Character actress Sara Haden was stage and screen star Charlotte Walker’s daughter. Originally famed for playing cranks became Andy Hardy’s Aunt Milly in 14 of the Hardy Family movies.
Popular Posts
Movie Star Biographies
Helen Lowell, 1880s Gilbert & Sullivan to 1930s Cranky Character Parts
A brief appraisal of Helen Lowell’s brief 1930s movie career followed by a collection of clippings highlighting her stage work from 1882 through the 1920s.
Richard Dix – His Life and Film Legacy
Five thousand words about the life of Richard Dix including a look at his most important movies: The Vanishing American (1925), Cimarron (1931) and The Ghost Ship (1943) plus, author’s choice, Ace of Aces (1933).
Elizabeth Allan – Dickens Movie Star Sues MGM and Thrives Back Home
Biography of actress Elizabeth Allan from her youth to success on British stage and screen. Allan becomes a Hollywood star and then sues MGM before going back home and becoming a success all over again.
Cecilia Parker Biography: From B-Westerns to A-Support to Marian Hardy
The most complete Cecilia Parker biography you’re going to find. Corrects her marriage record and follows her career from B-westerns to Marian Hardy.
Alan Dinehart Biography, Hollywood Talkies Claim Another from Broadway
A look at the life of Hollywood character actor Alan Dinehart headlines the Immortal Archives for October 3. Also includes TCM Picks for the day and more.
Movie Reviews & Articles
Terror Aboard (1933) – Grand Hotel of Murder on the High Seas
One passenger drops after another in Terror Aboard (1933), Paramount’s pre-Code preview of the far-off slasher genre. An all-star cast of B-players is led by John Halliday in this tale of multiple murders at sea.
Man Made Monster (1941) Introduces Lon Chaney Jr to Universal Horror
Universal casts Lon Chaney Jr in his first horror role, the exciting 59-minute thriller Man Made Monster starring Lionel Atwill as the man, and Chaney Jr as the monster. Includes a look at Chaney Jr’s career to date, and Atwill’s career thereafter.
Remembering Jackie Cooper, 1922-2011, with Peck’s Bad Boy (1934)
Remembering Jackie Cooper, who died today at age 88. His career and legacy, plus a look at 1934’s Peck’s Bad Boy starring Cooper with Thomas Meighan.
Moments of Horror as Boris Karloff Stars as The Mummy (1932)
An reappraisal of Universal horror classic The Mummy (1932) confirms original suspicions. A look at a horror masterpiece from both a personal and historical perspective.
Girl Missing (1933) Starring Glenda Farrell, Mary Brian
Murder-mystery GIRL MISSING (1933) ignores its murder and telegraphs its mystery, but Glenda Farrell manages to carry the day anyway. An excellent pre-Code showcase for the actress. Good support from Guy Kibbee, Helen Ware, and Ferdinand Gottschalk.
The Conquerors (1932) Starring Richard Dix and Ann Harding
I watched a pair of Richard Dix films this week, the Oscar winning Cimarron from 1931 and The Conquerors released the following year. This review focuses on the film I liked better.