The Narrow Margin (1952)

During the classic film noir era passenger trains were still a popular form of mass transportation. For that reason, trains often figure not only in the plot of film noirs, but many movies in other genres from the 1940s to 1950s. Among the film noirs in which a train plays prominent role is The Narrow Margin (1952), directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Charles McGraw and Marie Windsor. 

In The Narrow Margin (1952), Detective Sergeant Walter Brown (Charles McGraw) and Detective Sergeant Gus Forbes (Don Beddoe) are assigned to protect Mrs. Frankie Neall (Mrs. Marie Windsor), a mobster's widow who is testifying before a grand jury against the mob. Quite naturally, the mob wants to stop them as they are travelling on a train from Los Angeles to Chicago 

The Narrow Margin (1952) was based on an unpublished story titled "Target" by Mark Goldsmith and Jack Leonard. RKO bought the rights to the story and production began on the film under that title. The Narrow Margin (1952) was produced as a B-movie, with a budget of $230,000. It was shot in only 13 days. Given most of the movie is set aboard a train, the majority of The Narrow Margin (1952) was shot on sets at RKO, with exteriors shot at Union Station in Los Angeles and Santa Fe Railroad Depot in San Bernadino, California. Stock footage was also used in a good deal of the movie (the backgrounds seen through the train's windows). The film used extensive use of hand-held cameras, which was somewhat revolutionary at the time.

Director Richard Fleischer has said that RKO owner Howard Hughes was so enamoured with The Narrow Margin (1952), that he considered reshooting the film with  with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell so that it could be released as an A picture. For whatever reason, this never happened. , William Cameron Menzies did shoot additional scenes to add to the movie's length. For reasons that are none too clear today, The Narrow Margin (1952) was delayed for two years before it was released. 

The Narrow Margin (1952) received largely positive reviews. Howard Thompson of The New York Times wrote in his review, "Using a small cast of comparative unknowns, headed by Charles McGraw, Marie Windsor and Jacqueline White, this inexpensive Stanley Rubin production for R. K. O. is almost a model of electric tension that, at least technically, nudges some of the screen's thriller milestones." The Narrow Margin (1952) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture Story. The movie has maintained its reputation ever since. It boasts a 100% rating at Rotten Tomatoes, and it is still highly regarded by film historians.

The Narrow Margin (1952) would be a turning point in director Richard Fleischer's career. Prior to The Narrow Margin (1952), he had worked on B-movies, all the while wanting to move to directing A-pictures. When Howard Hughes was unhappy with John Farrow's handling of the A-picture His Kind of Woman (1952), Howard Hughes hired Richard Fleischer to re-write and re-shoot portions of the movie. It was because he was happy with Richard Flesicher's work on His Kind of Woman (1952) that Howard Hughes loaned him to Stanley Kramer to direct The Happy Time (1952). Stanley Kramer would go onto direct such films as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), The Vikings (1958), and Fantastic Voyage (1966). 

The Narrow Margin was remade in 1990 as Narrow Margin, starring Gene Hackman and Anne Archer. Narrow Margin (1990) received mixed reviews upon its release. Since then reviews have grown a bit more positive, although it has never matched the reputation of the original.

Although The Narrow Margin (1950) may not be as well-known as Double Indemnity (1944) or The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), it is certainly one of the quintessential noirs. The train setting with its narrow corridors gives the film a sense of claustrophobia that director Richard Fleischer and cinematographer George E. Diskant both exploited. The characters (cop Brown and gangster's widow Frankie Neall) don't particularly like each other and their dialogue can be particularly "hard-boiled." It is certainly one of the best noirs set on a train and one of the best noirs ever made.

Godspeed Sally Kirkland

Sally Kirkland, who appeared in such movies as The Way We Were (1973), Private Benjamin (1980), and Anna (1987), died on November 11, 2025, at the age of 84. She had been suffering from dementia and had entered hospice care only two days earlier.

Sally Kirkland was born in New York City on October 31, 1941. Her mother was a fashion editor at Vogue and Life. Her father came from a wealthy family. Sally Kirkland studied at the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen. She later studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. 

