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papermoonloveslucy · 4 years ago

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ZIEGFELD FOLLIES

April 8, 1946

Directors: Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth. Vincente Minnelli, George Sidney, Norman Taurog, Charles Walters. Robert Lewis Producer: Arthur Freed for Metro Goldwyn Mayer

The shooting schedule ran between April 10 and August 18, 1944, with retakes plus additional segments filmed on December 22, 1944 and then between January 25 and February 6, 1945. The film was first proposed in 1939.

Synopsis ~ We meet a grayed, immaculately garbed Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. in Paradise (his diary entry reads "Another heavenly day"), where he looks down upon the world and muses over the sort of show he'd be putting on were he still alive.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Lucille Ball ('Here's to the Ladies') is appearing in her 64th film since coming to Hollywood in 1933.

Fred Astaire ('Here's to the Ladies' / Raffles in 'This Heart of Mine' / Tai Long in 'Limehouse Blues’ / Gentleman in 'The Babbit and the Bromide') also appeared with Lucille Ball in Roberta (1935), Top Hat (1935), and Follow the Fleet (1936). His name was mentioned twice on “I Love Lucy.”

Lucille Bremer (Princess in 'This Heart of Mine' / Moy Ling in 'Limehouse Blues')

Fanny Brice (Norma Edelman in 'A Sweepstakes Ticket') appeared in the original stage version of many editions of The Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway.

Judy Garland (The Star in 'A Great Lady Has An Interview') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943).

Kathryn Grayson (Kathryn Grayson in 'Beauty') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943).

Lena Horne (Lena Horne in 'Love') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943).

Gene Kelly (Gentleman in 'The Babbit and the Bromide') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943), Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), and A Guide for the Married Man (1967). He made an appearance on the Lucille Ball special “Lucy Moves to NBC” (1980).

James Melton (Alfredo in 'La Traviata')

Victor Moore (Lawyer's Client in 'Pay the Two Dollars')

Red Skelton (J. Newton Numbskull in 'When Television Comes') also starred with Lucille Ball in Having Wonderful Time (1938), Thousands Cheer (1943), Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). On TV he appeared on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in “Lucy Goes To Alaska” (1958). Ball and Skelton appeared in numerous TV specials together.

Esther Williams (Esther Williams in 'A Water Ballet') also appeared with Lucille Ball in Easy To Wed (1946).

William Powell (Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.) also played the same character in The Great Ziegfeld (1936).

Edward Arnold (Lawyer in 'Pay the Two Dollars') appeared with Lucille Ball in Roman Scandals (1933) and Ellis in Freedomland (1952).

Marion Bell (Violetta in 'La Traviata')

Cyd Charisse (Ballerina in 'Beauty') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943).

Hume Cronyn (Monty in 'A Sweepstakes Ticket') was honored by The Kennedy Center in 1986, at the same ceremony as Lucille Ball.

William Frawley (Martin in 'A Sweepstakes Ticket') played the role of Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”. He also appeared on “The Lucy Show,” his final screen appearance.

Robert Lewis (Chinese Gentleman in 'Limehouse Blues' / Telephone Voice in 'Number Please')

Virginia O'Brien (Virginia O'Brien in 'Here's to the Ladies') also starred with Lucille Ball in Thousands Cheer (1943), Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), and Meet The People (1944).

Keenan Wynn (Caller in 'Number Please') appeared with Lucille Ball in Easy To Wed (1946), Without Love (1945), and The Long, Long Trailer (1954).

SUPPORTING CAST

Ziegfeld Girls

Karin Booth

Lucille Casey

Aina Constant

Elizabeth Dailey

Frances Donelan

Natalie Draper

Karen X. Gaylord

Aileen Haley

Carol Haney

Shirlee Howard

Margaret Laurence

Helen O'Hara

Noreen Roth

Elaine Shepard

Kay Thompson

Dorothy Tuttle

Dorothy Van Nuys

Eve Whitney - appeared on “I Love Lucy” episode “The Charm School” (ILL S3;E15).

Dancers

Gloria Joy Arden

Jean Ashton

Irene Austin

Judi Blacque

Bonnie Barlowe

Norman Borine

Hazel Brooks

Ed Brown

Kathleen Cartmill

Jack Cavan

Marilyn Christine

Laura Corbay

Rita Dunn

Meredyth Durrell

Shawn Ferguson

Jeanne Francis

Jean French

Mary Jane French

David Gray

Bill Hawley

Doreen Hayward

Charlotte Hunter

Virginia Hunter

Patricia Jackson

Margaret Kays

Laura Knight

Laura Lane

Dale Lefler

Melvin Martin

Diane Meredith

Lorraine Miller

Joyce Murray

Janet Nevis

Ray Nyles

Billy O'Shay

Jane Ray

Dorothy Raye

Beth Renner

Melba Snowden

Walter Stane

Ivon Starr

Robert Trout

Chorus Boys

Rod Alexander

Milton Chisholm

Dick D'Arcy

Dante DiPaolo

Don Hulbert

Herb Lurie

Matt Mattox

Bert May - appeared on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy and Tennessee Ernie Ford”

Jack Purcell

Tommy Rall

Ricky Ricardi (!)

Alex Romero

“LIMEHOUSE BLUES” starring Fred Astaire, Lucille Bremer, and Robert Lewis

Robert Ames (Masked Man)

James Barron (Couple with Banners)

Eleanor Bayley (Couple with Branches)

Mary Jo Ellis (Couple with Banners)

Sean Francis (Ensemble)

James King (Rooster)

Harriet Lee (Bar Singer)

Eugene Loring (Costermonger)

Charles Lunard (Masked Man)

Patricia Lynn (Ensemble)

Ruth Merman (Ensemble)

Garry Owen (1st Subway Policeman)

Ellen Ray (Couple with Parasols)

Jack Regas (Masked Man)

Billy Shead (Couple with Parasols)

Ronald Stanton (Couple with Branches)

Wanda Stevenson (Ensemble)

Ray Teal (2nd Subway Policeman)

“LOVE” starring Lena Horne

Juliette Ball (Club Patron)

Lennie Bluett (Dancer)

Suzette Harbin (Flirt)

Avanelle Harris (Club Patron)

Maggie Hathaway (Dancer)

Charles Hawkins (Club Patron)

Marie Bryant (Woman Getting Her Man Taken)

Cleo Herndon (Dancer)

“THIS HEART OF MINE” starring Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer

Helen Boyce (Countess)

Feodor Chaliapin Jr. (Lieutenant)

Naomi Childers (Duchess)

Charles Coleman (Majordomo)

Sam Flint (Majordomo's Assistant)

Sidney Gordon (Masked Man)

Count Stefenelli (Count)

Robert Wayne (Dyseptic)

“PAY THE TWO DOLLARS” starring Edward Arnold and Victor Moore

William Bailey (Subway Passenger)

Joseph Crehan (1st Judge) - played a Detective on “I Love Lucy” “The Great Train Robbery”

William B. Davidson (2nd Judge)

Eddie Dunn (3rd Subway Policeman)

Harry Hayden (Warden)

George Hill (2nd Subway Policeman)

Wilbur Mack (Subway Passenger)

Larry Steers (Magistrate)

“NUMBER PLEASE” starring Keenan Wynn

Peter Lawford (Voice of Porky)

Grady Sutton (Texan)

Audrey Totter (Phone Operator Voice)

Kay Williams (Girl)

OTHERS

Bunin's Puppets

Elise Cavanna (Tall Woman)

Jack Deery (Man)

Rex Evans (Butler in "A Great Lady Has An Interview”)

Sam Garrett (Roping / Twirling Act)

Silver (Horse in "Here's to the Ladies')

Arthur Walsh (Telegraph Boy in "A Sweepstakes Ticket") - appeared on “I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined” (ILL S3;E11).

‘FOLLIES’ TRIVIA

Sidney Guilaroff, Lucille Ball’s hair dresser, who takes responsibility for her famous ‘golden red’ for this movie, becoming her trademark color.

Although they appear in different segments, this is the only feature film collaboration between “I Love Lucy co-stars" Lucille Ball and William Frawley. Coincidently, Frawley's character in this film shares a striking similarity with his iconic character of Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy.” In this film he plays a money-hungry curmudgeon of a landlord, much like the show. In the above photo, he appears with director Minnelli and co-star Brice.

The horse ridden by Lucille Ball is the Lone Ranger's Silver!

Lucille Ball was actually fired by Ziegfeld from his road company production of Rio Rita in the 1930s.

In February 1956, Lucy and Desi appeared on “MGM Parade” to promote their MGM film Forever Darling. The show also included footage of Lena Horne singing from Ziegfeld Follies.

Lucy also played a showgirl in pink in “Lucy Gets Into Pictures” (ILL S4;E19) aired on February 21, 1955. The scene was inspired by Ziegfeld’s legendary stage shows featuring beautiful women wearing elaborate costumes navigating long staircases. To solidify the comparison, Ricky says he is going to a meeting with Mr. Minnelli. Vincente Minnelli was one of the directors of Ziegfeld Follies.

Lucy Ricardo had previously cavorted around in a lampshade in the manner of a Ziegfeld girl in both the unaired pilot and “The Audition” (S1;E6).

Ziegfeld Follies includes a sketch for Red Skelton called “When Television Comes” aka “Guzzler’s Gin” in which a (future) television spokesman gets increasingly sloshed on his product. This sketch was an obvious influence on Lucy’s Vitameatavegamin routine in “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” (ILL S1;E30) aired on May 5, 1952.

Ziegfeld Girl Eve Whitney appeared on “I Love Lucy” episode “The Charm School” (ILL S3;E15). She used her own name for the character.

The Telegraph Boy in "A Sweepstakes Ticket" Arthur Walsh - appeared on “I Love Lucy” in “Lucy Has Her Eyes Examined” (ILL S3;E11) as Arthur ‘King Cat’ Walsh. He teaches Lucy how to jitterbug.

The first Judge in the “Pay the Two Dollars” James Crehan also played the Police Detective on “I Love Lucy in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5) first aired on October 31, 1955.

Porky, a voice on the telephone in “Number Please” Peter Lawford, played “Password” against Lucille Ball on September 24, 1964. At the time, Lawford was married to President Kennedy’s sister, Patricia. On November 26, 1968, Ball was a guest on “The Tonight Show” when Peter Lawford was sitting in for Johnny Carson.

Chorus Boy Bert May appeared as a solo dancer on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy and Tennessee Ernie Ford” (TLS S5;E21) in February 1967.

In the dressing room, Lucy jokes with Fanny Brice, one of the funniest women in showbusiness. This was the only time Ball and Brice collaborated and was Brice’s last film.

Ziegfeld’s follies began on Broadway, so it was appropriate that the show featured past and future Broadway musical stars:

Lucille Ball ~ Wildcat (1960)

Carol Haney ~ The Pajama Game (1954)

Tommy Rall ~ Call Me Madame (1950)

Fanny Brice ~ The Ziegfeld Follies

Marion Bell ~ Brigadoon (1947)

Victor Moore ~ Anything Goes (1934)

There was a lot of material that was not filmed, but written and cast. Some of the original skits would have added “Lucy” performers Mickey Rooney, Ann Sothern, and Van Johnson to the cast.

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tfw-no-tennis · 4 years ago

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beast warhrerhbjgdsf

ok so at the end of the beast wars opening when they go ‘BEAST WARS’ the end sounds all garbled so its like ‘BEAST WARGHISHUDFBJKSFNS’ its really funny

so we’ve watched more beast wars!! woohoo

we've watched thru ep 21 now wrow

I continue to really like this show despite the cgi continuing to be painful

I like the characters and plots a lot...it feels pretty episodic rn but there's a throughline of character development and dynamic establishment that keeps things fresh

plus, new characters!! blackarachnia returned offscreen right after she left I guess, so she's here now...I like how she like immediately has her own agenda and isn't loyal to megatron (or tarantulas, who had a hand in her creation)

and tigatron!! what a cool dude I love him. he’s so chill, and I like that he’s into nature and stuff, that's awesome. he is super epic and I feel like he’s saved the maximals sooo many times lmao. for some reason I feel like he’s eventually gonna be like ‘no I'm gonna go be one with nature sorry guys bye’ and leave the cast - specifically if we move the setting to space/cybtertron later in the show I feel like he’d stay on earth. that's just my hunch tho idk

and airazor!!! she is super cool, I like her design a lot. cool bord lady...the maximals definitely needed someone who could fly other than optimus (which, why can he fly, he’s a GORILLA). and airazor is dope, I hope she sticks around

also the pods are a great way to introduce new characters and create conflict - all the eps w/the pods have had great tension, and I like that the good guys don't always win (like when the predacons got a pod to make blackarachnia, and later inferno)

ah yes inferno, that was a fun one - I liked how he was more ant-like and that translated into him trying to protect the pod, calling it ‘the colony.’ he’s so massive for some reason which is kinda funny. also ruth and I both hate that he flies around with his spinning ant ass. cursed

also ruth implored me to include the fact that we’ve been calling scorponok a beta cuck bc he’s just such a loser hbvjakhdsfnaks

on that note its sooo funny to me that literally all of the predacons aren't really loyal to megatron, w/the exception of scorponok, who isn't very useful anyways. like, we start the show off with dinobot defecting like IMMEDIATELY and all the other predacons are trying to take over or undermine megatrons authority constantly. he doesn't seem to care that much tho which is funny. I feel like they spread out the megatron-starscream dynamic from g1 throughout like all the predacons lmao

also megatron is so funnyyyyyy I love him lmao. he’s so dramatic, he’s like a theater kid but more advanced - like a classically Shakespearian play actor.

and I find it funny that megatron like, barely ever leaves the base?? he just kinda chills out there and sends his underlings to do stuff, which they’re almost never successful at accomplishing. I feel like megatron has participated in like 3 fights this whole time and almost never actively participates in the plot, unless the plot is taking place at the predacon base. I wonder if he’s busy plotting or something...

also ruth and I both noticed that the characterizations kinda changed around a little from the beginning, like rattrap being less mutinous, optimus being more understanding, etc; which tbh seems to be a bigger Thing in 90s/2000s cartoons (that is, the whole ‘not having the main cast’s characterizations nailed down at the beginning of the show’ thing)

ok what else has happened...I find it super funny that there's been TWO episodes where megatron tries to reprogram a maximal in some way to give the predacons an advantage, and both times it backfired spectacularly. like, didn't he learn from the first time!?

the starscreams ghost ep was WILD omg. also I saw that that ep was up next and I was like ‘oh we should watch the g1 s3 ep where starscream is a ghost bc there might be important context we’ll need’ and ruth was like ok fine and then we watched it AND IT WAS SO BAD. MY GOD

like, we watched a fair amount of g1 before starting beast wars, and I’ve watched a couple s3 eps (which, I know s3 isn't as well regarded as the pre-movie stuff, but I guess I must have watched some of the better eps bc they weren't like THIS), so i knew this ep probably wouldn't be very good...but we were NOT prepared for the level of badness we were presented with vbahdjkfhbahsjkdf

I mean maybe we were missing in-show context, but also we just had no idea what was going on the entire time basically. the entire episode was so wack. the only takeaway I had is that octane and sandstorm are dating

anyways enough about g1. the beast wars starscreams ghost ep was actually good, I missed g1 starscream, that iconic bitch...none of the predacons are quite on his level in terms of sheer legendary bastard energies

I liked that blackarachnia was like starscreams protégé, complete with her betraying him at the end lmao

also idk if this is something we’re supposed to know from the beginning, but ruth didn't realize that beast wars megatron and op aren't g1 megatron and op and she was like :0 when that was kinda revealed this ep - idk if that's a spoiler or not but I already knew that going in lol

oh and the part where op said ‘LETS MAKE THIS A DOUBLE DATE’ and busted dinobot out of the cr chamber? Gay™

oh my god and that ep where the maximals were stuck in beast form and like, reverted to their animal instincts was...sure something vbhajdkfsnbskjf that was a lot

it was like a much more goofy version of the stuff in animorphs about the characters being influenced by their animal morph’s instincts (which was almost always presented in an absolutely horrifying manner)

but yeah we have 6 eps left in the season (!!!) which we’re looking to finish soon, I’ll probably make another post for those eps and s1 in general woohoo

#lj and ruth watch beast wars

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thethirdwheel404 · 4 years ago

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Med Series Rewatch (#12)

S3 E12: Born This Way.

Episode description: Dr. Manning and Dr. Choi are faced with a tough decision.

Literally when are they not.

Okay, last episode ended with the first Ava/Connor kiss, so this episode should be a rollercoaster of emotions.

let’s get into it.

- okay, already we’re starting in connor’s apartment, so cue ava walking in bc they slept together?

- i think its hilarious that her casual clothing is.. a flannel. like lmao idk

- it is so unbelievably funny and stupid to have a one night stand with someone you work closely with. i mean come on

- never forget that dr. ava bekker has a fish tank

- this is exhausting. the tentative back and forth is so fucking exhausting

- another bit of evidence. ava is never not confident, and especially not to this extent, and she never follows connor’s lead. so, the fact that she is standing back and waiting for him to make the decision? stupid.

- it screams that she is having a moment of anxiety, which is why she isn’t up to make the decisions in the exchange.

-to be clear: what i’m claiming here is that the only reason ava actually got with connor was bc she was having a moment of anxiety because he was the only person she had built a relationship with after living in this city for six months.

- when connor says that he has plans you can see her fold in on herself. this stems from a place of anxiety

- remember when they did surgery on the panda? that’s when the show peaked

- ava in her lab coat will never not get me. especially with the gloves, running towards a patient (very hot)

- connor still looks kinda looks like a mess but ava is immaculate here like what dude out of your league

- ava asking the family questions (ik this is standard doctor stuff but showing worry, interest, all that jazz)

- okay, see here! here! ava calls connor out, saying that his procedure is too invasive. before, ava’s procedures where invasive, which everyone used as evidence to her being super cold, but now, we see that she purely does what she deems best for the patient at hand

- also, once again, the concern ava feels. you can hear it in her voice. we forget this part of her way too often

- the smile on ava’s face when she gives the family good news. god wept

- and then more concern when connor tells her they need to put him on ecmo

- the reason that ava is frustrated that connor didn’t go with her decision for their patient care is because she truly believes that if they don’t go with her treatment, he will die. don’t make it anything different. don’t argue she’s frustrated because he’s not listening to her. don’t make it anything about their relationship. she puts their patients care first and foremost

- there’s a stark shift in her demeanor when in the room with the parents vs. her alone with connor. in the room, you can see she’s stewing. she’s sucking on her teeth, she’s holding her emotions. she has control, she’s a professional. out of the room, she has full reign to be as mad with connor as she wants, which she does.

-AVA RAN INTO THE ROOM AGAIN WITH THE LAB COAT AND GLOVES AND IDK IT JUST HAS ME FEELING SOME KINDA WAY

- the way ava acknowledges everyone in the room (the nurse just informed them that the drug was running, ava nodded. just a little thing but yk)

- ava shaking her head at this sad, sad man (connor, who is floundering for a solution and misplacing his anger)

- their entire relationship is misplaced anger

- the fact that the last shot of the scene has connor in the foreground looking over the bed and ava watching from the door but ava is the one in focus - some cool cinematography points

- IS THIS THE EPISODE WHERE MAGGIE GOES TO JAIL

- med really went all over the place

- JUST THE AMOUNT OF CONCERN ON AVA’S FACE. im gonna say it again. look me in the eyes and tell this women is a psychopath. the med writers are fucking insane

- and when the parents ask ava if she disagreed with connor’s treatment decision, she has every opportunity (and right, frankly) to throw him under the bus and undermine him. but still, she says “it’s a complicated situation.” like. she never ever makes it personal, or loses her head. especially not to a patient. and she doesn’t have to defend connor. he’s made a lot of mistakes, and taken it out on her a bunch of times. yet she’s still nice to him, when he’s not even in the room

- it’s insane

- this is also the legendary scene where she comforts the family. there’s not a lot that i haven’t already said. this is the scene that most exemplifies ava’s humanity, the way she seems to feel, at least residually, what these parents are going through (since she obviously hasn’t gone through anything like this herself [unless.]). the way she kneels down, and gets on the family’s personal level.

- I... okay listen. I absolutely HATE the parallel they pull her between the line “I believe whenever you do something out of love, it can never really be wrong” and connor. especially because they show him when she says that line. and yeah, there’s obviously a connection that can be drawn between the meaning of that line and her sociopathic behavior in s4 and s5.

- it honestly feels like when writing s4, the writers hit so much of a wall they just googled the most ‘iconic’ ava moments and thought ‘how can i use these in the worst way possible?’ That’s honestly probably what they did (ava’s first interaction with connor - ‘you better watch yourself,’ this moment). There is no nuance to her character in s4. it is astoundingly terrible.

- lets move on

- THE WAY CONNOR LOOKS AT AVA HER MAKES ME FUCKING SCARED. HE HAS NO EMOTION ON HIS FACE. I know that we’ve been screen capping ava throughout this series but can someone find pictures of connor looking at ava bc, i need yall to remember how weird he looks

- like, no shade to connor, but just the emotion is undecipherable, but it is in no way a good one

- ava getting concerned (and looking slightly embarrassed) when she sees connor watching her by the door. obviously yeah she’s gonna feel weird you just caught her in a very uncharacteristic moment, outwardly expressing comfort. fucking back off

- i am so fucking protective of her and i demand he no longer look at her. it’s banned

- sam abrams looking at sarah’s dad’s head ct and asking if he’s a criminal. oh boy

- from a writer’s perspective, the storyline with sarah’s dad is actually pretty good

- ava ran into the room with gloves and lab coat again, if anybody wanted to know

- for the record, want it to be noted, ava was the one who realized that it was an issue with the machine again, so you could say she fixed connor’s mistake, again. so.

- connor making a big deal about handing the reins over to ava (if he really was selfless he wouldn’t have made a whole big thing, he still has an enormous hero complex)

- handing off control was very hard for him. boo hoo get some fucking humility I think they sell it at walgreens

- sarah fucking walking across the ed like she’s going to war. dramatic

- med really said pedophiles deserve rights with this ep huh

- anyway

- the way ava smiles

- the way she smiles when she turns him down. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT? SHE TURNED HIM DOWN. in the aspect of the story i cannot remember why she turned him down, but hey, i’m happy

- and it only further proves my story that the hook up came from a place of anxiety, and this is her realizing how silly that decision was. and her smiling was her laughing at herself for making such a stupid decision

- ALSO. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS DECISION, THE DECISION TO TURN HIM DOWN, HAPPENED IN THE SAME EPISODE WHERE SHE SAID ‘IF YOU DO SOMETHING FOR LOVE, IT’S NEVER REALLY WRONG’

- like she literally says ‘last night was a mistake.’

- honestly, it’s fucking hilarious. connor deserves nothing

- and the confusion on his face when she walks away. hilarious

- if you wanted to take this the reesker route you could argue that the idea of ‘a decision of love’ was ava coming to terms with her slight little crush, though i don’t know how clean it would be if you argue that she panicked and told herself those were feelings meant for connor. idk, i’ll have to think about it further

- watching sarah let herself be betrayed by both herself and the people around in the story surrounding her dad will never not be hard to watch

This was a very good episode, character wise, for all the reasons stated above. It just hammers home the point of how strong a character Ava was. Key word, of course, being ‘was’. My conclusion over the last two episodes is that this specific sexual encounter with Connor was born out of a moment of anxiety from Ava. I suggest that over that last few weeks or days she has been experiencing some amount of anxiety out of having been living in Chicago for six months and only having one interpersonal relationship. So, that idea kind of built where she told herself the reason she only had one relationship was because she was in love with him. Then. after going through the story with this kid and comforting his parents, she realizes that she never actually loved Connor and maybe has a thing for someone else. I’m glad that I keep coming up with more ideas for this character, I was afraid the initial theory was somewhat of a one-off, but this only proves the idea of the complexity to Ava’s character.

I’m sure it’ll get worse from here, though.

as always, thanks for sticking through

read the rest here:

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Extra

#chicago med #med rewatch series #ava bekker #mine #born this way

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blue-likethebird · 6 years ago

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Vee El Dee: The Good The Bad and The Ugly

If you’ve ever been on this hellsite, you’ve probably heard of Voltron: Legendary Defender. You’ll find the characters and the ships (and the discourse. Dear God the discourse) in tag after tag and on blog after blog. Now that the show has officially come to an end, I’m reviewing the whole damn thing. Talking about what I think worked, what didn’t, and what exactly the show did to make even the fans look at it so harshly now. (Just a warning “The Ugly” section discusses racism, and homophobia so if any of that triggers you I’d suggest you skip it)

Review under the cut

The Good

The Character Potential:

Voltron’s characters had so much potential at the beginning. Their motivations, potential subplots, and clues to their arcs the first crew left us were actually interesting. How did Coran know Allura before they were frozen? What happened that caused Shiro to lose his arm? Is Lance going to reunite with his family? The show didn’t answer all of these questions mind you, but at the time they were introduced, those questions felt like they were worth sticking around to hear the answers.

