“Forgotten Hollywood”- Paley Center Presents Hitchcock…

January 31st, 2014

Manny P. here…

promo-hitchcock-si   Good e-e-evening… The director’s welcome at the start of his groundbreaking television series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, a veritable electronic laboratory where the filmmaker could develop new ideas, themes, and talent. The Paley Center for Media presents twenty telefilms Hitch directed for the small screen between 1955 and 1962, along with rarely seen interviews, documentaries, and other treats.

   The extras include a pair of 1972 and 1973 documentaries, and televised chats with Tom Synder and Dick Cavett. Also added to this fine retrospective are episodic appearances by Hitchcock on 1950s television, such as on Alcoa Premiere.

   For those who know Hitch only through film, you are in for a treat: the ghoulish opening theme, Funeral March; the sardonic remarks from the master of suspense himself; and the diabolical twists the cherubic-looking director created for prime-time enjoyment, bringing murder back into the living room—where it belongs. For those revisiting this work, you will doubly enjoy the black humor on their big screen.

Paley logo-260x127   The event takes place over two weekends on March 29th and 30th, and April 5th  and 6th. These screenings are FREE and open to the public. The Paley Center is at 465 N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. For a complete listing of episodes, click on the link below:

http://www.paleycenter.org/2014-hitchcock-television-la

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Saving Mr. Sherman in Beverly Hills…

January 30th, 2014

Manny P. here…mark thomas richard sherman

   By invitation from my brother-in-law Mark Thomas, Laurie and I attended the Beverly Hills Centennial Concert and Sing-Along at the Saban Theatre, and anchored by the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic (He plays trumpet). Stars on stage included Betty White, Pat Boone, Monty Hall, Florence Henderson, June Lockhart, Richard Simmons, and Shadoe Stevens. MARK THOMAS/RICHARD SHERMAN ->

   Joining the Philharmonic was the Beverly High School Madrigal Singers and Marching Band, the Big Band of Barristers, and a variety of guest conductors. One of the individuals taking the baton was the legendary composer, Richard Sherman. Creators of iconic music for Walt Disney, the Sherman Brothers were dramatized in Saving Mr. Banks. The late Gary Lycan, the former Orange County Register columnist, detailed their life in the Introduction of Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History:

Robert and Richard Sherman, the lyricist and composer team who wrote more motion picture song scores than any other songwriting tandem in film history, including It’s a Small World; the Mary Poppins score that included Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and the Oscar-winning Chim Chim Cher-ee; the theme to Winnie the Pooh; and even Tall Paul for Annette Funicello. If you have been to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, you hear their music in The Enchanted Tiki Room. No wonder they got their own window on Main Street USA in 2010.

   At the post-show birthday party, I had a unique opportunity to chat with Mr. Sherman, and he graciously accepted a copy of Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. He is a noted reader of my work. What a thrill to meet an icon of motion picture history!

   Over the last century, Beverly Hills has been residence to A-List actors, including visitors at this evening’s festivities, and notable folks, such as Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Will Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, Jack Benny, Ronald Colman, Danny Thomas, Doris Day, Jack Lemmon, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, George Burns and Gracie Allen.

BH_Gold_1clr   1923-Annexationsupporters

   Congrats to 90210 for their upcoming year-long celebration of their wonderful legacy…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Eliot Ness in Conflict with Myth…

January 29th, 2014

Manny P. here…

Eliotness-Painting   Nearly six decades after his passing, Eliot Ness is still so admired, Illinois’ two US senators want to name a federal building after him in Washington, DC. And, there are no signs the senators are considering backing down from a resolution to put Ness’ name on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives headquarters.

   In lore, Eliot Ness is the prohibition enforcer who brought down Al Capone; the principled lawman and relentless investigator portrayed by actors Robert Stack and Kevin Costner, and the fellow who inspired the creation of the comic-strip detective Dick Tracy. His career has always been imbued with a mix of fact and fiction. He did go after Capone, but his role was less heroic than many Americans imagine.

   These facts are undisputed: After graduating from the University of Chicago, Ness was in his 20s when he took a job as a temporary prohibition agent in 1926. He quickly climbed through the ranks until, according to the ATF website, Eliot put together a squad in 1930 to go after Capone’s bootlegging operation. But, prosecutors chose to pursue the gangster on tax charges instead. A few years later, Ness’ law enforcement career took him to Cincinnati and Cleveland. In 1933, he left his job to become a public safety director. He was widely praised for cleaning up Cleveland corruption. Ness ran unsuccessfully for Cleveland mayor in 1947. He died a decade later, but not before co-writing a book about his exploits – The Untouchables.

466px-Robert_Stack_Eliot_Ness_1960   Bob Fuesel, a former Internal Revenue Service agent who knew Mike Malone (inspiration for Sean Connery’s character in the 1987 film), did research of the intelligence unit (later becoming the IRS’s criminal division) that conducted the investigation. A consultant on the movie, he told Costner that Ness had little to do with the tax-evasion case, and men who worked with Ness told stories about his real fear of guns. Costner dismissed the premise.               ROBERT STACK ->

   The problem is… much of what we think we know about Ness comes from literature, the television show starring Stack a half-century ago, and Costner’s portrayal of Ness in the motion picture. By the time the story got to Hollywood, the goal was to tell a good story and not give a history lesson.

elmer irey   There is suspicion the virtuous character the public knows may be singularly fabricated because Ness’s co-author, Oscar Fraley, applied most of the lawman’s qualities from Elmer Irey (left), a lesser known crimefighter who played a key role in sending the famed gangster to prison. Chicago Alderman Ed Burke, citing a recent Capone biography, concludes Ness had about as much to do with putting the gangster behind bars as Mrs. O’Leary’s cow had to do with starting the Great Chicago Fire. And he’s trying to convince the senators to drop the whole idea. Jonathan Eig, the author of Get Capone, a book Burke wants the senators to read, claims that while Ness did investigate bootlegging activities in Chicago, none of what he discovered helped put Al in the clink. And there is no evidence Capone and his supposed nemesis ever even met.

   Despite these allegations, Dick Durbin, fellow Illinois Senator Mark Kirk, and Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, believe that back in the era of Prohibition, each man had a price… except for Eliot Ness. His Untouchable credo is enough to make him the face for every law enforcement officer of the era who fought crime and corruption. The scribe of an upcoming Ness biography has also weighed in, saying while Elliott was not involved with the income tax case that sent Capone to prison, he was a key figure in the broader battle against Capone in Chicago, and his contribution to law enforcement has been misunderstood for too long.

   I plan to keep watching The Untouchables on the small screen each weeknight on ME-TV. I’m pretty sure Desi Arnaz, the producer of the iconic television program, and Bob Stack would find this discussion rather amusing. History has a way of singling out a face in the crowd to honor all who have traveled down a well-beaten path.

   And, so it goes for this Hollywood-and-Vine moment…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Rounding Up the Usual Suspects…

January 28th, 2014

Manny P. here…

   From the TCM website:

 TO CELEBRATE THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY, TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES IS PRESENTING TWENTY FREE NATIONWIDE SCREENINGS OF CASABLANCA

img_casaScreening

Cities Already Selected For Free Screenings On March 4th

DETROIT MIAMI • BOSTON • CHICAGO • SEATTLE • DENVER • ATLANTA  PHILADELPHIA • SAN FRANCISCO • WASHINGTON, DC 

   If you would like to cast a vote for an additional city to be part of the next ten locations, please click on the link below (of course, I voted for Los Angeles):

http://20voting.tcm.com/

img_20thIntro

   I’m shocked… shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Grace of Monaco to Visit Cannes!

January 25th, 2014

Manny P. here…

Image_en_3_522a100f4f13d   The big-budget biopic Grace of Monaco will hold its world premiere at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival in May, after its original release date was twice delayed. With stars Nicole Kidman and Tim Roth, the film assures Cannes of a glitzy opening night with a film fittingly set just down the coast of the French Riviera.

471px-Kelly,_Grace_(Rear_Window)   Landing in the prestigious opening slot of the festival is a dramatic change of fortune for a film that had been relegated to an after-thought release. Originally slated for November with presumed Oscar aspirations, Grace of Monaco was booted to March amid claims of an editing dispute. Festival organizers said the motion picture about Grace Kelly, directed by Frenchman Olivier Dahan, will open the May 14th-25th event this year.

   The movie portrays a period in the life of the actress, played by Nicole Kidman, who became Princess Grace of Monaco when she married Prince Rainier III (Tim Roth) in 1956, in what was dubbed the marriage of the century. An Oscar winner, she was already a huge star, having worked with the greatest directors (Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Fred Zinnemann) and actors (James Stewart, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, William Holden, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ray Milland, Alec Guinness, Cary Grant), and acclaimed the world over. Six years later, Kelly was invited back to Hollywood by Hitchcock to star in Marnie. She refused, and Tippi Hedren got the part.                       GRACE KELLY

   Dahan previously directed La Vie en Rose which garnered Marion Cotillard the Oscar for Best Actress in 2008. New Zealand director Jane Campion, the only woman to win the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, will lead the jury this year. Last year, Steven Spielberg led the jury, and The Great Gatsby opened the festival.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- MGM’s 90th Anniversary in 2014 !

