“Forgotten Hollywood”- Across The Pond…

October 31st, 2009

Manny P. here…

   I have received a wonderful message from Basil Nelson, who lives in the British Isles, about Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. On a previous blog (dated 9/22) I showcased his visual work.  He read my book and his comments were sent to me through YouTube (as opposed to The Tube, their subway system).  Here’s what he writes:

Hi Manny!

   I completed reading your book whilst on vacation in Cyprus, not your hometown, the island in the Mediterrranean.

   I found the book a thoughtful and in-depth look at the lesser known faces of Hollywood today. Many of the names were well-known to me (as an avid movie-goer in the Fifties) although one or two names did slip below my ‘radar’.

   You did also mention the Barrymores and I would add that Lionel, John and Ethel are all target projects for my ‘Movie Legends’ series. Your book has encouraged me to pictorally research some of the other characters who all deserve some recognition for their contribution to Hollywood history. Subject to availablity of images, I will endeavor to pay tribute to as many of the names, highlighted in your book, as possible.

   Your book, although written for American readership, will translate well to UK readers as Hollywood’s influence in British cinemas was dominant. The history of Hollywood and the British cinema was closely interwined with a crossover of Stars and Directors on both sides of the Atlantic, all of which is well documented.

   Finally, I must congratulate you on a fine piece of work. I trust it won’t be your last foray into forgotten Hollywood and I must thank you for your generosity. Your book will take pride of place in my bookcase of Hollywood reference material.

Kindest Regards,

Basil

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- A Brand New Location!

October 30th, 2009

Manny P. here…

bn_logo

   I’m proud to announce that Barnes and Noble.com has added Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History!  For those who have an account at this valued website now can purchase my book.

   Barnes and Noble joins Borders and Amazon as established book store sites that will carry my book. The momentum continues, and I’m feeling great over this new addition to our selling family.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – World Series Connection…

October 29th, 2009

Manny P. here…

   The New York Yankees are back in the World Series. They defeated my team (the Angels) to get to the “Fall Classic.”

   This reminded me that in 2008 I wrote a review for Karaoke Scene Magazine about that great show-stopping musical Damn Yankees. The reason I did so was to promote a new karaoke disc that featured the unforgettable score and lyrics from the show.Pocket Songs

   I visited the karaoke disc company site, Pocket Songs (based in New York), and found that they printed my review on their website. I decided to reprint what I wrote to share with my bloggers.

   The connection to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History might not be so obvious. Let me explain… This might be the embryo that led to the eventual motivation for me to compile a book about our collective past. I truly enjoyed writing the review. Here is an excerpt from the Pocket Songs web page…

  The 1950’s were an exciting time for Broadway Musicals. Many of its best shows were produced, beginning with Oklahoma. Among them: South Pacific, The Music Man, My Fair Lady, Guys & Dolls and West Side Story. Another memorable show seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle… Damn Yankees.

Damn Yankees

Damn Yankees was a terrific musical that started the career of choreographer Bob Fosse (Sweet Charity, Cabaret, Chicago) and showcased the talented Gwen Verdon in the lead. A movie was also made that featured Ray Walston and Tab Hunter. Among the tunes that entered the lexicon of “show standards” include (You Gotta Have) Heart and Whatever Lola Wants. Of course, Damn Yankees has a memorable array of popular songs.

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   The play tells the tale of a married middle-aged man making a pact with the devil to help beat the team that was so successful in Major League Baseball for decades. It’s a light-hearted raucous romp that pokes fun at marriage, religion, the battle of the sexes and of course, ‘America’s past time!’ All in all, Damn Yankees is the forgotten classic of the 1950’s.”

   Our good friend Gary Lycan from the Orange County Register adds:

   “Damn Yankees (an excellent movie), was released in 1958, and directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen, with most of the original Broadway cast.  For movie trivia fans: The actors had to sing along with a metronome, for the musicians that would normally have accompanied them were on strike at the time.

   It was released on DVD in 2004 and is available at Amazon.Com.  Pick it up when you buy a copy of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.”

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – The Miracle Worker on Broadway…

October 28th, 2009

Manny P here…

   The Miracle Worker is returning to Broadway in March. Abigail Breslin, the wonderful child star of Little Miss Sunshine, is set to portray the young Helen Keller. Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History makes the Hollywood connection between this amazing story and the next chapter in its journey to reach a new generation of folks.

