Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to the piano concerto of one whose initials are BB – no, it’s not the piano concerto of Brigitte Bardot or Billy Barnes, nor is it the piano concerto of Bela Bartok or Billy Barty or Brent Barrett. No, it is the piano concerto of a brilliant composer named Benjamin Britten and like most of his music, it’s a wonderful work filled with invention and melody. It’s a little wacky to me that works like this never seem to be programmed in classical concerts – just the usual warhorses, but they really need to do a rediscovery series of concertos and symphonies. I has spoken. I love this piano concerto and now I just want to listen to all my Britten music, I just do, including a new recording of The Turn of the Screw. I did listen to the War Requiem the other day and what a piece that is. I did manage to watch an entire seventy-minute motion picture last night without dozing off, but that may be because I’d already dozed off for two hours prior to that and an hour prior to that. This was one of many grade C motion pictures made by a company in the late 50s and early 60s – heaven knows how many of these bottom of the bill features they did, but I’d guess six or seven a year, maybe even more. I’ve watched at least twenty of ‘em and they all follow similar low-budget formulas. I like them because they’re all shot in LA and frequently have fun location shots. This one is supposed to take place mostly adjacent to International Airport (pre the theme building) in 1960, about an assassination of a foreign dignitary by big, bad Cameron Mitchell, who does seem to be having a high old time playing the villain of the piece. He’s found a conveniently located in plain view of the airport runway and tower and will shoot not the dignitary but the gas tank of the plane, causing it to explode and kill everyone on or about the plane. Of course, we know that will never happen because they couldn’t afford to shoot it. John Lupton lives in the house with his pretty blonde wife, and he works at the tower. I’ve always liked John Lupton, although I can pinpoint nothing that I remember seeing him in. It was funny that he, his wife, and James Franciscus were on the cruise ship when we shot my final Partridge Family episode. I wish I’d spoken to them but I never really had the chance. Anyway, I enjoyed it – the ending is rushed but there are some nice LA shots, including Sepulveda Blvd. and Olympic and various smaller streets near the airport. Of course, most of the streets purportedly near the airport are easily recognized as being in Hollywood, since we can clearly see the Hollywood hills, a Mariposa Street sign (near the company’s studio off Santa Monica Blvd. etc.
Prior to that, I was up at eight and out the door by eight-thirty, went to Good Neighbor again and had a good omelet with bacon and cheese and their really good home potatoes. After that, I did quite a few errands and whatnot, including shipping a small package, and did a Gelson’s run because they’re having a $5.98 sale on Diet Coke – got three twelve packs for a savings of fifteen bucks – not bad. Then I came home, answered e-mails and caught up on a few things, dozed off for a couple of hours, had a Jersey Mike’s Eyetalian sandwich for the late afternoon snack, all pills were taken, then dozed off more, had a telephonic call, and then watched the movie. And here we are – you, me, and Mr. Britten.
Today, I’ll be up by ten-thirty, I have a phone meeting at eleven, then I’ll list some more eBay items, have something fun for food, then I may have to go read a couple of actresses over at the Group Rep. Then I have to go to CVS and pick up several prescription refills, then I can watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow is more of the same and hopefully we’ll have finished casting. I have a Zoom with my set designer to finalize his plans so he can get them to the folks who’ll be building the sets. Friday is, of course, Halloween, and then, amazingly, it’s a new month on Saturday.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by ten-thirty, have a phone meeting, list items, eat, maybe audition some actresses, pick up prescription refills, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be revisiting the marvelous output of one of the great BBs.