History of Sorts

Hollywood

  • Joice Heth- The story you didn’t see in “The Greatest Showman”

    In this ‘woke’ era it surprises me that the musical “The Greatest Showman” didn’t get cancelled. Even more amazingly it was a huge success, even though it probably was one of the biggest history revisions ever to hit the cinema and later on TV and streaming services. Joice Heth was one of the ‘performers’ of…

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  • Alternative World War II—In Cinema

    I am always intrigued by “What if ?” scenarios, like what if Columbus had taken another route to India? Or what if JFK had not been in Dallas that day? What intrigues me most of all is the question, “What if the Nazis would have won the war?” or alternatively “What if Hitler would have…

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  • Bond; Cary Bond- The 007 that never was.

    A bit of forgotten Movie history on the 122nd birthday of one of Hollywood’s greatest Cary Grant. Cary Grant’s near-casting as James Bond is one of the most revealing “what-ifs” in film history, because it shows how the Bond franchise defined itself by not choosing the most obvious star. By the late 1950s, Ian Fleming’s…

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  • Herbert Brenon-Forgotten Irish Oscar nominated Movie Director

    I pride myself to be a bit of a movie buff, but to my amazement I had never heard of this Oscar nominated and ‘Photo Play-Medal of Honor’ winner. Today marks his 140th birthday. He has been credited for directing at least 124 movies and shorts, which is an amazing feat by any measure. Herbert…

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  • Die Hard, Christmas movie? “Yippee-Ki-yay” or “Yippee-Ki-nay?”

    Die Hard, a Christmas movie? Yippee-Ki-yay or Yippee-Ki-nay? Every year around Christmas time there is the question “Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?” Personally, for me, it is not Christmas until I see Hans Gruber fall off the Nakatomi building. However, I appreciate that that will not get everyone in a festive mood. So, let…

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  • Chaplin’s Words Still Ring True—The Great Dictator Speech

    The Great Dictator (1940)The Final Speech by Charlie Chaplin I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business.I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone.I should like to help everyone if possible—Jew, Gentile—Black man—White. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that.We want to live by…

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  • The Statutory Rape Allegations Against Errol Flynn: Scandal and Legacy

    Errol Flynn, an iconic figure of Golden Age Hollywood, is remembered for his dashing roles in adventure films like Captain Blood and The Adventures of Robin Hood. However, his off-screen life became just as famous for scandal, particularly the statutory rape allegations leveled against him in 1942. These charges brought Flynn to trial in a…

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  • Constance Smith: Hollywood’s Forgotten Limerick Star

    Hollywood has a long history of rising stars who shine brilliantly… and then, almost as quickly, vanish. One of the most poignant examples is Constance Smith, the Limerick-born actress whose life was a blend of glamour, talent, defiance, and tragedy. Though she briefly captured the imagination of Hollywood in the 1950s, today her story is…

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  • Columbo: Murder by the Book – A Perfect Beginning

    On September 15, 1971, NBC aired the first official episode of Columbo: Murder by the Book. What could have been just another detective drama instead became a genre-defining moment. With Peter Falk stepping fully into the role of Lieutenant Columbo, a script by legendary writer Steven Bochco, and direction by a then-unknown Steven Spielberg, the…

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  • Bugs Bunny and A Wild Hare: A Classic Moment in Animation History

    Bugs Bunny, one of the most iconic and enduring characters in American animation, made his official debut on July 27, 1940 Warner Bros. cartoon A Wild Hare. Directed by Tex Avery and produced by Leon Schlesinger, A Wild Hare marked a significant turning point in cartoon history, not only introducing a fully formed version of…

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