#201: Nancy Kwan Interview

Another TCM Classic Film Festival has come and gone, but whether you were on the ground in LA or you couldn't make it, Ticklish Biz has you covered with some great audio from the festival. We start off with Ben Mankiewicz, and Elle and Dakota Fanning introducing Michelle Pfeiffer at her hand and footprint ceremony. Then it's Alicia Malone and actor Barry Bostwick discussing The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Next Eddie Muller and Dana Gould improvise an intro for a chilly evening screening of I Love You Again (1940). And, finally, Michael Mann, Al Pacino and Ben Mankiewicz talk all about 1995's Heat! You can listen to even more TCM Classic Film Festival audio, including Michele Pfeiffer's speech during her hand and footprint ceremony and Eddie Muller and Ernest Dickerson talking about 1955's The Big Combo exclusively on Patreon! This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Danny David Floyd Gates McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls Chris McKay Jacob Haller Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Reyna-Moya James Bridget M. Hester Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Harry Holland Jamie Carter Karen Yoder Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Richard Silver Rosa

Flower Drum Song star Nancy Kwan sits down with Ticklish Business in anticipation of her new autobiography! Nancy talks about being discovered young, what her costars were like, and more. We also talk about the joys of actor James Shigeta. Buy The World of Nancy Kwan now. This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Danny David Floyd Gates McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls Chris McKay Jacob Haller Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Reyna-Moya James Bridget M. Hester Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Harry Holland Jamie Carter Karen Yoder Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Richard Silver Rosa

TCM's "Czar of Noir" Eddie Muller joins us once again to discuss the women of his latest book Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir. Eddie chats about interviewing some of the most iconic film noir women and how his new book seeks to tell their stories more fully. You can pre-order Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir before it's April 8th publication by clicking the link. And if you're in Los Angeles you can purchase tickets to Noir City Hollywood now.

Your eyes don't deceive you! Ticklish Business is back, kinda. Kristen sits down with author Mayukh Sen to talk all about Merle Oberon, the subject of Sen's latest book, Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star. Sen breaks down the stereotypes about Oberon he wanted to dispel and how she was able to rise above Hollywood racism. We appreciate everyone continuing to support us, as either a Patron or listener. Emily and I are working on doing the show monthly for now as we finish up our books. So definitely be on the lookout for some TCMFF goodness come April.

Kristen and Emily return with Front Row Classics podcast host Brandon Davis to celebrate the release of Wicked by looking at the film that started it all: 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The trio discuss Judy Garland's casting, the economics of Oz, and various rumors. This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Amy Hart Danny David Floyd Donna Hill Gates Jacob Haller McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls BadGuyRants Chris McKay Debbi Lynne Jeffrey Joseph Kayla Ewing Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Susannah Burger Brittany Brock Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Emily Edwards Emily Frederichs Harry Holland Helena Pickup Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Paul Rosa

It's All Hallows Eve and we're closing out spooky season with a legendary Halloween treat. Director and Shining historian Lee Unkrich joins Kristen to discuss Stanley Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of The Shining. The pair discuss the nature of adaptation, Shelley Duvall's performance (RIP), and why it still holds up today. This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Amy Hart Danny David Floyd Donna Hill Gates Jacob Haller McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls BadGuyRants Chris McKay Debbi Lynne Jeffrey Joseph Kayla Ewing Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Susannah Burger Brittany Brock Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Emily Edwards Emily Frederichs Harry Holland Helena Pickup Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Paul Rosa

Halloween inches ever closer much like the centipede? earwig? that dominates William Castle's 1959 horror film The Tingler. Emily and Kristen discuss Bill Castle and his gimmicks, Vincent Price, and why Warren Chapin might be the worst doctor character ever. This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Amy Hart Danny David Floyd Donna Hill Gates Jacob Haller McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls BadGuyRants Chris McKay Debbi Lynne Jeffrey Joseph Kayla Ewing Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Susannah Burger Brittany Brock Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Emily Edwards Emily Frederichs Harry Holland Helena Pickup Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Paul Rosa

Emily and Kristen may be a week later than usual but spooky season kicks off with a bang as the duo talk George Romero's 1968 feature Night of the Living Dead! And along for the ride is acclaimed cinematographer Levie Isaaks. Levie, watching this for the first time (!), discusses the film's impact, what Tobe Hooper took for Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and more. This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Amy Hart Danny David Floyd Donna Hill Gates Jacob Haller McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls BadGuyRants Chris McKay Debbi Lynne Jeffrey Joseph Kayla Ewing Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Susannah Burger Brittany Brock Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Emily Edwards Emily Frederichs Harry Holland Helena Pickup Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Paul Rosa

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a new episode! Kristen and Emily are back celebrating the release of the Christopher Reeve doc Super/Man with a discussion of the 1978 film that made Reeve a star. And joining us is legendary comic artist Jon Bogdanove. We talk about why this superhero movie is different than others, Valerie Perrine stealing the show, and more. This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Amy Hart Danny David Floyd Donna Hill Gates Jacob Haller McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls BadGuyRants Chris McKay Debbi Lynne Jeffrey Joseph Kayla Ewing Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Susannah Burger Brittany Brock Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Emily Edwards Emily Frederichs Harry Holland Helena Pickup Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Paul Rosa

It's Kristen's birthday which means she's picking the movie! Things take a turn for the historical with special guest Ann Foster of the Vulgar History podcast to discuss 1969's Anne of the Thousand Days. We discuss Hollywood's love of historical episodes in the late-1960s, Richard Burton bringing the cringe, and why Anne Boleyn is still a woman we love no matter how many Tudor adaptations there are. This episode was created thanks to our Patrons: Ali Moore Amy Hart Danny David Floyd Donna Hill Gates Jacob Haller Jonathan Watkins McF Rachel Clark Shawn Goodreau A Button Called Smalls BadGuyRants Chris McKay Debbi Lynne Jeffrey Joseph Kayla Ewing Peter Blitstein Peter Bryant Peter Dawson Susannah Burger Brittany Brock Cat Cooper Daniel Tafoya David Baxter Diana Madden Emily Edwards Emily Frederichs Harry Holland Lucy Soles Nick Weerts Paul Rosa