headline and visual in real newspapers. They would leave the rest of the page unaltered. Continue reading
Exclusive Layout – 25 Years Of Movie Making – M-G-M – An interior shot in 1925: The antiquated “silent” camera shoots the first scene for “La Bohème” starring Lillian Gish, while director King Vidor (c) and the late Irving Thalberg, famous young M-G-M production chief, stand by. photo: M-G-M Photos, July 8, 1948 ( uncredited in photo behind the camera is cinematographer Hendrick Sartov)
In 1925, Lillian Gish was beginning a one million dollar contract to make six films in two years for Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
But, when Gish arrived at MGM no preparations were in place for her. No stories or even ideas, no directors, nothing. Continue reading
Star and Wife
Andy Griffith poses happily with his wife Barbara who joined him in Hollywood when he was starring in Warner Bros. film version of the Air Force comedy “No Time For Sergeants,” which Griffith also did on the stage. The Griffiths make their home on an island farm off the North Carolina coast. photo: Warner Bros. April 17, 1958
Andy Griffith as Sir Walter Raleigh with wife Barbara Griffith in The Lost Colony. photo: New York Daily News 1954
No Time For Sergeants was a huge Broadway success, running 796 performances from 1955 -1957. Griffith would leave the show after over 300 performances to begin his motion picture career.
North Carolinian, Barbara Bray Edwards was the first of Andy Griffith’s three wives. The pair met when they were both students at The University of North Carolina. Andy and Barbara married August 26,1949.
After being graduated in 1949, Andy would teach high school music in Goldsboro, N.C..
During his third year teaching Andy realized Continue reading
Because I own some old newspapers that report historic events, I was looking at the New York Daily News of August 27, 1974 announcing the death of Charles Lindbergh on the front page. Turning the pages my attention was drawn to the movie advertisements.
The ads are simple, frequently without captivating graphics and usually lacking even brief summaries of the plot of the movies. Besides giving the theatres and times they were playing at, these ads were supposed to attract potential viewers with the title, the stars or a reviewers blurb.
The disarray of the motion picture industry in the seventies is evident in the variety of films playing at theaters.
Adjacently advertised next to one another are Deep Throat; The Devil In Miss Jones; The Longest Yard and Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia. Two X-rated and two R-rated films.
Deep Throat (1973) was the first “mainstream” pornographic film. It was Continue reading
Brigitte Bardot in Madrid, Spain, 1957 photographer: Peter Basch
Brigitte Bardot, who quit film acting at age 39 in 1973 to devote herself to animal rights is dead.
The Fondation Brigitte Bardot who announced her death did not reveal a cause, place or date that she died.
Her obituary appears worldwide, so we will not cover the details of her long and sometimes controversial life or film career.
What interested us is: when did Bardot first come to notice in the United States? Continue reading
This publicity photograph comes from the ABC Television Network for the comedy series Bewitched. This episode is The No-Harm Charm which originally aired on ABC on Thursday April 25, 1968 and re-aired August 29, 1968 from 8:30 – 9:00 P.M. EDT.
Special guest star Paul Lynde appeared eleven times from 1965-1971 in Bewitched. Lynde’s first appearance was as driving instructor Harold Harold in 1965, However, after that episode Lynde had a recurring role in the series as Uncle Arthur.
In The No-Harm Charm Uncle Arthur gives Darrin (Dick York) a charm Continue reading
There was no news slug on the rear of this photograph, but tracking down what the commotion was all about was easy. It’s a publicity stunt of the silliest magnitude.
Film Lovelies Protest Corsets, Win Short Ribs
Hollywood, CA – Carrying signs and corsets Hollywood lovelies picket a movie studio. They are from left, with “No! To Corsets” sign is Marie Wilson, in background, Judy Cook, the picketed producer Albert Lewin and Darlene De Mos. photo: AP 5/15/1946
The Des Moines Register was one of the news Continue reading
Joan Blondell (left) plays Mary Keaton and Bette Davis is Ruth Westcott in the1932 film Three On A Match.
The story is about three women (Ann Dvorak completes the trio) who attend high school together and how their lives intertwine when they meet again years later. Three on a match is a superstition – don’t light three cigarettes from one match, otherwise you will have bad luck. As you might figure out from the movie’s title, bad luck does ensue.
This unusual production still taken at Santa Monica beach has the co-stars standing on a platform with a large microphone. Continue reading
