Happy Birthday: Loretta Young.

Loretta Young (January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000). Made the transition from child actor to one of Hollywood's leading ladies of the 1930s and 1940s, making close to 100 films with directors such as: Frank Capra, Cecil B. DeMille and Orson Welles and talented leading men like: Cary Grant, Clark Gable and Tyrone Power. She won an Oscar for her role in, The Farmer's Daughter and was one of the first female stars to earn a six-figure salary.

My Favorite Loretta Young Movies are:

Along Came Jones(1945). Gary Copper, Lorettea Young, William Demarest and Dan Duryea.

The movie was adapted by Nunnally Johnson, from the novel Useless Cowboy, by Alan Le May. Directed by Stuart Heisler. When wounded during a stage robbery, masked bandit Monte Jarrad, drops a rifle engraved with his name.

Having only the robber's name, the sheriff of the small town of, Payneville offers a $1,000 reward for his arrest. When Melody Jones rides into town with the initials "MJ" carved into his saddle, everyone believes him to be Monte.

Mild-mannered Melody enjoys the attention and begins to swagger like a gunslinger until Cherry De Longpre, warns Melody to ride out of town. Melody takes her advice and after he leaves, she visits the barn where she is hiding out the wounded Monte.

Melody, soon realizes that she has set him up as a decoy and returns to the ranch to confront her.

That night, Cherry is shocked to find Melody in her bed and tells him that she wants to help Monte, her childhood friend. Cherry comes up with a plan.. to send Melody to lure the posse away from the ranch while Monte heads South. But the Melody is in love with Cherry and decides to return to the ranch with plans of his own.

I thought this was a very entertaining western with a wonderful combination of suspense, action, romance and comedy. It also features an interesting cast, Loretta Young gives a wonderful performance as a woman torn between the bandit and the cowboy. Cooper gives one of his funniest/cutest performances.

 

The Bishop's Wife(1947). A Romantic/comedy. Cast: Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven. The film was adapted from the novel of the same name by Robert Nathan. Directed by Henry Koster. The film won the Academy Award for Sound, and was nominated for Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture and Best Picture.

As a small town, is in the middle of getting ready for the Christmas holiday, an angel named Dudley, seems to enjoy watching Julia Brougham, the bishop's wife, looking at a hat through a store window. Dudley follows Julia to a Christmas tree lot, where she meets her old friend, Professor Wutheridge, and confides in him how sad she is that her husband Henry, is too busy with fund raising for a new cathedral to spend time with her and their friends.

The professor gives Julia a ancient Roman coin from his collection to give to Henry. After Julia leaves for home, Dudley purposely bumps into the professor and asks questions about Julia.

When Julia arrives home, she finds Henry in a meeting with several wealthy people, including Mrs. Agnes Hamilton, who insists that her large contribution toward the cathedral's construction guarantee she receives the memorial she wants for her husband who has passed away.

After the meeting, Julia tells Henry about her visit with the professor and gives Henry the coin, which thinks is worthless.

Realizing that Julia is lonely for him, Henry asks Julia, to have lunch with him the following day and she happily agrees. After his assistant, Mildred Cassaway, leaves for home, Henry prays for guidance and a few moments later, Dudley arrives and informs Henry that he is an angel sent in answer to his prayer. Henry, is still having a hard time believing him when Julia walks in, Dudley introduces himself as Henry's assistant.

 

The next morning, Henry is not too happy to see that Dudley has returned and has made friends with the maid Matilda, and his beloved dog, Queenie. Julia, is disappointed that Henry has cancelled their lunch date and takes their daughter Debby to the park.

After Henry leaves the house, Dudley meets up with Julia and Debby at the park and helps the little girl build her confidence during a snowball war. Dudley offers to take Julia to lunch just as Matilda magically shows up to take Debby home.

Dudley takes Julia to Michel's, her favorite restaurant, where Henry proposed to her. When they are seen by a group of ladies from the parish, Dudley stops their gossip by inviting them to join them at their table.

