Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`I will be the emcee at Saturday’s event by RetroFormat Silent Films at the Woman’s Club of Hollywood.  Highlighting the evening will be a screening of Rudolph Valentino’s Blood and Sand.

“`The event begins at 6:30p with Rosanne Welch, editor of  When Women Wrote Hollywood: Essays on Female Screenwriters in the Early Film Industry.  She will autograph copies of the book. A story in the work traces the pioneering career of Blood and Sand screenwriter June Mathis. I will be on hand to sign copies of my Forgotten Hollywood book series, as well.

“`Do not miss an opportunity to experience Blood and Sand on the big screen, with live piano by Retroformat Musical Director Cliff Retallick. The Woman’s Club of Hollywood is at 1741 N. La Brea Ave. Go to the Event’s page on Facebook for ticket information at:

https://www.facebook.com/events/321874480774593/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[]%7D

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“`Sad to announce the passing of the ever-delightful Glynis Johns. An award-winning actress, Johns earned an Oscar nod for the 1960 film, The Sundowners. She received a Tony for her role in A Little Night Music and Johns was the first performer to perform a rendition of the iconic Send in the Clowns. Johns may be best known as Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins but I enjoyed her performance in No Highway in the Sky, co-starring with James Stewart. She was memorable in a cameo bit opposite Hermione Gingold in Around the World in Eighty Days.

“`Glynis Johns (right) was one-hundred.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Join me at KLCS on Everybody with Angela Williamson @EverybodyKLCS at 10:30p  (in the Los Angeles area) this evening. Angela and I will be touring the Hollywood Museum. The location of this iconic repository use to be the Max Factor Building.

“`The PBS affiliate airs in Southern California on Channel 58. I will be watching in Cypress on Channel 15. Check your cable provider for your local listing.

“`Consider this my personal Forgotten Hollywood invitation… This is a fun interview!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`With the arrival of 2024, a batch of media are now available in the public domain, including Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie, Peter Pan and Tigger. Classic cinema, standards, books and other artistic works, published in 1928, are entering the public domain, as well,  such as Charlie Chaplin’s The Circus,  Buster Keaton’s  The Cameraman,  The Man Who Laughs, The Crowd,  literary versions of All Quiet on the Western Front and Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Cole Porter’s Let’s Do It, The Threepenny Opera (Mack the Knife), Yes We Have No Bananas, and the live stage version of the Marx Brothers’ Animal Crackers.

“`According to copyright laws at the time, Steamboat Willie was scheduled to enter the public domain in 1984, fifty-six years after it was released. That timeline was lengthened several times,  most recently in 1998 by a congressional act that established the current ninety-five-year limit. The Walt Disney Company lobbied hard for an extension, known famously as the Mickey Mouse Protection Act.

“`Works enter public domain when their copyrights expire, and they are free for use without permission. Trademark law, however, is different. Trademarks cover words, symbols, designs or expressions that identify brands. And they do not expire after a set period of time. That is the so-called turkey in the straw.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Art Kirsch, John Coleman and I on Celebrating Act 2 spends an entire day watch classic Christmas movies. And we have a great time in the viewing room…

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`It is that time of the year again! The 2023 selections of the Library of Congress National Film Registry have just been announced. This year’s selections are more modern and diverse, including Fame (1980),  Home Alone (1990),  The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Apollo 13 (1995) and 12 Years a Slave (2013). Unfortunately, our campaign to get Robert Youngson’s documentaries, Golden Age of Comedy and When Comedy was King, proved unsuccessful this year. The effort continues…

“`Let us look at the Golden Age of Hollywood selections:

~ DINNER AT EIGHT (1933) – Director George Cukor’s pre-Code film features a sumptuous cast assembled by MGM mogul Irving Thalberg, including Jean Harlow, Billie Burke, Lee Tracy, John Barrymore,  Wallace Beery, Marie Dressler and Lionel Barrymore.  Herman J. Mankiewicz and Frances Marion adapted the George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber play for the screen. This is a movie selection that I have proudly voted for through the public nominations process over the last five years!

~ LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) – Walt Disney released it in wide screen CinemaScope to keep people going to theaters following the advent of television. One of the studio’s beloved animated works,  this unlikely love story is made memorable by endearing songs, excellent voice talents (which included Larry Roberts, Verna Felton, Peggy Lee and Stan Freberg) and iconic moments including a kiss involving spaghetti.

