Joi | Hollywood Yesterday

Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck, The Lady Eve Promotional Photo

June 17, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck, The Lady Eve

Usually…. not always, but usually… when one of your favorite actresses and one of your favorite actors team up, the result is a movie you love. It’s certainly the case just about every single time Henry Fonda (one of my absolute favorite actors) teams up with one of my favorite actresses. Barbara Stanwyck, Lucille Ball, Maureen O’Hara, Katharine Hepburn… he and each of these actresses made movie magic!

Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck teamed up more than once and, in my opinion, their best movie together is the wonderful The Lady Eve (1941). It’s simply one of the most entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable films ever made.

You can find The Lady Eve on dvd (link to the dvd on Amazon)

Angela Lansbury, The Picture of Dorian Gray

June 16, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Angela Lansbury, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Anytime we talk about Old Hollywood beauties, the usual names roll off of our tongues – Ava Gardner, Dorothy Dandridge, Maureen O’Hara, Audrey Hepburn Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Lena Horne… I’m here to say that another name (usually saved for favorite television actresses lists) be thrown into the mix: Angela Lansbury.

Look at this beautiful face!

If you watch her in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Gaslight, The Harvey Girls… or many of her wonderful films… you’ll be reminded just how beautiful she was – and IS. She is a living legend and an especially beautiful one.

Angela Lansbury

Maureen O’Hara: Promotional Pictures from The Parent Trap (1961)

June 14, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Maureen O’Hara, The Parent Trap

Naturally, as Maureen O’Hara’s biggest fan in the world, I love all of her movies (even the ones she strongly disliked!) but The Parent Trap is definitely among my favorites. The chemistry she had with the wonderful Brian Keith was palpable and Hayley Mills was mesmerizing to watch in the dual role.

Plus… it was just a LOT of fun!

Maureen O’Hara

Maureen was, obviously, stunningly beautiful in black and white photos as well as color. It may seem like an unusual thing to say, but some actresses were simply more beautiful in one than the other. Maureen was one of the rare stars who was equally gorgeous either way.

Having said that, I do wish more of her promo pics from The Parent Trap had been published in color – after all, the movie was!

Maureen O’Hara, The Parent Trap

You can buy The Parent Trap (link to the dvd on Amazon) for your collection or watch it on Amazon Prime. Either way, it’s an outrageously fun trip to the past!

Maureen O’Hara

Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne, and Rex Ingram: Great Behind the Scenes Picture

June 13, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne, and Rex Ingram – Behind the Scenes of Cabin in the Sky

I’ve professed my love countless times for “behind the scenes” pictures and this particular one is a perfect example of why I love them so much! You can get such a great look at the stars’ personalities with these photos. I love Eddie Anderson’s adorable face, Lena Horne’s beautiful and teasing smile, and Rex Ingram’s enjoyment of the whole thing!

If you’ve never seen Cabin in the Sky, I hope you’ll find it as soon as possible. It may sound corny… and I apologize if it does… but it is simply a delightful film. The talent is through the roof, the joy is palpable, and it’s simply a very, very, very “feel good” movie.

Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne, and Rex Ingram

Leslie Caron and Gene Kelly, Behind the Scenes of An American in Paris

June 7, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, An American in Paris (Behind the Scenes)

I think I have stated my unpopular opinion on the blog before but, if not, look out – I’m about to let it fly again. An American in Paris (1951) isn’t just one of my favorite musicals of all-time… it is my favorite Gene Kelly musical.

Yes, above Singin’ in the Rain.

In fact… considerably above it. I am the rare, rare, rare bird who thought Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly were mismatched. Love him. Love her. Together… not so much. Ironically, I love the chemistry and dynamic she and Donald O’Connor had. In fact, I love the dynamic between Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor.

At any rate, An American in Paris is simply breathtakingly perfect. The chemistry between Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron is perfection – textbook chemistry and compatibility. Add in the always, always, always entertaining Oscar Levant and you have a can’t miss movie. I am actually in esteemed company by preferring An American in Paris – it was Gene Kelly’s favorite of his musicals.

