===========================================
HAPPY TV MARRIAGES: Same Song, Different Verses
"Father Knows Best" (CBS, 1954). The titular father, Jim Anderson,
never raises his voice and seldom loses his patience. He comes home
from a hard day at work, exchanges his suit coat for a comfy sweater,
and becomes his family's unflappable fount of wisdom. Jim's wife
Margaret has learned how to deal with Jim in such a masterful fashion
that he never recognizes that she almost always gets the upper hand
when the couple disagree. The Andersons' children, nicknamed "Bud" and
"Kitten," cause a few mild fracases, but generally stay on the
periphery of the family's dynamics. The Andersons typify the kind of
fantasy family that was commonplace in Televisionville in the 1950s,
yet scarce or nonexistent in the real world.
"The Dick Van Dyke Show" (CBS, 1961). Although the show is set in the
1960s, Rob and Laura Petrie are, in many ways, the prototypical TV
couple of the '50s: He works (as a TV comedy writer), while she stays
at home and raises their son, Ritchie. When they have disagreements,
Laura generally acquiesces to Rob, while quietly manipulating the
situation to achieve her own goals. This was one of the last sitcoms
in which the wife was (outwardly, at least) meekly submissive to her
husband. In a memorable scene, Rob says to Laura "Don't forget, I wear
the pants in the family." It is noted that Laura is wearing her usual
capri pants; Rob then back-pedals by saying "Well, I wear the
important pants; the family leadership, the decision-making ones."
Laura's reply: "Yes, dear."
"Good Times" (CBS, 1974). This was a groundbreaking show which
depicted a struggling African-American family living in project
housing. Unlike the buffoonish men in most sitcoms, James Evans is a
strong, insightful husband and father. His wife Florida is also a
pillar of strength, which becomes essential when James dies in an
automobile accident during the show's third season. The interactions
between James and Florida are sensitively scripted, and the problems
faced by the family oscillate between comedy and drama, with many of
the comic moments contributed by the Evanses' teen son JJ, who
popularized the catchword "Dyn-O-Mite!"
"Family Ties" (NBC, 1982). Steven and Elyse Keaton are politically
liberal parents trying to raise three politically conservative
children, Alex, Mallory and Jennifer. The marriage of Steven and Elyse
is not the central source of this show's plot developments, but it is
an anchor which helps to give the show dignity. Steven and Elyse
typically resolve disputes without name-calling or shouting, and their
clashes seldom result in hurt feelings. When actress Meredith
Baxter-Birney became pregnant in real life, the show incorporated the
pregnancy, and the Keatons' son Andy was born in January 1985.
"The Cosby Show" (NBC, 1984). Like "Good Times," "The Cosby Show"
brought an African-American family's life into focus. But unlike the
economically disadvantaged James and Florida Evans of "Good Times,"
this married couple is a pair of highly-paid professionals: Dr. Cliff
Huxtable is a physician, and his wife Clair is an attorney. They have
five children: Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa, and Rudy. Marital
discord is dealt with in a mature and sensitive manner in this show.
Although the Huxtables often disagree with one another (generally on
matters regarding child-rearing), the disagreements are resolved with
a minimum of emotional tirades and very little shouting.
"Mad about You" (NBC, 1992). Paul and Jamie Buchman, of "Mad about
You," are young urban professionals. Paul is a documentary filmmaker;
Jamie works in public relations. The show manages to remain comedic
even when dealing with some of the more traumatic issues of marriage,
such as the frequency of sexual relations, disagreements over mutual
friends, and problems with mentally unbalanced in-laws. Throughout the
plot twists, Paul and Jamie manage to weather the storms of marital
discord, and at the end of the show's fifth season they become parents
for the first time.
===========================================
A SIX-PACK OF TROUBLED TV MARRIAGES: The Evolution of an Archetype
Tolstoy began his novel "Anna Karenina" with this observation: "Happy
families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own
way." In television history, this tends not to be true. Many of
television's dysfunctional marriages are essentially retreads of one
seminal show, "The Honeymooners." And thereby hangs a tale. Several
tales, in fact...
"The Honeymooners" (CBS, 1955). Ralph and Alice Kramden are the
prototypical dysfunctional married couple of televisionland. Ralph is
a large, overbearing, yet oddly lovable working-class husband whose
wife Alice is frequently the focus of his frustrations. Mock threats
of violence, such as "One of these days, Alice -- pow, right in the
kisser!" and "You want a trip to the moon, Alice?", are often directed
at the longsuffering Alice, who is generally unruffled by the
implications of this abusive verbiage, and who persists in loving the
loudmouthed lunkhead anyway. The Kramdens' volatile marriage is
contrasted with the easygoing relationship of their neighbors Ed and
Trixie Norton, who quarrel only occasionally, with fewer shouting
matches and no references to the use of brass knuckles.
"The Flintstones" (ABC, 1960). "The Flintstones" was television's
first successful prime-time animated series. In this virtual remake of
"The Honeymooners," Fred Flintstone is a large, overbearing, yet oddly
lovable working-class husband whose wife Wilma is frequently the focus
of his frustrations. Other than a few thousand years of time, the main
difference between the Kramdens and the Flintstones is that the
Kramdens are childless, while the Flintstones have a daughter,
Pebbles.
"Married, with Children" (Fox, 1986). Al Bundy is a large,
overbearing, yet oddly lovable working-class husband whose wife Peg is
frequently the focus of his frustrations. Is this beginning to seem
familiar? The Bundys have two surly, self-centered adolescent children
who sometimes serve as plot thickeners, but the main turning point of
the show is the constant bickering between Al and Peg, which often
takes a snide side-trip into sexual innuendo that would never have
survived the censors' wrath in earlier times.
"Roseanne" (ABC, 1988). It's déjà vu all over again, with a gender
twist. Roseanne Conner is a large, overbearing, yet oddly lovable
working-class wife whose loving and patient husband Dan is frequently
the focus of her frustrations. The Conners have three children, Becky,
Darlene, and DJ. Petty arguments and shouting matches are the norm in
this household, and there is often an underlying tone of sarcasm and
bitterness even in Roseanne and Dan's tender moments together.
"The Simpsons" (Fox, 1990). The archetypical Kramdens are reincarnated
yet again as Homer and Marge Simpson. Homer Simpson is a large,
overbearing, yet oddly lovable working-class husband whose wife Marge
is frequently the focus of his frustrations. Like Roseanne and Dan
Conner, Homer and Marge are the parents of three children, two girls
and a boy (Maggie, Lisa, and Bart).
"Dinosaurs" (ABC, 1991). Earl and Fran Sinclair are a pair of
dinosaurs, but other than their species (and the marvelous animatronic
figures designed by the Jim Henson Studios,) there is little to
differentiate them from Ralph and Alice Kramden. Earl is a big
blowhard with a heart of gold; Fran is a housewife who loves him
despite his frequent surly outbursts. The Sinclairs, like the Conners
and the Simpsons, have three children, one of whom apparently has no
first name, but is known only as "Baby."
