*CANDIDS*

[mongoII]

Lovely Jean Harlow with her beloved pooch

[mrsl]

.
Hey Stone:

You must be a bit younger than I am because when Cassius changed his name, it, and all his swagger and boasting had a purpose behind it. That purpose was to bring boxing into the limelight again as it had been before in the days of the John L. Sullivans, and all the Italian fighters who fought for the heavyweight belt. I'm no expert but I do recall my Italian dad and uncles all talking about Cassius/Ali and how he had revived the interest in boxing as he planned. But that is why I got angry when they used to parade him out later when he was sick. I felt as if they were using him as a source of amusement instead of reverance as he should have been. He was a great man in his day and deserved to remembered as such. Also, isn't the 130 - 135 weight considered as Bantam weight? or is that even lighter than 130?

.

[mongoII]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HARRISON FORD is 70 today
American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness (nominated for best actor Oscar) and Jack Ryan in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. His career has spanned six decades and includes roles in several Hollywood blockbusters, including Presumed Innocent, The Fugitive, Air Force One, and What Lies Beneath. At one point, four of the top six box-office hits of all time included one of his roles. Five of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry.
Ford is one of Hollywood's most private actors, guarding his personal life. He has two sons (Benjamin and Willard) with his first wife, Mary Marquardt, as well as two children (Malcolm and Georgia) with his second wife, screenwriter Melissa Mathison.
Ford began dating actress Calista Flockhart after meeting at the 2002 Golden Globes, and together they are parents to her adopted son, Liam.


BOB CRANE (1928 - 1978)
American actor and disc jockey, best known for his performance as Colonel Robert E. Hogan in the television sitcom "Hogan's Heroes" from 1965 to 1971, and for his 1978 murder, which remains officially unsolved.
In 1971, after a six-year run, CBS inexplicably canceled Hogan's Heroes when management decided to take the entire network in a different direction. In the years following the cancellation of Hogan's Heroes, Bob stayed busy with various film and television appearances, including two Disney films, Superdad (1974) and Gus (1976). Bob also remained a regular guest on the talk show circuit, as well as a guest host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.
It was in Scottsdale that the unthinkable happened. In the early morning hours of June 29, 1978, Bob Crane was brutally murdered in his rented apartment/hotel room. He was beaten to death while he slept, and strangled with an electrical cord. He was 49 years old.


JAMES ANDERSON (1921 - 1969)
A familiar face to movie audiences in the 1950s, James Anderson's rugged and somewhat sinister good looks made him a natural for westerns, and he appeared in many of them over the years, often as a gunman or hired killer but occasionally as a storekeeper or grizzled frontier scout. He turned in a very good performance as one of the survivors of a nuclear attack in Five (1951) and another as a redneck farmer in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), but it's for his western roles in films and on TV that Anderson is best known.
Died before the release of his final two films, Sam Peckinpah's The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970) and the Dustin Hoffman epic Little Big Man (1970).
Younger brother of actress Mary Anderson, still with us at age 92.


SIDNEY BLACKMER (1895 - 1973)
Sidney Blackmer, the Tony-award winning actor who played Teddy Roosevelt in seven movies, is best remembered by today's movie audiences for his turn as the warlock/coven-leader Roman Castevet in Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby (1968).
1937 was a busy year for Blackmer, who appeared in 12 films, including "Heidi" (1937), his second flick with superstar moppet Shirley Temple (the had earlier co-starred in "The Little Colonel" (1935)). He played General Phillip Sheridan in the epic pot-boiler "In Old Chicago" (1937), starring Tyrone Power, "Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo" (1937) and with 'Peter Lorre' in "Thank You, Mr. Moto." (1937). He also appeared again with Edward G. Robinson in "The Last Gangster" (1937).
Numerous stage and film roles followed including playing a deranged passenger in "The High and the Mighty".
In his private life, Blackmer served as the national vice president of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He was honored with a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1625 Vine Street, and was the recipient of the North Carolina Award, the state of North Carolina's highest civilian award, in 1972.

[Western Guy]

No, mrsl, Bantamweight is between, I believe, 115 to 118 lbs.

My memories of Ali mainly come after he underwent his name change; if I recall correctly he felt that Cassius Clay was a slave-sounding name. He really did bring excitement back into the sport; excitement that's sorely lacking today, especially in the Heavyweight division.

My dad actually saw the Liston/Clay fight in Vegas and even managed to later get Liston's autograph. When I was in Vegas some years back working on a book project, I used to go for strolls along a walking path that bordered the golf course near the house where I was staying. I used to pass the house where Sonny Liston was murdered. Weird feeling.

[JackFavell]

Stone, my name is Wendy, but I also respond to Jackie, and "Hey you!"

In picking my name for the site, I never thought that the name JackFavell might be confusing. Sorry if there was any weirdness there. I am simply a huge George Sanders fan and a girl.

To me, growing up in a racially mixed suburb of Chicago some time after the Cassius name change, I instinctively felt that Ali was a great man, a man who never ever let anyone treat him without respect. I think he was a great role model for kids - proud of himself, his background, and his sport. There will never be another like him. It was surprising to me to find people who disliked him intensely even in my own family, for choices that he made.

Mongo - Dean Stockwell is such a cutie pie!

[Western Guy]

Hiya Wendy!

No weirdness, though when I first joined up I gotta confess I did think you were a fella. Doubtful that "Hey you!" would not have clarified matters. LOVE George Sanders! Especially as the rogue in "The Picture of Dorian Gray". An absolutely outstanding performance. Hey, he's even fun as "Mr. Freeze" on the old "Batman" series.

Agree with you totally about Ali. He was a great man and terrific athlete who definitely instilled a sense of pride in African-Americans. He could not be made a fool, such was his stature and dignity. Sadly, there were those who did dislike him either for his choices or his brashness. Of course much of the latter was an act. He had a healthy ego, sure, but he also knew how to best play the game. Very clever and shrewd. His bantering with Howard Cosell was priceless.

Check out excerpts from the Dean Martin Roast honoring Ali on YouTube. Some classic moments.

[JackFavell]

I will! I love to watch him, either doing the talk or boxing, he was simply beautiful to watch.

[mongoII]

Tony Curtis getting made up as Geraldine in "Some Like It Hot"

[Western Guy]

You bet, Wendy. There was a grace about Ali that will never be matched, especially when compared to someone like the brutish Mike Tyson. Just so sad to see Ali today - a shadow of what this man once was.

BTW: Next to Vegas, Chicago is my favorite city. Lived there for a number of years and attended Northwestern for my undergrad studies.

[charliechaplinfan]

I chose Charliechaplinfan because it's with Charlie that my interest started, almost at the beginning but I'm a huge fan of many.

I'm not from North America but I knew who Mohammed Ali was when I was growing up and I knew he was a great man. I'm learning so much, Sonny Liston murdered? That one passed me by, why? does anyone know?

Lightweight is tiny, if George stood between 5ft 7 and 5ft 10 that's thin, at least by today's standards. I don't know any man who would weigh so little fully grown. I wonder if that is a reflection of there being more food available today. He doesn't look thin on those pictures on the George Raft thread. I'm just amazed it's so low. I thought men that small were jockeys (I have a total ignorance of sporting rules and regulations)

[Western Guy]

Yeah, in retrospect I should have chosen a George Raft character: Guino Rinaldo, Hood Stacey, Spats Columbo.

Was thinking recently about the character names in gangster films. Bogart probably holds the record for the most colorful. A sampling: Duke Mantee, "Bugs" Fenner, "Baby Face" Martin, "Turkey" Morgan, "Rocks" Valentine, "Mad Dog" Earle, "Gloves" Donahue. Heck with that kind of pedigree, no wonder Bogie is immortal.

[mongoII]

Go On, Ya Big Lug! Third Wife Patrice Wymore Playfully Chastises EF During Club Crawl

[mongoII]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

POLLY BERGEN is 82 today
quote: I don't want to waste the rest of my life just earning a living. I want to do what's fulfilling for me. I want to play out my life doing what I enjoy, not just showing up for work.
Film highlight: "Cape Fear" with Robert Mitchum.


NANCY OLSON is 84 today
The relatively inexperienced starlet was given the role of a lifetime as script girl Betty Schaefer, who attracts never-do-well writer William Holden and irks reclusive diva Gloria Swanson in the towering classic Sunset Blvd. (1950). Nancy won a deserved Oscar nomination for "best supporting actress".
Her pairing with Holden, in fact, went over so well, they were teamed in a succession of standard features: Union Station (1950), Force of Arms (1951), and Submarine Command (1951), none holding a candle to their "Sunset" pairing.


DALE ROBERTSON is 89 today
Robertson was typecast in Western movies and TV shows when the genre was still America's favorite. He headlined two TV series, "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1957), in which he played the roving trouble-shooter Jim Hardie, and "Iron Horse" (1966), in which he won a railway in a poker game. He also served as one of the hosts, along with Ronald Reagan, of the syndicated series "Death Valley Days" (1952) during the 1960s. Robertson later appeared in the inaugural season of "Dynasty" (1981).
Now retired and currently living in Oklahoma.


RICHARD RUST (1938 - 1994)
The actor was interested in reading about mysticism and religion, painting in oils (he spent 1960 in Mexico, painting), sailing, swimming, listening to music, water skiing.
He won the Hank Tabor role on "Sam Benedict" (1962) over 60 competitors because of his acting experience and also his excellent educational background. He is in such "cult classics" as Underworld U.S.A. (1961) and Naked Angels (1969), both of which often sell on ebay for outrageous amounts, not to mention Homicidal (1961).
Rust died of a heart attack at age 56.


ANNABELLA (1907 - 1996)
She arrived in the U.S. at a time when a great surge of foreign feminine mystique was invading Hollywood, led by Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman and Marlene Dietrich. A stunning and exceptionally gifted star beloved in her native France, Annabella was thrown into a string of mediocre films by her studio during her brief Hollywood courtship and, in the end, became better known as Mrs. Tyrone Power than as the high-quality talent she was.
Visited ex-husband Tyrone Power on the set of his last film Solomon and Sheba (1959) while it was filming in Madrid on November 10, 1958. Five days later, he collapsed on the set while filming a duel scene with George Sanders and died of a massive heart attack. She was little seen after that.


PAUL GUILFOYLE (1902 - 1961)
American character actor. Upon his entry into films in 1930, he was typecast as a weakling or criminal type. He received great acclaim for his role as Garth Esdras, the haunted and hunted accessory to murder in Winterset (1936). Memorable as the weaselly convict who tries to kill James Cagney at Steve Cochran's behest, but gets his just desserts in the trunk of a car, in White Heat (1949). After two decades as a film actor, he made a small foray into film directing. He died at 58.


GEORGE TOBIAS (1901 - 1980)
Perhaps best remembered for his TV role in the hit series "Bewitched" (1964) as the Abner Kravitz who had to put up with his wife's ranting about what was going on at the neighbors. George Tobias was also a well loved character actor who was mostly cast as the amiable and lovable friend of the lead character. Born in New York City, he honed his acting skills one the stage and made his way to Broadway. Catching the eye of a Warner Brothers scout, he went west in the late 1930s and quickly established himself, often teamed up with James Cagney. He played everything from the lovable dim-wit to the villain in everything from dramas, comedies and musicals. He retired from acting in 1977, after reprising his "Bewitched" (1964) role in the short-lived sequel "Tabitha" (1977), and passed away three years later after a battle with cancer.
The hearse containing his body was stolen on the way to the mortuary. Involved in a fender bender, the vehicle was stolen by carjackers while information was being exchanged by the occupants of the vehicles. The car and the body were found shortly after.


DONALD MEEK (1878 - 1946)
He was cast as timid, worrisome characters in many of his films, and is perhaps best known for his roles as Mr. Poppins in Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You and in John Ford's Stagecoach and "The Informer". From 1931 through 1932 Meek was featured as criminologist Dr. Crabtree, in a series of twelve Warner Brothers two-reel short subjects written by S. S. Van Dine.
In the US as a young teen, he fought in the Spanish-American War at age 18 and contracted yellow fever. This is how he lost his hair so young and decided character work would be his calling in Hollywood.

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

A very Happy Birthday to Dale Robertson. One of my very favourite people in the world. 89 and I hope he's well and hale & harty!!!
Such a nice picture of him too, Joe.. Thanks for giving me a nice, warm feeling this morning and the flood of endorphines that surged through me when I saw that beautiful, smiling face.......
I always remember him with a smile!

Larry

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi again,

And girls, wouldn't you just love to run your fingers through all that glorious hair and kiss those dimples.....

Larry