Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...My report on the Lone Pine Film Festival is now up at the ClassicFlix site.

...Saturday night Debbie Reynolds was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy. Debbie had to miss the ceremony due to recovery from surgery. The award was accepted on her behalf by her granddaughter, Billie Lourd, with Reynolds' children Carrie and Todd Fisher also in attendance.

...DVD releases by TCM have been quite slow this year, so it was a nice surprise to learn today that the Alan Ladd 1940s Collection will be released on December 1st. The four-film set will include LUCKY JORDAN (1942), AND NOW TOMORROW (1944), TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST (1946), and O.S.S. (1946). These are all Paramount films which have been difficult to see in recent years, although LUCKY JORDAN has turned up on TCM, so this release is most welcome. (November 19th Update: Thanks to reader John for sharing the disappointing news that AND NOW TOMORROW has been removed from the set's listing on the TCM Shop site.)

...Coming December 10th through 13th: The Sinatra Centennial Blogathon, sponsored by Judy at Movie Classics and Emily at The Vintage Cameo. So far over two dozen bloggers are signed up to celebrate the career of one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century.

...A brand-new Sinatra book: SINATRA: THE CHAIRMAN by James Kaplan.

...There's a rumor that an Apple Store will be built inside the Tower Theatre building in Downtown Los Angeles. The Tower, which I photographed on the 2014 TCM Bus Tour, was built in 1927 and was the first movie theater in Los Angeles to feature air conditioning.

...Alicia Mayer has compiled a list of Golden Age actors who are still with us. The oldest actress on the list is Lupita Tovar, who is a remarkable 105 years old.

...Greenbriar Picture Shows takes a look at a favorite film noir, FALLEN ANGEL (1945), with some background information and great photos. The movie stars Dana Andrews, Alice Faye, and Linda Darnell, who is referred to by John McElwee as the "liveliest wire" in the film. True!

...I was intrigued to learn that a movie has been made about the Chilean mining disaster and rescue, titled THE 33 (2015). It stars Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, and Cote de Pablo (NCIS). Reviews have been middling -- it sounds as though it would at least be worth checking out via Netflix.

...Here's Leonard Maltin on his experiences at fall film festivals.

...The TCM Shop has a line of merchandise inspired by the Chinese Theatre.

...Sony will cease production of Betamax tapes in March 2016. Although I still have a working Beta player (!), I confess I didn't know it was even possible to still get tapes at this point!

...My pal Jerry Entract has a terrific list of "Underrated Films of 1945" up at Rupert Pupkin Speaks. Check it out, I've seen most of the titles and it's a great list.

...Last Monday the late Maureen O'Hara was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. John Wayne's daughter, Melinda Wayne Munoz, represented the Wayne family at the burial service, saying the actress had been "like an aunt" to the Wayne children and that O'Hara "was a wonderful, wonderful woman."

...Notable Passing: Actress Betsy Drake has passed away at the age of 92. Drake costarred with her then-husband, Cary Grant, in EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED (1948) and ROOM FOR ONE MORE (1952), which was shown on TV for years under the title THE EASY WAY. She retired from films after CLARENCE THE CROSS-EYED LION (1965) and lived in London for many years, where she passed away. Like actress Ruth Roman, Drake had the unusual distinction of being a survivor of the sinking of the Andrea Doria in 1956.

...For even more recent classic film links on books, DVDs, and much more, please check out last week's link roundup.

Have a great week!