Golden Age of Hollywood
Watching What’s My Line on YouTube has become an obsession of mine. They’re hilarious, entertaining, and I get a big kick out of seeing my favorite stars trying to be “tricky.” Some are more successful than others!
Given the fact that Lucille and Desi are two of my favorite stars of ALL time, the one below was destined to become a personal fave. Enjoy!
As I’ve often said on Hollywood Yesterday, when it comes to being a fan of Old Hollywood (or Classic Hollywood, whichever term you prefer), I am addicted to a broad range of films and stars – from Silent Films all the way through the 70s. What’s more, I have no boundaries when it comes to genres – Westerns, film noir, silent movies, musicals, slapstick comedies, dark dramas, horror films, over-the-top romps (pretty darn fun if you ask me).
I draw no lines because, quite frankly, a lot of the best stuff is found just outside the “lines.”
Having such a wide open arena is phenomenal. There’s almost always a movie on television I want to watch, I’m familiar with most Old Hollywood stars and directors, I have a great number of favorites – the more, the merrier! – and there are countless stars and movies that I can collect (dvds, books, photos, etc..).
One of the funnest things is the fact that every now and then… out of the wild blue… I come across a new actor or actress who I flip for. He/she will then strut right up my list of favorites and take root. After a while it’s as though they had been there all along.
The most recent star to do this is Marion Davies, but she isn’t just strutting up the list of favorites, she’s full on marching.
This is why, very often, you’ll come across stars who aren’t heavily represented here on Hollywood Yesterday. Sometimes they simply haven’t gotten their marching orders yet.
Amazing, isn’t it…. you can watch old movies for YEARS and still find yourself “meeting” new stars. I’ve loved and watched old movies since I was a little girl and only recently saw a Marion Davies film (Hearts Divided). Since that first introduction, however, I’ve gone on to watch her in as many films as possible.
I’ll tell you what’s as fun of discovering a new favorite – waiting for the next one to come along!
You’re going to enjoy the documentary below – whether you’re already a Marion Davies fan or a future one (as far as I’m concerned, there can only be two – those who know her and are already fans and those who don’t know her, yet, but WILL be fans!).
See Also: Hearts Divided Review
As an animal lover extraordinaire, my number one reason is to protect wildlife.
Using reusable totes also cuts down on pollution and conserves resources – benefiting not only animals but all of us!
I currently use a big red Target reusable tote for Target (and other places, as well, as tacky as that may sound) and a few plain-looking Kroger totes for Kroger. Each time I grab my totes and take off for the store, I always wish I had one with one of my Old Hollywood favorite actresses and/or actors on it. I’d love few things more than taking them along for the trip.
I’ve been searching online for such totes and will blog about them here as I find them.
The first one I’ve turned up is this gorgeous Marilyn Monroe Reusable Tote. Oooh La La, what a beauty! And, it’s less than $10 on Amazon.
Click the link for more details: Marilyn Monroe Reusable Tote
I’ll write about more as I find them!
One of the things I love most about their continued popularity is the fact they are gaining passionate new fans each year as younger generations fall under their spell.
The Marilyn Monroe scarf isn’t just fashionably gorgeous, it’s the perfect way for fans of Marilyn Monroe to let the world know that she’s still on their minds and in their hearts.
Click through the picture or either of the links for more information. This beauty would make a great Mother’s Day or Christmas gift. And, yes, as a matter of fact, I do think about Christmas year round! We have a pretty large family, so if I stand a chance of getting everything I want to get for everyone, I have to start early and keep going all year.
The wonderful thing is, it makes Christmas last year-round.
Danny Kaye’s performance as Hubert Hawkins in The Court Jester (1955) is so beyond brilliant there isn’t even a word for it. Doing this type of comedy WELL has to be incredibly difficult, and yet, here’s our hero making it look as natural as breathing!
Maid Jean: “It’s so easy I can say it.”
Hubert: “Then you fight him.”
And make no mistake about it, she had a wonderful Hollywood career pre-Lucy Ricardo and she was most definitely Glamorous with a capital G.
This is one of the reasons I’m so in love with this Lucille Ball Fleece Throw Blanket and one of the reasons I threw it immediately into my Amazon cart.
Truth be told, I threw it in there so fast there was a palpable gust of wind.
Features:
See Lucille Ball Fleece Throw Blanket for more information – this is one gorgeous gift idea for any fan of Lucille Ball.
