Back to Golden Days

Today would have been Elizabeth Taylor's 94th birthday. With a career that spanned over six decades, she is one of the most iconic stars in cinema history. Born in London, England, on February 27, 1932, she made her screen debut at the age of 10, in Universal's There's One Born Every Minute (1942), and quickly achieve stardom in MGM's hugely successful sports drama National Velvet (1944). Transitioning to adult roles when she turned 18, she became one of the most popular leading ladies of the 1950s, gaining critical acclaimed for her roles in A Place in the Sun (1951), Giant (1956) and Cat in a Hot Tin Roof (1958). By the 1960s, she had become the highest-paid movie star in the world, winning Academy Awards for her outstanding performances in BUtterfield 8 (1960) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).   Apart from a stellar film career, she was also a dedicated philanthropist. In the mid-1980s, she was one of the first celebrities to lend her voice to H...

Today is Cary Grant's 122nd birthday. Known for his distinctive mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanour, light-hearted approach to acting, and impeccable comic timing, he was one of the most iconic leading men of Hollywood's Golden Age. Renowned for his performances in romantic screwball comedies such as The Awful Truth (1937), Bringing Up Baby (1938), His Girl Friday (1940) and The Philadelphia (1940), he also received acclaim for serious roles in films like Penny Serenade (1941) and None But the Lonely Heart (1944), and his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, which included Suspicious (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955) and North by Northwest (1959). He was nominated for two Academy Awards, five Golden Globes and a BAFTA, received a Star on the Walk of Fame in 1960, and remained a top box-office attraction for almost 30 years. To celebrate the man, the myth, the legend, this is his life in pictures.

One of my favourite things to do is look at pictures of Old Hollywood stars, and I am always amazed by the charm and glamour of the actors and actresses of that time. So, as a complement to this blog, I have finally done something that I have been wanting to do for a while: I have created an Instagram page to continue sharing the love for an era that has fascinated me since my university days. If you feel that this is a page you would like to follow, please feel free to do so. You can find it at @backtogoldendaysblog .

Clara Bow and Lawrence Gray in a promotional photo, circa 1925.  Marie Wilson in a promotional photo, circa 1948.      Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr at a New Year's Eve party in Hollywood in 1939.   Debbie Reynolds in a promotional portrait (1952).    Bette Davis in a promotional photo, circa 1935.    James Cagney and his wife, Billie, at a New Year's Eve party in New York City, in 1939.   Cyd Charisse in a promotional photo (1949).      Mae West in a promotional photo for Paramount Pictures (1936).

Christmas has always been a source of inspiration to many artists, including those in the film industry. Over the years, filmmakers have created an array of Christmas movies and television specials, many of which have become beloved staples during the holiday season all over the world.    One of the earliest examples of Christmas-themed films is Santa Claus (1898), a British short directed by George Albert Smith, featuring Santa visiting a house on Christmas Eve. As a trick film, it was groundbreaking at the time for showcasing the use of parallel action. In the United States, A Christmas Carol (1910), produced by Edison Studios based on Charles Dickens' 1843 novella of the same name, further highlighted the sentimental value of Christmas themes. It was not until the 1940s, however, that Christmas movies truly cemented their place in cinematic history. With the horrors of World War II, audiences needed to be reminded that there was still good in the world, and ...