Classic Movie Coincidence: Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan share a birthday, a film — and a marriage!

Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan were both born today, May 16 (4 years apart). They starred in one film together, The Moon’s Our Home (1936), — and they were married to each other for two months (married December 1931, separated after two months, then divorced in March 1933; first marriages for both).

henry fonda and margaret sullavan share a birthday and were married

Margaret Sullavan was born Margaret Brooke Sullavan on in Norfolk, Virginia, and Henry Fonda was born Henry Jaynes Fonda on in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Sullavan and Fonda were married on December 25, 1931 in Baltimore, while they were performing with the intercollegiate summer stock company, University Players, during its winter season. The marriage lasted only two months.

Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan in The Moon's Our Home

In The Moon’s Our Home (1936, director William A. Seiter), Sullavan plays opposite her then ex-husband Henry Fonda.

henry fonda and margaret sullavan share a birthday and were married

A candid shot…

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

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TCM’s “Mom in the Movies” — Enter-to-Win Trivia Question (for Twitter, Friday May 16)

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

Time for today’s Trivia Question (red font below) that will determine this week’s winner of TCM’s Mom in the Movies by Richard Corliss, courtesy of Simon & Schuster!  (remember, in order to win, you must have already pre-qualified via the Qualifying Entry Task posted earlier this week)

THE QUESTION:

Mom in the Movies celebrates all kinds of movie moms from the nurturing and wise to the stern and even malevolent!  Here is the question that will determine this week’s winner:   In this 1948 film, Myrna Loy and Cary Grant move their family out of their cramped NYC apartment to their ‘dream home’ in Connecticut; little do they know what they’re getting themselves into! What is the name of this film (pictured below)? (TWEET your answer to @classicmoviehub)  

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, Cary Grant, Myrna Loy(photo: courtesy of Turner Theatrical Library)

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The FIRST person (who already completed this week’s Qualifying Entry Task) to correctly TWEET the answer to the above question — wins! :) 

If you need help with the answer, please click here.

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And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can buy it right now on amazon (click here)

TCM's Mom in the Movies by Richard Corliss

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

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Just for Fun! Asta the Dog — Hollywood’s Most Famous Canine Scene-Stealer!

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

Just for Fun! Asta the Dog!

One of Hollywood’s most famous Canine Scene Stealers, Asta the terrier was born ‘Skippy’ in 1931 (or possibly 1932).  Asta* appeared in 12 film and television roles, most notably as ‘Asta the Dog’ in The Thin Man (1934), After the Thin Man (1936) and The Thin Man Goes Home (1945) playing ‘opposite’ amateur sleuths Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy). He was also quite the ‘cut-up’ as “Mr. Smith” who was caught up in a custody battle between Cary Grant and Irene Dunne in The Awful Truth (1937), and as “George” who steals and buries the priceless Intercostal Clavicle, much to the chagrin of Cary Grant (and the amusement of Katharine Hepburn) in Bringing Up Baby (1938). Asta also ‘starred’ as “Mr. Atlas” in Topper Takes a Trip (1938) with Roland Young and Constance Bennett.

Asta, the dog, Canine Star

Asta was noted as being one of the most intelligent animal stars of his time, and became the highest paid animal star of his day, earning $250 a week.

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Asta the Dog, William Power, Myrna Loy, The Thin Man, Publicity Still

Asta the Dog, with co-stars William Powell and Myrna Loy, The Thin Man (1934, director  W.S. Van Dyke) 

Asta the Dog, William Power, Myrna Loy, The Thin Man

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Asta the Dog, aka Skippy, as Mr. Smith in The Awful Truth with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne

Poor Mr. Smith (Asta) must choose between divorcees Jerry and Lucy Warriner (Cary Grant and Irene Dunne) in The Awful Truth (1937, director Leo McCarey)

Asta the Dog, aka Skippy, as Mr. Smith in The Awful Truth with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne

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Asta, Skippy, intercostal clavicle, Bringing Up Baby

Mischievous George (Asta) wrecks havoc when he hides Dr. David Huxley’s (Cary Grant) priceless brontosaurus bone, the Intercostal Clavicle, in Bringing Up Baby (1938, director Howard Hawks). 

Asta the Dog, Bringing Up Baby, Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant

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Asta as Mr. Atlas in Topper Takes a Trip with Roland Young and Constance Bennett

Asta as “Mr. Atlas”, the Ectoplasimc Pup, in Topper Takes a Trip with Roland Young and Constance Bennett (1938, director Norman Z. McLeod)

Asta the dog as Mr. Atlas in Topper Takes a Trip

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gale henry, actress and owner of asta the dog

Asta’s owner was Gale Henry, a prominent Silent Screen comedienne who starred in over 265 films and shorts from 1914 through 1933.  Gale and husband Henry East, owned kennels in the Hollywood vicinity where they trained some of the most celebrated dogs in motion pictures.

