Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

   The online home of eBook - Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History - is offering for one week: 25% off on the purchase of my work. SMASHWORDS is promoting “Read an eBook Week,” and their website is the origin of this marvelous discount.

   Visit one of the websites below, and after purchasing a copy of my eBook,  type in the PROMO CODE:  REW25. You will instantly get a 25% savings.  This is a great week-long deal!

   Here are the website links:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/53041

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/forgottenhollywood

   March is the perfect time to add Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History to your favorite eReader!

   *** This sale is going on NOW through March 10th.

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   SMASHWORDS has announced a distribution agreement with Baker & Taylor, one of the world’s largest distributors of physical and digital books. The agreement will expand distribution for nearly 100,000 SMASHWORDS books to new devices and markets.

   There are two components of the agreement. The first is distribution into the Blio online store and eReading app. The second part gains SMASHWORDS authors and publishers distribution into the library market through Baker & Taylor’s service.

   If you’re not familiar with Blio, it’s an online store (Blio.com), and also a popular eReading application that has been pre-loaded on over millions of computers and devices. It powers the reading experience for laptops, desktops and tablets produced by Dell Computer, Toshiba, HP, and T-Mobile, among others. Blio is also available in the Android store.

   The agreement will also bring SMASHWORDS ebooks to public libraries that subscribe to Baker & Taylor’s new Axis360 digital media platform. Axis360, which was launched last year, has been deployed by several top public library systems in the United States. Dozens more libraries are converting to the platform.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

(#9 in a 12-part series to be printed at the beginning of each month)

Manny P. here…

   THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX – In the tradition of male-dominated motion pictures  from the Studio Era (The Lost Patrol, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Sahara), it features a stellar cast, a disaster-genre subplot, and a bizarre twist in the screenplay. When film critics list the fine performances of James Stewart, The Flight of the Phoenix is often omitted. Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine, Dan Duryea, Hardy Kruger,  George Kennedy, and Ian Bannen also star. Like Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3, it spawned a remake.

Back Story

   The Flight of the Phoenix is based on a 1964 novel by Elleston Trevor. The plot involved the crash landing of a transport plane in the middle of the North African desert. Studios immediately conducted a bidding war for the rights to the book. 20th Century Fox developed the vehicle with the intent to create the kind of gritty movie made in the 1950s involving the collaborative effort between James Stewart and director Anthony Mann.

   Audiences enjoyed the effort; critics found the adventure story implausable.

Positives

   The strong supporting cast was ably directed by Robert Aldrich. His career included strong stark films such as Vera Cruz, Kiss Me Deadly, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, and later, The Dirty Dozen and The Longest Yard. This ideal script was handed to Aldrich in 1965.

   The brilliance of making one of the heroes a German engineer in contrast with Americans and British soldiers cannot be denied. Hardy Kruger was up to the task. His character’s solution of applying the concept of flight from a toy glider to the rebuilding of a wrecked aircraft was delicious. The conflict between Stewart and Kruger created an inevitable dichotomy. The remaining actors (particularly Richard Attenborough) then react over a political war of wills. They ultimately developed into a cohesive team.  HARDY KRUGER —>  surely steals this film.

Negatives

   The dowing of the plane (a Fairchild C-82A Packet) was problematic. Director Aldrich insisted on multiple takes to get the perfect crash. One of the last takes, which is used in the movie, caused the demise of legendary stunt flyer, Paul Mantz. The accident haunted James Stewart throughout the filming. The actor had lost a personal friend.

   This motion picture was over two hours long, which allowed the director to flesh out each role. If only 20 minutes shorter, The Flight of the Phoenix might have presented far crisper scenes. Dream sequences created an avenue for women to be cast in the flick, but it really doesn’t advance the plot. 

 Supporting Actor Spotlight

   Arguably, no one ever had a better career playing wily scroundrels than Dan Duryea. His Broadway appearance in Dead End set the tone that would typcast the actor when he was discovered by Hollywood.

   In contrast to his actual demeanor, Duryea was influenced by film noir, and early cruel performances by Richard Widmark, Robert Mitchum, and Victor Mature. His notable roles include The Pride of the Yankees, None But the Lonely Heart, The Woman in the Window, Scarlet Street, and Criss Cross. His friendship with James Stewart led to Duryea’s casting in Winchester ’73, Thunder Bay, and of course, The Flight of the Phoenix.

   Ironically, his role in the 1965 film allowed the actor to play a character similar to his own temperment. At Stewart’s suggestion, Robert Aldrich gave the assignment of naming the plane, The Phoenix, to Duryea. This was a legacy-gesture for the ailing actor who died of cancer in 1968.

Epilogue

   The idea of doing this movie intrigued James Stewart, a Brigadier General in the Air Force at the time. The actor began flying combat missions in  1944, and was appointed Operations Officer of the 453rd Bomb Group, and subsequently, Chief of Staff of the 2nd Combat Wing, 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force. Stewart ended the war with twenty bombing flights to his credit, and he remained in the USAF Reserve.  JAMES STEWART ——–>

   The Flight of the Phoenix received two Oscar nominations. The German public appreciated the role of Hardy Kruger, which might of helped thaw the United States / Germany relationship. Bitterness still existed because of postwar trials in Nuremberg that tangentially indicted the entire Fatherland; plus, there were constant reminders of The Holocaust in Hollywood scripts involving World War II. Kruger was humble, appropriately suggesting he was just doing his job. For this singular reason, this piece of celluloid remains an important contribution to filmmaking.

Until next time>                              “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Majority ownership from the estate of the most prolific writer from the United Kingdom has been purchased by Acorn Media Group, a Maryland-based company. Agatha Christie Limited has sold the rights to the characters created by the literary sleuth, including Miss Jane Marple and Hercule Poirot; plus great works such as And Then There were None, Murder Most Foul, Witness for the Prosecution, Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun, The Mousetrap, and Murder on the Orient Express.

   Agatha Christie’s books have sold more than two billion copies. They still continue to sell amazingly well, long after the author’s death in 1976. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, She’s considered the best-selling novelist of all time. Her estate claims that her works rank third, behind those of William Shakespeare and The Bible, as the most widely published books. According to Index Translationum, Christie is the most translated individual author, with only the collective corporate  entities of Walt Disney Productions surpassing her.

   The upside to the negotiated agreement… Hollywood studios and Broadway producers may find it easier to acquire use of the writer’s work on this side of the pond. Notable thespians as C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Margaret Rutherford, Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Bette Davis, and Peter Ustinov have played characters based on the scribe’s pen-to-paper.

   Ironically, while Agatha Christie was alive, she never lived more than a few miles from her birthplace. Her last known residence was in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England.               AGATHA CHRISTIE —–>

   London-based Chorion announced the deal on Wednesday.

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   Three branches of the Orange County Public Library will now carry Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. These shelves are in Garden Grove, Aliso Viejo, and Irvine. My new book is officially in 15 branches nationwide. This ups my Forgotten Hollywood Book Series to 78 global libraries. 

   My home county is representing!

Until next time>                              “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   Partners West is a major distributor to bookshops. In their latest 2012 newsletter, they’re promoting recent literary releases, including Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. For authors, this is a first step to reach and value its brick-and-mortar customers.

   Let me provide readers of my blog a rare look at how this process works. Click on the website below to check out the promotions of new available books:

http://newsletter.partners-west.com/2012/02/february-22-2012/?page=History#Son+of+Forgotten+Hollywood+Forgotten+History

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   As the BOOK PEOPLE website explains: They are an Austin, Texas community bound by books. They also carry Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History (the 98th on demand store). This literary shop is located at 603 N. Lamar in the heart of a major college town.

Here’s a link to their online site:

http://www.bookpeople.com/book/9781935359166

   It’s possible that when folks ask for my paperbacks, the Austin bookshop might order them  through our friends at Partners West…

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   Thanks to Guy Magar from ACTION/CUT Filmmaking and author of the book Kiss Me Quick, Before I Shoot for linking my blog to his site.

   Check out his groovy site; home to an annual short film competition:

 http://www.actioncut.com/fms/industrylinks.htm

Until next time>                               “never forget”         

Manny P. here…

   I’m making a return trip to the Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop as part of my 2012 Spring Tour promoting my new book – Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. It’s taking place on Thursday, March 29th at 7:30p. An event at this location was a big highlight of my 2011 Book Tour the last time I visited this remarkable shop.

   Below is the flyer promoting this autograph party and book reading:

   The Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeeshop is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd. Here’s a link to the coolest literary place in Los Angeles:

http://www.flintridgebooks.com/

   I’m personally inviting you to stop by and pick up a copy of my new paperback, particularly if you live near La Canada, Glendale, Pasadena, Eaglerock, Los Feliz, and of course, Hollywood.

