#james g. blaine

[deadpresidents]

"The contempt of that large-minded gentleman is so wilting, his haughty disdain, his grandiloquent swell, his majestic, supereminent, turkey-gobbler strut has been so crushing to myself and all the members of the House...The resemblance is great. It is striking. Hyperion to a satyr, Thersites to Hercules, mud to marble, dunghill to diamond, a singed cat to a Bengal tiger, a whining puppy to a roaring lion."

-- James G. Blaine, eviscerating fellow Congressman Roscoe Conkling, during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, April 30, 1866.

The feud between Blaine and Conkling -- who each had close connections with various post-Civil War Republican Presidents -- is one of the great political rivalries of American history. Blaine's eloquent (and vicious) attack of Conkling and mention of Conkling's "turkey-gobbler strut" would result in classic caricatures of Conkling in political cartoons that would annoy him for the rest of his life:

[todaysdocument]

Letter from George Jones to James G. Blaine Recommending Frederick Douglass as United States Minister to Haiti

Record Group 59: General Records of the Department of StateSeries: Applications and Recommendations for Public Office

Indianapolis, July 2nd, 1889

Hon James G. Blaine

Sec'y of State Wash D.C

My Dear Sir:

You [al, struck through] will allow me on the part of my people to congratulate you most heartily for commissioning Hon Frederick Douglass Minister to Hayti. He is the Lion of our race and represents in its [most, struck through] fullest sense the honor and dignity of our people

In this connection I might add that the appointment of Lynch and Townsend of Indiana and other recognition recently had is more than ample testimony of the fairness of the administration toward the colored people of the entire country.

Gratefully Yours

Geo. F. Jones

547 N. Miss St

[kindest-little-fella-in-town]

@tylercanoe told you i would

[sabistarphotos]

March 5, 2022

James G. Blaine Mansion

Washington, DC

[antebellumite]

*whispers under breath*

Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, The Continental Liar from the State of Maine 

[nycreligion]

October 29 Dangers of Pulpit Political Prophecy Day

Grover Cleveland and James G. Blaine. unidentified artist, 1884 / Chromolithograph /National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Milton and Ingrid Rose CCO. This day is marked in the history books as the day that preachers should remember to be careful about delivering prophetic voices about controversial things like politics about which they may know very little. On Wednesday,…

[sporkfan14]

John H. Kaiser filling out a patent form in 1891: "Be it known that I, Joseph H. Kaiser, a citizen of the United States ... have invented and produced a new and original Design for Spoons"

yeah okay buddy

that sure is one original design for a spoon

[directdogman]

Hello Sir Dogman, why are there two occurrences (that I know of) of this edited photo of James G. Blaine showing up in the DLC?? Is this a lore thing or are you just messing with us

i'm genuinely astounded you recognized who this was, esp without the face. ive never discussed this guy and had another person even recognize the name, let alone be this familiar with him. huh.

i'm afraid i can give no answer. some questions have to remain unanswered. i'm very very sorry. it's not specifically lore relevant but i do have a bit of lore for this thing though. one day i might reveal it for funsies.

[fictionadventurer]

Time to talk about James Garfield! He's nearly forgotten today because his presidency was cut so short, but he might be one of the biggest over-achievers ever to reach the White House, and I'm overdue to tell you about his life story.

James Garfield, like Lincoln, came from a dirt poor background. Pretty sure he was the last president to be born in a log cabin. His father was a farmer who died when he was three years old, leaving him in the care of a mother and older brother who doted on him. They recognized that he was smart and wanted him to make something of himself, but young James had read a few too many books that romanticized life at sea, so at sixteen he ran away from home to get the closest possible version of that experience that he could manage--working on a boat in the Erie Canal. He came back home within a few months because he nearly drowned, and by then, his mother and brother had scraped up enough money for him to go to school.

After high school, he went to a prep school where he worked as a janitor to pay for his tuition. At least, for the first year. By his second year, the school decided to hire him to teach six classes! And later added two more because he was so popular! While he was still attending the school as a student, mind you! He went to college, became the principal of his old prep school, studied for the bar and became a lawyer, got involved in state politics, and then left to go serve in the Civil War, where he became the youngest-ever major general. Then his friends asked him to run for the US House of Representatives, and even though he refused to leave the army to go campaign, he won the election. Then he did leave the army to join the House, where he served eight terms.

