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TCinLA's avatar

I always love the story Julius Epstein told me of how he and his brother Phillip came up with "Round up the usual suspects." They were driving down Sunset Blvd arguing about the script (they were a whole 2 days ahead of shooting most of the time, when they weren't they were only a day ahead) and got stopped at the light at Cherokee, just west of the Hollywood Athletic Club, then Hollywood and Vine. Phillip looks around at the "Hollywood types" on the sidewalk and says "Round up the usual suspects!"

You can do that today - the only things that've changed are the clothing fashions, the hair styles and the cars.

There's a great book about the production, "We'll Always Have Casablanca."

For those interested, if you have TCM, they're showing restored prints of the great WB movies all this month for the centenary. I just saw "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" for the first time ever.

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gildedtwig's avatar

We know every scene and all the dialogue. And we watch it whenever we stumble across it on TV. That’s the grip Casablanca has on us. Was Billy Wilder employed at WB? He’s my favorite screenwriter. Loved reading your tribute. Thank you for reminding us of the value immigrants bring to American life. xoxo

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