Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

(reporting from Miami)

   As promised, Laurie and I traveled to the Florida Keys; through Key Largo (the famed location of the famous Bogie-Bacall adventure), and into Key West. It was a flavorful day trip with great weather, little traffic, and busy tourist stops. In many ways, this may have been the best part of the whole East Coast excursion.

   While at the Southern most part of the contiguous United States, we visited the famed Ernest Hemingway House. It was filled with amazing artifacts and movie posters from adapted cinema of his work. The historic building is also home to over forty cats.

   The iconic writer’s prolific work includes The Sun Also Rises, For Whom the Bell Tolls, A Farewell to Arms, To Have and Have Not, and The Old Man and the Sea. The amazing cinema that followed featured the artistry of Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, Tyrone Power, Ingrid Bergman, Walter Brennan, Ava Gardner, Errol Flynn, and Lauren Bacall.

   The boardwalk along Key West is a total tourist trap. After watching a magnificent sunset, we had key lime pie smothered in chocolate on a stick, a Key West fav. The only meal to enjoy later in the evening was sea food at the sumptuous Island Fish Co. in Marathon, FL.

   We then traveled back on a rain-slicked highway to our hotel in Miami. Tomorrow, we return to Southern California.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

(reporting from Miami)

   Today was an epic 24-hours in the Forgotten Hollywood journey! It began at the Miami Book Fest International.

                             DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN

First, I got to enjoy a panel discussion, which featured one of my personal inspirations: Doris Kearns Goodwin. The interview was televised on C-SPAN. What happened next was infinitely exciting. I mentioned my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series on the cable network, before I asked the iconic writer a question. Doris was gracious, attentive, and wonderful. Of course, I also spent time at the Readers’ Favorite booth with fellow award-winning authors.

                                                                 w/ author DEEPAK MENON

Back at the Airport Regency Hotel,  all of the talented authors were given their appropriate accolades in a star-studded evening that included actor and director, Eriq LaSalle.  The entire team at Readers’ Favorite made us feel quite special, and the event was filled with magic. I was additionally interviewed by a local college cable program, and I got discuss my upcoming projects, which include the Forgotten Hollywood Documentary, my Forgotten Hollywood Radio Program, and a third book in the FH series.

                   w/ READERS’ FAV CEO DEBRA GAYNOR

Finally, I was awarded my Gold Medal from Readers’ Favorite in the Non Fiction:  Music and Entertainment category for Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. All-in-all, this was indeed a special day for Laurie and me…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

(reporting from Miami)

   According to a wonderful email I received from Turner Classic Movies:

TCM is proud to present �What Dreams Are Made Of: A Century of Movie Magic at Auction, as Curated by Turner Classic Movies,� an auction of top-tier collectibles from the storied history of Hollywood. Featured items range from the iconic statuette of the Maltese Falcon from the 1941 film to the cape and cowl worn by Michael Keaton as Batman in Batman Returns.

   The black figurine is one of two known cast lead statuettes made for John Huston’s screen version of the movie, but the only one confirmed by Warner Brothers‘ archives as having been in the film. The figurine bears the same name as the flick starring Humphrey Bogart as private eye Sam Spade. The 45-pound, 12-inch-tall prop has a bent right tail feather; damage incurred during filming. Actress Lee Patrick, who played Spade’s secretary, Effie, dropped it when she handed the item to Bogie.

   The statuette’s owner purchased it privately in the 1980s. It’s been exhibited at the Warner Brothers Studio Museum, Pompidou Centre in Paris, and Museum of Modern Art in New York. A portion of proceeds will go to The Film Foundation, a nonprofit established by Martin Scorsese in 1990 to protect and preserve motion picture history. For the link to make a bid or for complete information on items being auctioned… click on:

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21427/?go_to_top=0&keep_login_open=1#?go_to_top=0&keep_login_open=1%2F

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

(reporting from Miami)

   Laurie and I visited the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the former estate of businessman James Deering, of the Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune, on Biscayne Bay in present-day Coconut Grove. The early 20th century Vizcaya estate includes: many Italian Renaissance gardens; a native woodland landscape; and a historic outbuildings compound. The landscape and architecture were influenced by Veneto and Tuscan Italian Renaissance models, and it was designed in a Mediterranean Revival architecture style, with Baroque elements. The  property originally consisted of 180 acres of shoreline Mangrove swamps and dense inland native tropical forests.

   Deering built Villa Vizcaya between 1914 and 1922. Being a conservationist, he sited the development of the estate portion along the shore to conserve the forests. After the extensive gardens were completed in 1923, Deering’s health began to weaken. Nonetheless he traveled and entertained guests, including the silent film stars Lillian Gish and Marion Davies. Deering was described in his later years as a reticent man with impeccably proper manners, leavened by a sense of humor. He wasn’t a Jay Gatsby type figure of the Roaring Twenties era.

                            JAMES DEERING

   Vizcaya has provided the setting for many motion pictures, both credited and uncredited. Deering enjoyed watching silent films in the courtyard, and had a particular interest in the works of Charlie Chaplin. External shots of Villa Vizcaya, for example, can be seen in the movies Tony Rome (starring Frank Sinatra); Ace Ventura:  Pet Detective; Airport ’77 (a scene featuring James Stewart); Any Given Sunday; The Money Pit; and Iron Man 3.

   Our evening concluded with a meet and greet of fellow authors who represent the Class of 2013 of Readers  Favorite awards recipients. Writers included Lori Costew, Catherine Stack, Judy Brizendine, Kaitlyn Deann,  Irina Argo, Kenneth Pottie, Darlene Quinn, A.A. Jones, and Deepak Menon. Genres include modern fiction, biography, health, and children’s books. All the scribes were engaging sorts. In other words… my kind of folks. I was right at home with the festivities.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

(reporting from Miami, Florida)

   I’m thrilled to be spending almost a week in sunny South Florida. My wife Laurie and I are staying at the Airport Regency Hotel in Miami. I’m here to accept a Gold Medal on Saturday for my work Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History from Readers Favorite in the Non Fiction / Music and Entertainment category. Events include a couple of Meet & Greets at the hotel; and a three-day Street Fair culminating at the Miami Book Fair International.

   The Venetian Pool is an aquatic facility unlike any other in the country. It opened in 1924 as the Venetian Casino, part of the grand plan developer George Merrick had for the City of Coral Gables. His vision was to embody a sense of true hometown living. In its early days, the Venetian Casino was the destination for many celebrities, such as Johnny Weismuller and Esther Williams, both noted cinematic swimmers. Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra also visited this wonderful place. Today, it’s included in the National Register of Historic Places, the only swimming pool to have such a designation.

      JOHNNY WEISMULLER (in photo)   

   The Coral Castle is an egineering marvel compared as a smaller version of Stonehenge and Great Pyramids of Egypt. It’s a structure created by the Latvian emigrant eccentric Edward Leedskalnin (1887–1951). He spent 28 years building and sculpting the Coral Castle. Standing 5 foot tall and barely 100 pounds, Ed used primative tools that he created to move tons of coral rock. He was also known for his obscure theories on magnetism.

   The locale has been featured in Reader’s Digest and the National Enquirer. In 1984, the Coral Castle was placed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   This just in from the folks who have brought us The Happiest Place on Earth. In time for the Holidays, Walt Disney Studios is offering guests a special event in celebration of the upcoming release of Saving Mr. Banks. The event gives visitors the chance to see the film in a theater on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, and then an opportunity to walk in Walt’s footsteps on a tour of the lot. The limited engagement features one show each night at 7p and runs from December 13th through December 19th. Tickets are $50 each.

