Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here… 

   Gloria DeHaven was an actress, singer, and a contract star for MGM. Unfortunately, she never truly achieved film stardom. Her musical talents supplemented her acting income. At one time, she was married to actor John Payne.

   DeHaven had small roles in Modern Times (as a child), Three Little Words, The Thin Man Goes Home, Summer Stock, and later, Out to Sea. She was a reliable guest-star on television, appearing in The Rifleman, Wagon Train, Mannix, Marcus Welby M.D., Gunsmoke, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Hart to Hart, Mama’s Family, Highway to Heaven, Murder She Wrote, and Touched by an Angel. She had recurring parts in Mary Hartman Mary Hartman; and in daytime soap operas, Ryan’s Hope and As the World Turns. And, she was a guest panelist on Match Game ’75.

   On Broadway, Gloria DeHaven (above) toured in a production of No No Nanette. She also co-starred in The Unsinkable Molly Brown and The Sound of Music. She sang with Bob Crosby’s orchestra, and for a time, had her own nightclub act.

   Gloria DeHaven was 91.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Jack Davis was a cartoonist and illustrator, known for his advertising art, magazine covers, film posters, record album art, and comic book stories. Davis (left) was one of the founding cartoonists for Mad Magazine in 1952. His illustrated characters were characterized by extremely distorted anatomy, including big heads, skinny legs, and extremely large feet. What me worry?

   Attending the University of Georgia on the G.I. Bill, he drew for the campus newspaper, and launched an off-campus humor publication. He never forgot his Bulldog roots. In 1949, he illustrated a Coca Cola training manual, a job that gave him enough money to buy a car and drive to New York.

   Davis initially came to the attention of TV Guide in 1965 when he illustrated an eight-page advertising supplement for NBC’s lineup, which featured icons such as Johnny Carson, Dean Martin, and fictional characters such as Dr. Kildare, Napoleon Solo, and Maxwell Smart. His first cover for the magazine came in 1968, when he depicted a tribute to Andy Griffith, in which the actor was hoisted on the shoulders of his costars, Don Knotts and Jim Nabors. In 2013, the magazine honored him in a retrospective, and spotlighted some of his most memorable covers, including those depicting Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In, Davis’ childhood hero Bob Hope, and Bonanza.

   Davis also drew movie posters, with work on Viva Max!, Kelly’s Heroes, Bananas, American Graffiti, The Long Goodbye, and famously, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World in his portfolio.

   Jack Davis was 91.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

    Hollywood voice-double Marni Nixon singing was heard in place of the leading actresses in such classic movie musicals as West Side Story, The King and I, and My Fair Lady. No vocal talent was more familiar, yet her face was unknown to screen audiences for decades. One of her closest friends was the actress she worked along side in An Affair to Remember and The King and I… Deborah Kerr. Rita Moreno was also a pal. Arguably, she is part of Hollywood royalty.          MARNI NIXON –>

   In the heyday of the Hollywood musical, studios often paid big money for film rights to hit Broadway shows, then cast them with popular non-singing actors and actresses. Nixon went uncredited in the films and on their soundtrack albums, and was warned by the filmmakers that if she ever let it be known that she was doing the singing, she would be banned in the film industry. Marni initially resented the dubbing work, but later came to terms with it. Kerr blew Nixon’s cover when she praised her work on The King and I.

   After receiving zero royalties for her work in the 1950s, she negotiated with Leonard Bernstein to part with a sliver of his royalty share for work on West Side Story. It amounted to a major payday for her, given the album’s huge sales. Meanwhile, Natalie Wood was distraught that recordings of her tunes from the soundtrack were discarded.

   Audrey Hepburn, who had memorably sung Moon River in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, had campaigned to do her own singing as Eliza Doolittle in the screen version of My Fair Lady. She was able to handle the film’s early cockney-accented songs like Wouldn’t It be Loverly, but Nixon — carefully matching Hepburn’s vocal style — was called in for such soaring melodies as I Could have Danced All Night. The uproar of replacing Julie Andrews, who was the popular actress in the stage production, cost Hepburn a Oscar nomination.

