The Reformer and the Redhead (1950).

The Reformer and the Redhead(1950), Directed by Melvin Frank. Cast: June Allyson, Dick Powell and David Wayne.In early 1949, Lana Turner was set to star, in this film instead of June.

The corrupt Commodore John Balwind Parker and his ruff and tumble niece, Lily have just returned from Africa, where they have been on a safari. They proudly display their trophies at the zoo, in front of the lion cage much to the dismay of Dr. Kevin G. Maguire, the zoo superintendent.

Kevin is fired from his job, which angers his hot headed daughter Kathleen, who works as a bus tour guide at the zoo. Kathy, knows that her father was fired because he did not want to display the mounted trophies on the walls. She interrupts their trophy presentation with fist fight between Lily and Kathy. When Kathy is charged with assault and battery, disturbing the peace and suspicion of inciting a riot, she asks, reporter Tim Harveigh, for help. Tim suggests that take her case to attorney Andrew Rockton Hale, who is running for mayor of Oakport.

After meeting with Parker and realizing that Parker intends only to use him, he decides to blackmail him. Kathy, unaware of his plans, gives Andrew information he needs. To prove her accusations, Kathy takes Andrew to her ranch to meet her father, who knows more about Parker's actions in the community. After, getting accustomed to the lion, Andrew turns his attentions to Kathy.

When Andrew, returns from Sacramento with prove of Parker's corruption, he makes a deal with him to keep quiet in exchange for his support. Kathy, breaks off their engagement when Tim tells her about Andrew's deal with Parker. He is unaware that Herman, a dangerous lion, has escaped from the zoo and believing that it is Caesar, coxes him into his car. Will he find out that he has befriended a killer lion, before it is too late for him to make it up to Kathy?

I wanted to see this film because of the actors. June Allyson and Dick Powell, who bring their usual charm to a movie. The high points for me, was the performance of Kathleen Freeman a wonderful character actor, playing the hunter's daughter and a couple of cute animal performances. I'm glad that I watched the classic, The Reformer and the Redhead, but.. I probably will not watch it again.

Kathleen Freeman (February 17, 1919 – August 23, 2001) Career spanned more than 50 years, she portrayed tart maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors, with wonderful comic effect.

She began her career as a child, dancing in her parents' vaudeville act.

After studying music at UCLA, she went into acting full time, working on the stage, and finally entering films in 1948.

She was a founding member, in 1946, of the Circle Players at The Circle Theatre, now known as El Centro Theatre.

Freeman's most notable early role was an uncredited part in the 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain, as Jean Hagen's articulate diction coach Phoebe Dinsmore.

In 1954, Freeman played receptionist Miss Seely for lawyer Adam Calhorn Shaw in, Athena.

Beginning with the 1955 film Artists and Models, Freeman became a favorite foil of Jerry Lewis, playing opposite him in 11 films.

Other film roles included: The Missouri Traveler (1958), The Fly (1958), the Westerns, Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) and Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), and appearances in a spate of comedies in the 1980's and 1990's.

Freeman played Sister Mary Stigmata (referred to as The Penguin) in John Landis' The Blues Brothers and Blues Brothers 2000, had cameos in Joe Dante's Innerspace and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (as tipsy cooking host Microwave Marge in 2), and a Ma Barker type gangster mother in Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.

In addition to teaching acting classes in Los Angeles, Freeman also appeared from the 1950's until her death in regular or recurring roles on many sitcoms, including: Topper (as Katie the maid), The Donna Reed Show (as Mrs. Wilgus, the Stone's busybody next door neighbor), Hogan's Heroes (as Frau Gertrude Linkmeyer, General Burkhalter's sister, who longed to wed Colonel Klink), Mrs. Kate Harwell, Sandy Duncan's landlady and friend in Funny Face; I Dream of Jeannie (as a grouchy supervisor in a false preview of Maj. Nelson's future), the short-lived prehistoric sitcom It's About Time (as Mrs. Boss), and as the voice of Peg Bundy's mom, an unseen character on Married... with Children.

She played guest roles on shows: The Lucy Show, The Beverly Hillbillies and The Dick Van Dyke Show and Home Improvement.

She also played Sister Agnes in an episode of The Golden Girls.

In 1969, Freeman made a guest appearance on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., playing Sergeant Carter's mother in the episode "I'm Always Chasing Gomers."

She costarred in the 1973-74 sitcom Lotsa Luck, playing Dom DeLuise's mother.

In later years, Freeman also worked extensively as a voice actress, playing Ma Crackshell on DuckTales, a Theban woman in Disney's Hercules and fortune teller Madame Xima in the video game Curse of Monkey Island.

Freeman remained active in her last two years, with a regular voice role on As Told By Ginger, a voice bit in the animated feature film Shrek, a guest appearance on the sitcom Becker and, most notably, scoring a Tony Award nomination and a Theatre World Award for her role of accompanist Jeannette Burmeister in the Broadway musical version of The Full Monty.

In her final episode of As Told By Ginger, Season 2's "No Hope For Courtney", Freeman's character, Mrs. Gordon, retires from her teaching job though two of her students try convincing her to return to work. The script was originally written to have Mrs. Gordon come back to work, but Freeman died before the episode was finished. The script was then re-written to make her character die as well. The episode was dedicated in her memory.

Beep Beep'm Beep Beep Yeah.

June Allyson

The XM-800 was featured in the 1954 movie "Womans World" starring Fred MacMurray, Lauren Bacall, Van Hefflin, June Allyson, Clifton Webb, Arlene Dahl and Cornell Wilde.

Her Highness and the Bellboy(1945).

Her Highness and the Bellboy(1945). Cast: Hedy Lamarr, June Allyson, Agnus Morehead and Robert Walker.

The story begins, when a beautiful princess falls in love with a handsome American reporter. She travels to New York, just to be with him. While staying at one of the city's best hotels she meets a bellhop who thinks she is her a maid. She invites him to be her escort, not realizing he has fallen in love with her. It is not long before he thinks that she feels the same way he does.

Later, the bellhop goes to visit a young woman who is a invalid. He doesn't realize that the girl is in love with him. After the princess finds her reporter, he turns her way, because he thinks they are from two different worlds. She is broken hearted and the bellhop asks if he can help. She asks him to take her to a bar called Jake's Joint to look for her reporter.

In a tuxedo, the bellhop stops by to visit his invalid friend before his date. He gives her the corsage he had bought for the princess and after he leaves, she cries. At the club, the princess looks for the reporter, but he is no where to be found. The bellhop's friend is there with some thugs and a fight breaks out. The police raid Jake's Joint and the princess is hauled off in the paddy wagon. The reporter gets there in time to see her carried off.

When the bellhop gets back to the hotel, he learns the princess's father has died and she is now queen. The reporter bails her out and they return to her hotel. When the queen learns her father has died she makes plans to go home and offers the bellhop a job. But instead, the bellhop thinks she wants him to be her consort. When he visits his invalid friend to say goodbye, she takes a step and he promises that she will get well. Both the new queen and the bellhop have some big decisions to make.

Fun Facts:

M-G-M saved money by utilizing the same main set as the one from "Weekend at the Waldorf" (1945). When that company finished, "Her Highness and the Bellboy" moved in.

Mickey Rooney was supposed to star in this movie but Rooney ended up being drafted into the war, so Robert Walker was cast instead.

This was Hedy Lamarr's last film she did for MGM under her contract. After this she went on to free lance.

What I was expecting was a fluffy chick flick film, turned out to be a really a beautiful movie, which makes you think about who your friends really are.

Keep Your Powder Dry(1945).

Keep Your Powder Dry(1945). Drama starring Lana Turner, Susan Peters, and Laraine Day. The film was directed by Edward Buzzell and written by George Bruce and Mary C. McCall, Jr.

One sunny morning Valerie Parks, is told by the family attorney, that she will not receive her trust fund until she proves that she deserves it, so she decides to join the WACS. Next.. on the list to join, Ann Darrison, who decides to enlist after her serviceman husband John is sent overseas. Last, but not least is Leigh Rand, the daughter of a military family, who also decides enlists.

The three new recruits, meet on the way to the Ft. Des Moines training camp and Leigh and Val, instantly develop a dislike for each other and Darrison becomes the mediator, when all three are assigned as mechanics, in the same unit. Leigh challenges Val, saying she never will complete basic training. Val, proves her wrong and does very well in class. Val and Leigh, eventually become friends and all three girls are accepted into Officers' Candidate School.

One day, Capt. Bill Barclay, a friend of Ann's husband, arrives at their base to visit Ann. Later, Bill meets Val and asks her on a date, Leigh, who is attracted to Bill herself, reminds them that enlisted WACS are forbidden to date officers. Leigh arranges for Val, to be assigned to duty that night to prevent them from meeting. Which angers Val and so ends their friendship.

Later Val, receives a telegram from her attorney, telling her that he is in town, she goes to meet him. Instead, she is met by her old friends Harriet and a drunken Junior Vanderheusen. Val tells her friends, that she plans to stay in the military and gives them a piece of her mind. Insulted, Junior spills his drink on Val's uniform.

Knowing that she cannot return to the barracks smelling of alcohol, Val goes to see Leigh, who is on leave and staying in the next room. Val, begs her to bring her a clean uniform in the morning. Leigh agrees, but when she returns to the hotel the next morning with the clean uniform, she runs into Junior in the elevator.

After learning from Junior, that Val only joined the military to receive her inheritance. Leigh, launches into a campaign to get rid of Val. Two days before graduation, Val, unable to stand her abuse, slaps Leigh in the face and marches off the field.

Later when Val, refuses to stick up for herself to their commanding officer, Lt. Colonel Spottiswoode. The officer calls Leigh, before the board and informs her that her platoon has rated her unfit to be an officer. Leigh, takes the blame for Val's outburst.

Col. Spottiswoode goes to see Anne and informs her that her husband has been killed in combat. When Leigh and Val, hear about Ann's loss, her courage shames them into staying the corps.



I recently saw this classic movie on TCM for the first time. I would call it a female version of a WWII buddy movie. Agnes Moorehead, Natalie Schafer and June Lockhart have supporting roles.

Susan Peters (July 3, 1921 – October 23, 1952). Her first job was to read with potential actors in their screen tests. Before long she had impressed studio executives with her own talent, and they began casting her in films.

For the first two years she used her given name and played small, uncredited parts in the film, Meet John Doe (1941). Her first substantial role was in the film, Random Harvest (1942), which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination. MGM, cast her in the starring role in the film, Song of Russia (1943).

Peters was married to the actor Richard Quine on November 7, 1943. A couple of months after performing in the film, Keep Your Powder Dry, Peters and her husband were duck hunting when a rifle accidentally discharged, causing a bullet to be lodged in her spine. The accident left her permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Peters attempted to continue her acting career.

MGM continued to pay her salary, unable to find suitable projects, Peters left the studio. She returned for the lead role in, The Sign of the Ram (1948). Unfortunately, her disability made her a difficult actress to cast.

The Secret Heart(1946).

The Secret Heart(1946). Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Cast: Claudette Colbert, Walter Pidgeon and June Allyson.

Lee is engaged to marry Larry Adams, a alcoholic widower with two children, Chase and Penny. While returning home on an ocean liner, she meets and falls in love with Chris Matthews, a friend of Larry's. Even though she loves Chris, she marries Larry, and moves to his farm in Rhode Island. Larry's talent is playing the piano, which he teaches Penny. Over the next two years Lee tries to live with his alcoholism. On evening while Lee is out with Chris, Larry's body found at the bottom of a cliff. He had committed suicide after embezzling money from his clients. Lee moves the family away from the farm, to New York where she takes a job to pay off Larry's debts, and keeps the truth from Penny, wanting to protect her.

Ten years later, a troubled Penny, drops out of school and is always playing the piano. Lee, now concerned goes to see psychiatrist Dr. Rossiger, and the story up to this point is told in flashback: The doctor advises that they move back to the farm for the summer, since that is where Larry died, and he believes that confronting the past will help cure Penny. Chase returns home from the navy and lands a job with Chris, who now owns a shipyard. He introduces Penny to his navy buddy Brandon Reynolds. They all move to the farm, together with Chase's friend Kay Burns, where Chris comes back into Lee's life after a ten-year absence, and Lee realizes that it was Chris she has always loved. Once at the farm, Chase tells Penny the truth, and she becomes despondent. Although, Brandon is interested in Penny, she loves Chris, and is heartbroken when she finds him in Lee's arms. Penny then tries to kill herself by jumping off a cliff, as Larry had done. Will Lee get there in time to prevent it?

This movie is an interesting psychological study of a young girl obsessed with the memory of her dead father.

Fun Fact:

After filming The Secret Heart together, Claudette Colbert and co-star June Allyson became such great friends in real life Colbert became godmother to Allyson's daughter Pamela.

Elizabeth Patterson (November 22, 1875 – January 31, 1966) was a film and television character actress remembered for her portrayal of elderly neighbor Matilda Trumbull on I Love Lucy.

Patterson's acting in college theatricals, began her interest in drama. Her parents sent her to Europe in the hope of discouraging her from the theater, but her determination to become an actress was only reinforced by her experiences attending productions at the Comédie Française.

After returning from Europe, Patterson move to Chicago, where she joined a theatrical troupe, and toured with repertory companies. In 1913, she made her Broadway debut in the play, Everyman. She remained active in New York City theatre through 1954.

In 1926, at the age of 51, Patterson was cast in her first movie, The Boy Friend. She also performed in the films: A Bill of Divorcement, Tarnished Lady, Dinner at Eight, High, Wide, and Handsome, Intruder in the Dust, Remember the Night, No Man of Her Own, The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, Little Women, My Sister Eileen and Pal Joey.

Never married, Patterson lived alone at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during her thirty five-year movie career.

Executive Suite (1954).

Executive Suite(1954). Drama. Cast: William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Fredric March, and Walter Pidgeon. Directed by Robert Wise and produced by John Houseman from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman based on the novel of the same name by Cameron Hawley. The cinematography was by George J. Folsey and the costume design by Helen Rose. It is one of the few Hollywood films that does not have music.

The story begins when Avery Bullard, president of the Tredway Corporation, dies at a important time for the company. The board of directors must now vote for his replacement. First in line is, Loren Shaw, who is more concerned with the profits than the company. He has the backing of one of the shareholders, Julia Tredway, who was in love with Bullard before he died. Board member George Caswell, offers his support in return for certain favors.

The only real person qualified for the position is, Vice President of Design, Don Walling, who is not to sure he wants the job. He would rather spend his time developing new products. Walling is supported by Treasurer Frederick Alderson. Jesse Grimm, is opposed to Walling for reasons of his own, while Walt Dudley is being blackmailed by Shaw, who caught him having an affair.

Will Walling, win over the board of directors and become the new president of the Tredway Corporation?

A couple of the stand out performaces in the film for me are: Shelley Winters, who plays the part as Douglas' girlfriend who wishes he had more of a backbone. Barbara Stanwyck, also has a memorable scene with William Holden, when the sparks begin to fly. I thought the film looked very realistic with the wonderful shots of, Manhattan. What the film has to say about big business, I think may hold true even today.



Fun Facts:

Producer John Houseman wanted Henry Fonda for the role of McDonald Walling. Fonda turned him down to star in a Broadway musical that never reached the stage.

The entire story takes place during the 24 hour period from Friday afternoon, June 19 1953 to Saturday afternoon, June 20 1953.

Shelley Winters (August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006), her career spanned over fifty years until her death in 2006. Two-time Academy Award winner, Winters is probably most remembered for her roles in A Place in the Sun, The Big Knife, Lolita, The Night of the Hunter, Alfie, and The Poseidon Adventure.

Shelley was a cousin of actor Tony Curtis, she suggested that he try acting, and was helpful in getting him started in the theater when he got out of the Navy after WWII.

Winters originally broke into Hollywood as "the Blonde Bombshell", but quickly tired of the role's limitations. She washed off her makeup and played against type in the film, A Place in the Sun. It was her performance in A Place in the Sun (1951), that first brought a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Shelley soon became popular as a character actress. She studied in the Hollywood Studio Club and in the late 40s, she shared the same apartment with, Marilyn Monroe.

