Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Concerning news for fans of the Warner Archive as we head into 2021: George Feltenstein, the founder of the line and the man responsible for running it, has been downsized out of his job and will leave the company in February.  This follows last month's news, reported here, that longtime WAC team member Matt Patterson was laid off.  This would not seem to bode well for the future of the program, which by all accounts was already efficiently run with a very small staff.  We shall see.

...The Warner Archive will release a DVD reissue of Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo in THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE (1944) on January 26th.  And coming the previous week, on January 19th, a reissue of BALL OF FIRE (1941).

...Recent Blu-ray releases from VCI Entertainment: Buck Jones in the serials GORDON OF GHOST CITY (1933) and THE PHANTOM RIDER (1936).

...Another serial coming from VCI in February: GANG BUSTERS (1942), starring Kent Taylor, Irene Hervey, and Robert Armstrong.

...Dennis Liff's great Iverson Movie Ranch blog takes a look at the location's appearance in Season 2 of THE MANDALORIAN.  Given Iverson's history appearing in so many Westerns, sci-fi films, and serials, its use in an episode of THE MANDALORIAN was perfection.

...California's See's Candies celebrates its centennial in 2021.

...NBC's recent showing of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) was a ratings winner.  Great to hear.

...From Katie Orphan last year at the CrimeReads site: "Searching for James M. Cain's Los Angeles."  How interesting to learn that Mildred Pierce's daughter Kay was said to be buried at Forest Lawn Glendale, which we visited last month.

...Coming from Kino Lorber in 2021: THUNDERBOLT (1929), with George Bancroft, Fay Wray, and Richard Arlen.

...Notable Passing: Former Disneyland executive Ron Dominguez has passed away at the age of 85. Ron's story is unique in that his family home growing up was located where the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is today; his family moved out in 1954 as Disneyland was starting to be built around them.  Ron was an opening day cast member in 1955, and he eventually rose to be the West Coast Executive Vice President of Attractions.  He was named a Disney Legend in 2000.  His tribute window on Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A. is labeled "Orange Grove Property Mgt.: We'll Care For Your Property As If It Were Our Own."

...More Notable Passings: Dawn Wells, beloved for her role as wholesome Mary Ann on GILLIGAN'S ISLAND (1964-67), has died at 82...Writer-director Joan Micklin Silver, whose films included CROSSING DELANCEY (1988), has passed away at 85. I'm due for a CROSSING DELANCEY rewatch...William Link, a co-creator of COLUMBO and MURDER, SHE WROTE, has died at 87...Phyllis McGuire, the last surviving member of the singing McGuire Sisters, has passed on at 89...Eugene Wright, a bassist with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, has died at 97.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my December 26th roundup. Additionally, for those who haven't yet come across it, my annual review of the year's movie viewing may be found here.

Have a great week!

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