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Happy Birthday to Joan Crawford: BOTD in 1904

March 23, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Joan Crawford, Behind the Scenes of Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte

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.

Joan Crawford, Behind the Scenes of Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte


Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Pictures, BOTD, Joan Crawford, Picture of the Day Tagged With: BOTD, Joan Crawford

Today We Live: Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, Robert Young, and Franchot Tone

November 22, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Joan Crawford, Today we Live

Joan Crawford

The gorgeous photo above is one of my favorite Joan Crawford photos. It’s a publicity picture from the wonderful 1933 film, Today We Live (directed by Howard Hawks).

The movie also starred three wonderful actors, Gary Cooper, Robert Young, and Franchot Tone.

Joan Crawford and Franchot Tone met while working on this picture and married two years later (her second marriage, his first). Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t survive – ending in divorce in 1939.
You can find Today We Live (link to the dvd) on Amazon.
Today We Live Lobby Card

Filed Under: Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Franchot Tone, Gary Cooper, Joan Crawford, Robert Young

A Woman’s Face Lobby Cards: Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, Conrad Veidt, and Joan Crawford

April 4, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

A Woman's Face Lobby Card: Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, and Joan Crawford

Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, and Joan Crawford

I have a huge obsession with Joan Crawford films (certainly not limited to, but especially the ones from the 30s and 40s). Not only was she a remarkable actress, so many of her films just happened to be a particular kind of wonderful. She also happened to co-star with some of my favorite actors (Melvyn Douglas, Robert Montgomery, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone…).

A Woman’s Face is one of my favorites. The entire cast is outstanding and the directing (by one of the greatest directors of all time, George Cukor) is breathtaking.

If you’ve never seen the film, I hope you’ll find it as soon as you possibly can. It is extraordinary.

You can find A Woman’s Face on Amazon (DVD) or click the link below the lobby card to rent (for only $1.99) or buy on Amazon Prime.

A Woman's Face Lobby Card - Conrad Veidt, Joan Crawford, and Melvyn Douglas

Conrad Veidt, Joan Crawford, and Melvyn Douglas


Filed Under: Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, Picture of the Day Tagged With: A Woman's Face, Film-Noir, Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen

A Woman’s Face Lobby Cards: Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas,

March 10, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

A Woman's Face Lobby Card

A Woman’s Face Lobby Card with Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, and Joan Crawford

One of my ABSOLUTE favorite actresses… Joan Crawford

One of my ABSOLUTE favorite actors… Melvyn Douglas

One of my ABSOLUTE favorite movies… A Woman’s Face.

When these two powerhouse stars get together, magic happens and that’s exactly what this movie is. Sheer magic.

If you’ve never seen A Woman’s Face (Amazon DVD link), I hope you’ll see it as soon as possible. The entire cast is outstanding and the film-noir, itself, is an edge of your seat type of drama.

If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch A Woman’s Face on Prime.

Filed Under: Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, Picture of the Day Tagged With: A Woman's Face, Film-Noir, Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen

Joan Crawford, Grand Hotel

February 2, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Joan Crawford, Grand Hotel

Joan Crawford, Grand Hotel

Obviously, I love old movies like its my birthright. Love watching about them, love reading about the stars, love talking about them…. love absolutely every aspect of films from the silents through the 70s.  I love all genres of films too – westerns, romances, film-noirs, comedies, musicals, dramas, and mysteries. Love everything about them. Fast forward through opening credits? I wouldn’t even dream of it! That sets the mood.

Leave as soon as the movie ends? Not a chance. That closes the magic.

One of my favorite things about films are the stars, themselves, of course and you’re looking at the beautiful face of one of the best – certainly one of my favorites, Joan Crawford.

If you aren’t familiar with this incredible actress’ work, I hope you’ll seek out as many of her films as possible and watch them right away.

I’d recommend starting with any of the following. The main thing is in my opinion it is best to start with her work from the 1930s (or early 1940s) and then progress from there. Please don’t start with What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?! Many start there and, because of the nature of the movie, never get any further.

  • A Woman’s Face
  • The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
  • Dance, Fools, Dance
  • Dancing Girl
  • The  Women
  • The Gorgeous Hussy
  • Grand Hotel

She is one of the greatest actresses of all time and, certainly, one of history’s greatest “stars.” If you avoid her work because of things you’ve heard or read about her (or aspects of her life that very well may have been true), you are missing out. I prefer to enjoy actors and actresses for what they did onscreen. After all, given that they were all human, none were perfect.

And before anyone says that’s condoning things they did or said, it is NOT condoning things they did or said. It’s just being an adult about it and it’s about being rational. Humans are not perfect – never have been never will be.

