#A Village Affair 1995

[autumncottageattic]

A Village Affair is a 1995 British television film based on the 1989 eponymous novel by Joanna Trollope.

Part III

[celluloidrainbow]

A VILLAGE AFFAIR (1995) dir. Moira Armstrong Alice and Martin Jordan and their three children move into their new home in a small village. They're a happy family even if Alice finds her mother-in-law Cecily Jordan, a well-known and much published author on English gardens, somewhat overbearing. She was also once an avid painter but hasn't worked on any pieces for some time. They soon learn that there are few secrets in a small village, but they find this amusing. They are soon invited to dinner by Sir Ralph and Lady Unwin and meet their daughter Clodagh, who has recently returned home after a scandal in New York. Alice and Clodagh are soon lovers, and when Martin's brother Anthony visits, he is the first to realize what is going on. The village is soon abuzz with rumors. (link in title)

[triviareads]

Ever since I was mildly horrified that Colin Firth is a fancast for Lisa Kleypas's Lord Westcliff (by Lisa herself which.... come on, you need to pick someone who is not hot and yet inexplicably super attractive because of his "vitality" or whatever, Lisa), I've come to realize people actually liken Westcliff to Mr. Darcy, and even call It Happened One Autumn a 'spicy" version of Pride and Prejudice which.... well, we won't get into that particular suggestion, buuuuut I do think likening Darcy to Westcliff is kind of a disservice to both characters (and calling it "spicy" Pride and Prejudice is a disservice to both texts).

For all that Westcliff is shown as this perfect paragon of aristocratic virtue, he's honestly.... kind of not. Apart from him and Darcy sharing a sense of duty and a degree of aristocratic snobbery (which, tbh, most aristocrats or gentlemen would have at the time), they really aren't all that similar personality-wise

Do I think the narrative about Darcy being a brooding borderline douchebag was pushed by by fans post-1995 Pride and Prejudice? Maybe. To a degree. But let's be real here, Westcliff comes way closer to being a dbag than Darcy ever does, particularly his hot-and-cold behavior with Lillian (the time he calls her an easy target for St. Vincent and then immediately pounces on her and fingers her in his butterfly garden comes to mind). Darcy's behavior towards Lizzy is fairly consistent; it's just, they both misinterpret one another's actions until the proposal makes everything clear. That's not to say they don't change their attitudes afterwards, but there was always civility at the least.

And I don't think Darcy is a super broody type, but he is definitely shy around people he doesn't know (awkward too), and seems like the type to socialize with a few close friends (like I'm convinced his only confidantes are Bingley, and then his own cousin Col. Fitzwilliam). Westcliff on the other hand displays no qualms about socializing in large groups, in fact, he seems to command a lot of attention in large group settings like balls and the big house parties he hosts (routinely, based on Secrets of a Summer Night, where he's described as an accomplished host).

I know it's hard to compare a text with on-page sex to a text that is much older and has no point of comparison, but there was this detail in Secrets of a Summer Night that stood out to me:

This is veering into headcanon territory but the more generous headcanon I have regarding Darcy's premarital sex life is largely "widows" and "older women" and that too... I imagine it's a limited number (otherwise, he's a virgin. or partially a virgin; that's my favorite). What I'd never think Darcy would do is "join in" with any village wenches in Lambton (a combination of his shyness and upper-class snobbery about socializing with the lower classes for fun). Nor do I think he'd he exhibitionist enough to do things with paramours at parties where friends could see him. Interestingly, in IHOA, Livia comments that Westcliff has had a few discreet affairs and nothing more, but between a secluded sister and a friend who routinely goes around town with him, I believe Simon Hunt lol; that being said Westcliff is deffo more of a society affair type than a sex worker/courtesan mistress type. To be clear, this isn't me judging Westcliff for having sex with a lot of women, it's just, again, for all that he outwardly behaves in a proper fashion, he really isn't, and has relatively relaxed views on propriety, even as he judges Lillian for her lack of it at first.

In his second proposal to Elizabeth, Darcy basically said he understands that "no means no", while Westcliff..... does not quite understand that.

Ways Westcliff is similar to Darcy:

They both are brought to their knees by women who initially don't fit within their notion of a "right" spouse. But that's such a broad trope, as is the fact that they both "save" their heroines in some sense.

There's a decent amount of language in P&P describing Darcy as a a fair-minded master and "liberal"; while I don't know enough to speculate on his actual politics (though I have read some pieces that suggest he might be, based on, among other things, the real-life figure Jane Austen may have named him after, the Earl Fitzwilliam), what we do know is that he's liberal in the sense of being a very involved master at his estate, liberal with money where his estate and tenants are involved. Basically, he's not stodgy and backwards, just like Westcliff is when it comes to his estate and tenants. Kleypas takes Westcliff's liberal attitudes a step further by aligning him with progressive causes and progressive politicians.

Look, both Westcliff and Darcy are classist to a degree; both initially balk at marrying women with connections to trade, but ultimately, they a) go ahead with marrying them anyway and b) we know they like to associate with people in trade in other ways. For example, Darcy and Bingley are good friends in the way that Westcliff and Simon Hunt are friends. Plus, we know Darcy gets on really well with Elizabeth's Aunt and Uncle Gardner (who are in trade), to the point that they're frequent visitors at Pemberley after their marriage. Basically, their snobbery is not universal.

Westcliff and Darcy are good to their siblings but even here, the actual sibling relationships are different. Westcliff is closer in age to both his sisters so their relationship is (mostly) noninterfering (tbh Westcliff exercises remarkable forbearance when McKenna returns) and Westcliff is less high-handed than I imagine Darcy is with Georgiana who, based on their age gap, likely regards him as a second father of sorts.

[incoldbloodsblog]

High-Profile Murder Cases of India: What We Know So Far

In India, there have been lots of crime cases that have made headlines in the news and it have also triggered debate across the country. These cases aren’t all about crimes but they’re more about justice, fairness, and the way they are affecting society. From horrific murders to enormous corporate frauds, these events have turned into tragedies that affected and stayed in our country forever. Focusing on what happened behind the curtains, on the judgments, and the consequences that occurred as a result. Hence, now we are on the way through the roller coaster of these thrilling events, that became the focus of the nation’s attention.

https://blog.ipleaders.in/

1. Transsexual burns childhood friend alive in Tamil Nadu

Transsexual burns childhood friend alive in Tamil Nadu On Christmas day, last year, 27-year-old Vetrimaran (born as Pandi Maheswari), burned his childhood friend, R Nandhini alive, suspecting that Nandhini was not romantically interested in him. The incident took place in Chennai's Thazhambur, on Nandhini's birthday eve. Vetrimaran, who underwent a sex reassignment surgery to marry Nandhini, took her out on the pretext of a birthday surprise. Vetrimaran then blindfolded Nandhini, tied her with a chain and slashed her wrist using a blade before setting her ablaze. Locals heard her screams and rushed her to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Vetrimaran confessed to the crime during police interrogation.

https://indianexpress.com/

2. Shraddha Walkar murder case

Shraddha Walkar (27) was murdered by her live-in boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala on May 18, 2022, in Delhi. Aaftab strangled Shraddha over an arguement and dismembered her body into 35 pieces using different kinds of weapons, which he disposed off individually in the Chhatarpur forest. He stored her body parts in a 300-litre fridge. Poonawala was held on November 12 by Delhi police and confessed to the killing during interrogation. The case came to light after about six months, when Shraddha's father filed a missing person's complaint. He demanded capital punishment for Aaftab and a thorough probe against the Poonawala family.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/

3. Hyderabad doctor raped, set ablaze

A 26-yr-old veterinary doctor in Telangana was sexually assaulted, smothered and set ablaze. According to police reports, the victim after parking her two-wheeler, hired a taxi and went to a dermatologist's office. The four accused noticed her while parking and deflated her vehicle's tire in her absence. Upon returning the victim was offered help by the accused who then ambushed her. Three of the accused pushed her into the nearby bushes, poured whiskey into her mouth to put an end to her screams for help, and sexually assaulted her until the victim bled and lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness, she was smothered and her corpse was carried for 27 km. The victim's body was wrapped up in a blanket and set ablaze at 2.30 am on the Hyderabad Outer Ring Road under a bridge using furl. The four accused were killed in a police encounter, at 3.30 am on December 6, 2019.

https://www.indiatoday.in/

4. Nithari serial killings case

The Nithari killings case came to light after the disappearance of several children from Nithari village in Noida and when 8 skeletal remains of kids were found from the drain of Moninder Singh Pandher's house on December 29. Investigations pointed to Moninder and his domestic help Surinder Koli who were arrested. After 60 days of police custody, Koli confessed to luring and murdering the victims. The confession included necrophilia, cannibalism and dismembering of the corpses. The duo was convicted of rape and murder but were acquitted due to lack of evidences.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

