Old Movies, Actors and Actresses | Hollywood Yesterday

How Well Do You Know Rosemary Clooney? 16 Fast Facts About a Multi-Talented Star

May 11, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Rosemary Clooney, Dean Martin, and Jerry Lewis on The Colgate Comedy Hour

One of my quirkiest regrets (when it comes to Old Hollywood stars) is that so many aren’t remembered as they “should be” or as they “deserve to be.” Many, especially when they became older, did television and/or commercials and this is how many are remembered by most. If only they had prophetic advisers to tell them to steer clear of commercials. They’re shown so frequently (and right in the comfort of the viewer’s own home!) that the image becomes ingrained.

The only way for us Old Hollywood enthusiasts to counter that is to get more pictures, videos, and information OUT THERE of the stars when they were full of vitality, packed with talent, and beautifully radiant.

When I think about this conundrum, one of the names that always comes to mind is Rosemary Clooney. This actress and singer was very beautiful and talented, and.. could she ever sing?! She absolutely had the voice of an angel.

There’s so much more to her than paper towel commercials!

Rosemary Clooney Trivia:

Rosemary was born and raised in Maysville, Kentucky – she was one of five children.
The street in Maysville – where her parents lived when she was born – was renamed in her honor.
Rosemary and her sister Betty sang at their grandfather’s mayoral election campaigns, which he won three times.
Her big break came in in 1954 when she starred in White Christmas Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Vera-Ellen.
She and then-husband José Ferrer had five children between 1955 and 1960. The marriage was a very tempestuous one and is cited for the cause of her nervous breakdown in 1968. She recovered and returned to work in 1976.
George Clooney is her nephew (he’s the son of Rosemary’s brother Nick Clooney).
Rosemary’s son, Gabriel is married to singer Debby Boone.
Once Rosemary was performing with singer/pianist Michael Feinstein at the Hollywood Bowl. Before taking the stage, they were both noticeably nervous. Expecting Rosemary to give him words of strength and encouragement, Michael Feinstein was shocked when she told him, “Don’t think this ever gets any easier!“
One of her more interesting quotes (and she had a lot of them!) was: “In the final analysis, it’s true that fame is unimportant. No matter how great a man is, the size of his funeral usually depends on the weather.”
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording in Hollywood, California.
She performed annually at the “Rosemary Clooney Music Festival” in her hometown of Maysville, Kentucky.
Beginning in 1980, Rosemary called Augusta, Kentucky home. What a peaceful retreat it must have been from her busy showbiz days!
On October 1st, 2005, her Augusta, Kentucky home was partially transformed into a celebration of her life, The Rosemary Clooney House – a non-profit foundation headed by former Kentucky Lt. Gov Dr. Steve Henry and his wife, former Miss America and Augusta native, Heather French Henry.
After Rosemary Clooney’s death, her children bought the home from the Henrys.
The Rosemary Clooney House has the largest collection of White Christmas memorabilia in the world.
Rosemary Clooney is buried at St. Patrick’s Cemetery near her mother and grandmother in Maysville, Ky.

Below, Rosemary Clooney sings “Hey There.”

Be prepared to become obsessed with this beautiful voice.

Sally Rand: Fan Dancing at the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair

May 10, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Below is Fan Dancer Sally Rand at the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair – and, before you get ready to cover your eyes (or pop them out, whichever way to approach it!), she is wearing a bodysuit, here.

Her movements and the way she controls the fans as though they are part of her is mesmerizing. Accompanied by the beautiful music, this video is unspeakably relaxing!

Be sure to see my Barefoot to the Chin: The FANtastic Life of Sally Rand Review. This is such a wonderful book!

Barefoot to the Chin: The FANtastic Life of Sally Rand (Wonderful Book!)

May 7, 2019 By Joi 2 Comments

As I’ve said countless times, one of my favorite things in life is reading classic Hollywood biographies and autobiographies. Words can’t possibly describe how much I love them, so I won’t even try – suffice to say that when I have a great one in my hands, I am as happy as happy is allowed to be.

The gorgeous (as in stunningly gorgeous) book you see here is Barefoot to the Chin: The FANtastic Life of Sally Rand and it is one of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading – whether it’s my beloved Old Hollywood books, my treasured Agatha Christie collection, or the countless historical biographies I collect and devour. This book is as well-written, beautifully presented, perfectly researched, and thoroughly enjoyable as any book I’ve ever met.

