Category Archives: Movies

Classic Hollywood #144 – Lucy & Desi 4 Years After Filing For Divorce – 1948

Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz At The Brown Derby Restaurant – 1948

Lucille Ball flashes her best smile as her husband, Desi Arnaz fumbles with a corsage as they dine at the Brown Derby. photo: Acme 3-6-48

In 1948 Lucille Ball was starring in the CBS radio program My Favorite Husband. With the success of the show CBS proposed that Lucy develop My Favorite Husband for the growing medium of television. That show would become I Love Lucy starring Lucy and real life husband Desi Arnaz.

Let’s then contemplate that Lucy’s phenomenal success may never have occurred had she gone through with the divorce she filed against Desi Arnaz on September 7, 1944. Continue reading

Classic Hollywood #143 – Cary Grant & Randolph Scott, “Eligible Bachelors”

Cary Grant & Randolph Scott At Home -1935

Two Male Stars Share A House

“Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That”

Did the two “eligible bachelor” movie stars living together have more than a roommate experience?

Here is what Continue reading

Classic Hollywood #141 – Charlie Chaplin & Jackie Coogan

Charlie Chaplin & Jackie Coogan Reenact “The Kid” 1935

No wonder Charlie Chaplin looks bewildered. Recognize the other person in the photograph? None other than Jackie Coogan, whom Charlie Chaplin made famous fifteen years ago in the famous picture, “The Kid” – Jackie had never seen the film, so the other day he renewed an old friendship with the comedian, Charlie had the picture run for him, and then sat down on a curb and talked things over as this exclusive photo shows. – photo: Acme March 26 ,1935

In an 1934 interview with Grace Kingsley, Coogan states that he incredibly had never seen The Kid. Coogan says he “remembers nothing of his experiences filming with Chaplin, except running away one day and hiding, when everybody thought he had fallen into the pool.”

These were days when once a film had its initial run Continue reading

Classic Hollywood #140 – Happy New Year From Ann-Margret

Ann-Margret Wishes Everyone A Happy New Year

Ann-Margret photo UPI 1966Season Greetings
Hollywood, Calif: “Gott Nytt Arr” – Well that’s what lovely Ann-Margret would say at this time of year in her native Sweden. In Hollywood where she stars in Columbia’s holiday release, “Murderers’ Row” the actress wishes everyone a “Happy New Year” in this manner. photo: UPI 12/27/1966

Ann-Margret Olsson known professionally by her hyphenated first name is still active in show business. She turns 82 on April 28.

Ann-Margret was discovered singing and dancing in a nightclub Continue reading

Classic Hollywood #139 – Ann Miller

Ann Miller Wears A Giant Hat – 1945

What’s Under A Hat?
If every hat topped such beauty as Ann Miller’s, the male species would probably forget the cracks about milady’s headgear. Who’s going to look at a hat when Miss Miller is under it? She is currently starring in Columbia’s “Eadie Was A Lady.” photo: Columbia Pictures; Ned Scott – 1945

While Eadie Was A Lady was a box office dud, Ann Miller (born Johnnie Lucille Collier, April 12, 1923) did receive good notices for her performance. Continue reading

Who Would Watch “Forest Grump”?

What Happens When You Add An “R” To The Title Of A Movie?

Occasionally Reddit will have some funny topics, among them this query:

“What movie changes its plot if you add a random “R” somewhere in its title?”

Looking through a couple of hundred comments, many wrote the same obvious re-wordings; Planet of the Rapes, The Bartman, Beauty and the Breast, Troy Story and so on.

Continue reading

Classic Hollywood #138 – Jean Simmons

Jean Simmons – Early 1950s

If you say the name Jean Simmons most people under a certain age will think of the outrageous singer and bass player for KISS, Gene Simmons.

And as big of a rock fan as I may be, I will always think first of the actress whose first name is spelled Jean, not Gene.

Jean Simmons (1929-2010) had a 65 year career as an actress full of interesting and prominent roles. The one role she did not get, helped bring about another successful career. Continue reading

Classic Hollywood #137 – Clark Gable & His Father In A Bizarre Court Case

Clark Gable And His Dad At Trial – 1937

Clark Gable and his father April 20, 1937 photo: Los Angeles Daily News

The support of your parents is helpful especially if someone is trying to extort you.

Clark Gable (1901-1960) is seen here talking with his father William Henry Gable (1870-1948) at Federal Court in Los Angeles. Continue reading

Halloween Fun – Boris Karloff Sings The Monster Mash and Ted Cassidy Sings And Dances The Lurch

Karloff Covers The Song He Inspired & Ted Cassidy Demonstrates The Lurch – 1965

For a novelty one-hit wonder, The Monster Mash remains popular six decades after its creation.

Originally recorded in May 1962 the song became a hit in October of that year Continue reading