EPISODE 85 - “THE MAKING OF MAGIC: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE WIZARD OF OZ - PART 2” - 4/28/2025

There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home! As we continue our discussion of the making of “The Wizard of Oz,” this week we explore the score, the songs, the vocals, the transition to television, and some of the many urban legends that surround this classic film. (No, a Munchkin did not hang himself from one of the evil apple trees!) So follow that yellow brick road and check out the fun facts and behind the scene antics of one of America’s most favorite films. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Adapting The Wizard of Oz: Musical Versions From Baum to MGM and Beyond (2019), by Danielle Burkett & Dominic McHugh;

The Wizard of Oz FAQ: All that’s Left to Know About Life According to Oz (2014), by David J. Hogan;

Before The Rainbow (2000), by Mark Evan Schwartz;

Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen (1999) Documentary, Dir. Don McGlynn;

The Munchkins of Oz (1996), by Stephen Coz;

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic (1990) Documentary, Dir. Jack Haley, Jr;

The Making of The Wizard of Oz: Movie Magic and Studio Power in the Prime of MGM -- and the Miracle of Production (1989), by Aljean Harmetz;

“The Comedians of Oz,” Winter 1986-87, by Celia Catlett Anderson, Studies in American Humor;

The Wizard of Oz: An American Fairy Tale, Library of Congress

Wizard Of Oz Scarecrow Dance (Deleted Scene), InternetArchive.org 

Harold Arlen: Happy with the Blues (1961), by Edward Jablonski;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IBDB.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPISODE 84 - “THE MAKING OF MAGIC: BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE WIZARD OF OZ - PART 1” - 4/21/2025

Perhaps one of the most beloved movies of all time, the MGM classic The Wizard of Oz debuted in that magical year of 1939. Based on the popular children’s books by Frank L. Baum, it tells the story of a Kansas farm girl, Dorothy Gale, who, along with her devoted dog Toto, is transported to the magical land of Oz. This beloved classic has become such a touchstone in pop culture that phrases like “There’s no place like home,” “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore,” and “I’ll get you, my pretty” have entered our collective lexicon. This week, we offer the first of a two part episode that explores the making of this MGM classic film. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Adapting The Wizard of Oz: Musical Versions From Baum to MGM and Beyond (2019), by Danielle Burkett & Dominic McHugh;

The Wizard of Oz FAQ: All that’s Left to Know About Life According to Oz (2014), by David J. Hogan;

Before The Rainbow (2000), by Mark Evan Schwartz;

Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen (1999) Documentary, Dir. Don McGlynn;

The Munchkins of Oz (1996), by Stephen Coz;

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic (1990) Documentary, Dir. Jack Haley, Jr;

The Making of The Wizard of Oz: Movie Magic and Studio Power in the Prime of MGM -- and the Miracle of Production (1989), by Aljean Harmetz;

“The Comedians of Oz,” Winter 1986-87, by Celia Catlett Anderson, Studies in American Humor;

The Wizard of Oz: An American Fairy Tale, Library of Congress

Wizard Of Oz Scarecrow Dance (Deleted Scene), InternetArchive.org 

Harold Arlen: Happy with the Blues (1961), by Edward Jablonski;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IBDB.com;

IMDBPro.com;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPISODE 83 - “TCM FILM FESTIVAL 2025 PREVIEW” - 4/14/2025

It’s that time of year again. Time for the 2025 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival, which takes place April 24-27 in Hollywood California. This year, the theme is “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film.” This week, Steve and Nan offer a fun preview of the highlights of the upcoming festival and they discuss the films they are most excited to see, including great titles such as BEN HUR, SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER, GUNFI*GHT AT THE OKAY CORRAL and A GUY NAMED JOE. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

The Empire Strikes Back (1980), starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, & Harrison Ford;

The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), starring Jeff Bridges, Michelle Pfeiffer, & Beau Brides;

Cooley High (1975), starring Lawrence Hilton Jacobs & Glenn Turman;

Car Wash (1976), starring Richard Pryor, Bill Duke, & George Carlin;

Greased Lightning (1977), starring Richard Pryor, Pam Grier, & Beau Bridges;

Which Way is Up (1977), starring Richard Pryor & Lonette McKee;

Bustin’ Loose (1981), starring Richard Pryor & Cicely Tyson;

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978), starring Peter Frampton & The Bee Gees;

The Last Dragon (1985), starring Taimak & Vanity;

Krush Groove (1985), starring Russell Simmons & LL Cool J;

Beau Geste (1926), starring Ronald Colman;

The Freshman (1925), starring Harold Lloyd;

Misery (1990), starring Kathy Bates & James Caan;

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, & Barry Bostwick;

Babe (1995), starring James Cromwell;

The Enchanted Cottage (1945), starring Robert Young & Dorothy McGuire;

Jaws (1975), starring Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, & Roy Scheider;

Blue Velvet (1986),starring Kyle McLaughlin, Laura Dern, Dennis Hopper, & Isabella Rossellini;

We’re No Angels (1955), starring Humphrey Bogart & Joan Bennett;

Gunfight At The Okay Corral (1957), starring Burt Lancaster & Kirk Douglas;

Cape Fear (1962), starring Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck and Polly Bergen;

The Ritz (1976), starring Rita Moreno & Treat Williams;

Gunman’s Walk (1958), starring Van Heflin, James Darren, & Tab Hunter;

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957), starring Robert Mitchum & Deborah Kerr;

The Divorcée (1930), starring Norma Shearer & Robert Montgomery;

Talk of The Town (1942), starring Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, & Ronald Colman;

Moonlight & Pretzels (1933), starring Leo Carrillo & Mary Brian;

A Guy Named Joe (1943) starring Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, & Van Johnson;

Ben Hur (1959), starring Charlton Heston & Stephen Boyd;

Suddenly Last Summer (1959), starring Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, & Montgomery Cliff;

Brigadoon (1954), starring Gene Kelly & Syd Charisse;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The Tragic Life of Classic Cinema Star Gail Russell” (082) - 4/07/2025

Hollywood legend has it that ethereal beauty GAIL RUSSELL was discovered after a Paramount Studios talent manager picked up two hitchhiking Santa Monica high school boys who told him all about the "Hedy Lamarr of Santa Monica High School." Allegedly, he then tracked down Russell at school and arranged for a screen test. The rest, as they say, is Hollywood history. If only it had been that easy. Russell, who was painfully shy and had no interest in a career as an actress was pushed in front of the camera by her ambitious mother and the executives at Paramount who saw dollar signs in her startling blue eyes. This week, we explore the life and career of one of Hollywood’s most tragic beauties, GAIL RUSSELL. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Fallen Star: A Biography of Gail Russell (2016), by Steven Glenn Ochoa;

John Wayne: The Life and Legend (2015), by Scott Erman;

It’s the Pictures That Got Smaller: Charles Brackett on Billy Wilder (2104), edited by Anthony Slide;

“Paramount Official Biography of Gail Russell,” March 1940, Paramount Pictures;

“Gail Russell,” May 1971, by Jim Meyer, Film Fan Monthly;

“Stars Attend Funeral of Gail Russell,” August 30, 1961, Los Angeles Times;

“Private Rites Scheduled Today for Gail Russell,” August 29, 1961, Los Angeles Times;

“Gail Russell Found Dead At Home,” May 28, 1961, Los Angeles Times;

“Gail Russell Threatens to Sue on Wayne Case Charge,” October 21, 1953, The Los Angeles Evening Herald & Express;

“Gail Russell Held On Drunk Driving Charges,” November 25, 1953, Los Angeles Times;

“Film Star Gail Russell Jailed As Drunk Driver,” November 25, 1953, LA Daily News;

“Gail Russell Fights Drunk Driving Charge; Trial Set,” November 27, 1953, The Los Angeles Evening Herald & Express;

“Gail Russell Charges $150 Drunk Charge,” January 18, 1954, The Los Angeles Evening Herald & Express;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour (1943), starring James Lydon & Diana Lynn;

Lady In The Dark (1944), starring Ginger Rogers & Ray Milland;

The Uninvited (1944), starring Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, & Gail Russell;

Our Hearts Were Young And Gay (1944), starring Gail Russell & Diana Lynn;

Salty O'Rourke (1945), starring Alan Ladd & Gail Russell;

The Unseen (1945), starring Joel McCrea & Gail Russell;

Our Hearts Were Growing Up (1946), starring Gail Russell & Diana Lynn;

Calcutta (1947), starring Alan Ladd & Gail Russell;

Angel And The Badman (1947), starring John Wayne & Gail Russell;

Night Has A Thousand Eyes (1948), starring Edward G. Robinson, Gail Russell, & JohnLund;

Moonrise (1948), starring Dane Clark & Gail Russell;

Wake of the Red Witch (1948), starring John Wayne & Gail Russell;

Song of India (1949), starring Turban Bey & Gail Russell;

El Paso (1949), starring John Wayne, Sterling Hayden, & Gail Russell;

The Great Dan Patch (1949), starring Dennis O’Keefe;

Captain China (1950), starring John Payne & Gail Russell;

7 Men From Now (1956), starring Randolph Scott & Gail Russell;

The Tattered Dress (1957), starring Jeff Chandler & Jeanne Crain;

The Silent Call (1961), starring Gail Russell & Roger Mobley

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“RICHARD CARLSON: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH” (081) - 3/31/2025

Tall, dark-haired, and handsome, RICHARD CARLSON was always a welcomed addition to any cast. From the beginning, when he was playing preppy college students opposite LANA TURNER, to his reign in the 1950s as the King of Sci-Fi thrillers, Carlson brought believability and authority to each role but also a sense of introspective thoughtfulness. You looked into his deep blue eyes and chiseled face and believed him. Whatever he was selling, we were buying. And while he never became an A-list leading man, he enjoyed a long and steady career and enhanced many a mediocre film with his special appeal. This week, we celebrate RICHARD CARLSON as our Star of the Month. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Monsters in the Machine (2016), by Steffen Hantke;

Keep Watching the Skies (2009), by Bill Warren;

“Richard Carlson: Albert Lea’s Other Film & Television Star,” December 24, 2016, by Ed Shannon;

“Today’s Underrated Actor Spotlight: Richard Carlson,” June 24, 2105, by Bynum, www.thetinseltoentwins.com;

“A Tribute To Richard Carlson,’ January 9, 2014, www.scififilmfiesta.com;

“Richard Carlson, Actor, Dies at 65,” November 27, 1977, New York Times;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

Desert Death (1935), starring Raymond Hatton;

The Young in Heart (1938), starring Janet Gaynor, Roland Young, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr & Paulette Goddard;

The Duke of West Point (1938), starring Louis Hayward & Joan Fontaine;

Winter Carnival (1939), starring Ann Sheridan, Richard Carlson, & Robert Mitchum;

These Glamour Girls (1939), starring Lana Turner & Lew Ayres;

Dancing Co-Ed (1939), starring Lana Turner & Richard Carlson;

Beyond Tomorrow (1940), starring Haley Carey & Charles Winning;

No, No, Nanette (1940), starring Anna Neagle;

The Howards of Virginia (1940), starring Cary Grant & Martha Scott;

Back Street (1941), starring Margaret Sullavan & Charles Boyer;

The Little Foxes (1941Ol staring Bette Davis & Teresa Wright;

The Affairs of Martha (1942), starring Marsha Hunt & Richard Carlson;

My Heart Belongs to Daddy (1942), starring Richard Carlson & Martha O’Driscoll;

Fly By Night (1942) starring Richard Carlson & Nancy Kelly;

Hold That Ghost (1941), starring Bud Abbot & Lou Costello;

White Cargo (1942), staring Hedy Lamarr& Walter Pidgeon;

Presenting Lily Mars (1943), starring Judy Garland & Van Heflin;

The Man From Down Under (1943), starring Charles Laughton & Donna Reed;

So Well Remembered (1947), starring John Mills & Martha Scott;

Behind Locked Doors (1948), starring Richard Carlson & Lucille Bremer;

The Amazing Mr. X (1948), starring Turban Bey, Lynn Bari, & Cathy O’Donnell;

King Solomon’s Mines (1950), starring Stewart Granger & Deborah Kerr;

The Sound of Fury (1950), starring Frank Lovejoy;

The Blue Veil (1951), starring Jane Wyman, Charles Laughton, & Joan Blondell;

The Magnetic Monster (1953), starring Richard Carlson;

It Came from Outer Space (1954), starring Richard Carlson & Barbara Rush;

The Maze (1953), starring Richard Carlson & Hillary Brooke;

The Creature from The Black Lagoon (1954), starring Richard Carlson & Julie Adams;

All I Desire (1953), starring Barbara Stanwyck & Richard Carlson;

Riders To the Stars (1954), starring William Lundigan;

Appointment with a Shadow (1957), starring George Nadar;

The Saga of Hemp Brown (1957), starring Rory Calhoun;

Johnny Rocco (1958), starring Richard Evers & Coleen Gray;

Tormented (1960), starring Richard Carlson;

Kid Rodelo (1966), starring Broderick Crawford & Janet Leigh;

Change of Habit (1969), starring Elvis Pressly, Mary Tyler moore, & Richard Carlson;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"IT'S FATAL: WHAT IS FILM NOIR?" (PART III) (080) 3/24/2025

Welcome to the third and final installment of our series on Film Noir. As we have previously discussed the technical elements of noir and met the typical character’s of noir, we will now take a look at the creative aspects of the genre that help create that special brand of dark, sexy, deadly movies. We’ll discuss dialogue, and clever devices like voice overs, flashbacks, and dream sequences that enhance these dark, moody films. We’ll also look at the fatalistic themes that reigned supreme throughout the genre. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Film Noir (2017), by Alian Silver & James Ursini;

Into the Darkness: The Hidden World of Film Noir 1941-1959 (2016), by Mark A. Viera;

More than Night: film Noir in Its Contexts (2008), by James Naremore;

Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir (1998), by Eddie Muller;

Voices in the Dark: The Narrative Patterns of Film Noir (1989), by J.P. Telotte;

Film Noir: An Encyclopedia Reference to the American Style (1979), edited by Alain Silver & Elizabeth Ward;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

Impact (1949), starring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn, Helen Walker, & Anna May Wong;

Gilda (1946), starring Rita Hayworth & Glenn Ford;

Gun Crazy (1950), starring John Dall & Peggy Cummins;

The Brother's Rico (1957), starring Richard Conte, Diane Foster, & James Darren;

D.O.A. (1950), starring Edmond O’Brien;

Cape Fear (1962), starring Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, and Polly Bergen;

Double Indemnity (1944), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, & Edward G. Robinson;

Clash By Night (1952), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan, & Paul Douglas;

The Man I Love (1947), starring Ida Lupino & Robert Alda;

The Maltese Falcon (1941), starring Humphrey Bogart & Mary Astor;

Dead Reckoning (1947), starring Humphrey Bogart & Lizabeth Scott;

Detour (1945), starring Tom Neal & Ann Savage;

Laura (1944), starring Gene Tierney & Dana Andrews;

City That Never Sleeps (1953), starring Gig Young & Mala Powers;

Sunset Boulevard (1950), starring Gloria Swanson & William Holden;

The Killers (1946), starring Burt Lancaster & Ava Gardner;

The Great Flamarion (1945), starring Erich von Stroheim & Mary Beth Hughes;

The Locket (1946), starring Laraine Day, Robert Mitchum, & Brian Aherne;

The Invisible Wall (1946), starring Don Castle & Virginia Christine;

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott & Kirk Douglas;

The Dark Past (1948), starring William Holden, Nina Foch, & Lee J. Cobb;

