Sunday, May 22, 2022

Announcing The MGM Blogathon!

Get Ready to Roar! 

To celebrate one of the greatest film studios of Hollywood, the grand-daddy of them all, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Silver Scenes will be hosting The MGM Blogathon that will take place right smack In the Good Ol' Summertime - June 26-28th, 2022

It will be a three-day event celebrating the great stars, character actors, films, and behind-the-scenes personnel from the golden age of MGM: 1925-1959. Between these years when Leo the Lion heralded a film, audiences knew they were in for a treat. 

From the fledgling days of MGM, through the wonder years of Irving Thalberg, on up until the collapse of the studio system in the late 1950s, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer made its mark in the film industry with quality productions, a galaxy of stars covering all ages, and publicity campaigns that were like no other. Poignant romances ( Waterloo Bridge, Camille ), ambitious spectacles ( Marie Antionette, The Good Earth ), and entertaining musicals ( Rose Marie, Million Dollar Mermaid ) shot out of the studio at lightning speed and set the mark for other studios to follow. 

As has often been noted, MGM never made a "B" film. There were secondary flicks such as The Thin Man or Calling Dr. Kildare, but no matter how low the budget, all films proudly bore the MGM stamp of excellence. A studio with such standards deserves a whale of a good celebration and what better way to celebrate than through the written word.

The MGM Blogathon will take place during that Strange Interlude between the start of summer and the Fourth of July: June 26-28th. You can submit as many posts as you'd like for we'll be gathering a Random Harvest of MGM-themed articles. And, just to show we have Sporting Blood, we're going to select a random participating blogger and award them with an original vintage MGM photo from the Silverbanks Pictures Archives.


Note: Only posts submitted between June 26-28th will be eligible for the award.

Are there any rules to this blogathon? Heck no! Listen Darling, you can write about any topic you want just so long as it has to do with MGM. If you want to write about an experience/memory watching an MGM film that is alright too. But since it's going to be a Big Parade and we'd like to cut down on the Greed, we have this one request to make: no two participants can write about the same film or star. Make your choices quickly then, for when a topic is gone, it's Gone with the Wind.

Why, we're so generous with the rules that if you want to join in on the fun AFTER the blogathon ends, you're welcome! If Winter Comes and we're still getting submissions we'll be happy. There are no Forbidden Hours nor forbidden bloggers. All are welcome...the Bad and the Beautiful, Freaks, and even Laughing Sinners. No Invitation is needed, no topic is Too Hot to Handle and there are No Questions Asked ( but all will be answered ). We want to create a spot for classic film fans to find great posts on their favorite MGM films, all in one place. The celebration will be lasting all year long!

If you want to join in on the fun: just click on the comment box below and leave your name, blog site and the topic you would like to write about. You can also email us at silverbankspictures at gmail ( you know the rest ).

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced some of the greatest films in cinema's history; featured more stars than there were in the heavens; and had some of the most talented directors, producers, screenwriters, and technicians the world has ever known....but just in case you can't think of any ideas at the moment, here are some suggestions:


Stars: Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Van Johnson, Frank Sinatra, Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert, Mickey Rooney, Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner, Robert Taylor, Jane Powell, John Barrymore, Lon Chaney, Spencer Tracy, Fred Astaire, Myrna Loy, William Powell, Jean Harlow, Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy.


Films: The Women, Gigi, Ben-Hur, Singin' in the Rain, When Ladies Meet, A Date with Judy, Mogambo, Mrs. Miniver, Elephant Walk, National Velvet, State of the Union, The Three Musketeers, Daddy Long Legs, An American in Paris, Chained, Dinner at Eight, Manhattan Melodrama, Queen Christina, The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Grand Hotel, He Who Gets Slapped, Naughty Marietta, Waterloo Bridge, Camille, The Good Earth.

Series: Andy Hardy, Tarzan, Maisie, The Thin Man, The Little Rascals, The Fast Series, Dr. Kildare, Tom and Jerry, Lassie.

Behind-the-Scenes: Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg, Douglas Shearer, William Tuttle, Cedric Gibbons, Helen Rose, Dorothy Jeakins, James Wong Howe, Natalie Kalmus, Victor Fleming, Clarence Brown, Busby Berkeley, George Cukor, Arthur Hornblow Jr., Irving Berlin.
 
Wikipedia also has a small sampling of MGM films listed here, and if you really want to be The Prince of Adventurers then you can head on over to IMDB.com and stay up to The Thirteenth Hour perusing their list of MGM titles.

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Now that you've heard the Good News, it's time to Get Happy and join The Band Wagon! Beg, Borrow, and Steal an idea if you have to ( although we don't recommend stealing Personal Property ) but let's celebrate this monumental studio in style!

Banners are available below, so please post them on your site and help promote this roaring good event!

BANNERS : 






39 comments:

  1. Can I write about Jean Harlow?

    Kayla (Whimsically Classic)

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    1. You most certainly can! She was one of the best talents at MGM. Great choice!

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  2. Hi there, can I write about Libel (1959)? from Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews

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    1. Sounds good! Haven't seen that one, so we look forward to your review.

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  3. Actually, just had a rethink.. can I do The Scapegoat instead, reviewed the remake and now keen to see the original?

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    1. Sure, I just watched the original a few weeks ago and was curious about the remake, too.

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  4. Thanks girls, here's my review of the remake btw, https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2019/06/25/the-scapegoat-2012/

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  5. So many choices, oh my word. I'd like to write about MGM's costume and prop auction in 1970, if that's OK.

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  6. I'd love to participate. May I write about Joan Crawford?

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    1. Of course! Glad to have you aboard FlickChick. The dramatic queen of MGM is a perfect choice.

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  7. Hi there, sorry but I'm going to have to withdraw from this blogathon for personal reasons.

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    1. No problem at all. If it's an issue about being too busy to write that week, we also welcome re-published posts ( it's always good to see an old review get new comments ). :-)

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    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    3. Can I add Father's Little Dividend (1951) as a previously written one then.. I published it in 2016 and entered it for a blogathon back then... ?

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    4. Sure! You can schedule it for any of the three days ( June 26-28th ). Thanks!

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  8. I would love to write about Eleanor Powell and her dance numbers. I'm at www.storyenthusiast.com

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    1. Wonderful choice! Eleanor Powell was such a talented lady. Glad to have you aboard!

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  9. Oh, how jolly! Can I contribute a review of "After the Thin Man" (1936)?

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    1. You most certainly can! The Thin Man was one of the best series MGM made.

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  10. I would like to do a piece on MGM's "boy genius" Irving Thalberg/

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    1. I was hoping someone would pick him. :-) Glad to have you join!

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  11. Hello! I'd like to do a brief history of the MGM lions.
    I'm Ruth @ Silver Screenings.

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  12. Hi, girls! I have some posts from the past I'd like to re-share for the blogathon, is it OK? They are about A Day at the Races (1937), Dancing Lady (1933) and one about Garbo, Gilbert and MGM that was my post for the first MGM blogathon you hosted back in 2014.
    Cheers!
    Le

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  13. I'd like to write about Scaramouche (1952)!

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    1. One of my favorites ( and Stewart's best )....great choice!

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  14. Hello Metzinger Sisters! I've been meaning to review the 1944 film, 'The Princess and the Pirate'. Would that movie be eligible for your event?

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    1. Sally, I'm glad you are willing to join but for this blogathon we are focusing on MGM films, so The Princess and the Pirate can't be included. If you have another title in mind, then welcome aboard.

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  15. Hi Ladies, here is the post for your blogathon tomorrow for Day 1. Thanks for allowing me to re-add this... from Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews
    https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/little-dividend/

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    1. Thanks Gill! We're glad you can take part in the event. :-)

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  16. Hello! I just uploaded a post on Leo the MGM Lion(s):
    https://silverscreenings.org/2022/06/25/a-brief-history-of-the-mgm-lion/
    Really looking forward to this!
    Ruth at Silver Screenings

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    1. Thanks, Ruth! We know nothing about the lion, so yours will be the first post read!

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  17. Hello. I just posted my Joan Crawford post for the blogathon: https://flickchick1953.blogspot.com/2022/06/joan-crawford-channeling-spirit-of.html

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  18. Hello! I don't usually get to participate in these because the premise of my blog ("The Cinema Century") is to focus on whatever was newsworthy in the industry trade papers one century ago, which limits my topics. But it just so happens that my most recent post was about the MGM silent production of BEN-HUR. It takes up the MGM story right from the beginning, since work on the production began even before the Metro and Goldwyn merger. If that would be of interest to you, here is the link: https://steve-jarrett.sites.wfu.edu/uncategorized/the-cinema-century-june-24-1922/

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    1. That's perfect! I was just reading up on the making of Ben-Hur ( the silent version ) and thought its history was fascinating - especially that huge set that was built for the Circus Maximus. So glad you can take part!

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