Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   Marilyn Monroe, the most legendary of all movie stars, was born, raised, lived, and died right in Los Angeles. Her high profile has brought about countless books, movies, and articles about her life—many of these feature information that is skewed, stretched, exaggerated, or flat-out wrong. Marilyn’s Hollywood is the definitive tour of her life and will clear up a lot of the bogus stories circulating in the media.

   Often times, people like to focus on specific aspects of her personality, usually choosing to portray her in ways that support some sort of agenda. She’s seen as a sex symbol, a tragedy, a goddess, an angel, a child-woman, a lost waif, a victim—you name it. In reality, she was a smart, tenacious, sensitive, and complex woman who deserves a comprehensive look at her life. This Marilyn tour is the result of years of research and a labor of love. Chances are you’ll like the real Marilyn once you get to know her.

   You’ll see:

• the orphanage where she dreamed of becoming a star
• the former beauty salon where she first became a blonde
• the restaurant where she met Yankee Joe DiMaggio on a blind date
• the nightclub where she stood up for civil rights
• the house (well, the gate anyway) where she passed into eternity
• learn about the people who shaped Marilyn’s life and places that inspired her

   Marilyn’s Hollywood takes place in a comfortable mini coach. You will be getting out at various stops for photo opportunities; remember to bring a camera. The next Marilyn tour is Saturday, August 2nd at noon. (Check in time is at 11:30a)

   Tickets for the standard Marilyn’s Hollywood tour cost $60. Please note there will be a small service fee when you purchase tickets. LA Woman Tours uses Brown Paper Tickets. They are fast, user friendly and have great customer service. In honor of her love for children, a portion of Marilyn Monroe tour proceeds goes to Hollyygrove, the same children’s home that housed Marilyn in the mid-1930s.

   For more information, click on the link below:

http://lawomantours.com/tours/marilynshollywood/

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Here is a press release from the home office about Batman’s special day:

In celebration of Batman’s 75th anniversary, DC Entertainment is proud to partner with thousands of comic book retailers and bookstores across the nation to celebrate Batman Day on Wednesday, July 23. As part of the festivities, fans who visit participating retailers receive a free, special edition of DETECTIVE COMICS #27, featuring a reimagining of Batman’s 1939 comic book debut, designed by Chip Kidd with a script by the New York Times #1 bestselling author Brad Meltzer.

In addition to the comic book, DC Entertainment is providing retailers access to an assortment of other collectibles to help in the celebration of Batman Day including a Batman 75th anniversary cape, bookmarks featuring essential Batman graphic novels and four Batman masks designed by comic book artist Ryan Sook, spotlighting a variety of the character’s iconic looks from his 75-year history.

Masks include:

• DETECTIVE COMICS #27: A first appearance, as drawn by Bob Kane
• BATMAN ’66: inspired by the classic television series starring Adam West
• THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: As drawn by Frank Miller
• DC COMICS – THE NEW 52: As drawn by Greg Capullo

Fans who visit comic stores on Batman Day also have the opportunity to buy ROBIN RISES: OMEGA #1, an oversized one-shot story from bestselling creators Peter J. Tomasi and Andy Kubert; and GRAYSON # 1 by Tim Seeley and Mikel Janin, which depicts the original Robin, Dick Grayson, in an all new monthly series in which the crime fighter turned super spy fights to clear his name.

Continuing the celebration, DC Entertainment is partnering with Random House to bring Batman Day to over 1,000 libraries across the US on Saturday, July 26th.

On the digital front, DETECTIVE COMICS #27 will also be available for free download on Wednesday, July 23rd at www.readdcentertainment.com and all digital platforms (Kindle, iBookstore, Nook, Google Play, and  comixology.com).

For the latest information and exclusive content celebrating Batman’s 75th anniversary, please visit www.batman75.com.

