The late actor Kevin Conroy gained worldwide recognition after he voiced the character of Batman in various animated media, starting with 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series. The actor-based his dual-voice performance for Batman on Leslie Howard in the movie The Scarlet Pimpernel. Kevin Conroy has portrayed the character longer than any other actor in live-action or animation.
Fans have always expressed how much they have admired Kevin Conroy’s work as Bruce Wayne and Batman on screen. The actor unfortunately passed away in November 2022 at the age of 66, following a private battle with intestinal cancer. Kevin Conroy often spoke about the fame and success that voicing Batman brought him.
Kevin Conroy voiced Batman starting with Batman: The Animated Series
Kevin Conroy acknowledges being the definitive voice of Batman
Actor Kevin Conroy started voicing the character of DC Comic superhero Batman in 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series onwards. He went on...
Fans have always expressed how much they have admired Kevin Conroy’s work as Bruce Wayne and Batman on screen. The actor unfortunately passed away in November 2022 at the age of 66, following a private battle with intestinal cancer. Kevin Conroy often spoke about the fame and success that voicing Batman brought him.
Kevin Conroy voiced Batman starting with Batman: The Animated Series
Kevin Conroy acknowledges being the definitive voice of Batman
Actor Kevin Conroy started voicing the character of DC Comic superhero Batman in 1992’s Batman: The Animated Series onwards. He went on...
- 4/10/2024
- by Avneet Ahluwalia
- FandomWire
The dust still hasn’t settled on the 96th annual Academy Award nominations due to the uproar over the “Barbie” snubs for Best Actress for Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig for Best Director. They still earned Oscar nominations for the cultural phenomena that was the No. 1 film of 2023 with an international box office of $1.4 billion. Robbie and Gerwig received noms as producer for the Best Picture nominee and Gerwig also was garnered a nomination for co-writing the adapted screenplay. But the film is about female empowerment, so it’s beyond ironic it was Ken (Ryan Gosling), not Barbie, who received Oscar recognition.
Gosling wasn’t happy: “Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.”
America Ferrera,...
Gosling wasn’t happy: “Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.”
America Ferrera,...
- 1/25/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Mark Shelmerdine, the veteran producer who revived London Films as an indie powerhouse and played a pivotal role in the development of the international TV distribution market, died October 26 in Santa Barbara surrounded by his family. He was 78.
Among his achievements, he was among the first UK indie TV producers to retain rights to a broadcast production and was a founder of the LA branch of BAFTA.
Shelmerdine’s death was confirmed to Deadline by his friend Brian Eastman. The producer had survived a rare and potentially deadly form of bile duct cancer by receiving a life-saving liver transplant in 2018 through a trial in Houston, and was one of the longest living survivors of the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Houston Methodist Hospital program.
Born on March 27, 1945, Shelmerdine spent part of his childhood in Singapore before moving to the UK. He was awarded a place to attend Sidney Sussex College...
Among his achievements, he was among the first UK indie TV producers to retain rights to a broadcast production and was a founder of the LA branch of BAFTA.
Shelmerdine’s death was confirmed to Deadline by his friend Brian Eastman. The producer had survived a rare and potentially deadly form of bile duct cancer by receiving a life-saving liver transplant in 2018 through a trial in Houston, and was one of the longest living survivors of the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Houston Methodist Hospital program.
Born on March 27, 1945, Shelmerdine spent part of his childhood in Singapore before moving to the UK. He was awarded a place to attend Sidney Sussex College...
- 12/1/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Mark Shelmerdine, the Emmy-nominated producer who remade Alexander Korda’s dormant London Films label into an independent production powerhouse behind projects including I, Claudius, has died. He was 78.
Shelmerdine died Oct. 26 in Santa Barbara after a long illness, friend and fellow producer Brian Eastman told The Hollywood Reporter. After being diagnosed with a rare form of bile duct cancer in 2016, he had a life-saving liver transplant in 2018.
In the 1980s, Shelmerdine co-founded the Los Angeles branch of BAFTA and the Association of Independent Television Producers, which helped shape the sector that now dominates British TV production. He also published self-help books written by his late wife, Susan Jeffers.
The first of three children, Shelmerdine was born on March 27, 1945, in Buckinghamshire, England. His father, Dick, worked as a police office in Singapore and the Bahamas and as a postmaster in Gloucestershire, England.
Shelmerdine started out as an accountant at Coopers & Lybrand and Taylor Clark Ltd.
Shelmerdine died Oct. 26 in Santa Barbara after a long illness, friend and fellow producer Brian Eastman told The Hollywood Reporter. After being diagnosed with a rare form of bile duct cancer in 2016, he had a life-saving liver transplant in 2018.
In the 1980s, Shelmerdine co-founded the Los Angeles branch of BAFTA and the Association of Independent Television Producers, which helped shape the sector that now dominates British TV production. He also published self-help books written by his late wife, Susan Jeffers.
The first of three children, Shelmerdine was born on March 27, 1945, in Buckinghamshire, England. His father, Dick, worked as a police office in Singapore and the Bahamas and as a postmaster in Gloucestershire, England.
Shelmerdine started out as an accountant at Coopers & Lybrand and Taylor Clark Ltd.
- 11/29/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Just two years after Anita of “West Side Story” became the first non-white fictional character to inspire multiple Academy Award nominations, three others are on their way to earning the same distinction. As was the case in 1986, 30% of 2024’s female acting Oscar slots could be filled by stars of “The Color Purple,” the new version of which serves as an adaptation of the similarly titled stage musical rather than Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. If Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, and Taraji P. Henson all reap bids for their fresh takes on the parts for which Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Margaret Avery were previously recognized, the overall list of doubly Oscar-nominated fictional characters will expand to include 20 examples.
In “The Color Purple,” Barrino executes the lead role of Celie Johnson, who she initially played on Broadway as a direct successor to 2006 Tony-winning originator Lachanze. As in the book and first film,...
In “The Color Purple,” Barrino executes the lead role of Celie Johnson, who she initially played on Broadway as a direct successor to 2006 Tony-winning originator Lachanze. As in the book and first film,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Vivien Leigh was the two-time Oscar winner who made only a handful of films before her untimely death in 1967 at the age of 53. Yet several of those titles remain classics. Let’s take a look back at 10 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in British India, Leigh appeared in a number of roles on both the stage and screen in England, including a production of “Hamlet” opposite her husband, Laurence Olivier.
She came to international attention after landing the coveted role of Scarlet O’Hara in David O. Selznick’s massive adaptation of Margaret Mitchell‘s bestseller “Gone with the Wind” (1939). Leigh was far from the first choice to embody the headstrong Southern belle who pines after a married man (Leslie Howard) while wedding another (Clark Gable) against the backdrop of the Civil War. Yet the relatively unknown thespian beat out the likes of Bette Davis, Claudette Colbert,...
Born in British India, Leigh appeared in a number of roles on both the stage and screen in England, including a production of “Hamlet” opposite her husband, Laurence Olivier.
She came to international attention after landing the coveted role of Scarlet O’Hara in David O. Selznick’s massive adaptation of Margaret Mitchell‘s bestseller “Gone with the Wind” (1939). Leigh was far from the first choice to embody the headstrong Southern belle who pines after a married man (Leslie Howard) while wedding another (Clark Gable) against the backdrop of the Civil War. Yet the relatively unknown thespian beat out the likes of Bette Davis, Claudette Colbert,...
- 10/28/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Nicolas Cage is one of the most admired actors in the world, and given the lore surrounding his unique personality and spectrum of roles, ranging from award-winning to eccentric, he’s always a point of interest in Hollywood. In the upcoming film “The Retirement Plan,” debuting theatrically on Sept. 15, Cage plays a retired government assassin with a violent set of skills, who must protect his estranged daughter and grandchild (played by Ashley Greene and Thalia Campbell) after they get tangled up with some very bad men (including Ron Perlman and Jackie Earle Haley). Writer and director Tim Brown spoke with Variety about the art of directing and collaborating with Cage.
What were your expectations once you learned that Nicolas Cage booked the role of Matt in your movie?
