Happy New Year!

Have a great 2014, or in this case, 1951! (Btw., this pic is screaming to be colorized...)

 

Midnight Toast - As the clock strikes twelve to usher in the year 1951, one of Hollywood's happiest couples, Anne Baxter and John Hodiak, are prepared for a New Year's toast. Both are enjoying top honors in Hollywood, Miss Baxter's newest success being her brilliant performance in the 20th Century-Fox production, "All About Eve."

What's Better Than One Montgomery? SEVEN!!

                                          Untamed (1929)

Well, are we all thoroughly satiated and exhausted ... ready to face more goodies and celebration on New Years Eve?  Hope Santa was good to you, no coal in the stocking at least!  Santa's gift to me came in the form of the TCM Now Playing Guide.  Joan Crawford is the featured star for January and they are showing all five of the movies she made with Bob!!  And if that prospect was not good enough, they have included two more Bob movies, Lady in the Lake and Private Lives.  It is just a great way to start off the year, 2014 is already better than 2013 has been, for me anyway.  Thought I would list them for you, as an aid to remembering to spend several delightful hours with Bob and Joan, Bob and Audrey and Bob and Norma.   All times given are PST. 

         Jan. 2  - 9:00 p.m., Our Blushing Brides (1930)

         Jan. 3  - 8:00 a.m., Untamed (1929)

         Jan. 6  - 3:00 p.m., Lady in the Lake (1947)

         Jan. 9  - 10:30 p.m., Forsaking All Others ( 1934)

         Jan. 10- 8:30 a.m., No More Ladies (1935)

         Jan. 10- 3:15 p.m., The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)

         Jan. 23- 7:45 a.m., Private Lives (1931)

Enjoy! 

Merry Christmas!

Time is flying by so fast this season.  Five days away and I haven't even finished my decorating.  Well, actually, that is not unusual for me, but every year I PLAN to start all the seasonal preparations early enough to be able to sit back and enjoy the days going into Christmas.  Now I'm at the point of trying to decide what I can and cannot accomplish on time.  Christmas cards ... I'm always late so why rush to get them out before Christmas and shock my family and friends?!  My Mom's special recipe oatmeal cookies I was going to bake and send to my brother in Florida ... way too late to do that, might as well aim for Groundhog's Day. 

Sigh ... I just need to let the stress go and enjoy this wonderful time of year.  There's plenty of time to plan the Christmas dinner, decide what favorite Christmas movies we want to watch on Christmas Eve and purchase the champagne to imbibe with the nibbles that evening.  That sounds good, I can handle that.  The rest...well, maybe next year.

Hoping you survive the season and find some peace at this hectic time.  Who knows, if you have been good all year, you may have a surprise visitor come knocking at your door bearing gifts.

All Those Sports Cars Were Expensive

This ad has the director and cast of War Nurse on the set with everyone enjoying a Coca Cola.  It is an interesting ad, but it is difficult to imagine a 1930 studio movie crew relaxing on the set taking a  break.  Hey, it is difficult imagining the 26-year-old Robert Montgomery actually drinking a Coke ... well, maybe as a mixer.

 

 Now, Bob smoking a Lucky Strike, that's a given.  Unfortunately.  Death from cancer, not a pleasant way to go.  In a movie he would have died in his sleep at his estate of extreme old age, but reality won out. 

Ahhhh...Those Beautiful Blue Eyes Are Closed

It was the summer of 1963 when I was first mesmerized by both Lawrence of Arabia and the young gorgeous man who portrayed him.  I was spending the summer with my aunt and uncle in San Diego.  Lawrence was being shown in a new theater with a huge wide screen and the latest sound system.  This was a time when first run theaters had reserved seating and the ushers were there to help you find it.  It was truly a great experience, sitting in the darkness, listening to that fantastic score and watching all those fantastic scenes flash by.  And to top it all off, seeing the introduction of one of the movies finest actors, swaggering across the screen in military uniforms and flowing Arabic robes, being a character larger than life ... BEING Lawrence.  And those incredible blue eyes staring off the screen right into your soul.  Ahhh, thank you, Mr. O'Toole, for your many wonderful performances, many of which deserved the Oscar you were continually denied.  Thank you for sharing your greatness on the screen and in our hearts. 

               Peter O'Toole (August 2, 1932 - December 14, 2013)