She made her movie debut in a bit part in Crack in the Mirror in 1960. On Broadway, she was an understudy in the productions Step on a Crack and Bicycle Ride to Nevada. In the Sixties, she appeared in Andy Warhol's The 13 Most Beautiful Woman (1964). She also appeared in the movies Hey, Let's Twist! (1961), Prison (1965), Blue (1968), Coming Apart (1969), Futz (1969), and Brand X (1970). She made her television debut in an episode of New York Television Theatre in 1965.

In the Seventies, Sally Kirkland appeared in the movies Jump (1971), Going Home (1971), Blume in Love (1973), The Young Nurses (1973), The Way We Were (1973), Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Sting (1973), Blazing Saddles (1974), Big Bad Mama (1974), Candy Stripe Nurses (1974), The Noah (1975), Bite the Bullet (1975), Crazy Mama (1975), Breakheart Pass (1975), Tracks (1976), Pipe Dreams (1976), A Star is Born (1976), Hometown U.S.A. (1979), La ilegal (1979), and Private Benjamin (1980).  On television she guest-starred on the shows Hawaii Five-O, Police Story, Toma, Bronk, Petrocelli, Baretta, The Rookies, Three's Company, Kojak, Starsky and Hutch, The Incredible Hulk, Visions, Supertrain, Charlie's Angels, and Lou Grant. She appeared in the mini-series Captain and the Kings.

In the Eighties, she guest starred on the shows Charlie's Angels, Lou Grant, General Hospital, Insight, Falcon Crest,Trying Times, and Heat Wave. She appeared in the movies The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981), Human Highway (1982), Double Exposure (1982), Flush (1982), Love Letters (1983), Fatal Games (1983), Anna (1987), Talking Walls (1987), White Hot (1988), High Stakes (1989), Cold Fleet (1989), Paint It Black (1989), Best of the Best (1989), Two Evil Eyes (1990), Revenge (1990), and Bullseye! (1990). 

In the Nineties, Sally Kirkland starred on the syndicated soap opera Valley of the Dolls. She had a recurring roles on Felicity and on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. She appeared in the TV movie Brave New World. She guest starred on the shows The Ray Bradbury Theatre; Roseanne; Raven; Jack's Place; Picture Windows; Murder, She Wrote; High Tide; Goode Behavior; The Nanny; Women: Stories of Passion; The Hunger; Chicken Soup for the Soul; and Wasteland. She appeared in the movies JFK(1991), In the Heat of Passion (1992), The Player (1992), Forever (1992), Hit the Dutchmen (1992), Primary Motive (1992), Double Threat (1992), Stringer (1992), Eye of the Stranger (1993), Gunmen (1993), Paper Hearts(1993), Guns and Lipstick (1995), Amnesia (1996), Excess Baggage (1997), The Westing Game (1997), Little Ghost (1997), Paranoia (1997), Wilbur Falls (1998), The Island (1998), EdTV (1999), and Starry Night (1999).

In the Naughts, she had a recurring role on The Agency. She guest starred on the TV shows Strong Medicine (2001), Resurrection Blvd. (2001), Wanted (2005), Head Case (2008), and Criminal Minds (2010). She appeared in the movies Circuit (2001), Out of the Black (2001), A Month of Sundays (2001), Wish You Were Dead (2001), The Rose Technique (2002), Thank You, Good Night (2002), Bruce Almighty (2003), Mango Kiss (2004), Bloodlines (2004), Neo Ned (2005), Adam & Steve (2005), What's Up, Scarlet? (2005),Chandler Hall (2005), Off the Black (2006), Hollywood Dreams (2006), A-List (2006), Fingerprints (2006),Mothers and Daughters (2006), Factory Girl(2006), Richard III (2007), Resurrection Mary (2007), Big Stan (2007), Spiritual Warriors (2007), Mollie and Friends (2008), Bald (2009), Remembering Nigel (2009), House Under Siege (2010), and Lights Out (2010). 

