Born Oct. 17, 1918, Margarita Carmen Cansino was a dancer whose talent helped her dance her way into film screens where she soon became known as Rita Hayworth.
Hayworth, who was known as ‘The Love Goddess,’ worked primarily for Columbia Studios and was best known for films such as Blood and Sand, Pal Joey, Gilda and The Lady from Shanghai.
Sadly, Hayworth was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 1980, which contributed to her death on May 14, 1987.
Kevin Corcoran, a former child actor, who appeared in countless Disney films, has died after a five-year battle with colorectal cancer. He was 66.
From starring in films like Old Yeller, Smith Family Robinson, Pollyanna and The Shaggy Dog, he appeared in many films from the early 1950’s to mid-1960’s. His last known film role was in 2009 in It Starts With Murder! After he quit acting, Corcoran pursued a career behind-the-camera; he worked as a First-Assistant Director on such television shows like Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Murder She Wrote and Crossing Jordan. Corcoran was also a co-producer on nine episodes of The Shield and on 14 installments of Sons of Anarchy.
Corcoran came from a showbiz family. One of eight children, his older sister Noreen played John Forsythe’s niece in the 1950’s television show Bachelor Father. His other siblings also appeared in various film and television roles around the same time.
Corcoran was named a Disney Legend in 2006. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Laura, and four siblings.
It was 33 years ago today, on Sept. 14, 1982, that Princess Grace of Monaco–better known as Grace Kelly–died.
Just 52-years-old at the time, Kelly had suffered a stroke when she crashed her vehicle and drove off a steep, winding road and down a mountainside. The cause of her death was due to complications resulting from the stroke and numerous other injuries. Her youngest daughter, Princess Stephanie, survived the crash.
Kelly was best known as an actress from the 1950’s and 1960’s and starred in such classics as High Noon, Rear Window, To Catch A Thief, High Society and The Country Girl–in which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress. 🎦 👑
On Aug. 8, 1980, the film Xanadu was released in movie theaters nationwide. The romantic, musical, fantasy film starred singer and actress Olivia Newton-John, legendary dancer Gene Kelly and actor Michael Beck. The film’s soundtrack featured music by Newton-John, the British rock band E.L.O., Cliff Richard and the San Francisco-based rock band The Tubes.
Despite the film not being a huge success, the film’s soundtrack was a commercial success worldwide. The song “Magic” was a hit on the U.S. and UK music charts for Newton-John. 🎶 👩 🏼
On July 3, 1985, the film Back to the Future was released in theaters nationwide. The film centers around teen Marty McFly, who travels back to the 1950’s thanks to his friend, scientist Doc Brown, whose experiment goes a little wrong. When Marty gets transported back in time, he befriends younger versions of his parents and he must make sure they fall in love or else Marty and his two older siblings will cease to exist in the future.
Marty was portrayed by Family Ties actor Michael J. Fox, Doc Brown was portrayed by Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson played Marty’s mother Lorraine and Crispin Glover played Marty’s father George. Robert Zemeckis directed the film.
Back to the Future received critical acclaim and eventually became the most successful film of that year. The film also became a franchise and produced two more sequels…Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III.
On Wednesday, television and film actor Paul Rudd received the 2,554th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The actor has currently been making his rounds in the media to promote his new film, Marvel’s Ant-Man, which had its premiere in Hollywood last night. Incidentally, Rudd also co-wrote the film’s screenplay along with Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish and director Adam McKay.
Rudd is best known for his roles in Clueless, Anchorman and its sequel, Role Models, Wet Hot American Summer and in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, as well as in the television shows Friends and Sisters.
“I remember being a kid and walking this boulevard and reading the names, and thinking about what so many other millions of people thought about, which is, ‘Who’s that?'” Rudd said during his HWOF induction speech. “The fact that million of people are going to be able to now see me and ask that same question… is humbling beyond belief.”
Rudd was accompanied at this morning’s Walk Of Fame ceremony by his good friend and fellow actor Adam Scott, Ant-Man co-star Michael Douglas–who both spoke on Rudd’s behalf–and by his family, including his wife Julie and their two children, his mother, sister, nephew and brother-in-law.
Congratulations to Paul Rudd, who definitely deserves the recognition! ☺ 🐜+👨
Sept. 12, 2016 will mark the 50th anniversary of when The Monkees television show premiered on NBC.
I can’t help but wonder if the song “Shades of Gray”–which was written in 1965 by songwriters (and real-life spouses) Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and was recorded in 1967 by the band The Monkees for their second album Headquarters–played an inspiration to the new film Fifty Shades of Grey. I really think this song should have been added to the film’s soundtrack. 😉
Fifty Shades of Grey is now playing in theaters nationwide.
Jessie De La O 