Sports Scope Ski-Flying (1956) - Fun short about ski jumping
Jimmy Fund at Home with Joan Crawford (1953) - As a disabled kid, I wish more stars would come out to help children. Thank goodness for Marlo Thomas and St. Judes!
Let's Ask Nostradamus (1953) - Gotta love those prediction shorts. Nostradamus has fascinated people for ages. I'm not sure why, but when reading his stanzas, I feel like the vagueness of his predictions could be twisted to whatever meaning you wish. Hindsight can always change things.
The Hobbit: the Desolution of Smaug (2013) - Pretty good. Wish there was less C.G.I., but I suppose that is a useless wish in today's movies.
Alice in Wonderland (1951) - Great. Gotta love Disney classics!
Doorway to Hell (1930)
King of the Underworld (1939)
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Santa Clause is Comin' to Town (1970)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
*Christmas is Rankin Bass season. I can't go a day without watching one of those classic specials.
Links of the Week
Letterology is a great site to find inspiration. I especially find its posts near holidays intriguing. So far this year there have been some great posts about Snowmen and Some Seasonal Samplings.
A wonderful post from Go Retro! why Rankin/Bass Specials are amazing. I adore them, and clearly others do too. I just wish they wouldn't have had Rudolph on TV before Thanksgiving. There is a rule in my house to have nothing to do with Christmas music, specials, etc. before Thanksgiving is over. The pessimist part of me thinks they hoped people wouldn't watch so they have an excuse to take it off the air. It's one of the few times I find myself watching network TV is during December when the specials are on.
Barbara Stanwyck Noted for her help to newcomers in Hollywood, has climbed right on the bandwagon for a guy who has never appeared in pictures – he’s George Gobel of television. Right now he’s the most talked about new personality in town and everyone seems to have discovered him at the same time. Finding a movie vehicle for his particular brand of comedy talent might prove to be a difficult task.
George Geobel (May 20, 1919 - Feb 24, 1991) was a hilarious comedian and actor. He started out as a child star on the radio. This only child initially intended to be a country music star, but that didn't quite work out, so he opted for comedy and excelled at it. During WWII he was a flight instructor which he famously made fun of in the fantastic Johnny Carson clip above. It makes me long for the days when late night comedians were actually funny. This clip feels like one big party.
Many people are most familiar with George Gobel's appearances on Hollywood Squares, where he made over 200 appearances. In 1954, he had his own show, The George Gobel Show, which is quite hilarious. The company he helped found, Gomalco, produced the first four years of the beloved TV show, Leave It to Beaver. Unfortunately, his talent did not translate to the movies as Barbara Stanwyck and many others wished. George had a wife, Alice, whom he was married to from December 13, 1942 until his death. They had three children together. Alice was often used as a topic of George's humor, as you can see in the clip from The George Gobel Show below.
Although I didn't realize it, I first encountered George Gobel in the Rankin Bass 1974 classic, Twas The Night Before Christmas. He voiced the lovable Father Mouse in the Christmas classic. Some people might also remember him as Mayor Harper in the 1981 TV series Harper Valley PTA.
A great George Gobel quote: "I've never been drunk, but I've often been overserved"
A bit of trivia, the "Lonesome George" is named after him (Gobel's nickname was "Lonesome George"). There is only 1 of this subspecies of Galapagos Tortoise. The tortoise is anywhere from 60 - 90 years old. There is a $10,000 reward for anyone who can find a female of the same species, so keep your eyes open!
A little off track, but I have a soft spot for the 1964 classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Rankin/Bass (and all their other specials for that matter). Just heard today via Rankin/Bass Historian's blog that the fabulous actress who played Rudolph, Billie Mae Richards, passed away today. She was also the voice of Tender Heart Bear in the original Care Bears for all those 80s kids out there, like me. RIP
I've always been the ultimate misfit. Completely sympathize with Rudolph and Hermey. Hooray for us freaks!
I adore this song and try to keep it in mind every day
