The Black Swan (no, not the Natalie Portman movie)

Bonnie Bannon, pretty brunette, pictured.

I learned about her (Bonnie's) bit part in this movie from an old newspaper article where she was being interviewed. It seems that she saved most everything written about her (both flattering and unflattering) that she was ever in. As I recall from the article, she said that she was working in the movie "The Black Swan" where she was playing a "Lady in waiting". I saw the DVD before I found this for sale and I was pleasantly surprised to find it is a lavish, Technicolor film. True to her word, she is in a courtroom scene, plating a lady in waiting, sitting next to another Irish beauty, Maureen O'Hara. It is a small part, but a fun Tyrone Power movie to watch. Bonnie is pictured in the center.

Hollywood Cavalcade, hand in hand.

Not much has changed in this pic from the prior one, but someone must have yelled "alright girls, get down off the rock and head south on the beach while holding hands". Ok, I am making that up, but I bet someone could have said it. Bonnie, wearing the same bathing attire provided for her, is pictured second from the left. Perhaps they drove north on PCH after the shoot, and went to Dan Blocker State Beach? Just kidding!  :)

Hollywood Cavalcade, aka, a day at Santa Monica Beach

Pictured is a publicity photo from the Alice Faye, Don Ameche movie "Hollywood Cavalcade". I have seen the DVD of this movie only once, and I cannot recall if this was taken from an actual scene or not. I have been told that this rock is still on a Santa Monica beach, as it has been for a few thousand years or more. If you look closely, you can see the coastline going north and curving to the left towards Malibu. I believe that this spot is close to where Sunset Blvd ends at PCH. Though it may not that obvious, Bonnie is pictured behind Alice Faye's umbrella where she (Bonnie) is mostly obscured. What is not generally known is that Bonnie's first husband (Charles) was Alice Faye's brother. Charles and Bonnie been divorced a number of years before this film was made. At the time of this movie, Bonnie was married to my Grandfather, Orlando "Slim" Martin, a Los Angeles-based Bandleader (The Pantages, among others)..... but that is a story for another time. That said, I still wonder if there was an awkward moment or two when Bonnie would walk up on the set of a Faye movie and see her former sister-in-law. I guess I will never know for sure in this lifetime.

Mary L., Bill P. and Nana..... the backstory.

Here is the back-side of "The Great Ziegfeld" photo. It tells a bit of a story, from a Studio's press release.

Mary L., Bill P. and Nana.

L-R Mary Lange, William Powell, Bonnie Bannnon

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year from the Bonnie Bannon Blog! It is Christmas Eve, 2012, and for some reason, I decided tonight was the night that I was going to upload a few photos from my collection (that I inherited from Bonnie, mostly).
            It might be apparent to some of you reading this that this photo comes from the "The Great Ziegfeld". I know very little about this, except that Mary Lange is on the left of Mr. Powell, and that Bonnie is on the right. Of the gals that pop up in some of the publicity photos with Bonnie, Mary seems to appear pretty often. On a whimsical note, when I look at this picture, I have to wonder if a few pics were taken with Mr. Powell being flanked by a few beauties before some assistant yelled "Next!". I know it had to have been a rough day for Bill (pictured) but he knew the job was dangerous when he took it.   :)

Not very P.C.

Bonnie Bannon, w/blonde wig, center.

Two posts by me in one day..... I must be feeling pretty inspired. :)
This photo was from the movie "Roman Scandals". I have quite a few pictures from this movie, but mostly with Bonnie pictured with more than just two other actresses. Lucille Ball was also in this movie, as it was one of her first as well. I watched this movie on VHS about this time last year, the two gals in this photo were actually in a dance sequence or two (and dancing quite well as I recall). A picture like this appeared on Ebay a few weeks ago, but as I have two already, and the one for sale had a corner lopped off, I passed on it. I don't think I need to explain my "Not very P.C." title, as it should be self-explanatory..... it was a different time after all.

"The Bounty"

Good afternoon, from Western Kansas (where I am currently working). This particular picture was in her (Bonnie's) scrapbook with a many others. It looks to be just another publicity photo from the day, except that my Grandmother's handwritten note above the photo (but not written on the photo) stated that this model ship was used in the Clark Gable and Charles Laughton film "The Bounty". Though I cannot be sure, it is possible that the movie was being filmed around the time this was taken.