Well, dear readers, I’m quite bored of the heat wave, the tropical heat wave we’re having here in Los Angeles, California, USA. Of course, on Sunday the radio weatherperson assured us that Monday would be much cooler. Please tell this person to look for another line of work, because I just don’t see 100 degrees as “much cooler.” It was so hot outside that it was like stepping into a sauna bath. I tried not to step outside too much, but one does have to do things so I was hot, with a capital H and that rhymes with – well, what DOES that rhyme with. My goodness H is an annoying letter that doesn’t rhyme with any other letter. In any case, I’ve about had it with the heat wave, the tropical heat wave, because it’s too darn hot and it’s like a steam heat, and all that heat gives me fever. Speaking of fever, yesterday was hot. For example, I got up. It was hot. I packaged up a few orders and took them to the postal office, where it was hot. I then drove into Hollywood, California to buy a magazine at Larry Edmunds Bookshop where, you guessed it, it was hot. I then came home and did a bunch of things, none of which I can remember. I did do more conforming on the Brain script, because I have to turn it in in about a week. Our deal with Rodgers and Hammerstein is now all set – we’re just waiting on our contracts to sign. I’m very excited about this – they think the Brain will do very well, and it’s really the first thing since Nudie Musical and The Faculty where it could generate some really nice income if it proves to be a popular show, licensing-wise. I then went to Gelson’s and got some of their yummilicious ribs, which was my meal o’ the day. I did a few errands, and then the day was done and yes, Virginia, it was still hot. It’s still hot as I write these here notes. I then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Charlie Chan In Reno, starring Mr. Sidney Toler and Miss Phyllis Brooks. Sorry to say it wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as Charlie Chan In Honolulu, which preceded it. Oh, it was fun to watch, but the story wasn’t that interesting and the humor was forced. Still, at seventy-one minutes it was fairly painless. The transfer, like CC in Honolulu, is excellent.
After the movie, I did some work at the piano, and then I listened to several CDs, the best of which was Alex North’s marvelously marvelous score to John Frankenheimer’s film, All Fall Down.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because, frankly, this section is having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave.
I’ve put out feelers to two actors who I want to do the Nudie Musical reading – I’m hoping they’ll be in town and want to do it, because I know they’d both be great. Meanwhile, we’re going to do the informal reading of the musical I’m mentoring on June 10, and I’m thinking about doing the Nudie reading two or three weeks later – sooner than I was planning, but I’m really ready to hear it out loud now.
I’m still hoping we do the book design session today or this evening, but thus far I haven’t had confirmation. My time isn’t quite as free after today, so let’s just hope Mr. Geissman will be available.
Thursday is already very busy – doing a walk-through at the charity venue – the Wilshire Ebell Theater, and then rushing back here for a rehearsal with the gals and our musical director.
Have I mentioned that it’s hot? I’m now listening to George Duning’s incredibly incredible score to Toys In The Attic. I’m told that this is one of FSM’s worst-selling CDs, which just shows there are a lot of people out there who simply won’t take chances on anything, unless it’s from their own era – which in the case of their customers is mostly people who grew up in the 80s. Feh. What a gorgeous score it is.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, hopefully do a book design session, enter a few more fixes on the Brain script, print out the Nudie script, work at the piano, and then have something fun to eat. Today’s topic of discussion: There have been a lot of movie series like the Charlie Chan movies. What are your favorite movie series, and what are your favorites within the series – of course, it can include more modern series like Die Hard or The Hunt From Red October and stuff like that, but mostly I’m interested in hearing opinions on the older stuff like Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto, The Saint, The Falcon, Ma and Pa Kettle, Francis, The Talking Mule, etc. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we hopefully have some respite from our heat wave, our tropical heat wave.