   Until next time>                             “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has expressed their displeasure over  the expected auction of 18 Oscars awarded through 1947. Nate D. Sanders Fine Autographs and Memorabilia will be consigning the golden statuettes. A winner’s agreement was put in place by the Academy banning the sale of Oscars given out after 1950, which means the film guild cannot legally stop the proposed public purchases.

   Awards from the movies include Cavalcade, Skippy, Citizen Kane, Wuthering Heights, Going My Way, How Green was My Valley, The Best Years of Our Lives, The Yearling, The More the Merrier, and A Double Life. The obtained categories include Picture, Actor (Ronald Colman),  Black & White / Color Cinematography, Director, Supporting Actor (Charles Coburn), Original Screenplay, Color Art Direction, Film Editing, and Music.

   With all due respect to the Academy, bidding begins Tuesday at 5:15p (pst).

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

BOOK #1                                    BOOK #2  

 The Forgotten Hollywood Book Series are getting placed in libraries throughout the country. Here are the latest locations:

* SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM – 16 locations of the 28 branches throughout The City By The Bay have requested one or both in the Forgotten Hollywood series. When each receive the paperbacks, this library system will be the #1 public literary facility carrying the most number (23 copies) of my work on their shelves.

   Here’s the complete rundown of expected branch additions:

BOOK SERIES - Main; Bernal Heights; Eureka Valley; Marina; Mission

BOOK #1 - Golden Gate Valley; Noe Valley; Park; Parkside; Portrero

BOOK #2 - Chinatown; Excelsior; Richmond; Sunset; Ortega; Ingelside

* PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY - Burton Barr Central Branch will be adding both paperbacks to their shelves. This is Arizona’s participation in bringing America’s story through the eyes of actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

   This information confirms a total of 77 nationwide branches carrying my book series. Over the past two weeks, 4 library branches of Los Angeles County, CA; and one more Long Island, NY branch has added copies of my first paperback.

(12 locations are expected to now carry Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History; 72 will carry Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History)

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The estate of Peter Falk is providing a scholarship fund to my alma mater. UCLA has established the Shera and Peter Falk – Lt. Columbo Memorial Scholarship Fund. A donation of $3 million to the university is expected to aid undergraduates studying music, folks with disabilities, and veterans of the military.

   The hefty sum was provided through a personal will created by the fine actor of film and television. The first award will go to five students entering UCLA this Fall. They’ll have their tuition covered for four years. Falk obtained a Master of Public Administration degree at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University in 1953. Falk was also an accomplished artist, and in 2006, he had an exhibition of his artwork at the Butler Institute of American Art.

   Peter Falk was the winner of four Emmys for playing the disheveled detective on a television anthology series on NBC. He previously received two Oscar Supporting Actor nods for roles in Murder Inc., and A Pocketful of Miracles.

   You can purchase a copy of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History at the UCLA Store Bookzone. An additional paperback is housed in the prestigious shelves of the UCLA Arts Libraries and Collections.

   As a Bruin alumnus, I’m pleased over the enduring legacy in the field of education placed in the name of the late Peter Falk.

Until next time>                                “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The Bigger Than Life Hollywood’s First 100 Years exhibition is currently going on at the Jewish Museum Vienna. According to their press release:

BIGGER THAN LIFE Hollywood’s First 100 Years explores one of the most fascinating cultural phenomena of the twentieth century, and looks at the well-known milestones in film history, and sets them in the context of the Jewish European experience… specifically themes such as directly addressing the anti-Semitic theory of a Jewish-controlled Hollywood by showing that Hollywood was founded by Jewish immigrants from Europe.

The exhibition shows how Hollywood interpreted historic events such as the arrival of Austrian and German refugees in the 1930s, the Golden Era of Hollywood. The program also investigates the various attempts by Hollywood and its producers to portray the inconceivable horrors of the Holocaust.

(Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History references the flight of Eastern Europeans to Hollywood in a poignant chapter on S.Z. Sakall. He had a remarkable career, even while many of his immediate relatives were being murdered in concentration camps by Nazis during World War II. It was the tragedy of his personal life)

BIGGER THAN LIFE is also devoted to more generalized phenomena such as the invention of the star system. It shows key films, unseen billboards from the early days of cinema, and surprising items: Marilyn Monroe’s makeup case from Max Factor, the inventor of her platinum blonde hair; and Dorothy’s red shoes from The Wizard of Oz, the symbol of the power of imagination and the Hollywood happy ending.

   The exhibition continues until May 1st. It’s currently Europe’s finest tribute to classic cinema (in my opinion).

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   In the Introduction of Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, Gary Lycan, the newspaper columnist, and my co-host of our radio show that airs on The Spa Radio Network each Saturday at 3p (pst), references the late Ralph Story’s two 1990′s documentaries that  ran on PBS during the 1990′s. Things That Aren’t Here Anymore and More Things That Aren’t Here Anymore were fabulous pictorial representatives of a forgotten Los Angeles.

   Let me thank my radio colleague (and good friend) John Newton, for sending me some photos that might have made Ralph Story and Gary Lycan very proud. These trips down memory lane are fascinating if you were a consumer in the 1960′s and 1970′s. And particularly bittersweet… these locations don’t exist anymore.

   For me, I personally miss Farrell’s Ice Cream (home of the trough) in the San Fernando Valley, and the Van De Kamp Bakery and Restaurant (pictured below) on Atlantic Blvd. in East Los Angeles. Enjoy these visual memories…

Until next time>                                  “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   This year’s Academy Awards ceremony will feature motion pictures paying homage to  cinema’s fascinating legacy. Many of the top nominees offer interesting back-stories that I’m happy to share with you.

* HUGO - Martin Scorsese is committed to movie restoration. His latest production takes us  back to the origins of film during the Silent Era. Georges Melies created innovative magic on screen during the first decade of the twentieth century. A Melies-renaissance took place just after the advent of sound in cinema. France’s Motion Picture Academy eventually restored much of the director’s work feared lost, which is why Scorsese desperately wanted to tell this compelling story.

* MIDNIGHT IN PARIS - Here’s a Woody Allen comedic fantasy taking us back to a time during The City of Lights Lost Generation of the 1920′s. Among the artistic-elite featured:  Cole Porter, Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dali, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Josephine Baker. The words, music, and visual art created by these avant garde intellectuals had a distinct impact on the origins of the Studio Era in film, including the use of art deco, jazz, and approved scripts based on A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Great Gatsby.

* THE ARTIST - The transition of the silent era to talkies had a profound effect on the Hollywood community. It helped make stars of Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, and Broadway actors as Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy, and James Cagney. This fateful decision also ruined careers. The most notable was John Gilbert, whose thin voice didn’t translate well to sound. Overnight, Gilbert became an alcoholic and prematurely died. This time in America is well-chronicled on celluloid, including in The Jazz Singer, two versions of A Star is Born, Singing in the Rain, and now, The Artist.

* MY WEEK WITH MARILYN - Postwar English cinema blossomed through the concerted efforts of Alec Guinness and Laurence Olivier. Legendary studios as Pinewood and Hammer brought into focus British comedy, drama, and horror into the 1950′s and 1960′s. This delightful movie provides a snapshot during a week when Marilyn Monroe desperately traveled to the United Kingdom to be considered  a serious actor; while Olivier searched for surefire stardom. Neither succeeded, but the historic pairing in The Prince and the Showgirl had a lasting impression on both stars; as well as, on Vivien Leigh and Arthur Miller, their respective spouses at the time.

   There’s little doubt, Hollywood’s reverence to its past will continue, due to the interest of producers, directors, and actors from today’s era. Meanwhile, enjoy the Academy Awards show next weekend!

photos - A Trip to the Moon {Le Voyage dans la lune}, 1902; Georges Melies; Josephine Baker; John Gilbert; Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe

Until next time>                                “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   His birthplace is in question; and there are zero findings of a birth certificate. What gives? No, I’m not talking about President Obama. The big mystery gripping all of Great Britain is questions surrounding… <—— Charlie Chaplin.

    Secret papers released on Friday by the National Archives in London suggest Chaplin may not have been born a Brit on the day generally accepted as his birthday. After scouring the many files at Somerset House for his birth certificate, including checks for his supposed alias Israel Thornstein, British Intelligence concluded that the iconic star may not have been born in the United Kingdom.

   Investigations in France and Russia have also drawn similar conclusions. It seems no evidence exists as to where Charlie Chaplin was born. Rumors that he was a child of gypsys have proved similarly unfounded. This hypothesis has been fact checked… Really?

   The American government have long surmised that the Silent Screen star was a Communist. J. Edgar considered Chaplin a threat to Democracy. Allied intelligence wanted to close this cold case file in 2012. So far, it’s not meant to be…

   Because of the many mysteries surrounding Chaplin during his lifetime, he was finally knighted after a 20-year delay in March 1975. What is known… The United States banned the actor from entering the country in 1952. He was finally allowed to appear, decades later, at the Academy Awards to accept an honorary Oscar.

   Charlie Chaplin took his many secrets to the grave, when he died in Switzerland in 1977. Meanwhile, the current FBI-style search, which has transfixed two continents, will continue…

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   Literary-related sites down under have been particularly kind towards the sale of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. The latest Aussie location I’ve discovered is Boomerang Books. Here’s a link to their web page selling my original paperback:

http://www.boomerangbooks.com.au/Forgotten-Hollywood-Forgotten-History/Manny-Pacheco/book_9781935359166.htm

Until next time>                                “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   One of the actors in my new book, Son of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, is getting plenty of publicity. Though he died over sixty years ago, C. Aubrey Smith has just received wonderful attention from The Picture Show Man website.

   The eloquent thespian was primarily cast as drawing-room gentlemen, and as British officers in fine dramas. Smith was almost 70 when he emerged as a reliable supporting player in talkies. And, he relied on his stage expertise to deliver exquisite  screen performances in Tarzan the Ape Man, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, The Prisoner of Zenda, Rebecca, The Four Feathers, The White Cliffs of Dover, and countless others, over a two-decade career during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

   Throughout his life, Smith was a passionate lover of cricket. He even organized the British-Hollywood elite to form their own team in the United States. His personal and private life is well chronicled in the fine article from The Picture Show Man. Plus,  you will love the rarely-seen photos related to the actor.

   After reading his chapter in my paperback and the  comprehensive online story, you will see why C. Aubrey Smith should never be forgotten in the annals of cinema. Here’s a link of the web page to wet your film appetite:

http://www.pictureshowman.com/articles_personalities_SirAubrey.cfm

Until next time>                                “never forget”

Manny P. here…

    Four branches of the County of Los Angeles Public Library now carry copies of my original work, Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. The locations include:

Angelo M. Iacoboni Library

Hacienda Heights Library

Lloyd Taber-Marina del Rey Library

 West Hollywood Library

   This Southern California County Library System is now considering carrying the Forgotten Hollywood - Book Series in its 75+ branches. This is indeed exciting news!

   I would also like to thank the Sachem Public Library in Holbrook, NY (part of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System in Long Island) for adding a copy of my first paperback. It’s the sixth copy housed in the Cooperative, including Brentwood, East Hampton, Longwood, and West Islip branches; second most in a library system to the Los Angeles Public Library (9).

   60 Libraries are sharing Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History with readers across the United States, and one confirmed branch in Melbourne, Australia; along with countless others  around the world!

Until next time>                                 “never forget”

Manny P. here…

   The tragic passing of Whitney Houston is expected to be devastating  news for many generations of music lovers. As 2012 was unfolding, the pop singer was poised to make a comeback in cinema. Film production had just completed in the remake of Sparkle, and this musical is sure to help place Houston back on the pop charts. She also owned the movie rights and served as Executive Producer on the project, which is based on the 1976 story that mirrored the early career of The Supremes.

   Primarily a singer, Whitney Houston had a sparse motion picture career. It included co-starring roles in The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner; and Waiting to Exhale with Angela Bassett and Gregory Hines.

   I prefer to remember The Preachers Wife with Denzel Washington. This movie was a remake of the 1947 classic, The Bishop’s Wife, which starred Cary Grant, David Niven, Loretta Young. The original also had a stellar supporting cast, including James Gleason, Elsa Lanchester, Monty Woolley, and Gladys Cooper. A Christmas-themed fantasy, Denzel and Whitney provided audiences with a rare delight that rivaled the original, five decades before.

   Though we can count the number of films Whitney made on one hand, it’s true proof of her complete talent that she could act almost as well as she could sing (at the peak of her career). I’m sure Sparkle will offer one more positive notch to her legacy.

   Whitney Houston was 48.

Until next time>                              “never forget”