The First Season:

The first season is the only season that genuinely sticks out for me, way back in ye olden days when Voltron was a character driven show as opposed to plot focused. In season one, the plot took a backseat and the characters were what held up the show, and it’s probably not a coincidence that most of the character development and more emotional/memorable scenes occurred in season one, when there was time for the characters to develop. Likewise, the character focus allowed for everyone to get their day in the limelight -not just the characters who were valuable to the plot at the moment-.

The Balmera and The Return to The Balmera:

I am never gonna be shy about my opinion that the Balmera arc is one of the strongest arcs that Voltron has had. Allura using the story of her people to inspire others and using Altea’s ancient connection to the Balmera to save an entire damn civilization! The goddamn adorable chemistry between Hunk and Shay! Believable suspense! Unlocking Lion Powers! The Balmera arc had it all and I was fed. Plus, Balmera gave us the introduction of the most blessed couple in Voltron history, hunay.

The Bad:

The Timeskips:

In theory, there’s nothing wrong with a timeskip. But you’ve gotta be able to show that the characters and show’s universe changed in some way during that timeskip and you can’t use them just to avoid actual story and character development. Take season six (? Or was it five? I don’t remember and I don’t wanna) when Keith and Krolia take a two year camping trip on a space whale while Voltron is off doing God knows what. Presumably during that time they developed some sort of mother-son relationship but we don’t get to see that development happening, or how that new relationship changed them, or really any proof that the timeskip happened at all besides Keith getting Galra marks and a teleporting space wolf. That particular time jump felt more like a cop-out to avoid writing Keith bonding with his mom.

Pacing:

To put it plainly, the pace is way too fast for anything to stick. The writing cycles from one season's worth of plot twists and WTF? moments to the next at the speed of light, leaving no time to address how the previous events affected the characters involved or not the show’s universe as a whole. So Lotor was actually evil all along and was using Allura to achieve his goals? Well there’s no time to mention how Allura feels about that, we’ve got three more surprise twists and a magic robot to shove into the plot! On the flip side however, the pacing is slower than a geriatric snail during fight scenes. The giant robot fights are usually the most exciting part of anything, but in Voltron, the fights are so formulaic that they just kinda… blur together into a boring fog. Lemme know if you can name this Voltron fight scene: the team’s fighting some random baddie, there’s a lot of yelling, someone gets a power up just big enough to defeat the current baddies when a bigger, eviler baddie appears who’s more powerful than the power up they just got, new baddie whoops Voltron’s ass, the support team watches in horror, someone else gets a power up that’s powerful enough to defeat the new bad guy, Voltron reins triumphant. What fight scene was that?

The Filler Episodes:

The fast pacing also means that they need to set aside breather episodes just to allow characters to interact besides in battle. That’s all well and good and there’s nothing wrong with filler episodes, if done right they can be some of the most memorable episodes a show can have (The Tales of Ba Sing Se anyone?) that is, if done right. But Voltron filler episodes don’t have that going for them. Filler episodes in vee el dee are an oasis of mud in the desert that is canon, they’re a generally unhelpful standstill point amidst a constantly changing series. I’ll admit that they can be funny at times but for the most part filler episodes are bizarre, unnecessary, and more often than not, poorly timed. If we just heard about a millenniums old empire folding in on itself and we’re just about to see a major character attempt suicide do we really need to see Coran go batshit while planning a space Disney On Ice?

The Ugly:

Racism:

#justiceforallura

I must confess that I am whiter than a polar bear in a snowstorm, but even I know that killing off a black girl (or black coded as the case may be), constantly torturing the Japanese guy, reducing the Samoan guy to food and fat jokes, and having the latino guy flirt with everyone before turning him into a farmer isn’t the best way to handle writing characters of colour. Denying said characters of colour arcs and screen time in favour of giving your white characters the same story in a different hat over and over again is also not the best treatment you can offer your poc characters. That’s not even mentioning other horrible treatment and stereotypes you’ll see the Voltron characters of colour experience. Let us also recall #notallgalra, the “what if the genocide victim was actually the bad guy” au mess in s3, all those “lol lance is stupid” jokes, the black character Kinkade speaking mainly in grunts, Allura dying to redeem the two genocidal dudes responsible for most of her trauma, and Hunk’s (half black half Samoan) family being enslaved at a fucking concentration camp like goddamn what the hell were you thinking Voltron that’s like hetalia levels of fucked up when we remember what kind of genuinely awful shit this show’s done to it’s minority characters.

Homophobia:

If you’re reading my review in the Voltron tag, and you watched the whole series, then there’s no way in hell that you haven’t heard about Adam dying and the backlash against Voltron for it. If you are somehow the .000001% of people who don’t know, Adam (a gay moc) was Shiro’s (another gay moc) fiancé who got a grand total of forty five seconds of screen time before dying when the Galra invaded earth. Meanwhile, L*tor and Allura’s relationship got almost triple that despite being abusive as fuck. But Shiro got married at the end of season 8! In a credits scene, to a guy in the background of a couple of scenes Shiro was also in. When lgbt fans expressed outrage at their rep being hyped up despite having no bearing on the plot or even Shiro as a character outside of one scene, instead of owning up to their mistakes, the crew of Vee El Dee said (or implied) that it was the fault of lgbt fans for hyping ourselves up. Yeah okay. Except after that we got confirmation that Ezor and Zethrid were a couple! Yay! Clearly a win for us El Gee Bee Tees right? Well… not really considering that both of them were depicted as psychotic torturers who also died a couple minutes later. Gotta love those crazy dead lesbians amirite?

Klance:

But why is klance in the “ugly” section!? You cry, I thought you were a klanti! I am an anti and I did ship klance but that’s not what I wanna talk about right now. When I put klance under ugly I wanted to discuss two things, the crew and the shippers. First let’s talk the crew; several folks on the Voltron staff have at the very least, not reacted negatively to the omnipresent ship that is Keith and Lance. I’m sure you’ll also remember that Lance’s VA Jeremy Shada was considered a KICK icon before that went south. The crew was also purposefully misleading when they talked about possible romances for Keith and Lance, the language they used was ambiguous enough that shippers interpreted it as proof that klance would become canon. When it inevitably didn’t and shit hit the fan, the staff backpedaled again. Stating that klance was never meant to be interpreted as romantic and we were all fools for thinking otherwise. That’s happened in the past so it’s a reasonable defence, except for the fact that scenes with Keith and Lance tended to contain unnecessary parallels to canonically romantic relationships, (the bonding moment paralleling an allurance scene in season six and their talk at the start of season eight paralleling two scenes, hunay in season one and l*tura in season five). So it’s not unreasonable to be a little suspicious there. Klance was huge on the internet, it’s impossible for the crew to have been completely unaware of what they were doing.

Next I wanna talk shippers. I’m not saying that being disappointed that a ship didn’t become canon is a bad thing. But when you act like that’s the worst thing Voltron did amidst the sea of ableism, racism and homophobia it gets a little tiring. The fact that so many klancers rushed to demonize Allura after season seven and eight and add on that I saw more people complaining about klance not becoming canon king than Allura dying a completely unnecessary death to redeem L*tor of all people was the final straw. I washed my hands of klance and Voltron as a whole.

———————————————

So that’s my review of V*ltron. I was gonna do a separate review of season eight but I didn’t even finish s8 and to be honest it probably wouldn’t have been any more than the words “Fuck Vee El Dee, Allura Deserved Better” in big pink letters. And I know I probably made someone angry with this review but if you actually managed to stick around my ramblings all the way to the end then I salute you regardless of whether or not you agree with me.

#voltron legendary defender #voltron #v*ltron #v slur #klance #anti klance #(kinda?)#allura deserved better #justiceforallura

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more4gemini · 6 years ago

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Top 5 rpdr episodes? Top 5 untucked episodes?

Top 5 Drag Race episodes:

1. Here Comes the Bride. This episode was literally perfect. It had a sewing challenge, a photo shoot, amazing drama, an awesome runway and a fantastic lip sync. Although we did lose Morgan :(

2. Starrbootylicious. This was one of my most favorite challenges they’ve ever done on the show. I wish the queens were still let out onto the street, because it always gives us some amazingly funny moments. And the pole dancing was everything! AND it gave us Raven’s iconic “Never Gonna Get It” lip sync performance.