   Holy candle blower!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   James Garner was one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both cinema and television.  He starred in a number of roles spanning a career of more than five decades. These included popular roles as Bret Maverick in the 1950s Western-comedy Maverick; and as Jim Rockford in the 1970s detective drama The Rockford Files. He starred in more than fifty films, such as The Great Escape, The Americanization of Emily, Grand Prix, Victor Victoria, and Murphy’s Romance, which he received an Academy Award nomination.

   Garner joined the United States Merchant Marine near the end of World War II. Later, he joined the National Guard, serving seven months. He then went to Korea in the regular Army, serving in the 5th Regimental Combat Team. He received two Purple Hearts for battle injuries he received.                               JAMES GARNER —->

   In 1954, a friend he had met while attending Hollywood High School, persuaded Garner to take a non-speaking role in the Broadway production of The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, where he was able to study actor Henry Fonda each evening. After several feature film performances, including Sayonara with Marlon Brando, Garner was  considered for the lead in a Warner Brothers Western series Cheyenne, but the part went to Clint Walker because the casting director couldn’t reach Garner in time.

   Only Garner and series creator Roy Huggins thought Maverick could compete with the Ed Sullivan Show and the Steve Allen Show. Production demands forced Warner Brothers, to create a Maverick brother, Bart, played by Jack Kelly. This freed Garner to venture into motion pictures with ease.

   The studio subsequently gave James lead roles in other films, such as Up Periscope and Cash McCall. The 1960s were kind to James Garner, when he was cast in  The Children’s Hour, The Thrill of it All, Move Over Darling (both with Doris Day), and Support Your Local Sheriff. In 1971, Support Your Local Gunfighter was an intriguing sequel. He remained a top box office draw during his long career, co-starring in comedy-dramas with Jack Lemmon, Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Kevin Kline, and Clint Eastwood, among others.

   In the 1970s, Roy Huggins teamed with Stephen J. Cannell to create The Rockford Files. He would win an Emmy for portraying Jim Rockford. Veteran character actor Noah Beery Jr. played his father. Since Garner performed his own stunts, the program took a heavy toll on his health, especially over the last decade.

   After the series ended, Garner returned to playing Bret Maverick and Jim Rockford various times throughout his later career. In 2011, the PBS television documentary series Pioneers of Television, which briefly profiled Garner’s contribution to the television series Maverick and other Westerns, illustrated with film clips, rare stills, and interviews with Garner and Cannell. A  ten-foot bronze statue of Garner as Bret Maverick was recently unveiled in his hometown of Norman, Oklahoma, with the iconic actor present at the ceremony. He also received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild.

   Simon & Schuster published his autobiography The Garner Files: A Memoir.  It offered frank and unflattering assessments of some of his co-stars like Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. Garner’s three-time co-star Julie Andrews wrote the book’s foreword. Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll, Doris Day, Tom Selleck, and Stephen J. Cannell, and many other associates, friends, and relatives provided their memories of the star in the book.

   A 12-movie tribute is expected all day on Turner Classic Movies on July 28th. And, you can enjoy his television work on The Rockford Files each weekday on MeTV, check local listings.

   The genial James Garner, who played the everyman to perfection, was 86.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A large, colorful billboard from the 1937 release of the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has been sold at auction for $10,755. The 20-by-9-foot billboard was printed in England to promote the Disney film there. It features three scenes, the main one showing a rosy-cheeked Snow White in front of a castle in her classic outfit with bright yellow skirt, surrounded by the dwarfs and other characters from the film.

   The private collector offering up the billboard had purchased it from a Parisian movie poster dealer who said the billboard came from a French woman who stored it in her attic. Heritage Auctions was not identifying the winning bidder. The Dallas-based auction house said the rare billboard was expected to sell for at least $10,000.

   The auction house says all but one of the panels is original – the one missing panel was recreated from an image in a rare press book for the film. They also had the entire poster backed with archival linen. Similar billboards have been destroyed, making this item a rare piece.

   Either way, the final bid was nothing to sneeze at! One of the dwarfs gave me the line…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Elaine Stritch was considered a First Lady of Broadway. She appeared in numerous stage plays and musicals, feature films, and many television programs. She was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1995.