===========================================
FAMOUS TV FIRSTS
First TV married couple to share a bed: "Mary Kay and Johnny" (DuMont,
1947). This 15-minute situation comedy starred the real-life married
couple Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns. Unlike other early TV couples
(notably Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, of "I Love Lucy,") the Stearnses had
a double bed.
First TV wife to become pregnant: "Mary Kay and Johnny" (DuMont,
1948). When actress Mary Kay Stearns became pregnant in the real
world, a pregnancy was written into the show. A similar "art imitates
life" event was later involved in "I Love Lucy," much to the delight
of the audience, who awaited the birth of the Ricardos' "Little Ricky"
as if anticipating a blessed event in their own families. Since the
network would not permit the use of the word "pregnant," Lucy Ricardo
was said to be "expecting."
First TV sitcom to feature a Jewish couple: "The Goldbergs" (CBS,
1949, moved to NBC in 1953, then to DuMont in 1954). Molly and Jake
Goldberg enjoyed a stable and loving marriage marred only by the fact
that Jake was played by three different actors during the show's
five-year run. As was the case with many early sitcoms, this show had
a successful run on radio before being transplanted to televisionland.
First TV show to depict a working show-biz couple: "The George Burns
and Gracie Allen Show" (CBS, 1950). George Burns and Gracie Allen
essentially played themselves in this delightful show, which pioneered
the innovation of "breaking the fourth wall" by frequently having
George look straight into the camera and address the audience
directly. Gracie's depiction of a lovable, scatterbrained wife paved
the way for later daffy ladies such as Joan Davis, of "I Married Joan"
(NBC, 1952).
First science fiction show to feature a married couple: "Lost in
Space" (CBS, 1965). This show, initially entitled "The Space Family
Robinson," began as a relatively straight sci-fi epic involving mom
and dad Maureen and John Robinson and their children. Maureen was not
exactly the typical TV wife of the times, as she had a doctorate in
biochemistry. However, she was played by June Lockhart, who was fresh
in everyone's mind as the nurturing mother from "Lassie," so the
balance of intellectual power between the sexes was somewhat swayed
toward the husband, as was typical of shows from this era. Later
episodes of "Lost in Space" highlighted the interactions among the
family's articulate and sarcastic Robot, the villainous stowaway Dr.
Zachary Smith, and the Robinsons' youngest child, Will, and the show
evolved from drama to comedy, relegating the characters of the parents
to supporting players who seldom got any good lines.
First TV wife to have an abortion: "Maude" (CBS, 1972). When Maude
Findley, a middle-aged woman with an adult daughter, finds that she
has become pregnant, this situation comedy takes an abrupt turn into
serious drama. Maude and her husband Walter agonize over the decision
of whether or not to terminate the pregnancy, finally opting for an
abortion. This was an unusually bold plotline, since the episode
predated the U.S. Supreme Court's "Roe v. Wade" decision which made
abortion legal. Some CBS affiliates refused to air the two-part
episode, and several sponsors pulled out because of the controversial
nature of the subject matter.
First TV sitcom to feature an interracial couple: "The Jeffersons"
(CBS, 1975). Tom and Helen Willis, the upstairs neighbors of George
and Louise Jefferson, were a most unusual couple: Tom was White, and
Helen was Black. Their daughter Jenny became romantically involved
with the Jeffersons' son Lionel. Jenny Willis eventually married
Lionel, and they had a daughter, Jessica Jefferson. "The Jeffersons,"
like "Maude," was a spinoff of "All in the Family" (CBS, 1971) and --
like its progenitor -- the show was unafraid of tackling touchy
issues.
First TV sitcom couple to get a divorce: "Rhoda" (CBS, 1976). Rhoda
Morgenstern, a popular character on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," was
spun off into her own series, in which the perpetually neurotic,
unhappily single Rhoda finally found domestic bliss with contractor
Joe Gerard. The show took Rhoda and Joe from courtship to marriage to
separation, and, finally, to divorce. By the end of the show's last
season, Rhoda's mother, Ida Morgenstern, was also single again, having
been deserted by her husband, Martin. Rhoda's younger sister, Brenda,
a sadsack single girl, was played by Julie Kavner, who later went on
to her own celebrated portrayal of marital discord as the voice of
Marge Simpson.
===========================================
DAYTIME SOAPS, PRIMETIME SOAPS, AND SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
The daytime drama "All My Children" (ABC, 1970) typifies soap operas,
with a huge cast of characters and many interwoven plot lines. One of
the most outrageous of the characters is Erica Kane Martin Brent
Cudahy Chandler Roy Montgomery Montgomery Chandler Marick Marick, who
has been married ten times, to eight different men. The often
scandalous Erica was the first character from the daytime soaps to
have an abortion. Marriage, in the soaps, is a sometime thing. Many of
the lead characters in soaps have committed serial marriage, with
interludes of infidelity on the part of both husbands and wives. Soap
marriages often occur under very unusual circumstances, as in "General
Hospital" (ABC, 1963), which drew a record number of viewers to the
wedding of Laura and Luke -- the man who had raped Laura in an earlier
episode. Luke and Laura were later divorced, then reunited. As
evidence that soap operas are keeping up with the times, it should be
noted that "The Young and the Restless" (CBS, 1973) and "Passions"
(NBC, 1999) have introduced major African-American characters and have
dealt with racial issues in a mature manner, within the framework of
melodrama which is characteristic of soaps.
"Dallas" (CBS, 1978), "Knots Landing" (CBS, 1979), "Dynasty" (ABC,
1981), and "Falcon Crest" (CBS, 1981) brought soap opera-style plots
to the evening hours, with considerable success. These shows featured
the grandiose lifestyles and shocking plot twists which typify soaps,
while maintaining a pretense of depicting the "folks next door." Men
who would never admit to being soap fans were hooked into watching
shows like "Dallas" week after week, and the nation went wild trying
to guess "Who shot J.R.?" after a season-ending cliffhanger left J.R.
Ewing apparently dying from a gunshot wound. In these primetime soaps,
as in their daytime ancestors, marriage vows were made to be broken,
and few marriages escaped the ravages of multiple infidelities.
"Thirtysomething" (ABC, 1987) broke ground as a new kind of hour-long
evening drama, focusing on the domestic and professional lives of
young urban professionals (two couples and their three unmarried
friends). The show examined the dynamics of marriage and relationships
in an intensely personal, realistic manner, without the dramatic
excesses that characterized the primetime soaps. Michael Steadman, an
advertising copywriter, and his wife Hope, a part-time social worker
and full-time mother, are the more stable couple. The "steady"
Steadmans are contrasted with Elliot and Nancy Weston, who endure
numerous marital problems and a separation, with their troubles
culminating in the discovery that Nancy has breast cancer. The
ensemble cast is rounded out by three unmarried friends, Ellyn, Gary,
and Melissa, all of whom experience joys and sorrows in various love
affairs. While the emphasis on personal problems is reminiscent of
soap opera, the dialogue and emotional tone is anything but
melodramatic, and "Thirtysomething" stands alone as the show that most
accurately took its cues from the central realities of life rather
than from the extremes of male/female relationships.
