Hollywood Heritage Museum

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Hollywood Heritage Museum; Evening @ The Barn
Topic Started: May 14 2009, 12:41 PM (535 Views)
mort bakaprevski	May 14 2009, 12:41 PM Post #1
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	Last night I attended the monthly presentation at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. This month it was a celebration of the 80th anniversary of Laurel & Hardy’s transition to sound. Of course, the turnout was so large, they had to do a repeat for the customers who were turned away from the 7:30 presentation. Someone named Stan Taffel gave the introductory remarks, but the majority of the show was made up of three L&H shorts… plus an example of a scene from a domestic version of a short contrasted to the Spanish language version. WRONG AGAIN – Presented as the first of their films to use a synchronized musical score. I don’t think anyone really gave a damn about the historical significance of the film. We were too busy laughing at the boy’s antics as they mistakenly believe the reported stolen “Blue Boy” (a painting) is a horse of the same name. As funny as L&H were, the horse got almost as many laughs as they did. UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE – Their first “talkie.” I was surprised to find that I had never seen it before. However, the plot was quite familiar as it was re-used to form the latter portion of their later Hal Roach feature, BLOCKHEADS. However, this little bijou had Thelma Todd & Mae Busch as the lady in the trunk & the shrewish wife, respectively. For me, a grand improvement. I’ll leave it up to you as to whether Edgar Kennedy was an improvement over Billy Gilbert… or not. MEN O’ WAR - I’ve always had a soft spot in my head for this one. Stan pretty much plays the same character he always does. Ollie, on the other hand, gives a subtly different performance as a young(ish) gob on the make. Definitely a different persona from (say) his hen-pecked husband. Also loved the fact that the whole film (save the soda fountain portion) was done on location. I definitely treasure scenes of SoCal back in the old days. THE LAUREL & HARDY MURDER CASE – Actually this was just the intro with L&H on the dock discovering Stan’s possible inheritance. First it was shown in English… & then in Spanish. Since it wasn’t dubbed, Stan & Ollie attempted to read the lines phonetically… often with hilarious results. One of the jokes had been changed. In the English version, Ollie asks Stan if he had an uncle. Stan replied that his uncle had died falling off a platform & breaking his neck. Ollie asks if his uncle was in construction & Stan replies negatively, explaining that his uncle was being hanged. In the Spanish version, Stan reports that his uncle is currently at the University of Barcelona. Ollie queries as to whether he is a professor. Stan says, “No, he’s in a jar.” After the show, Randy Skredtvedt was busy in the lobby hawking his book. I respectfully kept my mouth shut about the quality of the contents. Next month, the presentation will be on Cinerama. Should be interesting! Then, no more presentations while the Hollywood Bowl season is in swing… as they use the same parking lot. Probably should start again in October.
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer	May 15 2009, 03:28 AM Post #2
Balconeer Creeper Posts: 14,166 Group: Members Member #244 Joined: July 6, 2007	You're one lucky dude to get this type of show in your town. Which town was that again? Cinerama .... that could be interesting. Thanks for reporting.
	"She's got style, she's got grace She's got long, long legs, she's got... Savoir Faire"


rodney	May 15 2009, 04:26 AM Post #3
Charter Member Posts: 1,302 Group: Members Member #3 Joined: September 2, 2005	I always found the Skredtvedt book to be the best book on the subject, and have recommended it to several friends who agree. I know I've heard positive things about it around here too. What am I missing?
	Raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer!


The Batman	May 15 2009, 05:36 AM Post #4
Charter Member Posts: 5,568 Group: Members Member #17 Joined: September 4, 2005	rodney May 15 2009, 04:26 AM I always found the Skredtvedt book to be the best book on the subject, and have recommended it to several friends who agree. I know I've heard positive things about it around here too. What am I missing? Actually, Rodney, I believe his is the book that was slammed around here for being full of inaccuracies. I could be wrong, but I am sure LG can clear up the subject.



