Jonathan Winters

We've lost a giant of comedy. A master of improvisation.

On the Jack Parr show Jonathan was given a stick and within seconds he had created 10 characters.

He became known to my son's generation through his work on 'Mork and Mindy' and his voice work on 'The Smurfs'

There wasn't an emotion he couldn't convey.

I was in the kitchen washing dishes and listening to my son's laughter fill the house. He was about 7 and was having a rough time - his father hadn't called him in weeks and he had just been told he needed to wear glasses.

The sound of his laughter was so good to hear.
"You watching Mork and Mindy?"
"Yea Ma"
"Mork always makes you laugh"
"It's the chubby guy Ma, he's so funny. I want to hug him"

Thank You Jonathan

Peaceful Journey

Golden Globes - The Next Generation

One of the traditions of the Golden Globe show - tonight at 9 on NBC - is to have Miss Golden Globe, a daughter of a past Globe winner who comes out with the presenters to herd celebrities and gather up open envelopes.

Occasionally a Mister Golden Globe is chosen as well. How/Why/When - I don't know and I really don't think it matters.

I love contrasts and that's why this year's Miss and Mister caught my attention.

Our Miss Golden Globe is Francesca Eastwood

Mr. Golden Globe is Sam Fox 

I really hope Francesca doesn't get confused as her Dad does; I'd hate to see her talking to empty seats. It is  the Globes after all and everyone is drinking and moving about.

On the reality show her Mother threw together Francesca got a little over stimulated and set fire to a $10,000 Birkin bag. She told the press she did it because she likes Hermes better. Wow - those solid values Clint spews on about ... 

Unlike Francesca, Sam is not in reality/Daddy's productions show business. Sam has a business development firm and also helps run his Dad's Parkinson's Research foundation.

Micheal J. Fox said he didn't really know why his son was chosen and simply hoped that Sam enjoyed the experience.

I believe Clint will be giving a prepared statement to an empty auditorium somewhere in Malibu.

A Couple of Characters

I must note the passing of two exceptional actors.

Jack Klugman and Charles Durning.

When I was younger and fascinated by movie magazines I thought being called a character actor meant you weren't good enough to be a movie star. How foolish.

Reality shows and the news have taught us that any idiot can become famous.

Bringing a character to life and making that character memorable and touching takes an actor.

Jack Klugman as Oscar in The Odd Couple is an example of incredible acting. Jack made the sloppy, gruff, thoughtless Oscar lovable.

For me Charles Durning was one of those actors where you always remember the character he played more than you remember him in the role. I didn't know until his death that he was a war hero. I didn't know much about him at all.

What I do know is that his performance as Denis Leary's father in Rescue Me made me laugh and cringe and weep. He touched so very close to the nerve that weaves through all adult children of drunks.

Peaceful Journey Jack

Peaceful Journey Charles

I am imaging the actor's studio on the other side is having one hell of a grand showcase.

Kennedy Center Honors

Happy Day After/Boxing Day/or just plain December 26th

Hope everyone had a happy merry everything.

One of my favorite year end events is the Kennedy Center Honors

This year the honorees are ...

Dustin Hoffman
Led Zeppelin
Buddy Guy
Natalia Makarova

and last but not least, a man I adore ...

Dave

Sexy and Sarcastic and Smart
Self-deprecating in a boyish way
A kind man who took care of a musician who was broke and needed cancer treatments
A businessman who paid his writers during the strike
He likes to play the fool but has a keen mind for social and political issues

I'm betting that it was excruciating for him to handle being honored. He has always battled with depression and feelings of not being good enough. He told his studio audience that he was waiting for the re-count.

He's more than good enough to me.

CBS will air the Kennedy Center Honors celebration tonight at 9 PM eastern time.

Bravo to all

Bipartisan Fun

My Governor and My President got together during Hurricane Sandy to be leaders, not politicians.

Governor Christie took a lot of heat for that from his Republican "friends", but that's for a more political post.

 I came upon these two stories in my wanderings through the internet tubes. The lighter side of politicians ...

Governor Christie is a favorite for late night comedy. Saturday Night Live loves him.

The Governor showed up in person recently.

You can see the clip HERE

Mckayla Maroney, Olympic gymnast known for her "I'm not impressed" expression, visited the White House.

A smile goes a long way.

He's So Vain ...

... he probably thinks this post is about him.

 

Chuck Lorre has served as creator, producer or writer on many sitcoms including ...

Grace Under Fire
Roseanne
Cybill
Dharma & Greg
Two and a Half Men
The Big Bang Theory
Mike & Molly

At the end of each episode one of his Vanity Cards appears with some kind of story or observation or rant or joke. I always freeze the frame to read them.   Lorre has put together a collection of these vanity cards in a book with a title I freakin' love ...
 

Whatever Doesn't Kill Me Makes Me Bitter  

There goes another possible title for my auto-biography.

Bond, James Bond ...

... turns 50 this week.

The film franchise that is. The character of James Bond is a bit older; he was created by Ian Fleming in 1953 and in Fleming's mind he looked like this ...

The first Bond film, Dr. No, opened in 1962 with - in my opinion the best Bond - Sean Connery as agent 007. Connery would go on to play Bond in 6 films between 1962 and 1971.

 I think the wedding ring was a huge oversight
or perhaps Sir Sean wouldn't take it off?

talk about aging gracefully

Although I preferred him as 'The Saint', Roger Moore was a fine Bond. He played the character in 7 films between 1973 and 1985.

from the little known film 'Octo-Piggy'?

Timothy Dalton played James Bond twice in 1987 and 1989.

I think Pierce Brosnan got better looking as he got older ...

Brosnan played Bond in 4 films between 1995 and 2002

In 2006 Daniel Craig became the current Bond. He has starred in 2 films with the third, Skyfall, scheduled to open next month.

There are 2 women who are constants throughout the Bond films ...

Miss Moneypenny - first portrayed by Lois Maxwell

M - the head of all the 00's, played by the magnificent Judi Dench

And then there are the girls. Bond girls. Tons and tons of Bond girls.

My favorite women who played a Bond Girl are ...

The very first Bond girl - Ursula Andress

Jill St. John

Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore
How delicious is that character name!?

I could never understand why Halle Berry chose to be a Bond Girl. She certainly doesn't need any assurance that she can play sexy and she had just won the Oscar for 'Monster's Ball'
You gotta love a bikini that comes with weapons

If you'd like to see some of the top Bond Villians just click the link.

So there you have it.

Are you a Bond fan?
Who are your favorites?

I had a bizarre dream while researching this post that Justin Bieber became the next Bond. Scared the hell out of me!

Let's Get Historical

Charlie Rose recently asked a guest on CBS This Morning which long gone writers he thought would embrace blogging and social networking. The guest said ...

Dickens would

and

Shakespeare would not

The writer that came to mind was Hemingway

I could absolutely imagine drunken tweets from war zones.
#who'sYourPapa  f**k you Franco, your wife salutes me now

Speaking of drunken tweets - Dean Martin

#RatPack - in Palm Beach with Golddiggers - dancers not wives

On the flip side

No way would Sinatra have anything to do with the internet

Way too private
I could see him texting his mistresses

In the political arena I think Abe Lincoln would be a fine blogger. Thoughtful posts about everything from equality to gardening.

What voice from the past can you hear echoing through these magical internet tubes?