Which brings us to the 1880 presidential election. Which was an absolutely wild and crazy political battle within the Republican Party. The big issue was civil service reform. Up to this point, all federal employees were appointed by the ruling president's party--it was called the spoils system, because "to the victor go the spoils." The president (or whoever he gave hiring power to) could appoint whoever he wanted to any government position, regardless of whether or not the person had any relevant experience. By the 1870s, this system had become a cesspool of corruption and cronyism, but the Republicans were split on the need for reform. On one side, you had the Stalwarts, who wanted to continue with business as usual. On the other side were the Half-Breeds, who wanted to replace the spoils system with a merit-based system where employees would have to meet certain education or experience requirements to get the job, which they could then stay in regardless of which party was in power.

Anyway, when it came time to choose the presidential candidate, the battle got ugly. On one side, you had Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York, a political boss who maintained his power through the spoils system, who was there to nominate Ulysses S. Grant to a third term. On the other side, you had James G. Blaine (the Magnetic Man from Maine), a Half-Breed who'd been Conkling's archnemesis ever since he called him out on the Senate floor as a seedy, ruthless villain.

James Garfield had no interest in being president; he'd seen too many of his friends (including James Blaine) get their principles warped by their obsession with the presidency, and he wanted to stay well away from all that. He was there to nominate John Sherman (younger brother of a certain famous Civil War general). Sherman, for his part, knew that Garfield was the more popular politician from Ohio, and hoped to neutralize him as a potential competitor by asking him to give the nominating speech.

So anyhow, at the nominating convention, Conkling gives this rousing speech in support of Grant that has the crowd going wild. There’s no way Garfield's going to be able to follow that. So what he does is look at the crowd and calmly talk to them about how there may be a lot of noise and emotion here today, but this isn't where the election is going to be won. Votes are going to be cast by ordinary Americans living on their homes and farms with their families, and they need to know that there's someone who can serve their interests in the White House. The crowd is spellbound. Garfield then asks them, "What do we want?" To Garfield's horror, one guy yells out, "We want Garfield!"

Garfield made it clear he was there to nominate Sherman, and finished his speech. Then the voting began. Round after round after round of voting, with no one candidate getting enough votes to win the nomination. Garfield got one vote in the third round. In the thirty-fourth round, he suddenly got seventeen votes, as delegates desperate to escape the gridlock decided to throw some votes behind a different name. Garfield stood to protest, saying that no one had the right to vote for him since he hadn't consented to be nominated, but the president of the convention, who secretly liked Garfield more than any of the other candidates, told him to sit down.

By the thirty-sixth vote, Garfield won the nomination. He reluctantly accepted.

When Garfield won the presidential election, it was the first time since the Civil War that a president had been elected who had support in both the North and South. Garfield was seen as a man of the people, living proof of the American dream that any man, no matter how lowly, could one day rise to become president. As Garfield rode in the carriage toward the White House for his inauguration, a man in the crowd yelled out, "Low bridge!" as a reference to Garfield's now-legendary past as a canal worker; Garfield grinned, took off his hat, and ducked.

Once he became president, Garfield became embroiled in the war over civil service reform. Since it hadn't been reformed, he had a constant stream of office-seekers coming to beg for appointments to federal positions, and a lot of federal positions that needed to be filled. His archnemesis was Roscoe Conkling; Garfield was determined to enact civil service reform, and Conkling wanted to do all in his power to prevent it. Conkling forced Stalwart members of Garfield's Cabinet to resign, and he went to war with Garfield over the filling of federal positions.

And that's an interesting story, but the more important part of the battle was with another person entirely, who Garfield had never met. Charles Guiteau was a madman with a checkered past, who'd been involved in strange sex cults and in running various scams--mostly running out on rent payments. During Garfield's election, he gave one speech in support of Garfield to a tiny crowd, and Guiteau, in his delusion, thought that under the spoils system, this entitled him to a reward. He wanted to be a foreign ambassador, and he came to the White House every day seeking a meeting with someone who could give him the job. He was mostly stopped by Garfield's secretary, and his attempts to get help from the vice president and various Cabinet members also failed.

At last, Guiteau became frustrated, and decided that the only thing to do was kill Garfield. God wanted to maintain the spoils system, he thought, and the only way to do that was to get the reform-minded Garfield out of the way so the spoils system advocate Chester Arthur could be president. Guiteau tracked the president to a couple of spots in Washington, but always found a reason not to take a shot.

