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by Chad Kennerk

Image courtesy WikiCommons.

Located at 106 Riverside Drive on the banks of the Ohio River in historical Augusta, Kentucky, The Rosemary Clooney House is a non-profit foundation focused on preserving the house that Rosemary called home for 20 years, while sharing Rosemary’s legacy with fans old and new through extensive memorabilia from her life and career. The home was a sanctuary and retreat between gigs for Rosemary, who was born in nearby Maysville, Kentucky.

The museum's origins trace back to 1999 when Heather French Henry was crowned Miss America 2000 — the first Miss Kentucky to win the crown. Her second call that night was from another hometown Kentucky girl — Rosemary Clooney. Years later, following Clooney’s passing, Rosemary’s children approached Heather and her husband, former Kentucky Lt. Gov Dr. Steve Henry about purchasing the circa 1840 home. The Rosemary Clooney House officially opened in 2005 and is now a museum showcasing Clooney's costumes,...

Nothing screams the Christmas season quite like the music. And what’s better than door-to-door carolers? An at-home Christmas movie musical.

Whether you are in the mood for a classic tune like “White Christmas” or new tracks like Will Ferrell’s “That Christmas Morning Feelin,'” these movie musicals will prepare you for the holiday season that awaits.

Hang up the Christmas lights, dress the tree, bake some cookies and put on a movie musical from our list to bring your home some holiday cheer.

“White Christmas” White Christmas

The song that sparked a thousand dreams — “White Christmas” — is a holiday classic for a reason. The 1954 film follows two former soldiers turned entertainers. Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join a talent sister act, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen), to perform a Christmas show in upstate Vermont. The foursome reunite with the boys’ former General to save his holiday inn.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of one of the most beloved Christmas movies ever made—Irving Berlin’s White Christmas—and Paramount Home Entertainment is celebrating the milestone by releasing the fan-favorite film for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD on November 5, 2024. A dazzling and delightful holiday treat, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen in a joyous showbiz story filled with song and dance and featuring the timeless music and lyrics of legendary composer and songwriter Irving Berlin whose artistry defined American popular songs for much of the 20th century. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas premiered on ... Read more...

Anne Whitfield, who appeared at age 15 in the 1954 Hollywood Christmas chestnut White Christmas and went on to a prolific career in episodic TV throughout the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, died February 15 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington. She was 85.

The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.

“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.

Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...

Anne Whitfield, who appeared in the beloved holiday classic White Christmas and on dozens of TV shows, from Father Knows Best, 77 Sunset Strip and Perry Mason to That Girl, Ironside and Emergency!, has died. She was 85.

Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.

“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.

Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.

She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...

Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens and Christopher Plummer as Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ (Photo by Kerry Brown / Bleecker Street)

Once again, the holidays – or is it holidaze? – are upon us, bringing with it a flurry of Christmas movies.

You have your endless parade of cartoons, specials, Christmas-themed episodes of your favorite TV shows, bad holiday comedies (1996’s Jingle All the Way and 2007’s Fred Claus come to mind), and Christmas-set horror movies (1984’s Gremlins). Then there’s the cheesy yet feel-good Lifetime and Hallmark films. And how can we forget the 24-hour marathon of 1983’s A Christmas Story (celebrating its 40th anniversary this year), beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Christmas Day?

If those don’t do it for you, maybe these lists of Christmas movies will.

Classic Christmas Movies

You can’t go wrong with these classics, which can lighten the hearts of even the most ardent cynics.

White Christmas is a beloved holiday film with iconic quotes, including Bob's comment about being stuck with a "weirdsmobile for life." The importance of friendship is highlighted in the film, as shown by Bob and Phil's dedication to General Waverly, despite his comment that they "weren't any good as privates." The comedic duo of Bob and Phil provides laughs throughout the movie, with Bob's dry but loving comments leaving an impression.

The 1954 holiday classic White Christmas is one of the most recognizable movies of its genre, and the film contains several iconic quotes. White Christmas is a follow-up to the black-and-white Christmas movie classic Holiday Inn, featuring an incredible soundtrack from Irving Berlin. Starring the likes of Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney, White Christmas saw success for its wholesome family atmosphere. It's still one of the most notable holiday-themed films to date.

Filmed in Technicolor, White Christmas...

Tyrannical and brilliant, director Michael Curtiz created film legends out of mere stars, and turned movies into myth. Here are some of his greatest films.

