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Post by topbilled on Jun 25, 2024 16:21:48 GMT
Tom Conway
Tom Conway was the older brother of George Sanders and was well-known to movie-going audiences of the 1940s and 1950s. While brother George would graduate to ‘A’ features and an Oscar, Tom remained for the most part in ‘B’ pictures. He carved out a career playing detectives on screen. Taking a cue from his younger sibling, he began performing in London plays during the late 1930s. In 1940 he joined George in Hollywood and snagged a contract at MGM (George was working at Fox and RKO). He had bit parts in a dozen films at the lion, but in 1943, his big break came at RKO. George had been playing The Falcon in a series of modestly budgeted programmers but was eager to concentrate on more important pictures at Fox. Someone had the ingenious idea of pairing the brothers onscreen in THE FALCON’S BROTHER, where George essentially handed the detective work over to Tom. It was a hit with audiences and Tom Conway became very popular as the replacement Falcon. Besides playing the Falcon, RKO put him in several horror pictures produced by Val Lewton. Notably, Lewton cast him in THE CAT PEOPLE and THE SEVENTH VICTIM, where Tom played the same character. There was also a part in I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE. More films at RKO followed under directors like Robert Wise, Gordon Douglas and Anthony Mann. After the war, Tom moved over to Fox where his brother was still on contract. Tom was cast again as a detective in a few Bulldog Drummond films. At the same time, he was playing Sherlock Holmes on the radio since Basil Rathbone had tired of the role. When the pictures at Fox were finished, Tom began to freelance. He made several inconsequential B films in the early 50s for independent producers. There was even an occasional assignment back at RKO. But by this point, his movie career in Hollywood was on the wane. He turned to television and for three seasons he appeared in his own series on ABC. After his involvement with the program ended, Tom returned to London and did several British movies during the middle part of the 1950s. One of these reunited him onscreen with his brother– DEATH OF A SCOUNDREL. Foreshadowing things to come, Tom’s character meets an untimely death; while George’s character seems helpless to prevent it. About ten years later, life would imitate art when Tom’s alcoholism led to his own early death, which came after an estrangement from George.
Suggested Viewing:THE FALCON'S BROTHER (1942)THE FALCON STRIKES BACK (1943)I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943)A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE (1944)TWO O'CLOCK COURAGE (1945)CRIMINAL COURT (1946)THE CHALLENGE (1948)THE CHECKERED COAT (1948)I CHEATED THE LAW (1949)THE GREAT PLANE ROBBERY (1950)
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Post by lydecker on Jun 26, 2024 13:13:21 GMT
Two O'Clock Courage is fun to watch though you will want to kill Ann Rutherford by the end of the film.
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Post by topbilled on Jun 26, 2024 14:37:21 GMT
Ann Savage
Like many young starlets in Hollywood, Ann Savage came to the film capital with a desire to become the next big name on screen. She didn’t quite achieve such a lofty goal, but she did make her mark. The South Carolina native’s movie debut occurred during the war. She was initially signed by Columbia Pictures, and in 1943, she appeared in 11 films at the studio. The roles were small at first, but she worked constantly at refining her skills. She was soon promoted to leads in B crime dramas and B westerns. Crime flicks would become her niche. During the next year, she continued at Columbia but by 1945, she and the studio had parted company. After this she went to Paramount, where she was cast in a few crime comedies; then over to poverty row studio PRC. Director Edgar Ulmer considered her the ideal choice for his immoral femme fatale in DETOUR, and he was right. She had previously starred with Tom Neal at Columbia in two earlier pictures, and both of them shared a lot of chemistry together. His intensity and her fierceness was an incredible combination, and it helped make DETOUR a widely celebrated film noir. Though Ann did not work for Ulmer again, she and Tom Neal did reunite on screen. They were featured in a 1955 episode of the TV show Gang Busters. In fact, from 1951 on, Ann concentrated exclusively on television roles. But by the late 50s, her Hollywood career seemed to have reached a dead end and there was no detour in sight. However, like other lucky actresses, she would experience a career resurgence later. In 1986, Ann Savage returned to movies with a performance in a Canadian drama released by Paramount Pictures. It was called FIRE WITH FIRE, and she portrayed a nun. A few years later, she turned up in an episode of the syndicated sitcom Saved by the Bell. And in 2007, a year before her death, she played Guy Maddin’s mother in the Canadian film MY WINNIPEG, where she had top billing. Suggested Viewing:
