Lucille Ball | Hollywood Yesterday

Happy Birthday to the Extraordinary Carol Burnett!

April 26, 2023 By Joi

Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball

The adorable picture above shows two of my favorites doing what they do/did best… making people smile. Such extraordinary women and very close friends in real life as well.

Carol Burnett’s birthday is today and I can think of no better way to honor her than a photo with a friend that meant so much to her.

She was born on April 26, 1933 in San Antonio, Texas and television and its fans are all the richer for it. It’s amazing to me just how timeless The Carol Burnett Show is, even today. The music, opening monologue, skits, and humor ring as wonderful today as they did then and so much of that is because of the wonderful redhead we’re celebrating today.

Happiest of birthdays, Carol Burnett, and thanks for all of the wonderful fun and laughter!

You can find the complete series (or buy seasons individually) of The Carol Burnett Show on dvd or watch on Prime Video. (Amazon link)

The Simple Reason I’ve Stopped Allowing Comments on the Blog…

November 17, 2022 By Joi

Roger Moore: What a Saint!

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EDIT (11/18/22): Since writing the below post, Twitter has begun having a few issues (rumors of problems and something odd going on today!). If it goes south, I will absolutely turn comments back on, as it will at least be one way we can all stay in touch and have conversations about our beloved actresses, actors, films, and television shows! ~ Joi (“Joy“)

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First of all, if you want to contact me about anything (a post, photo, book review, or even opinion I have/express), I am completely reachable – either by e-mail or Twitter. I absolutely LOVE hearing from others who love old Hollywood and classic television as much as I do. I made a friend several years back simply because she initially e-mailed me asking what my favorite Marlene Dietrich films were. We’ve continued e-mailing back and forth for three years. Many other friends I’ve made on Twitter and can’t imagine a single day without them.

Lesson of the story, when you open the lines of communication with me (my name’s Joi…. “Joy” by the way), you’re stuck with me for good.

So why would a friendly, people person do something as unheard of as turning off comments on her blog?!

Please hang with me while I try to explain…

Let’s set the stage…. I am, by nature a ridiculously positive, upbeat, bright-side, sort of person. Kind of a compilation of Mary Poppins, Joy from the movie Up, and Lucy Ricardo (if you think it’s tricky dealing with me, imagine my poor family). It is what it is and, given that I’m on the kicks and giggles side of 50 years old, there’s ZERO chance I’ll ever change.

I like positivity. I’m drawn to positivity. I ooze positivity. But it’s more than that… I’m downright negativity intolerant.

Makes my psyche itch.

Due to the fact that… well, let’s face it… there aren’t a lot of Mary Poppins meets Joy meets Lucy Ricardo hybrids out there (save your “thank God” thoughts, you’ll hurt my feelings), comment sections can range anywhere from…

… (insert random actor) cheated on his wife and neglected his family
… (insert random actress) wasn’t at all talented.. she only got by on her (insert body parts)
… (insert random star) said such-and-such, I hate them for that
… (insert random star) did (insert perceived wrong against humanity)

Okay, you get the idea. I also hate it when people make comments about a star’s sexual preferences. I always think, “Okay, it’s your business why exactly?”

I put time, money, effort, and great passion into Hollywood Yesterday (as well as my Twitter page) and it is with one goal in mind: To keep the wonderful stars and films I love so much alive and shining.

I get a HUGE kick out of seeing stars from Old Hollywood “trending” on Twitter. You know what that means, right? A part of them never left us. Come on, how magical is that?!

Why would I want to share a photo, film review, book review, or quote to LIFT UP and SHOWCASE a star simply to have a Negative Nancy or Donnie Downer show up with some mud to sling on their name.

When it comes to always focusing on the positives, a few other things are ALWAYS in the back of my mind…