January 24th, 2014

Manny P. here…mgm90th

   Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) announced a yearlong global campaign to honor the studio’s storied 90-year legacy. Founded in 1924 when theater magnate Marcus Loew bought and merged Metro Pictures with Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions, MGM and its legendary roaring lion logo signify the golden era of Hollywood to film lovers around the world. Since its inception, the company has led the industry in cultivating some of Hollywood’s greatest stars, and is home to over 175 Academy Award-winning films, including 14 Best Pictures.

MGM_Ident_1928   The celebration of 90 extraordinary years kicked off, as the MGM icon, Leo the Lion, was immortalized with a paw print ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theater, cementing his place in Hollywood lore. MGM is debuting a special 90th anniversary trailer which will play in theaters. The trailer includes a tapestry of iconic images and scenes from films in the MGM library.

   Several of MGM’s signature films, including Rocky, Rain Man, Fargo, RoboCop, and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, have been meticulously restored in 4K resolution (four times the clarity of HD), and will be presented on Blu-ray for a high-definition home viewing experience. These re-releases are issued through MGM’s home entertainment partner, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, and are now available for pre-order on Amazon. They complement its already vast collection of films currently available on Blu-ray, and titles across all genres throughout the year. Titles scheduled for release include A Chorus Line, In the Heat of the Night, and The Birdcage.

   MGM has created a collector’s book and bonus video disc companion, commemorating 90 amazing years, featuring interviews from award-winning filmmakers, directors, and movie stars discussing the significance of their contributions to MGM’s legacy. The book and video highlight the evolution and history of the legendary studio, provide an extensive look into the its golden years, and more. Interviews include Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis on Thelma and Louise, Walter Mirisch on The Pink Panther, Sylvester Stallone on Rocky, and Clint Eastwood on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

   Per usual, the iconic studio promises more stars than there are in the heavens…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- TCM Fest to Spotlight Jerry Lewis…

January 23rd, 2014

Manny P. here…

   The 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival will honor legendary actor, filmmaker, and humanitarian Jerry Lewis with a celebration of his remarkable career. Highlighting the tribute, Lewis will have his hand and footprints enshrined in concrete in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX. In addition, he will enjoy a screening of one of his most memorable films: The Nutty Professor. A Q&A will precede and follow the screening.

view schedule

  Jerry Lewis’ celebration takes place Saturday, April 12th. For the fourth consecutive year, TCM will sponsor a hand-and-footprint ceremony at the legendary theater. In 2011, Peter O’Toole was the honoree, followed by Kim Novak in 2012, and Jane Fonda in 2013.

   One of the most successful performers in show business history – with worldwide box office receipts in excess of $800 million (when tickets were sold for 25-50 cents) – Jerry has received global acclaim for his groundbreaking comedy. He has carried the torch lit by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, which earned him the moniker The King of Comedy.

JL-Logo-med   Jerry Lewis has received numerous awards for his charitable endeavors, including an honorary Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences; American Medical Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, only the fifth individual in AMA history to receive the honor; and US Defense Department’s highest civilian award, Medal for Distinguished Public Service. He’s been honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (for his work in film and television); a Governor’s Award at the Emmys; and a Career Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Hugely popular in France, Jerry was awarded two most distinguished honors, making him a Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters, and inducting him into the Legion of Honor by Decree of President Francois Mitterrand.

   For more than 60 years, he has been the driving force behind the fight against muscular dystrophy. As national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, He’s raised more than $2 billion for patient care and research, and made the term Jerry’s Kids a part of the modern American lexicon. His creation, the MDA Labor Day Telethon, is the most successful fundraising program in the history of television. Some of his most-celebrated films include The Errand Boy, The PatsyCinderfella, The Disorderly Orderly, Who’s Minding the Store, The BellboyThe Geisha Boy, Rock-A-Bye Baby, and 16 Martin & Lewis comedies between 1949 and 1956.

   Added screenings and events for the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival will be announced over the coming months.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Five Books Adapted To Oscar Gold

January 22nd, 2014

Manny P. here…

   On the Barnes & Noble Book Blog, a fascinating story has been written on the lineage of literature that became Oscar darlings. Wonderful novels winning Best Picture statuettes over the years include Gone with the Wind, Rebecca, The Godfather, All the President’s Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; and such faire as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Graduate, Mary Poppins, and Love Story.

academy-logo_20110408160526-300x61   bn_logo

   I’d like to submit five additional motion pictures. These studio-era movies were highly prized works from notable authors. Their journey from print to celluloid led to the top accolade at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences yearly gala.

CimarronNovelCIMARRON (1931) – A novel by Edna Ferber published in 1929, and based on development in Oklahoma after the Land Rush (part of President James K. Polk’s call for a manifest destiny by all Americans). The book was adapted into critically acclaimed cinema in 1931 through RKO Pictures. Irene Dunne and Richard Dix starred in the sprawling epic. This was the first Western to win a Best Picture Oscar. An inferior remake was produced in 1960. Ferber won a Pulitzer Prize in 1924 for So Big.

AllTheKingsMen~ ALL THE KING’S MEN (1949) – A Pulitzer Prize-winning work by Robert Penn Warren first published in 1946. It was twice adapted for film; the former won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Broderick Crawford also won an Oscar as a fictionalized composite of politician Huey Long. It’s ranked as the 36th greatest novel of the twentieth century by Modern Library. Warren is the only person to have won the Pulitzer Prize for both Fiction and Poetry. In 2005, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp to mark the 100th anniversary of Warren’s birth.

JamesJones_FromHereToEternity1~ FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) – The James Jones debut published in 1951. It’s based on Jones’ experiences in the pre-World War II Hawaiian Division’s 27th Infantry. The award-winning movie featured Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, and Frank Sinatra. It won the National Book Award, and was named one of the 100 Best Novels of the 20th century by Modern Library. It was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s poem Gentleman Rankers. Jones’ second published novel Some Came Running was immediately adapted as a film starring Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Shirley MacLaine.

Verne_Tour_du_Monde ~ AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (1956) – Producer Mike Todd took French author Jules Verne’s adventure and turned it into an epic feature that starred David Niven, Cantiflas, Shirley MacLaine, Robert Newton, and over 40 cameos. An Academy Award for Best Picture was accepted by the larger-than-life personality, Mike Todd. Published in 1873, the book was written during the Franco-Prussian War. Verne is the second most-translated author, between Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare. He’s one of the authors sometimes called The Father of Science Fiction. Married to Elizabeth Taylor, Todd tragically died in a plane crash in 1958.

319px-TomJonesTitleTOM JONES (1963) – The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling was a comic piece by the English playwright and novelist Henry Fielding. First published on February 28th, 1749, Tom Jones is among the earliest English prose works mentioned by W. Somerset Maugham in his 1948 book Great Novelists and Their Novels among the ten best novels of the world. The award-winning film featured Albert Finney in the title role.

   As noted in the B&N blog story, this year’s Best Picture nominees based in literature include The Wolf of Wall Street, Philomena, Captain Phillips (A Captain’s Duty), and 12 Years a Slave. To read this insightful piece, please click on the link below:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/16-book-adaptations-that-oscar-loved/

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- A Raging Lawsuit…

January 21st, 2014

Manny P. here… Jake_LaMotta_signed_photo_postcard_1952

   The Supreme Court was considering Tuesday whether the daughter of the man whose work was the basis of the Oscar winning Raging Bull should go another round with a major movie studio over copyright infringement for ownership of boxer Jake LaMotta’s life story.

   The Raging Bull case involves an appeal from Paula Petrella, the daughter of Frank Petrella, whose written work inspired the film. Frank Petrella collaborated with his friend LaMotta on a book and two screenplays, which were used to make the movie directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert DeNiro. The 1980 film won two Academy Awards, including a Best Actor statuette for DeNiro.

   The elder Petrella died in 1981, with copyrights reverting to his daughter. She sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. for copyright infringement for creating and distributing copies of the movie, but the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals said she may have waited too long before filing her lawsuit.       JAKE LaMOTTA —–>

   Now, she wants justices to resurrect her lawsuit. The studio’s lawyer suggested Petrella delayed on purpose in hopes of getting more money, saying she stalled until after the 25th anniversary of the movie in 2005 to press her claim. Petrella’s lawyer, Stephanos Bibas, said MGM had been warned about the copyright problems. Justice Antonin Scalia has questioned why MGM should be punished, considering Petrella waited so long.

   Also in production is a sequel to Raging Bull. MGM had filed suit to halt the project, saying LaMotta doesn’t have the right to make a sequel. The lawsuit was settled on July 31st, 2012 when LaMotta agreed to change the title of the film to The Bronx Bull.

