Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...I mentioned it way back in December, but it bears repeating that UCLA will be celebrating Valentine's Day with a Frank Borzage double bill consisting of HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT (1937), a marvelous film with Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer, and SECRETS (1933), starring Mary Pickford and Leslie Howard. Both films will screen in 35mm. I'm not certain yet if I can go, but I'm definitely going to try to fit it into this week's schedule.

...Speaking of Mary Pickford, KC had lots of interesting Mary Pickford news at Classic Movies, and at Happy Thoughts, Darling, MC discusses the documentary MARY PICKFORD, THE MUSE OF THE MOVIES (2008), which can be streamed via Netflix.

...KC's review also made me aware of a new book on director Rouben Mamoulian, written by David Luhrssen and published by the University Press of Kentucky. There's another Mamoulian book coming this summer: ON MY WAY: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ROUBEN MAMOULIAN, GEORGE GERSHWIN, AND PORGY AND BESS.

...UCLA recently announced the lineup for next month's big Festival of Preservation. I'll focus on that in more detail in the future.

...The Greenbriar Picture Show "watch lists" are always fun -- recent reviews include SHADOW OF DOUBT (1935), SINGAPORE WOMAN (1941), THE SIGN OF THE RAM (1948), and WAY OF A GAUCHO (1952); all but the last title have also been watched and reviewed here at my blog.

...Turner Classic Movies has announced most of its remaining Road to Hollywood schedule, a series of screenings around the country which precede April's TCM Classic Film Festival. The showings will include Angie Dickinson at RIO BRAVO (1959) in Dallas on February 19th, Jane Powell at ROYAL WEDDING (1951) in Boston on March 12th, Mitzi Gaynor at SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) in Chicago on March 19th, Robert Wagner at THE PINK PANTHER (1963) on April 2nd in San Francisco, and Tippi Hedren at MARNIE (1964) on April 16th in Albuquerque. The hosts rotate among Robert Osborne, Ben Mankiewicz, and Leonard Maltin.

...A couple of years ago I had a good time watching Robert Mitchum, Ava Gardner, and Melvyn Douglas in MY FORBIDDEN PAST (1951), which was recently reviewed by Glenn Erickson at DVD Savant.

...Last week my daughter made this Chocolate Sugar Snaps recipe from one of our favorite cookie recipe books, GREAT COOKIES by Carole Walter. And if you wonder, as my daughter did, chilling the dough first does matter! I previously blogged about the book's Molasses Spice Cookies which are also great.

...R. Emmet Sweeney of TCM's Movie Morlocks has posted interesting info on a memoir by Jessica Seiter Niblo, who grew up in Hollywood as the daughter of director William Seiter and actress Marian Nixon. (After being widowed, Nixon married Ben Lyon, the widower of Bebe Daniels.) I wish the book were easier to obtain, it's currently mainly sold through Facebook.

...I confess I've never had any interest in Facebook, but it's nice to note that it was instrumental in foiling burglars fencing valuable comic books stolen from Beach Ball Comics in Anaheim.

...At 50 Westerns From the 50s, Toby highlights some interesting Westerns coming from Warner Archive, as well as a new four-film set due out from Shout! Factory. Westerns fans will want to check out the details.

...Over at Immortal Ephemera, Cliff has put together an amazing resource page on the Wampas Baby Stars, actresses chosen as future stars by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers between 1922 and 1934. Cliff also noted the recent birthday of former Baby Star Mary Carlisle, who just turned 100.

...Notable Passings: Farewell to Lieutenant Cable: Actor John Kerr has passed on at the age of 81. I had hoped to see him at a screening of SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) at the Egyptian Theatre last summer, but he was unable to attend. He was an important part of a very special movie. His career also included winning the Tony for TEA AND SYMPATHY...The great makeup artist Stuart Freeborn passed away at the age of 98. His legacy includes designing unforgettable STAR WARS characters, including Yoda and Chewbacca...Paul Tanner, a trombonist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, has died at the age of 95. He also created a musical instrument, inspired by the theremin, which was heard in the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."

Have a great week!