#lucile gleason

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Nurse from Brooklyn (The Nurse from Brooklyn) (1938) S. Sylvan Simon

May 28th 2023

[papermoonloveslucy]

RIP JOYCE RANDOLPH

1924-2024

Joyce Randolph was born Joyce Sirola in Detroit Michigan. She is best remembered for playing Trixie Norton on "The Honeymooners" (1955-56). She revived the character various times over her career. Before entering television, she toured with the stage production of Stage Door, the 1937 film of which featured Lucille Ball.

Although she never acted with Lucille Ball, all of her castmates on "The Honeymooners" did: Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, and Audrey Meadows. Her character of Trixie is often compared to Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy." She was one of the last surviving actors of the Golden Age of Television. In 1987, Randolph joined Ball at a dinner honoring the late Jackie Gleason.

Randolph married Richard Charles, a marketing executive, on October 2, 1955, the day after "The Honeymooners" premiered. Charles died in 1997 at age 74. Their son, Randolph Charles (born 1960), is a marketing executive.

[erstwhile-punk-guerito]

[iliketoseeeverythinginneon]

[therecordchanger62279]

BOB NEWHART (1929-2024)

There were four comic television actors who were head and shoulders above the rest: Dick Van Dyke, Jackie Gleason, Lucille Ball, and Bob Newhart. I saw all of his series work, countless appearances on late night television, celebrity roasts, and guest appearances on television shows including memorable turns as Professor Proton on The Big Bang Theory, and a patient losing his eyesight on consecutive episodes of ER. (Yes, he could do drama, too.) He even hosted Saturday Night Live a couple of times just to show them all how you do comedy. There was simply nobody quite like him, and I can't imagine there ever will be again. Rest in Peace. (Or as his neighbor Howard Borden would say, "Bye, Bob.")

[byneddiedingo]

Billie Dove and Marion Davies in Blondie of the Follies (Edmund Goulding, 1932)

Cast: Marion Davies, Robert Montgomery, Billie Dove, Jimmy Durante, James Gleason, Zasu Pitts, Sidney Toler, Douglass Dumbrille, Sarah Padden, Louise Carter, Clyde Cook. Screenplay: Frances Marion, Anita Loos. Cinematography: George Barnes. Art direction: Cedric Gibbons. Film editing: George Hively. Music: William Axt. 

Marion Davies is always a delight to watch, but Blondie of the Follies is a mess. A sort of backstage, rags-to-riches, romantic comedy with music, it was tailor-made for Davies, who had once been a Ziegfeld Follies chorus girl. In fact, it was where she caught the eye of William Randolph Hearst, But why Hearst would have okayed a story so reflective of his liaison with Davies is something of a mystery, especially since he meddled in the production to make sure it wasn't too close to real life. Not that he was a reluctant meddler: He set up his own production company with MGM for her and made sure that she was photographed and clothed in the most flattering ways possible. Davies is such an adroit comedian, the forerunner of such glamorous funny women as Carole Lombard and Lucille Ball, that she didn't need Hearst's help, especially his desire to see her in serious dramatic roles. There's some drama in Blondie of the Follies, but it's much less entertaining than Davies's clowning, as when she mimics Greta Garbo in a sendup of Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) with Jimmy Durante as John Barrymore. The story isn't much: Blondie McClune (Davies) and Lottie Callahan (Billie Dove) are on-and-off friends and neighbors in a tenement before Lottie runs off to become a Follies girl. Visiting Lottie (now known as Lurline Cavanaugh), Blondie meets Larry Belmont (Robert Montgomery), who has set Lottie/Lurline up in a swank apartment. Blondie decides that the life of a chorus girl isn't so bad after all, and sure enough she follows in Lottie's footsteps, becoming a star and getting set up in her own swell digs by an oilman (Douglass Dumbrille). Moreover, Larry decides that Blondie is more his type than the pretentious Lurline, who is outraged when she finds out. Even though this is a pre-Code movie, there needs to be some indication that the filmmakers don't fully endorse all of this gold-digging and living-in-sin, so Blondie's dad (James Gleason) shows up to disapprove. Finally, he gives in and decides to let Blondie live how she wants to, but not without touching her conscience a bit. Blondie's ambivalence about her lifestyle and her attraction to Larry will be tested, forming what amounts to the plot. There's an interpolated party scene to let Durante do his comic shtick, which hasn't aged well, and a couple of rather clunky production numbers, but they only add to the generally unfocused character of the movie.  

[vickiabelson]

OMG, where has George Schlatter been my whole life? I could've been a contenda!

