18-12-1950
Birthday
Sagittarius
Zodiac Sign
-
Genres
143
Total Films
Also known as (male)
New York City, New York, USA
Place of Birth
18-12-1950
Birthday
Sagittarius
Zodiac Sign
-
Genres
143
Total Films
Leonard Michael Maltin
Also Known As (male)
New York City, New York, USA
Place of Birth
actor
143 Works
producer
10 Works
director
23 Works
writer
12 Works
other
1 Works
The Life and Times of Farmer Al
Pioneer animator Paul Terry launched his film career in 1915, and in less than a decade built a studio around his first star character, a cranky old farmer constantly at war with crazy animals and sneaky city slickers.Year:
2024
Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames
While known for cinema classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Days of Wine and Roses and the Pink Panther series, the iconic director, screenwriter and producer Blake Edwards was also a sculptor and painter, loving husband and devoted father. Featuring never-before-seen archival video and stills, American Masters offers an exploration into his complex life and genre-spanning career, as shared by filmmakers and family.Year:
2024
The Méliès Mystery
A documentary that details the process of restoring 270 of the 520 lost films of pioneering director Georges Méliès, all orchestrated by a Franco-American collaboration between Lobster Films, the National Film Center, and the Library of Congress.Year:
2021
Bugs Bunny's 80th What's Up, Doc-umentary!
Narrated by Billy Crystal, the documentary examines the history of the character over the decades, including sketches, clips from the shorts, and interviews with the animation legends who created some of the most memorable Bugs materialYear:
2020
Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music
A look at the life and work of the Austrian composer who pioneered the musical scoring of films - hundreds of them - from King Kong, to Gone with the Wind, to Casablanca and beyond.Year:
2019
Scandal: The Trial of Mary Astor
This documentary recounts the difficult choice actress Mary Astor had to make after learning her personal, very intimate, diaries had been stolen. The film tells the story of Astor's 1936 child custody case.Year:
2018
That Guy Dick Miller
Documentary about veteran character actor Dick Miller, whose career in and outside of Hollywood has spanned almost 200 films across six decades, featuring a diverse range of interviews with directors, co-stars, and contemporaries.Year:
2014
King-Size Comedy: Tex Avery and the Looney Tunes Revolution
Focuses on how the legend of animation, Tex Avery, revolutionized cartoons.Year:
2012
Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me
Commemorating the centennial of Mercer's birth, this documentary is part biography, part archive, and part recontextualization, taking Mercer's tunes and putting them in the hands of modern singers like Jamie Cullum and Dr. John to show they are still relevant today. Host Clint Eastwood also interviews artists who collaborated with Mercer or performed his songs, including composer John Williams, Blake Edwards, Andre Previn, Tony Bennett, and Julie Andrews. (DVD Talk)Year:
2009
Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman
A documentary on the life and career of Victor Fleming, director of such iconic movies as The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind.Year:
2009
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
This documentary focuses on 1939, considered to be Hollywood's greatest year, with film clips and insight into what made the year so special.Year:
2009
Dick Tracy Special
Leonard Maltin interviews Warren Beatty as Dick Tracy, while film clips trace the history of the comic strip detective.Year:
2009
Coming Attractions: The History of the Movie Trailer
A 100 year history of the development of movie marketing, reflecting technical improvements, audience taste and cultural sensibilities.Year:
2009
Walt Disney Treasures: The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Before Mickey there was Oswald, the floppy-eared star of Walt Disney's first cartoon series, THE ADVENTURES OF OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT. Fun and mischievous, the cheerful rabbit's popularity quickly multiplied, and so did his shorts. Between 1927 and 1928, Disney created a bounty of legendary and rarely seen Oswald cartoons. Now for the first time ever on DVD, the premiere collection of Disney's Oswald shorts -- all featuring new scores composed by Robert Israel especially for this release. The long-lost rabbit's life story, from his birth to his long-awaited return to Disney, and a documentary on the legendary Ub Iwerks set the stage for the comeback of one of the most important stars in Disney's menagerie. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.Year:
2007
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
Film historians, and survivors from the nearly 30-year struggle to bring sound to motion pictures take the audience from the early failed attempts by scientists and inventors, to the triumph of the talkies.Year:
2007
The Sci-Fi Boys
