Cary Grant sends his well wishes to everyone in the upcoming actor tournament

Cary Grant, who won the inaugural Favorite Classic Movie Actor tourney back in 2013, sends well wishes to the 64 actors who will be competing in this year's tourney. Since Cary won the first one, he is ineligible to compete in future tourneys. The fun begins this Sunday, Father's Day as me and my good friend John of Mythical Monkey will be hosting this event that will run through the first week of August. I'll handle the 40's and 60's eras while John will take care of the 30's and 50's eras. 

Two matches..four couples...let's go!

Down to the final four of the favorite classic couple tourney. The match between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers vs Cary Grant and Irene Dunne will take place here on this blog. While the match between William Powell and Myrna Loy vs Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald will take place on Desiree's blog. The fun begins today at 6pm EST and will run through Wednesday evening. Go here to vote on Desiree's match..http://www.rozrussell.com/. And can I add that I think this is an awesome final four with anyone of these couples that can take home the prize as favorite classic screen couple.

MATCH 1

1 FRED ASTAIRE AND GINGER ROGERS

VS

2 CARY GRANT AND IRENE DUNNE

**************

MATCH 2

1 WILLIAM POWELL AND MYRNA LOY

VS

2 NELSON EDDY AND JEANETTE MACDONALD

We have our final four couples....

We have our final four classic couples and two of the four are the top seeds when this tourney began. It was top seed couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers taking care of 2nd seed couple Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland 30-12. The other top seed couple to advance was William Powell and Myrna Loy, who staged a comeback to beat pesky underdogs Rosalind Russell and Robert Montgomery 38-30. So that means the other two top seed couples did not fare as well. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall lost to 2nd seed couple Cary Grant and Irene Dunne 27-15. while 2nd seed couple Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald defeated the legendary couple, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn 38-28. So now the stage is set for the four remaining couples in two matches that will begin on Sunday. Match 1 will pit Fred and Ginger against Cary and Irene while match 2 will feature William and Myrna against Nelson and Jeanette. Then the winners of those matches will battle it out for the crown as favorite classic couple. 

Eight Couples move on to Round 3

Here are the four matches that will begin on Sunday with the 8 couples that are remaining in the Favorite Classic Couple Tourney. All Good Things will host the Elaine Marriott and Erenia Russo brackets while Desiree will host the Josie Miller and Catherine Bellamy brackets on her blog, Rosalind Russell. The matches will run through Thursday evening. You will notice that three of the four matches feature match ups between the number 1 and 2 seeds. The underdog couple Rosalind Russell and Robert Montgomery, ranked 6th, are defying the odds and look to continue their upset streak.

THE ELAINE MARRIOTT BRACKET

1 FRED ASTAIRE AND GINGER ROGERS

VS

2 ERROL FLYNN AND OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND

***************

THE ERENIA RUSSO BRACKET

1 HUMPHREY BOGART AND LAUREN BACALL

VS

2 CARY GRANT AND IRENE DUNNE

**************

THE JOSIE MILLER BRACKET

1 WILLIAM POWELL AND MYRNA LOY

VS

6 ROSALIND RUSSELL AND ROBERT MONTGOMERY

**************

THE CATHERINE BELLAMY BRACKET

1 SPENCER TRACY AND KATHARINE HEPBURN

VS

2 NELSON EDDY AND JEANETTE MACDONALD

Be My Guest: Jackie Merritt

Another month means another guest. And this month brings one of my good friends that I met on Facebook, Jackie. So let's get things started shall we...

1. What made you start blogging?

The guest of the month...Jackie

Jackie does not write a blog as of yet

2. Who are your favorite classic film stars? Name as many as you want

Jackie: My favorite classic male stars are Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, William Holden, Gregory Peck, Paul Newman, Gene Kelly, Gary Cooper. Joel McCrea, Jack Lemmon, William Powell, David Niven Howard Keel. My favorite classic female stars are Irene Dunne, Katharine Hepburn,  Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland, Deborah Kerr, Ingrid Bergman, Loretta Young, Maureen O'Hara, Debbie Reynolds, Mryna Loy, Doris Day, Kathryn Grayson.

