#howard dietz

[dweemeister]

The clerk who is thrown out of work By the boss who is thrown for a loss By the skirt who is doing him dirt The world is a stage The stage is a world of entertainment!

"That's Entertainment!" from The Band Wagon (1953) – music by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Howard Dietz; performed by Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray, Oscar Levant, and Fred Astaire

As perhaps the most memorable original song in one of MGM's best musicals, "That's Entertainment!" has taken a life of its own as one of the studio's (and Hollywood's) unofficial anthems. Appearing in the opening act of The Band Wagon, a friend of actors gleefully perform together just as they are about to go into rehearsals for a musical comedy.

"That's Entertainment!" was also the title name of three documentaries detailing MGM's history – the first in 1974 (when the studio was on the verge of demolishing its storied soundstages, which are now home to Sony Pictures Studios), the second in in 1976, and the final one in 1994.

[aschenblumen]

Chet Baker, «Alone together» en Chet. Composición de Howard Dietz y Arthur Schwartz.

[akiraofthefour]

"When an actress gives a performance, even though it may be terrible, her friends consider it good form to greet her at the opening night with some gracious comment that does not entirely demolish the hopeful heart. To do otherwise would be like entering a maternity hospital and telling a mother how awful her first-born looked. If the child is three or four years, however, and a guest spends several week-ends at the home, it might be possible to mention that the brat is a brat without necessarily starting a domestic war."

Howard Dietz, Behind the Screen

[ulrichgebert]

DAS (hingegen) ist Unterhaltung!

[movie-titlecards]

Hollywood Party (1934)

My rating: 4/10

I mean, it does pretty much do what it says on the tin, and you can't fault it for that, plus some of the musical bits are pretty good, but Jimmy Durante was a man of powerful, nay overpowering shtick, and since it's the 30s there is many a yike throughout, what with the racism and assorted other bigotries. Surprisingly homoerotic in parts, though.

[hrefna-the-raven]

The hunt

Fallout masterlist - main masterlist

Cooper Howard/The Ghoul x reader

Chapter 1 - The plan - Chapter 2 - The bounty

Summary: you take a break before moving on with the plan to kill Dom Pedro 😉

(this happens before Cooper ends up in that grave)

Words: 1858

Warnings: swearing, alcohol, smut (18+)

Notes: this is less gender-neutral due to some delicious smut 😇 I had a female reader in mind while writing this

Chapter 3 - The spoils

The sun was already disappearing behind the horizon when you finally reached the shabby motel in the nearby settlement. The building was run down, plaster crumbling from the walls and the broken windows poorly fixed with a few wooden planks lazily nailed across. It wasn't the place to spend your honeymoon in but it surely was enough to get a full night's sleep and where a ghoul wouldn't draw too much attention. The owner was a sleazy man in his fifties named Dietz. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he reluctantly rose from his small stool, grumbling under his breath as he got the keys to your room and tossed them carelessly on the counter before his greedy hands snatched the caps. Out of a misplaced politeness, you still uttered a quick thank you before making your way up the staircase, with Cooper close behind, his eyes darting from one corner to another. He didn't like this place one bit but given the circumstances, neither of you had much of a choice. Both of you let out a sigh as soon the weathered wooden door closed behind you and you had locked it tightly. The room was worn down in all aspects with the scarce and stained wallpaper peeling down from the walls, revealing countless cracks that marred its surface like veins on flesh. Cooper's gaze wandered over the sorry state of the room, from the dirty armchairs in the corner over the only bed before landing on your face, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment, unsure whether he should let you comment on it first but before his body took the decision for him as he heard his own voice laced with sarcasm and a hint of playful banter.

"Looks like we'll have to share, sweetheart."

"Oh no", you tilted your head back dramatically, "sharing a grimy mattress with my favourite movie star and bounty hunter. How could I ever live through this?"

You giggled, poking your tongue out at him while reaching into the backpack and tossing a bottle in his direction. Cooper smiled to himself, his fingers brushing over the label on the bottle, reminiscing about the delightful moments he had shared while savouring this particular brand. He wondered if it would still have the same taste now that he had changed. Placing his hat on the table, he opened the bottle and took a whiff, letting out a contented sigh. As he turned around, his heart skipped a few beats at the sight of you undressing slowly. Standing there dressed only in tight pants and a tank top, the torn fabric teasingly revealing glimpses of your soft skin underneath, you wore a mischievous grin on your lips. With a playful tiptoe, you approached him, your hands gliding over his shoulders before sliding off his dusty coat. Cooper swallowed hard, his breaths growing heavier and his hands trembled. In an attempt to steady himself, he brought the bottle to his lips and took a long swig of whiskey, downing half of it in one go, earning a chuckle from you.

"What?", he smirked, thankful that his ghoulish face wouldn't blush, "didn't you say something about having some fun?"

You snatched the bottle from his hands, took a few sips as you settled down into the armchair. He undid the first buttons of his shirt and sank into the chair beside you.

Both of you lost track of time, discussing about whatever topic your minds came up with. Patiently, he answered all your questions about his life before the bombs fell and while it filled him with a certain melancholy, his heart still boomed with a blissful gratefulness of spending his time with you. The bond the two of you shared filled him with a joy he didn't think possible after those centuries. He clumsily set his second bottle down on the table, enjoying the delightful buzz of the liquor coursing through his veins. His hazy eyes found yours, a chuckle erupting from his chest at the sight of your playful expression.

