Tom's Jimmy Stewart Blog

"The Shopworn Angel" to air on TCM this Saturday

Monday, May 19, 2014 7:29 PM Posted by Tom
, 8 comments

This Saturday, the Turner Classic Movies channel will be airing a little gem of a film called The Shopworn Angel (1938) starring Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon, and Hattie McDaniel.

I wrote about this movie in the recent James Stewart Blogathon, and if you haven't seen the film, this Saturday's your chance!

The movie is scheduled to air at 7:30 AM (Eastern) / 4:30 AM (Pacific), which is kinda early. So you might want to set your DVRs or VCRs to record it.

Check out the Jimmy Stewart blogathon now underway

Monday, April 14, 2014 7:13 PM Posted by Tom
Labels: Blogathons , 0 comments

There is a great blogathon underway this week - check out all the entries in The James Stewart Blogathon all this week hosted by the Classic Film & TV Cafe.

You can view the complete blogathon schedule here

Haitus

Sunday, May 26, 2013 11:43 AM Posted by Tom
, 0 comments

Dear Readers and Subscribers,

I'm sorry I haven't been posting too often on the blog regularly.

I did not forget Jimmy Stewart's birthday but I was not able to work on a post last week.

Don't worry - there are no plans to abandon this blog!

If anyone has any ideas for a post or would like to be a guest blogger please let me know.

Cheers,

Tom

Jimmy Stewart in Boise, Idaho

Yesterday on her blog, Patti shared some interesting history about Jimmy's time in Boise.

In 1943, Jimmy was an Army Air Corp instructor at Gowen Field in Boise. During his time there, he played the organ for the Egyptian Theater's silent film showings and - possibly - watched some movies.

Courtesy: http://boiseclassicmovies.com

Below is a photo of how the Egyptian originally looked when it opened in 1927.

courtesy: http://www.egyptiantheatre.net/about/

The theater had numerous names over the years such as The Fox theater and The Ada theater.

Here's how the theater looks today, sans the vertical sign.

courtesy: http://www.egyptiantheatre.net/about/

Patti noted that she will be attending a screening of Casablanca tonight (Nov 1) at the Egyptian.

Could she be sitting in the very seat that Jimmy Stewart once sat?

Sight & Sound names "Vertigo" as Top Film of All Time

Sunday, August 5, 2012 9:40 PM Posted by Tom
Labels: Vertigo , 5 comments

Though I'm a little surprised that Citizen Kane didn't top the list (as it did almost every time they've taken the poll), I'm not complaining either. After all, Vertigo stars none other than Jimmy Stewart!!!!!

Here's what classic movie writer Shawn Dwyer had to say about this on About.com's Classic Movie blog today:

Every ten years since 1952, the British Film Institute's Sight & Sound magazine has published its Top 50 Greatest Films of All Time. And every list published featured Orson Welles' Citizen Kane as its top film. Until now.

The poll, which saw over 800 critics, academics and film industry personnel vote, has now picked a new number one: Alfred Hitchcock's dark psychological thriller, Vertigo (1958), starring James Stewart and Kim Novak.

Now many will argue over the merits of the poll and endlessly debate why Welles' reign finally ended. Perhaps Citizen Kane fatigue finally set in, or maybe people finally realized Citizen Kane is technically brilliant, but emotionally distant.

Of course, Hitchcock's film has its share of detractors, namely among more feminist-minded critics who decry the film as flaunting male obsession with women. And there are those - including yours truly - who don't even consider Vertigo to be Hitchcock's best work, let alone the best film of all time (I'd vote for Rear Window myself)

Also included in Sight & Sound's top ten are Stanely Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), John Ford's The Searchers (1956) and Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 (1963).

So yeah, even though I'd probably rather see Rear Window top the list before Vertigo, I'm definitely not complaining!!! Congrats!!

Tony Martin (1913-2012)

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 6:09 AM Posted by Tom
, 0 comments

I was saddened to hear of the passing of singer/actor Tony Martin via Laura's blog (her tribute is here). He lived a very long and full life of 98 years, and left us with some wonderful songs and movie memories, including a memorable performance from Ziegfeld Girl (below clip)

Filmography:
1936 Follow the Fleet (uncredited minor role)

1936 Back to Nature

1936 Sing, Baby, Sing (with Alice Faye)

1936 Pigskin Parade

1936 Banjo on My Knee

1937 The Holy Terror

1937 Sing and Be Happy

1937 You Can't Have Everything (with Alice Faye)

1937 Life Begins in College

1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town (with Eddie Cantor)

1938 Sally, Irene and Mary (with Alice Faye)

1938 Kentucky Moonshine (lead role)

1938 Up the River (with Preston Foster)

1938 Thanks for Everything (with Jack Haley)

1939 Winner Take All (with Gloria Stuart)

1940 Music in My Heart (with Rita Hayworth)

1941 Ziegfeld Girl (All-star cast, including Jimmy Stewart)

1941 The Big Store (with the Marx Brothers)

1946 Till the Clouds Roll By (All-star cast)

1948 Casbah (lead role)

1951 Two Tickets to Broadway

1953 Here Come the Girls (with Bob Hope)

1953 Easy to Love (with Esther Williams)

1954 Deep in My Heart

1955 Hit the Deck (All-star cast)

1956 Quincannon, Frontier Scout (lead role)

1957 Let's Be Happy (with Vera-Ellen)

Mr. Martin is being remembered as: "Singer", "Crooner", "Dapper Entertainer", and "Star of Records, Radio, TV, & Movies".

Singer Tony Martin dies at age 98 (Reuters)

Crooner Tony Martin dies at 98 (Associated Press)

TONY MARTIN — STAR OF RECORDS, RADIO, TV & MOVIES — DEAD AT 98 (Studio Briefing)

Tony Martin, dapper entertainer whose records sold millions in 1940s and ’50s, dies (The Washington Post)

RIP Tony Martin (Boot Hill)