Felix In Hollywood

Impersonations....

2012-02-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

Elsa Lanchester as Joan Crawford:

Elvis as Garbo:

For the very best in impersonations, see our archived post on the master Ted Shawn by clicking here.

Meanwhile At Studio 54.......

2012-02-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

Vladimir and Wanda Horowitz.......getting down.

Get Thee To The Thommery!!!

2012-02-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

He took you to Fabulon

And Back

He gave you shelter you in

Chateau Thombeau

Both You and Your Little Dog Too

And now our Thom (the craftiest, naughtiest

boy in school) has a programming note.

Grab the remote and change the channel because

"The Redundant Variety Hour"

just click and go

Is On!!!

Your favorites Mitzi, Joey, Liza, Petula and Dusty are already there.

Who can guess who'll show up next?

Personally, I'm hoping for Shields and Yarnell....

They Just Want To Be Your Lover Girls

2012-01-31T10:21:00.000-08:00

Lovely candid of Janet Gaynor and Margaret Lindsay during the period when they were 'keeping company', though we do wish Miss Lindsay would have depilated before the picture.

Memorandum

2012-01-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

All Employees Must Show Identification upon entering the factory.

Thank you,

Harry Cohn, President

He's Got A Ticket To Ride.....

2012-01-14T22:26:00.000-08:00

......he's got a ticket to ri - i - ide....

.....he's got a ticket to ride....

....and he don't care....

......My baby don't care.

When It Comes To Aged....I'll Take Cheese.

2012-01-09T22:17:00.000-08:00

George Raft

Desi Arnaz

George & Desi

Quote, Unquote.

2012-01-03T19:47:00.000-08:00

Screen Writer Wilson Mizner

"Working for the Warner Brothers is like fucking a porcupine. One prick against a hundred."

A Wish For Us All........

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

......Meantime, get busy!

Something To Know.....

2011-12-27T23:56:00.000-08:00

There was a time before the interwebs, before television actually, that magazines were a major and constant source of entertainment and information. Everybody subscribed, read and discussed the latest issues.

Magazines themselves were larger, heavier, more substantial than they are now. None of this People or Us crap! And many contained extraordinary cover art.

One of the best examples of this was a magazine from out here on the Left Coast. It was generated by the American Automobile Association or, more specifically, the Automobile Club of Southern California. It's name.......

Westways

1939

1953

1955

1969

1978

Nothing lasts forever. Westways went to cover photography in 1981. And while the Great Magazine golden era has passed, the venerable Westways still enjoys the 10 largest circulation in the US - larger in fact than People, Time and Newsweek!


Current Jan/Feb 2012 Issue

Why, you ask, the sudden interest in Westways. Well I'll tell ya kiddies, for starters it's not sudden. I've been a fan for years. Oh, and also, the just called The Felix In Hollywood Tour "The Real Scoop"! Thank you Westways.

Xmas Cheesecake!

2011-12-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

Fabulous singer, actor, writer and lovely friend, Monica Lewis,

does the ol starlet publicity grind with fellow MGM players

Tom and Jerry. She assures me that they were quite

lovely to work with.

If you haven't gotten your hands on a copy

of her marvelous bio/picture book yet,

"Hollywood Through My Eyes:

The Lives And Loves Of A Golden Age Siren",

treat yourself by going here right away!

There Never Was....

2011-12-20T20:28:00.000-08:00

....Anybody....

....who could work a wheelchair like her.
Sure do miss her drama.

Gee, A Double Bed In Real Life!

2011-12-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

Extravagance

2011-12-10T00:14:00.001-08:00

A Message Of Interest

2011-12-04T01:11:00.001-08:00

From Miss Judy Garland:

That Ballyhooey, Screwy Hollywood.

2011-11-29T12:21:00.001-08:00

Debra Paget

Creative Artists Agency Co-Founder, Roland Perkins, discussing his days in the mail room at the William Morris Agency in 1959:

"Sometimes you'd hear things in the building that you couldn't believe. Once, I walked into an agent's office to get something, and there was another agent with him. They were talking about actress Debra Paget. The first guy said, 'Oh, boy, what a dumb c*nt.' The other guy said, 'Well, she's nice enough, but Jesus....' Then the phone rang and the secretary said, 'It's Debra Paget.' The first agent answered and said, 'Hi, honey, we were just talking about you.' I thought, Okay, now I get what this is all about."

Hen Party.......

2011-11-26T21:36:00.001-08:00

The Day Hollywood Went Bop! And More.....

2011-11-19T13:18:00.001-08:00

Well I guess I'll never stop learning about this history-rich neighborhood of mine!

Balcones

On the southeast corner of Vine St. and DeLongpre Ave (1 block south of Sunset) is this really cute little Peruvian restaurant called Balcones. I've been meaning to try it for sometime. Well now I can't wait to get in there, and not just for a steaming plate of Parihuela either. No, I want to conjure up some spirits!

It turns out that for a few years, starting in the mid 40s the space where the restaurant is (combined with the psychic's joint next door and the little market next to that) was Billy Berg's.

Billy Berg's was a nightclub. Okay, not just a nightclub, but a nightclub of Happenings!

For starters it was the first commercial nightclub in Hollywood to be fully integrated - from stage to audience black and white could at last play together.

The room was opened in Feb of '45 by Coleman Hawkins. Next up on the bill in May was the brilliant and 'vout-oreenie' Slim Gaillard (the man who coined the term 'groovy'). You'll be hearing more from Slim shortly, but if you don't know him, sniff around the web a lil bit and get informed. You'll be glad.

Right after Slim's residency, Berg brought in way-out Harry The Hipster:

Harry Gibson (who, btw, coined the term 'hipster') was a whacked out, Harlem jivin', boogie woogie piano pounding blond white kid from the Bronx who's career was re-discovered in the 70s.

Harry The Hipster Gibson on stage at Billy Berg's, Aug. '45

When he hit it at Berg's he was fresh, trending and in the know. Berg asked the Hipster to recommend a hot act from 52nd street for him to bring out for the club. Harry didn't even hesitate. He told the impresario of this cat named Dizzy who had a quintet that was 'gone daddy, I mean gone!' And there was another cat in the act called Bird who was stratospheric!

Parker and Gillespie

Billy Berg made the deal. He bought the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet for eight weeks. A brilliant and innovative musician, Gillespie was also a cagey businessman. Parker by this time was already becoming unpredictable. He might or might not show up on any given night. Hedging his bets, Dizzy hired Milt Jackson (the first bop vibraphonist) out of his own pocket as an addition for the date. That way, if Bird was too high to blow, there would still be a 5-man act to fulfill the contract. They were supposed to play three sets per night.

On December 10th, 1945, Bop hit town and Hollywood went into orbit. Kind of. The first set came and went with no Charlie Parker. The second set -- same thing. Parker was not nodding off in some hotel room as you might suspect, he was in fact backstage in the dressing room consuming two complete orders of Comida Conquistador (a huge Mexican sampler platter that was the kitchen's specialty) and drinking tumblers of gin. Finally when The Bird was stuffed, he entered the showroom from the back blowing a crazy solo on "Cherokee". Weaving his way through the audience, a hail of notes was tommy-gunning out of the horn. One by one, the rhythm section fell in with him and by the time he hit the stage, the whole band was cooking, but plenty. The crowd, it is safe to say, went wild.

Bird on stage at Berg's

The place was packed for the first two weeks mostly out of curiosity, but ultimately the crowds tapered off to be pretty much other jazz musicians. Los Angeles just wasn't ready. This was the land of warmth and flowers and beaches and melody. They were having trouble wrapping their sun-baked minds around a sound that was so icy/hot, so full of smoke and concrete and dope and flat ninths and sharp elevenths. L.A. was still speaking hep; they hadn't yet moved into hip.

Here's a rare excerpt from a live radio broadcast at Billy Berg's that combines Slim Gaillard as ringleader introducing Jack McVae on tenor sax, Bird on alto and Dizzy on trumpet. It also is the first known recording of Parker's speaking voice. You can hear how traditional McVae's solo sounds when compared to the other two, even though they're hold back from their way-out usual:

_____________________________________________________

One night in 1946 Hoagy Carmichael was enjoying an evening at Berg's club when he heard a familiar sound.

Hoagy Carmichael (2nd from L.) and party at Berg's

On stage was a guy who was born with the name Francesco LoVecchio that the bands would allow to sing for free in between sets. He had just launched into the chestnut "Rockin' Chair", which Hoagy had written a decade before. Carmichael loved the way the kid sang his song. Calls were made, recording dates were set for a tune called "That's My Desire" and in no time the whole world new Frankie Laine!

Everybody played there -- all the stars went there. On August 13, 1947 the father of jazz, Louis Armstrong debuted his new band The All Stars at Berg's.

___________________________________________________________________________

Ad from the Los Angeles Eagle

Then it was December 15th, 1948, that the incomparable Lady Day began an engagement at the club. At this point in her life, drug busts and prison sentences behind her, unpredictable things had a way of cropping up. And so we shouldn't be too surprised that on New Year's Eve a rumble broke out in the kitchen with Billie smack in the middle of it all. Before all was said and done, Lady had smashed every dish she could get her hands on and her lover-of-the-moment, Johnny Levy, had buried a butcher knife into the shoulder of some poor bastard bystander that wasn't even involved in the fracas. Holiday and Levy were hauled off to jail.

Billie leaves the courthouse.

Oh, and if all that isn't surreal enough for you, did I mention: Tallulah was there!

Here is an audio clip that was recorded on her opening night of a beautiful tune called "Maybe You'll Be There". Holiday is backed up by Red Norvo and the boys:

__________________________________________________________

I don't know how long into the 50s Billy Berg's stayed in business, but I do know that I have a new place in the neighborhood to go and feel some historical damn vibes.....

I've Been Examined....

2011-11-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

This past week Examiner.com reporter Elisa Jordan did a 5-part series on the six months that young starlet Marilyn Monroe was under contract to Columbia Pictures. This was in 1948 and, though it was a blink-of-the-eye period, it set some pivotal changes in motion for her.

The last installment which appeared yesterday features an interview with a certain Hollywood historian that we all know and love....

Jordan questions me about the state of affairs on the Columbia Lot in the 40s and you can read it here.

This is the first time Marilyn would see her name on a theater marquee.

As I Was Saying....

2011-11-02T22:47:00.000-07:00

In my recent annual report to you all, I cryptically mentioned that I "Am preparing remarks for my participation in a swell historical/literary salon in January. "

Well it's been formally announced so I can gush a little now. I've been invited to take part in:

LAVA Salon at Musso & Frank featuring Dan Fante

Click the above for complete info

An entire evening at the most historically rich address in Hollywood! During the 1 hour cocktail/mingle portions both before and after dinner is when I step into my role (the role I was born to play) of on-site roving historian to chat Old Hollywood with the attendees.

LAVA (Los Angeles Visionaries Association) was founded and is facilitated by my amazing friends Kim Cooper and Richard Schave of Esotouric bus tours. They are sweet and kind mentors to me and two of the most interesting people one could ever meet.

For more on "Musso's" go here and here.

It is nothing short of astounding to me that, in this day of maximizing 'progress', one can walk into a place and dine where Garbo dined!


This is table #1 -- it was Chaplin's booth.

Meet Ruben Rueda, he of the legendary maritinis. He has worked at Musso & Frank since 1967. He has served everyone from Orson Welles to Raymond Burr to Bing Crosby to Mick Jagger to Johnny Depp. Hell, he's driven Charles Bukowski home when he was too drunk to walk and thrown out his buddy Steve McQueen for being too rowdy. Yet when I'm there, he treats me like a king.

Meet Mark Echeverria, a 4th generation family member of Musso & Frank. He is the Proprietor/Manager. You couldn't find a nicer or a more historically minded custodian of it's legacy. For me Mark has been more than generous with his time and access to the restaurant, the kitchen, the offices upstairs....

.....even the rooftop!!!!

Get A Load Of Those Pumpkins!

2011-10-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

Ann Savage wishes us all a joyful Halloween without any Detours!

This Calls For A Celebration!!!

2011-10-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Exactly 100 years ago today Nestor Studios, the first motion picture studio in Hollywood CA, opened up it's doors for business!

Blondeau Tavern soon to be Nestor Studios

It opened at the former Blondeau Tavern (above). Nestor didn't remain autonomous for long though. Carl Laemmle, of Independent Motion Pictures (IMP), absorbed the company along with several others in 1912. Afterwhich, Nestor head David Horsley and former Nestor Director Al Christie made pictures under the new Laemmle banner of Universal Pictures.

Same site in 1913

After Uncle Carl Laemmle (who had a very large Faemmle) moved Universal to what is still it's location today - Universal City, Christie split off from the Universal moniker and the lot was now "Christie Comedies". Christie's company expanded the lot and flourished for the next two decades.


	Christie lot 1926

As we all know, however, progress happens....


Demolition of Christie Studios, 1937

And, every once in a while, progress is not such a horrible thing.....


CBS Columbia Square


Columbia Square opening April 30, 1938

Columbia Square Lobby

View from the stage of the 1000 seat studio A


The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Studio A

Lucille Ball and Richard Denning "My Favorite Husband"


Agnes Moorehead's legendary performance of "Sorry Wrong Number"

Columbia Square is something of a ghost town now* since local CBS affiliate KCBS and KNX radio left a few years back. The property is in the hands of new owners who, of course, plan new and dense and tall construction -- once this wacky economy clears up. They have promised though to preserve Columbia Square. Meanwhile some of the space is being rented out to production companies, mostly of the reality TV variety. But it seems as though only 30-40% of the over 100,000 square feet are being used.

So today, on this most special day, I snuck in! I boldly walked into the lobby, prepared to go into a riff about my historical walking tour and the significance of the building and the necessity of my walking through it. I was also prepared to get summarily thrown out on my can. But, don't you know there was no one sitting at the sweater-draped chair behind the receptionist desk! I was home free. I knew once I was inside that if I was spotted, I would be assumed to be an employee of one of the tenants. So in I slipped. It was a bit disappointing. Much of the grandeur and streamline of the place was done over (seemingly in the '70s). But I walked up to the roof top and went to the deck that surrounds the penthouse office (vacant) to snap these pictures just for you of Hollywood on it's 100th birthday:

The roof looking North East.


The roof looking along the Penthouse wall to North West. You can barely make out the Hollywood Sign on top of the hill.

Many of the photos above come from the fabulous facebook page CBS Columbia Square Alumni.

*Ghost town indeed. Scores of former employees from the building insist that, not only does the spirit of CBS founder and president William Paley inhabit the building, but so does that of former KNX morning DJ/television star Bob Crane (Hogan's Heroes).