"What?", he hummed.

"Well we still need to settle one problem before we can call it a day - one bed, two of us."

"Mhm. Tell me, what's on that mind of yours then?"

"First one at the bed gets it all to themselves."

There was a spark in his eyes, his muscles tense while he tried to keep his poker face, but you had this already planned out from the very beginning. Just as he leapt up, you hurled one of the empty bottles at him and while he scrambled to catch it, you made your jump to the bed, landing on the mattress with a soft thud, sprawling out, to claim every inch of space. He stood there, observing you, his thoughts racing through all the possibilities. Feeling somewhat cocky and shameless, his drunken mind couldn't resist the urge to tease as he etched closer allowing his body to fall towards you. You shrieked as you watched him hurtling towards you, but just before his body touched yours, he stopped the fall with his forearms, his face now hovering mere inches above yours. The heat rose to your cheeks at the sudden closeness and your breath hitched, unable to keep your eyes from darting between his and his lips. A strange smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, one that last graced his face while still living the simple life as a normal human in a long forgotten world. The playful remark he planned had vanished from his mind, leaving an empty feeling that was gradually consumed by the uncomfortable tightness in his pants. His gaze drifted from your lips downwards, pausing at your cleavage, observing your excited breaths. Your entire body burned under his gaze and your thighs were pressed together in a desperate attempt to ignore the heat pooling between them. Eyes fixed on his lips, you lifted your head slightly but just as you were about to finally touch them, he moved his head, looking away.

"You don't want to do this...I'm not, I'm....just look at me and what I am", he stuttered, feeling all too naked and vulnerable.

He yearned for your touch, every fibre in his mutated body screamed for the love you seemed to offer, but he was scared, afraid a monster like him would never deserve the intimacy shared by two hearts. Your legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him down on you. A dark groan escaped his lips as his growing bulge was pressed tightly against you. All his determination to resist you vanished completely when your lips clashed on his, drowning him in the softness of their touch. The chuckle that came from you as you broke away tore straight through his heart.

"There is nothing and no one I'd desire more, Coop."

He drank in your words, their meaning slowly unravelling in his mind, the corners of his mouth twitching. He wanted to whisper a thousand things yet none left his lips as he simply stared at you, eyes filled with a glow you couldn't quite identify. This time he leaned in, his kiss first tender and then it deepened, desire and desperation evident as his tongue eagerly passed your lips, teasing and coaxing with an insatiable hunger. Shamelessly, you moaned, your fingers deftly unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off his shoulders, your hands then caressing his bare chest. Despite the scars and mutations his skin felt surprisingly soft and warm beneath the touch of your fingertips. Your hand caressed further down, sneaking around to dig your fingers into his butt, earning more of those primal groans. It ignited a wildfire in him, he grabbed your tanktop and ripped it apart. A wicked smile danced on your lips, forcing both of you to roll over and you straddled him, pinning his arms down. When you began to grind your hips against his, a low, guttural moan escaped from the back of his throat. His head tilted back and a smirk formed on his lips.

"Mmh I love those sounds, although they sound a bit...feral", you quipped, your breath coming out in uneven gasps as you felt the wetness between your folds.

"Oh Sweetie, if you keep teasing me, I will eat you", he warned with a dangerous grin.

"Hm...is that a threat or a promise?", you purred.

"Does it matter?", Cooper's gravelly voice rumbled from deep within his chest, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of desire and determination as he shifted beneath you.

His hands grasped your thighs, his fingers digging into your skin with a possessive grip as he flipped you around, almost tearing your pants while pulling them off you.

"Coop", you gasped at the sudden nakedness.

He grinned, his lustful gaze capturing yours as he unzipped his own pants, finally freeing his throbbing cock and he positioned himself between your legs. His hips bucked and his length rubbed through your slick folds.

"All this just for me", he murmured ,more to himself, as he finally entered you.

Sinful moans escaped both of you at the feeling and Cooper started to thrust, digging his fingers into the soft flesh of your hips, urging you to take more of him. He picked up the pace, pounding into you faster and faster, hitting that perfect spot over and over again. One hand let go of your hip and moved between you, rubbing your clit while he continued thrusting into you. He grunted as his climax approached, momentarily distracted by the realisation that he hadn't felt this good in a long while. The desire and want in your eyes as you looked at him, he hadn't experienced this since before the bombs fell and even back then, it had been a while since Barb had looked at him the same way. And then, against all odds, right here and now, his rotted ghoulish face glanced into the depths of a kind of affection he had yearned for all this time, even back then when his marriage was already falling apart. Whispers of your name spilled from his lips as he fell apart and you reached your own release almost at the same moment, your eyes open as you came undone, locked on his while a pleased and loving smile graced your lips. It was in this moment that Cooper knew you'd be the death of him and that he'd gladly take it because he had finally found himself exactly where he wanted to be. He pulled out and settled beside you, panting but with a wide grin etched across his face.

"Hm, no witty remark, Mr Howard?", you teased, snuggling up to him.

"You know, no one has looked at me like that in a very, very long time", he said, his eyes finding yours, "I could almost gettin' used to that."

"Well, my schedule's free after taking care of Dom Pedro", you murmured, face nestled against his skin as you crossed the edge of blissful dreams.

"What a coincidence", he chuckled, "mine too."

