If you love silent movies just like me (bet that’s why you’re here!!), here’s the scoop about what is coming soon on TCM. So — what’s on?!!

(NOTE: The Sunday Silents are actually on about midnight or just past on Eastern Time (so late Sunday/early Monday). )

Schedule February 2022:

TCM honors Black History Month.

• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on February 6, 2022, a screening of “Ten Nights in a Barroom” (1926), directed by Roy Calnek, stars Charles Gilpin. The film features an all-black cast. Melodrama.
• 9:30 PM ET/6:30 PM PT — Sunday night on February 13, 2022, TCM honors African-American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux with a screening of a recent documentary “Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking” (2021), followed by two silent films he directed and wrote. First, at 11:00 PM ET/8:00 PM PT, is “Within Our Gates” (1920), starring Evelyn Preer – followed by “The Symbol of the Unconquered” (1921) which stars Iris Hall and Walker Thompson. Drama.
  
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on February 20, 2022, TCM is showing “Body and Soul” (1925), directed by Oscar Micheaux and starring Paul Robeson in his film debut. Robeson plays a dual role of a preacher and his twin brother. Melodrama.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on February 27, 2022, is “The Scar of Shame” (1927), All-black cast stars including Harry Henderson and Lucia Lynn Moses. Drama.

ARCHIVE FOR 2022:

Schedule January 2022:

• 12:30 AM ET/9:30 PM PT — Sunday night on January 2, 2022 a screening of “The Three Musketeers” (1921), swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks vehicle. Swashbuckler period costume drama.
• 12:30 AM ET/9:30 PM PT — Sunday night on January 9, 2022 is “Captain Salvation” (1927), interesting film starring Lars Hanson. Romantic melodrama.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on January 16, 2022 is a Douglas Fairbanks double bill with two silents from the teen era including “Double Trouble” (1915) and “Mr. Fix-It” (1918). Two of his earlier roles, before all his swashbuckling films of the 20’s. I haven’t seen these yet – might be another TCM premiere. I’ll be watchin’! Romantic comedy.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on January 23, 2022, is “The Flying Fleet” (1929), starring Ramon Novarro, Ralph Graves and Anita Page. Aviation adventure / Romance.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on January 30, 2022 is a screening of the Harold Lloyd silent comedy “Girl Shy” (1924), in which he plays the bashful boy who stutters whenever an attractive young woman is around. Comedian Harold Lloyd has a lot of great films but this one is actually my favorite of them all!! Don’t miss it. Romantic comedy.

The post Current TCM Silent Sunday Nights Schedule 2022 List appeared first on Nostalgia Bug.

Here are my TOP FIVE fast food products I remember from years ago that I miss. Lots of new good things have arrived over the years, yet let’s not forget those goodies we used to love and the flavors we still crave.

Top 5 in no particular order:

1. McDonald’s Arch Deluxe

   — Man, was this sandwich good. I can still remember the taste. I wonder to this day why this special burger was not successful enough to keep on their regular menu. This sandwich was officially released in 1996 but was sadly discontinued after only a few years. To note: This was seen, judging by multiple articles, as a huge McDonald’s flop – but the Arch Deluxe was really yummy and had it’s own unique flavour profile. So – the failure must have been either the marketing/advertising or the pricing. My opinion – a burger before it’s time. It was served on a “potato bun” which is rather standard for burgers these days, but new stuff in the 90’s.

   

2. Carl’s Jr. Charbroiler Steak Sandwich

   — Okay, this sandwich was really good too, I can still remember exactly how this tasted (I want!!). The flavor of the fake steak (“flaked and formed beef”) combined with fresh lettuce, tomato slices, crispy “golden brown” onion rings and a sauce somehow blended together really well – all served up in a sourdough roll. I think this may have been fairly popular at the time ’cause they seem to have sold it for possibly a decade (if I’m remembering correctly). Okay, I know what you’re thinking, dear reader – “fake steak”? No really, this was real, real good. — (Oh hey, don’t use the coupon below unless you’ve “gone back” to 1975!)
   

3. Taco Bell Cinnamon Crispas

   — Simple dessert that tasted yummy alongside my old-timey crispy beef taco and classic “bean burrito”. Basically, fried flour tortilla triangles coated in cinnamon and sugar.