If you have ever written a book review, you will know what I mean when I say that the better the book, the harder the review is to write. You’d think it’d be opposite – a wonderful book should be easy to rave about… a terrible one should be hard to talk about. However, my own personal experience is that the more I love a book – the more difficult it is to reign in all of my thoughts.

This particular book is so outstanding that my adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and direct objects are all bumping into one another.

I work with words all day in my home office and yet, here I sit, trying to hog tie enough words to make a coherent sentence!

“Hog tie…” I may watch too many Westerns.

Barefoot to the Chin: The FANtastic Life of Sally Rand is wonderfully written by Jim Lowe (in collaboration with Bonnie Egan). It is clearly a labor of love and great respect for its beautiful, fascinating, intelligent, and uncommonly brave subject, Sally Rand.

“She could hold her own in any conversation – an amazingly brilliant woman.” ~ Jack Grodon, Fort Worth Press (1936)

I love books that pull you in and grab your attention right off the bat. Books that take a few chapters to warm up often are never given the chance with me. Can you say short attention span? Barefoot to the Chin grabs your attention on the first page and never lets it go – never even loosens its grip. If anything, it tightens it now and again, just to keep the reader honest.

I’m a huge history buff, so I hung on every word of Sally Rand’s family history. The proverbial “stage” is set beautifully for us. We can see how Sally’s childhood, and perhaps even her family’s fascinating history helped propel her into the spotlight. Make no mistake about it, once the stage was set and the spotlight turned on, this beautiful lady made her own history, on her own terms.

In 1934, Mae West and Sally Rand were the record earners among women entertainers.

I recently became somewhat obsessed with reading about showgirls and burlesque dancers such as Sally Rand, Faith Bacon, Tempest Storm, Gypsy Rose Lee, the dancers who went by the name Little Egypt (there were more than one!), and many others. People can point fingers and pass judgment (personally I’m not into either of these sports) but these women and others like them danced their way into what was, at the time, the entertainment industry. Many simply did what they had to do to get by.

Others? Maybe they darn well liked it!

It was such a treat to come across so many of these flamboyant ladies within the pages of the book. Not only did I get to walk along with Sally as she lived out her colorful life, I got to meet so many fascinating people along the way. In addition to the Sally’s contemporaries, we meet up with A LOT of familiar names from Old Hollywood and history on these delicious pages.

However, I’d like to quickly and decisively add that Sally is the star of this book. The rest? Well they’re co-stars, of course.

Sally Rand had a boldness and a palpable determination about her that made her a force – a decidedly feminine force, but a force nonetheless – one not to be messed with OR told what to do. On the flip side, however, there was a softness… even a vulnerability to a certain extent that draws you to her. She was also a kind, compassionate soul – traits that also draw you to her.

This type of personality is to be celebrated if you ask me.

“I was born in the last naive moment America was ever to enjoy… between the Spanish-American War and the First World War. Things were S. S.& G.- Sweet, Simple, and Girlish.” ~ Sally Rand

As a great lover of Old Hollywood biographies, I have even entertained writing one, myself, about one of my favorite actresses. The motivation would be to share her life with others, to help them understand her better, and to… certainly… draw others to her. To, through the written word, celebrate her life in the best way possible – after all a biography is a lasting legacy for generations to read.

While reading this exceptional book, I thought many times about this very thing because it is precisely what Jim Rowe has done. He has celebrated a life very much worth celebrating and left a legacy for her – an especially beautiful one, at that.

He spent years getting to know Sally Rand better and has shared this WEALTH of information with his readers. Fortunately for us, he is such an engaging writer that each and every page is a joy to read. He has a stunning knack for creating scenes and allowing your mind’s eye to see, not only Sally, but all that Sally saw.

{Continued Below…}

Ten Things I Love Best About Barefoot to the Chin

When writing Old Hollywood movie or book reviews, I try to keep it brief – I always tell myself, “Never rant and rave for as long as it’d take them to watch the movie or buy the book!” Ironically, I feel that I am going to break my own rule, here, but I do hope you’ll stick with me – I desperately want you to get to know Sally Rand better and would love to see this book read by as many people as possible.

Below are ten of the things I love best about this wonderful celebration of Sally Rand.

