Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Exciting Blu-ray news! At long last, HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT (1937) will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in April by the Criterion Collection. This film has not had a home viewing release since a 2007 VHS tape. My review of this very special film, directed by Frank Borzage and starring Charles Boyer and Jean Arthur, is here.

...Also coming from Criterion in April, a Blu-ray edition of THE FURIES (1950), previously released by Criterion on DVD in 2008.

...Coming to DVD: The silent film ZANDER THE GREAT (1925) starring Marion Davies, with a new score by Ben Model.  The film has met a Kickstarter fundraising goal to finance production and is due out from Model's Undercrank Productions at a future date.

...New books ahead from McFarland: 

*BEULAH BONDI: A LIFE ON STAGE AND SCREEN by Axel Nissen

*EDWARD DMYTRYK: REASSESSING HIS FILMS AND LIFE by Fintan McDonagh

*HOLLYWOOD'S MELODRAMATIC IMAGINATION: FILM NOIR, THE WESTERN, AND OTHER GENRES FROM THE 1920S TO THE 1950S by Geoff Mayer

*DOUBLING FOR MCQUEEN AND REDFORD: THE STUNT CAREERS OF LOREN JANES AND MICKEY GILBERT by James C. Udel

...Cookbooks due out next month from America's Test Kitchen: THE CHICKEN BIBLE and THE ULTIMATE MEAL PREP COOKBOOK.

...Coming to Blu-ray from the Warner Archive in February: SAN FRANCISCO (1936), MY DREAM IS YOURS (1949), ON MOONLIGHT BAY (1949), and SHOW BOAT (1951).

...Notable Passings: I was greatly saddened to learn of the passing of John Reilly, who played Sean Donely on GENERAL HOSPITAL for many years.  Reilly was part of what I think of as the show's "golden era" alongside longtime stars Finola Hughes, Tristan Rogers, Jack and Kristina Malandro Wagner, and more.  Reilly was 86...Camera operator Owen Marsh, who worked in the industry for decades, has died at 90.  Marsh's father was MGM cinematographer Oliver T. Marsh, who sadly died in his late 40s, and his aunt was actress Mae Marsh; other family members worked in various aspects of show business, including his brother, saxophonist Warne Marsh.  As a boy Owen Marsh played small roles in two Jeanette MacDonald films shot by his father, SAN FRANCISCO (1936) and THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST (1938).  According to his obituary, MacDonald gifted Owen with his first dog.

...More Notable Passings: Peter Mark Richman, a busy TV actor for decades, has passed on at 93. I most closely associate Richman with playing attorney Andrew Laird on DYNASTY (1981-84), seen here with John Forsythe...Fred Rogers' widow, Joanne, has died at 92.  Cellist Yo-Yo Ma was among those paying tribute...Antonio Sabato Sr. has died at 77. His credits included GRAND PRIX (1966) and ONE DOLLAR TOO MANY (1968). Survivors include his son, longtime GENERAL HOSPITAL star Antonio Sabato Jr....Country singer-composer and actor Ed Bruce died at 81. Bruce wrote "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" and costarred with James Garner on BRET MAVERICK (1981-82).

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my January 9th roundup.

Tweet