Glamorous, Indeed!
Movie Star Chronicles: A Visual History of the World’s Greatest Movie Stars
As I said in my last post, I’m an avid collector of all things “Old Hollywood” – books, dvds, magazines, photos, artwork, coffee mugs, Christmas ornaments, dolls… Books are something I add to my collection almost weekly. What can I say? Books are as big of an obsession for me as old movies are, so combine the two and I can’t stop myself or even slow myself down!
The book you see here, Movie Star Chronicles is one of the newest ones to join my collection. Naturally, my beloved Audrey caught my eye and into the cart it went. I LOVE that the publisher put three of “our” stars on the cover – Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Marlon Brando.
Beautifully done!
Audrey Hepburn’s Photo Spread
Many stars (“our” stars as well as modern-day stars) are featured in photo spreads like the one Audrey has (above). The stars have a “timeline” that features their filmography, including release dates and genres.
While I love the information, the gorgeous pictures are my favorite thing about this one. Look at the stunning photo of Greta Garbo below. Wouldn’t this photo make a gorgeous art print?!
Greta Garbo as Elizabeth Dohna
Book Description from Amazon:
Movie Star Chronicles promises to satisfy the curiosity of moviegoers, cinephiles, and the Hollywood-hungry fans that fuel today’s entertainment news industry. For film students, it is a practical reference to the most important actors in cinematic history.
Entries illustrated with film and television stills and other archival material chart the careers of 330 actors from the era of silent film to today’s blockbusters. Expert text gives an entertaining overview and color-coded timelines provide an at-a-glance guide to the actor’s career, their roles, movie release dates, earnings and awards.
With 576 pages and more than 2,500 illustrations for only $29.95, Movie Star Chronicles is an outstanding value. It includes:
- A to Z coverage of 330 movie stars, with extended entries for 100
- 20 feature articles on popular movie trends, including vampires; western heroes; singers turned actors; femmes fatales; saints and sinners; acting dynasties; combat stars; cops and more
- 30 lavish double-page photo spreads showing cinema’s most influential stars at work and how film has evolved from silent black- and-white to color 3-D
- 20 illustrated features on genres and trends, such as Superheroes, Acting Dynasties, Screen Sirens, and Movie Villains
- Color-coded timelines showing the arc of an actor’s career, including release dates and types of features, such as Criminal, Romantic Drama, and Thriller
- Best Actor awards: Oscars, BAFTA, Cesar (France), Goya (Spain), David Di Donatello (Italy), Golden Horse (Asia), Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance.
Covering Hollywood, Bollywood and world cinema, Movie Star Chronicles is truly international and comprehensive. Sure to attract a wide readership, it is an essential purchase.
Audrey Hepburn Timeline (continued on the next page in the book)
This big, beautiful book is an excellent coffee table book – one guests would love to lose themselves in. It would also make a gorgeous and much-appreciated gift, whether it’s for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas.
Greta Garbo’s Photo Spread
I found my copy at the Ollie’s in town but I haven’t seen this one in any bookstores. They do have it on Amazon, of course, however. Pretty sure they have everything.
Take a closer look at Movie Star Chronicles: A Visual History of the World’s Greatest Movie Stars on Amazon. I highly recommend it.
Do you collect, books, photos, and other memorabilia from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Silents, Classic TV, and/or Old Radio? I do and, frankly, it is one of the greatest joys in my life. Naturally it’s eclipsed by faith and family, but other than that, it’s one of the “top dogs” when it comes to putting a smile on my face.
I collect books and movies of absolutely everyone from the Golden Age of Hollywood era and Classic TV, but when it comes to photos, memorabilia, old magazines, etc., I narrow the field to my absolute favorites.
My Personal “Narrowed Field of Favorites for Photos and Memorabilia” are…
ACTRESSES
ACTORS
MOVIE COLLECTIBLES
TV SHOW AND RADIO COLLECTIBLES
And that’s “narrowed!” There’s a reason I always seem to be out of money. Again, when it comes to books, there is NO narrowing – I buy and devour books related to any actor or actress. Problem is, I often fall head over heals for them and they move into the “memorabilia collectors” column! That happened with Ingrid Bergman – the more I read about her, the more I liked her. Boom! She sandwiched her way onto the list.
A while back, I was unspeakably sick (Flu A and bronchitis – either is a nightmare, but both at once… especially when you have asthma… is a special walk alongside the hounds of hell). The illness knocked me completely off my feet. While trying to heal, it occurred to me that not only did watching my beloved old movies give me happiness when I needed it most, but my collections brought a great deal of distraction and joy into my days as well.
Made the hounds barking more bearable.
I got to thinking about this a few days ago after ordering a Dorothy Dandridge book – everyone should have passions and joys in their life that are purely their own. Joys that no one else has to understand – and they darn sure don’t have to approve of them. Things that…. well… put a smile on your face, sunbeams in your heart, that lift your spirits skyward – whether you have rocking pneumonia and the boogie woogie flu or not.
Some people have hobbies like golf, tennis, hiking, or bowling. At least collecting hobbies don’t depend on weather or physical abilities.
Don’t get me wrong, watching old movies/classic tv, listening to old radio programs, and collecting aren’t my only hobbies – I LIVE to cook, spend time with my family (the humans and the cats), watch baseball, read, and take long walks. Maybe that’s the secret to happiness… having multiple hobbies and interests.
As you grow older (what I consider the “fun” side of 45), you tend to get a few things figured out. One of these, for me, is the fact that the more things you surround yourself with that make you smile, the better. Life won’t always give you reasons to smile. Heck, there are some days, weeks, and even months at a time where it seems determined to make you do anything BUT smile.
That’s when you have to come through and be your own hero. Having multiple interests and joys will set you up for success and give you reasons to smile more and fret less.
If you’re new to collecting, I have a few tips to help you along the way…
Are you a collector? Who or what do you collect? Leave a comment and let us know!
The beautiful Vitameatavegamin Mug even comes with a little spoon – how cute is that??
It’s currently available on Amazon for less than $15.
I’ve actually found a lot of items in my Lucille Ball collection (as well as my Old Hollywood, in general, collection) on Amazon. Books, photographs, figurines, dolls, paper dolls, mugs… they really and truly do have almost anything you could think of.
Product Description
See I Love Lucy Vitameatavegamin Mug, With Spoon for more information!
Lucy’s Vitameatavegamin Clip:
Being the obsessive Lucille Ball fan that I am, I add to my Lucille Ball Collection regularly. I recently added another magazine to the collection, Forever Lucy.
Everything about it is perfectly wonderful… just like Lucille, herself.
I’m actually wishing I’d grabbed two – one for reading cover to cover multiple times and one for the pictures, alone. Many are full-size and would be absolutely gorgeous framed. I do this often with calendars and the gorgeous pictures in Forever Lucy would be just as stunning.
I told you I was obsessive. I didn’t lie.
I love that the book (seems far too elaborate to refer to it as a magazine) focuses on all of the many facets of what made Lucille Ball… well… Lucille Ball.
Those of us who are fans and collectors of this amazing actress run into the same frustrating thing time and time again – publications that only want to focus on Lucy Ricardo and the phenomenal I Love Lucy. Don’t get me wrong, I love the character and show as much as anyone and more than most. However, to even hint that one sitcom defines this woman lies somewhere between an oversight and a sin against humanity!
She was intelligent, beautiful, incredibly bold, fashionable, loving, AND funny. She was, as they say, the total package and this book celebrates the total package the way it should be celebrated.
There are wonderful candids, gorgeous glamour shots, scenes from movies as well as television, Lucille Ball quotes, and articles you’ll find yourself lost in.
Basically, if I had put together a bookazine (there, I’ll compromise), this is exactly the one I would have put together, myself. Big, glorious pictures (some that even I have never seen), fascinating facts and quotes, and so much more.
And, yes, thankfully, there is plenty in here about the greatest sitcom ever made…. I Love Lucy.
If you can’t find Forever Lucy in your favorite store, Amazon is here for you. Click the link for more information. This is a must, must, MUST have.
The beauty above is Silent Film star Mildred Davis. She was a frequent co-star (and longtime wife!) of legendary Harold Lloyd. She’s one of my favorite silent film actresses. I’m working on several articles to add to the blog featuring this talented beauty.
There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn 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 Reviews of Old Movies.
Ball of Fire – The Tumultuous Life and Comic Art of Lucille Ball
Review: In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett
I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography
Coming Soon…
Ginger (Ginger Rogers)
Steps in Time (Fred Astaire)
Enchantment (Audrey Hepburn)
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…
Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!
