(long) Names on My Wall, May 1999
Benjamin Robinson
You may wish to store this locally and read it offline, as it's pretty
long. And now, without further ado, the names from this month's
"Simpsons" calendar.
Saturday, May 1:
Mother Jones (b. 1830) -- Tireless union activist -- when she was in
her seventies and eighties, no less! Her first big victory was
in shaming the various states into passing (or enforcing) child
labor laws. (Prior to this, it was often okay to hire young
children to work jobs in mines and textile factories.) Not
content to rest on her laurels, she later fought for the rights
of coal miners, not stopping until she died after her 100th
birthday.
Joseph Heller (b. 1923) -- The author known for "Catch 22." Don't
feel bad if that's all you know him for because that novel,
published in 1961, is one of the few he wrote. (His second one,
"Something Happened," didn't appear until 13 years later. To be
fair, he did write a play, and recover from Guillan-Barre
syndrome, during that time.) You might have enjoyed Heller's
work without even realizing it. According to William
Poundstone's "Biggest Secrets," Heller wrote an episode of
"McHale's Navy." Watch for it (if that show is syndicated in
your area) -- it's the show where McHale's men must scramble to
find PT 73 after it turns up missing.
[International Workers Day]
Sunday, May 2:
Dr. Benjamin Spock (b. 1903) -- Author of the best-selling book of
parenting advice. Instead of creating a list of parenting "thou
shalt" and "thou shalt nots," Spock reassured his readers that
they had what it takes to be good parents, and should trust
their instincts. The friendly approach (and the fact the book
came out in time to catch the baby boom) made him an institution
in the homes of new parents. Dr. Spock also had a penchant for
protesting the Vietnam War, and this landed him in hot soup with
reactionary critics who claimed he encouraged parents to be too
lenient in raising their children. Fortunately, this blew over,
and Spock's book remains popular.
Satyajit Ray (b. 1921) -- Indian (as in from India, not Native
American) filmmaker. Most notably for "Simpsons" fans, Ray
created a trio of films called the "Apu Trilogy," after the main
character. No points for guessing who was named in his honor.
As a side note, the Internet Movie Database also lists Ray as
being the composer of the music for some of his movies.
Monday, May 3:
Pete Seeger (b. 1919) -- Acclaimed folk singer. Like most folk
singers, Seeger stuck up for (and sung about) the forgotten man
oppressed by the establishment. Unlike most folk singers,
Seeger was a Communist, and remained so long after membership in
the party became unfashionable. As such, he remains
controversial, even today. His extensive discography includes
the songs "Solidarity Forever" and "Talking UnAmerican Blues."
James Brown (b. 1933) -- Motown singer, often called "the hardest
working man in show business." Watching him perform, with his
frenetic dancing (including splits!), it was hard to doubt that
label. James Browns many hits include "I Feel Good (I Got
You)," "It's a Man's, Man's World," and "Living in America."
He's so well-known that =other= musical acts have taken to
referencing him, including Big Audio Dynamite and Tom Tom Club.
Tuesday, May 4:
Heloise (b. 1919) -- Household-hints guru, who provides advice about
cleaning, sewing, and the like. Marge mis-remembers her advice
in "22 Short Stories About Springfield (3F18)," much to Lisa's
dismay.
Tammy Wynette (b. 1942) -- The First Lady of Country Music. A single
mother with an ill child, Wynette took to the club circuit to
earn money to raise some cash. She went over so well that she
was able to launch a recording career. Her #1 hits include
"Another Lonely Song," "Singing My Song," and her most famous
song was "Stand By Your Man." She even wrote what could be
considered a response song, "I'm a Stand By My Woman Man," sung
by Ronnie Milsap.
Keith Haring (b. 1958) -- Graphic Artist very much in vogue in the
eighties. Haring got his start "decorating" surfaces in the New
York City subway system, which meant he had to develop a hit-
and-run approach to his art. The result was a minimalist,
tribal-looking, drawing style. His signature graphic was the
"radiant baby," a human infant surrounded by "rays."
Wednesday, May 5:
Nelly Bly (b. 1867) -- Born Elizabeth Cochran, she took the name Nelly
Bly from a popular Stephen Foster song before embarking on her
career as an investigative reporter. This made her a pioneer in
two ways: First, in being a woman reporter when women were
primarily homemakers and, second, for inventing the field of
investigative reporting. Going undercover to get information,
Bly would file harrowing reports of terrible conditions in
factories and mental hospitals. She also worked in the field of
foreign correspondence and travel adventure stories; inspired by
"Around the World in Eighty Days," she tried to (and did) break
that record in real life.
Michael Palin (b. 1943) -- A member of the Monty Python's Flying
Circus comedy troupe, beloved by "Simpsons" fans, computer
geeks, and various other misfits of society. In addition to the
show, Palin appeared in MPFC movies like "Monty Python and the
Holy Grail" and "Monty Python's Life of Brian." He was also in
"Brazil" and "Time Bandits," which aren't MP films although I
think they had more than a few people in common. Finally, Palin
hosted the travelogue "Pole to Pole," seen in America on PBS.