===========================================
The text above has 2,464 words. The average American speaks at
approximately 150 words per minute, which would put the material above
at somewhat over 16 minutes in duration. Since this is more than twice
the 7 minutes that you need, I hope that this material will provide
enough meat to be carved down into a prime filet!
While I relied upon my memory for most of the details of these
television shows, the following sites were used as references in
locating information on the network premieres and other details:
All Your TV
http://www.allyourtv.com/
Jump the Shark
http://jumptheshark.com
Old TV Series
http://www.oldtvseries.com
Television History - The First 75 Years
http://www.tvhistory.tv
TV Acres
http://www.tvacres.com
TV Guide
http://www.tvguide.com
The Museum of Broadcast Communications
http://www.museum.tv
The process of narrowing many decades of television into a few
minutes' narrative has been an enjoyable challenge. Thank you very
much for the assignment!
Best,
pinkfreud |
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
21 Apr 2003 12:49 PDT
Pink --
I'm in back-to-back meetings, so won't be able to look at this in
depth 'til later. Glancing quickly, it looks good, but . . . . . I
don't see "I Love Lucy," (other than mentioning the birth of the
baby). And where's "All in the Family?" And other than "Mad About
You," I don't see ANYTHING at all for the 1990's. Gotta have the
'90s. Am I overlooking something?
I'm going to utilize some of your non-official answers that were
"clarifications" because there is good stuff there...like your
"overview" of each decade that began with the part about
"Reagan-tinted glasses." I count that as "answer" as well as what
you've posted.
FYI, interesting new fact: I called a friend at the Museum of TV &
Radio to see if there are any photos of "Mary Kay & Johnny." She said
no, but they were not the first couple to sleep in the same bed. That
feat appears to have been achieved by Hume Cronyn & Jessica Tandy in
1954 in "The Marriage: Inside Bobby Logan," where they end up in
pajamas in a single bed. Who knew?
Also I found another interesting web page that talked about how after
WWII, when all the jobs went to soldiers returning home, women were
discouraged from working and were pressured to stay home. Which
clearly influenced all those "happy housewife" TV shows of the '50s.
And then in the 1960's things began to change. . . I'll have to throw
some of that in. . .which you actually did for the '80s in your
"clarifications" above.
Sorry if I've not seeen it and it's all there -- I'm in a rush...
But get me the other stuff I asked for in my first paragraph and then
I think I'll be pretty well set.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
21 Apr 2003 14:11 PDT
Pink, in addition to the request above, is there a phone number to
call GA to discuss how to credit you & Tutuzdad in the program credits?
Or must I do it all via e-mail?
P.S. This just in! I found photos of Mary Kay & Johnny and The Marriage!
Victory!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
22 Apr 2003 07:51 PDT
Cryptica,
I am very ill and will be offline for a while. I will resume work on
this project as soon as I am able to do so. Thank you for
understanding.
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
22 Apr 2003 10:16 PDT
Feel better, Pink. There is tons here to work with. Next week for
the rest is fine. I send my sympathies.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
23 Apr 2003 12:47 PDT
As requested, here's some additional material.
==============
All in the Family
==============
My colleague, journalist-ga, has given an excellent capsule
description of "All in the Family." The only thing I would add is that
the show did a very usual thing in "killing off" one of its main
characters. When actress Jean Stapleton asked to be phased out of the
show, the character of Edith began to appear less frequently. The
show's name was changed to "Archie Bunker's Place," and in 1980 we
were told that Edith Bunker had died of a stroke. "All in the Family"
was the origin of two successful spinoff series, "The Jeffersons,"
which featured the African-American neighbors of the Bunkers, and
"Maude," which featured Edith's cousin Maude and Maude's husband
Walter. "Maude," in turn, spun off "Good Times," the story of Maude's
maid, Florida Evans, and her family.
==============
Lucy
==============
"I Love Lucy" brought TV's first "interlingual" married couple into
our living rooms. While the union of Ricky Ricardo (a Cuban
bandleader) and Lucy Ricardo (an Irish-American, née McGillicuddy) may
seem unexceptional today, in the early 1950s a marriage between a
Latino man and an Anglo woman was an eyebrow-raiser. The show helped
to torpedo cultural prejudice by not making a big issue of the
differences between Ricky and Lucy. Although Ricky's Cuban accent was
occasionally played for laughs, he was not a figure of mockery, and
the show contained remarkably few intercultural references that would
make today's sensitive audiences wince.
==============
1990s
==============
"Life Goes On" (ABC, 1989-1993) broke new ground by introducing us to
a loving couple with a mentally handicapped child. The show followed
the joys and sorrows of Drew and Libby Thatcher as they raised their
two children, Becca and Corky. Drew also had a daughter, Paige, from a
previous marriage. The character of Corky was pivotal to the dynamics
of the show. In a bold casting move, the role was filled by a young
actor who, like Corky, had Down Syndrome. The marriage of Drew and
Libby was depicted in a realistic fashion, without dramatic excesses.
One central message of "Life Goes On" is that a marriage can be
challenged by adversity, but the result of hardship may be to
strengthen the marriage rather than to weaken it.
"Northern Exposure" (CBS, 1990-1995). Among the many members of this
intricately-plotted show were Holling Vincoeur, a tavern owner, and
his wife, Shelly-Marie, a woman some forty years his junior. Their
May-December marriage was portrayed with good humor and insight. Other
marriages on the show were also a bit offbeat. The innkeepers Ron and
Erick tied the knot onscreen, becoming primetime TV's first gay
marriage. The network nixed a kiss between the two, however. An
eccentric back-to-nature couple named Adam and Eve provided some comic
moments in this show, which ventured from slapstick to tragedy and
back again.
"Home Improvement" (ABC, 1991-1999) introduced us to Tim and Jill
Taylor and their three sons. Tim was the host of a cable home
improvement show called "Tool Time" which featured a gorgeous starlet
called "The Tool Time Girl." At home, Tim was often anything but handy
around the house: his "fix-it" skills sometimes went so disastrously
awry that the fire department had to be called. Tim and Jill
maintained a well-balanced marriage, negotiating through such
potential marital pitfalls as child-rearing disputes, in-law problems,
Jill's aspirations to get a job, and the rocky relationships of their
friends.
