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Say you don't give a damn, Sam Time to leave in The Dress, Tess Slip her a pill, Phil Just stay on that bus, Gus Scare them to death, Seth

Olympia Dukakis, Star of ‘Moonstruck’ and ‘Steel Magnolias,’ Dies at 89 https://variety.com/2021/film/news/olympia-dukakis-dead-dies-oscar-winner-moonstruck-1234964478/ Olympia Dukakis, a character actress best known for her Oscar-winning supporting turn in Norman Jewison’s “Moonstruck” and for her role as the wealthy widow in “Steel Magnolias,” has died. She was 89. Dukakis’ brother, Apollo Dukakis, confirmed her death in a Facebook post, writing: “My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City. After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her Louis.” The actress was 56 when she came to prominence overnight thanks to her Oscar-winning turn in “Moonstruck,” in which she played, with an extraordinary comic ethnic gusto characteristic of the movie as a whole, the mother of Cher’s character. The Washington Post singled out Dukakis for praise: Cher and Nicolas Cage are “backed by an equally quirky cast of marvelous supporting players — especially Olympia Dukakis, whose role as Loretta’s world-weary mother Rose is expected to get Oscar’s attention.” Dukakis, who also did a lot of television work, was thrice Oscar nominated, first for the 1991 TV movie “Lucky Day,” the second time for “Armistead Maupin’s More Tales of the City” in 1998 and the third time in 1999 for the miniseries “Joan of Arc.” Probably made before her Oscar changed her fortunes, Mike Nichol”s “Working Girl” returned Dukakis to the sort of role she had had on a regular basis for much of her career: She was 12th credited for her role as the personnel director. By the next year, however, she was third-billed, behind John Travolta and Kirstie Alley, in baby comedy “Look Who’s Talking,” in which she played the pregnant Alley’s mother in a manner reminiscent of her work in “Moonstruck.” She returned for the 1990 sequel. Herbert Ross’ 1989 hit “Steel Magnolias,” starring Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine and Dukakis, drew women of all ages with its effective sentimentality and even more effective one-liners, but Rolling Stone said, “For the real fun, stick with MacLaine as the town crank and Dukakis as the wealthy widow who goads her to distraction; they’re priceless.” The actress starred with Diane Ladd and Ellen Burstyn in the Bill Duke-directed 1993 film “The Cemetery Club,” about three Jewish women all of whom find themselves widowed over the course of a year and must reconstruct their lives, with Dukakis’ character prickly and strong-willed. Dukakis was part of the Greek chorus that was either a charming conceit or an ungainly one, depending on whom you ask, in Woody Allen’s 1995 romantic comedy “Mighty Aphrodite,” in which the chorus comments on the Allen character’s infidelity. Also that year she appeared as the skeptical, hard-nosed principal in sentimental Richard Dreyfuss vehicle “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” and as the mother of a gay man who intends to become a lesbian in the AIDS drama “Jeffrey.” The next year she had a small role in Danish auteur Bille August’s spiritually based period film “Jerusalem.” The actress had a small but powerful role in the 2005 father-son road movie “The Thing About My Folks,” starring Peter Falk and Paul Reiser. In 2006 Dukakis was part of the ensemble cast of “The Great New Wonderful,” a series of vignettes about life in New York City a year after the 9/11 attacks, and she did excellent work in Sarah Polley’s Alzheimer’s drama “Away From Her,” starring Julie Christie, in which Dukakis’ character reveals an unwaveringly realistic view of a difficult situation — her husband is an Alzheimer’s patient as well. She played a senile grandmother in Jon Kasdan’s “In the Land of Women,” starring Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart and Meg Ryan. But much more interesting was writer-director Thomas Fitzgerald’s 2011 film “Cloudburst,” in which Dukakis starred with Brenda Fricker as a lesbian couple who travel to Canada in order to get married. Variety said, “Dukakis outdoes even her most memorable earlier turns as Stella, the irrepressible old dame determined to spring her lover free.” Her TV work included playing Anna Madrigal, the flamboyant matriarch presiding over an apartment house in San Francisco, in HBO’s 1993 “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City”; 1998 sequel “Armistead Maupin’s More Tales of the City,” for which she drew an Emmy nomination; and 2001’s third entry “Further Tales of the City.” Among the many TV movies in which Dukakis appeared was HBO and BBC’s “The Last of the Blonde Bombshells” (2000), starring Judi Dench and Ian Holm and focusing on a reunion of a group of women who formed an orchestra in London during WWII. Dukakis was a series regular on the brief 2004 CBS sitcom “Center of the Universe,” starring John Goodman and Jean Smart. She also guested on numerous TV series, providing voices on “Frasier” and “The Simpsons” and appearing on “Numbers”; “Law & Order: SVU,” as a defense attorney; and HBO detective comedy “Bored to Death.” Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Dukakis graduated from Boston University and studied acting with Peter Kass in Boston. Dukakis’ first experience of Broadway was as an understudy in 1962 on the original play “The Aspern Papers,” written by Michael Redgrave based on a story by Henry James and starring Maurice Evans and Wendy Hiller. Dukakis won an Obie in 1963 for her work Off Broadway in Bertolt Brechlt’s “Man Equals Man.” She hit the stage in 1964 in the one-nighter “Abraham Cochrane.” She returned to Broadway in 1974 in Peter Ustinov’s “Who’s Who in Hell,” but its run proved brief as well. Much more successful was her 1986-87 run in Andrew Bergman’s “Social Security,” directed by Mike Nichols and also starring Ron Silver, Marlo Thomas and Joanna Gleason. In 2000 she starred on Broadway in the one-woman show “Rose,” in which she played an 80-year-old Jewish woman in Miami Beach who talks to the audience of her life, including her experiences in the Holocaust. She made her television debut in 1962 on an episode of “The Doctors and the Nurses,” also guesting on “Dr. Kildare” the same year. The actress made her bigscreen debut in the 1964 film short “Twice a Man.” Over the next 10 years she had a number of small, often uncredited, roles in films including “Death Wish.” In the Peter Yates’ 1969 film “John and Mary,” starring Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow, Dukakis played the Hoffman character’s mother; she also had a supporting role in 1971’s “Made for Each Other,” starring Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna. Dukakis was one of the stars of a 1974 political film by writer-director Jules Dassin called “The Rehearsal,” concerning the massacre of students protesting the ruling junta in Greece; many famous people were involved with the film, including Laurence Olivier, Arthur Miller, Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell and Arthur Millet, but by the time the film was completed the junta fell and it was never publicly seen in this country until decades later. In 1975, the actress appeared in a “Great Performances” presentation of a production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” that also starred Frank Langella, Blythe Danner and Lee Grant. She had supporting roles in Philip Kaufman’s “The Wanderers” in 1979 and in Taylor Hackford’s “The Idolmaker” in 1980. But despite years earning credits in film, on television and onstage, the actress did not break through until “Moonstruck” in 1987. Much later, Dukakis taught master classes in acting throughout the U.S. and elsewhere. Dukakis was the first cousin to former Democratic candidate for president Michael Dukakis. Dukakis is predeceased by her husband, actor Louis Zorich, who died in 2018. She is survived by daughter Christina Zorich, an actress; sons Peter and Stefan Zorich; and at least four grandchildren.

