What happened to the massive cassette tapes pictured in the above posted RCA promotional film about the ‘revolution in tape?’ Huge consoles seemed to hold four of these biggies which required no threading–imagine! It’s easy to be amused by dead technology but this one is a real puzzler. Did it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbAx6oznWKw Why, you may ask, are we watching a women’s prison musical number called ‘The Lockstep’ featuring an act known as ‘The Dodge Twins’ photographed in two-strip Technicolor on a lavishly vertical set (if one can refer to a prison as ‘lavish’) accompanied by dozens of imprisoned chorus girls all
Here’s a neat little five minute interview promo for the 1957 film ‘Fire Down Below’, starring Robert Mitchum, Rita Hayworth and Jack Lemmon. Ed Sullivan seems to have schlepped down to the films Trinidad location and filmed this little pre-EPK segment for broadcast on his show–it can’t be live, can
I freely admit to never having had any specific interest in Elvis. He’s been part of the wallpaper of pop culture in my mind ever since I was a kid–always identifiable, sometimes fun, more often than not a subject of ridicule or pity. Now, in light of Baz Luhrmann’s towering
There are several things that this morning’s cartoon lacks. 1) Color. 2) Humor. 3) Porky Pig, as we’ve come to know him. This Porky is grossly fat, can barely speak and appears to have no fidelity at all to his poor suffering little train, which manages to win a race
Here’s the (in)famous ballroom dancing match-up between James Cagney and George Raft from ‘Taxi’ (1932) directed by Roy Del Ruth. According to a dance savvy Youtube commenter: ‘Neither Raft nor Cagney are doing the Foxtrot. Mr. Raft is doing the Peabody and Mr. Cagney is mixing the Two Step into
There is something hypnotic and more than a little melancholy about this three minute silent reel of 8mm film shot in New York City in 1983 (our ‘year of the week’–see previous post). It appears to document a family outing on a warm spring or summer day. Our family appears
It’s easy to mock or criticize the 1980s but I have rose-colored glasses on when it comes to that decade. I turned 16 in 1980 and spent the happiest decade of my life roving around the quirky, edgy and still dirty and crime-laden New York City on display in this
‘Shindig’, a weekly pop music and dance program which aired on ABC from 1964 to 1966, was the inspiration for the somewhat slicker and better remembered ‘Hullabaloo’ which aired on NBC. A number of syndicated dance shows–‘Hollywood A Go Go’ and ‘Shivaree’ most notably–also appeared on the scene, but ‘Shindig’
Tomorrow night–July 12–at 7PM EST I will be the special guest on Will Friedwald’s weekly Zoom-Show ‘Clip Joint’. I’ll be sharing and discussing various clips of TV dance shows from the 1950s and 60s and I’d love you to join if you can. The official invite via Will is below.
'Fright Night', Shemp's first appearance with the Three Stooges (not really but that's a long story) awaits your viewing on our Saturday Morning Stoogefest. #Comedy #FilmTwitter https://raymonddefelitta.org/saturday-morning-stoogefest-2/
Check out the best dance number from a musical nobody really wants to see--Bob Fosse and Tommy Rall's amazing duet from 'My Sister Eileen' (1955). #FilmTwitter #Dance #TCM #musical https://raymonddefelitta.org/fosse-v-rall-a-duel-in-dance/
Dig this short but deeply period drive through the Greenwich Village of the 1970s, an era you simply can't make up. #NewYork #NewYorkCity #NewYorkForever #Documentary https://raymonddefelitta.org/the-village-in-the-bell-bottom-era/
Color footage of Greenwich Village in the 1940s is today's offering on our madcap journey through the history of that venerable neighborhood. #NewYork #NewYorkCity #NewYorkForever #Documentary
https://raymonddefelitta.org/greenwich-village-1940s-edition/
Some fab footage of Greenwich Village in the late 60s--back when the FBI raided Village clubs and not Florida bed-and-breakfasts--awaits your avid viewing. #NewYork #NewYorkCity #NewYorkForever #Documentary https://raymonddefelitta.org/a-village-called-greenwich-a-view-from-the-late-60s/
