Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 9, 2010

So why do you watch classic movies? Does watching them a lot make you anti-social? Raquelle explores the idea in this wonderfully honest post— Out of the Past I love the pics on this best director/actor team poll (vote if you can decide. I had a tough time!)— The Big...   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 9, 2010

Here's Hattie McDaniel in a 1949 appearance on The Ed Wynn Show as Beulah, her character from her popular radio (and eventually television) show. My favorite part of this sketch is when McDaniel breaks into a rendition of Some of These Days (though she didn't sing much on the big...   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 8, 2010

James Dean (1931-1955) Jack Lemmon (1925-2001) Lana Turner (1921-1995) Betty Field (1913-1973) Lyle Talbot (1902-1996) King Vidor (1894-1982) Edith Evans (1888-1976) Image Source   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 8, 2010

Dorothy Dandridge is irresistably fresh-faced and enthusisastic in the 1942 soundie A Zoot Suit with a Reet Pleat. It would have been wonderful to see her star in a high-stepping forties musical, but I'm glad we at least have performances like this to savor: Here's another short   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 8, 2010

I’m with you Shirley—that’s lame-- IMDB It seems like there’s always a piece of Marilyn Monroe for sale. They are nice pics. though— IMDB Here’s a peek at those Monroe pics— Old Hollywood Glamour Philip French’s screen legends: Henry Fonda-- The   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 7, 2010

Any woman who has a great deal to offer the world is in trouble. And if she's a black woman, she's in deep trouble. -Hazel Scott Image Source   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 6, 2010

Though master tap dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson spent most of his career on the stage, he made a strong impression in the movies, both as a performer and influence. His most famous roles were as the dancing butlers he played opposite Shirley Temple in movies such   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 5, 2010

Sigh. . .now studios want to re-release classics in 3D. Watch out Bogie!— EW.com 13 Hitchcock films that were never made— Mental Floss This is good news for Blogger bloggers—you can now create pages!— Asleep in New York A review of a fun pre-code, Hot Saturday (1932)&#8   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 5, 2010

The plot of this movie is, in essence, The Fox and the Hound(1981) set against the Mau Mau uprising (an insurgency of Kenyans against English colonial rule in the 1950s). Rock Hudson and Sidney Poitier play childhood friends who grow apart when they find themselves at opposite ends of the...   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 4, 2010

Great stories about classic movie stars at the Berlin Film Festival--Earth Times David Thomson writes about classic Hollywood horror-- The Guardian A tribute to Elsa Lanchester with lots of photos— She Blogged By Night Review Round-up— Moonrise (1948)-- Movie Morlocks/TCM Kitty   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 4, 2010

It is no exaggeration to say that Paul Robeson was one of the most remarkable humans to ever live. He was intellectual, athletic, and handsome, with a rich bass-baritone voice and a joyful, intoxicating charisma. Robeson seemed able to conquer any arena. As an honor student on scholarship to Rutger   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 3, 2010

Of all the African American women who were relegated to maid and mammy roles in the studio age, there was no one more capable of dominating a scene than Hattie McDaniel. Her persona was that of the opinionated, aggressive domestic, a self-confident woman who was also quite often the only...   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 3, 2010

Review Round-up— My Son John (1952)-- Movie Morlocks/TCM Wallflower (1948)-- Laura's Miscellaneous Musings Born to Kill (1947)-- Out of the Past I was mesmerized by this 1940 clip about the science of beauty (I think the slide whistles are the perfect sound effect for talking about scien   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 2, 2010

The Ava Gardner doll looks kind of Dynasty-ish to me— Asleep in New York I love this pic. of Charles Boyer and Katharine Hepburn!-- The Big Parade Another fun shot—this one with Andy Devine on the set-- Film Noir Photos Wow, I never though much about how amazing Elizabeth Taylor's   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 2, 2010

Sidney Poitier is eloquent and elegant as he discusses his motivation for supporting the growing civil rights movement. The program is the Civil Rights Roundtable, telecast in 1960. He is joined by quite the line up: James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, and Jose   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 1, 2010

Piano player and singer Hazel Scott was one of the rare African American women of her time to avoid being cast as a maid when she made it to Hollywood. She accomplished this feat by refusing to play anyone but herself. Born in Trinidad in 1920, Scott was recognized as...   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 1, 2010

Though many of my favorite performers from the golden age of Hollywood are African American, I have yet to pay proper tribute to any of them. For that reason, I've decided to celebrate African American History Month in a big way. Every day this month, I will write about the...   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on February 1, 2010

British film director Michael Lindsay-Hogg will check paternity after years of rumors that Orson Wells was his father (he does resemble Welles)— The Guardian A review of one of Erich von Stroheim’s last movies, The Great Flamarion (1945)-- Mondo 70 Here’s a simple, nicely-forma   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on January 31, 2010

If you want to be a success in Hollywood, be sure and go to New York.-Bert Lahr   read more

Classic Movies Posted by KC on January 31, 2010

Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968) John Agar (1921-2002) Mario Lanza (1921-1959) Eddie Cantor (1892-1964) Image Source   read more