"The Sopranos" (HBO, 1999-present). The multiple story arcs of "The
Sopranos" have pivoted around the volatile Mafia marriage of Tony and
Carmela Soprano, culminating in Carmela's decision to leave Tony. The
plotline has included numerous instances of Tony's infidelities;
Carmela, on the other hand, was tempted to stray more than once, and
did not do so. Never has a television series dealt so bluntly with the
consequences of adultery, the erosion of trust within a marriage, and
the agonies of deceit.
==============
Here is a site which lists the top 20 shows of the 1990s, by year. As
you can see, marriage-related shows were not plentiful during this
decade. Unmarried characters dominated both sitcoms ("Murphy Brown,"
"Designing Women," and "The Golden Girls") and dramas ("In the Heat of
the Night," "Murder, She Wrote," "Matlock.")
1990s Flashback
http://www.1990sflashback.com/1990/TV.asp
================================
I hope this addendum to my answer will help.
Many, many thanks to my friends in the community of Google Answers
Researchers for their assistance. The spirit of teamwork in the
service of our customers is one of the things that makes Google
Answers thrive.
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
21 May 2003 10:55 PDT
Hi, Pink --
I finished my show today and wanted to let you know that I put you,
journalist, voila and tutuzdad in the credits! I did e-mail, as they
had asked, the editors at GA on 4/24 and again on 5/7. asking if it
was OK to do this, but nobody ever had the courtesy to answer me, so.
. .too late now, you guys are in, baby!
This program was made to support a new series on Showtime called OUT
OF ORDER, starring Eric Stoltz, Felicity Huffman, Kim Dickens, Justine
Bateman, William H. Macy & Peter Bogdanovich. Segment 2 of the show
is the History of TV Marriages and it's only about 6 minutes, but fun.
(Legal clearances were a nigthmare.) I'll post the air dates
tomorrow, when I have the complete schedule. It will air on Showtime
and some selected CBS affiliates.
Would you please pass this on to your colleagues above -- I don't know
how to contact them, short of posting a new question. I'd send you
all a VHS copy of the show, but not sure how to do that.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
21 May 2003 11:07 PDT
Hmmm...I sent this once already and it didn't seem to go thru.
Hi, Pink --
Wanted to let you know that I finally finished my show today and put
you, journalist, voila and tutuzdad in the credits --by NAME. I mean
by handle. I did as you had told me and wrote to the editors at GA on
4/24 and again on 5/7 to see if this was OK. But nobody has had the
courtesy to answer me, so too late! It's done. YOu're in.
I will post the air dates tomorrow, when I have the full schedule.
This is a program to support a new series coming up on SHOWTIME called
"OUT OF ORDER," starring Eric Stoltz, Felicity Huffman, Kim Dickens,
Justine Bateman, William H. Macy and Peter Bogdanovich. Segment 2 of
my show is the history of TV Marriage. It turned out to be a legal
nightmare to do, and last only about 6 minutes, but it's fun and
you'll be pleased to see your hard work reflected in it. This show
will air on both Showtime and some CBS affiliates. If I had a way to
send you guys a copy, I'd do it, but not sure how that could be
arranged here.
Would you please pass this message on to journalist, voila and
tutuzdad, since I don't know how to do it, other than post a new
question here. More later.
Stay tuned!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
21 May 2003 13:27 PDT
Whoopee! I'm so glad to hear that your 'baby' has arrived, and I'm
proud to have been part of the birthing team!
I've posted your most recent message in our private Researchers'
Forum, where journalist, voila, and tutuzdad will be certain to see
it.
This was one of the most interesting and challenging questions I've
ever worked on. Thanks again for the opportunity to be of assistance!
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
22 May 2003 13:05 PDT
First, to reply to the comment from Answers-ga : wow, I never
received ANY
replies from anyone. I did not write the e-mail on my cryptica-ga
address.
It was written on my corporate e-mail. And I received no reply both
times.
That's scary. And I received nothing in my registered GA mail account
either.
So, I have no idea what your reply said. Hope it was positive.
For you and pink, journalist, voila and tutuzdad--here's the tune in
info.
There are 3 versions of the show and only ONE has full credits, alas
-- but ALL do have the infamous segment #2 with TV marriages.
On CBS/UPN affiliates, the show is called HOLLYWOOD COUPLES: THE
MAKING OF OUT OF ORDER. For those who like nudity, what little there
is of it is "blurred." Sorry about that. CBS standards and practices
-- although when you see what time it airs, who would know?
THURSDAY, MAY 29: Philadelphia (WPSG)2:30 a.m
FRIDAY, MAY 30:
Los Angeles: KCBS at 1:50 am
Chicago: WBBM at 1:07 a.m.
Dallas: KXTA at 2:30 am
Denver: KCNC at 12:55 am
SATURDAY, MAY 31:
New York: WCBS at 12:30 am
Philadelphia: KYW at 2:30 am
San Francisco: KBHK: 1:00 am
Boston: WSBK at 1:00
Detroit: WWJ at 2:30 am
Baltimore: WJZ at 12:35
On SHOWTIME, the show is called I DO. I DON'T: THE MAKING OF OUT OF
ORDER.
Some airings have the blurred stuff and no credits. But THREE should
have the unblurred stuff AND PINK, JOURNALIST, VOILA, TUTUZDAD and GA
displayed in the credits. And ALL have the Segment #2 History of TV
marriage.
Sunday, May 25 (This sunday)4 pm
Tuesday, May 27 12:30 pm
Wednesday, May 28 7:35 pm
Thursday, May 29 5:30 pm
Friday, May 30th at 12:30 am (*** this one has the credits)
Saturday, May 31 at 2 a.m. (*** I THINK this one has the credits)
Sunday, June 1 at 7:29 pm
Saturday, June 7 at 4 pm
Tuesday, June 10 at 12 am (*** this one has the credits)
Again, if there's "legal" way to to send you all copies for your own
archives,I'm happy to do it.
Pink -- I definitely hope you get to take a look to see what Mary Kay
& Johnny look like! This really was such a tough project. Something
as simple as using an 8 x 10 glossy of "Married with Children" was a
no no. Who knew Ed O'Neill now wants to disassociate himself from the
show and will not allow his image to be used. Tons of stories like
this. And you won't believe what everything cost. I'm amazed we were
able to do as much as we did.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
22 May 2003 16:33 PDT
Thanks so much for providing the schedule! I have passed it along to
my friends in the Researchers' Forum.
I have Showtime, so I'll set my VCR for this! Even if it weren't for
the personal mention, it sounds like a must-see show. And the series
will be on my list, too. I just love William H. Macy and Felicity
Huffman. To be able to see these real-life married folks working
together is gonna be a treat!
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
22 May 2003 18:33 PDT
You have Showtime? Gee, I wish you were a researcher slash Nielsen
family. By by all means, tape one of the "credits" versions. Not only
will it be "unblurred," but it has a little bit of extra crazed
behavior and dialgoue by Felicity's character. FYI, as you'd suspect,
she was a delight to interview, as was Macy. They clearly adore each
other.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
22 May 2003 19:06 PDT
As is my custom in life, I'll go for the unblurred version with extra
crazed behavior. :-D
Can't wait to see this!!!