   The bell has sounded… The full court will make a decision later this year.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- The Jungle Book Coming to Blu Ray…

January 20th, 2014

Manny P. here… junglebookbluray

   The Walt Disney Studios is adding The Jungle Book to its prestigious Diamond Edition Collection. Released from the Disney vault for the first time in almost seven years, the 1967 motion picture will be available on Blu-ray in the US on February 11th. The collection, complete with memorable tunes, beloved characters, and bonus behind-the-scenes features, is now available for pre-order from Amazon.

   Based on a Rudyard Kipling novel, this song-filled celebration of friendship and adventure was Disney’s 19th animated masterpiece, and this was the final animated feature with Walt Disney’s personal touch. Viewers can experience its lush and colorful world, and jazzy, toe-tapping songs (including I Wan’na Be Like You and the Oscar-nominated classic The Bare Necessities) with the ultimate in high definition and sound clarity.

   The Jungle Book follows Mowgli on a journey with unforgettable characters, including Bagheera, the wise panther, the jazzy King Louie, the hypnotic snake Kaa, and the lovable, happy-go-lucky bear Baloo. Phil Harris, Louie Prima, J. Pat O’Malley, George Sanders, Sterling Holloway, Clint Howard, and Sebastian Cabot were among the talented voices used.

  BLU-RAY BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE:

  • Alternate Ending – Mowgli and The Hunter
  • Disney Intermission – Bear-E-Oke hosted by Baloo
  • Music, Memories & Mowgli: A Conversation with Richard M. Sherman, Diane Disney Miller and Floyd Norman

   The United Kingdom released the Diamond Edition of The Jungle Book on August 5th, 2013.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- SAG Awards to Honor Rita Moreno…

January 17th, 2014

Manny P. here…

sag_logo_color_highres_20    Rita Moreno will be the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild on Saturday. She’s had a versatile career as a singer, dancer, and actress, and one of a few performers to have garnered all four major entertainment awards, which include an Oscar, Tony, Emmy, and Grammy; and only the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award.

   She had her first Broadway job — as Angelina in Skydrift — by the time she was 13, which caught the attention of Hollywood talent scouts, and it landed her an MGM contract. She had walk-ons in The Toast of New Orleans, Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation, and Singin’ in the Rain. In 1954, she was featured on the cover of Life Magazine with the caption, Rita Moreno: An Actresses’ Catalog of Sex and Innocence. The star earned a small role in the movie version of The King and I.

rita_moreno_medium   In 1961, Moreno accepted the part of Anita in Robert Wise’s and Jerome Robbins’ film adaptation of Leonard Bernstein’s and Stephen Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical, West Side Story, which had been played by Chita Rivera on Broadway. Moreno won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. After winning the Oscar, she thought she would be able to perform less stereotypical film types, but was disappointed by the studio system. Rita was cast in Carnal Knowledge in 1968.   RITA MORENO —->

   She made appearances on television, including The Jack Benny Program, The Love Boat, The Rockford Files, The Cosby Show, George Lopez, The Golden Girls, and Miami Vice. Her Broadway credits include The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Gantry, The Ritz (Rita won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress), and the female version of The Odd Couple. She received the Sarah Siddons Award for her work in Chicago.

   In 1993, Moreno was invited to perform at Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration, and later that month, she was asked to perform at the White House. She continues to be active on the stage and screen.

   Congrats to the vivacious Rita Moreno on her latest accolade!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Gilligan’s Island Alumnus has Died…

January 16th, 2014

Manny P. here…220px-Russell_Johnson_Black_Saddle_1960

   Russell Johnson was a television and cinematic actor best known as Professor Hinkley on the CBS sitcom Gilligan’s IslandBefore accepting the assignment, he made producer Sherwood Schwartz promise that when he made scientific statements, they would be accurate. His career spanned over four decades.

   Johnson enrolled at the Actors Lab in Hollywood under the GI Bill. Fellow actor Paul Henreid saw him in a play there, and offered him a chance to play a villain in For Men Only. He became close friends to Audie Murphy, and later appeared in three of his movies; Column South and Tumbleweed in 1953, and Ride Clear of Diablo in 1954. His early roles were in Westerns and science fiction, such as It Came from Outer Space, This Island Earth, Attack of the Crab Monsters, and The Space Children. He also starred in Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki. After Gilligan’s Island, he wasin Three Days of the Condor and MacArthur.      RUSSELL JOHNSON

   Russell had a prolific small screen career with notable recurring and guest-starring roles in The Black Saddle, The Twilight Zone, The Outer LimitsDeath Valley Days, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Ben Casey, 77 Sunset Strip, Lassie, The Invaders, Ironside, The F.B.I., Newhart, Dallas, and on the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara.

