Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`Rhonda Fleming was a popular movie star of the 1940s and 1950s and was dubbed the Queen of Technicolor. Late in life, she became a philanthropist and supporter in fights against cancer, homelessness, and child abuse.

“`She began working as a screen actor while attending Beverly Hills High School. Fleming’s well-regarded Hollywood agent Henry Willson went to work for David O. Selznick, who put Rhonda under contract. Fleming had bit parts in Since You Went Away for Selznick and in When Strangers Marry.

“`Her first notable role was in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound. Rhonda’s next assignment was The Spiral Staircase.  Fleming starred in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Out of the Past, The Eagle and the Hawk, While the City Sleeps, and Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. She played herself in The Patsy. The red-head shared screen time with Robert Mitchum, Bing Crosby, Kirk Douglas, Glenn Ford, Burt Lancaster, Bob Hope, Rock Hudson and Ronald Reagan

“`On the small screen, she guest-starred in  The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Red Skelton Show, three episodes of Wagon Train, The Virginian, MacMillan and Wife, Kung Fu and The Love Boat. In 1957, Fleming made her stage musical debut in Las Vegas at the opening of the Tropicana Hotel’s showroom. Later, she appeared at the Hollywood Bowl in a one-woman concert with compositions from Cole Porter and Irving Berlin.

“`Rhonda Fleming (above) was ninety-seven.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The popularity of The Wizard of Oz in 1939 led to a swarm of fantasy flicks over the next decade. These are motion picture gems that captured the notion that better (and sometimes worse) angels live among us. These were lavish 1940s productions with top stars of the day.

“`With Covid 19 a reality… Why not indulge in a little cinematic escapism?

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`I am thrilled to share my latest interview on Celebrating Act 2. I join Art Kirsch and John Coleman as we chat about great screenwriters of Hollywood’s Golden Age. This is a popular topic for me, since I have written articles on the subject and conduct classroom lectures as well.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Whitey Ford was the New Yorker who had the best winning percentage of any pitcher in the twentieth century,  and helped the Yankees become baseball’s perennial champions in the 1950s and 1960s. On the franchise defined by power hitters,  Ford was considered its finest starting pitcher. The wily left-hander excelled in the majors from 1950-1967, all with the Yankees, and teamed with the likes of Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and Yogi Berra to earn six championships. Mantle was his pal on-and-off the field.

“`The Yankees signed Ford in 1947 and three years later he was called up in midseason. At just 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Ford was considered a marginal prospect.  But he won nine straight games and nailed down the 1950 World Series sweep of the Phillies by winning the fourth game. After two years away for military service during the Korean War (he remained stateside in the Army), Ford returned to the Yanks in 1953 and, along with Mantle, became their core of the team.

“`Ford was in his mid-20s when he became the ace in manager Casey Stengel’s rotation. He was Stengel’s choice to pitch World Series openers eight times, a record. He won 236 games and lost just 106, a winning percentage of .690. The Fall Classic record book is crowded with his accomplishments, still holding records for World Series games and starts, innings pitched, wins, and strikeouts.

“`He and Mantle remained centerpieces in the Yankees dynasty and were elected together to the Hall of Fame in 1974.  The team retired his No. 16 the month Ford was inducted into the Hall. After his retirement, Ford briefly worked as a broadcaster.

“`Know as the Chairman of the Board, Edward Charles Whitey Ford (above) was ninety-one.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The shutdown of Broadway in New York City has been extended. The suspension of performances through May 30, 2021 marks an extended delay before shows will return.

“`Refund info for unused tickets sold during this shutdown period can be obtained at respective box-offices.  Productions are projected to resume over a series of rolling dates beginning June 2021.

“`Broadway performances were suspended on March 12, 2020.  At that time, thirty-one productions were running, including eight new shows in previews. Additionally, eight productions were in rehearsals preparing to open in the spring.

“`Local actors have felt the brunt of this shutdown.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`It is October. Why not showcase an all-time great Vincent Price movie-monster classics…

“`It tells the story of a scientist who is transformed into a grotesque creature after a house fly enters into a molecular transporter,  resulting in his atoms combining with those of the insect. It produces a human–fly hybrid.

“`Producer-director Kurt Neumann discovered a short story by George Langelaan in Playboy Magazine. Screenplay writer James Clavell adapted Langelaan’s story. The Fly was released in July 1958. Producer-director Kurt Neumann died only a few weeks after its premiere, never realizing he had made the biggest hit of his career.

“`The movie was released in  CinemaScope with Color by Deluxe by Twentieth Century Fox. There were also two black-and-white sequels: Return of the Fly and Curse of the Fly.  The original flick was remade in 1986 by director David Cronenberg. The production’s financial success led to Vincent Price becoming a major horror icon, competing with work of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

“`There is no debate about it… The Fly is a classic! Anyone got a swatter?

