Yesterday at Disneyland: Rise of the Resistance

A little over two weeks ago the long-awaited second ride opened in Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge.

Rise of the Resistance was promised to be a game-changer, a relatively lengthy, immersive experience incorporating multiple ride systems, including simulators and trackless vehicles, along with Cast Member role playing. We rode it yesterday, and it was definitely a unique ride experience!

Actually getting a chance to ride is a challenge for park guests at this juncture. We were up a "dark o'clock" and in line to board the parking lot bus well before 7:00 a.m. so that we could be sure of being inside the park by 8:00 a.m., when what is essentially a ride lottery opens up on the Disneyland phone app.

Many guests had the same idea! Below is the line to enter the park at 7:10 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday.

Disneyland traditionally opens the turnstiles a half an hour before "rope drop," when a rope at the end of Main Street closest to the Hub is literally dropped to allow guests to spread throughout the park's various lands.

Now, instead of everyone hurrying off to the most popular rides at 8:00 a.m., everyone huddles over their phones trying to secure a place in a Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group. Guests who want to ride together link their accounts prior to the boarding passes becoming available; if one person in the group successfully obtains the passes, the others in the party won't be able to get them but will instead receive a message that they are now part of a Boarding Group.

My husband got "in" first and we were fortunate to get Boarding Group 35, riding relatively early in the day. Only around 80 groups are guaranteed entry each day, with more visitors assigned to "backup" Boarding Groups who might be able to ride late in the day if things are running smoothly. Because of its complexity, the ride is prone to experiencing glitches and shutting down for periods of varying lengths. On the day we visited, the ride didn't even open for over two and a half hours after park opening.

Shortly before 2:00 p.m. we received the notification that it was our turn to report to the ride.

Once you receive the notice, you have two hours to arrive at the ride and scan in with your phone. This electronic sign announces the current Boarding Groups at the ride entrance.

SPOILER ALERT: I will keep my comments on what happens during the ride somewhat vague, but I will give brief descriptions and there are also some queue and ride photos following; anyone who hasn't yet been on the ride and wants to experience it "cold" should stop reading here.

The queue, seen above and in the two photos below, is quite long but atmospheric, setting the mood for the experience which follows. There are so many decorative details both preceding and during the ride that it will take many repeat visits to take it all in.

The experience kicks off with an impressive hologram in which Rey (Daisy Ridley) explains the mission to our group of Resistance fighters. More information is provided by Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) via a video screen.

We board a transport (a simulator) to take us off Batuu but we're caught by a tractor beam and pulled into an Imperial Star Destroyer. We're instructed to exit the transport, where we're greeted by this sight in the docking bay:

First Order officers instruct us to line up before eventually placing us in a holding cell. Cast members role playing in the ride is one of many new concepts which are part of Rise of the Resistance.

Eventually we're rescued from our prison (a spectacularly good moment), and we then hurriedly board a different type of transport vehicle, which takes us on a wild "dark ride" through the destroyer as we attempt to find a way to leave the ship. This journey is impossibly long -- I wondered if it's longer than the Pirates of the Caribbean layout -- and includes racing under a pair of AT-ATs, among other things!

We were quite impressed by the entire thing. Technically, I was especially wowed by the trackless vehicle entering a simulator for the last part of the ride, yet at the same time I was definitely immersed in the story.

I won't say anything more specific, but for those who would like further details, please visit Brady MacDonald's detailed review for the Orange County Register.

Todd Pickering's review of the entire Galaxy's Edge concept was published last Friday at MousePlanet.

For anyone who either can't visit or has already been on the ride, this is one of the better ride experience videos I've seen.

May the Force Be With You!

Previously: Today at Disneyland: Opening Day of Galaxy's Edge, Part 1. Links to three additional posts covering opening day may be found at the end of that post.

A Visit to Valhalla Cemetery

Last Sunday we spent the day in the Hollywood area, starting off with a 35mm screening of NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940) at the Egyptian Theatre.

I hadn't seen the movie in a number of years and had a thoroughly good time revisiting it, especially on film on the Egyptian's huge screen.

Our day ended with dinner with our daughter, and in between dinner and the movie we spent a couple of hours visiting Valhalla Cemetery in North Hollywood.

Valhalla is a serene if slightly worn cemetery which is close to a century old, dating from 1923. There are a great many filmmakers buried at Valhalla; while we found some of the burial sites below thanks to prior research, we stumbled across others by chance as we walked the grounds.

