Cinecon 46 in Pictures

Sunday Evening - The Celebrity Banquet

Excitement mounted as banquet time approached because it's a time to socialize with friends and mingle with celebrities. This year the Cinecon Career Achievement awards would honor 3 talented entertainers: Don Murray, Marilyn Knowlden and Robert Scheerer. Because she was unable to attend the banquet a forth honoree, Louise Currie, received her award on Friday at a special screening. Besides those entertainers being honored many of our former honorees and their friends also attended the event.

Photographers and fans started assembling at the entrance to the reception area before 7:00. Eagerly looking toward the elevators which would be bringing our Cinecon guests to the 2nd floor for the evenings festivities.

They didn't have too long to wait as the first guests soon started to arrive.

Cinecon officer and celebrity coordinator Marvin Paige accompanies the first few guests into the cocktail reception.

Marvin poses with a multi-talented group, Katherine Hopkins Nicolas, Christopher Riordan, Francine York, Kathy Garver and Barbara Luna.

Actress Kathleen Hughes with husband director Stanley Rubin.

Two wonderfull actresses and longtime Cinecon friends Ann Rutherford and Anne Jeffreys arrived with their escort Rob Vautherine.

It wasn't long before the area was a beehive of activity.

Past Cinecon honoree Coleen Gray showed up with her husband Fritz Zeiser

Here's Dr. Stanley Frileck, Michele Lee and Joan Van Ark with her husband John Marshall. Michele and Joan were on hand to honor Knots Landing co-star Don Murray.

Here's Stanley Rubin and Kathleen Hughes again, this time meeting up with Marsha Hunt.

One of the evening's honorees, Marilyn Knowlden, arrives ready for fun.

Marilyn is joined by Marsha who would be presenting her with the award later in the evening.

Richard Chamberlain and casting director Johanna Ray congratulate Don Murray on his Career Achievement Award.

Aren't they cute? Actresses Ann Robinson and Francine York strike a pose for the camera.

Diane Michelle (left) and Will Ryan who would be providing the musical entertainment for the night stopped to visit with friend actress and voice over artist Janet Waldo.

Peter Mark Richmond attended the banquet with his wife Helen.

Honoree Don Murray and wife Betty Johnson (in hot pink top) are joined by their children in this family photo.

Here's another of the evenings honorees, Bob Scheerer, with his lovely wife dancer/choreographer Denise.

Prolific voice over artist June Foray was lucky to find a seat in the reception area. She's joined by Miles Kreuger.

James Karen, with his wife actress/artist Alba Francesca, was busy making his way through the crowds and chatting with old friends.

Wonderful author and another long time Cinecon friend Diana Serra Cary (also known as silent film child actress Baby Peggy) had a big smile for the camera. This year besides having a table at our book fair Diana was part of a special program on child actors.

It's always a delight to have actor Theodore Bikel at our banquet. He's seen here with his wife, Tamara Brooks

Barbara Rush and Noreen Nash are seated at their table ready for the dinner to begin.

Don Murray stopped by to talk with Barbara and Noreen before heading to the dais.

Up on the dais Cinecon president Bob Birchard has the best seat in the house right next to the beautiful Michele Lee.

Soon everyone was in their seats and the waiters began serving dinner.

As people were finishing up with their desert and coffee the awards portion of the evening began.

Cinecon president Robert S. Birchard openned the show with a few remarks.

Then Bob introduced the musical number. This year it had a decidedly western feel.

Cinecon regular Will Ryan brought fellow Cactus County Cowboy performer Diane Michele.

The lively act had the audience toe-tapping and clapping along with the songs

Then MC Stan Taffel took over and introduced the celebrities in attendance before turning the podium over to the first presenter.

Dancer Miriam Nelson said that she was very happy that we chose her to present the award to her longtime friend dancer/director Bob Scheerer.

She's known Bob for over 60 years and remembered seeing him dance in his first stage show.

She related some of his career highlights and told how he started working as production assistant at CBS and worked his way up to becoming a talented director.

Miriam presenting the award to Bob.

Bob took a few seconds to admire the award before speaking.

Then the eloquent Mr. Scheerer gave a brief but clearly heartfelt acceptance speech.

