ginnyfan

Another short TODAY IN GINNY today. German born actor William Irving (1893) appeared in 174 films between 1917 and 1941. Two were Ginny films, STAMBOUL QUEST, where he played the man in the train corridor, and THE BIG BROADCAST of 1936, where he played a photographer. He was a semi-regular in the early Three Stooges films. Ralf Harolde (1899) appeared in exactly 100 titles. Since he had a break between 1950 and 1959, ginnyfan senses that Ralf was keeping count and came back just to reach that goal. OK, not really. He had a small role in Bath Ruth's short, BABE COMES HOME and his final role was as a French Waiter in A NEW KIND OF LOVE. He played "Joey Anderman, Roadhouse Owner", also a good title for Ralf's potential spin off from THE ROOKIE COP.

I am not familiar with OUTSIDE THESE WALLS. I'm not either. It's a Columbia release and, based on the timing, I suspect that Ginny was sent there on a two film loaner by MGM. The other was THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT which, as you know, does get seen on TCM from time to time. IMDb doesn't have a review. It looks like Ginny plays Michael Whelan's daughter. I wonder where this film is?

... Jack Kelly, on the other hand, as you say, wasn't all that good in the role... I know these posts were a day ago, but as a big Maverick fan I take exception. There are many Kelly episodes I like quite a bit, and the few where the two got together are just perfect. The Kellys did fine in the ratings when originally shown; there was no fall off from the Garners. It's only in hindsight, looking at where both careers ended up, that Jack Kelly gets the short end of the stick. Now if you replace "Jack Kelly" with "Roger Moore" or, heaven help us, "Robert Colbert", then you'd be on the beam. In fact, WB finally gave up on having a second Maverick and started alternating new Kellys with Garner reruns in order to keep the quality consistent .

Isn't Ray Danton just a hair too pretty to be George Raft?

It's a short TODAY IN GINNY. Julius Tannen (1880) had a reputation for being a monologist more than a film actor. Still, he found time to appear in 56 films from 1935-1959. His last role was as a horseshoe cleaning man in LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL, a film I enjoyed when I saw it. He played Mr. Hillier in Ginny's first team up with Mickey Rooney, LOVE IS A HEADACHE, a film made before MGM decided that titles should tell patrons something about the film they're about to see apparently. Florence Wix (1883) played Miss Strawbridge in OUTSIDE THESE WALLS. Wix was a professional guest. Most of her roles are listed as party guest, restaurant guest, guest in dining room, hotel guest...you get the idea. She managed to get invited 151 times. Another movie poster from OTW represents her.

TB, I accept the challenge and thank you for it. Edited by: ginnyfan on May 16, 2013 8:57 PM because the older I get the worse my spelling is...

Based on the timetables at TCM, I'm still assuming they just haven't picked a date yet. Last year's tributes didn't happen within a few weeks of the deaths. There was time taken even though, IMO, they still picked the wrong films for the Rutherford tribute. Use the contact page at TCM.com to let them know how you feel.

I'm surprised no one has picked Evelyn Keyes yet, based upon the premise that she told the truth in her autobiographies.

As we start TODAY IN GINNY, I'd like to point out that Omar Khayyam was born on this date in 1048. And he hates that I'm telling you that because he invented his own calendar and is pretty ticked that we don't use it. First up, Leonid Snegoff (1883) was born in Russia, came to America, got into the movies, and played...Russians. Who knew? He sometimes played Arabs and stretched out to play Pvt. Muller in AFTER TONIGHT. He ended up being the patriarch of an acting family as his son and two grandsons went into the movie biz. An AT poster represents. BIG NEWS! We have a new leader in the clubhouse. Lee Phelps (1893) appeared in 1,2,3,4,5,6,7...8 Weidler films! He was a photographer in MEN WITH WINGS, a police dispatcher in the LONE WOLF SPY HUNT, A hammer game barker (see photo) in FIXER DUGAN, a fireman in BAD LITTLE ANGEL, Train Engineer Miller in YOUNG TOM EDISON, man outside general store in GOLD RUSH MAISIE, bartender in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY and Mr. Porter in BORN TO SING. He played 635 other parts in Hollywood from 1917 to 1953. That's around 17 films per year, every year for 37 years. Just a really quick glance shows me that he also appeared with Norma Shearer, our friend Gloria Jean, the immortal Garbo, and, in his final film, the ex-Mr. Shirley Temple. And I would have liked him just because his birth name was Napoleon Bonaparte Kukuck. BTW, I found two extra Ginny films while typing this. William Searby (1901) is quite upset that he has to follow that, but can take solace in the fact that it only takes one to be a TIGer. In his final role in Hollywood, he played Steve in OUTSIDE THESE WALLS. He could then retire after meeting his goal of being in a Virginia Weidler film. In an odd note, all of his other 34 roles were in shorts. An OTW poster serves for him. Blair Davies (1914) is a TIGer by relative. He was the radio announcer in the Weidler Brothers' Our Gang short THE PINCH SINGER. So here's that photo of Warner, Walter, and George one more time.

