The Silver Screen Oasis

I've never seen Elisha Cook Jr. look so young! Never ceases to amaze me how you dig 'em up, Joe.

P.T., what's funny is that when I first looked at that early shot of Elisha I could easily visualize him playing Renfield in Tod Browning's "Dracula". Would have been interesting casting, for sure.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TOMMY RALL is 84 today


RAY MALA (1906 - 1952)


OSCAR LEVANT (1906 - 1972)


MARLENE DIETRICH (1901 - 1992)


SYDNEY GREENSTREET (1879 - 1954)

IMO, Marlene never looked so sultry and seductive as she does in that great shot from "Manpower".

At first glance I thought Tommy Rall was Hurd Hatfield. They coulda played brothers.

And the magnificent Sydney Greenstreet. What more need be said?

You are correct on all counts, Stone.

An impressive still of John Wayne in "Rio Grande"

Joe, looking at that magnificent shot of John Wayne (and thinking back to what you mentioned about Catherine McLeod not being particularly fond of Richard Widmark) reminded me that there apparently was no love lost between Duke and Dick, either, originating from The Hollywood Reporter ad Duke took out which read: "Welcome Aboard, Dick", referring, of course, to Widmark taking on the role of Jim Bowie in "The Alamo". Apparently Widmark did not appreciate being referred to as "Dick" and blatantly said so to Duke, thus setting the prevailing cool tone between the two for the rest of the shoot (which is sad since they played so well together in the picture).

What's kinda interesting, however, is that some years earlier when Widmark appeared as "himself" on an episode of "I Love Lucy", Desi Arnaz (as Ricky) continually refers to Widmark as "Dick" and that obviously did not seem to present a problem.

Makes one wonder how Duke and Sonny Tufts would have gotten along. Tufts was quoted as saying at the time that he was campaigning for the role of Jim Bowie "like Frank Sinatra fought for Maggio."

Stone, as usual you provided some interesting tidbits from Hollywoodland.
I could see Sonny Tufts in the role of Jim Bowie. The actor wasn't that bad.

Mae West drops in to visit Julie Andrews on the set of "STAR!".

Apparently Widmark did not appreciate being referred to as "Dick" and blatantly said so to Duke, thus setting the prevailing cool tone between the two for the rest of the shoot (which is sad since they played so well together in the picture).

So do you think taht maybe the blooper in The Alamo that clearly shows Richard Widmark standing on a box to be on eye level with John Wayne (Just at the start of the seige) was not quite an accident

dee

Gosh, dee, I'm unaware of that "Alamo" blooper. Interesting observation, though. Let's see: Widmark was 5'10". Duke was 6'4. The two standing at eye level. Gonna have to check for that on my DVD.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

BILLY CHAPIN is 70 today


MAGGIE SMITH is 79 today


MARTIN MILNER is 82 today


LEW AYRES (1908 - 1996)

Hi Anne,

I once worked with a man named Richard Head and, as you can imagine, he was referred to as Dick Head....
And also, the family in the next condo to me are the Harders; and the husband's name is Richard and called Dick - Dick Harder always makes me snicker!!

Larry

Now that is funny, Larry.

Jane Greer, James Cagney & Dorothy Malone in a still from "The Man of a Thousand Faces"