Marlon Brando - The Best Actor That Ever Lived?
The Kentucky Wizard
Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to every
actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or off-topic, was
Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
--
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
Jason Quilliam
news:XQgFc.13287$%_6.8740@attbi_s01...
Personal opinion? Yeah - he's definitely up there based on what I've seen.
But I'm by no means an expert.
Jason
Christine
"The Kentucky Wizard" <Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:XQgFc.13287$%_6.8740@attbi_s01...
Dear Mr. Wizard,
I've heard it said that Lawrence Olivier was the greatest actor that ever
lived. Didn't he once say something terribly funny about Marlon Brando and
"Method Acting"?
Chris in Pearland, TX
Volfie
"Jason Quilliam" <jqui...@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:7SgFc.361$rEj1...@news04.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com...
I'd say he was up there but Kate Hepburn is up there, too.
Giselle (or do you literally mean "actor" as in "male only"?)
J.D. Baldwin
In the previous article, The Kentucky Wizard
I don't know who the best actor who ever lived was, but I am pretty
sure it wasn't Marlon Brando.
--
_+_ From the catapult of |If anyone disagrees with any statement I make, I
_|70|___:)=}- J.D. Baldwin |am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also
\ / bal...@panix.com|to deny under oath that I ever made it. -T. Lehrer
***~~~~-----------------------------------------------------------------------
J.D. Baldwin
In the previous article, Christine <rmark...@nospamhouston.rr.com>
wrote:
> I've heard it said that Lawrence Olivier was the greatest actor that
> ever lived.
Probably you heard Lawrence Olivier say it.
> Didn't he once say something terribly funny about Marlon Brando and
> "Method Acting"?
You may be thinking of Dustin Hoffman.
Christine
"J.D. Baldwin" <INVALID...@example.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:cc46mp$iek$1...@reader2.panix.com...
>
> In the previous article, Christine <rmark...@nospamhouston.rr.com>
> wrote:
> > I've heard it said that Lawrence Olivier was the greatest actor that
> > ever lived.
>
> Probably you heard Lawrence Olivier say it.
>
> > Didn't he once say something terribly funny about Marlon Brando and
> > "Method Acting"?
>
> You may be thinking of Dustin Hoffman.
Could be... I'll try and "google out" the exact quote.
Chris in Pearland
Hyfler/Rosner
"J.D. Baldwin" <INVALID...@example.com.invalid> wrote
in message news:cc46i3$id1$1...@reader2.panix.com...
>
> In the previous article, The Kentucky Wizard
> <Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in
essence
> > Marlon Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When
compared to
> > every actor/actress that has ever lived, whether
on-topic or
> > off-topic, was Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that
ever lived?
>
> I don't know who the best actor who ever lived was, but I
am pretty
> sure it wasn't Marlon Brando.
I'm with you. I liked him. He was distinctive. But the
best?
Christine
"Christine" <rmark...@nospamhouston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:YbhFc.4557$T72....@fe2.texas.rr.com...
>
> "J.D. Baldwin" <INVALID...@example.com.invalid> wrote in message
> news:cc46mp$iek$1...@reader2.panix.com...
> >
> > In the previous article, Christine <rmark...@nospamhouston.rr.com>
> > wrote:
> > > I've heard it said that Lawrence Olivier was the greatest actor that
> > > ever lived.
> >
> > Probably you heard Lawrence Olivier say it.
> >
> > > Didn't he once say something terribly funny about Marlon Brando and
> > > "Method Acting"?
> >
> > You may be thinking of Dustin Hoffman.
>
> Could be... I'll try and "google out" the exact quote.
>
> Chris in Pearland
>
Here it is and you're right it was Dustin Hoffman:
Or, as Lawrence Olivier once remarked to another fantastic method actor,
Dustin Hoffman, "Why not try acting, dear boy?"
Hal Horn
HCH
"The Kentucky Wizard" <Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:XQgFc.13287$%_6.8740@attbi_s01...
James Neibaur
Kentuck...@hotmail.com wrote on 7/2/04 12:21 PM:
> When compared to every
> actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or off-topic, was
> Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
It is impossible to state that any one person is the best actor, but Brando
was among the most significant. I have seen all of his films at least
once, and he redefined screen acting with a style that continues to inspire
performers today.
JN
R H Draney
>
>
>In the previous article, The Kentucky Wizard
><Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in essence
>> Marlon Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to
>> every actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or
>> off-topic, was Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
>
>I don't know who the best actor who ever lived was, but I am pretty
>sure it wasn't Marlon Brando.
You're right....
It was James Cagney....
Better singer too....r
Laurie D. T. Mann
Nope, but he was exceptionally good in a number of movies - The
Godfather, The Wild Bunch, Streetcar Named Desire. He was a wildly
erratic actor and person, who had a wildly erratic life.
Laurie D. T. Mann
Dead People Server
http://www.dpsinfo.com/dps
Bermuda999
> > The Kentucky Wizard wrote:
>> I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in essence Marlon
>> Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to every
>> actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or off-topic, was
>> Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
>
>Nope, but he was exceptionally good in a number of movies - The
>Godfather, The Wild Bunch,
You of course mean "The Wild One"
King Daevid MacKenzie
> Here it is and you're right it was Dustin Hoffman:
>
> Or, as Lawrence Olivier once remarked to another fantastic method actor,
> Dustin Hoffman, "Why not try acting, dear boy?"
...after seeing THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL again the other day, I'm sure
Gregory Peck could have legitimately asked the same of Olivier ;-) ...
--
King Daevid MacKenzie, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
How Radio is done. No brag, just fact.
http://ultimajock.blogspot.com
"Fear and God do not inhabit the same space." DICK GREGORY
King Daevid MacKenzie
>>I don't know who the best actor who ever lived was, but I am pretty
>>sure it wasn't Marlon Brando.
