SueSueApplegate Posted June 2, 2014 Hope everyone's summer will be wonderful! I'll be reporting on several classic film related events this summer, and will be adding updates from time to time. The very first film ever shown on Turner Classic Movies twenty years ago and screened at this year's TCMFF 2014 is having a big birthday bash. The 75th Anniversary of "Gone With The Wind" is celebrated in Marietta, Georgia, this weekend and has fabulous author events, a play about the life of Vivien Leigh, and much more. I'll be letting you know about the celebration soon. For more information, follow the link: http://www.gwtwmarietta.com/docs/JuneItinerary_2014.pdf 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted June 24, 2014 I was so happy to be able to visit the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana, last week, and see all of the fabulous exhibits. Here are some photos from the Stage Door Canteen at the museum. It has events, big bands, singers, and dancers, and hosts all kinds of great parties... My theme song... Stage Door Canteen Wall of Honor... Ella Fitzgerald exhibit with her helmet liner and her personal pass... Exhibit and typical apron worn by a celebrity server... Homage to Bob Hope... Hints from Hopalong Sue Sue: Always wear one of your festival t-shirts! While touring some of the museum exhibits, Susan Gonzalez came up to me and told me that she was also at the festival, and her husband, Ric, hardly ever watches any other channel but TCM! Susan and Ric Gonzalez from Omaha, Nebraska... Here's the link to the National WWII Museum website: http://nationalww2museum.org 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted June 25, 2014 Jane Fonda is looking up into the heavens in front of Grauman's, and declaring what a beautiful day it is. She stated on her blog soon after that it was "one of my happiest days." The TCMFF 2013 Footprint Ceremony Honoree is downsizing. You can upgrade for only $19.5 Mil, give or take a mil.... Jane Fonda's Forked Lightening Ranch is up for sale in New Mexico: http://bit.ly/1jOFr0M She comments in the article about her decision: “Forked Lightning Ranch has been a sanctuary and a place of great joy and recreation for me and my family,” Fonda says. “Many changes have occurred in my life since 2000 and I am no longer able to spend as much time on the ranch as I once was. I feel the time has come to pass the ranch on to a new custodian of this enchanted place.” Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted June 26, 2014 What Fess Parker and John Wayne did with the character of Davy Crockett in the 1950's affected a little five-year-old boy named Phillip Collins in England. Always believe that films inspire! Read my latest article about what Phil Collins has done with his fabulous collection of Alamo memorabilia: http://exm.nr/1lSK663 Reckon "The Alamo" will ever be at the TCM Film Festival? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted June 30, 2014 If you enjoy MGM's contribution to the world of classic film, you might want to check out the MGM Blogathon here: http://silverscenesblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-mgm-blogathon-90th-anniversary.html Here's a list of the articles: Behind the Scenes A Brief History of MGM - Silver Scenes The MGM Logo - All Things Kevyn Cedric Gibbons, Art Director - Girls Do Film Helen Deutsch, Screenwriter - Silver Scenes The Early Years He Who Gets Slapped ( 1924 ) - Nitrate Diva Zander the Great ( 1925 ) - Movies Silently The Cameraman ( 1928 ) - Silentology Platinum Blonde and Beyond - The Lady Eve's Reel Life The Beast of the City ( 1932 ) - Speakeasy The Gay Bride ( 1934 ) - Carole and Co. Greta Garbo and John Gilbert - Critica Retro Red Dust and Mogambo Revisited - Classic Film Freak Public Hero No. 1 ( 1935 ) - Silver Screenings Mutiny on the Bounty ( 1935 ) - Classic Film Freak Reckless ( 1935 ) - Imagine MDD Three Godfathers ( 1936 ) - Caftan Woman Rose Marie ( 1936 ) - The Rosebud Cinema A Day at the Races ( 1937 ) - Outspoken and Freckled The Golden Years Mrs. Miniver ( 1942 ) - Another Old Movie Blog Gene Kelly - The Vintage Cameo The Tarzan Series - Thrilling Days of Yesteryear The Human Comedy ( 1943 ) - Mildred's Fat Burgers Katharine Hepburn and Louis B. Mayer - The Great Katharine Hepburn Adrian and Joan Crawford - A Person in the Dark The Andy Hardy Series - Wide Screen World Gaslight ( 1944 ) - Hitless Wonder Movie Blog The Dr. Kildare Series - Once Upon a Screen Marsha Hunt - I See A Dark Theater The 1950s The Asphalt Jungle ( 1950 ) - Ramblings of a Cinephile An American in Paris ( 1951 ) - Silver Screen Modes Singin' in the Rain ( 1952 ) - Barry Bradford The Band Wagon ( 1953 ) - The Classic Movie Hub Forbidden Planet ( 1956 ) - Destroy All Fanboys Ben-Hur ( 1925 ) and Ben-Hur ( 1959 ) - Phantom Empires __________________________________________________________ MGM is celebrating its 90th