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September 11, 2018:

THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish listening to the soundtrack to The High and the Mighty, which is not the story of a strong person who smokes the marijuana cigarettes.  I love The High and the Mighty – it’s one of the first films I vividly remember seeing back in 1954 when it came out, and it may well have been my first experience seeing a film in Cinemascope and stereophonic sound.  My memory always tells me I saw it in Westwood at the Village Theater – but I have a photograph from that year of the Picwood Theater in Westwood and it’s playing there – of course that could have been a move over after the film’s first run – I’d love to know which is accurate.  And one of the first movie theme records I ever had was a 78rpm on Coral of Dimitri Tiomkin conducting his high and mighty theme from The High and the Mighty – I loved it and loved the whistling on it by the fellow who did the whistling for John Wayne in the film – a name I remember to this day from looking at it over and over again on that Coral 78 label – Muzzy Marcellino.  Of course, there’s never been an official release of the soundtrack, which is a real shame, but because the Wayne Estate owns the film, and since they don’t seem to know what assets they actually have, we probably never will.  It’s been out on a bootleg, and someone gave me a copy in better quality than the bootleg, so I do have it complete.  Where was I?  Oh, yes, sitting here like so much fish listening to The High and the Mighty. But don’t I have some notes to write?

Yesterday was a day that I got through by the skin of my teeth.  I was up at ten after six-and-a-half hours of sleep, I did some work on the computer, decided not to start the our final week’s final push for the Indiegogo campaign until today, answered way too many e-mails, and then I went and had a chili, cheese, and onion hot dog and side Caesar salad, both excellent.  After that I picked up no packages or mail.  I finally took the motor car to be washed.  I haven’t washed it since last November and it was filthy as filthy can be, which is filthy.  So, I left it and came home and did more work, had some telephonic calls, and relaxed just a bit.  I checked out the actors who submitted for A Carol Christmas. Doug’s been handling that and I am always shocked by the unprofessional entitled behavior of actors today.  They submit, they write nice notes, you tell them they have the audition and they either don’t respond at all, or they tell the usual “I just booked something else” and even those who confirm frequently don’t show up.  But it looks like some decent people submitted and we did find our leading man for Dial ‘M’ for Murder from this online casting service, so we shall see.

They finally called to tell me the motor car was ready, so I walked back to the car wash and got my newly beautified motor car, which looked quite spiffy, I must say.  I came home, listened to some music, and am still in conversation with someone I want to do the October Kritzerland, so I’m hoping that will work out, then I can finalize the rest of the cast and choose and assign songs.  At some point I went to Gelson’s and got a couple of snacks for the evening.  I came home and ate them all up.  I saw Grant briefly – back from eight days away, so I’ve been holding packages and his mom’s mail, so he got all that.  I never really had time to watch anything.  Then I showered and relaxed and began listening to both The High and The Mighty.

Today, we’ll begin our final week push, our stretch goal to cover Indiegogo and credit card fees and to try and raise an additional two thousand dollars, which would really be helpful in giving us a little breathing room in terms of the sets, costumes, lighting, and sound.  There are still great perks left so keep spreading the word.  Here’s the direct link.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-carol-christmas-a-new-musical-needs-your-help/x/9165600#/

I’ll eat, hopefully pick up some packages, pray for a hugely needed miracle (I’m about at the end of my ever-lovin’ rope with this merde), pick up some stuff that needs picking up, finish casting, choose songs, then relax.

Tomorrow we have our auditions, and the rest of the week is meetings and meals and meals and meetings and surviving, not necessarily in that order.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, begin our final push in our final week’s Indiegogo campaign, I’ll eat, pray for a miracle, pick up stuff, finish casting, choose songs, and relax.  Today’s topic of discussion: Hot dogs.  What are your favorite hot dogs – what do you like on them, grilled or boiled, where have you had the best hot dogs, and all things hot dogs.  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall be both naturally high and naturally mighty.

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