“Forgotten Hollywood”- A Six Million Dollar Loss…

August 31st, 2017

Manny P. here… 

“`Richard Anderson was a movie and television actor.  Among his best-known roles is his portrayal of Oscar Goldman, the boss of Steve Austin (Lee Majors) and Jaime Sommers (Lindsay Wagner) in The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman; and subsequent television films.

“`A prolific actor, Anderson appeared on the big screen in  The People Against O’HaraThe Magnificent Yankee, Scaramouche, Across the Wide Missouri, The Long Hot Summer, Forbidden Planet, Paths of Glory, The Wackiest Ship in the Army, Seven Days in May, Tora! Tora! Tora!, and The Player.

“`On television, he had recurring roles in ZorroPerry Mason, and Dynasty.  Anderson also guest starred in  The Untouchables, Thriller, The Rifleman, Daniel Boone, Death Valley Days, Combat, The Big Valley, Bonanza, The Green Hornet, Mission:  Impossible, The InvadersHawaii Five-0, Gunsmoke, Ironside, The Love Boat, Knight Rider, Columbo, Charlie’s Angels, I SpyRemington Steel, The A-Team and Murder She Wrote. Richard also served as a commercial spokesperson for Shell Oil Company as The Shell Answer Man.

“`Richard Anderson was 91.

=========================== 

“`Katharine Hepburn’s house along  Connecticut’s shore has sold for $11.5 million after several years on the market.  The seller was New York developer Frank Sciame. He obtained the original 4-acre parcel for $6 million in 2004, a year after Kate passed at the Colonial-style home at age 96.  He did extensive renovations, and tried selling the property for $30 million. A second house built by the developer on a separate 1.3-acre parcel of the original estate remains listed at $5.9 million.                                              KATHARINE HEPBURN —>

“`The buyer’s name has not been disclosed.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Best Laid Plans Of Mice and Men…

August 30th, 2017

Manny P. here… 

“`Cinematic remakes of The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden  have fallen apart because John Steinbeck’s son and daughter-in-law impeded the projects,  according to the writer’s stepdaughter in federal court.  Waverly Scott Kaffaga alleges that a decades-long court battle over the author’s estate has prevented her from monetizing all of Steinbeck’s copyrights, when marquee filmmakers, such as Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Lawrence, had interest with bringing some his masterpieces to the screen.

“`This current lawsuit follows the  long-running dispute between  Thomas Steinbeck and Kaffaga’s mother over control of the literary works.  Tom has lost a number of rounds in court, including a noted legal rhubarb that he and the daughter of his late brother, John Steinbeck IV, brought that spurs the current countersuit in question.

`

“`A judge already ruled the couple breached a contract with Kaffaga. Jurors must decide if Thomas and Gail Steinbeck interfered with deals and should pay up.  Gail’s lawyer said she never intentionally interfered in deals she and her husband would have benefited from and would have served their interest promoting the Nobel Prize winner’s legacy. An attorney for Kaffaga said Gail caught wind of projects and then threatened filmmakers that she and her husband had legal rights to the work.

“` Plus, the latest lawsuit alleges that Thomas Steinbeck secretly signed a  $650,000 deal with DreamWorks to be an executive producer on a screen remake of  The Grapes of Wrath, the Oscar-winning motion picture that starred Henry Fonda. Producers and directors later dropped the remake because they feared litigation.  Additionally, several emails suggesting a remake of East of Eden starring Jennifer Lawrence would be heavily litigated.

“`Gail Steinbeck has estimated conservatively that her husband received $120,000 a year in publishing royalties from the author’s work — and as much as $200,000 in some years.

“`A court decision is pending.

==================================

“`Larry Sherman was an actor, and had a career with numerous credits in films, ranging from North by NorthwestMidnight Cowboy,  When Harry Met Sally, Catch Me If You Can, Manhattan, and The Comedian with Robert De Niro. He appeared on Law & Order and on The Sopranos.

“`Larry Sherman was 94

Until next time>                                “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- High Seas Adventure…

August 29th, 2017

Manny P. here…

“`In the tradition of Mutiny on the Bounty and Pirates of the Caribbean

“`The Ocean Institute annually hosts a fleet of historic tall ships that sail into Dana Point Harbor.  This extraordinary event takes place each year the second weekend in September. History comes alive as crews from each ship engage the public in pirate adventures, cannon battles, mermaid encounters, ship tours, and much more.

