MAY AULD ACQUAINTANCE NOT BE FORGOT
On August 30, I did a post (titled “MAC”) about the late great actor Fred MacMurray. In recent comments to the MAC post, faithful reader Thom Hickey and I opined that I should publish more posts on actors and actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age, even though most of them are now little remembered, long forgotten, or unheard of. To the point, how many of these once-upon-a-time familiar film faces and names are familiar to you?
I know not who you know not (above), but I’ve spent some of my happiest hours being entertained (and often drawn in) by such silver screen sorcerers/sorceresses working their magic on my imagination. Watching that clip, it seemed almost unfathomable that nearly all those ‘reel-life’ characters I knew almost as well as I knew real-life family and friends, have gone over THE END. Rapt in their world, how was I to know immortals were mortal?
So, you can take this as a preview of coming attractions featuring close-ups of some of my favorite stars and character actors from the days when the likes of Charlie Chaplin was The Little Tramp….
….and Gloria Swanson was Norma Desmond….
Are you ready for your close-ups?
The Observation Post 
America On Coffee 12:17 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
Beautiful. I believe the featured actress is Barbara Stanwyck. I love her.
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mistermuse 12:58 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
Likewise. Not only was she one of the most versatile actresses in screen history, but one of the most professional and well thought of.
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calmkate 2:20 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
what a trip down memory lane … know most of them, but a few I’ve not seen or heard of … I must be younger than you 😉
Had not realised Charlie was such a good-looker, he always acted the clown so I had no idea!
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mistermuse 8:38 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
….and yet, that “Remembrance of Classic Hollywood Actors and Actresses” barely began a thoroughgoing trip down that memory lane. For example, what classic movie buff wouldn’t recall the likes of Buster Keaton, Lon Chaney, Boris Karloff, The Marx Brothers, Errol Flynn, Charles Laughton, Walter Huston, and so many more. In upcoming posts, I hope to take us a little farther down the road.
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calmkate 9:32 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink
yea, I’m looking forward to it … and please don’t forget Charles Bronson 🙂
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Rivergirl 9:09 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
Love classic Hollywood. Such glamour!
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mistermuse 11:57 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
Thanks, Rg. I’ll be sure to include one or more of those Hollywood “glamour girls” in an upcoming post (I’m sure you would qualify if not for the Hollywood part).
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Rivergirl 4:01 pm on October 13, 2019 Permalink
I always had a soft spot for Rita…
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mistermuse 6:07 pm on October 13, 2019 Permalink
Did you know that Fred Astaire said Rita Hayworth (not Ginger Rogers) was his favorite dancing partner? She is probably not best remembered for her dancing, but was in fact a superb dancer and starred in two musicals with Astaire.
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Ashley 10:05 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
A wonderful post. The “Remembrance” video had me smiling, and with tears in my eyes!
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mistermuse 12:00 pm on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
I know what you mean, Ashley. It’s sad to think that so many of those who gave us so much joy are gone.
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Ashley 5:17 am on October 14, 2019 Permalink
Of course, I am constantly reminded of these old movies since my mother told me where my name came from; I always thought it was something to do with Ash trees (ash trees surrounded by a meadow-a ley) but it turns out that Mum’s favourite film was Gone With the Wind! Thank goodness I wasn’t called Rhett!
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mistermuse 4:07 pm on October 14, 2019 Permalink
If you had been called Rhett, you could always claim the BULER did it (ha ha).
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scifihammy 11:37 am on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
A lovely trip down memory lane. 🙂 I wonder how many of today’s actors will be as well-remembered?
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mistermuse 12:12 pm on October 13, 2019 Permalink |
Shakespeare (in HAMLET) said, “I shall not look upon his like again.” That’s how I view yesterday’s actors compared with today’s, scifi.
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mlrover 8:56 am on October 16, 2019 Permalink |
Just saw a clip about Audie Murphy. If only people looked up to true heroes like him instead of sports stars. But a man like Audie is so rare. The pain in his eyes from his lifelong struggle with PTSD is haunting. And all through it, he continued to serve. Loved him best in the film The Unforgiven.
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mistermuse 12:12 pm on October 16, 2019 Permalink
Sorry to say I haven’t seen The Unforgiven, as (with a few exceptions) I’m not a big fan of westerns. However, I should have made this one of the exceptions, as I notice The Unforgiven was directed by John Huston and has a great cast. My bad.
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Don Ostertag 4:29 pm on October 14, 2019 Permalink |
One of the little granddaughters asked why I always watched movies with the color turned off.
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mistermuse 4:58 pm on October 14, 2019 Permalink |
A very logical question when you stop to think about it. Love it! Thanks, Don.
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D. Wallace Peach 4:31 pm on October 15, 2019 Permalink |
I used to watch Barbara Stanwick in Big Valley. Remember that show? She was the matriarch. Gloria and Charlie not as much, but I remember them. Fun clips.
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mistermuse 5:26 pm on October 15, 2019 Permalink |
I didn’t watch Big Valley, but I’ve seen many of her movies — some of them (such as THE LADY EVE and REMEMBER THE NIGHT) multiple times. Truly a wonderful actress!
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mlrover 8:56 am on October 16, 2019 Permalink |
Loved The Lady Eve.
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Thom Hickey 3:37 pm on October 18, 2019 Permalink |
Looking forward to an extensive series!
Regards Thom
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Cheryl Wright 12:17 pm on October 22, 2019 Permalink |
Watching the video In Remembrance brought back memories of when I used to watch old movies with my grandmother. She also got me into watching soap operas…lol
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mistermuse 3:34 pm on October 22, 2019 Permalink |
Watching soap operas is one habit I never got into….but I did watch many a ‘horse opera’ (western) when I was a kid. Oddly enough, I’ve never heard a fat lady sing in a horse opera, but I have heard many a horselaugh when the fat lady sings in The Marx Brothers At The Opera.
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Susi Bocks 10:15 pm on October 22, 2019 Permalink |
I’m not from that era but I was fortunate to have a step-father who exposed us to a lot of the generations we weren’t a part of. Lovely! 🙂
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mistermuse 9:38 am on October 23, 2019 Permalink |
I’m so old, I’m a part of many generations (but ‘apart’ from today’s).
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Susi Bocks 11:21 am on October 23, 2019 Permalink
Sorry to hear that?
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mistermuse 12:30 pm on October 23, 2019 Permalink
To clarify, I simply feel that so much of today’s politics and culture are so beyond the pale and so debased, that this generation has become increasingly foreign to the values and ideals we should stand for.
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Silver Screenings 8:34 pm on November 16, 2019 Permalink |
I’m very much looking forward to this series. At some point this weekend, I’m going to settle down with a cup o’ tea and binge read you.
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mistermuse 10:02 pm on November 16, 2019 Permalink |
Enjoy the multi-post series, SS. You’ll know it’s over when the fat lady sings.
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