3. The Queen Who Mopped X-Mas. The episode I fell in love with Raja. The challenge was so creative and interesting to watch, and of course Raja just ate the whole thing! Anytime I get to see Raja make something is a win for me. Plus it had that iconically messy lip sync.

4. Keeping it 100. We got to see all of the alumni queens return and having all the winners together was amazing. They brought back the ep1 photoshoots and seeing the girls remake garments from previous design challenges was super fun! Also we got to see Laila slay applause!

5. Ruvenge of the Queens. Perhaps one of the most iconic episodes of the series. Back when the twists thrown into the show were still gag-worthy and unexpected. They’ve been trying to make another one of these for years with no success. You can’t surpass the original.

Top 5 Untucked Episodes:

1. Here Comes the Bride. Again, this untucked was just as iconic as the episode itself. Amazing drama. You could cut the tension in that room with a knife. Tati vs Tyra was ridiculous. “I don’t think what you’re seeing is that Tyra is a complete bitch” hair flip.

2. The Hair Ball s3. The girls trying to figure out if Raja’s dress was in fact hair or if she used “tulle fabric” is hilarious and such good reality tv. The girls were not having it that episode. Shangela is the Nancy Drew of drag and was determined to get to the bottom of it.

3. as1 episode 1. Mimi vs. Everyone. The most legendary untucked of the entire series. Not only was the whole exchange at the end with Mimi iconic, but the rest of the untucked episode was really fun too. We got a cameo from Willam and got to watch the queens play FMK with each other. The best part of as1.

4. s5 everyone vs. Serena. This was the first time I really noticed the over the top editing and bitch I was living for every second of it. Coco was so damn funny this whole episode, so many quotable lines. “Sit your ass down and shut the hell up bitch!” 😂

5. s9 episode 1. Iconic for a different reason. The fact that Lady Gaga actually came backstage, not just to sit and kiki with the queens, but she actually took the time to write individualized notes for each queen in a big ass binder. The level of dedication and professionalism…I became an even bigger fan that day.

#so much great tv #ask #top 5 #rpdr #i miss the old untucked

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gothamiteneko · 7 years ago

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*sighs* … Ok, i´m not very “talkative” beyond just letting my feels run wild and freely in the tags of every post i reblog here cuz I love the fandom and it´s people but i´m an introvert who prefers keep lowkey almost all the time but loves fangirling anyway BUT i feel i need take this out of my system, after watching the last episode of Gotham (S4, Ep13… just in case lol) and of course, after scrolling my dash that almost was filled entirely with gifsets, theories, text post and everything, about said episode…

WARNING, SPOILERS BELOW…

First of all: WHAT AN EPISODE MY DEAR GOSH, it was really exciting and all (details below) but the main thing I personally care the most is that after being starved cuz the absolute absence of the very necessary Oswald Cobblepot dose the last episode, i´m so glad we had this episode almost dedicated exclusively to him and his arc in Arkham (and his interaction with Jerome), that´s the only thing I personally was asking for this episode in general, so thanks a lot Gotham.

And now…

+ Ivy being her new Poison Ivy persona… is really cool to see her finally being all menacing the way only she knows how to, who would think plants could be that scary in the correct (incorrect?) hands… and just for the record, I like Poison Ivy now but i`ll forever gonna miss Maggie´s Ivy

+ Selina is just being Selina and that´s perfect, just go girl.

+Lucius was really funny. Sorry but he was and I like him like this as much as I like him being the most centered and sane character in the whole city, so done with everyone´s nonsense but feeling sorry for them and kindly telling them they need help instead of just yell and punch their faces away from his sight.

+ Jim Gordon… ah Jim… in fact I feel sorry for him, is really hard to be the Captain of the GCPD (well, is hard to live in Gotham anyway) and I know he´s being a douche since some episodes by now (I won`t count how many, the point is for his stubborn and capricious attitude) and just cuz his very misguided “boyscout morality” as Ozzy well said to him… but again, he lives in Gotham and that means madness, and I find interesting how he still can deal with that, resisting to go down and to be completely consumed by the corruption and crazyness the city apparently tries to drag everyone… is not an excuse for what he is doing to everyone who ever cared for him (AKA Lee…. And Harvey Bullock, the only true best friend he still has -Harvey is a saint and deserves better btw-) and of course, to Ozzy (i´m still upset with Jim cuz of that on this season… and a bit cuz the whole Galavan plot that put Os into Arkham the first time) …. but I understand why he is being like this… that´s why he appreciates Batsy very much in the future, he kinda gives him a bit of weight release over his shoulders… but that´s another story lol.

+ Speaking of Bat…Bruce I mean, I liked that self-discovery trip he did (forcefully, but ok) cuz it shows how he didn´t just woke up one morning and happily decided he was going to become a Bat-suited vigilante. Again, he lives in Gotham, so he struggled first with the darkness (that includes being a douche with Alfred… another saint and warrior who deserves better) and pain that he was facing since the death of his parents. He´s being lost for a long time so now is the perfect moment to change that, to embrace his fears and conquer them. And as Jim told him, he must trust the people who care about him………. and of course, I just can´t with the easter eggs of Jim with the legendary mustache and Oswald with that SO ICONIC comic´s Penguin outfit, I just can´t with that #Nerdgasm (also the fact of Os gloves being greeeeen)

And NOW… the main target that made me write this (this will be long but I just need release it or i´ll implode):

+About Oswald´s arc in Arkham…

- Omgggg…. I´m like, a person who gets really excited every time I see my favs in a show/book/movie/whatever, going into something, good or bad, and i´m perfectly ok and not ashamed with being full of feels when is related to fandom stuff, but now… dude, I went really emotional, I mean, I cried for real while watching my poor birb suffering like that, so vulnerable and lost and actually crying cuz he can´t handle it anymore (when his voice burst into tears on that table in front of the inmates… man, I think my heart broke in pieces once and once again with every tear he made me share with that simple thing… I needed stop the video so many times through those moments, just cuz I was -?- drowning in feels)… or when he was being bullied by Jerome, omg, Ozzy was so terrified after that… I feel I could cry just remembering that… damn it, I just wanted hug him and taking him away from everyone to protect him forever, omg.

- I´m not blaming nor justifying Jerome, but he´s a psychopath and he is in fact such an awesome character, so he was doing what he knows and likes more: having fun by his own twisted way… the problem in this case is with who he was doing that… and even with that, I think Oswald can thank him (maybe just a bit) for bringing his murder instincts back to the game, cuz he´ll surely need them later.

- The best of this episode so far (for me)… Ed visiting Oswald (and everything what follows after that)… obviously there seems Ed was just being annoying and gloating, as he said himself, cuz he now hates or at least has not a bit of respect for The Penguin after all he did to Ed, but even Ozzy knows the new dummy boy Ed wasn´t there just cuz of that (i´m amused and make me smile the fact that Os knows Ed better than Ed himself, the birb is clever and i´m proud of him). Apparently –just my opinion- The Riddler/dark! Ed took control from the narrows to the gates of Arkham, then let Ed think he was there for a “harmless” reason but The Riddler had already made his move (Ed –nor Oswald- didn´t even noticed that he made and took out an origami Penguin while he was talking… just like happened when Ozzy didn´t notice that on that first episode of S3 –the parallels there, omg, I can´t-). And i´m so so happy that Ozzy could smile -maybe for the first time since he was in that hell-, like his entire life was being enlightened by a warm caress of hope.

- Of course, I must say it was really awesome how providential this visit became to the dear Ozzy, cuz after that note written into the origami penguin (still can´t with that) Oswald regained a purpose to live and fight to survive in Arkham until he finally can escape/be rescued by his boyfriend Ed or rather, the Riddler-Ed…or … uhm… well, Ozzy´s Ed. Oswald was even much more in calm –but still being careful- around Jerome, after Ed´s visit.

Finally… i´m so excited to know that how that headcanon of The Riddler/dark! Ed actually being in love with Oswald is becoming kinda canon now (maybe not, but I can dream)…

BECAUSE, maybe The Riddler just need Oswald to help him escape from “the new” passive Ed´s control, cuz The Penguin is the only one who knows the key to do that, since he knows Ed very well and was his former mentor/ally/friend (Oswald is the only one –fact- that is totally ok with how Ed truly is, he just let him be without judging but helping him to improve… and that is mutual btw… so again, Oswald is right, there is not Ed Nygma -the one Os helped to grow- without The Penguin and The Riddler is so aware of that)…

…BUT, as much as The Riddler is the dark side of Ed and is selfish and extra and cunning and etc, I believe he loves Oswald too, in a very twisted way perhaps, cuz Ozzy is JUST LIKE THE RIDDLER and the Riddler loves himself that much and loves being mirrored in someone on his same level, someone who he finds worth of that title.

