Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`Philip Baker Hall was a talented character actor who appeared in memorable films. He collaborated with directors Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson.

“`Hall began his career in television and guest-starred in M*A*S*H, Good Times, The Waltons, Quincy M. E., T. J. Hooker, Matlock, Benson, Miami Vice, Falcon Crest, Emergency!, Chicago Hope, Murder She Wrote, Seinfeld, L. A. Law, Cheers, The West Wing and Modern Family.

“`He offered reliable movie support in  Nothing in Common, Hard Eight, Midnight Run, Ghostbusters II, Air Force One, Boogie Nights, The Truman Show, Bruce Almighty, The Insider, Magnolia, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Rules of Engagement, and Argo.

“`Philip Baker Hall (above right) was ninety.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`I have fun with Art Kirsch and John Coleman of Celebrating Act 2 reviewing my favorite films from Hollywood’s Golden Age. (One thing… I mistakenly mentioned that Montgomery Clift won a Best Actor Oscar in 1961. It was actually Maximilian Schell.)

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The votes are in from the TCM Classic Film Festival! We interviewed a number of fans that traveled from all over the country to share  with us their favorite screening as we celebrated Hollywood’s Golden Age. Join Celebrating Act 2 to reflect on a fest well done…

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`This episode on Celebrating Act 2 is wonderfully special. The chat I have with Art Kirsch and John Coleman parallels the chapter I have in my book, Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. I call it: Children of the Depression…

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Bo Hopkins was an actor remembered for playing the leader of the Pharoahs gang in American Graffiti. Hopkins appeared in over one-hundred film and television roles in a career of more than forty years.

“`Just like Ray Liotta, Hopkins was an adopted child. He led a troubled life as a teenager with instances of truancy, minor crimes and a stay in a reform school.  He dropped out of school just before his seventeenth birthday and joined the United States Army, where he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division was shipped off to Korea, where he served for nine months.

“`In Hollywood, he earned a living parking cars while studying at the Actors Studio. One of his classmates was Martin Landau. Hopkins appeared in popular films including The Wild Bunch, The Getaway, White Lightning, The Bridge at Remagen and Midnight Express. He was busy on television, guest-starring in  The Rockford Files, Dynasty,  Gunsmoke, Bonanza,  The Mod Squad, Hawaii Five-O,  The Rookies, Charlie’s Angels,  Fantasy Island, The A-Team, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, The Fall Guy and Murder She Wrote.

“`Bo Hopkins (above right) was eighty-four.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Ray Liotta was a rugged actor with piercing eyes.  He was best known for his performances in Field of Dreams and GoodFellas. He also portrayed singer Frank Sinatra in the television movie The Rat Pack for which he received a SAG Awards nomination.

                          RAY LIOTTA                  JOE PESCI

“`Liotta moved to New York after his graduation from college to try his luck at acting. He got a job as a bartender at the Shubert Organization and landed an agent within six months. One of his earliest roles was on the soap opera Another World. He quit the show after three years so he could try his luck in the film industry in Los Angeles. He made his movie debut in 1983’s The Lonely Lady. His initial major acting assignment was in Something Wild, which earned him his first Golden Globes nomination.

“`After his breakthrough performances in Field of Dreams and GoodFellas, he would stay busy in Hollywood for the rest of his career, with notable performances in  Unlawful Entry, John Q, Narc, Hannibal, and Smokin’ Aces. Liotta was partial to animation and children’s programmming and he appeared in flicks with SpongeBob SquarePants and The Muppets. At the time of his passing, Liotta had several projects in production.

“`Ray Liotta was sixty-seven.

To honor the memory of this fine actor, I present a tribute to the movie GoodFellas on my podcast, Manny Pacheco’s Forgotten Hollywood.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`John Coleman, Art Kirsch and I enter an engaging Celebrating Act 2 chat about the terrific character actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age. This trip down memory lane is well worth the price of admission.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`While at the TCM Classic Film Festival, I had the pleasure of meeting George Stevens Jr at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.  The Forgotten Hollywood and Celebrating Act 2 cameras were there.

“`He is the son of the iconic director of Woman of the Year, The More the Merrier, A Place in the Sun, Shane, Giant and The Diary of Anne Frank. Stevens Jr. is also the creatior of the Kennedy Center Honors and the American Film Institute.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`At the TCM Classic Film Festival, I was very fortunate to track down Ben Mankiewicz, the longtime host of  Turner Classic Movies and grandson of the iconic screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, and we had a really amazing conversation on Celebrating Act 2.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`John Coleman and Art Kirsch of Celebrating Act 2 have decided to chat about Manny Pacheco’s Forgotten Hollywood, a podcast you can hear on Spotify! It is a pip!

“`Enjoy!

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

“`By the way, here is the link to Manny Pacheco’s Forgotten Hollywood on Spotify!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P…

“`Recently, at TCM’s Classic Movies Festival,  I had a rare opportunity to chat with the host of Noir Alley, the genial Eddie Muller in front of the Celebrating Act 2 cameras. Our topics ranged from delivering content on TCM in during Covid, the unique relationship and bond between the TCM hosts and the fans, and of course, film noir.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here..

“`Disney has purchased 20th Century Fox. What implications does this takeover have. I join Art Kirsch and John Coleman on Celebrating Act 2 to discuss. And I do have concerns.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

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”