BOTD | Hollywood Yesterday

BOTD: The LEGEND, Herself, Bette Davis

April 5, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Bette Davis, All About Eve

Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts and would go on, one day, to take Hollywood and the world by storm! Bette Davis is one of those stars who I am convinced was born with “it.” She had acting and star quality in her blood and boy did she ever know what to do with it!

If you aren’t familiar with Bette Davis’ movies, I hope you’ll spend some time going through her filmography.

(Continued Below…)

Bette Davis, Dark Victory

Though I love all (except one!) of the Bette Davis movies I’ve seen, my top six personal favorites, and what I’d call “essential Bette Davis films” are….

Jezebel (1938)

Dark Victory (1939)

In This Our Life (1942)

Now, Voyager (1942)

All About Eve (1950)

The Star (1952)

Just please don’t let “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane” be the first (or second, or third, or fourth…) Bette Davis movie you watch. You’ll never guess which of her films is the one I don’t like!

BOTD, the Amazing, Adorable, Beautiful, Talented, and Beloved Debbie Reynolds!

April 1, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Debbie Reynolds, How the West Was Won

I have a confession to make and I do so reluctantly… and with much shame! I used to not care a lot for Singin’ in the Rain.

Wait… it gets worse.

The reason I didn’t care for it has a lot to do with a lady who is now one of my favorite actresses… Debbie Reynolds! It never was anything against her, personally, mind you. She was beautiful and incredibly talented. I just didn’t see a single spark between her or Gene Kelly.

It honestly took seeing the movie 5-6 times for me to actually fall in love with it! Once I fell under its spell, I totally accepted the two stars together. I still don’t think they had as much chemistry with one another as they had with other co-stars, but there was more than enough, thank you very much.

Debbie Reynolds was born Mary Frances Reynolds in El Paso, Texas on April 1, 1932. She would go on to become a household name, as well as one of the most beloved stars of all time. I, personally, believe she was (and is) as loved as Betty White, Olivia de Havilland, and Morgan Freeman.

If you’ve never read Debbie Reynolds’ memoirs, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend them. She was a naturally gifted writer and, believe me, her humor will catch you off guard! I reviewed Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds on the blog – it is a wonderful and hilarious book.

Debbie Reynolds and Tony Curtis, The Rat Race

Happy Birthday to Joan Crawford: BOTD in 1904

March 23, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Joan Crawford

One of the most polarizing stars from old Hollywood was also one of the stars that supplied it (bountifully!) with its glitz and glamor… the talented and beautiful Joan Crawford. I spent a great deal of time (entirely too much, if we’re being honest) trying to decide what movie or what pictures to use for today’s pictures of the day in her honor.

While photos from a movie she walked out on (Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte) and from a tough time in her life may seem bizarre on my part, there’s a method to my madness.

She began work on the film which co-starred Bette Davis (a huge nemesis of Crawford’s!), but was ultimately replaced by Olivia de Havilland when Joan bowed out very early in filming.

It’s apparent that this was a very difficult time for the star – undoubtedly made worse by working with a star she disliked so strongly.

When Joan was replaced, Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland carried out a “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” routine by toasting one another with Coca-Cola (a nudge to Joan Crawford’s husband having been an executive of Pepsi-Cola and that she was now on the board of directors). Joining in on the toast were co-star Joseph Cotten and director Robert Aldrich.

So, it is quite apparent that there was no love to be found for Joan Crawford on the set of this film. Now, I’m not saying she was exactly an angel, herself! All I’m saying is that Joan had to have been completely miserable around this time… not just miserable… but completely miserable. Not only was she fighting father time, she undoubtedly must have often felt like she was fighting everyone at every turn.

So why choose these two pictures from such an unhappy time? Look at them. What do you see?

I see the posture of a queen and the unshakable confidence of a grand Hollywood legend. I see Joan Crawford holding her head up high… letting everyone fighting her know that they weren’t going to beat her down.

That’s why I chose these two pictures. Because they represent what I love the most about Joan Crawford.

Happiest of birthdays to one of the stars who made old Hollywood one of my favorite places on earth.

Faye Dunaway: Birthday Wishes for a VERY Beautiful and Talented Actress

January 14, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Faye Dunaway

Born on this day in Bascom, Florida in 1941, the beautiful Faye Dunaway.

