Front Row Classics: A Hollywood Golden Age Podcast

Irresistible Impulse

Front Row Classics is celebrating the 65th anniversary of Otto Preminger’s Anatomy of a Murder. Brandon is joined by Dominic Cellini to discuss this controversial courtroom drama. Jimmy Stewart stars in one of his most underrated performances as a country lawyer who is much sharper than he lets on. The film also includes sharp performances from Ben Gazzara, Lee Remick, George C Scott, Arthur O’Connell and Eve Arden. Brandon and Dominic discuss the intelligent script featuring dialogue and language that audiences weren’t used to hearing in the late fifties. We also pay tribute to amazing opening credit sequence designed by Saul Bass and the jazz score by Duke Ellington.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis and Dominic Cellini

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Welcome George Feltenstein

Front Row Classics is pleased to welcome Warner Bros, Library Historian, George Feltenstein to the show. George has been at the forefront of the restoration and marketing of classic films for decades. He’s been responsible for releases of classic film on all formats including VHS, Laserdisc, DVD and Blu-Ray. Brandon and George discuss his tenure at MGM/UA which included his overseeing the production That’s Entertainment III. George has been with Warner since 1997 and discusses the many projects he has been involved with. We also discuss his latest efforts overseeing the Warner Archive Collection since 2009.

George Feltenstein has been involved in the marketing and restoration of classic films for many years, initially bringing them to repertory and revival theaters. Afterward, he joined MGM/UA Home Video to bring the classic MGM film library to videocassettes and laserdiscs, eventually becoming the Senior Vice President & General Manager of the division. While at MGM/UA, he was also the executive in charge of production of the theatrical release THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT! III in 1994. He joined Time Warner in 1997 to lead initiatives involving the company’s classic film and television library. He soon produced over 100 expanded and restored soundtrack CDs as part of a joint venture with Rhino Records, provided guidance to Warner Home Video on the release of special edition DVDs, and initiated productions of documentary films drawn primarily from the company’s holdings. Included among these productions were GENE KELLY: ANATOMY OF A DANCER, BETTE DAVIS: STARDUST, JOAN CRAWFORD: THE ULTIMATE MOVIE STAR and JUDY GARLAND: BY MYSELF, which earned him an Emmy Award in 2004. In 2002, he formally joined Warner Home Video as Senior Vice President, Theatrical Catalog Marketing. This later led to his involvement in developing the Warner Archive Collection, a specialty label the studio launched in 2009. Since that time WAC (as it is often called) has released more than 4500 films and TV shows on DVD and Blu-ray. He continues to oversee all aspects of the Warner Archive Collection’s ongoing efforts, as part of his role as Warner Bros. Discovery Library Historian. Within his expanded position, he is enabled to work integrally with many divisions across the company. In 2005, the National Board of Review presented him with the William K. Everson Award for his ongoing contribution to film preservation.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Bring on the Beautiful Girls

Front Row Classics is celebrating MGM’s 100th anniversary with a movies that features a cast of some of it’s greatest stars. Ziegfeld Follies is a musical revue with is essentially a series of musical numbers with no linear plot. Featuring the talents of luminaries such as Fred Astaire, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Esther Williams & Lucille Ball, Ziegfeld Follies is MGM’s version of Fantasia. Brandon is joined by Benjamin Burke from the Hollywood Babylonians podcast to break down all of the stars and musical numbers.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis and Benjamin Burke

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Making Change

We’re thrilled to welcome Ben Mankiewicz back to Front Row Classics. Ben will be hosting Turner Classic Movies’ newest limited series, “Making Change: The Most Significant Political Films of All Time”. This series will feature films that were ranked by The New Republic Magazine. Throughout the nine-week series, Ben and a wide range of guests from the world of film and politics will showcase political-themed films from the silent era through through the 21st Century. 

Beginning tonight, September 6th ,Making Change airs every Friday night for the next nine weeks at 8pm est/7pm cst.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Master of Disaster

Front Row Classics is spending Labor Day Weekend with Paul Newman, Steve McQueen and one of the most impressive all star casts in film history. The Towering Inferno was the apex of the disaster film genre in the 1970s thanks to producer Irwin Allen. Lou Hare returns to the show to help Brandon break down all the action and suspense. Brandon and Lou discuss how many of the stunts and practical effect still hold up in 2024. We also break down the fascinating supporting cast including William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire. Jennifer Jones, Robert Wager and yes, even O.J. Simpson.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis and Lou Hare

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

John Ford

Front Row Classics welcomes back author and historian Joseph McBride. Brandon and Joe are discussing the newly revised and expanded edition of his critical study, “John Ford”. Co-authored by the late Michael Wilmington, the book takes a look at Ford’s key films and recurring themes found throughout his filmography. Brandon and Joe discuss several of these films & themes as well as Ford’s directorial style.

“John Ford” is available from University Press of Kentucky wherever books are sold.

Joseph McBride is the author of twenty-four books, including the biography Searchingfor John Ford (hailed as “definitive” by the New York Times and the Irish Times), biographies of Capra and Spielberg, three books on Welles, and critical studies of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder. A former film and television writer as well as a reporter, reviewer, and columnist for Daily Variety in Hollywood, McBride is a professor in the School of Cinema at San Francisco State University

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Come Up Sometime and See Me

Front Row Classics is shining the spotlight on the legendary Mae West. We’re taking a look at 1933’s She Done Him Wrong. Brandon is joined by Hollywood historian, April Clemmer. April is best known as the creator of the Old Hollywood Walking Tour. Brandon and April discuss West’s pioneering presence during Hollywood’s Golden Age and constant battles with the Hays Code. We also pay tribute to the strong supporting cast including a young Cary Grant who always credited West with jumpstarting his career.

You can find out more about April and her work at https://oldhollywoodtour.com/

FEATURING: Brandon Davis and April Clemmer

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Lombard and March

Front Row Classics is paying tribute to the amazing Carole Lombard with one of her most hilarious comedies. Brandon is joined by film historian, Olympia Kiriakou to discuss 1937’s Nothing Sacred.  Olympia is the author of Becoming Carole Lombard: Stardom, Comedy, and Legacy , the only scholarly study about Lombard’s evolving star persona and career. Brandon and Olympia discuss Lombard’s effervescent performance and chemistry with co-star Fredric March. We also discuss how modern the film still feels almost 90 years later.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Illusions

Front Row Classics is shining the spotlight on one of the underrated gems in Billy Wilder’s body of work. Brandon is joined by Benjamin Meissner to discuss 1948’s A Foreign Affair. Benjamin is a classic film enthusiast  who also is the President of the Marilyn Monroe fan club in Germany. Brandon and Benjamin discuss the wit and poignancy of this post World War II look at Berlin. They praise the performances of Jean Arthur, John Lund and especially Marlene Dietrich in one of her finest screen roles. Benjamin also helps to shine a spotlight on how Wilder uses Berlin as a character unto itself in the film.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Let’s Face the Music and Dance

Front Row Classics welcomes historian and freelance writer, Holley Snaith to the podcast. Holley recently penned an article called “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” for American Heritage magazine. The article provides an historical and cultural look at the partnership of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Holley has placed them within their proper context in terms of American History. Brandon and Holley cover their partnership origins, impact on the Great Depression & working relationship among other topics.

The article can be found here: https://www.americanheritage.com/lets-face-music-and-dance

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

Don’t forget to follow/reach us at:

Website: https://linktr.ee/FrontRowClassics
Twitter: @FRNCLASSICS
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrownetwork/
Instagram: frontrowclassicspod
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0