Monday, November 20, 2017

Happy Birthday Reginald Denny!

Reginald Denny photographed in the 1920's by Freulich.
Reginald Denny was born Reginald Leigh Dugmore on November 20th, 1891 in Richmond, Surrey, England. I recently discovered that he had this amazing career as a comedic leading man during the silent era at Universal Pictures! I had only seen him in supporting roles, until watching the wonderfully strange Madam Satan (1930), where he was the male lead opposite a lovely Kay Johnson. I was interested in learning more about him so, here we are!

He was so swoon-worthy. If I had been alive during the 1920's, I would have had pictures of him all over my wall!

Unfortunately, very few of  Denny's silent comedies are available to watch on DVD, but thanks to Grapevine Video, there are some that are and they're fabulous! His work in silent movies deem to be rediscovered to a younger audience.

Reginald Denny was an incredibly popular leading man, who eventually after the introduction of "talking pictures", began being cast in supporting roles (which I do not understand, as he still had quite a few years that he could have been a leading man, but that is for another post). Mr. Denny also had this other fascinating career in manufacturing model airplanes and being one of the founding fathers of the drone!

Click on the link below to learn more about his many accomplishments on and off the screen! Happy Birthday to this interesting man who deserves to be more remembered (a common theme on this blog!)!

http://www.ctie.monash.edu/hargrave/denny.html


Reginald Denny and Laura La Plante in the charming comedy, Skinner's Dress Suit (1926).
Reginald Denny and Kay Johnson in Madam Satan (1930).
Reginald Denny and Fay Wray in The Richest Girl in The World (1934).

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Happy Birthday Helen Hayes!

Helen Hayes and Robert Montgomery in a publicity photo for Vanessa: Her Love Story (1935).
Helen Hayes, accomplished and talented actress of the stage and film, was born on this day in 1900. She is one of the few actors who has won one of each major award (EGOT): Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar, and Tony. Robert Montgomery often regarded her as his favorite leading lady. They made two movies together, Another Language (1933) and Vanessa: Her Love Story (1935). She also played Queen Victoria on his television show Robert Montgomery Presents in 1951. Happy Birthday Helen Hayes!

Friday, September 29, 2017

Happy Birthday Virginia Bruce!

Virginia Bruce photographed in the mid-1930's.
Virginia Bruce was born on September 29th 1910 as Helen Virginia Briggs in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Virginia Bruce is a  lovely and often forgotten about leading and supporting actress during the 1930's-1940's.

 I'm reading a biography on her right now titled Virginia Bruce: Under My Skin by Scott O'Brien. I'm thoroughly enjoying it and have come to adore Miss Bruce. She was incredibly beautiful with her stunning eyes and delicate features. She also had loads of talent, but was never always given the best roles, but when she did, she shined. She was sort of quiet and sensitive and did not fight for better parts. I cannot wait to finish the book, as I'm over half way through!

Virginia Bruce riding her horse in the late-1930's.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

RIP Mr. Montgomery

Robert Montgomery photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.
Robert Montgomery passed away 36 years ago today in 1981. RIP Mr. Montgomery and thank you for everything that you accomplished on and off the screen!

Friday, September 15, 2017

Happy Birthday Fay Wray!

Fay Wray photographed by George Hurrell in 1934.
Fay Wray is probably most remembered for being the beauty to King Kong's beast in the 1933 version of King Kong. She worked in silent films and transitioned successfully into talking movies. Besides King Kong (1933), I have seen Miss Wray in The Most Dangerous Game (1932), Doctor X (1932), The Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933), and The Richest Girl in the World (1934). She's an actress that I have always wanted to watch more of!
Fay Wray in The Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933).
You can see Fay Wray in "two-strip Technicolor" in The Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) and Doctor X (1932)!

Friday, September 8, 2017

Monday, August 28, 2017

Tune in to watch Hell Below (1933) this Friday on TCM!

Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans in a publicity photo for Hell Below (1933).

Robert Montgomery on the set of Hell Below (1933).
Hell Below (1933) is an interesting pre-Code movie that explores the darker sides of of being in the Navy circa World War I in Italy. It's has a fantastic cast of Robert Montgomery, Madge Evans, Walter Huston, Robert Young, Eugene Palette, and Jimmy Durante. Mixed with more sad moments and some random moments of comedy make this one a fun one to watch! Robert Montgomery is wonderful and complex as the Lieutenant who defies his Captain on the job (Walter Huston) and has an affair with Huston's daughter, who is married (Madge Evans). I love the teaming of Montgomery and Evans, but this is definitely their most darkest film that they did together (they made 5 movies total).  It's on TCM at 7:00 AM Central this Friday (9/1) and I would highly recommend it! Below are some more publicity photos and photos from the movie!
Robert Montgomery in Hell Below (1933)
Robert Montgomery in a publicity photo for Hell Below (1933).
Robert Montgomery in a publicity photo for Hell Below (1933).
Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans in Hell Below (1933).

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Happy Birthday Ann Blyth and Mae Clarke!

Ann Blyth photographed in the 1940's. 
I'm very lucky to have a autographed photo of the versatile and lovely Ann Blyth. She starred in two of my favorite films as Veda in Mildred Pierce (1945) and as "Killer" in Once More My Darling (1949). She was gifted in both Comedy and Drama. Ann is still with us today at the age of 89. Happy Birthday Ann!
Mae Clarke and Robert Montgomery on the MGM lot in 1933.
Mae Clarke was originally supposed to appear in Robert Montgomery's film Made on Broadway (1933). I assume that this is why the above photo exists! Mae had to pull out of the film last minute, due to what I believe was a car accident. Sally Eilers replaced her, but I would have love to of seen Robert Montgomery and Mae Clarke work together. She was a great actress who should be more remembered than just for her grapefruit scene in The Public Enemy (1931). Happy Birthday Mae!

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Happy Birthday Norma Shearer!!

Happy Birthday to my favorite actress! Here are some beautiful photos of her!

Norma Shearer photographed by Ruth Harriet Louise in 1929.
Norma Shearer photographed by George Hurrell in 1932.
Norma Shearer photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.
Norma Shearer and Robert Montgomery in Their Own Desire (1929).
Norma Shearer photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Happy Birthday Dorothy Jordan!

Dorothy Jordan photographed by George Hurrell in 1931.
Dorothy Jordan was born on August 9th, 1910 in Clarksville, Tennessee. She was a lovely leading lady at the dawn of Talking Pictures and made her film debut in 1929's The Taming of the Shrew. She was in a plethora successful films from 1930 until 1933, when she retired from the screen and married filmmaker Merian C. Cooper (who directed, produced, and wrote King Kong (1933)). They had three children together. She did come out of retirement for a couple of brief roles in John Fords movies The Searchers (1956) and The Wings of Eagles (1957). She passed away on December 7th, 1988. She's an often forgotten about leading lady that should be more known. Happy Birthday Dorothy Jordan!
Dorothy Jordan and Robert Montgomery photographed by George Hurrell for Love in the Rough (1930).

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Photo of the Day

Esther Williams photographed in the 1940's.
It's Esther Williams Birthday today! She was born on August 8th 1921. Happy Birthday Esther Williams!

Monday, August 7, 2017

Happy Birthday Ann Harding and Irene Purcell!

Ann Harding with Robert Montgomery in a publicity photo for Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935).


Irene Purcell with Robert Montgomery in The Man in Possession (1931).

Friday, August 4, 2017

Happy Birthday Anita Page!

Anita Page photographed by Ruth Harriet Louise in the late 1920's.
When I was 15/16 years old, I started writing letters to actresses who were still alive from the Golden Age of Hollywood.* One of the lovely ladies that I wrote to in 2008 was Anita Page. I never thought that I would get a response from her, but I received a beautiful autographed photo of her in the mail saying, "Greetings to Emily Evans, from Anita Page". I was ecstatic! I still am!

Anita Page passed away at the age of 98 in September of 2008, which was not long after I received my autographed photo from her. I'm very grateful, as it's one of my favorite autographed photos that I possess. Anita Page had a relatively short career as an actress, but she starred in many popular Silent movies, such as Our Dancing Daughters (1928), and early Talking movies, such as The Broadway Melody (1929), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year!
Anita Page photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.
Robert Montgomery and Anita Page photographed by Clarence Sinclair Bull in 1930.
This is one of my favorite photos of Anita Page, as she is photographed with my favorite actor, Robert Montgomery. Robert Montgomery and Anita Page co-starred in four movies together from 1930-1931. These were: Free and Easy (1930), Our Blushing Brides (1930), War Nurse (1930), and The Easiest Way (1931).  The above photo was of them at a screening of Anna Christie (1930), which was Greta Garbo's Talking movie debut. This was obviously for publicity, but nonetheless, the photos of them at this screening are adorable! **

Anita Page will always have a special place in my heart. Happy Birthday Anita Page!

*I would write a nice letter and ask them for an autographed photo, send that with a self-addressed envelope, and give them a little money (I think I would give $5.00, unless if I knew that they charged a specific amount).
**The photos are available in the May 1930 issue of Motion Picture Magazine, which can be viewed on the Internet Archive! Website: https://archive.org/index.php

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Happy Birthday Ann Dvorak!

Ann Dvorak photographed in the 1930's.
Ann Dvorak was born on August 2nd, 1911 in New York City. She was a contract player at Warner Brother's Studio in the 1930's and made films until the early 1950's. I don't know much about Miss Dvorak, but there is a recent book written about her by Christina Rice, which I plan on reading!

 I have seen her very well-acted and complex performance in the movie Three on a Match (1932), which she plays one of three friends from childhood (they were not necessarily friends during childhood, but they do become friends when they are older), who goes down a path of self-destruction by using drugs and hanging out with the wrong people, like a young Humphrey Bogart! I won't say what exactly happens to Ann's character, but it's not a happy ending for her. I would love to see more of her movies and thanks to Warner Archive and Turner Classic Movies, I can!

Ann Dvorak photographed in the 1930's.

Ann Dvorak was a unique and talented beauty who is not as well remembered as she should be today (this is a common theme on this blog!). Happy Birthday Ann!

A random fact about her that I do know: Ann was an uncredited extra in four of Robert Montgomery's films in 1929 and 1930! They are So This is College (1929), Free and Easy (1930), Our Blushing Brides (1930), and Love in the Rough (1930). I have actually only seen Ann in Our Blushing Brides (1930), as one of a few girls surrounding Robert Montgomery at a fashion party, but I will have to look into the other three!

Monday, July 31, 2017

Friday, July 21, 2017

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Birthday!

I turned 26 a couple of days ago on the 18th. Instead of talking about how I'm closer to 30 years old compared to 20 years old, lets talk about one of the beautiful gifts that my parents gave me!

The closest that I'll ever get to Robert Montgomery.
My parents gave me a stunning vintage framed photo of Robert Montgomery! I have been collecting photos/memorabilia of Mr. Montgomery since the end of last year (it's quite addicting thanks to eBay!). I adore this photo! George Hurrell was the photographer and this photo was taken in 1930 (even though there is no Hurrell stamp on the back of the photo, but it's been well documented that he took this photo). I love that Hurrell was able to show off Robert Montgomery's beautiful and intense eyes. It's such a swoon-worthy photo. Thank you Mom and Dad!

