Announcement: WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon 2018

When you re-watch your favorite films, what keeps you coming back for more? A great
story with sharp writing? No doubt. Beautiful costumes, swanky set designs, and
stunning cinematography? Most assuredly. But the performances are key to any movie.
While we all look forward to the popular leading actors, it is the stand-out, scene-stealing
supporting actors that feel like “home.” Like this gent…

What a Character! Eric Blore

Or perhaps the wise-cracking Eve Arden, nurturing Louise Beavers, sassy Thelma Ritter, double-take
pro Edward Everett Horton, tart-tongued Edna May Oliver, gravel-voiced Eddie
“Rochester” Anderson, fatherly Charles Coburn, frazzled Franklin Pangborn, bull frog
voiced, barrel-chested Eugene Pallette, or cigar chomping Ned Sparks are more your style. No matter which you choose among our dearest ole chums we’ll be happy to spotlight in this, our seventh consecutive year of the WHAT A CHARACTER! BLOGATHON.

I am thrilled to join forces once again with Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club/ @Paula_Guthat and Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled/ @IrishJayhawk66 to bring this event to life. Visit my co-hosts often at their blogs or follow on social media as we share the love for these all-too-often forgotten talents. If it’s not obvious you can find me on this blog and at @CitizenScreen on Twitter and Facebook. Of course we hope you join us for the WHAT A CHARACTER! BLOGATHON 2018, on December 14, 15, and 16 with a tribute of your own.

You should know the drill by now, but if you don’t here are guidelines you should follow:

  • Let at least one of the hosts know which character actor is your choice by leaving a comment below.
  • Don’t take it for granted we know exactly who you are or where your blog resides –
    please include the title and URL of your blog, also your Twitter handle if you have
    one.
  • We will not accept repeats (previously published posts), or duplicates, since there
    are so many greats worthy of attention, but your choices are not limited to classics.
    You can choose any character actor from any era and from the medium of
    television, if you so desire.
  • Publish your WHAT A CHARACTER! post on either December 14, 15, or 16, 2018. Let us know if you have a date preference; otherwise, we’ll split publicizing duties equally among the three days.
  • Please include one of the two banners included here in your post when you publish or on your blog in general to help us promote the event.
  • Thank you for sending any of us the direct link to your post once you have published it. Searching on social media sites can lead to missed entries.
  • HAVE FUN and spread the word!

Participating blogs and choice of actors

Another Old Movie Blog – Walter Abel

Maddy Loves Her Classic Films – Sara Allgood

Paula’s Cinema Club – Lionel Atwill

Taking Up room – Fay Bainter

A Person in the Dark – Boris and Natasha

Critica Retro – Spring Byington

It Came from the Man Cave! – Bruce Campbell

The Wonderful World of Cinema – Jack Carson

Classic Film Observations & Obsessions – Anthony Caruso

Nobody’s Attention – Minoru Chiaki

Outspoken & Freckled – Elisha Cook, Jr.

The Dream Book Blog – Gladys Cooper

One Gal’s Musings – Jean Dixon

Watching Forever – Verna Felton

Maddy Loves Her Classic Films – Marius Goring

Silver Screen Classics – Alan Hale, Sr.

Wide Screen World – Margaret Hamilton

Reelweedgiemidget Reviews – Ed Harris

The Last Drive In – Eileen Heckart and Louise Latham

Sister Celluloid – Fieda Inescort

Married at the Movies – Patsy Kelly

dudsism – The career of George Kennedy

John V’s Eclectic Avenue – Otto Kruger in Escape in the Fog

Caftan Woman – Jack Lambert

Pale Writer – Hattie McDaniel in GWTW and Marjorie Rambeau in Torch Song

The Old Hollywood Garden – Charles McGraw

CineMaven’s Essays from the Couch – Stephen McNally

Second Sight Cinema – Thomas Mitchell

In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood – Agnes Moorehead

Old Hollywood Films – Maria Ouspenskaya

Carole & Co. – Eugene Pallette

Backstory: A Guide to Classic Film – Elizabeth Patterson

Mrs. Charles – Nat Pendleton

A Shroud of Thoughts – Thelma Ritter

Silver Screenings – Everett Sloane in The Lady from Shanghai

The Lady Eve’s Reel Life – George Bancroft

The Midnite Drive-In – Hank Worden

Silver Scenes – TBA

 

 

Special dedication: This WHAT A CHARACTER! BLOGATHON is dedicated to the memory of two fine character actors whom we lost this year. The first is James Karen (1923 – 2018), a hard-working actor with a long career whose personality graced all who met him. The second is Vanessa Marquez (1968 – 2018), a talented actress of film and TV and an even better friend. Vanessa is greatly missed and we continue to hold her close in our hearts. With each entry we’ll think of her.

Thank you to TCM for the WHAT A CHARACTER! tagline inspiration and to all bloggers and film fans for your ongoing participation and support for seven years running! Finally, a big shout out to
my co-hosts who inspire me all year long for being such marvelous and lovely characters themselves!

Happy blogging!

90 thoughts

    2. I thought about Jack Lambert for one of my “Sports Analogies Hidden in Classic Movies” pieces because there was another Jack Lambert who was a Hall-of-Fame linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Like the actor Jack Lambert’s character in “Dick Tracy’s Dilemma,” the NFL Jack Lambert was also completely insane.

      Reply

  4. Good morning. I’d like to write about Sara Allgood please. Maddy from maddylovesherclassicfilms

    Reply

  13. I’m J-Dub and my site is dubsism.com. My Twitter is @dubsism. I blog about sports and movies. I do a series on Dubsism called “Sports Analogies Hidden in Classic Movies,” and with your permission, I would like to create an episode of that series for this blog-a-thon centered on the career of George Kennedy.

    Here’s my blog-a-thon pedigree for your consideration: https://dubsism.com/movies-and-movie-blog-a-thons/

    Reply

  16. A man who doesn’t get near the credit he deserves. I’d like to do an overview of Hank Worden as he appeared in John Wayne movies.

    Quiggy from The Midnite Drive-In

    Reply

  21. Minoru Chiaki.
    Tall, baby-faced Chiaki, born Katsuji Sasaki, was one of the most talented, most versatile character actors who ever lived. From playing the gentle priest in ‘Rashomon’, to the cowardly Matagoro in ‘Vendetta for a Samurai’, from the good-natured Heihachi in ‘Seven Samurai’ to the scoundrel Tahei in ‘The Hidden Fortress’, from the friendly boatman Sasuke in ‘Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island’ to the downright nasty Tono-sama in ‘The Lower Depths’, there was no role that Chiaki couldn’t play. He had an astonishing range and seemingly no end of talent. He was completely natural in everything he did and he had a strong on-screen charisma. He could play good, bad and everything in between with remarkable ease.

    Reply
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  25. I can’t remember where I committed to the blogathon BUT my post is written and I’ll be up before midnight on 12/13. So feel free to promote me and the underrated Jean Dixon on 12/14. Thanks!

    Reply

          1. Thanks! I really appreciate you adding me to the blogathon! You’ve got an extra “e” in eclectic when describing my post on the summary! 😉

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