Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   If you are looking for something on Google today, the search engine offers a neat surprise. A comic strip photograph of Audrey Hepburn will emerge. It’s in honor of her 85th birthday. Google likes to do these little tidbits to brighten one’s day. This one is special for folks who adore Hollywood’s Golden Age.

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   Sally Field is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a special event along Hollywood Blvd. The 67-year old actress and two-time Oscar-winner will receive a Star along the Walk of Fame. Emcee Leron Gubler, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to help Ms. Field unveil the 2,524th Star in the category of Motion Pictures at 6767 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Hollywood Wax Museum.

   Field is very involved with philanthropic work and has served on the Board of Directors of Vital Voices since 2002. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Sundance Institute, from 1994 to 2010.

   The Star ceremony will be streamed live exclusively on www.walkoffame.com.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   There were two kinds of households in the US during the 1960s; families who watched the Ed Sullivan Show, and folks who turned to The F.B.I. as a television alternative. My dad never missed the weekly crime drama. The star of the iconic cop show was Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (right), who played Lewis Erskine.

   He was the son of violin virtuoso Efrem Zimbalist and Alma Gluck, an acclaimed opera singer. Young Efrem studied the violin too, but, he developed more interest in acting. He spent the majority of his career in television, starring in 77 Sunset Strip, and guest starred on Maverick. Other small screen roles were on the Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Murder She Wrote, and Hotel. In motion pictures, Zimbalist appeared in Harlow, Wait Until Dark, and Airport ’75. His daughter Stephanie also took up acting — and small-screen detective work, in the 1980s series Remington Steele. Her father had a recurring part as a con man.

   Zimbalist joined fellow actors William Lundigan, Chill Wills, and Walter Brennan, in making appearances on behalf of US Senator Barry M. Goldwater, the Republican nominee in the campaign against President Lyndon B. Johnson. Zimbalist also maintained a strong personal relationship with J. Edgar Hoover, who requested technical accuracy for The F.B.I., and that agents be portrayed in the best possible light. Actors who played FBI employees were required by Hoover to undergo a background check. The Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation honored the character of Lewis Erskine in 1985 with a set of retired credentials. On June 8, 2009, FBI Director Robert Mueller presented Zimbalist with a plaque of an honorary special agent for his work on the television series.

   Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was 95.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   If anyone gives you a Barnes & Noble gift card, be sure to cash it in by the end of the year. The bookstore chain may disappear by 2015.

   It’s bad news for people who love books. It’s worse news for the next generation of readers, who may never experience buying a book in person. B&N has been closing about 20 stores per year since 2012, and has said it will continue to do so for the next several years. But its financial position is bleak.

   So, why is B&N on the ropes if it has virtually no competition today from chains or privately owned bookstores? Five reasons…

1. Amazon makes it so easy to buy books.

2. Publishers thrashed B&N by selling best-sellers at deep discounts in non-traditional outlets such as supermarkets, Wal-Mart, and Costco, thus removing a key source of revenue for the chain.

3. The woefully underfunded Nook is competing with Amazon’s Kindle, which is like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

4. The antiquated model of printing books on spec, putting them on trucks, and crossing your fingers that they’ll sell doesn’t work in the internet print-on-demand era.

5. Book buyers want decent customer service. At B&N, the only way to find a sales clerk is to attempt to shoplift.

   In many B&N stores, it’s actually hard to find books. You have got to wade through toys, umbrellas, Nook displays, chocolate bars, notebooks, birthday cards, and other stuff that has stolen shelf space from books.

   Barnes & Noble killed privately owned bookstores, and Amazon and technology are killing B&N. The publishers have to be running scared.  If B&N suddenly shutters its doors, then billions of dollars of books, which the bookstores take on consignment, go into the limbo of bankruptcy court.

   Can B&N hang on through the holidays? Most likely. But, sad to say, once Black Friday gives way to Christmas, a once-proud book chain may well have reached its final chapter. And that would be chapter 11, of the Bankruptcy Code.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Bob Hoskins was a short, rotund, bespectacled Brit with an immense amount of talent. He is best known for portraying a variety of cockneys and gangsters. In between, he effortlessly worked as a private investigator with an animated rabbit named Roger. He left us a treasure trove of great performances.

