Terms Which Have Disappeared

[BlueTrain]

I have only met one or two ladies who spoke something like Marilyn Monroe with a "breathy" voice. The one I remember best was someone at a schoolteacher's Christmas party, coincidentally enough, my wife being a schoolteacher. It wasn't her accent or choice or words, but just her voice. Once in a while you'll hear other women who have a peculiar voice, either especially high or squeaky or rather low, like Marlena Dietrich.

And speaking of voices, sometimes if you only hear the voice and not the person speaking, like hearing it on a recording or the radio, you will notice the voice more.

 

[2jakes]

I have only met one or two ladies who spoke something like Marilyn Monroe with a "breathy" voice. The one I remember best was someone at a schoolteacher's Christmas party, coincidentally enough, my wife being a schoolteacher. It wasn't her accent or choice or words, but just her voice. Once in a while you'll hear other women who have a peculiar voice, either especially high or squeaky or rather low, like Marlena Dietrich.

And speaking of voices, sometimes if you only hear the voice and not the person speaking, like hearing it on a recording or the radio, you will notice the voice more.

I'm always amused when I hear celebrities speak in person.
I feel like I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying, you
sound just like in the movies.

I work in television news as a cameraman where I have interviewed
several Presidents, professional sports figures and movie stars.
Tennis players being my favorites.

In my 20s I worked as a "butler" for Jack Warner of Warner Bros.
in Beverly Hills.
But only lasted less than a year.
I just didn't have the patience or attraction to do this for the rest
of my life.

James Garner was the nicest person in the film business.
A regular down to earth guy with no pretense what so ever.

 

[BlueTrain]

My son works in Hollywood in the motion picture business but not for any of the big studios. I don't think I'd recognize any of the current crop of movie celebrities myself. But I've heard a couple on stage as well as the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at something to which my wife and I were invited (don't remember what he sounded like, though. I saw Zero Mostel on stage--over 40 years ago. I've also heard Max Raabe in concert (in person), who should be a hero to this forum. He does pre-WWII music and in several languages. I'm afraid I missed out on ever hearing Marlene Dietrich when she was still alive, not to mention a host of others.

 

[2jakes]

^^^^^
Bob Hope, Ann-Margaret & Jerry Colonna paid us a visit during my tour
of duty in the Pacific.
What I noticed about Bob Hope was that he had a bad crease in his trousers.

It's like we have become accustomed to seeing them in the movie screen
and everything is just right.

To see them in person with small imperfections seems odd.

God Bless Bob Hope.
He brought *home* while we were over there, if only for
a short while.

 

[2jakes]

My son works in Hollywood in the motion picture business but not for any of the big studios. I don't think I'd recognize any of the current crop of movie celebrities myself. But I've heard a couple on stage as well as the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at something to which my wife and I were invited (don't remember what he sounded like, though. I saw Zero Mostel on stage--over 40 years ago. I've also heard Max Raabe in concert (in person), who should be a hero to this forum. He does pre-WWII music and in several languages. I'm afraid I missed out on ever hearing Marlene Dietrich when she was still alive, not to mention a host of others.

I once heard Luciano Pavarotti sing , "nessum dorma"
I've never heard another singer affect me as much as this man.
Such passion and range of voice.

 

[MisterCairo]

^^^^^
Bob Hope, Ann-Margaret & Jerry Colonna paid us a visit during my tour
of duty in the Pacific.
What I noticed about Bob Hope was that he had a bad crease in his trousers.

It's like we have become accustomed to seeing them in the movie screen
and everything is just right.

To see them in person with small imperfections seems odd.

God Bless Bob Hope.
He brought *home* while we were over there, if only for
a short while.

What was Ann-Margret wearing?

 

[MisterCairo]

We watched Christmas Vacation the other day, and one scene reminded me of an article written about the movie. There was a dispute over the use of an old-fashioned term.

