Tyrone Power on "What's My Line"

I just had to post this clip of Tyrone Power on "What's My Line". I love watching all of my favorite stars on this show. Of course I love Tyrone Power, so this is one that I have watched often. Enjoy!

I love "I Love Lucy" in Hollywood

Last night I watched the "I Love Lucy" episode with William Holden ("L.A. at Last"). For those of you who do not know this one, it's the one where Lucy lights her fake nose on fire. For many years I had only seen the second half of the episode. But a few years ago I finally got to watch the whole thing. This is probably my favorite "I Love Lucy" episode, or maybe it ties with "Vitameatavegimin".

Yes, this blog is about classic film and its stars and not classic television. I must ramble though for a little bit about this "I Love Lucy" season. Ricky gets an offer for a movie in Hollywood, so he and Lucy along with Fred and Ethel travel to CA. There are so many stars in these classic episodes! William Holden, John Wayne, Van Johnson, Richard Widmark, and many many more.

If you are a classic movie fan and have not seen season four and the beginning of season five of "I Love Lucy", go out and buy it! It is so much fun to see all of the stars playing themselves. Lucille Ball is so hilarious with them as she plays their biggest fan. I wonder how I would have acted had I lived back when my favorite stars did. I might have been the same way. Well, maybe not breaking into Richard Widmark's house. Do you have a favorite classic TV episode that has a guest movie star? I would love to hear of any that I have missed!

Below is a scene in "L.A. at Last", where Lucy first sees William Holden, my favorite scene in this episode. He was so great in this!

The Colorful 40's

This week I watch "Thrill of a Romance" (1945) with Esther Williams. This is is the second Esther Williams collection. The movie was good and very entertaining. One thing that I enjoy about this and other movies made in the 1940's is the use of Technicolor.


Technicolor was used in film earlier than the 40's, but this is when it really took off. I am usually one who defends the black and white movies, but when films are filmed originally with this color the end result is beautiful! This is one reason that I love Betty Grable movies too. Most of them were also filmed in Technicolor. The 1940's style of clothes, hair, and make-up were also best in color. You can't see that bright red lipstick in black and white!

Some actresses I believe were made for Technicolor movies. The above mentioned Esther Williams and Betty Grable are obviously two of them. I have heard that Maureen O'Hara is counted as the queen of Technicolor though, I don't know who came up with that but she did film beautifully. Some actresses shunned color films because they believed that they looked better and more glamorous in black and white. In the 1939 film "The Women" there is a color sequence of a fashion show, but not one of the stars of the film were in this.

Movies filmed in Technicolor always had a kind of unreal feel to them, nothing is that bright and colorful in real life! But that is why they were so popular and are still one of a kind today. Which actors or actresses do you think were made for Technicolor?