The New York Daily News provides an extensive slide show of actors who played famous TV fathers and gives updates as to what they've been up to. Click here to view

A rare snippet of film of Alfred Hitchcock making a provocative quip on the set of his 1929 early sound film Blackmail has surfaced. The clip shows Hitch in an unusually jovial mood. Click here to view

By Lee Pfeiffer

It's hard to believe that it was 35 years ago today that Steven Spielberg revolutionized the film industry with the release of Jaws. I recall being a college student at the time, and while there was anticipation for the film because of the book's status as a best-seller, no one could believe the lines at the box-office. I saw the movie opening night in my hometown of Jersey City, New Jersey- and the next day my girlfriend and I went to the beach. The impact of the film was not lost on me. Although New Jersey has some of the finest, most popular beaches in the world, the water was pretty light on swimmers even though the beach was packed. So many people had seen the film opening night, or spread the word about its impact, that people were frightened to go into the water. We do have sharks off the Jersey coast but attacks are very rare. Nevertheless, the impact of Spielberg's film made the possibility of even the slightest encounter reason enough to stay on solid ground. I think people were expecting a hokey B monster movie and they emerged from the theater knowing they had seen a cinematic work of art - not to mention three unexpectedly great performances by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and -especially- Robert Shaw. Today's era of computer-generated special effects has ensured we'll never seen a film that has this kind of impact again - a true masterpiece of suspense created by craftsmen who worked diligently against nature, nervous studio executives and a soaring budget. Thirty five years from now it will still be seen as a textbook example of how to produce and direct a great tale of suspense. Click here for Slashfilm's photo tribute to the movie including vintage newspaper ads.

Click here to read Cinema Retro's exclusive interview with the producers of the Jaws documentary The Shark Is Still Working

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One of Charlton Heston's best performances was presented in one of his least-seen films of the 1960s. The 1968 Western Will Penny, ably directed by Tom Gries, finds Heston as an aging cowhand who is facing the prospect of getting too old for his chosen profession. His life takes an unusual turn when he ends up aiding a desperate woman who is trying to raise her young son against the dangers of prairie life. Complicating matters are a family of cutthroats led by Donald Pleasence and his murderous sons - among them: Bruce Dern. . For Will Penny trailer click here

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British writer Paul Johnson has hobnobbed with the rich and powerful throughout his life and career. In his just-published memoirs, he recalls some of his encounters with both major political and show business giants. Johnson remembers speaking with Richard Burton, who had recently finished filming Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor. (Bizarrely, Johnson gets the name of the film wrong. Despite the fact it's one of the most famous movies ever made, he confuses it with the play Antony and Cleopatra) In any event, he quotes Burton as espousing Liz's two best assets thusly: 'Elizabeth's tits have the great and rare merit of being firm and soft at the same time. I can't say more than that, can I?' Far be it from Cinema Retro staffers to argue...For more click here

Steve Martin photographed in concert in London by Cinema Retro's Mark Mawston.

The web site Letters of Note has unearthed a hilarious form letter sent out by Steve Martin to fans during his early days as a comedy superstar. The vintage form letter pretends to be a personalized response to a fan named Jerry. You have to click here to view it in order to appreciate the gag. Just reminds us of how barren the comedy landscape has become in the years since Martin gave up stand-up in favor of starring in lame remakes of old family movies. 

Welcome to Hollyweird...Did you ever suspect that Julie Andrews could have almost indirectly sabotaged the U.S Navy's co-operation on the making of director John Sturges' Ice Station Zebra? The swabbies at the Pentagon had a sense of humor that was somewhat less boisterous than that of Leonid Brezhnev. When MGM requested access to a U.S. submarine to conduct research for the Cold War thriller, the Navy Department initially turned them down - even spurning Rock Hudson's personal pleas. Seems when it comes to the U.S. Navy, not everyone wanted a piece of the Rock. Navy Department officials were still steamed about MGM's cynical 1964 comedy The Americanization of Emily starring Julie Andrews and James Garner which portrayed a U.S. Admiral played by Melvyn Douglas as a war-mongering buffoon. Thus, they initially decided to punish the studio by withholding co-operation. We wonder if the Royal Navy is still harboring a grudge over MGM's portrayals of Captain Bligh in both versions of Mutiny on the Bounty.

How do you solve a problem like Julie? That old subversive Ms. Andrews in a great publicity shot with co-stars James Coburn, James Garner and Melvyn Douglas for "The Americanization of Emily."

For the full report, read columnist Army Archerd's report from 1967, posted on www.variety.com

ORDER THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY COLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON BY CLICKING HERE

CLICK HERE TO ORDER ICE STATION ZEBRA SPECIAL EDITION DVD DISCOUNTED FROM AMAZON

BRITISH CUSTOMERS: ORDER ICE STATION ZEBRA DVD FROM AMAZON UK

We always bemoan the fact there are few great movie posters created anymore. For an example of the glory days, check out these Italian and German original 1960 release posters for the Rat Pack opus Oceans Eleven. (Note that the German poster incorporates Frank Sinatra's name in the title!)

In the wake of the Star Wars craze, everyone who could hold a camera seemed to quickly churn out their own low-budget sci-fi film. Among the most notorious was the 1977 independent film Starship Invasions starring two actors who should have known better: Robert Vaughn and Christopher Lee (who is forced to parade about in a costume that makes him resemble a cross between Hedda Hopper and an ornate living room lamp.) The movie proved that Ed Wood did indeed instill his legacy in a new generation of movie directors. Still, the goofy pic had its goofy charms and has since become a cult favorite. Click here for a review on the Canuxploitation site, which celebrates bad Canadian low budget movies.

The fun retro site Brian's Drive-In Theatre features a section dedicated to Steve Reeves and the Hercules films that made him famous. Click here to view

Many people will remember that Lorne Greene capitalized on his Bonanza fame to launch a new career as a crooner of cowboy songs in the 1960s- and some were quite successful. Click here to listen to Greene sing Five Card Stud.

When critics go on a tangent against ridiculous sequels, they generally cite Jaws- The Revenge as prime evidence. The ill-conceived third sequel to the classic film is a treasure trove of unintended laughs. And to think that Michael Caine couldn't be on hand in Hollywood to accept his Oscar for Hannah and Her Sisters because he was filming this! Click here to view the trailer