5. Tandoor murder case

Naina Sahni, wife of Sushil Sharma, was shot by her husband over suspicion of an extramarital affair on July 2, 1995. Her body was chopped into pieces and stuffed into a tandoor which was managed by Sharma's friend. Smoke from the tandoor attracted police who were patrolling in the area. Sharma was arrested after Naina's half-burnt body parts were found. He was awarded the death sentence, but the Supreme Court commuted it to life imprisonment. Sharma was released from prison after 23 years.

https://theprint.in/

6. Sheena bora murder case

Sheena Bora (24) was allegedly strangled in a car by Indrani Mukherjee, her then-driver Shyamvar Rai, and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012. Sheena's body was later found burnt in a forest in Raigad district. Financial disputes as well as Indrani's opposition to Sheena's relationship was the motive for the killing. The crime came to light 3 years later when Shyamvar was arrested in another case and turned approver in the Sheena Bora murder case which led to Indrani's arrest. The CBI convicted Indrani but the Supreme Court granted her bail citing that she had already been in custody for six-and-a-half years.

https://www.thehindu.com/

7. Sanjay & Geeta Chopra murder case

Siblings Geeta Chopra (16) and Sanjay Chopra (14) were kidnapped and murdered in 1978 in New Delhi while they were on their way to the All India Radio (AIR) office to participate in a programme called 'Yuvavani'. Kuljeet Singh (alias Ranga Khus) and Jasbir Singh (alias Billa) were convicted for the crime. They abducted the siblings for ransom, on the pretext of giving them a ride to their destination, but later killed them upon knowing that their father was a naval officer. They first killed Sanjay, then raped and killed Geeta. Ranga and Billa were sentenced to death and were executed on January 31, 1982. The body of the siblings were found in advanced stage of decomposition and so the evidence of sexual assault could not be gathered. However, forensic evidence such as hair, fingerprints, and bloodstains were found. The siblings were awarded the Kirti Chakra on April 5, 1981, and two bravery awards 'Sanjay Chopra Award' and 'Geeta Chopra Award' were instituted in their honour.

https://www.ndtv.com/

8. Delhi biryani murder case

A video of a 16-year-old boy stabbing another boy in Delhi's Welcome colony went viral on social media. The allegedly drunk 16-yr-old stabbed the victim 55 times with a knife. According to the Delhi police the victim was attacked over money for biryani. The perpetrator had asked money from the teen who refused. The accused strangled the victim and killed him by stabbing him in the face, neck and below the eyes. CCTV footage showed that the perpetrator, in an inebriated state, dancing around the dead body. He was arrested immediately by the Delhi police.

https://indianexpress.com/

Conclusion

Criminal cases not only reveal the darker side of society but also shed light on the complexities of human behavior, justice, and law enforcement. As these stories unfold, they remind us of the ongoing fight for truth and accountability. Each case is a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance, social responsibility, and the role of the legal system in ensuring justice. By staying informed and engaged, we contribute to a society where crime is confronted, and justice prevails.

Sources:

www.hindustantimes.com

www.britannica.com

[klein-sodor-bahn]

Charlotte “Charlie” Borsig

My girlboss has been updated too!

A few trigger warnings: Death, shitty parents, add*ction, s*x

Charlie was born on the 13th of December 1956 in Berlin. Her father adored her to pieces but when he found out his wife was cheating on him with a another man he heavy-hearted divorced his wife. Charlie was devastated and hated her stepdad. But little Heinrich she couldn’t hate. She raised him because two years later the second divorce happened and her mother slipped into alcoholism. Charlie basically ran to household. With 16 her former stepdad offered her an internship at the Ministry of national security (better known as Stasi). She was pressured to accept it. With 18 she was deemed worthy to become a spy for the GDR (in German DDR).

One of her first missions was to Scotland and there she fell in love with the future father of her sons Mr. Campbell. On the side she gathered information on her target, but she became pregnant and received an ultimatum. Leave the kids one month after birth or risk being hunted for eternity by the KGB. Knowing what happens when the KGB is tasked with hunting someone she left Donald and Douglas with their father. When she returned home she visited her mother in hope to get some empathy. But that didn’t happen…her mother scolded her and a nasty fight broke out. Charlie then ran away to her father who immediately pulled her into a hug and comforted her. After that event she took on her father’s last name: Borsig.

The years went on and Charlie until reunification racked up 8 murders. She hated every last one of them in hindsight. The most tragic one was the death of secretary who was a lesbian pressured into an affair with her male boss, but when the wife found out she was fired immediately. In a rage that poor woman took some import documents (the company was developing weapons for the US Army) and planned to sell them to afford her cancer treatment. Charlie was sent to purchase those papers and to get some additional information started a sexual relationship with her. She know the CIA was on that ladies heels and so Charlie offered her sleep pills which she had prepped so they looked normal even tho they contained a deadly Dosis. After the fall of the GDR Charlie fell under the radar of the secret agencies. In 1995 she decides to travel to Scotland to look for her boys. Dragging along her now 30 year old half-brother Heinrich.

In a small village she bumps into Henry who offers her to stay for the night and later help with the search. And with every day this small Englishman grew on her. He was so sweet and nice. A true gentleman. Charlie who throughout the years thought she couldn’t love again slowly realizes there might be a second chance at life for her. A life away from the lies and people who could backstab her any second. A life away from the freak of a mother. A place no one knows (except Henry) what she did. And when she finally meets Donald and Douglas. Her precious boys. She bursts into tears. Donnie and Douggie accept her as their ma. And when Henry offers her to stay she jumps off the train and goes with him.

Charlie loves to flirt with Henry who turns red like a tomato. She loves him and the quiet life in Scotland. Although she has some violent tendencies pulling a gun or knife on people who mildly disrupt the peace. Beware if she starts speaking German you are fucked. She’s also a bit needy sometimes (especially if she wants cookies). She hates family gatherings with a burning passion. In Scotland she later works at the local pub. Her smoking started after she had to leave behind the twins but due to Henry’s influence it becomes less. Charlie is also a fashion chameleon. Although she mostly wears black. Her worst nightmare is that all this happiness is gone and a secret service finds her in the end. But for now she’s happy. She later marries Henry and together they adopt a little boy.

[paralleljulieverse]

70th anniversary of Jack and the Beanstalk Coventry Hippodrome, 164 performances   (23 December 1952 - 28 March 1953)

This week marks the 70th anniversary of a milestone event in the juvenile career of Julie Andrews: the opening of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Coventry Hippodrome on 23 December 1952. It would be Julie’s fourth annual pantomime, following Humpty Dumpty (1948), Red Riding Hood (1950) and Aladdin (1951). 

That Jack and the Beanstalk was a provincial production -- rather than a West End show -- could be misconstrued as a career comedown for the young star. After all, twelve months earlier she was principal girl in Aladdin at the London Casino and the following year she would headline the 1953 production of Cinderella at the London Palladium. But an appearance at the Coventry Hippodrome was no small affair.  

The Showplace of the Midlands

Dubbed “The Showplace of the Midlands”, the Hippodrome was an ultra-modern Art Deco entertainment palace lovingly built and managed by automobile industry baron cum entertainment impresario, Sam Newsome. With a massive 2000-seat auditorium, multi-levelled foyers and bars, twelve dressing rooms and its own broadcasting studio, the Hippodrome occupied over one and a quarter acres in the heart of Coventry. It was the biggest and most up-to-date theatre in the country -- and it quickly established itself as the foremost Midlands venue for touring dates, attracting a stream of headline acts and hosting regular seasons from major companies including The D'Oyly Carte Opera and Sadler’s Wells Opera (Newman 1995). 

The Coventry Hippodrome was especially celebrated for its spectacular Christmas pantomimes. Newsome took “personal pride and delight in his pantomimes” and ensured they “possessed a thoroughly exclusive quality” that distinguished them from run-of-the-mill seasonal fare (Stephens 1965, 6). Planning for each year’s panto would start months in advance with generous budgets, top-notch creative talent, high production values, and big star names. 

It was a calculated business strategy on Newsome’s part. Not only would each Christmas panto be an assured money-earner for his theatre, but, once it had debuted in Coventry, it would subsequently be re-mounted -- using the same scripts, sets, costumes and, sometimes, cast members -- in other theatres. It was not uncommon for a different Newsome pantomime to be playing simultaneously in five or six theatres around the country (Auty, 20; Newman, 77). In the case of Jack and the Beanstalk, for example, Newsome would re-stage the show repeatedly over ensuing years including runs at the Dudley Hippodrome in 1953/54; the Derby Hippodrome in 55/56; the Swansea Empire in 56/57; the Brighton Hippodrome in 57/58 and the Bradford Alhambra in 59/60 (The Stage).