George Schlatter relishes the accidents and has made a career and created a legacy spinning them into comedy gold. Sock it to me! Here comes the judge! Look that up in your Funk and Wagnells! It’s not everyone who creates language that becomes part of the lexicon. 25x Emmy Nominee, 3x Emmy Winner, Golden Globe WInner, Producers Guild Winner, and Directore’s Guild Man of the Year, George Schlatter is all that and so much more. A television icon, I’m beyond thrilled to have had this opportunity to chat and get to know him with y’all. 

Creator and producer of Laugh-In, for that alone he should be canonized, George changed the face of television. He also created and produced Real People, produced the first 5 years of the Grammy Awards plus series and specials starring Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Eddie Murphy, Cher, Elton John, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Doris Day, Jonathan Winters, Richard Pryor, Shirley MacLaine, Bill Cosby, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason, Diana Ross, Lena Horne, Dinah Shore, Nat King Cole, Placido Domingo and scores of others. George Schlatter created and for 15 years produced the American Comedy Awards.

Most recently, George produced a comedy collection for Sirius Radio and Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate for Netflix.

Besides his work in television, George has been honored for his showmanship and involvement in many charitable causes. To further his support of comedy and the people who perform it, George has become an active supporter and Board Member of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. He's donated much of his material to them and they've named their theater, The George and Jolene Brand Schlatter Theater, in his honor.

George’s book, Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy, which dropped in July, is a feast for show biz and comedy lovers. I devoured it. And he shares so many gems from it with us here, from the creation of Laugh-In, finding Goldie, Lily, Artie, Judy, Henry, Ruth, Dan, and Dick, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Robin Williams, Lucy, Steve Lawrence, Judy Garland, Cher, Diana Ross, more, more,  more!

We had a near-miss encounter 37 years ago when he was producing Comedy Club and I was visiting my Laughter Company Improv cohort, Bob Nelson. I didn't let him get away from me this time! Where has George Schlatter been my whole life? No matter, he's here now. And that's no accident!

George Schlatter Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, March 6, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET 

Streamed Live on my Facebook

Replay here: 

[esoutherngolf]

Poconos Golf Trip

Poconos Golf Trip About 90 miles north of Philadelphia and about the same distance west of Metropolitan New York City, you’ll find the ideal recreational area for year-round fun. Snuggled away in Northeastern Pennsylvania is the Poconos, a four-county collection of resorts and places to stay and play. Be it winter sports like snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fun slopes to ski; autumn hunting and fishing while you enjoy the colorful transition of fall leaves; summer boating, kayaking, canoeing, and swimming the cool blue and pristine waterways throughout Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties; and golf at the 30 odd golf courses and resort clubs almost year-round. Earlier this summer, I took a group of golf writers on a cross-section trip of some of the best Poconos offers. We started at Terry LaGree’s artful design Jack Frost National Golf Club opened in 2007 in Blakeslee and has all the features you would want in a mountain course and none of the shortfalls. Here, you can embrace the Pocono Mountains with all its magnificent vistas and elevation changes. Unlike most mountain courses, Jack Frost National, at 7200 yards from the tips, provides wide fairways, easily identified target areas, few uneven lies, and no blind shots. Before our round, Director of Instruction Ryan Kearn gave us an overview of the course while we enjoyed a light lunch in the new outdoor bar and pavilion. No homes, just flora and fauna. The Jack Frost and Boulder Ski Resorts are nearby. To learn more or book a tee time, please visit www.JackFrostNational.com. We took a backroad ride through small villages and towns to our next destination, Woodloch Resort in Hawley, where we stayed in two lovely five-bedroom homes perfect for a buddies’ golf trip. Each bedroom had its own bathroom, and each house had a great room, dining room and huge kitchen to accommodate all our goodies and drinks. For someone who grew up near the Poconos in Allentown, Woodloch Resort was a complete surprise. thelodgeatwoodloch.com The sprawling resort has three separate facilities, covers 1200 acres and has something for everyone. The Lodge is a ‘Sanctuary for the Senses‘ adults-only spa where guests go to decompress and renew. The Pines is the family resort area where most of the activities are found, and the Springs is the 500-acre home development complete with a Rocky Roquemore championship country club golf course under the direction of Director of Golf John Pillar. The Resort has been owned by the Kiesendahl family for 65 years who insist on treating guests like family. Their attention to detail shows why the Resort is voted the No. 1 Family Resort for the third year in a row by USA Today. After a challenging round at Woodloch with deer following us around the course, we drove east to the “Granddaddy” of the Poconos, The Shawnee Inn. The historic Inn has been the home of an A. W. Tillinghast designed a golf course that plays along the Delaware River and continues onto an island with the river flowing on both sides after crossing a cart bridge. A visit to Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is special with the Shawnee Island Course being the crown jewel of the property, where 24 of 27 holes are located on an island in the middle of the Delaware River. The parkland-style course is not the norm in the Poconos, but a nice change from the hills and valleys of the typical Pocono offerings. The historic Shawnee Inn has been entertaining and playing host to the who’s who of celebrities since the beginning of the 20th century. Jackie Gleason learned the game here; Arnold Palmer met Winnie here; Sam Snead spent time as the pro. The likes of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball, Perry Como, and many more came to the Shawnee Inn for recreation, fun and cool summer nights. shawneeinn.com The Shawnee continues to change with the times. The property has a craft brewery with outdoor seating and games for the whole family. Tom Doak completed a six-hole par 3 course to complement the championship course where Hale Irwin won his NCAA championship. Recently, the Shawnee owners bought Great Bear Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus masterpiece, in nearby East Stroudsburg to give the Inn a new stay-and-play package. Warm hospitality and cool temperatures are a sure bet, no matter where you decide to go. So, if you are sweltering in the city, take your game and family to the Poconos. You will love it! poconomountains.com/things-to-do/golf Read the full article