But on July 2, 1881, when Garfield was at a Washington train station, Guiteau shot him in the back. The bullet went past Garfield's spine and lodged in his pancreas. Robert Lincoln--who happened to be traveling with Garfield--secured the services of the doctor who had treated his father. The wound was examined--the doctor poking unsterilized fingers into the bullet hole--and Garfield was transferred back to the White House for treatment.

If the bullet had been left alone, Garfield would most likely have made a full recovery--nothing about the wound was fatal. Unfortunately, he was president of the United States, and doctors were determined to give him intense medical care--which meant that he died through medical malpractice. The head doctor thought these new-fangled ideas about "germs" and "sterile procedure" were conspiracy theories, and certainly not worth the extra work of sterilizing everything. The wound was repeatedly probed with fingers and unsterilized instruments, which led to a massive infection that spread through Garfield's whole body.

Alexander Graham Bell invented a medical detector to locate the bullet; it would have worked, but Garfield's doctors--convinced they knew the path the bullet had taken--only allowed Bell to scan the right side of Garfield's body--and the bullet was on the left.

Garfield was unable to keep down solid food. He dropped from 210 lbs to 130 lbs. Massive pockets of pus formed throughout his body. He was literally rotting from the inside. Yet by all accounts, Garfield remained cheerful and kind to everyone who cared for him.

Garfield was a healthy fifty-year-old man, and he rallied a few times, but he wasn't able to overcome the infection. The heat and humidity of Washington only made it worse. An air-conditioning device was invented and installed to keep the room cool, but at the beginning of September, the decision was made to transfer Garfield to a house at the New Jersey seaside, in the hopes that the cool sea breezes could aid his recovery.

Garfield left Washington on September 6. A special train line was constructed that took him right up to the door of the house; when the train got stuck on the final hill, a crowd of hundreds that had gathered in support of the president worked together to push it to the top. Garfield's final few days were spent in the pleasant seaside atmosphere, but it was of no use. Garfield died on September 19, 1881. The country plunged into mourning--this president with so much promise, this man of the people, was dead, only six months into his presidency.

That short term means that Garfield is mostly skipped over in American history classes today, but he absolutely should not be. His rise from poverty to the White House is inspiring, and his death is tragic. There is so much to his story, and it's a shame that it gets shuffled aside in the grand sweep of American history.

[soviet-space-ace]

Who else is excited for the upcoming Destiny of a Republic miniseries?

It’s called Death by Lightning and Josh Lyman himself is going to be in it as James G. Blaine.

I really hope it doesn’t end up like the American Lion miniseries from a few years back that never got made.

[deadpresidents]

The Death By Lightning casting was updated. Any thoughts on Shea Whigham as Conkling and Bradley Whitford as Blaine?

I'm a huge fan of both Shea Whigham and Bradley Whitford, so I'm all for them being involved even if I don't see either of them as Conkling and Blaine. I'm just glad that the series is being stretched out enough to include Roscoe Conkling and James G. Blaine. Also, Kate Chase Sprague and Blanche Bruce! If we're getting Kate Chase Sprague as a major character, that means it's probably going to get into her relationship with Conkling...and any story featuring more Roscoe Conkling is bound to be entertaining.

Also, is there a law that was passed that requires Michael Shannon and Shea Whigham to always be cast together? I'm not complaining. I like both actors. I'm just curious.

[marcmarcmomarc]

RWBY (Behind the Voice Actors)