ANNE SULLIVAN   HELEN KELLER

   The play was written by William Gibson, and like many works of the 1950’s, was originally on television on a Playhouse 90 segment in 1957. Teresa Wright appeared as Anne Sullivan and Patty McCormick was Keller. It opened on Broadway in 1959 with the stars of the film in their familiar award-winning roles, Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke. The initial stage show ran for almost two years.

   Wright was an Academy Award-winning actress for Mrs. Miniver, and co-starred in The Pride of the Yankees, The Best Years of our Lives, and Shadow of a Doubt. McCormack was an Oscar-nominated child star for The Bad Seed.

   Breslin was nominated for an Oscar for Sunshine.  This smells like a Tony Award winning production…

Until next time                                 “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – A Milestone…

October 27th, 2009

Manny P. here…

   It happened at the Chester Washington Golf Course book signing. I sold my 200th copy of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History!  Thank you to Karaoke Host Collins Johnson “CJ” for the purchase. Also, thanks to my sister and her husband, Virginia and Roland, for being on hand to witness this special moment.

   Now, it’s on to Mr. B’s in Los Alamitos for my next book signing tonight beginning at 7pm. Expected friends to visit will be the OC Register’s Gary Lycan; the former mayor of Cypress Tim Keenan; the publisher of Karaoke Scene Magazine Peter Parker; the governor of the Buena Park Moose Lodge Matthew Bryden; Mr. B’s owners, Perry and Rosie Apostle; karaoke host Candice Worl; and of course, my wife Laurie…Manny & Laurie

   On sale – vintage movie DVD’s (which feature many of the actors in my book), framed movie posters, and of course, autographed copies of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History  Stop on by!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- MSNBC / USA TODAY Runs Story

October 24th, 2009

Manny P. here…

   What a rush to see MSNBC, USA TODAY,  and SIRIUS XM RADIO pick up Gary Lycan’s Thursday article on Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History!! So here are the bonus links if you would like to read the story:

msnbc_logo   usat_logo2

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33451759/ns/local_news-orange_county_ca/#storyContinued

http://finance.aol.com/headlines/sirius-xm-radio-inc/siri/nas?tab=4

   Thanks Gary for the great press!!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – Gone with the Wind Remembered…

October 23rd, 2009

Manny P. here –

   Moonlight and Magnolias is a new play in Laguna Beach, California that looks at what went into the creation of the screenplay used in Gone With The Wind. Turning the Margaret Mitchell novel into a movie took a mammoth effort that provided enough drama in real life that carried over into the actual production. For example, Clark Gable was so dissatisfied over the way he was being handled, that he had the director George Cukor fired.

   The David O. Selznick classic is on display in Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History (Chapter Six), as I showcase the golden year of 1939. The subject of the chapter, Thomas Mitchell, co-starred in the film playing the O’Hara patriarch.Ann_Rutherford_in_Love_Finds_Andy_Hardy_trailer

   Thanks to Gary Lycan (once again) for letting me know that a special guest was in the audience at Thursday afternoon’s show in South County: Ann Rutherford, who played one of O’Hara’s daughters in the motion picture. Along with Olivia De Havilland, she’s a surviving member of the 1939 cast. the Orange County  Register reports that she took questions after the show, displaying a fair amount of energy for her 89 years.

   By the way, the photo I used is from her film Love Finds Andy Hardy. Rutherford could easily have been mentioned in Chapter 12 of my book (Ladies In Waiting), since she had a wonderful career at MGM. She was a staple in the Andy Hardy series, and appeared in the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol, Pride and Prejudice, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

    Glad to here Ann Rutherford made her way back into the spotlight.  She definitely deserves this moment in the sun…

~ ~ ~

   A quick reminder… If you are in the Seattle area this weekend, make sure you stop by the city’s Book Fair at The Columbia City Event CenterThe Book Publishers Network will have a booth with some great titles on display. Of course, this also might be a perfect opportunity to pick up your copy of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – OC Register Promote Book Signing!

October 22nd, 2009

ocrlogo250Manny P. here…

   The Orange County Register’s Gary Lycan has written an impressive column that mentions the book signing at Mr. B’s in Los Alamitos coming up on Tuesday at 7pm. See what Gary says as he promotes “Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History” by following the link I provide:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/radio-pacheco-book-2619608-write-one

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – LARadio.com Acknowledgement

October 22nd, 2009

Manny P. here…

   Thanks to Don Barrett at LARadio.com for his recent mention.  Here is the excerpt:

    Top 40 jock Manny Pacheco got some good news about his popular book, Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. His book has been accepted at the Margaret Herrick Library at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills. “I was informed that my book has been deemed culturally significant in the preservation of Hollywood history,” says Manny. “This is a huge honor and I am thrilled over this inclusion, which by the way is the first library in the country to carry my book!”