When movie enthusiasts think of legendary director Michael Curtiz, the first thing that pops into their mind is Casablanca (1942), consistently named to, and occasionally topping, lists of the greatest films of all time. Although if we’re being honest, most people think of it as a Humphrey Bogart movie. The same could be said of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). These are known for their stars, James Cagney, and Errol Flynn, the latter of whom Curtiz put on the map with Captain Blood (1935). In the director’s hands, actors and characters merged into a mythology which exceeded mere signature roles, becoming universal symbols.

Curtiz worked in the motion picture business from its infancy, but began in the theater, graduating Budapest’s...

Irving Berlin's song "White Christmas" is kind of a big deal. The tune's history is full of nothing but praise for its nostalgic lyrics that tell the story of someone "dreaming of a white Christmas" filled with all of the childhood wonder of Christmases past. A magical orchestral arrangement complete with angelic backup singers helps to give the song a wistful feel that you can't help but get caught up in every time you listen to Bing Crosby croon about sleigh bells and glistening treetops.

Crosby originally performed a version of the song in 1941 before it was officially released in 1942 as part of the soundtrack for the musical, "Holiday Inn." Even though the song first came out nearly a century ago, it is still one of the most (if not the most) beloved Christmas songs, and it's easy to understand why. After all, who doesn't want to magically wake...

We all have our go-to holiday movie classics. "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Home Alone" quickly come to mind, but another holiday staple for me is "White Christmas." Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kay, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, the film follows singers Bob Wallace (Crosby) and Phil Davis (Kaye), who have been pounding the pavement as successful producers post-World War II. Lured in to do a favor for a fellow soldier, they are introduced to sisters Betty (Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) when invited to attend the sister act show they put on.

Shenanigans ensue and the quartet of characters find themselves heading to rural Vermont. While staying at a local inn, the men realize their former commander owns the establishment and is deeply in the red. Loyalty for their commander prompts the men to rope in the women to try to make a Christmas miracle happen with some musical numbers thrown into the mix.

Snow is beginning to fall, and lights have gone up all over the place to celebrate the holiday season. Families are watching their favorite old movies like 1954's "White Christmas" to get in the mood. Unfortunately, if you want the full, official soundtrack to that particular film, you are out of luck. Even Santa can't fix record contract issues. He really should leave coal in a few record executives' stockings.

If you've never seen Michal Curtiz's "White Christmas," it's the story of Bob (Bing Crosby) and Phil (Danny Kaye), old WWII war buddies who have gone into show business and had great success. They meet sisters Judy (Vera-Ellen) and Betty (Rosemary Clooney), a performing duo dealing with some hard times. They all end up in Vermont at a failing resort owned by the guys' disgraced Major General (Dean Jagger), putting on a show to save the place and restore some holiday cheer.

Do you see what we see? Some favorite flicks airing blissfully on repeat. Feast your eyes on these classics on Christmas Eve: • TBS (starting at 8/7c) and TNT (9/8c) give you 24 hours of 1983’s A Christmas Story, with Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) clamoring for a Red Ryder Bb gun. Best repeat scene: Tongue on a flagpole. • The film world’s favorite daredevil anthropologist Indiana Jones seeks treasures in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, followed by his three earlier adventures of ark-hunting, monkey brain–eating and dad-rescuing on Paramount Network (through 3am/2c). Best repeat scene: Snakes on a plane in Raiders of the Lost Ark (10:30am/9:30c and 6:30/5:30c). • You get nearly a full day of Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney dancing and romancing in 1954’s White Christmas on SundanceTV (beginning at 3/2c). Best repeat scene: This fab four performing...

The movie awards’ season is in full flower with such films as Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog”; Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story”; Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast,” Guillermo Del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley” and Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” among the favorites for top prizes. But one thing we know for certain is that there is no sure thing when it comes to the Oscars. Consider the case of seventy years ago. Not only were there surprises among the nominees, but there were also some shocks when it came to the winners of the 1952 Oscars.

Let’s revisit the 24th Academy Awards, which took place March 20, 1952 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and were hosted by Danny Kaye. This was the last time the ceremony was presented on radio. The show moved to television the following year. Among the presenters that evening were Lucille Ball,...

by Cláudio Alves

As someone who loves Christmas and the musical genre, I'm ashamed to say I'd never seen 1954's White Christmas until this year. Irving Berlin's classic is beloved by many, and it has become one of those immortal holiday movies that seem to have everlasting popularity. Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, the picture's a jolly affair full of merry dance breaks and one of those ridiculous "let's put on a show" stories that were so common in musicals of this particular era.

