Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   A private airplane carrying actor Morgan Freeman (right) and his pilot blew a tire on takeoff from a Mississippi airport and made an emergency landing in which its landing gear collapsed and the plane ran off the side of a runway, authorities said. No one was injured.

   Freeman issued a statement saying he was heading to Texas from Mississippi aboard his plane to shoot a segment for the series, The Story of God. There is no word on the condition of the aircraft. The twin-engine plane made what was described as a controlled forced landing just before nightfall Saturday at an airport in Tunica after it had taken off from another airport in his area. Both cities are near each other in northwestern Mississippi, with Tunica about 40 miles southwest of Memphis, Tennessee.

   Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman with the Federal Aviation Administration, identified the plane as an Emivest SJ-30 aircraft and said the plane reported a mechanical problem after taking off from Fletcher Field in Lyon, a community just outside Clarksdale. An FAA statement emailed by Bergen said the plane’s original destination was Sugar Land near Houston, but that the aircraft diverted to the Tunica Municipal Airport in Mississippi where it made the emergency landing at 6:15 p.m. local time Saturday. She confirmed its main landing gear had collapsed and that the plane went off the side of the runway after landing.

   Glad to see Mr. Freeman is doing fine.

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<— Marjorie Lord was a genial actress of the silver screen and on television. She is best remembered for playing the wife of Danny Thomas in Make Room For Daddy.

   In 1935, at the age of 16, Lord made her Broadway debut in The Old Maid with Judith Anderson. Marjorie was signed by RKO Radio Pictures in 1935. While appearing in Springtime for Henry with Edward Everett Horton, director Henry Koster signed her to a contract with Universal Studios. She appeared in six features and a film serial The Adventures of Smilin’ Jack for Universal. Her film work includes Sherlock Holmes in Washington, which starred Basil Rathbone in the title role.

   On television, Lord guest-starred in The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Kit Carson. Her obvious chemistry with Danny Thomas led to her replacing Jean Hagen in the long-running sit-com. She later returned to television in Make Room for Granddaddy, reprising her role.

   Lord became a devoted philanthropist, raising money for the arts. She founded the Scripter Award, which recognizes authors and screenwriters. Her daughter is actress Anne Archer.

   Marjorie Lord was 97.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Robert Loggia was an actor and director. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance in Jagged Edge. After studying journalism at the University of Missouri and serving in the Army, he began a long career as a character actor. His persona on screen personified a crusty no-nonsense image.

    His first role was a small part in Somebody Up There Likes Me. Other films Loggia appeared in include The Greatest Story Ever Told, Raid on Entebbe, Psycho II, An Officer and a Gentleman, Big, Scarface, Necessary Roughness, Independence Day, Gladiator, Prizzi’s Honor, and several of the Pink Panther series of movies.          ROBERT LOGGIA

   His many television credits included appearances on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Rawhide, The Untouchables, Ellery Queen, High Chaparral, Gunsmoke, Columbo, Combat, The Big Valley, The Rockford Files, Starsky and Hutch, Magnum P.I., Kojak, Charlie’s Angels, The Bionic Woman, Little House on the Prairie, Quincy, M.E., Monk, Hawaii Five-0, Falcon Crest, Frasier, and memorably on The Sopranos. He also joined the cast of Men of a Certain Age. Loggia received two Emmy nods for his performances in Mancuso F.B.I., and most recently, in Malcolm in The Middle. He even showed up in a few commercials and a daytime soap (The Secret Storm), offering his usual support.

   In 2010, he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in recognition of his humanitarian efforts. The next year, the actor was honored by his alma mater with an honorary degree for his career.

   The venerable Robert Loggia was 85.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   An attempt to put Adolf Hitler’s most famous written rants in context will be on the market in January, thanks to a three-year effort by a group of Munich historians. Ending a 70-year ban on publishing Mein Kampf in German, the team from the Institute for Contemporary History will be releasing a two-volume, 2,000-page edition, with an enhanced layout featuring Hitler’s original text on one side of each two-page spread, and editorial annotations (around 3,500 in total) on the other side.

   ICH director Andreas Wirsching notes to the BBC that republishing the world’s most dangerous book will shatter the myth surrounding the work. Mein Kampf was banned by the Allies at the end of World War II, and the copyright was handed over to the state of Bavaria, which has denied others republishing rights, out of respect for Holocaust victims; and to avoid incitement.

   The copyright expires on December 31st, which means the book is now fair game for republishing once again. Not everyone agrees with the redo: An 83-year-old Jewish leader in Munich labels Mein Kampf: a disgusting incitement to hatred and the basis of the Holocaust, and says it should warrant no further discussions.

   More than 200 pre-orders have been placed for the $63 book, though their is no clue how well the first run of nearly 4,000 copies will eventually sell. A previous work about Hitler’s 1920s-1930s speeches garnered almost zero public interest. Meanwhile, interest remains high on the publication of  numerous editions of The Diary of Ann Frank.

   My interest in the intrinsic value of Mein Kampf is that history never repeats itself. A reminder of the origins of Nazi insanity might ultimately prove the only worth of this infamous endeavor.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Most of Charlie Chaplin’s famous two reel comedies are from his time with Mutual Film Corporation. During 1916 and 1917, he turned out a series of twelve outstanding, influential comedies that placed him among the most popular of all silent film stars. But, before Mutual (and after his brief tenure at Keystone Studios), Chaplin worked for one year at Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, a studio founded by Broncho Billy Anderson. If not for Chaplin’s comedies, it’s doubtful, anyone would today remember the Essanay name.

   Unlike the Mutual comedies, the films he produced at Essanay are rarely studied in cinematic schools, with the exception of The Tramp, the one unqualified gem in his arsenal. However, these comedies are important films in the development of Chaplin’s screen persona. The closing shot of Charlie wandering down the road by himself is iconic. The character development of his role was evident early on, which led to an element of pathos intermixed with humor. The final effect was intoxicating.

   Upon Charlie Chaplin’s arrival at Essany, he immediately encountered difficulties with the producers, who weren’t interested in giving him the freedom he desired. He was even given scripts to work from. (Louella Parsons, who would become one of Hollywood’s most famous gossip column writers, was the head scenario writer at Essanay). However, Chaplin rejected most tampering and worked with his own stories, although the pressure to produce a new comedy every two weeks is  frequently apparent in much of his work at Essanay.

    The quality of the source material varies. At times, the prints are relatively free of wear, but at other times, obvious well-worn segments appear. This is the nature of restoring works of silent cinema, now over 80 years old. Negatives frequently were left to deteriorate in film vaults. Entire reels decomposed. However, thanks to the work of David Shepard of Film Preservation Associates, Chaplin’s Essanay comedies have been pieced back together from choice material discovered around the world. They haven’t looked this good in many decades. This is the definitive edition of these productions.

   Thanks to Kino on Video, these Chaplin comedies are now available again in excellent transfers. Several of the shorts were previously available, but the new versions have been made from newly restored prints with re-recorded musical accompaniment. Included in this set are some real surprises for Chaplin fans, including previously unavailable material.

   Chaplin’s Essanay Comedies is on DVD (a three disc set ) and VHS (a four video set) at sites that cater to silent films and classic movies, and on Amazon. Flicker Alley and The Blackhawk Film Collection are proud to present this third and final installment of the Chaplin Project (lead by Lobster Films and Cineteca di Bologna), a massive, twelve year endeavor to compile all of Chaplin’s output from 1914-1917. Their 5-disc box Blu-ray DVD set features the 15 newly restored films.

   On a personal note, the Forgotten Hollywood Book Series can also be purchased at the Niles Essanay Museum in Fillmore, CA. This is the location of the original studio during the infancy of cinema.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The world’s first all-Disney dating website launched this morning. Mousemingle.com is the idea of Dave Tavres, a self employed software geek from Culver City, and it caters to those obsessed with all things Disney. Niche dating sites are more common these days. There’s a dating site for pot lovers and JDate for Jewish people. This idea has legs; does it have ears?

