Homes of the Stars - George Hamilton

George Hamilton's home from the 1971 Guide to Stars Homes, page 21

Homes of the Stars - Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield's last home from the 1971 Guide to Stars Homes, page 19

Homes of the Stars - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley's home from the 1971 Guide to Stars Homes, page 19

Homes of the Stars - Burt Lancaster

Burt Lancaster's home from the 1971 Guide to Stars Homes, page 19

Week in Review

Films I've Watched

• Penguin Pool Murder (1932) - I love these Hildegarde Withers films featuring the amazing Edna Mae Oliver.  She was such an amazing actress - spunky, with an acid tongue.  Thanks to TCM for playing these gems every Saturday morning.

Fashion Friday - Freaky Faces

This Week; 11 September 1966

I found some cool ephemera when I picked some items from my grandparents home.  Mostly animals pictures from 1960's issues of This Week, some interesting things were on the back of some of those picture.  

Babies Breakthroughs

Baby Manual; 1957

I love the birth record.  It's very cute.  I wish they made things like that these days.

Baby Manual; 1957

I think the development record is cute.  A list is nice and it gives you goals to shoot for.

Baby Manual; 1957

Looking back at Height and Weight records is fun as you get older.  I remember having a height chart on the wall when I was growing up, a Strawberry Shortcake one.  I wish I still had it.

All This and Heaven Too

I adored this film based on the lives of Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, Charles Laure Hugues Théobald the Duc de Choiseul-Praslin, and his wife Frances.  Bette Davis plays the governess Henriette, who leaves England for a new life as governess for the Duc and his family.  


Henriette adores the new children she is ward for.  She soon finds herself in love with Praslin, played by Charles Boyer.  Who else would you cast as a French aristocrat?  He plays it to perfection, of course.  Duc loves Henriette as well.  The only problem is he is married.

His wife is played by the lovely Barbara O'Neil.  This is only the second film I recall seeing her in, the other being as Mother O'Hara in Gone With the Wind, but she certainly shines in this one.  While several sources say she did not want to play the wife as glamorous, I love her portrayal as such.  She is elegant and lovely, yet the viewer still feels like the Duc really should be with Henriette.

I won't spoil the ending for those whom have not viewed it yet, but I was startled by the ending.  It was very shocking, yet it seemed like the perfect ending for the film.  In fact, it was quite refreshing and realistic.  

One of the novelties of the film is that it is mostly a flashback.  Henriette is starting a new position in a school and word of her notorious past has reached her students.  The students begin to humiliate her, so she tells them her story in the hope she will gain order and sympathy.  While an intriguing concept, I don't think this would work in real life.  A lot of people aren't so forgiving.    

Cathay Circle Theater from Maybelline Story

A fantastic blog, The Maybelline Story, has an entry from Joan Allen's diary on the day of the premiere.  It is a fantastic insight into the life of those in the industry.  Sharrie Williams, a descendant of the founders of Maybelline, gives the contents of Joan Allen's day by hour and includes the celebrities Allen saw.  It's amazing to hear about all the greats that were out on that night.



If you want to catch the film, it is on DVD in the Bette Davis Collection 3 or on TCM February 21, 2014 at 5:00 am est.

Gene Autry's Cowboy Code

I can't remember where I saved this from, but it is a list of cowboy Gene Autry's 10 Commandments.  It evolved from his view of the world and work ethics.  Promoted in his radio and television programs, he hoped these rules would help children become good citizens.

Week in Review

Films I've Watched

• Shock (1946) - Vincent Price shines.  Who else could twist the mind like Price.  Delicious!  And Lynn Bari's performance was surprisingly strong.  Not having seen many Bari films, I thought it wonderful.

Artifact of the Day - World's Fair Rug

I think the idea of the World's Fair is a cool idea.  I wish I had been around for the early ones.  They look so fun!  I am obsessed with the 1933 and 1939 World's Fairs.

Gypsy Rose, birthday girl

Gypsy Rose Lee's birthday is today.  

Vintage Inspiration - Flying Flapper

Source: Aircraft Annual; 1922

While I am crazy afraid of flying, I do find vintage air travel intriguing.  This plane is flying over New York City in 1922.  If I knew the city better, perhaps I could figure out the exact location of this flight.  Can anyone tell what it is flying over?  

Vintage Inspiration - Blonde Beauties

I'm needing some more warm weather inspiration.  Here are some sunny girls, Joan Blondell and Bette Davis.