He said he was honored especially to be in the presences of all of the wonderful people that he's known for so many years. and then he said " I'm very proud, thank you so much."

Bob and Miriam smile with his award.

Marsha Hunt started with "Hello old friends and new." and went on to thank Cinecon for allowing her to present the next award.

Even though they met for the first time on Friday Marsha had clearly become a fan of Marilyn Knowlden.

She spoke about Marilyn's career as a child actress, "the little girl in big pictures" and marveled at the number of Oscar nominated films she'd been in.

Marilyn started by saying "My father would be so happy tonight." Then she went on to relate a story about making Les Miserables when she was 8.

Whenever she did a scene that the director was happy with he would say that "that deserves a big black cigar" and he did that throughout the film.

She related that at the end of the film the director gave her a long box filled with a dozen chocolate cigars which she was thrilled with.

She finished the story with "and tonight I feel like I got another box of big black cigars."

Marilyn has a big smile in the first photo taken with her new award.

Then it was Michele Lee's turn to present an award to Don Murray. She started by saying that she felt privileged to "...be in this room with so many incredible people from our business"

It was clear from Michele's remarks about Don and her light-hearted tone that she and Don were old friends. The two having worked together on Knots Landing.

After mentioning highlights of his extensive film and TV career she said that don was a man who did everything his own way and that he stood up for what he believed in and stood up for what was honorable and right.

She spoke about the biggest mistake (in her opinion) of his career when he chose to leave the cast of Knots Landing after only two years.

When Don came up to receive his award he gave Michele a big thank you kiss.

He spoke about some of the wonderful actors that he's worked with through the years and then said that tonight he wanted to honor all of the working actors who have contributed to the body of acting

He said that he's always taken his performances from the eyes of other actors and that it was so easy to get a performance from Michele's eyes because she was so full of gunuine emotion

Don related a story about Knots Landing producer David Jacobs: When asked why Don left the show David would reply that it was because Don wanted to discover if there was anything else in life other than just fortune and fame.

Don smiled and added "...and I discovered there was poverty and obscurity."
Then he became a little more serious.

He thanked Cinecon for taking old and forgotten actors and bringing them back to life by showing their films and more importantly thanked the film preservationists for finding and restoring those films.

He said that it was a pleasure to be with us on this evening and he thanked Michele for the wonderful things that she said about him and added that he wished he could deserve them

After a heartfelt "I thank all of you" Don returned to his seat.

Then with a few final remarks from Stan and the Cinecon 46 Career Achievement Award banquet was a wrap.

Friends and fans congratulate Don on receiving his award.

Michele greets friends with a great big smile.

Don is a popular guy, first he is congratulated by Marsha Hunt

Then he sits down to a brief conversation with Coleen Gray while fans gather for autographs and pictures.

Miriam Nelson has found Richard Chamberlin and the two have a nice conversation...

...before sharing a smile for the camera.

It's a little hectic with everyone trying to get an autograph or just say "Hi" to the celebs on the dais

Marsha catches a moment to speak with Michele amid the chaos

Barbara Rush talks with a fan.

Cinecon officer Jim Harwood gets his chance to talk with Michele.

Don and Michele get together for a nice photo.

One lucky gentleman gets his picture taken with 4 lovely ladies.

Cinecon volunteer Robert has a private chat with Anne.

Michele shares one last smile for the camera before leaving with escort Dr. Frileck

Marilyn, here with Miles, who had a great evening with us was one of the last guests to leave.

Before leaving she stopped for a last picture with Bob and Marvin.

The banquet is always a good chance to get the Cinecon officers together for a group
photo. For those who don't know them, they are, from left to right, Stan Taffel, Stella
Grace, Robert S. (we call him Bob) Birchard and Marvin Paige. Missing in action is our newest
officer, Jim Harwood, who was at the banquet but had to leave before this photo was taken.

So as the evening comes to an end we all slowly head off to bed knowing that we still had one more day of great films to look forward to.

Cinecon 46 in Pictures

Monday - The last day of films

Monday is usually the quietest day of Cinecon. There are no special shows or celebrity screenings and many of the out-of-state Cinephiles have to use Monday as a travel day. So for those of us who could stay on day five the focus was on film and we saved some of the best for last.

