Category Archives: Television

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

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

October 13, 1960 Pirates Celebrate Beating Yankees In The World Series

Pittsburgh Pirates Clubhouse Celebration After Stunning Game 7 Defeat of Yankees

Pirates pitcher Clem Labine pours champagne into coach Frank Oceak’s mouth after the Pirates game seven victory.

One of the most dramatic World Series victories occurred 62 years ago today when Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski Continue reading

Groucho Marx & Erin Fleming On The Dick Cavett Show

A Rare TV Appearance & Interview With Groucho Marx’s Muse, Erin Fleming

For anyone who has read extensively about Groucho Marx’s life, the name Erin Fleming will elicit a strong reaction.

There are two views of Fleming’s relationship with Groucho. People who spent time with Groucho and Fleming were split as to their opinion of Groucho’s muse. Continue reading

How Sweet’s Biggest Hit “Ballroom Blitz” Was Recorded In A Single Day

Sweet’s Producer Phil Wainman Tells The Story Of Ballroom Blitz

Upon Finishing The Song, Wainman Says “The Hair’s On The Back Of My Neck Stood Up.”

When you capture lightning in a bottle you know it.

The iconic song Ballroom Blitz was recorded in a single day after just two to three takes.

Phil Wainman the producer of Sweet in the early 1970s when the band was turning out hit after hit, describes how the song Ballroom Blitz came to be, in this excerpt below in an interview with Iain McNay.

After the recording session was complete Wainman simply said to the band, “Do you think that’s a number one in America?”

Continue reading

Classic Hollywood #121 – Agnes Moorehead At Age 105

Agnes Moorehead Looks 105, Via Make-Up Master Buddy Westmore

“Next!” Says Make-up Artist Buddy Westmore
Screen and radio character actress Agnes Moorehead has been properly aged for her role of a 105-year-old woman in Walter Wanger’s “The Lost Moment,” by Buddy Westmore, Universal-International make-up head. The transparent lightweight facial appliance required four hours to apply and one hour to remove. The Lost Moment stars Robert Cummings and Susan Hayward and was directed by Martin Gabel. Photo: Universal International June 30, 1947

Maybe Moorehead’s face looks 105, but not her legs.

Agnes Moorehead (1900-1974) did not gain movie notoriety until she was 41. Her first film was quite memorable –  Citizen Kane. Moorehead’s enduring fame to a younger generation was for playing Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) mother Endora on the television show Bewitched.

In a strange twist, Agnes Moorehead’s mother Mary Mildred McCauley Moorehead died June 8, 1990, sixteen years after her daughter. She was 106-years-old.

If you look at the credits on classic films you may notice the name Westmore appearing frequently. Continue reading