Beep, Beep ...Zip! Tang!

No, that is not the sound of some malevolent robot come to rule as a mechanical overlord.  It’s not the click language of some recently discovered civilization heretofore hidden in the deep jungles of New Guinea. (How come nothing exciting ever happens in Old Guinea? I think happenstance is ageist!)  Try it phonetically:

Beep, beep (rest for a second) Zippp! Taaaang!

Think about it.  Think about it.  Yes, you’ve got it: It’s the Road Runner!  I knew you could do it.

Your next question, most certainly then, is “Dale, why are you making childish sounds if you are not attempting to conquer the Universe with a battalion of evil mechanical men?”

Because, my oh so slow students, the road runner is the very symbol of the Southwest, and that’s where I am heading.  For the next three weeks or so, I will be traveling (by truck) across a major portion of the Desert States with the ultimate purpose of visiting my Aunt Barbara in Montrose, Colorado.  What this means to you, is I will not be publishing my weekly blog posts during my absence.

Don’t Panic!

Those of you that have been around for a while (should, at least) know that I have a travel log blog to which I publish my exciting adventures encountered while on such rovings.  Don’t worry, I will not clutter the blog up with the daily doings of me and Aunt Barbara (although she tends to be kind of quirky and, well you never know) but I will be updating you on any interesting events and attractions worthy of your notice on the trips out and in.  And I’ll even let you know if there is anything new going on in Montrose, Colorado (my ancestral home as it is the birthplace of my mother).

“But Dale, “you whine “how am I supposed to read these exciting chapters of your on-the-road life?” (notice the hyphens, Frank)

Simple, just go to www.dalesoutwesttravels.blogspot.com and voila, there you are.  And if you are on the distribution list for my weekly blog (what you’re reading now, stupid) you will most likely be on the travel log announce list as well.  Okay, that’s it for this week.  Miss me yet?

And yes, I've got my towel.

Best-ees 4.1

As promised, I will step away from politics and astronomy this week to give those of you living your lives vicariously through pop-culture icons a chance to catch up.  It has been my intent for some time to address what I believe is one of the most important and enjoyable facets of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

For you tyros who are now titillated at the prospect of learning something about motion pictures (that’s what they called movies before the world decided everything continental was more sophisticated and we adopted the word “film”), you may locate other posts about this subject by searching the index for Best-ees 1.0 et al.

Then we learned earlier this week of the death of William Schallert.  If your initial response is, “Who is William Schallert?” it underscores your need for further schooling on the subject at hand.  William Schallert was the actor, who among many other roles, played the father of my first celebrity crush, Patty Duke (c’mon, I was only nine years old), on a mid-nineteen sixties sitcom, not surprisingly entitled The Patty Duke Show (ABC 1963-1966).  But this is not about that show, it is about actors.  William Schallert is an example of the “working actor” who never graduated to starring roles or celebrity status, but crafted performances of periphery characters that added so much to texture the movie.  IMDb lists 375 acting credits in film and television spanning from 1947 to 2014 (most recently on Two Broke Girls… sorry, I’ve never seen it).

This article is not specifically about him but those of his ilk that I refer to as third tier actors.  The first tier is the starring role (e.g., Cary Grant, or John Wayne). The second tier is filled by actors whose names you should know if you are into movies from the Golden Age; they were generally the sidekicks and villains (e.g., Walter Brennan, or Basil Rathbone).  The third tier is populated by those best known as character actors.  They generally served little purpose for plot development but added a great deal of substance in portrayal of offbeat characters, usually (but not always) with a comic bent, even in the darkest of dramas.  William Schallert was that kind of actor, although his start was relatively late in the evolution of the Golden Age.  And that is what the balance of this missive is about, Dale’s (who else?) pick for the best character actors from the Golden Age.  Now let me warn you, there are more of these people than I could ever begin to list and the selections presented here are based solely on my feelings on the subject… that’s why they call it subjectivity.  If you are offended by someone I excluded, or included, start your own blog.

