Arturo

Linda Darnell may not have reinvented her career in the mid 40s, but she sure reinvigorated it when she drastically changed.her image from the sweet young girl next door, to that of a sexy femme fatale. A decade later, as.decent film offers grew.scarce in the second half of the 50s, like with many other stars, she went into tv and stage work. She had less success with a nightclub act in the early 60s; although she got good reviews and attracted large appreciative crowds on the road, she got poor notices and hostile drunk.audiences when she showcased the act in Las Vegas.

Other rarely seen highlights include: WHERE LOVE HAS GONE (1964), based on a Harold Robbins novel based on the Lana Turner-Johnny Stompanato-Cheryl Crane tragedy. With Bette Davis, Joey Heatherton and Mike Connors. Trashy fun. BACK STREET(1961), where Susan Hayward's character is now a prosperous designer living in Europe. STOLEN HOURS (1963), Susan takes on the Bette Davis role in this remake of DARK VICTORY.

I agree this movie is very good. Dan Dailey costars as Susan's love interest and business partner. I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE has been described as "ALL ABOUT EVE in the rag trade", and in fact, George Sanders plays a variation of his Addison DeWitt role.

Makes sense to me. Bacall is another of those actresses I have mentioned here, like Ann Sheridan and Linda Darnell, whose adoption of fhe shorter hairstyles of the late 40s and the 50s ended up detracting from their looks, making them look older than their actual age. I agree that Bacall later in life looked quite good.

I vaguely recall a contemporaneous critic of Mae West referring to her as "your grandfather's sex symbol".

An even scarier scenario was TOR'S COMPANY. Maybe it was a good thing that the pilot didn't sell.

The recent focus on Disney films led to several children's films, Disney and otherwise, to make the list of the most-sesrched titles. 1. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN TORS 2. FANTORSIA 3. 4. THE WIZARD OF TOR 5. TOR THUMB 6. ALICE IN WONTORLAND AND TOR THE LOOKING GLASS 7. WALTZ OF THE TOREADORS 8. BABES IN TORLAND/MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLTORS 9. THE TORLING 10. THE ADVENTURES OF TOR SAYWER 10. THE TOR OF BAGHDAD

1959's BLUE DENIM was controversial its day, dealing as it did with teenage pregnancy, underage marriage, and especially, back alley abortion. These days, it may be a bit dated, but it still is fairly engrossing. It's on this week on FMC, where it should be repeated.in the near future.

THE RED SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN: Tor Johnson plays a Catholic clergyman in Russia during the Cold War. The Soviet government send him to a gulag in Siberia, where his exile allows him to take the ballet lessons he longed for all his life from a fellow political prisoner. Later, upon securing his release, he tours in the Bolshoi Ballet throughout the West,.as.their star dancer. When he gets to Rome, he defects and finds sanctuary in the Vatican see. There his talents.in theology and pliets have him rise quickly up the church hierarchy, and when the pope dies, he is chosen the new pope. He uses his position to start funding and sending missions throughout the Third World,.fostering Vatican Ballet courses for impoverished youth.

With the adrenaline rush she must've gotten after killing her, Lupino was probably as strong as Tor Johnson.

Loretta Young was probably the first really big golden era Hollywood star to actually choose to give up films and move into a tv series, and with spectacular success, becoming even bigger, perhaps, than as a movie star. Despite this, back in the mid 50s it was considered the death knell careerwise, for A List actors to venture into tv, signifying the end as a viable movie star.

Well, I don't want to wade into the "is it or isn't it" quagmire, other than to state that a murder is not the defining trait.

Miles, thank you for sharing. Tor was obviously part of a distinguished, and distinguished looking, family. His mother kinda looks like Edith Massey, of John Waters fame, and a cougar to boot.

Well the estate does have that seasonal income from Tor Johnson masks, and body padding, etc. His enduring iconic popularity makes that quite a tidy sum come October, from what I've read. And those amazing photos just posted,.some enterprising descendant should gather them and have it published. They could make a killing with that one. That would make one big coffee table book.

TCM has been showing BLUE DENIM rather often in the last several months. I've been meaning to post this title on the Controversial When They Were Released thread, but haven't gotten around to it. Hopefully, you have this channel Holden.

All I know is that Gloria Grahame was in several superb noir(ish) films, including THE BIG HEAT, and the following year's HUMAN DESIRE, which reunited her, Glenn Ford, and Fritz Lang, and my own favorite, IN A LONELY PLACE.

The ongoing spotlight by TCM on series films had several Tor Johnson titles make the top ten; it's a toss up between Tor and Glenda Farrell as to the definitive character. 1. TOR-J BLANE IN CHINATOWN 2. TOR-J RUNS FOR MAYOR 3. 4. TOR FLAGS WEST 5. TOR-J GETS HIS MAN 6. YOUNG TORLESS 7. TOR-J BLANE IN PANAMA 8. TORTILLA FLAT 9. TOR-J BLANE PLAYING WITH DYNAMITE 10. ADVENTOROUS BLONDE

On FMC (all times eastern): Monday, 6/22: 4 am: THE GIFT OF LOVE (1958)....................6 am: JUST OFF BROADWAY (1942)..................7:10 am: YOU CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING (1937)....................8:50 am: YOU WERE MEANT FOR ME (1948)...................10:25 am: THAT WONDERFUL.URGE (1948)....................11:50 am: BOBBIKINS (1959).....................1:25 pm: MADISON AVENUE (1962)........... Tuesday, 6/23: 3 am: MADISON AVENUE (1962)...................4:35 am: THAT WONDERFUL URGE (1948)..................6 am: YOU CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING (1937)..................7:45 am: YOU WERE MEANT FOR ME (1948)...................9:30 am: BLUE DENIM (1959)..................11:15 am: JOHN AND MARY (1969)..................1 pm: CINDERELLA LIBERTY (1973).............. Wednesday, 6/24: 6 am: BLUE DENIM (1959)..................7:40 am: DECLINE AND FALL.....OF A BIRD WATCHER (1968).................9:40 am: JOHN AND MARY (1969).....................11:15 am: CINDERELLA LIBERTY (1973).....................

Road Trip movies.in TCM?. How did I miss that one. Did they show STAGECOACH?

I guess the Film Noir class members are doing their homework. Noir and noirish titles have invaded the boards, whether they have a murder or not. 1. OUT OF THE TORK 2. TOAURA 3. NOTORIUS 4. 5. THE FILE ON THELMA TORDAN 6. PICKUP ON TOR STREET 7. HOLLOW TORIUMPH 8. MINISTRY OF TOR 9. THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA TORVERS 10. THE TORK CORNER

I am most.eager.to see STOLEN HOURS, the remake.of DARK VICTORY, since.it's.been like forever. I would have liked to see more Parsmount movies; there are only two from.the.studio where she made her name, and a name to fear from female stars that felt that as second lead,.Hayward.might upstage them. Well we do get seven films from 20th Century Fox, including five TCM premieres, but if you've had FMC, you may have seen them over.the course of the.last.few years. But no Republic films, and I wished that Universal rarities from the 40s, like like TAP ROOTS and,.especially, THE LOST MOMENT, had been acquired, or the films.she fought to do at UA when she was in the process of ending her contract with Paramount, JACK LONDON and THE HAIRY APE. All.in all, not a great.schedule, but a good one, and I am thrilled that TCM is honoring Susan Hayward. Thank you, TCM.

So true. I feel so bad for her, and embarrassed for her, despite having a sort.of satisfaction for her receiving her comeuppance. Beautifully directed, written and played, I love DODSWORTH for the ambivalent feelings it creates in you.

That would be amazing of TCM could.acquire and show these.

Really? I remember reading that Von Trapp had been conceived with Tor Johnson in mind. I'm not sure what happened, but I think he objected to the casting of Hope Emerson as Maria, fearkng she might overshadow him. Hmmmm.

One of my favorite bits in HEAVEN CAN WAIT is with Florence Bates, when she turns a calf and coyly smiles, nauseating devil Laird Cregar to open the trapdoor on her. Hilarious.