My Life , My Blog

52 years ago today, April 4, 1973, NBC aired the Elvis Presley movie "Aloha From Hawaii." (the concert took place the same day as Super Bowl VII). Viewing figures have been claimed by the promoters at over 1 billion viewers worldwide, although it has been debated whether these figures are accurate. The show was the most expensive entertainment special at the time, costing $2.5 million. NBC aired the ninety-minute television special on April 4, 1973. The Stokely-Van Camp Company and Toyota presented the show. It opened with an animation of the satellite "beaming" Presley to different parts of the world, with audio signals in Morse code saying "Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii". Producer Marty Pasetta added clips of Presley's arrival by helicopter to the Hilton hotel and the show outside the arena to the concert sequences. The additional recordings Presley made after the show were also integrated. Pasetta used split-screens to show Presley and the scenery images...

  De Chicago Bioscope aan de Broerstraat (1938) De Chicago Bioscope was een theater met film- en variétévoorstellingen aan de Broerstraat in Nijmegen. De bioscoop was onderdeel van een bioscoop met dezelfde naam in Den Bosch, later is er een Chicago Bioscope in Eindhoven geopend. Geschiedenis Al twee jaar voor de opening van het theater op 11 mei 1910 werden er bioscoopvoorstellingen onder de titel the best in the world georganiseerd in de grote zaal van de Vereeniging in Nijmegen door de Chicago-Bioscope uit Den Bosch. Daarbij hoort ook een 35mm-film met opnames van de Grote Markt en andere hoofdwegen, die de bioscoop zelf geproduceerd heeft. Momenteel is deze film in het bezit van het Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam. In het theater werden diverse voorstellingen gegeven. Een doorlopende voorstelling kon bestaan uit meerdere korte zwijgende films, afgewisseld door live-pianomuziek, komisch-acrobatische acts en muzikale optredens van een orkest. De films waren van komische aard, maar oo...

 Marilyn Monroe's betoverende optreden in de noir thriller Niagara uit 1952 bevestigde haar status als Hollywood-sensatie en toonde haar vermogen om het scherm te beheersen met zowel schoonheid als talent. Tegen de dramatische achtergrond van de Niagara watervallen speelde Marilyn de rol van Rose Loomis, een manipulatieve femme fatale verstrikt in een giftig huwelijk. Met deze doorbraakrol kon ze verder gaan dan komische en bijrollen en onthulde ze haar potentieel als hoofdrolspeelster met dramatische diepgang. Niagara verstevigde niet alleen Marilyns sterrendom, maar hielp ook haar imago te herdefiniëren door allure met raffinement te vermengen. De promotionele fotografie, naar verluidt inclusief werk van Jock Carroll, legde Marilyn vast op haar meest glamoureuze manier. Of ze nu casual gekleed ging of een elegante jurk droeg, Marilyn straalde een moeiteloos charisma en een zwoel magnetisme uit dat de complexiteit van haar personage weerspiegelde. Carroll, die Marilyn nauwlettend ...

 Love Comes Softly (2003), geregisseerd door Michael Landon Jr., is een teder, op geloof gebaseerd drama, gebaseerd op de gelijknamige geliefde roman van Janette Oke. Het verhaal speelt zich af in de ruige Amerikaanse grensstreek van de 19e eeuw en verkent thema's als verlies, liefde en geloof aan de hand van de reis van Marty Claridge (Katherine Heigl), een jonge weduwe op zoek naar troost en een doel na een tragedie. Marty en haar man dromen ervan om een nieuw leven op te bouwen in het ongetemde Westen, maar hun plannen vallen in duigen als hij omkomt bij een paardrijongeluk. Marty blijft alleen achter in een ruig en onbekend land en moet zien te overleven. Uit noodzaak gaat ze akkoord met een verstandshuwelijk met Clark Davis (Dale Midkiff), een goedhartige weduwnaar die haar onderdak biedt in ruil voor hulp bij de opvoeding van zijn dochter Missie (Skye McCole Bartusiak). Aanvankelijk heeft Marty moeite om zich aan te passen aan het leven in het grensgebied en de emotionele lit...

 Sam Thompson, lijfwacht: “Op een keer waren mijn zus Linda, mijn vrouw Louise en ik met Elvis naar de oude Circle G Ranch in Mississippi geweest en waren we op de terugweg naar Memphis in Elvis' Stutz Bearcat. We passeerden een kleine jongen, misschien tien of elf jaar oud aan de kant van Highway 51. Het was zomer, het was warm. Het was zomer, het was heet - stof in de lucht. De jongen zat onder het stof bij een watermeloenkraampje. Toen we voorbij reden, stopte Elvis; dit was de middle of nowhere. Dit kleine kind - ik weet dat hij wist wie Elvis was, maar hij zou Elvis niet laten weten dat hij het wist. Dit kind was een zakenman. Hij zat daar en wachtte tot Elvis naar hem toe kwam. Elvis moest het gesprek beginnen: “Hoeveel kosten de watermeloenen?” Er werd een prijs vastgesteld. De jongen was erg taai en wilde niet van de prijs afkomen. Uiteindelijk draaide Elvis zich om en zei: “We nemen de hele kraam...” Dat is de enige keer dat het gezicht van de jongen brak... Elvis kocht de...

  Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon were incredibly close both on-screen and off-screen during their time on *Little House on the Prairie*. Their relationship was more like a father-daughter bond, which is something that really stood out during the show’s run. Michael Landon played Laura’s father, Charles Ingalls, and he became a father figure to Melissa, especially since she had lost her own father when she was young. Melissa was just 9 years old when she started on the show, and Michael took her under his wing, guiding her through the challenges of growing up in the spotlight. He was kind and supportive, offering advice not just about acting, but about life in general. He helped her feel comfortable on set, and she often spoke about how much she trusted him. Their friendship went beyond the set too. Michael had a great sense of humor, and working with him was always fun for Melissa. She often shared how much she enjoyed their time together off-camera as well, and the bond they d...

  Nadat hun vlucht wordt geannuleerd vanwege stormachtig weer, huren  neurochirurg  Dr. Ben Bass (  Idris Elba  ) en fotojournalist Alex Martin (  Kate Winslet  ) privépiloot Walter (  Beau Bridges  ) in om hen van  Idaho  naar  Denver  te brengen voor aansluitende vluchten naar Alex' bruiloft in New York en Ben's spoedoperatieafspraak in  Baltimore  . Walter, die geen vluchtplan heeft ingediend, krijgt  halverwege de vlucht een dodelijke  beroerte en het vliegtuig stort neer op een bergtop in de  High Uintas Wilderness  . Ben, Alex en Walter's  Labrador Retriever  overleven de crash, maar Alex heeft haar been behoorlijk verwond. Ben verzorgt haar snijwonden en geblesseerde knie en begraaft de piloot terwijl ze bewusteloos is.  Eenmaal bij bewustzijn denkt Alex dat Ben een betere kans heeft om hulp te vinden als hij haar achterlaat, maar Ben weigert. Dagenlang gestrand met slink...

  Uglies  is een  dystopische  roman uit 2005 van  Scott Westerfeld  . Het speelt zich af in een futuristische  post-schaarstewereld  waarin iedereen als "Ugly" wordt beschouwd totdat ze "Pretty" worden gemaakt door extreme  cosmetische chirurgie  wanneer ze de leeftijd van 16 bereiken. Het vertelt het verhaal van een tiener,  Tally Youngblood  , die in opstand komt tegen de opgelegde conformiteit van de maatschappij nadat haar vrienden Shay en David haar de nadelen van het worden van een "Pretty" laten zien. Deze film is prima. Het zet een standaard toekomstige wereld neer die we allemaal al eerder hebben gezien. Typische overheidsschurk. ​​Het doet niets nieuws met het schoonheidsargument. Het is allemaal gewoon kopiëren en plakken van een ander script. De hoofdpersonages zijn allemaal mooi voordat ze de operatie ondergaan. Wat de logica van de film echt schaadt. Ze moesten uitleggen waarom verplichte operaties de wereld daad...

  Zoya, een Russische Gravin, groeit na de revolutie waarin haar ouders vermoord zijn op in Parijs. Daar ontmoet ze de Amerikaanse militair Clayton waarmee ze trouwt en naar Amerika vertrekt. Na vele tegenslagen en de dood van Clayton moet ze alleen hun kinderen opvoeden. Dan hertrouwt ze met de schatrijke industrieel Simon, die een kledingwinkeltje voor haar koopt. Zoya werkt zich op tot een succesvolle zakenvrouw en na jaren in Amerika maakt ze zich op voor een emotioneel weerzien met haar vaderland.     Danielle Steels' Zoya maakt een diepe indruk op het brein. De regisseur heeft een verbazingwekkende stijl van het uitbeelden van de tragische gebeurtenissen in het verhaal. Ik realiseerde het me eerst toen ik de stervende scène van Zoya's militaire broer zag. Zoya vertelt hem dat ik taarten voor je ga bakken. En de stervende man zegt 'Kleine Zoya, ik heb geen honger'. Dit is echt hartverscheurend. Het script van de film heeft een magische manier om het hart direct te ...