Legendary all-stars of cinema bring to life the evolution of science-fiction and special effects films from the wild and funny days of B-movies to blockbusters that have captured the world's imagination. This is the story of the Sci-Fi Boys, who started out as kids making amateur movies inspired by Forrest J Ackerman's FAMOUS MONSTERS magazine and grew up to take Hollywood by storm, inventing the art and technology for filming anything the mind can dream.Year:
2006
Behind the Tunes: Tish Tash - The Animated World of Frank Tashlin
A documentary about Frank Tashlin's cartoons.Year:
2005
They Can't Take That Away from Me: The Music of 'Shall We Dance'
A featurette that can be found on the Shall We Dance (1937) DVD.Year:
2005
Marty Sklar, Walt, and EPCOT
A documentary short on Disney's 'Tomorrow Land' DVD.Year:
2004
The Voice Behind the Mouse
Leonard Maltin talks about the history of Mickey Mouse's voice.Year:
2004
A Conversation with Roy Disney
A interview with Roy Disney.Year:
2004
Bob Hope: The Road to Laughter
The documentary Bob Hope: The Road to Laughter contains numerous clips from the film and television work of the beloved entertainer. These snippets are intercut with interview footage featuring people who worked with Hope as well as film historian Leonard Maltin who provides a context for Hope's career. ~ Perry Seibert, RoviYear:
2003
Welcome to Sherwood! The Story of 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'
Film historians examines the making of the 1938 "The Adventures of Robin Hood."Year:
2003
Celebrating Dumbo
Bonus feature on the Dumbo DVD.Year:
2001
Drive-In Movie Memories
A nostalgic, informative history of drive-in movie theaters, featuring extensive archival photographs and interviews with Leonard Maltin, John Bloom, Samuel Z. Arkoff, Barry Corbin and many others... Drive-In Movie Memories is a film celebration of America's greatest icon of youth, freedom and the automobile. What began as an auto parts owner's business venture to make some easy money accidentally became a magical place where romance, fun and a sense of community flourished. This film chronicles the drive-in's birth and development, its phenomenal popularity with audiences of all ages, its tragic decline, and its inevitable comeback as a classic form of Americana.Year:
2001
Tony Curtis on 'Some Like It Hot'
Leonard Maltin interviews Tony Curtis on his experience filming 'Some Like It Hot'.Year:
2001
Howard Hughes: His Women and His Movies
A reclusive millionaire who owed his fortune to his father, Howard Hughes staked his fame on many things, including his credits as a producer, director and aviator. But he is perhaps best known for his skills as a Casanova, reportedly romancing Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers, Lana Turner, Rita Hayworth and Bette Davis. Actor Billy Zane narrates this documentary, which offers a glimpse of the man behind the glamour.Year:
2000
The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story
There's not a person in the world who wouldn't recognize Mickey Mouse. But until now, not many knew the man who originally gave shape, movement and personality to the world's most beloved icon. "The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story" takes you behind the scenes to meet Walt Disney's best friend and chief animator.Year:
1999
Clara Bow: Discovering the It Girl
Clara Bow: Discovering the 'It' Girl features scenes from 25 of her films, as well as interviews with family members and acquaintances.Year:
1999
Mike Hammer's Mickey Spillane
Documentary about the life and work of mystery writer Mickey Spillane.Year:
1998
Once Upon a Dream: The Making of Walt Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty'
Documentary about the making of Disney's Animated Classic.Year:
1997
The Making of 'Rio Grande'
A short documentary about the making of John Ford's "Rio Grande."Year:
1993
The Making of 'The Quiet Man'
Documentary about the making of the John Wayne classic, The Quiet Man. Hosted by Leonard Maltin.Year:
1992
Bugs and Daffy: The Wartime Cartoons
Leonard Maltin introduces us to and takes us back to a theatre showing Wartime cartoon shorts and explains how Bugs and Daffy and the gang, through a collection/sampling of 11 cartoon shorts which served the war effort.Year:
1989
Reflecting Thought: Stan Brakhage
Stan Brakhage is a film maker whose work is shown mainly at film festivals. His work has been likened to poetry. Brakhage explains his techniques and his motivation.Year:
1985
The Invention of Cinema: Cinema's First Colors
Details the early attempts, what worked, or why it didn't, in the history of adding partial or full colour to films. Includes early film clips to illustrate how most tries appeared to audiences.Year:
-
Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borscht Belt
For years, artist Drew Friedman has chronicled a strange, alternate universe populated by forgotten Hollywood stars, old Jewish comedians and liver-spotted elevator operators. Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borscht Belt is an in-depth documentary tracing artist Friedman's evolution from underground comics to the cover of The New Yorker. The film, directed by Kevin Dougherty, features interviews with Friedman's friends and colleagues, including Gilbert Gottfried, Patton Oswalt, Richard Kind, Mike Judge, Merrill Markoe and many others.Year:
2024
Temple of Film: 100 Years of the Egyptian Theatre
Guillermo del Toro, Rian Johnson and other film luminaries look back at LA's historic Egyptian Theatre as it returns to its former movie palace glory.Year:
2023
Dick Tracy Special: Tracy Zooms In
Film experts Leonard Maltin and Ben Mankiewicz interview famous detective Dick Tracy about his life and career, with a surprise appearance by legendary actor and director Warren Beatty.Year:
2023
Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey
A 'cine-ramic' roller-coaster ride through the rise, fall and re-birth of projected film.Year:
2022
Only in Theaters
ONLY IN THEATERS, a film by actor/director Raphael Sbarge, is an intimate and moving journey taken with the Laemmle family, spanning nearly three years of challenges, losses, and personal triumphs. Laemmle Theatres, the beloved 84-year-old arthouse cinema chain 3rd generation family business in Los Angeles, is facing seismic change and financial pressure. Yet the family behind this multigenerational business – whose sole mission has been to support the art of film – is determined to survive.Year:
2022
Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story
Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story takes a deeper look at the life and career of Boris Karloff, from 1931 to 1969, exploring films such as The Ghoul, The Walking Dead (1936), Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936), the Mr Wong series, The Climax (1944), Lured (1947), The Strange Door (1951), Grip of the Strangler and Corridors of Blood(1958), The Comedy of Terrors (1963), The Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968), the Mexican quartet, some of his major TV appearances (The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Wild Wild West, I-Spy) as well as taking a deep look at his often ignored Broadway career in the 1940s and 50's. There is also much time devoted to Karloff's more personal side and his relationship with his daughter, Sara.Year:
2022
To Kill a Mockingbird: All Points of View
A 60th anniversary retrospective documentary on the influence and context of the 1962 film, To Kill a Mockingbird.Year:
2022
1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever!
A remarkable new epic documentary spotlighting the pop culture milestones of 1982 including notable motion pictures, TV, music and video games of that seminal year.Year:
2022
Cinema's First Colors
Art and science have worked together to allow cinema to switch to color. Numerous processes have succeeded one another to try to solve this difficulty.Year:
2021
Cinema Finds Its Voice
The story of how sound was paired with images in early years of cinema; offering an in-depth look at the people behind-the-scenes and the technological innovations that culminated in Warner Brothers' ground breaking film, "The Jazz Singer" (1927).Year:
2021
8 Winds
The film is a story about love, sacrifice, and hope set against an Arthouse noir milieu, where its sharks, vampires, and victims when a reclusive billionaire (Robert Davi), comedy club owner (Leona Paraminski) and over the hill filmmaker Charlie Nabis (Dan Coplan) are drawn into a deadly game of conspiracy and murder as a Russian Oligarch fights to control California's water supply.Year:
2021
Adventure Thru the Walt Disney Archives
Explore the rich history of the Walt Disney Archives as legendary producer and host Don Hahn tours rarely seen areas of the department’s vast collections along with beloved Disney locations — including theme parks and the studio lot — through an engaging, historical lens.Year:
2020
Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers
Documentary following the history of America's first cinematographers.Year:
2019
Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace
Celebrating the splendor and grandeur of the great cinemas of the United States, built when movies were the acme of entertainment and the stories were larger than life, as were the venues designed to show them. The film also tracks the eventual decline of the palaces, through to today’s current preservation efforts. A tribute to America’s great art form and the great monuments created for audiences to enjoy them in.Year:
2019
Zsa Zsa Gabor, Königin des roten Teppichs
Year:
2019
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
Fifty years after its release, the special effects makeup team behind Planet of the Apes reflect on making the iconic film.Year:
2019
Carl Laemmle
A documentary about the life of Carl Laemmle, early cinema pioneer and founder of Universal Studios, documenting his life in Hollywood and his efforts in the 1930s to save Jewish families in Nazi Germany.Year:
2019
The Great Buster: A Celebration
A celebration of the life and career of one of America's most influential and celebrated filmmakers and comedians—Buster Keaton—whose singular style and fertile output during the silent era created his legacy as a true cinematic visionary.Year:
2018
This Is Bob Hope...
During his career, Bob Hope was the only performer to achieve top-rated success in every form of mass entertainment. American Masters explores the entertainer’s life through his personal archives and clips from his classic films.Year:
2017
Stewart & Mitchum: The Two Faces of America
With his naïve air, his rangy and reassuring silhouette, James Stewart symbolizes success, someone who everybody wants to look like. Behind his legendary nonchalance, Robert Mitchum is the figure of the bad boy, the kind-hearted hooligan who anyone would like to have for accomplice. What is the legacy left by these two big myths of the Hollywood cinema and in which way they fed the American dream?Year:
2017
Cartoon Camera
"Cartoon Camera" traces the history of animation camera techniques used by Disney animators from the earliest days of makeshift down-shooter cameras and the groundbreaking Multiplane Camera of the 1930s to camera capture techniques of today and beyond. Host Leonard Maltin explores the history of Cartoon Camera at the Disney Studio, with insights from the people who created the movie magic from Disney Legends Don Iwerks and Ruthie Tompson, a pioneer for women behind the camera, to contemporary "digital cameramen" Tom Baker, Terry Meows, and Evan Goldberg.Year:
2017
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
An examination of the Oscar-winning director who brought to life some of cinema's most beloved motion pictures.Year:
2017
The Marx Brothers: Hollywood's Kings of Chaos
A documentary about the Marx Brothers containing interviews with Leonard Maltin, Dick Cavett and others.Year:
2016
Notfilm
NOTFILM is a feature-length experimental essay on FILM -- its author Samuel Beckett, its star Buster Keaton, its production and its philosophical implications -- utilizing additional outtakes, never before heard audio recordings of the production meetings, and other rare archival elements.Year:
2015
Fanarchy
Fanarchy explores the rise of fan culture and ways in which fans are threatening the Hollywood system by becoming a creative force in their own right. With affordable technology at their fingertips, fans are producing more new content per month than studios or networks combined. Whether it's an original idea or a personal spin on a favorite film or TV show, fans are taking the reins and blurring the line between amateur and professional. Written and directed by Halifax’s own Donna Davies, Fanarchy exposes the burgeoning media landscape and the issues that complicate it – copyright, intellectual property and the concept of originality in a remix culture.Year:
2015
Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity
In 1935, 17-year-old aspiring actress Marsha Hunt was discovered in Hollywood. She signed with Paramount Pictures and went on to a flourishing career at MGM. She made 54 films in 17 years before a series of unfortunate events led to her being unfairly blacklisted. After the blacklist, she championed humanitarian causes, forging a career as one of Hollywood's first celebrity activists. She was the FIRST Angelina Jolie. As far back as 1955, Eleanor Roosevelt was a mentor of hers as they both worked tirelessly to support the work that the United Nations Association was accomplishing in this country. At age 96, Marsha continues to fight for causes she believes in. This film is a call to action for activists of all ages.Year:
2015
Women He's Undressed
Hollywood stars, historical footage and stylized reenactments tell the story of costume designer Orry-Kelly, who ruled Tinseltown fashion for decades.Year:
2015
The Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!
Celebrate a century of Stoogery with this incredible nine-part chronicle of thje legendary lunatics. Produced exclusively by the Three Stooges Company, C3 Entertainment, Inc. and narrated by Moe's son, Paul Howard, the long anticipated DVD collection will smack you over the head with private home movies, family photographs, contributions from comedy greats Whoopi Goldberg, Billy West and Pat Cooper, and of course classic clips of their Columbia shorts chock-full of all your favorite slaps, pokes, pratfalls, Woob! Woob! Woob! and Nyuk! Nyuk! Nyuk! Nyuks! From their early Vaudeville days, through the Great Depression, two world wars and decades of side-splitting shorts, to finding a massive new audience through television, this is the inside intimate story of Hollywood's most beloved group of knuckleheads. For duty and humanity!Year:
2015
The True Adventures of Raoul Walsh
This is the first feature-length documentary on legendary director Raoul Walsh. In this 'memoir,' Walsh 'recounts' his career from the silent film era to the tumultuous 1960s. The documentary makes stunning use of rare, personal and production photos and footage, revealing Walsh's extraordinary, adventurous life on and off the set. From his apprenticeship with D.W. Griffith to his discovery of John Wayne and Rock Hudson, from the innovative 'The Thief of Bagdad' (1924) to the widescreen 'The Big Trail' (1930), from his classic work with Cagney, Bogart and Flynn to his mastery of every genre (musicals, comedies, Westerns, gangster, war), Walsh made Hollywood history. His life is nothing less than the story of Hollywood itself. Here's a full-bodied account of one of Hollywood's greatest legends.Year:
2014
The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Actor Martin Sheen narrates this newly produced, feature-length high definition documentary, touching on the film's timelessness and legacy before diving into the story of its development, production and release.Year:
2013
Drew: The Man Behind the Poster
A documentary on legendary movie-poster artist Drew Struzan.Year:
2013
The One and Only June Foray
This film is about the life and times of legendary voice actress June Foray. From her beginnings as a child wanting to be an actress, to becoming one of the greatest voice talents in the golden age of animation.Year:
2013
Clara Bow: Hollywood's Lost Screen Goddess
A documentary looking at the life, films, and troubled times of America's first sex symbol, screen actress Clara Bow, featuring interviews and archive footage. It takes a look at why she is considered the 'Lost Screen Goddess'.Year:
2012
Pablo
Pablo blends documentary and animation elements to tell the saga of "famous unknown" Pablo Ferro, a man with a personal journey that spans from Havana, during the pre-Cuban revolution to his current home, in the garage behind his son's house.Year:
2012
Lost Forever: The Art of Film Preservation
This documentary short takes you inside the fascinating world of film preservation and restoration.Year:
2011
Woody Allen: A Documentary
Iconic writer, director, actor, comedian and musician Woody Allen allowed his life and creative process to be documented on-camera for the first time. With this unprecedented access, Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Robert B. Weide followed the notoriously private film legend over a year and a half to create the ultimate film biography. "Woody Allen: A Documentary" chronicles Allen's career - from teen writer to Sid Caesar's TV scribe, from stand-up comedian to award-winning writer-director averaging one film-per-year for more than 40 years. Exploring Allen's writing habits, casting, directing, and relationship with his actors first-hand, new interviews with A-listers, writing partners, family and friends provide insight and backstory to the usually inscrutable filmmaker.Year:
2011
Harry Dean Stanton: Crossing Mulholland
Fellow actors and musicians, film critics, and his Kentucky relatives tell the story of noted character actor Harry Dean Stanton. Kris Kristofferson, Billy Bob Thornton, critic Leonard Maltin are among those interviewed in this profile.Year:
2011
These Amazing Shadows
Tells the history and importance of The National Film Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself.Year:
2011
Dalí & Disney: A Date with Destino
The story of the unlikely alliance between two of the most renowned innovators of the twentieth century: brilliantly eccentric Spanish Surrealist Salvador Dalí and American entertainment innovator Walt Disney.Year:
2010
Vittorio D.
A documentary about Vittorio de Sica with clips of his films and testimonials from friends and family.Year:
2009
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story
The troubled fraternal relationship between songwriters Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, the Oscar and Grammy-winning Sherman Brothers, famous for the iconic hits they wrote for Disney.Year:
2009
The Making of 'Pinocchio': No Strings Attached
Documentary focusing on the making-of the 1940n adaptation of Pinocchio by the Disney studio, often considered the artistic pinnacle of the Disney feature.Year:
2009
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
The artistry, triumph and lifelong friendship of the great cinematographers Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond. With film school equipment, they shoot the Soviet crackdown of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. As refugees they struggle in Hollywood, finally breaking into the mainstream with their pivotal contribution to the "American New Wave."Year:
2009
Forging the Frame: The Roots of Animation, 1921-1930
A documentary about the early days of animation.Year:
2008
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
Produced for Turner Classic Movies, this documentary looks at the early days of the gangster film.Year:
2008
Out of the Inkwell: The Fleischer Story
A documentary about the Fleischer brothers and how they revolutionized animation.Year:
2008
Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood
A look at the forces that shaped Pre-Code Hollywood and brought about the strict enforcement of the Hays Code in 1934.Year:
2008
Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story
Chronicles the last great American showman, filmmaker William Castle, a master of ballyhoo who became a brand name in movie horror with his outrageous audience participation gimmicks.Year:
2007
Heckler
HECKLER is a comedic feature documentary exploring the increasingly critical world we live in. After starring in a film that was critically bashed, Jamie Kennedy takes on hecklers and critics and ask some interesting questions of people such as George Lucas, Bill Maher, Mike Ditka, Rob Zombie, Howie Mandel and many more. This fast moving, hilarious documentary pulls no punches as you see an uncensored look at just how nasty and mean the fight is between those in the spotlight and those in the dark.Year:
2007
Bloodsucking Cinema
The sound of flapping bat wings, an empty coffin, glistening fangs, tiny punctures on the neck, the sensual taste of blood, a blank reflection, fear of the cross, and death from daylight. These are the creatures of the night, and as legendary (but fictional) vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing exclaimed: "Gentlemen, we are dealing with the undead!" Perhaps the most enduring film genre of all time, vampire films continue to haunt us on the big screen. Why are we fascinated with the myth of these immortal souls? Could it be the living forever part, or perhaps the fact that they have an unearthly sexual attraction to both males and females? Whatever it is, audiences around the world can't seem to get enough of them.Year:
2007
Searchers 2.0
Two actors who owe their entire careers to the Western genre seek revenge against a legendary screenwriter who once mistreated them on the set of an early film.Year:
2007
The Pixar Story
A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. The contributions of John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs are profiled. The decline of two-dimensional animation is chronicled as three-dimensional animation rises. Hard work and creativity seem to share the screen in equal proportions.Year:
2007
Forging the Frame: The Roots of Animation, 1900-1920
A documentary about the early days of animation.Year:
2007
Soundies: A Musical History Hosted by Michael Feinstein
Before MTV and the age of television, there were Soundies. First appearing in 1941, these three minute black-and-white films featured artists of the Big Band, Jazz and Swing era, like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, The Mills Brothers, Les Paul, Cab Calloway, and Fats Waller. The Soundies helped launch the careers of Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Liberace, and Dorothy Dandridge, among others. Viewed for a dime through a special machine called a Panoram, a movie jukebox, these forerunners to the music video could be seen in nightclubs, roadhouses, restaurants and other public venues across the U.S. These classic films remain as glorious time capsules of music, social history, popular culture, and tell the story of a crossroads in our country, when the uncertainties of war, race relations, and emerging technologies combined to write one of the most influential chapters in our nation¹s history.Year:
2007
My Dad, Walt Disney
Leonard Maltin interviews Diane Disney about her father, Walt Disney.Year:
2006
American Scary
A fond remembrance of and tribute to the uniquely American institution of the horror movie host.Year:
2006
Treasures Untold: The Making of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'
Find out how the spectacular music inspired the animation, and learn more about the development of the characters—such as how Ursula ended up being a big octopus—and how the memorable song "Part of Your World" almost got cut from the film.Year:
2006
Alice's Cartoon World: An Interview with Virginia Davis
This featurette is available on the 'Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities' DVD.Year:
2005
From Kansas City to Hollywood
This featurette is available on the 'Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities' DVD.Year:
2005
Behind the Tunes: Looney Tunes Go to War!
A Documentary about the Looney Tunes war cartoonsYear:
2005
Behind the Tunes: Bosko, Buddy and the Best of Black and White
Documentary short about the black & white Looney Tunes cartoonsYear:
2005
Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again
A cherished remembrance of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers reunited for the film, "The Barkleys of Broadway."Year:
2005
William Powell: A True Gentleman
A short documentary about William Powell.Year:
2005
Remembering Harold
Leonard Maltin interviews Harold Lloyd's relatives.Year:
2005
The Man Behind the Duck
This featurette is available on the 'Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Vol. 1' (1934-1941).Year:
2004
It Hopped One Night: A Look at ‘One Froggy Evening’
A documentary about Chuck Jones' classic animated short One Froggy Evening.Year:
2004
Diamond in the Rough: The Making of Aladdin
The making of Disney's AladdinYear:
2004
Mickey's Cartoon Comeback
A documentary short extra on the Mickey Mouse - Living Color Vol. 2.Year:
2004
A Conversation with Joe Grant
A interview with Joe Grant.Year:
2004
A Love Story: The Story of 'To Have and Have Not'
In the '40s Howard Hawks boasts that he can make a movie out of the worst thing Hemingway ever has written. When Hemingway asks, which novel he means, Hawks says To Have and Have Not. Jules Furthman writes a script, which follows the book closely. The location of the story is Cuba, but the US Government is against depicting corruption and violence on Cuba, and threatens to withdraw the film's export license. William Faulkner rewrites the script, and relocates the story to Martinique. Hawks's wife, Nancy Slim Gross, happens to see a young model at the cover of the magazine Harper's Bazaar, and shows it to her husband. Hawks is a star-maker, who likes to discover and nurture new talents. After a screen test, he chooses the 19-year-old model as the lead actress opposite Humphrey Bogart. She changes her name from Betty Perske to Lauren Bacall. At the first takes she is so nervous that she shakes.Year:
2003
Hold Your Breath and Cross Your Fingers: The Story of 'Dark Passage'
Bogart was interested in this project because it offered a chance to work with his new bride. The studio wasn't convinced, but the result speaks for itself.Year:
2003
Curtains for Roy Earle
A featurette exploring the gangster films made at Warner Bros., actor Humphrey Bogart's career and the making of HIGH SIERRA (1941).Year:
2003
Irreverent Imagination: The Golden Age of the Looney Tunes
A documentary on the Looney Tunes. Including interviews from people who worked on it, and their family.Year:
2003
Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
An overview of the making of John Huston's 1948 classic "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre."Year:
2003
Sex at 24 Frames Per Second
Directed by Kevin Burns, this documentary from Playboy Home Video examines the oftentimes tense relationship between sex, women, and popular Hollywood culture. With a particular focus given to Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Jean Harlow, and Sharon Stone, Sex at 24 Frames Per Second studies the role of female sexuality in film throughout the years. ~ Tracie Cooper, RoviYear:
2003
Divided Highway: The Story of 'They Drive by Night'
Documentary looking at the film classic, They Drive By NightYear:
2003
Frank and Ollie... and Mickey
Documentary regarding two of the "nine old men" of Disney animators.Year:
2002
Cinerama Adventure
A nostalgic and compelling look into the legendary three camera, three projector process that revolutionized motion pictures and led the industry into the widescreen era.Year:
2002
John Ford Goes to War
When World War II broke out, John Ford, in his forties, commissioned in the Naval Reserve, was put in charge of the Field Photographic Unit by Bill Donavan, director of the soon-to-be-OSS. During the war, Field Photo made at least 87 documentaries, many with Ford's signature attention to heroism and loss, and many from the point of view of the fighting soldier and sailor. Talking heads discuss Ford's life and personality, the ways that the war gave him fulfillment, and the ways that his war films embodied the same values and conflicts that his Hollywood films did. Among the films profiled are "Battle of Midway," "Torpedo Squadron," "Sexual Hygiene," and "December 7."Year:
2002
The Crockett Craze
“The Davy Crockett Craze” (19:05) has Leonard Maltin interviewing author Paul F. Anderson (whose book has the same title as this featurette). Anderson spends most of the time explaining Davy’s place in history, and hearing his well-put view points is rather enjoyable. This is basically just a video of the two men talking, but it’s peppered with archival footage and photos.Year:
2001
A Conversation with Fess Parker
“A Conversation with Fess Parker” (17:05) is another interview, edited almost exactly like the previous, where Maltin visits the man who played Davy Crockett at his winery in California. Memories of how he got the part, what it was like to make the series and the reaction from fans are all recalled by Parker. This is a low-key documentary, but a very nice inclusion for the set. Next we find A Conversation With Fess Parker. For this 17-minute and five-second piece, Maltin visits the actor at his vineyard and restaurant, and the two reminisce about the series. We learn factoids that relate to the production, Parker’s casting, his memories of the actors and Walt, and a mix of other elements in this decent little interview. In addition to the shots of Maltin and Parker, we see some behind the scenes footage as well as stills and clips from the series. Note that though the DVD’s case lists interview pieces with Buddy Ebsen, these don’t appear.Year:
2001
Playboy Mansion Parties Uncensored
See inside the exclusive Playboy Mansion, with parties attended by all the A-List celebritiesYear:
2001
Topaz: An Appreciation by Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin
Film critic/historian Leonard Maltin talks about the making of, and his appreciation for, Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz (1969). He speaks of the difficulties with preview audiences in general and how they affected this film, and presents several deleted scenes not available before this.Year:
2001
Songs of the Silly Symphonies
Leonard Maltin talks with song writer Richard M. Sherman about Disney music.Year:
2001
The Fantasia Legacy: Fantasia Continued
A documentary on the making of Fantasia 2000.Year:
2000
The Fantasia Legacy: The Concert Feature
Documentary on the making of Walt Disney’s Fantasia.Year:
2000
Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation
This biography, shown on American television as part of the PBS "Great Performances" series, examines the life works of one of Hollywood's most celebrated animators, Chuck (Charles M.) Jones. He is best known for Warner Brothers cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, and Pepe LePew. Included are plenty of behind-the-scenes descriptions of how an animated film is made, and (best of all) many clips from Chuck's cartoons.Year:
2000
Mary Pickford: A Life on Film
Arguably the quintessential film siren of the silent era, Mary Pickford was known as "America's Sweetheart." This documentary explores Pickford's life beyond the screen, as a writer, producer, director and keen businesswoman who co-founded United Artists. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and featuring clips of Pickford's movies, the film offers insight from historians, film critics (including Leonard Maltin) and silver-screen stars such as Janet Leigh and Roddy McDowall.Year:
2000
Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood
From 1915-1939, Frances Marion was one of the most powerful talents in the movie industry. In one of the most liberating eras for women in film, she wrote more than 200 movies and was the world's highest paid screenwriter - man or woman. Kathy Bates gives voice to Marion's words from her letters, diaries, and memoirs. Includes commentary by silent film historian Kevin Brownlow, critic Leonard Maltin, and Marion's celebrated biographer Cari Beauchamp. Current women filmmakers reflect on the legacy left to them by Marion and the pioneering women of early Hollywood.Year:
2000
Hollywood at Your Feet: The Story of the Chinese Theatre Footprints
Documentary explores that his of the famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Opened on May 18, 1927 as Grauman's Chinese Theater, it immediately drew attention from the public, and, more importantly, from those in the entertainment industry. Hosted by Raquel Welch.Year:
2000
Keepers of the Frame
An exploration of film preservation and restoration in the United States.Year:
1999
Junket Whore
A documentary film that explores the relationship between publicists and journalists in Hollywood.Year:
1998
The Secrets of 007
Behind-the-scenes look at more than three decades of the James Bond feature film series.Year:
1997
Forgotten Silver
The life story of Colin McKenzie, a forgotten pioneer of international cinema who was born in rural New Zealand in 1888.Year:
1997
The Story Behind Walt Disney's 'Fun and Fancy Free'
From all the cartoons Walt Disney and his team create a full length feature film fun and fancy free . Learn the story of how ww2 Changed bongo and the rest of the cartoons . How Edgar burgan got to play himself and his puppets.Year:
1997
Frank Capra's American Dream
A documentary looking at the life and career of film director Frank Capra. Hosted by Ron Howard.Year:
1997
James Dean and Me
A documentary about James Dean. People who knew him or had worked with him reminisce.Year:
1995
Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill
Share the magical memories - and see clips from her Oscar winning performances - in this profile of the "First Lady of the American screen."Year:
1994
Leonard Maltin's Animation Favorites from the Film Board of Canada
This compilation of 9 NFB animation films is presented by Leonard Maltin. Included in the collection are Begone Dull Care, The Cat Came Back, Log Driver's Waltz, Getting Started, The Street and more.Year:
1994
Young Duke: Making Of A Movie Star
Join host Leonard Maltin as he explores the early life of John Wayne (born as Marion Michael Morrison) as a college football star. After a chance meeting with film legend John Ford, Wayne exchanged his cleats for spurs and a cowboy hat and the rest was movie history.Year:
1993
Cartoon Madness: The Fantastic Max Fleischer Cartoons
Leonard Maltin tells about the Fleischer Studio between featuring assorted cartoons from the Fleischers.Year:
1992
The Magical World of Chuck Jones
Documentary on animator Chuck Jones.Year:
1992
The Making of High Noon
Documentary about High Noon featuring Fred Zinnemann and Stanley Kramer.Year:
1992
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Young sweethearts Billy and Kate move to the Big Apple, land jobs in a high-tech office park and soon reunite with the friendly and lovable Gizmo. But a series of accidents creates a whole new generation of Gremlins. The situation worsens when the devilish green creatures invade a top-secret laboratory and develop genetically altered powers, making them even harder to destroy!Year:
1990
The Lost Stooges
A documentary hosted by Leonard Maltin featuring rare clips of the Three StoogesYear:
1990
W.C. Fields: Straight Up
Documentary directed by Joseph Adamson.Year:
1986
The Making of the Stooges
A documentary recounting the personal and professional lives of the Three Stooges, including rare footage and interviews with family members.Year:
1984
