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100 years ago today, Olivia de Havilland was born. 5 years ago this past March (and in the very wee infancy of this blog), I was studying abroad in Paris and heard that the great Olivia de Havilland would be introducing a movie she had recently narrated, a documentary about Alzheimer’s calle read more

Norma Jeane Baker (Mortensen on her birth certificate), who would grow up to become Marilyn Monroe. Pictured here around the time when she lived at the Los Angeles Orphan’s Home Society, now known as EMQ FamiliesFirst Hollygrove. June 1, 2016 marks what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s read more

A few days ago, as I spent a sick afternoon at home, I was pleased to discover the delightful Born Yesterday (1950) playing on TCM. This is a movie that has always fascinated me–Judy Holliday’s performance as the dim-witted Billie Dawn won her an Oscar for the Best Actress of 1950, in read more

The TCM Classic Film Festival came to a close last night, and I am currently fighting off a tremendous case of sleep deprivation following my flight home at 6:15 in the morning. Despite my lack of sleep, I still feel the elation of the festival in every fiber of my being. What a weekend it was. At read more

I leave tomorrow for the TCM Classic Film Festival, so here is the final installment in my rundown of the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival schedule. Sunday will be a light day for me, because in the morning I will be going to visit an old research friend in Hollywood. However, the schedule offers so read more

A recurring theme of this year’s festival is one that is familiar to anyone following current events–corruption in the media and the rise and fall of media superstars. Whether it’s the story of an unstable buffoon on the airwaves, a drifter who becomes a media sensation, or an ex read more

Analysis of the TCM Festival schedule continues here at Backlots. Friday morning starts off as well as any Friday morning could start, but it is also a perfect example of the joyous difficulty TCM’s schedule poses for the attendee. THE CHOICES As happy as many of us are that Shanghai Expres read more

Ever since the schedule for the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival went live a few days ago, festival attendees have been meticulously planning their schedules and making the difficult moviegoing decisions that define each year at the TCM Fest. With less than 2 weeks until the festival, the schedule w read more

Patty Duke with Helen Keller, whom she portrayed in The Miracle Worker (1962). I was shocked and saddened today to learn of the death of Patty Duke, the actress and activist whose legacy spanned the entire scope of the entertainment world and beyond. At 16 years old in 1963, Patty Duke was the you read more

Patty Duke with Helen Keller, whom she portrayed in The Miracle Worker (1962). I was shocked and saddened today to learn of the death of Patty Duke, the actress and activist whose legacy spanned the entire scope of the entertainment world and beyond. At 16 years old in 1963, Patty Duke was the you read more

Patty Duke with Helen Keller, whom she portrayed in The Miracle Worker (1962). I was shocked and saddened today to learn of the death of Patty Duke, the actress and activist whose legacy spanned the entire scope of the entertainment world and beyond. At 16 years old in 1963, Patty Duke was the you read more

Earlier this week, I received confirmation that Backlots will once again be covering the TCM Classic Film Festival in late April. This will be my 4th year at the festival, and I couldn’t be happier and more honored to be taking part in this special event. The TCM Classic Film Festival is now read more

Earlier this week, I received confirmation that Backlots will once again be covering the TCM Classic Film Festival in late April. This will be my 4th year at the festival, and I couldn’t be happier and more honored to be taking part in this special event. The TCM Classic Film Festival is now read more

Earlier this week, I received confirmation that Backlots will once again be covering the TCM Classic Film Festival in late April. This will be my 4th year at the festival, and I couldn’t be happier and more honored to be taking part in this special event. The TCM Classic Film Festival is now read more

Readers, as I write this, it is difficult for me to fathom that it was 5 years ago when I was sitting in that tiny internet cafe in Paris, creating the blog that would become such a source of joy for me in years to come. And what a 5 years it has been. When I began Backlots in that March of 2011, read more

Readers, as I write this, it is difficult for me to fathom that it was 5 years ago when I was sitting in that tiny internet cafe in Paris, creating the blog that would become such a source of joy for me in years to come. And what a 5 years it has been. When I began Backlots in that March of 2011, read more

Readers, as I write this, it is difficult for me to fathom that it was 5 years ago when I was sitting in that tiny internet cafe in Paris, creating the blog that would become such a source of joy for me in years to come. And what a 5 years it has been. When I began Backlots in that March of 2011, read more

Olivia de Havilland accepts her Best Actress Oscar for The Heiress (1949). Tonight is Oscar night. As Los Angeles prepares for an evening of glamor, style, and nightmarish street closures (it once took me an hour to walk to the store one block away when I was in Hollywood on Oscar night), we look read more

Olivia de Havilland accepts her Best Actress Oscar for The Heiress (1949). Tonight is Oscar night. As Los Angeles prepares for an evening of glamor, style, and nightmarish street closures (it once took me an hour to walk to the store one block away when I was in Hollywood on Oscar night), we look read more

Olivia de Havilland accepts her Best Actress Oscar for The Heiress (1949). Tonight is Oscar night. As Los Angeles prepares for an evening of glamor, style, and nightmarish street closures (it once took me an hour to walk to the store one block away when I was in Hollywood on Oscar night), we look read more