“Forgotten Hollywood”- Not So Happy Days…

October 31st, 2015

Manny P. here…

800px-Al_Molinaro_Murray_the_cop_Odd_Couple_1974   Al Molinaro was an actor in television and films. He was best known as Al Delvecchio on Happy Days and its spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi, and Murray the Cop on The Odd Couple.

   A familiar face, he was a staple on the small screen. He had a recurring role in Get Smart, and guest starred in such sitcoms as Bewitched, Green Acres, That Girl, Fantasy Island, and Punky Brewster. Al had a part in Freaky Friday. The television version of The Odd Couple was produced by Garry Marshall, and the portly actor became a favorite in his lineup of family-oriented faire, including Happy Days, where he replaced Pat Morita as the owner of Arnold’s Diner.

   Al and fellow cast member Anson Williams opened a chain of diners throughout the Midwest called Big Al’s. After retiring from acting in 1992, he did return to appear in a Weezer music video; and later, he flourished as a spokesmen in commercials.       AL MOLINARO —>

   The popular dog-faced actor, Al Molinaro was 96.

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   Here’s a cool personal message from my longtime unions:

halloween

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Five Ignored Oscar-Worthy Roles…

October 29th, 2015

Manny P. here…

   I’m always reading on Facebook about performances by actors that were snubbed by Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. I have my own opinion about this. Most of the time, Oscar gets it right, at least in terms of a nomination. In five instances, I completely scratch my head:

Chaney_Lon_Jr_1~ Lon Chaney Jr. / Of Mice and Men – Not only was this a breakthrough role, it allowed the actor to step out of the formidable shadow of his father, the greatest dramatic screen star of the silent era. He brings John Steinbeck’s Lenny to life. The only explanation is the film was released in 1939… Even Frank Morgan and Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of Oz and Bela Lugosi in Son of Frankenstein were also passed over.

220px-William_Bendix_1960~ William Bendix / Lifeboat – Here was a talented actor of drama and comedy. He shows both in this Alfred Hitchcock thriller. His performance still tugs at my heart. That said, he was ignored by the Academy

220px-Edward_G__Robinson_-_still~ Edward G. Robinson / Double Indemnity – He was always good in every role. He was never better in support of Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. Surprisingly, he never received one nomination for a statuette in his entire career!

220px-Humphrey_Bogart_in_The_Treasure_of_the_Sierra_Madre_trailer~ Humphrey Bogart / Treasure of the Sierra Madre – Arguably, a career defining role. It should earned the actor at least a nod. Urban Legend suggests that he was a nominee. But, his only attention he received from the Academy were for Casablanca, The African Queen, and The Caine Mutiny.

220px-George_C__Scott_-_publicity~ George C. Scott / Dr. Strangelove – The iconic actor steals the film from such scene-stealers as Peter Sellers, Slim Pickens, and Sterling Hayden. The movie proves the actor could do comedy.

Myrna_Loy_in_Best_Years_of_Our_Lives_trailer_closeup   220px-Robert_Preston-publicity

MYRNA LOY    ROBERT PRESTON

   Honorable Mentions: Myrna Loy / The Best Years of Our Lives; Robert Preston / The Music Man. Again, Loy was surprisingly snubbed for a competitive Oscar for her entire career; Preston earned a well-deserved Tony Award for his role as Professor Harold Hill.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Anatomy of Saul Bass…

October 27th, 2015

Manny P. here…

220px-Saul_Bass   Check out a visual lecture by Jan-Christopher Horak, director, UCLA Film & Television Archive, as he presents a selection of cinematic titles, shorts, and commercials by Academy Award–winning filmmaker Saul Bass (right). This FREE event will take place at the Billy Wilder Theater this Friday, October 30th at 7:30p. Bass was also renowned for his fine work as a graphic designer for major corporate identity campaigns, and as an acclaimed director of short films, commercials, and independent documentaries.