Uncle Louis says to Clark "Griswold, if you're not doing anything useful, go to the living room, fetch me my stogie".

When filming the scene, or perhaps even writing the screen play, someone said "don't use the word 'stogie', no one under a certain age will know what it means".

That was made in 1989.

They kept it in of course...

 

[2jakes]

What was Ann-Margaret wearing?

I don't remember what she was wearing.
All I recall is a great smile, long hair, gorgeous figure
and a wonderful personality.

 

[Fading Fast]

I don't remember what she was wearing.
All I recall is a great smile, long hair, gorgeous figure
and a wonderful personality.

Her career never became what its early potential pointed toward. She was the only female lead who held her own with Elvis, but after that it seemed to be unfulfilled promise in not-great movies and then a fade to a nightclub act.

 

[Zombie_61]

Bob Hope, Ann-Margaret & Jerry Colonna paid us a visit during my tour
of duty in the Pacific...

Several years ago a friend of a friend got a job working for Bob Hope's production company. His first assignment was to watch hour after hour of unreleased footage (that had been transferred to videotape) of Hope's USO shows, the purpose of which was to select Jerry Colonna's "highlights" to be used in a documentary or featurette (or some such) about Colonna. For two weeks he sat in a room watching unedited footage and making notes so the producers of the documentary/featurette would be able to watch only those clips and select the ones they wanted to use without having to sit through all of the non-Colonna moments. He (the friend) joked that it was a rough assignment, but that he managed to survive it.

He also relayed a story about one of his co-workers' early assignments. Hope had to fly to New York for a business meeting, and this co-worker was assigned to accompany him and act as an assistant in whatever capacity Hope needed at any given moment. Hope was in his early-90s at the time, and although he was still relatively sharp mentally he did have some of the physical frailties and health issues that often accompany advanced age. The day before this co-worker and Hope were scheduled to leave, the co-worker had a meeting with the head of the production company and was directed to "Watch Bob like a hawk. Never leave his side, don't let him drink (alcohol), and don't let him flirt with any women." So he did. And he couldn't understand why he had been given such instructions, because he said Hope was very polite and friendly with everyone he/they encountered and was very well-behaved in general. And then they arrived at their hotel room. While he was helping Hope unpack, Hope started emptying the pockets of his suit jacket. He removed 10 of those little alcohol bottles they use on flights, all of which were empty. He also removed 7 miscellaneous scraps of paper, all of which had a woman's name and phone number written on them. Yep, even in his 90s Bob Hope was a "player", and he'd been doing it for so long that he could get away with it without anyone noticing. The co-worker said the return trip was no different, except that Hope waited until they arrived in California and were in the limousine before emptying his pockets, at which point he handed the co-worker the empty bottles and phone numbers and said, "Get rid of these for me, will you?" He said Hope never acted on any of the phone numbers he'd received, but for obvious reasons didn't want his wife to find them.

The day after their return the co-worker had a follow-up meeting with the aforementioned head of the production company, one of those informal "So, how did it go?" type of meetings. The co-worker relayed the important information first, then confessed his inability to "control" Mr. Hope, mentioned the empty bottles and phone numbers, and expressed his amazement that Hope could still do such things at his age. The head of the company just smiled and replied, "I told you."

 

[2jakes]

The comedy team of Hope & Crosby, it was always Bob Hope
that I favored.

I don't know exactly why but his
partner always came across as not
being sincere. I could be wrong.
But it was Bob Hope that made me want to watch those "road flicks".

Perhaps that was the "formula" required
to make it work.

Same with Laurel & Hardy.

But they were the exception.
For me, they were both great.

I've read that it was Stan who
was the one who took charge
with their film making.

Whereas Mr. Hardy was easy going
and ready to head for the golf course.

Those exasperated looks he gave the camera was more than just "acting".

 

[Zombie_61]

The comedy team of Hope & Crosby, it was always Bob Hope that I favored.

I don't know exactly why but his partner always came across as not being sincere. I could be wrong. But it was Bob Hope that made me want to watch those "road flicks".

Perhaps that was the "formula" required to make it work...

I never "got" the whole Hope & Crosby thing. Hope's style of "acting" always came across to me like that guy who never made any friends because he was always trying too hard to make people like him. And Crosby, relegated to the role of semi-straight man, always seemed like a powder keg waiting to explode, a thin veneer of civility hiding the disbelief that he'd been saddled with the obnoxious friendless guy.

My best friend for the last 40+ years holds the opposite opinion. He loves the "road" pictures, and for years gave me a hard time and tried to convince me I was wrong whenever I'd express my opinion of them. Finally, one day he said, "I'll make you a deal. I'll pick the one I think is the best, and we'll watch it. If you still don't think they're funny, I'll stop trying to convince you." So we sat and watched one of them (I couldn't tell you which one), and while he laughed hysterically I sat and politely watched and never once so much as smiled. And when it was over, he was astonished that I found no entertainment value whatsoever in the movie. We still joke about this particular dichotomy between us, but he kept his word and finally accepted the fact that Hope & Crosby just aren't my thing.

 

[2jakes]

I never "got" the whole Hope & Crosby thing. Hope's style of "acting" always came across to me like that guy who never made any friends because he was always trying too hard to make people like him. And Crosby, relegated to the role of semi-straight man, always seemed like a powder keg waiting to explode, a thin veneer of civility hiding the disbelief that he'd been saddled with the obnoxious friendless guy.

My best friend for the last 40+ years holds the opposite opinion. He loves the "road" pictures, and for years gave me a hard time and tried to convince me I was wrong whenever I'd express my opinion of them. Finally, one day he said, "I'll make you a deal. I'll pick the one I think is the best, and we'll watch it. If you still don't think they're funny, I'll stop trying to convince you." So we sat and watched one of them (I couldn't tell you which one), and while he laughed hysterically I sat and politely watched and never once so much as smiled. And when it was over, he was astonished that I found no entertainment value whatsoever in the movie. We still joke about this particular dichotomy between us, but he kept his word and finally accepted the fact that Hope & Crosby just aren't my thing.

That's one thing I can never understand about some folks.
If I love something and you tell me you don't.
For me, that's fine and I leave it at that.


This world would be a better place if more folks would just do that.


ok...I'll get off the podium for now !

 

[Zombie_61]

That's one thing I can never understand about some folks. If I love something and you tell me you don't. For me, that's fine and I leave it at that.

This world would be a better place if more folks would just do that.

ok...I'll get off the podium for now !

Oh, I agree with you. But it took me years to come to that realization. When I was much younger I'd be offended if someone didn't like something I really cared about, and would get angry if they were insulting about it. These days I have neither the energy nor the desire to get all worked up over something as relatively unimportant as a difference of opinion.

 

[2jakes]

Oh, I agree with you. But it took me years to come to that realization. When I was much younger I'd be offended if someone didn't like something I really cared about, and would get angry if they were insulting about it. These days I have neither the energy nor the desire to get all worked up over something as relatively unimportant as a difference of opinion.

I've been indifferent to what others thought about the things
I cared for except those I considered my friends.

From elementary, high school, military and onwards.
I've been a one-on-one type of person.

Not a team player.
So I usually hang around with those with similar likes.

Everybody else who thinks different, that's their problem not mine.
I am happy with what I have.

 

[Trenchfriend]

That's one thing I can never understand about some folks.
If I love something and you tell me you don't.
For me, that's fine and I leave it at that.


This world would be a better place if more folks would just do that.


ok...I'll get off the podium for now !

Be lucky to live in the US and not in old-fashioned Germany with all the old-fashion angry provincial-as.....s!

 

[2jakes]

Be lucky to live in the US and not in old-fashioned Germany with all the old-fashion angry provincial-as.....s!

Thank you Trenchfriend.

I came to that realization, "feeling lucky" to be home.
But that didn't last for long.

I arrived in L.A. on August 9th, 1969
after a tour of duty in the Pacific.

Next day back home, I read the
news about the tragic events
regarding Tate-LaBianca in Calif.

Sadly, your country does not
have a monopoly on the way folks treat
one another.

 

[MisterCairo]

An article in today's paper referenced a woman's "Kewpie Doll lips".

I haven't heard of Kewpie dolls in yonks.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I never "got" the whole Hope & Crosby thing. Hope's style of "acting" always came across to me like that guy who never made any friends because he was always trying too hard to make people like him. And Crosby, relegated to the role of semi-straight man, always seemed like a powder keg waiting to explode, a thin veneer of civility hiding the disbelief that he'd been saddled with the obnoxious friendless guy.

I think the problem a lot of people have with the Hope and Crosby pictures is that they no longer have the context to work from. The characters were never intended to be realistic --not even in the way that modern movie comedies are "sort of realistic." Both Hope and Crosby in their films together were playing caricatures of the personalities they projected on radio -- Hope was presented on radio as a wisecracking, vainglorious coward, and Crosby was the living epitome of absolute, unflappable, effortless Cool. Neither performer was trying to perform any kind of legitimate character in their films together -- they were cartoon figures. People seeing these films when they were first made knew these characterizations in the same way that they knew that Jack Benny was a cheapskate and Lou Costello was a "baaaaad boy," and they didn't expect them to be realistic. Further adding to this is the fact that many of the weird little asides they were constantly making were references to running gags from their radio programs, which, unless you've listened extensively to what survives of that work, are going to go right over the modern viewer's head.

I think the best way for modern viewers to understand them is to imagine how the same pictures would be made if Hope and Crosby were replaced by Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny. The radio gags would still be opaque, but seen in this way the familiar Daffy and Bugs characters are close enough to those of Hope and Crosby to work as a frame of reference. Like Bugs Bunny, Crosby is never fazed by anything, and succeeds without even breaking a sweat in anything he attempts to do. Like Daffy, Hope is constantly in a state of agitation, and fails at anything he attempts to do, unless by blind luck, and on top of all that is jealous near to the point of insanity of the ease by which Bugs/Crosby succeeds, whether it's romancing Dorothy Lamour or winning an Oscar.

Hope played this same character in most of his solo movies from 1939 up until the 1950s, but Crosby only played his "cool" character in his films with Hope. In his solo movie work, he proved himself the far more skilled actor of the two. But Hope did have potential as a real actor -- before his radio characterization took over, he made a few films at Paramount in the late thirties that showed real ability. Watch the "Thanks For The Memory" number from "The Big Broadcast of 1938," and keep an eye on his emotional range as he's singing the song with Shirley Ross.

If Hope hadn't become a major radio star just after this picture came out, he could easily have been a success in movies as a quirky but romantic leading man.

 

[Fading Fast]

⇧ Way too much there that I don't know about for me to chew on - but have no doubt of its accuracy. I love the "Crosby as Bugs and Hope as Daffy" comparison - that makes sense (is a really smart observation) even to my small brain.

I did want to comment on not only how much I agree that Crosby's solo career showed he had real acting chops (and also agree, Hope had potential but chose or was forced into his camp personality), but I think Crosby is still underrated today as an actor.

While he won a deserved Oscar for "Going My Way" that role was the epitome of his "cool" persona. IMHO, his most impressive role is in "The Country Girl," where he plays a washed-up alcoholic singer trying to restart his career and save his marriage all skidding downward as a one-second loss of attention of his resulted in his young son's death.

This is one gritty movie in which "cool" Crosby is shown as a facade masking an insecure, vain and, at times, vindictive man. I never understand why this movie doesn't get more attention - and if it did, Crosby would be seen as the talented actor that he was.