Today’s email includes birthday images of Alan Hale, Lon Chaney Jr. (plus one of Lon Sr.), and an Olin Howland shot that I’ve posted before, but it’s a great image!
Born on this date, February 10: Olin Howland in 1886; Robert Keith in 1890; Alan Hale in 1892; Jimmy Durante in 1893; Roy D’Arcy in 1894; Judith Anderson in 1897; Thornton Freeland in 1898; Stella Adler in 1901; John Farrow in 1904; Lon Chaney Jr. in 1906; Erik Rhodes in 1906; Hazel Court in 1926; and Robert Wagner in 1930.
All links lead to each actor’s IMDb page, set to open in a new tab.
Apologies, as I expected to get in touch prior to now but a family medical issue has kept me away. While I’ve found a moment to write this morning and things appear to be on the general upswing, the days are currently filled with phone calls and care-giving, so I’m not quite sure when I’ll be able to check back in.
I was determined to get in touch before the 15th of this month because I wanted to alert you to a contest that my pal Danny is holding at Pre-Code.com — Danny is giving away a paperback copy of my book, Helen Twelvetrees, Perfect Ingenue. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on THIS PRE-CODE.COM POST describing your favorite forgotten star.
Thanks very much to Danny for this bit of promotion!
Reviews of Helen Twelvetrees, Perfect Ingenue are beginning to come in from around the web. I’ve collected a few excerpts that I’ve posted on THIS PAGE (Excerpts from most recent reviews also appear on the site sidebar). I’ll save you a click and reproduce them again below so that you can access each of the reviews in full on their originating sites.
Jacqueline T. Lynch, author of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer.Star., says: “A prime example of a classic film fan taking the reins to produce a scholarly study of a neglected figure from the Golden Age of classic films in a way that I feel is refreshing, infinitely helpful to fans and students of old movies.” Full review.
Silver Screenings says: “A fascinating account of an ambitious and hard-working woman … Aliperti’s book is well written and incredibly well researched.” Full review.
Speakeasy says: “Despite her decline, this is not a sad or bleak book but an enjoyable history … Any fan of the collectible Citadel “Films of” book series will appreciate the modern twist on that format, a full biography followed by an expanded filmography. In the e-version this is especially well-structured and interactive …” Full review.
A Classic Movie Blog says: “I think this is a good format for performers with short lives and brief careers … I went into it with only mild curiosity about Twelvetrees and now I find my self pining for copies of unavailable, but intriguing films.” Full review.
Helen Twelvetrees, Perfect Ingenue has also collected a handful of reviews at Goodreads, though I’d love to see some more reviews left on the book’s Amazon page. Many thanks to those who have already done so with additional thanks to those who are planning to leave a review!
Right now, or at least before life became so busy, I had returned to work on my second eBook collection of articles about pre-Code movies. Actually, I had started this back towards the end of 2014 before Helen Twelvetrees interrupted. My plan was to post brief reviews and the occasional interesting bit of research surrounding each entry to the site as I completed the more detailed first drafts of each essay for the eBook. By the time I left the project aside, I had already posted a couple of short reviews to the site. I’ll be working on another eight or nine entries towards this upcoming pre-Code eBook #2 in the near future.
My plan is to blend entries like I did in the first eBook to provide a variety of pre-Code coverage by year and studio: I decided on Red-Haired Alibi (1932) as my independent film company entry and plan to do a little research surrounding its star, Merna Kennedy, when time allows. Look for a brief biography about that forgotten actress to appear on the site once things are a little more normal around here.
That’s about all I’m going to have time to squeeze in for today—I had just wanted to check in so you didn’t forget me and to alert you to the contest at Pre-Code.com. If you’re an email subscriber, please enjoy the images that follow.
I really hope to be back again soon!
Cliff
Your book is getting rave reviews, Cliff, and deservedly so!