Five Actresses You Didn’t Know Were Ziegfeld Girls

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

Five Actresses You Didn’t Know Were Ziegfeld Girls

Florenz Ziegfeld was called the Great Glorifier because he could take almost any girl and make her look absolutely gorgeous. Many of the silver screen’s most iconic actresses actually began as Ziegfeld girls! Others were almost Ziegfeld girls. For instance, Norma Shearer, Mae West, and Janet Gaynor almost made it into the Follies but for one reason or the other did not make the cut. Here’s a list of five actresses who did make the cut. Who knew they began as Ziegfeld girls?

1) Marion Davies

Marion Davis, Ziegfeld Girl

At nineteen years old, Marion appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1916 and Ziegfeld’s production Miss 1917. In both, she did little else but hoof or pose prettily. However, this was enough to catch the attention of audience member and close friend of Ziegfeld, William Randolph Hearst. Hearst went on to fund the building of the Ziegfeld Theatre and, of course, he also went on to fall in love with Marion and help her career. If Marion had not been a Ziegfeld girl, she and Hearst may have never met. Hard to imagine!

2) Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks, Ziegfeld Girl

Louise Brooks, arguably the most quintessential flapper, appeared in two Ziegfeld shows: the musical comedy Louie the 14th starring Leon Errol and the Ziegfeld Follies of 1925. She, like Marion Davies, was only nineteen years old. She went on to appear in Earl Carroll’s Vanities, a copycat revue of the Follies, before sealing her fame as a silent film icon.

3. Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck, Ziegfeld Girl

Barbara Stanwyck, the Frank Capra heroine and film noir femme fatale, appeared at the tender age of sixteen in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1922 and 1923. “I just wanted to survive and eat and have a nice coat,” Barbara said of this time in her life. Watching Barbara dance in the 1941 film Ball of Fire in a sexy, sparkling costume, one can easily imagine her as a Ziegfeld girl! Incidentally, she appeared under her real name, Ruby Stevens, in the Follies.

4. Paulette Goddard

Paulette Goddard, Ziegfeld Girl

Like Barbara Stanwyck, Paulette Goddard appeared in a Ziegfeld show at age sixteen. She was a chorus girl in No Foolin’, a show that premiered at Ziegfeld’s Palm Beach venue before moving to Broadway. No Foolin’ was Paulette’s sole Broadway credit. She went on to appear in other musical films such as Second Chorus (1940) with Fred Astaire, but is best remembered for her sparkling performances in such classic comedies as The Women (1939) and The Great Dictator (1941).

5. Eleanor Powell

Eleanor Powell, Ziegfeld Girl

Eleanor Powell, the fastest tap dancer on screen until Ann Miller stole the title, appeared in Ziegfeld’s final show, Hot-Cha!, in 1932. The twenty year-old Eleanor tap-danced in colorful silk slacks between acts in the Bert Lahr/Lupe Velez musical comedy. Her career soared in the late 1930s and early 1940s, especially through the Broadway Melody series of films.

There are many other girls who made the transition from Ziegfeld girl to screen star—Mae Murray, Billie Dove, Marilyn Miller, Fanny Brice—but the five ladies spotlighted above are seldom remembered for their stage work because of how successful they became in Hollywood. Ziegfeld once said “I make talent.” Perhaps—and these girls had plenty of it!

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–Sara and Cynthia Brideson for Classic Movie Hub

Sara and Cynthia Brideson are avid classic movie fans, and twin authors of Ziegfeld and His Follies: A Biography of Broadway’s Greatest Producer and Also Starring: Forty Biographical Essays on the Greatest Character Actors of Hollywood’s Golden Era, 1930-1965. They also are currently working on comprehensive biographies of Gene Kelly and Margaret Sullavan. You can follow them on twitter at @saraandcynthia or like them on Facebook at Cynthia and Sara Brideson.

If you’re interested in learning more about Cynthia’s and Sara’s books, please click through to amazon via the below links:

    

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Announcing our Kino Lorber Classic Movie DVD and Blu-Ray Giveaway!

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

Well, this will be an Entertaining Holiday Season for
Classic Movie Lovers!!!

Classic Movie Hub is very happy to announce our next Classic Movie Contest Giveaway!  Thanks to Kino Lorber, we have lots of fun DVDs and Blu-Rays to giveaway this holiday season!!! We’ll kick off our contest tomorrow (Monday November 23rd) and you’ll be able to enter and win Prizes through Saturday December 26th… But that’s not all! Kino Lorber has also created a 40% off coupon offer towards the purchase of their Studio Classics titles via the Kino Lorber website.