Launching Jack and the Beanstalk

In early 1952, Newsome announced that his next Christmas pantomime at the Coventry Hippodrome would be an “entirely new and magnificent production” of Jack and the Beanstalk, a popular source for pantos since the early-19th century and a sure-fire crowd pleaser. A “firm believer in maintaining the well-loved traditional features of Pantomime”, Newsome’s production of Jack adhered faithfully to the plot of the well-known fairy tale about the adventurous village lad turned Giantslayer, but with lashings of pantomime essentials of music, spectacle, comedy and dance. (Newsome: 1). 

Overseeing the production and taking on directorial duties was Laurence Green, something of a right-hand man for Newsome throughout this era. The book was developed by the celebrated lyricist team, Barbara Gordon and Basil Thomas, who were also Newsome panto regulars. Other key members of the production team included costume designer, Michael Bronze, and set designers, Josef Carl and Tod Kingman, who created a series of impressive backdrops and props including a giant hand that in one scene whisked Julie aloft into the theatre fly tower (Foxon: 6; Whetsone: 3).  In terms of music and dance, there were seventeen full musical numbers with a mix of classics, pop standards, and bespoke compositions, all arranged and orchestrated by the Hippodrome’s longtime music director, W.E. Pethers. Celebrated choreographer, Pauline Grant was commissioned to develop several dance routines including an Act 1 closing ballet sequence and a grand finale parade.* 

As always, one of the most important elements in the show was its roster of  on-stage talent. And for Jack and the Beanstalk, Newsome assembled a star-studded line-up from the fields of theatre, variety, film, and dance. To optimise marketing potential, the principal cast was announced in June, a full six months before the show was set to open. Julie was cast in the principal girl role of Princess Bettina, alongside Joan Mann as Jack; Eddie Henderson as Dame Durden; and, the undoubted comic star of the show, Norman Wisdom as Simple Simon (‘Norman Wisdom to star’: 6).

Stories and profiles about the stars were fed in regular instalments to the local and regional press, ensuring continued exposure and boosting public anticipation (’Pantomime Star’: 4; ‘Julie is so determined’: 6). Julie even made a ‘surprise’ PR visit to Coventry in the first week of November to join the theatre’s special Birthday Show (‘Behind the footlights’: 9). The star-driven marketing paid off handsomely with brisk ticket sales. By early-December, a quarter of a millions seats had been booked -- a theatre record -- and the run was extended from 12 to 14 weeks (’Quarter of a million...”: 4).

The Singing Princess

Though she would be second fiddle to the show’s top billed player, Norman Wisdom, Julie was an important drawcard for Jack and the Beanstalk. Much was made of her youth and the fact that, at just seventeen, she was the youngest principal girl ever to appear in a Newsome pantomime (’Pantomime Star’: 4; ‘Julie is so determined’: 6).

And, as John Cottrell (1968) notes, “[f]or the first time in her life she was treated like a star” (62). She was given one of the theatre’s best dressing rooms with its own private bathroom -- and Newsome made sure that it was decked out with fresh flowers each week, even during rehearsals (Andrews: 146; Cottrell: 61). 

Julie also commanded a star-like fee, securing a contract for a whopping £250 per week, reported to be an era record for a pantomime principal girl (Cottrell: 61). It was a burst of newfound wealth that allowed the young star to buy her first car -- which she dubbed ‘Bettina” in honour of the character she played in the show -- and assume control from her parents of the mortgage on ‘The Old Meuse’, the family home in Walton (Andrews: 147). 

As Princess Bettina, the object of Jack’s affection who is rescued by the young hero and united with him in the mandatory happily-ever-after finale, Julie had one of her biggest stage roles to date. Combining moments of royal pageantry, abduction and imprisonment, thrilling rescue, and budding romance, the script afforded an opportunity for the young actress to flex her growing dramatic talents. 

Needless to say, Jack and the Beanstalk also showcased Julie’s most famous asset: her voice. She was given six full musical numbers in the show -- four solos and two duets -- comprised of:

‘If You Feel Like Singing’: This popular Warren-Gordon song had only recently been introduced in the 1950 MGM film, Summer Stock, where it was performed by Judy Garland (Larkin 1992). In the show, Julie sings the number in Scene 1 as her character is wandering alone in the forest and is spied by Jack who instantly falls in love wth her. With its lyrical ode to expressive singing and repetitive tra-la-las, the song would have provided a perfect showcase for Julie’s brand of light coloratura trilling.

‘Am I in Love’: Another newly-minted Hollywood number, this Oscar-nominated song by Jack Brooks was first performed by Bob Hope and Jane Russell in the 1952 Paramount release, Son of Paleface (Benjamin and Rosenblatt 1993). In the show, Julie sings it in Act 1 as a duet with Jack (Joan Mann) and reprises it again a few scenes later as a solo.

‘You Made Me Love You’: This well-known pop standard by Monaco and McCarthy was first performed by Al Jolson in 1913. It quickly became an international hit and part of the Great American Songbook, covered by a wide variety of famous vocalists including Jeanette MacDonald, Bing Crosby, Doris Day and, in a slightly revised version, Judy Garland in The Broadway Melody of 1938 (Whitburn 1986). In the show, Julie sings it in Act 1 as a duet with Norman Wisdom in the comic star role of Jack’s bumbling younger brother.

‘Yesterdays’: This classic ode to lost loves from the 1933 Kern and Harbach musical Roberta has been performed by many singers over the years including Irene Dunne, Mario Lanza, Barbra Streisand and Kiri Te Kanawa (Larkin 1992). One can only imagine how lovely Julie’s version would have been, sung as the imprisoned Princess pines for her home at the start of Act 2.

‘The Belle of the Ball’: Written in traditional Viennese style, this bouncy LeRoy Anderson waltz was introduced in 1951 and quickly became a light classical standard that has been played over the years by countless pop orchestras and school bands. It also has a lesser known sung version with lyrics by Mitchell Parish (Whorf 2012). It is that version that Julie performed in the show as her final solo. Hippodrome music director W.E. Pethers clearly liked LeRoy Anderson because Jack and the Beanstalk featured another of the composer’s orchestral works, ‘The Syncopated Clock’, used for the opening dance in Act 2. 

‘You Belong to Me’: This romantic ballad was another newly-minted hit in 1952. First recorded by Joni James, it was made famous by Jo Stafford in a chart-topping single that became an international sensation. With its lilting melody and evocative opening lyric -- “See the pyramids along the Nile...” -- it became one the era’s most popular love songs and was recorded by many of the biggest vocalists of the 1950s such as Ella Fitzgerald, Patti Page, Dean Martin and, in the UK, Alma Cogan (Larkin 1992). The song was used in Jack and the Beanstalk as the final love duet between Jack and Princess Bettina.

A Who’s Who of Jack and the Beanstalk

Alongside our Julie, other key talents involved in the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk included:

Norman Wisdom as Simple Simon: The beloved 'sentimental clown’ of British theatre, film and television, Wisdom shot to meteoric fame in the late-40s and early-50s with an appealing brand of character-based physical comedy. Sporting a trademark crumpled suit and upturned tweed flatcap, he crafted an endearing persona nicknamed "The Gump," a well-meaning, bumbling Everyman who failed at everything but won hearts in the process. A talented musician and vocalist, Wisdom included songs as a central part of his act which he would use to great effect in accentuating the warm-hearted pathos of his comedy (Bullar and Evans: 186).        As with many stage performers of the era, Wisdom made frequent forays into pantomime, starting with a well-received debut in Robinson Crusoe at the Alexandra Theatre Birmingham in in 1948/49. By the time of Jack and the Beanstalk, Wisdom was a major star and the show gave him free rein in several set pieces including five songs, three of which he wrote himself. In his memoirs, Wisdom (2002) fondly recalled his time in the show, making special mention of Julie who, he writes, “had a freshness about her that was totally captivating” (181).        Following Jack, Wisdom went on to an even bigger career in film with a string of hit comedies for Rank that saw him become one of the most popular stars of British cinema of the 50s and early-60s. Though his style of sentimental slapstick would fall out of fashion, Wisdom remained a much-loved national icon. In recognition of his contributions to British cultural life, he was knighted by the Queen in 2000. He passed away in 2010 at the grand age of 95 (’Sir Norman Wisdom’: 29).

Eddie Henderson as Dame Durden: Though he is little remembered today, Scots-born Henderson was a popular figure of mid-century British theatre and variety. A self-taught dancer and comic actor, Henderson had a diverse career that stretched across music hall, cabaret and ‘legitimate theatre’. In the inter-war years, he toured widely in revues and productions around the UK and abroad. He played opposite a young Ronald Colman and even co-wrote a play with Reginald Furdell (Ashley: 2). Henderson was especially renowned as an accomplished panto Dame. He played a long line of comic Dames from the 1930s into the early-60s, earning him the soubriquet “Queen of Dames” (Durbridge: 5).  Jack and the Beanstalk would be the first of several pantomimes that Henderson would do for Newsome during the 1950s, before retiring in the early-60s.

Joan Mann as Jack: Welsh-born Mann trained as a dancer and started touring the variety circuit in her teens where she appeared on bills with stars including Max Miller and Tommy Trinder. A tall attractive brunette with a pleasant voice and shapely dancer’s legs, Mann was a perfect pantomime boy. She played in top pantos in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Liverpool, before making her Coventry debut in Jack and the Beanstalk. Julie relates in her memoirs that she and Mann roomed together during the run of Jack and, despite a 15-year age difference, they became firm friends. Mann would re-team with Julie in 1953 as part of the musical revue, ‘Cap and Belles’ (Andrews: 146).       Mann’s greatest fame came as part of the celebrated Fols-de-Rols variety troupe with whom she performed for almost two decades. She also starred opposite Dame Anna Neagle in the hit West End musical, Charlie Girl in the late-1960s. Mann died in 2007 aged 87 (P.N.: 53).

Finlay Brothers as Rack and Ruin (The Broker’s Men): One of the many novelty acts popular in mid-century variety, the Finlay Brothers started as a comic musical trio in the late-30s. Billed as “the English replies to the American Marx Brothers”, they blended song, dance, slapstick, sketch comedy and vocal impressions into a fast-paced routine (’What’s On’: 10). When one of the brothers called it quits following the war, Jack and Herbie Finlay continued as a duo, using a classic straight man/clown pairing. One brother would try to sing and act dramatically but the other would forever interrupt with ludicrous gestures and facial expressions, setting the scene for a manic spectacle of physical comedy. It played well in the era and, come Christmastime, the Finlay Brothers would be in demand as comic supports for panto. In Jack and the Beanstalk, they played the comic duo part of the Chancellor’s bumbling officials with much opportunity for audience-pleasing slapstick. The Finlay Brothers continued variety touring and Christmas pantos into the late-50s before retiring (’Pantos last’: 4).

The Four Fredianis as the Giant’s Acrobats: Part of a multigenerational lineage of Italian circus performers dating back to the 17th century, the Four Fredianis was a family group of acrobats comprised of father, Giovanni, and his three sons, Rolando, Guglielmo, and Bruno (Cochran: 38). Giovanni had grown up performing in his own father’s circus troupe in Europe before branching out on his own. He settled in the UK where the Four Fredianis moved from circus work into the more stable and lucrative field of variety and theatre. In fact, the Fredianis shared an earlier variety bill with Julie as part of the Look In revue which toured through the spring of 1952 (‘At the Theatre: 4). In Jack and the Beanstalk, they were cast as ‘The Giant’s Acrobats’ encountered by Jack on his way to the Giant’s castle, but their role was essentially to bring increased spectacle and physical excitement to the show’s proceedings. 

Gerald Cuff as King Hal: Playing the part of Princess Bettina’s ‘merry monarch’ father, Gerald Cuff started his career in repertory where he performed for many years as part of the celebrated Derek Salberg Company in Wolverhampton (’Personality’: 13). During out-of-season spells he would appear frequently in pantos, many of them for Sam Newsome. In fact, he would reprise his role as King Hal in the Dudley Hippodrome season of Jack and the Beanstalk the following year (B.M.: 6).  Cuff’s lasting claim to fame came in 1958 when he was cast as ‘The Bosun’ in the popular British TV series of Popeye (Ashley, R.: 20). In his spare time, Cuff was a publican in his hometown of Wolverhampton. He died in 1963 at the sadly young age of 58 (’Obituary’: 7).

Carole Greer as Fairy Goodheart: Trained as a ballet dancer from childhood, Scottish-born Greer started her theatrical career at age 16 when she first appeared in pantomime during school holidays. She then toured the variety circuit for a few years as part of a dance duo with Barrie Manning. Greer was subsequently championed by choreographer, Pauline Grant, who cast her as principal dancer is several shows, including Jack and the Beanstalk (Thespis: 9). She appeared for two seasons with the Gyndebourne Opera Company, including a tour of Germany (’Flying opera’: 5). She also performed in a few London shows, notably Fun and the Fair at the Palladium in 1953. Like others in the cast, Greer would reprise her role as Fairy Goodheart in the Dudley Hippodrome season of Jack and the Beanstalk the following year (B.M.: 6). Thereafter, the public trail for Greer grows cold. Like many women of that era, she may have married and changed her name and/or possibly retired from the stage.

Humphrey Kent as Giant Blunderbore: Born in Hertfordshire, Kent was a regular in regional theatre throughout the 40s and 50s. He had an early success as part of the cast of the touring production of Lesley Storm’s Great Day in the mid-40s. Thereafter he seemed to settle in to a steady stream of local productions with the occasional brief appearance in film and TV. He did some film voicework including working with Julie on the British dubbed version of the Italian animated feature, The Rose of Barghdad (1952) where he voiced the part of Tonko (’Rose’:43). A tall, well-built man with a booming voice, Humphrey was ideal for the part of the Giant, a role he would reprise several times over the years (’Panto Giant’: 9).

John C. Wright as Demon Discord: Born in Northampton, Wright studied at the Repertory Theatre where he appeared opposite Sonia Dresdel and Freda Jackson. A classically trained tenor, he performed widely in opera and musicals in the interwar years, including several seasons with the Carl Rosa and Sadler's Wells Opera Companies. After the war, Wright went on to become manager of the Sadler’s Wells Opera but continued to perform periodically in various theatre productions. He did some early TV work including an appearance in the the landmark serial, Quartermass Experiment (Foxon: 6). In Jack and the Beanstalk, he played the Giant’s malevolent henchman, the Demon Discord, a role he would recreate the following year at the Dudley Hippodrome (B.M.: 6). Wright died in 1963 at the age of 64 (’John Wright’: 21).

The Astaires as Ethel the Cow: No pantomime would be complete without a ‘skin’ role and in the case of Jack and the Beanstalk that is Dame Durden’s long-suffering cow. Variously named Daisy, Buttercup, Daffodil, Mabel or, as here, Ethel, the cow is an important part of the story and a source of competing comedy and pathos for the audience. Pulling it off while cloaked in a heavy costume and operating multiple parts is no mean feat. In the case of this production, the job fell to Jimmy and Ernie Astaire, two brothers from a family of entertainment troupers. Their father, George Astaire founded a stilt-walking puppet troupe, the Seven Gullivers, that toured the country and was especially popular as a novelty act in pantomime. After their father died, the sons continued the troupe while also branching out with their own novelty duo act whose showpiece would see them tap dance on stilts up and down a staircase. They even performed the act as part of the 1947 Royal Command Variety Show. The Astaires did double duties in Jack and The Beanstalk, playing both Ethel the Cow and also leading the Seven Gullivers troupe who played the part of the Giant’s Henchmen  (’It’s Hard Work’: 5).

The Betty Fox Babes: One of many companies of dancing juveniles popular in the era, the Betty Fox Babes were products of the Betty Fox Stage School in Birmingham which was started in 1938 by -- you guessed -- Betty Fox (Norris: 29). The School grew to be one of the biggest in the Midlands and it would provide troupes of well-trained juvenile dancers for most of the area’s big theatres, especially for pantos (’The Babes’:  3). In 1988, on the occasion of the School’s 50th anniversary, it was claimed that the Betty Fox Babes had appeared in over 150 pantomimes (Norris: 29). In Jack and the Beanstalk, Fox provided a group of 12 ‘babes’ who performed in several of the show’s lavish dance sequences, both independently in the ‘Pantry Playtime’ sequence and alongside the show’s adult Corps de Ballet in the two big act-closing ballets choreographed by Pauline Grant.

Critical and Popular Reception

Jack and the Beanstalk was well received by audiences and critics alike. The following excerpts give a sense of the uniformly glowing notices earned by the show, with particular mention of Julie:

Coventry Evening Telegraph: “[T]he S.H. Newsome presentation, Jack and the Beanstalk, which began its run at Coventry Hippodrome last night, is...a huge parcel of enjoyment....There are jolly songs, lively dancing, and first-rate speciality acts. All this and Norman Wisdom, too...Then there is Julie Andrews, pretty, fine-voiced, 17 years old and already an experienced artist. A charming princess, she... never indulges in the tiresome tricks of some panto principals. She sings instead of cooing, smiles and looks straight instead of simpering. This is a pleasantly fresh interpretation of a role easily sugared into inanity" (Whetsone: 3).

