Video: 'Lilies of the Field' trailer
(Friday, July 5, 1963) — Lilies of the Field, a film about an African American itinerant worker who encounters a group of East German nuns, who believe he has been sent to them by God to build them a new chapel, opened today in West Germany.
Directed by Ralph Nelson, the film stars Sidney Poitier and Lilia Skala.
Video: 'The Great Escape' trailer
(Thursday, June 20, 1963) — The Great Escape, a film about an escape by Allied prisoners of war from a German POW camp during World War II, premiered today in London.
Directed by John Sturges, the film stars Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence and James Coburn.
Video: 'Cleopatra' trailer
(Wednesday, June 12, 1963) — Cleopatra, an epic drama film that chronicles the struggles of Cleopatra VII, the young Queen of Egypt, to resist the imperialist ambitions of Rome, premiered today in New York City.
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the film stars Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall, Martin Landau, Hume Cronyn, and George Cole.
Video: 'The Nutty Professor' trailer
(Tuesday, June 4, 1963) — The Nutty Professor, a science fiction comedy feature film about a timid chemist discovers a potion that unleashes his sleazy side (a parody of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), opened today in U.S. theaters.
Directed by Jerry Lewis, the film stars Lewis, Stella Stevens, Del Moore and Kathleen Freeman.
Video: '1962 Oscar Winners'
(Monday, April 8, 1963, 10:00 p.m. EST) — Lawrence of Arabia won seven Oscars tonight at the 35th Academy Awards, including OBest Picture, Best Director for David Lean. Gregory Peck won Best Actor for To Kill a Mockingbird and Anne Bancroft won Best Actress for The Miracle Worker. Continue reading ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ wins Best Picture at 35th Academy Awards 50 years ago this hour (1963)
Video: 'The Birds Official Trailer #1 - Charles McGraw Movie (1963) HD'
(Thursday, March 28, 1963) — The Birds, a suspense/horror film about a wealthy San Francisco socialite who pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people, opened today in New York City.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the film stars Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and Tippi Hedren.
Video: 'How the West Was Won' (trailer)
(Thursday, November 1, 1962) — How the West Was Won, an epic-western film about three generations of pioneers who take part in the forging of the American West, opened today in Britain.
Directed by John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall and Richard Thorpe, the film is narrated by Spencer Tracy and stars Carroll Baker, Walter Brennan, Lee J. Cobb, Andy Devine, Henry Fonda, Carolyn Jones, Karl Malden, Harry Morgan, Gregory Peck, George Peppard, Robert Preston, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, Eli Wallach, John Wayne, and Richard Widmark.
Video: 'What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?' trailer
(Friday, October 26, 1962) — What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, a psychological thriller film about a crazed, aging star who torments her sister in a decaying Hollywood mansion, premiered today in New York.
Directed by Robert Aldrich, the film starred Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Victor Buono.
Video: 'The Longest Day' trailer
(Tuesday, September 25, 1962) — The Longest Day, a war film about D-Day, the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II, had its world premiere today in France (it would open in the U.S. on Oct. 4).
Directed by Ken Annakin (British and French exteriors), Andrew Marton (American exteriors), Gerd Oswald (parachute drop scene), Bernhard Wicki (German scenes), and Darryl F. Zanuck (uncredited), the film stars John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Sean Connery, Eddie Albert, Curd Jürgens, Richard Burton, Donald Houston, Peter Lawford, Rod Steiger, Irina Demick, Gert Fröbe, Edmond O’Brien and Kenneth More.
Video: Monroe's funeral (at 6:04)
(Wednesday, August 8, 1962, 1:00 PDT) — A brief, simple funeral service, arranged by her second husband Joe DiMaggio and attended by only 31 close family and friends, was held today for film legend Marilyn Monroe at the small Westwood Village Funeral Chapel in Hollywood. Monroe’s acting coach, Lee Strasberg, delivered her eulogy. Continue reading Marilyn Monroe funeral held in Hollywood 50 years ago this hour (1962)