MARNI NIXON

   Other work included a dubbing job for Margaret O’Brien in 1949 for The Secret Garden; she offered a few notes to Marilyn Monroe’s Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend, from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; and she sang the high notes for Natalie Wood in Gypsy. Rarely, Nixon received screen credit for roles in The Sound of Music and the animated Mulan.

   As the era of big, traditional movie musicals dried up, though, so did Nixon’s film career. But she kept busy with other work, including starring in her own children’s television show, singing opera, soloing with symphony orchestras, appearing in a road tour of Cabaret, and teaching at the California Institute of the Arts.

   Nixon was married to film composer-conductor Ernest Gold, Oscar-winner for Exodus, from 1950 to 1969. Her son, Andrew Gold, arranged music for Linda Ronstadt, and had a hit in 1977 with Lonely Boy. He also penned Thank You for Being a Friend, which became the theme song for The Golden Girls.

   Marni Nixon was 86.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   It’s expected the former home and studio of Walt Disney will be protected from demolition. Options range from preserving it as a Historic Cultural Monument to storing it in a museum. Los Angeles civic leaders leaped into action to save it. It was the very first residence of Disney when he moved to the West Coast in 1923.

WALT DISNEY       MICKEY MOUSE       ROY DISNEY

   The City Council have reviewed all the options and asked for an emergency stay. That designation initiates a 75-day stay and will allow the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission to consider its significance. Given the iconic status of Walt Disney, it certainly appears worthy of consideration. If the property becomes as a Historic Cultural Monument, it could be eligible for a property tax reduction via the Mills Act, and could take advantage of the historic building code for renovations. The owners could also negotiate with the city to relocate the entire building. The Valley Relics Museum is interested in moving the property to their location.

   The house has been a rental over the last few years, but this magnificent century-old woodwork appears to be largely intact from Disney’s time of residence.

   Either way, Mickey Mouse will be able to return home.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Writer-director Garry Marshall, whose deft touch with comedy led to a string of iconic television classic hits, including Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Mork & Mindy; and box-office success with Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride. The film maker also had an on-screen presence, using his New York accent and gruff delivery in colorful supporting roles.        GARRY MARSHALL —->

   Gary, brother of actress-director Penny Marshall, earned a degree in journalism from Northwestern University, and worked at the New York Daily News. But, he was better at writing punch-lines. He began his entertainment career in the 1960s selling jokes to comedians; and then moved to writing sketches for The Tonight Show with Jack Paar in New York. He caught the eye of Joey Bishop, who brought him to Los Angeles to write for his late-night talk show.

   Sitcoms quickly proved to be Marshall’s forte. He and then-writing partner Jerry Belson turned out scripts for the most popular comedies of the 1960s, including The Lucy Show, Make Room for Daddy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., and Love American Style. In 1970, they turned Neil Simon’s Broadway hit, The Odd Couple, into a small screen sitcom starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. It ran for five seasons and proved the beginning of a sitcom empire. He rejected retirement, serving as a consultant on the CBS 2015 reboot of The Odd Couple.

   Marshall and Belson detoured into screenwriting in 1967 with How Sweet It Is starring Debbie Reynolds, and followed it up with The Grasshopper with Jacqueline Bisset. He concentrated on directing with his later films, including Nothing in Common, Overboard, Beaches, and Dear God. In 1984, Marshall had a movie hit as the writer / director of The Flamingo Kid. The Princess Diaries in 2001 was another winner.

   He had on-screen small roles in Goldfinger, Hocus Pocus, and A League of Their Own in film. On television, he guest-starred in The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Monk, The Simpsons, Two and a Half Men, Hot in Cleveland, and 24 episodes of Murphy Brown.

GARY MARSHALL’S

STABLE OF STARS

   Marshall was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame for his contributions to the field. In 2012, he was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He received a Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement from Writers Guild of America. Marshall also has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

   The provincial Garry Marshall was 81.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   Since the first Metropolitan Opera performance of Don Giovanni in 1883, Mozart’s operas have been seen at the Met a combined 1,832 times. This summer, the spotlight shines on Mozart once again in a special cinematic event. For the third year in a row, the Met and the Film Society of Lincoln Center co-present an opera-related film screening that anticipates the annual Metropolitan Opera Summer HD Festival.

