“More stars than there are in heaven” was once the slogan for Hollywood’s largest studio. Larger-than-life celebrities like Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Katharine Hepburn, Jean Harlow and Gene Kelly were common fixtures at MGM. Today, MGM is an IP outpost purchased by Amazon for $8.5 billion in 2022, but in its day, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had the biggest lot in Hollywood and produced some of the most extravagant films. Located in Culver City, MGM’s famously sprawling lot began as it grew from the 40 acres owned by Samuel Goldwyn. The legendary MGM property was 3 miles long and housed more than 45 buildings and 14 stages, in addition to numerous outdoor sets that would be built over the years.
MGM was home to countless classic films, and in 1939 alone, the studio backed the timeless fantasy The Wizard of Oz and distributed the Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind, the Ernst Lubitsch/Greta Garbo comedy Ninotchka,...
MGM was home to countless classic films, and in 1939 alone, the studio backed the timeless fantasy The Wizard of Oz and distributed the Oscar-winning Gone With the Wind, the Ernst Lubitsch/Greta Garbo comedy Ninotchka,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Chris Yogerst
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Numerous actors aspire to stand on the illustrious stage and utter the iconic words, “I would like to thank The Academy,” as they receive the coveted Oscar. The Oscar is the pinnacle of achievement in the filmmaking industry, a dream for many. However, the reality is that not everyone can emerge victorious.
Many actors have come to understand that even multiple nominations don’t guarantee a win. The competition at the Academy Awards is fierce, and not everyone will have the honor of seeing their name engraved on the prestigious golden statue. We are now listing four deserving actors who finished their careers without ever winning an Oscar.
4 Actors Who Ended Their Careers Without An Oscar Win
As previously noted, securing an Oscar remains the pinnacle of acknowledgement for numerous actors, yet several top stars have not won the prestigious award. In fact, some actors concluded their careers without ever attaining an Academy Award.
Many actors have come to understand that even multiple nominations don’t guarantee a win. The competition at the Academy Awards is fierce, and not everyone will have the honor of seeing their name engraved on the prestigious golden statue. We are now listing four deserving actors who finished their careers without ever winning an Oscar.
4 Actors Who Ended Their Careers Without An Oscar Win
As previously noted, securing an Oscar remains the pinnacle of acknowledgement for numerous actors, yet several top stars have not won the prestigious award. In fact, some actors concluded their careers without ever attaining an Academy Award.
- 3/11/2024
- by Subhojeet Mookherjee
- FandomWire
In the early 1940s, a young Lena Horne began an engagement at an intimate L.A. club called Little Troc, where her silken voice — with her perfect enunciation and her sophisticated interpretation of the lyrics — dazzled the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Cole Porter, Lana Turner and Greta Garbo. Among the many eyes that observed her during her run were those of the astute, sensitive Roger Edens, who was an integral member of the Freed Unit at MGM Studios. Led by innovative producer Arthur Freed, the unit consisted of musical artists who created many of MGM’s great musicals from the golden age: It had recently produced Babes in Arms (1939) and would strike gold with An American in Paris (1951), Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and Gigi (1958).
Within the Freed Unit, Edens stood out as a highly respected composer, arranger and associate producer who eventually won three Academy Awards. After seeing Lena perform,...
Within the Freed Unit, Edens stood out as a highly respected composer, arranger and associate producer who eventually won three Academy Awards. After seeing Lena perform,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Donald Bogle
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At 5’2, Mickey Rooney may have been small in stature, but he had a huge personality and was one of the biggest stars in the heyday of the Golden Era of Hollywood. He had one of the longest careers of any entertainer, with a body of work that spans nine decades in the industry, including vaudeville, films, television, radio and the stage.
Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York. At 17 months old, he made his stage debut in his parent’s vaudeville act, and made his motion picture debut in 1926. In 1927, he starred in the first of several short films in the “Mickey Maguire” series, and adopted the stage name “Mickey Rooney.” He made 78 of these comedies, and also received great notices in films such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935). Then in 1937, he made the film that would establish his star status. “A Family Affair” was...
Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York. At 17 months old, he made his stage debut in his parent’s vaudeville act, and made his motion picture debut in 1926. In 1927, he starred in the first of several short films in the “Mickey Maguire” series, and adopted the stage name “Mickey Rooney.” He made 78 of these comedies, and also received great notices in films such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935). Then in 1937, he made the film that would establish his star status. “A Family Affair” was...
- 9/14/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Tony Bennett, who died today at the age of 96, was a singular figure in music — a classic crooner who weathered the fickle winds of popular music over multiple decades by adapting but never fundamentally changing who he was. His initial rise and success were astounding in their own right, but the second half of Bennett’s career is just as fascinating. Starting in the Nineties, Bennett didn’t so much try to court younger audiences or artists but find some kind of common ground with them.
Related Tony Bennett, Beloved Standards Crooner Who Bridged Generations,...
Related Tony Bennett, Beloved Standards Crooner Who Bridged Generations,...
- 7/21/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The legendary Judy Garland, one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, would have turned 100 on June 10, 2022. To celebrate her career, tour our photo gallery looking back at her greatest film performances.
Known as the little girl (she was only 4’11) with the big voice, Garland was a rare true triple threat, holding her own with such great dancers as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, twice receiving Oscar nominations in acting categories, as well as leaving behind a legacy of record-breaking concerts, a Grammy-winning gold album and recordings of iconic songs that no one else has ever been able to capture in quite the same way.
Born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids Minnesota, Garland was the youngest of three girls. They would eventually form the vaudeville act “The Gumm Sisters” when baby Frances was only two years old. After almost a decade of touring with her sisters,...
Known as the little girl (she was only 4’11) with the big voice, Garland was a rare true triple threat, holding her own with such great dancers as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, twice receiving Oscar nominations in acting categories, as well as leaving behind a legacy of record-breaking concerts, a Grammy-winning gold album and recordings of iconic songs that no one else has ever been able to capture in quite the same way.
Born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids Minnesota, Garland was the youngest of three girls. They would eventually form the vaudeville act “The Gumm Sisters” when baby Frances was only two years old. After almost a decade of touring with her sisters,...
- 6/3/2023
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
The first half of the 20th century is often referred to as the Golden Age of Hollywood. But this distinction overlooks the abusive conditions forced upon actors of all ages. Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney were given large amounts of drugs to keep up with their intense shooting schedule when they were still children. Both actors had historic careers in the industry, but they were also damaged by these experiences in heartbreaking ways.
Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney were MGM’s premier child stars (L-r): American actors Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland hug and look at the camera with surprised expressions, in a promotional portrait for director George B. Seitz’s film, ‘Love Finds Andy Hardy.’ | Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Rooney appeared in his first film role at 6 in the short film Not to be Trusted. He soon rose to prominence. Rooney’s early big roles include the titular...
Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney were MGM’s premier child stars (L-r): American actors Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland hug and look at the camera with surprised expressions, in a promotional portrait for director George B. Seitz’s film, ‘Love Finds Andy Hardy.’ | Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Rooney appeared in his first film role at 6 in the short film Not to be Trusted. He soon rose to prominence. Rooney’s early big roles include the titular...
