Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here… 

“`He hasn’t been on stage since 1989, when walking off an evening performance of Hamlet. Day-Lewis previously went into semi-retirement in the 1990s.

“`Maybe there’s a method to Daniel Day-Lewis’ madness. Let’s hope it’s a temporary decision.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Tony Bennett, the beloved and durable interpreter of American Standards, and whose chart-topping career has spanned seven decades, will be honored with this year’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The Library of Congress has officially made their announcement. The Lifetime Achievement Award, named for the duo of George and Ira Gershwin, was created by Congress to honor the singers and songwriters who entertain, inform, and inspire. Other recipients have included Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder.

“`Born Anthony Thomas Benedetto in Queens, New York, Bennett served in World War II; he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and participated in liberation of a concentration camp. Tony marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to support civil rights, and has performed for 11 presidents.

                                                                           TONY BENNETT

“`Bennett gained pop success in the early 1950s, with a string of hits for Columbia Records, including Because of You and Rags to Riches. His Top 40 singles included a signature tune, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, which won two Grammy Awards.

“`Bennett enjoyed a career revival in the 1990s, and became popular with younger audiences, in part, because of an appearance on MTV Unplugged.  Tony continued recording and touring constantly.  Plus, in 2014, his collaboration with Lady Gaga…  Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Magazine charts.

“`The crooner is a person of many talents. He is also an accomplished painter, whose work has exhibited at galleries around the world.

“`Bennett is scheduled to accept the award in Washington in November.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`I recently visited the Successful Aging Expo in Torrance, and was interviewed by the folks at Celebrating Act 2. I chatted about actors appearing in the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. Click on the link:

“`Watch all other interviews at the Celebrating Act 2 website or on YouTube. Cut-and-paste the links below:

www.celebratingact2.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVU6lof8FyCZ84RH5f9fHWw

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“`Bill Dana was an comedian, actor, and screenwriter. He often appeared on television shows, such as the Ed Sullivan Show, frequently in the guise of a heavily accented Bolivian character named Jose Jiménez.  The character was beloved as a fictional astronaut (right); and began his routine with:  Hello, my name Jose Jiménez. The Mercury 7 astronauts were his biggest fans. Imogene Coca was an early champion of his teleplay humor.

“`Before appearing on television on The Steve Allen Show, Dana had been a prolific comedy writer. He created stand-up routines for Don Adams, including Would you believe? humor popular on Get Smart. He wrote the classic episode of All in the Family that featured Sammy Davis Jr. smooching Archie Bunker on the cheek.

“`In 1961, he made the first of eight appearances on  The Danny Thomas Show. The Bill Dana Show ran for two seasons. He was also memorable in episodes of The Golden Girls. Plus, Dana recorded eight best-selling comedy albums.

“`The mild-mannered Bill Dana was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`John G. Avildsen directed Rocky and The Karate Kid;  two dark-horse favorites that became  bankable screen franchises. He earned an Oscar for the celebrated boxing story about the fictional Rocky Balboa. Sylvester Stallone, then unknown, had written the script, and sought Avildsen (right) to direct it.

“`Avildsen came up the hard way in Hollywood. John started his apprenticeship as assistant director, production manager, cinematographer, and editor. His breakthrough work was Joe, which starred Peter Boyle. Other productions he directed include Save the Tiger (it earned Jack Lemmon an Oscar for his performance), The Formula, Neighbors, Lean on Me and Eight Seconds. He also continued working on The Karate Kid franchise. Avildsen was the original director for  Serpico and Saturday Night Fever; but, in each case, was fired over disputes with the producers.

“`An upcoming documentary on the life, career, and motion pictures of Avildsen is currently in the process of global distribution. Speaking on screen includes Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Martin Scorsese, Jerry Weintraub, and Burt Reynolds. Its release is expected in August.

“`John G. Avildsen was 81.

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“`The Rocky statue,  one of Philadelphia’s largest tourist attractions, is back open for visitors.  The iconic statue and famous steps that lead to the sculpture were inaccessible to visitors during set up and take down for the NFL Draft. Area upgrades were also conducted over the last two weeks.  On the same day it reopened, members of the Philly Police and the NBA 76ers held a workout on the steps.

“`The bronze Rocky was originally commissioned by Sylvester Stallone.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Olivia de Havilland, at 100, has become the oldest named Dame. Two weeks before her 101st birthday —  the Gone with the Wind  star is acknowledged for service to Drama:  Dame Commander the Order of the British Empire.

“`Born to British parents in Tokyo on the first day of the Battle of the Somme,  Dame Olivia moved to California when she was young. She first gained attention for her work with Errol Flynn in films, including Captain Blood and The Adventures Of Robin Hood, with the pair considered as a perfect on-screen match.  She won two Best Actress Oscars for To Each His Own and The Heiress.

“`She was responsible for the so-called De Havilland Law,  a landmark 1944 ruling that ended the tight grip studios had on contract actors, and was widely seen as the beginning of the end for the old Hollywood studio system. It came after Dame Olivia sued Warner Brothers, when the studio extended her seven-year contract, to account for time she had spent on suspension for rejecting roles that executives wanted her to play.

“`Her career spanned six decades and 49 feature films – many considered to be classics. She’s one of the last surviving legends of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

“`Dame Olivia de Havilland is the perfect title for this icon of cinema.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Mel Brooks has created some of the most iconic comedies in film history, including Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and The Producers. For the first time in his career, he will offer a behind-the-scenes look at his extraordinary career during an exclusive two-night stay at the Encore Theater in Wynn Las Vegas – June 30th and July 1st. An Evening With Mel Brooks features the actor, writer, producer, and director in a rare stage event that combines personal anecdotes with his zany brand of stand-up comedy and clips from his storied work.

`

MEL BROOKS

“`Brooks’ career began in television writing for Your Show of Shows. Together with Buck Henry, he created the television series Get Smart. He teamed up with Carl Reiner to write and perform the 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums and books. Brooks won an Oscar in 1964 for writing and narrating an animated short The Critic; and a second in 1968 for the screenplay of his first feature film, The Producers. For three seasons, Brooks won Emmy Awards for his role on the hit sitcom Mad About You; and received three Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards for The Producers Musical, which ran on Broadway from 2001 to 2006. It still holds the record for the most accolades won by a Broadway musical.

“`In 2009,  Mel received the Kennedy Center Honors, recognizing a lifetime of extraordinary contributions to American culture. He was the subject of an Emmy Award-winning American Masters documentary on PBS called Mel Brooks: Make A Noise; and was the 41st recipient of AFI’s Life Achievement Award.  Last year, Mel went to London where Prince William proudly presented him with the prestigious British Academy Awards Fellowship;  and he was invited by President Obama to the White House to accept the National Medal of Arts;  the finest honor given to artists by the United Stated government.

“`Now, Mel is a headliner in Las Vegas.

Until next time>                               “never forget“

Manny P. here… 

“`There’s an impressive lineage that stretches from DC Comic Book’s Batman and the current incarnation of the Dark Knight. Most culturally significant was the 1966 campy television show with the square-jawed Adam West as the Caped Crusader. The program lasted three seasons. However, from 1966  – 1968, this was a tour-de-force of programming every Wednesday and Thursday evening. And, it spawned a film, lunch pales, bubble gum cards, and other assorted array of tie-in promotion.

“`Batman influenced generations of viewers with bigger-than-life characters, and galvanized future actors starring in television programs immeasurably tied to their roles. In Adam West’s case, it lasted his entire career. He is favorably comparable to William Shatner’s Captain Kirk; Bob Denver’s Gilligan, and Rod Serling’s prologues that began every episode of The Twilight Zone. West shunned the typecasting; he eventually embraced the inevitable. He’s the perfect incarnation of Batman. Only Basil Rathbone as the intrepid Sherlock Holmes was more well suited in the history of celluloid characterizations (in my humble estimation).

“`After serving in the Army, West went to Hollywood, and appeared on television, including The Rifleman, 77 Sunset Strip, The Real McCoys, Maverick, Bonanza, Perry Mason, Petticoat Junction, Gunsmoke, and Bewitched. He additionally guest-starred in Vega$, Alice, Night Gallery, The Big Valley, Alias Smith and Jones, The Love Boat, Mannix, Fantasy Island, Laverne and Shirley, Murder She Wrote,  and Diagnosis: Murder. A modern generation of fans know him as the voice of Mayor Adam West on Family Guy. He had stints on 30 Rock, The Simpsons, The King of Queens and The Big Bang Theory. West received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.

“`He appeared in The Young Philadelphians, which starred Paul Newman. He was also cast in such forgettable fare as Tammy and the Doctor, The Outlaws is Coming, Hooper, and regrettably, The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood. Yet important cinematic actors begged to appear on Batman,  including Shelly Winters, Cliff Robertson, Roddy McDowall, Vincent Price, Victor Buono, David Wayne, Van Johnson, George Sanders,  and most notably, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, and Frank Gorshin. Neil Hamilton and Alan Napier were also veteran actors that offered able support on the popular series.

“`The bat-signal will shine one last time. West will be honored Thursday night with a lighting of the iconic signal in Los Angeles with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Police Chief Charlie Beck doing the honors.  The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will take place at 9p at City Hall.

“`West outlived just about everyone connected to Batman, except Burt Ward and Julie Newmar  (Robin and Catwoman, respectively). His legacy will surely last. Flags in Gotham City should be lowered as a citizenry mourns their loss.

“`Adam West was 88.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`After a day when politics dominated the cable news cycle, motion picture quotes capture our imagination. Rather impressive are several pointed references to The Godfather and Becket. With regards to the latter, a meticulous citation was uttered at yesterday’s Senate hearing.

“`Peter O’Toole portrayed Henry II twice in his career; a second time in The Lion in Winter. When his character (who promoted Thomas Becket to Archbishop of Canterbury) accused his cleric of treachery, due to influential relationships with Pope Alexander III and King Louis VII of France, Henry II uttered his stance over the situation and sealed the fate of his chancellor. At heart, lies a bitter dispute between Henry II, who feels betrayed by his former friend; and Becket, who mistrusts the motives of the English king. A scene from the 1964 film re-enacts this tragic moment in time:

“Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest”

`

“`Meanwhile,  news pundits have compared a languid rapport between President and former F.B.I. Director, to Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone and tenuous alliances with Mafia associates. The Godfather is loaded with colorful quotes, and any of those spoken by Don Vito offers a rich parallel discerned during televised analysis. Particularly poignant:

“With respect comes loyalty”

~  ~  ~

“`I’m fascinated how cinema often draws metaphoric comparisons to our collective history.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Goodman Theatre  artistic director Robert Falls says Stacy Keach suffered a heart attack during the opening evening of a play at the venue in Chicago. The May 30th performance of Pamplona,  with Keach starring as Ernest Hemingway, was canceled halfway through when the actor appeared unwell.

“`Pamplona marks the actor’s third collaboration with Falls, and his second exploration of the literary icon:   He earned a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award nomination for his portrayal of Hemingway in the eponymous 1988 television mini-series.

“`The entire run of the one-man play has since been canceled. Falls says the Goodman could re-stage Pamplona next year.             STACY KEACH —>

“`Falls says he visited Keach on Tuesday, and found him in good spirits. He says Keach was sitting up and studying the script and asked about rescheduling. Goodman officials say the 76-year-old Keach is set to be released from a Chicago-area hospital.

“`Keach is best known for playing private eye Mike Hammer in several television series. He recently appeared in the Bruce Dern vehicle, Nebraska.

“`Best wishes to my fellow Van Nuys High School alum… Stacy Keach.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`The site of the iconic 1969 Woodstock music festival is now officially recognized for its place in history.  Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo designated that Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Hudson Valley has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“`The weekend concert attracted 500,000 to Max Yasgur’s farm,  and it was a pivotal moment in New York and American history. It became the subject of a landmark documentary film. This recognition preserves the location for future generations. Plus, it furthers educational and cultural initiatives at the museum and surrounding grounds that will continue to embody the spirit of the 1960s.

“`The 800-acre Bethel Woods campus is 90 miles north of Manhattan.

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“`Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver will be posthumously honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY Awards.  Timothy Shriver, one of her children, and chairman of the Special Olympics, will accept the award on July 12th. The Ashe accolade is given to individuals whose contributions transcend sports.

“`Eunice Shriver founded the Special Olympics in 1968 to aid individuals with intellectual disabilities through sports;  inspired by her sister Rosemary, who suffered from similar impairments. It will mark its 50th anniversary next year.

“`Shriver died in August 2009.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Conjecture filled nationwide periodicals the day after Abe Lincoln’s assassination on Good Friday, 1865. Among those people at Ford’s Theater who actually witnessed all chaos unfold was Joseph Hazelton; a stage – cinematic actor that  was employed as a program boy. By 1933, Joe was the last living witness of the tragedy. He gave a detailed account at the May Company Exposition Hall, in Los Angeles, of what he observed. The only remaining recording of his speech — rare audio of the eyewitness chronicle of Abraham Lincoln’s murder — is preserved at the Huntington Library. This is singular treasure complimented by a video,  which includes a portion of Hazelton’s dramatic account to bring a tragedy to life. His retelling was transferred onto vinyl at Freeman Lang Studios in Hollywood.

“`Created by the South Pasadena repository’s video producer, Aric Allen, the eight-minute clip compliments the history behind the 16-inch phono record. It’s made of shellac, as were many transcription vinyl from the late 1920s to the early 1930s; and it’s incredibly fragile. It resides in the library’s most secure, atomic bomb–proof vault.  What is fascinating about this account  preserved on the recording, as curator Olga Tsapina explains, is how it relates to the memory and mythology of the assassination.

“`Personal descriptions of that evening survive in the form of correspondence, diary entries, affidavits, and similar documents. However, listening to a witness offers a more vivid scene. Those attending the free 1933 lecture would have heard an oral presentation detailing John Wilkes Booth’s shooting of Lincoln, then leaping over the railing of the presidential box onto the stage, breaking his leg, and making his declarative exit. Booth made a ready escape on horseback.

“`Since Hazelton was a thespian, he delivered his narrative as if reading a theatrical script. During his oration, he surmised:

I shall never forget to my dying day, the look of anguish and despair on that man’s face, as he half dragged and half limped to the center of the stage with a wild maniacal stare, brandished the knife above his head, and cried out…

Sic semper tyrannis!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Jerry Lewis was hospitalized in Las Vegas on Friday. He has been  suffering from a chronic urinary tract infection. Doctors were quick to give him medication for the illness.  The medical center was set  to discharge him as early as tomorrow.

“`The comedian, who first got his start in Hollywood as a child, is determined to keep working, despite ongoing health concerns. He battled prostate cancer,  suffered two heart attacks, has diabetes, and daily deals with chronic lung disease.        JERRY LEWIS –>

“`Despite medical issues, Lewis is scheduled to travel to Toronto, later this week, to shoot a movie. Last year, insiders close to the star revealed that despite a busy schedule, Jerry will be ready to meet his son Joseph, who took his own life in 2009, in heaven.

“`Best wishes to the incomparable Jerry Lewis.

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“`Roger Smith was a television and movie actor. He co-starred in the detective series, 77 Sunset Strip;  and in a teleplay sitcom, Mister Roberts.  Roger went on to manage the career of Ann-Margaret, his wife of 50 years.

“`After a chance meeting with James Cagney, he was encouraged to try a career in Hollywood.  He signed with Columbia Pictures,  and then moved to Warner Brothers. Smith would play Cagney’s son in Man of a Thousand Faces. His greatest film exposure was a role in Auntie Mame, with Rosiland Russell. Due to several life-threatening illnesses, he retired from acting in 1966.            ROGER SMITH –>

“`After he married Ann-Margaret in 1967,  Roger helped shed her sex kitten stereotype in dramatic fashion in 1971,  when she appeared in Mike Nichols’ Carnal Knowledge as the abused mistress of Jack Nicholson. Critics were universal in their praise, and Margaret was nominated for an Oscar. She received an additional Academy Award nod in 1975 for her performance as Roger Daltrey’s mom in the rock-opera… Tommy.

“`Roger Smith was 84.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`A new museum dedicated to Theodor Geisel — who under the pen name, Dr. Seuss, wrote and illustrated dozens of rhyming children’s books, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham — features interactive exhibits, artwork never before displayed publicly, and explains how his childhood experiences in the city about  90 miles west of Boston shaped his work. A grand opening for the public was Saturday, in the author’s hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts, and it’s like walking into one of his beloved children’s books.

“`Kids are definitely the focus of the first floor of the museum created in conjunction with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the family company that protects Geisel’s legacy. It features games, and statues of Horton, Thing 1 — Thing 2, characters from Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, plus other figures.  Visitors will wander through Geisel’s childhood bedroom, his grandparent’s bakery and brewery, and different rooms painted in brilliant blue and red  (decorated in detail with scenes from the books).

“`The museum’s second floor has a more intimate feel,  with furnishings and assorted knick-knacks from Geisel’s studio from his La Jolla, California home, where he lived until his death in 1991, at age 87.  His treasured collection of 117 bow-ties is also on display.

“`The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss museum is expected to draw 100,000 visitors annually.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`A statue of actor Frank Sutton was dedicated in Downtown, Clarksville, TN. He’s best known for playing Sgt. Carter on Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.  The City of Clarksville prepared the site and installed the work.

“`A crowd of over 150 people — including a group of third-grade students of Clarksville Academy, and sponsors from Coldwell Banker Realtors — gathered at the event, to watch Mayor Kim McMillan, project leader Mark Holleman, and sculptor Scott Wise pull the shroud from the bronze image.

“`The statue of Sutton emerged glowing in the midday sun, and it evoked a nice reaction from the crowd. Wise’s statue perfectly evokes Sutton’s stance of Sgt. Carter from the CBS sitcom, with his trademark hat, square jaw, and flaring nostrils.

“`Sutton took to the stage as a student at East High School in Nashville, where his family moved when he was eight, and then, he returned to Clarksville after high school.  He toiled as a radio broadcaster. During World War II, Sutton enlisted in the United States Army, and served in the South Pacific. After the war, he began a notable career as an actor,  with a number of television roles. Frank Sutton died in 1974.

“`No word if Jim Nabors attended the unveiling.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`Elena Verdugo had a prolific film career, before concentrating on television; garnering two Emmy nominations for her performance  on Marcus Welby M.D.  Her movie roles include supporting work with Lon Chaney Jr.  in House of Frankenstein and The Frozen Ghost;  with Abbott and Costello in Little Giant; and Cyrano de Bergerac and Thief of Damascus.

“`Verdugo landed her first cinematic acting role in 1931. By her mid-teens, she was appearing in multiple films a year, including four in 1949 and a half-dozen in 1952.    ELENA VERDUGO –>

“`Verdugo also was a singer and dancer. She performed in the 1940s with the Xavier Cugat Orchestra, and handled the vocals on his hit, Tico Tico, which was used in the finale of the 1945 film It’s a Pleasure!

“`After guest starring on classics such as  The Bob Cummings Show, Petticoat Junction, 77 Sunset Strip, Rawhide, Route 66, The Red Skelton Hour, Ironside, Daniel Boone, Love American Style, and Mannix, she worked through the 1960s, before landing the role for which she’s best remembered.  Elena also portrayed the title character in Meet Millie on television and radio for four years, beginning in 1954.

“`Starring Father Knows Best alum Robert Young, Marcus Welby, M.D. was an out-of-the-box smash, finishing its 1969-1970 rookie run in the prime time Top 10. The following year, it became the first ABC series to finish #1, moving ahead of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and Gunsmoke. For its seven-season run, Elena was Consuelo Lopez, a nurse and office assistant to Young’s dedicated Santa Monica general practitioner.  The show also featured James Brolin, and ended in 1976, after nearly 170 episodes.

“`Elena Verdugo was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”