Sally Rand is treated with the UTMOST of respect. It would be easy (given this particular beautiful subject’s penchant for sex appeal and nudity) for an author to make “Junior High School” type jokes or to drift, even briefly, to crude words that equate to wolf calls. I mean, let’s face it, Sally was a knock out. The girls who danced in her circles? Knock outs. The author, however, never even hints at sensationalism, crudeness, or howling. She is treated as she should be treated, as an entertainer and with great respect. As a female, as a mother of females, and as a fan of Sally’s, I love this to distraction and appreciate it greatly.
There were NO shortcuts with anything associated with this book. Whether it’s the incredible research (many years of research, at that), the gorgeous cover, the stunning photographs throughout the book, or the mere fact that each and every chapter is filled with spellbinding content – the reader is never short-changed in any way possible. You’re given so much more than you dared to expect. Counting the Epilogue, this book is 718 pages in length. It is the type of book you lose yourself in. The type of book that, even while cooking supper, your mind is thinking, “When can I get back to Sally!?“
The photographs are an absolute JOY. As I often point out with my reviews, one of my biggest goals (second to telling my readers what they’ll love about the book in question) is to be certain not to give anything away. I am obsessive when it comes to this! Authors, editors, and illustrators put so much time, effort, energy, and passion into making a book exactly as they want it to be – from the manner in which they share their information to the pictures they share. That’s why I’m not photographing and sharing any of the wonderful pictures from this book. (When you click through Barefoot to the Chin: The FANtastic Life of Sally Rand and read about the book on Amazon, you’ll find a few pictures.) The main reason, when it comes to books like this is, the mere fact that these wonderful, wonderful pictures (I especially love the ones of Sally as a child) are almost always from a loved one’s private collection. My reasoning is, if they want the pictures on the internet, they’ll put them there! Suffice to say, the pictures and the history they tell and the lives they share are breathtaking.
You never know who you’ll meet along the way. Those of us who love, love, love biographies like this get a special thrill out of reading about other stars and/or historical figures as we follow our subject’s life. In Barefoot to the Chin, not only do we get to know Sally Rand ever so much better, we also get to know familiar names and faces along the way better than we knew them before. In the vein of not giving too much away, I will just throw a few names out there – Elvis, Teddy Roosevelt, Claudette Colbert, Joan Crawford… there are many more than these giants, but I simply cannot allow myself to name any more. I’m already clearly breaking one of my own rules as it is.
The author is a GREAT author! Have you ever read a biography about someone and thought, “This is great research… I love the star the book is about.. but the author is so dry dirt is envious of him/her!” I have. While non-fiction is my favorite thing to read, and the only thing I read (aside from my Agatha Christie obsession), I have found that it takes a special talent to tell about someone’s life and make it as compelling to read as a great novel. Jim Lowe has done just that. This wonderful book, in fact, it could be a great, best-selling novel – IF you didn’t know the larger than life heroine actually existed. Boy, did she ever.
Mental Spark Plug… When is the last time you learned something new? Do you remember how exhilarating it was? I find that when I’m learning something new or taking my mind in an entirely new direction, it feels like a natural high. The world of burlesque dancers and showgirls is a pretty new world to most of us. But it is so fascinating you’ll wonder why you haven’t been reading about these ladies all your life. As I said earlier, they are now a new personal interest and I cannot read enough about them or this era. Learning new things and reading about new people acts like spark plugs for your brain. And, come on, who doesn’t need that kind of action?!
I love that this book is unique and filled a void. Certain stars seem to have countless biographies. Not that I’m complaining, mind you, very often a fresh voice can give you a fresh understanding of someone you only thought you knew. However, I also LOVE when stars who have comparatively little written about them have their time to shine.
This book would make an EXCELLENT gift. Whether it’s for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday, or Christmas, gifting a book lover with Barefoot to the Chin would be a extraordinary idea. While lovers of Classic Hollywood or history would, obviously pass out from delight with this book, so would your average bookworm. My oldest daughter, for example, prefers fiction but I can’t wait for her to read Barefoot to the Chin. She is forever talking about her favorite authors – how some hold your attention better than others, etc. She is going to love this author so much. In fact, I have a feeling he’ll make a non-fiction fan out of her!
I love the research that went into this book. I can only imagine all the effort and time that went into researching, not just Sally, but her family, friends, and contemporaries as well. Frankly, there isn’t a lot out there. After I recently read another biography about Sally Rand and Faith Bacon, I was ravenous for more information about them as well as other dancers and showgirls. There simply isn’t much information to be found. To turn up all this fascinating information is just phenomenal – and I hung on every word. When you read this book (and I certainly hope you do), be sure to go slowly and enjoy each step. This book is a journey and journeys aren’t meant to be rushed through, they’re meant to be savored.
Last but certainly not least… Sally. Make that SALLY. She was intelligent, beautiful, complex, creative, brave, SASSY, and bold. Reading about her life was a joy and I plan to reread the book (after my daughter reads it) this summer. Sally’s life (as told beautifully and thoroughly through this book) would make a phenomenal movie – I can’t tell you how much I’d love for that to happen! Getting to know Sally better while walking along with the author through her colorful life has made me a huge Sally Rand fan (and an author can’t really ask for more than that). In fact, on my About Page, I list my favorite Old Hollywood Actresses. After reading Barefoot to the Chin and watching Sally in YouTube videos, I added her to the list. I intentionally positioned her between Joan Crawford and Claudette Colbert because I think she’d get a huge kick out of that. And before anyone tells me I simply can’t do that… don’t waste your breath. Clearly I’m all about breaking rules today.