   Best known as a designer of iconic, era-defining title sequences for such motion pictures as The Man with the Golden Arm, The Seven Year Itch, Vertigo, The Big Country, The Pride and the Passion, North by Northwest, SpartacusOcean’s 11, Psycho, Exodus, West Side Story,  Advise and Consent, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, In Harm’s Way, Bunny Lake is Missing, Big, Broadcast News, The Age of Innocence, and GoodFellas. Bass served as an important visual collaborator with the directors with whom he worked, including Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder, Stanley Kubrick, and Martin Scorsese. In addition to title sequences, Bass also designed posters and marketing materials for Hollywood.

saulbasslecture_0

   Drawing on research and analyses of his recently published book, Saul Bass: Anatomy of Film Design, Horak, with graphic designer Albert Kallis, a frequent Bass collaborator, will illuminate how Bass’ work for others manifested his own particular brand, revealing similar design strategies, themes, and visual looks.  The evening will feature several short films that Bass directed himself, including The Searching Eye, Why Man Creates, The Solar Film, and Quest, as well as a selection of his classic title sequences, commercials. and industrial films.

   This will be a definitive evening of eye candy for cinematic aficionados.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- The Secret Life of Tab Hunter…

October 26th, 2015

Manny P. here…

   A new documentary shares the story of a teen sensation. A major star at Warner Brothers, his private life is now the subject for analysis in Tab Hunter Confidential. And its release enjoys the blessings of the 84-year-old actor, the subject of the piece.

tab_hunter_poster   Based on Hunter’s terrifically entertaining 2005 memoir (written with Eddie Muller) and produced by his longtime partner, Allan Glaser, this documentary features Hunter talking about the pleasures of his stardom (fueled more by the fan magazines and the pop singles he cut, than the mostly lackluster pictures Warner Brothers gave him); and his enduring frustrations with how stardom that limited his chances to be a great thespian, opportunities more forthcoming in live television work under the direction of Arthur Penn, John Frankenheimer, and others.

   There are reminiscences from Robert Wagner, Debbie Reynolds, and John Waters, who cast Hunter opposite Divine in Polyester. Much of the documentary focuses on Hunter’s experience as a closeted gay man promoted as a heartthrob to teen girls. To that end, Tab Hunter, good-humored throughout, tells a story that defies expectations. There were, of course, threats of outing — notably, from the scandal rag Confidential — but, also protection from the studio, with one touching moment of support coming from Jack Warner.

   The production follows Hunter’s life after leaving Warner Brothers, the bad movies, and years on the dinner-theater circuit. Some of his cinematic work was surprisingly good, most notably, his starring roles in Damn Yankees and They Came to Cordura. And it reveals the quiet refusal beneath Hunter’s affable, casual manner to accept his failure to become a serious actor, nor a convenient symbol of gay pride.

   The result is a refreshing and positive expose of scintillating biography and survival. Today, the movie star spends most of leisure time at equestrian events. Comfortable in his own skin, Tab Hunter is quite happy with the legacy he leaves on the screen; a top money-grossing star in the mid-to-late 1950s, and a career all but finished by the next decade.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Irish Eyes Smiling From Heaven…

October 24th, 2015

Taking_time_off_between_the_shooting_of_scenes_at_the_RKO_Studios_in_Hollywood,_Miss_O'Hara_helped_collect_more_than____-_NARA_-_196469_(cropped)Manny P. here…

   Maureen O’Hara (right) was the Irish beauty who appeared in such classic films as Miracle on 34th St., The Quiet ManThe Hunchback of Notre Dame, and How Green was My Valley. Her pals were the biggest names in Hollywood, including John Wayne and director John Ford. She could stand up to the Duke, both on and off screen. She was proud when he remarked in an interview that he preferred to work with men — except for Maureen O’Hara; she’s a great guy. She joins Myrna Loy in being the only actresses ever to receive an Academy Award without a previous nomination.

   The famous red head, O’Hara was known for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She trained in drama, music, and dance, and at the age of ten, joined the Rathmines Theatre Company and worked in amateur theatre in the evenings. Maureen enrolled in a business school and became a proficient bookkeeper and typist. Those skills proved helpful years later when she took and transcribed production notes dictated by John Ford for the screen adaptation of Maurice Walsh’s short story The Quiet Man.

   Her first champion was Charles Laughton. O’Hara was offered an initial seven-year contract with his new company, Mayflower Pictures. Her first major film was Jamaica Inn,  directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Laughton was so pleased with O’Hara’s performance that he cast her in the role of the gypsy girl, Esmeralda opposite him in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. One person not happy with this decision was Elsa Lanchester, Laughton’s wife, who was fiercely jealous of O’Hara’s beauty. The popularity of How Green Was My Valley confirmed O’Hara’s status as a Hollywood star. RKO and 20th Century Fox shared her contract, and her most successful films were made at Fox. During her movie heyday, she became known as the Queen of Technicolor because of the camera’s love affair with her vivid hair, pale complexion, and spunky nature.

