Liz Smith discusses Ann Blyth book in her column today

Just a quick note to direct you to New York Social Diary, where nationally famous entertainment columnist Liz Smith discusses Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star.   She includes some neat photos.

Bathtub scene - Katie Did It - 1951

A single scene in a movie can stand as a metaphor, or in some way, encapsulate the story.  In Katie Did It (1951), a light and pleasant comedy, one charming scene serves both as a metaphor for the story, and also a teasing reference to the real-life reputation of the actress playing her.  It is, however, the audience, more than the actress, who is being teased.

This is our contribution to the “…And Scene!” blogathon hosted by your friend and mine, Janet Sullivan over at her Sister Celluloid bog.

Katie Did It, for those of you who’ve valiantly or just stubbornly followed my blog for the past year, is a movie starring Ann Blyth, and was the one single movie in my year-long attempt to review all her films that I could not obtain—until the final moment when a friend discovered a copy online and sent it to me.  I was actually finishing the manuscript on my book on Ann Blyth’s career when this movie came to me.  

When I quickly shoe-horned that info into the book, I had naively thought myself done at last—until more material from other fans came through on some other aspects of her career, right up until press time.  It was both an exhilarating and nail-biting last few weeks before publication.

This scene from Katie Did It is a bathtub scene.  Hollywood loved bathtub scenes.  I imagine few ever thought Ann Blyth would film one.

Part of a starlet’s job in those days was posing for inevitable publicity photos, from those glossy, goddess-like images airbrushed to unearthly perfection and lit so as to create a perfect fantasy woman on the couch in photographer Ray Jones’ studio on the lot at Universal, to more whimsical poses with skyrockets, bunnies, beach balls, and various holiday-themed props.  Depending on the prop and the pose, the photo could depict a girl-next-door quality, or something bizarrely sexual.  Surprisingly, one can do a lot in the bizarrely sexual arena with a bunny or a beach ball. Not so surprisingly with a skyrocket.

Though Ann Blyth was known for being very cooperative with her studio and soldiered through her publicity chores like a dedicated professional, she refused, as photographer Ray Jones complained, to ever do cheesecake photos.

In Katie Did It, Ann gamely mocks her own reputation. She plays a prim New England librarian who encounters a visiting commercial artist from New York, whose stock in trade is painting scantily clad ladies for girly calendars, and the occasional billboard cutie using sex to sell the product.  Ann, needing money, consents to pose for him.

I discuss the plot in detail in my book, so I won’t go into it here, except to zero in on the bathtub scene.

She goes to the New York apartment of the artist, played by Mark Stevens.  He works at home, currently sketching a female model lounging in a large tub of water with a few lily pads scattered in strategic places.  He is perched on a platform above her, looking down into the tub.  He’s got a great view.  He got the idea to pose his model this way when, earlier in the film, he had discovered Ann, her clothes piled on a rock, swimming in a stream on a hot day.  He is an artist who takes his inspiration where he finds it.  This painting is for a billboard, intending to sell soap to a titillated public.

Ann is already embarrassed upon entering, as her plan to sell a song she wrote failed miserably.  Humiliated by that, and by having to go to Mark Stevens to pay her for taking her clothes off, has made this one lousy day.

She can barely negotiate with him, her embarrassment is so acute, and so comic. 

She asks, in a thin, wavering voice “How much…?”

“One hundred dollars a day.”

“Oh, no, I don’t mean about the money.  I meant…” uncomfortably, she waves her gloved hand vaguely around her neckline.

“You’ll be up to your neck in lily pads.”  He sends her to a dressing room to change into a swimsuit, which was more than she was wearing when he spied on her in the stream. 

To the credit of the writers, what makes this movie atypical of the breaking-down-the-prude plot is that Stevens’ character is bemused, understanding, and kindly.  Nor is Ann a prude, as we see in other scenes.  Her character’s motto, indeed, the creed of her small community, is modesty, so when she comes back into Stevens’ living room wearing a bathrobe so big she appears to have no hands, we see she is out of her element.  Stevens has to coax her into the tub like a mother with a shy child.

When she finally slinks out of the robe and slips noiselessly into the tub, while he decorously turns his back, she slides so low under the water that he must now coax her to sit high enough above the water so that he might sketch at least a suggestion of her cleavage.  Miserably, she obeys.  Then he tells her to smile.

“I can’t.”  Her wretchedness is hysterical.

He snaps at her to smile, and she instantly beams a beautiful, 1,000-watt, if insincere, grin.

Then the scene dissolves into a wordless montage, where we see the next day she is more comfortable, and as the days pass, she strides across his living room in her bathing suit like a pro, sliding into the water with athletic grace and posing like the most sexy water nymph to ever play hymns on the organ in a New England church.  They go to lunch together and eat hotdogs bought from a vendor on the street.  She gets mustard on her hand, and he wipes her messy hand with his handkerchief like a big brother.  We know he knows he must be careful in his wooing of this young woman, and we marvel at his canny tact.  His infatuation is a given; she is the one on the fence.

Finally, the painting is completed, and she, still lounging in the tub, marvels at it, “It’s lovely!  I mean, your work of course.”  She has come so far as to be able to see the picture objectively as a work of art, something apart from herself.

In real life, the only time Ann Blyth ever did a cheesecake pose was for the posters to advertise this movie.  One imagines, despite whatever discomfort she might have felt, having declared she would not do cheesecake, that here was a young actress with a sense of humor, not only about herself, but about that most baffling thing in an actor’s career—the audience. 

She once commented, “A good part is just that: a good part.  It has nothing to do with who you really are or how you live your life.”  Like the prim New England librarian, she knew the picture looked like her, but wasn’t really her.

The teasing jest may be at the expense of the modest librarian, and the modest actress playing her, but the joke is ultimately on the audience.

Please visit Sister Celluloid for more great blog posts in this fun marathon.

*********************

Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. 

The eBook and paperback are available from Amazon and CreateSpace, which is the printer.  You can also order it from my Etsy shop.

If you wish a signed copy, then email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.

LIVE Q & A today and tomorrow at Silver Screen Oasis

I'm a guest today, and tomorrow at the Silver Screen Oasis, a terrific site where classic film fans discuss their favorite topics.

Join us for a live chat session on ANN BLYTH: ACTRESS. SINGER. STAR.

LAUNCH DAY!!! - KATIE DID IT - DVD -- ANN BLYTH: ACTRESS. SINGER. STAR. -- LAUNCH DAY

 Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. 

The eBook is live on Amazon here. 

The paperback is available from Amazon and CreateSpace, which is the printer.  You can also order it from my Etsy shop.

If you wish a signed copy, then email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


ANNOUNCEMENT: Friday and Saturday - the 19th and 20th - I'll be taking questions and chatting with the folks on the Silver Screen Oasis message boards.  Please stop by and join the discussion on Ann Blyth. Thanks so much to Moira Finnie for the invitation.

You can read (or listen to) interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these sites:

Hometowns to Hollywood
Laura's Miscellaneous Musings
Twenty Four Frames
Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for this last daily raffle, please send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Our final prize is a home-made DVD of a film so rare it took me a year and a half to find it. Katie Did It (1951), a sweet and gentle comedy in which Ann plays a New England librarian who saves the day by stripping down to pose for a commercial artist. I discuss it in detail in my book, but that's all I'll say here.  

If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the Katie DVD."

If you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.  Congratulations to all the winners in this 18-day raffle marathon.  Your prizes will be mailed out next week.

That's it.  Please consider buying the book, or asking your library to carry it.  Or your local bookstore, if you've still got one.  It's the best book on Ann Blyth that's ever been written.

I'll see you next Thursday.

A reminder to those of you in the general area - I'll be giving a talk on the Civil War era from two of my books at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, Mass., on Saturday the 20th, and I'll be doing a book signing at the Agawam Public Library, Agawam, Mass. on Monday the 22nd.

Available from Amazon.com, CreateSpace, my Etsy shop, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

1 DAY TO GO!!! - ANN BLYTH on the JUNE ALLYSON SHOW - DVD

Tomorrow is the official launch date of my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. 

Well, sort of.


The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 


BUT, the paperback is actually available now from Amazon and CreateSpace, which is the printer.  I initiated the "for sale" option on CreateSpace, hoping that by the 18th, it would sync-up with the eBook on Amazon, so both would appear on the same page, and this usually takes up to five business days to show up. Unpredictably, they did it immediately.  Of course, if you order the print book from Amazon or CreateSpace, it still won't arrive for a few days, but you can buy it now if you want.  You can also order it from my Etsy shop.

If you wish a signed copy, then email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Today and tomorrow I'll continue to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films, just picking the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

ANNOUNCEMENT: This coming Friday and Saturday - the 19th and 20th - I'll be taking questions and chatting with the folks on the Silver Screen Oasis message boards.  Please stop by and join the discussion on Ann Blyth. Thanks so much to Moira Finnie for the invitation.

You can read (or listen to) interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these sites:

Hometowns to Hollywood
Laura's Miscellaneous Musings
Twenty Four Frames
Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is a home-made DVD of a home-made DVD of unknown origins (other than a friend found it for me online) of a rare episode from TV's golden age - The June Allyson Show (Also known as the DuPont Show with June Allyson), in which Ann stars with Gerald Mohr in "Suspected."  Ann is charged with murder. I discuss it in detail in my book, but that's all I'm giving away here, except that the episode is under a half-hour in time length.  It was originally broadcast December 28, 1959.

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the TV show DVD."

If you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow, for the last time, with more stuff.

Available from Amazon.com, CreateSpace, my Etsy shop, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH - 2 DAYS TO GO - SWELL GUY lobby card

Two days to go until my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. is published on Thursday, June 18th.

Well, sort of.


The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 


BUT, the paperback is actually available now from Amazon and CreateSpace, which is the printer.  I initiated the "for sale" option on CreateSpace, hoping that by the 18th, it would sync-up with the eBook on Amazon, so both would appear on the same page, and this usually takes up to five business days to show up. Unpredictably, they did it immediately.  Of course, if you order the print book from Amazon or CreateSpace, it still won't arrive for a few days, but you can buy it now if you want.  You can also order it from my Etsy shop.

If you wish a signed copy, then email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Every day until the 18th, I'm going to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films.  So stop by frequently and see what's happening.  I'll let you know day by day what the prize is, and I'll just pick the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

Special thanks to Annette at Hometowns to Hollywood for her review of the book today posted here.

You can read (or listen to) interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these sites:

Hometowns to Hollywood
Laura's Miscellaneous Musings
Twenty Four Frames
Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is an original lobby card for SWELL GUY (1946), which we discussed here.  It measures 11 x 14, and, if you happen to be a doctor, this would look great on the wall of your exam room where you have those stupid boring diplomas, or that ghastly illustration of how one's lungs look after fifty years of smoking.

And garage mechanics?  Please.  Throw out those girly calendars, or the posters with the muscle cars. This is what you need to enthrall your customers and get their repeat business.

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the lobby card."

Until June 18th, if you want to enter this daily contest more than once, even if you've already won a prize, go ahead.  I don't care.  I'm going to wait until the end of it to send out these items to the winners, in case some of you do win more than once, and it'll save me several trips to the post office if I do it one time at the end. 

Also, if you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow with more stuff.

Available from Amazon.com, CreateSpace, my Etsy shop, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH - 3 DAYS TO GO - THE HELEN MORGAN STORY photos

THREE days to go until my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. is published on Thursday, June 18th.

Well, sort of.


The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 


BUT, the paperback is actually available now from Amazon and CreateSpace, which is the printer.  I initiated the "for sale" option on CreateSpace, hoping that by the 18th, it would sync-up with the eBook on Amazon, so both would appear on the same page, and this usually takes up to five business days to show up.  Unpredictably, they did it immediately.  Of course, if you order the print book from Amazon or CreateSpace, it still won't arrive for a few days, but you can buy it now if you want.  You can also order it from my Etsy shop.

If you wish a signed copy, then email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Every day until the 18th, I'm going to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films.  So stop by frequently and see what's happening.  I'll let you know day by day what the prize is, and I'll just pick the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

Special thanks to Laura at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings for reviewing the book yesterday on her excellent blog here.

You can read (or listen to) interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these sites:

Laura's Miscellaneous Musings
Twenty Four Frames
Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is a set of three photos.  Two are black and white stills from scenes from The Helen Morgan Story (1957), which we discussed here, and one is a color postcard. The movie stills are 8 x 10 glossies, originals (I think, but I'm not sure), and the postcard is original, with a slight flaws at top and bottom of the image.

