W.A.M.P.A.S. Baby Stars 1922 – PT 1.

October 21, 2016 Alan Royle 0

  Between 1922 and 1934 (except for 1930 and 1933) the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers (WAMPAS) annually selected 13 up and coming young actresses as ‘The WAMPAS Baby Stars’ amid considerable media publicity and fanfare. No doubt, being selected must have given these young ladies visions of future […]

‘Hollywood – The Skeletons Are Out’ – a sampling

October 19, 2016 Alan Royle 0

  My latest book is titled Hollywood: The Skeletons Are Out. It contains 1,200 direct quotes by actors and directors about themselves, their colleagues and their films. Here is a random two dozen of them:   Young Joan Collins When Joan Collins was asked if she was ever unfaithful, she […]

Happy 100th birthday, Kirk… I think.

October 17, 2016 Alan Royle 8

  Kirk Douglas was born Issur Demsky in New York City to Jewish-Russian parents on 9 December 1916. Like Olivia de Havilland (in July) he will turn 100 in 2016. Back in 1958 his good friend Mike Todd asked him to fly to New York with him to celebrate Mike’s […]

Three old comics.

October 15, 2016 Alan Royle 0

                                     Jack Benny (1894 – 1974) In his will Jack Benny left instructions for a single red rose to be delivered to Mary Livingstone, his widow and co-star from his radio days, every morning […]

Actors marrying other actors – PT 16.

October 11, 2016 Alan Royle 0

    CRAIG, Yvonne                                BOYD, Jimmy                                   1960 – 63 (div.)   If things had worked out differently Yvonne might have spent her days dancing instead of acting. As a teenager she showed enormous promise, enough to be chosen as one of the youngest ever dancers by the Denham’s Ballet […]

Past Oscar-winners – some observations – Pt 3.

October 9, 2016 Alan Royle 0

    1949               All the King’s Men – Best Picture                         Broderick Crawford – Best Actor for All the King’s Men   Broderick Crawford Greg Peck as General Savage in Twelve O’Clock High Having seen all five nominated films for 1949, I am surprised that All the King’s Men came out on […]

Did you know? – A Beautiful Mind, West, Ryder, ET.

October 7, 2016 Alan Royle 0

  Jennifer Connelly with Russell Crowe with Josh Charles Jennifer and husband Paul Bettany Reporters said Russell Crowe went after his co-star Jennifer Connelly on the set of this picture, much as he did when he would pursue Meg Ryan on the set of Proof of Life in 2000. He […]

Did you know? – Garson, Darnell, Eastwood & Boyle

October 5, 2016 Alan Royle 0

  Greer Garson Mr & Mrs Richard Ney 1943 Teresa Wrioght & Richard Ney in Mrs Miniver (1942) The first of Greer Garson’s three marriages did not last past the honeymoon in Austria in 1933. Her possessive husband virtually held her hostage the whole time. On their return to England she moved […]