Movie Review: Till the Clouds Roll By This 1946 musical, filmed in glorious Technicolor, is loosely based on the life of songwriter Jerome Kern (Robert Walker). It opens with the opening of Showboat, the famous Oscar Hammerstein play he wrote the music for. After several numbers, we skip to the end of the performance. Mr. Kern… Continue reading Movie Review: Till the Clouds Roll By
Tag: singers
Film Review: Hi-De-Ho (1947)
Film Review: Hi-De-Ho (1947) Jazz singer and bandleader Cab Calloway (Cab Calloway) has a new manager named Nettie (Ida James). His girlfriend Minnie (Jeni Le Gon) becomes insanely jealous, despite the relationship being purely professional. When Nettie lands Cab and his orchestra a gig at the ritzy Brass Hat Club, Minnie hies herself over to… Continue reading Film Review: Hi-De-Ho (1947)
Movie Review: The Duke is Tops
Movie Review: The Duke is Tops (1938) Duke Davis (Ralph Cooper) is a show producer who has a star act, Ethel Andrews (Lena Horne), who is also his sweetheart. Their current show, “Sepia Scandals” is doing very well in the small Southern cities it’s playing. A big-time East Coast agent wants to put Ethel on… Continue reading Movie Review: The Duke is Tops
Book Review: Hell-Bent
Book Review: Hell-Bent by Jason Ryan Disclaimer: I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it. My copy was an advanced reading copy, and changes will be made in the published version, due out November 2014. In particular, the end notes and index were not yet finished. Hawaii’s… Continue reading Book Review: Hell-Bent
Movie Review: Doll Face (1945)
Movie Review: Doll Face (1945) “Doll Face” Carroll (Vivian Blaine) is a burlesque queen who wants to move into Broadway productions. When slightly snobbish producer Flo Hartman (Reed Hadley) scorns her audition because Doll Face isn’t “cultured”, her manager Mike Hannegan (Dennis O’Keefe) comes up with the idea of making her seem more accomplished by… Continue reading Movie Review: Doll Face (1945)
TV Review: Checkmate | Colonel March of Scotland Yard | I’m the Law
TV Review: Checkmate | Colonel March of Scotland Yard | I’m the Law Time for more old-time TV! Checkmate was a 1960-62 series about a detective agency of the same name based in San Francisco. Don Corey (Anthony George ) and Jed Sills (Doug McClure) out of Corey’s plush apartment, and employ Dr. Carl Hyatt… Continue reading TV Review: Checkmate | Colonel March of Scotland Yard | I’m the Law
Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Superman Family Volume 4
Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Superman Family Volume 4 edited by Mort Weisenger Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are two of the most enduring characters in comic books, thanks to being attached to the one and only Superman. Lois appeared in the first Superman story in Action Comics #1 (1938), a snarky but skilled reporter who… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Superman Family Volume 4
Magazine Review: High Adventure #127: Masked Rider Western
Magazine Review: High Adventure #127: Masked Rider Western edited by John P. Gunnison High Adventure is a pulp reprint magazine, reprinting stories (and sometimes whole issues) from the adventure magazines of the 1930s and 1940s. They switch up so that no two consecutive issues are the same subject, although certain character series recur frequently. In this… Continue reading Magazine Review: High Adventure #127: Masked Rider Western
Manga Review: Skip-Beat! Volumes 1-2-3
Manga Review: Skip-Beat! Volumes 1-2-3 by Yoshiki Nakamura Kyouko Mogami and Shoutaro “Shou” Fuwa grew up together after Kyouko’s mother largely abandoned her. The Fuwa family runs a chain of traditional Japanese inns, but Shou didn’t want to go into that business, partially because it is the proprietress that is the face of the inn,… Continue reading Manga Review: Skip-Beat! Volumes 1-2-3
TV Review: Martin Kane, Private Eye
TV Review: Martin Kane, Private Eye Martin Kane was a fairly standard private eye appearing on radio and television 1949-1951. He was played by four actors on TV, William Gargan, Lloyd Nolan, Lee Tracy and Mark Stevens, each with their own characterization, from mellow cynicism to outright rudeness. The most notable thing about the program… Continue reading TV Review: Martin Kane, Private Eye