A CONNERY CELEBRATION!

Sean Connery was born August 25, 1930 in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, in Scotland.

He shot to world fame when he was signed to portray Secret Agent James Bond 007 in the first official James Bond movie adventure, DR. NO (1962).

He had an illustrious career up until 2003 when he retired after completing THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, which remains his last film appearance.

To date, he is the only screen James Bond who's received an Academy Award (for 1987's THE UNTOUCHABLES). 

I first saw him in Walt Disney's DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE (1959) but I became one of his numerous loyal fans when I saw him in his debut as Bond.

 I still think he's the best James Bond ever, in spite of the many illustrious actors who have portrayed Ian Fleming's character over the long series of films.

                                       

He's raked in 94 film credits in IMDb, many of which are true classics, like THE HILL, THE ANDERSON TAPES, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, THE WIND AND THE LION, THE NAME OF THE ROSE, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, OUTLAND, HIGHLANDER, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, and FINDING FORRESTER.

                                         

THUNDERBALL (1965), is my favorite Bond adventure.

                                                           Long Live Sir Sean Connery!

 

FRANK SINATRA's first recording!

I am currently a guest in Hoboken, N.J., so I think it's fitting I share this historical recording:

Our Love is the first ever song to be recorded by Frank Sinatra. It is a stock arrangement based on part of Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet. It was recorded with Frank Mane's band, March 18, 1939, at Harry Smith Studio, 3 46th East Street Manhattan

JERRY LEWIS!

                          Two years ago, on August 20, 2017, we lost Jerry Lewis.
I leave to the critics any comments on the quality of his films. His biographical details have also been amply dissected by his biographers. My memory of Lewis begins and ends with all his better comedies as I've always believed any artist should only be judged by his finest work.

So...Jerry Lewis, I salute you wherever you may be!

 
                                     
                                                      You made our world a happier place!

The classic typewriter bit from "WHO'S MINDING THE STORE?" (1963)

                                                   

OLIVER HARDY: A GENIUS OF COMEDY!

We lost Oliver Norvell Hardy 62 years ago but his legacy lives on 

for those of us who still enjoy his talent on the silver screen!

HIirschfeld's World of Comedy

 Here are some of my favorite comedians as seen by Al Hirschfeld:

Charlie Chaplin                                                      Buster Keaton 

Harold Lloyd

                                                                                                                        The Marx Brothers

Laurel & Hardy
 

W.C. Fields, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Groucho Marx

 ZaSu Pitts

The Marx Brothers

                                                                                Danny Kaye

   Bob Hope

Abbott & Costello

Martin & Lewis

Jerry Lewis Woody Allen

                              The cast of "What's New, Pussycat?"

The cast of SEINFELD

AL HIRSCHFELD

One of my most admired cartoonists has always been Al Hirschfeld.

His way of capturing likenesses and translating them into simple, flowing and dynamic lines is absolutely amazing and even poetic.

His caricatures are widely known and renowned, and almost every self-respecting cartoonist has learned part of his craft by studying Hirschfeld's renderings.

                                       

Yesterday, I paid a visit to the famed Algonquin Hotel located at 59, West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan and was greeted by some framed examples of Al Hirschfeld's artwork.

  

The story of the Algonquin Hotel is part of New York City's folklore and so is Mr. Hirschfeld.
Al Hirschfeld was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 21, 1903 and died January 20, 2003 at the age of 99.           

In 1943, Hirschfeld married famous European actress Dolly Haas and they had one daughter, Nina, born in 1945. After her birth, Hirschfeld developed the habit of hiding her name, spelled in capital letters, on most every drawing he did thereafter. The number of NINAs concealed in every drawing was shown next to the artist's signature.  It quickly became a favorite pastime to try and find out the hidden NINAs in the cartoons.