MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

[laffite]

I just watched Our Miss Brooks, the movie. Yeah, I know. Who would opt for that? But hey, I remembered watching the TV program. Actually, I never watched it much. But I really enjoyed this. My cover is that, uh, well ... I know, I must have been in the mood for something like this. Actually, what a far cry from the noise of our own times. I was in the mood for it. Eve Arden. I kept my eyes on her the whole time. Every eye brow, every flash of those eyes, those quizzical and downright supercilious looks. Normally we only see short, sporadic looks at her in regular movies, being as she is a supporting actress. Okay she gets a good full scene once in awhile. But this, a full movie. On the TV show, I remember a way she used to say a sentence ending it with a sort of a "so there!" idea but not actually saying it. It annoyed me. I did not see it in the movie. I wonder if they wanted her to get away from the TV show and be a slightly different kind of woman. But only slightly, she was a full-fledged Miss Brooks. I think a part of this was a tinge of nostalgia. That music, I remember first hand that kind of music. The story itself is fine. Miss Brooks wants to marry and there are a couple daydreaming sequences that are really very funny. Eve Arden is so much more that just the one-liner, she all of everything. And at the risk of over sentimentality, Miss Eve Arden is endlessly charming.

//

[Dargo]

...On the TV show, I remember a way she used to say a sentence ending it with a sort of a "so there!" idea but not actually saying it. It annoyed me.

Yep, it used to annoy me too, laffite. And then years later and when I'd occasionally watch Candice Bergen in her 'Murphy Brown' sitcom constantly doing this very same thing, it annoyed me yet again.

Now, I haven't watched the 'Our Miss Brooks' movie for many years, but it's good to know Eve toned this down a bit for the film.

(...and so I might have to revisit this one the next time TCM shows it)

[HoldenIsHere]

A stern monotone seems to be the rule on ABC. Whit Johnson seems to have the same manner and those monotone, insincere THANK YOUS to each reporter. But he's easier on the eyes than David Muir, so I can cut him some slack.. Lester Holt on NBC has a more open manner and is more conversational. I never watch CBS news unless the other 2 are preempted for some reason.

Interesting. And here I always thought David Muir was never all that hard on the eyes to begin with.

I'll now admit that I wasn't familar with Whit Johnson's looks, but after Googling the guy's name, yeah, I suppose he might be a bit better looking...



...but I also found that he's 9 years younger than Muir is as well, Hibi...you cougar you!

(...btw, Whit here reminds me a bit of a young Tim Daly from back in his old 'Wings' sitcom days)

I think both Whit Johnson and David Muir are quite fetching.

[Dargo]

I think both Whit Johnson and David Muir are quite fetching.

Well sure Holden, and like I said earlier here, I'd say both Messrs. Muir AND Johnson here are pretty good lookin' guys, alright.

However, I'd still say NEITHER one of 'em is as "fetching" as my earlier mentioned and pictured Patricia Morison was!

(...aah, but of course I suppose this would all ultimately be an opinion primarily based upon, and as they say, "which side of the plate you hit from", now wouldn't it)

[Andree]

LOL

Well first here Andree ol' boy, I've noticed that ALL the network news 30 minute broadcasts have pretty much become nothing but an excuse to show 13 to 14 minutes of pharmaceutical, insurance and car commercials for YEARS now! AND, that WITHIN those remaining 16 to 17 minutes, their reporting almost always turns out consisting of nothing but glossing over the generalities of the few news item they decide to report.

I mean, these sorts of broadcasts have really turned into nothing but the proverbial "Dog and Pony Show" ever since the three old major networks moved their News divisions under the umbrella of their respective "Entertainment" divisions and so "to make money" for them, RIGHT?! And so because of this, I say WHY NOT have an anchor who actually might POSSESS a reasonant and mellifluous voice, and who might actually breathe some LIFE into the proceedings!

YOU know, like the guy Bronxie made mention of earlier in this thing and who you just referenced here by use of his classic signoff phrase.

(...now THAT guy had a VOICE!!!)

Yes, the nightly network news shows are not a place to get a detailed look at the daily news, probably never
have been. The ABC version starts with about 17 minutes of news, goes to a commercial, comes back for about
a minute of news, another commercial, another minute or so of news, another commercial and then the final
story. That's a lot of ads. (I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark on the Paramount Network a few nights ago.
Most of the commercial breaks last about 4 minutes, but then they'll sneak in a 6 minute one every once in a
while. Yikes.)

Cronkite did have quite a distinctive voice. Then there was the mustache.

[Dargo]

Yes, the nightly network news shows are not a place to get a detailed look at the daily news, probably never
have been. The ABC version starts with about 17 minutes of news, goes to a commercial, comes back for about
a minute of news, another commercial, another minute or so of news, another commercial and then the final
story. That's a lot of ads. (I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark on the Paramount Network a few nights ago.
Most of the commercial breaks last about 4 minutes, but then they'll sneak in a 6 minute one every once in a
while. Yikes.)

Yep, this sort'a thing kind'a makes ya appreciate TCM all the more, doesn't it.

Cronkite did have quite a distinctive voice. Then there was the mustache.

Say, have I ever told ya I could always do a bang-up and spot-on Cronkite impression?!

(...yep, but I just could never quite master an Ed Murrow one, unfortunately)

[Hibi]

A stern monotone seems to be the rule on ABC. Whit Johnson seems to have the same manner and those monotone, insincere THANK YOUS to each reporter. But he's easier on the eyes than David Muir, so I can cut him some slack.. Lester Holt on NBC has a more open manner and is more conversational. I never watch CBS news unless the other 2 are preempted for some reason.

Interesting. And here I always thought David Muir was never all that hard on the eyes to begin with.

I'll now admit that I wasn't familar with Whit Johnson's looks, but after Googling the guy's name, yeah, I suppose he might be a bit better looking...



...but I also found that he's 9 years younger than Muir is as well, Hibi...you cougar you!

(...btw, Whit here reminds me a bit of a young Tim Daly from back in his old 'Wings' sitcom days)

I think both Whit Johnson and David Muir are quite fetching.

LOL. Muir is ok, but i prefer WHIT! Muir just looks too severe. Whit has that boyish look going on.

[Hibi]

I always like to watch the CBS Saturday Evening News anchor, José Díaz-Balart, just for his closing line: "Thank you for the privilege of your time".

He's on NBC now on wknds or fill in nights. He still says that!

[Hibi]

Funny you two mentioning Mr. Muir here.

Ya see, of the three half-hour network news programs, I usually watch Norah O'Donnell (she's always OH SO empathetic, ya know...LOL...but WHAT gorgeous eyes she has...I always stare into 'em as I listen to her...WHAT a babe!...hope this wasn't TOO "sexist" here...LOL, yet again) on the 'CBS Evening News'.

HOWEVER, last week I happened onto David Muir reading off the teleprompter on the 'ABC World News Tonight' program, and it dawned on me how much every line he said had the very same cadence, inflection and tone to it, and in a very monotonous manner.

(...and so for you two to call him a "mannikin" AND to say he could easily be replaced by "computer animation", would be something I'd TOTALLY agree with here!)

It's good to know there are old-fashioned news hounds like you Dargo, more interested in objective news reporting
and learning about world events than in what the news anchor looks like. (I haven't been able to watch any CBS shows
for the last two months. The provider is in a dispute with DirecTV. These things are usually straightened out in a week or
two, not this one).

I guess Dave's tone is kind of monotonous, but he is reporting the news, not giving a dramatic monologue. Remember way
back when when the networks used to talk about having hour long broadcasts? I think David Muir would be perfect for
that. The first half hour, anchored by David, would be hard news. The second half hour, anchored by his hair, would have
more soft life style news. And that's the way it is.

LOL! That hair could host it's own show! I'm old enough to remember Walter Cronkite and That's the Way It Is!

[Hibi]

It's good to know there are old-fashioned news hounds like you Dargo, more interested in objective news reporting
and learning about world events than in what the news anchor looks like. (I haven't been able to watch any CBS shows
for the last two months. The provider is in a dispute with DirecTV. These things are usually straightened out in a week or
two, not this one).

I guess Dave's tone is kind of monotonous, but he is reporting the news, not giving a dramatic monologue. Remember way
back when when the networks used to talk about having hour long broadcasts? I think David Muir would be perfect for
that. The first half hour, anchored by David, would be hard news. The second half hour, anchored by his hair, would have
more soft life style news. And that's the way it is.

LOL

Well first here Andree ol' boy, I've noticed that ALL the network news 30 minute broadcasts have pretty much become nothing but an excuse to show 13 to 14 minutes of pharmaceutical, insurance and car commercials for YEARS now! AND, that WITHIN those remaining 16 to 17 minutes, their reporting almost always turns out consisting of nothing but glossing over the generalities of the few news item they decide to report.

I mean, these sorts of broadcasts have really turned into nothing but the proverbial "Dog and Pony Show" ever since the three old major networks moved their News divisions under the umbrella of their respective "Entertainment" divisions and so "to make money" for them, RIGHT?! And so because of this, I say WHY NOT have an anchor who actually might POSSESS a reasonant and mellifluous voice, and who might actually breathe some LIFE into the proceedings!

YOU know, like the guy Bronxie made mention of earlier in this thing and who you just referenced here by use of his classic signoff phrase.

(...now THAT guy had a VOICE!!!)

Sadly, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS!!!

[Swithin]

I read Eric Severeid's autobiography, Not So Wild a Dream, in college. It's one of the best biographies I've ever read.

[jamesjazzguitar]

They should have got Patricia Morison for Kiss Me Kate. She created the role on stage and had a better voice than Grayson.

I agree with you 100%. Morison has much more appeal to me than Grayson. Morison had a lot of experience with the role: 1,077 performances from 48 - 51.

Yeah, and BESIDES the fact that Patricia here was a HELL of a lot HOTTER lookin' than that little pug-nosed Grayson chick was TOO!!!

(...right, James?!!!)

LOL

That goes without saying, but I'm glad you said it! Morison dressed to kill.

[HoldenIsHere]

I think both Whit Johnson and David Muir are quite fetching.

Well sure Holden, and like I said earlier here, I'd say both Messrs. Muir AND Johnson here are pretty good lookin' guys, alright.

However, I'd still say NEITHER one of 'em is as "fetching" as my earlier mentioned and pictured Patricia Morison was!

(...aah, but of course I suppose this would all ultimately be an opinion primarily based upon, and as they say, "which side of the plate you hit from", now wouldn't it)

Indeed!

[Andree]

Yep, this sort'a thing kind'a makes ya appreciate TCM all the more, doesn't it.

Say, have I ever told ya I could always do a bang-up and spot-on Cronkite impression?!

(...yep, but I just could never quite master an Ed Murrow one, unfortunately)

Yes it does. But I will occasionally watch a movie with ads if it's one that TCM is unlikely to show.
Six straight minutes of commercials. One can take a bathroom break, put popcorn in the microwave,
vacuum the house and still not miss one minute of the movie.

A Cronkite impression? That's news to me. I'll stick with Truman Capote and Al Jolson (singing not talking).

Yeah, Murrow was not as omnipresent as Walter was in the later TV era. This is Ed Murrow from London,
Ontario. Wait a minute. I think I had too much to drink last night.

[Andree]

LOL! That hair could host it's own show! I'm old enough to remember Walter Cronkite and That's the Way It Is!

It does look pretty impenetrable. I figure if David decides to stick with his job he'll probably be there another
ten or fifteen years, so the pretty boys (or pretty girls) are going to have to time it just right to take over
his spot and that won't be easy. Some of his closing stories are kind of corny and sappy. I blame social media
for showing things that are of little interest to anyone else except to Dave. I remember Walter too. That's
when the ABC evening news news was in third place.