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Films are by far the most marvelous means of personal escapism and during the 1940s, a time of war, anxiety, and sorrow, the American people certainly needed a place to escape to. Hollywood, being a most benevolent servant of the Arts, created and then delivered us to our destination. They gave us t read more

  I have loved England dearly and deeply, since that first morning, shining and pure,    The White Cliffs of Dover, I saw rising steeply, Out of the sea that once made her secure.   I had no thought then of husband or lover, I was a traveler, the guest of a week.   Yet when read more

Classic foreign films are often presented as being moody, atmospheric dramas or visual voyages into surrealism, but anyone who has enjoyed a classic Russian film knows how beautiful and how colorful their films truly were. They definitely did not follow the brooding European noir-style trend of the read more

In this 1947 publicity photo, Michael Redgrave is seen disembarking a train in Los Angeles. The actor, one of England's top ranking box-office favorites at the time, had just arrived in Hollywood for his first American film production Secret Beyond the Door, released by Universal Pictures. Little di read more

During the Oscars ceremonies, the awards given for Best Picture and Best Actor/Best Actress are often the most anticipated moment, while the categories of Best Sound, Best Set Design, and the like, are usually rushed through to make way for a commercial break. But I always find categories like these read more

"The first thing I'll do when I get back is sink my teeth into a nice juicy steak." Skipper - 1965 After Gilligan's Island was canceled in 1966, Alan Hale Jr. ( "Skipper" ) continued guest starring on numerous television series ( he even starred with Bob Denver in the short-lived series "The Good G read more

"By riverboat and wagon train, Old Doc McPheeters crossed the plains,  And told his son, keep moving on there's gold in old California,  Go westward ho, young Jaimie-O, and you'll find fortune and fame."  With these words began The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, a short-lived, but ver read more

Follow the Boys! ( 1963 )  Elct.  Three women follow their Navy husbands and boyfriends to their next port of call in the French Riveria where romantic entanglements ensue. Connie Francis, Janis Paige, Dany Robin, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Long. MGM Pictures. Directed by Richard Thorpe. read more

Cartoonist Woody Wilkins ( Michael Crawford ) strives for realism when creating his comic books and would never write an adventure that he, himself, did not experience. So, when his friend Harry ( James Hampton ) gives him the opportunity to act as a courier for a CIA assignment, Woody jumps at the read more

Loretta Young and a handsome John Shepperd catch a moment to discuss matters, whatever those matters be, before their morning ride in this scene from The Men in Her Life ( 1941 ). For a few years Shepperd Strudwick was being promoted as "John Shepperd", but he quickly ditched that moniker and kept h read more

Sara Brideson ( February 4, 1990 - January 23, 2017 )  On January 23rd, 2017, Sara Brideson, a very dear friend of mine and an extremely talented author, passed away suddenly. Sara was a sensitive and sweet-natured young woman who was graced with the gift of writing. Along with her twin sister read more

Henry Mancini ( April 16, 1924 - June 14, 1994 ) Henry Mancini was one of the most prolific film composers - and certainly the most famous - in Hollywood throughout the 1960s and 1970s. His popularity outside of the film community was due in no small part to the numerous albums he released as an in read more

Columbia Pictures, being a poverty-row film studio for many years, was a little bit behind its rival studios throughout the 1930s and 1940s. They did not really make it into the big league until the mid-1930s when they began outputting some truly entertaining screwballs such as It Happened One Night read more

It is easy to praise the art directors who create visually stunning sets, those that are opulent ( Anastasia, The King and I, The Sound of Music ) or creative and modern ( Top Hat, Grand Hotel, The Thief of Bagdad ).....but the work put into designing a set that perfectly complements the film's stor read more

Ahhh.....c'est amour! They make a handsome couple don't they? And the background locale couldn't be more moodily picturesque. Now, we'll leave you to enjoy this scene and ponder just who these two lovebirds are and from what film this screenshot was taken from. But since this is a difficult one we'l read more

During the 1950s and 1960s, Walt Disney Studios produced a number of excellent documentary-story films centered around wildlife, the majority of them being released under James Algar's True-Life Adventure series banner. One film, however, was released as a feature film independently....Nikki, Wild D read more

Diana Lewis donned the cowgirl outfit for her role in the Marx Brother's comedy Go West ( 1940 ) released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This was Ms. Lewis' first western role, and judging from her mood when this behind-the-scenes photograph was taken, she seems to be enjoying the thrill of the western set read more

This edition of our Behind the Screen - The Hidden Masters of the Golden Age of Filmmaking series was going to be a feature on one of my favorite art directors - Carroll Clark. But it is very difficult to praise the work of an art director without giving due praise to the set decorator who, through read more

Happy New Year to all of our readers!  It's time to ring in 2017! A brand spanking new year of exploring obscure classic films, delving into Hollywood's past, and discovering the wonders of British entertainment as well. Are you ready for 2017? We certainly are! Here's a toast to you, our fai read more

Debbie, I miss your wonderful smile already. In your youth, your exuberance and your energetic spunk were marvelous to watch. Later, as you grew older and matured, you blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Your tender rendition of "Tammy" will last for ages. I loved your pizzazz in Singin' in the read more