[Cinco de Mayo]
Thursday, May 6:
Orson Welles (b. 1915) -- Mercurial actor and producer, Orson Welles
created "The Magnificent Ambersons," "Touch of Evil," and what
many critics consider the finest move of all, "Citizen Kane."
Unfortunately for Welles, he also produced a reputation for
being hard to deal with, and this hindered his ability to work.
In addition to his own projects, Welles did a lot of narration
work, and even had a part in the "Transformers" movie.
Willie Mays (b. 1931) -- Talented baseball player for the New York
Giants. Mays joined the major league in 1951, making him one of
the first black players in the league, but his excellent
performance on the field helped dispel any lingering prejudices.
Mays would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
Tony Blair (b. 1953) -- Prime Minister of England. His government
career was launched in 1983, when he became a member of the
House of Commons (England's version of our House of
Representatives). In 1994, he was chosen as the Labour Party's
leader, and then appointed Prime Minister.
Friday, May 7:
Gary Cooper (b. 1901) -- Popular leading man in the movies, despite
having big ears that, as one wag put it, "made him look like a
taxicab with both doors open." This did not stop him from
appearing in a slew of films starting with an uncredited role in
"Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, "Pride of the Yankees," and "High
Noon."
Angela Carter (b. 1940) -- Writer of feminist science fiction stories.
The first book I was able to find credited to her was 1966's
"Honeybuzzard," and 1996's "Shadow Dance" was the most recent.
[International Tuba Day
Former "Simpsons" animation director David Silverman used to play
the tuba, which might be why this holiday was featured on the
calendar. Silverman suggested that Lisa play the tuba, but when
eventually the staff decided upon baritone sax.]
Saturday, May 8:
Robert Johnson (b. 1911) -- Blues guitarist. Johnson became so
talented at guitar, so quickly, that a persistent myth developed
that he sold his soul to the devil. It's fitting if you think
that sounds more like something you'd say of a rock star than a
blues musician, for Johnson lived somewhat like one. Also like
a good rock star, Johnson died young (27) and of unnatural
causes (poisoned by jealous husband of woman with whom he had a
fling). In spite of the brevity of his life and recording
career, Johnson is considered one of the most innovative guitar
players ever, and is said to have influenced artists from Muddy
Waters to Eric Clapton.
Thomas Pynchon (b. 1937) -- Secretive author of "V," "Gravity's
Rainbow," and "The Crying of Lot 49." Actually calling Pynchon
secretive is a little like saying that Burns is well off. No,
and I do mean no, clear pictures of him exist that are more
recent than his high school yearbook photo. Some people even
think that "Thomas Pynchon" is the secret identity of some other
author, like J. D. Salinger (who's no social butterfly himself).
"Biggest Secrets" looked into this possibility, but found
convincing evidence that Pynchon is an actual person, not
somebody's nom de plume. Oh, as for Pynchon's actual writing,
it has a dense (meaning hard to read) quality that either wins
fans or turns people off. Maybe he just got tired of people
walking up to him and asking, "What the heck does this mean?"
[Last Qtr. Moon]
Sunday, May 9:
Mike Wallace (b. 1918) -- CBS news reporter. He's a fixture on the
venerable newsmagazine "60 Minutes."
Albert Finney (b. 1936) -- Actor, who starred in "Tom Jones," (which
won the best-picture Oscar) and "Miller's Crossing." He is
slated to appear next in "Hemingway, Hunter Of Death."
Glenda Jackson (b. 1937) -- Actress who appeared in "Mary, Queen Of
Scots" and "The Incredible Sarah" (about Sarah Bernhardt, the
most famous stage actress of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries). Jackson also had a role in 1966's "The Persecution
and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates
of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de
Sade," which has =got= to win some sort of movie-title award.
[Mother's Day]
Monday, May 10:
Fred Astaire (b. 1899) -- One half of Astaire and (Ginger) Rogers, the
famous acting/dancing duo. You don't see that much dancing in
movies these days, but in the 30's and 40's "Fred & Ginger" were
a huge draw. Since the Macarena wasn't invented yet, Astaire
and Rogers used elaborate yet elegant routines to entertain
their audiences. If you'd like to check him out, he appeared in
"Top Hat," "Holiday Inn," and "Zeigfeld Follies," among others.
Sid Vicious (b. 1957) -- Member of seminal punk group the Sex Pistols,
who recorded "Pretty Vacant." Much of the music Astaire danced
to was written by the Sex Pistols. Kidding, of course; punk
music is probably what finally killed Fred. Vicious is famous
himself for flaming out and ultimately becoming a casualty of
illicit drug scene, a demise that kind of fit with the punk
ethos of the time.