- 3/26/2023
- by Sam Hines
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Steven Spielberg brought his semi-autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans,” to the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, his first feature ever to debut at TIFF. To say that Spielberg is performing at the top of his game is no hyperbole. This dramatic opus, which pulls at the heartstrings, could bring Spielberg his third directing statuette (after “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan”), and maybe his second for best picture (after “Schindler’s List”).
“The Fabelmans” is the story of Sam Fabelman, a young boy who falls in love with cinema, but finds himself fighting family turmoil to keep his dream alive.
Spielberg’s direction is the glue that holds “The Fabelmans” together, and the film touches on many of his landmark styles, nodding to “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Saving Private Ryan” and more.
The script, by Tony Kushner and Spielberg, brilliantly illustrates the birth of a filmmaker,...
“The Fabelmans” is the story of Sam Fabelman, a young boy who falls in love with cinema, but finds himself fighting family turmoil to keep his dream alive.
Spielberg’s direction is the glue that holds “The Fabelmans” together, and the film touches on many of his landmark styles, nodding to “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Saving Private Ryan” and more.
The script, by Tony Kushner and Spielberg, brilliantly illustrates the birth of a filmmaker,...
- 9/11/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Stanley Donen's 1952 film "Singin' in the Rain," starring Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, and the obnoxiously chipper Gene Kelly, was once held up in the pages of /Film as the Platonic ideal of movie musicals. It is a certainly a dance showcase of the highest order, and an unapologetic Hollywood nostalgia piece. Silent films are on the way out, sound pictures are on the way in, and singing and dancing are all set to be the future of cinema. "Singin' on the Rain" is also a jukebox musical. The songs are all old standards, including the title number, which came from "The Hollywood Revue of 1929" as did "You Were Meant for Me." "You Are My Lucky Star" was from "The Hollywood Revue of 1936," and "Good Morning" came from Busby Berkeley's 1939 film "Babes in Arms." Kelly and Donen concluded their film with a very, very long -- a Very long...
- 8/21/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The legendary Judy Garland, one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, would have celebrated her 100th birthday on June 10. Help us celebrate this landmark occasion with our photo gallery looking back at her greatest film performances.
Known as the little girl (she was only 4’11) with the big voice, Garland was a rare true triple threat, holding her own with such great dancers as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, twice receiving Oscar nominations in acting categories, as well as leaving behind a legacy of record-breaking concerts, a Grammy-winning gold album and recordings of iconic songs that no one else has ever been able to capture in quite the same way.
Born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids Minnesota, Garland was the youngest of three girls. They would eventually form the vaudeville act “The Gumm Sisters” when baby Frances was only two years old. After almost a decade of touring with her sisters,...
Known as the little girl (she was only 4’11) with the big voice, Garland was a rare true triple threat, holding her own with such great dancers as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, twice receiving Oscar nominations in acting categories, as well as leaving behind a legacy of record-breaking concerts, a Grammy-winning gold album and recordings of iconic songs that no one else has ever been able to capture in quite the same way.
Born Frances Ethel Gumm on June 10, 1922, in Grand Rapids Minnesota, Garland was the youngest of three girls. They would eventually form the vaudeville act “The Gumm Sisters” when baby Frances was only two years old. After almost a decade of touring with her sisters,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Judy Garland, who would have turned 100 years old this week, wasn’t just billed as “the world’s greatest entertainer” – in her time, she really was.
Garland was much more than just little Dorothy Gale from Kansas who once had an adventure in far-off Oz. She spent 45 of her 47 years in show business, eventually making 34 feature films and more than 200 radio appearances, releasing 80 singles and 12 albums, making 60 TV appearances (including 30 of her own shows), and doing 1,100 concerts.
“She had the amazing ability to convey joy and pathos and humor and sincerity and honesty,” says author and Emmy-winning producer John Fricke (“Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art and Anecdote”), “yet by giving of herself on that level, she had no guard, no protective shield. She was a million percent vulnerable.”
See More: Judy Garland: Her Life in Photos
Just watch 16-year-old Judy sing “Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz...
Garland was much more than just little Dorothy Gale from Kansas who once had an adventure in far-off Oz. She spent 45 of her 47 years in show business, eventually making 34 feature films and more than 200 radio appearances, releasing 80 singles and 12 albums, making 60 TV appearances (including 30 of her own shows), and doing 1,100 concerts.
“She had the amazing ability to convey joy and pathos and humor and sincerity and honesty,” says author and Emmy-winning producer John Fricke (“Judy Garland: A Portrait in Art and Anecdote”), “yet by giving of herself on that level, she had no guard, no protective shield. She was a million percent vulnerable.”
See More: Judy Garland: Her Life in Photos
Just watch 16-year-old Judy sing “Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz...
- 6/9/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Team Experience is revisiting a dozen Judy Garland movies for her Centennial. Here's Nathaniel R...
A behind the scenes shot of Judy's first scene in "Babes on Broadway". She's a fountain of tears in the scene but laughing between takes.
History has a way of shifting truth from facts to a more universally agreed upon fiction. Though The Wizard of Oz is now the movie most associated with Judy Garland, it was not as universally beloved in 1939 when it first premiered. Though it was ostensibly "a hit," the sixth highest grosser of Hollywood's most mythic year, it also carried the whiff of failure since its large budget prevented initial profits. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor got a much much bigger immediate return on their Garland investment through her other 1939 musical. Babes in Arms (1939) opened just two months after Oz and proved a slightly bigger hit (again "at the time"). The Wizard of Oz proved...
A behind the scenes shot of Judy's first scene in "Babes on Broadway". She's a fountain of tears in the scene but laughing between takes.
History has a way of shifting truth from facts to a more universally agreed upon fiction. Though The Wizard of Oz is now the movie most associated with Judy Garland, it was not as universally beloved in 1939 when it first premiered. Though it was ostensibly "a hit," the sixth highest grosser of Hollywood's most mythic year, it also carried the whiff of failure since its large budget prevented initial profits. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor got a much much bigger immediate return on their Garland investment through her other 1939 musical. Babes in Arms (1939) opened just two months after Oz and proved a slightly bigger hit (again "at the time"). The Wizard of Oz proved...
- 6/4/2022
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Sometimes it’s like they read your mind—or just notice upcoming releases as you do. Whatever the case, I’m thrilled that the release of Terence Davies’ Benediction played (I assume!) some part in a full retro on the Criterion Channel this June, sad as I know that package will make me and anybody else who comes within ten feet of it. It’s among a handful of career retrospectives: they’ve also set a 12-film Judy Garland series populated by Berkeley and Minnelli, ten from Ulrike Ottinger, and four by Billy Wilder. But maybe their most adventurous idea in some time is a huge microbudget collection ranging from Ulmer’s Detour to Joel Potrykus’ Buzzard, fellow success stories—Nolan, Linklater, Jarmusch, Jia Zhangke—spread about.
Criterion Editions continue with Bertrand Tavernier’s Round Midnight, Double Indemnity, and Seconds, while Chameleon Street, Karen Dalton: In My Own Time,...
Criterion Editions continue with Bertrand Tavernier’s Round Midnight, Double Indemnity, and Seconds, while Chameleon Street, Karen Dalton: In My Own Time,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The age-old struggle between original source material and creative interpretation rears its head again with Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop”, a new take on the acclaimed Japanese anime originally released in 1998. Costume designer Jane Holland used the original series’ design aesthetic as a springboard for her work in the live-action reboot, which is already the subject of fan scrutiny for not precisely replicating the animated version.
Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) served as a lightning rod for debate for costume as well as casting. Eschewing the short-shorts and crop top of the anime in favor of less revealing fashion was Holland’s “2021 way into that character as opposed to a 1998 version,” she explains. She finds the new look equally as sassy and sexy without the original’s extreme level of gratuitousness.
There were logistical considerations, too, that come into play for a live-action series, such as the practicality of stunt work during...
Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) served as a lightning rod for debate for costume as well as casting. Eschewing the short-shorts and crop top of the anime in favor of less revealing fashion was Holland’s “2021 way into that character as opposed to a 1998 version,” she explains. She finds the new look equally as sassy and sexy without the original’s extreme level of gratuitousness.
There were logistical considerations, too, that come into play for a live-action series, such as the practicality of stunt work during...
- 11/19/2021
- by Zoe Hewitt
- Variety Film + TV
For someone who follows the awards season with a close, particular eye, you read the tea leaves of a cinematic year based on precedent. What have the Oscars done in their history that warrants such a prediction or outcome? Statistics are heavily scrutinized and precedents are meant to be broken under the right circumstances, as we’ve seen in recent years.
Always expecting the unexpected, I took a look at some of the longest-standing Oscar stats, expecting to be proven wrong at some future ceremony; but when it comes to the age of nominees, these records are likely never to be broken under Hollywood’s current behaviors.
The youngest lead actor nominee was 9 years old.
This record has been owned by Jackie Cooper, who was nominated for lead actor for Norman Taurog’s classic comedy “Skippy” (193o-31) at the fourth Oscar ceremony at the age of 9. This declaration of Cooper...
Always expecting the unexpected, I took a look at some of the longest-standing Oscar stats, expecting to be proven wrong at some future ceremony; but when it comes to the age of nominees, these records are likely never to be broken under Hollywood’s current behaviors.
The youngest lead actor nominee was 9 years old.
This record has been owned by Jackie Cooper, who was nominated for lead actor for Norman Taurog’s classic comedy “Skippy” (193o-31) at the fourth Oscar ceremony at the age of 9. This declaration of Cooper...
- 3/1/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
At 5’2, Mickey Rooney may have been small in stature, but he had a huge personality and was one of the biggest stars in the heyday of the Golden Era of Hollywood. He had one of the longest careers of any entertainer, with a body of work that spans nine decades in the industry, including vaudeville, films, television, radio and the stage.
Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York, so his fans around the world are celebrating his 100th birthday! At 17 months old, he made his stage debut in his parent’s vaudeville act, and made his motion picture debut in 1926. In 1927, he starred in the first of several short films in the “Mickey Maguire” series, and adopted the stage name “Mickey Rooney.” He made 78 of these comedies, and also received great notices in films such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935). Then in 1937, he made the...
Rooney was born Joe Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York, so his fans around the world are celebrating his 100th birthday! At 17 months old, he made his stage debut in his parent’s vaudeville act, and made his motion picture debut in 1926. In 1927, he starred in the first of several short films in the “Mickey Maguire” series, and adopted the stage name “Mickey Rooney.” He made 78 of these comedies, and also received great notices in films such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935). Then in 1937, he made the...
- 9/23/2020
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
by Camila Henriques
As we continue our centennial tribute to Mickey Rooney, it’s time to talk Babes in Arms. For a long time the 1939 musical was remembered mostly because of the pairing of Rooney and real life Bff Judy Garland, but the conversation has shifted to a necessary bumpier road, since the movie is just one of many examples of that era to feature performances in blackface (including the two leads).
The film’s place in Mickey’s career is not to be diminished: he received an Oscar nom for Best Actor at the age of 19 (the second youngest ever nominated) . The year before he had been awarded a Juvenile Oscar.
A vaudevillian kid just like his co-star, Rooney was already a veteran when Babes… came around, with his Andy Hardy journey already begun...
As we continue our centennial tribute to Mickey Rooney, it’s time to talk Babes in Arms. For a long time the 1939 musical was remembered mostly because of the pairing of Rooney and real life Bff Judy Garland, but the conversation has shifted to a necessary bumpier road, since the movie is just one of many examples of that era to feature performances in blackface (including the two leads).
The film’s place in Mickey’s career is not to be diminished: he received an Oscar nom for Best Actor at the age of 19 (the second youngest ever nominated) . The year before he had been awarded a Juvenile Oscar.
A vaudevillian kid just like his co-star, Rooney was already a veteran when Babes… came around, with his Andy Hardy journey already begun...
- 9/21/2020
- by Camila Henriques
- FilmExperience
Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in Strike Up The Band is currently available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive. Ordering information can be found Here
Among cinema’s many treasures, few are as delightfully entertaining as the musical pairings of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Strike Up the Band is one of the brightest results of that talented collaboration. Brimming with youthful high spirits, Mickey and Judy are effervescent as high school kids who are ready and eager to climb the long ladder of success. He’s an energetic bandleader, she’s his lovelorn singer. Together, they sing and dance their way to the top, with a few bumps along the way! Of course, the film abounds in musical riches, from a rousing “Drummer Boy,” performed by Mickey and Judy, to Judy’s plaintive rendition of “(I Ain’t Got) Nobody.” There’s an all-out musical tribute to that forties dance craze,...
Among cinema’s many treasures, few are as delightfully entertaining as the musical pairings of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Strike Up the Band is one of the brightest results of that talented collaboration. Brimming with youthful high spirits, Mickey and Judy are effervescent as high school kids who are ready and eager to climb the long ladder of success. He’s an energetic bandleader, she’s his lovelorn singer. Together, they sing and dance their way to the top, with a few bumps along the way! Of course, the film abounds in musical riches, from a rousing “Drummer Boy,” performed by Mickey and Judy, to Judy’s plaintive rendition of “(I Ain’t Got) Nobody.” There’s an all-out musical tribute to that forties dance craze,...
- 7/8/2020
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Regardless of what happens on Sunday night at the Dolby Theatre, it’s likely that we’ll see a few landmark wins and some new Oscar records. Here are some of the notable ones that could happen:
• If 16 of the 62 nominated women win, this year’s Oscars will break the record set last year for the most female winners ever.
• If “Parasite” wins in any of the six categories in which it is nominated, it’ll be the first Korean film ever to win in that category.
• If “Parasite” wins Best Picture, it’ll be the first non-English film to win that award.
•It will also be the first Palme d’Or winner from the Cannes Film Festival to take Best Picture since 1955’s “Marty,” the only previous film to score those two awards.
• If Bong Joon Ho wins Best Director for “Parasite,” he’ll be the second director of a non-English film to win — and also the second in a row, after Alfonso Cuaron for “Roma” last year.
• If 16 of the 62 nominated women win, this year’s Oscars will break the record set last year for the most female winners ever.
• If “Parasite” wins in any of the six categories in which it is nominated, it’ll be the first Korean film ever to win in that category.
• If “Parasite” wins Best Picture, it’ll be the first non-English film to win that award.
•It will also be the first Palme d’Or winner from the Cannes Film Festival to take Best Picture since 1955’s “Marty,” the only previous film to score those two awards.
• If Bong Joon Ho wins Best Director for “Parasite,” he’ll be the second director of a non-English film to win — and also the second in a row, after Alfonso Cuaron for “Roma” last year.
