Tuesday, July 17, 2012

WHAT A CHARACTER!




Another blogathon!  One with character!

This summer is proving to be a landmark in the classic film blogosphere.  Events are planned covering an array of fabulous classic films, movie stars and topics on all things movies.
Borrowing a catch-phrase from our beloved, home of the classics, Turner Classic Movies, Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled and (@IrishJayHawk66), Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club and (@Paula_Guthat) and Aurora, of Once Upon a Screen and (@CitizenScreen) are dedicating an event to the great character actors that so enhanced our classic movies.  To the faces, the laughs, the drama presented by these wonderful actors whose names all too often go unrecognized we dedicate WHAT A CHARACTER!
  • Would Casablanca be as great without the laughs provided by S. K. Sakall?
  • Would we want to look out Rear Window if not for the warnings of Thelma Ritter?
  • Can you measure how much Edward Everett Horton added to the fabulous Astaire / Rogers pictures?
We think these and so many others deserve their due.  So, here we are with a blogathon in their honor.
The details:
If you are interested in contributing, please go to any one of the host sites and submit a comment with your choice.  Please include the title and link to your blog.  What or whom you choose to write about is open.  We’d love to have everyone choose different subjects and topics because there are so many great character actors that deserve attention.  But we’ll leave that up to you.  As submissions come in, we’ll update the list of entries to give everyone an idea of what’s been chosen.
Host sites and contact information:
Kellee – Twitter @IrishJayHawk66      email - prattkellee@gmail.com    Blog - Outspoken and Freckled
Paula – Twitter  @Paula_Guthat      email - Paula.Guthat@gmail.com    Blog - Paula’s Cinema Club
Aurora – Twitter @CitizenScreen      email - Citizenscreenclassics@gmail.com    Blog - Once Upon A Screen
A couple of weeks before the event, we’ll post a submission schedule.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact any of us at any time.
We’re looking forward to a lot of great information on those considered WHAT A CHARACTER!

Characters already spoken for:
Aline MacMahon - Emma -  Let's Misbehave

Billie Burke - Janet Coulson
Charles McGraw - Ivan -  Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson- Terry - A Shroud of Thoughts
Edward Everett Horton- Jill - Sittin' on a Backyard Fence
Eric Blore- Lindsey- The Motion Pictures
Erik Rhodes and Alan Hale - Annmarie - Classic Movie Hub
Eve Arden – Kellee – Outspoken & Freckled
Felix Bressart - Kristina -  Speakeasy
Frank McHugh - Dorian - Tales of the Easily Distracted 
Gail Patrick - Laurie - One Gal's Musings  
Grady Sutton - Jessica - Comet Over Hollywood
Hume Cronyn in "Shadow of a Doubt" - Jackie - jaxbra tumbler
John Qualen - Kristen Sales - SalesonFilm  
Lee J. Cobb in "We Raid Calais Tonight"- Ruth - Silver Screenings
Lew Ayres in HOLIDAY - Marya - Cinematic Fanatic  
Louise Beavers - Margaret - The Great Katherine Hepburn 
Lucille Wilson and Maude Eburne - Patricia Nolan - Caftan Woman (9/23)
Majorie Main- Lucy - Secluded Charm
Mary Wickes- Brandie - True Classics
Porter Hall - Joel _ Joel's Classic Film Passion
Richard Jaeckel- Jack Deth - *
Sam Levene -Duke - Picture Spoilers
S. Z. Sakall – Paula – Paula’s Cinema Club
Thelma Ritter – Aurora – Once Upon A Screen
Una Merkel - Kevyn - The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World
Una O'Connor- Anthony - Zeppo Marxism
Victor Jory- Jacqueline - Another Old Movie Blog (9/24)
Victor Moore - Kari
Virginia Weidler - Nikki Lynn - All Things Classic Film
Walter Brennan in "To Have and To Have Not" and Mercedes McCambridge - Le - Critica Retro
Ward Bond - Tonya - Goosepimply All Over

The event banner is the one you see in this post.  It wasn’t easy coming up with one face, one character to focus on – so, a myriad of wonderful faces.  It would be great if you can post one on your site to help us promote this event.



The faces on the banner:
Row 1: (L-R) Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Margaret Dumont, Edward Arnold, Albert Dekker, Ann Miller, Leon Errol
Row 2: (L-R) Dan Duryea, Eugene Palette, Aline MacMahon, Charles Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Billie Burke
Row 3: (L-R) Spring Byington, Walter Brennan, Hattie McDaniel, Gene Lockhart, Margaret O’Brien, Edgar Kennedy
Row 4: (L-R) Eric Blore, Franklin Pangborn, Frank Morgan, Guy Kibbee, Gloria Grahame, Jane Darwell
Row 5: (L-R) Judith Anderson, Edward Everett Horton, Eve Arden, S.Z. “Cuddles” Sakall, Thelma Ritter, Louis Calhern
Row 6: (L-R) Charles Lane, Kim Hunter, David Wayne, Louise Beavers, Cecil Kellaway, Shemp Howard



13 comments:

  1. Does it have to be someone featured in the banner? I'd really like to do Una O'Connor.

    Zeppo Marxism - http://zeppomarxist.blogspot.com/

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  2. Not at all! Una O'Connor is an AWESOME choice! I'll put you down for her as your selection. Yay! Thanks, Anthony!

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  3. If no one has claimed Mary Wickes, I'd like to write about her.

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  4. Brandie~ I've got you down for Mary Wickes- GREAT choice!! Looking forward to it.

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  5. Replies
    1. I've got you down for Gail Patrick- could you please send me your twitter handle so we can promote your blog? Thanks!!

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    2. Sorry, but no tweeting for The Gal Herself. All I have is the old school blog. But I do have a lot of followers and have posted the banner.

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    3. I was thinking Virginia Weidler.
      Do you think that is to common? Im thinking of people I have referenced often that most people just give me blank stare when I mention their name.
      Im hoping this comment comes through as my film blog, but if not the address is
      http://allthingsclassicfilm.wordpress.com/

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  6. Nikki~ Go for it! I'll put you down for Virginia Weidler. Thanks, gal! Can't wait to read it. :)

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  7. I'm so excited about this Blogathon! And so happy to be able to participate! I never participated in one before, but I love reading blogathon posts -- and I have a feeling that it may become quite addictive for me!

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    1. We're SO thrilled you're joining in on the fun! What a great topic, right? And I hope this does indeed become an addiction for you! Thanks again!...Kellee

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  8. I'm putting this blogathon button on my sidebar. It's going to be great!
    - Java

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  9. Well, I truly apologize for not adding to THIS Blogathon. I have no idea what I was doing in July to miss the invitation. I have already written about many of the great names on your list. Please take another look at the Bit Actors Blog. http://bitactors.blogspot.com

    You will get NO argument from me, that these are the people who make the movies so great. In the words of Bit Actor Dabbs Greer, "Every character actor, in their own little sphere, is the lead."

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