That said, we have a total of TWELVE Classic Movie DVDs/Blu-Rays to give away as part of this contest promotion… In a nutshell, we’ll be giving away TEN of them via twitter plus TWO of them via Facebook and this blog. Winners will be picked via random drawings as noted below.

What can you win? Well, this time we’ll be doing things a little differently… This time, we’ll ask each winner to pick their preferred prize (and second-choice back-up prize just in case), and then we’ll just cross the ‘taken’ prizes off the list as we go… the winners will also be able to choose whether they want a DVD or a Blu-Ray for their selected prize. Here are the titles up for grabs:

Classic Movie Hub Kino Lorber DVD and Blu-Ray Giveaway Contest

Okay now, let’s get down to business…

Here’s when we’ll pick our winners, via random drawings:

Twitter Contest:

  • November 28: Two Winners 
  • December 5: Two Winners
  • December 12: Two Winners
  • December 19: Two Winners
  • December 26: Two Winners

Facebook / Blog Contest:

  • December 12: One Winner
  • December 26: One Winner

Here’s what we’ll be giving away (one of each title, winner’s choice of DVD or Blu-Ray)… This is also where we’ll keep track of the winners and their prizes. (PS: I’ve included descriptions of the films way below at the bottom of this blog post)

  • At War with the Army (prize no longer available; winner is Andreas 12/26; Blu-ray)
  • Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (prize no longer available; winner is David 12/12; Blu-ray)
  • Diary of a Lost Girl
  • Faust (prize no longer available; Facebook winner is Shirley 12/12; DVD)
  • The Front Page (prize no longer available; winner is Jeffrey 12/19; Blu-Ray format)
  • Marty  (prize no longer available; winner is Sean 12/12; Blu-Ray format)
  • The Mask (prize no longer available; winner is Freeman 11/28; Blu-Ray format)
  • Metropolis (prize no longer available; winner is Ronald 12/19; Blu-Ray format)
  • Nosferatu (prize no longer available; winner is Salvador 12/5; Blu-Ray format)
  • Phantom of the Opera  (prize no longer available; winner is Ebee 11/28; Blu-Ray format)
  • The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming (prize no longer available; winner is Sam 12/26; Blu Ray format)
  • Witness for the Prosecution (prize no longer available; winner is Micaela 12/5; DVD format)

To enter: Follow us on Twitter or Facebook – or check back on this blog tomorrow and/or Wednesday – to see the official contest announcements and find out how you can enter to win one of these awesome prizes. 

And — as I mentioned above — Kino is offering a 40% DISCOUNT to use for their Studio Classics titles on the Kino Lorber website — so feel free to check it out — because there are lots of great titles available there. The Offer is valid through December 31, 2015, so that gives you plenty of time to peruse and use :)

Kino Lorber Studio Classics Coupon

Click here for the full contest rules and more details about the titles we’ll be giving away. 

You can visit Kino Lorber on their website, on Twitter at @KinoLorber or on Facebook.

Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

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

Here’s some info about the films, just to make your prize decisions even tougher 🙂

AT WAR WITH THE ARMY:  Newly Re-mastered in HD! After their supporting roles in My Friend Irma and My Friend Irma Goes West, At War with the Army was the first film starring the legendary duo of Dean Martin (Artists and Models) and Jerry Lewis (Scared Stiff) they went on to co-star in thirteen more comedies becoming Paramount Pictures new comedy team and box office champs. Lewis is a hapless bungling private and Martin is his bossy first sergeant and ladies man with the crooner’s voice. Together the duo is thrown into a series of classics gags and routines and some great musical pieces. Directed by Hal Walker (Road to Utopia, Sailor Beware), one of the few directors to work both with Martin & Lewis as well as with Hope & Crosby.

CABINET OF DR CALIGARI: In 1920, one brilliant movie jolted the postwar masses and catapulted the movement known as German Expressionism into film history. That movie was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a plunge into the mind of insanity that severs all ties with the rational world. Director Robert Wiene and a visionary team of designers crafted a nightmare realm in which light, shadow and substance are abstracted, a world in which a demented doctor and a carnival sleepwalker perpetrate a series of ghastly murders in a small community. This authoritative edition of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 4K restoration scanned from the (mostly) preserved camera negative at the German Federal Film Archive.

