Biographical information about Bonita Granville, Oscar nominated child star of These Three and later Nancy Drew on screen. Also personal observations of Granville’s appearances opposite Mickey Rooney in two Hardy series entries.
Popular Posts
Movie Star Biographies
Ann Sheridan – Search for Beauty Contest Winner Before the Oomph
Ann Sheridan’s beginnings in Hollywood. A look at the International Search for Beauty contest that Clara Lou Sheridan rode to a Paramount contract.
Edward Arnold: Before Hollywood
A brief look at the life and career of Edward Arnold before he arrived in Hollywood and became the beloved character actor we remember him as today. Illustrated by period stills.
Dwight Frye’s Last Laugh – Before and Beyond Dracula and Frankenstein
Dwight Frye is legendary for his roles in the Universal horror classics Dracula and Frankenstein. The 1997 biography Dwight Frye’s Last Laugh chronicles the actor’s fast rise to surprising heights and even quicker fall.
Ann Sheridan Biography
A biography of actress Ann Sheridan, best known from her days as Warner Brothers’ Oomph Girl from films such as They Drive by Night and Kings Row.
Kathleen Burke Wins Nationwide Contest! The Road to Panther Woman in Island of Lost Souls
A look at Paramount’s Summer 1932 nationwide contest to cast Lota, the Panther Woman in Island of Lost Souls. Focus on the eventual Panther Woman winner, Kathleen Burke. Lots of old news clippings.
Movie Reviews & Articles
Five and Ten (1931) Starring Marion Davies and Leslie Howard
From a novel by Fannie Hurst, MGM’s Five and Ten stars Marion Davies and Leslie Howard, but this tale of the nouveau riche is at its weakest during their scenes. Strong support from Richard Bennett, Irene Rich, and Kent Douglass should have been even stronger. A recent MOD DVD-R release from Warner Archive.
I Married a Doctor (1936) Attempts to Update Main Street
Main Street by Sinclair Lewis was published in 1920. In 1936 Warner Bros. attempted to update the Lewis story with I Married a Doctor, starring Josephine Hutchinson and Pat O’Brien. The movie is entertaining but it is no Main Street choosing to focus more on the love angle than it does Carol’s battle against the small town.
A Dispatch from Reuters (1940) – Plus the Real Reuter vs. Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson stars as the entrepreneur behind A Dispatch from Reuters (1940), a Warner Brothers’ biopic whose message is progress and knowledge through a smaller world. Plus a look at the real Reuter compared to the Edward G. Robinson character of the movie.
First Impressions: Mrs. Parkington (1944) with Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon
Brief first impressions of Mrs. Parkington (1944) written soon after my first viewing. Starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon.
James Dunn and Claire Dodd star in The Payoff (1935)
A fast paced tale of a sportswriter taking on a gambler with his wife coming in between his ethics and his loyalties. The Payoff (1935) stars James Dunn, Claire Dodd, Alan Dinehart, Patricia Ellis and Frankie Darro.
Secret of the Chateau (1934) Universal Murder Mystery Starring Claire Dodd
Universal murder mystery with an excellent ensemble cast revolves around a Gutenberg Bible. Bonus material about the U.S. Library of Congress 1930 purchase of a Gutenberg Bible with funds that ultimately filled the coffers of a Nazi propagandist.