Video: 'Gaslight' (trailer)
(Thursday, May 4, 1944) — Gaslight, a mystery-thriller film about a newlywed who fears she’s going mad when strange things start happening at the family mansion, opened today at the Capitol in New York City.
Directed by George Cukor, the film starred Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty and Angela Lansbury.
Video: 'Going My Way' (trailer)
(Wednesday, May 3, 1944) — Going My Way, a musical comedy-drama film about a young priest who revitalizes a failing parish and brings new life to the elder priest, premiered tonight at the Paramount in New York City.
Directed by Leo McCarey, the film starred Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald and Risë Stevens.
Video: '1944 16th Academy Awards Oscars Jennifer Jones Jack Warner Paul Lukas Charles Coburn Katina Paxinou'
(Thursday, March 2, 1944, 8:00 p.m. PST) — Casablanca won three Oscars today, including Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 16th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Jennifer Jones (whose 25th birthday it was) received the Best Actress award for The Song of Bernadette while Paul Lukas won Best Actor for Watch on the Rhine. Continue reading ‘Casablanca’ wins Best Picture at 16th Academy Awards 70 years ago this hour (Mar 2 1944)
(Monday, February 7, 1944) — Bing Crosby and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra recorded “Swinging on a Star” today for Decca Records in Los Angeles. It would appear in the film Going My Way.
Video: 'The Miracle of Morgan's Creek' (trailer)
(Wednesday, January 5, 1944) — The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, a screwball comedy film about a small-town girl who wakes up after an all-night send-off party for the troops to find herself married and pregnant but with no memory of her husband’s identity, premiered today in New York City. Continue reading ‘The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek’ premieres in New York City 70 years ago today (Jan 5 1944)
Video: 'Madame Curie' (trailer)
(Thursday, December 15, 1943) — Madame Curie, a biographical film that tells the story of Polish-French physicist Marie Curie, premiered today in Los Angeles. Continue reading ‘Madame Curie’ premieres in Los Angeles 70 years ago today (12/15/1943)
Video: 'Bing Crosby: "Sunday Monday or Always" 1943'
(Friday, July 2, 1943) — Bing Crosby recorded “Sunday, Monday or Always” today in Los Angeles for Decca Records. Made during a musician’s strike, Crosby recorded the song with the Ken Darby Singers vocal group background instead of an orchestra.
Video: 'Don't worry, I shall be back - In memory of Leslie Howard'
(Tuesday, June 1, 1943; during World War II) — A civilian flight from Portugal to England was shot down today by the Germans during World War II, killing all 17 people aboard, including British actor Leslie Howard.
Video: '1942 Oscar Winners'
(Thursday, March 4, 1943) — Mrs. Miniver won six Oscars tonight at the 15th Academy Awards, including Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Director for William Wyler and Best Actress for Greer Garson, whose 5 1/2-minute acceptance speech became the butt of industry jokes.
James Cagney won Best Actor for Yankee Doodle Dandy. The ceremonies were held in the Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles (click here to watch a newsreel from tonight’s ceremony).
Video: 'Tasmanian Devil - The Fast And Furious Life Of Errol Flynn' (statutory rape case at 25:44)
(Saturday, February 6, 1943) — A Los Angeles jury today acquitted actor Errol Flynn, 33, of three counts of statutory rape. He had be charged with having sex with two under-age girls, Betty Hansen and Peggy Satterlee, at the Bel Air home of Flynn’s friend Frederick McEvoy.
