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In noir films, cigarettes are part of the cast. By modern standards the sheer volume of smoke is excess verging on parody. But audiences at the time scarcely gave it a second thought. At least half the population smoked and the other half were second-hand smokers without complaint. In fact, smoking gradually increased during the 1950s, hitting its peak in the mid-60s. Women were as addicted as men. Film noir was reflecting reality. If you were that proverbial alien from anoth

The slang and street talk in noir films is familiar. You know chump, stoolie, scram - this is 1930s/40s "Runyonesque" dialect that went mainstream and is now regarded as campy vernacular. But some language is more esoteric and can be confusing. Here is a glossary to help. Bangtails: racing horses B-girl: Literally, “bar girl.” B-girls were young women paid to converse and dance with male patrons. It ranged from selected “nice” ladies entertaining GIs at the USO to legiti

I knew him as Ward, the kind-hearted dad of Beaver Cleaver, long before I discovered him playing cops and gumshoes. Hugh Beaumont had an impressive B-film noir resume. He was no Humphrey Bogart, but Bogart was no Ward Cleaver. Many personalities who cut their acting teeth on the dark streets found kinder and gentler careers on the small screen. This transition required special acting versatility. As a medium beamed free into the sanctity of your living room, television answer