Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   The childhood home of actor Dick Van Dyke could be torn down after a central Illinois city condemned the dilapidated building. The Champaign News-Gazette reports the 89-year-old actor took to Twitter this week to call attention to the Danville home he and brother Jerry lived in during high school after relocating from Missouri.                     DICK VAN DYKE —–>

   The film star of Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, What a Way To Go, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and television’s The Dick Van Dyke Show  and Diagnosis: Murder, recalled happy memories in a tweet to his 85,200 followers. Among his high school classmates in Danville were Donald O’Connor and Bobby Short, both of whom would go on to successful careers as entertainers. Another was Jerry Seawright, the founder and original director of the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. Gene Hackman also lived in Danville during those same years.

   Mayor Scott Eisenhauer said the city council didn’t know the Van Dyke connection when it condemned the house in December. He expressed a willingness to donate the property as part of a prospective rehabilitation project, should the city gain ownership. The property’s owner died in 2011.

   A museum is a possible remedy.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Adam Nimoy has found a way to spend countless hours with his late father Leonard Nimoy: He’s creating a documentary for the actor who played Spock on Star Trek. The Spockumentary funded through a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $600,000 will focus on the pop icon and his legacy. The television director and film professor said it would explore his father’s life onscreen and off-screen.  LEONARD NIMOY —->

   For the Love of Spock began as a project for the father and son before Leonard’s Nimoy’s death in February at the age of 83. His father wanted to keep it Spock-centric, but once he passed, Adam knew he had to include more about his father. The documentary will include clips from the Star Trek films and television shows, Nimoy’s other works, and interviews from family, as well as William Shatner who played Capt. James T. Kirk and celebrity fans like Seth McFarlane. Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the new movie franchise, will narrate the film.

   With this film, Adam Nimoy hopes he can tie in everything he loves about his father, their lives together, and the many characters he played. For the Love of Spock is expected to be released in time for the 50th anniversary of the Star Trek series in 2016.

   It’s surely one way for the Spock character to live long and prosper.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The United States Postal Service announced that award-winning actor and philanthropist Paul Newman will be honored on a Forever Stamp. The stamp will go on sale September. 18th. The stamp art features photographer Steve Schapiro’s 1980 photograph of the star.

    Over the course of his decorated career, he garnered ten Academy Awards nods, including eight for Best Actor. He won an Oscar for his role in the 1986 film The Color of Money. At the Academy Awards in 1994, Newman was presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. He also served as the president of the board of the famed Actors Studio, which he helped support financially.

   More than just a film icon, Newman used his success as an actor, writer, producer, and director to advance his philanthropic endeavors funding charitable causes in an effort to make the world a better place. His SeriousFun Children’s Network has helped more than 600,000 children and families in the United States, and beyond. Perhaps Paul’s boldest action on the philanthropic stage came in 1982, when he founded the Newman’s Own food company. Beginning simply with a single product of oil-and-vinegar salad dressing and a commitment to quality and charitable giving over profit, the company has since grown into an international business with more than 200 products. Along the way, Newman’s Own has donated more than $430 million to thousands of charities.

   In 1998, the actor created the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, composed of board chairs and CEOs of major organizations. In 2006, he co-founded the Safe Water Network, which provides market-based safe water solutions to people in developing worlds.

   Paul Newman’s legacy stretches way beyond his iconic cinematic career.

————————————————————

   Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has reached 1300 in confirmed sales. Keeping pace with my initial literary work, I want to thank Sharyn Case of Costa Mesa, CA for putting my efforts over the next threshold.

   Sharyn is a current stage director, whose work includes a current production of The Miracle Worker that will be presented at the prestigious Attic Theatre in Orange County. She was influenced by the fabulous 1962 motion picture that featured award-winning performances by Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke. Nine performances are expected to begin on July 10th.

   As my first book approaches 3300 purchases, it’s nice to see the continued brisk sales.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Turner Classic Movies has acquired the rights to air the 15-chapter movie serial Batman and Robin (1949), which is a sequel to The Batman (1943) serial, which TCM has already aired. Both were released by Columbia Pictures.

   Robert Lowery played Batman, while Johnny Duncan played Robin. Supporting players included Jane Adams as Vicki Vale, and  veteran character actor Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon.

   Batman and Robin will air Saturday mornings at 10a – 10:30a (EST).

