haines his way

09/21/2002:
"THE NATIVES ARE RESTLESS"

Well, dear readers, it is finally Saturday, finally the weekend and I’m free, I am free, I am free. Now, I’ll shout it to the highest hill or the lowest dale. Of course, I still have work to do, but it’s my own work, damn them, damn them all to hell.
Before we go one step further or even one step farther, let us all put on our pointy party hats, let us put on our colored tights and pantaloons, let us get out the cheese slices and ham chunks, let us dance the Hora and the Locomotion because damn them, damn them all to hell, we’ve got a birthday to celebrate and by gum we are going to celebrate it. That’s right, you heard it here, dear readers, we’ve got a birthday to celebrate so let’s not waste any time – Dear Reader Laura, stand up and take a birthday bow. Stand up and do the Prologue to West Side Story. Stand up and shake your booty because you are the birthday girl. We will be partying all the live-long day and night, so everyone must come back over and over again so the party is festive. Oh, yes, the party must be festive otherwise the natives will become restless and we can’t have that, now can we? On the count of three, let us give a proper Hainsie/Kimlet birthday cheer to Dear Reader Laura. One, two, three: A PROPER HAINSIE/KIMLET BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER LAURA. We all hope you have a wonderful day and evening.
Last night I dreamed I was at Manderley. In this dream, I was sitting on my couch like so much fish, and Ron Abel, a musical director I’ve worked with a few times, was washing the bottom of my feet with a wash cloth, which I thought felt quite nice. His pal, Chuck Steffan (with whom he also writes), was looking on. Ron then suggested that I go soak a piece of slightly stale bread and stand on it. He said that would feel really good. I told him I unfortunately only had really stale bread, so that was the end of that, and the end of the dream. I don’t even have a clue so don’t ask me.
Well, while our birthday celebration continues, let us all click on the Unseemly Button below so I can answer your excellent questions from Ask BK Day.

