Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   Jack Roosevelt Robinson rose from humble origins to cross baseball’s color line, and became one of the most beloved men in America. Robinson used his immense fame to speak out against the discrimination he saw on and off the field, angering fans, the press, and even former teammates, who had once celebrated him for turning the other cheek. The series will also feature the storied career of Branch Rickey, the baseball executive who brought Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

   Before his career with the Dodgers, Jackie Robinson was an acclaimed athlete at Pasadena City College and UCLA. After baseball, he was a widely-read newspaper columnist, a divisive political activist, and a tireless advocate for Civil Rights, who struggled to remain relevant as diabetes crippled his body, and a new generation of leaders set a more militant course for the movement.

   Ken Burns shares this remarkable story on most PBS stations. It’s a seldom-shared tale, with plenty of side notes. He declared his upcoming two-part series on the African American baseball legend will also focus on the intersection of race and politics. Burns also notes that the popular image of Robinson as a squeaky clean hero obscures the second baseman’s fierce determination as a player, and a de facto advocate for racial equality.

   The Florentine Films documentary will air in two parts tonight and Tuesday. Black Lives Matter in this production.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   A Los Angeles city council member may lose his job because he authorized the demolition of a house once occupied by Marilyn Monroe (right). She lived in the Valley Village house a few miles north of Hollywood six decades ago, when she was 17-year-old Norma Jean Dougherty. Residents were trying to get historical designation for the house, but it was demolished just days before a scheduled hearing in June. City staffers didn’t want the house considered for historical protection, and it was torn down to make way for a condo project. Some might say, the residence was just a Candle in the Wind.

   One Valley Village resident says the destruction of Monroe’s old home is the major reason for an effort to recall Los Angeles city council member Paul Krekorian, a petition for which got official approval last week. Some residents blame Krekorian for not supporting the effort to protect Monroe’s house specifically, and the community he represents. The petition to recall Krekorian accuses him of favoring business interests in development.

   The petition needs more than 18,500 signatures from registered voters in Krekorian’s district for the recall effort to move forward. It could be an uphill battle: Krekorian was re-elected in 2015 with 75% of the vote. However, Marilyn Monroe might be more beloved.

   Just sayin’…

   Until next time>                            “never forget”

Manny P. here…

  At the Friars Club tribute for Jerry Lewis’ 90th birthday, many of the jokes were not about the comedian. When the subject did turn to Lewis, the kidding around turned to praise, and he was honored as a comic master, inspiration, and a savior. About 200 people squeezed into the first floor dining room for the 90 minute event. Lewis, whose birthday was last month, sat to the side of the dais, and laughed and cried. The Friars Club has long been like a second home for the funnyman, whose name appears on the front of the building and whose pictures hang inside.  JERRY LEWIS / ROBERT DE NIRO –>

   Before the tribute, he sipped on a soda in the first floor bar, otherwise known as the Billy Crystal Room, and dined upstairs with such friends as Robert De Niro and Jim Carrey. A birthday card in the lobby was signed by many of the patrons.

   The tribute touched upon many of the highlights of Lewis’ long and singular career, from his partnership with Dean Martin, to such movies as The Nutty Professor, and his stage performance in Damn Yankees. A compilation of pre-taped greetings included Al Pacino, Steven Spielberg, and Don Rickles, who urged Lewis to go to bed early.

   The mood heated up as the night unfolded. Richard Belzer stripped down to a t-shirt to show off the Jerry Lewis tattoo on his arm; and singer Jack Jones removed his jacket and tie to deliver The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha, and he got a standing ovation for hitting some incredible high notes. Lewis, who had the final word, can be the most sentimental and irascible of comedians. He has been known to roast a few audience members, and on Friday night, he skipped any summaries of his career and scolded the crowd for not cheering louder. The crowd obliged.

   Overall, it was a fitting tribute.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Ten years into a broader hunt throughout the Arabian desert, archaeologists have unearthed a bullet they are almost 100% certain is the one Lawrence of Arabia claimed to have fired in 1917 in a guerrilla attack on the Hallat Ammar train. The item found at the site of the famed train ambush comes from a Colt automatic pistol that Lawrence, and likely no one else in his party, carried.

   Many, including his own biographers, have suspected the man originally called T.E. Lawrence wove tales too grand to be true, saying his book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom exaggerates the role he played as a liaison officer with the rebel forces during the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks and Germans between 1916 and 1918. Critics have cast doubts on the book since it was first published in 1922.  Coincidentally, a Hejaz Railway engine nameplate was discovered just two months ago, further fortifying Lawrence’s story of the ambush.

                       T.E. LAWRENCE                                PETER O’TOOLE

   His tall tales were grand enough to inspire the 1962 epic Oscar-winning motion picture that starred Peter O’Toole in the title role, and was directed by David Lean.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Missing for decades, the Wright brothers’ patent for their Flying Machine was found last month in a manilla envelope among 15-foot-high stacks of patent files in a limestone cave outside a small Kansas city. The holy grail of missing documents, which was supposed to be stored in Washington DC with other priceless papers, was finally recovered.

   The Wright brothers applied for the patent in 1903—nine months later their Flying Machine would spend 12 seconds airborne. One document in the patent file notes the brothers invented a new and useful machine for navigating the air. But, when officials tried to find the patent file for a commemoration in 2000, it had disappeared.

FLYING MACHINE

   The patent hadn’t actually been seen since 1980, when it was returned to the National Archives following an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute. While it’s possible the patent file could have been stolen, officials assumed it had simply been misfiled, which can be even worse when you’re dealing with millions of patent papers.

   Sixteen years of hunting ended when archivist Bob Beebe — close to giving up during a search of a cave used to store records outside Lenexa, Kansas — opened one last box on March 22nd. Beebe emailed a colleague about the discovery.

   The infamous Flying Machine patent is finally scheduled to be exhibited next month at the National Archives Museum. Don’t you just love happy endings…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Film fans in Australia will have the chance to revisit ten classic motion pictures from Martin Scorsese on the big screen. The movies will screen at the 2016 Sydney Film Festival (June 8th -19th). The filmmaker’s electrifying and enduring collaboration with Robert De Niro, which began with Mean Streets, and included Taxi Driver, New York New York, Goodfellas, The King of Comedy, Casino, and Raging Bull (one of the performances earning De Niro an Oscar). Each are on this year’s schedule.

MARTIN SCORSESE

   The retrospective program titled Essential Scorsese: Selected by David Stratton will kick off with the Scorsese’s breakthrough feature. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, which stars Ellen Burstyn in her Academy Award-winning roles, is also on tap. His most recent flick to make the cut is The Aviator. Scorsese’s masterpiece, The Age of Innocence, will round out the program.

   Historically, box-office receipts had been dwindling since the end of World War II. It was time for a change, and an earth-shattering shift was the introduction of a new generation of directors. All were raised on the great productions of the Studio Era; filmmakers who were actually movie buffs. This new wave included Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich, Brian de Palma, Bob Rafelson, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Jonathan Demme – and above all, Martin Scorsese. One of his early jobs was to edit the documentary Woodstock.

   Essential Scorsese: Selected by David Stratton brings to the Festival for the second year one of Australia’s great masters of film criticism. He will curate a selection of celluloid by one of his favorite living directors. Scorsese is widely considered one of the important cinematic craftsmen of all time. His ground-breaking films and gritty, meticulous style are essential viewing for all fans of Hollywood. Even in the land down-under.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Academy Award winner Michael Douglas (right) is donating his personal collection of more than three dozen film prints to Rochester’s George Eastman Museum. Officials at the photo museum located on the estate of Kodak’s founder say that the Douglas collection of 35 mm and 16 mm prints, 37 in all, includes more than 30 that he starred in or produced.

   Museum Director Bruce Barnes says Douglas was inspired to make the donation after visiting Rochester last May to receive the George Eastman Award for his contributions to the film industry. These kind of donations for posterity sake are quite uncommon.

   Douglas won an Oscar for Best Picture for producing 1975’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and a statuette for Best Actor for his performance in 1987’s Wall Street. Those two films are among the donated prints. Others include The China Syndrome, Romancing the Stone, and Traffic.

   Bravo to Michael Douglas!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   The Ava Gardner Museum is home to an incredible collection including original scripts, photos, costumes, and personal effects of screen legend Ava Gardner — a true Hollywood Cinderella story. You can experience her rise from a local country girl to a film goddess. Born near Smithfield, North Carolina, Ava’s friends and co-stars included Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, and Gregory Peck. Her grave site is located in nearby Sunset Memorial Gardens, approximately two miles from the museum.       AVA GARDNER —->

   Museums face many challenges, from humidity to pests, but perhaps the most worrisome is the threat of fire to an irreplaceable collection. The Ava Gardner Museum is a 501(c) (3)  non-profit organization that has been operated in Ava’s hometown since the 1980s, and is housed in a 100-year-old building. It boasts more than 150,000 artifacts in its permanent collection belonging to the Golden Age of Hollywood actress. This museum suffered a small fire in October which has made their mission even more urgent. Thankfully, damage was minimal, and no artifacts were affected.