   Stritch trained at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York City. Other students at this time included Marlon Brando and Bea Arthur. Her romances with Brando, Ben Gazzara and Gig Young were legendary. She made her professional stage debut in 1944, and her Broadway debut in the comedy Loco in 1946. She understudied Ethel Merman for Call Me Madam. Notable Broadway credits include her Tony Award nominated roles in the original production of William Inge’s 1955 play Bus Stop, and musicals by Noël Coward and Stephen Sondheim. In the 1970s, she relocated to London, starring in several West End productions.           ELAINE STRITCH ——–>

   Her early television work included the Goodyear Television Playhouse, Studio One, and guest stints on the Ed Sullivan Show. Jackie Gleason tapped her as the original Trixie Norton on the first Honeymooners sketch. She won an Emmy Award in 1993 for her guest role on Law & Order, and another in 2004 for the television documentary of her one woman stage show. From 2007 to 2012, she had a recurring role on NBC’s 30 Rock, a role that won her a third Emmy in 2008. In one big oops, she lost the opportunity to star in The Golden Girls because of a bad audition, a part that subsequently went to Bea Arthur.

   Stritch had a few motion picture roles in the 1950s and 1960s, opposite Charlton Heston and Anne Baxter in Three Violent People; Rock Hudson and Jennifer Jones in the David O. Selznick remake of A Farewell to Arms; and Sal Mineo in Who Killed Teddy Bear. She received amazing reviews in September that was directed by Woody Allen, and she was particularly memorable in Cocoon: The Return, Autumn in New York, Out to Sea, and Monster-In-Law, later in her cinematic career.

   The dynamic Elaine Stritch was 89.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   London has become a literary playground: The National Literacy Trust, along with public art promoter Wild in Art, has commissioned and placed fifty benches around town that are painted to look like pages and scenes from famous books for the whole summer, each dedicated to an iconic London-related author or character.

   The seating areas are dedicated to books, authors and characters: from Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, and Hercules Poirot to Peter Pan, William Shakespeare, and Bridget Jones. The benches will be displayed until mid-September, and then, auctioned at Southbank Centre in October.

    In addition to benches, the project will include several literary-themed events, such as an attempt to break the world record for the most number of people dressed as Sherlock Holmes, right next to the Arthur Conan Doyle-inspired bench outside the University of London.

   Established in 1993, the National Literacy Trust is an independent charity dedicated to raising literacy levels in the United Kingdom. The official patron is Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall. They work to improve reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the UK’s most disadvantaged areas via community projects and support for schools.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A legal dispute is going on between Duke University and the estate of John Wayne. Fans of the late film star will recall he went by the nickname Duke, which he garnered as a child. He preferred it to his real first name, which was Marion.

   Now, the actor’s estate wants to sell a Duke brand of bourbon featuring the actor’s likeness and signature on the label. Duke University filed an objection with the US Patent & Trademark Office, arguing that to prevent a tarnishing of its brand, [Duke University] does not permit the use of confusingly similar marks associated with unapproved goods or services. The school and the estate have been battling over the name for over a decade. Lawyers representing the actor’s family has now filed suit in federal court, contending it’s ludicrous to think the educational facility owns the name in all contexts for all purposes.

   The Wayne estate is attempting to use the Duke nickname as a means of into an entirely new enterprise. But, they don’t have a trademark. This is a very different scenario from the cases where companies license the use of celebrity names — for instance, with Jack Daniel’s new Sinatra Select Whiskey.   JOHN WAYNE ——>

   It’s not like Duke University has a problem with every other Duke that comes along. The estate of Duke Ellington has had zero problems with the North Carolina school (for example).

   And so it goes…

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   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has just been purchased by customer number 3100. My initial work has been placed in the hands of patrons at Larry Edmund’s Bookshop in Hollywood, which put me over the latest illustrious sale. I also made recent transactions at a recent local Rotary meeting in historic San Gabriel.

