Bing Crosby’s original version of “Swinging on a Star,” with its catchy tune and poetic lyrics about moonbeams in a jar, enjoyed an impressive 28-week-run on the Billboard charts in 1944, including nine weeks in the number one position. The song, composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Burke, earned the Academy Award…
Behind-the-Scenes Drama on the Set of “The Little Foxes”
The 1941 drama, The Little Foxes, about the turn-of-the-century Southern family and their in-fighting and back-stabbing may have foreshadowed the real-life behind-the-scenes drama that took place on the set of this film. Although The Little Foxes was a box office success and was nominated for an incredible nine Academy Awards, tensions on set ran high…
How Did “Citizen Kane” NOT Win the Best Picture Oscar?
Film critics and fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood consistently place the 1941 film Citizen Kane as one of the best movies ever made. So, it is surprising to learn that the classic film that was directed, produced, co-written, and starred Orson Welles did not take home the Oscar for Best Picture at the…
How David O. Selznick Molded Jennifer Jones into a Hollywood Star
The fairytale version of the romance between Hollywood director David O. Selznick and beautiful young actress Jennifer Jones follows that Selznick discovered the young beauty, recognized her potential, and made her a star … and, of course, they fell in love and got married. But that sanitized story does not paint the whole picture. In…
A Star, a Dress, and a Subway Grate
When we say “Marilyn Monroe”, what image pops in your head? If you are like most people, your mind automatically goes to the famous scene from The Seven Year Itch when the beautiful blonde sex symbol, wearing a white halter dress with a full pleated skirt, steps onto a subway grate and the air current…