Tuesday, May 11:
Chang & Eng Bunker (b. 1811) -- Today, twins born joined at some body
part are called "conjoined twins," but when Chang and Eng
Bunker's day, they were called "Siamese Twins." In fact, that
term comes from Chang and Eng, who were born joined at the chest
in Siam (now Thailand, so there's another obsolete name for
you). Although the odds were stacked against them -- the King
of Siam had ordered them killed at one point -- Chang and Eng
were able to make a living touring America, ultimately earning
enough to retire and start a plantation in North Carolina. The
twins also married two sisters, and fathered 21 children.
Deducing the mechanics of this is left as an exercise for the
reader.
[There was a good article on the Bunkers at
<http://www.blueridgecountry.com>, but it appears the link may
have expired by now. You're welcome try for yourself, though.]
Salvador Dali (b. 1904) -- They guy who painted that picture with the
melting watches. Actually, Dali did more than that; he was the
pre-eminent artist of the Surrealist movement, and he
experimented with a vast array of artistic styles. Through his
long career, he worked with sculpture, jewelry design, and even
writing, in addition to painting. Oh, and the melting-watch
picture? That's called, "Persistence of Memory." Incidentally,
it was parodied in the 1995 edition of the "Simpsons" calendar.
Jeanne Black (b. 1954) -- This month's no-show. I did find
information on a country singer Jeanne Black (who had a number
one single with "He'll Have to Stay"), but that was a false
lead. (Unless Ms. Black recorded that when she was six years
old. Beat that, LeAnn Rimes!)
[Bob Marley Day, Jamaica
Someone from my office is from Jamaica, so I asked him if this was
indeed an official holiday. It wasn't official when he left, but
it wouldn't surprise him if it was now. By the way, Bob Marley Day
commemorates his death on this day in 1979.]
Wednesday, May 12:
Edward Lear (b. 1812) -- Traveler, writer, and artist. Lear's travels
took him to exotic places like Egypt, India, Rome, and Ceylon,
among others, and he published several books of landscapes and
wildlife illustrations.
Florence Nightingale (b. 1820) -- The woman whose name would become
synonymous with nursing. Ms. Nightingale literally wrote the
book on nursing, "Notes on Nursing," a compendium of all the she
had learned on the art of caring for the sick. She also wrote
"Notes on Hospitals" and "Notes on Nursing for the Labouring
Classes." Alas, she died before "Notes on Nursing the Phantom
Menace" could be published.
George Carlin (b. 1937) -- Irreverent comedian whose routines often
take pot-shots at mainstream culture. Actually, his irreverence
waxed and waned over the years. At one time in the 60's he was
hoping to break into acting, and even got a guest part on "That
Girl." ("That Girl?!") Convinced that he (a) wasn't ready for
acting and (b) his material had gotten too innocuous and boring,
he returned to his old style and immediately became a counter-
culture favorite, albeit one who commanded at least some mass-
market appeal. Carlin's most famous routine is about "The Seven
Words You Can't Say on Television," although he later learned
there were a lot more than just seven. In addition to numerous
comedy albums, Carlin recently wrote "Brain Droppings." He also
has a "Simpsons" connection -- his show ("The George Carlin
Show," duh) on Fox was produced by Sam Simon, one of the
executive producers for "The Simpsons."
Thursday, May 13:
Joe Louis (b. 1914) -- Born Joe Louis Barrow, he dropped the last name
for fear his parents (who did not initially approve of his
boxing) would see the fight results in the paper and learn what
he was doing. Parental disapproval was about the only thing
that frightened "The Brown Bomber," who compiled a 68-3 lifetime
record (with two of the losses happening after his first
retirement). Louis' most important fight may have been a
rematch with Max Schmeling (who handed Louis is only other loss)
in 1938, which became a proxy fight between America and Nazi
Germany. Not only did Louis defeat Schmeling, but he sent him
to the hospital for a week.
Peter Gabriel (b. 1950) -- Rock music artist who had an experimental
bent. After leaving Genesis, his old band (who followed a more
conventional, radio-friendly path) Gabriel released a series of
albums which increasingly incorporated exotic, world-beat
influences. His first big hit was "Games Without Frontiers,"
and he later followed this up with "Shock the Monkey,"
"Sledgehammer," and "Digging in the Dirt." Gabriel is also big-
time into multimedia, even releasing an interactive CD-ROM.
Stevie Wonder (b. 1951) -- Another musician, but a different kind of
musician. Since he was blind, his mother was afraid to just let
him out of the house. To pass the time, he learned to play and
write music, eventually becoming so good that he signed a
recording contract with Motown at the age of ten. (Take that,
LeAnn ... ah, forget it.) Over time, he recorded funky songs
like "Superstition" and the mellow, "You Are the Sunshine of My
Life." A near-fatal car wreck convinced him to devote time to
altruistic causes, writing songs like "Ebony and Ivory" (racial
equality) and "Don't Drive Drunk" (guess).
Friday, May 14:
Sidney Bechet (b. 1897) -- Jazz clarinetist on the New Orleans scene.
Bechet worked with Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington, both of whom
you know if you read last month's installment of "Names on My
Wall." Amazingly, according to
<http://www.enmu.edu/~daym/mus103/bechet.htm>, Bechet never
actually learned to read music!
