Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`A mural was created in 2016 to honor Ava Gardner and the historic Ambassador Hotel and Cocoanut Grove. In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, a presidential candidate, was murdered at the Ambassador after winning the California Primary. Currently, the location is the site of the Robert F. Kennedy School.

“`The mural image created by Beau Stanton depicts the profile of Gardner, a major star during Hollywood’s Golden Age, and the architectural elements and ornaments from the original site’s brass doors, moorish arches, columns, and palms. This might be a feel-good story; however…

“`Asian groups are demanding the mural be removed  because the background resembles the Rising Sun Flag, Japan’s militaristic symbol during the twentieth century. It was primarily used by the military of Imperial Japan and its Self Defense Forces.  This is thought to be extremely offensive in countries formally subjected to Japanese imperialism. Allied nations are reminded of Japan’s former war crimes, as well. The flag has been compared to the Nazi swastika.

“`For his part, Stanton says he had zero intention to recreate a symbol of repression and hate. The artist did not want to be in the eye of a controversy. However, Beau argues that the mural should stay for its artistic interpretation of a classic film star and the legacy of an iconic locale.

“`School officials will consider the official complaint and make a decision on whether to keep or remove the mural.

“`Bulletins as they break…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Eric Charles Mokotoff is a major fan of cinema, and he has created a petition to encourage posthumous recognition for the great silent star, Lon Chaney. He writes:

In order to preserve the importance and history of Silent Film, we ask the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to honor the great Lon Chaney by acknowledging him in the Academy with a special lifetime award.

Lon Chaney has never been recognized by the Academy, and to date, merely has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That is not enough. 

His filmography is extensive and his contribution to movie history as The Man of 1000 Faces needs to be recognized.

Many of his films are lost and we are now ready to celebrate one hundred years of his eternal gift.

Generations, school, colleges etc can benefit from the life lessons he taught us on the silver screen. His portrayal of those less fortunate as lessons for even today as we become more inclusive to the outcasts of society because of their birth of having special needs or disabilities.

Now more then ever we need to share Chaney’s work and preserve and repair his films forever.

                                                    LON CHANEY

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Stan Lee was a creative force who revolutionized the comic book and helped make wealth for Hollywood by allowing Marvel Comics superheroes such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and Incredible Hulk to appear on celluloid. And every allegory were framed as a parable for race relations, anti-Semitism, and the Red Scare.

                             STAN LEE

“`Lee grew up a fan of Hardy Boys adventure books and the performances of Errol Flynn, He got a job at Timely Comics after graduating from high school. It eventually evolved into the iconic Marvel Comics. After a stint in the Army during World War II writing training movies, Stan was back at Marvel. Comics in the 1950s were a subject of Senate hearings pushed by the Comics Code Authority, which frowned on gore and characters that questioned authority.

“`As the top writer, and later as its publisher, Lee was widely considered the architect of the contemporary comic book, reviving the industry in the 1960s. Stan insisted on sophisticated plots, college-level dialogue, satire, science fiction and even philosophy. Plus, his heroes had flaws. He breathed personality, ambiguity, and a common narrative into soon-to-be-beloved characters.

“`Lee hit his stride in the 1960s when he brought the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and numerous others to life. And his superheroes were complicated. Each confronted issues, such as insecurity with fighting villains, self-loathing, unrequited crushes,  money problems, disease, disability, and even, dandruff. The characters were normal people transformed into reluctant superheroes through no fault of their own.

“`CBS turned the Hulk into a successful television program with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno portraying the doomed scientist from 1978 – 1982. Animated productions featured Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and the Fantastic Four. And X-Men led the way to an onslaught of Marvel movies currently released each year.

“`In 2000, Lee began to write stories for DC Comics, and he reinvented Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and other signature characters for Marvel’s one-time rival. The comic book genius continued to work into his nineties on numerous projects, including comics, films, and DVDs.

