The 5 Best Train Movies

Trains in films began with Edwin S. Porter's film, The Great Train Robbery (1903). A few years later, D.W Griffith's film, The Lonedale Operator (1911), was the first to have villains tie up heroine on the railroad tracks, to wait for the speeding oncoming train, then to be saved just in time from their doom. Thankfully, train movies have become more entertaining over the years.

The following titles show some of my favorite five train movies:

Twentieth Century (1934). Comedy. Directed by Howard Hawks. Cast: John Barrymore and Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns and Edgar Kennedy.

The story begins when, writer Oscar Jaffe meets lingerie model, Mildred Plotka and makes her the star of his latest play, despite how his two assistants, Oliver Webb and Owen O'Malley, feel about her talent. Oscar transforms her into the actress "Lily Garland", and both she and his play are a huge successes. Over the next three years, they have three more huge hits.

Feeling smothered, Lily tries to break off their relationship. Oscar talks her out of it, promising to give her more freedom. He secretly hires a private detective, McGonigle, to follow her. When she finds out, she leaves for Hollywood and becomes a great movie star on her own.

Without Lily, Oscar's plays are huge flops and he disguises himself to avoid creditors aboard the luxurious Twentieth Century Limited train, travelling from Chicago to New York City's Grand Central Station. By chance, Lily Garland also boards the same train at a later stop. Oscar sees a chance to get her to sign a contract with him. However, Lily is on her way to see Max Jacobs, to star in his play. Knowing that Lily maybe his last chance at success, he tells her that he wants her to play Mary Magdalene, in his new play. Oliver thinks he has found someone to finance Oscar's project, not realizing that his new partner Clark is a escapee from a mental hospital. When Oscar is wounded in a fight with Clark, he pretends to be dying...will he trick Lily into signing a contract?

A wonderful pairing of John Barrymore and Carole Lombard and a story which moves almost as fast as the train.

The Palm Beach Story (1942). Romantic comedy. Written and directed by Preston Sturges. Cast: Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallee. Victor Young contributed the musical score, along with a variation of the William Tell Overture for the opening scenes.

This is a very cute story about a wife Gerry, who decides to divorce her husband, Tom, and marry a rich man to get the money to finance Tom's invention. While on the train, Gerry meets one of the richest men in the world. When Tom goes to confront the man, Tom is introduced to his man-obsessed sister, who wants Tom to be husband number 6.

Colbert is perfect as Gerry. McCrea is wonderful playing her husband, but Vallee and Astor really steal the show as the eccentric millionaire and his sister. Also enjoyable to watch are the Ale and the Quail club and Dudley the old Wienie King.

The Train Robbers (1973). Western. Cast: John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor, and Ben Johnson. The movie was written and directed by Burt Kennedy. Mrs. Lowe wants the half million U.S. dollars in gold her late husband stole during a train robbery. Lane wants $50,000 reward, so he decides to help her, asking some old friends to help him. The men of the deceased husband of Mrs. Lowe also want the gold and will do anything to take the money from them.

Wayne and the rest of the weather worn cast perform well in this Western. Some of the scenes will remind you of a beautiful western painting.

The Train (1965). Cast: Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau. As the Allied Forces are fast approaching Paris, German Colonel Von Waldheim, is taking France's most famous paintings to Germany. He manages to find a train to transport the valuable art. The French resistance wants to stop them from stealing their national treasures, but have received orders from London that they are not to be destroyed. The station master, Labiche, is enlisted to help make it all happen, but he is also part of a small group of resistance fighters trying to keep the train from ever leaving Paris.

The big star of the film is the train, shown in amazing detail, to keep you in suspense.

Strangers on a Train (1951). A psychological thriller produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, who was an expert when it came to using trains in his movies. Cast: Farley Granger, Ruth Roman and Robert Walker, and features Leo G. Carroll, Patricia Hitchcock and Laura Elliott.

Bruno Antony, thinks he has come up with the perfect plot to kill his father when he meets tennis pro Guy Haines on a train. His plan is to have Guy kill his father and in trade he would kill Guy's wife Miriam, freeing him to marry Anne Morton. Guy does not think he is serious, but Bruno goes ahead with his half of the 'deal' and gets rid of Miriam. Guy can't believe it and Bruno makes it clear that he will plant evidence to implicate Guy in the murder if he doesn't kill Bruno's father. How will Guy deal with Bruno's madness?

Strangers on a Train, a dark wonderful comedy and is one my favorite Hitchcock's films.

" Oh Mac" it is...McMillan and Wife

When Rock Hudson's film career began to fade, he decided to star in the TV series McMillan and Wife, which may have been inspired by the Thin Man films. Hudson was a gifted comedian and the series gave him a opportunity to share his talent in ways he had not been able to do since his pairings with Doris Day in Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, and Send Me No Flowers.

In the TV series McMillan and Wife, Rock Hudson plays a San Francisco police commissioner, Stewart McMillan, with a much younger, flower power wife, Sally (Susan Saint James). The story lines sometimes had Mac and Sally attending glamorous parties and charity events while solving robberies or murders. John Schuck performed as the lovable character Sgt. Charles Enright and Nancy Walker was Mildred, the couple's sarcastic maid.

Fun Fact: The interior set of the McMillans' home in the pilot episode was Rock Hudson's real home. In the second episode, they moved and the exterior shots were done on Greenwich Street, in San Francisco. The address for the couple was once given in the show as 250 Carson Street. In later episodes, a different house was used as the exterior shot of the house. In the final season, McMillan moved into an apartment .

Video from the pilot episode: McMillan and Wife (TV series 1971–1977), Once Upon a Dead Man. Sally, drags the commissioner to a charity auction where a theft takes place, which leads to a murder.



Because of a contract dispute between Saint James and the studio, the characters of Sally and their never seen (sometimes mentioned) son were killed off in an airplane crash during the fifth season. With one of the main characters missing, the show was renamed McMillan. Other cast changes included: Mildred left to run a diner (actress Nancy Walker departed to star in her own sitcom); Mac got a new apartment and a new housekeeper, Agatha (Martha Raye), who was Mildred's sister; Sgt. DiMaggio (Richard Gilliland) assisted Mac as Schuck also left for his own series.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment released the first season of McMillan and Wife on DVD in 2005-2006. On May 21, 2010, Visual Entertainment announced it had acquired the rights to distribute McMillan and Wife, releasing seasons 2 and 3 on June 7, 2011, followed by seasons 4 and 5 on July 5, 2011.

Susan Saint James (born August 14, 1946). Some of her early television performances were two episodes of the first season of Ironside ("Girl in the Night", December 1967 and two months later, playing a different role in the episode "Something for Nothing"). She also had a supporting role in Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968).

From 1968 to 1971, she performed in the series The Name of the Game, winning an Emmy Award for her role in 1969. At the same time she had a recurring role as "Chuck", Alexander Mundy's partner in crime and "friend with benefits" in four episodes of the series It Takes a Thief. She also performed in the pilot episode of Alias Smith and Jones (1971). From 1971 until 1976, she played Sally McMillan opposite Rock Hudson in the series McMillan and Wife and received four Emmy Award nominations.

When she left the show, she co-starred with Peter Fonda in the film Outlaw Blues. She also performed in the vampire comedy, Love At First Bite (1979). Between films, she made a guest appearance in the 1980 episode of M*A*S*H (episode 192: War Co-Respondent). She returned to television, performing in the comedy series Kate and Allie opposite Jane Curtin from 1984 until 1989. She received a additional three Emmy Award nominations for this role. She also performed in guest roles, as the mother of (her real-life niece) Christa Miller in the first season of The Drew Carey Show, and ten years later, as a defense attorney on the February 28, 2006 episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. She also starred in the 1999 Warner Theatre production of The Miracle Worker. On June 11, 2008, Saint James was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Faye Dunaway: One of the Hottest Actresses of the 1970s

Born January 14, 1941, Faye Dunaway attended the University of Florida, Florida State University and Boston University, but graduated from the University of Florida in theater. In 1962, Dunaway joined the American National Theater and Academy.

Dunaway performed on Broadway in A Man for All Seasons (1962). Her first screen role was in the film The Happening (1967). In 1967, she was in the film Hurry Sundown. Also, that same year, she played a leading role in the film Bonnie and Clyde opposite Warren Beatty, which earned her an Oscar nomination.

The story takes place during the depression in the early 1930s. Bonnie Parker meets Clyde Barrow while he tries to steal her mother's car from the front yard. Interested in his personality and bored with her job as a waitress, she decides to run off with him. Together they commit a few small time holdups that provide them with excitement, but that is about all. Eventually, they recruit C. W. Moss, a slow witted garage mechanic, to drive the getaway car. Soon, they are joined by Clyde's brother Buck, just released from prison and his whining wife, Blanche. They decide to become notorious bank robbers, which turns into an amazing and exciting story....

The film was directed by Arthur Penn. The screenplay was written by David Newman and Robert Benton, with Robert Towne and Beatty providing uncredited contributions to the script. Bonnie and Clyde is considered a landmark film that broke many taboos. Its success may have motivated other filmmakers to use sex and violence in their films. It received Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Estelle Parsons) and Best Cinematography (Burnett Guffey).

Other actresses considered for the role of Bonnie Parker include: Tuesday Weld, Ann-Margret, Carol Lynley, and Sue Lyon.

When Faye Dunaway looked at Theodora van Runkle's printed scarves, pencil skirts, knitted sweaters, the one-time model completely changed her style. "… until I met Theodora, clothes...had just been part of the job," Dunaway once said. "She taught me how much fun it can be." Soon, many of us girls wanted to look "retro chic". Even the beret, once only worn by Frenchmen and struggling poets, became a hot fashion item. Due partly to Bonnie and Clyde, the '30s look became popular in the 1970s.

In 1968, Dunaway starred with Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair; she had a small role in the 1999 remake with the same title. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and won the Award for Best Song with "Windmills of Your Mind". Of all of the films Steve McQueen made in his career, this one is reported to have been his favorite.

The story begins when Thomas Crown, a millionaire businessman and sportsman, pulls off a perfect crime by robbing a Boston bank and dumping the money into a cemetery's trash can. Crown retrieves the money later and deposits it at a bank in Geneva. Vicki Anderson, an independent insurance investigator, is contracted to investigate the heist. She will receive a percentage of the stolen money if she recovers it. Their relationship turns into one of the hottest affairs I have seen in a movie. But, things become complicated because of Vicki's job.

The film is beautifully photographed and it also has a wonderful musical score. Director Norman Jewison makes use of the split screen in several places in the film, which captures the era perfectly.

In the 1970s, Faye Dunaway made Three Days of the Condor, Little Big Man, Chinatown, The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, Eyes of Laura Mars, and Network, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress as the scheming TV executive Diana Christensen. She worked with such leading men as Dustin Hoffman, Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Tommy Lee Jones, Jack Nicholson, and Robert Duvall.

In the 1980s, Dunaway blamed the film Mommie Dearest (1981) for ruining her career as a leading lady. Joan Crawford once said: ""Of all the actresses ... to me, only Faye Dunaway has the talent and the class and the courage it takes to make a real star."

In 1987, Dunaway was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama for her performance in Barfly. In a later movie, Don Juan DeMarco (1995), she co-starred with Johnny Depp and Marlon Brando.

Dunaway starred in the 1986 made-for-television movie Beverly Hills Madam opposite Melody Anderson, Donna Dixon, Terry Farrell and Robin Givens. In 1993, she briefly starred in a sitcom with Robert Urich, It Had to Be You. Dunaway won an Emmy for a 1994 role as a murderer in "It's All in the Game," an episode of the TV series Columbo.

In 1996, she toured nationally with the stage play Master Class. The story about opera singer Maria Callas. Dunaway bought the rights to the Terrence McNally play for possible film project.

In 2009, she appeared in the  "made-for-tv movie" Midnight Bayou, also known as Nora Roberts' Midnight Bayou The film is based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name and is part of the Nora Roberts 2009 movie collection, which also includes: Northern Lights, High Noon, and Tribute.

