Sunday, February 28, 2010
Apropos of nothing....
Just received this photo and my reaction isn't so much cameltoe as well hung, or (at the very least) Bardot dressed on the left.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOANNE!
One of my real favorites, Joanne Woodward is 80 today. Wow. The first movie of hers that I saw was "The Stripper" where she played a Marilyn Monroe/LuAnne Poovey type that tries to leave "the biz" and falls for the kid next door. Of course she can't. I've never seen the film again and I'm guessing it isn't very good, but as a very young kid, I just identified with Woodward's Lila Green. From then on, whenever I saw her in something, she always knocked it out of the park. "The Sound and the Fury", "Rachel, Rachel", "Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams" and "Sybil" are just some of her films that I could watch over and over....and have! Though hard to pick a favorite, Joanne's Beatrice Hunsdorfer in "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" kinda is. If you've never seen it, Fox Movie Channel does show it from time to time. I think the entire movie is available at Youtube. Woodward's Beatrice, taking in boarders that no one wants, trying to work an angle, make a buck, zooming around in her '57 Desoto and raising two girls (in her own unique manner) is riveting. Though I've never been a fan letter writer (exception being my first entry in this here blog) I've always wanted to write her a goofy fan letter, telling her how much her work has meant to me. Maybe this'll do it.
Her mother named her after Joan Crawford(!), using the Southern pronunciation of the name - "Joanne"
Friday, February 26, 2010
The End of Suspense
Arnold Moss (January 28, 1909 in Brooklyn, New York – December 15, 1989 in New York City) was an American character actor often playing sly or sinister foreigners. Here he is as "Vidaru" in the episode "Everywhere A Sheik, Sheik" on The Monkees.
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Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston, made her American film debut in MGMs Royal Wedding(aka Wedding Bells in the UK). I'm gonna guess that my snapshot is from that film, Royal Wedding having been released in 1951. (not to mention the blouse & jewelry match up with color photo below).
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Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston, made her American film debut in MGMs Royal Wedding(aka Wedding Bells in the UK). I'm gonna guess that my snapshot is from that film, Royal Wedding having been released in 1951. (not to mention the blouse & jewelry match up with color photo below).
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
FEBRUARY 24 VERY BUSY BIRTH ..........
.................................................................................................................................
MARJORIE MAIN 1890..........................JAMES FARENTINO 1938
ZACHARY SCOTT 1914........................PETER DUEL 1940
ABE VIGODA 1921...............................JOANIE SOMMERS 1941
STEVEN HILL 1922...............................BARRY BOSTWICK 1945
BARBARA LAWRENCE 1928...................RUPERT HOLMES 1947
MICHEL LEGRAND 1932.......................HELEN SHAVER 1951
RENATA SCOTTO 1934........................PAULA ZAHN 1956
LINDA CRISTAL 1934...........................OWEN GLEIBERMAN 1959
...AND DEATH DAY
.....................................................................................................................
CONRAD NAGEL 1970 (b.1897).....................................GEORGE GOBEL 1991 (b.1919)
VIRGINIA BRUCE 1982 (b.1910).....................................DINAH SHORE 1994 (b.1916)
TONY CONIGLIARO 1990 (b.1945)..................................HENNY YOUNGMAN 1998 (b.1906)
MALCOLM FORBES 1990 (b.1919)...................................JOHN RANDOLPH 2004 (b.1915)
JOHNNY RAY 1990 (b.1927).........................................DON KNOTTS 2006 (b.1924)
JOHN DALY 1990 (b.1914)............................................DENNIS WEAVER 2006 (b.1924)
..........................................................................BRUCE BENNETT 2007 (b.1906)
* Very surprised to learn that Johnny Ray & John Daly died on the same day. Luckily, Dot Killgallen was long dead so she wasn't burdened with the hair-pulling choice of which funeral to attend.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Gig
By the way, it was Laraine Day, aka Mrs. Leo Durocher who was testing that 24th day of January, 1939. Her robe was stunning, wasn't it? This may very well have been for one of the Dr.Kildaire films. She played Nurse Mary Lamont in seven of 'em!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Guesses? (ahem)
Here's audio of "Breakfast with Dorothy & Dick" (Killgallen & Kollmar) with their special guests, Leo Durocher and Laraine Day
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
"Share three classic movie moments that have, in some shape or form, made you buy things, do things, think things that perhaps you shouldn't have."
First of all, this is not easy. Secondly, this isn't from a specific moment, but you'll get over it. And thirdly, this may be all I'm able to give. We'll see.......
