12.15.2011

what else were they in?



Richard Deacon was a bald and usually bespectacled character actor who often portrayed pompous or imperious figures. Because of his looks and authoritative voice, he was often typecast as a humorless or foul-tempered authority figure.

You might recognize him as:

Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show
Fred Rutherford on Leave it To Beaver
Semu in Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
Dr. Harbey Bassett in Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Policeman in Carousel
Williams in The Solid Gold Cadillac
Bill Hotchkiss in Kiss Them For Me
Dr. Melnick in Lover Come Back
Mr. Miller in That Touch of Mink
Mitch's City Neighbor in The Birds
Drive-in Manager in That Darn Cat
Survival Manual Narrator in Lt. Robin Crusoe, USN
Ralph Yarby in The Gnomemobile
Dean Wheaton in Blackbeard's Ghost
Charlie Wrenn in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band


12.14.2011

director: busby berkeley

Busby Berkeley was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer who was famous for his elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns. His works used large numbers of showgirls and props as fantasy elements in kaleidoscopic on-screen performances.

Gold Diggers of 1933: Shadow Waltz


The Gang's All Here: The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat


Take Me Out to the Ballgame


Babes on Broadway: Hoe Down

For Me & My Gal

12.13.2011

what a character

Name the movie where Doris Day plays:

1. Kate Mackay

2. Kit Preston

3. Kitty Wonder

4. Katherine "Babe" Williams

5. Calam Cannary

12.07.2011

best of: gene kelly

Summer Stock


Anchors Aweigh

Jack in the Beanstalk


The Pirate: Be a Clown


On the Town

It's Always Fair Weather: She Likes Me


Singin' in the Rain: Moses Supposes


And of course...

12.06.2011

what else were they in?


Keenan Wynn was an fantastic character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts.


You might recognize him as:

The Drunk in The Clock
Clarence "Clinker" Krause in Song of the Thin Man
Joe Beckett in Neptune's Daughter
Charlie Davenport in Annie Get Your Gun
Irving/Edgar Klinger in Royal Wedding
Fred Bayles in Angels in the Outfield
Lippy in Kiss Me Kate
Alonzo P. Hawk in The Absent-Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, and Herbie Rides Again
Col. "Bat" Guano in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Old Sailor in The Americanization of Emily
Hezekiah Sturdy in The Great Race
Senator Billboard Rawkins in Finian's Rainbow
Martin Ridgeway in Snowball Express
And many, MANY more!

12.05.2011

the jungle book


the year: 1967

the genre: animated


the plot: Bagheera the Panther and Baloo the Bear have a difficult time trying to convince the boy Mowgli to leave the jungle for human civilization.


did you know: that when Gregory Peck was the President of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Science, he tried his hardest to get a full-length animated feature film (most notably the The Jungle Book) not only nominated for Best Picture Academy Award but actually win the award. He resigned as President in 1970 when other members didn't agree with him about animated films being nominated for the award. It would be over 20 years later before the Academy would reconsider, allowing Beauty and the Beast to be nominated.


extra bonus points: if you know why the Beatles ended up not voicing The Vultures as suggested by their manager.


don't miss: "I Wanna Be Like You" with Louis Prima and Phil Harris' off the cuff scatting. Because of their busy band schedules, they recorded the song separately.

12.01.2011

best of: danny kaye

Hans Christian Anderson: Inchworm


Merry Andrew: Everything is Tickety-Boo

The Five Pennies: Lullaby in Ragtime


White Christmas: Gee, I Wish I Was Back in the Army


The Court Jester