About
Available on Amazon

BEGUILING HOLLYWOOD

If you want a little historical perspective you're home.

Main menu

Skip to content

About
Available on Amazon

Tag: Joel McCrea

Show Grid Show List

Post navigation

← Older posts

Okay, I lied about last night. I didn’t watch “All the President’s Men”

January 31, 2018 by Vickie Lester

I had a Preston Sturges film fest instead, and went to bed blissfully happy…movie magic…binge watching of the best kind 😉 . The Lady Eve… In which card shark Barbara Stanwyck tries to swindle bashful scientist (and heir to a fortune) Henry Fonda, and loses her heart. and The Palm Beach Story, a romantic screwball comedy with wit and verve and wonderful performances…

Categories: Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Fiction, Film, History, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Romance, Story, Theater, Uncategorized • Tags: Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, Henry Fonda, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Preston Sturges, Rudy Vallée, scene from The Palm Beach Story, screwball comedy, The Lady Eve, The Palm Beach Story

1

Sh…I’m sleeping…watch this little bit of The Palm Beach Story and I’ll see you soon

October 5, 2013 by Vickie Lester

My darlings, I first posted this the day after the Academy Awards in February, and I’m trotting it out again because; a) it’s possibly my favorite movie of all time, and b) I’m still working with my editor on the manuscript… and I feel certain he would have something to say about that semi-colon I just typed in 😉 . It’s the day after… And, if you’re reading this any time before noon Pacific Standard Time I’m probably burrowed under […]

Categories: Architecture, Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Fiction, Film, History, Hollywood, Humor, Life, Los Angeles, Movies, Parenting, Photography, Relationships, Story, Theater, Travel, Truth & Rumors, Uncategorized • Tags: Claudette Colbert, comedy, director, Douglas McGrath, history, Hollywood, humor, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Old Hollywood, on set, photos, Preston Sturges, retail ninja, retail therapy, Rudy Vallée, scene from The Palm Beach Story, screenwriter, screwball comedy, shopping, The Seven Wonders of Preston Sturges, Vanity Fair, Video

15

The man who set screwball comedy on its ear – Preston Sturges

October 5, 2013 by Vickie Lester

The Seven Wonders of Preston Sturges In just four years, 1940–44, Preston Sturges wrote and directed seven classics reflecting the America he loved and laughed at–a fast-talking, unpredictable melting pot that seems more real than the visions of Frank Capra or John Ford. Then his luck ran out. By Douglas McGrath Of all the stupid vanities in a business that specializes in stupid vanities, the possessory credit takes the cake. That credit is the one that appears at the top […]

Categories: Art, Chicago, Culture, Entertainment, fashion, Fiction, Film, History, Hollywood, Humor, Life, Los Angeles, Marriage, Movies, Photography, Relationships, Story, Theater, Travel, Truth & Rumors, Writing • Tags: Claudette Colbert, director, Douglas McGrath, history, Hollywood, humor, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Old Hollywood, on set, photos, Preston Sturges, Rudy Vallée, screenwriter, screwball comedy, The Seven Wonders of Preston Sturges, Vanity Fair

12

Measuring up – and wardrobe malfunctions

October 5, 2013 by Vickie Lester

A little bird in the wardrobe department chirped this item in my ear –she was having a hard time getting actors under thirty to put on their underwear. Besides the obvious issues of hygiene what you wear under your costume affects how the garments look on top. Children, it isn’t a question of free will, networks and the MPAA come down hard on odd protuberances and popping nipples. Okay? Apparently this wasn’t a problem only in our era. (Insert shameless […]

Categories: Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Fiction, Film, Friendship, History, Hollywood, Humor, Life, Los Angeles, Memoir, Movies, Relationships, Story, Theater, Truth & Rumors, Uncategorized, Writing • Tags: actor, actress, behind the scenes, censors, Classic Movies, Claudette Colbert, design, director, exposure, fashion, film, film history, history, Hollywood, humor, Joel McCrea, Los Angeles, Movie stars, MPAA, negligee, nipples, Old Hollywood, on set, pajamas, photography, Preston Sturges, protruberances, The Palm Beach Story, under 30, underwear, wardrobe, wardrobe malfunction, WWII

6

JOEL McCREA – STUDIO PORTRAIT VS ERNEST BACHRACH (VERY REMBRANDTY, WITH MUSCLE)

August 9, 2013 by Vickie Lester

Categories: Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Life, Los Angeles, Movies, Photography, Story, Theater, Truth & Rumors, Uncategorized • Tags: actor, actress, art deco, behind the scenes, Cary Grant, Cecil B. De Mille, Eleanor Powell, Ernest Bachrach, fashion, film, gallery, George Hurrell, history, Hollywood, James Stewart, Jean Harlow, Joel McCrea, Le Journal de la Photographie, Los Angeles, MGM, Old Hollywood, photographer, photography, Rembrandt, Rembrandt lighting, Ted Allan

5

CARY GRANT – STUDIO PORTRAIT VS MGM’S REMBRANDT (TED ALLAN)

August 9, 2013 by Vickie Lester

Categories: Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, History, Hollywood, Life, Los Angeles, Memoir, Movies, Photography, Story, Theater, Travel, Truth & Rumors, Uncategorized • Tags: actor, actress, art deco, behind the scenes, Cary Grant, CaryGrant, Cecil B. De Mille, Eleanor Powell, Ernest Bachrach, fashion, film, gallery, George Hurrell, history, Hollywood, James Stewart, Jean Harlow, Joel McCrea, Le Journal de la Photographie, Los Angeles, MGM, Old Hollywood, photographer, photography, Rembrandt, Rembrandt lighting, Ted Allan

4

JAMES STEWART – STUDIO PORTRAIT VS MGM’S REMBRANDT (TED ALLAN)

August 9, 2013 by Vickie Lester

Categories: Advertising, Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Life, Los Angeles, Memoir, Movies, Photography, Story, Theater, Travel, Truth & Rumors, Uncategorized • Tags: actor, actress, art deco, behind the scenes, Cary Grant, Cecil B. De Mille, Eleanor Powell, Ernest Bachrach, fashion, film, gallery, George Hurrell, history, Hollywood, James Stewart, Jean Harlow, Joel McCrea, Le Journal de la Photographie, Los Angeles, MGM, Old Hollywood, photographer, photography, Rembrandt, Rembrandt lighting, Ted Allan

9

Ted Allan (1910-1993) | Le Journal de la Photographie

August 9, 2013 by Vickie Lester

Ted Allan started his career very young as an actor and worked on a number of Cecil B De Mille movies in the early 1930s. When De Mille called on someone to take some portraits, Allan stepped forward and, on seeing the results, De Mille encouraged him to follow a photography career. While still in his teens Allan opened a photographic concession in a dime store on Hollywood Boulevard, where he photographed many actors and aspiring movie stars. These pictures […]

Categories: Architecture, Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Entertainment, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Life, Los Angeles, Memoir, Movies, Photography, Relationships, Story, Truth & Rumors, Uncategorized • Tags: actor, actress, art deco, behind the scenes, Cary Grant, Cecil B. De Mille, Eleanor Powell, Ernest Bachrach, fashion, film, gallery, George Hurrell, history, Hollywood, James Stewart, Jean Harlow, Joel McCrea, Le Journal de la Photographie, Los Angeles, MGM, Old Hollywood, photographer, photography, Rembrandt, Rembrandt lighting, Ted Allan

4

LOVE – ANNE BANCROFT AND MEL BROOKS – HAPPY VALENTINE’S

February 10, 2013 by Vickie Lester

“My Favorite Year” was loosely based on Mr. Brooks early experiences working on Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” and it was the first film Richard Benjamin directed — I got sidetracked. We were talking about enduring love. Anne and Mel met in 1961 and were married in 1964. “From that day, until her death on June 5, 2005, we were glued together. ” via Mel Brooks – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. . .

Categories: Art, Blogging, Culture, Design, Early Television, Entertainment, fashion, Film, History, Hollywood, Life, Los Angeles, Marriage, Movies, Photography, Relationships, Story, Theater, Travel, Truth & Rumors, Valentine's Day • Tags: actor, actress, Anne Bancroft, behind the scenes, Camarillo, Classic Movies, Frances Dee, history, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, humor, Joel and Frances McCrea Ranch, Joel McCrea, Los Angeles, love, marriage, Mel Brooks, Movie Star, Old Hollywood, Paula Prentiss, photography, Richard Benjamin, sweethearts, Valentine's Day