Joi | Hollywood Yesterday

Beautiful, Talented, and in ALL Ways Extraordinary… Dorothy Malone!

March 30, 2023 By Joi

Dorothy Malone

Dorothy Malone was one extraordinarily talented and beautiful actress and one who deserves to be a household name. She stood out in every film she ever made – including the ones in which she was literally surrounded by household names!

The gorgeous photo above is a publicity photo for Written on the Wind (1956). Directed by Douglas Sirk, the movie also stars Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, and Robert Stack. It’s wonderfully entertaining and, IMO anyway, Dorothy Malone steals the entire film.

You can find Written on the Wind on DVD (Amazon link) or (in some locations, apparently!) watch the movie on Prime Video.

Doris Day, Ethel Barrymore, and Frank Sinatra in Young at Heart

March 29, 2023 By Joi

Doris Day and Ethel Barrymore in Young at Heart

Don’t you love it when three or more of your favorite stars are in ONE movie. Not just three (or more) that you like… but three or more that you adore! It’s pure magic, that’s what it is.

This is the case for me with Young at Heart. Ethel Barrymore, Frank Sinatra, and Doris Day are (IMO) three of the best and seeing them in one movie is almost too good to even take. If you’ve never seen this adorable comedy, I hope you check it out very soon. There’s something extra special about the unexpected chemistry between Doris Day and Frank Sinatra.

You can find Young at Heart on dvd or Blu-ray (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Frank Sinatra and Doris Day, Young at Heart

Jennifer Jones Promotional Picture for Duel in the Sun (1946)

March 26, 2023 By Joi

Jennifer Jones

Some Westerns simply don’t get enough attention and the one we’re spotlighting today is one of them. Duel in the Sun (1946) was directed by the wonderful King Vidor and features an absolutely phenomenal cast including Walter Huston, Joseph Cotten, Jennifer Jones, Gregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, Herbert Marshall, Charles Bickford, Lilian Gish, and Butterfly McQueen.

The film is as extraordinary as its cast, which is truly saying something!

You can find Duel in the Sun on dvd and Blu-ray (Amazon link).

Shirley Jones: Beautiful and Talented Star of Film, Musicals, and Television

March 7, 2023 By Joi

Shirley Jones and Robert Preston

If you’ve read previous posts, you know what a big fan I am of Shirley Jones. I consider her one of the most beautiful, versatile and genuinely talented stars I’ve ever had the joy of watching. Whether it’s film or television, she positively lights up the entire house when she’s on the screen.

The thing I don’t quite understand is this: How did her name become so synonymous with The Partridge Family that her wonderful filmography is often taken for granted? Don’t get me wrong, as someone who loves classic television as much as she does old Hollywood, there’s nothing in the world wrong with being a television legend.

I mean… Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Red Foxx, Andy Griffith, Jackie Gleason, Angie Dickinson, Elizabeth Montgomery, Robert Young, Donna Reed, and a HOST of others wear it beautifully… and many, like Shirley, also had phenomenal film careers.

Being a legend in television and bringing joy to generations is just as special as being a legend in film and bringing joy to generations. In fact, when it comes to television, you’re actually…

seen by more people
seen more often, thanks to syndication
in many ways become part of millions of families.. hard to beat that!

Donna Reed (another favorite) is rather similar to Shirley Jones, in my opinion. Both starred in iconic films (several for each lady, in fact) and gave brilliant performances time after time… yet both would go on to portray such strong, wonderful women on television that they’re (more times than not) associated primarily with the roles they played.

Same can be said of Lucille Ball – though she never had a film quite as iconic as It’s a Wonderful Life, The Music Man, or Oklahoma!.

I guess really the only thing that sticks in my craw (is that a great old saying or what?) is the fact that, when people are associating a star with one medium, they short-change the other. Not long ago, I read someone online refer to Lucille Ball as “… a television actress, no more than that.”

Excuse yourself, sir… she was much more than that. WHY do people want to limit or categorize individuals so habitually? What’s perhaps more irritating is this… and please hear me out.. I don’t see it happen as often with actors as I do actresses. I have never read someone say that Jackie Gleason was a “television star, nothing more.” In fact, he is (rightfully so) heralded as a star of BOTH.

Lucille Ball, Shirley Jones, and Donna Reed deserve the same consideration.

Okay, I got that out of my system, time to get on with it!

One of my favorite Shirley Jones movies is The Music Man and she gives one of my favorite Shirley Jones performances. The entire film is simply breathtaking, from the musical numbers to the storytelling and from the hairstyles to the AMAZING costumes.

Side note: Are you familiar with the wonderful animated Christmas movie Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)? The character of Miss Jessica seems to be completely inspired by Shirley Jones’ character in The Music Man. Hair, face, figure, clothes, personality…

Every time I watch this extraordinary Christmas classic (every single year, usually more than once!), I see Shirley Jones in the role and it makes me love Miss Jessica even more.

You can find The Music Man on dvd (Amazon Link) or watch it on Prime Video.

Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan on the Set of Gigi (1958)

March 3, 2023 By Joi

Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan

Some days I have time to linger and chat on the old Hollywood blog… or even get a rant in about a film that doesn’t get enough attention or a sinfully overlooked actress!… other days, I just have to drop a great picture and make a hasty exit (grandbabies, cats, and husbands wait for no one after all!).

Today is the latter, so I will atone for my hastiness with two great pictures instead of just one. These are adorable behind the scenes photos of Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan on the set of Gigi (1958). Directed by Vincente Minnelli, Gigi is one of the most joyful, fun, colorful, and thoroughly enjoyable films ever made. The cast also includes Maurice Chevalier, Hermione Gingold, Eva Gabor, and Isabel Jeans.