MAIN RWBY CAST

Ruby Rose: Lindsay Jones

Weiss Schnee: Kara Eberle and 1 other

Casey Lee Williams

Blake Belladonna: Arryn Zech

Yang Xiao Long: Barbara Dunkelman

Jaune Arc: Miles Luna

Nora Valkyrie: Samantha Ireland

Lie Ren: Monty Oum and 1 other

Neath Oum

RECURRING ROLES

Qrow Branwen: Vic Mignogna and 1 other

Ernesto Jason Liebrecht

Oscar Pine: Aaron Dismuke

Professor Ozpin: Shannon McCormick

Cinder Fall: Jessica Nigri

James Ironwood: Jason Rose

Emerald Sustrai: Katie Newville

Sun Wukong: Michael Jones

Pyrrha Nikos: Jen Brown

Penny Polendina: Taylor McNee

Mercury Black: J.J. Castillo and 1 other

Yuri Lowenthal

Winter Schnee: Elizabeth Maxwell

Salem: Jen Taylor

Neopolitan: No Voice Actor

Dr. Arthur Watts: Christopher Sabat

Tyrian Callows: Jessie James Grelle

Hazel Rainart: William Orendorff

Bartholomew Oobleck: Joel Heyman

Peter Port: Ryan Haywood and 1 other

Anthony Sardinha

Maria Calavera: Melissa Sternenberg

Adam Taurus: Garrett Hunter

Robyn Hill: Cristina Valenzuela

Roman Torchwick: Gray G. Haddock and 2 others

Billy Kametz

Christopher Wehkamp

Neptune Vasilias: Kerry Shawcross

Glynda Goodwitch: Kathleen Zuelch

Jacques Schnee: Jason Douglas

Raven Branwen: Anna Hullum

Clover Ebi: Christopher Wehkamp

Elm Ederne: Dawn M. Bennett

Marrow Amin: Marrow Amin

Harriet Bree: Anairis Quiñones

Vine Zeki: Todd Womack

Ghira Belladonna: Kent Williams

Whitley Schnee: Howard Wang

Ilia Amitola: Cherami Leigh

Kali Belladonna: Tara Platt

Taiyang Xiao Long: Burnie Burns

Vernal: Amber Lee Connors

Little: Luci Christian

Somewhat: Luci Christian

May Marigold: Kdin Jenzen

Joanna Greenleaf: Marissa Lenti

Fiona Thyme: Michele Everheart

Dr. Pietro Polendina: Dave Fennoy

Klein Sieben: J. Michael Tatum

Corsac Albain: Derek Mears

Fennec Albain: Mike McFarland

Leonardo Lionheart: Daman Mills

Curious Cat: Robbie Daymond

Coco Adel: Ashley Jenkins

Velvet Scarlatina: Caiti Ward

Yatsuhashi Daichi: Joe MacDonald

Cardin Winchester: Adam Ellis

Caroline Cordovin: Mela Lee

Jabberwalker: Richard Norman

Jinn: Colleen Clinkenbeard

Flynt Coal: Flynt Flossy

Neon Katt: Meg Turney

Saphron Cotta-Arc: Lindsay Sheppard

Terra Cotta-Arc: Jamie Smith

Blacksmith: Kimlinh Tran

Lil’ Miss Malachite: Luci Christian

Willow Schnee: Caitlin Glass

The Hound: Ernesto Jason Liebrecht

Hei “Junior” Xiong: Jack Pattillo

Miltia Malachite: Maggie Tominey

Melanie Malachite: Maggie Tominey

Zwei: Penny Layne Matthews

Ozma: Aaron Dismuke and 1 other

Shannon McCormick

God of Light: Chase McCaskill

God of Darkness: Bruce DuBose

Ambrosius: Valentine Stokes

Jinxy: Brendan Blaber

Red Prince: Michael Malconian

Herbalist: Christopher Guerrero

Creatures of Grimm: William Orendorff

MINOR ROLES

Announcer: Jeff Williams

AK-130 Android: Shane Newville

Shopkeep: Patrick Rodriguez

Goons: William Lopez and 1 other

Isaiah Torres

Cyril Ian: Patrick Rodriguez

Lisa Lavender: Jen Brown

Student: Kerry Shawcross

Russel Thrush: Shane Newville

Police Officers: Burnie Burns and 1 other

Joel Heyman

Sailors: Isaiah Torres and 1 other

Daniel Fabelo

White Fang Goon: Chris Martin

Penny’s Driver: Alan Abdine

Tukson: Adam Ellis

CCT AI: Megan Castro

Schnee Corp Operator: Emily McBride

Atlas Soldiers: Jon Risinger and 19 others

Patrick Rodriguez

Shane Newville

Kerry Shawcross

Josh Flanagan

Jeb-Aguilar Kendrick

J.D. Arredondo

Kirk Johnson

Alena Lecorchick

