Around the Blogosphere This Week
...My recent review of the Western SHOWDOWN AT ABILENE (1956) led to a nice exchange of information on star Jock Mahoney and the biography of Mahoney written by Gene Freese and published by McFarland. I'm pleased to share that I've just received a review copy of the Mahoney book and will be posting a review of it here in the coming weeks. I'm sure the book will be of great interest to many of my fellow Western fans!
...Summer of the Binge? Streaming may be replacing vacation reading. (Guilty as charged...at least to an extent. It's an option which didn't exist in the past!)
...A national stage tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC starts in September. Southern California stops are the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles from September 20th to October 31, 2015, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from July 19 to July 31, 2016. Kerstin Anderson and Ben Davis star as Maria and Captain Von Trapp, with Ashley Brown (MARY POPPINS) as the Mother Abbess. I've seen Brown sing a couple of times including a concert at the 2013 D23 Expo.
...Continuing in a Broadway musical vein, the 1955 and 1956 telecasts of Mary Martin in PETER PAN are coming to DVD and Blu-ray. The 1955 telecast is a Blu-ray exclusive extra; the 1956 version is available in either format. I'm still waiting for the 1960 Mary Martin version to come out on DVD; I recorded it to Beta (!) in 1991, and our oldest daughter just about wore out that tape, she played it so often!
...There's a sweet interview with Michael Learned about THE WALTONS by Danny Miller at Cinephiled.
...Hoping that the Angels Flight Railway in Downtown Los Angeles will return.
...The hilarious BACHELOR'S AFFAIRS (1932), starring Adolphe Menjou, was one of my favorite films at this year's UCLA Festival of Preservation. I just caught up with Kim's July post on the movie at I See a Dark Theater; she loved it too! This one needs to come out on DVD ASAP.
...I'm pleased to announce my recent post on Bill Williams and Barbara Hale in THE CLAY PIGEON (1949) has been cross-posted at Movies Unlimited's MovieFanFare site. Please click on over and check it out!...Loved seeing that Kristina enjoyed THE HIRED GUN (1957) with Rory Calhoun and Anne Francis. I'll be revisiting that movie at the Lone Pine Film Festival, as well as touring the movie's locations!
...Also announced for the Lone Pine Film Festival: William Wellman Jr. and Wyatt McCrea will team to introduce BUFFALO BILL (1944), starring Joel McCrea, Maureen O'Hara, and Linda Darnell. Having heard both men speak on several occasions, I know this screening is going to be a treat!
...The Blonde at the Film takes a look at "History Through Hollywood," including train and plane travel, dunking donuts, and how coffee was served decades ago (almost no modern coffee mugs seen on screen in the classic film era!).
...The Hollywood Reporter describes Kirk and Anne Douglas's philanthropic work.
...Notable Passings: The Official Yvonne Craig site announced the actress's passing on August 17th. A veteran of many movies and TV shows, including the Elvis Presley films IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR (1963) and KISSIN' COUSINS (1964), the actress is best known for her role as Batgirl on the '60s TV series BATMAN. She was 78...Actress Melody Patterson, best known for the '60s TV comedy F TROOP, has passed on at 66...Another TV veteran, Gerald S. O'Loughlin, passed away July 31st. O'Loughlin appeared on the 1970s TV series THE ROOKIES and the 1980s series OUR HOUSE, along with countless other TV appearances. His films included LOVERS AND LOLLIPOPS (1956), A HATFUL OF RAIN (1957), ENSIGN PULVER (1964), and ICE STATION ZEBRA (1968)...Ric Holt, who as Ricky Holt played Melanie's baby Beau in GONE WITH THE WIND (1939), has passed away at the age of 77. Holt, who was named for Richard Arlen, was married for a few years to Barry Goldwater's daughter. His brother David had a busy career as a child actor, including BEAU GESTE (1939). 
...Please check out my latest article for ClassicFlix, "Uncovered Classics, Vol. I: Westerns and Noirs." My dozen recommendations include George Brent and Marguerite Chapman in MAN BAIT (1952)....Around the Blogosphere This Week will not appear next weekend. It will return Labor Day Weekend!
...Although I'll be traveling for the next week and a half, I've prescheduled several posts, including a look at Turner Classic Movies in September, so please check back regularly for new content while I'm away!
Have a great week!
posted by Laura @ 12:54 PM
5 Comments:
Enjoy BUFFALO BILL at Lone Pine. I just came across this costume test for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGTvj3TgUag Thankfully, Joel's second outfit didn't make it into the film! I'll be thinking of you during the nuptials and sending warm wishes. Jane
I was hoping McFarland would send you a copy of Gene Freese's bio of Jock Mahoney, Laura. Can't wait to read your account of it.
Thank you Laura for the blogathon and review links! Glad to have you join in.
Yvonne Craig was so cool. As a little girl, comics and superhero women were my role models, and she was one of the pioneers at playing one right-- pretty, smart and strong.
What's the problem with the Alan Ladd version of "The Great Gatsby"? That film and the Fredric March/Columbia (I think) version of "Death of A Salesman" and the David Wayne version of "M" all seem to have vanished into thin air (or is the "rights problem" thin air?)....anybody know what's up with these three rarely-seen films?
Brad
Catching up after our travels!
Jane, that costume test was hilarious, thanks for sharing it!
Jerry, started reading the Mahoney book but only just. Looking forward to reviewing it here later this month.
Kristina, glad to share the links!!
Brad, I wish I knew why that GATSBY is so hard to see, other than '40s Paramount films in general often being hard to get ahold of. It's very frustrating. The Ladd version is excellent, other than having a poor Daisy, which seems to be an ongoing issue when the story is filmed. The David Wayne "M" is really excellent two, I've seen it twice on a big screen and wish it were available. It has superb use of Los Angeles locations including the Bradbury Building.
Best wishes,
Laura
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