Tag Archives: Judy Garland

“Cock your hat – angles are attitudes.” Happy Birthday, Frank Sinatra

“Frank [Sinatra] is a singer who comes along once in a lifetime, but why did he have to come along in my lifetime?” — Bing Crosby (This quote may be apocryphal. But I like it.) 1. For about 8 years, … Continue reading

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“If you have to be in a soap opera try not to get the worst role.” — Judy Garland

It’s the great, the irreplaceable, Judy Garland’s birthday. The screengrab above is from John Cassavetes’ 1963 film A Child is Waiting. This film is not really well-known, except among Cassavetes/Garland completists – but some serious Cassavetes fans don’t know about … Continue reading

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2023 Books Read

I think I might have read more books by non-American authors than American this year. Countries represented below: Austria, Hungary, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Croatia, Ireland, France, Russia, Colombia. I revisited some old favorites, which I will continue to do in … Continue reading

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Bing and Billie and Frank and Ella and Judy and Barbra: an interview with author Dan Callahan

I’ve interviewed Dan about almost every one of his books! It’s almost a ritual now. His latest is, so far, his most ambitious: a book about, of course, Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, and Barbra … Continue reading

Posted in Actors, Books, Movies, Music, Theatre | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

For International Women’s Day: Ladies I Love

These women inspire, entertain, challenge, comfort, provoke, or were “there” in my formative years as an inspiration. The list is huge. Below the jump.

Posted in Actors, Art/Photography, Directors, Personal, writers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 96 Comments

#OTD November 22, 1963: The Truth Is Marching On

With no introduction, Judy Garland paid tribute to the fallen President on her TV show. A performance like this is a reminder of why we need artists.

Posted in Music, On This Day, RIP, Television | Tagged | 10 Comments

Things done and seen in Chicago

I haven’t flown in three years, maybe more. There’s still a lot of stress in going out into the world and mingling with the populace. Plane tickets are insanely expensive right now too. But I was determined to take a … Continue reading

Posted in Movies, Music, Personal, Television, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

June 2022 Viewing Diary

Watcher (2022; d. Chloe Okuno) I was super impressed – and totally freaked out – by this thriller, psychological and otherwise. The mood is HEAVY with omnipresent DREAD. I reviewed for Ebert. Russian Doll (Season 1 and 2, 2019-2022) I’m … Continue reading

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January 2020 Viewing Diary

Hell Is for Heroes (1962; d. Don Siegel) A spare lean and mean war movie – pretty standard, actually – except Steve McQueen is actually presenting a character study here, a character he probably knows something about. He is eerie … Continue reading

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Autumnal iPod Shuffle

“Family Tradition” – Hank Williams, Jr. Bitter! It’s such a great “fuck you” to Nashville country-music prudes and a great wielding of his autobiography as a weapon: “If I get stoned and sing all night long, it’s a family tradition.” … Continue reading

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