Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   With Major League Baseball’s annual All-Star Game being held in Kansas City this year, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is receiving plenty of attention this weekend. Located in the same city, efforts are being made so that the African American age of  the sandlot, hardball, and pine tar should never be forgotten.

   The museum was founded in 1990 by a group of former Negro Leagues players, including the late Kansas City Monarchs star Buck O’Neil, who was featured in filmmaker Ken Burns’ PBS documentary Baseball. The museum thrived until O’Neil died in 2006.

   In conjunction with the All-Star Game, the museum has put together two free exhibitions, They Were All Stars and Baseball: America’s Game, which are on display through September 9th. Both highlight elements of an era before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, and all the way through 1959, when the Boston Red Sox became the last team to integrate.

   On Saturday night, Sen. Roy Blount and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II are hosting Buck, BBQ and Baseball, an evening of entertainment and a wicked amateur barbecue contest. The following morning, Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson will participate in a discussion of the game moderated by fellow Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. A reunion of former Negro Leagues players who became MLB All-Stars will follow — seven of the 20 are still alive; Willie Mays, Don Newcombe, Ernie Banks, Monte Irvin, Minnie Minoso and George Altman. Phillies slugger Ryan Howard is hosting an invitation-only fundraiser after Monday night’s Home Run Derby; and an All Star Game watch party is planned for Tuesday at the museum.

   The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will likely experience a significant windfall, financially and in terms of awareness, possibly ensuring its future for years to come. Officials expect to make upwards of $500,000 over the weekend. The museum is located by the American Jazz Museum. The Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association are aggressively promoting these locations as places to enjoy. These are wonderful stops for tourists over the next week.

   For lovers of the Grand Old Game, this is the go-to place, if you can’t travel to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has been named a Finalist for a Global eBook Award. My first book is available through an eReader, and this marks the 6th time my original work has been presented an important literary accolade.

   Here’s the official category info regarding Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History:

Non-Fiction Categories

Entertainment and Performing Arts (Music/Dance/Film) Non-Fiction

• Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History by Manny Pacheco
• Hollywood Stories: Short Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies! by Stephen Schochet

   The awards ceremony is taking place on August 18th in Santa Barbara at the Downtown University Club. Author, producer, and actor, Marilu Henner will be the opening keynote speaker for the Global eBook Awards. Marilu has appeared in 14 films, including Cannonball Run II and Oscar-winning Titanic. She’s best known for her role as Elaine Nardo on the sitcom Taxi from 1978 to 1983.

   Jim Cox, the publisher of the Midwest Book Review, is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious organization has given the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series two 5-Star Reviews. Bill Frank, a popular talk-show host, will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the 2nd Annual event.

   Here’s a link for the complete list of this year’s Finalists:

http://globalebookawards.com/2012-global-ebook-awards-finalists/

   Overall, this marks my 8th official recognition for the Forgotten Hollywood franchise of books, blog, and radio program. I’m blessed by this latest honor.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   My wife Laurie and I spent our 4th of July at a movie theater, enjoying the boffo classic documentary, That’s Entertainment. Produced by MGM in 1974, this feature was hosted on the backlot by Gene Kelly, Liza Minnelli, James Stewart, Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds, and Peter Lawford. The motion picture was produced by Jack Haley Jr., son of the star who played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. Henry Mancini wrote the music score.

   A fabulous retrospective, scenes showcased talent from what the studio proclaimed: More stars than there are in the heavens. We enjoyed Esther Williams, June Allyson, Donald O’Connor, Judy Garland, Van Johnson, Ann Miller, Mario Lanza, Lena Horne, and  it goes on-and-on. Archival footage includes Jean Harlow and Cary Grant singing; Joan Crawford and Clark Gable dancing!

   The title of the musical was derived from the movie anthem performed in the 1953 MGM classic, The Band Wagon.  This documentary was their very final production on the studio lot, a sad backdrop. Ironically, this moneymaker (the largest motion picture in a decade for the studio), was raking in dividends at the time MGM was in bankruptcy, and the company started to sell the land, parcel-by-parcel. It was so successful, the production spawned two sequels. In 1977, I went to see a questionable double-bill of That’s Entertainment Pt. II and Jaws. I left the movie theater curiously exhilarated and shocked… lol.

   When I first saw the original That’s Entertainment on the big screen almost forty years ago, I was a senior in high school. It was the very first time I realized Hollywood had a Golden Age. It forever changed my outlook about cinema. Show business could be my career calling. What an inspiration!

