Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   Last week, I had a fabulous time at the  KNX On Your Corner interview in Culver City. Anchor’s Chris Sedens and Diane Thompson  let me tell wonderful stories about MGM. Diane and I swapped business cards on the possibility of me joining her next year to discuss Oscar-related predictions and stories. I anticipate a memorable moment!

   I also met a few listeners who grew up with the backlot as their backdrop, while their parents were employed in various capacities during Hollywood’s Golden Age. This personal discussion was quite fun.

   Since the interview, I have received telephone calls, and I also got a neat message from a college friend on LinkedIn sending their good wishes, and telling me how much they enjoyed the conversation.

   All in all, it was a fruitful chat!

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   Brevard County Libraries in Central Florida added Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History to a second branch (on Merritt Island). The location is home to the Kennedy Space Center.

   Two branches in Hennepin County (surrounding Minneapolis, Minnesota) have just ordered copies of Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. These neighborhood libraries are in Eden Prarie and Southdale. These compliment local communities of Ridgedale and the Central Branch carrying my first book.

   It’s the 74th prestigious shelf to carry my first work; and 18 branches carrying my latest paperback. There are 82 overall libraries to house some form of my book-series.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Chistopher Plummer is on a roll. After winning an Oscar last month, his next assignment is a two-person show exploring the life of John Barrymore. Plummer’s performance in 1997 on stage earned the acclaimed actor a Tony in 1997.

<– John Barrymore is part of an acting dynasty. Known as The Great Profile, he was the brother to Lionel and Ethel, and a grandfather to Drew. He’s best known for the 1920s Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, the silent version of Sherlock Holmes, Grand Hotel, Dinner at Eight, Romeo and Juliet, Rasputin and the Empress, and Twentieth Century. The personal and professional life of Barrymore had a great influence on the careers of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Errol Flynn. While in a hospital in 1942, John’s last words were… Die? I should say not, dear fellow. No Barrymore would allow such a conventional thing to happen to him.  He then closed his eyes for good.

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   Barrymore was filmed over seven days on location, and on the stage at the Elgin Theater in Toronto. Last year, Christopher Plummer recreated his role for high-definition cameras. Producers say Barrymore will be released in Canada in May, and throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries in October.

Manny P. here…

   Turner Classic Movies is pulling out all the stops on Sunday, June 10th to celebrate Judy Garland’s 90th birthday. A 24-hour motion picture marathon is on tap featuring the legendary ingenue. Working with selections made by Emmy-winning Garland documentarian and author John Fricke, TCM has programmed eleven features, a documentary, and a number of short subjects throughout the day.

   Here’s the complete schedule (Eastern standard time):

6am – Everybody Sing
7:45am – Love Finds Andy Hardy
9:30am – Strike Up the Band
12pm – For Me and My Gal
2pm – Girl Crazy
3:45pm – A Star Is Born
7pm – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic (documentary)
8pm – The Wizard of Oz  (ESSENTIALS JR. series)
10pm – Meet Me in St. Louis
12am – Easter Parade
2am – Summer Stock
4:15am – I Could Go On Singing

   Another planned tribute (announced thus far) for Judy Garland’s 90th birthday is an all-day live broadcast by Radio France. The Forgotten Hollywood radio program will re-broadcast its hour-long episode to Judy on Saturday, June 9th at 3p (pst). It’s heard in Southern California on THE SPA Radio Network. Go to the Radio Show link on the Navigation Bar (on the left) to hear the audio retrospective outside the broadcast area.

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   There is a premier independent literary store in Northern California selling copies of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History (on demand). The Booksmith is conveniently located at 1644 Haight St. in San Francisco. Click on the link below to visit their web site:

http://www.booksmith.com/book/9781935359166

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Robert Temple Ayers, the illustrator who created the burning Ponderosa map for the opening of Bonanza on NBC, has died. The iconic image would shift to the Cartwright family: played by Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Michael Landon, and Dan Blocker.

   Ayres began his studio career on Ben-Hur, and worked as a set illustrator on hundreds of motion pictures, including Blue Hawaii. The Los Angeles Times reports that the artist made a visit to the Autry National Center of the American West just days before he died.