I hope you are all partying to the best of your various and sundried abilities, otherwise the natives will be restless and restless natives will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form, nor will they be tolerated in any form, shape or way or even any shape, way or form. Well, let’s get right to the excellent questions, shall we?
S. Woody White asks when entering a new work environment, what members of the staff do I find it helps to get to know very quickly, to make my job easier. Oh, I suppose the receptionist – I always get friendly with the receptionist, because they are the ones to count on to do the little silly things you always need done. Same with PAs. Otherwise, I don’t really go out of my way, although I’m always cordial to everyone.
Jay asks what I think of the casting for the film version of Chicago, especially the casting of a woman as Mary Sunshine. Well, I have no real feeling about the casting, and I’ll withhold judgment until I see it. I do know that the production company has been sending a lot of their shills onto various newsgroups to pump up the buzz, which is not such a wonderful thing to do and which makes me nervous. As to Mary Sunshine, we’ll have to wait and see, although the stage device of having a man do it might have been deemed to theatrical for film.
William E. Lurie asks when I get a new DVD do I watch the film first or the special features first? If there is a commentary track do I listen to that on a second viewing? I must admit that on a lot of the DVDs I own, I haven’t even checked out the special features. It’s very time consuming. If it’s a film I’ve seen a lot, then I’ll check out the transfer and sound, and usually I’ll watch the documentary if there is one. I never listen to commentary tracks without first watching the film, even if it’s one I’ve seen.
George asks what was the first or even the first few professional jobs that I’ve left off a resume, jobs that have been too embarrassing to leave on, or have I been totally proud of everything I’ve done. In the days when I had a resume, I would drop some of the earlier stuff that simply wasn’t important to keep on (shows that had been cancelled and which no one would remember, etc.). I haven’t always been so proud of some of the projects I’ve done, but I’ve never been embarrassed by what I’ve done in them. In the early days I’d list every little thing, but I’d really hone it. Even now, when I do a bio for something, for the book or whatever, I leave out most of the acting and directing work, just include what I perceive are the highlights. For instance, I never list my appearance in The Apple Dumpling Gang or the awful film Racquet, or even one of my favorite TV guest shots, Doctor’s Hospital. I rarely include the Dinah Shore series on which I was a regular, I rarely include my year-long stint as Playboy on the Air’s sex news reporter-at-large, even though I had a great time doing both.
Jed mentions that on June 18th that I had a meeting with Miss Cybill Shepherd. Was that meeting connected to one of my recent announcements? No, it wasn’t. I have no idea whether the fruits of that meeting will ripen or not. Miss Shepherd is a bit wacky, and needs lots of reassurance from those around her. I know that the producer who brought me in to meet her is still going round and round, so we’ll just have to see where it all goes. As soon as I can say something, I shall.
Jose asks what my favorite “Vinnieism” is and would like to know who comes up with them? Jose also hopes he’s not bringing up a sore subject. I’d have to go through all those albums, because I can’t remember a single one of them off the top of my head. Other than “good eatin’” which was on the first few, I made ninety-eight percent of them up. And no, it isn’t a sore subject, because Vinnie had nothing to do with anyone but me. I hired him, I worked with him and he was one of my key musical partners-in-crime as it were. In other words, he was an independent contractor and had nothing whatsoever to do with any of the labels I worked for or created.
JMK asks if I could have any living or dead orchestrators do The First Nudie Musical score for the stage, who would that be and why? Well, let’s confine it to the living. I can tell you who I’ve chosen, certainly, although he has to work out his deal with the producers – David Siegel. I’ve chosen him because a) he’s really top-notch, b) he’s done great work for me, and c) he understands how to make a small group of players sound large. Not everyone knows how to do that. But most orchestrators I know would do a fine job.
Matthew asks if I’ve ever walked out of a musical in the middle of an act or at intermission? I can’t remember ever walking out of a musical, at least a professional production of one. There are several that I wanted to walk out of – Cyrano, The Red Shoes, Nick and Nora – but I stayed until the bitter end of each.
Arnold M. Brockman asks what happened to my further reviews of The Alec Guiness Collection. They’ll be coming soon, I promise. Also, do I use any special programs when typing movie or play scripts? Not really. For Nudie, I had some macros set up for the character name, the stage direction, character direction, and so forth, but otherwise I just use Word and leave the real formatting to others.
Michael Shayne asks where the name Brockhurst Pertwee (the name I post under on Usenet) comes from? It comes from one of my favorite films, The Court Jester, with Danny Kaye. There are three gentlemen who are offed by Basil Rathbone, and their names are Brockhurst, Finsdale and Pertwee. When I came up with my former posting name it was because I’d mis-remembered the second name and had put a “worth” on the end of it, instead of a “dale”. That is the first time I’ve ever told this story. The full posting name should be brockhurstandpertwee, but for some reason the “and” gets left off in the header parens. Next, Michael wants to know my opinion of people who advertise in Creative Screenwriting or similar places on the Internet, offering their services as professional readers. I am suspect of those things – you’re better off having a friend you trust read it. Those people tend to be out-of-work unsuccessful screenwriters, who criticize from a very limited viewpoint, at least in my opinion (IMO, in Internet lingo). Plus, they all go by the standard “this has to happen here, this needs to be by page ten” yada yada yada (that is three yadas, which equal a yoda). Next Michael would like to know who jonbrianblake is and why he’s saying those terrible things about me (if you are in the dark, read a few of this past week’s notes). Well, I don’t really know who he is. I, of course, have my suspicions as to where he got his information because the specific information (or misinformation) he posted has never been printed anywhere, and the gentleman he mentions has never gone on record or done an interview as to the reasons I left Varese. The information was very specific (and incorrect) and would have to be considered “insider”. I will let you draw your own conclusions. Certainly I’ve drawn mine. They’re quite nice, with bold colors – I did them in oils, given the oily nature of his post. And, of course, you will notice that once I posted about the “insider” nature of his post and asked him to reveal his sources, he conveniently disappeared into the night, never to respond. That is the way these things work. Why, you remember we’ve even had posts here like that. And, you will see a review for The First Nudie Musical on amazon.com, a one-star review or something, that is so blatantly written by someone whose style I know all-too-well that it was a joke, it was laughable. It’s all designed to cause harm, to besmirch, and the people responsible should grow up, get a life and find better things to do with their time.
Kerry asks whose idea it was on Liz Callaway’s Frank Loesser album to change “nickel coke” to “Diet Coke” on Standing on the Corner. Why, I do believe it was my very own idea and I stand by it (on the corner, of course).
Tom from Oz asks if I have any favorite flowers. Roses, always. Also like snap dragons. Have I ever been known to be a wallflower. Yes, I have – in my teen years.
Lulu asks if I’ve ever gotten really hungry on Yom Kippur and indulged in just a little nosh. I will be honest (I cannot be less than honest, you know) and tell you that this Yom Kippur is the first in over twenty years that I’ve fasted. And even then, I only fasted on Monday.
Td asks what is the last book I read and what attracted me to it? I must say that since I began writing Benjamin Kritzer a year ago last May, I have not read any fiction. I was going to catch up on some things but I didn’t because I started the sequel. I have read some non-fiction – the last being a book on Spaghetti Westerns, which I quite liked. Who would I recommend that book to? Oh, fans of pasta and westerns I suppose.
Craig has three count them three questions. Hairspray CD? Very nice and fun and infectious, but have only heard it once so far. Good performances from all, especially our very own Kerry Butler. What’s the best thing about my new job and the worst thing? The money, and the long hours of viewing tapes. Have I ever gotten a letter from a listener that just wowed me? Or a nasty one? I’ve gotten a few letters and e-mails which touched me deeply – from people who really appreciated and understood what I was doing. Those letters and e-mails mean a lot to me – they make doing things worthwhile, really. I’ve had a few nasty ones, too, and I’m happy to say that in a couple of instances I was able to win over the people who wrote them.
Well, the natives are getting restless, so I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must get in my automobile and roam the byways and highways and even the lowways and noways. I must have a hair cut, I must write, I must do so many things, but above all I must party here at haineshisway.com. I must shake my booty and you must all shake your collective booties as well. We must have a plethora of booty-shaking. I have to forego the trivia contest this week, but we shall be back with a brand spanking new Unseemly Trivia Contest next week and it will be a doozy. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Cary Grant films? Mr. Cary Grant has always been one of my favorite screen actors – so suave, urbane and witty. I’ll start – North by Northwest, To Catch a Thief, Penny Serenade, Bringing up Baby, Charade. I’ll stop there and you may now have – your turn. Also, feel free to discuss anything else. And don’t forget to return often as our birthday celebration for Dear Reader Laura continues. Post away, my pretties.

