The Onedin Line Re-Imagined

A few days ago, my sister and I were watching The Heiress (1949) and seeing the 1850s period costumes and setting reminded me of that excellent 1970s British series The Onedin Line which was also set during that time, except in England not in Washington Square. Then it occurred to me that The Onedin Line would have made a fantastic film in the 1940s and Olivia de Havilland would have been ideally cast as Captain James Onedin's first wife, Anne. Of course, that led to the question of who would have been cast in all of the other roles if this was indeed a Hollywood production from the 1940s.....

Before I get into my casting picks for this imaginary production, check out Wikipedia's summary of the long-running series if you are not familiar with it. Like Upstairs, Downstairs, it will probably be re-vamped into another popular PBS mini-series in the near future but, for now, let's have fun with doing a backdated casting of The Onedin Line. 

James Onedin, who was so perfectly played by Peter Gilmore, would have been the most difficult character to cast. The role called for a man who is headstrong and aggressive and yet very likeable.... such as James Cagney. He would have been a little old for the part in the late 1940s and Onedin is a tall man, so that led me to choose Burt Lancaster. Thanks to the magic of Midjourney, you can picture this choice in the beautiful rendering below. Olivia de Havilland is ideal as his wife Anne. James married her for her dowry but she proved to be such a good wife and business partner that he fell in love with her later. Her father - who liked to tipple - could have been played by Charles Coburn, and Joseph Cotten would have performed the part of James' brother Robert splendidly. 

Now Jame's sister Elizabeth, who was both beautiful and impetuous, could have been played by Lana Turner, and Zachary Scott could have tackled the role of the debonair Mr. Frazer. Lastly, there was Daniel Fogarty, the handsome seaman who loved Elizabeth.... ideally played by Alan Marshall. 

After doing these imaginary castings, I wondered what choices ChatGPT would have made. Every once in a while I like to throw it a question to test its capabilities, so this seemed like a fun question to pose.... and it responded with some surprisingly good picks! 

This is the answer to the question, "If The Onedin Line was a feature film made in 1948, who would you have cast in that film? It could be a British production or a Hollywood production."

That’s a marvelous what-if! The Onedin Line — with its blend of maritime adventure, class struggle, and passionate ambition — would have made a magnificent 1948 feature film, whether produced by Ealing Studios or a Hollywood studio like MGM or Warner Bros.

Let’s imagine two versions — one British (authentic, gritty, and character-driven), and one Hollywood (lavish, romantic, with a stronger focus on spectacle and glamour).

---

⚓ British Production (Ealing Studios or Rank Organisation, 1948)

Director: Charles Frend (Scott of the Antarctic) or David Lean (Great Expectations, Oliver Twist)

James Onedin – Trevor Howard
→ Rugged, determined, with that flinty intelligence and undercurrent of pride. Perfect as a man clawing his way up from poverty to respectability.

Anne Webster/Onedin – Jean Simmons
→ Fresh-faced, tender yet strong-willed. She’d bring the quiet emotional backbone that tempers James’s ambition.

Elizabeth Frazer – Valerie Hobson
→ Elegant and high-born, with that refined coolness that makes her both sympathetic and formidable.

Robert Onedin – Michael Redgrave
→ Polished and respectable, in contrast to James’s rougher edge; his moral conflicts would play beautifully in Redgrave’s hands.

Captain Webster (Anne’s father) – Cecil Parker
→ A kindly but stubborn sea captain with a moral compass and a soft spot for his daughter.

Daniel Fogarty – Stewart Granger
→ Handsome, brash, and charming — a perfect rival for James both in love and ambition.

Mrs. Sarah Onedin (James and Robert’s mother) – Flora Robson
→ Warm, weary, and wise — the moral heart of the family.

Music by: Alan Rawsthorne or Ralph Vaughan Williams
→ For sweeping maritime grandeur and emotional resonance.

Cinematography: Guy Green (beautiful North Sea light and dramatic shipboard scenes)

---

🌊 Hollywood Production (Warner Bros or MGM, 1948)

Director: Michael Curtiz (Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk) or Victor Saville (Green Dolphin Street)

James Onedin – Gregory Peck
→ Strong, stoic, with moral gravity and a romantic streak. Perfectly suited to a man rising from sailor to shipowner.