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
23 May 2003 18:51 PDT
This just in -- they've added another play -- tomorrow, 5/24 at 7:30
pm. Creditless version, since 7:30 pm is too early for nudity. Plays
right before "OUR TOWN," the B'way production, in case you want to
catch the ultimate cutie, Paul Newman, as the Stage Manager.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
23 May 2003 20:56 PDT
Thanx for the additional info!
7:30 pm too early for nudity? Ha! Not in my house, it isn't. :-D
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
24 May 2003 10:25 PDT
Yes, but are you "blurred." Frankly, I think I look better as a blurred
nude, myself. I wish we ALL could be!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
24 May 2003 10:30 PDT
LOL @ the "blurred nudity" concept. I am fortunate to have a very
nearsighted husband. Once the eyeglasses come off at night, I could
resemble Godzilla and still seem like a goddess to my sweet hubby.
Myopia has its advantages.
~Pink
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
31 May 2003 22:12 PDT
I videotaped the show, and I am all agog at having been involved!
Thank you so much for including the credits for GA and for those of us
who helped with the project. The only thing that could make this any
better would be if you could sneak me into Eric Stoltz's dressing
room...
Nah. If I do that, my hubby will run off with Joan Jett, as he's been
hinting for several decades. ;-)
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
30 Jul 2003 21:16 PDT
I keep forgetting to ask you -- did you ever watch the show? Hope you
thought it was fun. . .
I sent a copy to the head of P.R. (forgot her name) at Google
Headquarters and put in a good word for you!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
31 Jul 2003 06:35 PDT
I did indeed watch the show. It was great! Very entertaining, even if
I hadn't been involved. After having read so much about Mary Kay and
Johnny, it was very gratifying to finally see a photo of them.
"Out of Order" certainly has broken some ground in the field of
fictional marriages. (Of course, quite apart from the artistic merits
of the series, I had to watch because I am an Eric Stoltz groupie.)
This project was the most challenging and interesting thing I've done
so far on Google Answers. Thanks for the opportunity to stretch my
researching muscles!
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
31 Jul 2003 09:39 PDT
Oh, I'm so glad you liked it and I only wish we'd had more money to
license more of the photos from the old shows. That middle segment
could have been even more fun. "Out of Order" got very mixed reviews.
People either love it or hate it. No word yet on whether they'll
renew it. . . if they do, who knows, we may have to do ANOTHER show
for Season 2. Rest up!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
31 Jul 2003 10:38 PDT
A second season for "Out of Order" would be a Good Thing. But I'm not
going to hold my breath waiting for it, since I am still holding my
breath waiting for Showtime to air the final episodes of "Odyssey 5"
and "Jeremiah" that they supposedly have in the can.
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
31 Jul 2003 20:54 PDT
I'll ask about air dates for JEREMIAH and see if I can get an answer
for you. ODYSSEY 5 episodes won't air until 2004, due to all kinds
of complicated legal/financial/licensing issues.
The show that everybody seems to like a lot-- even the critics -- is
DEAD LIKE ME.
And if you didn't see the movie SOLDIER'S GIRL, which aired recently
and will probably be around again, do try to catch that one. It's
really good.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
31 Jul 2003 21:25 PDT
Thanx for the info on "Odyssey 5." I hate to be left hanging. Anything
you can learn about "Jeremiah" would be much appreciated. Hubby liked
that show very much. I mainly liked ogling Luke Perry.
It is so frustrating when a show with an interesting story arc gets
cut off at an unsatisfying point. I still haven't forgiven the folks
who axed a series in the late '60s called "Coronet Blue," in which an
amnesiac (the very hunky Frank Converse) goes from place to place
trying to figure out who he is, after having awakened without any
memories except the words "coronet blue." The #!%@? network (CBS???)
canceled the show before we learned what "coronet blue" meant or who
the hero was. Arrgh. Shades of "Nowhere Man" and "John Doe." The more
things change, the more they stay the same.
I love "Dead Like Me". It's tiding me over until "Six Feet Under"
returns on HBO. Morbid humor hasn't been this plentiful since the days
of "The Addams Family" and "The Munsters." ;-)
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
01 Aug 2003 07:56 PDT
Here you go: JEREMIAH Season 2 premieres FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10th.
"Coronet Blue." Never heard of that one. Like you, though, I do get
attached to shows that bite the dust quickly. There was one that TNT
optioned and then never aired called...oh, shoot, is it The News or
the News Room? Soemthing like that -- with Clancy Brown. BRAVO picked
it up and I think there were only 10 or 12 episodes. I loved this
show. And there's another one by Ken Finkelman, also called The
news Room (or something like it), that came out of Canada and aired on
PBS. Again, sooo funny and clever. But I hear he is resurrecting it
again, so there's hope.
And my favorite SHOWTIME series was "Beggars & Choosers," about a
satire about a TV network, with Charlott Ross as a fast talking
neurotic executive. I cannot watch her on NYPD Blue because all I
think of is , "What a waste." She has the most AMAZING comic timing.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
01 Aug 2003 10:09 PDT
Hubby will be SO happy to learn that "Jeremiah" will be back in the
fall! Many, many thanks for finding that info. Hey, Mary Jo, maybe you
oughta be a Researcher. :-)
I thought I was the only person in the universe who watched "Breaking
News" with Clancy Brown. I watch EVERYTHING with Clancy Brown (I even
liked "Earth 2.") Why this guy isn't a major star is a mystery to me.
Maybe he's too macho-looking for today's tastes. I bet Clancy would
have hit it big back in the '50s when men were men, and women were
wearing high heels and pearls while they vacuumed.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
01 Aug 2003 19:33 PDT
Oh, I'd LOVE to be a researcher, but the google FAQ never waivers in
stating that there are no openings. In the case of "Jeremiah,"
though, it didn't take ANY research. After I read your query, I logged
onto my Showtime e-mail and there was an inter-office schedule with
the air date. Talk about convenient timing.
Yeah, Clancy Brown never took off, I don't know why. I first was
aware of him in "Blue Steel," with Jamie Lee Curtis. And here's
another guy who has made a zillion movies, mostly all bombs, but is
now starting to rise: VIGGO MORTENSON. But you'd think he would have
been bigger a long time ago. Take a look at the trailer for the
upcoming HILDAGO. it's on Apple Trailers.com. or maybe you have to
type "Hildago Trailer" in google first. Anyway, Viggo's looking SO
adorable and sexy. . .this may be his year. And he's not that young.
43.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
02 Aug 2003 13:56 PDT
It sounds as if you and I are on the same wavelength where actors are
concerned. I've been a Viggo Mortensen fan for several years, and was
elated when I learned that he'd been cast as Aragorn in LOTR. Of
course, he became an "overnight success" after all those years of hard
work.
