Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   An interactive attraction examining the sordid roots of Las Vegas has just opened on the strip. Called The Mob Experience, visitors can now visit The Tropicana and learn about the history of organized crime’s involvement with the rise of Sin City. Tourists can expect to chat with legendary gangsters, and in some cases, get made, in mob tradition. 

   Highlights include biographies and stories about Benjamin Siegel and Frank Rosenthal, who ran the Stardust, the Fremont, and the Hacienda casinos. Furniture from Sam Giancana, and a diary from Meyer Lansky are among the  historical artifacts to be displayed. Narration is provided by James Caan, Mickey Rourke, and Frank Vincent; all actors who have played crime figures. The popularity of The Godfather, Casino, and Goodfellas should guarantee thousands of visitors each year, generating an abundance of tourism dollars.

   Downtown Las Vegas also plans to open a publicly-funded Mob Museum in December to compliment the Vegas-strip attraction. To lawfully silence critics and raise its academic credibility, the Mob Museum brought in law enforcement officials, historians, and acclaimed museum experts to help build its collection. And, it will highlight local historic violence,  and the role organized crime played in the success of casinos.

              MEYER LANSKY

   For example, “Bugsy” Siegel’s troubled and expensive opening of the Flamingo Hotel led to his eventual bloody demise. So much for the so-called glamorous origins of Las Vegas, the planned oasis in the Nevada desert.

Until next time>                          “never forget“

Manny P. here…

   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History was written as my humble attempt to capture the many moments during the Studio Era that have fallen by the wayside. Often when a star outlives their fame, they become lost in the cracks. Before the topic  about the first celebrity to be knocked off Dancing With the Stars infiltrates the national dialogue, let’s look back at the career and life of Farley Granger. His name is barely mentioned  when Hollywood’s Golden Age enters casual discussion, even among its most stingent fans.

   With absolutely no formal training, the North Hollywood High School student was discovered by talent scouts of Samuel Goldwyn. With the sheer power of his good looks, Granger popularity dramatically grew. He garnered roles in memorable films including The North Star, The Purple Heart, and Hans Christian Andersen. When director Alfred Hitchcock hired Granger for Rope and Strangers on a Train, his A-list status was secured.

   What the star did next was astonishing. He quit Hollywood - moved to New York - and studied under Lee Strassberg and Stella Adler. In other words, Farley Granger worked hard to become an actor. He practiced his craft on live television and on Broadway. Over the next five decades, he steadily achieved noteriety in productions which included The Glass Menagerie,  The Crucible, and a revival of The King and I. He appeared in recurring roles on The Edge of Night, As the World Turns, and most successfully, in One Life to Live. In fact, he received an Emmy nomination for his acclaimed performance on the soap opera.

   His personal life was quite prolific, with flings and long-term relationships with Ava Gardner, Shelley Winters, Leonard Bernstein, and Arthur Laurents. He wrote his memoirs called Include Me Out in 2008 with his life-partner Robert Calhoun, whom he met while performing with the National Repertory Theatre in the early 1960′s.

   Appropriately, he never apologized for the career choices he made, and for the life he lived. Farley Granger died on Sunday at the age of 85, peacefully, from natural causes.

Until next time>                          ”never forget“

Manny P. here…

   Unbelievable news! Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has shot past 1500 over the past six weeks. In fact, I’ve now sold 1600 books on AMAZON, on TOWER.COM, and at BARNES & NOBLE, BORDERS, and Independent locations. 

   Laura Danforth of Danforth Book Distribution has confirmed that my paperback is one of the best sellers from her crop of literary clients. Sales figures should quickly rise over the next few months, based on AMAZON indicators, which I follow on a daily basis.

   This news guarantees a bright 2011 as a second edition of my work will be printed; an eBook should soon become available; and book #2 (tentatively called Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History) will enter the layout phase through the Book Publishers Network. I can also start concentrating on the development of the Forgotten Hollywood documentary in partnership with Vision4Media.

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   And, thanks to Brandon and Roger of Cabinet Wholesalers (at 4510 E. La Palma Ave. in Anaheim) for their generous book purchases. These fine experts are remodling our home kitchen.

