Announcing the Van Johnson Blogathon!

Hi, my name's Michaela and I'm a blogathon addict.

For the longest time, I was hesitant to host my own blogathon. Now, it's like I can't stop myself. When you have an idea, though, and you're really excited about it and you can't wait to see what other people think, it's hard to not keep doing event after event. You know that quote "Be the change you wish to see in the world"? Well, I say "Create the blogathon you wish to see in the world." I mean, it's basically the same thing.

So, although I just announced En Pointe: the Ballet Blogathon with lovely Ms. Christina Wehner, I decided I want to host another event in August... the Van Johnson Blogathon!

With his strawberry blonde hair, sweet smile, and sincere acting, Van Johnson has become one of my favorite people from Old Hollywood. (Clearly he was one of June's favorites, too!) There is a reason why he made bobbysoxers swoon -- okay, at least a dozen reasons. Van has been with me ever since I first delved into the classics and I think it's time I show my immense gratitude. Although I wish I could have done this for his centenary last year, I think Van will forgive me and his 101st birthday will suffice.

The rules are simple: talk about Van. You can discuss his films, his TV appearances (Batman! I Love Lucy!), or his personal life (be kind and wary of gossip, please!). All I ask is that there are no duplicates. I would love for this to be a diverse celebration of the man because he more than deserves it. Leave me a comment, select a banner, and I'll see you in August!

List of Participants:
Love Letters to Old Hollywood | Duchess of Idaho (1950)
Charlene's (Mostly) Classic Movie Reviews | Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)
An Ode to Dust | In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
Musings of a Classic Film Addict | Easy to Wed (1946)
The Midnite Drive-In | Van's role as the Minstrel on Batman and Go for Broke! (1951)
Phyllis Loves Classic MoviesWhen in Rome (1952) and Confidentially Connie (1953)
Champagne for LunchA Guy Named Joe (1943) and Van's bobbysoxers
Cinema Cities | Miracle in the Rain (1956)
Critica RetroYours, Mine and Ours (1968)
Maddy Loves Her Classic Films | 23 Paces To Baker Street (1956)
One Gal's Musings | The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954)
In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood | I Love Lucy episode "The Dancing Star"
The Wonderful World of Cinema | Three Guys Named Mike (1951)
Public Transportation Snob | The Caine Mutiny (1954)
Pure Entertainment Preservation Society | Thrill of a Romance (1945)
Caftan Woman | State of the Union (1948)
Silver Screenings | Battleground (1949)
Sat in Your Lap | Command Decision (1948)
Second Sight Cinema | The Human Comedy (1943)
A Viewer's Guide to Classic Films | Weekend at the Waldorf (1945)
Hometowns to Hollywood | Van's early years and his hometown







Comments

  1. Hi, can I review him in the episode Down Among The Sheltering Palms for Tales Of the Unexpected . My site is https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/

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  2. Awesome! Can I please review Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo? This gives me a great reason and purpose to finally watch this movie. I am really intrigued by the cast but I also love Dalton Trumbo's screenplays, so this should be good! Thanks!

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    1. I would love for you to review that one! I haven't seen it yet either, but I'm going to try and see as many of Van's films as I can before this blogathon. Thanks for joining!

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    2. I am going to try to do the same as well! Happy to join!

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  3. I'd love to write about In the Good Old Summertime for this! I'm also torn over Two Girls and a Sailor, but if no one claims that as the blogathon nears, maybe I'll write about that one too. :-)

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    1. Both of those are two of my favorites! (I should have known you'd pick the one with Buster Keaton, haha.) I almost picked Two Girls and a Sailor myself, so I hope someone grabs it!

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  4. I agree with you completely! I have so many blogathon ideas swimming around in my head that I can never go through with them all! For your great blogathon idea, though, I think I'll write about Easy to Wed (1946) for my blog Musings of a Classic Film Addict at https://annsblyth.wordpress.com/ . Thank you!

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    1. Oh goodness, I am so thrilled that you picked Easy to Wed! Such a cute movie. Glad to have you join!

