Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   Betty White is being sued by her former live-in caretaker of 22 years. Anita Maynard, who started working for the 94-year-old actress in 1994, filed a lawsuit last week in Los Angeles, citing labor code violations and unfair business practices. The lawsuit alleges Maynard didn’t receive overtime pay despite working more than 14 hours a day, six days a week.          BETTY WHITE —->

   According to the Los Angeles affiliate of CBS, the lawsuit claims Maynard wasn’t allowed uninterrupted breaks to eat meals. And Maynard is also alleging White paid her less than California’s legal minimum wage. The lawsuit claims White has withheld Maynard’s wages since Maynard stopped working for her on March 11th.

   A representative for White would say only that Betty has worked with thousands of people over the years, and that no one has ever had anything but positive things to say about her. This includes other actors who have worked with her on the sets of The Mary Tyler Moore Show,  Hot in Cleveland, and The Golden Girls; and folks who have been engaged with her at animal welfare advocacy groups.

   Let’s hope this doesn’t get ugly.

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   EARL HAMNER JR. (left) was the versatile and prolific writer who created one of television’s most beloved shows, The Waltons. He was also the best-selling novelist of the book that the program was based on… Spencer’s Mountain; and the script writer of eight fine episodes of The Twilight Zone. His most memorable teleplays were The Hunt, Ring-a-Ding Girl, and the very last episode, The Bewitching Pool.

    After leaving the Army, he enrolled at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a degree in broadcasting while working at a local radio station. When he quit, his friend Rod Serling replaced him at the station, and who he had previously met during a college script-writing competition.

    Earl began to write Spencer’s Mountain while in France during the last days of the World War II. It became a best-seller in 1961, and it was made into a popular film starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Hara, two years later. It inspired over 200 episodes of The Waltons, and several Waltons’ television specials. The character John-Boy, played by Richard Thomas, was an autobiographical depiction of the author. The show won over a dozen Emmy Awards.

   He also created the popular, long-running television drama Falcon Crest; and wrote for Wagon Train, Gentle Ben, Nanny and the Professor, and Apple’s Way (my very first appearance on the small screen). He also wrote The Homecoming for CBS in 1971.

   A Southern gentleman, Earl Hamner Jr. was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

  Garry Shandling was an actor and comedian who pioneered a reality show version of late night programming with The Larry Sanders Show. The show also influenced Entourage, 30 Rock, and Curb Your Enthusiasm in which guest stars play themselves in episodes. During his three-decade career, Shandling was nominated for 19 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.

   The Chicago native moved from a stint in the advertising to comedy writing for such sitcoms as Sanford and Son and Welcome Back Kotter, and stand-up. An innovative and eccentric humorist with a voice that always seemed on the verge of a whine, Shandling claimed to disdain logic cluttering his life. He began to experiment with television comedy with It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, a Showtime project that routinely like to break the fourth wall to comment on what they were up to.                       GARRY SHANDLING ——–>

   In 1992, Shandling created for HBO his comic masterpiece, in which he starred as an ego-maniacal late-night host with an angst-ridden show-biz life behind the scenes. It was a true homage to Johnny Carson, who had just retired a few months earlier. Shandling had appeared as a stand-up and occasional Carson stand-in on The Tonight Show. He was mentioned as a candidate to follow David Letterman as a bona fide late-night host for CBS, but no deal was made. Shandling hosted the Grammy Awards four times, and hosted the Emmy Awards in 2000 and 2004. Occasionally, Shandling appeared in films, with roles in Dr. Doolittle, Zoolander, Iron Man 2, and Captain America: Winter Soldier.

   While Shandling never married, his most public romance was with Larry Sanders co-star and fiancee Linda Doucett, who played an assistant in the series’ early seasons. Doucett sued Shandling after he fired her following their breakup in the mid-1990s, receiving a reported $1 million settlement, the New York Times reported in 2006.

