Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`One of the most famous Christmas carols was celebrated in honor of its  200th anniversary with a concert at the New York City church where Silent Night was initially sung in the United States, and where a priest was the first to publish an English translation of the Austrian carol. The performance of the carol was presented by Austria’s Kroll Family Singers.

“`Silent Night first debuted as a musical piece in December, 1818 with words by Joseph Mohr, and music by Franz Xaver Gruber, in Oberndorf, Austria.  In 1859, a priest at Trinity Church, John Freeman Young published an initial English translation of three verses of the carol. It has become one of the most recorded songs in the world, and it is regarded as a representative of Austria’s cultural heritage.

“`To mark the anniversary, Austrian tourism organizations put together a number of events in the country, including concert and exhibitions. The concert at Trinity — a historic church and tourist attraction that survived the destruction of the nearby World Trade Center in 2001 — was the only stateside event planned.  This performance was held by the Alexander Hamilton memorial in the churchyard.

“`A little perspective that compliments the upcoming yuletide season.

Manny P. here… 

“`Bernardo Bertolucci was the Oscar-winning director whose groundbreaking movies, including Last Tango In Paris and The Last Emperor.  An iconic figure in Italian cinema, Bertolucci is the one Italian filmmaker to have won the Academy Award for Best Director.

“`Bernardo was born in 1941 to a prominent family in northern Italy. His father, Attilio Bertolucci, was a well-regarded poet. He was married to British screenwriter and director Clare Peploe. BERNARDO BERTOLUCCI ->

“`In a career that stretched back to the early 1960s, Bernardo became a key figure of the extraordinary Italian new wave, but made a successful transition to large-scale Hollywood productions. An early mentor was Pier-Paolo Pasolini. Bertolucci offered technical work on Sergio Leone’s epic spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West.

“`Bernardo was recognized with an Oscar nomination in 1970 for Adapted Screenplay of The Conformist. Last Tango in Paris, a provocative 1973 flick starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider, it became an initial X-rated production to screen in mainstream American theaters. His 1987 film, The Last Emperor swept up a total of nine Academy Awards, winning every nominated category.

“`The provocative Bernardo Bertolucci was seventy-seven.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Nicolas Roeg was a prominent British film director, known for making provocative movies, and working with rock icons Mick Jagger and David Bowie over a six-decade career. His work included Performance, Don’t Look Now, and The Man Who Fell to Earth.

NICOLAS ROEG

“`Born in London, Nicolas became a director after reaching acclaim as a cinematographer. He began his career as an editing apprentice in 1947. Most of his noted assignments came when Roeg was behind the camera such as Lawrence of Arabia, Far from the Madding Crowd, Dr. Zhivago, Fahrenheit 451, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Casino Royale.

“`Roeg pioneered an idiosyncratic visual and narrative style, characterized by the dizzying use of disjointed and disorientating editing. He influenced future filmmakers, including Christopher Nolan, Steven Soderbergh, and Danny Boyle.

“`Nicolas Roeg was ninety.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Black Friday and Cyber Monday is approaching. Here is a great gift-giving idea for family and friends:  The Forgotten Hollywood Book Series!

“`Copy-and-paste the Amazon links to pick up a copy (or three)…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948963086/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536759026&sr=8-1&keywords=road+to+forgotten+hollywood

http://www.amazon.com/Son-Forgotten-Hollywood-History/dp/1937454142/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326436846&sr=1-1

“`The paperbacks feature fifty-six chapters intersecting Hollywood Golden Age history and Americana. If you love Turner Classic Movies, you will enjoy the Forgotten Hollywood series of books.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The historic St. George Theatre in Staten Island has announced that it will host its first classic movie series next year to coincide with its ninetieth anniversary. Here is the lineup:

“`Completed in 1929 by architect Eugene DeRosa and the dean of Staten Island architects, James Whitford, this 2,876-seat St. George Theatre was originally home to vaudevillians. It first opened on December 4, 1929, with the film premiere of So This is College starring Robert Montgomery. The theater screened thousands of first-run movies until 1977.

“`In 2004, Rosemary Cappozalo, Luanne Sorrentino, and Doreen Cugno began a not-for-profit organization to save the historic theater from destruction, and restore it to its original beauty.

“`Enjoy if you live New York City area.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`Two Academy Awards for Best Picture will be up for sale in a rare auction of Oscars. Profiles in History has just announced that statuettes awarded to  Mutiny on the Bounty in 1936 and another handed to Gentleman’s Agreement in 1948 are up for auction in Los Angeles starting on December 11th. Hans Dreier’s art-direction Oscar for 1950’s Sunset Boulevard is additionally there to be purchased by the highest bidder.

“`The Bounty statuette is expected to go for up to $300,000. Frank Capra presented it to Irving Thalberg at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles when the Academy Awards were less than ten years old. The award is being put up for sale for the first time by the family of Thalberg, an essential figure in the early history of Hollywood.

“`The Oscar for Gentleman’s Agreement, the 1947 film starring Gregory Peck that took on anti-Semitism and won three awards, is expected to fetch around $200,000. Its seller remains anonymous.

“`Auctions of Oscar statuettes are very uncommon because winners from 1951 have had to agree that they or their heirs must offer to sell it back to the  Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for one dollar before they can offer it to anybody. Every once in a while, Oscars beyond the reach of the rules go up for sale and sell for large sums of money.

“`The late Michael Jackson acquired David O. Selznick’s  Gone With the Wind Best Picture statuette for a record $1.5 million in 1999. Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane screenplay statuette sold for almost a million in 2011.

“`A rare chance to own a real Academy Award presented to filmmakers from Hollywood’s past is worth pursuing.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Libraries throughout the nation are gobbling up copies of my latest paperback:  Road to Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. This is indeed exciting news!

“`In Southern California, my latest work can be found in five branches of the Los Angeles County Library system, including in East Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Rowland Heights, Quartz Hill near Lancaster, and the Angelo M. Iacoboni Library in Lakewood.

“`The Kewanee Public Library is a Carnegie library, and it is located in the Northwest area of Illinois. This particular repository now carries all three books in the Forgotten Hollywood series.

“`My newest paperback can now be found in nine libraries from coast-to-coast.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`William Goldman was the screenwriter who won Academy Awards for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President’s Men.  Bill penned a litany of box-office hits, plus he carved out some of the most indelible phrases in cinematic history. Goldman coined Follow the money for the Deep Throat character; and also, As you wish, Inconceivable, and Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya… You killed my father… Prepare to die! from  The Princess Bride. He had written the fantasy story under an assumed name.

            WILLIAM GOLDMAN

“`Goldman launched his career as a novelist after receiving a master’s degree in English from Columbia University in 1956. He became a screenwriter after actor Cliff Robertson read one of his books, No Way to Treat a Lady, and mistakenly thought it was a film treatment. This happy accident led to the scribe writing the screenplay Harper for Paul Newman. After Butch Cassidy, Bill started a long association with Robert Redford. The collaborative scripts included The Hot Rock, The Great Waldo Pepper, and Indecent Proposal.

“`A number of screenplays emerged:  The Stepford Wives, Marathon Man, A Bridge Too Far, Misery, Chaplin, and Absolute Power. He was also a consultant for A Few Good Men and Good Will Hunting.

“`Despite all of his success as a screenwriter, Goldman always considered himself a novelist. He did not rate movie scripts as great artistic achievements. Hollywood historians and critics disagree, noting that his work proved otherwise.

“`William Goldman was 87.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`A mural was created in 2016 to honor Ava Gardner and the historic Ambassador Hotel and Cocoanut Grove. In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, a presidential candidate, was murdered at the Ambassador after winning the California Primary. Currently, the location is the site of the Robert F. Kennedy School.

“`The mural image created by Beau Stanton depicts the profile of Gardner, a major star during Hollywood’s Golden Age, and the architectural elements and ornaments from the original site’s brass doors, moorish arches, columns, and palms. This might be a feel-good story; however…

“`Asian groups are demanding the mural be removed  because the background resembles the Rising Sun Flag, Japan’s militaristic symbol during the twentieth century. It was primarily used by the military of Imperial Japan and its Self Defense Forces.  This is thought to be extremely offensive in countries formally subjected to Japanese imperialism. Allied nations are reminded of Japan’s former war crimes, as well. The flag has been compared to the Nazi swastika.

“`For his part, Stanton says he had zero intention to recreate a symbol of repression and hate. The artist did not want to be in the eye of a controversy. However, Beau argues that the mural should stay for its artistic interpretation of a classic film star and the legacy of an iconic locale.

“`School officials will consider the official complaint and make a decision on whether to keep or remove the mural.

“`Bulletins as they break…

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Eric Charles Mokotoff is a major fan of cinema, and he has created a petition to encourage posthumous recognition for the great silent star, Lon Chaney. He writes:

In order to preserve the importance and history of Silent Film, we ask the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to honor the great Lon Chaney by acknowledging him in the Academy with a special lifetime award.

Lon Chaney has never been recognized by the Academy, and to date, merely has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That is not enough. 

His filmography is extensive and his contribution to movie history as The Man of 1000 Faces needs to be recognized.

Many of his films are lost and we are now ready to celebrate one hundred years of his eternal gift.

Generations, school, colleges etc can benefit from the life lessons he taught us on the silver screen. His portrayal of those less fortunate as lessons for even today as we become more inclusive to the outcasts of society because of their birth of having special needs or disabilities.

Now more then ever we need to share Chaney’s work and preserve and repair his films forever.

                                                    LON CHANEY

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`Stan Lee was a creative force who revolutionized the comic book and helped make wealth for Hollywood by allowing Marvel Comics superheroes such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and Incredible Hulk to appear on celluloid. And every allegory were framed as a parable for race relations, anti-Semitism, and the Red Scare.

                             STAN LEE

“`Lee grew up a fan of Hardy Boys adventure books and the performances of Errol Flynn, He got a job at Timely Comics after graduating from high school. It eventually evolved into the iconic Marvel Comics. After a stint in the Army during World War II writing training movies, Stan was back at Marvel. Comics in the 1950s were a subject of Senate hearings pushed by the Comics Code Authority, which frowned on gore and characters that questioned authority.

“`As the top writer, and later as its publisher, Lee was widely considered the architect of the contemporary comic book, reviving the industry in the 1960s. Stan insisted on sophisticated plots, college-level dialogue, satire, science fiction and even philosophy. Plus, his heroes had flaws. He breathed personality, ambiguity, and a common narrative into soon-to-be-beloved characters.

“`Lee hit his stride in the 1960s when he brought the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and numerous others to life. And his superheroes were complicated. Each confronted issues, such as insecurity with fighting villains, self-loathing, unrequited crushes,  money problems, disease, disability, and even, dandruff. The characters were normal people transformed into reluctant superheroes through no fault of their own.

“`CBS turned the Hulk into a successful television program with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno portraying the doomed scientist from 1978 – 1982. Animated productions featured Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and the Fantastic Four. And X-Men led the way to an onslaught of Marvel movies currently released each year.

“`In 2000, Lee began to write stories for DC Comics, and he reinvented Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and other signature characters for Marvel’s one-time rival. The comic book genius continued to work into his nineties on numerous projects, including comics, films, and DVDs.

“`Stan Lee was 95.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`As part of their 25th anniversary,  Turner Classic Movies is selecting twenty-five viewers who submit a special cinematic dedication to someone special in their lives. The entries must run ninety seconds long, and each contestant chosen will have the opportunity to appear live on TCM with Ben Mankiewicz.

“`Here is my entry dedicated to my grandmother…

“`Mighty Joe Young might be an odd choice for a dedication, but my grandmother Margaret Prouty always enjoyed fantasy-themed movies. By the way, I also dedicated my initial literary work, Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, to my grandma.

“`I am hoping to spend treasured time at the studios of TCM. Wish me good luck!!

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The National Park Service that oversees the famed Paramount Ranch in Agoura, CA has confirmed that the Western Town portion of the facility has burned down.  It was immediately in the path of the fast-moving Woolsey Fire, which has increased to 14,000 acres.

“`The site south of the 101 Freeway has been a locale for famous movie and television shoots since Paramount Pictures first leased the ranch in 1927. For twenty-five years, a who’s who of Hollywood have practiced their craft at Paramount Ranch, such as director Cecil B DeMille and actors Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, Claudette Colbert.  The Adventures of Marco Polo went into production at the site in 1938. Sandra Bullock is a current movie star who has worked on the ranch set.

“`In the 1950s, Western Town was built for television programs, including The Cisco Kid,  Gunsmoke,  Have Gun Will Travel, The Rifleman, Bat Masterson, The X-Files, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman were filmed there, as well as The Mentalist, Weeds and Hulu’s Quickdraw. It was recently used as a set for the first and second seasons of HBO’s Westworld.

“`On a personal note, my parents had to evacuate their Thousand Oaks home threatened by fire. My sister, who also lives in the area, is not under mandatory evacuation. I am in contact with my family throughout this crises.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`King Kong – The epic modern myth comes alive on Broadway through an innovative mix of animatronics, puppetry, music, and stagecraft.  This stage show premiered on Thursday at the Broadway Theatre. It is based on Merian C. Cooper’s 1932 adventure novel that inspired the 1933 Hollywood classic, and a subsequent film franchise.

“`Directed and choreographed by Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie, King Kong features an electrifying music score by Marius de Vries (La La Land) and Eddie Perfect (Beetlejuice the Musical), and a book by Jack Thorne, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning playwright of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

“`This oft-told story has appeared in a number of movies, with the original a ground-breaking production making stars of producer/director/scribe Merian C Cooper, actors Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, and special effects animator Willis O’Brien.  Composer Max Steiner’s score for King Kong modeled the method of adding background music into a motion picture.

“`King Kong is a gripping and spectacular tale of unlikely friendships, unshakable courage, and breaking free from cages others put us in. Do not miss this exhilarating, emotional LIVE encounter with a legend that has always been too big to contain.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`Eddie Foy III was a casting director who helped deliver Sally Field to Gidget, Barbara Eden to I Dream of Jeannie, Robin Williams to Mork and Mindy, and Henry Winkler to Happy Days. He also help put together the group (Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones) for The Monkees. Foy spent over four decades in casting, starting out at Screen Gems and 20th Century Fox. Foy was named director of casting at ABC in 1976 and served as a vice president at NBC.

“`Foy III was born in showbiz. His father, Foy, Jr., appeared in dozens of Broadway shows and Hollywood films, from The Pajama Game on stage to Yankee Doodle Dandy on screen. His grandfather was Eddie Foy Sr. of the famed vaudeville act — The Seven Little Foys.

“`Eddie Foy III began his career in front of the camera on television in Highway Patrol and Father Knows Best; and in cinema in Run Silent Run Deep. His connections led him to a career in the casting office.

“`Foy’s credits included Naked City, Dennis the Menace, The Donna Reed Show, Route 66, Room 222, That Girl, Soap, Hill Street Blues, Charlie’s Angels, and Barney Miller. Foy also helped cast such films as Planet of the Apes and The Great White Hope.

“`He later worked for Dick Clark Productions and was a long-standing independent casting director and talent executive for the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. In 1959, he served as the cut man for featherweight boxing champion Davey Moore. Foy was on the board of the World Boxing Hall of Fame. He was honored by the Television Academy for contributions to the advancement of television casting.

“`Eddie Foy III (above) was 83.

Until next time>                               “never forget”