   

4. McDonald’s “Fried” Apple Pie

   — A delicious little fruit turnover that used to be fried. The apple was yummy, the cherry (my personal fave) even better. According to a newspaper story published in 1967:  “Before adding a dessert to their line of quality foods, a survey was made at each of the more than 900 units now in the McDonald chain,  to determine the nation’s No. 1 Choice  … and hot apple pie won hands down.”

   Eventually, these deep-fried pies were considered too unhealthy and, in 1992, were replaced by baked pies (maybe healthier but not quite so yum-yum-o-licious).

   

5. Thrifty Drug Store’s “Ice Cream Cones”

   — In the 70’s, these cones were priced at 5 cents for a one scoop ice cream cone, 10 cents for two scoops, and 15 cents for three scoops! You could choose the standard flavors of Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry, or from a selection of daily specials. I usually got a double scoop cone (all I needed was one trusty dime) – I remember getting “Rocky Road”, “Chocolate Chip”, and “Orange Sherbet” as part of my cone sometimes (and perhaps “Rainbow Sherbet?). Yummy, old-fashioned ice cream and the “cone” part of these cones was good too.

   

Oh time machine, bring me back! Do you remember any of these or have your own favorite fast food from yesteryear? Let me know in the comments.

The post Five Fast Food Faves I Crave from the Good Old Days appeared first on Nostalgia Bug.

(NOTE: The Sunday Silents are actually on about midnight or just past on Eastern Time (so late Sunday/early Monday). )

ARCHIVE FOR 2021:

Schedule January 2021:

• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on January 3, 2021 is the teen-era silent film “The Star Prince” (1918). Here’s a new one for me – this might be another TCM premiere. It sounds really interesting. (Afterthought: I quite enjoyed this fairy tale with a cast entirely played by children.) Fairy tale/fantasy.
  Followed by: Midnight 1:00 AM ET/10:00 PM PT — Sunday night on January 3, 2021 is “The Smiling Madame Beudet” (La Souriante Madame Beudet) (1923). French silent, described as an early feminist movie. Drama.
• 12:45 AM ET/9:45 PM PT — Sunday night on January 10, 2021 is “The Dumb Girl of Portici” (1916), a TCM premiere! Directed by Lois Weber and starring the celebrated Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova in her only feature-length film. Historical romantic drama.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on January 17, 2021, watch for “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925), a classic silent film warhorse (they seem to screen this one a lot on this channel). A not to miss if you haven’t seen it. This film is terrific and stars the great Lon Chaney as “The Phantom”. I love this. Horror.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on January 24, 2021 is a screening of the Mary Pickford film “Rosita” (1923). Historical romance.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on January 31, 2021, a screening of “Battleship Potemkin” (1925), Russian silent directed by Sergei Eisenstein and set during the Russian Revolution. Another classic warhorse of the silent era that’s a must see (I first saw this film at a screening for a college course on the history of cinema). Historical drama.

Schedule February 2021:

• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on February 7, 2021, TCM is screening “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché” (2018), an interesting documentary on the pioneering French-born woman filmmaker. Documentary. To note: A few of the short films that she directed are showing after the documentary (and are well worth seeing).
  Followed at 2:00 AM ET/11:00 PM PT by — “Algie, the Miner” (1912), cute comedy farce about a very effeminate young man who heads out west to “toughen up” into a cowboy. Another cute comedy, “A House Divided” (1913), about a young married couple who quarrel and then agree to try to “live separately together”. Third is “Matrimony’s Speed Limit” (1913) , yet another fun short in which a man tries to get married in order to inherit a fortune – but he’s got only twelve minutes to do it! — I found all three of these little films to be amusing and entertaining to watch. Comical short films.
• 12:45 AM ET/9:45 PM PT — Sunday night on February 14, 2021 is “City Lights” (1931), a real classic of the silent era that is one of my favorites. Charlie Chaplin wrote, directed and stars in this great film about the Little Tramp who has fallen in love with a beautiful blind flower girl. Romantic comedy with pathos.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on February 21, 2021, a screening of “The Cossacks” (1928), MGM production that stars John Gilbert and Renee Adoree. A very entertaining silent melodrama that sort of “has it all” — romance and battles in a small Russian village. When I saw this (on TCM) a few years ago it had a great looking print and very nice music score (hopefully that same print will be shown). Romantic adventure/melodrama.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on February 28, 2021, a screening of the Japanese silent film “Walk Cheerfully” (original title: Hogaraka ni ayume) (1930), directed by Yasujiro Ozu. For me – it’s Ozu, therefore a must see (I’m a big fan). I actually don’t think I’ve seen this one before. Gangster meets romance.