   However, due to the age of the historic building, constant upgrades are necessary to ensure the safety and preservation of the collection, as well as those of visiting collections. They are relaunching a campaign in the hope that they can get the funds desperately needed. More than 15 years after their most recent remodel, they are seeking the installation of an efficient fire suppression system which will assist in guarding the collection for fans of Ava and Hollywood in the event of a catastrophe. This project is slated to cost $96,000. They are asking fans and fellow history buffs to help preserve a unique piece of cinematic history and an iconic treasure of Hollywood, as well as North Carolina.

   This fundraising campaign has been approved by the Ava Gardner Trust. The official page of the Ava Gardner Museum and Estate can be accessed at:

http://www.avagardner.org

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke became a star as a child with the quality of her roles. By 8-years-old, she was largely under the control of husband-and-wife talent managers who kept her busy on soap operas and advertising displays. She overcame a troubled early life to become one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses, and as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1985 to 1988. Her rocket to fame was assured in the 1960s as the star of The Patty Duke Show, which ran for 104 episodes over three seasons, and earned her the first of many Emmy Award nominations. She eventually won three statuettes for her work in television. At one time, she was married to John Astin; and her sons, Sean and Mackenzie, also became actors.

PATTY DUKE / HELEN KELLER —>

   Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982, Duke opened up about her condition at a time when such candor was unusual, and she became an activist for mental health causes. In her 1988 memoir Call Me Anna, Patty Duke (left) wrote of her condition the diagnosis she had received, and of the subsequent treatment that helped stabilize her life. The book was adapted into a 1990 television film in which she starred. Duke became an activist, helping to de-stigmatize bipolar disorder. For her effort, the actress would earn several doctorates at universities.

   She spent a great part of her career bringing sight and hearing disability issues, bipolar disorder, and mental health causes to the screen, which made her a very real-life champion. Patty Duke was 69.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Bring Me the Head of Sam Peckinpah is a cinematic retrospective to be presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center from March 31st – April 7th. This ongoing event is an opportunity to view the dynamic, dazzlingly inventive works of a maverick director who refused to compromise his singular vision.

   Cinema’s great choreographer of blood and bullets, Sam Peckinpah (right) ushered in a new era of American film-making with his deliriously violent, coolly existentialist, strikingly lyrical films, which spoke to an American public disillusioned by events like the Vietnam War and Watergate. A pivotal director who revolutionized the Western and action genres, he stood between worlds, straddling the tradition of craft that defined the classic studio era and the freewheeling experimentation of New Hollywood.

   His stylistic innovations—particularly the iconic use of slow motion and rapid-cut editing — and balletic, blood-spattered action sequences in titles like The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia have been justly celebrated. Peckinpah could also be surprisingly tender in gentle, moving films like Junior Bonner. At their heart, Peckinpah’s movies are elegies: for the ideals of the Old West; for honorable men compromised by circumstances beyond their control; for a mythic America that may never have existed. And, he employed screen legends, such as Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Dustin Hoffman, Steve McQueen, Robert Preston, Ben Johnson, and especially, Warren Oates.

   Organized by Dennis Lim for the Film Society of Lincoln Center. This program was selected from the Sam Peckinpah retrospective curated by film programmer and historian Roberto Turigliatto at the 2015 Locarno Film Festival, organized in collaboration with the Cinémathèque Française in Paris and the Cinémathèque Suisse in Lausanne.

   The is one masculine retrospective that might require the audience wearing flak jackets.

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   James Noble (below right) was an amiable character actor, best known as the absent-minded governor in the television sitcom, Benson. He also thrived on daytime soap operas and in cinema. He studied acting under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. Eventually, Noble would steadily work at the Theatre Artists Workshop in Connecticut.

   A familiar face on the small screen, Noble had recurring roles on The Edge of Night, As the World Turns, One Life to Live, The Doctors, and A World Apart. He also guest-starred in McCloud, Fantasy Island, Hart to Hart, Starsky and Hutch, and The Love Boat. In movies, he was memorable in 1776, Being There, 10, Airplane II, and Chances Are. In 2005, he co-founded Open the Gate Pictures, and produced and starred in the short film Glacier Bay, which won several awards at film festivals.

   James Noble was 94.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   Television and movie props that included a robot from the science fiction series Lost in Space were saved from destruction in Valley Village due to the efforts of Los Angeles firefighters. The LAFD responded to a garage fire in the 5100 block of Whitsett Ave.

   Firefighters attacked the blaze, which was electrical in nature, a fire department spokesman told a photographer at the scene. The home belongs to a prop designer and special effects artist who was out of town at the time, according to a caretaker who woke to the smell of smoke.

   The iconic robot is best remembered for his comedic interactions with Will Robinson, played by Billy Mumy; and Dr. Zachary Smith, played by Jonathan Harris. The voice of the robot was provided by Dick Tufeld. He reprised his audio role in the big screen reboot of the beloved television classic. The voice actor passed away in 2012.

   The robot unfortunately lost his space, and needs a home.    ROBOT  JONATHAN HARRIS

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Betty White is being sued by her former live-in caretaker of 22 years. Anita Maynard, who started working for the 94-year-old actress in 1994, filed a lawsuit last week in Los Angeles, citing labor code violations and unfair business practices. The lawsuit alleges Maynard didn’t receive overtime pay despite working more than 14 hours a day, six days a week.          BETTY WHITE —->

   According to the Los Angeles affiliate of CBS, the lawsuit claims Maynard wasn’t allowed uninterrupted breaks to eat meals. And Maynard is also alleging White paid her less than California’s legal minimum wage. The lawsuit claims White has withheld Maynard’s wages since Maynard stopped working for her on March 11th.

   A representative for White would say only that Betty has worked with thousands of people over the years, and that no one has ever had anything but positive things to say about her. This includes other actors who have worked with her on the sets of The Mary Tyler Moore Show,  Hot in Cleveland, and The Golden Girls; and folks who have been engaged with her at animal welfare advocacy groups.

   Let’s hope this doesn’t get ugly.

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   EARL HAMNER JR. (left) was the versatile and prolific writer who created one of television’s most beloved shows, The Waltons. He was also the best-selling novelist of the book that the program was based on… Spencer’s Mountain; and the script writer of eight fine episodes of The Twilight Zone. His most memorable teleplays were The Hunt, Ring-a-Ding Girl, and the very last episode, The Bewitching Pool.

    After leaving the Army, he enrolled at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a degree in broadcasting while working at a local radio station. When he quit, his friend Rod Serling replaced him at the station, and who he had previously met during a college script-writing competition.

    Earl began to write Spencer’s Mountain while in France during the last days of the World War II. It became a best-seller in 1961, and it was made into a popular film starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Hara, two years later. It inspired over 200 episodes of The Waltons, and several Waltons’ television specials. The character John-Boy, played by Richard Thomas, was an autobiographical depiction of the author. The show won over a dozen Emmy Awards.

   He also created the popular, long-running television drama Falcon Crest; and wrote for Wagon Train, Gentle Ben, Nanny and the Professor, and Apple’s Way (my very first appearance on the small screen). He also wrote The Homecoming for CBS in 1971.

   A Southern gentleman, Earl Hamner Jr. was 92.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

  Garry Shandling was an actor and comedian who pioneered a reality show version of late night programming with The Larry Sanders Show. The show also influenced Entourage, 30 Rock, and Curb Your Enthusiasm in which guest stars play themselves in episodes. During his three-decade career, Shandling was nominated for 19 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes.

   The Chicago native moved from a stint in the advertising to comedy writing for such sitcoms as Sanford and Son and Welcome Back Kotter, and stand-up. An innovative and eccentric humorist with a voice that always seemed on the verge of a whine, Shandling claimed to disdain logic cluttering his life. He began to experiment with television comedy with It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, a Showtime project that routinely like to break the fourth wall to comment on what they were up to.                       GARRY SHANDLING ——–>

   In 1992, Shandling created for HBO his comic masterpiece, in which he starred as an ego-maniacal late-night host with an angst-ridden show-biz life behind the scenes. It was a true homage to Johnny Carson, who had just retired a few months earlier. Shandling had appeared as a stand-up and occasional Carson stand-in on The Tonight Show. He was mentioned as a candidate to follow David Letterman as a bona fide late-night host for CBS, but no deal was made. Shandling hosted the Grammy Awards four times, and hosted the Emmy Awards in 2000 and 2004. Occasionally, Shandling appeared in films, with roles in Dr. Doolittle, Zoolander, Iron Man 2, and Captain America: Winter Soldier.

   While Shandling never married, his most public romance was with Larry Sanders co-star and fiancee Linda Doucett, who played an assistant in the series’ early seasons. Doucett sued Shandling after he fired her following their breakup in the mid-1990s, receiving a reported $1 million settlement, the New York Times reported in 2006.

