Today is Olivia de Havilland’s 100th birthday! Olivia is probably best-known for playing Melanie “Mellie” Hamilton, Ashley Wilkes’ sweet wife-to-be and the eventual sister-in-law of Scarlett O’Hara in the 1939 classic Gone with the Wind. I became a fan of her through that role, Gone with the Wind being one of the first classic films I watched. But Olivia is much more than just Mellie … Continue reading Happy 100th Birthday, Olivia de Havilland!
Today is the 108th anniversary of the birth of Jessie Matthews, one of Britain’s greatest screen stars. Jessie is incredibly under-appreciated, even by devoted classic film fans, so I’ve decided to pay tribute to her today in hopes to bring more attention to her spectacular films. This triple-threat talent was born Jessie Margaret Matthews in London on March 11, 1907. One of sixteen children, Jessie … Continue reading Jessie Matthews: A tribute
Jerry Paris, the actor/director best-known for his work in classic television, was born William Gerald Paris in San Francisco, California on this day in 1925. A child of divorce, Jerry was adopted as a child by his mother’s second husband and took the name William Gerald Grossman. When he became a professional actor, he would revert to his biological father’s last name. Prior to his … Continue reading Jerry Paris: A tribute
Few names hold as much weight as that of Marlene Dietrich. She is one of the actresses who absolutely defines classic glamour and talent, on stage and on film. Born on December 27, 1901 in Schoneberg, Germany (now a district of Berlin), Marie Magdalene Dietrich first found success as a chorus girl. Her German film debut followed in 1922. The big break that turned her … Continue reading Marlene Dietrich: A tribute
Say the name “Van Heflin” today and chances are, your conversation partner (unless they are a fellow old Hollywood “expert”) will have no clue who your talking about, which is the unfortunate reality when it comes to many classic stars. But in the 1940s, Van Heflin was an actor on a roll, starring in both leading roles and important character parts, even taking home an … Continue reading Van Heflin: A tribute
