Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Here's an interesting new book: P.R.R.: POVERTY ROW ROYALTY: THE FILMS OF PRODUCER SIGMUND NEUFELD AND HIS BROTHER, DIRECTOR SAM NEWFIELD. It was written by Thomas Reeder and published this summer by Split Reel. I learned about the book thanks to a review by James L. Neibaur, who calls it "one of the most important film history books of the year."

...Another new book, from the University Press of Mississippi: ONE TOUGH DAME: THE LIFE AND CAREER OF DIANA RIGG by Herbie J. Pilato.

...And coming in due course from the University Press of Kentucky will be a biography of Irene Dunne by Lisa Royere. Royere coauthored the excellent recent biography of Eleanor Powell. Royere's coauthor on the Powell book, Paula Broussard, also has a book coming from the University Press of Kentucky, a biography of the Nicholas Brothers. Can't wait to read both books!

...I love Jessica's reviews of obscure musicals at Comet Over Hollywood. Last week she reviewed NEARLY EIGHTEEN (1943) starring Gale Storm.

...J.B. Kaufman's "Movie of the Month" is READY, WILLING AND ABLE (1937) starring Ruby Keeler.

...ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING has been renewed by Hulu for a fifth season. This weekend I just concluded my first watch of Season 1 of this amusing series starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. I expect to review it here in the near future.  (Update: Here is that review!)

...Over at Hamlette's Soliloquy, Rachel has ranked all of the 32 Alan Ladd movies she's seen. It's a fun list for Ladd fans to peruse, and I'm certainly one of them.

...Coming to DVD in November: Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown in HAUL OUT THE HOLLY: LIT UP (2023), which I reviewed in January.

...It was a real delight to recently correspond with John McElwee of the highly regarded Greenbriar Picture Shows about this year's TCM Classic Film Festival Screening of WESTWARD THE WOMEN (1951). John has recently published my account of the screening in his column, along with his own musings on being able to watch a "classic-era" film like WESTWARD THE WOMEN theatrically. My great thanks to John not only for sharing my comments on a favorite film but for his very kind words.

...Notable Passings: Actor-Singer-Director James Darren has passed on at 88...Actor turned noted makeup artist Frank Griffin has passed away at 95. Griffin's siblings were actresses Lisa Gaye, Teala Loring, and Debra Paget. Paget, who recently turned 91, survives her three siblings...Lyricist Will Jennings, who won the Oscar for cowriting "Up Where We Belong" for AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN (1982), has died at 80.

...Please note that the blog will be "quiet" when I'm on vacation for several days in mid-September. Around the Blogosphere This Week will not appear on Saturday, September 14th; it will return on September 21st.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my August 31st column.

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