KLONDIKE KATE (1943)THE UNWRITTEN CODE (1944)MIDNIGHT MANHUNT (1945)SCARED STIFF (1945)APOLOGY FOR MURDER (1945)DETOUR (1945)THE DARK HORSE (1946)THE LAST CROOKED MILE (1946)LADY CHASER (1946)MY WINNIPEG (2007)
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Post by topbilled on Jun 27, 2024 16:36:01 GMT
Robert Lowery
Robert Lowery had a long and varied career in Hollywood. During a thirty year period he made about seventy films and appeared on countless television series. His first screen role occurred in 1937, shortly after he had been signed by 20th Century Fox. The Kansas City native was known for his athleticism and this led to his casting in films like DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK and THE MARK OF ZORRO, where he played Rodrigo. But he would hit his stride in the early 40s after he left Fox and starred in a series of B films at Universal and Paramount. Most of these were quickly made action adventure tales or horror films. In a 1944 production called THE NAVY WAY, Robert was cast opposite Jean Parker. The couple married seven years later and had a son, also named Robert. There was another collaboration for them on screen, a western in the late 50s called THE PARSON AND THE OUTLAW. But that time, they were in supporting roles; Jean was fifth-billed and he was sixth. When not still making movies, Robert was appearing very regularly on television. Before he had transitioned to the small screen, he was hired to portray Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, in a serial at Columbia in 1949. It was called BATMAN AND ROBIN, and there were 15 chapters. Johnny Duncan played Dick Grayson/Robin. Robert’s last starring role on the big screen was with Judy Canova in Republic’s western comedy LAY DOWN THAT RIFLE in 1955. As television continued to take up most of the actor’s time, his movie appearances were less frequent. However, he did a few more westerns– like MCLINTOCK! with John Wayne, as well as JOHNNY RENO with Dana Andrews and THE BALLAD OF JOSIE with Doris Day.Suggested Viewing:CHARLIE CHAN'S MURDER CRUISE (1940)CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR (1942)A SCREAM IN THE DARK (1943)HOT RHYTHM (1944)THE NAVY WAY (1944)HIGH POWERED (1945)FASHION MODEL (1945)HOUSE OF HORRORS (1946)THEY MADE ME A KILLER (1946)MARY LOU (1948)
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Post by topbilled on Jun 28, 2024 15:05:45 GMT
Dale Evans
Dale Evans was determined to make it in show business when she was younger. She had already married and a had a child by the age of 15. And at 16, she was a single mother trying to break into the recording industry. She found office jobs in radio stations, and in her off-hours, she was writing songs and performing them where she could. Eventually, she was able to leave her desk job and start playing her tunes on the radio. In the meantime Dale married again and kept busy pursuing her goals as a singer. She toured and played different clubs across the country. She found her way to southern California and landed a contract at 20th Century Fox. Her second marriage failed and Dale married a third time. But Fox did not want to promote her as someone who had been married so frequently, nor the fact she had such an ‘old’ son. So publicity materials stated her son was her brother and that she was unmarried. The lies continued for several years. Dale wound up in musicals at Fox, but during the war the studio terminated her contract. She then moved over to Republic. Her first films for Herbert Yates were musical comedies, and she had supporting roles. But quickly she moved up to lead roles. Dale did not make her first western with Roy Rogers until a year later. Their first on-screen collaboration was a big hit and more productions followed. In the films they played romantic couples, and off the set, a real-life romance developed. Dale had been married three times, and Roy had been married twice when they tied the knot in 1947. But this union would be a success and it lasted for the rest of their lives. When Dale took time off during a pregnancy, Roy was cast with other leading ladies. And when Dale came back to work, she made a crime drama in addition to the westerns with Roy and his horse Trigger. They continued to work at Republic until 1951, when B westerns were being phased out. They moved over to television the same year, and for most of the 50s, Dale and Roy delighted audiences with new stories broadcast on their weekly series. In addition to working with her husband, Dale also wrote books and was very involved in religious crusades. She stayed busy for the next several decades and was always a true cowgirl at heart.
