PrinceSaliano Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Comedic actor Hugh Herbert was under contract to Universal and appeared in fourteen films during 1939-1942. Would love for these to show up on TCM... THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR (1939) LITTLE ACCIDENT (1939) La CONGA NIGHTS (1940) PRIVATE AFFAIRS (1940) A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN (1940) SLIGHTLY TEMPTED (1940) MEET THE CHUMP (1941) THE BLACK CAT (1941) HELLO, SUCKER (1941) BADLANDS OF DAKOTA (1941) HELLZAPOPPIN' (1941) DON'T GET PERSONAL (1942) YOU'RE TELLING ME (1942) THERE'S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE (1942-film debut of Elizabeth Taylor) Hugh also appeared in TOP OF THE TOWN (1937) and ONE TOUCH OF VENUS (1948) at Universal. Woo hoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomesoulM Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 He was indeed funny,Herbert can steal a scene sometimes in a flick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceSaliano Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 Hopefully there are people paying attention who have the ability to make it happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalnovelty Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 > {quote:title=PrinceSaliano wrote:}{quote} > Comedic actor Hugh Herbert was under contract to Universal and appeared in fourteen films during 1939-1942. Would love for these to show up on TCM... > > THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR (1939) > LITTLE ACCIDENT (1939) > La CONGA NIGHTS (1940) > PRIVATE AFFAIRS (1940) > A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN (1940) > SLIGHTLY TEMPTED (1940) > MEET THE CHUMP (1941) > THE BLACK CAT (1941) > HELLO, SUCKER (1941) > BADLANDS OF DAKOTA (1941) > HELLZAPOPPIN' (1941) > DON'T GET PERSONAL (1942) > YOU'RE TELLING ME (1942) > THERE'S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE (1942-film debut of Elizabeth Taylor) > Hugh also appeared in TOP OF THE TOWN (1937) and ONE TOUCH OF VENUS (1948) at Universal. Woo hoo! > Love this kind of stuff! But at least if they never show up on TCM or any other TV stations, I do have all of those on video (some from as long ago as 1982). And thanks to film collector friends I've seen everyone of those on the "big screen" in 16mm prints. Some on that list have actually never been available to TV, so are even rarer than the rest of them. One thing that perplexes me involves the Hugh Herbert movie THERE'S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE. As noted, it's the first movie for Elizabeth Taylor! So WHY hasn't Universal done anything with it?! Surely they must know how popular she is and that they could make a buck or two if they'd put that one out on DVD. One idea that again, I'm surprised and disappointed that they apparently haven't thought of: If they don't want to put it out separately, why not include it as an extra on a DVD with one of her later Universal titles? After all, it's only 59 minutes long. I admit that my interest in Liz's movies tapers off quickly after the early 1950's so when I thought of this idea years ago I had to look it up to see if she actually made any movies at Universal in the 1960's or later. I've forgotten now (and don't really care) how many or what they were, but she did, so there would have been an ideal opportunity to finally make this rare but historically important title available for her fans (and also for us Hugh Herbert fans!) The inclusion of that title as an extra would result in one more sale (to me) than the DVD would already have, no matter what the "main attraction" may be. So, how about it, Universal? You've got some good stuff locked up that we'd like to see! And, TCM, these movies are good clean fun entertainment and don't deserve to be hidden away and so hard to see. Can't something be worked out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 >And thanks to film collector friends I've seen everyone of those on the "big screen" in 16mm prints. Me too, because a few have been shown at film festivals. I'd like to use this to illustrate why I don't bother with TCM's Film Festival. I'm not interested in commonly seen films and the fact they are digital projections is another turn off. But go to Cinefest and you'll see rarities like Hellzapoppin' and if you listen, hear the clicking of the projector behind you. And everyone else in the audience is buzzing afterward, talking about Hugh Herbert's scenes. Also of note is Herbert was born in Binghamton NY. City Hall still has a life size rendition of Rod Serling... But in the last 15-20 years or so, any acknowledgment of Richard Deacon being born in Binghamton has disappeared. And there was never recognition for Hugh Herbert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceSaliano Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 There's no bigger champion of rare Universals than I. But the silence from TCM is deafening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM108 Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 I'd love to see a lot more Universals, but Hugh Herbert, not so much. Having seen about a dozen or so of the ones they've shown on TCM, it's hard to think of a bigger one trick pony. I loved him in the first few, but after that it was like watching an endless loop of the same film. I realize he's basically a comic actor, but he doesn't have the pure comic talent of a Fields or an Oliver Hardy, and he's not even close to having the higher comic skills of a Grant or a Hepburn, or a Lee Tracy for that matter. He's just kind of stuck there in a dated schtick, doing that goofy laugh like a nervous tic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceSaliano Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 > {quote:title=AndyM108 wrote:}{quote}I'd love to see a lot more Universals, but Hugh Herbert, not so much. Having seen about a dozen or so of the ones they've shown on TCM, it's hard to think of a bigger one trick pony. I loved him in the first few, but after that it was like watching an endless loop of the same film. I realize he's basically a comic actor, but he doesn't have the pure comic talent of a Fields or an Oliver Hardy, and he's not even close to having the higher comic skills of a Grant or a Hepburn, or a Lee Tracy for that matter. He's just kind of stuck there in a dated schtick, doing that goofy laugh like a nervous tic. I think you may have missed my point. This is only marginally about Hugh Herbert. It IS about tons of long-unseen, long-unavailable Universal titles. I've post similar threads re Gloria Stuart, Evelyn Ankers, Chester Morris, Maria Montez, Olsen & Johnson and other Universal-related actors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM108 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 My bad then, Prince. I'd also love to see a lot more Universals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalnovelty Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Hey, TikiSoo,Congratulations! That's your 2000th post!-----[~TikiSoo] Posts: 2,000 Registered: 04/06/06 > {quote:title=TikiSoo wrote:}{quote}> > And thanks to film collector friends I've seen everyone of those on the "big screen" in 16mm prints.> Me too, because a few have been shown at film festivals.> > I'd like to use this to illustrate why I don't bother with TCM's Film Festival. I'm not interested in commonly seen films and the fact they are digital projections is another turn off.> > > But go to Cinefest and you'll see rarities like Hellzapoppin' and if you listen, hear the clicking of the projector behind you. And everyone else in the audience is buzzing afterward, talking about Hugh Herbert's scenes.> > > Also of note is Herbert was born in Binghamton NY. City Hall still has a life size rendition of Rod Serling...> But in the last 15-20 years or so, any acknowledgment of Richard Deacon being born in Binghamton has disappeared.> > > And there was never recognition for Hugh Herbert.>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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