Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   Shirley Jones is the 79-year old Oscar-winning star of great movie musicals, important films, and The Partridge Family on the small screen. And, she is a wonderful singer of Broadway standards, having appeared as the ingenue in Oklahoma, Carousel, and The Music Man. Her new tell-all story is spelled out in Shirley Jones, published by Simon and Schuster.

   Other films in her remarkable career include her Academy Award-performance in Elmer Gantry, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, and The Cheyenne Social Club. Her co-stars, such as Gordon MacRae, Robert Preston, Burt Lancaster, Marlon Brando, Henry Fonda, Glenn Ford, James Stewart, and Richard Widmark, referred to her consummate professionalism. Her fans remained loyal, despite her playing against type as a lady of the evening, and earning her an Oscar in 1960.

   Jones was married to Hollywood personality Jack Cassidy. After his tragic passing in a fire, she later met comedian Marty Ingels. They have been wed since 1977. Her children have also dabbled in show business. David Cassidy co-starred with his mom in The Partridge Family. Shaun was a teen heart throb. In the summer 2012, Jones played the role of Mrs. Paroo, along with her son Patrick Cassidy playing Harold Hill, in the California Musical Theatre production of The Music Man.

   Her latest literary endeavor is very PG, and it chronicles her personal life; from the passion she had for Widmark, to her shocking sexual exploits with Cassidy, her first mate. Sounds like a fascinating read!

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   I’m very saddened to learn about the passing of Dennis Farina, the fine character actor of motion pictures and television. His screen credits include Midnight Run, Get Shorty, and Saving Private Ryan. His small screen roles included recurring roles in Crime Story and Law & Order. He also co-starred in the 2012 HBO horse-race gambling cable series Luck, with Dustin Hoffman. Prior to becoming an actor, Farina served almost two decades in the Chicago Police Department’s burglary division, from 1967 to 1985.

   Dennis Farina was 69.                                                               DENNIS FARINA

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Helen Thomas was the pugnacious news service reporter, member of the White House press corps, and opinion columnist. She worked for the United Press and post-1958 United Press International (UPI) for 57 years, first as a correspondent, and later as White House bureau manager. She was a columnist for Hearst Newspapers from 2000 to 2010, writing on national affairs and the White House. She covered the administrations of ten US presidents — final years of the Eisenhower administration to the second year of President Obama’s first term.          HELEN THOMAS —–>

   Helen Amelia Thomas was born the daughter of Lebanese immigrants in Winchester, Kentucky on August 4, 1920. After college, Thomas became a copy girl at the Washington Daily News and was quickly promoted to reporter. In 1943, she joined the United Press (UP) and began covering local news and stories about women. In the early 1950s, Thomas began covering Washington celebrities and government agencies.

   In 1960, Thomas began covering  president-elect John F. Kennedy and White House daily press briefings and press conferences. In 1962, she convinced President Kennedy to suggest that women be allowed to attend annual dinners for White House correspondents. In 1970, Thomas continue to blaze the trail for women journalists when she was named UPI’s chief White House correspondent, the initial gal to achieve that position. Thomas was the only female print journalist to accompany President Nixon during his historic trip to China in 1972.

   Thomas continued to break down barriers for female journalists. In 1974, she became the first woman to head UPI’s White House Bureau. In 1975, she was the first woman to be admitted to the Gridiron Club, the historic Washington press group, which later named her its president. And, Helen Thomas became the first female president of the White House Correspondents Association from 1975-1976.

   Thomas wed Douglas Cornell, a White House reporter for the Associated Press, in 1971, and they were married until his death in 1982. In addition to her reporting, Thomas wrote three books including Front Row at the White House: My Life and Times (1999), Thank You for the Memories, Mr. President: Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House (2002), and Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public (2006).

   Often called the First Lady of the Press, Thomas’ career ended in controversy in 2010 when a YouTube video surfaced in which she said that Israelis should get the hell out of Palestine and return home to Poland, Germany, and America and everywhere else. Thomas retired a week later; but in July 2011, she returned to writing a column for the Falls Church News-Press. In April 2012, Palestinian activist and scholar Hanan Ashrawi gave Thomas a medal for defending the Palestine cause.

   The fiesty Helen Thomas was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The annual Silent Film Festival begins today at San Francisco’s landmark movie palace, the Castro Theatre. Built in 1922, the theater was designed by Timothy L. Pflueger (1894-1946), a celebrated figure in Bay Area architecture, whose career originated with the commission for the Castro. Appreciate the power and beauty of a silent film by seeing it as it was meant to be seen: on the big screen with live musical accompaniment. They have hand selected the finest 35mm prints, engaged leading musicians to compose and perform live era-authentic musical scores, and invited filmmakers, authors, stars, archivists, and scholars to provide context and commentary for each screening.

   The highlight of the festival is the Sunday presentation of Safety Last, the 1923 classic starring Harold Lloyd. A bespectacled man hanging off the hands of a collapsing clock on the side of a skyscraper, high above teeming city streets, is one of the most indelible images of cinema.

   The San Francisco Silent Film Festival is committed to exploring the broad spectrum of this fine genre. Their programming is a lively and thought-provoking mix of education and entertainment, which combines established American classics, lesser-known gems, rare, and recently restored films, and important international work, including motion pictures from China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, France, and Russia. Over the last 17 years, the festival has presented more than 150 rare and classic silent movies, all with live music performed by the most accomplished composers and musicians in the field; and using the Castro Theatre’s world-famous Mighty Wurlitzer organ to lead the way.

   The place to be this weekend is on the City by the Bay… Here’s a link for more info on this weekend’s lineup:

http://www.silentfilm.org/festival/festival-2013-programs

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History can NOW be found in the shelves of 800 readers. Brisk sales of my 2012 work is good news indeed. I anticipate more purchases reported of both of my paperbacks, when I receive my monthly report from Danforth Distribution, tomorrow.

   Yesterday, our Documentary team surpassed over 86% of our funding goals with late contributions coming in. Despite the conclusion of our campaign to raise monies through Indiegogo ending last month, folks still want to contribute to the cause. Over 100 compaines and individuals are committed to seeing me succeed in my on-screen venture, which is indeed a blessing.

   The Forgotten Hollywood Pilot production will showcase the story of Lionel Barrymore, and his stubborn wish to continue working, despite being diagnosed with a degenerative disability in 1937. His efforts led to our nation’s government teaming with Hollywood to fight disease, and the way our country looks at those with a physical and / or mental handicap.

   This is a feel-good story that need to be shared!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

<- Milton H. Greene was a fashion and celebrity photographer for over four decades. He’s best known for the photo shoots he did with Marilyn Monroe. Greene first encountered the iconic actress when on assignment for Look Magazine. They quickly became close friends, and ultimately they formed their own film production company, which produced Bus Stop and The Prince and the Showgirl. Prior her marriage to famed novelist, Arthur Miller, Marilyn lived with Greene’s family in their Connecticut farmhouse. During this period, he captured some of her most famous photos, including the famous Black Sitting.

   3,700 unpublished black-and-white and color negatives and transparencies of Greene’s Monroe archive are going on the auction block — with copyright. They are a fraction of 75,000 celebrity negatives and slides he shot in the 1950s and 1960s going on sale on July 27th at Profiles in History in Los Angeles and online. The archive also includes hundreds of stills of Faye Dunaway during the filming of Bonnie & Clyde; Cary Grant and Doris Day starring in That Touch of Mink; and Ava Gardner, Sid Caesar, Jane Fonda, Audrey Hepburn, Catherine Deneuve, and Marlene Dietrich.

   The range of Milton H. Greene’s subjects include such people as Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich, Sammy Davis, Jr., Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Groucho Marx, Andy Warhol, Judy Garland, Lauren Hutton, Alfred Hitchcock, Romy Schneider, Laurence Olivier, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Claudia Cardinale, Lauren Bacall, Dizzy Gillespie, and Norman Mailer, as well as many others. His photography won him many honors, medals and awards; among them the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the Art Director’s Club of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Detroit. One of his last awards was from the Art Director’s Club of New York for his work in Harper’s Bazaar.

   Copyrights will be included with all the material, which is spread over 268 lots; meaning a potential buyer can print images from the negatives and transparencies, sell them, and license the material. Most of the lots are expected to fetch between $1,000 and $15,000, depending on the number of negatives in each lot, and the featured celebrity. The seller is an unidentified American photography collector who purchased the archive about 10 years ago. The limited edition prints are all signed, stamped, and authenticated by the estate of Milton Greene. His son Joshua plans to attend the auction event.

