Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...Leonard Maltin called my attention to a new book from University Press of Mississippi: INSIDE THE HOLLYWOOD FAN MAGAZINE by historian Anthony Slide. (Be sure to check out the wonderful photo of Marsha Hunt at Leonard's site!)

...My dad came across this lovely story about the legacy of the late knuckleball pitcher Joe Niekro. I heard Niekro pitch countless games against the Dodgers. A bit more on the Niekros can be found in this post from last summer.

...Riding the High Country took a break from Westerns and reviewed THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1945). That's a film I'm looking forward to catching up with.

...Suzidoll analyzed Anthony Mann's DEVIL'S DOORWAY (1950), starring Robert Taylor, at the TCM Movie Morlocks blog.

...Angela Lansbury was just nominated for the Tony Award for the Broadway revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. If she wins, she'll set the record for Tony wins; she's currently tied in the lead with Julie Harris... Catherine Zeta-Jones also received a nomination for her role in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.

...Bob Campbell of Matinee at the Bijou wrote an interesting biographical sketch of actor Richard Ney which was posted at MovieFanFare. Ney may be best known as the actor who played the son in MRS. MINIVER (1942) and later married his film "mother," Greer Garson. While reading further about Ney, I was intrigued to learn he was the father of an Aerosmith guitarist, Rick Dufay, and the grandfather of Minka Kelly of the TV series FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.

...Leo Grin has written a very interesting multi-part series on D.W. Griffith and Lillian Gish at Big Hollywood: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. It looks like there will be another chapter coming on Lillian Gish.

...Glenn Erickson has reviewed CENTRAL AIRPORT (1933), a William Wellman film released by the Warner Archive. John Wayne has a small role. Erickson says the picture and sound are "nearly perfect."

...Disneyland is testing a talking Mickey Mouse character to interact with guests. Call me a traditionalist, but I don't care for the idea...

...Al Lutz of MiceAge has all the latest on the countdown to next month's World of Color debut at Disney's California Adventure.

...The Pioneer Woman is visiting Epcot while on her latest book tour -- she'll be in Orlando Wednesday -- she's such a wonderful photographer I hope she posts pictures!

...Mick LaSalle, author of the Pre-Code history COMPLICATED WOMEN, reviewed THEIR OWN DESIRE (1929), one of my favorite films of that era. It stars Robert Montgomery and Norma Shearer.

...A classic children's lit note: The childhood houses of the real "Betsy" and "Tacy" from Maud Hart Lovelace's series have been named literary landmarks.

Have a great week, and Happy Mother's Day!