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| Keenan Wynn and Keyes, "The Thrill of Brazil" 1946 |
.....she was a complete yo-yo.
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| Cornel Wilde and Evelyn, "A Thousand And One Nights" |
Saturday, January 15, 2011
That Evelyn Keyes!
When she wasn't being a Chatty Cathy...
.....she was a complete yo-yo.
.....she was a complete yo-yo.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Brought To You By Your Federal Government...
Imagine, there was once a time when the Government funded...Theater!
Yay WPA!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
A Delicate Flower From Cinema's Silvery Silent Past
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| Mabel Normand |
Fan Magazine Interviewer: Won't you tell us, what are your favorite hobbies?
Mabel Normand: I don't know...say anything you like but don't say I like to work. That sounds like Mary Pickford, that prissy bitch. Just say I like to pinch babies and twist their legs. And get drunk.
All images and so much more are here.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Mother And Child Reunion.
Today's featured "Swell Dame" character actress is funny gal Helen Broderick:
She was an RKO girl that you'll doubtless recall as one of the brilliant Astaire/Rogers team from "Top Hat" and "Swing Time". This hand-on-hip wise cracker set and perfected the template that would later be enjoyed by Eve Arden.
What you may not know is that before the pictures found her she had a long and successful career on the New York stage that went all the way back to 1907 as a Ziegfeld girl in the very first Follies. Not a bad start at all.
Another successful production of Helen's was being the mother of tough guy, Broderick Crawford:
Here's the big surprise though, Mom never wanted Brod to be an actor. Her idea? He should take a course in commercial advertising!
But inevitably one night in November of 1937, she found herself trudging the stairs backstage at the Music Box Theater to the same dressing room she had occupied four years earlier in "As Thousands Cheer" to congratulate her son on his career-making performance as Lennie in John Steinbeck's "Of Mice And Men".
They did have a terrific relationship that was often based on practical jokes. When he was cast in his first play, she showed her true feelings about his chosen profession by gifting him with a very tiny tin of stage lip rouge say that she hoped it would last him through his "entire theatrical career."
He found his payback one night, when Helen was at the peak of her career, while sitting in Walter Huston's dressing room. Broadway legend George M. Cohan walked in and Huston performed introductions. "This is Helen Broderick's son," he told Cohan. Cohan looked blank. "Helen who?" he said. "Helen Broderick." Cohan still looked blank. "Oh," he said. Crawford left the theater for Western Union and sent his mother a wire: "Get in touch with George M. Cohan immediately. He admires your work. Love, Brod."
Another legend of the Great White Way figured into both their lives.
While trying to smooth out some unruly dialog during the rehearsals for "The Band Wagon", George S. Kaufman looked up on stage and commented distractedly, "Helen your slip is showing." "George," replied Helen, "your show is slipping."
Fast forward five years. A few weeks into the run of "Mice" Broderick was feeling cocky and bored and started goofing around with his performance. He couldn't have picked a worse night - Kaufman was in the theater and promptly sent him a telegram backstage: "Am sitting in the back row. Wish you were here. George S. Kaufman."
She was an RKO girl that you'll doubtless recall as one of the brilliant Astaire/Rogers team from "Top Hat" and "Swing Time". This hand-on-hip wise cracker set and perfected the template that would later be enjoyed by Eve Arden.
What you may not know is that before the pictures found her she had a long and successful career on the New York stage that went all the way back to 1907 as a Ziegfeld girl in the very first Follies. Not a bad start at all.
Another successful production of Helen's was being the mother of tough guy, Broderick Crawford:
Here's the big surprise though, Mom never wanted Brod to be an actor. Her idea? He should take a course in commercial advertising!
But inevitably one night in November of 1937, she found herself trudging the stairs backstage at the Music Box Theater to the same dressing room she had occupied four years earlier in "As Thousands Cheer" to congratulate her son on his career-making performance as Lennie in John Steinbeck's "Of Mice And Men".
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| Claire Luce and Broderick Crawford, "Of Mice And Men" |
He found his payback one night, when Helen was at the peak of her career, while sitting in Walter Huston's dressing room. Broadway legend George M. Cohan walked in and Huston performed introductions. "This is Helen Broderick's son," he told Cohan. Cohan looked blank. "Helen who?" he said. "Helen Broderick." Cohan still looked blank. "Oh," he said. Crawford left the theater for Western Union and sent his mother a wire: "Get in touch with George M. Cohan immediately. He admires your work. Love, Brod."
Another legend of the Great White Way figured into both their lives.
While trying to smooth out some unruly dialog during the rehearsals for "The Band Wagon", George S. Kaufman looked up on stage and commented distractedly, "Helen your slip is showing." "George," replied Helen, "your show is slipping."
Fast forward five years. A few weeks into the run of "Mice" Broderick was feeling cocky and bored and started goofing around with his performance. He couldn't have picked a worse night - Kaufman was in the theater and promptly sent him a telegram backstage: "Am sitting in the back row. Wish you were here. George S. Kaufman."
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| Adoring son, proud mother |
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Smoke Dreams.....