The film begins when a young college student (Jerry O'Connell), is out having good times with some friends in New Orleans, comes across an old deserted mansion and sees the ghost of a woman there. He feels a connection to her and the house. Years later, now an attorney, O'Connell moves to the area to start a new law practice. Local legends claim that the house is haunted and shortly after he moves in, he begins hearing voices and seeing things. He is also attracted to a young woman by the name, Lena Simone. Lena was raised on the bayou by her grandmother Odette, who is also connected some how to the manor. The three new friends uncover a shocking secret that has been hidden there for more than 100 years.

I'm a huge fan of Nora Roberts, a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the In Death series and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March. Additionally, some of her works were published in the UK as Sarah Hardesty. So, I was not surprised when I saw her book made into a "made for TV movie", which was aired on the Lifetime television network.

In 2006, Dunaway played a character named Lois O'Neill in the sixth season of the crime drama CSI. She served as a judge on the 2005 reality show, The Starlet, looking to find the next young actress. In the spring of 2007, she was the direct-to-DVD movie release of Rain, based on the novel by V. C. Andrews. In 2009, Dunaway starred in The Bait by director and producer Dariusz Zawiślak..

Dunaway has been married twice, from 1974 to 1979 to Peter Wolf, the lead singer of the rock group J. Geils Band, and from 1984 to 1987 to Terry O'Neill, a British photographer.

I'll Be Seeing You (1945)

I'll Be Seeing You (1945). Cast: Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotton, Tom Tully, Shirley Temple and Spring Byington.

Background: After the death of her parents, Mary supports herself by working as a secretary. One night, her boss invites her to dinner at his apartment, Mary accepts, believing that he is inviting her to a party--only to discover that she is the only guest.She is attacked by her drunken boss. While fighting off his advances, Mary accidentally pushes him to his death through an open window. After being convicted of manslaughter, she is sentenced to six years in prison.

The story begins when Mary Marshall, who is half way through her prison sentence, is given an eight-day leave pass for the Christmas holidays. Travelling by train, she meets Zachary Morgan. The two quickly become friends. Zachary has just been released from the hospital as he has been suffering from shell shock and has become a prisoner of his own mind. In hope to speed up his recovery, he prepares himself to getting back to his life. Attracted to Mary, he follows her to her stop and pretends that he is visiting his sister in the same town of Pine Hill. Mary invites Zachary to visit her at the home of her aunt and uncle. Romance soon develops for the two as they spend Christmas Day together and attend a dance on New Year's Eve. Both however have the problem of having to tell the other of their past. On their last day together, Mary's cousin Barbara unintentionally tells Zachary about Mary's situation and, in his is anger, he boards the train without saying goodbye to her. After telling her family goodbye, Mary travels back to prison to continue with her sentence. Will Zachary have enough confidence to overcome his disappointment?

I've always enjoyed the wonderful performance of both Ginger Rogers and Joseph Cotton. I hope you have the opportunity to view this wonderful romantic journey back to a different time.

Ginger Rogers (July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an actress, dancer, and singer who performed in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century. During her career, she made a total of 73 films, and is best known for her role as Fred Astaire's romantic interest and dancing partner, in a series of ten Hollywood musical films that revolutionized the genre. She also achieved great success in a variety of film roles, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kitty Foyle (1940).

Joseph Cheshire Cotten (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994), was an actor of stage and film. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair. He is associated with Orson Welles, leading to appearances in Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Journey into Fear (1943), for which Cotten was also credited with the screenplay, and The Third Man (1949). He was a star in his own right with films such as Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Love Letters (1945) and Portrait of Jennie (1948).

The Nutty Professor (1963)

The Nutty Professor (1963). Science-fiction comedy film produced, directed, co-written with Bill Richmond and Jerry Lewis. The score was composed by Walter Scharf.
Professor Julius Kelp (Jerry Lewis) is a nerdy, introverted, accident prone, university professor who always seems to find himself in trouble with the university by continually destroying the classroom lab. When a football-player bullies Kelp, he decides to join a gym, with no results. He then invents a potion that turns him into the handsome, smooth, obnoxious, Buddy Love.
As Buddy Love, he now as the confidence to date one of his students, Stella Purdy (Stella Stevens), who finds herself strangely attracted to him. Buddy impresses the crowd with his jazzy personality at the Purple Pit, a nightclub where everyone hangs out. He also teaches the bartender how to mix the cocktail, The "Alaskan Polar Bear Heater" (which is two shots of vodka, a little rum, some bitters, a smidgen of vinegar, a shot of vermouth, a shot of gin, a shot of scotch, a little brandy, a lemon peel, orange peel, cherry, and some more scotch). At one point, the bartender says: "You going to drink this here, or are you going to take it home and rub it on your chest?"
Love says "mix it nice" and pour it into a tall glass. The bartender asks if he can take a sip, when he does he freezes like a statue. While the drink started as fictional, it now listed among real drinks.
Later that night, Buddy performs at the student dance and while on stage, the formula starts to wear off. Will this Jekyll and Hyde's real identity be revealed?
I thought Jerry Lewis must be a very talented actor to be able to manage two very distinct characters with two distinct personalities.
Fun Facts:
Film debut of Henry Gibson.
Buddy Love is often thought to be Lewis' former show business partner Dean Martin. Film Critic Danny Peary wrote in his book Cult Movies that the character of Love is actually the real counterpart of Jerry Lewis. Les Brown and his Band play themselves in the senior prom scenes. Stella Steven's costumes (and the rest of the casts costumes as well) were designed by Edith Head.
The Nutty Professor was filmed mostly on the campus of Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) in 1962 with the prom portion filmed in the newly completed Gammage Auditorium Hall (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright).
Stella Stevens was first under contract to 20th Century Fox. Then after performing in the role for the musical Li'l Abner (1959), she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures (1959-1963) and later Columbia Pictures (1964-1968). She shared the 1960 Golden Globe Award for "Most Promising Newcomer - Female", with Tuesday Weld, Angie Dickinson and Janet Munro for the film, Say One For Me.
In 1962, Stevens performed with Elvis Presley in the movie, Girls! Girls! Girls. Later that year, she played Jerry Lewis's love interest in The Nutty Professor. This was followed by other comedy, The Courtship of Eddie's Father and opposite Dean Martin in the Matt Helm film The Silencers, plus How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life.
Stevens was featured in the western, The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970) and in the film The Poseidon Adventure (1972), as the wife of Ernest Borgnine's character.
Stevens was a regular on the 1981-1982 prime time soap opera Flamingo Road. She teamed with Sandy Dennis in a touring production of an all-female version of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, playing the Oscar Madison character. She had a contract role on NBC's daytime drama Santa Barbara as Phyllis Blake from 1989 to 1990. Stevens produced and directed two films, The Ranch (1989) and The American Heroine (1979).