George Lucas (b. 1944) -- Here's a fellow you might have seen in the
news lately. Lucas is the producer (and sometimes director) of
the "Star Wars," which is not a series of movies so much as it
is a major world religion. Lucas is also the man behind
"American Graffiti" and "THX 1138." He also collaborated with
Steven Spielberg (I think) on "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Saturday, May 15:
L. Frank Baum (b. 1856) -- Children's author, famous for the "Oz"
series of stories, which were later made into the famous movie.
According to legend, Oz got its name when Baum was improvising a
story to his children. Needing to come up with a name for his
fanciful kingdom, he looked around the room, finally noticing a
filing cabinet. One of the doors was labeled "O - Z," and the
rest is history.
Katerine Anne Porter (b. 1890) -- Another author. She wrote "Ship of
Fools," "Pale Horse, Pale Rider," and "Noon Wine."
Ralph Steadman (b. 1936) -- "Gonzo" illustrator who did counter-
culture drawings. His work graced the cover of Rolling Stone
magazine, and the book "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by
fellow "gonzo" guy Hunter S. Thompson. (One of the book
illustrations was parodied recently, in "Viva Ned Flanders
(AABF06).") Steadman also wrote, "The Book Of Jones: A Tribute
to a Mercurial, Manic, and Utterly Seductive Cat," so he might
qualify as today's third writer selection.
[New Moon]
Sunday, May 16:
Studs Terkel (b. 1912) -- Author. His most famous book is "Working,"
a series of interviews between him and different working people,
about their jobs and how they came to do them. His choices of
working people really ran the gamut, including a housewife, a
prostitute, and even Miss America (from 1974, I believe).
Incidentally, I think Lisa's experience as Little Miss
Springfield may have been drawn in part from the real-life Miss
America. Both were feminists who sort of drifted into winning
the title, and both later got into trouble for speaking their
minds during their reign.
Juan Rulfo (b. 1918) -- Mexican photographer (and also writer) who
specialized in landscapes of his native country. The pictures
of his that I have seen have a stark, ageless quality.
Liberace (b. 1919) -- Famous pianist. Actually, his piano playing was
the least of what he was famous for. Instead, his amazingly
flamboyant performances are what stood out in most peoples'
minds. He often played wearing outrageous outfits with long,
flowing capes that trailed along the ground behind him. The
pianos he played were extravagantly decorated with fancy paint
jobs or even mirrors. Toward the end of his life, he was even a
guest VJ on MTV, which seems fitting for if it weren't for the
fact that he played classical piano music, he might have made a
good rock star.
Monday, May 17:
"Cool Papa" Bell (b. 1903) -- Baseball player for the Negro Leagues.
He was an okay hitter and fielder, but it was his speed that
made him stand out. Bell could reportedly circle the bases in
twelve seconds, and he put his running talent to use stealing
bases (once, 175 in a span of 200 games). In 1974, "Cool Papa"
was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Dennis Potter (b. 1935) -- Prolific screenwriter. Potter wrote
numerous movies for television, starting with "Between Two
Rivers" in 1960, and including "The Singing Detective," which
has become something of a cult favorite. Potter also wrote a
few prose novels, like "Ticket to Ride" and "Pennies from
Heaven."
Dennis Hopper (b. 1936) -- Hey, bonus Dennis! This one's an actor,
who played a lot of characters who weren't all there, if you
catch my drift. I remember him from "River's Edge," where he
had a memorable performance as a burned out biker. Hopper
played another biker character in "Easy Rider," and also
appeared in "Cool Hand Luke." Recently, he showed up in "EdTV."
Tuesday, May 18:
Frank Capra (b. 1897) -- Name practically any movie from the 30's and
40's that's considered a classic today, and there's a good
chance it was directed by Frank Capra. His credits include "It
Happened One Night" (the first film to sweep the Oscars for best
actor, actress, director, and film), "Mr. Smith Goes to
Washington," and "It's a Wonderful Life," which used to air more
or less continuously each December.
Big Joe Turner (b. 1911) -- Blues singer (and also some boogie-woogie,
as well). Turner recorded the original version of "Shake,
Rattle, and Roll," a song destined to become one of the first
rock-and-roll hits to cross over to the mainstream audience.
Dwayne Hickman (b. 1934) -- Actor famous for playing Dobie Gillis in
the TV series, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis." In the 80's he
reprised the Gillis character in, "Bring Me the Head of Dobie
Gillis," but, aside from some parts in teen beach movies, did
not do that much TV and movie acting.
Wednesday, May 19:
Malcolm X (b. 1925) -- Radical black separatist. Malcolm X believed
that all the institutions of white America worked to ensure that
the nation's blacks remained second-class citizens. Unlike
Martin Luther King, the other major civil-rights crusader of the
day, Malcolm X felt that violence could be used as a technique
of last resort to get the white man off the black man's back.
