Noir Nook: Love in the Shadows

Noir Nook: Love in the Shadows

A wise man once said, “Trip over love, you can get up. Fall in love and you fall forever.” In that spirit, and in this season of love, this month’s Noir Nook celebrates three of my favorite dysfunctional noir couples – ladies and gents who loved not too wisely… and not too well, either!

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Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) and Joe Gillis (William Holden) in Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Gloria Swanson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Gloria Swanson and William Holden in Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Aging silent movie queen Norma initially saw Joe, a struggling writer, simply as a tool for renovating the massive script she was penning as a vehicle for her “return” to the silver screen. But before you could say “Bob’s your uncle,” Norma was head over heels for the hunky Joe – and Joe wasn’t too proud to turn down the material perks of their pairing. Unfortunately for poor Norma, Joe’s heart eventually was captured by another (Nancy Olson). Unfortunately for poor Joe, Norma didn’t take this news lying down, if you know what I mean.

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Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford) and Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott) in Mildred Pierce (1945)

Joan Crawford and Zachary Scott in Mildred Pierce (1945)
Joan Crawford and Zachary Scott in Mildred Pierce (1945)

Who wouldn’t fall for Monte Beragon?  In the words of one character, Monte “played polo, went yachting, was an excellent hunter and was seen with the most attractive debutantes in California.” Plus, he was easy on the eyes. Waitress-turned-restauranteur Mildred was a total sucker for Monte’s charms – until he started mooching off of her and proving to be a poor influence on Mildred’s (already irrevocably snooty) daughter, Veda (Ann Blyth). Once the stars had faded from Mildred’s eyes, she didn’t waste any time giving Monte the heave-ho. Good riddance to bad rubbish, right? Not so fast. Unfortunately for nearly everyone involved, Mildred later invited Monte back into her life, using him as part of her desperate scheme to lure her estranged child back to the nest. She’d have been better off leaving them both where they were.

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Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) and Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) in Double Indemnity (1944)

Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity (1944)
Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity (1944)

What list of noir couples would be complete without Phyllis and Walter? Phyllis first met insurance agent Walter when he stopped by her house as part of his job. But it wasn’t long before business took a back seat to pleasure… and then pleasure took a back seat to murder. These two were made for each other when it came to planning and executing what appeared to be a perfect crime – knocking off Phyllis’s hubby and collecting his life insurance payout. Problem was, they didn’t reckon on the unfailing intuition of Walter’s boss (Edward G. Robinson). They also didn’t foresee the complete disintegration of their relationship, characterized by paranoia, mistrust, and downright animosity. In the end, neither one was left standing.

Who are some of your favorite dysfunctional noir couples?

– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.

Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is the author of the Shadows and Satin blog, which focuses on movies and performers from the film noir and pre-Code eras, and the editor-in-chief of The Dark Pages, a bimonthly newsletter devoted to all things film noir. Karen is also the author of two books on film noir – Femme Noir: The Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. You can follow Karen on Twitter at @TheDarkPages.
If you’re interested in learning more about Karen’s books, you can read more about them on amazon here:

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Mini Tribute: Erik Rhodes

Born Feb 10, 1906, Erik Rhodes – the Great Dialectician!

Erik Rhodes is one of my all-time favorite Character Actors, yet oddly enough, I haven’t seen him in all that many movies. It just so happens though, that in the few movies I’ve seen him in, he’s unforgettable – a real scene stealer!  I ‘stumbled upon’ Rhodes simply because I’m a huge Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers fan, and he ‘just happens to be’ in two of their movies, The Gay Divorcee and Top Hat — playing the well-meaning ‘professional’ co-respondent Rodolfo Tonetti and the wonderfully sincere dress-designer Alberto Beddini, respectively.

Upon seeing Rhodes in those two Astaire/Rogers movies, I immediately thought to myself ‘what a fabulous Italian actor!’ Little did I know at that time that Rhodes was NOT Italian; in fact he was born and raised in good old Oklahoma, USA!

Erik Rhodes Classic Movie Actor

Rhodes was born in El Reno, Oklahoma Territory in 1906. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma, won a scholarship to study acting in New York, and landed his first Broadway role, although a mere eight lines, in A Most Immoral Lady (1928). Rhodes, an accomplished baritone, was then cast in a few Broadway musicals: The Little Show (1929), Hey Nonny Nonny! (1932), and — Gay Divorce (1932) starring Fred Astaire. His memorable performance as the high-spirited Italian, Rodolfo Tonetti, impressed RKO Execs and he was cast in the 1934 film, The Gay Divorcee, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

(Note: sorry, although the below quotes are from their respective movies, they do not necessary reflect the images surrounding them)

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Erik Rhodes as Rodolfo Tonetti in The Gay Divorcee (director Mark Sandrich, 1934):

Erik Rhodes, Rudolfo Tonetti, Eric Blore, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, The Gay Divorcee

“Chance is the foolish name for fate.”

Erik Rhodes, Rudolfo Tonetti, Eric Blore, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, The Gay Divorcee

“Rodolfo Tonetti at your service.”

Erik Rhodes, Rudolfo Tonetti, Eric Blore, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, The Gay Divorcee

“You’re wife is save with Tonetti. He prefers spaghetti!”

Erik Rhodes, Rudolfo Tonetti, Eric Blore, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, The Gay Divorcee

“Bene, whichever way the wind she is blowing, that is the way I sail.”

Erik Rhodes, Rudolfo Tonetti, Eric Blore, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, The Gay Divorcee

“Oh scusi, scusi. I’m also very good at parties.”

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Erik Rhodes as Alberto Beddini in Top Hat (director Mark Sandrich, 1935):

Alberto Beddini, Erik Rhodes, Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers, Top Hat

“Who is sending you this horse’s shoe?”

Alberto Beddini, Erik Rhodes, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Top Hat

“I promised my dresses that I would take them to Venice and that you would be in them!”

Alberto Beddini, Erik Rhodes, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Top Hat

“Never again will I allow WOMEN to wear my dresses!”

Alberto Beddini, Erik Rhodes, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Top Hat

“Oh Cara Mia, you make a big mistake — I am no man, I am Bedinni!”

Alberto Beddini, Erik Rhodes, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Top Hat

“Poverina, Beddinni does not like to see you so sad.”

Alberto Beddini, Erik Rhodes, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, Top Hat

“For the woman, the kiss. For the man, the sword!”

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Although most fans (me included) probably remember Erik Rhodes best as those passionate Italians — Tonetti and Beddini — he was expert in dialects and accents overall, and could convincingly play non-Italian roles as well. As a matter of fact, I could hardly believe my ears when I first heard him speak ‘straight English’ as David Scott-Frensham in Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938) and as Max Corday in Charlie Chan in Paris (1935).

