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September 2, 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of VJ-Day, the day on which the Empire of Japan finally signed the surrender document, officially ending World War II in Asia. Future film star Tony Curtis, then a sailor in the United States Navy, actually witnessed much of the formal surrender activities in Tokyo Bay from his ship's signal bridge about a mile away. But Tony Curtis was not the only Hollywood celebrity who took up arms against the Axis Powers. Here is a list of 10 stars of the silver screen who served during World War II, either before or after they were famous.    James Stewart (1908-1997) | U.S. Army Air Forces, 1941-1968 Stewart enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Forces in February 1941. He had tried to join up in November 1940, but had been rejected for low weight. Already an experienced pilot, he received basic training at Moffett Field, California, and later served as flight instructor at Kirtland Army Air Field in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and at Gowen Field in B...

Today, June 1, the Children's Day is observed in many countries around the world, including Portugal, where I live. As such, I thought I would be fun to collect a series of pictures of classic Hollywood actors and actresses when they were children. Here are the ones I could find. Marilyn Monroe at the home of her foster parents, Albert and Ida Bolender (1933). Always the hipster, that Frank Sinatra. Here's another little hipster: James Dean (ca. 1938). Look how cute James Stewart is in his sailor's outfit (1912). How adorable was Judy Garland? Baby Mickey Rooney (1921). Lauren Bacall outside the Highland Manor private girls' school in New York (photograph taken by her mother, Natalie Perske, circa 1933). Gary Cooper dressed as a cowboy at age 2.    Baby Clark Gable (ca. 1902). Katharine Hepburn used to dress herself in boys' clothes and call herself «Jimmy.» Tyrone Power, an heartbreaker even as a child. Audre...

Theatrical release poster Directed by W. S. Van Dyke, Marie Antoinette (1938) opens when Marie Antoinette (Norma Shearer) is informed by her mother, Empress Marie Therese of Austria (Alma Kruger), that she is to marry the heir to the throne of France, the Dauphin Louis XVI (Robert Morley). Marie expects a life of grandeur, but finds that Louis is a shy and introverted man, who proves an unwilling husband as well. Her problems at the court are increased by Madame du Barry (Gladys George), the scheming mistress of King Louis XV (John Barrymore), who takes special pleasure in taunting Marie's inability to conceive an heir with the Dauphin. Though Marie initally seems to enjoy the support of the Duke d'Orléans (Joseph Schildkraut), he later reveals himself to be a duplicitious and power-hungry confidante. Meanwhile, Marie meets the dashing Swedish diplomat Count Axel Fersen (Tyrone Power) and the two soon begin a romantic affair. A few days after their fourth wedding anniv...

To celebrate lovely Gene Tierney's 95th birthday, which was yesterday, this week on "Film Friday" I thought I would bring you what I believe was the first film of hers I have seen. Incidentally, this picture was released on the exact same date of her 26 th birthday. Original poster by Norman Rockwell Directed by Edmund Goulding, The Razor's Edge (1946) opens at a dinner party held by eliti st snob El liott Templeton (Clifton Webb) and his sister L ouisa B radley (Lucile Watson) at a Chicago coun try club in 1919. Much to the family's dismay, Louisa 's daughter I sabel (Gene Tierney) is enga ged to Larry Dar rell (Tyrone Power), a war veteran who discovers upon his return home that he can no longer fit into th e world of upper-class society that his fianc é lives in. Also at the party is Sophie Nels on ( Anne Baxter ), Isabel's simple childhood friend ; Gray Maturin (John Pa yne), Larry's wealthy f riend who is also in love with Isabe...