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justforbooks · 1 year ago

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David Soul, who has died aged 80, stormed to fame in the 1970s as half of the television “buddies” detective duo Starsky and Hutch, who careered across Los Angeles in their red and white Ford Gran Torino, over the roofs and bonnets of other cars, and through piles of cardboard boxes.

“When the Starsky and Hutch series was showing, police on patrol duty were adopting sunglasses and wearing their gloves with the cuffs turned down,” claimed Kenneth Oxford, a British chief constable. “They also started driving like bloody maniacs.” In south London, a council lowered a wall after fans of the tyre-squealing screen action used it as a launchpad to jump on to parked vehicles.

While Paul Michael Glaser played the streetwise, cardigan-wearing, junk food-eating Dave Starsky, Soul’s character, Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson, was the quieter, yoga-loving, healthy-eating one – two cool cops looking after each other as if they were brothers.

Over five series (1975-79), they patrolled a rough area populated by muggers, drug dealers, sex workers and pimps. They also fraternised with Huggy Bear (played by Antonio Fargas), a snazzily dressed, “jive-talking” informant with his own bar.

Soul traded on his newfound stardom to return to his first love, music. He recorded the ballads Don’t Give Up on Us (1976), a No 1 in the US and UK, and Silver Lady (1977), another British chart-topper.

His television career continued, but the starring roles rarely resonated beyond his homeland. An exception was the miniseries World War III (1982), in which he played an American cold war colonel trying to avert a nuclear holocaust. It also chimed with his political and social campaigning, which included supporting the anti-nuclear movement.

He took up the tempting offer to play Rick Blaine in Casablanca (1983), a five-part TV prequel to the film classic, in the role originally played by Humphrey Bogart, but it proved a flop.

Soul found renewed success – particularly on the West End stage – after moving to Britain in the 90s. He even hit the headlines beyond the review pages in the title role of Jerry Springer the Opera (Cambridge theatre, 2004-05), taking over from another American actor, Michael Brandon, as the “shock” talkshow host.

The BBC’s decision to screen Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee’s musical, complete with thousands of swear words, transvestites, tap-dancers dressed as Ku Klux Klan members and a nappy-wearing Jesus, received more than 60,000 complaints from viewers.

Soul simply relished the chance to fulfil his “dream to play in the birthplace of English-speaking theatre” after failing to “cut the mustard” when auditioning on Broadway.

He was born David Solberg in Chicago to June (nee Nelson), a teacher who had also performed as a singer, and Richard Solberg, a Lutheran minister of Norwegian descent. His father’s work as a representative of the Lutheran World Relief organisation during the reconstruction of Germany after the second world war meant the family moved to Berlin in 1949, returning to the US seven years later to live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where David attended Washington high school.

He then acted in plays while studying at Augustana College, before moving to Mexico with his family. Influenced by his father’s work, he initially had plans to join the diplomatic service, and learned Spanish and studied Latin American history. He was also taught to play the guitar by Mexican students.

After a year, he hitchhiked to the US, landed a job singing Mexican folk songs at a coffee shop in Minneapolis and set his sights on a career in music. He also gained some acting experience with the city’s Firehouse theatre company.

While talking with friends about the metaphorical masks people wear, he came up with the idea of wearing a real one while performing so that the music stood on its own merits, and billed himself “David Soul, the Covered Man”. The William Morris Agency signed him up after hearing a demo tape, and he soon had bookings. One was in The Merv Griffin Show on TV between 1966 and 1968, when he eventually dispensed with the mask. More significantly, a talent agent spotted his acting potential.

He had a regular role in Here Come the Brides (1968-70), a comedy western series set after the civil war, as Joshua Bolt, one of the brothers running a logging company in a male-dominated Seattle frontier town and importing marriageable women.

A guest star, Karen Carlson, became Soul’s second wife (1968-77), following the dissolution of his first marriage, to Mirriam “Mim” Russeth, in 1966, three years after their wedding.

Soul was then popping up all over American TV in guest roles himself, and had a short run in 1974 as Ted Warrick, the defence lawyer’s assistant, in Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law, before wider fame came in Starsky and Hutch. By then, he was living in an “open” relationship with another actor, Lynne Marta. When he moved on to his third marriage, to Patti (nee Carnel, 1980-86), former wife of the 60s pop idol Bobby Sherman, he hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

In 1982, having already struck Patti several times, he returned home drunk one night following a day’s filming on Casablanca – which he correctly feared would bomb – and hit her repeatedly. He was arrested on a charge of misdemeanour battery, but a judge spared him jail on condition that he underwent therapy. Soul admitted to having a violent streak and, although he and Patti were reunited, the marriage was soon over.

He kept working, landing starring roles as Roy Champion in the cattle ranch soap-style drama The Yellow Rose (1983-84), the private eye of the title in the TV movie Harry’s Hong Kong (1987), and “Wes” Grayson, leading an FBI forensics team, in Unsub (1989), but his star was on the wane. Another marriage, to Julia Nickson (1987-1993), also failed, before he had a relationship with the actor-singer Alexa Hamilton.

Soul’s career was revived when in 1995 the theatre producer Bill Kenwright was looking for an American to star in the comedy thriller Catch Me If You Can on tour in Britain. He played Corban, a newlywed whose wife goes missing. There were other tours and Soul was in the West End as Hank in The Dead Monkey (Whitehall, now Trafalgar, theatre, 1998), Chandler Tate in Alan Ayckbourn’s Comic Potential (Lyric, 1999-2000) and Mack in Mack & Mabel (Criterion, 2006).

In between, he had one-off roles on British television, including as a locum surgeon in two episodes of Holby City (2001 and 2002), a Boston detective helping to investigate his wife’s murder in Dalziel and Pascoe (2004) and a criminology lecturer in Inspector Lewis (2012). Soul and Glaser had cameos in the 2004 film spoof Starsky & Hutch, alongside Ben Stiller as Starsky and Owen Wilson as Hutch. In the same year, Soul was granted British citizenship.

He is survived by his fifth wife, Helen (nee Snell), whom he married in 2010, and five sons and a daughter.

