“Forgotten Hollywood”- Of Grave Concern…

June 27th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Georges Méliès is one of the pioneering figures in cinema, often credited as the person who created special effects on film. Sadly, his amazing talent is relatively unknown today. Though Martin Scorsese attempted to tell his story to the screen with his movie Hugo. His family has started the restoration project of his cemetery plot completely on their own, without the help of any international cinema foundation, or government institutions like the French Ministry of Culture.

“`The French icon authored some of the most recognizable classics of the early silent era, at the dawn of the twentieth century. His most notable works are A Trip to the Moon, made in 1902, and The Impossible Voyage, an adaptation of Jules Verne’s play Journey Through the Impossible. His productions are often examined by historians and filmmakers, although their timeless charm definitely deserves attention.

“`Méliès tomb in the famous Parisian Père Lachaise Cemetery has become a place of pilgrimage for cinema lovers. His family has searched for options to restore it to its exact look from 1954 when his bust was added to the tomb, which was originally erected after his demise in 1938. Parts of the grave are visibly damaged, the stone itself has become porous.

“`Georges’ great-great-granddaughter, Pauline Duclaud-Lacoste, oversaw a crowdfunding campaign. They raised enough cash to renovate and maintain the grave for twelve years.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Mr. AMC…

June 25th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Bob Dorian was an actor, magician, and movie buff, who presented over ten thousand classic films, B-movie serials, and pre-Code Hollywood gems as the first prime-time host of American Movie Classics. He performed on the stage, radio, television, and occasionally, on film.

“`AMC launched in 1984 as a premium-cable showcase for old films, presenting movies without cuts or commercials a decade before the creation of Turner Classic Movies, the channel’s main competitor. Although he was later joined by daytime hosts, Gene Klavan and Nick Clooney, Dorian was the heart and soul of AMC. TCM’s Robert Osborne was an urbane film historian, Dorian insisted that he was simply a fan of cinema.

“`Prior to his dream job, Dorian was an usher at a movie theater; appeared in early television anthologies Suspense and Studio One; dabbled in stand-up comedy and trapeze-catching at the circus; played the bass in a Manhattan jazz group; and performed mind-reading tricks and other illusions as the Amazing Dorian. He appeared in a 1976 television special with magicians David Copperfield and Carl Ballantine.

“`During his tenure at AMC, Dorian introduced flicks with two-minute segments filmed in a living-room set, where he roamed between bookshelves, a black Maltese Falcon statue, and portraits of stars Jean Harlow and Hedy Lamarr. Dorian likened his work at AMC as that of a historian or archivist, keeping old films alive for younger generations.

“`Bob Dorian was eighty-five.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Hepburn on Stage…

June 24th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Tea at Five  is a gentle look at Katharine Hepburn, at home in her Fenwick estate in old Saybrook, Connecticut. This play takes place in 1983 after the actress was hurt in an auto crash. The accident allows the legendary star an opportunity to reflect on a turbulent childhood, triumphs and failures of her career, and her heart-breaking romance with Spencer Tracy. Their relationship lasted over twenty-five years.

“`Performances began Saturday, June 22nd at Huntington Avenue Theatre in Boston, and opens officially on Friday, June 28th. Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway (right) portrays Kate. The Matthew Lombardo play is directed by Tony Award nominee John Tillinger and runs until Sunday, July 14th.

“`Later this year, Tea at Five will run on Broadway.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Twelve Oaks…

June 23rd, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`The home of Ashley and the Wilkes family is up for auction.  Ashley Wilkes was a fictional character from Gone with the Wind. Portrayed by Leslie Howard, Ashley was the object of Scarlett O’Hara’s affection.

“`The place, called  Twelve Oaks, was built in 1836, and is located in Covington, Georgia. Named as one of the Top 10 Antebellum Sites in the state, Twelve Oaks is in the National Register. Experience the South like Scarlett or Rhett Butler as you sit on the veranda and enjoy your lemonade. Covington is called the Hollywood of the South; over 125 films and television shows that have been filmed there.

“`The mansion has twelve bedrooms, twelve bathrooms, ten thousand square feet and three acres surrounding the property. It also has a pool, gazebo, and a four-auto carriage house. A two million dollar renovation was completed in 2017. This property is also income producing. There are three special operating permits already in place: As a bed and breakfast, an event center, and as a historic site available for tours.  This property averages one to two movie or television program contracts per year, and also provides accommodations for the cast.

“`The auction runs from July 4th to July 25th. Property are available by appointment. One can close their eyes and imagine Scarlett running across the grounds to embrace Ashley.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- A Rebuttal…

June 19th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`The college censorship debate has reached Hollywood. Over fifty prominent artists, writers, and film scholars are supporting the restoration of the names of the Gish sisters, Dorothy and Lillian, to a film theater at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

“`The letter accuses the university of making a scapegoat of the siblings. Among those signing their names are James Earl Jones, Helen Mirren, Martin Scorsese, George Stevens Jr., Malcolm McDowell, Lauren Hutton, Joe Dante, and Taylor Hackford. The letter is a response to Bowling Green’s May 3rd decision to change the name of the Gish Theater because of her role in D. W. Griffith’s incendiary 1915 silent film The Birth of a Nation.

