Classic Actresses
K Cruver
Articles
Myrna Loy started her Hollywood career playing a series of homewreckers. By the time she retired, she would eternally be known as the ideal woman to marry. Here are a pair of movies that show the world of difference between these images.
1939 was a remarkable year for Hollywood. The movies produced that year are among the greatest the studios ever produced, including Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. It was also a phenomenal year for actresses.
One of the best comedies of the thirties, Trouble in Paradise also two of the the finest performances of leading ladies Kay Francis and Miriam Hopkins.
The bubbling charm of Betty Boop has charmed all sorts of people for decades. Still, though it is easy to buy a Boop soap dish or t-shirt, her energetic and surreal cartoons are not as well-known as they should be. Here's an introduction to her "life" and some of those wonderful ...
Ethel Waters: Strength and Warmth
Ethel Waters had one of the most distinctive singing voices of the twentieth century, but today, she is best remembered for her strong film performances. Here are some of her best.
Veronica Lake: Film Noir Double Feature
Veronica Lake endures as one of the most intriguing dames in film noir. Here are two of her best performances in the genre.
Here are some more titles to take you over the top.
There's a special thrill to be found in over the top movies. A great movie star can turn an implausable, melodramatic plot into prime entertainment. Here's one of the best of the of the overblown.
Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland. Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. These women really knew how to wage war on each other and they did, much to the amusement of their public, for many years.
It wasn't all backstabbing and cattiness between the actresses of classic Hollywood. In fact, some very ambitious stars enjoyed enduring friendships right in the midst of this cutthroat town.
Maureen O'Sullivan: Our Favorite Jane
Her career lasted for over sixty years, but to most of us, Maureen O'Sullivan will always be Tarzan's Jane. Here are the best movies of the series.
Barbara Stanwyck: The Early Days
When Barbara Stanwyck came to Hollywood, she hit the ground running. Here are two of her best early performances.
Double Feature: Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert is best known for playing a spoiled heiress in "It Happened One Night". Only two years before that, she became a star by first playing the wickedest woman in the world and then a woman who planned to rule the world. And she was only getting started.
Double Feature: Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich made some of her best movies with director Joseph von Sternberg. Here are two movies in which he displays her dramatic, ironic, and sleekly humorous persona to great advantage.
Double Feature: Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard didn't have many years to make her mark in Hollywood, but she remains one of its most memorable stars. Here are two of her best comedies.
Pre-Code Delights Part II: Joan Blondell
To end my first feature on pre-codes, here are two movies by one of their most durable stars, Joan Blondell
In my mind, the true golden age in Hollywood took place between 1929 and 1934. In these years, there was a code of morality that was starting to sink its teeth into movies, but it hadn't taken hold yet. Which meant all the more fun for audiences. Here are three good ...
Black Musicals: Scenes and Shorts
One of the best ways to enjoy the best of African American talent in classic Hollywood is in the musical shorts, which were created to complement the main feature, and easily (unfortunately) excisible scenes from musicals, which, ironically, were many times the best part of the movie.
Hallelujah and Other Black Musicals
This month, I'm not only celebrating Black History Month, but also the video re-release of the first all-black musical, Hallelujah. I'll also suggest a few additional titles for those who want to explore the African American musicals of classic Hollywood.
In part two of the story of Theda Bara, the vamp gets married and turns into a social butterfly.
Theda Bara: The Wicked Intellectual
Theda Bara was Hollywood's first sex symbol, and her image was the most wicked by far. Here's part one of the story of a quiet bookworm who became a vamp on the silver screen
Remember the Night and The Shop Around the Corner
Though these movies take place during the Christmas season, they're great entertainment for any time of the year. Even if you think you've seen enough holiday movies for a year, you can enjoy these performances from Margaret Sullavan, Barbara Stanwyck, Beulah Bondi and Elizabeth Patterson in their own right.
Part two of the story of Kim Novak.
Kim Novak was the last star of the studio system, but she was the first sex goddess to escape Hollywood and find a happy life. Her quiet, melancholy air also set her apart from the blond bombshells. Here's part one of her story.
Part two of the varied life of Ida Lupino
Ida Lupino: Hard-Boiled Intelligence
Ida Lupino was the ultimate hard-boiled dame of the silver screen. She was also an accomplished director, something that was unheard of for a woman in her time. Here's part one of the story of one of the most multi-talented women to ever work in Hollywood.