——————————————————

   Jack Carter (right) had a long-running comedy act similar to rapid-paced contemporaries, Milton Berle and Morey Amsterdam. He hosted an early television variety program called Cavalcade of Stars on the DuMont Network. The funnyman was lured away to NBC to host his own program titled The Jack Carter Show. He recommended Jackie Gleason to take his place as host of Cavalcade of Stars. Carter hosted his show for one hour each week followed by Your Show of Shows. He remained pals with Sid Caesar his entire life, performing the eulogy at his funeral.

   Carter made nearly three dozen movies, including Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas. In 1956, he starred on Broadway with Sammy Davis Jr. in the musical Mr. Wonderful. Jack toured in Guys and Dolls, Born Yesterday, A Thousand Clowns, The Odd Couple, and Oliver.

   He was a frequent guest on The Ed Sullivan Show during the 1960s and early 1970s and was known for his impression of Sullivan. Carter was also a frequent panelist on the television game show Match Game during the 1973-74 season and again in the 1980s. He traded gags with Bob Hope on five specials. Jack guest-starred on television, including in Dr. Kildare, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Hawaii Five-O,  Sanford and Son, 7th Heaven, The Rockford Files, Monk, Murder She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder, Baywatch, and Desperate Housewives.

   Jack Carter was 93.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   I have been invited once again to the South Pasadena Public Library to host a screening of the iconic 1962 motion picture To Kill a Mockingbird. Joining me for a Q&A. The event is Monday, July 6th at 7p.

   The free screening of this Oscar-winning movie is being shown in conjunction with the distribution of Harper Lee’s follow-up, Go Set a Watchman, set for release July 14th. It’s her first novel in over 50 years. In 1999, To Kill a Mockingbird was selected as Best Novel of the Century by Library Journal, and was accorded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007.

   The screenplay by Horton Foote was based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning work. It’s a rare case in which the movie compliments the literature. This was surmised by Lee. At the height of the Civil Rights movement, Gregory Peck’s performance as Atticus Finch was timely and rings true to the politics of the day. This was also Robert Duvall’s film debut as Boo Radley. Elmer Bernstein’s music for To Kill a Mockingbird is regarded as one of the great film scores. It was his personal favorite… That’s saying a lot from the composer of The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, True Grit, Stripes, The Ten Commandments, and Airplane.

   The South Pasadena Public Library is at 1115 El Centro St. in Southern California. I personally invite my cinema friends to this marvelous event. I’ll also be signing copies of my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series for interested readers. Together, we can enjoy To Kill a Mockingbird on the big screen, where it belongs.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Alfred Hitchcock’s film The Birds told the story of a rustic seaside town that finds itself menaced by hellish flocks of seagulls and crows. Now, the 1963 classic looks set to suffer its own fowl flight courtesy of a Hollywood remake by Transformers director Michael Bay.

   Loosely adapted from a 1952 short story by Daphne du Maurier, The Birds cast Tippi Hedren in the role of Melanie Daniels, a San Francisco socialite on a fateful visit to Northern California. Reports suggest that Bay’s version will return to tale to its original English setting, while Naomi Watts is rumored to be considering the Hedren role.

TIPPI HEDREN (perhaps reacting to a remake)

   Variety reports the motion picture will be made by Dutch film-maker Diederik Van Rooijen, with Bay serving as a co-producer. It looks to be a collaborative effort between Mandalay Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Bay’s Platinum Dunes production house.

   Hitchcock’s original film spawned a poorly-received 1994 sequel, The Birds 2: Land’s End, which screenwriter Rick Rosenthal later disowned. The idea of a big-budget remake was first mooted in 2007, with Casino Royale’s Martin Campbell penciled in to direct.

   On hearing the news, Tippi Hedren appeared to be unimpressed.