Replies: 47 Unseemly Comments

This is really off topic, but what do you call the blue liquid that is used in the toliets in airplanes? The name escapes me for the moment.
As for Cary Grant Some of my favorite performances are in The Bishop's Wife, Charade and Bring Up Baby. I even like Arsenic and Old Lace even if he tends to go over the top in that one
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/21/2002 10:37 AM PST

Thank you, thank you, for the birthday wishes. I'm hoping for a nice quiet day where no one else wants me to do anything for them.
Oh -- and BK, after the footwashing, you are supposed to BREAK THE BREAD, not stand on it.
Michael Shayne: my son used to work for an airline doing maintenance -- I'll ask him. I'm just sure he'll call today.
Posted by Laura @ 09/21/2002 10:40 AM PST

Happy Birthday, Laura. Are you only a dream? :)
My favorite Grant film is an atypical choice, but, for me, predictable: "Toast of New York", the film he costarred in with Frances Farmer. They couldn't abide each other (Frances once described him as "Cary Grant playing Cary Grant playing Cary Grant"--that is three, count them, three Cary Grants), which works well for the characters they're playing; but it's also interesting to see Grant in such an atypical role. It is also, I believe, the only time in his career he didn't receive star billing (Edward Arnold is the putative star). In the fascinating trivia department, the bit actress (Thelma Leeds) playing Fleurique, the "French" dance hall singer, is comedian/director Albert Brooks' mother. I heartily recommend the film--it was RKO's most expensive production of 1937, and it shows. There are superb comedic supporting bits by Jack Oakie and Donald Meek, among many others. If you're a fan of the good old fashioned semi-accurate biopic, this one's tops.
Posted by JMK @ 09/21/2002 11:05 AM PST

