Heath Ledger – a tragedy.

March 31, 2015 admin 2

    I have been wondering how many actors and actresses from my hometown of Perth, Western Australia have become nationally or internationally known. Upon doing a little research I have unearthed quite a few, the most famous of them being, of course, the late and wonderfully talented Heath Ledger. […]

The best female voices in movies?

March 30, 2015 admin 2

Finding ten great male voices in the movies was easy. In fact, I found many more than that and was forced to eliminate. Not so with the females, however. I discovered several truly pleasant voices and several distinctly unique ones. Sadly, most of the unique ones were quite irksome, so […]

The best male voices in movies?

March 29, 2015 admin 7

There are several factors that come together to produce a motion picture star. Obviously, being able to actually act is a major component. Even so, I have no doubt there are countless great actors out there who will never, ever become movie stars, simply because ability on its own just […]

Hollywood’s real-life war heroes ( PT 2 )

March 28, 2015 admin 1

Because of the research I do on movie stars and Hollywood in general, friends have asked me whether or not John Wayne was a draft dodger in the Second World War. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t the faintest idea. For every comment I have read that described him as […]

Hollywood’s real-life war heroes ( Pt 1 )

March 27, 2015 admin 0

  It is impossible to accurately assess Hollywood’s contribution to the winning of World War 2, but it would be fair to say that it was substantial. Apart from the thousands of industry people (including many actors and directors) who actually got into uniform, it was the impact on national […]

Lana Turner – murderer?

March 25, 2015 admin 4

Lana Turner began her Hollywood career as ‘the Sweater Girl’, and for many of her critics that seemed to be the extent of her thespian ability. Quite a few of them revised their opinions, however, following her real life performance on the stand during her daughter’s murder trial. Single handed, […]

Ronald Reagan – FBI spy in Hollywood?

March 24, 2015 admin 0

  One of the funnier exchanges that takes place in the 1985 blockbuster Back to the Future occurs when Dr Emmett Brown questions Marty’s statement that he is from the future: ‘Then tell me, future boy’, he says. ‘Who’s President of the United States in 1985?’ ‘Ronald Reagan’, Marty replies. […]

MACAULAY CULKIN – A great child actor… or not?

March 23, 2015 admin 2

  Nine year old Macaulay Culkin pretty much came out of nowhere in 1990 when he scored the lead in the monstrously successful Home Alone, a movie that turned over an amazing $285 million in the USA alone, and for which he received a paltry $100,000. He had gained a […]

MARLON BRANDO – A flawed legend?

March 22, 2015 admin 0

  Michael Caine hit the nail right on the head when asked about his feelings on Brando’s protest at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973 in support of the American Indians Movement (AIM). ‘I think if the man wants to make a gesture, I agree entirely with what he did. […]

MAMIE VAN DOREN – Sex siren survivor.

March 20, 2015 admin 0

  The totally unfair label ‘blonde bimbo’ evolved in the 1950s, probably because of the antics of a trio of blonde actresses known to the media as ‘the three ‘M’s’. I refer to Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mamie van Doren. Two of these women, Marilyn and Jayne, died young […]