How horrible would it be to have negative, ugly things said about you when you aren’t even around to either defend yourself, apologize, or explain yourself? Stars who are no longer with us have NO way to say, “I never said that… here’s what I actually said..” or “I was drunk when I said that horrible thing and it does NOT represent what I really think.” or “I was young and dumb and I am so very, very sorry for the pain I caused (insert wronged individual or individuals).” It just seems cruel, in many ways, to take shots at someone incapable of deflecting them or firing back!
Mistakes should not identify us or follow us around. I’m… on most days anyway… human and I have made mistakes and I would HATE to have said mistakes brought up EVERY SINGLE TIME my name was mentioned. Some people LIVE to bring up ugliness each time a star is mentioned… haven’t figured out what they get out of it, but it’s true. There are movies, actors and actresses who I used to pause before Tweeting about or blogging about because I knew some wouldn’t be able to (or even try to) help themselves. They see a photo of someone and something goes off inside their mind… “OH! Gotta let this ugliness out! Can’t contain it!” I often wonder if they search for certain star’s names simply to sling mud. Stupid hobby if you ask me.
Stars from old Hollywood and classic television have families and friends who are very much online. One of my favorite things about having an old Hollywood blog and Twitter is hearing from people – all of you. Every now and then I hear from a family member or someone who knew one of the stars who I think so much of. I heard from a lady about her (actor) father a few years ago and it occurred to me, “If my dad (or anyone else I loved dearly) had been a star, how would I want him talked about?” What we say online can be seen by someone’s daughter, son, wife, grandchild, close friend, etc… Personally, it would feel like a punch in the gut to read something unkind about one of my loved ones. Everyone is free to approach life in the way he/she chooses, but I’m not in the habit of giving out gut-punches.

That’s it. I just wanted to let you know why (on the blog) I don’t have comments activated any longer and why (on Twitter) I don’t reply to unkind comments. I see the comment, I read the comment.. I just don’t have anything to add to the conversation.

One final thought about Twitter… I welcome (and love!) everyone’s comments and would never dream of telling anyone what they can or cannot say under my Tweets or on their own account. I have only blocked three people on there: (1) Someone who had me blocked for some reason… I simply repaid the honor. (2) A woman who replied, “Yuk!” LITERALLY after every tweet I made about a Western! Seriously! I mean.. was she a gunslinger in a past life who can’t stand the sight of Marshall Dillon or what? Given that it’s my favorite genre of movies (grew up watching them with the beloved dad I mentioned above), I talk about Westerns a lot on Twitter and simply got tired of her nonsense. (3) A clown who said something snarky after any and every Tweet that wasn’t what he considered “related enough” to old Hollywood. My account, buddy, I’ll share pictures of my cats and grandbabies any dang time I want to! Saying something under a photo of a grandbaby is an instant block.

I will hasten to say this, I am NOT at all talking about someone saying they don’t like someone’s acting style, a particular movie, or even liking a particular star or genre. Everyone has their own opinions and that makes life extra fun! You know what I’m talking about, right? The unnecessary ugliness.. when things are taken too far and the comments are too personal. I simply don’t like seeing any of it – if that makes me wrong, I’m honestly okay with that!

I’ll put on an episode of I Love Lucy or a favorite Western and get on with my day.

I hope the rest of your week is extraordinary! ~ Joi ( Pronounced “Joy…” some things can’t be made up!)

Lucille Ball, I Love Lucy

Victor Mature and Lucille Ball in Easy Living (LOVE These Two!)

July 16, 2022 By Joi

Victor Mature and Lucille Ball

Two of my favorites, Victor Mature and Lucille Ball, star in the 1949 Easy Living. The drama was directed by Jacques Tourneur and also stars Lizabeth Scott, Sonny Tufts, Lloyd Nolan, Jack Paar, and Paul Stewart.

The movie doesn’t get a lot of attention and I truly believe it’s mainly because it’s never shown on television! While many people (myself included) absolutely love to stream movies and classic television series and do it regularly, a movie (and its stars) benefit GREATLY from television exposure. Many such stars, Victor Mature included, have films that aren’t shown as often and suffer because of it.

Think about it, if a greater VARIETY of films were shown on television regularly, more people would be exposed to a greater variety of stars. The entire genre of old Hollywood would benefit so greatly. While I understand (completely!) televising favorites such as Casablanca, The Women, and Singin’ in the Rain, I would love to see more attention given to the obscure, all but forgotten films that kind of get lost in the shuffle.

Okay… rant over!

You can find Easy Living on dvd (Amazon link) or watch on Prime Video. I highly recommend it, the cast (especially the two remarkable people shown here) is wonderful.

Victor Mature and Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie, Annabel Takes a Tour (1938)

October 23, 2021 By Joi

Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie

Two of Lucille Ball’s earliest films were with the wonderful Jack Oakie – The Affairs of Annabel and Annabel Takes a Tour. As a Lucille Ball fanatic, naturally I love both of these films. You can see early signs of the character we’d all fall in love with years later (“Lucy Ricardo”) in Annabel films, especially in Annabel Takes a Tour. You can see her in a few of the reactions Lucille Ball gives Annabel and in many of the expressions and gestures. It’s actually very fascinating to see!