James Gleason (1882-1959): 163 acting credits from 1922 to 1958 (film and TV)

Gleason set the standard for the overwrought police lieutenant trying to unravel a mystery that to the audience is clear as can be.  He was also frequently cast in military roles, as were most male actors who worked during World War II.  But his range was not limited, his everyman look and demeanor suited him well for any type of role.  Some of my favorite performances were (all righty, get ready to jot this down… wait, you don’t have to, I’ve done it for you.)

Meet John Doe (Warner Bros. 1941) directed by Frank Capra:  Henry

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (Columbia  1941) directed by Alexander Holt:  Max Corkle

Arsenic and Old Lace (Warner Bros. 1944) directed by Frank Capra:  Lt. Rooney

The Bishops Wife (RKO 1947) directed by Henry Koster:  Sylvester

Eugene Pallette (1889-1954): 260 acting credits from 1913 to 1946

Pallette’s most noticeable characteristic was his raspy voice; sounded like an Osterizer^*.  His rotund physique did not stop him from portraying action characters.  He was equally adept at playing good-guy, bad-guy or flustered father; he was always overbearing.  His role as comic relief was buttressed by his aggressive style.

My Man Godfrey (Universal 1937) directed by Gregory La Cava:  Alexander Bullock

Topper (MGM 1937) directed by Norman Z. McLeod:  Casey

The Adventures of Robbin Hood (Warner Bros. 1938) directed by Michael Curtiz:  Friar Tuck

The Mark of Zorro (20^th Century Fox) directed by Rouben Mamoulian:  Frey Felipe

Charles Ruggles (1886-1970): 152 acting credits from 1914 to 1968 (film and TV)

Ruggles was a master of comic expression (think Danny Kaye before Danny Kaye), quite often portraying the good-hearted souse.  His trademark was making funny faces in response to dialogue delivered by other cast members.  If you had a favorite uncle that your mother was trying to shield you from, it would be Charlie Ruggles.  In 1960 he did the voice of Aesop in the Aesop Fables cartoons from Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Ruggles of Red Gap (Paramount 1935) directed by Leo McCarey: Egbert Flound

Anything Goes (Paramount 1936) directed by Lewis Milestone: Moonface Martin

Bringing Up Baby (RKO 1938} directed by Howard Hawks: Major Applegate

No Time for Comedy (Warner Bros. 1940) directed by William Keighley: Philo Swift

Sig Ruman (1884-1967): 128 acting credits from 1922-966 (film and TV):

Rugman played a wide spectrum of characters from bumbling bureaucrat Nazi soldier.  His accent was a benefit of his German birth and held him in good stead during the late 1930s and 1940s when Germans were needed to portray the myriad roles in movies about WWII.  But even in his most malevolent performances, he radiated the aura of a teddy bear.  His career included some of the greatest films Hollywood produced.

A NIght at the Opera (MGM 1935) Directed by Sam Wood:  Gottlieb

Only Angels Have Wings (Columbia 1939) Directed by Howard Hawks:  Dutchy

Comrade X (MGM 1940) Directed by King Vidor:  Emil Von Hofer

Stalag 17 (Paramount 1953) Directed by Billy Wilder:  Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz

Felix Bressart (1892-1949): 66 acting credits from 1928 to 1949:

Bressart was another German emigre; he was invited to leave his country of origin due to his theatrical work in political satire performances.  He is your kindly old grand-uncle and you can see the emotional wounds of the leading lady in his sympathetic body language and facial expression.  His resume is a bit shorter than the others I have included as he died while working in 1949.

Ninotchka (MGM 1940) Directed by Ernst Lubitsch:  Comrade Iranoff

The Shop Around the Corner (MGM 1940) Dir. by Ernst Lubitsch:  Pirovitch

Third Finger, Left Hand (MGM 1940) Dir. by Robtert Leonard:  August Winkel

Above Suspicion (MGM 1943) Directed by Richard Thorpe:  Mr. A. Werner

Edgar Kennedy (1892-1948): 446 acting credits from 1911 to 1949:

Kennedy is known as the king of the slow burn, a pantomime routine in which the actor slowly displays his angry reaction to another character’s behavior or statement, a talent he would have developed while working in silent films.  But gold is gold and you can see that he adapted his trademark move into talkies very naturally.  He was often cast as a police officer, frustrated by the nonsensical actions of the principal characters.  Kennedy had a peerless career, it almost seems that he would have been present for Edison’s unveiling of his new motion picture process.

Duck Soup (Paramount  1933) Directed by Leo McCarey:  Street Vendor

San Francisco (MGM 1936) Directed by W.S. Van Dyke:  Sheriff

In Old California (Republic 1942) Directed by William C. McGann:  Kegs McKeever

Anchors Aweigh (MGM 1945) Directed by George Sidney:  Police Captain

Donald McBride (1889-1957): 162 acting credits from 1914-1956:

McBride was another of the long suffering everyman who just wanted everything to remain calm and orderly.  Unfortunately, the script always called for mayhem and chaos.  As with Edgar Kennedy, he relied on the slow burn but was also master of the double take, the nervous tic and loss of words.

The Great Man Votes (RKO 1939) Directed by Garson Kanin:  Iron Hat McCarthy

Northwest Passage (MGM) Directed by King Vidor:  Sergeant McNott

My Favorite Wife (RKO 1940) Directed by Garson Kanin:  Hotel Clerk

High Sierra (Warner Bros. 1941) Directed by Raoul Walsh:  Big Mac

Okay, I think that’s enough for this week.  You have been very patient.  If you haven't noticed, I have provided you with a list of movies that are among the best of their era.  This is a good primer to start your education on the Golden Age of Hollywood, I hope you enjoy them. Soon I will produce Best-ees 4.2 which will focus on female supporting character actresses of the same period.  I am an equal opportunity plagiarist.

^*And now for the rant, you knew there was going to be one:  If you don’t know what an Osterizer is then take your freakin’ Cuisanart and move to France with the rest of the communists. Just try to make a margarita in a food processor.  That’s why the French were beaten up by the Mexicans so badly at the battle of Puebla (cinco de mayo) … no margaritas.  After all, war is a thirsty business!

Counting Ones Blessings

The state of the world, or at least our country (that would be the United States of America in case I have already lost you) seems to be shifting away from order and toward chaos.  If you are a regular reader of this blog, then it is safe for me assume you are on the upside of the intelligence quotient and daily practice the art of assessing your tactical locus.  You have surely observed the current events being reported as protests but which are in reality unlawful mob activity designed to deny us our Constitutionally guaranteed rights of speech, assembly and association.

“Black Lives Matter, “Free College”, “Never Trump” and others (pick your own) are efforts to drive political outcomes through force or fear.  I know also that if you read this blog regularly you are not the type to be cowed by such.  But just to allay your frustration in the seeming lack of visible opposition to these political pirates I offer this brief list of comforters:

·        We own most of the guns, a great deal of the ammunition and mastery of the skill set.

·        We control the hard currency and have secured most of the collateralized credit.

·        We enjoy personal mobility (meaning we own most of the cars, trucks and motorcycles).

·        We have mastery of the English language, written and oral.

·        We possess a sense of history.

·        We understand the true meaning of destiny.

·        We maintain the sanitary sewer system (if we leave, they’ll all die of typhoid fever).

·        We know how to walk quietly in the night.

·        We have been raised to favor the taste of meat.

Let’s check their side of the ledger:

·        They have no idea!

I know I have violated my own preference to keep above the political fray in this blog, but sometimes you just get pissed off by what you see at the carnival.  Next week, when the circus has moved on, we’ll do something about the Golden Age of Hollywood.  Those are always popular.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. – Thomas Jefferson

Hippo

Dippo

Gitmo

                                      
                                       The Marx(ist) Brothers!