Tyrone_Power_Maureen_O'Hara_Black_Swan_6   John Wayne’s favorite leading lady, they starred together in five fine motion pictures, including The Quiet Man, Rio Grande, Big Jake, and McLintock! Other screen credits: The Black Swan, The Parent Trap, Our Man in Havana, Spencer’s Mountain, and Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation. In addition to her acting skills, O’Hara had a soprano voice and described singing as her first love. The studio heads never capitalized on her musical talent, as she was already big box office in other genres of film. However, she was able to channel her love of singing through television. She was a frequent guest on variety shows with Perry Como and Andy Williams.

   She was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma. In 1999, O’Hara was asked to be Grand Marshal of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In addition to her Oscar, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Film and Television Academy in her native Dublin. Maureen was formally inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame in 2011After her third husband had died in a plane crash, she became the CEO of the airline company he owned, Antilles Air Boats. O’Hara released her autobiography ‍ ​’Tis Herself, co-authored with Johnny Nicoletti and published by Simon & Schuster.

   She made a public appearance at the 2013 John Wayne Birthday Tribute to Maureen O’Hara celebration in Winterset, Iowa. The occasion was the ground-breaking for the John Wayne Birthplace Museum; the festivities included an official proclamation from Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declaring May 25th, 2013, as Maureen O’Hara Day in Iowa.

   Because of her roles in Miracle on 34th St. and more recently, a Hallmark television movie, The Christmas Box, the actress has a firm legacy to new generations of holiday viewers of the small screen. The latter film is based on a best-selling book.

maureen

tcm color logo   Turner Classic Movies will celebrate the legacy of the legendary actress with a 24-hour film tribute on November 20th. Among the films screening on TCM are Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Jamaica Inn; the flicks she made with Wayne; and swashbucklers Sinbad the Sailor and The Spanish Main.

   The fiery Maureen O’Hara died peacefully in her sleep. She was 95.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Tribute to Cartoons and Animation…

October 23rd, 2015

Manny P. here…220px-Steamboat-willie

   Mickey Mouse, Bart Simpson, and Scooby-Doo will share the limelight in a television special paying tribute to cartoon characters. Fox has announced it will air a two-hour program honoring 40 animated stars that have touched fans with humor and even proved influential.

Mickey_Mouse   characterArt-scooby-SD

Donald_Duck_svg    spongebob-about-web-desktop  Bart_Simpson_200px

thats-all-folks-porky   TV’s Funniest Animated Stars: A Paley Center for Media Special, is from the nonprofit center that focuses on media and society. The program includes interviews with Tony Anselmo, who has voiced Donald Duck; Nancy Cartwright, who provides Bart’s voice on The Simpsons; Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants; and other actors.

   This must-see special will air December 7th on Fox.

Until next time>                              “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- The Death of Shirley Jones’ Husband

October 22nd, 2015

Manny P. here…

   Marty Ingels was a raspy-voiced comedian, actor, and talent agent who was married to singer and actress Shirley Jones for nearly 40 years. The actress is said to be distraught over his passing.

Marty_Ingels_I'm_Dickens_He's_Fenster_1962   Beginning in the 1960s, Ingels appeared in some films and a number of television programs, including The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Ann Southern Show, The Love Boat, and Bewitched. He co-starred for one season with John Astin in the 1962 comedy I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster. Ingels also did voice work for hundreds of cartoons, commercials, and video games. He later ran a talent agency that booked movie stars such as John Wayne, Orson Welles, and Cary Grant for television commercials.       MARTY INGELS —->

    In 1974, Ingels met Shirley Jones, co-star of the hit sitcom The Partridge Family, at a party at actor Michael Landon’s home. They married in 1977. Their book, Shirley & Marty: An Unlikely Love Story, was published in 1990. Three years later, Ingels sued actress June Allyson for his agency commission. Allyson denied wrongdoing and countersued. He pled no contest to making annoying phone calls to Allyson.

   Marty Ingels was 79.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Back to the Future: 10/21/2015

October 21st, 2015

Manny P. here… Back_to_the_Future_Part_II

   The Chicago Cubs are one game away from ruining a day important to the legions of fans of Back to the Future. In the second flick in the series, the prediction was the Cubbies would break their long World Series championship losing streak in 2015.

   On the other hand… the former wife of the automaker whose famous car traveled through time in the 1985 movie and its sequels has just settled a lawsuit over the use of his name. Last year, the widow of automaker John DeLorean sued a Texas company she said has been illegally using the DeLorean name for years. The DMC-12, known simply as the DeLorean, was driven by Michael J. Fox in the movie, and has since gained a cult following. Sally DeLorean, who lives in New Jersey with her daughter, sued the Texas-based DeLorean Motor Company, claiming it’s been using the DeLorean name without permission to sell hats, pens, notebooks, key chains, and other items, and wrongfully licensed the name and images to other companies, including Nike, Urban Outfitters, and Apple.

   Last month, the parties agreed to a settlement that will pay Sally an undisclosed sum, while allowing the company to retain the rights to use the DeLorean Motor Company name, trademarks, and logo. The estate will retain rights to John DeLorean’s name, aspects of his personal life, and depictions of his likeness that aren’t public property or purchased from legitimate rights holders.

   John DeLorean began his career at General Motors before forming his own company in the 1970s. Only about 9,000 DeLorean cars were produced before the company went bankrupt in the early 1980s, but the car’s sleek, angular look and gull-wing doors helped land it a role in the Back to the Future films. DeLorean died in New Jersey in 2005 at age 80. By the way, his former estate in the rolling hills about 40 miles west of New York City was converted into a golf course by Donald Trump (of all people) in 2004.

OCT_21_2015   1920_cub_logo

   With this lawsuit settled, I’m rooting for a Chicago Cubs four-game winning streak that will land them in the Fall Classic. And today, several theaters are offering back-to-back screenings of the Back to the Future trilogy; plus, the town of Reston, Virginia will temporarily change its name to Hill Valley to commemorate the iconic series during its annual film festival. An appearance by the original cast is scheduled at a Lincoln Center screening in New York, and a tour of the Hill Valley town square is planned on the Universal Studios lot. Meanwhile, the trilogy is exclusively streaming on Amazon Prime, and Universal is releasing a special edition trilogy box set in light-up packaging.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Scary Lucy is Finally Going Away…

October 19th, 2015

Manny P. here…

   This is a continuation of the story that keeps on giving.

   Yesterday, Syracuse.com unveiled plans to permanently replace Scary Lucy with a new statue. The pressure is now on Carolyn Palmer, a local artist who has been closely studying footage of Lucille Ball and episodes of I Love Lucy to properly capture the comedienne’s essence. Though if her charming bust of Pope Francis is any indication, the task is in good hands. Palmer has also created sculptures of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.

   To recap… the small town of Celoron, New York, the childhood home of Lucille Ball (below), erected a statue of the comedy icon in Lucille Ball Memorial Park. The sculpture, the work of artist Dave Poulin , has since been compared to a zombie. It’s hard not to feel a little sorry for Poulin, who earlier this year publicly apologized for the work and offered to fix it for $10,000. In some ways, Poulin’s monsterpiece has become a pop art icon. Not to mention, Scary Lucy has become an ironic tourist attraction. Needless to say, Celoron Mayor Scott Schrecengost has said thanks, but no thanks to Poulin’s offer.

Lucy Ball   YnUAh-1445286312-492-blog-scarylucy_redo

   Palmer’s statue is set to be unveiled in August, 2016. The entire internet will be watching. Bulletins as they break!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Billy the Croquet Kid…

October 18th, 2015

Manny P. here…

   Henry McCarty, known in Wild West lore as Billy the Kid, lived a brief and violent life, before his death in a gunfight aged 21. He lived with a gun in his hand – and it seems, a croquet mallet. An original Billy the Kid photo would be the holy grail of Western Americana.

billy the kid

HENRY McCARTY / BILLY THE KID (left)

   In a surprising historical moment, a second photo of McCarty ever to be authenticated shows him and his posse, The Regulators, playing croquet in New Mexico in 1878. The faded image was among a pile of photos inside a cardboard box at a junk shop in Fresno, California, unearthed by a collector in 2010. Randy Guijarro paid $2 (for the image, which is now estimated to be worth millions of dollars). The only other confirmed photo of Billy the Kid, from 1880, sold for $2.3m in 2011.

