Happy Birthday, Dahling!

                                      Faithless (1932)

Tallulah Bankhead  was born on this day in 1902.  A very interesting lady, not your typical Southern belle, I'll just let her speak for herself.

      "I'm as pure as the driven slush."

     "My father warned me about men and booze, but he never mentioned women and cocaine."

     "If you really want to help the American theater, don't be an actress, dahling.  Be an audience."

And, purportedly, her last words were:  "Codeine ... bourbon."

Danny Gets Sized Up in Night Must Fall

 

                               Night Must Fall (1937)       

This scene does not appear in the movie.  I'm not sure if it is a deleted scene or a rather creative promotional shot.  Whatever, I'd love to know the results of the head measurement ... murderer?  another crazed actor?  size 7?

More Eye Candy for the Weekend

                                Song of Russia (1944)

My, what a handsome couple.  Just gorgeous...Robert that is. 

Bob (and Mustache) and Roz

There's something almost sacrilegious about having Bob's face defaced with a mustache.  Clark Gable's face needed a mustache to complete his face.  Not Bob, no help needed.  Anyway, with my mustache bias it took a while for me to appreciate this series of Bob and Roz photos taken for Trouble for Two.   

 

The first three photos are stamped C.S. Bull, the last one Griffith.  I am puzzled as to why there were two photographers on the same photo shoot, but glad there were.  The unformality of Griffith's photo is a nice contrast to Bull's rather static shots.  It's always nice to see a couple pros share a laugh. 

This post is a thank you to Desiree at rosalind-russell.blogspot.com for passing on the Versatile Blogger Award to this blog.  'Tis rather nice of her to do so, but, then, anyone keeping alive the memory of a classy lady like Roz, must be rather classy herself. 

A Little Eye Candy to Start the Week

The always beautiful Hedy Lamarr and, IMO, Robert Young at his handsomest.  I need to get out my copy of Pulham and give it another watch ... it's been ages.  Good movie, as I remember.

                                H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941)

Cary Grant and Me

Born Archibald Leach, January 18, 1904, in Bristol, England.  Died Cary Grant, November 29, 1986, in Davenport, IA.

I saw Cary Grant in person ... definitely a highlight of my life.  I mean, my wonderful world of classic movies crossed over into reality ... just fantastic.  It was in 1984 or 1985, the memory goes.  Cary had started to do his "A Night with Cary Grant" shows, which consisted of his sitting on a stool by himself on a stage, looking sooooo Cary Grant, followed by a screening of a brief movie bio., and wrapping up with a question/answer session.  I went with a co-worker, it was in Ventura, CA, and I was undoubtedly the youngest person in the smallish, 300-seater max theatre, still having my natural hair color.  I tried to get myself to ask him a question, couldn't do it.  White hair, big black glasses ... but sitting on that stool with the elan of Cary Grant of the 1940s ... my, my.  Whoever set up that stage presentation was a true genius.  Nothing on that stage but an old man on a stool in a spotlight ... Sigh.  The next day our fellow workers gave us a really hard time about getting excited about an 80-year-old man ... they just weren't there ... they definitely did not understand the power and magic of the Golden Age of Movies ...

Bob and Constance in Moulin Rouge

                                    Moulin Rouge (1934)

Well, according to a November, 1933 issue of Picture Show Magazine, Bob was scheduled for a loan-out to 20th Century to co-star with Constance Bennett in the musical Moulin Rouge.  A few days before filming was scheduled to begin, Bob was called back to MGM to co-star with Clark Gable in a project titled Two Thieves.  Wonder what happened to that one ... I can see Bob and Clark as a couple of thieves.  They do get together a year later in Forsaking All Others.  Meanwhile, Bob ends up filming Fugitive Lovers and Clark goes on to It Happened One Night.  I'd have to say Clark ended up with the best deal that time.

More Cagney & Montgomery (x 2)

                               Bob Jr., Jim, Bob and Jim Jr.

I always thought Bob and Jim were checking out their own sons in this publicity shot for The Gallant Hours; however, it's a Montgomery, Cagney, Montgomery, Cagney shot.  It is easy to tell the Srs. from the Jrs.  The photographer knew not to have the Dads' faces blacked out by shadows.

Back in the Curly Hair Days

                                           Hurrell (1929)

Yes, Bob, all of the male leads at MGM are required to take fencing lessons.  For the first lesson, hold the grip firmly ... no, that's the blade, Bob ... and point the blade in the direction of your opponent, not at yourself.  Do I need to repeat that?  What did you say?  Oh, yes, Bob...you look just great. 

One More War Nurse Still

War Nurse (1930) is one of those movies where the still photos are far better than the movie itself.  It's interesting how they have handled the problem of framing a tallish man talking to a seated woman.  That can't be a comfortable position for Bob.  Love the desk.  It is not exactly what you would expect to find in a WWI nursing station, but this is MGM after all.

Bob Zonked Out In Poughkeepsie

JANUARY 5, 1953 - Actor-Director Robert Montgomery is wheeled on a stretcher into St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie.  He fractured his arm when he fell at a friend's home in Millbrook, NY. 

I'm guessing Bob didn't wait to get to the hospital to take some pain killers.  Looks rather comfy.  Wasn't it nice of his friends to send him off with his cap. 

Happy Birthday, Reggie

From Men With Wings

Props to XM Radio for playing The Uninvited OTR this morning and reminding me!

Blondie of the Follies - It's the hat!

Just love stills from Blondie of the Follies (1932).  The movie so exemplifies how wondrously over-the-top movies could be in the early 30s.  The sets are just fantastic.  The women are all beautiful and dressed in attire found only in Hollywood.  And, of course, the tux attired drop-dead handsome male lead is seen either with a drink in hand or gazing longingly into the leading woman's eyes.  What a wonderful escape it had to have been for moviegoers living in the Great Depression.  (It's a great escape now!)

Marion Davies was born on this day in 1897.  She made two pictures with Bob, Blondie and Ever Since Eve (1937) and lived a somewhat sad, but fascinating life.  Never, Ever pass up a chance to see the Hearst Castle ... even the bus ride up to the Castle is memorable.  Most of 1930s Hollywood is long gone, but the Castle is still there in all its glory.  

Is Everybody Bright-Eyed & Bushy-Tailed This Morning? No?? Sorry...Hang In There!