In the Teens, Sally Kirkland appeared in the movies Urgency (2011), The Last Gamble (2011), A Bag of Hammers (2011), The Wayshower (2011), The Wish Makers of Hollywood (2011), Division III: Football's Finest (2011), Jack the Reaper (2011), Archaeology of a Woman (2011), Broken Roads (2012), Awakened (2013), The Visitor from Planet Omicron (2013), Ron and Laura Take Back America (2014), The Bride fro Vegas (2014),. Suburban Vegas (2014), Buddy Hutchins (2015), The Code of Cain (2015), Courting Des Moines (2016), Trash Fire (2016), Buddy Solitaire (2016), Nerdland (2016), The Most Hated Woman in America (2017), Price for Freedom (2017), Gnaw (2017), Get Married or Die (2018), Making a Killing (2018), The Second Coming of Christ (2018), Los Angeles Overnight (2018), Wally Got Wasted (2018), Sarah Q (2018), Cuck (2019), Paint It Red (2019), Acceleration (2019), Invincible (2020), Magic Max (2020), Canaan Land (2020), and Hope for the Holidays (2020). She guest starred on Paul Cruz: Latin Actor (A Mockuseries), Actor Anonymous, Bennington Gothique, Theatre Fantastique, 40's and Falling, Good Samaritans, and Conversations in L.A.

In the 2020s, she guest starred on the show Nobody Wrote It Down: Tales of the Black Pioneers. She appeared in the movie The Final Code (2021), The Magic (2021), The Legend of Resurrection Mary (2021), The Walk (2022), Bobcat Moretti (2022), Murder, Anyone? (2023), 80s for Brady (2022), All of It Happened on Thursday (2023), Altered Perceptions (2023), The Haunting of Hell Hole Mine (2023), When It Rings (2023), Woods Witch (2023), Holiday Boyfriend (2024), Skeletons in the Closet \(2024), Aftermath (2024), and Sallywood (2024). 

Sally Kirkland was an enormously talented actress. She was incredible as the title character in Anna (1987), an actress who had been famous in Czechoslovakia at one time. The role earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. While Miss Kirkland played other lead roles, it was perhaps her character roles for which she was best known. In The Way We Were, she played Pony, the Communist friend of Kate Morosky (Barbara Streisand). In The Sting, she played Cyrstal, a former gangster's moll turned legitimate. In EDtv she played the doting mother of the Ed of the title (Matthew McConaughey). Her television appearances could be no less impressive. On Hawaii Five-O, she played one half of a vacationing couple who find a bag of stolen money (Sally Kirkland's character had serious doubts about keeping the money). On Roseanne, she played Barbara Healy, the abusive, alcoholic mother of Becky's boyfriend. Throughout her career, Sally Kirkland played roles ranging from photographers to a martial arts coach to a college professor. And she did all of them well. 

Godspeed Toymaker Burt Meyer

Burt Meyer, the inventor responsible in part for such toys as Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots and Lite-Brite, died on October 30, 2025, at the age of 99.

Burt Meyer was born in Hinsdale, Illinois. He spent many of his early years in Massachusetts. During World War II, he served in the Navy as an aircraft mechanic. After his service he studied art at West Georgia College on the G.I. Bill and then the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology. For a time, he taught at the Atlanta Art Institute, but he decided that teaching was not for him. 

It was in the late Fifties that he went to work for Marvin Glass & Associates, a toy design and engineering firm in Chicago. The firm made toys for such companies as Ideal, Marx, Mattel, and Hasbro. Mr. Machine, conceived by Marvin Glass himself, was one of the first toys on which Burt Meyer worked. He was later part of the team that worked on Mouse Trap, one of the first mass-produced three-dimensional board games. It was in 1963, after the death of boxer Davey Moore in the ring, that Marvin Glass cancelled a boxing toy upon which the firm had been working. Burt Meyer felt that the toy was too good of an opportunity to pass up, and suggested that they make the boxers robots whose heads would pop off rather than humans who fell down. The result was Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots.

It was Burt Meyer, Dalia Verbickas, and Joseph M. Burck who invented Lite-Brite, a toy introduced in 1967. The toy proved to be a success for Hasbro. Burt Meyer became a partner at Marvin Glass & Associates. He retired when he was 99.

Many of the toys upon which Burt Meyer worked proved to have staying power. Their appeal often cut across several generations, and in some cases the toys outlived the companies who originally manufactured them. Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Lite Brite, and Mouse Trap are all still being sold. Burt Meyer and his fellow employees at Marvin Glass & Associates certainly had a talent for making toys.