Looking for a good classic horror movie? Here are some titles which also feature great performances by classic actresses.
Part II of the life story of the worldly wise Joan Fontaine.
Joan Fontaine: Hollywood Woman of the World
She made her name in a pair of Hitchcock thrillers, but her life outside of Hollywood was tough competition for the fantasies she portrayed.
Hollywood has never worshiped at the feet of its older ladies (with the possible exception of Marie Dressler), but in the classic age, some great performances were turned in by actresses who were well past the "starlet" age.
What does the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day event have to do with classic actresses? Unfortunately, quite a lot.
Part two of the eventful life story of Fay Wray.
Fay Wray is famous for a year of her career where she made horror movies; the most memorable of them was "King Kong"--which was also one of the most memorable movies ever made. The rest of her life was also pretty interesting. There's more to this lady than a big monkey. ...
Part two of the glamorous, exciting, and tragic life of Vivien Leigh.
Vivien Leigh: A Southern English Rose
She is loved for being Scarlett O'Hara and Blanche DuBois, and rightfully so. However, there are more gems among the twenty movies that Vivien Leigh made in her career--and she was also an accomplished stage actress. Here is part one of her story.
The birth of talkies was almost directly followed by the birth of the wisecrackin' dame--one of the best character types to ever hit Hollywood. Rosalind Russell, Eve Arden and Glenda Farrell were some of the best dames to ever crack wise in the movies.
Preston Sturges: Turning Drama into Laughs
I know what you're thinking--Preston Sturges isn't a classic actress! True, but he took three actresses who were famous for their dramatic performances and let them be funny. The result? Some of the best roles they ever did and three of Sturges' best movies.
Part two of the story of Judy Holliday.
Judy Holliday: The Smart Blonde
In her short career, the intelligent and warm Judy Holliday turned the dumb blonde stereotype on its head. She was also one of the best comic talents the movies ever had. Here is part one of her short, but vibrant life.
Part two of the turbulent and fascinating life of transcontinental movie queen Merle Oberon.
Merle Oberon: The Imperial Beauty
Merle Oberon was much more than Cathy in "Wuthering Heights"(1939). In addition to some fine performances, she was tireless in her work for humanity and famous as an international hostess. Here is part one of her life story.
Part two of the crazy life of Clara Bow.
Clara Bow was more than the ultimate jazz baby. She was one of the most talented actresses of the silent age, and contrary to popular belief, the talkies didn't end her career. Here's part one of her sad, but eventful life story.
African American Actresses: Maids and Mammies
Hattie McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen, and Louise Beavers were the most famous maids and mammies in early Hollywood.
Nina Mae McKinney, Fredi Washington, Lena Horne, and Hazel Scott were the first glamorous African American actresses in Hollywood. Here's a little information about their careers.
Part two of the story of Jean Harlow, the Platinum Blonde
Jean Harlow: The Platinum Blonde
The first sex symbol of the talkies was actually a childlike, fun-loving woman who disliked being called a bombshell. She was alive for twenty-six years and it was all the time she needed to live forever.
Movie Reviews: Rentals for the New Year
Start out the New Year with a cozy movie night at home. Here are some great titles to start with.
And now--part two of the story of Gene Tierney.
Gene Tierney: A Beauty With Talent
It is near impossible to find a sentence describing Gene Tierney that doesn't mention her great beauty. She was more than a pretty face though, the lady could act. She also weathered a tough life and came out on top. Here's part one of her story.
Part two of the tragic story of Dorothy Dandridge, the first African American leading lady in Hollywood.
Dorothy Dandridge: A Star in the Wrong Times
Dorothy Dandridge should have been a lasting star, but she was held back by racism, a haunting past, and poor judgement. However, she still broke many boundaries and her talent and beauty shine in the few films she made.
Part two of the story of the controversial and charismatic Mae West.
Mae West was censored practically from the start of her career, but she managed to stay in the public eye her entire life. Here is part one of her story.
Part two of my Veronica Lake profile.
Veronica Lake: The Girl With the Peek-a-boo Bang
Veronica Lake was more than a hairstyle.
Part two of the story of Ava Gardner
Part one of the story of bodacious and beautiful Ava Gardner--a true movie star.
The second part of the Carole Lombard profile, with movie suggestions and information on finding books about her.
Carole Lombard: The Queen of Comedy
A short biography of the bawdy, good-natured queen of screwball comedy, Carole Lombard.