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| Claudette Colbert |
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| Dirk Bogard |
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| Frances Farmer |
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| Burt Lancaster |
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| Lucille Ball |
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| Glenn Ford |
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| Ida Lupino |
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| Lupino Lane (Ida's uncle!) |
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| Joan Bennett |
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| Peter Lorre |
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| Paulette Goddard |
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| Yul Brynner |
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| The Fabulous Glenda Farrell |
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| Clark Gable |
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| Miss Kay Francis |
Monday, January 10, 2011
That Doris!
She's not just glamorous, humorous and sexy.
She's also wonderfully efficient. She managed to get the
wash out on the line before the photographers showed up!
What a gal.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Kid Stars: Image & Reality
Freddie Bartholomew & Judy Garland signing the guest register of the premiere after party for "Marie Antoinette" at the Trocadero, 1938
Spanky conducts contract negotiations for the Gang with Hal Roach.
Dean Stockwell and Gary Gray are pressed into hawking Hickok accessories.
The reality of things: Jane Withers plays chess with her bodyguard between set ups.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Errol Flynn....
....has graciously offered to chauffeur you around on your weekend errands. Hop in!
And really, have you ever seen such a big hood ornament!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Mystery Gets Revealed!
There! You see! You see what I mean! I should just really get out of this mystery business once and for all.
On the 3rd at 6:56 am I posted this mystery photo:
At 6:59, exactly 3 minutes later (do you people lie in wait or something?) that Mean- Dirty-Pirate, AyeM8y guess correctly when he said Gene Tierney. Of course then he cleverly (and pirates are clever, make no mistake) tried to throw everyone off track by saying that Tierney, as a guess, would be too easy. Well his ruse worked. Until it didn't. At 4:21 pm on the 5th, Jon chimed in and agreed.
First of all let me just say, easy my ass! I stared at that picture for twenty minutes before I finally saw Tierney in it. This is the Gene Tierney I know:
You know, the girl whose beauty is so interplanetary that it's almost disturbing. It took me forever to find her in that fresh faced, pretty little thing above. I suppose if there's a lesson here it's this: For those of you who think that all of the hard work we do over at the Hair Hall Of Fame is frivolous, I have just four words for you - HAIR AND MAKE UP!!!!
That said, the only thing left, is to proclaim the Pirate today's Smartest Boy In The Class.
On the 3rd at 6:56 am I posted this mystery photo:
At 6:59, exactly 3 minutes later (do you people lie in wait or something?) that Mean- Dirty-Pirate, AyeM8y guess correctly when he said Gene Tierney. Of course then he cleverly (and pirates are clever, make no mistake) tried to throw everyone off track by saying that Tierney, as a guess, would be too easy. Well his ruse worked. Until it didn't. At 4:21 pm on the 5th, Jon chimed in and agreed.
First of all let me just say, easy my ass! I stared at that picture for twenty minutes before I finally saw Tierney in it. This is the Gene Tierney I know:
You know, the girl whose beauty is so interplanetary that it's almost disturbing. It took me forever to find her in that fresh faced, pretty little thing above. I suppose if there's a lesson here it's this: For those of you who think that all of the hard work we do over at the Hair Hall Of Fame is frivolous, I have just four words for you - HAIR AND MAKE UP!!!!
That said, the only thing left, is to proclaim the Pirate today's Smartest Boy In The Class.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
For Eva....
My dear and luscious friend L'il Eva has cautioned me (and rightly so) for my lack of Barbara Stanwyck coverage. Like I need an excuse to gaze upon the wonders of Missy!
So here is a beginning to my amends darling:
Funny, I always thought the first shot was merely a crop of the second. But what's this! Slightly different angle of the head - and completely different background.
Anyway you slice it, she's a dish.
So here is a beginning to my amends darling:
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| Close Up |
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| The Full Stanwyck. |
Anyway you slice it, she's a dish.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Gish Sisters.....
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| At the height of their stardom, 1910s |
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| More entertained by their doggies than their television, 1951 |
Monday, January 3, 2011
Mystery Guest, Will You Enter And Sign In Please!
You'd think I would have learned not to try and fool youse guys by now, but , oh what the hell. Let's have another go at it.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS GAME PLEASE READ. If you've seen this picture before, or know for sure who this is, feel free to send me an email, but for the sake of unbridled mystery and tension, let the gang have a go at it in the comments section.
Okey Dokey here we go:
IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS GAME PLEASE READ. If you've seen this picture before, or know for sure who this is, feel free to send me an email, but for the sake of unbridled mystery and tension, let the gang have a go at it in the comments section.
Okey Dokey here we go:
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Someone's In The Kitchen With.....
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| Carmen Miranda |
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| Cook is being supervised by Irene Dunne |
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| Marie Dressler |
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| Marilyn Monroe stirs occasionally |
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| Sophia Loren makesa da pizza pie |
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| Una Merkel slices |
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| Rock Hudson whips it |
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Miss Crawford...
...comes to, in the same spot she passed out last night, looking fresh as a daisy to wish us all a Happy New Year!
I must ask her how many toilet seat covers it took to do those stairs.
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