His eyes fell shut and Cooper drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 4 - The betrayal

Feel free to reblog if you liked the story 😊

Tags: @dreamtofus

[newyorkthegoldenage]

W.C. Fields and an unidentified actress in Poppy, 1923. This was a musical with music by Stephen Jones and Arthur Samuels, book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly, additional music by John Egan, and additional songs with lyrics by Howard Dietz and Irving Caesar.

Madge Kennedy had the title role and Luella Gear was also in the cast. Fields played a character named Professor Eustace McGargle. The story, set in 1874 Connecticut, concerns a circus barker and con man, Prof. McGargle, who tries to pass off his foster daughter, Poppy, as a long-lost heiress. It turns out, of course, that Poppy really is an heiress.

It opened on September 3, 1923, and ran for a successful 346 performances, closing on June 28, 1924. It included elements of revue, including specialty numbers. Its success established Fields's comic con man persona and led to film versions, also starring Fields. The first was a silent called Sally of the Sawdust (1925), directed by D.W. Griffith, and the second was Poppy (1936).

Photo: White Studio via NYPL

[toycoheartful]

PawPant's Voice Actor

(Rabbidbot "Toyco" White-Rabbit - She cannot talking about not voice anymore but She can Hissing like a Snake)

Rabbidmini - Voice of Amber Hood on Stun Bunny (Nicktoon: Attack of the Toybots)

Attilio Von Chupacabra - Voice of David Kaufman on Danny Fenton (Danny Phantom)

Carly Von Chupacabra - Voice of Katie Crown on Izzy (Total DramaRama)

Donnie Von Chupacabra - Voice of Andy Berman on Dib Membrane (Invader Zim)

Jose Von Chupacabra - Voice of Dan Castellaneta on Grampa Simpson (The Simpsons)

Minnie Monarch-Butterfly - Voice of Tara Strong on Princess Unikitty (Unikitty)

Wallace Yellow-Crested Cockatoo - Voice of Steven Kelly on Byron (Brawl Stars)

Robert Fusibot - Voice of Michaela Dietz on Amethyst (Steven Universe)

Andrea Satyr - Voice of Barbara Dunkelman on Nerris (Camp Camp)

Eva "Ninety-One" Xoloitzcuintli - Voice of Kate Micucci on Dr. Fox (Unikitty)

Mackie Computer - Voice of Carlos Alazraqui on Walden (Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!)

King Balor Boitatá - Voice of Paul Greenberg on Manjimutt (Yo-Kai Watch)

Zella La-Llorona - Voice of Megan Cavanaugh on Nissa (Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius)

Mahavir Great White-Shark - Voice of John Stephen Goodman on Baloo (The Jungle Book 2)

Cosmo Vintage Toy-Robot - Voice of Lindsay Jones on Space Kid (Camp Camp)

Kenia Russian Blue - Voice of Marissa Lenti on Nita (Brawl Stars)

Winona Unicorn - Voice of Kimiko Glenn on Izzy (My Little Pony: A New Generation)

Mr. Dicky Water Python - Voice of Rowan Atkinson on Zazu (The Lion King)

Rasputin "Raz" Mountain Zebra - Voice of Kai Skrotzki on Chester (Brawl Stars)

Izzy Jerboa - Voice of Katie Snyder on Colette (Brawl Stars)

Bella Firefighter - Voice of Cristina Vee Valenzuela on Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Ladybug (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir)

Opal Petalmen - Voice of Maggie Roswell on Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)

Monday Poodle - Voice of Nicki Rapp on Lili Zanotto (Psychonants 2)

Eis "Eastern" Traffic Light - Voice of Howard Ryshpan on Geppetto (Pinocchio 3000)

Winter Polar Bear - Voice of Rachael MacFarlane on Hayley Smith (American Dad!)

Modem Sliverback Gorilla - Voice of Scott McCord on Owen (Total Drama)

Edward Pixie - Voice of Audrey Wasilewski on Tuck (My Life as a Teenage Robot)

Valentina Bilby - Voice of Wendy Schaal on Francine Smith (American Dad!)

Peter Pileated Woodpecker - Voice of Sonja Ball on Pinocchio (Pinocchio 3000)

Dexter Harpie - Voice of Jill Talley on I.Q. (Wacky Races 2017)

Cayden Jack In The Box - Voice of James Arnold Taylor on Wooldoor Jebediah Sockbat (Drawn Together)

Gravestone Black Flying Fox - Voice of Ed Mace on Mortis (Brawl Stars)

Blu Milk Snake - Voice of Kat Cressida on Dee Dee (Dexter's Laboratory)

Shay Ghoul - Voice of Steve Carell on Hammy (Over the Hedge)

Gina Green-Boost - Voice of Elsie Lovelock on Uzi (Murder Drones)

Stitches - Voice of Zane VanWicklin on Arnold Shortman (Hey Arnold!)

Corbin Black Panther - Voice of Jason Lee on Bones (Monster House)

Valentina Bilby - Voice of Wendy Schaal on Francine Smith (American Dad!)

Snow-White Polish Rabbit - Voice of Bella Ramsey on Hilda (Hilda the Series)

Hurricane Kirin -

[broadcastarchive-umd]

The Gibson Family – before there was SMASH, before there was Cop Rock, before there was That’s Life – all attempts at creating an ongoing musical series for television – there was The Gibson Family (1934-35), a failed musical series on the NBC Radio Red Network. The program had a big sponsor, Proctor & Gamble / Ivory Soap, and songs by the classy team of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz.

