Forgotten Hollywood

Manny P. here…

“`The lineup of repertory programs and festival for the summer season at the Film Society of Lincoln Center has been announced, including a retrospective on the classic musicals of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This portion of the event is from July 13th to July 15th.

FRED ASTAIRE                GINGER ROGERS

“`In 1930, three years before Fred Astaire had appeared on film, writer Robert Benchley had proclaimed him the greatest tap dancer in the world. Astaire, along with his sister Adele, had already been hailed as a sensation of the New York and London stage when Flying Down to Rio opened in 1933.

“`Ginger Rogers, on the other hand, was several years into a successful movie acting career, and had never danced with a partner, when they were paired in Rio. The rest is history; over nine years, Fred and Ginger would make ten movies together, immortalized as icons for their dazzlingly fleet-footed choreography, and their singularly charming onscreen chemistry.

“`This was the artistic collaboration that revolutionized and re-imagined the film musical, reshaping the genre’s legacy for generations to come. Eighty-five years after their first collaboration, the Film Society is delighted to present a three-day complete retrospective of their shared oeuvre.

“`Expect a well-choreographed event.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`The last living member of the Lollipop Guild has died. Jerry Maren, who portrayed one of the beloved munchkins in The Wizard of Oz, will screen tomorrow on TCM at 5p (pst), it remains one of the most beloved movies of all-time.

JERRY MAREN                                 THE LOLLIPOP GUILD

“`In The Wizard of Oz, Jerry was the munchkin dressed in green, who stood alongside Jakob Gerlich  and Harry Earles. He is the one who hands Judy’s character, Dorothy, a lollipop. Maren was only 18 years old when he shot his scenes for the movie. Most of the cast have all passed away. Caren Marsh Doll, who served as Judy’s dance stand-in, is still living.

“`He also had roles in Our Gang comedy shorts, At the Circus and Planet of the Apes. In the 1950s, Maren appeared as Little Oscar for Oscar Meyer, and Buster Brown in television and radio commercials. Jerry played Mayor McCheese and The Hamburglar for McDonald’s. Maren and Billy Barty organized Little People of America. He continued to work until 2010.

“`His funeral was held at Forest Lawn in Hollywood, since he passed away in May. Jerry Maren was 99.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here…

“`On June 12th, John Travolta is returning to Lenny’s Pizza in Brooklyn to receive a lifetime achievement award from State Senator Marty Golden, and will be joined by his peers, family, friends, and fans. Travolta’s trip to Lenny’s is three days before the nationwide release of his latest film, Gotti.

JOHN TRAVOLTA

“`Lenny’s – a staple since 1953 –  had a co-starring role in the 1977 classic Saturday Night Fever. In the film’s opening credits, Travolta’s on-screen character, Tony Manero, gets himself a pair of slices at the now-famous Lenny’s window before strutting his stuff down 86th Street. Folks still come up to the window and mimic John Travolta’s line at least ten times a day.

“`Travolta’s latest award will serve as a gracious thank you from the New York borough, and as a commemoration of the iconic roles he continues to play.

“`Cue the Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive.

Until next time>                               “never forget”

Manny P. here… 

“`Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician whose calculation helped astronauts return safely to Earth, will be honored at her alma mater with a bronze statue and an annual scholarship in her name.  West Virginia State University is planning a dedication ceremony set for August 25th, the day before Johnson’s 100th birthday.

“`Long before the digital era, Johnson performed as a human computer at an agency that would become NASA, working in relative obscurity as an African-American woman. Her contributions were later recognized in  Hidden Figures, with actress Taraji P. Henson playing her role.

“`The 1957 launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik changed history and Katherine Johnson’s (right) life. In 1962, as NASA prepared for the orbital mission of John Glenn, Johnson was called upon to do the work that she would become most known for.

“`When asked to name her greatest contributions to space exploration, Johnson refers to the calculations that helped synch  Project Apollo’s Lunar Lander with a moon-orbiting Command and Service Module. She also worked on the Space Shuttle and Earth Resource Satellite, and authored or co-authored 26 research reports.

“`Katherine retired in 1986. In 2015, at age 97, President Obama awarded the mathematician a Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.

“`West Virginia State hopes to endow the $100,000 scholarship, awarding the money to students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math, targeting people who are underrepresented in those fields.

Until next time>                               “never forget”