- 2/9/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Renee Zellweger is poised to win her second Oscar on February 9 for uncannily transforming into Judy Garland for the biopic “Judy.” She notoriously never won an Academy Award, so Zellweger might be able to somewhat avenge that oversight. The film focuses on the final months in the life of the troubled multi-talent, as she performs to sold-out crowds in London in the winter of 1968. To celebrate, let’s take a look back at 20 of Garland’s greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Considered by many to be one of the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, Garland was indeed a triple threat. Known as the little girl (she was only 4’11) with the big voice, Garland also held her own with such great dancers as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire although she had no formal training in that area, and was Oscar-nominated twice in acting categories.
SEERenee Zellweger movies: 15 greatest films...
Considered by many to be one of the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, Garland was indeed a triple threat. Known as the little girl (she was only 4’11) with the big voice, Garland also held her own with such great dancers as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire although she had no formal training in that area, and was Oscar-nominated twice in acting categories.
SEERenee Zellweger movies: 15 greatest films...
- 2/3/2020
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Fresh from its People’s Choice Award win at the Toronto Film Festival, Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” received a rapturous reception at the London Film Festival. This Fox Searchlight release will unspool stateside on October 18 and is poised to be a major contender this Oscar season.
Waititi adapted Christine Leunens novel “Caging Skies.” He boldly added a layer of humor to her serious-minded story about a young boy (Roman Griffin Davis) in Nazi Germany who has Adolf Hitler as an imaginary friend. His script blends comedy and drama and is certain to figure in the Adapted Screenplay race at the Academy Awards. Waititi, who also directed, pulls triple duty by playing Hitler as well. His edgy portrayal of the dictator as a complete moron was a stand-out and could well reap him a third nomination. Indeed, you wish there were more scenes with him.
The evolving relationship between Jojo...
Waititi adapted Christine Leunens novel “Caging Skies.” He boldly added a layer of humor to her serious-minded story about a young boy (Roman Griffin Davis) in Nazi Germany who has Adolf Hitler as an imaginary friend. His script blends comedy and drama and is certain to figure in the Adapted Screenplay race at the Academy Awards. Waititi, who also directed, pulls triple duty by playing Hitler as well. His edgy portrayal of the dictator as a complete moron was a stand-out and could well reap him a third nomination. Indeed, you wish there were more scenes with him.
The evolving relationship between Jojo...
- 10/11/2019
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
“Sure he was great, but don’t forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did. . . backwards and in high heels.”
This quote from a 1982 Frank and Ernest cartoon sums up one of the greatest dance duos in film history, the debonair Fred Astaire and the tenacious Ginger Rogers. For July 16, we celebrate the spunky Ms. Rogers on what would have been her 109th birthday.
She was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she moved to Texas with her mother. She never saw her birth father again, and when her mother remarried, she adopted her stepfather’s surname of Rogers. A young cousin had trouble saying “Virginia”, so she became “Ginger”. Her mother was a career woman, involved in show business, as a scriptwriter among other things, and was a huge influence on Rogers for all her life. She got her own...
This quote from a 1982 Frank and Ernest cartoon sums up one of the greatest dance duos in film history, the debonair Fred Astaire and the tenacious Ginger Rogers. For July 16, we celebrate the spunky Ms. Rogers on what would have been her 109th birthday.
She was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she moved to Texas with her mother. She never saw her birth father again, and when her mother remarried, she adopted her stepfather’s surname of Rogers. A young cousin had trouble saying “Virginia”, so she became “Ginger”. Her mother was a career woman, involved in show business, as a scriptwriter among other things, and was a huge influence on Rogers for all her life. She got her own...
- 7/16/2019
- by Susan Pennington, Misty Holland and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
“Sure he was great, but don’t forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did. . . backwards and in high heels.”
This quote from a 1982 Frank and Ernest cartoon sums up one of the greatest dance duos in film history, the debonair Fred Astaire and the tenacious Ginger Rogers. For July 16, we celebrate the spunky Ms. Rogers on what would have been her 109th birthday.
SEEFred Astaire movies: 20 greatest films ranked worst to best
She was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she moved to Texas with her mother. She never saw her birth father again, and when her mother remarried, she adopted her stepfather’s surname of Rogers. A young cousin had trouble saying “Virginia”, so she became “Ginger”. Her mother was a career woman, involved in show business, as a scriptwriter among other things, and was a huge influence on Rogers for all her life.
This quote from a 1982 Frank and Ernest cartoon sums up one of the greatest dance duos in film history, the debonair Fred Astaire and the tenacious Ginger Rogers. For July 16, we celebrate the spunky Ms. Rogers on what would have been her 109th birthday.
SEEFred Astaire movies: 20 greatest films ranked worst to best
She was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she moved to Texas with her mother. She never saw her birth father again, and when her mother remarried, she adopted her stepfather’s surname of Rogers. A young cousin had trouble saying “Virginia”, so she became “Ginger”. Her mother was a career woman, involved in show business, as a scriptwriter among other things, and was a huge influence on Rogers for all her life.
- 7/16/2019
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Tony Sokol Jul 8, 2019
The official trailer for the upcoming Judy film shows Renée Zellweger in what might be her next Oscar nominated role.
The first official trailer for the upcoming biopic Judy looks like it might pull an Academy Award for Renée Zellweger, who channels the The Wizard Of Oz star at the close of her career.
"Winter 1968 and showbiz legend Judy Garland arrives in Swinging London to perform a five-week sold-out run at The Talk of the Town," reads the official synopsis. "It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in The Wizard of Oz, but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown. As she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even her dreams of love seem undimmed as she embarks on a whirlwind romance with Mickey Deans,...
The official trailer for the upcoming Judy film shows Renée Zellweger in what might be her next Oscar nominated role.
The first official trailer for the upcoming biopic Judy looks like it might pull an Academy Award for Renée Zellweger, who channels the The Wizard Of Oz star at the close of her career.
"Winter 1968 and showbiz legend Judy Garland arrives in Swinging London to perform a five-week sold-out run at The Talk of the Town," reads the official synopsis. "It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in The Wizard of Oz, but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown. As she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even her dreams of love seem undimmed as she embarks on a whirlwind romance with Mickey Deans,...
- 7/8/2019
- Den of Geek
Considered by many to be one of the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, Judy Garland was indeed a triple threat. Known as the little girl (she was only 4’11) with the big voice, Garland also held her own with such great dancers as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire although she had no formal training in that area, and was Oscar-nominated twice in acting categories.
Garland would have celebrated her 97th birthday on June 10. She was born in 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, as Frances Ethel Gumm. The youngest of three daughters, baby Frances was singing and dancing almost from the time she could walk and talk, and was brought into their vaudeville act “The Gumm” sisters when she was only two-years-old. Her Hollywood career took a while to bloom, as MGM signed her in 1935 and she was too old to be a child star, but too young and awkward to be a glamourous leading lady,...
Garland would have celebrated her 97th birthday on June 10. She was born in 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, as Frances Ethel Gumm. The youngest of three daughters, baby Frances was singing and dancing almost from the time she could walk and talk, and was brought into their vaudeville act “The Gumm” sisters when she was only two-years-old. Her Hollywood career took a while to bloom, as MGM signed her in 1935 and she was too old to be a child star, but too young and awkward to be a glamourous leading lady,...