“`Stan Lee was 95.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`As part of their 25th anniversary,  Turner Classic Movies is selecting twenty-five viewers who submit a special cinematic dedication to someone special in their lives. The entries must run ninety seconds long, and each contestant chosen will have the opportunity to appear live on TCM with Ben Mankiewicz.

“`Here is my entry dedicated to my grandmother…

“`Mighty Joe Young might be an odd choice for a dedication, but my grandmother Margaret Prouty always enjoyed fantasy-themed movies. By the way, I also dedicated my initial literary work, Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, to my grandma.

“`I am hoping to spend treasured time at the studios of TCM. Wish me good luck!!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The National Park Service that oversees the famed Paramount Ranch in Agoura, CA has confirmed that the Western Town portion of the facility has burned down.  It was immediately in the path of the fast-moving Woolsey Fire, which has increased to 14,000 acres.

“`The site south of the 101 Freeway has been a locale for famous movie and television shoots since Paramount Pictures first leased the ranch in 1927. For twenty-five years, a who’s who of Hollywood have practiced their craft at Paramount Ranch, such as director Cecil B DeMille and actors Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, Claudette Colbert.  The Adventures of Marco Polo went into production at the site in 1938. Sandra Bullock is a current movie star who has worked on the ranch set.

“`In the 1950s, Western Town was built for television programs, including The Cisco Kid,  Gunsmoke,  Have Gun Will Travel, The Rifleman, Bat Masterson, The X-Files, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman were filmed there, as well as The Mentalist, Weeds and Hulu’s Quickdraw. It was recently used as a set for the first and second seasons of HBO’s Westworld.

“`On a personal note, my parents had to evacuate their Thousand Oaks home threatened by fire. My sister, who also lives in the area, is not under mandatory evacuation. I am in contact with my family throughout this crises.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`King Kong – The epic modern myth comes alive on Broadway through an innovative mix of animatronics, puppetry, music, and stagecraft.  This stage show premiered on Thursday at the Broadway Theatre. It is based on Merian C. Cooper’s 1932 adventure novel that inspired the 1933 Hollywood classic, and a subsequent film franchise.

“`Directed and choreographed by Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie, King Kong features an electrifying music score by Marius de Vries (La La Land) and Eddie Perfect (Beetlejuice the Musical), and a book by Jack Thorne, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning playwright of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

“`This oft-told story has appeared in a number of movies, with the original a ground-breaking production making stars of producer/director/scribe Merian C Cooper, actors Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, and special effects animator Willis O’Brien.  Composer Max Steiner’s score for King Kong modeled the method of adding background music into a motion picture.

“`King Kong is a gripping and spectacular tale of unlikely friendships, unshakable courage, and breaking free from cages others put us in. Do not miss this exhilarating, emotional LIVE encounter with a legend that has always been too big to contain.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`Eddie Foy III was a casting director who helped deliver Sally Field to Gidget, Barbara Eden to I Dream of Jeannie, Robin Williams to Mork and Mindy, and Henry Winkler to Happy Days. He also help put together the group (Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones) for The Monkees. Foy spent over four decades in casting, starting out at Screen Gems and 20th Century Fox. Foy was named director of casting at ABC in 1976 and served as a vice president at NBC.

“`Foy III was born in showbiz. His father, Foy, Jr., appeared in dozens of Broadway shows and Hollywood films, from The Pajama Game on stage to Yankee Doodle Dandy on screen. His grandfather was Eddie Foy Sr. of the famed vaudeville act — The Seven Little Foys.

“`Eddie Foy III began his career in front of the camera on television in Highway Patrol and Father Knows Best; and in cinema in Run Silent Run Deep. His connections led him to a career in the casting office.

“`Foy’s credits included Naked City, Dennis the Menace, The Donna Reed Show, Route 66, Room 222, That Girl, Soap, Hill Street Blues, Charlie’s Angels, and Barney Miller. Foy also helped cast such films as Planet of the Apes and The Great White Hope.

“`He later worked for Dick Clark Productions and was a long-standing independent casting director and talent executive for the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. In 1959, he served as the cut man for featherweight boxing champion Davey Moore. Foy was on the board of the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He was honored by the Television Academy for contributions to the advancement of television casting.