DOROTHY GISH      LILLIAN GISH

“`Dorothy Gish was a memorable actress on stage and on the screen. Her name was removed from the theater, despite not appearing in D. W. Griffith’s production. In this discussion, she is considered collateral damage.

“`Officials at Bowling Green has responded to the letter saying it will not reverse its decision or restore the Gish name to the theater.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- The Naked City…

June 18th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`A statue of Marilyn Monroe that is part of a Hollywood tower celebrating women in film has gone missing. The statue, which illustrates the legendary actress in her iconic pose from The Seven Year Itch, was perched atop the Ladies of Hollywood Gazebo on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“`The artwork features large statues of Mae West, Dorothy Dandridge, Anna May Wong and Dolores Del Rio — women from different cultures who profoundly influenced Hollywood. The structure is a reminder that cinema represents the ethnic and gender struggle that many in the industry think still exists. The gazebo was erected in 1994.

“`The Los Angeles Police Department received a call late Sunday night from a citizen who reported seeing someone on top of the gazebo. A person climbed the Eiffel Tower-shaped structure and used a saw to remove Marilyn. Investigators have found fingerprints on the gazebo, and they are following several leads that may help track down the thief.

“`It is being called the great Marilyn caper of 2019. Bulletins as they break…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Poor Little Rich Girl…

June 17th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Gloria Vanderbilt was an heiress, actress and business woman, who began her iconic life as the poor little rich girl of the Great Depression. She survived multiple marriages, and reigned in the 1970s and 1980s as a designer jeans pioneer. She was a great-great-granddaughter of financier Cornelius Vanderbilt, and mother of  CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper. Husbands included Leopold Stokowski, the celebrated conductor, and Sidney Lumet, the award-winning movie and television director.

                                 ANDERSON COOPER   GLORIA VANDERBILT

“`Gloria inherited her five million dollar trust fund in 1945. With financial independence, she eventually ended up in Hollywood. She dated celebrities, including Errol Flynn, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and Howard Hughes. Vanderbilt also acted on stage (The Time of Your Life) and on television (Playhouse 90, Studio One, Kraft Theater, and U. S. Steel Hour). She guest-starred on The Love Boat and appeared on a number of variety programs.

“`She was a fabric designer who became an early enthusiast for designer denim. Vanderbilt partnered with Mohan Murjani and introduced a million dollar advertising campaign in 1978 that turned the Gloria Vanderbilt brand with its signature white swan label into a sensation. She branched out into other areas, including shoes, scarves, table and bed linens and china through her company, Gloria Concepts. In 1988, Vanderbilt joined the designer fragrance market with her signature Glorious.

“`Anderson Cooper is expected to host a documentary on CNN chronicling the life of his iconic mother. It will air during the Summer.

“`A cultural survivor, Gloria Vanderbilt was ninety-five.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Under the Tuscan Sun…

June 16th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Italian director Franco Zeffirelli delighted audiences around the world with romantic vision and distinctive productions, most famously captured in his cinematic Romeo and Juliet. It was his personal goal to make culture accessible to audiences, finding inspiration in William Shakespeare and other literary greats for his movies, and producing opera for the stage and small screen.

“`As a youth, Zeffirelli served with the partisans during World War II. He later acted as an interpreter for British troops. He remained an Anglophile, and was particularly proud when Britain gave him an honorary knighthood in 2004.

“`The lifelong bachelor turned to acting at twenty when he joined an experimental troupe in Florence. After a short-lived acting career, Zeffirelli worked with Luchino Visconti’s theatrical company in Rome, where he showed a flair for dramatic staging techniques in  A Streetcar Named Desire.  He later served as an assistant director under Michelangelo Antonioni and Vittorio De Sica.

“`Zeffirelli directed Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. His other productions included Brother Sun Sister Moon, a remake of The Champ, Endless Love, La Traviata and Tea with Mussolini. But it was Romeo and Juliet that set box-office records in the United States.  The flick is one of the most successful adaptations of Shakespeare ever.

“`His small screen mini-series, Jesus of Nazareth, was a major success and is still shown on television during the Christmas season. In his spare time, Zeffirelli brought opera to the stage working with Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Maria Callas.

“`Franco Zeffirelli (above) was ninety-six.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Philly’s Best…

June 14th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Lew Klein was a broadcast pioneer, who helped create American Bandstand and launched the careers of Dick Clark and Bob Saget. He also taught and mentored students for over sixty years at Temple University.  In 2017, they re-named College of Media and Communications in his honor.

“`He began working at WFIL-TV, directing Romper Room and co-creating Captain Noah and His Magical Ark, two popular children’s programs in the 1960s that attracted a bigger local audience than Sesame Street. Lew began acting as executive producer of American Bandstand, and later, was a member on the board of Dick Clark Productions. Klein also helped Bob Saget get an internship on The Mike Douglas Show, a daytime talk program.

“`A native of Philadelphia, Klein spent fifteen years producing telecasts for the Phillies, and he helped the careers of players-turned-sportscasters, such as Richie Ashburn and Tim McCarver.