   Hoskins’ acting career began in 1969 at the Unity Theatre. His first major television role was in On the Move, an educational series intended to tackle adult illiteracy.  In the same year, he came to wider attention in the original BBC version of Dennis Potter’s drama Pennies from Heaven.

   Hoskins had a small role as a rock band’s manager in the Pink Floyd film The Wall. He was slated to be a last-minute replacement in the film The Untouchables if star Robert De Niro had not decided to play Al Capone. When De Niro took the part, director Brian De Palma mailed Hoskins a check for £20,000 with a Thank You note, which prompted Hoskins to call up De Palma and ask him if there were any more movies he didn’t want him to be in.

   Hoskins’ performances in British films such as The Long Good Friday and Mona Lisa won him the wider approval of the critics and, in the case of the latter, a Cannes Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Hoskins appeared in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, for which he received a second Golden Globe nod. Other roles included performances in Mermaids, Hook, Nixon, A Christmas Carol, Neverland, a remake of The Lost World, and finally, in Snow White and the Huntsman.

   Hoskins announced his retirement from acting in 2012, due to his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease. The pugnacious Bob Hoskins was 71.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   A museum in Wyoming has acquired an old pistol made famous by a masked hero of television from more than 60 years ago. The Lone Ranger’s Colt .45 is on display at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, in Cody.

   The single-action revolver once belonged to actor John Hart. He portrayed the Lone Ranger in the original television series that ran from 1952 to 1954, about a masked Texas Ranger who battled injustice in the Old West. His sidekick Tonto was one of the most well-known American Indian stereotypes of all time. Hart replaced Clayton Moore in 1952 for one season when Moore demanded a higher salary.

   Hart used several firearms over his acting career, but this gun is special. It features ivory grips and intricate engraving. The Powell Tribune reports the museum also has acquired autographed photos of Hart in costume and a cookbook he wrote in the 1990s. Hart died in 2009 at age 91.

   A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty Hi-Yo Silver… The Lone Ranger! Let’s return to those thrilling days of yesteryear…

   Cue the William Tell Overture.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Harper Lee has agreed for To Kill a Mockingbird to be made available as an eBook and digital audiobook, finally filling one of the biggest gaps in the digital library. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel will be released digitally on July 8th. With digital holdouts from JK Rowling to Ray Bradbury changing their minds over the past few years, Harper Lee’s novel had ranked with JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye as a missing prize for eBook readers. Other works still unavailable as eBooks include The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude.

   First published in July 1960, Mockingbird has sold more than 30m copies worldwide, and that total is climbing by more than 1m copies a year, according to HarperCollins. Lee never published another book, which only seemed to add to the novel’s appeal. For decades she has resisted interviews and public appearances. She turned 88 on Monday and lives in her native Alabama.

   It was adapted into a 1962 motion picture that featured an Oscar-winning performance by Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, the courageous Alabama attorney who passionately defends a black man against charges that he raped a white woman.

   The eBook will be published by Cornerstone in the UK. The audiobook will become a downloadable edition of the existing CD narrated by Sissy Spacek.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Fox apparently isn’t going to let NBC dominate the world of live television musicals. Fox jumped into the game, announcing it will broadcast a three-hour live version of Grease that will feature a young ensemble cast yet to be named. Live television productions of the 1950s were quite popular in its day, and it attracted up-and-coming actors.

   NBC got a ratings boost last December with its live broadcast of The Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood. It says it’s working on a live production of Peter Pan for next December.

   Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Its 3,388-performance run was the longest in Broadway history (at the time), although it was surpassed by A Chorus Line a few years later. Adrienne Barbeau won the Theatre Circle Award for her performance as Rizzo in the original production. The choreography and costume design was given the Drama Desk Award.  It remains Broadway’s 15th longest-running show.

   Grease features such tunes as You’re the One That I Want, We Go Together, Greased Lightnin’, and Summer Nights. It was made into a 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

   The live televised version will be a production of Paramount Television.