year! Roar! :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 1, 2014 Tonight begins a fabulous month of Maureen O'Hara films, and her historic appearance at the TCMFF 2014 was the highlight of the festival for many passholders. Excited and anxious fans, including Cinemaven, await celebrity arrivals at the end of the Red Carpet revelry... O'Hara first entered the TCM Film Festival fan arena as she participated in the Red Carpet Ceremonies, and since she is such an esteemed guest, her position as the last celebrity to cross the threshold of the TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday, April 10, just prior to the 6:30 discussion of "Oklahoma" with Shirley Jones and the screening of the film, was appropriate. Earlier in the day, TCM Vice President of Talent Darcy Hettrich revealed to the audience at the Meet the TCM Panel on Thursday how Maureen almost didn't arrive at the festival. It seems that a private plane had been sent to whisk O'Hara to the festival in LA, but there was a problem with the steps and the ramp leading up to the plane, and O'Hara couldn't quite navigate. Her grandson was upset and told her that she couldn't go, but O'Hara, in her trademark stubbornness, told him she would go in the VIP lounge and wait until another plane would arrive. O'Hara visits with a journalist as her grandson, Conor Fitzsimons, helps her along the Red Carpet rumba... Moments after I snap this photo, Miss O'Hara looks me right in the eyes, and that is a daunting moment to realize this woman kissed John Wayne and John Payne and is now looking right at me. Those gorgeous eyes still sparkle like a twinkle of moonlight, and she reaches for my hand to shake it and talk to me, and then she is whisked away as she needs to visit with TCM Red Carpet Wrangler Tom Brown right before the discussion with Shirley Jones begins. Close enough for me in my lifetime. TCM's Tom Brown leans in for an Irish sound byte from the amazing Maureen O'Hara amid the media attention and fan excitement.... Maureen O'Hara looks at the audience as she answers pertinent questions from Robert Osborne in the El Capitan Theatre on Saturday, April 12, at 3 p.m. O'Hara helped to introduce her film, "How Green Was My Valley," and Robert Osborne asked her how it was to work with director John Ford. True to her Irish form, she spoke frankly and said,"I thought I was here to talk about me." Prior to the screening, TCM had screened a marvelous retrospective of O'Hara's career that received a another huge round of applause for Maureen O'Hara. It was obvious that the audience was mesmerized by her every word, and oohed and aahed at many of her statements as she remembered her co-workers. O'Hara also spoke about how she feels God is watching our every moment, but she didn't really want everyone to think she was "magical." To the audience, her spirit and enthusiasm were timeless. But we all thought she was magical. We just couldn't help it. Help celebrate this month with woman who was nicknamed the "Queen of Technicolor" because of her beauty and because she appeared in more Technicolor productions than any other actress tonight: 7:00 PM HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, THE (1939) A deformed bell ringer rescues a gypsy girl falsely accused of witchcraft and murder. Dir: William Dieterle Cast: Charles Laughton , Sir Cedric Hardwicke , Thomas Mitchell . BW-117 mins, CC 9:15 PM HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941) A Welsch mining family faces the struggles of life together. Dir: John Ford Cast: Walter Pidgeon , Maureen O'Hara , Anna Lee . BW-119 mins, CC 11:17 PM WANDERING THROUGH WALES (1948) This short film focuses on the history, culture, and people of Wales. C-9 mins 11:30 PM SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY (1946) An actress becomes fatally ill and adopts an orphan so that her husband will not be alone once she has died. Dir: Walter Lang Cast: John Payne , Maureen O'Hara , William Bendix . BW-94 mins 1:15 AM FORBIDDEN STREET, THE (1949) A wealthy British woman in Victorian London marries an impoverished artist from the slums and becomes victimized by a blackmail plot. Dir: Jean Negulesco Cast: Dana Andrews , Maureen O'Hara , Dame Sybil Thorndike .BW-91 mins, CC 3:00 AM WOMAN'S SECRET, A (1949) A retired singer takes on a protegee only to be betrayed by her. Dir: Nicholas Ray Cast: Maureen O'Hara , Melvyn Douglas , Gloria Grahame . BW-85 mins, CC 4:30 AM FALLEN SPARROW, THE (1943) Nazi spies pursue a Spanish Civil War veteran in search of a priceless keepsake. Dir: Richard Wallace Cast: John Garfield , Maureen O'Hara , Walter Slezak . BW-94 mins, CC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 2, 2014 What a wonderful evening with Maureen O'Hara, courtesy of our favorite network. :-) Her interview in the lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during the Turner Classic Film Festival was also a lovely compilation of