   Here’s the link to their website:

www.1800cabinetwholesalers.com

   As usual, I’ll keep you informed on the progress of the Forgotten Hollywood story as it continues to unfold.

Until next time>                          “never forget“

Manny P. here…

   Ken Burns is promoting his newest documentary entitled Prohibition. Highlights of his work will be featured this weekend at a meeting at the National Constitution Center. The forum entitled Civility & Democracy  in America will be taped for a future broadcast.

   The Volstead Act took effect from 1920 to 1933, and was a part the 18th Ammendment to the Constitution. Initially, President Wilson vetoed the bill, but the veto was overridden by Congress. Unintended effects of prohibition were that booklegging became popular; organized crime thrived; and the speakeasy emerged. The F.B.I. became the chief federal enforcement of the law. Also, Alcoholics Anonymous was eventually created as a self-help solution to a growing nationwide drinking problem.

   The repeal of the 18th Ammendment occurred on December 5th, 1933, as part of the 21st Ammendment. This may have been President Roosevelt’s most popular policy from his New Deal.

   The new 5 1/2-hour, three-part series, premieres this fall on PBS.

Until next time>                         “never forget“

Manny P. here…

   Much will be written over the next week about the tumultuous life and times of Elizabeth Taylor. She was a true icon from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Her personal life was fiery and newsworthy. She lost a great love  in a plane crash; she stole a husband away from another screen legend; her relationship with Richard Burton was magically tragic. And, her close friends included Roddy McDowell, Montgomery Clift, Rock Hudson, and Michael Jackson.

   Yet, most will recall Taylor’s love affair with the camera, above all. Her violet eyes were striking, even on the black and white screen. She effortlessly graduated from the ranks of child actor to adult star. She won two Oscars. Her screen credits include Lassie Come Home, National Velvet, Little Women, Father of the Bride, A Place in the Sun, Quo Vadis, Ivanhoe, Giant, Raintree County, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Suddenly Last Summer, Butterfield 8, Cleopatra, The V.I.P.’s, The Sandpiper, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Anne of a Thousand Days, and The Taming of a Shrew.

   It’s unfair that Elizabeth Taylor will also be remembered for her many marraiges to Richard Burton, Conrad Hilton, Michael Todd, Michael Wilding, Eddie Fisher, and Larry Fortensky. Our collective memories should include her unyielding work against the AIDS virus. She was given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1992 for her efforts . In 1999, Taylor was appropriately appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

 photo by Roland Godefroy

   She was also a friend to the hospital employees she met while suffering the many illnesses throughout her life and career. I don’t say this with any hint of sarcasm. Gloria Pacheco (my mother) attended to the actress during various stays at St. John’s Hospital in Southern California. She recounted how gracious and friendly Taylor was; never treating the staff with anything but dignity. This speaks volumes for the star known for a well-documented temper. Believe me, if Liz had been anything but kind, I surely would have heard about it from my mom!

   Turner Classic Movies will honor the actress with a day-long memorial tribute on April 10th. In addition, the 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood will feature a 60th anniversary screening of her top-notch performance in George Stevens’ A Place in the Sun. A personal thanks to Gary Lycan of the Orange County Register for providing me this special piece of TCM news to share with my bloggers.

   Elizabeth Taylor was 79, and died of congestive heart failure.

Until next time>                         “never forget“

Manny P. here…

   I just received an email from Terry Roberts of Incentive Books with very promising news regarding the bulk sales of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History to non-profit and  corporate business communities. According to Terry:

FORGOTTEN HOLLYWOOD FORGOTTEN HISTORY is the 6^th most viewed book on our site with 57 views and 42 unique visitors. That’s impressive on a site where visitors are corporate types with incentive shopping on their minds. Any one could eventually develop into a significant deal. Those numbers don’t include people investigating your book at Facebook, which doesn’t report views of individual books.

64% of visitors were returning vs. new, another good sign. It suggests people are returning to the listing to learn more. 39 views were from California, which makes sense given the subject. But that’s also the home base of many large organizations. But there were visits from 13 different U.S. cities and countries.