   Robert Temple Ayres was 98.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   If you love The Duke, the Iowa Theatre at Winterset’s Courthouse Square is offering screenings of the iconic film The Quiet Man… read below:

   Join your fellow enthusiasts at a special reception in the garden at John Wayne’s birthplace. You can meet playwright Frank Mahon, who created the stage adaptation of Maurice Walsh’s The Quiet Man on which the film was based. Mahon and former Chicago Tribune columnist Brian Downes will offer their thoughts over the enduring allure of The Quiet Man in a panel discussion.

   On Saturday, May 26th, a Benefit Dinner and auction will take place to raise funds for the new John Wayne Museum and Learning Center.

   According to the John Wayne Birthplace website:

   Plans are in development for construction of an 9,000 square foot Museum and Learning Center adjacent to John Wayne’s birthplace. This new interactive facility will provide an exciting experience for the whole family.

   Character was and is the defining quality of John Wayne. The new John Wayne Learning Center will develop programs and opportunities to teach the values of citizenship, respect, trustworthiness, responsibility and caring. New generations will discover what other generations already know—the character quality of John Wayne.

   I hope former 2012 Presidential candidate, Michelle Bachmann, is taking notes as to the actual birthplace of Marion Robert Morrison… aka John Wayne!

Until next time>                                “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Rick Blaine is getting plenty of attention this month. Bogart’s timeless character in Casablanca wil re-emerge on the big screen for a nationwide salute to the anniversary of the most entertaining piece of celluloid ever produced.

   Turner Classic Movies, in conjunction with NCM Fathom Events, is presenting a digitally re-mastered version of the Warner Brothers film on Wednesday, March 21st at 7p (local time) at selected theatres. It will be introduced by TCM host Robert Osborne, who will chat about the enduring legacy of Casablanca, and reveal fascinating behind-the-scenes stories.

   Tickets for Turner Classic Movies Presents Casablanca 70th Anniversary Event are available at participating box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. The event will be broadcast to nearly 500 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

   Warner Home Video is also set to release Casablanca 70th Anniversary Edition on March 27th, featuring a 3-disc numbered gift set, including the remastered motion picture on both Blu-ray and DVD with more than 14 hours of bonus material. The keepsake additionally provides a compilation of three feature-length documentaries, a reproduction of the original 1942 French theatrical poster, a hard-cover 62-page book with never-before-seen on-set photography, sketches and production history, and a collectible set of coasters.

   The supporting actors in Casablanca get plenty of play in my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. Claude Rains is in the initial paperback; while S.Z. Sakall, Sydney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre have chapters in my new work – Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.

   Once again… Here’s looking at you, kid !!

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   This weekend, the Pacific Symphony Pops will jump on the Casablanca bandwagon in Orange County at Segerstrom Concert Hall. Led by conductor Richard Kaufman, the Symphony delivers the soundtrack created by one of classic Hollywood’s best-known composer… Max Steiner. He wrote scores for more than 150 motion pictures, including Gone with the Wind, King Kong, and A Summer Place. A highlight will be the iconic tune that was sung in the film by Dooley Wilson – As Time Goes By.

   The Costa Mesa concert hall will be decorated in a Moroccan style, reminiscent of the locale. Casablanca Live takes place Thursday through Saturday, March 15-17, at 8p.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Heritage Auctions in Dallas have obtained over 35 movie posters from the Pre-Code Era of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The theatre one-sheets were found in an attic in Pennsylvania last Fall. Available on March 23rd, these 1930s artifacts are expected to net a quarter-of-a-million dollars.

  The rare original collection have undergone restoration; but these cinematic promotional pieces have not been replicated in many decades, and are considered quite valuable. Among the highlights: The Front Page, Little Caesar, Dracula, The Public Enemy, The Thin Man, Cimarron, Twentieth Century, My Man Godfrey, Holiday, and the 1931 version of The Maltese Falcon.

    This valuable stack of Hollywood history was inside a house whose contents were being liquidated as part of an estate sale. Nationwide collectors are licking their chops to obtain portions of this find.

Until next time.                                 “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   One of the brothers hired by Walt Disney to compose some of the most memorable tunes in Hollywood history has died. Robert B. Sherman was best known for providing songs in the world of movies and film animation, including The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh, The Parent Trap,Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Jungle Book,  Mary Poppins, and The Aristocats.

   The Sherman Brothers legacy lives daily at any of the many theme parks carrying the Disney brand. The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room,  There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, and It’s a Small World are all compositions by the prolific songwriting siblings.

   Oscar came calling in 1964 for their efforts: Chim Chim Cher-ee, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the Birds, and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in Mary Poppins. The Sherman Brothers also scored on the pop charts with You’re Sixteen (#1 twice – 1960 for Johnny Burnette, and 1972 for Ringo Starr), and Tall Paul.

   The brothers were influenced by their father, who wrote popular tunes for Tin Pan Alley. During World War II, Robert helped liberate Dachau Concentration Camp; and eventually, he received a Purple Heart, two Battle Stars, a Combat Infantryman Badge, an American Campaign Medal, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, and a medal for Good Conduct.

   In 2005, Robert Sherman established an annual scholarship award in his name through the BMI Foundation. That same year, he was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. In 2008, Robert and Richard Sherman were awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bush. A documentary called The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story was released in 2009. The Sherman Brothers were presented with a window on Mainstreet USA at  Disneyland in 2010.

   Robert Bernard Sherman passed away peacefully in London. He was 88.

Until next time>                                “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The resurgence of Doris Day’s career continues into the Spring of 2012. Once again, the springboard is taking place in the United Kingdom.

    She’s releasing Doris Day – The Ultimate Collection. The greatest hits CD will include Pillow Talk, Teacher’s Pet, and When You Fall in Love. A new generation of listeners is guaranteed for Ms. Day.

   As always, a portion of the proceeds goes to the Doris Day Animal Foundation. This organization provides lifesaving care, in addition to the creature comforts, to hundreds of animals each year.

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   Google Books is introducing Google Play. It’s a new digital content destination available on mobile devices and on the web. Google eBooks and Android Market will be part of Google Play, and users will now get their ebooks from Google Play.

   In addition, customers who go to the web eBook store will be redirected to the Google Play store. While this doesn’t change the way consumers read Google eBooks, it does provide a more compelling mobile purchase experience on a tablet, phone, eReader, or, on the web.

   Here’s a link to this forward-thinking site:

http://play.google.com/about/books/

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   Thanks to Concordia University of Portland Oregon for adding Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History to their library. It’s the second higher-learning facility in the Portland area to order my book.

   Among the notables to have graduated from this private institution was the former senator from Chicago – Paul Simon. This is the 73rd prestigious shelf to carry my first work; and 79th overall branch to house some form of my book-series.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Los Angeles-based KNX 10-70 AM has invited me to historic Culver City to discuss the  legacy of MGM Studios on Friday at 2:15p. It’s part of their KNX on the Corner promotion.

   I’ll be chatting with news anchors, Diane Thompson and Chris Sedens, about MGM’s story. Among the expected topics of conversation:

*Manhattan Melodrama – The last picture ever watched by a gangster

* The Wizard of Oz – How Frank Morgan got the title role in the film

* The King & Queen of 1930s Hollywood – Clark Gable and former Culver City resident (???)

* The #1 Box-Office draw of the 1940s post-World War II era (???)

* That’s Entertainment – MGM’s epitaph

   I’ll also be sharing stories from my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. If you live in Southern California, tune in for this nostalgic interview about Hollywood’s greatest movie lot during its Golden Age…

“The Home of more Stars then there are in the Heavens!”

   Here is a link for more information:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/03/08/knx-on-your-corner-visits-culver-city-on-mar-9/

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The online home of eBook – Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History – is offering for one week: 25% off my work. SMASHWORDS is promoting “Read an eBook Week,” and their website is the origin of this marvelous discount.

   Visit one of the websites below, and after purchasing a copy of my eBook, type in the PROMO CODE:  REW25. You will instantly get a 25% savings. This is a great week-long deal!

   Here are the website links:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53041

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/forgottenhollywood

   March is the perfect time to add Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History to your favorite eReader!

   *** This sale is going on NOW through March 10th.

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   SMASHWORDS has announced a distribution agreement with Baker & Taylor, one of the world’s largest distributors of physical and digital books. The agreement will expand its distribution for nearly 100,000 SMASHWORDS books to new devices and markets.

   There are two components of the agreement. The first is distribution into the Blio online store and eReading app. The second part gains SMASHWORDS authors and publishers distribution into the library market through Baker & Taylor’s service.

   If you’re not familiar with Blio, it’s an online store (Blio.com), and also a popular eReading application that has been pre-loaded on over millions of computers and devices. It powers the reading experience for laptops, desktops and tablets produced by Dell Computer, Toshiba, HP, and T-Mobile, among others. Blio is also available in the Android store.

   The agreement will also bring SMASHWORDS ebooks to public libraries that subscribe to Baker & Taylor’s new Axis360 digital media platform. Axis360, which was launched last year, has been deployed by several top public library systems in the United States. Dozens more libraries are converting to the platform.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

(#9 in a 12-part series to be printed at the beginning of each month)

Manny P. here…

   THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX – In the tradition of male-dominated motion pictures  from the Studio Era (The Lost Patrol, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Sahara), this features a stellar cast, a disaster-genre subplot, and bizarre twist in the screenplay. When film critics list the fine roles of James Stewart, The Flight of the Phoenix is often omitted. Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Dan Duryea, Hardy Kruger, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, and Ian Bannen also star. Like Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3, it spawned a remake.

Back Story

   The Flight of the Phoenix is based on a 1964 novel by Elleston Trevor. The plot involved the crash landing of a transport plane in the middle of the North African desert. Studios immediately conducted a bidding war for the rights to the book. 20th Century Fox developed the vehicle with the intent to create the kind of gritty movie made in the 1950s involving the collaborative effort between James Stewart and director Anthony Mann.

   Audiences enjoyed the effort; critics found the adventure story unrealistic.

Positives

   The strong supporting cast was ably directed by Robert Aldrich. His career included strong stark films such as Vera Cruz, Kiss Me Deadly, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, and later, The Dirty Dozen and The Longest Yard. This ideal script was handed to Aldrich in 1965.

    The brilliance of making one of the heroes a German engineer in contrast with Americans and British soldiers cannot be denied. Hardy Kruger was up to the task. His character’s solution of applying the concept of flight from a toy glider to the rebuilding of a wrecked aircraft was delicious. The conflict between Stewart and Kruger created an inevitable dichotomy. The remaining actors (particularly Richard Attenborough) then react over a political war of wills. They ultimately developed into a cohesive team.  HARDY KRUGER —>  surely steals this film.

Negatives

   The downing of the plane (a Fairchild C-82A Packet) was problematic. Director Aldrich insisted on multiple takes to get the perfect crash. One of the last takes, which is used in the movie, caused the demise of legendary stunt flyer, Paul Mantz. The accident haunted James Stewart throughout the filming. The actor had lost a personal friend.

   This motion picture was over two hours long, which allowed the director to flesh out each role. If only 20 minutes shorter, The Flight of the Phoenix might have presented far crisper scenes. Dream sequences created an avenue for a woman to be cast in the flick, but it really does not advance the plot.

 Supporting Actor Spotlight

   Arguably, no one ever had a better career playing wily villains than Dan Duryea. His Broadway appearance in Dead End set the tone that typecast the actor when he was discovered by Hollywood.

   In contrast to his actual demeanor, Duryea was influenced by film noir, and early cruel performances by Richard Widmark, Robert Mitchum, and Victor Mature. His notable roles include The Pride of the Yankees, None But the Lonely Heart, The Woman in the Window, Scarlet Street, and Criss Cross. His friendship with James Stewart led to Duryea’s casting in Winchester ’73, Thunder Bay, and of course, The Flight of the Phoenix.

   Ironically, his role in the 1965 film allowed the actor to play a character similar to his own psyche. At Stewart’s suggestion, Robert Aldrich gave the assignment of naming the plane, The Phoenix, to Duryea. This was a legacy-gesture for the ailing actor who died of cancer in 1968.

Epilogue

   The idea of doing this movie intrigued James Stewart, a Brigadier General in the Air Force. He began flying combat missions in  1944, and was appointed Operations Officer of the 453rd Bomb Group, and subsequently, Chief of Staff of the 2nd Combat Wing, 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force. He ended with twenty bombings, and remained in the USAF Reserve.  JAMES STEWART –>

   The Flight of the Phoenix received two Oscar nods. The German public appreciated the role of Hardy Kruger, which might have helped thaw United States / Germany relations. Bitterness still existed because of postwar trials in Nuremberg that tangentially indicted the entire Fatherland; plus, there were constant reminders of The Holocaust in Hollywood scripts involving World War II. Kruger was humble, appropriately suggesting he was just doing his job. For this singular reason, this piece of celluloid remains an important contribution to cinema.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Majority ownership from the estate of the most prolific writer from the United Kingdom has been purchased by Acorn Media Group, a Maryland-based company. Agatha Christie Limited has sold the rights to the characters created by the literary sleuth, including Miss Jane Marple and Hercule Poirot; plus great works such as And Then There were None, Murder Most Foul, Witness for the Prosecution, Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun, The Mousetrap, and Murder on the Orient Express.

   Agatha Christie’s books have sold more than two billion copies. They still continue to sell amazingly well, long after the author’s death in 1976. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, She’s considered the best-selling novelist of all time. Her estate claims that her works rank third, behind those of William Shakespeare and The Bible, as the most widely published books. According to Index Translationum, Christie is the most translated individual author, with only the collective corporate  entities of Walt Disney Productions surpassing her.

   The upside to the negotiated agreement… Hollywood studios and Broadway producers may find it easier to acquire use of the writer’s work on this side of the pond. Notable thespians as C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Margaret Rutherford, Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Bette Davis, and Peter Ustinov have played characters based on the scribe’s pen-to-paper.

   Ironically, while Agatha Christie was alive, she never lived more than a couple miles from her birthplace. Her last known residence was in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England.  AGATHA CHRISTIE –>

   London-based Chorion announced the deal on Wednesday.

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   Three branches of the Orange County Public Library now carry Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. These shelves are in Garden Grove, Aliso Viejo, and Irvine. My new book is officially in 15 branches nationwide. This ups my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series to 78 global libraries.

   My home county is representing!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Partners West is a major distributor to bookshops. In their latest 2012 newsletter, they’re promoting recent literary releases, including Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. For authors, this is a first step to reach and value its brick-and-mortar customers. Let me provide readers of my blog a rare look at how this process works. Click on the website below to check out the promotions of new available books:

http://newsletter.partners-west.com/2012/02/february-22-2012/?page=History#Son+of+Forgotten+Hollywood+Forgotten+History

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   As the BOOK PEOPLE website explains: They are an Austin, Texas community bound by books. They also carry Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History (the 98th on demand store). This literary shop is located at 603 N. Lamar in the heart of a major college town.

Here’s a link to their online site:

http://www.bookpeople.com/book/9781935359166

   It’s possible that when folks ask for my paperbacks, the Austin bookshop might order them  through our friends at Partners West…

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   Thanks to Guy Magar from ACTION/CUT Filmmaking and author of the book Kiss Me Quick, Before I Shoot for linking my blog to his site.

   Check out his groovy site; home to an annual short film competition:

 http://www.actioncut.com/fms/industrylinks.htm

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   I’m making a return trip to the Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop as part of my 2012 Spring Tour promoting my new book – Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. It’s taking place on Thursday, March 29th at 7:30p. An event at this location was a highlight of my 2011 Book Tour the last time I visited this remarkable shop.

   Below is the flyer promoting this autograph party and book reading:

   The Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd. Here’s a link to the coolest literary place in Los Angeles:

http://www.flintridgebooks.com/

   I’m personally inviting you to stop by and pick up a copy of my new paperback, particularly if you live near La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Eaglerock, Los Feliz, and Hollywood.

   Until next time>                             “never forget”