Donna Reed | Hollywood Yesterday

Happy Heavenly Birthday to the Extraordinary Donna Reed

January 27, 2023 By Joi

Donna Reed, Backlash

The wonderful Donna Reed was born on January 27, 1921 in Denison, Iowa. She’s one of my VERY first favorite actresses and remains in the top 8 to this day. I simply adore everything about her, every role she ever graced, and… quite frankly… everything she stood for as a human being. She was simply lovely in every way.

Like Elvis, Marilyn, Rita, Audrey, John Wayne, and Lucille Ball, Donna Reed has been collectively framed in a particular way – as the smiling, perfect wife and mother – both on her wonderful television series and in the extraordinary and larger than life It’s a Wonderful Life. While being framed, collectively or any other way, is pretty much unavoidable, it’s really – in many ways – a shame. After all, Marilyn and Rita were so much more than the sex symbols they’re “framed” as in most people’s minds.

Elvis and John Wayne were more than the images most people have of them

Audrey was a warm and wonderful person and talented actress – not simply a lovely little style icon!

Lucille Ball was more than simply one of the most hilarious people to ever draw breath.

Last but not least, Donna Reed was much more than the characters she created. In fact, while she’s remembered by most as Donna and Mary, she brought a great number of other colorful characters to life as well. Her filmography is alive with color and entertainment and she was extraordinary in each and every role.

I actually (literally 20 minutes ago) just ordered a great-sounding Donna Reed biography, In Search of Donna Reed (Amazon link) by Jay Fultz. I’ll tell you all about it as soon as I’ve devoured it cover to cover!

Happy Heavenly birthday to one of the best actresses of all time, and one I’m always so proud to call a favorite.

Donna Reed and Richard Widmark, Backlash (1956)

The photos in this post are from the 1956 Western Backlash starring Donna Reed and Richard Widmark. You can find Backlash on dvd and Blu-ray (Amazon link).

It’s a Wonderful Life: James Stewart and Donna Reed Publicity Still

December 8, 2022 By Joi

James Stewart and Donna Reed, It’s a Wonderful Life

Am I posting an absolute storm of It’s a Wonderful Life posts on Hollywood Yesterday?

I am absolutely posting an absolute storm of It’s a Wonderful Life posts on Hollywood Yesterday!

Will I be slowing down anytime soon?

Highly doubtful! Not until December 26th anyway and I can’t promise not to have a Christmas 2022 sendoff with a photo or two then.

What can I say, I am absolutely infatuated with everything about this movie… I have been for over half my life. Truth be told, I believe I fall more and more in love with it each year.

You can buy It’s a Wonderful Life on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the magic on Prime Video.

Scene from It’s a Wonderful Life: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Carol Coombs, Jimmy Hawkins, and Larry Simms

December 1, 2022 By Joi

James Stewart, Donna Reed, Carol Coombs, Jimmy Hawkins, and Larry Simms

Today happens to be my oldest grandbaby’s 5th birthday, so I don’t have much time… after all, birthday cakes don’t bake themselves and Sonic the Hedgehog decorations don’t put themselves up!.. but it also happens to be the first day of December (or, as it’s known in my world, it’s the first day of Christmas… which happens to last 25 days in this house!).

That means there’s NO WAY I’m not going to carve a few minutes out for an It’s a Wonderful Life post.

The picture of the day today is a beautiful, heart-touching scene from the film. George Bailey thinks he’s on the brink of losing it ALL when, in fact, he has ALL a man could ever hope for. Beautiful movie with the absolute perfect director and cast.

You can buy It’s a Wonderful Life on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the magic on Prime Video.

Now to bake that cake, make that icing, and color it blue… Sonic the Hedgehog blue!

It’s a Wonderful Life Lobby Card with Lionel Barrymore, Frank Hagney, Donna Reed, and James Stewart

November 29, 2022 By Joi

It’s a Wonderful Life Lobby Card

Another day, another It’s a Wonderful Life post. What can I say, this movie is an absolute obsession with me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Before next Christmas, I would LOVE to have the beginnings of an It’s a Wonderful Life lobby card and movie poster collection.

I’m not going to lie… I would leave them hanging all year. After all, you can never have too much Christmas magic in your life and this movie is JUST that.

You can buy It’s a Wonderful Life on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

It’s a Wonderful Life Behind the Scenes Pictures

November 28, 2022 By Joi

It’s a Wonderful Life Behind the Scenes

“I thought it was the greatest film I ever made. Better yet, I thought it was the greatest film anybody had ever made…. It was my kind of film for my kind of people.” ~ Frank Capra, director

One of my favorite movies in the world is It’s a Wonderful Life. The film is absolutely magical in every way and I honestly grow to love it more each time I see it. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street are two of the reasons I became obsessed with classic movies in the first place.

Behind the Scenes Photo from It’s A Wonderful Life

In fact, to this day, Maureen O’Hara, James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore are four of my VERY favorites.

I hope you enjoy these behind the scenes pictures from the movie. They bring about such wonderfully nostalgic memories!

On the Set of It’s a Wonderful Life

You can buy It’s a Wonderful Life on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the magic on Prime Video.

Behind the Scenes, It’s a Wonderful Life

James Stewart and Donna Reed

It’s a Wonderful Life Gifts on Amazon… Holy Cats, I NEED These Like a Fish Needs Water

November 27, 2022 By Joi

It’s a Wonderful Life

I was browsing Amazon a few minutes ago and had just seen a gorgeous It’s a Wonderful Life Canvas Print (Amazon link) I desperately need (not want, y’all, NEED). Before I could recover from the excitement of that find, I saw another great need… the stunningly beautiful It’s a Wonderful Life Blanket (Amazon link).

Seriously, how am I expected to make it through another month without either of these?!

Little dramatic? Possibly. It’s a side effect of watching old movies like it’s your job for more years than I care to count.

I love that both feature the same photo – it means they’ll pack a double whammy when hanging out in my den.

If you’re as in love with this movie and its wonderful stars as I am, you might want to hurry up and drop these hints to Santa before it’s too late.

Or… I guess you could just go on to Amazon and buy them for yourself. What’s wrong with a little self-care during the holidays, right?

I’ll meet you there! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Donna Reed Promotional Pictures for From Here to Eternity

March 25, 2022 By Joi

Donna Reed, From Here to Eternity

One of my favorite actresses (we’re talking top ten, mind you) is pictured here, in all her glory – the extraordinary Donna Reed. She was absolutely the total package – beauty, brains, talent, and undeniable charisma. While her filmography (film and television – one of the stars who exceled at both) is beyond wonderful, I can’t help wondering why she wasn’t given even more lead roles in film.

She gave one flawless performance after the other and was (by ALL indications) extremely personable and easy to work with… things one would think producers and directors would crave!

Again, her filmography is wonderful – with a few iconic movies to her credit:

It’s a Wonderful Life
From Here to Eternity
The Picture of Dorian Gray
They Were Expendable

She also, of course, starred in the wonderful series The Donna Reed Show from 1958-1966.

I guess I’m just greedy – I want more Donna Reed movies to enjoy and collect!

The beautiful promotional photos, here, are from the 1953 war drama From Here to Eternity (directed by Fred Zinnemann). The movie also stars Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Jack Warden, and Ernest Borgnine.

From Here to Eternity was a huge success with the Academy Awards, winning the following:

Best Picture
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Frank Sinatra
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Donna Reed
Best Director: Fred Zinnemann
Best Writing, Screenplay: Daniel Taradash
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White: Burnett Guffey
Best Sound, Recording: John P. Livadary
Best Film Editing: William A. Lyon

You can find From Here to Eternity on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Donna Reed, From Here to Eternity

Merry Christmas from My Family to You and to Everyone You Love!

December 18, 2021 By Joi

It’s a Wonderful Life

This week is going to be a beautiful whirlwind of wrapping presents, baking cookies, making candy, and running around like the overcaffeinated elf that I am! So, needless to say the Pictures of the Day will not be regular whatsoever. Truth be told, this may well be the last blog post until the day after Christmas.

In that event, I very much want it to be devoted to two things…

One of the most beautiful, special, and greatest films ever made, It’s a Wonderful Life.
Wishing you a healthy, happy, joyful, and peaceful Christmas!