As I’ve said before on this old Hollywood blog, I used to watch (exclusively, mind you) movies from 1930 to 1960. That was it… for whatever reasons. Fortunately, it wasn’t too far into my film-obsessed life that I realized there are A LOT of wonderful films before and after my chosen cut off dates.

When I broadened my horizons and began watching all genres and all years (from Silents through today), I realized that I had been missing out on so much. Whenever I come across another old Hollywood fan and they say they only watch Silents through the Forties, only movies prior to 1940, or nothing before 1950, I always recommend movies, actresses, and actors to lure them into other eras. Having seen what it was like to miss out, I want to keep them from falling into a similar trap – so I use whatever I can at my disposal to trick them into branching out.

I’m pushy like that.

I recently had great success with a Twitter friend who only watched Westerns and black and white movies, as he put it. That was it. Yet he was forever annoyed that there wasn’t enough on TV to watch! I thought to my pushy self, “Hmmm, here’s a tough nut to crack, but I’m going to give it a try.”

I gave him two names, Faye Dunaway and James Caan. I knew he was already a Caan fan (thanks to El Dorado), so I suggested he branch out and see his other films.

As for Faye Dunaway… come on.. how is anyone NOT going to love her?! I recommended Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, and The Thomas Crown Affair (’68). An excellent student, he found The Thomas Crown Affair on Prime Video the very next night and fell immediately under Faye Dunaway’s spell. Last I heard, he has seen almost as many of her movies as I have!

He has also ventured out and seen a lot of James Caan’s work and now enjoys movies that cover a wide variety of subjects and years.

I can’t remember the last time he complained about not being able to find something to watch on television!

If you aren’t familiar with Faye Dunaway’s body of work, or if you’ve only seen one or two of her films, I couldn’t recommend her any more highly. It’s frustrating – make that VERY frustrating – to those of us who are huge Faye Dunaway fans when one movie (the Joan Crawford one) is almost synonymous with her name. It certainly, certainly, certainly wasn’t her best film – but it was so different and so controversial that it continues to be talked about today.

As a fan of this beautiful actress, I have tried to put a positive spin on the whole thing. For example, she was quite brave to accept the role. I mean, let’s not blame Faye Dunaway for the movie… it would have been made anyway, with her or without her. To accept a role, playing a film legend and household name took guts. Problem is, Joan Crawford was the type of larger than life person that makes imitating them almost impossible. Any attempt (even by one of the best actresses of our time) to do so rings hollow and comes across as… well.. an impersonation.

The failure of the movie to hit on all cylinders is not anyone in particular’s fault… well, aside from Joan Crawford, herself, who simply cannot be imitated.

At any rate, if you’ve never seen that particular move, don’t. Just don’t. In fact, as a fan of both of these wonderful actresses, I beg you not to!

Recommended Faye Dunaway Films:

Each link goes to the movie on Prime Video.

Bonnie and Clyde (’67)

The Thomas Crown Affair (’68)

The Towering Inferno (’74)

Chinatown (’74)

Network (’76)

Supergirl (’84)

Gia (’98 – made for TV movie)

I’m in the process of finding more of her films on Prime Video, I’ll come back to this post and add them as I find them!

BOTD in 1906, the Colorful and Beautiful Louise Brooks

November 14, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Louise Brooks

Mary Louise Brooks (nicknamed Brooksie) was born in Cherryvale, Kansas on November 14, 1906. This particular beautiful and outrageously talented actress always serves as a reminder to me to never limit the movies or stars I see. I had, for years, concentrated my silent movie viewing to Clara Bow, Mary Pickford, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin. When I finally branched out, I found that there are far too many wonderful and exciting stars to “play” favorites.

After all, there are many just waiting to become favorites themselves, and Louise Brooks is a prime example.

The more I see of her and the more I read about her, the more I love her. She was VERY ahead of her time, colorful, original, and deliciously honest and frank. She wasn’t afraid to hold anything back and, frankly, I’d have loved to have seen her face if someone told her she wasn’t being a perfect “lady!”

If you aren’t familiar with this wonderful star, I hope you’ll search out her films and get to know her better. You’re going to love her.