The House That Dripped Blood (1971)

(This post is part of the Hammer and Amicus Blogathon V, hosted by Cinematic Catharsis and Realweegiemidget Reviews)

If Amicus Productions was known for one thing, it was their portmanteau horror movies. Starting with  Dr. Terror's House of Horrors in 1965, Amicus produced several of these films, each with framework that served primarily to tell horror stories. The House That Dripped Blood (1971) was the third of Amicus's horror anthologies. As you might be able to tell from the title, the framing story of The House That Dripped Blood (1971) involved an old country house whose inhabitants often meet mysterious fates.

To be more specific, the framing story of The House That Dripped Blood (1971) involves Detective Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) investigating the mysterious disappearance of horror movie star Paul Henderson (Jon Pertwee) shortly after he bought the house. As Detective Holloway continues his investigation, he is told various stories concerning the house's owners. The first concerns hack horror writer Charles Hillyer (Denholm Elliott), who is convinced he is seeing his latest creation, a murderous psychopath named Dominic (Tom Adams). The second centred on retired stockbroker Philip Grayson (Peter Cushing), who becomes obsessed with a waxwork of Salome who resembles a long lost love. The third involves widower John Reid (Christopher Lee), whose young daughter Jane (Chloe Franks) is morbidly afraid. The fourth story concerns horror actor Paul Henderson, who is starring in a vampire movie while living in the house. When he complains about the cloak being used in the movie, he buys a rather more special one from shopkeeper Theo von Hartmann (Geoffrey Bayldon). 

Max Rosenberg of Amicus Productions came up with the title The House That Dripped Blood long before production began. The title was not universally popular with the filmmakers. Director Peter Duffel hated the title and has said that Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee agreed with him. Max Rosenberg's partner at Amicus, Milton Subotsky had wanted to call the movie Death and the Maiden, which arguably wasn't nearly as lurid as The House That Dripped Blood.

 Like Amicus Productions' previous horror anthology movie, Torture Garden (1967), The House That Dripped Blood (1971) was based on short stories by legendary horror writer Robert Bloch. According to Max Rosenberg, he spent an entire year reading Robert Bloch short stories before he settled on the ones that would be used for The House That Dripped Blood (1971). Milton Subotsky of Amicus Productions was also a voracious reader who was always on the look out for horror stories that could be adapted for their movies. Robert Bloch adapted his own stories for The House That Dripped Blood (1971),  with Russ Jones, best known as the creator of the magazine Creepy, doing some work on the "Waxworks" segment.

The House That Dripped Blood(1971) was budgeted at £500,000. Like Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and Torture Garden (1967), it was filmed at Shepperton Studios in Surrey. Unlike Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and Torture Garden (1967), it would not be directed by Freddie Francis. Freddie Francis was not available at the time, and to top it off he and Max Rosenberg did not get along very well during the making of Torture Garden (1967). Peter Duffell was then hired to direct The House That Dripped Blood (1971). It would be Peter Duffell's first feature film credit,but he was experienced in directing television shows, including The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre and The Avengers. Peter Duffell thought that Milton Subotsky liked to hire young directors and had probably seen some of the work he had done on television.  

The role of horror movie star Paul Henderson was offered to Vincent Price, who had to turn it down because he was currently under contract to American International Pictures. The role then went to Jon Pertwee, who was playing the Third Doctor on Doctor Who at the time. Jon Pertwee said that he based his portrayal of Paul Henderson on Christopher Lee, who did not even realize Jon Pertwee was parodying him. Peter Cushing tried to get out of his contract to do The House That Dripped Blood (1971) as his beloved wife Helen was ill at the time. She would die in 1971, around a month before the movie was released. At the time Ingrid Pitt appeared in The House That Dripped Blood (1971), she was already an experienced horror actress. She had already appeared in the movies El sonido de la muerte (1966), The Vampire Lovers (1971), and Countess Dracula (1971). 

The House That Dripped Blood (1971) was shot in about a month, from June 29, 1970, to July 28, 1970. The "House That Dripped Blood" itself was Littleton House Lodge at Shepperton Studios. Weybridge Hall in Weybridge, Surrey served as the wax museum in the film. 