   The photo was authenticated by a San Francisco-based Americana company, Kagin’s, which identified Billy the Kid along with several members of his gang, as well as friends and family. It was taken after a wedding in the Summer of 1878, just a month after they  took part in the brutal Lincoln County war. Kagin spent a year investigating the photo, and even found the location where it was taken in Chaves County, New Mexico. There they unearthed the remains of the building in the photo. A National Geographic Channel documentary on the find is scheduled for broadcast this week.

   Liz Larsson, from the UK’s Croquet Association, said the series of photos from the scene left little doubt what game was being played. The first croquet club in England was founded in 1865, the same year the game was immortalized in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Thom Ross, a United States artist specialising in historic scenes, has previously painted Native Americans and cowboys playing croquet. All types of Americans played, including famous folks as General George Custer.

   I never imagined that I would be blogging about Billy the Kid, General Custer, and croquet in the same story.  And, so it goes…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- TherapyCable Episode #9 is Live…

October 17th, 2015

Manny P. here…

   NEW FORGOTTEN HOLLYWOOD SHOW ON THERAPYCABLE

   Episode #9 of FORGOTTEN HOLLYWOOD on THERAPYCABLE features guest Ethan Morse, who shares the inner workings of the Old Guard detail that have been assigned to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. As executive producer, his effort to bring The Unknowns to the screen by way of a documentary is a stirring testament of patriotism, freedom, and good old-fashioned Hollywood story-telling. You can watch my interview with Ethan that includes snippets from the footage, photographs, and insightful stories.

Forgotten Hollywood - Therapy Cable logo   Forgotten Hollywood - Therapy Cable #9

TCLogo   Buried at the tomb at Arlington Cemetery are such Hollywood luminaries as Lee Marvin and Audie Murphy, who was also the most decorated serviceman of World War II. Morse worked with Robert Duvall and Jeff Daniels in the production of Gods and Generals.

   To watch and enjoy this interview on THERAPYCABLE, click or (cut-and-paste) to view my latest program:

http://therapycable.com/social-issues-videos/the-unknowns.html

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Passing Parade Claims Joan Leslie…

October 16th, 2015

Manny P. here… Joan_Leslie_1946

   Joan Leslie was a durable actress, who did her best work at Warner Brothers. She was quite memorable in some of the most iconic motion pictures, including High Sierra, Sergeant York, and Yankee Doodle Dandy. She worked opposite Oscar-worthy actors as Gary Cooper and James Cagney, while witnessing the ascent of Humphrey Bogart to A-List status.                      JOAN LESLIE —>

   In 1936, Leslie caught the attention of a talent scout from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Just 11 years-of-age, she attended MGM’s Little Red Schoolhouse with other child actors like Mickey Rooney and Freddie Bartholomew. Her first film role was in Camille, a romantic drama starring Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor. Constantly on loan to other studios, Joan had small parts in Love Affair and Foreign Correspondent.

   Signing a contract at Warner Brothers in 1941, Leslie hit her stride. Her sweet innocent persona kept the star constantly working. Her string of fine performances continued in The Male Animal, The Wagons Roll Out at Night (again with Bogie), The Hard Way (again with Ida Lupino), This is the Army, Thank Your Lucky Stars, Hollywood Canteen (as herself), Rhapsody in Blueand Cinderella Jones. During World War II, Leslie was a regular volunteer at the actual Hollywood Canteen, where she danced with servicemen and granted hundreds of autographs. On radio, she reprised her role from Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942.

   By 1946, she took Warner Brothers to court in order to get released from her contract. As a result of this, Jack Warner used his influence to blacklist her from other major studios. Joan spent the rest of her career making movies at lots along Poverty Row, primarily co-starring in Westerns. She settled into television, appearing as a guest star in Branded, Police Story, Charlie’s Angels, The Incredible Hulk, Simon & Simon, and Murder She Wrote. She retired from acting in 1991.

   In 1999, she was one of the 250 actresses nominated for the American Film Institute’s selection of the 25 greatest female screen legends to have debuted before 1950. She also received a Star along Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. She was involved with charity work for the St. Anne’s Maternity Home for more than 50 years.

   With a career that spanned over six decades, Joan Leslie was 90.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- The Paramount-YouTube Connection..

October 15th, 2015

Manny P. here…

   There are a lot of channels on YouTube that claim to offer full movies for free. The catch, usually, is that these channels are not endorsed by film studios, and as a result, they rarely last very long before getting struck down by copyright claims.

   The Paramount Pictures vault, however, is different. It’s now a YouTube channel that offers full movies for free, and unlike the other channels, it is actually run by its titular studio. You’ll find more than 100 classic movies from the Paramount back catalog, all available for free.

   The Paramount Vault has been around since the beginning of 2015, but it has only recently started to receive attention from media outlets. However, according to the fine print, it’s only available in the United States.

Paramount_logo_1914    Paramount has reached decades back to pull out rarities that span all genres. Sure, the selection isn’t tremendously exciting, but these films would otherwise spend their time collecting dust. This is like enjoying Cinecon from the comfort of your own residence. Beyond these full films, the Paramount Vault also offers individual clips from the studio’s more famous productions, and this is where the channel’s strategy starts to take shape. A famous clip from Sunset Boulevard, for example, is preceded by a still image that repurposes the film’s most famous line: I’m ready for my selfie.

   Viewers might well find themselves wandering around in the Paramount Vault for hours or days, unaware of how much time they’ve been spending there. Indeed!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Reading Playboy For the Articles…

October 14th, 2015

Manny P. here…

Pb1253   Playboy Magazine has decided it will no longer compete with internet photos and videos of naked women. Once considered racy, even obscene — Playboy is now viewed as benign. The 62-year-old periodical is undergoing a major revision, and will dispense with nude photographs when it re-launches in March. The change apparently has the approval of 89-year-old founder and editor-in-chief, Hugh Hefner. He’s widely considered an icon for the sexual revolution. Hef began his career as a journalist for Esquire.

   Marilyn Monroe (right) was an early participant in a conceptual development of Playboy, which legitimized the mag from the start. Others baring all (or most) on the pages of Playboy have included Bettie Page, Jayne Mansfield, Ursula Andress, Raquel Welch, Barbi Benton, Cindy Crawford, and Pamela Anderson. The mag will still feature racy photos of women. Execs have yet to decide if it should continue to showcase a centerfold.

    The Playboy company currently makes most of its cash from licensing its brand, and the magazine loses around $3 million a year in the United States. The Playboy website got rid of nudes last year, which execs say caused traffic to quadruple to 16 million users a month. The age of the average user dropped from 47 to 30. The target demographic of the revamped Playboy will be young, urban men. Its print circulation, measuring at 5.6 million in 1975, is now about 800,000. The shift from nudity will be accompanied by other changes in the magazine, including a slightly larger size, and a heavier, higher quality of paper meant to give the magazine a more collectible feel. And analysts conclude that the removal of nudes will be a huge boost for its articles, including mainstream journalism and serious interviews.

   I can think of one longstanding source of humor that will become instantly obsolete. Hence, the title of this story…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

“Forgotten Hollywood”- Liz and Mickey…

October 13th, 2015

Manny P. here…

   The Forgotten Hollywood Blog Site is not one to engage in idle gossip. But, the following story is lurid, and ultimately intriguing, considering the cinematic royalty involved.

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                            ELIZABETH TAYLOR                MICKEY ROONEY

   Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor had a carnal encounter with Mickey Rooney when she was just 14 years old, claims a new book. The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney by authors Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes. They interviewed the actor just before his death, and reveals the pair met when she was only 12 when they starred in the National Velvet. The book claims that two years after their work, the actors were caught engaging in a sex act by 24-year-old Rooney’s second wife – Betty Jane. She was a backup singer for the likes of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Sam Cooke. She and Rooney divorced in 1949. Her friend Pam McClenathan describes the incident in the book, which occurred in 1944.

   Elizabeth’s sex life has been well documented over the years. According to reports, she was just 12 when she had her first encounter with a man; with future movie actor/director John Derek, who was six years her elder. At the age of 15, she was reportedly involved with future president Ronald Reagan – who was married to actress Jane Wyman at the time. Her next political sexual encounter was with future chief executive John F Kennedy.

Rooney Book   Rooney – who died last year – married eight times in total, but this is the first time he has been linked to Elizabeth, who eventually wed seven men. Mickey bragged that he managed to get women into bed with his sense of humor – his conquests included Lana Turner and Judy Garland. One of his wives was Ava Gardner.

   The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney is due out on October 20th.

Until next time>                               “never forget”