by Joanna Paxinou George Raft was a big movie star in the 1930s and ‘40s. Frankly, I wasn’t a fan of his and only watched his films when James Cagney or Humphrey Bogart was in the movie with him. Then I found out recently that Raft had grown up in…
New York City
by Joanna Paxinou “Gimme a whiskey—ginger ale on the side. And don’t be stingy, baby.” Greta Garbo spoke those words in her first “talkie,” Anna Christie in 1930. Garbo had been a great silent screen star and one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s biggest assets. Her first three silent films accounted for 13%…
Growing up in Manhattan, I remember how hot summers were. Walking the streets felt like the heat was coming up from the asphalt and almost smothering you. We didn’t have air-conditioning at home, just a couple of fans. My Uncle George (my Dad’s brother and a film buff like me)…
I grew up in Manhattan on West 57th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues. I loved it and still do! I left the old neighborhood some time ago, but it never left me. There are some new buildings built over the years, but surprisingly a lot has stayed the same….
Harry Davenport, Courtesy of LeRoy Heritage Museum, Canton, PA Years ago, an actor shone his light in every film role he played. You would have seen him in many roles—he appeared in over 100 films. He was delightful in comedies…and strong, resilient in dramas. He was a wonderful actor who…
I grew up on 57th Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in Manhattan. I loved my neighborhood—still do. They called this area Hell’s Kitchen when I was growing up. According to local lore, the area got its name because it was a rough part of New York City in the…