Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`Joanna Barnes was an author and actress. She is best known for her roles in Auntie Mame and in both versions of The Parent Trap.  Her research for a magazine article about making movies led to her career change to acting.

“`Barnes moved to Los Angeles after finishing her education, and took up a contract with Columbia Pictures. She went on to have roles in more than twenty films. Assignments included roles in Spartacus and The War Wagon. She was far more busy on the small screen, appearing in The Untouchables, Maverick, Mr. Lucky, Dr. Kildare, Mannix, Cheyenne, 77 Sunset Strip, Love American Style, McCloud, Marcus Welby M. D., Hawaii 5-0, Nanny and the Professor, The Beverly Hillbillies, Murder She Wrote,  Charlie’s Angels, Fantasy Island, Barney Miller, Remington Steele and Cheers.

“`Barnes was a frequent panellist on What’s My Line. She also penned a weekly book review for the Los Angeles Times and her column was carried by  The Chicago Tribune and New York News Syndicate.

“`Joanna Barnes (above right) was eighty-seven.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Make sure you visit SPOTIFY OR CASTOS, the platforms that carry my podcast!

”’Links:

https://app.castos.com/podcasts

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`So much going on at this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival. Let me recap…

“`Day 1 highlights included a reunion of the TCM hosts (who had been physically separated for over two years) and the red-carpet screening of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

TCM HOSTS                                STEVEN SPIELBERG

“`Day 2 highlights included the Lily Tomlin hand and footprint ceremony in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre and a special screening of the restored version of Giant. George Stevens Jr., the son of the acclaimed director, was in attendance.

LILY TOMLIN   GEORGE STEVENS JR.  BEN MANKIEWICZ  STEVEN SPIELBERG

“`Day 3 –  I had the opportunity to interview TCM hosts Ben Mankiewicz and Eddie Muller. I was part of a round-table with fellow journalists as we chatted with Leonard Maltin.  He later received the prestigious Robert Osborne Award. A splendid retrospective preceded the official presentation. The accolade was awarded to Maltin by iconic actor Warren Beatty.

MANNY PACHECO  BEN MANKIEWICZ              LEONARD MALTIN  EDDIE MULLER

“`Of course, there were screenings of motion pictures and plenty of cinephiles on hand to give the festival a return-to-home feel. This is the initial live event put on by TCM since before the pandemic.

“`Thanks to my friends at Celebrating Act 2  (Art Kirsch and John Coleman), I have more on the way, including of a video tour of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, TCL Chinese Theatre, interviews with super fans of TCM from around the country and plenty of bonus content!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`As we celebrate the return of theTCM Classic Film Festival to Hollywood, let us remember the fine career of Robert Morse. On Broadway, he originated the role of J. Pierrepont Finch on How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying for which he won a Tony Award. Six years later, in 1967, he starred in the film adaptation. He won a second Tony Award for playing Truman Capote for his work in the production of the one-man play Tru. ROBERT MORSE ->

“`Morse served in the navy during the Korean War and initially broke into television after his discharge in 1954 in the original cast of the daytime soap opera The Secret Storm. He was Barnaby Tucker in the original Broadway production of Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker  and it launched his career.  In movies, Morse additionally co-starred in The Cardinal and A Guide For the Married Man.

“`His success on Broadway parlayed into a steady television career, guest-starring in  Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Night Gallery, Naked City, Love American Style, Fantasy Island, The Dukes of Hazzard, Murder She Wrote and in fifty-eight memorable episodes of Mad Men.

“`A gap-tooth talent above reproach, Robert Morse was ninety.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`This weekend’s TCM Classic Film Festival is a major deal to the businesses along Hollywood Boulevard. Musso and Franks will be festive with hungry patrons; all the movie theatres will have their palace rooms at capacity; and Larry Edmunds Bookshop will be in the thick of it sponsoring a number of booksigning events.

“`Owner Jeff Mantor has lined up a fascinating array of authors with Hollywood-themed books guaranteed to delight any and all cinephiles. The noted scribes include Carla Valderrama, Cari Beauchamp, George Stevens Jr.,  Maria Cooper Janis, Rocky Lang, Barbara Hall,  John Malahy, Glenn Frankel, Leonard Maltin and George Chakiris (below). And TCM hosts Alicia Malone and Eddie Muller (below) will be autographing their books. Click on the link for a rundown of each day’s events:

https://www.larryedmunds.com/events

“`The Forgotten Hollywood Book Series (3) is available this weekend at Larry Edmunds as well. Please take a moment to pick up copies of my work. They are also at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. I will spend Saturday at the TCM Classic Film Festival.  It would be an honor to sign my books for you. And let’s chat about the motion picture that we love.       JEFF MANTOR and MANNY PACHECO at LARRY EDUMUNDS —>

“`Larry Edmunds Bookshop is located at 6644 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Hope to see you at the fest!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`West Side Story, Nightmare Alley, Ben Hur… Should they have been remade? That is the discussion I have with Art Kirsch and John Coleman on Celebrating Act 2.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`With the TCM Classic Film Festival back in full swing this weekend in Hollywood, I am joining legions of fans in attending the festivities.  I am hanging with Art Kirsch and John Coleman of Celebrating Act 2 as we capture the thrills and ambiance of the event.

