News

Taina Elg, the Finland-born actress and dancer who starred opposite Gene Kelly in the colorful 1957 George Cukor musical Les Girls and with Kenneth More in the 1959 remake of the spy thriller The 39 Steps, has died. She was 95.

Elg died May 15 in an assisted care facility in her native Helsinki, her family told the Helsinki Times.

On Broadway, Elg worked alongside Raul Julia in the 1974-75 revival of Frank Loesser’s Where’s Charley? — she earned a Tony nomination for best featured actress in a musical for that — and in the 1982-84 original production of Tommy Tune’s Nine, where she played the mother of his character, Guido.

Her breakthrough in Hollywood came with her turn as cabaret dancer Angèle Ducros in MGM’s Les Girls, which also starred Mitzi Gaynor and Kay Kendall and featured music from Cole Porter. She and Kendall shared the Golden Globe for best actress in...

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In 1934, the inimitable Bette Davis appeared in a film adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's "Of Human Bondage," a semi-autobiographical novel about the unfortunate loves of one Philip Carey. The 1934 film was directed by the prolific John Cromwell and starred Leslie Howard as Philip. Davis played Mildred Rogers, a tearoom waitress that Philip falls in love with, but who treats him with the utmost cruelty. It was a great role for Davis, who was only 26 at the time. 

An article in Collider points out that Davis was under contract with Warner Bros. at the time, but really, really wanted to play the part of Mildred, knowing that it was a juicy role. "Of Human Bondage" was being produced by Rko, and Davis would need WB's Jack Warner to loan her talents to Rko to work on the project. Davis...

Gary Cooper is one of the most enduring and beloved figures in Western cinema, carving out a tenured career that saw him reach the pinnacle of the genre. He was best known for playing heroic roles that are morally complex, which added grandeur and dignity to the roles he portrayed and the films he starred in. Gary Cooper's films highlighted the intricacies of the Western lifestyle on the American frontier, and he cemented his status as a true icon in cinema.

Cooper was an extraordinary acting talent who also starred in many different genres of films, but his most famous works were iconic Westerns like High Noon and The Hanging Tree. His quiet vulnerability and ability to display a vast range of emotions in characters who would usually be played as black-and-white roles, influenced the next generation of both actors and filmmakers. His Westerns have gone down in cinematic history...

Even those who have never seen a single Bette Davis film know her name and that her legacy represented movie stardom in its purest form. With eyes so striking there were songs written about them, Davis burst into Hollywood as an uncompromising actress, unafraid to look brash and aggressive in the name of playing compelling, sardonic, and occasionally unlikable characters. With an ability to capture the highs and lows of heartbreak and sorrow while having a nuanced understanding of when to play it big for the cameras and when to pull back, Davis was truly an icon of cinema.

While the best Bette Davis movies rank among the greatest films ever produced, her career also featured plenty of ups and downs as her relationship with stardom was complex and inconsistent. Davis achieved widespread recognition through Oscar-winning roles in the 1930s, had an all-time career high with All About Eve in...

Celebrated cartoonist and screenwriter Daniel Clowes discusses his favorite formative films with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Baxter (1989)

Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1966) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

Ghost World (2001) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Art School Confidential (2006)

Help! (1965) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s review

The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966) – John Landis’s trailer commentary,

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

Gone With The Wind (1939)

Mudhoney (1965) – John Badham’s trailer commentary

Finders Keepers, Lovers Weepers! (1968)

Common Law Cabin (1967)

Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (1970) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Seven Minutes (1971)

Black Snake (1973)

An American Werewolf In London (1981) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray reviews

Lady In A Cage (1964) – Darren Bousman’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

The Wild One (1953)

Hush…...

Ib Melchior’s best-directed movie is a futuristic space opera with a time travel theme, all done at a production level suitable for a Halloween fun house. Yet its talented crew comes up with exciting visuals to match Melchior’s flaky-but-fun eclecticism: Androids, Mutants, ‘deviants,’ hydroponic gardens, force fields, time warps… and a sexist attitude or two to remind us that we’re seeing 2071 through the eyes of 1964. And it’s one of the earliest Hollywood credits for cameramen Vilmos Zsigmond and Laszlo Kovacs.

