………….In 1972 the then Governor Ronald Reagan, in response to a letter from Barbara Stanwyck biographer Ella Smith , thanked Ms. Smith for letting him comment about “this wonderful gal.”  He described Barbara as “one of the best thought of and most respected performers in all the industry.”

In a letter to the President, Barbara said;

”Ronnie, if I had known during the filming of ‘Cattle Queen’ that you were going to be president of our country, I would have given you  first billing!”

In response, in a handwritten note that sold at auction for $610, the President joked:

”I appreciate your willingness to give me top billing but it might have set me back – ‘RR as……..?”

 

As always, I am grateful to http://www.starsandletters.blogspot.com for this interesting story.

 

 

………..Poster for His Girl Friday by Nikos Bogris.

Makes me wish the film had been in color. And Ralph Bellamy gets first billing!

 

NEW DVDS:

 

…………Due out in the U.K. on 20th April, 2020 is a four-film box set from Powerhouse Films,  JOHN FORD AT COLUMBIA 1935-1958.

On Blu-ray for the first time in the U.K., this is a limited edition run of 6,000 units with plenty of extras on each film. The box set is £42.99.

From the charming The Whole Town’s Talking to a typically British film, Gideon’s Day, the quartet shows the master director’s range.

http://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk

 

……….And from Criterion.com on 19th May,2020 comes DANCE,GIRL,DANCE  (1940), which stars Lucille Ball and Maureen O’Hara and is directed by Dorothy Arzner, the only woman directing in the Hollywood studios in the 1930s and early 1940s.

Blu-Ray price is $31.96 and the dvd is $23.96.

The new cover is by Jody Hewgill. Is that really Maureen on the right?

 

Lucille and Maureen play chorus girls who have different ambitions in show business. The supporting cast include Louis Hayward, Ralph Bellamy, Maria Ouspenskaya and Edward Brophy ( who has the wonderful character name of “Dwarfy Humblewinger”!

 

………Interesting to come across these Books of the Films which are quite collectible now. I wonder how many were produced in the classic period.

 

 

 

 

…………….Coming to Netflix in May,2020 is the new 8 part series , HOLLYWOOD from Ryan Murphy who gave us “Feud, Bette and Joan”  in 2017.

The story of aspiring  actors and filmmakers in post WW2 Hollywood ,  the production is described as “a love letter to the golden age of Tinseltown.”

Stars being portrayed in the series include Loretta Young,Irving Thalberg, Gloria Swanson, George Cukor, Leo McCarey.