Whistle Stop (1946): She was trouble for every guy who made a play for her!

Whistle Stop (1946). Director: Leonide Mogur. Cast: George Raft, Ava Gardner, Victor McLaglen, Tom Conway, and Jane Nigh.

When Mary returns home to sell her house, her first stop is to visit Molly Veech. Mary was in love with Molly's son Kenny, a lazy bum who's stuck in a small town, indulged by his mother. Mary is disappointed to learn Kenny still spends his nights gambling and drinking. That night at dinner, Kenny becomes jealous when Mary receives roses from Lew, the owner of the town's hotel and bar, and goes into town with her when she goes to thank him. Lew is watched by Kenny and his girlfriend, Fran. Kenny and Lew's animosity results in antagonism and arguments as they compete for Mary's affections. Later, when Kenny sees the bartender in Lew's club, he suggests that he and Kenny steal the money from the local carnival earnings and then murder Lew. At first, Kenny says "no", but when Mary tells him that she is leaving town, he may decide to go through with it. The results could be deadly, but.. for who?.

Even though this movie seemed clunky at times, I did enjoy Victor McLaglen's performance in the role of the bartender. As for Ava Gardner, she is perfect for the part and she gives an excellent performance, in this "B" film. Tom Conway also does an excellent job of playing an evil and ruthless nightclub owner. This may not be George Raft's best performance, but he was fun to watch..

Click to view the movie: Whistle Stop.


George Raft, was best known for his portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. George Raft, is also known for his role in Some Like it Hot, Scarface (1932), Bolero (1934), and They Drive by Night (1940).


Jane Nigh was discovered in 1944 by Arthur Wenzler while working in a defense plant. She later signed a contract with Fox studios. She performed in movies such as Give My Regards to Broadway, Sitting Pretty, Dragonwyck and Laura (uncredited).

Suddenly (1954)

Suddenly (1954). Director: Lewis Allen with a screenplay written by Richard Sale. Cast: Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, James Gleason and Nancy Gates.

Tod Shaw, the sheriff of a town called Suddenly, is dating Ellen Benson, a widow whose husband was killed in the War. Ellen and her young son Pidge live with her father-in-law, Pop Benson, a retired Secret Service agent. Ellen is an overprotective mother and will not allow her son to see war movies or play with toy guns. Ellen cannot believe it when she sees that Tod has bought her son a toy cap pistol. This puts a strain on their relationship.

Soon after, Tod is made aware that a train carrying the President will be arriving at the town's railroad station later in the day. They travel by car to a ranch for a fishing vacation. Tod meets with the secret service, led by agent Dan Carney. Carney and his men secure all the buildings around the station, including the Benson house. Carney is surprised to learn that his former boss Pop lives in the house. Soon, John Baron, Benny Conklin and Bart Wheeler, hired killers posing as FBI agents, arrive and ask to inspect the house. Pop asks Baron why his men are there. Baron orders that no one is to leave the house. He tells Pop about the president's arrival and he has information about a potential threat to the president.

When Tod brings Carney to the house to see Pop, Baron shoots and kills Carney and Conklin shoots Tod in the arm. Baron then threatens to harm the little boy unless they follow his instructions. Will the Sheriff, Pop and Ellen be able to stop Baron from going though with his plans?

Even though it was a very different role for Sinatra performing as a vicious killer, I thought Sinatra was very believable playing his part. Nancy Gates, also gives an emotionally believable performance. James Gleason was perfect as a Gruff Old Man. Suddenly was surprisingly tough film for the era which the film was made.

Click to view the film SUDDENLY in full.

The Benny Goodman Story (1956)

The Benny Goodman Story (1956). Biographical film. Cast: Steve Allen and Donna Reed, Director: Valentine Davies. This film is based on the life of clarinetist Benny Goodman, who recorded most of the clarinet solos used in the film. Lionel Hampton, Martha Tilton, Kid Ory, George Givot, Gene Krupa, and many other musicians have cameo appearances in this film. However, while Ziggy Elman performed on screen recreating his trumpet solo on "And the Angels Sing", he was unable to record his portion for the soundtrack; Manny Klein actually performed it, off-camera.

I just love biographical films. This story begins with Benny becoming an excellent clarinetist by the time he is fourteen. Benny grabs the first opportunity to play in a ragtime band, joins the musicians' union, and begins his career. He has the opportunity to listen to the "Kid", who tells him to play the way he feels and invites him to sit in. Benny joins the Ben Pollack band and plays at dances throughout the country. The Pollack band secures a job in the speakeasy of Benny's former neighbor, now gangster, Little Jake Primo. There he meets John Hammond, a music critic and his sister Alice, who prefers classical music.

Pollack's band flops in New York. Benny begins to worry that there is no audience for his kind of music and is forced to perform with more traditional dance bands. Still impressed with Benny's talent, Hammond invites him to perform a Mozart clarinet concerto before an audience in the Hammond mansion. Alice is surprised by "all this emotion comes pouring out" when he plays. Benny forms a band and begins to play on an NBC Saturday night radio program. Jazz musician Fletcher Henderson hears the program and is so impressed that he contributes arrangements for the band. After the show is canceled, Benny's orchestra goes on tour, but before he leaves, he and Alice declare their feelings for each other. The tour is a failure until the orchestra reaches Palomar, California, where the group is a huge success. Benny sees Alice in the audience and plays "Memories of You" for her. Benny forms a quartet that includes Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa, and by the time Benny, his orchestra, and his quartet return to Chicago, they are making headlines. Benny is booked into Carnegie Hall and worries that "a hall full of longhairs" will not like the orchestra's music, which features guest performers Harry James, Ziggy Elman and Martha Tilton.

Benny Goodman's band performed in many musicals: The Big Broadcast of 1937, Hollywood Hotel (1938), Syncopation (1942), The Powers Girl (1942), Stage Door Canteen (1943), The Gang's All Here (1943), Sweet and Lowdown (1944) and A Song Is Born (1948). Goodman's only starring feature was Sweet and Low Down (1944). Goodman's success story was told in the 1955 motion picture The Benny Goodman Story with Steve Allen and Donna Reed. It was a follow up to 1954's successful The Glenn Miller Story. The screenplay was heavily fictionalized, but the music was real. Many of Goodman's professional colleagues appear in the film, including Ben Pollack, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton and Harry James.

Stake Your Claim in Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Paint Your Wagon (1969). Adapted from the 1951 stage musical by Lerner and Loewe. Cast: Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg.

This one of those movies I'm embarrassed to admit I love. I really enjoy the friendship that develops between the two lead characters and their lack of singing talents, which is so bad that it becomes interesting. The story begins as a wagon crashes into a ravine. Prospector Ben Rumson finds two brothers, one is dead and the other is injured with a broken arm and leg. As the one brother is about to be buried, gold is found at the graveside. As dirt is flying, Ben stakes a claim on the land and declares the other brother as his "Pardner". Later, Pardner, a hopeless romantic sings a love song about a girl named Elisa (can you believe Clint Eastwood is really singing)? Pardner hopes to find enough gold to buy some farmland. Ben claims that while he is willing to fight, steal, and cheat at cards, he promises not to betray a partner, and that he will share what ever gold he finds with Pardner on the condition that Pardner takes care of him in his moments of melancholy.

Soon, a tent city by the name of "No Name City" is built with the miners living a wild life and singing songs ("Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans") sung by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. My favorite song in the movie a beautiful balled called "They Call the Wind Maria.". By this time, the men are missing female companionship and the arrival of a Mormon, Jacob Woodling, with two wives, is the last straw. They talk him into selling one of his wives to the highest bidder. Elizabeth agrees to be sold, believing that whatever she gets, "it can't be as bad as what she has." A drunken Ben has the highest bid. Ben is readied for the wedding by the other miners ("Whoop-Ti-Yay")and Elizabeth is married to Ben under "mining law". She wants him to treat her with respect and to build her a wooden cabin. Ben promises to build her a cabin and with the help of the town's men, Elizabeth has a roof over her head.. Elizabeth's presence soon becomes a problem for Ben.

Just in time to save to Ben's sanity, they hear the news of the arrival of "six French tarts" coming to a neighboring town and quickly come up with a plan to kidnap the women and bring them to "No Name City" ("There's a Coach Comin' In"), providing the town with income as other miners from all over will travel to "No Name City" for... what should I call it... the night life.. Ben leaves Elizabeth in the care of Pardner. While Ben is gone, the two fall in love ("I Talk to the Trees"). Elizabeth says that she also still loves Ben, and convinces them that if a Mormon man can have two wives, a woman can have two husbands. Everything seems to be going, what I will call.. reasonably well.. until a group of religious settlers is rescued from the snow. They are invited to spend the winter with Elizabeth and Pardner, who they believe to be her only husband. Ben has to stay in town. What will happen to this love triangle ?

This is a clip from behind the scenes of Paint Your Wagon.


Fun Facts:

Eastwood and Marvin did their own singing while Seberg's songs were dubbed. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a cameo in the song "Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans".

This film was made near Baker City, Oregon, Big Bear Lake, California and San Bernardino National Forest. Eastwood said that the experience made him want to become a director. According to Robert Osborne, "Marvin drank heavily during the filming of the movie, which may have enhanced his screen appearance, but led to delays and many retakes." My gosh..can you imagine..

They Sold Their Souls for: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) is John Huston's film version of B. Traven's 1927 novel of the same name. The identity of B. Traven was unknown at the time. Some believe that he was Jack London, living in Mexico, after faking his own death. He really was a ex-patriot German named Rex Marut. When John Huston went down to Mexico to film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, he met with Hal Croves, Traven's represetative. As he talked with Croves, Huston began to believe that he was really talking to B. Traven himself. Years later, Huston found out that Hal Groves was another alias for Ret Marut, a.k.a. B. Traven. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre's ,cast consists of: Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt and Walter Huston, (the director's father). It was one of the first Hollywood films to be filmed almost entirely on location outside the United States (in the state of Durango and street scenes in Tampico, Mexico).

Dobbs and Curtin are both victims of a swindle in which workers are hired, but not paid by a corrupt businessman. They spend their evenings listening to the stories of Howard, an old gold prospector. When Dobbs wins the lottery, they hook up with Howard and the three friends set out for adventure and to strike it rich in the Sierra Madre mountains. Once out in the desert, Howard quickly proves that he knows what he is talking about and he is the one to discover the gold. Greed soon sets in and Dobbs becomes paranoid that he will be killed by his partners. In one of my favorite scenes, Curtin sees a Gila monster run under a rock and goes to lift the rock to shoot it, but when Dobbs sees Curtin looking in his hiding place, he believes his goods are being stolen.

Soon, a fourth American shows up. Before they can decide what to do with the new stranger, bandits appear, pretending to be Federales. This is where Gold Hat says: "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges." After a gunfight, the fourth American is killed and a real troop of Federales show up just in time. Howard is called away to help a young boy in the village. Dobbs and Curtin have a argument and Dobbs leaves Curtin laying shot and believed to be dead. What will happen to these three friends and their treasure?

What I loved most about this classic adventure story is it showed how lack of trust and greed, can sometimes turn your plans into nothing but.. dust in the wind .. I also love director cameos: John Huston is the man who Dobbs begs money from early in the film.

Into the West: The River of No Return (1954)

River of No Return (1954). Romantic/adventure/western. Director: Otto Preminger. Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum and Rory Calhoun.

In the beautiful Northwest Mountains 1875, there is a small town made up tents filled with saloons, gamblers and entertainers trying to make a living. Just released from prison, Matt Calder rides into the city looking for his 9-year-old son, who he had sent there from Illinois. When he finds his son Mark, the boy insists on saying goodbye to Kay, the saloon singer who has been keeping an eye on him. Kay scolds Calder for leaving his son alone. He thanks Kay and quickly leaves. On the ride home, Calder promises Mark that they are going to have a good life together.

At the saloon, Kay's fiance, gambler Harry Weston, rushes in to tell her that he has won a gold claim in a poker game and must go to the city to file the deed. Kay believes that Weston cheated to get the money, but he talks her into go along. Soon, they are floating in a raft down the river toward the big city. They have trouble in the rapids, but fortunately they are near Calder's farm, and are pulled to safety.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Calder tells Weston that he is crazy to brave the river. Weston offers to buy his rifle and horse so that he can ride to the city. Calder says that he needs his rifle and horse to protect the farm. Weston steals the rifle and horse and claims that he will return them, then knocks him out when Calder tries to stop him. Stunned, Kay decides to stay behind and take care of Calder while Weston rides off. When Calder comes to, he sees that Indians have been watching and are about to attack, so he quickly loads Mark and Kay onto the raft and head down the river. Calder watches as the farm is burns. That night, as they camp by the river, Kay tries to explain that Weston is really not a bad man. When she realizes that Calder intends to go after Weston, she tries to cut the raft free, but Calder stops her . He does not understand her devotion to a man who would leave a child to die. She reminds him Harry never killed a man like he did. Mark overhears their argument and Matt is forced to tell the truth about his past to his son. They return to the river and so begins their adventure as they fight off Indians and the elements, trying to keep from starving and trying to learn each others' secrets. The story is charming and beautifully photographed. I thought Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe made a great team. The ending will pull at your heart strings.

FUN FACTS:

The three pairs of jeans that Marilyn Monroe wore in the movie were among a collection of her personal items that were sold for $42,550 at auction at Christies Auction House to designer Tommy Hilfiger.

This movie was not the first meeting of Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe. Mitchum had worked at Lockheed Aircraft with Monroe's first husband, James Dougherty. The two had met on at least one occasion during the mid 1940s.

Marilyn Monroe's singing voice was dubbed by Gloria Wood.

Love Stories: Designing Woman (1957)

Designing Woman (1957). Romantic/comedy. Director: Vincente Minnelli. Cast: Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck.

After a night of drinking, sports writer Mike Hagen, cannot remember writing his assignment until fashion designer Marilla comes over to his apartment to inform him that they wrote the story together. He suggests that they take a trip to California. While there, they decide to marry and when they return to New York, they move into Marilla's beautiful East Side apartment. Back at the newspaper office, editor Hammerstein warns Mike that crooked boxing promoter Martin J. Daylor is threatening Mike's life because of the articles he has written about Daylor. In one of the funnest scenes in the movie, Mike is having dinner with his ex-girlfriend to break off their relationship. She dumps a plate of pasta in his lap, after which Marilla walks in as she is running out. After dinner, Mike and Marilla return to their apartment, where they walk into a surprise wedding shower.

After a couple of weeks, they fall into a comfortable routine, keeping their professional worlds apart. Then one night, Marilla, wanting to spend more time with her husband, attends a boxing match with Mike, where she finds herself overwhelmed by it all. The following week, Mike and his friends meet at their apartment for the guys' weekly poker game. In another room, Marilla holds a rehearsal for Zachary's musical, for which she has been chosen to design the costumes. The evening turns into a disaster.

Marilla becomes suspicious of Mike's ex-girlfriend when he tries to hide from her their former relationship. Complicating their relationship even further is Mike's relationship with the crooked boxing promoter Martin Daylor. Mike's life is in real danger, but he hides that from her too. What happens next is a series of misadventures.

I have a huge soft spot for fluffy romance films. Bacall and Peck have great chemistry as newlyweds who have several differences to work out. Bacall is funny and stylish in her beautiful gowns and Peck is funny as a rough around the edges sports writer.
Designing Woman (1957) movie trailer.

A Month of Mysteries: Niagara (1953)

Niagara (1953) thriller/noir. Directed by Henry Hathaway. Niagara was filmed in Technicolor instead of black and white, like most of the film noirs of the 50s. Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters. Along with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire, it helped Monroe become a star.

The film begins when businessman Ray Cutler wins a trip to Niagara Falls. Ray and his wife arrive to find that their reserved cabin has not been vacated by George and Rose Loomis. Rose tells the motel manager and the Cutlers that her husband has not been feeling well and asks them not to wake him, so the Cutlers take another cabin. Rose also confides that George had spent time in a military psychiatric hospital.

On a walk, Polly accidentally sees Rose in the arms of another man at Horseshoe Falls.

In one of my favorite scenes: Back at the motel, Rose, in a sexy hot pink dress, asks some teenagers to play a record of her favorite song, "Kiss." George in a rage storms out of their cabin and smashes the record. Rose tells the Cutlers that George has a bad temper. While Polly tends to George's cut hand, George tells her that he loves Rose, but she is a tramp. Ray joins them, and George says that he gave up his farm because Rose was bored with country life, then volunteered for duty in Korea. He was sent home early with battle fatigue and discovered Rose was having an affair.

In the meantime, Rose calls her lover Ted Patrick, and tells him that they "must put their plan to kill George into action in the morning." Ted agrees. The next day, George, thinking something is up, follows Rose when she goes to buy bus tickets for their trip home. Rose knows she is being followed.. She ducks into the Horseshoe Falls gift shop and loses George. After leaving Rose a card telling her that if things go well, the bell tower will play "Kiss," Ted follows George. Later in the day, Rose asks Polly and Ray if they have seen George. The Cutlers file a missing persons report.  Later that day, the attendant at the Horseshoe Falls finds one rain slicker and one pair of shoes is missing. He informs Inspector James Starkey. Starkey asks Rose and the Cutlers to go with him, where Rose identifies the shoes as George's. While Rose is walking home, she hears the bell tower playing "Kiss" and smiles. Soon, the police discover a body along the shore and ask Rose to identify it.

Will Rose and Ted get away with murder?

This is one of my favorite noir movies. It has Marilyn Monroe and beautiful Niagara Falls for breathtaking scenery. Marilyn's performance as the bad girl was amazing. I do not think any other actress could have done a better job with Rose's character.

This week's poll: You are going on Safari!

Santa left two tickets in your Christmas stocking for an all expense paid trip for two. Pack your bags! You are going on Safari! You are going to stay at the very best lodge. All you need is to pick your favorite Safari tour guide. Will it be....

1. Dana Andrews from Elephant Walk (1954). Knows the best place to spot elephants. And if you are up for a party...this guy knows all the best watering holes.

2. Stewart Granger from King Solomon's Mines (1950). Will take you on a wonderful romantic tour of beautiful villages where you will meet the friendly natives and see awesome views of Africa...not to mention an exciting tour of a diamond mine.

3. Clark Gable from Mogambo (1953). Will teach you the difference between a kangaroo and a baby rhino. A perfect host, but... a word of warning... keep a close eye on your wife.

4. Gregory Peck from The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952). Author and big game hunter who will take you kayaking...but just In case you fall in with the hippos, he is fearless and will fish you out. In the evening while you are relaxing around the camp fire with your hot chocolate, he will tell you stories about his past adventures.

5. Charlton Heston from The Naked Jungle (1954).This brooding plantation owner will show you how they exterminate ants from the plantations.

6. John Wayne from Hatari (1962). Heads a group of professional game hunters.You are guaranteed a spectacular adventure. Plenty of night life..drinking (soda), dancing, and singing.

7. Humphrey Bogart from African Queen (1951). The gruff -looking river tour guide will take you on a White River rafting adventure...sure to be "the most stimulating physical experience of your life time."

8. Gene Tierney from Sundown (1941) Our only female tour guide. You will travel by caravan through northern Africa, where you will see how people live their lives in quaint little villages.

I hope your safari was a wonderful experience.

12 Days of Christmas: Holiday Affair (1949)

Holiday Affair (1949) is a light romantic comedy film starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh. One of my favorite Christmas films, it's directed and produced by Don Hartman who wanted Mitchum to expand from his roles in film noir and war films.

The movie begins during the busy Christmas season with Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh) working as a professional comparison shopper, who is required to purchase an expensive electric train set. Connie in a hurry and does not have time to ask questions, which sends a red flag to sales clerk Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum). After purchasing the train, Connie rushes home to be with her six year old son. She believes that Timmy will not see the train, so she brings the electric train home with her. Timmy's curiosity gets the best of him, and he takes a peek inside the box with the train in it. Thrilled, thinking he is getting a train for Christmas until Connie, who is unaware that he has seen it, tells him the train is for the store. That night, Connie's boyfriend, lawyer Carl Davis (Wendell Corey), asks Connie to marry him. Connie then talks it over with Timmy, who is not happy about sharing his mother.

The next day, when Steve sees Connie bringing back the train for a refund, he threatens to report her to the store detective. Connie explains to him that she is a war widow with a son to support. Steve, in the Christmas spirit,refunds her money, but he is soon fired for not turning her in. While spending a wonderful afternoon together in Central Park, they talk about his future plans to build sailboats with his friend in California.

Later, while comparison shopping, Connie and Steve become separated in a crowd. Steve, with some detective work finds Connie's apartment and discovers Carl there. Carl is questioning Steve's presence and has an awkward moment with Timmy, who is still upset from the night before. Carl thinks it is best to leave before things get worse. Steve angers Connie, by saying that she should stop trying to make Timmy into the image of his father. Thinking he has worn out his welcome, he stops in to say his good bye's to Timmy. Timmy tells him about the train. As he is leaving, Steve gives Connie a passionate kiss.

On Christmas morning, Timmy opens the apartment door and finds the gift wraped train set outside. Excited he runs to thank his sleepy mother. Connie puts two and two together where the train came from and goes to confront Steve. Connie finds Steve in Central Park, and although she offers to pay him for the train, he refuses her money.

Who will Conny and Timmy be stringing popcorn on the Christmas tree with? Wendell Corey, a wonderful, stable man who is a little condesending, who wants to marry her. Or... Robert Mitchum, the drifter. Watch this charming Christmas film to find out...

The movie didn't do so well at the box office at the time of its release, but it has gained charm over the years.

According to Robert Osborne, Howard Hughes, the head of RKO, had Mitchum take the part to repair his image after his arrest for marijuana possession.

This Week's Poll: Which Famous Dancer Would be Your Partner on "Dancing with the Stars"?

One of the few shows I watch on television is Dancing With the Stars. I guess it reminds me of the classic musicals that I enjoy watching. Sometimes, I wonder how much fun it would be to have the rare opportunity to pair up with a professional dancer in a ballroom-dance competition. I think my choice would be Ricardo Monalban because of his elegance, charm and grace on the dance floor.

Who would you choose to be your partner in the competition? Here are your choices:

1. Betty Grable - Dancer, singer, and actress. Her bathing suit photo made her the No. 1 pin-up girl of the World War II era.

2. Cyd Charisse - Her roles focused on her talents as a dancer, and she danced with Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Ricardo Montalban.

3. Rita Hayworth - One of the American Film Institute's "Greatest Stars of All Time."

4. Gene Kelly - Actor, dancer, singer, director, producer, and choreographer.

5. Fred Astaire - Dancer, choreographer, singer and actor.

6.  Ricardo Montalban - Television, theater and film actor.

Hosts:  Gene Tierney and Vincent Price.
Costume Designer:  Edith Head.
Band:  Tommy Dorsey.
Judges:  Esther Williams, Jimmy Durante, and Peter Lawford.

That Girl (1965-1971)

When I was growing up, That Girl was one of the shows to watch. I loved seeing the hair and fashions and the lighthearted comedy. Marlo Thomas was wonderful in this series. Hollywood did not ruin Marlo, as she went on to write several wonderful books and to carry on her father's work for St. Jude Hospital.

In the 1960s, Marlo Thomas was That Girl. Her Ann Marie character opened the door for a new generation of women. Ann was not just a daughter and girlfriend. She was an aspiring actress who leaves home to pursue her career in New York City. She has wonderful chemistry with her boyfriend, magazine writer Donald Hollinger (Ted Bessell). Ann and Donald are one of TV's great comedy teams. Ann the free-spirited one, and Donald the more practical one.

That Girl has a wonderful cast of actors: Dabney Coleman, Bernie Kopell (Get Smart, The Love Boat). Guest stars included Sally Kellerman, George Carlin, Rob Reiner and Terry Garr.

The final episode was going to have Ann and Donald getting married, but Marlo Thomas (who was also an executive producer) refused, believing that it sent the message that a woman's main goal in life was to be married.

Check out a clip at:  http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3802400025/

Room 222 (1969-1974)

Classic TV show Room 222 (1969-1974) started out as a comedy which I loved. Then after the first year, it turned into a drama, which I did not care for as much. It is about the life at integrated Walt Whitman High School in Los Angeles, as seen through the eyes of Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haynes), a black American history teacher whose classes are held in room 222. (The basic plot reminds me of the movie To Sir With Love, starring Sidney Poitier.) Pete used American history class to teach real-life lessons in understanding and tolerance. I thought it was interesting how they used comedy to explore these issues.

The cast of students and teachers were: Pete's girlfriend, the school counselor Liz McIntyre (Denise Nicholas), student-teacher and later English teacher Alice Johnson (Karen Valentine), and principal Seymour Kaufman ( Michael Constantine). Among the students were Helen Loomis (Judy Strangis), Bernie with the wild hair (played by David Jolliffe), Jason Allen ( Heshimu Cumbuka), and genius Richie Lane, ( Howard Rice.)

The show also featured early appearances by Teri Garr, Rob Reiner, and Bob Balaban, along with William Schallert (The Patty Duke Show), Ann Morgan Guilbert (Millie on The Dick Van Dyke Show), and Bernie Koppell (Get Smart, The Love Boat).

Karen Valentine became a fan-favorite worldwide. She was in all of the teen magazines. The series theme song was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.

Writer and producer of Room 222 was James Brooks, who has written and produced many popular shows/movies. Just to name a few:

The Simpsons- 445 episodes
Taxi - 111- episodes
Lou Grant -114 episodes
Mary Tyler Moore- 114 episodes
Rhoda -16 episodes

Movies:
As Good As It Gets
Terms of Endearment
Broadcast News

31 Days of Halloween: It Is Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus

It isn't Halloween at my house until I watch Disney's family friendly, witch hanging film Hocus Pocus (1993), directed by Kenny Ortega.

The story starts back in 1693 Salem, Massachusetts, when three witch sisters--Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy)--are hanged after killing Emily to prolong their own lives and turning her brother into Binx, a talking black cat doomed to life of eternity. But just before they die, Winifred's spell book casts a spell to bring the three of them back from the dead (when a virgin lights the Black Flamed Candle).

The story shifts three hundred years later to 1993. Teenager Max (Omri Katz) is having trouble adjusting after recently moving with his family from LA. He gets put down in class and flirted with and then ignored by girl of his dreams Allison (Vinessa Shaw). His wrongdoing in class was not believing the tale of the three legendary witches.

On Halloween, Max, his sister Dani and new friend Allison decide to visit the old dusty cottage of the witches which now has become an broken down museum. Unsuspecting Max, being a virgin, lights the Black Flamed Candle, which rasises the three evil witches from the dead. Max, Allison, and Dani go on a wild and hilarious chase to destroy the Sanderson sisters before it is too late and before the Sanderson sisters can suck the lives out of all the children.

One of my favorite scenes is when Winifred jumps on stage and and performs her song "I Put A Spell On You" which puts a spell on all of the adults ''to dance until they die.'''Another favorite scene is when Sarah flies across Salem, singing a charming but haunting song, putting a spell on the children and luring them towards the cottage. Bette Midler (named after Bette Davis) is wonderful in this fun film with her red hair done up into a scary hairdo, and two little buck teeth.

Sarah Jessica Parker's first important acting role was the 1977-81 Broadway musical Annie— first in a small role and then taking over the lead role of the depression-era orphan, beginning on March 6, 1979. Parker held the role for a year.

Underrated Performer of the Week: Spring Byington

Spring Byington (October 17, 1886 – September 7, 1971) was an American actress, best remembered for working as a key MGM contract player. At 28, the actress married Roy Chandler, a Broadway stage manager. The couple lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for three years, where she gave birth to daughters. Their marriage ended after four years and Byington returned to New York with her daughters. She started her successful career in Broadway.

In her last years of Broadway, she began work in films. The first was a short film titled Papa's Slay Ride in 1931 and the second, and most famous, was Little Women in 1933 as "Marmee" with Katharine Hepburn as her daughter "Jo". She became a household name during The Jones Family series of films and continued as a character actress in Hollywood for several years. In 1938, Byington was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for You Can't Take It With You.

During World War ll she worked in radio and decided to return when her film career began to fade. In 1952, she joined CBS Radio to become the lead role of the widowed Lily Ruskin in the sitcom December Bride. In 1954, Desilu Productions produced a pilot of the show for a television sitcom, also starring Byington. The pilot was successful and the new hit sitcom aired in its first two seasons after I Love Lucy. The series broadcast 111 episodes through 1959.

Throughout the 1960s, she was busy in television, She also co-stared in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960) as Alice Wagner in the episode "The Man with Two Faces." From 1961–1963, she appeared in the Western TV series Laramie. After it concluded its run, she guest starred in the following TV series:

Kentucky Jones (1964), in the episode "Feminine Intrusion", a comedy/drama.
Batman (1966) as J. Pauline Spaghetti in the episodes "The Catwoman Goeth" and "The Sandman Cometh."
I Dream of Jeannie (1967) as Larry Hagman's mother.
The Flying Nun (1968) as Mother General.

Spring Byington was an extremely intelligent and energetic woman her entire life. She spoke Spanish and also learned Brazilian Portuguese in her golden years. In July 1958, she had acquired a "small coffee plantation" in Brazil. In August 1955, she began taking flying lessons.
(information source, Wikipedia)

She did over 41 films. These are just few of my favorites:
Little Women (1933)

Mutiny on The Bounty (1935)
The Buccaneer (1938)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)
Jezebel (1938)
You Can't Take It With You (1938)
Rings on Her Fingers (1942)
Heaven Can Wait (1943)
The Enchanted Cottage (1945)
Dragonwyck (1946)
In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1960)