The Echo of a Distant Time

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Quotables 19 May 2024: Coleen Gray on daydreams of Hollywood stardom dampened by the harsh realities of a Hollywood career

A publicity shot of actress Coleen Gray for ‘Kansas City Confidential’, 1952. Photo: United Artists

‘When I attended the University, I daydreamed about being a movie star. I would do my dressing room in Early American and give lovely presents to my make-up man and hairdresser for making me look so lovely, and so on. When I got my contract at 20th I was in seventh heaven, but I found out that a movie career is mostly hard work laced with disappointments’.

Interview with the Boston Sunday Post, 9 November 1947

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1960: May Britt in a publicity photo for the 20th Century Fox feature, ‘Murder Inc.’

Born 22 March 1934 in Stockholm, Swedish actress May Britt is oft recalled in present times as the wife of Sammy Davis Jr. from 1960 to 1968. In her own right, however, she was a star of some repute in Italy and in Hollywood during the 1950s, appearing alongside the renowned likes of Marlon Brando, Robert Mitchum, Robert Wagner, Montgomery Clift, and Peter Falk. Marrying a notorious, professional bachelor akin to those in the Rat Pack is a foolish endeavour for any lady anticipating a faithful husband. May Britt learned this lesson through adversity, as her union with Davis met its end amid whispers of an affair with actress and songstress Lola Falana. Removed from the limelight for many a decade now, and at 90 years-old, I doth sincerely hope the lady finds solace and joy in her days.

Born #OTD 1949: Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman CBE. Photo: Steve Parsons/PA/Getty Images

Wishing the esteemed keyboardist, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Rick Wakeman CBE, a joyous 75th.

Quotables 18 May 2024: Baseball great Reggie Jackson on the value of ‘the will to win’, Mickey Mantle, tolerating failure versus accepting it, the batter’s box belonging to him alone, and bringing his star to New York City

1977 Topps baseball card for Reggie Jackson

Words of wisdom from the all-time excellent right fielder Reggie Jackson, born on this day, 18 May 1946, in Abington Township, Pennsylvania:

‘The will to win is worthless if you don’t get paid for it’.

‘Just like every other kid in my grade school, I was listening to my little radio plug in my ear when Mickey Mantle hit 18 post-season homers and won series after series for the Yankees. I listened and I learned from that. I think he was the original "Mr. October", but thank god it didn't stick’.

‘I feel that the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it’.

‘Fans don't boo nobodies’.

‘I’m a businessman. I bring my bat and glove and attache case to the office and go to work. I don’t give a damn if the other workers at the office like me or not’.

‘When I stepped into the box, I felt the at-bat belonged to me. Everybody else was there for my convenience. The pitcher was there to throw me a ball to hit. The catcher was there to throw it back to him if he didn’t give me what I wanted the first time. And the umpire was lucky that he was close enough to watch’.

‘There are at least three kinds of advantages that the pitcher and batter contest. There’s the physical advantage, the strategic advantage, and also the psychological advantage. I didn’t want two out of three. I wanted them all’.

‘So many ideas come to you and you want to try them all, but you can't. You're like a mosquito in a nudist colony, you don't know where to start’.

‘In the building I live in on Park Avenue there are ten people who could buy the Yankees, but none of them could hit the ball out of Yankee Stadium’.

‘I didn’t come to New York to be a star. I brought my star with me’.

Quotes via https://www.azquotes.com/author/7277-Reggie_Jackson, https://quotefancy.com/reggie-jackson-quotes, and https://www.allgreatquotes.com/authors/reggie-jackson/

Friday, May 17, 2024

Quotables 17 May 2024: Ava Gardner speaks on beauty, stardom, Frank Sinatra, and George C. Scott

Ava Gardner, circa 1945. Photo: PictureLux

‘All I have going is my looks. When my beauty goes, I'm through’.

‘What I'd really like to say about stardom is that it gave me everything I never wanted’.