Happy happy birthday, Dear
Reader Laura! I hope you get
that quiet day for which you
wish.
Seems a rather small party at
the moment, but it is early. I'm
sure the others will join the
festivities soon enough and
things will get good and
boisterous. As for me,
consider my booty shaken, not
stirred.
Posted by Jed @ 09/21/2002 11:33 AM PST

Michael Shayne: He says they call it "blue juice."
Posted by Laura @ 09/21/2002 11:44 AM PST

Dear Laura
BTW Happy Birthday!
Blue Juice! I think I was looking for more of a technical name. But I'll use it until I can think of something else
Thanks
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/21/2002 12:14 PM PST

My favorite Cary Grant movie:
http://www.dvdlaunch.com/charade.html
followed very closely by Notorious, North By Northwest and To Catch a Thief.
Happy Birthday, Laura! From where I'm sitting, you don't look a day older!
..and Bruce, be thankful you're not having the same recurring dream that I've been having:
I'm dating EMINEM! We're going out and eating, my favorite waitress is waiting on us, Eminem is all over me, yikes...and I quote MISS SAIGON when I say, "Why God, Why?"
Posted by td @ 09/21/2002 12:36 PM PST

All right, I see I'm going to have to get tough - I'm going to have to start bitch-slapping various and sundried errant and truant people. This is not a party - this is a small get-together. There are not nearly enough booties here, shaking away. I want a booty call. I want a booty lineup. I want booty, booty and more booty, not necessarily in that order. I want booty for days, booty for miles, booty to infinity.
Posted by bk @ 09/21/2002 01:29 PM PST

Happy Birthday Laura.
My favorite CG movie is, I think, An Affair to Remember. Now, since I am so tired I can't type anymore, I am going to take a nap!
Posted by Ben @ 09/21/2002 02:08 PM PST

Happy Birthday Laura.
My favorite Archie Leech movie is BRINGING UP BABY with Kate Hepburn and a leopard. Of course for camp value there's one of Archie's first... a non-musical MADAME BUTTERFLY with one of the talkie's earliest divas Sylvia Sidney.
And speaking of Cary/Archie... does anyone know why the John Cleese character in A FISH NAMED WANDA was named Archie Leech? I kept waiting for the Cary Grant payoff through the whole film and there was none.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 09/21/2002 02:17 PM PST

Thank you, thank you all.
Posted by Laura @ 09/21/2002 02:37 PM PST

Happy Birthday to Laura! What good fortune to walk in during a party! I baked the cake that was on the site yesterday and it's great so ignore your diet and have just a small slice. There, isn't that better?
Cary Grant: North By Northwest and That Touch of Mink. (The Doris Day thing again.) And almost anything else, really. I mean - it's Cary Grant!!!
Posted by Michael @ 09/21/2002 03:08 PM PST

"Blow out your candles, Laura....." and have a great day.
Posted by rOSS cARE @ 09/21/2002 03:36 PM PST

Favorite Grants: BLONDE VENUS, ALICE ADAMS, I WAS A MALE WAR BRIDE, CHARADE, NxNW.
Posted by Ross @ 09/21/2002 03:48 PM PST

Of course Blonde Venus, how could I forget Blonde Venus. I always think of it as a Dietrich/von Sternberg, but Cary is quite lovely in it. Anyone who hasn't seen Blonde Venus needs to immediately. It is one of the most sublimely weird and wonderful movies ever made - and it features one of the greatest musical numbers ever commited to celluloid - Hot Voodoo.
Posted by bk @ 09/21/2002 04:03 PM PST

The happiest of birthdays to Laura. If you don't eat any cake yourself, I may have to eat some for you. Yummy.
May I be permitted to brag for a moment? Thank you. I was told yesterday that I am a "National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist" one of only 16,000 high school seniors in the country to get that honor. I have to fill out various forms and essays, and in return I have the chance for higher honors, and maybe even scholarship money. I'm highly honored. And my parents are going crazy with joy.
I have not seen many Cary Grant movies, but I just saw Charade recently, and found it quite amusing. I'll be interested to see what they do with the remake coming out this fall.
And another happy birthday wish for Laura. How many years is it? (Or is that not a gentlemanly question?)
Posted by Hapgood @ 09/21/2002 04:19 PM PST

Also reprised ("Hot Voodoo") rather horrendously in THE DAY OF THE LOCUST...... (by Paul Jabara in awful drag).
But yes, the original number (in BLOND VENUS) is one of the most unique moments in early sound
cinema......
And Ralph Rainger is one of most under-rated of classic Hollywood songwriters.
Posted by Ross @ 09/21/2002 04:23 PM PST

Though I think highly of all the Cary Grant movies already mentioned, my two favorites are "People Will Talk" and
"Talk of the Town". Not that CG is necessarily at his best in these. He is, but that's more of a reflection of his overall consistency. As their titles reflect, these are "talkier" movies. The levels of wit and literacy in the writing are much higher in these, and gave Cary a chance to wrap his gums around a lot of more better high-class sophisticated words.
Posted by mark rothman @ 09/21/2002 05:25 PM PST

Hope your day has been wonderful Laura and that you did have cake.
Congratulations Hapgood. Why not brag.Good news is worth sharing.
I hope Jason has some good news to share with us soon. What is happening with the job search and Moby Dick.
Where is Alan? Have you seen "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" yet? Any further news on Phillip Quast?
I think Francois is in Spain but there are a few regulars still missing. I thought HHW was the priority.
Cary Grant. Always liked him even if he was playing Cary Grant he did it so well. "Charade". "Indiscreet","To Catch A Thief" and "An Affair To Remember" are my favourites.
Do agree with Ron's comments yesterday re John Wayne.
Just remembered "Houseboat" which I have not seen since it was first shown. And to think I mentioned "Bing Bang Bong" yesterday.
I am intrigued by the purpose behind Michael Shayne's "Blue" question. Are you thinking of joining the "blue rinse" set. Dame Edna would be impressed.
Posted by Tom Guest @ 09/21/2002 05:51 PM PST

VERY Happy birthday, Laura!
And Congratulations, Hapgood! You should be very proud.
I'm partial to WackyNuttyZanyGoofball Cary. While I like North by Northwest, Notorious, Suspicion, and all those pics, I really really REALLY like Cary in Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Monkey Business ('51, with Ginger Rogers). Honorable mention to I Was a Male War Bride and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.
JMK, you amaze and impress me with your arcane knowledge of film. I've never even seen Toast of the Town. You say it's a biopic; of who? Of course I could check on IMDB, but I'm hoping you'll have a couple more juicy bones of film lore to toss my way, along with your answer. ;)
Posted by Lulu @ 09/21/2002 06:58 PM PST

In addition to such titles already mentioned as "North By Northwest," "Charade", "An Affair to Remember," I'd have to add other Grant films such as "Topper," "Gunga Din," "None But the Lonely Heart," "I Was A Male War Bride," and "That Touch of Mink."
Happy Birthday, Laura! May all your wishes come true!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/21/2002 06:58 PM PST

By the by, has anybody here seen Time After Time in its recent DVD incarnation? Worth getting? I'm especially curious about the Meyer / McDowell / Warner commentary, though of course also want to know if it's a good transfer, has good sound, etc. Any help appreciated!
Posted by Lulu @ 09/21/2002 07:00 PM PST

Yet another: Happy Birtday Laura!
My favorite Cary Grant movies: Father Goose and Bringing Up Baby. North by Northwest and Charade are pretty close to the top of the list, too.
Posted by George @ 09/21/2002 07:03 PM PST

Lulu, I believe I gave a nice "review" of it right here, so search Time after Time and you'll find it.
Posted by bk @ 09/21/2002 07:12 PM PST

Thank you all for the happy birthday wishes.
Posted by Laura @ 09/21/2002 07:24 PM PST

There was a Cary Grant movie on a local PBS station tonight. My Favorite Wife which was almost remade as Something's Got To Give with Marilyn Monroe.
In case someone is not familiar with it:
Ellen Arden (Iren Dunne) arrives 7 years after being given up for dead in a shipwreck, to find her husband Nick (Cary Grant) just remarried to Bianca.(Gail Patrick) The overjoyed Nick awkwardly tries to break the news gently to Bianca. But before he can do that, an unpleasant surprise--news that Ellen has spent the 7 years on a deserted island with fellow-survivor Burkett.(Randolph Scott) Nick's jealousy tries to find out the truth. Hilarious confusion reigns before Nick chooses his favorite wife.
The tragic Scotty Beckett played Grant's son/
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/21/2002 07:56 PM PST

Tom Guest:
Re: Blue rinse.
I just complete the rewrites on a new screenplay. A character in locked in the loo of an airplane just as it hits some very bad turbulence. He accidently hits the flush button. I hope you can imagine what happens next.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/21/2002 08:05 PM PST

Brent Barrett will be appearing in TV production of Kiss Me Kate with Rebecca York based on the recent Broadway revival to be broadcast later this season on PBS
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/21/2002 08:19 PM PST

I want to tell you what my DH just said to me. He said the last 23 years have been the happiest years in his life. Then the girls talked about making a birthday cake, and he said: Wait a minute! Isn't this our anniversary?
Posted by Laura @ 09/21/2002 08:35 PM PST

Lulu: The film I mentioned is "Toast of New York," not "Talk of the Town" another film mentioned by Mark above, or even your charming combination "Toast of the Town." The film was ACTUALLY supposed to be called "The Robber Barons," and indeed was until shortly before release. Well, since you asked for more trivia--the film was in "development hell," as they like to say nowadays. It originally was supposed to have starred Spencer Tracy in the Edward Arnold role and Ginger Rogers in the Farmer role. In fact Tracy and Farmer appeared on a Lux Radio Theater Broadcast of "Men in White" as an early promotional stunt during pre-production shortly before Arnold assumed the role. As far as I know, Grant was the only one ever cast in his role. It is a fairly highly fictionalized biography of Diamond Jim Fisk, who was a medicine show scam artist during the Civil War and later became the Michael Milken (sp?) of his day, causing a rather major stock market crash in the late 1800s. He had a weakness for a call girl named Josie Mansfield who had dreams of being a stage star. The film of course whitewashes this aspect (much to Farmer's dismay at the time, as she very much wanted to play Mansfield as the prostitute she was). It's available on home video in two releases--an original RKO Studios release, and a later Turner Classic Movies release (after Teddy acquired the RKO catalog--thank God he didn't try colorizing this one). The film was made for a then unheard of sum of close to a million dollars, and was a spectacular flop, though it opened to mostly very good reviews and was the feature attraction at Radio City Music Hall in midsummer 1937.
Posted by JMK @ 09/21/2002 08:40 PM PST

Dear BK: Good to read your comments about receptionists, since I've done that job (as a back-up for the regulars). I only wish your sentiments were shared by more people, but unfortunately they aren't. For the most part, receptionists (and clerks in general) are regarded as low IQ slobs and dingbats who, when asked if the glass is half full or half empty, simply put a flower in it and say it's pretty. It's really a shame, because the receptionist is the first person anyone calling an office comes in contact with, and can do a lot to make sure the call is a positive experience for the caller. Many was the time when I would receive a call, where the caller had already been shunted here and there by other people, or worse by voice-mail. I would have to try to connect the caller with someone who could help with his or her problem. Only problem was, when I was able to make the correct connection, the person on the other end of the line wouldn't pick up, and the caller would get, you guessed it, voice mail. When I and the others handling the reception desk would complain about this, the people who were supposed to be handling the calls would simply shrug and say "So? It's not our problem!" End of rant.
I've often wondered what would have happened if Alfred Hitchcock had cast his two favorite leading men, Cary Grant and James Stewart, together in a film. They would have made a facinating, if improbable, pair. They could have defined the "buddy movie" long before buddy movies were a staple of film. And with Hitchcock directing, they couldn't have failed! Perhaps that is what I should try to dream about tonight, Cary Grant and James Stewart in "Northwest Window". With Grace Kelly in a sarong! Wow!
Posted by S. Woody White @ 09/21/2002 09:33 PM PST

Am I the only one here who, when starting to read a lengthly post, darts ahead to check who wrote it before reading the whole thing? Or is there a cadre out there who instead likes to keep it a secret, something to guess by reading and scrolling slowly, to make it a surprise until the very very end? Just wondering.
Posted by S. Woody White @ 09/21/2002 09:35 PM PST

S. Woody - I guess I'm a bit
inconsistent in my habits
about which you ask. Usually,
I think I do scroll to see who's
written what I'm reading, but
just now I read yours and
JMK's longer posts unaware of
the authors.
Posted by Jed @ 09/21/2002 09:45 PM PST

Happy Birthday, Laura! When you are allowed cake, we shall have cake!
Hapgood, we are very proud of you and want to hear more about your accomplishments.
Cary Grant: So many wonderful films.
Some of my favorites are: "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dreamhouse," "His Girl Friday," "The Philadelphia Story" (and the usual "North By Northwest," "To Catch A Thief," "Charade" etc.)
Posted by Kerry @ 09/21/2002 10:34 PM PST

Hey there! My apologies for not posting earlier, but after a rude awakening courtesy of my alarm clock this morning, followed by a full day of rehearsals... Then finding on my break that my car's windhshield had some nice cracks in it - and none of the intramural football players would claim responsibility for it (even though some of them kept looking away when I would survey the field)... But I did have a very nice and easy trip through IKEA for some new shelves... So...
Happy Birthday, Laura! -Thankfully, this post in PST not EST.
Favorite Cary Grant movies: "I Was A Male War Bride" and "An Affair to Remember"
Oh, and, Michael - Did you really make the cake?
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 09/21/2002 11:38 PM PST

Jose, you are definately one of the people we are going to have as a guest at our house in Rehoboth...assuming it finally gets built...and assuming der Brucer gets the piano tuned. (At the very least, we'll be cheaper than a hotel!)
Posted by S. Woody White @ 09/21/2002 11:57 PM PST

36 posts on a Saturday - I am so jiggy with that. Soon we will be the most popular site on all the internet and we will be the envy of one and all and all and one (well, we already know that we're the envy of one in particular). Don't be strangers tomorrow - it's free-for-all day after all.
Posted by bk @ 09/22/2002 12:36 AM PST

Here I am, late again for the party - and I bet everyone's eaten all the cheese slices and ham chunks (or is it ham slices and cheese chunks?).
Laura, Laura - happy birthday. I bought you these here flowers, but they've wilted a bit because I'm so late.
S. Woody - re your question about looking to the end of a post to see who it is - I usually try and guess by the content before I look. Does everyone else have a visual picture of all the regular posters, like I do? I had to radically alter my picture of Kerry when I discovered he was a 'he' as I'd thought he was a female Kerry for so long!
Tom (as I picture you sitting there out on your verandah watching the kangaroos hop by in your little hat with corks all the way round!) - no news on Philip Quast's CD yet, though it's due out tomorrow. There's nothing on the Donmar Warehouse website, but they don't seem to update it very much as it's still listing his concert as 'coming soon'. I'll see if I can find out more.
I have been errant and truant as I've been busy, busy, busy (that's three busys) this week and will be errant and truant again as I'm going to Spain tomorrow (ole) for a couple of weeks. So I'll see y'all when I get back.
By the way (BTW in internet lingo), does anyone read these posts when I post them so late?
Posted by Allan @ 09/22/2002 01:25 AM PST