It's with great sadness that I admit I wasn't won over by White Christmas, not completely. That being said, there's plenty to love about this Yuletide affair. Because now's a time for merriment and celebration, let's sprint through the negatives to get to the positives…...

When it comes to holiday traditions, some people bake cookies, some people have an A Christmas Story marathon on Christmas Day, and some people delight in decorating the tree. I am none of those people and instead watch Irving Berlin's White Christmas every single day in December leading up to Christmas.

How the tradition began is a little complicated, but I've been doing it since at least 2010. How do I know this? Well, we initially rented White Christmas when Blockbuster allowed you to have a weekly membership, and we kept the DVD so long, the store went out of business and all late fees were negated. The fact that White Christmas is the only movie we kept from Blockbuster week after week should say something about the specialness it holds in my heart. Initially, watching the movie was a family tradition because it is my mother's favorite. However, when I left for college,...

If you've been dreaming of a White Christmas this holiday season, you're in luck. The classic 1954 musical starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen is headed to a small screen near you a few times this year. You can find the film airing on AMC throughout the month of

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Other Links From TVGuide.com White ChristmasBing CrosbyRosemary ClooneyDanny KayeVera-Ellen...

Watching the festive, heartwarming classic White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, is a holiday-season tradition for many families. This year, moviegoers of all ages can experience the fun and joy of White Christmason the big screen when it plays nationwide for two days only on Sunday, December 9, and Wednesday, December 12, featuring brand-new commentary before and after the film by TCM Primetime Host Ben Mankiewicz.

White Christmas is the final film in the 2018 TCM Big Screen Classics series from Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). The 2019 lineup for the popular series will be unveiled soon.

White Christmas features unforgettable music by Irving Berlin, including, of course, the beloved title song, as well as “Sisters,” “Snow” and “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep.” Directed by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca), White Christmas stars Crosby and Kaye as army buddies who set out to save the inn run by...

“I wanna wash my hands, my face, my hair with snow!”

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well at The Hi-Pointe Theater here in St. Louis. It”S A Wonderful Life played last weekend to a nearly-sold out crowd – and that’s a big theater!

This Saturday, December 16th at 10:00am, head over to the Hi-Pointe for a White Christmas

White Christmas was made in 1954 (exactly 20 years before Black Christmas!) and was directed by Michael Curtiz. Bing Crosby teamed up with madcap funny man Danny Kaye and partnering with those two show biz pros as sisters were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. One of the most popular films of 1954, White Christmas opens and closes with the title song, while in between it’s filled with one great musical number after another. Crosby and Kaye play entertainers who went through W.W.II together and decide to host a fundraising...

Alec Bojalad Nov 9, 2019

Netflix has the deepest offerings of Christmas movies in the streaming world. Make sense of them here!

Christmas is a stressful time of year for many people.

There are gifts to buy, family to see, and cars to dig out of the snow. Thankfully, the holiday cheer makes up for a lot of it. And when holiday cheer can't get you all the way there, there are Christmas movies to make up the rest.

further reading: The Best Christmas Movies Available to Stream

Netflix has the deepest roster of Christmas movies of all the major streaming options. So we've compiled a list of the best Christmas movies available on Netflix.

Be sure to point out any we've missed!

Black Mirror: White Christmas (2014)

Those looking for Christmas cheer won't find it here. Black Mirror isn't necessarily known for its happy endings and it's 2014 Christmas special, "White Christmas" is no different.

Turner Classic Movies continues with its Gay Hollywood presentations tonight and tomorrow morning, June 8–9. Seven movies will be shown about, featuring, directed, or produced by the following: Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, Farley Granger, John Dall, Edmund Goulding, W. Somerset Maughan, Clifton Webb, Montgomery Clift, Raymond Burr, Charles Walters, DeWitt Bodeen, and Harriet Parsons. (One assumes that it's a mere coincidence that gay rumor subjects Cary Grant and Tyrone Power are also featured.) Night and Day (1946), which could also be considered part of TCM's homage to birthday girl Alexis Smith, who would have turned 96 today, is a Cole Porter biopic starring Cary Grant as a posh, heterosexualized version of Porter. As the warning goes, any similaries to real-life people and/or events found in Night and Day are a mere coincidence. The same goes for Words and Music (1948), a highly fictionalized version of the Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart musical partnership.

“I wanna wash my hands, my face, my hair with snow!”

