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Mary Hatcher
Mary Hatcher (June 6, 1929 – April 3, 2018) was an American coloratura soprano and actress whose screen career spanned the years from 1946-51. During that time she appeared in eight films, mostly in credited roles and several times as leading lady. Early life and career She was the daughter of William Frank Hatcher. His employer, Ralph Polk, heard one of Mary's weekly broadcasts that featured operatic and classical songs, and he provided funds so that she could obtain professional voice training, including attending the Gardner School for Girls and the school of Queens Mario of the Metropolitan Opera. Film career By 1944, the Hatcher family had moved to California, and in August that year Paramount Pictures signed Mary to a seven-year contract. When she was 15, Hatcher was selected to play Laurey in a road production of ''Oklahoma!'' At the same time, she was already signed to the movie contract, but her film debut was delayed for a year while she toured with the pla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Big Wheel (film)
''The Big Wheel'' is a 1949 American drama sport film directed by Edward Ludwig starring Mickey Rooney, Thomas Mitchell, Mary Hatcher and Michael O'Shea. It includes the final screen appearance of Hattie McDaniel. This film is now in the public domain. Plot Billy Coy (Mickey Rooney) arrives in the town of Carrell, California and offers himself as a mechanic for Arthur "Red" Stanley ( Thomas Mitchell) at his garage. Red turns down Billy initially, but after seeing a photo of his father, "Cannonball" Coy, a famous driver, Red scares up a job for Billy. Billy's father died in an accident at the Indianapolis 500 several years previously. Red was Cannonball's mechanic, riding with him the day he died in the north turn of the Indianapolis motor speedway. Red inquires after "her"; he still carries a torch for Mary (Spring Byington), Cannonball's widow and Billy's mother. At the garage, Billy befriends a tomboy, Louise Riley ( Mary Hatcher), whose father owns the nearest racetra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor. Initially known for playing tough characters with tender hearts, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-year career in films and television series. Lancaster was a four-time nominee for the Academy Award for Best Actor (winning once), and he also won two BAFTA Awards and one Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actor. The American Film Institute ranks Lancaster as of the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, greatest male stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Lancaster performed as a circus acrobat in the 1930s. At the age of 32 and after serving in World War II, he landed a role in a Broadway play and drew the attention of a Hollywood agent. His appearance in film noir ''The Killers (1946 film), The Killers'' in 1946 with Ava Gardner was a critical success and launched both of their careers. In 1948, Lancaster starred alongside Barbara Stanwyck in the commercially ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Honeymooners
''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It follows the lives of New York City bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason), his wife Alice ( Audrey Meadows), Ralph's best friend Ed Norton ( Art Carney) and Ed's wife Trixie ( Joyce Randolph) as they get involved with various schemes in their day-to-day living. Most episodes revolve around Ralph's poor choices in absurd dilemmas that frequently show his judgmental attitude in a comedic tone. The show occasionally features more serious issues such as women's rights and social status. The original comedy sketches first aired on the DuMont network's variety series ''Cavalcade of Stars'', which Gleason hosted, and subsequently on the CBS network's '' The Jackie Gleason Show'', which was broadcast live in front of a theater audience. The popular ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tales Of Robin Hood
''Tales of Robin Hood'' is a 1951 American film directed by James Tinling. The film was one of a series Robert L. Lippert wanted to make for television with R and L Productions but he ended up only making this and '' As You Were''. Filming started 1 July 1951. Plot Cast * Robert Clarke as Robin Hood * Mary Hatcher as Maid Marian * Paul Cavanagh as Sir Gui de Clairmont * Wade Crosby as Little John * Whit Bissell as Will Stutely * Ben Welde as Friar Tuck * Robert Bice as Will Scarlet * Keith Richards as Sir Alan de Beaulieu * Bruce Lester as Alan-a-Dale Alan-a-Dale (first recorded as Allen a Dale; variously spelled ''Allen-a-Dale'', ''Allan-a-Dale'', ''Allin-a-Dale'', ''Allan A'Dayle'' etc.) is a figure in the Robin Hood legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became ... * Tiny Stowe as Sheriff of Nottingham See also * List of films and television series featuring Robin Hood References External links * * 1951 films Robin Hood Li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on January 16, 1938, is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most important jazz or popular music concert in history: jazz's 'coming out' party to the world of 'respectable' music." Goodman's bands started the careers of many jazz musicians. During an era of racial segregation, he led one of the first integrated jazz groups, his trio and quartet. He continued performing until the end of his life while pursuing an interest in classical music. Early years Goodman was the ninth of twelve children born to poor Jewish emigrants from the Russian Empire. His father, David Goodman, came to the United States in 1892 from Warsaw in partitioned Poland and becam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
El Rancho Vegas Hotel
El Rancho Vegas was a hotel and casino at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It opened in 1941, as the first resort on the Strip, known then as part of Highway 91. It was located at what is now the southwest corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue. The El Rancho Vegas was conceived by Thomas Hull, who owned several hotels in California and wanted to expand his operations to Las Vegas. He decided to build his new resort along Highway 91, on desert land located just outside of city limits. Hull intended to target motorists traveling from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, although his remote location was met with skepticism. The El Rancho Vegas was designed by Wayne McAllister, and originally included 65 rooms, located in cottage bungalows spread across the hotel's property. The El Rancho opened on April 3, 1941, with an Old West theme. It proved to be a success, which prompted the opening of other resorts on Highway 91, eventually transforming it into the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Howard Keel
Harold Clifford Keel (April 13, 1919November 7, 2004), professionally Howard Keel, was an American actor and singer known for his rich bass-baritone singing voice. He starred in a number of MGM musicals in the 1950s, including ''Show Boat'' (1951). He played the role of oil baron Clayton Farlow in the television series ''Dallas'' from 1981 to 1991. Early life Keel was born in Gillespie, Illinois, the younger of two sons born to Navyman-turned-coalminer Homer Keel and his wife, Grace Margaret (née Osterkamp). Howard's elder brother was Frederick William Keel. After his father's death in 1930, Keel and his mother moved to California, where he graduated from Fallbrook High School at age 17. He worked various odd jobs until settling at Douglas Aircraft Company as a "traveling representative". He was a long haul truck driver. In the 1950s, the MGM publicity department stated that Keel's birth name was Harold Leek. Career At age 20, Keel was overheard singing by his landlady ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Wallichs Music City, Glenn E. Wallichs. He is best known as a Tin Pan Alley lyricist, but he also composed music and was a popular singer who recorded his own as well as others' songs from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s. Mercer's songs were among the most successful hits of the time, including "Moon River", "Days of Wine and Roses (song), Days of Wine and Roses", "Autumn Leaves (1945 song), Autumn Leaves", and "Hooray for Hollywood". He wrote the lyrics to more than 1,500 songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway theatre, Broadway shows. He received nineteen Academy Awards, Oscar nominations, and won four Academy Award for Best Original Song, Best Original Song Oscars. Early life Mercer was born in 1909, in Savannah, Georgia, where one o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holiday In Havana
''Holiday in Havana'' is a 1949 American musical comedy film directed by Jean Yarbrough, and starring Desi Arnaz, Mary Hatcher and Ann Doran. The film is about a Cuban hotel busboy (Arnaz) who dreams of becoming a composer. According to author Mary Beltrán, in his portrayal of Carlos Estrada, Arnaz "established a successful negotiation of tensions inherent in playing a Latin romantic lead in this period, a negotiation that set the stage for what would make Ricky Ricardo so popular with American viewers. His music, with songs such as "Holiday in Havana" and the "Arnaz Jam" featured in the film. Plot The story about the difficult role of a Cuban bandleader Carlos Estrada. His romantic vis-a-vis is a peppery dancer named Lolita Valdez. Just before the lovers participate in a gala Havana festival, Carlos has a lot of explaining to do when Lolita catches him in the arms of another. Cast * Desi Arnaz as Carlos Estrada * Mary Hatcher as Lolita Valdez (Dolores) * Ann Doran as Marge He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Desi Arnaz
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986), known as Desi Arnaz, was a Cuban-American actor, musician, producer, and bandleader. He played Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom ''I Love Lucy'', in which he co-starred with his wife Lucille Ball. Arnaz and Ball are credited as the innovators of the Broadcast syndication, syndicated rerun, which they pioneered with the ''I Love Lucy'' series. Arnaz and Lucille Ball co-founded and ran the television production company Desilu Productions, originally to market ''I Love Lucy'' to television networks. After ''I Love Lucy'' ended, Arnaz went on to produce several other television series, at first with Desilu Productions, and later independently, including ''The Ann Sothern Show'' and ''The Untouchables (1959 TV series), The Untouchables''. He was also the bandleader of his Latin group, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra. He was known for playing conga drums and popularized the conga line in the United St ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Mitchell (actor)
Thomas John Mitchell (; July 11, 1892 – December 17, 1962) was an Irish-American actor and writer. Among his most famous roles in a long career are those of Gerald O'Hara in ''Gone with the Wind'', Doc Boone in ''Stagecoach'', Uncle Billy in '' It's a Wonderful Life'', Pat Garrett in '' The Outlaw'', and Mayor Jonas Henderson in ''High Noon''. Mitchell was the first male actor to gain the Triple Crown of Acting by winning an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony Award. Mitchell was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Supporting Actor for his work in the films, '' The Hurricane'' (1937), and ''Stagecoach'' (1939), winning for the latter. He was nominated three times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series: in 1952 and 1953 for his role in the medical drama ''The Doctor''—winning in 1953—and in 1955 for an appearance on a weekly anthology series. Mitchell won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1953 for his role as Dr Downer in the musical come ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the silent-film era. He was the top box-office attraction from 1939 to 1941, and one of the best-paid actors of that era. At the height of a career ultimately marked by declines and comebacks, Rooney performed the role of Andy Hardy in a series of 16 films in the 1930s and 1940s that epitomized the mainstream United States self-image. At the peak of his career between ages 15 and 25, he made 43 films, and was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most consistently successful actors. A versatile performer, he became a celebrated character actor later in his career. Laurence Olivier once said he considered Rooney "the best there has ever been". Clarence Brown, who directed him in two of his earliest dramatic roles in ''National Velvet (fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
