As a birthday tribute to Lucille Ball here is a collection of remarkable Tales of Suspense starring the famous redhead, radio veteran, Queen of the B’s and soon to be queen of television.
Here’s to always loving Lucy.
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) kicks off its 2013 Summer Under the Stars (SUTS) event, which takes place every August, with a day-long tribute to the man who is ranked #1 on the American Film Institute‘s list of the greatest screen actors – Humphrey Bogart. I post this gallery in tribute to the star, the man and the event with images that correspond with the Bogie films featured on the TCM schedule – with a few extras because I couldn’t resist.
August 1, 2013 SUTS Schedule – Humphrey Bogart
6:00AM Bogart: The Untold Story (1996)
7:00AM High Sierra (1941)
9:00AM The Maltese Falcon (1941)
10:45AM To Have and Have Not (1944)
12:30PM The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
2:45PM Tokyo Joe (1949)
4:15PM Beat The Devil (1954)
6:00PM In a Lonely Place (1950)
8:00PM The Big Sleep (1946)
10:00PM Key Largo (1948)
12:00AM The Caine Mutiny (1954)
2:15AM The Left Hand of God (1955)
4:00AM The Harder They Fall (1956)
Humphrey Bogart is beloved, admired and always remembered so I need not try to explain his appeal. But I will explain why I’m such a big fan of his work, which is his unique combination of tough edge and vulnerability. While he depicted some of the greatest detectives in film history and made his mark playing gangsters, Bogart’s characters always had heart and a romance I find irresistible. No matter the film or character, when Humphrey Bogart held a woman’s face in his hands before a kiss it was real and I fall for him every single time. A real man, often hardened by his past but not afraid to show a softer side. No one was like him.
That’s why I love the actor. Here’s why I love the man:
___________________________________________________________
I am submitting this tribute as part of the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon (2013), hosted by Jill of Sittin’ On a Backyard Fence and Michael of Scribehard on Film. This blogathon coincides with TCM’s SUTS event. Be sure to visit either host site to enjoy entries honoring some of the greatest stars to appear on the silver screen all month long. Also, be sure to tune in to TCM every single day in August or set your DVRs. For classic film fans this is as grand as it gets.
A tribute to MY MAN GODFREY (1936) on old-time radio, a Lux Radio Theater presentation.
Reprising their roles from Gregory La Cava’s 1936 film version are William Powell, Carole Lombard and Gail Patrick. Mischa Auer and David Niven join the cast in this adaptation. Hosted and produced by Cecil B. DeMille.
◊
◊
The stars…
Not long ago I did a post on Gracie Allen, Just Gracie, one of my all-time favorite comedians and now here’s another honoring her on what would have been her birthday – and of course, George Burns – they were perfect together!
Burns and Allen were far more popular from their work on the vaudeville stage and on radio than they were for their work in motion pictures and may not have achieved any success in the latter without the former. But once Burns and Allen hit the airwaves they were the most popular act in the country and audiences loved their short films. The couple starred in ten short films in total with Paramount Pictures between 1929 and 1933 and as a tribute to them and their act I thought I’d post a couple of them here.
When television became the medium of choice the veteran entertainers took to that forum as well and continued to entertain the country with their hilarious antics as George Burns the entertainer and his dumb-as-a-doornail wife, Gracie who also had an “Illogical logic” no one could argue with.
Following are two episodes of the show. The first, “Hypnotizing Gracie” shows how America’s favorite “Dumb Dora” is hypnotized to become the most intelligent woman in the world:
And in part two, “Gracie is Brilliant” we see how George wants the old Gracie back…she’s killing the act!
In a noir mood, though no excuse is needed.
A gallery of film noir posters (and more) simply because I love them.
An image gallery celebrating the genius of Billy Wilder who would have celebrated a birthday today.
This is, I must admit, an inappropriate tribute to a man whose talent for conveying words on the silver screen remains unequaled. Still, I enjoy looking at these images of Wilder at work and at play and hope you do too.
We are still fascinated by his work – a very long 15 minutes.
Errol Flynn (1909-1959) would have celebrated a birthday this June 20th and I post this in tribute.
A Lux Radio Theater performance of “The Perfect Specimen,” which originally aired on January 2, 1939 with Errol Flynn and Joan Blondell reprising their roles from the Michael Curtiz-directed 1937 film of the same title.
If it’s images of Errol Flynn you enjoy most, visit a previous tribute I’d dedicated to the actor here – never a waste of time as far as I’m concerned.
This is for Judy!
We honor – by remembering – all of our war heroes this weekend.
As a special Memorial Day post I put together a slide-show of classic Hollywood stars performing patriotic duties. Whether by enlisting in the armed forces, traveling the country with the Hollywood Victory Caravan, performing on Armed forces radio, working war bond drives or entertaining and serving soldiers at the legendary Hollywood Canteen – they did their part for the war effort.
Here’s a look back lest we forget.
I wasn’t planning on posting anything special to pay tribute to Douglas Fairbanks (May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) because I’ve little time to dedicate to a full post. But I came across this rather odd 1916 short directed by Christy Cabanne and John Emerson and thought it would be fun to share.
Hailed as a parody of Sherlock Holmes, The Mystery of the Leaping Fish features a story by none other than Tod Browning and an uncredited D. W. Griffith. Enjoy.
I admit this is not the greatest choice with which to honor a legendary life and career. But it is a remembrance. To Douglas Fairbanks.
Once upon a screen... 