Originally posted March 25, 2013.

[mountainmaven]

Twenty Books Challenge

Hypothetically, you are only able to keep 20 of your books. Only one book per author/series. So what books are you keeping?

I was tagged by @the-forest-library - thank you!

This was way harder than I imagined (and I still messed up because I have 2 books by the same author oops). I was surprised by how many of the books I chose to keep are non-fiction. I also may have messed up with the rules with some of my collection books but oh well.

From the bottom up:

The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane & Jackie Morris - just a beautiful book that reminds us how important words are.

The Uncle Wiggly Book by Howard R. Garis. One of the first books I read as a child, and this is the copy I've had since childhood. It's also the book that started my book collecting hobby.

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde - such a sweet, fun story and this one has great illustrations. (this is the book I'd switch out for something else since I messed up with the rules)

Hold Still by various. This was a project started by The Duchess of Cambridge during The COVID Pandemic. She and the National Portrait Gallery collected thousands of photos and went through and chose the top 100 to put into book form. It's a story of life during a modern pandemic. It's incredibly moving.

Collective Wisdom: Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice From Women Over 50 by Grace Bonney. A Christmas gift from one of my kids in 2021. It's a beautiful collection from women, most of whom are average, every day women, very few celebrities or well knowns are in this book. And the diversity is great too (Native, WOC, Disabled, Trans etc.).

The Complete Language of Flowers by S. Theresa Dietz the classic book of flowers and their meanings with beautiful drawings.

Women in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky. 50 Inspiring and notable women in Science. Fun, cartoonish illustrations as well.

American Prince by Tony Curtis. Because he's so pretty, and his whole face lit up when I told him what I thought of his book when he signed it for me.

The Snow Queen and Other Winter Tales by various. Collection of tales from various Fairy Tale books and authors. I have a few of these but this one I think is my favorite.

The Works of H.G. Wells by H.G. Wells. A collection of stories by Wells. The Time Machine was the first Science Fiction book I'd read. I read it as a teen and I loved it.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (and this would be the one Wilde book I'd keep since I'm only allowed to have one book by the same author). This is my all time favorite book.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. I have loved and own every book Allen has written, but I think this is my favorite.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I have a few copies of this book, it's a favorite. I chose this version because it's just very pretty.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. Because Mother Nature DGAF. Also as I was being admitted to the hospital for my hysterectomy the admitting nurse who was doing all my vitals, giving me my IV etc. was reading this book and we discussed it. We both agreed that this book confirmed for us that we never want to climb Mount Everest.

Timeless by Gail Carriger. The final book in the Soulless series. I loved this whole series. I chose the last book, however, because it's one of the few series that I absolutely loved everything about how it ended.

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. The incredibly infuriating story of the women who risked their lives in watch factories and how little help they got. This book made me a better feminist and grew my understanding of the importance of women's rights and how important our history is.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I think this was the first Gaiman book I read and it's my favorite.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. A series I read one summer in my youth. I chose this one because of its iconic cover, and because it's the first in the series.

The Aviary by Kathleen O'Dell. One of my kids read this when they were younger and suggested it to me. It's one of my all time favorite middle grade reads. It's magical.

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. My 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Bauer (my favorite teacher ever) read this out loud to us in class. I fell in love with the story. I never read it again until I was a married adult with children. It's the first book I ever re-read as an adult (Uncle Wiggly is the first book I ever re-read). And I re-read TLtWatW at least every couple of years. I tag anyone who wants to do this!!

[burlveneer-music]

Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog - Connection

On their 5th studio album, Connection, Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog have pushed their long-brewing tension between traditional pop songcraft and avantgarde improvisational music to the breaking point, bridging their customary genre-agnostic approach with elements of glam boogie, minimalist disco, psychedelic boogaloo, garage-punk-against-the-machine agitprop, and so much more. Recorded at Figure 8 Recording in Brooklyn, NY and mixed by Ben Greenberg (Danny Elfman, Depeche Mode, Lamb of God) the album sees Ribot – whose prodigious, impossible-to-categorize body of work as bandleader and musician spans no wave and jazz, Brazilian and Cuban music, roots and avant-garde and protest songs (often at the same time) alongside legendary collaborations with Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, The Lounge Lizards, John Zorn, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Caetano Veloso, and Laurie Anderson (to name but a few) – continuing to utilize Ceramic Dog as the vessel for his distinctive stream-of-consciousness songwriting, penning three out of the album’s four vocal tracks including the groove-infected “Ecstasy” (showcasing Anthony Coleman’s slinky Farfisa and longtime friend and associate Syd Straw behind the mic). From the anthemic manifesto “Soldiers in the Army of Love” to the unhinged ranting of “Heart Attack” and indescribable “No Name,” Ceramic Dog unleash a fury of complex time signatures, blues abstraction, and free-blowing energy to create their most unapologetically audacious collection thus far, their one-of-a-kind daring evidenced by the unlikely cover of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz’s “That’s Entertainment,” written especially for the 1953 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film The Band Wagon but here, in Ribot and Co’s hands, deconstructs Hollywood cliches while simultaneously winking at both the post-punk and post-Cultural Revolution iterations of the Gang of Four. Fueled by what Ribot calls “several bolts of creative lightning,” Connections stands as a vibrant, odd, and in many ways definitive milestone in what is truly a singular creative journey for Marc Ribot and Ceramic Dog, its zeitgeist-busting sound and vision not only affirming their place in the musical universe but raising the stakes for whatever comes next.  CERAMIC DOG: Marc Ribot: guitars, tres (4), dobro (5), bass (2, 3, 9), vocals Shahzad Ismaily: bass, electronics, vocals Ches Smith: drums, percussion, electronics, vocals with SPECIAL GUESTS Syd Straw, vocals (4) Anthony Coleman, Farfisa (4, 8, 10) James Brandon Lewis, sax (5, 7) (appears courtesy of ANTI- Records) Greg Lewis, Hammond B3 organ (9) Oscar Noriega, clarinet (10) Peter Sachon, cello (6) Lyrics by Marc Ribot (Knockwurst Music, ASCAP) Music by Ceramic Dog (Knockwurst Music (ASCAP, Preposterous Bee (ASCAP), Wazir & Malika Music (BMI) Except “That’s Entertainment” by Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz (Chappell-Co Inc, ASCAP)

