FF XIV, 13

Frank’s Fax Facts and Reviews

Vol.. XIV No. 13

Sunday, June 23, 2013

     Before everything got parched down here (in our glorious summer) I managed to swipe a couple of Gardenias and one sprig of Gladiolus and another Reachable magnolias off one of my two huge trees; oh, and a blue  Hydrangea (Spelling), They looked enchanting the twelve hours they lasted in the house. But it was worth it!

       “For what is so fair as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days!” This was one of the several dozens or more poems, (at least, the worth-remembering lines)all of us were forced to memorize every week or so.  I was always quite good at it, probably because I had to memorize my music before I would play it in chapel, or recitals.  I seldom remember the poem it was from, or even the poet: Now that one (above) I used as part of a song, in my adaptation of The Canterville Ghost. Virginia is singing about the beautiful day, in England. She sings just this far (even though I did know the next few lines: “Then, if ever, come perfect days. Then Heaven tries earth, if it be in tune, and over it lightly her warm ear lays. Whether we look; or whether we listen, we hear life murmur, or see it glisten!” Another of my favorite “Poem Portions” is this; From The Chambered Nautilus; I’m too lazy to look up the poet. The part I remember is: “Build thee more stately mansions, O, my soul.” And there I get lost. But I do remember how surprised I was to learn what that poet had based his glorious poetry on: a common snail?

We seldom had to memorize more than a few lines, unless the poem was shorter. I suppose this was because we lived in a rural location, with schools that didn’t have the time to waste on such things as poetry! Yet every year that I have lived, as soon as the month of June rolls round, I pay homage to this lovely bit of poetry from my childhood.

My two all-time favorite quotations were from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: “Water, water everywhere- and all the boards did shrink. Water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” And “I am the captain of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” Who wrote these? I believe this title was Invictus (?) I am sure Peggy Griffen (who remembers every syllable she had to memorize; and in which grade! But unlike me, she didn’t have to play on recitals!)

       I found the works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband, very romantic, and full of musical possibilities, yet I never set any of their works to music. I found my partner when I met Eugene Walter, just after Hurricane Frederick had paid Mobile a visit. When I first met him (at a concert by the Mobile Symphony) he was introduced to me by my fellow piano teacher and good friend, Mary Jane Scruggs. I mentally noted several things about him

I instantly disliked him! He spoke too softly, and seemed too utterly out of place, to me. Then, as Mary Jane began telling me about the “Supper” she had been invited to, at his little cottage ( he was allowed to stay in a sort of cabin (free of rent) until he died, and they were having a ball. Later, Mary Jane told me the true story of the evening (nothing like their mutual agreement of the subject) laughing the entire time: She said he had served a Patent Leather Pie, composed of the peeled black skins of Eggplant) and a Chicken dish, that he admitted had come from his neighbors’ garbage pail! He had supposedly won a prize for writing two cookbooks that were published by no less a company than Time Life. But the simple truth was that when he paid for all that Jim Bean whiskey that he was addicted to, and bought enough cat food to feed his army of cats (he had a dozen House Cats: who tore up everything he owned, and all of then were un-neutered, which meant the house always had that wild smell of
“Cat spraying”. There were again as many, who were relegated to the screened back porch of thirteen to nineteen more. And then, he felt he had to feed the remainder of the uncivilized-world of strays. That kept him (for all purposes) hopelessly in debt.

Let me say here and now, that the two best meals I was ever able to get down, were a simple chicken, placed in his oven, seasoned to a turn, and served with plain white bread and wine! The other was a late snack after seeing Carmen, the night before I had my first stroke. Because he was late when I drove by to transport him to the performance, and we were both about to perish from hunger, When I got him home, he shaped two hamburgers from some ground beef, and had plenty of chopped onions, Ketchup, mustards and mayonnaise with which to fill our real hamburger buns! That hamburger was as good as any I ever tasted!

Ginger and Trudy

Ginger walked gingerly (how else) on the seat, going from my lap to Janet’s. She was beside herself as it was the first time she had ridden in an automobile: she was not quite sure that she liked it. But she finally decided to make the best of a hopeless situation.

