Category Archives: Film

1944 on the Radio — Dorothy Lamour on ‘Abbott and Costello’

Feb. 17, 1944 It’s Thursday in 1944 and today we have: — Dorothy Lamour is the guest on “Abbott and Costello.” Abbott has been elected mayor of Sherman Oaks! (Sherman Oaks is so small the motorcycle cops go around on … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio — Dorothy Lamour on ‘Abbott and Costello’

1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 17, 1944

Feb. 17, 1944 Note: If you haven’t noticed already, start keeping track of the number of times Walter Winchell takes a blast a certain members of Congress, particularly Rep. John Rankin (D-Miss.). Next month (that is, March 1944), Rep. Martin … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on 1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 17, 1944

1944 on the Radio — Bing Crosby on ‘Mail Call’

Feb. 16, 1944 It’s Wednesday in 1944 and today we have: — Bing Crosby in “Mail Call.” And we have the hit song “My Heart Tells Me” plus “Stardust” and “Oh! What a Beautiful Morning,” sung by Connee Boswell. And … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Music, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio — Bing Crosby on ‘Mail Call’

1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 16, 1944

Feb. 16, 1944 Man About Town Errol Flynn was turned down for the seventh time by the Army and Navy. He is asking the latter for special service and a waiver on physical defects … Quentin Reynolds, the war correspondent, … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Nightclubs, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 16, 1944

1944 on the Radio — Fred Astaire on ‘Burns and Allen’

Feb. 15, 1944 It’s Tuesday in 1944 and today we have: — Fred Astaire is the guest star on “Burns and Allen.” Courtesy of Archive.org. — Fibber has his handwriting analyzed in “Fibber McGee and Molly.” Listen for a bit … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio — Fred Astaire on ‘Burns and Allen’

1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 15, 1944

Feb. 15, 1944: Notes of an Innocent Bystander “The Sullivans” …  This is the movies’ memorial to the five Sullivan boys who died in the same sea action. It’s tender and moving and resists the temptation to cry too much. … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, New York, Nightclubs, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 15, 1944

Vintage Valentines

My grandparents used to have a few of these insult valentines stashed in a drawer. But not this one, which seems as timely as ever. This example is listed on EBay with bids starting at $3. And Happy Valentine’s Day … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

1944 in Print — Life Magazine, Feb. 14, 1944

Feb. 14, 1944: Guess where we are! Featured movie of the week: “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek.” Courtesy of Google. The Greatest Generation puzzles over women taking jobs.

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Nightclubs, Photography, World War II | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Los Angeles, Hollywood’s Back Lot

I went to dinner last night at Grand Central Market and got these shots of a group filming a video. And since we’re all good Angelenos, we went “oh yeah, a film crew, a guy with a Stedicam”  and went … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Downtown, Film, Food and Drink, Hollywood, Photography | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

1944 on the Radio — Jack Benny, Fred Allen and ‘The Life of Riley,’ Feb. 13, 1944

Feb. 13, 1944 It’s Sunday in 1944 and today we have: — A broadcast from March Field on “The Jack Benny Show.” Courtesy of Archive.org. —“The Fred Allen Show.” Courtesy of Archive.org. — Victor Young and the Orchestra on “The … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Music, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio — Jack Benny, Fred Allen and ‘The Life of Riley,’ Feb. 13, 1944

And They Call Themselves Movie Writers?

Oh the howls and groans of my outraged movie friends (you know who you are) over some of the things being written about Shirley Temple. I feel your pain. Really.

Posted in Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

1944 on the Radio — Frank Sinatra, Feb. 12, 1944

The crew of the B-24 Shoo-Shoo Baby, courtesy of Wikipedia. Feb. 12, 1944 It’s Saturday in 1944 and today we have: — Jim and his companions plan to blow up a Japanese airfield in “The Adventures of Jungle Jim.” Courtesy … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Music, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 12, 1944

Feb. 12, 1944 New York Novelette: She was a waitress in a small Midwest hotel. Loved working there … Because her feller played in the band … One day a stranger offered her a screen test chance … She spurned … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, New York, Nightclubs, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 12, 1944

Shirley Temple’s Tempest — Celebs Tee Off on Golf Course Over Star

Jan. 27, 1950: It’s difficult to figure out exactly what happened at the Riviera Country Club between actor/golfer Joe Kirkwood Jr. and singer Johnny Johnston. At one time the men and their wives were very chummy, apparently. Then Shirley Temple … Continue reading

Posted in 1950, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Shirley Temple’s Tempest — Celebs Tee Off on Golf Course Over Star

1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 11, 1944

Feb. 11, 1944: Sherman Billingsley, the Stork Club owner, has mike fright. Last year, frixample, he agreed to appear on “Duffy’s Tavern,” but at the last moment ran out, scared stiff. Ed Gardner went dizzy seeking a substitute, and was … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 11, 1944

Chaplin Indicted on Mann Act!

Feb. 11, 1944: A P-38 rushes from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara and back in an hour to get penicillin for a Jimmy Doyle, 15 months old, who has peritonitis. “Precious little of the stuff is available and that is … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Art & Artists, Aviation, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Medicine, New York, Tom Treanor, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Movieland Mystery Photo (Updated + + + +)

And for Monday, we have a mystery gent … who knows how to wear a hat! Update: Our mystery movie is “Forty Naughty Girls.” (Catchy title, no?) Monday’s mystery chap is George Shelley as Bert.

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Mystery Photo | Tagged , , | 32 Comments

1944 on the Radio — ‘Abbott and Costello’ With Charles Laughton, Feb. 10, 1944

Feb. 10, 1944 Today we have: — Charles Laughton is the guest on “The Abbott and Costello Show.” Courtesy of Archive.org. — Dinah Shore sings “Sleepy-Time Gal” and Cornelia Otis Skinner appears on “The Dinah Shore Show.” Courtesy of Archive.org. … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Film, Hollywood, Music, Radio, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 on the Radio — ‘Abbott and Costello’ With Charles Laughton, Feb. 10, 1944

Mary Mallory / Hollywood Heights — Max Munn Autrey, Texas Stillman

Max Munn Autrey, from Pictures and Picturegoer, August 1925 “In Hollywood, photographers spring into fame overnight. They are, for a time, a fad—and only become recognized as established worth when they prove that their ideas are not limited. All an … Continue reading

Posted in Film, Hollywood, Hollywood Heights, Mary Mallory, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 10, 1944

Feb. 10, 1944: Yawn of the Week: The raging waste of words about Steinbeck’s script of “Lifeboat” being distorted (to make the Nazi look good and the rescued look weak and yappy, etc.) is a bore of an argument over … Continue reading

Posted in 1944, Columnists, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on 1944 in Print — ‘Walter Winchell on Broadway,’ Feb. 10, 1944