RIP - Alan Young, 1919-2016

Alan Young

     It's no secret that I adore Old Time Radio.  Alan Young was one of the last living legends of the era, and one of the few people public enough to still talked about it.  Yes, he is known mainly to the populace as a whole for Mr. Ed which brought him fame, but is not what I admire him most for.  I adore his turn as lovable Alan on the Alan Young Radio Show.  Running on various stations from 1944-1947 and 1949, it also starred the fabulous Jim Backus as Hubert Updike III which would eventually evolve into iconic Thurston Howell III on the television classic Gilligan's Island.

Vintage Inspiration - The Dinah Shore Show

As you all know, I love vintage films and television.  Lately I have been obsessed with the vintage shows on JLTV.  One of them is the Dinah Shore Show.  Dinah Shore was a fantastic singer who had several variety shows.  Lately JLTV has been playing the Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1957-1963).  It's a variety show which usually has a comic, a dance act, a singer, a musician, and of course, Dinah sings some lovely songs.  One of the cool things about it is I find out about some lovely acts I did not know about.  And frankly, some are next to impossible to find out about.  A recent episode I watched was the April 24, 1960 episode.  Some of the cool acts that day were:

Hurd's Home

Actor Hurd Hatfield and Jean Willes; 1949

Hurd Hatfield (7 December 1917 - 26 December 1986) appeared sporadically in films, but the roles he played were quite memorable such as Pontius Pilate in King of Kings (1961) and Dorian Gray in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945). 

Sunburning With the Stars - Nancy Gates

Nancy Gates; Physical Culture; June 1946

Nancy Gates was born February 1, 1926 in Dallas, Texas.  She starred in 34 films and serials and 55 television appearances.  Ms. Gates married American Airlines Captain Bill Hayes on May 17, 1948.  They were married 44 years and they had 4 children together.  Nancy retired in 1969 to be closer to her family.  At the time of this post, the lovely Ms. Gates is still with us.  

Nancy Gates and Husband Bill Hayes

Upcoming Nancy Gates appearances on TCM:
Behind the Rising Sun September 4, 2012 - 9 AM est
The Member of the Wedding - September 12, 2012 - 6:15 PM est

What's in the Background, Bing and Dean?

Dean Martin and Bing Crosby Prepare for Television; 1958

This "Weird Wednesday" I thought I'd highlight two of my favorite singers - Dean Martin and Bing Crosby.  How cool is it that society was so non-litigious we were as a society that there is clearly photographic evidence of Bing and Dean smoking, in front of a no smoking sign, and it was no big deal?  I wish we could go back to that time.

Fred MacMurray Channels Tony Curtis

Fred MacMurray

June and Fred

“I’ve had so many pictures taken with my wife (June Haver)  that I’m beginning to feel like Tony Curtis.”

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

June and Fred

I find both Fred MacMurray and June Haver delightful.  They were married 37 years, from 1954 until MacMurray's death in 1991.  They adopted twin girls in 1956.  

Above Suspicion (1943)

June is not remembered as she should be and Fred seems to be remembered solely for My Three Sons.  Not that it wasn't a good show, but he was great in many other projects, most notably in Double Indemnity, a Film Noir classic.  My current MacMurray favorite is Above Suspicion (1943) which I saw recently on TCM.  My favorite June Haver film is her last film appearance, The Girl Next Door (1953).

Reagan - Ambassador

Ronald Reagan

For several years, president of the Screen Actors’ Guild, is a very able speaker.  He’s putting that gift to use by visiting the plants of his TV sponsors and talking to the employees.  That’s one excellent way of building a neat television audience, don’t you think?

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

Reagan visiting a GE plant 1955

Ronald Reagan hosted General Electric Theater from 1954 to 1962.  He spent ten weeks a year traveling to different General Electric plants as their ambassador.

At Home With the Masons

James Mason and wife Pamela at their Hertfordshire home 1946

James Mason has one of the best voices of all time.  And it is not just the English accent.  My favorite James Mason roles are his Hitchcock roles as Philip Vandamm in North by Northwest and Warren Barrow in the Alfred Hitchcock Hour television episode Captive Audience.  

James, Pamela, and daughter Portland 1948

James and his wife Pamela were married from 1941 - 1964.  They had two children together.  Their daughter Portland was named after Fred Allen's wife Portland Hoffa.

How to Look Well in Clothes

How to Look Well in Clothes
From the advice of New York designer Edwina Patterson







"If you have beautiful hair, play it up by going hatless, and specialize in dashing hair ribbons."   [Page 15].

Veronica Lake Minus the Peek-A-Boo Hair

[Source:  Quick Steps to Beauty and Charm.  Dorothy Cocks.  White's Book Company.  Westfield, Massachusetts.  1948.]
















Edwina Patterson (2 April 1915 - 27 June 2007)
Born in Seattle, Washington, was a New York clothing designer and seamstress.  She had shows shown in American, Pageant, and Life magazines.  For a while she was a fitter at Lord & Taylor in New York.  At the time of this advice (1948), she had a staff of 14 and her famous clients included:

Merle Oberon

Maggi McNellis

Arleen Whelan

Betty Grable Goes Green

[Source:  Popular Science; January 1939]

Apparently this was only a problem with very early black and white television.  This being a black and white photo, I can't really tell what color they are painting on her.  I just wonder who figured it out.  Must have been a fun time experimenting.  And who knew Betty Grable appeared in such a cerebral publication?

Ilona's Project is 'Top Secret'

Hungarian-born Ilona Massey will be star and co-producer of a new television show.  It's name:  Top Secret




[Source:  People Today;  June 29, 1955]

I researched and found no evidence that this show was ever produced.

Bea Lillie on Television

Bea Lillie:  "Television has grown up to be just summer stock in an iron lung."




[Source:  Point;  August 1954]






Ouch!  Beatrice Lillie (May 29, 1894 – January 20, 1989) is known as being an amazing talent.  She shined on stage. She is an amazing woman and entertained the troops during WWII - even on the day she found out that her only son had perished in action.  Best known for her Tony Award winning 1953 revue An Evening with Beatrice Lillie.  She retired from the stage due to Alzheimer's.

Groucho on Skywriting

Groucho Marx, to a skywriter contestant on his TV show:  "When you're up there writing do you ever get the impression that someone is looking over your shoulder?"




[Source;  August 1954]

Jack Benny and Groucho Marx doing a 'You Bet Your Life' skit on 'The Jack Benny Show'

Greta Garbo on TV?

Greta Garbo
Can name her own price for doing one of those TV extravaganzas. But if she won’t do a picture, it’s hardly likely that she’ll do television. Incidentally, the last time we saw Garbo, she was dining with a party of friends in a very public place and seemed to be having a wonderful time. That ultra-shyness attributed to her is simply a part of the Garbo legend. If the lady doesn’t have to work and doesn’t want to, why should she?

(Source: Movieland, February 1955)

What 100 Stars Want Most in 1956 - Hugh O'Brian

Hugh O'Brian (born April 19, 1923) is probably best known as Wyatt Earp in the television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. The show ran from 1955 to 1961 with a total of 226 episodes!

Some Hugh O'Brian Trivia:

• Hugh was "discovered" by the fabulous Ida Lupino
• He became friends with Marilyn Monroe during the filming of There's No Business Like Show Business
• Hugh was a soda jerk at Schwab's Drugstore on Sunset Boulevard
• Hugh established the HOBY Award (Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Award)
• Hugh is the the youngest ever Marine Drill Seargeant at the tender age of 17
• He was inducted into the Western Hall of Fame in 1992
• Hugh was the last person killed on screen by John Wayne (In 1976's The Shootist)
• Hugh waited until he was 81 to get married. He married teacher Virginia Barber, 30 years his junior, whom he had dated for 18 years. They were married with music by Debbie Reynolds, June 25, 2006.

What were Hugh's 1956 wishes:

"I'd like to find the right girl"

Obviously this took a long time since he didn't marry until 2006!

"I'd like to continue to do three or four motion pictures a year and continue with my television series Wyatt Earp"

"As a citizen, I think also in terms of Hollywood and the good it can do through the medium of motion pictures. In 1956, I hope we have more movies like Blackboard Jungle and Trial".
I just saw Blackboard Jungle and it was fabulous! Glenn Ford and Sidney Poitier - how can you go wrong?

What 100 Stars Want Most in 1956 - Sheree North

Sheree North (January 17, 1932 - November 4, 2005) was known primarily for 3 things: her fabulous dancing, it was thought Fox hired her as a replacement for Marilyn Monroe, and in later years she played Kramer's mom on Seinfeld - and was the first to tell audiences his first name was Cosmo.



Some Sheree North Trivia:

• She married 4 times and had 2 daughters
• Her birth name was Dawn Shirley Crang
• She earned several Emmy nominations for her TV work
• Sheree sanded floors and parked cars to earn money for her ballet classes

Sheree's 1956 Wishes:

"For myself as a person, a wife and a mother I wish that I may always do my best."

"As an actress, I hope to continue to learn my profession as I have tried this past year."



"As a citizen, I believe in the ability of man to achieve."

I didn't know I had seen any Sheree North films until I saw this poster for The Lieutenant Wore Skirts. It's a pretty funny film, kind of a Mr. Mom setup. Sheree's character is in the Air Force, and Tom Ewell is her house husband. Naturally, this doesn't sit well with Tom's character, who tries to regain his masculine position in the family. The film is in the Fox Movie Channel rotation, and will next be playing: July 26, 2010 12:00 pm ET; August 4, 2010 12:00 pm ET; August 17, 2010 12:00 pm ET if you want to catch it.

Next up in this series: Kim Novak

What 100 Stars Want in 1956 - Bob Hope

What can one say about Bob Hope (May 29, 1903 - July 27, 2003)? Well loved entertainer, tirelessly helped our Armed Forces, won tons of awards and honors (including 58 honorary degrees), and of course lived to be 100. What did Bob Hope wish for in 1956?

"I've been away from home so much that personally I'd like one New Year's Eve I could spend with Dolores and the children." - Hope he got his wish, but he did so much I'm not sure if he ever did

"In That Certain Feeling I want to continue with the new Bob Hope who was professionally established in The Seven Little Foys. I want to do comedies - but switch to dramatic roles now and then." - I'm not sure if I've seen a dramatic Bob Hope film. Does anyone have a suggestion of a good one?

"As a citizen, I wish I had more time to do more for the men in service overseas" - I'm not sure what else he could have done. Bob Hope worked tirelessly to visit and entertain the troops. I can't name a celebrity who comes even remotely close to him these days

Up next - Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter