Well, dear readers, a new week begins and let us hope it one sans rain for those of us in the Angeles of Los. Frankly, we have had it up to here, rain-wise. First of all, I need sun to bring out my blonde highlights, damn it all. I had such a nice day yesterday. I awakened early and did some writing, then drove in my motor car to the Burbank Hilton Hotel for the second day (day two, in mediaspeak) of the Ray Courts Hollywood Showcase show. It really was a fairly dreary lineup. When I arrived it was surprisingly empty, but by noon it was pretty full. Several people I talked to said that the evening hours on Friday night were shockingly devoid of people. I think they will have to seriously rethink the Friday thing. I met up with our very own Pogue, and we made our rounds. I got to chat with Miss Charlene Tilton and her daughter (very sweet the two of them are), hugged and smooched with Miss Linda Purl, who looked smashing as always, and had a nice chat with Mr. Johnny Crawford. Pogue paid his respects to Mr. Ian Abercrombie, with whom he acted in a play. The biggest problem in the move to the Hilton, is that the dealers are in the celebrity room and about half the ones that used to be at the Beverly Garland have not transitioned over to the Hilton. That’s a real shame. One of the best things about the Garland was that in addition to the celebrity room, you had four other dealer rooms, and that was half the fun. My favorite dealers are all gone. In fact, I made no purchases from any dealers, which is very unusual for me. The nicest moment came when I finally went up to Miss Hayley Mills and gave her Kritzer Time (with the appropriate chapter marked). She remembered me from Friday, and while I was fairly incoherent in trying to explain that she’s in the book and that I hoped she’d like the portrait painted therein, she was very happy to receive it and gestured for me to move in for a hug and a kiss. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, Hayley kissed me. On the cheek, yes, but a kiss nonetheless. Seriously, she’s a very nice, very genuine person. Hayley Kissed Me – that’s the title of my next novel. In any case, I had fun, as always.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Call Northside 777, starring Mr. James Stewart and Mr. Richard Conte, along with Mr. Lee J. Cobb. It’s quite a good motion picture entertainment, sort of a procedural and a noir rolled into one. The supporting cast, filled with people I didn’t recognize, was especially strong. The film opens with a very strong main title theme by Mr. Alfred Newman. That is the only score in the film until the end title music. The rest of the music is source music. Mr. Stewart is always excellent, and Mr. Cobb, in one of his few non-bombastic ham-on-rye roles (or rolls) is really terrific and low-key. Not a top-notch transfer, but a very good one.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve got more stuff to tell you. For example, have I mentioned that Hayley kissed me?
Yesterday afternoon, I worked with Mr. Grant Geissman. We had our first work session for the new Guy Haines album. We’ve chosen eight songs, of which we routined seven. He’ll do these seven, we’ll record Mr. Haines’ vocals for these seven, and then we’ll move on to the other eight. So, I’ll be doing more listening this week, and trying to find some sheet music I don’t have. While I don’t wish to give any titles away, I will tell you that some of the composers and lyricists thus far represented are Mr. Richard Rodgers (with both Hart and Hammerstein), Mr. Sammy Cahn, Mr. Andre Previn, Bruce Kimmel, and Mr. Burt Bacharach and Mr. Hal David. More to come. We had quite a good time and I can’t wait to hear the works as they progress.
By the way (BTW, in Internet lingo), Hayley kissed me. Tonight I shall be supping with our very own Juliana A. Hansen and her actual father. Prior to that, weather permitting, the new TV will be delivered and set up. Prior to that I shall write a bit. Prior to that I shall wake up.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must write, I must drive about in my motor car, I must have my new TV set up, I must dine, and I must do some occasional whatnot. Some Occasional Whatnot – that’s the title of my next novel. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topic and we get to make with the responses. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely posts, whilst we all reflect on that fact that Hayley kissed me.