“Forgotten Hollywood”- A Literary “Hat Trick!”

April 10th, 2014

Manny P. here…

   To coin a hockey term, I’ve reached a Forgotten Hollywood Book Series hat trick, of sorts. In one month (beginning on March 12th):

Forgotten Hollywood cover   FINALfrontcover-sonofforgottenhol

~ I reached 3000 in Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History paperbacks sold

~ I attained 4000 in Forgotten Hollywood Book Series (both literary works) purchased

~ I passed 1000 in Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History books acquired

   The latter achievement is courtesy of my new friends from the Rotary Clubs of Olympic Park and Bellflower; and the monthly report I just received from Danforth Distribution. Since, I’m posting this blog on April 10th, the math suggests I had a remarkable run over the last thirty days. The Forgotten Hollywood literary franchise remains healthy and viable.

rotary3wheels   Danforth new logo

   Over the next month, I expect my initial work should surpass 3100 shelves of interested readers. Of course, I’ll keep you posted on the good news.

Until next time>                     “Thank You for not forgetting”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- TV and Radio Remembers Rooney…

April 8th, 2014

Manny P. here…rooney portrait

   Many tributes and on-air memorials are pouring in remembering the fine work of Mickey Rooney. His long career involved motion pictures, television, radio, and the live stage. Last night, getTV shared a movie retrospective, teleplaying some of his nice performances in All Ashore, Drive a Crooked Road, and Requiem for a Heavyweight.

get tv rooney

   On Sunday, Turner Classic Movies will spotlight Rooney for a solid 24-hours with a dozen or so of his movies, mostly from Hollywood’s Golden Age. TCM frequently provides these wonderful cinematic honors; most recently, featuring Shirley Temple, Joan Fontaine, and Peter O’Toole. The really good news is TCM has a vast library of the actor’s films. (Mickey Rooney below with Spencer Tracy and Judy Garland)

TCM_website_logo   tracy rooney

   I’ll offer my contribution this Saturday at 3p (PST) on my Forgotten Hollywood Radio Program on the Financial News and Talk Network. It’s a show I aired about a year ago that focused on the tunes made famous by Rooney, and in some instances, with his constant on-screen companion, Judy Garland. Click on the link below to listen (if you are outside the broadcast area):

KSPA banner2

http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v4/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KSPA 

   The life and times of Mickey Rooney will be well-remembered.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- The Passing of Mickey Rooney…

April 7th, 2014

Manny P. here…Mickey_Rooney_still

   One of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s greatest stars of the Studio Era has died. Mickey Rooney’s film, television, and stage appearances spanned nearly his entire lifetime. He became a superstar as a teen for the Andy Hardy series, and he had one of the longest careers of any actor, spanning 92 years, from the 1920s to the 2010s.                            MICKEY ROONEY ——————>

   Born in Brooklyn, both of his parents were in vaudeville. He began performing at the age of 17 months as part of his parents’ routine, wearing a specially tailored tuxedo. His first screen offer was made by Hal Roach to appear in the Our Gang comedies.  Fontaine Fox had placed a newspaper ad for a dark-haired child to play the role of Mickey McGuire in a series of short films. He got the role and became Mickey for 78 of the comedies, running from 1927 to 1936, starting with Mickey’s Circus. During the Silent Era, and into talkies, he was cast in bit parts in movies featuring established stars such as Colleen Moore, Clark Gable, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Joel McCrea, and Jean Harlow. Rooney signed with MGM in 1934.

   In 1937, he was selected to portray Andy Hardy in A Family Affair, which was planned as a B-movie. He provided comic relief as the son of Judge James K. Hardy, portrayed by Lionel Barrymore (although Lewis Stone would play the role in subsequent films). The film was an unexpected success, and led to 13 more Andy Hardy films between 1937 and 1946, and a final film in 1958. Rooney made his first film with Judy Garland with Thoroughbreds Don’t Cry. They became lifelong friends and a very successful song-and-dance team. Besides three Andy Hardy flicks, where she portrayed Betsy Booth, a young girl with a crush on Andy, they were in a string of hit musicals, including the Oscar-nominated Babes in Arms.

Mickey_Rooney_in_Babes_in_Arms_trailer   Mickey was memorable in Manhattan Melodrama and Captain’s Courageous. His breakthrough as a dramatic actor came in 1938’s Boys Town opposite Spencer Tracy as Whitey Marsh, which opened just before his 18th birthday. He was awarded a Juvenile Academy Award in 1939, and was named the biggest Hollywood box-office draw for three years in 1939, 1940, and 1941. At the height of his popularity. he was cast in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Young Tom Edison, Men of Boys Town, Babes on Broadway, A Yank at Eton, A Human Comedy, Girl Crazy, and National Velvet.

   Rooney enlisted in the United States Army. He served more than 21 months, until shortly after the end of World War II. During and after the war, he entertained the troops in America and Europe, and also spent part of the time as a radio personality on the American Forces Network and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for entertaining troops in combat zones. He also received the Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medaland World War II Victory Medal for his military service.

   His career slumped after the war. Despite a few starring roles, he was assigned smaller parts, including Words and Music, The Big Wheel, Quicksand, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, The Bold and the Brave, Baby Face Nelson, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Requiem for a Heavyweight, and It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. One of Mickey’s fine small screen-moments was playing a jockey in The Twilight Zone. Though he kept working in cinema and television, his comeback was a magnificent Oscar nominated-turn in The Black Stallion in 1979. The same year, he starred with Ann Miller in the Broadway revue Sugar Babies, which brought him a Tony nomination. Two years later, he garnered an Emmy and Golden Globe for his touching performance in Bill. He received an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award in 1983.

   The actor was married eight times, most notably to Ava Gardner and Martha Vickers. After a tumultuous personal life, he became an active member of the Church of Religious Science. In September, 2010, he celebrated his 90th birthday at Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency in the Upper East Side of New York City. Among the stars who  attended: Donald Trump, Regis Philbin, Nathan Lane, and Tony Bennett.

   Mickey Rooney, the diminutive dynamo, was 93.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Non Profit Support For Documentary!

April 6th, 2014

Manny P. here…

   The Forgotten Hollywood Documentary Pilot received categorical support from MCA-I – LA/OC. This fine association will act as a 501 (c)(3) umbrella for the production. This allows grants, donations, and other non-profit monies to be funneled into the project, opening the door for major funding by PBS-style contributors.

MCAI Logo   Forgotten Hollywood Documentary Logo - new

   The Media Communications Association-International (MCA-I) is an organization of media communication professionals that provides opportunities for networking, forums for education, and resources for information. Three key initiatives are the focus of their effort: cultivation of partnerships; establishment of an industry university and online library; and building a voice for the industry.

   The LA/OC Chapter remains one of their oldest in the organization. They sponsor a signature event: MediaProCamp, serving the regional media community by featuring industry experts who share cutting edge information in technology, marketing, etc.

   I’m proud to be one of the newest members of this fine national organization. And, I really appreciate their support of the Forgotten Hollywood Documentary Pilot! Below is the link sharing my involvement and journey through Hollywood’s Golden  Age.

http://www.mcai-oc.org/index.php/articles-mainmenu-34/announcements/866-meet-new-member-manny-pacheco

———————————————————————-

Mary_Anderson_in_Cheers_for_Miss_Bishop   Mary Anderson, one of the many actresses who auditioned for the part of Scarlett O’Hara in the 1939 epic Gone With the Wind, but wound up playing a supporting role as Maybelle Merriwether, has died. She appeared in 31 films and 22 television productions between 1939 and 1965.

   Anderson went on to appear in The Song of Bernadette Wilson, To Each His Own, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat. She was prolific on the small screen with a recurring part on Peyton Place in 1964 as Catherine Harrington; and on Perry Mason. She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.  MARY ANDERSON ——->

   In 1953, she married cinematographer Leon Shamroy, who won four Oscars for Wilson, The Black Swan, Leave Her to Heaven, and Cleopatraand received 14 other Academy Award nominations. Her brother James was an actor who specialized in Westerns.

   Mary Anderson was 96.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- FH Good Will For Hollywood Kids!

April 2nd, 2014

Manny P. here…

   My wife Laurie and I were joined by Forgotten Hollywood publicist Frank Holguin (below center right) to support the 5th Annual Hollywood Police Activities League Celebrity Bowl last Sunday. This family-friendly event took place in Hollywood at the Lucky Strike Lanes, where the celebrities bowled with the PAL children. I donated copies of my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series for a raffle and silent auction. Television stars from The Young and the Restless (Kate Linder) and Bewitched (Erin Murphy) were among the guests. Also there was retired Dodgers great, Ken Landreaux.

PAL logo   Lanes-as-of-2_5_142-638x310

   Here are some photos to show the fun we had during the afternoon event:

533a3d4f345bd-hollywood-pal-kids-cops-celebs-have-a-bowl-8   533a3d4f345bd-hollywood-pal-kids-cops-celebs-have-a-bowl-25   533a3d4f345bd-hollywood-pal-kids-cops-celebs-have-a-bowl-28

   Check out the PAL story filed for LA Splash Magazine

http://www.lasplash.com/publish/Entertainment/cat_index_la_events/hollywood-pal-kids-cops-celebs-have-a-bowl.php
1975179_733578056662636_78449179_n   logo2-638x305

Executive Director Valerie Lord did an amazing job coordinating the event! Hollywood PAL is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Illinois Festival Honors Orson Welles!

April 1st, 2014

Manny P. here…

   The 80th anniversary celebration of the 1934 Todd Theatre Festival at the Woodstock Opera House that 19-year-old Orson Welles orchestrated. With the production of Trilby in which he portrayed Svengali, Welles made his debut as an American theater director. At the Woodstock, Welles co-directed his first film, The Hearts of Age.

woodstock-todd

   Celebration plans are already coming together. On May 17th, two panels of internationally known experts will speak on the early life and career of the celebrated actor and director with moderator Robert K. Elder. That evening, RG Productions will present live old-time radio classic vignettes of Dracula, The Shadow, and Sherlock Holmes, followed by a recreation of Welles’ radio broadcast, War of the Worlds. For a complete schedule of events, click on the link below:

http://www.wellesnet.com/?page_id=5387

   In a 1960 interview , Orson Welles commented that Woodstock is where he attended a residential school for boys, Todd School, from 1926 to 1931 and where he met his mentor, Roger Hill — who involved Welles in school dramatic productions and became headmaster in 1930. Welles underscored his debt to both Todd School and Roger Hill when he told Peter Bogdanovich in This is Orson Welles that, despite separation and a passage of many years, Hill remained a daily influence in his later life.

   Woodstock Celebrates, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Donations may be mailed to: Woodstock Celebrates Inc., P.O.Box 342, Woodstock, IL 60098.

——————————————————– Orson Welles Auction

   The youngest daughter of director and writer Orson Welles is giving film buffs a chance to own some of his personal possessions. Beatrice Welles is handing 70 items over to Heritage Auctions, which will put them up for bidding April 26th. Among the treasures — a camera, a typewriter, scripts, letters, and photos from the set of Citizen Kane.

   Margaret Barrett, director of the entertainment-related auctions, declined to speculate on any possible bidding amounts, but said she expects all the lots to fetch decent bids.

Until next time>                               “never forget”