Her first movie was, What a Woman! (1943). Winters first achieved stardom with her breakout performance in the film, A Double Life(1948). After which she landed leading roles in the films, The Great Gatsby (1949) and Winchester 73 (1950).

Another one of her best known films was, Night of the Hunter(1955), with Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish. She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for, The Diary of Anne Frank (1960), and another award, in the same category, for A Patch of Blue in(1966).

Notable later roles include: Lolita,Alfie, Harper, The Poseidon Adventure, Belle Rosen (for which she received her final Oscar nomination) and in, Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976).

Winters suffered with her weight later in life, frequently stating that it was a marketing tool, since there were plenty of normal-weight older actresses but fewer overweight ones and her weight would help her to find work .

My Man Godfrey (1957).

My Man Godfrey (1957) . Comedy. June Allyson and David Niven. It is a remake of Gregory La Cava's 1936 comedy of the same name.

Allyson played the role created by Carole Lombard  and Niven played the William Powell role. The plot begins as a scatterbrained heiress, who uses and then hires a man whom she believes to be homeless. She gives him a job as the family's butler. The family's  does not know  their new butler, is actually as wealthy as they are.

The supporting cast: Jessie Royce Landis, Robert Keith and Eva Gabor. It was adapted by Peter Berneis, William Bowers and Everett Freeman, and directed by Henry Koster.

Jessie Royce Landis (November 25, 1896 - February 2, 1972). In the 1950s, she began appearing in movies as a character actress, best known in, To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959), both starring Cary Grant and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In North by Northwest she played Grant's character's mother and in To Catch a Thief she played Grace Kelly's mother.

List of Jessie Royce Landis films:

1949 Mr. Belvedere Goes to College
It Happens Every Spring
My Foolish Heart
1955 To Catch a Thief
1956 The Swan
1957 My Man Godfrey
1958 I Married a Woman
1959 North by Northwest (pictured below)
1961 Goodbye Again
1962 Boys' Night Out
1963 Critic's Choice
Gidget Goes to Rome
1970 Airport

Happy Birthday : June Allyson!

June Allyson, was a major MGM star in the 1940s and 1950s. Allyson, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film, To Young to Kiss(1951). Other cast members: Van Johnson, Gig Young, Paula Corday, Kathyrn Givney, Larry Keating and Hans Conried. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard, produced by Sam Zimalist. This movie is about a 22 year-old woman impersonating a 12 year-old, piano prodigy. Cynthia Potter, has always dreamed of becoming concert pianist. After years of auditions, she finally gets the opportunity she has alwaysdremed of to play for New York's biggest impresario. Amazed by her performance, he signs June to a 5-year contract. There's only one problem, he thinks she is 12 year-old Molly, instead of 22 year-old Cynthia. As he prepares her for her first concert at New Symphony Hall, June decides to reveal her true identity. A wonderful film full of music, which makes the movie entertaining.

Fun fact: Fifth of six movies that paired June Allyson and Van Johnson.

From 1959–1961, she hosted and starred in her own CBS anthology series, The DuPont Show with June Allyson.

Fun Facts:

Good friend of James Stewart and played his wife in three different films.

Long time friend of Esther Williams.

Was a good friend of Judy Garland. They were both under contract at MGM in the 1940s, and Judy used to give June rides in Judy's car to the studio. In interviews after Garland's passing, Allyson said that she could hardly talk about Garland without getting tears in her eyes because she was such a special lady who didn't have appropriate help available to her in her lifetime.

My June Allyson Halloween movie pick(I did not think I would find one): They Only Kill Their Masters(1972 ). Mystery movie. Cast: James Garner, Katharine Ross,Hal Holbrook, June Allyson, Tom Ewell, Peter Lawford, Edmond O'Brien, and Arthur O'Connell. The film was written by Lane Slate and directed by James Goldstone.

The story begins in a small sleepy town between San Francisco and Los Angeles, where a young woman is killed under mysterious circumstances.

Many believe that the victim was killed by her own Doberman Pinscher. The police chief also believes this theory until he learns that the dog had nothing to do with it when he looks deeper into the case.

 I thought this was a bizarre film. I could not make make too much sense out of what is going on. Although.. Garner is always fun to watch.