Coventry Standard: "Jack and the Beanstalk...is the finest, most opulent and attractive spectacle in the series of “Newsome shows”...Norman Wisdom is a comedian of undoubted gifts and great personal charm [and] Julie Andrews sings most pleasingly and looks lovely”  (J.T.: 7)

Birmingham Gazette: “It takes a true hero, too, to be worthy of Julie Andrews’s princess. Were she a classical ballerina, this pretty heroine could not set herself on such a pinnacle of remote and exquisite purity as she does in song. Her voice soars and sails, sweet or gay, into quite winning melody. She acts, too, with a clear-eyed simplicity” (Harvey: 5).

Evening Despatch: "Jack and the Beanstalk...is put on by Mr. S.H. Newsome with the customary lavishness. There are...a dashing Principal Boy in Joan Mann and a Principal Girl in Julie Andrews who has poise and assurance far beyond what might be expected in a 17-year-old” (Holbrook: 3).

The Stage: “Here is a pantomime to ‘bite’ on, and the traditional story line, without pantomime licence, is sufficient vehicle for a three-hour entertainment...Joan Mann’s principal boy is a tonic of gaiety and verve, and one is impressed by the sweet simplicity which Julie Andrews introduces into the part of Princess Bettina. Norman Wisdom...gain[s] the immediate sympathy and clamour of the audience” (’Christmas Shows’: 11).

Jack and the Beanstalk was equally popular with audiences. When the 14-week season ended on 28 March 1953 after 164 performances, Jack and the Beanstalk had broken every previous pantomime record at the Coventry Hippodrome. It had sold close to 300,000 tickets and attracted theatregoers from across the Midlands and as far afield as London. Taking to the stage on closing night, Sam Newsome thanked “this brilliant company who have given us a great deal of talent, enthusiasm, team-work and zest” (’Pantomime sets’: 3). 

Notes:

* As an aside, Jack and the Beanstalk would be the start of two important relationships for Pauline Grant: with Julie -- who would become a frequent professional collaborator throughout the 50s and a lifelong friend -- and with Sam Newsome who Grant would end up marrying a few years later (Andrews: 146).

References:

Andrews, Julie (2008). Home: A memoir of my early years. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.

Ashley, Lewis (1939). ‘Lewis Ashley’s pageant.’ Sunday Sun. 24 December: 2.

Ashley, Robbie (1961). ‘Full steam ahead for The Bosun.’ Sunday Mercury. 11 June: 20.

‘At the theatre: Song and story’ (1952). Evening Despatch. 1 April: 4

Auty, Donald. (2003). ‘Pantomimę profiles of times past.’ The Stage. 4 December: 20.

‘The babes are ready.’ (1953). Birmingham Gazette. 15 December: 3.

‘Behind the footlights: The party was a big success.’ (1952). Coventry Standard. 7 November: 9.

Benjamin, Ruth and Rosenblatt, Arthur (1993). Movie Song Catalog: Performers and Supporting Crew for the Songs Sung in 1460 Musical and Nonmusical Films, 1928-1988. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland Press.

B.M. ‘This week’s shows: Dudley Hippodrome.’ (1954). Birmingham Weekly Post. 1 January: 6.

Bullar, Guy R. and Evans, Len (1950). Who’s Who in Variety. London: The Performer Ltd.

‘Christmas shows.’ (1953). The Stage. 1 January: 10-11.

Cochran, Charles B. (1945). Showman Looks On. London: J.M. Dent & Sons.

Cottrell, John (1968). Julie Andrews: The Story of a Star. London: Arthur Barker.

Derby and Joan (1958). ‘She faces Derby Panto challenge.’ Derby Evening Telegraph, 12 December: 3.

Durbridge, Frances (1958). ‘Derby’s pantomime is spectacular “Queen of Hearts”’. Derby Evening Telegraph. 20 November: 5.

‘Flying opera.’ (1954). The Yorkshire Observer. 23 September: 5.

Foxon, Ellen (1954). ‘Theatres and cinemas’. Birmingham Weekly Post. 29 January: 6.

Harvey, Brian. (1952). ‘Star comedians lead the “big three”.’ Birmingham Gazette. 27 December: 5.

Holbrook, Norman (1952). ‘Mr. Wisdom has punch and verve.’ Evening Despatch. 27 December: 3.

‘It’s hard work being Ethel the Cow.’ (1953). Coventry Evening Telegraph. 12 March: 5,

‘John Wright: obituary’. (1963). The Stage. 31 January: 21.

J.T. (1953). ‘A different basis in this year’s pantomime.’ Coventry Standard. 2 January: 7.

‘Julie is so determined.’ (1952). Daily Herald. 28 November: 6.

Larkin, Colin (ed.) (1992). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. London: Omnibus Press.

Newman, Michael J. (1995). The Golden Years: the Hippodrome Theatre Coventry. Whittlebury: Baron Birch.

Newsome, S.J. (1952). Pantomime Parade. Birmingham: Parkes & Mainwarings Ltd.

‘Norman Wisdom to star in next pantomime: Jack and the Beanstalk.’ (1952). Coventry Evening Telegraph. 27 June: 6.

Norris, Fred. (1988). ‘Birthday bash for Betty’s Babes.’ Birmingham Evening Mail. 18 March: 29.

‘Obituary: Mr. Gerald Cuff’ (1963). The Birmingham Post. 26 April: 7.

‘Panto giant will be a nice one.’ (1952). Coventry Standard. 12 December: 9.

‘Pantomime sets new record.’ (1953). Coventry Evening Telegraph. 30 March: 3.

‘Pantomime stars’ (1952) Coventry Evening Telegraph. 8 July: 4.

‘Pantos last week.’ (1957). Daily Mail. 1 February: 4.

‘Personality: Derek Cuff.’ (1954). Walsall Observer. 5 February: 13.

P.N. (2007). ‘Obituary: Joan Mann’. The Stage. 6 December: 53.

’Quarter of a million seats sold for pantomime’.  Coventry Evening Telegraph. 19 December: 4.

‘Rose of Baghdad.’ (1953). Photoplay. January: 43.

‘Sir Norman Wisdom: Master of slapstick who became Britain’s most successful screen comic after Charlie Chaplin.’ (2010). Daily Telegraph. 6 October: 29.

Stephens, Frances (1965). ‘Panto in the provinces’, Theatre World. 65(491): 4-6.

Thespis (1956). ‘Behind the footlights: Not the stars but full of ambitious talent.’ Coventry Standard. 24 February: 9.

‘What’s on next week.’ (1947). The Somerset Guardian. 2 May: 10.

Whetstone, K. (1952). ‘”Jack and the Beanstalk” has the modern touch.’ Coventry Evening Telegraph. 24 December: 3.

Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Madison, WI:  Record Research Inc.

Whorf, Michael (2012). American Popular Song Lyricists: Oral Histories, 1920s-1960s. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland Press.

Wisdom, Norman (2002). My Turn: An Autobiography. London: Century Books.

Copyright © Brett Farmer 2022

[moneeb0930]

Choctaw Tribe

The Choctaw were first noted by Europeans in French written records of 1675. Their mother mound is Nanih Waiya, a great earthwork platform mound located in central-east Mississippi. Early Spanish explorers of the mid-16th century in the Southeast encountered ancestral Mississippian culture villages and chiefs.

The Choctaw coalesced as a people in the 17th century and developed at least three distinct political and geographical divisions: eastern, western, and southern. These different groups sometimes created distinct, independent alliances with nearby European powers. These included the French, based on the Gulf Coast and in Louisiana; the English of the Southeast, and the Spanish of Florida and Louisiana during the colonial era.

Most Choctaw allied with the Americans during American Revolution, War of 1812, and the Red Stick War, most notably at the Battle of New Orleans. European Americans considered the Choctaw to be one of the "Five Civilized Tribes" of the Southeast. The Choctaw and the United States agreed to a total of nine treaties. By the last three, the US gained vast land cessions in the Southeast. As part of Indian Removal, despite not having waged war against the United States, the majority of Choctaw were forcibly relocated to Indian Territory from 1831 to 1833. The Choctaw government in Indian Territory had three districts, each with its own chief, who together with the town chiefs sat on their National Council.

Those Choctaw who chose to stay in the state of Mississippi were considered state and U.S. citizens; they were one of the first major non-European ethnic groups to be granted citizenship. Article 14 in the 1830 treaty with the Choctaw stated Choctaws may wish to become citizens of the United States under the 14th Article of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek on all of the combined lands which were consolidated under Article I from all previous treaties between the United States and the Choctaw.

During the American Civil War, the Choctaw in both Indian Territory and Mississippi mostly sided with the Confederate States of America. Under the late 19th-century Dawes Act and Curtis Acts, the US federal government broke up tribal land holdings and dissolved tribal governments in Indian Territory in order to extinguish Indian land claims before admission of Oklahoma as a state in 1907. From that period, for several decades the US Bureau of Indian Affairs appointed chiefs of the Choctaw and other tribes in the former Indian Territory.

