The Echo of a Distant Time: August 2024

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Born #OTD 1920: Charlie Parker

Photo: Gregory Carrol

In a mere 34 years upon this earth, Charlie Parker cemented his legacy as one of the most influential bandleaders and saxophonists in history. An icon of the Beat Generation, Parker was affectionately nicknamed 'Yardbird', a moniker later embraced by the seminal British blues rock ensemble, The Yardbirds. Minds more learned than mine have penned volumes about this man and his music, yet I doubt whether mere words can fully convey the profound significance of Charlie Parker in the annals of modern music. He is as indispensable as they come.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Born #OTD 1959: Rebecca De Mornay

Seen here in one of her most famous roles, as Lana in the 1983 Warner Bros. feature, ‘Risky Business’.

Photo: a seated Rebecca De Mornay, with knees bent and one leg slightly raised, gazes directly at the viewer with a serene, neutral countenance. She is adorned in a short-sleeved, pale purple dress with a subtle pattern. In the background, light-colored curtains adorned with floral motifs frame a window with shutters.

From adoration to ostracism: the American public's betrayal of the radiant and supremely talented actress Ingrid Bergman (born #OTD 1915, also died on this day in 1982)

Ingrid Bergman in 'Casablanca', 1942 Warner Bros. Photo: Everett Collection

In the 1940s, US audiences elevated Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman to a near-saintly status, with her most memorable roles arguably being Ilsa Lund in ‘Casablanca’ and her Academy Award-winning portrayal of Paula Alquist Anton in 1944’s ‘Gaslight’. During the early 1950s, however, the same American public that once adored her turned against her (as is so often their fickle nature). She was harshly criticised and unfairly condemned for having an affair and a child out of wedlock with director Roberto Rossellini, leading to her being ostracised from Hollywood for a few years and forced to remain in exile in Italy.

Undeterred, Bergman made a triumphant return to Hollywood with her Academy Award-winning role in 1956’s ‘Anastasia’ and remained a revered figure in the industry for the rest of her life. She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar again for 1974’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ and was nominated once more for 1978’s ‘Autumn Sonata’. Ingrid Bergman departed this mortal coil in London on her 67th birthday after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Despite the ingratitude and self-righteousness displayed by American audiences, Ingrid Bergman’s legacy remains as bright as ever globally, and her name will not be forgotten.

Born #OTD 1924: ‘Queen of the Blues’ Dinah Washington

Photo: Rhino Records

Undoubtedly one of the most versatile vocalists of all time and renowned for her strong personality, Dinah Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones 100 years ago today in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Her voice, characterised by clear diction, emotional profundity, and distinct phrasing, has left a rich legacy of recordings that continues to enthrall listeners with their fiery intensity and technical mastery.

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Born #OTD 1970: Claudia Schiffer

Photo: Wayne Maser

Claudia Schiffer, the German supermodel who emulated the French goddess Brigitte Bardot like no other, is 54 years old today and still as beautiful as ever.

Photo: Model Claudia Schiffer graces the scene in a black swimsuit embellished with white polka dots. Kneeling upon a beach blanket, her hand rests gently upon her chest. Her hair, slightly disheveled by the breeze, complements her serene expression. The vast expanse of the ocean and distant umbrellas create a tranquil, summery backdrop.

Saturday, August 24, 2024

Quotables 24 August 2024: Jiddu Krishnamurti on whether healthy people ought to adjust to an unhealthy society

1987 Indian postal stamp honouring philosopher and spiritual leader Jiddu Krishnamurti

‘Is society healthy, that an individual should return to it? Has not society itself helped to make the individual unhealthy? Of course, the unhealthy must be made healthy, that goes without saying; but why should the individual adjust himself to an unhealthy society? If he is healthy, he will not be a part of it. Without first questioning the health of society, what is the good of helping misfits to conform to society?

‘To help the individual to fit into a society which is ever at war with itself – is this what psychologists and analysts are supposed to do? Is the individual to be healed only in order to kill or be killed? If one is not killed, or driven insane, then must one only fit into the structure of hate, envy, ambition and superstition which can be very scientific?’ - Jiddu Krishnamurti, 1895 - 1986.

Quote via https://kfoundation.org/it-is-no-measure-of-health-to-be-well-adjusted-to-a-profoundly-sick-society/

Katherine Grant, 1904 - 1937

Photo: Hal Roach Studios

For a fleeting span in the mid-1920s, Katherine Grant stood on the precipice of Hollywood stardom. After winning the Miss Los Angeles Beauty Contest in 1922 and subsequently competing in the Miss America pageant, she was taken under the wing of Hal Roach, an important producer, director, screenwriter, and studio boss. She embarked on her film career with small roles in two of the earliest chapters of the 'Our Gang' series, and was later paired with comedic genius Stan Laurel in what I count to be thirteen short films during 1923. Yet, much of her time was consumed by a tempestuous struggle to halt the dissemination of artistic nude photographs, which she had been misled to believe were mere 'art studies' for a sculptor to employ in the creation of a water fountain.

By 1925, with the matter of the naughty pictures seemingly laid to rest, Katherine Grant had ascended to roles of greater substance, and Hal Roach deemed her to have ‘developed into the most proficient actress in the profession’. Alas, in December of that year, she was the victim of a hit-and-run accident and soon succumbed to a grievous decline, both physical and mental—exacerbated by a spartan diet she followed to maintain a slender figure, quite possibly what we would refer to today as anorexia—from which she never recovered. The final years of her life were spent within the confines of a state hospital. Katherine Grant departed this mortal coil on 2 April 1937, just a lunar month shy of her 33rd birthday, with consumption listed as the cause of death, and dementia praecox (cognitive disintegration) as a contributing factor. Verily, she was the unfortunate subject of a cruel twist of fate, without which we might have cherished her memory as we do Joan Crawford, Myrna Loy, or Norma Shearer— as a supremely gifted, eternal icon of her era.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Born #OTD 1941: Jackie DeShannon

Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

The ravishing songstress hailing from Hazel, Kentucky, renowned for her 1965 rendition of ‘What the World Needs Now Is Love’, penned by Hal David and Burt Bacharach. A guileless and rather silly sentiment, characteristic of its time, yet rendered by Jackie DeShannon with amazing conviction and sincerity.

Photo: A fleeting glimpse of singer Jackie DeShannon, standing in nature's wild, encircled by withered grass and towering trees. She is clad in a crimson and white checkered mini-dress, cinched at the waist by a belt. Her golden locks fall straight and long, framing her face with a fringe.

Quotables 21 August 2024: Jack Buck reflects on the beauty of baseball

Photo: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The golden voice of the St. Louis Cardinals would have turned 100 years old today:

‘It's such a beautiful sport, with no politics involved, no color, no class. Only as a youngster can you play and as a pro can you win. The game has kept me young, involved and excited and for me to be up here with gems of baseball’.

Quote via https://www.azquotes.com/quote/700285

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Quotables 18 August 2024: Aldous Huxley discusses the obedience of ‘the greater part of the population’ under an ‘efficient totalitarian state’

Photo: Getty Images

‘The greater part of the population is not very intelligent, dreads responsibility, and desires nothing better than to be told what to do. Provided the rulers do not interfere with its material comforts and its cherished beliefs, it is perfectly happy to let itself be ruled.

‘A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude’.

Quote via https://deeshaa.org/2022/01/16/aldous-huxley-on-servitude/#:~:text=That's%20Aldous%20Huxley%20(1894%20%E2%80%93%201963,be%20told%20what%20to%20do

Friday, August 16, 2024

Born #OTD 1933: the iconic and leggy goddess, Julie Newmar

Photo: Getty Images

May this eternal embodiment of desire have a joyous 91st birthday.

Photo: Julie Newmar, a vision of stage and screen, reclines with playful abandon upon a spiraling staircase of modern design. Clad in a diaphanous gown of black lace that molds to her form, she drapes one leg over the railing, while the other finds rest upon a lower step. Her gaze, a blend of desire and assurance, meets the lens with a hint of a smile, as she revels in her allure.

Born #OTD 1915: the ‘other’ Blondell girl, Gloria Blondell

Photo: Warner Bros.

A stunning beauty in her own right, Gloria Blondell and her more famous older sister, Joan Blondell, were born into a vaudeville troupe known as the ‘Bouncing Blondells’. Though her Hollywood résumé is modest, she may be best remembered today as the voice of Daisy Duck in classic Disney shorts.

Photo: actress Gloria Blondell in a gracefully studied pose atop a brick wall on an outdoor set, her legs crossed at the knee. Swathed in a dress of ruffles and bows, she lifts the hem to reveal tier upon tier of delicate ruffles. Her head is adorned with a grand hat speckled with delightful embellishments, and her wrist is wrapped in bracelets. A mass of curls cascades around her face, which rests upon her hand, her gaze fixed upon the lens with an air of regal composure.

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Rest in Peace, Gena Rowlands. 1930 - 2024

Fare thee well, fair lady.

Photo: the American actress Gena Rowlands, captured by the discerning lens of Alexandre Fuchs circa 1962, sits poised upon a bed of opulence, draped in linens soft as snow. Clad in a flowing, elegant white gown, she exudes an air of serene contemplation, her gaze adrift. A pair of white satin high-heeled shoes lies on the floor beside the bed, a touch of elegance in this intimate tableau.

Born #OTD 1900: Estelle Brody

Estelle Brody, an American expatriate who swiftly found fame in British cinema in the late 1920s despite having no prior acting experience, was an unlikely superstar in the United Kingdom. Presented as hailing from Canada—a choice wrought to placate British audiences concerned about the perceived over-Americanisation of British cinema—her greatest success came with her role as Fanny Hawthorn in the 1927 film ‘Hindle Wakes’. Alas, her stardom was short-lived, as she was among the many who struggled to transition successfully from the silent film era into the age of 'talkies'. A move to Hollywood in 1930 proved unfruitful, and she did not work regularly again until the 1950s, when she appeared in bit parts in film and television. At the time of her death in 1995, she was a resident of the island nation of Malta.

Photo: a vintage illustration from 1928, featuring actors Estelle Brody and Jameson Thomas in a promotional image for the film ‘Weekend Wives’, produced by British International Pictures. Estelle Brody, adorned in a voluminous pink gown with soft ruffles, exudes a playful allure as she holds a small bouquet of flowers. Dark curls, entwined with floral adornment, frame her face. Jameson Thomas, dressed in a formal black tuxedo with a white shirt and bow tie, gazes affectionately at Brody. The caption at the bottom of the image reads, ‘The Coquette’, further emphasising Brody's flirtatious persona in the film.

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Born #OTD 1923: Rhonda Fleming, the ‘Queen of Technicolor', seen here in monochrome

Rhonda Fleming, a name synonymous with grace and talent, was born Marilyn Louis on this day in 1923 in Los Angeles. She is captured here in 1954 by the lens of Peter Basch. Renowned for her roles as Mary Carmichael in Alfred Hitchcock's ‘Spellbound’ (1945) and Meta Carson in the enigmatic ‘Out of the Past’ (1947), her artistry left an indelible mark. In her later years, she was known for her philanthropy, particularly in the fields of cancer research and women’s health.

Photo: Rhonda Fleming, a muse caught unguarded, is captured by Peter Basch's discerning eye. Seated upon the ground, her form turned in gentle retreat, a playful smile illuminates her visage. Draped in gossamer fabric that veils her shoulders and whispers of curves, she exudes an air of effortless allure. Her hair is a cascade of curls that frames her face like a halo. The backdrop, adorned with grand palm fronds, evokes a serene and exotic paradise.

Born #OTD 1520: Madeleine of Valois, a Summer Queen of fleeting reign. A teenage French princess who ascended to Scotland’s throne through an arranged marriage, only to succumb to illness almost immediately

AI generated image

Madeleine of Valois was born on 10 August 1520, the daughter of King Francis I of France. Nurtured in the gentle embrace of the temperate Loire Valley, under the watchful eye of her aunt Marguerite, the young princess fell prey to the insidious grasp of consumption at the tender age of 16. Yet, fate decreed a different path. The Treaty of Rouen, forged between France and Scotland, promised a princess to wed King James V. With ardent pleas, James won the heart of Francis, who entrusted his fragile daughter to him. Alas, the king's fears for his daughter’s health proved prophetic, for the harsh winds of Scotland were unkind to Madeleine's delicate frame. In the arms of her grieving husband, she yielded to death's cold embrace on 7 July 1537. The gentlewoman Madame de Montrueil penned her sorrow, describing Madeleine’s plight: (she) ‘had no good days after her arrival there [in Scotland], but was always sickly with a catarrh which descended into her stomach, which was the cause of her death’.

A cruel twist of fate befell her mortal remains, for 239 years after her passing, desecrators plundered her tomb at Holyrood Palace, stealing her head—which, according to legend, was allegedly untouched by the hands of time and still ‘beautiful’. Despite my admittedly brief research, it appears that her head was never found, and her stolen beauty remains lost to the world. A tragic end for a Summer Queen, yet her spirit, like a star, verily endures in the celestial expanse.

Friday, August 9, 2024

Born #OTD 1902: The Queen of MGM, Norma Shearer

Photo: MGM

Wishing a very happy 122nd birthday in the stars to Miss Norma Shearer, the cover girl of The Echo of a Distant Time's social media accounts. A woman of iron will, tireless in pursuit, and endowed with talents beyond measure, she stands as a paragon of Hollywood's golden age.

Photo: A profile of Norma Shearer, a vision of classic grace. Her hair is styled in a cascade of waves, artfully gathered and pinned, a crown upon her head, enhancing her timeless allure. A serene smile graces her lips, her eyes closed in tranquil repose. Clad in a garment of simple elegance, adorned with modest fastenings, she embodies the epitome of Hollywood's golden age.

Recollections of Pulp: ‘She Strips to Conquer’

A masterpiece wrought by the hand of Peter Driben, a luminary of illustration, adorns this vintage cover of Wink, a purveyor of pulchritude, dated 5 March 1949. Its tagline, ‘A Whirl of Girls’, is displayed prominently below the title. Our cover girl is a siren with tresses of flame, her pose a beguiling invitation. Clad in a bodice of crimson and a skirt of night, she reveals glimpses of temptation, adorned with silken hose held aloft by garters. In one hand, she toys with silken threads, while the other playfully entwines with her fiery locks. The cover headlines include ‘She Strips to Conquer’, which teases content on page 24, and on page 26, a discourse on feminine allure. The overall aesthetic is a bold tapestry of colour, a quintessential emblem of the style and spirit of mid-20th century pulp magazines.

#OTD 1969: remembering Sharon Tate on the anniversary of her passing

A cruel fate befell a star too soon extinguished. May Sharon Tate and those innocent souls claimed by Manson's evil brood find eternal solace.

Photo: A formal portrait of Miss Sharon Tate, captured by the lens of Edith Dahlfield circa 1967, presents her in a serene pose. Seated with her bare legs crossed, she is attired in a long-sleeved, buttoned garment, exuding an air of casual refinement. Her blonde tresses cascade naturally, framing her face as her gaze is directed upwards in quiet introspection.

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Born #OTD 1921: ‘Million Dollar Mermaid’ Esther Williams

Photo: Gabi Rona/MPTV Images

MGM’s siren of the ‘aquamusical’ and a record-setting competitive swimmer whilst a teenager in her native Los Angeles, Esther Williams was born on 8 August 1921. During the tempest of World War II, she transformed into a beacon of hope, adorning countless pages as a prolific pin-up girl, and offering solace and entertainment to wounded warriors on numerous hospital tours.

Photo: A monochromatic vision of Esther Williams, a mermaid of the silver screen, adorns this canvas. Seated with legs entwined and hands gently resting, she exudes an air of effortless grace and tranquility. Clad in a garment befitting her aquatic prowess, her form is a testament to athleticism and beauty. Her hair, like ocean waves, frames her face, and sparkling adornments grace her ears. A radiant smile illuminates her features as her gaze meets the viewer with unwavering confidence.

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Born #OTD 1902: Ann Harding

Photo: public domain

Ann Harding, born Dorothy Walton Gatley, was the daughter of a military man who ‘violently’ opposed her yearning for the stage, a tempestuous conflict that birthed a new identity. After achieving success on Broadway and in regional theatre in the Northeast US, she ventured to Hollywood at the dawn of the sound era and swiftly ascended to leading lady status. RKO promoted her as their answer to MGM’s Norma Shearer, although she was often lent out to other studios, including MGM itself. As was, and still is, all too often the case for actors and actresses in this cutthroat business, by the late 1930s she had become typecast ‘as the beautiful, innocent, self-sacrificing woman, and film work became harder for her to obtain’. Nevertheless, she continued to perform on film, stage, and television up to 1965.

Photo: Actress Ann Harding is seen sporting her signature long, flowing hair cascading over her shoulders. A serene yet thoughtful mien adorns her visage, as her gaze softly meets the lens. Clad in a garment that reveals her fair shoulders, she is adorned with intricate weaves. Soft light caresses her features, revealing a timeless beauty, ethereal and divine. Handwritten notes are visible along the edges of the photograph.

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Born #OTD 1920: Ella Raines

Photo: Getty Images, colourised.

Wishes of celestial joy to Ella Raines, the emerald-eyed enchantress who graced the silver screen in the 1940s and 1950s (6 August 1920 – 30 May 1988).

Photo: Actress Ella Raines strikes a playful and striking pose, clad in a cerulean vestment lacking sleeves, and short breeches adorned with fanciful cut-outs along the sides, paired with a matching cowboy hat and white cowboy boots. She is perched on a wooden rail. With one leg aloft, she leans forth.

Born #OTD 1911: Lucille Ball

Bettmann/Getty Images

Forever the undisputed ‘Queen of Comedy’. Wishing the great Lucille Ball a very happy celestial birthday.

Photo: Lucille Ball, captured mid-twirl with her dress billowing around her.

Monday, August 5, 2024

Raquel Welch on the set of ‘Myra Breckinridge’, 1970

A shadow play of curious conceit, ‘Myra Breckinridge’ was a notorious box office and critical flop. I attempted to watch it during a TCM airing some time ago and tapped out quickly, its folly unbearable. Then, as now, the notion that someone as supremely feminine as Raquel Welch could have been a man strains all credulity. In 2024, sex reassignment and plastic surgery have only progressed so far in transforming men into attractive and functional women, or vice versa.

The alchemy to transmute a man to Venus, or a woman to Mars, remains elusive in earnest. Witness the metamorphosis of the former Ellen Page, a reasonably cute young lady who is now a very strange-looking, baby-faced man named Elliot. Science has simply not yet advanced to the point where any man can legitimately become as beautiful a woman as Raquel Welch, or any woman can transform into a rugged and handsome gentleman. Back in 1970, the concept was purely science fiction.

I know, everyone and their angry, MAGA hat-wearing uncles appear to be talking about transgender issues these days, and I am weary of the endless clamour. Almost never do I post on these issues, and perchance I shall rue this venture. Do what one will with one’s life and body; the world shall not crumble solely on this account (though society *is* teetering on the brink of ruin, make no mistake).

Yet, I cannot but marvel at the reasoning of those who wrought this spectacle, for who could be so beguiled as to credit such absurdity? For whatever it is worth, 77-year-old Mae West, whose star once shone resplendent, graces this unworthy film with her presence, a fleeting flicker in the twilight of her career. Gore Vidal, the wit who birthed this satirical tale in written form, recoiled in horror at its cinematic incarnation, deeming it ‘an awful joke’. Even within the realm of a ‘deliberately campy sex change comedy’, the notion of Raquel Welch, a living goddess with such proportions, having been born the opposite sex is indeed an awful joke.

Tullia, the daughter of a noble Roman sire, whose light, as ancient tales proclaim, burned for fifteen centuries beyond her mortal coil

AI generated image

The cherished daughter of prominent Roman Republic statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero, Tullia (circa 79 BCE - 45 BCE), died in her mid-thirties whilst giving life to her second son. Her existence, painted with certainty in the hues of time, is illuminated through her father’s surviving letters, which reveal that she was a steadfast pillar of support and comfort for Cicero amidst his tempestuous political and personal trials. Thrice did Tullia wed, with each union ending in severance or widowhood. It is said that, in the fifteenth century AD, her sepulchre was unveiled in Rome, and there, her form lay untouched by decay, as if slumbering but a moment past. Beside her rested a lamp, its flame unwavering, a mystery to those who discovered it, a beacon perhaps eternally ignited since the day she was laid to rest.

Born #OTD 1926: Jeri Southern, the shy Nebraska girl who found fame as a jazz singer and then walked away at the height of her career

The cover of jazz vocalist Jeri Southern’s 1958, ‘Cigarettes, Coffee, & Memories’. Photo: Roulette Records.

Hailing from the rural environs of Royal, Nebraska, Jeri Southern, née Genevieve Lillian Hering, was born on 5 August 1926 to a family of modest means. Her father was a flour miller, while her grandfather emigrated from Germany with training as a swineherd. A fixture on the Chicago jazz scene of the 1950s, Southern was a gifted pianist and vocalist, garnering acclaim for her bittersweet interpretations of torch songs and ballads. Notably, she was the first to record Victor Young's and Edward Heyman’s enduring standard, ‘When I Fall in Love’, in 1952 for Capitol Records. Despite achieving critical and commercial success, Southern’s career was prematurely curtailed by debilitating anxiety, leading to her retirement from public performance following a stage collapse in 1960.

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Born #OTD 1910: Anita Page

The ‘blonde, blue-eyed Latin’ Anita Page (née Anita Evelyn Pomares) shone as a bright star for MGM from the late 1920s through to the mid-1930s and a frequent muse of the masterful photographer George Hurrell, as here beheld.

In honour of the goddess on the anniversary of her passing. Marilyn Monroe, 1 June 1926 to 4 August 1962

Marilyn Monroe by Bert Stein, 1962.

Saturday, August 3, 2024

Born #OTD 1904: Dolores del Rio

Photo: Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Among the most prominent Hollywood stars to emerge from Mexico, actress, dancer, and philanthropist Dolores del Rio (née María de los Dolores Asúnsolo y López Negrete) was born into an aristocratic family in Durango that was dispossessed during the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s. In 1924, after meeting filmmaker Edwin Carewe, who dubbed her ‘the female equivalent of Rudolf Valentino’, she moved to the United States and began a lucrative career in silent film, later transitioning successfully into the sound era. For over 50 years, Dolores del Rio was a paragon of the silver screen and a fashion icon. Marlene Dietrich is quoted as saying, ‘Dolores del Río was the most beautiful woman who ever set foot in Hollywood’.

Photo: Dolores del Rio is in the foreground with a friend by her side. Immersed in watery depths, she gleams, a crimson jewel adorning her tresses, mirroring the bold hue of her lips. Her friend, perched on the pool's rim, bathed in sunshine, wears a yellow, strapless and sleek swimsuit, her brow crowned with crimson. Both radiate grace and splendour amid a verdant paradise of palms and tropical blooms.

Friday, August 2, 2024

Joan Blondell, circa 1932: legs of divine perfection

Photo: Chuck Staley

Mortal eyes, beguiled and raptured, feast upon the vision of fair Joan Blondell, enthroned upon a settee of ornate design, its fabric rich with pattern, nestled amidst a realm of opulent splendour. A smile, warm as summer's sun, graces her lips as she communes with an unseen voice. Draped in sable, edged with fur, her form, divine and shapely, is revealed. A satin gown, lavish and decadent, lies carelessly upon the furniture, while blooms of vibrant hue complete this tapestry of earthly delight.