When we drove into the yard, Ginger stood up on my leg (Janet was driving) as if eager to see where she was being taken. I took her in my arms, and walked with her to the back door. By the time I got the door unlocked, she was getting restless- but never did she try to get down out of the safety of my arms. Trudy came to the back door, when she heard me opening it, and I pushed her back, to keep her from escaping. Little did I know that she has never shown the remotest interest in  ever escaping from her home or her Daddy!

Her meeting with her new “sister” was unbelievably pleasant (and made me dare to hope that Trudy’s attitude about other pets was finally showing a lot more positive.) They never reached the playfulness of Trudy and Chipper; but that may well have been because Trudy was already showing signs of slowing down and accepting her fate more amicably.

Ginger adapted to her new environment, which naturally thrilled me to pieces! I could hardly wait for me cat lover friends to come over to get acquainted with her. And just as I felt they would do: they all fell madly in love with her at the first meeting. I even wrote the lady who had sold her to me, that is I had traveled the entire world over, and paid a million dollars for Ginger, it would be worth even more than that to me. And each night, when I say my prayers, I always thank God for sending me the most wonderful cat I have ever seen: and telling Him that He definitely saved the best for the last, in my situation! And that is exactly how I feel about this furry little charmer: my life without her would be meaningless and boring; as it is, if I see her a thousand times a day, she always brings a smile to these old lips. In a word, I adore her!  (Editor’s note: this segment should have been included in that particular bit of Ginger’s original “Home Coming”, but I decided to send it on, anyway.)

Next week: Ginger’s first hair-trimming!

Cat Fax

“I gave my cat a bath the other day. He just sat there.Actually, I think he enjoyed it. It wasn’t much fun for me, though. The fur kind of  stuck to my tongue,”

Steve Martin

Movie Reviews

Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941)

       We were still living in Richton when this world famous film played at my sister’s Baroness Theater. I had printed on each of the window cards we used for bigger movies, that it had won the Academy Award for 1940. It had not, I just got confused when the Times Picayune said that it had won cinema’s greatest honor. No, it was totally snubbed by the Academy of Motion Pictures---but they soon changed their appraisals.

       I used a printing set bought for only my exclusive use: I was given the task of writing the theater’s program for the week (The Richton Dispatch went to press on Thursday nights, and was in the Friday mail). Printing on the window cards the Baroness Theater and when a film would play there. I loved my “Job” and certainly felt my importance. It almost killed me when we moved back to Ellisville the year after Pearl Harbor! I hated Ellisville, for the longest time. We all missed our great friends we had to leave!

I have never changed my opinion of that first viewing: I was bored out of my skull and found it the longest drawn-out film in history. I did like most of the stars, who were totally unknown to me (or anyone in Richton), These included Orson Welles, himself; Joseph Cotton, with whom he made several films, including The Third Man,

Old Movie Trivia Quiz for June 23

1.     Who played Citizen Kane in the film of that name?

2.     What actor (first seen in the above) was in The Third Man?

3.     Who was the male star in The Third Man?

4.     Where was the climactic scene (a Ferris wheel) photographed? It is a world Capital.

5.     Who produced RKO’s Little Women in the 1930s?

6.     What Oscar winning composer won the 39 award for the best music for a movie?

7.     Selznick made Portrait of Jenny, with this same male star (question 2, above) and what beautiful actress?

8.     What unusual camera work (seldom used) was used in Portrait of Jenny and The Picture of Dorian Gray?

9.     What MGM starlet, sang about a “Poor Little Yellow Bird”, in The Picture of Dorian Gray?

10.            This actress, who never got a leading role from MGM in all of those years, begin winning Tony Awards for her musical performances.

Quiz (June 15) Answers

1.    Lionel Barrymore played Dr. Gillespie in the Dr. Kildare series.

2.    Dr. Kildare supposed to marry, Nurse Mary, as played by Lorraine Day.

3.    Lew Ayres was  Dr. Kildare in the movie.

4.    MGM had Jeanette McDonald’s sister, played the Telephonne Operator for Blair General Hospital, throughout two decades.

5.    Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes in the series of Universal films of the 1940’s.