“`Eddie Foy III (above) was 83.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson has received one of Britain’s highest awards from Prince William — and thought about giving him a kiss at the Buckingham Palace ceremony. Dame Emma was honored in recognition for her splendid career, and it was presented to her by William, a longtime friend. And she wore sneakers to the event.

“`Emma was named for the female equivalent of a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honors List in June. The citation calls her one of Britain’s most versatile and celebrated actresses. She plans to use the honor to focus attention on the plight of poor children who don’t get adequate food during school holidays.

“`Her long list of film roles includes favorites like The Remains of the Day. She received the Academy Award for Best Actress for Howard’s End, and an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sense and Sensibility.

“`On a personal note, my new literary work, Road to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, has a chapter that features notable Hollywood actresses named as Dames during the Studio Era — Wendy Hiller and Judith Anderson. My latest paperback is available on Amazon.

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“`By the way, you can find my new book in its second repository:  New York Public Library. Historian has often cited the location — One of the four finest libraries in the nation. Also in Margaret Herrick Library at the  Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Road to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History  resides at two prestigious resource centers.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Michael Douglas has finally received his star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The actor is honored in time for his 50th year in show business. The seventy four-year-old industry veteran was joined by his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 101-year-old father Kirk Douglas, as well as Jane Fonda, who co-starred in 1979′s The China Syndrome.

                                           MICHAEL DOUGLAS

“`Michael has enjoyed a memorable career in show business.  He received an Oscar for his portrayal of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street in 1987. He also starred in Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. More recently, he appeared in Ant Man. On the small screen, he co-starred with Karl Malden in The Streets of San Francisco. Douglas is also a film producer, winning an Academy Award for the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and producing dozens of independent movies.

“`Michael became emotional as he praised dad. The iconic actor waved at cheering fans as his son paid tribute.

“`Michael’s star was number 2,648 on the Walk of Fame.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`As we are prepared to nationally exercise our franchise, I am reminded of something quite patriotic that was created at the dawn of the second half of the twentieth century. And it was referenced by the man of steel.

“`In an updated circulated image of a 1950s-era color poster, Superman is seen speaking to school children about the importance of respecting diversity. Only a small number of posters are thought to still exist, and little information remains about how the poster came to be.

“`In 1949, DC Comics produced a similar illustration and text originally for a 12 x 18 brown paper book cover. It was distributed to schools by the Institute for American Democracy, an offshoot of the Anti-Defamation League.

“`1949 was also the year that DC started publishing, in conjunction with the National Social Welfare Assembly, a long running series of public service messages using their characters in the pages of its comic books.  As a result, Superman became the voice of reason in relation to the subject of racial diversity. Meanwhile, President Harry Truman was eliminating segregation in the military. These decisive intentions sent a clear signal that society was starting to evolve for the good in a steady effort to improve race-relations.

“` A principled and tolerant brand of truth, justice and the American way! This is something to sincerely consider on election day…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`James Whitey Bulger was a Boston gangster who benefited from a corrupt relationship with the F. B. I. before spending years as one of America’s most wanted men. He was a model for Jack Nicholson’s ruthless crime boss in the 2006 Martin Scorsese flick The Departed; and the bio-pic Black Mass that starred Johnny Depp as Bulger. Whitey led a largely Irish mob that directed loan-sharking, gambling, and drug rackets.

“`Whitey was known for helping old ladies across the street and giving turkey dinners to his neighbors at Thanksgiving. He had a kind of Robin Hood-like image among some locals. But, he would put a bullet in the brain of anyone who he even suspected of double-crossing him.

“`Bulger gained notoriety as leader of the Winter Hill Gang. He also was the informant who ratted on the New England mob, his gang’s main rival. This was an era when bringing down the Mafia was a top national effort. His younger brother, William Bulger, became one of the most powerful politicians in Massachusetts, leading the state Senate for seventeen years.