Not long ago someone posted episodes from Search for Tomorrow on YouTube. These were episodes from around 1983 I think. Olympia Dukakis had a contract role on SFT during that time playing a matriarch of a Greek family. The family didn't really catch on with viewers and they were written out by the next headwriter/producer. I guess it's a good thing she didn't end up spending years on a soap opera, because then she might not have done MOONSTRUCK or the other films that came later in her career. Rest in peace.

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby had really nice chemistry in Road to Singapore. It's a shame they couldn't have . . . Oh, wait. Never mind.

My Dad owned The Gourmet and Gift Center at 153 W57th Street, right across the street from the Russian Tea Room. We sold imported fancy foods such as caviar, pate', truffles, coffees , teas, chocolates, etc. Many celebrities were regular customers including Gig Young, Harry Belafonte (whose office was next door) Igor Stravinsky, Bobby Short, Tony Randall, Barbara Walters, Al Pacino, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Louis Armstrong ( to whom we would deliver as his modest house was just a few blocks from our home in Queens), and many of the Broadway, Metropolitan Opera and the Ed Sullivan Show crowd, including Stiller and Meara as well as a young Ben Stiller. I used to deliver regularly to the Osborne apartment building.

At the Russian Tea Room we had an Oscars party every year that, when I started in the 80's was very B-list and mundane, but gradually became a better event until at one point, our party was integrated into the Oscars telecast. My memories of these parties are mostly vague but I know that I worked all of these events, because I always worked Sunday nights. Check this out, see if you spot any celebrities in the New York RTR audience. I spotted maybe three (not including the presenters of course). For those who like perspective, Ms. Bancroft and Mr. Hoffman are standing at Table #20 with their backs to West 57th Street.

