CelluloidKid

*EVENTS:* *Chicago's LaSalle Bank Cinema will present these Joan films in September 2008!* *9/6 -- Dancing Lady* *9/13 -- Sudden Fear* *9/21 -- Humoresque* *All shows start at 8pm and are $5 for adults. Visit the theater's website for more info and to read their comments on the films.* http://cine-file.info/venues/lasalle.html Thanks to Patrick D. for the information!)

He ALSO spied on Hughes's love interests, including Ava Gardner...I bet alot of secrets died W./him!

*"Marlene Dietrich, motion picture actress, autographs the cast on the leg of Tec 4 Earl E. McFarland at a United States hospital in Belgium, where she has been entertaining the GIs." Tuttle, November 24, 1944.*

George Reeves was in the film "_Rancho Notorious_" W./Marlene Dietrich! *NEW STAR: Marlene Dietrich!!*

I love this film!

_*Filmography:*_ _*As actor*_ For Me and My Gal (1942) (also co-choreographer) Pilot #5 (1943) Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) (also co-choreographer) Thousands Cheer (1943) (also co-choreographer) The Cross of Lorraine (1943) Cover Girl (1944) (also co-choreographer) Christmas Holiday (1944) Anchors Aweigh (1945) (also co-choreographer) Ziegfeld Follies (1946) (also co-choreographer) Living in a Big Way (1947) (also co-choreographer) The Pirate (1948) (also co-choreographer) The Three Musketeers (1948) (also choreography of action sequences) Words and Music (1948) (also co-choreographer) Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) (also co-choreographer) On the Town (1949) (also co-choreographer and co-director) Black Hand (1950) Summer Stock (1950) (also co-choreographer) An American in Paris (1951) (also co-choreographer) It's a Big Country (1951) Council of Europe (1952) (short subject) Love Is Better Than Ever (1952) Singin' in the Rain (1952) (also co-choreographer and co-director) The Devil Makes Three (1952) Brigadoon (1954) (also choreographer) Seagulls Over Sorrento (1954) (aka Crest of the Wave) Deep in My Heart (1954) (also co-choreographer) 1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration (1955) It's Always Fair Weather (1955) (also co-choreographer) The Magic Lamp (1956) (voice) Invitation to the Dance (1956) (also choreographer) The Happy Road (1957) Les Girls (1957) (also co-choreographer) Marjorie Morningstar (1958) Inherit the Wind (1960) Let's Make Love (1960) (also co-choreographer) What a Way to Go! (1964) (also co-choreographer) Les Demoiselles de Rochefort(1966) (Starring as Andy Miller, did the choreography of the movie, directed by Jacques Demy) 40 Carats (1973) Just One More Time (1974) That's Entertainment! (1974) The Lion Roars Again (1975) That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) (also co-choreographer) Viva Knievel! (1977) Xanadu (1980) (also co-choreographer) Reporters (1981) (documentary) That's Dancing! (1985) (also executive producer) The Young Girls Turn 25 (1993) (documentary) That's Entertainment! III (1994) _*As director:*_ On the Town (1949) (with Stanley Donen) An American in Paris (1951) (director of Leslie Caron's intro sequences) Singin' in the Rain (1952) (with Stanley Donen) It's Always Fair Weather (1955) (with Stanley Donen) Invitation to the Dance (1956) The Happy Road (1957) (also producer) The Tunnel of Love (1958) Gigot (1962) A Guide for the Married Man (1967) Hello, Dolly! (1969) The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) (also producer) That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) (director of new sequences) _*Stage:*_ Leave It to Me! (1938) One for the Money (1939) The Time of Your Life (1939) The Time of Your Life (1940) Pal Joey (1940) Best Foot Forward (1941) Flower Drum Song (1958) Coquelico (1979) *_Television:_* Dancing: A Man's Game, aired 21 December 1958 on Omnibus Going My Way (1962-1963) Gene Kelly: New York, New York (1965) Jack and the Beanstalk (1967) The Funny Side (1971) Frank Sinatra: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back (1973) Gene Kelly: An American in Pasadena (1978) North and South (1985)

Janis Paige was in "_Of Human Bondage_" (1946) W./Paul Henreid! *NEW STAR: Paul Henreid* !!!!

*(Above:Judy Garland sings for the crowd @ the Hollywood Canteen)*

*"_Easy Rider_" on screen* By Jenn McKee The Ann Arbor News August 17, 2008 Sometimes the marriage between a film's soundtrack and its imagery are so perfect, you can't think of one without the other. For me, Simon and Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair" is indelibly meshed with scenes from "_The Graduate_"; Elton John's "_Hold Me Closer_ (Tiny Dancer)" always calls up feuding band members getting over themselves in "Almost Famous"; Steeler's Wheel's upbeat "_Stuck in the Middle with You"_ plays in perpetual, creepy contrast to the, ahem, ear-removal scene in Quentin Tarantino's "_Reservoir Dogs_"; and this week's entry in the Michigan Theater's classic film series, "_Easy Rider_," is forever associated with Steppenwolf's classic, "_Born to be Wild_." This era-defining, counterculture biker film (starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper) is noteworthy for other reasons too, of course. It featured a breakthrough performance from Jack Nicholson - who earned his _first_ of many Oscar nominations - and it was Dennis Hopper's first directing effort. You can see "Easy Rider" on the big screen today 08/17/2008 at 3 p.m., or Tuesday 08/19/2008 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.michtheater.org.

