(repost/long) Names on My Wall, August 1999
Benjamin Robinson
through. This is a retry.)
Another good month, in that I could located everybody. If you're
facing per-minute charges for your internet connection, I'd save this
post and read it off-line at your leisure. And without further ado,
the names that appear on the Simpsons calendar for August, 1999.
Sunday, August 1:
Herman Melville (b. 1819) -- Author. The year was 1846, and Herman
Melville has a new best seller on hands -- "Typee." In a way,
this was a mixed blessing, because he spent the rest of his
career trying to prove that his early success was not a fluke.
The results were mixed. Not that many of Melville's works are
well-known today, but one of them, "Moby Dick," is considered an
all-time classic. Melville's body of work also includes the
short story, "Bartleby the Scrivener." Some critics view this
as Melville's reaction to commercial pressure that was brought
to bear on him, with Bartleby being a stand-in for the author
himself.
Jerry Garcia (b. 1942) -- Musician. Garcia was one of the frontmen
for the legendary Grateful Dead. Starting as a local band on
the mid-60's San Francisco scene, the Dead lived for a long time
with popular tunes like "Truckin'" (the "What a Long, Strange
Trip It's Been" song) and "Touch of Grey". But a simple list of
their hits doesn't give the full story. The Dead's fans --
often called "Deadheads" -- would follow the band around as they
toured the world, setting up huge makeshift hippie "cities" at
each stop. (A former co-worker of mine figured that the Dead
should just set up a permanent stadium and play there. It would
have saved everyone a lot of travelling expenses.) Garcia and
bandmates epitomized the mellowness of the 60's. For example,
they didn't have problems with people making and distributing
bootleg tapes of their shows, and even encouraged the practice.
Unfortunately, Garcia also represented the darker side of that
decade, winding up in rehab once or twice for, ah,
extracurricular pharmaceutical usage. This probably played a
part in his sudden death in the early 90's. His band followed
suit soon after.
Monday, August 2:
Myrna Loy (b. 1905) -- Actress. Loy is fondly remembered for playing
Nora Charles in the "Thin Man" series of movies (including "The
Thin Man," "Another Thin Man," "Song of the Thin Man," and so
on.) In these, she played Nora Charles, the wife of semi-former
detective Nick Charles -- "semi-" because circumstances always
seemed to draw them back into the world of sleuthing. She also
appeared in "I Love You Again," and "Mr. Blandings Builds His
Dream House."
James Baldwin (b. 1924) -- Author. Baldwin, a black man, was
infuriated by the racial injustices that he and people he knew
experienced. This anger became a common theme for his novels
and plays. "Go Tell It on the Mountain," a partly
autobiographical novel, won Baldwin respect as a commentator on
race relations. He has also written "Nobody Knows My Name," a
collection of essays about his youth, and the plays "The Amen
Corner," and "Blues for Mr. Charlie." Baldwin also wrote
analytical nonfiction, such as "The Evidence of Things Not
Seen," a look at the infamous Atlanta child murders of 1979-80.
Tuesday, August 3:
Tony Bennett (b. 1926) -- Singer. Although he denied being a jazz
singer, Bennett had a jazzy singing style. (Some of this may
have come from jazz pianist Ralph Sharon, who was Bennett's
musical director.) Beginning his recordings in the 50's,
Bennett had hit singles with "Because of You" and "Cold, Cold
Heart" (formerly a Hank Williams song!). As rock encroached
upon the popular music scene, Bennett stuck by his musical guns,
and even managed to have a big hit with "I Left My Heart in San
Francisco." Even so, he was without a recording contract by the
80's. Recently, though, he staged a comeback. In 1993, a
concert on (of all places) MTV sparked a surge of interest in
his work. As usual, "Simpsons" fans are a little ahead of the
crowd, catching Bennett crooning the Capital City song in
"Dancin' Homer (7F15)."
Martin Sheen (b. 1940) -- Actor. Sheen appeared in a string of made-
for-TV movies in the 70's, such as "The Missiles of October,"
and "The Execution of Private Slovik." [*] Sheen moved to the
big screen with "Badlands," "Apocalypse Now," and "Wall Street."
All of that was just a prelude to his guest appearance on "The
Simpsons," as the real Seymour Skinner in the controversial "The
Principal and the Pauper (4F23)."
[*] Slovik was the only man to be executed in World War II for
desertion.
Wednesday, August 4:
Louis Armstrong (b. 1901) -- Musician. Armstrong was a virtuoso jazz
trumpet player. In the 20s, Armstrong cut a set of recordings
that launched his reputation. He was even able to surmount the
racism of the day to become a sort of ambassador of jazz.
Armstrong influenced not only jazz but pop and rock-and-roll
music, as well. Indeed, in 1964 he topped the Beatles on the
charts with a cover of, "Hello, Dolly," a feat which made him
the oldest man to have a number one record on the Billboard Top
40 chart.
Raoul Wallenberg (b. 1912) -- Rescuer. During World War II,
Wallenberg saw that millions of innocent people were being sent
to their deaths at the hands of the Nazis. Like most, he was
horrified. Unlike most, he was willing and able to do something
about it. Wallenberg was a diplomat for Sweden, a country which
was neutral during the war. He used this position to save
Jewish people in Hungary, through a combination of bribes,
threats, and falsified citizenship papers. Through these means,
he was able to save the lives of 10,000 people. He was even
able to prevent the Nazis from liquidating the Jewish ghetto as
the Soviets closed in, saving approximately 70,000. Sadly,
Wallenberg did not get to savor his victory. The Soviets took
him and other foreign officials into "protective custody," and
he was never seen or heard from again. (For their part, the
Soviets claimed he died in 1947.) Today, a Wallenberg Committee
seeks to preserve his ideals, and the notion that one man can
make a difference.
[Last Qtr. Moon]
Thursday, August 5:
Guy de Maupassant (b. 1850) -- Writer. Maupassant was a noted author
of short stories. His writing, which centered around the life
of peasants in Normandy or upper-crust people in Paris, had a
precise, balanced style. A prolific author, Maupassant wrote
six novels and 300 short stories, including "Une Vie (A Woman's
Life)" and "Pierre et Jean." He also wrote a series of horror
stories (probably the result of his deteriorating mental state).
The story that you probably heard of, though, is "The Necklace,"
a tale of what happens when a woman borrows said item of jewelry
from a wealthy friend.
John Huston (b. 1906) -- Director (Actor, too, but he's better known
as a director). Huston's résumé contains an impressive string
of movie classics, like "The Maltese Falcon," "Treasure of the
Sierra Madre" ("Three Men and a Comic Book (7F21)" lifted the
basic premise of this one.), "Moby Dick (1956)," and "The
African Queen."
Friday, August 6:
Lucille Ball (b. 1911) -- Actress. Lucille Ball, or "Lucy," as she
was commonly known, was the Bill Cosby of her day -- a funny
person who had a wildly successful TV show. So successful, that
it became part of the nation's cultural fabric. "I Love Lucy"
was a family sitcom following the wacky misadventures of Lucy,
her musician husband, and their neighbors. In a move that would
foreshadow later television series, the show blurred the
distinction between real life and TV fiction. Lucy's husband on
the show was played by real-life hubby Desi Arnaz. When Lucille
Ball got pregnant, so did her character. Perhaps inevitably,
the baby on the show was played by Ball's actual baby. What's
more, the tyke appeared on the cover of the first issue of
another American institution, "TV Guide."
Robert Mitchum (b. 1917) -- Actor. Through his career, Mitchum played
men who were both good and bad, but always tough. He was Jeff
Bailey in "Out of the Past," and Rev. Harry Powell in "Night of
the Hunter," and Philip Marlowe in "The Big Sleep." Mitchell
also appeared in "Cape Feare" -- both the 1962 version (as Max
Cady) and the 1991 remake (as Lt. Elgart).
Andy Warhol (b. 1928) -- Artist. Warhol was an eminent artist in the
field of pop art, the form that builds on mundane cultural icons
and turns them into "high" (or "expensive") art. He was the guy
who did those deliberately repetitive paintings of soup cans,
Marilyn Monroe, and other celebrities. Warhol also made
underground films, published a book, and even created two cable
TV shows, one of which was for MTV. Yet for all this, Warhol's
biggest work of art may have been the way he lived his own life.
The biggest of the celebrity-artists, Warhol always seemed to
know how to attract attention (which is fitting, since he was
the one who claimed that everyone would have fifteen minutes of
fame). He hung out with other quasi-famous people, people on
the edge of celebrity that you've heard of, yet who really
weren't cultural icons. Warhol tended to mock the more pompous
expectancies of his day -- once, when he went on tour, he sent a
double to do interviews and press conferences for him. (He
later said the double did a better job of being him than he
would have.) Even after his death in 1987, Warhol continued to
be something of a celeb flashpoint when his catty diaries were
posthumously published.
[Hiroshima Day]
Saturday, August 7:
Nicholas Ray (b. 1911) -- Director. Ray directed "The Flying
Leathernecks" and "Johnny Guitar," but by far his crown jewel is
"Rebel Without a Cause," the James Dean film. In addition to
directing, Ray wrote the story (if not the actual screenplay)
for that movie.
Stan Freberg (b. 1926) -- Comedian and jack-of-all-trades. Although
primarily a comic, Freberg's career has a little bit of
everything. He was one of the first comics to record his act on
albums, with "St. George and the Dragonet" and "The Yellow Rose
of Texas." Freberg has also done extensive voiceover work,
particularly a character named "Tosh" in the 40's and 50's. (I
don't know anything about Tosh aside from this; sorry.) He was
a puppeteer for the 1949 TV series "Time for Beany." Not
enough? Freberg also makes commercials! That's right -- he was
the man behind a legendary campaign for Sunsweet Pitted Prunes
("Today, the pits -- tomorrow, the wrinkles.").
Sunday, August 8:
Benny Carter (b. 1907) -- Musician. As a child, Carter wanted to
learn to play the trumpet. However, he couldn't master it over
the course of a weekend, so he swapped it for a sax. He *did*
learn the sax, becoming one of jazz's best saxophonists. In
addition, he was proficient with the trumpet (second try was the
charm, I suppose). And also the clarinet. And the piano. And
don't forget the trombone! Carter and his various bands toured
extensively, spreading jazz abroad in places like Europe. (In
1975 he toured that hotbed of jazz appreciation, the Middle
East.) Carter was also a noted arranger, and his services were
much in demand by other jazz orchestras. In the 70's he taught
seminars on music. Old age hasn't slowed him down, and in his
eighties he played almost as often as when he was in his
thirties. In 1982, a New York City jazz station celebrated his
75th birthday with a retrospective of Carter's work. It took 177
hours non-stop.
Dustin Hoffman (b. 1937) -- Actor. Hoffman was the male lead in a lot
of movies, but he wasn't the traditional leading man. Instead,
he played more of an anti-hero or everyman, often to critical
acclaim. He made a big splash almost from the very beginning,
playing Benjamin Braddock in "The Graduate." From there he went
on to "Midnight Cowboy," "All the President's Men," "Tootsie,"
and "Kramer vs. Kramer." Recently, he was terrific in the role
of Stanley Motss, the producer who helped orchestrate a
presidential cover-up in "Wag the Dog."
Monday, August 9:
Armand Salacrou (b. 1899) -- Playwright. Salacrou wrote, "L'Homme de
nulle (The Man from Nowhere," and "La Beauté du diable (The
Beauty and the Devil)." Both of these were made into movies, in
case it's your turn to pick which video you and your significant
other will watch tonight.
Philip Larkin (b. 1922) -- Poet. After a decade of trying, Larkin
established himself as an important British poet with "The Less
Decieved," a collection of poems. In 1964, he published "The
Whitesun Weddings," and a year later, he received the Queen's
Gold Medal for poetry. In addition to poetry, Larkin wrote two
novels, several articles of literary criticism, and even
reviewed jazz records. He was almost made the Poet Laureate of
Britain, but turned down the position because he did not wish to
deal with all the media attention. (Evidently, the British
press takes poets more seriously than its American counterpart.)
Rod Laver (b. 1938) -- Tennis player. In 1962, Laver won the Grand
Slam of tennis -- victorious in the Australian, British, French,
and United States Opens. Then, in 1969, he won it again
becoming the only person to do this twice. Additionally, he won
the Wimbledon championship four times.
[Nagasaki Day]
Tuesday, August 10:
Jorge Amado (b. 1912) -- Author. His novels revolve around the lives
of ordinary Brazilian citizens. They include "The Violent
Land," "Doña Flor and Her Two Husbands," and "The War of the
Saints."
Ian Anderson (b. 1947) -- Singer. Anderson is the frontman for Jethro
Tull, the popular British progressive rock band. Anderson sang,
and played acoustic guitar and the flute. The latter instrument
was, and remains, a rarity in rock-and-roll, and it gave Jethro
Tull the unique sound you can hear in "Thick as a Brick" and
"Aqualung." If you've been watching "Who Wants to be a
Millionaire" (or saw the Grammy ceremonies in 1989), you'll know
that Jethro Tull won the award for best Rock/Heavy Metal
performance. As a solo artist, Anderson also recorded the rock-
influenced "Walk into Light" and "Divinities," an album of
classical flute music. Side note: One of Anderson's hobbies is
growing hot chili peppers. Maybe we'll see him at Springfield's
next chili cookoff!
Wednesday, August 11:
Mavis Gallant (b. 1922) -- Author. She specializes in short fiction
(also known as "short stories"). Her collections of stories
include "The Pegnitz Junction" and "From the Fifteenth
District." She is also a regular contributor to "The New
Yorker" magazine.
Hulk Hogan (b. 1953) -- Professional Wrestler. Born Terry Bolea (or
Bollea, depending on which site you consult), Hogan was the main
man when pro wrestling crossed into the mainstream in the
1980's. (Wrestling was popular before that, but "Hulkamania"
was a new high point.) Wrestlers were never a retiring bunch,
but Hogan had a brash, in-your-face personality that became the
pattern for most wrestling personalities since. He parlayed
this popularity into roles in a bunch of forgettable movies,
like "Suburban Commando" and "No Holds Barred," before forming
the nWo wrestling organization.
David Henry Hwang (b. 1957) -- Playwright. Hwang's most celebrated
play is "M Butterfly," about a man who discovers that his lover
for twenty years is (a) also a man and (b) a spy for Communist
China. (The play was, remarkably enough, based on a true
story.) Hwang's latest play, "Golden Child," is concerned with
what happens as a Chinese family converts to Christianity.
[New Moon]
Thursday, August 12:
Joe Besser (b. 1907) -- Stooge. For a brief time in the 50's Besser
filled the rotating "third Stooge" spot previously occupied by
Curly and Shemp. Besser resembled Curly to a significant enough
degree that distance footage of Curly was passed of as new
footage of Besser. People working with the Stooges at the time
credit Besser's enthusiasm and ability to ad lib with saving
scenes that might otherwise have gone flat. He left the Stooges
in the late 50's, but continued to do cartoon voice-over work
after that.
Cantinflas (b. 1911) -- Comedian. His real name was Mario Moreno
Reyes, and he was one of the best-known comedians in the
Hispanic world. He was in numerous Spanish-language movies, but
English-speaking Americans probably know him best as
Passepartout in "Around the World in Eighty Days."
Sam Fuller (b. 1912) -- Screenwriter. Fuller has written (and also
directed and produced) a number of movies, including "The Big
Red One," "The Naked Kiss," and "I Shot Jesse James." He also
has a lot of military-inspired films, like "Fixed Bayonets" and
"The Steel Helmet."
Friday, August 13:
Alfred Hitchcock (b. 1899) -- Director. It's fair to say "Hitch" was
the master of the suspense movie. In his body of work, the
protagonist had to struggle to defeat, or just survive, the
nefarious forces against him. In "Rear Window," a man confined
to a wheelchair witnesses what he thinks is a murder; it's up to
him to convince the authorities he wasn't just jumping to
conclusions. (This was parodied in "Bart of Darkness (1F22)".)
Other movies probed the "nether regions of the soul," like
"Psycho." (This was parodied in "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge
(7F09)," when Maggie attacked Homer.) Still others were just
plain creepy, like "The Birds." (This was parodied in "A
Streetcar Named Marge (8F18).") Hitchcock also hosted the
eponymous "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." At the beginning of each
show, the audience would see a stylized outline of the
director's profile. The real Hitchcock would step "into" this
profile, before turning to address the audience. (This was --
you guessed it! -- parodied in "Treehouse of Horror III (9F03)."