DIABOLIQUE

Roy, I had a friend who particularly liked Malkovich, saying that because Malkovich wasn't especially good-looking, he had to learn to be more manipulative, so the casting and the performance totally made sense.

There were a couple posts recently asking why TCM doesn’t show many of Robert’s intro’s so I thought this might be of interest. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/afi-launches-virtual-gallery-of-robert-osbornes-tcm-intros-exclusive

The problem with the Oscar films this year was that in spite of how important they thought they were, most were slight and a bit clammy. Nomadland and Sound of Metal were actually decent films, but both were overlong and a bit too low key. Not bad films, but definitely lacking a bit of pizzazz.

If that joke of mine doesn't get a reaction, maybe I'll have to write something "profoundly intelligent" in order to get a laugh from someone. That's me, Dargo. I'll get 'em anyway I can.

If we think of sacrifice to save/protect someone else as tragic, then this lady is top of the list. Ruth Chatterton as Frisco Jenny (1932)

It's too obvious, too quintessentially relevant to this thread to have escaped oversight, but just in case..... LIFE goes to the real world - Patty Duke signing with Helen Keller: Patty Duke (Astin) coming full-circle with The Miracle Worker (1979):

From May 1-4, 1921, the Poli ran Hold Your Horses, starring Tom Moore as Daniel Canavan. The film was released in January of 1921 at five reels, and is presumed lost. Plot: Daniel Canavan and his wife Honora are Irish immigrants. Canavan works as a street cleaner, and is under the thumb of his wife. One day, he is run over by a carriage belonging to Rodman Cadbury III, who is accompanied by Beatrice Newness. He receives a scar on his chest, in the shape of a horseshoe. Realizing his job is too dangerous, he quits and takes a position as a flagman for a blasting company. In his new-found position of authority, telling people when to stop and when they can go, he becomes a confident individual. When his boss pushes him, he knocks the boss over. A political leader sees the fray and immediately hires Canavan, who rises to power as a politician. Beatrice, who is now married to Cadbury, reaches out to Canavan when he is the only person powerful enough to keep her husband from going to jail. Recalling the carriage incident that started his upward stride, he agrees to help. Then in a strange coincidence, Mrs. Canavan dies of indigestion while Cadbury is killed in a polo game. Canavan and Beatrice end up getting married. However, Beatrice is somewhat repulsed by Canavan’s table manners, and they return from their honeymoon at odds with each other. Then Canavan learns that in his absence, Horace Slayton has taken control of the political machine. Canavan fights to take control back, then goes to his wife and tells her of his street cleaning career. Beatrice admits that she loves him. Apparently there is one sequence which would not go over well today. As Wid’s Daily described it, “when the Irish street cleaner suddenly realizes that through the strength of his arm he has the power to command he goes home to beat up “the old woman.” The caption advises the audiences that it will save the censor the trouble of cutting the scenes showing the battle and the following shot shows the results.” Motion Picture News wrote “those who do not take their pictures or their favorite players too seriously should find real entertainment in “Hold Your Horses” and perhaps the Moore fans will have no regrets at seeing their dapper Tom playing the role of a roughneck once in a while.” Photoplay wrote “here is an honest picture of an average human, possessing a genial, likable personality but prey to as common faults as the rest of us; and a story that doesn’t fool anyone, not even the director, but is entertaining to everyone, including the critic.” A true Irish immigrant, Tom Moore came to the United States when he was thirteen years old. Each of his three wives was an actress, with his 1931 marriage to Eleanor Moore lasting the longest, until his death in 1955. A year earlier, he had been diagnosed with cancer, but continued to work. About a week before his death, he told his wife that he would “go sometime this week.” “He maintained his sense of humor and showed no fear right up to the end,” said Moore. According to her, Moore’s last words were “I certainly will know how to play a death scene from now on.”

But so glad the movie has Knott's "shaky man speech" captured forever in the film. That charactor/sketch got him noticed early in his career. He also kept the "Atta Boy Luther!" part of the script in his wallet the rest of his life. Most likely I'll be baking or painting while this is on so I can enjoy the music & fabulous performances.

Sunday, May 2/3 Satyajit Ray’s 100th birthday tribute 4:45 a.m. Charulata aka The Lonely Wife (1964). Recommended.

From Yellow Submarine:

Garp, T.S. -- played by Robin Williams in THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP (1982)

The entire cast of characters:

Kolb, Clarence

Robert Osborne also lived in the same building as Gig Young, on W 57th - coincidentally, The Osborne.