   His death leaves Tina Louise and Dawn Wells as the last two surviving original cast members of Gilligan’s Island. The erudite Russell Johnson was 89.

———————————————————————-Dave_Madden_1970s

   Dave Madden was a staple of 1960’s and 1970s television. He’s best remembered as a cast member of Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, and as the fictional manager of The Partridge FamilyReuben Kincaid. Madden also made guest appearances on Bewitched,  The Love BoatHappy Days, Fantasy Islandand had a recurring role on Alice.

Antenna_TV_2011   Antenna TV will pay special tribute to the funnyman by airing 14 episodes of The Partridge Family on Saturday, beginning at 1p (ET). Dave Madden (right) was 82.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Notable Reader David McCullough…

January 14th, 2014

Manny P. here…David McCullough 1-13-14 004

   The evening sponsored by the University of Phoenix was everything my wife Laurie and I hoped it would be. It began with a private reception that included finger food and beverages; and a opportunity to network with folks who were thrilled about the prospect of a personal introduction to author and historian David McCullough. After an intimate presentation, I even got the chance to ask a question to our esteemed host.

   The photographs below illustrate how congenial Mr. McCullough is. He was engaging, and insisted on spending 15 minutes autographing copies of his award winning novels brought by the enthralled guests. An unabashed avid reader, he was deeply honored to receive copies of my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. His lovely wife secured the books on their behalf.

David McCullough 1-13-14 007   David McCullough 1-13-14 012

masthead   The group then proceeded to the Fred Kavli Theater in the heart of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza to enjoy David McCullough’s official lecture. At its conclusion, and by all accounts, he received the longest ovation in the history of the Distinguished Speaker’s Series, a true measure of his ability to educate and entertain a large audience.

   All told, it was a special way to start the year…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Encounter with David McCullough…

January 13th, 2014

Manny P. here…

   My wife has secured an afternoon and evening with author and historian David McCullough. An on-line student with the University of Phoenix, Laurie has printed up two invites for us to spend treasured time with a great influence on my efforts regarding the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. This is on the heels of my chance meeting with Doris Kearns Goodwin while at the Miami Book Fair International last November.

UOPX_logo_horizontal_whiteonblack

   The University of Phoenix Southern California Campus is hosting a private reception for local alumni, faculty, community and business leaders, including Q&A with the award-winning scribe in the Founders Room at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Then we’ll enjoy a Distinguished Speaker Series address in the Fred Kavli Theater.

performance_calendar

David_McCullough   David McCullough is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize; the National Book Award; and he’s been honored with the country’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He’s acclaimed as a master of the art of narrative history and one of our most gifted living writers. His most recent book, New York Times bestseller, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, is described as a lively and entertaining panorama and an epic of ideas… history to be savored1776 is a classic, while John Adams remains one of the most praised and widely-read American biographies ever written.

   In the Preface of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, I wrote:

David McCullough, Ken Burns, and Robert Osborne are devoted to the American Experience. They are true inspirations to us all. I dedicate my efforts to them.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Loretta Young’s 100th Birthday Gala…

January 9th, 2014

Manny P. here…

   Experience the life of a Hollywood icon as the historic Alex Theatre hosts Loretta Young’s 100th Birthday Gala. The event will be held on January 30th, Thursday at 8p.

 loretta young

   A paragon of grace and beauty, the Oscar and Emmy-winning actress stole Clark Gable’s heart, and advanced women’s status in entertainment by becoming the longest-running female host of a prime-time television show with The Loretta Young Show. A leading lady of such films as The Bishop’s Wife, The Farmer’s Daughter, and The Stranger, Young shared the screen with such greats as Cary Grant, David Niven, Orson Welles, and Joseph Cotton.

   Young’s son and daughter will be on hand, along with celebrity friends, to take the audience on a journey through the star’s life. Movie clips, conversations, testimonials, dramatizations, and an exclusive exhibit of Young’s famous dresses and cherished possessions will bring this Hollywood legend to life.

   The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd., between and California in Glendale. It opened as a Vaudeville and silent movie theatre, and later, had a long career as a first-run movie and major preview house. The theatre reopened in 1993 as a performing arts and entertainment venue.

Until next time>                               “never forget”