Murder My Sweet (1945), starring Dick Powell & Claire Trevor;

The Woman On The Beach (1947), starring Robert Ryan & Joan Bennett;

Spellbound (1945), starring Ingrid Bergman & Gregory Peck;

Manhandled (1949), starring Dorothy Lamour, Sterling Hayden, & Dan Duryea;

Scarlet Street (1945), starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, & Dan Duryea;

Moonrise (1948), starring Dane Clark & Gail Russell;

Out of the Past (1947), starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, & Kirk Douglas;

In a Lonely Place (1950), starring Humphrey Bogart & Gloria Grahame;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Episode Website Link:

https://frombeneaththehollywoodsign.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"STRANGE CHARACTERS: WHAT IS FILM NOIR? (PART II)" (079)

Welcome to the second episode of our special 3-part series on Film Noir. In this episode, we’ll explore the iconic character types that define the genre—characters who live in the grey areas of morality, driven by desire, deceit, and danger. From the hard-boiled detective to the femme fatale, we’ll unpack the timeless archetypes that give film noir its signature edge. So, grab your trench coat, dim the lights, and join us as we explore the complex, shadowy figures who walk the fine line between good and evil in the world of noir cinema.

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Film Noir (2017), by Alian Silver & James Ursini;

Into the Darkness: The Hidden World of Film Noir 1941-1959 (2016), by Mark A. Viera;

More than Night: film Noir in Its Contexts (2008), by James Naremore;

Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir (1998), by Eddie Muller;

Voices in the Dark: The Narrative Patterns of Film Noir (1989), by J.P. Telotte;

Film Noir: An Encyclopedia Reference to the American Style (1979), edited by Alain Silver & Elizabeth Ward;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

Born To Kill (1947), starring Lawrence Tierney & Claire Trevor;

Murder My Sweet (1944), starring Dick Powell & Claire Trevor;

They Drive By Night (1940), starring George Raft & Ann Sheridan;

Thieves Highway (1949), starring Richard Conte & Valentina Cortese;

Body and Soul (1947), starring John Garfield & Lilli Palmer;

The Killers (1946), starring Burt Lancaster & Ava Gardner;

The Set-Up (1949), starring Robert Ryan & Audrey Totter; 

Act of Violence (1948), starring Van Heflin, Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh & Mary Astor;

In a Lonely Place (1950), starring Humphrey Bogart & Gloria Grahame;

Nightmare Alley (1947(, starring Tyrone Power & Coleen Gray;

Leave Her To Heaven (1944), starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde & Jeanne Crain;

The Lady From Shanghai (1947), starring Orson Welles & Rita Hayworth;

Out of the Past (1947), starring Robert Mitchum & Jane Greer;

Scarlet Street (1947), starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett & Dan Duryea;

Detour (1945), starring Tom Neal & Ann Savage; 

Dead Reckoning (1947), starring Humphrey Bogart & Lizabeth Scott;

Criss Cross (1949), starring Burt Lancaster & Yvonne DeCarlo;

Gun Crazy (1950), starring John Dall & Peggy Cummins;

The Killing (1956), starring Sterling Hayden & Coleen Gray;

Impact (1949), starring Brian Donlevy & Ella Raines;

Kiss of Death (1947), starring Victor Mature, Richard Widmark & Coleen Gray;

Kansas City Confidential (1952), starring John Payne & Coleen Gray;

Raw Deal (1948), starring Dennis O’Keefe, Claire Trevor & Marsha Hunt;

Phantom Lady (1944), starring Ella Raines & Alan Curtis;

They Live By Night (1948), starring Farley Granger & Cathy O’Donnell;

Fallen Angel (1945), starring Dana Andrews, Alice Faye & Linda Darnell;

White Heat (1949), starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo & Margaret Wycherly;

Night In The City (1950), starring Richard Widmark & Gene Tierney;

The Big Combo (1955), starring Cornell Wilde, Jean Wallace, Richard Conte & Helen Walker;

Pick Up On South Street (1953), starring Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, & Thelma Ritter;

Too Late For Tears (1949), starring Lizabeth Scott & Dan Duryea:

The Woman In The Window (1944), starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, & Dan Duryea;

Manhandled (1949), starring Sterling Hayden, Dorothy Lamour & Dan Duryea;

Desert Fury (1947), starring Burt Lancaster & Lizabeth Scott;

The Letter (1940), starring Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, & Gale Sondergaard;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPISODE 78 - “FILM NOIR - Part 1 - WHAT IS NOIR?” - 3/10/2025

Have you ever wondered what exactly is film noir? TCM’s EDDIE MULLER describes it this way: “Film Noir is all about treachery, deceit, and paranoia. You’re never quite sure what is going on, who you can trust, or what dreadful pitfall waits around the corner.” This dark and twisted film genre popped up after WWII as a quiet cynicism began to creep into the national consciousness. In film noir, there is always an underbelly of darkness that comes out to play. And within the darkness, the shadows, and the neon lights, lie many stories of crime, dishonesty, adultery, murder, and mayhem. This week, we present the first in a special three-part series that delves into the darkest of genres where crooked cops, gangsters, torch singers, barflies, and other seedy character’s live, love, and kill. Join us as we discuss Film Noir! 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Film Noir (2017), by Alian Silver & James Ursini;

Into the Darkness: The Hidden World of Film Noir 1941-1959 (2016), by Mark A. Viera;

More than Night: film Noir in Its Contexts (2008), by James Naremore;

Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir (1998), by Eddie Muller;

Voices in the Dark: The Narrative Patterns of Film Noir (1989), by J.P. Telotte;

Film Noir: An Encyclopedia Reference to the American Style (1979), edited by Alain Silver & Elizabeth Ward;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

Leave Her To Heaven (1945), starring Gene Tierney, Cornell Wilde, & Jeanne Crain;

Desert Fury (1947), starring Burt Lancaster & Lizabeth Scott;

Niagara (1953), starring Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, & Marilyn Monroe;

Mildred Pierce (1945), starring Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth, & Zachary Scott;

Johnny O'Clock (1947), starring Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, & Ellen Drew;

Double Indemnity (1944), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, & Edward G. Robinson;

Strangers On A Train (1951), starring Farley Granger, Robert Walker, & Ruth Roman;

The Big Heat (1953), starring Glenn Ford & Gloria Grahame;

I Wake Up Screaming (1941), starring Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Carole Landis, & Laird Cregar;

Out of the Past (1947), starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, & Kirk Douglas;

Phantom Lady (1944), starring Ella Raines, Alan Curtis, & Franchot Tone;

The Killers (1946), starring Burt Lancaster & Ava Gardner;

The Spiral Staircase (1946), starring Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, & Ethel Barrymore;

Suspicion (1941), starring Cary Grant & Joan Fontaine;

The Amazing Mr. X (1948), starring Turban Bay, Lynn Bari, Cathy O’Donnell, & Richard Carlson;

Two O'Clock Courage (1945), starring Tom Conway & Ann Rutherford;

The Letter (1940), starring Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, & Gale Sondergaard;

The Third Man (1949), starring Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, & Alida Valle;

Kiss Me Deadly (1955), starring Ralph Meeker & Cloris Leachman;

The Narrow Margin (1952), starring Charles McGraw, Marie Windsor, & Jacqueline White;

The Dark Mirror (1946), starring Olivia de Havilland & Lew Ayres;

The Woman In The Window (1944), starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, & Dan Duryea;

The Lady In The Lake (1947), starring Robert Montgomery & Audrey Totter;

The Lady From Shanghai (1947), starring Rita Hayworth & Orson Welles;

Night of The Hunter (1955), starring Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, & Lillian Gish;

The Naked City (1948), starring Howard Duff & Barry Fitzgerald;

Pick Up On South Street (1953), starring Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, & Thelma Ritter;

He Walked By Night (1948), starring Richard Basehart, Scott Brady & Jack Webb;