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

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“Stella: Mother of Modern Acting” Qualifying Entry Task (for Twitter Contest, Wk of May 13)

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

“Stella: Mother of Modern Acting” Qualifying Entry Task for this week’s  Twitter Contest

In order to qualify for this week’s Stella: Mother of Modern Acting Book Giveaway on Twitter, you must complete the following task by Saturday, May 17 at 5PMEST (i.e. any time between now and May 17 at 5PM EST):

Marlon Brando

1) TWEET (not DM) the answer to this fill-in-the-blank question:
The iconic actor pictured above said this about Adler: “Virtually all acting in motion pictures today stems from her, and she had an extraordinary effect on the culture of her time” Who was the actor? 
If you need help finding the answer, click here.

TWEET TO @classicmoviehub
WITH the two hashtags #Stella #QualifyingTask
BY Saturday, May 17,  5PM EST

NEXT STEP: Once you have successfully completed the above Qualifying Entry Task, you will be eligible to win a copy of the book. Your next step will be to wait for my Trivia Question Tweet* which will be sent on Saturday evening, May 17, at exactly 10PM EST — and correctly tweet the answer to the Trivia Question.  The FIRST PERSON to correctly Tweet the Answer to that Trivia Question wins the book (assuming they’re already eligible because they’ve successfully completed the above-referenced Qualifying Entry Task).

In other words, the first person who successfully completes this Qualifying Entry Task AND correctly answers the Saturday night 10PM EST Trivia Question wins the book.

*Here’s my twitter handle @classicmoviehub

If you have any questions, please feel free to DM me on Twitter @classicmoviehub.

To read more about the book or to join Sheana’s email list, please see Stella Adler: A Life in Art or follow Sheana on twitter @SheanaOchoa

Contest Information and Rules.

And if you don’t want to wait to win a copy of the book, you can purchase it at amazon:

Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti from Classic Movie Hub

 

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How Many Films did Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy Star in Together?

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

How Many Films did Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy Star in Together?

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracyphoto by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy starred in Nine films together:

  1. Woman of the Year (1942) (Warner Home Video)
  2. Without Love (1945) (Warner Home Video)
  3. Adam’’s Rib (1949) (Warner Home Video)
  4. Pat and Mike (1952) (Warner Home Video)
  5. Desk Set (1957) (20th Century Fox)
  6. Keeper of the Flame (1942) (Warner Home Video)
  7. The Sea of Grass (1947) (Warner Home Video)
  8. State of the Union (1948) (Universal Studios)
  9. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

And some marvelous collections:
Tracy & Hepburn the Definitive Collection (ALL NINE FILMS) (Warner Home Video)
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Romantic Comedies (Adam’s Rib / Woman of the Year / The Philadelphia Story / Bringing Up Baby) (Turner Classic Movies)

                                            

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

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TCM’s “Mom in the Movies” Entry Task (for Twitter Contest, Wk of May 12)

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

TCM’s “Mom in the Movies” Qualifying Entry Task for this week’s  Twitter Contest

In order to qualify for this week’s Mom in the Movies Book Giveaway on Twitter, you must complete the following task by Friday, May 16 at 5PM EST (i.e. any time between now and May 16 at 5PM EST):

James Cagney, White Heat, Made it Ma Top of the World

photo: quotespics.com

1) TWEET (not DM) the answer to this fill-in-the-blank question:
Sociopath Cody Jarrett (played by James Cagney) shows us that even ‘bad boys’ love their mom as he shouts “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” in this 1949 film:  ________________.
If you need help finding the answer, click here.

TWEET TO @classicmoviehub
WITH the two hashtags #MomInTheMovies #QualifyingTask
BY Friday, May 16,  5PM EST

NEXT STEP: Once you have successfully completed the above Qualifying Entry Task, you will be eligible to win a copy of the book. Your next step will be to wait for my Trivia Question Tweet* which will be sent on Friday evening, May 16, at exactly 10PM EST — and correctly tweet the answer to the Trivia Question.  The FIRST PERSON to correctly Tweet the Answer to that Trivia Question wins the book (assuming they’re already eligible because they’ve successfully completed the above-referenced Qualifying Entry Task).

In other words, the first person who successfully completes this Qualifying Entry Task AND correctly answers the Friday night 10PM EST Trivia Question wins the book.

*Here’s my twitter handle @classicmoviehub

If you have any questions, please feel free to DM me on Twitter @classicmoviehub.

Contest Information and Rules.