Friday

Sails ‘n Ales (6:00 pm -9:00 pm)

Craft beer tasting from five different California breweries, live music, mermaids, and prime viewing for Parade of Sail

Parade of Sail (4:00 pm-7:30 pm)

Join the armada as you cast off for adventure aboard a historic tall ship during the annual tall ships parade at sunset.  Work with the crew hauling up sail or simply sit back and enjoy the spectacular demonstration of skill, knowledge and survival

Saturday and Sunday

Mermaid Breakfast (9:00 am-10:30 am)  

Join our mermaid friends for brunch, story time, and under-the-sea crafts!

Festival (10:00 am-4:00 pm)

Tall Ships tours, pirate adventures, mermaid encounters, unique vendors, Sierra Nevada Beer Garden, and more await for you at the 32nd Annual Festival.

Cannon Battles (4:30 pm-7:30 pm) 

Enjoy blasting cannons, towering rigging, bustling decks, and the magnificence of a canvas full of wind during a Cannon Battle. Work with the crew hauling up sail or simply sit back and enjoy the spectacular demonstration of skill, knowledge, and survival!

~   ~   ~

“`Use quick and convenient shuttles directly to the fest. Parking is free at designated shuttle lots located at Strand Vista Park and Dana Hills High School.  There is no parking at the Ocean Institute or county lots in the Harbor. Shuttles will run from 8:30a to 8:30p from all lots.  The last shuttle will leave the Ocean Institute, 30 minutes after Cannon Battle Cruise Ships have returned. Shuttles will run continuously during the Festival hours (approximately every 30 minutes). Please allow ample time to get from the offsite parking lot to the Ocean Institute festival site.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- SAG To Honor Morgan Freeman…

August 22nd, 2017

Manny P. here…

“`Morgan Freeman will receive the SAG Life Achievement Award at the next Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony gala. The actors union announced that Freeman (right) will accept its highest honor, January 21st, 2018.

“`The 80-year-old Freeman  has already been given statuettes for his body of work from the American Film Institute and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, among many other acting accolades. He has been nominated five times for an  Academy Award, and won for his performance in 2004 for Million Dollar Baby.

“`Morgan’s voice is among the most recognizable in media. He’s narrated many documentaries and lent his talent to the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

“`Previous SAG Life Achievement Award recipients include James Earl Jones, Elizabeth Taylor, Sidney Poitier, Betty White, George Burns, and Carol Burnett.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Remembering a Comedic Pioneer…

August 20th, 2017

Manny P. here… 

“`In the wake of the passing of comedian and social activist Dick Gregory, a legend of the stage and screen has died.  Admittedly, an acquired taste, Jerry Lewis was a major star for seven decades.  He trail-blazed a path in early television;  along with Dean Martin, they inherited the comedy duo-mantle made popular by the movie antics of Laurel and Hardy and Abbott and Costello; he raised money for his kids to end Muscular Dystophy; and he had a memorable cinematic career. His son Gary was a pop singer and his group, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, had a string of hits in 1965-1966.

“`Jerry Lewis’ (above) career spanned a colorful history of show business throughout the 20th Century, beginning with his parents’ vaudeville act when he was just 5 years of age. At 20, his pairing with Martin made them international stars.  Martin and Lewis delighted audiences with their stage antics, and on television on  The Colgate Comedy Hour.  Newspaper columnists, Walter Winchell and Ed Sullivan, raved over the sexy singer and the berserk clown. Hollywood producer Hal Wallis saw them at New York’s Copacabanaand signed them to a film contract. Together, they appeared in supporting roles in  My Friend Irma and  My Friend Irma Goes West. Both would eventually star in a series of light comedies throughout the mid-1950s.

“`Martin grew tired of playing the straight man, and the dizzying pace of their work. He began openly sparring with Lewis on stage. In 1956, the team dissolved. They remained apart for 20 years; until Frank Sinatra brought them together, as part of a surprise appearance, during one of Jerry’s live telethons in 1976.