‘I dealt with men who had tempers, and who could get violent-Lord knows how I had to defend myself against Howard Hughes and Frank Sinatra, and from Artie Shaw's verbal abuse. But George [C. Scott] was a different category of animal when he got drunk. He'd break into my hotel room, which he did in Italy, London and at the Beverly Hills Hotel, attack me to where I was frightened for my life, and scream, 'Why won't you marry me?' Well, I would never marry a man who couldn't control his liquor. Me, I'm a happy drunk. I laugh, I dance. I certainly don't break bottles and threaten to kill’.

‘Our phone bills were astronomical, and when I found the letters Frank wrote me the other day, the total could fill a suitcase. Every single day during our relationship, no matter where in the world I was, I'd get a telegram from Frank saying he loved me and missed me. He was a man who was desperate for companionship and love. Can you wonder that he always had mine’.

‘Love is nothing but a pain in the ass’.

Quotes via https://www.azquotes.com/author/5336-Ava_Gardner

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

R.I.P. David Sanborn

David Sanborn, circa 1980. Photo: David Redern

The esteemed saxophonist David Sanborn, renowned for his manifold contributions to hundreds of recordings as both a session musician and band leader, has departed at the age of 78 after battling prostate cancer. {AP 5/14}

Born #OTD 1898: Arletty

A publicity shot of French actress Arletty, for ‘Hôtel du Nord’, 1938. Photo: Bridgeman Images.

French actress, singer, and model Léonie Marie Julie Bathiat, professionally known as Arletty, entered this mortal coil on 15 May 1898 in the Paris suburb of Courbevoie. Notorious for her dalliance with Nazi Luftwaffe officer Hans-Jürgen Soehring during the dark days of her homeland’s occupation in the crucible of World War II, she was convicted of treason in 1945 and served eighteen months in confinement for this crime. Yet, the French people did prove to be a forgiving lot and Arletty's stage and film career resumed by 1948 and flourished into the 1960s. In 1995, the French government honoured her memory by printing a limited edition coin with her visage. Arletty lived to the ripe age of 94, departing on 23 July 1992.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Born #OTD 1928: Barbara Ann Scott

Barbara Ann Scott. Photo: Getty Images

Canadian figure skating icon and horsewoman Barbara Ann Scott, hailed in her days of skating as 'Canada's Sweetheart' and victor of the world championship in 1947 and 1948. Born on 9 May 1928 in Ottawa.

Quotables 9 May 2024: The matchless Lena Horne ponders whether 'second class' status be innate, delving into why women can never seem to triumph in a society that demands both sensuality and prudence from them; and extolls the greatness of Count Basie

Lena Horne. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images

‘You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way. But the slanting process is so subtle that you frequently don't realize how you're being slanted until very late in the game’.

‘I don't have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I'd become. I'm me, and I'm like nobody else’.

'I'm not alone, I'm free. I no longer have to be a credit, I don't have to be a symbol to anybody; I don't have to be a first to anybody’.

‘The naked female body is treated so weirdly in society. It's like people are constantly begging to see it, but once they do, someone's a hoe’.

‘Count Basie isn't just a man, or even just a band. He's a way of life’.

Quotes via https://www.azquotes.com/author/6910-Lena_Horne

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

#RIP Steve Albini: Renowned producer of bands such as Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey, and more, departs at the age of 63 following heart attack

Record producer Steve Albini, circa 2023. Photo: John Semley/WXPN/NPR

NPR - Steve Albini, iconoclastic rock musician and engineer, dies at 61

Quotables 8 May 2024: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) reflecting on the true value - or lack thereof - of public opinion, and the persistent collective failure to glean lessons from history

Portrait of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, circa 1831. Public domain.

Food for thought for the day from the esteemed German philosopher, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, born in Stuttgart:

‘To be independent of public opinion is the first formal condition of achieving anything great or rational whether in life or in science’. - from ‘Grundlinien der Philosophie des Rechts’ (1820/1821).