My…this episode was full of feels and great scenes… I can´t wait for the rest of the season

#i feel better now lol #sorry i just needed release this here or i´d implode #neko thoughts #nygmobblepot #nygmob text #nygmob feels #murder boyfriends #murder husbands #this ship gives me so much feels #this ship is full of drama #i can't wait to watch the next episode #gotham #s4 #s4ep13 #nygmob is canon #sfw

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abhordelano · 7 years ago

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AS3 Hot Takes Episode 1

Spoilers down below, not gonna talk about everything just going to serve some hot takes (also its super long, so, you're welcome)

Morgan had me sold the minute she walked in and said “I look good for a dead bitch!” I think it takes fucking balls to come in and reference something so specific, especially when you know that it was so recent at the time of filming! For those that dont know, Morgan & Tyra Sanchez had some drama after S9 which ended with Tyra pronouncing Morgan as dead & holding a joke funeral for Morgan at one of her shows.

Anyway I’m totally #TeamMorgan now because the bitch gives no fucks and her coming into the competition ready to be cut-throat and play the game is something I respect. Yes I know she totally just got eliminated on the first episode but I feel like she’s gonna pull a Tatiana and re-enter the competition. The binch can PERFORM!

I saw the spoilers months ago so I was already expecting to see Bebe come back for this season. I think that if Ru wants to have a previous winner compete again with non-winners then thats totally fine, its his show. Also lots of other reality shows do this shiz so honestly i dont think its that big of a deal.

Having said that, I have mixed reviews about Bebe’s first impressions on the show. On one hand, I find her to be the most regal and poised of all the queens this season (probably the most regal queen of ANY season), and I really appreciate that she is proud of her Cameroon heritage & presents it so flawlessly in her drag. On the other hand, I’m worried that her energy is too muted for all of these big personalities and that I’m not entirely sure what she is capable of, so I really dont know what to expect from her. However, I’m certain that miss Zahara-Benet will surprise me and the world with her talent!

Was anyone else really annoyed by Milk this episode? He comes in saying “Zaddy’s Home!” (tbh any man who calls himself zaddy is automatically annoying to me) and then acts like he’s breaking boundaries with all of his high fashion photoshoots, which were mostly of him as a dude. This is Drag Race, not Conventionally-Attractive-White-Boy-Out-of-Drag Race. While I actually did think his reads in the Reading Challenge were pretty good, I thought his ‘talent’ portion was really....pretentious and try-hard? I know what he was going for with the Moschino S/S 2017 referencing in the routine, but honestly the track felt like a knock-off of Anna Dello Russo’s Fashion Shower (which is iconic, look it up!)

I feel like I’m gonna be so sick of Trixie halfway through this season. Although, I think that he could actually get the bitch edit, and I’m honestly so here for that. But like, I think its a smart move for the producers to give Trixie this edit because they can totally make Trixie come off as a total bitch and get away with it because 1) people have been clamoring for more drama on Drag Race since season 7, and 2) Trixie’s huge & rabid fanbase will totally defend him till the cows come home so there probably won't be as much backlash as there was last season when Alaska’s popularity whiplashed at the last minute.

I’m seeing so many people hate on Shangela for being here but, like, I’m so fucking excited to see her again! One of Shangela’s biggest flaws on season 3 was that she wasn't polished, but now I see that she has stepped her game up immensely, she has become a real tour de force in the competition. Her dancing skills, acting skills, and now her stepped-up fashion will definitely make her a queen to not be fucked with (actually, I would definitely place her in the top 4).

Lets talk about the lip sync: First of all, I will always be bitter when anyone plays the clean version of Anaconda (i know that drag race is apparently “A ‘FAMILY’ Picture” now but like.....its Anaconda, the clean version may as well be the Kidz Bop version). Regardless, I’m glad that Ru went with comedy over stunts in the final decision. Dont get me wrong, Aja was absolutely amazing this whole episode including the lip sync but...Anaconda is just meant to be a joke at this point. Also I appreciate that DeLa really knows her strengths as a comedy/campy queen and can distinguish herself amongst a season full of super talented lip synch assassins.

Prediction: I think the runway next week is gonna involve replications of looks that they were read to filth on in past seasons. Based on the previews, Aja looks like a better version of Princess Disasta/Princess You-Look-Like-Linda-Evangelista, Shangela’s look is either a better Christmas look or a better Space look (she got read a LOT on s3 for her looks lmao). Milk’s is the only one I'm not sure of but Im assuming he’s just trying to do glamor because Michelle told him he wasn’t glamor on S6. I’m thinking that Kennedy will do a better Death Becomes Her look, though I honestly dont think she can top perfection--her crystalized fried chicken look is legendary!

So far, my top 4 prediction is: Shangela, Trixie, Bebe, and DeLa

#rpdr #drag race #rupauls drag race #all stars 3 #as3 #all stars 3 spoilers #drag race spoilers #rpdr all stars 3 #drag race predictions #drag race opinions

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papermoonloveslucy · 4 years ago

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BETTY GRABLE

December 18, 1916

Elizabeth Ruth Grable was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of three children. Nicknamed ‘Betty’ as a child, she was pressured by her mother to become a performer. She was entered in multiple beauty contests, many of which she won or for which she achieved considerable attention.

A 12-year-old Grable and her mother traveled to Hollywood in 1929, hoping to achieve stardom. To get her daughter jobs, Lillian Grable lied about her daughter's age, claiming she was 15. That same year, she made her uncredited film debut as a chorus girl in the all-star revue Happy Days (1929).

In 1930, at age 13, Grable (under the pseudonym Frances Dean) became one of the original Goldwyn Girls, along with Ann Sothern, Lucille Ball and Paulette Goddard. Grable appeared with Lucille Ball in the short A Night at the Biltmore Bowl (1935), Old Man Rhythm (1935), and Follow the Fleet (1936).

In late 1939, Betty Grable dated Desi Arnaz when the two were concurrently appearing on Broadway; him in Too Many Girls and her in Du Barry Was a Lady. Coincidentally, Lucille Ball did the 1943 film of Du Barry, taking the lead from Ethel Merman. Grable’s role was re-written and she was not part of the film.

Throughout her career, Grable was a celebrated sex symbol. Her bathing suit poster made her the number-one pin-up girl of World War II. Grable's legs were insured by her studio for $1 million as a publicity stunt.

"I became a star for two reasons, and I'm standing on them." ~ Betty Grable

On an October 1948 episode of Lucille Ball’s radio series “My Favorite Husband” Liz Cugat (Lucy) wonders aloud: “What’s Betty Grable got that I haven’t got?”

Although she began doing television in 1953 on variety and talk programs, her first scripted program was an episode of “Star Stage” titled “Cleopatra Collins”. Grable played an ex-Miss America. She quickly followed-up by playing Lily Garland in “Twentieth Century” for “Ford Star Jubilee”, an adaptation of the 1932 play about movie stars on a train.

On a November 15, 1954 episode of “I Love Lucy,” Betty Grable’s name is mentioned by Lucy Ricardo as one of the many Hollywood stars she is looking forward to meeting should Ricky get the role of Don Juan.

Once in Hollywood, Lucy gets to see Betty Grable’s Beverly Hills home in “The Tour” (ILL S4;E30) in May 1955. The driver (Benny Rubin) describes the home as a ‘ranch style’.

A few months later, just before returning home from Hollywood, Lucy and Ethel visit the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and see Betty Grable’s leg imprint in a slab of cement.

ETHEL: “What are you doing?” LUCY: “Comparing my leg to Betty Grable’s.” ETHEL: “Oh, it looks identical.” LUCY: “Oh, to you and me maybe, but I doubt it would fool Harry James.”

On February 15, 1943, Grable did indeed leave her leg print and signature in wet cement for the forecourt.

Her final scripted role on TV was playing herself in “Lucy Wins A Racehorse”, an installment of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” on “Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse”. It was filmed in December 1957 and aired on February 3, 1958.

The episode’s theme grew from the James’ and Arnaz’s shared love of horses and horse-racing.

In it, Grable appears with her second husband, bandleader Harry James, who she married in 1943 and with whom she had two children. The couple divorced in 1965. She had first married actor Jackie Coogan, but their relationship lasted only a three years (1937-1940).

