Kitten

Liz


What a cutie!


Mom


National Velvet





Giant





Cat on a Hot Tin Roof


Suddenly


BUtterfield 8


Cleopatra





Martha


Richard & Elizabeth


Taming of the Shrew


The Flintstones


With Michael

My dear sister Cheryl asked me to write this post, or actually wondered why I hadn't written a remembrance for Elizabeth Taylor who passed away last March 23rd, not more than twenty miles from where I'm sitting and composing this (Cidars-Sinai Medical Center, where I donate blood sometimes). Besides from not writing anything for a while (due to an unfortunate incident involving a rabid mongoose, a hairbrush, and some sour Whip & Chill), and that "Liz" was undoubtedly one of our most talented and famous actresses and personalities, she was a bit before my time, basically fading off of the scene while I was still a teenager. Perhaps, unknown to me, Cheryl and Elizabeth knew each other, hence Cheryl's interest. And I have to admit I am largely unfamiliar with the majority of her work (I know I've seen her in a lot of films, such as "Cleopatra," and "BUtterfield 8," but I watched those as a teenager and don't remember them all that well, and have no great desire to review them now), and documenting the life and career of such an accomplished woman is quite a daunting task. But my dear sister is right. Her life deserves to be celebrated and remembered notwithstanding the body of her film work. There are literally thousands of other memorials out there that will do a much better job of it than I.
However I'll give it a shot.
The future Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born in a suburb of London, England on February 27, 1932 (at 2:15 AM, GMT). The youngest of two children of Francis Taylor (Dad, an owner of a art gallery) and Sara Viola Warmbrodt (Mom, a former actress. Elizabeth was of German/Scots/Irish decent), who were Americans, thus providing Elizabeth with a duel British/American Citizenship (At the age of 33 she reportedly attempted to renounce her American citizenship altogether for financial reasons (taxes), however officials denied her request when she refused to complete the renunciation oath, refusing to say that she renounced "all allegiance to the United States of America.")
"My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked." She was referring to her lifelong obsession with jewelery, cosmetics, and fashion. At points in her life she owned some of the largest diamonds in the world.
The interesting thing about her quote is that she didn't open her eyes for eight days, and what eyes they were... a startling violet/blue, one of the rarest of eye colors ("While there is some disagreement to the actual order of which eye colors are the rarest, the following five are considered the finalists on nearly every list compiled on the subject.
Weighing in at number five are green eyes being possessed by only about 2% of the world population.
Violet eyes make their appearance at number three on the list (The five on the list are Green at #5, Amber at #4, Violet, Black, and the most rare... Red, which is odd because that is the color of my eyes after a good Saturday night). Violet eyes are the mixing of red eyes with a blue reflection. In their truest form they are found in albinos, although they are possible as a mutation to those who are not albino." -Lynette Alice of Helium.com).
Elizabeth was blessed with (or suffered from) another mutation, a form of distichia resulting in double eyelashes which of course enhanced those remarkable violet eyes, which "stunned those who met her in person."
I added the stipulation above that she may have suffered from that mutation as Elizabeth endured ill health all of her life. The distichia may have contributed to her history of heart problems, of which she would eventually die at the age of 79. According to Wikipedia, "At 5'4", Taylor constantly gained and lost significant amounts of weight, reaching both 119 pounds and 180 pounds in the 1980s. She smoked cigarettes into her mid-fifties, and feared she had lung cancer in October 1975 after an X-ray showed spots on her lungs, but was later found not to have the disease. Taylor broke her back five times, had both her hips replaced, had a hysterectomy, suffered from dysentery and phlebitis, punctured her esophagus, survived a benign brain tumor operation in 1997 and skin cancer, and faced life-threatening bouts with pneumonia twice, one in 1961 requiring an emergency tracheotomy. In 1983 she admitted to having been addicted to sleeping pills and painkillers for 35 years.Taylor was treated for alcoholism and prescription drug addiction at the Betty Ford Clinic for seven weeks from December 1983 to January 1984, and again from the autumn of 1988 until early 1989."
Another ballerina, she began taking lessons when she was three. At the age of seven, in 1939, her family decided to return to the United States, quite wisely, as the winds of World War II were beginning to blow throughout Europe. They settled right here in L.A. where Francis opened another gallery featuring the magnificent collection he had gathered in England. That gallery attracted many from the nearby entertainment industry, and some were instantly taken with the beautiful young Elizabeth, and pleaded for her parents to allow her to audition for the movies.
The famous Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper introduced the Taylors to the fiance of the chairman of Universal Pictures, who subsequently introduced them to the chairman. MGM also became interested in Elizabeth, and a bidding war ensued, with Universal eventually winning out by signing her to a seven year contract.
She made one picture for Universal, and at nine years old she appeared in her first film, "There's One Born Every Minute," for $200 a week (worth a little over $2,500 today adjusted for inflation... not bad money after the Great Depression). After a year Universal fired her, presumably because they were dissatisfied with her performances and looks, and Elizabeth herself felt unwelcome and uncomfortable there.
Francis served as an air raid warden with a producer from MGM, which renewed their interest in Elizabeth, and offered her a role in the first Lassie film, signing her on to another long term contract. She seemed to be at ease at MGM and much happier.
In 1943 "Lassie Come Home," was released, her co-star the budding young actor Roddy McDowall, whom with she would become life long friends. "Who has double eyelashes except a girl who was absolutely born to be on the big screen?" he would later say.
Elizabeth actively sought and won the role of Velvet Brown in "National Velvet," the story of a girl who trains her horse to win the Grand National, presumably a race of some kind, I don't know for sure as I've never seen the movie. Here, let me look it up for you dear readers, just a minute please... why it is! A steeplechase in fact! The movie grossed over $4 million 1944 dollars ($49 million today). The success of the film made Elizabeth a star at the age of twelve. Audiences "fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor when they saw her in it."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NYsONLJUTQ
She was signed onto a new long term contract and she was cast into another animal film, "Courage of Lassie."
"Some of my best leading men have been dogs and horses."
