PEOPLE
WHY MARK EVANIER -- AND HIS BLOG -- ARE SO COOL
People
Posted on Feb 09 2009 by Greg
If you are at all interested in classic comedy, great television, animation, show business or life in general, you should take a look at Mark Evanier's blog at www.newsfromme.com. There is also a lot of previous material that is fascinating. Mark grew up in the Hollywood area during several phases of entertainment, either in his youth as a spectator (including watching tapings of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," or as a participant (as a writer/producer and in countless brushes with greatness). My thanks to Mark for turning me on to Shokus Internet Radio ( www.shokusradio.com) and the various BBC online things to listen to. Shokus Radio is a paradise for baby boomers who love classic TV, music and comedy. See here for the schedule, then click and enjoy. If you'd like to save shows to hear whenever you want, you might want to look into something like Audio Hijack. Then you can set the timer like a TiVo. There are about seven BBC Radio stations, but my favorites are BBC 2 (music and variety, www.bbc.co.uk/radio2), BBC 4 (comedy and drama, www.bbc.co.uk/radio4) and BBC 7 (new and classic comedy and drama, www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7). Pretty much all of their programs can be enjoyed for up to seven days after the initial broadcast. The best thing to do is go over the programming lists or schedules, pick some shows here and there and see what suits you. Thanks, Mark!
WHY RICARDO MONTALBAN IS -- AND WILL ALWAYS BE -- COOL
People
Posted on Jan 15 2009 by Greg
Take a look at the remarkable recollection writer/ producer Mark Evanier recounts on his superior blog and you'll see just one example of the kind of family bond and values of the late Ricardo Montalban. I really can't add anything beyond that except some other factoids you probably won't see anywhere else.
Senor Montalban was related by marriage to one of our dearest Mouse Tracks friends, the lovely Teri York. Her son Gil Smith, an acclaimed photographer by the way, is married to Anita, one of the four Montalban children. Gil is very involved in the Ricardo Montalban Theater in Hollywood -- which was originally the famed Lux Radio Theater where Cecil B. DeMille and most of the biggest stars and greatest voice actors of all time re-enacted movies in a one-hour format. Unlike ao many imaginary locations concocted for golden age radio, this theater was for real and still stands -- only now it is dedicated to The Ricardo Montalban Foundation and hosted the Nosotros American Latino Film Festival and other events.
One of the stars who appeared frequently on Lux Radio Theater was the Oscar-winning Loretta Young. Senor Montalban's widow is Loretta's half-sister, Georgiana. Theirs was one of the longest Hollywood marriages in history.
The Montalban connection to other Hollywood/Disney royalty doesn't stop there, either. Georgiana's half-brother-in-law was Norman Foster, who directed Walt Disney's Davy Crockett shows as well as episodes of Zorro. Take THAT, Kevin Bacon!
And speaking of Zorro, as Tim Hollis remarked today, "Now NO ONE will ever know that Zorro was really Don Diego de la Vega!" (Senor Montalban played Captain Esteban in the 1974 TV movie version, The Mark of Zorro.)
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COMMENT FROM TIM HOLLIS (1/16): "Yes, but what I actually had in mind was that segment of the 25th anniversary show in 1978, where they showed repeated clips from the old b&w show in which Montalban tried to tell people about Zorro's identity and they laughed at him. Then, he calls in Ed Asner as Lou Grant and claims he has a big scoop for his newspaper. Lou/Ed is unimpressed."
GREG: Oops! My bad. Tim was referring to Senor Montalban's role of Ramon Castillo on the Disney Zorro TV series. As Albert Mouse said, "I've learned that I still have a lot to learn!"]
PATRICK McGOOHAN'S "VILLAGE" & DISNEY'S "VILLAGE"
People
Posted on Jan 14 2009 by Greg
The immensely talented Patrick McGoohan has passed away, prompting an observation from me that you are free to scoff and guffaw upon: his landmark TV series The Prisoner was created and produced in 1967, shortly after the actor/writer/director performed in the exceptional Walt Disney productions The Three Lives of Thomasina and Dr. Syn.
Disneyland
Undoubtedly Mr. McGoohan must have visited Disneyland during those days, and I cannot help wondering if his idyllic-yet-totalitarian vision for The Prisoner was based in part on the relentlessly happy Disney theme park environments that belied the rigidity beneath. The doors opened automatically, everything was sparkling clean. Walt Disney World Village
When I joined Disney over two decades ago, there was a place in Florida called "Walt Disney World Village" which was renamed Disney Village Marketplace and is currently Downtown Disney Marketplace. The directional signs leading to the area called it "Disney Village," but those inside Disney simply called it "The Village." The irony was not lost on me. Or maybe it was just me. "The Village"
Anyway, the real location for the TV "Village" was Portmeirion in Wales. Want to vacation there? Book a lovely getaway package right here. Maybe you'll luck out and be there when "the flavor of the day is STRAW-Bree." Only be on the lookout for those giant white balloon thingys that used to chase those who tried to escape. You can even order those weird telephones they used on the show! The weird phone
We'll miss McGoohan, particularly his unique voice -- my siblings and I often mimicked his line from the movie Silver Streak: "Don't put yerr foot on the pedalll!"
SHERMANS HONORED BY U.S.
People
Posted on Jan 07 2009 by Greg
This deserves repeated mention even if it appeared elsewhere earlier. Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman were among those awarded the 2008 National Medal of Arts. Other 2008 recipients included Stan Lee and Olivia DeHavilland. It is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the U. S. Government. "Great job on those Pete's Dragon tunes, you guys!"Here is the actual caption for the above photo from the nea.gov site: 2008. National Medal of Arts recipient Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, whose career includes the song scores for Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and more than 30 Disney films. Here with President Bush, they were commended for music that "has helped bring joy to millions." Photo by James Kegley.
Good Night, Eartha Baby
People
Posted on Dec 26 2008 by Greg
The great entertainer Eartha Kitt passed away from cancer and left behind an extraordinary legacy in every form of show business on the big and small screen and especially live performing, whether to a small intimate cabaret to a thousands in huge venues including Epcot as a star narrator of Candlelight Processional. Animation fans know her voice work well as Yzma in The Emperor's New Groove (and The Emperor's New School TV series). It won her the Annie award from ASIFA-Hollywood (twice maybe?). She also starred for Rankin/Bass in their most recent holiday special, Santa Baby. And speaking of "Santa Baby," it's one of those holiday song classics that will be played forever -- and though vamps from Madonna to Minnie Mouse have put their spin on it, it is the Kitt version that continues to stand the test of time. I've met Ms. Kitt a few times, when she was interviewed on a radio talk show I produced years ago; at a touring performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella as the Fairy Godmother (only she could have stepped out of the cottage for a curtain call like her -- kicking out a shapely leg first); and when I interviewed her for the Disney annual Passholder magazine, Mickey Monitor. I'll never forget hearing that unmistakable voice say "mmmmnnnthenk yew" when I offered a compliment or three. Eartha Kitt also rose above a harrowing childhood, navigated a successful career before, during and beyond the civil rights movement, and lived to see this year's landmark election. I can only imagine what she might have said when the election results came in, being a woman who had been shunned by Lady Bird Johnson for opposing the Vietnam war. Perhaps she said, "mmmmmmmnnnnnnthenk yew."
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