Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

    Carla Laemmle was the niece  of Universal Pictures studio founder Carl Laemmle. She was a movie actress in the 1920s and 1930s and, at the time of her death, was one of the few surviving actors of the silent film era.

   Her films included the 1925 version of Phantom of the Opera, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and during the advent of talkies, Hollywood Revue of 1929, Dracula, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Laemmle continued to appear in small roles until the late 1930s, when she disappeared from the movie screen.

   In 2009, the book Growing Up With Monsters: My Times at Universal Studios in Rhymes, co-authored by Carla Laemmle and Daniel Kinske, was released. The book details her life at Universal Studios from 1921 to 1937. On October 3, 2010. she appeared in BBC Four documentary A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss, sharing memories of her early film work with Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi. On screen, she recited her opening lines from Dracula. She made an appearance in the documentary Moguls and Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood for Turner Classic Movies, and she appeared in Paul Merton’s Birth of Hollywood on the BBC. In March 2012, TCM presented a screening of Dracula, Laemmle appeared at the screening in connection with its Classic Movie Festival. She celebrated her 100th birthday with a guest list, which included Ray Bradbury, Bela Lugosi, Jr., Sara Karloff, and Ron Chaney.

   Cinematic pioneer Carla Laemmle was 104.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Ruby Dee was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist. She’s best known for co-starring in A Raisin in the Sun and American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has won Grammy, Emmy, Obie, Drama Desk, and Screen Actors Guild Award. She was also married to Ossie Davis until his death in 2005.  Ruby Dee —>

   Dee made several appearances on Broadway before receiving national recognition for her role in The Jackie Robinson Story. Other movies included No Way Out, St. Louis Blues, and Buck and the Preacher. On stage, Ruby had roles in South Pacific, Arsenic and Old Lace, King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, Bus Stop, The Glass Menagerie, and the original production of A Raisin in the Sun. On television, she appeared in The Fugitive, Peyton Place, Police Woman, and The Golden Girls. She was a cast member on The Guiding Light and the mini-series, Roots: The Next Generation.

    Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis were well-known civil rights activists. She was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality,  NAACP, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Dee and Davis were both personal friends of both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, with Davis giving the eulogy at Malcolm X’s funeral in 1965. Dee was awarded – along with her late husband – the Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award, presented by the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. In 1995, she and Davis were awarded the National Medal of Arts. They were also recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004. She received an Honorary Degree from Princeton University.

   In 1998, the pair celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and an even longer association in show business with the publication of their autobiography, With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together. Davis died in February 2005. Among those who mourned at his funeral included former President Bill Clinton, Harry Belafonte and Spike Lee.

   Ruby Dee was 91.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The Los Angeles Times is reporting the son of Jack Lemmon is honoring his father with a one-man play that shares amazing stories about the life-and-times of the iconic actor. Chris Lemmon published a book, A Twist of Lemmon, about their relationship in 2006. The book tour was well received, so he came up with the idea of a performance piece based on the stories in the memoir about the beloved two-time Oscar winner (Mister Roberts, Save the Tiger), who starred in such classics as Some Like It Hot and The Apartment.

   A friend, director Joel Zwick, introduced Lemmon to Hershey Felder. He has had success creating and starring in such one-man biographical shows with music as George Gershwin Alone, which Zwick directed. After Felder met with Lemmon and attended a performance of his show, the two began to collaborate on transforming what was essentially a cabaret act into a play. Jack Lemmon Returns, which Felder wrote and directed, premiered last month in Chicago. On Wednesday, it opens at the Laguna Beach Playhouse, where it will play through June 22nd. (The show will also visit Los Angeles Broad Stage in January).

CHRIS LEMMON

   Music is an important element in Jack Lemmon Returns with George and Ira Gershwin’s Our Love is Here to Stay, the thematic tune in the piece. Another song Lemmon loves to perform is ‘S Wonderful, because the standard evokes a special evening Lemmon spent at his father’s bachelor pad up in the hills. The party involved Shirley MacLaine, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Cagney, Jimmy Stewart, and so on. The moment is recreated in the production.

