Creepy Short - Time Out for Trouble (1961)

Shorts are one of my favorite types of film.  They can provide a great musical or dance number, be funny like a Joe McDoakes short, or teach us things.  But in the guise of teaching us, sometimes films can be just darn creepy.  This is a perfect example of an informative film gone horribly creepy.  The premise of the film is to teach us how to be calm and not hurt ourselves through the carelessness that comes from anger or distraction.  While actually having a good lesson and good tips to alleviate these problems, all I could think about was that our clocks are possessed and secretly are plotting our death.

Week in Review

Films I've Watched

• I Love a Mystery (1945) - First in the 'I Love a Mystery' B Movie series based on the great radio program of the same name.  Two detectives: Jack Packard (played by Jim Bannon) and 'Doc' Long (played by Barton Yarborough) are on the trail of an oriental cult who prophesied death for a man.  The creepy thing is that the leader of this "cult" offered the man $10,000 for his head which they planned to use for their leader.  They had mummified their leader and wanted to replace his rotting head with the man's (played by George Macready, the villain from Gilda).  Fun mystery.  I was definitely surprised with the ending, which I won't spoil for you guys.

Modern Guide to Health - 1947

Nuggets of Note December 17, 2012

1879 Hats

I adore Jessica's Vintage Holiday Buying Guide.  Not a thing on their I wouldn't want.  Great choices, Jessica.


Lynn at 19th Century Historical Tidbits has a great series about 1879 Hats.  Part 2 and Part 3 are now up.

Thelma Todd

Los Angeles Morgue Files has a fascinating post about Lupe Velez's suicide and Thelma Todd's death.

Hoover Ad; 1950

Reminisce Magazine has a great feature about Santa Ads from the Past.  

Geneva Hand Fluter

American Duchess is a constant inspiration.  I adore her costumes.  Her latest post is her Year in Review.  I wish I could make just one costume that looked that fabulous.  She also experiments with a Geneva Hand Fluter iron.  I always wanted to try using a vintage iron, and she makes it sound easy.

Christmas Meal for Louis XVIII

I love food history, so the Old Foodie is a must-read blog.  Rationing during WWII and some Rationing Recipes is the subject of her latest post.  She also had an interesting Christmas Meal for Louis XVIII.  


Daytonian in Manhattan features the Anson McCook Beard House.  The daughter of local legend James J. Hill lived there, so I was personally very interested. 

1933 Fortune Magazine

Letterology had some great posts this week.  My favorites were about 19th C Cold Type and Fortune Magazine.

Kemps Ice Cream ad

Neatorama sheds light on the only Christmas Song to hit #1 on the Billboard charts and some great tidbits on Frank Sinatra.

Mental Floss has a number of fantastic posts.  A few that sparked my fancy were: 12 Technological Advances of WWI, 12 Proposed Disney Attractions That Were Never Built, 12 Essential American Cartoons (I agree with the first 9), and 12 Toys From the 1980s That Didn't Take Off (I remember every one!).

History-wise in my neck of the woods, I was made aware of a fun bit of history.  The 1921 Kissing Contest winner - French actor Andre Brule.  Apparently he knew how to give the perfect kiss.

And my Christmas sentimental side has been in full force this year, thanks to Christmas specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas.  So it was fun to see what Movie Morlocks had to say about it.

On the book front, there were two exciting finds recently:  The Cardiff Library recently realized they had a book from Sir Isaac Newton's library and Hans Christian Anderson's First Fairy Tale was discovered in the Danish National Archives.

Go Retro!  has a fun post about a sex-ed video Disney put out in the 1940s.  I've never heard of this video.  The animation was great, as with most Disney cartoons.  Very sweet.  While the video would never be shown these days, all the information is still pretty accurate.  It's a fun way to learn about a not-fun topic.

Cooper On the Mend

A Farewell to Arms

"Gary Cooper won't have to go to Arizona for his health.  He has been ailing, but his early recovery was anticipated, at latest reports.  Diagnosis of his trouble was given as jaundice, rather than anything more serious.

Cooper and Hayes

Gary has much to look forward to in his professional life right now.  Paramount has bought Farewell to Arms for him, which is considered a stunning story acquisition.  Eleanor Boardman, signed a five-year contract by Paramount, is likely to play opposite him."

[Source: Picture Play; July 1931]

Eleanor Boardman

Unfortunately for Eleanor, Helen Hayes would play the lead opposite Cooper.  The film would be released December 8, 1932.  Eleanor accidentally became an actress.  She was "discovered" after she lost her voice. Active from 1922 until 1935, she is best known for her role in The Crowd.

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

Weird Wednesday - Bette Davis Getting Some Sun

Bette Davis gets a Suntan in her backyard in 1940. I guess some people will go to extremes to get a tan. Since this device looks like it is made from bars and cloth, I'm guessing it is for privacy rather than amplification of the suns rays. Looks more like a coffin to me. Does anyone know what the purpose of this contraption might be?

Henry Fonda's Eye

"Henry Fonda underwent an eye operation after finishing his stint on The Lady Eve" (Film Fun, 1941)

Dr Eddy's Question of the Day 1

Vintage Good Housekeeping issues had a section where you could as Dr Eddy questions about food, sanitation, and health. This one is from the 1930s:

Q: "Could you tell me what you consider the best time for drinking water?" - J.I.

A: "At one time it was customary to inveigh against drinking water at meals. A series of tests was conducted at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, and it was demonstrated that there is absolutely no harm in this practice provided the water is not drunk for the sake of washing down food that should be chewed before it is swallowed. In other words, the mixing of water with the properly masticated food that we eat is helpful rather than harmful"

"You should drink at least a quart of water a day, and, with the above comment in mind, it will make little difference when that is taken. A large amount of water drunk just before going to bed tends to fill the bladder and may disturb sleep."

I have to say, I had no idea that water was dangerous, or that there was a specific time you were supposed to drink. Good old 1930s, I wish I had worries like this instead of modern troubles.