Merry Christmas from the Pratts

December 20, 2018 by 9 Comments

This Christmas, we celebrate our 10th year as a married couple, as a blended family. My husband Gary, in his own creative way, has created some festive holiday cards over the past decade that express our love of our family, friends and classic film.

This year, we decided to go a slightly different direction to celebrate a decade of joy. So here is our twist on the song “My Favorite Things” (with apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein), a la classic film. EnJOY!

(Sing to the tune of “My Favorite Things”)

Hitchcock and Spielberg, Welles, Capra and Wilder

Ford, Hawks and Huston; Lang, Kubrick and Wyler

Director geniuses, talents do sing

These are a few of my favorite things

 

Russell and Cary, Dunne, Stanwyck and Hepburn

Harlow and Hayworth, Jean Arthur and Coburn

Fast-talking through their mis-un-der-stand-ings

These are a few of my favorite things

 

Keaton and Davies, Lloyd, Harold and Astor

Pickford and Fairbanks. Gish, Brooks, Bow and Dressler

Silver screen antics and soundless acting

These are a few of my favorite things

 

When my mood sinks

When my job stinks

When our cable lags

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don’t feel so bad

 

Dietrich and Henreid and Laughton and Gable

Cagney and Greenstreet, they’re actors well-abled

Dark smoky talent that gives my heart wings

These are a few of my favorite things

 

Tierney and George Raft, Dan Duryea and Bogie

Bacall and Ned Sparks and Bella Lugosi

Finely schooled actors with whose voices do ring

These are a few of my favorite things

 

John Wayne and Tom Mix and Carey (and Jr.)

Bond, Hunter, Cooper and Mitchum and Stewart

Rode tall in the saddle, our favorite gun slings

These are a few of my favorite things

 

When my mood sinks

When my job stinks

When our cable lags

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don’t feel so bad

 

Caron and Gene Kelly, Astaire and Miss Rogers

Powell and Deb Reynolds plus Nicolas Brothers

Hoofing their way cross the stage and big screen

These are a few of my favorite things

 

I will have missed some, so sorry they’re lacking

Christmas is nigh and my presents need packing

Too many talented film queens and kings

These are a few of my favorite things

 

One final mention of TCM talent

Ben Mank and team, they’re really quite gallant

Passionate sherpas of classic film-rings

These are a few of my favorite things

 

When my mood sinks

When my job stinks

When our cable lags

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don’t feel so bad

We hope you enjoyed our little song created to lift your spirits this holiday season, especially for our fellow classic film devotees. From our family to you and yours, we wish a very merry and bright! Here are some of the cards we made over the years…

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HoHoHo!

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Day 3 of the 2018 What A Character! Blogathon

December 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Co-host Paula of the 7th annual WHAT A CHARACTER! BLOGATHON wraps up the 3rd and final day. Read on for all the terrific entries…

Paula's Cinema Club

‘Tis the season to recognize the names below the title, as our yearly recognition of those supporting players whose faces you know (but names you might not) concludes today.

Check out Day 1 by Kellee at Outspoken and Freckled and Day 2 at Aurora‘s blog Once Upon a Screen. All the nitty-gritty blogathon details are in the Announcement post. Thanks to my partners in cinematic tribute for making this such a fun project and to Turner Classic Movies for the blogathon title and inspiration. And now on with the show…


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WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon – Day Two

December 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment

For Day Two of the WHAT A CHARACTER! BLOGATHON co-host Aurora of Once Upon A Screen brings in even more amazing entries to read!

Once upon a screen...

BREAKING: People are turning off the negativity and putting holiday preparations aside this weekend to make way for the characters! It’s thrilling news as sidekicks parade across the blogosphere. You won’t see anything like it anywhere else.

I’m thrilled to be hosting Day Two of the 2018 What A Character! Blogathon. This is the seventh consecutive year that I co-host this tribute to character actors and the excitement has multiplied. As you probably know my co-hosts are Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled who kicked things off with the Day one posts and Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club who hosts the third and final day tomorrow. We have lots of fun and informative posts to share so sit back and enjoy.

If you want a refresher on the back story for the What a Character! Blogathon take a look at the Announcement post, which includes the entire list of participants and chosen character…

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31 Days of Oscar: Day 3

February 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment

The final day of the 31 Days Of Oscar Blogathon wraps up at Paula’s Cinema Club. Read all the terrific entries in Day 3…

Paula's Cinema Club

While there’s still a week of Best Picture nominees and winners left in TCM’s 31 Days of Oscar tribute, today our Sixth Annual blogathon of the same name draws to a close with a bumper crop of fabulous and informative entries centered on the Golden Man and his history with everyone from Janet Gaynor to Forrest Gump and Agnes Varda.

Always Try discusses Katharine Hepburn’s [many] Oscar Wins.

Another Old Movie Blog analyzes the context around Joan Crawford’s win for Mildred Pierce.

Life’s Lessons Daily Blog delves into the social and emotional significance of the Awards in More than an Award Show: Oscars, The Host and Forrest Gump (1994).

Blog of the Darned presents seven films that should have been nominated for Best Picture in Great Movies: 7, Oscar:….

Old Hollywood Films recaps the career and Oscar year of Janet Gaynor, The First Best Actress Winner.

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Day Two: 31 Days of Oscar Blogathon

February 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment

For our Day Two entries, I passed the baton to co-host Aurora. Enjoy!

Once upon a screen...

