A 4,000 word biography of the African American actress Louise Beavers whose greatest fame came as Aunt Delilah in 1934’s Imitation of Life. She enjoyed a long career in mostly maid roles including a starring role on early 1950s television series Beulah.
Popular Posts
Movie Star Biographies
Edward Ellis – A Biography of The Thin Man, an Actor to Remember
A biography of actor Edward Ellis, best remembered for playing the title role in 1934’s The Thin Man. But Ellis, an acting pro since the 1870s, became a full fledged movie star with 1938’s A Man to Remember.
Freddie Bartholomew Complete Biography of the 1930’s MGM Child Star
The most complete Freddie Bartholomew biography in existence. Now a single entry, over 10,000 words with bibliography about MGM’s popular child star of the 1930’s. What happened to the star of David Copperfield, Little Lord Fauntleroy and Captains Courageous after he grew up? It’s all here.
Dorothy Dell, Star of Little Miss Marker (1934), Gone at Just 19
Dorothy Dell had only appeared in three feature length films when she died, age 19, in a 1934 car accident. This biography includes her rise to fame and looks at all three movies.
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.
Rochelle Hudson’s Uneven Career Featuring Will Rogers and Way Down East
A biography of 1930’s screen ingenue Rochelle Hudson focusing on a career which saw her work with Will Rogers, W.C. Fields, and Shirley Temple, plus star in a remake of Way Down East and eventually come back to the big screen to play a small role in East of Eden.
Movie Reviews & Articles
The Voice of Bugle Ann (1936) Starring Lionel Barrymore with Maureen O’Sullivan
MGM’s The Voice of Bugle Ann (1936) with Lionel Barrymore provides a look at Missouri foxhunting. Post includes some background on American foxhunting and a bit about the quote Barrymore’s Spring Davis attributes to Senator Vest during his murder trial.
Viewing The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) for Leslie Howard’s Birthday
Happy birthday to Leslie Howard (1893-1943) today. I celebrate with a viewing The Scarlet Pimpernel and sharing my thoughts on both the film and Howard in this space today, all illustrated by movie cards and collectibles.
Remember the Night (1940) Starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray
Background and action in Paramount’s Remember the Night (1940), directed by Michell Leisen from a screenplay by Preston Sturges, featuring a budding romance between Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray during the Christmas season. With special attention given to character actor Willard Robertson, whose loquacious lawyer steals the show out of the gates. Lengthy article, over 5,000 words, that first appeared in Classic Movie Monthly #4.
Symphony of Six Million (1932) starring Ricardo Cortez
RKO’s Symphony of Six Million (1932) is an interesting David O. Selznick produced film with a then unusual focus on a Jewish family. Ricardo Cortez stars as a young doctor with Anna Appel and Gregory Ratoff as his parents and Irene Dunne as the handicapped girl who’s loved him since childhood.
Winner Take All (1932) from Warner Archive’s Latest Wave of James Cagney
James Cagney stars as boxer Jimmy Kane in Winner Take All, a 1932 Warner Bros. release. This post takes a look at the Rocky II-like double knockdown from the film in order to revisit its inspiration, a real-life 1912 lightweight title fight. Also starring Marian Nixon and Virginia Bruce.
Child of Manhattan (1933) Starring Nancy Carroll, John Boles
Adapted by Columbia from a critically savaged Broadway play by Preston Sturges. Child of Manhattan is saved on screen by its captivating star, Nancy Carroll, who plays taxi-dancer Madeleine McGonagle. With John Boles, Buck Jones, and Jessie Ralph. Directed by Edward Buzzell.