You can buy An American in Paris (link to the dvd on Amazon) or watch on Prime.

P.S. Sincerest apologies to anyone who loves Singin’ in the Rain! I am totally and completely in the minority here meaning that I am the odd one out. I love the movie and love the cast… I simply do not buy into the pairing of the great Gene Kelly and the great Debbie Reynolds.

Ann-Margret, State Fair: Sometimes the Picture of the Day Calls for Charisma with a Capital C

June 4, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Ann-Margret, State Fair

One of my favorite actresses is basically a super-charged bolt of charisma and personality…. the beautiful and talented Ann-Margret is one of the most charismatic actresses of all time and I love it.

Each and every role she ever graced benefited from her high-volt personality – as did each film she appeared it. She simply “brought the magic,” and there’s little doubt in my mind that she has always had (and still has) the same effect on a room when she enters it.

If you aren’t familiar with this talented actress and singer’s filmography, I hope you’ll start working your way through her films. You will not regret a single minute.

The picture, above, is from the 1945 film State Fair (link to the dvd on Amazon… or you can watch it on Prime).

Anna May Wong, Shanghai Express

June 3, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Anna May Wong, Shanghai Express

You would be very justified in asking why I only recently have added Anna May Wong photos to Hollywood Yesterday. My excuse is a valid one, however… she is very new to me! I only recently saw my first Anna May Wong film. While that may seem odd for someone who has watched classic movies all of their life, you have to take into consideration that this beautiful and talented actress’ films aren’t shown on television very often…. unfortunately, not often at all.

To complicate matters, the dvds can be pretty challenging to find as well.

I have fallen for the actress head over heels, though, and am on a mission to find more photos, films, and information. You’ll be seeing a lot more of Anna May Wong here from now on and my apologies for being so late to discover this exceptional actress.

Picture of the Day: Lena Horne and Judy Garland, The Judy Garland Show

June 2, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lena Horne and Judy Garland, 1963

The Judy Garland Show was made up of episodes where the wonderful Judy Garland sang and visited with other wonderful performers. One such performer was one of my absolute favorite stars of all time – the legend, herself, Lena Horne. (Click HERE to see a video of the beautiful ladies singing a duet)

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Key Largo

June 1, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Key Largo (1948)

It would be pretty hard to take a cast that includes Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore, Edward G. Robinson, and Claire Trevor and mess it up. Having said that, director John Huston made a movie even better than the cast, itself, could guarantee. It’s everything you want from a movie – front to back, edge of your seat and eyes on the screen entertainment.

Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, Key Largo

Humphrey Bogart has always been one of my absolute favorite actors, so I not watch everything he was ever in dozens of times, I read everything I can get my hands on about him. A couple of long-told Hollywood legends involve the times (multiple times) that he wanted Lauren as his co-star instead of the co-stars he was given. Apparently, a couple of times it upset him to the point of not fully accepting his leading lady.

My take on this has always been the same…. of course he wanted Lauren alongside him in his films! Not only was she a very talented actress and a very beautiful one, at that, but he also loved her very much. If I were an actress and my husband an actor, I’d want him to be the exact same way.

That’s just my take on it. Then again, like I said, I’m a huge fan… so he can do very little wrong as far as I’m concerned!

You can find Key Largo (link to the Signature Collection dvd on Amazon) on Amazon or watch it on Amazon Prime.

Maureen O’Hara, Bagdad Publicity Photo (Gorgeous!)

May 30, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Maureen O’Hara, Bagdad

Bagdad is a lush, colorful… downright delicious technicolor film from 1949. Directed by Charles Lamont, Bagdad stars Maureen O’Hara, Paul Hubschmid, and Vincent Price. As a HUGE star of

Maureen O’Hara and a HUGE star of Vincent Price, I wish they had done a lot more movies together.

It would have most certainly floated my pirate boat. If you’ve never seen this one, I hope you check it out soon.

You can find Bagdad (link to the dvd) on Amazon.