A favorite actress, Gail Russell, is buried at Valhalla. Favorite films Russell starred in include ANGEL AND THE BADMAN (1947), SEVEN MEN FROM NOW (1956), and THE UNINVITED (1944).

Martha Vickers, who most famously played Carmen Sternwood in THE BIG SLEEP (1946), is buried at Valhalla under her married name. I also particularly appreciate Vickers for her appearance in a minor but rather lovely Warner Bros. musical, THE TIME, THE PLACE AND THE GIRL (1946). Before her final marriage, Vickers was married briefly to producer A.C. Lyles and then to Mickey Rooney.

As we walked around we happened across the final resting place of actor Robert Lowery, who I first knew thanks to his appearances on my favorite TV series, MAVERICK. He was long married to actress Jean Parker.

Just two spots away from Robert Lowery is the gravesite of Jonathan Hale. An actor with nearly 250 credits to his name, he was a regular in the Saint movie series and played J.C. Dithers in the BLONDIE films. The Find a Grave site indicates that the grave was at one point unmarked, so I assume this stone was provided by classic film fans.

Cliff Edwards, also known as Ukelele Ike, had a long career, but I think he was most beloved and remembered today for voicing Jiminy Cricket in Disney's PINOCCHIO (1940). He voiced Jiminy Cricket in many other Disney productions, including FUN AND FANCY FREE (1947) and the "I'm No Fool" series of educational shorts.

Canadian character actor Douglass Dumbrille had over 200 credits in his career. A familiar face to classic film fans, his roles ranged from a couple of silent movies to his final appearance, in TV's BATMAN (1966). I particularly appreciated him in an atypical Wyatt Earp type role in a minor yet very well done Johnny Mack Brown Western, FLAME OF THE WEST (1945).

Mae Murray began in silent films over a century ago, in 1916, leaving films behind in 1931. Today she is probably best remembered for playing the title role in the silent version of THE MERRY WIDOW (1925). She also starred in the delightful comedy THE DELICIOUS LITTLE DEVIL (1919), which I enjoyed at the 2019 Cinecon Festival.

Claire McDowell began in silent films in 1908; she appeared in films through 1945. Her final film role, in fact, was a bit part in a movie I very recently reviewed, ADVENTURE (1945). She had major roles in the silent classics BEN-HUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST (1925) and THE BIG PARADE (1925).

Fuzzy Knight is a name well-known to Western fans; he played sidekicks to the hero and supporting roles in Westerns in the majority of his nearly 200 movie credits. His name turns up in the casts of many Westerns I've reviewed here.

Willie Best supplied comedy relief in over 130 films including THE GHOST BREAKERS (1940) with Bob Hope. He also had a terrific role as an attendant at the Wyoming state legislature who advises Loretta Young on lobbying and passing bills in THE LADY FROM CHEYENNE (1941).

Given the times, as a black character actor Best also played numerous train porters. It's interesting to note that Sam McDaniel, who made a real specialty of playing train porters (over 60 times!), is also buried at Valhalla; we hope to locate McDaniel's final resting place on a future visit.

Actress Vivienne Osborne appeared in films beginning in silents in 1920, with her last role coming in DRAGONWYCK in 1946. She's been reviewed here in THE FAMOUS FERGUSON CASE (1931), THE DARK HORSE (1932), and more.

Gladys George was a terrific character actress whose best known roles included THE ROARING TWENTIES (1939), THE MALTESE FALCON (1941), THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946), and FLAMINGO ROAD (1949). She was in films from 1919 to 1954, the year of her passing.

Comedy giant Oliver Hardy is also at Valhalla.

In addition to his gravestone (above), Hardy is honored with a special plaque (below).

Finally, there's a memorial plaque at Valhalla for famed stuntman Yakima Canutt.

Valhalla is big enough there were many names we didn't have time to locate, and we hope to make another visit at some point in the future.

In the meantime, I hope those who cannot be there in person will join me in remembering and appreciating the lives and work of all of the actors mentioned above. As it says on Jonathan Hale's gravestone, "We Remembered You."