clips and conversation. Thank you, TCM production staff for doing such a wonderful job. I hope viewers were lucky enough to see some of her films. I cried off and on through "How Green Was My Valley" and saw "Sentimental Journey" in its entirety for the first time. Because of some of my media credential activities, I was able to see Maureen O'Hara's interview with Robert Osborne for the introduction of "How Green Was My Valley" at the El Capitan, but had to run to another interview commitment during the actual screening. Don't forget to have fun! :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 2, 2014 FYI: Radio Host Stu Shostak will be interviewing TCM Film Festival Friend Leonard Maltin today from 4-6 p.m. (Pacific) here: http://www.stusshow.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 9, 2014 Here's a link to my entry in the John Ford Blogathon hosted by Krell Laboratories:http://suesueapplegate.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/maureen-ohara-and-john-fords-way-with-women/ It's entitled "Maureen O'Hara and John Ford's Way With Women." Some comments were transcribed from Maureen O'Hara's interviews at the Turner Classic Film Festival 2014 when I saw her in LA. I hope you enjoy it! Don't forget about Maureen O'Hara's Star of the Month Celebration Tuesdays in July on our favorite network! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 15, 2014 Dear TCM Message Board Members, I would like to thank everyone for the kind comments, emails, and personal messages concerning my entry in the John Ford Blogathon, and I am especially grateful for the lovely response from author David Meuel who has just written "Women in the Films of John Ford." He includes insightful essays in his latest book about Jane Darwell (a good friend to TCM Host Robert Osborne in his early, years in Hollywood), Maureen O'Hara, Ava Gardner, Natalie Wood, Mildred Natwick, and many more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 17, 2014 Here's my latest book review, David Meuel's "Women in the Films of John Ford" : http://exm.nr/1ndgiU3 If features discussions of films screened this year at the Turner Classic Film Festival 2015, "The Quiet Man" and "How Green Was My Valley", and many other films and film characters who populate the pantheon of Ford classics. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 19, 2014 Author Phillip Done's latest book, a biography of actress Ann Rutherford, is currently being offered for free on Kindle for the next two days: http://www.amazon.com/The-Charms-Miss-OHara-Hollywood/dp/0615987311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405777484&sr=8-1&keywords=the%20charms%20of%20miss%20o'hara&tag=viglink20412-20 Actress Ann Rutherford, who passed away in 2012, was a great friend to TCM and attended festivals in 2010 and 2011. She is most well-known as younger sister Carreen in "Gone With The WInd" and for working with the late Mickey Rooney in several Andy Hardy films. Here is my review of Done's book: http://www.examiner.com/review/phillip-done-s-the-charms-of-miss-o-hara-a-panorama-of-hollywood-s-golden-age Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 23, 2014 TCMFF 2014 guest Maureen O'Hara's wonderful responses to the Vanity Fair "Proust Questionnaire" :http://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/maureen-o-hara-proust-questionnaire?mbid=social_fbshare This lovely illustration is by Risko for Vanity Fair. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 24, 2014 The original screening of "Gone With the Wind" in Atlanta occurred on December 15, 1939, at the Loew's Grand, which no longer stands. This weekend, the historic Fox Theatre will screen the film of Margaret Mitchell's novel in Atlanta on Saturday and Sunday as part of the 75th Anniversary of the iconic film: http://bit.ly/1rdeRDa If you are traveling to the area, be sure to visit some of the stops on the "Gone With The Wind" Trail. There are two museums in the Atlanta area, in Marietta and Jonesboro, that are solely devoted to the film: http://www.gwtwtrail.com/GWTW_TRAIL/GWTW_TRAIL_HOME.html Here are links to some of my articles concerning events surrounding the film this year in Atlanta: http://www.examiner.com/article/marietta-gone-with-the-wind-celebration-draws-international-fans http://www.examiner.com/article/first-stop-on-the-gone-with-the-wind-trail http://www.examiner.com/review/phillip-done-s-the-charms-of-miss-o-hara-a-panorama-of-hollywood-s-golden-age http://suesueapplegate.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/visiting-the-gone-with-the-wind-museum-in-marietta-georgia/ http://www.examiner.com/article/film-anniversary-lures-fans-to-historic-oakland-cemetery "Gone With The Wind" was screened at this year's Turner Classic Film Festival on Sunday, April 13, at the TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly "Grauman's"). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 26, 2014 Here's the link to my exclusive interview with TCM Film Festival Managing Director Genevieve McGillicuddy about the 2014 festival: http://exm.nr/1zgeTPq Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 28, 2014 Fifties ingenue and sixties vixen Carroll Baker is scheduled to appear in "Summer of Ivy," a movie to be filmed in New York and released in 2016, according to some sources. Way to go, Miss Baker! With 83 screen credits, 2014 is her 7th decade as a screen actress, and she still looks fabulous! Some of her most well-known films include "Baby Doll," "The Carpetbaggers," "Harlow," and "Giant." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted July 29, 2014 Sorry to report that actor James Shigeta has passed away at 81. He starred with Carroll Baker ( the subject of my previous post) in "Bridge to the Sun," and did his own singing in "Flower Drum Song." Here's the link to the article in The Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/james-shigeta-dead-die-hard-721851?mobile_redirect=false A 2006 tribute video to Mr. Shigeta: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 2, 2014 It's been a fabulous beginning to TCM's Summer Under The Stars with Jane Fonda films all day today, and then the lovely AFI tribute airing now and little later in Mountain/Pacific time. Up next is "Klute," another Oscar-winning performance with wonderful Donald Sutherland. If you've never seen it, don't miss it. If you have, it's time to enjoy it once again. Fonda looks fabulous, and so many of her colleagues enjoyed paying tribute to her on the "AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Jane Fonda." Try not to miss Jeff Daniel's cute song! Congratulations, Miss Fonda, and thank you, TCM, for screening this entertaining program! For a peek at the fabulous August lineup for Summer Under The Stars, here's the link: http://www.tcm.com/schedule/monthly.html (The AFI Tribute to Jane Fonda was filmed on June 5, and aired originally on TNT on June 14.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 2, 2014 Here's a lovely montage dedicated to the film stars celebrated during August's Summer Under The Stars created by Cinemaven: And the link to August's films: http://www.tcm.com/schedule/monthly.html 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 3, 2014 Here's a link to a short article I just published about the AFI Tribute to Jane Fonda and Summer Under The Stars: http://www.examiner.com/article/afi-tribute-to-jane-fonda-initiates-tcm-s-summer-under-the-stars Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 4, 2014 My favorite photo of Edith Head... Here's a link to an LA Times article announcing the wonderful Edith Head Retrospective with comedian Carl Reiner, TCM friend Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Paddy Calistro, who wrote "Edith Head's Hollywood" with Head; and David Chierichetti, author of "Edith Head: The Life and Times of Hollywood's Celebrated Costume Designer." I would love to be there for this! http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/classichollywood/la-et-mn-ca-edith-head-classic-hollywood-20140803-story.html 2010 article by Lesley Blume on Edith Head: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesley-m-m-blume/edith-head-costumes-photos-lets-bring-back_b_776365.html#168828 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 8, 2014 Actress Ann Rutherford's biographer, Phillip Done, joins The Silver Screen Oasis this weekend to discuss his book "The Charms of Miss O'Hara: Tales of Gone With The Wind and the Golden Age of Hollywood from Scarlett's Little Sister" from August 8-10. Come join the fun and ask some questions yourself! Find the Q & A here: http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/viewtopic.php?f=112&t=6733&p=152343#p152343 Rutherford was a good friend to TCM and attended two TCM Film Festivals. Here she is pictured with TCM Host Robert Osborne.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 18, 2014 Debbie Reynolds will receive the SAG-AFTRA Lifetime Achievement Award in January-http://bit.ly/1o65u4O Congratulations, Miss Reynolds! And thank you for being a friend of TCM. Your attendance at TCM Film Festivals and the TCM Cruise are much appreciated. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 19, 2014 Newman´s Own...Day! Read my latest article on Examiner.com, an exclusive interview with actor Marvin Kaplan (It´s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World!¨) and his thoughts on Paul Newman: http://exm.nr/1pDbIxP I am loving Summer Under The Stars! Do you have a favorite day so far? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SueSueApplegate Posted August 20, 2014 Here's my latest article celebrating the life and legacy of actress Thelma Ritter: http://bit.ly/1pcGEFL Watch her stellar performances all day tomorrow on TCM's Summer Under The Stars! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