mort bakaprevski	May 15 2009, 08:14 AM Post #5
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer May 15 2009, 03:28 AM You're one lucky dude to get this type of show in your town. Which town was that again? Pacoima!!
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


mort bakaprevski	May 15 2009, 08:17 AM Post #6
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	You know, I sincerely wish I had never brought up Mr. Skredtvedt’s appearance. It certainly wasn’t particularly germane to the subject and, more importantly, I’m in the VAST minority on this subject. Most people seem to love his tome. My dissatisfaction is based on the following: 1) The book’s greatest strength is its greatest weakness. Mr. Skredtvedt rightfully takes great pride in the number of interviews he had with people who actually worked at the lot of fun. The trouble is, he tends to give the interviewees much more credit for things than those who were unavailable (usually because of death). Case in point is Marvin Hatley. Hatley was musical director at Roach for much of the 30’s. However, aside from the “Ku-Ku” theme & the ever-popular “Honolulu Baby”, his ultimate impact on the L&H films is hard to find. Leroy Shield & his music, on the other hand, are inextricably linked to not only L&H, but all Roach films. Everyone is familiar with the early themes he composed which were utilized endlessly in the Roach two-reelers. However, the score he created for OUR RELATIONS was also used repeatedly (by Mr. Hatley) for other Roach product including TOPPER. Skredtvedt’s coverage of Shield is marginal at best. 2) Mr. Skredtvedt has a propensity (like Gravy) to present his opinions as though they were facts. A lotta people like this. I don’t!! 3) A small point, but I believe Skredtvedt ducks the responsibility Stan Laurel should have shouldered for the poor quality of the 40’s Fox & MGM films. W. C. Fields had been around as long as L&H in the early 40’s. He switched to Universal where the suits were infamous for interfering in the production of films. However, probably due to his extreme stubborn nature, he managed to make four of the best films of his career. At any rate, the important part of the evening was the four films screened… and NOT who was in the audience.
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


mort bakaprevski	Jun 18 2009, 12:42 PM Post #7
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	So, tonight the featured subject was Cinerama. I remember being taken, in my youth, up to Hollywood to see one of the Cinerama features, but don’t remember which one (probably the first). I was suitably impressed… but NOT blown away. I was, however, quite impressed with tonight’s presentation. Unfortunately, we dined at Musso & Frank before attending where I downed a martini & ½ bottle of Cabernet. Consequently, I dozed off for at least 10 minutes during the presentation (if you snooze, you lose). At any rate, when I suddenly regained consciousness, I was quite alert for the remainder. They started off with a “making of” HOW THE WEST WAS WON which was fun. They followed this with a feature lasting at least one hour & ½ entitled CINERAMA ADVENTURE which was, more or less, a pictorial history of the development of (three-camera) Cinerama, its ten plus year successful run & its ultimate replacement by 70 mm film. I had forgotten some of the key players in this little adventure. Lowell Thomas, a famous radio broadcaster at the time, was the narrator of the initial films & actually devised some of the scenes they filmed. Because there were three projectors involved plus a separate sound reel, there were frequent technical problems. Consequently, they had a bit filmed with Thomas where he would yak at the audience while the problems were being ironed out. One amusing part has him (on film) saying, “Well, let’s check with the projection booth & see if those technical glitches have been overcome.” Pause. “Nope, just got word back that they’re still working on it.” Merian C. Cooper was another key individual in the development of Cinerama. Cooper’s career in films was something books are made of, from his early incredible documentaries (CHANG & GRASS), to KING KONG, FLYING DOWN TO RIO, the John Ford cavalry trio, THE QUIET MAN & THE SEARCHERS. They had a pictorial biography about him on (I think) TCM. An incredibly fascinating & productive gentleman. Stunt pilot, Paul Mantz was something of an Orange County local hero when I was growing up. He lived in the area and frequently flew out of what is now John Wayne airport. His stunts were an integral part of the Cinerama films. The one featured in these clips was where he flew down into the heart of a live volcano. A voiceover by one of the men who accompanied him on this flight explained that the lack of oxygen caused the plane’s motors to stop functioning. Mantz & crew were fortunate enough to catch an updraft out of the volcano’s mouth. Apocryphal? Perhaps. But, a hell of a story!! There were interviews with Debbie Reynolds, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach & stuntman Loren Janes on the difficulties of making a feature film (HOW THE WEST WAS WON) in the three-camera process. A great scene of Janes & other stuntmen inside a wagon designed to turn over & over & over… was included as was the train scene which reportedly cost stuntman Bob Morgan a leg & disfigured part of his face. Well, since the Hollywood Bowl season is a-startin’, this will be the last of these presentations until October. However, there was some talk of one or two presentations during the summer at the Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills. Sure hope so!! A flyer was passed out which told of an effort to get the recently restored Columbia Charley Chase shorts released to the general public. You can read all about it in the Charley Chase thread.
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer	Jun 19 2009, 05:33 AM Post #8
Balconeer Creeper Posts: 14,166 Group: Members Member #244 Joined: July 6, 2007	Stony Brooke da Mesquiteer May 15 2009, 03:28 AM You're one lucky dude to get this type of show in your town. Cinerama .... that could be interesting. Thanks for reporting. That was interesting ... thanks mort, ya lucky dude!
	"She's got style, she's got grace She's got long, long legs, she's got... Savoir Faire"