   Saving Mr. Banks looks to be delightful cinematic faire that examines the making of the iconic motion picture, which starred Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Ed Wynn, and in her final screen role, Jane Darwell. Julie accepted the lead part of Mary Poppins when she was passed over to play Eliza Doolittle in the movie version of My Fair Lady. She had starred in the latter Broadway production. However, Warner Brothers decided they needed a name draw for the film musical, and cast Audrey Hepburn, despite her own vocal limitations. Her singing was later dubbed by Marnie Nixon. Ironically, Andrews captured the Oscar for Best Actress the following award season, while Hepburn didn’t receive nary a nod.

   In the current production, Tom Hanks stars as Walt Disney; Emma Thompson plays author P.L. Travers, the creator of Mary Poppins; Kristopher Kyer co-stars as Dick Van Dyke; and B.J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman are the famed composers, The Sherman Brothers. The flick also features Victoria Summer as Julie Andrews in her film debut performance.

   The Walt in Walt’s Footsteps tour after the reserved seating screening includes photo ops with Mickey Mouse, Mary Poppins, and a chance to see sets from Saving Mr. Banks: Walt’s office and Travers’ home. Guests will also visit the Walt Disney Animation building and Legends Plaza to see the many historical plaques, including Disney, Van Dyke, Andrews, and many more. Folks will also receive a 50th Anniversary Mary Poppins DVD.

   To purchase tickets to this limited and exclusive engagement, call 1 (800) DISNEY6 or visit:

http://elcapitantickets.disney.com/WebTixsNet/SearchPage.aspx?635204165639375000&autosearch=1&hidecriteria=1

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   After seven decades in show business, Angela Lansbury finally will receive her due. It’s the kind of moment traditionally given to stars who should have been recognized by film award’s groups long ago. In Lansbury’s case, few actors can match her commitment to Hollywood. The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had previously announced  the actress was to receive an Honorary Oscar for contributions to the cinematic industry. She will receive the award at the fifth annual Governors Awards this evening.                  ANGELA LANSBURY ———–>

Manny P. here…

   As we prepare for our trip to Miami early next week to receive my Gold Medal Award from Reader’s Favorite for Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, and to visit the Miami Book Fair International, I was greeted with more good news today. Book sales for the original Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has surpassed 2900. I received this fortuitous news from my statement provided by Danforth Distribution.

   And speaking of Miami, my wife Laurie and I are planning a one-day excursion down the Florida Keys, while visiting the East Coast. The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, his place of residence from 1931 to 1939, although he retained title to the home until he died, is in Key West. It was in this house that he did some of his best work, including The Snows of Kilimanjaro, parts of For Whom the Bell Tolls, plus his novel To Have And Have Not. The latter work became the iconic film that starred Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The house in 1988 was a filming location of the 16th James Bond movie Licence To Kill.

   Tennessee Williams first became a regular visitor to Key West in 1941, and wrote the first draft of A Streetcar Named Desire while staying at the La Concha Hotel. The Academy Award–winning film version of his play The Rose Tattoo was shot on the island in 1956.

   We begin our journey to Florida on Tuesday, November 19th.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

The Princess Bride is coming to the stage. Disney Theatrical Productions plans to adapt the novel and screenplay for the beloved romantic comedy. The creative team and timetable for the project have yet to be determined. The latest deal was brokered by Alan F. Horn, the chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

   The book was written in 1973 by William Goldman, who later adapted it for the 1987 motion picture directed by Rob Reiner.  The film co-starred Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Christopher Guest, Fred Savage, Peter Falk, Billy Crystal, and Carol Kane. The screenplay was selected by the Writers Guild of America in 2006 as the 84th best screenplay of all time;  it earned the same ranking in the Guild’s 2013 update. The Princess Bride is considered a cult classic since its release. It is widely regarded as eminently quotable, and has been referred to as The Wizard of Oz of our time.

———————————————————————–

This just in from Turner Classic Movies:

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   On Sunday, my wife Laurie and I attended the Senior Star Power Productions Friend Raiser and Teaser for a New Musical Revue entitled We Have A Dream. The event took place at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, and included a Champagne Reception.