   Milton H. Greene’s died in 1985. He was 63.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

    A working scholar at an Indiana college has found movie footage showing President Franklin Roosevelt being pushed in his wheelchair, a secret hidden from the public until after his passing. Ray Begovich, a journalism professor at Franklin College, south of Indianapolis, said Tuesday that he found the brief clip while doing unrelated research in the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. The National Archives and the FDR Presidential Museum and Library couldn’t say  for certain if other comparable footage exists, but both feel it’s at least rare. Photo use by permission of FDR Library

The clip shows Roosevelt visiting the USS Baltimore at Pearl Harbor in July 1944. Eight seconds of the film show the chief executive exiting a doorway on the ship, and being escorted down a likely ramp. The use of the wheelchair is not clearly visible because the view of the president is partially blocked by a row of sailors.

   Although Roosevelt’s disability was virtually a state secret during his presidency, which spanned the Great Depression and most of World War II, it has become an inspiration to advocates who successfully pushed for a statue of him in his wheelchair to be added to the Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C. During his four terms, he often used a wheelchair in private, but not for public appearances. News photo journalists cooperated in concealing his disability. Those who did not found their camera views blocked by Secret Service agents, according to the FDR Library website.

   Roosevelt’s longstanding clandestine intentions regarding his affliction will be profiled in our Lionel Barrymore documentary. I plan on contacting the National Archives to use the film clip. I believe this footage is an essential piece that should be part of our upcoming screen story.

   Bulletins as they break!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has been given its 5th straight accolade. Reader’s Favorite Book Reviews and Award Contest has just released the Finalists for their 2013 submissions.

   My 2012 work is nominated in the Non Fiction – Music / Entertainment category. As many as six literary works were named as finalists in each division. On September 1st, I’m hoping to be chosen as a GOLD MEDAL  WINNER, since I’m the only author to receive a mention in my category. This would top the number of First Place (4) awards I was given for my initial paperback (by one).

   According to their press release:

We are proud to announce the finalists in our 2013 Readers’ Favorite annual International Award Contest! Our judges picked 6 finalists from each category, with a few categories having slightly more or less. This was no easy task as dozens of categories had more than 100 entries each. This was our largest contest ever, and competition was fierce. Often finalists were selected by extremely narrow margins and many great books could not be chosen.

If you were chosen as a finalist… then CONGRATULATIONS! It was an extremely competitive year, and your selection was hard earned. You are now authorized to let others know you’re a Readers’ Favorite award finalist, and you can use our finalist seal on your website, Facebook page, or on any other website or media you see fit.

                   HENRY WINKLER                 MARY McDONOUGH     ERIQ LA SALLE

This year’s contest features a record number of contestants from all over the world, ranging from talented self-publshed authors to renowned authors from large publishing companies, as well as celebrity contestants like Henry Winkler from Happy Days, Eriq La Salle from ER, and actress Mary McDonough from programs like The Waltons and The West Wing.

   The 2013 Readers’ Favorite Awards Ceremony is in Miami, Florida on November 23, 2013. My wife Laurie and I are planning on attending.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Have a safe-and-sane 2013 Independence Day!

   JAMES STEWART                                           JAMES CAGNEY

                      JOHN WAYNE                           MARILYN MONROE

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   With the 4th of July coming up, I thought I would inform you about an all-American homage to James Stewart. Actually, this tribute began a couple of weeks ago at the National Theatre, across the street from the White House. But, this weekly film fest continues until August 5th.

   Movies already shown include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Philadelphia Story, and Rear Window. On tap:

~ JULY 8TH – DESTRY RIDES AGAIN    ~ JULY 15TH – ROPE    ~ JULY 22ND – HARVEY

~ JULY 29TH – ANATOMY OF A MURDER  ~ AUG. 5TH – THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX 

   The glitz and magic of the Golden Age of Hollywood comes alive when this historic locale present FREE motion picture retrospectives profiling the careers of legendary actors, directors, and producers who crafted American cinema. Screenings take place in the Helen Hayes Gallery of the National Theatre on select Monday evenings at 6:30p throughout the year.  Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, 30 minutes prior to screening; one ticket per person in line. Films can sell out, so arrive early to assure your place in line, and avoid disappointment.