I wonder if Viggo's career may have been held up by his unusual name.
I wonder the same about Lolita Davidovich. In the earlier years of
Hollywood, these folks would have been pressured to ditch the names,
and they probably would have become "Vince Morton" and "Lita Davis."
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
02 Aug 2003 16:32 PDT
Lolita D. married Ron Shelton and didn't seem to really try very hard
to pursue a career. She made a Showtime movie a few years ago, called
"Snow In August." (Stephen Rea as a RABBI, can you believe it?). She
was really into being a mom.
I don't know if it was Viggo's name that hurt him. He seems to have
suffered from being in a lot of really LOUSY movies. I've also liked
Aaron Eckhart for years, too. The two could play brothers. Take a
look at the HILDAGO trailer, though -- you'll not only swoon fro
Viggo, you'll fall in love with his HORSE!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
02 Aug 2003 17:03 PDT
I had the good fortune to see the "Hidalgo" trailer on the big screen
recently (it was one of a series of trailers that were shown with
"Pirates of the Caribbean.") Viggo looks great, as always. What bone
structure. I love a guy with bone structure.
Although I loved looking at Viggo in that trailer, I can't say the
same for the horse he rode in on. I almost died after receiving a head
wound in a horseback accident when I was 10 years old. A steel plate
was installed in my skull, and I had 55 stitches in my scalp. Haven't
felt very fond of the critters ever since.
But I doubt that this will keep me from enjoying "Hidalgo" and
"Seabiscuit." I can just pretend that the horse is a large,
odd-looking dog.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
04 Aug 2003 17:46 PDT
Your horse story is so scary! I can see that it would take only your
great love for Viggo to get you into the theater. I did read that
Viggo spent extra weeks working on his own with the horse in "Lord of
the Rings," so that he could bond with him. Perhaps if you and Viggo
were to work together, you might get over your equine uneasiness.
MEanwhile....just a hunch, but how do you feel about David Strathairn?
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
04 Aug 2003 18:22 PDT
Yikes. You must be psychic. I am crazy about David Strathairn. First
noticed him in "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd" (remember that
great show?) I have a thing for men who have an intelligent, brooding
quality. Nobody broods better than David Strathairn. He looks broody
even when he has a big smile on his face.
Thinking about David Strathairn reminds me of Leonard Cohen. Also
intelligent and brooding. And that voice. Oh, my, that silky, husky,
musky voice. A man with a voice like Leonard Cohen's could ask me to
do just about anything, and it would be mighty hard to say "no."
Although I've learned the hard way that these intense, depressive guys
are NOT what I want in real life, I still have my celluloid dreams.
;-)
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
05 Aug 2003 21:19 PDT
Yep, I thought you were a Strathairn fan. I first started liking him
in John Sayles movies. So, you will be very pleased to know that he's
about to start shooting a pilot for a new potential Showtime series
called PARADISE. Playing an ex-astronaut who has an epiphany in
space and then becomes a hugely sucessful evangelist. More Billy
Graham than Jimmy Swaggert. Script is really good.
I never got into Leonard Cohen, i don't know why. But I did love
Fred Neil, whose another one with a great, deeeeeeeeep voice.
OK, here's another test of whether we love the same people...but
unless you saw a lot of Ken Loach movies, you might not know how sexy
he is: Robert Carlyle.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
05 Aug 2003 22:14 PDT
Regarding Robert Carlyle, I draw a semi-blank. Was he in "The Full
Monty?" I have a rather pleasant feeling about a Robert Carlyle who
might have been in "The Full Monty," but it may not be the same
person, or I could be totally mistaken. Mind like a steel sieve, you
know.
Am I being vague enough, or do I need a few drinks? ;-)
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
06 Aug 2003 18:48 PDT
Right -- Robert Carlyle starred in "The Full Monty, but he dyed his
hair blonde for that. He's really dark-haired. He was also in
"Transpotting," with a mustache and was NOT cute. And I think he was
bald and a villain in one of the James Bonds. And he was Angela's
hubby in "Angela's Ashes," with a terrible haircut. Unfortunately,
his American movies are pretty lame. But his British ones, he's a
sensitive , charismatic guy, with cute hair! A really good actor.
You'd like him a lot. On the opposite scale, do you like Dame Edna?
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
06 Aug 2003 18:59 PDT
I'm not sure Dame Edna is really "on the opposite scale," if you know
what I mean. ;-)
I must say that I found the Dame Edna act to be very funny at first,
but subsequent overexposure has put me off. I guess I've just seen too
dame much of Edna.
However, having seen photos of Barry Humphries out of drag, I can
understand why this fellow wanted to liven up his looks...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1760000/images/_1761269_humphries_150.jpg
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
07 Aug 2003 20:30 PDT
I never get tired of Dame Edna. In the recent "Nicholas Nickelby" she
plays it straight, as it were. I mean, Barry plays a female role, and
is in the credits as Edna Everege, but he's in period costume and
wonderful. He ALSO plays a male part and "they" are in one scene
TOGETHER. . .but only eagle-eyed viewers will spot it.
Bummer of the day: HILDAGO release date has been moved to March,
2004.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
08 Aug 2003 09:53 PDT
Bummer about the "Hidalgo" release date. :-(
I guess my next Viggo fix will be "The Return of the King," in which I
expect that Aragorn will finally get to wear some spiffy-looking
clothes (unless they changed the ending, and Sauron wins.)
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
15 Sep 2003 17:53 PDT
Hi, Mary Jo.
Just wanted to drop you a note, since I know that you like Clancy
Brown. A new HBO series called "Carnivale" features him in an
interesting role. The first episode was quite intriguing.
I know that you're a Showtime kinda person, but HBO does do some good
stuff, and, after all, you've got to keep an eye on what the
competition is up to. ;-)
Speaking of Showtime, I could just kiss somebody for giving Mandy
Patinkin his best part in years. "Dead Like Me" just gets better and
better.
Best,
Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
19 Sep 2003 21:02 PDT
Hey, Pink!
Sorry, I didn't see your message 'til just now. I don't get a
"notification" on closed questions, I guess. So was coincidentally
stopping by to tell YOU the latest about David Strathairn.
Yes, I saw the first episode of "Carnivale." I love Clancy, but that
"magic realism" stuff is not my fave kind of material. I hear,
though, that you have to get thru 4 episodes and then the show "gets
good."
And never fear, I watch HBO religiously. The fun thing now is that
Showtime's new president of Programming is Bob Greenblatt, whose
Greenblatt-Jollinari company produces "Six Feet Under." He had to
resign in order to be Pres., though. But at the Emmy Awards he'll be
cheering on both sides of the fence.
And yes, I love Mandy!