   Rydell High… here we come!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Mark Burnett and Roma Downey will produce a new version of the historical epic Ben-Hur, as the faith-based film revival continues on the big screen. Paramount Pictures and MGM announced today that they will co-produce the epic. The film is set for release in February 2016.

   Lewis Wallace’s 1880 novel has been adapted several times, most notably the 1959 film starring Charlton Heston. Famous for its chariot race scene, the film won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A silent version was popular for its day.

   Burnett and Downey also produced the recently released film Son of God, which used footage from The Bible, which recently aired on the History Channel. They have become the go-to collaborators for biblical stories.

   Paramount has helped drive Hollywood’s new attention to this genre of epics with Darren Aronofsky’s Noah. It recently crossed $300 million in global box office.

   Bless the modern-day apostles!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Variety is reporting British Pathé, the UK newsreel archive company, has uploaded its entire 100-year collection of 85,000 historic films in high resolution to YouTube. The collection, which spans from 1896 to 1976, comprises some 3,500 hours of historical footage of major events, notable figures, fashion, travel, sports and culture. It includes extensive film from both World War I and World War II.

   Personalities captured in the newsreels include Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Marilyn Monroe, Fidel Castro, John Lennon, Salvador Dali, Mother Teresa, Muhammad Ali, and Charlie Chaplin. British Pathé already makes numerous video clips available on its website free for personal use, and it licenses the archive to television and film producers, and other companies and organizations.

   The YouTube channel is being managed by German online-media company Mediakraft, which will create new content using British Pathé material in English and other languages. Its founder, Charles Pathé, was a pioneer of moving pictures in the silent era.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3 is a new book that chronicles the tragic death of the gifted actress. The book also offers a day-by-day look at the struggles of her husband, Clark Gable, and Lombard’s family, friends, and fans, to cope with the tragedy.

   On January 16th, 1942, Hollywood’s Queen of Screwball  stepped onto a Transcontinental & Western Airlines DC-3, designated as Flight 3 in Indianapolis with her mother, Elizabeth Peters, and MGM publicity man Otto Winkler. Lombard had just completed the first sale of war bonds and stamps in the nation following its entry into World War II. Exhausted from five days on the road, Carole intended to return home to California by the quickest means possible. Fourteen hours into the trip, Flight 3 lay a flaming pile of debris, strewn across the side of Potosi Mountain, Nevada.

   Fireball is a fresh look at Carole Lombard’s life, and presents a first-ever examination of the events that led to that final flight and her death. Lombard became the first Hollywood star to sacrifice her life in World War II. The War Department offered Gable a funeral service with full military honors, but the actor refused, knowing his wife would never have approved such a spectacle.

   But, Fireball goes further and explores the lives of the 21 other passengers on the plane, including 15 members of the US Army Air Corps, and addresses one of the most enduring mysteries of World War II: On a clear night full of stars, with TWA’s most experienced pilot at the controls of a 10-month-old aircraft under the power of two fully functioning engines, why did Flight 3 crash into that Nevada mountainside? Author Robert Matzen visited the wreckage site for inspiration to tell the tragic story. He also interviewed Robert Stack (a close friend of Lombard) prior to his death for his insight on the sad event.

   Life magazine sent photojournalist Myron Davis on the road to capture Lombard’s day of bondselling for an uplifting photo essay. Davis made 32 negatives on January 15th, 1942 and returned to Chicago to process the film… only to receive the call that Lombard was dead. Life subsequently killed his story and used only one of the photos in its obituary of the actress. A few others made newswires or surfaced for high-quality reproduction, while the rest remained in a trunk for 70 years. The entire group acquired from Myron Davis’s estate, many of these fascinating photos will be published for the first time in Fireball. All photos chosen for print have never been seen and offer a glimpse of Lombard’s hectic last full day of life.

    Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3 by Robert Matzen is published through Goodnight Books.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

History buffs might not know this, but it seems—April 14th to April 20th—appears to be the worst week in American history. For example, the assassination of President Lincoln, the great San Francisco earthquake, the sinking of the Titanic, Bay of Pigs invasion, Columbine shooting, Oklahoma City bombing, etc. all happened during this seven-day period in history. This year, factor in Good Friday, and you get the point.