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`I offer a rare gift.  When asked by Palos Verdes Pulse to write an article that celebrates Hallow’s Eve, I decided to offer an excerpt from my second book, Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History; a portion of the Lon Chaney Jr. story.

“`I have penned fifty-six published chapters over three books. And, I currently have another twelve entries in the queue for my next work. Without a doubt, a favorite chapter was my take on the career of Lon Chaney Jr. I attempted to capture the humanity of an iconic family of cinema; a tactile tale of love and caring for those cast off in society.

https://www.palosverdespulse.com/blog/2020/10/4/the-pathos-of-a-monster-lon-chaney-jr-a-forgotten-hollywood-essay-by-manny-pacheco

“`Please take a moment to check it out. And if you enjoy my storytelling, I invite you to check out my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series.

“`Enjoy!

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“`A quick thank you to Donald Wilson of Utah.  He is the initial purchaser to offer a critique of Road to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History and gave a five-star review on Amazon. He writes about my latest work:

Enjoyed the thorough discussion about the actors!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Another legendary St. Louis Cardinal has passed on  (Last month, we lost Lou Brock). Bob Gibson became a tough pitcher, who battled Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Juan Marichal. The pinnacle of his career was 1968, when Gibby posted a 1.12 ERA for the season. He then recorded seventeen strikeouts in Game One of the 1968 World Series.

“`After briefly playing under contract to both the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team and the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Bob decided to continue playing only baseball professionally. He became a full-time starting pitcher in July 1961.

“`A nine-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, he won two Cy Young Awards and the 1968 National League Most Valuable Player Award. Only Clayton Kershaw has won the MVP award as a National League pitcher. Known for intimidating opposing batters, he was elected in 1981 to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in his initial year of eligibility. The Cardinals retired his uniform number forty-five in September 1975 and inducted him into the team Hall of Fame in 2014. He was later selected for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999.

“`Off the field, Bill White, Curt Flood, and Gibson led a civil rights campaign to allow players to live in the same clubhouse and hotel rooms. The Cardinals became the first sports team to end segregation, three years before Lyndon Johnson signed Great Society legislation in 1964.

“`After retiring from playing baseball, Gibson had various assignments with the Cardinals, and with their local broadcast team and on ESPN. He spent the last years of his life with his family in Omaha.

“`Bob Gibson was eighty four.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`I join Art Kirsch and John Coleman on Celebrating Act 2 as we converse about a specialized casting of actors on television and the big screen. It is known as Stuntcasting. Let us provide examples of this cinematic practice…

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`UPDATE!  Tonight’s segment on KLCS – Everybody with Angela Williamson has been postponed to October 14th due to unforeseen circumstances.  The delay was a last-minute decision, so I apologize for the viewing inconvenience.

“`I recommend you still watch the program tonight. Angela is a marvelous interviewer, and her guests are quite compelling. I promise to be on in a couple of weeks.

“`Please pass the word along about this postponement. I will keep you posted as to further bulletins as they break!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Two fabulous song-stylists have passed away within hours of each other. They also dabbled in motion pictures.

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“`A performer since childhood, Helen Reddy was part of a show-business family in Melbourne, Australia. She won a contest that brought her to the United States and launched her recording career.

“`Helen Reddy shot to stardom in the 1970s with a rousing feminist anthem, I Am Woman, and also recorded a string of other hits. I Don’t Know How to Love Him, from Jesus Christ Superstar, launched a decade-long string of Top 40 hits, including Ain’t No Way To Treat a Lady, Delta Dawn, Angie Baby, and You and Me Against the World.

“`Her success led to a brief screen career, with roles in Airport ’75 and Pete’s Dragon. On television, guest-starred in The Love Boat, Fantasy Island and The Jefferson’s. She was one of the many fronts on The Midnight Special;  and for one season, she was the host of The Helen Reddy Show.

“`Reddy retired from performing in the 1990s and returned to Australia,  getting her degree in clinical hypnotherapy. She later returned to California, where in the 1970s she had served on a statewide Parks and Recreation Commission, and returned to the stage occasionally.

“`Helen Reddy was seventy eight.

             HELEN REDDY                                   MAC DAVIS

“`Mac Davis was a singer, songwriter, and actor, originally from Lubbock Texas, who enjoyed much crossover success. His early work writing for Elvis Presley produced the hits Memories, In the Ghetto, Don’t Cry Daddy, and A Little Less Conversation (written for Aretha Franklin). Davis was originally inspired by fellow Lubbock native Buddy Holly.

“`Davis decided to pursue a career of his own in country music;  he was signed to Columbia Records in 1970. After several years of enriching the repertoires of other artists, his success came two years after signing with Columbia.  He topped the Country and Pop charts with the song, Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me.

