tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post4422332751648161517..comments2024-03-27T08:00:18.425-04:00Comments on Poseidon's Underworld: Faux-ning It InPoseidon3http://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-8136053849876510572013-06-03T08:04:32.216-04:002013-06-03T08:04:32.216-04:00How wonderful to come in and see all the great com...How wonderful to come in and see all the great comments from everybody. I'm glad this post appealed to you folks. <br /><br />I haven't seen ANY of these films except "Grace Kelly" in quite a while, but I remember being very drawn in by Catherine Hicks' portrayal of Marilyn Monroe, so I'm happy to see some love thrown her way.<br /><br />And Narciso, I remember that Ziegfeld movie now! It's hazy, because I either didn't see all of it or was very young (I'll go with THAT excuse! lol) I'd love to see that one. Paul Shenar was a rather underrated actor, capable of good (and sometimes deliciously bad) things.<br /><br />I appreciate all of your guys' interest and additional commentary. I'm beginning to get a grip on my new laptop and camera (though I am not sure if my scanner will work right with the computer now), so it won't be long until I'm fitted out with my usual resources. Thank you!Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-29281433660089416192013-06-02T22:21:55.264-04:002013-06-02T22:21:55.264-04:00Poseidon - so glad you're still kicking after ...Poseidon - so glad you're still kicking after your recent setback. I've gone through a similar situation and I know how it discouraging it can be to start something all over again, so I just wanted to say "Thanks!" for soldiering on to keep providing us with some flashback fun!<br /><br />And I'll also add my agreement to the general consensus about Catherine Hicks - I thought she did a great job as Marilyn (and her lack of physical resemblance to MM proved to hardly be a stumbling block).vinniepophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00964836427634415825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-56707726251518664772013-06-02T19:54:08.746-04:002013-06-02T19:54:08.746-04:00Oh yes loved RAINBOW (1978) with Andrea as young F...Oh yes loved RAINBOW (1978) with Andrea as young Frances Gumm,Donna Pescow as gumm sister and Piper Laurie as mom Ethel. Liberace saw this and immediately added Andrea to his Vegas act. He threw Andrea's sweet 16 Party. Ps - Andrea reportedly (from sources close to her) HATED Jackie "former head of Screen Gems" Cooper as director. <br />She belts out Dinah, Zing, I'll get by as long as I have you and of course over the rainbow - but her acting is "sleepy" at best Pantheon Zeushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11990697055019976633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-33049923802771363692013-06-02T14:35:36.831-04:002013-06-02T14:35:36.831-04:00Wonderful post! I remember when most of these c...Wonderful post! I remember when most of these came out. And I remember them as all dreadful, too. <br /><br />BTW, If we are voting, I'd sure see more of Edward Winter<br /><br />Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12994860402022617403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-21100326492435609372013-06-01T22:14:27.457-04:002013-06-01T22:14:27.457-04:00What a great trip down memory lane this post was. ...What a great trip down memory lane this post was. Great in that I was around and recall sitting through many of these TV movies in my youth- the actual viewing experience...not so much.<br />What comes to the fore is the jarring cheesiness of casting so many c-level stars to play such A-level celebrities. You capped it all perfectly by aving the most absurd for last. Lindsay as La Liz (although I will forever be grateful to her for providing us with the timeless scene of her passing out on hearing of Richard Burton's death). Loved this post and hope you're back up to speed soon!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-62418851519335575372013-06-01T18:48:36.217-04:002013-06-01T18:48:36.217-04:00Oh, and Joel65913, my bad, but I had to read your ...Oh, and Joel65913, my bad, but I had to read your second-to-last sentence twice. At first glance I thought it read that Edgar Winter had guested on "The Golden Girls." : ) ichdown WhyWhew! That would have been an episode.Narcisohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05145756558278365203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-39614772236825430672013-06-01T18:45:42.784-04:002013-06-01T18:45:42.784-04:00Oh, Pantheon Zeus is quite correct -- Armand Assan...Oh, Pantheon Zeus is quite correct -- Armand Assante deserves a little special attention from Poseidon.Narcisohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05145756558278365203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-57983016150144518502013-06-01T18:44:12.672-04:002013-06-01T18:44:12.672-04:00Oh, I remember all of these quite well, and like P...Oh, I remember all of these quite well, and like Poseidon, I too grimaced at the bad period hairdo's and clothes.<br /><br />Still, on the whole, I recall most of these as being entertaining and fun. Not unlike the biopics of the 30s and 40s, with say, Alice Faye as Lillian Russell. And again, I must echo Poseidon's always excellent judgment, the exception still remains the recent Lindsay Lohan as Liz - neither entertaining nor fun - DOA and POS.<br /><br />There were two that I missed here. One was Andrea McArdle as Judy Garland, in "Rainbow,' (1978) directed by one of Judy's early beaux, Jackie Cooper. Poor Andrea was a sleepwalker. They should have gven her a few uppers.<br /><br />The other was 1978's "Ziegfeld: A Man and His Women," that was absolutely first rate; in fact, it was among the best that 70's television produced, right up there with "Roots," "Rich Man Poor Man," and all the rest.<br /><br />Paul Shenar was Ziggy, and a cast of glitzy current stars played all of Broadway's old-time greats. The execution of the musical numbers was top-notch, and the costumes and hair and sets were period and accurate. Go to YouTube to view clips. <br /><br />This is one TV production that DEMANDS a DVD release. A stunning television achievement -- and as I recall, a good balance between legit and outre dialog. Narcisohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05145756558278365203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-27695297411961280182013-06-01T15:59:12.257-04:002013-06-01T15:59:12.257-04:00Great post about the wave of TV MOVIE biopics of f...Great post about the wave of TV MOVIE biopics of famous celebs... <br /><br />Armand Assante may need the Poseidon treatment one dayPantheon Zeushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11990697055019976633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-37716080687374839712013-06-01T01:02:20.874-04:002013-06-01T01:02:20.874-04:00Love this post! I've seen all of these except ...Love this post! I've seen all of these except for the Errol Flynn bio and I'll have to make a concerted effort to find it, if for no other reason than that Barbara Hershey is in it.<br /><br />Most of these were dreadful along with The Symbol that rico mentioned. <br /><br />A few decent ones stand out in my memory mostly because of the leading performances. <br /><br />Ann Jillian made a good Mae West and as I remember the film delved a bit more seriously into Mae's life that was usually the case with the TV bios of the time.<br /><br />Catherine Hicks' Marilyn is the best I can recall seeing. She was able to suggest the essence of the spiritual Marilyn rather than the surface flash that most actress seem to settle for or are able to achieve. That includes Michelle Williams, a fine actress but miscast in the recent My Week with Marilyn.<br /><br />The best of the bunch at least in star power was Malice in Wonderland. Elizabeth Taylor was fun as Lolly Parsons but the voice that she affected for the part while close to the actual Parsons' wore on the nerves after a while. Jane Alexander however tore it up as Hedda Hopper making that dragon much more enjoyable than she probably was in real life. Plus the two ladies had a fine chemistry together. <br /><br />I've seen all four of the theatrical films you mentioned too and individually and as a group they are a sorry batch. At least W.C. Fields and Me had decent performances from Rod Steiger and Valerie Perrine and Angela Lansbury was good as Mama Jean in the Carroll Baker Harlow but that's all that mess had going for it. Poor Jean Harlow had to have her reputation trashed and memory degraded not once but twice in a single year! Both those films were utter trash but pale in comparison to the insulting train wreck that was Gable and Lombard. <br /><br />One last thing, I do remember Edward Winter from the Golden Girls but to me his best and most memorable work has to be the demented and hilarious Col. Flagg on M*A*S*H.<br /><br />Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Hope the play is going well!joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-79985526192781921012013-05-31T18:06:14.734-04:002013-05-31T18:06:14.734-04:00A major oy vey in the TV celeb bio oeuvre!
My mov...A major oy vey in the TV celeb bio oeuvre!<br /><br />My movie crazed young self ate these up while laughing at their cheesiness ; )<br /><br />Fascinating to see Tony Curtis before he acquired his mid-life silver mane of "hair."<br /><br />One of my early faves was "The Symbol" with Connie Stevens as a faux Marilyn Monroe and Shelley Winters as a Louella Parsons type...major scenery chewing!<br /><br />All of the above make me appreciate Faye Dunaway as "Mommie Dearest" so much more!http://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/https://www.blogger.com/profile/14243899548141583461noreply@blogger.com