Grable and James do a full out musical performance in the Ricardo living room titled “The Bayamo” in which Grable shows off her legendary legs and James plays his iconic trumpet.

“She was everything to him. It was always Lucy, Lucy, Lucy. She was his life.” ~ Betty Grable, about Desi Arnaz

In the 1969 Dinah Shore TV special “Like Hep!” Betty Grable’s name is dropped in the title song sung by Dinah, Lucy, and Diana Ross. That’s hep!

Grable’s name was also mentioned in the February 1971 “Here’s Lucy” episode “Lucy and Carol Burnett aka The Hollywood Unemployment Follies” (TLS S3;E22). During the episode they ogle a wardrobe rack conspicuously labeled COSTUMES WORN BY BETTY GRABLE AND ALICE FAYE. Faye and Grable did two films together, Tin Pan Alley (1940) and Four Jills in a Jeep (1944).

In a November 1971 episode of “Here’s Lucy” Dan Dailey dictates a letter to Betty James and Lucy Carter correctly guesses that he is writing to Betty Grable, who did four films with Dailey.

Betty Grable died at age 56 of lung cancer on July 2, 1973 in Santa Monica, California.

#Betty Grable #Lucille Ball #The Lucy Desi Comedy Hour #Lucy Wins a Racehorse #Harry James #Here's Lucy #I Love Lucy #My Favorite Husband #Follow the Fleet #Desi Arnaz #William Frawley

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papermoonloveslucy · 6 years ago

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SALUTE TO STAN LAUREL

November 23, 1965 on CBS

Directed by Seymour Berns

Produced by Henry Jaffe, Seymour Berns

Written by Hugh Wedlock Jr., Charles Isaacs, Alan Manings with Carl Reiner and Aaron Ruben

Cast (in order of appearance)

Dick Van Dyke (Host, Himself) was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925. Although he’d had small roles beforehand, Van Dyke was launched to stardom in the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie, for which he won a Tony Award. He reprised his role in the 1963 film. He has starred in a number of other films throughout the years including Mary Poppins (1964) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). From 1961 to 1966 he played TV writer Rob Petrie in “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” He also starred in “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” (1971-74), “Van Dyke & Company” (1976), on which Lucille Ball guest-starred. Van Dyke was often compared physically to Stan Laurel.

Lucille Ball (Woman in the Park) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon, which was not a success and was canceled after just 13 episodes.

Ball has no spoken dialogue in her sketch.

Buster Keaton (Painter in the Park) was born in 1895 to parents who were vaudevillians. His legendary film career began in 1917. He became a star known for his slapstick comedy, pork pie hat, slapshoes, and deadpan expression. In 1960 he was given an honorary Oscar. Lucille Ball worked with Keaton on the 1946 film Easy To Wed. He died in February 1966, just two months after this special aired.

Keaton has no spoken dialogue in his sketch.

Harvey Korman (Policeman in the Park) is best known as part of “The Carol Burnett Show” (1967-77). He made five appearance on “The Lucy Show” as various characters. In 1977 he had his own show on ABC which lasted just one season. At the time of this episode he was a regular on “The Danny Kaye Show” (1963-67) which aired Friday nights on CBS. He died in May 2008.

Korman has no spoken dialogue in his sketch.

Bob Newhart (Himself / Uncle Freddy) is a stand-up comic with a deadpan delivery who headed two eponymous television sitcoms: “The Bob Newhart Show” (1972-78) and “Newhart” (1982-90).

Audrey Meadows (Pearl) is best remembered as Alice Kramden on “The Honeymooners” (1955-56), a role that won her an Emmy in 1955, against Vivian Vance as Ethel Mertz on “I Love Lucy.” She also played Lucy's sister on an episode of “Life With Lucy” (1986). Meadows died in 1996 at age 73.

Meadows has no spoken dialogue in her sketch “The Perils of Pearl.”

Cesar Romero (Rod, Leading Man) was born in 1907 in New York City to Cuban parents. Despite earning more than 200 screen credits, Romero is perhaps best remembered for playing the Joker on TV’s “Batman” (1966-68) and in a Batman film in 1966. He played Ricky Ricardo’s buddy Carlos when “Lucy Takes a Cruise to Havana” (LDCH 1957), the very first hour-long episode of “I Love Lucy” set in Cuba in 1940, as well as Lucy Carmichael's date in “A Date for Lucy” (TLS S1;E19). He died on New Year’s Day 1994 at age 86.

Tina Louise (Wilma, Leading Lady) is best known as 'the movie star' Ginger Grant on “Gilligan's Island” (1964-67). This is only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Louise has no spoken dialogue in her sketch.

Leonid Kinskey (Silent Movie Director) was born in Russia in 1903. He played a variety of Russian and middle-European characters. One of the few to share film credits with Stan Laurel, they were both seen in Hollywood Party in 1936. He died in 1998 at age 95.

Louis Nye (Mood Music Musician) was a character actor skilled in accents and voices. He appeared with Lucille Ball in the films The Facts of Life (1960) and A Guide for the Married Man (1967). He died in 2005 at age 92.

Fred Gwynne (Herman Munster) was the star of two iconic television series: “Car 54 Where Are You” (1961-63) and “The Munsters” (1964-66), the role he reprises here. This is his only time working on the same show as Lucille Ball (although the two TV icons share no scenes together). He died in 1993 at age 66.

Gwynne has no dialogue in the sketch.

Danny Kaye (Himself) was born David Kaminsky in 1911 and left school at the age of 13 to work in the Borscht Belt of Jewish resorts in the Catskill Mountains. It was there he learned the basics of show biz. In 1939, he made his Broadway debut in Straw Hat Revue, but it was the stage production of the musical Lady in the Dark in 1940 that brought him acclaim and notice from agents. Also in 1940, he married Sylvia Fine, who went on to manage his career. She helped create the routines and gags, and wrote most of the songs that he performed. Danny could sing and dance like many others, but his specialty was reciting tongue-twisting songs and monologues. In 1964 he appeared on “The Lucy Show” as himself and Lucy appeared on his special in return. He died in 1987.

Phil Silvers (Himself) was born Philip Silversmith in 1911 (the same year as Lucille Ball). He started entertaining at age 11. He made his Broadway debut in 1939. In 1952 he won a Tony Award in the Broadway musical Top Banana in which he played a TV star modeled on Milton Berle. His feature film debut came in 1940. Silvers became a household name in 1955 when he starred as Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko. In 1963, Ball and Silvers performed the classic ‘Slowly I Turn’ sketch for “CBS Opening Night.” In December 1966 Silver guest-starred in “Lucy and the Efficiency Expert” (TLS S5;E13). A year later Ball and Silvers both had bit parts in the film A Guide for the Married Man (1967). He died at the age of 74.

Bern Hoffman (Pop / Street Bully / Cop) was a burly character actor seen with Lucille Ball on the first season of “The Lucy Show” and in the film The Facts of Life (1960). He was seen on Broadway in the original casts of the musicals Guys and Dolls (1950) as Joey Biltmore and Li'L Abner (1956) as Earthquake McGoon, a role he recreated in the 1959 film version.

None of Hoffman's characters speak.

Mary Foran (Mom / Tango Dancer) was a heavyset character actor usually cast for her size. She appeared as one of the women at the health club in “Lucy and the Countess Lose Weight” (TLS S3;E21) earlier in 1965.

Foran does not have any dialogue.

Gregory Peck (Himself) was one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s. Peck received five Academy Award nominations winning for his performance as Atticus Finch in the 1962 drama film To Kill a Mockingbird. Although Peck and Lucille Ball never appeared together professionally, his name was mentioned several times on “Lucy” sitcoms. He also never worked with Stan Laurel. Peck died in 2003 at age 87.

Archival Footage

Stan Laurel (Archive Footage) was born as Arthur Stanley Jefferson in England in 1890. Laurel began his career in music hall, where he developed a number of his standard comic devices: the bowler hat, the deep comic gravity, and the nonsensical understatement. He began his film career in 1917 and made his final appearance in 1951. From 1928 onward, he appeared exclusively with Oliver Hardy (1892-57). Known simply as Laurel and Hardy, the pair became one of the most recognizable comic duos in history. Stan Laurel passed away in February 1965, eight months prior to this tribute show. He was 74 years old.

Oliver Hardy (archive footage) was born Norvell Hardy in Georgia USA in 1892. He appeared with his comedy partner Stan Laurel in 107 short films, feature films, and cameo roles. He was credited with his first film, Outwitting Dad, in 1914. In some of his early works, he was billed as "Babe Hardy". He died in 1957 at age 65.

