Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`Please join me this Saturday in Baldwin Park, CA for the Cultural Arts Film Expo. Here are the complete details and a list of event participants:

“`I’ll be a co-host of this magical event, and screen my Forgotten Hollywood Documentary Trailer. I’ll also provide autographed copies of my Forgotten Hollywood Books Series, which are available for purchase. I hope to see you there!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`After 146 years, the facade comes down on The Greatest Show on Earth. The producer of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will permanently close in May. The company broke the news to circus employees after shows in Orlando and Miami. Ringling Bros. has two touring circuses this season, and it will perform 30 more times. Stops include Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, and Washington. The final shows will be in Providence, Rhode Island on May 7th, and in Uniondale, New York, at Nassau County Coliseum on May 21st.

“`The circus, with exotic animals, flashy costumes, and death-defying acrobatics, has been a staple of entertainment in the United States. P. T. Barnum traveled with a spectacle of human oddities, while the five Ringling brothers performed juggling acts and skits from their home in Wisconsin. Soon, they merged, and the modern circus was created. Troupes traveled by train to cities and towns, wowing audiences with the sheer scale of entertainment.

“`By mid-century, the circus was considered wholesome, family fun. Cecil B. DeMille produced the Oscar-winning adventure that was an year’s Best Picture of 1952. It starred Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, Gloria Grahame, Dorothy Lamour, and James Stewart donning clown makeup in each of his scenes. The movie was appropriately called The Greatest Show on Earth.

“`More recently, children are less enthusiastic because of cinema, television, the internet and video games. The national spectacle has been felled by various factors. Declining attendance, rising operating costs, changing public tastes, and lingering battles with animal rights groups all contributed to its upcoming demise. Ringling Bros. tried to remain relevant; hiring a first African American and female ringmaster, and launching an interactive app. They added a few acts from other popular shows, such as motorbike daredevils and ice skaters. Clown hysteria that swept the nation for a time was the final nail in the coffin.

“`500 people perform and work on both touring shows. A handful might be placed in positions with the company’s other profitable shows: Monster Jam, Disney on Ice, and Marvel Live. But, most will be out of a job.

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

“`Dick Gautier was an actor and comedian. He is best known for his television role as Hymie the Robot in Get Smart. In 1974,  Burt Ward and Yvonne Craig reprised their Batman roles for a televised public service announcement about equal pay for women. Adam West tried to distance himself from the Caped Crusader role, and declined to participate. Gautier filled in.

“`In 1960, Gautier portrayed fictional rock n roll singer Conrad Birdie in the original Broadway production of Bye Bye Birdie, receiving a Tony Awards nod for his performance. In cinema, he appeared in Ensign Pulver, Divorce American Style, and Fun with Dick and Jane. On the small screen,  he guest-starred in Gidget, The Patty Duke Show, Bewitched, and as a celebrity panelist on Match Game.

“`Dick Gautier was 85.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Traveling to a Broadway show is a special experience. But, there’s something to be said for enjoying live theater without even leaving the comfort of your living room. On January 14th, theater fans around the world will get to view a show at home, when BroadwayHD streams their evening performance of Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Holiday Inn The New Irving Berlin Musical from Studio 54.

“`Holiday Inn is the last production of Roundabout Theatre Company’s 50^th anniversary season. BroadwayHD partnered with the not-for-profit company in June, when She Loves Me was the first Broadway show to be live-streamed. After their collaborative success, they are teaming again for this one-night-only event.

“`Inspired by the 1942 film, Holiday Inn is directed by Gordon Greenberg, and features choreography by Denis Jones, and an Irving Berlin score,  such as the iconic Blue Skies, Steppin Out with My Baby, and of course, White Christmas. The production stream is through BroadwayHD with the use of high-definition cameras. Director David Horn is at the board. It’s in conjunction with Thirteen Productions LLC and Universal Stage,  a theater division of their cinematic studio.

“`More than 3,000 students and teachers have watched Holiday Inn for free or reduced rates; in addition to, 20,000 subscribers and audience members.

“`BroadwayHD, the only online streaming service of its kind, launched in 2015. In addition to the live stream, subscribers can access over 160 theater productions on demand. Titles in the library include Gypsy, and Oklahoma! starring Hugh Jackman.

“`The stream will also include interviews with the cast and its creative team, and feature behind-the-scenes footage.  The live stream will be available on BroadwayHD.com and Chromecast. Subscribers can access from BroadwayHD’s Roku, Apple TV, iPad, and iPhone apps. Visit BroadwayHD.com to sign up.

“`It’s still not too late to enjoy the Holidays!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`On April 3rd, the Los Angeles Dodgers is kicking off the 2017 season minus a key member of the personnel. Legendary sportscaster Vin Scully will be absent from their broadcast booth for their first time in 67 seasons.

“`Not that our City of Angels would ever forget the voice of Dodger’s baseball.  California Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez has taken action to immortalize the Hall-of-Fame announcer by renaming bits of highway after him. The politician has introduced a bill to the California State Assembly, which re-christens a two mile stretch of the 110 Freeway near Dodger Stadium:  Vin Scully Highway. Gomez’s resolution asks Caltrans to look into the cost for a new stretch of signs between the Interstate 5 and 101 freeways. The signage update could be funded by outside donations.

“`This would be Scully’s first freeway, but not his first street.  In spite of the broadcaster’s modest objections, the Los Angeles City Council, last year, changed the name of Elysian Park Avenue near Dodger Stadium to Vin Scully Avenue.

“`The fitting honors for the remarkable Vin Scully (above) keep on comin’.

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

“`Film historian and author Betty Lasky (right) was the daughter of Paramount Pictures co-founder Jesse L. Lasky. She developed an interest in film history at a young age,  and began her writing career as the screen story analyst for RKO Studios, The Selznick Company, and Hamilburg Agency.

“`Betty contributed articles about Hollywood to Players Showcase Magazine in the 1960s. In 1983, she published a book called RKO: The Biggest Little Major of Them All. She also donated a vast collection of her dad’s artifacts to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library in Beverly Hills. Her late brother was a screenwriter of over 50 films, including a long partnership with the DeMilles.

“`Betty Lasky was 94.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“`This is how I voted for this year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards. It’s an exceptional season  for cinematic productions. The nominees in most categories are worthy mentions. My year #8 thoughts on this blog site:

   OUTSTANDING MALE:  Denzel Washington (Fences)

Casey Affleck is a shoo-in for this year’s accolade. He’s neck-and-neck with the performance offered by Denzel Washington, in my estimation. Either walking off with the statuette is fine with me. Viggo Mortensen, Andrew Garfield, and Ryan Gosling deserved their nod. They are simply a step behind Casey and Denzel.

   OUTSTANDING FEMALE:  Emma Stone (La La Land)

Emma Stone is my clear choice from the 2016 Best Picture of the Year. She’s delightful and engaging throughout this feel-good musical. Natalie Portman, with her reliably edgy role in Jackie, is her main competition. I am shocked that Golden Globe-winner Isabelle Huppert (Elle), Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures), Annette Bening (20th Century Women), and Ruth Negga (Loving) were snubbed in a competitive category. These actresses could have replaced Amy Adams and/or Meryl Streep.

  OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING MALE:  Dev Patel (Lion)

Manny P. Here…

“`Star Wars creator George Lucas was on the side of the City of Angels, choosing Los Angeles as the home of a museum, which will showcase his life’s work, along with a major collection of exhibits on film history and art.  Organizers announced the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be built in Exposition Park, where it will sit alongside the Natural History Museum and the California Science Center, which houses the space shuttle Endeavour.

“`Lucas has been trying to build the museum for nearly a decade, and is financing the project by himself with plans to spend over $1 billion. It had several possible locations, but the choice came down to rivaling Northern and Southern California. San Francisco was offering Treasure Island, with its scenic views of the bay, as a home that the museum would have virtually to itself.

“`The museum will house Lucas’ personal collection, which includes about 40,000 illustrations, paintings, and movie-related items, including storyboards and costumes from The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, and of course, Star Wars. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti emphasized that it would not be just a Star Wars museum.

“`Los Angeles seemed an obvious choice for Lucas, not just because of its film industry legacy. He is an alumnus and a major donor to the film school at University of Southern California, which is across the street from the museum site. However, he has strong San Francisco ties as well. He lived in the Bay Area for most of his adult life, and was the home for Lucasfilm, until the Disney Company bought it in 2012.

“`Garcetti said Exposition Park will allow museum-hoppers to see a movie-magic spacecraft, and then walk over to see the real thing: the space shuttle. The location is also is home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where USC Trojans and Rams play football, and a stadium for its new Major League Soccer team is currently being built. A light rail line that opened last year connects the park with downtown Los Angeles and the beaches to the West.