   Two years after Chris Lemmon (who has a strong resemblance to his father) was born, his dad and his mother, actress Cynthia Stone, divorced. Jack Lemmon married actress Felicia Farr in 1962, and his half sister Courtney Lemmon was born in 1966. After the divorce, his father spent quality time with Chris — they fished, golfed, and shared a lasting love of music.

   It’s magic time… as Jack Lemmon would use to say before each scene.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Mattel is issuing lifelike Barbie dolls to honor Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and other classic films. The former two motion pictures are celebrating their 75th anniversary in a variety of marketing ways.

   Here are the details of the Gone with the Wind figures: Rhett Butler is in a gentleman’s suit and red ascot. Scarlett O’Hara is provided with two different outfits; one in her crimson birthday gown, like she wore in the scene when she visits the home of Melanie and Ashley Wilkes. The other is the white prayer dress with red bows and sash, similar to one Mammy  dressed her in.

   These dolls are part of the Mattel collector series. Previously, my wife Laurie bought the Doris Day / Rock Hudson Pillow Talk Barbie’s to add to her doll collection that also includes Mrs. Beasley from the television show Family Affair and The Grinch.

   Barbie dolls are a registered trademark of Mattel

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   Another fine supporting actress of note had died. Martha Hyer is best remembered as a love interest of Frank Sinatra in Vincente Minnelli’s Some Came Running, for which she received an Oscar nomination.

   Adept at playing girl-next-door types in comedy and drama, she appeared in important films, including Sabrina, Houseboat, The Carpetbaggers, and The Sons of Katie Elder; to froth, such as Abbott and Costello Goes to Mars, Francis In the Navy, The Delicate Delinquent, Night of the Grizzly, Bikini Beach, and The Happening.

   At one time, movie moguls considered her the best replacement for Grace Kelly, who had just retired after marrying Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. Hyer was considered for the Janet Leigh role of the doomed Marion Crane in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Psycho.

   She had guest-starring roles on television in The Lone Ranger, Rawhide, and McCloud. She married producer Hal B. Wallis in 1966, and the couple remained together until his death in 1986.

   Martha Hyer was 89.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The American Film Institute’s celebration of Jane Fonda was like a who’s who of Hollywood women. Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Lily Tomlin, Cameron Diaz, and Sally Field were among the actresses saluting the 76-year-old Oscar winner, who accepted AFI’s 42nd Life Achievement Award Thursday in Hollywood.

   Jeff Daniels sang a song with the refrain abs, butt and thighs, and Wanda Sykes, in a Barbarella costume, was carried on stage by a man dressed as a winged angel. Michael Douglas, Eva Longoria, and Peter Fonda also spoke at the ceremony, where his sister and honoree urged guests to remain curious.     JANE FONDA ——>

   Part of a verifiable family dynasty, Jane Fonda has won two Academy Awards, an Emmy, and seven Golden Globes. Her roles include Klute, Barefoot in the Park, Cat Ballou, They Shoot Horses Don’t They, Julia, Coming Home, and On Golden Pond (with her father Henry Fonda).

   My blog was honored at a recent Los Angeles Press Club event in which the iconic actress was the Guest of Honor.

   The AFI private ceremony at the Dolby Theatre will air as a special on June 14th on TNT.

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<-Mona Freeman was a popular young actress of the 1940s and 1950s. Her screen credits include National Velvet, That Brennan Girl, The Heiress, Junior Miss, Black Beauty, and Angel Face. Freeman was a model while in high school, and after becoming the first Miss Subways of the New York City transit system. She eventually signed a movie contract with Howard Hughes. Her contract was later sold to Paramount Pictures.

   On television, Freeman appeared in several episodes of The Red Skelton Hour, Perry Mason, Wagon Train, Playhouse 90, The United States Steel Hour, and Maverick. Mona toured with Edward G. Robinson in a 1958 stage production of the Paddy Chayefsky play, Middle of the Night. Freeman also was a painter; her most widely viewed work, a portrait of kindly, bespectacled candy matriarch Mary See, hangs in See’s Candies shops across the US, and has been displayed for decades.

   Mona Freeman was 87.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   After nearly 70 years in show business, Jerry Lewis (right) continues to do standup and serve as leader of the storied Friars Club. He just hosted a lavish dinner at the venerable comedy institution to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his film The Nutty Professor. He’s also set to perform a show in Las Vegas next month, and has two fall concerts planned for Los Angeles. Lewis makes several trips a year from his Las Vegas home to the private comedy club in New York City, where he serves as Abbot.

   As Abbot, Lewis offers guidance to up-and-comers. One tip… Appreciate your fans. He has come under fire in recent years for his bias against female comics, and can be cantankerous and unpredictable in interviews and on stage. However, his abiding love of connecting through comedy is clear. He feels the magic when he talks to fans after the show.

   Since the Friars Club’s inception in 1904, the members have always lavished praise upon their entertainment peers through elegant dinners consisting of engaging testimonials. An opportunity for the Friars to show appreciation to their brethren in the arts and humanities, they select a guest of honor and invite their friends and celebrity fans to honor them in an evening of splendor.

   From George M. Cohan and Irving Berlin down through the years, the greats have shared this esteemed accolade: Jack Benny, George Jessel, Dean Martin, Barbra Streisand, Elizabeth Taylor, Dr. Henry Kissinger, Carol Burnett, Walter Cronkite, Kirk Douglas, Neil Simon, Barbara Walters, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Tom Cruise, and Larry King, among others have been saluted by their fellow Friars.

   Such legends as Humphrey Bogart, Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball, Sid Caesar, and Jerry Lewis have also been skewered in Celebrity Roasts, along with high profile celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Kelsey Grammer, Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump, Matt Lauer, Quentin Tarantino, and Betty White. It’s the official motto: We always Roast the ones we love! that has endeared these honorees to the Friars.

   Jerry Lewis has been the club’s Abbot since 2006. Comic Alan King held the post previously, after Frank Sinatra’s 20-year tenure. Lewis oversees the annual roasts and helps with fundraising, continuing the philanthropic tradition he began with the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association over 60 years ago. The comedian’s abrupt departure as the national chairman of the organization and face of its Labor Day telethon still hasn’t been explained, and he refuses to talk about it. Despite the drama, leading the Friars Club is an honor steeped in tradition that carries a noble entertainment legacy.

   One thing is for sure, Jerry Lewis is still a living-legend.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   With all due respect to eBooks, there is something special about the feel or (dare I say) the smell of a book. Like buying a new car, a paperback or hard cover copy of your work is special. I turn to my high school Biology teacher, Mr. Holdridge, for a scientific explanation…

   That said, Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History is available on your Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or any of your eReaders, or Apple iPad.

   Class is dismissed!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A special 60th anniversary screening of On the Waterfront, the movie starring Marlon Brando (in his award- winning role), Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Karl Malden, and Oscar-winner Eva Marie Saint. The event is made possible by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

   The production’s impact was intensified by Budd Schulberg’s Academy Award-winning script, which features one of cinema’s most-loved speeches (I could have been a contender); Leonard Bernstein’s potent score, his only composed solely for film; and the Oscar-winning efforts of cinematographer Boris Kaufman and art director Richard Day. Based on Malcolm Johnson’s multi-part New York Sun exposé, which won him a Pulitzer Prize in 1949, Elia Kazan’s work was shot on both sides of the Hudson River and bears the director’s signature Group Theatre intensity.

   Saint will stop by to chat about the iconic flick. Her 60-year motion picture career includes collaborations with directors Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, and Fred Zinnemann. She had memorable performances in Raintree County, North by Northwest, Exodus. Saint will appear to reminisce about working with Brando and Kazan during the making of this American classic.