   And so it goes…

————————————————————

   Raquel Welch is to be to be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Assoc. of Latino Independent Producers. She starred in such 1960s films as Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years B.C. at the height of her fame. In 1974, Welch won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy for The Three Musketeers. Welch’s most controversial role came in the notorious Myra Breckinridge. The film, which co-starred Mae West, bombed at the box office.           RACQUEL WELCH  —->

   After a successful career, the actress has no regrets, yet looks at her sex-symbol years with mixed feelings.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The actor who played one of three of my favorite male television characters of the 1960s has died. Patrick Macnee was the British-born chap best known as dapper secret agent John Steed in the long-running 1960s series The Avengers. Instead of a gun, Steed wielded one heck of an umbrella. The gimmick was an inspiration.                PATRICK MACNEE –>

   The clever spy drama, which began in 1961 in Britain, debuted in the United States in 1966. It ran for eight seasons and continued in syndication for decades. He was accompanied by a string of beautiful women who were his sidekicks. The most popular was likely Diana Rigg, who played sexy junior agent Emma Peel from 1965 to 1968. Honor Blackman played Catherine Gale from 1962 to 1964, and Linda Thorson was Tara King from 1968 to 1969.

   The ever-dapper Macnee found acting while attending Eton College. He also served in the military during World War II, as the captain of torpedo boats that destroyed German U-boats in French waters. After the war, Patrick apprenticed in the British theater, toured in provincial theaters, and made his film debut as an extra in the 1938 film Pygmalion.

    Other films include Hamlet, Les Girls, The Howling, This is Spinal Tap, A View to a Kill, and the cinematic version of The Avengers. In the later flick, Ralph Fiennes played the pithy John Steed.

   On the small screen, Macnee guest starred in Playhouse 90, Rawhide, The Twilight Zone,  Alias Smith and Jones, Battlestar Galactica, Hart to Hart, Murder She Wrote, The Love Boat, Columbo, and Magnum P.I. (as a delusional agent who thinks he is Sherlock Holmes). Macnee made his Broadway debut as the star of Sleuth in 1972, and subsequently headlined the national tour.

   Macnee became an American citizen in 1959, and he moved to Palm Springs in 1967. The Avengers provided a comfortable living for the actor, since he owned 2.5% of the profits, and the series continued to play all over the world into the 21st Century.

   By the way, in case you’re wondering, my other fave male characters on television of the 1960s… James Darren as Tony Phillips in The Time Tunnel; and Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows.

   Patrick Macnee was 93.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Veteran actress June Lockhart of Lassie and Lost in Space fame is turning ninety on June 25th. And, her fans are invited to a free outdoor birthday concert in celebration of her birthday this Thursday evening from 6p – 8p. at the Beverly Canon Gardens in Beverly Hills.

LASSIE   JUNE LOCKHART  

   Gary Greene, Esq. and His Big Band of Barristers will be performing classic music from the big band era. Bring a picnic dinner from a nearby restaurant and enjoy outdoor dining while listening to fabulous Swing Era-tunes, including In The Mood, Take the A Train, Moon River, Sentimental Journey, and many more.  It’s open to the public, so bring your friends!

   On a personal note, my brother-in-law Mark Thomas has been a trumpet player in the L.A. Lawyers Philharmonic, part of the Big Band of Barristers.

   For more information go to http://www.lalawyersphil.org.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Toshiro Mifune is the legendary Japanese actor who starred in such Akira Kurosawa classics as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, and Throne of Blood. Now, count him as the posthumous recipient of his own Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

   Almost all of the 16 Kurosawa–Mifune collaborations are considered cinematic classics. The Magnificent Seven attributes its script to the Seven Samurai story. Clint Eastwood was among the first of many actors to adopt a wandering warrior persona attributed to Mifune, which he used to great effect in his roles; especially playing the man with no name character in Spaghetti Westerns made with Sergio Leone.

   When he traveled to Tinsel Town, he was cast in Grand Prix, Midway, Hell in the Pacific, and  Steven Spielberg’s 1979 comedy flop, 1941. On television, he appeared on the NBC’s Shōgun. Yet, Kurosawa didn’t rejoice in his estranged friend’s success, and publicly made derisive remarks about his friend and the mini-series. After his comments, the relationship between Kurosawa and Mifune remained ambivalent. They never fully reconciled, and they died within a year of each other in the 1990s.

   A date for the Walk of Fame ceremony will be set later this year.

———————————————————

   The father of a high school friend has died. DICK VAN PATTEN —> was best known as the patrician of a large family in Eight is Enough on television. He also appeared in several Mel Brooks feature films: High Anxiety, Spaceballs, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

   His motion picture resume also includes Soylent Green, Charly, and Westworld. Plus, Dick Van Patten guest-starred on Naked City, Rawhide, I Dream of Jeannie, Love American Style, Cannon, Medical Center, Maude, Adam-12, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, Banacek, Phyllis, The Six Million Dollar Man, Baywatch, The Love Boat television movies, and most recently, Hot in Cleveland.

   Dick’s sister is actress Joyce Van Patten. And, my friend… actor, former tennis professional, and television host of World Poker Tour events:  Vince Van Patten. Let me offer my personal condolences to the entire Van Patten family

   The likeable Dick Van Patten was 86.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   An airplane registered to James Horner crashed in Los Padres National Forest in Southern California (around 60 miles north of Santa Barbara). The pilot died in the crash and was the only person aboard. Though the crash victim was not immediately identified, Variety later confirmed Horner’s death. His singular sound graced some of the biggest moments in the history of movies.

   Horner was an accomplished concert hall composer before he moved into writing film scores. His first was for The Lady in Red, but he did not establish himself until he worked on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

   His scores for Titanic and Avatar remain the best selling orchestral film soundtracks to date. Both directed by James Cameron, they are also the highest-grossing movies of all time. Titanic’s enduring theme song, My Heart Will Go On, hit #1 around the world and become the best-selling single of 1998. The National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America included it in the Songs of the Century rankings. Celine Dion performed the track.                 JAMES HORNER —>

   He also collaborated multiple times with George Lucas, Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Mel Gibson, and Oliver Stone. Horner composed music for over 100 films, and won two Oscars and two Golden Globes. He prolifically scored for major productions, including  Braveheart, Cocoon, Field of Dreams, Aliens, Glory, An American Tail, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Legends of the Fall, The Perfect Storm, A Beautiful Mind, Clear and Present Danger, The Pelican Brief, Patriot Games, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Willow, Apollo 13, The Mask of Zorro, and The Amazing Spiderman. Somewhere Out There was another tune masterfully imagined by the maestro.

   Horner created the 2006-2011 theme music for the CBS Evening News. It was introduced as part of the debut of Katie Couric as anchor on September 5, 2006.

   James Horner, one of the essentials composers in cinematic history, was 61.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   WELLS FARGO is conducting a small business contest, where the winners can earn up to $25,000. This is a unique opportunity to receive needed funds for our team to continue work on our film production. Please click on the link below, and simply vote for the FORGOTTEN HOLLYWOOD DOCUMENTARY project.

`

andvote_13748_21″>https://wellsfargoworks.com/Resource/Contest?x=us-en_viewentriesandvote_13748_21

   It just takes a second to click and VOTE… THANK YOU in advance.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A former child actor who got his start in Our Gang / The Little Rascals movies of the 1930s now has his own Long Island street. Officials named a portion of St. Ann’s Avenue in Copiague in honor of 89-year old Jerry Schatz.

   Schatz went by the stage name Jerry Tucker (right). He acted alongside Shirley Temple (in Captain January) and Clark Gable during the 1930s and 1940s. He also appeared as one of Mother Peep’s kids in the 1934 Laurel and Hardy feature film March of the Wooden Soldiers.

   Jerry joined the Navy during World War II. He also served during the Korean conflict. That’s when his career in Hollywood came to a close. He moved to Copiague after the war with his wife and worked as an engineer.

   Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer called the US Navy vet one of our own as officials unveiled Jerry Schatz Place on Tuesday. What a wonderful local honor.

————————————————————

<– JACK ROLLINS has passed away. He’s best known for his successful partnership with Charles H. Joffe, the producer or executive producer of virtually all of the films directed by Woody Allen. Rollins’ management clients also included Dick Cavett, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Martin Short, Robert Klein, Tom Poston, Paula Poundstone, and David Letterman.

   Jack Rollins was 100.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The grandson of Oscar Hammerstein has lost his bid to create a museum and educational theater honoring the Broadway lyricist. The Doylestown Township’s zoning board voted on Monday evening to deny variances that Will Hammerstein needed to undergo the project at his grandfather’s former Pennsylvania farm. The plan included construction of a 400-seat theater.                                  OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN —–>

   Neighbors and township supervisors had opposed the proposal at Highland Farm, saying they didn’t want to deal with the noise, traffic, or safety issues they feared it would bring. Hammerstein tells the Doylestown Intelligencer that he was anticipating the decision. He hasn’t decided if he’ll appeal, but says it’d be tough to overturn the three-member board’s unanimous decision.

