Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`Wayne Fitzgerald was a film title designer.  Over a career that spanned fifty-five years, he designed close to a thousand motion picture and television main and end title sequences for top directors at Warner Brothers, MGM, and Twentieth Century Fox.

“`Fitzgerald graduated from Art Center College of Design in 1951, and began his career at Pacific Title and Art Studio. Wayne would not get screen credit for his early work including Raintree County, The Three Faces of Eve, The Music Man, Pillow Talk, My Fair Lady, and Imitation of Life. After delivering on Bonnie and Clyde, he formed his own company, Wayne Fitzgerald FilmDesign.

“`Other titles include  Judgment at Nuremberg, Cat Ballou, In the Heat of the Night, Cool Hand Luke, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Graduate, Rosemary’s Baby, Funny Girl, The Conversation, Chinatown, The Godfather: pt. II, The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, The Big Chill,  City Slickers, Scent of a Woman, Groundhog Day, Grumpy Old Man, Terms of Endearment, and dozens of others. He was also prolific on television.

“`Fitzgerald was a two-term governor in the  Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and he represented title designers. He lectured at UCLA and AFI, and participated in panel discussions in Los Angeles and New York.

“`Wayne Fitzgerald was eighty-nine. Role credits…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Fathom and CBS Home Entertainment will be celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone. Expect digitally restored screenings of six memorable episodes in theaters nationwide on November 14th.

Manny P. here…

“`The American Film Institute is honoring Julie Andrews with its Life Achievement Award. The organization said that Andrews will receive the award at the Gala Tribute on April 25th in Los Angeles. It will be broadcast on TNT.

“`Andrews acting career has spanned several decades, winning an Oscar in 1965 for her starring role in Mary Poppins. She also starred in The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria, 10, and The Princess Diaries.

“`Andrews received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. She also collected two Grammys for Mary Poppins and Julie Andrews Collection of Poems, Songs and Lullabies.

“`The eighty-three-year-old actress will be the 48th recipient of this prestigious honor from the AFI, joining Mel Brooks, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and George Clooney. This year’s honoree was Denzel Washington. Andrews shall become one of the oldest recipients of this accolade. Only Brooks and Lillian Gish were older.

Until next time>                             “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`I am not sure you would call this escapism; however, here goes…

“`Throughout the year, On Pins and Needles hosts terrifying F13: Survive Jason nights. This event requires you to solve puzzles to try and find a way to escape the nightmare that is Jason Voorhees.

“`One can expect twenty five-minute sessions throughout the evening. In each game, eight players that can team up against Jason, or individuals can try surviving solo. Tickets are $25 per person and it includes a pre-game campfire cookout.

“`The upcoming events are on September 28th, October 5th and October 19th, from 6p -11p. The campground site is usually located around the Flagstaff and Prescott area. You have to be eighteen years or older to participate in the game. Machetes will provided… to Jason!

“`What could possibly go wrong?

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`It’s finally here! Downton Abbey made its New York movie premiere this evening; it is on tap to make its West Coast appearance on Friday. After six seasons on PBS, global fans have been waiting for a big screen adaptation with wonder and enthusiasm. The British red carpet was met with adoring fans and great critical acclaim.

“`I have my tickets for a Monday matinee. My sister Virginia will join me after binge-watching the entire six seasons to be up to speed, and prepared for the cinematic experience.

“`The entire Crawley family, the Dowager Countess, Mr. Branson, and their servants, including Mr. Carson, Mrs. Patmore, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Bates, and Daisy await. Let us not disappoint them.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`A 1936 Academy Award is among the items going up for auction next month from the collection of the late Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne. His vast movie memorabilia collection will be auctioned on October 10th.                     ROBERT OSBORNE –>

“`This collection of the TCM host and movie historian,  who died in 2017, includes a 1936 Oscar statuette given to art director Richard Day for work on the movie, The Dark Angel, which starred Fredric March and Merle Oberon. It should sell for up to $100,000.

“`The Osborne collection also includes a copy of 50 Golden Years of Oscar, a 1979 book he wrote that was signed by over three hundred movie stars, including Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Laurence Olivier, and James Stewart.  This work is expected to fetch between $20,000 and $30,000. The auction will also include thousands of Osborne’s signed photos, posters and letters from early Hollywood.

“`Owning a piece of Osborne’s collection will tie each recipient to Hollywood’s Golden Age and the legacy of Turner Classic Movies.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Over twenty-three relatives of Sidney Poitier are missing after Hurricane Dorian slammed the Bahamas last week. Around five hundred Bahamians belong to the extended family of the iconic Hollywood actor, who also grew up on the Caribbean island.

“`Poitier was born in Miami to Bahamian parents, but he moved to Nassau, Bahamas as a young child. His nephew has gone public in hopes to find the missing relatives.            SIDNEY POITIER —>

“`The acclaimed actor has not been available for comment.

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

“`Please join me on Wednesday for my visit to the Hawthorne Public Library. I will be providing my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series to the patrons of the repository. The program starts at 6p.

“`The library is located at 12700 Grevillea Ave. in Hawthorne. I hope to see you there!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Carol Lynley was a child model and screen star. She is best known for co-starring in Bunny Lake is Missing and The Poseidon Adventure. Lynley began acting after appearing on the cover of LIFE Magazine in 1957. She posed for Playboy Magazine in 1965.  CAROL LYNLEY –>

“`Lynley distinguished herself on the Broadway stage and Hollywood film versions of the controversial Blue Denim. For her performance, she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

“`Her screen roles included The Cardinal, Return to Peyton Place, Under the Yum Yum Tree and Harlow. On the small screen, she guest-starred in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., It Takes a Thief, The Big Valley, Night Gallery, The Invaders, Charlie’s Angels, Kojak, Hawaii 5-0, Mannix, Hart to Hart and Fantasy Island. Carol appears to be singing The Morning After in a scene from The Poseidon Adventure. The tune won an Oscar.

“`Lynley had an eighteen year affair with noted broadcaster and writer, David Frost. He was his frequent guest at many of the galas he attended.

“`Carol Lynley was seventy-seven.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Here is a recent interview I did at the studios of Proud Digital Media in Upland. I had a chance to talk about my career as a broadcaster and author of the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Marge Champion is a dancer, choreographer, and actress. With her husband and partner, Gower, they formed a dynamic dance team. On Monday, she will reach her 100th birthday.

“`While in her teens, Marge was hired as a dance model at  Walt Disney Studios for their long-form animated films. Her movements were copied to enhance realism of the animated title character in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She would model for characters in other animated movies: the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio, and the Dancing Hippo in Fantasia.

 SNOW WHITE                   MARGE CHAMPION

“`After marrying Gower Champion, they co-starred in a number of MGM musicals, including Showboat. In the summer of 1957, they starred in their own television series, The Marge and Gower Champion Show. Buddy Rich played a drummer named Cozy. In 1982, Marge made an appearance in the small screen adaptation of Fame.

“`Marge appeared in several stage musicals on Broadway as a performer. She also worked as a choreographer in a number of productions, including the initial run of Hello Dolly.

“`On Tuesday, she will reach the century mark. Many happy returns to Marge Champion.

Until next time>                               “never forget”