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well at The Hi-Pointe Theater here in St. Louis. It”S A Wonderful Life played last weekend to a nearly-sold out crowd – and that’s a big theater!

This Saturday, December 17th at 10:30am, head over to the Hi-Pointe for a White Christmas

White Christmas was made in 1954 (exactly 20 years before Black Christmas!) and was directed by Michael Curtiz. Bing Crosby teamed up with madcap funny man Danny Kaye and partnering with those two show biz pros as sisters were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. One of the most popular films of 1954, White Christmas opens and closes with the title song, while in between it’s filled with one great musical number after another. Crosby and Kaye play entertainers who went through W.W.II together and decide to host a fundraising...

Veteran’s Day is November 11. While we all try to escape from the most exasperating Presidential Campaign in our history let me pay tribute to the Men and Women who have served in the military to insure we keep our electoral process and our freedoms.

Having served in the Navy four years (there he goes again!) I have a keen interest in any movie about the military, especially the sea service. I did serve during peace time so had no experience with combat but still spent most of my tour of duty at sea on an aircraft carrier, the USS Amerca CV66. Among other jobs I ran the ship’s television station for almost two years. Movies have always been important to me and so providing a few hours of entertainment every day when we were at sea was just about the best job I could have had.

The author...

“Getting involved is so… so… involving.”

On The Town screens at St. Louis’ fabulous Hi-Pointe Theater this weekend as part of their Classic Film Series. It’s Saturday, September 10th at 10:30am at the Hi-Pointe located at 1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, Mo 63117. The film will be introduced by Harry Hamm, movie reviewer for Kmox. Admission is only $5

Three sailors on a day of shore leave in New York City look for fun and romance before their twenty-four hours are up. That summary to the beloved 1949 musical On The Town should be sung to the tune of “New York, New York,” the most famous song to come from this rollicking adaptation of the Broadway musical. There’s nary a dull moment as we watch Gene Kelly search desperately for Vera-Ellen, Frank Sinatra play a young and naive sailor (!) who tries to resist going up to Betty Garrett’s place but eventually gives in,...

“I wanna wash my hands, my face, my hair with snow!”

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well at The Hi-pointe Theater here in St. Louis. It”S A Wonderful Life played last weekend to a nearly-sold out crowd – and that’s a big theater!

This Saturday, December 19th at 10:30am, head over to the Hi-Pointe for a White Christmas

White Christmas was made in 1954 (exactly 20 years before Black Christmas!) and was directed by Michael Curtiz. Bing Crosby teamed up with madcap funny man Danny Kaye and partnering with those two show biz pros as sisters were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. One of the most popular films of 1954, White Christmas opens and closes with the title song, while in between it’s filled with one great musical number after another. Crosby and Kaye play entertainers who went through W.W.II together and decide to host a fundraising...

Teresa Wright-Samuel Goldwyn association comes to a nasty end (See preceding post: "Teresa Wright in 'Shadow of a Doubt': Alfred Hitchcock Heroine in His Favorite Film.") Whether or not because she was aware that Enchantment wasn't going to be the hit she needed – or perhaps some other disagreement with Samuel Goldwyn or personal issue with husband Niven Busch – Teresa Wright, claiming illness, refused to go to New York City to promote the film. (Top image: Teresa Wright in a publicity shot for The Men.) Goldwyn had previously announced that Wright, whose contract still had another four and half years to run, was to star in a film version of J.D. Salinger's 1948 short story "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut." Instead, he unceremoniously – and quite publicly – fired her.[1] The Goldwyn organization issued a statement, explaining that besides refusing the assignment to travel to New York to help generate pre-opening publicity for Enchantment,...

“I wanna wash my hands, my face, my hair with snow!”

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well at The Hi-pointe Theater here in St. Louis. It”S A Wonderful Life played last weekend to a nearly-sold out crowd – and that’s a big theater!

This Saturday, December 20th at 10:30am, head over to the Hi-Pointe for a White Christmas

White Christmas was made in 1954 (exactly 20 years before Black Christmas!) and was directed by Michael Curtiz. Bing Crosby teamed up with madcap funny man Danny Kaye and partnering with those two show biz pros as sisters were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. One of the most popular films of 1954, White Christmas opens and closes with the title song, while in between it’s filled with one great musical number after another. Crosby and Kaye play entertainers who went through W.W.II together and decide to host a fundraising...

Sure, it would be easy to rattle off all sorts of movie titles that feature the name of colors. Go ahead and knock yourself out: The Pink Panther, Red Dawn, Yellow Submarine, Purple Rain, Blue Velvet, Goldfinger, etc. The listing seems rather endless. However, can one come up with color-contained movie titles that also carry some messaging of substance and contemplation? Maybe films such as Fried Green Tomatoes or Steel Magnolias are color-coated entries that carries some relevance in its messaging about feminine empowerment for instance. In Rainbow Coalition: Top 10 Movie Titles with Color and Substance let us look are the leading selections that have both color (in title) and substance (in thematic forethought) attached to its skin. Hey, maybe one can make a case for Pink Flamingos but The Blue Lagoon might be stretching things a bit…don’t you think? The Rainbow Coalition: Top 10 Movie Titles with Color...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: May 6, 2014

Price: DVD $24.95, Blu-ray $29.95

Studio: Olive Films

The 1949 music-filled comedy Love Happy was the final film starring the legendary Marx Brothers (Duck Soup, Animal Crackers).

In the film, Harpo Marx is a true patron of the arts, taking from the rich to help feed a group of poor actors struggling to open a new musical without financial backers. He unknowingly makes off with the missing Romanoff diamonds when he shoplifts a tin of sardines from a classy Manhattan market. The diamonds have been smuggled into the country by a sinful yet sizzlingly beautiful jewel thief, Madame Egelichi (Ilona Massey). The Madame traces the tin back to the theater and becomes the show’s financial backer. Hoping to recover the missing diamonds, she and her henchmen nearly bring the whole house down in a madcap race to retrieve the jewels on opening night.

In addition to Harpo,...

“I wanna wash my hands, my face, my hair with snow!”

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well at The Hi-pointe Theater here in St. Louis. It”S A Wonderful Life played last weekend to a nearly-sold out crowd – and that’s a big theater!

This Saturday, December 21st at 10:30am, head over to the Hi-Pointe for a White Christmas

White Christmas was made in 1954 (exactly 20 years before Black Christmas!) and was directed by Michael Curtiz. Bing Crosby teamed up with madcap funny man Danny Kaye and partnering with those two show biz pros as sisters were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. One of the most popular films of 1954, White Christmas opens and closes with the title song, while in between it’s filled with one great musical number after another. Crosby and Kaye play entertainers who went through W.W.II together and decide to host a fundraising...

Christmas is less than two weeks away, and while there are plenty of fabulous films to see in theaters, there are also many you can stream from the comfort of your living room - particularly if you want to see something that will make you merry and bright. So gear up the tablets, laptops, Apple TVs, Rokus, and game consoles with movies that are sure to appeal to even the Grinchiest of viewers.

All of our recommendations have to be available to stream, so you won't find certain classics like "A Christmas Story," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "It's a Wonderful Life," or "A Christmas Carol," but we still managed to curate seven holiday themed features for families with everything from preschoolers to preteens tp high-schoolers.

"Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales" (2002)

TV-g, 17 minutes

This isn't "A Charlie Brown Christmas," but the Peanuts gang is all here in this TV special of little...

By the time you read this, I'll be in Fredericksburg for the Hill Country Film Festival. I love a film fest that's in one theater, where you get to know all the filmmakers and half the audience, and where short films prevail and celebrities do not. I wish the weather were less capricious, but you can't have everything. If you're in Austin instead, your best bet may be that fabulous new release about heroes who use their iron technology to assist mankind. Of course I mean the Austin documentary Trash Dance, which has a weeklong run at Violet Crown.

Hoping to get back in town Sunday in time for Alamo Drafthouse Ritz's Cinema Cocktails screening of the 1949 musical On the Town, a favorite of mine, screening in 35mm. Who couldn't love dance numbers from Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen and especially Ann Miller, with a script from Comden and Green? And you...

The star-studded 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival was packed with a plethora of great films and special legendary guests. Each spring, the TCM Classic Film Festival welcomes 25,000 movie fans from around the globe to Hollywood to celebrate the art and history of cinema and this year did not disappoint.

Being as this was my third year at the Festival, I was thrilled to see Oscar-winner, Cher, join Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne as a surprise guest at the opening night gala to kick off the 4th Festival in Hollywood. She joined Osborne onstage at the Tcl Chinese Theatre for a short conversation about her love of classic film, her favorite era of films and those that have inspired her prior to the world premiere screening of a brand new 45th anniversary restoration of the musical Funny Girl (1968).

Tm & (C) Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.

John Brascia, the handsome male half of three spectacular Hollywood dance teams in the 1950s and '60s, died Tuesday at a nursing home in Santa Monica following a 20-year battle with Parkinson's disease, his daughter said. He was 80. Tony Bennett, who served as Brascia's best man at his wedding to actress-model Sondra Scott on New Year's Eve in 1970, called his longtime friend days before he died, Brascia's daughter, Christina McNown, told The Hollywood Reporter. Brascia tap-danced with and twirled the slim-waisted Vera-Ellen in the high-octane "Abraham" number in Michael Curtiz's White Christmas

read more...

“I wanna wash my hands, my face, my hair with snow!”

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well at The Hi-pointe Theater here in St. Louis. It.S A Wonderful Life played last weekend to a nearly-sold out crowd – and that.s a big theater! They just showed Black Christmas there a couple of weeks ago and now they.re showing White Christmas which actually has more in common with Top Hat which played as part of The Hi-Pointe.s 90th birthday celebration recently as they both have songs by Irving Berlin.

Black Christmas had no songs by Irving Berlin!

White Christmas was made in 1954 (exactly 20 years before Black Christmas!) and was directed by Michael Curtiz. Bing Crosby teamed up with madcap funny man Danny Kaye and partnering with those two show biz pros as sisters were Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. One of the most popular films of 1954, White Christmas...

On TV this Friday: Returning General Hospital favorite Lynn Herring has a ball (to plan), Fringe goes down the rabbit hole, winter arrives in Portlandia for the first time and Degrassi lets it ride in Las Vegas. Here are 10 programs to keep on your radar.

2 pm General Hospital (ABC) | Lynn Herring reprises her role as Lucy Coe, who is enlisted to help plan the Nurses’ Ball (side note: whee!). Also, Today‘s Meredith Viera guest-stars as madam-turned-makeup-exec Bree Flanders, a character she first played in 2003.

Related | Soap Vet Scott Reeves Announces Exit from General Hospital

7 pm White Christmas (AMC) | Sing along with Bing Crosby,...

There is nothing better than watching an old movie at an old movie theater. The Hi-Pointe Theater in St. Louis is an independently run single-screen old-style movie house built in 1922. Just two weeks ago they celebrated their 90th Birthday with a two-night party featuring live music, trivia with prizes, and screenings of Sunset Boulevard and Top Hat on their massive screen. The Hi-Pointe was the home of the Vincentennial, the Vincent Price 100th Birthday Celebration Film Festival last year and is the place to go for Late Night Grindhouse, the monthly screenings of 35mm prints of horror and exploitation films (mostly) from the ’70s.

This month The Hi-Pointe will host a trio of classic Christmas movies on three consecutive Saturday mornings at 10:30am. Admission is just $5.

Hi-Pointe Theatre is located at 1005 McCausland Ave., St. Louis, Mo 63117

Showtime Line: (314) 995-6273

Here’s the Christmas Movie Classics Line-up:

Saturday, December 8:

The Bells Of St.

American entertainer and singer popular in the 1940s and 50s

The American entertainer Tony Martin, who has died aged 98, was once described as a singing tuxedo. Although he was rather a stiff actor, he was handsome and charming, with a winning, dimpled smile. What mattered most, however, was his mellifluous baritone voice, which he used softly in ballads such as To Each His Own and I Get Ideas, and powerfully in Begin the Beguine and There's No Tomorrow, all hit records in the 1940s and 50s.

He was one of the top crooners of the period with Vic Damone, Andy Williams and Dick Haymes, all of them just below Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in esteem and popularity. According to Mel Tormé: "Tony Martin was technically the greatest singer of them all, as well as being the classiest guy around, both as an entertainer and a person."

He was...

Zoe’s continues her journey through the turbulent history of one of Hollywood’s most influential studios, as we arrive at MGM's post-war golden era. Plus, a bit of 3D, too...

As the end of World War II approached, a new world dawned for MGM – a world which had changed dramatically. Attitudes and lifestyles had changed, but most importantly audiences had changed. Here was an opportunity: MGM’s chance to start afresh. And so in 1944, MGM embarked on what would become the most successful period in its history. After the war, the slate was wiped clean.

Gone were the tired, tried-and-tested formulas, and gone were the aging names and stars, as a new unit was established at MGM. It was up to this unit, anchored by an experienced producer and made up of bright young talent, to transform MGM’s signature high-production style into something new and modern in order...

[Welcome to Our Holiday Favorites, a series in which Slackerwood contributors talk about the movies they watch during the holiday season, holiday-related or otherwise.]

The Thanksgiving holidays are over, which means that Christmas is storming in, ringing in a barrage of holiday songs for the next four weeks. I grew up surrounded by music, and so the holidays were full of Christmas carols and sing-alongs. However, I was an adult before I ever watched White Christmas (1954), the title song of which is the number one performed secular holiday song, with more than 500 versions, according to Ascap. It's actually the second movie to feature Irving Berlin's song -- I've yet to see the 1942 film in which it premiered, Holiday Inn, starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Crosby recorded the song, which went on to win the Best Song Academy Award of 1942.

In 1954, the film White Christmas was developed to further promote the popular song. What came about was a musical comedy featuring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, ex-army...

If you, like me, wait until Thanksgiving to start watching holiday movies, it's almost time to bring them out. This year (as in years past) the Paramount is showing classic White Christmas, as well as a couple more modern Christmas "classics."

White Christmas will be shown on the night of Monday, Nov. 28th at 7 pm and 9:30. A showcase for music by Irving Berlin, the 1954 film stars crooner Bing Crosby, goofball Danny Kaye, songstress Rosemary Clooney and dancer Vera Ellen. A couple of song and dance men meet up with singing sisters and decide to take their show to Vermont. Post-World War II-era jingoism, romantic miscommunication, a song called "Choreography," child ballerinas and choirboys -- this movie's got it all.

In December, the landmark theatre will pair 1988's Scrooged with 2003's Love Actually. Jesse Trussell, the Paramount's film programmer, comments, "That double bill are two more recent selections than we've typically played in the past,...

Actor and singer known for her role as the Sinatra-chasing taxi driver Brunhilde Esterhazy in On the Town

The most famous role played by the all-round entertainer Betty Garrett, who has died aged 91, was Brunhilde Esterhazy, the taxi driver in Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly's musical On the Town (1949). In the film, she introduces herself to a shy sailor played by Frank Sinatra and asks him: "Why don't you come up to my place?" She is soon vigorously chasing him around her cab, rejecting any of his suggestions about what to see in New York with the rapid retort: "My place!"

In Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949), Garrett had pursued Sinatra with equal zeal, assuring him by singing It's Fate, Baby, It's Fate. She also panted after Red Skelton in Neptune's Daughter (1949), begging him not to leave her apartment with the song Baby, It's Cold Outside.

I was saddened to learn this morning that Betty Garrett, the great star of stage, screen, and TV, passed away yesterday at the age of 94 after suffering an aortic aneurysm.

Garrett was one of those rare people — like, say, Jack Valenti — who happened to be a witness to and/or participant in a remarkably high number of historic events of the 20th century. She was a member of Orson Welles’s famed Mercury Theatre company, and was with him on the night that he shook up America with his infamous radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” (1938); she was Frank Sinatra’s leading lady in two of the earliest great M-g-m musical-comedies, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” (1949) and “On the Town” (1949); her career was greatly hurt by the Hollywood Red Scare after her husband, the Oscar nominated actor Larry Parks, refused to name names before the House Committee...

It's the season to be merry once more and what better way to celebrate it than to spend the holidays with Shrek and the gang and a classic musical. Cns is giving away DVD copies of the 2007 TV special "Shrek the Halls" and the beloved 1954 classic "White Christmas."

"Shrek the Halls" stars the whole gang - Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Puss in Boots - in a 22-minute special about the true meaning of Christmas. Shrek is planning to throw the "perfect Christmas" for Fiona and their kids. The only problem is he doesn't have any Yule experience.

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Antonio Banderas returned to give voices to the funny bunch.

In the blockbuster "White Christmas," Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye starred as WWII army buddies Bob and Phil, who teamed up to become the hottest song-and-dance acts in show business. Collaborating with sister act Betty and Judy...

With only a few days left until Christmas day is upon us, chances are your kids are now out of class until next year and spending their free time in some mixture of snowball fights outside and curled up in front of the television inside (we'd love for them to be reading, but we know how kids are). While the time they spend outside frolicking in the snow equates to peaceful R&R time for you parents, you can help even if out by putting in some of these high-quality Christmas classics that are guaranteed to be as entertaining for the grown-ups as they are for the kids.

For infants through 8-year-olds...

A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas, released in 1965, was (and remains) a huge hit. It came out at the height of Peanuts’ popularity, but also marked the transition Peanuts made from a comic strip about kids...

Chicago – The most memorable moviegoing experiences of your life are often circumstantial. They may depend entirely on the audience that you see them with. There are few things more magical than the moment when an ageless work of cinema manages to move and invigorate your soul, along with those of the surrounding audience.

That’s precisely the experience I had while attending the annual Music Box Christmas Show a few years ago. It’s impressive to see how much the event has grown over time, with its double feature of holiday classics now extended into a five-day marathon. In its twenty-seventh year, the show has become somewhat of a family affair. Returning audience members have been invited to submit photos of their past visits for inclusion in a pre-show slideshow. Young moviegoers (and the young at heart) will enjoy the intermission festivities where Santa Claus materializes and leads the audience in a series of carols.

For me, the holiday season is synonymous with White Christmas. I grew up with this movie, watching it at least once a year. I know every word to every song. My sisters and I regale our family with renditions of Sisters. Rosemary Clooney’s outfit in "Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me" kick-started my obsession with elbow-length gloves. If pressed, I could probably recite most of the movie from memory. My love of White Christmas, however, goes beyond nostalgia for Christmases past. The cast stars musical legends Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney performing some of Irving Berlin’s most memorable songs, and even though some people find the plot thin, I think that more soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan will be able to relate to the plight of General Waverly than one might initially expect.

In White Christmas, Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis...

Chicago – Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye was the #1 film of 1954 and has become an annual favorite for millions of families all the way back to the days before VHS. Paramount has released the musical charmer on Blu-ray with new special features along with a snowy 2-disc holiday DVD edition for those still waiting for Santa to bring them a Blu-ray player. Dream of a “White Christmas” in HD.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

First, a little history. The film “White Christmas” is not the origin of the song that gave it a title. It was reportedly sung before “Holiday Inn,” a 1942 film with Crosby, but that’s the film that made it popular (and, actually, a better flick than “White Christmas,” which is something of a remake of “Holiday Inn”). With its longing for home, the song took off during World War II and won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Not sure what to watch? We can help with our comprehensive guide to the best films on TV this Christmas and new year

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Saturday 19 December | Sunday 20 December | Monday 21 December | Tuesday 22 December | Wednesday 23 December |Christmas Eve | Christmas Day | Boxing Day | Sunday 27 December | Monday 28 December | Tuesday 29 December | Wednesday 30 December | New Year's Eve | New Year's Day

Saturday 19 December

Yes Man (Peyton Reed, 2008)

10am, 8pm, Sky Movies Premiere

Remember Jim Carrey in Liar, Liar, where he forces himself to tell the truth for 24 hours? Well, here Jim Carrey forces himself to answer yes to any request, for a year. Which is upping the ante somewhat, but doesn't make it a better film. This is a return to the manic, gurning, not-very-funny Carrey, as if The Truman Show, Eternal Sunshine etc hadn't happened. Just say no.

The Golden Compass (Chris Weitz, 2007)

11.40am, 8pm, Sky Movies Family

What with Harry Potter, Narnia, Lemony Snicket and all,...

The palatial M&C offices have an air of snow about them and it.s not even Thanksgiving yet. It may have to do with a visit from troubadours Der Bingle, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. It may be a White Christmas after all and I didn.t even know it was coming. Lord help the sister that comes between man and my man, that didn.t sound right. On Christmas Eve, 1944, Capt. Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) is entertaining his fellow troops with the help of Pvt. Phil Davis (Danny Kaye). Their beloved commander Maj. Gen. Thomas Waverly (Dean Jagger) arrives for the end of the show and to relinquish command. His men give his a rousing send off that is...

'Billy Elliot,' Original London Cast, Decca BroadwayAfter a three-year wait, the London hit has reached New York and looks to repeat its effervescent success on Broadway. There will be no local cast recording, as the West End version is considered completely representative. Haydn Gwynne, imported for the New York production, is heard here, but the Billy — one of the initial three — is Liam Mower. The group number "Solidarity" is solid; so is "Expressing Yourself." The common wisdom has it that composer Elton John (Lee Hall is the lyricist) writes better when rocking, but he upends that canard on a bonus CD by turning "Electricity" into a superlative show tune.'The Gig,' Original York Theatre Company Cast, Jay RecordsThe musical comedy gods finally smile on Douglas J. Cohen's adaptation of Frank D. Gilroy's film tribute to male bonding and middle-age crises. This long-overdue recording is another step in establishing the tuner,...