I truly hope you’ll grab a copy of Barefoot to the Chin: The FANtastic Life of Sally Rand right away. I’m so anxious for others to get to know this wonderfully entertaining woman. She’ll make you laugh, make you gasp, and make you cry. One thing is for certain – you won’t forget her.

Sally Rand was once named the most beautiful girl in America by Cecil B. DeMille!

See Sally Rand Fan Dancing at the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair!

Marilyn Monroe Reusable Tote…. Gorgeous!

April 29, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

I have become obsessed… obsessed, I tell you, with using reusable totes. Why? I’ll give you a condensed run-down of the reasons because “why” is a very good question!

As an animal lover extraordinaire, my number one reason is to protect wildlife.

According to SPREP.org, thousands (as in the 100,000 range!) of marine animal deaths are caused each year when these animals mistake plastic shopping bags in the ocean for food.
Plastic bags that fly out of trash cans also pose huge hazards to small animals who become trapped in them.

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.

Durable and weather resistant shopper tote
Made from 25% recycled materials
Handle features an 8 inch drop; Bight and bold Marilyn Monroe design
Wipe clean with a damp cloth
Measures 16 x 6 x 12 inches

Click the link for more details: Marilyn Monroe Reusable Tote

I’ll write about more as I find them!

Review: The Pirate With Judy Garland and Gene Kelly

April 24, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Do you happen to have an “obscure” movie that you just love body, mind, and soul? One that the average person feels either so-so about or, worse yet, thinks it’s about as bad as it gets?!?

If you do… I think we could be great friends because many of my favorite movies fall in this category. Judy Garland and Gene Kelly star in one such movie – The Pirate. I just love this upbeat, joyful, and unapologetically fun musical.

Okay – since I’m always totally honest with you, I’m going to trust you with another little bit of truth. I like it even better than Singin’ in the Rain or Easter Parade.

Boom! That is some heavy truth there, but it is what it is. There is something magical about the chemistry between Judy Garland and Gene Kelly – a chemistry that is palpable as far as I’m concerned. I, personally, think he sparked more with Judy than any other actress, dancer, or singer.

One of the reasons I love The Pirate so much is the simple fact that Judy Garland is in it. I’m a huge fan, so if she’s there, I’m already on board. But it goes beyond Judy. It’s just a fun, enjoyable movie – very colorful and festive. Exactly how a musical should be!

I’m also drawn to the fact that Gene Kelly seems to enjoy this role (or co-starring with Judy Garland… maybe both?) immensely. He’s having fun with the role and “having fun with…” isn’t something we tend to associate with the intense perfectionist that was Gene Kelly.

Is it over the top? You bet.

Is it far-reaching? Oh, absolutely.

Are there a few moments so corny you can almost smell the butter? You know it.

But…. would I watch it 7 days out of 8 and grin like the Cheshire cat from start to end each and every time. A thousand times yes.