‘What experience and history teach is this - that nations and governments have never learned anything from history, or acted upon any lessons they might have drawn from it’. - from ‘Lectures on the Philosophy of History’, published 1832.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Quotables 7 May 2024: Sue Lyon reflects on the mental anguish that ensued from her portrayal of 'Lolita' in the 1962 Stanley Kubrick classic

Sue Lyon as the title role of ‘Lolita’ in a 1962 publicity photo for the MGM feature. Photo: Bert Stern.

In a 1996 interview, actress Sue Lyon discussed her experience playing the titular role of 'Lolita' in the 1962 cinematic adaptation of the Vladimir Nabokov novel: ‘My destruction as a person dates from that movie. Lolita exposed me to temptations no girl of that age should undergo. I defy any pretty girl who is rocketed to stardom at 14 in a sex nymphet role to stay on a level path thereafter’.

Sunday, May 5, 2024

David Pastrnak's OT goal to knock out the Maple Leafs: A great moment in Boston Bruins history

Canadian Press

David Pastrnak scores in OT to deliver game seven to the Boston Bruins; the B’s are on their way to Sunrise. {ESPN 5/05}

Verily, a standout amidst a throng of unforgettable moments. Maple Leafs fans are in mourning today, and I do extend sympathy to the wonderful city of Toronto. A proud and iconic franchise, its last taste of championship glory now 57 years past. For me personally, of course, this stands as one of the more gratifying sporting moments of recent years: David Pastrnak's overtime goal did secure the decisive game seven for the Boston Bruins on Saturday night at TD Garden, whilst goaltender Jeremy Swayman did deliver unparalleled brilliance throughout the series. The Bruins now embark upon Sunrise, FL, seeking redemption for last season’s epic playoff collapse against the Florida Panthers. Naturally, yours truly shall be fervently supporting them every step of the way towards what we do hope will culminate in a Stanley Cup-winning campaign.

Saturday, May 4, 2024

Born #OTD 1929: Audrey Hepburn

Remembering the ever graceful Audrey Hepburn on what would have been her 95th birthday. Shown here lensed by Bob Willoughby in a promotional photo for the 1964 Paramount feature, ‘Paris When It Sizzles’, in which she starred opposite William Holden.

Quotable 4 May 2024: Bette Davis reflects on 'boys' competing for renowned women, the male ego, love culminating in marriage, and the distinction between the anguish and joy of love

Bette Davis by Jack Freulich, circa 1930

‘I was never very interested in boys - and there were plenty of them - vying with one another to see how many famous women they would get into the hay’.

‘The male ego with few exceptions is elephantine to start with’.

‘Brought up to respect the conventions, love had to end in marriage. I'm afraid it did’.

‘The secret of marriage is: separate bedrooms and separate bathrooms’.

‘Once the love bug wears off, as it inevitably does, you are shocked to discover that you really didn't know the object of your affections at all. We know this to be so, even as we repeat the same mistake over and over and over’.

‘Pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Pain of love lasts a lifetime’.

Quotes via https://www.azquotes.com/author/3703-Bette_Davis

Kentucky Derby day: a reflection on the diminishing thrill of horse racing and beyond

Bill Brine/Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps some of you may recall my frequent posts on horse racing in the past. Today marks the Kentucky Derby, yet I find myself struggling to muster the excitement I once had. There's a pang of shame within me for this lack of enthusiasm. I used to anticipate this day eagerly, but over the past three or four years, my fervor for the sport has waned almost completely. Pinpointing the exact cause of this shift is elusive, though I will say the distressing frequency of horse fatalities weighs heavily on my conscience.

Nevertheless, there remains an unparalleled thrill in witnessing the intense competition as horses thunder toward the finish line, a sensation I yearn to experience anew. Sadly, my passion for many pursuits and hobbies has dimmed in recent years. The loss of my long-term girlfriend in 2017, followed by two more relationships that were utterly disastrous, myriad betrayals by former ‘friends’ in a 12-step cult from which I have long since disentangled myself, the turmoil of COVID, the ongoing political upheaval, the grief of losing pets, and financial woes - all of that and more have exacted a toll on my mental well-being.