Me: Nice selection of actors/actresses there Jackie

 3. What are some of your favorite films?

Jackie: I love  My Fair Lady, Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain, It's a Wonderful Life, The Bishop's Wife, Friendly Persuasion, Show Boat, The Philadelphia Story, Harvey, How the West Was Won, Roman Holiday, Born Yesterday, Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation.

Me: I think you might be my first guest to have Friendly Persuasion on their list.

4. Describe your first classic movie experience. Like where and when..at a cinema, on TV, etc..

Jackie: I think my first classic movie experience had been watching the Wizard of Oz on TV. For years when I was little we would come in on the movie after it had turned to color. We were surprised when we first saw the tornado and the black and white part. I would play Wizard of Oz traveling the yellow brick road around my yard and pretend to meet the scarecrow, tinman, lion, good witch, and bad witch. I had a stuffed Pluto dog that I carried in a basket. And I would sing: "We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz". LOL

Me: The Wizard of Oz seems to be a lot of people's first classic movie experience. That and GWTW.

5. What films upon first viewing did you not like, then later on when re-watching them, loved it.

6. Describe the perfect way for you to watch a classic film.

 I love watching a classic movie with my husband in our travel trailer. We have a candlelight dinner first, then sit  close together on the couch, holding hands and watch a romantic movie.

How very romantic and wonderful Jackie.

7. How many friends, family member or co-workers share your love of classic films?

 Don't know for sure. Many.

8. What is your favorite time period: the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's or 60's?

Jackie: I love the 40's and the 50's. Too hard to choose from. But if I have to choose, I would say the 50's: An American in Paris, Roman Holiday, Love Is a Many Splendor Thing, Sabrina, An Affair to Remember, North by Northwest, Picnic, Singing in the Rain, Born Yesterday, Sunset Blvd.,To Catch a Thief, The African Queen. The list just keeps going...lol

Me:That's a pretty good era for films...can't argue with you on that

9. What are some of your favorite film quotes?

 1.  "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are."Pinocchio.  2. "Good Morning. Good Morning to You".  Kathy sings in "Singing in the Rain".  3.  Ilsa says, "Play it Sam. Play As Time Goes By" "Casablanca"   4.. "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz".

"I'd think of someway to get him back. Afterall tomorrow is another day." 5. Rose says in The African Queen, "Nature. Mr. Allnut, is what we are put on this world to rise above." 6. Scarlett in Gone With the Wind. 7. Zo Zo in "It's a Wonderful Life". "Look Daddy. Every time you hear a bell rings, an angel gets it's wings." 8. From "How the West Was Won" Lionus Rawlings says,"Ma'am, seems you've been kissed before." Eve Prescott says,"Ain't been kissed permanent before." lol

10. What classic films have you yet to see for one reason or another.

 Jackie: I haven't seen Gaslight, A Streetcar Named Desire.

Me:

I haven't seen Gaslight either...but I have seen Desire..I recommend you catching it the next time TCM plays it.

11. What is your favorite genre?

 Jackie: My favorite genre has to be Musicals. I love music. Show Boat, My Fair Lady, The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain, Oklahoma, Easter Parade, Music Man, An American in Paris, Royal Wedding, A Star is Born, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Top Hat,  are just a few that I like.

 12. If you threw a movie theme party, describe how you would do it. The costumes, decorations, food, etc.

 I have given movie them parties on Facebook. I call it Dinner and a Movie. and have had different themes for different movies. Last year, we did The Easter Parade. We watched the movie together on TCM and commented. I had everyone to bring to our cyber table a food or drink to celebrate Easter. We had ham and baked sweet potatoes.  I made a coconut jelly bean cake. And I asked everyone to wear an Easter Hat. So at the end of the movie, everyone went for a stroll down 5th Avenue with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland singing "In your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it". It was a lot of fun. We have also watched  "The Wizard of Oz" together and had a cyber table of country food: deviled eggs, baked sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, pork chops and strawberry short cake and tea to drink.  I dressed up like Dorothy in a jumper and started down the yellow brick road made out of poster board. lol.  "We're off to see the Wizard the wonderful Wizard of Oz".

Haha..awesome!

13. What are some films that are widely loved that you couldn't care less about?

 Jackie: Citizen Kane, Midnight Cowboy,The Godfather, On the Waterfront, Apocalypse Now, The Grapes of Wrath, Jaws. Horror films and anything that is real gory.

Me: Not a fan of Citizen Kane but the other films I have watched and liked..especially Jaws!

14. Who’s the biggest film fanatic that you know? Besides yourself of course.

 My brother-in-law loves movies. He could watch them all day.

Cool

15. And finally who are some of your favorite film characters?

Clarence the angel in "It's a Wonderful Life". "You had a wonderful life George." Eliza in My Fair Lady. From rags as a flower girl to riches dressed for the ball, Eliza stole our hearts. "I could of danced all night." Mr. Hobbs in Mr, Hobbs Takes a Vacation. I go into hysterics everytime I see him walking with his long legs bent, looking for birds. "What's that liitle fellow? "Barnswallows".

Thank you Monty. I have had a wonderful time being your guest.

Thank you Jackie for coming to All Good Things and bringing such wonderful answers.

Top Classic Stars for week of Jan 13th-19th, 2013

Here are the rankings for my top classic stars for the week ending January 19th. My favorite actor of all time, Cary Grant lands in the top spot for the first time this year thanks to my birthday post about him on January 18th. Rita Hayworth moves up to the runner up spot with 49 hits of her summer pic. Elizabeth Taylor hangs in there at number three. My classic goddess of the month, Lucille Ball takes a drop from first to 4th place.Tuesday Weld re-enters the rankings after missing out last week in 5th place. And my favorite actress Carole Lombard moves up one spot to 6th. And Grace Kelly wraps things up with a 7th place finish. It was a pretty light week for me posting so I don't have ten stars to fill out the rankings. Hope to crank it up this week.

Cary waves from the top spot

RANK                    RANK                    CLASSIC STAR  (Weeks ranked)                   

(This week)        (last week)

1                              3                              CARY GRANT (3)                               

2                              4                              RITA HAYWORTH (3)                          

3                              2                              ELIZABETH TAYLOR (3)                                

4                              1                              LUCILLE BALL (3)                         

5                              -                              TUESDAY WELD (1)                                 

6                              7                             CAROLE LOMBARD (3)                                    

7                              6                             GRACE KELLY (3)

Happy Birthday Cary Grant (1904-1986)

Today marks Cary Grant's birthday. He is without a doubt my favorite actor of all time. And as I imagine, he is probably a lot of people's favorite actor. A perfect example of sophistication and charm. He was a master of screwball comedies, which is my favorite genre. He shines in such notable classics like Bringing Up Baby, The Awful Truth, Arsenic and Old Lace, His Girl Friday, My Favorite Wife and lots more. He also excelled in films for Hitchcock...To Catch A Thief, Notorious, Suspicion, and North By Northwest. He could do anything as he had excellent range. Drama, comedy, suspense, even military films like Destination Tokyo, and action yarns like Gunga Din. So looks like it will be a Cary Grant viewing weekend for me. Which suits me just fine. Happy Birthday Cary!

HIS GIRL FRIDAY wins the favorite screwball film tourney...which makes me very happy

Take a look Hildy...we won..no kidding!

The Favorite Screwball Film tourney came to an end yesterday and my favorite film of all time, His Girl Friday won it all. As a number two seed, Friday had to overcome a slew of top films including three number one seeds in It Happened One Night, My Man Godfrey and Bringing Up Baby. Now call me crazy but that is just impressive as all get out. Friday edged out Baby by the count of 16-13, so it was close but nevertheless a victory for the fastest talking comedy ever filmed. And my personal favorite to boot. So I am quite content today. I would like to thank all those that voted to make this tourney a huge success. By the way, the 2013 Favorite Classic Movie Actress Tourney gets underway March 3rd!

Cary Grant is tied with himself...

After three days, Bringing Up Baby and His Girl Friday are deadlocked at 10 votes apiece in the favorite screwball film tourney. At one point Friday was up by 3 votes and at one point Baby was ahead by 2. But now things are dead even. Looks like this match will go down to the wire. Voting ends on Sunday evening.

Cary looks exhausted...but it's almost over

It will be Cary Grant vs. Cary Grant for favorite Screwball film

The two semi-final matches were very close but in the end, two Cary Grant films edged out two William Powell films to set up an all Cary Grant final match in the favorite screwball film tourney. Overall top seed Bringing Up Baby beat The Thin Man 13-10 while 2nd seed His Girl Friday slid by the other top seed My Man Godfrey 12-9. It is great news for me as Friday and Baby are my number 1 and 2 favorite films of all time. So when the final match begins and whoever wins, I will be good with either outcome. But I will be pulling for Friday just slightly. The match begins right now and will run through Sunday evening. Then I can declare the winner of All Good Things Favorite Screwball Film.

FINAL MATCH

1 BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

VS

2 HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)

All Good Things 2012 Classic Stars Of The Year

Welcome back everyone to my 2nd annual Classic Stars of the Year list as chosen by All Good Things. These are the stars that made the most noise on my blog. That I wrote and talked about the most or who won the most tournaments or polls. In general the best of the best. I based it on Entertainment Weekly's yearly Entertainers of the Year list. So there will be 12 distinguished actors and actresses who made the cut (1 for each month) and I will begin with number 12 and work my way down to number one. 

Hitch lands at no 12.

12.) ALFRED HITCHCOCK - The director was prominent this year with two films, The Girl and Hitchcock. I have seen The Girl and thought it was interesting enough. Can't wait to see Hitchcock with Anthony Hopkins in the title role. I posted about Hitch a few times this year and had a tourney spotlighting the leading ladies of his films.

The urbane Claude

11.) CLAUDE RAINS - The incomparable Rains made some noise on All Good Things with his entrance into my Hall of Fame, one of twelve stars/directors chosen this year. He is also coming off his second Montie (my version of the Oscars) for Best Supporting actor in Casablanca.

The lovely Rita in one of her many summer pics

here on All Good Things

10.) RITA HAYWORTH - Ahhhhh, Rita. She was one of my classic movie goddesses for the year and she also made the most appearances in my at the beach photo series. Stunningly beautiful.

The dashing Flynn

9.) ERROL FLYNN - Another Hall of Fame inductee and much posting on my FB page to drive most women into a frenzy, specifically Classic Becky.

The definition of Classic Star Glamour, courtesy 

of Jean Arthur

8.) JEAN ARTHUR - Jean was another of my goddesses for the year and she also became a Hall of Famer. Plus I think she made a number of random postings thru the year here.

Good to see ya Carole...

7.) CAROLE LOMBARD - Pretty much, Carole will be on this list every year. No question about it. She is my favorite actress of all time and I post something about her at least once a month. I have posted about her 74 times since I started this blog in 2009. The most of any actress.

Hiya Cary!

6.) CARY GRANT - Same thing goes for Cary, as he is my favorite actor of all time. I have posted about Cary 81 times since 2009, the most of anybody here on All Good Things. And he is currently represented quite well with 8 films in my favorite screwball film tourney.

Irene knows how to make an entrance doesn't she

5.) IRENE DUNNE - The 2011 winner for Favorite Classic Film Actress didn't compete in this year's tourney but she still made some noise with regular postings and showing up with three films in the screwball film tourney.

Powell and Loy as Nick and Nora Charles

4.) WILLIAM POWELL & MYRNA LOY- Frequent film co-stars Bill and Myrna walked in together for the Hall of Fame. Her film, The Best Years of Our Lives picked up a slew of Monties. And she was just an all around good gal to hang out with here. They both had several films competing in this year's screwball film tourney

Marilyn

3.) MARILYN MONROE - It's Monroe. Pretty much says it all right there. Tons of pics and postings on here and my FB and Tumblr pages.

Grace, winner for Favorite Leading Lady

in a Hitchcock Film

2.) GRACE KELLY - After being a bridesmaid two years in a row in my Favorite Classic Film Actress tourney, Grace finally won a tourney. Wasn't for that, but for Favorite Leading Lady in an Alfred Hitchcock film. Plus, I continued to post about her with my weekly series, If It's Tuesday, Then It Must Be Grace Kelly.

Congrats Ginger!

1.) GINGER ROGERS - Looking like a repeat of 2011 as the favorite classic film actress tourney winner would claim top classic star of 2012. This year it's Ginger Rogers, who had a dominating run in the tourney for her eventual win as favorite actress here on All Good Things. Congrats Ginger! You are the top Classic Star of the Year!

Here's to another great year in 2013.

My love of classic films is beyond measure

Monty