Suggested Viewing:SWING YOUR PARTNER (1943)CASANOVA IN BURLESQUE (1944)COWBOY AND THE SENORITA (1944)SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (1944)DON'T FENCE ME IN (1945)THE BIG SHOW-OFF (1945)ALONG THE NAVAJO TRAIL (1945)THE TRESPASSER (1947)THE GOLDEN STALLION (1949)PALS OF THE GOLDEN WEST (1951)
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Post by topbilled on Jun 28, 2024 17:06:00 GMT
A bit about THE TRESPASSER. It's a noir in which Dale Evans plays a nightclub singer. Certainly a change of pace for her (and a film without Roy Rogers). She's great in it.
Here's the link...the print has been restored, in very nice condition:
THE TRESPASSER (1947)
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Post by topbilled on Jun 29, 2024 13:12:23 GMT
Group 2: They're English
Robert Newton; Alison Skipworth; Michael Redgrave: Margaret Lockwood; Kenneth More; Binnie Barnes; Terry-Thomas; Celia Johnson and Richard Greene
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Post by topbilled on Jun 29, 2024 21:22:30 GMT
Robert Newton
Robert Newton was one of life’s more colorful characters. He brought his vivid personality and unique performance style to stage productions and to the cinema. He was successful in his native Britain as well as in America. He had begun in the British theater during the 1920s and in the 30s began to hit his stride. He occasionally played in Shakespearean roles opposite his friend, Laurence Oliver. Later he appeared on Broadway when he took over a part Olivier originated. Though there had been small roles in a few earlier films, Robert’s motion picture career didn’t really take off until 1937. He did FIRE OVER ENGLAND with Oliver, and there were follow-up parts in other war films and crime dramas. He had a particularly good time as one of Sir Humphrey’s Gang in Alfred Hitchcock’s JAMAICA INN. Charles Laughton’s scene stealing in that picture would undoubtedly rub off on him. He continued to make films during the war years, including two more with Olivier (21 DAYS and HENRY V). Usually he was cast as the main ruffian. His on-screen villainy reached absolute perfection with his role as a demented doctor in Edward Dmytryk’s study of abnormal psychology, OBSESSION. Then he achieved cinematic immortality for his over-the-top and comically exaggerated version of the pirate to end all pirates, Long John Silver, in Disney’s TREASURE ISLAND. He cashed in on pirate mania during the years that followed. While Disney would re-release TREASURE ISLAND, Robert went on to make a Technicolor adventure yarn at RKO where he played BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE. And after that, he did LONG JOHN SILVER’S RETURN TO TREASURE ISLAND in Australia with Rod Taylor. Audiences couldn’t get enough, and it led to a 26-episode TV series. Suggested Viewing:FIRE OVER ENGLAND (1937)JAMAICA INN (1939)GASLIGHT (1940)MAJOR BARBARA (1941)HATTER'S CASTLE (1942)THIS HAPPY BREED (1944)OLIVER TWIST (1948)OBSESSION (1949)TREASURE ISLAND (1950)BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE (1952)
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Post by dianedebuda on Jun 29, 2024 21:47:15 GMT
Robert Newton will always be Inspector Fix chasing David Niven and Cantinflas in Around the World in 80 Days (1956) to me. 
