Showing posts with label Bachelor Mother. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bachelor Mother. Show all posts

Monday, November 20, 2017

2017 Classic Film Holiday Gift Guide




I'm proud to present my Holiday Gift Guide for 2017. In my guide you'll find a wide variety of gift ideas for the classic film lover in your life. These are also great products that you can buy for yourself with gift cards or holiday cash.

I split the guide into two sections. First is recommendations. These are products that I've come to love over the past year. The second section is my wish list. These are the products I have my eyes on for future purchase. 

I hope you enjoy the guide. Remember when you use my buy links to do your holiday shopping you help support this site. Thanks!

In the comment section below, tell me what's on your holiday wish list and what you would recommend for a classic movie fan.






Get started on your holiday card mailing list with these beauties. They'd also make amazing To:/From: cards to attach to presents. I love how Kate Gabrielle matches hilarious puns with her amazing designs.

Shop KateGabrielle.com

Other items from Kate Gabrielle's shop:




Give the gift of my all-time favorite movie.

Shop Warner Bros.

Further reading:




I have so much love for this documentary and its subjects. If your loved one is fascinated by the movie industry and always wanting for a good love story, look no further than Harold and Lillian.


Further reading:



Warner Archive Collection DVD-MODs

My Warner Archive Wednesday reviews are the most popular posts on this blog and for good reason! The folks at Warner Archive collection dig deep into their salt mines to uncover hidden gems for us to enjoy. I found many new-to-me favorites thanks to WAC. Here are a few DVDs I've enjoyed:

Gentleman Jim (1942)
Shop – Review

Hotel (1967)
Shop – Review

Beauty for the Asking (1939)
Shop – Review

Sorority House (1939)
Shop – Review



Warner Archive Collection Blu-Rays

In addition to their vast collection of DVD-MODs, Warner Archive has also been releasing Blu-Rays. They put a lot of care and attention to the restoration of these films. Each disc is a collector's item. Here are two of my favorite WAC Blu-Rays:

Where the Boys Are (1960)
Shop – Review

Bells are Ringing (1960)



Kino Lorber Blu-Rays

This year I've been watching a lot of Kino Lorber releases. I love the variety of films they release; everything from classic films, documentaries and independent movies. Kino has released lots of great classic films on Blu-Ray this year. Here are a few recent releases I recommend:

The High Commissioner (1968)

Since You Went Away (1944)

Zaza (1923)

Hangover Square (1945)




King of Jazz: Paul Whiteman's Technicolor Revue 
by James Layton and David Pierce

Does the classic film nut in your life have a super early cut off date for movies they watch? Like nothing past 1934? If they haven't already invested in Layton and Pierce's new book all about the early talkie musical King of Jazz (1930), then you need to fix that situation right away.


Other recommendation:
The Dawn of Technicolor: 1915-1935
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Powells Review



I recently subscribed to FilmStruck and it's been a great resource especially for independent and foreign cinema. FilmStruck is offering a free Roku stick when you buy a year's gift subscription.

Also recommended:



Classic Film Books

For classic film devotees it's not enough just to watch the movies. They need to read about them too. What better gift than to give a biography, memoir or new classic film book? Visit my latest New & Upcoming Classic Film Book Round-Up for more ideas.

Anne Bancroft: A Life by Douglas K. Daniel
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Powells

Hank & Jim : The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart by Scott Eyman
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Powells

 Reviews for these coming soon!

Other recommendations:
Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War by Mark Harris
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Powells Review

Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter, and a Lifetime in Hollywood 
by Kirk and Anne Douglas with Marcia Newberger
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Powells Review

Mary Astor's Purple Diary by Edward Sorel
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – PowellsReview




The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson Sets from Time Life

Chances are the classic film fanatic in your life also really loves classic TV. A lot of their favorite classic stars were also special guests on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. These sets are great fun.  You get complete episodes of the show, not clips, as well as commercials from the era.

Johnny Carson and Friends

The Tonight Show Vault Series Vol 1.

Further reading:


Other recommendations:

Martin & Rowan Laugh-In
AmazonBarnes and Noble Best BuyTime Life

Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
AmazonBarnes and Noble Best BuyTime Life






Fritz Lang: The Silent Films Set from Kino Lorber

Fritz Lang is my favorite director. A Blu-Ray collection of his silent films? Yes please!

Amazon – Barnes and Noble Kino Lorber



100 Years of  Olympic Films from Criterion

When Criterion announced this 53 film set I knew I had to have it. Owning it is definitely a pipe dream but we all need something to aspire to.

Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Best Buy – Criterion


More Books!

One can never have too many books. Here are two I have my eye on.



Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film  by Alan K. Rode


Must-See Musicals: 50 Show-Stopping Movies We Can’t Forget 
by Richard Barrios
Amazon Barnes and NoblePowells


http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-6581483-11989414?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fandango.com%2Ffandango-gift-cards&cjsku=FGCPOPCORN75

Fandango Gift Cards

I just want more excuses to see new movies at my local cinemas. A gift card to the rescue!

Other options:
AMC Gift Card
Showcase Gift Card


What's on your holiday wish list?

Monday, December 28, 2015

Owning Bachelor Mother (1939)



I have a confession to make. I have had in my possession 11 different copies of the Bachelor Mother (1939).

It all started over a decade ago when I was discovering my love of classic film. I taped a series of films off of TCM with my VCR. All of the films had the word "bachelor" in the title: Bachelor Mother (1939), Bachelor Father (1931), Bachelor Apartment (1931), Bachelor Bait (1934) and Bachelor in Paradise (1961) .

Out of all of those "bachelor" movies, Bachelor Mother was my favorite. I fell in love with it so much it became my favorite film of all time. I would watch and re-watch my VHS recording and would catch TCM airings during the holidays. Then the inevitable happened. I lost the tape. I went months without seeing my favorite movie until I was able to tape it off TCM once again. And that wasn't enough. I taped it once more so I could have a back-up.  Months later I found the original tape and I had in my possession three VHS recordings of Bachelor Mother.

A few years later the good folks at Warner Archive released Bachelor Mother on DVD-MOD and I couldn't get it into my hot little hands fast enough. It wasn't a perfect copy, the DVD-MOD is defective. It's devoid of chapters and if you stop it at any point you have to start all over. I asked Warner Archive and they told me I had a defective copy. I bought a second one thinking that the defective copy could be my back-up. Unfortunately that second copy was defective too. But that was okay with me. I was just grateful that my beloved film was on DVD.



Then Warner Archive was in trouble. Their parent company was making some cuts which included massive layoffs across the board. Before all this had happened they had their final 5 for $45 sale. I decided to make a purchase not only to support Warner Archive but do something a bit wacky. I bought 5 copies of Bachelor Mother and none of them were for me. I decided to send these copies to friends.

My friend Le over at Critica Retro told me on Twitter that she had never seen Bachelor Mother. Warner Archive doesn't distribute outside the United States and Le lives in Brazil. What if I just sent her a copy so she could watch it? What if I just spread the love of my favorite film to my friends? That would be such a fun thing to do.



I sent those fives copies to five friends and recently when I made another purchase from Warner Archive I bought yet another copy of Bachelor Mother (1939). My 11th copy! And this one is for you.

I'm hosting a giveaway to send one DVD-MOD copy of Bachelor Mother to a reader as a New Year's gift. It's open internationally and all you need to do is fill out the form below. Contest ends January 1st, 2016 at Midnight EST.

Have you every owned multiple copies of a movie? Do you send copies of your favorite film to friends and family? I want to know.



'Appy Nuuu Chea!



Further reading:
Coolest Classic Film Stuff I Own Part One and Part Two.
Seeing Bachelor Mother (1939) at TCMFF and why I love it so much.
New Year's and Bachelor Mother (1939)


GIVEAWAY: The giveaway is now over. Congrats to Sally the winner!

Monday, December 21, 2015

Elbert Coplen Jr., the infant star of Bachelor Mother (1939)




Little Elbert Coplen Jr. went on to make a splash in Hollywood that didn’t last past the toddler stage.

At the tender age of 8 months, Elbert Coplen Jr. played John ("Johnnie") in the hilarious RKO comedy Bachelor Mother (1939). His father, Elbert Coplen Sr., was a mechanical engineer at the now defunct Douglas Aircraft Manufacturing Co. in Los Angeles and his mother, maiden name Callanan, was a housewife. RKO had a call out for babies 6 months of age to appear in the film. 50 mothers auditioned their babies for the part and director Garson Kanin chose little “Bert” Coplen. Kanin didn’t necessarily want the most well-behaved baby. He was looking for a baby who was photogenic, healthy and wasn’t prone to many crying fits.



According to The Milwaukee Journal, Kanin thought crying babies were sick babies. Little Bert’s scenes were shot in short increments. He never worked more than 2 hours a day and was paid $75 a week. Other babies were used as stand-in for some scenes. Little Bert grew three teeth during filming and director Kanin had to re-shoot certain close-up shots for continuity reasons. Little Bert was born Elbert Milan Coplen Jr. on August 18th, 1938 in Los Angeles, CA. I did some digging and couldn’t find much on him. If he is alive today he would be 77 years old. He married Joann Coplen and they had two children, Scott and Lori. It's possible he resides in Southern California. His father Elbert M. Coplen Sr. is credited as co-inventor of the Snap Fastener .

If you have any information I could add to this, please feel free to contact me!

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