Despite its title, no blood appears in The House That Dripped Blood (1971), In fact, when Amicus submitted the film to the British Board of Film Censors, the BBFC wanted to give The House That Dripped Blood (1971) an "A" certificate, which meant that children under 5 could not see the film and it was not recommended for children under 14 (in other words, more or less the equivalent of the American 'PG" rating). Amicus feared that an "A" certificate could hurt the film at the box office, and pressured the BBFC to give it an "X" certificate. At the time, an "X" certificate meant no one under 18 could be admitted. Also at that time, the BBFC gave most of rival Hammer Film Productions' movies "X" certificates.

The House That Dripped Blood (1971) was released on February 21, 1971, in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it premiered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 10, 1971. For the most part, it received positive reviews. The Variety staff  called it "one of the most entertaining of its genre to come along in several years." In The Los Angeles Times, Kevin Thomas wrote, " "Richly atmospheric settings, muted color photography, an outstanding cast and competent direction (by Peter Duffell) do justice to Bloch's fine script, which deals with psychological terror rather than relying on the typical blood-and-guts formula." The New York Times' Roger Greenspun gave The House That Dripped Blood (1971) a more mixed review, writing, "Such failure, however, may be more or less interesting. And it is in terms of the esthetics of failure that I am of several minds about Peter Duffell's The House That Dripped Blood, which moves in many directions, but never too far from the mechanics of the high school play." With regards to the box office, The House That Dripped Blood (1971) did moderately well in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

Indeed, it was successful enough that Amicus would produce more portmanteau horror movies. It was followed by Tales from the Crypt (1972), based on the old E.C. Comics; Asylum (1972); The Vault of Horror (1973), also based on E.C. Comics; and From Beyond the Grave (1974).  Although The House That Dripped Blood (1971) was milder than some of Amicus's output and certain than Hammer's output, it as still a good blend of classic horror and psychological horror that remains entertaining to this day. 

Hammer Film Productions' The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

(This post is part of the Hammer and Amicus Blogathon V, hosted by Cinematic Catharsis and Realweegiemidget Reviews)

Hammer Film Productions is best known for their Gothic horror movies, but among their most films is The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), starring Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, André Morell as Dr. Watson, and Christopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville and based on the novel by Arthur Conan Doyle. While it strays a bit from the novel, it remains one of the most respected adaptations of the novel, as well as a favourite of Hammer fans.

In The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) is hired to investigate the strange death of Sir Charles Baskerville by his friend and physician Dr. Richard Mortimer (Francis de Wolff), and in doing so  tells Holmes the legend of the hound of the Baskervilles, a hellhound who had killed Sir Hugo Baskerville (David Oxley) centuries earlier. Although skeptical, Holmes agrees to investigate and soon encounters deaths attributed to the legendary hound.

As mentioned earlier, The Hound of the Baskervilles was based on the novel of the same name by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was in 1893 that Conan Doyle killed off his most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes, in "The Final Solution."  Nonetheless, the character remained phenomenally popular. It was then that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, which takes place earlier than "The Final Solution." The novel was based on legends surrounding Squire Richard Cabell. Following Squire Richard Cabell's death on July 5, 1677, there were claims of a pack of hounds howling at his tomb. Some inspiration may have also come from Black Shuck, a ghostly dog in Surrey, as well as legends of other hellhounds elsewhere in England. The novel had been adapted several times before Hammer's version, the most notable being 20th Century Fox's 1939 version starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

Eliot Hyman, the head of Associated Artis Productions (a.a.p.), was responsible for financing Hammer's hit movie The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) as well as Dracula. His son Kenneth Hyman had acquired the film rights to The Hound of the Baskervilles with plans of mounting his own production. Kenneth Hyman worked as a sales officer for his father's company, a.a.p., but really wanted to become a producer. He met James and Michael Carreras of Hammer Film Productions by chance in New York City. They made an offer to him, not entirely serious, to come to the United Kingdom where he could learn film production. Kenneth Hyman then went to United Kingdom with the film rights to The Hound of the Baskervilles in hand, as well as financing. Even with the film rights in hand, as well as £102,000 in financing, there would be come difficulties with regards to The Hounds of the Baskervilles (1959). Because of union rules, any work Kenneth Hyman did on the film would have to be uncredited. The Doyle estate required that Arthur Conan Doyle's son Adrian be hired as a technical consultant.

