THE CHRISTMAS RACE!

                   Christmas is a race to see which gives out first...your money or your feet!

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

Ever since I was a little kid, Christmas music was for me a very important part of the Yuletide celebrations.  As far as I can recall, the yearly ritual of trimming the tree was always accompanied by traditional holiday music my mom would play on the living room phonograph and that music became imbedded in my subconscious so deeply that, from then on, Christmas wasn't really Christmas if we didn't play those beautiful songs.

Over the years, my musical tastes have varied somewhat but not so much as to draw me away from the vintage recordings I heard during my early years. I still enjoy those old Xmas tunes and I have collected a sizable amount of seasonal cds to help me remember my first family Christmas celebrations.
And of course, like everyone else I suppose, I have my special favorites among them.

This is the first Christmas album I remember I listened to while fixing the tree's decorations.

I wonder what ever happened to "The Caroleers".

The ever popular Bing Crosby staple! And Frank Sinatra's chart topping Jolly Christmas album!

 

 

No Christmas is complete without the sound of the Ray Conniff singers or Alvin and the Chipmunks.

The smooth crooning sounds of Dino and Andy Williams also help to make the season bright.

  

Another indispensable classic: Nat King Cole's Christmas Song!

The Boston Pops arrangements of Christmas classics were big favorites in my household.

                                      

Orchestral versions of traditional holiday music are essential to get you in the Christmas mood.

Shopping malls know this all too well!

LESSONS IN LIFE # 2

JAMES BOND'S NEW TRAILER!

The new James Bond movie will be released on April 8th, 2020 but the first trailer is already out!
I used to enjoy the Connery and Moore James Bond films because those guys were always super cool, no matter the circumstances.  On the other hand, Daniel Craig is anything but cool. He's super intense. He's angry. He's dark. He's troubled. He has issues.
                                        And I'm glad after this one, he'll be gone!

Here's the first official 007 trailer:

And here are my two favorite Bonds:

 Sean Connery

and Roger Moore.

So far, the best Bonds ever!

CARY GRANT remembered.

                                              We lost Cary Grant on November 29, 1986.

Born Archibald Alexander Leach, he was born in Horfield, Bristol on January 18, 1904 and passed away on November 29, 1986 at the age of 82.

His skill at playing comedy and dramatic roles with equal ease, was unparalleled in his time and as of today, there's still no other actor that can match his style or charismatic screen presence and charm.

I immensely enjoyed his early screwball comedies from the mid thirties through the forties like GUNGA DIN, THE AWFUL TRUTH, BRINGING UP BABY, PENNY SERENADE, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE and MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE, and I still watch them repeatedly whenever I can.

But my favorite films are the ones from his later career like TO CATCH A THIEF, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, OPERATION PETTICOAT and CHARADE, probably just because I was born in the fifties and I related to these more closely.

                                              

                                 

Anyway, Cary Grant was one of my very favorite actors and, like every male back in the day, I also wished I was more like Cary Grant.

               

               

Cary Grant and his fifth wife, Barbara Harris.

Cary Grant, like many celebrities, was the subject of many affectionate caricatures throughout his career.

 By Al Hirschfeld


         Hollywood Steps Out (Merrie Melodies) 1941

 By Mort Drucker

It should be mentioned that Cary Grant was one of the names considered when Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli were about to cast the first James Bond film, DR. NO, back in 1962.  Grant didn't want to sign for a multi-picture contract so he passed on the offer.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)

CHARADE (1964) 

Here's a video showing how Cary Grant could've handled 007's duties: 

THANKSGIVING TURKEYS!

And here's the famous and nostalgic Norman Rockwell painting from 1943, 

"FREEDOM FROM WANT":