This Is Dedicated to the Ones We Love

[jdb1]

August 1 is the birthday of another of entertainment's underappreciated character actors. (Shown here with Patty McCormack in a photo from the stage version of The Bad Seed. Two extraordinary performances.)

Henry Jones

[MissGoddess]

"Look out for them Stick Bloodhounds!" That line never ceases to break me up. Jones was brilliant as Leroy.

[jdb1]

An August 5th birthday:

John Huston

[jdb1]

August 6th marks the birthday of

Lucille Ball

[myrnaloyisdope]

John Huston is one of the greats, and his durability and versatility are astonishing. The fact that he had a directorial career spanning almost 50 year bookended by The Maltese Falcon and The Dead demonstrates how great he truly was.

I'm not a huge Lucille Ball fan, although at some point I should check out I Love Lucy to understand why she is so beloved. But she does give an absolutely wonderful comedic performance in perhaps my most beloved film Stage Door, so I just thought I should show some love.

[jdb1]

Some August 7 birthdays:

Billie Burke


Nicholas Ray


Alfalfa

[Dewey1960]

Wow, my second favorite film director (Ray) and my most favorite little rascal (Alfalfa). What a day to celebrate!

[jdb1]

Wow, my second favorite film director (Ray) and my most favorite little rascal (Alfalfa). What a day to celebrate!

And what about the lovely Miss Burke? No one could flutter like Billie.

[knitwit45]

Billie Burke is simply incredible. The more you see her, the more amazing she is. My first exposure, like so many of our generation, was her Glinda the Good Witch in Wizard of Oz I was stunned the first time I saw her as the fluttery dingbat she perfected in so many movies. Instead of all that glorious red hair and billowy princess dresses, here she was in black and white, dressed in dark clothing, and dithering on about the lack of the proper number of dinner guests. What a Star! Has Joe ever done a spotlight on her?

[myrnaloyisdope]

I should also express my love for Nicholas Ray and Billie Burke.

Ray is responsible for Bigger Than Life which may be my favorite 1950's movie. Add to that Johnny Guitar, Lusty Men, Rebel Without a Cause, In a Lonely Place, and They Live By Night, and you have one of the greatest American filmmakers ever.

Billie Burke on the other hand represents one of theatre's great exports, I mean Christopher Strong, Bill of Divorcement, Dinner at Eight, Becky Sharp, and the Wizard of Oz. She was a great performer, who deserves credit for her versatility and ability to adapt from starring on Broadway to supporting in Hollywood. A wonderful talent. I really need to check out Myrna Loy playing her in The Great Ziegfeld.

[jdb1]

August seems so far to be a busy month for celebrity birthdays. On August 8 we can mark the birthdays of:

Sylvia Sydney

[jdb1]

Is that not a remarkable face? I think Sydney would probably be popular today as a young actress. That type of face seems to be in right now.
August 8 is also the birthday of:

Rory Calhoun
[Couldn't find a good color photo that shows off those very green eyes]

[jdb1]

(Aug. 8 is also the birthday of Esther Williams, but I don't love her.)

[ken123]

Judith,
I agree men with green eyes are most handsome.

[jdb1]

Now let me read between the lines there, Ken. Hmmm -- could it be that you are blessed with green eyes as well? Cool.

Once when I worked at Gulf + Western (they owned Paramount then), I came upon Charles Bronson in the lobby, and we nodded to each other, as you sometimes do in a waiting for the elevator situation, and he had the greenest eyes I have ever seen in a human being (wonder if they were real or contact lens enhanced; they looked natural). How do yours rate?