Discussion Forum

During 2010 we lost a lot of famous people who have influenced our lives. From Lena Horne to Don Meredith, J.D. Salinger to Leslie Nielson.

Which one will you miss the most or had an influence in your life?

There were several for me but I guess Bobby Thomson, whose dramatic home run at just the right time (Called the shot heard around the world) in October 3, 1951 would be my choice.

On October 3, 1951 my wife of over 41 years was born.

-Bureau

Fitting tribute? perhaps not....still...


People Who Died - Jim Carroll Band

Jim Carroll himself died of a heart attack in 2009....

God speed to all who didn't make it this last year.

Some who I'm sorry to see go:

Leslie Nielsen (made me laugh alot)

Tony Curtis (Hollywood great)

Elizabeth Edwards (courageous woman)

Lena Horne (one of the best female voices of all time)

J.D. Salinger (A Catcher in the Rye-one of the first "serious" books I ever read)

Well, being as how I was abandoned by a young midwest couple back in 1954 who thought enough to leave me stuffed in a large picnic basket near the right rear door of a 1949 De Soto at a drive-in theater (showing "The Band Wagon") somewhere just outside of Port Huron, Michigan, all of which subsequently mandated that I be raised by a reasonably charming couple who, after a couple of drinks generally descended into a back and forth, totally improvisational, hoot and holler, high wire act, that tended to closely mirror the last two reels of "In A Lonely Place" starring Humphey Bogart and Gloria Grahame (and, if need be, could easily slip into a more high octane-like "Big Heat" mode, with Pop zooming off into uncharted Lee Marvinish territory, which, I guess, is why Mom's was anything but a hot coffee drinker after a while), but, that's another story.

All that's required here to spill is the fact that, due to all the prior, my thoughts tend to circle the drain cinematically - and even more so after I see "Written On The Wind" or anything by Billy Wilder and/or John Cassavetes (especially "Husbands") - whenever it arrives at that point in the program to review who it is (and was, like just because) that ain't among us no more.

And so, like around now, or thereabouts I can't help but remember Tony Curtis because of "Some Like It Hot," "Operation Petticoat," "Sweet Smell Of Success," "Who Was That Lady?", "The Defiant Ones," "The Great Race," and so many more, and especially because of his great over and over again story about the time he spotted Walter Matthau standing in the rain down in the Village, while being wheeled around the Big Apple in a limo after having made it big in Hollywood, and how he pulled up, rolled down the window, and quickly informed the soaked to the bone Matthau that he'd apparently nailed Yvonne De Carlo, and then immediately had the driver step on it and take him off to someplace decidedly more fun and wicked in the right there dark and rainy all night.

And well, besides, Sir Tony, there's Arthur Penn cause of "Bonnie and Clyde," "Little Big Man," "Alice's Restaurant," "Night Moves," "The Miracle Worker," and for the way Marlon Brando staggers to the finish line of "The Chase." Yeah, in other words, we rob banks! And thanks to this guy we all got a front row seat to the final act slow motion death ballet of Miss Bonnie Parker and Mr. Clyde Barrrow, Or, as the leader of the Barrow gang (who's advertising was just dandy even though he had, as a rule, not a thing to sell) once told his brother Buck during a sweet moment of existence before all hell went south, "Ain't life grand?" Well, thanks to Arthur Penn, a good part of it certainly was.

And, of course, there's Leslie Nielsen and his "Don't call me Shirley" coming out party after years of stalwart big and small screen performances, and, Patricia Neal whose smokey southern drawl melted the hearts of legions of screen lions, especially Gary Cooper's and, of course, that certifiable mofo, Hud; and lest we forget Dennis Hopper, who either saw or did it all, from James Dean and Natalie Wood, to Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson, to Peter Fonda and Karen Black, with John Wayne, Peter Fonda, Marlon Brando, David Lynch, a whole bunch of happy hoosiers, and some out of control bus on the side, or just along for the ride.

But still, where I wind up going with most of these rear view thoughts are to French filmmaker extraordinaire, Eric Rohmer, whose "My Night At Maud's," "Claire's Knee," "Chloe In The Afternoon," "The Aviator's Wife," "Full Moon In Paris," "Summer", "Boyfriends and Girlfriends," and, well, like forever so on, seem to me to be cinema of the highest and most delicately intense order. All of which finds the heart and soul of most, if not all, important matters by tapping into the mind of so many wonderful characters, without a lot of muss and fuss, no CGI, never a car chase or shoot out, and not much more than plenty of more or less simple words, all too often never like said on the screen, in appropriately mapped-out conversational terms, which never cease to amaze, or take me to the edge of a temporary sense of eternal bliss, as opposed to the abyss that I tend to, as a rule, find myself all too often treading water like madman, or worse yet, like a fish, suddenly for no reason, without any secure-like cushion of the all-important wet stuff.

Ok, so enough with the tears already. On with the show.

Sam?......A little traveling music!.....And, away we go!!

JP with a few changes you could publish this - I actually understood it for once

JP HAS to be related to Bob Dylan in some way or form.

These answers sound like some Dylan gave about his music and political views during the 1960's.

Of course, Dylan was merely poking fun at the interviewers.

Hmmmm.

Captain Beefheart.
Bernard Matthews.
Midge The Sea Lion.

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Quote: Bureau

JP HAS to be related to Bob Dylan in some way or form.

These answers sound like some Dylan gave about his music and political views during the 1960's.

Of course, Dylan was merely poking fun at the interviewers.

Hmmmm.

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....and he was stoned at the time.........ahemmmmm!

OK, so maybe that explains why I forgot:

*Jean Simmons - As perfect of a delicate flower that the screen has ever shown. Just give "Great Expectations," "Hamlet," "So Long At The Fair," "Angel Face," "Young Bess," "The Actress," "Footsteps In The Fog," "Until They Sail," "The Big Country," "Spartacus," and "Elmer Gantry" a look see if, for some reason, you need any late in the game reminding.

*Lynn Redgrave - Who, for "Georgy Girl" alone, had many of us in her corner hanging on her every move and/or clear, determined intention to make her way through whatever caused her to temporarily readjust her full speed ahead path, of sorts.

*Lena Horne - Because, well...Fred Sanford would put one upside my dummy-like head if I didn't at least acknowledge the legendary "Stormy Weather" Queen of us all.

*Blake Edwards - As good as they get, movie comedy-wise ("The Pink Panther" series, "Operation Petticoat," "The Great Race," "What Did You Do In The War Daddy?" "The Party," "10," "S.O.B."), but then there was the, as always, so much more ("Breakfast At Tiffany's," "Experiment In Terror," "Days of Wine and Roses," and "Victor/Victoria") to cinch the deal, and forever leave us way more than merely smiling and momentarily highly amused.

*Dede Allen - Because world class film editors don't get any better than her. And well, cause, simply put, "Odds Against Tomorrow," "The Hustler," "Bonnie and Clyde," "Rachel, Rachel," "Alice's Restaurant," "Little Big Man," "Slaughterhouse Five," "Serpico," "Night Moves," Dog Day Afternoon," "Slap Shot," and "Reds" can't help but place her in the kind of permanent penthouse for film cutters that all others must be content to only dream about.

*Teddy Pendergrass - Because, well....from that first moment you hear him in "Don't Leave Me This Way" you know damn well that he's THE man. And, no, there ain't likely to ever be another that sounds this smooth, and/or, oh so way cool. In other words, the fella knew how to bring it, what with "The Love I Lost," "You Don't Know Me By Now," "Bad Luck," and "Wake Up Everybody" forever tipping the scales in favor of everyone's favorite Teddy Bear.

*Alex Chilton - Because at the age of 16 he sounded like he'd seen and done it all ("The Letter" - The Box Tops), but then he'd go on to greater indi-rock heights with Big Star, and proceed to carve out an enduring legacy of go-your-own-way musicianship that few will ever match (or attempt) even if they're seemingly as creative (yet, obviously never as strong) enough.

*Don Van Vliet - Because as modern artists go, no one reaches the heights, finds the horizons, or notices the edges of the frame quite like this gentleman. If triple threat geniuses were all like this (music, painting, life) the world would indeed be a much better place. And well, on account of him, much of it now is, and forever shall be, due to the who and what of all of his was, as in like, hell yeah, just because.

*Ernie Harwell - Because no one took you to there and back quite like this Hall of Famer, while otherwise seemingly just broadcasting a baseball game over the radio. And, having grown up with his voice in my ear during my once upon a time tour of duty in Detroit, I'm here to tell you that what this wonderful man did for generations of Detroit Tiger fans was indeed way more than "just broadcasting." He's now, and has been for quite sometime, in the front row section of our collective hearts and minds, and forever deep rooted Detroit, Michigan, USA soul.

*John Wooden - Because, yeah sure, all the NCAA Championship Titles at UCLA, they're nice. But, more importantly, his Pyramid of Success Lesson, his commitment to what matters most in life, and his perpetual desire to remind us to be quick but not in a hurry, in the end, is altogether even nicer to hold onto and keep recalling, as the evening wears on.

*Bob Feller - Because true blue All-American heroes don't come packaged anymore truer than this guy. And well, baseball and service to his country is only the public record half of what made him such a giant among those who will remain forever in awe of the power and determination of this once upon a time farm boy who went on to become a major mountain of a man.

*J.D. Salinger - Because he tapped into, and so expertly documented, the all too often conscious fear and confusion that haunts us all, no matter where we chose to try and hide. And then, had enough brilliant courage to retreat, so as to better let the pain of his insightful, yet all too brief words, speak for themselves to an audience the refuses to go away, none too gently. Yet will, as is so written the plan, eventually, and all. Just don't tell anybody anything, or else, be prepared to, well....I'm sure you know the rest by now. Or, will. Soon enough.

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Anyway, the helicopters have arrived, which means my ride is almost here.

So, thanks to anyone out there who may have made it this far. And, once again, allowed themselves to look for a moment, or two, this way and that, after I, once again, couldn't pass up the opportunity to make with the maybe too many words in order to let whoever is out there in on some of the more recent stars to enter heaven's eternal galaxy of sorts.

- john peurach.

Peter Graves (Airplane and t.v's Mission Impossible)

LG