(I think he had given up on the idea of any meaningful racial
harmony.) Toward the end of his life he began to moderate his
views somewhat -- a pilgrimage he made to Mecca may have
triggered this -- but he was suddenly assassinated. What his
position of race relations ultimately may have been is still a
matter of controversy, and more than thirty years after his
death Malcolm X remains explosively controversial.
Lorraine Hansberry (b. 1930) -- Playwright. Her crowning achievement
was, "A Raisin in the Sun," the story of a family trying to
overcome the burdens of a racist society. She also wrote "Les
Blancs," "The Drinking Gourd," and "What Use Are Flowers?"
[Victoria Day (Canada)]
Thursday, May 20:
Honoré De Balzac (b. 1799) -- French Writer. Balzac pursued a writing
career in defiance of his father, who wanted young Balzac to be
a lawyer. For a while, it looked like his old man was right;
Balzac's early work did not show much promise, and he lived in
poverty. With "Les chouans," a novel about Breton peasants
during the Revolution, he found his voice as a writer of realist
fiction. Ultimately, his ambition reached the point where he
began working on a project called "The Human Comedy," a
collection of novels that would describe all aspects of human
life. Remarkably, he got two-thirds of this mega-project done,
despite the handicap of living in the era before air
conditioning. [*]
Jimmy Stewart (b. 1908) -- Actor. Stewart had an everyman quality
about him; he just radiated all the good qualities of "the
little guy" -- integrity, loyalty, friendliness. Frequently, he
would play that type of man in the movies. He starred in "Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington," and "It's a Wonderful Life," both
directed by Frank Capra (see May 18). He also starred in some
non-Capra films, like "Harvey" and "How the West Was Won."
[*] Obscure "Simpsons" reference!
Friday, May 21:
Fats Weller (b. 1904) -- Jazz musician, about whom there isn't much
material on the Web. His biggest hit was the song, "This Joint
Is Jumpin'."
Harvey Milk (b. 1930) -- San Francisco city supervisor. Milk was gay,
and in his campaigns, he stressed his devotion to diversity.
The pro-tolerance message worked (well, eventually; he lost the
first time he ran), and he was elected in 1976. In office, Milk
became popular with the city at large, and worked with Mayor
George Moscone. Tragically, this did not protect him from the
wrath of ex-supervisor Dan White, who shot both Milk and Moscone
in 1978.
Mr. T (b. 1952) -- Former bodybuilder and bouncer (would =you= cause
trouble in his bar?) turned actor. Mr. T's big role was on "The
A-Team," where he played a tough, surly, but ultimately likable
hero. Tough but surly seems to describe T's real-life
personality, as well.
[First Qtr. Moon / Shavuot
Shavuot is the Jewish holiday commemorating the receipt of the Ten
Commandments by the ancient Jews at Mount Sinai.]
Saturday, May 22:
Mary Cassat (b. 1844) -- Impressionist painter. Although she was born
and educated in the United States, Cassat did the bulk of her
painting in France. (Probably just as well. When she went to
Chicago in 1871, many of her paintings were destroyed in the
city's infamous fire.) For inspiration, she was drawn to the
daily lives of mothers and young women, giving her subjects a
luminous, warm "look."
Laurence Olivier (b. 1907) -- One of the most acclaimed actors of all
time. Sir (he was knighted) Olivier was a Shakespearean actor,
and his masterful portrayals the Bard's characters earned him
his fame. Olivier also acted in the movie versions of these
plays, including "As You Like It," "Othello," "Henry V," and
"Hamlet" (the last two of which he also directed and produced).
No one-trick pony, Oliver also acted in movies written by other
people, like "Spartacus," and "Marathon Man."
Sun Ra (b. 1914) -- Arguably the finest jazz musician to hail from
Saturn. Really -- Ra claimed with a straight face that he was
born on the ringed planet. Wherever he's from, he's given
planet Earth a unique brand of jazz. Very avant-garde, it draws
from a variety of styles, including (but not limited to) swing,
be-bop, and New Age.
Sunday, May 23: (half square)
Friedrich Anton Mesmer (b. 1734) -- Invented, more or less, the field
of hypnotic therapy. Mesmer used a device called a "glass
armonica" to induce a trance-like state in his patients, in the
hope of curing them of their ills. He gave this ability the
name, "animal magnetism," and his name became the basis of
another familiar term: mesmerized.
Margaret Fuller (b. 1810) -- Writer and intellectual. Very bright
even in youth, Fuller would hold seminars on various topics in
spite of the fact that it was illegal for women to speak
publicly for pay. She traveled in weighty intellectual circles
that included Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, with whom she
founded the prominent literary journal, "The Dial." Later, she
became a foreign correspondent and book review editor for The
New York Tribune.
Sunday, May 24: (half square)
Bob Dylan (b. 1941) -- Singer-songwriter. Dylan married folk music to
rock-and-roll, which displeased the folkies to no end. He had
the last laugh, though, becoming the thinking man's rocker
during an age when rock was at its most intellectual, or pseudo-
intellectual, at least. And now, here's the part where I semi-
randomly list hit Dylan songs: "Rainy Day Women #12-35." "The
Times they are A-Changin'." "Highway 61 Revisited." I guess
that's enough.