I like rewrite's choice and finance's Novak pick. They both have the right ratio of girl next door to sexiness for my taste. To be different, I'll go with Alexis Smith, although I'd probably marry someone like Teresa Wright.

As a guy who watches a lot more programmers than award winners, I hate February.

I agree Clore. I like the Sunday lineup as well. The Mason episodes on weekdays are hacked up, but not as badly as Hallmark hacks them. Back to the OPs topic. I like the idea, although we might argue a bit about the films and stars chosen. It's a good thought and a constructive comment. Edited by: ginnyfan on May 15, 2013 2:33 PM

> {quote:title=Radio-Free-Europe wrote:}{quote}What I meant to say if it has been misunderstood. TCM has ruined their own image by using presentations which are unnecessary & condescending & showing so many repeats that it would be a form of torture if a foreign govt did it. METV does not come across as pompous. They simply show their stuff. > About Robert Osborne. I don't think TCM needs him to sell dvds & cruises. Doing all this work and filming presentations might affect his health. He should retire, relax & forget selling stuff. > TCM can never say anything negative about Hollywood in their presentations or interviews. It might jeopardize their ability to get movies. TCM is selling out. I don't care what Ben Mankiewicz has to say about anything, let alone movies. He has no stature whatsoever neither does Robert Osborne for that matter. Paid puppet mouths. Selling dvds, cruises, festivals & whatever. I do not respect salespeople. There is a cardinal rule. Do not use newspeople to sell products. Whatever Robert & Ben are selling I'm not buying. I want to hear quiet from them. There is a Louis B. Mayer foundation > that works 24 hours a day to rectify the image of this horrible man. Don't worry TCM subscribers, you'll never hear anything negative about him on TCM. RO must go BM must go. goodbye & that thing about the door... l watch METV quite often. Interestingly everything they show, by definition, is a repeat. ME now has Dragnet. Since no one ever broadcasts the original B&W run, they are limited to the few color episodes from the late 1960s which they will now run endlessly for the next year or two. That is probably torture to many. Also, by picking ME you picked exactly the wrong service. THIS, COZI, and ANTENNA TV all show more films than ME. Does ME even show any? I realize that by responding to you I'm giving you exactly what you crave, but I'd like to ask that you refrain from hijacking other people's valid subjects for your manifesto. Start your own fire RO, burn LB Mayer thread. Edited by: ginnyfan on May 15, 2013 10:20 AM

It's a tough TIG today in that I didn't find pictures of many of our honorees. As a result, we're going to do some guess work today. Character actor Arthur Belasco (1888) played all sorts of roles in a 44 credit career. I like that he played a bearded lady in WILD MAN OF BORNEO. I had a tough time picking him out of YOUNG TOM EDISON because he played a telegrapher and there were several. The Port Huron one had a name, so he was let out. I recognize Olin Howland, so that one was let out. I had two to go and I picked this one because Belasco was also cast as "fat man" several times and this guy seems more portly than the other. I apologize if I get this wrong. Art Lane (1901) was the assistant cameraman on THE BIG BROADCAST of 1936. He only has seven listed credits, I have to think the record is incomplete, and the most famous was probably WINGS in 1927. BB36 was his final credit. No photo was found. James Flavin (1906) had a career of over 45 years and 494 titles. Her played a lot of cops, bartenders and was a regular on the TV series THE ROARING '20s in the early 1960s. He wrapped up his career by playing President Eisenhower in a TV film on the Francis Gary Powers case. He entered into Ginnyworld twice, playing a young reporter in TOO HOT TO oHANDLE and, what else, a cop in BORN TO SING. Susanne Ransom (1925) was a child actress with only four credits. Her fourth came after a six year "retirement" when she played Dora Vanderbilt in ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO. I did a quick scan of the film this morning and I'm not sure which girl in the class she is. I'm taking the chance that she's one of the two girls seen here with the delightfully evil Ann Gillis. If someone knows for sure which school girl she is, please comment . Finally, a TIG repeat. Two days ago, we honored Marilyn Knowlden on her birthday. During the scan I clearly found her in ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO, so here she is.

It is one of those rare films with featured elements which are implusable if not impossible yet still holds one's interest to the end without one saying, "Yeah, right." and changing tne channel.