   An avid boxing fan, Shandling co-owned the Wildcard West Boxing Gym in Santa Monica. He was also an amateur radio operator. In his usual self-effacing personality, I’m sure the comedian might have reacted to his own demise by saying, Oh swell, that’s just great!

   Garry Shandling was 66.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

   The current president of the Screen Actors Guild was a pro-active leader, who had the best interest of the performers he represented. He was also instrumental in the collaborative effort merging SAG-AFTRA. Ken Howard (right) was additionally a charismatic character actor, who was comfortable in a variety of celluloid settings. He is best remembered for being the headstrong coach in the 1970s drama, The White Shadow.

   Howard began in show business on Broadway in Promises Promises with Jerry Orbach. In 1970, he won a Tony Award as Best Supporting Actor (Dramatic) for Child’s Play. Ken later co-starred in the stage version of 1776 as Thomas Jefferson, and he reprised the role in the 1972 film.

   His cinematic career was notable, with roles in Clear and Present Danger, The Net, Oscar, Rambo, Michael Clayton, and J. Edgar. On the small screen, Ken was prolific, guest-starring in Bonanza, Dynasty, The Colby’s, Murder She Wrote, The Practice, Boston Legal, Crossing Jordan, Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, The Golden Girls, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and recently, The Office and 30 Rock. He won an Emmy in 2009 for his performance in Grey Gardens.

   Howard was the author of Act Natural: How to Speak to Any Audience,  based on drama courses he has taught at Harvard University. On a personal note, I met Ken at a recent SAG Awards show, and I found our president to be very approachable and a real gentleman.

   The genial Ken Howard was 71.

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   Joe Garagiola had a nine-year baseball career. His 57 years in broadcasting that followed made him one of the most popular figures in the sports world and beyond. His NBC broadcasts of the Grand Old Game on Saturday mornings was a staple for generations of baseball fans. He became a fixture on the network’s Today program.

   Growing up in the Hill neighborhood of St. Louis, not far from future Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, Garagiola went on to hit .257 during his years in the Major Leagues. The two remained lifelong friends. His highlight came early, getting a four-hit game in the 1946 World Series, and helping his hometown Cardinals win a championship as a 20-year-old rookie. Garagiola played for the Cardinals, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago Cubs.

   Garagiola broke into broadcasting in 1955 as a radio and television analyst for the Cardinals. He spent 27 years at NBC, and was paired with Tony Kubek as the lead broadcast team from 1976-82; and then with Vin Scully from 1984-88. Joe won baseball’s Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting in 1991. He kept working, serving as a part-time analyst for Arizona Diamondbacks telecasts until he announced his retirement in February 2013. Garagiola was a co-host of the Today show from 1969-1973, working with Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs; and again from 1990-1992, working with Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric.

   Garagiola (above) helped found the Baseball Assistance Team in 1986 to assist former players and other baseball figures in financial need; and was a leading figure in the National Spit Tobacco Education Program.

   One of the really good guys, Joe Garagiola was 90.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Today, I stand with the nation’s citizenry in the wake of this morning’s bombing attacks. I’m proud that members of my extended family are Belgian.

   After three devices devastated Brussels, killing at least 26 people and injuring more than 100, people around the world have turned to an iconic children’s comic strip to show solidarity with the Belgian capital. The Adventures of Tintin, written by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi under the pen name Hergé, has long been a symbol of Brussels and a national hero in Belgium. Now, Tintin has become an emblem of solidarity for the city rocked by a terrorist attack that continues to claim the lives of innocent people.

   The books have sold in the tens of millions, but only in Belgium has the fearless reporter and his dog Snowy been ingrained in the DNA of most youngsters since the 1950s. Creator Herge died in 1983, and is considered a national treasure in his native Belgium. The character is at the center of art galleries, museums, murals, and themed restaurants, drawing tourists from around the world. The Tintin cartoon books have been translated into 70-plus languages, from Chinese to Armenian, English to Spanish.

   On Tuesday morning, Tintin, the intrepid young investigative journalist who solves fantastical mysteries, wasn’t on another adventure. Instead, he and his pup were crying for the people of Brussels. Internet followers are lending their languages, in a display of  outrage,  defiance, and concern to the cacophony of voices following the Brussels attacks. People from around the world have been posting pictures of Tintin on social media with captions such as: I am Belgium and Sadness.

   My personal sentiment…  JeSuisBruxelles.

Until next time>                               “never forget”