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the Helen Morgan photos."

Until June 18th, if you want to enter this daily contest more than once, even if you've already won a prize, go ahead.  I don't care.  I'm going to wait until the end of it to send out these items to the winners, in case some of you do win more than once, and it'll save me several trips to the post office if I do it one time at the end. 

Also, if you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow with more stuff.

Available from Amazon.com, CreateSpace, my Etsy shop, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH - 4 DAYS TO GO - ANN BLYTH ON OLD TIME RADIO

FOUR days to go until my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. is published on Thursday, June 18th.

Well, sort of.


The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 


BUT, the paperback is actually available now from Amazon and CreateSpace, which is the printer.  I initiated the "for sale" option on CreateSpace, hoping that by the 18th, it would sync-up with the eBook on Amazon, so both would appear on the same page, and this usually takes up to five business days to show up.  Unpredictably, they did it immediately.  Of course, if you order the print book from Amazon or CreateSpace, it still won't arrive for a few days, but you can buy it now if you want.

If you wish a signed copy, then email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Every day until the 18th, I'm going to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films.  So stop by frequently and see what's happening.  I'll let you know day by day what the prize is, and I'll just pick the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

You can read (or listen to) interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these sites:

Twenty Four Frames
Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is another old time radio CD.  This episode is the hour-long Studio One presentation of "The Angelic Avengers" from 1948, which we discussed in this previous post.  Also, a bonus track with Ann singing "My Foolish Heart" at the 1949 Academy Awards in March 1950.

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the CD."

Until June 18th, if you want to enter this daily contest more than once, even if you've already won a prize, go ahead.  I don't care.  I'm going to wait until the end of it to send out these items to the winners, in case some of you do win more than once, and it'll save me several trips to the post office if I do it one time at the end. 

Also, if you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow with more stuff.

Coming June 18th - Amazon.com, CreateSpace, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH - 5 DAYS TO GO - MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 1957

FIVE days to go until my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. is published on Thursday, June 18th.

The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 

The paperback will be available on 18th from Amazon, CreateSpace, and directly from me.  If you'd like a signed copy, just email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Every day until the 18th, I'm going to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films.  So stop by frequently and see what's happening.  I'll let you know day by day what the prize is, and I'll just pick the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

You can read (or listen to) interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these sites:

Twenty Four Frames
Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is an issue of Motion Picture magazine from February 1957.  Ann Blyth has a two-page article on the effects of slander in the film industry as a tie-in with her film Slander (1957).  There are also articles on Jack Lemmon, Tony Perkins, Vera Miles, Janet Leigh, lots of other bits about other stars of the day, photos, a fun bit of memorabilia for the collector or classic film blogger.

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the magazine."

Until June 18th, if you want to enter this daily contest more than once, even if you've already won a prize, go ahead.  I don't care.  I'm going to wait until the end of it to send out these items to the winners, in case some of you do win more than once, and it'll save me several trips to the post office if I do it one time at the end. 

Also, if you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow with more stuff.

Coming June 18th - Amazon.com, CreateSpace, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH - 6 DAYS TO GO - SWELL GUY 1946 DVD

Welcome to the countdown to launch, 6 days to go, when my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. is published next Thursday, June 18th.

The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 

The paperback will be available on 18th from Amazon, CreateSpace, and directly from me.  If you'd like a signed copy, just email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Every day until the 18th, I'm going to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films.  So stop by frequently and see what's happening.  I'll let you know day by day what the prize is, and I'll just pick the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

My thanks to John Greco for his interview with me at his swell blog, Twenty Four Frames.


You can read (or listen to) interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these sites:

Twenty Four Frames
Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is a genuine home-made DVD of a not-the-greatest-quality-but-the-best-I-could-get of the rarely-seen film, Swell Guy (1946), a sinister post-war drama which we discussed here, and Ann's first movie after Mildred Pierce.

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the DVD."

Until June 18th, if you want to enter this daily contest more than once, even if you've already won a prize, go ahead.  I don't care.  I'm going to wait until the end of it to send out these items to the winners, in case some of you do win more than once, and it'll save me several trips to the post office if I do it one time at the end. 

