I’ve been watching the first season of Emergency! on Hulu.com, the television drama that aired from 1972-1978. I grew up watching this show on Saturday nights, but all I really remembered was the paramedics acting goofy when off-duty. I’d forgotten how compelling the rescue stories are, so I’m having a good time revisiting this series.
It’s amusing (and painful) seeing the horrible seventies clothing, hair and decor once again. I’m especially impressed by Nurse Dixie’s apartment, shown here in season 1, episode 5: Dealer’s Wild. My father loved the color gold, so I had to endure a lot of it growing up. Nothing like this, though! Check out the great outfits, too. Ah, the seventies. Fun to visit, but I’d never want to go back…
Robert Fuller (Dr. Kelly Brackett) and Julie London (Nurse Dixie) on Emergency! (1972)
“Sometimes it feels like I’m just playing a doctor on TV.”
Yet another April birthday! No, not Taylor Kitsch’s. His birthday was April 8th. Today is a very special birthday for my friend, so Taylor Kitsch is my birthday present to her. I’m sure she’d rather have the real thing, but this is the best I can manage!
Ever since I saw A Very Long Engagement, I have been following the career of French actor Gaspard Ulliel. A few of his films didn’t appeal to me at all—Hannibal Rising, Ultimate Heist—but I watched them anyway. It’s frustrating, because it takes so long for his films to reach the US, if they get released here at all.
This week, Netflix finally got A Heavenly Vintage, a movie made in 2009 and originally titled The Vintner’s Luck. It’s based on a 2000 novel by Elizabeth Knox, which I haven’t read. Ulliel plays an angel who visits a peasant winemaker once a year to help him create a superior wine. The movie is a joint French/New Zealand production, filmed in Auckland and France, and directed by Niki Caro (Whale Rider). The other actors include Keisha Castle-Hughes, Vera Farmiga, and Jérémie Renier. The film is in heavily-accented English with no helpful subtitles, and there’s almost no music score. It’s not for anyone who’s squeamish about insects, since there are many closeups of various worms and bugs in the vineyard. Honestly, I just don’t know how I feel about this film. The cinematography is beautiful, the actors are fine, the costumes are interesting…on the other hand, while the pace of the individual scenes are very slow, the story takes place over many years and can be hard to follow. I got confused by all the children, who seem to age at different rates. And why does everybody else look the same age at the end when the winemaker is an old man?
If you trust the discussions over on the IMDb board, the fundamental problem with A Heavenly Vintage is the clash between the director’s vision and the original story as written by Elizabeth Knox. The book is about angels, the devil, heaven and hell, but the filmmaker doesn’t believe in all that stuff. The book is also about the erotic connection between the angel and the winemaker, but apparently Caro doesn’t believe in that either, because the only sex happening onscreen is a lot of the heterosexual kind. What’s between the guys is only hinted at.
The only thing I know for sure is that Gaspard Ulliel makes a lovely angel. The rest is up for debate.
Today is Hadley Fraser’s birthday. Currently playing Javert in Les Misérables, this West End performer is about to take a quick break from the stage to appear in the movie version of Les Mis. (He’s playing the army officer who calls out to the student revolutionaries, “You at the barricades, listen to this! No one is coming to help you to fight!” and all that.) My friend and guest blogger extraordinaire, Scolytinae, has written this fine tribute to Mr. Fraser, in honor of his special day:
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Happy Birthday, Hadley – the Metal Monkey
According to the Chinese, people born under the Year of the Monkey are good at mastering anything they put their hands to and are highly successful. Those born during the period of the Metal Monkey are motivated by constancy, are self reliant and stylish, and have a good memory. Quite an accurate description of the lovely Mr. Hadley Fraser, who is, by anyone’s standards, having an amazing year. From a triumphant return to the West End in Les Misérables, the show that marked his professional debut 10 years ago, to a stunning performance in The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary, Hadley hasn’t stopped working. He has filming for the Les Misérables movie still to come next month. But it’s not been all high profile public performances. In his quiet and unassuming manner, Hadley has also lent his support to charity by taking part in Les Mis Gives, performed shows and cabarets alongside friends and colleagues and, most recently, lent his magnificent voice to the concept album for the prospective new musical The In-Between by new young writer Laura Tisdall—all fitted round a demanding 8 show a week schedule as Inspector Javert, without fuss or fanfares.
He may disagree, but I feel he lives and breathes music in all its many and varied forms. Yes he can (and does) belt out a West End show stopper onstage, but just listen to him perform some of his own beautiful compositions for Sheytoons, or deliver the beautiful ballads of friend Scott Alan, and you begin to appreciate the depth of talent he has. Acting, singing, arranging, writing—he seems to epitomise that monkey by indeed mastering anything he puts his hand to.
As his year in the West End nears its end—his last performance is on 16th June 2012—I can’t help but wonder, what’s next for Hadley? Whatever it may be, rest assured he will have an army of dedicated fans wishing him all the best as he embarks on the next phase of an amazing career.
So it’s with the greatest of pleasure that I say “Thank you” and “Happy Birthday, Mr Fraser!” Enjoy your day, because you certainly deserve the very best that life has to offer.
Thank you, Scolytinae, I couldn’t have said it more eloquently. I too wish Hadley Fraser a great birthday. May the cake flow, and save me slice of champagne! (Perhaps we shouldn’t have started celebrating so early…)
I love Constance Talmadge, the silent film star who was born on this day in 1898. I’ve only seen her in one full length movie—D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance. Her performance as Mountain Girl is so fresh, so modern, so fun. You sure can’t say that about the rest of the film! I first encountered the Talmadge sisters when I was reading books about Buster Keaton, at the beginning of my love affair with silent film (A Silent Scream). Buster Keaton married Natalie Talmadge, middle sister to Constance and Norma. Having the Talmadges for in-laws was no picnic for Keaton! I was surprised to find Constance so delightful onscreen, after the stories I’d read about these formidable ladies.
Constance Talmadge was a fair-haired comedienne, unlike her older sister Norma, a brunette known for serious roles. In spite of the 83 film credits listed at IMDb, very few of Constance’s movies are available for viewing, if they exist at all. I’m aware of only five on DVD: Intolerance, The Primitive Lover, Her Night of Romance, Her Sister From Paris, and The Duchess of Buffalo. A few of her shorts are included in DVD anthologies, like The Matrimaniac with Douglas Fairbanks. I keep hoping that a title sitting in some archive will be restored for the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. (The festival needs more comedies!) Constance Talmadge retired from films when sound was introduced. She died in 1973 at the age of 75.
When I first started blogging, I read that it takes about two years for a blog to get established and find an audience. Not encouraging! I wasn’t sure that it would last for two months, but I’m still committed and enthusiastic.
I recently watched a few episodes of Party Down with Jane Lynch. I cringed when the geeky cater-waiter kept telling people, “I have a very active blog.” Identifying yourself as a blogger isn’t particularly cool, and everybody and his dog now has a blog, a tumblr site, and probably even a pinterest board. People are so busy doing their own thing. I’m sincerely grateful for every visitor, especially those who take the time to leave a comment.
My first year, I published 95 posts. This year, I managed 145 posts. There are new subscribers, and my daily traffic has more than doubled. To be realistic, many of my “visitors” never actually land on these pages, because of the way image search engines work. WordPress recently added a world map to their detailed stats, so I now enjoy seeing where my visitors are located. Most are in the US and the UK, but some are in Poland, Brazil, Hong Kong…even Malta!
I’ve tried to keep things balanced with lots of different topics. Of course, what I call “balance,” others might call “lack of focus.” When I’m in the grip of an obsession, I could easily go overboard. Fortunately, most of the things that fascinate me already have devoted fan sites that I can’t compete with. On the other hand, it would get too monotonous if I stuck with just the topics that bring the most visitors. These include Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Ramin Karimloo, and Hadley Fraser. I feel an obligation to the subscribers who follow me because of the these interests. I added a West End Index page for those who don’t want to scroll through all the other content. I also invite friends to write concert and theatre reviews, since I’ve never seen Karimloo or Fraser perform in person. My first year, I would have been horrified at the idea of guest bloggers, but now I’m delighted when friends contribute to these pages.
I think my favorite post in this second year is Postcards from Camp Hell. I had a great time putting it together, although it was a struggle not to correct my adolescent spelling and grammar. I also really enjoyed writing My Huckleberry Friend, My Sondheim Summer, The Rifleman, and all the Stage Door/Celebrity Encounter posts. There are a lot more photo essays than before, and my favorite is Tanya and Chloe. Getting silly in photoshop has also been very entertaining. Congratulations, Jeff Nicholson! is probably my best creation, but I also love a good birthday party.
Making videos and posting them on YouTube began with Enation’s “video for a cause” contest back in July. I didn’t win, but I definitely got hooked. It’s another chance to get creative in photoshop. Now I check my YouTube stats almost as often as my blog stats. I also finally overcame my aversion to twitter. Mostly.
I’m not really sure what the future will bring. I keep getting the feeling that something new should be arriving any minute to grab my attention, but it hasn’t quite happened yet. Bear with me until it does, and then bear with me when it does! Thank you to all my friends who keep me going with encouragement and support. It’s not a ball when you’re dancing alone.
I wanted to post a photo here of this great cake, but I didn’t hear back from my request for permission. Take a look, and be sure to click the enlarge button! Who wouldn’t want a frosting slug?!
Like many, I first saw Wil Wheaton in Stand By Me (1986), then watched him mature on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-94). He dropped off my radar for many years after that. I gradually became aware that Wheaton was writing and blogging. When I started working at Borders Books, I spent a lot of time browsing the entertainment section. I knew of Wheaton’s Dancing Barefoot and Just a Geek. One day, Wheaton visited the store as a regular customer. Whenever we had a famous person came into the store, the news spread quickly. From a distance, I watched him talking animatedly to a co-worker. He looked friendly and approachable, but I didn’t go over to meet him. Later, I started reading his blog and leaving the occasional comment. I also readhis books and enjoyed them. When he posted on his blog that he was appearing at the January 2005 MacWorld convention here in San Francisco, I left a comment encouraging him to visit my Borders again. He messaged me about doing a book reading. When I asked the area event coordinator, she told me I would have to organize it myself. I’d been assisting with lots of events, so I felt ready to take it on.
I had to make sure we had enough copies of Wheaton’s books in the store, although I had no idea how many fans would turn up. I posted flyers at nearby computer stores to get the word out. The hardest part? Getting the event added to the Borders website and automated phone information line. I don’t think those ever got fixed. Of course, the most effective promotion was Wheaton’s own blog post about the event:
“Good news, everyone!
When the press release went out about MacWorld, a lot of WWdN readers asked if there would be a reading or signing for people who were unable to afford admission to the conference.
Well, it turns out that we have a mole at Borders in Union Square. She made an introduction for me, and I am super excited to announce that I’ve been invited to their store for a reading and signing when I’m in town!
It looks like the Borders website hasn’t been updated yet, but I’m scheduled for Friday January 14th at 7pm.
Oh! I just got a Really Big Idea™, that could be a whole bunch of Supercool: I have a short list of stories from Just A Geek that I choose from when I perform at bookstores. Based on comments and e-mail, I know there are a lot of WWdN readers in NorCal. How about, instead of me choosing what to read, I let you guys pick what you’d like to hear? If you’re planning to come out on the 14th, say so in the comments, and leave a brief description, or chapter number, or page number, or whatever, and the majority will rule.”
I was excited and nervous when the day arrived. Once the chairs were in place, the book displays set up, and the posters hung around the store, I just had to wait. Some enthusiastic fans showed up really early to get good seats, and one of them came up to me to complain. He’d heard a skeptical employee making snide comments about Wheaton. It was just the kind of attitude that Wheaton was writing about, coming from people who thought of him as “that guy who played Wesley Crusher.” I let my supervisor deal with the situation and went off on my dinner break.
When I got back to the store, a co-worker told me that Wheaton had arrived and was waiting in the employee area. I rushed down and found him alone, sitting on a desk. I felt bad, because the people who came to do store events were often given the manager’s office and some VIP treatment. I presented Wheaton with some gifts and introduced him around, and he signed my copy of Just a Geek. Then we took the elevator upstairs to find a big crowd waiting. In fact, it was standing room only. I got to do the introduction, and somebody took a photo and posted it on the internet the next day. I can’t believe I wore that sweater! Oh well, nobody was there to see me.
Wheaton had the crowd right from the start. He’s a great reader. Somebody posted a brief video of his reading on YouTube:
After the reading, the folks waiting to get their books signed were in good spirits, and it was obvious that Wheaton was enjoying himself. I should have ordered more copies of Dancing Barefoot, because we ran out. Wheaton was also a great salesman for his favorite poker books. I kept myself busy taking lots of photos of everything. The event coordinator dropped by to check things out, and it seemed to me she was basking in the glow of a successful event that wasn’t her own. Several of my co-workers told me that it was one of our best, including the skeptic. After it was all over and I was saying goodbye, I finally got awkward talking to Wheaton. It’s always easier when you’re kept busy! I was excited to see how he would describe the evening on his blog. As far as I know, he never got around to it. It only took me seven years to get around to it, but I’ve got an excuse. I haven’t been blogging that long!
Later, I received a delightful email from Wheaton:
Hey Stacey,
I have this horrible habit of getting so overwhelmed by everything, I do
nothing.
. . . like remember to thank you for sending me the amazing photos you
took when I was up in San Francisco. Oh, I've looked at them and I've
showed them off to my kids and my friends . . . and I've said, out loud,
"Stacey was so cool, and look at all this great stuff she helped me get
done . . ."
But I kept forgetting to just sit my stupid ass down here and type it
out to you.
Thank you, so very, very much, for making it possible for me to read in
your store.
I owe you, big time, and I won't ever forget it.
So thank you for sending me such great photos, and thank you for all
your support.
I hope this finds you well,
Wil
I saw Wil Wheaton again in fall 2009, at his first wOOtstock performance in San Francisco. He remembered me, but I made two big bOO-bOOs. I went up to say hello while he was tweeting (bad twitter etiquette?) right before his performance. I couldn’t stick around after the show, but it’s not cool to bother a performer before they go on. Anyway, wOOtstock was great, and I’d love to go to another one. I very much enjoy Wheaton’s guest appearances on The Big Bang Theory. Did he influence me to start blogging? Maybe just a bit!
Chuck Connors was born on this day in 1921. He starred in my favorite TV western, The Rifleman, with Johnny Crawford and Paul Fix. Connors passed away in 1992, but The Rifleman and the character he created are as popular as ever. There’s even a reboot of the show in development, but Connors left some awfully big shoes to fill. For his fans, Chuck Connors will always be the definitive Lucas McCain.
There are many ways to celebrate this weekend. I’m always torn between the drama of the evening Easter Vigil and the morning service with all the children in their adorable Easter outfits. Here I am with my brother, all dressed up for Easter in 1966. No matter how you spend your Easter, or Passover, may it be filled with joy. (A little chocolate isn’t such a bad thing, either!)
Easter 1966
Spring in Devon, England
My friend John took this photo in Devon. These two have spring fever and can’t get enough of each other!
I stumbled across James Garner’s memoir at the library, so I checked it out on a whim. Garner is one of those actors I’ve always liked but never really focused on. I didn’t even realize how many movies I’ve seen him in until I was looking at the filmography in the book. If you’d asked me a few days ago what The Castaway Cowboy, Tank, Victor/Victoria, and The Great Escape have in common, I would have probably drawn a blank. I was born after Maverick, and The Rockford Files didn’t make much sense to me as a teenager, but at least I remember his Polaroid commercials!
Garner’s book is an enjoyable read. It’s silly to say I learned a lot about him, because I knew almost nothing about him before. Rather than write a regular book review, I thought it would be more fun to list ten things I found especially interesting about him.
James Garner was born in Oklahoma. (What’s so interesting about that? Well, so was I!)
He can’t stand turkey or garlic. His dislike of turkey came from being forced to eat unfrozen birds left over from WWII during the Korean War. That would certainly turn me off for life.
He sued Warner Bros. for breach of contract while doing Maverick. His legal fees were more than he earned while under contract to the studio, but he thought it was worth it to get free.
Garner married his first and only wife, Lois, 17 days after they met. Or 24 days, if you ask his wife. They agree on when they married, but not on when they met.
He was at the March on Washington in August, 1963, where he sat in the third row for Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
He witnessed the 1962 Munich Schwabinger Riots while filming The Great Escape.
Garner is relaxed and charming onscreen, but he’s got a temper. He also won’t tolerate bullies.
He’s been in constant pain from arthritis and other ailments since the 1960s, and he can’t remember what it’s like to be pain-free.
His favorite of all his movies is The Americanization of Emily with Julie Andrews.
He thinks the worst movie he ever made is Mister Buddwing, but there are some other ones that he’d like to forget. Actually, he can’t remember a thing about The Distinguished Gentleman with Eddie Murphy, and he can live with that.
Obviously there’s a lot more in The Garner Files. I even found the chapters about golf and racing pretty interesting. The organization of the book is a little scattershot, but the man himself is always entertaining.
James Garner (3rd from right) with other Warner Bros. western actors
Update: Tomorrow, James Garner turns 84. Happy Birthday! And for fans of Maverick, Warner is finally releasing a complete DVD set of the first season on May 29th.
Inspired by the song about unloved creatures who make their own good time and have a ball together.
A blog about the stuff that entertains me, including books, movies, television and theatre, with lots of photography and the occasional rant. I also have guest bloggers for a fresh perspective.
Wordpress is having technical issues with photos on their blog pages. I'm working to fix the images that have gone wonky. For images not in moving slideshows, click on the photos to see sharper versions. They will usually be larger, too.
I'm grateful to the BBC site for catching me up on EastEnders, but did I really need to know that Shane Richie likes his toenails painted? 5 months ago
There were so many ads in the middle of The Big Bang Theory tonight, I forgot what I was watching. Success has it's drawbacks. 5 months ago
—How many tribute videos can you squeeze out of two seasons of a television show?
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—My addiction to EastEnders is back in full force, after a long spell without access. New favorites are Jean and Tamwar.
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—I'm starting to make funny faces at an invisible camera...which only makes sense to those who've watched Miranda Hart in "Miranda."
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