Announcing the Third Van Johnson Blogathon!


It's time to announce one of my favorite events: my annual Van Johnson blogathon! MGM's Golden Boy, America's Sweetheart, and the bobbysoxers' dream man, Van holds a special place in my heart, which makes me all too glad to host this three-day tribute to him.

The rules are simple: talk about Van. You can discuss his films, his TV appearances, his stage work, or his personal life -- just remember to be kind! I also ask that there are no duplicates. I would love for this to be a diverse celebration of Van because he more than deserves it. Just leave me a comment and select a banner below! (I must say I'm particularly proud of the one with the dog, whose speech bubble was originally about Elizabeth Taylor until I got my hands on it.) See you in August!

List of Participants:
Love Letters to Old Hollywood | The ABCs of Van Johnson
Critica Retro | The Bottom of the Bottle (1956)
The Stop Button | A Guy Named Joe (1943)
Poppity Talks Classic Film | Van Johnson's Hollywood: A Family Album
Realweegiemidget Reviews | The Kidnapping of the President (1980)
In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood | ideal roles for Van in different Katharine Hepburn films
Taking Up Room | State of the Union (1949)
Pale Writer | The End of the Affair (1955)
Musings of a Classic Film Addict | Weekend at the Waldorf (1945)
Pure Entertainment Preservation Society | Brigadoon (1954)
Overture Books and Film | Easy to Wed (1946)
The Midnite Drive-In | The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957)
Screen Dreams | In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
Top 10 Film Lists | Battleground (1949)
Champagne for Lunch | The Bride Goes Wild (1948)






Comments

  1. LêJune 12, 2019 at 3:43 PM

    Great! I'll wrtie about Van Johnson and Joseph Cotten in "The Bottom of the Bottle", 1956.
    Kisses!
    Le from Critica Retro

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJune 13, 2019 at 2:30 AM

      How have I never heard of that one?! Excited to read about it!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJune 12, 2019 at 9:19 PM

    I don't have a blog but I want to mention that VAN JOHNSON did 3 episodes of MURDER, SHE WROTE which starred ANGELA LANSBURY. Van played a different character each time. The first one was set in CABOT COVE and also guest-starred JUNE ALLYSON. Classic TV Fan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJune 13, 2019 at 2:31 AM

      I just rewatched that episode two nights ago. It is always so sweet to see Van and June reunited.

      Delete
  3. Andrew WickliffeJune 12, 2019 at 11:13 PM

    Hopefully this isn't a double post... Can I do Guy Named Joe for The Stop Button?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Erica D.June 13, 2019 at 6:24 AM

    Hi Michaela!
    I would love to write about "Van Johnson's Hollywood: A Family Album" which was written by his daughter, Schuyler. I'm a huge Van fan!!! :-D

    ReplyDelete
  5. Realweegiemidget ReviewsJune 13, 2019 at 3:30 PM

    Hi there, can you add me with The Kidnapping of the President (1980), looks a fantastic cast.. from Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews, btw did you get my post on Gable and Lombard that I left yesterday?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJune 13, 2019 at 7:21 PM

      Sure! And yes, I responded to you last night, but perhaps you didn't see it.

      Delete
    2. Realweegiemidget ReviewsJune 14, 2019 at 6:02 AM

      Thanks, didn't spot that. Hope all goes well with the blogathon today!

      Delete
  6. Rebecca DenistonJune 15, 2019 at 11:07 AM

    Hi, Michaela! I'd like to do "State of the Union," please, and I'm at Taking Up Room. Looking forward to reading the Clark Gable stuff this weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJune 16, 2019 at 8:25 AM

    Hi! 💖 May I please write shot Van’s performance in The End of the Affair?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJune 16, 2019 at 10:58 AM

      Certainly! I'll update the roster later today.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJune 16, 2019 at 1:26 PM

      Thank you 💓

      Delete
  8. Samantha EllisJune 17, 2019 at 4:28 PM

    So glad you're bringing this back again! Could I please write about Van in Week-End at the Waldorf (1945)? I'm so curious about his onscreen chemistry with Lana Turner!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJune 17, 2019 at 8:24 PM

      Good choice! He and Lana are great together. I think you'll like it.

      I'll try to update the roster soon. I'm out of town and away from my computer.

      Delete
  9. Tiffany BrannanJune 27, 2019 at 6:51 PM

    Hello, Michaela! I'm glad that you're hosting this event again. I would like to participate with an article about "Brigadoon." Is that alright?