 Mysterious Mr. Moto, Eric Rhodes

Erik Rhodes as David Scott-Frensham in Mysterious Mr. Moto (director Norman Foster, 1938)

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Erik Rhodes, Charlie Chan in Paris

Erik Rhodes as Max Corday in Charlie Chan in Paris (director Lewis Seiler, 1935)

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Rhodes continued to act on Screen, TV and Broadway through the late 60s (with an additional isolated TV appearance in 1976, The Adams Chronicles). Most notably however, he appeared in some solid Broadway runs during the 50s and 60s: Can-Can, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Barefoot in the Park.

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Note: this was a partial reprint of a longer article covering Erik Rhodes and Alan Hale from the 2012 What a Character Blogathon

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Mini Tribute: Alan Hale Sr.

Born Feb 10, 1892, Alan Hale – Pirates, Cowboys and Much More!
(potato chips anyone?)

Where do I even begin? Alan Hale is just such a wonderful character actor. He’s had quite an impressive career to boot, appearing in over 230 films, silent and sound, (and directed nine more), for a career spanning 40 years. I essentially ‘discovered’ Hale as I watched my favorite Errol Flynn movies — from The Adventures of Robin Hood to The Sea Hawk to Dodge City to Santa Fe Trail and more. But I must say, that perhaps my favorite Hale role is (and it is a SMALL role to say the least) Danker in It Happened One Night – that tinny tiny little scene always has me laughing out loud (what a booming voice!).

Alan Hale Sr

Alan Hale was born in 1892 in our capital city, Washington DC. He studied opera, but was unable to make a career out of it, so he pursued acting instead. He started out in silents and worked his way through sound — becoming a popular and very busy character actor in the process.  He’s probably best known for his role as Little John in both the 1922 (silent) and 1938 (sound) versions of Robin Hood.

Of course, just about everyone knows that he’s also The Skipper’s father (Alan Hale Jr. played The Skipper in Gilligan’s Island), but I’m thinking that not too many people know that he was also an inventor — and is credited with inventing, holding the patent to, and/or financing the creation of auto brakes, hand-held fire extinguishers, greaseless potato chips — and the folding theater seat!

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Alan Hale as Little John - Robin Hood (1922) Douglas Fairbanks

Alan Hale as Little John in the 1922 silent classic, Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks and Wallace Beery (director Allan Dwan)

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Alan Hale, Little John, Adventures of Robin Hood, Errol Flynn

And again, as Little John in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland (directors Michael Curtiz and William Keighley)

Robin Hood: Give way, little man.
Little John: Only to a better man than meself.
Robin Hood: He stands before you.

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Alan Hale, Sea Hawk, Errol Flynn

“To England, and the Queen!” – as Carl Pitt in The Sea Hawk, starring Errol Flynn  (director, Michael Curtiz 1940)

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Alan Hale, Rusty Hart, Dodge City, Errol Flynn

“He’s the most ‘movin’ on’ man you ever saw. First off, he was in the English army over in India. Then he got mixed up in some kind of a hu-rah Revolution down in Cuba way. Then he started punchin’ cattle in Texas, that is, of course, before he enlisted in the war. So, you see, he’s either the greatest traveler ever lived, or else he is the biggest lier!”
– as Rusty Hart in Dodge City, starring Errol Flynn
(director Michael Curtiz, 1939 )

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It Happened One Night, Alan Hale, Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Danker

And my favorite:  Alan Hale merrily singing “Young people in LOVE are very seldom hungry” in It Happened One Night, starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert (director, Frank Capra 1934)

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Note: this was a partial reprint of a longer article covering Erik Rhodes and Alan Hale from the 2012 What a Character Blogathon

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Monsters and Matinees: Still Buzzing about ‘The Fly’ Trilogy

Still Buzzing about The Fly…

It’s easy to think of the 1958 film The Fly in two words: “help me.”

That phrase – often said in a silly high-pitched voice meant to mimic the film – is from an iconic moment that still brings chills today. It’s so popular that the actors even signed autographs with “help me.” So if it helps the film gain new audiences as time goes on, that’s fantastic.

But it’s everything that happens before “help me” is heard at the end of the film that makes The Fly deserving of credit for being better than your typical B-movie horror film.

Patricia Owens and “Al” David Hedison in a scene from the 1958 film The Fly.

The original novella by George Langelaan appeared in Playboy magazine in 1957 and the rights were quickly snapped up by Twentieth Century Fox. With a major studio behind it and the casting of well-regarded actors Herbert Marshall and Vincent Price, The Fly was elevated out of standard B-movie territory. (At the time, Price was known as a respected character actor, not horror star. After The Fly, however, Price filmed House on Haunted Hill and The Tingler in 1959 followed by a full slate of horror films in the 1960s.)

Shot in Cinemascope, The Fly is a beauty to look at with vibrant color by Deluxe (think Technicolor).  You could easily take scenes of the movie’s loving family – Andre Delambre (played by David Hedison, who was billed as Al Hedison here), his wife Helen (Patricia Owens) and young son, Philippe (Charles Herbert) – and insert them in a 1950s romance or comedy.

The very much in love Delambres (Patricia Owens and David “Al” Hedison) in happier times.

But The Fly is really quite sad. Hedison plays an altruistic scientist who has created a “miracle” he calls the “disintegrator integrator.” His hope is to send food and supplies to famine and disaster areas in the blink of eye. Just when he thinks his invention is ready, he accidentally teleports himself and a fly with disastrous results (hence “help me”).

I was lucky enough to get my lobby card from The Fly autographed by actor David Hedison. Note that he thoughtfully signed it Al David Hedison (he was billed as “Al Hedison” for this film) and added the iconic “Help Me!”

The Fly spawned two sequels: Return of the Fly (1959) and The Curse of the Fly (1965). (This story only deals with this trilogy, not David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake or its sequel.) In Return, Andre’s now-adult son tries to vindicate his father’s legacy by perfecting the experiment; Curse follows another generation of the Delambre family that clearly hasn’t learned lessons from the past.

The sequels also were made in Cinemascope, yet oddly shot in black and white. Each film in the trilogy has a different look and personality. The original is a tragedy, Return feels most like a horror film and Curse is a peculiar grab bag of genres. So while you should find something to enjoy in each film, one will definitely become your favorite – mine will always be the original.

Here’s a bit more about each film.

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The Fly

The film opens in a dark factory where the night watchman stumbles upon a horrific scene: a woman is standing near a hydraulic press where you can see blood and human limbs. It is the electronics factory owned by the Delambre family and she is immediately recognized as Andre’s wife.