- 6/10/2019
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Last year Timothee Chalamet made history when he earned a Best Actor nomination for “Call Me by Your Name.” He was 22 years, 27 days old, which made him the third youngest nominee in the category’s history behind Jackie Cooper for “Skippy” (9-years-old) and Mickey Rooney for “Babes in Arms” (19-years-old). This year Lucas Hedges could join Chalamet on the list of the all-time youngest contenders if he makes the cut for either “Boy Erased” or “Ben is Back,” but he’d just barely miss third place by two weeks.
Chalamet was born on December 27, 1995, and he earned his Best Actor nom on January 23, 2018. This year the Oscar nominations will be announced one day earlier, but Hedges’s birthday falls 15 days earlier than Chalamet’s, so when nominations morning rolls around Hedges will be 14 days older than Chalamet was: 22 years, 41 days.
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Chalamet was born on December 27, 1995, and he earned his Best Actor nom on January 23, 2018. This year the Oscar nominations will be announced one day earlier, but Hedges’s birthday falls 15 days earlier than Chalamet’s, so when nominations morning rolls around Hedges will be 14 days older than Chalamet was: 22 years, 41 days.
Sign UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions...
- 11/3/2018
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Last season, 22-year-old Timothée Chalamet could have become the youngest Best Actor winner in Academy Award history for his breakthrough performance in Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name.” Even though Gary Oldman (“Darkest Hour”) prevailed, Chalamet is still the third youngest Best Actor nominee, just behind Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney.
This year, however, he could become the second youngest Best Supporting Actor winner for his performance in Felix Van Groeningen‘s biographical drama “Beautiful Boy.”
Based on the memoirs “Beautiful Boy” by David Sheff and “Tweak” by his son Nic Sheff, the film follows Nic (Chalamet), a teenager who leads a seemingly perfect life, but in reality struggles with an addiction to crystal meth, threatening to destroy his and his family’s entire lives. His father David (Steve Carell) watches his son as he slips into addiction and does everything in his power to prevent his son...
This year, however, he could become the second youngest Best Supporting Actor winner for his performance in Felix Van Groeningen‘s biographical drama “Beautiful Boy.”
Based on the memoirs “Beautiful Boy” by David Sheff and “Tweak” by his son Nic Sheff, the film follows Nic (Chalamet), a teenager who leads a seemingly perfect life, but in reality struggles with an addiction to crystal meth, threatening to destroy his and his family’s entire lives. His father David (Steve Carell) watches his son as he slips into addiction and does everything in his power to prevent his son...
- 10/28/2018
- by Luca Giliberti
- Gold Derby
Oscar often calls when funny ladies get serious on the big screen. This year, it might be Melissa McCarthy’s turn to be recognized for her dramatic change of pace in the truth-based “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” As Lee Israel, a Manhattan-based curmudgeonly author with a drinking problem whose style of celebrity biographies have gone out of fashion by the year 1991, McCarthy drops all pretense of adopting her usual bouncy and brassy comic persona.
Instead, she wallows in disappointment, bitterness and child-like prankish behavior. In order to raise much-needed cash to pay her bills, she stoops to forging letters from long-dead celebrities and selling them to gullible bookstore owners and collectors. I kept waiting for McCarthy to part the clouds that hang over her character and inject a bit of her sunny side. Instead, she is marvelously morose as she performs a committed overcast performance that pays off big time as the movie concludes.
Instead, she wallows in disappointment, bitterness and child-like prankish behavior. In order to raise much-needed cash to pay her bills, she stoops to forging letters from long-dead celebrities and selling them to gullible bookstore owners and collectors. I kept waiting for McCarthy to part the clouds that hang over her character and inject a bit of her sunny side. Instead, she is marvelously morose as she performs a committed overcast performance that pays off big time as the movie concludes.
- 10/16/2018
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Timothee Chalamet was the break-out star of 2017, due largely to his lead role in Luca Guadagnino‘s Lgbt critical smash “Call Me By Your Name.” Chalamet was hailed by critics and adored by audiences for his weighty, emotional performance as a teenager who falls in love with a man in 1980’s Italy. At the tender of age of 22, Chalamet became the youngest person to be nominated for Best Actor at Oscars since Mickey Rooney in 1939 (for “Babes in Arms”) and the first person born in the 90’s to be nominated for the award.
- 9/28/2018
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
At Broadway Backwards 2018, Ethan Slater, the critically acclaimed actor in the titular role in SpongeBob SquarePants, turned a trendy Brooklyn party upside-down in an energetic performance of The Lady is a Tramp from Babes in Arms. The ensemble of fussy partygoers initially distanced themselves from their outsider guest before embracing the nimble Slater, lifting and flipping him in a flurry of glitter and confetti.
- 4/6/2018
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
It’s hard for one young actor to break through at the Oscars, let alone two, but 22-year-old Timothee Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name”) and 28-year-old Daniel Kaluuya (“Get Out”) defied the odds in the Best Actor race. They are now the first pair of twentysomething Best Actor nominees in 28 years and each would become the category’s youngest winner.
The academy notoriously prefers rewarding young women and not young men — the entire top 10 youngest Best Actress winners were in their 20s — so it’s nice to see two young male actors who aren’t big names get singled out for their breakthrough performances in the same year instead of the “reserved young person spot” going to just one person. There’s no empirical data, but the academy’s push to diversify membership the last few years likely helped as well.
See 2018 Oscar nominations: Full list of Academy Awards...
The academy notoriously prefers rewarding young women and not young men — the entire top 10 youngest Best Actress winners were in their 20s — so it’s nice to see two young male actors who aren’t big names get singled out for their breakthrough performances in the same year instead of the “reserved young person spot” going to just one person. There’s no empirical data, but the academy’s push to diversify membership the last few years likely helped as well.
See 2018 Oscar nominations: Full list of Academy Awards...
- 1/24/2018
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
With his farewell film, three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis could break the record for most wins by an actor while Meryl Streep, who just extended her nominations record with bid #21, could match the achievement of four-time winner Katharine Hepburn.
Below, we offer up 13 more facts, stats, and figures regarding this year’s Academy Awards nominees announced on Jan. 23. Winners of the 24 competitive races at the Oscars will be revealed on March 4 during a live telecast on ABC hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
See 2018 Oscar nominations: Full list of Academy Awards nominees in all 24 categories
Lucky 13?
“The Shape of Water” is the tenth film in Oscar history to earn 13 nominations. The current record of 14 nominations is held by three films, “All about Eve” (1951), “Titanic” (1998) and “La La Land” (2017)
Best Actor mainstay
With his sixth Best Actor Oscar nomination, Daniel Day-Lewis (“Phantom Thread”) is now tied with Richard Burton for recognition in the category.
Below, we offer up 13 more facts, stats, and figures regarding this year’s Academy Awards nominees announced on Jan. 23. Winners of the 24 competitive races at the Oscars will be revealed on March 4 during a live telecast on ABC hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
See 2018 Oscar nominations: Full list of Academy Awards nominees in all 24 categories
Lucky 13?
“The Shape of Water” is the tenth film in Oscar history to earn 13 nominations. The current record of 14 nominations is held by three films, “All about Eve” (1951), “Titanic” (1998) and “La La Land” (2017)
Best Actor mainstay
With his sixth Best Actor Oscar nomination, Daniel Day-Lewis (“Phantom Thread”) is now tied with Richard Burton for recognition in the category.
- 1/23/2018
- by Andrew Carden
- Gold Derby
If 22-year-old actor Timothee Chalamet earns an Oscar nomination on Tuesday, January 23 for “Call Me By Your Name,” he will make history as only the third youngest Best Actor nominee in Academy Awards history. The two youngest nominees are Jackie Cooper, who was nine when he earned a bid for “Skippy” (1931), and Mickey Rooney, who at 19 received a nom for “Babes in Arms” (1939). Who are some of the other youngest Best Actor nominees? Click through our Oscars photo gallery below to find out.
According to Gold Derby’s combined predictions, Chalamet is currently in second place with 7/2 odds to earn a Best Actor nomination, behind only frontrunner Gary Oldman (“Darkest Hour”) with leading 17/10 odds. Chalamet has already popped up at precursors such as SAG, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice and BAFTA, so an Oscar nomination seems like a no-brainer. The other predicted Oscar nominees are Daniel Day-Lewis (“Phantom Thread”), Daniel Kaluuya...
According to Gold Derby’s combined predictions, Chalamet is currently in second place with 7/2 odds to earn a Best Actor nomination, behind only frontrunner Gary Oldman (“Darkest Hour”) with leading 17/10 odds. Chalamet has already popped up at precursors such as SAG, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice and BAFTA, so an Oscar nomination seems like a no-brainer. The other predicted Oscar nominees are Daniel Day-Lewis (“Phantom Thread”), Daniel Kaluuya...
- 1/23/2018
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
When “Call Me by Your Name” screened at the New York Film Festival last month, several threads from Timothée Chalamet’s 21-year-old life wove together. Above the sold-out, 1,100-seat audience at Alice Tully Hall, he watched the second half from the balcony, seated next to the actor who plays his lover, Armie Hammer, and their director, Luca Guadagnino. Onscreen, Chalamet’s character was 17, the same age he was when Guadagnino met him. At that time, Chalamet was a student at Fiorello H. Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the Upper West Side inspiration for “Fame” — across the street.
Read More: ‘Call Me By Your Name’ Review: Luca Guadagnino Delivers A Queer Masterpiece — Sundance 2017
In kindergarten, Chalamet was a lukewarm commercial actor. His “first moment of passion” for the craft came at age 12, seeing Heath Ledger’s Joker in “The Dark Knight.” “I just had no clue what...
Read More: ‘Call Me By Your Name’ Review: Luca Guadagnino Delivers A Queer Masterpiece — Sundance 2017
In kindergarten, Chalamet was a lukewarm commercial actor. His “first moment of passion” for the craft came at age 12, seeing Heath Ledger’s Joker in “The Dark Knight.” “I just had no clue what...
- 11/17/2017
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Jeff Bridges in ‘Hell or High Water’ (Courtesy: CBS Films)
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
With yet another opportunity to win this year, Jeff Bridges expands his Academy Awards career to 45 years — with the chance to add to it. This is quite an accomplishment as there are very few actors and actresses with a span of that long between their last or most recent nomination. Let’s take a look at some of these other legends with Oscar stretches almost as long as or even longer than that of Bridges.
This year Bridges is nominated for best supporting actor for Hell or High Water and is up against Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea), Dev Patel (Lion), and Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals). Hell or High Water — a Western crime thriller directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan — is also nominated for best picture, best original screenplay,...
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
With yet another opportunity to win this year, Jeff Bridges expands his Academy Awards career to 45 years — with the chance to add to it. This is quite an accomplishment as there are very few actors and actresses with a span of that long between their last or most recent nomination. Let’s take a look at some of these other legends with Oscar stretches almost as long as or even longer than that of Bridges.
This year Bridges is nominated for best supporting actor for Hell or High Water and is up against Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea), Dev Patel (Lion), and Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals). Hell or High Water — a Western crime thriller directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan — is also nominated for best picture, best original screenplay,...
- 2/12/2017
- by Carson Blackwelder
- Scott Feinberg
The film industry goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, and most experts still maintain that 1939 is the greatest single year in movie history. At no other point in the long chronicle of the film industry has Hollywood had such an ability to draw in and hold and audiences. Cinelinx looks at 1939.
In 1939, Americans bought an incrediblel 80 million movie tickets per week. There were 365 films released by the major studios in the United States during 1939. That’s an average of one film each a day. If you went to the theater every day, you’d never have to see the same movie twice. And the best part is that most of them were good.
The American Film Institute, along with such critics as Pauline Kael, Siskle & Ebert, Leonard Maltin and others have dubbed 1939 as the cinema's best single year ever. Looking back, its hard to argue with that opinion.
In 1939, Americans bought an incrediblel 80 million movie tickets per week. There were 365 films released by the major studios in the United States during 1939. That’s an average of one film each a day. If you went to the theater every day, you’d never have to see the same movie twice. And the best part is that most of them were good.
The American Film Institute, along with such critics as Pauline Kael, Siskle & Ebert, Leonard Maltin and others have dubbed 1939 as the cinema's best single year ever. Looking back, its hard to argue with that opinion.
- 1/23/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
Miles Teller (Courtesy: Francois G. Durand/WireImage)
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
At this point in the Oscars 2017 race not all of the films that are likely to garner awards attention have even been screened yet for the press, let alone made their way to the big screen for general audiences. This leaves many of the categories still up in the air, with one of the biggest being the contest for the best actor trophy.
One of the standouts from what movies have been viewed already is that of Miles Teller in the Bleed for This, which tells the inspirational story of boxing champ Vinny Pazienza (aka Vinny Paz). At just 29, the young thespian could be poised to join the very small pool of those who were nominated for best actor category.
It’s rare that the Academy acknowledge youth when it comes to the crop of those in the best actor category which is,...
By: Carson Blackwelder
Managing Editor
At this point in the Oscars 2017 race not all of the films that are likely to garner awards attention have even been screened yet for the press, let alone made their way to the big screen for general audiences. This leaves many of the categories still up in the air, with one of the biggest being the contest for the best actor trophy.
One of the standouts from what movies have been viewed already is that of Miles Teller in the Bleed for This, which tells the inspirational story of boxing champ Vinny Pazienza (aka Vinny Paz). At just 29, the young thespian could be poised to join the very small pool of those who were nominated for best actor category.
It’s rare that the Academy acknowledge youth when it comes to the crop of those in the best actor category which is,...
- 10/26/2016
- by Carson Blackwelder
- Scott Feinberg
Anne Marie is tracking Judy Garland's career through musical numbers...
There's a musical number I should be showing you for this week's post. It's the last musical duet between Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland captured on film, as part of her guest appearance in the Rogers & Hart biopic Words and Music. It's a fun but slightly awkward number. Despite the joy of seeing Mickey & Judy reunited after half a decade apart, there's also a sense that they're almost too mature for their mugging. They're still sweet together, but the frenetic energy of youth has been replaced by practice. Contemporary audience must have agreed to some extent, since the Judy Garland number that made a hit off this movie was not her nostalgic reunion but rather a signature brassy belter.
The Movie: Words and Music (MGM, 1948)
The Songwriter: Richard Rogers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyrics)
The Players: Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake,...
There's a musical number I should be showing you for this week's post. It's the last musical duet between Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland captured on film, as part of her guest appearance in the Rogers & Hart biopic Words and Music. It's a fun but slightly awkward number. Despite the joy of seeing Mickey & Judy reunited after half a decade apart, there's also a sense that they're almost too mature for their mugging. They're still sweet together, but the frenetic energy of youth has been replaced by practice. Contemporary audience must have agreed to some extent, since the Judy Garland number that made a hit off this movie was not her nostalgic reunion but rather a signature brassy belter.
The Movie: Words and Music (MGM, 1948)
The Songwriter: Richard Rogers (music) and Lorenz Hart (lyrics)
The Players: Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake,...
- 7/6/2016
- by Anne Marie
- FilmExperience
Anne Marie is tracking Judy Garland's career through musical numbers...
Have you heard the good news? April is Judy Garland month on TCM! Check your local listings to see the movies surrounding the numbers we've discussed, and the ones we haven't gotten to yet!
Before the end of 1940, young Judy Garland got two major kudos from Metro Goldwyn Mayer. First, her weekly salary was increased from $600 to $2,000. Second, MGM made her the top-billed star of another Freed Unit musical. No longer just Mickey Rooney's mooning gal pal, Judy Garland would finally get to play another leading role - in fact, in this movie she'd do it twice!
The Movie: Little Nellie Kelly (MGM 1940)
The Songwriter: Roger Edens
The Players: Judy Garland, George Murphy, Charles Winniger, Douglas McPhail, directed by Norman Taurog
The Story: Little Nellie Kelly was based on a hit George M. Cohan musical from 1922. However, any...
Have you heard the good news? April is Judy Garland month on TCM! Check your local listings to see the movies surrounding the numbers we've discussed, and the ones we haven't gotten to yet!
Before the end of 1940, young Judy Garland got two major kudos from Metro Goldwyn Mayer. First, her weekly salary was increased from $600 to $2,000. Second, MGM made her the top-billed star of another Freed Unit musical. No longer just Mickey Rooney's mooning gal pal, Judy Garland would finally get to play another leading role - in fact, in this movie she'd do it twice!
The Movie: Little Nellie Kelly (MGM 1940)
The Songwriter: Roger Edens
The Players: Judy Garland, George Murphy, Charles Winniger, Douglas McPhail, directed by Norman Taurog
The Story: Little Nellie Kelly was based on a hit George M. Cohan musical from 1922. However, any...
- 4/6/2016
- by Anne Marie
- FilmExperience
Anne Marie is tracking Judy Garland's career through musical numbers...
By 1940 it was undeniable: Mickey and Judy were a success. Even more, Mickey and Judy with the Freed Unit behind them were a bona fide hit machine. Babes in Arms, the first Freed Unit collaboration, earned over $2 million domestically and $1 million abroad. With the promise of another blockbuster and the rise of patriotic sentiment on the verge of WWII, Louis B. Mayer dusted off an old, patriotic-sounding title and set his hitmakers on a new project: Strike Up The Band. The Movie: Strike Up The Band (MGM, 1940)
The Songwriters: Arthur Freed & Roger Edens
The Players: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, directed by Busby Berkeley
The Story: The original Strike Up The Band was a George & Ira Gershwin political musical satire from the early half of the 1930s. However, the new patriotic musical produced by Arthur Freed & company bore no resemblance...
By 1940 it was undeniable: Mickey and Judy were a success. Even more, Mickey and Judy with the Freed Unit behind them were a bona fide hit machine. Babes in Arms, the first Freed Unit collaboration, earned over $2 million domestically and $1 million abroad. With the promise of another blockbuster and the rise of patriotic sentiment on the verge of WWII, Louis B. Mayer dusted off an old, patriotic-sounding title and set his hitmakers on a new project: Strike Up The Band. The Movie: Strike Up The Band (MGM, 1940)
The Songwriters: Arthur Freed & Roger Edens
The Players: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, directed by Busby Berkeley
The Story: The original Strike Up The Band was a George & Ira Gershwin political musical satire from the early half of the 1930s. However, the new patriotic musical produced by Arthur Freed & company bore no resemblance...
- 3/30/2016
- by Anne Marie
- FilmExperience
Anne Marie is tracking Judy Garland's career through musical numbers...
Freed, Garland, & Edens c. 1930s
After the whirlwind that was The Wizard of Oz, it may seem like a letdown for Judy to return to the Mickey & Judy musicals of before. However, she returned with two things she hadn’t had before: A-level star status, and the Freed Unit. The former made her a major box office draw, which meant that her movies had bigger budgets and better material. The latter meant that Arthur Freed - a writer turned producer who’d flitted in and out of Judy’s career since she started at MGM - could use those budgets and material to put on shows unlike any MGM had produced.
The Movie: Babes in Arms (MGM, 1939)
The Songwriters: Nacio Herb Brown (Music), Arthur Freed (Lyrics)
The Players: Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Charles Winninger, Guy Kibbee, directed by Busby...
Freed, Garland, & Edens c. 1930s
After the whirlwind that was The Wizard of Oz, it may seem like a letdown for Judy to return to the Mickey & Judy musicals of before. However, she returned with two things she hadn’t had before: A-level star status, and the Freed Unit. The former made her a major box office draw, which meant that her movies had bigger budgets and better material. The latter meant that Arthur Freed - a writer turned producer who’d flitted in and out of Judy’s career since she started at MGM - could use those budgets and material to put on shows unlike any MGM had produced.
The Movie: Babes in Arms (MGM, 1939)
The Songwriters: Nacio Herb Brown (Music), Arthur Freed (Lyrics)
The Players: Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Charles Winninger, Guy Kibbee, directed by Busby...
- 3/9/2016
- by Anne Marie
- FilmExperience
Happy Birthday, Alfred Drake He is best known for his leading roles in the original Broadway productions of Oklahoma Kiss Me, Kate Kismet and for playing Marshall Blackstone in the original production of Babes in Arms, in which he sang the title song and Hajj in Kismet, for which he received the Tony Award. His 1964 stage performance as Claudius in the Richard Burton Hamlet was filmed live on the stage of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. His final stage appearance in a musical was in 1973 as Honore Lachaisse in Lerner and Loewe's Gigi. Two years later he starred in a revival of The Skin of Our Teeth.
- 10/7/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
Over the course of 14 seasons, American Idol has had its fair share of uncomfortable moments.
Chris Daughtry serving up a “Wait, I got eliminated?” grimace. Paula Abdul critiquing a song Jason Castro was about 45 minutes away from covering. (Fret not, old girl will be back in a judging capacity this summer on Fox!) Danny Gokey trying to out-Adam Adam Lambert — and failing like a 5-year-old taking the AP Physics exam — on “Dream On.”
RelatedMay Sweeps Scorecard 2015: Weddings, Deaths, Breakups, Sex, Resurrections, Firings and More!
Tonight, however, The House That Spawned Two Terrible Movies: From Justin to Kelly and That Fantasia Barrino Mess on Lifetime,...
Chris Daughtry serving up a “Wait, I got eliminated?” grimace. Paula Abdul critiquing a song Jason Castro was about 45 minutes away from covering. (Fret not, old girl will be back in a judging capacity this summer on Fox!) Danny Gokey trying to out-Adam Adam Lambert — and failing like a 5-year-old taking the AP Physics exam — on “Dream On.”
RelatedMay Sweeps Scorecard 2015: Weddings, Deaths, Breakups, Sex, Resurrections, Firings and More!
Tonight, however, The House That Spawned Two Terrible Movies: From Justin to Kelly and That Fantasia Barrino Mess on Lifetime,...
- 4/16/2015
- TVLine.com
Are you gonna go their way, or will your TV be playing the sound of silence when American Idol‘s Season 14 Top 7 take the stage this Wednesday (8/7c on Fox) to perform not one but two “American Classics”?
RelatedMay Sweeps Scorecard 2015: Weddings, Deaths, Breakups, Sex, Resurrections, Firings and More!
To help you make up your mind, TVLine’s got your exclusive first look at the contestants’ song choices.
A couple of tunes on the set list have never been performed during the Idol voting rounds (hi there, “American Girl” and the aforementioned Lenny Kravitz jam), while others (“Superstition,” “Piece of My Heart...
RelatedMay Sweeps Scorecard 2015: Weddings, Deaths, Breakups, Sex, Resurrections, Firings and More!
To help you make up your mind, TVLine’s got your exclusive first look at the contestants’ song choices.
A couple of tunes on the set list have never been performed during the Idol voting rounds (hi there, “American Girl” and the aforementioned Lenny Kravitz jam), while others (“Superstition,” “Piece of My Heart...
- 4/13/2015
- TVLine.com
Women presidents at the Academy: Cheryl Boone Isaacs is only the third one (photo: Angelina Jolie, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Brad Pitt) (See previous post: "Honorary Award Non-Winners: Too Late for Gloria Swanson, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich.") Wrapping up this four-part "Honorary Oscars Bypass Women" article, let it be noted that in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 85-year history there have been only two women presidents: two-time Oscar-winning actress Bette Davis (for two months in 1941, before the Dangerous and Jezebel star was forced to resign) and screenwriter Fay Kanin (1979-1983), whose best-known screen credit is the 1958 Doris Day-Clark Gable comedy Teacher's Pet. Additionally, following some top-level restructuring in April 2011, the Academy created the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, with the CEO post currently held by a woman, former Film Independent executive director and sometime actress Dawn Hudson. The COO post is held...
- 9/4/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
There is no question that blackface is a racist trope too regularly used on film, TV, and in magazines. While not nearly as rampant as it was in the 1930s, there have been hundreds of instances of blackface employed in the past twenty years. Everyone from Paris Hilton to Ben Stiller and Jimmy Fallon to Billy Crystal has donned a form of blackface in an attempt to be funny, controversial, or — in Hilton’s case — cute. (The things people will do for a laugh.)
The most recent use of blackface is by a repeat offender, Chris Lilley (pictured above), who is the star of the new HBO series, Jonah from Tonga. The series, which follows the story of a Tongan teenager, features Lilley in brownface make-up and a curly wig. In other series, the actor has portrayed S.mouse, an African American rap artist from California and Jen Okazaki, a Japanese mother of three.
The most recent use of blackface is by a repeat offender, Chris Lilley (pictured above), who is the star of the new HBO series, Jonah from Tonga. The series, which follows the story of a Tongan teenager, features Lilley in brownface make-up and a curly wig. In other series, the actor has portrayed S.mouse, an African American rap artist from California and Jen Okazaki, a Japanese mother of three.
- 8/8/2014
- by Stacy Lambe
- TheFabLife - Movies
There is no question that blackface is a racist trope too regularly used on film, TV, and in magazines. While not nearly as rampant as it was in the 1930s, there have been hundreds of instances of blackface employed in the past twenty years. Everyone from Paris Hilton to Ben Stiller and Jimmy Fallon to Billy Crystal has donned a form of blackface in an attempt to be funny, controversial, or — in Hilton’s case — cute. (The things people will do for a laugh.)
The most recent use of blackface is by a repeat offender, Chris Lilley (pictured above), who is the star of the new HBO series, Jonah from Tonga. The series, which follows the story of a Tongan teenager, features Lilley in brownface make-up and a curly wig. In other series, the actor has portrayed S.mouse, an African American rap artist from California and Jen Okazaki, a Japanese mother of three.
The most recent use of blackface is by a repeat offender, Chris Lilley (pictured above), who is the star of the new HBO series, Jonah from Tonga. The series, which follows the story of a Tongan teenager, features Lilley in brownface make-up and a curly wig. In other series, the actor has portrayed S.mouse, an African American rap artist from California and Jen Okazaki, a Japanese mother of three.
- 8/8/2014
- by Stacy Lambe
- VH1.com
‘Gone with the Wind’ actress Mary Anderson dead at 96; also featured in Alfred Hitchcock thriller ‘Lifeboat’ Mary Anderson, an actress featured in both Gone with the Wind and Alfred Hitchcock’s adventure thriller Lifeboat, died following a series of small strokes on Sunday, April 6, 2014, while under hospice care in Toluca Lake/Burbank, northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Anderson, the widow of multiple Oscar-winning cinematographer Leon Shamroy, had turned 96 on April 3. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1918, Mary Anderson was reportedly discovered by director George Cukor, at the time looking for an actress to play Scarlett O’Hara in David O. Selznick’s film version of Margaret Mitchell’s bestseller Gone with the Wind. Instead of Scarlett, eventually played by Vivien Leigh, Anderson was cast in the small role of Maybelle Merriwether — most of which reportedly ended up on the cutting-room floor. Cukor was later fired from the project; his replacement, Victor Fleming,...
- 4/10/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
I came to the news of Mickey Rooney's passing late due to my offline vacation but it wouldn't be right to not mention it here at the musicals-loving The Film Experience. My first exposure to Mickey Rooney, as far as I remember, was Babes in Arms (1939) for which he was Oscar nominated at 19. I think my parents took us to see it at an awesome revival house in Detroit. Tweens and teenagers, who always fear being uncool, aren't supposed to love old black and white movies made many decades before they were born but cinephiles and/or musical-fanatics are a different breed and I had no shame whatsoever about seeking them out. [More...]...
- 4/9/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Mickey Rooney was earliest surviving Best Actor Oscar nominee (photo: Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy in ‘Boys Town’) (See previous post: “Mickey Rooney Dead at 93: MGM’s Andy Hardy Series’ Hero and Judy Garland Frequent Co-Star Had Longest Film Career Ever?”) Mickey Rooney was the earliest surviving Best Actor Academy Award nominee — Babes in Arms, 1939; The Human Comedy, 1943 — and the last surviving male acting Oscar nominee of the 1930s. Rooney lost the Best Actor Oscar to two considerably more “prestigious” — albeit less popular — stars: Robert Donat for Sam Wood’s Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) and Paul Lukas for Herman Shumlin’s Watch on the Rhine (1943). Following Mickey Rooney’s death, there are only two acting Academy Award nominees from the ’30s still alive: two-time Best Actress winner Luise Rainer, 104 (for Robert Z. Leonard’s The Great Ziegfeld, 1936, and Sidney Franklin’s The Good Earth, 1937), and Best Supporting Actress nominee Olivia de Havilland,...
- 4/9/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
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