Louise Brooks, Pandora’s Box

Pictures of the Day: Birthday Beauty, Veronica Lake

November 14, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Veronica Lake

Today’s Picture of the Day happens to also be Birthday Beauty Veronica Lake (born on this date in 1922). To show just how anal I am about things like this, I flipped a coin to see whether to give picture of the day to Louise Brooks (who was also born on this date in 1906) or Veronica Lake.

Ironically, each beautiful and talented actress is known almost as much as their films.

BOTD in 1922, the Beautiful and Talented Veronica Lake

November 14, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Veronica Lake, This Gun for Hire

Beautiful Veronica Lake was born on November 14, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York. Veronica is one of those actresses who I, personally, believe doesn’t get enough credit. She is, sadly, remembered most for her iconic hairstyle and (among those of us who are film historians.. immersing ourselves in details) for her personal demons, mental illness and the demon that almost always chased it, alcoholism.

She was so much more, though, and we should all start focusing on that.

Veronica Lake Alan Ladd, This Gun for Hire

Veronica starred in some of the best film-noirs ever made, alongside Alan Ladd.

They starred in four film-noirs together:

This Gun for Hire (1942)
The Glass Key (1942)
The Blue Dahlia (1946)
Saigon (1948)

They also both appeared in the 1942 extravaganza Star Spangled Rhythm.

My personal favorite Veronica Lake movie, however, is I Married a Witch. The FUN movie is hilarious and really showcases a lighter side of Veronica. The fact that it is, far and above my favorite may have a little to do with me simply wanting to remember her smiling, mischievous, and bewitchingly happy. If that’s the case, mission accomplished because when I think of Veronica Lake, I think of the beauty below… and I’m very much okay with that.

Veronica Lake

BOTD in 1918, The Beautiful and Talented Rita Hayworth…

October 17, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth, You Were Never Lovelier

Rita Hayworth has been one of my absolute favorite actresses for as long as I can remember. I remember being very, very young and walking through the living room and saw what looked like a princess from one of my storybooks come to life. I sat and watched her with my mom. While I’d give just about anything to be able to sit and watch anything with my mom again, some things haven’t changed – I still think of Rita as a fairytale princess that came to life – if only for a brief time, before leaving us.

The first Rita Hayworth film I saw (the one I watched with my mom) was You Were Never Lovelier (1942) and, to this day, I don’t know why Gilda is so much more popular than this one. Granted, Gilda is an extraordinary movie… but so is You Were Never Lovelier.

Truth be told, though, I am absolutely wild about just about every Rita Hayworth movie. The Lady from Shanghai and The Loves of Carmen aren’t high on my list, but Rita’s in them… and that’s good enough for me!

If you’ve never seen You Were Never Lovelier (link to the dvd on Amazon), I hope you’ll find it and watch it soon. If you HAVE seen it, watch it again! Each time I do, I love it even more.

Pictures of the Day: Celebrating Angela Lansbury’s Birthday!

October 16, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Angela Lansbury, The Harvey Girls

One of my favorite Old Hollywood, modern Hollywood, and television actresses of all time is the same actress – the absolutely wonderful, talented, and beautiful Angela Lansbury.

I could spend all day trying to sum up the things that make this lady so extraordinary and the next three days trying to describe how much I love her! Given that my husband and cats would all appreciate meals on each of these days, I will simply say, there has never been anyone quite like her and there never will be.

I “collect” my favorite stars – in that I collect all books about them, all of their movies and television series (when applicable), magazine articles, photos, etc. Rest assured this lady is one of the ones collected in this household.

I’m trying to collect the entire Murder She Wrote (link to the collection on Amazon) series – but I’m doing it season by season. In the end, it would probably be cheaper to just buy the entire collection at once, but it’s too late now!

Happiest of birthdays to this extraordinary lady!

Angela Lansbury, The Manchurian Candidate

BOTD in 1924, the Wonderful Lauren Bacall

September 16, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lauren Bacall

Lauren Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924, in New York City. Little did anyone know the legendary actress Betty Joan would one day become!

While I love all of Lauren Bacall’s movies (she has a very rich filmography… as rich and distinctive as her voice), my favorites are Key Largo, Dark Passage, The Big Sleep, How to Marry a Millionaire, and To Have and Have Not.

When Humphrey Bogart was on the screen, there was magic. When Lauren Bacall was on the screen, there was magic. When they were on the screen together…. the word hasn’t been invented for the magic they generated together.