A brief look at the life and career of Lew Ayres, best remembered as the youthful star of All Quiet on the Western Front and several Dr. Kildare features.
Popular Posts
Movie Star Biographies
Robert McWade – Brief Biography of the Grouchy Character Actor
A brief look at the career of 1930s character actor Robert McWade including images of him in some of his more famous movies. Son of a stage legend, he managed to upstage his father at the very end.
Spencer Tracy Hits the Jackpot at MGM
Spencer Tracy arrives at MGM and embarks on a run of films that grow in critical and popular success. Inspired by the biography by James Curtis with partial review.
Jean Muir – Why the 1930’s Warner Brothers Actress Left Film
The ups and downs of 1930’s Warner Brothers actress Jean Muir who left film on her own terms only to be branded a Communist when she attempted a return to TV.
Hugh Herbert – Woo Woo Man vs. F. Hugh and Other Biographical Corrections
A complete biography of Woo Woo! man Hugh Herbert that reestablishes many writing and directorial credits previously given to F. Hugh Herbert and reveals his wife, Rose Epstein, and co-star, Anita Pam, were the same person. Hugh’s early vaudeville days dating from 1911 are covered as well as his earliest work at the film studios.
Milton Sills, The Mighty Two-Fisted He-Man of the Silent Screen
A biography of Milton Sills, stage and silent film actor with a philosophy background. Poised to make a hit in talkies when he died in 1930. Article also includes a synopsis of Sills’ most famous film, The Sea Hawk.
Movie Reviews & Articles
Stranger in Town (1932) – Chic Sale Takes on a Big Grocery Chain
The small grocery Chic Sale runs in Boilsville is threatened in Warner Brothers’ Stranger in Town (1932) when a big competitor comes to town. Also starring Ann Dvorak, David Manners, and Noah Beery.
In Old Chicago (1937) starring Power, Ameche, Faye, with a Biographical Aside about Oscar Winner Alice Brady
In Old Chicago (1937) shows off young 20th Century-Fox players Tyrone Power, Don Ameche and Alice Faye to great advantage, but it was Alice Brady who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. After an introduction to the film this post includes a brief biography of Brady who portrayed Molly O’Leary.
The World Changes (1933) Starring the Many Faces of Paul Muni
Paul Muni stars in First National’s 1933 multigenerational film The World Changes. Also starring Mary Astor. Muni earns a fortune in the meat-packing industry but is led too far from his roots and watches his children stray even further from what he considers a good life.
Stablemates (1938) – MGM Rides Seabiscuit to Hit with Beery and Rooney
MGM’s horse racing weepie Stablemates starring Wallace Beery and Mickey Rooney released just three weeks before Seabiscuit’s match race vs. War Admiral. A look at time, circumstances and film.
Them! (1954) featuring Edmund Gwenn vs. Giant Ants
A look at the 1954 science fiction classic Them! starring James Whitmore, James Arness and especially Edmund Gwenn and the giant ants. 1950’s sci-fi big bug classic. This article concentrates on the logic typically voiced throughout by Gwenn’s scientist.
Cecil B. DeMille’s Cleopatra (1934) Starring Claudette Colbert
A look at Cecil B. DeMille’s lavish 1934 production of Cleopatra starring Claudette Colbert as Cleopatra. With Warren William and Henry Wilcoxon.