CelluloidKid
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*Hugh Hefner helps present a Humphrey Bogart retrospective*
Los Angeles Times
Susan King
March 3, 2010
*The Playboy founder and movie buff has long been a fan of the actor and will introduce 'The Maltese Falcon' at the UCLA archive event.*
Hugh Hefner has a confession.
"I think I opened the first Playboy Club because of 'Casablanca.' I wanted to have a place where people came to hang out as they did at Rick's," admits the pajama-clad founder of the Playboy empire.
The Oscar-winning 1942 "Casablanca," starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as the reunited lovers Rick and Ilsa, is the favorite film of Hefner, a serious movie buff.
"It has everything -- not only Bogie's charismatic character, but lost love, redemption, patriotism, humor -- it had a great musical score."
The 83-year-old Hefner explains that he first became acquainted with Bogart as a kid when the actor was playing gangsters for Warner Bros. in the 1930s.
"Then at the end of the '30s and the very beginning of the '40s, Bogie created this antihero that I very much identified with," Hefner says.
On the 50th anniversary of the romantic drama in 1992, Hefner got a 35-millimeter print of the classic from Warner Bros. and screened it at the Playboy Mansion.
"Before that I had been running new movies Friday and Sunday nights, and we had reached a point quite frankly where it was difficult to find more than 52 new movies a year that you really wanted to run. I ran 'Casablanca' on Friday, and then on Saturday I ran 'To Have and Have Not.' By then we were all hooked."
Hefner is bringing his love for Bogart to the UCLA Film and Television Archive's Billy Wilder Theater. He is the guest curator of the retrospective series, "Here's Looking at You, Humphrey Bogart," which begins Friday and continues through April 10.
A longtime supporter and advocate for film restoration, Hefner's also produced many documentaries on legendary stars of the golden era, including Rita Hayworth. In fact, his Hugh M. Hefner Classic American Film Program is co-presenter of the Bogart festival.
"I think sometimes Bogart is one of those guys who is so big and so mythic, you maybe don't think of doing something on him," notes UCLA programmer Paul Malcolm. "But when Hefner suggested Bogart, we realized we could do something great in collaboration with Hefner as guest curator."
Hefner chose what he considers the five quintessential Bogart films: "Casablanca," 1941's "The Maltese Falcon," 1944's "To Have and Have Not," 1946's "The Big Sleep" and 1948's "Key Largo."
"We thought to put those films in perspective; we could highlight just how extraordinary those roles were for him for his career, his image and for American culture," Malcolm says.
The retrospective also offers a lot of Bogart films that are rarely seen, including 1937's "Marked Woman" on Saturday, in which he plays a D.A.; two surreal and fun film noirs from 1947, "Dark Passage" and "Dead Reckoning" on March 13; two dramas in which he plays crusaders for justice: 1952's "Deadline -- U.S.A." and 1951's "The Enforcer," screening March 14; and his last movie gangster role in 1955's "The Desperate Hours" on March 20.
Sadly, Hefner never got a chance to meet his idol, who died of cancer in 1957 at the age of 57.
Hefner will be appearing at the screening on March 25 to introduce "The Maltese Falcon" because it was the one in which Bogart first introduced his romantic antihero. Bogart plays private eye Sam Spade in the classic noir, which marked John Huston's directorial debut and the beginning of a beautiful collaboration between star and director.
"I am going to read the notes that I read when we run 'Maltese Falcon' here at the mansion," Hefner says.
(Though not included in the retrospective, another Bogart classic, 1951's "The African Queen," for which he won his only best actor Oscar, is arriving on DVD on March 23. The Technicolor film, directed by John Huston and also starring Katharine Hepburn, has been beautifully restored.)
Though Bogart's legendary tough guy image, complete with trench coat, fedora hat and unfiltered cigarette, are part of the world's culture, it took the actor a while to find his niche.
In fact, nothing much happened to the Broadway actor when he first came to Hollywood in 1930 to appear in John Ford's "Up the River" with Spencer Tracy for Fox. He moved over to Warner Bros. and did a few minor roles in unforgettable movies while appearing in comedies and melodramas on Broadway.
But his career changed in 1935 when he was cast in the Broadway play "The Petrified Forest," opposite Leslie Howard. Bogart electrified the Great White Way as the escaped killer Duke Mantee, who holds a group of people hostage at a desolate cafe in the Petrified Forest. Howard played a troubled poet at the cafe.
"Thank God, Leslie Howard insisted on him coming out to do the movie," says film historian Rudy Behlmer.
Warner Bros. wanted one of its big gangster stars, Edward G. Robinson, to play Mantee in the 1936 film. "Howard said no Bogie, no Leslie," Behlmer says.
Howard was a huge star, and Warner Bros. gave him his wish. Bogart was equally effective in the film version, which opens the festival Friday evening with another terrific gangster performance from Bogart in 1937's "Dead End."
