And the word of the day is: CUCUMBER!Ah, yes, a direction oft heard in radio dramas, back in the 1930s. To cumber (http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/c/c0802400.html), of course, means to weigh down or burden as in "was cumbered with many duties", or to hamper or hinder, as by being in the way. At the appropriate moment, when the hero or heroine of the radio drama was beset with numerous duties or problems, the director of the radio drama would call out from the sound booth "Cue Cumber," at which point the foley man would drop a fifty-pound sack of flour on a resonant box, which when properly miked would give an appropriate thud.
And the word of the day is: CUCUMBER!
Mr Joel Gray/aka Joel Katz.
When they were filming the musical remake of BROTHER RAT called ABOUT FACE at Warner Bros in the early 1950's, Mr Katz had a role.
I guess he was pretty happy to be in the movie and he was trying VERY hard to be good.
After one particularly trying scene in which Mr Katz did his "thing" - another star of the picture turned to the director and said: "Whose boyfriend is HE?"
elmore, both The Heiress and Double Indemnity are out in the UK on region 2 DVDs (have them both) and they're both very nice transfers, so I assume region ones will be coming (Double Indemnity has already been announced as a two-disc SE and our very own Mr. Nick Redman has participated in at least one of the extras).
...The centerpiece: The Leading Lady sits Center Stage to open wads of great stuff - During which, one by one, several ladies look furtively at their watches several times, surreptitiously gather up their purses and jackets, and head for the door, waving and blowing kisses.
Though a perennial favorite, for me the show is dated, un-funny, and devoid of melody; the set was lovely, if somewhat static; direction all but non-existent -- it's just taxing and not all that entertaining to watch a beautiful young woman read the card and open the gift thirty or forty times in two hours, two weekends in a row. The show needed better dialogue, some better dance numbers. I have to say the food was great, and a lot of it. And lots of Hershey's Kisses all over the tulip-festooned tables - kudos to the propsmaster.
And if you've ever seen About Face (I saw it many, many times on the Million Dollar Movie) you've gotten to see Mr. Grey with his real nose.
Still raining.
DR PENNYO - not too many men get to see that particular show....not that I'm complaining!
DR ELMORE - I would guess that the Moth Queen's Palace would only have been included in a film version if it had been produced by Ross Hunter....and starring Sandra Dee!
Performers who were taken from us too soon:
Robert Francis
River Phoenix
Sharon Tate
Yes, but it might have had a lovely orchestration by Andre Previn and been as wonderful as THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.
Or as god-awful ghastly as LOST HORIZON!
I was telling a friend yesterday about the Kern number "They Didn't Believe Me" having been sung by a male chorus in one of the most hauntingly beautiful finales of any film -- "Oh! What A Lovely War!
My guess is ghastly with an emphasis on the latter. ;D
There is no denying her beauty....and certainly other directors got some nice performances from her. I thought she was very funny as secretary Janet Trego (in a black wig) in a few episodes of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. The scenes with her and Nancy Kulp were terrific. ;D
TOD... Performers who passed away far too soon. Obviously James Dean comes to mind. Natalie Wood, of course. Thoughts?
I don't know if a Ross Hunter film would have a Giant Spider's lair, but I'm sure he knew several moth queens or moth-eaten queens!
I really like her in THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS.
But the music is wonderful...still resonates to this day (for me)...and I continue to find Arlene Dahl simply sensational in this "musical" appearnace.
More yard work today, and by golly I WILL get to cleaning out the garage today!!!
I also will interview a popular 1960s TV star this afternoon who was a co-star of Annette Funicello's in one movie!
Hmmmm....more rain DR GINNY? I think it's headed your way!
elmore, both The Heiress and Double Indemnity are out in the UK on region 2 DVDs (have them both) and they're both very nice transfers, so I assume region ones will be coming (Double Indemnity has already been announced as a two-disc SE and our very own Mr. Nick Redman has participated in at least one of the extras).
Yesterday's bridal shower was shorter than last week's - only 4 hours,one half hour having been edited from the 4 and a half hour length of the last one...
But I did get to visit a bit with some of my mother's cousins and my dad's niece - whom I haven't seen since the funerals last July. That was very nice.
Plot: A bunch of ladies enter a restaurant, there is much squealing and hugging. Dance number: they find their place cards and sit at gaily decorated tables. SONG (waiters): Which Would You Prefer? Chorale: Mmmm, What Did You Order?
The centerpiece: The Leading Lady sits Center Stage to open wads of great stuff - During which, one by one, several ladies look furtively at their watches several times, surreptitiously gather up their purses and jackets, and head for the door, waving and blowing kisses.
Though a perennial favorite, for me the show is dated, un-funny, and devoid of melody; the set was lovely, if somewhat static; direction all but non-existent -- it's just taxing and not all that entertaining to watch a beautiful young woman read the card and open the gift thirty or forty times in two hours, two weekends in a row. The show needed better dialogue, some better dance numbers. I have to say the food was great, and a lot of it. And lots of Hershey's Kisses all over the tulip-festooned tables - kudos to the propsmaster.
TOD: We haven't discussed this one for a while, but what films are we still wishing woud arrive on DVD? I have at least four off the bat:
THE CAT AND THE CANARY with Bob Hope
OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR!
THE HEIRESS
DOUBLE INDEMNITY
I was listening to Lee Remick singing while I walked this morning ("Anyone Can Whistle")... What a lovely voice she had! And what a wonderful actress - and so beautiful. Thinking of her brought to mind a TOD... Performers who passed away far too soon. Obviously James Dean comes to mind. Natalie Wood, of course. Thoughts?
Must have been Montgomery Clift in the air yesterday.
ROTFLMAO!! ;D
And if you've ever seen About Face (I saw it many, many times on the Million Dollar Movie) you've gotten to see Mr. Grey with his real nose.How about another TOD: Stars who have had work done, and their children who have had work done!
...And in the morass that was the VD movie....Tate's final scene was VERY moving....and watching it onscreen during a re-release (top billing at last) after her tragic demise was moving and eerie. The Previn music helped greatly, but Tate was stunning! I will never forget those moments on the BIG screen. :'(Sharon Tate was in a movie about venereal disease???
Off to get cleaned up for dinner at my friend's house tonight.Wait a sec...
WBBL.
Don't know how to unravel that! Please tell me what it means!!!Rolling On The Floor Laughing My Tushie Off.
Sharon Tate was in a movie about venereal disease???
:o :o :o
Maria, what musical are you going to see? Where???
Oh, my gosh! just listening to the PBS SOUTH PACIFIC!! I can't imagine it ever sounding better than this!!! Having the whole orchestra play the original arrangements reminds me how great it really is - no wonder these great old musicals have found better homes in the world's greatest opera houses - where they can be mounted with the musical forces they deserve!!! Wow - Reba! Was there ever a better Nellie!?!?!?!
DR PennyO - glad you enjoyed SP on PBS! I looked for the CD on my Barnes & Noble splurge Friday, but they didn't have it yet.
We've just lined up one of our family traditions - going out for a nice meal on the Sunday before Mother's Day. Next Sunday, Richard, Rob, and I will take our mothers, plus my aunt (who's also a mother), to the Manchester Inn here in town for mid-afternoon dinner. Restaurants are too busy on Mother's Day, so we started this habit shortly after Rob was born.
DR ELMORE - he is obviously sitting on his assets.
I am back after battling a lung infection that totally zapped me of all energy. I see I have a lot to catch up on.
DR MichaelS, welcome back! How are you feeling now?
Oh, my gosh! just listening to the PBS SOUTH PACIFIC!! I can't imagine it ever sounding better than this!!! Having the whole orchestra play the original arrangements reminds me how great it really is - no wonder these great old musicals have found better homes in the world's greatest opera houses - where they can be mounted with the musical forces they deserve!!! Wow - Reba! Was there ever a better Nellie!?!?!?!
Most actresses who play Nellie are way too old, and once I'd love to see a fantastic charismatic star-powered younger person do it, if such a person exists. Years ago, I was supping with Miss Susan Egan at Joe Allen after one of our vocal sessions. She was probably twenty-six at the time, and I said that she'd be great as Nellie and wouldn't it be great to try to do it - at that moment, Mr. Brian Stokes Mitchell walked by our table and said hello, and we both said to him that we were just talking about South Pacific and that he'd be perfect as Emile. Isn't that funny?
I'm sure his assets are enormous. Have you heard him sing? He's fantastic!
I liked Reba's Nellie, though she seemed a bit old......
Didn't like the Mary.....she was glued to her book during ALL the dialog scenes....
Watching A PLACE IN THE SUN....was Monty really nearly as short as Elizabeth? In scenes next her her he only seems a couple of inches taller and she is not much over 5 feet...is she?
Monty was actually 5'10"
Interesting....there are a couple of scenes when they are standing side by side (and you can see their feet, or Liz moves into the shot with him) and they are very close in height. Whoever was in charge of that - if there's a 10" height difference was GREAT!!! ;D
I am back after battling a lung infection that totally zapped me of all energy. I see I have a lot to catch up on.
And oh yes to see a brief glimpse of our estemed BK in the new movie The Ghastly Love of Johnny X
Go here http://www.johnnyxmovie.com/trailer/trailer.php (http://www.johnnyxmovie.com/trailer/trailer.php) and download the trailer for the film.
Think I'll get some ice cream. Much happier thoughts
The Three Stooges' HAVE ROCKET WILL TRAVEL.
Think I'll get some ice cream. Much happier thoughts
Little Egypt. At the Matrix. I know nothing about it. Nice cast: Sara Rue, French Stewart, Misty Cotton, Jenny O'Hara...
I am back after battling a lung infection that totally zapped me of all energy. I see I have a lot to catch up on.
Here is an interesting tidbit that I discovered while trying to find out how tall Montgomery Clift was. I am sure most people knew that he turned down the role in SUNSET BLVD, but I found this quote at one website:"Monty famously rejected the role eventually played by William Holden in Sunset Boulevard. He rejected many other parts including Bus Stop (the Don Murray role), Moby Dick (Gregory Peck), Trapeze (Tony Curtis), Shane (Alan Ladd), A Star is Born (James Mason), On the Waterfront (Marlon Brando), Mrs Miniver (Richard Ney), Rio Bravo (Dean Martin) and East of Eden (James Dean)."
Was Peter Lupus his real name or was it a stage name as well?
http://www.careerbuilder.com/monk-e-mail/?mid=8383531
And you know it is so strange that film has not been released yet...I mean they have released all the other Stooges 60s feature films, but not this one...and it is one of the best of the lot (although I am partial to SNOW WHITE AND THE THREE STOOGES).
Speaking of websites and movie trailers, I just discovered this little film this weekend.
http://www.vekay.com/titanic.html
Warning: It takes forever to load, but it is very funny.
George, how was FIDDLER ON THE HOOF?
The man that played Tevye played my son in THE LION IN WINTER. He was Richard, the Lionhearted.
Unfortunately, I have had to miss FIDDLER, RAGTIME, and THE WOMEN this weekend. I am not able to sit that long.
I kind of thought you would prefer THE THREE STOOGES MEET HERCULES.
We celebrated my birthday two days early at my parents' place today. (Could that sound any more like a shameless plea for birthday wishes on Tuesday?) My sister-in-law absolutely outdid herself with the abundance of food. My soon-to-be-18 nephew made my father very happy by going through my father's clothes closet and finding things that he (my nephew) would like to wear that no longer fit my father, hand-me-downs skipping over a generation, if you will. There was cake, with very healthy fruit on top. The only thing I want to address next year is why I have to do three hours of traveling for a celebration of MY birthday :) , but it seems to be a battle I lose every year.
I was feeling on the old side since I thought I was about to really hit middle age head-on turning 46, but then my brother reminded me that by many definitions I've been middle-aged since 40, and so far my forties have been very good.
May looks like a busy birthday month.
George - actually, when I just simultaneouly googled "middle age" and 40, I found a defintion that defines "middle age" as a time when you shift from thinking about potential to thinking about limitations. So as long as you're thinking about potential rather than limitations, whatever you may be physically, you're not really middle-aged mentally. At least by that definition, anyway.
I'm turning 40 on Friday. ::)
Thanks! And it's always a double celebration...it's also Cinco de Mayo!!
I have one friend who was born on Christmas Eve and her name is Holly Eve and another friend born on Christmas Day and his name is Noel. ;D
George, ever heard of the group Wa Wa Nee? They are from OZ.
George, you are in a public library, correct?
I can't imagine having to be part of that kind of conversation!
Hopefully not too much, but I understand that he will have to charge enough to make it possible.