The Time Travelers

Blu-ray

Scorpion Releasing / Kino Lorber

1964 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 84 min. / Street Date April 27, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Preston Foster, Philip Carey, Merry Anders, John Hoyt, Dennis Patrick, Joan Woodbury, Delores Wells, Steve Franken, Forrest J. Ackerman, Peter Strudwick, Wayne Anderson .

Cinematography: William Zsigmond (Vilmos Zsigmond)

Camera Operator: Leslie Kovacs (Laszlo Kovacs)

Lumichord Effects: Oskar Fischinger

Visual Effects: David L. Hewitt

Assistant directors: Lew Borzage,...

This adapted Broadway play may be considered minor John Ford moviemaking, and some sources say he had to drop out before he could film very much of it. But what’s on the screen pleased audiences primed for the first wave of WW2 nostalgia. The story of cargo officer Henry Fonda’s one-man war against his Bligh-like Captain James Cagney had all of us ’50s kids asking dad if the war really was like that. James Cagney steals the show while stars William Powell, Betsy Palmer and Ward Bond make their marks. Young Jack Lemmon came out swinging with his bright personality and won an Oscar for his trouble.

Mister Roberts

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1955 / Color / 2:55 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date December 8, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring: Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, Jack Lemmon, Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Philip Carey, Nick Adams, Perry Lopez, Ken Curtis, Robert Roark, Harry Carey Jr.,...

Mill Creek and Kit Parker have raided the Columbia vault once again in search of Noir Gold from the ‘fifties. Their selection this time around has a couple of prime gems, several straight crime thrillers and domestic jeopardy tales, and also a couple of interesting Brit imports. They aren’t really ‘Noir’ either, but they’re still unexpected and different. The top title is Don Siegel’s incomparable The Lineup, but also on board is a snappy anti-commie epic by André De Toth. Get set for a lineup of impressive leading ladies: Diana Dors, Arlene Dahl, Anita Ekberg — and the great Colleen Dewhurst as a card-carrying Red!

Noir Archive 9-Film Collection Volume 3

The Shadow on the Window, The Long Haul, Pickup Alley, The Tijuana Story, She Played with Fire, The Case Against Brooklyn, The Lineup, The Crimson Kimono, Man on a String

Blu-ray

Mill Creek / Kit Parker

1957 -1960 / B&w...

1966: Dark Shadows' Roger crashed due to a missing bleeder valve.

1985: John Aniston debuted as Victor on Days of our Lives.

1990: General Hospital's Wendy was murdered.

2010: Scott Clifton debuted as Liam on Bold and the Beautiful."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1940: The first episode of radio soap opera The Carters of Elm Street, written by Mona Kent, aired on the Mutual Network.

1966: On Another World, Pat told Alice (Jacqueline Courtney) she thought Lee identified with Hope Bauer (crossed over for a year...

1930: Clara, Lu & Em premiered.

1989: Another World's Rachel said goodbye to Mac.

1992: One Life to Live's Asa married Blair.

2006: Days of our Lives' Ej and Sami danced the tango."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1930: Clara, Lu and Em, radio's first network daytime soap opera, premiered on Wgn-am in Chicago. It continued through the 1930s and early 1940s on the NBC Blue Network and CBS, finally airing as a syndicated series in 1945.

1972: On Another World, Gerald (Walter Mathews) dialed Steve's number, handed Rachel (Robin Strasser) the phone,...

1985: Guiding Light's India discovered Floyd was a killer.

1986: Santa Barbara's Kirk was released from the hospital.

1996: Days of our Lives' Kristen saw The Woman in White.

2008: As the World Turns' Lily left Oakdale."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1938: The Life of Mary Sothern ended its run on CBS Radio. The show continued in transcription form for four more years.

1963: On The Edge of Night, Nancy Pollock (Ann Flood) and Mike Karr (Laurence Hugo) were married.

1969: On Dark Shadows,...

1976: Days of our Lives' Laura gave birth to Jennifer.

1985: Santa Barbara's Kelly received white carnations.

1995: One Life to Live's Joey wanted answers from his mother.

1996: Another World's Grant took Vicky hostage."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin on Days of our Lives.

1976: On Days of our Lives, Laura Horton (Susan Oliver) gave birth to a baby girl, Jennifer Rose. "A daughter—almost as pretty as you," said the proud father,...

1968: Dark Shadows' Josette jumped off Widows' Hill.

1984: Days of our Lives' Roman convinced Abe he was innocent.

1989: Another World featured the single women of Bay City.

