Reluctant Heartthrobs: Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Stewart, Kyle Chandler

There are handful of actors who will forever be ingrained in the canon of film history. John Wayne, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, James Dean, Gregory Peck, to name just a few. One of the most iconic actors of all time, Humphrey Bogart, gets his own four-movie Blu-ray collection this week. The four blu-rays included in “The Best of Bogart Collection” are literally just the four previously-available releases in a new case (and nowhere near as extensive career-wise as the DVD-only box set released for the legend a few years ago). The transfers are solid (although “Treasure” looks grittier than I remembered it being stand-alone) and the collection includes a remarkable array of special features when taken as a whole. There’s a reason we still watch Humphrey Bogart movies and likely will for decades to come. “The Humphrey Bogart Collection” proves why.

"Casablanca" (Special Features):
o Commentary by Roger Ebert
o Commentary by Historian Rudy Behlmer
o Introduction by Lauren Bacall Additional Scenes & Outtakes
o Scoring Session Outtakes
o Bacall on Bogart
o You Must Remember This: A Tribute to Casablanca
o Featurette As Time Goes By: The Children Remember
o Production Research Gallery
o Homage Cartoon Carrotblanca
o Who Hold Tomorrow? : Premiere Episode From 1955 Warner Bros. Presents TV Series Adaptation of Casablanca Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Production with the Movie’s 3 Key Stars
Source: www.hollywoodchicago.com

Kyle Chandler as Gary Hobson in Early Edition: "Everybody Goes to Rick's" (Episode 21, Season 4) - Chicago stockbroker Gary Hobson has lost everything he once considered precious; his job, his home, his wife, and now he thinks he might also be loosing his mind. When tomorrow's newspaper mysteriously arrives on his doorstep, delivered daily by an orange cat, Gary gets alarming a look into the future. In this episode, the paper transports Gary back to 1929 Chicago to save a young man from the St. Valentine's day massacre.


Video clips featuring the Valentine's Day Massacre theme. Original Scarface - 1932, Director: Howard Hawks, Actor: Paul Muni; Al Capone - 1959, Director: Richard Wilson; Actor: Rod Steiger; Some Like It Hot - 1959, Director: Billy Wilder, Actor: George Raft; The St. Valentine's Day Massacre - 1967, Director: Roger Corman, Actor: Jason Robards; Early Edition - 1996-2000 (Season 4, Episode 21: Everybody Goes to Rick's - 2000), Actor: Kyle Chandler

Frank Capra's 1946 fantasy is such staple viewing at Christmas that it's hard to comprehend its commercial failure. Many cite a crowded marketplace as the prime reason why It's a Wonderful Life suffered, but the tragic elements of the story could have deterred many from snapping up tickets. After all, when we encounter James Stewart's George Bailey, he's planning his own suicide on Christmas Eve - a premise that would be too dark for even a festive edition of EastEnders. Source: www.digitalspy.co.uk

-Kyle, how do you feel about being called this generations "Jimmy Stewart?"

-Kyle Chandler: That's a great compliment, I've been called a lot worse, I know that. I don't consider myself a Jimmy Stewart, but I appreciate the compliment. And I hope I'm doing good work. -TVGen/Yahoo! Chat Session with Alex Taub (October 15, 1998)

"I thought of myself as a good kid in high school. But I was misunderstood. I'd get into trouble - for drinking a beer in the parking lot or smoking a cigarette behind the gym - and people would look at me a lot differently. Especially the principal. He really didn't care for me. My father had died my first year in high school, and after that, when men would come down on me, I would feel cornered. I'd feel, 'No way, buddy. You ain't telling me nothing.' And I'd stand up to them and say, 'Wait a second. You explain to me what you're talking about, so I can understand you.' And the principal didn't appreciate that attitude coming from a 16 year-old kid. But he never tried to get to know me, either." I sort of wish he'd have patted me on the shoulder once in a while and said, 'If you need to talk to anyone, I'll talk to you.'" Did I ever try to be a better kid? yeah, I was always trying to be good and stuff. That's what was so frustrating. Because, as I said, I felt that I was a good kid. But maybe I'm forgetting all the bad things I did." -Kyle Chandler: Jeff Metcalf on ABC's Homefront (Fresh Voices TV, interview with Lynn Minton, 1992)

Born Kyle Martin Chandler on Sept. 17, 1965, the future star was one of five children born to Edward and Sally Chandler, who resided in Buffalo, NY. The clan moved twice during Chandler's childhood - once to Lake Forest, IL and later to Loganville, GA. While residing in the Peach State, the Chandlers lived on a remote farm with few neighbors, leaving the youngster to keep himself busy watching the sole television station that reached their home: a new UHF station owned by Ted Turner. Chandler quickly fell in love with the steady diet of classic Hollywood films, and entertained friends and family with skits based on the characters he saw and enjoyed.

His interest in performing developed even further while attending the University of Georgia. At the urging of some theater major friends, he auditioned for a role in a production of Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors" and landed the part. The experience inspired Chandler to declare theater his major. While still living in Georgia, he was contacted by an ABC talent scout who brought him to Los Angeles. Minor roles on TV series like "China Beach" (ABC, 1988-1991) in 1989 led to the supporting part of Pvt. William Griner on the Emmy-winning Vietnam-era drama, "Tour of Duty" (1987-1990).

This, in turn, led to another series regular role in another historical drama - this time as a baseball player in post-World War II America in the multi-award-winning, "Homefront." It was with the role of Jeff Metcalf, that Chandler first stood out from the competitive pack. Switching mediums, he made his NYC stage debut as the bare-chested drifter romancing Ashley Judd in the 1994 Broadway revival of "Picnic," a role previously played by the likes of Paul Newman and William Holden. "Early Edition" earned Chandler a Saturn Award for his efforts.

In 2006, Chandler earned rave reviews as a doomed bomb squad leader on a two-part episode of the popular medical drama, "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC) - an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor and raised his profile considerably. Perhaps in part due to his memorable guest turn on "Grey's," that same year, Chandler was chosen to top-bill the small screen adaptation of Peter Berg's 2004 film, "Friday Night Lights" (NBC/DirecTV, 2006-2011).

The series, which chronicled the trials and tribulations of a rural Texas high school football team, struggled to find its footing in the Nielsen ratings from the start. American Film Institute named it one of the best shows of the season. Chandler was widely praised for his performance, which earned him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2011. Source: www.tcm.com


"Homefront" - Episode 4, Season 1 'So All Alone': Jeff is hiding Ginger from everyone because she's just been humiliated by Caroline. Ginger has made the situation more embarrassing by announcing that Caroline uses spermicide. Jeff gets up and closes and locks the door to the attic. He comes back and takes Ginger's beer from her. A moment of awkwardness before their first kiss. They bump noses, finally kiss and fall to the bed. Scene fades away.