Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`I am thrilled to promote the sights and sounds along Hollywood Blvd. and particularly Larry Edmunds Bookshop.  Art Kirsch, John Coleman and I take a virtual tour of this iconic location on Celebrating Act 2!

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Art Kirsch, John Coleman (of Celebrating Act 2) and I tackle the raging controversy of our times… Are motion pictures like Die Hard and The Apartment Christmas-themed movies?  Social media is abuzz over this issue.

“`Enjoy the discussion.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Gina Lollobrigida shot to fame in the 1950s as a Mediterranean sex symbol, and then became a photographer and sculptor after stepping away from cinema. She co-starred opposite  Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra, becoming one of the most recognizable cinema icons of the 1950s and 1960s.

“`Born to a working class family in a poor mountainous area east of Rome,  Lollobrigida studied sculpture and got her break in the movie world after finishing third in the 1947 Miss Italia beauty contest. She was later sent to the Academy of Fine Arts in the capital to complete her education.

“`At the height of her fame,  Lollobrigida, known simply as La Lollo, became an internationally recognized epitome of Italian post-war cinema, rivaled only by Sophia Loren. In 1950, Howard Hughes signed Lollobrigida on a preliminary seven-year contract to make three pictures a year. Despite selling RKO Pictures in 1955, Hughes retained her contract. The result, she remained in Europe to make movies, including  Beat the Devil, Trapeze, Solomon and Sheba, Come September, Hotel Paradiso, Buona Sera Mrs. Campbell, and  The Private Navy of Sgt. O’Farrell.

“`Considered the World’s Most Beautiful Woman (forgive me fans of Gene Tierney and Hedy Lamarr), she would accompany Bob Hope on his USO tours of military camps. In the 1970s, Lollobrigida embarked on a successful second career as a photographic journalist. Her list of photos included Paul Newman, Salvador Dalí, Henry Kissinger, David Cassidy, Ella Fitzgerald, Audrey Hepburn and the German national football team. She obtained an exclusive interview with Fidel Castro, leader of Communist Cuba.

“`In 1999, Lollobrigida unsuccessfully ran for election to European Parliament as a candidate for The Democrats.  Later that year, she was a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. In 2020, she endorsed Pope Francis’ view on LGBTQ rights.

“`Gina Lollobrigida (above right) was ninety-five.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Lisa Marie Presley,  the daughter of Elvis and former wife of Michael Jackson and Nicholas Cage, was considered Hollywood royalty. She was the sole owner of Graceland, Elvis’ estate in Memphis, Tennessee, despite having sold off Elvis Presley Enterprises in 2005.                                 LISA MARIE PRESLEY –>

“`After the divorce of her parents,  she lived with her mother and frequently visited her dad at his estate.  As a singer, a number of albums and virtual collaborations with her father kept her relevant as his legacy kept growing. On her twenty-fifth birthday, Lisa Marie claimed the entire estate, which had grown to an estimated $100 million. In 2012, she opened an exhibit: Elvis… Through His Daughter’s Eyes. This is now included in the Graceland VIP Tour and features two hundred items assembled by Presley and the Graceland Archives staff.

“`A humanitarian spirit was part of Lisa Marie’s DNA. She oversaw the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, which concentrated on housing and educational projects. She worked with Oprah Winfrey and her Angel Network,  which was active in the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. Lisa Marie became a patron of the Dream Factory, which helped grant wishes to terminally ill children.  And she visited orphanages around the world at various stops of a Michael Jackson concert date, while they were married. She partnered with the Grammy Foundation to mentor up-and-coming musical artists.

“`Lisa Marie’s final appearance was on Tuesday, as she joined Priscilla (her mom) to celebrate Austin Butler’s Golden Globe win for his performance in Elvis. During his acceptance speech, he gave a special shout-out to the family, and to Lisa Marie, in particular.

ELVIS PRESLEY    LISA MARIE PRESLEY

“`A true humanitarian and philanthropist, Lisa Marie Presley was fifty-four.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Art Kirsch and Jon Coleman of Celebrating Act 2 have pinned me down to chat about things you might not have known about with regards to the great Humphrey Bogart. A couple of his movies not as often seen are included in the discussion.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Owen Roizman was a cinematographer who earned five Oscar nods for his impressive work on The French Connection, The Exorcist, Network, Tootsie and Wyatt Earp.  His flicks set the style for many of his future productions, with gritty street photography and available light.

“`Roizman had a tryout with the New York Yankees but contracted polio as a teenager. His father, Sol, was a cameraman for Movietone News. He began working during summer breaks at a camera store in Manhattan, and later, as assistant to cinematographer Gerald Hirschfeld at MPO Videotronics. He collaborated with film directors William Friedkin, Sydney Pollack and Lawrence Kasdan.

OWEN ROIZMAN

“`After working on a few commercials, he became a cinematographer. His second movie, The French Connection, earned him early accolades. This led to a string of popular assignments, including Play It Again Sam, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Rose, Absence of Malice, The Stepford Wives, The Heartbreak Kid, Three Days of the Condor, Grand Canyon, The Electric Horseman, and French Kiss (his final effort).

“`For a time, Roizman served on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and became president of the American Society of Cinematographers. He received an honorary Academy Award at the 9th Governors Awards ceremony in 2017.

“`Owen Roizman was eighty-six.

Until next time>                               “never forget”