Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   Young Frankenstein will come alive in theaters once again on October 5th, with a live introduction from writer-director Mel Brooks, who will pay tribute to the classic spoof’s late star Gene Wilder. The intro will be broadcast from the 20th Century Fox lot in 500 theaters nationwide, according to an announcement from Fathom Events.

            GENE WILDER                               PETER BOYLE    MEL BROOKS

   In addition to touring the studio lot, where much of the movie was filmed, Brooks is expected to reminisce about his friend and collaborator, who died last Sunday of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Young Frankenstein is one of Wilder’s most fondly remembered films. It was during the filming of Blazing Saddles that Wilder proposed the concept for Young Frankenstein to Brooks.

   The announcement comes on the heels of AMC Theaters bringing other Wilder favorites Blazing Saddles and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory back to theaters this past weekend.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   One of my dear friends in show business has died. Hugh O’Brian shot to fame as Sheriff Wyatt Earp in what was hailed as television’s first adult Western. More than your usual television star, O’Brian starred in motion pictures, most notably, Broken Lance, Ten Little Indians, and In Harm’s Way. He was the last star whose character was killed by John Wayne, which occurred at the conclusion of The Shootist. The actor also made his mark in philanthropy as founder of the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) organization. He formed the organization after meeting the legendary Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

    O’Brian was educated in Winnetka, Illinois, leaving school at 17 to join the Marines. He went on to become one of the corps’ youngest drill sergeants. While in the service, he fatefully met John Wayne. He originally planned to study law at Yale University. But, after actress Ida Lupino saw him in a play at a small Los Angeles theater, she cast him in Never Fear, a 1949 film she was directing, and his acting career was launched. One of his pals was Buddy Hackett.   HUGH O’BRIAN –>

   Until The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp debuted in September 1955, most television Westerns, notably The Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy,  were targeted at adolescent boys. Wyatt Earp, on the other hand, was based on a real-life Western hero, and some of its stories were authentic. The real Earp, who lived from 1848 to 1929, is most famous for his participation in the 1881 Shootout at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Wyatt Earp paved the way for the success of Gunsmoke, and a litany of fine television Westerns that followed.

   Shortly after returning home from his famed meeting with Schweitzer, he founded the HOBY youth group. Each year, it brought together promising high school sophomores at sites around the country for leadership seminars. In 1999, O’Brian estimated that HOBY had more than 200,000 graduates from ages 16 to 59. The organization currently enrolls students in accelerated leadership programs in all 50 states and 20 countries. Hugh received numerous awards for his fine achievement.

   O’Brian was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1992. At age 81, he married the love of his life, Virginia, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in what they quipped was a wedding to die for.

   On a personal note, I interviewed Hugh a few years back on my Forgotten Hollywood Radio Program; and he was a proud owner of my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. His autobiography and my paperbacks were self-published through the Book Publisher’s Network. I met the famed-actor and his wife at a reunion at Republic Pictures, and we became instant friends. I spent treasured time at their home, including one Christmas. I most recently saw my friends at a ceremony in which he donated his famed Wyatt Earp outfit to the Hollywood Museum at the site of the old Max Factor building.

   My heart goes out to Virginia and his family. I will miss him.

   Hugh O’Brian was 91.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Actor Jackie Chan, film editor Anne V. Coates, casting director Lynn Stalmaster, and documentarian Frederick Wiseman are getting honorary Academy Awards. The film academy announced the four industry veterans will receive Oscar statuettes at the annual Governors Awards ceremony in November.    ANNE V. COATES —->

   Chan has starred in and produced dozens of films, dazzling with his stunts and martial arts. Coates won an Academy Award for her editing work on Lawrence of Arabia. She received four other Oscar nominations during her career, working with such directors as Sidney Lumet, Richard Attenborough, and Steven Soderbergh.

   Stalmaster has been casting since the mid-1950s. His credits include I Want to Live!, Judgement at Nuremberg, The Fortune Cookie, In the Heat of the Night, The Graduate, Deliverance, Fiddler on the Roof, Harold and Maude, Silver Streak, Superman, Being There, and Tootsie. Wiseman started making documentaries in 1967. His most recent was last year’s In Jackson Heights, about a community in Queens, New York, considered one of the most culturally diverse in the United States.