"He was stuck playing the ruthless guy," says Behlmer, "but fortunately the aspects of his personality won out."
In fact, in the summer of 1940, the head of publicity at the studio sent out a letter to his underlings to push Bogart as a romantic lead. "This meant that the public was responding to him other than just as a good character heavy," Behlmer says. "Soon after that he was in 'High Sierra,' "Maltese Falcon' and, of course, Rick."
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-classic-hollywood3-2010mar03,0,5809949.story
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*Sun, Mar 7, 2010: 8:00 AM - _The Gorgeous Hussy_ (1936) - All Times Arizona (MT). Check Local Schedules!*
*The film's plot tells a fictional account of President of the United States Andrew Jackson and an innkeeper's daughter. The screenplay was written by Stephen Morehouse Avery and Ainsworth Morgan, which was based on a novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams.*
*_Awards_:* 1937 Oscar nominations for Beulah Bondi, Best Supporting Actress; and George J. Folsey, Best Cinematography.
*_Cast_:* Joan Crawford (as "Peggy O'Neal"), Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Franchot Tone, Melvyn Douglas, James Stewart, Alison Skipworth, Louis Calhern, Beulah Bondi, Melville Cooper, Sidney Toler, Gene Lockhart, Clara Blandick, Frank Conroy, Nydia Westman, Charles Trowbridge, Willard Robertson, Ruby DeRemer, Betty Blythe, Zeffie Tilbury.
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*Don't forget: Mar 02, 2010 _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ comes to DVD W./ Gary Cooper as the White Knight!!!!*
The 1933 film version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was an all-star Paramount Pictures undertaking. It is mostly live-action, except for The Walrus and The Carpenter, which was animated by Max Fleischer's studio.
Stars featured in the film included Charlotte Henry as Alice, W. C. Fields as Humpty Dumpty, Edna May Oliver as the Red Queen, Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle, Gary Cooper as the White Knight, Edward Everett Horton as The Mad Hatter, Charles Ruggles as the March Hare, and Baby LeRoy as The Joker.
*_One of the most wonderful oddities in all Depression-era cinema_ is this Lewis Carroll adaptation that served to unite a plethora of top stars and comic talents under contract at Paramount Pictures. The cast includes Cary Grant (The Mock Turtle), W.C. Fields (Humpty Dumpty), Gary Cooper (The White Knight), plus Charlie Ruggles, Alison Skipworth, Jack Oakie, Edward Everett Horton, and young Charlotte Henry as Alice.*
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Don;t forget: Mar 02, 2010 _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ comes to DVD W./ Gary Cooper as the White Knight!!!!
The 1933 film version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was an all-star Paramount Pictures undertaking. It is mostly live-action, except for The Walrus and The Carpenter, which was animated by Max Fleischer's studio.
Stars featured in the film included Charlotte Henry as Alice, W. C. Fields as Humpty Dumpty, Edna May Oliver as the Red Queen, Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle, Gary Cooper as the White Knight, Edward Everett Horton as The Mad Hatter, Charles Ruggles as the March Hare, and Baby LeRoy as The Joker.
*_One of the most wonderful oddities in all Depression-era cinema_ is this Lewis Carroll adaptation that served to unite a plethora of top stars and comic talents under contract at Paramount Pictures. The cast includes Cary Grant (The Mock Turtle), W.C. Fields (Humpty Dumpty), Gary Cooper (The White Knight), plus Charlie Ruggles, Alison Skipworth, Jack Oakie, Edward Everett Horton, and young Charlotte Henry as Alice. Plus, some surprise short subjects!*
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*_Per Wikipedia_:*
This film has never been released on VHS or DVD, although it is occasionally broadcast on cable television channels such as Turner Classic Movies. The original running time was 90 min., but when Universal Studios bought the television rights in the late-1950s, it was cut to 77 minutes.
The DVD of: _Alice in Wonderland_ (1933 film), run time is: 1 Hr. 17 Mins... which means the film is cut ...so what has been cut out!?!?!
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*TCM takes five on tour*
Variety - Liz Stinson
*Turner Classic Movies is hitting the pavement in March for its Road to Hollywood tour.*
*The tour, which will stop in five cities nationwide, leads up to the launch of TCM's inaugural Classic Film Festival, to be held April 22-25 in Hollywood.*
TCM will travel to Boston (March 18), New York (March 23), Chicago (March 30), Washington, D.C. (April 8) and San Francisco (April 21) before reaching its final destination in Hollywood.
Along the way, TCM will offer free screenings of classic movies with celebrity guests joining host Robert Osborne for introductions.
The films are: Boston's Brattle Theater will screen 1982's "The Verdict," toplined by Paul Newman; "All About Eve" (1950) will play the Ziegfeld Theater in New York; Chicago's Music Box Theater will show Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" (1959); the Avalon Theater in Washington, D.C., will screen George Stevens' "The More the Merrier" (1943); and, finally, the 1948 Orson Welles pic "The Lady From Shanghai" will play the Castro in San Francisco.