Laughing Gravy	Jun 21 2009, 08:31 AM Post #9
Revered in the UK Posts: 11,059 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: August 31, 2005	Hadn't read this thread until this morning. All good Laurel & Hardy films, particularly Men o' War, which gets quoted by my family a LOT ("And what will YOU have, Stanley?). Love the Skretvedt book, and it's never far from me.



rodney	Jun 23 2009, 04:36 AM Post #10
Charter Member Posts: 1,302 Group: Members Member #3 Joined: September 2, 2005	Is this the museum that's in the old Max Factor building?
	Raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer!


mort bakaprevski	Jun 23 2009, 08:23 AM Post #11
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	No, this is in the Lasky-DeMille Barn. The barn was the first Hollywood studio established by the aforementioned gentlemen. It's currently located in the parking lot across from the Hollywood Bowl on Highland. When I was working at Paramount, as a computer programmer back in the 70's, it was utilized as a gymnasium. Whenever I'd go in it to workout, it seemed that Michael Landon would always be there. That guy had enough energy for three people.
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


mort bakaprevski	Jun 29 2009, 05:21 PM Post #12
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	TCM is currently showing a two-part feature on Cecil B. DeMille. In Part 1, there's a shot of the Lasky-DeMille barn as it was almost 100 years ago... & another shot of it as it is today.
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


Chandu	Jul 3 2009, 10:08 AM Post #13
Knowledge Seeker and rascal at large Posts: 10,240 Group: Members Member #297 Joined: October 19, 2007	Thanks for the heads-up, Mort. It gave the documentary even more relevance. I enjoyed the whole documentary and particularly learning a little about the history of Paramount.
	Not plane, nor bird, nor even frog. It's just little ol' me...


mort bakaprevski	Jul 4 2009, 05:19 PM Post #14
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	Interesting tidbit: Adolph Zukor, who was mentioned frequently as one of Paramount's founders, still had an office at Paramount when I worked there (69-72). Zukor had no ownership ties to the company at that time (Gulf + Western were the current owners) and he was pushing 100, but the word was that he visited his office regularly. Mind you, I never saw him, but...
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


mort bakaprevski	Jul 18 2009, 04:22 PM Post #15
Soony Roony! Posts: 1,428 Group: Members Member #73 Joined: January 1, 2006	Well there ARE advantages to waking up in the middle of the night & not being able to go back to sleep (I keep telling myself). At any rate, I turned on the old Cartoon Channel around 3:00 am & there's Brian (Family Guy's dog) in Hollywood attempting to sell a number of mediocre scripts unsuccessfully. However, he does finally get a a crack at directing... a porno film, of course. So, the rest of the family comes out to visit him & they all go to (ta-daa), Musso & Frank. They do a nice drawing of the exterior... BUT they really don't do the interior justice. On the other hand, I notice everyone at the table has a steak on their plate and that's definitely my favorite item on their incredibly large & inclusive menu. They shoulda done a shot of the bar, but I suspect that woulda required much more detailed artwork than they had budget for (sighhhhh).
	“You’ve got to take the bitter with the sour.”


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