DIARY OF LOST GIRL: The second and final collaboration of actress Louise Brooks and director G.W. Pabst (Pandora’s Box), DIARY OF A LOST GIRL is a provocative adaptation of Margarethe Böhme’s notorious novel, in which the naive daughter of a middle class pharmacist is seduced by her father’s assistant, only to be disowned and sent to a repressive home for wayward girls. She escapes, searches for her child, and ends up in a high-class brothel, only to turn the tables on the society which had abused her. It’s another tour-de-force performance by Brooks, whom silent film historian Kevin Brownlow calls an “actress of brilliance, a luminescent personality and a beauty unparalleled in screen history.” – Thomas Gladysz

FAUST: Mobilizing the full resources of the Ufa Studios, F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu, Sunrise) orchestrated a colossal adaptation of Goethe’s FAUST that ranks alongside Fritz Lang’s Metropolis as the greatest achievement of the German silent cinema. Gösta Ekman stars as the titular alchemist who, struggling with his faith amidst a devastating plague, is offered the power to cure and the gift of youth…in exchange for his soul. As the diabolical Mephisto, Emil Jannings (The Last Laugh) delivers a performance of operatic scale and intensity, by turns charming, comical, and horrific.

THE FRONT PAGE: Raucous, irreverent, and remarkably funny, THE FRONT PAGE is a landmark in cinema history ; a brilliantly orchestrated, high-speed satire that set the standard for the countless screwball comedies that followed in its wake. But few films can match the risque flavor and the relentless pace of the masterpiece that spawned an entire genre, earning Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Adolphe Menjou), and Best Director (Lewis Milestone), as well as a spot on the esteemed National Film Registry. Based on the wildly successful (and controversial) play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, THE FRONT PAGE follows hard-boiled crime reporter Hildy Johnson (Pat O’Brien) who has vowed to quit the business and marry his new sweetheart (Mary Brian). But when a political radical (George E. Stone) escapes from custody on the eve of his hanging, the reporter’s room is plunged into comedic chaos, and Hildy’s brash editor (Menjou) sees it as an opportunity to manipulate the reporter into staying.

MARTY: Mastered in HD – “I’ve been looking for a girl every Saturday night of my life,” says Marty Piletti (Ernest Borgnine, The Wild Bunch). Yet, despite all his efforts, this 34- year old Bronx butcher remains as shy and uncomfortable around women today as on the day he was born. So when he meets Clara (Betsy Blair), a lonely schoolteacher who’s just as smitten with him as he is with her, Marty’s on top of the world. But not everyone around him shares Marty’s joy. And when his friends and family continually find fault with Clara, even Marty begins to question his newfound love – until he discovers, in an extraordinary way, the strength and courage to follow his heart. Winner of 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director (Delbert Mann, Separate Tables), Actor (Borgnine) and Screenplay (Paddy Chayefsky, Network).

THE MASK: After the shocking death of a disturbed patient, psychiatrist Dr. Allan Barnes (Paul Stevens) comes into possession of the ancient tribal mask that supposedly drove the young man to his doom. When Barnes puts on the mask, he is assailed with nightmarish visions of monsters, occultists, and ritual torture. Believing that the mask has opened a portal to the deepest recesses of his mind, the doctor continues to explore this terrifying new psychic world — even as the mask reveals a latent violence in Barnes’ nature that threatens those closest to him.

METROPOLIS: Fritz Lang’s Sci-Fi Masterpiece. Incorporating more than 25 minutes of newly discovered footage, this 2010 restoration of METROPOLIS is the definitive edition of Fritz Lang’s science fiction masterpiece. Backed by a new recording of Gottfried Huppertz’s 1927 score (presented here in 5.1 Stereo Surround), the film’s dazzling visual design and special effects are more striking than ever. And the integration of scenes and subplots long considered lost endows METROPOLIS with even greater tension and emotional resonance, as it dramatizes the conflict between wealthy über-capitalists and rebellious subterranean laborers—orchestrated by a diabolical scientist capable of destroying them both.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: A forerunner of the American horror film, and one of the most lavish productions of the silent cinema, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has i

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Silent Chicago: Sherlock Found – The Rediscovery and Restoration of a Piece of Film History

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Janelle Vreeland

Sherlock Found –
The Rediscovery and Restoration of a Piece of Film History

Sherlock Holmes Tradepaper Ad

The year is 1916. The Chicago-based Essanay Film Manufacturing Company is, arguably, at the height of its powers. Just the year before, they had counted Charlie Chaplin among their stars, and now George K. Spoor is looking for his next “get” — he finds it in William Gillette. The 62-year-old veteran actor is well-known for his stage performances, but the role that he is best known for, by far, is his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. What better showcase for him than a silent screen adaptation of his most famous role, and what better way to mark his screen debut?

