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| CELESTE HOLM |
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| ANDY WILLIAMS |
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Some Folks We Lost Jan-June 2012
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| WRITTEN BY NORA EPHRON |
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| FROM A STORY BY RAY BRADBURY |
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| STARRING DICK CLARK |
SOME FOLKS WE LOST FIRST HALF OF 2012
1. FREDERICA SAGOR MAAS (1/5, age 111)
Yes, age 111 (third oldest person in California at her death). Screenwriter and producer of the silent era who wrote screenplays and stories for Greta Garbo, Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and many others. One was Bow's big hit, THE PLASTIC AGE (1927). Bow was a close friend, 5 years younger, and died 46 years before she did. Maas' career faltered the sound era, her last credit being THE SHOCKING MISS PILRIM, a Betty Grable musical. She left Hollywood in 1950, but wrote her autobiography in 1999 (in which she claimed others stole many of her writing credits) and made public appearances at silent film festivals.
2. JAMES FARENTINO (1/24, age 73)
Actor who was all over TV in the '60s, '70s and '80s. His many series included The Bold Ones and Dynasty, and occasional movies such as THE FINAL COUNTDOWN and BULLETPROOF. His career suffered from booze and drug problems and being charged with stalking Tina Sinatra (daughter of Frank), which led to many jokes about daddy Sinatra being a poor choice of people to piss off...
3. DON CORNELIUS (2/1, age 75)
Former Chicago cop who created and produced Soul Train in 1971, which he hosted for 22 years, and the Soul Train Awards shows. He came to Texas in 1980 to act in ROADIE, one of his 3 film roles. Cornelius committed suicide with a shotgun. "We're wishing you Love, Peace, and SOULLLL!!!!!"
4. BEN GAZZARA (2/3, age 81)
Actor's Studio grad who made a big impression in ANATOMY OF A MURDER ('59) but had his biggest success on Broadway, TV and niche films. Known for 3 films with Peter Bogdanovich (SAINT JACK etc.), 5 with pal John Cassavetes (KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE etc.) and for playing a lot of gangsters, especially in THE BIG LEBOWSKI and ROADHOUSE. Series: Arrest and Trail, Run For Your Life.
5. WHITNEY HOUSTON (2/11, age 48)
In addition to her record seven consecutive #1 records and her multiple Grammys and other entertainment awards, Houston could have had a long career in movies if her personal problems hadn't gotten in the way. She made five films, the last being 2012's remake of SPARKLE, released after her death and 15 years after her previous film (WAITING TO EXHALE).
6. DAVY JONES (2/29, age 66)
From Manchester, England, he was a child star on Broadway in "Oliver!", as The Artful Dodger, in the early '60s. On 2/9/64, he performed a musical number from "Oliver!" live on The Ed Sullivan Show. Later in the same episode, a British rock group called The Beatles made their first live American TV appearance. Two years later he was cast in NBC's answer to The Beatles, The Monkees (1966-'68), with Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz and Dallasite Michael Nesmith. Jones was the breakout star of the surprise hit, and surprise again, these guys really could make music and turn out some hit records for RCA. The novelty had worn off by the time of the 1968 Monkees feature film HEAD (co-written by the boys and Jack Nicholson), but it, and the series, later gained a huge worldwide cult following through endless TV showings. Jones appeared in many Monkees live and TV reunions, and died in Stuart, Florida.
7. ROBERT B. SHERMAN (3/5, age 86)
The man you want to thank for all those Disney songs that stuck in your head as a kid, which he cowrote with brother Richard. They won Oscars for the score, and the song "Chim Chim Cheree", from MARY POPPINS, plus numerous nominations for songs for other Disney (and Disney-ish) flicks.
8. MIKE WALLACE (4/7, age 93)
The co-host of 75 episodes of 60 Minutes was an announcer in the earliest days of television for such shows as Sky King, did scores of commercials, and even acted a few times. He was sued by General William Westmoreland in 1982 and settled out of court. He greatly disliked Christopher Plummer's portrayal of him in THE INSIDER (1999).