Schedule March 2021:

• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on March 7, 2021, a Harold Lloyd evening in which he plays the “bashful boy”. Showing will be the short film “Bashful” (1917), followed by a screening of “Girl Shy” (1924) — Harold Lloyd has many great films that I love, but Girl Shy is my personal favorite!! A must see. Romantic Comedy.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on March 14, 2021 is “Berlin : Symphony of a Great City” (1927), unusual and interesting documentary showcasing one day in the life of a city, enhanced by all sorts of rather avant-garde, creative cinematography and editing. Documentary. Also being screened this evening are two documentary short travelogue silent films, “À Propos de Nice” (1930) and “Manhatta” (1921), showcasing Nice, France and New York City. Travelogue shorts.
• 12:30 AM ET/9:30 PM PT — Sunday night on March 21, 2021, TCM is featuring an evening of “Fatty and Mabel” Keystone comedy short films, starring Roscoe Arbuckle and Mabel Normand. Shorts include “Fatty and Mabel’s Simple Life” (1915), “Mabel and Fatty’s Married Life” (1915), “Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition” (1915), interesting on-location at the exposition with real crowds, and also “He Did and He Didn’t” (1916). All of these comedies are a lot of fun, I really love the pairing of Arbuckle with Mabel – they work so well together, I gotta say. Comical short films.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on March 28, 2021 is the melodramatic period silent “Captain Salvation” (1927), starring Lars Hanson, Marceline Day, and Pauline Starke. I haven’t seen this one in a while, but remember liking it quite a bit. Romantic melodrama.

Schedule April 2021:

TCM is having their annual “31 Days of Oscar” screenings all month in April, so that means no Silent Sundays this month. I found three silent films, (all from 1928) during April that are all worth watching if you haven’t seen them (or even if you have!). On April 4th at 4:15 AM ET/1:15 AM PT, “The Circus” (1928) starring Charlie Chaplin. On April 20th at 9:00 AM ET/6:00 AM PT is “Our Dancing Daughters” (1928) starring Joan Crawford. And on April 26th at 4:00 AM ET/1:00 AM PT a screening of “Speedy” (1928) starring Harold Lloyd (I love the scene at Coney Island!). Hmm, they do seem to like to put the silent films on in the middle of the night, don’t they?! Yikes.

Schedule June 2021:

• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on June 6, 2021, a screening of “Laugh, Clown, Laugh” (1928), an odd sort of film starring the great Lon Chaney. This is quite good (well of course it is, all of Lon Chaney’s films are terrific in my opinion!). A love story set in a circus setting – this is well worth seeing. Also stars a very young Loretta Young. Romantic Melodrama.
• 12:30 AM ET/9:30 PM PT — Sunday night on June 13, 2021 TCM is screening “The Scarlet Letter” (1927) which stars the great Lillian Gish. Also featuring actors Lars Hanson, Karl Dane, and Henry B. Walthall. Based on the classic novel, directed by Victor Seastrom. Period Drama.
• 12:30 AM ET/9:30 PM PT — Sunday night on June 20, 2021, a screening of “West Point” (1928), starring William Haines as a West Point cadet/football player and Joan Crawford as his love interest. Haines specialized in playing the same cocky guy in all his films – but I like him and enjoy his films (even though his character often comes across as rather a jerk that needs, and usually does, get reforming). Romantic Comedy.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on June 27, 2021, TCM is showing “The Lodger” (1927) — Hitchcock, enough said. Watch it. Um, Ivor Novello, another good reason to see. Mystery Thriller.

