| June 8, 2003 Home | ||
| You have just entered room "Sweethearts." DIXC has entered the room. LadyJoots has entered the room. Dugan EK has entered the room. SokorraK: hi everyone MamaLion27 has entered the room. SokorraK: I would have started before but My clock is wrong Dugan EK: Hello -- LadyJoots: Hiya, Jessi DIXC: Thank you for getting me here.:-) MamaLion27: I am here but so is the storm! SokorraK: Tonight's Topic is Nelson's films pre-Naughty Marietta MamaLion27: So I may not last long. JHami828 has entered the room. DIXC: Westill have some rain here in Chicago MamaLion27: We have more rain than sun these days. JHami828: 90 plus degrees in Portland, Oregon for 3 days MamaLion27: Nelson's movies pre-Naughty were merely walkons JHami828: Is it worth it to buy those movies...with Nelson in such minor roles? MamaLion27: debbie wants on LadyJoots: Most of them aren't available commercially. I think Dancing Lady might be, right? Can't recall LadyJoots has left the room. LadyJoots has entered the room. JeanetteFan1 has entered the room. JeanetteFan1: hi everyone DIXC: Found your website just wonderful in Arabella!!:-) JeanetteFan1: how are we tonight LadyJoots: Hi, Debbie :-) JHami828: Dancing Lady is available from Amazon.com. MamaLion27: Dancing lady was really his first, I think. It was finished first. He didn't have a walk-on there..he had a sing off screen role JeanetteFan1: O:-) JeanetteFan1: hi ginny MamaLion27: Thanks Dick! JeanetteFan1: wow 7 of us JHami828: You mean he sang...but you couldn't see him, Dorothy? DIXC: Beautiful work!:-) Dugan EK: I don't think Broadway to Hollywood or Student Tour our out on commercial video, but both have run on Turner -- that's where I got my copies. Dugan EK: Nelson sings ON-screen in Dancing Lady -- wearing a tail suit and a mustache. JeanetteFan1: i always tape off turner JeanetteFan1: :-D DIXC: He looked so great and young Dugan EK: I can't get Turner but have fortunate friends. MamaLion27: Oops, I keep getting the title of the Crawford movie mixed up.Thanks, EK JeanetteFan1: ahhh i will tape anyting for you eleonor too JeanetteFan1: O:-) MamaLion27: Much of my collection originated with Turner and the old AMC JeanetteFan1: boy do i miss the old amc JeanetteFan1: there is a new one JHami828: How is the Dancing Lady story line? Worth buying? JeanetteFan1: fox movie classics DIXC: His singing voice was excellent though for just a few songs. JeanetteFan1: it has fred astaire too right? LadyJoots: Mine started with old AMC... and TNT, actually JHami828: I forgot that...it has Fred Astaire, too. That might be worth getting. JeanetteFan1: yes tnt showed a lot of their films JeanetteFan1: in the begining JeanetteFan1: then they changed as well LadyJoots: And Ginger... and Joan Crawford... and Clark Gable... and Franchot Tone. LadyJoots: Yup :'( JeanetteFan1: yep JHami828: I'm not even going to ask what the three stooges are doing in Dancing Lady... Dugan EK: Dancing Lady plot -- chorine is torn between rich playboy (Franchot Tone) and woman-hating choreographer (Gable) -- guess which she chooses?! JHami828: The rich guy?? :-) MamaLion27: Stock script..stock answer Gable! JeanetteFan1: hehe JHami828: Just teasing JHami828: Does Fred Astaire do much in that film? Dugan EK: Astaire is introduced as "Freddy" and does a Swiss clog-dancing number with Joan Crawford. LadyJoots: You know what? Why did I say Ginger was in it? Flying Down to Rio. Oh dear. My bad. Dugan EK: Senility has set in -- Ginny is getting old! LadyJoots: You are so right, too MamaLion27: Gable is going to be my next regular spotlight feature. LadyJoots: Awwww JeanetteFan1: dear mr gable JeanetteFan1: i have the song in my head LadyJoots: I've noticed people don't always like Gable. I saw some of his later movies first and didn't like that very much. Like the earlier Gable... JeanetteFan1: me too! JeanetteFan1: i like his middle period LadyJoots: I prefer the 30's these days to most though... yeah... late 30's, early 40's DIXC: Gable and Nelson were good friends. They even camped out together often JeanetteFan1: yes Dugan EK: Broadway to Hollywood is an interesting film, multi-generations of a theatrical family with