   On the Waterfront will screen at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in the Bing Theatre, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. this Friday, June 6th at 7:30p. It’s $5 general admission; $3 for Academy members, LACMA Film Club members, and students with a valid ID.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Ann B. Davis was a lovably feisty character actress, who is best remembered as Schultzy on The Bob Cummings Show, for which she twice won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series; and as Alice Nelson, the housekeeper in The Brady Bunch. She also appeared as a musical judge on ABC’s Jukebox Jury; and as a physical education teacher at a private girls’ academy in NBC sitcom The John Forsythe Show.                      ANN B. DAVIS —–>

   She got her big break while doing a cabaret act in Los Angeles, singing and telling jokes. Despite a small film career, which included parts in Pepe, All Hands on Deck, and Lover Come Back, her strength was guest starring appearances on television. Davis had roles on Lux Video Theatre, Tennessee Ernie Ford Variety Hour, Rawhide, Love American Style, and The Love Boat. Ann was also featured in commercials for Minute Rice. In her later years, she was a spokeswoman for Shake ‘n Bake, and in spots for Swiffer. In 1993, Davis joined a touring cast of Crazy for You, a musical featuring Standards by George and Ira Gershwin. She also toured with the USO to entertain US troops in Korea and elsewhere.

   Producer Sherwood Schwartz’s The Brady Bunch debuted in 1969 and aired for five years. But, it has lived on in reruns and sequels. Her character was so popular on The Brady Bunch, that she also returned when a variety hour was created in the late 1970s, and a series of television movies were produced in the 1980s. In 1994, Davis published a cookbook, Alice’s Brady Bunch Cookbook, with Brady Bunch inspired recipes. The book also includes recipes from cast members. In 2007, The Brady Bunch was awarded the TV Land Pop Culture Award on the 5th annual TV Land Awards. Davis and other cast members accepted the award, and she received a standing ovation.

   Ann B. Davis was 88.

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<—MARILYN BECK was the syndicated Hollywood columnist who rose to prominence, and was influenced by predecessors, such as Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons. Beck’s Hollywood column appeared in the New York Times Special Features in 1972 as she reported on the doings of stars the likes of Elvis Presley, Natalie Wood, Robert Redford, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda, Marlon Brando, and Richard Burton. Marilyn became affiliated with Tribune Media Services in 1980. She finally headquartered for 30 years from her home in Beverly Hills, where she interviewed stars in her column and for television.

   Beck appeared on programs including Nightline, and shows hosted by Barbara Walters, Dinah Shore, Mike Douglas, and Merv Griffin, and logging on-air chats with such celebrities as Farrah Fawcett, Harrison Ford, Lucille Ball, Michael Landon, George Burns, Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Christopher Reeve, and Luciano Pavarotti.

   Beck authored Marilyn Beck’s Hollywood, a 1972 hard-cover book about the industry; also the 1988 Berkeley novel about Hollywood, Only Make Believe. She won honors from the Los Angeles City Council, Southern California Motion Picture Council, and ICG Publicists Guild of America.

   Marilyn Beck was 85.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

  Today, at the inaugural Cudahy Book and Literacy Fair, I met one the most iconic television personalities in history… A star so big, there isn’t anyone in this great nation who doesn’t know this giant of the small screen. I’m talking about Mr…

~ RONALD McDONALD ~

   Now, I can claim the famous clown as the latest owner of the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series.

   He’s a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonald-land, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, Hamburglar, and Grimace. Many folks work full-time making appearances in the Ronald McDonald costume, visiting children in hospitals, and attending regular events. There are also Ronald McDonald Houses, where parents can stay overnight when visiting sick children in nearby chronic care facilities.

   The origin of Ronald McDonald involves Willard Scott (left), who went on to become NBC’s Today Show weatherman. He claims to have performed as the Hamburger-Happy Clown in 1963 on three separate television spots. These were the first three small screen ads featuring the character.

   At any particular time, there are dozens to hundreds of actors retained by McDonald’s to appear as Ronald McDonald in restaurants and events. However, the company uses only one actor to play the character in national television commercials. The company trains performers to portray Ronald using identical mannerisms and costume, to contribute to an illusion they are one character. Ronald McDonald is second only to Santa Claus in terms of recognition. According to one survey, 96% of all US schoolchildren recognize Ronald.

