Adventureland.

On the Disneyland TV show each week featured a different “land.” I recall Tomorrowland, Frontierland and Fantasyland. Was there another land? And which land did the nature shows belong to?

I can’t believe I contributed four times to this blog.

I’m sure money was the reason most everyone turned to television, but at least Walt had an interesting special project. I’m certainly glad he did, because I grew up in So. Cal and spent many exciting childhood hours at Disneyland, back in the day!

You have to give Walt a lot of credit for his TV know-how. He was perfect for television because he seemed like everybody’s favorite uncle. His show, like today’s informationals, promoted his movies but were entertaining to watch. Other studios – MGM and Warners – tried to imitate the format but fell short. They seemed too much like commercials. Walt made you feel he was really interested in the story behind the making of his movies.

Moira, I was going to mention Ann Sheridan in “Pistols and Petticoats” in my next installment, but couldn’t find a TV Guide cover of the show, so I’m glad you brought it up. I love her spunky humor, and thank goodness we can see some of it in those unearthed episodes. She would have aged wonderfully along with television and it’s such a shame she died so young.

I agree that Loretta Young’s larger-than-life entrances certainly seemed like a knowing touch and she’s actually quite approachable in her intro segments. I don’t think she would have been so popular with her show if she hadn’t appeared friendly. Though it may be different now — so many choices for so many different audience segments — seeming nice was an asset back then on TV!

There was a recent important announcement that Father Damien, who treated lepers many years ago and contacted the disease himself, has been recognized as a saint by the pope.

And, yes, there is a movie connection.

When I was in Catholic high school I was assigned to read a book called Damien the Leper written by John Farrow.
Yeah. Thats right. Mia’s dad, the film director who helmed Hondo, The Sea Chase and His Kind of Woman, among other films, and was married to Maureen O’Sullivan, best known as Tarzan’s Jane. He wrote books about Catholicism.

Thanks for your prompt response, Medusa. Someday, if I ever have a good computer (and I certainly don’t now), I’ll take advantage of the access offered to those movies.

I share Moirafinnie’s enthusiasm for Ann Sheridan. She was as good a partner for Cary Grant in I Was a Male War Bride as Roz Russell, Irene Dunne and Myrna Loy were. I particularly like her in They Drive by Night.
Yes, she is one of those actresses who should have had a better career. I wonder if the Oomph image hurt her. Also, she was not Bette Davis or Joan Crawford and Warners shouldn’t have put her in soap operas.
Sometimes you can throw the blame on a bad agent. I think we all know good agents are responsible for some illustrious careers. Lauren Bacall’s agent insisted Warners reshoot scenes for the Big Sleep to save her reputation. Dean Martin’s agent got him The Young Lions after Tony Randall had already been cast; Randall recounts this himself in one of the books he wrote.

I hadn’t seen the Loretta Young Show since I was a kid until recently and was surprised that many of them held up rather well. No, there is no raw Pre-Code Loretta in evidence, but she’s quite good in some of the episodes. Young’s sweeping entrances seem more like the actress was aware of a bit of self-parody than a grandiose theatrical gesture that most people remember and I can see why she’d want to work in this anthology style, allowing her to play so many different characters.

One studio era actress who I wish had enjoyed more success on tv was Ann Sheridan. Her foray into a Western comedy in the latter half of the sixties,Pistols ‘n’ Petticoats, ended prematurely due to her death at only 51 of lung cancer. It may not have been the subtlest comedy, but she was an endearing actress. You can see many episodes in part or whole here on youtube.

You wouldn’t believe the amazing trove of Betty Hutton material on http://www.satinsandspurs.com/movies.shtml. They seem to have most/all of the movies you mentioned for viewing, and so much more Betty Hutton material. A truly wonderful site.

All those Paramount titles are distributed by MCA — they have all their pre-1948 releases — and maybe someday they’ll hit DVD. Let’s hope!