What should be an open-and-shut case of murder isn’t one. A too-calm Helen insists to her brother-in-law Francois (Price) that she didn’t kill “her husband.” The journey to discover the truth  is why Hedison has called this film a murder mystery.

We learn the full story in flashback where the film blossoms with light, color, happiness and a lovely romantic musical theme.

The Delambres lead a charmed life – for a while – in The Fly.

Though Andre works for days at a time in his lab, he is a devoted family man and appreciative of his charmed life. When he shares his latest experiment with Helen and how it will help the world, she couldn’t be prouder.

 “Are you a magician?” she asks after he teleports a plate. But their happiness is short-lived: on the back of the plate, the words “Made in Japan” are backward. Andre frantically returns to work until he gets it right – even if it means sacrificing the family cat for the greater good. (You’ve been warned, cat lovers.)

Whoops – this isn’t a good sign for Andre Delambre’s teleportation experiment.

His research finally succeeds, but one tiny fly seals his fate and the film takes a tragic turn. Helen tries to help without knowing the full truth which she learns in a Phantom of the Opera-like unmasking.

As the fly starts to take over his brain, we can see Andre physically fighting himself. Hedison does a great job at silently showing this battle. When he struggles to write “help me … kill fly please … love you” on a chalkboard, it’s heartbreaking.

Andre’s realization that his experiment is too dangerous leads him to destroy his lab and commit his last unselfish act. Yet it’s not the worst moment in the film: that comes when the fly is finally found and the infamous “help me” cry is heard.

In a documentary about the film, Hedison said he fought to make the film more realistic and sadder by having Helen, whose hair and makeup were always perfect, and Andre physically show the emotional torment of their situation. Hedison suggested progressive makeup for Andre that at one point would only show his human eyes and the heartbreak in them. “I think it could have been a wild, wild movie,” he said.

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Return of the Fly (1959)

After the gorgeous saturated color of The Fly, it’s surprising to see the black and white coloring of this sequel. But it sets the film’s tone from the opening scene of the now-cliched funeral in the rain by casting a mournful pall.

It’s Helen’s funeral about 15 years later judging by the fact that Phillipe is now a handsome young adult (played by Brett Halsey). Adding to the somberness is the voice-over by his Uncle Francois (Price) about his love for Helen and how she never recovered from her husband’s horrific death.

Philippe, who can’t stand the sight of a fly, also has been haunted by his father’s death and the rumors that have swirled since then. He wants to rebuild the lab and perfect the experiment in his honor. “It will be his monument, his vindication,” he says.

Philippe Delambre (Brett Halsey, right) tries to convince his Uncle Francoise (Vincent Price) to help carry on his father’s experiments in Return of the Fly.

When his uncle refuses to help, Philippe leaves the family company taking another worker, Alan (David Frankham), with him. They’re quickly broke and Uncle Francois, in protective mode, volunteers his money and his skills.

Perhaps Philippe is on to something and will have more success than dad, but we’ll never know. Philippe’s plans are worth money and some people will stop at nothing to get them – even cruelly throwing an unconscious Philippe and a fly into a transporter.

Things don’t quite go the way Philippe thinks they will in Return of the Fly.

Return satisfies as a sequel with familiar characters and settings like the basement laboratory (or la-BOR-a-tory, as Price so eloquently speaks) and a tidy ending. In fact, it would be a decent horror film if not for the oversized fly head used in the film that leads a character to comically teeter around like a kid in an adult’s Halloween costume. (The fly’s head in the original film is much more to human scale.)

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The Curse of the Fly (1965)

If you aren’t familiar with Curse, that’s understandable: The film was not widely distributed nor easy to see until it was included on a nifty four-disc DVD set in 2007.

Curse is an odd yet interesting film. It messes with continuity by rewriting the end to the original film and pretending the second never happened. To make matters worse, Curse doesn’t even have a fly in it! But it does stay true to its title by focusing on “the curse of the Delambres, the curse of the fly,” that has followed the family since Andre’s deadly experiment.

Fans of British horror films will recognize the look of the movie ( it was filmed at Shepperton Studios) and the opening credits will grab your attention.

A window smashes open and a woman in bra and panties jumps out, running shoeless along the grass and down a road. It’s all in a painfully slow motion that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally put on a 1960s sexploitation film. A car appears and a man steps out to throw his coat into the bushes where she’s hiding. Within minutes, he’s driving her into town, paying for her hotel room and clothing. In a day or so, they’re picnicking on the grass and he’s proposing.

A woman (Carole Gray) breaks open a window and flees in her underwear from a mysterious location in the opening to The Curse of the Fly.

Yes, your head will be spinning with this absurd opening to the third film that only grows stranger.

The man is Martin Delambre (George Baker) and his father is Henri Delambre (Brian Donlevy). They are the grandson and son of Andre from the original film. If you’ve seen the earlier films, you’ll think “Wait – Andre didn’t have a son named Henri!” and you would be right.

That’s one of the many continuity problems in Curse that throws most everything out from the other movies (that’s almost everything, as the curse of the title comes into play) outside of the family name and experiments.

Brian Donlevy, left, and George Baker play a father and son experimenting with teleportation.

Martin brings his new bride home (to a very strange mansion) and dad, though seemingly a nice guy, is pretty upset since they’re hiding a few secrets around the house. Although the Delambre men (including brother Albert in London) have “perfected” the disintegrator integrator and easily teleport between Quebec and England, there are still some issues. Dad has a few radiation burns and you won’t want to look in the stables

Though this film is a mish-mash of ideas (including a strange housekeeper and even stranger occupants that recall Rebecca and Jane Eyre), some of the “failed” experiments are intriguing. I was reminded of similarities to later films, including some by David Cronenberg and makeup artist Dick Smith’s work in Altered States making me wonder if Curse served as an inspiration.

This gross result of what happens when two people are teleported together bears an uncanny resemblance to a similar look used in the 1980 film Altered States.

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Familiar faces

Kathleen Freeman, left, and Dan Seymour

In addition to such stars as Vincent Price, Herbert Marshall and Brian Donlevy, you’ll notice some familiar character actors in these films.

Kathleen Freeman, Emma the housekeeper, The Fly. Through her 50-year career, Freeman starred in a range of films and television work including Singin’ in the Rain, 11 Jerry Lewis comedies and The Blues Brothers.

Dan Seymour, Max in Return of the Fly. You’ll recognize his face immediately as the bad guy in such films as Casablanca, To Have and Have Not, Key Largo and Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy. You may remember him as Maharajah of Nimpah from the 1960s Batman TV series, too.

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Toni Ruberto for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Toni’s Monsters and Matinees articles here.