The film, made and released over the span of 3 months, receives some mixed reviews, but the consensus remains that Gillette is an incredible actor who seems just as much at home in front of the camera as he does on the stage. While it’s rumored that “Secret Service” another play written by Gillette, is in production and to be the follow up to “Sherlock Holmes,” the film doesn’t materialize (at least, not with Essanay, nor with Gillette in a starring role). Instead, Gillette’s career as a film actor seemingly disappears as quickly as it began. Although Gillette assumed the role of Sherlock Holmes on stage over 1,300 times over the course of 30 years, and his interpretation of the character becomes the standard, this 7-reel drama becomes the only record of Gillette portraying Holmes on film. Despite its cultural importance, the film was considered lost until a negative of George K. Spoor’s French export of the film was rediscovered by Cinematheque Francaise in 2014.

Sherlock Holmes TItle Screen

Upon that discovery, Cinematheque Francaise and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival partnered to restore and translate the film for re-release. The results were screened at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival in May of this year, and now Flicker Alley has released a gorgeous Blu-ray/DVD combo set that allows silent film and Sherlock Holmes fans everywhere to experience this legendary performance.

Screen Shot 2015-11-08 at 9.18.59 AMA scene from “Sherlock Holmes”

Because the story is an adaptation of Gillette’s play, much of the film feels  just like that — a filmed stage performance. The principal characters are from the original stage production, leading to some performances and acting choices that are far from subtle. Despite this, the performances are, for the most part, quite good, and director Arthur Berthelet found opportunities to make the most of the film medium. There are some beautiful dissolves used as transitions to and from close-ups and wide shots, and there is some beautiful double-exposure used to illustrate Holmes’s dream-like thoughts of  Miss Faulkner, and  vice versa.

Screen Shot 2015-11-08 at 10.01.42 AM

Alice Faulkner dreams of Sherlock Holmes

The film itself has been beautifully restored, despite the many problems the teams encountered during the process, including dirty and scratched negatives, underexposed frames, and warped nitrate. The tinting reads as authentic to the time period, and the care taken into the restoration, particularly with the Blu-ray, results in the ability to even appreciate and notice the textures of the scenery. The restoration process itself is actually chronicled wonderfully in one of the bonus features — a presentation by Robert Byrne given during this year’s San Francisco Silent Film Festival — giving even the most casual silent film fan a deeper look into the work and care that goes into restoring these century-old artifacts.

There are also other fun bonus materials, including a variety of Sherlock-themed shorts — most notably one entitled “Sherlock Baffled” featuring trick photography and the very first on-screen portrayal of Sherlock Holmes —  as well as production photos,  lobby cards, and even a scan of Gillette’s original contract with Essanay.

As Photoplay magazine mentioned in its August 1916 issue, “William Gillette has now made an imperishable though silent record of his famous character.” Although it was assumed lost for nearly a century, Flicker Alley, Cinematheque Francaise and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival  have done an incredible job breathing new life into this cultural touchstone.

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–Janelle Vreeland for Classic Movie Hub

Janelle Vreeland is a Silent Film Fan and Contributing Writer for Classic Movie Hub.  You can read more of Janelle’s articles about Silent Film and Chicago history-related topics at Chicago Nitrate or Curtains, or you can follow Janelle on Twitter at  @SpookyJanelle .

Posted in Posts by Janelle Vreeland, Silent Chicago, Silent Films | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy” Book Giveaway (November via Facebook and Blog)

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy”
Qualifying Entry Task for Facebook and Blog Book Giveaway Contest

Here we go…this is our Facebook/Blog version of the contest!  We will be giving away TWO copies of The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy by Matthew Dessem, via Facebook and our Blog this month, courtesy of The Critical Press. And don’t forget, we’re also giving away FOUR MORE copies of the book via Twitter this month as well, so please feel free to enter that contest too…

And, now for the details…

In order to qualify to win a copy of  The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST. We will pick two winners via a random drawing and announce them on Facebook and here on this Blog the day after the contest ends (Sunday November 29).

If you’re also on Twitter, please feel free to visit us at @ClassicMovieHub for additional giveaways — because we’ll be giving away FOUR BOOKs there as well! (Click here to see what we’re giving away on Twitter.)

Clyde Bruckman: The Gag Man

ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST — 

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

THE QUESTION:
What is one of your favorite slapstick scenes? 

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About the Book:  Though today he is barely remembered, Clyde Bruckman was a key figure in early film comedy, collaborating with icons like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy, and the Three Stooges. Working while screenwriting was still in its infancy, Bruckman helped shape many influential shorts and films, developed the gags that made them legendary, and eventually became a director himself. But Bruckman’s own life was filled with tragedy and disappointment, from alcoholism to accusations of plagiarism, and over time his story has been relegated to little more than a footnote. Matthew Dessem’s The Gag Man is the first book-length biography of this fascinating but elusive figure. Drawing on archives, court documents, and of course the films themselves, Dessem brings Bruckman’s story to life and shines a light on an important corner of Hollywood history.

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Please note that Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canada entrants are eligible.

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

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @criticalpress  on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways | Tagged | 13 Comments

“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway (November via Facebook and Blog Contest)

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for Facebook & Blog Contest

Okay, now for the Facebook/Blog version of our contest! CMH will be giving away TWO copies of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show by Daniel de Visé, via Facebook and our Blog this month, courtesy of Simon and Schuster. And don’t forget, we’re also giving away FOUR MORE copies of the book via Twitter this month as well, so please feel free to enter that contest too…

And, now for the details…

In order to qualify to win a copy of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, November 28 at 9PM EST. We will pick two winners via a random drawing and announce them on Facebook and here on this Blog the day after the contest ends (Sunday November 29).

If you’re also on Twitter, please feel free to visit us at @ClassicMovieHub for additional giveaways — because we’ll be giving away FOUR BOOKs there as well! (Click here to see what we’re giving away on Twitter.)

Andy and Don book

ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 9PM EST — 

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

THE QUESTION:
What do you love best about the character Barney Fife? 

Click Here to read an Exclusive Guest Post by Author Daniel de Vise: Five Timeless Andy-Barney Skits from The Andy Griffith Show

About the Book: Andy Griffith and Don Knotts met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy went to Hollywood to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if the sheriff could use a deputy. The comedic synergy between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship. Andy and Don—fellow Southerners born into poverty and raised among scofflaws, bullies, and drunks—captured the hearts of Americans across the country. Although they ended their Mayberry partnership in 1965, Andy and Don remained best friends for the next half-century. In a terrific review, Publishers Weekly says, “Andy Griffith and Don Knotts are one of the most famous comedy duos in America, and in this tender tribute, de Visé chronicles their relationship… de Visé offers an intimate look at the lives of these two stars, and his access is invaluable to understanding their lifelong friendship. He captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity.” ANDY AND DON is a lively and revealing biography, and the definitive work on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show and two of America’s most enduring stars. The book features extensive unpublished interviews with those closest to both men. De Visé shares a wealth of new information about what really went on behind the scenes, including personal struggles and quarrels.

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Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

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

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @SimonBooks on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 11 Comments

Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe Book Giveaway (November via Facebook and Blog)

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan” AND
“Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for FACEBOOK and Blog Contest

Okay, now it’s time for the Facebook/Blog version of our Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe Book Giveaway. That said, we’ll be giving away ONE COPY EACH of A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress by author Carl Rollyson, courtesy of University Press of Mississippi. And don’t forget, we’re also giving away FOUR MORE copies of EACH BOOK via Twitter this month as well, so please feel free to enter that contest too…

And, now for the details…

In order to qualify to win one of the above books via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, November 28 at 10PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on two different days within the contest period, via random drawings as listed below… So if you don’t win the prize via our first drawing on Nov 14, you will still be eligible to win the next prize drawing on Nov 28.

  • Saturday, November 14: One Winner (Marilyn Monroe Book)
  • Saturday, November 28: One Winner (Walter Brennan Book)

brennan_and_monroe_horizontal_500

We will announce the winner(s) on Facebook and this Blog the day after each winner is picked (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday November 15 here on this blog and on Facebook).

If you’re also on Twitter, please feel free to visit us at @ClassicMovieHub for additional giveaways — because we’ll be giving away EIGHT BOOKs there as well (four Brennan Books + four Monroe Books)! (Click here to see what we’re giving away on Twitter.)

ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 10PM EST — 

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

THE QUESTION:
What is one of your favorite roles played by either Walter Brennan or Marilyn Monroe? 

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About the Books:

A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan: Walter Brennan (1894-1974) was one of the greatest character actors in Hollywood history. He won three Academy Awards and became a national icon starring as Grandpa in The Real McCoys. He appeared in over two hundred motion pictures and became the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting, which celebrated the actor’s unique role as the voice of the American Western. His life journey from Swampscott, Massachusetts, to Hollywood, to a twelve thousand-acre cattle ranch in Joseph, Oregon, is one of the great American stories. In the first biography of this epic figure, Carl Rollyson reveals Brennan’s consummate mastery of virtually every kind of role while playing against and often stealing scenes from such stars as Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne. Rollyson fully explores Brennan’s work with Hollywood’s greatest directors, such as Howard Hawks, John Ford, and Fritz Lang. As a father and grandfather, Brennan instilled generations of his family with an outlook on the American Dream that remains a sustaining feature of their lives today. His conservative politics, which grew out of his New England upbringing and his devout Catholicism, receive meticulous attention and a balanced assessment in A Real American Character. Written with the full cooperation of the Brennan family and drawing on material in archives from every region of the United States, this new biography presents an artist and family man who lived and breathed an American idealism that made him the Real McCoy.

Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress, Revised and Updated: In American popular culture, Marilyn Monroe(1926-1962) has evolved in stature from movie superstar to American icon. Monroe’s own understanding of her place in the American imagination and her effort to perfect her talent as an actress are explored with great sensitivity in Carl Rollyson’s engaging narrative. He shows how movies became crucial events in the shaping of Monroe’s identity. He regards her enduring gifts as a creative artist, discussing how her smaller roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve established the context for her career, while in-depth chapters on her more important roles in Bus Stop, Some Like It Hot, andThe Misfits provide the centerpiece of his examination of her life and career. Through extensive interviews with many of Monroe’s colleagues, close friends, and other biographers, and a careful rethinking of the literature written about her, Rollyson is able to describe her use of Method acting and her studies with Michael Chekhov and Lee Strasberg, head of the Actors’ Studio in New York. The author also analyzes several of Monroe’s own drawings, diary notes, and letters that have recently become available. With over thirty black and white photographs (some published for the first time), a new foreword, and a new afterword, this volume brings Rollyson’s 1986 book up to date. From this comprehensive, yet critically measured wealth of material, Rollyson offers a distinctive and insightful portrait of Marilyn Monroe, highlighted by new perspectives that depict the central importance of acting to the authentic aspects of her being.

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Please note that Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canadian entrants are eligible.

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

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @upmiss or @crollyson on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the books, you can purchase the on amazon via the below link (click on images below):

     

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged , | 20 Comments

5 Things You May Not Know About Norma Shearer

Posted on November 3, 2015 by minooallen

 

5 Things You May Not Know About Norma Shearer

norma-shearer 1Norma Shearer

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1.) She was hatched from the icy north

norma-shearer-canadaThat’s totally a polar bear she is laying on

Despite being one of classic Hollywood’s greatest stars, Shearer was born nowhere near Hollywood. In fact, she wasn’t even born in America. That’s right, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars was actually born in the land of maple syrup and hockey: Canada! Montreal to be exact. In 2008 she was even added to Canada’s Walk of Fame.

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2.) Music was her first calling

2About to drop the hottest mixtape of 1935

Like most creative types, Shearer tried a couple of different art forms before realizing her calling. More specifically, her first childhood ambition was music. With a whole lot of direction from her mother, the young Shearer hoped to one day become a concert pianist. All that changed, however, when she saw her first vaudeville show and promptly fell in love with acting.

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3.) Always had an eye for talent

norma_shearer George hurrellInstagram worthy

Sure, everyone knows the story of how Shearer discovered Hollywood great, Janet Leigh, but did you know that she also helped to build the career of one of Hollywood’s greatest portrait photographers? In hopes of vamping up her image to get “sexier” roles, Shearer enlisted the help of then unknown LA-based photographer George Hurrell in the early 1930s. The picture above is just one of many great portraits that came from their sessions together — and before he knew what happened, Hurrell was basically the official photographer of the stars.

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4.) Revived by scholars

norma shearer 5

Although now seen as a feminist icon, that was not always the case. In fact, by the time of her death Shearer was simply remembered for her more “noble and upper crust” roles thanks to Romeo and Juliet, Marie Antoinette and The Women. However, once the resurgence of pre-code films began hitting the market in the 1990’s, film scholars quickly took note of the complex sexuality she was able to exude on screen. Her ability to maintain a dignified front while bucking the notion that a woman must remain virginal to be respected, demonstrated a depth to her acting that one would miss if they only paid attention to her time spent in period costumes. Film scholars still examine her roles to this day, analyzing them through the ever-changing lens of modernity and feminism.

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5.) She is Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month!

norma-shearer-4November Star of the Month

That’s right! You can see her films every Tuesday night in November on TCM. And if you are interested in seeing the pre-code films I was just talking about, pay particular attention to what’s airing on the 10th because that’s when most of her pre-code films are airing.