   And, so it goes…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   As we pause to celebrate our nation’s birthday, let me remind you, we lost a big heap of cultural pie on Tuesday. Andy Griffith was a larger-than-life actor who frequently underplayed his characters on the big screen and on television. A product of the South,  Andy’s backwoods roots were on display; while living a serene and private life in North Carolina.

   His first success came in a vinyl recording of his hillbilly comedic description of the gridiron. What it Was, Was Football reached the Top 10 on the Hit Parade; extremely rare for a spoken-only recording for the time. Will Rogers would have been proud.

   He became a iconic movie villain in Elia Kazan’s A Face in the Crowd. He starred with Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau, and Lee Remick, but stole the  picture playing Lonesome Rhodes, a Southern drifter who becomes a media sensation. There were hints about an Oscar nomination for the ferociously strong performance. His followup in No Time For Sergeants, playing a hick who is drafted, solidified his rural image. ANDY GRIFFITH / PATRICIA NEAL

   Griffith was in demands by all mediums of entertainment. His first appearance on television had been in 1955 in the one-hour teleplay of No Time for Sergeants on The United States Steel Hour. The actor was allowed to flesh out the role in a full-length Broadway version in 1955. Remaining in New York, he accepted the lead in Destry Rides Again.

   Griffith was involved in the casting process, and he was brilliant in this capacity. The inspired benefactors included Francis Bavier, Howard McNear, Hal Smith, George Lindsey, Howard Morris, and especially, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, and  Ron Howard. After the pilot was filmed, Andy realized his surrounding cast was so insanely hilarious, he could play a quintessential straight-man. His instincts were right, and television audiences embraced this subtle situation comedy. The program spawned sequels, and evenutally, inspired a couple of reunion telemovies. A Nielsen study revealed the  show was the most popular comedy of the 1960s.

   He was inducted in 1992 into the Academy of Television Arts Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005. Andy won a Grammy, and was a multiple Tony Award nominee. In 2002, an 11-mile stretch of US Highway 52 passing through Mount Airy, North Carolina was officially dedicated as the Andy Griffith Parkway. He was a proud favorite son of the state.

   Andy Griffith was 86.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Like a grand cinematic screenplay, a $2.2 million expedition is hoping to solve one of America’s most enduring mysteries:  What  happened to famed aviator Amelia Earhart when she vanished over the South Pacific, 75 years ago? The dour anniversary of the event has sparked renewed interest in this most cold-case of investigations.

   Here are the facts. Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan were flying from New Guinea to Howland Island, when they went missing on July 2nd, 1937 during her bid to become the first female to fly around the world. Amelia’s  demise has fascinated generations of historians, feminists, and aviators.                        AMELIA EARHART

   Today, a group of scientists and salvagers are trekking from Honolulu to the remote island in the Pacific nation of Kiribati in hopes of finding offshore wreckage of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra plane. Their theory is she landed on a reef near the Kiribati atoll of Nikumaroro. Previous visits to the island have recovered artifacts that could have belonged to Earhart and Noonan; and experts say, an October 1937 photo of the island shoreline could include an image of the strut and wheel of a Lockheed Electra landing gear. This latest trip should last about a month, with  ten days of searching and two weeks of traveling between the Pacific islands.

   If the voyage succeeds, it could add to Earhart’s legacy, and could spark state-of-the-art  programs similar to the Titanic documentary specials airing yearly on the History Channel; and even a motion picture starring, say, Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet. Don’t think a bio-pic script isn’t in the works in Hollywood, I’m guessing.

   Bulletins as they break… We’ll keep you posted on this amazing Hollywood-and-Vine moment.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Julian Goodman (right), a former NBC president, has died. He first joined the network in 1945, and worked the nightly news desk. He eventually became executive vice president of NBC News at the time Chet Huntley and David Brinkley were competitors to Walter Cronkite on CBS.

   He was promoted to Network President, and served in that capacity from 1966 – 1974. His influence was immediately felt. Goodman gave Johnny Carson a long-term contract to stay on the Tonight Show; and first broadcast American Football League football games, which led to the eventual creation of a Super Bowl between the leagues.

   His political leanings motivated the Nixon administration to add the television executive to their White House Enemies List. The New York Times confirmed this unfortunate decision in a 1973 article. He retired as NBC’s chairman of the board in 1979.

