Mickalaus

Mickalaus:

Glad to hear you are still around, and in fine mettle. Hope to hear those details of your "good fortune." Next spring might be a little soon for syndication, considering we have not broadcast a single minute yet. Usually syndication happens after 3 seasons are in the can, as it were. Why not the BUTT & MICK SHOW by the way? I know, you are just like my wife --it's all about you!

COME NEXT SPRING (1956), yeah, I barely remember it. Where did you see it, on TCM, or AMC, or FMC? I think Cocheran's company produced it. It was supposed to be Ann Sheridan's best role. I would love to see it again, but it is not on DVD or VHS. Another of the long list of lost films. Edgar Buchanan and James Best were in it too. They say Earl Hamner liked it, and patterned Patricia Neal's "mom" character in THE HOMECOMING after Ann Sheridan in SPRING. Martin Scorsese in an article in the New Yorker mentioned he liked the film as well.

As to RKO, Radio Keith Orpheum --that is hot trivia! Yeah the Kennedys never even tried to keep it in their pants. Yet as good Catholics they all seemed to have 8-10 kids as well, except for JFK. Perhaps Jackie was not a hot pants kind of lady. Hey, I got Bob Steele correct, tiny kudo for me! Howard Hughes and his affairs with Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, and Jean Harlow, with Jane Russell thrown in for kicks. Keenan Wynn used to talk about the starlet system as white slavery; at least at MGM and WB. Stars like Wallace Beery demanding a fresh and new starlet weekly, even daily. The studio heads all got their head as well. Marilyn Monroe was very fortunate to emerge out of the starlet group, to stardom. Of course this did not improve her fidelity. I was surprised to hear how much Lana Turner was passed around Metro. Even Keenan Wynn had 6 months with her in between his two marriages. I had not heard that Disney had his dishonorable discharge on the wall in his office. Good stuff, Mick!

And now to THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE. The author was a fellow by the name of B.Traven. Traven wanted Lewis Stone to play Howard. It would have paled alongside Walter Huston's portrayal. Yes, sir, Bogart put the bite on John Huston in the film, exactly three times. Good recall. Bedoya's "badges" speech was verbatim; excellent work! Bedoya's character was called Gold Hat. The "Beans" quote was Walter Huston as Howard, of course. Right on, that Tim Holt played Curtin. Great trivia about his pop in the flop house. Father/son films are legion, those with the Lloyd Bridges and one or both of his sons, John Carradine and his boys, Victor McLaglen working with Andrew on some pictures in the 40's, although Andrew was in the crew. Martin Sheen and his boys. Rance Howard working for and with his sons. John Wayne and Patrick and Michael and Ethan. Charlton Heston and his son Frasier. Keenan Wynn and his boy Tracy Keenan Wynn. Ed Wynn and Keenan. Ozzie Nelson and his sons. And there is probably more. Yes, big boy, Bruce Bennett played Cody, and it was Bennett that played Tarzan, calling himself Herman Brix or something, and it was he that John Huston played the lunchbreak prank on. The parts, in 1941, were cast by Huston, but the war got in the way. He had cast Edward G. Robinson, George Raft, and John Garfield. Garfield would have had Curtin. I think Raft would have had Dobbs. When Garfield had to drop out, they approached Ronald Reagan to play Curtin. Maybe Edward G. Robinson would have tackled Howard?

Huston as Howard: "We have wounded the mountain. Now it's our duty to close the wound. I knew a fellow once that could smell gold like a jackass could smell water."

Who was quoted as saying,"Acting is like sex, you either do it and don't talk about it, or you talk about it and don't do it."

As to CASABLANCA, there are those rumors that George Raft was considered, and then there was a "fake notice" put out by the studio that Ronald Reagan and Ann Sheridan were a cinch for the leads. That "might" have been interesting. I do know that one point another actress was considered to play Ilsa before it was given to Ingrid Bergman. Who was the other actress. Before the film, or perhaps after, they broadcast CASABLANCA on the radio. Who were the two leads? Who played the part of Sam? Did you know he could not play the piano, just had to fake it. Originally they wanted Sam to be a dame. Who did they consider for that part; two actresses were approached. Rick's CAFE AMERICAN was named after a real joint in Tangiers called HOTEL EL MENZAH.

