Reginald Owen

Cinedigm announced today that The Film Detective, the classic film restoration and streaming company, has opened its online, e-commerce store for its highly-anticipated deluxe edition of The Sherlock Holmes Vault Collection, available Nov. 2-26. 

This week's list includes an album of demos from Beetlejuice the Musical, as well as the first single from the forthcoming film adaptation of The Prom. Plus, the first song from Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of Cinderella has been released.

Legendary leading ladies Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo, Rita Hayworth and Barbra Streisand are featured in the July Reel 13 schedule. 

As my hand was turning to mincemeat while writing personal notes in Christmas card after Christmas card, I persevered, knowing that at the end of my travails there would be a reward: A much anticipated performance of Theatre Memphis' annual 'gift' to Memphis, Charles Dickens' venerable A CHRISTMAS CAROL. I must admit: I have not attended every performance of that classic since its inception. I have, however, infrequently stopped to hang my wreath at its door; and I've seen some fine 'Ebeneezers' over the years (I recall a former teaching colleague, Tom Ford, offering a tight, clipped interpretation and, of course, one of the best and most frequent of the actors donning those tattered gloves, Memphis acting favorite Barry Fuller). As I wrote card after card, I began to think about all the other interpretations of A CHRISTMAS CAROL that I have encountered through the years - Seymour Hicks; Reginald Owen (in the role MGM intended for an ailing Lionel Barrymore, who had become famous for his radio performance and who would have, no doubt, been superior; a not-all-that-bad consolation prize was his equally tight-fisted 'Mr. Potter' in Frank Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE); Orson Welles (in a Mercury Theatre radio performance); Sir Ralph Richardson (a beautiful audio recording); Alastair Sim (in the early 1950's British film and offering my favorite interpretation of the role; Danny Peary, in his fascinating ALTERNATE OSCARS, selects him as Best Actor for that performance); and, certainly, George C. Scott, in what was considered to be the version to end all versions. (And does anyone recall Jim Backus' 'Mr. Magoo' in a delightful animated musical television special back in the 1960's?)

The Garden Theatre presents a Holiday Movie Series as a part of What The Dickens Orlando, a celebration of the life and times of Charles Dickens, Tuesdays and Thursdays, today, December 9 - 18, 2014 at the Garden Theatre (160 West Plant Street).

The Garden Theatre presents a Holiday Movie Series as a part of What The Dickens Orlando, a celebration of the life and times of Charles Dickens, Tuesdays and Thursdays, December 9 – 18, 2014 at the Garden Theatre (160 West Plant Street).

The joy of the holiday season is coming to the big screen with a classic Christmas double feature, “TCM Presents: 'A Christmas Carol' and 'Christmas in Connecticut,'” brought to you by Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

In a golden anniversary season celebrating the theatre's past, present and future, there is little dust on this perennial favorite