But, by gosh, Maureen O’Hara and James Stewart came darn close!


Filed Under: Joan Crawford, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Joan Crawford, Joan Crawford Grand Hotel

Joan Crawford, Robert Young, and Franchot Tone: The Bride Wore Red (Pictures of the Day)

December 29, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

The Bride Wore Red: Joan Crawford Robert Young, and Franchot Tone

Joan Crawford Robert Young, and Franchot Tone, The Bride Wore Red (1937)

During filming of The Bride Wore Red (Amazon link to the dvd), an electrician fell from a catwalk high above the set (nearly landing on Joan Crawford). She refused to resume filming until she knew that he would be fully cared for, would remain on salary, and that his family would be provided for.
She also called the hospital each day to check on his condition.
Love this lady!
The Bride Wore Red: Joan Crawford Robert Young, and Franchot Tone

Filed Under: Franchot Tone, Joan Crawford, Picture of the Day, Robert Young Tagged With: Franchot Tone, Joan Crawford, Robert Young

Review: Grand Hotel with Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore… and Joan Crawford!

June 26, 2018 By Joi 1 Comment

Before I go any further, I want to completely own up to having off-beat and fairly unique tastes when it comes to “Old Hollywood,” “The Golden Age of Hollywood,” “Classic Movies…” or whatever phrase best fits your fancy. The stars I often adore most are often the ones others overlook. By the same token, many legendary favorites not only don’t float my boat, they don’t even get it in the lake!

I hope you never take anything I say personally if you’re a fan of any of these legends – after all, they’re legends, after all, and that means that you are undoubtedly right and I am as wrong as can be. But I can live with it if you can.

I am a huge fan of the movie “Grand Hotel,” but it’s (undoubtedly) not for the reason you’d imagine… In fact it’s IN SPITE of the reason you’d imagine. Okay, you guessed it. I’m not the biggest Greta Garbo fan on the planet.

I apologize!

There are times, on screen, when she is brilliant. She was certainly an incredibly fascinating woman in real life – and, undeniably beautiful. The grace, the confidence, the voice… stunning. I personally simply don’t embrace her acting style. Embrace? Heck I don’t even hold its hand.

I apologize!

If, by now, you aren’t convinced that my tastes march to the beat of an odd drummer, I also put Laurence Olivier in that category.  Yes. That Laurence Olivier.  Like Garbo, I have not seen all of Olivier’s movies, so I’m basing this on a sample size I personally possess. If I were to see more of their films, it’s possible that my opinion of each would evolve, but as it is… I’d rather watch an rerun of The Brady Bunch (your pick) than either of these stars at work.

Apologies… plural. They’re really racking up now.

So, how does someone who is not a Garbo fan come to love Grand Hotel? Two words… Joan Crawford.  As is the case with all of her roles, I think she is simply mesmerizing in this movie. It’s one of her earlier films, yet the star quality is still there. So much so, in fact, that she upstages much (at the time) bigger names. She plays a stenographess, Flaemmchen, and it’s impossible to remove your attention from her grip whenever she’s on the screen.

“I want to be alone.” – Grusinskaya (Garbo)

The Plot: A gorgeous, luxurious hotel in Berlin is the setting for this star-studded, fast-paced film. I’d imagine it was the inspiration for television series such as Love Boat and Hotel, as well as many films since.  The movie takes place over the course of 24 hours as life plays out for the colorful characters – each of which will never be the same after the day they’ve had!

John Barrymore plays jewel thief Baron Felix von Geigern. He finds himself attracted to both a prima ballerina Grusinskaya (Greta Garbo) and the beautiful Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford).

Along with Joan Crawford, I’d give the “star of the movie” to Lionel Barrymore who plays terminally ill Otto Kringelein. He’s also simply wonderful in this movie. John Barrymore is also perfect in the movie – I think I just always held  his character against him. I mean, come on now… how can you even look at the prima ballerina or anyone else once you’ve had Flaemmchen in your sights?!  When his character tells Garbo’s that he’s never seen anything in his life as beautiful as her… I all but yell at the screen, “You darn sure have!!!”

Have I mentioned how mesmerizing Crawford is in Grand Hotel?

 “Grand Hotel… always the same. People come, people go. Nothing ever happens.” – Dr. Otternschlag (Lewis Stone)

Grand Hotel Fast Facts:

  • Grand Hotel won Oscar for Best Picture.
  • Garbo purrs her now famous line, “I want to be alone.” in this film.
  • John Barrymore was so excited about appearing in this film with Greta Garbo that he accepted a three picture deal with MGM.
  • Oscar winner Wallace Beery stormed out of rehearsals at one point, saying he would only come back “when Joan Crawford learns to act”. You’ll notice I’ve all but left him out of my review. So there.
  • Joan Crawford was actually nervous about accepting the role of Flaemmchen. She was afraid of backlash because of the overtly sexiness of her character.  Though director Edmund Goulding and producer Irving Thalberg assured her that everything would be tastefully done and that her misgivings weren’t founded, her instinct was (in the end) warranted. Many conservative censor boards cut the majority of her scenes for indecency.
  •  Greta Garbo was nervous about playing a prima ballerina – she was afraid she wasn’t young enough for the role.
  • John Barrymore (Felix von Geigern) and Lionel Barrymore (Otto Kringelein) were, of course, brothers. Lionel was the older brother.
  • Lionel Barrymore would become most famous for his role as Mr. Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). It was actually Barrymore who convinced James Stewart to take the role of George Bailey. Apparently Stewart felt that he was not up to the role so soon after World War II. Thank goodness Barrymore convinced him – I cannot imagine the movie OR Stewart’s career without him bringing George Bailey to life.
  • Garbo was also unhappy about appearing in a film with so many additional stars. Producer Irving Thalberg was able to set her diva mind at ease when he told her she would be billed her by her last name only in the credits. This was a huge honor which was reserved for only largest stars.
  • Though rumors circulated that Joan Crawford was irked by Greta Garbo’s top billing, this is completely false. In 1932 (when the movie was released), Garbo was by far the more established and famous star. Joan Crawford would have certainly been aware of this.

I don’t want to give away anything in regard to the various storylines or the characters, so I will simply say that if you love old movies, you have to see this legendary film. If you’re a huge Greta Garbo fan (my apologies to you for my sentiments, if you are, and I promise to see more of her films!), this is as MUST SEE a movie as you’ll ever encounter. She’s full steam Garbo, here, and you’ll devour every second.

Amazon

Joan Crawford fan? See. The. Movie. Buy. The. Movie. You’ll revel in our girl’s playfulness and sexiness. I may apologize for my lack of love for some stars, but I certainly don’t apologize for this opinion – Joan Crawford and Lionel Barrymore make this movie the masterpiece it is.

Side Note: Watching the Barrymore brothers again in Grand Hotel caused me to read more about their fascinating family. When you get a chance, Google John’s beautiful daughter Diana Barrymore. Drew Barrymore’s resemblance to her is STRIKING.


Filed Under: Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Movie Reviews, Old Movies Tagged With: Grand Hotel movie review, Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Lionel Barrymore, Old Movie Review

Review: Joan Crawford A Talent for Living

May 24, 2018 By Joi 1 Comment

Joan Crawford A Talent for Living

Joan Crawford A Talent for Living

For more years than I could even begin to count, I have always been in the middle of at least one old Hollywood biography, memoir, or autobiography. They fascinate me beyond words. They’re as entertaining and exciting as the movies the stars starred in… sometimes even more so, if we’re being honest.

The most recent biography I read was about the beautiful, talented, and iconic Joan Crawford. Joan Crawford A Talent for Living, by Jennifer Bitman is a very fast-paced look into the fascinating, albeit often heartbreaking, life of Joan Crawford.

From her earliest days to her final days, Joan Crawford comes to life in this “page turner.” It’s a must read for any Joan Crawford fan and makes a cherished addition to any Old Hollywood collection.

One of the things I appreciate the most about Joan Crawford biographies such as A Talent for Living is this: They give Joan Crawford a voice. There have been a lot of negative things published about Joan Crawford… many of which were published and/or written after her death… robbing her of a chance to give her side of the events. As a Joan Crawford fan, I’m very grateful that authors are writing about her and allowing her voice to join the conversation.

Seems only right.

{Review continued below…..}

Quote from A Talent for Living

One of the things I love most about Old Hollywood biographies is the fact that they allow us to see the “star” as an actual flesh and blood human – like all of us who also fall into the category of human (on most days, anyway), the stars made their share of mistakes. Some of them were whoppers. They also, very often, endured great hardships and even abuse – both of which leave scars that do not easily, if ever, heal completely. The lucky ones had family or friends who “had their back” and held them accountable their choices. They had people who loved them too much to let them live anything but their best life.

When I read about stars, such as Joan Crawford, who pretty much had to have their own back, it squeezes my heart. Joan had a life that was defined by loss and an overwhelming sense of not being loved. Early experiences caused her to fear that if she wasn’t perfect, people who she loved would leave her.