Now How Would You Caption This....

2011-10-25T15:07:00.001-07:00

Can Someone Please Explain This To Me?

2011-10-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Or should I just stay with my original thought that it was a Bette Davis look-a-like contest in a drag bar and Tallulah won.

The Party's Over.....

2011-10-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

.....but I don't think that's why Tony and Tab look so distraught. I think it has more to do with the fact that they have been snapped by a photographer without any gals around.

Signing Their Life Away.

2011-10-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

Lauren Bacall

Bette Davis

Jane Russell

Tab Hunter

Joan Crawford

Shirley Temple

Kirk Douglas

Lauren had a lot to say.

Stanwyck - The Ziegfeld Years.

2011-10-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

Ruby Stevens during her Ziegfeld time 1923-24.

I've seen the above photo many times and loved it each time. It seems to me that the pose/persona she's affecting is one of her greatest acting feats. When you consider the rough-knocks childhood she had to endure, that later hard-boiled Stanwyck was really more of a natural for her.

The photo was taken by Alfred Chaney Johnston, an interesting chap in his own rite. Charles Dana Gibson, originator of the illustrations know as The Gibson Girl, set the standard for American female ideal at the fin de siecle. It's then only fitting that he took on the mentorship of Alfred Chaney Johnston guiding him and his photography to capture perfection in the female form for the next generation. Johnston's career was made in 1917 when the great Flo Ziegfeld brought him in to 'glorify the American girl' in photographs. He enjoyed tremendous commercial popularity throughout the 20s and into the mid-30s. Then by the end of that decade, styles had changed but Johnston's had not. In 1940 he and his wife left the center of it all and moved to a 15 acre parcel in Oxford, CT. His era had past and the next three decades saw a much smaller life for Alfred. In the 60s Chaney unsuccessfully tried to donate his entire studio and picture inventory to several organizations in both New York and Washington DC but there was no interest in storing such a vast amount of material. The Library Of Congress did accept 245 prints as well as several product advertisement pictures. The childless widower passed away in 1971.

That top photo is just a teaser. Chaney took other pictures of Stevens/Stanwyck. Below are what I have found and they're lovely:

**posted with love for eva.

I Walk The Line....

2011-09-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Even though I feel like the first couple of months were kind of a warm up rehearsal period, and I really consider the first of the year as the beginning of my company, it was about a year ago that I first announced here that I was starting it.

Holy cow, a year! So I figured I should give you guys an annual report.

Miss Crawford, will you please bring in the annual report?

It's a funny thing that, living this thing day to day, it doesn't feel like things are growing fast enough. Or even at all. But to look over the big picture, it ain't so bad!
Without so much as a dime for publicity/marketing/advertising here's how things look:

** I received a very small mention in The Los Angeles Times.

** I was interviewed on "The List" a 30-minute web radio show.

** I was invited to join an elite group of independent tour companies, 7 Days In LA

** The tour has earned a 5-star rating on Yelp.

** I was interviewed and given a rave write-up in The Advocate Magazine.

** There is another press piece coming at the beginning of the year I'll tell ya about later.

** The Facebook page is on it's way to 500 followers.

** Am preparing remarks for my participation in a swell historical/literary salon in January.

** To date over 1000 people have taken the tour.

All in all, a swell year! I'm looking forward to a slam-bang finish to 2011, and a banner 2012.

And I'd love to meet you guys on the tour really soon (Angelinos) or as soon as your next visit (everyone else)!

Mr. And Mrs. Mogul

2011-09-27T01:05:00.000-07:00

Sam and Frances Goldwyn

Louis B. Mayer and second wife Lorena

Jack and Ann Warner

Irving Thalberg and Norma Shearer (Thalberg)

Harry Cohn and second wife Joan Perry Cohn

Darryl and Virginia Zanuck

David Selznick and Irene Mayer Selznick

Jesse and Bessie Lasky

Does He At Least Call Before He Drops In?

2011-09-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

I guess there was a time when a production just wasn't a Production until Cary Grant came a-calling on the set:

Cary Grant visits Joan Crawford, Wm. Castle and John Ireland on the "I Saw What You Did" set.

Grant visits Frank Capra and James Stewart on the "Mr. Smith" set.

Grant visits Deborah Kerr on the "Young Bess" set

Grant visits Cab Calloway and Eartha Kitt on the "St. Louis Blues" set.

Grant visits Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward on the "Winning" set.

....And apparently the same held true for
locker rooms!


Grant visits Yogi Berra.

Cary Grant, Professional Visitor.

The Mystery Gets Revealed!!!

2011-09-17T00:06:00.000-07:00

Well, get me!! I stumped you all. So without further delay:

It's hard to believe that in only 37 short years this handsome young devil of 19:

Would become:

Theodore J. Mooney!!!

A few other fun facts about wonderful character actor Gale Gordon:

**He was the first actor (albeit on radio) to play the role of Flash Gordon. (take that Buster Crabbe!)

** He was the original choice to play the role of Fred Mertz but had to decline owing to his commitment on the "Our Miss Brooks" show.

** He is the only actor to have either guest-starred or was a series regular on every weekly series that Lucille Ball ever did starting in the 40s with her radio series "My Favorite Husband" and ending in the 80s with "Life With Lucy".

**He had a ranch in Borrego Springs, CA some 160 miles from L.A. and commuted to work.

** The output of his ranch made him one of the few commercial growers of Carob in the US.

Okay everybody, all together now:

"MISSEZ CAAAAHHRMICHAEL!!!"

Mystery Guest Will You Enter And Sign In Please....

2011-09-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

Yup it's that time again!

IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS GAME PLEASE READ. If you've seen this picture before, or know for sure who this is, feel free to send me an email, but for the sake of unbridled mystery and tension, let the gang have a go guessing in the comments section.

Who is this handsome chap?

Someone's In The Kitchen With......

2011-09-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

Judy Holliday

Boris Karloff

Maureen O'Sullivan

Walt Disney

Richard Widmark

Judy Garland

Betty Garrett and Larry Parks

Sure They Could Talk, But Did They Have Faces?

2011-09-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ever since the 'Talkie Revolution' there has been many stories spun about the silent stars who couldn't make the transition: the Europeans, John Gilbert, Harry Langdon etc. But an interesting chat sprung up on day on the Columbia lot in 1942 that turned that topic on it's head.

Hedda Hopper paid a visit to the set of "My Sister Eileen" and soon the producer and director of "Commandos Strike At Dawn" came over to do their time in the presence of Herself. (above: Commandos prod. and dir. Lester Cowan and John Farrow are on far right and left flanking Eileen star and dir. Roz Russell and Al Hall. Hopper is at center)

John Farrow suggested that very few stars of '42 would be able to make it in the silents and offered his list of those that he thought could. They were: Charlie Chaplin, Bob Hope, Charlie McCarthy, Harpo Marx, Roz Russell, James Cagney, Rochester, Barbara Stanwyck, and Jimmy Gleason.

I'll discount the following: Chaplin as he had reached the heights during that era, Charlie McCarthy was a wooden dummy and not an actor, and Harpo Marx as silence was his shtick. But it's a curious question and one I'd like to have you weigh in on. Soooo........

Who do you think, from the Golden Era (let's say 1930-1958), could have made a go in Silents? And what of today's crop, anybody?