It's a quick TODAY IN GINNY as we have but two birthdays to celebrate-it's just as well since the Baby Leroy birthday hangover will last for days! Cinematographer Henry Sharp (1892) would probably be best remember for his work in the silent era, what experts say was his best work, if we tended to remember silent films. His work on DON Q, SON OF ZORRO and THE BLACK PIRATE for Douglas Fairbanks are often noted. In the talkie era, he was the cinematographer on DUCK SOUP. He was Ginny's cinematographer, I hope he got her good side, on SCANDAL STREET. The title card for the movie will have to do since I have very little material from that film and I posted a photo of a Marx Brother yesterday. Designer Edward Stevenson (1906) was a very respected wardrober. I saw a article today in which the author made the point that the wardrobe choices combined with the shot selection for a given scene can result in the viewer receiving all the information needed without a word of dialogue being spoken. So I guess it's good to have a cinematographer and a costumer together today. Stevenson shared an Oscar with Edith Head for THE FACTS OF LIFE. This was during the period in which he worked exclusively for Lucille Ball. Stevenson is responsible for both her elegant gowns as well as some of the craziest costumes ever seen on television. Stevenson was credited with "Gowns" on MOTHER CAREY'S CHICKENS, a movie title I wouldn't automatically associate with gowns. In the photo, he is on the right.

I am looking forward to Boland's day, too. Glad it's at the beginning of the month..! I'm even tolerating yet another broadcast of THE WOMEN since it's connected to a Boland day.

I'm going to get TIG in just under the wire. First we have Lionel Belmore (1867). A British actor, Belmore made 179 films between 1914 and 1945. He was in both FRANKENSTEIN and SON OF FRANKENSTEIN and LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY and THOROUGHBREDS DON'T CRY. He played a tavern keeper in MAID OF SALEM. Al Shean (1868) ended a long career on the stage by taking character movie roles in the last decade or so of his life. Uncle to the Marx Brothers, he was famous while they were struggling and then they were famous after he faded. The only thing I remember about his film career is that he got to reenact his famous Mr. Gallagher/Mr. Shean routine with Charles Winninger taking the Gallagher part in ZIEGFELD GIRL. He played himself in his final film ATLANTIC CITY (1944) with Jack Kenney playing Gallagher. Here we see him being photographed with the second best Lydia singer of all time. I understand that Virginia was unavailable for the photo shoot. James P. Burtis (1893) played a lot of policemen and heavies in a decade long career. He played Mr. Miller in SCANDAL STREET and played a reporter in MEN WITH WINGS. Silent star Cleo Ridgely (1893) had retired but came back around 1940 to take small uncredited roles. She's listed as having appeared in BORN TO SING, but IMDb doesn't identify the role. Katharine Hepburn (1907) struck gold for herself and for Ginny when Ginny was cast to play her sister in the movie of her hit play, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY. With that lineup, the film would have been successful regardless of Virginia's presence, but Hepburn always heaped praise on Virginia for the spark she added through her portrayal of little sister Dinah. I'm not going over the long list of wonderful roles and movies, you probably know them and have your favorites. Child actress Marilyn Knowlden (1926) played Marianna Van Horn in ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO. IMDb also indicated that she played Virginia's character Patricia at age 18 in MEN WITH WINGS. That's quite a feat since Marilyn was only 12 at the time, one year older than Ginny. Marilyn left the movies, but never the business. She's written plays including a musical about getting into the movies based loosely on her own experiences. She wrote an autobiography a few years ago and has a website, http://marilynknowlden.com/. Finally, it's Baby Leroy's (1932) birthday! The youngster was a studiomate of Virginia's and they took photos together, but his career in movie was pretty much over as Ginny's began. Here we see him showing that he, too, could have played Dinah Lord.

Child actress Virginia Weidler had a mom, a few on-screen "moms", and a lot of surrogate on-screen "moms". We salute them all.

Most people aren't up yet, so it's still Saturday! A short TIG today. Dick Curtis (1902) played heavies at Columbia. He played heavies in oaters, heavies in crime films, heavies in comedies. It's amazing how often the word "Henchman" appears in from of his character's name. Occasionally, he'd cross everyone up and show up as a sheriff or a guard. He played Flint, probably a con, in OUTSIDE THESE WALLS. Kent Taylor (1907) was a handsome B-movie leading man. He played Doc Holiday in TOMBSTONE: THE TOWN TOO TOUGH TO DIE and Bob Dalton in THE DALTONS RIDE AGAIN. His Ginny connection was that he played Bob Redding in MRS. WIGGS. He's probably best known for being the TV's Boston ****, which leads to a ginnyfan admission. I never got the Jimmy Buffett line, "Wish I had a pencil thin mustache/the Boston **** kind" because to me Chester Morris was Boston **** and he didn't have a mustache. It took me years figure out Buffett was singing about Kent Taylor.