   Honorary Oscars recognize lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to film. The eighth annual Governors Awards will be presented at a private dinner ceremony on November. 12th at the Hollywood & Highland Center. While the event is generally not televised, clips may be included in the 2017 Academy Awards telecast on February. 26th.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Gene Wilder was a legendary cinematic comic, who closely worked with Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor. At one time, he was also married to Gilda Radner, until ovarian cancer claimed her life. Wilder is best remembered for outstanding contributions in The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Silver Streak. He was a character actor who became a bonafide star in screen comedies.

   He started taking acting classes at age 12, and continued performing and taking lessons through college. In 1961, Wilder became a member of Lee Strasberg’s prestigious Actor’s Studio in Manhattan.Wilder started his acting career on the stage. He had a part in the original Broadway production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Though they collaborated on film, Wilder and Brooks met through the theater. Wilder was in a play with Brooks’ then-future wife, Anne Bancroft, who introduced the pair backstage in 1963.

   He had a small role as a hostage in the 1967 classic Bonnie and Clyde.In 1968, Wilder received an Oscar nomination for his work in Brooks’ The Producers. He played the introverted accountant, Leo Bloom. Gene accepted the role of the Waco Kid on Blazing Saddles after Gig Young was fired by Brooks for intoxication. He and Brooks also lost Best Adapted Screenplay for Young Frankenstein to Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo for The Godfather II. His film catalog included Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Younger Brother, Start the Revolution Without Me, Hanky Panky, Stir Crazy, See No Evil Hear No Evil, The Woman in Red, and Haunted Honeymoon. Though his forte was cinema, he also appeared on the small screen. Gene made his screen debut in the series Armstrong Circle Theatre in 1962. He won an Emmy Award for guest-starring on Will & Grace.

   After Radner died in 1989, Wilder spent much of his time after promoting cancer research and opened a support facility for cancer patients. In 1991, he testified before Congress about the need for increased testing for cancer.

   This weekend, AMC Theatres will screen Willie Wonka and Blazing Saddles at 55 participating venues, nationwide. The ticket is priced at a sensible $5. Location information is available at the AMC website. Also, in Southern California at select ArcLight Cinema locations on Saturday and Sunday, they are showing special screenings. All proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association. Turner Classic Movies will honor the iconic funnyman next month. Here’s the lineup:

   A comedic master, Gene Wilder was 83.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   Charles Osgood is about to say farewell as host of CBS News Sunday Morning in September after 22 years as its host. He announced his scheduled September 25th departure on Sunday’s edition. That broadcast will be a tribute to Osgood’s legacy on and off Sunday Morning. But after, he won’t be absent from the program, assuring viewers he will be on hand for occasional appearances.

   Charles Osgood (above) is exiting a job only one other person has held since Sunday Morning premiered in 1979. Charles Kuralt retired in 1994 after crafting the job in his own folksy, easygoing image, and hosting for 15 years. Osgood had an impossible act to follow. But with his own erudition and his slightly bookish, bow-tied style, he immediately clicked with viewers who continued to embrace the program as an unhurried television magazine that seemed defined only by its host’s, and the staff’s, curiosity.

   Even then, Osgood was already a CBS veteran. In 1967, he took a job as reporter on the CBS-owned New York news radio station. Then, one fateful weekend, he was summoned to fill in at the anchor desk for the television network’s Saturday newscast. In 1971, he joined the CBS network.

   He has proved to be a broadcaster who can write essays and light verse, as well as report hard news, and he has continued to work in both radio and television with equal facility. He has been an anchor and reporter for many CBS News broadcasts on both television and radio. He has long delivered The Osgood File on radio.