She continued to make films for MGM (who loaned her out to other studios as well), and Liz suffered from her early success, not meeting many kids her own age, her education lacking as well. She told her parents that she wanted to stop making films and resume a "normal" adolescence. Her mother talked her out of it though, stating she had a responsibility to her fans to continue making pictures. What a bunch of crap. Anyway, she continued making pictures, transitioning into more adult roles, which came easily to her as she had the talent to do it, and her figure had matured (at that time her waist measured 19 inches. For the majority of her film career her measurements averaged 36C-21-36).
In 1949, at the age of seventeen, she was cast with Montgomery Clift in "A Place in the Sun," the story of a spoiled rich girl who seduces Clift away from his pregnant girlfriend (the first time the lovely Shelly Winters got the shaft in films as far as I know, the second being Stanley Kubrick's "Lolita"). Hedda Hopper was allowed on the set and was amazed to see the star from "National Velvet" so easily seduce the character Clift was playing. She asked after filming ended, "Elizabeth, where on earth did you ever learn how to make love like that?"
Teenage girls can be very precocious. I know that for a fact.
In 1950 she was making a cool $2000 per week (almost $18,000 today), and that year she made the first of two films with my favorite American actor ever, Spencer Tracy, in "Father of the Bride" (no, Steve Martin wasn't the first to make that film, although he was very good in his version too). Two days before the premier Elizabeth had married Conrad Hilton Jr, son of the founder of the Hilton hotel chain, Conrad Nicholson Hilton, and great uncle of Paris. Apparently Conrad had a bit of a drinking problem, and domestic violence problem, and the couple divorced after nine months (Elizabeth had gotten pregnant during the marriage, but she miscarried, probably due to Hilton abusive behavior. Hilton died at the age of forty two, probably due to his freaking drinking).
In 1951 "A Place in the Sun," premiered. Critics loved it proclaiming it a classic. "Elizabeth's delineation of the rich and beauteous Angela is the top effort of her career," wrote the New York Times, and many stated she deserved an Academy Award (she was not nominated however. Clift and Winters were, for Best Actor and Actress, but neither won).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-AxFsZ3tCs
One year after divorcing Hilton, Elizabeth married for the second time to Michael Wilding, an English actor, twenty years her senior (he appeared with William Holden and Nancy Kwan in "The World of Suzie Wong").
Liz made a series of forgettable films for the next 3 years. In 1953, now 22 years old, she had her first child, Michael Howard, then 2 years later, her second, Christopher Edward.
Due to her pregnancy with Michael, Liz was forced to turn down a role in the film "Elephant Walk," which was filming in Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka). However, after Michael's birth, Vivien Leigh of "Gone with the Wind," and "A Streetcar Named Desire" fame, whom had been given the role, suffered a breakdown due to a bipolar disorder, and Liz was called in to reclaim her role.
That year was her busiest in the business, making four films ("Elephant Walk," "Beau Brummel," "Rhapsody," and "The Last Time I Saw Paris"). Then in 1956 things began to take off.
She made the George Stevens epic "Giant," with Rock Hudson and James Dean. This was the third and last film for Dean before he quit the business and began a successful career making breakfast sausage.
For the next four years Elizabeth was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. "Raintree County," in 1957, with her old friend Montgomery Clift, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," in 1958, with Paul Newman, "Suddenly Last Summer," in 1959, with Clift again, and Katherine Hepburn, and finally winning the award for "BUtterfield 8," in 1960.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A834EfjqKN8
In 1957 she divorced Michael Welding and one week later married Michael Todd, an American film producer best known for his production of Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days." Perhaps they knew each other before the divorce.
They had one daughter together, Elizabeth Frances.
Todd was the only one of her seven husbands she did not divorce, due to the fact that he died in a tragic plane crash in New Mexico after just a little over a year of marriage.
One of Elizabeth's co-stars in "BUtterfield 8" was one of the most famous singers of the time... Eddie Fisher, who was married to the popular and famous actress, Debbie Reynolds (both being the mother and father of Princess Leia of "Star Wars"), who I'm happy to report is still with us (so is Princess Leia).
Eddie was also Michael Todd's best friend, and of course he consoled Elizabeth after Todd's death... perhaps a little too much, for soon they began an affair, and eventually Fisher divorced Reynolds and married Liz.
Hey, then guess what happened? Sir Richard Burton came along and stole Liz from Eddie.
"Suddenly Last Summer," made Elizabeth one of the best earners in Hollywood, which she would remain for the next decade. She became the first actress to get paid $1,000,000 up front for signing on to the film "Cleopatra," (she got 10% of the gross as well, so eventually made approximately 7 million on the deal. "If someone is dumb enough to offer me a million dollars to make a picture, I'm certainly not dumb enough to turn it down," Liz would later say). Her co-stars were Rex Harrison (of "My Fair Lady" fame, and father of Noel Harrison, Olympic athlete, and Stefanie Powers partner in "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.") and the great Welsh actor, Richard Burton. Here's the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGDyZHlHklo
Boy they sure knew how to market movies in those days, didn't they? You have to appreciate the fact that the epic films made during that period didn't have any digital computer effects.
Anyway, boy meets girl on location, they start an affair, girl divorces husband (who goes on to marry the lovely actress Connie Stevens), then boy and girl get married and make 11 movies together (and an episode of "Here's Lucy" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsFaxeWnSz4).
"Cleopatra," was made in 1963, when Liz was 31. Three years later Burton and Liz made one of my favorite films, not only due to their magnificent performances, no two were better suited for their roles, but also because the film was based on one of my favorite plays, Edward Albee's masterpiece, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf."
Elizabeth played Martha, Richard played George. The film was directed by veteran stage director Mike Nichols (his first movie... what a debut!). The film's other two actors were a young George Segal, and new comer Sandy Dennis (her second film for which she would win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress).
The character of Martha is described thusly: "A large, boisterous woman, 52, looking somewhat younger. Ample, but not fleshy." At the age of 34 Elizabeth certainly pulled off that description. As a matter of fact when I first saw the movie I thought she was in her fifties. Maybe that's one of the reasons she won her second Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nInE5TITzE8
There is no youtube piece that displays my favorite scene in the film, so if you don't mind dear readers, I would like to transpose from the play.
It takes place during the last act... The Exorcism. George has just told Martha that he has received notice their non-existent son has died that day:

