Did you know?

February 2, 2017 Alan Royle 0

  One wonders how many young movie fans of today have any idea why the intersection of Orange Drive and Hollywood Boulevard, just across from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, is now named ‘Carmen Miranda Square’. How many have even heard of her? Back in 1945 on ‘V-J Day’, at that very […]

Hollywood & the Catholic Legion of Decency (CLOD).

December 18, 2016 Alan Royle 6

  At the zenith of their power the ‘Seven Sisters’ (MGM, Warners, Paramount, Universal, Columbia, Fox and RKO) did much as they pleased. Few outsiders had any influence over their decisions or their conduct. Few, that is, with the exception of the Catholic Legion of Decency (CLOD). They were a […]

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 […]

SIX ENJOYABLE MOVIE DUOS – PT 1.

September 3, 2016 Alan Royle 6

  They say that movie ‘chemistry’ strikes every now and then, and when it does it lights up the screen. The people that make these kinds of decisions are forever mixing and matching, trying to find a combination that just ‘clicks’ with audiences. And it does not always have to […]

Did you know? (H)

July 7, 2016 Alan Royle 4

    David and Merle At the Hollywood Criket Club circa 1936 David Niven and the exquisite Merle Oberon were in the throes of their quite public affair when they starred together in the 1936 film Beloved Enemy. Merle was on the rebound from her romance with Leslie Howard, her […]

The making of ‘West Side Story’ (1961)

April 20, 2016 admin 6

  It has been fifty-five years since Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet was re-located to New York City and transformed into the musical West Side Story. In place of the feuding Montague and Capulet families of Verona we are given two rival New York gangs – the Jets and the Sharks. […]

Beautiful Actresses – My Top 50 (Pt 2)

January 31, 2016 admin 5

  On the 29th I posted the first 20 of my 50 most beautiful actresses of all time. It is now the 31st January, time for part two – numbers 30 down to 11. #30  Stefanie Powers Former star of TV’s Hart to Hart #29  Loretta Young Known in Hollywood as […]

William Holden – His Life and his Loves

January 23, 2016 admin 20

      Holden in Escape From Fort Bravo (1953) William Holden featured in a lot of very good movies during his career. Women adored him, even men grudgingly conceded that he was both rugged and charming, certainly no milk sop. Unfortunately, he was also an alcoholic, from his teens until the […]

Good Guys & Gals (Pt 1)

January 21, 2016 admin 8

  Like any community, Hollywood has had its share of men and women who excelled as human beings, not just in their chosen profession, but in their private lives as well. In an industry where the slightest miss-step is plastered all over the media, to go through decades without drawing […]

Stolen Oscars? Pt. 3

September 24, 2015 admin 26

  Part 3 of ‘Stolen Oscars?’ looks at some of the individual Academy Award winners who, for want of a better word, purloined their statuettes. I shall start with the Best Actor category. 1930/1             Lionel Barrymore for A Free Soul I haven’t actually seen any of the other nominated performances […]