Toni Ruberto, born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., is an editor and writer at The Buffalo News. She shares her love for classic movies in her blog, Watching Forever. Toni was the president of the former Buffalo chapter of TCM Backlot and now leads the offshoot group, Buffalo Classic Movie Buffs. She is proud to have put Buffalo and its glorious old movie palaces in the spotlight as the inaugural winner of the TCM in Your Hometown contest. You can find Toni on Twitter at @toniruberto.


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Classic Movie Travels: Gale Storm

Classic Movie Travels: Gale Storm – Houston

Gale Storm Headshot
Gale Storm

Gale Storm was an actress and singer who found herself starring in two popular television shows of the 1950s. Several of her songs were top ten hits, with “I Hear You Knockin'” being one of the many favorites enjoyed by fans. While cast in many B movies, Storm nonetheless stands out as a noticeable talent. 

Josephine Owaissa Cottle was born in Bloomington, Texas, on April 5, 1922. She was the youngest of five children (Lois, Wilbur, Marjorie, and Brackston), with two brothers and two sisters.  Her middle name, “Owaissa,” is an Indian word meaning “bluebird” and was given to her by an older sister, Lois. Josephine’s father, William Walter Cottle, worked as the manager of a lumber yard, while her mother, Minnie Corina Cottle, was a housewife. Sadly, William died after a year-long illness when Josephine was just 17 months of age. 

In response to William’s passing, Minnie took in sewing and opened a millinery shop in McDade, Texas. The business failed and the family instead moved to Houston. There, Josephine took dance lessons and ice-skating lessons at Houston’s Polar Palace. She also developed an interest in acting and became an active member of the drama club at Albert Sidney Johnston Junior High School and San Jacinto High School. 

At the age of 17, two of Josephine’s teachers encouraged her to enter a contest called Gateway to Hollywood via CBS Radio studios in Hollywood. The old-time radio talent show sought to turn relatively unknown people into celebrities, with the first prize being a one-year contract with a movie studio. Josephine won and was immediately given the stage name Gale Storm.

Her performing partner, Lee Bonnell, from South Bend, Indiana, won the male counterpart of the award and took on the name of Terry Belmont. The two would marry in 1941 and went on to have four children: Peter, Phillip, Paul, and Susanna. They remained married until his passing in 1986. 

Gale Storm, Lee Bonnell, and their three children
Gale, Lee and their three children

Upon winning the contest, Storm had a radio role in Big Town and made several films for RKO Pictures. Her first film was Tom Brown’s School Days (1940), followed by other low-budget films. She also appeared in several soundies or three-minute musicals made specifically for movie jukeboxes. 

Storm went on to Monogram Pictures and played a variety of ingenue roles alongside the likes of the East Side Kids, Edgar Kennedy, and the Three Stooges. Storm became Monogram’s key star, with the actress playing in musical and dramatic roles. Moreover, she also appeared in romantic comedies, including G.I. Honeymoon and It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947). 

By the 1950s, Storm was appearing in film noirs, including Underworld Story (1950) and Between Midnight and Dawn (1950). She also appeared regularly as a guest performer for many television shows, making her television debut in Hollywood Premiere Theatre in 1950. 

Gale Storm in It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)

From 1952-1955, Storm starred in My Little Margie with Charles Farrell. The series functioned as a summer replacement for I Love Lucy. In 1956, she starred in The Gale Storm Show alongside ZaSu Pitts

In the mid-1950s, Storm was enjoying a successful recording career. Storm recorded several hits and headlined in Las Vegas. In addition, she appeared in several stage plays. However, she ceased recording after about two years because the newfound success was calling for more time away from her family.

In the 1970s, Storm struggled with alcoholism. She credited her husband as being supportive of her during the hardships she was facing and ultimately felt grateful that she could share her story with others who were also dealing with alcoholism. Storm noticed a stigma for women who were facing alcoholism and eventually found hope in her situation. In an interview during her later hears, she said, “During my struggle, I had no idea of the blessing my experience could turn out to be! I’ve had the opportunity to share with others suffering with alcoholism the knowledge that there is help, hope, and an alcohol-free life awaiting them.” Storm also found additional support by devoting herself to her religion and became an active member of South Shores Church. 

I Ain't Down Yet, Gale Storm's Autobiography
I Ain’t Down Yet, Gale Storm’s Autobiography

As the years went on, Storm published an autobiography called I Ain’t Down Yet, which related her struggle with alcoholism. At the same time, Storm continued to make television appearances and also frequented a variety of film festivals, including the Memphis Film Festival, Cinecon, and the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention.  In 1988, she married to Paul Matteson and remained married to him until his passing in 1996. 

Storm passed away at the age of 87 on June 27, 2009, at a convalescent home in Danville, California, residing close to two of her sons. 

Today, there are some places of relevance to Storm that exist in her native Texas. 

San Jacinto High School is now the San Jacinto Memorial Building, which is part of Houston Community College. It stands at 1300 Holman St. in Houston.

San Jacinto Memorial Hall, previously the San Jacinto High School; where Gale was an active member of the drama club
San Jacinto Memorial Hall, previously the San Jacinto High School; where Gale was an active member of the drama club

Her family’s 1930 home at 2611 1/2 Caroline St. in Houston no longer stands. Here is the property today: 

Gale Storm's 1930 home at 2611 1/2 Caroline St. in Houston, Texas
Site of Storm’s 1930 home at 2611 1/2 Caroline St. in Houston, Texas

Storm has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to television, recordings, and radio.

While Storm enjoyed success on a variety of mediums, her stories and talent are well preserved through her filmography and autobiography.

–Annette Bochenek for Classic Movie Hub

Annette Bochenek pens our monthly Classic Movie Travels column. You can read all of Annette’s Classic Movie Travel articles here.

Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco SocietyMagazine.

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Cooking with the Stars: Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken with Avocado and Mushrooms

Cooking with the Stars: Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken with Avocado and Mushrooms

Elizabeth Taylor Headshot
Elizabeth Taylor

It may be freezing outside, but here I am with the perfect dish this month to warm you back up again! February is all about Elizabeth Taylor, the darling of the silver screen who I’ve admired for as long as I can remember. To me, Elizabeth simply personified perfection, from her striking violet eyes to her demure voice and her impeccable sense of style. There are few people that I want to emulate more, and no woman has walked the earth that I believe is her equal. I’ve been dying to pay tribute to this astonishing and radiant actress for the longest time, and I felt that her birthday month would be the perfect opportunity for me to discuss her life in pictures and her delectable recipe. Just the opportunity to cook something that she enjoyed feels like a privilege to me, and I hope that you’ll read on and learn all about Elizabeth and how you can enjoy her recipe too!