   This year’s choice is Amadeus, Milos Forman’s classic 1984 adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s Tony Awards–winning production about the fraught relationship between Mozart and his quasi-mentor- turned-rival Antonio Salieri. The motion picture won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for F. Murray Abraham, whose Salieri edged out Tom Hulce’s Mozart in the same category. It’s FREE, and will screen outdoors on August 26th at 7:45p.

          TOM HULCE

   Featuring an Oscar-winning screenplay by Shaffer himself, Amadeus is famous for its bawdy portrayal of the genius composer, its ravishing art direction, and for the scene in which Austrian Emperor Joseph II dubiously asserts that a particular Mozart composition has simply too many notes.

   Next season, Amadeus fans can experience more Mozart when Don Giovanni, Idomeneo, and The Magic Flute (sung in English) return to the Met repertory.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   I’m thrilled to announce the star-studded lineup to join Turner Classic Movies hosts and movie lovers for an unforgettable voyage November 12th-19th on the TCM Classic Cruise! Expected to attend include Leslie Caron, Mitzi Gaynor, Jerry Lewis, Dick Cavett, Diane Baker, Alex Trebek, and Kim Novak on board the luxurious Disney Fantasy.

   Staterooms are going fast.  They hope you can join them for this unique vacation experience with these very special guests as you set sail aboard the award-winning Disney Fantasy for seven nights—watching films, speaking with the actors and talent who made them, hearing stories from behind the scenes, enjoying special presentations, and sharing the experience with other passionate movie fans.

   Voted the #1 Large Ship Line in the 2015 Condé Nast Traveler Readers Poll, the Disney Fantasy offers modern technological advancements, alongside art nouveau allure, to create a visual masterpiece of design and engineering. The newest ship to the Disney fleet features staterooms designed to ensure the ultimate in comfort and relaxation.

   And the ports of call are just as magical. Feel the sand between your toes and the sun on your shoulders as we sail from Port Canaveral, Florida with stops in San Juan, St. Maarten, and Disney Castaway Cay. The most populous city in Puerto Rico, San Juan offers a rich history as well as incredible natural attractions. In St. Maarten, visitors have a chance to experience two rich cultures (France and the Netherlands), as well as idyllic relaxation amenities. Disney Castaway Cay is an island paradise, offering beautiful beaches and a wide array of tropical leisure activities.

   Visit tcmcruise.com to learn more about all the exciting guests joining them this year. It’s a classic movie paradise at sea.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   In a rough week for average Americans, with the unprovoked murder of citizenry and law enforcement in Baton Rouge, Minnesota, and Dallas, we are reminded that we have a court system to prosecute errant police officers and lone vigilante wolves.

   It’s important to note… The Dallas Police Department and the folks they protect-and-serve have worked in tandem to engage in peaceful protests; and they generally interact in a positive, healthy relationship. The Dallas Chief of Police should be commended for his policy of changing the culture of community law-and-order.

   During Hollywood’s Golden Age, several movie productions addressed the issue of citizens taking the law into their own hands with tragic consequences. In mid-1930s, Fritz Lang directed Fury, the movie making Spencer Tracy a bonafide star. Accused of kidnapping a child, Tracy’s character becomes the vile target of mob rule determined on burning down the jailhouse. He survives to exact revenge on those unruly folks with his unique brand of justice. The film sent a powerful message on how an innocent person can become a cynical beast as a result of his near-death experience.

   The Ox-Bow Incident was a pet-project Western of filmmaker William A. Wellman that focused on a lynch-mob bent on sagebrush justice. The victims of this unruly posse beg for their day in court. However, the three so-called murderers and horse-thieves, led by actors Dana Andrews and Anthony Quinn, are unceremoniously hanged. Moments after the tragic incident, the real criminals are discovered, and further, the man they are accused of killing is very much alive. The mob must spend the rest of their born days having to spend each waking hour owning up to their horrific actions. The movie is grim, and quite graphic for its time.

   The victims of gun violence this week, by all accounts, were fine family men. Several of the police officers were veterans of the Iraqi and Afghan wars. And, the African American that died in Minnesota was a cafeteria worker who knew every child’s name at the school he worked. It was the White parents of the children who peacefully protested to the governor of the state in the name of their fallen friend.

