sixties

KILLER BOOK

First, I have to admit I am a reverse-movie-snob. For me, movies began in 1957. I am not a fan of Hollywood’s supposed “Golden Age” or its stars and am proud to admit that I have never seen and have no desire to sit through Casablanca.

With that said, I was surpised to no end how much I enjoyed Laura Wagner’s book Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames co-authored with Ray Hagen. Laura is an expert on films of the Thirties, Forties, and Fifties and her expertise shines through in the pages of her book, which profiles such tough, no-nonsense broads as Barbara Stanwyck, Gloria Grahame, Joan Blondell, Ann Sheridan, and Claire Trevor. None are favorites of mine (no surprise there as I prefer my Hollywood leading ladies bikini or miniskirt clad though I do like that 18-hour bra wearer Jane Russell who wrote the foreword), but Laura’s profiles are meticulously researched, very thorough, and quite interesting. I love a good movie profile book (you can leisurely read a chapter at random any time) and Laura’s makes for an enjoyable diversion. So much so that it almost makes me want to see some of the movies these ladies starred in.

Also kudos to McFarland for a knockout cover and crisp clear interior photos, which abound. Go to my Store to purchase a copy.

SHE REALLY CAN ACT

Most fans of Sixties starlets remember the late Deborah Walley for her role as Gidget in Gidget Goes Hawaiian or for her being a Disney girl or for her beach-party appearances in Beach Blanket Bingo, Ski Party, and Ghost in the Invisible Bikini or for chasing Elvis in Spinout. However, most don’t know that before she was tapped to take over Sandra Dee’s surfing sweetie role, Walley was doing Chekhov Off-Broadway to nice reviews.

Her one chance to prove she had more to offer than acting saccharine in those Disney comedies or shaking her bikini-clad bod in the beach movies was in the low-budget MGM programmer, The Young Lovers (1964) airing 9/27 at 3AM on TCM. Though the film was supposed to showcase the talents of Peter Fonda and Sharon Hugueny as a college students who find themselves in the family way, Walley steals the show as Hugueny’s kooky best friend who is a virgin and proud of it to the chagrin of her draftee boyfriend, Nick Adams. Walley’s character is far more intersting than the bland Hugueny’s and the movie falls flat whenever she is not on screen. Ignore the moralistic preaching by the adults who berate poor Hugueny for getting knocked up, and enjoy Deborah Walley proving that she was able to give a first-rate performance when given a chance.

I SPY

For all you spy fans who love James Bond, The Man from UNCLE, Derek Flint, or any other spy creation, check out Wes Britton’s web site Spywise. Wes is an expert on all things spy and has authored a trilogy of well-received books on secret agents and spying in film, TV, radio, and literature. He even used my book Film Fatales: Women in Espionage Film & Television, 1962-1973 for reference. He has a very cool site which he keeps updating on a regular basis. Look for one of my spy girl profiles on it soon.