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  5. ooh! ooh! ooh! Can I do his turn as a Batman villain, "The Minstrel" in the Adam West/Burt Ward "Batman" TV series? Actually can I do two? I just remembered a WWII movie that's halfway decent, Go for Broke! (1951). Of course, I'll be doing separate posts, that would be just a little too weird to pair them in one....

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    1. I would LOVE for you to cover his Batman villain! The other post sounds interesting too. Thanks for joining!

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    2. I have been looking for a chance to delve into my "Batman" TV collection ever since I got it a few months ago. I'm completely prepared for a whole slew of actor/actress blogathons.

      As far as "Go for Broke!", its not as good as, say, "Battleground", but I've always hesitated at doing an ensemble cast movie and focus only on one of the ensemble.

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    3. That Batman show is the best. It's so silly and fun.

      I'm intrigued by your second choice. I don't think I've heard of it before, so I'm excited for your post!

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  6. Put me down for "When in Rome" (1952) and "Confidentially Connie" (1953)!

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    1. Hi Michaela, sorry for getting back to you after the blogathon. I'm still hoping to finish my post on "When in Rome" but after searching through several notebooks I could NOT find my old notes for "Confidentially Connie" anywhere!! I had written down several long quotes that I wanted to include in the post as well as a summary of the movie (which I saw a couple years ago so I don't remember a lot of it). I feel terrible about not being able to do that post. Sorry :/ Again, I hope to finish the When in Rome post soon!

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    2. Hey, Phyl! It's quite alright. I'll be happy to accept your post whenever you get it to me. Glad you still want to participate!

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  7. ooh, I guess my comment didn't post. I'll write about A Guy Named Joe (1943) and also do a post on his bobby soxers, since I feel such a kinship to them. ^__^ I love these banners too!

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    1. Yay! So happy you could join! And thanks! It was hard to stop myself from making more than just six, haha.

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  8. So nice to see a blogathon dedicated to Van Johnson! I'd love to write about Miracle in the Rain for the occasion. :)

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    1. Wonderful! Thanks for joining the celebration!

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    2. Hi Michaela! I apologize for not getting a post written in time for your blogathon, August ended up being a busy month for me. I'll be checking out the entries though, and look forward to whatever you decide to host next! :)

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    3. It's all good! I actually just announced another blogathon, if you're interested:
      http://loveletterstooldhollywood.blogspot.com/2017/08/announcing-lucy-desi-blogathon.html

      It'd be great to have you!

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  9. Can I have Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)?
    Kisses!
    Le

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  10. Hi. I'd love to join this. Could I please write about 23 Paces To Baker Street? (1956) Maddy from https://maddylovesherclassicfilms.wordpress.com/

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  11. Just found your blog and intend to go nosing around. BUT I'd love to sign up for your blogathon. I remember my first Van Johnson movie -- The Last Time I Saw Paris. (It's also the earliest Roger Moore movie I've ever seen.) Can I have that one?

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    1. Oh, certainly! Thanks for joining, and I hope you enjoy my blog!

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    2. My blogathon post about Last Time ... is up. Here's the exact link: http://onegalsmusings.blogspot.com/2017/08/when-van-met-liz-van-johnson-blogathon.html

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  12. Hi Michaela. I would love to write about "The Dancing Star", the "I Love Lucy" episode that Van Johnson appeared in.

    My blog: In The Good Old Days Of Classic Hollywood

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    1. Oh, good! I was hoping somebody would claim that one. Thanks for joining, Crystal!

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  13. Hi Michaela! I must admit I only saw one of his film (!), but it's one I like very much: Three Guys Named Mike! So put me down for this one :) I once wrote a review of it, but it was like my first one on the blog and not very detailed (like 1 or 2 paragraphs...) so I guess it deserves to be revisited! Here is a link to my blog : https://thewonderfulworldofcinema.wordpress.com/

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    1. Welcome back from your vacation, Virginie! I would love to have you write about that film -- it's one that is very near and dear to me! Glad to have you join!

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  14. Hi Michaele! My name is Amy, and my friend (Jane Biggers) host the Van Johnson page of Facebook. Jane knew him, and has a huge collection of his memorabilia. One of your members posted your blog, and we are excited about your fabulous ideas about a Van Johnson blogathon!!! I'm not sure what I'll write about, could be a hodge-podge of things, or something about his life (and thank you for saying to keep it clean on rumors/negativity). Please feel free to post anything Van Johnson on our page (as we like to keep it free of "Negative Nancys", too) at: https://www.facebook.com/Van-Johnson-253612538036133/?fref=nf . Thanks again, and please post updates/reminders and send us a friend request if you're on FB. Keep up the good work!!!

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    1. Hi, Amy! Thanks for letting me know about the FB page. I'll look into it. How lucky your friend is to have known Van!

      Do you have a blog or website? If not, it's totally fine. You can just email me your text and I'll publish it on my blog (with the credit going to you, of course). Let me know what you want to do!

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  15. Hi Michaela! This sounds like a cool blogathon, and there are a ton of movies with Van Johnson that I've yet to see. I'd like to do The Caine Mutiny if that's still available. My blog is Public Transportation Snob (ptsnob.com). Let me know if that works.

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    1. It's all yours! I know what you mean -- there seems to always be a Van movie I haven't seen yet. Glad to have you join!

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  16. I would like to write about "Thrill of a Romance" from 1945 with Esther Williams and Van Johnson, naturally. I this that is a grand Breen era film, and I think I have an interesting Code angle. I look forward to this experience.

    Yours Hopefully,

    Tiffany Brannan

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    1. Sounds amazing! That film is one of my very favorites. Thanks for joining!

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  17. I'd like to join the party with a look at State of the Union. Thanks.

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    1. Oh goodness, I'm so sorry I'm just now seeing this! I usually get an email when I get a comment, but Blogger hasn't been notifying me as well as they used to lately.

      I would love to have you write about State of the Union. Thanks for joining!

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  18. Would love to do Battleground (1949). Please tell me it's still available...?

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    1. Yes, it is! So glad to have you join, and with one of Van's best too!

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  19. Put me down for Command Decision (1948)
    https://satinyourlap.wordpress.com/

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  20. Hi, I would love to do The Human Comedy, which I don't see on the list...will that work? Thanks!

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    1. Definitely! Happy to have you join!

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    2. secondsightcinema.com, I should have said... thank you, look forward to it!

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  21. Hello! I just found this today, and I would very much like to participate, if it is not too late. I would like to talk about Miracle in the Rain.

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    1. It's definitely not too late! Unfortunately, though, someone else has already claimed Miracle in the Rain. Is there another film you'd like to discuss?

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    2. Hi! I'm so glad to see Van Johnson get the appreciation he deserves! I'd like to do Weekend at the Waldorf for the blogathon.

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    3. Van is so great in that! Thanks for joining!

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  22. Hi Michaela, Sorry but wont be able to do this blogathon, Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews

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    1. Thanks for letting me know! You'll be missed!

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  23. Hi Michaela, I posted a few days early...
    https://silverscreenings.org/2017/08/22/battleground-why-an-acclaimed-wwii-film-needed-van-johnson/

    Looking forward to this! :)

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    1. Oh, yay! I love it when people post early. Thanks! :)

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  24. Hello! I'd like to sneak in an entry about his early years/hometown. I run a blog called Hometowns to Hollywood. Thanks!

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    1. Great! I'll get you added as soon as I can.

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    2. Here's the Hometowns to Hollywood entry: https://home2hollywood.wordpress.com/rhode-island/van-johnson/

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  25. Here's my entry -- a teesy bit late, sorry!

    http://www.lindajsandahl.net/2017/08/replacing-greta-garbo-with-van-johnson.html

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  26. Dear Michaela,

    Here is my article: https://pureentertainmentpreservationsociety.wordpress.com/2017/08/28/van-johnson-in-thrill-of-a-romance/. I am terribly sorry that I am so late. Thank you for being so understanding. I hope your blogathon was a great success.

    Yours Hopefully,

    Tiffany Brannan

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    1. Thanks, Tiffany! I'm glad you still wanted to submit a piece. Looking forward to reading it!

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