Even my enjoyment of baseball, once a steadfast source of joy, has become increasingly elusive. I long to rekindle that fire within me, to recapture the exhilaration I once felt on Kentucky Derby day, and to feel truly alive once more. /rant

Friday, May 3, 2024

1957: Vikki Dougan dazzles and gleams

A monochrome portrait captures actress and pin-up girl Vikki Dougan, lensed by Earl Leaf, adorned in a sheer white nightgown, accompanied by a seductive smile amidst a splendid backdrop. Verily, this lady personifies immaculate grace.

Born #OTD 1934: Sir Henry Cooper

Aubrey Hart/Getty Images

Widely regarded as one of Britain's greatest heavyweight boxers and the singular recipient of knighthood in the sport, Henry Cooper entered this world ninety years ago, hailing from council housing in the South London district of Lambeth. Pictured alongside Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) in 1963, before their bout at Wembley Stadium, which concluded due to an eye injury to Cooper. A rematch at Arsenal Stadium in 1966, with Ali defending his world heavyweight championship, ended in almost identical circumstances. Yet, Cooper persisted in pugilistic prowess until 1971 and after retiring remained a cherished public figure, gracing the advertisements of Brut aftershave and commanding attention as a revered speaker at banquets. Sir Henry Cooper was granted pardon from this mortal coil at the age of 76 on 1 May 2011.

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Born #OTD 1934: Shirley Horn

Shirley Horn, photographed by Keter Betts, circa 1961

In celebration of the life of the incomparable singer and pianist, Shirley Horn, a native of Washington D.C. who on this day would have seen her ninetieth year.

Adele Mara, 1923-2010

Adele Mara, an American actress of Spanish descent, here depicted adorning the pages of Cinelandia magazine, circa 1947. Hailing from the Detroit area, this noble lady was not only a skilled actress but also an accomplished singer and dancer. She is best remembered for her roles in westerns, having appeared in numerous film and television productions over a span of 37 years. Of particular note, she did share the screen with John Wayne in the iconic films 'Wake of the Red Witch' (1948) and 'Sands of Iwo Jima' (1949). Furthermore, she did attain top billing in the 1945 film noir 'The Tiger Woman', as well as the 1948 western 'Angel in Exile'. Adele Mara lived a life replete with accomplishment, departing from this mortal realm at the venerable age of 87 in 2010.

‘One good joint deserves another’

Alberto Vargas for Playboy magazine, circa 1975.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Peggy Fears: contrary to her surname, a confident stalwart of the stage and a fearless lover

Peggy Fears as Gaby Aimee in ‘Lottery Lover’ 1935. Photo: Fox Film Corporation

Born on 1 June 1903, Peggy Fears left her native New Orleans around 1916 and swiftly made her mark as a renowned Ziegfeld showgirl and Broadway luminary. Whilst tangible evidence of her work is scant, she did notably appear in the 1935 Hollywood production 'Lottery Lover' alongside Lew Ayers and Pat Paterson. She is widely surmised to have partook in various lesbian dalliances, notably with fellow actresses Tedi Thurman and Louise Brooks. This facet of her life found voice in an interview with Ms. Brooks herself in the year 1971. Let it be known, the discussion of this lady's proclivities is not intended for censure or scorn; nay, to the contrary.

Acknowledging the risk of appearing pedantic or condescending, as an unorthodox straight white man largely unimpressed with and holding little tolerance for other men and their various idiocies, I find myself compelled to laud those throughout history who dared to stray from the beaten path and spurn the petty expectations of society. Verily, I hold in high regard those who carve their own courses, think freely, and pursue their passions sans yielding to the dictates of the masses, even if in subtle and subversive manners. Peggy Fears, Louise Brooks, and their ilk from days of yore epitomize this ethos of personal autonomy and defiance against societal norms. Peggy Fears did indeed live a long life, being granted merciful release from this rotten planet at the age of 91 on 24 August 1994.

