Back to Golden Days

Today is Errol Flynn's 117th birthday. Renowned for his charisma, good looks and adventurous screen presence, he established himself as one of the most celebrated stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. Born in Hobart, Tasmania, on June 20, 1909, he spent his early years travelling and working various jobs, before pursuing a career in acting. His breakthrough came with Captain Blood (1935), a role that established as a leading man and launched a successful partnership with Olivia de Havilland . Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Flynn became synonymous with swashbuckling adventures films, starring in a series of popular classics, including The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Sea Hawk (1940) and Adventures of Don Juan (1948). Known for his athleticism, charm and screen presence, he embodied the romantic hero and became one of the era's biggest box-office attractions. Off-screen, Flynn was equally famous for his adventurous lifestyle and reputation as a playboy. His personal ...

The Golden Age of Hollywood was all about the glitz and glamour. Movie stars were fashion icons, western heroes, brooding outsiders, average Joes, and femme fatales. Some had careers that spanned decades, others were short-lived in their success, and most of them were no strangers to scandal. In such crazy times as these, there are bound to exist some wild facts about the stars and films that made Old Hollywood legendary. I've rounded up 10 of them. In all honesty, they're not really «wild» facts; they're more like random, useless tidbits. 1. When Clark Gable appeared without an undershirt in It Happened One Night (1934), women across the nation stopped buying the garment for their husbands. This caused a depression in undershirts in the United States in the 1930s. In 1957, Gable said, «I didn't know what I was doing to the undershirt people. That was just the way I lived. I hadn't worn an undershirt since I'd started school. They made me feel hemmed in and...

Since today is World Photography Day (yes, I bothered to check), I thought it would be fun to put together a collection of colour photos of Classic Hollywood stars. As far as I can tell, these pictures were captured in actual natural colour, rather than being digitally colourised. Enjoy! Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck at their ranch in San Fernando Valley (1939) Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet (1940) Errol Flynn skiing in Sun Valley, Idaho (December 1940) Eleanor Powell and Glenn Ford on their wedding day (1943) Myrna Loy and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. dancing (ca. 1944) Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney before reprising their roles in Laura (1944) for Lux Radio Theatre (February 1945) Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner on a break from filming The Killers (1946) Gregory Peck in a publicity for Duel in the Sun (1946) James Stewart and Donna Reed in a portrait for It's a Wonderful Life...

Today is the first day of summer, so I thought I would wish you all a very happy summer with a collection of photographs of classic Hollywood actors and actresses enjoying the sun and the good weather.   Birthday boy Errol Flynn just had a swim. Lana Turner is ready for a day at the pool. Here she is again by the pool at the Coral Casino in Santa Barbara in 1951. I'm not sure that cigarette is very good for you, Lana.   Ava Gardner enjoys the sun in a Spanish beach during a break in the filming of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951). I love her bikini.   Bette Davis celebrates the 4th of July by lighting a firework on the beach (early 1930s). Ginger Rogers at the beach in 1936. I love her shoes! Douglas Fairbanks Jr. enjoys a summer day at his Santa Monica beach house. Debbie Reynolds poses by the pool in her cute swimsuit. Carole Lombard and Gary Cooper are ready to sail (1930). Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Joan Crawford at the beach (photo by N...