Thursday August 7, 2008 *Hughes?s right-hand man dies aged 90* The mad king went in 1976. Now his most trusted courtier has joined him. Robert Maheu, who worked for the FBI and CIA before he became confidant and right-hand man to the eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, has died aged 90 in Las Vegas. Maheu was the public face, the enforcer and the shield to the reclusive Hughes from 1955 to 1970. Not only did he hold power of attorney for Hughes as he descended into madness but he had to attend the frivolities required by very rich men. He spied on Hughes's love interests, including Ava Gardner the Los Angeles Times notes in its obituary of Maheu. He also blackmailed Hughes's blackmailers into keeping their mouths shut. On one occasion, he received a phone call from Hughes at 3am asking him to persuade a doctor whom he admired to move from Santa Monica to Las Vegas to be his personal physician.When Maheu told Hughes that the doctor had nine children and would be unlikely to uproot his family, Hughes bellowed: "I'm not asking you why they didn't exercise birth control. I want his brilliant talent by my bedside for the rest of my life." Hughes's money prevailed but he refused to see the doctor when he learned that he was also a psychiatrist. Once Hughes rented the top floor of the Desert Inn in Las Vegas for 10 days. Hughes didn't gamble and when the stay stretched into 15 days, the management, keen to let their best rooms to high rollers, demanded that he leave. Hughes rang his advisor and asked what to do. Maheu told him, "If you want a place to sleep, buy a hotel." So Hughes bought the Desert Inn for $13m. As soon as he learned how vast profits could be made from gambling, he started to buy casinos. As a freelance agent for CIA, Maheu's most famous assignment was to arrange the assassination of Fidel Castro in Cuba. He recruited two big Mafia bosses, Johnny Roselli and Sam Giancan, who planned to use poison. The plot, however, was dropped after the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. Maheu recalled: "He finally told me that he did not want to see me because of the way in which he had allowed himself to deteriorate... and he felt that if I ever in fact saw him I would never be able to represent him."

*Dr. Frank Buchman and Mae West discussing the philosophy of Moral Rearmament, August 19, 1939.*

*Did You Know..............* *_Summer Stock_* *(1950)* *The number "_Heavenly Music_" was originally a trio with Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers and Judy Garland. Garland didn't show up to work the day of shooting and they filmed the scene without her.* *Judy Garland's last film for MGM.* *One one particular day of fiming, Judy Garland was said to be "not in a fit state to work" so Gene Kelly feigned a fall so that she would be able to take the day off.* *Judy Garland was supposed to make one more MGM musical, _Royal Wedding_ (1951) with Fred Astaire, but was fired from that production, making this her MGM swansong.* *This would be the last time that Gene Kelly and Judy Garland were paired together onscreen.*

*TCM = Teledyne Continental Motors*

*Did You Know.............* _*For Me and My Gal_* *(1942)* *Gene Kelly's film debut. It is known that Judy Garland got him the job after seeing a Broadway show he was in.* *This is the first of two movies in which a character says to Judy Garland, "Why didn't you tell me I was in love with you?" The second is _Easter Parade_ (1948), starring Fred Astaire.* *Studio records show that Abe Dinovitch and Maude Erickson filmed a production number with Judy Garland, but it was cut before the final release. Similarly, Six Hits and a Miss was filmed in another number cut before release.* *Judy Garland's costume in the "_Ballin' the Jack_" number was originally worn by Eleanor Powell in _Lady Be Good_ (1941).* *George Murphy was originally cast as Harry Palmer, but he instead played Jimmy Metcalf once the lead role went to Gene Kelly.* *After initial previews, much of the film's ending was re-shot in order to make Gene Kelly's draft-dodging character Harry Palmer more sympathetic to wartime audiences. The scenes in which Palmer becomes a hero in combat were among those added.* Thanks, Movie Database.

