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How best to describe the impact of Fred Astaire on film? Apart from his undeniable charm and way with a song, Astaire fundamentally changed the way dance was portrayed on film. Utilizing extended takes, Astaire- whether solo or with mainstay partners Ginger Rogers and Cyd Charisse- performed uninterrupted, intricate dance sequences that kept audiences captivated for decades. It’s hard to believe that after his first Hollywood screen test, the casting director (who must have been drunk) famously wrote, “Balding. Can’t act. Can dance a little.”

With my awareness of passages heightened by a turbulent year, I was moved to compile a list of all the amazing players who have left us over the past twelve months. Some were big movie stars and household names, others skilled and reliable featured players who spent most of their careers on the stage or television. 

I still remember the first time I saw Faye Dunaway over half a century ago in “The Thomas Crown Affair”.  She took my breath away. 

For a truly memorable holiday movie night, it’s hard to beat 1947’s “The Bishop’s Wife,” starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and and David Niven.

If the late Sir Sean Connery could have read all the tributes pouring in after his death, doubtless he’d have shook his head in frustration, if not surprise. Rather than mourn the passing of one of our finest screen actors, the media announced in unison that we’d just lost “the original James Bond.”

So today, on the birthday of this Hollywood legend, here are a few photos — some candid, some just forgotten — that give a better glimpse into Norma Jean Baker, Marilyn Monroe, and the actress who still captivates the world. 

I’ve always had an affinity for horror films built around ghosts, usually favoring them over titles involving homicidal slashers, monsters, zombies, aliens, and vampires. I love the delicious build-up in a ghost story, with subtle signs gradually escalating to full-fledged horror.

Olivia de Havilland’s death not only marks the passing of a great actress, but also the last vestige of Hollywood’s Golden Age, when the old studio system held sway. In those far-off days, motion pictures, viewed in theaters still owned by those studios, were widely considered the pre-eminent form of mass entertainment.