    By the way, I would like to invite you to join our month-long celebration of Code films, #CleanMovieMonth85 (https://pureentertainmentpreservationsociety.wordpress.com/2019/06/07/announcing-cleanmoviemonth85/)! Throughout July, we are going to watch nothing but American Breen Era films, and we are inviting participants to do the same. Writers can join this celebration with articles about their own favorite films and discoveries during the month, and we will republish them on our website. As a special high-point of this celebration, we are hosting a blogathon on the first weekend in July in honor of the formation of the PCA and the twenty wonderful years of decent cinema which followed during Joseph Breen’s tenure. It will be called The Favorite Code Film Blogathon (https://pureentertainmentpreservationsociety.wordpress.com/2019/06/07/announcing-the-favorite-code-film-blogathon/). On July 5-7, participants will choose their single favorite Code films and write about why these movies from the era of film decency were so good. We would love to have your participation. We could really use your talent!

    Yours Hopefully,

    Tiffany Brannan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJune 28, 2019 at 12:51 AM

      I would love for you to cover Brigadoon! That's one of my favorites. I'll update the roster shortly.

      (P.S. I responded to your invite on my Janet Leigh announcement post.)

      Delete
  10. Overture Books and FilmJuly 4, 2019 at 11:03 AM

    Can I write about Between Two Women from 1945, please?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Overture Books and FilmJuly 4, 2019 at 11:11 AM

    I'm sorry this is Christine from Overture Books and Film again, but I can change mine to Easy to Wed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJuly 4, 2019 at 7:48 PM

      Definitely! I'm thrilled that you're bringing an Esther Williams/Van pairing to my event. :)

      Delete
    2. Overture Books and FilmJuly 5, 2019 at 11:23 AM

      I am looking forward to it! And if you need a cute still for your blog post for Two Girls and a Sailor I am happy to share mine with you.

      Delete
    3. MichaelaJuly 5, 2019 at 4:38 PM

      That's very nice of you! I'm actually thinking about changing my topic, but I'll keep your offer in mind. :)

      Delete
  12. QuiggyJuly 13, 2019 at 1:26 PM

    Just acquired yet ANOTHER boxed set of movies. This one has Pied Piper of Hamelin. I'm willing to give it a shot, sight unseen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaJuly 13, 2019 at 7:25 PM

      Oh, cool! If memory serves me right, someone wrote about that one last year and they enjoyed it. It'll be nice to hear your thoughts!

      Delete
  13. AishaJuly 20, 2019 at 10:33 AM

    Hi Michaela! Can I write about In The Good Old Summertime (1949)?
    I'm at screendreams.net :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Realweegiemidget ReviewsJuly 27, 2019 at 4:39 PM

    Hi Michaela, would it be ok to change my review to Tales Of The Unexpected, Down Among The Sheltering Palms (1983)? Sorry for being a pest again, Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews

    ReplyDelete
  15. Realweegiemidget ReviewsJuly 28, 2019 at 1:40 AM

    Hi, will just stick with my first choice of The Kidnapping of a President, changed my ind after I sent it but couldn't delete it. Sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  16. kebma2424July 29, 2019 at 1:05 PM

    If it's not too late to join I'd love to write about Battleground. Top10filmlists.com

    Thanks Kevin

    ReplyDelete
  17. SimoaAugust 4, 2019 at 9:04 PM

    these banners!! especially The Big Hangover one ;---; I miss the Van blogathon and him in general so I'm going to participate this year (did I last year??) anyway, put me down for The Bride Goes Wild

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaAugust 4, 2019 at 9:17 PM

      Thanks, Simoa! I had such a blast making those banners.

      GREAT film choice! And I think you've participated every year so far. :)

      Delete
  18. Realweegiemidget ReviewsAugust 20, 2019 at 12:00 PM

    Hi, a wee bit earlier than planned (accidently pressed the publish button) here's my post for the blogathon! from Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews

    ReplyDelete
  19. Realweegiemidget ReviewsAugust 20, 2019 at 12:01 PM

    Would help if ad add the link, here it is... https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2019/08/20/films-the-kidnapping-of-the-president/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MichaelaAugust 20, 2019 at 1:46 PM

      Thanks, Gill! It's always nice to get posts early. :)

      Delete
    2. Realweegiemidget ReviewsAugust 20, 2019 at 2:04 PM

      Thanks Michaela! Hope all goes well for the blogathon.

      Delete
  20. Erica D.August 21, 2019 at 8:05 PM

    Hello Michaela!

    Here is the link to my entry --
    https://poppitytalksclassicfilm.wordpress.com/2019/08/22/classic-film-reading-van-johnson/

    I wanted to make sure to get it done early because I still have my article for the Wizard of Oz Blogathon to complete. :-) It was not an easy write but I hope you enjoy what I had to say.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

You might've missed these popular posts...

