Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson has received one of Britain’s highest awards from Prince William — and thought about giving him a kiss at the Buckingham Palace ceremony. Dame Emma was honored in recognition for her splendid career, and it was presented to her by William, a longtime friend. And she wore sneakers to the event.

“`Emma was named for the female equivalent of a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honors List in June. The citation calls her one of Britain’s most versatile and celebrated actresses. She plans to use the honor to focus attention on the plight of poor children who don’t get adequate food during school holidays.

“`Her long list of film roles includes favorites like The Remains of the Day. She received the Academy Award for Best Actress for Howard’s End, and an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sense and Sensibility.

“`On a personal note, my new literary work, Road to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, has a chapter that features notable Hollywood actresses named as Dames during the Studio Era — Wendy Hiller and Judith Anderson. My latest paperback is available on Amazon.

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“`By the way, you can find my new book in its second repository:  New York Public Library. Historian has often cited the location — One of the four finest libraries in the nation. Also in Margaret Herrick Library at the  Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Road to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History  resides at two prestigious resource centers.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Michael Douglas has finally received his star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The actor is honored in time for his 50th year in show business. The seventy four-year-old industry veteran was joined by his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 101-year-old father Kirk Douglas, as well as Jane Fonda, who co-starred in 1979′s The China Syndrome.

                                           MICHAEL DOUGLAS

“`Michael has enjoyed a memorable career in show business.  He received an Oscar for his portrayal of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street in 1987. He also starred in Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. More recently, he appeared in Ant Man. On the small screen, he co-starred with Karl Malden in The Streets of San Francisco. Douglas is also a film producer, winning an Academy Award for the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and producing dozens of independent movies.

“`Michael became emotional as he praised dad. The iconic actor waved at cheering fans as his son paid tribute.

“`Michael’s star was number 2,648 on the Walk of Fame.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`As we are prepared to nationally exercise our franchise, I am reminded of something quite patriotic that was created at the dawn of the second half of the twentieth century. And it was referenced by the man of steel.

“`In an updated circulated image of a 1950s-era color poster, Superman is seen speaking to school children about the importance of respecting diversity. Only a small number of posters are thought to still exist, and little information remains about how the poster came to be.

“`In 1949, DC Comics produced a similar illustration and text originally for a 12 x 18 brown paper book cover. It was distributed to schools by the Institute for American Democracy, an offshoot of the Anti-Defamation League.

“`1949 was also the year that DC started publishing, in conjunction with the National Social Welfare Assembly, a long running series of public service messages using their characters in the pages of its comic books.  As a result, Superman became the voice of reason in relation to the subject of racial diversity. Meanwhile, President Harry Truman was eliminating segregation in the military. These decisive intentions sent a clear signal that society was starting to evolve for the good in a steady effort to improve race-relations.

“` A principled and tolerant brand of truth, justice and the American way! This is something to sincerely consider on election day…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`James Whitey Bulger was a Boston gangster who benefited from a corrupt relationship with the F. B. I. before spending years as one of America’s most wanted men. He was a model for Jack Nicholson’s ruthless crime boss in the 2006 Martin Scorsese flick The Departed; and the bio-pic Black Mass that starred Johnny Depp as Bulger. Whitey led a largely Irish mob that directed loan-sharking, gambling, and drug rackets.

“`Whitey was known for helping old ladies across the street and giving turkey dinners to his neighbors at Thanksgiving. He had a kind of Robin Hood-like image among some locals. But, he would put a bullet in the brain of anyone who he even suspected of double-crossing him.

“`Bulger gained notoriety as leader of the Winter Hill Gang. He also was the informant who ratted on the New England mob, his gang’s main rival. This was an era when bringing down the Mafia was a top national effort. His younger brother, William Bulger, became one of the most powerful politicians in Massachusetts, leading the state Senate for seventeen years.

“`He spent sixteen years on the lam as a fugitive before his 2011 capture in Santa Monica. In 2013,  Whitey was convicted for murder, extortion, and money-laundering after a sensational racketeering trial that included stark testimony from three former Bulger cohorts:  a hit man, a protege, and his partner. He was sentenced five years ago to two consecutive life sentences plus five years.

“`Whitey Bulger was found dead at the penitentiary in West Virginia. Believed to be a victim of a mob hit, he was eighty-nine.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`Dorcas Reilly was the woman who created a Thanksgiving staple —  the green bean casserole — enjoyed by millions. The New Jersey resident was the innovator behind the popular dish. It was made with green beans and cream of mushroom soup topped with crunchy fried onions. And it is easy to make!