MARTHA: You cannot. You may not decide these things.
NICK: (Leaning over her, tenderly). He hasn't decided anything, lady. It's not his doing. He doesn't have the power. . . .
GEORGE: That's right, Martha; I'm not a god. I don't have the power over life and death, do I?
MARTHA: YOU CAN'T KILL HIM! YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM DIE!
HONEY: Lady . . . please . . .
MARTHA: YOU CAN'T!
GEORGE: There was a telegram, Martha.
MARTHA: (Up; facing him). Show it to me! Show me the telegram!
GEORGE: (Long pause; then, with a straight face) I ate it.
MARTHA: (A pause; then with the greatest disbelief possible, tinged with hysteria) What did you just say to me?
GEORGE: (Barely able to stop exploding with laughter) I . . . . ate . . . it.
(MARTHA stares at him for a long moment, then spits in his face)
GEORGE: (with a smile) Good for you, Martha.

Liz and Richard would make six films together during the sixties, earning more than $200 million at the box office. They would divorce in 1974, only to remarry the next year, only to divorce again in July of 1976. Burton would die 8 years later of a stroke at the age of 58. He remains one of my very favorite actors (except for "The Exorcist, Part 2").
A few months after their divorce Elizabeth would marry John Warner, the freaking Republican Senator from Virginia. She grew tired of life in D.C. though, became depressed and left town to enter the Betty Ford Clinic here in California. John and Liz divorced in 1982.
During another stay at the same clinic Liz met a construction worker, Larry Fortensky. Of course they got married... at the Neverland Ranch of Michael Jackson. That marriage lasted five years before he got the old boot too. He was the last of her husbands, because as far as we know she never married Jackson.
They were good friends though. Look at the picture above!
Wikipedia tells us that she was screwing around like a Jack Rabbit on Ritalin outside of her marriages. Hey, it passes the time.
I'm getting giddy.
Elizabeth continued to make films and television appearances, health permitting. She appeared on 3 episodes of the daytime soap opera, "General Hospital," for instance. The mini series "North and South." She even appeared on the "The Simpsons," twice, once as herself, and once as Maggie, uttering her first word, "Daddy."
Liz probably didn't care, or realize that her last theatrical film after such an amazing and distinguished career would be as Fred Flintstone's mother in law in a live action version of "The Flintstone's," (which also featured future Best Actress Halle Berry playing Sharon Stone. Go figure).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__vq7MYpFRA
Liz's devotion to the cause to find a cure for H.I.V./A.I.D.S. is well known. She also championed Jewish causes (the religion she had converted to when 27), as well as many other concerns. "If not to make the world better, what is money for?"
Along with her two Oscars, she also received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1992 for her work with A.I.D.S., a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, and due to her duel British/American citizenship, she was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000.
There have been many quotes I've cited of Elizabeth's in this post, but my favorite is: "One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Going through the different videos of Liz for this piece I was stricken by her resemblance to my very own dear mother, both in face and form. I'm not kidding! Ask my sister!
My mom's eyes weren't violet though.
Or were they?
As far as contemporary actresses that match her for beauty and talent... well there's a reason why Jennifer Connelly is my favorite, several really, especially before she became anorexic.
Congratulations by the way on Jennifer and Paul Bettany's brand new baby girl born May 31st, Agnes Lark, their second together (Agnes... really?)
Well I suppose I should bring this to a close now. It took almost a full hour to put together.
Oh yes, the title of this piece is Kitten, which was one of Elizabeth's nicknames.
I don't know why.

CPR at SRHT

Jose

On November 18th of 2009 my good friend Jose Montoya, a neighbor of mine living one floor below me, pounded on the door to my box. I opened it to find my friend lying on the floor of the hallway obviously in distress. He was conscious, having trouble breathing, and couldn't stand, although he tried to get off the floor several times even after my neighbors and I asked him to remain there. A call to 911 was placed immediately, but too soon Jose lost consciousness and never regained it, and never is a long time.
He was just 42 years old when he died that day, most likely of massive heart failure, literally in my arms, as I attempted ineffectively to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) methods I had been trained in. The only problem was that I had been trained in them 18 years previously.
You can read about Jose here: http://joycestake.blogspot.com/2009/11/joses-memorial_24.html
After this very sad event I talked to my lovely case manager, Erin, about Skid Row Housing Trust approving and sponsoring a CPR / First Aid training program for the residents and staff of SRHT's 20 plus hotels, training that I believed was clearly indicated and needed in the case that this type of medical emergency happened again, which it surely would... and has.
Erin agreed with me that this was a good idea and promised to look into it. I talked to Erin's boss (or one of her bosses) and she agreed as well. I Emailed the head of this operation, SRHT's Executive Director, Mike Alvidrez, after another close friend of mine, Robert Bray, died in his sleep, in March of 2010. He had one of his minions reply that they would look into this.
Robert was also in his 40s... a young man.
But still nothing occurred. Erin seemed decidedly unenthusiastic in setting the program up and I would have to get after her repeatedly. After all, she was all of 26 years old at the time (27 last month), and common knowledge dictates 26 year olds are indestructible and will live forever. Dying and death are the last things 26 year olds are concerned with.
But the problem wasn't with Erin. The problem was money. SRHT trust is mostly funded by donations and grants, and the country (world) was in a bad recession (thank you Republicans). Money was tight, as it remains today (thank you Obama for not providing enough stimulus, buying into the Republicans anti-spending mania, and keeping the same people who helped create the financial meltdown in charge of the financial recovery).
I have a new case manager... Robert, who has been my case manager since last December. Hardly ever talk to him, very nice man though (he gave me two cheese quesadillas Tuesday, and five corn dogs last week... I don't know why).
At Robert's first Resident Meeting (a monthly get together between the building residents and staff... refreshments provided) last January I was delighted when he announced that he planned to begin CPR / First Aid training for residents.
How was this possible? Erin had been trying literally for over a year to get this done. Well little did I know at the time, but Robert himself was and is a certified CPR / First Aid instructor, and has been for years. He was going to provide this service to residents free of charge, or pro bono as he likes to call it (which is Latin for "for the public good"). Normally it would cost anywhere from $50 up for an individual to receive this training and certification. SRHT would pay for the nice training booklets the students would receive.
Well his first class was finally scheduled last week, May 26th, at 9:00AM to noon, and of course I attended. Robert had asked his case manager buddies to let their clients know the class was available, and there was room for 20 to 25 people to attend. Five men and one women showed up for the training which consisted of us watching a training DVD, which Robert paused at certain points at which time he would talk to us about what we had just seen.
It seems the current recommended CPR regimen is mostly focused on keeping the blood circulating through the body and brain until emergency medical assistance arrives on the scene, which for my location is at least five minutes once the 911 call is placed. This is emphasized due to the fact that if the brain is denied oxygen for more that four minutes irreversible damage will begin, and complete brain death in ten. One can help keep the circulation flowing by administering short, but deep (2 inches) thrusts to the victims chest at the rate of approximately 100 per minute. Actual mouth to mouth resuscitation is only recommended if a special mask, or barrier device is on hand to prevent transmission of infectious disease, and at the rate of two breath ventilations into the victim per 30 chest compressions.
We all practiced these chest compressions on the special CPR mannequin Robert had brought with him, and I can tell you dear readers it is exceptionally physically taxing, just for one minute. We learned all kinds of other things as well, like how to assess the immediate vicinity for danger before providing assistance, how to deal with bleeding and shock, how to help a victim who is choking, treat injuries to specific regions of the body, burns, diabetic emergencies, how to use a AED (Automated External Defibrillator), all kinds of stuff to keep the victim alive until professional emergency assistance arrives at the scene and takes over, which is the whole point of learning and providing this type of assistance.
And we got to keep the little booklets! I can look at it anytime I want to. I'm looking at it right now as a matter of fact.
I was very pleased with the class, and am happy to report that Robert plans to make this training available quarterly, for free, for other SRHT residents and staff. And that is exactly what I had hoped for ever since shortly after that Wednesday morning in November of 2009.
I don't know if Jose would be alive today if I knew then what I know now. All I do know is that I did not provide the life sustaining emergency assistance that he required until help arrived simply because I had forgotten what I had learned 18 years ago. I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life. All I can do to make up for that lack of knowledge at that time is to make sure it never happens again, and now I feel exceptionally confident in my ability to provide assistance if it does happen again.
And I assure you I will maintain my certification so it will never happen again.
Thanks to SRHT and Robert future lives may be saved, maybe one day my own.

Happy Birthday Nikki (Cox)!

Nikki


Before and after puberty


All grown up


As Tiffany Malloy


Tiffany vs Kelly








Las Vegas showgirl





As Mary Connell


"Run Ronnie Run"


With husband Jay

Alright, back from the Dalai Lama, the needy bastard.
This morning I am very pleased to give a great big happy birthday shout out, again, to one of my very favorite actresses and comedians, and new mom (she gave birth to her first child, a son, Meredith Daniel, who is celebrating his 28th day birthday today as well), Nikki Cox!
Nicole Avery "Nikki" Cox is an L.A. girl I'm proud to say. Another ballerina as well. Her father's name is also Meredith (what an amazing coincidence!), and her mom, who at one time served as her manager, is named Mary Kay. Her younger brother Matthew is also an actor.
Ballet, that's how she got her start in show business. At the grand old age of four she was discovered by a dance agent and young Nicole soon appeared as a dancer in several ballet productions and TV specials. At ten she got her first movie acting gig in the kind of "E.T." rip off, "Mac and Me," for which she was an uncredited dancer. Then she began getting parts in television shows and movies like my favorite, "Star Trek, the Next Generation," Night Court," "Mama's Family," and "Murphy Brown." When she was 13 she played the part of "Girl," in James Cameron's Sci Fi classic "Terminator 2, Judgment Day," although I've never recognized her in that film which I've seen about a million times. She had a recurring role in the daytime soap opera "General Hospital," from 1993 to 1995, after which she won her breakout role as Tiffany Malloy in "Unhappily Ever After."
An obvious rip off of "Married with Children," the show was surprisingly successful lasting 4 1/2 seasons at 100 episodes from 1995 to May of 1999. With a natural penchant for comedy Nikki became the main focus of the program after the second season which had primarily dealt with the characters of her parents before then. She was certainly the only reason I watched the show... I don't know why. By this time she had grown into a beautiful young woman which the shows producers took full advantage of, maybe that had something to do with it, although her Tiffany was supposedly much more virtuous than her counterpart, Kelly Bundy.
Here's a little clip featuring a very young Mila Kunis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc9hRiKRHIo&feature=related
Nikki had already signed on to another program for the WB network by the time Unhappily ended it's run. That would be "The Norm Show, which I have never seen, in which she played a reformed prostitute throughout the first through third seasons. That show aired from 1999 to 2001, but at the same time Nikki was working on her very own show in which she was the star, in "Nikki," which aired from 2000 to 2002. Nikki played a married professional Las Vegas showgirl. Again, she was the only reason I ever watched the show, which was canceled after only 35 episodes due to low ratings. I bet you that show would still be on the air if the producers had gotten rid of that married part. "Nikki," is currently playing in reruns in Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands. I'm thinking seriously of moving there.
After "Nikki," Nikki won a gig on the hour long drama, "Las Vegas," playing Mary Connell, a Special Events Director at the casino the show is set in. Starring James Cann, the show was well received and lasted for 5 seasons, from 2003 to 2008, however when Cann left the show after the fourth season, the producers for some inexplicable reason fired Nikki. I don't know why, and at the time I predicted the show's imminent demise, which occurred of course after the next season, as again the only reason to watch it was Nikki.
She's the only reason to watch anything she appears in, like one of my very favorite films of all time, the comedy "Run Ronnie Run." I don't know why.
In December of 2006 she married the actor Jay Mohr here in L.A. Again I don't know why. Anyway they have appeared together in the Jennifer Love Hewitt vehicle, "Ghost Whisperer," and the film, "Lonely Street."
Well I'm sure it's safe to say that everybody here at Joyce's Take sends congratulations on the new baby, and wishes for a very happy birthday. Happy birthday Nikki!
Here's a fun video compilation I found. I like the music:

Alright!

Alright! We're back. Due to technical problems both in hard and soft ware, and a quick trip to Quillacollo, Bolivia (tamales), we are back after a two month break, ready to get started once again... hopefully uninterrupted from this point on. Please bear with me as I ease back into the routine.
And what has happened during this time. Massive earthquakes, destruction and loss of life in both Japan and New Zealand, the assassination of 9/11 kingpin Osama Bin Laden and his son by U.S. forces yesterday in Pakistan, the immediate and predictable attempt by Fox News and the Republicans to give credit for Bin Laden's death to George W. Bush, the assassination of Moammar Kadafi's son by UN forces in Libya, the conflict in Libya generally, and other countries on the Middle East, worries about the use and safety of nuclear power, huge active and unusual weather systems pummeling parts of the U.S. (but there's no need to bother with attempts to curb global warming which is fueling this phenomena the Republicans say, indeed, keep right on polluting), the reluctance by either party to have the balls to shut down the federal government even for an hour or two, the Republican's continued attempts to foist their ideology on the American public including their War on Women, the War on the Disadvantaged, medicare and medical and social security privatization (there's just so much money there that Wall Street just has to get it's hands on), and the biggest story of all, the White House's release of the President's long form birth certificate.. because I was starting to wonder myself. I mean if such a stable pillar of respectable society and the business community like the Donald is concerned I probably should be too (this guy keeps talking about how freaking rich he is. Well last year he didn't even make it on the 100 richest Americans list, tying with 5 others for a 153rd spot on Forbes Richest 400 Americans, along with Ty Warner of Beanie Babies. All he's got is 2.4 measly billion dollars. Even Oprah's got more than that (2.7)). And of course you never know what's going to happen tomorrow... so there seems to be lots to talk about.
And to the hundreds who have Emailed expressing concern I appreciate it very much, everything is fine, and I would like to remind my readers, especially my dear, dear sister, there are 469 posts at Joyce's Take so far that one can always reflect back on, 470 including this one... and I got another one in my pocket... that makes 471 ("Mr. Roberts"), including one delightful screenplay that no one has bothered to read, and of course the book sized Salvation Diary, which is almost complete.
Well I'm off to see the Dalai Lama, the peace loving baldheaded blind Buddhist bastard.

Peace

Rick Joyce

Jane Russell

Ms Russell


From "The Outlaw"


Another

Favorite WWII Pin Up (I don't know why)

Skiing

"Yeah, I'm looking at you."

With Clark Gable

On the beach

With Marilyn

"The girl with the summer-hot lips... and the winter-cold heart"


I was very saddened to learn of the death Monday of Jane Russell, one of our countries more interesting actresses in the 1940's and 50s. She was a few months shy of her 90th birthday when she passed away from a respiratory related illness in her home, up north in Santa Maria, California. She died a born again Christian, and staunch Republican, pro-life conservative, so she and I would not have agreed on many issues, but I'm not writing this to debate her misguided political and social beliefs, rather I'm doing this to celebrate her life, her career, and the fact that she most likely helped us win World War II.
She was born while still very young in Bemidji, Minnesota in 1921. Bemidji means "lake that traverses another body of water" in Ojibwe, which of course is an indigenous language of the Algonquian family of languages. I assume Bemidji is near a lake. But here's something you probably didn't know, when she was born her name was Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell. She lost two of those names when she became a big movie star. Her father, William, was an officer in the army. Her mom, Geraldine, a former actress. Jane was the eldest of five kids, and the only girl (female).
Bill and Geraldine spent a lot of time in Canada when they first got married, moving back to the states when Jane was born to make sure she was an American citizen. As a matter of fact Jane's heritage is three quarters Canadian, and one quarter German.
Hey, guess what? The family soon found their way down here to L.A., Burbank specifically, in the San Fernando Valley, where I grew up. I've lived in Burbank as well. It gets hot there sometimes.
Geraldine arranged for Jane to take piano lessons. My mom arranged for me to take accordion lessons, which is actually very similar to the piano, except you can carry it around, and it sounds different. So Jane and I had a great deal in common despite our inherent political and philosophical beliefs. Here's another similarity, we were both interested in drama and appeared in high school theatrical productions, she at Van Nuys High School, and me at nearby Monroe (about three miles away as the crow flies). Isn't it wonderful!
Jane wished to be a designer of some kind, perhaps submarines. However she began working as receptionist for a dentist after her father died and she graduated high school. Being very pretty for a girl, she also found work modeling, and continued studying drama, following in her mother's footsteps.
Despite the tragic events that led to the death of Kristi Johnson ( http://joycestake.blogspot.com/2011/02/death-of-kristi-johnson.html ), sometimes, very rarely, what some call miracles do happen.
A casting agent for the aviation pioneer and burgeoning film producer, Howard Hughes, was looking for a voluptuous young female type person to play Billy the Kid's love interest in his upcoming production of "The Outlaw." Jane with measurements that averaged 38D-25-36 throughout her career certainly fit the bill. She got the part after one audition, and Howard signed her to a seven year contract in 1940. Hughes took an avid interest in his new star (but never romantically, despite his reputation for getting involved with young starlets. Jane was engaged at the time with her high school sweetheart, Bob Waterfield, who she would marry in 1943) and fired his director, Howard Hawks (although he is credited as co-director), taking over that chore himself. He used his engineering skills to design a special bra for Jane that emphasized her ample cleavage. Jane latter confessed that she never wore it, using her own bra while hiding the straps under her blouse (see the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th pictures above).
For the time (1943) the footage of Jane was rather controversial, and Hughes had a great deal of trouble with censors. The film itself didn't do all that well at the box office, but it was Jane's breakthrough role, largely due to the costuming, turning her into a sex symbol, and Hollywood icon.
This is what Gil Kaufman of MTV said of her yesterday: "You can thank Jane Russell for "Sucker Punch" [I'm thinking he's referring to the upcoming movie starring Emily Browning], every Roger Corman jigglefest, the Catwoman outfit Halle Berry was poured into and just about any other body-baring costume that a Hollywood actress has shimmied in over the past 70 years. The buxom pinup beauty who helped push the envelope in onscreen sensuality."
The quote at the top of this post is from Ms. Russell herself, an estimate I believe, of what she thought of her public image.
Jane chose not to make another picture for three years, until 1946. But that fourth picture above, with her holding the revolver, was very popular with our servicemen fighting overseas during World War II, and has been credited, by some, as being one of the main reasons we won so quickly after invading France in 1944 (our boys wanted to get back home ASAP)... I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that her breasts singlehandedly saved millions of lives.
Jane attempted a musical career, singing in orchestras and making records. And she continued her work in motion pictures, staring with Bob Hope in 1948s "Paleface," and 1952s "Son of Paleface." Here's a clip with cowboy Roy Rogers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v3d_lJ6UKk
She appeared with Marilyn Monroe in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." Here's a clip from that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xHK4cJVQXk
She appeared with Robert Mitchum twice, in "His Kind of Woman," and "Macao." Frank Sinatra and Groucho Marx in "Double Dynamite" (I'm not exactly sure what the title is referring to), Victor Mature, Vincent Price, and Hoagy Carmichael in "The Las Vegas Story," and Clark gable and Robert Ryan in "The Tall Men."
In the late 50s she formed a production company with her husband and made three films. After making "The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown," in 1957, she did not appear in a movie for seven years.
She became very involved with Christianity and formed The Hollywood Christian Group, a weekly Bible study at her home which was arranged for Christians in the film industry. She also toured as a solo musical performer in Las Vegas, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Europe.
Her next movie appearance came in "Fate Is The Hunter," in 1964, in which she was seen as herself performing for the USO in a flashback sequence. She made only four more movies after that, playing character parts in the final two.
In 1999, she remarked, "Why did I quit movies? Because I was getting too old! You couldn't go on acting in those years if you were an actress over thirty."
1970s "Darker than Amber," a detective mystery starring Rod Taylor, was the last film Jane acted in.
Also in the 1970s, she started appearing in T.V. commercials as a spokesperson for Playtex. "'Cross-Your-Heart Bras' for us full-figured gals," she would say, featuring the "18-Hour Bra." I remember these vividly, and still wonder what happens exactly after 18 hours. I NEED TO KNOW!
Jane was married three times. Unable to have children herself due to her own abortions she received starting when she was 18, she adopted three children.
Describing her shock at finding herself pregnant at eighteen: "The only solution was to find a quack and get an abortion. I had a botched abortion and it was terrible. Afterwards my own doctor said, 'What butcher did this to you?' I had to be taken to hospital. I was so ill I nearly died. I've never known pain like it."
She later became a pro-life supporter: "People should never, ever have an abortion. Don't talk to me about it being a woman's right to choose what she does with her own body. The choice is between life and death."
Our opinions evolve over time and experience.
She was involved throughout her later years in Christian and republican causes.
Jane's hand and foot prints are immortalized in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theater (where only Chinese people can go) and she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2009 she was voted one of the 40 most Iconic Movie Goddesses of all time by Glamour magazine, U.K. edition (my apologies to Bree Olson).
Here's a tribute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elVeEeYa5-8&feature=fvwrelhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elVeEeYa5-8&feature=fvwrel
Jane died at home, surrounded by her children. Like all of us her life was filled with pain, happiness, successes and sorrow. She was beautiful until the end and she will be remembered and missed.
Goodbye lovely lady.
A public funeral will be held on March 12, at Pacific Christian Church, Santa Maria.

Anne Again, & The 2011 Academy Awards

Ms Anne


The Hosts

Kirk

Beautiful

WTF?!

Ooopps! This is her next movie.

I was talking to my lovely sister over the weekend, just a few hours before the 83rd annual Academy Award presentation was to begin right here in Los Angeles, in Hollywood in fact, at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. It was around three in the afternoon, and we both planned on watching the ceremony. We didn't know why. Neither of us had been involved in the production of any of the nominated films. Neither of us had acted in any capacity in "The King's Speech" or "Inception" (although my lovely ex-case manager Erin and I had been chased off of the set of "Inception," while they were filming here downtown. We have pictures to prove it). We didn't write "The Social Network," or "The Fighter," or even "Toy Story 3," for that matter. As a matter of fact my sister Cheryl and I don't have any thing to do at all with the entertainment business whatsoever. It is true that I used to deliver booze to various stars inside the Universal City lot, along with my father of course, who owned the liquor store where the booze came from, but that was a very long time ago, more time than I'd like to admit. And I'm not exactly sure if delivering alcohol to Grandpa Munster counts exactly as "being in the business." So why were Cheryl and I looking forward to watching this three hour plus, self congratulatory, self aggrandizing, unapologetic monument to narcissistic, economic self promotion?
Nothing better to do I guess.
But that's not the true story at all. I have a long history of watching the Academy Awards. I don't know why (I remember clearly when Marlon Brando refused the Best Actor Award for the "Godfather" due to his objection to the depiction of American Indians by Hollywood and television, sending instead American Indian Rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather, who appeared in full Apache dress. And before that I'll always remember (it's not easy to remember as I was on acid at the time) the look on young (26 year old) Goldie Hawn's face when she opened the envelope for the Best Actor Award in 1971. First she sucked in her breath, shocked when she read who the winner was, then recovered her poise, smiled, and blurted out, "George C. Scott, for 'Patton.'" Scott had not attended the ceremony, had in fact stated he would refuse the award if it were presented to him feeling the politics surrounding such awards were "demeaning" and described the Oscar ceremony as "a two-hour meat parade." Little did he know it would evolve into a three and a half hour meat parade). I've seen them almost every year that I can think of (except when I served overseas in the navy). I guess it is due to the fact that I love movies so much, and know quite a bit about them. I have no idea why my sister watches the awards, although I know she enjoys films a great deal. Currently she enjoys films with Johnny Depp and Ryan Reynolds in them. But neither actor was to be found at the 83 annual Academy Award Show.
I made a point of watching every film that had been nominated for the Best Picture category before the awards, except one, "The Kids Are Alright." Not that I have any thing against lesbians. That's hardly the case. Some of my best friends are lesbians. Hell, if I were a girl I'd be a lesbian myself! It was just that no one sent me a DVD screener for the movie, and I could not muster the energy to rent it, so it was essentially inaccessible to me. I watched many other films that were released in 2010 that were not nominated for Best Picture to compensate (like "Skyline," where the aliens come to suck out our brains. I hope they make better use of them than we do).
So I believed myself to be thoroughly prepared for the evening. I had put in the work, and was ready to see who the winners would be (although there were not any big surprises throughout the night).
There was another reason I was happy to watch the awards. I told my sister.
"I'm secretly in love with Anne Hathaway," I told her. "Please don't tell anybody."
"You're in love with all of them," she inartfully replied.
It seems to be true, about Anne that is. Ms Hathaway is one of the very few ladies who have made repeat appearances on this very website, Joyce's Take. She first appeared on the second post... right after the first! Back in February of 2008. Here it is right here:
http://joycestake.blogspot.com/2009/02/2008-academy-awards.html
See! I told you. The occasion was the Academy Awards again. It's so funny how they keep popping up! She had been involved briefly with Hugh Jackman's opening bit, and I had commented on what a great job she did. She was wonderful, and I'm not saying that just because I was secretly in love with her at the time (yes, even back then).
She came back to Joyce's Take quite unexpectedly last November, the 12th to be precise, on one of the many birthday tributes that makes their way onto the site every now and then. Here is Anne's:
http://joycestake.blogspot.com/2010/11/happy-birthday-anne-hathaway.html
Anyway, she was so good that they invited her back to actually host the awards last Sunday night with the wonderful actor James Franco. You may have seen him in films like "Spiderman," "Pineapple Express," and "Milk." By golly, he was even nominated this year for Best Actor himself for his performance in "127 Hours." It amazes me that he didn't win! I mean anybody who cuts their own arm off in service to their craft should certainly deserve that recognition at least!
But it was not to be. Colin Firth won for "The King's Speech" (damn foreigner).
Here is a promo that James and Anne worked very hard on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE0asLABRIo
And here's the opening of the awards itself, which I enjoyed very much:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XYWloNDWDU
Anyway, the awards over now, the show itself has met with a great deal of negative reviews. Some saying it was too long (they always say that), some say it was the most boring in history, some that James seemed disinterested, distracted, or "high," on some kind of drug that makes one appear disinterested and distracted. They say of Anne, she was too perky, or too confident that everything was going well and playing off that. Many people got on this rolling bandwagon of heaping verbal and written abuse of the show and the guest hosts, it seemed to be the "in" thing to do.
You know what I say to all of that negativity. I say bullshit! That's what I say. I think both of the hosts were wonderful, especially Anne... because I'm secretly in love with her (although she really is a little too old for me).
Even 94 year old veteran actor and icon, the legendary Kirk Douglas thought Anne was wonderful (the lecherous bastard):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBLlJBgZkDs
So I don't care what anybody says. If there was anything off about Sunday's presentation it had to due with the writing, a matter that was beyond the control of James and Anne, and I would have either or both of them back anytime, especially Anne.
Because I'm secretly in love with her.
I think Kirk is too.
Please don't tell anyone.

Happy Sweet Sixteen Jessie!

Jessie!


Erin & Jessie
The two lovely sisters in a stare out
I don't know why

This morning it is my great pleasure and honor to wish my lovely ex-case manager's sister, Jessie, a very happy sixteenth birthday! 16 times around the Sun. Way to go. She is into gymnastics, as am I. I'm going to go do some work on the old rings right now as a matter of fact. Well, everybody here at Joyce's Take wishes her every happiness, continued good health and fortune, many more successful trips throughout the solar system, and a very happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Jessie!