Yvonne De Carlo | Hollywood Yesterday

Yvonne De Carlo, Frontier Gal: A Fun and Underrated Western from 1945

September 30, 2022 By Joi

Yvonne De Carlo

If you know anything at all about me, you know that Yvonne De Carlo is one of my favorites. Whether she’s Lilly Munster on The Munsters or one of her MANY colorful characters in movies, she’s always as good as good gets in my world. Phenomenal actress and so beautiful it’s almost distracting!

The beautiful photos, here, are promotional pictures for the 1945 Western Frontier Gal. In addition to Yvonne De Carlo, the cast also includes Rod Cameron, Fuzzy Knight, and Andy Devine.

You can find Frontier Gal on dvd (Amazon link), but be warned, it is NOT cheap! Yvonne De Carlo is one of the stars I “collect,” so I need this one for my collection… but holy cats is it pricey?!

Yvonne De Carlo in Frontier Gal

Happy Birthday to Pat Priest (Marilyn on The Munsters)!

August 15, 2022 By Joi

Butch Patrick, Yvonne De Carlo, Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis, and Pat Priest

Happy birthday to the beautiful Pat Priest – best known as the lovable Marilyn on The Munsters. But, unless they’ve seen the first 15 episodes of the series, a lot of people don’t realize she was actually the second actress to play Marilyn.

Beverley Owen was the first Marilyn (for the 1st 15 episodes).

In addition to portraying Marilyn to the hilt, Pat Priest also made a lot of guest-appearances on television including Perry Mason, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mannix, and Bewitched.

You can watch The Munsters on Prime Video or buy the complete series on dvd (Amazon link). After shopping for several other favorites on dvd, I was joyfully surprised by how inexpensive The Munsters is! It would make a really fun gift idea for anyone who loves classic television.

Yvonne De Carlo: Beautiful Picture from The Captain’s Paradise

June 30, 2022 By Joi

Yvonne De Carlo

One of my favorite old Hollywood actresses, Yvonne De Carlo, actually became one of my favorite actresses before I ever saw her in a single movie! I had always loved her on The Munsters (she was my favorite character on the show… still is) and never missed an episode. One day when my mom called me into the living room to show me a stunningly beautiful brunette in a movie she was watching and asked me, “Know who that is??”

I told her I had no idea but that she was as beautiful as Ava Gardner, Maureen O’Hara, or any other actress I’d ever seen. When she told me it was Yvonne De Carlo, I started to laugh, thinking she was pulling my leg, but then I heard the actress talk and looked into her eyes… and all I could say was, “Lilly! It IS you!”

I honestly can’t remember, for certain, which of her movies was on, but I think it was Frontier Gal.

I have, of course, since then watched most of her movies and have become a bigger fan of her than ever. She was incredibly multitalented and had a way of lighting up a screen as soon as she stepped into the picture. I’d love for more people to become familiar with her films – she’s known primarily as Lilly Munster (and there’s NOTHING in the world wrong with that!) but I’d love to see her get the recognition she deserves as a film actress.

You can find Yvonne De Carlo movies on dvd (Amazon link) as well as Prime Video on Amazon.

Debra Paget, Yvonne De Carlo, Anne Baxter, and Charlton Heston: The Ten Commandments (1956)

March 22, 2022 By Joi

Debra Paget

When I hear the word epic used in the world of film, one of the first movies I think of is the wonderful The Ten Commandments (1956). Directed by the director most associated with epics, Cecil B. DeMille, the movie boasts an absolutely ALL STAR cast: Charlton Heston, Anne Baxter, Yul Brenner , Yvonne De Carlo, Edward G. Robinson, Debra Paget, Cedric Hardwicke, and John Carradine… just to name a few.

Charlton Heston as Moses

I’ve read that at least 14,000 extras and 15,000 animals were used in the filming of The Ten Commandments. Now, I have no idea if it’s factual or not but a long-held old Hollywood story (involving an extra) goes like this: While filming a scene that precedes Moses’ descent from Mount Horeb with the two stone tablets, the legendary producer/director Cecil B. DeMille was seated on top of a ladder, looking down on the action. He was in the middle of one of his customary LONG-WINDED speeches and directions through a megaphone to the hundreds of extras involved. Legend has it that he was angered when he spied a female extra talking to another woman during (horrors!) his speech. He was so incensed that he pointed and directed everyone’s attention to the horrified woman and asked if she’d like to share (with everyone else) what she was saying to the other woman…. what could have been SO IMPORTANT that she’d dare not listen to him with rapt attention?!

After an awkward few seconds of silence, the young woman confessed, “I was just saying to my friend here, ‘I wonder when that bald-headed old fart is gonna call ‘Lunch!‘”

Unfazed, DeMille stared blankly at the woman for a moment… then lifted his megaphone and shouted, “Lunch!”

Again, I have no idea if it’s true or not but I ever so want it to be!

Anne Baxter, The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and, personally, I have no idea how it didn’t win. The award was given to Around the World in 80 Days. I think I will be scratching my head over that one for all of eternity.

You can find the WONDERFUL epic The Ten Commandments on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Yvonne De Carlo

Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster, The Munsters

October 16, 2021 By Joi

Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster

One of my favorite classic television shows is The Munsters. Few things are as enjoyable as sitting back and visiting with Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Marilyn, and Eddie. The series ran from 1964 to 1966 and while I wasn’t quite old enough to enjoy it in its first-run, I have made up for lost time in reruns!

My favorite character is Lily and the main reason is Yvonne De Carlo. She portrayed her to absolute perfection. The entire cast was phenomenal.

You can find the complete series of The Munsters on dvd (Amazon link)!

Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster

Clark Gable and Yvonne De Carlo, Band of Angels (1957)

August 3, 2021 By Joi

Clark Gable and Yvonne De Carlo

Clark Gable and Yvonne De Carlo star in a historical romance that isn’t talked nearly enough about, Band of Angels. The 1957 film was directed by one of my personal favorite directors, Raoul Walsh and also stars the wonderful Sidney Poitier.

You can find Band of Angels on dvd (Amazon link) and… I’m equally happy to say… you can find it on Prime Video. While I, personally, love to build my dvd collection (especially when it’s films with my favorites – which certainly includes these three stars), it is also great to watch films on Prime Video. In fact, many of my dvds are allowed to stay protected in their wrappers because I can watch them on Prime Video.

Yvonne De Carlo and Clark Gable

Yvonne De Carlo, Hotel Sahara

August 3, 2021 By Joi

Yvonne De Carlo, Hotel Sahara

Yvonne De Carlo has been one of my favorite television actresses for as long as I can remember. In fact, The Munsters is one of my first favorite tv shows and Lily was one of the main reasons.

It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered her film roles. Talk about a shock when I saw that the stunning beauty on the screen was actually the same actress who had been bringing Lily into my home for so many years!

When I saw my first Yvonne De Carlo movie and realized it was her, I looked closer and it was obvious. Same gorgeous eyes, features, and unmistakable voice.

Whether it was tv or films, Yvonne De Carlo was one of the best and most beautiful actresses ever. I wish she had been given more lead roles and more opportunities to be more than the “beautiful girl” – perhaps she’d be even better known today as a film actress.

The lobby card above is for the 1951 movie Hotel Sahara. It’s actually (in spite of not being very well-known) quite good and very much worth watching. You can find Hotel Sahara on dvd (Amazon link). It isn’t, unfortunately, on Prime Video yet, but I hope it will be available one day.

Maureen O’Hara McLintock! Lobby Cards

February 15, 2021 By Joi

Bruce Cabot and Maureen O’Hara, McLintock!

The lobby card above features Maureen O’Hara and Bruce Cabot in the wonderfully fun western McLintock! The 1963 film, directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, boasts an unbelievably strong and colorful cast. In addition to Cabot and O’Hara, the film stars John Wayne, Stefanie Powers, Patrick Wayne, Yvonne DeCarlo, Chill Wills, Jerry Van Dyke, Edgar Buchanan, and Jack Kruschen.

You can watch McLintock on Prime Video or buy the dvd on Amazon for your collection.

Fellow Lobby Card Fanatics and Collectors, you can find a great collection of lobby cards on both eBay and Amazon. I’ve always been aware of the availability of the cards on eBay but have only recently become aware of the great number on Amzaon.

Maureen O’Hara McLintock Lobby Card (love this one!)

Yvonne De Carlo, Gorgeous Band of Angels Publicity Still

January 3, 2021 By Joi

Yvonne De Carlo, Band of Angels

Clark Gable, Yvonne De Carlo, and Sidney Poitier star in the 1957 historical drama Band of Angels. Not only does it star three exceptional leads (certainly three of my personal favorites), it was directed by the wonderful Raoul Walsh.

You can find Band of Angels on dvd (Amazon link) or watch it on Prime Video.

Yvonne De Carlo Promotional Still from Hotel Sahara

October 3, 2020 By Joi

Yvonne De Carlo, Hotel Sahara

The gorgeous photo of the even more gorgeous Yvonne De Carlo, above, is a promotional still for the 1951 movie Hotel Sahara. The romantic war film (with quite a bit of comedy too… something you don’t often see from a war film!) was directed by Ken Annakin and also starred, among others, Peter Ustinov, David Tomlinson, and Ronald Culver.

It’s a good and very much worth watching. Peter Ustinov is always ridiculously entertaining and Yvonne De Carlo will leave you speechless. She exceled at that.

You can find Hotel Sahara on dvd (Amazon link). It isn’t, unfortunately, on Prime Video yet, but I hope it will be available one day.