“`After the team split up, Lewis went on to star in The Bellboy, Cinderfella, The Disorderly Orderly, and The Nutty Professor, was featured in Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, and appeared as himself in Billy Crystal’s  Mr. Saturday Night. Retaining complete control of his own productions,  he pioneered the playback device that is still used in cinema to this day. In the 1990s, he scored a stage hit as the devil in a Broadway revival of Damn Yankees.

“`Lewis was the face of the  Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day telethon,  joking and reminiscing, and introducing guests, sharing stories about ailing children, and concluding with his personal anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone. From the 1960s, his telethons raised $1.5 billion, including over $60 million in 2009. He stepped down as official host in 2011.  He did remain as chairman of the association he joined some 60 years before. Jerry’s MDA fundraising efforts earned him the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2009 Oscars.

“`France embraced the humor of Jerry Lewis. The French government awarded the comedian a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1983, and Commander of Arts and Letters the following year.  He also had his detractors. However, they never affected Lewis’ outlook on comedy. He remained true to his brand of humor.

“`He influenced scores of comedians, including Jim Carrey, and many of the television stars of Saturday Night Live. In Las Vegas, a message honoring the comedian is being featured on a marquee at Caesars Palace, where Lewis was once a headliner, and also hosted telethons. In Los Angeles, fans gathered at Lewis’ two Hollywood Walk of Fame stars; one for television and one for film.

“`Larger-than-life, Jerry Lewis was 91.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Big Ben Theory…

August 14th, 2017

Manny P. here…

“`A fixture of London landscape and soundscape, Big Ben, is falling silent for four years. The bell will cease its regular tolling, while extensive repairs are made to the famous clock tower looming over the Palace of Westminster, home to the British Parliament.  However, they will review plans to silence Big Ben during repairs, after politicians criticized a lengthy muting of the beloved bell.

“`The massive bell will mark its last hour at noon on August 21st; and then, will pause for four years while the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, is restored.  Quieting Big Ben’s mighty bongs will help preserve the hearing of workers involved in the project. An updated restoration of the Parliament buildings is likely to begin in the early 2020s.

“`The Great Bell has chimed nearly every hour for the past 157 years. It’s had previous breaks in service for maintenance and conservation in 2007, 1983-1985, and 1976. The 13.7-ton bell, forged in the 1850s, is accompanied by chimes that ring out every quarter hour.  The clock has a Victorian-era mechanism that triggers the bell and chimes. Its four faces are expected to get refurbished.  The clock will keep time with the help of an electric motor, while its mechanism is being repaired.

“`The bongs of Big Ben became associated with Britain, around the world during wartime BBC news broadcasts. It’s still heard live each day on radio through a microphone in the belfry. The BBC will use a recording during the renovation works.

“`Big Ben will still bong for annual national events, such as New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- The Passing of Joe Bologna…

August 13th, 2017

Manny P. here… 

“`Joseph Bologna was a gruff actor, known for his roles in comedies. He is best remembered for his performance as his Sid Caesar-based character opposite Peter O’Toole in My Favorite Year.

“` A Brooklyn native, Joseph studied art history at Brown University. After serving a tour of duty in the United States Marine Corps., Joe produced and directed Manhattan-based television commercials.

“`Bologna’s breakthrough movie, Lovers and Other Strangers, was written with his wife, Renée Taylor. In 1971, the couple again collaborated in Made For Each Other. Joe’s other performances included Honor Thy Father, Transylvania 6-5000, Blame It On Rio, and The Woman In Red. On television, he appeared in Married… With Children, L.A. Law, Murder She Wrote, The Nanny, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

“`Earlier this year, Bologna received the Night of 100 Stars Oscar Gala Lifetime Achievement Award from Richard Lewis and his peers to celebrate his 60-year career, and for his efforts to help save the Motion Picture Home Hospital in 2012.

“`Joseph Bologna (above) was 82.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Tombstone Revisited…

August 12th, 2017

Manny P. here…

“`Val Kilmer is visiting Tombstone for a weekend event to celebrate the life and times of Doc Holliday, the legendary gunslinger,  whom the actor famously played in the movie, set in the Old West town.  Val will participate in a number of activities at Doc Holli-Days, such as riding inside a horse-drawn stagecoach while serving as Grand Marshal in a parade. He’ll also meet with fans and attend a birthday party for Holliday, who was born on August 14th.