Not only is The Pirate one of my favorite musicals, Judy Garland’s Mack the Black is one of my favorite musical numbers. If I had the task of “introducing” the great Judy Garland to someone and wanted, desperately, to prove to them why I love her so much – this would probably be the number I’d lead with. She shows, with song, dance, and those glorious expressions… that she was and is one of the greatest performers of all time.

Showmanship? The lady oozed it and it was a beautiful thing.

I hope you’ll catch The Pirate as soon as possible. In the video below, Judy sings Mack the Black. I understand that the circumstances won’t make a BIT of sense to you if you haven’t seen the movie – but it doesn’t need to. All you need to do is watch this beautiful lady in her element.

She was one if a billion, wasn’t she?

Buster Keaton: 22 Fast Facts About a Silent Film Legend and an Old Hollywood GENIUS!

April 22, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Buster Keaton and Phyllis Haver in The Balloonatic

Joseph Frank Keaton was born on October 4, 1895 in Piqua, Kansas. He would become one of the world’s biggest stars, Buster Keaton.
Unlike many silent film stars, Buster was eager to go into movies with sound. Not only was he was blessed with a wonderful voice, he had years of stage experience behind him, so memorizing and reciting dialogue was not a problem for him.
He fractured his neck while filming Sherlock Jr. (1924) but didn’t learn about it until many years later when a doctor saw X-rays of his neck during a routine physical examination.
Sadly, he became a victim of alcoholism when he his career collapsed around 1930. He defeated the disease, however, when he married Eleanor Norris Keaton. They were married from 1940 until his death in 1966.
Keaton was voted the seventh Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly, making him the highest rated comedy director! Charles Chaplin, surprisingly (to me, anyway) did not make the list.
He was voted the 35th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly…. let’s say it together… “Should have been higher!”
Not only did he do all his own stunts, but he often acted as a stunt double for other actors.
Wanted to become an engineer as a child.
He often surrounded himself with tall, even heavyset actors, in his films, typically in the roles of antagonists. This caused his size to seem at a much larger disadvantage, heightening the humor. Charlie Chaplin also used this clever casting trick.
Was hearing-impaired after serving in Germany fighting World War I.
In one scene in Sherlock Jr. (1924), Keaton was hanging from a tube connected to a water basin. The water poured out and washed him on to the track, fracturing his neck. The footage appears in the released film.
Buster loved to play baseball and would sometimes play between takes on the movie set.
Said he learned everything about movie-making and comedy from his friend Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle.
His 1924 film, The Navigator, was his most successful movie (financially).
He and his parents formed an acrobatic group called “The Three Keatons” in his childhood.
While there is a bit of controversy over the origin of his nickname “Buster,” I have personally read that it was attributed to him by none other than Houdini!
Houdini was once the partner of Joe Keaton (Buster’s father) in a medicine-show group. Reportedly, after he saw a young Buster fall down a set of stairs without being injured, Houdini referred to him as “Buster” and the nickname stuck.
When Buster was three years old he got his right index finger caught in a clothes wringer and it was crushed and had to be amputated at the first knuckle.
He died on the same day as Hedda Hopper.
In 1952 while remodeling his home, actor James Mason (who had purchased Keaton’s mansion) found several reels of Buster’s “lost” films and immediately recognized their wonderful historical significance. He took upon himself the responsibility for their preservation!
He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures and for Television.
His own favorite short was Hard Luck (1921) which had been considered lost until a copy was found.
Died quietly at home, in his sleep, shortly after playing cards with his wife.

Faye Wray: Sweet 16 Facts About King Kong’s Favorite Leading Lady

April 18, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Beautiful Fay Wray is best remembered as the girl held in King Kong’s giant hand in the iconic movie from 1933. I love a lot of things about this wonderful actress, but one of the things I love the most is the fact that even though her career was often lost in the HUGE shadow of King Kong, she didn’t seem bitter in the least. From what I’ve read, she has only spoken favorably about the entire apeish experience. A lot of stars tend to resent being so incredibly associated with a particular role or movie but she seemed to be genuinely grateful to have been a part of such a colossally enjoyable and historically memorable movie.

Many of us who desperately love Old Hollywood are passionate about keeping the stars’ names alive and their faces and movies in front of new generations of fans. It honestly becomes almost an obsession with us, if I’m being honest! Fay Wray falls into an unfortunate category of Old Hollywood actors and actresses that make our job a bit more difficult.

