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.
Popular Posts
Movie Star Biographies
John Boles, Sinatra of the 30s and Elvis Presley of the Stone Age
John Boles appeared in Universal’s Frankenstein, three Shirley Temple films, and co-starred with many of Hollywood’s most beloved leading ladies. Do you remember him?
Arthur Hohl – Broadway to Hollywood, Double-Dealers All the Way
A biography of character actor Arthur Hohl, whose Broadway stardom typed him as cowardly villains and humorless prosecutors throughout Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Claudette Colbert, Her Start, Broadway Success and Earliest Films
A biography of Claudette Colbert covering her earliest days as she came to the stage, found Broadway success and transitioned to film. Claudette Colbert from France to New York, up until It Happened One Night (1934).
Eugene Pallette – Brief Biography with Additional Trivia
A look at Eugene Pallette, the heavyset character actor with the gravelly voice. Did he retire due to ill health or did charges of racism run him out of the movies? A brief biography includes a look at Pallette’s ranch in Oregon.
Una Merkel – Biographical Notes and Quotes
A critique of the 2012 TCM Una Merkel birthday schedule along with highlights of her biography and several quotes attributed to her throughout her career.
Movie Reviews & Articles
Best Picture Cavalcade (1933) Sets Stage for Upstairs, Downstairs and Beyond
Looking at the 1934 Academy Award winning Best Picture, Hollywood-made Cavalcade (1933) based on Noel Coward’s hit London play. Fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey will find themselves in a familiar place. Piece also includes brief biographies of Cavalcade stars Diana Wynyard, Herbert Mundin and Ursula Jeans.
Viña Delmar and Uptown New York (1932) – World Wide’s Bad Girl
World Wide’s Uptown New York (1932) turns out to be more than a Bad Girl (1931) rip-off. With biography of Viña Delmar, who wrote both original stories.
Ace of Aces (1933) Starring Richard Dix and Elizabeth Allan
Richard Dix stars as a pacifist sculptor turned bloodthirsty World War I Ace of Aces. Morality story with good action, complicated character. With Elizabeth Allan.
John Ford’s Stagecoach (1939) Starring John Wayne and Claire Trevor
The classic John Ford western Stagecoach (1939) is a movie for everybody. Forget genre prejudices and thrill to John Wayne, Claire Trevor and all of the rest of one of the richest supporting casts you’ll ever encounter.
The Penalty (1941) Starring Gene Reynolds and Edward Arnold
Roosty worships gangster dad “Stuff” Nelson in MGM’s The Penalty (1941). When the G-men send Roosty to the farm he has to adjust to life amongst the hicks. Starring Edward Arnold as Stuff, Lionel Barrymore and Gene Reynolds as Roosty.
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.