“`This makes Southern California the definitive base of the Star Wars franchise,  with Disney having bought the rights to the franchise, and now, building a Star Wars-themed land within its Magic Kingdom in Anaheim.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Jeffrey Hayden directed early live television with stars, including James Dean; and worked with his wife, Eva Marie Saint, on screen and stage. His work was prolific during Television’s Golden Age.

“`Hayden began his long career directing the Philco Television Playhouse with stars, such as Walter Matthau and Paul Newman. After filming the movie, The Vintage, with Pier Angeli and Mel Ferrer, he turned to the small screen for the rest of his career.

“`His credits include The Donna Reed Show, Leave It to Beaver, Burke’s Law, Lassie, Route 66, 77 Sunset Strip, The Andy Griffith Show, Peyton Place, Mannix, Batman, That Girl, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Magnum P.I., Falcon Crest, Quincy M.E., Ironside, The Virginian, Love American Style, Alias Smith and Jones, Knight Rider, The Incredible Hulk, and In the Heat of the Night. Hayden was also the co-producer of the daytime soap opera, Santa Barbara. He later produced and directed Primary Colors: The Story of Corita, and Children in America’s Schools with Bill Moyers.

“`On stage, Jeffrey Hayden directed Eva Marie Saint (right) in Summer and Smoke, Desire Under the Elms, and The Country Girl. Other productions include The Sunshine Boys, Fences, and Sunset Baby. He and Eva Marie, who married in 1951, they also starred together in On the Divide and Love Letters in theaters, nationwide.

“`Jeffrey Hayden was 90.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`TCM will celebrate the career of Debbie Reynolds with a day-long tribute on January 27th. Here is the loving information:

“`24-hours with the unflappable Debbie Reynolds. Enjoy!

——————————————————————— 

“`A memorial’s set to be held for Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher on Thursday, followed by the burial on Friday. The private service will take place at their Beverly Hills compound, where the mother-daughter pair lived as next-door neighbors.  Both will be laid to rest, side-by-side, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Carrie Fisher’s death might offer dividends for the Walt Disney Company. The entertainment organization, the distributor of Star Wars:  The Force Awakens and the next two productions in the franchise, should reap $50 million, thanks to an insurance policy the company took out in the event Fisher was not able to fulfill her three-film deal. This is set to be the largest single personal accident insurance claim payout ever, according to Insurance Insider.

“`Fisher reprised her career-defining role of Princess Leia from the original Star Wars for the latest trilogy. The Force Awakens, released in December, 2015, made over $2 billion at the box office, worldwide. Principal filming on Episode VIII was already finished at the moment  of her passing on December 27th.

“`Fisher was due to appear in Episode IX, forcing the cinematic creators to either rewrite the script, or possibly, use visual effects to insert the actress into the final chapter. The technique was implemented for Rogue One, when the late Peter Cushing portrayed Grand Moff Tarkin.

“`The use of special effects to include Princess Leia could nullify a claim made by Disney;  or, at least, complicate the policy’s stipulations. We shall see if the company exhibits a smattering of decorum over this delicate situation.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Residents of Los Angeles’  well-known neighborhood woke up on New Year’s Day to find the world-famous Hollywood Sign had been changed to display HOLLYWEED. Police are treating the incident as minor trespassing, and are investigating. The sign on Mount Lee is made of 45-foot tall letters.

“`The prank has not caused lasting damage to the sign,  however, as parts of both O letters were covered by tarpaulins to make them look like a lower-case letter E. A single individual was recorded on security cameras climbing the sign to hang the materials.

“`The sign was first established in 1923, and originally read HOLLYWOODLAND. Its purpose was to advertise  the name of a new segregated housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. H.J. Whitley had used a sign to advertise his development Whitley Heights, which was located between Highland Ave. and Vine St. He suggested to his friend Harry Chandler, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, that a land syndicate for which he was involved, create a similar placard for advertisement purposes. Real estate developers Woodruff and Shoults called the area — HOLLYWOODLAND; and advertised the properties as a superb environment, without excessive cost, on the Hollywood side of the hills.

“`Voters in California approved the legalization of marijuana on the ballot on November 8th. The measure isn’t scheduled to take effect until 2018. A similar prank took place in 1976, to mark a relaxation in the state’s marijuana laws.

“`If caught, the prankster could face time in jail. Why do you think they call it… dope?

Until next time>                               “never forget”