Here’s an image of the custom postcard we created for your book. This is targeted at hand-selected for-profit and non-profit prospects. The bulleted points tie together the book topic and its value related to the interests of the prospect’s target audience – as suggested by the nature of their business.

   I’m extraordinarily convinced Incentive Books can turn my book into a huge money-making enterprise in its literary venture. Here’s a link for more info:

http://incentivebooks.com/book_details.php?book_id=338

Until next time>                            “never forget“

Manny P. here…

   The BARNES & NOBLE bonanza continues in the Inland Empire. My next booksigning will be held at their store in Rancho Cucamonga at 11090 Foothill Blvd. on May 7th at 1p-3p.

   If you live in the area, I invite you to stop by and pick up an autographed copy of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. This should be a great opportunity to visit and chat about classic cinema with me.

   My paperback is currently available in 26 BARNES & NOBLE locations in four states including California, Nevada, Washington, and New York.

   I look forward to meeting you on what should be a wonderful Spring event.

Until next time>                          ”never forget“

Manny P. here…

   Sheryn Hara of the Book Publishers Network has confirmed that two copies of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History are now housed in the Library of Congress in our nation’s capital. All published books receive an ISBN number from this most revered of library branches. Sheryn says the proceedure is normal, despite the acknowledgement of this most deferential of American literary traditions.   

   Many of the photos in Chapters of my paperback can be found in the Library of Congress as part of our Public Domain. So, in a sense, the photographs have returned home. 

   I’m thrilled just thinking about where my work can now be read - the Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms. Here’s the official link confirming the Washington D.C. locations  (conduct a new catalogue search by typing the words - Forgotten Hollywood):

http://catalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=1&ti=1,1&Search%5FArg=forgotten%20hollywood&Search%5FCode=GKEY%5E%2A&CNT=100&PID=RzSewRAK7r1PX7hKDmPBMWsQxoMk&SEQ=20110316033341&SID=1

   This assures my work is officially published.

Until next time>                           “never forget“

Manny P. here…

   I’d like to introduce you to Meredy’s Place. She’s a special person who shares a love of classic film and television. Meredy has a blog and website you might like to visit to broaden your horizons regarding cinema.

   Meredy provides informative stories, a massive amount of trivia, links to sites, and items to purchase (including DVD’s, calendars, electronic toys, figurines, photos, magazines, music boxes, and screen savers). The common thread is Hollywood’s Golden Age. Here’s the links to her site and blog:

http://www.meredy.com/

http://mrsskeffington.blogspot.com/

   By the way, Mr. Skeffington was a wonderful motion picture made by Warner Brothers, and starred Bette Davis and Claude Rains. Both actors were nominated for Oscars in 1944. Claude Rains is my proud subject of Chapter One in Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.

   There is little doubt that Meredy and I are soul mates…

 MR. SKEFFINGTON  

Until next time>                          “never forget“

Manny P. here.

   Several stories have come across the Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History desk that are worth telling with regards to the first few decades of the 20th Century.

    ~ The last American Doughboy, who died recently, will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday. The passing of a generation is what the White House is calling the ceremony. President Obama has ordered that U.S. flags on official buildings be lowered to half-staff on the day the final American WWI vet is buried.

   Frank Buckles, born in 1901, enlisted at 16 after lying about his age. The veteran devoted his final years to campaigning for more recognition for his comrades during the Great War by suggesting a national memorial be built in Washington D.C. in their honor. Buckles died last month on his farm in Charlestown, a month after his 110th birthday.  FRANK BUCKLES ——->

   ~ The only color photographs of a devastated San Francisco have been discovered at the Smithsonian Institute. The six newly-found images were taken by photographer Frederick Eugene Ives several months after the Great Quake of 1906. They were snapped during a visit by Ives in October ’06.

   The still-shots are photos of San Francisco’s destroyed downtown, and a visual rooftop  account overlooking miles of ruins. They display buildings damaged by the 8.3 temblor, and gutted by the subsequent fire. Some of these structures remarkably still exist.

   Ives is best-known for creating the halftone reproduction process still used for printing pictures in newspapers. It’s expected that these snapshots will be part of a permanent display at the museum.

Until next time>                           “never forget“