“`Tombstone was a bustling mining town that became synonymous with the Gun Fight at the O.K. Corral, involving Holliday and Wyatt Earp. The mines were closed, years ago. However, the locale, near the United States-Mexico border, remains a popular destination for tourists.

“`The Arizona town saw a surge in popularity after the 1993 film Tombstone, starring Kilmer, Kurt Russell, and Sam Elliot. It was filmed at various locations in Arizona; but, not in Tombstone. Val visited the town during the production of the movie; but, has not been back since.

“`Gunfight re-enactments are the event’s big draw.  Kilmer won’t participate in them. Many of the Doc Holli-Days activities are sold out, generating concern about crowd sizes.  This is one of several weekend celebrations that  Tombstone holds throughout the year, including Wyatt Earp Days and Helldorado Days.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Goodbye To the Rhinestone Cowboy

August 8th, 2017

Manny P. here…

“`Glen Campbell was a country singer with crossover tunes that include Gentle on My Mind,  By the Time I Get to PhoenixWichita Lineman, Galvestonand Rhinestone Cowboy. His biggest hits in the late 1960s were songs written by Jimmy Webb. He also hosted a prime time variety television show.

GLEN CAMPBELL

“`Campbell was among a wave of country stars, such as Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, and Kenny Rogers. His musical career dated back to the early years of rock ‘n roll. Glen toured with The Champs, when the group included two singers who formed the popular 1970s duo Seals and Crofts. He was part of the house band for the ABC program Shindig!, and was a member of Phil Spector’s  Wrecking Crew studio band that played on hits by The Ronettes, Bobby Darin, The Righteous Brothers, Jan and Dean, Rick Nelson, and The Crystals. Glen played guitar on Frank Sinatra’s Strangers In the Night, The Monkees’ I’m a Believer, and Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas. For a short time, he was a touring member of The Beach Boys.

“`Campbell  co-starred opposite John Wayne, Kim Darby, and Robert Duvall in True Grit. His performance of the title song received an Academy Award nomination.

“`He twice won Album of the Year awards from the Academy of Country Music; and he was voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Seven years later, he received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement.

“`Glen Campbell was 81.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Godzilla Dies For Real…

August 7th, 2017

Manny P. here…

“`Before CGI came along, actors in costumes were tasked with bringing massive monsters to life. And, nobody is more synonymous with Godzilla than Haruo Nakajima, an icon in his own right.

                HARUO NAKAJIMA

“`Nakajima was a stunt actor in samurai films, when he was approached to take on the role of the Japanese creature that became the symbol of the nuclear era. Haruo created the character and went to a zoo to examine how elephants and bears moved. He thought it was important to show the pathos of the creature, which smashed everything in its way.

“`The Japanese actor played the monster for 12 consecutive films beginning with the original Godzilla in 1954. Nakajima also appeared in costume in Godzilla Raids AgainMothra vs. GodzillaKing Kong vs. GodzillaGhidorah:  The Three-Headed MonsterInvasion of the Astro-Monster, Godzilla vs. the Sea MonsterDestroy All MonstersAll Monsters AttackGodzilla vs. Hedorah, Son of Godzillaand Godzilla vs. Gigan.

“`Haruo also played creatures in Frankenstein vs. Baragon, The War of the Gargantuas, Mothra and King Kong Escapes. Nakajima retired from suit acting in 1972. He continued to be a guest at festivals and events while living in a Tokyo suburb.

“`The legendary Haruo Nakajima was 88.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Boys Town Minding the Mint…

August 1st, 2017

Manny P. here… 

“`Founded on December 12th, 1917,  Boys Town has grown from a single home for displaced children, to a nationally recognized leader, with over 2 million children and families benefiting from Boys Town programs.  With operations in 15 locations across the United States, Boys Town is dedicated to offering a variety of care and services to under-served communities across America.

“`Celebrating 100 years of service, the United States Mint proudly presents — Boys Town Centennial Commemorative Coins — honoring their history and success through their life–changing programs. Limited to 15,000 units;  each set includes the $5 proof gold coin, proof silver dollar, and the proof clad half dollar.

“`MGM honored the work of Father Flanagan with two motion pictures, which starred Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. Tracy won a Oscar in 1938 for his performance in Boys Town. A sequel was made in 1941 called Men of Boys Town.

Until next time>                               “never forget”