I'll Be Seeing You

 

This is going to be a different sort of post than what you usually read here at Heroes, Heroines, and History. It'll be my last post on the blog (unless I stop by for a visit), so I want to leave everyone with some nostalgia and a song.

Authors often mention particular songs in their stories to help create the feeling of the time when the story is set. In my novel Season of My Enemy (2022), farm workers--including German prisoners of war--sang along to Don't Fence Me In while they worked the Wisconsin harvest. It suited the story so well, I couldn't resist, expressing the desire for freedom and peace while showing a camaraderie among the workers even during war.

We're probably all familiar with the swoony number I'll Be Seeing You, another  song written about missing a loved one across space and time. It's an historically popular song written in 1938 by lyricist Irving Kahal with music by Sammy Fain, and was first recorded by Dick Todd on the Bluebird music label. But the haunting melody and simple yet heartfelt lyrics have been picked up by a myriad of singers through the decades. The song still finds its way into current popular culture with fresh performances and in film. 

The tune became a WWII wartime hit when it was crooned by Bing Crosby, making it's way to number one on the charts in 1944. It's popularity continued with renditions by Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Durante, Dinah Shore, and even Barbara Streisand. 

While probably not as popular as some of the other recordings by artists like the above or Billie Holiday or Peggy Lee, I particularly like this smooth 1959 version by Tommy Sands:

Never seeming to grow old, I'll Be Seeing You was used in various films also, a couple popular ones being The Notebook and, surprisingly, Deadpool and Wolverine. One movie even carried the title. At the height of the song's popularity in 1944, I'll Be Seeing You--the film--starred Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotton, and a teenage Shirley Temple. Add it to your list of classics to watch. You'll be glad you did.

Anyway, why am I writing today about this perennially popular piece of culture? After all, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of songs that have stood the test of time or suggest certain periods specifically. Glad you asked! 

The tune began to play through my mind as I reflected on the many posts I've written and the historical treasure trove I discovered along the way here on the HHH blog. I've covered topics ranging from the preservation of historic barns to the adventuresome history of the fur traders and voyageurs of the Great Lakes; and from Wisconsin's prisoner of war camps to the stories that inspired many of our favorite hymns. There are dozens of topics I've written about in between these. I always enjoyed finding tidbits of wonder in these historical posts, and the research for these posts continues to feed my imagination and my stories.

Research is fun for an historical author. Just last week, I took a road trip to delve deeper into the setting of my fall 2026 release, Cinder Smudged, a 1930s realistic retelling of Cinderella. I can almost imagine my heroine humming this tune (if only it had been written by then).

This is the main reason why I am stepping back from writing for HHH. With writing and family life (I'm now a grandma to TWENTY, twelve girls, eight boys!), I've simply had to make decisions about what to set aside. I'm also trying some new ventures, like reviving my YouTube channel. Besides that, I'm soon to release a new 2-story compilation called A Haven for Love, I'm making edits to a Revolutionary War story, and The Girl from Tomorrow's Town will release next spring from Barbour's Enduring Hope series. 

All told, I have four books scheduled for release over the next fourteen months! So, yes, of course, I'll continue to write fiction as long as God gives me the opportunity.

I hope you'll stop by my channel, visit me on social media, and follow along with all of my adventures and updates in my newsletter, which you can sign up for on my site. But for now. . .

I'll Be Seeing You,

Here, There, or In the Air,

Naomi

www.naomimusch.com

Amazon Author Page

Happy November Birthday to Classic Beauties

 

For the past few months, we’ve celebrated people born on the 14^th of that month because that’s the day I post. 

 

This month is an exception. Each of these classic beauties—talented and award-winning actresses—are November babies but none were born on the 14^th. 

 

I’m a big classic movies fan, and these women star in a few of my favorites. So let’s celebrate them together!

Happy 95^th Birthday to Grace Kelly

Princess Consort of Monaco (1956-1982)

Birth Name: Grace Patricia Kelly

Born: November 12, 1929 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Died: September 14, 1982 (52 years old; Principality of Monaco)

 

She performed as:

• Amy Fowler Kane in High Noon with Gary Cooper (1952);
• Lisa Carol Fremont in Rear Window with Jimmy Stewart (1954);
• Frances Stevens in To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant (1955).

Ms. Kelly, an Academy Award-winning actress, starred in eleven feature films, including a few Alfred Hitchcock classics, and multiple television productions.

 

The American Film Institute named her the 13^th Greatest Female Star of Classic American Cinema in 1999.

"Hollywood amuses me. Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality" ~ Grace Kelly

 

Happy 104^th Birthday to Gene Tierney

 

Birth Name: Gene Eliza Tierney

Born: November 19, 1920 (Brooklyn, New York)

Died: November 6, 1991 (almost 71 years old; Houston, Texas)

 

She performed as:

• Laura Hunt in Laura with Dana Andrews (1944);
• Ellen Berent Harland in Leave Her to Heaven with Cornel Wilde (1945);
• Lucy Muir in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir with Rex Harrison (1947). In my opinion, this is one of those rare instances when the movie is more engaging than the book.

A talented artist and poet, Ms. Tierney loved to garden and was fluent in French and Italian. She received an Academy Award nomination in 1946 for Best Actress (Leave Her to Heaven), but Joan Crawford took home the Oscar that year for her leading role in Mildred Pierce. 

 

In 2006, Ms. Tierney was ranked 71^st on Premiere Magazine’s “100 Sexiest Movie Stars of All Time” list. 

"I have a role now that I think becomes me. I am a grandmother." ~ Gene Tierney

 

Happy 110^th Birthday to Hedy Lamarr

 

Birth Name: Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler

Born: November 9, 1914 (Vienna, Austria)

Died: January 19, 2000 (85 years old; Casselberry, Florida)

 

She performed as:

• Delilah in Samson and Delilah with Victor Mature (1949).

Ms. Lamarr was both beautiful and brilliant. Not only was she the inspiration for the character of Catwoman, from the Batman franchise, she also “co-invented frequency hopping spread spectrum technology, which laid the foundation for modern wireless communication systems like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi….During World War II, Hedy Lamarr and composer George Antheil developed a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes, which used frequency hopping to prevent enemies from jamming the signals” (Profile).

"Hope & curiosity about the future seemed better than guarantees. The unknown was always so attractive to me...and still is." ~ Hedy Lamarr

 

Happy 111^th Birthday to Vivien Leigh

 

Birth Name: Vivian Mary Hartley

Born: November 5, 1913 (Darjeeling, India)

Died: July 8, 1976 (62 years old; London, England)

 

She performed as:

• Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind with Clark Gable (1939);
• Myra Lester in Waterloo Bridge with Robert Taylor (1940);
• Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire with Marlon Brando (1951).

British actress Vivien Leigh won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire. Before the latter was made into a movie, she’d performed the role of Blanche DuBois more than 300 times on stage.

 

Ms. Leigh has said that Waterloo Bridge, which was nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Music and one for Best Cinematography, was her favorite of all her films (Bean).

"Sometimes I dread the truth of the lines I say. But the dread must never show." ~ Vivien Leigh

 

Happy Half-Birthday to Me!

 

That’s right ~ my real birthday is May 14^th which makes today my half-birthday. Perhaps I’ll celebrate with half a cupcake and a half-scoop of ice cream!

Johnnie Alexander writes “Stories Past and Present” in multiple genres. A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, she shares a life of quiet adventure with Rugby, her racoon-treeing papillon. Visit her at johnnie-alexander.com.

 

Photos ~ all photos are in the public domain and posted images were created with Canva.

 

Sources

 

Bean, Kendra. Vivien Leigh: An Intimate Portrait. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Running Press, 2013, pg. 71. 

 

Profile ~ https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/hedy-lamarr-6139.php (accessed 29 October 2024).

Favorite Classic Movie Remakes

By Gabrielle Meyer

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm sharing a list of classic movie remakes.

I love classic movies, so I'm a little skeptical when they are remade. Surprisingly, some of them are done very well (maybe even better than the original, like Father of the Bride or Little Women), and other times they fall a little short (like Yours, Mine, and Ours). I'm usually disappointed when the remake doesn't even resemble the original, but in those instances, I try to see the remade movie as a completely different story and analyze it on its own merits.

If you're looking for a good movie to curl up and enjoy this weekend, consider some of the movies on my list. I'd love to hear what you think.

Original: The Philadelphia Story 

Released: 1940

Starring: Cary Grant, Katherine Kepburn, & James Stewart

Remake: High Society ~ Musical

Released: 1956

Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, & Frank Sinatra

My Opinion: Both movies are about a rich woman who is about to remarry in a high-profile wedding, but her ex-husband (who happens to be her neighbor), and a tabloid reporter, show up and threaten her plans. They also help her discover the truth about herself.  Both are equally amazing, with top-notch movie stars. 

Original: Bachelor Mother

Starring: Ginger Rogers & David Niven

Released: 1939 

Remake: Bundle of Joy ~ Musical

Starring: Eddie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds

Released: 1956

My Opinion: These movies are about a single, working girl who finds a baby, which is mistakenly assumed to be hers. Her employer feels obligated to keep her on at the department store, thinking she’s a single mother, though he was just about to let her go. Both are excellent, though I love Ginger Rogers. 

Original: The Parent Trap

Starring: Haley Mills, Maureen O'Hara, & Brian Keith

Released: 1961

Remake: The Parent Trap

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, and Natasha Richardson

Released: 1998

My Opinion: Both movies are about twin girls who were separated as babies when their parents divorced, and were accidentally reunited at camp. The comedy that ensues when they switch places to get their parents back together is priceless. I love both versions, but there is no replacing Haley Mills! I do enjoy the modern edge to the newer version, though.

Original: Father of the Bride

Starring: Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor

Released: 1950

Remake: Father of the Bride

Starring: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, and Martin Short

Released: 1991

My Opinion: Both movies are about a father who has to face the reality of his oldest child's impending wedding--and all the hilarity involved in planning the celebration. By far, this is my favorite movie ever remade. I love the original cast, but the modern cast is even more hilarious and easier to relate to. 

Original: Father's Little Dividend

Starring: Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor

Released: 1951

Remake: Father of the Bride Two

Starring: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, and Martin Short

Released: 1995

My Opinion: Both movies are sequels to the above mentioned movies and focus on a man who is about to become a grandfather for the first time--but the second version has a twist! He is also going to be a father, again. I love the remake of this one! Such a cute story--I could watch it over and over again.

This is a short list of my favorite classic movie remakes! There are plenty more, but for now, I'd love to now if you've seen any of these movies and what you think about the remakes.

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people, places, and events.

Find her on Facebook
Find her on Pinterest
Find her on Twitter
Find her on Amazon
Find her on Goodreads
Find her on Her Website
Sign up for Her Newsletter

Classic Christmas Movie List

I have loved classic movies since I was in the second grade. I used to go to the local library and borrow all the movies from the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's I could get my hands on. Names like Doris Day, Gene Kelley, Fred Astaire, and Betty Grable were often on my 8-year-old lips. To this day, I still prefer an old movie to a new one. And when people say: "I love Christmas movies!" my mind always goes to the great classics, instead of the newer ones on Hallmark or Netflix.

Here is a list of my favorite classic Christmas movies, in no particular order, with the release date, stars, and synopsis of each. I hope you take the time to watch a couple of these this holiday season.

Remember the Night (1940)
Starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray
A shoplifter and her prosecuter fall in love, creating tensions in their family lives.

It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
Starring Don DeFore, Ann Harding, and Charles Ruggles

A homeless New Yorker moves into a mansion and along the way he gathers friends to live in the house with him. Before he knows it, he is living with the actual home owners.

Holiday Inn (1942)

Starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire

At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner and a hoofer vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer.

The Bishop's Life (1947)
Starring Cary Grant and Loretta Young
An angel in human form enters the life of a bishop in order to help him build a new cathedral and repair his fractured marriage.

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Starring Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan
A food writer who has lied about being the perfect housewife must try to cover her deception when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for a traditional family Christmas.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Starring Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart
Two employees at a gift shop can barely stand each other, without realizing that they are falling in love through the post as each other's anonymous pen pal.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Starring Maureen O'Hara and Edmund Gwenn
When a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing.

White Christmas (1954)
Starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye
A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Starring Donna Reed and James Stewart

An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.

All Mine to Give (1957)
Starring Glynis Johns
An immigrant family in 1850's Wisconsin prospers until tragedy strikes and the oldest brother is forced to find homes for his siblings on Christmas Day.








Have you seen any of these on the list? Do you have any to add? What are your favorite Christmas movies?

If you're looking for a beautiful Christmas book, my recent release, A Christmas Promise, is available in the Victorian Christmas Brides Collection with eight other delightful stories.

Experience a Dickens of a Christmas

Faced with the daily extremes of gluttony and want in the Victorian Era, nine women seek to create the perfect Christmas celebrations. But will expectations and pride cause them to overlook imperfect men who offer true love?

A Christmas Promise by Gabrielle Meyer
London, England, Christmas 1899

Lady Ashleigh Pendleton is hosting a houseful of guests for Christmas when railroad executive Christopher Campbell unexpectedly arrives from America with a mysterious agreement signed by their fathers before their birth.

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people and events. 

Find her on Facebook
Find her on Pinterest
Find her on Twitter
Find her on Amazon
Find her on Goodreads
Find her on Her Website
Sign up for Her Newsletter