  The idea for the 1995 film "Clueless" first originated as a television pilot in 1993. Writer and director Amy Heckerling said: "Twentieth Century Fox said they wanted a show about teenagers—but not the nerds. They wanted it to be about the cool kids. The most successful character in anything I'd ever done was Jeff Spicoli in 'Fast Times (at Ridgemont High' (1982). People think that's because he was stoned and a surfer. But that's not it. It's because he's positive. So I thought, 'I'm going to write a character who's positive and happy.' And that was Cher." Heckerling, having read the Jane Austen novel "Emma" in college and loving the title character's positivity, decided to write the script around an Emma-like character, saying, "I started to think, 'What's the larger context for that kind of a 'nothing can go wrong' 'always looks through rose colored glasses' kind of girl? So I...

  Hachi: A Dog's Tale is a deeply moving and heartwarming film that captures the profound bond between humans and animals. Based on the true story of a loyal Akita dog named Hachiko, this movie explores themes of love, loyalty, and devotion, leaving audiences emotionally touched. Directed by Lasse Hallström and starring Richard Gere as Professor Parker Wilson, the story follows Hachi, a puppy found at a train station and adopted by Wilson. Despite an unbreakable routine that includes accompanying his owner to and from the station every day, Hachi’s loyalty goes far beyond simple companionship. One day, Wilson tragically passes away, but Hachi continues his daily vigil at the station, waiting for his owner’s return for nearly a decade, touching the hearts of locals and becoming a symbol of unwavering loyalty. The film's strength lies in its simplicity and emotional depth, allowing the viewer to feel Hachi's quiet resilience and love without over-dramatizing. Gere’s performan...

  Russian dancer turned actor Rudolf Nureyev underwent extensive dialect and dialogue coaching to portray Italian silent film legendary actor Rudolph Valentino in the 1977 biopic about him. Director Ken Russell said of the casting of Nureyev to play silent screen legend Rudolph Valentino in this film: "I could have picked up any Italian waiter in London and made him look like Valentino, but where would the magic be for the public in that?" Nureyev once said of his casting: "I asked how long it would take, and he [Russell] said sixteen weeks. I was worried that would mean four months away from dancing. Finally, I said yes, but I was still worried. I said to myself, 'What am I doing to my career? What am I doing to my dancing?' Dancing is everything to me, it is my religion. If this film works, there may be others, but only dancing matters to me." Time and facilities during principal photography were made available to Nureyev so he could continue practicing hi...

  Schindler’s List is a powerful, haunting film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved over a thousand Jews during the Holocaust. The film follows Schindler's transformation from a profit-driven entrepreneur to a selfless hero who risks everything to save lives. Liam Neeson delivers a compelling performance as Schindler, capturing the complexity of a man who, initially indifferent to the horrors around him, develops a moral conscience and an unwavering sense of duty. The film's stark black-and-white cinematography by Janusz Kamiński enhances its realism and emotional impact, drawing viewers into the brutal realities of the Holocaust. Spielberg’s choice to shoot in black and white mirrors documentary footage, grounding the story in historical truth and giving the film a timeless, haunting quality. One unforgettable moment is the use of color to highlight a young girl in a red coat, symbolizing innocence amidst tra...

Trivia of Jeanne Crain (25 May 1925 - 14 December 2003) *Crain began winning leads in school plays at 14 and beauty contests at 15.An excellent ice skater, she first attracted attention when she was crowned Miss Pan-Pacific at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles. *While still in high school, she was asked to take a screen test with Orson Welles for the role of Lucy Morgan in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), but she did not get the part.At age 18, she appeared in a bit part in the film The Gang's All Here (1943). *Although frequently cast in musicals, she was not a singer. Louanne Hogan was specifically under contract so that she could dub the singing in all her musicals. *Crain married former RKO contract player Paul Brinkman on New Year’s Eve against her mother’s wishes. Crain took a break from acting in 1947 when she had her first of seven children with Brinkman. She returned to work the following year, appearing in You Were Meant for Me (1948), and Apartment for Peggy (19...

  Trivia of Betty Grable (18 December 1916 - 2 July 1973) *Betty made her debut as a chorus girl in the film ‘Happy Days’ in 1929 when she was 12 years old. Later, she was chosen for the chorus in ‘Let’s Go Places’. The law at that time required the girls to be over 15 to dance in the chorus. Betty was just 13 but her mother arranged for her false identification papers so that she could perform. However, the deception was found out and she was disqualified. *She signed a contract with Paramount Pictures in the late 1930s. She appeared in a number of B-movies like ‘Pigskin Parade’ (1936), ‘This Way Please’ (1937), ‘College Swing’ (1938). She played college students in most of these films and was thus typecast in this role. *In her iconic pin-up photo, Grable has her back to the camera as she looks over her shoulder, smiling coyly. While it may seem like the pose is an artistic moment of genius, the pose was actually done for a very practical reason: Grable was pregnant and flaunting...