My expectation was he was going to be a complete pro and just have everything down. The day that I have to...
What were your expectations once you learned that Nicolas Cage booked the role of Matt in your movie?
My expectation was he was going to be a complete pro and just have everything down. The day that I have to...
- 9/12/2023
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
One of the biggest gems of BFI’s Film on Film Festival was Service for Ladies. Presented on the original nitrate, one of the oldest prints ever to be screened to an UK audience, Service for Ladies promised to be a sumptuous and gorgeous screening.
What it delivered was a meal of wit and near-farcical comedy, peppered with an examination of class and a dash of Leslie Howard.
Based on a novel by Ernest Vajda called The Head Waiter, and directed by Alexander Korda, Service for Ladies sees Leslie Howard as Max Tracey – the head waiter of an exclusive and expensive London hotel, which means he is privy to all the scandals of the wealthy socialites and the patrons of his restaurant. One day, he comes across rich and beautiful heiress Sylvia. Unable to tell her the truth, he follows her to an Austrian Ski Lodge and tries to woo her.
What it delivered was a meal of wit and near-farcical comedy, peppered with an examination of class and a dash of Leslie Howard.
Based on a novel by Ernest Vajda called The Head Waiter, and directed by Alexander Korda, Service for Ladies sees Leslie Howard as Max Tracey – the head waiter of an exclusive and expensive London hotel, which means he is privy to all the scandals of the wealthy socialites and the patrons of his restaurant. One day, he comes across rich and beautiful heiress Sylvia. Unable to tell her the truth, he follows her to an Austrian Ski Lodge and tries to woo her.
- 6/19/2023
- by Sarah Cook
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Franco Zeffirelli apprenticed to Luchino Visconti, stage directed operas and directed several movie hits, the biggest of which was this exuberant, attractive Shakespeare adaptation, filmed like an opera with sumptuous sets and sunswept Italian locations. The novelty for 1968 was casting the Bard’s star-crossed young lovers with actual teenagers. Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are attractive kids directed to give spirited performances; the critics may have had mixed reactions but the public received the film well. If memory serves, Criterion’s new remaster looks better than Paramount’s original release prints.
Romeo and Juliet
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1171
1968 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 138 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date February 14, 2023 / 39.95
Starring: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery, Milo O’Shea, Pat Heywood, Robert Stephens, Michael York, Bruce Robinson, Paul Hardwick, Natasha Parry, Antonio Pierfederici, Esmeralda Ruspoli, Roberto Bisacco, Roy Holder, Keith Skinner, Dyson Lovell, Richard Warwick, Laurence Olivier.
Cinematography: Pasquelino De...
Romeo and Juliet
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1171
1968 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 138 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date February 14, 2023 / 39.95
Starring: Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery, Milo O’Shea, Pat Heywood, Robert Stephens, Michael York, Bruce Robinson, Paul Hardwick, Natasha Parry, Antonio Pierfederici, Esmeralda Ruspoli, Roberto Bisacco, Roy Holder, Keith Skinner, Dyson Lovell, Richard Warwick, Laurence Olivier.
Cinematography: Pasquelino De...
- 2/21/2023
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
With the Academy Awards just a month away, it’s the perfect time to look at fun facts, trivia and tidbits for both this year and historically.
John Williams, who just turned 91, reaped his 53rd Oscar nomination for scoring Steven Spielberg’s movie memoir “The Fabelmans.” Three of his five Oscar wins are for Spielberg films. His first Oscar nomination was for Best Music for 1967’s “Valley of the Dolls” and his first win was for Best Music (scoring adaptation and original song score) for 1971’s “Fiddler on the Roof.” And what was the first film he scored? The long-forgotten 1958 Aip release 1958 “Daddy-o.”
In terms of nominations, Williams is second only to Walt Disney. During his 40-plus year film career, he received 26 Oscar — 22 of those were competitive — and a staggering 59 bids. At the 5th Oscars, he won an honorary Oscar for creating Mickey Mouse, while winning the Academy Award for...
John Williams, who just turned 91, reaped his 53rd Oscar nomination for scoring Steven Spielberg’s movie memoir “The Fabelmans.” Three of his five Oscar wins are for Spielberg films. His first Oscar nomination was for Best Music for 1967’s “Valley of the Dolls” and his first win was for Best Music (scoring adaptation and original song score) for 1971’s “Fiddler on the Roof.” And what was the first film he scored? The long-forgotten 1958 Aip release 1958 “Daddy-o.”
In terms of nominations, Williams is second only to Walt Disney. During his 40-plus year film career, he received 26 Oscar — 22 of those were competitive — and a staggering 59 bids. At the 5th Oscars, he won an honorary Oscar for creating Mickey Mouse, while winning the Academy Award for...
- 2/15/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
When people picture Count Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster, they think of the classic versions played by Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. Lugosi's suave, mysterious, and authentically European Dracula has informed all subsequent portrayals while Karloff's lumbering, green-skinned monster has eclipsed Mary Shelley's original description of the Creature in her novel.
The actors (and their respective characters) headlined many of Universal Pictures' classic horror monster movies. It all began in 1931, when Todd Browning's "Dracula" debuted in February and James Whale's "Frankenstein" followed in November. In another world, that year's fruits could've been all Lugosi's: Universal producer Carl Laemmle Jr. wanted to capitalize on the success of "Dracula" and have Lugosi play Frankenstein's Monster too. He thought Lugosi could be the "new Lon Chaney" — the "man of a thousand faces" — but the actor was reluctant to take up the offer.
"The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela...
The actors (and their respective characters) headlined many of Universal Pictures' classic horror monster movies. It all began in 1931, when Todd Browning's "Dracula" debuted in February and James Whale's "Frankenstein" followed in November. In another world, that year's fruits could've been all Lugosi's: Universal producer Carl Laemmle Jr. wanted to capitalize on the success of "Dracula" and have Lugosi play Frankenstein's Monster too. He thought Lugosi could be the "new Lon Chaney" — the "man of a thousand faces" — but the actor was reluctant to take up the offer.
"The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela...
- 1/8/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Mickey Kuhn, a former child actor and the last surviving cast member of the 1939 film “Gone With The Wind,” died at the age of 90 on Nov. 20, 2022, at a hospice facility in Naples, Florida, his wife confirmed to Variety.
In the classic film, Kuhn played Beau Wilkes, the son of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes, played by Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland, respectively. The latter’s death in 2020 left Kuhn as the film’s last surviving credited cast member until his death on Sunday.
Kuhn’s acting career was at its height in the 1930s and 1940s, when he appeared such in films as “Juarez,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Red River,” in which he played the adoptive son of John Wayne’s character. Kuhn left the entertainment industry in 1957, with his final credit being multiple appearances in episodes of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”
Kuhn was born as Theodore Matthew Michael Kuhn Jr. on Sept.
In the classic film, Kuhn played Beau Wilkes, the son of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes, played by Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland, respectively. The latter’s death in 2020 left Kuhn as the film’s last surviving credited cast member until his death on Sunday.
Kuhn’s acting career was at its height in the 1930s and 1940s, when he appeared such in films as “Juarez,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Red River,” in which he played the adoptive son of John Wayne’s character. Kuhn left the entertainment industry in 1957, with his final credit being multiple appearances in episodes of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”
Kuhn was born as Theodore Matthew Michael Kuhn Jr. on Sept.
- 11/22/2022
- by EJ Panaligan
- Variety Film + TV
Mickey Kuhn, the last surviving credited cast member of the 1939 film classic Gone With The Wind, died Sunday at a hospice facility in Naples, Fl. He was 90.
His death was announced in a Facebook post by friend George Terrell.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery Related Story James Winburn Dies: Prolific 'Halloween' Stuntman Was 85 Related Story Jean-Marie Straub Dies: Radical French Filmmaker Of Straub-Huillet Duo Was 89
A prolific child actor of the 1930s and ’40s, Kuhn is best remembered for his role as Gone with the Wind‘s Beau Wilkes, the son of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes. In his most memorable scene, Kuhn tearfully reacts to Melanie’s death by asking his father: “Where is my mother going away to? And why can’t I go along, please?”
De Havilland’s death in 2020 left Kuhn as the film’s last surviving credited cast member.
His death was announced in a Facebook post by friend George Terrell.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery Related Story James Winburn Dies: Prolific 'Halloween' Stuntman Was 85 Related Story Jean-Marie Straub Dies: Radical French Filmmaker Of Straub-Huillet Duo Was 89
A prolific child actor of the 1930s and ’40s, Kuhn is best remembered for his role as Gone with the Wind‘s Beau Wilkes, the son of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes. In his most memorable scene, Kuhn tearfully reacts to Melanie’s death by asking his father: “Where is my mother going away to? And why can’t I go along, please?”
De Havilland’s death in 2020 left Kuhn as the film’s last surviving credited cast member.
- 11/22/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Mickey Kuhn, the last surviving actor of Gone with the Wind, has died at age 90.
His wife, Barbara, confirmed his death on Tuesday (22 November), telling press that Kuhn died on Sunday 20 November at a hospice facility in Naples, Florida.
With Kuhn’s death, it means that no members of the 1939 film’s production remain.
The actor was six years old when he starred in the Victor Fleming-directed picture. Considered a Hollywood classic, Gone with the Wind tells the story of Vivien Leigh’s outspoken heroine Scarlett O’Hara and her romantic pursuits of Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) and Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
Kuhn played the son of Olivia de Havilland’s character (Melanie Wilkes), Beau Wilkes.
The film ultimately won 10 Academy Awards of the 13 it was nominated for. Notably, Hattie McDaniel’s win for Best Supporting Actress marked the first time a Black person won an Oscar.
After this role,...
His wife, Barbara, confirmed his death on Tuesday (22 November), telling press that Kuhn died on Sunday 20 November at a hospice facility in Naples, Florida.
With Kuhn’s death, it means that no members of the 1939 film’s production remain.
The actor was six years old when he starred in the Victor Fleming-directed picture. Considered a Hollywood classic, Gone with the Wind tells the story of Vivien Leigh’s outspoken heroine Scarlett O’Hara and her romantic pursuits of Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) and Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
Kuhn played the son of Olivia de Havilland’s character (Melanie Wilkes), Beau Wilkes.
The film ultimately won 10 Academy Awards of the 13 it was nominated for. Notably, Hattie McDaniel’s win for Best Supporting Actress marked the first time a Black person won an Oscar.
After this role,...
- 11/22/2022
- by Nicole Vassell
- The Independent - Film
Former child actor Mickey Kuhn, best known for starring in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind, has died. He was 90. According to his wife, Barbara (via The Hollywood Reporter), Kuhn passed away in a hospice facility in Naples, Florida, on Sunday, November 20. He was in good health until recently, she said. Kuhn was the last surviving cast member of Gone with the Wind, in which he played Beau Wilkes, the son of Olivia de Havilland and Leslie Howard’s characters. He was just six years old when he took on the role and went on to appear in Dick Tracey (1945), The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), John Wayne’s Red River (1948), and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), where he reunited with Vivien Leigh, 12 years after they first worked together in Gone with the Wind. He also starred in the CBS television anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1956, the same year he featured in his final film,...
- 11/22/2022
- TV Insider
Mickey Kuhn, a child actor whose long credits list in the 1930s and 1940s included “Gone With the Wind” and “A Streetcar Named Desire,” has died in Naples, Florida, at the age of 90, his wife, Barbara told reporters.
Kuhn was the last surviving credited cast member of “Gone With the Wind,” playing Beau Wilkes, the son of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes, who were played by Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland. Kuhn’s most well-known line comes near the end of the film, when Melanie is on her deathbed from pregnancy complications and Beau asks his father, “Where is my mother going away to? And why can’t I go along, please?”
Despite the mother-son relationship between their characters, Kuhn and de Havilland never appeared on-screen together and had never even met on set. In fact, he told the Naples Daily News in 2017 that his first meeting with de Havilland...
Kuhn was the last surviving credited cast member of “Gone With the Wind,” playing Beau Wilkes, the son of Ashley and Melanie Wilkes, who were played by Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland. Kuhn’s most well-known line comes near the end of the film, when Melanie is on her deathbed from pregnancy complications and Beau asks his father, “Where is my mother going away to? And why can’t I go along, please?”
Despite the mother-son relationship between their characters, Kuhn and de Havilland never appeared on-screen together and had never even met on set. In fact, he told the Naples Daily News in 2017 that his first meeting with de Havilland...
- 11/22/2022
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Mickey Kuhn, the busy child actor of the 1930s and ’40s who played Beau Wilkes, the son of Olivia de Havilland and Leslie Howard’s characters, in Gone With the Wind, has died. He was 90.
Kuhn died Sunday in a hospice facility in Naples, Florida, his wife, Barbara, told The Hollywood Reporter. He was in excellent health until recently, she said.
Kuhn also portrayed the ward of a famous movie cop in Dick Tracy (1945) and younger versions of Kirk Douglas and Montgomery Clift in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) and John Wayne’s Red River (1948), respectively.
And in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Kuhn reunited with Gwtw actress Vivien Leigh to appear as a sailor who gives Blanche DuBois directions. (Was he Leigh’s good luck charm? She won her two best actress Oscars with him in the cast.)
Kuhn was 6 when...
Mickey Kuhn, the busy child actor of the 1930s and ’40s who played Beau Wilkes, the son of Olivia de Havilland and Leslie Howard’s characters, in Gone With the Wind, has died. He was 90.
Kuhn died Sunday in a hospice facility in Naples, Florida, his wife, Barbara, told The Hollywood Reporter. He was in excellent health until recently, she said.
Kuhn also portrayed the ward of a famous movie cop in Dick Tracy (1945) and younger versions of Kirk Douglas and Montgomery Clift in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) and John Wayne’s Red River (1948), respectively.
And in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Kuhn reunited with Gwtw actress Vivien Leigh to appear as a sailor who gives Blanche DuBois directions. (Was he Leigh’s good luck charm? She won her two best actress Oscars with him in the cast.)
Kuhn was 6 when...
- 11/21/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Whenever Hollywood looks to the rest of the world to find talented, beautiful women to star in their films, they inevitably end up falling into one of two categories: They are either able to completely assimilate into what Hollywood deems to be American culture, or they are branded as exotic temptresses. They even do this with American women as well, which is how Margarita Cansino, the child of Romani and Spanish parents, becomes the pale, redheaded bombshell Rita Hayworth. A few women were able to buck this trend, like Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, but they had the ability to transition out from the silent era of filmmaking where their natural accents weren't an issue. Audiences had already grown to love them by the time talkies came around. If you were coming over from Europe in the sound era, you had to nail the mid-Atlantic accent that was in fashion...
- 10/17/2022
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
It’s pre-war Los Angeles and you’re a young and rather dashing British actor. You’re newly arrived in Hollywood and looking to make friends, and preferably ones who understand the importance of a properly made cup of tea. Look no further, then, than the Hollywood Cricket Club.
There you’ll find fellow famous Brits abroad such as David Niven, Boris Karloff and, thanks to the suspect nature of colonialism, an honorary Brit in the shape of Tasmanian-born Errol Flynn. Across the 1930s and 1940s, these stars (and more) could be counted on to drop by the club’s nets in their flawless whites. Cinema luminaries such as Cary Grant, Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman and Leslie Howard would all also play for the team, while a young Elizabeth Taylor might be around to serve cream tea.
Like any sports team, each player brought their own distinct style to the game.
There you’ll find fellow famous Brits abroad such as David Niven, Boris Karloff and, thanks to the suspect nature of colonialism, an honorary Brit in the shape of Tasmanian-born Errol Flynn. Across the 1930s and 1940s, these stars (and more) could be counted on to drop by the club’s nets in their flawless whites. Cinema luminaries such as Cary Grant, Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman and Leslie Howard would all also play for the team, while a young Elizabeth Taylor might be around to serve cream tea.
Like any sports team, each player brought their own distinct style to the game.
