Classic TV Goddess of the month: Lucille Ball

Who me? Lucy playing coy

Ever since I started my blog three years ago, my main monthly feature was dedicated to the classic film actresses of our golden age. This year I decided to change things up by concentrating on actresses who had their biggest success on the small screen. And who better to kick off the year than with everybody's favorite redhead, Lucille Ball. So all month long I will be posting facts, photos, etc about the one and only Lucy. This post is just an introduction to her to everyone.

Listening in on as Ginger talks shop on the set of Follow the Fleet

First, Ms. Ball had a very successful film career when she started out. So I don't want to imply that she only achieved success on the small screen. At the young age of 22, she had a lot of uncredited roles in such films as Kid Millions (1934), Broadway Bill (1934), Roberta (1935) and Top Hat (1935). Her first major break came with another Astaire/Rogers movie, Follow the Fleet (1936) when she was cast as Kitty Collins. Larger roles in more big films would soon follow. Stage Door, Joy Of Living, Having Wonderful Time (with Ginger again), Room Service (with the Marx brothers) and headlining her own series, Annabel, a pair of screwball films co-starring Jack Oakie. 

Lucy in a very big hat

She got to flex her dramatic chops in the classic thriller Five Came Back (1939). She would meet her eventual husband Desi Arnaz in Too Many Girls (1940). Their pairing would eventually lead to the classic sitcom I Love Lucy, which of course I will be talking lots about in later posts this month.

With Red Skelton and Gene Kelly in DuBarry Was A Lady (1943)

But Lucy would star in lots more films during the 40's before I Love Lucy would air in the mid 50's. Other notable films during this decade include Dance Girl Girl (1940), Seven Days Leave (1942), The Big Street (1942), DuBarry Was A Lady (1943), Best Foot Forward (1943), Without Love (1945), Easy To Wed (1946), and Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949). Quite the output for an actress more known for later sitcom fare.

With Esther Williams and Van Johnson in Easy To Wed (1946)

So I will begin with Lucy's legendary run in TV beginning with my next post. Hope you guys will stop by to check it out.

The Top 4 Seeds for The Favorite Classic Musical Film Tournament are set..

I have the top 4 seeds set for Dawn's Favorite Classic Musical Film Tournament over on her blog Singin and Dancing Back In Time. Here's the link:
Singin and Dancing Back In Time

The event kicks off Monday August 29th as I will be setting up the matches like I did for the tournaments here on All Good Things. Should be quite the tournament. Please stop by Dawn's blog to follow each and every week.

Be My Guest - Irene (Question No. 3) Describe your first classic movie experience

3. Describe your first classic movie experience.



Actually I cannot remember which my first classic film was.

I recall watching some Errol Flynn films with my father - esp. THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938) – and films with Tyrone Power, jr. and John Wayne-western – and THE RAVEN with Vincent Price, of course..
So my first experiences were swashbucklers and western – which I still love.

Than I discovered Musicals – Gene Kelly, you know?
So started to tape every musical and other classic film there was on TV. My life suddenly became Technicolor. :”)

Gene Kelly and Marie McDonald are LIVING IN A BIG WAY (1947)

Just finished watching this little seen comedy film, Living in a Big Way (1947) on TCM as part of a tribute to director Gregory La Cava. La Cava also directed such classics as My Man Godfrey and Stage Door. In this quaint little film, Leo Gogarty ( Gene Kelly) marries Margo Morgan (Marie McDonald) after a whirlwind romance just before shipping out to war. When he returns, he is surprised to discover not only that his bride is not what she led him to believe, but also that she expects a quick divorce. The majority of the movie has the pair trying to move on from each other after they realize they don't belong together. But unresolved feelings come to the surface and they begin to fall in love all over again. This not being a typical Kelly song and dance film, he stills get to throw in two energetic dance scenes: one at a construction site and another one involving a dog. His dance skills are never in doubt and he always displays an easy going attitude and screen presence.

The surprise is actress Marie McDonald, who was nicknamed The Body in real life. So while her bodily assets are never in question and she is quite beautiful, her acting ability was always seen as suspect. But here she displays a natural flair for light comedy and actually drives the movie in several scenes. Her banter with Kelly is pretty much fire and ice and they play off each other great. And she has one of the best looking hairstyles I have ever seen on a woman. The perfect curls. It's a shame McDonald didn't have a much bigger career. This film was her biggest in her career that end abruptly when she overdosed on drugs in her home in 1965. The movie also features a great supporting cast in Charles Winninger, Phyllis Thaxter, and Spring Byington as members of McDonald's family. So if you get a chance, check out this underrated little comedy from 1947. It's a pleasant way to pass two hours.
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