Peckerwood Manor

While watching Lee Daniels' new movie, "The Deliverance," I was struck by the three lead actresses, Glenn Close, Andra Day and Demi Singleton, by how believable they were as a troubled, but close-knit, family. In one key scene, Close, the matriarch, tends to her adult daughter's hair, played by Day, and in turn, Day tends to her pre-teen daughter's hair, played by Singleton, while they all half-watch "Valley of the Dolls" on TV and chat about their day. It's a brief, near-throwaway scene, but it felt so real, so casually lived-in, that it almost seemed documentary-like - but much fuller, juicier, as much of this movie is before the horror kicks in.  This one haircare scene, I think, exemplifies why "The Deliverance" works so well, even with its minor missteps. The actresses, especially Close and Day, give masterful, but not showy, performances; they're relaxed in their characters' skin in a way few actors are. Likewise, Daniels'...

In 1978, The Love Boat was surfing the waves as the #1 show on ABC, just as Joan was still the #1 star in Hollywood, so it's easy to understand why she was cast as Julie McCoy's little sister in this episode.  However, poor Joan was unaccustomed to the hectic pace of episodic television, so she started hitting the vodka early and by 8am she was thoroughly plastered. When she met the young actress who played  Vicki Stubing she snarled at the producer "Who let this dwarf on the set? Is this a remake of 'The Wizard Of Oz?!'" However her morale improved when she met the actor who played Isaac. After giving him an appreciative up and down with her eyes (focusing on the bulge below his belt) she purred "So...Isaac, is it true what they say about...BARTENDERS?" Isaac's response: So yes, it was a rather fraught experience for everyone involved. In fact, at the end-of-filming party the slightly tipsy Miss Crawford started fiddling with Gavin MacLeod's...

She was born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke, daughter of Otto Ludwig Wilhelm Langhanke (sounds like she was as German-American, as I am) in 1906. Her childhood was not happy; her parents figured out very early that she could be a money-maker for them, so they pushed her into acting and basically kept her prisoner while she was funding their lavish lifestyle. Yet all she ever wanted was to be was a classical pianist. She practiced daily and she was very talented. In 1926 she was named one of the WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) baby stars. She was in good company. Among her fellow awardees were Fay Wray (Mrs. King Kong), Dolores Del Rio, Janet Gaynor and some little nobody named Lucille LeSueur, who'd just been given a new name by MGM, Joan Crawford. Mary was professional and popular with filmgoers, well on her way to a very successful career.  Young Mary Astor (via Getty Images) In fact, when she was earning $2,500 a week, her parents graciously gave her an...

Are stars "just like us?" Are actors their roles? And are they consistently playing out their own psycho-dramas on screen and in public? In the case of Charlize Theron, it's a fair question to ask. Or put it this way: throughout the years, there may be a reason we haven't seen her playing any of those cute, funny-bunny leading lady roles like Jennifer Lopez or Cameron Diaz (not that there's anything wrong with that), with the exception of a few "pretty girl" roles early in her career in forgettable movies like "Trial and Error" and "Sweet November."  First coming to critical notice in "Monster," in which she obliterated her "pretty girl" looks with weight gain and no make-up in order to portray true-life serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar, Charlize has become Hollywood's go-to actress for kicking ass - particularly male ass - either literally, or, in the case of "Bombshel...

The dachshund is a dog breed of hound and terrier ancestry developed in Germany and was initially bred to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals. It is believed that the smooth dachshund gave rise to both the long-haired and the wire-haired varieties. The breed was required to go to the ground and flush out prey, and those cute little legs were bred to be effective when they did their job. It is hard to imagine those little pups as hunters, but they are, as their owners know they also use this instinct to steal socks and other items they can carry.  Nico from Velvet Underground The dachshund is described as clever, lively, and courageous to the point of rashness. Dachshunds consistently rank among the 10 most popular dog breeds, and their playfulness, adaptability, and moderate energy levels make them excellent family dogs. They are good with children as long as they know how to handle them and often get along well with other dogs as long as the other...

Movie Night at the Manor is always such a delight. Our devoted cinephiles and curators scour the world for the rarest movie treats with our favorite stars, including beloved movie queen, Joan Crawford.  Did you know? Joan starred in a legendary movie musical in 1939, but it had to be scrapped at the last moment, as test screenings proved much too frightening for young moppets (and many adults, too). Happily, we managed to find a print.