Hope Emerson is the correct response. Well done.
Born in Iowa, Emerson started out on the stage, performing in both burlesque shows and 'ligitimate' productions.
Her sheer size and bulk (6'2") meant she wasn't going to be cast as anyone's demure little sister, but she was equally adept at playing scary big women as sweet big women. Her most famous role was that of the sadistic prison guard in Caged, where she was very skillful, I thought, at showing a more than casual interest in the lady prisoners, but keeping it all very understated. That villain was just as happy reading trashy magazines and eating bon-bons as she was slapping her girls around. It was a tough Oscar year in terms of competition, but I think she deserved to win the 1950 award (she didn't -- maybe the character was just a bit too much for the era). The movie was shown on TCM last Saturday morning, and I was again struck by how good she was. I especially liked her confrontational scenes with warden Aggie.
Emerson also did a lot of guest apearances on TV in the 1950s, and had recurring roles on three series: She was Joan Davis' accomplice in mayhem on I Married Joan (for the first year; then she was replaced by Minverva Urecal); she was, I believe, the owner of the nightclub where Peter Gunn spent his off hours - her character was called "Mother." She got an Emmy nomination for that one. And Emerson also played the housekeeper on the short-lived Dennis O'Keefe Show, as a former military woman called "Sarge."
Do You Know Me?
Re: Do You Know Me?
It's truly a pity that the talk show didn't really fully evolve until the era of Hollywood character actors was basically gone. I'd have loved to have seen so many of those stars interviewed, and Emerson is one of them. I can't help but think she must've lived a very interesting life.
Recently I got to see a Dick Cavett episode where Elsa Lanchester was interviewed, and I savored every minute of it. I also enjoyed a clip from an Eve Arden interview. These are the types of people that you wonder how they got their start in film and what their lives were like. Counter that with today, when it's TMI about so many people you couldn't care less about.
Recently I got to see a Dick Cavett episode where Elsa Lanchester was interviewed, and I savored every minute of it. I also enjoyed a clip from an Eve Arden interview. These are the types of people that you wonder how they got their start in film and what their lives were like. Counter that with today, when it's TMI about so many people you couldn't care less about.
-
jdb1
Re: Do You Know Me?
There's even more to it than that. On talk shows of the past, guests were literate, articulate and interesting. They were booked for that reason, not necessarily because they had a new movie to plug.
I do wish that a lot of the talk shows of the past were available for viewing, so that people could see what real conversation is like. They might even grow to like it after a while, once they got over the shock of not hearing silly gossip and "who are you wearing."
I do wish that a lot of the talk shows of the past were available for viewing, so that people could see what real conversation is like. They might even grow to like it after a while, once they got over the shock of not hearing silly gossip and "who are you wearing."
Re: Do You Know Me?
Back in the day ( 1950's - 1980's ) TV Talk Shows were much more interesting with guests such as Gore Vidal, William F. Buckley, and Hans Conreid, among others. I remember Hans on the Paar show, it was after Paar left the Tonight Show, where Mr Conreid take off on Richard Nixon, it was a gem. While I seldom agreed with Buckley at the least he talked about important things, not the cr*p thats aired today. 
-
jdb1
Re: Do You Know Me?
I didn't hold with Buckley's politics, either, Ken, but I admired him as an intellectual and a gentleman. I'd bet that the current crop of Conservative media-istas (except for those old enough to remember Buckely) would be astounded at his television style: his courtly good manners, relaxed sense of humor, and his willingness to hear and consider points of view other than his own. And even without the kind of shouting, insults and revisionism on the air today, we all paid attention to him, whether we agreed with him or not.ken123 wrote:Back in the day ( 1950's - 1980's ) TV Talk Shows were much more interesting with guests such as Gore Vidal, William F. Buckley, and Hans Conreid, among others. I remember Hans on the Paar show, it was after Paar left the Tonight Show, where Mr Conreid take off on Richard Nixon, it was a gem. While I seldom agreed with Buckley at the least he talked about important things, not the cr*p thats aired today.
-
jdb1
Re: Do You Know Me?
A humid and rainy day in NYC today. Another Mystery Guest is folding his umbrella and approaching center stage:
Do you know me?
I loved the theater, and I joined the stock company of a well-known actress when I was still a teen. Although I was a Californian, my nasal voice and rapid-fire way of talking made me ideal to play urban wiseguys, and I made a career of it. I was in a few silents, but concentrated mainly on theater until the advent of sound.
I had a small part in Hollywood's first talkie, and just kept on working from then on. My IMDb bio lists 150 screen appearances. I had attended military school, and I was good at playing soldiers, cops and other such types, but almost all my other roles were as the obnoxious guy getting himself and others into trouble; the guy who just can't shut up.
The most famous of such roles was probably my part in a multi-Oscar-winning road trip movie. I came close to stealing just about every scene I was in with the two co-stars, both of whom went on to become megastars.
In the late 40s my career was faltering. I contact a friend at a fledgling television network about getting work. They put me into a police drama. It may have seemed odd casting to some, but the show was a hit and lasted for five seasons. I played a realistic kind of cop: a middle-aged, smart and methodical policeman, hardly the heroic type, and one who had typical family problems at home, and was maybe a little henpecked. My real-life son was my co-star. He played a character who was not my son, but my assistant, and he took over for me when I was too ill to work.
Who am I?
Do you know me?
I loved the theater, and I joined the stock company of a well-known actress when I was still a teen. Although I was a Californian, my nasal voice and rapid-fire way of talking made me ideal to play urban wiseguys, and I made a career of it. I was in a few silents, but concentrated mainly on theater until the advent of sound.
I had a small part in Hollywood's first talkie, and just kept on working from then on. My IMDb bio lists 150 screen appearances. I had attended military school, and I was good at playing soldiers, cops and other such types, but almost all my other roles were as the obnoxious guy getting himself and others into trouble; the guy who just can't shut up.
The most famous of such roles was probably my part in a multi-Oscar-winning road trip movie. I came close to stealing just about every scene I was in with the two co-stars, both of whom went on to become megastars.
In the late 40s my career was faltering. I contact a friend at a fledgling television network about getting work. They put me into a police drama. It may have seemed odd casting to some, but the show was a hit and lasted for five seasons. I played a realistic kind of cop: a middle-aged, smart and methodical policeman, hardly the heroic type, and one who had typical family problems at home, and was maybe a little henpecked. My real-life son was my co-star. He played a character who was not my son, but my assistant, and he took over for me when I was too ill to work.
Who am I?
-
jdb1
Re: Do You Know Me?
Roscoe Karns is the man, Joe!
Karns started acting on the stage at age 15 as a member of a stock company organized by Marjorie Rambeau. He had a bit part in The Jazz Singer. In the 1930s, he played an occasional cop, but mostly he was the wise-cracking, obtrusive and clueless wiseguy who bothered everyone and very often would up getting punched in the nose for his rude behaviour. He was very good at it.
His best known movie role was as the obnoxious fellow passenger on the bus in It Happened One Night. "My name's Shapeley, and that's how I like 'em!" He played similar characters in literally hundreds of films. I remember him well as the senior naval officer on the late 50s/early 60s comedy-drama Hennessy, which starred Jackie Cooper. I liked that show, which was something of a precursor to M*A*S*H, but in peacetime. By that time, Karns' characterizations had more gravitas, but his characters were still hard to get along with.
In the early 1950s, Karns starred in the DuMont network's television drama Rocky King, Detective (also known as "Inside Detective"). I don't remember this program, although I do have hazy memories of DuMont. IMDb says it was on the air for five years. Karns played a middle-aged, unglamorous and hard-working detective who solved his cases by methodical police work, rather than by car chases and gun battles (most likely because DuMont didn't have the budget for anything else). His TV family was less than perfect, and his wife, who was heard but I don't think ever seen, nagged him quite a lot. Karns' son Todd Karns played a subordinate cop, and took over as the central player when his father became ill. Another prolific character actor,the younger Karns is probably best known as James Stewart's younger brother in It's A Wonderful Life. Karns, Sr. would sign off Rocky King every week with "The case is solved, Mabel. I'm coming home."
Karns started acting on the stage at age 15 as a member of a stock company organized by Marjorie Rambeau. He had a bit part in The Jazz Singer. In the 1930s, he played an occasional cop, but mostly he was the wise-cracking, obtrusive and clueless wiseguy who bothered everyone and very often would up getting punched in the nose for his rude behaviour. He was very good at it.
His best known movie role was as the obnoxious fellow passenger on the bus in It Happened One Night. "My name's Shapeley, and that's how I like 'em!" He played similar characters in literally hundreds of films. I remember him well as the senior naval officer on the late 50s/early 60s comedy-drama Hennessy, which starred Jackie Cooper. I liked that show, which was something of a precursor to M*A*S*H, but in peacetime. By that time, Karns' characterizations had more gravitas, but his characters were still hard to get along with.
In the early 1950s, Karns starred in the DuMont network's television drama Rocky King, Detective (also known as "Inside Detective"). I don't remember this program, although I do have hazy memories of DuMont. IMDb says it was on the air for five years. Karns played a middle-aged, unglamorous and hard-working detective who solved his cases by methodical police work, rather than by car chases and gun battles (most likely because DuMont didn't have the budget for anything else). His TV family was less than perfect, and his wife, who was heard but I don't think ever seen, nagged him quite a lot. Karns' son Todd Karns played a subordinate cop, and took over as the central player when his father became ill. Another prolific character actor,the younger Karns is probably best known as James Stewart's younger brother in It's A Wonderful Life. Karns, Sr. would sign off Rocky King every week with "The case is solved, Mabel. I'm coming home."
Re: Do You Know Me?
I didn't realize Todd and Roscoe were related. I love Todd's ending line "Here's to the Richest Man in Town" in IAWL. Thanks! I hope you have some more guests lined up, this reminds me of "What's My Line", one of the classier quiz shows of the 50's.
-
jdb1
Re: Do You Know Me?
Here's a new poser:
Do you know me?
I was a very familiar face on the screen in Hollywood's Classic Age, and a familiar voice on radio as well. I was always the nice girl, the helpful girl, the girl Friday and, more often than not, someone's mother, even though I was often the same age or not much older than the actors playing my children (sometimes even younger than they were).
I was the mother of very big star older than myself in a still popular, but mostly fictional, biopic. I was also the improbable mother of a famous young international star.
I went into television in its earliest days, and found myself cast once again as the wife and mom. I was in the first cast of a popular radio show that segued into television. It depicted a working-class family, and was the precursor of many, many such programs, the premise of which are still popular today.
I made numerous TV appearances. I was a regular on several other shows, and as I got older I made guest appearances on many, many shows, both comedy and drama. Late in my career I guested on the kinds of shows that favored older stars, such as The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Love, American Style, and finally Murder, She Wrote.
I served as the substitute host of an anthology series on television when its regular host took a hiatus to run for public office. The sponsor of that show liked me so much, I became the national spokesperson for its product, and made its commercials for many years.
A famous daredevil once crashed his plane into my house, causing considerable damage, which he paid to have repaired. I had a very long career, and a very long life as well.
Who am I?
Do you know me?
I was a very familiar face on the screen in Hollywood's Classic Age, and a familiar voice on radio as well. I was always the nice girl, the helpful girl, the girl Friday and, more often than not, someone's mother, even though I was often the same age or not much older than the actors playing my children (sometimes even younger than they were).
I was the mother of very big star older than myself in a still popular, but mostly fictional, biopic. I was also the improbable mother of a famous young international star.
I went into television in its earliest days, and found myself cast once again as the wife and mom. I was in the first cast of a popular radio show that segued into television. It depicted a working-class family, and was the precursor of many, many such programs, the premise of which are still popular today.
I made numerous TV appearances. I was a regular on several other shows, and as I got older I made guest appearances on many, many shows, both comedy and drama. Late in my career I guested on the kinds of shows that favored older stars, such as The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Love, American Style, and finally Murder, She Wrote.
I served as the substitute host of an anthology series on television when its regular host took a hiatus to run for public office. The sponsor of that show liked me so much, I became the national spokesperson for its product, and made its commercials for many years.
A famous daredevil once crashed his plane into my house, causing considerable damage, which he paid to have repaired. I had a very long career, and a very long life as well.
Who am I?
Re: Do You Know Me?
That segue from radio to TV and the Howard Hughes crash gave it away. The delightful Rosemary DeCamp.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
-
jdb1
Re: Do You Know Me?
You are correct, Sr. Chi-O. I don't know why, but as a kid I just loved Rosemary DeCamp. To me she was such a cool mom, like a combination of Eve Arden and Ann Doran, only sweeter.ChiO wrote:That segue from radio to TV and the Howard Hughes crash gave it away. The delightful Rosemary DeCamp.
DeCamp seemed to have played everyone's mother from a very young age. She was Cagney's mother in Yankee Doodle Dandy (he was about 15 years older), and she was Sabu's mother in The Jungle Book (he was of course much younger than she). DeCamp also played Robert Alda's mother in the Gershwin biopic Rhapsody in Blue -- they were the same age. And she was the mother of many, many others in many, many films.
I know I saw the Bob Cummings show on TV when I was a kid (a/k/a "Love That Bob"), but I barely remember Cummings. I do remember DeCamp as his sister, and Dwayne Hickman as her son, though. DeCamp was Peg Riley on the earliest permutations of The Life of Riley, which starred Jackie Gleason. When Gleason left, the two principals were recast. DeCamp was Marlo Thomas' mother on That Girl, and the grandmother of The Partridge Family.
One of the mosst interesting facets of DeCamp's career was her stint as the substitute host on the Western anthology program Death Valley Days. She filled in for her friend Ronald Reagan while he was campaigning for governor of California (but apparently only for the California broadcasts). When Reagan was elected to that office, Robert Taylor took over as host of the show, and DeCamp was tapped to be the commercial spokeswoman for the sponsor, 20 Mule Team Borax. She filled that role for many years. I have a hazy memory of her wearing a plaid dress and pouring a cup of the stuff into a washing machine, but that could be any woman in any old laundry product commercial, couldn't it?
ChiO is right about Howard Hughes crashing one of his experimental planes into DeCamp's house. The house next door was also damaged, and Hughes paid for everything. Fortunately no one was hurt. Arizona native DeCamp lived to be 90 years old.
Re: Do You Know Me?
She was as much a Mom while I was growing up as Donna and Harriet and June. She and Marlo together -- Oooo so cute. And between the 20 Mule Team Borax and Lava Soap, my Grandmother rubbed me raw. Curses, Rosemary DeCamp!
P.S. Dwayne Hickman was on Love That Bob? He's the one I don't remember.
P.S. Dwayne Hickman was on Love That Bob? He's the one I don't remember.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
Re: Do You Know Me?
ChiO, D.Hickman was always wanting to be just like Uncle Bob...and always got into trouble. And poor ol' Uncle Bob never was as successful with the ladies as he hoped to be...Rosemary saw to that.
-
jdb1
Re: Do You Know Me?
Here's a really small photo of the cast of the Bob Cummings Show, which was renamed Love That Bob for syndication.
From l to r: Ann B. Davis, Bob Cummings, Dwayne Hickman, Rosemary DeCamp.
I got this photo from the dwaynehickman.com website, where Hickman is offering DVDs of the show for sale. Too bad there are no Dobie Gillis videos, but Hickman says there are ownership issues between the producers and writer/creator Max Shulman's family. He asks visitors to his site to contact the studio, and provides us with a link to do so.
From l to r: Ann B. Davis, Bob Cummings, Dwayne Hickman, Rosemary DeCamp.
I got this photo from the dwaynehickman.com website, where Hickman is offering DVDs of the show for sale. Too bad there are no Dobie Gillis videos, but Hickman says there are ownership issues between the producers and writer/creator Max Shulman's family. He asks visitors to his site to contact the studio, and provides us with a link to do so.