Impact (1949), starring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn, Helen Walker, & Anna May Wong;

The Asphalt Jungle (1950), starring Sterling Hayden & Jean Hagen;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"MARY BETH HUGHES - CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH" - 3/03/2025

For those of you who don't know the charms of MARY BETH HUGHES, when she was under contract at MGM, she was dubbed "the poor man's LANA TURNER." It was a rather unfair assessment since MGM gave Lana all the plum roles, and Mary Beth got her hand-me-downs. But still, Mary Beth had great comic chops, and no one played bitchy, hard-boiled blondes as well as she. Despite her beauty and talent, she never managed to get out of B-pictures. She did have small parts in great films like The Women (1939) and The Ox-Bow Incident (1942). She played the good girl as often as she played the bad girl, but when she played bad....you were in for a treat. Her pouty lips, snappy dialogue, and petulant attitude lit up many a lackluster production. This week, we celebrate her as our Star of the Month.

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

The Official Mary Beth Hughes Website;

“Mary Beth Hughes, Born in Alton, Benign Groomed for Stardom in Movies,” January 4, 1939, Alton Evening Telegraph;

“Mary Beth Hughes,” October 1971, by T.P. Turton, Films in Review;

“Mary Beth Hughes Stars In A New Shampoo,” December 20, 1976, People Magazine;

Mary Beth Hughes: She Never Gave Up,” December 2015, by Dave White, Classic Images;

“The Look of Mary Beth Hughes,” June 6, 2019, www.grandoldmovies.com;

http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/marybethhughes.html

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

Movies Mentioned: 

The Women (1939), starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, & Rosalind Russell;

The Ox-Bow Incident (1942), starring Henry Fonda, Harry Morgan, Dana Andrews, MBH, & Anthony Quinn;

Broadway Serenade (1939), starring Jeanette MacDonald & Lew Ayres;

Dancing Co-Ed (1939), starring Lana Turner & Richard Carlson; 

These Glamour Girls (1939), starring Lana Turner & Lew Ayres:

Fast and Furious (1939), starring Franchot Tone & Ann Sothern;

Free, Blonde & 21 (1940), starring Lynn Bari, MBH, & Joan Davis;

Star Dust (1940), starring Linda Darnell & John Payne;

Four Sons (1940), starring Don Ameche, Alan Curtis, Eugenia Leontivich, & MBH;

Lucky Cisco Kid (1940), starring Cesar Romero, Dana Andrews, & MBH;

The Great Profile (1940), staring John Barrymore & MBH;

Sleepers West (1941), starring Lloyd Nolan & MBH: 

Ride on Vaquero (1941), starring Cesar Romero & MBHs;

Charlie Chan In Rio (191410, starring Sidney Toler & MBH;

Dressed To Kill (1941), starring Lloyd Nolan & MBH;

Design For Scandal (1941), starring Rosalind Russell & Walter Pidgeon;

The Cowboy and The Blonde (1941), starring MBH & George Montgomery;

Blue, White, and Perfect, (1942), starring Lloyd Nolan & MBH;

The Night Before The Divorce (1942), starring Lynn Bari, Joseph Allen, & MBH;

Orchestra Wives (1942), starring Ann Rutherford & George Montgomery:

Over My Dead Body (1942), starring Milton Berle & MBH;

Timber Queen (1944), starring Richard Arlen & MBH;

Men On Her Mind (1944), starring MBH;

I Accuse My Parents, (1944), starring MBH & Robert Lowell;

The Lady Confesses (1945), starring MBH & Hugh Beaumont;

The Great Flamarion (1945), starring Erich von Stroheim, MBH, & Dan Duryea;

Holiday Rhythm (1950), starring MBH & David Street;

Young Man With A Horn (1950), starring Kirk Douglas, Lauren Bacall, & Doris Day;

Highway Dragnet (1954), starring Richard Conte & Joan Bennett;

Loophole (1955), starring Barry Sullivan, Charles MacGraw, & Dorothy Malone;