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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Posts by Minoo Allen, TCM | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Walter Brennan and Marilyn Monroe Book Giveaway (via Twitter November 2 through November 28)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan” AND
“Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for TWITTER Contest

And now for our next contest! I am thrilled to say that CMH will be giving away FOUR copies of A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan and FOUR copies of Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress by author Carl Rollyson via TWITTER this month, courtesy of University Press of Mississippi. We’ll also be giving away ONE MORE copy of EACH book via Facebook and this Blog this month as well, so please stay tuned for those details which will be posted here on this blog tomorrow (Tuesday)…

brennan_and_monroe_horizontal_500

And, now for the Twitter contest details…

In order to qualify to win a copy of one of these books via this Twitter contest giveaway, you must complete the following task by Saturday, November 28 at 10PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chances you have of winning, because we will pick winners on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • Saturday, November 7: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)
  • Saturday, November 14: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)
  • Saturday, November 21: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)
  • Saturday, November 28: Two Winners (one Brennan winner + one Marilyn winner)

We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter, the day after each winner is picked at 10PM EST (for example, we will announce the first two winners on Sunday November 8 at 10PM EST on Twitter). If you’re also on Facebook and want more chances to win, visit us at Classic Movie Hub on Facebook for additional book giveaways — because, as I mentioned above, we’ll be giving away TWO more books there as well (one Walter Brennan book and one Marilyn Monroe book)!

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 10PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

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

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win the Walter Brennan / Marilyn Monroe #BookGiveaway courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @upmiss & author @crollyson

THE QUESTION:
What is one of your favorite movies starring either Walter Brennan or Marilyn Monroe? 

(NOTE: upon successfully completing the 2-part entry task above, you will automatically be entered into a random drawing to win either one of the books (Brennan or Monroe); if for any reason you only are interested in winning one of the two titles, please specify that preference in your comment, for example: I am only interested in winning the Brennan book so please do not include me in the Monroe drawing.)

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About the Books:

A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan: Walter Brennan (1894-1974) was one of the greatest character actors in Hollywood history. He won three Academy Awards and became a national icon starring as Grandpa in The Real McCoys. He appeared in over two hundred motion pictures and became the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting, which celebrated the actor’s unique role as the voice of the American Western. His life journey from Swampscott, Massachusetts, to Hollywood, to a twelve thousand-acre cattle ranch in Joseph, Oregon, is one of the great American stories. In the first biography of this epic figure, Carl Rollyson reveals Brennan’s consummate mastery of virtually every kind of role while playing against and often stealing scenes from such stars as Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne. Rollyson fully explores Brennan’s work with Hollywood’s greatest directors, such as Howard Hawks, John Ford, and Fritz Lang. As a father and grandfather, Brennan instilled generations of his family with an outlook on the American Dream that remains a sustaining feature of their lives today. His conservative politics, which grew out of his New England upbringing and his devout Catholicism, receive meticulous attention and a balanced assessment in A Real American Character. Written with the full cooperation of the Brennan family and drawing on material in archives from every region of the United States, this new biography presents an artist and family man who lived and breathed an American idealism that made him the Real McCoy.

Marilyn Monroe: A Life of the Actress, Revised and Updated: In American popular culture, Marilyn Monroe(1926-1962) has evolved in stature from movie superstar to American icon. Monroe’s own understanding of her place in the American imagination and her effort to perfect her talent as an actress are explored with great sensitivity in Carl Rollyson’s engaging narrative. He shows how movies became crucial events in the shaping of Monroe’s identity. He regards her enduring gifts as a creative artist, discussing how her smaller roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve established the context for her career, while in-depth chapters on her more important roles in Bus Stop, Some Like It Hot, andThe Misfits provide the centerpiece of his examination of her life and career. Through extensive interviews with many of Monroe’s colleagues, close friends, and other biographers, and a careful rethinking of the literature written about her, Rollyson is able to describe her use of Method acting and her studies with Michael Chekhov and Lee Strasberg, head of the Actors’ Studio in New York. The author also analyzes several of Monroe’s own drawings, diary notes, and letters that have recently become available. With over thirty black and white photographs (some published for the first time), a new foreword, and a new afterword, this volume brings Rollyson’s 1986 book up to date. From this comprehensive, yet critically measured wealth of material, Rollyson offers a distinctive and insightful portrait of Marilyn Monroe, highlighted by new perspectives that depict the central importance of acting to the authentic aspects of her being.

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Please note that Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canadian entrants are eligible.