OK, so here's the scoop. Got to interview Mr. Strathairn last week
for the pilot I told you about: a potential new Showtime series,
PARADISE. And by the way, he pronounces it as two words:
STRA-THAIRN, with equal emphasis on both syllables. The "a" in "Stra"
is like the "a" in "at." (I'd always thought it was "StruhTHAIRN.")
He plays Reverend Bobby Paradise, a former astronaut who has a
religious epiphany in outer space and becomes a hugely successful
televangelist. Barbara Hershey plays his wife, ELAINE STRITCH his
mother-in-law! James LeGros his son. One of the other actors calls
the show "The Sopranos Meets Billy Graham," which is about right.
But until that airs, my recommendation for new crush for you (unless
he's already in your corral): CAMPBELL SCOTT. You MUST see him in
his new film, Alan Rudolph's "Secret Lives of Dentists." It WILL be
love.
Anyway, Strathairn couldn't have been a nicer, smarter and all around
good guy. They're shooting in Salt Lake City and one of the days I
was there they rented out Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the Olympic
ceremonies were, and he "preached" to a crowd of 50,000. (Ok, it was
about 500, but they'll make it LOOK like 50,000 in CGI in post.)
So you have something to look forward to once "Dead Like Me" goes into
re-runs!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
20 Sep 2003 12:28 PDT
Wow, am I jealous that you got to meet David Strathairn! I'm glad to
learn how he pronounces his surname. I, too, thought it was
Struh-THAIRN. I am always embarrassed to learn that I've been
pronouncing a name wrong. I still haven't gotten over the shock of
finding out how to pronounce "Ralph Fiennes." ;-)
Ah, Campbell Scott is another of my favorites. Except for Dame Edna,
it appears that you and I have remarkably similar tastes in actors. Do
you like Gabriel Byrne and/or Dylan McDermott, by any chance?
~Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
22 Sep 2003 13:33 PDT
Oh, yep, I do like Gabriel Byrne, you bet. He makes a lot of bad
movies, though, so I don't go to many of them. Dylan McDermott, no,
he's not on my list. But DERMOT MULRONEY (they joke about being
mistaken for each other all the time) definitely is. Basically, my
rule of thumb seems to work out as, if they've got crow's feet, I
probably like them. Even Dame Edna has crow's feet!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
22 Sep 2003 13:46 PDT
Crow's feet, eh? How about Russell Crowe? Bet he's got 'em. :-D
One facial "flaw" that I find endearing is a slight double chin, just
the tiniest touch of baby-pudge on an otherwise slim face. Bill
Pullman comes to mind. Michael Douglas (before he had so much plastic
surgery that he began to look like an escapee from Madame Tussaud's.)
David McCallum. And my hubby, too.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
23 Sep 2003 13:36 PDT
Russell Crowe's feet. . .hmmm. Possibly one day -- he's still too
young. He doesn't have those Ed Harris crow's feet. Another one I've
long had a crush on. Men with chins ? I think I'm not drawn to them
as much as men with cheekbones. I have a friend who thinks as you
do, though. She LOVES men with baby fat faces. i.e., the early Paul
McCartney is #1.
As for WOMEN. . .if I could look like anybody, maybe Julie Christie.
and you?
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
23 Sep 2003 14:45 PDT
If I could look like anybody, I think I would want to look like
Bernadette Peters. I'm part of the way there already; I've had several
people say that I look like Bernadette. She's about my age, and we
both have curly red hair, chipmunk cheeks, and such. But I wouldn't
mind going the rest of the distance and becoming a dead-ringer
duplicate of Bernadette Peters. Maybe then I could rekindle her old
romance with Steve Martin...
Regarding the "cheekbony" men, I went through a phase when I really
dug faces with lots of planes. Maybe this was because I was seeking my
opposite. I have the kind of face that continues to look plump and
wholesome even when my bod is wasting away. Always envied the gals
with bone structure. When I was a young teen, I decorated my bedroom
with images of Greta Garbo and Kate Hepburn that I got from my
Great-Aunt Mary, who was a screenwriter in the 1930s. Greta and Kate
had wonderful bones.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
25 Sep 2003 11:14 PDT
Bernadette Peters is a good look. Go for it. I loved Hepburn, too --
actually both Hepburns. Kate & Audrey. In fact, after seeing Audrey
in "The Nun's Story," I decided I wanted to be a nun and would wear
black turtleneck's over my head with the part where your neck goes
pulled back over my forehead like a wimple? (is that how you spell it.
This did not please my parents one bit, seeing as we're Jewish.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
25 Sep 2003 13:03 PDT
Amazing. I had an adolescent fascination with "The Nun's Story," too.
I didn't think of the black turtleneck idea (brilliant!), but I made a
wimple out of a starched sheet. Our neighbors were devout Catholics,
and I've often wondered what they thought of this little Unitarian
girl flapping around the yard wearing a bedsheet on her head.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
26 Sep 2003 06:30 PDT
When's the last time you saw "The Nun's Story?" I saw a bit of it not
too long ago and my recollection is that Audrey was wearing mascara
and full make-up. No plain face a la Susan Sarandon in "Dead Man
Walking" for her! No wonder we both wanted to take our vows. I think
I was also into that OTHER nun's movie, "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison."
Remember that one?
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
26 Sep 2003 11:56 PDT
I haven't seen "The Nun's Story" since about 1960. That was before I
knew about Hollywood makeup tricks. I even thought that Lucille Ball's
clownish lipsticky mouth and foot-long eyelashes were real. (For that
matter, I continued for many years to believe that Lucy was a natural
redhead.)
Was "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" the one with Deborah Kerr & Robert
Mitchum? (Yes, I know I could go look it up on the IMDB, but I am in a
very lethargic mood.) If it's the movie I'm thinking of, I did get a
charge out of it. Deborah Kerr is such a classy dame. Elegant and
reserved, but under that cool, proper exterior she has a lotta sizzle.
Wish I were like that. I am the same temperature all over.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
26 Sep 2003 20:56 PDT
Yep, it was Deborah Kerr & Robert Mitchum. I had a huge crush on
Mitchum when I was young. My first awareness of sex was seeing him
in the original version of "Cape Fear" when I was 11 or so. There's
that threatening scene on the house boat with Polly Bergen. She's
wearing a sun dresss and he picks up a raw egg and cracks it against
her collarbone and the yolk slowly drips down her chest . . . whew!
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
26 Sep 2003 21:13 PDT
The original "Cape Fear" struck a chord in me, too (the remake was not
so hot, IMHO). When I was a young 'un, I found the "bad boy" actors
with the pouty, sullen look - like Mitchum and Bogart and Brando - to
be very attractive. As I matured, I had some real-life experiences
with bad boys that made me aware that, although ladies may love
outlaws, they hadn't oughta date 'em. ;-)
Speaking of pouty-faced bad boys, did you ever see "The Rainmaker"
with Burt Lancaster and Kate Hepburn? To me, that's one of the
greatest quirky Hollywood romances. Burt Lancaster looked pouty even
when he was grinning from ear to ear. And the plot! A not-so-young
"spinster" finds genuine passion with a poetic con artist. Real life
it ain't, but that movie still brings a smile to my face and a tear to
my eye.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
04 Nov 2003 19:44 PST
So sorry for not seeing you replied on 9/26. I missed it. THE
RAINMAKER is one of my all-time favorite movies, deeply influential on
my romantic growth. All that yearning . . . I completely identified
with Lizzie and longed for a Starbuck to free me.