Here is the actual photo!
Robert Montgomery photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Two Bennetts and One Montgomery

Constance Bennett photographed by George Hurrell in the 1930's.
Joan Bennett photographed by George Hurrell in the 1930's.
Robert Montgomery co-starred with both of the Bennett sisters Constance and Joan in his early career (and their early careers too!). I have always liked Constance Bennett and Joan Bennett and love watching their movies! I know that Constance and Robert Montgomery were friends off the screen and Joan cited that Bob Montgomery was one of the men that she "might have loved" in a 1939 issue of Picturegoer Weekly.

Bob worked with Constance in Jack Conway's The Easiest Way (1931) and Bob worked with Joan in the now lost film Three Live Ghosts (1929). Three Live Ghosts was Bob's film debut (he was 24 almost 25 years old and Joan was 19 years old). It's a shame that this film is lost and I hope that it's found in my lifetime!
Robert Montgomery and Joan Bennett in Three Live Ghosts (1929).
Robert Montgomery and Constance Bennett photographed by George Hurrell for The Easiest Way (1931).

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Happy Birthday Robert Montgomery!!

Robert Montgomery photographed by George Hurrell for Letty Lynton (1932).
I'm so incredibly grateful that I discovered the talented, charming, and underrated actor Robert Montgomery last year in 2016 during Turner Classic Movies Summer Under the Stars, when they showed a day of his films on August 22nd. I'm still baffled to why he is not remembered as well today as he should be. He was so much more than just an actor. He was a Husband, a Father, a War hero, a Director, a Producer, a lover of animals, and so much more. He accomplished so much in his life that it does make me sad that he is barely remembered for all of his accomplishments on and off the silver screen.

I love watching his movies. I love his acting. I love his facial expressions. I love his sense of style. I love his eyes. I love when I read about all of his accomplishments. I love his laugh.

I was able to watch three of his films in honor of his Birthday today, Untamed (1929), Our Blushing Brides (1930), and Piccadilly Jim (1936). For Our Blushing Brides (1930), I watched this with my Mother and my Grandmother. Three generations of girls from the same family! I enjoyed watching these three films today so very much.

While Robert Montgomery is not the go to choice for someones favorite actor, he is mine and I'm proud to say it! Happy Birthday Bob!
Robert Montgomery photographed by George Hurrell in 1932.
Here are my top 5 favorite Robert Montgomery movies.
1. Night Must Fall (1937).
2. Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941).
3. Private Lives (1931).
4. The Man in Possession (1931).
5. Hide-Out (1934).

Here are my favorite leading ladies who Robert Montgomery worked with.
1. Norma Shearer (five films together).
2. Madge Evans (five films together).
3. Maureen O'Sullivan (one film together).
4. Elizabeth Allan (one film together).
5. Helen Hayes (two films together).

I have watched almost his entire filmography besides the following films.
1. Three Live Ghosts (1929)-Sadly, this film is considered lost.
2. War Nurse (1930)-This is airing on Turner Classic Movies on 5/26/17!
3. Fugitive Lovers (1934).
4. Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935)-This is airing on Turner Classic Movies on 8/21/17!
5. Trouble for Two (1936)-This one is airing on Turner Classic Movies on 6/1/17!
6. Live, Love, Learn (1937).
7. Rage in Heaven (1941).
8. Unfinished Business (1941).
9. Your Witness (1950).
10. The Gallant Hours (1960)-He directed this one, had a cameo, and narrated parts of the film!

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Happy Birthday Maureen O'Sullivan!

Maureen O'Sullivan photographed by George Hurrell in 1931.
Maureen O'Sullivan is one of my favorites and she's an incredibly underrated actress. Maureen brought such beauty and warmness to the screen!

Maureen O'Sullivan in a publicity photo for The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934).
Maureen O'Sullivan with some little canine friends.
The lovely Maureen O'Sullivan photographed in the 1930's.
Maureen O'Sullivan and Vivien Leigh on the set of A Yank At Oxford (1938).
Maureen O'Sullivan on the set of Tarzan and His Mate (1934).
Maureen O'Sullivan and Robert Montgomery in Hide-Out (1934).