- 10/8/2022
- by Leonie Cooper
- The Independent - Film
Photo by Alexandros Petrakis.On the third night of the festival, we walk down a hill past a line of cars, past a fence, and find seats in the nearly full rows of plastic chairs. We face a glowing screen, and behind the screen is an old church that spends its summer hosting a children’s camp, and behind that, a stripe of orange sky that presses up against the flash of Aegean Sea, turning the color blue electric, like a fish you’d need a special type of light to see. At our backs there are three wide rows of cars, presumably tuning their radios to the proper station. In lieu of lights dimming, the sunset fades, and an intro that oscillates between Greek and English sets up the opening three short films we are going to see tonight. The first two are brief romantic memories of a black and white Paris,...
- 10/1/2022
- MUBI
If you are a fan of classic Hollywood movie musicals, there is a strong chance you have probably had the debate: Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire? It's a silly debate, obviously, but pitting the two premiere tap-dancing leading men of some of the most loved films of all time against each other is a classic cinephile's version of, "Who would win in a fight, Superman or Wonder Woman?" If I have to choose, I choose Gene, but I have nothing against Fred. Despite their unparalleled hoofing skills, I go to the two men for completely different things. When I want athleticism and relatability, I go for Gene. When I want precision in both movement and story, I go for Fred.
Fred Astaire is undeniably Hollywood legend, thanks in large part to his on-screen chemistry with the equally delightful Ginger Rogers, but his path to stardom was not an obvious one.
Fred Astaire is undeniably Hollywood legend, thanks in large part to his on-screen chemistry with the equally delightful Ginger Rogers, but his path to stardom was not an obvious one.
- 8/15/2022
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
A 300-year-old violin, reputed to have been played on the Oscar-winning “Wizard of Oz” score, will go on the auction block next month and could fetch as much as 20 million.
The rare Stradivarius belonged to Odessa-born Toscha Seidel, widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, famed for his rich tone and emotional intensity.
Estimates are that the violin could bring between 16 million and 20 million at auction, partly because of its excellent condition and partly because of its history. There are about 600 Stradivarius violins in existence worldwide; the highest price paid for a Strad was 15.9 million in 2011, so the Seidel instrument could mark a new world record.
Seidel made his American debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1918 and toured the U.S., Europe and Australia throughout the 1920s. He was a frequent performer on New York-based CBS Radio in the early 1930s but moved to...
The rare Stradivarius belonged to Odessa-born Toscha Seidel, widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, famed for his rich tone and emotional intensity.
Estimates are that the violin could bring between 16 million and 20 million at auction, partly because of its excellent condition and partly because of its history. There are about 600 Stradivarius violins in existence worldwide; the highest price paid for a Strad was 15.9 million in 2011, so the Seidel instrument could mark a new world record.
Seidel made his American debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1918 and toured the U.S., Europe and Australia throughout the 1920s. He was a frequent performer on New York-based CBS Radio in the early 1930s but moved to...
- 5/4/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
In the 125 years since the first play based on the life of 17th century author Cyrano de Bergerac premiered, the classic underdog tale’s eternal relevance has been proven time and time again. Its simple love triangle premise has served as the basis for many stage and screen adaptations, two of which captured the attention of Oscar voters. José Ferrer and Gérard Depardieu both earned academy recognition for their portrayals of de Bergerac, and now Peter Dinklage is gunning for a Best Actor bid for starring in the new film “Cyrano.” If he succeeds, the character will become one of only a handful in Oscars history to have inspired three nominations.
Dinklage, who bagged four Emmys during his eight-season tenure on “Game of Thrones,” first played de Bergerac during the Off-Broadway run of the stage musical from which his film derives. His potential Oscar nomination would come 71 years after Ferrer’s,...
Dinklage, who bagged four Emmys during his eight-season tenure on “Game of Thrones,” first played de Bergerac during the Off-Broadway run of the stage musical from which his film derives. His potential Oscar nomination would come 71 years after Ferrer’s,...
- 1/21/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Something wicked this way comes to theaters on Christmas Day: Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”. The latest interpretation of Shakespeare’s 1606 Scottish play stars Oscar-winners Denzel Washington as Macbeth, a brave general who hears a prophecy from a trio of witches that he will become king, and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth, the general’s ambitious wife, who goads him into killing the King.
It’s the first film the Oscar-winning Coen has done without his brother Ethan. Coen directed his wife McDormand (they married in 1984) to the first of her three Oscars with 1996’s “Fargo.’ Could this film bag her a 4th?
Even though the play is considered “cursed” that hasn’t stopped directors and actors from tackling the powerful tragedy. The last screen version starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard and directed by Justin Kurzel was released in 2015. Reviews were generally good; the box office wasn’t.
It’s the first film the Oscar-winning Coen has done without his brother Ethan. Coen directed his wife McDormand (they married in 1984) to the first of her three Oscars with 1996’s “Fargo.’ Could this film bag her a 4th?
Even though the play is considered “cursed” that hasn’t stopped directors and actors from tackling the powerful tragedy. The last screen version starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard and directed by Justin Kurzel was released in 2015. Reviews were generally good; the box office wasn’t.
- 12/5/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Welcome to this week’s Aew: Dynamite review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have Christian Cage’s return to the ring. I…what the… Paul Lynde: I’m 1000 feet tall! Rip Taylor: I’m bigger than you asshole! Me: Oh no! It’s…Lynde versus Taylor! Pl: Bitch! Rt: Whore! Rt & Pl: Skank! Me: They’re evenly matched! What’re we gonna d…oh God. Charles Nelson Reilly: Queens! Hahmraufrahum! Bruce Vilanch: Sluts! Leslie Howard: Tramps! Me: It’s…the sissy titans! Mecha-Tom Cruise: I’m not gay! Rt: That’s such bull-s–t! Ladeedadeedadadaaaaaaa!!!!!!!! M-tc: Shut up! Me: Well, while that S–t happens, let’s get to Dynamite.
Match #1: Christian Cage def. Frankie Kazarian The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They locked up with a collar and elbow tie-up, feeling each other out. Cage...
Match #1: Christian Cage def. Frankie Kazarian The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They locked up with a collar and elbow tie-up, feeling each other out. Cage...
- 4/2/2021
- by Nathan Favel
- Nerdly
The verdict is in. If you want to have success in awards’ season go to court. Over the decades, a caseload of legal movies have been judged to be Oscar worthy. And for good reason. The genre is rich with emotions, betrayals, manipulations, love, hate, violence and redemption. Who doesn’t remember Humphrey Bogart’s brilliant Oscar-nominated turn as Captain Queeg slowly losing his mind on the stand as he recounts his obsession with missing strawberries in 1954’s “The Caine Mutiny”?
“A Free Soul” (1931)
Lionel Barrymore won his only Academy Award for for his delicious over-the-top turn as a wily alcoholic attorney who gets a ruthless gangster (Clark Gable) off for murder in this juicy pre-code melodrama. Though his free-spirited daughter (Norma Shearer), who wears the slinkiest of gowns, has a boyfriend (a staid Leslie Howard), she soon realizes she loves bad boys and leaves Howard for Gable. It’s a big mistake.
“A Free Soul” (1931)
Lionel Barrymore won his only Academy Award for for his delicious over-the-top turn as a wily alcoholic attorney who gets a ruthless gangster (Clark Gable) off for murder in this juicy pre-code melodrama. Though his free-spirited daughter (Norma Shearer), who wears the slinkiest of gowns, has a boyfriend (a staid Leslie Howard), she soon realizes she loves bad boys and leaves Howard for Gable. It’s a big mistake.
- 11/18/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
David Fincher’s “Mank” isn’t a work of history. It’s a film first and foremost.
“If you’re talking about the truth, you have to circumnavigate some of the fact,” Fincher tells Variety in this week’s cover story.
And yet, “Mank” sticks much closer to the truth than most fact-based films, if the Variety Archives are any indication.
Variety in the 1930s and ’40s was like a community bulletin board: Aside from covering the business, reporters wrote about daily life in a company town. Reading the archives is like a “Mank Study Guide,” with support for virtually every plot point and detail in the new movie.
