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Cary Grant and Mae West in She Done Him Wrong (1933)

August 31, 2022 By Joi

Cary Grant and Mae West, She Done Him Wrong

Cary Grant and Mae West, She Done Him Wrong

Cary Grant and Mae West made two films together, She Done Him Wrong and I’m No Angel (both released in 1933). There’s something somewhat surreal about seeing them on the screen together – I’m not sure why but it’s almost like seeing a peacock and a panther side by side and I’m not entirely sure which would be which!

Both certainly meant (and mean) an awful lot to old Hollywood and to film history in general and I’m awfully grateful for each one’s filmographies.

 


Mae West, She Done Him Wrong

Mae West

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Mae West, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Cary Grant, Mae West

Picture of Cary Grant on the set of North by Northwest + A Favorite Quote

August 28, 2022 By Joi

Cary Grant on the set of North by Northwest

Cary Grant on the Set of North by Northwest

“I have spent the greater part of my life fluctuating between Archie Leach and Cary Grant, unsure of each, suspecting each.” ~ Cary Grant

Archibald Leach was born in England in 1904 and would go on to become one of the brightest stars Hollywood ever had, Cary Grant. As bizarre as it sounds (even to my own ears), I was late to the Cary Grant fandom. Truth be told, after seeing my first three Cary Grant movies, I didn’t think much of him as an actor at all.

Then I saw him do comedy. Everything changed when I saw his wonderful, natural, and immense gift for comedy. I then was able to watch more of his dramas and found that he was a very gifted dramatic actor and I love many of his films (Only Angels Have Wings, North by Northwest, Penny Serenade…). Since then, I have gone back and rewatched the three that left me kind of cold toward him and realized I had been too hard on him. For example, in both In Name Only and Suspicion, he has a scene (only one in each film) where his acting seems very forced and his face almost contorted with effort – YET I can now appreciate that for the rest of each film, he was flawless.

When you become a fan of someone AND couple that with keeping an open mind, a whole new world opens up! That’s why I always HIGHLY recommend giving a star you “dislike” quite a few chances to change your mind.

Oddly enough, people resist this suggestion so strongly that you suspect it would cause them pain. That’s.. to put it politely.. completely nuts! I mean, why wouldn’t someone want to have more stars to like, more films to enjoy, more genres to explore… I just don’t get the mindset of choosing to limit anything good in your world. I even see some people who seem to carry a vendetta against stars… “I will NOT watch a Katharine Hepburn movie and you can’t make me!”

Mmmm.. okay? Hide from one of the greatest actresses of all time… but please spare me when you want to tell me how great a film historian or classic movie fan you are.

Okay, I’ll grab my cup of coffee and step down off the soapbox now! If you’ve never seen North by Northwest, I hope you’ll watch is as soon as possible. It’s a wonderful drama, with an excellent cast and one of the greatest directors (Alfred Hitchcock) ever.

You can find North by Northwest on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video (Amazon link).

Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant on the set of North by Northwest

Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant on the set of North by Northwest

 

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Pictures, Cary Grant, Quotes from Old Hollywood's Stars Tagged With: Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Cary Grant picture, Cary Grant quote

Arsenic and Old Lace… You Really, Really, Really Have to See this Comedy!

April 5, 2022 By Joi

Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, and Cary Grant in Arsenic and Old Lace

Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, and Cary Grant 

Arsenic and Old Lace is, unquestionably, one of the funniest and most enjoyable movies ever made. It’s one of those you hear mentioned so often that you kind of glaze over the recommendations. It almost becomes, “Well, of course you say I should see it… everyone says that.”

But here’s the thing, everyone says it for a darn good reason… you should see it! You know what’ll happen when you do see it, don’t you? You’ll become one of us annoying people who keep telling everyone else to watch it!

Trust me, it’s well worth the risk. The movie is front to back pure entertainment and a great joy to watch.

