Showbiz History: Shirley, Silkwood, and the Spider-Verse

6 random things that happened on this day, December 14th, in showbiz history

1916 Shirley Jackson, the famed horror writer, was born on this day. Shirley, the artful biopic (of sorts) starring Elisabeth Moss, celebrated her earlier this year. You really should queue it up if you haven't yet seen it.

1945 National Velvet hit movie theaters 75 years ago on this very day, making a major star of 13 year-old Elizabeth Taylor. Unlike many a child star, her stardom would never dim but grow blindingly year by year...

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Mickey @ 100: From "National Velvet" to "The Black Stallion"

Here's Baby Clyde to conclude our brief Mickey Rooney Centennial celebration

Many years ago, as a Golden Age Hollywood obsessed tween, I dragged my poor brother up to London with me so we could stand outside the stage door of the Savoy Theatre. The West End debut of the smash hit Broadway revue Sugar Babies was playing and it starred the legendary Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller ...from actual HOLLYWOOD!!!

As a little kid from a decidedly un-glamourous council estate, who spent all his spare time poring over books about old movies stars, this was too good an opportunity to miss. It didn’t turn out quite as I’d planned. We arrived at the stage door with plenty of time before the show began to find a handful of like minded saddos also waiting. They informed us that Miss Miller was already inside which was of course unfortunate, but Mickey was still to arrive. A little while later he did...

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