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May 24, 2016:

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE IRRITATION THAT QUINTUPLED IN THE NIGHT

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I had one of “those” nights – heartburn or acid reflux or reflux acid – you know, where it feels like something is going to burst through your chest like in Alien. I hadn’t really eaten anything too spicy so I’m not sure what it was all about. I could not fall asleep and I finally go so agitated that I decided to get up and go to the market – the big Von’s at Laurel Canyon and Ventura is always open twenty-four hours. So, I thought Tums would at least help me out. I dressed and got in my car and I was quite het up and irritated. I got to Von’s only to find that at some point they decided not to be open twenty-four hours and I was thirty minutes early from when they now open. My irritation tripled. I then drove to another smaller market that my memory told me was an all-nighter – nope, closed. My irritation level quintupled as I drove aimlessly until I finally found a gas station mini-mart that was open. There I bought some standard issue peppermint Tums and came home. I chewed three of them, which, of course, made me want to vomit on the ground. I finally got back in bed and fell asleep around six-thirty, only to wake up at nine-thirty only to fall back asleep at ten-thirty, only to wake up at one-thirty. So, somewhere in all that I got six hours of sleep, missed the entire morning and ninety minutes of the damn afternoon.

Once up, I was very congested and the heartburn/acid reflux was still there and still annoying. I did get some stuff done on the Kritzerland show, and I did a first pass show order, so that was good. Then I went and had a Cobb salad with 1000-Island dressing, and a bagel. I took two additional bagels home with me for snacks, should I be hungry. I also went to CVS and bought the recommended Pepcid Complete and Nexium. I took a Pepcid right away and it did seem to help. Some hours later, I also took a Nexium. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I finished watching Garden of Evil, starring Mr. Gary Cooper, Mr. Richard Widmark, Miss Susan Hayward, and the very odd Mr. Cameron Mitchell. Garden of Evil was an early Cinemascope picture, directed by Henry Hathaway. It’s no classic and it’s a very odd little film – not much action, lots of chatter and a plot that’s supposedly about greed but without much evidence of the actual greed. That said, for me, Mr. Cooper can do no wrong and he’s wonderful in this, and so is that sultry Susan Hayward. Richard Widmark is always fun to watch, and Cameron Mitchell is just plain weird but very interesting to watch, always. There’s an excellent score by Bernard Herrmann and the film has lovely photography that has never really fared well on home video (I had a dye transfer scope print in 16mm). The good news is the color is glorious and it’s very sharp and detailed. Some have, of course, as is their wont, done the usual “too blue” cliché, but I’m happy to say that that watch cry has pretty much gone the way of the dodo bird and I’m happy that I’m partially responsible for educating people. The whole transfer is lovely and the sound is a major upgrade – one of the best-sounding Fox transfers from that era – the Herrmann score sounding absolutely amazing. It’s from Twilight Time and if you’re a fan of the actors, early Cinemascope, color, or Herrmann, it’s highly recommended by the likes of me and I didn’t even use the words zeitgeist, tangential or tropes. Well, I JUST used them, but that’s the zeitgeist of the notes, as tangential as the usage was, it’s just kind of the tropes of the notes, or, if you’re a lyricist, the tropes of the nopes. What the HELL am I talking about?

Then I watched the first thirty minutes of another Blu and Ray from Twilight Time, this one entitled Cat Ballou. I’ve always loved Cat Ballou – I saw it over and over again when it came out, maybe twenty times in the first month. I thought it was hilarious, irreverent, and unique, and I loved Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin and especially loved Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye. Watching the first thirty minutes it’s still so much fun and it’s especially fun because this transfer is incredible – it wasn’t especially thrilling to look at in the theater back then, but this thing sparkles and gleams. Michael Callan is okay (never a favorite, except dancing in Pepe), but I’ve always loved Dwayne Hickman since his Dobie Gillis days. The film has some wonderful character actors, too, but it’s Fonda and Marvin who are the heart and soul of the film, and Marvin, of course, won a well-deserved Oscar for his performance. I’ll talk more after I finish it this very evening.

After that, I just relaxed and I found a very interesting photograph, one I didn’t know existed. Back in 1979 I co-starred in a pilot for CBS entitled Never Say Never, playing George Kennedy’s son. It was a lovely pilot that didn’t sell, which annoyed People Magazine, who wrote: “George Kennedy is perfect in this romantic comedy as a gruff widower who falls for a young pediatrician (Anne Schedeen). His notions of propriety clash with hers when she suggests a trial live-in before marriage, but his sprightly mother-in-law (Irene Tedrow) and son (Bruce Kimmel) help patch things up. It’s a pilot that flopped and shouldn’t have.”

Here’s the photo George Kennedy and me kind of perfect casting. I’d love to find a copy of the show itself.

s-l500 copy (1)

Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep. Then I’ll begin writing the commentary, I’ll eat something light but amusing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and I’ll relax.

Tomorrow is more of the same and I’m seeing a show in the evening with the Pearls and the show’s director. The rest of the week is meetings and meals and meals and meetings.

Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Pony, because today is the birthday of our very own beloved dear reader Jeanne, who I’ve known since she was a wee bairnette.  So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own beloved dear reader Jeanne, who I’ve known since she was a wee bairnette.  On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN BELOVED DEAR READER JEANNE, WHO I’VE KNOWN SINCE SHE WAS A WEE BAIRNETTE!!!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, eat, hopefully pick up packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films starring George Kennedy? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that my irritation level will be level and not quintuple.

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