With Burgess Meredith (1908-1997) at his
Pasadena, California book signing in 1994. A truly great talent with
a unique personality and a style all his own, an actor and director
whose career encompassed the best in film, theatre and television.
His performances were unforgettable: "Winterset" (1936),
"Of Mice And Men" (1939); later the famous "Twilight
Zone" episode as the last man on earth; Batman's The Penguin
is a lasting contribution to pop art; and his pathetic old vaudeville
trouper in John Schlesinger's "Day Of The Locust" (1975)
is a masterly portrayal of a sordid but ever-game loser. Oh yeah,
he also played an inspiring gruff old coach in a few boxing movies
too.
With Fayard Nicholas of the
famous Nicholas Brothers dance team in 2000. Along with his late brother
Harold (who passed away just months before this photo was taken) the
Nicholas Brothers were a dancing sensation. They were hits at the Cotton
Club in the early '30s and made their Broadway debut in "The Ziegfeld
Follies of 1936" with Bob Hope, Eve Arden, Fanny Brice and Josephine
Baker. Then they presented their fantastic dance routines in dozens
of great movie musicals during Hollywood's Golden Age including "Down
Argentine Way" (1940), "Tin Pan Alley" (1940), "Stormy
Weather" (1943) and "The Pirate" (1948). Some of these
dance numbers appear in the compilation movies "That's Entertainment!"
(1974) and "That's Dancing!" (1985). The Nicholas Brothers
were Kennedy Center Honorees in 1991. What a great pleasure to have
met Fayard Nicholas.
On January 24, 2006 Fayard, 91, joined his brother
Harold in the heavenly dance.
Eva Marie Saint, "On The Waterfront,"
"North By Northwest," etc. visited The Actors Studio West
in March 2003.
Jonathan Harris (1914-2002),
Dr. Smith of "Lost In Space" in 2000.
"The Wizard Of Oz" Lollipop Kid Jerry Maren
in 2000.
Another diminutive star, Billy Barty
(1924-2000) stood 3'9". He appeared in nearly 100 movies
from "Mickey's Detective" with Mickey Rooney in 1928 to "I/O
Error" released in 2001. He founded Little People Of America in
1957 and The Billy Barty Foundation in 1975.
Don Knotts (1924-2006) the
one and only Barnie Fife.
The lovely Virginia Mayo in
the 1940s. Her dramatic roles in "The Best Years Of Our Lives"
(1946) and "White Heat" (1949) are unforgettable. She was
also a fantastic dancer and could play comedy with the best of them.
Virginia Mayo in 2000. She
passed away on January 17, 2005.
I met Annie ("Designing Women,"
"Ghostbusters") Potts soon after
she arrived in Hollywood from Kentucky. We performed in several productions
of The Shakespeare Society of America together in 1976. The above
photo is from "The Merchant Of Venice." She played Shylock's
daughter Jessica.
Debralee Scott (1953-2005) delightfully droll and
understated on that zany '70s sitcom "Mary Hartman Mary Hartman."
We will miss you!
Jack Wild, the Artful Dodger (1952-2006)
Here's Hal Roach and Laurel
& Hardy, happy winners at the 1932 Academy Awards.
Fifty years later, with Hal Roach, an incredibly
robust 90-year-old at his home in Bel Air, California in 1982.
Ten years after that, Hal Roach was 100-years
young. He was in excellent spirits and proud as could be at reaching
the centenary mark. I had met him in 1973; this was our last meeting.
Hooray for a great Hollywood Pioneer and one of the best human beings
I have ever known.
The Boss's employees are sneaking away from the Hal
Roach Studios, aka "The Lot Of Fun."
Hal Roach with Laurel &
Hardy on the set of "Our Relations" in 1936. Both
comics had been working for Roach separately for several years when
they first teamed in 1926. They created their classic silent and sound
shorts and later feature films at the Roach Studio until 1940. They
were planning a TV series in color with Hal Roach, Jr. in the mid
'50s but unfortunately ill health prevented that dream from being
realized.
Roach Senior was a true pioneer: he came to Hollywood in 1912;
began producing films in 1913; installed sound equipment in 1928;
started producing television shows in 1948. When I first met him in
1973 he was the first to tell me about the coming revolution in television:
cable. We stayed in touch over the years and in 1988 I was invited
to stay at his home to help to create "PUNCH & HOODY"
which was to have been his "comeback comedy." Alas, it was
never produced.
At least I was able to show Mr. Roach (when he was 100) the "Laurel
& Hardy" film I made for General Motors playing James Finlayson,
his star comic in the early silent days and later number one comic
foil for Laurel & Hardy in both silents and talkies. Here I am
as "Finn" surrounded by Hal Roach character actors, including
a young Jean Harlow (lower left) who appeared in three Laurel &
Hardy silent shorts before becoming a star.
The original one-and-only JAMES FINLAYSON
Born in Scotland in 1887 "Finn" appeared
in dozens of Laurel & Hardy comedies from 1927 to 1940.
(The only way I know for sure that I'm NOT Finn's
reincarnation is because of the fact that I was born four months before
he died.)
Former Hal Roach employees Dorothy "Echo"
De Borba and Eugene Gordon "Porky"
Lee, two of the Our Gang kids. Echo appeared in 24 shorts from
1930 to 1933 and Porky was in 42 from 1935 to 1939. Here they share
their Hollywood memories at a recent celebrity convention. Porky passed
away October 16, 2005 still a little rascal at 71.
Tommy "Butch" Bond (1926-2005)
from Our Gang & Laurel & Hardy's "Blockheads" (1938).
Bette Davis in the 1940s.
I first met Bette Davis backstage after her one woman show in
1978 where she graciously agreed to read a feature length screenplay
I had written while at UCLA with her in mind. (At film school I had
seen her in "The Letter" (1940) and "Now Voyager"
(1942). Realizing she was still actively pursuing acting roles I became
inspired.) Soon after our backstage meeting I received a handwritten
letter from the Grand Actress Of The Silver Screen. In her missive,
on lady bug stationery, was the pronouncement: "you are a very
accomplished writer at a very early age." However, she felt she
was too old to play the character I had created for her. "You
may not realize it, but I've just turned 70."
A few years later I had an age-appropriate role: the 100-year-old
Shakespearean star Lady Eulalia Winceworth. I called Ms. Davis up.
"I have written a play called 'THE TURN OF THE CENTURY' with
the perfect role for you. And you can't tell me now that you're too
old to play her!"
Ms. Davis laughed. She read the play and loved the part. In fact,
she graciously offered her advise during its adaptation to the screen
but alas, Ms. Davis passed away in October 1989, the very month I
completed the feature length screenplay.
Frank Gorshin, "Batman's"
Riddler, in 2000. He appeared on Broadway as George Burns in 2002
and passed away May 17, 2005 age 71.
With legendary jazz singer Anita
O'Day, 2000.
Miss O'Day warbled away Thanksgiving Day 2006
Jon Provost played Timmy
on "LASSIE" from 1957 to 1964. Now he's in real estate.
Margaret O'Brien, MGM child
star of the '40s.
Another child star, Jay North,
"DENNIS THE MENACE" on television from 1959 to 1963. When
his show was on the air, he was the character and personality I related
to the most. Thank God there's more than one!
Would you believe? Don ("Get
Smart") Adams who passed away September 25, 2005 at 82.
What would the '70s have been without Karen
Black?
I met Alyce Faye in 1993.
Michael York
Rose Marie in 2000.
Buddy Hackett (1924-2003)
Troy Donahue (1937-2001) at
a Hollywood convention shortly before his passing.
ROY ROGERS (1911-1998)
"When my time comes just skin me and put me right
up there on Trigger, just as though nothing has ever changed."*
* This philosophy expressed by America's great
singing cowboy is in keeping with the creed espoused by the Humanistic
Taxidermy Society of America. Please peruse the HTSA page on this website.
John Agar, star of "Fort Apache"
and "The Brain From Planet Arous" passed away on April 7,
2002.
TV's Wyatt Earp, Hugh O'Brian,
looking great at 75+.
Julie Newmar -- Cat
Woman
Yvonne Craig -- Batgirl
With Ed Asner, May 2006
Drew Barrymore
Virginia Mayo and
Red Buttons share a sentimental moment.
George Clayton Johnson, author of original
"Twilight Zone" episodes and "Logan's Run" (1976).
This photo was taken in 2000 though it looks as though could have
been in 1967. Well, Mr. Johnson is, if anything, a time traveler.
I recently saw a documentary made in the early '70s in which he ACCURATELY
predicted many of the details of life 30 years into the future --
the turn of the New Millennium. Gee, that's NOW!
The irrepressible & unsinkable Debbie
Reynolds.
With 100-year-old English star Estelle Winwood
at her Studio City home in 1983 showing her "The Turn of the
Century," a play about a 100-year-old English star living in
California!
In 1958 Joan Blondell, Estelle Winwood and her dear
friend since the '20s, the wild Tallulah Bankhead, starred in the
theatre in "Crazy October."
Gloria Stuart was only a young thing of
88 when she played a centenarian in "Titanic" in 1997. Her
credits go back to "The Old Dark House," one of my favorite
films, in 1932.
Another great film of 1932 Greta Garbo and John Barrymore in "Grand
Hotel." My idea of true Hollywood Glamour!
The standard by which all Hollywood greatness should be measured:
I was blessed to have seen the Legendary Marlene Dietrich
perform in concert at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles in
April 1974. I understood then what star magic was all about.
The glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood still beats in the
romantic hearts of certain courageous individuals who defy time and
fleeting fads to retain the true glamour and the real tinsel. One
such heroic figure is the legendary ALEXIS DEL LAGO,
one-time courtesan at ANDY WARHOL'S FACTORY in the '60s; now the terror
South of Sunset and proprietress of the lovely Scarlet Empress shop
on Santa Monica Boulevard:
Speaking of horror, I am happy to report that old fashioned horror
movies have not become extinct. Not long ago "HOLLYWOOD MORTUARY"
slithered into existence and has the distinction of featuring ANITA
PAGE, star of the very earliest talkies including "BROADWAY
MELODY OF 1929" which was the first talkie to win a Best Picture
Academy Award as well as former child star MARGARET
O'BRIEN AND (where did they dig him up from?) charismatic film
star RANDAL MALONE.
Another incident of solid evidence that HORROR
is alive and well in Hollywood:
Anna Nicole Smith is starring in her first motion
picture!
Looks like EVERYBODY wants to get into the act of "Wasabi Tuna."
The top Anna Nichole wannabe is Arturo Gil, Hollywood's newest favorite
little person, followed by 'Brown Sugar,' then Alexis Arquette and supporting
them all, soon-to-be-Hollywood legend Mark ("Candice Cash")
Alfa. This zany comedy unleashed upon the world May 2005.
CARROLL BORLAND (1914-1994) was Bela Lugosi's
protege who appeared with him in "Mark Of The Vampire" (1935).
I met Miss Borland at a Hollywood party in 1985 and she said to
me "You remind me of a young Bela Lugosi." What else could
I do but sink my fangs into her pearly white neck?
Ms. Borland was a life long friend of my very dear friend and
colleague Don Higdon, who gave me her hauntingly lovely portrait.
And lest you think I'm an old
fogey only interested in the stars of yesteryear;
may I present former lead singer of the rock band Skin; now
actively working as an actor in Hollywood: super-star of the future:
DANNY PAPE:
SEAN NILES lead singer of the L.A. based electro-synthcore band
EXHIBITION certainly has star quality.
And
on the distaff side:
The lovely and winsome Karen Kolton.
And for those who like 'em HOT:
super-sensational Dillon who makes Bettie Page turn and Marily M smile:
Dillon 
Dillon recently posed for Bettie Page's original photographer
Bunny Yeager in Miami.
August 31, 2002: Why do I look so delirious?
Because on that fateful evening I met and received the authentic autograph
of Hollywood's newest diva, the self-proclaimed "queen of weirdo
comedy shows" PEPPER CHILDS aka Rachel Arieff.
Her songs "Smoking Grandma," "How To Be Happy All The
Time," "Internet Porn Polka," etc. are destined to
become classics ("Weird Al" Yankovic, take heed!). Renowned
for her very strange sensibilities, this scintillating, still nascent
personality and sit-down comedienne has no equal. Currently she is
on tour in Barcelona.
Driving along Sunset Blvd. one day I was startled to see the huge
image of my New York actress friend CATHIE HAYES
decked out as a Viking Maiden holding a cherry tomato on a fork in
front of the famous Virgin Records store on Sunset Strip.
Catherine Anne Hayes, a larger-than-life
personality is now in Hollywood. Move over, Mae West!
Ms. Hayes' most recent screen role is in "Party
Monster" with Macauly Culkin. She also has some hilarious scenes
as lustful Sadie putting the make on a fey Father of The Church played
by Dom De Luise in "My X Girlfriend's Wedding" (2001).
With Cathie during one of her guest appearances on
TV Hollywood, California.
June 27, 2005: Yours truly and Cathie Hayes perform
with Edward ("Lou Grant") Asner in a play reading of my comedy
"SKIDOO RUINS" for First Stage Hollywood.
Actor CHARLIE ROBINSON best known as 'Mac' on the TV series
"Night Court" 1984-1992 appeared as Sgt. O'Malley in my reading
of "Skidoo Ruins." Charlie has just completed filming "Jump
Shot," a feature film directed by Mark Rydell which also stars
Kim Basinger, Kelsey Grammer and Danny Devito.
And for future musical compositions and lyrics, we
have Jeffspace.
With lovely chanteuse and Broadway performer KT
Sullivan at the Gardenia Room, Hollywood, California. A superb
interpreter of the classic songs of Arlen, Gershwin, Harburg, Hart,
Hammerstein, Rodgers, etcetera, she sings, as reviewer Steve Callahan
so aptly put it, "effortlessly, her well-trained voice utterly
comfortable in finding that precise pitch at the precise instant.
On the last note of a song she'll strike it absolutely dead center,
with no vibrato at all. She'll hold that shaft of purity, let it swell,
then, at the very last, decorate it with just the littlest garland
of vibrato."
From a swank Manhattan supper club to a notorious
underground nightclub is just a cab ride away...
Taking "A Walk
On The Wild Side" with Holly Woodlawn
And limo riding with the psychedelic
SHAM who defies all categories.
IN MEMORIAM:
Close friends and/or theatrical colleagues, who have
"shuffled off this mortal coil"
"TRIXIE" SHERMAN-CRAIG BROOKS (1950-1985)
My East Village cohort, inspiration, best friend
who was and is out of this world.
What kind of character was Trixie? Think Seth Green
in "Party Monster" mixed with Eudora Welty with more than
a hint of Salvador Dali.
DON HIGDON 1950-1993
We shared so much, including a love of classic Hollywood
movies. Another "best friend." Don was an expert in so many
areas, including The Elizabethan Era, Hollywood history and ALL its
movies, England, literature, fencing.
OMAR SHAW 1965 - 2000
An intense actor with a deep, melodious voice. Omar's
life was tragically cut short even as he seemed to be recovering well
from a motorcycle accident. He was a most even tempered and serene actor,
yet he could convey any emotion Master Shakespeare had to dish out.
1905 - 1989
Beaumont Bruestle, character actor extraordinaire,
director and drama teacher. He taught Rue McClanahan a thing or two
-- so rumor has it and he was the author of a number of musicals.
Pamela Gordon (1937-2003) L.A. actress
devoted to new plays "of the non-linear variety." She was
wonderful as Miss Pittstop in a reading of my "LIFE WITHOUT FATHER"
at the Actors Studio in 2001.
WILLIAM PRESTON
1921-1998
A poet, Shakespearean scholar, delightful friend
and mentor. Bill did not begin acting until the age of 50 and then
he never stopped, performing for repertory theatres all over the United
States from Alaska to Alabama. His screen appearances include "The
Fisher King," "Far And Away," "Waterworld,"
"The Crucible," "I'm Not Rappaport" and
"Illuminata."
In the '80s and '90s Bill achieved his greatest dream:
performing
on Broadway. He was in marvelous productions of "Arsenic And
Old Lace," "Our Town" and "Ivanov."
Fabulous comic actor and director HOWARD MORRIS (1919
- 2005)
HOORAY
FOR HOLLYWOOD!
Sean Connery with Catherine Zeta-Jones at his foot
print ceremony at the Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, April 1999.
The Ambassador Hotel 2006: Ruins of Hollywood's
Golden Age
Built in 1921, home to the famous Coconut Grove nightclub.
The Academy Award dinners were first presented at the Ambassador in
1930. A tragic assassination in 1968 spelled doom for this once life-affirming,
glittering monument to Hollywood and the good life.
Who Killed Hollywood?
That's the title of Peter Bart's 1999 collection of
essays about Hollywood post-Golden Age, movie-making in the era of the
"megapic"
"The studios have lost their identities as seedbeds
of pop culture. They've been relegated to a new role as mere appendages
of vast multinational corporations grinding out 'content' for their
global distribution mills....movies have all too often become special-effects
odysseys devoid of personal story or point of view....Welcome to the
world of movies-as-merchandise. In the era of the event picture, no
one has time to worry about anachronistic issues like whether the story
works or the characters are believable....Who decreed that the primary
responsibility of filmmakers is to provide the equivalent of a theme-park
ride rather than relating a personal story about believable characters?"
He does end on a hopeful note:
"The movie business has long since shown its talent
for reinventing itself. The studios may some day emerge from their corporate
cocoons and phoenix-like, take on a fresh identity. After all, the old
tycoons who founded them once called them 'dream factories.' All they
require is a new dream."
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