🔔 David Soul (David Richard Solberg), actor and singer, born 28 August 1943; died 4 January 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #david soul #in memoriam

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bitter69uk · 10 months ago

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Let’s all pause to celebrate the birthday of Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza – better known as Spanish American flamenco guitarist, actress, singer, comedian, Las Vegas headliner, perennial “special guest star” on 1970s TV shows like The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, Donny & Marie, Love Boat and Fantasy Island, beloved kitsch icon and “Cuchi Cuchi Girl” Charo! Bear in mind the actual birth date of the birthday girl is shrouded in mystery. Charo’s Wikipedia page devotes an entire section to “Birth year controversy.” (Her Spanish birth certificate and passport state 13 March 1941, but weirdly her preferred “show biz birthday” is 15 January 1951 – so in theory we can celebrate Charo’s birthday twice a year!). Anyway, if you don’t follow her on Instagram already do yourself a favour - the woman is a joyous ray of sunshine! “Cuchi cuchi!” Pictured: pinup of Charo by Steve Schapiro, 1976.

#charo #cuchi cuchi #kitsch #flamenco guitar #sex kitten #love boat #kitsch icon #gay icon #lobotomy room #camp #steve schapiro #flamenco guitarist #Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza

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nekoannie-chan · 2 months ago

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STRIKE Special TV Show part I

Title: STRIKE Special TV Show part I.

Fandom: Marvel, Captain America.

Ship: Steve Rogers X Reader.

Word count: 1656 words.

Square: 10 “We are experiencing technical difficulties.”

Rating: Teen.

Summary: Something happened during a TV show in 1977.

Major Tags: Possession, mention of devil, crossover with “Late night with the devil”.

A/N: This is my entry to @multifandom-flash, Here There Be Monsters Bingo.

Links: Wattpad, Ao3, Spanish version.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any permission for my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate my work myself) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. Please let me know if you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish: Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter.

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @Smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @Harrysthiccthighss @Marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @Here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit @kmc1989 @somegirlfromasgard @rogersbarber

You're sitting in the conference room. Everyone looked uncomfortable, including the Strike team members. Clint was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, staring sideways at the screen playing an old TV show recording from the 1970s.

You were sitting next to Steve, staring at the screen. Even Brock had joked that Rollins' namesake was more famous than Rollins himself. The TV show in question, called Night Owls with Jack Delroy, that broadcast had never been aired in its entirety, but the clips that remained of the episode were chilling.

The video began innocently and like any other of the era, with Jack greeting the audience; however, as the night progressed, something dark began to take over the atmosphere.

“We're here for a special night, folks,” said Jack, ”because tonight... we're going to get in touch with the unknown.”

The show had been touted as some sort of live paranormal experiment. They would have a medium on set who would attempt to contact the “other side.” Something that in the 1970s was seen as entertainment, but that night, everything that could go wrong...did.

The Strike team watched in silence. No one said a word.

“What does this have to do with us?” Clint muttered, breaking the silence. “Why is S.H.I.E.L.D. interested in an old TV show?

Steve, frowning, watched the recording intently. He didn't have all the answers either.

“Something happened on that broadcast,” you said quietly. “Something S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't been able to explain... yet.

The program continued until the cameras picked up a dark figure in the background, barely visible in the shadows.

The tension increased as the image became static. The words “WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES” flashed briefly on the screen, but the transmission never stopped. When the image returned, Jack Delroy was no longer the same.

“Did you see it?” you asked as you rewound the video. “That cut... it's not normal.

Steve nodded. “It looks... manipulated.

“That's what's been said for years,” Clint interjected, ”that the video was edited, that what happened that night was never aired for security reasons... but rumor has it otherwise.

The video continued, showing the studio audience. Everyone was silent, almost mesmerized. Suddenly, Jack stood up abruptly from his seat. His face was no longer that of the charismatic man who had greeted the audience. There was something in his eyes, something empty and frightening.

“Are you here with us?“ Jack asked, but his voice had changed as if something else was speaking through him.

The medium began to convulse, her eyes rolling, as a shadow loomed behind her. The lights flickered once more, and when they returned, the medium was standing, but she no longer looked human. Her body twisted impossibly, and a ghoulish laugh echoed through the studio.

“That's not a performance,” Steve muttered, his eyes glued to the screen.

Chaos gripped the set. Members of the technical crew tried to stop the transmission, but it seemed that something or someone had taken control. The picture was cut out again. “WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES” appeared again, this time longer.

You felt a shiver run down your spine. Something about that program wasn't right. It was supposed to be just a TV show... but what if it wasn't? What if they had really awakened something that night?

“S.H.I.E.L.D. sent us here because someone or something has been mimicking these events,” Steve explained, his jaw tense. “Several nightly live broadcasts have had similar glitches over the past few months. The same thing always happens: the signal cuts out, shadows appear on the recordings, and... people disappear.

“What are you saying?” asked Clint, uncrossing his arms.

“I'm saying it's not just a coincidence. Every one of those broadcasts occurs around Halloween, just like this show. And in each of them, the people who were on the set... have not been seen again. We're needed on site,” said Steve, standing up. “S.H.I.E.L.D. has traced the broadcasts to an abandoned television station outside New York. They think that's where it all started.

Clint straightened up, adjusting his quiver of arrows. “So, what are we waiting for? Let's stop this.

You felt a knot in your stomach as you stood up with the team. Steve gave you a look like he always did when danger was near.

“Don't worry. We're in this together.

The television station was a desolate place. The windows were covered with dust and dirt, and the building looked like it had been abandoned for decades. As you entered, an inexplicable chill ran through your body. The lights from the crew's flashlights illuminated the musty walls and rusted recording equipment.

“This is where it all started,” Steve said quietly as he walked through the rubble.

The team moved silently, scanning the control room. Clint was going through the old monitors, trying to find some clues.

“What the hell is this?” muttered Clint, finding an old videotape labeled simply ‘Delroy, 1977’.

“Another recording of the show,” you asked.

Steve nodded and plugged the tape into an old machine that still worked. The black-and-white image of Jack Delroy appeared on the screen once again, but this time, his face was distorted, as if something was trying to come through the screen.

“WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES,” Jack repeated with a grotesque grin as the image decayed.

The station lights flickered, and suddenly, the air became thicker. Something moved in the shadows.

“Did you hear it?” You whispered as you approached Steve.

Clint raised his bow, ready to fire. The Strike team braced for whatever was lurking in the darkness. Then, the static on the monitor intensified, and a low, whispery voice filled the room.

“You should never have come back...“

A huge shadow appeared behind the screen. The old cameras in the room began to rotate on their own, focusing on the equipment.

“Watch out!” shouted Steve, as something invisible pushed one of the agents against the wall.

Whatever had happened in 1977 had not only been caught on the tapes... it was there, alive, and it had awakened. Steve moved closer to you, protecting you with his shield, while the shadows moved quickly around you.

“This isn't possible,” Clint muttered. It's like the damn program has come to life.

“Whatever they woke up in 1977 is still here,” said Steve, holding you close. “And it looks like it wants to finish what it started.