   A heartfelt thanks to all my loyal readers.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Richard Percy Jones voiced the title character in Disney’s 1940 animated film Pinocchio. He voiced the role of the puppet who wants to be a real boy — and whose nose grows each time he tells a lie — in the classic film as a child actor. He also sang Give a Little Whistle, Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee, and I’ve Got No Strings.  RICHARD JONES ->

   He reportedly worked in Hoot Gibson’s rodeo as a trick rider and roper before moving to Los Angeles with his mom to pursue acting. His first role was in 1934’s Burn ‘Em Up Barnes. He went on to have small roles in several Westerns, in both film and television.

   Jones attended Hollywood High School, and at fifteen took over the lead of Henry Aldrich on the hit radio show The Aldrich Family. He played a 16 year old cook in Rocky Mountain starring Errol Flynn. Jones also had small parts in the Our Gang movies, as well as Babes in Toyland,  Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Knute Rockne All American, and Heaven Can Wait. His last screen credit was Requiem for a Gunfighter.

   From 1951-53, Jones played Dick West / Jimmy the Kid in 78 episodes of the small screen series The Range Rider. He also made several appearances as various characters on The Gene Autry Show, and the series Annie Oakley. He portrayed the title character in Buffalo Bill Jr.

   In 2000, Dick Jones was named one of the Disney Legends. He did promotional events for the platinum edition DVD and Blu-ray release of Pinocchio.

   Dick Jones was 87.

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   Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History is now featured in a new repository. The South Pasadena Public Library was founded on September 10th, 1895, and is governed by the Library Board of Trustees whose members are appointed by the City Council.

   City Librarian Steve Fjeldsted is vastly interested in presenting a classic cinema series to local residents in their 200-seat theater. I will keep you apprised as events unfold.

   This is my latest work’s 46th branch, and the 105th overall library that carries one of my works in the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   I hope you will join me as we celebrate the Independence Day weekend on July 5th on the Forgotten Hollywood Radio Show. I am interviewing stage and screen legend, Hugh O’Brian. The candid conversation will air on the Financial News and Talk Network at 4p (pst).

<— O’Brian is best known as the legendary gunslinger in the Life and Times of Wyatt Earp, which was considered one of the first adult Westerns on television. Over the years, the 89-year old actor has worked with John Wayne, Ida Lupino, Alan Ladd, Marilyn Monroe, Spencer Tracy, Shelly Winters, Richard Widmark, Debbie Reynolds, Lauren Bacall, and Buddy Hackett, among others. He is also a life-long humanitarian, creating the HOBY Leadership, an annual youth conference that promotes wonderful values, after meeting the iconic Dr. Albert Schweitzer while visiting Africa.

   Born into a military family, O’Brian’s noted work ethic stems from his time served in the military as a member of the Marine Corps. He recently self-published his memoirs, Hugh O’Brian or What’s Left of Him through the Book Publishers Network; the same folks who have worked with me on the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series.

   If you live outside the broadcast area, you can listen to the live stream  on Saturday at 4p (pst) by clicking on the link below:

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

   The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp is on Encore Westerns weekdays at 4:45p. What a wonderful way to spend the 4th of July weekend by sharing the microphone with a true gentleman… Mr. Hugh O’Brian!

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   Actually on the 4th of July, I will be in Hollywood with copies of the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series to sign. Here are the details:

`

19TH INTERNATIONAL SONS OF THE DESERT CONVENTION

Loew’s Hollywood Hotel – Dealers Room

1755 N. Highland Ave., Mezzanine Level, Hollywood, CA

July 4th

Friday  10a – 6p

*** JUST ADDED ***

July 6th

Sunday 12p – 3p 

 Until next time>                              “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   PBS is marking the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s resignation by running a documentary on the Watergate scandal as seen through the prism of Dick Cavett’s late-night talk show at the time. People with memories of Watergate remember developments unfolding on the evening news, or the gripping Senate hearings shown on daytime television, but fewer recall that Cavett’s ABC program featured appearances by an array of pivotal figures.