Dorothy Coburn (Nurse in “The Finishing Touch” Archive Footage) was ideally cast as a perennial foil for Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in films like The Second 100 Years (1927) where Stan inadvertently covers her bottom with white paint; Putting Pants on Philip (1927) in which she is being chased by an over-amorous, kilt-wearing Stan Laurel around town; and as a dentist's nurse in Leave 'Em Laughing (1928). She died in 1978 at age 72.

Edgar Kennedy (Cop in “The Finishing Touch” Archive Footage) was seen with Laurel and Hardy in more than a dozen films. He was also seen in three RKO films with Lucille Ball in the early 1930s. He died in 1948 and his final film was released posthumously.

Betty Grable (Pat Lambert in Footlight Serenade Archive Footage) was a starlet who did three films with Lucille Ball from 1933 to 1936. In 1958 she appeared with her husband bandleader Harry James as themselves on an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” Footlight Serenade (1942) was also supposed to feature Lucille Ball, but she refused to be loaned out to Fox to play a secondary role.

Stan Salute Trivia

The tribute was not well-received by critics, who opined that the program felt less like a celebration of Laurel's career than a promo for the new fall shows; the same critics were, however, in general agreement that Van Dyke's devotion was palpable and heartfelt. Consequently Laurel and Hardy biographers tend to regard it as well-intentioned, but ultimately inconsequential. Wrapping up the season in April 1966, TV Chronicle's Neil Compton would dismiss the special’

"Not much of a tribute to the late comedian (who appeared briefly in a number of film clips brutally hacked out of their original context), and did not enhance the reputations of participants such as Dick Van Dyke, Lucille Ball, or Phil Silvers."

Dick Van Dyke (who was also one of the producers) reportedly complained that his vision for the Salute had itself been hacked to pieces by network corporate types. Van Dyke had delivered the eulogy and Stan Laurel's funeral. An appearance by Fred Gwynne in full Herman Munster regalia clearly had more to do with CBS (home of “The Munsters”) than with Laurel. A lengthy biography of Phil Silvers in the show's second half also has little to do with Laurel. On the whole, the special is a tribute to both Laurel AND Hardy, who passed away eight years earlier.

The Salute aired opposite new episodes of “McHale's Navy” and “F-Troop” on ABC and “Dr. Kildare” on NBC. It was preceded on CBS by “Rawhide” (starring Clint Eastwood) and followed by “Petticoat Junction.”

The day before (Monday, November 22), “Lucy and the Undercover Agent” (TLS S4;E10) was aired for the first time. In the episode, Mrs. Carmichael goes undercover as Carol Channing to break into a government installation!

One year after this special aired, Lucy Carmichael and Mr. Mooney were put under hypnosis by Miss Pat, “the hip hypnotist” (a nightclub entertainer). Their hypnotic suggestion was to imitate Laurel and Hardy. Lucy, naturally, was Stan Laurel.

The underscoring of the Salute makes liberal use of “Dance of the Cuckoos” which was Laurel and Hardy's theme music. It was written by Marvin Hartley as the 'hour chime' for a radio station. It was first heard during a Laurel and Hardy film in 1930.

This was the last comedy performance of Buster Keaton, who had been diagnosed as terminally ill and would die a few months later. Lucy and Keaton were there own mutual admiration society, Lucy considering him her mentor and Keaton championing Ball's talents, even before her TV fame. In the above photo, Keaton and Ball watch the dailies from their sketch on the Salute.

Although Buster Keaton never guest-starred on a “Lucy” sitcom, he did visit the set of “I Love Lucy” to see his now successful protege.

The Salute begins with a production number called “Stanley” featuring singer / dancers dressed as Laurel and Hardy inter-cut with film footage of the pair and the opening credits.

After the first commercial Dick Van Dyke introduces the show. He says that he never got to meet Oliver Hardy, but did know Stan Laurel. Film excerpts from “Wrong Again” (1929), which was re-released by MGM as “Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20s”, a compilation of Laurel and Hardy shorts.

Lucille Ball and Buster Keaton perform a silent sketch set on a park bench. Harvey Korman plays a cop. The sketch is without words, but includes background music, exaggerated sound effects, and the ubiquitous laugh track.

After a brief clip from the Laurel and Hardy short “Putting Pants on Philip” (1927), Dick Van Dyke gives a lecture on comedy rooted in observing physical pain in others. He notes how comedy has changed, all the while having a series of funny accidents. This “comedy lecture” was specially written by Carl Reiner and Aaron Ruben.

Blooper Alert! When Van Dyke gets a waste paper basket stuck on his foot, he kicks it offstage. It apparently collides with someone off-camera, which makes Van Dyke laugh and apologize. Just before this happened, the boom microphone dips down into the frame.

The 'lecture' ends with Van Dyke tripping over a footstool on his way out, something he did in the opening credits of his show.

Bob Newhart talks about his research on Laurel and Hardy. He does his impression of a stereotypical kiddie show host named Uncle Freddy. Such TV kiddie shows were often the outlet for showing Laurel and Hardy shorts.

After a clip from “Call of the Cuckoo” (1927), an audience at an old time cinema sings about seeing ‘The Perils of Pearl’, the type of serial melodrama that typically played alongside a comedy feature by Laurel and Hardy.

Audrey Meadows plays Pearl, in a variety of her 'perils': As a women about to be bisected by a mill saw, a harem dancer pursued by an over-amorous Calif, a cowgirl burned at the stake by Indians, and a woman sitting atop a giant time bomb.

Movie-Goers: “Will they blow up little Pearl? Is her life at stake? To be continued [the look into the camera] ... after station break!”

After the commercial break, the movie-goers are still looking at the camera. They look back at the movie screen where Pearl is still atop the bomb.

Pearl laughs and her hat falls off. The matinee audience is suddenly onstage in a full out dance number!

Dick Van Dyke introduces a comedy sketch about the filming of a silent movie.

It stars Cesar Romero as The Leading Man, Tina Louise as The Leading Lady, Leonid Kinsky as The Director, and Louis Nye as The Mood Music Musician (aka violinist).

The comedy comes from Nye trying to stay out of the pantomimed action while providing the mood music to help the actors emote. After destroying several violins, Nye himself falls out the window.

Crashing through the door comes his replacement, Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne) playing the fiddle! This is the first time a 1865 TV audience has seen Gwynne in color, although his green complexion would be on display in a 1966 Munsters movie.

Danny Kaye is sitting beside Stan Laurel's honorary Oscar, which Kaye accepted for Laurel in 1961. A clip of “The Finishing Touch” (1928) shows Laurel installing a window.

Color (but silent) footage shows Laurel polishing his Oscar from his home in 1961.

Sitting among a stack of film reels, Dick Van Dyke introduces another clip from “The Finishing Touch” (1928) in which Laurel and Hardy are renovating a house.

Phil Silvers compares Laurel's youth as “a little man” to his own life story. A sketch shows a bespectacled Silvers in a baby bonnet and crib with his mother and father beside him. His teen years (in a page boy wig) feature his cracking voice singing “Shine On Harvest Moon.”

The mini-biography tracks Silvers' career from street performer to vaudeville.

In Burlesque, he plays Linksy's theatre (a pun on the real-life Minsky's Burlesque) wearing the same huge plaid cap that he wore onstage and screen in the musical Top Banana ten years earlier.

Actual footage from his big break in movies shows Silvers and Betty Grable in Footlight Serenade (1942). Silvers finally brings his story back to Stan Laurel, but not without a few quick clips of him in “Sergeant Bilko”!

Gregory Peck closes the program by thanking everyone and giving a last pitch for the new MGM film compilation of Laurel and Hardy's shorts.

The singers and dancers who opened the show return for a final chorus of “Stanley.” The number ends on a shot of a painting of Stan Laurel. This same painting inspired the creation of the show.

Dick Van Dyke returns for yet another pitch for the MGM film compilation “Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20s”. Van Dyke gets a face full of cake at the very end, inter-cut with Oliver Hardy slipping on a banana peel while carrying a huge cake excerpted from 1928's “From Soup To Nuts.”

This Date in Lucy History – November 23

"Redecorating the Mertzes' Apartment" (ILL S3;E8) – November 23, 1953

"Lucy's Contact Lenses" (TLS S3;E10) – November 23, 1964

“Lucy and Jack Benny's Biography” (HL S3;E11) – November 23, 1970

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