1996: All My Children's Laurel was shot and killed."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, Angelique (Lara Parker) tried to fool Barnabas (Jonathan Frid) using Josette's voice to go to Widows' Hill. Barnabas guessed what her plan was and left to save Josette. Josette climbed to Widows' Hill where Angelique showed her a...

1980: Edge of Night's Calvin and Star were married.

1983: General Hospital's Luke was found after an avalanche.

1984: One Life to Live's Asa was not happy with Clint.

2006: Days' Bo and Hope said goodbye to Zack."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, angered and frightened by Angelique Bouchard (Lara Parker), Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) attempted to meet Josette duPres (Kathryn Leigh Scot). Angelique sent a bat to spy on him.

1972: On The Doctors, Dr. Hendryx insisted that he could not find...

1979: The Edge of Night's Deborah continued to be poisoned.

1981: Milton Berle guest-starred on General Hospital.

1991: Days of our Lives' Carly and Bo exchanged vows in Mexico.

2001: One Life to Live's Blair was reunited with her baby."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Willy (Edward Holmes) informed Mike (John Larkin) that Ed was the staff member who talked to Dalton.

1971: On The Doctors, Dr. Steve Aldrich (David O'Brien) recalled how happy he and Carolee Simpson (Carolee Campbell...

1966: Dark Shadows' Roger crashed due to a missing bleeder valve.

1985: John Aniston debuted as Victor on Days of our Lives.

1990: General Hospital's Wendy was murdered.

2010: Scott Clifton debuted as Liam on Bold and the Beautiful."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1940: The first episode of radio soap opera The Carters of Elm Street, written by Mona Kent, aired on the Mutual Network.

1966: On Another World,...

1930: Clara, Lu & Em premiered.

1989: Another World's Rachel said goodbye to Mac.

1992: One Life to Live's Asa married Blair.

2006: Days of our Lives' Ej and Sami danced the tango."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1930: Clara, Lu and Em, radio's first network daytime soap opera, premiered on Wgn-am in Chicago. It continued through the 1930s and early 1940s on the NBC Blue Network and CBS,...

1985: Guiding Light's India discovered Floyd was a killer.

1986: Santa Barbara's Kirk was released from the hospital.

1996: Days of our Lives' Kristen saw The Woman in White.

2008: As the World Turns' Lily left Oakdale."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1938: The Life of Mary Sothern ended its run on CBS Radio. The show continued in transcription form for four more years.

1963: On The Edge of Night,...

1976: Days of our Lives' Laura gave birth to Jennifer.

1985: Santa Barbara's Kelly received white carnations.

1995: One Life to Live's Joey wanted answers from his mother.

1996: Another World's Grant took Vicky hostage."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."

― Machiavelli

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1973: Denise Alexander aired for the final time as Susan Hunter Martin on Days of our Lives.

1980: Edge of Night's Calvin and Star were married.

1983: General Hospital's Luke was found after an avalanche.

1984: One Life to Live's Asa was not happy with Clint.

2006: Days' Bo and Hope said goodbye to Zack."History is a vast early warning system."

― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, angered and frightened by Angelique Bouchard (Lara Parker), Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) attempted to meet Josette duPres (Kathryn Leigh Scot). Angelique sent a bat to spy on him.

1972: On The Doctors, Dr. Hendryx insisted that he could not find a physical problem for the issues facing Dr. Maggie Powers (Lydia Bruce), leaving her husband,...

1979: The Edge of Night's Deborah continued to be poisoned.

1981: Milton Berle guest-starred on General Hospital.

1991: Days of our Lives' Carly and Bo exchanged vows in Mexico.

2001: One Life to Live's Blair was reunited with her baby."History is a vast early warning system."

― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, Willy (Edward Holmes) informed Mike (John Larkin) that Ed was the staff member who talked to Dalton.

1971: On The Doctors, Dr. Steve Aldrich (David O'Brien) recalled how happy he and Carolee Simpson (Carolee Campbell) were the day that he was arrested for Dan's murder. Later at the jail,...

Rock Hudson and Donna Reed star in a kidnapping-vengeance-pursuit western filmed in large part in gorgeous Sedona, Arizona, in 3-D and (originally) Technicolor. It’s another 3-D treasure from the 1950s boom years. The trailer is in 3-D too.

Gun Fury 3-D

3-D Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1953 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 82 min. / Street Date September 19, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store 29.95

Starring: Rock Hudson, Donna Reed, Phil Carey, Roberta Haynes, Leo Gordon, Lee Marvin, Neville Brand.

Cinematography: Lester WhiteMusical Director (Stock Music): Mischa Bakaleinikoff

Written by Irving Wallace, Roy Huggins

Produced by Lewis Rachmil

Directed by Raoul Walsh

I have a new theory for why the 1950s 3-D craze only lasted about 2.5 years: they couldn’t find any more one-eyed directors to make them.

Gun Fury arrived at the end of 1953, in the thick of what would be called the ‘fad’ of 3-D. Columbia Pictures jumped into ‘depth pictures’ as if it were a gimmick,...

Submarine movie evening: Underwater war waged in TCM's Memorial Day films In the U.S., Turner Classic Movies has gone all red, white, and blue this 2017 Memorial Day weekend, presenting a few dozen Hollywood movies set during some of the numerous wars in which the U.S. has been involved around the globe during the last century or so. On Memorial Day proper, TCM is offering a submarine movie evening. More on that further below. But first it's good to remember that although war has, to put it mildly, serious consequences for all involved, it can be particularly brutal on civilians – whether male or female; young or old; saintly or devilish; no matter the nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other label used in order to, figuratively or literally, split apart human beings. Just this past Sunday, the Pentagon chief announced that civilian deaths should be anticipated as “a...

Ok, so Screaming Mimi, based on eccentric cult crime/sci-fi scribe Fredric Brown's novel, is at best a hot mess of a film, more often only a lukewarm one. But you somehow can't tear your eyes away from it: it's a slow-motion car wreck with musical numbers.Anita Ekberg, just ahead of her elevation to iconic status by Federico Fellini, is cantilevered into the role of Virginia, traumatized by a knife-wielding psycho while taking a shower (yes, the scene anticipates Psycho, and yes, it shows that the same elements can be used in a lame, ineffective way). The staff of the asylum from which the maniac escaped then feel it only their duty to take Anita into their care, where she meets the controlling, Svengali-like Dr. Greenwood, who becomes her lover and business manager when she returns to her life as an exotic dancer in the big city.Most...

'Ben-Hur' 1959 with Stephen Boyd and Charlton Heston: TCM's '31 Days of Oscar.' '31 Days of Oscar': 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'Ben-Hur' are in, Paramount stars are out Today, Feb. 1, '16, Turner Classic Movies is kicking off the 21st edition of its “31 Days of Oscar.” While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is being vociferously reviled for its “lack of diversity” – more on that appallingly myopic, self-serving, and double-standard-embracing furore in an upcoming post – TCM is celebrating nearly nine decades of the Academy Awards. That's the good news. The disappointing news is that if you're expecting to find rare Paramount, Universal, or Fox/20th Century Fox entries in the mix, you're out of luck. So, missing from the TCM schedule are, among others: Best Actress nominees Ruth Chatterton in Sarah and Son, Nancy Carroll in The Devil's Holiday, Claudette Colbert in Private Worlds. Unofficial Best Actor...

London Lgbt+ Community Pride's annual Pride Festival kicked off on Sunday (June 22) and runs through til June 29.

To mark the festival and today's Pride in London Parade - travelling from Baker Street to Whitehall, between 1pm and 4pm - Digital Spy presents 13 landmark Lgbt moments in UK and Us television.

1. February 1971 - Us sitcom All in the Family breaks new ground, featuring Us television's first ever openly homosexual character in ex-pro football player Steve (Philip Carey).

2. January 1989 - BBC One's EastEnders becomes the first UK soap to screen a kiss between two gay men - middle-class yuppie Colin Russell (Michael Cashman) and Guido Smith (Nicholas Donovan).

3. February 1991 - A little over two years later, NBC becomes the first Us network to air a lesbian kiss in primetime on its Emmy-winning legal drama L.A. Law - Abby Perkins (Michele Greene) and Cj Lamb (Amanda Donohoe) shared an intimate moment in season...

Fred MacMurray movies: ‘Double Indemnity,’ ‘There’s Always Tomorrow’ Fred MacMurray is Turner Classic Movies’ "Summer Under the Stars" today, Thursday, August 7, 2013. Although perhaps best remembered as the insufferable All-American Dad on the long-running TV show My Three Sons and in several highly popular Disney movies from 1959 to 1967, e.g., The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, Boy Voyage!, MacMurray was immeasurably more interesting as the All-American Jerk. (Photo: Fred MacMurray ca. 1940.) Someone once wrote that Fred MacMurray would have been an ideal choice to star in a biopic of disgraced Republican president Richard Nixon. Who knows, the (coincidentally Republican) MacMurray might have given Anthony Hopkins a run for his Best Actor Academy Award nomination. After all, MacMurray’s most admired movie performances are those in which he plays a scheming, conniving asshole: Billy Wilder’s classic film noir Double Indemnity (1944), in which he’s seduced by Barbara Stanwyck, and Wilder...

Doris Day movies: TCM’s ‘Summer Under the Stars 2013′ lineup continues (photo: Doris Day in ‘Calamity Jane’ publicity shot) Doris Day, who turned 89 last April 3, is Turner Classic Movies’ 2013 “Summer Under the Stars” star on Friday, August 2. (Doris Day, by the way, still looks great. Check out "Doris Day Today.") Doris Day movies, of course, are frequently shown on TCM. Why? Well, TCM is owned by the megaconglomerate Time Warner, which also happens to own (among myriad other things) the Warner Bros. film library, which includes not only the Doris Day movies made at Warners from 1948 to 1955, but also Day’s MGM films as well (and the overwhelming majority of MGM releases up to 1986). My point: Don’t expect any Doris Day movie rarity on Friday — in fact, I don’t think such a thing exists. Doris Day is ‘Calamity Jane’ If you haven’t watched David Butler’s musical...

Paul Henreid: From lighting two cigarettes and blowing smoke onto Bette Davis’ face to lighting two cigarettes while directing twin Bette Davises Paul Henreid is back as Turner Classic Movies’ Star of the Month of July 2013. TCM will be showing four movies featuring Henreid (Now, Voyager; Deception; The Madwoman of Chaillot; The Spanish Main) and one directed by him (Dead Ringer). (Photo: Paul Henreid lights two cigarettes on the set of Dead Ringer, while Bette Davis remembers the good old days.) (See also: “Paul Henreid Actor.”) Irving Rapper’s Now, Voyager (1942) was one of Bette Davis’ biggest hits, and it remains one of the best-remembered romantic movies of the studio era — a favorite among numerous women and some gay men. But why? Personally, I find Now, Voyager a major bore, made (barely) watchable only by a few of the supporting performances (Claude Rains, Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nominee...

3) Towards Felix the Cat

“Invention breeds invention.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

When we climb into the family car we don’t think too much about it. We slip behind the wheel, turn the key, are happy it starts, and off we go. If we think about cars in a more expansive sense, it’s probably not all that expansive. When we start musing about how the old clunkers our parents used to drive evolved into the nifty little numbers with their sleek “airflow design” that we’re driving now, our musings probably don’t go very far. Our idea of automotive history may only extend back as far as Heavy Chevies from the ’50s, or maybe Model Ts from early in the century.

What we don’t think about are all those years and lines of unrelated research that eventually crossed and produced what we know of as a car. We...

Feature Aliya Whiteley Feb 12, 2013

Aliya celebrates the life and work of a Hollywood great - Leslie Howard, star of Gone With The Wind, Pygmalion and many, many more...

Leslie Howard is best known for playing Ashley Wilkes in Gone With The Wind, noble and yet ineffectual against the machinations of Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett. It was a great role, but not one of his best performances; he could be funny, charming, wise, driven, intense, comedic, tragic – take your pick. He had a pale, thin face with a high forehead and a pointed jaw, giving him an intelligent look over which directors loved to throw shadows.

I always thought he was one of those actors that black and white suited better than colour; he looked more handsome, more interesting that way. I was mesmerised by the old movies of his that appeared on television on a Sunday afternoon, where he would...

Joanne Woodward on TCM: Rachel, Rachel; Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams Schedule (Et) and synopses from the TCM website: 6:00 Am Count Three And Pray (1955) A Westerner turns preacher to overcome his shady past. Dir: George Sherman. Cast: Van Heflin, Joanne Woodward, Phil Carey. C-102 mins. 7:45 Am Rally Round The Flag, Boys! (1958) The arrival of an Army missile base shatters the peaceful life of a suburban town. Dir: Leo McCarey. Cast: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Joan Collins. C-107 mins, Letterbox Format. 9:45 Am Paris Blues (1961) Two jazz musicians deal with romantic problems in Paris. Dir: Martin Ritt. Cast: Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Sidney Poitier. C-99 mins, Letterbox Format. 11:30 Am Signpost To Murder (1964) A convicted murderer, who escaped from a mental institution, hides out in the home of a woman whose husband is missing. Dir: George Englund. Cast: Joanne Woodward, Stuart Whitman, Edward Mulhare. Bw-77 mins, Letterbox Format. 1:00 Pm...

On this date in...

1925: Future soap opera star Philip Carey was born. He died on February 6, 2009, but not before leaving his mark as Asa Buchanan on One Life To Live for many years.

1948: Future soap writer James E. Reilly was born. He died October 12, 2008, after an award-winning run at soaps Guiding Light, Days Of Our Lives and Passions, among others.

1949: John Haggart's A Woman To Remember, an early television soap opera on the DuMont Television Network, aired its final episode.

1968: Agnes Nixon creation One Life To Live premiered on ABC.  The original planned title for the show was Between Heaven And Hell.  This was still the plan as of late April, and Don Wallace was expected to be the executive producer.

1977: Soap opera spoof All That Glitters from Norman Lear, aired its last of 65 episodes. Linda Gray, Gary Sandy and Louise Shaffer were among the stars.

Kristin Alderson was only six years old when she landed the role of Starr Manning on “One Life To Live” in 1998 and she’s been a fan favorite ever since. Her layered work as the daughter of two of the show's most complex characters -- Todd Manning (Roger Howarth, Trevor St. John) and Blair Cramer (Kassie De Paiva) -- has earned her considerable praise from the critics but she has yet to net a single Daytime Emmy nomination. And with Thursday's news that ABC has cancelled the long-running serial as of next January, Alderson only has two more chances to contend. From the outset, the writers forged a strong bond between Starr and her father, first played by Howarth, as the pint-sized pre-pubescent terror would do her daddy's bidding. She also adored Asa Buchanan (Phil Carey), a tough-talking Texan businessman, and would help him taunt Max Holden (James DePaiva). In...

Your weekly fix of great movies made before you were born that you should check out before you die. All this month, Old Ass Movies will be celebrating the 103rd anniversary of Bette Davis‘s birthday. The iconic film star acted in far too many movies to care to count, but it seems as though she’s been reduced to a pair of eyes in popular culture. She’s the subject of a 80s pop tune, not the star that she should be recognized for being, and that needs fixing. She had been in over twenty films before appearing in Of Human Bondage, but it was that film that really launched her career as a leading lady. In it, she plays a cruel, vile, deceitful woman who destroys the life of a young man while destroying her own. So, naturally, she emerged being loved by audiences everywhere. Of Human Bondage (1934) Directed By: John Cromwell Written By: Lester Cohen...

Six-time Emmy winner Anthony Geary was voted the Greatest Soap Actor of All-Time by a panel of 15 past and present soap critics assembled by We Love Soaps TV. While soap fans will always think of him as the bad-boy-turned-sort-of-good-turned-especially-bad-lately Luke Spencer on General Hospital, Geary has made an impact in all mediums, from the theater to daytime to primetime episodics to movies. His latest musical, "Into The Woods," opens on Friday, October 22, where Geary will be playing the Narrator / Mysterious man. In this exclusive two-part new interview with We Love Soaps TV, Geary previews the new musical and reflects on a long and storied career spanning four decades.

We Love Soaps TV: So, congratulations on your new show ("Into The Woods").

Anthony Geary: Thank you.

We Love Soaps TV: When we did our countdown of the 50 Greatest Actors, we published some classic articles on you and there was one...

Earlier this month, We Love Soaps TV spoke with legendary actor Anthony Geary about his long and illustrious career in theater, television and film. Geary first burst onto the national scene in an episode of All In The Family where he guest-starred with Philip Carey. He appeared on a number of primetime shows in the 1970s and had roles on Bright Promise and The Young And The Restless before landing his most famous role to date - Luke Spencer on General Hospital. He is returning to his musical theater roots in a new show, "Into the Woods," that is running in Los Angeles through November 20. In our exclusive two-part interview, Geary talks about the musical as well as some of the highlights from his career.

Part 1 - Geary discusses his first professional break ("The Subject Was Roses"), his All In The Family classic episode, his early soap roles and landing...

Neil Marshall's men are numerous and largely interchangeable—grizzled genre types vaguely sketched, owing a lot to Hawks-by-way-of-Carpenter-and-Cameron and to the supporting casts of countless horror and war movies—but he's careful in designing and meting out his female roles, which is probably why The Descent, whose leads are all women, feels like his most fully-realized film character-wise. It can be assumed then that what interests Marshall is the surface of the world of men (the aggressive banter, the dynamics of groups, the various codes and allegiances imposed upon men which they must then either follow or break), and the interior of the world of women. No surprise then that his men are more often than not soldiers, and that their characteristics blur together, ironically recalling a line Leo Gordon utters about women in Gun Fury: "As far as I'm concerned, they're all alike—they just got different...

We lost a large number of TV show veterans in January 2009 but, thankfully, far fewer left us in February.

The talented TV-related folks that left us in February include James Whitmore, One Life to Live's Phil Carey (All in the Family, Little House on the Prairie, The Bionic Woman, and Gunsmoke), Blossom Dearie (The Today Show and Schoolhouse Rock!), and Ed Cotter (Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Dear John, and Family Matters).

James Whitmore, 87, died on February 6th at his Malibu, CA home. The actor was diagnosed with lung cancer in November 2008. Whitmore had a long list of movie and Broadway credits but also guested on TV shows like The Practice, The White Shadow, Gunsmoke, The Big Valley, and most recently, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He was married several times, including to Audra Lindley (Three's Company). Whitmore was also the grandfather of recent Survivor contestant, Matty Whitmore.

Phil Carey, 83, passed away...

Phil Carey, the character actor who parlayed a career in feature films into a long-term run on the daytime soap opera One Life to Live, has died at age 83. Carey's remarkable run on the series began in 1980. Prior to that, he appeared on countless major TV series and in feature films such as Mister Roberts, Operation Pacific, Springfield Rifle and more. Click here for details...

Daytime soap opera fans of "One Life to Live" are mourning the loss of Phil Carey, the actor who played Asa Buchanan who died on February 6. The actor lost a long battle with lung cancer at the age of 83.

Carey was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and took a medical leave from the show to undergo treatment.

This has been a tough week for fans and those working on "One Life to Live." On January 31, another veteran actor of the show, Clint Ritchie, died just 10 hours after having a pacemaker implanted.

Executive producer Frank Valentini released a statement saying, "In a week where we said goodbye to Clint Ritchie (ex-Clint, who passed away on Jan. 31), the overwhelming news of Phil Carey's death was truly a profound loss to the 'One Life to Live' family. Like Asa, [Phil] possessed an undeniable quality that drew you to him, whether he was amusing you...

Phil Carey, who was well-known to daytime television fans for playing One Life to Live's Asa Buchanan, died on February 6, following a battle with lung cancer. He was 83. Carey took a medical leave from Oltl to undergo treatment after he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2006. He returned to the role later that year. Though the character of Asa died in his sleep in August 2007, Carey made three subsequent appearances, most recently on ...

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Actor Phil Carey has lost his battle with lung cancer. He was 83.Carey passed away at his home in New York on Friday, following a long struggle with the disease.

The star was best known for playing formidable business tycoon Asa Buchanan in the U.S. TV soap opera One Life To Live, first appearing on the show in 1980 before making his last appearance on 29 December.

He also appeared on the big screen, with roles in films such as This Woman Is Dangerous, Calamity Jane, Pushover and Monster.

He is survived by his wife and their two children as well as another three children from a previous marriage.

Carey's One Life to Live co-star Clint Ritchie passed away on 31 January following a brief illness, aged 70.

Phil Carey, who played formidable business tycoon Asa Buchanan on ABC's soap opera "One Life to Live" for nearly three decades, died Feb. 6 at his home in New York following a battle with lung cancer. He was 83.

Carey originated the role of Asa in 1980. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2006, he took medical leave from the show to undergo treatment then returned to the role later that year.

On "One Life to Live," Asa died in his sleep Aug. 16, 2007. The life of the Buchanan family patriarch was celebrated on the show's 10,000th episode the next day. Carey made three subsequent appearances on the show and was last seen when Asa read an addendum to his will Dec. 29.

"He was like 'Pa' to me," his onscreen son, Robert S. Woods (Bo Buchanan), said in a statement. "My own father passed away in 1975, and I met Philly in 1979. I don't know if I...