"Annie Hall"
I adored how Diane Keaton was dressed and absolutely positively did my damnedest to emulate her look. A mistake? Something I shouldn't have done? I'm sure there were days that I never should have left the house, but I've had a lifetime of those. There was an outfit that I shouldn't have done....an ensemble in preparation for my cousin's wedding that never really looked good, though not for lack of effort. Using that "Annie Hall" look as a springboard, I made it my goal to put together a monotone beige outfit. Think Richard Gere in "American Gigolo" (though this story took place pre- "AG"). Not a suit per se, but coat and slacks, all of linen (or linenesque), as well as shirt and tie. I began with pants that I'd found earlier and had never worn. Not linen, but very linen-like. They had huge back pockets that stuck out. (I know there's a word for what they were, but I don't know it). These pants were the first mistake. Plain and simple, they were goofy. I did learn a valuable lesson with this outfit; Don't scrimp when you shouldn't scrimp. What I'd wanted was a linen suit, but it was probably too expensive for me. The coat I found was from Falconnable and it had a label on the pocket by the lapel. (I recall a few people touching it and making a comment; Visible names on labels weren't common yet, I guess). It was unlined. It was okay, but not what I'd really wanted. I found a lovely linen shirt with a sweet, small rounded button-down collar. The last piece was the tie. For this, I searched everywhere. Of course, I shlepped my outfit around as if it were my wedding and my gown! The tie I ended up with wasn't right: Crinkly cotton, its hem cut diagonally. In theory it should've worked, but never really did. It still hangs in my closet. It's never been worn since that wedding. And there were shoes, which I don't know why I bought. Here I splurged, went to Louis...LOUIS! Back then, it was the Barney's of Boston (don't know if it still is). I got sandals, well, again, I'm unsure of what their name might be....beautiful men's dress shoes with cut outs. I thought them very waspy and fabulous, perfect for a summer wedding at a restaurant. They hurt my feet something awful and...I still can't believe I did this, I threw them out. What an asshole. I don't have a photo of myself at that wedding, though my aunt does. Strangely enough, it's a photo of me and Dad. I hated him, I can't believe we were standing close enough to even be in the same shot. Below is a shot of me at that time. You can see the "Annie Hall" influence...kind of.
My outfit, though not at all what I'd hoped it would be, was high couture when compared with this hideous short-lived marriage. My cousin, a very smart woman, married a man that had been her client. She was doing social work in a prison and he was an inmate. It was all very strange, most of us were quite confused about everything that was going down. They lived out-state so we rarely crossed paths, but at some point, we did. A mutual friend of my cousin's and mine had a party. Cousin & husband attended, along with the husband's friend, who had been in prison as well and was now the paramour of said mutual friend. Now I must tell you....cousin's husband was butt ugly. I mean, he looked a little like John Belushi, but John was an adonis in comparison. This is part of what made the whole shiddach so confusing. (My cousin was & is an attractive woman). Mutual friend's ex-con boyfriend? Magnificent. Like Clint Walker in his prime. Yes, I was intimidated. So, we're all at this party and then it's done. Days later, mutual friend tells me that my cousin asked her a question. Seems cousin's troll husband (oops, forgot to mention, he didn't have quite a full set of teeth) told my cousin that I had kissed him on the lips at that party. My cousin asked mutual friend if she thought I would do such a thing. When I heard this, my head exploded. That my cousin, who I'd always been close with, would even wonder whether or not I'd #1: kiss HER husband and more importantly #2:kiss a troll, sent me into orbit. It destroyed our relationship for many years and even though we communicate now, it bears no resemblance to the relationship we'd had. Fast forward a bit when mutual friend and I are talking about this whole sordid story & mutual friend tells me that Clint told her that cousin's husband had been very active sexually in prison, though a known fag basher on the outside. Clint also told mutual friend that he would've liked to have slept with me.
No, I did not.