“`Reilly was a Campbell Soup kitchen supervisor in 1955, when she combined ingredients of the now-legendary green bean casserole for an Associated Press feature. The company said it is the most popular recipe ever to come out of its corporate kitchen.

“`The recipe is still a fixture on soup-can labels and television commercials. The original recipe card was donated to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002.

“`Reilly also helped create a tomato soup meatloaf, a tuna noodle casserole, and a Sloppy Joe-like meal. There were hundreds of meals she created while at the kitchens of Campbell Soup. She worked there between the 1940s and 1988, when she retired as manager of  Campbell’s kitchen.

“`Dorcas Reilly was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`James Karen was a prolific character actor on Broadway, cinema, and television.  He is best known for performances in Poltergeist, Return of the Living Dead, and a recurring role on the small screen in Eight is Enough. He was a friend of Buster Keaton.

“`Congressman Daniel Flood recruited James to become an actor in community theater.  His big break came when he was cast as the understudy to Karl Malden in the original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Karen became a lifelong member of The Actors Studio. He once made a commercial with The Three Stooges.

                                                     JAMES KAREN

“`He was a familiar face in fine motion pictures, such as  All the President’s Men, I Never Sang For My Father, The China Syndrome, Up Close and Personal, Jagged Edge, The Jazz Singer, Thirteen Days, Wall Street, and The Pursuit of Happyness. On television, Karen guest-starred in Dallas, The Waltons, The Jeffersons, Seinfeld, The Golden Girls  and had recurring roles in daytime soap operas, As the World Turns and All My Children.

“`James Karen was 94.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The Tell-Tale Heart was the twenty-minute 1953 British adaption of Edgar Allan Poe’s psychological drama, and it starred Stanley Baker. The celluloid was rediscovered in 2017 when Jeff Wells, a 16mm enthusiast, found the reel in his loft in Drummore.

“`Wells, who bought the two-reeler from a second-hand shop in Brighton in 1984, got in touch with Adelphi Films after finding out it was missing from their catalogue.  It has been digitally restored, and will be made available to watch online in time for Halloween.

“`Adelphi Films manager Kate Lees had been actively searching for the film for twelve years. The Tell-Tale Heart wwill be available on the BFI Player website for two weeks.

Until next week>                              “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Titanic II is set to make its fourteen-day maiden voyage in 2022. Construction of the replica recently resumed by Blue Star Line after a financial dispute held up the $500 million project for several years.

“`This ship, which features the same cabin layout and decor as the original, sets a course from Dubai to Southampton, England, and then on to New York. It traces the North Atlantic route of its doomed namesake, which sunk on April 12, 1912, three hours after sideswiping an iceberg.

“`The new ocean liner’s first trip will carry almost the same number of passengers and crew as the original. Plus, it boasts modern navigation and safety technology; including life jackets and plenty of lifeboats.

“`Wealthy Americans have offered up to one million dollars each for their opportunity to join the inaugural cruise. A movie production crew will also be on the voyage to document stories of passengers.

“`After its initial voyage, Titanic II will embark on other global routes. The replica is being built in China instead of the original shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Organizers are promoting the vessel as a floating replica museum.

“`It may be a trip to remember. Everything but the iceberg.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`The Frankenstein Meme celebrates the two hundred-year anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The digital experiment creates a public, crowd-source, searchable database of literary works  (novels, short stories, plays, and graphic novels) influenced by Mary Shelley’s novel over the last two hundred years.

“`Since 2016, works in the genre of Romanticism, Science Fiction, Horror, and Popular Culture were researched for a search engine,  providing information and context in write ups linked to the database. The site also houses interviews with writers on how their work relate to Shelley, essays on Frankenstein’s influence, creative work, information on key aspects of the database (especially in its relation to Cal State Fullerton), and more.

“`The database is part of a series of events that celebrates Frankenstein during Frankenweek, October 27th-31st on the CSUF campus, such as an Art Show and Special Collections Display in the Atrium Gallery of Pollak Library; and participation in the International Frankenreads event taking place on many campuses around the world.

“`It’s alive… alive!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`A married couple from Tennessee embarked on a twenty-four hour journey to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. Heather and Clark Ensminger stopped by four Disney theme parks in Orlando and two in Anaheim, with a 2,500-mile cross-country flight in between.  Their visits began on Wednesday at 6:15a, and finally concluded at 11:30p.

“`There was media interest in their Disney pilgrimage after an Associated Press story about their plans was published. As they traveled from park to park, they were bombarded with calls and texts from radio stations, television outlets and newspapers.  A camera crew from Disney World’s publicity office tracked them down for an interview, and they received handshakes by Disney guests who recognized them from media reports.  They also updated friends and fans of the Disney parks throughout the day, with posts on a Facebook page for Heather’s travel-agent business.

“`The Ensmingers enjoy all things Disney, and though they live in Tennessee, they are annual passholders to Disney World. At one point, they were visiting the theme park resort six times per year. Clark decided to surprise his bride with a whirlwind vacation.

“`The couple returned to the California Disney parks for a second day on Thursday.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`The Margaret Herrick Library is a well-known, non-circulating reference and research collection devoted to the history and development of the motion picture as an art form and as an industry. Established in 1928 and now located in Beverly Hills, the library is open to the public and used year-round by students, scholars, historians, and industry professionals.

“`Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has been found in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences most prestigious cinematic library since 2010. I am proud to inform: Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, and my latest work, Road to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History have been added to the collection of this fine repository.

“`I am honored the Margaret Herrick Library recognizes my literary contributions to the history of Hollywood. FYI, copies of my book series can be found on Amazon.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Ronald Reagan is in the spotlight! A hologram of the nation’s 40th president was unveiled at his presidential library in Southern California. The goal is to allow visitors to see Reagan in the Oval Office, campaigning aboard a rail car, or at his beloved ranch.

“`The Reagan Library collaborated with the Hollywood special effects wizards who helped bring Michael Jackson, Maria Callas, Jackie Wilson, Billie Holiday, and Roy Orbison to life on stage. The audio is edited from remarks made by Reagan during his lifetime.

“`Creators of the exhibit are hopeful to take the presidential hologram on a nationwide tour.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`It was September 2009, when I chose to create the Forgotten Hollywood website to write blogs to compliment my newly written paperback. I was not convinced I could write a number of blogs each week that resembled stories in Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. But I took on the challenge…

“`I decided to take on this task after watching Julie and Julia, a film that examines the art of blogging about your passionate interests. The screenplay was a tandem of stories; a biography about an iconic cultural figure,  Julia Child, and a modern chef who uses social media branding to remind the public about the timeless art of creating French cuisine.

“`In November 2012, Los Angeles Press Club 5th Annual Entertainment Journalism Awards recognized my efforts with a third place accolade in their Best Blog by an Individual category. Actor James Franco took second place and Kathy Griffin was an honorable mention; top-notch company indeed!

“`Today, October 6, 2018, I am thrilled this personal chronicle is blog number two-thousand. This is a number I believed was not attainable. What a remarkable milestone by any literary standard. And it took just over nine years.

“`In the meantime, I am on to my next two thousand blogs… Wish me luck!

Manny P. here… 

“`Alan Alda will be honored with a SAG Life Achievement Award at the 2019   Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony. The actors union announced Alda will accept its highest honor on January 27th. The award is awarded annually to an actor fostering the finest ideals of the acting profession. ALAN ALDA->

“`Alda’s credits include eleven seasons as Dr. Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H. He also had roles on The West Wing, 30 Rock, and Ray Donovan. He had guest-starred on The Phil Silvers Show, Naked City, The Twilight Zone, and Route 66. For twelve years, Alda was the host for Scientific American Frontiers on PBS.

“`His big screen career includes parts in  Paper Lion, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Same Time Next Year, The Four Seasons, California Suite, Crimes and Misdemeanors, The Aviator, and Bridge of Spies.  Alda earned an Oscar nomination, six Emmys, six Golden Globes, and three Tony Award nominations.

“`He founded the nonprofit Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. Earlier this year, the actor revealed that he was afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease.

“`Past Life Achievement Award recipients include Sidney Poitier, Betty White, Elizabeth Taylor, Dick Van Dyke, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Charles Durning, and George Burns.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Next week, drivers will be able to pre-order one of the world’s first flying autos. In the not-too-distant future, you will whizz around the skies, Jetsons style, in a vehicle that transforms from a roadster to a flying car in under a minute. Our neighborhoods are about to mirror the cinematic world of Blade Runner.

“`They are made by a company called Terrafugia, which belongs to Volvo, and it is called a Transition.  It can fly for up to four hundred miles, and can reach a top speed of two hundred mph. It can get up to an altitude of around ten thousand feet and weighs under thirteen hundred pounds.

“`It is hybrid electric powered and has all of the normal things you would expect from a car. While it is road legal, the vehicle will include a parachute, fold out wings, and a hyper-space function to allow you zip around.  Plus, you are required to carry a pilot’s license to take off into the wild blue yonder. Air traffic controllers might find the extra congestion a pain in the neck.

“`As of this writing, there is no definite price. However, assume if you have to ask how much, you probably cannot afford the jalopy. This might not be the ideal mode of transportation for you, but expect your boy Elroy to love it.

Until next time>                               “never forget”