*SOO WHICH STAR...Susan George OR Peter Lorre !!!???!!!...*

*Did You Know...........* *_Take Me Out to the Ball Game_* (1949) *The song "_O'Brien to Ryan to Goldberg_" (referring to the shortstop/second base/first base double-play) is modeled on a poem titled "Tinker to Evers to Chance" by Franklin P. Adams, referring to the Chicago Cubs infield of 1903-1910.* *The idea for the movie was conceived by Gene Kelly, who wanted to pay tribute to the early days of baseball. The movie takes place between 1909 and 1911, as evidenced by Ryan's picture on a new T206 baseball card.* *Frank Sinatra's career was struggling at the time and this was made during a period when the only time he did well at the box office was when paired with Gene Kelly.* *There was no soundtrack album, but three of the stars made commercial discs of a few songs: on MGM Records, two Gene Kelly-Betty Garrett duets, "_Take Me Out to the Ball Game_" (music by Albert von Tilzer, lyrics by Jack Norworth), done in a swinging tempo, and "_Yes, Indeedy_" (music and lyrics by Roger Edens, Betty Comden and Adolph Green); also on MGM Records, a Garrett solo, "It's Fate Baby, It's Fate" (music and lyrics by Edens, Comden and Green); and on Columbia Records, Frank Sinatra's charming ballad, "_The Right Girl for Me_" (music and lyrics by Edens, Comden and Green).* *The final film directed solely by Busby Berkeley.* *According to Esther Williams in her memoirs, Judy Garland was the original choice for K.C. Higgins but was replaced after she'd become undependable owing to her developing drug habit. June Allyson was also considered but had become pregnant and opted not to work during her pregnancy.* *Kathryn Grayson was considered for the role of K.C. Higgins.* *Director Busby Berkeley came up with an imaginative swimming number for Esther Williams and Gene Kelly but Kelly didn't want it in the movie. So instead they did "_The Baby Doll_" number. Eventually the "_Baby Doll_" number was taken out of the final film.* Thanks, Movie Database!

"_Take Me Out to the Ball Game_" @ 9:00am (PT) Arizona Time on 08/17/08! *Harry Tugend and George Wells were nominated for the 1950 Writers Guild of America Award in the category of "Best Written American Musical".* *It was released in the United Kingdom as _Everybody's Cheering_.*

James Mason was in the film _Mandingo_ W./Susan George! *NEW STAR: Susan George!*

Les Girls (1957) 08/17/2008 @ 7:00am (PT) Arizona Time! *Barry (Gene Kelly), Angele (Taina Elg), Joy (Mitzi Gaynor), and Sybil (Kay Kendall) are the former members of "Barry Nichols and Les Girls," a popular European cabaret act. Years after the group has dissolved, Sybil, now Lady Wren, publishes her all-too-candid recollections of what went on romantically behind the scenes among Barry and his partners. Angele is outraged by the revelations and sues Sybil for defamation of character, the case is tried in court, and the movie becomes a musical Rashomon with each of the principals telling the story of the act as they remember it ? none lying, but all recalling matters very differently. Not surprisingly, Barry (now married to Joy) gives the key testimony, and the story ends with resumed good relations among the group*. _*Awards and nominations*_ *_Les Girls_ won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Orry-Kelly and was nominated for two other awards, Best Art Direction and Best Sound.* *The film won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical/Comedy and for Best Actress, Kay Kendall.* *It was also nominated for Best Motion Picture Actress - Musical/Comedy for Taina Elg*.

Paulette Goddard was in "_The Cat and the Canary_" W./Bob Hope ! *NEW STAR: Bob Hope !!*

Rossano Brazzi was in "_The Story of Esther Costello_" W./Joan Crawford! *NEW STAR: Joan Crawford!*

What I can't believe is that Ms. Gardner was nominated for an Academy Award for "Mogambo" as Best Actress & that film is "NOT" part of the "Summer Under The Stars"!?. "_On the Beach_", co-starring Gregory Peck is 1 of my Fav Ava Gardner films! So I'm glad that got listed. *Thursday, Aug. 21 ? Ava Gardner - All Times Eastern.* 6 a.m. Three Men in White (1944) 7:30 a.m. Maisie Goes to Reno (1944) 9 a.m. The Bribe (1949) 10:45 a.m. East Side, West Side (1949) 12:45 p.m. The Hucksters (1947) 2:45 p.m. Lone Star (1952) 4:30 p.m. Ride, Vaquero! (1953) 6:15 p.m. The Angel Wore Red (1960) 8 p.m. Bhowani Junction (1956) 10 p.m. On the Beach (1959) 12:30 a.m. The Night of the Iguana (1964) 2:30 a.m. The Cassandra Crossing (1976) 4:45 a.m. My Forbidden Past (1951)

*"_Affair In Trinidad_" W./Glenn Ford & Rita Hayworth fianlly comes to DVD Sep 23, 2008!!!* *The Gilda pairing of Hayworth and Ford reunite for a steamy tropical tale. When a sexy cafe dancer's husband is murdered by an international spy, the local police ask her to snoop into the spy's affairs. But temperatures really rise when her brother-in-law arrives and they are drawn into the mystery and to each other.* *Academy Award Nominations: Best (Black-and-White) Costume Design.*

*"_Affair In Trinidad_" W./Glenn Ford & Rita Hayworth fianlly comes to DVD Sep 23, 2008!!!* *The Gilda pairing of Hayworth and Ford reunite for a steamy tropical tale. When a sexy cafe dancer's husband is murdered by an international spy, the local police ask her to snoop into the spy's affairs. But temperatures really rise when her brother-in-law arrives and they are drawn into the mystery and to each other.* *Academy Award Nominations: Best (Black-and-White) Costume Design.* *The film outgrossed _Gilda_ at the box office by one million dollars.* *It is also notable as Hayworth's "comeback" film after four years away from Columbia*

Roger Livesey "_Of Human Bondage_" W./Kim Novak! (Just watched this film the other day on TCM.) *NEW STAR: Kim Novak!!*