   Beginning Christmas Day, National Theatre is presenting its first Broadway subscription season in more than a decade. Porgy and Bess is hitting the road, bringing George and Ira’s legendary masterwork to the stage for only the second time in more than 35 years. Winner of a 2012 Tony for Best Revival Musical, uniquely American compositions as Summertime, It Ain’t Necessarily So, and I Got Plenty of Nothing guarantee a great holiday production. Time Magazine has exclaimed, This is a don’t-miss theatre event!

   The National Theatre is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., NW in Washington D.C.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Several major Summer movie events are taking shape coast-to-coast. Here are the details:

   The Carolina Theatre of Durham is presenting a two-week celebration of 007. Starting on  July 5th, the James Bond 50th Anniversary Retrospective will feature the iconic work of Sean Connery, Roger Moore, and others who have played the super-spy. The lineup includes:

   JULY 5TH – JULY 11TH                           JULY 12TH – JULY 18TH

~ FROM RUSSIA TO LOVE                          ~ LICENCE TO KILL                     

~ DR. NO                                                     ~ NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

~ GOLDFINGER                                          ~ THE SPY WHO LOVED ME

~ THUNDERBALL                                       ~ MOONRAKER

~ ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE    ~ FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

~ YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE                           ~ GOLDENEYE 

   The Carolina Theatre is located at 309 W. Morgan St. in Durham, North Carolina.

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   On Saturday, July 14th, the Hollywood Bowl is presenting an evening family-friendly event. Now an annual tradition, the fun-filled Grease Sing-A-Long festivities include appearances by members of Sha-Na-Na, a costume competition, and a dance party. The beloved film will then be projected on Bowl’s giant screen.

   Grease is the word…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Several pieces of memorabilia from the long-running hit television series Bonanza are going up for auction in Nevada, including the branding iron used in the Western’s opening credits. The family of Lorne Greene is selling a number of the deceased star’s personal artifacts and many of his items from the show on Saturday in Reno. The sale was arranged by his son, Chuck Greene.

   From 1959 to 1973, Lorne played Ben Cartwright, the patriarch of the Bonanza household whose sprawling 1,000-square-mile Ponderosa Ranch was set in the High Sierra between Lake Tahoe and Virginia City. His small screen sons were played by Pernell Roberts (Adam), Michael Landon (Little Joe), and Dan Blocker (Hoss) during the first run of the popular series; seen by an estimated 400 million people in 80 countries.

   In addition to the branding iron, also up for sale are awards, photos of Lorne Greene at the Reno Rodeo, and large personalized belt buckles, including one he received in 1962 from the owners of the Bucket of Blood Saloon in Virginia City with an inset of an 1884 Liberty silver dollar. The family had previously donated some of Greene’s documents to the University of Southern California for research purposes. A lifelong Democrat, Greene was a major supporter of the campaigns of Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and 1972. The actor died in 1987 at age of 72.

   The anticipated event will be supervised by Anchor Auctions and Appraisals. Please cue the theme music…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Richard Matheson was primarily a fantasy, horror, and science fiction author, screenwriter, and teleplay scribe. He’s best known for being part of the iconic creators of stories prepared for The Twilight Zone. He scripted 16 episodes for Rod Serling including the famous Nightmare at 20,000 Feet that featured William Shatner in a memorable role. The film version of the iconic television series produced a remake of this fabulous episode. Each week, Matheson also wrote the introductory and closing statements spoken by Serling.        RICHARD MATHESON —————->

   After serving as an infantry soldier during World War II, Matheson began his prolific career in 1950, writing for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He became a member of the Southern California School of Writers, which included Ray Bradbury and another Twilight Zone alumnus, Charles Beaumont. His books and short stories were ripe for adaptation in cinema. Movies such as The Incredible Shrinking Man, House of Usher, Tales of Terror, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Raven, and I am Legend were all crafted by Matheson, with many of these titles paying tribute to Edgar Allen Poe. Roger Corman was as influential as Rod Serling in advancing Matheson’s career.

   His television credits also include episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Night Gallery, Star Trek, and The Night Stalker. Steven Spielberg was given his big break in 1971 when he created Duel, which starred Dennis Weaver. The young director was given his chance to shine on the television movie written by Richard Matheson. Stephen King cited Matheson as his creative influence and mentor. A character named Senator Richard Matheson appeared in several episodes of The X-Files. The series’ creator, Chris Carter, was a longtime fan of the author’s work.

   Matheson received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 1984, and the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Horror Writers Association in 1991. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame inducted him in 2010. Matheson was scheduled to receive the Visionary Award at the Academy of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Films’ Saturn Awards on Wednesday. The organization is prepared to present the accolade posthumously, and the 39th annual ceremony would be dedicated to Matheson.

   Richard Matheson was 87.

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   The stage at Walt Disney Studios where The Mickey Mouse Club was produced is now officially the Annette Funicello Stage. Disney chief Bob Iger led a ceremony Monday dedicating the soundstage to the star, the Mouseketeer-turned-movie icon who died in April at age 70.

   Funicello’s family and colleagues, and even Mickey Mouse participated in yesterday’s dedication. Frankie Avalon, songwriter Richard Sherman and Leonard Maltin were among those honoring the late actress. Former Mouseketeers also attended the event.      ANNETTE FUNICELLO —->

   Julie Andrews is the only other entertainer to have a namesake stage at Disney studios. A fitting tribute for a fine entertainer, and champion in the fight against multiple sclerosis.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   With Oregon Festival of American Music 2013, they begin a two-year celebration of the classic American Songbook in Hollywood. This summer, they focus on the 1930s and early 1940s–those early years of the Hollywood’s Golden Age when the motion picture industry was maturing into the full potential of its cinematic  market. Next summer, with Hollywood: The Sequel, they move forward to the mid 1940s and 1950s, as the industry and its songwriters continued with changing tastes in popular culture.

Manny P. here…

   With the untimely passing of James Gandolfini at age 51, it’s easy to see how his iconic character, Tony Soprano, follows a fine lineage of memorable mobsters during Hollywood’s Golden Age. It’s easy to compare The Soprano’s to The Godfather; but, the Gangster film goes back decades as an popular genre of cinema. Here are some classic examples:

~ THE PUBLIC ENEMY – A 1931 pre-code crime film produced and distributed by Warner Brothers. It was directed by William Wellman, and starred James Cagney, Jean Harlow, and Joan Blondell. The movie relates a young man’s rise and fall in the criminal underworld in Prohibition-era urban America. The screenplay is based on a never-published novel by two former street thugs — Beer and Blood by John Bright and Kubec Glasmon — who had  personally witnessed Al Capone’s murderous gang rivalries in Chicago. The flick included a controversial scene in which James Cagney angrily smashed a grapefruit into his girlfriend’s face. The actress was played by Mae Clarke.

~ LITTLE CAESAR – This was another Warner Brothers 1931 pre-code film. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, it starred Edward G. Robinson and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The story was adapted by Francis Edward Faragoh, Robert N. Lee, Robert Lord, and Darryl F. Zanuck from a published novel by William R. Burnett. Little Caesar was Robinson’s breakthrough role; it made him a star. The last line in this celluloid classic is considered one of the great finale’s. Robinson says before his character dies:  Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?

~ SCARFACE – The original 1932 motion pictures featured Paul Muni and George Raft. It was produced and directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson; written by Ben Hecht; and based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Armitage Trail. The film also featured Ann Dvorak and Boris Karloff. One of a number of pre-Code crime films, it centers on gang warfare and police intervention when rival gangs fight over control of a city. The movie was loosely based upon the life of Al Capone.

~ THE PETRIFIED FOREST – This was a 1936 motion picture  starring Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, and Humphrey Bogart. A precursor of film noir, it was adapted from a stage play by  Robert E. Sherwood. He based his Duke Mantee character on John Dillinger, the notorious criminal who was named the first Public Enemy #1 by J. Edgar Hoover; and in 1934, he was ambushed and gunned down in spectacular fashion by FBI agents. Bogart, who won the stage role in part because of his physical resemblance to Dillinger, studied film footage of the gangster, and mimicked his mannerisms in his portrayal.

   For the film, Warner Brothers intended to cast the more bankable Edward G. Robinson as Duke; but Howard informed Jack Warner that he would not appear in the movie version without Bogart as his co-star. The studio relented to the casting. Bogie’s performance led to roles in Dead End, Angel’s With Dirty Faces, The Roaring Twenties, and High Sierra.

   James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano has an impressive spot in Hollywood history.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Craig Inglis, a children’s author who has written a tender story called Lucky, is citing additional inspiration from the story of Lionel Barrymore, the subject of our documentary. According to his blog site: