Raconteur remembered: Orson Bean
In celebration of a life fully lived, memorial services will be held on March 14, 2020 for Orson Bean (1928 – 2020). A consummate raconteur, actor, voice artist, writer, and undisputed triple threat on stage, Orson Bean has been a familiar name to people across the country for decades. On February 7, Mr. Bean was ...
On Super Tuesday: ‘For the People’ movie marathon
Heck, we go to the movies all year round. We go on Tuesday, bluesday; we go any day. But a special free-to-the-people invitation to activist/feminist/film director-producer Ava DuVernay‘s cool screening room and production digs in Echo Park gets our interest. Ms. DuVernay is offering, free to the public (ahem, after you vote, guys!), a “For ...
Toni Basil ‘does the Pony, does the James Brown’ on CBS
We loved seeing Toni Basil, 76, doing the pony and the James Brown on CBS Sunday morning on Oscar Day 2020.
Bravo, Angie Dickinson!
Feb
8
2020
When Howard Hawks’ 1959 action romp, Rio Bravo, was released, it wasn’t really taken seriously. But the film is now regarded as an American classic. John Wayne led the cast, but the director also cast veterans Walter Brennan and Ward Bond, singer Dean Martin, pop singer Ricky Nelson, and Angie Dickinson in a vivid, star-making turn. ...
Merle Oberon’s terpsichorean trepidation 4
For those who recently watched THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1934) on Turner Classic Movies, a special Jack Cole connection has come to mind from 86 years ago. Our story involves the film’s glamorous stars, Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon. The duo, co-stars of “Pimpernel” were on a touring junket tied to the movie’s release on December ...
And then … ‘And Then We Danced’ at Scandinavian Film Festival
A coming-of-age tale straight out of Tbilisi, the film follows Merab (Levan Gelbakhiani), a competitive dancer who is thrown off balance by the arrival of Irakli (Bachi Valisvili), a fellow male dancer with a rebellious streak. “And Then …,” directed by Levan Akin, was screened in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the 2019 Cannes Film ...
Best movie of decade: “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” 1
Dec
29
2019
Our vote is perhaps suspect given a window of ten years — and the selected film dating allll the way back to 2018. Nevertheless, I just love this movie, and don’t feel enough has been made of it. It holds up well at second viewing (I just did that) and recommend it as such. In ...
Hollywood New Year’s babies to convene @ The Barn
Dec
17
2019
Cora Sue Collins, with Freddie Bartholomew, Mickey Rooney and Jackie Cooper in the 1930s. A bunch of New Year’s babies will start our Super-Dooper Double-Double-Digit calendar year (hey! remember 1919?) at the Hollywood Heritage Museum with a very cool program, the latest “Evening at the Barn.” It’s Cora Sue Collins Hollywood Reunion Party! hosted by ...
Calling all Americans! See Oscar-shortlisted docs on the big screen
Dec
17
2019
American Factory “Oscars® Spotlight: Documentaries,” a screening initiative leading up to the 92nd Oscars gives audiences nationwide the opportunity to see Documentary Feature films shortlisted for an award in the 92nd Academy Awards.® The program, begun last year, is a really wonderful initiative by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in tandem with AMC ...
Party on, Marion Davies, at the Beach House!
Dec
5
2019
1927: Conrad Nagel (1896 – 1970), Marion Davies (1897 – 1961) and cast and crew of the MGM film ‘Quality Street’ celebrate director Sidney Franklin’s birthday. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Marion Davies (1897 – 1961) — silent film actress, party hostess and the original occupant of the (now called) Annenberg Beach House — is ...