Anne Webster/Onedin – Deborah Kerr
→ Graceful, compassionate, with quiet strength — the ideal moral and emotional counterweight to Peck’s intensity.

Elizabeth Frazer – Greer Garson
→ Elegant and poised, but with hidden vulnerability — she’d elevate Elizabeth’s role into one of quiet tragedy and dignity.

Robert Onedin – David Niven
→ Urbane and slightly superior, but ultimately loyal; a perfect foil to Peck’s intensity.

Captain Webster – Charles Laughton
→ Gruff but warmhearted, with a deep love for the sea. His scenes would be unforgettable.

Daniel Fogarty – Tyrone Power
→ Dashing, ambitious, and romantic — an ideal rival for both Anne’s heart and James’s business.

Mrs. Onedin – Gladys Cooper
→ Regal and reserved, representing the family’s dignity amidst turmoil.

Music by: Erich Wolfgang Korngold
→ Lush, heroic, and sweeping — full of salt air and stormy romance.

Technicolor cinematography by Sol Polito or Jack Cardiff
→ Tall ships in the Mersey glinting under golden sunlight, with lavish seascapes and tempestuous skies.

---

Optional Alternate Visions

• Powell & Pressburger version (1948) – beautifully surreal, with Roger Livesey as James, Wendy Hiller as Anne, and Anton Walbrook as Robert — a more allegorical, poetic take on ambition and love.

• British Lion Studios version (grittier) – Richard Burton as a younger, more volatile James; perhaps made in black and white with a social realist tone, emphasizing class conflict.

---

I like the casting for the Powell and Pressburger and British Lion productions, too. Spot on! Look at the director choices, too. How did it know I was thinking about Green Dolphin Street? Eerie. I then ran this same question in Microsoft's CoPilot to see what it generated and it has some excellent choices, too. Again, it placed the British production first and its Hollywood version second. 

🎬 Hypothetical 1948 Casting for The Onedin Line

🧭 James Onedin – The ambitious, brooding shipping magnate

• Trevor Howard – Known for his intensity and gravitas (Brief Encounter, The Third Man), he'd bring a steely resolve to James.

• Michael Redgrave – A commanding presence with emotional depth, perfect for portraying James’s inner conflicts.

• Stewart Granger – Handsome and charismatic, with a flair for adventure (Scaramouche, King Solomon’s Mines), ideal for the romantic and ruthless aspects of James.

💼 Robert Onedin – The pragmatic, business-minded brother

• Nigel Patrick – Slick and sharp, often cast as urbane professionals, he’d suit Robert’s calculating nature.

• Cecil Parker – For a slightly older take, his dry wit and businesslike demeanor would fit Robert’s role well.

• Jack Hawkins – Solid and dependable, with a commanding voice and presence, he could portray Robert’s more grounded side.

💃 Elizabeth Onedin – The strong-willed sister navigating a patriarchal world

• Deborah Kerr – Elegant and intelligent, with a quiet strength (Black Narcissus, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp).

• Jean Simmons – Youthful but fiery, she could capture Elizabeth’s ambition and emotional complexity.

• Margaret Lockwood – Known for her spirited roles and dramatic flair (The Wicked Lady, The Man in Grey), she’d bring edge and charisma.

🎬 Hypothetical 1948 Hollywood Casting for The Onedin Line

🧭 James Onedin – The ambitious, brooding shipping magnate

• Gregory Peck – Tall, commanding, and morally complex (Captain Horatio Hornblower, Gentleman's Agreement), perfect for a man torn between love and ambition.

• Tyrone Power – Dashing and intense, with a flair for adventure (The Black Swan, Nightmare Alley), ideal for James’s romantic and ruthless sides.

• Humphrey Bogart – For a grittier take, Bogart’s edge and charisma (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre) could make James a darker antihero.

💼 Robert Onedin – The pragmatic, business-minded brother

• Fred MacMurray – Often cast as the affable businessman (Double Indemnity, The Apartment), he’d bring a smooth, calculating charm.

• Edward G. Robinson – Sharp, shrewd, and intense (Key Largo, The Woman in the Window), perfect for a more hard-nosed Robert.