Jimmy Sangster, who had written the screenplays for The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958), was busy writing the script to Jack the Ripper (1959), so former camera operator Peter Bryan was charged with writing the screenplay. The director on The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) is a name familiar to Hammer Film Productions. Terence Fisher had directed The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958), and The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958). The cinematographer would be familiar to Hammer fans as well. Jack Asher had shot The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula(1958), among other movies. 

In the mind of Michael Carreras, there was no doubt as to who should play Sherlock Holmes, although for some time Hammer Film Productions stayed mum on casting for some time after the film had been announced. It was on August 1, 1958, that Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were signed, with Mr. Cushing playing Holmes and Christopher Lee playing Sir Henry Baskerville. Peter Cushing had been a fan of Sherlock Holmes as a lad, and already had extensive knowledge of the famous detective even before he was signed to to the movie. André Morell was cast as Dr. Watson. He had appeared in Hammer's movie The Camp on Blood Island (1958) and would later appear in such Hammer movies as Shadow of the Cat (1961), Cash on Demand (1961), and The Plague of the Zombies (1966).  Just as Peter Cushing strove for an accurate portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, so was André Morell eager that his Dr. Watson be nearer to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original from the Canon than Nigel Bruce's somewhat bumbling portrayal in the American "Sherlock Holmes" movie series.

Although it is one of the most respected versions of the novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) would depart from the novel in several ways. Among the most notable were changes to the legend of the hound of the Baskervilles itself. Among the other changes were ones made to Sir Henry Baskerville, the character of Cecile Stapleton, and Dr. Mortimer. Some of the changes were made from the novel to make the film more like Hammer's horror movies. This did not sit well with the Conan Doyle estate. Peter Cushing, a Sherlock Holmes super-fan if ever there was one, had no objections to the changes. 

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) premiered in London on March 28, 1959 and it went into general release in Britain on May 4, 1959. It was released in the United States on May 4, 1959. For the most part, the film was received positively by critics. The review in The Daily Express referred to it as "a merry little romp." The Daily Cinema wrote that it was a "Beautifully made, gripping, product." The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) received good reviews in the United States too. Variety's staff wrote, ""It is difficult to fault the performance of Peter Cushing." Unfortunately, while did better than most films, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) did not perform as well at the box office as Hammer had hoped, and a series of Sherlock Holmes movies produced by Hammer never emerged. 

Despite this, Peter Cushing would play Sherlock Holmes again. In 1968, he starred in a BBC television series Sherlock Holmes that included a two-part adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles. He played Sherlock Holmes again in the 1984 TV movie The Masks of Death. 

The Hammer version of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) was historic as not only the first colour version of the novel, but the first Sherlock Holmes movie ever shot in colour. Upon its release, the Sherlock Holmes Society deemed it "the greatest Sherlock Holmes movie ever made." The Sherlock Holmes Society of London are not alone in their evaluation of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959). Time Out counted it as one of the best Hammer films ever made. Peter Cushing is often counted as one of the best ever Sherlock Holmes on screen. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) is both one of Hammer's best films and one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Sherlock Holmes movie ever made. It is disappointing that Hammer chose not to make more Sherlock Holmes movies. 

The Late Great Diane Ladd

Diane Ladd, who played Flo in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) and Marietta Fortune in Wild at Heart (1990), died on November 3, 2025, at the age of 89.

Diane Ladd was born Rose Diane Lanier on November 29, 1935, in Laurel, Mississippi. She graduated from high school when she was only 16, and then attended finishing school in New Orleans. On weekends, she sang with a jazz band called  Dixie Hi De Ho Jo. She was offered a scholarship to the Louisiana State University law school. She chose to go into acting instead, and was cast in Room Service at the Gallery Circle Theater.in New Orleans. 

John Carradine took notice of her in Room Service and he made her part of the touring company for Tobacco Road. Afterwards, she danced as a Copa Girl at the Copacabana in New York City. It was in 1958 that she met Bruce Dern while they were in an off-Broadway production of Orpheus Descending. The two married and would have three children, including actor Laura Dern. They divorced in 1969. She made her television debut in an episode of Stanley . In the late Fifties, she guest-starred on the shows Decoy, The Big Story, The Walter Winchell File, Naked City, and Deadline. 

In the Sixties, Diane Ladd guest-starred on the shows The Detectives, Wide Country, Armstrong Circle Theatre, 77 Sunset Strip, Perry Mason, Mr. Novak, Hazel, The Fugitive, The Great Adventure,. Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Gunsmoke, Daniel Boone, Shane, The Big Valley, Ironside, and Then Came Bronson. She made her Broadway debut in  Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights in 1968. She made her film debut in a bit part in Something Wild in 1961. She appeared in the movies 4o Pounds of Trouble (1962), The Wild Angels (1966), The Reivers (1969), The Rebel Rousers (1970), Macho Callahan (1970), and WUSA (1970).

Diane Ladd began the Seventies playing the role of Kitty Styles on the daytime soap opera The Secret Storm from 1971 to 1972. In 1980, she joined the cast of Alice, the sitcom inspired by Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, playing Belle Dupree.  She guest starred on the shows Movin' On and City of Angels, and appeared in several TV movies. She appeared on Broadway in A Texas Trilogy: Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander. It was in 1974 that Diane Ladd originated the role of Flo in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. She was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the role and won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared in the movies The Steagle (1971), White Lightning (1973), Chinatown (1974), and Embryo (1976).

In 1990, Diane Ladd played opposite her daughter, Laura Dern, in the David Lynch movie Wild at Heart. During the Eighties, she appeared in the movies All Night Long (1981), Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), Black Widow (1987), Plain Clothes (1988), and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989). On television, she continued to appear on Alice early in the decade. She guest starred on Faerie Tale Theatre, The Love Boat, Father Dowling Mysteries, Heartland, and In the Heat of the Night. 

In the Nineties, she guest starred on the shows Middle Ages; L. A. Law; Harts of the West; Sisters; Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman; Touched by an Angel; Grace Under Fire; and Strong Medicine. She appeared in the mini-series Cold Lazarus. In 1991, she played opposite her daughter again in the movie Rambling Rose. She appeared in the movies Forever (1992), Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me (1992), The Cemetery Club (1993), Carnosaur (1993), Father Hood (1993), Mrs. Munck (1995), Raging Angels (1995), Citizen Ruth (1996), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), James Dean: Live Fast, Die Young (1997), The Westing Game (1997), Primary Colors (1998), Can't Be Heaven (1999), 28 Days (2000), and The Law of Enclosures (2000).

In the Naughts, Diane Ladd was a regular on Kingdom Hospital. She appeared in the mini-series Living with the Dead. She guest starred on Cold Case and ER.She appeared in the movies Rain (2001), Redemption of the Ghost (2002), More Than Puppy Love (2002), Charlie's War (2003), The World's Fastest Indian (2005), When I Find the Ocean (2006), Inland Empire (2006), Jake's Corner (2008), and American Cowslip (2009).

In the Teens, Diane Ladd had recurring roles on the shows Enlightened and Chesapeake Shores. She guest starred on the show Ray Donovan and appeared in the mini-series Deadtime Stories She appeared in the movies Grave Secrets (2013), Just Before I Go (2014), I Dream Too Much (2015), Joy (2015), Sophie and the Rising Sun (2015), AmeriGeddon (2016),. The Last Full Measure (2019), Boonville Redemption (2019), and Charlie's Christmas Wish (2020). 

In the 2020, Diane Ladd continued to appear on Chesapeake Shores. She guest starred on Young Sheldon. She appeared in the movies Charming the Hearts of Men (2021), Gigi & Nate (2022), and Isle of Hope (2022). 

Diane Ladd was an incredible actress. I suspect she will always be best remembered as Flo, the wisecracking, brassy waitress at Mel and Ruby's Cafe in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. She certainly gave a great performance, and I personally think she deserved the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Of course, Diane Ladd played many other roles as well. In Wild at Heart (1990), she played Marietta Fortune, the domineering, deranged mother of Lula (Laura Dern). Even when a movie wasn't particularly good, Diane Ladd often was. In the movie Father Hood (1993), she played Rita, the grifter mother of petty crook Jack Charles (Patrick Swayze), who has a whole wardrobe of disguises. Diane Ladd appeared on several television shows. In the Big Valley episode "Boy Into Man," she played a mother who deserts her children. In The Fugitive episode "Come Watch Me Die," she played opposite her husband Bruce Dern at the time. She played a diner waitress, while Bruce Dern played a member of a posse. Diane Ladd had an incredible amount of talent and could play a wide variety of roles. 

Godspeed Prunella Scales

Prunella Scales, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty on Fawlty Towers, died on October 27, 2025, at the age of 93.

Prunella Scales was born Prunella Illingworth in Sutton Abinger, Surrey on June 22, 1932. Her mother had attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for a while and was later a part of  the Liverpool Playhouse's Repertory Company. Her father was a a cotton salesman at Tootal. Her family moved to  Bucks Mills near Bideford in Devon at the beginning of World War II. It was in 1942 that she received a scholarship to Moira House School. She developed an interest in acting, and in 1949 she received a scholarship for the two-year course at the Old Vic Theatre School. 

Her career began as an assistant stage manager at the Bristol Old Vic. She made her television debut in 1952 playing Lydia Bennett in the BBC mini-series adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. She made her film debut in 1953 in the movie Laxdale Hall. In the Fifties, she appeared on the shows Television World Theatre, Champion Road, BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, BBC Sunday-Night Play, Inside Story, Saturday Playhouse, and ITV Television Playhouse. She appeared in the mini-series The Secret Garden.She appeared in the movies Hobson's Choice (1954), What Every Woman Wants (1954), The Crowded Day (1954), Blond Spot (1958), and Room at the Top (1958).

In the Sixties, she starred on the show Marriage Lines, She had a recurring role on Coronation Street. She appeared in the mini-series Saki. She appeared on the shows The Seven Faces of Jim, Call Oxbridge 2000 (1962), ITV Play of the Week, and On the Margin. She appeared in the movie Waltz of the Toreadors (1962).

In the Seventies, Prunella Scales starred on the shows Mr. Big and Fawlty Towers. She appeared on the shows Thirty-Minute Theatre, Country Matters. 7 of 1, Crime of Passion, Comedy Playhouse, BBC Play of the Month, Lucky Feller, BBC2 Playhouse, Pickersgill People, Target, and Jackanory. She appeared in the movies Escape from the Dark (1976), The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978), and The Boys from Brazil (1978).

In the Eighties, Prunella Scales starred on the shows SWALK, Mapp & Lucia, and After Henry.. She appeared on the shows Bergerac, Never the Twain, Weekend Playhouse, Let's Parlez Franglais, Unnatural Causes, Theatre Night, Thompson, and Screenplay. She appeared on the mini-series Wagner. She appeared in the movies The Wicked Lady (1983), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987), Consuming Passions (1988), and A Chorus of Disapproval (1989). 

In the Nineties, she starred on the TV shows Signs and Wonder and Searching. She was a voice on the series The Big Knights. She appeared in the TV series Screen One, The World of Lee Evans, Dalziel and Pascoe, Keeping Mum, and Midsomer Murders. She appeared in the mini-series The Rector's Wife. She appeared in the movies Howard's End (1992), Wolf (1994), Second Best (1994), An Awfully Big Adventure (1995), Stiff Upper Lips (1997), Mad Cows (1999), An Ideal Husband (1999), and The Ghost of Greville Lodge (2000). 

In the Naughts, Prunella Scales appeared in the mini-series Dickens and The Shell Seekers. She appeared on the shows Silent Witness, Casualty, Where the Heart Is, and Marple. She appeared in the movie Johnny English (2003). In the Teens, she appeared in the movie Run for Your Wife (2012). She appeared on the show The Royal. 

Chances are good that Prunella Scales will always be best remembered as Sybil Fawlty, the domineering wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) who, nonetheless, was skilled in dealing with the hotel's guests. Earlier she starred on the sitcom Marriage Lines as newlywed Kate Starling, who soon finds herself bored with being housewife. She also played other roles throughout her career. In the Midsomer Murders episode "Beyond the Grave," she played the medium Eleanor Bunsall. In the movie Howard's End (1992), she played  Aunt Juley, the quintessential Englishwoman. Prunella Scales was an enormous talent with a gift for comedy who could play a wide array of roles.