Do you get the impression the "Simpsons" staff are fans?)
Don Ho (b. 1930) -- Singer. Most people strongly associate Ho with
Hawaiian songs like "Kanaka Wai Wai" and "Tiny Bubbles." He
also has English-language ("Two Who Do Believe") and Vietnamese
ballads ("Em Dep Nhu Mo") in his repertoire. Of course, the
high point of his career has to be his guest appearance on "The
Brady Bunch," in those episodes where they all went to Hawaii.
Saturday, August 14:
Ernest Just (b. 1883) -- Biologist. Just investigated the mysteries
of the human cell, making important finds in egg fertilization,
hydration and dehydration, and the effects of ultraviolet rays
on the chromosomes of animals. Just became head of Howard
University (Washington, DC) biology department in 1912. In
1915, he won the Springarnd Medal from the NAACP for advancing
the cause of the black man.
Steve Martin (b. 1945) -- Comedian. It is said that Martin was the
first of the superstar comedians -- guys who could fill an arena
the way rock stars do. His style of comedy, which blends
wittiness and zaniness, has proven enduringly popular. After
being what seems like a permanent guest star on "Saturday Night
Live," Martin went on to the big screen with movies both silly
("The Jerk") to the respectably intelligent ("Roxanne"). Martin
also appeared in "Parenthood," "Planes, Trains, and
Automobiles," and "Father of the Bride." If you watched "Trash
of the Titans (5F09)," then you probably remember him from his
low-key role as the town's sanitation commissioner. Martin's
latest movie, "Bowfinger," is now playing in theaters.
Gary Larson (b. 1950) -- Cartoonist. Larson drew "The Far Side," a
legendary and off-beat one-panel cartoon. He had a sense of
humor that was quite different than most other cartoonists of
his day. It was more cerebral than usual, with a lot of jokes
that appealed to scientists (especially biologists). He had a
relatively high "I don't get it" factor, as Homer discovered in
"The Homega Man" (part of "Treehouse of Horror VIII (5F02)").
Larson's cartoons also flirted with the macabre, sometimes to
the annoyance of people who preferred their comics to be
friendly and innocuous. He retired unexpectedly some time back,
but recently wrote and illustrated a children's book. (Or
something that looked like a children's book at first glance,
anyway.)
Sunday, August 15:
Napoleon Bonaparte (b. 1769) -- General and ruler of France. As the
smoke cleared from the French revolution, Bonaparte rose to
power. As emperor, he promised to bring order to France and to
spread the revolution. That he did, adding land in Austria,
Germany, and Poland to the new French Empire. His military
genius is still studied today. When he wasn't busy engaging in
hostile takeovers of neighboring countries, he set up France's
legal, educational, and financial systems. Unfortunately, he
also set up the template of the autocratic "cult of
personality"-style dictator, a pattern that was to repeat itself
with other men in the future. In 1815, Napoleon met his
Waterloo at, er, Waterloo, a city south of Brussels, Belgium.
After the defeat, he was exiled to the remote island of St.
Helena, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Edna Ferber (b. 1885) -- Author. Ferber showed talent early, for she
was writing a newspaper column for the Appleton (Wisconsin)
Daily Crescent at only 17. Later, while recuperating from
anemia and exhaustion, she wrote her first short story ("The
Homely Heroine") and novel ("Dawn O'Hara"). Ferber also wrote a
series of stories featuring a traveling underskirt saleswoman
named Emma McChesney. These led to a play called, "Our Mrs.
McChesney." She went on to write "Showboat" (made into a play
and a movie), "So Big", (filmed twice) and "Giant" (made into
James Dean's last film).
Monday, August 16:
Charles Bukowski (b. 1920) -- Author. Bukowski's life sounds a little
like something out of a novel. He was published in the 40's,
while he was still young, then suddenly gave it up. For the
next twenty years, he bounced from one job to the next. Then,
just as suddenly, he resumed his writing work. Bukowski has
written "Ham on Rye," "Pulp," and "Women." In addition, he was
also published in a number of small, hard-to-find literary
journals.
Madonna (b. 1958) -- Singer and media phenomenon. Madonna's scored
early hits with "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl" in the mid-
80's. She also garnered some controversy from people who did
not care for her frankly sexual image, especially in combination
with the name "Madonna." (And yes, that's her real name. Well,
Madonna Louise Vernon Ciccone, anyway.) Unlike most pop stars,
who break big and then fade away quickly, Madonna was a master
at manipulating both her persona and the media to remain the
center of interest. The video for "Open Your Heart," featured
her as an exotic peep show dancer, "Papa Don't Preach" cast her
as a blue-collar girl next door, and "Like a Prayer" featured
her trying to seduce a religious icon in a church. (More
controversy for that one, too.) She even put out what amounted
to a book of soft-core porn called "Sex." After a brief slump
in the 90's she re-invented herself yet again as a sophisticate
(in a successful effort to land a role in "Evita," the movie)
and a mom (she had a daughter, Lourdes). Madonna's latest album
is "Ray of Light," but don't expect it to be her last one.
Incidentally, around 1979 or 1980 she was a *drummer* for a band
called Breakfast Club. Even with her Bowie-esque talent for
transforming herself, that's one role I have difficulty
imagining her playing.
Tuesday, August 17:
Marcus Garvey (b. 1887) -- Activist. Garvey founded the United Negro
Improvement Association (UNIA) to improve conditions for black
people around the world. Garvey believed that economic self-
sufficiency was crucial to improving the lot of black people, a
theory that has become more popular today. He started several
business ventures, with varying degrees of success. In 1922,
Garvey was convicted of mail fraud, sent to prison, and
ultimately deported to his birthplace, Jamaica. Despite this,
he inspired other civil rights activists, like Martin Luther
King, Jr., and Malcolm X, and was made Jamaica's first national
hero.
Robert De Niro (b. 1943) -- Actor. De Niro has won well-deserved
acclaim for his body of work. Many of his best roles cast him
as a gangster or other low-life ("Taxi Driver," "Mean Streets,"
"GoodFellas," "Cape Fear," and "The Godfather, Part II" come to
mind), but there's more to him than that. He was also in
"Ronin," as a shadowy mercenary agent, "A Bronx Tale," and "Wag
the Dog," with Dustin Hoffman (see August 8).
Wednesday, August 18:
Roman Polanski (b. 1933) -- Director. Polanski's biggest film is
arguably "Rosemary's Baby," about the unfortunate woman carrying
the child from hell. (Literally!) He also directed a screen
version of "Macbeth," and the classic film, "Chinatown."
Polanski has occasionally appeared on the other side of the
camera, including an uncredited part in "Andy Warhol's Dracula."
(See August 6).
Roberto Clemente (b. 1934) -- Baseball Player. Clemente was
originally signed by the Dodgers, but for some reason they never
played him. Instead, he went to Pittsburgh to play for the
Pirates. There he dazzled the fans with his dominant hitting
and fielding performances. Curiously, he was often overlooked
by the press, winning the MVP award only once (in 1966).
Clemente, who hailed from Puerto Rico, blamed this on the press'
unwillingness to give Latino players their fair due. Off the
field, he helped out with charity efforts that benefited people
in Latin America. While directing an earthquake relief mission
to Nicaragua, his plane crashed, killing him and the four other
people on board. Ironically, Clemente received the recognition
in death that he never got while alive. The baseball Hall of
Fame waived a five-year waiting period and immediately made him
the first Latino to be inducted. Then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn
created the "Roberto Clemente Award," given to the person who
best gives to the community, and the city of Pittsburgh recently
named a bridge for him.
Martin Mull (b. 1943) -- Artist. Mull has won awards for his
minimalist, abstract paintings, and he has been the subject of
several exhibitions. Among a small circle of culturally savvy
people, Mull is also known as a comedian and actor, appearing in
"The History of White People in America (vol. 1 and 2)," "Jingle
All the Way," and "The Player." Mull has also done television
work, most notably as a gay restaurant manager in "Roseanne."
"Simpsons" fans might remember his appearance as an ex-hippie in
"D'oh!-in' in the Wind (AABF02)."
[First Qtr. Moon]
Thursday, August 19:
Coco Chanel (b. 1882) -- Fashion Queen. Chanel's clothiers business
took off during World War I, doubtlessly helped by the fact that
it was the only one open during the war. One of her more
important fashion inventions was the creation of the classic
"little black dress" -- before then, black dresses were
typically worn only during funerals. Chanel, of course,
introduced the wildly successful Chanel No. 5 perfume.
Incidentally, there is no Chanel Nos. 1 through 4 -- five
happened to be her lucky number.
Willie Shoemaker (b. 1931) -- Jockey. Shoemaker had a balance of
strength and finesse, and he used this to win a world-record
8,833 races. Eleven of these wins were Triple Crown races (The
Triple Crown is the Super Bowl of horse racing). In 1986, he
became the oldest man (54 years) to win the Kentucky Derby.
This at least partly made up for his showing in the 1957
Kentucky Derby when he mistook a furlong marker for the finish
line, and eased up too early. D'oh!
Renee Richards (b. 1934) -- Tennis player and coach. Actually,
Richards is best known for once being Richard Raskind, who
played on the 35-and-over amateur tennis circuit. Raskind was
the classic "woman trapped in a man's body," and became the
center of a media circus when he had a sex-change operation. As
Renee Richards, he, uh, she played on the women's tour. In
1979, Richards retired as a player and became Martina
Navratilova's coach. She is now an ophthalmologist in New York.
Friday, August 20:
H. P. Lovecraft (b. 1890) -- Writer. Lovecraft was kind of the
Stephen King of his day. Inspired by the exotic tales of
"Arabian Nights," Greek myth, and even off-the-cuff stories told
to him by his grandfather, Lovecraft grew up to write weird
gothic stories of his own. He got into writing in an unusual
way. Despondent and reclusive, Lovecraft managed to get ire up
over magazine short stories written by a Fred Jackson. He sent
in a poem (!) flaming Jackson, which was printed in the
magazine's letters section. A back-and-forth debate ensued, and
Lovecraft attracted the attention of Edward Daas, who offered
the young writer membership in the United Amateur Press
Association. Now convinced there was a market for his writing,
Lovecraft became a full-time author. Many of his stories were
scattered across literary journals, pulp magazines, newspapers,
and the like; it wasn't until after his death that they were
collected into books. He wrote "The Outsider and Others," "At
the Mountain of Madness," and his best-regarded work, "The Call
of Cthulhu." (Lisa might want to take note of the fact that
Lovecraft tried, and failed, to enroll in Brown University.)
Saturday, August 21:
Aubrey Beardsley (b. 1872) -- Illustrator. His work seemed to
straddle the influences of the late Victorian period and the Art
Noveau era. Beardsley illustrated an edition of "Morte
D'Arthur," a huge job involving 300 illustrations, chapter
headings and other drawings. He also illustrated the quarterly
art and literature journal The Yellow Jacket. A friend of Oscar
Wilde's, Beardsley drew pictures for the English version of
Wilde's play "Salome." The assignment brought him fame and
trouble. When Wilde was convicted of sodomy, Beardsley was let
go from "The Yellow Jacket" just due to the spillover
controversy. He wound up on the staff of The Savoy, published
by erotica distributor Leonard Smithers. (Imagine a literary
journal published by Hugh Hefner, and you get the idea.) Not
only did Beardsley illustrate for The Savoy, but wrote several
articles for the magazine, as well.
Count Basie (b. 1904) -- Musician. Basie was a jazz pianist and big
band leader. His bands known for a really swinging sound that
electrified audiences. Basie played such hits as "Stop Beatin'
Around the Mulberry Bush," "Pennies from Heaven," and "Everyday
I Have the Blues." He also played a jazz version of the
"Goldfinger" theme, and backed other singers like Frank Sinatra
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sunday, August 22:
Dorothy Parker (b. 1893) -- Author. You name it, Parker probably
wrote it: Short stories ("The Big Blonde"), poems ("Any
Porch"), plays ("Close Harmony"), drama reviews (for Vanity
Fair), literary criticism (for The New Yorker), and more.
Through most of her work, Parker maintained a sarcastic, acerbic
tone that resonates well with modern readers. She was a
founding member of the Algonquin Round Table, the famous
literary and intellectual circle. Remarkably, Parker even won
an Academy Award, for co-authoring the screenplay to "A Star is
Born."
John Lee Hooker (b. 1917) -- Musician. "Blues is a pick-up," Hooker
once said, "it's not a let-down." (Note how this contradicts
"The Simpsons'" own Bleeding Gums Murphy, who said, "The Blues
isn't about feeling better, it's about making other people feel
<worse>, and making a few bucks while you're at it.") Hooker is
one of the most-recorded blues musicians of all time. He style
was rhythm-oriented, often using just one chord, over which he
laid his distinctive voice. Hooker recorded "Boom Boom," and
"Crawlin' King Snake," both of which had a big influence on the
rock scene of the 60's. Hooker also had a big hit with "Boogie
Chillen." After a slump, his career was rejuvenated with "The
Healer," which featured Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, and other
famous guitarists. It won a Grammy, and Hooker was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (He was already a member
of the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame, by the way.) Today,
Hooker shares the title of blues' elder statesman with B. B.
King.
Monday, August 23:
Gene Kelly (b. 1912) -- Actor. Kelly was another "all singing, all
dancing" kind of guy, and he did so in a number of Hollywood
classics. These include "Anchors Aweigh," "Brigadoon," "An
American in Paris," and of course, "Singin' in the Rain."
Largely retired by the 70's, he did come back to narrate or host
all three "That's Entertainment!" musical retrospectives.
Barbara Eden (b. 1934) -- Actress. Eden started off in the movies
(she was in "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea"), but really
struck gold in television. She will forever be remembered as
Jeannie the comely genie in "I Dream of Jeanne. [*]" Since
then, she has appeared almost exclusively in made-for-television
movies like "The Feminist and the Fuzz," "The Stranger Within,"
and "Visions of Terror." (She also did a few movies, like
"Harper Valley P. T. A. [and later appeared in the TV spin-
off]," and an uncredited cameo on "A Very Brady Sequel.")
[*] In Cocoa Beach, Florida, where the show was set, there is
an "I Dream of Jeannie Blvd." Really.
Tuesday, August 24:
Jorge Luis Borges (b. 1899) -- Author. In 1938, Borges suffered a
head wound. According to my research, "After recovery the
experience freed in him deep forces of creativity." Wow, now
*that's* suffering for one's art! Born in Argentina and
educated in Europe, Borges' drew inspiration from esoteric texts
and philosophies. His poems and stories are richly symbolic,
with an intellectual bent. This set Borges apart from his
contemporaries, who wrote political and social commentary. His
poems include "Fervor de Buenos Aires," and important novels in
the Borges canon are "Discusión" and "Otras Inquisiciones."
Marlee Matlin (b. 1965) -- Actress. Matlin is noted for her work in
playing deaf people, and for very good reason -- she is hearing-
impaired in real life. Her first film credit is 1986's
"Children of a Lesser God." She was also in "The Player" (along
with Martin Mull, see August 18), and appeared regularly in two
TV series, "Reasonable Doubts" and "Picket Fences."
Wednesday, August 25:
Walt Kelly (b. 1913) -- Cartoonist. And now we get into this month's
theme: People with the same last name, who don't seem to be
related in any way. (For instance, Walt Kelly isn't a relative
-- as far as I can tell -- of Gene Kelly.) Anyway, Walt Kelly
worked on famous Disney films like "Fantasia" and "Pinocchio"
before moving on to a comic strip of his own: "Pogo."
Supposedly about Pogo the Possum and his friends in the swamp,
"Pogo" was actually disguised social satire. His left-leaning
ideals made him the target of more conservative-minded editors,
and some even moved the strip to the editorial page (Kind of
like "Doonesbury" today.) These actions didn't affect his
popularity, however. In fact, one "Pogo" quote -- "We have met
the enemy, and he is us" -- is frequently repeated, even today.
Elvis Costello (b. 1954) -- Musician. Costello (born Declan McManus)
is a former computer programmer who emerged on the new wave
scene in the 70's. The thinking man's rocker, Costello's
sardonic lyrics can be heard in a scathing indictment of the
radio industry, "Radio Radio." (When he appeared on "Saturday
Night Live," he was forbidden to play it. He started to play
something else, then suddenly stopped and launched into "Radio
Radio." It was a defining moment.) Costello released other
critically acclaimed, if not always commercial albums, including
"This Year's Model" and "Mighty Like the Rose." He also
collaborated with Paul McCartney on "Flowers in the Dirt."
Terry Delegeane (b. 1962) -- Comic writer. He wrote the script for
Bongo's "Radioactive Man." (By happenstance, my search for
Delegeane led me right back to The Simpsons Archive, at
<http://www.snpp.com/guides/bongotwo.html>.) This has been
meta-name for the month.
Thursday, August 26:
Jimmy Rushing (b. 1903) -- Singer. Rushing began singing the blues in
the pre-microphone era. One had to have a strong voice to be
heard above the band, and Rushing was up to the task --
reportedly, he could be heard from up to ten blocks away.
Rushing also worked with the Count Basie band (see August 21),
recording songs like "Good Morning Blues," and "Mr. Five by
Five." In 1957, an association of British jazz critics voted
him the male vocalist of the year.
Christopher Isherwood (b. 1904) -- Author. He wrote "Mr. Norris
Changes Trains" and "Goodbye to Berlin," two novels based
largely on his life in decadent prewar Berlin. (These two would
popularly be called, "The Berlin Stories.") The musical
"Cabaret" was inspired by the popular novels. Isherwood also
wrote the novel "Prater Violet," and worked as a Hollywood
screenwriter.
[Full Moon]
Friday, August 27:
Man Ray (b. 1890) -- Artist. Another duplicate name, along with
Nicholas Ray. (Triplicate, if you count Martha Raye, below.)
This Ray, along with Marcel Duchamp ("Names on My Wall, July")
founded the Dada artists' group. The Dadaists were
experimental, and so was Man Ray. He played with new
techniques, like painting with airbrush on glass, and with
creating images by placing object on light-sensitive paper.
These later works he called "Rayographs." Ray also produced
elegant abstract photographs, and taught photography from 1940
to 1946.
Martha Raye (b. 1916) -- Comedian and actress. Raye appeared in
"Tropic Holiday" and "The Boys from Syracuse," and had a
recurring role on "Macmillan and Wife." However, she is best
remembered for her dedicated support of United States military
forces deployed abroad. Even before the USO was formed, she
volunteered to entertain troops during World War II, and she
"re-enlisted" to lift the morale of soldiers in Vietnam. (She
would have helped out in the Korean War, too, but complications
from Yellow Fever, which she contracted during WW II prevented
that.) Skilled as a nurse, she would even assist in surgery if
the medics were short-handed. In 1993, Raye received the
Presidential Medal of Freedom for her efforts.
Pee Wee Herman (b. 1952) -- Actor. Pee Wee Herman is actually the
strange boy-man persona of Paul Reubens. The silly star of
children's TV programming, Herman reached the big screen with
"Pee Wee's Big Adventure." Then, he was arrested for indecent
exposure in a seedy porn theater. That killed his career
temporarily (and the Pee Wee Herman character permanently), but
surprisingly wasn't the setback that it first appeared to be.
Reubens had grown tired of the Herman character, and after a
while the public either forgave or forgot the embarrassing
arrest. He landed a recurring role as a shifty executive on
"Murphy Brown," and appeared in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (the
movie). Lately, he played the Spleen in "Mystery Men," which is
probably still playing at a theater near you. According to the
Internet Movie Database, Reubens is set to appear in "Great
Sex." Hmmm...
Saturday, August 28:
Elizabeth Seton (b. 1774) -- Saint. Seton was the first native-born
American to be made a Saint. Born to a wealthy family, she
always had an interest in religion. She had a happy marriage to
her husband, but when his health began to fail, they moved to
Italy. There, he passed away, and she turned to the Catholic
Church. Seton formed the first free Catholic school in the
United States, as well as a new Sisterhood of nuns. She was
canonized in 1975.
Robertson Davies (b. 1913) -- Author. Davies was a prolific writer,
authoring plays ("Eros at Breakfast," "My Heart's Core") and
novels ("Leaven of Malice," "Fifth Business," and "The Cunning
Man"). He taught literature and drama at Trinity College in the
University of Toronto. Writing under the pen name of "Samuel
Marchbanks," he produced a popular column for the Peterborough
"Examiner" newspaper.
Monday, August 29:
Ingrid Bergman (b. 1915) -- Actress. Some actors and actresses
specialize in obscure foreign films. Others appear in
mainstream movies. Bergman's career encompassed both. She
appeared in "Juninatten" and "Siamo donne," on the obscure side.
Her mainstream films are quite impressive: "Casablanca,"
"Gaslight," "Spellbound" (a Hitchcock film, see August 14), and
"Indiscreet." Do not, as I once did, mix her up with Ingmar
Bergman.
Charlie Parker (b. 1920) -- Musician. (And another repeat last name,
along with Dorothy Parker.) Today, Parker is considered one of
the greatest saxophone players of all time. He started out on
the baritone sax (Yes, the same instrument Lisa plays) before
switching to the alto. Excellent at chordal improvising, Parker
would take an older tune, play with the chord structure, and
make a new song of it. Along with Dizzy Gillespie and Bud
Powell, Parker created a new form of jazz called bebop.
Initially controversial, he came to influence a generation of
jazz musicians.
Mark Morris (b. 1956) -- Choreographer. Morris' work has a sense of
fun. A fan of a broad spectrum of music, from classical to
rock, Morris' dances have the grace normally associated with
dance without the usual "stuffiness." One suite of dances is
based on "The Nutcracker Suite"; Morris called it "The Hard
Nut," which should give you some idea where he's coming from.
Morris is considered quite "accessible" by modern dance critics.
