It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Now that Thanksgiving is over and all of the great Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are upon us, it is time to start thinking of Christmas, many people's favorite holiday of the year.

Enjoy this photo of Dick digging up a Christmas tree of his very own. In sunny California? Well they like Christmastime too, only they celebrate without the snow. This comes from a magazine archive that apparently only wanted a small clip of Dick's face.

Gutes Geburtstag Dick Powell!

It has been 48 years since Dick Powell passed away, but he is still remembered and loved today. Fourteen people stopped by Find a Grave to leave virtual flowers for Dick on his birthday. Turner Classic Movies showed four of his films to honor him. One of those films was You Can't Run Away From It, a movie starring Dick's 3rd wife June Allyson which Dick directed. Here he is on the set of that film celebrating June's birthday with their children.

June's autobiography illustrates one of the sweetest romantic relationships in Hollywood, one which lasted until Dick's death. The book has a section called Richard, but in reality most of the book is permeated with his presence and her devotion to him. "I was madly in love with Richard," she wrote. "By now I was calling him Richard though I was the only one who ever did."

The book includes a note that Ricky wrote just after his father passed away. It said, "...but when I go into his room to kiss Dad he isn't there any more to kiss to to hold his hand and to hear him sing the wonderful tunes."

June wrote, "The world was ugly without Richard."

"He was a joy to live with," June said. "Richard usually acted as if he didn't have a care in the world... He was always either whistling or singing."

Luckily we have his many works, from his films to his records to his radio recordings, so that for a little while Dick is alive again and there to entertain us and to make us smile.

Listen, That's Me on the Radio!

With Linda Darnell for Lux Radio Theater

In honor of the approaching anniversary of Dick Powell's birth (If he were still alive, he would be turning 107 on Monday), I have been invited to be a guest on two radio programs.

With Bette Davis

The first is on Yesterday USA with Walden Hughes and his co-host Patricia on Saturday, November 12 at 10:30 p.m. EST. Click here to listen. I was a guest once on this show before and I was delighted to receive an invitation to chat again.

The second show is a pre-recorded broadcast for Same Time, Same Station with Larry Gassman. It will be available Sunday, November 13. You can stream it here or wait until next Saturday to hear it on Yesterday USA at 3 p.m. EST. I had a lot of fun doing this interview and I hope you enjoy listening.

With Olivia de Havilland and Frances Langford for Hollywood Hotel

Each show will run about a half an hour and cover a wide range of topics, from Dick's music, radio, film and television careers to his upbringing, his home life, and his impact after his death. Please join me in paying tribute to this wonderful actor!