You can find the extraordinary Gigi on dvd and blu-ray (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan

Martha Hyer: “Universal’s Answer to Grace Kelly”

February 28, 2023 By Joi

Martha Hyer

Very early in her career, the lovely Martha Hyer was known as “Universal’s answer to Grace Kelly.” Fortunately it didn’t taker her long to step out of Grace Kelly’s shadow and cast her very own shadow. She was such a beautiful, talented, and engaging actress, she truly deserves to be better known and celebrated today.

Those of us who live, sleep, eat, and breathe old movies certainly know and adore her, but the average person would have trouble naming two of her films…. and this makes me nuts! She was extraordinary and her filmography is filled with wonderful performances and endless entertainment.

I think, as is the case with many stars, her films simply aren’t shown on television often enough. Doesn’t it seem sometimes that the same ones are shown again and again. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE seeing Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, and Singin’ in the Rain – they’re classics and for a great reason BUT if more films (and a greater variety) were shown, more would have a chance to BECOME classics and more stars would have a chance to become household names.

Okay. Rant over.

I love Martha Hyer in everything I’ve seen her in (and am very anxious to see all of her films), but my favorite films are Sabrina and The Sons of Katie Elder. Her performance as Mary in the latter is my favorite performance – there’s just something about her presence in this great Western that I’m very drawn to.

You can find The Sons of Katie Elder on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Elizabeth Taylor, Actress and Humanitarian was BOTD in 1932

February 27, 2023 By Joi

Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra

Today we celebrate the date of Elizabeth Taylor’s birthday, and what better way to do so than with photos of her iconic role as Cleopatra in the iconic 1963 movie. Brilliantly directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the movie also stars Richard Burton and Rex Harrison.

Elizabeth Taylor was born on this date in England in 1932. While she is (for obvious reasons) greatly celebrated for her beauty, she was also an extraordinary actress and humanitarian. She passionately fought for victims of AIDS – for them to receive both care and respect. She dedicated so much of herself and her life to the cause that it’s one of the things I most respect about her. Can you imagine if we all fought so valiantly for the cause or cause we believed in? If we all preached love, tolerance, and kindness instead of trying to draw lines, pick sides, and judge people who are different than we are.

The world wouldn’t just be a better place, it’d be a much happier one as well.

Thanks to Elizabeth Taylor for her beauty, her films, and her great example. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

You can find Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic Cleopatra on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Elizabeth Taylor in the Iconic Cleopatra Bath Scene

Esther Williams and Friends Tom & Jerry… Dangerous When Wet!

February 24, 2023 By Joi

Esther Williams

The adorable promotional art above was created for the wonderful 1953 musical comedy Dangerous When Wet. It was directed by Charles Walters and Joseph Barbera & William Hanna in the animated sequences. The cast includes Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas, Jack Carson, William Demarest, Charlotte Greenwood, Denise Darcel, Donna Corcoran, Barbara Whiting, Bunny Waters, and (of course) Tom and Jerry & friends.

You can watch Dangerous When Wet on Prime Video (Amazon link)… which you should absolutely do – it’s such a complete joy!

Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and William Holden: Promotional Pictures for Sabrina (1954)

February 21, 2023 By Joi

Audrey Hepburn

One of my all-time favorite movies is the wonderful 1954 romantic comedy/drama Sabrina, directed by Billy Wilder. The work of perfection stars Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, William Holden, John Williams, Walter Hampden, and Martha Hyer.

Anyone who knows me knows how persnickety I am about movie endings – not only do I insist on happy endings, I very, very, very much insist that they end the way I personally want them to! We only children have too many quirks to get into right now, so we’ll save that for another day. Anyway, this fixation on endings popped up about halfway through my first viewing of this extraordinary movie – I told my cats, “If this doesn’t end the way I want it to… and if she doesn’t end up with who I want her to, it will he catastrophic!”

I can be pretty dramatic… harkens back to those quirks we just spoke of.

Thankfully, the movie ended PRECISELY as I wanted… catastrophic drama averted!

You can order the 1954 film Sabrina on dvd (Amazon link) or enjoy it on Prime Video.

Greeting from the Deep End….. (Reason for the Lack of Updates!)

February 20, 2023 By Joi

Sorry for the lack of updates the past few weeks – sometimes life throws you in the deep end of the pool and all you can do is hang on the best you know how. February has, thus far, been one sling into the deep end of the pool after another.

But it’s all good… I mean… without deep water, how would we ever learn if we can swim or if we sink!

I have Celiac and got glutened early in the month, my oldest grandbaby (5) gave us a health scare, my youngest grandbaby (2) hurt his elbow, my youngest daughter had a hideous bout with insomnia that left her reeling for days, then I hurt one of my hands pretty badly and it makes typing really hard. Long story, short, I’m afraid that blogging was put on hold.

I was too busy swimming.

I’ll begin (within a matter of minutes, actually!) adding content to the old Hollywood blog regularly, but wanted to let you know where I’ve been (in the pool) and where I am (climbing out). I also wanted to take a minute to sing the praises of old movies and classic television. Time and time again, they’re always there for us, aren’t they?

If we’re on top of the mountain, they’re there to rejoice with us and make the joy even greater. If we’re in the valley, they’re there to distract us, entertain us, and make the valley seem (if only for a few hours) like the top of a mountain.

As always, thank you so much for being here – you honor me with your visit! ~ Joi (“Joy”)