[papermoonloveslucy]

LAUGHIN’ IN THE RAIN

Lucille Ball & Precipitation

Lucille Ball was not just a fair-weather comedienne, she braved the elements to make us laugh. 

Here are a few soggy examples of Lucy in the Rain. Open your umbrellas!

On “Bob Hope's Unrehearsed Antics of The Stars” (September 28, 1984) Lucille Ball recounted her soggy 1938 audition for the role of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind, reading for producer David O’Selznik. 

“I climbed into my old rattletrap car and as I reached Culver City I got caught in the biggest cloudburst I ever saw. The streets were flooded. My car stalled. I had to get out and wade six blocks to the studio. I got to the Selznick office looking like a drowned rat. My hair was down over my face and the henna was running and so was my mascara. I was soaked clear through.”

Lucille was not asked to screen test and - as everyone knows - the role went to English actress Vivien Leigh. 

On June 14, 1944, columnist Howard Carroll reported that Lucille Ball was in the running to play Sadie Thompson in the Broadway musical adaptation of the play Rain by Vernon Duke and Howard Dietz. Instead, the role went to Ethel Merman, who (probably smelling a flop) left the production after a week and a half of rehearsals and was replaced by June Havoc. The show opened at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon) on November 16, 1944 and ran just 60 performances. Lucy (and Merman) were right!  Lucille Ball would eventually get to Broadway in the 1960 musical Wildcat at (coincidentally) the Alvin Theatre. 

Rain was based on a short story by W. Somerset Maugham about a prostitute on a tropical island. A persistant rainstorm is both symbolic and literal. The story was dramatized in 1922 and was a big hit on Broadway and London’s West End. Ethel Mertz says she saw Bankhead in the play in “The Celebrity Next Door” (1957) with guest star Tallulah Bankhead, the second episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”.  Bankhead starred in a 1935 revival of the play, which closed after just 47 performances. 

Costume designer Elois Jenssen sketched this design for Lucille Ball’s character, a dancer based in London, in the film Lured (1947). London is famous for its rainy weather, so this raincoat (with tartan plaid scarf and lining) would be key. 

“Valentine’s Day” is episode #30 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on February 11, 1949. Liz (Lucille Ball) finds herself in court over a love triangle between her, Katie the Maid (Ruth Perrott), and Mr. Dabney the butcher (Hans Conried). Judge Skinner (Gale Gordon) metaphorically pointificates before hearing the case.

JUDGE: “There is no problem too big to solve. Into every life a little rain must fall. Every cloud must have a silver lining, and it is always darkest before the dawn.”  LIZ: “Well, now that we’ve had the weather report, let’s get on with the case.”

In 1952′s “Vacation from Marriage” Lucy and Ethel get stranded on the roof in their nightgowns. Huddling together against the elements, it starts raining!  

LUCY: “Oh! Ethel, it's raining.” ETHEL: “Oh, fine. Of all the things, it has to rain too.” LUCY: “Look! (points) It isn't raining out there.”

They look up and see Ricky and Fred spraying them with a hose!

The “I Love Lucy” Raincoat by Monsanto, made of Ultron vinyl. 

“Ricky’s Hawaiian Vacation” (1954) finds the Ricardos on a radio quiz show. Ricky is tasked with singing songs that will trigger things to be dumped on Lucy. First up is 1928′s “I Get the Blues When It Rains” by Marcy Klaubner and Harry Stoddard.  

FREDDY FILLMORE: “Mrs. Ricardo, every time he says the word ‘rain’ you pull that cord. You got the idea? LUCY: “Yeah, I got it.” RICKY: (sings) “I get the blues when it rains...” LUCY: “Yeah, boy! (Lucy pulls the cord and a spritz of water hits her in the face) Wait a minute, wait a minute. What's he got the slicker on for?” FREDDY FILLMORE: “Well, I was afraid some of that rain might splash and get on him.”

“In Palm Springs” (1955), the girls decide to go to Palm Springs while the boys stay in Los Angeles to go to a ballgame. 

ETHEL: (reading the newspaper) “It says here this is the first time it's rained in Palm Springs during this month in 20 years.” LUCY: “No kidding. Well, leave it to us to pick this time.” ETHEL: “Any break in the clouds?”  LUCY: (staring out the window) “Oh, I wasn't looking at that. I thought maybe a movie star would float by.”