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- AN AWARD WINNER!

October 19th, 2009

Manny P. here…

   The results are in. I can now call Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten Hollywood an award winning book!

   My work was entered in USA Book News National “Best Books 2009” contest. Below is an excerpt of the news release…

445_Best_Books_2009_LOGO_LARGE_REG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2009

USA BOOK NEWS ANNOUNCES
WINNERS AND FINALISTS OF
THE NATIONAL “BEST BOOKS 2009” AWARDS

Independent Titles Score Top Honors in the
6th Annual National “Best Books” Awards

   LOS ANGELES – USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE NATIONAL “BEST BOOKS” 2009 AWARDS (NBBA) on October 20, 2009. Over 500 winners and finalists were announced in over 140 categories covering print and audio books. Awards were presented for titles published in 2009 and late 2008.
   Jeff Keen, President and CEO of USABookNews.com, said this year’s contest yielded an unprecedented number of entries, which were then narrowed down to over 500 winners and finalists.

   Keen says of the awards, now in their seventh year, “The 2009 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the United States. With a full publicity and marketing campaign promoting the results of NBBA, this year’s winners and finalists will gain additional media coverage for the upcoming holiday retail season.”

History: Media/Entertainment 200_blue_ribbonff

Winner:
Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History by Manny Pacheco
Book Publishers Network

Finalist:
Heroes, Villains, Dames & Disasters: 150 Years of Front-Page Stories from the Rocky Mountain News by Michael Madigan
MadIdeas, LLC

Finalist:
Knoxville’s WIVK by Ed Hooper
Arcadia Publishers

Finalist:
Roots of the 1969 Woodstock Festival: The Backstory to “Woodstock” by Weston Blelock and Julia Blelock
WoodstockArts

   Winners and finalists traversed the publishing landscape: Simon & Schuster, Penguin, W.W. Norton, Revell, McGraw-Hill, John Wiley & Sons, Thomas Nelson, American Cancer Society, Greenleaf Book Group, Sourcebooks & hundreds of independent houses contributed to this year’s outstanding NBBA competition. Keen adds, “NBBA’s success begins with the enthusiastic participation of authors and publishers and continues with our distinguished panel of industry judges who bring to the table their extensive editorial, PR, marketing, and design expertise.”

   USABookNews.com is an online publication providing coverage for books from mainstream and independent publishers to the world online community. USABN Magazine Online is the monthly electronic magazine e-mailed free to a large cross-section of the book buying public. JPX Media, in Los Angeles, California, is the parent company of USABookNews.com.

   A complete list of the winners and finalists of the USABookNews.com National “Best Books” 2009 Awards are available online at http://www.USABookNews.com.

Until next time>                              “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – Historic Moment…

October 17th, 2009

Manny P. here…

THIS IS A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT! 

 ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS & SCIENCES

    Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has been accepted at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences!  This prestigious organization purchased the book, and it now can be read at The Margaret Herrick Library, which is located in Beverly Hills.

   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History was reviewed by their librarians for acceptance. Since submissions don’t automatically get included, this is huge.

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   According to their charter: The Academy is dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures.

31st_Acad_Awards

   In late 1926, the head of MGM Studios, Louis B. Mayer created this professional honorary organization as a means to improve the industry’s image. Douglas Fairbanks Sr. was elected as its first president. Fairbanks’ decided in one of his initial acts to have an annual award ceremony for the movie industry to acknowledge merit for distinctive achievement. In 1927, the Academy Awards were born. Wings was the recipient of the first Best Picture award. The awards would later be nicknamed Oscar in the mid-thirties by none other than Margaret Herrick.