Also, if you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow with more stuff.

Coming June 18th - Amazon.com, CreateSpace, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH - 7 DAYS TO GO - ROSE MARIE lobby card

Welcome to the countdown to launch, 7 days to go, when my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. is published next Thursday, June 18th.

The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 

The paperback will be available on 18th from Amazon, CreateSpace, and directly from me.  If you'd like a signed copy, just email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Every day until the 18th, I'm going to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films.  So stop by frequently and see what's happening.  I'll let you know day by day what the prize is, and I'll just pick the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

My thanks to Jim Junot for his audio interview of me now posted here on YouTube:


Also to Amanda at Old Hollywood Films for her review of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star.

You can read interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these blogs:

Old Hollywood Films
The Junot Files (YouTube)
Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is an original lobby card for ROSE MARIE (1954) which we discussed in this previous post. It measures 11 x 14, and I know you fellas out there are exclaiming, "Golly!  That would look swell in my man cave!"  

It's not for me to judge. 

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the ROSE MARIE lobby card."

Until June 18th, if you want to enter this daily contest more than once, even if you've already won a prize, go ahead.  I don't care.  I'm going to wait until the end of it to send out these items to the winners, in case some of you do win more than once, and it'll save me several trips to the post office if I do it one time at the end. 

Also, if you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow with more stuff.

Coming June 18th - Amazon.com, CreateSpace, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.

COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH - 8 DAYS TO GO - ANN BLYTH In PHOTOPLAY magazine

Welcome to the countdown to launch, 8 days to go, when my book, Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. is published on Thursday, June 18th.

The eBook is now up for pre-order on Amazon here. 

The paperback will be available on 18th from Amazon, CreateSpace, and directly from me.  If you'd like a signed copy, just email me at JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and I'll get back to you with the details.


Every day until the 18th, I'm going to give away a small piece of memorabilia I've gathered on this journey: photos, magazines, an audio CD of old time radio, a DVD of a film, of a television appearance, a few original lobby cards from Ann's films.  So stop by frequently and see what's happening.  I'll let you know day by day what the prize is, and I'll just pick the winners from a hat. 

Since a number of bloggers have kindly offered to review the book, I'll link to their blogs throughout the month, before and after the 18th, whenever they decide to post.  Other bloggers will be posting their interviews with me.  If you care to get involved, please send me an email at: JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com.

You can read interviews with me and reviews of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. at these blogs:

Java's Journey
Wide Screen World
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Silver Screenings

If you want put to your name in for the daily raffle of stuff, please, also, send me an email.  Don't just leave a comment in the comments box because I need some way to contact you if you've won.  Your email will never be published, I will NOT be putting it on my newsletter list, it will not be used for anything except contacting you tell you if you've won, and to ask where to send the stuff. 

Today's prize is an issue of Photoplay magazine from January 1956.  Ann is on the cover, and she is the focus of a feature story titled, "Her Guardian Angel Kissed Her" by Maxine Arnold, a four-page article with photos on her life story and her current adjustment to motherhood, with some interesting tidbits on her career.

This magazine also has articles on Dean Martin, Rock Hudson, Richard Egan, Robert Mitchum, Betty Garrett, Joan Collins, Jeanne Crain, a tribute to the late James Dean, and some quotes by stars, including Joan Crawford's observations on no-talent younger actors.  Chock full of photos, ads, this magazine is a fun time machine for classic film bloggers and fans alike.

So, that's what's on the block for today.  If this suits your fancy, send me an email to JacquelineTLynch@gmail.com and just say something like "Give me the magazine."

Until June 18th, if you want to enter this daily contest more than once, even if you've already won a prize, go ahead.  I don't care.  I'm going to wait until the end of it to send out these items to the winners, in case some of you do win more than once, and it'll save me several trips to the post office if I do it one time at the end. 

Also, if you happen live outside of the United States, that's okay.  I will mail to our friends and neighbors around the globe.

That's it for today.  I'll see you tomorrow with more stuff.

Coming June 18th - Amazon.com, CreateSpace, and directly from the author: Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star., the first book written on the career of Ann Blyth.