Huh, I really thought someone else would be up this late on a Saturday night watching TCM, usually there is. It's strange there was no one around for #AliasBostonBlackie. Oh well! If anyone IS actually around but just staying quiet, good night! I think I'm about done for the evening now. #TCMParty
In the original radio show with Chester Morris, they articulate Boston Blackie as "Enemy to those who *make* him an enemy, and friend to those who *have* no friends!" I love it. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Clarification: he doesn't make this joke again in the series! He does it years later in a television appearance. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
One of my favourite things about the Boston Blackie series is that he may be a reformed criminal but he's a do-gooder. He couldn't let this go unresolved because it was breaking Eve's heart.
#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Filming for #AliasBostonBlackie started Jan 2, 1942, right after a Christmas break. About a month after wrapping, Chester hit the road to do a tour of USO shows where he entertained troops as a magician. He'd do something like 380 of these shows during the war. #TCMParty
One of the best gags in the Boston Blackie series, that Chester Morris is directly responsible for as a skilled magician, is the inability to keep him in handcuffs. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
A great promotional still of Blackie escaping the police station and aggravating Inspector Farraday. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
So there's a little laugh Chester Morris works into his dialogue in plenty of movies, often in reaction to another character and when he starts a line.
I like to call it the Chester Chuckle.
#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
I'll never get tired of that amused smile Blackie gets. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Well that close-up wasn't of Chester Morris' hand. It's a pet peeve of mine when they use doubles for actor's hands. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Nothing like trying to stay low key while wandering around New York in a clown costume. 😄 #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
I HATE THIS FIGHT SCENE!
Shots where they use a stunt guy for Blackie you see the guy wildly waving his arms around like a windmill. It's embarrassing. Shots of Chester you can tell he knew how to throw punches. He was trained by a professional boxer for a role in 1933. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
I love that he says he can't believe Eve having as dumb a brother as Joe... He gives her credit for being smart, instead of making assumptions of a showgirl.
#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Chester is so relaxed and charming and likeable as Blackie, that you really get to see what made him a natural as a star. It's no wonder they ended up doing 14 of these movies. This is just number 3... #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Chester Morris was called a top amateur magician even though he had performed professionally, and he worked a number of his skills into the Boston Blackie role. He would use that pressed rabbit joke again... #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
I feel like the Boston Blackie films are unique for bringing up doing things for guys in prison. Here they put a show on for prisoners on Christmas Eve, in another film he helps create a program to give jobs to guys getting out of jail. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Enter Inspector Farraday, played by the delightful Richard Lane. The banter between he and Blackie is one of my favourite things about this series of films and the original radio shows. #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
I was sure they had a better print of this movie, oh well! #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
I love Lloyd Corrigan as Manleder, he really was the most charming actor as that character! #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Oh God I love when Chester Morris movies air on TCM...
#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
Kudos to the costume department because I love his hat and overcoat combo, that striped scarf from earlier, and Adele Mara's outfit is perfection.
#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
#TCMClassicChristmasMarathon
It just wouldn't be Boston Blackie without Richard Lane as Farraday and George E. Stone as Runt. 💚#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty #TCMClassicChristmasMarathon
OK don't laugh but it bothers me when the camera focuses on Blackie's hand holding the taxi cab driver's badge because it's so obviously not his hand... this guy was a magician with lean hands and definitely not stubby fingers, so disappointing...
#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
I'm just so happy every time I can see and hear Chester Morris on @TCM 🥹 #TCMParty #AliasBostonBlackie #TCMClassicChristmasMarathon
I wish I felt better enough to live-tweet—you know I 💙 Chester Morris, so you know I love #AliasBostonBlackie too... 💙❄️💙❄️💙❄️💙 #TCMParty #TCMClassicChristmasMarathon
Appreciation tweet for Chester Morris delivering a line that could have been facetious but instead he made you believe in all seriousness that he believes Eve the chorus girl *is* legitimately a smart girl.
#AliasBostonBlackie #TCMParty
