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Eight decades ago, the United States was in the second full year of World War II. And there was little escape from the horrors of the global conflict. The war even dominated cinema-seven of the top ten films of the year were war-themed. The second highest grossing film of the year was “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” which opened on July 14, 1943, earning $6.3 million-nearly $3 million more than the beloved Oscar-winner “Casablanca,” which placed No 6 that year.

Paramount spared no expense bringing Ernest Hemingway’s 1940 novel set during the Spanish Civil War about Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer with a Republican guerrilla unit tasked with blowing up an important bridge. Hemingway witnessed the Spanish Civil War firsthand as a reporter for the North American Newspaper Alliance. In 1940, Paramount shelled out a staggering $150,000 for film rights. The New York Times wrote: “According to contract, Paramount paid Hemingway $100,000 for the property, agreeing to...

Constance Cummings: Actress in minor Hollywood movies became major London stage star. Constance Cummings: Actress went from Harold Lloyd and Frank Capra to Noël Coward and Eugene O'Neill Actress Constance Cummings, whose career spanned more than six decades on stage, in films, and on television in both the U.S. and the U.K., died ten years ago on Nov. 23. Unlike other Broadway imports such as Ann Harding, Katharine Hepburn, Miriam Hopkins, and Claudette Colbert, the pretty, elegant Cummings – who could have been turned into a less edgy Constance Bennett had she landed at Rko or Paramount instead of Columbia – never became a Hollywood star. In fact, her most acclaimed work, whether in films or – more frequently – on stage, was almost invariably found in British productions. That's most likely why the name Constance Cummings – despite the DVD availability of several of her best-received performances – is all but forgotten.

Actress Shirley MacLaine will never give up her beloved New Mexico home, because she believes the former owner, dancer Vera Zorina, wanted her to live there. The "Terms of Endearment" actress had no intention of buying the remote home when she first visited it in 2004, but she had a firm feeling the place was supposed to be hers the minute she walked through the door.

She immediately sensed a dancer had died at the top of the stairs and wanted her to have the home, and MacLaine made an offer without seeing the rest of the building. The actress then set about trying to find out who the spirit was who wanted her to move in, and discovered it was German-born dancer Zorina, who died in 2003.

Appearing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Monday, April 11, she said, "Vera Zorina was in Hollywood when I was there... I just felt she...

Actress Shirley MacLaine will never give up her beloved New Mexico home - because she believes the former owner, dancer Vera Zorina, wanted her to live there.

The Terms of Endearment actress had no intention of buying the remote home when she first visited it in 2004, but she had a firm feeling the place was supposed to be hers the minute she walked through the door.

She immediately sensed a dancer had died at the top of the stairs and wanted her to have the home, and MacLaine made an offer without seeing the rest of the building.

The actress then set about trying to find out who the spirit was who wanted her to move in - and discovered it was German-born dancer Zorina, who died in 2003.

Appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show on Monday, she said, "Vera Zorina was in Hollywood when I was there... I just felt she just wanted me to be in that house."

And what a house it has been for spiritualist MacLaine - she writes her bestselling books from the balcony and watches UFO's fly over New Mexico at night.