You honor me by visiting Hollywood Yesterday and I wish you and yours the best wishes from the bottom of my heart. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

You can buy It’s a Wonderful Life on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video. It’s funny, even though I’ve owned the movie on dvd for many, many years, I still watch it every single time it’s shown on television. I am simply wildly in love with this movie and with everything about it.

It’s a Wonderful Life: Donna Reed and James Stewart Publicity Stills

December 12, 2021 By Joi

James Stewart and Donna Reed

I’m known for many obsessions and all-encompassing passions in my life, but few are as strong or as identifying for me as my love for It’s a Wonderful Life. This film and its stars (particularly James Stewart and Donna Reed) are two of the reasons I became as infatuated with Classic Hollywood as I did at an early age. They’re also some of the main reasons that… once I figuratively moved into old Hollywood, I’ve never seen any reason to leave.

As impossible as it is to believe, It’s a Wonderful Life was not a hit when it came out. While, today, we recognize it as absolutely one of the best movies ever made, when it was released in 1946, it didn’t catch on in the least.

Want to know one of the most outrageous and absolutely WRONG reasons some foolishly gave for its lack of success? Hold on to your seats, the ridiculousness may make you keel over… some faulted Donna Reed! The beautiful, strong-willed and determined HEART of the movie. Oh, sure… let’s blame her!

How ridiculous could they have been? She’s one of the best things about the entire movie and MORE than held her own with James Stewart and the rest of the older, more experienced cast.

The truth of the matter is the “fault” is easy to find. Unlike ZuZu’s petals… it’s hiding in plain sight.

Before getting to it, let me just share this: The day after Christmas, I take all of our decorations down. While I put them up very early each year (the day after Halloween), when Christmas Day is over, the season is over as far as I’m concerned and, as much as I love(d) it, it’s time to look toward January and the New Year.

By the time January rolls around, Christmas decorations and that year’s memories have been lovingly and carefully boxed up and stored. The last thing on my mind (or the minds of most people in January) is Christmas.

Guess what month they released It’s a Wonderful Life? JANUARY! Can you imagine the lack of vision, planning, and forethought? No one… absolutely no one (not even Santa!) is thinking about Christmas in January. In fact, there is an innate hesitancy TO think about it. After all, we just went through the cost, preparations, emotions, and extra work to make the season bright and wonderful – we don’t want to think about that for some time.

January. They released a glorious Christmas movie in January, then wondered why it wasn’t a box office smash.

Okay, rant over. But whenever I read that ANYONE even hinted at blaming Donna Reed it makes my blood boil. If it had been the hit it deserved to be, would she have been singled out as the reason? You know, I know, and we all know that wouldn’t be the case. It’d be James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, and director Frank Capra who’d have gotten the credit.

Wait… I said rant over didn’t I? Oops.

Donna Reed and James Stewart

At least the magical, one in a million film finally got the love and credit it deserved. Donna Reed, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers, Frank Capra (director), Thomas Mitchell, Beulah Bondi, Ward Bond, Frank Albertson, Gloria Grahame, Frank Faylen, H.B. Warner, Todd Karns, Mary Treen, Virginia Patton, Samuel Hines, Lillian Randolph, William Edmunds, Robert J. Anderson, Argentina Brunetti, Jean Gale, Jeanine Ann Roose, Georgie Nokes, Ronnie Ralph, Sheldon Leonard, Karolyn Grimes, Larry Simms, Jimmy Hawkins, and the rest of the cast give us one of our most SPECIAL gifts each Christmas.

It’s a Wonderful Life Lobby Cards (So Colorful and Lovely!)

December 11, 2021 By Joi

It’s a Wonderful Life Lobby Card

Sorry for the lack of posts (the Pictures of the Day ceased to be of the day completely!) this week – I have been battling the worst case of bronchitis I’ve ever had. Very, very difficult to work at the computer when you can’t stop coughing and your body seems to have completely forgotten how to breathe!

Saw the doctor, got several medicines, and a shot that… shall we say… bruised the backside!… so I am on the mend. Pictures of the day and mayhem will now resume. And what better way to resume than with one of my favorite all-time films and two of my all-time favorite stars… It’s a Wonderful Life with James Stewart and Donna Reed?!