Jimmy Stewart was at times morose and insecure as filming began on the 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Since he went off to serve, Hollywood had found new leading men, such as Kirk Douglas and Gregory Peck, who both
by Stephen Schochet25 Dec 2011, 1:08 AM PST0
In a 1946 interview, Capra described “It’s a Wonderful Life’s” theme as “the individual’s belief in himself,” and that he made it to “combat a modern trend toward atheism.” “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) began as a short story called
by Stephen Schochet24 Dec 2011, 10:51 AM PST0
Unlike their post 9-11 successors, Hollywood generally dealt with the aftermath of World War II with a more united front, more humor and less political correctness. Since 9-11, Hollywood filmmakers have had, within free-market parameters, the choice to make any
by Stephen Schochet7 Dec 2011, 6:06 AM PST0
“It is a story, and science fiction is only the pretext. I wouldn’t even know how to define SF…I think it’s the genre where you can deal with and imagine unhuman characters, but in my book my apes are men,
by Stephen Schochet4 Sep 2011, 6:58 AM PST0
Mike Stivik: You know, you are totally incomprehensible. Archie Bunker: Maybe so, but I make a lot of sense. In 1972, one year after the premiere of the TV comedy All in the Family (1971-1979) there was a national campaign
by Stephen Schochet25 Jul 2011, 4:21 AM PST0
“The thing will get more beautiful year after year. And it will get better as I find out what the public likes; I can’t do that with a picture it’s finished and unchangeable before I find out whether the public
by Stephen Schochet5 Jul 2011, 4:53 AM PST0
“Maybe I should be in a position where I don’t have to work; but I’m not.” — 69 year-old-old John Wayne, three years before his death. John Wayne, a.k.a Duke Morrison (he was nicknamed Duke after an Airedale dog that
by Stephen Schochet16 May 2011, 4:41 AM PST0
“I’m a lady who likes to fight, and I think women would go into the trenches tomorrow if they could.” –Elizabeth Taylor In 1947, 15-year-old Elizabeth Taylor told off her boss, MGM head honcho Louis B. Mayer, arguably the most
by Stephen Schochet17 Apr 2011, 6:30 AM PST0
by Stephen Schochet11 Mar 2011, 4:51 AM PST0
Vignettes from my new book Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! Don’t Practice What You Preach Warren Beatty was fired up to direct and star in the 1981 drama Reds, which told the
by Stephen Schochet2 Sep 2010, 2:25 PM PST0
Some light-hearted vignettes from my new book: Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! Hope and Roosevelt Democrat Franklin Roosevelt was the first of eleven presidents Republican Bob Hope entertained. The commander-in-chief loved the
by Stephen Schochet1 Sep 2010, 2:11 PM PST0
by Stephen Schochet31 Aug 2010, 2:56 PM PST0