Schedule September 2021:

• 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on September 5, 2021, have fun with a Harold Lloyd evening, a selection of short films. — Comedy shorts.
• 1:15 AM ET/10:15 PM PT — Sunday night on September 12, 2021, “The Flying Fleet” (1929) starring Ramon Novarro and Anita Page. — Adventure/Romance.
• 12:30 AM ET/9:30 PM PT — Sunday night on September 19, 2021, “Speedway” (1929), a very typical William Haines film. In this he’s a cocky mechanic/race car driver and skirt-chasing braggart. The film includes scenes filmed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Okay” film, nothing great — worth seeing if you are a fan of Haines or actress Anita Page, who also stars. — Romantic Comedy.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on September 26, 2021, “Where East Is East” (1929) starring Lon Chaney. This is a fun and entertaining watch as directed by Tod Browning. It also stars Lupe Velez and Estelle Taylor. I’ve seen this one, but I think I’ll be watching it again! — Thriller/Melodrama.

—–

NEWS:

Wednesday September 29th, 2021 is the 1st “National Silent Movie Day”, an annual celebration of silent movies (yay!). TCM is honoring the day with a whole 24-hour schedule of silents — a lot of great warhorses that are must sees. The films include Flesh and the Devil (1926), The Wind (1928), Battleship Potemkin (1925), City Lights (1931), Within Our Gates (1920), The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), The Freshman (1925), Sherlock, Jr. (1924), Sparrows (1926), and Piccadilly (1929) — all great films. A few documentaries are also being shown starting at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT: premiere of “The Melies Mystery” (2021), plus a screening of the very cool early film “A Trip to the Moon” (1902). Followed by “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blache” (2018), and “The Great Buster: A Celebration” (2018).

—–

Schedule October 2021:

• 12:30 AM ET/9:30 PM PT — Sunday night on October 3, 2021, TCM premiere of the documentary “This is Francis X. Bushman” (2021), followed by (at 2:00 AM ET/11:00 PM PT) a screening of the actor’s most famous silent film, the epic “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ” (1925), a must see film. Documentary. — (Ben-Hur is an epic adventure/melodrama.)
• 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on October 10, 2021, TCM is showing “Camille” (1921), Nazimova and Valentino, enough said! See two great silent stars strut their stuff in this lavish costume piece. Art Deco set design adds interest to this film, quite entertaining. — Romantic melodrama.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night October 17, 2021, two silent auto racing films are being shown. First, the premiere of “The Roaring Road” (1926), starring Kenneth MacDonald. Not much info about this one – I’m excited to see something I’ve never seen! “Thrilling Drama of the Speedway” from newspaper ad of the day. — Then, “The First Auto” (1927), starring Barney Oldfield. Comedy Drama.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on October 24, 2021 is “The Monster” (1925), with the fab and great Lon Chaney. Quirky fun, perfect viewing for the Halloween season! Anything starring Lon Chaney you haven’t seen (or have) is a don’t miss. Horror farce.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on October 31, 2021 is a Halloween evening of silents including “As the Earth Turns” (2019), filmed in 1937 but not released until recently. Plus sci-fi/horror warhorses “Metropolis” (1927); “Vampyr” (1932); and “Haxan” (1922). Sci-fi and Horror.

Schedule November 2021:

• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on November 7, 2021, Marion Davies stars in “The Patsy” (1928), directed by King Vidor and also starring Marie Dressler. Romantic Comedy.
• 12:15 AM ET/9:15 PM PT — Sunday night on November 14, 2021, Harold Lloyd evening starting with the film “A Sailor-Made Man” (1921), then “Doctor Jack” (1922). All Harold Lloyd films are worth seeing, in my book! I quite like “Doctor Jack” – in which doctor treats the “Sick-Little-Well-Girl” and falls for her! Both these features are under an hour long. — Comedy.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on November 21, 2021, a screening of the Max Linder comedy “Seven Years Bad Luck” (1921). This is an entertaining silent comedy — French comedian Max Linder sort of reminds me of Mr. Bean. You’ll see! Comedy.
• Midnight 12:00 AM ET/9:00 PM PT — Sunday night on November 28, 2021, a screening of “The Magician” (1926), directed by Rex Ingram and starring actress Alice Terry. This is an interesting film with a rather wild plotline (sort of over-the-top). I quite like this one. Fantasy Horror.

Schedule December 2021:

• 1:15 AM ET/10:15 PM PT — Sunday night on December 5, 2021, a screening of “La Boheme” (1926), directed by King Vidor and starring the great Lillian Gish and John Gilbert. 19th Century Period Romantic Melodrama.
• 12:45 AM ET/9:45 PM PT — Sunday night on December 12, 2021 is “The Mysterious Lady” (1928) starring Greta Garbo and Conrad Nagel. Directed by Fred Niblo. Spy Romantic Drama.

The post Archive : TCM Silent Sunday Nights Schedule 2021 List appeared first on Nostalgia Bug.

Remembering Hollywood Park : Personal memories of the landmark Los Angeles area horse racing track of yesterday.

When I was a young teenager, back in the 1970’s, my dad became pretty obsessed with horse racing (something he had been interested in as a boy, though my grandma wasn’t too keen on his interest). My parent’s were divorced around 1973 and my dad ended up taking an apartment in Inglewood for several years to be near the racetrack, Hollywood Park!

A trek back in time! A few things I remember about Hollywood Park in those days:

1. It was really, really crowded on the weekends! Whenever I was visiting with my dad he would take us to the track. If we got to the track too late, we parked at the very outskirts of the parking lot (at the very brink of being full). And that was a HUGE parking lot. The grandstand was just about packed to full too, in those weekend days of yesteryear. People would save their seats with newspapers.
2. The old-fashioned feel of the place – Hollywood Park always had a timeless feel of a “good old days” racetrack. Being inside was sort of like stepping back in time, in a way. It seemed very intact/unchanged even in later years.
3. The air was filled with the scent of buttered popcorn, hot dogs, and something sweet (cotton candy?). Almost like being at a carnival! Even those later years of Hollywood Park, up to the last happy days, I could still smell the old-fashioned, wonderful smells of the “midway” concession stand foods.
4. Andy’s Pizza – on Centinela. We would get Submarine Sandwiches to go, bring them into Hollywood Park for lunch. My dad didn’t like to pay the prices for the food sold at the track (I admit I was longing for one of those Hollywood Park hot dogs sometimes) but the Subs from Andy’s were super good. I wish I could find more about Andy’s (and some photos of that food I remember!) but there’s not much online about it that I could find (except  that I did find that the original “Andy” was owner Andrew Vinciguerra who started the business with his wife, Marcia.)
   Anyone remember Andy’s?
5. My first losing ticket!

   

   Side note: There were thousands of losing bet tickets thrown out all over the place at the track in those days, right on the ground and inside too (where were the trash cans?!). My sister and myself would scrounge around the concourse picking up tickets and hoping to find a winning ticket someone had thrown out. I don’t think we ever did.

6. Sometimes you’d see a celebrity or movie star – over the years I’ve seen several including Jackie Cooper, Sam Yorty (mayor of L.A.), John Forsythe, Dick Van Patten to name a few. My dad once saw Cary Grant at the track – wow! (Just to note: I’m not sure, memory is a little sketchy on this point, which exact track I saw these celebrities at : Hollywood Park or Santa Anita or both.)
7. Later years – Hollywood Park was fairly empty most of the recent years I had been there, even on a BIG race day. But the place still seemed so much the same as I remembered from years before. The parking was free, the popcorn was cheap and yummy. Box seats were inexpensive too.

I went to Hollywood Park on closing day, December 22, 2013, for one last day at the track. I took some photos, mostly near the end of the day.  Here are a few interesting ones:

To note: The photo of the Shoe Shine Parlor and Beauty Shop was taken after the last race, just as the track was closing down and everyone was leaving (some with tears). It may be one of the last photos ever taken of that.

The post Memories of Hollywood Park Racetrack and Photos of Last Days appeared first on Nostalgia Bug.

My Movie Review of Holiday Camp, film year 1947

“Bright Lights and Lovely Grub! ….. Rub the sleep out of your eyes and get ready for another grand session of fun and games!”

