An Era Ends 1974

Schmuel Gelbfisz, we hardly knew ye, but we sure know your movies. We can hear you on the Jack Benny program playing on our broadcast today.

You can be too rich, or too thin

But this woman was "too beautiful"

Twenty-two years since this

The Challenger tragedy.

Twenty-fifth anniversary of this

No one should make fun of anything like this. Except this is not really him, it's a tv movie, and you must watch him roll down the stairs- classic! And you might as well check out this.

It all turned to shit Sixty years ago today

For Victor Fleming, at least. Mother and I had the chance to visit Victor just this past Saturday. Mother hand painted this photo, i don't think lipstick was such a hot choice

You must add this link, I have

This person's work is brilliant.

I am honored to add Claroscureaux to my very short list of links.

When there are not enough words, use cement

The Duke was probably doing publicity for this, which opened shortly thereafter

Rusty, start the cement mixer!

Hard to believe Ann Miller has been dead for five years

But yup, it's true.

Today also marks the one year anniversary of Heath Ledger's untimely death. Here is his final work in Batman, the Dark Night.you know I'm doing this for you Dorisand this from Easter Parade for methis is for you Marion, thank you for that box of cash, Mother really needed it:

Well, this was avoidable

It would seem that Alfalfa got into a fracas with an acquaintance in a dispute over a dog. Hold while I investigate that....Mother set a smallish fire in her bedroom during the night so I had to go to Miss Parker's villa to use her wiki:

On January 21, 1959, Switzer and his friend Jack Piott arrived allegedly drunk at the home of Moses "Bud" Stiltz in Mission Hills, California, to settle an alleged debt owed to Switzer. Previously, Switzer had borrowed a dog from Stiltz which was lost, but eventually found. Switzer paid the man who returned the dog $35 and bought him $15 worth of drinks from the bar at which he was working. Switzer went to Stiltz's house to collect the money "owed" him. He banged on Stiltz's front door, demanding, "Let me in, or I'll kick in the door." Once Switzer was inside the home he and Stiltz got into an argument. Switzer informed Stiltz that he wanted the money owed him, saying "I want that 50 bucks you owe me now, and I mean now." When Stiltz refused to hand over the money, the two engaged in a physical fight. Piott allegedly struck Stiltz in the head with a glass-domed clock, which caused him to bleed from his left eye. Stiltz retreated to his bedroom and returned holding a .38-caliber revolver, but Switzer immediately grabbed the gun away from him, resulting in a shot being fired that hit the ceiling. Switzer then forced Stiltz into a closet, despite Stiltz having gotten his hands back on the gun. Switzer then allegedly pulled a switchblade knife and screamed, "I'm going to kill you, [expletive]." and was attempting to stab him with it, but just as Switzer was about to charge Stiltz, Stiltz raised the gun and shot Switzer in the groin. Switzer died of massive internal bleeding and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. He was just 31 years old.

As I was saying, avoidable:

See I told you I knew Sidney

Sidney and me on the thirteenth anniversary of his passing. This is the bracelet he gave Cobina in Vegas fifty years ago.

We Miss You. God Damn Son of a Bitch Bastard Shithead

And we love that you're with Tommy and your parents. Tom Poston is just out of frame. One thing- some of the neighbors HAVE mentioned your language.

A Sample: This Month in the HOLLYWOOD TRAINWRECK 2009 Calendar

Hurry up and order!!!! Extremely limited supply.

This is always a pretty dark day

For hard-scrabble Eliazbeth Short, that is, and for her memory.
and a brief note to anonymous, who, first, thank you for leaving a comment. I appreciate it. and I mean the smart anonymous, not YOU, Captain Brown. Pour yourself and Donna another drink and sit down. Listen, I'm not saying that Donald Wolfe is telling the truth, none of us know the truth about any of this, regrettably. The plethora of that which has been written about the circumstances of her death most likely will obscure that which actually happened to this sad nut. Of all the materials I've read on the subject, he certainly has made up the most wildly conspiratorial stories with great flair. He's a good story teller; in no way am I saying that he isn't making all of this up.

Not such a hot day for Peter Finch

Thirty-one years ago today. as he walked across the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel, he dropped dead on the floor. I'm busy, wiki him.

It all turned to shit Fifty-one and Forty-seven years ago today

We lost Jesse Lasky, the founder of Paramount Pictures, on this date in 1958.

Also lost forty-seven years ago this date was innovative genius Ernie Kovacs. At one point he was very friendly with Hamouflage and Piggy Gugenham, who as you know are neighbors here at the Garden.

It all caught up with him (and turned to shit) Twenty-two years ago today

The photo below was taken at a recent party. Arthur, with his wife, Patricia Lake, Johnny Weissmuller and his wife Beryl Smith, Clifton, and Spoogy Horowitz on far right. Arthur was sufficiently shit-faced to shag Pigtails bows and adorn one himself and the other on Beryl. Pigtails was pissed and stopmed off.
As for it all catching up with him, I'm speaking of Arthur Lake, I remember him as playing Dagwood Bumstead in the "Blondie" movie series. Over champagne french toast this morning in Natalie Schaefer's villa (Mother is having "only liquids"), I was aghast to be reminded of this, from Donald Wolfe's excellent book "The Black Dahlia Files":
and from John Gilmore's book "Laid Bare"

and this is about seven years before he died at the 1980 premiere of Neil Simon's Seems Like Old Times:Natalie Schaefer looked at Cobina, then me and said, "seems like old times". Yeeesh.

It all turned to shit today

For actress/housekeeper/Marie Dressler wanna be Reta Shaw, who passes this date in 1983. This is boring so once it loads head to the 3 minute mark, Reta shows up soon thereafter
Also we lost thesp Pat Buttram on this date in 1994.Perhaps you need a refresher:

It all turned to shit seven years ago

For Avery Schreiber that is, who passed on this date. Here is some of his early work with partner Jack Burns and some of his brilliant work from Match Game 75:truly a great amongst greats, especially here

Hey, pour yourself a drink a watch this; Avery is in here somewhere. feel free to fast forward, but you'll get itThat is her first husband Michael Brandon.

you will find this riveting:
And this, this is just horrific

Another friend of Cobina needs to leave a mark in the forecourt of her villa

They always want to sign the magenta squares first:What, you don't know who Edward Arnold is?Are you good?

Pigtails never misses a chance to pass out

Yes, Pigtails and Adolph Zukor were partying out by the pool, Zuke left Pigtails just laying there

Also, Aunt Doris mentioned that you should see this

And I don't even officially start until tomorow morning

Man, this guy doesn't miss a beat

Today is Billy Haines' Birthday!!!

Oddly, no photos available of the gentleman. Suffice to say that he is our hero.
Happy 109th, and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Pigtails asked Mr Hughes to pay me a box of cash, a pack of Tareytons and a bottle of Drambuie as an advance for my January salary. Howard's crazy, he had that in his trunk.

It all turned to shit Twenty six years ago today

For Victor Buono, that is, for sure. I'm busy, wiki him. Wait, watch this:and you've probably seen this but you never tire of this crap: