"Did You Just See What I Saw?!"

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

If they were still alive...

.....the following notables would be celebrating their birthday:

Warner Baxter would be 122. He always seemed to be pissed-off about something, didn't he? The stentorian leading man of the 1920's and 30's was, apparently, quite well thought-of in his day--he was the second actor to be awarded the Best Actor Oscar in 1929 for his performance as "The Cisco Kid" in In Old Arizona. He's probably best remembered as "Julian Marsh," the harried (and pissed-off) Broadway producer in the 1932 film, 42nd Street. Here he is, delivering one of the most famous speeches/lines in film history:

Pearl Bailey would be 93. You know, I caught a clip of her of TV recently and found myself thinking, "We really don't have anyone like her anymore!" She really was a unique dynamo. She came across as this bigger-than-life, warm, fabulous woman you'd love to find yourself seated next to sometime. And by all accounts, that's just how she was, too. It seems that it's forgotten that she was quite a fantastic singer, too. Judge for yourself:

Eileen Heckart would be 92. The very popular character actress won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1972 for her performance in Butterflies are Free. She was also nominated--somewhat shockingly (see Nancy Kelly, March 26)--for her completely over-the-top antics as the drunken "Mrs. Daigle" in the inadvertently hilarious The Bad Seed. But we won't hold that against her....she was usually pretty great. Can't win 'em all, right?

Billy Carter would be 74. When he first appeared on the public radar--when his brother, Jimmy, was campaigning for the presidency in 1975--at first he came across as a loveable eccentric. But the more we got to know him, the more we found that he was more like an embarassing, trashy, alcoholic redneck. One would have to really dig to find a more embarassing presidential relative in all of American history. When his brother was voted out of office after just one term, Billy, fortunately, faded from public view and died in their hometown of Plains, Georgia at the age of 51.

Also turning 74 today, and very much alive and very much kicking..

...my darling mother, Joan. Everyone says, "I have the best mom in the world," but I can prove it! I really do!! Happy birthday, best mom in the world! (above, eating a frog leg).

Monday, March 28, 2011

If they were alive....

....today would be the birthday of the following notables--it's an all-boys party again today:

Freddie Bartholomew would be 87! Holy Cow! I can't wrap my head around that one....little David Copperfield? The adorable Little Lord Fauntleroy? The perky kid in Captains Courageous? Eighty Seven? Maybe it's hard to believe because he sort of just disappeared as he hit puberty and fell out of the public spotlight, forever locking "little Freddie" in our collective conscious. He was a fine little actor, and remarkably un-cloying and overly "precious". He held his own against some of the top actors of the 1930's--Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Tyrone Power, Fredric March....and even Greta Garbo (in Anna Karenina). Who ever saw a photo of him as an adult? I hadn't, until I just went and found one....this is him in 1992, just weeks before he died at the age of 67, looking jolly and hale. Happy birthday, Freddie...you did a fine job, I'd say....

Charles Starrett would be 108. Not very well remembered today, but in the early 1930's, he was one of the handsomest B-movie heroes around. He ambled into Westerns (though he was, in fact, a wealthy Massachusetts heir) and actually became one filmdom's most popular Western heroes, "The Durango Kid," a series in which he starred as The Kid in over 100 films until 1952, when he retired from the screen to roll around in some of his serious dough.

Dirk Bogarde would be 90. Bogarde was a hugely talented, somewhat temperamental actor, born in London in 1921. He is perhaps better remembered in the U.K. than the U.S, though he made several Hollywood films that did respectable business in the States. It would seem that his finest performance, the crowning achievement to his long, wildly varied career, was his performance as "Aschenbach" in Luchino Visconti's film version of the Thomas Mann novella, A Death In Venice. His slow, heartbreaking "walking death" through the crumbling world around him in Venice is startling; a voyeur's peek into the sad existence of a tormented, lonely man. Bogarde moved more into the realm of writing, becoming perhaps the most prolific actor to chronicle his own life in print---penning no less than TEN memoirs and autobiographies in his lifetime! There's an hour-long documentary on him, generously padded with interviews, clips, etc.--it's quite interesting, if you're willing to commit to an hour (it's split into 6 parts). Here is the first one...if you want more, the other links are at Youtube:

And it's the 121st birthday of Paul Whiteman, the "King of Jazz," himself. Whiteman (who was a white man) was given that moniker in the 1920's--or he bestowed it upon himself---the stories vary. In any case, it's a bit of a misnomer. Paul Whiteman was certainly one of (if not the) most popular band leader(s) of the late 1920's through the late 1940's. He was there on the ground floor as jazz was becoming all the rage. But listening to his music today, his style isn't what we now know as "jazz". His is more of a "groundwork" style for what was to become the "big band" sound in the late 1930's. He was certainly innovative, and brilliantly intuitive on what he thought would and what would not work. He was great at spotting talent, too (Bing Crosby, for starters, whom Whiteman gave his first big break). The voluminous bandleader (who tipped the scales well north of the 300 mark) was enormously popular among audiences, both live and on the radio. He sold millions of records, and even starred in several big musical films (King of Jazz, 1930 and Strike Up the Band, 1940, for example). Whether or not he was, in fact, the "king," his music is mighty nice to listen to, and he made well over 1,000 records for you to choose from. Here he is, leading up his band on the exceedingly peppy number, "Happy Feet," with Bing and the two other "Rhythm Boys" on vocals. If this one don't getcha toe a-tappin', well you better start drinking some of that "nerve tonic!" This is hot stuff, daddy-o!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

If they were still alive today....