PLOT: Cary Grant is Mortimer, a successful author of books on the futility of marriage. He risks his career and reputation as an expert when he decides to marry the beautiful Elaine (Priscilla Lane). Things go from bad to worse when he learns (on his wedding day no less!) that his beloved aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair) murder men in their own home! The great thing is, they believe they’re doing a good thing and they are so adorable and hilarious you kind of lean toward their side.

The cast includes Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Edward Everett Horton, Peter Lorre, Jack Carson, and James Alexander (in the hilarious role of Teddy Roosevelt… well, he thinks he is!)

Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Cary Grant, Peter Lorre, and Edward Everett Horton in Arsenic and Old Lace

Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Cary Grant, Peter Lorre, and Edward Everett Horton

You can find Arsenic and Old Lace on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video!

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Edward Everett Horton, Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, Perfect Movies, Peter Lorre, Picture of the Day, Priscilla Lane Tagged With: Arsenic and Old Lace, Cary Grant, Comedies, Edward Everett Horton, Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, Peter Lorre

Hitchcock and the Censors by John Bellheimer (Review of a Fascinating Book!)

February 21, 2022 By Joi

Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer

Hitchcock and the Censors

Though I have never taken Film History college courses, I do consider myself somewhat of a film historian. I mean, I’ve probably read as many books about Hollywood (primarily old Hollywood) as any film historian with a degree to show for their efforts! The main differences are that I never have to pass difficult tests, write essays, finance the great education, and (admittedly) my self studies are confined to old Hollywood, whereas those with college educations study a far greater number of films and different eras.

I have built up (and continue to do so regularly) a wonderful library of books that provide a wealth of information. Books about Alfred Hitchcock, not surprisingly, provide a great deal of information and insight into making films during that particular period of time.

Description of Hitchcock and the Censors From Amazon:

Edgar Award Winner: This lively account of the director’s battles with the Code Office is “an essential addition to any Hitchcock shelf” (Mystery Scene Magazine).

From 1934 to 1968, the Motion Picture Production Code Office controlled the content and final cut on all films made and distributed in the United States. Code officials protected sensitive ears from standard four-letter words, as well as a few five-letter words like tramp and six-letter words like cripes. They also scrubbed “excessively lustful” kissing from the screen and ensured that no criminal went unpunished. Thus, throughout his career, Alfred Hitchcock had to deal with a wide variety of censors attuned to the slightest suggestion of sexual innuendo, undue violence, toilet humor, religious disrespect, and all forms of indecency, real or imagined.

During their review of Hitchcock’s films, the censors demanded an average of 22.5 changes, ranging from the mundane to the mind-boggling, on each of his American films. Code reviewers dictated the ending of Rebecca, absolved Cary Grant of guilt in Suspicion, edited Cole Porter’s lyrics in Stage Fright, decided which shades should be drawn in Rear Window, and shortened the shower scene in Psycho.

In Hitchcock and the Censors, John Billheimer traces the forces that led to the Production Code and describes Hitchcock’s interactions with code officials on a film-by-film basis as he fought to protect his creations, bargaining with code reviewers and sidestepping censorship to produce a lifetime of memorable films. Despite the often-arbitrary decisions of the code board, Hitchcock still managed to push the boundaries of sex and violence permitted in films by charming—and occasionally tricking—the censors and by swapping off bits of dialogue, plot points, and individual shots (some of which had been deliberately inserted as trading chips) to protect cherished scenes and images. By examining Hitchcock’s priorities in dealing with the censors, this work highlights the director’s theories of suspense as well as his magician-like touch when negotiating with code officials. Read more on Amazon (Amazon link).

Alfred Hitchcock on the set of Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock on the Set of Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock is a favorite director of many film lovers (including mine). The man was a genius. After reading Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer, I’ve realized that he was even more of a genius than I ever gave him credit for!