6.    Professor Moriaity is the name of the enemy of Sherlock.

7.    George Sanders was the original Simon Templar in the Saint series?

8.    Roger Moore, played the Saint also and also had a stab or three at playing James Bond.

9.     Roger Moore, played The Saint, as well.

10.   Tom Conway was  The Falcon, in RKO’s series of the 40s

 George Sanders (again) was one of Zsa Zsa Gabor’s many husbands, committed suicide; and left a note saying he did it because he was bored!

 

 

 

Sunday, June 23, 2013

FFXIV 13

Frank’s Fax Facts and Reviews

Vol.. XIV No. 13

Sunday, June 23, 2013

     Before everything got parched down here (in our glorious summer) I managed to swipe a couple of Gardenias and one sprig of Gladiolus and another Reachable magnolias off one of my two huge trees; oh, and a blue  Hydrangea (Spelling), They looked enchanting the twelve hours they lasted in the house. But it was worth it!

       “For what is so fair as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days!” This was one of the several dozens or more poems, (at least, the worth-remembering lines)all of us were forced to memorize every week or so.  I was always quite good at it, probably because I had to memorize my music before I would play it in chapel, or recitals.  I seldom remember the poem it was from, or even the poet: Now that one (above) I used as part of a song, in my adaptation of The Canterville Ghost. Virginia is singing about the beautiful day, in England. She sings just this far (even though I did know the next few lines: “Then, if ever, come perfect days. Then Heaven tries earth, if it be in tune, and over it lightly her warm ear lays. Whether we look; or whether we listen, we hear life murmur, or see it glisten!” Another of my favorite “Poem Portions” is this; From The Chambered Nautilus; I’m too lazy to look up the poet. The part I remember is: “Build thee more stately mansions, O, my soul.” And there I get lost. But I do remember how surprised I was to learn what that poet had based his glorious poetry on: a common snail?

We seldom had to memorize more than a few lines, unless the poem was shorter. I suppose this was because we lived in a rural location, with schools that didn’t have the time to waste on such things as poetry! Yet every year that I have lived, as soon as the month of June rolls round, I pay homage to this lovely bit of poetry from my childhood.

My two all-time favorite quotations were from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: “Water, water everywhere- and all the boards did shrink. Water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” And “I am the captain of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” Who wrote these? I believe this title was Invictus (?) I am sure Peggy Griffen (who remembers every syllable she had to memorize; and in which grade! But unlike me, she didn’t have to play on recitals!)

       I found the works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband, very romantic, and full of musical possibilities, yet I never set any of their works to music. I found my partner when I met Eugene Walter, just after Hurricane Frederick had paid Mobile a visit. When I first met him (at a concert by the Mobile Symphony) he was introduced to me by my fellow piano teacher and good friend, Mary Jane Scruggs. I mentally noted several things about him

I instantly disliked him! He spoke too softly, and seemed too utterly out of place, to me. Then, as Mary Jane began telling me about the “Supper” she had been invited to, at his little cottage ( he was allowed to stay in a sort of cabin (free of rent) until he died, and they were having a ball. Later, Mary Jane told me the true story of the evening (nothing like their mutual agreement of the subject) laughing the entire time: She said he had served a Patent Leather Pie, composed of the peeled black skins of Eggplant) and a Chicken dish, that he admitted had come from his neighbors’ garbage pail! He had supposedly won a prize for writing two cookbooks that were published by no less a company than Time Life. But the simple truth was that when he paid for all that Jim Bean whiskey that he was addicted to, and bought enough cat food to feed his army of cats (he had a dozen House Cats: who tore up everything he owned, and all of then were un-neutered, which meant the house always had that wild smell of
“Cat spraying”. There were again as many, who were relegated to the screened back porch of thirteen to nineteen more. And then, he felt he had to feed the remainder of the uncivilized-world of strays. That kept him (for all purposes) hopelessly in debt.

Let me say here and now, that the two best meals I was ever able to get down, were a simple chicken, placed in his oven, seasoned to a turn, and served with plain white bread and wine! The other was a late snack after seeing Carmen, the night before I had my first stroke. Because he was late when I drove by to transport him to the performance, and we were both about to perish from hunger, When I got him home, he shaped two hamburgers from some ground beef, and had plenty of chopped onions, Ketchup, mustards and mayonnaise with which to fill our real hamburger buns! That hamburger was as good as any I ever tasted!