   From 1972 to 1974, Cavett interviewed many major Watergate figures, including Nixon aides John Ehrlichman, Alexander Haig, G. Gordon Liddy, and Jeb Magruder, as well as several members of the Senate committee investigating the case. Cavett’s show even taped a special edition from the room where the Senate hearings were held.

DICK CAVETT

   Dick Cavett’s coverage didn’t earn him friends in high places. He’s mentioned in Nixon’s infamous White House tapes 26 times, including once when the president mused aloud in colorful language about ways the government could get back at him. Cavett later learned most members of his program’s staff had their tax returns audited. A clip of an Ehrlichman appearance shows the Nixon aide looking at Cavett with barely disguised contempt. Cavett’s low ratings at the time didn’t make him popular with ABC executives. His concentration on Watergate probably didn’t help — competitor Johnny Carson had Charo as a guest the night Cavett did his show from the Senate hearing room — but Cavett said he was shielded from most of what the network was saying about him.

   The program also shows how the passage of time changes opinions. Former Washington Post reporter Bernstein was furious when Ford pardoned Nixon, yet decades later, he sees the wisdom in that decision.

   The documentary Dick Cavett’s Watergate features fresh interviews with reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, former Nixon aide John Dean and Cavett. PBS announced it would air August 8th at 9p (EDT) — 40 years after Nixon announced to the nation he was quitting. This is a Hollywood-and-Vine moment, where entertainment and American history intersect.

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    Bob Hastings portrayed the aide to Captain Binghamton (Joe Flynn), the yes-man Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter on ABC’s McHale’s Navy. Best remembered for his recurring role on the comedy, he also guest starred in multiple episodes of Sergeant Bilko, Dennis the Menace, Pete and Gladys, The Real McCoys, The Munsters, All in the Family, and General Hospital. After McHale’s Navy, Hastings was a regular on the Universal Studios lot, where the company paid actors during downtime to be on the grounds and talk to tourists.             BOB HASTINGS —->

   Hastings has also done voice work for animation and commercials, including on Beany and Cecil, and the voice of Commissioner Jim Gordon in the popular Batman: The Animated Series and its various spinoffs. He was in the movie Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady and Harper Valley PTA.

   The affable Bob Hastings was 89.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Paul Mazursky was a noted film director, screenwriter, and actor. Acclaimed for his dramatic comedies, he was nominated for five Academy Awards: three times for Best Original Screenplay, for Best Adapted Screenplay, and once for Best Picture for An Unmarried Woman. Other fine motion pictures include Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Harry and Tonto, Moscow on the Hudson, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills. PAUL MAZURSKY ->

   Mazursky made his film debut as an actor in Stanley Kubrick’s initial feature, Fear and Desire, and later appeared as a juvenile delinquent in the 1955 flick The Blackboard Jungle. His acting career continued with television work in episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Rifleman. In addition to appearing in most of his own films, he had supporting roles in A Star Is Born, History of the World Part I, Punchline, and Carlito’s Way. He also performed the voice of the psychologist in Antz. In recent years, Mazursky had a small part in The Sopranos.

   As his acting career blossomed, Mazursky became a writer and worked on The Danny Kaye Show in 1963. He collaborated with Larry Tucker in crafting the script of the original pilot of The Monkees television series, which they both also appeared in cameos. Mazursky’s debut as a film screenplay writer was the Peter Sellers comedy I Love You, Alice B. Toklas. Other movies made by the director include the autobiographical Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Blume in Love, Moon Over Parador, and Scenes from a Mall. He also appeared as himself in a number of documentaries.

   In his autobiography Show Me the Magic, he recounts his experiences in filmmaking and with several well-known screen personalities, including Sellers. From 2011 until his passing, Mazursky also served as a film critic for Vanity Fair. Earlier this year, he received the Screen Laurel Award for lifetime achievement from Writers Guild of America. Comedian, filmmaker, and close friend Mel Brooks made the presentation.

