Well, dear readers, I am quite tired, having only gotten about five hours of sleep. The reason for having only gotten about five hours of sleep is simple: I could not fall asleep, no matter what I did or how hard I tried. I just lay in bed like so much fish, waiting for sleep to come, but sleep is like the elusive butterfly of love and it simply would not come. I had too much information in my cranium and it was swirling around like a vanilla/chocolate soft serve ice cream cone. I tried to clear my mind, to no avail. I tried to avail my mind to no clear. Nothing worked. I finally got out of bed around three and came onto this here site and made some disgruntled postings. I finally went back to bed at four, managed to fall asleep and slept until nine, at which point I got up and began my day. So ends the saga of Only Five Hours Of Sleep. I feel it was a fine saga and could be a fine mini-series, like Tai-Pan. Speaking of Tai-Pan (and who wasn’t?), yesterday was a very Tai-Pan sort of day. As you know, I got up at nine. I had to make some telephonic calls and answer e-mails and I had to package up a few orders. Once that was done, it was time to toddle off to a LACCTAA board meeting at Louise’s in Los Feliz. It was a nice meeting and we talked about many things. We have a lot of catching up to do, and hopefully in the next few weeks we can do it. I then came back to the San Fernando Valley, did some more errands, did a little work on the computer, and tried to not let the heat make me too uncomfortable. The heat has been stultifying – dry, like a sauna bath. I wrote some notes about how to do the fixes I want to do to Nudie Musical, and I’ll implement those this weekend. Finally, the day was over and I sat on my couch like so much TGIF fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitles Day Of The Outlaw, a very dark and bleak oater starring Mr. Robert Ryan, Mr. Burl Ives, Mr. David Nelson, and Miss Tina Louise. The majority of the film takes place in the mountains in bad snow, and it looks like a lot of it was actually shot on location in really bad snow. The poor horses have the toughest time, slogging slowly through the snow, barely able to get their legs on terra firma. Mr. Ryan is, as always, excellent, as is Burl Ives. David Nelson actually gives a better performance in this western than brother Ricky gave in Rio Bravo. The black-and-white photography is very good, and the score by Alexander Courage has some terrific moments. The film is very well directed by Andre de Toth. The transfer is mostly very good. I must say, I’ve really enjoyed this latest batch of westerns – I have only one more to watch, The Way West, which I know is not supposed to be good, but the cast is so stellar I can’t imagine it not having something to like.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because my lids are heavy, my throat is raspy on account of the air conditioning being on, and I really must get my beauty sleep, for I have a lot to do today, and today, like the shop, is just around the corner.
Oh, yes, and she of the Evil Eye was actually here yesterday, so the home environment is sparklingly sparkling, and therefore I don’t have to really get up early today.
Today, I must do some Nudie Musical work, I must get everything organized for Monday’s book designing session, and I must then head out to the Heim of Ana, first to sup and then to see the evening performance of The Brain From Planet X – our Rod cover will be on and I’ll be there to give him support (although he’ll already have done the matinee).
Tomorrow, I have no plans at all, so I hope to finish whatever Nudie work there’s left so I can print out the script and go over it at the piano. Then, I’ll make some calls and see who’s available to do an informal reading in a few weeks. I know whom I want for Harry, Rosie, and John, but am awaiting suggestions for the other roles.
Monday is our book-designing day, and I’m hoping we can really get the book proper pretty much done, first pass-wise, and also see if we can get our idea for the cover mocked up. I love these design sessions, so I’m really looking forward to it.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do Nudie Musical work, ship a couple of packages, do some errands, sup, and then see the evening performance of The Brain. Today’s topic of discussion: I have an idea – let’s hear your casting suggestions for the stage version of The First Nudie Musical. Keep in mind, that I’m trying to keep the cast to fifteen, so the ensemble of six will be playing a lot of the roles that separate people played in the film, i.e. two of the backers, the stunt person, the people in the film within the film, Joy Full, etc. The roles we’ll have separate actors for are Harry, Rosie, John, Susie (the ingénue), George Brenner, Eunice (the script girl – can be any ethnicity as long as she’s a great belter, and she also gets to be the assistant director, too, for the film they’re shooting), Mary La Rue, Eddie (the head backer), and Juanita Juanita. I’ll be very interested to see your choices – I think you’ll like my choices for the three leads. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I try to get a good night’s beauty rest, or at least more than Five Hours Of Sleep.