Suddenly, the lights flickered once more, and a dark figure appeared at the end of the hallway, barely visible in the gloom.

“What is that?” You asked in a whisper, unable to look away.

“I don't know.

Clint fired an arrow at the figure, but instead of hitting it, the arrow passed straight through it, like smoke.

“Get back!” shouted Steve. We have to regroup!

As you moved next to Steve, you felt something cold and sticky brush against your arm. You turned quickly and saw one of the shadows reaching out toward you as if trying to touch you. A scream escaped your lips, and Steve reacted immediately, pushing you out of the dark figure's reach.

“Don't come any closer!” he shouted, hurling his shield at the shadow. The impact didn't stop it entirely, but it did disorient it enough for them to gain ground.

“We have to find the source,” said Clint, breathing heavily. “These things are being controlled by something... or someone.

“You, keep checking the recording equipment,” Steve ordered, turning to look at you. “There may be something here that we can use to trace what's causing this.

With trembling hands, you approached the old control equipment; the static on the monitors was increasing, as if something was interfering with the signals, and the words “DEVIL” flashed on the screen again.

As you fiddled with the old tapes, you noticed something strange. One of the security cameras was still operational, but it was showing something disturbing. In the image, you could see what appeared to be the original set of Night Owls with Jack Delroy, as if it had never been dismantled. Instead of being in ruins like the rest of the station, the set was intact, illuminated by a soft, unnatural light.

“Steve... I think I found something.

Steve and Clint quickly approached. Seeing what the camera showed, Steve frowned.

“That can't be real,” Clint muttered. “This place has been abandoned for decades.

“Whatever it is, it's there,” Steve replied.

Without wasting any more time, the team headed towards the place the camera had shown.

Finally, you came to a door that looked much newer than the rest of the building. When you opened it, you found the program set, perfectly preserved. Everything was in its place: Jack Delroy's desk, the orange sofas, the brown curtains... and in the center, an empty chair, as if waiting for someone.

“This is a trap,” said Clint, looking around cautiously.

Steve nodded.

Suddenly, the lights on the set came on by themselves, and a figure appeared in the chair. It was Jack Delroy... or at least something that looked like him. His face was pale, and his eyes were vacant as if his soul had been ripped from his body. He smiled unnaturally, his teeth stained and his expression inhuman.

“Welcome back,” Jack said in a distorted voice. “You've been a long time coming back.“

“We're not like the ones who were here before,” said Steve coldly.

“We're here to end this.

Jack's figure laughed, a laugh that chilled your blood. “End it? You people don't understand anything. What started in 1977 never ended. It was just feeding, waiting for the right time. And now, you have brought more energy, more fear—just what we needed.“

Suddenly, the shadows in the room began to swirl around Jack, merging with him and making him grow and deform into something much more monstrous. The human form disappeared, giving way to a creature made of pure darkness with glowing eyes and sharp teeth.

#here there be monsters bingo #multifandom flash bingo #steve rogers x reader

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brokenbluebouquet · 11 months ago

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George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham in Fiction - a partial summary

CW: discussions of biphobia and homophobia in historical fiction and current historiography.

Feeling both inspired and outraged in equal measure by the upcoming Mary&George series, and having been fascinated with this remarkable man since forever, I have decided to post this partial overview of portrayals of George in fiction. The ones in bold are the ones I have read. Feel free to add to the list.

The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas

The Honey and The Sting, Elizabeth Freemantle

My Queen My Love, E.M Vidal

Cavalier Queen, Fiona Mountain

The Dangerous Kingdom Of Love, Neil Blackmore

The Fallen Angel, Tracy Borman

Wife Of Great Buckingham, Hilda Lewis

Darling Of Kings, P J Womack

The Queens Dwarf, Ella March Chase

The Smallest Man, Frances Owen

The Spanish Match, Brennan Purcell

Captain Alatriste, Arturo Pérez-Reverte

The Cardinal and The Queen, Evelyn Anthony

Earthly Joys, Philippa Gregory

Myself My Enemy, Jean Plaidy

Charles The King, Evelyn Anthony

The Young And Lonely King, Jane Lane

The Fortunes Of Nigel, Walter Scott

The Crowned Lovers, E Barrington

The Minion, Raphael Sabiniti

The Murder In The Tower, Jean Plaidy

A Net For Small Fishes, Lucy Jago

The Arm and the Darkness, Taylor Caldwell

Les Gloires et les perils (?), Robert Merle

And a few I’m not so sure about where George is mentioned in passing: .

Viper Wine, Hermionie Eyre

John Saturnalls Feast, Lawrence Norfolk

Rebels and traitors, Lindsay Davis

The Assassin, Ronald Blythe

Some observations, in no particular order:

Novels set mostly in James reign often have George as a rival to Robert Carr and will attempt to foreshadow how much worse he will be compared to Carr.

The ones that feature Henrietta Maria as Protagonist or at least POV character, where George is normally a baddie trying to sabotage HM and Charles I's relationship, and his death is often portrayed as some sort of salvation for HM. In these books George will often be lamed for things which were IRL Charles's fault such as the expulsion of HMs French household in 1626.

Three Musketeers is practically a category in its own right due to all the film/tv adaptions but has had relatively few clones or imitators in English which is something of a surprise

George is only a protagonist in one of these books (Darling of Kings, P J Womack) in the rest he's a cameo or a villain

Rumours that I suspect authors know is nonsense are repeated verbatim such as Tracy Borman's baseless speculation about G offing the Manners brothers, king James, and his rumoured involvement with the occult.

Georges relationships with James and Charles respectively are mentioned but not meaningfully explored. neither are any other personal relationships he had.

The insights and shifts in terms of post 1970s revisionist and post revisionist scholarship esp. Roger Lockyer's bio of George have not found their way into any fiction set in this era. Georges capability as an administrator and manager of patronage is more often than not totally absent.

the general view of George and why he's often shown in such a negative light is pretty much "well, he was willing to god knows what with that dirty old man James; who knows what other depravities he was capable of" and its female authors who really seem to lean into this, which I find fascinating and disturbing.

EDIT (can’t believe I forgot this) George’s murder in 1628 is always the result of some sort of aristocratic conspiracy rather than the act of terrorism it was IRL. I do get why authors do this - the amount of world building and foreshadowing needed to make it seem plausible rather than random in universe. However making it the result of personal grudge rather than ideological violence detracts from why it was so shocking and important.

