The new Deanna DVD collection will be available June 9, 2010

Read more about Deanna's movies on VHS/DVD here in a post by Java Bean.
I'm happy to report that the new set of Deanna DVDs is coming out

June 9, 2010

It will have 5 films that were not in the "Sweetheart Pack":

Mad About Music | That Certain Age | Three Smart Girls Grow Up
Because of Him | For the Love of Mary




DEANNA DURBIN: THE MUSIC AND ROMANCE COLLECTION
Description from the Turner Classic Movies "Vault Collection" site:

Universal's beloved singing sensation receives the full star treatment with this five-disc set. In "Mad About Music" (1938), vain movie star Gail Patrick decides she wants to forget about daughter Deanna Durbin, so she sends her to a Swiss boarding school. Songs include "I Love to Whistle." Then, smitten with journalist Melvyn Douglas, teenager Deanna ignores former beau Jackie Cooper until Douglas sets things right, in the romance "That Certain Age" (1938). Songs includes "You're as Pretty as a Picture." "Three Smart Girls Grow Up" (1939) offers Durbin as a young woman getting tangled up in her sisters' love affairs. Songs include "Because" and "The Last Rose of Summer." Then, eager for a shot at Broadway stardom, would-be actress Deanna works to become the protege of veteran stage star Charles Laughton, in the comedy " Because of Him" (1946). And, in her final film, "For the Love of Mary" (1948), Deanna plays a White House telephone operator who gets help from her unseen chief executive boss in straightening out her romantic problems. 7 3/4 hrs. total. The five-disc set includes "Mad About Music," "That Certain Age," "Three Smart Girls Grow Up," "Because of Him," and "For the Love of Mary."

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Price: $49.99 (US Dollars) "Not Available In Stores", per the TCM Vault Collection site---it's available now for pre-ordering from TCM or MOVIES UNLIMITED (same price)

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A newspaper report on Deanna's divorce from Vaughn Paul in 1943

(click on the image for larger view)



As published in the Reading Eagle, October 14, 1943

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Butch and Buddy from "Spring Parade" (1940)

Above: Butch and Buddy with Deanna Durbin in the film "Spring Parade" (1940).

"Butch and Buddy" were a pair of kid actors played by Billy "Butch" Lenhart (1930-) Kenneth "Buddy" Brown (1932-).

They appeared together in several Universal films in the early 1940s. The first pairing was in Universal's "The Under-Pup" (1939) starring Gloria Jean in her first film. They played the sons of Billy Gilbert's character.

Universal needed two young boy actors again for the zany comedy "Sandy is a Lady" (1940) starring 2-year old Baby Sandy, who was Universal's answer to Shirley Temple. Lenhart and Brown were chosen to play "Butch" and "Buddy" in the film, and this is how they got their stage names.

They were such a hit that they were paired together in several more movies over the next five years.

The first film where they were billed together as Butch and Buddy was in Spring Parade starring Deanna Durbin (read the new review here at the Deanna blog)

Their most well known films are:

"Never Give a Sucker and Even Break" (1941) with WC Fields and Gloria Jean

and

"In the Navy" (1941) with Abbott and Costello

After 1945 they pretty much dissovled as a comedy team, as neither had the desire to pursue film acting as a career.

Kenneth Brown appeared in only one other film after 1945, in "36 Hours" (1953) where he had a bit part as a cop.

Films with Butch and Buddy:

"Sandy is a Lady" (1940)
"Spring Parade" (1940)
"Jumpin' Jive" (1941)
"In the Navy" (1941)
"Man from Montana" (1941)
"Never Give a Sucker and Even Break" (1941)
"Doin the Town" (1941)
"Melody Lane" (1941)
"Johnny Doughboy" (1942)
"Cinderella Swings It" (1943)
"Spotlight Revue" (1943)
"A Lady Takes a Chance" (1943)
"Army Wives" (1944)
"Rough Ridin' Justice (1945) (cameo)

As of this writing, I do not know what they did after thier film career, but I am researching this.

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Technical Difficulties on the blog...

I seem to have lost some background images for my sidebar...Now the blog looks so weird. Please bear with me as I work on locating this image and get this all fixed. Thanks. Tom

Update: Everything looks OK now!!! - Tom

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Happy Easter 2010!

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