Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Sandra Dee - The Queen of the Teens
| Date of Birth | 23 April 1942, Bayonne, New Jersey, USA |
| Date of Death | 20 February 2005, Thousand Oaks, California, USA (kidney disease) |
| Birth Name | Alexandra Cymboliak Zuck |
| Nicknames | Sandy The Queen of Teens Sandush Gidget |
| Height | 5' 4" (1.63 m) |
Mini Bio (1)
Sandra Dee was born Alexandria Zuck on April 23, 1942 in Bayonne, New Jersey, to Mary (Cymboliak) and John Zuck. She was of Carpatho-Rusyn descent. Her mother envisioned a show business career for her daughter and would often lie about her age in order to get Sandy where she wanted to go. For example, her mother enrolled her in school early so she could have a head start. Sandy was only four years old when she entered the second grade. Sandra was an extremely pretty young lady, which enabled her to get into modeling. In fact, she was already very successful at her craft by the time she was 12 years old. This in turn led to television commercials for local companies, an added benefit for the young model.
Through her mother's prodding and the talent scouts, Sandra was signed to do a movie when she was 14 called Until They Sail (1957), released in 1957. While the film didn't exactly top the charts, it would lay the foundation for Sandra's career. The new young actress was then signed to two more films for 1958, The Reluctant Debutante (1958) and The Restless Years (1958), the latter with a young actor, John Saxon. In 1959, Sandra appeared in five productions with Gidget (1959) and A Summer Place (1959) being the two most popular. Sandra was 17 years old and becoming the heartthrob of teenage boys all across America. In 1960, Sandra appeared in only one film, Portrait in Black (1960), but is remembered by her for something else. She married teen idolBobby Darin in December of that year. It may have sunk a few teen boys' hearts, but most still were enamored of her. Her work, once again, took off. The 1961 releases were Come September (1961), Romanoff and Juliet (1961), and as Tammy Tyree inTammy Tell Me True (1961).
Sandra had replaced the ever-popular Debbie Reynolds in the "Tammy" series, but the film and its 1963 sequel, Tammy and the Doctor (1963), didn't do all that well at the box-office. The films were now slowing for Sandra. The last few that she made were I'd Rather Be Rich (1964), That Funny Feeling (1965), A Man Could Get Killed (1966),Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding! (1967), and Rosie! (1967). By 1967, her marriage to Darin ended and so did her film career. There was little call for a teenage movie star to play daughters and such, when everyone knew that she was a divorcée. Plus, the face of movies had changed and sugary stories were not the ones that people wanted to see. Sandra did nail down the part of "Nancy Wagner" in 1970's The Dunwich Horror (1970).
In the 1970s, Dee made a few appearances in made-for-television movies, but it was the film Grease (1978) that made her famous to a new generation. While she was not in the film, one of the popular songs was "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee".
Sandra's last silver screen role was in Lost (1983). She died of kidney complications on February 20, 2005.
Through her mother's prodding and the talent scouts, Sandra was signed to do a movie when she was 14 called Until They Sail (1957), released in 1957. While the film didn't exactly top the charts, it would lay the foundation for Sandra's career. The new young actress was then signed to two more films for 1958, The Reluctant Debutante (1958) and The Restless Years (1958), the latter with a young actor, John Saxon. In 1959, Sandra appeared in five productions with Gidget (1959) and A Summer Place (1959) being the two most popular. Sandra was 17 years old and becoming the heartthrob of teenage boys all across America. In 1960, Sandra appeared in only one film, Portrait in Black (1960), but is remembered by her for something else. She married teen idolBobby Darin in December of that year. It may have sunk a few teen boys' hearts, but most still were enamored of her. Her work, once again, took off. The 1961 releases were Come September (1961), Romanoff and Juliet (1961), and as Tammy Tyree inTammy Tell Me True (1961).
Sandra had replaced the ever-popular Debbie Reynolds in the "Tammy" series, but the film and its 1963 sequel, Tammy and the Doctor (1963), didn't do all that well at the box-office. The films were now slowing for Sandra. The last few that she made were I'd Rather Be Rich (1964), That Funny Feeling (1965), A Man Could Get Killed (1966),Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding! (1967), and Rosie! (1967). By 1967, her marriage to Darin ended and so did her film career. There was little call for a teenage movie star to play daughters and such, when everyone knew that she was a divorcée. Plus, the face of movies had changed and sugary stories were not the ones that people wanted to see. Sandra did nail down the part of "Nancy Wagner" in 1970's The Dunwich Horror (1970).
In the 1970s, Dee made a few appearances in made-for-television movies, but it was the film Grease (1978) that made her famous to a new generation. While she was not in the film, one of the popular songs was "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee".
Sandra's last silver screen role was in Lost (1983). She died of kidney complications on February 20, 2005.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com> and Denny Jackson
Spouse (1)
| Bobby Darin | (1 December 1960 - 7 March 1967) (divorced) (1 child) |
Trade Mark (1)
Frequent portrayal of wholesome ingénue roles
Trivia (18)
Gave birth to her only child at age 19, a son Dodd Mitchell Cossotto (aka Dodd Darin) on December 16, 1961. Child's father was her ex-husband, Bobby Darin.
By 1965, she was the last major star still under an exclusive contract. Was Universal Studios last actress under contract.
Made her modeling debut in Girl Scouts magazine.
After her once-hot career fell apart in the 1970s, she fell victim to anorexia, alcoholism and depression. To the delight of her fans, she resurfaced briefly after two decades of seclusion and was warmly embraced at Beverly Hills Canon Theatre in a stage production of "Love Letters" with her The Restless Years (1958) co-star John Saxon.
Had suffered from anorexia for most of her life.
Was diagnosed with throat cancer and kidney failure in 2000.
Had two granddaughters: Alexa and Olivia Darin (daughters of Sandra's son Dodd Darinand his wife Audrey Tannenbaum).
One of the most successful teenage movie stars of the 20th century, Dee was listed on the Quigley Publications Top Ten Money-Making Stars poll four years in a row, from 1960 through 1963, achieving her highest ranking of #6 in 1961.
Is immortalized in the popular song "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" from the movieGrease (1978). The song mocked her squeaky-clean image but Dee reportedly said in a statement that she did not mind, and always had a big laugh about it.
She received renewed attention after the release of the movie Beyond the Sea (2004), the biopic about her late husband Bobby Darin that recalled and detailed their stormy, headline marriage. Despite its painful aspects, she reportedly approved of the project and gave it her blessing.
Universal Studios concocted the name 'Sandra Dee' for her by shortening her first name and by using her stepfather's surname initial "D" to sign vouchers.
Is portrayed by Kate Bosworth in Beyond the Sea (2004)
Attended and graduated from Universal High School in Los Angeles, California in June 1958.
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume 7, 2003-2005, pages 135-136. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007.
Had appeared with John Saxon in three films: The Restless Years (1958), The Reluctant Debutante (1958) and Portrait in Black (1960).
Had appeared with then-husband Bobby Darin in three films: Come September (1961),If a Man Answers (1962) and That Funny Feeling (1965).
Sandra Dee passed away on February 20, 2005, two months away from what would have been her 63rd birthday on April 23.
Following her death, she was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California.
Personal Quotes (6)
I think male nudity is wonderful.
I began telling stories as a volunteer in my daughters' school. But I grew up hearing stories from Cuban and Southern storytellers, and I learned a great deal by just being quiet and listening.
Me, I'm good at nothing but walking on the set with a pretty dress.
I don't know anything about making a passionate love story, even if it's appealing for an audience to see a husband and wife make love on the screen.
Listen to great storytellers; slowly, you will learn about voice, timing, tension, structure, climax - all the things you need to tell stories that will capture the imagination of your audience.
There are constant cycles in history. There is loss, but it is always followed by regeneration. The tales of our elders who remember such cycles are very important to us now.
The Wild and the Innocent Western (1959) Audie Murphy, Joanne Dru & Gilbert Roland
Charming tale of mountaineer-trapper Murphy's first taste "big city" life with young, sweet Sandra Dee in tow. She flees her family, which tried to trade her for some of Murphy's beaver pelts, and tags along with the reluctant Murphy. They get into all manner of trouble in town, and Murphy has to shoot the sheriff to rescue Dee from her job as a dancehall girl.
- Written by <rita.richardson@arch2.nara.gov>Saturday, May 7, 2016
Friday, May 6, 2016
Robert "Butch Mello" Mathias - It was great growing up with you. . .
MEMPHIS TN (IFS) - How would one describe Butch Mello - fearless. . . A true warrior on the field and on the court. Yet small in statue, but a heart of a giant and no better of a friend when you needed some help. One could go on saying little quits and passages from many books, pamphlets and other such pieces of paper that would describe Butch. We know who he was and truly one that will be missed. Rest in peace Robert. . . you were one of the greats in our town and school.-KHS
Monday, May 2, 2016
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Leadbelly (1976)
Published on May 20, 2012
The life of Blues and folk singer Huddie Leadbetter, nicknamed Leadbelly is recounted. Covering the good times and bad from his 20s to 40s. Much of that time was spent on chain gangs in the south. Even in prison he became well known for the songs he had composed and sung during and before the time he spent there.
Director: Gordon Parks
Writer: Ernest Kinoy
Roger E. Mosley ... Huddie Ledbetter
Paul Benjamin ... Wes Ledbetter
Madge Sinclair ... Miss Eula
Alan Manson ... Prison Chief Guard
Albert Hall ... Dicklicker
Art Evans ... Blind Lemon Jefferson
James Brodhead ... John Lomax
John Henry Faulk ... Gov. Neff
Vivian Bonnell ... Old Lady
Dana Manno ... Margaret Judd
Lynn Hamilton ... Sally Ledbetter
Rhetta Greene ... Lethe (as Loretta Greene)
Valerie Odell ... Amy
Rozaa Jean ... Sugar Tit
Director: Gordon Parks
Writer: Ernest Kinoy
Roger E. Mosley ... Huddie Ledbetter
Paul Benjamin ... Wes Ledbetter
Madge Sinclair ... Miss Eula
Alan Manson ... Prison Chief Guard
Albert Hall ... Dicklicker
Art Evans ... Blind Lemon Jefferson
James Brodhead ... John Lomax
John Henry Faulk ... Gov. Neff
Vivian Bonnell ... Old Lady
Dana Manno ... Margaret Judd
Lynn Hamilton ... Sally Ledbetter
Rhetta Greene ... Lethe (as Loretta Greene)
Valerie Odell ... Amy
Rozaa Jean ... Sugar Tit
I Still Love John Wayne -- Well Maybe NOT Dalton Trumbo. . .
John Wayne's Ultra-Racist Views of African Americans Ran Deep
Apr 30, 16 by EurPublisher
As we reported earlier, the California State Assembly rejected a John Wayne Day resolution authored by Orange County Republican Assemblyman Matthew Harper because Wayne said in a Playboy interview in May, 1971 he believed in “white supremacy.”
As bad as that was it was just the tip of the iceberg of Wayne’s hard core mean spirited, ultra-racist views about African-Americans. Despite the California Assembly’s rejection of the Wayne Day, Wayne is still America’s much revered super-hero, icon and symbol of American values. Here’s America’s icon’s views about African-Americans that his “white supremacy” quip only barely scratched the surface with.
Read and judge for yourself:
PLAYBOY: Angela Davis claims that those who would revoke her teaching credentials on ideological grounds are actually discriminating against her because she’s black. Do you think there’s any truth in that?
WAYNE: With a lot of blacks, there’s quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so.
* * * EDITORS NOTE, West Sacramento CA (IFS) -- We interrupt this reading to interject some objective point of views to this article. As One notes above from the PlayBoy Magazine inteview from 1971, Mr Wayne opened the interview above in the red italic bold print.
Mr Wayne made some of his millions of dollars and on screen success to moviegoers of color forever. The rest of this is just "Hollywood" like in Governor George Wallace's heyday of race and denying people of color the right to go to school. It was that view of the time in America that hate was on everyone's minds. . .
Mr. Wayne did not fight on any frontlines other then those in front of a camera. First, he was just old enough not to be eligible for military duty -- so he made films
The mental war on war is war for the whole family and friends bit. And possibly, one can count the number of actors with color on his films -- all on one hand.
Wayne never had a black female in the same picture frame with him...on any film. http://xmovies8.tv/movie/watch-trumbo-2015-free/-- KHS * * *
Mr Wayne made some of his millions of dollars and on screen success to moviegoers of color forever. The rest of this is just "Hollywood" like in Governor George Wallace's heyday of race and denying people of color the right to go to school. It was that view of the time in America that hate was on everyone's minds. . .
Mr. Wayne did not fight on any frontlines other then those in front of a camera. First, he was just old enough not to be eligible for military duty -- so he made films
The mental war on war is war for the whole family and friends bit. And possibly, one can count the number of actors with color on his films -- all on one hand.
Wayne never had a black female in the same picture frame with him...on any film. http://xmovies8.tv/movie/watch-trumbo-2015-free/-- KHS * * *
READ RELATED STORY:
John Wayne’s Racist Comments Kill Official Recognition in California Assembly PLAYBOY: Are you equipped to judge which blacks are irresponsible and which of their leaders inexperienced?
WAYNE: It’s not my judgment. The academic community has developed certain tests that determine whether the blacks are sufficiently equipped scholastically. But some blacks have tried to force the issue and enter college when they haven’t passed the tests and don’t have the requisite background.
PLAYBOY: How do they get that background?
WAYNE: By going to school. I don’t know why people insist that blacks have been forbidden their right to go to school. They were allowed in public schools wherever I’ve been. Even if they don’t have the proper credentials for college, there are courses
PLAYBOY: But isn’t it true that we’re never likely to rectify the inequities in our educational system until some sort of remedial education is given to disadvantaged minority groups?
WAYNE: What good would it do to register anybody in a class of higher algebra or calculus if they haven’t learned to count? ………….
(READ MORE) earl ofari hutchinson Earl Ofari Hutchinson Tune In!
The Hutchinson Report Pacifica Radio Townhall of the Air Los Angeles New York Washington D.C. Saturdays 9:00 AM KPFK Radio 90.7 FM Noon New York Streamed http://tunein.com/radio/KPFK-907-s34656/ http://www.eurweb.com/2016/04/john-waynes-racist-views-of-african-americans/
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