The morning session began with one of Disney Studios' Silly Symphony cartoons, GODDESS OF SPRING (1934), in a beautiful Technicolor print.

BROTHERS (Columbia, 1930) is the story of twins separated at birth, one, who was raised by a rich family, commits murder and the other, raised by a poor working class family, who takes the rap. It's one of the few talkies made by silent star Bert Lytell. Bert plays the duel role of the brothers and Dorothy Sebastian co-stars as the woman they both love. The film was recently restored by Sony Pictures who provided the great looking print.

THE SEVENTH DAY (Inspiration-First National, 1922) was directed by Henry King and starred Richard Barthelmess and Anne Cornwall. Rich, spoiled college kids weekending on a yacht become stranded in a remote Maine fishing village with engine trouble. As they interact with the local villagers rich girl Anne finds herself falling for hardworking sailor Richard. This film was long thought to be lost until it was discovered in a European archive. The restoration was co-sponsored by Northeast Historic Film and the Museum of Modern Art.

The breezy musical romance CADET GIRL (20th Century-Fox, 1941) led us into the lunch hour. In the paper thin plot of this charming little film George Montgomery plays a West Point cadet who falls in love with a singer (beautiful Carole Landis) in his brother's swing band. He contemplates leaving West Point but reconsiders. This film was made before the U.S. entry into World War II but with the European war on everyone's mind it still had a strong patriotic feel to it.

After lunch we started the afternoon session with CROOKED STREETS (Paramount, 1920). In this enjoyable silent mystery British and American secret agents Rupert O'Dare (Jack Holt) and Gail Ellis (Ethel Clayton) are on the prowl for antiques and opium in exotic Shanghai. This film is one of a number of Paramount silents that was rescued in 1970 just as they were about to be destroyed and turned over to the American Film Institute Collection at the Library of Congress. The great looking 35mm print was courtesy of the LoC.

Many people thought that CROSS COUNTRY CRUISE (Universal, 1934) with a great cast headed by Lew Ayres and June Knight was one of the best films of the weekend. Playboy Lew meets pretty June by accident and impulsively follows her onto a cross county bus headed to California. She's getting on the bus to follow her lover and his wife (she's just found out he's married). During the journey they meet an assortment of interesting bus passengers (played by some great charater actors Eugene Pallette, Henry Armetta, Minna Gombell to mention a few) and get swept up in a murder mystery.

And last but not least. we presented the snappy court room drama CAREER WOMAN (1936). This rarely seen little gem starred past Cinecon Career Achievement Award winner Clare Trevor as a young law school graduate who returns to her hometown to set up a law practice and ends up defending an old friend (Isabel Jewell) in a murder case. She's inexperienced and needs a little help from the rather flamboyant know-it-all attorney (Michael Whalen) she's met before if she's going to save her friend. The film also had a great supporting cast of charater actors which included Gene Lockhart, Edward Brophy, Sterling Holloway and El Brendel.

That's it. That's the end. It's 6:00 and time to head off into the sunset. But we did have one last request

Several people taking the Cinecon survey image

Every year on the last day of Cinecon we ask our members to take a brief survey to let us know what they thought of the show. What they liked or disliked, what they might want to change or see more of. Several people taking the Cinecon survey image The information that we receive on these surveys helps us plan future shows. And we always find that our members are eager to share their opinions.

Cinecon would like to take this opportunity to give special thanks to all of our amazing volunteers without whose help this show would not be possible. .

As we head home it's important for us to realize how lucky we are to be able to enjoy beautiful prints of so many rare and wonderful films every year at our show. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the archivists and preservationists who lovingly restore and protect these forgotten films for us to rediscover.

Home   Cinecon 46 in Hollywood   Latest News   Exciting Film Line-up   Celebrity Guests   Memorabilia Show
Stay at the Hollywood Renaissance Cinecon 46 Schedule Become a Volunteer   Registration Form
What is Cinecon?   Film Preservation   Cinecon 46 in Pictures   Members Page   Links

© 2011 Cinecon Classic Film Festival, Inc. e-mail: cineconinfo@earthlink.net
Write to: CINECON 3727 W. Magnolia Boulevard, # 760, Burbank, CA 91505