   Paul Mazursky was 84.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History eBook edition, is 25% off for the entire month of July. It’s part of an annual Smashwords sale,  providing great books at reduced prices to kick off your Summer.  This means you can purchase and download a copy of my initial work for $7.50, a bargain.

   To download copies of my first paperback for your KOBO, APPLE, DIESEL, etc. Please click on the link below:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53041

   You must still visit Barnes & Noble for your NOOK, and Amazon for your KINDLE; they are not part of this promo. On Smashwords, include one of the following codes to get the 25% discount: SSW25 or LQ92H.

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Thank you to Smashwords for the in-depth Q&A. I get to tell the Forgotten Hollywood franchise story. My interview can be found at:

https://www.smashwords.com/interview/forgottenhollywood

   Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Several members of California’s congressional delegation are pushing to name a new post office after the actress Marilyn Monroe (below). Democratic Representative Tony Cardenas says he introduced legislation that would name a post office in Van Nuys, CA, after Monroe. She attended Van Nuys High School in the 1940s and once referred to her time living in the community as the happiest in her life.

   Cardenas said the facility’s name would be a reminder for San Fernando Valley students what they can reach by working hard. Eighteen California lawmakers have signed on as co-sponsors of the legislation.

   Like yours truly, Norma Jean Baker went to the same high school as Robert Redford, Tom Selleck, Stacy Keach, Don Drysdale, Jane Powell, and Vincent Van Patten.

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   Frank Sinatra’s first New Jersey driver’s license has sold for over $15,000 at auction. The yellowed, text-only 1934 license was issued, including a typo, to Francis Sintra, 841 Garden Street, Hoboken, New Jersey. The license was signed by the then-19-year-old a year before Sinatra got his first big break in the music industry. His eyes, of course, are recorded as blue. His weight was 130 pounds.

   The auction deal also included a 1940 letter to the state Commissioner of Motor Vehicles from the lawyer of a man who’d been involved in a car crash with Sinatra, insisting Sinatra’s driving privileges be revoked until he pays up.

   Boston-based RR Auction didn’t disclose the buyer.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Mary Rodgers was the daughter of Broadway icon Richard Rodgers who found her own fame as composer of the 1959 musical Once Upon a Mattress. The production was a musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fable The Princess and the Pea, and made a star of Carol Burnett. The comedic actor and the musical received Tony nominations. Rodgers was also a children’s book author who scored big with Freaky Friday, in which a mother and daughter trade bodies. The book was twice adapted into a Disney movie, most recently in 2003 starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.                                  MARY RODGERS ——->

   Ms. Rodgers grew up in a household steeped in music and theatre culture. The daughter of South Pacific and Flower Drum Song composer Richard Rodgers and Dorothy Rodgers, Mary was also the mother of a musical theater composer, Adam Guettel, a Tony Award winner for The Light in the Piazza. Her dad had iconic collaborative efforts with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein. Mary’s other shows include From A to Z, a revue featuring her songs; and two other short-lived shows: Hot Spot and The Madwoman of Central Park West, a one-person musical starring Phyllis Newman.

   Mary was a director of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization and a board member of ASCAP. She also served for as chairman of the Juilliard School.

   Mary Rodgers was 83.

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   This weekend I will spend treasured time discussing Self-Publishing in the Digital Age at the 2014 Southwest Technology and Computer Conference. For our tech-savvy friends in Southern California, come down Sunday and pick up a copy of my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. Here are the details:

2014 SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER CONFERENCE

Kellogg West Conference Center

3801 W. Temple Avenue, Building 76, Pomona, CA

Presentation – Workshop – Book Signing

June 29th

Sunday 9a – 12p

http://www.theswcc.org/2014-sponsors.html

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Wells Fargo Bank is engaged in supporting local small businesses. To this end, they are conducting a contest that could earn up to five companies — $25,000; and 30 entrepreneurs — $1000 for the efforts.

