filmnoirguy

Billie Hayes was born on August 5, 1924 in Du Quoin, IL and died on April 29, 2021 . Besides starring on Broadway and the 1959 film musical of Li'l Abner, she also played Mammy Yokum in the 1971 TV movie version.

He was also one of the original Mouseketeers on the Mickey Mouse Club.

Sudden Fear is my favorite Joan Crawford performance. Besides her Oscar nod, Jack Palance was nominated for Supporting Actor. Gloria Grahame won the Supporting Oscar that year for The Bad and the Beautiful. I actually think she gave a better performance in Sudden Fear. Along with Sunset Blvd., Double Indemnity, Laura, Strangers on a Train, The Asphalt Jungle and a few others, Sudden Fear is one of the best films noir.

For what it's worth, she won the Photoplay Gold Medal Award for 1952 (voted on by the magazine's fans) a precursor of the People's Choice Awards, I suppose.

Who but Joan would hold her hands that way?

Just watched 1940's House Across the Bay on Movies! (Recorded it some time ago) Joan Bennett stars with George Raft, Walter Pidgeon and Lloyd Nolan. Nice little Film Noir "B" picture. Directed by Archie Mayo and an uncredited Alfred Hitchcock. Produced by Bennett's husband Walter Wanger. Gladys George as Mary: "Oh that cheap liquor. Why do I do it?" Joan as Brenda: "Because you're just crazy about bicarbonate of soda." Terrible print. Maybe TCM can dig up a newer print and show it sometime.

During the pre-Oscar show, one of the hosts said that he had been asking Academy members who they thought would win Best Actor. He got a lot of: "I predict Chadwick Boseman, but I voted for Anthony Hopkins."

Judy Garland was cast with Fred Astaire in 1949's The Barkleys of Broadway but due to illness was replaced by Ginger Rogers. Then Garland was to replace June Allyson in 1951's Royal Wedding starring Astaire but again due to illness Garland was replaced by Jane Powell.

And what a terrible movie it was!

Nielsen just released TV ratings for 2021 Oscarcast. It was watched by a mere 9.85 million with a dismal rating of 1.9 in the 18 to 49 age group.

Read somewhere in the past that Cary Grant (age 50) was offered role of Linus Larrabee in 1954's Sabrina but turned it down because he thought he would look too old next to Audrey Hepburn (age 25) and William Holden (age 36). So Bogie (age 54) accepted. Guess Grant changed his mind about Hepburn by 1963.

It went by so fast, I couldn't keep up. I could look at a photo and not read the name/job title or vice-versa but by the time it registered 2 or 3 more had flashed by. Maybe they cut the visuals to the fast beat of the music, which was a poor choice to begin with. Hope the people who put this together are called out.

An article in today's Variety section of the Minneapolis Tribune begins: "It is a tribute to a country where people are free to honor noteworthy achievements regardless of creed, race or color," actress Fay Bainter said as she announced Hattie McDaniel as Oscar's best supporting actress of 1939. Now 82 years later, her statement may finally be true. It has taken too long, but this year's Academy Awards are the most diverse in Oscar history. (Unquote) Maybe this will be a larger audience than most of us are anticipating!

Ah, the 21st century! I knew it would arrive, eventually: 2000: Billy Elliot 2001: In the Bedroom 2002: About Schmidt 2003: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2004: Sideways (Favorite of the decade) 2005: The Weather Man 2006: The Departed 2007: No Country for Old Men 2008: In Bruges 2009: Crazy Heart

My favorites for the 1990s, nominated or not: 1990: Dances with Wolves 1991: Europa, Europa 1992: Glengarry Glen Ross 1993: Schindler's List 1994: Pulp Fiction (Favorite of the decade) 1995: Richard III 1996: Shine 1997: L A. Confidential 1998: The Thin Red Line 1999: The Insider