To those of us who remember the Johnny Carson incarnation of ‘The Tonight Show’, the band (or the ‘NBC Orchestra’ as they were formally known) looms as an important piece of the magical synthesis of talents that produced the greatest talk show in TV history. (If you haven’t delved into
Given that TCM is showing all the ‘That’s Entertainment’ movies today, I thought I’d post the L&H magician sequence from MGM’s all-star ‘Hollywood Revue of 1929’. The movie is as creaky and wonderful as its title and while this particular L&H routine isn’t one of their high points, it was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDZAzkUL5B0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DunNsrvr51A&t=278s Probably the most famous of L&H’s silent films, ‘Liberty’ is an entry into the ‘thrill comedy’ genre as exemplified by the stuntwork of Harold Lloyd’s famous comedy ‘The Freshman’ as well as any number of death-defying stunts performed by Buster Keaton. Part of the machismo of the knockabout comedian
Over the past week or two I’ve been posting the amazing ‘home movie’ footage shot by eccentric dancer and enthusiastic amateur photographer George Mann of various stars he worked with on Broadway (click here for the great W.C. Fields footage from 1928). Apparently Mr. Mann went to Hollywood in 1928
Yesterday I posted a late 1960s Volkswagen TV ad featuring a young (and very funny) Dustin Hoffman. Apparently, fifteen or so years later, Hoffman remembered the ease with which he’d picked up a few shekels by pimping himself out for a car he would never drive and put the word
W.C. Fields last home in Los Angeles was in a Hollywood neighborhood called Laughlin Park. The neighborhood is close to the hills of Los Feliz and gated for privacy. The house was for sale last year and a rather nice video was made showing the joint off. The house was
Well, no, not exactly. But she did guest on ‘Playboy After Dark’ in 1970 and do this weird and groovy dance in what looks to be her green pajamas. I like digging around the margins of Barrie–everyone knows her as Fred Astaire’s partner, but clearly an appearance like this one
‘No Census, No Feeling’ (1940) was the fiftieth short subject made by The Three Stooges for Columbia Pictures. It was photographed from Saturday, May 25th through Wednesday, May 29th, 1940 and was released on Friday, November 4th of that year. The film begins with the inadvertent destruction of a shopkeepers
In the previous post I wrote about my warm and fuzzy feelings (mostly) for Jerry’s yearly labor day weekend bash. If you ever enjoyed watching the train wreck of a sleepless Jerry, or if you ever grooved to guests like Lola Falana and Joey Heatherton and Charlie Brill, then the
‘Hoi Polloi’ (1935) is the Stooge version of ‘Pygmalion’ (and thus could be musicalized as ‘My Fair Stooges’ I suppose). Having now explained enough about the plot I’ll move onto the fact that while ‘Hoi Polloi’ (translation from Greek: ‘the many’ i.e. ‘the common people’) was fairly early in the
'The Aloof' is Bob Fosse at his best, a #Dance number from 'Sweet Charity' that truly kills. Give it three minutes and change the complexion of your Monday for the better. #dancers #Broadway #MUSICAL #FilmTwitter #TCM https://raymonddefelitta.org/the-aloof-a-bob-fosse-joint/
Dig some Three Stooges action this Sunday with 'Loco Boy Makes Good', an exceptionally good Curly short with an exceptionally sad story about it's writer Clyde Bruckman. #comedy #filmtwt #TCM https://raymonddefelitta.org/saturday-stoogefest-16/
This weekend's Three Stooges offering is an excellent Curly vehicle called 'Loco Boy Makes Good' (1942). Enjoy it and enjoy my tale of how the film led to the suicide of one its writers, Clyde Bruckman. Jesus! #comedy #FilmTwitter #TCM #slap #Violence https://raymonddefelitta.org/saturday-stoogefest-16/
1080 Lexington Avenue pictured yesterday afternoon and in 1940. The old dame has seen a lot of NewYork passing by over the years. But it appears she’s finally meeting her end as we all do.
Watch a couple of early 1940s soundies featuring the teenage pre-#MGM Cyd Charisse. Fascinating viewing, IMHO. #Dance #MUSICAL #TCM #FilmTwitter https://raymonddefelitta.org/cyd-charisse-the-pre-mgm-years/
