The custom of sending Christmas cards originated in England during the Victorian era. In 1843, Sir Henry Cole asked John Calcott Horsley to create a holiday card. These cheerful greeting cards were brought to America from England until 1874, when Louis Prang, a printer from Germany, made the first cards in the U.S. Designs in the 19th century varied from images of Christmas trees and Nativity scenes to cards shaped like bells and candles, often embellished with silk and satin. By the early 1900s, sending Christmas cards had become a beloved tradition in both Britain and the United States. In 1915, Christmas cards changed significantly when a company that later became Hallmark introduced book-style cards. These cards featured an image on the front and a greeting, were folded once, and placed inside an envelope. This new design quickly surpassed the postcard style and has since become the norm.

People often know about The Miracle on 34th Street during Christmas, but have you heard about the events on Fifth Avenue? It Happened on Fifth Avenue is a special holiday movie from 1947 that I've grown to love over the last ten years. I discovered it while watching it on the Turner Classics Movie Channel, and now I look forward to seeing it every Christmas season when it comes on. While it's not as famous as other Christmas movies, this film has an interesting link to one of the most popular holiday films ever created. The Plot: In the bustling heart of Manhattan, amidst the towering skyscrapers and streets filled with life, stands a grand mansion on Fifth Avenue owned by the  “industrial wizard” and the 2nd richest man in the world, the fastidious Michael O’Conner, portrayed comically by Charles Ruggles. Each winter, when O'Conner escapes to his other luxurious residences, the mansion becomes a whimsical refuge for Aloysius T. McKeever, a character animatedly brought to ...

    In the 1945 film Detour, a song on a jukebox sparks a memory as our weary protagonist, Al Roberts (Tom Neal), hitchhikes through America and stops at a Nevada diner. There, he hears the love song “ I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love with Me” from 1926, which triggers memories that reveal how he ended up there and serves as the film's narrative. Did you ever want to forget anything? Did you ever want to cut away a piece of your memory or blot it out? You can’t you know. No matter how hard you try. You can change the scenery. But sooner or later you’ll get a whiff of perfume, or somebody will say a certain phrase, or maybe hum something — then you’re licked again! 'I can't believe that you're in love with me.' I used to love that song once. - Detour (1945)   Here are additional instances of jukeboxes featured in Film noir. 99 River Street (1953) A Touch of Evil (1958) Fallen Angel (1945) The Asphalt Jungle (1950) Pushover (1954) Dark Passage (1947) Sleep, My Lov...

Wishing you all a safe & wonderful Thanksgiving! Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis and Jack La Rue serve turkey On Thursday, November 25, 1943, a Thanksgiving celebration was held at the Hollywood Canteen for 3,500 servicemen. The event featured entertainment by Bob Hope, and an impressive 76 turkeys were expertly carved by celebrities including Bette Davis, Spencer Tracy, Paul Heinreid, Edward Arnold, Wallace Beery, Claude Rains, Charles Coburn, Warren William, Edgar Bergen, John Garfield, John Wayne, Dick Powell, and William Bendix.    Actor Warren Williams watches Charles Coburn carve a turkey During World War II, Hollywood played an active role in supporting the military, similar to many other communities. A significant initiative was the creation of the Hollywood Canteen, located at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, California. It opened its doors on October 3, 1942, and gracefully concluded its operations on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945.  Dane Clark, Robert ...

  John Payne

Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann in Roman Holiday-1953 Anna May Wong as Princess Ling Moy in Daughter of the Dragon- 1931    Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) -1977                   Olivia de Havilland as Princess Maria in Princess O'Rourke (1943)                      Angela Lansbury as Gwendolyn, Princess of England in The Court Jester -1955                                                Robin Wright as Buttercup in The Princess Bride -1987                     ...