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.