   I am extremely proud of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History’s addition to The Margaret Herrick Library within The Academy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood” – A Surprise Review…

October 16th, 2009

Manny P. here…

   Bruce Leonard of Malibu, California sent me a note about a special e-newsletter review of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. Let me share it with you:

Good Reads
 

   Experiencing history through movies has always been a favorite pastime for folks of a “certain age,” and now through a carefully researched and crafted book, “Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History“, avid moviegoers can enjoy, remember and relive many of their memorable events and performances. Author Manny Pacheco offers a colorful review of the stars of yesterday, those performers whose faces are familiar but whose names often escape us. Through these character actors and their roles in special Hollywood films, Pacheco presents a patchwork of the performers’ lives, the eras in which they lived,  the movies in which they acted, and how they all intertwined.
   Each of the 13 chapters highlights one character actor such as Claude Rains, Arthur Kennedy, Ward Bond and Walter Brennan. Chapter 10 features Van Heflin, who made numerous films in the 1940s, and also served as a commissioned naval officer — during which time he narrated several military documentaries. Other actors featured in the black-and-white, 126-page softcover book include Thomas Mitchell, John Carradine, Donald Crisp and Basil Rathbone.
   The author is a graduate of UCLA and has had a long career in both radio and television. “Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History“, published by Book Publishers Network of Bothell, Washington, is available in most bookstores for $18.95.   One dollar from the sale of each book will be donated to Chicago’s Mooseheart Child City & School, a residential childcare facility dedicated to children in need.  
For more information, go to www.bookpublishersnetwork.com.
 Until next time>                                  “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Halloween’s Connection…

October 14th, 2009

Manny P. here…

   Halloween is a great holiday to enjoy some of the actors I feature in Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. Gary Lycan of The Orange County Register reminded me in a chat we had the other day that my book signing at Mr. B’s is close to the holiday date (Tuesday, October 27th), and it got me thinking about some of the movies made by the stars in my book. So, I decided to provide a guide of films to watch on October 31st!Boris_Karloff_as_The_Monster_in_Bride_of_Frankenstein_film_trailer

Walter Brennan – Bride of Frankenstein (yes, he has a bit part in this movie)

John CarradineBride of Frankenstein, The Black Cat, House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula, The Mummy’s Ghost, The Invisible Man’s Revenge, The Howling (among others).

Eddie “Rochester” AndersonTopper Returns

Donald CrispDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Basil Rathbone Son of Frankenstein, The Black CatTower of London, The Mad Doctor, Tales of Terror, Comedy of Terror

   I think the best three films to watch on a Halloween evening is Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, Mighty Joe Young (with Terry Moore and Ben Johnson), and Them! (with James Whitmore, James Arness and Edmund Gwenn

   Back in the early seventies, a teen neighbor of ours took my sister and me to a “Fright Fest” at Universal Studios for an evening of scary movies. The lineup was Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Manand Dr. Cyclops. Everyone at the outdoor venue had a ball.

   A good horror film is really a “black comedy“, and the performances in many of these (mostly Universal) motion pictures are hilarious and over the top. With today’s emphasis on blood and gore in cinema, I recommend these pictures as an attractive alternative for the whole family to watch and enjoy.  Here is another reason to love black and white movies.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- History Channel’s JFK Program…

October 12th, 2009

Manny P. here…

November 22nd, 1963 - Dallas, Texas

November 22nd, 1963 – Dallas, Texas

   JFK:  3 Shots That Changed America is a minute by minute capsule of what happened from Novemeber 22nd -24th, 1963 in Dallas. The History Channel’s documentary is spellbinding in its use of footage. For those of us old enough will actually remember the accounts.

   One still photo in the program confirms the arrest location of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. I address his capture in Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. This well-traveled moment in time is mentioned in my paperback because of Van Heflin’s cinematic connection with Oswald’s discovery.

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   I’m sad to say… the footage never gets old…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Now Available Online!

October 10th, 2009

Manny P. here…

   I’m happy to say that you can purchase Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History in a variety of ways online. All links are friendly from this site. Most of these links can be found at the Book Purchase Locations section from the Navigation Bar (to your left).

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  As always, you can buy a copy of the paperback from the top of the navigation bar through a paypal location I have set up on this web site.

   You can NOW purchase the book on amazon.com and borders.com if you have an online account with these stores. I have provided a direct link for each store at the Book Purchases Locations section of this site. If you go to the sites directly, type in Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, and voila! 

   And, if you live in Southern California, you can also go to this specific link:

http://losangeles.kijiji.com:80/c-ViewAd?AdId=160180536&Guid=12428c63-2af0-a20b-26a2-4142ffffe3af

   You will not be able to buy the book online with this specific link, but you will be able to contact me on how to purchase Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History directly through my email address.

   I urge you to purchase the book online if you aren’t in the Southern California area, and you are unable to attend my book signings scheduled over the next month. The book signing locations are also listed on a page from the navigation bar if you would like to meet and have me autograph your personal copy of the book.

Until next time>                               “never forget”