From the Back Cover

Throughout his career, Alfred Hitchcock had to contend with a wide variety of censors attuned to the slightest suggestion of sexual innuendo, undue violence, toilet humor, religious disrespect, and all forms of indecency, real or imagined. From 1934 to 1968, the Motion Picture Production Code Office controlled the content and final cut on all films made and distributed in the United States. During their review of Hitchcock’s films, the censors demanded an average of 22.5 changes, ranging from the mundane to the mind-boggling, on each of his American films.

In his award-winning Hitchcock and the Censors, author John Billheimer traces the forces that led to the Production Code and describes Hitchcock’s interactions with code officials on a film-by-film basis as he fought to protect his creations, bargaining with code reviewers and sidestepping censorship to produce a lifetime of memorable films. Despite the often-arbitrary decisions of the code board, Hitchcock still managed to push the boundaries of sex and violence permitted in films by charming—and occasionally tricking—the censors, and by swapping off bits of dialogue, plot points, and individual shots (some of which had been deliberately inserted as trading chips) to protect cherished scenes and images. By examining Hitchcock’s priorities in dealing with the censors, this work highlights the director’s theories of suspense as well as his magician-like touch when negotiating with code officials.

I have a peculiar habit when meeting a new book that I have probably confessed on the old Hollywood blog before… I go straight to the index and search for names of my favorite stars… then I read what is said about each one on the pages listed. I know, I know, it goes against every rule of reading a book from front to back, but I find that I simply MUST read about my favorites before actually beginning at the first.

When I first sat down with this fascinating book, I found SO MANY of my favorites listed in the index that I grabbed a tall glass of raspberry tea and settled in my favorite den chair and got comfortable. Maureen O’Hara, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Lucille Ball, Barbara Bel Geddes, Ingrid Bergman, Robert Montgomery, Ethel Barrymore, Anne Baxter, Joan Fontaine, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Cary Grant… I found a wealth of information for each star and, in spite of reading about each one regularly, learning new things about many of them along the way.

Make no mistake about it, however, Alfred Hitchcock is the star of this show and rightfully so. I have more profound respect for him, his talent, his PATIENCE, his willpower, and his lasting fingerprints on moviemaking and film as we know it.

There were about 20 times, in the course of reading this book that I LITERALLY closed the book, sat it down, and took a moment to process what I had read… to absorb, if you will, the boldness of of the man and the magic of the legend.

I was fascinated beyond belief the number of battles he had to wage over somewhat expected things such as kissing to a fairly unexpected wink that, in my opinion, brilliantly and poetically closed his career. Whether you love film history, Hitchcock, and/or MANY of old Hollywood’s greatest stars, this is absolutely the next book you need to add to your library.

You can find this wonderful book on University Press of Kentucky or Amazon (Amazon link).

Cary Grant, Alfred Hitchcock, and Grace Kelly - Behind the Scenes of To Catch a Thief

Filed Under: Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Film History, Grace Kelly, Old Hollywood Book Reviews Tagged With: Alfred Hitchcock, Alfred Hitchcock book, book reviews, Cary Grant, Film History, Grace Kelly, Old Hollywood Books

Cary Grant: One of the Most Gifted Comedic Actors EVER

January 31, 2022 By Joi

Cary Grant, Arsenic and Old Lace

Cary Grant, Arsenic and Old Lace

I have a couple of confessions to make that, after experience taught me how wrong I was, humiliate me to say:

  • I once didn’t care for Cary Grant as an actor in the least.
  • I put off seeing any of his comedies because I didn’t believe (even for a second) that he could be funny.

My first Cary Grant film was In Name Only and, while I loved (and love) the movie, he wasn’t… shall we say… one of my favorite dramatic actors. In fact,  there were several scenes when I thought, “Why didn’t the director yell CUT and reshoot the scene a little less… well… hammy?!” His acting was, in a few scenes, a little too Garbo for me. HOWEVER, he would go on to become an excellent dramatic actor.

By my second Cary Grant movie, The Philadelphia Story, I could see a huge change in his onscreen demeanor. There was a great confidence and sense of “I belong!” that would stay with him for the rest of his career.