the incredible Alice Brady as the matriarch. Nelson is on screen for about 10 seconds -- so quickly that when I show it at Elderhostels, I r Dugan EK: run his scene TWICE -- "in case you missed him." JHami828: Very short role... Dugan EK: I will bet dollars to donuts that Gable and Nelson never went camping together. That was a press story. I can't see Nelson spending a week drinking in a remote spot, no bathing, lots of killing and poker. Not his cup of tea. MamaLion27: That's the sing off screen role. JHami828: OK Dugan EK: Nelson sings ON SCREEN in Broadway to Hollywood. He is introduced and seen singing. Then his voice continues as camera cuts to wings where Frank Morgan and Alice Brady are walking. Dugan EK: His character name is "John Sylvester." Dugan EK: He gets a huge round of applause whereas Morgan and Brady got very little. Morgan comments, "Must be a local boy" to explain his own lack of acclaimation. MamaLion27: Yes but mostly he is not seen. Frank Morgan and Alice Brady are talking over him. I haven't watched that in ages but that is how I remember it. Dugan EK: You're right. Half seen and heard, half unseen but heard. All very brief! DIXC: Gable bio mentions the couple of days of camping out. No killing, no poker,clean and some drinks. It was the drinks and schedule that kept Nelson from doing this again. Dugan EK: His best showcase is Student Tour in which he has a huge production number AND dialogue with the leading lady. JHami828: Frank Morgan and Nelson were in a lot of movies together. Was Broadway to Hollywood a more serious role for Frank Morgan? Dugan EK: I'm fascinated. Which Gable bio? MamaLion27: Jane Ellen Wayne's Portrait of a Misfit? DIXC: Wil send the author and rest soon. Have to get it from my files later. Dugan EK: I know that the MGM press department put out an "interview" with newcomer Nelson in which he said all the MGM stars were being very kind to him. He mentions Gable in the article -- but I can't imagine what the two would have had in DIXC: Monday or Tuesday. Dugan EK: common. Far more likely that Nelson found kindred spirits among the conductors, composers, arrangers and musicians. MamaLion27: From what I have read in other books they often socialized. DIXC: They both hated Mayer and hated the press. MamaLion27: But I am now knee deep in Gable bios so I will get back with you on that. LadyJoots: Hee hee.... Dorothy, can you tell me how the newest one is? MamaLion27: I also just got 4 books on Mayer. LadyJoots: :-D Dugan EK: I, too, have read that, but have a great deal of difficulty believing it. They were two enormously different personalities. I assumed it was an effort of the press department to make Nelson seem like a "rugged he-man" -- musicians b Dugan EK: eing thought by a segment of the male movie goers of America to be "sissies." DIXC: Yes. but when stuck in Hollywood: Gable and he were pretty close Dugan EK: Okay, I'm willing to accept that -- but need a reliable source. JeanetteFan1: nelson studied his music very hard and that must have taken a great deal of his time MamaLion27: Of the ones I already have (more coming) probably Warren Harris's bio, Ginny. MamaLion27: Or did you mean Mayer? LadyJoots: Gable JHami828: I want to hear about the Mayer biographies when you read them, Dorothy. LadyJoots: I can't remember who wrote it... Dugan EK: "The Lion Roars" by Bosley Crowther is a classic about MGM and Mayer. MamaLion27: I don't have them in front of me but a couple looked very old. I haunt used book stores LadyJoots: Yeah, Harris... just checked :-D MamaLion27: Yes, I have that one. MamaLion27: The Lion Roars is quite pictorial, too. LadyJoots: I'm not sure why... I wanted to reserve it at the local library, but they're redoing it and I don't want to deal with the temporary one. MamaLion27: I have about 9 more coming this week on several subjects including Gable and Mayer. JHami828: I just looked at our library on line and there is a book "When the Lion Roars" by Peter Hays. JHami828: Is that about MGM, too? MamaLion27: Not the same one. Hays usually writes amusing anecdotes but I could be wrong. JHami828: Too bad...looks like we don't have it at the library. Dugan EK: Bosley Crowther was a film reviewer for the New York Times. JHami828: Any other MGM books that are good? Dugan EK: Does everyone know about www.alibris.com -- they have almost every out of print book for sale at reasonable prices, even mine. DIXC: Gable and Eddy are mentioned in a book by Jane Ellen Wayne called Clark Gable -"Portrait of a Misfit" MamaLion27: I am wrong! My big book is indeed written by Peter Hay. I just went and pulled it out. It was well worth the money, though Dugan EK: They are a central clearing house for postings by hundreds of bookstores. MamaLion27: Yes, alibris is one of my dealers of choice. DIXC: Martin Press 1993 copywrite. First published in England. LadyJoots: Half.com is part of eBay and every once in a while there are really reat prices there, too MamaLion27: I also have several by Hay on Hollywood anecdotes that are very revealing and often very humorous. DIXC: Page 139 has an interesting comment from Gable. JHami828: I'm going to check out that book by Hay. MamaLion27: The one about Jeanette, Dick? DIXC: YES. MamaLion27: I haven't gotten through that whole book yet. I am still in Harris. DIXC: Back to the movies:-D JHami828: I'm going to have to buy Dancing Lady. It doesn't look like they have it at our library. Wish I could say more...but I haven't seen the 3 Nelson movies we are discussing. MamaLion27: I think that just about exhausts Nelson's pre-Naughty movies.except that he had a better part in Student Tour! MamaLion27: A better song and some dialogue! LadyJoots: Hey, even with being sidetracked we made pretty good timing for so little screen time. LadyJoots: :-D MamaLion27: And a moustache! JeanetteFan1: :-) MamaLion27: Now are we celebrating Jeanette's birthday next week? SokorraK: I believe so JeanetteFan1: O:-) MamaLion27: And if we are, who brings the champagne and who brings the cake? JHami828: Aren't we discussing Naughty Marietta next week, too? SokorraK: Check the listing: https://sealedwithasong.tripod.com/chat.htm SokorraK: Naughty Marietta is after Birthday JeanetteFan1: ah MamaLion27: Next week we just party? JeanetteFan1: sounds good LadyJoots: I still need to add the link, Jess... :-) I shall... DIXC: Who brings the 100 candles? MamaLion27: You are elected, Dick! SokorraK: :-) LadyJoots: I need a random update for my site anyway, because my Aunt was whining about not being mentioned anywhere on my site. :-D JeanetteFan1: great site jessi! DIXC: I can save them for my birthday then LATER.:-[ JHami828: Oops...I copied the chat calendar sent out on May 11th...looks like it's been revised.:-[ JeanetteFan1: oh dear i have to run MamaLion27: Just a hint..there is something in the works on mine ,,,more later! JeanetteFan1: it was great chatting LadyJoots: Awww... bye Debbie! JeanetteFan1: have a great week everyone JeanetteFan1: that ginny MamaLion27: Bye We'll miss you JeanetteFan1: thanks i mean JeanetteFan1: thanks i will miss everyone as always JeanetteFan1: O:-) JeanetteFan1: keep up the good work SokorraK: yeah, I had to correct the birthdays...thanks to someone kindly reminding me that Paul and Jeanette shared the same birthday DIXC: Cubs are winning 4 to 0. But it is early JeanetteFan1 has left the room. DIXC: But I have to go. Take care See you next week.:-) LadyJoots: Bye, Dick! MamaLion27: Bye Dick DIXC: Bye all:-) DIXC has left the room. JHami828: Bye Dick Dugan EK: Bye everyone -- MamaLion27: Any pointers on the birthday topics? MamaLion27: Bye EK LadyJoots: Byeee! :-) LadyJoots: I have no idea, what are we going to do, Jessi? MamaLion27: We can discuss her childhood and after-movies stuff. SokorraK: hmm..no idea SokorraK: yeah LadyJoots: Okie dokie JHami828: That would be good. SokorraK: We could think of ways to get her out into the public more often as well SokorraK: in case we get thoguh the other things MamaLion27: Good idea. JHami828: Thanks for the chat and for the chat calendar update!! JHami828 has left the room. MamaLion27: I gotta go and get back to work Dugan EK has left the room. MamaLion27: Bye everyone LadyJoots: Bye! LadyJoots: I've gotta get going, too... :-) MamaLion27 has left the room. LadyJoots has left the room. posted August 6, 2003 |