The Window into your Soul…
(Source: lovequotesrus)
Shhhhhhhhhhh…..
Today, the thought of sitting through a mime show or a whole hour of silent film seems inconceivable to the average human being. We are now all about special effects, surround sound, widescreen, flatscreen, 3D, Imax - the list is endless. It is sometimes nice to revisit - or just visit for the first time - those men and women who started the era of movies - but not a word is spoken.
Laurel & Hardy were a comedy silent duo full of beans, gags and funny movements. English Stan Laurel (1890 - 1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892-1957) were the great characters of the silent generation. Throughout his life Laurel appeared in over 50 films and Hardy a whopping 250 films. They first worked together in the film “Luck Dog” but came together by total chance having both signed with Hal Roach film studio. One of the most famous films “Big Business” included a specific comedy routine called “tit - fo - tat fight” (i always wondered where that phrase came from) and was later added to the Library of Congress as a National Treasure in 1992. They were huge characters and unforgettable entertainers as themselves and together as duo. They were a prime example of the UK and the USA joingin together and creating something fantastic.
Charlie Chaplin (Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin 16 April 1889 - 25th December 1977). was an English comic actor, a composer and film director - but is best remembered for his work in the silent film era - of course. Visual comedy, mime and slapstick were his forte and he was one of the most famous entertainers in the world before World War I. Starring in films such as “The Kid”, “Sunnyside” and “A Days of Pleasure” Charlie Chaplin is who you first think of when someone says silent film. Even though his stage appearance was somewhat odd looking - in real life he was quite a looker (if I may say so myself) he was funny, charming and inventive - which is why he is still remembered so vividly today.
Lillian Gish (October 14th 1893 - February 27th 1993) was known as ‘The First Lady of American Cinema’ as she was the first primary female to grace the silver screen at the start of the Hollywood era. She worked with director D.W Griffiths and starred in the ever famous “Birth of a Nation” and highly controversial western “Duel in the Sun”. She was born in Springfield Ohio (ahh the Simpsons) but sadly died of natural causes in New York City at the staggering age of 99. She was mesmerizing, talented and an everlasting elegant timeless beauty.
I now finish with Marcel Marceau (22 March 1923 - 22 September 2007) a French mime actor who was best known for his work as “Bip the Clown”. Born into a Jewish family in Strasbourg France - Marceau grew up to perform all over the world and starred in films including “Les Enfants du Paradis” and his first mime drama “Praxitele and the Golden Fish”.
Marcel Marceau died on the racetrack at Cahors in France. He was internationally adored by many and even though his clown appearance seemed slightly creepy (well it does even to me now) he had a kind knowing look about him which made him so forever loved.
She was the ‘Don’ that Summer:
R.I.P LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 32 1948 - May 17th 2012) stage name Donna Summer. Five time Grammy award winner and disco queen of the 70s, Donna Summer made everyone wanna put on their their their their boogie shoes.
Born in Boston Massachusetts and had her first onstage debut in a church when she was just 10 years old. She starred in various musicals in her early career - this included the infamous musical “Hair” - before moving to Munich Germany. Her first album “Lady of the Night” was released in 1974 with a European record label called - and fit for the 70s - Groovy Records. Summer then signed to Casablanca Records in November 1975 where she released hits including “Love to Love you Baby” and “Try me, I know we can make it”.
My all time favourite Summer hit is definitely “I Feel Love” which was taken from her 1977 concept album ‘I Remember Yesterday’.
Donna Summer’s music hits home to me a very specific memory when I was growing up. My Aunt used to have an old nissan and she and I used to drive up and down from the town to the countryside blearing out Donna Summer hits - wearing star shaped sunglasses and stopping at Little Chef’s for intermediate loo breaks. Oh the good times….
Donna Summer was the one to blame it on the boogie to do a little dance, make a little love and pretty much get down every night. You will be missed Donna…
Rahzel M. Brown - formerly a member of group The Roots is a beatboxing rap extraordinaire - he wasn’t nicknamed ‘The Godfather of Noise’ for nothing. His ability to beatbox and rap at the same time is like nothing you will ever hear in your life. It is almost unbelievable. His most famous track “If Your Mother Only Knew” made beatboxing history and he has also contributed to tracks for Ben Harper (2000 single Steal My Kisses).
The Fresh Prince of Tumblr…
Oh how I remember the good old days - sitting down after a tiring day of sponge painting and arithmetic - to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The afros, logo tee shirts, dorky basketball pants and high top sneakers was Will Smith in his prime.
The show first aired on September 10th 1990 on NBC and carried on until the last episode aired in May 20th 1996. We all know the story but just to recap for those idol ones who don’t Will Smith has to leave Philadelphia and go to live with his uncle and aunt Philip and Vivian Banks and their children Carlton, Hilary and Ashley in Bel-Air. It was one of the great teenage TV show experiences - well that and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, “Sister Sister”, “Saved by the Bell” and my personal fave Australian teen show “Heartbreak High”.
I think that the show itself is responsible for many things. Firstly, why the Beckham boys now all wear, support and love the basketball way of life, secondly commercial rap music, and thirdly teenage comedy shows which just soared into startdom after the show aired. Although now they have been tainted and changed into teenage movies about depressed Vampires and Wolves out to kill eachother. Hey Ho - I still remember the good old days and am not likely to forget them in a hurry. Hurray of the Fresh Prince of my Tumblr.
“Now, this is the story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I’d like to take a minute
Just sit right there
I’ll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air
In west Philadelphia born and raised
On the playground was where I spent most of my days
Chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool
And all shootin some b-ball outside of school
When a couple of guys
Who were up to no good
Startin making trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared
She said ‘You’re movin’ with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air’
I begged and pleaded with her day after day
But she packed my suite case and sent me on my way
She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket.
I put my walkman on and said, ‘I might as well kick it’.
First class, yo this is bad
Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass.
Is this what the people of Bel-Air living like?
Hmmmmm this might be alright.
But wait, I hear the prissy, booze, whine, all that
Is this the type of place that they should send this cool cat?
I don’t think so
I’ll see when I get there
I hope they’re prepared for the prince of Bel-Air
Well uh, the plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude who looked like a cop standing there with my name out
I ain’t trying to get arrested yet.
I just got here!
I sprang with the quickness, like lightening disappeared
I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror
If anything I can say is that this cab was rare
But I thought ‘Man forget it’ - ‘Yo home to Bel Air’
I pulled up to the house about seven or eight
And I yelled to the cabbie ‘Yo homes smell ya later’
I looked to my kingdom
I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air”
My Style Icon for Today….
Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich
Come Fly with me….
How do you describe Howard Hughes in three words. Well if we were living in the 1930s it would be ‘mad, mad and mad’ but in 2012 my three words would be ‘genius, genius and genius’. He changed Hollywood forever by single handedly funding and producing epic pictures such as The Racket (1928) and the critically acclaimed Hell’s Angels (1930). Not only that but he also changed and influenced aviation with his Hughes H-1 Racer aircraft and the infamous Hercules. Aviation would not be what is today without HH.
Although Hughes had a run in with Richard Nixon (didn’t everyone) but the scandal transpired to be about bribes made by Nixon and Hughes lending Nixon’s brother Donald a large sum of money. I don’t think you could properly be called a ‘celebrity’ in those days unless you were involved in a Nixon bust up so all hail Howard Hughes.
Mr Hughes also flew sky high with the ladies. He dated the likes of Ava Gardener, Ginger Rogers and most famously Katharine Hepburn. So ladies it goes to show there is nothing wrong with joining the mile high club.
Hughes died on April 5th 1976 of apparent kidney failure onboard a flight from the Bahamas to Houston. He was supposedly found to be unrecognisable in his appearance suffering from chronic malnutrition and suffering from allodynia.
Let me end on a high though. Howard Hughes never gave up – never admitted defeat. His sheer in ability to not seek anything less than true perfection haunted him his entire life but something I like most about him. He was driven, ambitious and having been born on Christmas Eve he was clearly sent from heaven – or spent his whole life trying to fly back. He simply was a real high flyer.
Howard Hughes
December 24th 1906 – April 5th 1976