PLOT SUMMARY:

— Following the goings-on at “Farleigh Holiday Camp”, an English summer resort at the seaside that is fully packed with holiday “campers” out for a week of fun. The campers arrive by bus and are put in a camp “chalet” for two (a stranger assigned as a roommate for those arriving alone or single). We meet the “Huggett family”, a middle-aged couple and their two adult children. Pretty daughter Joan (played by Hazel Court) is a widow with baby boy in tow (the parents take care of him while she’s allowed to have fun at the camp). She’s rooming with her gal pal, Angela, “engaged” but still on the prowl. Son Harry is roomed up with Jimmy, a sailor who brought piles of chocolate bars for his “girl”. Angela is seen putting lotion on her legs as “wolf bait” for an RAF officer/big braggart/cad she met on the bus in. Jimmy is sent a “Dear John” break-up letter by his girlfriend which makes him, first, eat up all the chocolate he brought for her, then ready to go home – until he is befriended by Joan, and starts doing camp “activities” with her. And, oh, the activities – there’s a giant pool, a couple of big ballrooms, dances (with everyone doin’ the Hokey Pokey), roller skating, “goofy” bike riding, concerts, a big ‘ol dining hall that fills up with hungry folks for every meal – and an announcer who not only makes the “cattle call” for dinner but spends the day making announcements of upcoming activities over a loudspeaker that even broadcasts inside the cabins (try getting a nap during the day at this place – um, not). There’s even a “beauty competition” in which all the young women are pushed into participating in, whether they want to or not (Joan wins and is named “Holiday Queen”). More stories include two middle-aged females who are put in a chalet together – one is a major “plain jane” (Esma Cannon) on the hunt for a man, any man! The other, Esther (Flora Robson), is a lonely spinster who still pines for the man she loved that left during WWI and “never came back”. But at camp, she thinks the announcer’s voice on the loudspeaker sounds oh so familiar (could it maybe be?). Then there’s a pair of crooked “card sharks” out to find a sucker and make a little money (unfortunately, young Harry is their first target for a shady game of “Pontoon”). And it’s not all just summertime fun at this holiday camp as there are two much darker stories featured. One, a young couple in hiding, in love but the young lady’s auntie forbids their marriage (for some strange reason – or is it ’cause he’s a struggling pianist?!). The young woman finds out she’s pregnant, right here at the holiday camp, and Esther (the spinster lady) kindly offers help to the young couple. The darkest story involves this news headline “Mannequin Murderer Still at Large” – seems he’s hiding at the camp and is one of our featured characters!

FILM REVIEW:

— This film is a light comedy-drama that I found to be pretty entertaining. A little slice of British life with lots of different character’s stories touched on – some humorous, some romantic, a few quite serious, one quite dark, all quite interesting. This whole concept of adults and families spending a week at a very crowded “summer camp” seems rather odd (reminded me of the summer resort place that is the setting for the film “Dirty Dancing”), but perhaps it was a way for the working class to simply have a fun, relaxing holiday without much expense or worry or planning or extensive travel or anything like that. Just arrive and start having a good time. Of course, it sure seems like it was set up to be a place to meet “the opposite sex” too. The Huggett family in this film is featured in three more films after this one (“Holiday Camp” being the first). I particularly enjoyed the performance of Esma Cannon in this film – a plain woman, but with a lot of charm. She pretty much steals the picture. Flora Robson, of course, is excellent (as always) and is perfect in this role. Actress Kathleen Harrison, as the Huggett mother, is also memorable here. Really, quite good performances all around. Filmed at a real “holiday camp” in Yorkshire, UK. Cool glimpse at an interesting vacation experience of yesteryear. These holidays camps were very popular in Great Britain at the time this was filmed (see newspaper snippet below).

To Note: Hmm, those “chalet” cabins where they stay, rows and rows of them, seen in a black and white film look weirdly like these people are staying at a prison camp (and, in fact, the concept of a prison or prison camp is actually mentioned a couple of times in the film).
Also To Note: There is a performer in one scene in this film named “Cheerful Charlie Chester”, a real-life performer from the day that was known for his radio shows. He performs on-stage in the film, doing an interactive singalong with the audience of “Bobbing Up and Down Like This” – entertaining to see.
…..
I recommend this film for a nostalgic look at a bit of summer fun in 40’s Britain — as the announcer tells us over the loudspeaker at one spot in the film “Rub the sleep out of your eyes and get ready for another grand session of fun and games”. Count me in.

MY RATING (on a 1 to 10 star scale, 10 being tops):

8.5/10 stars

FILM DETAILS:

DIRECTED BY: Kenneth Annakin
FILM GENRE: Comedy, Drama
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
FILM RUNNING TIME: 97 minutes

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Holiday Camp (1947) IMDb listing, for cast and crew, trivia, goofs, quotes
Wiki for Butlin’s Holiday Camp in Filey, North Yorkshire, England filming location used in this film.

This is a film review as part of my “New Old Movie Viewing Review” category – see a film I have never seen before, watch, enjoy (hopefully), and write about it.

The post Holiday Camp 1947 UK: A Film Review and Plot Summary appeared first on Nostalgia Bug.

1. ZOOM was a sort of street kid, funky version of the Mickey Mouse Club – it was a variety show with skits and songs starring a group of regular kids that seemed more like real children you would see on any street in any town, rather than slicked-up professional child performers.
2. I think the kids who starred in this were around the ages of eight up to about thirteen/fourteen and had, in my memory, odd accents – Boston, perhaps? (I mean “odd” in a good way, by the way. I really just mean different to *me* – a young Californian who at that time had never been farther out of California than Tijuana.) I can’t remember any of their names.
3. These kids were very energetic!!
4. I think there was some matching “ZOOM” t-shirt action on this show some of the time (maybe during songs?).
5. There were no adults on the show.
6. The program was shown on PBS.
7. I absolutely can’t recall any specific act or skit that was done on this show – oh, just ONE has now popped into my head, and only one: they used to sometimes sing a take-off on the song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” called “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat” (how I wonder where you’re at).
8. My husband has never heard of Zoom (and he’s only one year older than me).

Okay, having written this I will search around on the internet and see what extra information I can find out about the ZOOM television program, who starred in it and what has happened to them since that time (over 46 years ago!). To start, I have found a vintage newspaper advertisement promoting the premiere of this “bright new series” for children, check it out:

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Drawing from the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper on Thursday April 1, 1915 – one hundred years ago today. Captioned “Don’t Believe Him. Today Is All Fools’ Day” (as they seemed to like to call the day then). Watch out for pranksters today!

A Poem, also published in the newspaper circa 1915. This piece of poetry is called ALL FOOLS DAY, and was published in a San Francisco Chronicle newspaper column called “Bits For Breakfast”. Relating typical pranks of the day like finding a purse on the ground only to have it pulled away by young boys via string, parcels that contain bricks, and funny phone calls. Judging by this poem, seems like most pranksters of the day were expected to be what this bit calls a “1st of April boy”.

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In 1876 in Jersey City, New Jersey, a Doll’s Fair was held. Described as the “latest novelty, and a decided one at that”, this was a competition open to young girls between the ages of nine and fifteen offering prizes according to merit for the Best Dressed Doll. The girls were asked to dress a doll in any costuming they pleased – dollies not sold at the Fair would then be given away to children in hospitals and charitable institutions in the city. Okay, cool idea.

Progressing into the 20th century, in 1912 in Cincinnati, Ohio, $240 in cash prizes was being awarded to girls who can dress the best doll!

These contests continued to be held as we progress through the years and can be seen written about in archived newspapers from around the country as recently as the 1990s. As it happens, and this is what made me think of this topic, my own family participated in a few of these competitions. First, in 1966, the company where my dad worked at the time held a “Dress-the-Doll” contest near Christmas and received around 250 entries! My mom sewed a lavish velvet and feathered period dress with matching hat to dress up a Barbie doll and won First Prize in the Period Costume category! There’s even a photo out of a company newsletter I still have – my dad is posing with the doll since he was the employee there, but my mom definitely sewed the costume and I still remember it, though it was nearly fifty years ago and the contest dolls were donated to a local hospital after the competition and display party were over.

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In this newspaper cartoon titled “The Bravest Man” from August 13th, 1915, we find two sharply-dressed men discussing a third man – First man: “He is the bravest man I know.” Second man: “Why?”.  First man: “He’s trying out his new saddle horse on Friday the 13th!”. Yes, a brave move indeed! Love the image of this man’s checkered suit complete with straw hat and cane.

And here is a real-life newspaper story from August 14, 1915 relating the tale of a Baltimore man who had a real “Hoodoo Day” for himself the day before, on Friday the 13th – found by the cops with his arms entwined about a lamp-post after getting drunk on 13 drinks, then thrown into the drunk tank and placed in cell number 13! Yikes. (The guy also happened to live at a number 13 address.)

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