The Silver Screen Oasis

Leigh does look like Meadows in that image, Stone.

Erik, you are lucky to have met Julie Newmar.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

ROBERT DeNIRO is 70 today


MAUREEN O'HARA is 93 today


EVELYN ANKERS (1918 - 1985)


MAE WEST (1893 - 1980)


MONTY WOOLLEY (1888 - 1963)

Beautiful Scream Queen Evelyn Ankers deserved special recognition just for putting up with the antics of her frequent 40s co-star Lon Chaney. Not limited to the unflattering creation of the "Evelyn Ankers" strap, devised at the insistence of Chaney who complained that carrying an unconscious Evelyn around the set in one of his monster get-ups could be quite a chore.

Then there's the story about Merv Griffin's run-in with a not-so-friendly Monty Woolley, who upon being approached by an admiring young Griffin while seated in a bar, coolly told Griffin to . . . well, I'll keep it clean.

Mega birthday wishes to Miss O'Hara. She still looks great!

Stone, it's hard to believe that a burly guy like Chaney would need a strap to carry Ankers.
And poo on Woolley for his bad behavior to Griffin. As a fan I would have done the same thing.
Ya never know.

Buster Keaton plays with sons Bob and Junior

Hi Joe,

Greetings from Mongolia!!! I'm in a yurt and it has WiFi - go figure... Even the train in Siberia doesn't have as good connections as a yurt in Ulan Bataar....
And, I ate yak for lunch - and I liked it!!! Shades of Richard Dreyfus in "D & O in LA"....

Now for my really useless info:
The photo of Bob & Joe with Buster Keaton reminds me that they both were known for years around LA as 'Talmadge' as their mother, Natalie Talmadge, was so bitter about Buster and the divorce that she changed her kids names.... And, her mother, the formidible Peg T., fully approved...
Later, the boys reversed back to Keaton. Buster, Jr.'s real name was Joseph.

I knew both vaguely; and heard that they both died a few years ago....

Larry

Joe, it's highly possible that Chaney needed that strap to help keep Evelyn steady in his arms when he . . . uh, was not.

Can't recall at the moment but it was either Virginia Christine or Ramsay Ames in one of those Chaney mummy movies who said that Lon was not too steady on his feet while carrying whichever gal up some temple steps. Legend has it that Lon had a flask secured inside his Kharis costume and could somehow manage to "fortify" himself through a straw. Which, apparently, he did often.

Yeah, ever since hearing that Merv Griffin-Monty Woolley story can't look at Woolley in his movies the same way.

Larry, so glad to hear that you are having a good time in Russia. Sounds like a WOW trip.
I probably would have enjoyed the yak, if I didn't know what I was eating.
That was interesting about the Buster Keaton boys, as your recollections usually are, for movie buffs like us.

Stone, I too will look at Monty Woolley in a different light now. It's a shame that Lon Chaney had such a drinking problem. He was actually a good actor, especially in "Of Mice and Men". My favorite mummy film is "The Mummy's Ghost" due primarily to Ramsay Ames in that silk nightgown.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

ROBERT REDFORD is 77 today


GRANT WILLIAMS (1931 - 1985)


JOAN TAYLOR (1929 - 2012)


SHELLEY WINTERS (1920 - 2006) I miss this lady


ALAN MOWBRAY (1896 - 1969)

Cinematographer Hal Mohr observes as director Michael Curtiz instructs Errol Flynn for a scene in "Captain Blood"

Today's birthday boy Grant Williams (1985)

I wonder if there exists somewhere a photo of Alan Ladd working behind the scenes of "Captain Blood". He was a grip, I think.

That's a terrific on the set photo from Captain Blood.

Carrie, I'll scout around for the Alan Ladd image.

Grant Williams was an actor I always admired. He always seemed to have a look of melancholy about him, though - which was probably why he was so effective as THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN. And sadly gone too soon.

Here's a link to one of his last (if not the last) television appearances -- which also contains some other goodies SSO members might enjoy:

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