Video: 'Miracle on 34th Street' trailer
(Wednesday, June 4, 1947, doors opened at 10:30 a.m. EDT) — Miracle on 34th Street, a Christmas comedy-drama film about a department store Santa who claims to be the real thing, opened this morning at the Roxy Theatre at 153 West 50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, just off Times Square in New York City. Continue reading ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ opens in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1947)
Video: 'Monsieur Verdoux' trailer
(Friday, April 11, 1947, 8:45 p.m. EST) — Monsieur Verdoux, a black comedy film directed by and starring Charles Chaplin, who plays a bigamist wife killer inspired by serial killer Henri Désiré Landru, premiered tonight at Broadway Theatre located in midtown Manhattan. Continue reading ‘Monsieur Verdoux’ premieres in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 11 1947)
Video: 'Ann Sheridan - Academy Awards For 1946 - March 13, 1947'
(Thursday, March 13, 1947, 8:45-11:37 p.m. PST) — The Best Years of Our Lives, an American drama film about three returning servicemen who fight to adjust to life after World War II, won seven Oscars tonight, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director (William Wyler) Best Actor (Fredric March) and Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell) at the 19th Academy Awards ceremony at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Continue reading ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ wins Best Motion Picture at 19th Academy Awards 70 years ago this hour (Mar 13 1947)
Video: 'It's A Wonderful Life' trailer
(Friday, December 20, 1946, 8:30 p.m. EST) — It’s a Wonderful Life, an American Christmas fantasy drama film about an angel who helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed, premiered tonight at special benefit showing for the Boys’ Club of New York at the Globe theatre at 205 West 46th Street in midtown-Manhattan. Continue reading ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ premieres in New York City 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 20 1946)
Video: 'Academy Awards 1945'
(Thursday, March 7, 1946, 8:00-9:41 p.m. PST) — The Lost Weekend, a noir drama film about an alcoholic writer, won four Oscars tonight, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director (Billy Wilder) and Best Actor (Ray Milland) at the 18th Academy Awards ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California. Continue reading ‘The Lost Weekend’ wins Best Motion Picture at 18th Academy Awards 70 years ago this hour (Mar 7 1946)
Video: '1944 Oscar Winners'
(Thursday, March 15, 1945, 8:00 p.m. PST) — Going My Way won seven Oscars tonight, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director (Leo McCarey) and Best Actor (Bing Crosby) at the 17th Academy Awards ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California.
Ingrid Bergman won the Best Actress award for Gaslight. The ceremonies at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood were hosted by John Cromwell and Bob Hope.
(Saturday, February 10, 1945; during World War II) — During a luncheon today at the National Press Club, Vice President Harry Truman sat down at the piano to play the “Missouri Waltz” when suddenly 20-year-old actress Lauren Bacall perched herself on top of the piano for some publicity portraits, showing a rather daring amount of leg by 1945 standards (click here for a relevant clip from “American Experience: Truman” at 1:27:35).
Video: 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (trailer)
(Wednesday, November 22, 1944) — Meet Me in St. Louis, a musical film about an American family living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World’s Fair in 1904, premiered today in St. Louis (it would premiere in New York on Nov. 28, 1944).
Directed by Vincente Minnelli, the film starred Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake and Marjorie Main.
Video: 'To Have and Have Not' (trailer)
(Wednesday, October 11, 1944) — To Have and Have Not, a romance-war-adventure film that follows a skipper-for-hire’s romance with a beautiful drifter complicated by his growing involvement with the French resistance, opened today at the Hollywood in New York City.
Directed by Howard Hawks, the film starred Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan, Lauren Bacall, Dolores Moran and Hoagy Carmichael.
Video: 'Laura' (trailer)
(Wednesday, October 11, 1944) — Laura, a film noir about a police detective who falls in love with the woman whose murder he’s investigating, opened today at the Roxy in New York City.
Directed by Otto Preminger, the film starred Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price and Judith Anderson.