Walking home after lunch, Julia and Dudley run into the professor, who invites them to his apartment, where he admits that he has not worked for many years on his book about ancient Rome. Dudley, who has the ancient coin, in his pocket returns it to the professor and informs him of the rare coin's history. Now, inspired the professor is ready to get started on his long awaited book.

Henry, has returned home to reschedule his appointments, so that he can take Julia to lunch, only to find that she has gone to lunch with Dudley.

The next day, Dudley tells Debby the story of David, who is helped by an angel. With every one looking on.

Later, Henry accepts an invitation to meet with Mrs. Hamilton, unfortunately, it is being held at the same time as his choir practice meeting at his old parish. Dudley and Julia, go to the rehearsal instead. At the church, Rev. Miller is embarrassed by the poor turnout. Until, one by one all the boys arrive and give a wonderful performance.

After the performance, Dudley and Julia catch a cab into town where Dudley buys the hat that Julia saw in the shop window. Then Dudley asks the cab driver, Sylvester, to stop at a ice skating rink where all three spend a wonderful afternoon.

After Dudley and Julia return home, Henry demands that Dudley leave for good. Everyone, wonders if Dudley will ever return.

After Henry and Julia leave the house, Dudley arrives and rewrites Henry's Christmas sermon, dictating while the typewriter types out the new speech. Dudley, then decorates the Christmas tree and leaves to visit Mrs. Hamilton.

While waiting in Mrs. Hamilton's drawing room, Dudley discovers a piece of sheet music from a man who was not Mrs. Hamilton's husband. Dudley plays the tune on Mrs. Hamilton's harp and she reminisces to another time when she was in love with another man, but.. not wanting to be poor rejected him. To make up for not loving her wealthy husband, she wanted to honor his legacy.

Later, when Henry and Julia arrive, Mrs. Hamilton thanks Henry for sending Dudley to her and tells them that he has inspired her to give her money to the poor instead of the cathedral. With the air let out of his balloon, Henry tells Julia, that he will meet her back at home and goes to see his old friend the professor, where he complains that Dudley is really an angel who has ruined everything.The professor returns to him, his ancient coin, telling him that it has inspired him and may help Henry too.

When Henry tells him he believes he has lost Julia to Dudley, the professor reminds him that he is human and Dudley is not and encourages him to work it out with Julia.

While Dudley and Julia stand in front of the Christmas tree, Dudley tells her it is time for him to leave, but he wants to stay with her. Julia, tells him that he must go and runs upstairs just as Henry arrives to confront Dudley. Dudley is happy that Henry, is willing fight for Julia and reminds the bishop that he never prayed for a cathedral, but for guidance. He then tells him that it is bad when an angel envies a mortal and after he leaves, no one will have any memory of his existence.

Henry, races upstairs looking for Julia, they embrace and then leave for St. Timothy's where Henry delivers Dudley's Christmas sermon. Dudley listens from the street...

Cary, is at his charming best in this wonderful Christmas story about inspiration and true love. David Niven, does a wonderful job playing a bishop who forgets what is truly important in his life. Loretta Young, gives a heart warming performance as the neglected wife.

Rachel and the Stranger(1948). The story begins when David Harvey finds himself a widower with a son. They live far from town in the country on a Northwest farm. He needs a woman around the house to cook, clean and teach his son reading/writing/math.

David and Davey pack up the horse and head for town to ask for the preacher's advice, who recommends Rachel.

Rachel, is a bonds woman, and is quickly sold to David. David being a decent man marries her. David keeps his distance from Rachel as he is still grieving the passing of his wife. Rachel is doing everything she can to win over her new family.

This all changes when Jim, his (very charming, handsome) friend arrives and shows the neglected Rachel some attention. David starts to realize that she means far more to him than he thought and the trouble begins....

Please click here to view a past Rachel and the Stranger tribute put together by Disney Princess for Noir and Chick Flicks.

Please click here to view the official Loretta Young website.

Happy Birthday: Natalie Wood.

Natalie Wood (July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981). Fun Fact: Favorite actress was Vivien Leigh. Favorite singer was Bob Dylan.
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Happy Birthday: James Cagney, Jr.

James Cagney, Jr. (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986). He is best remembered for playing tough guys. Although, in his first professional acting performance, he danced dressed as a woman in the chorus line of the 1919 revue Every Sailor. 


He spent several years in vaudeville as a hoofer and comedian, until he got his first major acting part in 1925.  Before landing the lead in the 1929 play Penny Arcade. After which Warner Bros. signed him for an initial $500-a-week, three-week contract to reprise his role.. this was extended to a seven-year contract.


Cagney's seventh film, The Public Enemy, became one of the most influential gangster movies of the period. Best known for its grapefruit scene, the film thrust Cagney into the spotlight, making him one of Warners' 
Hollywood's biggest stars.


In 1938, he received his first Academy Award for Best Actor nomination, for Angels with Dirty Faces, before winning in 1942 for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in, Yankee Doodle Dandy. 


He was nominated a third time in 1955 for Love Me or Leave Me. Cagney retired for twenty years in 1961, spending time on his farm, before returning for a part in Ragtime.


Cagney walked out on Warners several times and each time coming back on better personal and artistic terms. In 1935, he sued Warners for breach of contract and won. This was one of the first times an actor had beaten a studio over a contract issue.


He worked for an independent film company for a year while the suit was being settled, and also established his own production company, Cagney Productions, in 1942, before returning to Warners again four years later. Cagney, also made numerous morale-boosting troop tours before and during World War II, and was president of the Screen Actors Guild for two years.

Happy Birthday Ginger Rogers and Barbara Stanwyck!

Ginger Rogers(July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an actress, dancer and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television. She made a total of 73 films, and was best known as Fred Astaire's romantic interest and dancing partner in a ten Hollywood musical films. She achieved great success on her own film roles and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in, Kitty Foyle (1940).

 

Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career with a strong screen presence and a favorite of directors: Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra. After a short career as a stage actress in the late 1920s, she made 85 films in 38 years in Hollywood, before turning to television.

Happy Birthday: Mamie Van Doren!

Mamie Van Doren,(born February 6, 1931). In early 1946, Joan began working as an usher at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Soon after she landed a bit part on a television show. She also sang with Ted Fio Rito's band. In the summer of 1949, at age 18, she won the titles "Miss Eight Ball" and "Miss Palm Springs."

That is when Howard Hughes, discovered Joan on the night she was crowned Miss Palm Springs. They dated for five years and he launched her career by placing her in a few RKO films. Hughes gave Van Doren a bit part in, Jet Pilot. The following year, 1951, she posed for famous pin-up girl artist Alberto Vargas, the painter of the glamorous "Vargas Girls." His painting of Van Doren was on the July cover of Esquire.

Van Doren did a few more bit parts in movies at RKO such as, His Kind of Woman (1951). starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell and Vincent Price. Van Doren, played a Guest at Bar (uncredited).

On January 20, 1953, Van Doren signed a contract with Universal Studios. The studio was hoping she would be their version of Marilyn Monroe. Van Doren's first movie role was in the Tony Curtis film, Forbidden (1953), playing a bit part as a singer (uncredited).

Mamie Van Doren, Tony Curtis, Mara Corday.

She then performed in, The All American (1953), also starring Tony Curtis, playing her first starring role as Susie Ward, a wild girl who is the man-trap at a campus bar. The story begins when, Nick Bonelli, quarterback for Mid-State, proves himself an All American in the championship, but his parents are killed in an auto accident coming to the game. Nick, transfers to Sheridan University to follow his dream of studying architecture. His decision not to join the football team causes him a lot of trouble as does his love life.

In Yankee Pasha(1954), starring Jeff Chandler and Rhonda Fleming, Mamie played a slave girl named, Lilith. Mountain man Jason Starbuck, rides into town to sell his furs. He falls in love with Roxana, who's leaves soon after by ship which is attacked by pirates. She is then sold into slavery in Morocco, Jason follows her to Morocco to save her.

In 1955, Van Doren was cast in, Ain't Misbehavin, a musical comedy starring Rory Calhoun. A story about a wild young girl, who makes her way into high society when wealthy older man falls for her.

She later starred in the crime-drama film, Running Wild(1955), with William Campbell. A young rookie cop goes undercover to bust up an auto theft ring run by a bunch of juvenile delinquents.

In 1956, she played opposite a young "unknown" Clint Eastwood in, Star in the Dust. Van Doren, plays a daughter of a ranch owner. The sheriff of Gunlock wants to hang Sam Hall, who shot three farmers. At the casino, betting is 8 to 3 he won't make it. The farmers hope to lynch him before he can be rescued by the cattlemen. Sheriff Jorden, wants to find out who hired Hall. Star in the Dust, was Van Doren's last film with Universal, because she was tired of being cast in small unimportant parts.



Van Doren went on to star in several "bad girl" movies that later became cult films. She also performed in some of the first movies to feature Rock and Roll music:

In the film Untamed Youth (1957), Sisters Jane and Penny are arrested for hitchhiking on their way to Los Angeles when they stop for a quick skinny dip in a small town. A woman named Trump, who is in charge of the prison work program has the two women work off their sentence in the fields. The prisoners are treated badly, but the judge's son has signed on as a hired hand and falls in love with Jane and comes to their rescue. Mamie, was the first woman to sing rock and roll in a Hollywood musical. Eddie Cochran did the music for the film. This film was later featured in, Mystery Science Theater 3000's "Untamed Youth" (1990).



Some of Van Doren's better known movies include:

Teacher's Pet (1958). Romantic comedy film starring Clark Gable and Doris Day. Directed by George Seaton and co-starred Gig Young and Mamie Van Doren. The cities newspaper writer James Gannon, believes that the only way to learn the business is through life experiences, so he's not too happy when his managing editor wants him to speak to college professor Erica Stone and her journalism class. He pretends to be a student, not letting her know he's Gannon, the newspaper writer. They both begin to gain respect for each other's ideas on how to report the news.

Born Reckless (1958). A western/drama. Wanting to buy a ranch of his own, Kelly Cobb travels the rodeo circuit to win the money prize. Trick rider Jackie Adams, has a little trouble with a sports writer after her saloon song. She and Cobb, decide it would be safer for her to travel together. Jackie falls in love with Kelly, but he doesn't seem to notice as he continues to follow his dream. Jackie hopes to change his roaming ways.

High School Confidential (1958). Crime/drama directed by Jack Arnold. It stars Mamie Van Doren, Russ Tamblyn, Jan Sterling, John Drew Barrymore, Jackie Coogan. The film also features a cameo by Jerry Lee Lewis who opens the movie singing a song of the same name, which Lewis co-wrote with Ron Hargrave. Michael Landon also appears in a supporting role. A new kid on the block, enters a new high school and falls into the drug scene. A teacher tries to help reform him, his aunt tries to seduce him.



The "potheads" wants to get on the deal, but he has his own plans. After many problems he's accepted by the drug kingpin.

The Beat Generation (1959). Cast: Steve Cochran and Mamie Van Doren, with Ray Danton, Fay Spain, Maggie Hayes, Jackie Coogan, Louis Armstrong, Vampira, and Ray Anthony. It showcases the "Beatnik Generation" and is sometimes considered one of the very last films noirs to be film. The story is about a detective, who is assigned to track down and capture a serial rapist.

Girls Town (1959). Starring Mamie Van Doren, Mel Tormé and Ray Anthony, Paul Anka also appears in his first acting role. A young man is killed while trying to rape a girl, who is able to escape. Silver, becomes the number one suspect even though she has an alibi, but because of her troubled past is sent to a Girls school, a home for troubled teens. (The scene which caught the censors attention was in a shower scene where audiences could see Van Doren's naked back). Silver causes trouble at the school, and her friend Sarafina, is headed for trouble because of her romance with a young singer. Meanwhile, the dead young mans father hires a detective to find out the truth.

The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1960). Comedy starring Mickey Rooney, who also co-directed and Mamie Van Doren. It is a "B-movie" in which the plot is about a modern couple who dream that they are Adam and Eve.

Sex Kittens Go to College (1960). Comedy starring Mamie Van Doren, Tuesday Weld and Mijanou Bardot. Collins College, is looking for a new department head for their science department. Doctors Carter and Zorch consult Thinko, the campus computer, and come up with sexy Dr. Mathilda West, who has many degrees. Meanwhile, two thugs search for Sam Thinko, who is muscling in on the race horse action, the captain of the football team is having trouble not passing out in front of girls and Admiral McFortune, becomes attracted to Dr. West, who has a past he wants to keep secret.

Vice Raid (1960). "B-movie" crime/drama starring Mamie Van Doren and Richard Coogan. Syndicate crime boss Malone, frames vice cop Whitey Brandon, to get him out of the way. Malone gets "model" Carol Hudson, to lie that Brandon tried to extort her during a bust. The department believes her testimony over their best cop and Brandon is fired.
He sets out for revenge and receives help from Carol after her teenage sister is raped by one of Malone's hoods.

Marilyn, Mamie and Jayne Mansfield were known as "The Three M's." Monroe became famous in the film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Mansfield had her success with, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?. Universal teamed Van Doren with Francis in the, Talking Mule in Francis Joins the WACS (1954).

The Candidate(1964). A low-budgeted film that starred the 1950s sex symbol Mamie Van Doren. Co-starring in the film were June Wilkinson, Ted Knight, and Eric Mason; Rachel Romen, Robin Raymond, William Long, Jr., and John Matthews.

The Her best "later career" film was, 3 Nuts in Search of a Bolt(1964). Comedy film starring Mamie Van Doren and Tommy Noonan, who also directed and co-wrote the film. The film is about an out of work Method actor, who is hired by a stripper, a male model and a car salesman to listen to their problems and go see a psychiatrist on their behalf. The actor has to pretend that he has all the problems of the three nuts who hired him.

The Las Vegas Hillbillys. This film also co-starred Jayne Mansfield, this was the only time two of "The Three M's" performed together in a film.
The story is about Woodrow Wilson Weatherby, a wood hauler, who inherits a Las Vegas casino from his uncle, only to find that it comes with a $38,000 debt. Woody's Aunt Clementine, has some ideas they hope can turn the business around. The film's sequel was titled Hillbillys in a Haunted House, but Van Doren turned this role down, and was replaced by Joi Lansing.

She then appeared in The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966), a science-fiction film. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich. A scientific expedition to Antarctica discovers unusual trees. When the trees are shipped out for study, the trees are accidentally taken to a south seas Navy base and they turn out to be killer trees.

Two years later she starred in another sci-fi film Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women (1968). Astronauts landing on Venus kill a creature that is worshiped by the Venusian women who then try to kill the astronauts. The astronauts leave the planet and their robot that was distroyed by the volcano fire behind, which is now the Venusian women's God. The footage of the astronauts is actually from a Russian sci-fi film, Planeta Bur.

In 1971, Van Doren had a supporting role in, The Arizona Kid. From here on out Van Doren has appeared only in cameo appearance in low-budgeted films. To this date Van Doren's last film appearance was a cameo role in, Slackers in 2002.

Goldie Hawn's Later Career.

Goldie Hawn's career slowed down after leaving Hollywood in the late 1980s, but began a comeback with the action/comedy, Bird on a Wire(1990), with Mel Gibson, who plays a FBI informant, who has kept his new identity secret for 15 years, now an old flame has found him, while some thugs are out to kill him..

Hawn's next successful performances were in the films:

Deceived(1991). Thriller starring Goldie Hawn and John Heard. The film begins with Adrienne Sauders, happily married to her art dealer husband, Jack. A friend tells her that she saw Jack in town, when he told her that he was on a business trip. Adrienne, confronts him, but he denies being in town. Soon after, a museum curator is murdered and a treasure that Jack bought for the museum is proved to be a fake. All evidence points to Jack and her world turns upside down, when police tell Adrienne that Jack was killed in a car accident. Adrienne, soon learns that her husband was not who he claimed to be and now she and her daughter lives are in danger.

I loved how the camera caught pieces of the truth slowly building on the suspense. The score works perfectly with the plot. This is one of those films that will keep you on the edge of your seat.


Criss Cross (1992). A feature film directed by Chris Menges, based on the novel by Scott Sommer. Cast: Goldie Hawn, Arliss Howard, Keith Carradine, Steve Buscemi, and David Arnott.

Single mom Tracy Cross, lives with her 12-year-old son Christopher in, Key West, working as a waitress. She becomes a stripper to support her family which upsets Chris. A man from a local restaurant is involved in a drug-smuggling ring and Chris goes to work for him to earn enough money so his mother can quit stripping.

Joe, a undercover agent, working to bring down the drug ring, strikes up a friendship with Tracy and her son, which complicates his job.

Next, Goldie, received much attention for her role opposite Bruce Willis and Meryl Streep in the 1992 film, Death Becomes Her. A dark/slapstick/screwball comedy/fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis. The film focuses on a pair of rivals who drink a magic potion that promises eternal youth.

When, they both are killed in their fight over a mortician, the potion revives them as the undead and they are forced to maintain their deteriorating bodies forever. Death Becomes Her won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

Goldie Hawn's, performance was very unique, especially in the beginning when Goldie plays a overweight cat lady.. OMG!!

Video; Behind the scenes.

Earlier that year, she starred in the film, House Sitter (1992), a screwball/comedy with Steve Martin. Directed by Frank Oz. The story is about a con-artist, who worms her way into the life of a architect by claiming to be his wife.

The teaming of Martin and Hawn, turned out to be a hilarious combination. The tricky situations she gets Martin and herself in, are really funny.

Hawn, took a break when she cared of her mother for four years, while she was battling cancer, she lost her fight in 1994. Hawn, made her come back as producer of the comedy, Something to Talk About, starring Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid, as well as making her directorial debut in the television film, Hope (1997) starring Christine Lahti and Jena Malone.

Hawn returned to the screen in 1996 as the aging, alcoholic actress Elise Elliot in the great comedy, The First Wives Club. Having Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton together, for a film that sure to be wonderfully entertaining. The film is about, how three women get even with their ex-husbands. Another reason to watch, The First Wives Club, is the amazing supporting cast: Maggie Smith and Sarah Jessica Parker, Stephen Collins and Stockard Channing.

Goldie reunited with Steve Martin for the comedy, The Out-of-Towners (1999), a remake of the 1970 Neil Simon hit. Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin play a husband and wife of 27 years who's last child, is sent off to Europe and then they head off from Ohio to New York.

In 2001, Hawn was reunited with former co-stars Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton for the romantic/comedy, Town and Country. Directed by Peter Chelsom. Beatty plays New York City architect Porter Stoddard, with Keaton as his wife and Hawn and Shandling as their best friends.

As of 2011, her last film performance was in the film, The Banger Sisters (2002), with Susan Sarandon and Geoffrey Rush. The story begins when Suzette is fired from her job as bartender, she then decides, to travel to Phoenix, Arizona to see her old best friend, Vinnie. Stranded, at a service station, she picks up Harry Plummer, a neurotic author, who is also on his way to Phoenix.

Suzette, has a chance meeting with Vinnie's daughter Hannah, who after some recreational drug use, passes out in Harry's hotel room. When she drives her back to her parents home... She finds Vinnie, now leading the life of the perfect wife and mother.

Suzette, brings back all those "wild memories" for Lavinia and she decides to relive the old days by going dancing with Suzette.

This is a fun and sexy chick flick for a more mature audiences, with a message about being true to yourself.

Hawn announced in an interview with AARP's magazine that her next film project would be called, Ashes to Ashes and co-star Kurt Russell. The film is about a New York widow who loses her late husband's ashes in India. As of 2011 the project has yet to go into production.

Please click here to view Doriantb's Fowl Play post.

Please click here to view Goldie Hawn past reviews.

Happy Birthday: Elke Sommer !

Elke Sommer (born 5 November 1940), was spotted by film director Vittorio De Sica, in Italy and it was not long before she had been cast in several films. At first, she wanted to become an actress to earn enough money for college, after landing many film offers, she decided on an acting career. She could speak seven languages, which allowed her to be cast in films made in other countries. She became one of the top movie actresses of the 1960s and made 99 movie and television appearances between 1959 and 2005. Sommer, performed as the leading lady in each of these films:

A Shot in the Dark (1964). A comedy directed by Blake Edwards and is the second film in the Pink Panther series. Where a man has been murdered and all the evidence points to the beautiful Elke Sommer, who is holding the murder weapon as she is standing over the body. Clouseau, determined that Sommer is innocent, releases her from jail, thinking she'll lead him to the real murder. Leaving dead people along the way and Sommer is put back into jail and each time Clouseau releases her. A funny part of the film is the scene in a nudist colony, where the bashful Clouseau must find Sommer and talk to her when the police arrive to investigate yet another murder, they both leave driving nude through the streets of Paris.

The Art of Love(1965). This Comedy film is about an American artist in Paris who fakes his own death in order to increase the worth of his paintings. His friend sells the paintings and keeps the money for himself.

Video: First of 10.

The Money Trap (1965). Drama starring Glenn Ford , Elke Sommer and Rita Hayworth and directed by Burt Kennedy.

A burglar is reported shot and killed at the home of a doctor and during the investigation, Cop Joe Baron, gets to know the dead burglar's alcoholic wife, Rosalie and they begin a romantic affair. It is not long before Baron, learns that the doctor, Horace Van Tilden, is the head of an illegal drug ring.

He and his partner, Pete Delanos, conspire to rob Van Tilden's safe. The doctor, meantime, worried about Rosalie ratting him out, pushes her to her death.

While stealing a million dollars and two bags of heroin from the safe, the cops are surprised by Van Tilden and Delanos is shot. Baron, wants to make a deal with the doctor, if he will get help for seriously wounded Delanos. But after his partner dies, Baron kills the doctor. Wounded himself, he makes it home to Lisa, but knows that fellow officers from the department are on their way to put him behind bars.

The Oscar(1966). This film is supposed to show the bad side of how an Oscar nomination goes to the head of its nominee. You will love the groovy 60s hair styles and the over the top performances.

Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!(1966). A comedy film about an actress named Didi, who has become famous for bubble bath commercials. Tired of being used, she runs away, where she meets a middle-aged married man who wants to get to know her better.

Deadlier Than the Male(1967). A British action film featuring the character of Bulldog Drummond. It a take-off of the James Bond films. Elke Sommer along with Sylva Koscina, play two sexy assassins who kill just for the fun of it.

The Wrecking Crew(1969). The fourth and final film in a series of a comedy-spy-fi. It is based loosely on Donald Hamilton's 1960 novel of the same title and a spoof of the James Bond films.
Please click here to view Wreaking Crew(1968) movie review.

Video: Movie in full.

In 1964, she won the Golden Globe Awards as Most Promising Newcomer Actress for The Prize, a film she co-starred with Paul Newman and Edward G. Robinson.

List of Elke Sommer Films:
The Victors (1963)
The Prize (1963)
A Shot in the Dark (1964)
Among Vultures (1964)
Le bambole (1965) UK title: Four Kinds of Love
The Art of Love (1965)
The Money Trap (1965)
The Oscar (1966)
Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966)
The Venetian Affair (1967)
The Peking Medallion (1967)
Deadlier Than the Male (1967)
The Wrecking Crew (1969)
Zeppelin (1971)
Ten Little Indians (1975)
Carry On Behind (1975)
The Swiss Conspiracy (1976)
I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses (1978)
The Prisoner of Zenda (1979)
Der Mann im Pyjama (1981)
Lily in Love (1984)
Jenny's War (1985)