Hollywood the Golden Years The RKO Story (1 Viewer)

[roxy1927]

The fact that Astaire's wife would not contribute scenes from his films to salute Rogers for the Kennedy Center Honors shows that she has absolutely no interest in honoring his legacy but just exploiting it for personal gain.
The thing I don't get is weren't these films owned by the studio? Therefore wouldn't permission be needed only by those who own the rights to the RKO films?
Maybe she was getting back at Rogers for suing Fellini. Still she chose a poor occasion only making herself look bad.

 

[battlebeast]

The fact that Astaire's wife would not contribute scenes from his films to salute Rogers for the Kennedy Center Honors shows that she has absolutely no interest in honoring his legacy but just exploiting it for personal gain.
The thing I don't get is weren't these films owned by the studio? Therefore wouldn't permission be needed only by those who own the rights to the RKO films?
Maybe she was getting back at Rogers for suing Fellini. Still she chose a poor occasion only making herself look bad.

It was in his will not to show himself... Astair said it himself... I think she was just honoring his wishes.

 

[roxy1927]

It was in his will not to show himself... Astair said it himself... I think she was just honoring his wishes.

Well that's a very odd request for a performer to make. I've never heard of that before. And his movies are available anytime you want to watch one so it's a fruitless request in any case.
Also I went to the last salute to MGM musicals hosted by Michael Feinstein where a number of performers made an appearance(shortly after this they began dying off and everyone who was there is now gone except for Margaret O'Brian) but Mrs. Astaire was there and spoke. I only can't remember if they showed clips of his films or not.

 

[Will Krupp]

The fact that Astaire's wife would not contribute scenes from his films to salute Rogers for the Kennedy Center Honors shows that she has absolutely no interest in honoring his legacy but just exploiting it for personal gain.

I think she was just honoring his wishes.

It's a sticky situation. Robyn was tasked with "protecting his image" yet the Dirt Devil commercials rubbed many people the wrong way. Son Fred Jr. is team Robyn and daughter Ava is not.

Not that it means anything in the grand scheme of things but, for the record, I'm team Ava (lol)

There's a story on it here:

Image control for Fred Astaire

HOLLYWOOD — A cultural icon’s place in the public’s heart is much like a politician’s: He belongs to everyone and everyone acts as though they’ve elected him to Olympu…

www.baltimoresun.com

 

[Garysb]

Concerning Astaire and the Kennedy Center I believe at the time it was an open question as to whether they needed Astaire's wife's permission. CBS and the Kennedy Center operated under an abundance of caution. Astaire's wife wanted them to pay a license fee to use the clips. Dollar amount may have been a token figure. The Kennedy Center had never paid estates a fee to use clips before and didn't want to start a precedent. If they used the clips and she sued, that would result in unwanted publicity. People in attendance at the Kennedy Center saw Fred Astaire clips during the salute to Ginger Rodgers. He was edited out for the broadcast version. I suppose if it had gone to court the need for permission would have been settled. I don't know if since that time if it has been. I do notice that during ending credits for documentaries there will be credits that say so and so appears courtesy of an estate or trust. Whether that is just granting permission or if a fee was paid or both I don't know.

I believe its only been since 1972 that there has been a right to publicity for dead people. Before then anyone could use the image of a dead person for any purpose without permission . Prior to 1972 the right to publicity ended when the person died.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Concerning a Radio Picture....
Similar seemingly nonsensical play with that word Radio comes in Fred and Ginger's movie 'Flying Down to Rio' where Fred, singing the title song, exhorts viewers to 'Send a Radio to Rio de Janeiro'. RKO at that time held the rights to transmit radiograms (radio telegrams). I love the historical references in these old classic moviesl .. such as Fred referencing Major Edward Bowes in 'Never Going to Dance' in 'Swing Time'. Bowes was a 1930s Talent Quiz host who gave a heap of people, including Frank Sinatra, their break into showbiz. I just saw on Google, when checking Bowes' spelling, that he also gave Maria Callas her first break .. when she was aged 11!

 

[roxy1927]

Yes I get a kick out of the Bowes reference as well. I knew of him because he ran the Capitol theater in NY which was one of NY's great movie palaces. I only knew later that he hosted a very popular radio show. A major NY entertainment figure of the time.

Flying Down to Rio was the first Christmas/New Year's movie to play at Radio City along with The Nativity and Christmas stage show. It also received a C as in Condemned rating from the Catholic Church meaning that not only was it was not to be seen by children it was not to be seen by adults as well. So I assume all the 10s of thousands of patrons at the Music Hall's first Christmas show went to hell. Well at least the Catholics.

 

[Will Krupp]

So I assume all the 10s of thousands of patrons at the Music Hall's first Christmas show went to hell. Well at least the Catholics.

"What'dja do that sent ya down here?"

"The Carioca and the Rockettes. Mary, DON'T ASK!"

 

[ChrisOC]

“Disney through the Decades” is sort of one, from the Snow White Platinum edition.

“MOGULS AND MOVIE STARS” is another great one, that has had a DVD release.

“HOLLYWOOD” is a terrific doc never released. Man I wish someone like Turner / Warner or KINO would or could release these.

The TECHNICOLOR doc is a great one, though only 60 min, from the Robin Hood DVD and another disc, but I’m not sure which other disc.

Here are some other titles:
YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS - re Warner Bros
HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, WARNER BROS
THE BROTHERS WARNER
SAMUEL GOLDWYN, THE MAN AND HIS MOVIES
WALT DISNEY - from PBS American Experience, mostly about the Disney studio
DREAM ON, SILLY DREAMER - an indie focused on Disney animation
WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY - Disney approved doc

Also, not about studios but excellent docs about movies:
ALTMAN
HAL
THE BATTLE OVER CITIZEN KANE (PBS)
BOFFO! TINSELTOWN'S BLOCKBUSTERS AND BOMBS
BY SIDNEY LUMET
CASTING BY
THE CUTTING EDGE, THE MAGIC OF MOVIE EDITING
DE PALMA
A DECADE UNDER THE INFLUENCE
EASY RIDERS, RAGING BULLS
FRIEDKIN UNCUT
THE GREAT BUSTER
THE LAST MOGUL
GONE WITH THE WIND: THE MAKING OF A LEGEND
THE MEN WHO MADE THE MOVIES (miniseries, apparently)
SCORE, A FILM MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
STANLEY KUBRICK, A LIFE IN PICTURES
EMPIRE OF DREAMS (early Star Wars doc)
VISIONS OF LIGHT
...and there are probably more than I'm missing at the moment.

 

[ChrisOC]

Has this ever been released? I've seen parts on Youtube, but is it available as a whole?

I wish it were. I love docs like that, even if they're self-congratulatory films made or sanctioned by the studios.

 

[Drew Salzan]

The Universal Story was released on LaserDisc in the 90’s.

 

[John_Simpson]

Has this ever been released? I've seen parts on Youtube, but is it available as a whole?

It's available from the good folks at EarthStation 1


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[lovemovies]

Has this ever been released? I've seen parts on Youtube, but is it available as a whole?

It was available on laser disc (complete)

 

[battlebeast]

Oh wow

 

[SeanAx]

Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's 13-part epic documentary on American silent cinema "Hollywood" was released on laserdisc and on VHS but never on DVD. It had to do with licensing costs for the film clips. Most of the episodes are streaming on YouTube, in unlicensed uploads of home video copies.

Brownlow's follow up "Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood" ran six episodes and received a VHS and a DVD release (now long out of print).

They weren't studio documentaries per se but they certainly explored the growth and cultures of the major film studios.

 

[battlebeast]

Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's 13-part epic documentary on American silent cinema "Hollywood" was released on laserdisc and on VHS but never on DVD. It had to do with licensing costs for the film clips. Most of the episodes are streaming on YouTube, in unlicensed uploads of home video copies.

Brownlow's follow up "Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood" ran six episodes and received a VHS and a DVD release (now long out of print).

They weren't studio documentaries per se but they certainly explored the growth and cultures of the major film studios.

Yes, I think many here would LOVE to have "HOLLYWOOD" on disc.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yes, I think many here would LOVE to have "HOLLYWOOD" on disc.

Absolutely! I have watched the entire series on YouTube several times even with the soft picture quality of the uploads because it's so enjoyable and informative.

 

[battlebeast]

Absolutely! I have watched the entire series on YouTube several times even with the soft picture quality of the uploads because it's so enjoyable and informative.

Some of the clips would have been gratefully appreciated on the WINGS Blu Ray, among others.

 

[roxy1927]

So the RKO story narrated by Ed Asner on YouTube is not the entire documentary?

 

[Matt Hough]

So the RKO story narrated by Ed Asner on YouTube is not the entire documentary?

As I recall, there are six chapters, but the Astaire Rogers chapter and the RKO Ladies chapter are incomplete.