   Various forms of the name — Ronald McDonald — as well as costume clown face persona, etc. are registered trademarks of McDonald’s.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   We are still receiving monetary support for our production of the Forgotten Hollywood Documentary Pilot. Here are the latest details:

~ JOHN E. KOBARA ($200) – A dear friend from my UCLA past. John was the Community Services Commissioner for two years. I was his Asst. Commissioner while attending the Westwood university in the late 1970s.

   Currently, John is a remarkable social entrepreneur. He’s Executive Vice President and COO of California Community Foundation. Founded in 1915, CCF is a leading philanthropic organizations in Los Angeles County, managing more than $1 billion in assets. Each year, it gives out more than $150 million in grants to invest in the future of our local communities. The foundation partners with individual donors, and supports nonprofit organizations to address diverse and dynamic needs of our communities. The expertise and commitment of CCF enables individuals, families and organizations to fulfill their charitable goals and dreams. To learn more, visit the foundation’s web site at calfund.org.

   Kobara is also an active board member of Walden University. In the recent past, he was the President and CEO of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles. This is one person immersed in the spirit of giving back to the community!

   I’m proud to call him my friend…

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   The FORGOTTEN HOLLYWOOD Documentary Pilot shares the seldom-discussed story of Lionel Barrymore’s desire to carry on with his career after a diagnosis of advanced arthritis.

   Barrymore’s decision influenced the pioneering government fight to eradicate polio through the March of Dimes campaign. He also motivated President Franklin Roosevelt and Helen Keller to carry on their personal and professional battles against disability. Their paths shaped our nation’s way we perceive folks with crippling disease; and forever changed Hollywood’s notion of the handicapped. It’s a gripping story that continues to resonate with my readers of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   I’ll be participating at this year’s inaugural Cudahy Book & Literacy Fair, May 31st, Saturday from 12p – 3p. I’ll be on the ADULT STAGE at 12:45 talking about the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series and conducting a book signing after my chat. My good friend, award-winning author Reyna Grande, is expected to attend.

   The residents of Cudahy supported my radio work on KRLA back in the 1980s and 1990s. I hope to see you at this family-friendly event!

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   Joan Lorring was an actress who received an Oscar nod for her performance in The Corn is Green. The film starred Bette Davis. Born in Hong Kong in 1926, Lorring fled the island nation in 1939 with her mother following the Japanese invasion. They settled in San Francisco where she started working in radio before going on to a career as a stage, screen, and television performer.

   Her exotic look earned her roles in Song of Russia, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, and Good Sam. She supported Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet in The Verdict and Three Strangers. Joan Lorring —> appeared on Broadway in Come Back, Little Sheba. Her small screen career included guest stints Goodyear Television Playhouse, on five episodes of Robert Montgomery Presents, The Love Boat, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and a recurring part on Ryan’s Hope. She was also in The Star Wagon, a 1966 PBS production starring Orson Bean, and included Dustin Hoffman in the cast; and a 1956 television version of The Corn Is Green, in which she repeated her Academy Award nominated role.

   Joan Lorring was 88.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

The royal couple won’t let their golden years keep them away from a grand overseas commemoration: the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (right) have stopped traveling abroad — a reluctant concession to their advanced years — but next week, they intend to be in Normandy for ceremonies to honor soldiers who sacrificed their lives to liberate Europe from the Nazis.

The perils of World War II directly shaped the lives of Elizabeth and Philip. The anniversary is so heartfelt that the royal couple is preparing to cross the English Channel once more, this time on a Eurostar train through the Channel Tunnel that Elizabeth helped inaugurate 20 years ago. They will bring younger royals as well, including Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and Prince William, second in line. The Queen and Philip are well aware that this is the last time a reasonable number of veterans will be able to attend. So, it’s very important to both.

   The Queen was a teen during World War II. As a princess, she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service; serving as a driver and a mechanic. Philip was on active duty in the Royal Navy. Elizabeth plans on attending a remembrance service, personally meet with veterans, and taking part in a  ceremony at Sword Beach, a landing spot where British Allied forces faced enemy fire from entrenched German troops and tanks.