   Users are asked to check boxes asking about your favorite Disney songs, Disney shopping habits, in the hopes of finding a match.  Anyone can view user profiles and photos, however, contacting someone requires a $12.55 (the 55 is a nod to the year the park opened) monthly membership fee.

Manny P. here…

   Baby Peggy was an insanely popular silent screen character. Diana Serra Cary, who played the loveable tot, grew up and retired from show business. She is one of the last surviving members of the era. Yet, the Motion Picture Television Fund does not recognize her longevity as an actress, and refuses Cary any of their services.

    A beloved contemporary of such stars as Lillian Gish and Adolphe Menjou, she received over a million fan letters for her 150 shorts and features. This woman gave up her childhood (through no choice of her own), and now, is the last living silent film star. Her highly-praised literary autobiography, Whatever Happened to Baby Peggy, spawned a feature-length documentary.

   Now 97 and healthy, but alarmingly frail, Cary has attempted for months to find financial support for modest in-home, non-medical care from the MPTF, founded by Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin with a single mission statement: Taking Care of Our Own. Instead of honoring this mantra, MPTF management has refused Baby Peggy any support, claiming her limited time in cinema and modest pension (which covers only bare living expenses) prevents this.

   Such questionable treatment of our oldest living silent screen star remains particularly indefensible given MPTF CEO Bob Beitcher reportedly earns over $700,000 per year, while his top 10 employees take home a combined $4 million. This outrageous mistreatment of a movie pioneer needs to change. Let’s encourage that the MPTF address this situation. Here’s how:

   The great niece of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford has released this statement:

`

As a member of the Fairbanks & Pickford families, I urge you to support Baby Peggy (Diana Serra Cary). Being old should be an honored position, especially for one who spent their childhood entertaining millions. Join me in doing a good deed for Baby Peggy!

Manny P. here…

   David Canary was a busy actor in cinema, and mostly on television. He is best remembered for his role as Candy in Bonanza; and his long-time stint on the daytime soap, All My Children.

   After Canary served a tour of duty in the Army, his first Hollywood assignment was as a semi-regular in the prime time serial Peyton Place. In 1967, he appeared in the now-classic Western Hombre with Paul Newman, Richard Boone, and Cameron Mitchell. When David Dortort was looking for a new foreman for the Ponderosa Ranch, he saw Canary in Hombre and cast him in Bonanza. Later that year, A contract dispute between Leonard Nimoy and the producers of Star Trek (including Gene Roddenberry) forced them to compile a list of candidates for consideration to takeover the role of Mr. Spock. As revealed in  Star Trek – The Inside Story, David Canary (right) was almost selected.

   Other films Canary appeared in include The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Melvin Purvis: G-Man, and Posse. He guest-starred in many television shows, such as Gunsmoke, Alias Smith and Jones, The F.B.I., Kung-Fu, Hawaii 5-0, Police Story, The Rookies, S.W.A.T., Touched By an Angel, Law & Order, and most recently, Curb Your Enthusiasm. His soap opera appearances include Another World, Search for Tomorrow, and One Life to Live. He garnered five Daytime Emmy Awards as Outstanding Lead Actor, and has been nominated an additional eleven times, most recently in 2008.

   Canary was in numerous musical / stage roles in productions such as Man Of La Mancha, Kismet, and The Fantastiks, as well as dramatic performances in The Seagull and Macbeth. The actor also made several appearances at the Lake Tahoe site of the Ponderosa Ranch, a tourist attraction from 1967-2004.

   David Canary was 77.

Until next time>                               “never forget”“

Manny P. here.

   My efforts in becoming an established Hollywood historian took a major leap forward with the latest literary release by Professor Carl Rollyson. The Life of Walter Brennan is a comprehensive look at what Rollyson references as A Real American Character. As the  advisory editor of the Hollywood Legends Series from University Press of Mississippi, Carl has authored several biographies on the lives of Marilyn Monroe and Dana Andrews. He has also penned retrospectives about Lillian Hellman and Norman Mailer.

     I have corresponded with Professor Rollyson over the years, since I started writing my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series. He was quite generous in his praise, particularly about my analysis of Walter Brennan in a chapter from my first paperback. His generosity was quite genuine, as he offered my premise in the Introduction of his new book. According to Rollyson:

              PROFESSOR CARL ROLLYSON

 Brennan’s performances signify something more than individual achievement in film after film. Not only is his work an integral part of Hollywood history, his roles have become embedded in the national consciousness. His centrality did not occur to me until I read Manny Pacheco’s Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, which takes an unusual approach to character actors. examining them in terms of the historical epics in which they appeared. In a chapter devoted to Brennan, Pacheco evokes the persona of a man seemingly destined to play archetypal characters. Pacheco writes…

“(Brennan) embodies any individual that may have been born around and west of the Mississippi. Looking far older than his years, Brennan could be called upon to play roles that were based in fact or fiction. He seemingly lived throughout the nineteenth century and the fight for this country’s quest to reach ‘from sea to shining sea’… at least on celluloid.”

The ellipsis is Pacheco’s and seems to suggest that he paused when he realized just how much movies and history conflated in our imaginations.

`

   Professor Rollyson later offers this tidbit to begin a chapter:

“The leather sun-drenched face that most commonly helped tame the wild frontier was that of Walter Brennan”

Writes critic Manny Pacheco. Not Gary Cooper, not John Wayne, not Randolph Scott–or any other star–meant more to the western than Walter Brennan, who played every sort of character, good and evil, and everything between.

`

   His latest literary achievement is so wonderfully comprehensive. I could not put it down. Rollyson’s eloquent prose delights and the photographs he provides are vividly personal about the life and times of Walter Brennan. And, the Brennan family offered their full support in the making of this fine biography. A Real American Character: The Life of Walter Brennan is available at most book stores, and of course, on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Real-American-Character-Brennan-Hollywood/dp/1628460474/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448190348&sr=1-1&keywords=the+life+of+walter+brennan

   One of his next projects, Professor Carl Rollyson is currently penning a comprehensive look about author William Faulkner (who I just wrote about in a previous blog). I’m most humbled by Professor Rollyson’s citations from my book, and his approval of my analysis. I offer my most sincerest thank you I can muster for this unsolicited acknowledgment.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Happy birthday to the original Gerber Baby: Ann Turner Cook. On Friday, November 20th, Cook turned 89-years-old, making the former model a full-fledged octogenarian. On a related note, Gerber has launched a 2015 contest to find a new face for their product.

   According to Gerber, a contest was held in 1928 to find a face to represent an advertising campaign for their baby food. Artist Dorothy Hope Smith, who was Cook’s neighbor, entered her simple charcoal sketch of a tousle-haired, bright-eyed cherub of a baby with endearing pursed lips. Judges fell in love with the baby face in Smith’s sketch, and when they chose it as the winner, they insisted it remain a sketch. That baby sketch of Cook soon became the face that launched the Gerber brand and her likeness made ubiquitous by labels on baby food jars. It’s still recognized all over the world!

ANN TURNER COOK 

   Cook was born in 1926. She is a mystery novelist and a retired English teacher in Tampa. Her 15 minutes of fame has lasted all of her life!

    Hey, passed the strained peas…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Twixt Cup and Lip, written soon after World War I and being published for the first time, is a one-act comedy in which a modern, free-thinking woman finds herself courted by two men. But, the name of the playwright is the attraction: William Faulkner (right).

   Written when the future Nobel laureate was in his early 20s, Twixt Cup and Lip was discovered in the University of Virginia archives by The Strand Magazine managing editor Andrew Gulli, who has also tracked down long-lost and obscure works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain, John Steinbeck and many others. The play appears in the Strand’s holiday issue, which goes on sale Friday.

   Faulkner, who died in 1962, is an acknowledged giant of American fiction, but in his early years was more likely to write plays and poetry. Christopher Rieger, director of the Center for Faulkner Studies at Southeast Missouri State University, believes Twixt Cup and Lip was written in the early 1920s, when Faulkner was part of a theater group at the University of Mississippi.

   There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip

   The play’s title is lifted from an old English expression, meaning a seemingly settled event can still unravel. But readers will find nothing suggesting the tragic vision and anguish about the Southern past that made Absalom, Absalom, The Sound and the Fury, and other Faulkner novels; some of the most influential and haunting works of the 20th century.

   Around the time he wrote Twixt Cup and Lip, Faulkner also worked on the one-act The Marionettes, a romance based on Faulkner and his high school girlfriend (and future wife) Estelle Oldham. Twixt Cup and Lip also may be drawn from Faulkner’s relationship with Oldham. The importance of the piece might be that it’s an early influence to future authors that ushered in The Jazz Age of the 1920s.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here.. 

   The Hollywood Foreign Press Association will honor Denzel Washington with the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 73rd Annual Golden Globes for his considerable impact on the world of entertainment. The 60-year-old star has two prestigious statuettes for his roles in Glory and Hurricane. Overall, he received an additional five nods. Washington has also served as national spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1993

   Denzel, who starred in modern classics such as Malcolm X, Inside Man, and Training Day, will join previous recipients, including Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, Harrison Ford, Warren Beatty, Jodie Foster, George Clooney, Woody Allen, Robin Williams, Barbra Streisand, and others. Judy Garland was both the first woman to receive the honor at the tender age of 39 in 1962, and she was also the youngest honoree. Samuel Goldwyn was the oldest to receive the prize at 90 in 1973. The Cecil B. DeMille Award is handed out annually, with the exceptions of 1976 and 2008.  DENZEL WASHINGTON –>

   Founded in the 1940s during WWII, the HFPA’s original mission was to bridge the gap between Hollywood and the overseas community that watched its emerging films. Today, 55 countries are represented in the association. The 2016 Golden Globe Awards will air live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10th. Ricky Gervais is hosting.

   Denzel Washington is a well-deserved recipient.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Baseball legends Willie Mays and the late Yogi Berra will be honored with the nation’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. They are among 17 people who will be recognized by President Barack Obama at a November 24th ceremony.

   Politicians include Senator Barbara Milkulski, former Representative Lee Hamilton and the late Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress. Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus, known for refusing to fire the Watergate special prosecutor, will also be honored.

   Honorees from the entertainment world include Barbra Streisand, Steven Spielberg, Stephen Sondheim, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, James Taylor, and Itzhak Perlman. Spielberg has a motion picture currently in release, Bridge of Spies.

   Congratulation to our newest class of Medal of Freedom award winners.

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   Michael Gross was a designer, artist, and movie producer. In 1980, he began working in Hollywood, and is best remembered for designing the logo for the movie Ghostbusters, which was one of 11 films on which he served as producer or executive producer.

   His film catalog includes Twins, Beethoven, Legal Eagles, Kindergarten Cop, and Dave. In the 1970s, he was the art director of National Lampoon magazine. Gross created the If You Don’t Buy This Magazine, We’ll Kill This Dog cover for the periodical. He became the personal designer for John Lennon, and a consultant to The Muppets. Michael art directed Esquire Magazine and was also a director for Mobil Oil. His friends included John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Harold Ramis.

   Michael C. Gross was 70.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Tight security following the Paris terror attacks was in effect at Saturday night’s seventh annual Governors Awards, where Spike Lee, Gena Rowlands and Debbie Reynolds were to receive the first Oscars of Hollywood’s award season. Los Angeles police say security for the star-studded ceremony at the Hollywood & Highland Center was increased in the wake of the attacks, as it will at several other high-profile events around the city on Saturday night.               GENA ROWLANDS ——–>

   This year, Lee and Rowlands accepted Oscars for career achievement. Reynolds received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in recognition of her decades-long commitment to raising awareness of mental health issues. Spike offered peace and love to the people in France. Debbie announced Friday that she would be unable to attend the ceremony because of unspecified surgery, and her granddaughter was expected to accept the award on her behalf.