Elizabeth Taylor as a child, c. 1930s
Elizabeth Taylor as a child, c. 1930s

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born on February 27, 1932, at Heathwood, her parents’ London estate. Elizabeth, as well as her older brother Howard, were both dual citizens of the United Kingdom and the United States, as their father, art dealer Francis Taylor, and their mother, retired stage actress Sara Sothern, were both United States citizens who originated from Kansas. At the age of seven, Elizabeth’s family decided to return to America after receiving news of the impending Second World War. The family settled in Beverly Hills, where Francis’ art gallery attracted Hollywood interest from names such as Hedda Hopper. It wasn’t long before the youthful and striking Elizabeth received attention from the entertainment industry as well, and she quickly acquired contract offers from both Universal and MGM. While mother Sara was initially against the idea of little Elizabeth entering films, she eventually gave in and saw the offers as opportunities for her daughter to fit into American culture.

Elizabeth preparing for the role of Velvet Brown in National Velvet (1944)
Elizabeth preparing for the role of Velvet Brown in National Velvet (1944), the film that would make her a star.

The Taylors accepted Universal’s bid, but after appearing in only one film, There’s One Born Every Minute (1942), the studio dropped the promising starlet within a year. Universal’s casting director particularly disliked Taylor, stating: “The kid has nothing. Her eyes are too old, she doesn’t have the face of a child.” For many young hopefuls, the move may have seemed like the end of Elizabeth’s film career, but MGM was still taken with Taylor, especially after seeing her stellar audition for a significant role in Hollywood’s first Lassie film, Lassie Come Home (1943). She was perfect for the part, and her performance earned her a seven-year contract with the studio. Afterward, Elizabeth filled her time with minor parts in MGM productions like Jane Eyre (1944) and The White Cliffs of Dover (1944), all while attending school in a schoolhouse that MGM built on the lot especially for its child stars. Elizabeth’s schoolmates included the likes of Judy Garland, Russ Tamblyn, and Mickey Rooney, the costar of her next film, National Velvet (1944).

Elizabeth Taylor A Date With Judy (1948)
It’s obvious from this photograph of Elizabeth on the set of A Date with Judy (1948) that MGM made her up in the image of a grown woman well beyond her sixteen years.

While MGM knew that they had the right actress to play Velvet Brown, a girl who dreams of training her horse to compete in the Grand National, production was put on hold to give Elizabeth time to grow and practice her riding. The studio also wanted to dye her hair and change her name, but she and her family refused. Taylor dominated the box office with her charm and her natural beauty, causing one critic to note, “She is rapturously beautiful. I hardly know or care whether she can act or not.” Along with the success of National Velvet (1944) came a new contract with a raise in salary for Taylor, but also what she considered the end of her childhood. Within the next few years, MGM groomed Elizabeth for stardom, comparing her in movie magazines to actresses decades older than her and casting her in movies like Cynthia (1947) and A Date with Judy (1948), which highlighted her ingenue status, yet displayed her opposite numerous romantic interests and hinted at the roles to come.

Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman on the set of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958).
Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman on the set of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958).

The start of the 1950s was also the start of Elizabeth’s full ascent into leading lady status. At the age of eighteen, she not only became an onscreen bride in the iconic Father of the Bride (1950) but also an offscreen bride, marrying Nicky Hilton, Jr. in a highly publicized ceremony arranged by MGM. Virtually all of her films from this decade were box office hits, and the majority still remain classics today, like A Place in the Sun (1951), which starred Elizabeth opposite Montgomery Clift, her dearest friend. While occasionally Elizabeth made films that she felt were beneath her, such as Love is Better Than Ever (1952) and Ivanhoe (1952), she continued to play powerful roles that had a great impact like The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954), Giant (1956), and Raintree County (1957). By 1958, Elizabeth had blossomed into a mature and talented leading lady, but her third marriage to producer Mike Todd convinced the actress that she should leave motion pictures and raise her family. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) was supposed to be her final film role, but during production, tragedy struck when Todd was killed in a plane crash. A distraught Taylor took only three weeks off shooting to grieve before returning to work and completing the film.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in a publicity photo for The VIPs (1963)
Elizabeth and Richard Burton in a publicity photo for The VIPs (1963), their second of eleven films together.

After attempting to make good on her promise to leave movies once the picture wrapped, MGM reminded Taylor that she was still obligated to make two more films for the studio, which she did with Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) and BUtterfield 8 (1960). Both displayed Taylor’s brilliance in front of a camera, but the latter cemented Taylor as a true legend, earning her the first of two Academy Awards for her performance. After three years offscreen, Taylor decided to return for her first film after parting ways with MGM: Cleopatra (1963), which introduced Elizabeth to the man she considered the love of her life: Richard Burton. Despite their very public affair, the two went on to make eleven movies together, including The VIPs (1963), The Sandpiper (1965), and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), a legendary film that earned Taylor her second Oscar.

Elizabeth Taylor in 1993 with her Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which she received for her efforts to fight AIDS during her final decades.
Elizabeth Taylor in 1993 with her Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which she received for her efforts to fight AIDS during her final decades.

She continued to star regularly in films for the next decade, mostly in movies that are now considered cult classics by Elizabeth Taylor fans, but by the end of the 1970s, her career in films was largely over. After leaving films, Elizabeth focused her attention on building a fragrance empire, earning nearly a billion dollars from perfume sales alone. She also devoted much of her time to activism, standing up for those fighting AIDS when even the US president would not and creating the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which still grants millions of dollars to programs assisting those affected with AIDS. Taylor continued to fight for this cause until her passing on March 23, 2011, at the age of 79. She’s interred at Forest Lawn Glendale in Glendale, California.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken with Avocado and Mushrooms

  • 1 avocado, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 (2 1/2 pound) chickens, cut into serving pieces
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 finely chopped shallots
  • 3 tablespoons cognac
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

  1. Sprinkle avocado with lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate.
  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet, over low heat, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons butter and sauté chicken until juices run yellow when it is pricked with a fork, about 35 to 40 minutes. Use two skillets if necessary, adding more butter as needed.
  3. Transfer cooked chicken to a serving dish. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and keep warm in a 300-degree F oven for 15 minutes while preparing the sauce.
  4. To make the sauce, add shallots to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping sides and bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
  5. Add cognac and wine and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture has almost evaporated.
  6. Add cream and boil 5 minutes longer.
  7. Add chicken stock to cream mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick.
  8. While sauce cooks, sauté mushrooms over high heat in butter.
  9. Add the mushrooms, remaining cognac, and avocado cubes to the sauce. Stir until well blended.
  10. Pour over chicken and sprinkle with parsley.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken with Avocado and Mushrooms
My execution of Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken with Avocado and Mushrooms. It may not earn points for presentation, but it tastes divine!

