Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

<——- Jack Hanlon was a freckle-faced child actor, who thrived during the Silent Era, and the early days of Hollywood’s Golden Age. He also co-starred in two Our Gang comedies at Hal Roach Studios. By the time he was 16, he  chose to retire from motion pictures.

   He made his screen debut in The General (1926), which starred Buster Keaton. AFI selected this silent classic as one of their Top 100 Films of all time. Hanlon’s performance was great, and it lead to Hal Roach casting the cherub in his 62nd and 63rd Our Gang two-reelers.

   William Wyler gave Hanlon his biggest role in The Shakedown (1929), the silent movie with partially dubbed dialogue produced by Sam Goldwyn, considered lost until a 35mm print was discovered and restored in 1998 by the George Eastman House Museum. Hanlon had his  initial on-screen kiss in 1930 from Greta Garbo in Romance. She received her first Academy Award nomination for this film performance. He appeared a few times with Clark Gable in The Easiest Way and Big Money; and with cowboy actor Ken Maynard in The Wagon Master, Parade of the West, and King of the Arena. Despite working with major stars, Hanlon seldom made a bankable income.

   After he retired from show business, he played minor league baseball, and served as an Army Air Corps paratrooper during World War II. After his military service, he was a longtime furniture mover in Las Vegas for Allied Van Lines.

   Jack Hanlon was 96.

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   David Strathairn, who plays Secretary of State Seward in Lincoln, is featured as our 16th President in a BBC-produced talking book. Called the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, it also features Richard Dreyfuss as Senator Stephen A. Douglas.

   What an engaging way to entertain and inform readers. This lesson is available in literary stores.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   My friends who conduct a blog called – The Amazing Actors of Old Hollywood – really got it right on Friday. Let me pass this heartfelt message along:

 Thoughts and prayers go out to all the children (and family members of the victims), who lost their lives today in the terrible Connecticut Elementary School shooting. It’s a very sad day in the USA today, especially in Connecticut. Please take a moment today to tell a family member, friend, someone you love, and/or your children that you love them.

 
Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan in “The Kid” (1921)

   I don’t take credit for this well-presented and visually stunning eulogy. I simply agree…

Until next time> “never forget the adult and child victims of Newtown, Connecticut”

Manny P. here…

   Tis the season to revisit a cherished classic that features stars in my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series, including Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Gloria Grahame, Beulah Bondi, and Ward Bond; plus the superb work of James Stewart, Donna Reed, Frank Faylen, and Henry Travers.

~ The Seneca Falls It’s a Wonderful Life Museum is open year-round. Located at 32 Fall St.,  it’s open Tuesday-Saturday, 11a–4p. Each day, an It’s a Wonderful Walking Tour takes place.  The museum will be closed December 24th-26th and December 30th-January 2nd.

~ Two co-stars of It’s a Wonderful Life were the invited guests at the annual December festival held at the adopted home of this holiday treasure. Seneca Falls celebrated the 66th anniversary of the motion picture release this past weekend.

<– Karolyn Grimes & Carol Coombs-Mueller, who played Zuzu and Janie, the cinematic daughters of George Bailey (Stewart), made the trek to introduce the movie, and discuss its influence. Autographed copies of Karolyn’s new publication — Celebrating It’s a Wonderful Life…How the Movie Message of Hope Lives On — were also available for purchase.

~ Grimes is planning a trip to the Hollywood Blvd. Cinema, Bar, and Eatery in Woodridge, Illinois; and the New Palms Theatre in Naperville, Illinois. This three day excursion takes place December 14th-16th. It’s a Wonderful Life will be shown at each event.

~ The Dallas Film Society is presenting It’s a Wonderful Life as part of the Cinemark Classic series. Theater-going audiences will enjoy this timeless flick at Cinemark’s theaters in Dallas, Allen, Denton, Frisco, Grapevine, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Plano West, Legacy, and Rockwall. Two screenings take place on December 19th at 2p and 7p.

   Zuzu remarks in the movie’s finale:  Teacher says – Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!  George responds: That’s right! Way to go Clarence! 

   Well said…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The 58-key upright piano, vocalist Dooley Wilson played As Time Goes By in Casablanca, is up for auction at Sothebys this weekend. It’s estimated worth is $1.2 million. That figure is expected rise once it become available.