>
>
> You're right....
>
> It was James Cagney....
...naah. My pick would have been one of the guys Cagney once played, Lon
Chaney...
James Neibaur
wrote on 7/2/04 1:00 PM:
> It was James Cagney....
He would be my favorite, indeed.
JN
Lenona321
>Or, as Lawrence Olivier once remarked to another fantastic method actor,
>Dustin Hoffman, "Why not try acting, dear boy?"
The way I heard it, Hoffman was supposed to look exhausted in "Marathon Man,"
so he either stayed up all night or ran around the block many times. Olivier
said: "My dear boy, you really ought to learn to act. Then you wouldn't have to
put yourself through this."
And when Hoffman acted with the younger John Malkovich and kept trying to give
him unsolicited advice, Malkovich said in his soft, mocking voice: "Mr.
Hoffman, I don't need acting tips from someone who lost an Oscar to John
Wayne."
Lenona.
James Neibaur
spamc...@dpsinfo.com wrote on 7/2/04 1:31 PM:
> Nope, but he was exceptionally good in a number of movies - The
> Godfather, The Wild Bunch, Streetcar Named Desire. He was a wildly
> erratic actor and person, who had a wildly erratic life.
He wasn't in The Wild Bunch, you are likely thinking of The Wild One. I do
that sort of thing all the time.
JN
Loki
Depends on who you ask. Obviously it is difficult to compare him to
Edwin Booth, for example, or any number of actors of who little or no
film work exists.
However, limiting the choices to actors who's better work was captured
on film, I would say he was. Other people may choose Olivier, Tracy,
DeNiro, or Guiness but any list that does not have him within the top
5 is not worth the time it takes to read.
Loki
Loki
Never heard that one, but it is a beauty. Thank you for the smile on
this sad day.
Loki
Christine
"Lenona321" <leno...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040702153131...@mb-m02.aol.com...
> >
> >Or, as Lawrence Olivier once remarked to another fantastic method actor,
> >Dustin Hoffman, "Why not try acting, dear boy?"
>
> The way I heard it, Hoffman was supposed to look exhausted in "Marathon
Man,"
> so he either stayed up all night or ran around the block many times.
Olivier
> said: "My dear boy, you really ought to learn to act. Then you wouldn't
have to
> put yourself through this."
That's more the way I remember it when Sir Lawrence said that. I "googled"
Olivier's quotes and that's what I found. Yours sounds more accurate.
Chris in Pearland, TX
James Neibaur
thevoic...@charter.net wrote on 7/2/04 2:29 PM:
>> It was James Cagney....
>
> ...naah. My pick would have been one of the guys Cagney once played, Lon
> Chaney...
Lon Chaney was outstanding. More people should look beyond Hunchback and
Phantom and see such classics as The Penalty and He Who Gets Slapped.
JN
King Daevid MacKenzie
> And when Hoffman acted with the younger John Malkovich and kept trying to give
> him unsolicited advice, Malkovich said in his soft, mocking voice: "Mr.
> Hoffman, I don't need acting tips from someone who lost an Oscar to John
> Wayne."
...although I don't consider TRUE GRIT to be an Oscar-caliber Wayne
performance (that would have been THE LONG VOYAGE HOME almost three
decades earlier), John Wayne was by no means the kind of performer
Malkovich's insult suggests...
Mpoconnor7
roles, but it seemed for most of his career he simply showed up for a big
paycheck and chewed scenery. Most of his best roles were in the 50's, and I
think his movies with Coppola were his only really good roles after that I
would not rate him among the best actors of his era, but I would certainly rate
him as one of the most influential actors of his era.
Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man
"The likelihood of one individual being correct increases in a direct
proportion to the intensity with which others try to prove him wrong"
James Mason from the movie "Heaven Can Wait".
Loki
wrote:
>I always felt Brando was overrated. He had about a half dozen really good film
>roles, but it seemed for most of his career he simply showed up for a big
>paycheck and chewed scenery. Most of his best roles were in the 50's, and I
>think his movies with Coppola were his only really good roles after that I
>would not rate him among the best actors of his era, but I would certainly rate
>him as one of the most influential actors of his era.
>
>Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man
Have you seen Last Tango? Streetcar? Waterfront? He was brilliant and
I cannot think of any actor before or since who showed such depth in
so many varied roles.
Loki
R H Draney
>
>And when Hoffman acted with the younger John Malkovich and kept trying to give
>him unsolicited advice, Malkovich said in his soft, mocking voice: "Mr.
>Hoffman, I don't need acting tips from someone who lost an Oscar to John
>Wayne."
I can just hear him saying it too...in fact, I'm having trouble imagining John
Malkovich so much as ordering a bologna sandwich without sounding like he thinks
the person he's talking to is an earthworm to him....r
Mack Twamley
"The Kentucky Wizard" <Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:XQgFc.13287$%_6.8740@attbi_s01...
> I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in essence Marlon
> Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to every
> actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or off-topic, was
> Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
>
> © The Wiz ®
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you've sat through "Reflections in a Golden Eye", "The Countess From Hong
Kong" and most of "Sayonara" (there is a touching scene in Sayonara that I'm
fond of) I think you'll not think that much of Brando's acting. He was
stunning in a few pictures, but was much less so in many others. On
balance, I'd sooner watch Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy or Gary Cooper ....or
even Johnny Depp (with whom Brando made Don Juan de Marco....two for the
price of one!)
James Neibaur
mack...@dslextreme.com wrote on 7/2/04 4:55 PM:
> On
> balance, I'd sooner watch Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy or Gary Cooper
or James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson....
But this does not negate Brando's tremendous influence and impact, based on
only a handful of films (Streetcar, Wild One, Waterfront, Godfather). Those
are not his only good movies, of course, but they are usually the ones
singled out.
JN
Loki
<mack...@dslextreme.com> wrote:
>
>"The Kentucky Wizard" <Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:XQgFc.13287$%_6.8740@attbi_s01...
>> I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in essence Marlon
>> Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to every
>> actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or off-topic, was
>> Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
>>
>> --
>> © The Wiz ®
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>If you've sat through "Reflections in a Golden Eye", "The Countess From Hong
>Kong" and most of "Sayonara" (there is a touching scene in Sayonara that I'm
>fond of) I think you'll not think that much of Brando's acting.
He was inconsistent, no doubt. In fact, he is down right awful in some
of his works. However, it is for his best that he is being judged.
Just as one does not evaluate Babe Ruth based on how many times he
struck out, or Ali based on the Spinx fight, Brando deserves to be
evaluated by his best work.
Loki
Mpoconnor7
>film
>>roles, but it seemed for most of his career he simply showed up for a big
>>paycheck and chewed scenery. Most of his best roles were in the 50's, and I
>>think his movies with Coppola were his only really good roles after that I
>>would not rate him among the best actors of his era, but I would certainly
>rate
>>him as one of the most influential actors of his era.
>>
>>Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man
>
>Have you seen Last Tango? Streetcar? Waterfront? He was brilliant and
>I cannot think of any actor before or since who showed such depth in
>so many varied roles.
>
>
Yes, Yes and Yes. I really liked the first two, and would put those amongst
his best work. Last Tango was IMO unwatchable; I tried to sit thru it three
times and failed.
He had a number of great roles in the 50's, but the rest of his career was a
disappointment other than the Coppola films, and I guess I have to include The
Freshman also since he was in essence playing the Don once again. I still
stand by my belief that he had a half dozen or so great roles (mostly in the
50's), and the rest of his career was less than stellar. After his Godfather
role, he had IMO more or less became a parody of his earlier self and was for
the most part just going thru the motions and making tons of money for as
little screen time as possible. IMDB lists just over forty screen roles, and
I'll say a quarter of those at best were great roles and the rest was lead
roles in lesser films or cameos in good films.
I'll reiterate that I don't think he was the greatest actor who ever lived
(although he was at times brilliant), but was arguably the most influential
actor who ever lived.
Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man
"The likelihood of one individual being correct increases in a direct
Brigid Nelson
I hear what you're saying, but I think it's a symptom of extreme
shyness. For obvious reasons, the actions of people who lack social
skills are often misunderstood.
brigid
Brigid Nelson
Oh you di'en just insinuate that Johnny Depp is anything less than a
*fine* actor.
brigid
Michael Rhodes
> "Laurie D. T. Mann" spamc...@dpsinfo.com
>
> > > The Kentucky Wizard wrote:
> >> I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in essence Marlon
> >> Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to every
> >> actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or off-topic, was
> >> Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
Actor, or Film Star? There's a difference I think. He certainly wasn't
much good in the classical roles. I caught the Channel 4 news tonight
in Britain and he was the top story - rare I think. Sinatra was
probably the last actor to top the news in Britain (excluding Ronald
Reagan of course).
In "On the Waterfront" Brando forged a new style of acting. Lord
Attenborough said that when he saw the movie for the first time he sat
in his car afterwards quite speechless for 20 minutes.
R H Draney
>
>After his Godfather
>role, he had IMO more or less became a parody of his earlier self and was for
>the most part just going thru the motions and making tons of money for as
>little screen time as possible.
*More or less* a parody of his earlier self?...
You missed "The Freshman", I take it?...r
Jax
channel.
A rather young female reporter was talking about Brando and during the bit
she said the Brando had invented the Method System.
Ha!
Too bad reporters don't have to do actual research into the stories they
do.I mean, how hard would it have been to do just a Google search for a bio
on Brando?
BsT
"R H Draney" <dado...@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:cc50t...@drn.newsguy.com...
The Kentucky Wizard
> bermu...@aol.com (Bermuda999) wrote in message
news:<20040702145125...@mb-m28.aol.com>...
>> "Laurie D. T. Mann" spamc...@dpsinfo.com
>>
>>>> The Kentucky Wizard wrote:
>>>> I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in essence
Marlon
>>>> Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to every
>>>> actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or off-topic,
was
>>>> Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
>
> Actor, or Film Star? There's a difference I think. He certainly wasn't
> much good in the classical roles. I caught the Channel 4 news tonight
> in Britain and he was the top story - rare I think. Sinatra was
> probably the last actor to top the news in Britain (excluding Ronald
> Reagan of course).
>
> In "On the Waterfront" Brando forged a new style of acting. Lord
> Attenborough said that when he saw the movie for the first time he sat
> in his car afterwards quite speechless for 20 minutes.
>
>
Hmmm, you have an interesting point, Michael, which I had not
considered. I know that his approach to acting where at times somewhat
on the eccentric side. I heard someone remark today on cable that Brando
refused to memorize his lines, and relied heavily on cue cards, as noted
when he portrayed Superman's father, Jor-El, in the first 'Superman'
movie, when he actually read his lines that were written on the infant
Superman's (Kal-El) diaper.
His screen presence most likely supercedes his overall acting, for he
definitely entranced movie viewers everywhere. In 2000, Brando was
ranked #12 in Entertainment Weekly's "Top 100 Entertainers of All Time",
so he was definitely a powerful force that intimidated even the most
veteran of actors/actresses.
So, to answer your question from my point of view, I'd say that Brandon
was a good actor, while at the same time he was a great film star.
Whether he was the best or not, appears to be up to the individual,
based on the many different responses to this thread.
--
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
Mack Twamley
"Brigid Nelson" <irja...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:0MudnclaRb8...@comcast.com...
He IS a fine actor...he just doesn't have the age or the body of work that
the other three actors mentioned before him have.
Mack Twamley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, another turkey I had blissfully forgotten..."The Missouri Breaks" with
Marlon in a Mother Hubbard. Really!
Sadly, I heard on KNX (CBS in LA) today that Brando had been living on
Social Security, Actors' Fund Pension, some residuals, and nothing
else....and that his 'compound' on Mulholland Drive was 'shabbily'
furnished. Apparently a large part of his fortune melted away when he had
to pay for Christian's defense in the murder case.
Truly sad.
Bob Feigel
INVALID...@example.com.invalid (J.D. Baldwin) wrote:
>
>In the previous article, The Kentucky Wizard
><Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I've seen and heard several folks remark today that in essence
>> Marlon Brando was the best actor that ever lived. When compared to
>> every actor/actress that has ever lived, whether on-topic or
>> off-topic, was Marlon Brando indeed the best actor that ever lived?
>
>I don't know who the best actor who ever lived was, but I am pretty
>sure it wasn't Marlon Brando.
The Best Actor Who Ever Lived? Those kind of questions sorta frost my
ass. Who the hell can possibly answer that kind of question any way
but subjectively?
What I *do* know is that I think Brando could be an excellent actor
within his range. His performances in SCND and OTWF were, IMO, the
best anyone could have done with those roles at that time. I've seen
clips tonight that reminded me of how good he was, but also how
limited his range was. I guess the main thing for me is that, despite
his dynamic and sometimes mesmerising presence, I was always aware
that it was Marlon Brando I was seeing in the role. I couldn't say the
same about Sir John Gielgud or Sir Alec Guinness for example. b
"Until death, it is all life." - Cervantes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
Terrymelin
Terry Ellsworth
Terrymelin
>Gregory Peck could have legitimately asked the same of Olivier ;-) ...
That would be funny since Peck easily gives one of the worst performances in
the history of film in that movie.
Terry Ellsworth
Terrymelin
>performance (that would have been THE LONG VOYAGE HOME almost three
>decades earlier), John Wayne was by no means the kind of performer
>Malkovich's insult suggests...
He certainly was a more natural actor than Malkovich who is so obvious that he
bores me with each and every utterance.
Terry Ellsworth
James Neibaur
terry...@aol.com wrote on 7/3/04 7:42 AM:
> He certainly was a more natural actor than Malkovich who is so obvious that he
> bores me with each and every utterance.
The idea that Malkovich could make a condescending remark to a superior
actor (Hoffman) about a legendary screen presence (Wayne) is pretty amazing.
Sort of like Britney Spears making a condescending remark to Ray Charles
about Billie Holiday.
JN
Loki
wrote:
>in article 20040703084215...@mb-m20.aol.com, Terrymelin at
>terry...@aol.com wrote on 7/3/04 7:42 AM:
>
>> He certainly was a more natural actor than Malkovich who is so obvious that he
>> bores me with each and every utterance.
>
>The idea that Malkovich could make a condescending remark to a superior
>actor (Hoffman) about a legendary screen presence (Wayne) is pretty amazing.
It is valid. I do not know if you have ever seen Malkovich on stage,
but it is a truly electrifying experience. I saw him in Salesman on
Broadway with Hoffman, and Malkovich commanded more attention just by
silently smoking a cigarette than Hoffman did with all of his scene
chewing.
Unfortunately his film work has not been that impressive, but people
who saw them both say that off all of the stage actors to come along
over the last 60 years or so, Malkovich comes the closest in terms of
presence and force to recapturing what Brando had.
Loki
James Neibaur
cubby...@aol.com wrote on 7/3/04 8:10 AM:
> It is valid. I do not know if you have ever seen Malkovich on stage,
> but it is a truly electrifying experience. I saw him in Salesman on
> Broadway with Hoffman, and Malkovich commanded more attention just by
> silently smoking a cigarette than Hoffman did with all of his scene
> chewing.
I saw him years and years ago in Chicago in a very good play called Say
Goodnight Gracie, in which Gary Sinise also appeared. But this may not be
fair because it was so long ago, and I was -- at that time-- unaware of
either of them. I don't think my memory of this production (as much as I
enjoyed it ) would be very accurate in assessing his performance.
> Unfortunately his film work has not been that impressive, but people
> who saw them both say that off all of the stage actors to come along
> over the last 60 years or so, Malkovich comes the closest in terms of
> presence and force to recapturing what Brando had.
I will have to take your word for it. I never saw Brando on stage. I have
seen all of Malkovich's films and don't think he has done anything close to
what Brando did.
JN
Terrymelin
>seen all of Malkovich's films and don't think he has done anything close to
>what Brando did.
>
>JN
He hasn't done anything close to what Kevin Spacey has done.
Terry Ellsworth
Terrymelin
>actor (Hoffman) about a legendary screen presence (Wayne) is pretty amazing.
>
>Sort of like Britney Spears making a condescending remark to Ray Charles
>about Billie Holiday.
>
>JN
>
Wonderful analogy, Jim.
Terry Ellsworth
Hyfler/Rosner
"Terrymelin" <terry...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040703095621...@mb-m25.aol.com...
So the point here is this. There are lots and lots of
wonderful actors around and to decide that one has to be the
best (Me, I'm voting for Bruno Ganz) is a ridiculous
endeavour. Start a top ten or a hundred if you must.
Terrymelin
>wonderful actors around and to decide that one has to be the
>best (Me, I'm voting for Bruno Ganz) is a ridiculous
>endeavour.
Agreed.
Regnirps
-- Charlie Springer
The Kentucky Wizard
Yes, we all know that Brando couldn't possibly hold a candle to your
hero, Pee Wee Herman.
--
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
Jim Beaver
"Regnirps" <regn...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040703143114...@mb-m25.aol.com...
> William Powel. Was there ever anybody more natural on stage?
I never saw him on stage. Has anyone here? Or anywhere?
Jim Beaver
Regnirps
>> William Powel. Was there ever anybody more natural on stage?
>I never saw him on stage. Has anyone here? Or anywhere?
If you have ever seen him on film, it was most likely on a sound stage. You
think they did Mr. Roberts on a ship?
-- Charlie Springer
James Neibaur
regn...@aol.com wrote on 7/4/04 12:19 AM:
>>> William Powel. Was there ever anybody more natural on stage?
>
>> I never saw him on stage. Has anyone here? Or anywhere?
>
> If you have ever seen him on film, it was most likely on a sound stage. You
> think they did Mr. Roberts on a ship?
Powell was outstanding in the Thin Man films, Kennel Murder Case, My Man
Godfrey, The Senator was Indiscreet, Love Crazy, Double Wedding, and many
others. He was always quite welcome.
JN
Jim Beaver
Actually, they did a huge portion of Mr. Roberts on a ship. But you said
"on stage." Nobody in the profession calls a soundstage being "on stage."
That's reserved for the theatre. I presumed you were using the term
accurately. Well, actually, I had a pretty good idea you were not using it
accurately, but rather than presume merely to correct you, I asked whether
anyone had seen him on stage, i.e., in the theatre, knowing that your
intended usage would probably come to light.
I should have just said, "You mean 'anybody more natural on film?'"
Jim Beaver
April Cool
<regn...@aol.com> wrote:
Are you really that stupid, or are you confusing the above with wit?
Regnirps
>Powell was outstanding in the Thin Man films, Kennel Murder Case, My Man
>Godfrey, The Senator was Indiscreet, Love Crazy, Double Wedding, and many
>others. He was always quite welcome.
Life with Father. A very young Elizabeth Taylor was turning the boys heads
IIRC.
Powell is my favorite just plain watchable actor. I was surprised when he
retired after Mr. Roberts and lived I think into his 90's. The Thin Man films
are great and My Man Godfrey is a hoot.
As far as watchability, I have a soft spot for Gene Autry. Cranking out those
short films and writing the songs as well. He seems to have gone form one film
where he was a square dance caller to making his own movies on one quick jump.
I pickec up a cheap DVD with four on it the other day and gave it to my dad for
father's day. We took a look on IMDB and he ran down the list checking off all
the ones he remembered seeing on Saturday matinees, which was most of them.
-- Charlie Springer
Regnirps
>> >> William Powel. Was there ever anybody more natural on stage?
>> >I never saw him on stage. Has anyone here? Or anywhere?
>> If you have ever seen him on film, it was most likely on a sound stage. You
>> think they did Mr. Roberts on a ship?
>Are you really that stupid, or are you confusing the above with wit?
Get bent.
-- Charlie Springer
James Neibaur
regn...@aol.com wrote on 7/5/04 5:21 PM:
> As far as watchability, I have a soft spot for Gene Autry. Cranking out those
> short films and writing the songs as well. He seems to have gone form one film
> where he was a square dance caller to making his own movies on one quick jump.
I like B westerns quite a bit, but I favored Roy Rogers over Gene. I liked
Gene just fine, but Roy seemed more like a cowboy to me. Judgement call.
I also liked Buster Crabbe as a cowboy. He told me years ago that his only
saving grace in those PRC cheapies was working with whom he considered the
best sidekick of them all -- Al "Fuzzy" St. John. Al had a career that
dated back to the Keystone silents.
JN
Regnirps
>Actually, they did a huge portion of Mr. Roberts on a ship. But you said
>"on stage." Nobody in the profession calls a soundstage being "on stage."
>That's reserved for the theatre. I presumed you were using the term
>accurately. Well, actually, I had a pretty good idea you were not using it
>accurately, but rather than presume merely to correct you, I asked whether
>anyone had seen him on stage, i.e., in the theatre, knowing that your
>intended usage would probably come to light.
Believe it or not, I could tell that part of Mr. Roberts was made on a ship. I
was in the Navy and I recognized the shape -- kind of pointy at the ends and
made of steel. I was just being generic. I am not familiar with any stage work
but I assume Powell started somewhere. Granted, the camera just doesn't like
some people who are great in the theater and vice versa. I suspect most of
today's good camera faces couldn't act their way out of a wet paper bag if it
involved ensambles with lots of lines. Great honk, they hardly ever even film
two-shots anymore, just intercut head shots like TV drama. I think I would drop
dead if I saw a good long single shot of two people talking as they move about
a room. Imagine, you could see them both at the same time and the body language
would have to be right. (Bogart, Greenstreet, and Lorre sizing each other up)
Directors seem to avoid this at all costs today.
-- Charlie Springer
PS What have they done to I, Robot! The androids are crying electric tears.
Aje RavenStar
> "Jim Beaver" jumb...@prodigy.spam wrote:
> PS What have they done to I, Robot! The androids are crying electric
tears.
Been pondering that myself. They've kept the late Isaac Asimov's title,
but... At first, I thought maybe they had filmed The Caves of Steel or The
Naked Sun under the I Robot title, but the storyline I'm gathering from the
commercials and online previews is from the comic, Magum Robot Hunter.
King Daevid MacKenzie
> I also liked Buster Crabbe as a cowboy. He told me years ago that his only
> saving grace in those PRC cheapies was working with whom he considered the
> best sidekick of them all -- Al "Fuzzy" St. John. Al had a career that
> dated back to the Keystone silents.
...of course, being Roscoe Arbuckle's nephew helped - it seemed at one
point in 1915 that half the people (and Luke the Dog) on the Keystone
lot were there because of some connection to him...
--
King Daevid MacKenzie, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
How Radio is done. No brag, just fact.
http://ultimajock.blogspot.com
"Fear and God do not inhabit the same space." DICK GREGORY
King Daevid MacKenzie
>>PS What have they done to I, Robot! The androids are crying electric
>
> tears.
>
> Been pondering that myself. They've kept the late Isaac Asimov's title,
> but... At first, I thought maybe they had filmed The Caves of Steel or The
> Naked Sun under the I Robot title, but the storyline I'm gathering from the
> commercials and online previews is from the comic, Magum Robot Hunter.
...thus, they didn't use Harlan Ellison's intriguing 1987 screenplay,
did they?...
April Cool
<regn...@aol.com> wrote:
The question stands, but I'm beginning to think it wasn't wit.
April Cool
<thevoic...@charter.net> wrote:
> Aje RavenStar quotes "Regnirps" 'n sez:
>
> >>PS What have they done to I, Robot! The androids are crying electric
> >
> > tears.
> >
> > Been pondering that myself. They've kept the late Isaac Asimov's title,
> > but... At first, I thought maybe they had filmed The Caves of Steel or The
> > Naked Sun under the I Robot title, but the storyline I'm gathering from the
> > commercials and online previews is from the comic, Magum Robot Hunter.
>
> ...thus, they didn't use Harlan Ellison's intriguing 1987 screenplay,
> did they?...
He'll sue them anyway. BTW, it was Magnus, Robot Fighter.
I thought the movie was a loose adaptation of the Eando Binder story
about the robot Adam Link (which was done on Outer Limits a couple of
times). Asimov's later collection with that title was unrelated.
James Neibaur
thevoic...@charter.net wrote on 7/5/04 6:29 PM:
> ...of course, being Roscoe Arbuckle's nephew helped - it seemed at one
> point in 1915 that half the people (and Luke the Dog) on the Keystone
> lot were there because of some connection to him...
Al St. John's stunt work in the recently rediscovered Arbuckle films from
1917-1919 make Jackie Chan look like Jackie Mason.
JN
King Daevid MacKenzie
> Al St. John's stunt work in the recently rediscovered Arbuckle films from
> 1917-1919 make Jackie Chan look like Jackie Mason.
...now, what did Jackie Chan ever do to deserve being compared to a
bird-flipper from Sheboygan?...
James Neibaur
thevoic...@charter.net wrote on 7/5/04 9:44 PM:
>> Al St. John's stunt work in the recently rediscovered Arbuckle films from
>> 1917-1919 make Jackie Chan look like Jackie Mason.
>
> ...now, what did Jackie Chan ever do to deserve being compared to a
> bird-flipper from Sheboygan?...
Just to emphasize the breathtaking stunt work of St. John in the Joseph
Schenk-produced Arbuckle two-reelers.
JN
R H Draney
>
>PS What have they done to I, Robot! The androids are crying electric tears.
I see Bridget Moynahan is playing Dr Susan Calvin....
I'm curious, and this is as good a place for a poll as any...if you read "I,
Robot" in your youth, what celebrity would you say most resembled your image of
Dr Calvin?...
For me, I swear, she looked like Dr Joyce Brothers....r
R H Draney
>
>James Neibaur sez:
>
>> Al St. John's stunt work in the recently rediscovered Arbuckle films from
>> 1917-1919 make Jackie Chan look like Jackie Mason.
>
>...now, what did Jackie Chan ever do to deserve being compared to a
>bird-flipper from Sheboygan?...
I think his James Brown imitation in "The Tuxedo" justifies almost anything we
could say about Mr Chan....r
King Daevid MacKenzie
>>>Al St. John's stunt work in the recently rediscovered Arbuckle films from
>>>1917-1919 make Jackie Chan look like Jackie Mason.
>>
>>...now, what did Jackie Chan ever do to deserve being compared to a
>>bird-flipper from Sheboygan?...
>
>
> Just to emphasize the breathtaking stunt work of St. John in the Joseph
> Schenk-produced Arbuckle two-reelers.
...I realise that much, but couldn't you have put it more like, say,
making Buster Keaton look like Camille Keaton? A friend of mine in New
York had a run-in with Jackie Mason a while back, and she assures me
that he brings new meaning to the phrase "arrogant putz"...
King Daevid MacKenzie
> I'm curious, and this is as good a place for a poll as any...if you read "I,
> Robot" in your youth, what celebrity would you say most resembled your image of
> Dr Calvin?...
>
> For me, I swear, she looked like Dr Joyce Brothers....
...try Margot Kidder (when I read it back circa '83) or Glynnis O'Connor
(today)...
April Cool
<dado...@spamcop.net> wrote:
I thought she looked like Biddy on Here Come the Brides.
Regnirps
>I like B westerns quite a bit, but I favored Roy Rogers over Gene. I liked
>Gene just fine, but Roy seemed more like a cowboy to me. Judgement call.
There is a lot less gun play in the Autry films I think. He doesn't do the
shoot-the-gun-out-of-the-hand-of-the-bad-guy bit. I like his running mount
where he leaps and his left foot goes right in the stirrup. Also the range of
time periods.
-- Charlie Springer
PS, any of you Hollywood types ever know a special effects guy named Dave
Stewart?
Regnirps
>Al St. John's stunt work in the recently rediscovered Arbuckle films from
>1917-1919 make Jackie Chan look like Jackie Mason.
Where were they found? Could this be from the guy who bought the old movie
house and found a secret room with wall to wall film cans?
-- Charlie Springer
Regnirps
>> PS What have they done to I, Robot! The androids are crying electric
>>tears.
>Been pondering that myself. They've kept the late Isaac Asimov's title,
>but... At first, I thought maybe they had filmed The Caves of Steel or The
>Naked Sun under the I Robot title, but the storyline I'm gathering from the
>commercials and online previews is from the comic, Magum Robot Hunter.
Same thoughts. They also used US Robotics. I wonder if they had to pay the
MODEM company? And that is Magnus, Robot Hunter. I think it is the only comic
book I ever bought. I had the same reaction "They made a film of Magnus and
used Asimov's title!"
Who is it that says lets take a story (stories) that has been popular for 50
years and fix it?
-- Charlie Springer
Regnirps
>I see Bridget Moynahan is playing Dr Susan Calvin....
>I'm curious, and this is as good a place for a poll as any...if you read "I,
>Robot" in your youth, what celebrity would you say most resembled your image
of
>Dr Calvin?...
>For me, I swear, she looked like Dr Joyce Brothers....r
It has been ages, but I recall thinking of the character much more in terms of
body language and the eyes than any particular face.
-- Charlie Springer
James Neibaur
thevoic...@charter.net wrote on 7/6/04 12:04 AM:
> A friend of mine in New
> York had a run-in with Jackie Mason a while back, and she assures me
> that he brings new meaning to the phrase "arrogant putz"...
So then St. John is so good he relegates the stunt work of Jackie Chan to
the level of arrogant putz Jackie Mason. The line works.
St. John does not make Buster Keaton look like Diane Keaton (or whatever).
He ain't THAT good.
JN
James Neibaur
regn...@aol.com wrote on 7/6/04 2:02 AM:
> Where were they found? Could this be from the guy who bought the old movie
> house and found a secret room with wall to wall film cans?
I think the lost films (The Rough House, The Cook, et. al.) were discovered
in different Europeon archives (not always in complete form) and
subsequently restored and remastered.
JN
April Cool
<regn...@aol.com> wrote:
> Same thoughts. They also used US Robotics. I wonder if they had to pay the
> MODEM company? And that is Magnus, Robot Hunter.
Magnus, Robot Fighter.
> I think it is the only comic
> book I ever bought. I had the same reaction "They made a film of Magnus and
> used Asimov's title!"
Fair is fair. Asimov used Eando Binder's title.
Waterlou4
Harold Lloyd was pretty fearless, too.
Waterlou4
two-shots anymore, just intercut head shots like TV drama. I think I would drop
dead if I saw a good long single shot of two people talking as they move about
a room. Imagine, you could see them both at the same time and the body language
would have to be right. (Bogart, Greenstreet, and Lorre sizing each other up)
Because of non-letterbox TV?
Waterlou4
address)
Quiz: who else can give the meaning and the source?
J.D. Baldwin
It has multiple meanings, but the commonly accepted one today is the
recursive one. (I won't reveal it in case someone wants to Google for
it himself -- "mung jargon" ought to do the trick.) It probably came
from the legendary TMRC at MIT before many a.o readers were born.
--
_+_ From the catapult of |If anyone disagrees with any statement I make, I
_|70|___:)=}- J.D. Baldwin |am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also
\ / bal...@panix.com|to deny under oath that I ever made it. -T. Lehrer
***~~~~-----------------------------------------------------------------------
R H Draney
>
>OT: I just found out that "mung" is an acronym. (as in a munged e-mail
>address)
>
>Quiz: who else can give the meaning and the source?
I know it stands for "Mung Until No Good"...no idea who came up with it, but I
suspect those characters who came up with the MINCE ("Mince Is Not Complete
Emacs") editor....r
Jim Beaver
"Waterlou4" <wate...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040706133106...@mb-m13.aol.com...
More likely because it's easy. However, the bigger budget the film, the
more likely I've found it that walk-and-talk two-shots will be done. On
LIFE OF DAVID GALE, we spent two solid days shooting me walking Kate Winslet
and Gabe Mann down the prison hallway. Not a talking-head shot in the
bunch, if I recall correctly.
Jim Beaver
Regnirps
>> Same thoughts. They also used US Robotics. I wonder if they had to pay the
>> MODEM company? And that is Magnus, Robot Hunter.
>Magnus, Robot Fighter.
Doh. I knew that. He messed me up with "Magum Robot Hunter". It didn't last
very long. I recall everyone (or just the men?) wore short tunics. It looked
like Rome with robots and really BIG architecture.
-- Charlie Springer
Regnirps
>Fair is fair. Asimov used Eando Binder's title.
Yes, Earl and Otto used I, Robot but I don't recall if the Outer Limits episode
was from their story or an Asimov story. A courtroom drama sounds more Asimov
but the frankenstein angle seems more like the rip-off brothers. Their better
novelization of short stories was "something York, Immortal" I think. It is a
clear (actually rather muddy) lifting of ideas from E. E. Smith's Skylark
stories. But no one can describe ever larger ships and battles and collasal
powers the Smith did. I think Smith started around 1924 and the books amaze me
when I keep that in mind.
-- Charlie Springer
Regnirps
>Harold Lloyd was pretty fearless, too.
What was the talkie he made when he was older? He gets drunk (I think Shemp is
the "scientist" behind the bar) and buys a circus. Loved it.
-- Charlie Springer
Regnirps
>More likely because it's easy. However, the bigger budget the film, the
>more likely I've found it that walk-and-talk two-shots will be done. On
>LIFE OF DAVID GALE, we spent two solid days shooting me walking Kate Winslet
>and Gabe Mann down the prison hallway. Not a talking-head shot in the
>bunch, if I recall correctly.
Yes, it is plenty easy. Well, this stuff is never easy -- way too many ways to
screw up. I did a series of two minute pieces for local TV years ago with just
a Bolex H16 and some lights and reflectors and my handy Kodak book of
photographic makeup. I went through a lot of film to get two minutes. Ah,
borrowed a Polaroid for continuity I recall.
I have not seen a modern TV show being produced but I suspected STNG (and many
others) was done with a single camera. All those intercut head shots mean you
don't need both actors at the same time and the likelyhood of a screwup
probably squares with two people. They are even very spar with the cut-ins and
cutaways or anything that requires reseting. The Steadycam makes it a lot
easier to do walk and talk since you don't have to lay track or flooring for
dollies and all that. I used a 1968 Ford Country Squire station wagon with a
390. It would go just the right speed on idle and was smooth as silk.
Stargate SG-1 looks like a shoestring operation but I like the way they put it
together. Of course, it takes the right people. Compare it to that Mutant-X
show! I would love to spend a couple weeks on the SG-1 sets just watching. I
think it is mostly done in Canada.
-- Charlie Springer
Bill Schenley
> I am not familiar with any stage work but I assume
> Powell started somewhere.
William Powell was in several Broadway plays between 1917
and 1928. "The King" (1917), "Spanish Love" (1920), "Bavu"
(1922), "The Woman Who Laughed" (1922) and "Revolt" (1928).
The IMDb says he started in theatre in 1912.
James Neibaur
regn...@aol.com wrote on 7/6/04 4:52 PM:
> What was the talkie he made when he was older? He gets drunk (I think Shemp is
> the "scientist" behind the bar) and buys a circus. Loved it.
Was that Mad Wednesday (aka The Sin of Harold Diddlebock)?? Preston Sturges
directed that.
JN
April Cool
<regn...@aol.com> wrote:
> April Cool firsto...@fools.com.invalid wrote:
>
>
> >Fair is fair. Asimov used Eando Binder's title.
>
> Yes, Earl and Otto used I, Robot but I don't recall if the Outer Limits
> episode
> was from their story or an Asimov story.
Outer Limits did the Eando Binder version, which is a standalone story
titled I, Robot. It's about a robot unjustly accused of having killed
its creator, and being tried in court for the crime. Outer Limits did
it twice -- first in the original series in the 1960s, and again during
the '90s revival on (I think) Showtime.
Asimov's I, Robot is a collection of his early robot stories, none of
which is titled I, Robot. Asimov claimed the title was stitched onto
the collection by his publisher, a man named Martin Greenberg. Asimov
told Greenberg that the title couldn't be used because Eando Binder had
used it first. Asimov quotes Greenberg as saying, "Fuck Eando Binder."
BTW, this Martin Greenberg was not the Martin Harry Greenberg who
frequently worked with Asimov during his last couple of decades.
It helps being a librarian, keeping this straight.
> A courtroom drama sounds more Asimov
> but the frankenstein angle seems more like the rip-off brothers.
Why do you call them the rip-off brothers? BTW, Earl left the team in
1940 and Otto continued as Eando. I think Otto wound up writing comic
books for the Superman people under his own name.
> Their better
> novelization of short stories was "something York, Immortal" I think.
Anton York, Immortal. And I've just discovered that the name Binder is
supposed to rhyme with tinder, not finder.
> It is a
> clear (actually rather muddy) lifting of ideas from E. E. Smith's Skylark
> stories. But no one can describe ever larger ships and battles and collasal
> powers the Smith did. I think Smith started around 1924 and the books amaze me
> when I keep that in mind.
I understand that Smith was the first science fiction writer to write
about star travel. I've found a reference in a fan magazine that
talked about one of Smith's upcoming (and eagerly anticipated) Skylark
books. It said (paraphrasing) that Smith had finally completed the
calculations he needed to do for the book and so had only just begun
writing it. I think you can say he was serious about his work.
Waterlou4
from the legendary TMRC at MIT before many a.o readers were born.<< -- J.D.
Baldwin
Yes.
>>I know it stands for "Mung Until No Good"...no idea who came up with it, but
I
suspect those characters who came up with the MINCE ("Mince Is Not Complete
Emacs") editor....r<< -- R.H. Draney
Not originally.
Source: what J.D. said. Original meaning: Mash Until No Good
Rick Levinson
THE SIN OF HAROLD DIDDLEBOCK, also known as MAD WEDNESDAY.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039825/
It was a '47 Preston Sturges film which was re-released a few years
later by the producer Howard Hughes. [Lloyd, Sturges, Hughes - three
great American eccentrics on one project]. The bartender was Edgar
Kennedy, the master of the slow burn. Shemp was the bartender of 'The
Black Pussy' in WC Fields' THE BANK DICK.
Rick
April Cool
Levinson <Rick.L...@sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Shemp was the bartender of 'The
> Black Pussy' in WC Fields' THE BANK DICK.
All right. That *had* to have been on purpose.
James Neibaur
firsto...@fools.com.invalid wrote on 7/8/04 9:29 PM:
>> Shemp was the bartender of 'The
>> Black Pussy' in WC Fields' THE BANK DICK.
>
> All right. That *had* to have been on purpose.
It was. Fields liked sneaking things past the censors.
JN
Justin Kase
"April Cool" <firsto...@fools.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:080720042229581633%firsto...@fools.com.invalid...
Yes, but was he the best actor who ever died???