Announcement: WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon 2015

NOTICE:  The WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon has been postponed until next weekend, November 21-22-23. We will promote everyone’s post as usual during those three days.

To all participants – thank you for your patience and understanding.

Kellee, Paula and Aurora

◊

WE’RE BACK for number 4!

WAC2

WHAT A CHARACTER! a phrase borrowed from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) so that we could dedicate a blogathon to those whose names few remember – the players who rarely got leading parts, exhibiting instead a versatility and depth many leading actors wished they had.  Kellee, Paula and I never tire of seeing them or paying tribute and as the previous three installments of this event proved, neither do you.  So, here we are with the fourth annual WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon.
WAC3

To say we’re thrilled is an understatement and we hope you’ll join us in spotlighting the Edmund Gwenns and Spring Byingtons of the world, the oft forgotten names that never appeared above the title.  If this is right up your movie alley then give us a shout out…

Kellee at Outspoken & Freckled and (@IrishJayHawk66) and Kellee Pratt

Paula at Paula’s Cinema Club and (@Paula_Guthat) and Paula Guthat

Aurora at Once Upon a Screen and (@CitizenScreen) and Citizen Screen

And please adhere to the following:

  • Let one of the hosts know which character actor is your choice.  Since there are so many greats worthy of mention, we won’t take any repeats and we’re not limiting these to “classic” actors.  AND since the medium of Television has featured such greats through the years as well we’re widening the field to include small-screen characters this year. 
  • Don’t take it for granted we know exactly who you are or where your blog resides – please include the title and url to your blog.
  • Publish the post for either November 14, 15 & 16.  Let us know if you have a date preference, otherwise we’ll split publicizing duties equally among the three days.
  • Please include the blogathon graphic on your blog to help us publicize the event and include it in your post.
  • It would be really helpful if you can send any of us the direct link to your post.  Searching on social media sites can lead to missed entries.
  • HAVE FUN and spread the word!  There are many great characters worthy of attention.

Scroll down for the list of participants and character actor choices.

A big thank you – HAPPY BLOGGING!

WAC1

The faces on the banner:

Row 1: (L-R) Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Margaret Dumont, Edward Arnold, Albert Dekker, Ann Miller, Leon Errol

Row 2: (L-R) Dan Duryea, Eugene Palette, Aline MacMahon, Charles Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Billie Burke

Row 3: (L-R) Spring Byington, Walter Brennan, Hattie McDaniel, Gene Lockhart, Margaret O’Brien, Edgar Kennedy

Row 4: (L-R) Eric Blore, Franklin Pangborn, Frank Morgan, Guy Kibbee, Gloria Grahame, Jane Darwell

Row 5: (L-R) Judith Anderson, Edward Everett Horton, Eve Arden, S.Z. “Cuddles” Sakall, Thelma Ritter, Louis Calhern

Row 6: (L-R) Charles Lane, Kim Hunter, David Wayne, Louise Beavers, Cecil Kellaway, Shemp Howard

♦

Participating blogs and chosen Character Actors

(Listed alphabetically by actor)

Now Voyaging – Robert Barratt

In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood – Ethel Barrymore

Girls Do Film – Louise Beavers

Four Star Films – Noah Beery, Jr.

Aperture Reviews – Whit Bissell

Movies Silently – Elmer Booth

Smitten Kitten Vintage – Joe E. Brown

In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood – Spring Byington

Caftan Woman – Harry Carey and Harry Carey, Jr.

Once Upon a Screen – Leo G. Carroll, a Hitchcock Favorite

Speakeasy – Eduardo Ciannelli

Phyllis Loves Classic Movies – Charles Coburn

Silver Scenes – Robert Coote

Tales of the Easily Distracted – Lloyd Corigan in THE BIG CLOCK and BOSTON BLACKIE

Another Old Movie Blog – Jerome Cowan

Hometowns to Hollywood – Harry Davenport

Silver Screenings – Daffy Duck

Tales From the Border – Dwight Frye

Movie Movie Blog Blog – Ned Glass

Classic Film and TV Cafe – Sydney Greenstreet

Flickin’ Out – Charlotte Greenwood

Critica Retro – Wilson Grey

I See a Dark Theater – Marsha Hunt

The Motion Pictures – Allen Jenkins

Mrs. Charles – Tommy Lee Jones

Silver Scenes – Allyn Joslyn

Spellbound by Movies – Tom Kennedy

Immortal Ephemera – Guy Kibbee

The Wonderful World of Cinema – Jessie Royce Landis

CineMaven’s Essays from the Couch – Peter Lorre

The View From the Back Row – Marjorie Main

Hometowns 2 Hollywood – Una Merkel

Second Sight Cinema – Dickie Moore

The Last Drive-In – Agnes Moorehead

A Shroud of Thoughts – Frank Morgan

Shadows and Satin – Clarence Muse

Wolffian Classic Movies Digest – Margaret O’Brien

Joel’s Classic Film Passion – Una O’Connor

Movie Fan Fare – Maria Ouspenskaya

Outspoken & Freckled – Franklin Pangborn

Just a Cineast – John Qualen

LA Explorer – Rags Ragland

Old Hollywood Films – SZ ‘Cuddles’ Sakall

Portraits by Jenni – C. Aubrey Smith

Le Mot du Cinephiliaque – Harry Dean Stanton

BNoirDetour – Helene Stanton

Movie Classics – Zeffie Tilbury

Wide Screen World – Shelley Winters

Sister Celluloid – Roland Young

121 thoughts

          3. Nah! I’ve got a long fuse, but I don’t like people taking advantage of others, and making a profit off of them while exploiting, lying bullying condemning –with no sign of respect or admiration for the lives of people who’s personal life should be regarded as such. Bose Hadley has no integrity. He is a parasite in this world who spread malicious lies about some of the greatest people, who are no longer here to defend themselves. If you ever read his abusive interview with Barbara Stanwyck you would want to jump through the pages and strangle that rat bastard yourself….. I’m really not violent. I just wont stand for abuse of animals, old people, or those marginalized and not able to fight back…. ok my soap box is back in the garage and nice Joey is saying ‘thanks for letting me tribute the great Agnes Moorehead!!!!!

  8. Please put me down for C. Aubrey Smith and I’ll have my post up on Nov. 14th, that Saturday. Yeah, I’m glad you all our hosting this blogathon once again. It’s so fun to write for it. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Pingback: Announcement: WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon 2015 | 365 Days 365 Classics

    1. Sure! Bissell sounds great! THANKS!! I love Abraham, but we prefer new posts, Peter. Otherwise it gets crazy – valuable lessons learned from the past.

      Aurora

      Reply

  20. Hi there! I’m copying this to all three blogs just in case :-D. I would love to participate in this blogathon. My choice of character actors is Gladys Cooper. I really love her!

    I would prefer to post for the blogathon on Saturday, November 14th because I post every Friday to my blog about classic films, so this would fit my timetable a bit better than later in the weekend.

    Tam
    Blog: Mother Time Musings
    URL: http://tammayauthor.com/index.php/blog/

    Reply

  24. Yo Aurora, I want Charles Coburn (secondsightcinema.com). Although… I would love to do a piece on Dickie Moore, who I think is fair game for character actor—both for many of his appearances as a child and definitely for the movies he made as an adult before retiring at 27… if it’s okay, Dickie is my first choice, but Coburn is great if you don’t think Dickie fits the bill.

    Reply

    1. Both of those are terrific choices, Lesley. If I hadn’t already posted something on him I’d’ve chosen George “Foghorn” Winslow. Just let me know which of the two. Or both? 🙂

      Aurora

      Reply

      1. The blogathon deadlines are piling up with at least two others in November… or I *would* do both! But I’m going to stick with Dickie. His book makes it possible to know something about him and his experience, and so many of the other child stars of the studio era—whereas my darlin’ Charlie, like so many great characters, doesn’t have a biography. So I’ll keep Coburn on my list for next year’s What a Character! (I have a good long list of possibilities, started last year…).

        Reply

  25. Hi Aurora. Looking at the list you’ve posted here, I see that Peter Lorre hasn’t been chosen yet, so I’d like to talk about him briefly for the blogathon. There’s three of his films that kind of get me, so I’d like to cover him. If that’s okay, you can put me down for publishing on the first day of this blogathon, Saturday, November 14th. I’m looking at some of the choices people have made for this fourth annual blogathon, and I’m mad about many of these actors, especially Helen Walker, Allyn Joslyn ( will be talking about him for my blog on “They Won’t Forget” ), Eduardo Cianelli ( so nice in “The Constant Nymph” – such an s.o.b. in “Marked Woman” ) and the silver-voiced Whit Bissell. My blog is CineMaven’s Essays From The Couch and it can be found at: https://cinemavensessaysfromthecouch.wordpress.com/ . Thanks so much.

    Reply

  29. Yay! The big event is here again! I had chosen my topic since last year: I want to write about Wilson Grey, a Brazilian character actor who was in nearly 200 films – and had a feud with John Wayne!
    Kisses!
    Le

    Reply

  30. Hey Aurora,

    Left a reply last night but since I’m not appearing on the list yet you must not have seen it… Anyway, I’d love to do both Dickie Moore and Charles Coburn but realistically can’t given that I’ve already got at least three other blogathons in November.

    So I’ll keep Coburn for next year and go with Dickie @secondsightcinema.com.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  31. You got it, Lesley! I replied to yesterday’s message asking which you wanted to do. No worries! Love Dickie Moore and love you’re joining us!!

    Aurora

    Reply

    1. Hi Joey! Can you believe I found your comments in the Spam folder and activated them. THANKS for both your patience and joining us in the fun!!

      Aurora

      Reply

    1. Hi! I responded to this way back and yet now that I’m perusing the comments I don’t see my reply. WordPress is playing games. Let me know if you’re still adding Spring Byington to the roster. LOVE HER!!!

      Reply

  47. This looks like an interesting blog-a-thon. Don’t have the time this year to give it a proper perspective, but if God willing and the creek don’t rise, next year I’ll sign on with Mantan Moreland, a great African-American character actor.

    Reply

  48. Hi Aurora, Am I on the list for Zeffie Tilbury? I asked Kellee about it a while back.but it doesn’t look as if I’ve been added yet, and I saw on her blog she hasn’t been well, so thought I’d ask you as well.

    Thanks! 🙂

    My blog is movieclassics.wordpress.com

    Reply

  50. Aurora, I’ll still be covering Allyn Joslyn but are you taking re-posts too? I wrote an article on Robert Coote earlier this year and he is such an underrated character actor, I was hoping you could include that piece as well. Let me know! – Constance ( Silver Scenes )

    Reply
  51. Pingback: “What a Character” Blogathon: Helene Stanton | BNoirDetour
  52. Pingback: WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon 2015: Sir C. Aubrey Smith | portraitsbyjenni

    1. Thank you, Jenni. Kellee, Paula and I spoke last night and decided to postpone the blogathon until next weekend. We will promote everyone’s post as usual at that time. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding.

      Aurora

      Reply
  54. Pingback: Dickie Moore (1925-2015): Climbing Out of the Past | Second Sight Cinema
  55. Pingback: Miss Long Legs: In appreciation of Charlotte Greenwood | Flickin' out
  56. Pingback: Margaret O’Brien,a character legend | wolffian classics movies digest
  59. Pingback: What a Character! Blogathon: The Ballad of Dwight Frye | Tales from the Border
  61. Pingback: WHAT A CHARACTER! 2015 – Day Two! | Once upon a screen…
  62. Pingback: Spotlight on Rags Ragland - La Explorer
  64. Pingback: What a Character – Zeffie Tilbury | Movie classics
  65. Pingback: ETHEL BARRYMORE: A PROMINENT STAPLE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: WHAT A CHARACTER BLOGATHON | In The Good Old Days Of Classic Hollywood.

Leave a comment