  The world premiere for "The Godfather" took place at Loews's State Theatre in New York City on Tuesday, March 14, 1972. It was the highest-grossing film of 1972, and was for a time the highest-grossing film ever made, a position it would retain until the release of "Jaws" in 1975. The film is based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, which remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for 67 weeks and sold over nine million copies in two years. Published in 1969, it became the best selling published work in history for several years. Paramount Pictures originally found out about Puzo's novel in 1967 when a literary scout for the company contacted then Paramount Vice President of Production Peter Bart about Puzo's unfinished sixty-page manuscript titled "Mafia." Bart believed the work was "much beyond a Mafia story" and offered Puzo a $12,500 option for the work, with an option for $80,000 if the finished work were to be ma...

  Trivia of Ann Miller (12 April 1923 - 22 January 2004) *Miller began dance classes at the age of 5 in an attempt to strengthen her legs after suffering from rickets (a condition that results in weak or soft bones in children).She came to be considered a child dance prodigy.She said that Eleanor Powell was an early inspiration. *At age 13 in 1934, Miller became a showgirl at the Bal Tabarin. Due to laws regarding employment at establishments that sold liquor, Miller lied about her age and said she was 18. While working at Bal Tarbin, Miller was discovered by Lucille Ball and talent scout/comic Benny Rubin there.This led to a contract with RKO, who were under the belief that Miller was 18. When they discovered her true age later, her father provided a fake birth certificate with the name Lucy Ann Collier, made herself four years older, when she began working in Hollywood. *Miller made her film debut in 1934 with a minor role in the musical comedy “The Devil on Horseback.” Throughou...

  Trivia of Alice Faye (5 May 1915 - 9 May 1998) *Her entertainment career began in vaudeville as a chorus girl. She failed an audition for the Earl Carroll Vanities when she was found to be too young, then moved to Broadway and a featured role in the 1931 edition of George White's Scandals. By this time, she had adopted her stage name "Alice Faye". *She became a popular film star for audiences of the 1930s, particularly when Fox production head Darryl F. Zanuck made her his protégée. He softened Faye from a wisecracking showgirl to a youthful, and yet somewhat motherly figure, such as her roles in a few Shirley Temple films.She received a physical makeover, going from a version of Jean Harlow to a wholesome appearance, in which her platinum hair and pencil-line eyebrows were swapped for a more natural look. *Darryl F. Zanuck resisted casting Faye as the female lead in "In Old Chicago (1938)" as the role had been written for Jean Harlow.But finally Alice Faye wa...

  Trivia of Miriam Hopkins (18 October 1902 - 9 October 1972) *At age 20, Hopkins became a chorus girl in New York City; she also acted regularly on the stage throughout the 1920s, including in the 1926 stage adaptation of Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. *In 1930, Hopkins signed with Paramount Pictures and made her official film debut in American pre-Code romantic comedy Fast and Loose along Carole Lombard. *Her first great success was in the 1931 horror drama film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where she portrayed Ivy Pearson, a prostitute who becomes entangled with Jekyll and Hyde.In the first place Miriam Hopkins originally turned down the role of Ivy Pearson, saying she wanted to play Muriel Carew instead. She soon changed her mind when the director informed her many actresses in Hollywood could be cast in her place. *Hopkins' early films were considered sexually risqué; produced in the years before the Motion Picture Production Code was rigorously enforced, they featured...

  Trivia of Carole Landis (1 January 1919 - 5 July 1948) *At the age of 15, Lilian Francis (later Carole Landis) dropped out of San Bernardino High School and set forth on a career path to show business.She started out as a hula dancer in a San Francisco nightclub, where she was described by her boss as a "nervous $35-a-week blonde doing a pathetic hula at her opening night at the old Royal Hawaiian on Bush ...that'll never get her anyplace in show business". He apparently employed her only because he felt sorry for her; she later sang with a dance band. She bleached her hair blonde and changed her name to "Carole Landis" after her favorite actress, Carole Lombard.After saving $100, she moved to Hollywood. *In 1937 she landed a contract with Warner Bros. However, Warners gave her mostly bit parts in B pictures and in the chorus of Busby Berkeley pictures for the 15 films she made for them.Her "break" came when Hal Roach cast her as the skin-clad lead i...