Ginger and Trudy

Ginger walked gingerly (how else) on the seat, going from my lap to Janet’s. She was beside herself as it was the first time she had ridden in an automobile: she was not quite sure that she liked it. But she finally decided to make the best of a hopeless situation.

When we drove into the yard, Ginger stood up on my leg (Janet was driving) as if eager to see where she was being taken. I took her in my arms, and walked with her to the back door. By the time I got the door unlocked, she was getting restless- but never did she try to get down out of the safety of my arms. Trudy came to the back door, when she heard me opening it, and I pushed her back, to keep her from escaping. Little did I know that she has never shown the remotest interest in  ever escaping from her home or her Daddy!

Her meeting with her new “sister” was unbelievably pleasant (and made me dare to hope that Trudy’s attitude about other pets was finally showing a lot more positive.) They never reached the playfulness of Trudy and Chipper; but that may well have been because Trudy was already showing signs of slowing down and accepting her fate more amicably.

Ginger adapted to her new environment, which naturally thrilled me to pieces! I could hardly wait for me cat lover friends to come over to get acquainted with her. And just as I felt they would do: they all fell madly in love with her at the first meeting. I even wrote the lady who had sold her to me, that is I had traveled the entire world over, and paid a million dollars for Ginger, it would be worth even more than that to me. And each night, when I say my prayers, I always thank God for sending me the most wonderful cat I have ever seen: and telling Him that He definitely saved the best for the last, in my situation! And that is exactly how I feel about this furry little charmer: my life without her would be meaningless and boring; as it is, if I see her a thousand times a day, she always brings a smile to these old lips. In a word, I adore her!  (Editor’s note: this segment should have been included in that particular bit of Ginger’s original “Home Coming”, but I decided to send it on, anyway.)

Next week: Ginger’s first hair-trimming!

Cat Fax

“I gave my cat a bath the other day. He just sat there.Actually, I think he enjoyed it. It wasn’t much fun for me, though. The fur kind of  stuck to my tongue,”

Steve Martin

Movie Reviews

Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941)

       We were still living in Richton when this world famous film played at my sister’s Baroness Theater. I had printed on each of the window cards we used for bigger movies, that it had won the Academy Award for 1940. It had not, I just got confused when the Times Picayune said that it had won cinema’s greatest honor. No, it was totally snubbed by the Academy of Motion Pictures---but they soon changed their appraisals.

       I used a printing set bought for only my exclusive use: I was given the task of writing the theater’s program for the week (The Richton Dispatch went to press on Thursday nights, and was in the Friday mail). Printing on the window cards the Baroness Theater and when a film would play there. I loved my “Job” and certainly felt my importance. It almost killed me when we moved back to Ellisville the year after Pearl Harbor! I hated Ellisville, for the longest time. We all missed our great friends we had to leave!

I have never changed my opinion of that first viewing: I was bored out of my skull and found it the longest drawn-out film in history. I did like most of the stars, who were totally unknown to me (or anyone in Richton), These included Orson Welles, himself; Joseph Cotton, with whom he made several films, including The Third Man,

Old Movie Trivia Quiz for June 23

1.     Who played Citizen Kane in the film of that name?

2.     What actor (first seen in the above) was in The Third Man?

3.     Who was the male star in The Third Man?

4.     Where was the climactic scene (a Ferris wheel) photographed? It is a world Capital.

5.     Who produced RKO’s Little Women in the 1930s?

6.     What Oscar winning composer won the 39 award for the best music for a movie?

7.     Selznick made Portrait of Jenny, with this same male star (question 2, above) and what beautiful actress?

8.     What unusual camera work (seldom used) was used in Portrait of Jenny and The Picture of Dorian Gray?

9.     What MGM starlet, sang about a “Poor Little Yellow Bird”, in The Picture of Dorian Gray?

10.            This actress, who never got a leading role from MGM in all of those years, begin winning Tony Awards for her musical performances.