 JULIAN GOODMAN with PRESIDENTS FORD, JOHNSON, and NIXON  

   Julian Goodman was 90.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Paramount Pictures is officially 100! The studio has released some knockout photos. As my good friend, Gary Lycan, would say on our Forgotten Hollywood radio program: Here is the back story…

Paramount was born from New York-based businessman Adolph Zukor in 1912. He invested $40,000 in a French film production of Queen Elizabeth, starring stage actress Sarah Bernhardt, in return for distribution rights. Zukor showed the film at New York’s Lyceum Theater on July 12th (despite threats from the motion picture trust ruled by Thomas Edison), and then in roadshow screenings across the country. The 40-minute film – the first backed feature length movie in the United States – was a success.

Zukor then formed Famous Players Film Company, and its first production was The Count of Monte Cristo. Through mergers (and later, bankruptcy), Famous Players eventually became Paramount Pictures.

             MONKEY BUSINESS              SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS   DOUBLE INDEMNITY

The Hollywood studio, with its iconic gates, created classic films, and featured memorable moments from screen stars. Zukor died in 1976 at the age of 103.

                            ROAD TO RIO                                    SUNSET BOULEVARD  

   As Bob Hope famously recited…  Thanks for the memories!

                                                               ALFRED HITCHCOCK

Portions of this story were written by CBS News. Photos provided by Paramount Pictures.

Until next time>                               “never forget” 

Manny P. here…

   The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences have adjusted a few of their rules for the upcoming Oscar ceremony at the Dolby Theatre on February 24th, 2013. Among the changes:

~ The Academy Award category for makeup will be known as Best Makeup and Hairstyling

~ The Board of Governors also voted to allow additional songwriters to be considered in the Original Song category

~ Clarifications were made in the rules regarding technical requirements to be eligible in the Foreign Language and Visual Effects categories

   Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences reviews each category rule established by previous Board of Governors.

   The Academy also announced new member invitees. They include Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin, Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer, and Best Director Michel Hazanavicius. 2011 Oscar-nominated supporting actresses Berenice Bejo, Melissa McCarthy, Janet McTeer, Jessica Chastain; and supporting actor Jonah Hill are among the 176 moviemakers asked to become part of Academy membership. Another notable on the list: Matthew McConaughey.

——————————————————

~ Doris Singleton was part of Lucille Ball’s stable of character actors she employed at Desilu. Doris is best remembered for playing Carolyn Appleby (among other comedic foils for the legendary red-head) on I Love Lucy. She also appeared on Here’s Lucy and The Lucy Show. Singleton appeared in a variety of television situation comedies and weekly dramas for almost two decades.  

   Doris Singleton (right with Lucille Ball) was 92.

~ Don Grady began his career on the Mickey Mouse Club. But, he’s known for portraying the elder Robbie Douglas on My Three Sons. After the series ended, Grady dabbled as a successful composer and musician. He wrote The Phil Donahue Show theme; composed the  score for the film Switch, which was directed by Blake Edwards; and created the sound for the Las Vegas show, EFX, a live showcase for Michael Crawford.

   Don Grady (right) was 68.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A couple of auctions of interest are taking place for those fascinated with Hollywood and American history. Here are the details:

~ The Oscar awarded to director Michael Curtiz for Casablanca in 1943 will be purchased this weekend. Nate D. Sanders Fine Autographs and Memorabilia, based in Los Angeles, is coordinating the effort; and the statuette is expected to sell for a record $3 million. The current owner is magician David Copperfield, who bought this in 2003 through Christie’s Auction House. At the start of the week, about 20 bidders had already registered their interest in the valued item.

   The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences frowns on the sale of statuettes, but  the Board of Governors are helpless to interfere with any sale of Oscars awarded previous to 1950. After that year, winners signed agreements designating the right-of-first-refusal to the governing body, compensating the former owner a sum total of one dollar.

~ Former New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen is set to auction off his baseball uniform that he wore the day he threw his perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. His jersey will be sold through Steiner Sports Memorabilia. The sale will be held over 56 days from October through December to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the only time it was accomplished in a championship Major League game. He’s expected to fetch $1 million, which the auction house feels is a low estimate.

