Long before his momentous teaming with Oliver Hardy, comedian Stan Laurel (1890-1965) was a motion picture star in his own right. From his film debut in Nuts in May (1917) through his final solo starring effort Should Tall Men Marry? (1928), Laurel headlined dozens of short comedies for a variety of producers and production companies, often playing characters far removed from the meek, dimwitted "Stanley" persona that we know and love. This is a film-by-film look at the p...

Although the motion picture industry initially disparaged and feared television, by the late 1950s, studios saw the medium as a convenient dumping ground for thousands of films that had long been gathering dust in their vaults. As these films found their way to local TV stations, enterprising distributors grouped the titles by genre so programmers could showcase them accordingly. It was in this spirit that Chicago’s tradition of TV horror movie shows was born. Chicago TV Horror Movie S...

Columbia produced over 500 two-reel shorts from 1933 through 1958, with Hollywood's finest comics (the Three Stooges, Andy Clyde, Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Charley Chase, others). Fully illustrated with never-before-published photographs, the book chronicles the history of all, including interviews with the veterans. The filmography covers all of the 526 two-reelers: credits, date, synopsis.

At one time every station in Chicago—a maximum of five, until 1964–produced or aired some programming for children. From the late 1940’s through the early 1970’s, local television stations created a golden age of children’s television unique in American broadcasting. Though the shows often operated under strict budgetary constraints, these programs were rich in imagination, inventiveness, and devoted fans. Now, discover the back stories and details of this special era from the people who c...

Dorothy Lee is best remembered for her screen appearances with the popular comedy team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey. She went from being a struggling vaudeville performer to the female vocalist in one of the most successful bands in the country to a star in the new-fangled "talking pictures" all within the span of a few short years. During the Great Depression, she lived a fairy-tale existence, rubbing shoulders with Hollywood luminaries and earning an income that most people could o...

From Bing Crosby's early days in college minstrel shows and vaudeville, to his first hit recordings, from his 11 year triumph as star of America's most popular radio show, to his first success in Hollywood, Gary Giddins provides a detailed study of the rise of this American star.

In the days when cinema audiences insisted that movie programs include two features, plus shorts, plus a newsreel, plus trailers, plus a cartoon, the supporting feature was known in the film trade as a "B". On many occasions, the unheralded "B" movie turned out to be more entertaining than the "A" attraction. Many of Hollywood's biggest stars, like John Wayne, Clark Gable, Alan Ladd and Carole Lombard, got their start in "B" pictures. Some, like Gene Autry (once voted the tenth most popula...

Mathematicians will argue that the term, 1930s, applies to the years 1931 through 1940. The author, however, has taken the popular view that the decade extends from 1930 through 1939. As a special bonus, however, he has also included the award-winners of 1927, 1928 and 1929! So what we have here is an account of most of the generally released movies that won awards presented by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1927 through 1939. Unlike other books that cover this topic,...

Ingrid Bergman, the lovely star of "Casablanca", is featured on the cover. It's one of my all-time favorites. Other winning movies featured in this book include "The Black Swan", "All About Eve", "The Paleface", "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", "The Hasty Heart", "Yankee Doodle Dandy", "Gentleman's Agreement", "The Gunfighter", "Home in Indiana", "The Heiress", "The Three Musketeers", "The Bridge of San Luis Rey", "Captain from Castile", "Centennial Summer", "Come to the Stable", "Comrade X", "...

Though often thought of as primarily a male vehicle, the film noir offered some of the most complex female roles of any movies of the 1940s and 1950s. Stars such as Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Tierney and Joan Crawford produced some of their finest performances in noir movies, while such lesser known actresses as Peggie Castle, Hope Emerson and Helen Walker made a lasting impression with their roles in the genre. These six women and 43 others who were most frequently featured in films noirs are...

200 classic movie comedies are discussed and reviewed (with full cast and credit details) in this must-have book that will delight every vintage film fan. If you've never heard of Abbott and Costello, The 3 Stooges, or Laurel and Hardy, this is not the book for you. On the other hand, if you're a fan of classic Hollywood comedies, this book will not only evoke lively memories of TV laugh-makers of the 1970s and 1980s, but even (if you are old enough to remember such things) of Saturday mov...

An indispensable guide for parents from a leading expert on children's filmFor years Peter M. Nichols has been offering vital advice and information for parents about current movies in his regular "Taking the Children" column. But parents need the same kind of guidance when renting or buying videos and DVDs for their family. They may know that movies such as Toy Story and Chicken Run are good choices for their children, but Nichols helps parents go...