Tony Salvaggio

César Altagracia

Quentin Holtz

Nicholas Swift

Ed Whetstone

Cody Hawkins

Andrea Ratsos

Noël Wiggins

Dalton Allen

Nick Cramer

White Fang Lieutenant: Gray G. Haddock

“Deery”: Maggie Tominey

Student: Jacob Strickler

Perry: Kyle Taylor

White Fang Goons: Austin Hardwicke and 3 others

Miles Luna

Dustin Matthews

Josh Ornelas

Councilman: Gray G. Haddock

Reese Chloris: Erin Winn

Bolin Hori: Jon Risinger

Brawnz Ni: Blaine Gibson

Roy Stallion: No Voice Actor

Nolan Porfirio: Aaron Marquis

May Zedong: No Voice Actor

Bartender: Markus Horstmeyer

Nebula Violette: Kate Warner

Scarlet David: Gavin Free

Dew Gayl: Kim Newman

Sage Ayana: Josh Ornelas

Gwen Darcy: Mylissa Zelechowski

Octavia Ember: Claire Hogan

Video Game Announcer: Gray G. Haddock

Ciel Soleil: Yssa Badiola

Salesman: César Altagracia

Woman: Kate Warner

Man: Robert Reynolds

Large Man: Alex Leonard

Inn Keeper: Joe MacDonald

Crying Child Illusion: Maggie Tominey

Amber: Laura Bailey

Paramedic: Jon Risinger

Atlas Security Guard: Jonathan Floyd

Haven Tourist: Robert Reynolds

News Reporter: Tyler Coe

Broadcast Op: Cole Gallian

Warning Announcer: Kate Warner

Atlas Ship Captain: Travis Willingham

Blue Three: Andrea Caprotti

Mayor: Mike McFarland

Blacksmith: Christopher Guerrero

Dying Huntsman: Alejandro Saab

Captain: Bruce Carey

Reporter 01: Tyler Coe

Reporter 02: Amber Lee Connors

Reporter 03: Jason Douglas

Crew Member 1: Yunhao Zhang

First Mate: Derrek Ziegler

Crew Member 2: Chris Kokkinos

Oscar’s Aunt: Marissa Lenti

Higanbana Waitress: Kim Newman

Businessman: Scott Frerichs

Businesswoman: Amber Lee Connors

Henry Marigold: Alejandro Saab

Angry Businessman: Nick Landis

Waiter: Kyler Smith

Trophy Wife: Felecia Angelle

Husband: Chris Kokkinos

An Ren: Dawn M. Bennett

Lie Ren (young): Apphia Yu

Young Blacksmith: Connor Pickens

Tall Boy: Scott Frerichs

Short Boy: Marissa Lenti

Medium Boy: Amber Lee Connors

Li Ren: Kaiji Tang

Nora Valkyrie (young): Kristen McGuire

Mistral Pilot: Stan Lewis

Atlas Pilot: Richard Norman

Train Announcer: Alena Lecorchick

Mistral Pilot: Reina Scully

Menagerie Guard: Gio Coutinho

Bartender: Zane Rutledge

Shay D. Mann: Clifford Chapin

Sienna Khan: Monica Rial

Bandit One: Chris Kokkinos

Saber Rodentia: William Ball

Bandit Two: Billy B. Burson III

Worried Mother: Victoria Holden

Mata: Scott Frerichs

Yuma: Nick Landis

Ramen Shop Owner: Nick Landis

Small Girl: Emily Fajardo

Trifa: Emily Fajardo

Menagerie Guard 1: Stan Lewis

Menagerie Guard 2: Jenn K. Tidwell

Faunus 01: Willem W. Keetell

Faunus 02: Ariel LaCroix

Young Faunus Woman: Christine Stuckart

Older Faunus Man: Patrick Rodriguez

White Fang Members: Luis “Paco” Vazquez and 2 others

Willem W. Keetell

Jenn K. Tidwell

Mistral Police Captain: Jamie Smith

White Fang Guards: Christine Stuckart and 2 others

César Altagracia

Connor Pickens

Dee: Alex Mai

Dudley: Christopher Guerrero

Mistral Woman: Lauren Aptekar

Newscaster: Ethan Marler

Body Guard: Jenn K. Tidwell

Frightened Man: Richard Norman

Eldest Daughter: Jenn K. Tidwell

Youngest Daughter: Lauren Aptekar

Tock: Ruth Urquhart

Adrian Cotta-Arc: Lucella Wren Clary

Nubuck Guards: Kyle Phillips

Red Haired Woman: Jen Brown

Terminal Soldier: Connor Pickens

Argus Air Control: Danzer Koehler

Manta Two-Two: Noël Wiggins

Manta Three-Four: Dalton Allen

Manta Two-One: Melanie Stern

Manta Two-Four: Joe Clary

Atlas Air Traffic Female: Alena Lecorchick

Drunk Mann: Joel Mann

Drinking Buddy: Dustin Matthews

Forest: Eric Baudour

Pilots: Billy B. Burson III and 1 other

Todd Womack

Fria: Luci Christian

Newscaster: Scott Morgan

Mantle Citizen: Kirk Johnson

Mantle Patrol: Quentin Holtz

News Broadcaster: Kyle Taylor

AK-200 Driver: Ed Whetstone

Patrol: Connor Pickens

Waiters: Kirk Johnson and 1 other

Christine Stuckart

Female Dinner Guest: Lauren Aptekar

Councilman Sleet: Chad James

Councilwoman Camilla: Anairis Quiñones

Mantle Child: Brooke Olson

Citizens: Quentin Holtz and 5 others

Nikita Steele

Nicholas Swift

Jenn K. Tidwell

Alena Lecorchick

Ed Whetstone

Manta Team Delta: Richard Norman

Atlas Pilots: Ed Whetstone and 1 other

Alena Lecorchick

Atlas Commander: Zoe Terhune and 1 other

Kate Daigler

Atlas Technician: Alena Lecorchick

Reporter: Nick Schwartz

Mother: Jenn K. Tidwell

Disgruntled Grandmother: Christine Stuckart

Fiona’s Uncle: Gus Sorola

Crimson: César Altagracia

Mechanical Voice: Andrea Ratsos

Operator: Nick Schwartz

Madame: Linda Leonard

Step-Sisters: Amanda Lee

Rhodes: Christian Young

Commanders: Billy B. Burson III and 2 others

Kdin Jenzen

Zack Watkins

Child: Alexia Cruz

Father: Matthew Cruz

Computer Terminal: Alanah Pearce

Atlas Officer: Billy B. Burson III

CCT Voice: Jackie Izawa

Civilian: Chris Demarais

Summer Rose: Morgan Lauré Garrett

The Bird: Richard Norman

Mouse: Brendan Blaber

Mouse Leader: Jamie Battle

Townsperson: Jamie Battle

Toy Soldiers: Nick Cramer and 4 others

Billy B. Burson III

Kdin Jenzen

Cody Hawkins

Michael Malconian

Toy Guard: Brendan Blaber

White Pawns: Brandan Blaber and 3 others

Billy B. Burson III

Jamie Battle

Michael Malconian

Hawker: César Altagracia

Teapot Lady: Kdin Jenzen

Blue Paper Pleaser: Connor Pickens

Yellow Paper Pleaser: Dalton Allen

Green Paper Pleaser: Dustin Matthews

Red Paper Pleaser: Paula Decanini

Purple Paper Pleaser: Yssa Badiola

Genial Gem: Paula Decanini

Alyx: Shara Kirby

Vacuan 1: Eddy Rivas

Vacuan 2: Melinda Bonifay

ADDITIONAL VOICES

Austin Hardwicke

Blaine Gibson

Daniel Fabelo

Dustin Matthews

Harley Dwortz

Jeff Yohn

Kris McMeans

Kristina Nguyen

Luis “Paco” Vazquez

Maggie Tominey

Megan Castro

Shane Newville

Sheena Duquette

Stefanie Hardy

[dusty-pistol]

I was lookin through Dogman's blog for a specific post, and I think I found somethin out. There's two (of my knowledge) instances where the name James G. Blaine is mentioned in some posts. I'm gonna have to do some research on him now...

[thatwasuzi]

49 years ago today

SS Arthur M Anderson: "Fitzgerald, this is the Anderson. Have you checked down?"

SS Edmund Fitzgerald: "Yes we have."

Anderson: "Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. Fitzgerald, there is a target 19 miles ahead of us. So the target would be 9 miles on ahead of you."

Fitzgerald: "Well, am I going to clear?"

A: "Yes. He is going to pass to the west of you."

F: "Well, fine."

A: "By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem?"

F: "We are holding our own."

A: "Okay, fine. I'll be talking to you later."

The crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald would never speak to anyone outside of the ship again. After the Fitzgerald entered a squall and was obscured from the Anderson's radar. Some time shortly thereafter the Edmund Fitzgerald sank with all hands aboard.