Additional photo posts on the final resting places of historic Hollywood figures: A Visit to Forest Lawn Glendale, Part 1, A Visit to Forest Lawn Glendale, Part 2, A Visit to the Forest Lawn Museum, A Visit to Hollywood Forever Cemetery (2014), A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - The Musicians, A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - The Comedians, A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - The Actors, A Visit to Westwood Village Memorial Park - Writers, Directors, and More, A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 1, A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 2, A Visit to Holy Cross Cemetery, Part 3, A Visit to Desert Memorial Park, Los Angeles National Cemetery, A Visit to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Part 1, A Visit to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Part 2, A Visit to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Part 3, A Visit to Forest Lawn Cathedral City, A Visit to Oakwood Memorial Park, A Visit to Hillside Memorial Park, Part 1, A Visit to Hillside Memorial Park, Part 2, A Visit to Hollywood Forever Cemetery (2019), A Visit to Woodlawn Cemetery, and A Visit to Valley Oaks Memorial Park.

Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Book news: Film historian Scott Nollen, author of THREE BAD MEN: JOHN FORD, JOHN WAYNE, WARD BOND (2013), had two books published by McFarland last year: TAKASHI SHIMURA: CHAMELEON OF JAPANESE CINEMA and CHESTER MORRIS: HIS LIFE AND CAREER. I hope to read both titles, as I find the topics of considerable interest.

...As some readers may recall, I've become quite a fan of the Fast & Furious movie series over the last few years; the first film was nearly two decades ago, in 2001, and I started watching them around five years ago. The trailer for this summer's F9: THE FAST SAGA (2020) dropped yesterday, and I can hardly wait for May to arrive. Some of the trailer made me laugh till I cried, as it's completely insane, and I was also excited by the return of a presumed-dead character. Like any good soap opera, the F&F movies periodically resurrect "dead" characters; this one is at least the third in the last 20 years. (Maybe there's hope for the return of Gal Gadot's character!)

...Coming in March from Flicker Alley: 3-D RARITIES: VOLUME II. It will include EL CORAZON Y LA ESPADA (1953), also known as THE HEART AND THE SWORD or THE SWORD OF GRANADA, starring Cesar Romero and Katy Jurado; the ballet short THE BLACK SWAN (1951); and a selection of Harold Lloyd's 3-D photographs, presented by Suzanne Lloyd. I saw some of Lloyd's 3-D Disneyland photos exhibited at the 2015 D23 Expo and was really wowed by seeing them.

...Coming from ClassicFlix in April: AFRICA SCREAMS (1949) starring Abbott & Costello. It's a limited edition capped at 3000 units. The plentiful extras include a commentary track, radio show, comic book, and much more.

...Will McKinley has interviewed James Garner's daughter Gigi for GetTV.

...Will also alerted me to an interesting story about the rising sales of VHS tapes.

...Raquel does some amazing previews of upcoming film books at her blog Out of the Past, and her latest list is no exception. I'm still wading through it making a list of the titles which interest me! A top priority will be PHANTOM LADY: HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER JOAN HARRISON, THE FORGOTTEN WOMAN BEHIND HITCHCOCK, which will be released next week on February 4th. Joan Harrison also worked with actor-director Robert Montgomery on some excellent films including RIDE THE PINK HORSE (1947) and ONCE MORE, MY DARLING (1949).

...Karl Malden's former home in Brentwood recently sold. The Los Angeles Times has a photo tour.

...Movie studios have renewed deals with Kodak for the company to keep making film. Some movies are (thankfully!) still shot on film, including the newest version of LITTLE WOMEN (2019).

...Coming April 7th from Kino Lorber Studio Classics: MURDER, HE SAYS (1945) starring Fred MacMurray, Helen Walker, and Marjorie Main. I saw this as a kid at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Leo S. Bing Theater and wasn't very impressed, finding it awfully strange, but I'm very curious to take a fresh look and see how I respond to it in 2020. It will have a commentary track by Michael Schlesinger (who coincidentally I just chatted with at an Egyptian Theatre screening last weekend) and Cinecon's Stan Taffel.

...A very realistic Baby Yoda (aka "The Child") can be yours for a mere $350! Coming next summer from Sideshow Collectibles.

...Yesterday it was announced the Netflix's series THE CROWN will end with Season 5, starring Imelda Staunton as the Queen. Season 4, with Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth, is currently filming.

...There are now 150 million Amazon Prime members worldwide. Wow.

..."CineSavant" Glenn Erickson has reviewed the Warner Archive's new Blu-ray of UNDERWATER! (1955). I'll be reviewing that one myself in the near future. Jane Russell, Richard Egan, and Gilbert Roland star.

