Favorite Actors - Part 1

Favorite Actors - Part 1

Don Ameche
Fun in films like That Night in Rio
Fabulous on the Radio - Wonderful Voice

Dana Andrews
Great in films
Fantastic on Radio - Another Wonderful Voice

Bob Bailey
Radio God - Yours Truly Johnny Dollar

John Barrymore
Stage and Silent Movie God
I melted when I saw Don Juan

Lionel Barrymore
Stage and Screen Legend
Fabulous Radio Voice

Humphrey Bogart
Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, and many, many more
My favorite Bogart film - Dark Passage

Jack Carson
Great character actor
Favorite films - Mildred Pierce and Romance on the High Seas

Ronald Colman
Screen Legend and Radio God
Favorite Films include Random Harvest, A Tale of Two Cities,   The White Sister
Radio appearances on The Jack Benny Show and The Halls of Ivy with wife Benita Hume , as well as appearances on Suspense such as in August Heat
OK, basically everything

Richard Conte
Great gritty actor
Favorite films - The Blue Gardenia, Somewhere in the Night, and especially Call Northside 777 (his character and characterization really spoke to me)

Errol Flynn
Swashbuckler extraordinaire
He's fabulous in adventures, westerns, war films, etc.
I wish he was known more for his wonderful acting rather than his bedroom antics.

Clark Gable
Fell in love with him since I saw him as Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind
I also adore him in It Happened One Night

Cary Grant
Fantastic in everything - Who doesn't love Archie?
Favorite films - North by Northwest, The Bachelor and the Bobby-soxer,  and Arsenic and Old Lace

Visit Deanna Durbin's House - Part 2

And now, it's back to visit with the lovely Deanna Durbin:

Gorgeous Living Room

Hear Deanna Play

Perhaps She Might Even Sing for You

Or Answer Your Fan Letter

Sorry to Bother You, I Guess it's Time to Go.
Au Revoir for Now from the Delightful Deanna Durbin.

Weird Wednesday - Paper Comb to the Rescue!

Popular Mechanics; January 1924

Hair sanitation was an issue in the 1920s just as much as it is today.  I can't tell you how much I cringe at the thought of sharing my hairbrush with a family member - let alone the brushes at the salon.  At school, they seemed to address the problem, on picture day at least, by giving everyone their own little comb when I was kid in the 1980s.  Do give out combs on picture day anymore I wonder?  I have to say that a paper comb would never do with my hair.  As thick as it is, I can barely get a regular comb to go through my hair let alone a paper one.  I just envision paper shreds all through my hair.

Women Combing Their Hair circa 1900

A Visit to Deanna Durbin's House - Part 1

Welcome to Deanna Durbin's House!

The View from the Exterior is Lovely

Deanna Humbly Welcomes You

Lovely Stonework

Gorgeous Archways

Embracing Statues

Fun Place to Exercise

Swing!

Cute Pool House

Large Pool

Great for Swimming Laps . . . 

Or Just Playing

Dive Into Adventure with the Lovely Deanna Durbin!

Esther Williams

Esther Williams, 1944

Grace McDonald - Survivor

Grace McDonald

• Born in Boston or New York (depending on the source) June 15, 1918
• Born Grace McDonell
• Began straining in ballet and voice at age 8
• At age 11, she became ill and lost much use of her legs.  She was in bed an entire year, but began training again only to suffer a relapse after 1 month.  She spent another year in bed without the use of her legs.  Her brother, Ray, would practice his tap and ballet by her sickbed which encouraged Grace to use her toes and muscles in bed to her brother's steps.  Gradually she was able to dance again and never looked back [Source: New Physical Culture, November 1944]
• Made her debut in vaudeville at age 14
• Reached Broadway as a team with her brother Ray as a star dance in "Babes in Arms"
• Signed with Universal in 1940 and made many B pictures, many vehicles for the Andrews sisters.
• Retired from films in 1945 to become a mother.  She had 3 children with her marine husband, Ralph Green and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Passed away from double pneumonia on October 30, 1999 in Scottsdale, Arizona

Check out Grace dancing at 2:20

Check out her brother Ray dancing with then wife Peggy Ryan

Dry Skin Tips from Madame Sylvia

Madame Sylvia's Dry Skin and Face Tips

1. Remove all foreign matter very thoroughly from the surface of the skin.
2. Take a piece of absorbent cotton and apply a mild face wash to the skin, instead of soap and water
3. Wipe away the face wash with a soft cloth
4. Follow steps 1 - 3 with a feeding cream (I imagine this must be cold cream).  Pat the cream gently all over the face - do not rub it in!  Pat the cream on your face until you feel the tingle of blood rising to the surface
5. Leave the cream on for at least one half hour.  

My personal favorite insight from Madame Sylvia:  "If you have a husband or better reason for wanting to be presentable at a late hour, remove as much cream as you wish."

1. In the morning, take your face wash, lave the face thoroughly and dry with a soft towel.
2. You should have a good astringent lotion.  Pat it gently and use it as your powder base.

*Those with dry skin should have a weekly facial massage to stimulate the skin glands.