“`He spent sixteen years on the lam as a fugitive before his 2011 capture in Santa Monica. In 2013,  Whitey was convicted for murder, extortion, and money-laundering after a sensational racketeering trial that included stark testimony from three former Bulger cohorts:  a hit man, a protege, and his partner. He was sentenced five years ago to two consecutive life sentences plus five years.

“`Whitey Bulger was found dead at the penitentiary in West Virginia. Believed to be a victim of a mob hit, he was eighty-nine.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`Dorcas Reilly was the woman who created a Thanksgiving staple —  the green bean casserole — enjoyed by millions. The New Jersey resident was the innovator behind the popular dish. It was made with green beans and cream of mushroom soup topped with crunchy fried onions. And it is easy to make!

“`Reilly was a Campbell Soup kitchen supervisor in 1955, when she combined ingredients of the now-legendary green bean casserole for an Associated Press feature. The company said it is the most popular recipe ever to come out of its corporate kitchen.

“`The recipe is still a fixture on soup-can labels and television commercials. The original recipe card was donated to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002.

“`Reilly also helped create a tomato soup meatloaf, a tuna noodle casserole, and a Sloppy Joe-like meal. There were hundreds of meals she created while at the kitchens of Campbell Soup. She worked there between the 1940s and 1988, when she retired as manager of  Campbell’s kitchen.

“`Dorcas Reilly was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`James Karen was a prolific character actor on Broadway, cinema, and television.  He is best known for performances in Poltergeist, Return of the Living Dead, and a recurring role on the small screen in Eight is Enough. He was a friend of Buster Keaton.

“`Congressman Daniel Flood recruited James to become an actor in community theater.  His big break came when he was cast as the understudy to Karl Malden in the original Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Karen became a lifelong member of The Actors Studio. He once made a commercial with The Three Stooges.

                                                     JAMES KAREN

“`He was a familiar face in fine motion pictures, such as  All the President’s Men, I Never Sang For My Father, The China Syndrome, Up Close and Personal, Jagged Edge, The Jazz Singer, Thirteen Days, Wall Street, and The Pursuit of Happyness. On television, Karen guest-starred in Dallas, The Waltons, The Jeffersons, Seinfeld, The Golden Girls  and had recurring roles in daytime soap operas, As the World Turns and All My Children.

“`James Karen was 94.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The Tell-Tale Heart was the twenty-minute 1953 British adaption of Edgar Allan Poe’s psychological drama, and it starred Stanley Baker. The celluloid was rediscovered in 2017 when Jeff Wells, a 16mm enthusiast, found the reel in his loft in Drummore.

“`Wells, who bought the two-reeler from a second-hand shop in Brighton in 1984, got in touch with Adelphi Films after finding out it was missing from their catalogue.  It has been digitally restored, and will be made available to watch online in time for Halloween.

“`Adelphi Films manager Kate Lees had been actively searching for the film for twelve years. The Tell-Tale Heart wwill be available on the BFI Player website for two weeks.

Until next week>                              “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Titanic II is set to make its fourteen-day maiden voyage in 2022. Construction of the replica recently resumed by Blue Star Line after a financial dispute held up the $500 million project for several years.

“`This ship, which features the same cabin layout and decor as the original, sets a course from Dubai to Southampton, England, and then on to New York. It traces the North Atlantic route of its doomed namesake, which sunk on April 12, 1912, three hours after sideswiping an iceberg.

“`The new ocean liner’s first trip will carry almost the same number of passengers and crew as the original. Plus, it boasts modern navigation and safety technology; including life jackets and plenty of lifeboats.

“`Wealthy Americans have offered up to one million dollars each for their opportunity to join the inaugural cruise. A movie production crew will also be on the voyage to document stories of passengers.

“`After its initial voyage, Titanic II will embark on other global routes. The replica is being built in China instead of the original shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Organizers are promoting the vessel as a floating replica museum.

“`It may be a trip to remember. Everything but the iceberg.

Until next time>                               “never forget”