“`A poignant moment will take place on Saturday (Day 3) with the presentation of the annual Robert Osborne Award to Leonard Maltin. This award is given to an individual whose work has helped preserve the cultural heritage of classic film for future generations. The honor will take place at 6p (pst) at the Hollywood Legion Theatre and presenting the award will be TCM host Ben Mankiewicz.

LEONARD MALTIN        ROBERT OSBORNE

“`A well-deserved honor,  Maltin is widely respected among his peers and revered in popular culture for his career as a cinematic critic and historian. He served as the movie reviewer for Entertainment Tonight for three decades and is perhaps best known for his indispensable book Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide and its companion volume Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide.

“`On a personal note, I am thrilled to join a number of journalists in the Writer’s Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for a roundtable with Maltin at 2p. This will be my initial official function with TCM and I am truly humbled to participate in such a newsworthy event. Here is a link of a Celebrating Act 2 chat I had with Maltin in December at the  Hollywood Heritage Museum:

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Check out my interview with Bob Wilson on his I’m Looking Through You podcast. I appear in hour two of the program and discuss Hollywood’s love affair with baseball.

“`Here is the link to the show:

https://ochelli.com/vintage-baseball-forgotten-hollywood/?fbclid=IwAR1fbV3iKCHa16gqnj3LDKrrzN9ofGGqXE_JfucUdasWOcrZqHG-cYRpr1I

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Gearbox founder and magician Randy Pitchford has agreed to a deal to buy the Magic Castle in Hollywood. It is the headquarters for the Academy of Magical Arts, a group of magicians and enthusiasts dedicated to the celebration and preservation of magic.

“`The Magic Castle is an Edwardian manor in a Gothic style built in 1908. It is a property on Franklin Avenue, a clubhouse and performance venue. The pandemic forced a closure of the once-popular site and threatened to permanently shut down the landmark.

“`Magicians including David Copperfield and Penn Jillete are lining up to praise Pitchford for his efforts.  The deal includes the Magic Castle on-site hotel and Pitchford has not yet revealed the price or his future plans for renovation. One thing is certain… The venue will remain a place for the presentation of magic.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`John Coleman and Art Kirsch of Celebrating Act 2 preview this year’s TCM Film Festival coming up in a couple of weeks. Here is the rundown…

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`While on assignment for Celebrating Act 2 at the Hollywood Heritage Museum, I ran into Pat Pattison, the producer and host of The Best of California and my good friend.  We had a really wonderful chat about his syndicated production.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`One of the fine character actors in film history was still with us until this week. Nehemiah Persoff onscreen performances were gritty and intense. He is best remembered for roles in The Harder We Fall, The Comancheros, and as a guest star on The Untouchables and The Twilight Zone. His career spanned over fifty years.

“`In 1947, Persoff was accepted into the Actors Studio and he was one of twenty-six members of the beginners class taught by Elia Kazan.  The Method was a popular way of acting in 1950s films and Persoff was memorable in The Naked City, On the Waterfront, The Wrong Man, Capone and Some Like It Hot. On television, he was a familiar face in Route 66, Columbo, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,  Gunsmoke, Gilligan’s Island,  The Wild Wild West, Hawaii Five-0,  Cannon, Mission: Impossible,  Adam-12, The Mod Squad, and Barney Miller.  I personally loved him as Soviet Foreign Minister Andre Gromyko in the teleplay, The Missiles of October.

“`The prolific Nehemiah Person was 102.

                            NEHEMIAH PERSOFF                    BOBBY RYDELL

“`Bobby Rydell was a teen idol and pop star with Top-40 hits including Wild One, Sway, Volare and Forget Him. He also had a featured role in the film adaptation of Bye Bye Birdie. He was a regular guest on a number of variety programs and guest-starred on  Combat! The crooner was also a panelist in To Tell the Truth. Late in his career, he toured with Fabian and Frankie Avalon.

“`Bobby Rydell was seventy-nine.

Until next time>                               “never forget”