“`Lew Klein was ninety-one.

Until next time>                              “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Remembering Sylvia Miles…

June 12th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Sylvia Miles was an actress and a Manhattan socialite whose brief, scene-stealing appearances in Midnight Cowboy and Farewell My Lovely earned her two Academy Award nods. Miles also appeared on stage and on television.                              SYLVIA MILES —>

“`She studied at The Actors Studio, making her name in a series of Off-Broadway roles starting in the 1950s, and moving on to movies in the 1960s.  Sylvia’s career break came when she was cast in the pilot of The Dick Van Dyke Show. Miles was replaced by Rose Marie.

“`Sylvia’s screen roles included Murder Inc., Evil Under the Sun, She-Devil, and the Wall Street series of movies. On television, Miles guest-starred on Miami Vice, One Life to Live, and Sex and the City.

“`Wayland Flowers and his puppet Madame first uttered the widely quoted line, Sylvia Miles and Andy Warhol would attend the opening of an envelope. People Magazine reprinted the quote, and it became urban legend.

“`She had more than fifteen minutes of fame, Sylvia Miles was 94.

Until next time>                              “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Art of the Dance…

June 11th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`The National Museum of Dance in Sarasota Springs, New York, has opened its exhibition Art of the Dance: Posters from Hollywood’s Golden Age from the Mike Kaplan Collection. Over one hundred dance cinematic posters from the rare and exceptional collection, which includes both American and international examples, are  mounted in three of the Museum’s galleries.

 

“`Art of the Dance debuted on Fred Astaire’s 120th birthday — May 10, 2019, and includes a special section devoted exclusively to his unparalleled career on the silver screen. In addition to Astaire, many major dance stars from the Twentieth Century are highlighted such as Gene Kelly, Ginger Rogers, Shirley Temple and the Nicholas Brothers. You might also be fascinated in finding actors like John Wayne, James Stewart, and Lucille Ball in dance mode.

“`Movie musicals include 42nd StreetOklahoma, The Red Shoesand West Side Story.

“`Mike Kaplan has also been recognized in his career, winning awards for his poster campaigns as a marketing strategist for major filmmakers Stanley Kubrick, Robert Altman, and Hal Ashby.

“`Selections of these posters have been on exhibit at other locations, such as Lincoln Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Art of the Dance at the National Museum of Dance will be the largest display of this collection to date, on view until Spring, 2020.

Until next time…                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- D-Day Plus 75…

June 5th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`It was seventy-five years ago, today, minutes before June 6, 1944, when a global fight for freedom was set forth with a unified coalition against an extreme fascism that was ravaging countries and subjecting its people to tyranny and eventual extermination. The jury was out whether the Allies would succeed. Only the iron will of Winston Churchill, and the resolve of the British people, kept the promise of victory alive despite earlier confrontation generating mixed results. Looking back, Operation Overlord could have gone horribly wrong.

“`Today, veterans of D-Day celebrate this most worthy anniversary as paratroopers jumped out of aircraft, even though they are well into their nineties.  Queen Elizabeth re-visited the spirits of her past to honor the campaign. She knows what the ramifications of defeat might have meant for June 7, 1944 and beyond.

“`In 1962, The Longest Day was made in an effort to recreate the campaign with sets that were incredibly accurate. Omaha, Juno, Sword, Utah and Gold beaches, as well as Pointe du Hoc and Sainte-Mère-Église were vividly brought to life, complete with A-list stars, including Robert Mitchum, Eddie Albert, Henry Fonda, Jeffrey Hunter, and Roddy MacDowell. This flick utilized several Axis and Allied military consultants who actually participated. They offered a relatively accurate recounting of the largest amphibious military assignment in history.

 

“`Steven Spielberg used the Invasion of Normandy as the catalyst for the opening of Saving Private Ryan. Historians have noted that the actual scene was the most believable depiction of the conflict along Omaha beach. Tom Hanks brought all the horrors of war to life.

“`I personally met was Charles Durning (right) a number of years back. He was drafted at age twenty and participated in the Normandy invasion.  I also visited Normandy in 2006, with stops at Omaha, Pointe du Hoc and the adjacent Allied cemetery. It was breathtaking and sober.

“`D-Day… Perhaps the most consequential twenty-four hours of the twentieth century.

Until next time>                              “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- All You Need is Love…

June 4th, 2019

Manny P. here…

“`Just in time for Father’s Day. Make it the best day ever by giving The Beatles Abbey Road pop-up card to them on their special day. The card is blank, so you don’t need an occasion to brighten someone’s day with this unique expression. Give it to anyone, anytime, just because The Beatles are the best band ever.

“`The pop-up celebrates the eleventh Beatles album of the same name. It recreates the iconic image of the Beatles walking across a street outside the famous  Abbey Road Studios. Once opened, The Beatles emerge:  George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon walking outside of their studio in single formation along Abbey Road.

“`Bring a smile to any Beatles fan with this one-of-a-kind design. It was created in partnership with The Beatles and is one of four officially licensed designs.

Until next time>                               “never forget”