You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
"Annie Hall"
I adored how Diane Keaton was dressed and absolutely positively did my damnedest to emulate her look. A mistake? Something I shouldn't have done? I'm sure there were days that I never should have left the house, but I've had a lifetime of those. There was an outfit that I shouldn't have done....an ensemble in preparation for my cousin's wedding that never really looked good, though not for lack of effort. Using that "Annie Hall" look as a springboard, I made it my goal to put together a monotone beige outfit. Think Richard Gere in "American Gigolo" (though this story took place pre- "AG"). Not a suit per se, but coat and slacks, all of linen (or linenesque), as well as shirt and tie. I began with pants that I'd found earlier and had never worn. Not linen, but very linen-like. They had huge back pockets that stuck out. (I know there's a word for what they were, but I don't know it). These pants were the first mistake. Plain and simple, they were goofy. I did learn a valuable lesson with this outfit; Don't scrimp when you shouldn't scrimp. What I'd wanted was a linen suit, but it was probably too expensive for me. The coat I found was from Falconnable and it had a label on the pocket by the lapel. (I recall a few people touching it and making a comment; Visible names on labels weren't common yet, I guess). It was unlined. It was okay, but not what I'd really wanted. I found a lovely linen shirt with a sweet, small rounded button-down collar. The last piece was the tie. For this, I searched everywhere. Of course, I shlepped my outfit around as if it were my wedding and my gown! The tie I ended up with wasn't right: Crinkly cotton, its hem cut diagonally. In theory it should've worked, but never really did. It still hangs in my closet. It's never been worn since that wedding. And there were shoes, which I don't know why I bought. Here I splurged, went to Louis...LOUIS! Back then, it was the Barney's of Boston (don't know if it still is). I got sandals, well, again, I'm unsure of what their name might be....beautiful men's dress shoes with cut outs. I thought them very waspy and fabulous, perfect for a summer wedding at a restaurant. They hurt my feet something awful and...I still can't believe I did this, I threw them out. What an asshole. I don't have a photo of myself at that wedding, though my aunt does. Strangely enough, it's a photo of me and Dad. I hated him, I can't believe we were standing close enough to even be in the same shot. Below is a shot of me at that time. You can see the "Annie Hall" influence...kind of.
My outfit, though not at all what I'd hoped it would be, was high couture when compared with this hideous short-lived marriage. My cousin, a very smart woman, married a man that had been her client. She was doing social work in a prison and he was an inmate. It was all very strange, most of us were quite confused about everything that was going down. They lived out-state so we rarely crossed paths, but at some point, we did. A mutual friend of my cousin's and mine had a party. Cousin & husband attended, along with the husband's friend, who had been in prison as well and was now the paramour of said mutual friend. Now I must tell you....cousin's husband was butt ugly. I mean, he looked a little like John Belushi, but John was an adonis in comparison. This is part of what made the whole shiddach so confusing. (My cousin was & is an attractive woman). Mutual friend's ex-con boyfriend? Magnificent. Like Clint Walker in his prime. Yes, I was intimidated. So, we're all at this party and then it's done. Days later, mutual friend tells me that my cousin asked her a question. Seems cousin's troll husband (oops, forgot to mention, he didn't have quite a full set of teeth) told my cousin that I had kissed him on the lips at that party. My cousin asked mutual friend if she thought I would do such a thing. When I heard this, my head exploded. That my cousin, who I'd always been close with, would even wonder whether or not I'd #1: kiss HER husband and more importantly #2:kiss a troll, sent me into orbit. It destroyed our relationship for many years and even though we communicate now, it bears no resemblance to the relationship we'd had. Fast forward a bit when mutual friend and I are talking about this whole sordid story & mutual friend tells me that Clint told her that cousin's husband had been very active sexually in prison, though a known fag basher on the outside. Clint also told mutual friend that he would've liked to have slept with me.
No, I did not.
You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HELEN
Imagine how Helen felt at the premiere of "Sex and the Single Girl" when she saw Natalie Wood playing herself. I figure from that moment on, both she and David saw Natalie whenever either of them gazed at the face of HGB. I imagine there are a few folks that wouldn't have put up a fuss at being portrayed by Natalie Wood [I'm raising my hand].
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Hands? Did someone say Hands?
[overheard at jewelry store]
Marisa: "Pardon me, but do you have any large rings? Size-wise, I'm thinking Buick Electra."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
1994 and 2000
Gloria Stewart and Rocky Cooper. Both married to Hollywood legends, both died on February 16, six years apart.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sally Eilers, for Muscato
taken from Richard Lamparski's, "Whatever Became of...?"
..."During the last years of her life serious illness and heavy drinking curtailed her socializing, yet her behavior remained outlandish and her language seemed to worsen. She lived with her two yorkies in a house in Beverly Hills until her death on January 5, 1978."
I imagine Butch had no trouble keeping up with Sally's mouth.