During the time between my second Cary Grant film and my third (Bringing Up Baby), I kept reading about his comedies but I never got excited about seeing him because (in my mind) he was a dramatic actor… sometimes very dramatic lmao!

Fortunately one day Bringing Up Baby was coming on TCM and… because I LOVE Katharine Hepburn… I sat down to watch. Cary Grant… yes… Cary Grant… nearly stole the movie from Hepburn! He was absolutely hilarious and his comedic timing was beautifully natural and on the mark each and every time. Words can’t describe how brilliant the man was with comedy.

Comedy has to be the most difficult thing for an actor/actress to do… and yet this is where he truly shines.

After Bringing Up Baby, I immediately found and watched Arsenic and Old Lace. Again, he blew me away. He was a comedic GENIUS and I honestly felt like I had discovered a whole new actor.

Over the years, I have watched and loved many of his dramas, as well, but let’s make no mistake about it…. comedic Cary is my favorite Cary.

If you’ve never seen Cary Grant’s comedies, I hope you’ll seek them out. Starting with either Arsenic and Old Lace or Bringing Up Baby is highly recommended!

Bringing Up Baby (from the Criterion Collection) is available on dvd or Prime Video.

You can also find Arsenic and Old Lace on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video!

Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby

Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby

 

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Perfect Movies, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Arsenic and Old Lace, Bringing Up Baby, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn

Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise by Scott Eyman (Book Review of a Fascinating Biography)

January 24, 2022 By Joi

Cary Grant and James Garner Biographies

The Garner Files and Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise 

Before I get to my review of the extraordinary Cary Grant biography by Scott Eyman, I’ll remind anyone who reads my Old Hollywood and Classic TV Book Reviews that I go to great lengths to keep from giving anything away (including not showing any of the pictures inside the book).

I want the reader to experience the book as I did – with the luxury of making their own lovely discoveries along the way! It’s what’s best for the reader and what’s best for the author. An author, after all, devotes years to writing about their subject, carefully planning everything from the title of the book to the photos used inside. For anyone to give away or over-share what they’ve worked so hard to put together is, in my opinion, about as wrong as wrong gets.

I love watching old movies and classic television with an unmeasured passion and I love reading biographies and autobiographies of the stars with an equal passion. I am ALWAYS in the middle of at least two “new to me books,” while carrying around at least 4 additional books for cross-referencing the new books and researching for posts or Tweets.

I take this commitment to keeping these wonderful stars’ legacies alive and well very seriously!

Fortunately there are authors such as Scott Eyman who feel just as strongly. If I had been a star from the Golden days of Hollywood, he’s one of the first authors that comes to mind when I think of the one I’d want to write about me. He’s thorough, fair-minded, and never writes with even an ounce of salaciousness or judgment. He doesn’t try to sensationalize the star’s life and seems to always remember that the star was, first and foremost, a human being.

When I’m reading an old Hollywood biography, there is one word that comes to the forefront of my mind when I begin reading and it stays there until the end. The word is respect. If I ever detect that the author does not respect the individual they’re writing about, I throw the book out, simple as that. It has happened before and I’m, unfortunately, sure it’ll happen again.

Cary Grant: A Brilliant DisguiseCary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise by Scott Eyman

 Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise (Amazon link)

Scott Eyman’s biography, Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise (Amazon link), is… understandably.. a must have for Cary Grant fans but it’s also a must have for anyone who loves old Hollywood. Through the fascinating exploration of Cary Grant’s life, you bump into a whole world of other stars – something that always intrigues me. You often get to see a whole other side of a star when you bump into them this way. For example, a June Allyson autobiography gave me more beautiful insight into Judy Garland than any Judy Garland biography I’d ever read.

The same is true with this compelling book. Seeing Cary Grant’s co-stars through his experience is an eye-opener and I find myself EVEN bigger fans of two in particular: Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman. I already adored Katharine Hepburn to distraction or she’d be right there with them.

