Robert Osborne (1932-2017)

For those of us who eat, sleep, and breathe anything Turner Classic Movies, yesterday was an especially sad day.  TCM host Robert Osborne passed away at the age of 84. I've been reading many of the obituaries and  tributes that have been published in the past 24 hours or so (including an especially nice piece …

‘Tis A Sad Day – Maureen O’Hara Dies At 95

  Last year, I felt very honored and privileged to be able to attend an event at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival - it was a screening of “How Green Was My Valley” and Maureen O’Hara was there! She did an interview on stage before the movie, which was hilarious (if you have a …

Joan Leslie – A Real Top-Notcher – Dies At 90

It was announced today, that the beautiful and talented actress, Joan Leslie, passed away earlier this week at the age of 90. Joan Leslie has always been one of my favorite actresses - a real top-notcher, as my Grandpa Burke used to say. She was wildly popular with audiences in her day, but is not …

Part Of L.A.’s Glorious Past – Sontag Drug Stores… Who Knew?

Source: I Love Los Angeles, But... What fun!  I love old photographs of Los Angeles.  My friend, Michael Lamb, sent me a picture of a Sontag Drug Store that used to be in the Miracle Mile.  I had no idea!  A little Google research pulls up a lot of information. Sontag Drug Stores was one …

Letter of Recommendation: Turner Classic Movies – NYTimes.com

Boy is this ever me… and can I relate. And it’s so true how cinema connects our lives in ways. I remember years ago when my Grandma Burke was suffering from Alzheimers/dementia, and we were sitting with her one day. She didn’t know who I was - nor really my Mom, but there was a …

Director Andrew V. McLaglen Dies at 94

Many may not immediately know his name - or might just associate it with his famous actor father - but Andrew McLaglen was a great director. And talk about growing up in the industry. Just imagine getting to watch the filming of Gunga Din - and becoming friends with Cary Grant, just out of high …

My Day With James Garner

'Rockford Files' Star James Garner Dies at 86 The amiable actor also starred on TV in "Maverick," in such films as "Victor Victoria," "Murphy’s Romance" and "Space Cowboys" and in popular Polaroid commercials. James Garner, the charming leading man from Oklahoma who made it look easy on NBC's The Rockford Files and in films opposite …

The State Of Homelessness In L.A. – Must Read Article

Anyone who has lived in L.A. (or really any large U.S. city for that matter) like I have, knows all too well about the explosion of homelessness in our country. There are massive amounts of people living on the streets - in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. And it feels like there …

Saturday Mornings Just Aren’t The Same Without Chuck Cecil & His “Swingin’ Years”

For anyone like myself living in Southern California, who happens to be a fan of Big Band music - Saturdays (and often Sundays) meant listening in to Chuck Cecil and his iconic show, “The Swingin’ Years”. The show has been on the air continuously since 1956 (it debuted on KFI) - making Chuck the host …

Shirley Temple Dead: Legendary Child Star Dies at 85

Shirley Temple was truly one-of-a-kind. It’s amazing to me that she made her last film in 1949 - yet her death is right now the #1 trending item on Facebook. That’s star power - and a lasting impact. Of course, even though she basically retired from the entertainment business in 1950 (except for a short …