Barbara Nichols was definitely “in on it”. For nearly four decades, she flaunted her way across Hollywood in small (even uncredited) roles as strippers, gold-diggers, prostitutes, gun molls and other assorted floozies. She played characters with names like “Lola”, “Brandy”, “Candy” and even “Poopsie”. She played her brassy, buxom, wise-cracking dumb-blond scene-stealer to its absolute …
In the early 1930s, Frank Churchill filled the void of house composer just after Carl Stalling left The Disney Studios to join Warner Brothers (along with Disney animator Ub Iwerks). Frank was a veritable music machine, cranking out “feel good” musical scores to accompany the cheerful antics depicted in Disney’s animated cartoons. His music and collaborative …
This week’s Illustration Friday suggested word is “brigade”. Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. – – – – – My annual Christmas music compilation is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD for a limited time. 26 unusual songs and a custom full-color …
Joyce Compton had an unusual Hollywood career (unusual, at least, as compared to the multitude of tragic Hollywood careers highlighted on this blog). Joyce starred in hundreds of uncredited roles in a career that spanned five decades. She was regularly cast as the quintessential “dumb blond”, playing the part in big-budget films and B-grade productions. …
This week’s Illustration Friday word is “round”. Michael Larson was flat broke, unemployed and had few possessions. He did, however, have a lot of time. And he used his time wisely. With no job, he began watching game shows to combat his boredom. One show, Press Your Luck, piqued his interest. Famous for its simple …
E. Mason Hopper, a prolific director of the silent film era, saw young Edwina Booth in a stage production and was taken by her performance. He offered the actress a small role in an upcoming film starring Marie Prevost. Impressed with Edwina’s ability, MGM cast her in the studio’s new big-budget jungle adventure Trader Horn. The …
This week’s Illustration Friday word is “vanity”. “You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht Your hat strategically dipped below one eye Your scarf it was apricot You had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte” — “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon Carly Simon’s 1972 hit …
As a child, little Sue Hamilton had aspirations of becoming a farmer, but sometimes things change. And things changed for Sue. After high school, Sue began modeling. A photographer with whom she worked sent a sampling of her pictures to Playboy. The magazine was impressed and contacted Sue. She was elated — never believing that, at just …
This week’s Illustration Friday inspirational word is “silent”. “Now hurry down, baby she’s the hippest street in town!” – South Street by The Orlons (1963) The Orlons sure knew what they were talking about in their 1963 hit “South Street”. By the time I started hanging out on Philadelphia’s South Street in the 70s, it was …
In the month following the capture of the Chinese capital of Nanking by the Japanese during the second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers were murdered and up to 80,000 Chinese women were raped by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army. As the years went on, many Japanese nationalists have …