See You In The Funny Papers

2011-09-03T20:50:00.000-07:00


Rock Hudson


Vivian Vance

Gary Cooper.

Funny (and Saucy) Girl.

2011-08-31T16:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a different angle on Fanny Brice:

I don't know about the Snooks part, but seeing this I can definitely say....oh Baby!

Lunch Time!

2011-08-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Don Ameche, Peter Lorre and Sonja Heine at the Fox commissary

Gable at the MGM commissary

Basil Rathbone and Angela Lansbury at the Paramount commissary

Ida Lupino and Jeffrey Lynn at the Warner Bros. Commissary

Gene Reynolds at the MGM commissary

Fred MacMurray and Lana Turner at the Fox commissary

Nils Asther at the MGM commissary

Rita Hayworth and Robert Parrish at the Columbia commissary

Errol Flynn at the Warner Bros. commissary

A Great Big Thank You To 'King' Cole.

2011-08-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

Today, a moment of appreciation for the all to unsung genius of choreographer/director

Jack Cole (1911-1974).

Jack Cole, 1930s

He began as a Denishawn dancer and then moved on to nightclub work. But it was film that captured his brilliance for all time.

He informed all those that would follow from Michael Kidd to Bob Fosse. Gwen Verdon was his assistant for seven years.

In addition to his incomparable dance directing, his art direction of color palettes and sets his camera angles (most of these, by the way, going uncredited) make for some spectacular frames of film. In an interview before her death Jane Russell said that during the dance numbers on "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" Howard Hawks was rarely even present!

His last work was teaching at UCLA up until two weeks before his death.


Jack Cole 1971

He made 'em Sparkle:

He made 'em Sizzle:

And sometimes, inexplicably:

He made 'em make you wanna make 'em!

As always I have combed many different sources before assembling this post, but if you want more info on Mr. Cole, one place stands above the rest. It's Debra Levine's fine 'arts * meme'. You will find it Here.

Cuban Plantation?

2011-08-15T22:27:00.000-07:00

1959

Desi Arnaz confers with an employee on the Desilu Culver City backlot, while the remains of the Tara plantation facade forlornly looks on from behind it's fence. 'Tara' would be demolished shortly afterward.

Sales Force

2011-08-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

Mitzi and the boys, gettin' brassy


Buster. Just a goyim.

Natalie Wood. A fudge packer?

Sunday Activities....

2011-08-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

found at the fabulous soyons-suave.

Lucille At 100 - A Colorful Life

2011-08-06T00:41:00.000-07:00

Happy 100th Lucy.

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other.

2011-08-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Liza, Up. Bette, Down.

Just Friends.....?

2011-08-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

Joan Crawford and Claudette Colbert enjoy a few days at Claudette's private getaway in Palm Springs.

I've Been Advocated!!!

2011-07-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

What a lovely thing it was to wake up yesterday and discover that the online version of an interview I did in Advocate magazine is out! (to coin a phrase)

The magnificently gifted writer Christopher Harrity reviews my tour and then we cozy up for a little Q & A. It's great fun and I hope you'll all read it. After which, doubtless you'll be planning your trip to Hollywood to take the tour for your self!

There are several photos from the Felix In Hollywood Facebook Page in the article including a snappy little photo of yours truly the was shot by the ever-elegant George Snyder, novelist extraodinaire.

Simply click the Advocate logo below and dazzle your selves:

Myself. (as captured by George Snyder)

Just As I Suspected....

2011-07-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

Cary Grant works it out at The Hollywood Athletic Club.

Glamour, Feathers, Fabulosity and a Paper Cup!

2011-07-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

Miss Ava Gardner!!!

Sometimes Even The Magic Of Movies....

2011-07-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

Bread line, 1933

....can't make everything better.

An Important Message To Readers.....

2011-07-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

You Spin Me Right 'Round!

Truth In Films.....

2011-07-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Met her. Oh hell, who am I kidding, been her!

Where Have I Been All Of It's Life!

2011-07-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled upon a blog that, if you don't already know about, you've Got to know about!

It is:

The Houses Of Hancock Park

For non-Angelenos, Hancock Park is one of the original hoity-toity areas of the city. A neighborhood that was established (and restricted) before the advent of Beverly Hills. Some say that HP's reticence toward Jews and Show People is what helped get Beverly Hills going. It's a stately, tree lined, district that has managed, for the most part, to escape McMansionism.

The blog is written by "Woody", a chap who gladly gives credit where it's due, but will also cut a bitch (or house) without reserve or delay.

I've been going through the archives and cackling all the way.

I've seen coverage on the former home of Mr. Blackwell:

As well as a couple of different posts on the notorious home of Norwood Young known in these parts simply as, "The David House":

If you visit L.A. my tour and this house are really the only things that should be on the top of you list.

So if you like to look at beautiful homes (and travesties) and enjoy reading snappy critique, hop on over there.

She Looks Damn Good For 100.

2011-07-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Miss Barbara Stanwyck!

Confidence Man.

2011-07-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

The above title is a phrase given to grifters or 'con' men. After researching the life of today's spotlighted character, I'm very clear as to why.

Mike Romanoff

The life of Mr. Romanoff has been exhaustively chronicled many times and better than I could ever attempt. For one of the better sketches, go here.

Here are the broad points:

*Was born Herschel Geguzin in Lithuania.

*Came to the US at age 10.

*Was alternately known as Harry Ferguson and Harry Gerguson.

*Ultimately settled on the name and persona of
Prince Michael Alexandrovitch Dmitri Obolensky Romanoff.

*At one point after a lengthy stay in England, was expelled for "Impersonating and Marauding"

*Found his place finally in Hollywood where veneer and artifice are understood.

*Proprietor of Romanoffs, the see-and-be-seen eatery of the 40s and 50s.

Now, you've heard of Romanoffs, but did you know (if you spend any time at all looking at photos of Old Hollywood) that you've seen Romanoffs too. The iconic candid photos below were all taken there:

Everybody, everyday and everynight went there. And all of Hollywood knew he wasn't really a prince but he was so charming and the act was so good ("I'm tired", he tells a friend, "I've been on my Imperial feet all day") that the A crowd was perfectly happy to go along, and so from a life of conning and grifting he settled into a legitimate business that made him a fortune and a legend.

Of course, to go straight, he had to use a little larceny at the beginning. David Niven (one of Mike's closest friends) recounts in his autobiography how the restaurant started:

Mike struck gold. He obtained an option on the lease of a defunct restaurant… His friends became stockholders in the shoe-string enterprise and the place reopened in a blaze of black ties, mink, well-known faces and publicity.

The invitation was a classic:–

I am commanded by His Imperial Highness Prince Michael Alexandrovich Dmitry Obolensky Romanoff to request your presence at a soiree he is giving in his own honour.

Couvert fifty dollars

Bring your own wine and kindly fee the waiters.

Harry Gerguson, Comptroller to the Imperial household

Le tout Hollywood turned out in force, and so many people brought wine that few realised the place had no arrangements whatever for cooking. A sparse menu was serviced by a nearby hash joint on a strictly cash basis (the money collected for the first two ‘couverts’ started the ball rolling): a riotous evening was had by all, and enough money was raised to install a kitchen and launch Mike on a fabulously successful career as a restaurateur.

Now that's Confidence, man!

A Perfect Example.....

2011-07-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

....of why Betty Hutton has always given me the creeps.

The Mystery Gets Revealed!!!