Who said,"I have made more lousy pictures than any other acrtor in history."? That's right, sir, Humphrey DeForest Bogart, from his wealthy middle class childhood to being a barely verbal tough guy. Bogart had played with Leslie Howard in THE PETRIFIED FOREST on Broadway. But who was the actor the studio wanted to use first in the movie? Leslie Howard had to fight to get Bogart in there. Bogie won an Oscar for THE AFRICAN QUEEN. He was nominated twice more. What were those roles in what films? Bogart was quite the yachtsman and sailor. He bought a racing sloop from Dick Powell and June Allyson. He named it after the name of the boat Huston had him on while he shot it out with Edward G. Robinson in KEY LARGO. What was the name on both boats? A piece of cyber trivia, like using Steve McQueen in a Mustang commercial, and John Wayne in a coffee commercial, in 1987, on TALES OF THE CRYPT, Bogart had a lead in an episode, that they used a computer enhanced bunch of imagery to play oppostie Isabella Rosselini --stirring up great nostalgia. What was Bogie's favorite brand of unfiltered cigarette, than he smoked until it killed him? In 1951-52 what was the name of the syndicated radio show he and Lauren Bacall performed on. His character was called "Slate Shannon". For CASABLANCA, they had to have Rick tower over Ilsa. Bergman was 5'10" tall, and Bogie was only 5'8" tall. So he had to wear 5" lifts in his shoes. I thought he walked kind of funny in that film. Who was supposed to be cast first in HIGH SIERRA, but then dropped out? Bogart was really a very cultured gent. He could quote Emerson, Plato, and volumes of Shakespeare. He is a scary bit of trivia. In 1957 he barely turned 57 when he died. He weighed only 80 lbs. when he passed over. I remember Katherine Hepburn complaining that she outweighed Bogie, and that he was so skinny that in their clinches she had to go easy on him. It has been written that it was Bogie who put together a group of his drinking buddies. He called them the "Rats". Numbered among them were Spencer Tracy, George Cukor, Peter Ustinov, and Francis Albert Sinatra. After Bogie die, Sinatra came up with the "rat pack". It was Bogart that said,"The trouble with the world is that it is always one drink behind."

As per FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (1943), directed by Sam Wood. Pilar was played by Katina Paxinou. What would it have been like to be on one of those hunting or fishing trips with Hemingway and Coop? Great, I imagine. It was hard to follow your question about the fellow cast member in BELL TOLLS. I think you are referring to Duncan Renaldo as Lt. Berrendo. He first played the Cisco Kid in a film in 1945. (CISCO KID RETURNS). Martin Garralaga played Pancho for 3 more films 1945-1947. Leo Carrillo took over as Pancho in VALIENT HOMBRE (1948), and they did 2 other films before launching THE CISCO KID on television. The series ran from 1950-1956. "Oh Ceesco!" "Ooh, Panchoo!"

"Any more lip out of you and I'll let you have it. So if you know what's good for you, you won't monkey around with Fred C. Dobbs!"

Kudos on Burt Reynolds in NAVAJO JOE. What spaghetti western did William Shatner do? In DELIVERANCE, I think author Dickey played a sheriff, or some such critter. Yes again, sir, it was a George Burns quote, but I think it was in OH GOD, PART II with the wonderful John Denver, who should have been Bob's cousin, but wasn't. Wow, I guessed the David Carradine training question answer --what marksmanship! Yeah, John Williams is now like the king of movie composers.

As to SHANE (1953). Yeah, so sad to lose Jack Palance. For a time in the 50's he was known as Walter Palance. I wonder if the character "Jack Wilson" from SHANE had anything to do with his name change? Who directed the film? What was Elisha Cook Jr's character name? Who else was in the film. Who wrote the novel? Did you know that Jack Palance hated horses? The official explaination was that he was "uncomfortable" with horses. The director had him practicing his mounting and dismounting and riding ev3ry spare moment, and he still sucked. That's why in his opening scene he walked his horse into town. I had forgotten the bit with the pooch. The one good mount he managed, they left in the film, and that was achieved only after numerous takes. In the grand shoot out in the saloon, with Rufus Ryker, his brother, and Wilson and the bartender, Shane clearly misses the third man in the balcony. He fired level, and not up. They put in an insert to show him firing correctly. I disliked the day for night effect as Shane is riding to the showdown, If you look closely you even see the shadows shift from left to right, showing the different takes. It is said that at one point, still left in the film, Alan Ladd called Joey (Brandon De Wilde) by "Jimmy".

Wilson:"I'm saying that Stonewall Jackson was trash himself. Him and Lee and the rest of them Rebs. You, too."

They filmed SHANE in the summer and fall of 1951. Then it took the director over a year to edit it. What two well known actors were first considered for Shane and Joe Starrett? Jean Arthur played wife Marian. She came out of retirement to play the part as a favor to the director. She was 50 at the time, 10 years older that the Emile Meyer who was playing the white bearded Rufus Ryker. Who was first considered for the part of Marian? Shane's fancy gun twirling required some help. In the scene by the barn with Joey, in order to make it work, they had to have 119 takes. It is said in the climactic showdown, the fancy twirling close ups were done by actor Rodd Redwing. The final dialogue by Joey, "Shane! Shane! Come back!" is considered 47/100 as favorite quotes according to AFI. Alan Ladd was actually only 5'5" tall; even Robert Blake is taller. Van Heflin was 6' tall, so they had to compensate for the difference in heighth. What was Van Heflin's real name? What was Alan Ladd's? The issue of Ladd's stature came up many times in the annals of trivia. In BOY ON A DOLPHIN, they made poor Sophia Loren walk in a trench several times in their two-shots. Keenan Wynn told me that he and James Whitmore were in THE DEEP SIX with Ladd. There was a scene in a briefing room, and the actors stood around a table. Ladd had to stand on a box to measure up. James Whitmore kept staring at the box, and had to struggle not to break character. Keeno said that at one point, Ladd leaned over to Whitmore and asked,"Does my box bother you?"

Good work getting from Harry Carey Jr. to Arnold Swarzenegger.
Harry Carey Jr. was in BIG JAKE with John Wayne.
John Wayne was in THE COMANCHEROS with Nehemiah Persoff.
Persoff was in TWINS with Arnold. Great moves, Mick!

I would have gone with:
Harry Carey Jr. was in RED RIVER (1948) with Walter Brennan.
Walter Brennan was in ALONG THE GREAT DIVIDE (1951) with Kirk Douglas.
Kirk Douglas was in THE VILLAIN with Arnold.

And now for my titty twister, and it is a good one! Myrna Loy to Inger Stevens. Shame about the lovely Inger being a manic depressive and committing suicide at 36 years old. Well, let's see if we can do this:
Myrna Loy was in FROM THE TERRACE (1960) with Patrick O'Neal.
Patrick O'Neal was in SUE ELLEN (1954) with Inger Stevens. It was an episode of the WESTINGHOUSE STUDIO ONE. There is probably an easier route. But I found this one kind of challenging.

Your challenge is to get from Peter Graves to Danny De Vito.

The actress who played the old gypsy woman in all those horror movies, especially the Lon Chaney Jr. werewolf pictures was Maria Ouspenskaya. She was born in Russia, and grew up in the Russian theatre. She actually studied with the great Stanislovski, and she was here in the USA dominanting Broadway for a decade in the 20's-30's. She was the first one to practice "The Method". She founded the School of Dramatic Arts in NYC in 1929. She died in 1949.

Rufus: "I'll kill him if I have to."
Wilson:"You mean I'll kill him if you have to."

Joey: "I'll bet that stings like anything!"

Shane:"A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that."

And that great philosopher and sage, Mickodemius, is all I have to say about that.

Stuck in a box of chocolates: Glenn Gump

Mick wrote:

I have been indisposed trying to improve my future, the details will come later, and it was not a matter of losing any enthusiasm in the renewing of the Mick and Butt show which may go into syndication come next spring. I hope the little break gave you the time to catch up on loose ends. That phrase I just used jogged my nebulous nostalgia of the movie I saw with Walter Brennan, sexy Ann Sheridan and another great grade B actor Steve Cochran in Come Next Spring.