You can find both The Affairs of Annabel and Annabel Takes a Tour on DVD (Amazon link).

A Beautiful Legend was BOTD in 1911 in Jamestown, New York

August 6, 2021 By Joi

Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball – Behind the Scenes of I Love Lucy

Lucille Desiree Ball was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. Little did anyone know then that this tiny baby would one day become both the face of television and one of the most beloved stars EVER.

Lucille Ball is one of those stars (and lifelong personal favorites) that, when I’m writing about her, I truly struggle to find words. Words are some of my closest friends and, yet, when talking about Lucille Ball, they all but abandon me.

I think one of the things is, in many ways, she seems almost like family. After all, she was in our living room for as long as I can remember and is, to this day, a very frequent guest in our den and kitchen. Heck she’s even shown up in the bathroom a time or two.

When you have favorite stars who have been with you all of your life, you realize that they’ve “seen you” through everything you’ve been through – good or bad.

When I was in school, I had to miss a lot of days each school year due to my bronchial asthma. It was like clockwork, each October, I would get a terrible bout of bronchitis and end up in the hospital, followed by a week or more of recovering at home. Episodes of I Love Lucy were my constant companion and laughing at them gave me consistency my lungs robbed me of.
When I got married, Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred came along on our honeymoon.
When my husband and I moved out of state and I was homesick for my mom, dad, cat, dog, and hometown… Lucy came to my rescue again.
When my daughters came into the picture, it was their time to grow up with a familiar hilarious redhead as a frequent houseguest!
After losing my dad and, then, years later, my mom – episodes of I Love Lucy truly helped me hold it all together when it really didn’t seem possible.

Good times, bad times, great times, horrific times… she has been a constant. If that sounds normal to you.. then you, too, have a star (or possibly even an athlete) that means an awful lot to you.

She was extraordinary in every way and, truth be told, I don’t just love Lucy… I adore her.

Happy Heavenly birthday and thank you so much for all you’ve meant and MEAN to me!

Lucille Ball

Closer Magazine: One of the Few Magazines I Still Buy….

June 11, 2021 By Joi

Closer Magazines

I used to spend so much money on magazines… I mean to the point I almost embarrassed my own self. I got it from my mom. She simply didn’t go to the store without returning with at least one magazine. I still love them but find that I buy fewer than I once did. I buy a couple of cooking magazines consistently but the one I look forward to the most and buy without fail (each issue) is Closer Magazine. It’s the only entertainment magazine I buy these days.

As you can see by the photos in this post, I am accumulating quite a collection… and this isn’t even all of them! I add magazines that feature my favorites (like Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, James Stewart, Judy Garland…) to my individual collections.

Not only does Closer almost always have one of our beloved stars from old Hollywood or Classic television on the cover, they also feature book reviews, interviews, and articles inside the magazine. I love that they spotlight Lucille Ball and Judy Garland so often.

Closer Magazines

You can find Closer in quite a few grocery stores (I find it consistently in Meijer and every now and then in Kroger), but most people seem to prefer subscribing to Closer. I’m actually considering doing so, myself. I love having new things to look forward to in the mail AND it’s kind of cool to get a magazine before it hits the stands!

Closer Magazine Subscription

Lucille Ball and Boris Karloff, Lured (1947)

September 20, 2020 By Joi

Lucille Ball and Boris Karloff, Lured

Anyone who knows anything about me knows how much I adore Lucille Ball. Always have, always will. Whether it’s one of her hilarious, timeless sitcoms or one of her wonderful movies, this redhead is always, always, always welcome in my den.

Lured (1947, directed by Douglas Sirk) is somewhat of a hidden gem in the world of classic film fans. The only reason it isn’t wildly popular or known is that it isn’t shown on television more often. If it were, it’d be just as known and loved as celebrated film-noirs Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and The Killers.

It’s that good.

The cast includes Lucille Ball, George Sanders, Charles Coburn (always wonderful), and Boris Karloff… in a very small but memorable role. He seemed to relish this part and it’s a lot of fun to watch.

Ball and Sanders have an unexpected chemistry and it practically sizzles. I’m not sure why I consider it “unexpected” but it absolutely caught me off guard.

