I’m not going to try to repeat what’s already been written in past two days about the great Karl Malden, who died yesterday at the age of ninety-seven.  Compared to so many of his show business compadres, Mr. Malden had a tremendously and accomplished long life, filled with artistic triumphs, the respect of his peers, [...]

Reading Moira’s fantastic post about Errol Flynn, and watching the clip from the movie Thank Your Lucky Stars that she posted, got me thinking and searching around for favorite musical clips.  I always loved TYLS, and was so happy that YouTube has this other particularly excellent number from it.  It’s the very snappy, totally cool, [...]

It would figure that one of my favorite MGM musicals is one of the least traditional of that studio’s output.  I absolutely love 1955’s It’s Always Fair Weather, and particularly the sly, larger-than-life, screen-busting performance of Dolores Gray as Madeline, the late-night television hostess.  Though she only co-starred in four major films, the iridescent Gray offered [...]

I haven’t done a nuptial-related post in a while, so I’m pleased to be able to toss a bouquet out for today, June 4th.  On this date, in 1951, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh tied the knot.  It’s always kind of fascinating when two movie stars team up in real life, but of course this [...]

I almost missed a milestone earlier this week.  The inimitable, irrepressible, and incredibly talented actress Betty Garrett celebrated her 90th birthday on this past Tuesday, May 23rd!  A showbiz veteran with a career that spans theater, Broadway, movies during the Golden Age of Musicals, and television, Betty Garrett’s lasting impact on the American entertainment scene and [...]

Talk about the great time-waster.  Nothing does it like YouTube for me.  Here I was, researching something — I can barely remember what — and then I get distracted by clips of the amazing Kay Thompson.  Understandable, as she’s dynamite in 1957’s Funny Face, directed by Stanley Donen, giving a huge dose of “Bazazz” (her [...]

The world lost an amazing performer when Bobby Darin left us in 1973, more than thirty-five years ago.  He was only 37 years old when he died, and yet he’s immortal, still a show business legend and continuing to entertain us everytime we think of him or hear him or watch one of his performances.  [...]

You really can’t blame Hollywood for wanting to get a little of what actor Mario Moreno was creating in his native Mexico.  Señor Moreno — aka Cantinflas — was the country’s premier comedian, a brash, impish, hilarious, mercurial force in their entertainment firmament.  Compared often to Charlie Chaplin and his Little Tramp character – for his vibrant [...]

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m going a little crazy right now.  I can’t wait until next week, when the new Star Trek movie opens.  I’ve been a Trek fan for forty years and I’m thrilled about the new film.  A new Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock?  Bring ‘em on!  After [...]