Doing research for this blog is kind of addictive. I'm currently reading various biographies from the Classic Hollywood era. And looking back at the important moments in their lives gets me thinking about my own...
I began with Carole Lombard, a woman who overcame some severe stumbling blocks, including a car accident that visibly scarred her face.
Read MoreAn avid Carole Lombard fan, I feel a certain reverence visiting Las Vegas’ Pioneer Saloon. If you are wondering why I feel such a veneration for Carole Lombard, it might help to read The Beautiful Ghost Story Behind I Love Lucy.
If you aren’t familiar with Carole Lombard’s life story already, the main thing you should know is that Classic Hollywood starlet (and comedienne extraordinaire) Carole Lombard died tragically in a plane crash on nearby Mt. Petosi. Her husband, King of Hollywood Clark Gable (aka Rhett Butler) was devastated.
Read MoreIn honor of Halloween, this month I am focusing on Hollywood tales of a spooky nature. Enjoy!
Sometimes when I am reading interesting stories from Old Hollywood, accounts vary tremendously. This one about a shrunken head is too good to ignore, regardless of the differences in details.
It seems that Clark Gable once gave Carole a shrunken head as a gift -- you see, they were both the ultimate pranksters. It was their thing -- to try to one up each other.
But this time, Clark had gone too far. Carole accused him of putting a curse on her, and threw the shrunken head out the window on the way to a party as they passed through Coldwater Canyon. This is where the story diverges. It is well-documented that they went back to pick up the head (I guess she was afraid of the fury of the shrunken head, perhaps because she was known to consult with psychics and mediums? I am sure they would advise her that was not good ju-ju).
Read MoreHappy Independence Day weekend! I hope you are celebrating life and liberty with your loved ones. While you are eating BBQ, jumping into lakes, and splashing in the hot sun, I hope you will drink a toast to the men & women who fought to give us our freedoms.
And I can't think of a better drink to do so than one steeped in Revolutionary War history.
Read MoreDo you have any summertime flicks you watch every year? Here are a few of my favorites!
Read MoreHollywood is no stranger to elaborate parties, from Beyonce's masquerade ball where guests were brought to the door by horse & carriage, to Justin Bieber's circus-themed shin-dig complete with Bozo the clown. But there is only one thing that can truly make your party stand out, and that is making each and every guest feel welcomed. Hollywood celebrities of yesteryear knew how to do this well -- but Carole Lombard stood out. What she did, you should be doing too.
Read MoreToday is Memorial Day... I hope you are celebrating life with your loved ones. While you are eating BBQ, jumping into lakes, and splashing in the hot sun, I hope you will drink a toast to the men & women who fought to give us our freedoms...
And I can't think of a better drink to do so than one steeped in the history of the White Lady.
Read MoreI thought I knew everything about Lucille Ball... until I found out that she believed with all of her heart that her role model, Carole Lombard, visited her on a regular basis, after Lombard's untimely death in 1942 in a plane crash.
Indeed, Lucille Ball and Carole Lombard were dear friends. In her early days as a struggling actress, Lucy spent a lot of time on the studio lot observing Lombard, trying to mimic her. Rather than be offended or threatened by the fledgling wannabe, Lombard encouraged Lucy along, giving her a few of her biggest breakthroughs in Hollywood.
In the March 1947 edition of Photoplay, Lucy says to the interviewer that Carole Lombard... "... is my guardian angel.”
“She was?” the interviewer responds. As in, oh, how nice. Her role model helped her along.
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Read MoreHave you ever played that game "Would you rather?"
It poses horrible scenarios and forces you to choose between them. For example... would you rather age from the neck up only, or the neck down only? Or... would you rather be really rich or really poor but find true love?
Well here's a kicker for you...
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