   No successor has been named. Among those under consideration are reportedly Sunday Morning colleagues Jane Pauley, Anthony Mason, and Lee Cowan. Meanwhile, the program continues to be a ratings leader. With a year-to-date audience of nearly 6 million viewers, it consistently tops rival Sunday morning news programs.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   For over half a century, cinephiles have gathered over Labor Day Weekend to celebrate the movies at the annual Cinecon Classic Film Festival. It’s where archivists, collectors, film fans, and of course, authors gather for five days of classic film screenings, special programs, celebrity guests, and the best movie memorabilia show in the nation. Cinecon is dedicated to showcasing unusual films that are rarely given public screenings.

   Loews Hollywood Hotel is the host, with all screenings taking place at the historic Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. This year’s Cinecon 52 is excited to present a special screening of the new restoration of King of Jazz. Paul Whiteman and his orchestra headline an all-star cast in this lavish 1930 musical revue, filmed in two-strip Technicolor.

   As a special attraction to the Memorabilia Show, the exciting book signing event is back. Several authors will be on hand throughout the weekend. All types of books are represented: actor and director biographies, comprehensive studio histories, pictorials, and more. For a complete list of authors, click (or cut-and-paste) the link below:

http://www.cinecon.org/cinecon_authors.html

   After a one year absence, I’m back with my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. My visit is Thursday (09/01) at Loews Hollywood Hotel in the 2nd Floor Banquet Room from 2p to 6p.

   We will see you this year at Cinecon 52!

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   Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History reached an important milestone in sales with 1500 total purchases. What put me over were sales at the Del Mar – Solana Beach Rotary Club in San Diego. They meet weekly for a sunrise breakfast.

   My second paperback resonates with demographics of this fine international organization.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Marvin Kaplan was the iconic comedian of film, television, and voice-over. He is probably best known for his recurring role on the sitcom Alice who frequented Mel’s Diner. He was also one of the gas station attendants who is beat up by Jonathan Winters in It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

   Kaplan graduated Brooklyn Law School with a Juris Doctorate Degree. Discovered by Katharine Hepburn, his first role was a small part in Adam’s Rib. Other cinematic appearances include Frances, Key to the City, Angels in the Outfield, The Nutty Professor, The Great Race, and Freaky Friday. On television, he had guest-starring roles in Petticoat Junction and Becker. He was also the familiar voice of Choo Choo on the animated cartoon series, Top Cat.   MARVIN KAPLAN ->

   Marvin served as AFTRA Los Angeles Local President for eight years, and Performers’ Governor on the Television Academy. A dedicated theatre person, Kaplan was a member of the oldest continually-operating live production company in Los Angeles, Theatre West, for many decades. He was also an accomplished playwright and screenwriter.

   Marvin Kaplin was 89.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Here’s something you won’t see on an episode of The Brady Bunch. Burglars broke into the familiar home that was used on the classic 1970s sitcom. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the incident, which happened last Wednesday night at the private residence in Studio City, California.

THE BRADY BUNCH

   It’s unclear whether the burglars knew the home was from The Brady Bunch. But if they expected to find shag carpeting and retro decor, they were probably disappointed. The inside of the real home looks nothing like the sets we see on The Brady Bunch. 

   Since  the show went into syndication in 1975, the house at 11222 Dilling St. has become a popular spot for tourists. The property looks a lot different today than it appeared on the show, with a fence being erected to obscure its appearance. Overgrown trees block the facade, and the prop window seen on the show has been removed.

   Despite being such a famous property, the house has only had one owner since The Brady Bunch went off the air in 1974. The property was last sold in 1973 for the bargain price of $61,000. Today, it’s worth an estimated $1.7 million.

   It’s unclear whether the burglars knew the home was from The Brady Bunch. But, if they expected to find shag carpeting and retro decor, they were probably disappointed. The inside of the real home looks nothing like the sets we see on the sitcom. 

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A wind-driven wildfire in central California led to more evacuations, and the closure of the Hearst Castle on Saturday. Flames from the 8-day-old wildfire in San Luis Obispo County came as close as 3 miles to the national historic landmark, prompting California State Parks officials to cancel tours and close the grounds to visitors.

   A wind shift caused the fire to cross a containment line in the afternoon, leading authorities to issue evacuation orders for several communities north and west of Lake Nacimiento, about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The fire has burned 31 square miles and destroyed 48 structures since it began August 13th. It’s 35% contained.

   Hearst Castle closes occasionally due to bad weather. The closure allowed fire crews to set up firefighting equipment to protect the hilltop estate. The visitor center, which is downhill from the castle, remained open. Workers at the castle have spent several days cutting brush and putting in fire lines to create a defensible space around the castle. A contingency plan is in place to move the large art collection that belonged to media magnate William Randolph Hearst.

   A popular tourist attraction along the Central Coast, the estate was conceived by Hearst to display his art collection. In its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s, the castle was a playground for Hollywood stars. The location was the subject of satire in the movie, Citizen Kane. Though married, Hearst’s mistress was actress Marian Davies. Their love-child eventually married actor Arthur Lake, Dagwood Bumstead in the the popular Blondie series of films.

   Hearst Castle is closed until further notice.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   Arthur Hiller was a noted television and film director, having directed over 33 major motion pictures during his 50-year career. He began his career directing television in Canada. By the late 1950s, he began directing movies, and most often, comedies. He also directed award-winning dramas, such as Love Story, which was nominated for seven Oscars.

   After he graduated high school, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at the start of World War II, and navigated bombers over enemy territory in Europe. After he returned from serving in the military, Hiller graduated from the University of Toronto. One of his first jobs after graduating was with Canadian radio directing various public affairs programs.

   When television entered mainstream media in the early 1950s, he began directing for Canadian broadcasters. NBC asked him to direct television dramas, including episodes of Thriller, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, Naked City, and Playhouse 90.

   He collaborated with award-winning screenwriters Paddy Chayefsky and Neil Simon. Hiller hit his stride when he turned to cinema. Productions include The Americanization of Emily, The Out-of-Towners, The Man in the Glass Booth, The Hospital, Man of La Mancha, Plaza Suite, Silver Streak, See No Evil Hear No Evil, W.C. Fields and Me, Author! Author!, and The Babe.

    Hiller was president of the Directors Guild of America from 1989 to 1993, and served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1993 to 1997. He was the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2002.

   One of my favorite modern directors, Arthur Hiller was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The name is Bond…James Bond.

   Dashing and debonair, spy themes evoke international intrigue, glamour, and suspense. Two-time Grammy Award-winner Sheena Easton, the featured singer on the James Bond soundtrack For Your Eyes Only, will seduce you into the world of The Spy Who Loved Me, Goldfinger, and Skyfall; plus tunes from Mission Impossible, Austin Powers, and more.

   Easton also has notable acting credits, including a five-episode appearance on Miami Vice, a co-starring role opposite Stacy Keach in a John Carpenter-directed trilogy for Showtime, Body Bags, and as a guest star in the cult syndicated series The Highlander, and starring in UPN’s Ghost Stories. Other guest roles have included Brisco County and Tech Wars, as well as a memorable turn in Showtime’s Outer Limits.

   On Broadway, Easton starred as Aldonza / Dulcinea in Man of La Mancha opposite the late Raul Julia’s Don Quixote. She also starred in the hit musical Grease as Rizzo. Easton has been busy with frequent appearances in Las Vegas where she has been a major attraction for the last two decades, and she was recently inducted into the Las Vegas Hall Of Fame.

   Easton has expanded her love of the concert stage as a guest vocalist with symphonies across the nation and has made frequent appearances in The Spy Who Loved Me. This allows her to blend her romance with various styles of music: American Standards and Broadway.

   The Pacific Symphony concert will be held at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre on Sunday, August 21st. The event will begin promptly at 7:30p.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   You can’t make this stuff up… Dick Van Dyke has treated diners at a Denny’s restaurant in Santa Monica to a rendition of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

   A YouTube video of the performance shows the 90-year-old Van Dyke and the other three members of his quartet, The Vantastix, breaking into their version of a flash-mob type performance. They had just finished an appearance on Good Day LA, a local television show, before going out for breakfast. The video displays the quartet seated with pancakes at the table, and singing the theme song to the 1968 British musical, which starred Van Dyke.

   THE VANTASTIX                                 DICK VAN DYKE

   Van Dyke played eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts in the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was co-written by Roald Dahl and was based on a story by Ian Fleming, of James Bond fame. Van Dyke and The Vantastix are promoting a show later this month in Southern California.

   No word on whether they had a memorable meal; but the legendary comedian did order a side of grits. Bulletins as they break…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Fyvush Finkel was a pillar of Yiddish Theatre. He is best known for his colorful characters honored with accolades on Picket Fences and Boston Legal. The actor also appeared in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof. Over the years, he joined many revivals of the classic musical, eventually settling in as Lazar Wolf, the butcher; and Tevye, the milkman.                FYVUSH FINKEL ——>

   Finkel first appeared on the stage at age 9, and acted for almost 35 years in the thriving Yiddish Theatre District of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, as well as performing as a stand-up comic in the Catskill’s Borscht Belt. Broadway was a natural extension of his broad comedic talent.

   On the big screen, Fyvush had memorable roles in Brighton Beach Memoirs, Mobsters, Nixon, For Love or Money, and A Serious Man. On television, he also guest-starred in episodes of Kojak, Chicago Hope, Law & Order, The Simpsons, a short-lived revival of Fantasy Island, Blue Bloods, and Hollywood Squares.

   On a personal note, Finkel owned a copy of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. The paperback was given to him as a gift by a mutual friend.

   The larger-the-life Fyvush Finkel was 93.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Turner Classic Movies and Adover Fabrics are proud to present a new line of quilt-making fabrics inspired by An American in Paris. The fabric line is available at quality, independent fabric retailers, nationwide.

   Bring home the colorful charm and exuberance of this classic MGM musical with these exclusive designs that capture the fun and allure of the film, classic Hollywood, and of course, the magic of Paris.

   Andover Fabrics, Inc., one of the world’s leading quilt fabric manufacturers has deep roots in the story of the American textile industry, dating back to the Roaring Twenties. Their, premier, quality fabrics are sold throughout the world with strategic partners in Europe, Australia, Canada, and Japan. The company continues to grow with key licenses, designers, and unique finished products from Quilted Koala Ltd. Its commitment to preserving historical designs is customer driven. Andover Fabrics consumers avidly seek out period-style fabrics for their crafting and quilting.

   In this case, S’Wonderful…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Lucille Ball’s hometown of Celoron, New York is welcoming a brand new bronze statue of the famous red head. The unveiling is today on what would have been Ball’s 105th birthday. Sculptor Carolyn Palmer’s version of the actress stands proudly on her Hollywood star, clad in a polka-dot dress, pearls, and heels, with her hair curly and coiffed. The sculptor said the statue is a total of 7-feet tall in its entirety.

   Palmer, who was selected from a national competition of 65 sculptors, said she hasn’t spoken to the sculptor of the Scary Lucy statue, Dave Poulin, but she has sympathy for the criticism he received. The current plan is to relocate Scary Lucy to a different part of Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

   In order to seek inspiration for the bronze statue, Palmer hired models that were Ball’s height — 5’7″ — and bought retro swing dresses and a red wig. In addition to using the models as a creative tool, Palmer stood in front of the mirror and practiced different stances she thought the Ball sculpture could emulate. Palmer also watched multiple episodes of I Love Lucy, including one where Lucy is a sculptor and puts clay all over her face.

   The most painstaking process was creating the polka dots. She did all of the polka dots by hand, rolling out clay and pressing a cap into them, then putting them in the freezer. Palmer worked first with clay, then wax, then eventually the bronze for her final product.

   Palmer said she’s already been getting positive reception from those who’ve taken a peek at the new statue, including a few Celoron residents when the statue was being installed. However, she’s eager to see what the masses will say about her version of the beloved star. Her other works include Pope Francis, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, and Orville and Wilbur Wright.

   The new statue was shown as part of this year’s Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, which started Friday in nearby Jamestown.

Until next time>                               “never forget”