If you’ve never seen this excellent film, I hope you’ll watch it as soon as possible. If you have seen it… see it again. It’s every bit as good when re-watched.

You can find Lured on dvd on Amazon or watch it on Prime Video.

Lucille Ball, Lured

Lucille Ball: A Legend was BOTD in 1928!

August 6, 2020 By Joi

Lucille Ball and Bob Hope, Fancy Pants

The wonderful, beautiful, hilarious, intelligent… I could go on for weeks… Lucille Ball was BOTD in Jamestown, N.Y. in 1928. All of us who love movies and (especially) television owe a debt of gratitude to the event. Television would never have been the magical force it became without Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Not even close.

The picture of the day is from the hilarious movie she made with her friend Bob Hope, Fancy Pants (1950). It is deliciously over the top, hilarious, and outrageous… just like its wonderful stars.

Happy Heavenly birthday to my personal favorite television star of all time… bar none!

Picture of the Day: Maureen O’Hara, Lucille Ball, and Louis Hayward

February 9, 2020 By Joi

Maureen O’Hara, Louis Hayward, and Lucille Ball

Anyone who knows me at all knows that two of my greatest obsessions are Lucille Ball and Maureen O’Hara (along with Ann-Margret, Rita Hayworth, and Katharine Hepburn… yes, more redheads!). How could I not be all about Dance, Girl, Dance (Amazon dvd link) – the 1940 film starring BOTH of these beautiful and incredibly talented ladies. The movie is fun, spirited, entertaining, and packed with personality and charisma – just like its lovely stars.

Another cool thing about Dance, Girl, Dance is that it was directed by Dorothy Arzner, one of the bold ground-breakers for females in film-making. She didn’t just open the door for other female directors, she flung it open. The lady was absolutely wonderful.

The film makes for a very entertaining afternoon or evening and the photo makes for my kind of picture of the day!

Backstage DRAMA Behind the World’s Best COMEDY…

January 17, 2020 By Joi

Vivian Vance, William Frawley, Desi Arnaz, and Lucille Ball

One of the all-time most loved shows in the world had more than it’s share of backstage drama. Jess Oppenheimer, one of the writers of I Love Lucy gave a firsthand account of some of the drama behind my personal favorite television show of all time:

“Even though the entire world loved I Love Lucy, everyone on I Love Lucy didn’t love everyone else on I Love Lucy. Luckily…all the interpersonal problems didn’t show through the performances. Lucy and Desi were having a whole set of domestic problems, which ended in their divorce; Vivian couldn’t stomach Bill (William Frawley), mainly because she failed to understand how anyone could believe she was married to “that old man”; Bill reacted in typical fashion, referring to her figure as “a sack of doorknobs”; and Desi and I had a running series of spats, mostly ticked off when I picked up the trade papers and found he had taken credit for something I had done. But, luckily (again), it could not be seen on the screen, and there was no blowup which destroyed the team.”

I am, by nature, a Mary Poppins type blended with a great deal of Suzie Sunshine…. with a touch (okay a lot) of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Can’t help it, I was made this way. With that being the case, I almost didn’t publish this quote because I was afraid it would cast a negative light on stars I love a great deal – worse, yet, stars that aren’t with us to stand up for themselves!

However, I decided to publish it because, quite frankly, I am in AWE of the television magic these four stars (and directors, as well as writers) pulled off under these circumstances. Think about it – would you be able to make all happy and funny with a spouse you were in the middle of divorcing??

Would you be able to keep smiling and find a way not to cry when your marriage was crumbling?

Would you be able to work day-in day-out with someone you couldn’t even tolerate?!

I don’t know about you, but I have to answer NO to all of the above. I’m not made of nearly strong enough stuff to overcome any of that emotional turmoil.

Yet, these four stars rose above all the noise, all the drama, and all of the emotions and turned in one flawless performance after another.

I also published the quote for another reason… I trust my readers to know that one person’s quote does not make his or her opinion or account the gospel. It makes it their opinion or their “side.” If Desi were here, today, he may well have a whole other version.

In the end, they were all humans (just ridiculously talented humans!) and where there are humans, there are problems. I still maintain that these four did a super-human job of maintaining their maturity and professionalism when so many (raising my hand) wouldn’t have been able to.

I, for one, am thankful for their strength every single day because this series means more to me than I can even say.