Back in the late 80's, I was really lucky to work on a project with
Burt Lancaster. He was 74. Lemme tell you, even after quadruple
bypass surgery the guy still had it.
You know who else has it? Check out CLIVE OWEN in "Beyond Borders."
I think he's bumping Viggo out of the picture.
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
04 Nov 2003 19:57 PST
Thanx for the tip on Clive Owen! I looked him up in the IMDB. He looks
kinda brooding, and goodness knows I like that brooding look in a
fantasy man. ;-)
I am green with envy to know that you actually met Burt Lancaster. My
only claim to fame regarding celebrities is that I graduated from the
University of Tulsa in 1969 along with Mary Kay Place and Gailard
Sartain. Oh, and my mother was at Tulsa Central High School with Tony
Randall. Plus my Great Aunt Mary was a screenwriter in Hollywood in
the 1930s. She claimed to have slept with Clark Gable, but with Great
Aunt Mary, you never knew what to believe.
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
05 Nov 2003 15:36 PST
I have some great stuff to tell you about Burt, but I don't feel
comfortable posting it on a public forum. Sure wish you guys were
allowed to be contacted off the board.
Yes, yes, Clive is the brooding type. But he also SMOLDERS. But he's
a very very good actor, too. At the press junket, all of us were
drooling. He's being touted as Pierce Brosnan's personal choice to be
the new James Bond. But he's much too good an actor to do that. Or
rather, I hope he won't do it, 'cause there goes the "real" career.
Tulsa? Do you wear Cain's Ballroom t-shirts?
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
05 Nov 2003 16:07 PST
I'm amazed that you've heard of Cain's Ballroom. I do indeed have a
Cain's Ballroom shirt, as well as a couple of great tee-shirts from
Eskimo Joe's (in Stillwater, Oklahoma, just a little ways down the
road.)
I will definitely keep an eye out for Clive Owen. I know I've seen him
in "Gosford Park," but darn near every British actor in the universe
was in "Gosford Park," and I can't seem to recall him. I love a good
smolderer. And if he can act, that's even better. ;-)
~Pink
|
Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
29 Mar 2004 12:26 PST
Hello again, Mary Jo!
Just wanted to mention that David Strathairn is now a member of the
cast of "The Sopranos." He's playing one of the rare non-mobsters on
the show.
Best,
Pink
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
08 Apr 2004 22:32 PDT
Pink --
sorry for the delay in replying. I get so much spam now, I sometimes
miss legit messages. Yes, I've been watching Mr. Strathairn and
Carmella. I find that storyline too forced . . .but I'm glad to see
him working! P.S. Coming up in May on SHOWTIME, something even HBO
would want to air: you'll love it --our new production of "The Lion in
Winter," with Glenn Close & Patrick Stewart. Really, really good.
Better than the Hepburn/O'Toole version.
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
09 Apr 2004 07:45 PDT
Wow, thanx for the heads-up on "The Lion in Winter." I loved the
movie, and Patrick Stewart is one of my favorite actors (yes, I am a
Trekkie).
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Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
19 Apr 2004 20:56 PDT
VCR alert for your Patrick Stewart fix: Tuesday, 4/20 10:40 PM
EASTERN on Showtime.
"Tracking the Lion in Winter." Everything you want to know, from A to
V...the Aquitaine to the Vexin. Yours truly's newie. Interviews
and good behind-the-scenes with Mr. S.
Lots of other plays, too, so if you miss it, there are plenty more,
leading up to the movie itself, which premieres on Sunday, 5/23/04.
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
20 Apr 2004 08:44 PDT
Wow, thanks, Mary Jo! I'll set my VCR to catch this. I sure do envy
you; your job sounds fascinating. Want to swap? You'd make a great
Google Answers Researcher. :-)
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
20 Apr 2004 11:53 PDT
Ah, one more thing.
As a Showtime insider, have you heard anything about whether Showtime
will ever air the episodes of "Odyssey 5" that have been sitting in
the can for so long? I can understand canceling a series, but it
always puzzles me when episodes that are already completed are
shelved.
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Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
21 Apr 2004 19:17 PDT
I hear O-5's remaining episodes will start airing in September. As I
understand it, when networks shelve episodes for a while, it usually
has to do with budgets and licensing fees and meeting financial
goals/requirements for a given year. Sometimes things get bumped
because the fiscal year can't absorb the costs or something else
ended up costing more , which used up the money earrmarked for
something else. It's all business stuff. Nothing nefarious.
I wouldn't mind swapping jobs with you -- * I * certainly don't have a
Google "Best of Cryptica" Tribute question!
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
21 Apr 2004 19:59 PDT
Many thanks for the info on Odyssey 5! Let me know if there's anything
I can do to help you out with any of your projects. I owe you a
freebie.
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Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
21 Apr 2004 21:09 PDT
A freebie? What do you owe me a Freebie for? ?? I'm clueless.
I'm always hoping to find a new juicy project for you. . . never fear.
If you truly do owe me a freebie, then don't even research this
--just answer off the top of your head. My brother wrote me an
e-mail the other day saying he was trying to recall the short story
(and who wrote it) about a writer who could write middles, but not
beginnings or endings. Wait-- maybe it was about a guy who could
write beginnings and endings, but not middles. I deleted it by
accident and can't remember now. You're a big reader. Anything
spring to mind? He seemed to think it might have been a Vonnegut.
Me, I can write beginnings and endings of questions . . . just not middles.
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
21 Apr 2004 21:23 PDT
I've racked my brain, and the only work of art I can think of that
involves an author who can write beginnings and endings (but not
middles) is a cult movie called "Crime Wave." Wonderful, whacked-out
movie.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=3589A471.ACE%40concentric.net&oe=UTF-8&output=gplain
http://www.mdfilmfest.com/1999/filmguide/crime.html
Could that be what your brother was thinking of?
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Request for Answer Clarification by
cryptica-ga
on
22 Apr 2004 18:06 PDT
He says, "What a coincidence!" But he says no, that's not it. I
wonder, though, once he finds it, what the copyright date is on the
story -- could we have a case of plagarism? Anyway, don't bother
pursuing any further -- it was just a quickie question to a literate
woman.
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Clarification of Answer by
pinkfreud-ga
on
22 Apr 2004 18:48 PDT
If your brother ever does remember the name of that story, please let
me know. It sounds like the kind of thing I might like to read. I love
oddball short stories.
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