According to a web article about Morris at
<http://www.culturevulture.net/Dance/markmorris.htm>, "even
newbies to the dance audience will have no puzzlement at the
unfolding pleasures on the stage."
Tuesday, August 30:
Robert Crumb (b. 1943) -- Cartoonist. It sounds like a paradox to say
this, but Crumb is the most famous of the underground comic
artists. Comics have long had a subversive side to them, but
Crumb and other artists elevated (or sunk, depending on your
point of view) this to a new level. Working at various times
for "Help" and "Zap Comix," Crumb invented enduring characters
like Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural. He also invented the "Keep
on truckin'" guy, who became an icon of late-60's and early-70's
hippies. Today, Crumb has been accepted by at least some of the
keepers of "high" art. He has even been exhibited New York
City's Museum of Modern Art.
Jean-Claude Killy (b. 1943) -- Skier. Killy was the World Cup
champion skier two years in a row (1967 and 1968). Also in
1968, Killy thrilled the home country crowd by winning three
gold medals at Grenoble. He repaid the favor by serving as co-
president for the 1992 Olympics in Albertville.
Wednesday, August 31:
William Saroyan (b. 1908) -- Author. Saroyan had a Steinbeck-esque
ability to write in powerful detail about central California,
where he grew up. Richard Rodriguez, of the Pacific News
Service, characterized his prose as plain yet strong. Saroyan
wrote "The Human Comedy," which was made into a movie starring
Mickey Rooney. In 1939, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for
his play, "The Time of Your Life." A native Armenian, parts of
his ashes were sent to that region when he died, with the rest
remaining in Fresno.
Van Morrison (b. 1945) -- Singer. Morrison's singing style can be
thought of as rock influenced by jazz and soul. His first
success was with a band called Them, when they released
"Gloria," a straight-up rocker that launched countless garage
bands. Morrison disbanded Them when he became discouraged with
the music industry. What happened next could hardly have been
more encouraging; record producer Bert Berns released an eight-
song album of Morrison's which included the hit, "Brown-Eyed
Girl." Despite the album's success, Morrison disowned it; among
other things, he felt that it wasn't finished. Working with
more ethical producers, Morrison recorded several well-regarded
follow-up albums, including "Astral Weeks," "Moondance," and
"Tupelo Honey." Recently, he released an album of new music,
called "The Healing Game."
[Credits]
For some reason, my news server is refusing to post these. I'll try them in
a separate post and see if that works.
--
Benjamin Robinson bj...@freenet.tlh.fl.us
This message may or may not contain sarcastic content; your burden to decide
"Just because anyone can have children doesn't mean that everyone should."
-- Anon.
Cap'n Twill
> the baby on the show was played by Ball's actual baby. What's
> more, the tyke appeared on the cover of the first issue of
> another American institution, "TV Guide."
Just so ya know, that wasn't actually her kid.
Cap'n Twill
Hey! Chumba!
Leave that tub alone!
Cap'n Twill
> thread, Cap'n Twill wrote:
>
> >> Perhaps inevitably,
> >> the baby on the show was played by Ball's actual baby. What's
> >> more, the tyke appeared on the cover of the first issue of
> >> another American institution, "TV Guide."
> >
>
> at the same time her character on the show was. This was one of the first
> times a pregnant woman appeared on a regular network series.
She really was pregnant, but "Little Richard," er, "Ricky" was played by another
child. Lucy and Desi didn't want their son to be exposed to so much publicity
so soon, I believe.
Cap'n Twill
You'll practice me?
Benjamin Robinson
thread, Cap'n Twill wrote:
>> Perhaps inevitably,
>> the baby on the show was played by Ball's actual baby. What's
>> more, the tyke appeared on the cover of the first issue of
>> another American institution, "TV Guide."
>
>Just so ya know, that wasn't actually her kid.
Really? Hmm, I thought it was. Oh, well, I think she was really pregnant
at the same time her character on the show was. This was one of the first
times a pregnant woman appeared on a regular network series.
--
Benjamin Robinson bj...@freenet.tlh.fl.us
This message may or may not contain sarcastic content; your burden to decide
"Nothing's gonna change my world" -- The Beatles
Mark Aaron Richey
>> Really? Hmm, I thought it was. Oh, well, I think she was really pregnant
>> at the same time her character on the show was. This was one of the first
>> times a pregnant woman appeared on a regular network series.
>
>child. Lucy and Desi didn't want their son to be exposed to so much publicity
>so soon, I believe.
The now grown-up kid who played Litte Ricky was interviewed a few
weeks ago by Newsweek in their special entertainment issue. He
recalls that Lucy and Desi treated him in real life like their own
son, and that he was best friends with Desi Jr. Of course, the
producers wanted to make the audience think that Desi Jr. was playing
the role, so the voiceover announcing the guest cast during the
credits would always conclude "And of course, Little Ricky".
Mark Richey
--
It has happened here. Pray for Wedgwood Baptist Church
Bill McNeal
>weeks ago by Newsweek in their special entertainment issue. He
>recalls that Lucy and Desi treated him in real life like their own
>son, and that he was best friends with Desi Jr. Of course, the
>producers wanted to make the audience think that Desi Jr. was playing
>the role, so the voiceover announcing the guest cast during the
>credits would always conclude "And of course, Little Ricky".
The merchandising was the same way. I remember a board game or such with a box
that read, "Lucielle Ball, Desi Arnaz and Little Ricky."
- An XPeeple Production -
"It was cheap. But I'm sure that as soon as we know all the assorted details,
this will go down as the classiest booty call on record."-Bill McNeal
"Frankly, I would have expected better from Jimmy the Scumbag."-Chief Wiggum