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Ginger Rogers at the beach with her pet dog (1936) Clara Bow in front of her Malibu beachfront home (c. 1926)   Bette Davis at a beach in Southern California (c. 1932)   Cary Grant and Randolph Scott at their home in Santa Monica (1935)   Natalie Wood and Hugh O'Brien at the Thalians Beach Ball in Malibu (July 15, 1956)   Ava Gardner at the beach (c. 1945)   Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman at the pool (c. 1940)   Joan Crawford and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. at Catalina Beach (May 20, 1929)  

Directed by Edmund Goulding, Dark Victory (1939) tells the story of Judith Traherne (Bette Davis), a carefree heiress with a passion for horses and fast cars. When she begins suffering from chronic headaches, her family physician, Dr. Parsons (Henry Travers), insists that she see Dr. Frederick Steele (George Brent), a brilliant brain surgeon. Judith arrives at Steele's office on the day that he is to retire from surgery due to the death of his patients. However, intrigued by Judith's symptoms and charmed by her spirits, he decides to postpone his retirement and takes her case. After performing a delicate brain surgery on Judith, Steele discovers that she has a malignant tumor which will inevitably kill her within less than a year. Bette Davis, George Brent and Humphrey Bogart in Dark Victory .   In order to allow her a few more months of happiness, Steele lies to Judith and assures her that the surgery was a success. However, he cannot hide the truth from her best friend, Ann ...

On December 7, 1941, as World War II was raging on in Europe, the Imperial Japanese Navy led a surprise military strike against the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Commencing at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian Time, the attack was carried out by 353 Japanese fighter planes, bombers and torpedo planes in two waves, launching from six aircraft carriers. All eight U.S. Navy battleships stationed at the base were damaged, with four sunk. All but Arizona, which exploded beyond repair after being hit by four armour-piercing bombs, were later raised and six were returned to service for the remainder of the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. In addition, 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, 2,430 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded. The attack on Pearl Harbor came as a profound shock to the American people and led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare war on Japan on December 8. Three day...

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 good weather, either by the pool or at the beach.    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). 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. Love her shoes! Douglas Fairbanks Jr. enjoys a 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...