Happy Birthday Melissa
"IF IT FEELS GOOD (LET IT RIDE)"
How shall I say this? I was never a big MM fan. I loved the song, "Don't Cry Out Loud", but more for Peter Allen having written it than for her pop success with it. Other hits of hers more or less hit me and bounced off. Hey, what can I say? But once upon a time, I did like her. I imagine that back in the early 70s, I heard that one of Bette Midler's back-up singers was going solo and I made it a point to pick up the lp, which I did. I really dug "Home To Myself" and played the heck out if it. I felt (at the time) that it showed great promise, but for me, Melissa dropped the ball. I don't own this CD, so I've done a very amateurish job of getting it onto youtube via vinyl. Beware of snap, crackle & pop.
This "concept album", written by Manchester and Carole Bayer Sager is quite something. The barely disguised metaphors fly from track to track, revealing a wanton and moist Manchester. On "Something to Do with Loving You", she holds nothing back when she proclaims that she's, "rubbin' up against the table, 'cause being bad is so good". Similarly, on "If it Feels Good (Let it Ride)" MM proclaims, "If it makes you rise, than let it ride". Nevertheless, at least in 1973, it worked for me.
I see that I can download these from iTunes. Sorry. I also see that it was once available on CD and they are now selling for $50.00 and up.
How shall I say this? I was never a big MM fan. I loved the song, "Don't Cry Out Loud", but more for Peter Allen having written it than for her pop success with it. Other hits of hers more or less hit me and bounced off. Hey, what can I say? But once upon a time, I did like her. I imagine that back in the early 70s, I heard that one of Bette Midler's back-up singers was going solo and I made it a point to pick up the lp, which I did. I really dug "Home To Myself" and played the heck out if it. I felt (at the time) that it showed great promise, but for me, Melissa dropped the ball. I don't own this CD, so I've done a very amateurish job of getting it onto youtube via vinyl. Beware of snap, crackle & pop.
This "concept album", written by Manchester and Carole Bayer Sager is quite something. The barely disguised metaphors fly from track to track, revealing a wanton and moist Manchester. On "Something to Do with Loving You", she holds nothing back when she proclaims that she's, "rubbin' up against the table, 'cause being bad is so good". Similarly, on "If it Feels Good (Let it Ride)" MM proclaims, "If it makes you rise, than let it ride". Nevertheless, at least in 1973, it worked for me.
I see that I can download these from iTunes. Sorry. I also see that it was once available on CD and they are now selling for $50.00 and up.
"FUNNY THAT WAY"
"PICK UP THE GOOD STUFF"
On, "Funny That Way", Melissa chills a bit and reveals her idols...."no I don't have the soul of Joni and I can't see myself like Miss Laura". Nyro's influence is all over this album, with the exception of the lyrics. Where Laura's lyrics took you on a roller coaster through a world you'd never experienced before, Melissa basically let you know that she wanted to get fucked. And it goes without saying that Bette's influence was palpable as well. Quite understandable.
"PICK UP THE GOOD STUFF"
On, "Funny That Way", Melissa chills a bit and reveals her idols...."no I don't have the soul of Joni and I can't see myself like Miss Laura". Nyro's influence is all over this album, with the exception of the lyrics. Where Laura's lyrics took you on a roller coaster through a world you'd never experienced before, Melissa basically let you know that she wanted to get fucked. And it goes without saying that Bette's influence was palpable as well. Quite understandable.
94 years ago today...
..Mary Jane Croft arrived In Muncie, Indiana.
She must've been a great actress. I always loved when she was featured, but at the same time, I couldn't stand her. Lucie Arnaz was quoted as saying that she wasn't at all the ditsy blonde she portrayed. But gawd, that voice.
She must've been a great actress. I always loved when she was featured, but at the same time, I couldn't stand her. Lucie Arnaz was quoted as saying that she wasn't at all the ditsy blonde she portrayed. But gawd, that voice.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
February 1960 ........Love is in the Air
"I would've shot the fucker in the crotch!" And by fucker, Debbie could only mean Eddie. Sadly, she'd shlepped this pistol around in the hopes that she'd run into Fisher, never dreaming that the wrong Fisher would become its target.
.........................................................................................................................
"How the Nixons Live." Dick chewed and Pat dreamed of liquor, pills and cigarettes and the day she'd be free of the putz.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Okay MJ, here's a few of those names.....
I copied these out of the Toledo, Ohio phone book back in 1990. As you will see, the last names, in parenthesis, are almost alphabetical. Literally, almost every single name was kind of insane! My sides were killing me by the time I got to the end of the "B's", so I quit.