Frank Oz (b. 1944) -- Puppeteer, or Muppeteer, if you will because
that's where he got his big break. Oz performed his behind-the-
scenes magic for the various Muppet movies, and gave life to
Yoda, the wise Jedi master of "The Empire Strikes Back," (and
subsequent "Star Wars" movies.) He was also in some lesser
known films such as "Elmo Saves Christmas," and "The Dark
Crystal."
Tuesday, May 25:
Miles Davis (b. 1926) -- Jazz trumpeter. Davis constantly evolved his
musical style and, leading a number of different bands, explored
new areas in jazz. An early band, Birth of the Cool, started a
"cool" jazz movement, which was less frenetic than earlier
music. A kind of orchestral jazz followed; during this period
Davis released "Porgy and Bess" (this, a collaboration with Gil
Evans). Still later, he blended rock and jazz for a fusion
sound ("Bitches Brew" is from this time), and even later than
that he moved into the funk/R&B realm. Davis also helped launch
the careers of a slew of other musicians like John Coltrane and
Herbie Hancock.
Ian McKellan (b. 1939) -- Actor. His first movie was, "The Trial and
Torture," released in 1965, but his current (so far) peak came
just recently, with "Gods and Monsters." That same year,
McKellan also starred in Stephen King's "Apt Pupil."
Jamaica Kincaid (b. 1949) -- Author. Born on the island of Antigua,
Kincaid emigrated to America and became an au pair for a wealthy
New York couple. (This experience probably fueled her novel,
"Lucy," about an au pair who discovers her employers' lives
aren't as happy as they appear.) Kincaid was also a columnist
for New Yorker magazine, and wrote the book "My Brother," about
a reconciliation with her brother on Antigua.
Wednesday, May 26:
Alexander Puskin (b. 1799) -- Russian poet, although he also wrote
prose stories. The son of Russian nobility, Puskin was selected
to attend the first class at the newly founded Lyceum at
Tsarskoe Selo (Home of the Fighting Wildcats football team).
Although his poetry was immensely popular, his politics landed
him in trouble with the authorities. (This was years before
Communism. Some things never change in Russia, I suppose.) His
best work arguably may have been "Eugene Onegin," a poetic
novel. Interestingly, Puskin's last name is often spelled
"Pushkin," with an "h." I think this was done deliberately to
make it harder to track down information on him with a search
engine.
John Wayne (b. 1907) -- Actor. He hardly needs a long description
here; as-of-yet undiscovered tribes in the Amazon River basin
probably know about him. Wayne cultivated a manly, tough-guy
image on-screen and off. Most of the films he was in fall into
two categories: Westerns like "Stagecoach" and "True Grit," and
war movies like "The Sands of Iwo Jima." A few fall into
neither category, like "The High and the Mighty," but all
feature Wayne as a commanding take-charge kind of guy.
Sally Ride (b. 1951) -- Astronaut. Actually, the astronaut gig was
something of a fallback career for Ride. Her first love was
tennis; she was a member of the U.S. Junior tennis circuit, but
unfortunately she could not break into the pros. Tennis' loss
turned out to be astrophysics gain. Ride earned a double-major
degree in physics and English, and became a scientist. NASA was
looking for scientists who wanted to become astronauts, so she
joined up. In 1983, Sally Ride became America's first female
astronaut, flying aboard Challenger. During the mission, she
deployed two communication satellites and tested the Shuttle's
mechanical arm (which she helped design). Afterward, Ride
became a liaison between NASA and businesses interested in
working with the nation's space program.
[National Windmill Day, Netherlands]
Thursday, May 27:
Rachel Carson (b. 1907) -- Carson was interested in writing and
ecology. Ultimately, she combined these two talents and wrote
books encouraging people to appreciate and protect nature. One
of these, "Silent Spring," described how pesticides had damaged
the ecosystem and helped spawn the environmentalist movement.
Carson also wrote "The Sense of Wonder," an introduction to
nature appreciation aimed at young readers, and "The Edge of the
Sea," about coastal environments.
Vincent Price (b. 1911) -- Elegantly creepy actor who showed up in a
lot of horror films (and in a recent episode of "The Simpsons,"
sort of), including the classic 1958 version of "The Fly."
Price also lent his distinctive voice to songs performed by
Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson. There's a pretty good mini-
bio in the episode capsule for "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday (AABF08)."
Those interested in reading more may point their browsers to
<http://www.snpp.com/episodes/AABF08>.
Friday, May 28:
Ian Fleming (b. 1908) -- Spy and author. Before creating the world-
famous James Bond, Fleming led an interesting life of his own as
a British intelligence agent. The titles of many of his novels
will sound familiar to moviegoers: "Dr. No," "On Her Majesty's
Secret Service," and "Goldfinger," among others. The =plots= of
the novels may seem different, because often the only thing left
unchanged would be the title, but that's a different matter.
