Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Film and TV music historian Jon Burlingame has a new book out this month, MUSIC FOR PRIME TIME: A HISTORY OF AMERICAN TELEVISION THEMES AND SCORING. He'll be signing it at Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood on March 23rd, and I hope to be there!

...Speaking of TV: According to Collider, Kino Lorber will be bringing the COLUMBO series to Blu-ray later this year.

...After years of focusing on the Disney+ streaming service, Disney's Bob Iger is once again interested in selling physical media: "Home video...was extremely lucrative for our company. We're looking at all of that [again]." He believes "content can co-exist on traditional distribution platforms and streaming." Glad to hear this!

...Disney has announced plans for this year's Destination D event in Orlando, to be held September 8th-10th. The smaller Destination D alternated years with the massive D23 Expo held in Anaheim. The first couple Destination D gatherings were also held here and I really enjoyed the many panel discussions and lower-key atmosphere.

...Emina Melonic wrote about the friendship of Ronald Reagan and Barbara Stanwyck for American Greatness. (Thanks to Toby at 50 Westerns From the 50s for the link.)

...I'm not a fan of changing the time back and forth twice a year, to put it mildly. Two excellent books on the subject: SEIZE THE DAYLIGHT: THE CURIOUS AND CONTENTIOUS STORY OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME by David Prerau and SPRING FORWARD: THE ANNUAL MADNESS OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME by Michael Downing.

...At Outspoken and Freckled Kellee Pratt pays tribute to one of my favorite movie cowboys, Ben Johnson.

...I'll definitely be checking out Dennis Quaid in ON A WING AND A PRAYER (2023) when it comes to Amazon Prime next month. Here's a trailer. I like Quaid and aviation films so this seems like it should be just right for me.

...I enjoyed a post on Tyrone Power and radio at Let Yourself Go...to Old Hollywood.

...This year's Studio Ghibli Fathom Events fest includes a 35th anniversary screening later this month of one of my favorite animated films, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (1988). I have a ticket, along with a ticket to a later screening of PONYO (2008).

...A new rom com is in the works at long last from Nancy Meyers.  (Update: The project was cancelled almost as soon as we heard about it due to budget issues.)

...I'm always interested in Raquel Stecher's documentary reviews when she covers film festivals. She's just reviewed THE LADY BIRD DIARIES (2023) at SXSW.

...Opening Day of the baseball season is right around the corner, and former Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly has a brand-new book out, A DAMN NEAR PERFECT GAME: RECLAMING AMERICA'S PASTIME. Just bought it. Other baseball-themed books I've bought in the last year: CITY OF DREAMS: DODGER STADIUM AND THE BIRTH OF MODERN LOS ANGELES by Jerald Podair and COVID CURVEBALL: AN INSIDE VIEW OF THE 2020 LOS ANGELES DODGERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON by Tim Neverett.

...I was very sorry to learn that Vienna's Classic Hollywood has come to an end. My great thanks to Vienna for years of interesting reading and great photos! Vienna's blog will be missed but I look forward to chatting with her in the future here and at other film blogs. As with other favorite film blogs which no longer publish, the link will remain in my blog roll for easy access to her archive.

...Next month Maddy will host a Master of Suspense Blogathon honoring Alfred Hitchcock at her blog Classic Film and TV Corner. I'm signed up to cover THE PARADINE CASE (1947).

...Reviews, reviews, and more reviews: Colin reviewed Samuel Fuller's FORTY GUNS (1957) at Riding the High Country, and there's a great conversation in the comments as well...At Comet Over Hollywood Jessica reviewed THREE SMART GIRLS GROW UP (1939). Glad to know I'm not the only one who cries during this movie! It's lovely...The Metzinger Sisters of Silver Scenes have reviewed BEAUTY FOR SALE (1933) starring Otto Kruger and Madge Evans. It's on DVD from the Warner Archive Collection...For Trailers From Hell, Glenn Erickson reviews the new ClassicFlix release of OBSESSED (1951), while Charlie Largent reviews Disney's THIRD MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN (1959)...Mike's Take on the Movies recently reviewed one of my longtime favorite Westerns, Ray Milland's A MAN ALONE (1955).

...At Another Old Movie Blog Jacqueline pays tribute to our dear friend Patricia Nolan-Hall, aka Caftan Woman, who has now been gone for a year. She will always be very greatly missed.

...Notable Passing: I was very sorry to learn of the passing of Sara Lane, who played Elizabeth Grainger in the middle seasons of TV's THE VIRGINIAN from 1966 to 1970. I always liked her on the series. She's seen here with Charles Bickford, who played her grandfather, and Don Quine as her brother. Lane also starred with Joan Crawford as a teenaged prank caller in I SAW WHAT YOU DID (1965); I only saw it once, as a child at a neighbor's house, but it terrified me and I've never forgotten it! Lane was 73.

...More Notable Passings: Topol, who memorably starred as Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971), seen here, has died at 87. The two-record LP album was one of my favorite musical soundtracks growing up...James Douglass West, a child actor turned screenwriter, died at 93. His acting films included HAPPY LAND (1943) with Don Ameche and Frances Dee...Leonard Maltin pays tribute to his friend, film collector Rick Scheckman, who died at 67...Dean Street Press, which has reprinted a number of interesting film-related books, announced that the company's founder, Rupert Heath, has died. He was only 54. I corresponded with him periodically over the years and was very sorry to hear the news...Robert Blake, whose acting career began as a child, including the OUR GANG comedy shorts, has passed away at 89. As an adult Blake played TV's BARETTA (1975-78), but years later he became notorious when he was charged but acquitted in the killing his wife.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my March 4th roundup.

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