   The movie prop was used in key scenes, including the moment when Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) hid the Letters of Transit provided by the tragic character, Ugarte (Peter Lorre). Rick and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) leaned on the piano drinking champagne as Paris prepared for the arrival of the German blitzkreig. Clinking glasses, Bogie uttered the iconic line: Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.

   Herman Hupfeld wrote As Time Goes By for the 1931 Broadway production Everybody’s Welcome. The tune was voted #2 on the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Songs television special, commemorating the best music in film. National Public Radio included the composition in their NPR 100, the 1999 list of the most important American musical works of the 20th century as compiled by their music editors.

   Sam’s piano was previously sold by Sothebys to a Japanese collector in 1988 for $154,000. Due to high demand, the auction house and current Japanese owner have allowed the piano to be put on display for a few days for public view. The exhibition times are from 10a-5p.

   Located one block from the famous FDR Dr., Sothebys is at the intersection of 72nd St. and York Ave. in the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York.

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   Powell’s Books is providing free shipping with the guarantee of delivery before Christmas. The Forgotten Hollywood Book Series is available at this Oregon-based online book shop.

  http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781935359166-0

 http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781937454142-0

   Happy holidays to readers, everywhere!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The Screen Actors Guild Awards Holiday Auction benefiting SAG Foundation is online. The series of Winter auctions help maintain the Foundation’s endeavors, and offers a variety of memorable experiences, unique gifts and autographed memorabilia.

   These year-long charities include: BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) and Storyline Online. The auction also supports Foundation programs providing emergency relief to union members in economic distress, emergency funds for members with catastrophic illnesses, video and audio preservation of the creative legacy of members, casting seminars, scholarships for performers and their children, and related professional workshops.

   The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards honoring outstanding motion picture and television performances will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, January 27th. Ballots for voting members (including me) will be available shortly. In a future blog (after Laurie and  I watch the complete list of cinematic nominees), I’ll be offering my official ballot, which has become a yearly tradition on the Forgotten Hollywood site.

   For more information on the SAG Foundation Auctions, click on the link below:

http://www.sagawards.org/auction

Until next time>                               “never forget“

Manny P. here…

   The longtime home of Bob and Dolores Hope is expected to soon be put on the real estate market. Located in Toluca Lake, on the corner of Moorpark and Ledge, it’s a lingering reminder that at one time, the San Fernando Valley was the Southern California home to the stars; including Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Barbara Stanwyck, Hugh O’Brian, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows, Claude Rains, Edward Everett Horton, etc.                DOLORES / BOB HOPE

   Bob and Dolores moved to the 1.34 acres estate in 1939. There is an English-style main house, swimming pool, guesthouse, gardens, and even, a private golf course. No asking price has been revealed. Linda Hope, the couple’s daughter, is conducting a liquidation of assets before the residential landmark can officially change hands.

   One hopes that the property will be sold in tact.

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   A pioneer in the Progressive Jazz movement movement has died. Dave Brubeck was best known for the avant garde use of time signature in his music compositions. His best known piece, Take Five was in 5/4 time; while Blue Rondo a la Turk was created in 9/8 time.

   His collaboration with alto saxaphonist Paul Desmond was legendary. The Dave Brubeck Quartet has been revered for generations by legions of jazz artists, and lovers of the genre, since 1951. In 1954, Brubeck was   featured on the cover of Time Magazine, the second jazz musician to be honored (the first was Louis Armstrong on February 21, 1949). Brubeck found this accolade embarrassing, since he considered Duke Ellington more deserving.

   He wrote soundtracks for television, such as Mr. Broadway, and the animated mini-series This Is America, Charlie Brown. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honored Brubeck for exhibiting excellence in performance arts. The 2009 gala was  televised on CBS. In 2010, Clint Eastwood produced Dave Brubeck: In His Own Sweet Way, a documentary for Turner Classic Movies to commemorate his 90th birthday in December.

   Dave Brubeck was 91, and died on Wednesday; suffering heart failure the day before his birthday. Today’s planned festivities in his honor is expected to become a memorial tribute.

Until next time>                               “never forget”   

Manny P. here…

   John Newton was one of my first bosses at 11-10 KRLA-AM, when I started my radio career in 1980. I value his friendship. He sent me nostalgic photos from the past, and these nuggets are my way of reminding you about our collective youth.

   Some of these locations are still here; but today, they are packaged differently.