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Post by topbilled on Jun 30, 2024 14:00:29 GMT
Alison SkipworthAlison Skipworth was born and raised in London, and she received the best education money could buy. During her twenties, she continued her studies and modeled. She fell in love with a man who painted her portrait, and they soon married. Because he was still a struggling artist, she began to take jobs in the theater to prove to her father they could make it on their own. Within a short period of time, she was in several hit plays then sailed for America a year later to appear on stage in New York. It didn’t take much to convince Alison or her husband that a life in the U.S. was for them. They settled permanently in New York, and she continued to find roles. She made a name for herself in comedies playing grand ladies and other cheeky authority figures. When she wasn’t on Broadway, she toured as part of a well-regarded Shakespearean company. In the 1910s, she did a few silent shorts, and in the early 20s, she was cast in two silent features. One of these was for Adolph Zukor, and the other was for David Selznick’s father. But she spent more time on stage and appeared in over 40 Broadway productions. Not all the Broadway plays Alison did were hits. After a few flops, she was eager to try motion pictures again. In 1930, Zukor’s studio (Paramount) was looking for theatrically trained performers to help make the transition to sound. Alison went to Hollywood, and she signed a long-term contract at Paramount. She had hits opposite George Raft, Carole Lombard and of course, W.C. Fields. She and Fields made four pictures together, and each one was a crowd-pleaser. Alison kept busy on screen through much of the 1930s. She continued to work at Paramount, but took outside roles, too. For example, she had supporting roles in several Bette Davis films at Warners. Back at her home studio, she had top billing in two comedies. She also had lead roles at Republic opposite Mae Clarke and Polly Moran. However, in 1938, her Hollywood career tapered off because Alison wanted to return to the stage. For the next several years, she was in New York again delighting audiences with her latest performances on Broadway. Suggested Viewing:MADAME RACKETEER (1932)NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (1932)A LADY'S PROFESSION (1933)TILLIE AND GUS (1933)THE CASINO MURDER CASE (1935)HITCH HIKE LADY (1935)THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS (1936)TWO WISE MAIDS (1937)LADIES IN DISTRESS (1938)
KING OF THE NEWSBOYS (1938)
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Post by topbilled on Jul 1, 2024 12:38:35 GMT
Michael Redgrave
Michael Redgrave was the youngest child born to parents who were both performers. Shortly after his birth, Michael’s father went to Australia and appeared in silent films. Mrs. Redgrave stayed in England and raised the children. When Michael was older, he decided in college he would work in education. But while teaching (he taught drama), he realized he would make performing his real career, just as it had been for his folks. He joined an acting group outside London and perfected many roles in Shakespearean productions. During this time, he met and married actress Rachel Kempson who appeared with him on the stage. They would have three children together (Vanessa, Corin and Lynn– who all became well-known performers themselves). And despite Michael’s on-going struggles with his sexual orientation, he and Rachel remained married for fifty years. During the early years of their marriage, they remained busy acting. And as Michael made a name for himself in more Shakespearean roles, he caught the attention of an influential director– Alfred Hitchcock. Michael’s motion picture debut was in Hitchcock’s 1938 classic THE LADY VANISHES. He was paired with Margaret Lockwood, with whom he would again costar in Carol Reed’s message drama THE STARS LOOK DOWN two years later. It was a strong beginning for Michael, though his priority continued to be the stage. He appeared in several more hit films, until he was called up for war service. After serving for a year and a half, he was discharged and went back to acting full time. There were more successes– KIPPS; THUNDER ROCK; and DEAD OF NIGHT (where he gave a chilling interpretation of a mad ventriloquist). There was also a noteworthy production called THE CAPTIVE HEART, a war drama where he played a soldier stuck in a Nazi concentration camp. The woman he dreams of back home was played by his wife Rachel. With this string of cinematic successes, it was no surprise when Hollywood studios began to show interest in hiring Michael. He spent some quality time with the family, and they went to the U.S. so he could do a lead part in RKO’s MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA. He also appeared in a psychological