When stars have, say, less than five movies that are really “well known” and celebrated, it is VERY rare to find their movies shown on television or readily available on dvds. It’s very challenging to introduce new legions of fans to an actor or actress if they can’t find their movies easily. This poses a huge challenge, too, for most stars from the silent movie era.. aside, of course, from Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, and Pickford.

I’ve found another challenge with these stars as well. When you hear even casual fans of old movies talk about their favorites (which we all do pretty much non-stop!), you’ll hear the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Barbara Stanwyck, Ava Gardner, James Stewart, Lana Turner, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant… it seems that, frustratingly enough, the celebrated only become more celebrated. I’m not pointing fingers, I’m as guilty as anyone! Heck you’ll hear me talking 24/7 about the group I just named, in fact!

When actors and actresses – who often happen to be just as talented as the celebrated ones – don’t have films that are as readily available as the popular crowd’s films… sadly, they get lost in the shuffle.

I lose track of the number of times I feel myself getting frustrated about this very thing and have to get up and make a cup of tea to distract myself and the frustration! What compounds the frustration is the fact that while some of these stars we want to see celebrated more intensely simply made poor choices with the movies they agreed to star in…. often it wasn’t in their hands. Studios often depicted what movies they would star in and their star rose and fell, to a certain extent based upon these choices.

At any rate, I’ll step down off of the soap box now and allow you to get to know Fay Wray better. She was a very fascinating woman. I’m having a nightmare of a time finding more of her movies to buy and watch, but from the ones I’ve seen, she was off the charts talented and, obviously, beautiful. I can’t help thinking of the number of “favorite actress” lists she’d appear on if she’d had even three more widely shown movies.

Fay Wray was born in Canada on September 15, 1907 but was raised in Los Angeles. She was barely in her teens when she began working in films as an extra.
Two days after her death, the lights on the Empire State Building in New York City were dimmed for 15 minutes in her memory. Beautiful tribute to her iconic scene at the end of King Kong, her most popular movie. I’ve read that when she died (August 8, 2004 at the age of 96), King Kong was showing in the hospital’s ER waiting room.
Wray was originally offered the role of the elderly Rose DeWitt Bukater in Titanic (1997), but she turned the role down.
King Kong (1933) saved its studio, RKO Radio Pictures, from bankruptcy.
She became friends with producer Peter Jackson, who happened to be a big fan.
She is credited as being Hollywood’s first “scream queen.” Not at all surprising, when you consider her thrillers during 1932-1933: Doctor X (1932), Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933), The Vampire Bat (1933), The Most Dangerous Game (1932) and, of course, King Kong (1933).
Described King Kong as her “little man”.
In January 2003, a 95-year-old Fay Wray was awarded the “Legend in Film” Award at the Palm Beach International Film Festival.
On the main street of Cardston, Alberta, Canada (her birthplace) there is the “Fay Wray Fountain” in her honor.
She had a daughter, Susan, by her first marriage to writer John Monk Saunders and two children, Robert Jr. and Victoria, by her second marriage to writer Robert Riskin.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.
Pictured on one of four 51¢ Canadian commemorative postage stamps honoring “Canadians in Hollywood” issued 22 May 2006.
Along with Ginger Rogers and actress Marie Blake, she was a bridesmaid in Jeanette MacDonald’s 1937 wedding to Gene Raymond.
She gave much of her time and money towards various political causes. She was active in the campaigns of Wendell Willkie, Thomas E. Dewey, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.
She was friends with: Laraine Day, Joel McCrea, Frances Dee, Dorothy Lamour, Fred MacMurray, June Haver, Gloria Stuart, Jean Arthur, Ginger Rogers, Walt Disney, Bruce Cabot, Cary Grant, Richard Barthelmess, Mae Clarke, Pat O’Brien, Irene Dunne, Bob Hope, Dolores Hope, Robert Cummings, Ann Sothern, Joseph Cotten, Patricia Medina, Robert Montgomery, Walter Pidgeon, Naomi Watts, Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan.
My favorite Fay Wray fast fact…. She drove a car into her 90s!

Harold Lloyd: Silent Movie Legend (Ten Fast Facts)

April 17, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

When most people think of “Silent Movie Stars,” they first think of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Mary Pickford. Even people who have never seen a silent movie in their life (boy, are they missing out!) have heard of these three legends.