As a result of this column, many people have asked me questions about my cooking experiences, many of them wondering if I’m even an experienced cook at all. The honest answer to that inquiry is no, and the truth is that classic movie stars largely taught me how to cook in the first place. I’ve learned so many techniques and new things while recreating the recipes of Old Hollywood actors and actresses, and this recipe was no different, as I faced for the first time one of the biggest hurdles for any budding cook: how to disassemble a chicken. My guess is that chickens are much bigger now than they used to be, so it was impossible to find two two-and-a-half pound chickens at the store. My options were either purchasing one five-pound chicken or two cornish game hens that were about two pounds apiece. I went for the latter, and their size made them difficult to take apart, especially for someone who had never even taken apart a normal-sized chicken before. Still, the extra bit of effort was worth it, because this dish was delicious. Believe me when I say that it’s the kind of luxurious dish that you need to watch during the weekend with a large glass of wine and a fancy movie.

That’s exactly what I did when I recreated Elizabeth’s recipe, finishing off the bottle of wine that I used for the sauce while relaxing for a splendid night in watching The VIPs (1963), one of Taylor’s most underrated films in my opinion. I envied her fashion and jewelry, and part of me felt like I was her while I nibbled on the hen, eating a full plate and saving enough of the leftovers for another meal the next day. It was terrific! I don’t exaggerate when I say that this is easily one of the most delicious classic film star recipes that I’ve tried. While it easily earns a full five Vincents in my book, I do have to issue the same warning that someone gave me before making this: Cornish hen is rich, and if you decide to use it as I did and combine it with the thick, heavy sauce, it will likely be difficult to digest. I also find it surprising that the same actress who penned an entire diet book recommends incorporating butter into nearly every other step of this recipe. It’s more than worth it, but this is truly a “treat yourself” kind of dish. Isn’t that what Valentine’s Day month is all about, anyway? If you’re thinking about making it, just do it! You deserve it!

FIVE Vincent Price Rating
Elizabeth’s dish gets a 5/5!

–Samantha Ellis for Classic Movie Hub

Samantha resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania and is the author of Musings of a Classic Film Addict, a blog that sheds light on Hollywood films and filmmakers from the 1930s through the 1960s. Her favorite column that she pens for her blog is Cooking with the Stars, for which she tests and reviews the personal recipes of stars from Hollywood’s golden age. When she isn’t in the kitchen, Samantha also lends her voice and classic film knowledge as cohost of the Ticklish Business podcast alongside Kristen Lopez and Drea Clark, and proudly serves as President of TCM Backlot’s Philadelphia Chapter. You can catch up with her work by following her @classicfilmgeek on Twitter.

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Win Tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: King Kong” (Giveaway runs now through Feb 22)

Win tickets to see “King Kong” on the Big Screen!
In Select Cinemas Nationwide
Sun March 15

CMH continues into our 5h year of our partnership with Fathom Events – with the 4th of our 15 movie ticket giveaways for 2020, courtesy of Fathom Events!

That said, we’ll be giving away FOUR PAIRS of tickets* to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: King Kong” – the original film classic starring Fay Wray — the way it was meant to be seen – on the Big Screen!

In order to qualify to win a pair of movie tickets via this contest, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, February 22 at 6PM EST.

We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter on Sunday, February 23between 6PM EST and 7PM EST. If a winner(s) does not have a Twitter account, we will announce that winner(s) via this blog in the comment section below.

*Prize Tickets will be available while supplies last for select AMC, Regal, and Cinemark cinemas nationwide. Winners will be responsible for their own transportation to the Event. Only United States entries are eligible. Important: Please click here before you enter to ensure that the Event is scheduled at a AMC, Regal, and Cinemark theater near you and that you are able to attend. (please note that there might be slightly different theater listings and/or screening times for each date)

ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, February 22 at 6pm EST…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:
What is it about “King Kong” that makes it a classic — even today, 87 years after its release? And, if you haven’t seen it, why do you want to see it on the Big Screen?

2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message:
I just entered to win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: King Kong” on the Big Screen courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @FathomEvents #EnterToWin #CMHContest link here: http://ow.ly/22yS50ybsOt

*If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

About the film: In the classic adventure that made her a star, Fay Wray plays the beautiful woman who conquers the savage heart of a giant ape. Traveling to an uncharted South Pacific island with an adventurer following tales of a God-Ape, Ann Darrow (Wray) is captured by the island’s natives to serve as a human sacrifice to Kong. But when Kong, a giant ape, sees Darrow, it is overcome with love–and eventually captured by the adventurers. Taken to New York and put on display, Kong breaks free and pursues Darrow through New York in one of the most famous scenes ever filmed. The original King Kong, breaking loose in cinemas! This special event includes exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies.

Please note that only United States residents are eligible to enter this giveaway contest.

BlogHub members ARE also eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

You can follow Fathom Events on Twitter at @fathomevents

Good Luck!

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

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Western RoundUp: Hidden Gems, Vol. 1

Western RoundUp: Hidden Gems, Vol. 1

One of the things I especially enjoy about Westerns is discovering lesser-known yet very entertaining movies. There are a great many such films out there for the finding, ranging from “darn good Westerns” — straightforward, solidly made entertainment — to unsung treasures which should be much better known. There’s a real thrill in watching a previously unknown Western which surprises and satisfies the viewer, and I hope to highlight some of those films in this column.

Below is a trio of three excellent, relatively unsung Westerns which I highly recommend.

…..

Panhandle (Lesley Selander, 1948)

Panhandle (1948)
Panhandle (1948)

Writer-director Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther) was only 25 when, along with John C. Champion, he co-wrote and co-produced Panhandle for Monogram Pictures; Edwards also plays a key supporting role.

Rod Cameron stars as John Sands, a former gunfighter who leaves behind his peaceful life as a merchant to hunt for the killer of his younger brother. When Sands arrives in the town where the murder took place, he suspects the powerful Garson (Reed Hadley), and he also tangles with a hired gun (Edwards). Sands is aided by his late brother’s fiancee (Cathy Downs of My Darling Clementine) and Garson’s secretary (Anne Gwynne, the real-life grandmother of actor Chris Pine).

As one might expect from a film co-written by Edwards, it has some excellent dialogue, and it’s also quite unpredictable; just when you think you’ve figured out where the movie’s going, it heads in another direction. The script also features two strong women’s roles without relying on the Western cliche of the “good girl” and the “bad (saloon) gal”; each woman is smart and plays a key role in assisting the hero. The movie is quite refreshing in this regard.

Rod Cameron and Cathy Downs in Panhandle (1948)
Rod Cameron and Cathy Downs in Panhandle (1948)

In fact, none of the characters are the usual “stock” characters, including the gunfighter; Edwards, who would soon give up the acting part of his film career, plays his hotheaded role with flare. Cameron’s appealing lead character, who is both courtly and confident, provides the perfect contrast with Edwards.

The film is also distinguished by some excellent set pieces, including a brutal fistfight and an extremely memorable shootout in the rain. On top of it all, the movie was shot in sepia by Harry Neumann, giving the movie a unique visual look.

Just describing this film makes me want to watch it all over again! I hope anyone unfamiliar with this title will seek it out, as it’s rewarding viewing.

Panhandle is available on DVD from VCI Entertainment.

…..

The Desperado (Thomas Carr, 1954)

The Desperado (1954)
The Desperado (1954)

Wayne Morris was a successful young leading man at Warner Bros. for several years in the late ’30s and early ’40s, then left the screen for half a dozen years due to wartime service. During World War II Morris was a highly decorated Navy flying ace. His movie career resumed in 1947, and within a couple of years, he made the first of what would be many Westerns filmed over the next decade, until his untimely death in 1959, at just 45 years old.

The Desperado is a “B” film from Allied Artists; it may have been a relatively minor film in its day but I feel it provided Morris with a role which was a high point in his career, showing off his evolution from a solid if somewhat bland young leading man to an excellent character actor capable of giving a scene-stealing performance.

James Lydon and Wayne Morris in The Desperado (1954)
James Lydon and Wayne Morris in The Desperado (1954)

Morris plays Sam Garrett, a gunman who unexpectedly finds himself teaching green young Tom Cameron (James Lydon) how to stay alive; Cameron is on the run from murderous Union “Blue Bellies” who killed his father. Cameron has also been betrayed by a former friend (Rayford Barnes) who wants Tom’s fiancee (Beverly Garland) for himself.

There are some simply wonderful aspects to this film, including not one but two (!) villains played by Lee Van Cleef. I find it quite delightful that a good guy gunning down Van Cleef once in this movie is not enough!

Another great surprise is a terrific little performance by Dabbs Greer, who will be familiar to many viewers as Reverend Alden from TV’s Little House on the Prairie. Greer plays a smart marshal who respects Sam and works to help Tom.

The good script is by Daniel Mainwaring, who also wrote under the name Geoffrey Homes; his work included the seminal film noir Out of the Past (1947). Add in a good cast giving strong performances and it’s a very enjoyable hour and 20 minutes.

The Desperado is available on DVD from the Warner Archive.

…..

Man or Gun (Albert C. Gannaway, 1958)

Man or Gun (1958)
Man or Gun (1958)

I stumbled across this Republic Pictures film when looking for something to stream during a road trip several years ago, and it proved to be something quite special.

It’s another film about a gunslinger, this time played by Macdonald Carey. Horseless Scott Yancey (Carey) walks into a New Mexico town with nothing of value other than his shiny gun, and almost immediately he’s forced to gun down two men in self-defense.

After the gunfight, Yancey unexpectedly receives some reward money and decides he’ll buy a nearby spread and settle down…yet somehow people keep challenging him and his gun. The old sheriff (James Gleason) is surprisingly complacent about it, glad that Yancey is, in essence, doing the hard work of cleaning up the town.

Warren Stevens plays Ferris, who wants to take charge of the town and hires Pinch (James Craig) to take Yancey out once and for all, and Audrey Totter rounds out the cast as a woman who runs a saloon and gives Yancey the nickname “Maybe” (as in, “maybe” he’s a famous gunfighter…or maybe not!).

James Gleason, Macdonald Carey, Audrey Totter, and Robert Burton in Man or Gun (1958)
James Gleason, Macdonald Carey, Audrey Totter, and Robert Burton in Man or Gun (1958)

There are admittedly a couple of creaky lines and moments here and there, but for the most part, this is a very original film with quite a bit of humor, a pair of well-staged gunfights, and an unusual touch of mysticism. (Regarding the latter aspect, is the secret to Yancey’s success man…or gun?) Some of the lines in the script by James J. Cassity and Vance Skarstedt are “laugh out loud” funny, and there are some quite unexpected moments to delight the viewer. The unpredictability extends to Craig’s ostensible villain, a loving husband whose role turns out to be quite different than we first expect.

It all builds to a surprising ending. Watch this one for something quite different and very enjoyable.

Man or Gun is not available on DVD but has turned up in the past on multiple streaming services.

I hope to highlight some additional lesser-known Westerns in future columns!

— Laura Grieve for Classic Movie Hub

Laura can be found at her blog, Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, where she’s been writing about movies since 2005, and on Twitter at @LaurasMiscMovie. A lifelong film fan, Laura loves the classics including Disney, Film Noir, Musicals, and Westerns.  She regularly covers Southern California classic film festivals.  Laura will scribe on all things western at the ‘Western RoundUp’ for CMH.

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Silents are Golden: The Iconic Careers of Lillian and Dorothy Gish

Silents are Golden: The Iconic Careers of Lillian and Dorothy Gish

I remember one day in the early summer going through the gloomy old hall of the Biograph Studio when suddenly all gloom seemed to disappear. This change in atmosphere was caused by the presence of two young girls sitting side by side on a hall bench. They were blondish and were sitting affectionately close together…They were Lillian and Dorothy Gish. Lillian had an exquisite ethereal beauty…As for Dorothy, she was just as pretty a picture in another manner; pert–saucy–the old mischief seemed to pop right out of her…

Lillian and Dorothy Gish
An ethereal Lillian and Dorothy.

This was D.W. Griffith’s first memory of meeting the teenaged Lillian and Dorothy Gish. At the time they were stage actresses simply looking to break into the steady work of filmmaking. But they would soon do much more than light up an old studio hall–arguably, they would light up the art of cinema acting itself.

Lillian was born in 1893 in Ohio, and Dorothy in 1898. Their father James, a traveling salesman, became an alcoholic and abandoned the family when the girls were young. Their loving, patient mother Mary worked hard to support her daughters, finding odd jobs and opening a short-lived candy store. A friend suggested that she try acting to get some extra income; this foray also led to her daughters appearing on the stage, usually playing “innocent child” types in various melodramas (Dorothy, for instance, played “Little Willie” in the old tearjerker East Lynne).

Lillian and Dorothy Gish  as children
Little Dorothy and big sister Lillian.

By the time they were teens the Gish sisters had appeared with several touring companies. Thoughtful, purpose-driven Lillian was finding a niche in dramatic roles, while bubbly, mischievous Dorothy was a natural fit for comedy. They were extremely close to their mother, as they would remain throughout their lives. In a sense, the little family’s love for each other was a dependable refuge from the tough, fickle world of show business.

Lillian and Dorothy Gish with their mother 1900s
The Gish family in the 1900s.

While appearing on stage in New York the Gishes became friends with actress Gladys Smith, known today as Mary Pickford. They later recalled she was “like a little mother” to them. In 1912 she recommended that they look for work in pictures, much to their surprise. She explained that it was steady work and paid well, so why not call on her director, D.W. Griffith, and see if he would take them on?

Thus Lillian and Dorothy made their screen debut in the one-reel thriller An Unseen Enemy (1912), playing sisters threatened by a housekeeper who’s trying to get her hands on their late father’s money. These were the first of dozens of roles in Biograph shorts. Griffith’s first wife Linda Arvidson later recalled: “Lillian and Dorothy just melted right into the studio atmosphere without causing a ripple.”

Lillian and Dorothy Gish in An Unseen Enemy (1912)
An Unseen Enemy (1912)

Griffith grew very impressed by the Gish sisters’ talents, especially the ethereal Lillian’s, and carefully helped them develop their skills. In time they would appear in his most prestigious productions, such as World War I propaganda feature Hearts of the World (1918) and the French Revolution thriller Orphans of the Storm (1921). Dorothy, now an established comedienne, had leads in numerous light comedies like I’ll Get Him Yet (1919) and Remodelling Her Husband (1919) (the latter being the one film directed by Lillian), while tragedienne Lillian kept busy in epics like The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916) and dramas like Broken Blossoms (1919). They were also eyewitnesses to the rapid development of cinema at the time, learning what makeup to wear with the harsh studio lighting, getting to see how the film was developed and edited in Biograph’s laboratory, and watching directors try out new techniques.

Lillian and Dorothy Gish in Orphans of the Storm (1921)
Orphans of the Storm (1921).

While Lillian is better known today, both of the angelic-looking Gishs were popular with the public and they were also much-lauded by critics. Lillian was considered one of the screen’s greatest dramatic actresses, and lively Dorothy helped pave the way for the bubbly flapper films of the Roaring Twenties. The two were very much the personifications of “tragedy” and “comedy” in the cinema, influencing countless other performers. They would comment on each other affectionately in the press, Lillian talking about Dorothy’s buoyant attitude toward life – ”When she goes to a party, the party becomes a party” – and Dorothy discussing Lillian’s remarkable dedication to her work: “Her eyes are fixed on her goal; her ears are attuned only to the voice of her duty.”

Lillian and Dorothy Gish around the time of Hearts of the World.
Around the time of Hearts of the World.

In their private lives, Dorothy was very much a girl who enjoyed a night on the town (usually alongside her close friend Constance Talmadge), while Lillian had a singular devotion to her work. Dorothy would marry fellow actor James Rennie in 1920 (they would divorce in 1935), while Lillian remained single, tirelessly devoted to acting. She would later say, “…From the age of nine, I was always falling in and out of love. But marriage is a twenty-four-hour-a-day job, and I have always been much too busy to make a good wife.”

During the 1920s Dorothy made fewer albeit charming pictures, her last major silent role being in Madame Pompadour (1927). She would eventually return to the stage and enjoyed a long and thriving career there, making occasional appearances in films or on television. Playwright Emmet Lavery once said: “In the theatre, we always need the extra bit of magic–Dorothy had it.” Two of the most popular plays she appeared in were 1939’s Life With Father and 1946’s The Magnificent Yankee.

Dorothy Gish Headshot
A portrait of Ms. Dorothy.

Lillian would make the move to the prestigious MGM studio in the mid-1920s, where she gave much-admired performances in dramas like The Scarlet Letter (1926) and The Wind (1928). The end of the silent era didn’t slow her down–she would work tirelessly in both film, theater, and television almost up to the end of her life. She had remarkable energy and discipline, even in later years. In 1967, while working on The Comedians in Dahomey (present-day Benin), she worked long hours without complaint in triple-digit heat. Actor Peter Glenville recalled: “Lillian arrived at my villa later, looking fresh and radiant in a charming evening dress suitable to the climate, and we dined together. We discussed the theatre, African politics, and the religious aspects of Graham Greene’s literary work. At 11:30 she retired, saying that she was looking forward to meeting everyone on the set the next day–at 6:30 a.m.” Not for nothing would she be called the “First Lady of the Cinema.”

Lillian Gish 1950s
Lillian circa the 1950s.

In 1968 Dorothy succumbed to bronchial pneumonia, with Lillian at her bedside. She was 70 years old. Lillian would live for almost three more decades, dying of heart failure in her sleep at age 99. Her last film had been The Whales of August (1987). Both sisters are interred side by side at Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in New York City, eternally as close as they always were in life.

Lillian and Dorothy Gish Sisters
The Gish Sisters

–Lea Stans for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Lea’s Silents are Golden articles here.

Lea Stans is a born-and-raised Minnesotan with a degree in English and an obsessive interest in the silent film era (which she largely blames on Buster Keaton). In addition to blogging about her passion at her site Silent-ology, she is a columnist for the Silent Film Quarterlyand has also written for The Keaton Chronicle.

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Win Tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: The Color Purple” (Giveaway runs now through Feb 1)

Win tickets to see “The Color Purple” on the Big Screen!
In Select Cinemas Nationwide
Sun Feb 23

CMH continues into our 5h year of our partnership with Fathom Events – with the 3rd of our 15 movie ticket giveaways for 2020, courtesy of Fathom Events!

That said, we’ll be giving away FOUR PAIRS of tickets* to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: The Color Purple” – starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey — the way it was meant to be seen – on the Big Screen!

In order to qualify to win a pair of movie tickets via this contest, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, February 1 at 6PM EST.

We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter on Sunday, February 2between 6PM EST and 7PM EST. If a winner(s) does not have a Twitter account, we will announce that winner(s) via this blog in the comment section below.

Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple

*Prize Tickets will be available while supplies last for select AMC, Regal, and Cinemark cinemas nationwide. Winners will be responsible for their own transportation to the Event. Only United States entries are eligible. Important: Please click here before you enter to ensure that the Event is scheduled at a AMC, Regal, and Cinemark theater near you and that you are able to attend. (please note that there might be slightly different theater listings and/or screening times for each date)

ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, February 2 at 6pm EST…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:
Although not officially a classic-era film, what in your opinion makes “The Color Purple” a classic? And, if you haven’t seen it, why do you want to see it on the Big Screen?

2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message:
I just entered to win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: The Color Purple” on the Big Screen courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @FathomEvents #EnterToWin #CMHContest link here:

*If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

About the film: Academy Award® winner Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey star in director Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple.

Please note that only United States residents are eligible to enter this giveaway contest.

BlogHub members ARE also eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

You can follow Fathom Events on Twitter at @fathomevents

Good Luck!

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | 8 Comments