   Many movies and television programs have alluded to these events in history; what I like to call Hollywood-and-Vine moments. The best of these cinematic endeavors: San Francisco, Gone with the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, The Red Badge of Courage, A Night to Remember, 1776, and Apollo 13. I’m convinced more will follow…

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   This is my 1000th blog story. I began this journey into Forgotten Hollywood in September of 2009. I never dreamed I would be announcing this milestone 4 1/2 years later. During this period, I received accolades from the Los Angeles Press Club and a litany of folks. Thank you for your continued support on this wonderful milestone!

   Have a great day… Happy Easter!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The daughter of Stan Laurel is inviting all fans of Laurel & Hardy to this year’s globally famous Sons of the Desert Convention to be held in Hollywood, CA. Her personal call-to-arms came on Hal Roach Studios letterhead. How classy is that!

   It’s is a weeklong international convention, tour, and film fest leading up to the 4th of July. Are you ready for another fine mess?

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Hairstyles have really changed over the years; especially during Hollywood’s Golden Age. I thought it might be fun to show the kind of looks iconic actresses have had during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. You got to love this cultural expose!

   Jennifer Aniston would be jealous. Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The Keystone Film Company, under the able guidance from producer and director Mack Sennett, was the birthplace of classic American slapstick comedy. This historic studio was at one time home to a staggering number of silent screen luminaries, including Mabel Normand, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Harold Lloyd, Gloria Swanson, Wallace Beery, Harry Langdon, Marie Dressler, Ben Turpin, Charley Chase, Al St. John, Mack Swain, Billy Bevan, Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling, Edgar Kennedy, Eddie Quillan, The Keystone Cops, and countless others. Even Charlie Chaplin, still the world’s most recognized actor, introduced his beloved Tramp character under the auspices of Keystone. Later, under the Mack Sennett Comedies banner, Sennett went on to produce a new generation of sound comedies, some in early color, featuring the likes of W.C. Fields, Bing Crosby, Andy Clyde, and more. Mack was a true cinematic visionary.

   Thanks to Flicker Alley, CineMuseum, and Keystone Films, over 100 of the surviving Sennett comedies have been gathered from around the world, fully restored, and digitally re-mastered in HD for Blu-ray home video. The Mack Sennett Collection, Vol. One features the first 50 of these films presented on a three-disc Blu-ray set.

   These new editions have been painstakingly reconstructed by CineMuseum and Keystone Films using original 35mm nitrate, archival negatives, preservation materials, and sometimes the lone known surviving print, from the collections of the Library of Congress, Museum of Modern Art, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Blackhawk Films, Lobster Films, the Richard M. Roberts Collection, Gierucki Studios, and dozens of privately held archives.

   Along with Hal Roach, Mack Sennett is a true pioneer of early film comedy.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier 67 years ago, was honored at every ballpark on Tuesday. During one celebration at MLB’s third annual Diversity Business Summit, Rev. Jesse Jackson praised Commissioner Bud Selig for the strides the sport has taken in minority opportunities over the past two decades. Currently, MLB sponsors 35 Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars, a charity benefitting education for gifted students.

   As a proud UCLA Bruin alumnus, I’m delighted to let the current baseball head coach offer this wonderful analysis:

   Selig points out that Robinson’s first game occurred more than a year before President Harry Truman desegregated the United States military, and seven years before the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision that ruled state laws requiring segregated public schools were unconstitutional. An opening ceremony was scheduled for Yankee Stadium to unveil a plaque commemorating Nelson Mandela’s visit to the old New York ballpark in 1990. However, the Bronx Bomber game against the Chicago Cubs was rained out, and the ceremony, which includes Zondwa Mandela, a grandson of the late South African president, was pushed back until later this evening.

   Prior to last year’s 42, which chronicled the first year Robinson played in the Major Leagues, and featured Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, United Artists produced a 1950 biography that starred Jackie Robinson as himself. Principal photography for the movie took place in the off-season following his third season with the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 2005, 20th Century Fox and Legend Films released a colorized version of the film, donating a portion of the proceeds to the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Until next time>                               “never forget”