I’ve seen more classic boxing movies than matches in my lifetime. Golden Boy, The Set-Up, Champion, The Harder They Fall, Rocky, Raging Bull. The truth is, if I cared any less about men pummeling each other for money, it would be an effort. My limited interest is in the back stories of the big-screen boxers. Why do they fight? What compromises are they willing to make? In 1947, the New York Times spotlit the downside of the genre: “After all the assorted prizefight pictures

Show biz has its share of “official” teams: Laurel & Hardy. Martin & Lewis. Sonny & Cher. Then there’s Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn. From 1942 until Tracy’s death in 1967, they were an “unofficial” team in nine movies, and a devoted couple after hours. Maybe that’s why so many fans adore T&H’s joint projects the most, thanks to their conspicuous chemistry on screen and their legendary love story off it, which began with Woman of the Year . You’ve probably heard the “Oh s

Want to see a classic film historian geek out? Get her on the phone with the Oscar-nominated star of one of the greatest movies ever made. The fan is me. The star is Nancy Olson. The film is Sunset Blvd. We talked for an hour, and Olson patiently answered every question I posed, including the most crucial one: “Was William Holden a good kisser?” (Short answer: Hell yeah!) . I play clips from our conversation whenever I host the movie. She’s the most down-to-earth performer I’

Rhett and Scarlett in Gone With the Wind . Nick and Nora in The Thin Man . Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca . They’re just three of cinema’s most renowned couples. And then there’s Fay Wray. She was part of two legendary duos, on screen and off. In 1933, Fay became the original “Scream Queen,” thanks to RKO’s monster hit King Kong. The film’s producer wasn’t kidding when he promised Fay, “You’re going to have the tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood.” With that role, Fay sec

Whenever I host classic films, I wade deeply into the weeds of each picture. (What can I say? Card-carrying nerd, reporting for duty.) In 2019, while researching my introduction to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , I stumbled across James Stewart’s last words and they got me all verklemmt ... Jimmy was married for 44 years to his one and only wife Gloria – a woman with movie star looks, but without movie star ambitions, which was fine by her husband. After landing in Hollywood i