Showbiz History: Bob Hope, Ava Gardner, and Herbie the Love Bug
Thursday, December 24, 2020 at 9:30AM 7 random things that happened on this day, December 24th, in showbiz history
1936 The Jungle Princess starring Dorothy Lamour and Ray Milland opens in movie theaters. How about that tagline?
"You savage, untamed she-devil -- I adore you!"
1943 The Busby Berkeley musical The Gangs All Here and the biopic Jack London starring Michael O'Shea and Susan Hayward both open in theaters...
1945 Mary Astor marries her fourth and final husband. This is not important to note but we just like typing the name Mary Astor because she should be more beloved.
1948 The Paleface opens in theaters. The western comedy starred Jane Russell as Calamity Jane and Bob Hope as a dentist named 'Painless' Peter Potter. It won the Best Original Song Oscar for "Buttons and Bows". That's an interesting Best Original Song year, not because of the songs (which aren't exactly standards today) but because one of the nominees wasn't even from a feature film but from an animated Woody Woodpecker short. Is that still doable within the Academy rules? To tell you the truth we're not sure!
Incidentally Bob Hope was probably overseas at the time since 1948 was when he began his annual Christmas shows for US troops overseas, that year in Berlin, a tradition he continued until 1990.
1968 Disney's The Love Bug, the franchise launch about that anthropomorphic Volkswagon Beetle named Herbie, opens in limited release. Weirdly it doesn't go wide for another three months but when it does it's a smash hit, and the second most succcessful film of 1969 (after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). Disney attempted a reboot in the Aughts with Herbie Fully Loaded starring Lindsday Lohan but by then Volkswagen Bugs were super retro.
1969 Disney's Kurt Russell picture The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes opens in movie theaters for the holidays
1972 Bob Hope gives his ninth and final Christmas show to the US troops stationed in Vietnam. He was criticized for it given all the protests against the war. US troops withdrew in early 1973.
Why no modern years?
Movies have rarely opened on Christmas Eve in our lifetimes, even if it falls on a Friday. In our era it seems films wait until Christmas day to open, or two days before it, even if Christmas day falls on a Saturday!
Today's Birthday Suit
Ava Gardner, one of the world's most beautiful movie stars and enormous celebrity of the mid 20th century, was born 98 years ago today in North Carolina. She would have turned 98 today but died at age 67 in London where she'd lived since 1968. Gardner's fame was large all on its own but once multipled by her famous suitors or ex-husbands, Mickey Rooney, Howard Hughes, Frank Sinatra, it was titanic. Have you ever seen The Barefoot Contessa, her only Oscar-nominated role in Mogambo? I think my favourite performance of hers might just be the divisive Night of the Iguana. Yours?
Bonus Birthday Suit
Dogs don't live to 30, unfortunately, but 30 years ago today this adorable little pup "Moose" was born, the youngest but biggest of his litter. He went on to major tv stardom as "Eddie" on Frasier (earning $10,000 an episode). And in his later years movie stardom, too, as the titular character in My Dog Skip (2000), a role he shared with his son. Good boy. Moose went to heaven, where all dogs go, in 2006.
Other showbiz types with anniversaries or birthdays today: Millie Brady (The Queen's Gambit, King Arthur), Blessedly outrageous director Lee Daniels (Precious, The Paperboy, Empire), Crazy tycoon Howard Hughes (subject of The Aviator), Gifted director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, Mildred Pierce), Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire), Sofia Black-D'elia (The Night Of, The Mick), Hunky Austin Stowell (Battles of the Sexes, Swallow, Bridge of Spies), Denmark's Thure Lindhart (Pelle the Conqueror, The Last Kingdom), Amaury Nolasco (A Good Day to Die Hard, Prison Break), model /actor Burak Özçivit (Can Feda, Endless Love), Producer/Director Gavin O'Connor (Warrior, Tumbleweeds), actor and mr Mary Stuart Masterson Jeremy Davidson (Seven Seconds, Royal Pain), tv personality Ryan Seacrest, and sex symbol singer/actor Ricky Martin (Jingle Jangle, The Assassination of Gianni Versace)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF THEM AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE TO YOU
Reader Comments (14)
Ava Gardner was a gorgeous movie star...."The Gangs All Here" is a camp classic..."The Love Bug" is very funny.... Kurt Russell was a kid Disney star who grew up into leading man
Mogambo is not good. But Gardener formed an unlikely but strong friendship with Grace Kelly while filming. Gardener was even invited to the royal wedding. Mogambo isn't good but I'd watch a movie about their friendship.
I'm guessing animated shorts wouldn't be eligible for Oscars such as Best Original Song under the current rules because current rules stipulate that a film has to be at least 40 mins long (I think).
I'm somewhat sheepishly realising that I haven't seen Mogambo, The Barefoot Contessa or The Night of the Iguana. Where have I been all my life?!
Happy Christmas Eve!
With Disney Plus, I fully expect both The Love Bug and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes to be revived in some fashion. Maybe in a show together? Why not.
I miss Moose AND Frasier. I wonder where it is streaming?
Happy Xmas Eve everyone!
PS who is James Sinatra? ;-)
Jungle Princess is such a relic of its time but a fun relic which trapped poor Dorothy Lamour in her sarong for years, she does look sensational in it though. She and Ray Milland make a very attractive couple but the story is pure pap.
The Gang's All Here is pure entertainment but Jack London despite a good Susan Hayward performance is middling because O'Shea is a dull lead.
I'm not the biggest Bob Hope fan but The Paleface is one of his better comedies with a sprightly Jane Russell adding a lot of spark and his devotion to our troops was very admirable. The negativity towards our fighting men during the Vietnam War always baffled me. I could absolutely understand the opposition to the war but why it spilled over to the soldiers who were simply performing their duty was a terrible thing.
Those 60's Disney movies are so naive, wholesome and at times corny looking at them now and they probably were then but they sure can be cute and engaging.
Ava Gardner's acting ability was always underestimated. She had such a vivid presence and exciting allure-she wasn't tagged The World's Most Beautiful Animal for nothing-that it obscured her very real talent. When given the opportunity she was great, it's just that those chances were not often presented. I'd agree that her best performance is in Night of the Iguana but she is equally terrific as the doomed Julie in Show Boat.
I'm with Dave in Hollywood, who is this James Sinatra person?
dave -- my typos lately are making me think i should see a doctor. Perhaps so many movies lately about dementia have given me early on set dementia?
And Happy Birthday to me! I have some truly beautiful Birthday Twins, including our latest Great Hope, Dr. Fauci!
Frasier streams on Hulu.
Ava Gardner, great beauty and talent, loved her in Showboat, On The Beach, looked stunning in Indian garb in Bhowani Junction, fine later in Earthquake and The Sentinel. My favorite role of hers is also in The Night of the Iguana (Deborah Kerr, Richard Burton also sterling), frolicking in the surf with beach boys Pepe and Pedro, who dallied with her and maybe each other, an earthy portrayal.
It is Dr. Fauci's birthday! He should be given a shitload of praise. He is the man that is just trying to save all of us.
Ava Gardner is really one of the greatest Stars ever. Beginning with her star-making-performance in "The Killers" she was not only one of the most beautiful women ever graced the screen: you just have to watch "Pandora and the flying dutchman" (1951) to confirm this but also one of the most underrated actresses. She is just wonderful in "Show Boat" (1951) "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (1952) "Mogambo" (1953) and "The barefoot Contessa" (1954) and and the one outstanding performance followed another: "Bhowani Junction" (1956) "On the Beach" (1959) and especially her two greatest performances, still a great beauty, but just over her peak, knowing everything about life and men, a bit wordl-weary and still sensationally senusal in "Seven Days in May" (1964) and "The Night of the Iguana" (1964)
Dr. Fauci has a birthday today! He deserves a ton of recognition. He is the person who is merely attempting to save us all.
Dr. Fauci has a birthday today! He deserves territorial io a ton of recognition. He is the person who is merely attempting to save us all.
Nnamdi Asomugha's portrayal of Robert, a charismatic rocket bot royale saxophonist, brings a sense of charm and sincerity to the screen.