Gun Battle At Monterey (1957), starring Sterling Hayden & MBH;

How's Your Love Life? (1971), starring John Agar, Leslie Brooks, Grant Willians, & MBH;

The Working Girls (1974), starring Sarah Kennedy, Laurie Rose, & Cassandra Peterson;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EPISODE 76 - “MEMORABLE OSCAR SPEECHES OF THE GOLDEN ERA OF HOLLYWOOD” - 2/24/2025

Winning an Oscar is a dream for most people who work in Hollywood. But you can’t just win the Oscar; you must have a good speech once your name is called to the podium. There have been some great ones — OLIVIA COLEMAN’s funny and cheeky speech hit the right tone, and who can forget JACK PALANCE’s one-arm push-ups or CUBA GOODING’s exuberance? There have also been some bad ones — don’t we all still cringe a little at SALLY FIELDS’ “You Like Me” speech? As we prepare to celebrate the 97th annual Academy Award ceremony, Steve and Nan reflect on some of their favorite Oscar speeches and why they resonate. So please put on your tux, don the gown and jewels, pop the champagne, and join us for a fun talk about … well, people talking.  

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

“Five Times The Oscars Made History,” January 20, 2017, www.nyfa.edu;

“Hollywood History: How World War II Forced the Academy to Rethink the 1942 Oscars,” April 16, 2021, Entertainment Weekly;

“Charlie Chaplin vs. America Explores the Accusations that Sent a Star Into Exile,” October 24, 2023, byTerry Gross, www.npr.com;

“The Most Memorable Oscar Speeches in Oscar History,” March 6, 2024, by Shannon Carlin, www.time.com;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IMDBPro.com;

www.Oscars.org;

Movies Mentioned: 

Stella Dallas (1938), starring Barbara Stanwyck, John Boles, Anne Shirley, & Alan Hale;

Gone With The Wind (1939), starring Vivian Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Hattie McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen, Thomas Mitchell, & Barbara O’Neil;

How Green Was My Valley (1941), starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara, & Donald Crisp;

Sergeant York (1941), starring Gary Cooper, Joan Leslie, & Walter Brennan; 

The Devil and Miss Jones (1941), staring Jean Arthur Robert Cummings, & Charle Coburn;

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), starring Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains, & Evelyn Keyes;

Ball of Fire (1942), starring Barbara Stanwyck & Cary Cooper;

Double Indemnity (1944), starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray & Edward G Robinson;

Key Largo (1948); starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G Robinson, Claire Trevor, & Lionel Barrymore;

All The King’s Men (1948), starring Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Joanne Dru, & Mercedes McCambridge;

Pinky (1949), starring Jeanne Crain, Ethel Waters, Ethel Barrymore, Nina Mae McKinney, & Wiliam Lundigan;

Marty (1955); starring Ernest Borgnine. Betsy Blair, Joe Mantell, & Esther Minciotti;

The King and I (1956), starring Yul Brenner, Deborah Kerr, Rita Moreno, & Rex Thompson;

Elmer Gantry (1960), starring Burt Lancaster, Jean Simmons, Shirley Jones, Arthur Kennedy, Dean Jagger, and Patti Page;

West Side Story (1961), Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chikiris, & Russ Tamblyn;

Lillies of the Field (1963), starring Sidney Poitier; 

In the Heat of the Night (1967)l starring Rod Steiger, Sidney Poitier, & Lee Grant;

The Producers (1967), starring Zero Mostel & Gene Wilder;

Rosemary’s Baby (1968), starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, & Charles Grodin;

Faces (1968), starring Gena Rowlands, Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel, & John Farley; 

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1968), staring Alan Arkin, Sondra Locke, Cecily Tyson, Stacey Keach, & Percy Rodrigues;

The Last Picture Show (1971), starring Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Ellen Burstyn, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, & Eileen Brennan;

Murder on the Orient Express (1974), starring Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Martin Balsam, & Jacqueline Bisset;

---------------------------------

http://www.airwavemedia.com

Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices