March 21, 1930- James Coco. Do not confuse him with Coco Chanel, the fashion icon. This Coco was a gay, pudgy, bald character actor whom I admired a great deal, for reasons you can easily grasp. He worked steadily for over three decades in commercials, television, films, and … [Read more...]
#BornThisDay: Carol Channing
January 31, 1921- Carol Channing: “The first 80 years are the hardest.” News last week of Gay Icon Bette Midler’s return to the Broadway Musical stage after 50 years created quite the buzz fans of the genre. The announcement that she would be playing Dolly Levi in … [Read more...]
#BornThisDay: Dolly Parton
January 19, 1946- Dolly Parton: “I’m not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know I am not dumb. I also know I am not blond.” Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean was born on this very day, in rural Tennessee. I love Dolly Parton. I love her big voice, her big hair, and her big … [Read more...]
#BornThisDay: Director, Dorothy Arzner
January 3, 1897- Dorothy Arzner: “Each day when I went to work at a studio, I took my pride & made a nice little ball of it & threw it right out the window. Portland’s own Todd Haynes has been promising a biopic of Dorothy Arzner since 2003. Her story has has yet to … [Read more...]
#BornThisDay: Songwriter, Jule Styne
December 31, 1905- Jule Styne was born Julius Kerwin Stein in London to Ukranian Jewish parents. The family moved to Chicago when Styne was 6 years old, explaining in essential American-ness. A child piano prodigy, he started performing with major symphony orchestras when he was … [Read more...]
#BornThisDay: Actor, Laurence Harvey
October 1, 1928- Laurence Harvey was born Zvi Mosheh Hirsh Skikne in Joniškis, Lithuania. Thin, dry, Harvey was one of film history’s strangest success stories. He was never a major star, or … [Read more...]
The Ernest and Celestine Trailer
Gorgeous, gorgeous animation, brought to you by the creators of The Triplets of Bellville – Ernest and Celestine is voiced by Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti, William H. Macy, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Jeffrey Wright and Forest Whitaker. Did you hear me? LAUREN BACALL and MEGAN … [Read more...]