Loving and Fighting Furiously: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz

Image
Let me preface this by saying I set myself up for failure on this one. So much as been written about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz -- books, movies, TV specials, great blog posts. I can't possibly include all of the vast information I have at my fingertips, so if you're at all intrigued by my post, good news: there is a wealth of material out there. The Ball-Arnaz relationship was messy and sometimes hurtful, but it all came from two people who loved each other more than they could say. Their marriage brought them a legacy that transformed them into icons, yet they weren't the Ricardos -- they were Lucy and Desi, fallible people who ultimately couldn't stay together. "Man, that's a hunk of woman!" That's what a handsome 23-year-old Cuban said when he saw a gorgeous 28-year-old redhead in 1940. Wearing a tight gold lamé gown with a slit down the center to show off her legs and sporting a fake black eye and loose hair, Lucy had been filming for Da
Continue »

Top Ten: Fred Astaire's Partners

Image
Every August, TCM dedicates one day to one exclusive star. It's times like these I'm thankful to the television gods for both airing TCM and for creating the DVR; Summer Under the Stars covers a vast array of different films and I can always find at least five that I've been dying to see. This August is a bit different because I'll also be contributing to the SUTS Blogathon that runs alongside the programming, hosted by Kristen at Journeys in Classic Film. I really wanted to cover a bunch of people, but things have been absolutely bonkers for me lately. I have other blogathons I already committed to that I still have to write for, I'm going back to IU shortly, and I had gallbladder surgery recently that kept me away from my blogging (but not my film viewing!). Because of all this, I just chose three wonderful stars -- sorry, my beloved Gene Tierney and Kate Hepburn! -- and today I bring you the first of those. For the complete list of entries, click here . There&#
Continue »

Announcing the 100 Years of Esther Williams Blogathon!

Image
  There have been quite a few centennials to honor this year -- Lana Turner, Donna Reed, Jane Russell, Judy Holliday, Dirk Bogarde -- but there is one I'm especially excited to celebrate: Esther Williams! To commemorate this gorgeous human being's 100th birthday, I'm bringing back my Esther blogathon from last year, which ended up being such a lovely way to honor her legacy. Because Esther's filmography isn't very large, I'll allow any topic to be claimed a maximum of two (2) times. That being said, you can cover more than her films, such as her autobiography, her history with swimsuits, her TV work, an overview of her teamings with people like Busby Berkeley, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalbán, etc. I will say that if any of her work with Van Johnson is taken the maximum number of times, I'll still be holding my annual Van blogathon in August (which I'll be announcing very soon), so you'll have another chance to cover it. Again, because the topics are a
Continue »

Fred Astaire tells Rita Hayworth... You Were Never Lovelier (1942)

Image
In the early 1940s, Fred Astaire was already a legend, thanks to his massively successful teaming with Ginger Rogers. Amazingly enough, although the actor had conquered vaudeville, Broadway, and Hollywood, he still had many more iconic achievements to look forward to. Rita Hayworth, on the other hand, was just beginning her rise to film stardom when she was first paired with Astaire for 1941's You'll Never Get Rich . As Fred tells it, "Gene Markey, then a producer at Columbia Pictures, asked me to discuss an idea about working with a little girl they had under contract there. She was primarily a dancer, he said, and sure to become a terrific star. She had only done a few B pictures up to that time. Her name was Rita Cansino -- recently changed to Hayworth. I had heard about this beautiful daughter of my old vaudeville-days friend Eduardo Cansino." Time passed, though, and Astaire began to wonder why he hadn't heard from Markey again until he read that the pr
Continue »

Announcing the Sixth Annual Doris Day Blogathon!

Image
  Well, long time, no see! Life has made it hard to keep up with my blog, but I'm going to try my best to stick with my annual blogathons, including my Doris Day one. This year is particularly special because it's going to be Doris's centenary ! The rules are the same as they have been: you can write about anything relating to Doris -- her films, her music, her personal life, her work with animals, her role as a style icon, the list goes on! I also won't limit how many posts you want to do. Because there is so, so much you can write about, I'd prefer no duplicates . Sorry, all, it's first come, first serve. You can post on any of the three days of the blogathon, or you can post early. I only ask that you be sure to send me your link and I'll try to post it as soon as possible. Now grab a banner, spread the word, and I'll see you in April! List of Participants: The Stop Button | Young Man with a Horn (1950) Box Office Poisons | That Touch of Mink (196
Continue »

The ABCs of Esther Williams

Image
We don't talk about Esther Williams enough. That's basically what I've been shouting from the rooftops ever since I started learning about her in 2013, after her death at the age of 91 encouraged me to take notice of the remarkable life and career of the woman deemed the Million Dollar Mermaid. As a longtime lover of classic Hollywood, I'm used to admiring people and films that are annoyingly, stupidly, and unfairly dismissed by others, but the lack of appreciation for Esther has always stung me the most. Before I even started my master's degree two years ago, I knew I wanted my thesis to be about her and it was more fun and interesting than I could have imagined. Don't get me wrong, it was also super stressful, but researching Esther was worth it. A sensuous pin-up, an incredible athlete, and an ambitious, business-savvy careerwoman, she is simply one of my favorite people. August 8 would have been her 99th birthday, and so I thought it'd be nice to
Continue »

Esther Williams enthralls in... Dangerous When Wet (1953)

Image
It's a bright, beautiful morning at the Higgins' Arkansas dairy farm. Giving us what may be the sunniest opening to a film ever, the Higgins family -- comprised of Pop (William Demarest), Ma (Charlotte Greenwood), cute little pipsqueak Junior (Donna Corcoran), middle daughter Suzie (Barbara Whiting), and the eldest child, Katy (guess who?) -- leaves the house one by one as they sing "I Got Out of Bed on the Right Side" and march to their swimming hole for their daily exercise routine. When it comes time to jump in the water, though, Katy only dips her toe in and turns her attention to the book she brought, which is such a fun bait-and-switch. Esther Williams is going to read about farming instead of swim?! Finally, Pop tells Katy to do her laps before breakfast. She begrudgingly obliges, and in she goes, baseball cap and all, doing a simple but wonderful underwater swim -- until she suddenly hears some advertisement jingle that breaks her out of her peaceful rou
Continue »

Bob, Bing, and Dottie take the... Road to Rio (1947)

Image
  With the exception of 1962's Road to Hong Kong , the "Road" movies starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour are some of the funniest, weirdest comedies that ever came out of classic Hollywood. Brimming with inside jokes, delightful musical numbers, and plenty of decadent costumes and sets, the series always features Hope and Crosby as a pair of pals who find themselves in the worst situations as they travel to such places as Morocco, Bali, and Zanzibar. To be honest, not all of the films have aged well thanks to racist jokes and occasionally sexist attitudes, but one of the best entries, as I discovered this year, is Road to Rio . From the moment the opening credits started, this movie had me hook, line, and sinker. (I'm an absolute sucker for animated credits.) The plot follows musicians Hope and Crosby as they're forced to flee every gig because of one woman or another, finally winding up on a ship bound for Rio after they accidentally burn down the
Continue »

Bette and Errol

Image
"The most beautiful person we've ever had on the screen... He openly said he knew nothing about acting, and I admired his honesty because he was absolutely right." -- Bette Davis on Errol Flynn "Now Bette was a dynamic creature, the great big star of the lot, but not physically my type; dominating everybody around, and especially me, or trying to. This drove me off." -- Errol Flynn The relationship between Flynn and Davis was not an easy one. In the late 1930s, both stars saw their popularity rising to astronomical heights. After setting the screen on fire in 1935 with Captain Blood , Flynn became a swashbuckling icon with The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dodge City , and The Dawn Patrol to name a few. Similarly, at this time, Davis gave some of her own career-defining performances in Jezebel and Dark Victory . During this period, Davis and Flynn made two films together: 1938's The Sisters and 1939's The Private Liv
Continue »

The Fifth Annual Doris Day Blogathon is here!

Image
  Who else is excited to celebrate Doris Day for three whole days?! After TCM's recent Star of the Month tribute to this illustrious triple threat, I can't think of a more fitting way to kick off April and celebrate Doris's 99th birthday. Participants, please leave me a comment below once you are ready to submit your entry. I'll try to post them as soon as I can! And if you're running a bit late, no worries -- I'll still accept it! Realweegiemidget Reviews |  Move Over, Darling  (1963) Filmland Follies |  Romance on the High Seas  (1948) Love Letters to Old Hollywood |  Lullaby of Broadway  (1951) Here's Booking at You, Kid |  April in Paris  (1952) Taking Up Room |  Calamity Jane  (1953) Cinema Cities |  Day and Rock Hudson Movies Meet Their Match |  Day's appearances on  What's My Line? Box Office Poisons |  The Glass Bottom Boat  (1966) Box Office Poisons |  Day's title tracks Whimsically Classic |  On Moonlight Bay  (1951) and  By the Light o
Continue »