However, those of us who live and breathe old movies, know there’s a HUGE name missing on this list of household names – Mr. Harold Lloyd. One of my favorite soapbox subjects on Hollywood Yesterday is this quandary: Why are so many (equally deserving) stars overlooked while others achieve lasting fame – even among casual old movie fans. I simply do not know. Was Lloyd as talented and hilarious as Chaplin? Yes. Is he as celebrated today as Chaplin? No.

I have no answers. Only questions. But, that’s essentially why I began and continue to publish Hollywood Yesterday – to keep as many of these wonderful stars in the public eye as possible, while doing my part to introduce them to new generations of fans. The Chaplins, the Keatons, the Pickfords AND the Lloyds of the world.

If you aren’t familiar with Harold Lloyd, I hope you’ll enjoy reading a little about him below, then promptly find a few of his movies to enjoy. Trust me, you’ll soon be asking, “Why isn’t he a household name?!” too.

If you come up with any answers, let me know.

10 Fast Facts About Harold Lloyd:

Harold Clayton Lloyd was born on April 20, 1893 in Burchard, Nebraska,
I love lasting Hollywood marriages (mostly because they’re so rare), so I am in love with the fact that Harold Lloyd and silent movie star Mildred Davis were married from 1923 to her death in 1969. They were frequent co-stars.
Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, and Buster Keaton are considered to be the three most influential film comedians of the silent film era. They’re often referred to as “The Big Three.”
While he was never credited as a writer, make no mistake about it, Lloyd was the brains behind all of his movies. He came up with most of the gags, props, and stories.
Unlike many other stars of the silent era, Lloyd was known to be very smart with his money. While he had many expensive hobbies, he would still leave an inheritance of $12 million dollars after his death in 1971. At one time, he was one of the 10 richest entertainers in the world.
One of his fascinating hobbies was 3-D photography. He took hundreds of images of Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Richard Burton and Roy Rogers. Many of his photos are reproduced in the book “3-D Hollywood: Photography by Harold Lloyd“, which was edited by his granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd Hayes.
Other hobbies included breeding Great Danes, collecting cars, movie-watching (it’s said that he would have “marathon movie nights” several times each week… the man is my hero), record-collecting, and photography. He had an insatiable appetite for photography.
In 1919 Harold Lloyd was handed what he thought to be a prop bomb. Horrifyingly enough, it was a real bomb and when he lit it with his cigarette, it exploded, blowing off his right thumb and index finger. He spent months in the hospital but, when he recovered, he returned to work.
His movie Safety Last is included on Roger Ebert’s “Great Movies” list.
Mildred and Harold Lloyd had three children: Gloria Lloyd (1923–2012) and Harold Clayton Lloyd Jr. (1931–1971) and Marjorie Elizabeth Lloyd (1924–1986), who they adopted in 1930.

Harold Lloyd’s Famous Scene from the Film Safety Last (1923):

Find Harold Lloyd DVDs on Amazon!

Heidi (1937): Watch the Full Movie

April 15, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

I grew up watching (and loving!) Shirley Temple and all of her wonderful movies. I still watch them… and you’d better believe I still love them.

And her!

Below is the wonderful movie Heidi from 1937. I honestly believe we tend to take Shirley Temple for granted, simply because she made it look so easy. But this was a child with a tremendous amount of talent!

Grab some popcorn and enjoy Shirley Temple in this beautiful classic.

Buster Keaton’s The General: Full-Length Silent Movie

April 15, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Buster Keaton took on the role of director, writer, and star in this 1926 Silent Movie classic. The film also stars Marion Mack (as Annabelle Lee, Johnnie’s love interest), Glen Cavender (Captain Anderson), and Jim Farley (General Thatcher).

Plot: Johnnie Gray (Keaton) is an engineer who LOVES his locomotive, named “The General.” When the Civil War breaks out, he is turned down for service because he’s more valuable as an engineer than a soldier. His lady love, Annabelle, mistakenly believes he is cowardly.

When Union spies capture “The General” – with Annabelle on board – Johnnie must capture both of his great loves. He chases after them, right through enemy lines and the fun ensues.

Buster Keaton always claimed that The General was his favorite of all his movies. I can certainly see why he’d feel this way.. but, personally, I’d never be able to choose a favorite Buster Keaton film – they’re all sweet perfection.

Enjoy!