Around the Blogosphere This Week
...Longtime Classic Images columnist Laura Wagner has a new book out from McFarland: HOLLYWOOD'S HARD-LUCK LADIES: 23 ACTRESSES WHO SUFFERED EARLY DEATHS, ACCIDENTS, MISSTEPS, ILLNESSES AND TRAGEDIES. The book covers many actresses of interest to me including Susan Peters, Patricia Dane, Susan Cabot, Rita Johnson, and 19 others.
...This video compares the 1933, 1949, 1994, and 2019 versions of LITTLE WOMEN.
...Disney+ has already hit 26.5 million subscribers. The service went live less than three months ago, on November 12, 2019.
...A James Garner Blogathon hosted by Reelweegiemidget Reviews has included Terry writing about MAVERICK's classic "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" episode for A Shroud of Thoughts, Caftan Woman writing on three of her own favorite MAVERICK episodes, Ruth writing on SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF! (1969) for Silver Screenings, and Erica writing on THE WHEELER DEALERS (1963) at Poppity Talks Classic Film. (And many thanks to Erica for the kind shout-out in her review!)...Happy 19th anniversary to Disney California Adventure Park.
...A store in Flagstaff, Arizona, has reunited Mark Hamill with a STAR WARS (1977) soundtrack LP signed for him by John Williams. Incidentally, the great Mr. Williams celebrates his 88th birthday today!
...Coming to Pasadena, California this July: Christmas Con, featuring appearances by many favorite Hallmark Christmas movie stars.
...I've had my eye on the Nat King Cole CD set Hittin' the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) since my dad sent me Marc Myers' piece about it posted at JazzWax last fall. I also read a post on it at Jazz Profiles. This month Leonard Maltin wrote about it. The set is pricey but looks like a must-have for Cole fans, and I'm certainly one....Speaking of Nat King Cole, Will Friedwald has a book on Cole, STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF NAT KING COLE, due out in May. Friedwald's past work includes the great SINATRA! THE SONG IS YOU: A SINGER'S ART.
...Notable Passings: There have been a number of notable passings in the last few days. For me personally the most significant might be the death of Robert Conrad, who has passed on at the age of 84. Conrad gave me countless hours of TV enjoyment. While most remember him from THE WILD WILD WEST (1965-69), which I certainly saw, the Conrad shows I loved were BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP, aka BLACK SHEEP SQUADRON (1976-78), and the epic miniseries CENTENNIAL (1978), seen here. When the TV Academy ignored his portrayal of Pasquinel in CENTENNIAL I lost most interest in the Emmy Awards. Classic television. He was even in a favorite MAVERICK episode, "Yellow River" (1959). Thanks for the memories, Mr. Conrad.
...Gene Reynolds (seen at right), who went from child actor to TV writer-director-producer, has passed on at 96. Reynolds began acting in the mid '30s and had a strong run at MGM where his films included OF HUMAN HEARTS (1938), BOYS TOWN (1938), and BAD LITTLE ANGEL (1939), as well as a pair of Andy Hardy movies, LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY (1938) and ANDY HARDY'S PRIVATE SECRETARY (1941). He also played Tyrone Power as a boy in 20th Century-Fox's IN OLD CHICAGO (1938). His best-known behind-the-scenes TV work was on M*A*S*H (1972-83)...Actor Orson Bean was killed yesterday when hit by a car in Venice, California. I knew him best as Loren Bray on DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN (1993-98). He was married to actress Alley Mills and was the father-in-law of the late Andrew Breitbart...Roger Kahn, author of the baseball classic THE BOYS OF SUMMER, about the Brooklyn Dodgers, has died at 92...Film historian F.X. Feeney, who did commentary tracks on at least three DVDs in my collection, has passed away at 66....For additional links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my February 1st roundup.
Have a great week!
posted by Laura @ 10:30 PM
7 Comments:
These passings have touched me deeply this past week. I had begun to think I was past such emotions for strangers, but some people do become our friends on the screen.
The James Garner Blogathon certainly showed fans connection to the actor, and to Maverick. Thanks.
ChristmasCon? Boy, those movies have really made their mark.
PS: I used to have fights with folks on the IMDb message board with people who did not approve of Robert Conrad's accent in Centennial. These are obviously people who never heard a genuine Quebecois accent. He was spot on!
I am truly saddened by the death of Robert Conrad. The Wild Wild West was a childhood favourite and is still my third favourite show of all time! Of course, he did so much more. Black Sheep Squadron, Centennial, and then there was a short-lived spy show he did titled A Man Called Sloane (I think that was the title). Anyway, excepting Vanessa, of course, Robert Conrad's death is the saddest I have been over a celebrity's death in some while! Orson Bean also died. I always liked him. He was so funny. I loved his many appearances as a panellist on To Tell the Truth!
And thanks for the shout-out!
Yes, Robert Conrad and Orson Bean, I feel like I've known them all my life. As a little tiny kid from 4 or 5 years old I remember watching b/w game shows, Password, Truth Or Consequences and To Tell The Truth with Peggy Cass, Bud Collyer and the always funny and clever Orson Bean. He and Peggy made a great team together. Whenever I think of Orson Bean I think of him in b/w as he was on To Tell The Truth, he was also a fantastic story teller. He'd appear on Carson's Tonight Show and always told the most interesting stories. What an undeserving way to go for such a great man.
And Robert Conrad, I will always remember him as Jim West. When I was a kid and wanted to watch Wild Wild West (this is when it was originally on) my Mom would let us watch she told us it was "too violent". So I'd sneak watch it by turning it on and keeping the volume real low and put my ear next to the speaker. This was also on my old b/w tv. Several years later I loved watching Wild Wild West when it was on in repeats in the afternoon and in COLOR, then I could blast the sound. Guess my Mom gave up on trying to keep violence out. The background music used esp. in the great fight scenes when West would take on 6 or 7 guys at once was FANTASTIC! I loved that background music. Finally just a year or so ago the original Wild Wild West soundtrack FINALLY became available on CD. I have been waiting to see this for decades and thought it'd never happen. So happy to have it now and on my computer Media Player. Think I'll play "Mighty Titan" right now, this is my favorite fight song from the show/CD. Thank you to the Great Robert Conrad for all the memories.
By the way he was also good in his early series, Hawaiian Eye. He and Connie Stevens made a cute couple in this show. Here he was not the main star, but you could see he was meant for bigger things.
Oh, meant that to say "my Mom would NOT let us watch..." should know to read my posts before posting.
Somehow I missed Robert Conrad's death. I've been listening to him on the old radio series, "Gunsmoke", and gaining a whole new appreciation for his talent.
Thanks for the link! :)
Laura, another major actor and star has passed. Konrad Robert Falkowsy, better known as Robert Conrad was another favorite of mine as a youngster. My first memory of Bob Conrad was as private detective Tom Lopaka on the popular Warner Bros. tv series HAWAIIAN EYE(1959-63), which I saw in syndicated reruns. He became an overnight star after the show debuted in 1959.
Of course, he is most remembered as James T. West, secret service agent operating under President U.S. Grant during the 1870's. I watched THE WILD WILD WEST(1965-69) during its original run on CBS. This Classic tv show was like no other at that time. It had some of the best action and fight scenes ever on tv and Conrad, by doing his own stunts, made the show better than it already was. Also, what a memorable theme song and intro. THE WILD WILD WEST still stands the test of time for me.
Robert Conrad dominated the first four hours of CENTENNIAL(1978). In later interviews, he always said that the role of Pasquinel was the best acting he ever did, of which I agree. Concerning his French Canadian accent, I think he did it rather well. Conrad said that doing the accent was very hard. He had a speech specialist with him on the set and he worked with Conrad until every syllable was correct.
Author James Michener made a surprise visit to the set of CENTENNIAL. After watching Conrad perform he told him, "You are Pasquinel."
ROBERT CONRAD R.I.P.
Thank you all so much for reading and for sharing your comments. These passings, especially Robert Conrad, have clearly touched many of us. I very much appreciate you all sharing these special memories. I loved reading them and I'm sure you speak for many other readers who will also appreciate these remembrances.
Best wishes,
Laura
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