If THAT weapon isn't illegal, it ought to be!

It's a major TODAY IN GINNY! Character actor Thurston Hall (1882) is the only member of TIG to have a building on a university campus name after him. OK, that's not actually true, but there is a Thurston Hall at the George Washington University. Hall toured the world on stage before settling in Hollywood. He made 262 appearances between 1915 (an Earl) and 1958 (a judge on MAVERICK) and usually played the exasperated boss. He's probably best remembered as Mr. Schuyler on the TV version of TOPPER. He played H.R. Bruxton in OUT WEST WITH THE HARDYS and Mr. Drew in THE YOUNGEST PROFESSION. Composer Max Steiner (1888) won three Oscars, but none of them were for his work on LADDIE or FRECKLES. I'm sure if the films were available, though, we'd all be humming the haunting "Love Theme From FRECKLES" each and every day just like ginnyfan does with the PATTON MARCH (not by Steiner). Everyone remembers TOP HAT, CASABLANCA, and GONE WITH THE WIND, but Max also worked on NANCY DREW, DETECTIVE and many other regular weekly releases. A lot of his music was later used on WB western and detective series. Austrian born director William or Wilhelm Thiele (1890) had a major career in Europe and a middling one here. Being ginnyfan I would argue that BAD LITTLE ANGEL is a tiny gem that shows what he could have done on a larger scale. Maybe that films like ANGEL didn't look enough like MGM's regular product actually hurt him, I don't know. Thiele moved from genre to genre in Hollywood, making family comedies, mysteries, and lots of jungle films. In the 1950s, he directed many episodes of THE LONE RANGER. He also directed episodes of the CAVALCADE OF AMERICA, sponsored by DuPont. Thiele had directed THE DUPONT STORY several years earlier, which may or may not have been coincidental. Here we see Ginny memorizing her script changes for that day's shooting on ANGEL. Earl Askam (1891) played a cop in OUTSIDE THESE WALLS, a film Ginny made on loan to Columbia in 1939. He was probably most seen in FLASH GORDON, but the photo is of Earl (on right) with John Arthur in THE DESERT SONG (1929). Interestingly, IMDb fails to list Askam as being in that cast. Since IMDb only lists two uncredited cast members, I'm guessing its list is incomplete. Harvey Johnston (1901) was the editor of GIRL OF THE OZARKS. It's the first credit shown for him. One of his 8 credits was an early effort of fellow TIGer Marsha Hunt called HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD. We'll use a shot of Edie Moseley and friends to represent him. Anatole Litvak (1902) was a very successful director. SORRY, WRONG NUMBER, THE SNAKE PIT, DECISION BEFORE DAWN, and TOVARICH are all his. Also his was ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO, a big budget WB feature staring Bette Davis and Charles Boyer. This film was another loanout, both Paramount and MGM loaned Ginny out regularly although MGM stopped the practice after this film. Rumors were rampant at that time that Warners tried to get Ginny out of her MGM deal to come to WB full time. In the photo, Litvak sets up the theatre box close ups. Nancy Walker (1922) came to Hollywood with several members of the Broadway cast of BEST FOOT FORWARD. She reenacted her stage role of Blind Date in the film. The back of this studio publicity photo mentions that she was also working on GIRL CRAZY at just about the same time. She would, of course, become a regular on our TV screens in the 1970s through her series and commercials.

TODAY IN GINNY is the second shortest list possible. I've got one. Actor Dick Baron (1818) has a total of 12 uncredited credits. Butch in BABES ON BROADWAY was his first. A jockey on DECEMBER BRIDE was his last. In between he played newsboys, copyboys and a guy named Droop in a Henry Aldrich movie. He was still playing teens after he hit thirty. I found no picture and I haven't run off BoB to DVD so I can do screen captures. Instead, let's have a hoedown! (gf)

TODAY IN GINNY is a short one. First, writer John Meehan (1890) specialized in additional scenes and dialogue. He's best known for the screenplays of BOYS TOWN and the 1944 version of KISMET, but most of his work seems to have been of the "fixing" or "sweetening" variety. He wrote additional scenes for PETER IBBETSON and I'm letting the lovely Mimsey stand in for him. Actor Lester Dorr (1893) played Reed's writer in the movie all good members of the VWRS just saw, BABES ON BROADWAY. I don't have any screen captures yet so here's a photo of Dorr in WHISPERING SMITH.

I actually like it better than GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT, which I also really like, perhaps because they mixed the message in with suspenseful noir. I guess what Poppins said about the spoonful of sugar is actually true.