While I see where you're going here I never had must sympathy towards Rocky in Angels with Dirty Faces. But along those lines, I did have a lot of sympathy towards Roy and Marie in the film High Sierra:

Original Mouseketeer and star of The Rifleman Johnny Crawford dies aged 75 after suffering with Alzheimer's Johnny Crawford, the former child actor who was an original Mouseketeer and young star of The Rifleman, has died following a battle with Alzheimer's. He was 75. Crawford passed away peacefully on Thursday in a California care home with his wife Charlotte by his side, his management said in a statement. In 1955, he was just 11 when he joined the first season of The Mickey Mouse Club as one of the 24 original Mouseketeers. After the first season, the show cut the number of cast members in half, and Crawford was released from his contract.

Just about as bad is when you get a laugh emoji from someone after posting what you consider to be an intelligent, perceptive observation.

Since Herman's sharing all these fun stories about the Russian Tea Room, I thought I'd post some photos of the place...

DANGEROUS LIAISONS is also the VERY VERY VERY RARE instance of a truly mediocre book becoming a superb film. The story is all there in the original French novel, but it is told ENTIRELY through letters from one character to another and everything is secondhand and, frankly, it ALL comes off a bit like: Dear M- (redacted) Camp is fun. It gets cold at night. Last night we told ghost stories. Also I have decided to ensnare the daughter of M- De (redacted)- into a web of games and intrigue, which will ultimately destroy her father The Marquis. Send more socks please. yours, M- De- (redacted), Le Viscomte d'(redacted) I bought a copy right before a hurricane hit, got to page 200 and decided to watch the storm instead.

Buck, Joe -- Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy

Beulah Bondi next: Cloak and Dagger 1946 Body and Soul 1947 But Not For Me 1959 The Counterfeit Traitor 1962 Boys From Brazil 1978

Paul Lukas next: The Sea Shall Not Have Them 1954 Zulu 1964 The Ipcress File 1965 Khartoum 1966 Tobruk 196

GASLIGHT (1940)

Olympia winning Best Supporting Actress for Moonstruck:

Friendly Persuasion

Thinking of con men-- THE RAINMAKER THE MUSIC MAN ELMER GANTRY The ROAD TO movies CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

1951 A Streetcar Named Desire next: Laurence Olivier forces defeat Charlton Heston troops in a African city.

White Heat 1949 The Wild One 1953 The Desperate Hours 1955 The St. Valentine Day Massacre 1967 Bonnie and Clyde 1967 Mean Streets 1973

1970...THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS Next: The men in white have arrived to get Vivien Leigh.

The Prowler 1951 next: Burt Lancaster, Jeanne Moreau and Paul Scofield

Eric -- played by Tony Curtis in THE VIKINGS (1958)

Born Yesterday 1950 next: Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray and Hope Lange

1982...TOOTSIE Next: Olivia Hussey marries Leonard Whiting.