...Here a reminiscence of the wonderful musical THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (1967) by Marc Myers at JazzWax.

...Ivan just wrote about a Dan Duryea film I enjoyed, THE UNDERWORLD STORY (1950), at his blog Thrilling Days of Yesteryear.

...Jazz fans in Connecticut might like to know that the Dave Brubeck Collection, previously located at California's University of the Pacific, may now be found at the Wilton Library in Wilton, Connecticut.

...Attention Southern Californians: The 1933 version of LITTLE WOMEN will be shown in 35mm at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood on February 23rd. It's part of the Egyptian's new Sunday matinee series, screening at 1:00 p.m. I hope to be there.

...More for Southern Californians: Retroformat is hosting a centennial screening of Mary Pickford's POLLYANNA (1920) at the Woman's Club of Hollywood at 1749 North La Brea Avenue. Live musical accompaniment will be provided by Cliff Retallick. More information about Retroformat may be found in this article from last summer.

...Notable Passings: Monique van Vooren has passed on at 92. She appeared with Lex Barker in TARZAN AND THE SHE-DEVIL (1953) and was in the opening credits sequence of TEN THOUSAND BEDROOMS (1957). She also had a bit role in GIGI (1958)...Longtime soap opera actress Marj Dusay has died at 83. She appeared in several different soaps over the years; she also appeared in the final episode of James Garner's one-season series BRET MAVERICK (1982). Her film roles include a bit part in the Elvis film CLAMBAKE (1968) and playing General MacArthur's wife opposite Gregory Peck in MACARTHUR (1977)...TV programmer Fred Silverman, who was a big name when I was a kid, has passed away at 82. Silverman's career was equal parts dreck and brilliance; he was behind "jiggle TV" and airing the infamously bad SUPERTRAIN (1978), but he also programmed shows like THE WALTONS (1972) and HILL STREET BLUES (1981)...It was announced last week that race driver John Andretti has died of cancer at 56...Writer Mary Higgins Clark has passed on at 92...Screenwriter Harriet Frank Jr., who worked with her late husband Irving Ravetch, has died at 96. Their films included MURPHY'S ROMANCE (1985) with James Garner and Sally Field. Frank's career went back to the late '40s, including the screenplay for WHIPLASH (1948) starring Dane Clark, Zachary Scott, and Alexis Smith.

...For additional links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my January 25th roundup.

Have a great week!

TCM in February: 31 Days of Oscar Highlights

It's time to look at the February schedule for Turner Classic Movies!

As is always the case in February, TCM will be celebrating 31 Days of Oscar this month. Thanks to Leap Day, 31 Days of Oscar runs through March 2nd this year, rather than March 3rd.

This year's schedule is titled "360 Degrees of Oscar." Each film on the schedule is connected to the film which follows by one of the cast members.

Here are a few of the highlights from among the many great films airing this month. Please click any hyperlinked title for my full review.

...William Wyler's classic WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939) is one of the first couple of films on the February 1st schedule. It stars Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon (seen at right), along with Geraldine Fitzgerald and David Niven.

...February 2nd is a particularly good day on the schedule. Among the many pleasures is HOLD BACK THE DAWN (1941) starring Olivia de Havilland and Charles Boyer, directed by Mitchell Leisen. This movie was hard to see for many years -- indeed, I first reviewed in nearly a decade ago after watching it on YouTube! -- so it's a great pleasure to have this film so readily available now. For anyone who can't catch it on TCM, last year Arrow Academy released a beautiful Blu-ray.

...NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER (1949) is a real "feel good" movie for me. Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Betty Garrett, and Red Skelton star on February 3rd. The song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" debuted in this movie.

...Along with WUTHERING HEIGHTS, I have fond memories of watching Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo in THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE (1944) on KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles when I was growing up. (Ch. 5 had the rights to show the Goldwyn library!) It's being shown on the 4th.

...I loved seeing A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (1935) at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival. It's the only film to have a winner who was a write-in candidate! (That would be Hal Mohr for Best Cinematography.) The movie features an all-star Warner Bros. cast which includes Dick Powell, Olivia de Havilland, James Cagney, and Anita Louise, to name just a few. It's on February 5th.

...Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker star in ABOVE AND BEYOND (1952) on February 6th. It's an excellent film about the Enola Gay and the atomic bomb which should be better known.