   We should remember never to paint all first-responders and people of color with a unfortunate brush of stereotyped imagery. Most folks in all walks-of-life are law-abiding citizens committed to civil obedience. Black Lives Matter, our politicians, the media, and police departments in hamlets all over our nation are not the reasons for recent savagery. FEAR is the reason. I’m reminded of what President Franklin D. Roosevelt said during his 1932 Inauguration, addressing our collective response to the Great Depression:

We have nothing to fear but FEAR itself…

   Let justice be served in a court house for the officers accused of police brutality. The lone wolf sniper, who took psychotic action into his own hands, was given the option to peacefully surrender to Dallas law enforcement. Instead, he chose to die a coward for his craven act of homicide; branded so by the local Black Lives Matter protesters and mortified law-abiding citizens from all over this great nation.

   The culture of violence has existed since beginning of time. We’re a civilized people who should learn from the concept and practice of hate.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   John McMartin was the versatile Tony Award-nominated actor who starred on Broadway in Follies and Sweet Charity. The silver-haired actor also appeared in Don Juan, High Society, and Showboat. He was a favorite of some of the most famous creators in modern theater history, including Stephen Sondheim, Harold Prince, and Bob Fosse.

   McMartin was born in Indiana, and made his off-Broadway debut in Little Mary Sunshine in 1959. He initially went to school for journalism, but went on to pursue acting in New York. His patrician, gentlemanly approach led him to be cast as establishment figures such as preachers, professors, businessmen, and general bluebloods. However, in his skilled hands, those potentially starchy types were molded into subtle, nuanced, and slyly funny characters.

   He was a founding member of the New Phoenix Repertory Company during its three Broadway seasons in the early 1970s. Recently, he co-starred in productions of Into the Woods and a revival of Anything Goes. He remained active into his 80s, last starring on Broadway as Sen. Richard Russell in All the Way, the play about Lyndon Johnson featuring Bryan Cranston. John was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2009.

   A familiar face on the silver screen, he had roles in A Thousand Clowns, All the President’s Men, Pennies from Heaven, Legal Eagles, Kinsey, and the screen version of Sweet Charity. On television, he guest-starred in The Partridge Family, The Rockford Files, Marcus Welby M.D., The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Cheers, Murder She Wrote, Law & Order, Touched by an Angel, Frasier, and The Golden Girls.  JOHN McMARTIN

   The genial John McMartin was 86.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Erik Estrada, who played a cop on the television show CHiPS, is now a full-fledged police officer in real life. Erik was sworn in as a member of the St. Anthony Police Department reserve force in Idaho over the weekend.

ERIK ESTRADA

   Law enforcement has been a passion of Erik’s for quite a while. This is actually the actor’s second go at being a police officer. As of 2009, he was a full-time deputy sheriff in Bedford County, Virginia. He’s also been heavily involved in the Internet Crimes Against Children task force since 1998. He’ll kick off the St. Anthony Police Department’s new ICAC task force in his new role. He says education is the best prevention when it comes to a predators lurking online.

   The Chief of Police is flabbergasted that Estrada was even willing to to join Idaho’s local law enforcement team. That said, the small hamlet welcomed the 67-year old actor with open arms.

   Erik Estrada is also a proud owner of copies of the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. Congratulations, my friend!

Untile next time>                             “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   West Side Story may be getting a remake. This news courtesy of Steven Spielberg, who has been hoping to adapt the musical for decades. After finally securing the rights, Spielberg apparently recruited his Lincoln screenwriter Tony Kushner to pen the script. Kushner is the acclaimed playwright behind Angels in America.

   The stage adaptation of West Side Story had an original libretto by Arthur Laurents, with music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. The 1960 Best Picture won 10 Oscars, including golden statuettes for Rita Moreno and George Chakiris for their supporting roles.

   Meanwhile, you can get your fix of the epic production, next week. West Side Story LIVE at the Hollywood Bowl is scheduled for Thursday, July 14th and Tuesday July 19th. A cast has been assembled to provide the vocal narrative, minus the choreography.

   In a concert performance conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, this poignant, provocative, and emotionally powerful musical takes us back to the mid-1950s and New York’s Upper West Side, where racial and social tensions run high. Hear many of the shows most famous songs, such as Maria, America, Somewhere, and Tonight.

   The updated version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet fits at the Hollywood Bowl, and for that matter, should captivate under the artful direction of Steven Spielberg. They promise to sizzle!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   This year marks the centennial of one of Hollywood’s most legendary figures: Kirk Douglas (right), who as both an actor and a producer, has enlivened cinema with an unparalleled body of work, and delivered the highest ideals of popular entertainment. The UCLA Film & Television Archive and Hugh M. Hefner Classic American Film Program present: Kirk Douglas: A Centennial Celebration.

   Born the child of Russian Jewish immigrants, he’s come to represent a vital, indispensable presence within American public life since the dawn of his career in the post-World War II era. His shaded portrayals of embattled individuals, striving for survival and transcendence, have enriched public discourse about manhood, citizenship, and the human spirit. Rather than representing a single type, and certainly not an impervious masculine type, his characters variously shine with enthusiasm and mirth, or brood with disillusionment or suffering, imbuing his work with authenticity. This has made him a relatable figure for generations of film-goers.

   His moral stands have been widely noted; particularly, his opposition to the Hollywood Blacklist, and a champion of Dalton Trumbo as the credited writer of Spartacus, and striking a decisive blow for free speech. For this contribution, and many others, the UCLA Film and Television Archive is pleased to present part of Kirk Douglas’ (below)  lasting cinematic legacy.

   Beginning July 8th at the Billy Wilder Theatre, the Summer lineup includes: Champion, Lust for Life, Ace in the Hole, Detective Story, Paths of Glory, Young Man with a Horn, Out of the Past, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Lonely are the Brave, and The Bad and the Beautiful.

   Each evening begins at 7:30p. For complete information on the 25-film salute, click (or cut-and-paste) the link below:

https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2016/kirk-douglas-centennial

   Born on the outskirts of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Billy Wilder fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s to become a master of Hollywood productions, and a shrewd comic observer of the Americana. Among the classics Wilder co-wrote and directed were Double Indemnity, The Lost Weekend, Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, The Seven Year Itch, Some Like It Hot, and The Apartment.

   The Billy Wilder Theatre is located at 10899 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles at the Courtyard Level of the Hammer Museum. It’s among a handful of venues nationwide able to exhibit an entire century’s worth of moving images in their original formats. From the earliest silent films requiring variable speed projection to cutting-edge digital cinema, the Wilder can accommodate an astonishing array of screen technologies.

   This is the perfect locale for a motion picture retrospective to honor Kirk Douglas; one of finest actors of Hollywood’s Golden Age. By the way, the thespian turns 100 in December.

   My apologies for burying the lead…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Noel Neill was a popular actress of the silver screen and television. She’s best known for her portrayal of Lois Lane in the film serials Superman and Atom Man vs. Superman, as well as the 1950s television series, Adventures of Superman. Over the decades, she appeared in various productions of the franchise, often playing the relative of one of the main characters, including Superman in 1978, the small screen show Superboy, the 1990s Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; and 2006 film Superman Returns.          NOEL NEILL / GEORGE REEVES —>

   Neill continued in the role of Lois Lane for five seasons until the series went off the air in 1958. She was scheduled to appear with co-star Jack Larson (Jimmy Olson), but after George Reeves’ (Superman) tragic and sudden passing, the final season was cancelled, officially ending the program. Neill embraced her association as Lois Lane, giving frequent talks on college campuses during the 1970s, endearing herself to audiences with her warmth and humor.

   Signing a contract with Paramount Pictures led to appearances in many of the studio’s feature films. Noel had a leading role in one of Monogram Pictures melodramas, and she became a familiar face in Monogram features for the next several years, especially in the recurring role of Betty Rogers. She appeared in the last of the original Charlie Chan movies, and also played damsels in distress in Westerns and Republic Pictures serials. Overall, Neill appeared in more than 40 flicks, including Here Comes the Waves, The Big Clock, Duffy’s Tavern, Son of a Badman, and An American in Paris.

   In her teens, she was a popular photographic model. Betty Grable’s pin-up was #1 among GIs during World War II, and Neill was ranked #2. For a time, Neill crooned with Bob Crosby and his orchestra. She also sang at the Del Mar Turf Club, which was owned by Bing Crosby. In 1951, she guest starred in an episode of The Lone Ranger. She eventually worked in the television department at United Artists. In 2010, the southern Illinois city of Metropolis (the city that calls itself the official home of Superman), unveiled a statue of Lois Lane. It was modeled on the likeness of Neill. She was honored to be memorialized at the unveiling.

   Representing truth, justice, and the American way, Noel Neill was 95.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Michael Cimino was the Oscar-winning director whose film The Deer Hunter was one of the great triumphs of Hollywood’s 1970s heyday. His disastrous Heaven’s Gate helped bring that era to a close. His brief body of work influenced actor Mickey Rourke, and directors Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino.  MICHAEL CIMINO –>

   After graduating from Yale University, Cimino moved to Manhattan to work in Madison Avenue-advertising, and became a star director of television commercials. He shot ads for L’eggs, Eastman Kodak, Kool cigarettes, United Airlines, and Pepsi Cola.

  Michael moved to Hollywood to become a screenwriter. His career credits include The Rose, The Scicilian, Silent Running, Magnum Force, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Year of the Dragon, and the remake of Desperate Hours.

   Cimino’s masterpiece was a personal story of how the Vietnam War affected a small steel-town in Pennsylvania. It was praised as the best motion picture since The Godfather in 1972. Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, it starred Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken, who also won a statuette for Best Supporting Actor.

   Cimino’s emerging career took a u-turn just two years later. Heaven’s Gate became synonymous with over-budget and out-of-control productions, and a cautionary tale for giving artistic-minded directors too much power in the new Hollywood that had been defined by directors such as Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese. Its initial budget of $11.5 million would balloon to $44 million after marketing. The cost hastened the demise of United Artists, and Cimino’s career. It helped bring down the director-driven renaissance that had fueled much of the great work of the 1970s, giving way to a blockbuster mentality that would dominate the decades that followed.

   Cimino frequently credits filmakers Clint Eastwood, John Ford, Luchino Visconti, and Akira Kurosawa as his cinematic influences. Cimino has stated, if it wasn’t for Eastwood, he would not be in the motion picture industry. In 2001, the French Minister of Culture decorated him Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and the Prix Littéraire Deauville, the latter award was previously given to his idols, Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal.

   Unfortunately, the financial failure of Heaven’s Gate jettisoned his promising career. Fifty productions were either shelved or given to other directors due to this famous flop, including Godfather III, Footloose, Born on the Forth of July, and The Pope of Greenwich Village. In a recent Vanity Fair article, Cimino claimed he never regretted the making of Heaven’s Gate.

   Once described by a critic as an enfant terrible, Michael Cimino was 77.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Fifty-two years ago The Beatles came to America. Their journey began on February 7th, 1964. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr arrived from the United Kingdom at the newly-named John F. Kennedy International Airport. With cameras flashing, and reporters jostling, they were whisked into Manhattan amid the screams, shouts, and tears of New York-area teens, braving the cold for a mere glimpse of the band.

   That Sunday, the veritable King of the television variety show, Ed Sullivan, introduced them to a captivated American audience of more than 73 million viewers; at the time a television record. And just like that, Beatlemania was upon us.

THE BEATLES

   Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles! brings us back to the early 1960s, when rock & roll was re-energized by four lads from Liverpool. The exhibit covers the period from early 1964 through mid-1966; the years Beatlemania ran rampant in America. During this time the band affected nearly every aspect of pop culture, including fashion, media, art, advertising, and of course, music. On display are many Beatles-related pop culture artifacts from the period, as well as correspondence, instruments, posters, photographs, interviews, interactive displays, and a booth in which visitors can sing-along with Ringo Starr. Screenings and a series of talks reveal the continuing impact of The Beatles.

   Curated by the Grammy Museum and Fab Four Exhibits, Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles! provides fresh new insight into how and why The Beatles impacted America in the 1960s, and beyond. The exhibition runs through September 5th.

   The Grammy Museum at LA Live is located at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., in Los Angeles.

Until next time>                               “never forget”