One of the things I love most about this biography is the fact that, while I knew a great deal about “Cary Grant who was once known as Archie Leach,” I knew next to nothing about “Archie Leach who would one day be known as Cary Grant.”

In fact, something occurred to me about half way through the book. You know the incredible performance Hayley Mills gave in The Parent Trap (1961)? The way she convinced you there really WERE two actresses playing the roles?! I am fascinated by the way author Scott Eyman presented what often seemed to be two personas (Archie and Cary) yet, at the same time, blends them together to give us the legend we only thought we knew.

We see early on things that shaped Archie Leach‘s life that HAD to have lasting effects on the man who he’d become, Cary Grant.

I’ll be honest with you, this Archie guy was every bit as interesting! The way his mind worked and the level of confidence stopped me in my tracks a few times. His audaciousness will always stick with me – and I do not mean that in a bad way, whatsoever.

Was Cary Grant perfect? Did he always make the best decisions, say the right things, and do only reputable things? Heck no! And frankly, I’m glad of it – what a boring book that would have made! I’m sure a great author like Scott Eyman could have made it interesting, of course, but I’m relieved Cary Grant didn’t make that necessary as there was no part of his life that was ordinary or even remotely boring.

This amazing, hard to put down biography is nearly 500 pages in length and is the definitive biography on Cary Grant. There are 56 photos which are truly remarkable – many I’d never seen, in spite of spending a GREAT deal of my life’s waking hours in Old Hollywood. Well, non-waking hours too, if we’re being completely honest.

I truly hope you’ll grab a copy of Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise (Amazon link) as soon as possible. I’m very anxious for more people to see just how complex and interesting Cary Grant was. There was so much more to him than most of us realize and I am forever grateful that author Scott Eyman brought it to light.

While this book would be a wonderful addition to your own library, it would also make an excellent gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Valentine’s Day.

Thanks so much for reading my review. You’re going to absolutely love this book! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise by Scott Eyman

Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise (Back Cover)

 

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Old Hollywood Book Reviews Tagged With: Cary Grant, Cary Grant biography, Old Hollywood Biographies, Old Hollywood Book Reviews

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane, Arsenic and Old Lace (One of the Funniest Movies Ever Made)

January 22, 2022 By Joi

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane, Arsenic and Old Lace

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane

The hilarious Arsenic and Old Lace is one of those movies that’s “laugh out loud” funny. It’s one of the best casts ever assembled, with each star “playing off” of one another beautifully. I honestly can’t say enough good things about it, so I generally simply tell people…

  • It’s one of the most hilarious films ever made.
  • It’ll make you realize just what a comedic genius Cary Grant was.
  • If you’ve never seen it, please SEE IT!
  • If you have seen it….. well…. see it again!

The cast includes Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Edward Everett Horton, Peter Lorre, Jack Carson, and James Alexander (in the hilarious role of Teddy Roosevelt… you have to see it to truly appreciate this one!)

Josephine Hull and Jean Adair in Arsenic and Old Lace

Josephine Hull and Jean Adair in Arsenic and Old Lace

PLOT: Cary Grant is Mortimer, a successful author of books on the futility of marriage. He risks his career and reputation as an expert when he decides to marry the beautiful Elaine (Priscilla Lane). Things go from bad to worse when he learns (on his wedding day no less!) that his beloved aunts (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair) murder men in their own home! The great thing is, they believe they’re doing a good thing and they are so adorable and hilarious you kind of lean toward their side.

Adding to the GREAT fun is Mortimer’s uncle, “Teddy Roosevelt,” played deliciously by James Alexander. As you may have guessed, he believes he is, indeed, Teddy Roosevelt.

The cast is extraordinary, the writing hilarious, and the entire film an absolute joy.

You can find Arsenic and Old Lace on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video! It’s honestly one of the funniest movies ever made.

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane, Arsenic and Old Lace

Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Jean Adair, Perfect Movies, Picture of the Day, Priscilla Lane Tagged With: Cary Grant, Jean Adair, Josephine Hull, Priscilla Lane

Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious (1946)

November 19, 2021 By Joi

Ingrid Bergman, NotoriousIngrid Bergman, Notorious Publicity Photo

The stunningly beautiful Ingrid Bergman and the wonderful Cary Grant joined forces in Alfred Hitchcock’s masterful film Notorious (1946). This film doesn’t get a lot of mentions when people list their favorite Hitchcock films and I’ve never understood that.

I think it’s one of the best.

Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in Notorious

Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman 

You can find Notorious on dvd (Amazon link). It doesn’t seem to be on Prime Video yet.


How about this extraordinary behind the scenes photo of Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant? Love it…

Behind the Scenes of Notorious

Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant: Behind the Scenes of Notorious

Filed Under: Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Perfect Movies, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Notorious

Howard Hawks, Cary Grant, and Rita Hayworth Behind the Scenes of Only Angels Have Wings

November 13, 2021 By Joi

Howard Hawks, Cary Grant, and Rita Hayworth Behind the Scenes of Only Angels Have Wings

Howard Hawks, Cary Grant, and Rita Hayworth

Love everything about he photo above of Howard Hawks, Cary Grant, and Rita Hayworth behind the scenes of Only Angels Have Wings (1936, directed by Howard Hawks). If you’ve never seen this film, I hope you check it out really soon. The STELLAR cast includes Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Rita Hayworth, and Thomas Mitchell and was directed by one of the best in the business, Howard Hawks.

You can buy Only Angels Have Wings on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Pictures, Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth, Thomas Mitchell Tagged With: Behind the Scenes pictures, Cary Grant, Howard Hawks, Rita Hayworth

Cary Grant and Jean Arthur: Only Angels Have Wings

November 7, 2021 By Joi

Cary Grant and Jean Arthur in Only Angels Have Wings

Cary Grant and Jean Arthur

Jean Arthur was a deliciously unique actress. She had the demure, lovely, and even graceful appearance of a Grace Kelly or Claudette Colbert but also a distinct strength of presence similar to Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis, and Joan Crawford.

Even when a director pleaded with her for more sex appeal and flirtation, she stood her ground and played her roles as she interpreted them – often giving her characters more strength than they were originally envisioned to have.

Jean Arthur had their back, though, she GAVE strength where it may not have been intended to be! Only Angels Have Wings is a perfect example of this. Howard Hawks wanted more “feminine wiles” from her but she played the character as she saw best.

Cary Grant and Jean Arthur in Only Angels Have Wings

Cary Grant and Jean Arthur, Only Angels Have Wings

Personally, the character Cary Grant portrayed (Geoff Carter) would have fallen so hard for the type of woman Hawks had in mind. She had to stand out, had to have a backbone and be her own person. Jean Arthur was absolutely right.

She made a habit of being absolutely right about her roles and characters.

Cary Grant and Jean Arthur in Only Angels Have Wings

Cary Grant and Jean Arthur

You can buy Only Angels Have Wings on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video. I’m ecstatic that it’s available on both – so many films from the 30s aren’t!

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Cary Grant, Jean Arthur

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Welcome to Hollywood Yesterday!

Ann Sheridan, It All Came True

Ann Sheridan
My name is Joi (“Joy”) and I created Hollywood Yesterday as my personal tribute to Old Hollywood. It’s my effort to help keep the stars from Old Hollywood, Classic Television, and Old Radio Shows alive and shining forever. Old Hollywood was positively magical and I see no reason for the magic to ever die.

Be warned, I am (by nature) overtly positive, I never take anything too seriously, I say extraordinary so often you’d think I invented the word, and I overuse exclamation points to distraction. I’m perpetually over-caffeinated.. we’ll blame that.

Read more about Hollywood Yesterday (and see my personal favorites) here!

Old Hollywood Actresses

Lena Horne, Meet Me in Las Vegas

See the Old Hollywood Actresses page for the index of Classic Hollywood Actresses and Classic TV Actresses.

Old Hollywood Actors

Henry Fonda, Behind the Scenes The Grapes of Wrath

See the Old Hollywood Actors page for the index of Old Hollywood and Classic TV actors.

Old Hollywood Book Reviews

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel by Christina Rice

I love reading old Hollywood biographies and memoirs as much as I love watching classic movies, and that’s truly saying something!

To see my Old Hollywood book reviews, please see the index listed here: Book Reviews.

Pictures of the Day

Maureen O'Hara, The Parent Trap

Maureen O’Hara

The Old Hollywood & Classic TV Pictures of the Day are published as regularly as possible. If I miss a few days, please just know that the husband, daughters, sons-in-law, grandbabies, and/or my cats were demanding my attention. I’ll be honest, nothing comes before any of them! Not even Maureen O’Hara or Henry Fonda.

Priorities, y’all.

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  • Shirley Jones: Beautiful and Talented Star of Film, Musicals, and Television
  • Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan on the Set of Gigi (1958)
  • Martha Hyer: “Universal’s Answer to Grace Kelly”
  • Elizabeth Taylor, Actress and Humanitarian was BOTD in 1932
  • Esther Williams and Friends Tom & Jerry… Dangerous When Wet!

Movie Night, ANY Night…

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and Arthur Hunnicutt in El Dorado
Have movie night ANY night with Prime Video on Amazon:  Prime Video (Amazon link)

Thank You for Visiting!

Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times
Thank you so much for visiting Hollywood Yesterday! You truly HONOR me with your presence. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Olivia de Havilland

Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

My main goal with Hollywood Yesterday is to keep the names, faces, and films of the stars that mean so much to me shining brightly. When I’m guilty of focusing more time on my personal favorites (such as Olivia de Havilland) than other stars, I hope you’ll forgive me. I am, by all indications, very human!

Also, please know that I try to keep my posts (except for book reviews) short and to the point, so you can enjoy the pictures, grab the information, and get back to your life. I don’t appreciate anything that’s overly wordy, so I don’t want to do that to others. For better or worse, I write as I talk, so if you ever feel like you’re reading the words of someone who’s a cross between Lucy Ricardo, Daisy Duck, and a Jerry Lewis character, that’s just because you are!

Wait. What did I just admit to?? 

Barbara Stanwyck Quotes

Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!

Old Hollywood Movies

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Top Hat Cheek to Cheek

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.

Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)

We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)

The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)

The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)

The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)

Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)

El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)

Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)

The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)

Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)

To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)

Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)

Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)

The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)

More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

Classic Hollywood Books & Biographies (Reviews)

Maureen O'Hara's Autobiography 'Tis Herself

‘Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara
I Know Where I'm Going (Katharine Hepburn Biography) and Princess

I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn

 

Debbie Reynolds Unsinkable
Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds

 

Ginger Rogers Autobiography - Ginger: My Story

Ginger by Ginger Rogers
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
More Old Hollywood Book Reviews!

Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge Carmen Jones Poster

Getting to Know the Gorgeous and Talented Dorothy Dandridge

My Lucy Obsession

Lucille Ball

Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…

Legalities…

Aside from pictures of books I review, I do not claim to have taken any of the pictures on this website, nor do I own the pictures – the ones of the stars or the affiliate (product) pictures.  Other, far more talented photographers than me have the credit for the beautiful photos you see. If you would like credit for a photograph or would like one removed, please e-mail me (joitsigers@gmail.com).

Movie posters and promotional photos are used in the belief that they qualify for the Fair Use law. Fair use is a doctrine in the law of the United States that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the interests of copyright holders with the public interest in the wider distribution and use of creative works by allowing as a defense to copyright infringement claims certain limited uses that might otherwise be considered infringement.

When you click through an affiliate (product, book, dvds..) link, I earn a small portion of the money you spend IF you purchase anything. This does not cost you any extra money, of course. This is how I am able to work from home and support my cats! – Joi (“Joy”)

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