Along These Lines.....

The Turner Classic Movie Cruise

2012-02-03T13:30:00.005-06:00

Last December, we traveled with Turner Classic Movies on their first Classic Cruise. What fun! Here's one of several stories I wrote about the trip.

In addition to Robert and Ben, we were able to interview Ernie Borgnine, Eva Marie Saint, and Tippi Hedren.

If you like old movies and cruises, keep an eye out for another cruise which will be announced at tcm.com.

New Movie Book: Raised by the Stars

2011-12-23T13:52:00.006-06:00

Now available on that Kindle thingy.

If you're a fan of old movies, you may enjoy my book, “Raised by the Stars."

It's a collection of recent interviews I did with children of actors from cinema’s Golden Age. They talk about the joys and difficulties of growing up in the shadow of the early Hollywood spotlight.

Among those interviewed are the children of leading actors such as Errol Flynn, Jimmy Stewart, Gary Cooper, Rosalind Russell, Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman, and Rex Harrison, as well as many supporting and character actors including Jack Elam, Forrest Tucker, Jesse White, Jack Gilford, Gene Lockhart and Billy Barty.

Who, you ask? Well, you may not know their names unless you a film buff (what exactly is a buff, let alone a film buff, anyway?) but you probably recognize their faces if you watch films from the 40s, 50s, and beyond:

Can you identity these supporting actors? Their children are all interviewed in "Raised by the Stars"

I must say, it was a lot of fun hearing firsthand from these children – some in their 70s and 80s now, so not exactly "kids" – about the hectic lifestyle of living in the celebrity bubble. I think fans of classic movies will enjoy this collection.

“Raised by the Stars” is published by McFarland and contains 50 photos. More information: website.

Also, article in the Ventura County Star.

Robert Osborne: He's Back!

2011-11-30T15:44:00.006-06:00

Turner Classic Movies fans are well aware that host Robert Osborne has been absent for the past few months.

He will be back tomorrow!

Read my interview with him in this week's Washington Post.

Elevenses

2011-11-11T11:11:00.004-06:00

The numerologist in me just had to post "something" at 11:11 am on 11/11/11

Restoring ....Education?

2011-11-06T19:49:00.006-06:00

Snapped this screenshot about a CNN program tonight explaining how to fix the US education system. Perhaps we should start with the guy who writes the cable promos!

Or was it an intentional erra?

Candidates For Mt. Rushmoron

2011-10-31T13:24:00.020-05:00

Every so often there’s talk of adding a fifth presidential figure to Mt. Rushmore. So just who might that be?

We can safely rule out Gerald Ford or Jimmy Carter, who weren’t exactly polished presidential gems, while William Harrison only lasted one month at the job. And since real estate space on the rocky outcrop is a premium, don’t expect a bust of portly Taft to appear any time soon either.

But if there is to be a new kid on the rock, the name most frequently suggested is Ronald Reagan. There’s no doubt Reagan had a statesman-like quality about him, but was it all an act? Still, better Reagan than one of his co-stars, like Bonzo.

Then again, maybe we need a new monument constructed to honor the “Bonzo” presidents: an anti-Mt. Rushmore, one that recognizes the worst U.S. presidents in history.

If you had to nominate four presidents who really goofed up in the White House and deserve to be immortalized on a gigantic monument - let's call it Mt. Rushmoron, a large outcrop of iron pyrite (aka fool's gold!) rather than noble granite - who would you choose? Continued here ....

Tony Curtis: A Meeting In The Desert

2011-09-22T09:33:00.001-05:00

Photo Credit: Tony Curtis web site

Veteran actor Tony Curtis died at his Nevada home a year ago, on September 29. With his passing came the expected tributes to a man who was recognized as one of the last legends of Hollywood's Golden Era. While he never received an Oscar for his efforts, he had participated in some of the most memorable films of the last 50 years, including such classics as The Defiant Ones, Spartacus, Operation Petticoat, The Great Race, and of course, Some Like it Hot, one of the great film comedies of all time.

And in 2006, I had the pleasure of meeting him... continued.

Creating a Racket on the Tennis Court

2011-09-13T11:15:00.014-05:00

V is for very bad behavior on the tennis court in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.

Aside from splinters, and the occasional aggressive case of toenail fungus, not much really gets under my skin. But many of today’s female tennis players, with their banshee-like on-court screams, do.

If you watched the US Open Tennis over the past couple of weeks, you’ll know what I mean. In fact, your ears may still be ringing from

some of the women’s matches because many of the top players can’t seem to hit a ball without screeching and squawking their way through every ear-shattering point.

Their relentless auditory assault on tennis fans makes the wails of midnight neighborhood cat fights seem positively melodic by comparison. The worst offenders include Maria Sharapova (pictured, at her howling best) and Victoria Azarenka. In fact, Sharapova holds the noise record and has been measured at 105 decibels. A pneumatic drill is 130....... continued.

Tales of Glenn Ford in New Biography

2011-08-29T14:07:00.008-05:00

Photo courtesy of Peter Ford

Here's part of my recent interview with Glenn Ford's son, Peter:

Fans of classic film will probably be familiar with the work of Glenn Ford, including Gilda, Blackboard Jungle, 3:10 to Yuma and Fastest Gun Alive.

Though he appeared in 100 feature films, there has never been a biography on Ford — until now. Continued here, or here, or here, and don't forget here, or here, and here.

Be Careful What You Sew

2011-06-22T13:09:00.002-05:00

I’ve slept easy the last few nights, knowing that 91-year-old Sharlotte Hydorn and her menacing sewing machine are both off the streets.

And for that, we can all thank the twelve, brave FBI agents, who stormed Ms. Hydorn’s La Mesa, Calif., home recently, and confiscated her appliance....continued here.

Wal-mart Bargin

2011-05-08T15:25:00.002-05:00

Gotta love those Wal-mart bulk bargins!
(taken at our local store)

Greatest headline EVER?

2011-04-15T11:13:00.001-05:00

Okay, I had to post this.

I stumbled on this headline this morning. For a moment, I thought the cops had caught up with me :)

Bing Crosby for Christmas, Anyone?

2010-12-24T23:01:00.011-06:00

I'm a huge Bing Crosby fan. So I was delighted when Crosby Enterprises released some new, great material this holiday season. You can read more about this, together with my brief Q&A with Bing's son, Harry, in today's San Francisco Chronicle.

Among the recent releases are The Crosby Christmas Sessions CD and The Television Specials: Vol 2 - The Christmas Specials DVD, the latter containing the famous David Bowie/Bing Crosby duet of "The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth." I've had the CD in my player non-stop for the past two weeks - sure, everyone is the house is being driven nuts - but 'tis the season for my annual Christmas Bing binge. Additional Bing material to be released in January. And for a touch of more Bing nostalgia, visit one of the Bing Crosby restaurants in San Diego, Rancho Mirage, or Walnut Creek.

"May your days be merry and bright"

A Beauty and Her Beasts

2010-12-03T11:50:00.003-06:00

J is for Jenny Matlock and for a Jolly cool cat artist.....

Artist Emily Reynolds fell in love with New York after visiting the city in 2003. So she never left. Now she paints from her studio in the West Village, where she specializes in whimsical depictions of man’s other best friend. Splashed with vibrant eye-catching colors, Emily’s quirky acrylic and oil pastels are as playful as the felines they depict.

Bubba and Lima Bean

While occasionally commissioned to immortalize a beloved pet on canvass, most of Emily’s cats are actually fictitious beasts that simply spring from her mischievous imagination. Aside from the strong visual appeal of her art, Emily gives each of her cats a name and personality, the latter usually revealed through a short poem that accompanies each piece. The artist says she began composing poems several years ago when she took her first cat painting to be framed.

“The framer suggested that I write a little story about the cat and put it with the painting,” explains the petite, blue-eyed blond, a native of Montgomery, Ala. “I loved the idea.”

At the time, Emily was enrolled in a college poetry course at the University of Alabama, where she was majoring in creative writing and journalism, so phrasing the story in verse seemed appropriate. She chose to use a simple four-lined rhyme and that has been the formula ever since.

Emily had little formal art training at school, but continued to paint as a hobby throughout college. Pierce Herbst, owner of Washington Commons Gallery in Cape May, NJ, is glad she stuck with it. He discovered her work while attending an exhibition in Atlanta in September, 2005, and purchased several pieces for his gallery.

“They were brightly colored, happy cats that really got my attention,” says Herbst. “It’s fun and carefree art and her style is very unique, especially since each piece is accompanied by a poem which lends an insight into the individual animal’s personality.”

Cauliflower
Cauliflower, the vegan, no meat will she take.
With aerobics and pilates she stays in great shape.
Though not far from perfect, she has but one vice,
Which she keeps in check with lots of soy-mice.

Emily says her unique blend of art and poetry breathes life into her paintings, making them more personable. She has created more than fifty feline characters in the past few years, and says people will often discover elements of themselves, or someone they know, in a particular piece.

Amongst her favorites are: “Jose Lopez,” a young, nightclubbing cat from Cuba; “Gertrude McRae,” a country club fraternizing socialite; the refined and elderly “Bertrand Giroux” and “O’Flaherty,” a delightfully naughty Irish redhead and renowned kitty Casanova.

When Wall Street broker Gene Croddick purchased one of Reynolds’ cats for his daughter’s birthday, the child was thrilled. She had been ill, says Croddick, and he wanted to give her something that would lift her spirits. “Emily’s work is really inspirational and not just for kids - adults get a kick out of them too,” he added.

From time to time, Emily has painted other animals, including dogs, cows, leopards, and llamas, but domestic cats dominate her work. “A cat can be many-a-devious thing and they have so many different personalities,” she mused. “I love that about them.”

Emily’s cats currently sell for around $800 to over $2,000. Not exactly pocket change, perhaps, but certainly affordable in today’s market. Painted on canvass with sizes up to 24” x 36”, her cats quickly find homes or hang in art galleries across North America awaiting ‘adoption.’

And for those with tight budgets, Emily also produces limited Giclee prints from some of her originals. This technique, which involves scanning a painting with a computer and using archival quality inks and high-resolution printers, produces incredibly detailed canvass copies of the original. Reynolds also produces posters, and has a line of greeting cards that will bring out a smile on all occasions.

O'Flaherty
The luck 'o the Irish O'Flaherty does keep.
He'll get to your she-cat while you're fast asleep.
A few weeks later you'll wake from your bed
To a basket of kittens with their papa's red head.

Emily's menagerie of cats can be viewed on her web site.