Love Letters to Old Hollywood

It's time to announce the return of one of my favorite events: my Van Johnson blogathon! MGM's Golden Boy, America's Sweetheart, and the bobbysoxers' dream man, Van is one of classic Hollywood's most underrated talents, which makes me all too glad to host this annual 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! Also, a topic can only be taken a maximum of two (2) times. I would love for this to be a diverse celebration of Van because he more than deserves it. To join, please leave me a comment, select a banner below, and I'll see you in August! List of Participants Love Letters to Old Hollywood | Van's appearances in fan magazines Whimsically Classic | Van's friendship with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz The Stop Button | Battleground (1950) Make Mine Noir | Scene of the Crime (1949) 18 Cinema Lane |  In the Good Old Summert

  For the third year in a row, I'm very excited to bring back my Esther Williams blogathon! I never imagined this event would be popular enough to be an annual thing, but it has made me beyond happy to read others' thoughts on the woman I could never imagine living without these past few years. 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 bit more limited than my usual blogathons, there will be a max limit of three (3) po

She was a torch singer, a comedienne, a gay icon, a hoofer, a mother, an actress, a pillar of the movie musical, and one of history’s most illustrious entertainers all wrapped in one magical package. She was Judy Garland and today would’ve been her 100th birthday. For almost the entirety of those 100 years, Judy has been sweeping people off of their feet with her genius. A Judy Garland performance is an experience , an emotional awakening that overwhelms you with its sheer humanity and honesty. Abused by a system that claimed to love her, she struggled to find stability and happiness, and still she gave us everything and protected nothing. Instead of shielding even one small part of herself, one piece that was hers and hers alone, Judy laid it all bare on and off the screen: her anguish, her addictions, her loneliness, her bliss, her self-doubt. Witnessing her pain is excruciating, but it is also what makes us feel so close to her. We recognize her wounds and she recognizes ours. With