hattie mcdaniel Tagged Articles at Cinematical
African American Cinema Honored by U.S. Postal Service
Filed under: Classics », Independent », Music & Musicals », Awards », MGM », Cinematical Indie »
I'm typically a fan of all the movie-related stamps produced by the U.S. Postal Service, and I'm very glad to read the news that important early African American movie stars are being recognized and celebrated with a new series of 42-cent stamps (see them all here). However, I am a little disappointed that it carries on the usual exclusion of mostly forgotten non-musical race films, which are a significant part of both film history and African American history. Considering the stamps are tagged "Black Cinema USA," a number of people may assume this was the height of what African Americans were offered in the first half of the 20th century (Oscar Micheaux deserves a stamp).Gripes aside, though, it is nonetheless a wonderful set. The five stamps feature vintage poster designs from old movies starring musical artists Josephine Baker (Princess Tam-Tam), Duke Ellington (Black and Tan) and Louis Jordan (Caldonia), plus King Vidor's monumental Oscar-nominated musical, Hallelujah! (it was one of the rare studio films featuring an all black cast) and the 1921 silent film The Sport of the Gods. In previous, separate years, Showboat costars Paul Robeson and Hattie McDaniel have also received their own postage stamps.
The new stamps come out Wednesday and there will be a ceremony on their behalf that day at the Newark Museum, which is currently holding the 34th annual Newark Black Film Festival. The festival is also holding free screenings of Hallelujah on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
AMPAS to dead people: Don't lose your Oscar
Filed under: Awards », Newsstand », Oscar Watch »
To all those Oscar winners wondering what would
happen if you accidentally left your golden statue in a Burger King bathroom, AMPAS is basically saying you're very
much screwed. Seeing as taking home an Oscar is a once in a lifetime accomplishment, most take very good care of
theirs, and rarely does one show up in the lost and found. However, the case of Hattie McDaniel proves something is a bit off when it comes to AMPAS'
current guidelines.
The actress, who won a Best Supporting Oscar for her role in Gone with the Wind, wrote in her will that, upon her death, the Oscar would be given to Howard University. At some point in the 1960s, the statue was either lost or stolen and now AMPAS refuses to replace it. To add insult to injury, Academy Executive Director, Bruce Davis, sent the school a photo of McDaniel and offered to help out should the Oscar show up on eBay.
Davis also stated that, "[The Academy] rarely reissues statuettes when the actual recipient asks for a replacement. We have never replaced a statuette that has fallen out of the care of an inheriting individual or institution." Perhaps that's somewhat fair, but how hard can it be to replace a statue? I mean, we're not talking the Hope diamond here - can't we just take one away from Steven Spielberg? I'm sure he won't notice.
USPS honors McDaniel
Filed under: Classics », Drama », Awards », New Releases », Fandom »
Though Hattie
McDaniel played nearly 100 roles over the course of her 20-year film career, her will always be linked with Mammy,
the maid she played in Gone with the
Wind. Not only was the role a major one in one of the most popular Hollywood pictures of all time, but it won
McDaniel the best supporting actress Oscar - she was the first African-American to even be nominated for the award, let
alone to take one home.McDaniel died in over 50 years ago, but her star has not faded. In fact, this year has brought her more attention than ever: she is the subject of a well-received new biography and, yesterday, the US Postal Service unveiled a new stamp in their Black Heritage series that bears her image. The stamp goes on sale nation-wide today and, since our Cary Grant stamps are no longer enough to get a letter through the damn mail, it's the prefect time to go down to the post office and stock up on Hattie.
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