RICKY: (staring out the window) “Is it ever gonna stop raining?” FRED: “Aw, what's the difference? The ball game's called off.”  RICKY: “Well, we can't play golf and we can't go swimming. What are we gonna do?” FRED: “Well, if this rain keeps coming down, we might as well start building an ark.”

In “Paris at Last” (1956) Lucy meets a counterfeiter (Lawrence Dobkin) outside the American Express Office. A travel poster in the window reads No Rain In Portugal, But Tourists Pour In. 

In “Lucy and Superman” (1957) Lucy crawls out onto the ledge to pretend to be Superman for Little Ricky’s birthday party. Little does she know the real Superman is inside. When it starts raining, Superman comes to her rescue. The downpour is set up by the writers when a prospective tenant (Ralph Dumke) closes and locks the window Lucy crawled out of. 

HERBERT: “Oh, it's raining in. I'll close the window for Mrs. Mertz.”

The final clinch between Nicky (Desi) and Tacy (Lucy) in The Long, Long Trailer (1954) happens in the pouring rain. 

Lucy and Desi drenched but happy as they wrapped filming. 

Lucille Ball guest-starred on “The Danny Kaye Show” in 1962. A trilogy of sketches skewering fine dining finds Lucy and Danny soaked to the skin while eating in a jungle rainforest.

“The Lucille Ball Show aka Mr. and Mrs.” (1964) ends with Lucy and Gale Gordon tracking down Bob Hope entertaining the troops in a jungle where it starts to pour. 

“My Fair Lucy” (1965) was a satire on the stage and screen hit My Fair Lady. The famous elocution rhyme from the original is “The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.”  Here it is “The rain in Maine stays mainly on the grain.” 

“Lucy the Rain Goddess” (1966) ~ While at a dude ranch, Lucy discovers her head at the top of a totem pole. The Native Americans who live on the property think she’s the incanation of their rain goddess!  In the end, it does rain - but it is a shower of oil!

“Lucy’s Safari” (1969) ~ To track down a rare escaped Gorboona, the Carters dress in native outfits and perform a dance routine. Harry's dance steps conjure up a rain storm that only falls on him – not once but twice. The rule on “Here’s Lucy” is that where there's water - Harry will get wet!

“Lucy and Carol Burnett aka The Unemployment Follies” (1971) ~ As the finale, the entire ensemble is dressed in rain slickers and performs “Singin’ in the Rain” written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown in 1931.It was most famously featured in the film Singin’ in the Rain in 1952. Jack Benny strolls in at the end selling umbrellas! 

“Lucy and Aladdin’s Lamp” (1971) ~ Lucy, Kim and Craig discover what they believe to be a magic lamp at their garage sale. A series of coincidences convince them it might be real. Kim mentions her favorte flavor of ice cream. After a clap of thunder, Harry (Gale Gordon) enters from a driving rainstorm carrying the exact same flavor of ice cream! 

“Lucy and Curtis Are Up a Tree” (1986) ~ In this unaired episode of “Life With Lucy”, Lucy and Curtis (Gale Gordon) get stuck in a treehouse. When the family finally rescues them, it starts to pour!  

Being The Ricardos (2021) features a scene where Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) walks blankly through a torrential rain in her pajamas. She has just realized that Desi has been unfaithful. Lucy’s stroll through the storm is symbolic of her choice to carry on despite the flaws of her marriage and her ability to weather the storm of Desi’s affairs.

[sheetmusiclibrarypdf]

Keith Jarrett: The Melody at Night, with You (1999)- transcriptions book

Keith Jarrett: The Melody at Night, with You - sheet music transcriptions book is now available for download.

The 1999 recording The Melody At Night With You is one of Keith Jarrett's most popular records. Originally created as a gift to his wife, his versions of songs from the Great American Songbook plus the traditional “Shenandoah” are permeated by a special atmosphere that makes the recording one of his most personal audio documents. Keith Jarrett was in the midst of recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and he made these recordings privately with no intention of sharing them with the public. They are fairly simple, pretty settings of well-known melodies, with almost none of the exploration for which he is famed. Jarrett dispenses with the jazz soloist’s conventional emphasis on dexterity, the “clever” phrase and the virtuosic sleight-of-hand, and instead strips these songs to their melodic essence to gently lay bare their emotional core. After many years of preparation, the sheet music for The Melody At Night With You has now been published by with Jarrett’s approval and the support of Jarrett’s label, ECM.

The Melody at Night, with You is a solo album by American pianist Keith Jarrett recorded at his home studio in 1998 and released by ECM Records in 1999. It was recorded during his bout with chronic fatigue syndrome and was dedicated to Jarrett's second and then-wife, Rose Anne: "For Rose Anne, who heard the music, then gave it back to me". In an interview in Time magazine in November 1999, he explained "I started taping it in December 1997, as a Christmas present for my wife. I'd just had my Hamburg Steinway overhauled and wanted to try it out, and I have my studio right next to the house, so if I woke up and had a half-decent day, I would turn on the tape recorder and play for a few minutes. I was too fatigued to do more. Then something started to click with the mike placement, the new action of the instrument,... I could play so soft,... and the internal dynamics of the melodies... of the songs... It was one of those little miracles that you have to be ready for, though part of it was that I just didn't have the energy to be clever." The album contains eight jazz standards, two traditional songs, and, uncharacteristically for Jarrett, only one improvisation ("Meditation", the second half of track six).

