MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

[Bronxgirl48]

Thanks for sharing that news about Glynis, txfilmfan! A lovely actress who I think was also a sex symbol of 1950's British cinema. (I also cannot forget Johns in the creepy CABINET OF CALIGARI, which still gives chills up my spine whenever I have the nerve to watch)

Hopefully Glynis doesn't still have nightmares about working with Harrison and Granger!

LOL That is indeed a frightening thought.

[Dargo]

...Dargo, it's so odd but I actually don't remember a single episode of F Troop! Maybe because I never watched it religiously like I did Bewitched (my all-time favorite sitcom). I do, however, have fond memories of Larry Storch. (his brother whose name I can't come up with was the guy who did those celebrity impressions in STALAG 17)

That would've been Larry's younger brother Jay Lawrence, birth name: Jay Storch.

And yeah, those impressions he does of actors Ronald Colman, Clark Gable, Jimmy Cagney and Cary Grant in that film were spot-on, alright.

(...and with this probably being the highlight of his career, I would think)

[Andree]

Wait! "Hawthorne" ya say, Andree?

So, did you ever run into any of the Beach Boys???

(...oh wait...never mind...wrong coast)

Yeah, I don't think the Beach Boys' laid-back sunny southern California vibe would have fit in with Westchester
County. They might have had to call themselves The Brooks Brothers Boys. Too bad they never did a cover of
Little Red Corvette. Great BB title.

[Andree]

My mother, grandmother, aunt, two uncles, great uncle and other family members rest in cemeteries in Hawthorne. Several of my family members lived in North White Plains, a town I know well. I saw the town of White Plains grow into a moderate-sized city over the years. One uncle lived in Port Chester. He was a conductor on the New Haven Railroad.

My cousins and I often went to movies in White Plains. Once we saw Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, and Vincent Price, who came to a screening of one of their films.

Hawthorne is also home to the Gates of Heaven Catholic cemetery, where quite a few famous sports figures, entertainers,
and politicians are buried. I don't remember my grandparents mentioning it when I stayed with them. At that time I would
have been more interested in seeing the grave of Babe Ruth than Jimmy Cagney or Jimmy Walker.

I'm sure my grandmother took me on a few shopping trips to White Plains, but I don't remember those very well. I do recall
one large toy store, not sure it was in White Plains or somewhere else.

[Andree]

That's true, Lori Saunders brought a much better comic timing to her role as the now ditzy brunette Bobbie Jo.

In the other roles, Jeannine Riley was the first cast as blonde Billie Jo, she was the sexy, boy crazy one and my favorite of the ones who played the role. Gunilla Hutton replaced her for a short time, I can't recall anything she brought to the role, other than her beauty. Meredith MacRae was the third and last Billie Jo, her character was very mature and serious.

Linda Kaye was the only actress to play the tomboy redhead Betty Jo.

I can't recall if it was something the producers suggested or if Lori Saunders made the changes herself. Pat Woodell
was a singer and she quit to further her singing career, which never worked out, at least in a major way. I thought
Meredith MacRae was still sexy in an understated way, very sweet and innocent. IIRC, Betty Jo was more down to
earth and practical than her two sisters.

[Dargo]

Wait! "Hawthorne" ya say, Andree?

So, did you ever run into any of the Beach Boys???

(...oh wait...never mind...wrong coast)

Yeah, I don't think the Beach Boys' laid-back sunny southern California vibe would have fit in with Westchester
County. They might have had to call themselves The Brooks Brothers Boys. Too bad they never did a cover of
Little Red Corvette. Great BB title.

And so other than that whole "SoCal laid-back vibe" thing here, it also sounds as if Hawthorne NY is and always was quite a bit more upscale than is the working class L.A. suburb of Hawthorne CA, I take it.

[Swithin]

My mother, grandmother, aunt, two uncles, great uncle and other family members rest in cemeteries in Hawthorne. Several of my family members lived in North White Plains, a town I know well. I saw the town of White Plains grow into a moderate-sized city over the years. One uncle lived in Port Chester. He was a conductor on the New Haven Railroad.

My cousins and I often went to movies in White Plains. Once we saw Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, and Vincent Price, who came to a screening of one of their films.

Hawthorne is also home to the Gates of Heaven Catholic cemetery, where quite a few famous sports figures, entertainers,
and politicians are buried. I don't remember my grandparents mentioning it when I stayed with them. At that time I would
have been more interested in seeing the grave of Babe Ruth than Jimmy Cagney or Jimmy Walker.

I'm sure my grandmother took me on a few shopping trips to White Plains, but I don't remember those very well. I do recall
one large toy store, not sure it was in White Plains or somewhere else.

I went to a funeral at Gates of Heaven last year. My family members are in Mount Pleasant and Mount Eden.

[Andree]

And so other than that whole "SoCal laid-back vibe" thing here, it also sounds as if Hawthorne NY is and always was quite a bit more upscale than is the working class L.A. suburb of Hawthorne CA, I take it.

I would think so, though I've never been to Hawthorne, CA.

There's a place where I go to to clip coupons,
In my room (it's really a study),
In my room (its' really a study).

[Dargo]

And so other than that whole "SoCal laid-back vibe" thing here, it also sounds as if Hawthorne NY is and always was quite a bit more upscale than is the working class L.A. suburb of Hawthorne CA, I take it.

I would think so, though I've never been to Hawthorne, CA.

There's a place where I go to to clip coupons,
In my room (it's really a study),
In my room (its' really a study).

Well, you've never missed much then. Trust me here, I'd know, as my formative years all took place in the suburban L.A. towns of Lawndale and Gardena that are both adjacent to Hawthorne, and both were and are as working class and nondescript a suburban setting as Hawthorne.

(...btw...nice Brian Wilson lyrics mashup here...although I must admit I only got "So-So Vibrations" while reading them)

[Andree]

Well, you've never missed much then. Trust me here, I'd know, as my formative years all took place in the suburban L.A. towns of Lawndale and Gardena that are both adjacent to Hawthorne, and both were and are as working class and nondescript a suburban setting as Hawthorne.

(...btw...nice Brian Wilson lyrics mashup here...although I must admit I only got "So-So Vibrations" while reading them)

Yeah, the name Lawndale doesn't sound like it would be a real "happening" place.

I would imagine that the excitations were also at the low end of the excitation spectrum.

[Bronxgirl48]

...Dargo, it's so odd but I actually don't remember a single episode of F Troop! Maybe because I never watched it religiously like I did Bewitched (my all-time favorite sitcom). I do, however, have fond memories of Larry Storch. (his brother whose name I can't come up with was the guy who did those celebrity impressions in STALAG 17)

That would've been Larry's younger brother Jay Lawrence, birth name: Jay Storch.

And yeah, those impressions he does of actors Ronald Colman, Clark Gable, Jimmy Cagney and Cary Grant in that film were spot-on, alright.

(...and with this probably being the highlight of his career, I would think)

Thanks, Dargo! His Cagney is the best I ever heard.

(interesting that Billy Wilder would direct a film with Jimmy years later -- ONE, TWO, THREE)

[dianedebuda]

(interesting that Billy Wilder would direct a film with Jimmy years later -- ONE, TWO, THREE)

And wasn't that the movie that prompted Cagney to retire ... at least for a while?

[laffite]

[

.(interesting that Billy Wilder would direct a film with Jimmy years later -- ONE, TWO, THREE)

You may recall some years ago you posted a hilarious and ebullient capsule review of this movie. I remember trying to find it just before the demise of our former forum site. But twas not to be found, drat!

[Dargo]

[

.(interesting that Billy Wilder would direct a film with Jimmy years later -- ONE, TWO, THREE)

You may recall some years ago you posted a hilarious and ebullient capsule review of this movie. I remember trying to find it just before the demise of our former forum site. But twas not to be found, drat!

Too bad you couldn't find it, laffite. I would like to have read Bronxie's take on this film as well.

A film, btw, I can't say I was ever a big fan of, and even with the great Cagney being in it.

(...nope, has always been far down on my list of favorite Wilder movies)

[laffite]

[

.(interesting that Billy Wilder would direct a film with Jimmy years later -- ONE, TWO, THREE)

You may recall some years ago you posted a hilarious and ebullient capsule review of this movie. I remember trying to find it just before the demise of our former forum site. But twas not to be found, drat!

Too bad you couldn't find it, laffite. I would like to have read Bronxie's take on this film as well.

A film, btw, I can't say I was ever a big fan of, and even with the great Cagney being in it.

(...nope, has always been far down on my list of favorite Wilder movies)

But what about Pamela Tiffin , she was in it. Who could ask for more?

Question : How does one use that row o icon's at the top of the Post A Reply page? I was messing with them but with no success. Thanks.