For example, the Netflix film features a circus-themed party thrown by Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst, who in fact threw a similar event for 400 guests:
“W.R. Hearst in gold cloth bolero, and big red bow tie, cut a gigantic birthday cake … Bette Davis,...
“If you’re talking about the truth, you have to circumnavigate some of the fact,” Fincher tells Variety in this week’s cover story.
And yet, “Mank” sticks much closer to the truth than most fact-based films, if the Variety Archives are any indication.
Variety in the 1930s and ’40s was like a community bulletin board: Aside from covering the business, reporters wrote about daily life in a company town. Reading the archives is like a “Mank Study Guide,” with support for virtually every plot point and detail in the new movie.
For example, the Netflix film features a circus-themed party thrown by Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst, who in fact threw a similar event for 400 guests:
“W.R. Hearst in gold cloth bolero, and big red bow tie, cut a gigantic birthday cake … Bette Davis,...
- 11/18/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
The show must go on. At least the Venice Film Festival must go on. Even a pandemic can’t stop the oldest international film festival from taking place Sept. 2 through Sept. 12 in the picturesque of grand canals. Of course, safety is first with masks, social distancing etc. are all in place as critics get a first glance at possible award-winners.
Over the past seven years, the festival has held world premieres of such Oscar-winners as 2013’s “Gravity”; 2014’s “Birdman”; 2015’s “Spotlight”; 2016’s “La La Land”; 2017’s “The Shape of Water”; 2018’s “Roma”; and 2019’s “Joker.” Only two films that won the festival’s top prize have gone on to win Best Picture at the Oscars: 1948’s “Hamlet” and 2017’s “The Shape of Water.”
The festival began in 1932 as part of the Venice Biennale, the city’s legendary exhibition of the arts under the guidance of President of the Biennale, Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata,...
Over the past seven years, the festival has held world premieres of such Oscar-winners as 2013’s “Gravity”; 2014’s “Birdman”; 2015’s “Spotlight”; 2016’s “La La Land”; 2017’s “The Shape of Water”; 2018’s “Roma”; and 2019’s “Joker.” Only two films that won the festival’s top prize have gone on to win Best Picture at the Oscars: 1948’s “Hamlet” and 2017’s “The Shape of Water.”
The festival began in 1932 as part of the Venice Biennale, the city’s legendary exhibition of the arts under the guidance of President of the Biennale, Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata,...
- 9/2/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
By Lee Pfeiffer
Actress and two-time Oscar winner Olivia de Havilland has died in Paris from natural causes at age 104. Ms. de Havilland was one of the last remaining symbols of Hollywood's Golden Age and the last living star of the 1939 classic "Gone With the Wind". Ms. De Havilland was a role model for women's rights in show business, having courageously stood up to studio bosses, beginning with Warner Brothers in the 1940s and extending to her recent legal action against the FX cable network for what she felt was an inaccurate and unfavorable portrayal of her in their TV movie "Feud: Bette and Joan", which depicted the antagonistic relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. She won her first Best Actress Oscar for the 1946 film "To Each His Own". She also won for the 1949 production of "The Heiress". She was also nominated the prior year for "The Snake Pit". De Havilland and her sister,...
Actress and two-time Oscar winner Olivia de Havilland has died in Paris from natural causes at age 104. Ms. de Havilland was one of the last remaining symbols of Hollywood's Golden Age and the last living star of the 1939 classic "Gone With the Wind". Ms. De Havilland was a role model for women's rights in show business, having courageously stood up to studio bosses, beginning with Warner Brothers in the 1940s and extending to her recent legal action against the FX cable network for what she felt was an inaccurate and unfavorable portrayal of her in their TV movie "Feud: Bette and Joan", which depicted the antagonistic relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. She won her first Best Actress Oscar for the 1946 film "To Each His Own". She also won for the 1949 production of "The Heiress". She was also nominated the prior year for "The Snake Pit". De Havilland and her sister,...
- 7/26/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Olivia de Havilland, one of the last remaining actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age, two-time Academy Award winner and star of “Gone With the Wind,” has died. She was 104.
Her publicist Lisa Goldberg confirmed the news to Variety, saying de Havilland died from natural causes on Sunday at her residence in Paris.
De Havilland’s former lawyer Suzelle M. Smith said, “Last night, the world lost an international treasure, and I lost a dear friend and beloved client. She died peacefully in Paris.”
Numerous Hollywood figures paid tribute to de Havilland upon the news of her death. SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris extended her sympathies, saying, “Olivia de Havilland was not only beautiful and talented, she was a courageous visionary and an inspiration to generations. She was a marvel and a legend. Rest in peace.”
The striking brunette won best actress Oscars for “The Heiress” and “To Each His Own” in the late 1940s,...
Her publicist Lisa Goldberg confirmed the news to Variety, saying de Havilland died from natural causes on Sunday at her residence in Paris.
De Havilland’s former lawyer Suzelle M. Smith said, “Last night, the world lost an international treasure, and I lost a dear friend and beloved client. She died peacefully in Paris.”
Numerous Hollywood figures paid tribute to de Havilland upon the news of her death. SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris extended her sympathies, saying, “Olivia de Havilland was not only beautiful and talented, she was a courageous visionary and an inspiration to generations. She was a marvel and a legend. Rest in peace.”
The striking brunette won best actress Oscars for “The Heiress” and “To Each His Own” in the late 1940s,...
- 7/26/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
With the Emmy Awards nominations set for Tuesday, it is a good time to back at a few of the greatest Emmy-winning and Emmy-nominated performances from some of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
Ingrid Bergman, “The Turn of the Screw” (1959)
The Oscar-winning Swedish actress certainly ended the 1950s on a different note than she began the decade. After making her U.S. film debut opposite Leslie Howard in 1939’s “Intermezzo,” Bergman became one of the top Hollywood stars earning her first Oscar for 1944’s “Gaslight.” Married with a young daughter, she shocked the U.S. when she had an affair and became pregnant by famed Italian director Roberto Rossellini during the production of “Stromboli.” She was even denounced in Congress for her affair. The couple did marry, have three children including actress Isabella Rossellini and made several films together before they divorced in 1957. All was forgiven by 1956 when she won...
Ingrid Bergman, “The Turn of the Screw” (1959)
The Oscar-winning Swedish actress certainly ended the 1950s on a different note than she began the decade. After making her U.S. film debut opposite Leslie Howard in 1939’s “Intermezzo,” Bergman became one of the top Hollywood stars earning her first Oscar for 1944’s “Gaslight.” Married with a young daughter, she shocked the U.S. when she had an affair and became pregnant by famed Italian director Roberto Rossellini during the production of “Stromboli.” She was even denounced in Congress for her affair. The couple did marry, have three children including actress Isabella Rossellini and made several films together before they divorced in 1957. All was forgiven by 1956 when she won...
- 7/24/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
A day after WarnerMedia’s Sandra Dewey promised a virtual Cannes that Gone With the Wind would be back on HBO Max “very soon,” the controversial 1939 film has indeed returned – with some poignant historical context “about the film’s handling of the topic of slavery, and its treatment of Black characters.”
Pulled from the AT&T-owned new-ish streamer on June 9, the film set in the Antebellum Sout now comes with three new videos that are part disclaimer and part re-evaluation of the Academy Award winner.
One of the extra videos sees TCM’s Silent Sunday Nights host Jacqueline Stewart giving both a sprawling and specific critique of the epic starring Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland and Hattie McDaniel as cinema and cultural advocacy for white supremacy. A second newly added video is the 2019 TCM Classic Film Festival panel that Donald Bogle moderated on the bluntly titled...
Pulled from the AT&T-owned new-ish streamer on June 9, the film set in the Antebellum Sout now comes with three new videos that are part disclaimer and part re-evaluation of the Academy Award winner.
One of the extra videos sees TCM’s Silent Sunday Nights host Jacqueline Stewart giving both a sprawling and specific critique of the epic starring Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland and Hattie McDaniel as cinema and cultural advocacy for white supremacy. A second newly added video is the 2019 TCM Classic Film Festival panel that Donald Bogle moderated on the bluntly titled...
- 6/24/2020
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
By Lee Pfeiffer
The British Film Institute (BFI) deserves praise for continuing to invest in restorations of worthy, but largely forgotten, British films from bygone eras. Case in point: the 1953 crime drama "Cosh Boy" (absurdly re-titled "The Slasher" for American release in order to make it appear to be a "B" horror movie.) Incidentally, a "cosh" is old British slang for a blackjack used by thugs to strike victims over the head. The low-budget B&W production is typical of the film output in post-wwii Britain. Britain was on the winning side but after initial jubilation the reality of living in an almost bankrupt nation set in. Rationing was strict, much of the country was in ruins and crime and juvenile delinquency began to rise. "The Slasher", co-written and directed by Lewis Gilbert, touches on these problems by examining how the delinquency problem was exacerbated in part by the loss...
The British Film Institute (BFI) deserves praise for continuing to invest in restorations of worthy, but largely forgotten, British films from bygone eras. Case in point: the 1953 crime drama "Cosh Boy" (absurdly re-titled "The Slasher" for American release in order to make it appear to be a "B" horror movie.) Incidentally, a "cosh" is old British slang for a blackjack used by thugs to strike victims over the head. The low-budget B&W production is typical of the film output in post-wwii Britain. Britain was on the winning side but after initial jubilation the reality of living in an almost bankrupt nation set in. Rationing was strict, much of the country was in ruins and crime and juvenile delinquency began to rise. "The Slasher", co-written and directed by Lewis Gilbert, touches on these problems by examining how the delinquency problem was exacerbated in part by the loss...
- 2/4/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
After his win for Best Actor at the Golden Globes, it looks as if Joaquin Phoenix is well on his way to snaring his first Oscar for his disturbing portrait of a deranged wannabe stand-up comic who transforms into Batman’s arch nemesis in “Joker.”
The former child star has been nominated three times previously, as a supporting actor in the 2000 historical epic “Gladiator” and for lead actor in both the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” and as alcoholic war vet who has ties to a cult in 2012’s “The Master.” But this physically demanding comic-book role for which he lost over 50 pounds may finally do the trick.
Several other actors on TV and in movies have played the Joker previously, including Jack Nicholson in 1989’s “Batman” and Jared Leto in 2016’s “Suicide Squad.” But only one performer earned an Academy Award for channeling the comic-book supervillain. That would be the late Heath Ledger,...
The former child star has been nominated three times previously, as a supporting actor in the 2000 historical epic “Gladiator” and for lead actor in both the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line” and as alcoholic war vet who has ties to a cult in 2012’s “The Master.” But this physically demanding comic-book role for which he lost over 50 pounds may finally do the trick.
Several other actors on TV and in movies have played the Joker previously, including Jack Nicholson in 1989’s “Batman” and Jared Leto in 2016’s “Suicide Squad.” But only one performer earned an Academy Award for channeling the comic-book supervillain. That would be the late Heath Ledger,...
- 1/10/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Sam Mendes’ acclaimed World War I epic “1917” graphically shows how the Great War was indeed hell. And numerous actors and filmmakers were there on the front lines or bravely engaging in dogfights in the sky over France. Just as Mendes’ illustrates in “1917,” the combat took its toll on these soldiers who went on to fame in feature films. Numerous were wounded, gassed and even were POWs. Needless to say, the majority were never the same.
Here’s a look at 10 actors, who became stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood, who participated in World War I
Humphrey Bogart
Long before he uttered “Here’s looking at you kid” in 1942’s “Casablanca,” the Oscar-winning superstar was a teenager when he enlisted in the Navy in May of 1918 where he was assigned to the ship the Leviathan. And it was during this time, he suffered the injury that created the scar on...
Here’s a look at 10 actors, who became stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood, who participated in World War I
Humphrey Bogart
Long before he uttered “Here’s looking at you kid” in 1942’s “Casablanca,” the Oscar-winning superstar was a teenager when he enlisted in the Navy in May of 1918 where he was assigned to the ship the Leviathan. And it was during this time, he suffered the injury that created the scar on...
- 12/30/2019
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
David Crow Feb 19, 2019
Gone with the Wind returns to theaters for anniversary with encore screenings already announced. After all, tomorrow is another day.
Fiddledeedee, no matter the conversation around a classic, you cannot deny its power or allure. That certainly appears to be the case for Gone with the Wind, the 1939 Southern revisionist fantasy that was brought to breathtaking life in Technicolor by David O. Selznick and an army of MGM dream casters in Hollywood’s golden age. And that’s why it must be coming back.
As a film that is certainly more critically considered 80 years later for its depiction of slavery and people of color in the Antebellum South (one of Scarlett O’Hara’s many husbands does die while in Klan activity), the picture nevertheless remains a grandiose and beloved romantic epic due to the sheer power of its vision. Starring Vivien Leigh in her most iconic...
Gone with the Wind returns to theaters for anniversary with encore screenings already announced. After all, tomorrow is another day.
Fiddledeedee, no matter the conversation around a classic, you cannot deny its power or allure. That certainly appears to be the case for Gone with the Wind, the 1939 Southern revisionist fantasy that was brought to breathtaking life in Technicolor by David O. Selznick and an army of MGM dream casters in Hollywood’s golden age. And that’s why it must be coming back.
As a film that is certainly more critically considered 80 years later for its depiction of slavery and people of color in the Antebellum South (one of Scarlett O’Hara’s many husbands does die while in Klan activity), the picture nevertheless remains a grandiose and beloved romantic epic due to the sheer power of its vision. Starring Vivien Leigh in her most iconic...
- 2/19/2019
- Den of Geek
Here’s looking at you, Humphrey Bogart. The Oscar-winning leading man would’ve celebrated his 119th birthday on December 25, 2018. Best known for playing a tough guy with a heart of gold, Bogart made dozens of films before his untimely death in 1957. But how many of those titles are classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Though it may sound like a bit of Hollywood lore, Bogart was indeed born on Christmas Day, 1899, in New York City. After a short stint in the Navy, he started acting onstage and in films, mostly in bit parts as gangsters who met the wrong end of a bullet.
SEEOscar Best Actor Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
His big breakthrough came with the Broadway hit “The Petrified Forest,” in which he played a violent bank robber holed up at...
Though it may sound like a bit of Hollywood lore, Bogart was indeed born on Christmas Day, 1899, in New York City. After a short stint in the Navy, he started acting onstage and in films, mostly in bit parts as gangsters who met the wrong end of a bullet.
SEEOscar Best Actor Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
His big breakthrough came with the Broadway hit “The Petrified Forest,” in which he played a violent bank robber holed up at...
- 12/25/2018
- by Chris Beachum and Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Here’s looking at you, Humphrey Bogart. The Oscar-winning leading man would’ve celebrated his 119th birthday on December 25, 2018. Best known for playing a tough guy with a heart of gold, Bogart made dozens of films before his untimely death in 1957. But how many of those titles are classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Though it may sound like a bit of Hollywood lore, Bogart was indeed born on Christmas Day, 1899, in New York City. After a short stint in the Navy, he started acting onstage and in films, mostly in bit parts as gangsters who met the wrong end of a bullet.
His big breakthrough came with the Broadway hit “The Petrified Forest,” in which he played a violent bank robber holed up at an isolated diner with a hobo and a waitress. When...
Though it may sound like a bit of Hollywood lore, Bogart was indeed born on Christmas Day, 1899, in New York City. After a short stint in the Navy, he started acting onstage and in films, mostly in bit parts as gangsters who met the wrong end of a bullet.
His big breakthrough came with the Broadway hit “The Petrified Forest,” in which he played a violent bank robber holed up at an isolated diner with a hobo and a waitress. When...
- 12/24/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Vivien Leigh would’ve celebrated her 105th birthday on November 5, 2018. The two-time Oscar inner made only a handful of films before her untimely death in 1967 at the age of 53. Yet several of those titles remain classics. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look back at 10 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in British India, Leigh appeared in a number of roles on both the stage and screen in England, including a production of “Hamlet” opposite her husband, Laurence Olivier.