#Well this is longer than I intended #tedious drivel #CW biphobia #CW: Homophobia #george villiers #duke of buckingham #mary & george #mary and george #Charles I #James I #Henrietta Maria #I need something better to do with my time

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tina-aumont · 5 months ago

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Shirley, chapter I (screencaps part 5)

This was the Spanish adaptation of the world famous Charlotte Brontë novel “Shirley, A Tale” and it was directed by Gabriel Ibañez.

Maria Montez II played the role of Carolina.

Chapter I was aired the 26th February 1972.

You can watch the whole four episodes here.

#María Montez II #Maria Montez II #María Montez Gracia Fiallo #Maria Montez Gracia Fiallo #1972 #1972 María M #Shirley #1972 Shirley #Gabriel Ibañez #Ricardo Merino #actress #TV actress #stage actress #dancer #performer #Spanish TV #1970s Spanish TV

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granvarones · 1 year ago

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camp challenges conventional notions of what is “tasteful” and “beautiful.” some proclaim that camp celebrates the “tacky” by subverting social norms. and yes, that’s why we live for it! i think camp requires an unabashed courage to be theatrical and humorous in an approach to fashion, art, and culture. and one performer who employed all this and so, so much more is the legendary puerto rican icon that is iris chacón.

lovingly regarded as “la bomba de puerto rico,” iris chacon rose to fame as a singer, dancer, and television personality in the 1970s and 1980s. her extravagant stage outfits, elaborate headdresses, and provocative choreography propelled her to stardom across latin america and captured the imagination of LGBTQ+ fans.

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as the host of her top-rated variety show “el show de iris chacón,” which aired for 15 years until 1985, chacón challenged traditional gender expectations that loomed large within the social climate of the 1970s with her boundary-pushing stage presence. her performances were often tongue-in-cheek and punctuated by male backup dancers who exuded queer sensibilities.

before “breaking the internet” and “going viral” was a thing, iris chacón accomplished the 1982 equivalent when her feature in a 30-second television commercial for amalie coolant, a heavy-duty motor oil, made waves with its play on words (coolant sounded similar to “culo,” the spanish world for ass). the ad was so impactful it landed chacón on the front page of the wall street journal and remains a hallmark of 80s pop culture in puerto rico.

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chacón was able to parlay her international notoriety into sold-out concerts at radio city music hall in new york, one of the first latino artists to do so. she also broke ground stateside and helped introduce puerto rican culture to the mainstream with memorable guest spots on the merv griffin show, the joan rivers show and several appearances on the david letterman show.

in 1989, the latin-freestyle music movement was at its zenith. chacón not only had a prominent role in the campy-as-hell freestyle music movie “an eastside story,” which starred a marc anthony, but chacón also released the cooing sergio george-produced freestyle track “am i a tease.”

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as the 1980s ended, so iris chacón’s bid for mainstream success. after starring in movies, hosting her variety TV show, and playing to sold-out crowds worldwide, chacón stepped out of the public eye in the late 1990s. she has re-emerged for the occasional performance at gay pride parade in puerto rico.

in june 2023, puerto rican drag icon jessica wild impersonated iris chacón during the “snatch game of love” challenge on the fifth episode of the eighth season of “rupaul’s drag race all stars.

#granvarones #latinx heritage month #iris chacon #queer #gay #latinx #afrolatinx #storytelling #lgbtq history month #Youtube

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monkeyssalad-blog · 4 months ago

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Maria-Rosa Rodriguez by Truus, Bob & Jan too! Via Flickr: German postcard by Krüger, no. 902/334. Photo: Art Messick. Exotic starlet Maria-Rosa Rodriguez was the sexy leading lady of a dozen French and Italian films of the 1960s and early 1970s. Her main claim to fame was the Louis de Funès comedy Le grand restaurant (1966). There is not much biographical information to be found about Maria-Rosa Rodriguez on the internet. A source suggests she was a Spanish actress, but possibly she is born in Ecuador. In 1960 a Maria-Rosa Rodriguez was crowned Miss Ecuador Mundo 1960. However, there is a bit more information about her film career. IMDb writes that during her film career she was also credited as Maria Rosa Rodrigues, Rosa-Maria Rodrigues, Rosa Rodriguez and Toty Rodriguez. Her first film appearance was an uncredited part as ‘Palma Diamantino’ in the French comedy Pouic-Pouic (1963, Jean Girault) starring Louis de Funès. Soon followed more film parts as a stripper in the kinky cannibal comedy Aimez-vous les femmes?/Do You Like Women? (1964, Jean Léon),co-written by Roman Polanski, and the sexploitation drama L'amour à la chaine/Tight Skirts, Loose Pleasures (1964, Claude de Givray). She appeared again as eye-candy in the spy film Coplan FX 18/FX-18 Superspy (1965, Riccardo Freda), the comedy Les gorilles/The Gorillas (1964, Jean Girault) and the crime comedy La grande frousse/The Big Scare (1964, Jean-Pierre Mocky) starring Bourvil. Other French films of the mid-1960’s in which she appeared were Les enquiquineurs/The pests (1965, Roland Quignon), the comedy anthology Les bons vivants/How to Keep the Red Lamp Burning (1965, Gilles Grangier, Georges Lautner) and the melodrama Le chant du monde/Song of the World (1965, Marcel Camus) starring Hardy Krüger. 1966 must have been a good year for Maria-Rosa Rodriguez. She was the leading lady opposite the immensely popular Louis de Funès in the hit comedy Le grand restaurant/The Big Restaurant (1966, Jacques Besnard). The choleric and energetic De Funès is the chef of Septim's, a very exclusive Paris restaurant. Problems occur when the president of an unnamed country gets kidnapped while having a dinner at Septim's. With police, gangsters and Maria-Rosa Rodriquez behind his back the always gesticularing De Funès tries to find the missing head of state by himself. The highlight of the film is a fabulous scene where a DS Citroen falls into a river and continues its ride as a boat. Maria-Rosa Rodriguez soon followed this up with a role in the fun filled caper Estouffade à la Caraïbe/The Gold Robbers (1967, Jacques Besnard) costarring with swimming champion Frederick Stafford, Jean Seberg and Serge Gainsbourg. She also appeared on tv in Amalia Escudero an episode of Au théâtre ce soir (1966). More tv roles followed in series like Les chevaliers du ciel/The Aeronauts (1967) – about the adventures of the French comic book heroes Tanguy and Laverdure - and Fortune (1969, Henri Colpi). In the early 1970’s she moved to Italy where she appeared in the ‘giallo’ thriller Il coltello di ghiaccio/Knife of Ice (1972, Umberto Lenzi) starring Carroll Baker. Her last film was a Spanish horror production La novia ensangrentada/Blood Castle (1972, Vincente Aranda). Most of Maria-Rosa Rodriguez’s biographies on the net stop here, but she kept on working as an actress. Under the name of Toty Rodriguez she is now a well known stage actress in Ecuador. In 1989 she appeared in another film, the East-German production Die Besteigung des Chimborazo/The Ascent of the Chimborazo (1989, Rainer Simon) filmed on location in Germany, France, Spain and Ecuador. In this adventure film she appeared briefly as a countess. More recently she was seen in a leading part in the Ecuadorian film Un titán en el ring/A Titan in the Ring (2002, Viviana Cordero). According to Rotten Tomatoes it’s an inspiring drama about the world of masked wrestling, set in a small community in the Andean Mountains. Sources: IMDb, All Movie Guide, Rotten Tomatoes and Wikipedia.

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mzannthropy · 8 months ago

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I really want to put all of my Billy x Camila fix-it headcanons (the show version, I'm ok with the book, it's the TV series that did it badly) in one comprehensive post one of these days. I still haven't decided if I want more kids for them or not, which is probably a good indication that the answer is no, bc if I did want the twins in this AU, I'd already think of them, and I don't think of them. I keep picturing just Billy, Camila and Julia. I toy with the idea of them fostering an orphan boy, at some point, a child of immigrants (Camila and Julia can both speak Spanish fluently) but it's in a vague stage. I see Camila as pursuing her career in photography, bc come on, all that gear she had in the show? That must have been some expensive shit. Nowadays any fucker thinks they're a photographer, but this was the 1970s. I'll just have to discard their conversation about kids they had in bed, same as everything I didn't like about the show (who can stop me), even though it was one of the better scenes for their ship. Most of all, Camila doesn't die. Not until she's 97, which means she's alive and well at this moment in 2024. As for the rest of the characters, they're all happy and work through any issues they have. Bc at the end of the day, I want everyone to be happy, even the characters I don't care that much about. Peace out.

#billy x camila #billy dunne #camila dunne #i know the solution is easy. just forget about the show bc the book is good as it is #but i cannot. bc the show has sam claflin #the very guy thanks to whom i even know djats exists #and it was his character they botched #and the ship i cared about #i'm not normally like this!#except for maybe hunger games but that series. sigh #is another topic altogether #so yeah. it just takes me AGES to do things so it'll take time #daisy will write poetry btw #mypost

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harleiquina · 1 year ago

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All TV series I've ever seen II

Let's see how many I remember from this time period.

1940 - 1970

1980 - 2000 (this post)

2010 - Now

1983 - V

Aliens have come to Earth but they are nice and willing to help us... or so they say.

Everybody remembers Diana eating rats, the dramatic face reveal of any reptilian, Freddy Krueger beeing a good guy (this time) and I'm sure Stephenie Meyers wish that Reneesme/Jacob had the same level of acceptance than "the child from the stars" (name given in Latinoamerica, don't know if it was also used in the original show) and whats-his-name.

Saw it on TV but we also bought the bootleg DVD because my mom and aunt never saw the ending of the show as kids.

1985 - Amazing Stories

I hardly remember anything (I was too young when it was played on TV) but I do remember beeing traumatized by Christopher Lloyd's severed (and reattached) head.

It was created by Spielberg, some stories land better than other ones. Maybe I should try and rewatch some?

1986 - Sledge Hammer

Is he sexist, violent, gun-lover and conservative AF? Yes... but he's also hilarious! This is satire people! Don't be like the NRA that gave somekind of award to this fictional character because they have the same level of comprehension than a brick.

Saw it on TV but it is also available on Youtube.

1986 - ALF

Alien finds himself on a typical american family house and chaos begins.

Do you live under a rock? Don't you know who ALF is? Just go watch it.

It was on TV when I was growing up, I'm pretty sure you can find it anywhere.

1989 - The Simpsons

I will keep on saying it, we argentineans speak in 3 languages: Spanish, Lunfardo (a Buenos Aires dialect but each province has their own as well) and Simpsons' quotes (latin spanish obviously, everyone agrees that it's the definitive Simpsons). Earlier seasons are better, we all know that... they kind of lose us when the original latin dubbers were replaced (it would seem that Disney brought them back but I hardly watch TV now, so I don't know)

1989 - Eureeka's castle.

I don't remember a THING about it but my family says that I was obsessed. It's a Muppet-style show of a young witch apprentice and her friends.

Upon further looking, it was co-written by R. L. Stine? So I didn't got into Goosebumps as a child but got this... who knows?

1989 - Agatha Christie's Poirot

I haven't watched everything just yet (it's been on for 20 years, people!) but I do like David Suchet's Hercules Poirot (my family disagrees because for them Poirot will always be Peter Ustinov). Hey, at least it's not Albert Finney!

1990 - Caloi en su tinta (Caloi in his own ink - Argentina)

It wasn't a series properly said... it didn't have a story to follow. Caloi was a very important artist in my country (his character Clemente became a staple in our comics just like Mafalda) and he had this TV show where he curated animations of all kinds, from all over the world. I remember seeing a stop-motion version of Barber of Sevilla and I think that I also saw Queen's Innuendo videoclip for the first time in here.

Some stories were funny, others melancholic, elegant or grotesque... but all of them were Art, with a capital A.

1990 - Twin Peaks

I don't understand the hype around this show. The only thing that I though was cool was to have a season and a half to find the killer.

Before someone tells me "you have to think how ground breaking it was in the time it came up" or "it's high end art, open your mind to it" trust me I can do that... it doesn't change the fact that I don't see why so many people like it so much.

I'll grant it a few points for showing us David Duchovny as a trans woman FBI agent that saves the day on the episode she shows up. I did like the character.

1993 - The Nanny

What would happen if instead of María taking care of Von Trapp's children in the Alps, we had a jewish it-girl from Flushing, Queens? That was Fran Drescher's pitch, the rest is history.

I got to confess I usually get bored with sit-coms but this is the only one that I can watch over and over again (and the final episode still brings single tear in my eye). Yeah, the whole plot of Fran trying to get pregnant was dragged for too long, but still it's like 3 or 4 episodes, no biggy (unless my memory fails, it's been a while).

1993 - Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

For whatever reason a alien (?) race decided that teenagers are the appropiate warriors so they choose 5 Angel Grove locals to kick Galactic-Witch Rita's ass. Monsters that grow size but still look like rubber suits, the Rangers use spandex but for whatever reason they release sparks when a blade touches them. Still sweet little 4 year old me loved this show.

I checked a few episodes on Youtube not too long ago and I was pleasently surprised by the fact that each monster represented a struggle the Rangers where having on their civilian life... so facing and defeating them actually helped these kids in their ordinary life. A nice message that I completely forgot while self-convincing myself that this show was a lot dumber than I remembered.

Oh! By the way when it was on TV I watched -maybe- up to season 2. When the movie came out I was shocked that Jason, Trini and Zack were not in it.

1993 - The X Files

The most recognizable tune ever, the OG monster-of-the-week format, a skeptic + a believer, some comedy, another bit of drama and , in ocassions, straight-up horror = one of the greatest TV shows ever made.

Regardless what people think I preffer Agent Dogget (there, I said it!!) to Mulder, but of course that sunflower-seed eater, porn aficionado, spooky guy will always be loved either way.

Of course I didn't watched on TV (my mom and aunt had that privilege, I was literally a baby) but I got the whole series on bootleg DVD.

1993 - Frasier

I only watched a few mixed up episodes and I have the first 4 seasons on bootleg DVD but it was my aunt who liked it the most.

A psicologyst with a radio TV show has to live with his dad and his brother visits very often.

You might recognize them as Sideshow Bob and his brother as well.

1994 - Friends

Watched it on cable when I had it, mixed up as usual but still... for whatever reason sitcoms bore me... and this is not the exception. Again, I don't understand the hype.

1995 - Xena: Warrior princess

Ancient Greece, a female warrior... my (probably by the time we got it in Argentina) 6 year-old self loved this show. Until certain fling with Hercules... I didn't liked romance then (or now, but I'm a little more tolerant as an adult) and it ruined the show for me.

Yes, now I see certain undertones that my youngself didn't. I get it. Leave me alone!

1995 - Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Yeah... I didn't liked Hercules but I watched a few episodes either way. I always liked a good fight on TV.

1996 - Sabrina, the teenage witch

Who didn't wanted to have magical powers growing up becuse of her?

I can't really tell how many season I've watched because, as I said, in Argentina you were lucky if the TV channels bought more than 2 season to repeat on end. Still... I didn't quite liked it as much once she left for collage. Kinda lost its magic *wink, wink*

1996 - Millenium

The year 2000 was upon us and the promise of the end of the world, so Chris Carter decided to play a little bit with it.

Frank Black is a retired agent that has a peculiar way of getting into the mind of the criminals (the audience is the only one that knows that he can see what the criminals see... live) so he is called over an over again to help on different cases.

It ended too soon (got cancelled I believe) but it has its final episode in season 9 of The X Files (if I'm not mistaken). It deals a lot with religion (mostly Christianity) and its a lot darker than Mulder & Scully's adventures (with the exception of that one episode where 4 demons get together in a coffe shop -desguised as old men- and tell their latest works done).

1997 - Meego

I got to be honest with you... I hardly remember anything from this TV show. It was basically ALF but with a human playing an alien instead of a puppet. Still we remember it fondly at home so I guess it was good enough?

1998 - Charmed

Argentina beeing Argentina, I saw a few seasons... maybe... I do remember that I liked more the original 3 sisters.

It's fun... sometimes cheesy... as any tv or film of that time.

1998 - Will & Grace

As I said, sitcoms end up becoming boring and repetitive. But that doesn't take away that sometimes jokes are good... some are very 90, but ah, well...

2000 - Dark Angel

Maybe I saw 2 season on TV but I was obsessed.

Typical supersoldiers experiments developed this superhuman creatures that got tired of beeing an experiment and broke out the facility when they were children, so now as grown ups live in our society. The lead Max (Jessica Alba) has a job as a courrier but every now and then steals, that's how she meets Logan a journalist with vigilante tendencies that needs someone to do the dirty work.

2000 - CSI (later known as Las Vegas)

Have I ever watched a show just to laugh at it? Yes, and it was called CSI, the original (I saw a lot of Miami as well).

I had a few glimpses here and there from this procedural that were the definition of Deus-ex-machina and later I decided to give it a shot just to see if, within this universe, it made sense. And nope.

If one of mom's doctors dissed House for his nearly-impossible diagnosis... I'm pretty sure some forensics did the same with Grissom's team.

Side note I really love Ted Danson, that guy is awesome.

2001 - Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

At first I thought it was a yet another The Brain + Person that explains him like many others... but Goren and Eames are the best detective duo. PERIOD.

You get to see them investigating (so Goren, mostly, doesn't know everything off the bat... he does go to the library, kids) and Eames is not just a blank space for the audience to jump in and have Goren explain everything to her. My favourite moments are when she can add up to his theory by just having the female side of things.

Goren isn't the typical I-only-think kind of detective (like, let's say Poirot) he can -and will- get into dangerous situations when needed.

You have to watch for D'onofrio's performance.

I like Jeff Goldblum as well... but his season was kinda... meh

2002 - Los Simuladores (The Pretenders - Argentina)

What if there was a group of people to solve any kind of situations? And what if this situations are quite basic, borderline stupid, like meeting the in-laws, giving a hard exam at the end of the year and such?

This is it, that's the plot.

This was a huge hit back in the day but it took me a decade (almost) to watch because if you knew argentinean tv and film as I do... you wouldn't believe that there are actually some good ideas burried very very deep in the mud.

2002 - Monk

A detective with OCD is soooo good at his job but cannot be a detective again because of it (it got worse once his wife died in a attack). Fun and wholesome... maybe it did dragged for too long.

And no matter what... we are Sharona stans in this house!

2002 - CSI Miami.

Just like CSI I watched it just to make fun of it (and because in cable they will put all CSIs together in one afternoon so it was easier to compare them).

At least this one didn't take itself too seriously!

2003 - Tru Calling

Med student has a weird ability where dead people can reach her and make her repeat the day to try and save their lives.

It ended too soon on a great cliffhanger that we will never see resolved. Damn it!

2004 - Lost

We all know Lost... it started great... and it ended.

Luckily for me the TV channel where I was watching it stopped after season 4 and I never bothered to try and catch up again.

2004 - House MD

Sherlock Holmes goes to med school and instead of solving crimes, he solves impossible diagnostics.

Gotta give it to Hugh Laurie for beeing a lovable a-hole the whole time.

It did lasted too long for me, I didn't watch the final seasons but I did watched a few mixed up episodes in cable so I kinda know what happens after, lets say... season 4? (the final one I've watched, maybe).

2004 - CSI New York

Same as the others. Just watched for Gary Sinise and Edward Furlong's guest appearence.

2004 - Miss Marple

I was never a fan of Miss Marple in writting... but on TV she is less annoying.

How come she is never suspicious? She's always around when a crime happens!

2005 - Invasion

Does anybody else remembers this TV show set after the Katrina hurricane that, apparently, also uncovered a race of aliens living underwater that have a body-snatching way of taking over the world? It's only 1 season, got cancelled I believe and I watched it on TV at 6 or 7 AM while getting ready to go to school. Ah, old times!

2005 - Mosca & Smith (Argentina)

(Mosca can be translated as "Fly" -the bug- but in this case is the character's Last Name so I'll leave it as it is)

Buddy cop with two overly eccentric characters. A silly comedy with some really in-depth meta humor of argentinean justice system. Some jokes are in poor taste... and I think it got raunchier in it's second season (I didn't watched it because one of the leads was replaced and the 2nd actor didn't had the same punch)

2005 - Bones

A forensic anthropologyst helps the FBI to solve crimes.

This is the BrainTM taken to an extreme. Dr. Temperance Brennan just can't be good at eeeeeverything. This kinda changed as seasons passed but still... who says smart people is always entirely clueless about how to be a normal human? And why so egocentric? (Most truly smart people are usually super-humble because they know that there is a lot more to learn).

In any case, it is fun. Watched on TV (earlier seasons) and continued on bootleg DVD.

2006 - Ugly Betty

The main reason why I didn't listed Betty, la fea in here it's because it is a telenovela (soap opera) everybody in Latinoamérica watched it. Some things are not so good (maybe I'll write about it one day) but overall it had a good story.

Those dubious things got changed in the U.S version... and it changed the whole story. It was easier to create something new than trying to bring people on board using a name that is well beloved to a certain ethnicity... just saying.

2007 - El Hombre que volvió de la muerte (The man that came back from Death -Argentina)

Think of a mash up of The Count of Montecristo and V for Vendetta.

It was a remake of a TV show done in the 60s... 70s? By Narciso Ibañez Menta, a Spanish actor that was naturalized as argentinean and was our very own mix of Boris Karloff (with his love for make up) and Vincent Price (he did a lot of Edgan Allan Poe stories as well). The original story was about Elmer Van Hess, who was subject to different experiments. The lab caughts on fire, he's inside and survives. For whatever reason his organs end up being given to other people so he embarks on a quest to retrieve them.

The remake also had Elmer Van Hess who was a happy fool about to get married, his boss and associates set him up and ends up in prision for fraud. Not happy with that, his boss strikes a deal with a Doctor so Elmer can be his human guinea pig (in order to do so, he asks other inmates to torture him while in prision so his only escape would be to go with the Doctor). He's experimented on as results he gets superhuman strenght and, of course, the chemicals affect his brain turning him into a very dark and blood-lust creature. The lab is set on fire, everybody thinks he died but he comes back 10 years later ready to take revenge on all of them. He was very cruel and his idea of revenge was very Saw-like... but deep down he's still in love with his almost-wife and she's the only one that can sort of ease him in the worst moments.

For an argentinean fiction it was very good.

2008 - Fringe

The X Files but even crazier? You got it.

Mom and I did got lost after season 4... but we still have the bootleg DVDs, it's just that we should start all over again and we don't have a lot of time 😝

2008 - The Mentalist

A guy is so good at reading people that decides to ripp them off saying that he's a medium. He got the wrong guy, this guy kills his family so now it's personal!

Patrick Jane's quirks might be amusing in the early episodes but after a while you, just like everyone else on the show, will want to punch him in the face.

From my little corner of the Earth I scream: Justice for Cho!! He also deserved a happy ending!

2009 - Doll House

A bunch of people got their memories wiped and now they receive other memories (fabricated sometimes) to take on dangerous tasks.

Dubious consent galore... but overall the premise was engaging. It lasted 3 seasons, the third one included a time-jump... the end didn't quite landed for me but... meh! It's entertaining at least.

2009 - Flashfoward

The entire world fainted at the same time. Everybody had visions of the future... so now some things need to be prevented for whatever reason.

Only one season, got cancelled. I don't remember a thing except the tribute to one of Jorge Luis Borges stories (El Jardín de los senderos que se bifurcan/ The garden of paths that bifurcate) and another to David Bowie's song Scary Monsters and Super Creeps. That's all I remember, I swear.

2009 - Modern Family

Sitcom that broke some barriers on what a typical family looks like. It's fun...but yeah, it also bored me.

Note to everybody: not all latinos sound like Sofía Vergara... not even Sofía Vergara sounds like Sofía Vergara the whole time.

#very vague tv reviews by harleiquina #very vague reviews by harleiquina #tv shows #1980s #1990s #2000s

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tvcallsign · 9 months ago

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April 5

Good evening, it's time again for congratulations to be handed out to several radio and television stations across North America. A couple big players celebrate anniversaries today.

WGN-TV (April 5, 1948)

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The famous Chicago superstation WGN-TV celebrates 76 years on the air today. It has been the host of several affiliates throughout its lifetime, including CBS, DuMont, NTA, United, The WB, and The CW, but now exists as an independent station. Their call letters are derived from the nickname of their founder, the Chicago Tribune, known to many as the "World's Greatest Newspaper."

KQED (April 5, 1954)

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Though KQED was the fourth television station to sign on in the Bay Area, it was a big player in the beginnings of public television in the United States. The PBS affiliate for San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, California turns 70 today, providing Californians with educational programming for generations. Their call sign is taken from a Latin phrase, Quod Erat Demonstrandum, meaning, "what was to be shown," or "that which was to be demonstrated," commonly found at the end of mathematical proofs and philosophical arguments, in print, showing the argument is complete.

WNYE-TV (April 5, 1967)

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This former NET and PBS affiliate in New York City turns 57 years old today. It began when the New York City Board of Education put it on the air to primarily air instructional programming for classrooms. Some PBS programming continues to air on WNYE. The call sign meaning is very simple, New York Education.

WSNS-TV (April 5, 1970)

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Currently a Telemundo affiliate, this former Independent, then ON TV affiliate, turns 54 years old on this date. In 1985, it became Chicago's first full-time Spanish-language channel. It shares its station and frequency with its sister station, WMAQ-TV. Its call sign comes from its founding owner, Essaness (S-N-S) Theatres.

Radio stations:

A couple of centenarians in the mix for today.

KKOB, 96.3 FM, Albuquerque, NM (1922, 102 years)

KMBZ, 980 AM, Kansas City, MO (1922, 102 years)

KTTH, 770 AM, Seattle, WA (1925, 99 years)

WHBY, 1150 AM, Kimberly, WA (1925, 99 years)

WENZ, 107.9 FM, Cleveland, OH (1958, 66 years)

KURL, 93.3 FM, Billings, MT (1969, 55 years)

KCBC, 770 AM, Manteca, CA (1987, 37 years)

#radio #television #call signs #april 5 #history #second post is a go

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justforbooks · 6 months ago

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Tony Lo Bianco

American actor who fitted naturally into the 70s trend for gritty crime thrillers as a brute with a twinkle in his eye

The American actor Tony Lo Bianco, who has died of cancer aged 87, specialised in hoods and heavies, often played with an uncommon twinkle in the eye that suggested he was in on some grim private joke. “I guess I’ll have to do a nun next,” he said after a run of such roles.

There was never any doubt that he meant business. “If you encountered Tony in a deserted alley at midnight, you’d be inclined to hand him your wallet before he asked for it,” wrote a US newspaper in 1978.

With his conspiratorial manner, imposing stare and tractor-tyre eyebrows, Lo Bianco fitted naturally into the 70s trend for gritty crime thrillers. As the mobster Sal Boca in The French Connection (1971), he is pursued by the New York cop “Popeye” Doyle (Gene Hackman) for his role in buying a massive shipment of heroin. The Seven-Ups (1973) reunited Lo Bianco with his friend and French Connection co-star Roy Scheider, and gave him a bigger bite of the cherry, this time as a shady police informer in a camel-hair coat and sharp hat.

His first major role had already proved he was more eccentric than any rent-a-thug. In The Honeymoon Killers (1970), which was inspired by real events, he played the silver-tongued Spanish con-artist Ray Fernandez, who embarks on a murder spree with a lonely woman whom he tries to swindle. Martin Scorsese was sacked as the film’s director for dragging his feet, but the end result (with the composer and librettist Leonard Kastle stepping in after Scorsese’s exit) has a sizzling, unwholesome B-movie tang, due in no small part to Lo Bianco’s oleaginous presence and his rapport with Shirley Stoler as his partner-in-crime.

Most of his finest screen work was done in the 70s. He was a police detective investigating seemingly random murders in the supernatural horror God Told Me To, and an injured, suicidal former rodeo rider raising his young sons in Glory Days, AKA Goldenrod (both 1976).

Bloodbrothers (1978), in which Lo Bianco was all gruffness and gristle as an Italian-American construction worker pressuring his recalcitrant son (Richard Gere) to follow in his footsteps, was especially dear to him. “It’s very close to my heart,” he said. “I know the characters like I know my family.”

In the same year, he was a surprisingly genial crime boss opposite Sylvester Stallone in the union drama F.I.S.T. “Sure, I could have played [him] as one more Italian thug,” he reflected. “But does the world really need another overbearing, obnoxious, obvious slob to dismiss or look down on as some kind of buffoon?”

Lo Bianco attributed his facility as an actor partly to his upbringing. “Coming from an Italian family in a big city, my emotions were always close to the surface, ready to live life fully, to give, to laugh and cry without holding back, without strain.”

He was born in New York City to Carmelo, a taxi driver, and Sally (nee Blando). One of his teachers at William E Grady high school suggested he give acting a go, though his early passions were largely sporting ones. As a teenager, he tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and was also a Golden Gloves welterweight boxer. “I guess you’d say I was a borderline delinquent. It was the 50s, Elvis time, leather jackets, a time for being tough.”

Years later, he would step back into the ring to play the boxer Rocky Marciano in the television biopic Marciano (1979). He returned to the same story, again for TV, in Rocky Marciano (1999), this time as the gangster-turned-promoter Frankie Carbo opposite Jon Favreau as the prizefighter.

Lo Bianco studied acting at the Dramatic Workshop in Manhattan in the late 50s, and founded the Weekend Theater there in order to gain experience. “I built the sets, the stage, and put in the lighting. I got it going.” He did the same in 1963 with the Triangle Theater, where he also served as artistic director. It was here that he first met Scheider.

He accumulated numerous credits on television, including a recurring role between 1971 and 1973 as a doctor in the long-running soap opera Love of Life, and on stage: in 1975, he won an Obie (an award for an off-Broadway performance) for his portrayal of a fading baseball star in Yanks-3 Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh. He also won a Tony for playing the tormented longshoreman Eddie Carbone in A View from the Bridge in 1983.

Appearing in the Italian caper Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973) immediately after his success in The French Connection, Lo Bianco seemed to be spoofing his own image when it was still in its infancy: he played a none-too-bright crook who idolises a legendary gangster (Lee Van Cleef). But the actor re-asserted his authority on television in the anthology series Police Story (1973-76). He was one of only a handful of cast members who appeared in more than one episode. Even more unusually, he was on the right side of the law this time.

In Franco Zeffirelli’s mini-series Jesus of Nazareth (1977), he was Quintillius, who advises Pontius Pilate, played by Rod Steiger. A year later, also on television, he starred in The Last Tenant as a man dealing with the increasing needs of his senile, irascible father, played by the acting guru Lee Strasberg. In the 80s he won plaudits for a TV adaptation of Paul Shyre’s play Hizzoner!, in which he starred as the New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia. This spawned several spin-offs, including La Guardia and The Little Flower, written by Lo Bianco and performed by him across the world at the start of this century.

Notable later roles include a mafia boss in the lighthearted, 30s-set Clint Eastwood/Burt Reynolds vehicle City Heat (1984), a corrupt property developer in John Sayles’s ensemble drama City of Hope (1991), the ivory-haired mobster Johnny Roselli in Oliver Stone’s Nixon (1995), and yet another intimidating gangster in The Juror (1996), with Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin.

Like Robert De Niro, for whom he was sometimes mistaken, it seemed there was nowhere left to go but comedy after playing so many crooks. Having parodied himself at the very start of his film career, Lo Bianco did so again in Mafia! (1998), also known as Jane Austen’s Mafia!, a send-up from some of the team behind the Airplane! and Naked Gun spoof series.

Though he directed to acclaim on stage, he made only one film, the slasher movie Too Scared to Scream (1984). His final picture was Somewhere in Queens (2022), starring and directed by Ray Romano, in which Lo Bianco played the main character’s standoffish father.

He is survived by his third wife, Alyse (nee Muldoon), a writer, whom he married in 2015, two daughters, Yummy and Nina, from his first marriage, to the actor Dora Landey (Anna, a third daughter from that marriage, died in 2006), a brother, John, and six grandchildren. Both his previous marriages – the second was to Elizabeth Natwick – ended in divorce.

🔔 Anthony Lo Bianco, actor, born 19 October 1936; died 11 June 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #Tony Lo Bianco #in memoriam

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