   FYI – Helms Bakeries has decided to re-open it’s doors in 2013. What a blast from the past!

   These wonderful Southern California pictures remind me of Ralph Story Los Angeles, which aired on local television in the 1960s.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Inter-Disciplinary.net is sponsoring an international conference in February, 2013. Called Hollywood and the World, this research confab seeks to explore issues of cinema and its global influence across historical periods, and within cultural, political and social contexts; both in the US and abroad. The project will critically engage a number of core themes:

• Hollywood history
• American ideologies in Hollywood cinema
• Gender issues
• Representations of minorities and ethnicities
• Hollywood’s visions of the world vs. the world’s visions of Hollywood
• Hollywood and nostalgia (i.e. recollections and representation)

  Related themes will also be identified for development and exploration. Out of deliberations, it’s anticipated a series of related cross-context research projects will develop, including:

~ Silent cinema
~ The major and minor studios
~  The Golden Era of Hollywood from 1930 to 1960
~ Hollywood / International remakes and adaptations
~  Star studies
~ Wartime cinema and propaganda
~ Genre studies
~ The rise of independent cinema
~ Production histories
~ Advertising, media representations and product licensure
~ The 1940s ‘Red Scare’, HUAC, and the blacklist – Hollywood and politics

   The February conference is part of the Inter-Disciplinary.net Diversity and Recognition programme of research projects. It will be held at the Mercure Hotel in Sydney, Australia.

   Based on my literary approach regarding all things Hollywood and American History, (in my humble opinion) this is the place to be for the serious scholar of what we admirably call the Humanities.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   I have great enthusiasm as I look for ongoing examples of our nation’s abiding love with Hollywood’s Golden Age. Here’s another great place to visit, nestled in Raleigh.

   The North Carolina Museum of History unveiled Real to Reel: The Making of Gone with the Wind this past Summer, and it runs through January 13th, 2013. Step behind the scenes of one of the most famous films in Hollywood history. Admission is FREE for this exhibit, showcasing authentic memorabilia – costumes, a script, screen tests, scene props, Vivien Leigh’s Best Actress  Oscar, and more.

   Discover the story of how Margaret Mitchell’s best-selling novel became a record-breaking movie that earned 10 Academy Awards in 1939. Real to Reel features over 120 items, such as costumes worn by Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and others. Backstory artifacts include a chair from the Smoker’s Room at the Twelve Oaks lunch; Max Steiner’s original score; Walter Plunkett’s costume sketches; the original typewriter used by  screenwriter Sidney Howard; a letter of appreciation written by Hattie McDaniel to a fan; and production paintings depicting the Burning of Atlanta scene.

   Take advantage of this rare opportunity to see more than 120 items from James Tumblin’s collection. The former head of the Universal Studios makeup and hair department, he owns the largest private collection of Gone with the Wind artifacts. To compliment Tumblin’s fine collection, Real to Reel features several dolls created by artist Pete Ballard, based on each character.

   David O. Selznick oversaw the production of Gone with the Wind, with a cast and crew of 4,000, and insisted on approving every detail. Real to Reel spotlights the roles of individuals; both on-screen and behind-the-scenes, who helped create this epic motion picture.

   Visit the North Carolina Museum of History to learn more about Gone with the Wind, ranked as one of the Top 10 greatest movies of all time by the American Film Institute. The museum is located at 5 East Edenton Street. It’s open seven days a week 9a -5p; except on Sunday, when they open at noon. The exhibit is sponsored by the North Carolina Museum of History Foundation and the North Carolina Museum of History Associates.

   Frankly my dear… I do give a… Well, though I paraphrase; you get the idea!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   My friends at Barnes & Noble Manhattan Beach have invited me to attend a festive charity event. It benefits El Segundo High School’s Marching Band.

   Avoid the crowded malls and pick up a autographed copy of both, of my paperbacks. I’ll be there between 3p-7p signing my work in the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series.

   It’s for a good cause and this South Bay fundraiser will put you in the Holiday spirit. 🙂

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   I’m grateful about the Dr. Willella Howe Waffle House and Medical Museum’s desire to carry both paperbacks in the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society preserves and maintains this iconic facility.

   The museum will start selling copies of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History and Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History beginning December 1st, part of their Holiday Open House & Boutique. I’ll be autographing my work at the festivities from 11a – 2p.