During World War I, Choctaw soldiers served in the US military as some of the first Native American codetalkers, using the Choctaw language. Since the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the Choctaw people in three areas have reconstituted their governments and gained federal recognition. The largest are the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma.

Since the 20th century, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians were federally recognized in 1945, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma in 1971, and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians in 1995

[silverslipstream]

Happy WBW! What's the in story lore behind the main setting? Why did people build a city/town/village/etc there in the first place? Why do people continue to live there? Are tourists common and if yes, what brings them there?

-HD

Happy Worldbuilding Wednesday (sleepless Jeb says on Thursday), and thank you for the ask, Hyper Discourse!

Honestly, White Sky has a stupidly high lore-and-backstory-to-actual-plot ratio: there's pages upon pages of stuff that'll never exist as more than the odd reference or infodump. There's a lot we could go into - the depths of White Sky's alternate world history, the evolution of spacecraft and human habitation in space, the plans for colonization of the outer planets... for now though, we'll focus on the Moon, as it's a major location in the plot and forms much of the setting.

The Moon, or Luna as it's commonly known politics-wise, was first landed on by humans on July 20th, 1969, when the American lunar mission Apollo 11 touched down on the lunar surface. Commander James A. Lovell Jr. left the Lunar Module the following day, and became the first human to set foot on another world. Not wanting to be outdone, the USSR landed General Alexei Leonov on the Moon in February of the following year aboard Soyuz-9L. Thus began the world powers' feverish race to the Moon, a race which saw its fair share of fatalities and casualties. Nevertheless, by 1980, both countries had their first lunar outposts on the Moon - the Soviets had Zvezda, and the US had Moonlab. Gradually, these meagre outposts morphed into fully equipped and inhabited bases: by 1995, at least twelve people permanently occupied the lunar surface at any given time. After the Thermospheric Wars ended in 2002 with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Earth-Luna Treaty Organisation (ELTO) was established to oversee and regulate access to space. This coincided with the rise of other governments and nations as emerging space powers, such as the European Union (ESA), Japan (JAXA) and China (CNSA). Gradually, the Moon's population grew as nations staked their claims to lunar territory. The first precursors to the present-day domed cities were basic cities developed in the late-2010s and early-2020s: distinct from the myriad research complex, these habitats were designed purely for human habitation and tourism. Supported by the forebears of modern mega-corporations, Earth's ultra-wealthy began to invest, travel and build. During times of turmoil on Earth in the mid-21st century, Luna was a growing refuge; a home away from home for thousands of tourists, researchers and workers. Earth's reliance on lunar helium-3 after the oil wars only accelerated this process, and the end result is what we see in the current setting of White Sky: pinpricks of light and warmth covering our satellite in Earth's night sky.

Luna is, of course, heavily regulated. Several cities with a combined population of almost 150,000 would be trivial on Earth. On a world 240,000 miles away and naturally inhospitable to mankind, it's an absolute necessity. A tentative lunar democracy has formed between the lunar city-states, presided over by ELTO, who hold supreme overriding power over all lunar affairs. However, Luna is not without flaws. Tourism is a major draw to the lunar cities, whether it's a billionaire visiting their 'holiday apartment' or a middle-class family's once-in-a-lifetime lunar trip. Critics point to the increasing wealth disparity between Luna's uber-rich, consumerism-centered tourism industry and the struggles the thousands of workers and permanent residents propping it up - some say this is the number one factor in the cities' consistently high crime and corruption rates, while others point to ELTO's increasingly draconian restrictions and defensive measures as the impetus for the Moon's growing underground terrorist network. Whatever the case, it's clear that the Moon is a flashpoint for the future of humanity: will it gain independence from Earth and become the first foothold to an interplanetary civilization? Or will intergovernmental and corporate meddling sink humanity's aspirations while they're still in their infancy?

[qlmb]

Y'know, you should be watching Hollyoaks. - Why is Hollyoaks overhated?

Why is Hollyoaks overhated? The question lingers in the air like an unsolved mystery, as viewers across the globe overlook the hidden gem of the soap-opera world. With its vibrant characters, relentless plot twists, and unabashed commitment to delivering entertainment at warp speed, Hollyoaks has carved its own rebellious path amidst the sea of soaps. Yet, it remains unjustly overshadowed by its bigger, more established counterparts. In this article, we embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind Hollyoaks' perpetual underdog status, and why, against all odds, it just might be the best damn soap-opera out there. Buckle up, skeptics, as we delve into a world where melodrama reigns supreme and where Hollyoaks shines as a beacon of unapologetic brilliance.

Oh, Hollyoaks, the pint-sized powerhouse of the soap opera world. Born in 1995, it emerged as the fresh-faced rebel of the soap world, determined to shake up the status quo. Set in the fictional village of Chester, Hollyoaks captivated audiences with its youthful energy and boundary-pushing storylines. Over the years, it has fearlessly tackled hard-hitting issues, fearlessly delving into the darkness of teenage struggles, mental health, and societal taboos. Nowadays, however, prepare to be dazzled and left gasping for breath as you enter the whirlwind of drama, intrigue, and hair-raising plot twists that is Hollyoaks. This isn't your grandmother's slow-burning, snail-paced soap opera, don't you remember EastEnders last Christmas day? No, this is a turbocharged thrill ride that leaves you wondering if the writers have secretly taken up residence in your brain.

Unlike its contemporaries, Hollyoaks operates on a different frequency altogether. It's as if someone turned up the dial to maximum intensity and injected every episode with a potent dose of adrenaline. Gone are the days of dragging storylines that take months to unfold. Instead, Hollyoaks sweeps you off your feet, tossing you headfirst into a maelstrom of jaw-dropping events. Most storylines lasting the full week, with intense and ACTUAL gangster characters.

... but... If you don't like the drama and intense fights and hardcore, psycho storylines with villains, there's plenty of relaxing, light-hearted and overall happy moments. Ste's wedding with James made me cry. Hell, alot of the times I cried. I really lost myself in the world of this show. It's amazing.

What makes Hollyoaks truly stand out from the crowd is its knack for condensing an incredible amount of drama into each episode. It's like they've taken a full-length soap opera and distilled it down to its most potent essence. This means you get a concentrated burst of explosive storylines, simmering tensions, and electrifying confrontations, all neatly packaged and served up within a mere 22 minutes. It's like soap opera adrenaline on steroids. Dose me up!

And boy, does Hollyoaks know how to keep you on the edge of your seat. Blink, and you might miss a crucial revelation, a shocking affair, or Hollyoaks bad boy Warren Fox suddenly kidnapping a police-officer to threaten another man. The breakneck pace leaves no room for dull and boring filler or tedious scenes. It's like the writers have made a pact with the devil to ensure that every second is packed with enough excitement to make your heart palpitate and your jaw hit the floor.

Warren Fox waving, Hollyoaks resident - Professional Gangster - Established and Matthew-verified DILF

But it's not just the breakneck speed that sets Hollyoaks apart; it's the sheer entertainment value. This is a soap opera that knows how to have fun. Sure, there's plenty of angst, heartbreak, and dark secrets lurking in the shadows, but it's all tempered with a healthy dose of wit and irreverence. Hollyoaks doesn't take itself too seriously, and that's precisely why it's so darn enjoyable. It's like a rollercoaster ride with unexpected twists and turns, where you can't help but throw your hands in the air and let out a gleeful scream. So, if you're tired of soaps that move at the pace of a snail on tranquilizers, buckle up and dive headfirst into the electrifying world of Hollyoaks. Be prepared for a condensed, breakneck journey that will leave you breathless and craving more. In the realm of soap operas, Hollyoaks reigns supreme, injecting a shot of pure adrenaline and entertainment directly into your veins. Brace yourself for the most turbocharged, exhilarating 30 minutes of your TV-watching life. I heavily suggest you watch Hollyoaks. It took me a week to pick up the characters. It's easy. You will thank me later.

[moneymakedblog]

Kim Basinger Net Worth, Biography, Career, Family & more

Kim Basinger became well-known after having a successful job in New York in the 1970s. She was an actress, model, and singer in the United States. In 1976, she moved to Los Angeles, where she had a great acting career. She acted in a number of TV movies, such as "From Here to Eternity" (1976) and "Hard Country" (1981).

Kim Basinger’s Net Worth

Kim Basinger's net worth is thought to be about $45 million as of December 2021. Her job as an actor and model has brought her tens of millions of dollars. It was thought that she made around $1,000 a day as a model, while her pay for the L.A. Confidential movie was around $3 million. But we don't know how much she makes right now. On the other hand, her net worth has gone up over the past few years and is likely to keep going up in the years to come.

Kim Basinger net worth of $45 million.

Even though she has moved from one job to another, Kim Basinger has had a lot of success in her work. She started out in her job doing something she didn't really like, but she stuck with it.

Kim Basinger Biography

Kim Basinger was born in Athens, Georgia, on December 8, 1953. Ann Lee, her mother, was a model, actress, and swimmer who was in a couple of movies with Esther Williams. Her father, Donald Wade Basinger, was a well-known band leader and score head who died in 2016. He was an officer in the US Armed Forces and was in Normandy on D-Day.

She is the third of five children and has two brothers, James Michael "Mick" and Skip, and two sisters, Ashley and Barbara. Basinger has English, German, Swedish, and Ulster-Scottish ancestry. She was raised in a Methodist family. Basinger has shown herself to be quite shy, which had a big effect on her when she was young and in her teens. She said that she was so shy that she would pass out whenever her teacher asked her to talk in class.

Basinger thought about ballet dance from the time she was three until she was in her mid-teens. By the time she was in her mid-teens, she was more confident and was able to try out for the school cheering team. She was 17 years old when she entered America's Junior Miss Scholarship Pageant. She made it to the local level and was named Athens Junior Miss.

Even though Sue Whitted, who was "Georgia's Junior Miss," beat her in the state competition, her achievements were featured in the national show. She had participated at the state level for the Breck Scholarship, and she and her mother were both in an ad for Breck.

Kim Basinger Career

According to Moneymaked.com, Kim Basinger worked for the Ford Modeling Agency, even though she was turned down at first because of her schoolwork. After posing for Ford, she was in a number of magazines, which is where the name "Breck Shampoo Girl" came from. She did say, however, that she didn't like modeling. She used to put on shows in Greenwich Village in New York City.

She went to Los Angeles to start her acting career after she had done well as a model. She started out by making a few guest roles on the TV show. Her first major part, in the drama "Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold," was a centerfold. "Hard Country" was also a well-known movie.

The 1988 movie "Batman," on which Kim Basinger worked, was also a big hit. "Even Money," "The Sentinel," and "Cellular" are some of the more current movies she has been in.

Kim Basinger Family

Basinger married Alec Baldwin in 1993, but they split up in 2002. In 1995, they had a girl together who they named Ireland Baldwin. Between 1980 and 1989, she was married to Ron Snyder for nine years. Ron Snyder-Britton was the person who did her make-up. In 1981, he was in a movie called "Hard Country." They broke up in 1988, but they didn't get a divorce until 1989.

She is also said to have dated and lived with Dale Robinette in the 1970s, but their relationship didn't work out. Kim also went out with the singer-songwriter Prince and had an affair with the human rights activist Richard Gere. Kim's sisters are Ashley and Barbara Basinger, and her brothers are Skip and Mick Basinger.

After she won a few events, people started to notice how beautiful she was. She went to the University of Georgia and also studied for a short time at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. Kim's boyfriend right now is a barber named Mitchell Stone.

[autumncottageattic]

A Village Affair is a 1995 British television film based on the 1989 eponymous novel by Joanna Trollope.

Part II

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.5 (after 1945)

1945 – The United Kingdom holds its first general election in 10 years, which would be won by Clement Attlee's Labour Party. 1946 – Micheline Bernardini models the first modern bikini at a swimming pool in Paris. 1948 – National Health Service Acts create the national public health system in the United Kingdom. 1950 – Korean War: Task Force Smith: American and North Korean forces first clash, in the Battle of Osan. 1950 – The Knesset of Israel passes the Law of Return which grants all Jews the right to immigrate to the Land of Israel. 1954 – The BBC broadcasts its first daily television news bulletin. 1954 – Elvis Presley records his first single, "That's All Right", at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. 1962 – The official independence of Algeria is proclaimed after an eight-year-long war with France. 1970 – Air Canada Flight 621 crashes in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, killing all 109 people on board. 1971 – The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years, is formally certified by President Richard Nixon. 1973 – A boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) in Kingman, Arizona, following a fire that broke out as propane was being transferred from a railroad car to a storage tank, kills eleven firefighters. 1973 – Juvénal Habyarimana seizes power over Rwanda in a coup d'état. 1975 – Arthur Ashe becomes the first black man to win the Wimbledon singles title. 1975 – Cape Verde gains its independence from Portugal. 1977 – The Pakistan Armed Forces under Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq seize power in Operation Fair Play and begin 11 years of martial law. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, is overthrown. 1980 – Swedish tennis player Björn Borg wins his fifth Wimbledon final and becomes the first male tennis player to win the championships five times in a row (1976–1980). 1984 – The United States Supreme Court gives its United States v. Leon decision providing a good-faith exception from the Fourth Amendment exclusionary rule against use of evidence obtained through defective warrants in criminal trials. 1987 – Sri Lankan Civil War: The LTTE uses suicide attacks on the Sri Lankan Army for the first time. The Black Tigers are born and, in the following years, will continue to kill with the tactic. 1989 – Iran–Contra affair: Oliver North is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell to a three-year suspended prison term, two years probation, $150,000 in fines and 1,200 hours community service. His convictions are later overturned. 1994 – Jeff Bezos founds Amazon. 1995 – Armenia adopts its constitution, four years after its independence from the Soviet Union. 1996 – Dolly the sheep becomes the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. 1997 – Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil MP A. Thangathurai is shot dead at Sri Shanmuga Hindu Ladies College in Trincomalee. 1999 – U.S. President Bill Clinton imposes trade and economic sanctions against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. 2003 – The World Health Organization announces that the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak has been contained. 2004 – The first direct Indonesian presidential election is held. 2006 – North Korea tests four short-range missiles, one medium-range missile and a long-range Taepodong-2. The long-range Taepodong-2 reportedly fails in mid-air over the Sea of Japan. 2009 – A series of violent riots break out in Ürümqi, the capital city of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. 2009 – The largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever discovered in Britain, consisting of more than 1,500 items, is found near the village of Hammerwich, near Lichfield, Staffordshire. 2012 – The Shard in London is inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a height of 310 metres (1,020 ft). 2016 – The Juno space probe arrives at Jupiter and begins a 20-month survey of the planet. 2022 – British government ministers Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak resign from the second Johnson ministry, beginning the July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis.

[yankbarry]

Yank Barry to Be Honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award in Las Vegas 

Yank Barry was honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award by the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame on July 24, 2015, in Las Vegas, NV. The prestigious award was presented during the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (NVBHOF) Induction Ceremony and Gala, held on Saturday, August 8, 2015, at 6:00 p.m. at the Palace Ballroom at Caesars Palace. 

The event celebrated an epic 2015 Class of Inductees, including boxing legends such as Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Felix Trinidad. Yank Barry, the philanthropist and Founder of Global Village Champions Foundation, was recognized for his exceptional humanitarian efforts and his 25-year philanthropic partnership with the Greatest, Muhammad Ali. 

The private affair on August 7, 2015, at The LINQ, and the Induction Ceremony and Gala on August 8, 2015, at Caesars Palace, provided a platform to acknowledge Barry's significant contributions. He received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award in recognition of his ongoing mission to save lives, highlighted by his dedication to feeding over 1 billion people worldwide. 

Global Village Champions Foundation, established in 1995, had become a leader in private humanitarian delivery of nutrition to those in need across the globe. The charity, with the support of donors and notable figures like Muhammad Ali, Gary US Bonds, and Evander Holyfield, successfully provided essential food to the hungry worldwide. Barry's commitment extended to humanitarian efforts, including the rescue of refugees who fled to Bulgaria to escape the ongoing Syrian war crisis. 

The NVBHOF also featured a Boxing Legends Memorabilia Exhibit on display on Friday and Saturday, with a special attraction featuring world-renowned artist NICOLOSI unveiling a magnificent piece for auction to benefit charitable causes. 

In conclusion, Yank Barry's recognition with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award marked a momentous occasion, celebrating his human rights heroism and valiant efforts to alleviate hunger and save lives worldwide. 

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

UC mass wedding of 1,000 couples probed for recruiting prostitutes, nannies

Philippine Daily Inquirer  MANILA by Bobby Timonera 1996

Wedding bells set off the alarm. Did the grooms offer to have and to hold their brides or did they offer them jobs? This is what the Bureau of Immigration is trying to find out after the “mass wedding” held last January 23 between mostly South Korean men and nearly 1,000 Filipino women. The exchange of “I dos,” the bureau suspects, may be an operation to illegally recruit domestic helpers and prostitutes. Immigration Commissioner Leandro I. Verceles Sr. said his office will observe with “extreme caution” in approving the departure of the Filipino brides. He also ordered investigations into the suspicious weddings. “This could be a case of mail-order-bride-in-reverse operation which is illegal under our laws,” the commissioner said. The mass wedding of 984 couples at the Philippine International Convention Center was supposed to be only a religious rite and thus has no legal effect, Verceles pointed out.

Moonies It was under the auspices of the Seoul-based Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity whose members are also known as the “Moonies.” They are named after the controversial Rev. Sun Myung Moon of South Korea, leader of the church. The Rev. Chung-hwan Kwak, representing Moon, blessed the couples, which included people from the United States, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, but mostly South Korea. Verceles said the Koreans probably came over for the wedding ceremony when immigration agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) prevented 300 Filipino women from departing last month. They claimed to be members of the same church as the “Moonies”. Verceles dispatched immigration agents to the wedding site to gather the names of the couples. At the same time, he also alerted immigration personnel at the NAIA to prevent the brides from leaving while investigations are being conducted. Citing an intelligence report from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Verceles said that the “Moonies” had previously sponsored the recruitment of a large number of Filipino women to work in Korea. The same report said that late last year, 184 Filipinas were brought to Korea aboard a chartered plane. They were reportedly brought to a training center where they were housed for three days before being deployed as domestic helpers and prostitutes. The Unification church said it had no immediate comment.

Not first time It was the second mass wedding conducted in Manila by the said church. Last year, 1995, about 3,000 Filipinos were married in a basketball gym in Manila as part of a mass wedding performed by Moon via satellite from Seoul. They were among 360,000 couples married worldwide in that ceremony. “Originally, the blessing was available only to adherents of the Unification Church,” a statement from the group said. “Now, however, anyone wanting to (can) participate, regardless of religion, race or nationality.”

Prison term

… Moon, a South Korea native, served 13 months in a U.S. federal prison on charges of tax evasion [and document forgery] before being released in 1985. …

_________________________________

Moonies demanded $2,000 from Koreans who wanted to have Filipinas as “housemaids and sex partners.”

Philippine Daily Inquirer  MANILA by Bobby Timonera 1995 Farmers’ daughters are Moonie targets The Moonies are combing the Philippine countryside in search of farmers’ daughters to lure into their trap. One such innocent, Carlita, who is in her 20s, was lucky to get away. Carlita, her face covered with a towel, occasionally lapsed into tears and silence as she told reporters of her ordeal. This is her story. Sometime in November, the sect’s recruiters arrived at Carlita’s village in Nueva Ecija and asked the women if they would be interested in marrying Koreans. Photographs of Korean men were passed around. “OK, we’ll see if we get to like them,” the women said. They were told to attend a seminar at the sect’s church in Cabanatuan City. It was supposedly about the “ideal family.” Later, they were asked to wear nice clothing, were made up, and photographed. Then they were told that should authorities ask them about their marriage plans, they should answer that they have been writing to and talking with the Korean men over the phone for some time. Of the four women recruited, only three were matched with Koreans. One was apparently dropped. One day the women were invited to go to the church’s office in Manila in the company of Korean men. Along the way, the Koreans embraced them. Suddenly afraid, Carlita and another woman alighted from the vehicle near the Nepa Q-Mart market along Edsa in Quezon City. Carlita being a daughter of one of the peasant leaders of the Demokratikong Kilusang Magbu-bukid ng Pilipinas (DKMP), the other woman rushed to the DKMP office to report the incident. But their friend who was left behind was brought to the Unification Church’s headquarters at 32 Samar Avenue in Quezon City. It was this woman who told peasant leader Jaime Tadeo of the DKMP that a Caucasian, whose nationality she did not know, asked the Koreans to pay him $2,000. It was not known if the amount was payment for the recruitment job. But it jibed with a report from the Philippine Embassy in Seoul that the Moonies usually demand $2,000 from Koreans who wanted to have “housemaids and sex partners.” The transaction appears to be part of the sect’s fund-raising campaign. Tadeo, along with Carlita, went to the Bureau of Immigration office in Intramuros to seek its help in closing the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity in Cabanatuan City.

“We believe they are just using their church as a front for illegal recruitment,” Tadeo said.

_________________________________ Korean UC leaders made lots of money from “selling” hundreds of pure, faithful, Filipino sisters

Morpheus: “I was on a staff that helped organize picture matchmaking in the late 1990s. Rev. Moon would come in and match all these young Filipino sisters to older Korean men who were not even members. I’m not sure Rev. Moon was aware of the wheeling and dealing that would go on behind the scenes. Many of these farmers and land owners would mortgage their farm to be admitted to these picture matchings. The Philippine Government complained. Discovered later that Korean leaders made lots of money this way.” (April 22, 2015)

[hollymbryan]

Blog Tour + #Excerpt: KIN by Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford (w/ #giveaway)!

Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the Rockstar Book Tours blog tour by Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford! I've got all the details on this new book of art and poetry, an excerpt, and a giveaway below.

About the Book

title: KIN: Rooted in Hope author: Carole Boston Weatherford art by: Jeffery Boston Weatherford publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers release date: 19 September 2023

A powerful portrait of a Black family tree shaped by enslavement and freedom, rendered in searing poems by acclaimed author Carole Boston Weatherford and stunning art by her son Jeffery Boston Weatherford. I call their names: Abram Alice Amey Arianna Antiqua I call their names: Isaac Jake James Jenny Jim Every last one, property of the Lloyds, the state’s preeminent enslavers. Every last one, with a mind of their own and a story that ain’t yet been told. Till now. Carole and Jeffery Boston Weatherford’s ancestors are among the founders of Maryland. Their family history there extends more than three hundred years, but as with the genealogical searches of many African Americans with roots in slavery, their family tree can only be traced back five generations before going dark. And so from scraps of history, Carole and Jeffery have conjured the voices of their kin, creating an often painful but ultimately empowering story of who their people were in a breathtaking book that is at once deeply personal yet all too universal. Carole’s poems capture voices ranging from her ancestors to Frederick Douglass to Harriet Tubman to the plantation house and land itself that connects them all, and Jeffery’s evocative illustrations help carry the story from the first mention of a forebear listed as property in a 1781 ledger to he and his mother’s homegoing trip to Africa in 2016. Shaped by loss, erasure, and ultimate reclamation, this is the story of not only Carole and Jeffery’s family, but of countless other Black families in America.

Add to Goodreads Purchase the Book

About the Author and Artist

Hailed as “a master” and “the dean” of nonfiction for young people,” Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King  Award winner Carole Boston Weatherford is a New York Times best-seller and two-time NAACP Image Award  winner. Since her 1995 debut, she has authored 70-plus books including four Caldecott Honor winners: Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre; Freedom in Congo Square, Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit  of the Civil Rights Movement, and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Her books have  won nine Coretta Scott King Awards or Honors. She writes the diverse books that she lacked as a child. A Baltimore native and the daughter of educators, Carole was virtually born with ink in her blood. At age six,  she dictated her first poem to her mother. Her father, a high school printing teacher, published a few of her  early poems on the press in his classroom. Meanwhile, her grandmothers passed down oral traditions and  stories. By middle school, Carole had transferred from an all-black public school to a majority-white, private  school where a teacher wrongfully accused her of plagiarism. That slight compelled her to chronicle a more  inclusive history, to amplify marginalized voices and to build monuments with words. Now, children’s books are a family affair for Carole. In KIN: Rooted in Hope, she and her son, award-winning  illustrator Jeffery Weatherford embark on a genealogical quest. Through multi-voiced poems and dramatic scratchboard illustrations, mother and son conjure the voices and visages of their forebears. Their ancestors lived through the American Revolution, fought in the Civil War, were enslaved alongside Frederick Douglass,  cofounded Reconstruction-era villages, and according to local lore, descended from African royalty.  A professor at Fayetteville State University, an HBCU in North Carolina, Carole has been recognized with the  Nonfiction Award from the Children’s Book Guild, the North Carolina Literature Award, the Ragan-Rubin  Award from North Carolina English Teachers Association and a place in the North Carolina Literary Hall of  Fame. She is a life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.  Jeffery earned his M.F.A. from Howard University where he was a Romare Bearden scholar and studied under artists from the Black Arts Movement. A rapper and a fine artist, Jeffery has performed or exhibited in  Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Baltimore, North Carolina, West Africa and the Middle East. Jeffery’s first book was  You Can Fly the Tuskegee Airmen, and his first picture book was Call Me Miss Hamilton. Both appeared on best  book of the year lists. 

Connect with Carole and Jeffery: Website | Twitter | Carole Instagram | Jeffrey Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Excerpt

Read the excerpt here.

About the Giveaway

One (1) lucky winner will receive a finished copy of KIN by Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford! This one is US only and ends 19 September. Enter via the Rafflecopter below, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway