“I’m sorry…I’m just a guy who cares an awful lot about my classic movie channel…”

I don’t make it a point to visit Big Hollywood too often—mostly because I haven’t had all my shots—but this recent post by editor-in-chief John Nolte sort of started in me an involuntary rolling-of-the-eyeballs. Titled “Will Ben Mankiewicz Be Allowed to Destroy Turner Classic Movies?”, it describes how Johnny-O had to mosey on over to his fainting couch because Big…

“Are you packing?” “Yes, dear—I’m putting away this liquor…”

I’m sure you’ve well aware of this by now—and mayhap seen it mentioned on other classic movie blogs—but TCM will ring in 2010 this evening with a festival of films featuring the original eat-drink-and-be-merry couple, Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell, Myrna Loy). The festivities start at 8:00pm with The Thin Man (1934), followed by After the Thin Man (1936, 9:45pm), Another Thin Man (1939,…

Bogie Oogie Oogie

In one half-hour from now, Turner Classic Movies will conclude its Star of the Month tribute to the gentleman who—if the votes were properly tallied and the machines weren’t manufactured by Diebold—is probably my favorite silver screen actor of all time. I’ve only missed recording two of the Bogart films shown this month: the previously…

A Shreve Family Christmas 2009

Hard to believe I’ve been away from the blog for so long…and even harder to believe that it took me so much time to get back of the swing of scribbling. I officially got back to Castle Yesteryear Sunday around 11-ish but I felt the need to sort of convalesce (that’s probably not the right word) after having…

It Started With (Christmas) Eve

At 4:00pm this afternoon, I will be winging my way over to “the House of Kat” to spend Christmas Eve and Day with my family, so except for a few bits and pieces that I’ve already preprogrammed for the blog, Thrilling Days of Yesteryear will be pretty much be silent for the next day or two. Christmas Eve…

Get down and Bogie

TCM’s Star of the Month tribute to Humphrey Bogart (on the occasion of his 110th birthday, which will be celebrated this Friday) soldiers on with these movies on tap for today (as always, films missing from the dusty TDOY archives are highlighted in green): 06:00 AM Bogart: The Untold Story (1996) 07:00 AM Action in the North Atlantic (1943) 09:15…

Of Golden Arms, Chunkys, and close friends who get to call him T.C…

This is turning out to be one hell of a holiday week, as the “war on celebrities” continues with the passing of one of my personal heroes. Actor Arnold Stang, whose owl-like countenance and nasal Brooklynese whine entertained a generation of baby boomers on radio, television, and in the movies went to his rich reward…

R.I.P. Brittany Murphy

Okay—this one I’m having a great deal of difficulty believing. My good friend Craig Zablo mentioned it on Facebook, and the only source I’ve been able to locate is TMZ.com (and to paraphrase a quote from frequent TDOY commenter Tom, “I don't trust anything on TMZ!”). Nevertheless, it would appear that actress Brittany Murphy shuffled off this mortal coil from…

Yuletide on the YouTube

Because I rose and shone a bit early this morning than is my usual, I spent some time catching up on reading some of favorite blogs—and in glancing over the list, came across this Christmas episode of My World and Welcome to It (“Rally Round the Flag”; 12/15/69) over at Kliph Nesteroff’s Classic Television Showbiz. Now, I need to stress here…

R.I.P. Connie Hines

TVShowsOnDVD.com is reporting on its Facebook page that actress Connie Hines, best remembered by legions of television fans as Carol Post—the spouse of architect Wilbur Post (Alan Young), who owned the talking horse known as Mister Ed in the 1961-66 sitcom of the same name. I’ve not been able to locate an online obituary as of this posting, but…