In the news...

[Moraldo Rubini]

Cinecitta burns, but at least the Ben-Hur and Fellini sets are safe:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070810/ap_ ... udios_fire

[Vecchiolarry]

Wow Marco,

Cinecitta was like MGM Italian style! In fact, it was MGM actually for awhile, what with "Quo Vadis" & "Ben Hur"....
Did you know that Joan Fontaine, Elizabeth Taylor & Sophia Loren are in the crowd scenes in "Quo Vadis"? I heard that somewhere but have never been able to pick them out of the crowds....
Also, Pamela Laffin was terrified of the leopards that she was to perform with and Pola Negri advised her and Mervyn LeRoy to use cheetahs as they're much more docile.
Years later, Pola advised Walt Disney the same thing in "The Moonspinners".

I hope they'll rebuild the portions that burnt....

Larry

[Moraldo Rubini]

...Pamela Laffin was terrified of the leopards that she was to perform with and Pola Negri advised her and Mervyn LeRoy to use cheetahs as they're much more docile. Years later, Pola advised Walt Disney the same thing in The Moonspinners. ...

There were big cats in The Moonspinners? I thought that took place in Greece... At least I seem to recall Hayley Mills dangling from a rickety grecian windmill... I've been meaning to watch this Disney piece again for some time now. It was a favorite when I was a child...

In other news:

Today, the Associated Press released this story:

Sixty-one stars from the Hollwood Walk of Fame -- including those of Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra and Charlton Heston -- have been removed and stored while a $500 million hotel-shopping-housing project is built on Vine Street near Hollywood Boulevard.

Eight of the framed terrazzo sidewalk squares crumbled out of their frames as they were removed.

The stars were placed in a secure warehouse, where they'll remain until the project is completed in 2009.

[Vecchiolarry]

Marco,

Yes, there was one cheetah on board Pola Negri's yacht as her pet - at the end of the movie.
I spent the first 3 days of Pola's filming in London and the cheetah seemed to obey only her. She brought it to a news conference at the Dorchester Hotel on a gold leash (all very movie starish). It started to bite the ankles of a couple of reporters and Pola calmed them all down with, "Don't be afraid, when I BARK, the cat SITS!!!"...... And, it did....
One day, on the set she saw that the cheetah was figgeting and starting to get antsy. When the crew didn't know what to do, Pola said in perfect Polish accented English, "Gif it zum VATER!!".. It relaxed.
You must see the film again! It's pretty good really and Pola is the highlight. She makes the movie.
I love when she says to Hayley Mills, "I should throw you to the sharks!!"....


Yes, I read about the digging up of several stars stones and breaking some of them. As long as they're replaced and repaired, I guess I can't complain.
However, as you know, I do complain about who's not even there in the first place and should be. But, that's another story....

Larry

[MissGoddess]

Wow! So "Rome" was burning again! And no Nero to blame it on.

I love The Moonspinners---I have it on dvd as I'm a Hayley Mills fan, and yes it was filmed in Crete. Gorgeous. Loved Pola in that---great story, Larry!

[Moraldo Rubini]

The U.S. Postal Service will unveil the image of its newest first class (in many ways) stamp, Friday, August 17. The image - based on a publicity photograph of James Stewart for the 1949 movie The Stratton Story about a major league baseball pitcher forced to play in the minors after losing a leg in a hunting accident. Unveiling ceremonies will take place in Stewart's hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvannia and also in Hollywood, California.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is also getting in the act. This is where Otto Preminger directed James Stewart in the 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder. "This is going to help these communities celebrate their rich histories, which Jimmy Stewart and Anatomy of a Murder were a part of," said Kaydee Bess, interim director of Ishpeming [Michigan]'s Main Street Program. "We're offering a variety of events for everyone, leading right up to the unveiling of the stamp in Marquette."

A passport available at various Ishpeming locations allows participants to accumulate signatures around the area. The passports with the most signatures will be entered into a drawing for a $500 prize. One of the sites is Globe Printing, which features an autograph wall with the signatures of members of the movie's cast.

To see what the stamp looks like, check this earlier thread here at the Silver Screen Oasis:

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis/viewtopic.php?t=820

[Moraldo Rubini]

Celeste Holm, Mickey Rooney, Joe Bologna, Renée Taylor and Louise Lasser, are all being featured in the movie Driving Me Crazy. Seems to be a small, independent piece...

[Moraldo Rubini]

Well, I suppose this isn't news, but I read it in a newspaper! Down in Phoenix there's a guy who answers questions in The Arizona Republic. He's a swell writer with a keen wit. He recently had the following in the paper:

Q: My grandchildren tease me about my sunglasses and refer to them as "Claytons", but they say they don't know why they are called that. They say it's just a piece of slang they heard. Can you tell me where the name comes from?

A: Disrespectful little punks. You should remind them that the Bible tells us Elisha had a bear eat 40 children who were making fun of his bald spot.

Anyway, if you are wearing Claytons you are wearing those big, black sunglasses many older people prefer. People who have just had cataract surgery have to wear them.

The name comes from Clayton Moore who wore such glasses in his public appearances as the Lone Ranger after evil movie people told him he couldn't wear the trademark mask anymore.

Who knew?

[Moraldo Rubini]

Six years ago Hugh Grant bought the Andy Warhol portrait of Elizabeth Taylor for $3.5 million. This was part of a series of female icons that Warhol created; others included Jacqueline Kennedy [Onassis] and Marilyn Monroe. Warhol emphasized the commodity status of these subjects by creating multiple versions of the portraits in various colors. Mr. Grant owns the turqoise Taylor [that's a link to the portrait, by the way].

It must have been grand to have ol' "Violet Eyes" gazing at you from over the mantel. Coming from the legendary Warhol workshop, it would make a great conversation piece. But apparently Mr. Grant is over it. He's selling it via Christie's in New York on November 13, 2007. Christie's, by the way, is expecting the oil, acrylic and silkscreen piece to bring in up to $35 million.

Perhaps if the Silver Screen Oasis gang chipped in, we could buy it for the Classic Movie Fine Arts thread?

[benwhowell]

Maybe we could put on a show. Does anyone have a barn?
About 15 years ago, Target had Andy Warhol prints! I have a Marilyn, a cow (Ironically, I collect cows) and a Cambell's (tomato) Soup can. They were $12.99 each! I was short on cash on that visit. I went back to buy the Liza Minnelli, but it was gone...

[Moraldo Rubini]

With the recent release of Capote and Infamous, To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee has risen in the public conciousness. Ms. Lee was a close friend of Truman Capote's, and her character was played by Catherine Heener and Sandra Bullock in those two movies. Last Monday, the reclusive writer broke her silence and made a rare public appearance in Alabama to induct new members of the Alabama Academy of Honor. It's nice to see that she's still well and sassy!

[sandykaypax]

Thanks for the link to the photo of Harper Lee! She looks well and happy, even though it looks like she is sitting in a wheelchair.

Sandy K

[benwhowell]

Thanks for that update on Nelle. I hope we will see the release of a "new" novel! I've read that she did work on (at least) two other novels(?)-including one started during the '80's (and, alas, put aside) about an Alabama serial killer(?)
I also find it fascinating that she worked as an airline reservation clerk in NYC during the '50's-while writing "To Kill A Mockingbird." She does not fly anymore-prefering the train. In March, 2005 she traveled (via Amtrak) from Monroeville, Alabama to LA(!) to receive a LA public library literary award-at the urging of Gregory Peck's widow, Veronique. She has remained friends with the Peck family. One of Peck's grandsons is named after her-Harper Peck Voll.
I think it's wonderful that she has remained in her beloved Monroeville...much like Eudora Welty remained in Jackson, Mississippi until her death.
In a letter published in O magazine last year, Nelle wrote "Now, 75 years later in an abundant society where people have laptops, cell phones, iPods and minds like empty rooms, I still plod along with books."

[Moraldo Rubini]

[As an aside, did you know that we just lost another great writer? Grace Paley passed away yesterday...]

[Moraldo Rubini]

Don't call Lauren Bacall a legend. In a recent interview with the UK's Independent

If I'm a legend, I'm dead. Do you want me to be dead? Legends are of the past. I have no respect for celebrities and I object to being called one, so don't try it! I'm an actress, not a celebrity.

Her latest movie, Paul Shrader's The Walker, has opened in England and is slated for a December U.S. opening. She co-stars with Woody Harrelson, Kristen Scott Thomas, Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Mary Beth Hurt and Willem DaFoe. The article goes on

She may be a little deaf, forever saying 'Sorry?' in that brisk bark of her's, but she remains on gloriously imperious form. As she puts it, "I'm old and I don't give a damn."

You can check out the full interview at the link above (in underscored red).