   An avid boxing fan, Shandling co-owned the Wildcard West Boxing Gym in Santa Monica. He was also an amateur radio operator. In his usual self-effacing personality, I’m sure the comedian might have reacted to his own demise by saying, Oh swell, that’s just great!

   Garry Shandling was 66.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   The current president of the Screen Actors Guild was a pro-active leader, who had the best interest of the performers he represented. He was also instrumental in the collaborative effort merging SAG-AFTRA. Ken Howard (right) was additionally a charismatic character actor, who was comfortable in a variety of celluloid settings. He is best remembered for being the headstrong coach in the 1970s drama, The White Shadow.

   Howard began in show business on Broadway in Promises Promises with Jerry Orbach. In 1970, he won a Tony Award as Best Supporting Actor (Dramatic) for Child’s Play. Ken later co-starred in the stage version of 1776 as Thomas Jefferson, and he reprised the role in the 1972 film.

   His cinematic career was notable, with roles in Clear and Present Danger, The Net, Oscar, Rambo, Michael Clayton, and J. Edgar. On the small screen, Ken was prolific, guest-starring in Bonanza, Dynasty, The Colby’s, Murder She Wrote, The Practice, Boston Legal, Crossing Jordan, Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, The Golden Girls, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and recently, The Office and 30 Rock. He won an Emmy in 2009 for his performance in Grey Gardens.

   Howard was the author of Act Natural: How to Speak to Any Audience,  based on drama courses he has taught at Harvard University. On a personal note, I met Ken at a recent SAG Awards show, and I found our president to be very approachable and a real gentleman.

   The genial Ken Howard was 71.

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   Joe Garagiola had a nine-year baseball career. His 57 years in broadcasting that followed made him one of the most popular figures in the sports world and beyond. His NBC broadcasts of the Grand Old Game on Saturday mornings was a staple for generations of baseball fans. He became a fixture on the network’s Today program.

   Growing up in the Hill neighborhood of St. Louis, not far from future Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, Garagiola went on to hit .257 during his years in the Major Leagues. The two remained lifelong friends. His highlight came early, getting a four-hit game in the 1946 World Series, and helping his hometown Cardinals win a championship as a 20-year-old rookie. Garagiola played for the Cardinals, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago Cubs.

   Garagiola broke into broadcasting in 1955 as a radio and television analyst for the Cardinals. He spent 27 years at NBC, and was paired with Tony Kubek as the lead broadcast team from 1976-82; and then with Vin Scully from 1984-88. Joe won baseball’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting in 1991. He kept working, serving as a part-time analyst for Arizona Diamondbacks telecasts until he announced his retirement in February 2013. Garagiola was a co-host of the Today show from 1969-1973, working with Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs; and again from 1990-1992, working with Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric.

   Garagiola (above) helped found the Baseball Assistance Team in 1986 to assist former players and other baseball figures in financial need; and was a leading figure in the National Spit Tobacco Education Program.

   One of the really good guys, Joe Garagiola was 90.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Today, I stand with the nation’s citizenry in the wake of this morning’s bombing attacks. I’m proud that members of my extended family are Belgian.

   After three devices devastated Brussels, killing at least 26 people and injuring more than 100, people around the world have turned to an iconic children’s comic strip to show solidarity with the Belgian capital. The Adventures of Tintin, written by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi under the pen name Hergé, has long been a symbol of Brussels and a national hero in Belgium. Now, Tintin has become an emblem of solidarity for the city rocked by a terrorist attack that continues to claim the lives of innocent people.

   The books have sold in the tens of millions, but only in Belgium has the fearless reporter and his dog Snowy been ingrained in the DNA of most youngsters since the 1950s. Creator Herge died in 1983, and is considered a national treasure in his native Belgium. The character is at the center of art galleries, museums, murals, and themed restaurants, drawing tourists from around the world. The Tintin cartoon books have been translated into 70-plus languages, from Chinese to Armenian, English to Spanish.