When not busy with the world of spycraft, Fleming also wrote
"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," a children's story about an
intelligent car. This, too, was made into a movie, but alas not
as successfully with the Bond novels.
Dionne quintuplets: (b. 1934) -- As if being quintuplets was not rare
enough, the Dionnes (Annette, Emilie, Yvonne, Cecile, and Marie)
were =identical= quintuplets. Almost as soon as they were born,
the Canadian government stepped in, putting them in a specially-
built hospital and, in effect, putting on display for money.
The experience was not good for the Dionnes. When the
government finally let them go in 1943, they were not really
able to go back to family life. They didn't even get any of the
money the government made from showing them off, although they
are still attempting to do so.
John Fogerty (b. 1945) -- One of the founding members of Creedence
Clearwater Revival, a band that played "swamp rock," a kind of
rock and roll fueled by the musical sensibility found in
America's swampy Mississippi/Louisiana region. CCR hit big with
songs like "Proud Mary" and "Fortunate Son." Many years later,
Fogerty became a solo artist (and had a cool video that involved
following a really long amplifier wire through improbable
locations). In a strange twist of fate, Fogerty was sued by his
former record label, the one from his CCR days, for stealing
material from CCR songs. In other words, Fogerty stood accused
of plagiarizing from himself. In a courtroom filled with fans,
he played a few licks on the guitar to demonstrate to the judge
that any similarity between his solo music and CCR's was simply
a matter of style. The suit was dismissed.
Saturday, May 29:
Bob Hope (b. 1903) -- Comedian and actor. As an actor, Hope is most
well-known for his "Road to _____" pictures, which were light
musical comedies. As a comedian, Hope is best remembered for
entertaining America's troops during wartime, in major USO
shows.
Ferris "Burrhead" Fain (b. 1921) -- Baseball player for the Oakland
A's. Fain was a five-time All-star and twice won the National
League batting title in the 50's. [Aside to Dale: Three
ballplayers in one month. You must be pleased!]
[Full Moon / Wesak Day]
Sunday, May 30: (half square)
Mel Blanc (b. 1908) -- The man of a thousand voices. At least
that's
what they called Blanc, who was the voice actor for just about
every character in just about every Warner Brothers cartoon. In
all fairness, I should point out that when Blanc actually tried,
out of curiosity, to count the voices he did, he stopped at 700
or so. Among those characters were: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck,
Porky the Pig, Sylvester the cat, Foghorn Leghorn, and Yosemite
Sam. While he was working, Blanc acted in an almost countless
number of cartoons. The listing of his movies on the Internet
Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com) alone runs to an eye-
popping 757 entries.
Christine Jorgensen (b. 1926) -- Singer. She had a popular nightclub
act, touring in both the United States and Europe. And that's
about all the ol' Internet has to say about her.
Monday, May 31: (half square)
Walt Whitman (b. 1819) -- Poet, known for "The Song of Himself," and
his crowning achievement, "Leaves of Grass." In his day,
Whitman was a controversial poet and man; people thought he was
too wild and bohemian. Whitman had the last laugh, though,
since today he is acclaimed as one of the country's best all-
time poets. He is even famous enough to be referenced on "The
Simpsons": In "Mother Simpson (3F06)," what Homer thinks is his
mother's tombstone is in reality Whitman's.
Clint Eastwood (b. 1930) -- Actor. In the early part of his career,
Eastwood acted in "spaghetti westerns" (cowboy films made in
Italy) like "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and vengeful cop
films like the "Dirty Harry." Both were popular, but neither
one earned him critical respect. More recently, he began to
stretch himself and make darker, more sophisticated films like
"The Outlaw Josey Wales" and "Unforgiven." It worked --
Eastwood still isn't considered the next Olivier, but now he
commands respect (and an Oscar for his work on "Unforgiven").
Along the way, he appeared in other films you wouldn't expect to
find him in, like "Every Which Way but Loose," and in more
straight adventure films like "In the Line of Fire." In
addition, he was mayor of the city of Carmel, stepping down only
because tourists kept flocking to the town, and disturbing the
peace.
[Memorial Day]
Whew! Done.
--
Benjamin Robinson bj...@freenet.tlh.fl.us
This message may or may not contain sarcastic content; your burden to decide
"A nit is a louse egg. No wonder people pick them!" -- Mercedes engineer
Dale G. Abersold
> Glenda Jackson (b. 1937) -- Actress who appeared in "Mary, Queen Of
> Scots" and "The Incredible Sarah" (about Sarah Bernhardt, the
> most famous stage actress of the late 19th and early 20th
> centuries). Jackson also had a role in 1966's "The Persecution
> and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates
> of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de
> Sade," which has =got= to win some sort of movie-title award.
She's also a politician: a few years ago, she was elected to the British
Parliament as a member of the Labour Party. (I don't know if she's
still in office, however).
Dale G. Abersold
dal...@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/7309
Of course, in the US, it's never the GOOD actors who get elected. Sonny
Bono? Fred "Gopher" Grandy? George Murphy? Ronald Reagan?
David Brunt
>Benjamin Robinson wrote:
>> Glenda Jackson (b. 1937) -- Actress who appeared in "Mary, Queen Of
>> Scots" and "The Incredible Sarah" (about Sarah Bernhardt, the
>> most famous stage actress of the late 19th and early 20th
>> centuries). Jackson also had a role in 1966's "The Persecution
>> and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates
>> of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de
>> Sade," which has =got= to win some sort of movie-title award.
>
>Parliament as a member of the Labour Party. (I don't know if she's
>still in office, however).
Yes she is. She's a junior Government minister for Education.
She also won two Oscars (for 'Women in Love ' and 'A Touch of Class').
She's probably best known for playing Elizabeth 1 in the 1971 BBC serial
'Elizabeth R'.
David
TDMcLemore
> working man in show business." Watching him perform, with his
> frenetic dancing (including splits!), it was hard to doubt that
> label. James Browns
>many hits include "I Feel Good (I Got
> You)," "It's a Man's, Man's World," and "Living in America."
> He's so well-known that =other= musical acts have taken to
> referencing him, including Big Audio Dynamite and Tom Tom Club.
He was also a guest voice on "Bart's Inner Child" [1F05],in which he sang "I
Feel Fine."
>George Carlin (b. 1937) -- Irreverent comedian whose routines often
> take pot-shots at mainstream culture. Actually, his irreverence
> waxed and waned over the years. At one time in the 60's he was
> hoping to break into
>acting, and even got a guest part on "That
> Girl." ("That Girl?!") Convinced that he (a) wasn't ready for
> acting and (b) his material had gotten too innocuous and boring,
> he returned to his old style and immediately became a
>counter-
> culture favorite, albeit one who commanded at least some mass-
> market appeal. Carlin's most famous routine is about "The Seven
> Words You Can't Say on Television," although he later learned
>there were a lot more than just seven. In addition to numerous
> comedy albums, Carlin recently wrote "Brain Droppings." He also
> has a "Simpsons" connection -- his show ("The George Carlin
> Show," duh) on Fox was produced by Sam Simon, one of the
>executive producers for "The Simpsons."
He also had a guest voice in "D'ohing in the Wind."
>Bob Hope (b. 1903) -- Comedian and actor. As an actor, Hope is most
> well-known for his "Road to _____" pictures, which were light
> musical comedies. As a comedian, Hope is best remembered for
>entertaining America's troops during wartime, in major USO
> shows.
He also had a guest voice as himself in "Lisa the Beauty Queen"[9F02]
Travis D. McLemore,Jr.
"Cheating is the gift Man gives himself."
Monty Burns "Mountain of Madness"
U Thant
recorded for the Motown Label. He is from Georgia and is also known as
the "King of Soul".
In article <19990601114543...@ng-ca1.aol.com>, TDMcLemore
<tdmcl...@aol.com> wrote:
> >James Brown (b. 1933) -- Motown singer, often called "the hardest
> > working man in show business." Watching him perform, with his
> > frenetic dancing (including splits!), it was hard to doubt that
> > label. James Browns
>
> >many hits include "I Feel Good (I Got
> > You)," "It's a Man's, Man's World," and "Living in America."
> > He's so well-known that =other= musical acts have taken to
> > referencing him, including Big Audio Dynamite and Tom Tom Club.
>
AlexJ33106
created "The Magnificent Ambersons," >"Touch of Evil," and what
many critics consider the
>finest move of all, "Citizen Kane."
Unfortunately for Welles, he also >produced a reputation for
being hard to deal with, and this >hindered his ability to work.
> In addition to his own projects, Welles did a lot of narration
> work, and even had a part in the "Transformers" movie.
Orsen's character being Unicron, a gigantic, evil transforming planet.
Some Misc. Trivia: Durring the making of "Transformers: The Movie", Mr. Welles
died near production's end. A few of his lines were unfinished.
So, Leanord Nimoy, a man who had a starring role in "TF:TM" as Galvatron(and
who also guest-starred on OFF twice), performed the rest of his lines, and the
staff slowed them down, thus making it sound more like the voice Orsen gave.
"TF:TM" was Orsen Welles final venture onto the big screen. Good-day.
-Alex(The #2 Simpsons Fan)
Alan Hamilton
Robinson) wrote:
>Dionne quintuplets: (b. 1934) -- As if being quintuplets was not rare
> enough, the Dionnes (Annette, Emilie, Yvonne, Cecile, and Marie)
> were =identical= quintuplets. Almost as soon as they were born,
> the Canadian government stepped in, putting them in a specially-
> built hospital and, in effect, putting on display for money.
> The experience was not good for the Dionnes. When the
> government finally let them go in 1943, they were not really
> able to go back to family life. They didn't even get any of the
> money the government made from showing them off, although they
> are still attempting to do so.
Canada finally settled with the three surviving sisters in 1998 for
C$4million. See
http://cnn.com/WORLD/9803/06/dionne.canada.reut/index.html
--
/
/ * / Alan Hamilton
* * al...@primenet.com