And if you don’t want to wait to win a copy of the book, you can purchase it at amazon:

Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti from Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti, Trivia Questions | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

How many Films did Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Star in Together?

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

How Many Films did Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Star in Together?

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Top HatFred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Top Hat (1935, director Mark Sandrich)

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers starred in Ten films together:

  1. Flying Down To Rio (1933) (Warner Home Video)
  2. The Gay Divorcee (1934) (Turner Home Entertainment)
  3. Roberta (1935) (Warner Home Video)
  4. Top Hat (1935) (Turner Home Entertainment)
  5. Follow the Fleet (1936) (Warner Home Video)
  6. Swing Time (1936) (Turner Home Entertainment)
  7. Shall We Dance (1937) (Turner Home Enterainment)
  8. Carefree (1938) (Turner Home Entertainment)
  9. The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1938) (Turner Home Entertainment)
  10. The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) (Warner Home Video)

Some marvelous collections:
TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Astaire & Rogers (The Gay Divorcee / Top Hat / Swing Time / Shall We Dance)
TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Astaire & Rogers Volume Two (Roberta / Follow the Fleet / Flying Down to Rio / The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle)

         
         
        

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in How Many Films Did They Star In Together?, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged , | 1 Comment

“Stella: Mother of Modern Acting” Enter-to-Win Trivia Question (Saturday May 10)

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

Okay, it’s time for today’s Trivia Question (red font below) that will determine this week’s winner of the new Stella Adler Biography — Stella! Mother Of Modern Acting, by Sheana Ochoa, courtesy of Applause Books. (remember, in order to win, you must have already pre-qualified via the Qualifying Entry Task)

THE QUESTION:

Stella Adler was an actress, director, film producer, teacher — a theatrical giant. She mentored successive generations of superstars including Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Warren Beatty and so many more.  What iconic actor (pictured below) attributed his acting to Stella Adler’s genius as a teacher?  

Marlon Brando Streetcar Named Desire

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The FIRST person (who already completed this week’s Qualifying Entry Task) to correctly TWEET the answer to the above question — wins!

If you need help with the answer, please click this link.

To read more about the book or to join Sheana’s email list, please see Stella Adler: A Life in Art or follow Sheana on twitter @SheanaOchoa

Contest Information and Rules.

And if you don’t want to wait to win a copy of the book, you can purchase it at amazon:

Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti from Classic Movie Hub

 

 

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TCM’s “Mom in the Movies” — Enter-to-Win (Facebook Giveaway, week of May 10)

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

Yeah, I am very happy to say that CMH will be giving away another copy of TCM’s Mom in the Movies by Richard Corliss, courtesy of Simon & Schuster. This time via a random drawing!  

All you have to do to enter is answer the following question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post by Friday, May 16th, 5PM EST:

In the 1940 film, The Grapes of Wrath, an Oklahoma family loses their farm during the Great Depression.  Actress Jane Darwell plays the tough but loving matriarch who leads her family to California in search of a better life. What was the name of the character that Jane Darwell played in the movie?

The Grapes of Wrath (courtesy of Turner Theatrical Library)

photo: courtesy of Turner Theatrical Library

You have until Friday, May 16th, 5PM EST to submit your answer.  A winner will be picked at random and announced on Saturday, May 17th.

Please note that you must live in the Continental US to be eligible.

See complete rules here.

And if you don’t win this time, stay tuned, because CMH will be giving away one more copy later this month via another random drawing…

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can buy it right now on amazon (click here)

TCM's Mom in the Movies by Richard Corliss

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti, Trivia Questions | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

TCM’s “Mom in the Movies” — Enter-to-Win Trivia Question (for Twitter, Friday May 9)

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Annmarie Gatti

Okay, here we go!  Time for today’s Trivia Question (red font below) that will determine this week’s winner of TCM’s Mom in the Movies by Richard Corliss, courtesy of Simon & Schuster!  (remember, in order to win, you must have already pre-qualified via the Qualifying Entry Task posted earlier this week)

THE QUESTION:

Mom in the Movies celebrates all kinds of movie moms from the nurturing and wise to the stern and even malevolent!  Here is the question that will determine this week’s winner:   In this 1945 film, Joan Crawford plays a mom who slaves her way to success for her thankless daughter.  What is the name of this film (pictured below)? (TWEET your answer to @classicmoviehub)  

Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce (courtesy of Turner Theatrical Library)(photo: courtesy of Turner Theatrical Library)

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The FIRST person (who already completed this week’s Qualifying Entry Task) to correctly TWEET the answer to the above question — wins! :) 

If you need help with the answer, please click here.

…..

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can buy it right now on amazon (click here)

TCM's Mom in the Movies by Richard Corliss

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti, Trivia Questions | Tagged , , | Leave a comment