   It was a star-studded gala, and A-List guests included Margaret O’Brien (the star featured in our upcoming Forgotten Hollywood Documentary), George Chakiris (who, like O’Brien, is an Academy Award-winning actor), Florence Henderson, and Alison Arngrim (who recently was on a celebrity-author panel with me at the El Segundo Author Fair). Former US Representative Diane Watson and Hollywood Councilman Mitch O’Farrell were also on hand. Farrell made a presentation to Senior Star Power Productions: A Los Angeles Certificate of Appreciation.                                                       MANNY PACHECO   MARGARET O’BRIEN

GEORGE CHAKIRIS   FLORENCE HENDERSON   ALISON ARNGRIM

   The 501(c)(3) non profit is the brainchild of The Pink Lady. For over 40 years, Jackie Goldberg has been in the fashion industry as a Womens’ Wear marketing and sales rep, and she has motivated employees by boosting morale and improving sales techniques. Jackie has presented seminars at universities, medical institutions, philanthropic groups, and adult groups. She is a council member on the LA Department of Aging. She inspires mature adults and baby-boomers to re-examine and re-invent their lives through her seminar series called, Get up, Get Out, and Get A Life! She’s motivated hundreds of people to stay youthful and live life to the fullest. Her Mission is to:

Show people that once they’ve reach 60, life is just beginning; and filled with passion, love, excitement, and adventure

   Senior Star Power Productions is on a journey to create a year-round theatrical performing arts complex for seniors. Their mission is to engage, inspire, and enrich the lives of seniors and, by extension, the entire community, through the arts, and to show they are still vital, creative, energetic, productive, and entertaining. The productions are performed by talented seniors aged 60, 70, and 80 plus years young.

   If you’d like to make a tax-deductable contribution to this worthy organization, please visit:

http://www.seniorstarpower.org/donations/

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

Manny P. here…

   The Paley Center for Media is proud to partner with CBS Consumer Products in presenting the Los Angeles premiere gallery exhibition of Star Trek: The Art of Juan Ortiz. Star Trek (1966-69) occupies a rarified place in popular culture, and continues to be a force in all facets of media. Ortiz’s groundbreaking effort to personify each of the series’s 79 episodes, and the original pilot, through a collection of original art posters embodies his passion for the series, the transformational 1960s, and the often visceral reaction generated by each episode.

 You are cordially invited to a

PREVIEW RECEPTION

Star Trek: The Art of  Juan Ortiz 

Manny P. here…

   Theater producers are planning a Broadway revival of the musical Gigi, and will open the sumptuous production at the Kennedy Center in Washington. The engagement announced Wednesday is slated to open in January 2015. They plan to bring Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe’s stage play to Broadway later in 2015 for the first time in more than forty years.

   Eric Schaeffer of Washington’s Signature Theater will be the director. He guided the Kennedy Center’s revival of Follies that went on to garner eight Tony Award nominations last year. Playwright Heidi Thomas is reimagining the new production.

   Gigi, set in Paris, comes from the same composer and lyricist as My Fair Lady. The original novel by Colette began as a play starring Audrey Hepburn, and then became a movie musical that featured Leslie Caron (in the title role), Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan, and Hermione Gingold. Gigi won a record-breaking nine Oscars at the 1959 ceremony; but, the record only lasted for a year, as Ben-Hur broke it with eleven Academy Awards.

