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  • TV Time: Before They Were Legends

    One of the great joys of watching vintage television is spotting the familiar faces who populate a given episode of just about any show that was around for any length of time. Serious fans enjoy the character actors who crop up again and again, but you can often see young actors who would go on to become superstars. Sometimes you even encounter in their earliest roles those who would not just be greats, but those who would become legends. This month, TV Time looks at four such appear...

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  • The Old Corral: Jesse James On the Silver Screen

    Just as Billy the Kid rode across the silver screen endless times, almost always as a misunderstood youth with many qualities and sometimes as a downright knight in shining armor, so too did movie representations of that other famous American outlaw, Jesse James, show him to be a Robin Hood figure, battling ruthless corporate enemies of the common man. Of course there is no evidence whatsoever that either Billy or Jesse robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. In fact, more than likely, bot...

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  • TV Time: Doctors in the House

    While watching Dr. Kildare, I've been thinking about TV doctors, and more precisely, who the best is. Who would I most want as my doctor? After disqualifying Kildare himself for being too pretty and young (I'm only on season 3), I looked at some ClassicFlix-era TV doctors (meaning I did not consider legendary small screen medical types like Dr. Quincy, Dr. Shrinker, and Dr. Johnny Fever).Richard Kimble, The Fugitive: There is a bit ...

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  • The Old Corral: The Westerns of Howard Hawks

    Howard Hawks was perhaps the greatest Hollywood director never to win a Best Director Oscar (though he was given a consolatory honorary award in 1975, presented to him by John Wayne). His friend and admirer John Ford generously suggested that he should have been recognized as best director, instead of Ford, for

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  • TV TIME: Get in the Ring for Classic TV Mania

    Each year the extravaganza known as WrestleMania revives the old myth that Vince McMahon "invented" sports entertainment by taking "rasslin'" out of dingy, dark, smoke-filled dives and making a family-friendly product suitable for large "respectable" arenas. In reality, professional wrestling did just fine as a regional, territorial product for years. It had a national presence, as well, and while McMahon did expand his business by seizing on cable television's reach, arena grappling was a fi...

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  • The Old Corral: The Westerns of Glenn Ford

    Glenn Ford was one of the greatest of all Western actors. He appeared in a long series of cowboy films, 26 total, and in all of them, even the ones of uneven quality, he was outstanding, strong and tough. He was ideal in the role of a man who's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Quiet, even taciturn, speaking with measured tones, Ford was the perfect Westerner. He rode supremely well, as if he and the horse were one. He underplayed in an almost Gary Cooper-like way and once said, "Some actors co...

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  • Remembering the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival

    The 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival has come and gone, leaving behind countless happy memories of great films enjoyed with wonderful friends...and to top it all off, nitrate!This year's festival was dedicated to the late Robert Osborne, with tributes to Mr. Osborne preceding Thursday evening's films. His gracious presence was remembered and strongly felt throughout the festival, as I believe it will be for years to come.Regular TCM hosts Ben Mankiewicz, Tiffany Vazquez, Eddie M...

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  • TV TIME: Cartoons Go to the Circus

    The announcement that Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey is shutting down inspired a lot of discussion about the demise of the circus. While it's true that Ringling was, for years, the most iconic big top operation, the American institution will continue.Of course, it also survives in classic television. In a previous column, I recommended Woody Allen boxing a kangaroo. Besides that memorable variety program, many sitcom and dramatic episodes centered on traveling circus troupe...

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  • Dark Cinema: More Pre-Codes You Should Know

    Even if you're not a pre-Code aficionado, it's likely that you've seen -- or at least heard of -- such popular features as The Public Enemy (1931),

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  • The Old Corral: The Westerns of Robert Taylor

    Spangler Arlington Brugh renamed Robert Taylor by MGM upon signing for them in 1934, was one of the most famous movie stars of his time. He is probably best known as a romantic lead, or riding through Hollywood's idea of the Middle Ages with a sword, but he was brought up on the plains of Nebraska, rode well and always wanted to be in Westerns. He was excellent with a Stetson and six-gun, projecting that right blend of toughness and decency to convince as a hero of the West.He made fo...

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