It must be noted that it was Steve Allen who premiered The Tonight Show on September 27, 1954. This earlier version of the show, however, was more strictly an entertainment format. When Jack Paar took over it became a more serious talk show, with guests such as Peter Ustinov and a regular, conservative intellectual, William F. Buckley, Jr.

My main memories are of Johnny Carson and all of his outlandish characters, such as Art Fern, Floyd R. Turbo, Aunt Blabby and of course Carnac The Magnificent. If it weren`t for The Tonight Show I wouldn`t have been able to have a proper conversation with my Dad when I was growing up. Dad could laugh while we were watching the show and pontificate some important life lessons, most of which I tried to learn.

I`ll link for you some Classic Carson, when Dean Martin and Bob Hope were on some time in 1969. That pic is Johnny from that show with Deano and Bob. Look to see if you think Dean is really intoxicated or is merely acting the role. He`s certainly got his image down. We owe a lot to these early forefathers of late night TV. Jay, Conan and David carry on the tradition.

One scene in the movie has Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo making a connection on their mutual love of Joni Mitchell album Blue. All I Want is included on the soundtrack. Galatea`s Guitar by Gabor Szabo is, I believe, the track I was thinking of that provides the wonderful ambience of a California organic farm, where many of the scenes are shot.

You will need to see The Kids Are All Right, there is so much going right in here. Lisa Cholodenko directed it and wrote the screenplay, which really works in every sense. And please be sure to check out the kids in the movie, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson, they really make it happen! Search your storage facilities, too, for your old Joni Mitchell album Blue, a classic worth revisiting.

Colton was brought up poor and was often hungry. Apparently, his very first heists were stealing from a freezer of the Kostelyk family, who had property on the waterfront. His first purloined items were cookies or frozen pizza. And now there is much speculation about how he got the techno-savvy to teach himself to fly. He dropped out of school after ninth grade, but that doesn`t mean that he`s not smart.

There is speculation already about what young actor would be right to play Colton. CNN is running a story today that lists some actors who might be cast in the role of the Barefoot Bandit. A few of the potential actors slated for this important role are: Logan Lerman, Michael Cera, Zach Gilford, Anton Yelchin and Angus T. Jones. I must admit, I`ve never seen any of these guys films except Michael Cera. *(sources-CNN and New York Times)

It would be a misstep, however, if Michael Cera played Colton. He`s just too silly to be the clever BB! See, the myth is already building up. I believe that a documentary would be a much more effective way of telling the BB story. What do you think?

I love it nonetheless. Have always been a big fan of Kenneth Anger`s two volumes of Hollywood Babylon. In spite of the seething scandals of many of the stars, Anger`s book actually helped to revive the Cult of Hollywood in its own fashion. Perhaps the public delights in experiencing the downfall of so many of their stars.

Here`s a checklist of some of the stars covered in this obscure special. Ramon Navarro, Sal Mineo, William Desmond Taylor, Ted Healey, Albert Decker, Freddie Printz, George Reeves, Lenny Bruce, Clara Bow, Francis Farmer, Jayne Mansfield, Lupe Velez, Fatty Arbuckle, Vivian Lee, Sharon Tate and many others. Each of the vignettes are short and sweet with some very shocking pics.

The vignette on Thelma Todd caught my eye immediately. Thelma supposedly died of affixation from car fumes. I`ve been reading a book on the Black Dahlia murder that implicates Bugsy Segal in Thelma Todd`s unsolved death. These stories are interesting, especially the ones that are still unsolved.

The music against these sordid tales is organ music such as they must have used in the silent films of the 1920s. Great production! You won`t find it anywhere, but drop by and I`ll give you a viewing. The closing lines are classic: “These stars are sacrificial lambs on Hollywood`s pagan altar.”

From Russia With

It is considered the best James Bond film, according to Hot Tomatoes. I`m watching a beautiful remastered DVD print that I just received from my Netflix account. This is also John Barry`s first full soundtrack score for the Bond series. A lot of the action takes place in Istanbul and is looking most exotic to me, since I can`t afford an overseas vacation. I can experience it vicariously on my trusty 1999 Sony Trinitron.

That`s right folks, I have a Color TV! During the height of the Cold War having a color TV was something of a luxury. One sad thing I feel compelled to report to you, is that From Russia With Love is the last film John Kennedy ever saw, viewing it at the Oval Office on November 20, 1963. He departed for Texas the very next day. Wonder if JFK thought the movie measured up to the novel? *(sources-Wikipedia)

I knew it was good when viewing it in 1997, but the plot was difficult to follow, and I seemed to have something else on my mind at the time, that curtailed my focus and concentration. But now I can play back the scenes and witness how its intricate plot of LA police corruption unwinds.

L.A. Confidential is based on a novel of the same name by James Ellroy. I need to read this novel; want to sort out what is fiction and what is true regarding the history of Los Angeles, in the early 1950s. I suspect much of this really happened. Narcotics, police corruption, the Mob, institutional racism, and tabloid journalism are given equal billing here, and I might add, with a brilliant Film Noir paintbrush.

And don`t forget the music was done by Jerry Goldsmith. The theme song is Accent the Positive, written by Johnny Mercer. Maybe something better will come out in the late summer. Perhaps Inception will be a winner? In the meantime, it`s all on the QT and very Hush-Hush.

One clear memory I have is during the first season (1965) it changed from black and white to ‘living color.’ This was also the time when my family first got color TV. This is no big deal today, but at the time it was ‘keeping up with the Jones’ in suburban America.

The theme song for the zany series was written by Hugo Montenegro. Larry Hagman looks mighty young in this show. This must have been before he let the booze devastate him. That must have happened with Dallas. I Dream of Jeannie experienced only moderate success for NBC during its original run. It was only when it ran as repeats on cable that it was a smash hit.

Did Barbara Eden once have an affair with Elvis Presley? We`ll wait for her memoirs next year.

Jill

At the time (December 1964) of the James Bond Spy Thriller`s release, there were rumors that the actress (Shirley Eaton) had actually died when painted gold. This wasn`t true, but that was going around my elementary school. The music and the theme were written by John Barry. The silver Aston Martin DB5 that Sean Connery buzzes around in is way up there in contention with other screen-grabbers, such as OddJob (Harold Sakata), Miss Moneypenny (Lois Blackwell) or Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman).

Yes, Goldfinger is my favorite James Bond film with Thunderball as a strong contender. The two themes are the greatest also. Fantasies of all that gold bullion from Fort Knox helps a lot too! *(source-Wikipedia, memories, and the VHS box cover.)

Roger sees it as mere exploitation of the subject matter of ‘kinkiness’ in a post WWII Germany. I find it be a sensitive treatment of this wretched aftermath of Nazi exploitation of concentration camp prisoners. The thing is, even though the war had been over for thirteen years, the character flaws of the parties involved linger on like a cancer.

The soundtrack is quite beautiful too. The theme, composed by Daniele Paris, comes in at all the right times. Please watch the film several times, then read Roger Ebert`s review to see what you think. Cavani gives a sensitive treatment to the dodgy theme of the Stockholm Syndrome. Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling bring in top flight performances. Get back with me…

The first song heard is The Pusher by Steppenwolf. This is a perfect fit, since Billy and Wyatt are pulling off a huge drug deal down in Mexico. By the time the opening credits roll, we see the two comic heroes racing down the road on their Harleys to the tune of Born To Be Wild.  Another perfect fit. The two-sided issue of Freedom is a central one in this Biker Road Flick.

The best fit, however, is a Byrds` tune, Wasn`t Born To Follow, a Carole King/Gerry Goffin composition. This mellow, wistful tune helps to ease the tension of the audience for future scenes, which are oh so lacking in mellowness, like the café scene where Jack, Peter and Dennis are harassed by a cache of ornery Rednecks.

Okay, I won`t leave out the pot smoking scene where Don`t Bogart Me plays against the live action of pot-toking, counter-culture movie stars. The band was Fraternity of Men; not that anyone ever paid much attention to these dudes, but they are on the map permanently now because of Easy Rider. “Don`t bogart that joint my friend, pass it over to me.” I don`t recall how Our Father worked this scene into our theology discussion?

For the themes of the movie I will send you a wonderful link, written by Tim Dirks. This is thorough in its discussion of this film`s impact, really an impact felt for American History. One of the scholastics at Jesuit (I can not remember his name anymore?) went to it about 100 times. He saw layers and layers of meaning in this film. As a result of his enthusiasm, I started reading my own wild profundities into it.

When Captain America gets his chopper blown to pieces by the shotgun of a Redneck, doesn`t this spell the end of the Youth Culture? These kinds of Faith Leaps were being bandied about like bubblegum at our little Catholic Prep. School, so many years ago.