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Girls About Town (1931) George Cukor

April 7th 2024

[70s80sandbeyond]

Jackie Gleason and Lucille Ball, 1975

[papermoonloveslucy]

HATS! ~ Part 4

Miscellaneous Millinery

Outside of her four television series, Lucille Ball had a career as a model and a movie star - in both worlds hats were an integral part of the overall look.  She also did numerous TV specials where her head was adorned. 

Lucille Ball’s modeling career started at Hattie Carnegie, a salon where she worked as a hat model.

A few of Ball’s iconic hats are displayed at the Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, New York. 

In a 1950 print ad for Carling’s Red Cap Ale, Lucy wore two hats: a red satin jockey’s cap (the sponsor’s symbol), and a mortar board. 

“Lucille Ball, too, has graduated to Carling’s - the light-hearted ale!”

In 1938, Lucy modeled ladies' hats based on characters from Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Needless to say, she looked “charming”. 

Lucy’s got it in the bag!  

In 1937 Lucille Ball was seen modeling a Coronation Hat. The coronation of King George VI would take place at Westminster Abbey, London, on May 12, 1937. Ball did not attend, but as a young model, was widely seen in this Associated Press photo. As an interesting sidenote, more people watched the birth of Little Ricky on “I Love Lucy” than the televised Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, where Elizabeth receive the ultimate in hats - the jeweled St. Edward’s Crown.

On March 26, 1961, Lucille Ball appeared on the cover of Family Weekly, a Sunday supplement to newspapers to model Easter hats.  

The inside article by Margaret Bell was titled “Lucy Loves Easter Hats” and featured Lucy and her daughter, Lucie Arnaz, trying on various bonnets.

On Lucy Day at the 1964 World’s Fair, Lucy was accompanied by the world’s most famous hat-wearing gossip columnist, Hedda Hopper. Not to be undone, Lucy wore a blue straw hat to tour the grounds. 

In the International area, the People’s Republic of China adorned Lucy with a traditional pearl headdress.  At the Hawaiian Pavilion, another hat for Lucy - this one woven from palm leaves. 

LUCY ~ A HEAD FOR FASHION

LUCY ~ A HEAD FOR MOVIES

LUCY ~ TV’S HEAD OF DISTINCTION

[violentferns]

Lucille Ball and Jackie Gleason

[vbartilucci]

I can do about half without research.

Carol Channing, Jackie Gleason and Buddy Hackett to Jerry’s left and right.

Ethel Merman, Bing Crosby Lauren Bacall (I think), Dorothy Lamour, Bob Hope  and Barbra Streisand in the row above that.

Going from right to left in the next row up, Sammy Davis Jr, Lucille Ball, Phil Silvers, and Carol Burnett are all I can say I know, and Liza and Joel Grey in the middle of the top row.

I’m pretty sure that this is a collage of a bunch of individual Hirschfeld drawings - if I worked at it I could probably find most of the originals.

Here’s a reddit thread that probably has them all.

This is your annual reminder that I am old, and that I remember old things.

I don't know if there's anybody who could carry a telethon like this any more. But this is more due to the variety show format going out of style.

Wayne Brady, maybe.

[norashelley]

Lucile Gleason, Ben Alexander, Anita Louise, Frank McHugh, Jimmie Gleason, Ginger Rogers, Pat O'Brien, May Robson at Jimmie's birthday party.

[citizenscreen]

Jackie Gleason and Lucille Ball in the 1975 television special, "Tea for Two" hosted by Ball