   Highland Farm was Oscar Hammerstein’s primary residence during his musical partnership with Richard Rodgers. Hammerstein died there in 1960.

   So much for The Sound of Music in a Pennsylvania hamlet…

———————————————————

   All the best to John Hurt, who has revealed that he is suffering from the early stages of pancreatic cancer. He plans to keep working as he undergoes treatment for the disease. His medical team is confident they caught the problem in time for a full recovery.

   The actor is a two-time Oscar nominee. He received nods for his work in The Elephant Man and Midnight Express. He is best remembered as the ill-fated astronaut in Alien. Other films include A Man For All Seasons, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and a recurring role in the Harry Potter series.

   John Hurt (above) was knighted last December.

Until next time>                               “never forget’

Manny P. here…

   Robert Chartoff was a top motion picture producer. He produced more than thirty movies. He had a knack for taking films about boxing and making them a critical success. Together with Irwin Winkler, he won an Academy Award for Best Picture for the 1976 film Rocky. He received further Oscar consideration in 1981 for co-producing Martin Scorsese’s biopic of boxer Jake La Motta. The Chartoff-Winkler movies garnered 12 wins and 40 nominations.                                ROBERT CHARTOFF —>

   Chartoff had a hand in fine cinema created over the last five decades, including They Shoot Horses Don’t They, The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight, The Mechanic, Up the Sandbox, Raging Bull, The Right Stuff, Comes a Horseman, and the entire Rocky series. He employed top actors, such as Sylvester Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Gig Young, Lee Marvin, Keenan Wynn, Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Joe Pesci, Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Jill Ireland, Robert DeNiro, Elliott Gould, Dennis Quaid, James Caan, Ryan O’Neal, Ed Harris, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Jason Robards, Liza Minnelli, Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, and recently, Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, John Goodman, Harrison Ford, and Helen Mirren.

   Robert Chartoff was 81.

——————————————

   The singing voice of Chiquita Banana animation has died. Monica Lewis began her career as a vocalist with Benny Goodman’s orchestra and went onto record several jazz hits in the 1940s. In 1950, she hit Hollywood, signing an exclusive contract for music and movies with MGM. She had small roles in movies with Mickey Rooney and Red Skelton. Later, she appeared in a number of disaster films, including Earthquake and several of the Airport series of motion pictures. Lewis also guest-starred on a few television shows, such as Ironside, Marcus Welby M.D., Remington Steele, and Falcon Crest.

   Never a second banana, Monica Lewis was 93.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Two of the greats have died.

CHRISTOPHER LEE                           RON MOODY

~   ~   ~

~ Christopher Lee will forever be known as the vampire Count Dracula in a slew of gory, gothic British Hammer horror production thrillers churned out in the 1950s and 1960s that became hugely popular around the world. He also appeared in more than 250 movies, taking on memorable roles such as a James Bond enemy, and the evil Count Dooku in two Star Wars prequels.

   Lee attended Wellington College, an elite boarding school, and joined the Royal Air Force during World War II. Poor eyesight prevented him from becoming a pilot, and he served as an intelligence officer in North Africa and Italy. After the war, he was signed to a contract with Britain’s Rank Studio, and spent the next decade playing minor roles in a series of formulaic pictures. He also appeared briefly in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet in 1948 along with his future Hammer co-star, Peter Cushing.

    His filmography is quite vast. But, he’s best remembered for roles in Quo Vadis, Moulin Rouge, The Curse of Frankenstein,  The Four Musketeers, The Man with the Golden Gun, Airport ’77, Hugo, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

   The versatile Christopher Lee was 93.

~   ~   ~

~ Ron Moody was nominated for an Oscar as the playful Fagin in the Best Picture of 1968… Oliver! He did receive a Golden Globe for his performance. He created the role in the original West End production in 1960, and reprised it in the 1984 Broadway revival, garnering a Tony Award nod for Best Actor in a Musical. He would reprise the role throughout his career, including a command appearance before Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh in 1985.

   Moody was also wonderful in Mel Brooks’ The Twelve Chairs. Others movies he appeared in include Murder Most Foul and A Kid in King Arthur’s Court. On television, he guest-starred in The Avengers, Gunsmoke, and Starsky and Hutch, among others.

   Ron Moody was 91.

Until next time>                               “never forget”