Continued from part one John Wayne made one of his special dreams come true in 1952: he founded his own independent production company, Batjac Productions. …
John Wayne: The Duke (1.)
There is only one actor who is associated with the Western like no other: John Wayne. Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison in 1907 in Iowa. In his younger years, he was always accompanied by his dog, an Airedale Terrier named Duke…
Steve McQueen: King of Action
On June 25, 1951, a man named Steve McQueen took the Subway to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, a well-known acting school: shortly before, …
Sophia Loren: Goodness Gracious Me
There is even a pizza carrying her name: Sophia Loren is one of the most famous screen legends of the last century. She starred alongside …
The James Stewart Story (2.)
When James Stewart returned to Hollywood after World War II, he faced his golden decade: Stewart returned as an independent actor, with no ties to any studio: a rarity in those days. Stewart’s first film in his new independence was It’s a Wonderful Life (1946): the film revived the partnership between Stewart and director Frank Capra.
The James Stewart Story (1.)
The year 1954 was a big year for James Stewart: He starred in no less than two films that have shaped the image of the …
Fred Astaire: Master of the dance
It all started in Omaha, Nebraska: Fred Astaire, whose real name was Frederick Austerlitz, was born there in 1899. His mother was the daughter of …
Cary Grant: The gentleman from Hollywood
It was on December 7, 1931, that the name Cary Grant saw the light of day: at the age of 27, Grant, who was born …
Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief
The summer of 1954 is a unique event in the life of actress and later Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly: from the end of May …
Katharine Hepburn: Kate the Great
It was at the end of the thirties when Katharine Hepburn was put on the list of actors considered “box office poison”: Back in 1937, …