El Brendel Born March 25, 1890 Pictured here with Janet Gaynor in Sunnyside Up (1929)
Elsewhere on the Web: Sadomasochism, Swingers and Scarface
A quick note for Raiders of Ghost City fans: I’m writing for a couple of other outlets now and have, between today and March 20th, ten deadlines to meet. Raiders is going to have to wait for a couple of weeks while I get everything else squared away. Thanks for your patience. Speaking of other…
Happy Birthday, Henry Daniell!
Henry Daniell March 5, 1894 – October 31, 1963 (Photo: Daniell and Greta Garbo in Camille (1936))
Raiders of Ghost City #3: Death Rides Double
Last week on Raiders of Ghost City! Jeff, black-clad resident of Oro Grande and member of Regis Toomey’s gold raiders, confesses that he’s really a spy named Jim, and Captain Steve “Bland” Clark’s brother. Meanwhile, the real but secret leaders of the gold theft ring, the dapper Alex and Trina, are speeding toward Oro Grande.…
March Movies to Watch For
Here are some films on Fox Movie Channel, Sundance, IndiePlex, RetroPlex and TCM for the month of March, 2013 that you might be interested in. Remember, these movies may be edited, time compressed, in the wrong aspect ratio, have commercial interruptions, be preempted, or have never existed in the first place. You know how it…
Raiders of Ghost City #2: Flaming Treachery
The moment I started this chapter I knew I would love it, because its title is “Flaming Treachery.” As in treachery, an intangible yet powerful thing, which somehow caught the fuck on fire. Delicious. Raiders of Ghost City was produced by Universal in 1944, and is one of the last movie serials they ever did.…
Marie Prevost Project: Only Yesterday (1933)
For anyone interested in doing research using these posts, please read the note at the bottom of the post. Thank you. *** One of the most terrible yet fascinating facets of Marie Prevost’s Hollywood decline is how poorly she was treated in the latter days of her career. Precious little is available about what went…
Happy Birthday, Mr. Benny!
Jack Benny February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974
Raiders of Ghost City #1: Murder By Accident
Welcome to SBBN’s new weekly movie serial, Raiders of Ghost City (1944). This fine matinee fare is brought to you by a generous contribution from SBBN partner in crime and official alibi Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. of Thrilling Days of Yesteryear. Thank you, Ivan! The plan, and there’s always a plan though it often doesn’t…
Bathing Beauty Days: Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson: Glamorous star of the cinema or victim of a horrible smear campaign designed to make her seem mortal, adorable and occasionally clad in a swimsuit, just like those harlot Sennett broads? Gloria Swanson clowning around with Phyllis Haver while on the set of The Pullman Bride (1917), absolutely not being a Bathing Beauty…