   Other celebrities attending the motion picture academy’s black-tie affair included Iris Elba, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Bryan Cranston, Jane Fonda, Samuel L. Jackson, Amy Schumer, Ava DuVernay Denzel Washington, Johnny Depp, Daniel Craig, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, Laura Linney, and Quentin Tarantino. Portions of the untelevised ceremony may be included in the 2016 Oscar telecast.

   A spokesperson for the LAPD announced no known threats against the city, but the department beefed up patrols as a precaution. Film academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs opened the Governors Awards with words of support for France. She offered condolences in the wake of the terrorist attacks. In addition to heightened security, many of the stars expressed their sympathies for the victims and their wariness at quickly returning to show business.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The copyright on The Diary of Anne Frank, set to expire January 1st in most of Europe, has been extended by at least 35 years after the Swiss foundation that holds the copyright claimed Anne’s diary actually had a co-author: her father, Otto Frank. Otto has long been acknowledged as an editor and compiler of the best-selling work, but by acknowledging him as an author, Anne Frank Fonds is able to extend its copyright on the work until the end of 2050. Frank left them unread for some time, but eventually began transcribing them from Dutch for his Swiss relatives in 1947.           OTTO FRANK –>

   In most of Europe, copyrights expire 70 years after the author’s death. Anne died 70 years ago, but Otto didn’t pass away until 1980. Anyone in Europe wanting to publish the book will now need to continue asking the foundation for permission and paying it royalties.

   The change isn’t sitting well with many. One lawyer says it implies the foundation has been lying all these years about Anne writing the diary on her own. Others say giving copyright protection to editors undermines authors and calls the foundation’s claims that Otto co-authored the diary as spurious.

   As the sole member of his family to survive The Holocaust, Otto Frank inherited Anne’s manuscripts after her death, arranged for the publication of her diary, and oversaw its transition to the stage and screen. The foundation, which donates proceeds from sales of The Diary of Anne Frank to charities, says it’s not about the money. Rather they say they want to protect Anne’s legacy.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Legendary San Francisco stripper Carol Ann Doda created a splashy act that helped introduce topless entertainment to the city more than 50 years ago. She first went bare in 1964 at The Condor Club — a moment that changed every nightspot on busy Broadway in Frisco.

   Doda, known for her augmented bust, rode onto stage atop a piano on an elevator platform, debuting her act the same day President Lyndon B. Johnson drew half-a-million people in a visit to the city by the bay. The Condor Club had an illuminated sign carrying her likeness. Doda’s breasts became known as the new twin peaks of San Francisco. Bobby Freeman and Sly Stone were among the rockers that performed while the dancer did her thing.       CAROL DODA —>

   During its heyday in the early 1970s, the street in North Beach buzzed with more than two dozen night spots where carnival-like barkers beckoned passers-by to watch the scantily clad dancers, wearing nothing but a bikini bottom and high heels. The era spanned some 20 years.

   Doda had a role in Head, a 1968 film featuring The Monkees, which was produced by Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson.The movie was produced by Columbia Pictures. In the flick, she appeared in a Golden Boy parody with Annette Funicello, Sonny Liston, and Davy Jones.  She was profiled in Tom Wolfe’s book The Pump House Gang. For a decade, Doda was the spokesperson for what is now the San Jose television station KICU-TV Channel 36, then known as KGSC-TV. She finally left The Condor Club in 1985, and became the proprietor of Carol Doda’s Champagne and Lace Lingerie Boutique. She would perform in a rock band (organized by pop star Greg Kihn), do some modeling and comedy, and eventually sang and danced at another club. Some compare her influence as a cultural icon to the comedy of Lenny Bruce.

   The ample Carol Doda was 78.

Until next time>                               “never forget”