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

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @upmiss or @crollyson on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the books, you can purchase the on amazon via the below link (click on images below):

     

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 27 Comments

“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway (via Twitter November 2 through November 28)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” Book Giveaway
Qualifying Entry Task for TWITTER Contest

Time for our next contest! I am happy to say that CMH will be giving away FOUR copies of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show by Daniel de Visé, via TWITTER this month, courtesy of Simon and Schuster. We’ll also be giving away TWO MORE copies of the book via Facebook and this Blog this month as well, so please stay tuned for those details which will be posted here on this blog on Wednesday…

andy griffith and don knotts

And, now for the Twitter contest details…

In order to qualify to win a copy of Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show via this Twitter contest giveaway, you must complete the following task by Saturday, November 28 at 9PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chances you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • Saturday, November 7: One Winner
  • Saturday, November 14: One Winner
  • Saturday, November 21: One Winner
  • Saturday, November 28: One Winner

We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter, the day after each winner is picked at 9PM EST (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday November 8 at 9PM EST on Twitter). If you’re also on Facebook and want more chances to win, visit us at Classic Movie Hub on Facebook for additional book giveaways — because, as I mentioned above, we’ll be giving away TWO books there as well!

Andy and Don book

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 9PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

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

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win “Andy & Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show” courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @SimonBooks

THE QUESTION:
What is it that you love about The Andy Griffith Show? 

Click Here to read an Exclusive Guest Post by Author Daniel de Vise: Five Timeless Andy-Barney Skits from The Andy Griffith Show

About the Book: Andy Griffith and Don Knotts met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy went to Hollywood to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if the sheriff could use a deputy. The comedic synergy between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship. Andy and Don—fellow Southerners born into poverty and raised among scofflaws, bullies, and drunks—captured the hearts of Americans across the country. Although they ended their Mayberry partnership in 1965, Andy and Don remained best friends for the next half-century. In a terrific review, Publishers Weekly says, “Andy Griffith and Don Knotts are one of the most famous comedy duos in America, and in this tender tribute, de Visé chronicles their relationship… de Visé offers an intimate look at the lives of these two stars, and his access is invaluable to understanding their lifelong friendship. He captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity.” ANDY AND DON is a lively and revealing biography, and the definitive work on the legacy of The Andy Griffith Show and two of America’s most enduring stars. The book features extensive unpublished interviews with those closest to both men. De Visé shares a wealth of new information about what really went on behind the scenes, including personal struggles and quarrels.

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Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

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

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @SimonBooks on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 17 Comments

“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy” Book Giveaway (via Twitter November 2 through November 28)

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Annmarie Gatti

“The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy”
Qualifying Entry Task for TWITTER Book Giveaway Contest

I am happy to say that CMH will be giving away FOUR copies of The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy by Matthew Dessem, via TWITTER this month, courtesy of The Critical Press. We’ll also be giving away TWO MORE copies of the book via Facebook and this Blog this month as well, so please stay tuned for those details which will be posted here on this blog on Wednesday…

Clyde Bruckman

And, now for the Twitter contest details…

In order to qualify to win a copy of The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy via this Twitter contest giveaway, you must complete the following task by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chances you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on four different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • Saturday, November 7: One Winner
  • Saturday, November 14: One Winner
  • Saturday, November 21: One Winner
  • Saturday, November 28: One Winner

We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter, the day after each winner is picked at 8PM EST (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday November 8 at 8PM EST on Twitter). If you’re also on Facebook and want more chances to win, visit us at Classic Movie Hub on Facebook for additional book giveaways — because, as I mentioned above, we’ll be giving away TWO books there as well!

Clyde Bruckman: The Gag Man

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, November 28 at 8PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

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

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win “The Gag Man: Clyde Bruckman and the Birth of Film Comedy” courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @criticalpress #BookGiveaway

THE QUESTION:
Who is one of your favorite early-film comedy stars and why? 

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About the Book:  Though today he is barely remembered, Clyde Bruckman was a key figure in early film comedy, collaborating with icons like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy, and the Three Stooges. Working while screenwriting was still in its infancy, Bruckman helped shape many influential shorts and films, developed the gags that made them legendary, and eventually became a director himself. But Bruckman’s own life was filled with tragedy and disappointment, from alcoholism to accusations of plagiarism, and over time his story has been relegated to little more than a footnote. Matthew Dessem’s The Gag Man is the first book-length biography of this fascinating but elusive figure. Drawing on archives, court documents, and of course the films themselves, Dessem brings Bruckman’s story to life and shines a light on an important corner of Hollywood history.

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Please note that Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canada entrants are eligible.

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

See complete contest rules here.

For more info, follow @criticalpress  on twitter.

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 16 Comments