You may think I’m just indulging in my Han Solo obsession again but happily there has been some *good news on the Star Wars front*. Over 30 years after the last ‘proper’ Star Wars movie was made the original cast are getting back together for Episode VII of the Trilogy. <geek-rant> Yes I know it(…)
You might think that the 1950s was all about style and sophistication, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn, but according to this list of top 10 grossing movies* it was very much the decade of historical epics, Charlton Heston and Walt Disney! How many of these big screen blockbusters have you seen, and are you surprised by(…)
You probably know Donald O’Connor best from the movie Singin’ in the Rain – I know that’s where I first came across him. While I fell madly in love with Gene Kelly, I was wowed by Donald O’Connor running up the wall and in fits of giggles at his fight with the mannequin. If you(…)
I’ve never really ‘got’ the Clark Gable thing. I’ve watched Gone With The Wind without him leaving any particular impression on me but after watching Red Dust I get it. Maybe there’s something about a rough-and-ready Gable and the sultry heat of the jungle, both women in this movie certainly seem to think so! It’s(…)
There were some great movie actors around in the 1940s, it truly was the golden age of cinema! Here are my top 10 leading men of that decade – have I missed anyone crucial out? 1. Humphrey Bogart Bogart was ranked the greatest male movie star in history by the American Film Institute, and he(…)
Never underestimate the marketing power of Lucille Ball! I grew up watching re-runs of I Love Lucy on the telly, and there is a special corner of my heart reserved for it, but even my love of the 1950s sitcom wouldn’t make me buy these hideous spin offs! Even the gorgeous Lucy looks unconvinced about(…)
Lupe Vélez was one of the very first Mexican actresses to have a successful Hollywood career in the 1920s and 30s. She was extremely popular but died tragically young at the height of her career aged just 36. Above: Photo of Jimmy Durante, Lupe Vélez and the Mills Brothers from the 1934 film Strictly Dynamite.(…)
If you follow my blog you might have noticed that I’m going through a bit of a Hitchcock phase at the moment. I very much enjoyed The 39 Steps last week (much to my surprise and delight) but sadly I can’t say the same about this movie. Up until this point I’ve pretty much enjoyed(…)
Stars were having nips, tucks and predominantly nose-jobs from as early as the 1930s. It’s not well-documented as the stars who had succesful surgery rarely owned up to it, and those who had less successful surgery (like Mary Pickford who was rumoured to have damaged facial muscles after an early facelift) just faded from public(…)
Actress and singer Nichelle Nichols is best known as the fabulous Lieutenant Uhura in the 1960s Star Trek series. Her role was groundbreaking at the time as she was one of the first black women featured in a prominent role in a major TV series. When she considered leaving the series to pursue a career(…)
I think I’d be right in saying that The 39 Steps is the earliest Hitchcock movie I’ve seen. Released in 1935 the movie starred the dashing Robert Donat (below) and the feisty but beautiful Madeleine Carroll, both of whom were chosen because they were already well known in Hollywood and would help boost sales in(…)
Old age ain’t no place for sissies: Bette Davis And on that note, I’ll just say Happy Sunday everyone! The original photo (above) is from a Jim Beam advert from 1974.
Taylor was married 8 times. Her shortest marriage was with her first husband Conrad Nicky Hilton which lasted just 9 months, and her longest marriage was with Richard Burton which lasted 10 years (plus an extra year when they re-married in 1975). Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton starred together in 11 movies.
Looking for some hair-style inspiration? I’ve collected some of the most iconic hairstyles here from the 1920s to the 1970s, which one do you fancy trying? I’m taking style inspiration from Faye Dunaway from Bonnie and Clyde today… 1. Veronica Lake: The Peekaboo Fringe 1940s movie star Veronica Lake was famous for her long finger(…)
Ziegfeld girls were the cheesecake pinups of the 1920s. Beautiful and talented they were the chorus girls of the spectacular Ziegfeld Follies which ran from 1907 to 1931. Many Ziegfeld girls went on to fame and fortune in the cinema and stars including Barabara Stanwyck (below), Louise Brooks and Joan Blondell all launched their careers(…)
The internet can be a pretty unforgiving place, but when the top search for Marilyn Monroe is ‘Marilyn Monroe is a hoe‘ I really have to wonder who is Googling this stuff?! I frequently search for the height of various celebrities, which admittedly is a bit of an obsession of mine (so much so that(…)
A tale of savagery, seduction and Stockholm Syndrome amongst the sand dunes… The Sheik, a silent-movie from 1921, is widely-regarded as the movie that really established Rudolph Valentino to stardom, so I thought I should give it a watch and boy was it a revelation! Watching silent movies is a funny old business, and I(…)
I think the tragic disappearance of Flight MH370 is probably pre-occupying all of us at the moment and it goes without saying that all of our thoughts and prayers go out to those missing and the families of all involved. The seemingly impossibly long wait for news got me thinking about some past mysteries and(…)