“`He turned to cinema with appearances in North Dallas Forty and The Sting II. For two seasons, he hosted his own television variety program on NBC, The Mac Davis Show. He also starred in the lead role in the Broadway production of The Will Rogers Follies. Mac was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.

“`Mac Davis was seventy-eight.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Have you ever noticed that almost every In-N-Out burger location has two crossed palm trees out front? It seems that the founder, Harry Snyder, branded his company to honor his favorite movie.

“`It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World features just about every major television and movie comic, and the climax takes place in a fictional locale in San Diego: Santa Rosita State Park. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a set of palm trees lined up to resemble a Big W. And in the ground is a suitcase filled with gobs of cash. Exactly where Smiler Grogan said it would be.

“`Snyder, wanting to mark each In-N-Out as his own treasure, started planting palm trees that crossed at all locations, paying homage to the 1963 comedy classic. Today, the crossed palm trees have been incorporated into all of the restaurant’s marketing plan, from bumper stickers to drink coasters to the homepage of their website.

“`Now, that is what a hamburger is all about.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Turner Classic Movies  is honoring the career of the diminutive dynamo, Mickey Rooney, to celebrate his one hundredth birthday. Among the day delicacies provided:  The Human Comedy, Boys Town, and Strike Up the Band.                                      MICKEY ROONEY –>

“`In a career spanning nine decades and continuing until shortly before his death,  Rooney appeared in over three hundred films and was among the last surviving stars of the silent-film era.  Rooney first performed in vaudeville as a child and made his film debut at the age of six.  He was the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar for his leading role in Babes in Arms, and he was awarded a special Academy Juvenile Award in 1939.  Rooney was the biggest box-office attraction from 1939 to 1941.  He would star in every one of the Andy Hardy  productions. He put his career on hold to serve during World War II.

“`Rooney’s popularity was renewed later in his career with character roles in films, such as The Bridges at Toko-Ri,  Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Requiem for a Heavyweight, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and The Black Stallion. He made memorable appearances on television in The Twilight Zone and The Judy Garland Show.

“`In the early 1980s, Mickey ventured to Broadway in Sugar Babies, and again, he became a celebrated star. Rooney won an Emmy and Golden Globe in 1982 for his starring turn in Bill.

“`Happy heavenly birthday to the Mick!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Celebrating Act 2 presents an out-of-this-world look at the Science Fiction Space Travel genre of cinema. I join hosts Art Kirsch and John Coleman for this enthralling discussion.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Her desire was to someday have nine women on the court’s highest bench. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an influential women’s rights champion who rose to become the high court’s second female justice. Ruth was also a cultural phenomenon who earned the moniker: Notorious RBG. The reference was the title of her biography.

“`Joan Ruth Bader was born in Brooklyn in 1933. Her early dream was to become an opera singer.  Ginsburg graduated top of her Columbia University  law school class in 1959, but could not find employment. Being Jewish, female,  and a mother proved to be problematic for the mostly male law firms of the time.       RUTH BADER GINSBURG –>

“`Ruth wed Martin Ginsburg in 1954, the year she graduated from Cornell University. She attended Harvard University’s law school, but transferred to Columbia when her husband took a law job there. Martin went on to become a prominent tax attorney and law professor.

“`As a lawyer, she argued six key cases before the high court in the 1970s when she was an architect of the women’s rights movement. She won five.  Her appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1993 was a first by a Democrat in twenty-six years. Ginsburg found a comfortable ideological home somewhere left of center on a conservative court dominated by Republican appointees. Her liberal voice grew stronger the longer she served.

“`On the court, where she was known as a facile writer. Besides civil rights, Ginsburg took an interest in capital punishment, voting repeatedly to limit its use. She grew to author powerful dissents of her own in cases involving abortion,  voting rights, and pay discrimination against women. Ruth’s goal was to influence future justices of the high court with her points of view. Curiously, here closest colleague was the late Antonin Scalia, her judicial polar opposite.

“`Recently, an award-winning documentary was made about her career.  She was also the subject of a feature film, On the Basis of Sex, which took a dramatic look at her life with Marty as she strived to establish her career.

“`In 1999, Ginsburg was treated for colon cancer.  She had surgery again in 2009 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer;  and in December, 2018, for cancerous growths on her left lung. Following the last procedure, she missed court sessions for the first time in over twenty-five years on the bench. Ginsburg also was treated with radiation for a tumor on her pancreas in August 2019. She maintained an active schedule even during the three weeks of radiation. When she revealed the recurrence of her cancer in July 2020, Ginsburg remained fully able to continue as a justice.

“`Before we re-enter the arena of political battle, let us remember this wisp of a woman who became a larger-than-life feminist icon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was eighty-seven.

Until next time>                               “never forget”