Michael E. Armagost, 37, Third Mate, from Iron River, Wisconsin

Frederick J. Beetcher, 56, Porter, from Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas D. Bentsen, 23, Oiler, from St. Joseph, Michigan

Edward F. Bindon, 47, First Assistant Engineer, from Fairport Harbor, Ohio

Thomas D. Borgeson, 41, Maintenance Man, from Duluth, Minnesota

Oliver J. Champeau, 41, Third Assistant Engineer, from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Nolan S. Church, 55, Porter, from Silver Bay, Minnesota

Ransom E. Cundy, 53, Watchman, from Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas E. Edwards, 50, Second Assistant Engineer, from Oregon, Ohio

Russell G. Haskell, 40, Second Assistant Engineer, from Millbury, Ohio

George J. Holl, 60, Chief Engineer, from Cabot, Pennsylvania

Bruce L. Hudson, 22, Deck Hand, from North Olmsted, Ohio

Allen G. Kalmon, 43, Second Cook, from Washburn, Wisconsin

Gordon F. MacLellan, 30, Wiper, from Clearwater, Florida

Joseph W. Mazes, 59, Special Maintenance Man, from Ashland, Wisconsin

John H. McCarthy, 62, First Mate, from Bay Village, Ohio

Ernest M. McSorley, 63, Captain, from Toledo, Ohio

Eugene W. O’Brien, 50, Wheelsman, from Toledo, Ohio

Karl A. Peckol, 20, Watchman, from Ashtabula, Ohio

John J. Poviach, 59, Wheelsman, from Bradenton, Florida

James A. Pratt, 44, Second Mate, from Lakewood, Ohio

Robert C. Rafferty, 62, Steward, from Toledo, Ohio

Paul M. Riippa, 22, Deck Hand, from Ashtabula, Ohio

John D. Simmons, 63, Wheelsman, from Ashland, Wisconsin

William J. Spengler, 59, Watchman, from Toledo, Ohio

Mark A. Thomas, 21, Deck Hand, from Richmond Heights, Ohio

Ralph G. Walton, 58, Oiler, from Fremont, Ohio

David E. Weiss, 22, Cadet, from Agoura, California

Blaine H. Wilhelm, 52, Oiler, from Moquah, Wisconsin

[byneddiedingo]

Humphrey Bogart, Madeleine Lebeau, and Leonid Kinskey in Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1943) 

Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, S.Z. Sakall, Madeleine Lebeau, Dooley Wilson, Marcel Dalio, Joy Page, John Qualen, Leonid Kinskey, Curt Bois. Screenplay: Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch, based on a play by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. Cinematography: Arthur Edeson. Art direction: Carl Jules Weyl. Film editing: Owen Marks. Music: Max Steiner. 

Even though she was never a major star, the death of Madeleine Lebeau in 2016, at the age of 92, was widely reported because she was the last surviving member of the cast of Casablanca. Lebeau played Yvonne, the Frenchwoman with whom Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) has been having an affair. When he breaks off their relationship coldly, she comes to his cafe on the arm of a German officer to spite him, but when the crowd starts singing the "Marseillaise" to drown out the Germans' singing of "Die Wacht am Rhein," Yvonne, tears streaming down her face, joins in. It's one of the many character vignettes that make Casablanca so entertaining. The film is filled with people who have nothing at all to do with the main plot: the choice Rick has to make whether to renew his old affair with Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) or let her leave Casablanca with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). But if the movie simply focused on that love triangle, would it be the classic that it appears today to be? What makes Casablanca such an enduring film, I think, is the texture of its screenplay, which won Oscars for Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch. And that texture is provided by the character players to whom somehow the writers managed to give abundant time. The result is such memorable bits as the one in which the waiter, Carl (S.Z. Sakall), sits down at a table with an elderly couple, the Leuchtags (Ilka Grüning and Ludwig Stössel), who have just received the visas they need to immigrate to the United States. Carl speaks German to them at first, but the Leuchtags insist that they should speak English so they will fit in when they reach America. Then Herr Leuchtag turns to his wife and asks what time it is:

Liebchen -- sweetness -- what watch? Ten watch. Such much?

Carl assures them, "You will get along beautiful in America." Has there ever been a movie more quotable? It is, of course, a great movie, largely because everyone took the time to weave such moments into its fabric. I don't claim perfection for it: The subservience of Sam to Rick, whom he calls "Mr. Rick" or "Boss," smacks of the racial attitudes of the era, and I wince when Ilsa refers to Sam as "the boy." (Dooley Wilson was in his 50s when the film was made.) James Agee, who was not as impressed with Casablanca as many of his contemporaries were, derided some of the expository dialogue, such as Ilsa's plea, "Oh, Victor, please don't go to the underground meeting tonight." But it continues to cast a spell that few other films have ever equaled.