   French officials have described the monarch as a super guest of honor — a nod both to her longevity and to Britain’s vital role in the D-Day invasion that liberated France. After the solemn events in Normandy, the Queen and Philip will be given a state banquet on Friday night at the Elysee Palace, and hosted by French President Francois Hollande.

   A decade ago, my wife Laurie and I visited Normandy, including Omaha Beach,  Pointe du Hoc, and the Allied cemetery. It was a somber but revealing excursion. Photos that we took appear in my book, Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.

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   Lee Chamberlin was a television pioneer. She was an original cast member of The Electric Company on PBS, along with Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, and others. During the 1970s and 1980s, Chamberlin appeared in many popular television shows such as Lou Grant, The White Shadow, Diff’rent Strokes, NYPD Blue, Roots: The Next Generation, Moesha, and Touched By an Angel. From 1983-1995, she was a regular on the ABC soap All My Children.                                           LEE CHAMBERLIN ———–>

   She co-starred with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier in two of the more popular film comedies of the 1970s, Uptown Saturday Night and Let’s Do It Again. Both of these comedies were popular with black audiences who sought out more positive African American representation in the media. Lee also played Cordelia in the Shakespeare in the Park production of King Lear alongside James Earl Jones and Paul Sorvino.

   In 2010, Chamberlin founded the Playwrights’ Inn Project in France.  This production company developed works of diverse American playwrights, including persons-of-color and women, traditionally under-served in the play development process.

   Lee Chamberlin was 76.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   For decades, British students have grown up reading the American classics: To Kill A Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and The Crucible. Now, if students want to read those books, it will be on their own time. Harper Lee, John Steinbeck and Arthur Miller are out — perhaps replaced by the likes of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and George Eliot.

   British Education Secretary Michael Gove decided the English literature list for a national exam needs to be more provincial, so he’s swapping American texts in the curriculum for British ones. The new books have not yet been announced, but Secretary Gove’s changes have prompted an outcry.

   Many authors and academics note a number of the thematic parallels between the Education Department’s actions and the themes of the books getting the ax. The Crucible uses the Salem Witch Hunts as a metaphor for McCarthyism. To Kill A Mockingbird teaches lessons about tolerance and diversity.

   In a statement, the UK Department of Education insist no books have been banned. The statement also notes the curriculum sets out minimum requirements and that teachers are free to add any additional texts to the syllabus. The changes, first reported in the Sunday Times, focus specifically on a standardized test known as the General Certificate of Secondary Education. The new GSCE syllabus for English Lit is scheduled to be published this week.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Bunny Yeager was a photographer, model, swimsuit designer, and author whose vision directed the pin-up aesthetic, and changed the way America approached sensuality during the explosive cultural shift of the 1950s and 1960s. Yeager is best known for controversial images of Bettie Page she created that caused a national stir.

   Born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, Yeager became one of the most photographed models in Miami. After retiring from modeling, she began her career behind the camera. When Page retired, Bunny remained a successful photographer. In the 1950s, Mrs. Yeager appeared on What’s My Line, stumping the panel. She took well-known images of Ursula Andress –> on the beach in the 1962 James Bond film, Dr. No, and discovered many other notable models. In 1968, she played the role of a Swedish masseuse opposite Frank Sinatra in Lady in Cement.

   But, her photos of Bettie Page in a leopard-print bathing suit standing next to a real cheetah are still well-known today. Her iconic images of Page were published in Playboy Magazine at the beginning of 1955 and brought overnight fame to both photographer and model. The publication of Yeager’s centerfold photo of Page in Playboy launched her still photographic career, and began a lifelong friendship with Hugh Hefner.

   Yeager was played by Sarah Paulson in the 2005 film The Notorious Bettie Page. Her career returned to the spotlight in 2010 when the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh held an exhibition of her work. There was also an exhibition in Miami in 2013. She was also featured on a CNN story about the 60th anniversary of the bikini. In her studio, Yeager kept a stash of photos no one had seen in cabinets. They will be included in a new book she was finishing, scheduled for publication in September, celebrating the 60th anniversary of her first photo shoots with Page.

   Bunny Yeager was 85.

Until next time>                               “never forget”