Track listing

All tracks are jazz standards or traditional songs (5 & 9), by other composers, except the second half of track 6 ("Meditation"), which is an improvisation by Jarrett: - "I Loves You, Porgy" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward) - 5:50 - "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" (Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster) - 7:10 - "Don't Ever Leave Me" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern) - 2:47 - "Someone to Watch over Me" (Gershwin, Gershwin) - 5:05 - "My Wild Irish Rose" (Traditional) - 5:21 - "Blame It on My Youth/Meditation" (Edward Heyman, Oscar Levant/Jarrett) - 7:19 - "Something to Remember You By" (Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz) - 7:15 - "Be My Love" (Nicholas Brodszky, Sammy Cahn) - 5:38 - "Shenandoah" (Traditional) - 5:52 - "I'm Through With Love" (Gus Kahn, Fud Livingston, Matty Malneck) - 2:56

Personnel

- Keith Jarrett – piano, engineering, production

Sheet Music Download here.

I Loves You Porgy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw3CA1Prwcs&t=4s Pianist, composer, and bandleader Keith Jarrett is one of the most prolific, innovative, and iconoclastic musicians to emerge from the late 20th century. As a pianist (though that is by no means the only instrument he plays), he literally changed the conversation in jazz by introducing an entirely new aesthetic regarding solo improvisation in concert. Though capable of playing in a wide variety of styles, Jarrett is grounded in the jazz tradition. He has recorded over 100 albums as a leader in jazz and classical music. He cut his 1967 debut, Life Between the Exit Signs, leading a trio with Paul Motian and Charlie Haden. He played in Miles Davis' group for a time, and appears on several live recordings, including Live Evil. Read the full article

[dorothydalmati1]

Obscure Animation Subject #149: Hollywood Party

Now, this subject isn’t fully animated. It’s mostly a live-action film, but it does include some animation. Released on June 1, 1934 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Howard Dietz and Arthur Kober, and directed by Richard Boleslawski, Allan Dwan, Edmund Goulding, Russell Mack, Charles Reisner, Roy Rowland, George Stevens and Sam Wood, with the animated bits directed by the god himself, Walt Disney!

Yeah, at the time his cartoons were released under a distribution contract for United Artists (ironically would be acquired by MGM in the 80s), but had decided to be involved with this production for MGM! Back in 1928, Disney wanted a distribution contract for MGM to get his Mickey Mouse shorts distributed, but was rejected. Eventually, he did get a distribution contract for Pat Powers, to get his Mickey cartoons released, and had been under various distribution contract over the years until 1953 when he founded his own distribution company, Buena Vista.

The film follows "Schnarzan", a jungle movie star who attends a Hollywood party, but when everything goes crazy, it all turns out to be a dream of Jimmy Durante. Ha Cha Cha Cha!

The animated sequence with Mickey Mouse would be extended into a cartoon produced with Technicolor, The Hot Choc-late Soldiers, MGM asked for a contract to get Disney to produce the sequence, and it was overseen by Ben Sharpsteen, who guided young artists Cy Young and Ugo D'Orsi. Originally, Mickey wasn’t intended to appear in the film, but that changed after a pitch meeting for the character to appear on Meet the Baron was dropped. Hollywood Party is noted for being the first appearance of Mickey in a feature film.

I rumored that when Ub Iwerks’s contract with MGM was coming to an end, MGM wanted a contract of distributing the Disney cartoons, however due United Artists still holding their contract, they didn’t do so and instead have Harman-Ising under their belt after Harman-Ising ended their partnership with Warner Bros. on the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies series. It helps that former Disney animators we’re heading the company, and their series, Happy Harmonies, was a previous OAS.

When Hollywood Party was released to theaters, it was critically panned, and the directors themselves find it to be such an embarrassment to the point where they don’t want to be credited in the film, even Walt Disney himself! The film was even a box-office bomb, only earning $500,000, which resulted in producer Harry Rapf to be transferred to the short subjects department. He later returned to produce features, doing so until his death in 1949.

In spite of shabby reputation, The Hot Choc-late Soldiers sequence was seen as a highlight among the critics, and the film became fondly remembered for for Mickey’s roast on Jimmy Durante, and has been as such since then.

Due to the 1965 MGM vault fire, 68 of the 75 minutes are known to exist. While the animated sequences survived through and through, 7 minutes of the film remain lost.

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 9.8

Beer Birthdays

Joseph Liebmann (1838)

Thomas William Everard (1851)

Agostino Arioli (1965)

Terence Sullivan (1967)

Phil Lowry (1976)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Sid Caesar; comedian (1922)

Martin Freeman; English actor (1971)

Aimee Mann; rock singer, songwriter (1960)

Peter Sellers; actor (1925)

Michael Shermer; science writer (1954)

Famous Birthdays

David Arquette; actor (1971)

Ann Beattie; writer (1947)

Brooke Burke; model (1971)

Neko Case; rock singer (1970)

Patsy Cline; country singer (1932)

Howard Dietz; lyricist (1896)

Antonin Dvorak; composer (1841)

L.C. Greenwood; Pittsburg Steelers DE (1946)

Virgin Mary

Joaquin Miller; poet (1837)

Frédéric Mistral; inventor of aioli (1830)