   On Tuesday morning, Tintin, the intrepid young investigative journalist who solves fantastical mysteries, wasn’t on another adventure. Instead, he and his pup were crying for the people of Brussels. Internet followers are lending their languages, in a display of  outrage,  defiance, and concern to the cacophony of voices following the Brussels attacks. People from around the world have been posting pictures of Tintin on social media with captions such as: I am Belgium and Sadness.

   My personal sentiment…  JeSuisBruxelles.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The passing parade was busy this week, and we lost familiar faces after successful careers on the small screen. Here are the details:

    Joe Santos played Lieutenant Dennis Becker on The Rockford Files. The pal of private eye Jim Rockford (James Garner), which aired from 1974 to 1980, and scored him an Emmy nod.

   His career spanned more than four decades, from a guest shot on The Naked City  through a recurring part on The Sopranos. The New York-born actor also had guest roles on Kung Fu, Magnum, P.I., Miami Vice, MacGyver, and Hardcastle & McCormick. His cinematic career included The Blue Knight, Blue Thunder, Panic in Needle Park, The Last Boyscout, and The Postman. One of his closest pals was Al Pacino.

   Joe Santos (right) was 84.

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   Larry Drake was best known as Benny in the top prime time series, L.A. Law. He earned two consecutive Emmys for the role.

   He also guest-starred in Hardcastle & McCormick, Hunter, Fantasy Island, Tales From the Crypt, Star Trek: Voyager, Six Feet Under, 7th Heaven, Boston Legal, and 34 episodes of Johnny Bravo. He appeared on the big screen, with parts in Bean, The Karate Kid, The Ladies Club, Darkman, and Dr. Giggles.

   Larry David (left) was 67.

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   Frank Sinatra Jr. (right) carried on his famous dad’s legacy with his own music career, and whose kidnapping as a young man added a bizarre chapter to his family’s legacy. He followed his father into music as a teenager, eventually working for the senior Sinatra as his musical director and conductor. His career was influenced by advice given by Duke Ellington and Sammy Davis Jr. His sisters are Nancy and Tina Sinatra.

   Frank Jr. guest-starred in Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Adam-12, The Dean Martin Show, The Patty Duke Show, Marcus Welby M.D., The Love Boat, The Sopranos, and most recently, Family Guy.

   At the time of the kidnapping, Frank Sr. was filming Robin and the 7 Hoods. The stress of the incident, in addition to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy just a few weeks previous, caused him to seriously consider shutting down production completely, though the film was ultimately completed. The plot may have inspired a teleplay of a Hawaii 5-0 episode.

   Frank Sinatra Jr. was 72.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Before I formally conclude my trip to New York, I thought I would look back at some highlights, courtesy of Rich Hogan Photography. He’s aces for capturing wonderfully candid moments.

   I was thrilled to be a special guest speaker at the 2016 ReelAbilities Film Festival. The Festival Director, Ravit Turjeman (below left), guaranteed a memorable time for the supporters of the week-long event. It’s no wonder there was record-breaking attendance.

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   For my part, I was treated quite well at my three locations that are part of the New York Public Library system. The repositories at Baychester and Jerome Park (in the Bronx), and Mid-Manhattan were quite hospitable, and very professionally run. The staff made it easy to present Forgotten Hollywood to the festival patrons choosing to attend my nostalgic journey through cinema’s Golden Age.

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   What made this trip complete was my companion throughout the trip to the East Coast, my sister Virginia (below). This may have been the most fun I have ever had with my sibling away from home. One of my closest friends, Rich Hogan (below), lives in Upstate New York, and he traveled down to spend treasured time with us. One of the many stops, Katz’s Delicatessen, was the locale of a famous scene in When Harry Met Sally. All I will say about the cinematic moment is that involved Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.