• Joseph Cotten – Thoughtful and understated (Shadow of a Doubt, The Third Man), ideal for a quieter but strategic sibling.

💃 Elizabeth Onedin – The strong-willed sister navigating a patriarchal world

• Olivia de Havilland – Graceful and resilient (The Heiress, To Each His Own), she’d bring depth and dignity to Elizabeth.

• Barbara Stanwyck – Fierce, independent, and emotionally complex (Sorry, Wrong Number, Double Indemnity), perfect for a woman fighting for agency.

• Gene Tierney – Elegant and enigmatic (Laura, Leave Her to Heaven), she’d add mystery and allure to Elizabeth’s arc.

Interestingly, both selected Trevor Howard in the lead, which as you can see in the rendering at the top of the post, does indeed seem to be a good choice. Now we just have to wait five years and by that time I can probably prompt these AI chats to create the whole film. Exciting! 

If you are familiar with The Onedin Line, share your top casting picks in the comment box below. Who would you have cast?

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

If this game was called Guess the Occupation, it would take no stretch of the imagination to guess what this fellow does for a living, but our game is a little trickier - you have to guess the film this screenshot came from. We'll give you a hint: it is from a black-and-white movie. 

As always, if you are not familiar with the rules to the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!

Check it Out! How TV Series

Have you ever heard of "How"? I'm sure you haven't....at least, most Americans have not. This was a British series geared towards children but enjoyable for all ages. A panel of four presenters shared various "how-to"s within a half-hour span. The series was so entertaining that it lasted for 17 seasons between 1966 and 1981. 

Next month we are going to give a more thorough look into this fascinating show but, for now, check out a clip from a 1980 episode and see just how interesting this series was! 

Make A Wish (1937)

In 1936, Bobby Breen hit the big screen in his first starring role in the film Let's Sing Again. The curly-mopped youngster was a male edition of Shirley Temple with a similar twinkle in his eyes and a decidedly better singing voice. 

Little Bobby Breen (no relation to the film censor Joseph Breen) was indeed a talented youngster and, while he remained young, RKO Studios milked his image for all its worth featuring him in eight films within three years. 

Unfortunately, little boys do not remain little boys forever and as Bobby's bones grew, his audience diminished. The studio didn't quite know what to do with a teenage singing sensation, especially when his soprano voice was beginning to take on tenor tones. The moment his voice broke, Bobby broke with Hollywood and decided to concentrate on his school education before entering the US Army during World War II.

While he was on top, he made some entertaining films, the best of which was Make a Wish co-starring Basil Rathbone and opera star Marion Claire. 

In this film, Rathbone played Johnny Selden, a composer of operettas, who likes to vacation in a cottage across the lake from a boy's summer camp. One day while fishing, he meets "Chip" Winters (Bobby Breen), a friendly lad with a beautiful singing voice who is staying at the camp. Chip's mother is a musical stage star. Chip shares with Mr. Selden one of the letters his mother wrote to him, and this triggers Mr. Selden's creative juices to bubble over, so much so that he bases his new operetta around Chip's mother who inspired it. When Mrs. Winters (Marion Claire) arrives at camp, Mr. Selden finds her ideal and asks her to star in his latest production in New York. She likes the idea but her fiancé, the stuffy Mr. Mays (Ralph Forbes), is set against it. This provides the drama of the film. Donald Meek provides the comedy in the form of a butler who wants to compose music himself. He teams up Henry Armetta and Leon Errol to unintentionally destroy Mr. Selden's final act. 

Make a Wish is a light-hearted musical aimed at children but entertaining enough for adults to enjoy as well. It leaves you with a feel-good feeling which makes it timeless. Like the Shirley Temple films, the script has some implausibilities in it, like Mr. Selden's theatrical producer deciding to go ahead with staging an opera while the third act remains incomplete (!) It also seems unthinkable that Mr. Selden would not be aware that his show was being made until opening night - Where was he, on an African safari with no phone or newspaper access?

The music in Make a Wish is delightful. Oscar Strauss (The Chocolate Soldier) wrote the score while Paul Francis Webster and Louis Alter penned the lyrics. Three songs stand out: the titular "Make a Wish", "Music in My Heart", and "Campfire Dreams" which oddly enough was not written by Strauss. It was composed by Louis Alter. 

Bobby Breen's movies have not yet been given a proper DVD release but they can all be found on Youtube in varying conditions. This one is a worth see if only to enjoy Bobby's fine singing voice. 

Film Albums: Big Hits from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by the New Christy Minstrels

 

The MGM Classics channel aired Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) this afternoon and that was so enjoyable to watch that I followed up the pleasure by listening to the album "Big Hits from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" released by Columbia records. There were many Chitty albums released after the film became popular, but this one is unique because the songs are performed by the New Christy Minstrels folk group along with Arthur Treacher. Yes, you read that correctly, Arthur Treacher, the toe-tapping butler of the Shirley Temple films (or if you prefer, the founder of the fish and chicken fast-food chain).

The New Christy Minstrels had big hits with "Green, Green" and "Today" in the early 1960s, during the Hootenanny craze. You would think that these beautiful Sherman Brothers songs wouldn't sound very well converted to folk songs complete with banjo and tambourine, but it is actually an entertaining blend and Arthur Treacher's voice is well-suited for "Posh" and "You Two." The only unusual song added to the album is "Fun Fair" which may have been a music-only track on the original album that had lyrics added to it because it certainly wasn't in the original film.

Click here to listen to the full album on Youtube. 

Track Listing


Side One:

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"

"Posh!"

"Hushabye Mountain"

"Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scrumptious"

"Chu-Chi Face"

"Fun Fair"

Side Two:

"Me Ol' Bamboo"

"You Two"

"Roses of Success"

"Lovely Lonely Man"

"Toot Sweets"

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Reprise"

Top Music Picks: Hushabye Mountain, Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scumptious, You Two, Lovely Lonely Man

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

This dapper gentleman is smiling at something...or someone. Doesn't he look familiar? We know what film this screenshot is from and even then we can't place where we saw him before! 

As always, if you are not familiar with the rules to the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!

GAME OVER. 

Congratulations to the Tactful Typist for correctly identifying this scene from "Charlie Chan in Panama" (1940). In this scene, Godley (Addison Richards) is keeping an eye on the passengers coming off the clipper ship and heading to Panama City (note the Panama Airways clue!).

From the Archives: Jane Powell and Boxer Lauro Salas

 

Jane Powell and Ricardo Montalban get to meet boxer Lauro Salas in this candid MGM publicity photo from 1952. Powell and Montalban had teamed up in the delightful musical "Two Weeks with Love" in 1950. 

From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures 

McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force (1965)

Tim Conway cracks me up. I always enjoyed his antics when he was paired with Don Knotts, but now I find he is even funnier with Joe Flynn. Having not seen the television series McHale's Navy, nor the feature film, I plunged into this sequel regardless and loved it! You don't have to be familiar with the show or its characters to enjoy this one. I didn't even miss Ernest Borgnine who wasn't present in this McHale outing sans "McHale".

Why he isn't in this sequel is a mystery... even Borgnine later confessed that he never knew the reason why he wasn't asked to be in it. Perhaps Universal wanted to test the waters with Joe Flynn and Tim Conway as a new Laurel & Hardy-like comedy duo...or they may have been simply saving money by axing the main star. Whatever the reason, with or without him it is a hoot. 

The comedy all starts with a case of mistaken identity—Ensign Parker (Tim Conway) gets confused as a defecting Russian naval officer after having one gin too many, so Quartermaster Christy dresses him in the uniform of Air Force Lt. Wilbur Harkness (Ted Bessell), General Harkness' son, who has a reputation as a ladies' man. Before long, our clueless hero is suddenly irresistible to the likes of Susan Silo, Jean Hale, and other young women who are convinced he’s a legendary Romeo. Things spiral further when Parker is forced to pose as a bomber navigator, dragging a very unwilling Binghamton (Joe Flynn) along for the ride. The two manage to turn a routine flight into a catastrophe, eventually plummeting out of the plane in a jeep dangling from a rope!

Throughout the 1960s, Universal Pictures were outputting the best comedies of all the studios. McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force was a typical product of this studio, much in the vein of the Don Knotts comedies from that same era. Sure, the sets are basic (they look like they were made for the TV series), but the acting is a riot, and it is packed with familiar character actors like Tom Tully, Jacques Aubuchon, Cliff Norton, Henry Beckman, and Willis Bouchey. And let’s not forget Bob Hastings as Carpenter, Binghamton’s ever-loyal lackey.

Best of all, it has plenty of Tim Conway and Joe Flynn. I grew up with Joe Flynn from his Disney work so the character of Captain Binghamton is new to me but it's Flynn all over. He always played men of authority who were frustrated by the idiots around him - yet, he was often the biggest boob of the bunch! McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force has a number of great scenes with Binghamton getting frustrated with Parker...the best of which is when the two of them squeeze inside a link trainer and Parker keeps making remarks that imply that they are flying ("We must be hitting turbulence"..."I think we hit water!"). Binghamton's exasperation keeps growing as he blurts out, "Link trainers can't fly!".... yet they end up in the Pacific Ocean! Another fun scene is where Parker and Binghamton come across a shipment of brassieres without the faintest idea of what they are. It’s all silly, harmless fun—but crazy enough to get you laughing. 

Thankfully, McHale's Navy ran for four seasons on television so now that this film whetted my appetite for navy comedy, I'll be plunging into the series. If you want to check out McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force for yourself, it is paired with McHale's Navy (1964) on a double-feature DVD from Shout! Factory. 

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

Now here's a tricky one... a man, a horse, and a fence. Bet you haven't seen many movies with that threesome!

This screenshot comes from a movie that you may have seen. If you can name the film it is from, you've won this round of the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game....but you'll never know unless you guess, so give us your best shot down below in the comment box.

As always, if you are not familiar with the rules to the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!

Get Smart: The Exploding Bomb Game (1965)

 Would you believe that there was a Get Smart boardgame with an exploding time bomb? That's a gimmick that only Ideal could have come up with and the toy company did a great job of capturing the spirit of the popular spy spoof series with this fun game. 

Each player plays Maxwell Smart (Secret Agent 86), who must collect clue cards from various locations to piece together a picture of an enemy KAOS agent. But watch out for Kaos agents for they are everywhere! Worse yet, there is an exploding (spring-driven) time bomb that is ready to go off at any second! 

The board featured some cute graphics of the four Kaos agents wreaking havoc and an ambulance with what looks like a caped woman hanging on by the bumper. The game usually sells for $50-$75 but often the spring on the time bomb is broken...or the bomb is missing completely (what kid could resist pocketing it?). 

Ideal also made a Get Smart Card Game for those who didn't want to mess with bombs. Don Adams lent his likeness to other toy companies in the 1960s and 1970s, namely for a line of "Skittle" games for Aurora toys. There was Skittle Tennis, Skittle Horseshoes and Skittle Tac-Toe among others. 

From the Archives: A Ticklish Affair (1963)

 
Little Grover (Peter Robbins) was taking a flight on some tethered weather balloons when he decided to cut the ropes and really soar in 1963's A Ticklish Affair. This brought Officer Key (Gig Young) and a fleet of patrol cars out trying to chase him down...a difficult task to do with San Diego's shifting winds.

From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)

In 1948, Busby Berkeley was hired to direct the all-American musical Take Me Out to the Ball Game but midway through production he had to withdraw due to health issues. That's when Gene Kelly stepped up to the plate and hit a homerun with a blockbuster! 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game was the first film to team Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin and this winning threesome were so entertaining they joined forces right afterwards for the classic On the Town, both directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. 

The Donen-Kelly duo were also responsible for penning this story, a wholesome blend of Americana, baseball, and good ol' gambling. Gene Kelly stars as Eddie O'Brien, short-stop of the fictional Wolves pro-ball team. When playing with his buddies, first baseman Dennis Ryan (Sinatra) and third baseman Nat Goldberg (Munshin), they're unbeatable. The owner of the Wolves recently passed away and his niece K.C. Higgins (Williams) arrives to take a "hands on" approach to ownership. At first, they resent this, but then they come to admire her.... all except Eddie, who is steamed that she moved up their curfew and increased the fine for breaking it. Eddie likes to entertain the girls at night, so that cramps his style. 

Eddie likes to entertain, period. When he isn't playing ball, he is cutting capers. Off season, he and Dennis are a popular vaudeville act. When Joe Lorgan (Edward Arnold), a big gambler in town, bets heavily against the Wolves, he uses Eddie's love of show business to lure him away from training. But when Eddie learns he has been made a stooge he rallies back to help the Wolves - and his buddies - win the pennant. 

Take Me Out to the Ball Game was a box-office success on its release and raked in nearly $3,000,000. It had that magical aura that only the Arthur Freed unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer could create. This one also bore the unique stamp of Busby Berkeley, Stanley Donen, and Gene Kelly, who directed most of the dance sequences. 

Berkeley and Kelly originally wanted Judy Garland to play the leading lady but she was having substance problems, so Ginger Rogers was cast as her replacement. Ginger then backed out a month prior to filming and Esther Williams took over. What a jim dandy substitute! 

Williams was ideal for the role and perfectly cast. She was already a leading star and this role let her take a quick break from swimming - she only had one simple pool routine in the picture. However, as Williams put it in her autobiography, filming Take Me Out to the Ball Game was an experience of "pure misery." Kelly was too demanding as a director and, along with Donen, seemed to resent her. 

Betty Garrett, who had a wonderful role as a boy-crazy girl chasing the girl-shy Dennis Ryan, had a different experience. In her autobiography she wrote that "making Ball Game.. was pure joy and Frank was an absolute delight to work with." 

"Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?"

"There ain't nobody my size!"

Jules Munshin was making his breakthrough screen role in Take Me Out to the Ball Game. He had previously had a bit part in Easter Parade (1948) as a waiter and, on the strength of that performance, got this role. He made a great "third wheel" and was even more entertaining in On the Town.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game included a number of pleasant - albeit forgettable - musical numbers, the best of which feature Gene Kelly dancing. "O'Brien to Ryan to Goldberg" and "It's Fate Baby, It's Fate" are the most fun to watch, but the patriotic "Strictly U.S.A" number is classic MGM - lavish and entertaining. 

All in all, Take Me Out to the Ball Game is a pitch-perfect blend of song, slapstick, and sentiment and - with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra rounding the bases - the film scores big in every inning so, if you're in a baseball mood, this one's a grand slam in entertainment. 

Gold Key Comic: Walt Disney Presents Bullwhip Griffin (1967)

"On the trail of California gold, a boy and his family butler seek a lost map to the fabulous Mother Lode!"

That's Bullwhip Griffin in a nutshell, but there is much more to the story than that and this comic, from Gold Key publications, shows you just how entertaining the movie is. That's what these comics were for.... a little entertainment and a lot of promotion. The comic books were usually released as movie tie-ins just after the film was released in theatres. 

Gold Key and Dell Movie Classics were the two big comic book houses that issued all of the latest film releases in picture-story format. Gold Key was lucky enough to have a license from Walt Disney Productions, so they issued all of the Disney film adaptations, comic characters (like Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse), as well as the Disney television adaptations (Zorro, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, The Hardy Boys, etc)....and they made them quite nicely. In fact, I think Gold Key's illustrations are a slight cut above Dell's quality. 

The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, starring Roddy McDowall, Suzanne Pleshette, and Karl Malden, hit the theatres in 1967 and, shortly after, this wonderful little comic book arrived on the newsstands. It followed the film scene by scene and most of the characters were drawn to match the actors in the movie...with the exception of "Bullwhip" himself, Roddy McDowall. Bullwhip doesn't resemble Roddy in the least. 

Walt Disney presents Bullwhip Griffin sells for $2-$12 on average but could go up to $30 for a near mint condition comic. If you're a fan of the film, it is a nice collectible to own. 

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

Here's a man who seems to be irritated with someone - or is it with something someone said? He gets happy quickly, however. Remember this film? I'm sure you do. Just pop the title in the comment box below and you'll get a prize. 

As always, if you are not familiar with the rules to the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell), a popular but not-too-smart student at Medfield College, becomes a walking whiz-kid when he accidentally electrocutes himself with the donated computer the college received from wealthy businessman A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero). Now he has encyclopedic knowledge and lightning-fast recall. Dexter's mechanical brain turns him into a national sensation, and he finds his newfound skill going to his head when Arno recruits him to his business, but he soon discovers that "everyone is out for themselves!". A.J. wants to exploit Dexter’s abilities for his own gain, while the deans of two colleges are attempting to recruit him for academic competitions so they can win funds for the school. 

Dexter doesn't realize that he absorbed sensitive data from the computer - incriminating information about Arno's illegal gambling rings. When he accidentally blurts it out on live television during an academic quiz challenge, Arno's henchmen kidnap him, prompting his college friends to mount a rescue to get Dexter back on TV so they can win for good ol' Medfield!

"The State Collegian Classification Test is tomorrow. As you know, we came in 36th last year. I think we can improve on that." (Dean's announcement)

"36th? You know Dexter, there are only 37 colleges in the state." - Annie

"Gee, I wonder who we beat?" - Dexter

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes is a light-hearted comedy from Walt Disney that was geared for the teenage market when it was released. It proved to be so popular that two more Dexter Riley films were made, each one featuring a different scientific breakthrough: invisibility (Now You See Him, Now You Don't) and super-strength (The Strongest Man in the World). 

Kurt Russell was ideally cast as Dexter, your average good-looking but not-too-bright college student. He's loyal to little Medfield College and means well in all he does, but things always tend to backfire and, when it does, his pal Schuyler (Michael McGreevey) is usually right beside him. Dexter is a genius compared to Schuyler who really bumbles things. Luckily, their recurring opponent - A.J. Arno and his stooge Chillie (Richard Bakalyan) aren't the sharpest sharks in the tank. Like most Disney films of the 1960s and 1970s, the Dexter Riley series end with a chase scene and this is when A.J. and his gang always get caught. 

Kurt Russell is not usually considered a comedian but he was great in all the Dexter films. In The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, he is especially funny when he tries to sputter out the answers to the remaining quiz questions agonizingly slow while his "computer" is shutting down. 

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes boasts a great supporting cast of character actors: the talented William Schallert plays Medfield's science teacher Professor Quimby whom the students love but the dean despises; Alan Hewitt plays Dean Collingsgood of the rival State College, and Joe Flynn portrays Medfield's Dean Higgins, a lovable fussbucket. Joe had previously appeared in Disney's The Love Bug but, as Dean Higgins, he had a chance to showcase his unique comedic talent. He reappeared in both Dexter Riley sequels as well as in The Barefoot Executive with Kurt Russell, before his death in 1974. 

Jon Provost, Frank Webb, Debbie Paine, and Frank Welker have supporting roles as Dexter's college pals. 

There's a lot to like in this film: its groovy opening (with computer punch card graphics!), the small town college vibes, the dunebuggy chase, and the TV quiz show finale - not to mention Kurt Russell. If you enjoy it - as we certainly did - then check out the sequels. Luckily, all of Russell's Disney films are on DVD and are available to stream through Disney+.

Film Albums: Happiness - Connie Francis on Broadway Today

This week, we lost one of the greatest talents in the music world - Miss Connie Francis - who passed away at the age of 87. Francis, or Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero as she born, skyrocketed to fame at the age of 19 with the release of "Who's Sorry Now?" which was popularized on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. During the following three decades, she churned out hits in all the most popular genres: rock and roll, country, jazz, folk, Broadway, and even disco. 

She was not only an amazing singer but a great linguist as well and recorded albums in German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. She had many hits stateside but was an even bigger sensation in Europe, notably Germany, where many of her songs made the Top Ten charts. She had an incredibly large body of work that she released over her nearly sixty-year career. It can take you weeks to explore all of her songs! 

One of our favorite Connie Francis albums "Connie Francis Sings Award Winning Motion Picture Hits" was featured in a previous Film Albums post (you can read it here), so today we are going to highlight another favorite: "Happiness - Connie Francis on Broadway Today". This album has some beautiful arrangements of popular Broadway songs and Connie belts them out like only she could. Hallelujah, Baby and Sherry are especially rousing, but my favorites are the soft songs: the lovely Happiness, My Cup Runneth Over and I Wanna Be With You. 

Happiness - Connie Francis on Broadway Today was released by MGM Records in 1967 and, unfortunately, is not one of the easiest albums to track down online but you can find a few of these songs on Youtube. Check them out! 

Track Listing


Side One:

Happiness - "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"

Together Forever/My Cup Runneth Over Medley - "I Do! I Do!"

Hallelujah, Baby - "Hallelujah, Baby"

Willkommen/Cabaret Medley - "Cabaret"

Fiddler on the Roof/To Life Medley - "Fiddler on the Roof"

Walking Happy - "Walking Happy"

Side Two:

Illya Darling - "Illya Darling"

If They Could See Me Now/I'm a Brass Band - "Sweet Charity"

Sherry - "Sherry!"

I Wanna Be With You - "Golden Boy"

My Best Beau - "Mame"

The Impossible Dream - "Man of La Mancha"

Top Music Picks: Happiness, Fiddler on the Roof, Sherry, I Wanna Be With You, The Impossible Dream

From the Archives: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

Kirk Douglas spent a day at Disneyland in 1954 and clowned around with the pirates on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride during a publicity photo shoot for "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" which was Disney's biggest live-action production to date. 

From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

Here's a happy policeman...we know what he is grinning at, but do you? You really don't have to know, all you have to do is guess what film this is from - that's the name of the game, and that's why it is so impossibly difficult! 

As always, if you are not familiar with the rules to the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!

Midjourney at the Movies

It's been quite a while since we posted our last "Midjourney at the Movies" feature so this time we have quite a few images to share. It is fun creating pictures on Midjourney but it is equally entertaining seeing what other members decided to create with this powerful tool. If you are not familiar with Midjourney, it is one of the leading Ai art generators and v7 was recently released which has definitely made its images more detailed and much more precise to what you input. There are new features that let you upload photos and keep the likeness of what is in the photo, so replicating old Hollywood stars is even easier now (and much more scary-realistic). A few days ago, Midjourney also released video output, so now you can upload an image and get a 5-second video generated. Gadzooks! 

Anyway, here are some images that we discovered over the past few weeks. The captions are our own, so you have to click on the photo itself to be taken to the Midjourney site if you want to obtain the image "prompt" to experiment with for yourself. 

On a side note: please don't leave hateful comments about AI art and its usage. It's only a tool and if you do not like it, just skip over this post. Thank you! 

Leonard Nimoy as Spock in a scene from the TV series "Star Trek"

What is George Washington appeared as a guest on Star Trek? He may have looked like this. 

It looks like this user may have combined Anne Heywood with a scene from The Children's Hour to get a Hollywood scene like this. 

Here's a cute one of a Scarlet O'Hara-ish film still. She looks a bit like Susan Hayward, who was actually offered the part in Gone with the Wind. 

This one is amazing! This handsome heartthrob looks like a blend of Sean Connery, Richard Burton and Guy Madison. Now you have to give him a Hollywood name. 

Click here to see this image "videofied" -it's frightfully good!

Speaking of Sean Connery....what if there was a Bond film set in Greece with Mr. Connery playing 007? One member prompted this. 

If Sean doesn't look quite like himself in the above still, he sure does in this poster rendering. Although, he isn't carrying his favorite Walther PPK. 

Of course, Marilyn Monroe is a popular topic, here she is wearing a frothy low-cut jeweled dress in what looks like a 1950s publicity photo.  

Audrey Hepburn is another popular actress in Ai creations....someone cleverly thought to imagine her as a 5-year old girl. Even "Toto" took on some of Audrey's features. 

Now if Audrey appeared in a black-and-white period film, she may have looked like this. 

This looks like a 1980s TV promo photo with that lovely soft glow....note the extra finger on this woman and her upside down pen. By v8, I'm sure even these small mistakes will be ironed out of Midjourney, it is progressing so fast. 

A Superman publicity photo from 1980 - I wish this fellow had starred in a TV version!

If you prefer Batman - here's a great shot of an Adam West-like actor playing the caped crusader. 

A vintage trading card for a BBC Henry James production from 1968. 

Midjourney can do "character sheets" to give you inspiration....

... and animation "cels" to see what the final result looks like. Nifty. 

Lastly, a book illustration of a 1960s Michael Caine type character in London. 

I've been using Midjourney primarily for book character creations (like the one above) and only today did I try out their new video feature (below). It's like having a book character come to life when you see the illustration "you" created start moving. Exciting! 

Have you experimented with Midjourney? We'd love to hear what prompts you tried out and which ones you are excited to test out soon.