Quotables 27 April 2024: Ann Sheridan on the curse of being Hollywood ‘Oomph Girl’

Ann Sheridan via the John Springer Collection

‘They nicknamed me "The Oomph Girl", and I loathe that nickname! Just being known by a nickname indicates that you're not thought of as a true actress . . . It's just crap! If you call an actress by her looks or a reaction, then that's all she will ever be thought of as’.

Quote via https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0792130/quotes/

Friday, April 26, 2024

Born #OTD 1941: Claudine Auger

Claudine Auger and Sean Connery in 'Thunderball', 1965 United Artists via Getty Images

The French beauty who lit up the screen as the Bond Girl ‘Domino’ opposite Sean Connery in 1965’s ‘Thunderball’, Claudine Auger was born on 26 April 1941 in Paris.

‘Days of Future Passed' stands as the pioneering masterpiece of English Progressive rock, with much credit owed to this gentleman. #RIP Mike Pinder: the Moody Blues' last surviving founding member, who passed away at 82

WireImage

A trailblazer of the Mellotron and the visionary who guided the Moody Blues from their R&B roots, or more specifically, their 'British beat' origins, into something truly revolutionary. I firmly believe that 'Days of Future Passed' (1967) stands as the inaugural fully-fledged Progressive rock album and shall forever remain my favourite work by the Moodies. With all due respect to 'Sgt. Pepper's' and 'In the Court of the Crimson King', it is worth noting that Procol Harum's first full-length album did not emerge until after 'Days of Future Passed'. However, it is undeniable that Procol Harum did release one of the very first legitimate Progressive rock singles (the earliest being ‘Eleanor Rigby’) with 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' in early 1967, positioning themselves alongside the Moodies and a select few others in shaping this bold new era of music.

Mike Pinder remained with the Moody Blues until their break-up in 1972. He briefly rejoined the group when they reformed in 1978, only to step aside for former YES keyboardist Patrick Moraz. Whilst Mr. Moraz did perform valiantly during his time with YES - filling in for Rick Wakeman on 1974's masterwork 'Relayer' - it is questionable whether he left a comparable mark in replacing Mike Pinder in the Moody Blues. Despite the band's considerable chart success into the late 1980s and their respectable output during this period, nothing they produced after Pinder's departure matched the sonic and thematic depth of their golden era from 1967 to 1972. Not even close. Some sources do suggest that Mr. Moraz may have felt relegated to the role of a mere session player during his 13-year tenure with the Moodies, which is to say, beyond manning the keys, he did not fulfill quite the same roles with the ensemble as Mr. Pinder.

For the Moody Blues, Mike Pinder was irreplaceable. Whilst I cannot profess to have known much about him personally, this obituary does provide insight into an eccentric yet kind individual who remained devoted to music and spirituality until his final days. It is saddening that so many English Progressive rock pioneers have departed in recent years. Let us pay homage to those who have left us and honour those who remain, not named Roger Waters. Thank you, Mike Pinder, for your contributions and legacy.

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Born #OTD 1908: Marceline Day

A cinema card of actress Marceline Day. Photo: Stacey Kluck/National Museum of American History

A native of Colorado Springs, and the sister of the esteemed actress Alice Day, Marceline Day (née Marceline Newlin) ascended to the peak of her stardom toward the end of the silent film era and with the advent of 'talkies’. With varying degrees of success, she transitioned into sound films before retiring in 1933 at all of 25 years of age. Nowadays, many careers do not even begin in earnest until that age or thereafter, but decades ago, it was not uncommon for actresses to retire young, typically to wed and raise a family. Alas, Marceline Day never did bear children from either of her marriages (the second of which was not consummated until she was in her 50s), and it appears she harboured few fond recollections of her Hollywood career, as she is noted to have seldom spoken of her time in the limelight. Known for her intensely private nature in the decades post her retirement, she departed this mortal coil in early 2000 at the ripe age of 91.

Born #OTD 1926: Marilyn Erskine

Wishing a joyful 98th birthday to Marilyn Erskine, a gifted and stalwart actress whose illustrious career spanned over five decades across radio, film, television, and the stage from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was, albeit briefly, the first wife of director Stanley Kramer, and is seen hither (on the left) co-starring with Elaine Stewart in the 1953 MGM comedy ‘A Slight Case of Larceny’.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Film review: Brigitte Bardot dans ‘Et Dieu … crea la femme’ (‘And God Created Woman’) 1956

Brigitte Bardot with Jean-Louis Trintignant in ‘And God Created Woman’, 1956. Photo: Criterion Collection

A French film and young star that caused a worldwide sensation - almost anon becoming the most successful foreign-language film in the United States up to that time - I, in mine own person, do not find Roger Vadim’s 1956 blockbuster 'And God Created Woman' to be an enjoyable experience. Its plot is shallow and, at times, convoluted, and grows increasingly tiresome as the film progresses.

While undeniably and exceptionally attractive, the character of 18-year-old Juliette Hardy is an entirely unsympathetic, spoiled brat. Granted, the film's central theme revolves around the character's arrogance and sense of entitlement, but it is laid on quite thick. If only the writers had provided us with a genuine protagonist to engage with. Instead, every supporting character presented here - aside from, perhaps, the pet rabbit - comes across as utterly impossible to root for, most merely appearing as hopeless and pathetic dupes for a young woman 'made to destroy men'.

Verily, my lack of enjoyment of this movie stems from being a jaded and cynical 46-year-old man who recognises that many fair appearances mask darker truths beneath. Lord knows, I am excessively weary of witnessing individuals ensnared by ancient deceits and timeless falsehoods, thusly shaping my outlook on the world. Yet, despite my reservations, at certain junctures this movie gives the impression that its sole intent was to flaunt Brigitte Bardot’s body in its zenith. Had the producers not bothered with any pretense of a plot, I would not voice grievance. In her time, this lady was historically stunning eye candy, but we have countless images documenting her unearthly eroticism and allure. Spending any length of time with this movie will only convince one that beauty is skin deep and often serves as a mere facade masking inner ugliness.

Alas, that would seem to be precisely the larger point Roger Vadim and the producers may have been going for, and in this they do succeed, but excessively so. ‘And God Created Woman’ is a film that possesses one notable merit: Brigitte Bardot selling her sensuality as few women who have ever graced the stage and screen have accomplished. Ultimately, howbeit, one is left feeling flat and not particularly enamoured with humanity in general by the end of its 91 minutes.

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Quotables 18 April 2024: Joan Bennett on changing hair colour, and why no remembers good girls

Actress Joan Bennett by George Hurrell, circa 1932

‘There are hundreds of glamor girls in Hollywood, but actresses who are willing to let down their hair, are always in demand. Getting a salty role is like finding an old friend. One feels the significance of the character’.

‘I turned my hair dark and have received much better parts ever since’.

‘For ten years, with the exception of Little Women (1933) and Private Worlds (1935), I'd played the insipid blonde ingenue, short on brains, long on bank accounts, the victim in a love triangle, and, for some reason that now escapes me, I was often English. Suddenly, I found myself filming Trade Winds (1938) in a dark wig, and with eyes at half-mast and voice lowered an octave, I positively smoldered all over the South Seas’.

‘Let people hiss. They'll still be sore at the bad woman long after they've forgotten the nice girl who got the man’.

‘Few people remember good women. They don't forget bad girls’.

Quotes via https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000910/quotes/ and https://www.azquotes.com/quote/900553

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Quotables 17 April 2024: Marilyn Monroe reflecting on absurdity versus mundanity, genuine commitments versus deceit, the unjust perception of lesser intellect by bloody fools, and married women

Marilyn Monroe before she was 'Marilyn', circa 1946. Photo: Joseph Jasgur

‘If you don't love me at my worst, then you don't deserve me at my best’.

‘It's better being completely ridiculous than unbelievably boring’.

‘Promises are worse than lies. You don't just make them believe, you also make them hope’.

‘I didn't mind being thought of as dumb. I knew I wasn't’.

‘I have noticed... that men usually leave married women alone and are inclined to treat all wives with respect. This is no great credit to married women’.