  Larsen won the Most Valuable Player Series and the Babe Ruth Award in recognition of his 1956 postseason. The 82-year old legend plans to use the proceeds to pay the tuition for two grandchildren’s college education.  This guy remains a class act!                                                                    DON LARSEN

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Nora Ephron was a prolific scribe of insightful essays, and producer-director of smart films  emphasizing wonderfully comedic romantic analysis and stories. An early influence was her parents, who were both screenwriters. Phoebe and Henry Ephron wrote classic screenplays, such as There’s No Business Like Show Business, the remake of What Price Glory, and Desk Set. Ephron’s folks based a character in the Jimmy Stewart / Sandra Dee movie Take Her, She’s Mine on 22-year-old Nora, and letters she sent home from college.

   Early on, Ephron wrote articles for the New York Post, Esquire, and the New York Times Magazine. Prior to that, she had been an intern in President Kennedy’s White House. In 1976, she married Carl Bernstein (who I met on Sunday).  Her husband and Bob Woodward encouraged her to re-write William Goldman’s screenplay to All the President’s Men. Though it was eventually discarded, the effort led her to Hollywood. Ephron claimed to be among only a few people who knew the identity of Deep Throat, the secret source for stories written by the Washington Post team during Watergate.             NORA EPHRON–>

   Ephron was nominated three times for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay: Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, and Sleepless in Seattle (a homage to An Affair to Remember).  Other work included Heartburn (which was based on her volatile marriage to Carl Bernstein), Mixed Nuts, You’ve Got Mail (re-working of The Shop Around the Corner),  the film version of Bewitched, and Julie & Julia. Ephron also produced New York Tribute; a collage of celluloid from Big Apple cinema for the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony. Nora directed many of her own projects brought to the big screen.

   Ephron married Nicholas Pileggi in 1987, a journalist and screenwriter. He wrote Wiseguys. Goodfellas was the movie project based on the book. Pileggi also penned Casino.

   In 1994, she was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award. Her words provided great characterizations played by Cher, Meg Ryan, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Nicole Kidman. Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, and Billy Crystal were also delighted to work in her productions.

   Recently, she spent much of her day writing a women-related blog for the Huffington Post. On a personal note, the blogger in Julie & Julia was my personal inspiration on the reason why  I currently blog. Yes, she had a sincere impact on guys. Nora once famously surmised:

 So many of the conscious and unconscious ways men and women treat each other have to do with romantic and sexual fantasies that are deeply ingrained, not just in society but in literature. The women’s movement may manage to clean up the mess in society, but I don’t know whether it can ever clean up the mess in our minds.

   Nora Ephron was 71.

~  ~  ~

I’d like to personally thank RED ROOM for selecting this blog I wrote as a recent editor’s pick. RED ROOM is a national writer’s blog site. I’m honored they recognized this most personal of stories I shared… 

It’s my initial accolade from this website! Here’s a link:

http://redroom.com/blogs/all

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   In the Silent Era of cinema, Rin-Tin-Tin was a Top 10 bonafide star. In the 1940’s, during Hollywood’s Golden Age, no actor made more cash for a movie studio than Lassie did for MGM. For their contributions, they have Stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Today, we have a new generation of canine personality joining their ranks.

   On a day his trainer announced his retirement, Uggie placed his paws in cement at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The popular pooch arrived to their festivities by firetruck; and during their hour-long event, Uggie received a golden bow-tie collar, and given a cake in the shape of a fire hydrant after performing tricks for photographers and tourists along the red carpet. The Jack Russell terrier also autographed (???) Blu-ray and DVD copies of The Artist. His film credits included a role in Water for Elephants.

   Uggie joins a long list of celebrities who have left hand and footprints in the iconic courtyard of the tourist spot. Among the hands and feet are John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Fred Astaire, and curiously, Kobie Bryant.

   The Artist won five statuettes at the Academy Awards earlier this year, including Best Picture and Best Actor. The production pays homage to the Silent Era (when Rin-Tin-Tin was the King of the Pictures); and studio era films, such as A Star is Born and Singin’ in the Rain.

   NOW, where’s the love for Nick and Nora Charles famous dog… Asta? … just sayin…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   My wife Laurie and I had an amazing evening at the 54th Annual Los Angeles Press Club Journalism Awards gala at the Biltmore Hotel in the heart of Downtown. Here are some of the photo highlights, including a very special opportunity to meet the legendary Carl Bernstein.

                                                  CARL BERNSTEIN

   Martin Sheen presented the journalist and his Washington Post colleague Bob Woodward  with a Lifetime Achievement award. 40 years ago, they investigated the Watergate break-in and subsequent White House cover-up. Their historic series of hard-hitting stories led to an unprecedented call for President Richard Nixon to step down or face Impeachment by the US Senate.

            CARL BERNSTEIN     BOB WOODWARD (on Skype)     MARTIN SHEEN         

   We sat with esteemed Southern California broadcasters who represented television and radio: KABC 7, KNX 10-70, and KCLU. Congratulations to co-winners in the category I was a 2012 finalist for my Forgotten Hollywood blog site:

* WEBLOG INDIVIDUAL (Online): 

Danielle Berrin, Jewish Journal / Richard Stellar, The Wrap

   No doubt, my blog received an extraordinary accolade.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Richard Adler, who was a fine lyricist, composer and producer of  memorable Broadway shows, has died. He’s best known for his work with Jerry Ross on The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees.

   Frank Loesser mentored the collaborators, and they quickly wrote hits for Tony Bennett and Rosemary Clooney. Rags to Riches and Hey There were top tunes for the team. They were likely poised to challenge Rodgers and Hammerstein when their Broadway shows won back-to-back Tonys in 1955 and 1956. However, Ross died suddenly of a lung ailment at the tender age of 29 in November of 1955.                                                         RICHARD ADLER –>

   Other popular musical standards include Whatever Lola Wants and Heart from Damn Yankees; Hernando’s Hideway in The Pajama Game; and Everybody Loves a Lover for Doris Day.  Adler also had iconic flirtations with our American history when he staged and produced events  for US presidents; the most notable of these was a 1962 Madison Square Garden birthday celebration for John F. Kennedy, highlighted by Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to the president in her trademark breathy voice. He also composed several symphonic pieces, such as one to celebrate the Statue of Liberty’s centennial.

   He’s a deserved member of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, complimenting the tributes and  accolades he received over his long career. Richard Adler was 90.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The Forgotten Hollywood Book Series has reached a couple of notable milestones. Thanks to purchases made by the Fullerton Sunrise Rotary Breakfast fellowship, here’s what I can report:

   2500 copies of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History have been purchased (paperbacks and eBooks). If you count just the First Edition copies sold, we’re a little short of 2400 actual books in the hands of readers, globally. On September 15th, I plan on donating $2400+ to Mooseheart… my official charity in an official ceremony. Dignitaries will include regional Moose International officers and local Orange County, CA press.

   300 copies of Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History are now in the sales column. The really good news is this doesn’t include the 50+ confirmed purchased by libraries nationwide. A three-month lag from business sales (bookstores, libraries, etc.)  to collections-through-distribution exists. There is an outstanding chance, I’ve sold closer to 400 of my latest work over the last six months.

   I show my appreciation for each book sold, which I happily do every single day…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The British Empire has always been steadfast in their support of Hollywood. Let me provide some current global examples…

 ~ Queen Elizabeth II has just recognized members of the motion picture community this past week in a bi-annual ceremony that takes place on her birthday and on New Year’s Day. The most recent honorees:

   Actor and director Kenneth Branagh was knighted, and will be known as Sir Kenneth. A native of Belfast, Ireland, this puts him in a pantheon of theatrical knights; and alongside Sir Laurence Olivier, whom Branagh played in My Life With Marilyn. Also given a royal accolade by the queen was Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet.                                          SIR KENNETH BRANAGH —>

~ Bonhams is one of the world’s largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. There are two large salerooms in London.

   A collection of Hollywood Programs are being offered for bid, celebrating movies from the 1930s-1950s. I’m No Angel and Gold Diggers of 1933, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre premiere programmes; Gone With The Wind, 1939 programme; The Great Dictator, 1941 programme; Limelight, 1952 programme.

~ The Village of Millbrook, Northumberland in Ontario, Canada is launching its 20th year of live performances  at the Millbrook 4th Line Outdoor Theatre.

   They open their 2012 summer season on July 3rd with Queen Marie. It’s a musical comedy based on the life of Cobourg-born Marie Dressler, one of the finest stars of Broadway and Hollywood. She was the fourth winner of an Academy Award in 1930, for her role in Min and Bill. The community recently held a gala,  which included screenings of Dressler’s silent films.

   As the Brit’s say… Bob’s Your Uncle!

Until next time>                               “never forget”