   Why not get into the seasonal spirit as you explore the beauty of this home, beautifully decorated for the holidays in Victorian style. Hear favorite carols played on their rare 1870s Weber piano, and sample savory snacks and sweets. Just in time for holiday giving, shop for original art, jewelry, scarves, and more at their vendor boutique. Looking for a perfect present for the history buff in your life? Many books on local history are signed by the author, and their gift shop has a wide choice of stocking stuffers, delightful vintage-style ornaments, and custom-designed cookies. Explore fabulous buildings of downtown Santa Ana with an expert guide on a Downtown Landmark Architectural Walking Tour at 2:30p.

   The Howe Waffle House, located at 120 Civic Center Dr., is in the National Register of Historic Places, as a California Historic Point of Interest;and as a landmark building on the City of Santa Ana’s Historic Register.

   Why not avoid the Orange County malls and stop by this family-friendly event. I hope to see you there. For more information, click on the link below:

http://www.santaanahistory.com/index.html

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Congressional Republicans are taking in a movie. They are getting a lesson in art of compromise by watching Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. In the latest epic motion picture, President Abraham Lincoln (played by Daniel Day Lewis) and Secretary of State William H. Seward (played by David Strathairn) conspire to create a plan to encourage the House of Representatives to pass the 13th Amendment to end slavery.

   To understand the premise of compromise during 19th Century politics, please examine the 1860 Republican convention, which pitted the nationally revered Seward against a dark horse Lincoln. After the GOP made a stunning selection, they were assured of winning the election, since the Democratic Party was fractured, with candidates from the North and South. Just as President Obama selected his primary opponent, Hillary Clinton, as his new Secretary of State, Lincoln turned to Seward and offered him the esteemed position. He accepted with the caveat that if Seward disagreed with the president, his point of view would be considered.

   In 1865, Lincoln was re-elected on the promise of ending the Civil War. But, he disagreed with Seward as to when this might exactly happen. The president believed congress should first put an end to slavery by Federal law, while Seward believed the Emancipation Proclamation was a de facto executive order by Lincoln; his responsibility as Commander-in-Chief. Moreover, the Secretary of State thought it to be a waste of political capital to try and pass an iffy law in a separate branch of government, especially since he was convinced Lincoln and the Republicans would lose.  DANIEL DAY LEWIS 

   Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, Team of Rivals, the film documents the effort by Lincoln and Seward to pass the 13th Amendment. They resort to patronage, bribery, patriotic rhetoric, and the nuanced (if gritty) art of politics, so the 16th President’s legacy would be assured as he approached his second term of office. While I don’t suggest today’s congress  vote to end the so-called Fiscal Cliff based on the seedy promises of insider jobs, pork barrel spending, money, and/or infuence; this cinematic effort celebrates our Founding Fathers design that our government works best through compromise, and the noble concept of – We the People… as a collective and representative effort to tackle and solve this nation’s ills.

                      WILLIAM H. SEWARD                   DAVID STRATHAIRN  

   May I also endorse, here and now, a David Strathairn nomination for a Best Supporting Actor  Oscar in his role as Secretary of State William Seward. His distinguished career now includes a most appropriate feather in his proverbial cap. I hope the voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are listening. Of course, I’m willing to compromise and lend my support to Tommy Lee Jones for his performance as Senator Thaddeus Stevens.

   It’s little wonder Steven Spielberg decided to withhold the release of Lincoln until after the results of the 2012 presidential election.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   My good friend Tim Keenan, the Operations Director at Creative Media, has made us aware through a posting on LinkedIn about an important documentary just released. Citing the Media Alliance of Orange County, The Brick People recently debuted. This thoughtful effort was  produced by Orange County’s Art Kirsch of SoCalShowbiz dot com. According to the MAOC:

   The Brick People, a documentary eight years in the making, is based on the eloquent writings of Alejandro Morales, a professor of Latino Studies at UC Irvine. It tells the story of the people of the company town that housed the workers of Simons Brickyard No.3, and it existed from 1905 to 1955 (now part of Commerce / Montebello, CA).

   The Brick People offers the historical narrative of  what makes America great. The unique film is about immigrants who came here, worked hard, and made us a stronger country. During this time, the Simons brothers had roughly seven yards in the Los Angeles area, and they made the finest bricks in the world in the first half of the 20th Century; material still found in buildings and walkways all over the world.

   The short form documentary premiered at an Irvine movie theater on October 2nd to a full house. Subsequent screenings were held at UCI, the 2012 Latino Book & Family Festival, Occidental College in Eagle Rock, and the Montebello Library for two capacity audiences, and a third screening for some 35 people who waited for up to four hours.

   A Kickstarter campaign was used to raise funds to secure rights to photos and archival footage, develop a soundtrack, and finish some post-production. Art and his team are working on Part Two, tracing the descendants of Simons, estimated to exceed 30,000 people. Kirsch is also working on several distribution deals, and creating a television series based on the book in the style of Little House on the Prairie.

   I recently moderated a panel with Kirsch and Morales at the Latino Book Fest, who vividly described this wonderful tale of courage; a Hollywood-and-Vine moment, when Americana crosses into the movie business. I urge you see The Brick People to learn about a rich time in Southern California’s history.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A great film musical is being presented live on a historic stage in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Singin’ in the Rain, the MGM classic, is the holiday faire at the Fulton Theatre, running November 28th – December 29th.

   Adapted from the screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, with memorable tunes from Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, this production is presented by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Inc., and music published by EMI. The Fulton promises to let it rain on stage with hundreds  of gallons of water each night. If you opt to sit in the front four rows (the splash zone), they will offer a rain poncho. You can really feel part of the action. Embark on a dance-filled journey to Hollywood’s Golden Age.

   The Fulton Theatre has provided exceptional original live productions over the last decade. Many have been adapted from an immense wealth that cinema often provides, including The Lion in Winter, My Fair Lady, A Man for All Seasons, Inherit the Wind, The Music Man, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Oliver!, Bus Stop, West Side Story, 42nd Street, The King and I, Gaslight, Dial “M” for Murder, Fiddler on the Roof, Driving Miss Daisy, The 39 Steps, and earlier in the month, Witness for the Prosecution.

   The Fulton Theatre is located at 12 N. Prince Street. One of the founding members of the  League of Historic American Theatres, it also belongs to the National Association of Musical Theatres (NAMT) and the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People. The Fulton Opera House Foundation is a not-for-profit public charity existing to engage the public with exceptional theatre experiences that honor, preserve, and extend the Fulton’s role as a National Historic Landmark.

   Exuberant, funny, and filled with songs you know and love, it sounds like the must-see show in Lancaster. Cue the whistler…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The annual Palo Alto Humane Society’s Holiday Gala is back. This year’s theme is Oh For the Love of Critters. It’s a motion picture event that will be held at the Aquarius Theatre at 430 Emerson St. on Thursday, December 6th, at 7p.

   The 1943 classic Lassie Come Home will be hosted by Philip Giffin, an Emmy-nominated composer, and the producer / director of If Animals Could Speak For Themselves; a still-life movie about the work and history of the Palo Alto Humane Society volunteers. The evening’s celebrated feature presents a great cast, including Roddy McDowell, Donald Crisp, Elizabeth Taylor, and the documented most popular actor in the history of MGM… Lassie.

   This holiday event will open with a performance by Jeff Campbell, a professional bagpiper.  Campbell has over 30 years of piping experience, and always performs in his complete Highland dress. He’s played for Queen Elizabeth II, a San Francisco mayor, and numerous well-known ceremonies. The evening will also feature a representative from the NorCal Collie Rescue, a nonprofit oganization, dedicated in taking responsibility for collies in Northern California.

   Tickets are $2, which includes popcorn and a beverage. English garb is suggested to put you in the proper spirit of the evening. According to their website:

The Palo Alto Humane Society is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit, charitable, volunteer-supported organization. PAHS is one of the few humane societies nationwide with no animal shelter. Instead of managing animals inside a shelter, we work to keep animals out of the shelter through humane programs in intervention, advocacy, and education. For a century, our mission has been to alleviate the suffering of animals, increase public sensitivity to animal issues, and elevate the status of animals in our society.

   Here’s a link to their website:

http://www.paloaltohumane.org/

   Liz and Dick on Lifetime premieres this evening, but the cable movie has been universally panned by critics. I preferred the idea of providing a more humane story. Giving the gift of life to orphaned dogs, cats, and other critters should put you in the true spirit of the Holidays.

Until next time>                               “never forget”