thriller directed by Fritz Lang called SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR. For the RKO film, he earned an Oscar nomination. Despite the praise being lavished on his performances in these two recent films, a major Hollywood career did not materialize. He went back to England with his wife and children. He then concentrated on stage work. While there were numerous theatrical productions during the late 1940s, he remained off movie screens for about four years. When Michael returned to the movies, it was in one of his better starring roles. Drawing on his past experience as an educator, he played a very conflicted instructor in THE BROWNING VERSION, based on Terence Rattigan’s play. It was a role Michael did not originate on stage (Eric Portman had the honor), but it was one that fit him like a proverbial glove. He was named Best Actor at Cannes for his performance. He followed this with a key role in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. Afterward there were several war films in the mid-50s, including THE DAM BUSTERS with Richard Todd. Michael also appeared in the big screen adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984. He would continue to remain in demand until the early 1970s, though his film roles in the later period were usually of the supporting variety. The onset of Parkinson’s disease slowed him down, and for the last ten years of his life, failing health prevented further screen appearances. With the help of his son, Michael managed to set things straight in a last-minute autobiography that was published shortly before his death in 1985.
Suggested Viewing:THE LADY VANISHES (1938)KIPPS (1941)THUNDER ROCK (1942)THE CAPTIVE HEART (1946)SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR (1947)THE BROWNING VERSION (1951)THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (1952)THE DAM BUSTERS (1955)THE QUIET AMERICAN (1958)NO MY DARLING DAUGHTER (1961)
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Post by topbilled on Jul 2, 2024 15:14:09 GMT
Margaret Lockwood
Margaret Lockwood was born in India but spent most of her childhood raised by her mother in London. Her father had been married several times and was not around when Margaret made her stage debut at age 12. In her first role, she was a fairy in a version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ She impressed everyone in the audience, especially her mother; and a little star was born. Margaret spent her teen years at a prestigious all-girls school where she studied acting. She appeared on stage again, and at 18 she was signed to make her first motion picture. She was third-billed in the production, which was an adaptation of LORNA DOONE. There were subsequent parts in other pictures, including a role opposite George Arliss, who was known for guiding new stars. A British studio, Gaumont, put her on a three-year contract, and she was upgraded to parts with top-name directors. She quickly made THE LADY VANISHES with Alfred Hitchcock, and BANK HOLIDAY with Carol Reed. Hollywood came calling, and she went to America to make a Shirley Temple film at 20th Century Fox. She also costarred with Douglas Fairbanks in Paramount’s lavish spectacle RULERS OF THE SEA. There were more offers from American companies, but with the outbreak of war in Europe, she felt she had to get back home. In England, she worked with Carol Reed again in THE STARS LOOK DOWN; and she followed this up with two more Reed pictures, including NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH. She was usually typecast in these productions as a wholesome heroine, but all of that was about to change. In 1943, Margaret took the first of her highly acclaimed villainous roles in a Gainsborough melodrama called THE MAN IN GREY, opposite James Mason. It was a big hit, and other fancy melodramas followed. The highpoint occurred in 1945 when she portrayed Barbara Worth in THE WICKED LADY. Again she was teamed with Mason, and it became the year’s most successful film in England. When it was exhibited in America, it ran into censorship problems and scenes had to be reshot for U.S. audiences. Margaret was at the height of her film career during the immediate post-war years, and she was commanding a hefty salary. But by 1950, she decided the scripts being offered to her were inferior and she broke her contract. She concentrated on stage roles in the London theater, though she returned to the screen two years later when producer Herbert Wilcox hired her to make several more pictures. But in 1955, after she had finished filming the thriller CAST A DARK SHADOW, she decided to call it quits and get out of the movie business. Bryan Forbes managed to lure her back once more in 1976 for his musical THE SLIPPER AND THE ROSE. After all, who else could give Cinderella such a hard time, except the ultimate Wicked Lady!
Suggested Viewing:
DOCTOR SYN (1937)BANK HOLIDAY (1938)SUSANNAH OF THE MOUNTIES (1938)THE STARS LOOK DOWN (1940)NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940)THE MAN IN GREY (1943)THE WICKED LADY (1945)JASSY (1947)CAST A DARK SHADOW (1955)THE SLIPPER AND THE ROSE (1976)
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Post by topbilled on Jul 3, 2024 12:27:40 GMT
Kenneth More
When he was younger, Kenneth More was not sure what career would be best. At first he considered engineering, then he went to Canada to be a trapper; then he returned to England and wound up as a stage manager. But his true calling would be performing, and before long, he was up on stage as part of a comedy act. He quickly perfected his skills as a comedian, and this– mixed with his charm– made him a natural for theatrical roles and the film roles that would come his way after the war. During the war, he joined the Navy– and the time at sea would prepare him for his most important cinematic roles as ADMIRAL CRICHTON and the second officer of the Titanic in A NIGHT TO REMEMBER. After the war, he returned to the stage where he was “discovered” by Noel Coward who promptly cast Kenneth in a new production. This led to small roles in British movies. By the early 50s, he gradually worked his way up to strong secondary parts. It was his third-billed role in Rank’s crowd-pleasing comedy GENEVIEVE that turned him into a full-fledged movie star in 1953. On the strength of this performance– as well as his work in Terence Rattigan’s play ‘The Deep Blue Sea’– Kenneth was able to secure a long-term contract with the Rank Organisation that was shared with 20th Century Fox. When Fox turned Rattigan’s play into a feature film, he was cast opposite Vivien Leigh to recreate his stage role. Other prestigious films soon followed. He was given the chance to portray Douglas Bader in REACH FOR THE SKY, which was the top British motion picture of 1956. Kenneth's hot streak continued during the 50s. Rank and Fox kept him busy in projects with Jayne Mansfield, Lauren Bacall and Shirley Anne Field. After his role as in A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, he was cast in a big budget remake of THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS. He was also in Lewis Gilbert’s war film SINK THE BISMARCK. But audience tastes would change in the 60s, and though Kenneth tried to adapt, his movie career began to sink just like the Titanic and the Bismarck. Luckily, the actor was able to reinvent himself on British television. He played Young Jolyon in the BBC’s first adaptation of John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga. And he followed it up with a starring role in Father Brown, based on G.K. Chesterton’s novel. He was also back on the big screen, playing the Ghost of Christmas Present in SCROOGE. He remained active until his retirement in 1980. His last acting appearance was in a CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame production of A Tale of Two Cities. Suggested Viewing:
GENEVIEVE (1953)
THE DEEP BLUE SEA (1955)REACH FOR THE SKY (1956)THE ADMIRAL CHRICHTON (1957)A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (1958)NEXT TO NO TIME (1958)THE SHERIFF OF FRACTURED JAW (1958)THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS (1959)
NORTH WEST FRONTIER (1959)SINK THE BISMARCK! (1960)
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Post by topbilled on Jul 4, 2024 16:43:06 GMT
Binnie Barnes
Her given name was Gertrude, but her nickname was Binnie. So that’s how she was billed in movies, as Binnie Barnes. She had her start in a short film with experimental sound in 1923, when she was just twenty. But she didn’t start appearing in British features until 1931. These were sizable supporting roles, and in 1933, she had one of the better ones, playing a wife of the king in THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII. In 1934 she went to Hollywood where she was put under a long-term contract with Universal. She would make many films for the studio during the 30s. For her first American production, she costarred with Frank Morgan and a young Robert Taylor in the original version of THERE’S ALWAYS TOMORROW. It was a hit and Universal was eager to cast Binnie in more of its motion pictures. The roles that followed varied in scope. For example, she was paired twice with Edward Arnold– in DIAMOND JIM (where she played Lillian Russell); and in SUTTER’S GOLD (where she turned up as a countess). She was then loaned to United Artists for its remake of THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS. And back at Universal, she had top billing in the first musical featuring Deanna Durbin, THREE SMART GIRLS. When Binnie wasn’t working in Hollywood, she usually returned to her home in England and picked up more film work there– appearing opposite people like Leslie Howard and Laurence Olivier. She remained busy due to her ability to play both light and serious roles. Binnie’s versatility prevented her from being typecast and made her a much-sought after performer in all kinds of comedies and dramas. Also, she wasn’t afraid to take secondary roles in between leads, and her lack of ego in this regard made her very employable and kept her in demand until 1950. During the war, she became a naturalized U.S. citizen– she had recently wed an American producer named Mike Frankovich, with whom she remained married for over fifty years. They adopted three children and while motherhood became a main focus, at first it did not seem to slow her career down. In the mid-50s, however, she did scale back her workload. She still took occasional roles in popular films– she appeared in THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS; and returned for its sequel. In 1973, at the age of 70, she costarred with Gene Kelly in the adaptation of the Broadway hit 40 CARATS. Her husband produced and co-directed it. Suggested Viewing:THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII (1933)THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW (1934)THE LADY IS WILLING (1934)DIAMOND JIM (1935)THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (1936)THREE SMART GIRLS (1936)
THE DIVORCE OF LADY X (1938)
UP IN MABEL'S ROOM (1944)
THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES (1946)
40 CARATS (1973)
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Post by topbilled on Jul 5, 2024 13:37:43 GMT
Terry-Thomas
Terry-Thomas had several stage names during the early phases of his career. His real name was Thomas Terry Stevens. By reversing the first two names, he could be more unique, especially with the addition of a hyphen– which he said was added to represent the gap between his front teeth. With an answer like that, you know you must be dealing with a comedian. Stand-up comedy became T-T’s calling card in the 30s– well, that, and dancing. But he felt too restricted on the ballroom floor and he felt more comfortable making people laugh. He and his first wife entertained audiences in cabarets and various nightclubs in and around London, until service in the war interrupted their professional activities. But T-T quickly proved adept at entertaining fellow enlisted men; he was soon recruited to join a troupe that went around and put on shows for soldiers.
After the war ended, he was back to performing professionally with his wife. Jobs in the late 40s took him into different venues, including radio and an early television program where he first came to national attention. However, movie success continued to elude T-T until the mid-50s. It wasn’t until the Boulting brothers hired him for a series of comedies in the mid-to-late 50s that he became a popular film star. Some of his success could be attributed to his eccentric style of clothing as well as his style as a comedian. He played very identifiable characters in his movies– usually crass, silly-arse members of the establishment.
In many of these productions he worked with Ian Carmichael and Peter Sellers. Soon he was starring in pictures that had been written expressly for his talents. Hollywood also took an interest around this time, and he went to America to appear in productions at MGM. In TOM THUMB, he impressed critics and received a BAFTA nomination. In between motion pictures, he frequently turned up as a guest on TV variety shows. In the late 60s, he was tired of the Hollywood and London scenes, so he began to travel throughout Europe and made comedies in France and Italy. Gradually, his workload decreased in the 70s when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. His last screen appearance occurred in 1980, and he spent the last years of his life struggling against the disease. After he passed away, many coworkers and fans recalled his skill as a performer. And they called him one of the last true gentlemen of his era.
 Suggested Viewing:TOM THUMB (1958)
CARLTON-BROWNE OF THE F.O. (1959)
TOO MANY CROOKS (1959)
MAKE MINE MINK (1960)SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS (1960)THE WILD AFFAIR (1964)
HOW TO MURDER YOUR WIFE (1965)STRANGE BEDFELLOWS (1965)
JULES VERNE'S ROCKET TO THE MOON (1967)
DON'T RAISE THE BRIDGE, LOWER THE RIVER (1968)
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