....it would be the birthday party of the following:

Edward Steichen would be 132. Born in Luxembourg, he moved to Hancock, Michigan with his family at the age of 3. He went on to become one of the most inventive, artistic and influential photographic artists in history. His style and techniques are still much-copied today. Perhaps his style would be the flip-side of "photo-realism" in painting--many of his great photos look like paintings, such as this one (above) of New York's Flatiron Building, taken in 1905. He also did a series of now-legendary portraits at the behest of the original Vanity Fair magazine in the 1920's, including this one (below) in 1924, which is the great silent film star......

....Gloria Swanson---who was also born on this day, 112 years ago. She was the epitome of glamour for the entirety of the silent film era, and on into the "talkies". The oft-wed Swanson was known for her elaborate and obscenely expensive wardrobe and costumes, as well as for her unapologetically lavish lifestyle off-screen. Her career had pretty much fizzled-out by the end of the 1950's when the great writer/director Billy Wilder suggested her to play the challenging role of the deluded, then demented silent screen goddess, Norma Desmond in, perhaps, his greatest film: Sunset Boulevard, in 1951. The film, which was a huge success, immediately catapulted her back into the public eye, and though she never really made another film of any consequence, she continued to give the public what they wanted: An old-school, Hollywood Star who lived BIG. The film did somewhat compartmentalize her in the collective mind of most filmgoers, who believed that she was, somehow, playing herself in the film (though that was far from the truth). She's also remembered today for being Joseph P. Kennedy's (the paterfamilias of the Kennedy clan) long-time mistress, as Rose turned a blind eye. And here's a piece of trivia for you: Who was Wilder's first choice to play Norma Desmond? (answer at the bottom of the page...).

Hal Kemp would be 106. He was the leader of one of the best dance bands of the 1930's. They had a very distinctive sound (he liked to have his trumpeters play very staccato) and some of the best musicians of the era. This past year, they've had a little blip of recognition as one of their recordings was used in a frequently-played TV commercial for some cruise line...nice song!

Harold Nicholas would be 90. He was the younger half of the dynamic, incredibly talented dancing brother team, The Nicholas Brothers (with his older brother, Fayard). What's more, this guy was an amazing singer, recording in the 1930's when he was just a lad...his voice actually reminds me of a young Michael Jackson's, for some reason. He's the little one on the left...man, was he a charming kid!

Their outrageously athletic dance style set the bar for just about every other male film dancer of the 1930's and 40's--and that includes Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly (who loudly proclaimed they were far better dancers than he was). Watch this thrilling footage and judge for yourself--Fred Astaire once said that this was "the greatest dance number ever filmed". I think he might just have something there...I guess you've figured out that I'm a huge Nicholas Brothers fan--there are several more good clips on YouTube if you'd like to see more:

David Janssen would be turning 80 today. While he may not have been the most versatile actor to ever grace the small screen, Janssen carved out his niche playing the "strong/silent" type of television hero, on such shows as The Fugitive, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, O'Hara U.S. Treasury and Harry O. He found his brand and stuck to it until the end--which came quite prematurely, dying of a heart attack at the age of 48.

Sarah Vaughan would be 87. That dame could sing! Known as "Sassy," Vaughan had a long and stellar recording and performing career and held her own when compared to other great songstresses of her era. She had a style all her own, and when you hear her sing, there's no mistaking who it is you're listening to. One of the very best...

And the answer to the question: Who was the first choice to play Norma Desmond? Believe it or not, it was Mae West! The original concept of the film was to have been more of a "black comedy," with West vamping her way around her decaying mansion. And in the role of Joe Gillis, unforgettably played in the film by William Holden, the original choice (in fact he'd already signed-on to play the part, but inexplicably dropped out before shooting began) was Montgomery Clift. Here's the final scene from the film....just try to imagine Mae West in the role!!

Oh, what the hell...I can't resist....have just ONE more Nicholas Brothers clip....this one is too good to pass up:

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Tennessee Williams: 1911-2011

If these notables were alive today, they'd be celebrating their birthday:

I'm not often prone to making such broad, hyperbolic statements as this, but I'll state that no American playwright, living or dead, has ever written more sensitively complex plays, or such vividly memorable characters than Tennessee Williams, who is today's centenary honoree: He was born in Columbia, Mississippi, 100 years ago today.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof...Sweet Bird of Youth...The Glass Menagerie...arguably, his greatest work, A Streetcar Named Desire...and so many others. His body of work almost single-handedly evolved American drama into an entirely new and different realm. He was a remarkably prolific writer, and there are a number of his works that are still "yet-to-be-produced," something that Williams' legions of fans, worldwide, have to look forward to discovering. Here's a brief clip from Streetcar. Do yourself a favor and watch the entire film (again) sometime soon and simply marvel at its brilliance. And though it's perfectly understandable to be distracted by the stellar acting in this 1951 classic, try, if you will, to concentrate on what he does with the human language...listen to the words. I'd say the word "genius" would not be misplaced in this context:

Robert Frost: Through the years....

Robert Frost would be 137. Some call him "America's Poet Laureate Emeritus". I certainly would. His works, today, remain as vivid and fresh as the day they were written. He's most associated with his odes to rural New England life. My personal favorite of his poems (and I believe it was JFK's favorite as well--Frost was his hero, whom he chose to speak at his 1961 inauguration), "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening":

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Hubba-hubba he-man movie star, Sterling Hayden would be 95 today. The 6'5, blond and muscular leading man worked hard to try to shuck off the pretty-boy mantel they tried to hang on him in Hollywood by playing gritty, not-so-nice guys. Off-screen, he was married to the equally gorgeous Madeleine Carroll (whom we saluted here on March 18). He was a hard-drinking, hard-living man's-man who seemed to have disappeared for a few decades before making a late-life comeback in The Godfather, playing the corrupt Captain McCluskey, who gets whacked by Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in the restaurant scene:
[Warning: Very graphic and violent]

Okay, here: Have some gratuitous, shirtless beefcake pics of a young Sterling Hayden, so that we can leave this party on a happier note, alright? Now go rent Streetcar right this minute! (do people stilll rent movies?).

Joseph Campbell 107

Friday, March 25, 2011

If they were still alive.....

...today would be the birthday of:

Jack Ruby would have turned 100. Conspiracy theorists have formed a cottage industry around trying to figure out who, exactly, this man was--and why he did what he did. Ruby, of course, the owner of a tawdry Dallas nightclub, was the man who fired the shot that killed John F. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, the day after JFK's assassination in Dallas on November 23, 1963. He was initially convicted of murder with malice and condemned to death. That sentence was later overturned, and he was awaiting re-trial when he was diagnosed with advanced, terminal cancer. He died at Dallas's Parkland Hospital, where both JFK and Oswald died, too--a macabre wrapup to a story that will have no end. So why did he do it? Most signs point toward it being the actions of an unbalanced, attention-seeking "patriot," rather than him being the tool of some clandestine cabal. But it seems we may never know...

Arturo Toscanini would be 144. One of the most important and influential musicians of the 20th century, the great conductor of symphony and opera was (and still is) widely admired by pedagogues and common audiences alike. He was well known all over America as the conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, which broadcast their concerts over the air. A strict, no-nonsense taciturn who ruled his musicians out of fear, as well as admiration, his many existing recordings prove him to be incredibly sensitive, inventive and full of fire. Here he is, conducting the NBC Orchestra in a 1948 performance of Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" from Die Walkure:

Nancy Kelly would be 90. Her most famous role came in 1956, when she repeated the role she created on Broadway, playing the mother of evil little Rhoda, whom the title referred to: The Bad Seed. It was all taken dead seriously when it came out. But seen today, it is almost unavoidably, hilariously, campily WAY over the top! The writing, acting, directing---EVERYTHING in that film seems beamed in from some faraway planet. And they were all nominated for Oscars! Including Nancy (her only nomination, ever), who does everything but take big chunks out of the scenery with her teeth! A shockingly poor performance, I'm afraid to say.

Nancy does things like stare at the telephone and study it after hanging up, for no reason whatsoever.

But in recent years, it's been packing revival movie houses, especially around Halloween, with like-minded campy folk who dress up as the characters and know every bit of dialogue by heart. So, I guess you have to take "legendary" wherever you can get it, Nancy, 'cause your performance in this film certainly was memorable alright!

Simone Signoret would be 90. Look at that lovely, wounded face. The French leading lady (who was the long-suffering wife of chronic womanizer, Yves Montand) played a lot of lovely, wounded French women, mostly in French films, though she did successfully make the jump to Hollywood, briefly, and even took home an Oscar for Room at the Top in 1959, for her touching supporting role. She wrote a lovely autobiography, whose title I've always been fond of: Nostalgia Isn't What It Used to Be.

*****************************

Venice is certainly VERY much alive. And legend has it that the city was "born" on this day, 1590 years ago. The shocking thing is...Venice continues to sink into the Adriatic! Yes, over the past century alone, it has sunk almost 10 inches. Massive engineering schemes are continually in motion to "stem the tide," but flooding has always been a fact of life there. Rome may be "The Eternal City," but La Serenissima (as Venice is known) isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. So, to one of the most beautiful, dynamic and enigmatic cities on the planet, we hope that you and yours have a buon compleanno!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Candid Elizabeth Taylor....

Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, 1951

Elizabeth Taylor was certainly the most photographed woman of the 20th Century. Following a hunch that eBay would be flooded with Taylor photographs for sale in the advent of her death yesterday, I combed through the auction rolls and yes, there are thousands. Here's a selection of some of them, concentrating on the "candid" images of Elizabeth Taylor when she was young. Many of them have no information, other than the year (or nothing at all, in some cases).