The Oscar frenzy continues on Day 2 of the 31 Days of Oscar Blogathon. Today is my day to host a group of entries covering topics from a memorable drag competition to Oscar mistakes. If you missed any of the posts from Day One, please visit Kellee at Outspoken and Freckled. Lots of terrific stuff was submitted spanning Oscar’s storied history. Paula will host the third and final day tomorrow leaving you free to enjoy the 90th installment of the Oscars on ABC on Sunday, March 4. I also highly recommend you carve out as much time as you can to enjoy the final full week of TCM’s 31 Days of Oscar marathon during which the network spotlights Best Picture winners and nominees from the 90 years of the Academy Awards.

“For the first time, you can actually see the losers turn green”.
– Bob Hope, Academy Awards…

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Sixth Annual What A Character! Blogathon – Day 3

December 17, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Co-host Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club closes in with Day Three of our What A Character! Blogathon, as more entries celebrate those kooky characters!

Paula's Cinema Club

Welcome to Day 3 of the Sixth Annual What A Character! Blogathon, in which we celebrate those actors whose faces you know but whose names you may not. I’m your hostess for the Day 3 offerings. Be sure to also check out Day 1, hosted by Kellee at Outspoken and Freckled, and Day 2, hosted by Aurora at Once Upon A Screen. It’s been my pleasure to work with these two dames to shed some light on the names below the title. And now, on with the show…

First up, my co-host Aurora at Once Upon A Screen recaps the multi-faceted stage, TV, and film career of Mary Wickes from her earliest theater work to Sister Act and beyond.

Terry at A Shroud of Thoughts reminds us that William Schallert, who is so well-known for his intelligent and/or nice characters, could actually be “not exactly sympathetic…downright…

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6th Annual WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon: Day Two

December 16, 2017 by 1 Comment

Lovely co-host Aurora of ONCE UPON A SCREEN kicks off DAY TWO of our What A Character Blogathon. Our second day of entries offers up an amazing array of character actors. Take it away, Aurora!

Once upon a screen...

I’m thrilled to be hosting Day Two of the 2016 What A Character! Blogathon. This is the fifth consecutive year that I co-host this tribute to the lesser known players that enriched so many movies. As you probably know my co-hosts are the fabulous Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled who kicked things off with the Day one posts and Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club who hosts the third and final day tomorrow. As always, I’m honored to be in cahoots with these two ladies.

If you want a refresher on the back story for the What a Character! Blogathon take a look at the Announcement post, which includes the entire list of participants and chosen character actors. Otherwise I’m getting to the main course of this entry, the tributes to memorable supporting players. Here they are…

What a Character!

Silver Scenes discusses the career of Lovable Old Gent Henry Stephenson who could be benevolent…

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Character Actors Spotlighted on TCM in April! #WhatACharacter

March 31, 2017 by Leave a Comment

TCM pays tribute to Character Actors in April. As you know, my cinematic cohorts Aurora of Once Upon A Screen & Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club and yours truly have been expressing our love of character actors for the past 5 years in our own way. Aurora explains it best here:

Once upon a screen...

If there’s one thing classic movie fans share without question it’s a love and appreciation for character actors. This is why I’ve no doubt there’s a lot of excitement in the air about TCM’s April schedule when the Star of the Month will be actors who delight in supporting roles.

Robert Osborne wrote his last column for TCM’s Now Playing Guide for April and if that had to be the case then I’m glad it’s an homage to character actors. These working people, as I often think of them, go unheralded far too often. Having Robert send out the initial call to arms is appropriate.

You should know that the featured players scheduled on TCM every Tuesday and Thursday throughout April are some of the better known names among character actors. Still, I think spotlighting their work will allow for discussion about other favorites among the legion of actors who made movies better simply…

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31 Days of Oscar Blogathon – Day 3!

February 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment

UPDATED: Our final day of the 31 Days Of Oscar Blogathon, with a fresh crop of bloggers to cap off our event!

Paula's Cinema Club

The truth of the matter is that while Hollywood admires people who win Oscars, it employs people who make money, and to be able to do one does not necessarily mean you can do the other.
— George Sanders

george-and-zsazsa-oscar-night-1951-600w George Sanders and Zsa Zsa Gabor on Oscar night, 1951. Sanders won Best Supporting Actor for his work as Addison DeWitt in ALL ABOUT EVE.

Today is the third and final day of the 31 Days of Oscar Blogathon, our annual exploration of the phenomenon that is the Academy Awards, still the pinnacle of achievement in the film world. I’m keeping this introduction brief in order to avoid the dreaded wrap-up music, but be sure to check out Day 1, hosted by Aurora at Once Upon A Screen, and Day 2, hosted by Kellee at Outspoken and Freckled. It has been my honor to share five years of Oscar…

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#31DaysOfOscar Blogathon – Day 1

February 17, 2017 by 2 Comments

Co-host Aurora of Once Upon A Screen kicks off our first day of 31 DAYS OF OSCAR BLOGATHON!

Once upon a screen...

Today we begin the three-day roll-call from Oscars past and present. Day 1 brings you music, a legendary movie and TV actress, an epic and Henry Fonda among other things. Not too shabby a way to kick things off in our fifth consecutive 31 Days of Oscar Blogathon.

oscars

Thanks to the bloggers who’re participating in this year’s celebration and to all those who’ll visit. Of course I must also thank Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled and Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club for allowing me to co-host once again. They’re true blue and enjoyable partners in crime.

Before we get to the first day’s entries you might want to read the original announcement post for specifics. Also, be sure to tune in to TCM all month for their alphabetized 31 Days of Oscar marathon, which makes it easy to find favorites or yet-to-be-seen gems. And of course, tune in the 89th…

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