TomJH

It's a little difficult to make out what Kirk is saying on this video but here's a quote from the actor on another occasion when he shared the same anecdote: I went to Albuquerque, New Mexico to do Ace in the Hole with Billy Wilder. . . . Errol Flynn was shooting a picture in Albuquerque at the same time. He invited Irene and me to dine with him and Pat Wymore. I was flattered. I was a young star; he was a legend. He selected the most elegant restaurant, ordered the most expensive wines, and was extremely charming. I was quite impressed, and a little ga-ga, envious of his poise, his great savoir faire. At the end of the meal, when the check arrived, he graciously handed it to me and said, "Kirk, I wouldn't deprive you of the honour of being the host of the evening." And I, with my mouth open, just paid it.

You know, The Wild Wild West theme music has never left my mind. Every now and then I find myself humming it. It sure was catchy.

COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC ON A TRIBUTE THREAD IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A MAN'S DEATH, ESPECIALLY ON A SITE FOR MOVIE FANS! If you're so eager to discuss this salacious stuff take it to Twitter or Facebook. I'm sure you'll find plenty there who like to swim in rumours and muck. Please don't do it here. Thank You.

What is it with this week? Yes, I recall Orson Bean as a most amusing panelist of great dry humour on various game shows, and enjoyed his performance in Anatomy of a Murder once again a few months ago. RIP Orson Bean

I loved The Wild Wild West as a kid, eagerly anticipating Friday nights because of it. Robert Conrad as Jim West was the real deal when it came to action scenes. He and Ross Martin were great fun to watch together. RIP Robert Conrad

George C. Scott in his first film role as a bizarre religious fanatic out for the blood of a mysterious doctor (Gary Cooper) in THE HANGING TREE

Nice memory to have, lavenderblue. I dated Markie Post, who later appeared in a few TV series like Night Court. She told me I was the guy she had been looking for all her life. Unfortunately, at that moment, I woke up.

I love Lives of a Bengal Lancer, as well. It may be dated in its sensitivities towards natives falling under imperial British rule but it is full of atmosphere, has some great action at the end and there's also a fair amount of humour to be found in the antagonistic relationship between fellow officers Gary Cooper and Franchot Tone. Cooper is terrific in this film (manly yet humane) and I think this may well be my favourite performance of Tone. By the way, Cooper's character, McGregor, is identified as Scotch Canadian and coming from Canada (Alberta, I believe), thus his lack of a British accent. This film's box office success lead to a number of other British Empire epics being produced in Hollywood, including Warners Charge of the Light Brigade, Paramount's The Last Outpost and RKO's Gunga Din.

This reminds me of one of my favourite performances in High Noon. Kathy Jurado as Will Kane's former mistress. Jurado shows strength and integrity in this brief but vivid portrayal. She won't stand by the sheriff because their relationship is over but excoriates Grace Kelly who is ready leave him in his hour of need. You know that if Jurado was still Kane's woman she would stand by his side.

An actor's film career can have a number of special moments for us that leave an indelible memory. I watched Lonely Are The Brave again last December. It's a Kirk Douglas film and performance that have always been special to me. SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM There are quite a few scenes in the film that I cherish but one that has always tugged at my heart is towards the end. Jack Burns (Douglas) has just knocked out the goon guard (George Kennedy) on a mountain side, the guard leaving a rope dangling from the top of the mountain (with Mexico and freedom for Burns just on the other side). Burns studies the rope, looking up it towards the top of the mountain, pauses then takes several glances back at Whiskey, his horse. He knows, with law officers closing in upon him, that freedom awaits him if he scales the mountain with the rope but it means abandoning the horse, an animal he loves. Burns returns to the horse and ties his front legs together with a strap, saying, "You've been nothing but a little nuisance. They'll find you when they find that ape over there," referring to the guard. He has decided to do the pragmatic thing and scale the rocks with the rope. But then comes that wonderful heart breaking moment. Burns, clinging to the rope, starts to climb the rock but after just a couple steps stops and looks back at the horse. There's a shot of Whiskey looking up at him, a reaction shot of Burns looking back at the animal, followed by a close up of the horse's face. Burns starts to climb again but stops after two steps and slowly descends the rock back down again. Burns, with a furrowed expression on his face, walks back to the horse and bends down to undo the leg straps as he mutters, "You're worse than a woman." "What the hell," he says to himself in a moment that brings tears to my eyes as he has decided to not abandon Whiskey. Burns, in putting his freedom, and possibly even his life, on the line out of his love for an animal has given us a screen moment with which a lot of film viewers will identify, I suspect, as they cheer him on. For this simple but heart breaking and inspirational scene I want to thank Kirk Douglas, director David Miller, screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and, oh, yes, Whiskey, the horse.

Well, Beth, if you're sorry and want to honour Kirk, as a friendly suggestion, there's nothing to stop you from deleting your comment along with the quote you selected.

You might wait until Kirk's at least in his grave. Man, I hoped this actor had a great enough career after well over60 years that a topic like this wouldn't threaten to take over a tribute thread about him a mere two days after his death. But some people, it seems, are really drawn to the sordid (even if there's no evidence of its truth).

Charles Dingle in THE LITTLE FOXES would be most enjoyable to pitchfork Actually, Charles Dingle in just about any film in which he appeared would be fun to pitchfork now that I stop to think about it. He usually played a slimy conniving type, ready to knife anyone in the back (not literally but figuratively). So I figure, in defence, it might be prudent to do it to his pot bellied front (literally).

A more in-depth interview here, discussing his beginnings and the shyness of actors hiding behind their roles. Among other things he discusses the rather unique way in which he was able to avoid a fight in a bar one day.

Kirk talks about his life as he discusses his autobiography, The Ragman's Son. He also has an anecdote about an incident that occured during the making of Spartacus.

I never got into Lost in Space but I sure liked Guy Williams as a kid. I'd never give him a pitchfork. Besides, how could I when he had that sword?

In BONNIE AND CLYDE the bank robbers take in a showing of GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 at a theatre where, ironically, they see the chorus girls singing "We're in the Money."

GUTS!

I have My Stroke of Luck, as well, but never did get around to reading it. I've heard favourable reports about Douglas as a writer so assume I'll enjoy his Spartacus book. Sad now to think that with Kirk's departure, Joanna Barnes, who had a small role in the film, is the only cast member of it still with us. What a cast that was! There was quite a slew of film epics of this nature at the time, with Ben Hur, of course, being the most famous. Spartacus, unburdened, in my opinion, by a Christian religious message and with a plea about individualism in society (which Douglas and screenwriter Dalton Trumbo would explore with even greater depth in Lonely Are the Brave) has always been my favourite of them.

I'd like to pitchfork any of the scenes with Joanne Dru in RED RIVER for two reasons: 1. Does anyone really care about whether she and Monty Clift's characters get together? It's that ominous force played by John Wayne that we care about and Wayne is missing too much of the time so that we can watch Clift and Dru banter with one another instead. Yawn. And does anyone take it seriously when Dru breaks up that fight at the end with her "I'm mad" speech? 2. Joanne Dru's performance as a "tough" girl (remember when she gets that arrow in her shoulder with barely a reaction from her?) has always rung hollow with me. Having said that I would pitchfork the scenes, rather than Dru herself, because, well, she's so darned lovely to look at. I've always thought Joanne Dru was one of the real beauties of the movies but her performance in this film has always left me a little cold, no matter how hot the lady herself may be.

Thanks for the recommendation, lavenderblue. I just ordered it off Amazon.

Here's a fun video of Kirk and Burt singing together at the '58 and '59 Oscars. They sing "It's Great Not To Be Nominated" and make a few catty comments to each other about the actors that had been nominated best actor that year over them. You also see a little bit of gymnastics here, reminding you of Burt's circus days.

Thanks for the video, Jakeem. I watched the Oscars that year but had forgotten this moment. I realize the actresses nominated all wanted to hear the announcement of the winner from Kirk but it was fun the way he kept milking the moment, amusingly so, prolonging his experience of being on that Oscar stage because he knew it was probably the last time he would ever be there. Kirk Douglas was one feisty old geezer who still had an eye for the ladies.

I thought the performance was rather typical of Victor Francen but that's not a knock. I always found this actor to be smooth and elegant, and I enjoyed his performance in Dimitrios very much. He often brought an inscrutable quality to his portrayals and I was often not certain if he would suddenly produce a gun and, with a smile, blast someone away. There was a sense of the aristocrat about him with courtly manners. You wondered, though, what that dignified demeanour might be masking.

For those interested TCM will be broadcasting Kirk in two films this month Wednesday, February 12 at 1:15 am LUST FOR LIFE (1956) Monday, February 24 at 7:45 am STORY OF THREE LOVES (1953)