Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Happy New Year, and welcome to the first roundup of 2017!

...Here's the 2017 schedule of nationwide classic film screenings from TCM and Fathom Events.

...For those in the San Francisco area, Noir City San Francisco opens this Friday, January 20th. Films screen daily through Sunday, January 29th.

...Last month I was fascinated to read that actor Dermot Mulroney (THE FAMILY STONE) plays cello on the ROGUE ONE (2016) soundtrack. 11th chair, to be exact -- and it wasn't his first time in a studio orchestra. He's also put his musical talents to use in a guest role on the Amazon series MOZART IN THE JUNGLE. It's a great story.

...Coming next month: WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE CASABLANCA: THE LIFE, LEGEND, AND AFTERLIFE OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST BELOVED MOVIE by Noah Isenberg. Isenberg also wrote EDGAR G. ULMER: A FILMMAKER AT THE MARGINS which is on my shelf.

...THEIR FINEST (2016), about the making of a British WWII propaganda film during the London Blitz, looks as though it might be interesting. It opens in the U.S. in March. The supporting cast includes Jack Huston (grandson of John, great-grandson of Walter) and Rachael Stirling (daughter of Diana Rigg). The trailer is here.

...An L.A. LAW reboot is in the works.

...I was very happy to learn that DESIRABLE (1934), a charming film starring George Brent and Jean Muir, will be released by the Warner Archive later this month.

...The Blonde at the Film posted a fun piece on TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME (1949) a few weeks ago. I especially enjoyed seeing how costumes worn by Judy Garland and Cyd Charisse in THE HARVEY GIRLS (1946) turned up on extras in TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME -- that's a great eye noticing that.

...Last month Raquel posted an interesting review of Robert Vaughn's last film, GOLD STAR (2016), at Out of the Past.

...Coming to DVD and Blu-ray in February from Kino Lorber: John Wayne and Vera Hruba Ralston in DAKOTA (1945) -- with a commentary track by our good pal, Toby Roan of 50 Westerns From the 50s. This follows Toby's excellent commentary job on Olive's NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY (1966).

...The historic Bay Theatre in nearby Seal Beach has been bought, with a reopening expected at the end of 2017. I saw SUNSET BLVD (1950) and A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951) there half a decade ago.

...Speaking of theaters, Curbed Los Angeles takes a look at some of L.A.'s historic theaters.

...Here's an interesting article on LA LA LAND (2016) location filming in Hermosa Beach.

...Karen Burroughs Hannsberry has written about three good film noir titles with "danger" in the title for ClassicFlix.

...Coming to DVD and Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection on February 21st: MILDRED PIERCE (1945).

...Royalty Watch: Christmas card photos of Prince Jaques and Princess Gabriella of Monaco, the youngest grandchildren of Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco.

...Catching up with another article from Christmastime, as a fan of Hallmark movies I enjoyed this piece on Hallmark Christmas movies by Mary Katharine Ham. There's humor in truth! (With the Christmas movie season having ended, I'm recording a Hallmark "Winter Fest" movie at this very moment...)

...Notable Passings: Marc Myers of JazzWax reports the death of arranger Buddy Bregman at 86. Bregman, a nephew of Jule Styne, had a long career which is chronicled by Myers. I never knew Bregman arranged for one of my all-time favorite albums, the Ella Fitzgerald Rodgers & Hart Songbook. Bregman was once married to actress Suzanne Lloyd; their daughter, Tracy Bregman, is a longtime soap opera star (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS)...Singer Buddy Greco has died at 90...Jazz writer Nat Hentoff has passed on at 91...Revered California historian Kevin Starr has died at 76. Our oldest daughter was fortunate to have a course with him at USC...Photographer Lord Snowdon, who was married to Britain's Princess Margaret and took many iconic photographs of the royal family, has died at 86. His son David is now the Earl of Snowdon...Director Gordon Hunt, the father of Helen Hunt, passed away at 87...Actress Barbara Tarbuck, who worked steadily in TV for decades, has died at 74...Francine York has passed on at 80. Another busy working actress, her screen career began in 1959, and she was still working in 2016...I recently learned of the passing last May of actress Ruth Terry at 95. Terry (seen in photo) was the leading lady of several '40s "B" Westerns; one of her costumes is on display in the Lone Pine Film History Museum.

Have a great week!