Mar. 2, 2010
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Talia Shire is the daughter of Italia (n?e Pennino) and arranger/composer Carmine Coppola.
Shire first became famous for her role of Connie Corleone in The Godfather and its sequels. Later, she portrayed Adrian Pennino, the girlfriend (and later wife) of Rocky Balboa in the Rocky movies.
directed by John G. Avildsen!.
*Celebri-links ..... Director John G. Avildsen!*
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Kirk Douglas was in: _Spartacus_ (1960) directed by: Stanley Kubrick!
*NEW DIRECTOR: Stanley Kubrick!*
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*Bale, Christian*
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*No _Lady in the Dark_ (1944) either!!*
Lady in the Dark is a 1944 musical film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Ginger Rogers.
It was nominated three Academy Awards; for Best Cinematography, Best Music and Best Art Direction (Hans Dreier, Raoul Pene Du Bois, Ray Moyer).
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As I predicted, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is penalizing The Hurt Locker producer Nicolas Chartier for violating Academy campaign standards by sending an email to his friends that promoted The Hurt Locker and dissed Avatar. Later at the Academy's behest Chartier sent an apologetic letter. Should the movie win best picture, states AMPAS, Chartier will not be one of the producers ascending the platform to accept his award, because he will not be admitted to the Oscar ceremony. His ticket has been revoked.
Three producers, Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal and Gregory Shapiro, would accept their gold statues.
Chartier would still be able to pick up his award at a later date. The executive committee of the Academy's producer's branch voted on
Thanks,
Thompson on Hollywood news
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*Quine, Richard* - An American stage, film, and radio actor and film director.
Quine was born in Detroit. He made his Broadway debut in the Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II musical Very Warm for May in 1939 and appeared in My Sister Eileen the following year.
His screen acting credits include The World Moves On (1934), Jane Eyre (1934), My Sister Eileen (1942), and Words and Music (1948), among others.
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*_Juarez_ (1939)*
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Al Pacino ... It was the 1971 film _The Panic in Needle Park_, in which he played a heroin addict, that would bring Pacino to the attention of director Francis Ford Coppola, who cast him as Michael Corleone in the blockbuster 1972 Mafia film _The Godfather_.
*Celebri-links ...... director Francis Ford Coppola!*
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Drumstick ..... _Drumline_ (2002)
*NEW WORD: End of the world!*
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*_Dear Ruth_ (1947)*
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Coleen Gray was in: _Father Is a Bachelor_ (1950) with William Holden!
*NEW STAR: William Holden!*
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*_Gettysburg_ (1993)*
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In 1976, Dino De Laurentiis cast Jessica Lange in his motion picture remake of _King Kong_, which started and almost ended her career. Although the King Kong remake was a top moneymaker for Paramount Pictures, critics were not kind to the film and Lange did not appear in another film for three years.
*Celebri-links ...... Dino De Laurentiis!*
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*_Across the Universe_ (2007)*
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Kim Novak debuted as Lona McLane in: _Pushover_ (1954) opposite Fred MacMurray and Philip Carey.
*NEW STAR: Fred MacMurray!*
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*_Films I wish that were shown_:*
The Thirteenth Guest (1932)
The First Traveling Saleslady (1956)
Harlow (1965)
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*Robert Osborne to Welcome Oscar's Guests to the Red Carpet, 3/7*
*Academy Award? nominees and presenters will be greeted on Oscar's red carpet on Sunday, March 7, by film historian, television host and Hollywood Reporter columnist Robert Osborne. Red carpet guest arrivals are expected to begin at approximately 3 p.m. PT and conclude at the start of the Oscar? telecast at 5 p.m. PT.*
"Being on Oscar's red carpet is unlike any other experience," said Academy President Tom Sherak. "Robert is the perfect person to welcome our guests and ease them into a night of spectacular celebration."
It will be Osborne's fifth stint on the red carpet for the Academy. His red carpet celebrity chats will be audible to the other arriving guests as well as to the bleacher fans on the opposite side of the carpet.
In addition to writing a column for The Hollywood Reporter, Osborne is the primetime host of Turner Classic Movies and a frequent host of Academy public events in New York and Los Angeles. He also is the author of the Academy's "80 Years of the Oscar," the official history of the Academy Awards?, and hosts Robert Osborne's Classic Film Festival in Athens, Georgia.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center?, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Name a Celebrity - Name a Movie
in Games and Trivia
Posted
Sarandon received _five_ Academy Award nominations for best actress, in Atlantic City (1981), Thelma & Louise (1991), Lorenzo's Oil (1992), and The Client (1994), finally winning in 1995 for Dead Man Walking directed by Tim Robbins.
*New Director.... Tim Robbins!*