She came to international attention after landing the coveted role of Scarlet O’Hara in David O. Selznick’s massive adaptation of Margaret Mitchell‘s bestseller “Gone with the Wind” (1939). Leigh was far from the first choice to embody the headstrong Southern belle who pines after a married man (Leslie Howard) while wedding another (Clark Gable) against the backdrop of the Civil War. Yet the...
Born in British India, Leigh appeared in a number of roles on both the stage and screen in England, including a production of “Hamlet” opposite her husband, Laurence Olivier.
She came to international attention after landing the coveted role of Scarlet O’Hara in David O. Selznick’s massive adaptation of Margaret Mitchell‘s bestseller “Gone with the Wind” (1939). Leigh was far from the first choice to embody the headstrong Southern belle who pines after a married man (Leslie Howard) while wedding another (Clark Gable) against the backdrop of the Civil War. Yet the...
- 11/5/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Did they, or didn’t they?
Any baby boomer who saw Franco Zeffirelli’s sumptuous “Romeo & Juliet,” which opened in U.S. theaters Oct. 8, 1968, has wondered if stars Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting actually fell in love during the production.
Their performances as Shakespeare’s star-crossed ill-fated lovers were so passionate, audiences naturally thought they were acting out their own feelings.
“I had never been with anyone before we shot the film,” noted Hussey, author with her son Alexander Martin of the new memoir, “The Girl on the Balcony: Olivia Hussey Finds Life After ‘Romeo & Juliet.”’
“But Leonard and I held hands, kissed,” Hussey, 67, explained during a recent interview at a Studio City bistro. “I guess we sort of saw each other as boyfriend and girlfriend — but young. It wasn’t the way it might be today. A 15-year-old girl today is a lot more promiscuous than we were.
Any baby boomer who saw Franco Zeffirelli’s sumptuous “Romeo & Juliet,” which opened in U.S. theaters Oct. 8, 1968, has wondered if stars Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting actually fell in love during the production.
Their performances as Shakespeare’s star-crossed ill-fated lovers were so passionate, audiences naturally thought they were acting out their own feelings.
“I had never been with anyone before we shot the film,” noted Hussey, author with her son Alexander Martin of the new memoir, “The Girl on the Balcony: Olivia Hussey Finds Life After ‘Romeo & Juliet.”’
“But Leonard and I held hands, kissed,” Hussey, 67, explained during a recent interview at a Studio City bistro. “I guess we sort of saw each other as boyfriend and girlfriend — but young. It wasn’t the way it might be today. A 15-year-old girl today is a lot more promiscuous than we were.
- 10/7/2018
- by Susan King
- Variety Film + TV
No matter what they do to Los Angeles, and lately they’ve done quite a lot with all the traffic, hyper-development, and electric scooters, they can’t get rid of the movie ghosts. The accumulated haunt of a century-old industry, those pop up in nooks and crannies, sometimes where you least expect them. There are a couple next door to Katy Perry’s coveted convent-house in Los Feliz, for instance. That’s where the Manson family killed the Labiancas a night after murdering Sharon Tate and friends, setting off Hollywood’s Helter Skelter panic. The address on the curb has been changed. But the ghosts are still there.
A mostly gentler sort stalk one of my favorite memory pockets, Santa Monica Canyon. Geographically, that’s a leafy trough that runs between the Pacific Palisades district of Los Angeles and the City of Santa Monica. It has identity issues. The postal addresses,...
A mostly gentler sort stalk one of my favorite memory pockets, Santa Monica Canyon. Geographically, that’s a leafy trough that runs between the Pacific Palisades district of Los Angeles and the City of Santa Monica. It has identity issues. The postal addresses,...
- 9/16/2018
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
August 29 marks the 103rd anniversary of the birth of legendary film star Ingrid Bergman. Born in Stockholm, she was working in Swedish and German films during the 1930s, when one of her Swedish films, 1936’s “Intermezzo,” caught the eye of powerful Hollywood producer David O. Selznick. He announced that he planned to remake “Intermezzo” in English and would bring Bergman to Hollywood to star. The only problem was that Bergman didn’t speak English, but she turned out to be a fast learner, and the combination of her work ethic and her radiant beauty put Bergman well on her way to becoming an authentic movie star.
Not only did Bergman become an audience favorite, but her acting skills earned her the respect of moviegoers and Hollywood producers alike. In the course of her four-decade film career, Bergman was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning three for “Gaslight,” “Anastasia” and “Murder on the Orient Express...
Not only did Bergman become an audience favorite, but her acting skills earned her the respect of moviegoers and Hollywood producers alike. In the course of her four-decade film career, Bergman was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning three for “Gaslight,” “Anastasia” and “Murder on the Orient Express...
- 8/29/2018
- by Tom O'Brien and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Mark Harrison Feb 6, 2019
Christopher Reeve, Back To The Future, About Time, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: join us as we examine time travel in romcoms...
Love is complicated enough without time travel. When time becomes a factor in a relationship, that relationship may be in trouble. In science fiction especially, time travel is a wrinkle that both brings lovers together and keeps them separate in some temporally devastating way.
Marty McFly almost breaks up his parents before they even get together. Kyle Reese falls in love with Sarah Connor when tasked with saving her life. Captain America misses out on a dance with Peggy Carter by getting frozen for 70 years. And, on TV, River Song and the Doctor experience their marriage in almost opposite directions.
read more: 22 Best Romantic Movies on Netflix
But, just as romance factors into timey-wimey movies like Back To The Future, The Terminator, and Groundhog Day,...
Christopher Reeve, Back To The Future, About Time, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: join us as we examine time travel in romcoms...
Love is complicated enough without time travel. When time becomes a factor in a relationship, that relationship may be in trouble. In science fiction especially, time travel is a wrinkle that both brings lovers together and keeps them separate in some temporally devastating way.
Marty McFly almost breaks up his parents before they even get together. Kyle Reese falls in love with Sarah Connor when tasked with saving her life. Captain America misses out on a dance with Peggy Carter by getting frozen for 70 years. And, on TV, River Song and the Doctor experience their marriage in almost opposite directions.
read more: 22 Best Romantic Movies on Netflix
But, just as romance factors into timey-wimey movies like Back To The Future, The Terminator, and Groundhog Day,...
- 2/14/2018
- Den of Geek
Mark Harrison Feb 14, 2018
Christopher Reeve, Back To The Future, About Time, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: join us as we examine time travel in romcoms...
Love is complicated enough without time travel. When time becomes a factor in a relationship, that relationship may be in trouble. In science fiction especially, time travel is a wrinkle that both brings lovers together and keeps them separate in some temporally devastating way.
Marty McFly almost breaks up his parents before they even get together, Kyle Reese falls in love with Sarah Connor when tasked with saving her life, Captain America misses out on a dance with Peggy Carter by getting frozen for 70 years (still technically time travel, if a bit low-tech), and on TV, River Song and the Doctor experience their marriage in almost opposite directions.
But just as romance factors into timey-wimey movies like Back To The Future, The Terminator and Groundhog Day,...
Christopher Reeve, Back To The Future, About Time, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: join us as we examine time travel in romcoms...
Love is complicated enough without time travel. When time becomes a factor in a relationship, that relationship may be in trouble. In science fiction especially, time travel is a wrinkle that both brings lovers together and keeps them separate in some temporally devastating way.
Marty McFly almost breaks up his parents before they even get together, Kyle Reese falls in love with Sarah Connor when tasked with saving her life, Captain America misses out on a dance with Peggy Carter by getting frozen for 70 years (still technically time travel, if a bit low-tech), and on TV, River Song and the Doctor experience their marriage in almost opposite directions.
But just as romance factors into timey-wimey movies like Back To The Future, The Terminator and Groundhog Day,...
- 2/12/2018
- Den of Geek
All-time classic Gone with the Wind is back in Cineplex theatres as part of the Classic Film Series!
All-time classic Gone with the Wind is back in Cineplex theatres as part of the Classic Film Series!All-time classic Gone with the Wind is back in Cineplex theatres as part of the Classic Film Series!Ingrid Randoja - Cineplex Magazine9/13/2017 1:03:00 Pm
It took three directors, seven writers, 1,500 extras and one obsessed producer named David O. Selznick to make the 1939 classic Gone with the Wind.
Selznick bought the rights to author Margaret Mitchell’s 1,037-page epic Civil War romance that finds spoiled Southern belle Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) pining for the melancholy Ashley (Leslie Howard) while falling into a tempestuous relationship with the arrogant Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
Selznick wanted only Gable for the role and waited two years until he became available. However, finding the perfect Scarlett was a chore as he screen-tested 33 actors before signing Leigh, a relatively unknown British beauty. He hired screenwriters only to fire them,...
It took three directors, seven writers, 1,500 extras and one obsessed producer named David O. Selznick to make the 1939 classic Gone with the Wind.
Selznick bought the rights to author Margaret Mitchell’s 1,037-page epic Civil War romance that finds spoiled Southern belle Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) pining for the melancholy Ashley (Leslie Howard) while falling into a tempestuous relationship with the arrogant Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
Selznick wanted only Gable for the role and waited two years until he became available. However, finding the perfect Scarlett was a chore as he screen-tested 33 actors before signing Leigh, a relatively unknown British beauty. He hired screenwriters only to fire them,...
- 9/13/2017
- by Ingrid Randoja - Cineplex Magazine
- Cineplex
By Lee Pfeiffer
Olive Films has released the now obscure 1941 British film noir "Pimpernel Smith" starring Leslie Howard, who also directed. The movie (known as "Mister V" in the United States) was released in 1941 at a time when England was hanging on by a thin thread as Hitler dominated most of Europe. As with all of the countries involved in WWII, the British film industry relied heavily on top stars appearing in inspiring movies that would boost public morale. This was especially true in England which saw its major ally, France, capitulate to Hitler in a matter of weeks, leaving the island nation standing alone against the Nazi menace. . At the time "Pimpernel Smith" was released in July 1941 (American would not enter the war until the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of that year), the Brits were enjoying a spate of good news. After the disastrous experience of the British expedition force in Dunkirk,...
Olive Films has released the now obscure 1941 British film noir "Pimpernel Smith" starring Leslie Howard, who also directed. The movie (known as "Mister V" in the United States) was released in 1941 at a time when England was hanging on by a thin thread as Hitler dominated most of Europe. As with all of the countries involved in WWII, the British film industry relied heavily on top stars appearing in inspiring movies that would boost public morale. This was especially true in England which saw its major ally, France, capitulate to Hitler in a matter of weeks, leaving the island nation standing alone against the Nazi menace. . At the time "Pimpernel Smith" was released in July 1941 (American would not enter the war until the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of that year), the Brits were enjoying a spate of good news. After the disastrous experience of the British expedition force in Dunkirk,...
- 6/18/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Frances Dee movies: From 'An American Tragedy' to 'Four Faces West' Frances Dee began her film career at the dawn of the sound era, going from extra to leading lady within a matter of months. Her rapid ascencion came about thanks to Maurice Chevalier, who got her as his romantic interested in Ludwig Berger's 1930 romantic comedy Playboy of Paris. Despite her dark(-haired) good looks and pleasant personality, Dee's Hollywood career never quite progressed to major – or even moderate – stardom. But she was to remain a busy leading lady for about 15 years. Tonight, Turner Classic Movies is showing seven Frances Dee films, ranging from heavy dramas to Westerns. Unfortunately missing is one of Dee's most curious efforts, the raunchy pre-Coder Blood Money, which possibly features her most unusual – and most effective – performance. Having said that, William A. Wellman's Love Is a Racket is a worthwhile subsitute, though the...
- 5/18/2017
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
on this day in history as it relates to showbiz...
1882 The titular event in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) happened on this very day in Missouri
1893 Leading man of the 1930s Leslie Howard (Gone With the Wind, Of Human Bondage) born in London
1921 Jan Sterling born in NYC. (We recently discussed her Oscar nominated performance in The High and the Mighty )
1922 After years of "which year is it?" it's finally settled... Doris Day was born on this day 1922. So happy 95th birthday to the icon, still with us, today.
1924 Another cinematic icon, Marlon Brando, born in Omaha...
1882 The titular event in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) happened on this very day in Missouri
1893 Leading man of the 1930s Leslie Howard (Gone With the Wind, Of Human Bondage) born in London
1921 Jan Sterling born in NYC. (We recently discussed her Oscar nominated performance in The High and the Mighty )
1922 After years of "which year is it?" it's finally settled... Doris Day was born on this day 1922. So happy 95th birthday to the icon, still with us, today.
1924 Another cinematic icon, Marlon Brando, born in Omaha...
- 4/3/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
How could England have won the war without him? Horatio Smith sneaks about in Nazi Germany, liberating concentration camp inmates right under the noses of the Gestapo. Leslie Howard directed and stars in this wartime escapist spy thriller, as a witty professor too passive to be suspected as the mystery spy.
‘Pimpernel’ Smith
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1941 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 121 min. / Street Date November 15, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring Leslie Howard, Francis L. Sullivan, Mary Morris, Allan Jeayes, Peter Gawthorne, Hugh McDermott, David Tomlinson, Raymond Huntley, Sebastian Cabot, Irene Handl, Ronald Howard, Michael Rennie.
Cinematography Mutz Greenbaum
Camera Operators Guy Green, Jack Hildyard
Film Editor Douglas Myers
Original Music John Greenwood
Written by Anatole de Grunwald, Roland Pertwee, A.G. Macdonell, Wolfgang Wilhelm based on a character by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Produced by Leslie Howard, Harold Huth
Directed by Leslie Howard
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
I like movies...
‘Pimpernel’ Smith
Blu-ray
Olive Films
1941 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 121 min. / Street Date November 15, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98
Starring Leslie Howard, Francis L. Sullivan, Mary Morris, Allan Jeayes, Peter Gawthorne, Hugh McDermott, David Tomlinson, Raymond Huntley, Sebastian Cabot, Irene Handl, Ronald Howard, Michael Rennie.
Cinematography Mutz Greenbaum
Camera Operators Guy Green, Jack Hildyard
Film Editor Douglas Myers
Original Music John Greenwood
Written by Anatole de Grunwald, Roland Pertwee, A.G. Macdonell, Wolfgang Wilhelm based on a character by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Produced by Leslie Howard, Harold Huth
Directed by Leslie Howard
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
I like movies...
- 12/30/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Each week, the fine folks at Fandor add a number of films to their Criterion Picks area, which will then be available to subscribers for the following twelve days. This week, the Criterion Picks focus on eight films from the Criterion Collection that were later remade.
Don’t have a Fandor subscription? They offer a free trial membership.
The Blob, the Horror film by Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
A cult classic of gooey greatness, The Blob follows the havoc wreaked on a small town by an outer-space monster with neither soul nor vertebrae, with Steve McQueen playing the rebel teen who tries to warn the residents about the jellylike invader.
The Hidden Fortress, the Japanese Action/Adventure film by Akira Kurosawa
This rip-roaring ride is among the director’s most beloved films and was a primary influence on George Lucas’ Star Wars. The Hidden Fortress delivers Kurosawa’s trademark deft blend of wry humor,...
Don’t have a Fandor subscription? They offer a free trial membership.
The Blob, the Horror film by Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
A cult classic of gooey greatness, The Blob follows the havoc wreaked on a small town by an outer-space monster with neither soul nor vertebrae, with Steve McQueen playing the rebel teen who tries to warn the residents about the jellylike invader.
The Hidden Fortress, the Japanese Action/Adventure film by Akira Kurosawa
This rip-roaring ride is among the director’s most beloved films and was a primary influence on George Lucas’ Star Wars. The Hidden Fortress delivers Kurosawa’s trademark deft blend of wry humor,...
- 1/19/2016
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
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