As you know Joe Kennedy Sr had his financial hands in a lot of cookie jars, one of which was a booking Co. for aspiring actors and actresses which gave him access to keep his fly down on a regular basis with those young starlets and backing Bob Steele as the next super action hero with a percentage going to his Co. so he merged with the early RKO which stood for radio keith orpheum but the K was identified with him and the studio was finally sold to Howard Hughes so he would have a cock hounds gold mine. Wouldn't you like to have been the proverbial fly on the wall when THE MATRIARCH Rose Kennedy had a womans talk with young Jackie Bouvier about what life would be with a Kennedy man who just couldn't keep there pants up. When young Jack was an undergrad at Harvard he joined and helped organize a hell raising club called fittingly the Muckers and they were in deep doo doo with the college and Joe Sr. was called in to bail them out. Joe took it with a grain of salt and told his son if he had been a member that is not how he would have spelled the clubs name.

Walt Disney had his dishonorable discharge from the Marine Corps on the wall behind his desk not because he was proud of it but to display that you can overcome your past mistakes and go on with your life. I don't know who wrote The Treasure of the Sierra Madre but I did hear about a radical anarchist who was foreign and had quite a past considering all the upheavel in Europe especially Russia in that era and was disenchanted with the world and used Mexico as his hideaway and was connected with the movie. I think Fred C Dobbs put the hit on Huston 3 times and I believe Alphonso Bedoya said badges 4 times.
dobbs: who are you and what do want?
alph: were the federales, you know, the horse police
dobbs: if your the federales where are your badges?
alph: badges, we ain't got know badges, we don't need badges, we don't need to show you any stinking badges!
That trio of bandits who did Dobbsy with the machette had to be the three ugliest men in one scene together in movie history with no special effects and could beat any of those Star Wars characters for the downright ugly award. Tim Holt did a great job as Curtin and Bruce Bennett was Cody with his great speaking voice. Did you notice that Tims dad Jack Holt played a cameo as one of the down and outers in the flop house. Like Harry Carey Sr he was a cowboy in the silents and son Tim carried on the tradition. I wonder how many father son combinations have been in the movies, tv or radio? I don't know who was cast for the parts previously but I don't think any body would have done any better. Who was originally cast to play Bogies part Rick in Casablanca? I don't know who played the woman ramrod in Bells but she sure was good. "I'm an ugly woman but yet so many men have wanted to be my lover. What a great line from her. I remembered his voice in that movie who was the lead in one of tv's most popular early westerns?

Burt Reynolds was Navahoe Joe in the only spaghetti western I know of. In Deliverance, which made Burt the superstar, what part did the author of the book play. The reason I know about the native Americans in movies is because I spent time with the Arapahoes the Navahoes and the Chicagohoes. I think George Burns made that quote about woman in The Sunshide Boys. John Williams, the piano player in Johnny Stacotto that is great trivia and boy has he come a long way in music in his movie scores and took over the Boston Pops after Arthur Fiedler. David Carradine said he practiced Martial Arts for an intense ten minutes to do Kung FU, just like you said he moves good. Speaking of Shane we lost Jack Palance this week and he was such a bad ass in that movie that when he stopped his horse in front of frontier store and saloon the dog on the porch whelped and hid from him. I loved him as the crazy gladiator in Barabbas. That's enough for now and don't eat too much turkey this week.

Harry Carey Jr was in Big Jake with the Duke;
Duke was in the Comancheros with Nehemiah Persoff;
Nehemiah was in Twins with Arnold.

Good job on Hodiak to Coburn. My way was Hodiak with William Bendix in Lifeboat; Bendix with Robert Preston in Wake Island; Preston with Julie Andrews in SOB; just imagine Mary Poppins exposing her breasts, and Julie with Coburn in the Americanization of Emily.

Connect Myrna Loy with Inger Stevens.
p.s. Who played the old gypsie woman reading her crystal ball with the strong Transylvanian accent which sounded like she had a mouth full of marbles in those old werewolf movies of the 30's and40's?

Regards: May the drumstick stick with the breast of your dreams. From the tome of the Philosopher and sagacious sage, Mickodemus!