   All-in-all, it was a great week!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   Our trip continues in the hustle and bustle of New York. Right before my sister Virginia and I (right) visited our second Broadway show in as many days, we soaked in the sights and sounds in and around the streets of Manhattan. We visited the Ed Sullivan Theatre (home of Late Night with Stephen Colbert), Radio City Music Hall, and NBC Studios. There is also something special walking along Madison Avenue, and 5th Avenue.

   We also enjoyed the 21,043 performance of The Fantasticks at the Jerry Orbach Theatre. A farce that made a star of the famed character actor, it was an intimate setting that made this matinee performance a complete joyful experience. If you do the math, this stage play has been on Broadway since 1960, a worthy accomplishment.

   In between all of the tourist stops, I conducted a very popular Forgotten Hollywood program at the Mid Manhattan Branch of the New York Public Library; part of the 2016 Reel Abilities Film Festival.

   After a busy week, I’ll be home just before a nor’easter hits the Mid Atlantic seaboard. Whew!

Until next week>                              “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   After spending treasured time with friends of the ReelAbilities Film Festival at the Jerome Park Library in the Bronx, my sister Virginia, my dear friend Rich Hogan (below), and I drove past Yankee Stadium and the Cotton Club in Harlem. Later in the afternoon, we went back to Time Square, where the famed ball drops to bring in each new year.

   While in Time Square, we walked around and soaked in the sights and sounds of the famed landmark street. The three of us had dinner at Sardi’s Restaurant, an eatery that was notably mentioned in a tune from the recent Mel Brooks Broadway show, The Producers. We were surrounded by photos of every famous person that has visited Sardi’s.

   My sister and I then went to our very first Broadway show at the historic Palace Theatre; the well choreographed An American in Paris. The production was based on the 1951 Oscar-winning musical that starred Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, and Oscar Levant. The music was composed by the iconic George and Ira Gershwin. This experience matches a previous time that I saw a stage production along London’s West End. Tomorrow, we attend to visit another live stage show, at the Jerry Orbach Theatre; the longest running production in Broadway history, The Fantasticks.

   The finale of the evening will include an opportunity to visit the historic Mid-Manhattan Library, where I’ll be delivering a Forgotten Hollywood presentation and book-signing. I’m expecting many folks who have traveled from all over the world to enjoy this year’s ReelAbilities Film Festival.

   This New York experience has been quite rousing… S’Wonderful!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   My sister Virginia (below in fur) and I are enjoying a brisk Spring in the Big Apple in celebration of the 2016 ReelAbilities Film Festival. Along the way, we’ve visited Rockefeller Center (Today Show), The Lincoln Center, 42nd Street,  9-11 Memorial (Ground Zero), and a ReelAbilities screening of Enter the Faun, a remarkable and moving documentary of a New York native who intertwines choreography and the affliction of cerebral palsy.

   Among the many sights and sounds of New York: the cast of The Today Show and The Golden Girls, Flip Wilson, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Mickey Mouse, Woody from Toy Story, and a minion!

   Oh yeah, I’m also here to do presentations of Forgotten Hollywood as part of the film festival. Our first visit was at the Baychester Library in the Bronx. Today, we’ll visit the Jerome Park Library at 11a in the Bronx.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

*** 2016 REELABILITIES FILM FESTIVAL UPDATE ***

RED CARPET OPENING NIGHT

   Three time Oscar-nominated actor and humanitarian Mark Ruffalo (below) offered the Opening Remarks of this prestigious week-long film festival. Ruffalo recently appeared in Spotlight (named 2015 Best Picture by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) and Foxcatcher. Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet stopped by on Saturday!

