Immortal Ephemera - Latest Comments

Re: Freddie Bartholomew – Part 2: Little Lord Fauntleroy, Captains Courageous, Suspension

Angelofvic — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:12:19 -0000

Hi Cliff, have you heard from Peter lately? He hasn't responded to e-mail or PM about exciting new Freddie info, in three weeks; whereas he usually responds immiediately. I hope he's OK.

Re: Listen to My TCM Picks for the Week of May 14-20 at The Cinementals

Cliff Aliperti — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:13:16 -0000

Thanks for taking the time Raquel . No, and I'm definitely not shy about those couple I named :) A nice indirect way to bash the entire 50's, no? Hey, at least I didn't say anything about Marilyn!

Re: Listen to My TCM Picks for the Week of May 14-20 at The Cinementals

Raquel — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:33:42 -0000

Hey! I listened to this. I hardly ever listen to podcasts (I guess I should!) but made an exception in your case.
Wow you guys really don't like certain people! It was fun to listen to nevertheless. :-)

Re: Government Girl (1943) Starring Olivia de Havilland and Sonny Tufts

Cliff Aliperti — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:47:21 -0000

Thanks again for including me in your roundup @Laura , I always appreciate it!

I haven't seen "The Doughgirls" (looks interesting) but right-on about "The More the Merrier." And as we discussed on Twitter last night, probably a fun movie for fans of Olivia de Havilland in "Princess O'Rourke" as well.

Re: Government Girl (1943) Starring Olivia de Havilland and Sonny Tufts

Laura — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:02:11 -0000

Just a quick note to follow up on my "roundup" link and say how much I enjoyed your detailed and well-written post! Looks like the film fits in well with themes in movies like THE MORE THE
MERRIER and THE DOUGHGIRLS -- the peek at wartime Washington is fun! Looking forward to the movie, and I hope others will enjoy the post and/or the film as well. :)

Best wishes,
Laura

Re: When the USPS Confirms Delivery Sometimes There’s Nothing There

Cliff Aliperti — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:14:06 -0000

@Jillian I agree, it's probably all off. USPS doesn't do a great job at explaining this but from past phone calls they've made it explicitly clear to me--delivery confirmation is not intended as tracking. To them the name of the service implies exactly what it says, confirmation of delivery. It's unfortunate to hear that they still don't have even that part of it nailed down correctly.

Re: When the USPS Confirms Delivery Sometimes There’s Nothing There

Jillian — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:06:19 -0000

Unfortunate to come across this article from over a year ago, as I feel the USPS's "Delivery Confirmation" is actually getting worse. I never had a problem with it until a few months ago, when packages started being marked as "Delivered" and yet there was nothing on my doorstep. They would show up one or two days later, but I'm still baffled why it seems that as of late any time a package makes its way onto my mail carrier's truck--"Out for delivery"--she cannot manage to get it into my hands. Makes me believe that not only is the "Delivered" portion incorrect, but the "Out for delivery" (and maybe even more steps before it) is off, as well.

Re: Let’s Go to the Movies! Clementon Theatre Pre-Code Programs, 1933-34

Cliff Aliperti — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:02:49 -0000

Thanks @whistlingypsy - I haven't seen the same 3 that you mention. I actually liked Massacre quite a bit, if memory serves that was Barthelmess' last movie under contract to Warner. The Arbuckle shorts caught me by surprise tucked away like that though!

Re: Let’s Go to the Movies! Clementon Theatre Pre-Code Programs, 1933-34

whistlingypsy — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:11:38 -0000

Cliff ~ a really
great collection of film programs, “Bureau Of Missing Persons” is exactly what
you would expect of a lurid pre-code film. A few of the titles are familiar,
films I’ve seen on TCM a time or two, but there are an equal number that are
entirely new: “Broadway Through A KeyHole”; “Bombay Mail”; “Come On Marines”
(with Richard Arlen and Ida Lupino!). A few are a bit sad for silent actors
brought low: Richard Barthelmess in “Massacre” and Fatty Arbuckle shorts on a
program with a Barbara Stanwyck film.

Re: Harrison’s Reports – An Introduction to the Film Exhibitor’s Weekly, 1934

Cliff Aliperti — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:06:22 -0000

Thanks Rich, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Re: Harrison’s Reports – An Introduction to the Film Exhibitor’s Weekly, 1934

Rich Stine — Sat, 05 May 2012 09:27:07 -0000

Marvelous find...and delighted you are sharing. A rare treat of a glimpse inside Hollywood. Congratulations to you!

Re: A Look Inside My TCM Now Playing Guide: Previewing May 2012 on TCM

Cliff Aliperti — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:47:16 -0000

@Dobbie6060 I'm just happy you made it to the end of the article and suppose only a kindred spirit would have managed to do so. Thank you! If anything makes me shudder more than the term heartthrobs it would be beach movies, so I suppose June can only be an improvement on that one week this past month!

Re: A Look Inside My TCM Now Playing Guide: Previewing May 2012 on TCM

dar — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:37:17 -0000

"come June when TCM really turns up the pressure on my torture chamber by foregoing a traditional Star of the Month in favor of celebrating 50's and 60's teen heartthrobs..."
- yes,Prof Cliff, June will be the cruelest month of all...thanks so much for the warning of gooey,brain dead muck to come

Re: A Look Inside My TCM Now Playing Guide: Previewing May 2012 on TCM

Cliff Aliperti — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:22:11 -0000

Thanks @Jill ... I'm even pumped for some of the Westerns. Not my favorite genre, but I always appreciate the best it has to offer and that includes some Joel McCrea!

Re: A Look Inside My TCM Now Playing Guide: Previewing May 2012 on TCM

Jill — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:19:24 -0000

Cliff--

Thanks for an amazing run-down for May. Like you, I've been waiting for a Joel McCrea month for a very long time. He's a favorite!

Re: Ten 1930s Character Actors Looking Youthful on 1910s Collectibles

Cliff Aliperti — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 01:55:03 -0000

Thanks so much Kathy Brown I really appreciate your stopping by! And very glad I had an early May Robson image to share for you--I'm not so sure the image is as old as the card (1908), but if so then May's no spring chicken at age 50 or so there! (I have a feeling they used a slightly earlier image). Thanks again and I hope you found more fun stuff on the site from this starting point!

Re: Ten 1930s Character Actors Looking Youthful on 1910s Collectibles

Kathy Brown — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:00:35 -0000

What a marvelous website! I'm just watching a May Robson film, and wanted to see her in her youth. Thus I find you. Ah, there's nothing to compare to the old actors/actresses; nor the old films.

Re: It Happened in Hollywood (1937) Starring Richard Dix and Fay Wray

Cliff Aliperti — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:40:04 -0000

Thanks @Page I mention both, they're all cut from the same cloth ... or at least inciting incident. No cameos, just celeb doubles. Some better than others (Mae West is pretty bad!)

Liking Richard Dix more with every movie I see him in. Feels like one of those stars like Warner Baxter, Warren William, who just died too long ago to remain appreciated (Dix died in 1949).

Re: It Happened in Hollywood (1937) Starring Richard Dix and Fay Wray

Page — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:56:23 -0000

Cliff,
This is sitting on my DVR! Can't wait to watch it. I love that there are star cameo's and those celeb doubles look fun. I've only seen a handful of Richard Dix films. I saw this film as a teen in bits and pieces so I was thrilled when it aired recently.

Great captions! You mentioned the plots similarities to A Star Is Born but for some reason the synopsis reminded me of the recent The Artist. We shall see.
I'll let you know what I think after seeing it later this week.

Another beautifully written review.
Page

Re: The Doorway to Hell (1930) Starring Lew Ayres and James Cagney

Cliff Aliperti — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:30:13 -0000

Thanks Becky! I'm still stunned at how hard this one was to find until just last month when Warner Archive released it! Ayres is so young he makes a 31-year-old Cagney seem like an old-timer!

Re: The Doorway to Hell (1930) Starring Lew Ayres and James Cagney

Becky Barnes — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:17:25 -0000

Outstanding article, Cliff -- "Doorway to Hell" is a favorite of mine, but I don't have a copy! Like Karen, I would pull mine out right away to watch it -- so frustrating, and it's all your fault! LOL! I loved Lew Ayres in the part -- he had that sweet baby face, and that always works for me when such an actor plays the bad guy. I had only seen him in the Doctor Kildare movies before I saw Doorway, and he did great. Cagney, of course, is always a treat to see. You are so right -- seems like Cagney was the whole package right from the start of his career. Your background info and insights were so well done, and I really enjoyed this!

Re: The Doorway to Hell (1930) Starring Lew Ayres and James Cagney

Cliff Aliperti — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:42:01 -0000

@Karen I've been working the past 12 hours or so putting together all of these notes and collecting my thoughts into the writing that appears above (doorway to hell, indeed!) and your comment just gave me instant gratification that it was all worth while--THANK YOU!

I couldn't believe what a finished product Cagney was, it's all there. Those three quick scenes I described, which all come back to back, simply perfect!

Do let me know what you think of Dorothy Mathews, I thought she had a very subtle appeal. Heck, maybe she was supposed to be something else and blew the part, but what I got out of her was clean and natural, really enjoyed her.

Re: The Doorway to Hell (1930) Starring Lew Ayres and James Cagney

Karen — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 18:36:17 -0000

Loved your post, Cliff -- and I love Doorway to Hell. In fact, while I often read blog posts that make me want to see or re-watch a film, yours here is the first one that literally made me get up and find my copy. It's on right now! I thought Lew Ayres was great in his role -- fearsome and appealing at the same time -- of course, Cagney was outstanding, and I remember being really shocked by the violence in the film the first time I saw it. I enjoyed reading about the info you provided about Doris Mathews, and will be giving her a closer look as I watch the film again now. Really enjoyed your post. Back to the movie! :o )

Re: Joe Cook’s Massive Spark Plug Collection on Display

Doris — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:04:05 -0000

Is there anyone out there who is interested in buying a set of avon glass spark plugs??? they are about 30 years old phone # 207-330-1406 thank you

Re: Mary Dees – Piecing Together Life of Jean Harlow’s Saratoga Stand-In

Cliff Aliperti — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:09:09 -0000

Thanks @Laura I'm still not sure whether Saratoga cursed Dees' career or if it was the best thing that could have happened to it, but it's interesting to think about either way!