As is the case with many people, powerful personal pain morphed into powerful personal demons for Joan… demons she battled daily.

Whether it’s drinking, drugs, and/or self-destructive decisions with relationships, personal demons beg to be silenced. Unfortunately, each of these means of silencing demons leave a lot of carnage in their wake.

Like so many stars, Joan Crawford arrived in Hollywood with open wounds… an earmark of vulnerability. Joan Crawford A Talent for Living gives us a very intimate look at the lasting and intense effect Hollywood had on Joan and at the lasting and intense effect she had on Hollywood! She hit Hollywood much as a hurricane hits land. Hollywood hadn’t seen anything quite like her – and you could make a strong case for it not having seen anyone quite like her since.

That’s the remarkable thing about Joan Crawford – she was so breathtakingly original and unique. She had such a beautiful and strong aura about her. The way she dressed, did her makeup, spoke, walked… even in her expressions. She was strength personified. And yet…. there was, at the same time, an unmistakable quality of vulnerability and need to be loved. A great, great need to be loved.

Author Jennifer Bitman allows us to meet Joan Crawford even before she became Joan Crawford. Through the early chapters, we get to witness her… well… meet herself.

Before she made landfall.

Parts of the book are painful to read but impossible not to. When you’re a fan, you want to know everything about someone – even the things that leave you with a tear in your eye. After all, each experience went into making them who they were.

There are, of course, plenty of experiences in her life that leave you smiling rather than reaching for a tissue. One of the things about Joan Crawford that always makes me smile is her devotion to and love for her fans. They meant the world to her.  With all the people who let her down, I’m especially thankful that she was able to feel the great love of her fans.

I also love that she was apparently a great friend. Her friends knew they could count on her and she had a great reputation for being both gracious and generous.

{Review concludes below….}

In addition to getting to know my favorite stars better, another reason I’m obsessed with Old Hollywood biographies is this: You never know when another favorite will pop up! To read about different stars meeting one another, getting to know one another, and (sometimes) even feuding fascinates me each and every time. While reading A Talent for Living, many names popped up and I hung on each and every word – especially when one Clark Gable arrives on the scene. I don’t want to give anything away, but the relationship between the two is pretty scintillating!

Did Joan Crawford have emotional scars that led to demons? Yes. Did the demons, when she attempted to silence them, cause havoc? Yes. But here’s the thing – to have accomplished all that she accomplished while battling all that she battled is remarkable. It took great strength from a woman who always had a little girl living within who wanted to be loved and desperately needed to know that those she loved weren’t going to betray her or leave her.

While I am as happy as a clam laying on the beach on a Sunday afternoon when I’m lost in the pages of an Old Hollywood biography, I realize there are people who much prefer “fast reads,” books that are neither long or “heavy,” as in difficult to read. If this describes you, you’ll love the fact that this fast-paces book is a very fast read.  It would make an excellent companion at the beach, park, lake, or backyard patio.

Not counting the Filmography (which was incredibly to consult while reading when I wanted to establish a time-line), Bibliography, and Notes – the book is just 175 pages in length.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of  A Talent for Living and really get to know Joan Crawford. Behind the beauty, clothes, talent, and strong aura was a woman who wanted the same things we all want from life – to love and be loved in return.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Are you on Twitter?? If you are a Joan Crawford and/or Old Hollywood fan, I have a Twitter account that I cannot recommend enough.  Bonnie Edinger (account, unfortunately, is no longer active… a huge loss to Old Hollywood Twitter!) is a dream come true for those of us who love this era so much. Last year, one of my daughters had a very complicated pregnancy and, like any mother hen, I spent every day and night worried about her and her baby. When the beautiful baby boy was born prematurely, he had to spend time in the NICU – it hurt to see such a tiny baby hooked up to so many wires. While I always LOVE Bonnie’s beautiful pictures and great information (I’ve learned so much – and here I thought I knew everything… Ha!), I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated them quite as much as I did during these months. When I felt like I was at the end of my emotional rope, I’d find her Twitter page and lose myself in the wonderful pictures and read every wonderful word she had to say.

I have to say, though, I do appreciate the Tweets even when the emotional rope is nowhere in sight! She’s a sweetheart and is even the one who told me about this great book – Joan Crawford is one of her favorite actresses!

Filed Under: Joan Crawford, Old Hollywood Book Reviews Tagged With: Joan Crawford, Old Hollywood Biography Reviews

Joan Crawford: I Feel Like I’ve Met an Exciting New Friend

March 25, 2018 By Joi Leave a Comment

Joan Crawford

“Love is fire. But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell.”

As I said in a recent post about Dorothy Dandridge, I often come across new actors and actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood (or Old Hollywood) who I fall for head over heels. The reason for this is that I tend to watch every movie my favorites are in (many times over), then I watch the movies of the stars that intrigue me in these movies.

For example, Ginger Rogers is, and always has been, one of my favorite stars. When I saw her in The Major and The Minor, Ray Milland joined her on my list of favorites. THEN, over time, while watching his films, I “met” George Raft…. and so on and so on. Somehow, I managed to miss an introduction to Joan Crawford for years and years and years.

How is that even possible when she is one of Hollywood’s biggest legends?! I have absolutely no idea. I do, however, fear that (somewhere deep inside) I was held back from a particular book I had read when I was a teenager. You know the one.

When I reached the age where I grew to understand that stars (politicians, athletes, doctors, lawyers…. you know, humans) are just like the rest of us – warts and all. I’d never “excuse” or try to “justify” anything anyone may or may not have done but, seriously, how can any of us truly know what happened in another person’s home or life?!

What’s more, even when we have access to facts (other than hateful “tell all” books that are beyond inhumane to do to someone when they aren’t even here to defend themselves) – who are we to judge? That’s God’s department and I want no part of it.  Way too much responsibility for a fellow human to bear!

As I’ve often pointed out on Hollywood Yesterday, many of the stars we love (and even the ones we don’t love, as far as that goes!) suffered from emotional and mental illnesses that could be treated today – whereas, then, the individuals was often left with one solution: self medicate. That, as we all know, often meant drugs and/or alcohol. Understandably, when their demons were raging within them, they had one goal – SILENCE them.  Alcohol was, it would appear, the most popular self-medication among stars.

To make a hellish situation even more so, alcohol quickly turns someone into something they’d never hope for in their wildest dream.

This appears to be the tragic tale for so many stars from Old Hollywood, including Joan Crawford.  While this is, obviously, heart-breaking, we don’t have to let it identify their life. Those of us who love these stars so dearly can (and should) keep doing our part to allow their best side to shine – just as they’d want it to. Why compound their pain when we can comfort them instead?

Joan Crawford was a stunningly beautiful and talented actress. Her eyes were absolutely mesmerizing, weren’t they? Something else that I love about her is her voice. I’m not sure what I was expecting, to tell you the truth, but when I first heard her speak, I was taken aback by how beautiful her voice was. I guess with her reputation as such a strong personality, I expected the roar of a lioness! Her voice is as beautiful as her face…. which is saying something.

As I’m basically mowing through her movies now that I’ve “met” her, I’ve found that she commanded a scene like few are able to do. She brought a certain vulnerability to even her strongest roles…. much as she did to her strongest role of all: Joan Crawford. The vulnerability is, unquestionably, there and (as I do with so many of her characters), I find myself desperately wanting to help her. Often it seems that what her characters needed most was to be saved from themselves – again, very much like the lady, herself.

The vulnerability, like the voice, was something I didn’t expect.

Watch for a lot more Joan Crawford on Hollywood Yesterday because I’ve made a new friend and plan to do right by her.

The Bride Wore Red, Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford, The Bride Wore Red

 

Filed Under: Joan Crawford Tagged With: Joan Crawford

Welcome to Hollywood Yesterday!

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

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 sheer magic and I see no reason for the magic to ever die! Read more about Hollywood Yesterday (and see my own favorites) here.

Old Hollywood Actresses

Lena Horne

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

Old Hollywood Actors

Ross Martin and Robert Conrad

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

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Recent Posts

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  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Maureen O’Hara and the MAGNIFICENT Charles Laughton

Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

The Quiet Man is one of the most beautiful, entertaining, colorful, and perfect movies ever made. Two of my favorite stars (Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne) in one of my favorite movies? It doesn’t get much better than that!

More old movie reviews.

Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times

Thank you so much for visiting Hollywood Yesterday! You honor me with your presence and I hope you’ll return very soon and very often.

Stay positive. Stay happy. Stay you.

Meet: Mildred Davis

Mildred Davis

The beauty above is Silent Film star Mildred Davis. She was a frequent co-star (and longtime wife) of legendary actor Harold Lloyd. She’s one of my favorite silent film actresses and one I can’t understand not being a household name!

Ava Gardner Posters

Ava Gardner Show Boat Publicity Photo

Ava Gardner Posters

Rita Hayworth Posters

Rita Hayworth, Gilda Promo Shot

Rita Hayworth Posters

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, A Personal Biography

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
More coming soon!

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…

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!

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.

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

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