   As a first-time cinematic producer, I entered this competition to help my production team facilitate our Forgotten Hollywood Documentary. I NEED YOUR HELP!! If you could take a moment and VOTE ONCE PER DAY UNTIL JUNE 30TH on the Wells Fargo site for my entry, this would be a major contribution on your part. The link is:

https://wellsfargoworks.com/project?x=us-en_viewentriesandvote_2160_ 

   My entry shares the following story:

The Forgotten Hollywood journey began as a humble attempt to jumpstart my radio broadcasting career as an author. As a longtime Wells Fargo customer, the Garden Gove (California) Branch helped me set up a DBA account that would consolidate my earnings from what has now become an award-winning book series. Forgotten Hollywood shares America’s story through eyes of character actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Lionel Barrymore, Frank Morgan, Peter Lorre, Hattie McDaniel, and Cesar Romero. After completing my goal to become a successful scribe, the Forgotten Hollywood franchise has blossomed into a weekly radio show on the Financial News and Talk Network in Southern California; a Blog Site recently honored by the Los Angeles Press Club; and a Forgotten Hollywood Documentary, that spawned a business investment plan and five minute Trailer.

Once I decided to become a first-time producer of a documentary, Wells Fargo again came to my aid by setting up an additional Forgotten Hollywood LLC account. I spent the next twelve months raising money through a crowd-funding site (Indiegogo) that funneled investor monies to my LLC account. My production team raised $5000; enough to create the needed business plan and Trailer to tell a remarkable Forgotten Hollywood-story.

Lionel Barrymore was a legendary character actor, diagnosed in 1937 with advanced degenerative arthritis at the height of his career. Despite a growing call for his retirement, the actor carried on with his cinematic endeavors, creating such memorable roles in It’s a Wonderful Life, Key Largo, and Dr. Kildare series. His inspired performances from a wheelchair motivated Helen Keller and President Franklin D. Roosevelt to step up their own personal struggles with disease and disability. FDR partnered with Hollywood to make the March of Dimes the most successful charity in American history. A decade after the president’s death, contributions to the March of Dimes has helped researchers eradicate Polio in the United States. Lionel Barrymore’s stubborn resolve not to retire from cinema shaped the way theatre-going audiences perceive disease and disability. The actor is a pioneer in promoting the field of medical research.

The Forgotten Hollywood Documentary, a Pilot to a proposed cable/television series, shares this remarkable story in a PBS-style approach. Our production team has assembled a talented cast, including Oscar-winning actress Margaret O’Brien, Debbie Reynolds, and Emmy-winning narrator Jeff Bordner to provide first-person accounts of Barrymore, Keller, and FDR’s combined efforts. For example, O’Brien actually worked with Lionel Barrymore in two motion pictures, and was the first poster child for the initial March of Dimes campaign. To date, we have theatrically shopped the project through Vision4Media Entertainment at American Film Market, Cannes Film Festival, and Toronto Film Festival. We have attained great interest to distribute a finished Pilot through domestic and international media outlets.

Forgotten Hollywood’s story about Lionel Barrymore has the potential to raise awareness for the following charitable organizations:  March of Dimes, Rotary International’s Polio-Plus Program, National Arthritis Research Foundation, American Foundation for the Blind, and National Easter Seals Society for Crippled Children.

Our projected budget is $100,000 to $250,000, a modest investment in today’s spiraling cost of theatrical productions. A cash outlay of $25,000 would allow us to begin in earnest the focused production of the Pilot based on the above details provided in the investment plan and trailer. Whether this current opportunity becomes successful or not, our sincere intention at Forgotten Hollywood is to make this documentary a reality.

The Forgotten Hollywood franchise of books, radio program, and blog site will continue to thrive… And, I will continue to partner with Wells Fargo to make sure all my budgetary concerns remain solvent.

   Once again, if you could take the time to go to the site and simply vote (once per day):

 https://wellsfargoworks.com/project?x=us-en_viewentriesandvote_2160_

   Thanks for your sincere efforts…

Until next time>                               “never forget”