2011-07-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

Well kids, I gotta fess up here. I might have slightly misled you. Typically when we've played this game in the past, the person or people in the mystery photo are famous. This time the handsome couple are not as known as their offspring.

Georgia and John Sarkisian.

You see, Georgia and John are the parents of Cher!

Cher at 16.

*both photos found on Cher's twitter. Following her is one of the smartest things I've ever done.

Mystery Guest(s) Will You Enter And Sign In Please....

2011-07-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

Been a while since we played this game, soooooo...........

IF YOU ARE NEW TO THIS GAME PLEASE READ. If you've seen this picture before, or know for sure who this is, feel free to send me an email, but for the sake of unbridled mystery and tension, let the gang have a go guessing in the comments section.

Now just who are these sexy young love birds in the snapshot??????

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

From Annie and Me!

What The......

2011-07-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

On a couple of different occasions I've done a feature hear called Odd Duos. Photos of people that you wouldn't normally expect to see together.

Well, I may be about to out-odd myself hear:

Yes it's Allen "The Caftan Queen" Carr and "Broadway" Joe Namath! Now aren't they cute.

Transform!

2011-06-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

How to go from:

Vamp

Theda Bara, 1919

To:

Somebody's Bubbe

Theodosia Goodman, 1939 (photo by Carl Van Vechten)

In twenty short years.

Ciro's Baby!

2011-06-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

We've all heard about the fabled Sunset Strip nightspot where glamour was on the menu and star wattage was the cover charge.

Legends played that stage and played in that audience. And since we've all heard about it you'll be relieved to know that an overview of the great Ciro's is not what were going to talk about today.


Kay Thompson and The Williams Brothers slay 'em in '47


Rosie Clooney, Jose Ferrer and Marlene Dietich can't put on 'photo face' one more time tonight, '55.

Before we get on to the topic du jour, I must say though, I have no idea when Ciro's owner William Wilkerson had time to darn his socks, the man owned and ran simply everything. Very interesting cat; must do a piece on him one day.

Alright on to the business at hand. A few days ago, I ran this picture:

on the Facebook tour company fan page because Abbe Lane was one hot dish and, well because I like the picture....by the way, this brings up another thought, why haven't more of you guys hopped over to that fanpage and hit the like button? Really, I ask so little. Do it when your done here would ya?....Sorry lost my train of thought for a sec (I hate it when you make me petulant). Anyway, when I posted the shot, it caused quite a flurry. And while I'm sure the flurry was more about Abbe's body than Ciro's (or in Norma Desmond's case the Jag in the background) it sent me on a Ciro's google-fest because that's how misguided I am sometimes. Well it's a good thing I am, because it allowed me to dig up this little tidbit, just for you!

It seems that in 1951 a pretty young gal by the name of Margaret Barstow was employed as a Ciro's cigarette girl/hatcheck girl.


Margaret Barstow

Well, on the night of August 19, 1951 in the middle of the floor show, a panicked announcement came from the stage. It was the old, "Is there a Doctor in the house!" Now how or why they could let a girl in such an advanced state of "expecting" (to use the Hay's Office preferred term) continue to work nightly is beyond me, but I try to stay out of those things. As luck would have it, Dr. Bert Tardius was indeed in the house and, wasting not one precious moment, ushered Margaret upstairs to a private dining room and delivered a bawling 6 pound 13 ounce baby girl. The parents, expecting a boy, named the Ciro's progeny Rex, which is actually a very cool name for a girl. I have not been able to find out if Ciro's named a drink after baby Rex, but unless there were two Margaret Barstows in Hollywood in the early fifties, it seems as though mama was able to parlay the notoriety into a couple of bit part appearances on the silver screen (From Here To Eternity, Artists and Models) 'cause that's how we roll here in Hollywood.

Where Is It?

2011-06-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

Back in March I mentioned the Debbie Reynolds Auction, and that there was an item that I really coveted. I also mentioned that I wouldn't be insulted if one of you all won it for me. Well, as you've doubtless heard, the auction is over. (blah, blah, Marilyn's dress, blah blah.) So I'm waiting to be contacted by the winner to give you my address for the Valentino suit of lights! Don't be shy....

For a witty perspective on the auction from an attendee, See Paul T. Bradley's account in his blog post for the L.A. Weekly.

America's - and my - Singing Sweetheart.

2011-06-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

Listen, I figure you don't get a chance to say something like this all too often, and I'm not about to miss my chance, so here goes: Last Friday I met a gal who appeared on the very first Ed Sullivan show.

Yeah, I thought that might get your attention - it sure got mine.

On my tour company facebook page I feature a daily "Snapshot of Old Hollywood", and on the eve of Daylight Savings Time I used this one:

The caption informed me that the tiny figure precariously perched on the ladder atop the Eastern building in downtown L.A. was an MGM starlet named Monica Lewis. I wasn't familiar with the name and figured she had come to Hollywood somewhere in the late forties or early fifties done a few bit parts and then gone home to Oklahoma or Montana. Well let me tell you how wrong a fella can be!

On Friday Monica had a book signing of her new picture book/bio at a jewel of an independent book store, "Book Soup", on the Sunset Strip.

Now, I'm not going to go on at length here because there's an awful lot of 'Wow' factor in these pages that I don't want to spoil, and I really want you to get your hands on this book!

Did I mention she was stacked!

But to whet your appetite (in addition to the aforementioned appearance on the inaugural Sullivan show):

Her first love is music and when you read about her family; it couldn't have been any other way.

She and her first husband founded a jazz record label for which she recorded called Signature.

She has also produced records on Decca, MGM, Jubilee, Capitol and Verve.

My very favorite picture of Monica. Dimples!

She was the voice of Chiquita Banana for 14 years.

The Society of Illustrators named her "Miss Leg-O-Genic"

She was an indefatigable supporter and performer for troupes in both WWII and the Korean War.

MGM, in their infinite wisdom, and the shakeup of replacing Louis Mayer with Dore Schary, didn't know what to do with her and insisted on re-making her in the image of Lana Turner.


A blatant Lana-like Monica.

She had a long and beautiful second marriage to Universal Exec and Producer Jennings Lang, that permitted her to do small parts over the years in his pictures. Her appearances were seen as his good luck charm.

After all those years, still hanging off of buildings! Monica and Charlton Heston from "Earthquake!"

We got to speak for a couple of minutes before the signing and she confided that she found the event to be so much fun. She added that, at her age (she will soon be 90) she would take fun wherever she could find it! She told me that she doesn't walk so hot anymore and that her voice is gone. Later while waiting on line to have my book signed, the guy in front of me brought an old piece of sheet music with her on the cover and asked her if she would sign it. She took looked at it and smiled the smile of a thousand memories and sang the first line of it. What came out was a sound so rich and velvety that I broke out in chills. "No voice anymore?", I thought to myself, "yeah, sure!" She was beautiful, she was adorable, I was charmed.

I'm about half way through the book and what a swell book it is. Warm, funny, conversational, a bit saucy from time to time and not a dull moment. It's one to treasure, just like its' author.

Till you can read it pop over to her website, click on the 'songs' tab, and treat yourself to that voice. It was no mistake that she was called "America's Singing Sweetheart"

Beautiful Monica today. Photo by Alan Mercer.

Sure Got A Purty Mouth....

2011-06-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

A youthful Warren Beatty

A Great Face For Radio....

2011-06-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

Blogging - it's not just for keyboards anymore! I am being interviewed tonight on the John W. Smart show "Talking With...." If you would like to listen live, it will air at 6pm (PST), 9pm (EST). But through the magic of the intertubes you can always download it after the fact and listen at your leisure.

"Talking With...." is a new show and I'm his first guest.

For quite some time now, John has had a very popular (and compelling) blogtalk radio show on Mondays and Tuesdays called "The List". It's politics, baby. Like all commentators, he has a definite set of principles and beliefs, and is not above having guests on with opposing ideas. But what sets his format apart and makes for a rewarding listen is that, he doesn't humiliate and shred those guests! In a rare (these days) move, he performs like a grown up, keeps the discourse civil, and thanks these guests for their time! As a result, I find that I am caused to actually think through and own my own opinions, rather than just having the knee-jerk 'jump to the left, jump to the right' reaction that I experience with more divisive interviewers.

Though a self described "Political Junkie", Smart has many areas of interest and wanted a forum to explore them. Hence the decision to continue doing "The List" on Mondays and start the new "Talking With...." on Tuesdays.

Here's the link for the show tonight: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/johnwsmart/2011/06/15/the-list--talking-with

Here is Smart's blog: http://johnwsmart.wordpress.com/

Bathhouse Bogie.

2011-06-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre play gin rummy while having a schvitz at the Finlandia Baths, 9026 Sunset Blvd.

Ten Years Ago.....

2011-06-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

I spent all of 2001 working on the documentary "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star" . I'm still very proud to have been associated with this project. Commissioned by Turner Classic Movies, Producer/Writer/Director Peter Fitzgerald turned in a balanced and compelling look at Crawford that was the first to re-examine Crawford's legacy in the wake of the devastation done to it by that adopted daughter.

As Associate Producer on the show, much of my year was spent combing through the AMPAS Margaret Herrick Library (which holds a massive MGM collection), and the Warner Bros. Archives at USC, for photos and ephemera. We used over 1000 stills in the movie! I was also present at all of the taped 'talking head' interviews for general coordination purposes. My favorite interview subjects were: Judy Geeson, Betsy Palmer, and Vincent Sherman. My least favorite: Christina Crawford (4 1/2 hours of tape and you couldn't get that woman to say one nice thing about her mother, whom she referred to as either "my adoptive mother" or "Crawford", sheesh let it go already!)

Truck Driver in a blonde wig.

Without a doubt the most bizarre day was the interview with silent screen star Anita Page. I was waiting outside the rental sound stage on the lookout for her on one of those hot, still, smoggy LA days when, 25 mins. after the scheduled arrival time, a beat up 10 year old silver Chevy Caprice came careening around the corner and screeched to a halt. Then, in a well rehearsed, oft-performed kind of chinese fire drill, three sycophants sprung into action, produced a wheel chair from the trunk, and loaded a shrunken, bent fossil of a being into it. She had about three hairs on her head and was wearing sweats, slippers, those scary old-people-wrap-around-cataract-sunglasses, and the placid, vacant look of the feeble minded.

Once inside the soundstage, they never stopped for introductions, they just whizzed her through and back to the dressing rooms area, yelling lighting instructions over their shoulders and saying they would bring "Miss Page" out when she was ready. Two hours later:

We were informed that her mind had "slipped a bit recently" and that she was experiencing "not a good day". I suppose that's one way to look at it. What I saw was an elderly woman who should have been let alone in comfort with medical supervision instead of painted, plastered and trotted out like some Sunset Blvd./Baby Jane circus pony. The poor thing had no purchase on reality. But just after they hoisted her up in her interview chair the strangest thing happened that still brings chills at the thought. From some cellular memory, very slowly she shifted in the chair and tilted her face up and back, straight into the key light, and smiled.

Her mind had become a many-holed whack-a-mole game with random thoughts popping up here and there. As sad as it was, a good deal of money from our humble budget had been dedicated for the day, and for the next few hours Peter valiantly trudged forward to get the few lucid sentences that we wound up using. Anita seemed to actually enjoy herself and the attention she was getting there in the lights.

When it was over and they were leaving, her "people" said that if we could use her in any other interviews or heard of any suitable acting jobs to let them know. Miss Page was available.

Anita & Me having an unfortunate hair moment.

You Say You Want A Revolution, Well You Know....

2011-06-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing I was raised to root for the underdog. When I started my tour company a few months back I had no idea how much of an underdog I was to become, and how much rooting would be required for both me and my fellow underdogs.

There was an article several weeks ago in the L.A. Times announcing that the largest tour bus sightseeing company in town and an enormous, successful gossip website/tv show organization were teaming up to offer some sort of stalker/paparazzi tour.

Umm.....Ewwwww!

I was interviewed for the article (which I was told was going to be about various new tours opening in the area). The published article however, mentioned only them and me. I was given two sentences and framed as sort of the 'don't-bother David' with the rest of the article focused on there 'OMG-how-fab Goliath'. When I read this, I remember thinking, "how am I ever supposed to compete with the massive, corporate driven, publicity machine of these people!"

What I offer is as opposite to them as a game of marbles is to Grand Theft Auto but nonetheless, we are both competing for the same sightseeing tourism audience.

Turns out the article shook more than just me up! In short order a call to arms went out (arms of loving support) and the result is:

For a good time, click!

7 Days In LA is a brand new website/calendar offering 14 different independent tour operators that can give you a variety of was to explore Los Angeles! We are all, in our different ways, 'Artisans of the Tour'. I'm just crazy about my fellows in this endeavor and would recommend any of the tours they do. What's your interest: Hollywood History, Architecture, True Crime Stories, Gay History, Film Locations, Grave Yards? We got 'em and more! Each company has a bio page and there is an updating calendar of tours being offered. Just find something you want and from there you can go to the individual company's website for contact info and ticket purchases.

One day after launching we've been garnering quite a bit of notice already but my favorite is crime novelist Christa Faust tweeted this to 1700 followers:

"Think L.A. is all fake tits and Ferraris? Think again. http://www.7daysinla.com/"

So, a revolution? Perhaps not, but I'll be satisfied with a more level playing field!

Vivian Vance......

2011-05-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

.....was awfully young to be wearing a pearl necklace if you ask me. And such a very long necklace too!

Happy Memorial Day.

2011-05-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Hated my hair back then.

This, Ladies And Gentlemen....

2011-05-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

....would be the Golden Age of Radio!

Fancy Foot Work.

2011-05-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

I had posted this on the facebook page but I wanted to show you guys too:

These are a pair of shoes used by Mae West in her nightclub act of the 50s. The combined platform and heel gave her an extra 9 1/2" (she was only 5 feet tall!) The shoes are from the Library collection of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. I'm giving the tour to a group of FIDM students (makes me feel real smart!).

There Is Truth In Old Cliches.

2011-05-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

You reap:

What you sew:

So there!

Whatever.

2011-05-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's a long road from brilliant, quirky risk-taker:

To sellout:

Everybody Freeze - It's A Raid!!!

2011-05-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

In 1947-48 CBS honcho Bill Paley performed a major talent raid in Hollywood at the NBC studios 2 blocks away. In addition to Benny, the other defectors included Amos and Andy (proudly cited in the above ad) The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show, Red Skelton and The Burns and Allen Show! This little maneuver would, for the first time, land CBS at the top of the ratings battle.

How'd he do it? Does the phrase, "You'd sell your own name!" ring a bell? CBS would buy the stars' names as a property, in exchange for a huge lump sum and a smaller salary. Since the tax structure on capital gains (the name sale) was a much lower rate than on income (the smaller salary portion of the deal) the talent benefited by double. And there was no concern about NBC doing a reverse raid because now CBS owned these peoples' names!

**The above image was supplied by my new pal Raul Moreno who has a fantastic page for CBS Columbia Square Alumni.

Making Make Up Magic.

2011-05-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

Tony Curtis for "Some Like It Hot"


Lon Chaney for "Mr. Wu"

Brando for "The Godfather"

Someone Left The Bike Out In The Rain....

2011-05-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

Richard Harris, experiencing.

There Are Passages And Then There Are Passages.

2011-05-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hollywood has always been famous for the old switcheroo. They'll buy a novel or a play and by the time the picture comes out, precious little is recognizable from it's source material. If you're a DeMille you even get to change the bible for dramatic purposes. Sometimes, they are content to just change the title because the brain trust has decided that story is okay but the name needs a little more zing.

Paramount's 1941 Caribbean potboiler "Bahama Passage" is a case of the latter.

It may very well be a case of the former too - I've never read the book. Visually spectacular it was made in Technicolor on location in Grand Turk, a rarity for the time. It starred beautiful Madeline Carroll, a mostly shirtless Sterling Hayden and included an 18 year old Dorothy Dandridge in a bit part as a (you guessed it) maid.

If the story had been as compelling as the scenery, it might be more remembered today. Come to think of it, if they had kept the original title, I'm certain it would have been more remembered today:

It's Not Just For Boys!

2011-05-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Jodie Foster

Farrah Fawcett

Katharine Hepburn

Really Love Your Peaches Wanna Shake Your Tree.

2011-05-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Some people call me a space cowboy....

Natalie Wood

Some call me the gangster of love.....

Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich

Your Turn!

2011-05-10T00:08:00.000-07:00

Caption this for us, won't you?

Hot And Cold Running Girls!

2011-05-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

"By A Waterfall" production number from "Footlights Parade", 1933

Fountain pyramid construction.

Happy Mothers Day.

2011-05-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Teddy Quinn and Lana Turner in "Madam X"

Do You Like Me, Really, Really 'like' Me?

2011-05-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Philip Mershon.....

By now, I think you know, I have a tour company. Yep, Felix is the name - Hollywood history is the game.

and his ~~nemisis~~ partner in crime Jennifer Coolidge

I have been learning the harsh reality that it's hard to get visibility and publicity when you can't afford a publicist. Of course what I can do, as all my friends have told me since starting the company, is throw my self through the gates of social media. They're all like, "Oooo, you gotta do facebook, you gotta do Twitter, you gotta do Yelp, you gotta do youtube, you gotta do linkedin.

With each 'gotta' I would cringe. See, I'm basically an old fashioned, non-tech brained, single task kind of fellow. I mean, I walk and tell interesting stories for a living! It took breaking down a lot of resistance just to start this blog.

So I do facebook, and then I do a facebook page for the company and funny thing happens - I'm enjoying it! (Archie Bunker voice in my head, "aw jeez")

Then another funny thing happens. One day on my news feed I see that Actress and Comedienne Jennifer Coolidge has started a fan page. The first thing that came to mind was not how ridiculously talented and funny she is with her legion of spot on performances. No, the first thing that came to mind was that a few years ago I was briefly introduced to her when I was doing some work for a friend who has a marvelous gift/paper/boutique printer shop on Beverly Blvd. She came into the store and I found her to be lovely and kind. And with that memory I wanted to support her.

So I go to her page and hit the 'like' button at the top. Turns out that we were tied in our number of 'likes' that day, and I mentioned that I would race her in the contest of 'likes'. Of course she's killin' me, I mean, she's a beautiful, funny celebrity; I'm a history storyteller who posts cool pictures. But just like my first meeting with her she's lovely and kind in cyberspace too. And she wants to take my tour!

Now that I'm doing facebook, and Twitter, Yelp, youtube and linkedin, I'm having to admit, maybe this social media networking thing isn't so horrible after all. Maybe I'm a closet cyber guy. Psych!

So why don't you 'like' me here

And while you're at it go ahead and 'like' Jennifer here . She's gonna win our race anyway, and that's cool, she's a swell dame!

You'll Be Dancing On Rooftops Too!

2011-05-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

As the song says, "Ain't it funny how time slips away". I just looked at the calendar and realized that summer is practically upon us! With that, I just went into the magical cyber world of Brown Paper Tickets, my official ticket seller, and loaded in all tour dates through the end of August.

Now if you already live in SoCal, I can't imagine for the life of me why you haven't taken the tour yet**

If you're planning a visit this summer, well tickets are now available. With small tour groups like this, don't let 'em get away. Get yours today!

You can access BPT directly via the link above, or though the official tour website.

** Authors comments do not apply to the many fabulous folks who already have taken the tour.

I Want To Love....

2011-05-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

U.S. title "The Man Without A Country", starred Edward Hearn. Hearn has 380 title listings on IMDB that span from 1915 to 1955. After his star had faded (by about 1931) mostly he played uncredited bit parts, but he never stopped working. Mr. Hearn passed away in 1963 at the age of 74.

Turnabout Is Fun Play.

2011-05-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Miss Katharine Hepburn embraces a masculine attitude:

Meanwhile, Mr. Buster Keaton is in touch with his feminine side:

But the world goes 'round.

One Last Interlude With Shirley

2011-05-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Shirley finally got to appear in one movie. She was a "Pick-A-Little" lady in 1962's "The Music Man" at Warner Bros. Here she talks about movies, beauty, and (of all things) Edna May Oliver!

Edna May Oliver

Hollywood, Where Things Happen Fast!

2011-05-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

Robert Lowery

Being Seventeen And Carefree

2011-04-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

In post-war Hollywood!

She's Baaaaack....

2011-04-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Finally have been able to grab a few more clips from my interview with the glorious Shirley Claire! As a recap for our newcomer friends, Shirley is a beautiful and energized 83 year old Palm Springs resident that I met and spoke with in February. We talked about her tenure as an unused contract player at MGM in her early teens and her employment as a Showgirl at the Earl Carroll Theater here in Hollywood. To review those clips, go here and here and here.

Today, Shirley tells us about "swinging" at the ECT.

Stay tuned....

Lovely Surprise.

2011-04-28T08:15:00.000-07:00

There's nothing quite like taking a walk up to Hollywood Blvd.

Enjoying the scenery.

And then suddenly noticing....

A picture of an old friend from High School!
Have a great run Marcia....

And Now This....

2011-04-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Residents of the fair land of Los Angeles received an unexpected and unwanted New Year's present this year when local PBS affiliate KCET severed ties with Public Broadcasting. Fortunately for us, our friends to the south, KOCE in Orange County, picked up the slack.

KCET is still in their studios at 4376 Sunset Blvd. But don't blink.

The oldest continually operating * production facility in town started life as The Lubin Manufacturing Company in 1912. Through the years it has housed the following companies: Essanay, Kalem, Monogram, and Allied Artists.

Monogram, amongst other low budget offerings, produced popular series' such as Mr. Wong, The Bowery Boys and Charlie Chan.


Tea time for Boris Karloff in the Monogram Make-up room, 1940

During the Monogram/Allied years the lot was where Gary Cooper, Errol Flynn, Mickey Rooney, Tyrone Power, Tex Ritter, Edward G. Robinson, Dorothy Lamour, Bela Lugosi, Jackie Cooper, Anthony Quinn, Audrey Hepburn, Shelly Winters, Steve McQueen, Orson Welles, Vincent Price, Gina Lollabrigida, David Janssen, Sammy Davis Jr., Jon Hall, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Elvis Presley, Robert Blake and Burt Reynolds punched their time cards.

KCET moved onto the lot in 1970. The PBS pull-out was announced as a cost cutting move. I was, in fact, a disaster. A death knell. So now in another "cost cutting move", they have just sold the studio lot.

The buyers?...............wait for it......................it should come as no surprise..................... The Church of Scientology. After all, they own all of the best property in Hollywood.

The Bowery Boys give a well deserved raspberry to the sale.

*This was not the first studio in Hollywood however. If you want to know about that, well you'll just have to come to town and take my tour

R.I.P.

2011-04-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

Now Girls, Just Stop It!

2011-04-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

It starts out going along so beautifully...or so you think.

Joan Fontaine - Olivia de Havilland

Next thing you know, there are these....things. Just little things, you know. And you find yourself looking over your shoulder.

But you shrug it off. You make excuses. It's family after all, right? You even try to make light of it....

"In a boulevard shop yesterday, I watched Olivia de Havilland select a swank pair of earrings which, she confirmed were destined for sister Joan Fontaine's Christmas tree. The purchase completed, the clerk asked: "Anything else Miss de Havilland?" "Nothing", replied Olivia reflectively, "execpt -- please be nice to Miss Fontaine when she comes in to exchange these."
--Jimmie Fidler's column Nov 30, 1940

Then one day you look at that pouty, sulking face for thousandth time....

And you snap!

And finally you realize: She Loves This Game!

Now Here's Something I'm Sorry I Missed....

2011-04-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

After playing himself in the 1975 TV movie "Queen Of The Stardust Ballroom", Big Band leader Orrin Tucker leased a skating rink that same year on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood and turned it into the Stardust Ballroom. Tucker formed his first orchestra in 1933.

After dwindling crowds for his band and ballroom dancing Tucker opened the venue booking up for events like the one above as well as shows for the raging punk scene in LA of the late 70's. Ultimately, the venue would include hosting women's boxing matches.

In 1982, he closed the ballroom and moved to Palm Springs. Under new stewardship the venue continued it's descent.

And today it's the Hollywood Home ~~Despot~~ Depot.

Orrin Tucker passed away on April 9th at the age of 100.

The man with the baton, Orrin Tucker

This Ball Has Tone.

2011-04-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

To satisfy the British censors, re-shoots were ordered for the bedroom scenes on 1947's "My Awful Wife", but not before the cast and crew sought to have a little fun and make a statement.

I've Heard Of A Pearl Necklace....

2011-04-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

....but Really!!!!

You Dirty Sew And Sew!

2011-04-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Miss Bennett at work.

"In 20th Century Fox's "Man Hunt" Joan Bennett plays a street walker, much to the distress of the Hays gentry, who feel that the movies shouldn't recognize such unfortunate facts of life.

After long cogitation, they finally came up with a ruse to camouflage Miss Bennett's screen character. They ruled that the studio must install in her room and display prominently - a sewing machine!"

-from the syndicated column "Jimmie Fidler In Hollywood", April 13, 1941.


Joan has a light snack before running up a new skirt on the machine in the background.

Joan says, "I got yer bobbin."

That Gibson Girl!

2011-04-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, Motion Picture Riddle Time:
What do Patsy Palmer, Margie Gibson, Marguerite Gibson, Helen Gibson, Ella Margaret Lewis, Ella Margaret Arce and Pat Lewis have in common?

Answer: They're the same person. Of course she was born Ella Margaret Gibson. She was most commonly known though, as Margaret Gibson. Until a little later when she was most commonly known as Patricia Palmer. But her friends called her 'Gibby'. While she had friends.

Now, I'm just warning you, this dame's story has more twists than a Chubby Checker record. Let's begin, shall we:

Gibson was born in Colorado Springs in 1894 to parents who were in the show business. Papa was a musician and Mother was a singer. Trooping the road was all the child knew from the beginning. Unfortunately, Papa was a rolling stone and by 1907 decided to go solo, leaving the now footlights savvy 12 year old as her mother's sole means of support. It's a little fuzzy as to why mama is no longer capable of supporting herself but, hey, things happen, don't they. Anyhooo, by 1912 they had trooped their way to Los Angeles and 17 year old Gibson had trooped her way through the front door of the Vitagraph company in Santa Monica, where she spent the next few years, becoming the youngest leading lady on the lot. During her tenure she appeared opposite William Desmond Taylor (future Paramount Director and murder scandal topic) in 4 pictures.

Margaret Gibson and William Desmond Taylor in "The Kiss" 1914

There were quite a few publicity stories done on her during this time: She's a fresh and humble beauty!; She dances the tango!; She wins a bathing suit competition!, and the like. One such article mentions celebrating her 19th birthday (which actually would be her 20th) by holding an old fashioned housewarming party in her new home "built on a cliff overlooking the ocean". In 1915 she appeared in "The Coward" at the prestigious Thomas Ince studios (this was on TCM last night and that's what launched me on this Gibson jag).

Then her career started going south (metaphorically) and east (geographically) to Hollywood and the poverty row studios. The publicity puff pieces stop, no more about her lovely ocean-view home or her shiny black horse or her shiny green roadster.

The next mention that she received in the papers wasn't until 1917 and it wasn't on the society page. It seems she had been arrested during the police raid of a downtown LA 'sportin' house' and charged as being a young woman employed in said house! Preposterous! Nonsense!, our girl replied, she had merely visited this place to absorb local color for a film role. Now this was good and quick thinking on Gibby's part since "Local Color" was the title of a picture she had made the year before. There were also inferences of Opium dealing involved in the raid (just sayin').

In spite of the fact that there was sworn testimony from one of the other 'workers' that Gibby had in fact been seen at the house on many, many days, clad in nothing but a kimono, seated in the same hallway where the rest of the girls were, being tapped on the shoulder by one of the gentlemen who patronized the establishment, and disappearing into one of the rooms for 5-15 minute intervals with same gentlemen, she was acquitted!!!

The only thing that I can figure, is that there was a female D.A. (astounding considering the year) that was a regular Tasmanian Devil in her cross examinations of the defendant, and there's nothing like an imposing, forceful older woman accusing a young, fresh-faced girl of being low-down, dirty trash to make a jury feel like the girl is the underdog and the one to root for.

So with her record, if not necessarily her reputation, clean, she found her way back to Hollywood with her head somewhere between held high and hung low. Of course the story had received sufficient coverage that she couldn't very well put the name Margaret Gibson on the credit roll any longer, and that's when she started using the name Patricia Palmer. Among others.

We'll pick up her story in our next installment of, "That Gibson Girl!"

Spring Things.

2011-04-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

Mary Carlisle

Barbara Kent

Okay I know we're still a couple of weeks away from Easter, but there's no point in waiting to sound the trumpet for these two Easter basket beauties.

What's all the trumpeting about, you ask? Well it just so happens that Mary Carlisle and Barbara Kent happen to be the two former WAMPUS Baby Stars that are still with us!

Mary, born 1912, was named a WAMPUS Baby in 1932, and Barbara, born 1906, achieved WAMPUS-dom in 1927!