Well, dear readers, let me just say this: This. There, I’ve said it and I’m glad. What a fine start to these here notes. Of course, after a sparkling opening like that, where does one go? I mean, once you’ve said “this” what is left? Oh, I suppose I could say “that” but really, that is no this. What the HELL am I talking about? Don’t I have notes to write? Don’t I have an early morning work session to attend, hence don’t I need to get my beauty sleep. All of the above. Speaking of the above, yesterday was a nice little day in which I did a few things. For example, I got up. I did that. Then I jogged for two count them two miles, then I went to Gelson’s and got the ingredients to make my famous Tuna Pasta Salad™ and then, lo and behold and also behold and lo, I made said Tuna Pasta Salad™. I put in the refrigeration machine and then started taping the songs from The Hostage. I could only remember fragments of things, so when I’d hit a snag I’d just make it up as I went along. I’m sure it’s in the ballpark of what it was. I did about half the songs, and will do the other half tomorrow. Then I’ll send them along as mp3s to the director of the show. After that, I did some work on the computer, sat on my couch like so much fish, and tried to relax.
Yesterday, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled A Royal Scandal. This was the film that followed Mr. Preminger’s breakthrough film, Laura. A Royal Scandal was to have been directed by Lubitsch, but apparently he was not up to it, health-wise, and Mr. Preminger came on board. He never spoke highly of the film, probably because it was prepared by Lubitsch. But he does quite a good job with it and the film is pretty charming, very funny at times (really good dialogue), with some wonderful performances. The star is Tallulah Bankhead. She’s very funny as Catherine the Great and totally Tallulah. The leading man is an actor called William Eythe, who I remembered from The Ox-Bow Incident. He gives an absolutely terrific performance and I wondered why he didn’t have much of a career, so I did a little research. Apparently, he had a somewhat acrimonious relationship with Darryl F. Zanuck, and it probably didn’t help that Mr. Eythe was secretly gay (at least according to what I read). His career floundered quickly and he certainly never even approached achieving stardom, which is a shame because he’s great-looking, charming, and very natural on camera. After he realized his film career was stalled, he began doing theater, as producer and actor, and one of his first shows was the revue Lend An Ear, the show that introduced Miss Carol Channing to the world. He began to drink, and later toward the end of the 1950s he died of hepatitis at the age of thirty-eight. Also in the film is Anne Baxter, who gives her usual excellent performance. The rest of the cast is filled with terrific character actors doing their thing – Charles Coburn, Mischa Auer, Sig Ruman, Grady Sutton, and in a small role, Vincent Price. Anyway, I found the whole concoction delightful. The transfer on the region 2 DVD is fine.
After watching the film, I listened to some more CDs, and did some more work on the computer. I also received an e-mail from my pal Brad Ross, who told me that there is a reading of The Times happening in New York on Tuesday July 15th, and he asked me to let all of you know about it, which I’m doing. The gal who did the lead in the LA reading of a few weeks ago, Michelle Duffy, will be doing the NY reading, and she’s very good. The time is 7:30 and it’s at the York Theater in St. Peter’s Church at 54th and Lexington. The presentation will last one hour (which means they’re just doing excerpts, I’d imagine) and is free. So, if you’re around, drop by and tell them Bruce-O sent you.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get my beauty sleep on account of I have an early morning work session or, to put it another way, all of the above.
Today, I have an early work session with Mr. Grant Geissman. I’ll be comping vocals for about two hours. Then I’ll come home and jog, do some errands, have a telephonic meeting, and then I’ll return to Mr. Geissman’s at seven in the evening to do another two hours of comping vocals. So, it will be a fully full day.
Tomorrow, I have a few things to attend to in the morning hours, and then, if all goes according to Hoyle, I’ll be having a late afternoon meeting – as soon as I know it’s definite I’ll tell you all about it. I’m keeping all digits crossed that it will happen.
A reminder to keep your ears open about a place for me to stay on the 24th, 25th, and 26th. I really need to find a place soon.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a morning work session, I must do errands, I must jog, I must have a telephonic meeting, and I must have an evening work session. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s everyone’s favorite – The Initials Game™. You know the drill – everyone is on the honor system – no cheating looking things up on the Internet. Just use your noggin’ and you’ll think of plenty of names. Celebrities, sports figures, cartoon characters, character in books, films, and plays – one name per post, please. Today’s initials should keep the game going all the livelong day and right through into the late evening hours – J.S. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and let’s see if we can beat our record of close to 250 names – I think we can if we do all of the above.