Love Letters to Old Hollywood

Let me start by saying this isn't what I had planned to write to celebrate my darling Van Johnson's 106th birthday. I was going to talk about one of Van's more underrated rom-coms, Mother is a Freshman , but due to unforeseen tech issues, I can't currently take screenshots on my laptop and -- as you may know -- screenshots are kind of my thing, so trying to discuss a film whose color photography is 40% why I enjoy it without any photos seemed silly. So! With not many options at hand, I've decided to do a pictorial-esque piece using fan magazine snippets I've found over the past few years. I love going through these magazines; they're such a departure from what we have today, with a weird mix of studio-created fluff, delightful photographs that are both candid and posed, and the occasional bit of real, exasperated candor from your favorite actors. These materials tell you so much about how the Golden Age movie stars were constructed and perceived, often worki

  It's one of my favorite times of the year: my annual Van Johnson blogathon! For the next three days, a wonderful group of bloggers will be joining me to honor this delightful man and his 106th birthday. If you're a participant, please leave me the link to your post below and I'll update the roster as quickly as I can! Make Mine Noir |  Scene of the Crime  (1949) Taking Up Room |  Killer Crocodile  (1989) Critica Retro |  Three Guys Named Mike  (1953) Love Letters to Old Hollywood |  Van's appearances in fan magazines Whimsically Classic |  Van's friendship with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz 18 Cinema Lane |  In the Good Old Summertime  (1949)