Yes, Allan, yes we do.
Posted by Jed @ 09/22/2002 01:39 AM PST

Re Kerry: I have privately appologized to him for the gender confusion before, and do so again publicly here and now.
My own photo is included in all my posts at Sondheim.com, along with MartyDog, our big puppy. Sorry, I'm wearing clothing, nothing exciting to see. I recently ran across an Internet photo of my favorite bartender, TedBear, but while a thorough photo (and bartender) he isn't smiling, so the likeness isn't as complete as it should be. That's the way things go, I suppose.
Posted by S. Woody White @ 09/22/2002 02:21 AM PST

William F. Orr writes:
Oh yes, S. Woody White, I often scroll to the end instead of playing Whodat? Does this help?
And indeed, ever since getting on the internet, I have always developed mental pictures of people, often to be shocked by reality. But, of course, since my mental pictures are based on their writing which is often a key to the soul, I think those imaginations are more accurate than mere physical reality.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!!
and
CONGRATULATIONS HAPGOOD!!!
As a former National Merit Scholar I hope to welcome you to our exclusive club. It's the most hassle-free scholarship around.
And now, if you will all excuse me, it is 6:13 a.m. on Sunday, and I must needs dash out to do my weekly shopping.
(Anyone read these posts when I post so late?)
Posted by William F. Orr @ 09/22/2002 03:17 AM PST

Mr. S. Woody White.
Re: Cary Grant and James Stewart in a Hitchcock film together.
it would have been very interesting if they played the roles that Farley Granger and John Dall did in Rope.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/22/2002 06:24 AM PST

Couple of interesting thing about Rope that I meant to add to the above post:
When Janet (played by Joan Chandler) and Mrs. Atwater (played by Constance Collier) are discussing their favorite leading men in movies, they bring up Cary Grant, and how brilliant he was in "that new thing with (Ingrid) Bergman." Neither can recall the title, but it's just plain "something" (meaning only one word). This refers to Alfred Hitchcock's earlier movie, Notorious (1946).
Also thought it very strange that Dick Hogan who played the murder victim suddenly stopped making movies after 11 years in the business.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/22/2002 06:34 AM PST

BK: I should have known you would have covered it already! Thanks. I will check it out. :)
JMK: Are you Robert Osborne in disguise? Sorry about the "Talk of the Toast of The Town of New York" confusion earlier, but after all, you must expect a bit of muddleheadedness in someone whose name is "Lulu."
Strange to think of movies being in "development hell" back in the heyday of the studios, since usually they churned out films with such factorylike regularity. Was Toast of New York considered as big a bomb as Parnell, I wonder?
I have an idea for something we all could participate in Sunday, but I shall wait until the day's new notes are up. Besides, got to take a DVD back to Blockbuster shortly. Ta ta!
Posted by Lulu @ 09/22/2002 06:55 AM PST

OK, I lied, I'm back.
I looked up Time After Time (thanks again), and then I decided to look up Victor/Victoria to see if there was a review of that as well. Didn't find one, but did find mention of Xanax and Valium and, tantalizingly, the assertion by BK that he once wanted to take Lithium because he liked the name (but didn't).
And it occurred to me that the word "lithium" has always made me think that it sounds like a gaslike substance -- and it would be very light, like helium, and upon taking it, the person would be able to fly.
Now why would I think that? Has anybody else ever thought that? And what a strange thing to think.
Anyhoo, I just had to share that.
Now I really am off to take the day. Or take the air. Or something.
-Lulu
Posted by Lulu @ 09/22/2002 07:05 AM PST

I shall pretend it's still
Saturday, since it seems
several others have already
done so. Doubt anyone else
will be up at this unseemly
hour to read this, but had to
put in my vote for "Bringing Up
Baby" and "Philadelphia Story"
for favorite CG movies. Pair
him with Katherine Hepburn
and how can you go wrong?
Posted by Ann @ 09/22/2002 07:28 AM PST

I always liked Hepburn and Grant in "Holiday" also.
Posted by kerry @ 09/22/2002 09:07 AM PST

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