“`The Library of Congress National Film Registry annually inducts twenty-five movies that are considered culturally, historically or aesthetically significant. These films must be at least ten years old.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Who claims the mantle of King of Warner Brothers in the 1930s? James Cagney, Errol Flynn, Edward G. Robinson? Art Kirsch, John Coleman and I break it down on Celebrating Act 2.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Ryan O’Neal was a familiar actor, who began his career on television’s Peyton Place, and became a bankable star in popular movies, such as Paper Moon, What’s Up Doc and Love Story. His relationships would include marriages to Joanna Moore and Leigh Taylor-Young and a live-in situation with Farrah Fawcett. One of his kids was Oscar-winning actress Tatum O’Neal.

“`Originally, O’Neal trained to fight as a Golden Gloves boxer.  He also earned steady work as an extra, a stuntman and finally, an actor on television. He guest-starred in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Bachelor Father, The Untouchables, Leave It to Beaver, Wagon Train, My Three Sons, The Virginian and Perry Mason. His performance on Peyton Place earned attention from film producers. In addition to his most successful projects mentioned above, he also starred in Barry Lyndon, A Bridge Too Far and The Main Event.

“`O’Neal remained a fav in the tabloids, He was linked in romances with Bianca Jagger, Anouk Aimée, Jacqueline Bisset, Ursula Andress, Barbra Streisand, Joan Collins, Diana Ross, Melanie Griffith and Anjelica Huston.  In February 2021, O’Neal and Ali MacGraw were bestowed stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, nearly fifty years after the release of Love Story.

“`The tumultuous life of Ryan O’Neal (above right) ended this week. He was eighty-two.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`A transformational shift in sitcoms occurred due to the efforts of M*A*S*H, Mary Tyler Moore and especially Norman Lear. It was Lear who considered topical political and social themes that had been previously recognized as taboo in television. Lear also introduced us to Archie Bunker, Fred Sanford and Maude, among others.

“`The moment which had inspired a lifetime of cultural advocacy was when he first came across anti-Semitic Catholic radio priest Father Charles Coughlin while tinkering with his crystal radio set. Norman became an outspoken supporter of First Amendment and liberal causes.

“`A comedy writer and film director (he wrote and produced the 1967 film Divorce American Style and directed the 1971 film Cold Turkey, both starring Dick Van Dyke), Lear tried to sell a concept for a sitcom about a blue-collar American family. After a third pilot was taped, CBS picked up the show, known as All in the Family. An instant success, it spawned a number of spin-offs, including Maude, Good Times, The Jefferson’s, One Day at a Time and Archie Bunker’s Place. Another big hit, Sanford and Son, was based on a British sitcom, Steptoe and Son. Lear also developed the cult favorite, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman. Among the films he eventually produced:  The Princess Bride, Fried Green Tomatoes and Start The Revolution Without Me.

“`Lear received many awards, including six Primetime Emmys, two Peabody’s, National Medal of Arts, Kennedy Center Honors, and Golden Globe Carol Burnett Award. He was a member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

“`On a personal note, I had the pleasure to enjoy a live episode of All in the Family while in the studio audience in the 1970s. About a decade ago, I actually met Norman Lear backstage at an event honoring Michael Feinstein. He was lucid and self-deprecating in his humor.

“`Norman Lear (above right) was 101.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Manny Pacheco’s Forgotten Hollywood podcast on Spotify. This show is streamed each week! And you can listen for FREE…

“`Episode ninety-four is on the cloud. Our final original episode is the presentation of a radio drama, It’s a Wonderful Life.  First presented in 2020 by the Carlisle Theatre in Carlisle, Pennsylvania under the direction of Artistic Director Ashley Byerts. The performance features the Carlisle acting troupe, Player’s On High, and voice actors from around the country.

I was honored to be a featured talent in this production and I play Clarence, the Angel.  This performance has been artificially aged to give it a feel that you are listening to a 1940s radio drama. I believe this is a fitting way to bid adieu to Manny Pacheco’s Forgotten Hollywood!

Now, sit back as we travel to Bedford Falls for the presentation of It’s a Wonderful Life.

~ ~ ~

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK to also listen to the previous ninety-three episodes.

“`If you do not subscribe to Spotify, you can still listen to Forgotten Hollywood on Castos. And no membership is necessary. PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK:

https://manny-pachecos-forgotten-hollywood.castos.com/episodes/ep-93-happiest-place-on-line-112223?_gl=1*1y2kxhh*_gcl_au*MjA2Nzc5NDYyNi4xNjk0ODI5MzMx

Until next time>                               “never forget” 

Manny P. here…

“`Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Woody Allen and Neil Simon all found their footing as movie makers while as a writing team for the iconic variety series, Your Show of Shows. Celebrating Act 2 takes a glimpse at the influence this television program had on cinema!

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Today, I join Art Kirsch and John Coleman on  Celebrating Act 2 to enjoy a post-Halloween discussion about the scariest monsters on the silver screen tinged with blood! We will try not to frighten you too much!

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Well, the day is finally here! Sunday night prime time programming at TCM will highlight an evening with Robert Youngson. Again, I want to sincerely thank Vice President of Programming Charlie Tabesh for taking my suggestion at the TCM Film Festival and then letting me know of his intentions to offer this bill of fair on November 5th. He sent me a few emails to assure me that this was going to happen!

“`Beginning at 8p Eastern (5p Pacific), TCM will present The Golden Age of Comedy, When Comedy was King and The Big Parade of Comedy, all cinematic compilations by Youngson. And they will be a natural lead in to their normal Silent Sundays feature.

“`Forgotten Hollywood, in collaboration with the Laurel and Hardy International Appreciation Society, has been campaigning to get The Golden Age of Comedy and/or When Comedy was King into the Library of Congress National Film Registry. A panel of film historians are currently finalizing the twenty-five selections for the Class of 2023. It was incredibly kind of TCM to showcase the work of Robert Youngson in an effort to help our campaign.

“`On a very sad note, one of our chief supporters of this campaign suddenly passed away this week. John Field was the Grand Sheik of the Saps at Sea tent in San Diego; a chapter with the L&H society. He died in his sleep and he was sixty-five. His help in getting the members of the society from all over the globe to campaign and vote was appreciated. John was a very special person.

“`I know where I will be on Sunday evening. I hope all my friends who enjoy TCM will join me in our celebration of the great Robert Youngson and the works he created that helped preserve silent comedies. They also served as an introduction to a joy of slapstick silent comedy for the baby-boomers generation. Please cue Chopin’s Tristesse!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Celebrating Act 2 takes a look at movies made to just entertain an audience. These are not necessarily Oscar-worthy cinema. They are just fun… just like Art Kirsch and John Coleman.

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Hollywood lost two wonderfully talented television stars this past couple of days. They were bold in their efforts to fashion remarkable careers on and off the screen.

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“`Suzanne Somers was an actress, author, singer, businesswoman and health spokesperson. She is best known for her role as Chrissy on Three’s Company. Her memorable appearance as the girl in the T-Bird in American Graffiti earned her attention by Hollywood studios.

“`In the 1980s, Somers lived in Las Vegas and was an entertainer, headlining at the former MGM Grand until the theater burned down and then at the Las Vegas Hilton. In the early 1990s, Somers was the spokeswoman in a series of infomercials for the Thighmaster.   She was eventually inducted into the Infomercial Hall of Fame.

“`Suzanne Somers was seventy-six.

“`Lara Parker was an actor and novelist. She is best remembered as the witch Angelique on the gothic horror soap opera Dark Shadows. Originally introduced to explain how Jonathan Frid’s popular character Barnabas Collins had become a vampire, Parker was so popular with fans that she remained with the show until it ended in 1971.

“`In 1998, Parker published her first book: Angelique’s Descent. She followed with The Salem Branch, Wolf Moon Rising and Heiress Of Collinwood. She attended Dark Shadows conventions with other cast members from the show.

“`I moderated a panel that included Parker and another Dark Shadows regular Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) while at a book fair in El Segundo in 2014. They were gracious in taking a photo with me (above right). The soap opera was actually my favorite program on television in the 1960s, so this was a rare treat.

“`Lara Parker was eighty-four.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Celebrating Act 2, with John Coleman and Art Kirsch, enters the dark side with a look at very mean characters on screen. This conversation will keep you up at night!

“`Enjoy!

Until next time>                               “never forget”