   Thank heaven for this wonderful story…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   One Hollywood film studio has commanded A-list talent since its inception — Elizabeth Taylor, Morgan Freeman, Sandra Bullock, Michael Douglas, Nicole Kidman — and they all worked for free. What studio head has such pull? It’s Rabbi Marvin Hier, the mini-mogul of Moriah Films, the movie division of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

   Founded by Hier in 1981, Moriah Films has won two Academy Awards for their historical documentaries. He established the movie studio a few years after opening the Wiesenthal Center in 1977. He planned a slide show about the Holocaust, when Fay Kanin, then president of the film academy, suggested he consider making a movie instead. US Senator John Warner was involved with the Wiesenthal Center at the time, and was married to Elizabeth Taylor. She became the narrator for Genocide, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

   The dozen movies Moriah Films has made attracted such notables as Michael York, Kevin Costner, Whoopi Goldberg, Brooke Shields, Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Richard Dreyfuss, Patrick Stewart, Ed Asner, Martin Landau, and Ben Kingsley. Its latest production, The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers, featuring the narration of Sandra Bullock and Christoph Waltz, opens Wednesday in Los Angeles, and travels to more cities next month. Kingsley, Douglas, and Waltz, have offered their talents a couple of times.

   The Wiesenthal Center, a human-rights organization providing Holocaust education and fights anti-Semitism, began its deep ties to Hollywood when Frank Sinatra and Taylor were on the original board of directors and made introductions throughout Hollywood. Today, movie moguls Jeffrey Katzenberg and Ron Meyer link the Wiesenthal Center to the film community. Moriah’s productions have been screened theatrically, and broadcast around the world on Showtime, HBO,Starz/Encore, as well as, German, French, Russian, Chinese, and Israeli television outlets.

   Hier has fond memories of watching Roy Rogers’ pictures at New York’s Palestine Theater as a boy, and remains a movie fan today. But Moriah Films aims to do more than entertain. He said it’s important to put Jewish history on film to reach worldwide audiences for years to come.

   We have to agree…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   AFI Fest 2013 is right around the corner! Held from November 7th – 14th, it’s an annual celebration of international cinema from modern masters and emerging filmmakers. AFI FEST 2013 will feature nightly red-carpet galas, special screenings, and celluloid tributes.

   This year, they also have an impressive movie legacy line-up:

~ MARY POPPINS (11/09 – 1p at the TCL Chinese)  On August 27th, 1964, this Walt Disney production debuted at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and it exploded into the national consciousness. Though, Walt had made live-action motion pictures for over a decade, director Robert Stevenson’s sumptuous musical became one of Disney’s finest contributions to American cinema. They received 13 Oscar nods, including Best Picture; and it won five, including a Best Actress statuette for Julie Andrews.

   Initial attempts to adapt the book were met with resistance from author P.L. Travers. This is dramatized in AFI FEST’s Opening Night screening of SAVING MR. BANKS, starring Tom Hanks.

~ THE COURT JESTER (11/10 – 12p at the Chinese 1)  Actor Danny Kaye stars as an ex-circus performer in medieval England who joins a band of forest rebels seeking to overthrow a corrupt king and his dastardly minions, including the scheming Lord Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone). Highlights include Kaye’s musical intro; a thrilling sword duel between Rathbone and Kaye; and passages of classic wordplay, such as The pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!

   The Oscar-winning writing team of Norman Panama and Melvin Frank produced and directed this musical-comedy spoof of Hollywood swashbucklers. Shot in high-resolution VistaVision.

~ THE LAST EMPEROR (11/10 – 3p at the TCL Chinese)  For the 25th anniversary of the international release of this visually sumptuous epic about Pu Yi, China’s final sovereign, the motion picture has been restored with re-mastered sound. This process was supervised by director Bernardo Bertolucci and famed cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. Depth and dimension have been added with 3-D conversion, enriching the on-location footage.

   The resulting tapestry was awarded nine Oscars, including Best Picture. It also featured the acting talents of Peter O’Toole.

~  ~  ~

   FREE tix are available every day through Closing Night at AFI FEST 2013. No pre-assigned time slot is needed to access tickets between November 7th – 14th. Limit of two tickets per screening at the AFI FEST AT&T Box Office – Hollywood & Highland Center, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 223, Hollywood, CA 90028 (10a – 10p).

Until next time>                               “never forget”