9. JONATHAN FRID (4/13, age 87)
The Canadian actor who became a TV icon as Barnabas Collins on the TV horror soap Dark Shadows from '67 to '71, made his final appearance in a cameo in Tim Burton's DARK SHADOWS, starring Johnny Depp as Barnabas. Also appeared in the first DS film, HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (1970) and Oliver Stone's directing debut, SEIZURE ('74).
10. DICK CLARK (4/18, age 82)
Did anyone do more for the American pop music industry? In addition to creating and hosting American Bandstand for 20 years, he produced game shows, award shows, TV movies, feature films, hosted the New Year's Eve show...and acted. Yep, from time to time he tried some serious acting, in BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUNG, THE YOUNG DOCTORS, KILLERS THREE, and the final episode of Perry Mason among others. He did spots for Dr. Pepper in our fair city, and no doubt much more.
11. DONNA SUMMER (5/17, AGE 63)
THE disco diva of the '70s, Summer won an Oscar for Best Song for 1979's THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!, 2 years after the Academy failed to nominate the Bee Gees for anything for SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. She made her performing debut in Germany in "Hair", where she hooked up with Giorgio Moroder. Her music, like Houston's, was heard on many film soundtracks. Summer had cancer. See below.
12. ROBIN GIBBS (5/20, age 62)
Twin brother of fellow Bee Gee Maurice, and writer of "Stayin' Alive", both a great movie song and probably the most over-used song in movie history. He lost a long battle with cancer.
13. RICHARD DAWSON (6/2, age 79)
British actor and comedian who hosted Family Feud from 1976 to 1985. and again in 1994. Before that he was a regular on Laugh-In ('70 - '73) and Hogan's Heroes ('65-'71). He made his film debut in THE LONGEST DAY ('62) and was quite effective in KING RAT ('65), THE RUNNING MAN ('87), and a memorable episode of the original Outer Limits ("The Invisibles", 1964).
14. RAY BRADBURY (6/5, age 91)
Wonderful writer of fantastic fiction in stories, screenplays, novels, stage plays, and he wrote other genres as well. His stories and screenplays became IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, FAHRENHEIT 451, THE SOUND OF THUNDER, THE ILLUSTRATED MAN, SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, The Ray Bradbury Theater, The Martian Chronicles and episodes of The Twilight Zone. John Huston was so impressed with his writing that he hired him to script MOBY DICK in 1956. After witnessing a gruesome car crash as a teenager, Bradbury never learned to drive. Remakes of ILLUSTRATED MAN and 451 are in the works.
15. ANN RUTHERFORD (6/11, age 94)
MGM contract star who played Scarlett O'Hara's sister Carreen in GONE WITH THE WIND. Her other films included PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN, the ANDY HARDY series, and many TV roles. Olivia de Havilland, who played Melanie in GWTW, is still kickin' at 96, the last living leading cast member.
16. NORA EPHRON (6/26, age 71)
The screenwriter of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, the Dallas-filmed SILKWOOD, the Austin-filmed MICHAEL, YOU'VE GOT MAIL JULIA AND JULIA, and many more, she reinvented the rom-com. She also directed SLEEPLESS, MICHAEL, MAIL, and JULIA. And she said one of my favorite showbiz quotes. When asked how she would feel if SLEEPLESS was not nominated for a Screenplay Oscar, she answered, "On the list of the world's great injustices, it doesn't make the top million". Turned out it was anyway, as was SILKWOOD and WHMS. Meryl Streep played her in HEARTBURN ('86).
Stay tuned for Part II, covering July-December 2012, and see you on the 21st!
---Gordon K. Smith
Sunday, October 14, 2012
DPA Member News: Cynthia Salzman-Mondell honored at Lois Weber Film Festival Oct 19
PRESS
RELEASE
Grand
Prairie Public Library System
Dallas
independent filmmaker Cynthia Salzman-Mondell will be honored for her
body of work at the 2nd Annual Lois Weber Film Festival. The Film
Festival, which screens movies and documentaries by female directors,
is hosted by the Grand Prairie Public Library and held at Grand
Prairie’s historic Uptown Theater.
At 7:30 pm
on Friday, October 19, the Library will award Salzman-Mondell the
Lois Weber Award, for her impact on the Texas motion picture
industry. Her movie The Ladies
Room will be screened.
The Ladies
Room takes you where no man has gone before … a hilarious 42-minute
documentary about what really goes on behind closed doors. Women
share stories of love, sex, marriage and divorce, and comment on
everything from body image to their mothers … all the while fixing
their hair and makeup.
Cynthia
believes that films do make a difference in people's lives. This
motivates her to marry her love for film and commitment to social
change. She is now working on a film Sole
Sisters, a fascinating
exploration of women's identity told and seen through the intimate
relationship between a woman and her shoes. Learn more at
www.solesistersfilm.com.
She is
co-founder with her husband Allen Mondell of award-winning film
production and distribution company Media Projects, Inc.
www.mediaprojects.org.
The
festival continues on Saturday, October 20.
11 am: Kung
Fu Panda 2, by director
Jennifer Yuh. 90 min. Rated PG. A murderous villain with a secret
weapon that could end kung fu threatens Po, now the Dragon Warrior.
1:30 pm:
Louie Louie,
by director Cynthia Salzman Mondell. 29 min. Unrated. From the
director: this portrait of a man living with Parkinson's disease
provides an extremely insightful look into the physical and
psychosocial challenges of this illness and the human will to
survive.
2 pm:
Christopher Strong,
by director Dorothy Arzner. 79 min. Stars Katharine Hepburn as Lady
Cynthia Darrington, a record-setting aviatrix who falls in love with
a married Member of Parliament.
3:15 pm:
The Sari Soldiers,
by director Julie Bridgham. 92 minutes. Unrated.
From the
studio: Filmed over three years during the most historic and pivotal
time in Nepal’s modern history, The
Sari Soldiers is an
extraordinary story of six women’s courageous efforts to shape
Nepal’s future in the midst of an escalating civil war against
Maoist insurgents, and the King’s crackdown on civil liberties.
When Devi, mother of a 15-year-old girl, witnesses her niece being
tortured and murdered by the Royal Nepal Army, she speaks publicly
about the atrocity. The army abducts her daughter in retaliation, and
Devi embarks on a three-year struggle to uncover her daughter’s
fate and see justice done.
The
Sari Soldiers intimately
delves into the extraordinary journey of women on opposing sides of
the conflict, through the democratic revolution that reshapes the
country’s future.
5 pm: The
Savages, by director Tamara
Jenkins. 114 min. Rated R.
Stars Laura
Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Two siblings still recovering from
the abuse inflicted by their estranged father are forced into caring
for him as his dementia increases.
Tickets
each day for the festival are $5, or $3 with a Grand Prairie Library
card. They are available at the Theater Box Office. The Theater and
box office are located at 120 E. Main Street.
The Grand
Prairie Main Library is the site of the Lois Weber Collection, a
circulating collection of more than 300 films directed by women, from
all time periods and many countries. Library cards are free, even to
non-residents. The Main Library is located at 901 Conover Drive, in
Grand Prairie. Visit www.gptx.org/library for more information.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
DPA Member News: WEEKEND RAILROADERS documentary screenings
DPA member Scott Peterson's documentary film "Weekend Railroaders" will be featured during the 7th Annual Cotton Belt Railroad Symposium held at Texas A&M University-Commerce. The film will screen on Friday, October 5, at 6:30pm at the Sam Rayburn Student Center and again on Saturday, October 6, at 1:45pm followed by a Q&A session with the filmmaker.About the Film:
A unique documentary film about railroad motor car excursions and the people participating in them, Weekend Railroaders explores the excitement, satisfaction and camaraderie of railroad enthusiasts through personal interviews and action footage from rail cars during speeder runs. Featuring author and historian Leon Sapp, relive the history of railroad motor cars through their restoration and rebirth in the hands of hobbyists. A must for all rail fans, experience a weekend ride on working freight railroads with a colorful cast of riders.
Filmed at various locations in Texas, including Rockwall, Llano, Dallas, Carrollton, Greenville, Commerce, and Sulpher Springs. Additional footage was shot in Wilburton, OK.
About the Filmmaker:
Scott Peterson is a commercial producer and director specializing in corporate video and animation through his company, CREW Media. He is a member of the Dallas Producers Association and serves on the Board of Directors of the Rockwall County Alliance for the Arts.
Links:
http://faculty.tamuc.edu/jdavis/railroad/symposium/symposium/
http://www.weekendrailroaders.com
http://www.crewmedia.com
Saturday, April 7, 2012
DPA Partner Event: 24-Hour Video Race
The 11th Annual
24-Hour Video Race, presented by The Video Association of Dallas, will commence
at the Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May
4, and end 24 hours later at 12-midnight on Saturday, May 5. The Angelika Film
Center is at 5321 E. Mockingbird Ln. To register, visit http://www.24hourvideorace.com or call 214-428-8700 or email videorace@videofest.org. Texas Commission on the Arts, Dallas Film
Commission and Office of Cultural Affairs City of Dallas are sponsors of this
event. Brainfood.com is the web sponsor. AMS Pictures is the Race Angel.
The screenings of the
work of all the entrants will be Tuesday-Thursday, May 8-10 with the finalists
screened on Monday, May 14 at the Angelika Film Center. The winning videos will be shown at the 25th
annual VideoFest in Sept. 27-30 at the Dallas Museum of Art and also on KERA
–TV Channel 13’s program “Frame of Mind” and on You+Media Dallas. Team members should bring Race
lanyards for admission to the screenings. (This includes teams who did not
finish the Race.) Members of the general public can also attend. Admission is $5 for
adults and $3 for children 12 and under. The screening schedule will be posted
the Monday after the race.
Dallas film and video
makers of all levels of experience are invited to participate in the race, both
creatively and literally. Teams that do
not make it to the finish line at midnight will not be included in the judging,
All teams will be assigned four critical elements: one theme, one prop, one
location and one line of dialogue. This
year’s race participants will use H264 QuickTime files on USB drives.
Anyone with a camera and
the willingness to race can participate. Past teams have included elementary
school students to professional filmmakers.
Student teams compete against other student teams and adult teams are
categorized by team size rather than skill level.
Team Categories & Fees:
The 2012 24 Hour Video Race is limited to 100 teams. Teams are not registered until paid in full. You are strongly encouraged to field the size of team. After you register, you will be prompted to pay by PayPal, so get your credit card ready!
Pixelvision Division: K-High School: no limit on size.$75 per team + $5 per team member. Team captains must be 18 years of age or older, or adult mentor must register and supervise team. Team captain is responsible for providing VAD with written evidence that each participant under 18 has obtained the prior written consent of a parent or legal guardian to participate in the 24 Hour Video Race.
The 2012 24 Hour Video Race is limited to 100 teams. Teams are not registered until paid in full. You are strongly encouraged to field the size of team. After you register, you will be prompted to pay by PayPal, so get your credit card ready!
Pixelvision Division: K-High School: no limit on size.$75 per team + $5 per team member. Team captains must be 18 years of age or older, or adult mentor must register and supervise team. Team captain is responsible for providing VAD with written evidence that each participant under 18 has obtained the prior written consent of a parent or legal guardian to participate in the 24 Hour Video Race.
Futurevision Division: College; no limit on size
$75/team + $5/team member
Auteur Division: 1 or 2 members
$50 each member
Guerilla Division: 3-5 members
$150/team + $5/team member
Hollywood Division: 6 or more members
$200/team + $5/team member
Auteur Division: 1 or 2 members
$50 each member
Guerilla Division: 3-5 members
$150/team + $5/team member
Hollywood Division: 6 or more members
$200/team + $5/team member
ABOUT VIDEO ASSOCIATION of DALLAS:
The mission of the Video Association is to promote
an understanding of video as a creative medium and cultural force in our
society, and to support and advance the work of Texas artists working in video
and the electronic arts.
The Video Association of Dallas (VAD) is a 501(c)(3)
organization incorporated on April 25, 1989. It began in 1986 as a weekend
event, “Video As A Creative Medium”, presented at the Dallas Museum of Art by
independent curators Barton Weiss and John Held. That first event, which
included two nights of video by selected local and national video artists, was
a great popular success, which led to the founding of the Dallas Video Festival
(DVF) in 1987. Video Association of Dallas presents the 24 Hour Video
Race and other programs throughout the year.
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