Quiz (June 15) Answers

1.    Lionel Barrymore played Dr. Gillespie in the Dr. Kildare series.

2.    Dr. Kildare supposed to marry, Nurse Mary, as played by Lorraine Day.

3.    Lew Ayres was  Dr. Kildare in the movie.

4.    MGM had Jeanette McDonald’s sister, played the Telephonne Operator for Blair General Hospital, throughout two decades.

5.    Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes in the series of Universal films of the 1940’s.

6.    Professor Moriaity is the name of the enemy of Sherlock.

7.    George Sanders was the original Simon Templar in the Saint series?

8.    Roger Moore, played the Saint also and also had a stab or three at playing James Bond.

9.     Roger Moore, played The Saint, as well.

10.   Tom Conway was  The Falcon, in RKO’s series of the 40s

 George Sanders (again) was one of Zsa Zsa Gabor’s many husbands, committed suicide; and left a note saying he did it because he was bored!

 

 

 

FW: Love of Christ

 

 

 

 

I hope every Christian who is offended will forward this and keep it going.

 

Love of Christ

 

On the "Today Show", Matt Lauer interviewed one of the wives of one of the Navy Seals killed along with the US ambassador in Libya . He asked, "What she would say to her children about their dad and how she would want them to remember him." 

 

Her answer, and I quote, "His love for Christ", and then continued on with a few other things.

Throughout the day and on MSN homepage, replaying the story they have edited the "Love of Christ" part out. Why? Because using the word Christ might offend someone! Well, I am a Christian and I am offended! I'm offended that they would edit it out. Offended that we as Christians are asked to tread lightly so as not to offend someone of another religion. I think anyone who missed the original broadcast that morning should know what NBC has done.

 

THIS IS PROOF OF HOW BIASED NBC IS. This man loved his country and loved his God and gave his life for both, just as Christ gave His life for him. Please feel free to copy this and forward it to everyone on your email list.

 

There are e-mails that go around saying, "If you believe in God" then forward this. Well, I am starting one right here, right now. I am not ashamed of God, but I am becoming more ashamed of my country. It is time to take a stand. GOD Bless America ! God Bless us one and all... Please, GOD, have mercy on us!

 

 

 

 

Friday, June 14, 2013

RE: FF XVI, 11

 

 


From: Frank Imbragulio [mailto:lisztn2me@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 4:53 PM
To: 'Bill Webb'; suejoe@yahoo.com; 'H. Steve'; janderson5748@comcast.net; acgas57@att.net; Anie Nunnally; appraisals_plus@sbcglobal.net; 'Beth and Wayne Jeskey'; bigmyrtle@comcast.net; Billy Helton; biomusic@bellsouth.net; blogtana@gmail.com; brjohn@bellsouth.net; bskeel@bellsouth.net; bubbiemcc@comcast.net; catgoddess@bellsouth.net; ccue@aol.com; CGivens103@aol.com; cierra2605@yahoo.com; computerguy@mchsi.com; Cromwell_Maryelizabeth@Yahoo. Com; dale_hudson@comcast.net; dammons1@bellsouth.net; david_trant@hotmail.com; doe641@aol.com; eharriso@usouthal.edu; etudes24@webtv.net; fervin@nbnet.nb.ca; gcellist@aol.com; glorame@bellsouth.net; hdeck@comcast.net; hilstar@embarqmail.com; humberston@hotmail.com; Iris; irma@irmahale.com; jallen5_99@yahoo.com; jbrandt09@comcast.net; jff213@att.net; jimmy81950@aol.com; joeburktex@aol.com; kayebeaty@aol.com; kennyfann@comcast.net; ktaylor312@aol.com; lcarbon@bellsouth.net; lisztn2me.myshorts@blogger.com; lisztn2me.trudchip@blogger.com; lisztn2me@gmail.com; madebylife@gmai.com; marthahuckins@yahoo.com; marylou0131@yahoo.com; meseller@bellsouth.net; mesellers@gmail.com; mfbaughn@aol.com; mickeyboog@aol.com; mike2349@bellsouth.net; mizsuzieq@bellsouth.net; mrbill2000@comcast.net; MSimmons@ong.com; my7planets@yahoo.com; namztukk@bellsouth.net; Nancy-Purvis@Excite.Com; nhora@comcast.net; nollie_felts@comcast.net; ODonnell@mchsi.com; pagriffin3@att.net; pianosue@gmail.com; pqgail@comcast.net; r.mk.bersul@gmail.com; robe1002@bellsouth.net; rwebb-cbi@qwestoffice.net; shay_run@bellsouth.net; sheryl.bates@mail.com; sjtc1229@yahoo.com; sstreet@centurytel.net; stephanybeverly@hotmail.com; Susan5@Roadrunner. Com ; susanahall@att.net; tcwilliams63@hotmail.com; tp.johnson@hotmail.com; update+kr4maww5q24x@facebookmail.com; voicer40@sbcglobal.net; werholms@juno.com; x2ld@bellsouth.net; zebec847@aol.com
Subject: FF XVI, 11

 

Frank’s Fax Facts and Reviews

Vol.. XIV No. 12

Sunday, June 16, 2013

The Advent of Ginger

A Sicilian in Italy

       My arrival in the beautiful (albeit Filthy) Napoli, was filled with promise. I sI was  happy with my room (in the heart of the city) and, although I spoke almost no Italian, most of the citizens there were able to understand my German, combined with English! I had a “chat” with the man at the sign-in desk.  and was assured that there were operas available, all through those summer months. He had tickets to sell for the Civic Opera as well as the  two major attractions to Naples, The Isle of Capri (via Sorrento) and another full day of visiting the city that had made such an impression on me, ever since I was a small child: Pompeii! I remembered seeing the movie, The Last Days of Pompeii, when I spent a miserably hot day in Detroit, Michigan, that summer that I went up to audition for graduate work at Michigan State College.  I had taken a side-trip from Lansing, in order to visit my dear friend, Lyndel Smith, from Mississippi Southern College. He was spending the summer with a cousin, while working at General Motors, to get the money to continue his education and worked from noon till midnight, which left me with nothing to do those hours. I did what I did best: I went to a double feature of RKO movies that I had always wanted to see: Not only was I delighted to see the film about Mt. V Vesuvius’s devastation of the very advanced-for-its-time, city of Pompeii; but the other feature was almost too good to be true: She! For those of you who do not know this, H. Ryder Haggard (I believe that was the way it was spelled) wrote a book that was so absolutely wonderful, that I went wild when I read it; “She” is an unbelievably beautiful woman, who is the ruler of her African territory, and manages to remain forever beautiful, as well as youthful! She maintains her beauty by passing through an eternal flame in one of the mountains’ caves under her reign. It never harms her. Whenever she begins to show the first signs of aging, she goes again through the fire. Then, for some reason that I do not remember, she goes for the last time, and instantly is transformed into her true appearance at that age: in short, she is as ugly as an ape! Plus being feeble!

      I got side tracked while talking about Pompeii and could not deprive myself of the pleasure of sharing the Double Feature in Detroit that long ago afternoon with my readers.

Back to Naples: I got my opera ticket for that night, because I figured I would be worn out, physically and literally, with all of the walking and waiting around which seems all too typical of “Tourist Attractions”. After getting unpacked and taking a shower, I began walking around the city.

        There was the opera house: It was an impressive building, reminding me of La Scala! I could scarcely wait to see inside. The opera for that evening, was one I was not at all familiar with at all. But it did have a baritone that I had heard in many broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera.

 

 

 

 

Cat Facts

There stands before you, like all the other grays but one whom you won’t confuse, having seen her once, with any other gray cat, she who rejects the names of queens…and is called, as if she were the only one in the world-Cat.”

Colette

Movie Review

 

Hollywood Canteen (Warner Bros. 1944)

       This film was one of two films that were all about making everybody happy, in spite of the war: the other was better (at least I liked it a lot better. The lame excuse for a story was just too stupefying for this old realist!) I cannot find the young solders name, but I saw him in countless WB movies of the period. He is the leading character, and it is only too easy to understand that the reason he was not put in the record book was that he simply was not important enough); although most of the stars who were on stage here were listed. The list included Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Jack Carson, Dane Clark, John Garfield, Ida Lupino, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Alexis Smith, Eleanor Parker, the Andrews Sisters, Roy Rogers (even “Trigger”) The Sons of the Pioneers, Barbara Stanwyck, Jack Benny (who is very funny as he tries to outplay Josef Szigeti on violin) and the young GI, back home from the war, but still very much a soldier. They stage a ridiculous love affair between this boy and Joan Leslie. Just for starters: he gets to meet and dance with her; then he just happens to be the Millionth GI to enter the Canteen. Still later, he wins the prize in a contest, and gets to spend the weekend with her! Plus getting a brand new car to drive all weekend. But the music and dancing make it worth while; at least it did for me. I’ll admit to not liking Joan Leslie, so when he picked her over all of the gorgeous gals on hand, I felt sick! It was especially good to see (and hear) the remarkable Andrews Sisters: my all-time favorite singing trios!

Thank Your Lucky Stars (WB) 1943

          This musical came a year earlier than Hollywood Canteen, and there is a certain feeling of overlapping. But this has more entertainment value than its successor; Just hearing Bette Davis’s rendition of “They’re Either too Young, or too Old” is worth watching the film; plus several songs sung by Dinah Shore.

`         Each of Hollywood’s Major film studios made some similar sort of Morale-boasting movie demonstrating that everybody needed cheering up in a crucial time. MGM had As Thousands CheerParamount had one I remember, but not its name: United Artists had Stagedoor Canteen, which was my favorite: It had more classical music than the others, and the love story was more believeable: it was based on the song, “I Left my Heart at the Stagedoor Canteen. I left it there with a girl named Eileen—etc. The characters were believable, as were most of the incidents. I liked it especially because when he asks Eileen where she is from, she replies, “Oh. I’m from a little town called Oswego, New York.” I never heard this town referred to any other time: that was the name of Jimmy Demore’s home town. Jimmy was my oldest brother-in-law, plus being the only one of my in-laws who had Sicilian blood in his veins!

Movie Trivia Quiz      \

1.       Mr. and Mrs. Smith, remade from RKO’s version (with Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard) What actual Hollywood couple were in the second version?

2.       Ma and Pa Kettle were played by whom?

3.       What two great actors were Mr. Skeffington (and the missus)?

4.       Goodbye, Mr. Chips, was made into a musical with Petula Clark. What British Couple were the originals?

5.       Who was Miss Sadie Thompson?

6.       Good Morning Miss Dove had which lovely film star?               

7.       In Mr. Blanding Builds his Dream House Cary Grant was Mr. B. but who played Mrs. Blanding?

8.       To what did the title, Miss Susie Slagle’s refer?

9.       1940’s All This and Heaven Too starred Charles Boyer as the Nobleman, who falls in love with his children’s Governess. Who played this role?

10.   Who were the couple who had a pooch named Asta, and made several sequels to the original murder mystery? (Their movie names, Please)                                                         

Answers to Last Week’s Quiz

                                                                         

1.         Wm. Powell played Flo Ziegfeld in MGM’s block-buster musical, The Great Ziegfeld.

2.         Luise Rainer won an Oscar as his first wife? She won a second Oscar with her second US Film, The Good Earth!

3.         Billy Burke portrayed wife No. 2. She was also “Glenda” The Wizard of Oz’s good witch.

4.         Dennis Morgan was the male singer, who sang, “A Pretty Girl is like a Melody” in The Great Ziegfeld. His name was, at that time not the same.

5.         Ziegfeld Girl starred Lana Turner, Judy Garland and Hedy Lamar

6.         Fanny Brice was Barbra Streisand’s role in Funny Girl. that was that of “Baby Snooks” was the Radio Persona created by this gifted comedian.

7.         Meredith Wilson, the composer of The Music Man musical and film, was also the orchestra conductor on this radio show on which Fanny Bryce often appeared.

8.         Ziegfeld Girl, Ziegfeld Follies, and There is no fourth, that I can find

9.          Wm. Powell played Flo Ziegfeld in the first film.

 

 

Monday, June 10, 2013