Ron "Pigpen" McKernan; rock musician (1945)

Mimi Parent; Canadian artist (1924)

Pink; pop singer (1979)

Richard I "The Lion-Hearted"; English king (1157)

Jimmie Rodgers; country singer (1897)

Heather Thomas; actor (1957)

Charlie Trotter; chef (1959)

Christoph von Dohnanyi; German orchestra conductor (1929)

August von Schlegel; German poet (1767)

[ulkaralakbarova]

Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1945. Engineer Preston Tucker dreams of designing the car of future, but his innovative envision will be repeatedly sabotaged by his own unrealistic expectations and the Detroit automobile industry tycoons. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Preston Tucker: Jeff Bridges Vera: Joan Allen Abe: Martin Landau Eddie: Frederic Forrest Jimmy: Mako Howard Hughes: Dean Stockwell Junior: Christian Slater Marilyn Lee: Nina Siemaszko Frank: Marshall Bell Kerner: Peter Donat Alex: Elias Koteas Kirby: Jay O. Sanders Noble: Corin Nemec Stan: Don Novello Johnny: Anders Johnson Bennington: Dean Goodman Ferguson’s Agent: John X. Heart Millie: Patti Austin Stan’s Assistant: Sandy Bull Judge: Joe Miksak Floyd Cerf: Scott Beach Oscar Beasley: Roland Scrivner Narrator (voice): Bob Safford Doc: Larry Menkin Fritz: Ron Close Dutch: Joe Flood Gas Station Owner: Leonard Gardner Garage Owner: Bill Bonham Ferguson’s Secretary #1: Abigail van Alyn Ferguson’s Secretary #2: Taylor Gilbert Woman on Steps: David Booth Newscaster (voice): Al Hart Security Guard: Cab Covay Man in Audience: James Cranna Board Member: Bill Reddick Mayor: Ed Loerke Head Engineer: Jay Jacobus Bennington’s Secretary: Anne Lawder Singing Girl #1: Jeanette Lana Sartain Singing Girl #2: Mary Buffett Singing Girl #3: Annie Stocking Recording Engineer: Michael McShane Tucker’s Secretary #1: Hope Alexander-Willis Tucker’s Secretary #2: Taylor Young Police Sergeant: Jim Giovanni Reporter at Trial: Joe Lerer Ingram: Morgan Upton SEC Agent: Ken Grantham Blue: Mark Anger Jury Foreman: Al Nalbandian Senator Homer Ferguson (uncredited): Lloyd Bridges Girl at Mellon Publicity Event (uncredited): Sofia Coppola Film Crew: Executive Producer: George Lucas Director: Francis Ford Coppola Producer: Fred Roos Additional Music: Carmine Coppola Director of Photography: Vittorio Storaro Production Design: Dean Tavoularis Editor: Priscilla Nedd-Friendly Casting: Janet Hirshenson Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Richard Beggs Producer: Fred Fuchs Casting: Jane Jenkins Music Editor: Mark Adler Supervising Sound Editor: Gloria S. Borders Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Tom Johnson Set Decoration: Armin Ganz Costume Designer: Milena Canonero Unit Production Manager: Ian Bryce Foley Artist: Dennie Thorpe Sound Effects Editor: Tim Holland Leadman: Doug von Koss Second Unit Director: Buddy Joe Hooker Assistant Costume Designer: Judianna Makovsky Assistant Makeup Artist: Karen Bradley Set Designer: Jim Pohl Camera Operator: Jamie Anderson Foley Editor: Sandina Bailo-Lape Stunts: Jimmy Nickerson Screenplay: Arnold Schulman Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Randy Thom ADR Editor: Louise Rubacky Original Music Composer: Joe Jackson Researcher: Anahid Nazarian Assistant Sound Designer: Mildred Iatrou Location Casting: Aleta Chappelle Stunts: Gary McLarty Screenplay: David Seidler First Assistant Director: H. Gordon Boos Stunts: Dick Ziker Makeup Artist: Richard Dean ADR Editor: Tom Bellfort Art Direction: Alex Tavoularis Assistant Hairstylist: Terry Baliel Technical Advisor: Enrico Umetelli Property Master: Douglas E. Madison Script Supervisor: Wilma Garscadden-Gahret Still Photographer: Ralph Nelson Jr. Stunts: Steve M. Davison Sound Effects Editor: Robert Shoup Stunts: Tim A. Davison Assistant Sound Editor: Martha Pike Hairstylist: Lyndell Quiyou Costume Supervisor: Winnie D. Brown Assistant Sound Editor: Michele Perrone Foley Editor: Diana Pellegrini First Assistant Camera: Billy Clevenger Assistant Property Master: Douglas T. Madison Construction Coordinator: John J. Rutchland Jr. Unit Publicist: Susan Landau Finch Second Assistant Director: L. Dean Jones Jr. Production Sound Mixer: Michael Evje Assistant Sound Editor: Clare C. Freeman Assistant Sound Editor: Paige Sartorius Location Manager: Rory Enke Second Assistant Director: Daniel R. Suhart Gaffer: Pat Fitzsimmons Dialogue Editor: Melissa Dietz Associate Producer: Teri Fettis-D’Ovidio Boom Operator: D. G. Fisher Special Effects Supervisor: David Pier Production Accountant: Joe Murphy Negative Cutter: Donah Bassett Second Assistant C...