...The classic musical SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) airs on February 7th. Looking back, it's hard to believe Jean Hagen didn't win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. (It went to Gloria Grahame for THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL.) Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor top a perfect cast.

...A top cast stars in William Wellman's BATTLEGROUND (1949) on February 9th. This film about the siege of Bastogne also features superb Oscar-winning cinematography. The cast includes Van Johnson, Ricardo Montalban, John Hodiak, George Murphy, Marshall Thompson, and James Whitmore.

...The classic Western STAGECOACH (1939) airs on February 10th, with John Wayne and Claire Trevor leading a marvelous cast, directed by John Ford.

...The aforementioned THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952) will be shown February 11th. I just saw this tale of Hollywood filmmakers for the first time in several years and thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it. Vincente Minnelli directs a terrific cast including Kirk Douglas, Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Walter Pidgeon, Barry Sullivan, and Gilbert Roland.

...Pier Angeli stars as an Italian war bride in TERESA (1951), airing February 12th. It's not a perfect film, but Angeli is marvelous, and there are some very beautiful moments which have stuck in my mind since seeing it; for those reasons I recommend giving it a look. Fred Zinnemann directed.

...On February 13th TCM shows WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951), a tremendously fun sci-fi fantasy. I had the chance to see it at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival with star Barbara Rush in attendance!

...WRITTEN ON THE WIND (1956) is one of my favorite films directed by Douglas Sirk. It's a highly colorful (in more ways than one!) melodrama starring Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Dorothy Malone, and Robert Stack. It will be shown February 15th.

...Deanna Durbin became a huge star in THREE SMART GIRLS (1936), a delightful film showing on February 16th.

...February 17th is an amazing day of musicals, the kind of day where it would be easy to watch the entire schedule! The many gems include Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier in ONE HOUR WITH YOU (1932).

...It's great to see the charming comedy-fantasy IT HAPPENED TOMORROW (1944) on the February 19th schedule. Dick Powell and Linda Darnell star, directed by Rene Clair. It's a treat.

...I hadn't seen the comedy MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940) in years and had a wonderful experience seeing Cary Grant's daughter Jennifer introduce it at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival. She also stayed and watched it with us! Besides Grant, the great cast includes Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott, and Gail Patrick. It will be shown February 20th.

...DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK (1939) was one of the films I saw most often on TV when I was growing up. I'm due to revisit it! Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert star in this Revolutionary War era story, directed by John Ford and filmed in gorgeous Technicolor by Ray Rennahan and Bert Glennon. The air date is February 21st.

...February 22nd one of my very favorite movies will be shown, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954). I never tire of the delightful cast, the songs, and especially the amazing dancing! Howard Keel and Jane Powell star, directed by Stanley Donen and choreographed by Michael Kidd.

...THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER (1947) was another film seen at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival -- in 35mm nitrate! What a joy to laugh at the antics of Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple, and Rudy Vallee with a packed crowd. It's on TCM February 23rd.

...When I saw THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (1967) for the first time at UCLA a few years ago, I felt a real sense of discovery. This candy-colored musical is pure joy. Catherine Deneuve, her real-life sister Francoise Dorleac, George Chakiris, and Gene Kelly are among the cast. Check it out on TCM on February 24th.

...Norma Shearer, Chester Morris, and Robert Montgomery star in the very entertaining pre-Code melodrama THE DIVORCEE (1930) on February 25th.

...February 26th is another particularly excellent day on the schedule. I just rewatched Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in SWING TIME (1936) last November for the first time in a few years, and I was particularly blown away by their spectacularly good number "Never Gonna Dance." Don't miss this one.

...KISS OF DEATH (1947) is a huge favorite starring Victor Mature and Coleen Gray, seen at right, and it made a star out of Richard Widmark. Don't miss it on February 27th.

...I most recently saw A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (1949) a little over a year ago, in 35mm nitrate. What a great movie! I especially love the performances of Linda Darnell and Paul Douglas. Jeanne Crain, Kirk Douglas, Ann Sothern, Jeffrey Lynn, and Thelma Ritter costar. It's on March 1st.

...It's been over a dozen years since I reviewed the Korean War drama I WANT YOU (1951) starring Dana Andrews and Dorothy McGuire. It's shown infrequently on TCM, so be sure to take advantage of the chance to see it on March 2nd. (And while you're at it, don't miss the next movie in the lineup, LAURA.)

For more information on TCM in February 2020, please visit my post Quick Preview of TCM in February, as well as TCM's online schedule and this year's 31 Days of Oscar TCM microsite.

For those who are interested, this year's Academy Awards ceremony is earlier in the year than usual, airing on February 9th.

Classic Movie Hub: Hidden Gems

My newest Western Roundup column has just been posted at Classic Movie Hub!

This month I look at three "Hidden Gems," the lesser-known but excellent films PANHANDLE (1948), THE DESPERADO (1954), and MAN OR GUN (1958).

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub to read it, and thanks, as always, for checking it out!

Previous Classic Movie Hub Western Roundup Column Links: June 2018; July 2018; August 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; April 5, 2019; April 30, 2019; May 2019; June 2019; July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; November 2019; December 2019.

A Birthday Tribute to Victor Mature

Note: Victor Mature, a longtime favorite actor, was born on January 29th, 1913.

I paid tribute to Mature here several years ago, on the centennial of his birth.

This year's birthday tribute is adapted from my 2014 article on the actor for ClassicFlix. The focus is on nine recommended Victor Mature films which are all available on DVD. Click any hyperlinked title below to read a full review.

There's an oft-repeated anecdote about Victor Mature, whose application for membership in a fancy country club was turned down because he was a member of the lowly acting profession. Mature is reported to have said something along the lines of "I'm no actor, and I've got the films to prove it!"

Whether apocryphal or not, the quote embodies Mature's lighthearted approach to his life and career, and it also belies the fact that he was, in fact, a hardworking man and a very fine actor indeed. Mature's understated style has worn well over the years; he could express volumes of emotion with his eyes alone. Mature starred in every type of film, including film noir, Westerns, Biblical epics, and even a number of musicals, creating an impressive body of work which has stood the test of time.

Victor Mature was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on January 29, 1913. He dropped out of school at 14 and worked a succession of jobs before his interest in acting lured him to Hollywood in 1935.

Mature's biographer, James McKay, recounted that once Mature arrived in Hollywood he wired his father to say "Am in Hollywood, have eleven cents, what can I do?" to which his father replied, "When I arrived in this country I had six cents in my pocket and couldn't speak English. Good luck."

Mature promptly auditioned at the Pasadena Playhouse, making enough of an impression there that he was offered the chance to do odd jobs for the Playhouse to pay his tuition. He also took on a succession of other jobs, before winning a scholarship for the Playhouse in 1937. He appeared in over 60 plays, which provided a firm ground for his film career when he was signed by Hal Roach as the '30s drew to a close. His early movies included playing a caveman in ONE MILLION B.C. (1940) and starring opposite British actress Anna Neagle in NO, NO NANETTE (1940).

Mature then convinced Roach it would boost his career if he worked on the New York stage, and he was promptly cast as movie star Randy Curtis in the Gertrude Lawrence Broadway musical LADY IN THE DARK. He then returned to Hollywood where he starred with Betty Grable in an early entry in the film noir genre, I WAKE UP SCREAMING (1941); he also costarred in several musicals with fast-rising stars, including the aforementioned Grable and Rita Hayworth.

As was the case for many actors of his era, Mature's career ascent was interrupted by WWII, and he served in the United States Coast Guard from 1942 to 1945. He then returned to his film career, giving one of his best performances in one of his finest films, playing Doc Holliday in John Ford's MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946).

Mature followed MY DARLING CLEMENTINE with another great film, KISS OF DEATH (1947), seen here with Coleen Gray; Mature plays an ex-convict whose attempt to go straight is complicated by mobster Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark). KISS OF DEATH was followed by another outstanding film noir, CRY OF THE CITY (1948).

Mature's diverse career included starring in a number of historical epics, including SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949), THE ROBE (1953), DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS (1954), and THE EGYPTIAN (1954). These big-budget films were interspersed with lighter fare such as WABASH AVENUE (1950) with Betty Grable and MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID (1952) with Esther Williams. He also starred in numerous Westerns, including FURY AT FURNACE CREEK (1948), CHIEF CRAZY HORSE (1955), and THE LAST FRONTIER (1955).

Mature was smart with his money, and by his own choice worked infrequently after the '60s. He enjoyed relaxing on the golf course and became a father for the first time in his early 60s.

Victor Mature passed away in Rancho Sante Fe, California, on August 4, 1999. He was 86 years old.

An excellent book was published on Victor Mature's life and career, THE FILMS OF VICTOR MATURE by James McKay.

Here are some personal favorites of mine among Victor Mature's many films which can be enjoyed on DVD:

I WAKE UP SCREAMING (1941) - This early noir is a particular favorite, as Mature teams with Betty Grable to solve the murder of her screen sister, Carole Landis. It's evocatively scored with Alfred Newman's "Street Scene," which also turns up in Mature's KISS OF DEATH and CRY OF THE CITY; the song "Over the Rainbow" is also used, curious as it came from a movie released by another studio! Stylishly filmed in black and white, this is a treat from start to finish.

MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946) - There's probably little that needs to be said about this Western classic directed by John Ford, a film that is pure visual poetry. Mature plays Doc Holliday opposite Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp, with an amazing supporting cast including Linda Darnell, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, John Ireland, Tim Holt, and Cathy Downs.

KISS OF DEATH (1947) - KISS OF DEATH is justly remembered for Richard Widmark's electric, Oscar-nominated film debut as the cackling gangster Tommy Udo, yet the film wouldn't work nearly as well as it does without the heartfelt and sensitive performances of Victor Mature and Coleen Gray as an ex-con and his bride. Mature's quietly played role is the perfect counterpoint to Widmark's flashy performance; the contrasting dynamic is a part of what makes Widmark so effective. An all-time great film noir.

CRY OF THE CITY (1948) - This might be my favorite Victor Mature performance; he plays Lt. Candella, who's on the trail of a cop killer (Richard Conte) from the old neighborhood. Just looking at Mature's soulful eyes evokes a wealth of emotion in the viewer, and I love his delivery of lines such as "The law doesn't want you, Teena Riconti. Go home." Mature is seen here with costar Shelley Winters; Debra Paget also stars. Don't miss it.

EASY LIVING (1949) - This underrated sports drama was a real discovery for me, with Mature starring as a pro football player whose career is at the end of the line. Jacques Tourneur directed a deep cast including Lloyd Nolan, Lucille Ball, Sonny Tufts, Paul Stewart, Jack Paar, and Lizabeth Scott; Mature's off-screen best friend, Jim Backus, makes an impression in a small role as a doctor. Although some of the issues surrounding Mature's marriage may jar the modern viewer, the rest of the film has a very undated feel. A rich viewing experience fans of Mature shouldn't miss.

THE LAS VEGAS STORY (1952) - Victor Mature, Jane Russell, Vincent Price, and Hoagy Carmichael on location in Vegas, with fabulous sets, lots of neon, and an amazing helicopter chase -- what's not to like? This film is just plain fun. One might quibble a bit over various aspects of the story, but Mature and Russell look great and are a wonderful screen team. This is the kind of movie to start playing on a lazy weekend afternoon and simply enjoy its company.

THE LAST FRONTIER (1955) - Mature stars an exuberant wild child of the West, a frontiersman who has trouble conforming to the rules of "civilized" society in this Anthony Mann Western. Mature's frontiersman lays claim to Corrina (Anne Bancroft) as his woman, despite (or because of?) the fact she's married to a martinet Army colonel (Robert Preston), then clashes with the colonel on how to handle an Indian uprising. James Whitmore, who plays the grizzled mountain man who raised Jed, was actually several years younger than Mature!

THE LONG HAUL (1957) - Like many other American actors, Mature worked in England in the '50s. THE LONG HAUL is a gritty trucking movie where Mature plays an ex-G.I. whose British wife (Gene Anderson) is reluctant to move to the U.S. He agrees to take a job driving for her uncle and soon finds his life spinning out of control as he becomes mixed up with hijackers and a gorgeous blonde (Diana Dors, seen here with Mature).

ESCORT WEST (1958) - This cozy Western produced by John Wayne's Batjac Productions is an unsung pleasure, with Mature in a very likeable performance as Ben, a widowed former Confederate officer heading to Oregon Territory with his young daughter (Reba Waters). Along the way, Ben rescues the survivors of a wagon train ambush, ultimately fighting both Indians and renegade soldiers. Faith Domergue and Elaine Stewart are among the wagon train survivors, and the supporting cast includes Western favorites such as Noah Beery Jr., Harry Carey Jr., Ken Curtis, and Leo Gordon, who co-wrote the script. Good Western, good company.

This post is adapted from an article originally published by ClassicFlix in 2014.