Providence next: Clint Walker, Clyde Howdy and Chuck Hicks

Woman in the Dark (1934) Dir. Phil Rosen Adapted from the Dashiell Hammett novella Someone once summarized film noir as “A woman with a past and a man with no future.” That definitely applies to this movie. Bradley is being released after serving 3 years for manslaughter. He tells the warden he intends to get through his parole period by keeping to himself, at home. Some time afterwards Louise, the mistress of local magnate Robson, has had enough of her life with him. She walks out and winds up at Bradley's front door--with Robson, his henchman Dick, and a Great Dane--not far behind. Louise refuses to go back with Robson; during the following argument the dog is shot. Bradley responds by punching out the shooter, then flees with Louise--with his record he's almost certain to be sent back to jail. 1. Unusual narration or plot development N/A 2. Flashbacks Louise recounting how she came to be Robson’s mistress. 3. Crime/planning a crime (usually—but not always—murder) Bradley’s past manslaughter conviction; a dog is shot and Bradley assaults the shooter; Robson attempts to kill his henchman Dick before he can talk to the police. 4. Femme fatale and/or homme fatale Sort of. Louise is not a classic femme fatale, but trouble literally follows her to Bradley’s house. 5. The instrument of fate Yes—Bradley intends to keep as close to home as possible until his parole period has ended, but Louise after running away from her protector comes straight to his door. 6. Angst (for example, guilt, fear, self-doubt, confusion, and so on; in other words, anything that contributes to angst) Yes—Bradley’s fear of returning to prison, Louise’s disgust with Robson. 7. Violence or the threat of violence Bradley’s past manslaughter conviction; Bradley’s attack on the men who invaded his home and shot a dog. 8. Urban and nighttime settings Yes—Bradley and Louise’s drive to Tommy’s apartment; a dinner conference between Louise and Robson’s lawyer. 9. Greed Robson regards Louise as his property; when Tommy sees Louise’s jewelry he immediately wants to fence it. 10. Betrayal Louise walking out on Robson. Later, in an attempt to save Bradley, Louise returns to Robson. 11. Philosophical themes involving alienation, loneliness Yes—Bradley’s idea that to survive his probation period he must hide from the world. 12. Psychology (hypnosis, brainwashing, manipulation, amnesia) Yes—Robson sneers that no one will take the word of an ex-convict or kept woman over his. 13. Allusion to postwar or wartime themes No, but one might consider Bradley’s prison experience to be the moral equivalent of war. (Half a point?) 14. Chiaroscuro for black and white films, or intense or muted color or tinting added to black and white films (In either case, the technique is used to enhance the mood and/or the emotional content.) Yes. 15. Unusual camera and/or lighting techniques N/A. 16. European or U.S. film influenced by European styles (for example, German expressionism, French poetic realism, and so on) Director Rosen started in the silent era as a cinematographer, and like many of his peers his work was influenced by German expressionism. 17. No stark contrast between “good” and “evil” (characters, forces, emotion, and so on) Yes—Bradley has a criminal record; the police treat local magnate Robson with deference; ex-con Tommy is loyal to his old cellmate Bradley. 18. Expertise triumphs, perhaps rather than “good” Sort of—at the end the police take Robson into custody as Dick’s true assailant. Bradley and Louise have a chance at a happy ending but they’ll have to work for it. Score: 15/18--definitely protonoir, if not full-fledged film noir.

Kirk Douglas and Gena Rowlands Lonely Are the Brave 1962

Laura 1994 Double Indemnity 1944 The Big Sleep 1946 How To Murder Your Wife 1965 Chinatown 1974 A Perfect Murder 1998

Make her think she's nuts -- GASLIGHT and MIDNIGHT LACE Frame him for your husband's murder -- the surprise twist in KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS marry someone else and don't tell them -- VIVACIOUS LADY Become a priest --I CONFESS and GOING MY WAY

Campbell, Bruce -- played by Dirk Bogarde in CAMPBELL'S KINGDOM (1957)

Sophie MacDonald - The Razor's Edge (1946).

The Smiling Ghost (1941) I tend to like this type of movie, a vaguely horror plot, set in a mysterious mansion populated with a lot of odd characters. This one is surprisingly posh for the genre, in terms of cast and production values, but it just gets too silly. Wayne Morris locks himself in his office, hiding from his creditors. His assistant (Willie Best) passes him milk over the transom. A phone call comes, inviting him for a job interview. Wayne and Willie go to the interview, where they are referred to Helen Westley, who is hiring a suitor for her granddaughter -- Alexis Smith -- whose boyfriends have been murdered, after each engagement. The family wants to stage a wedding to catch the murderer. Morris and Best go to the mansion, where they meet the usual gaggle of strange relatives. Charles Halton is probably the strangest. He takes a fancy to Willie Best's head and wants to shrink it for his collection. Lee Patrick is another strange one. She's obsessed with a string of pearls (a very red herring!). Alan Hale is not your usual butler. A few miles away, there is a man in an iron lung who was one of the previous suitors. Brenda Marshall is a busybody reporter. Warner Brothers gives us an A-list cast. It could have been a contender for a great film in its genre, but it just gets too crazy, and there are plot holes and confusing devices. How did the man in the iron lung (David Bruce) get inside the locked mausoleum? Why didn't Helen Westley know about all the secret passages in her house, which she has presumably lived in for decades? There are other silly and confusing issues that I won't go into. I love these movies, so I don't expect logical perfection (or perfect logic). The humour is over the top, and diminishes the movie. But you know what? Willie Best is an excellent actor, and he has some good lines. When he and Wayne Morris go to the job interview, the woman at the desk asks, "Which one of you is the applicant?" Best replies, "The light complected gentleman." Best's exchanges with the man who wants to shrink his head are also amusing. But then, they just get so into the stereotypical stuff, including fear of cemeteries; and the very end is embarrassing. For the first part of the movie, though, Best is a fairly equal sidekick to Morris. Despite my caveats, I guess I enjoyed it.