   

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Festival – March 10th-16th at over 40 venues throughout New York. For more info:

 http://newyork.reelabilities.org/films-and-events/#toggle-id-13

THE LARGEST DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL IN THE COUNTRY

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Excuse a minor intermission, while we Spring Forward to the Big Apple! I just checked; the concession lines are short…

   Next stop… The 2016 ReelAbilities Disability Film Festival.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been selected to give Harvard University’s 2016 commencement speech. The three-time Oscar winner is scheduled to address students May 26th at the Ivy League campus.  STEVEN SPIELBERG –>

   Harvard President Drew Faust stated that Spielberg’s profound creativity has fueled countless imaginations, and his films underscore what it is to be human. Spielberg follows others from Hollywood picked to give marquee commencement addresses this year. Actor Matt Damon is scheduled to speak June 3rd at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2002, Spielberg earned a degree from California State University, Long Beach, where he had attended in the 1960s, but dropped out.

   Spielberg has won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director for Schindler’s List; and Best Director for Saving Private Ryan.

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   Ken Adam was the British production designer who gave Dr. Strangelove its cavernous War Room (left). The Berlin-born filmmaker won two Academy Awards in a career that spanned more than 70 films. He was revered for his indelible set artistry, including that for seven James Bond movies. Adam was behind the Fort Knox vaults of Goldfinger, and Bond’s gadget-filled Aston Martin. Adam was knighted in 2003, a first for a production designer.

   Adam became enraptured by German Expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. He studied architecture, a background that would later prove useful for production design.          KEN ADAM –>

   After the war, he was hired to assist veteran designer William Cameron Menzies on the Oscar-winning 1956 film Around the World in 80 Days. Adam caught the eye of producer Albert Cubby Broccoli who enlisted him for 1962’s Dr. No, the first Bond film. He continued to be instrumental in crafting the iconic backdrops and torture devices that helped define Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker.

   Adam won his first Oscar in 1976 for Barry Lyndon, which he shared with Vernon Dixon and Roy Walker. His second came in 1995 for The Madness of King George, which he shared with Carolyn Scott. Other movies he designed include Peter O’Toole’s version of Goodbye Mr. Chips, Ben-Hur, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sleuth, Agnes of God, and Addam’s Family Values.

   Steven Spielberg once told the production designer that his War Room on Dr. Strangelove was the best set ever put on celluloid, high praise from the filmmaker. Ken Adam was 95.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Very unfamiliar filmakers that were part of Hollywood’s Golden Age have died. Yet, these are folks needing a final moment in the sun because of the influence they had in cinema during the Studio Era.

    Kathryn Trosper Popper was the last living cast member of Citizen Kane. She was the inquiring journalist who asks, What’s Rosebud? in the 1941 film. In addition, she was director Orson Welles’ longtime personal assistant, working with him in the Mercury Theater division at RKO.                                                      ORSON WELLES   KATHRYN TROSPER POPPER

   Her husband Martin Popper was the co-chief defense counsel for The Hollywood Ten. He defended Dalton Trumbo and John Howard Lawson, who were convicted in 1950 of contempt of Congress for refusing to declare whether they were Communists. In 1961, Martin was convicted of the same offense. Her brother Guy Trosper became a screenwriter and producer, writing screenplays for Birdman of Alcatraz and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.

   Kathryn Trosper Popper was 100.

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   Richard Davalos was an actor, best known at James Dean’s brother in East of Eden, and a convict in Cool Hand Luke. His other screen credits include roles in I Died a Thousand Times and Kelly’s Heroes. Davalos (right) won the Theatre World Award in 1955 for his fine performance in the Arthur Miller play A Memory of Two Mondays.

   The thespian was active on television, guest-starring in Perry Mason, Bonanza, Rawhide, 77 Sunset Strip, Mannix, SWAT, The Rockford Files, Hawaii Five-O, The Jeffersons, Hart to Hart, and Murder She Wrote.

   Richard Davalos was 85.

Until next time>                               “never forget’

Manny P. here…

   Sir George Martin was a British record producer, arranger, and composer. His influential involvement with The Beatles altered pop music for generations. He was motivated by iconic composers, such as Cole Porter, Bernard Herrmann, and even, Sergei Rachmaninov, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Maurice Ravel. Martin is considered one of the great record producers, with 30 #1 hit singles in the United Kingdom; and 23 #1 hits in the United States.

   After serving in the War Office and the Royal Navy during World War II, Martin used his veteran’s grant to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1947 to 1950. Following his graduation, he worked for the BBC’s classical music department, and then joined EMI, as an assistant to Oscar Preuss, the head of EMI’s Parlophone Records. He took over after Preuss retired. During his tenure, he worked with Peter Ustinov, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Rolf Harris, Peter Cook, and Dudley Moore. Martin produced the popular soundtrack album for David Frost’s BBC television show That Was the Week That Was in 1963.

   His irreverent background led to solid work with British Invasion artists, including Cilia Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, and most famously, The Beatles. His influential suggestion led to Ringo Starr taking over drummer chores for the group. He also collaborated with Matt Monro, Neil Sedaka, Kenny Rogers, Gary Glitter, Jeff Beck, America, and Celine Dion. Late in his career, Martin produced Elton John’s moving redux after the tragic death of Princess Diana (Candle in the Wind); and a Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas stage tribute to The Beatles.

   In fact, Martin’s work with The Beatles is legendary. His hits as a recording engineer include Love Me Do and Please Please Me; and particularly, as the orchestral arranger for Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, Michelle, Penny Lane, I am the Walrus, Strawberry Fields Forever, In My Life, A Day in the Life, With a Little Help From My Friends, All You Need is Love, Here Comes the Sun, Hey Jude, Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds, and Let It Be. These compositions had an influential effect a decade later on Jeff Lynne in his creation of Electric Light Orchestra. George helped arrange Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey for Paul and Linda McCartney after the band dissolved.

   George helped create the modern audio landscape of cinema of the 1960s and 1970s. Martin composed, arranged, and produced movie scores, including A Hard Day’s Night, for which he garnered a 1964 Oscar nomination; Ferry Cross the Mersey; Yellow Submarine; and Live and Let Die. He produced Shirley Bassey’s chart-topping Goldfinger in 1964. Martin also wrote scores for small films starring Peter Sellers, Mickey Rooney, and Michael Caine. In 2011, a documentary chronicling his career was a BBC production.

   His protégé, Ringo Starr, reported his passing. George Martin was 90.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Like all remarkable television programs, Downton Abbey was given a proper sendoff. 9.6 million viewers said goodbye to the most popular series in the PBS history. Lord Grantham might have remarked… Golly!

   Since I’ve seen every episode during its six-season run, I have personal favorite characters: Tom Branson, Mrs. Patmore, Lady Edith, Isobel Crawley, Anna Bates, Mr. Molesley, and Dr. Clarkson. But, there is no denying, writer and creator Julian Fellowes provided appropriate screen time to each actor that graced the small screen, making Downton Abbey an international sensation. Fellowes and I share the same appreciation for minor roles, and his attention to detail was superb. And, wasn’t it marvelous to enjoy guest stars as esteemed as Shirley MacLaine and Paul Giamatti in support of Dame Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, and Elizabeth McGovern.

   Watching the last episode was bittersweet, much like the moments when M*A*S*H, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Cheers offered their finale. I’ll have the same morose feeling when its time slot competitor, The Good Wife, also concludes later this Spring. Losing two fabulously written shows at the same time seems so unfair.

   For their part, PBS representatives are suggesting Downton Abbey might return with a one-episode yearly special if Julian Fellowes can be convinced to continue to tell the story of Robert and Cora Crawley, and their upstairs-downstairs extended family, beyond 1926 as the United Kingdom approaches the tumultuous decades of the 1930s and 1940s. I believe the series is the most popular program since Star Trek left the airways, so there is chatter for a shelf life that may transcend its initial run. I’m quite confident some semblance of negotiations are going on.

   One can only hope…

Until next time>                               “never forget”