Angela Cartwright Talks with the Café about Danny Thomas, Lost in Space, The Sound of Music, and Her Artwork

Danny Thomas' stepdaughter on The Danny Thomas Show, Penny Robinson in Lost in Space, and Brigitta von Trapp in The Sound of Music--Angela Cartwright may have been the most successful young actor of the 1960s. Born in Cheshire, England, but raised in Los Angeles, Angela and her sister Veronica entered show business at a young age. In fact, Angela was just three-years-old when she appeared in Somebody Up There Likes Me starring Paul Newman. Over the years, she has modeled, acted on stage, and opened an "eclectic store" called Rubber Boots. However, she is best known as an accomplished photographer and artist. She took time out of her packed schedule to drop by the Café for a chat.

Angela as Linda Williams on
The Danny Thomas Show.

Café:  The rapport between your character, Linda Williams, and her stepfather (played by Danny Thomas) seemed incredibly natural on The Danny Thomas Show. How would you describe your real-life relationship with Danny Thomas while making the series?

Angela Cartwright: I thought Danny was hilarious and he was always cracking me up. He was loud and gregarious, nothing like my real Dad who is far more reserved than that. So, it was fun to be able to make smart remarks and get away with it. I would never have talked to my real parents that way, but in the make-believe world of the Williams family I got away with that.

Café:  Your web site includes some delightful photos of Angela Cartwright toys, such as a jigsaw puzzle, a "Buttons 'n Bows" game, and a doll that came in three sizes. What was your first reaction when you saw the "Angela Cartwright" dolls?

AC:  I was pretty young to remember my exact reaction, but what little girl wouldn't want a doll made in her likeness? I never thought the Linda doll looked an awful lot like me though, but it was cool that the Linda doll came in three different sizes. One was even big enough that she walked with you. Madame Alexander also made two Brigitta, Sound of Music dolls and they were also favorites of mine. I especially liked the one in the sailor suit carrying a book.

Café:  What was it like to be reunited with The Danny Thomas Show cast when you returned six years later for Make Room for Granddaddy (1970-71)?

AC:  I loved it. The Danny Thomas Show had ended six years prior. In the interim, I made The Sound of Music, I played Penny in Lost In Space, I made various TV guest appearances and commercials, and modeled in Europe. I returned home to appear on the Granddaddy show. Life was good…I loved the fantastic guest stars we had on the show and I was older now, so I learned from the experience. Even though we were plagued with the Writer’s (Guild) strike in 1970, it was still a good year.

Angela as Brigitta in The Sound of Music.

Café:  How did you come to be cast in The Sound of Music?

AC:  I went on an interview for the part of Brigitta. I was still filming The Danny Thomas Show, but I knew the series was coming to an end. After several auditions, I was the first von Trapp cast. I asked Danny Thomas if he would let me out of my contract so I could be in the movie and he was very gracious to let me out of the last show of the season. He didn’t have to do that and I am very grateful he did.

Café:  What are some of your favorite memories of making The Sound of Music?

AC:  I was thrilled to get the part of Brigitta and I totally enjoyed making The Sound of Music. Singing and dancing and playing with other kids while running around Salzburg, Austria, with Julie Andrews was a fantastic experience. How could you not enjoy that? Being turned over in a rowboat was certainly a memorable experience…I can just remember wanting to get out of the water as soon as I could because there were leeches on the bottom of the pond. The sights, the sounds and the foods of Salzburg made the whole experience magical. It is an honor to be in a film that has touched so many people.

Café:  What were some of the challenges of making a science fiction series like Lost in Space in the 1960s?

AC:  I did enjoy playing the part of Penny Robinson. I thought how exciting it would be to portray a family in space exploring new worlds and encountering aliens. The challenge was trying to make an hour show in eight days with special effects and long scenes. It was grinding work, but we must have done something right to have such a following and love of the show decades later.

As Penny Robinson in "My Friend,
Mr. Nobody" (Season 1, Ep 8).

Café:  What was your favorite Lost in Space episode and why?

AC:  "My Friend, Mr. Nobody" was my favorite episode. I love the black and white film noir feel to it. I loved the message it had...though I remember it was challenging to talk to "no one" through the whole episode.

Café:   You seem to have maintained enduring relationships with the real-life performers in your TV and film families:  the Williams’s, the Robinsons, and the von Trapps. That's unusual in show business. What is the secret to your success?

AC:  Friendships need to be nurtured. It was important to me to maintain the close relationships I had forged while working in film and television. I nurtured those relationships as I have in my personal life, and made it a point to keep in touch.

Café:  What led to your interest in photography? When did you open the Angela Cartwright Studio?

AC:  I love photographs and have since I was a small child and it was my Dad who started taking photographs. I always loved fashion and design. I would take photos of my friends in their latest outfits and then develop the photos and print them in my Dad’s darkroom in the garage. That love of photography has stayed with me all my life and I carried it into my art. The art I create is by taking my black and white photographs and hand painting them with oil paint or watercolors and other mediums. I also wrote a book about these techniques called Mixed Emulsions: Altered Art Techniques for Photographic Imagery. You can see my artwork here: http://acartwrightstudio.com 

I opened Angela Cartwright Studio a couple years ago when I designed my art wear line. Finally the technology was available for me to take my hand-painted photographs and transform them onto natural fabric to create art wear. Every piece is made to order here in the USA.  It’s all very exciting and the possibilities are endless.

"Bustling."

Café:  In addition to photography, you've painted, drawn sketches, and worked in other forms of art. If you could only work in one media and style, what would it be?

AC:  I would have to say give me a pen and paper and I will be very happy. My Dad was a terrific artist and I always wanted to sketch like he did…but his style was more realistic and mine is more "unruly." I break rules all the time. Art is one place you can do that with delightful consequences. 

"3 Portals."

Café:  You're incredibly busy with your artwork and web sites and somehow even found time to contribute to last year's publication of The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook. What's on your horizon that you'd like to share with Café readers?

AC: There is an exciting new project I am working on that I can’t talk about yet. Let’s just say it has been a phenomenal experience.  It is due for release in 2014 and as soon as I can spill the beans I will on Facebook, Twitter, and my blog. Better yet, sign up on my mailing list on my website if you want to be the first to know all the latest. 

I would like to tell all the Sound of Music fans that we have some limited editions of The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook that are signed by the seven film von Trapp kids. If you are a fan of the movie, you will love this book because it tells our story about making the movie. We have filled the book with never-before seen photographs from our personal photo albums and included some of our home movies taken on location in Austria. You can buy the signed version at our website. We also have a Facebook page. With the 50^th Anniversary of The Sound of Music on the horizon, I am sure there will be some exciting events on the horizon so I hope you will visit us.

You can "like" Angela Cartwright on Facebook www.facebook.com/acartwrightstudio and follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/acstudio. You can also visit her web sites:

art studio:......... http://acartwrightstudio.com
art wear:........... http://angelacartwrightstudio.com
showbiz:........... http://angela-cartwright.com

The Top Five Hit Songs of the 1970s--Sung by TV Stars!

It's not uncommon for a television performer to use the popularity of his or her TV series as the springboard for a music career. Ricky Nelson may be the most famous, but there have been numerous others. Lorne Greene scored a surprising #1 hit with 1964's "Ringo," a song about a legendary gunfighter (technically, Lorne spoke most of the words). In the 1980s, at the height of Moonlighting, Bruce Willis had a hit with his cover of the Staple Singers' Respect Yourself. And, of course, stars of daytime dramas encountered great success on the charts in the 1980s. General Hospital heartthrobs Rick Springfield ("Jessie's Girl") and Jack Wagner ("All I Need") notched several hits, while Michael Damian from The Young and the Restless topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989 with "Rock On."

Still, the best decade for TV stars-turned-pop-singers remains the 1970s. So, without further ado, here are our picks for the five biggest hit songs of the 1970s--that were sung by TV stars.

The whole family appeared on the single,
though only two sang on it.

1. I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family. Hey, so what are you so afraid of? Although The Partridge Family TV series was never a huge hit, this song--played twice on the show--went to #1 in 1970. Its success was no doubt helped by David Cassidy's immense popularity among teenage girls. Actually, he and his stepmother Shirley Jones were the only members of TV's Partridge Family to sing on the single. The "Partridge Family" produced several follow-up hits such as "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" and "I Woke Up in Love This Morning."

2. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia - Vicki Lawrence. Best known for her comedic talents on The Carol Burnett Show (and later Mama's Family), Vicki Lawrence became a one-hit wonder when she recorded Night in 1972. The song was written by her then-husand Bobby Ross, who first offered it to Cher. The story of the "night they hung an innocent man" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold a million copies.

An odd cover--David's hair doesn't
even look blonde!

3. Don't Give Up on Us - David Soul.  The blonde-haired star of Starsky and Hutch crooned this soulful ballad in 1976. It unexpectedly became a worldwide smash, reaching #1 in both the U.S. and Great Britain. While he had several other big hits on the British charts, he never cracked the Top 40 again in the U.S.

4. Da Do Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy. The Crystals first scored a hit with "Da Do Ron Ron" in 1963. Shaun Cassidy--Shirley Jones' son and David Cassidy's stepbrother--recorded it for his self-titled album, which was released in Europe in 1976. By the time the catchy ditty hit U.S. airwaves in 1977, Shaun was starring in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. (Shaun played teen sleuth Joe Hardy, with Parker Stevenson as his brother Frank). Cassidy had two other Top 10 hits that same year with "That's Rock 'n' Roll" and "Hey Deanie" (both songs were written by Eric Carmen of "All By Myself" fame).

Trying to master that puppy-dog look...

5. Let Her In - John Travolta. Two years before Grease and while he was still a Sweathog on Welcome Back, Kotter, John Travolta released several singles. None of them gained any traction until the treacly Let Her In went to #9. Travolta had two minor hits that peaked in the 30s before he teamed up with Olivia Newton-John on the Grease #1 smash "You're the One That I Want."

Got a favorite 1970s song--sung by a TV star--that I omitted? If so, please let me know!

The Seven Best Ray Harryhausen Movies (because we couldn't stop at five!)

Harryhausen and some of his models.

Ray Harryhausen, cinema's undisputed master of stop-motion special effects, worked on his first feaure-length film in 1949. Under the tutelage of King Kong's special effects wiz Willis O'Brien, Harryhausen did much of the stop-motion animation for Mighty Joe Young, which won an Academy Award for its special effects. Harryhausen went on to create an amazing gallery of life-like creatures. In the 1950s, he developed a process called Dynamation which allowed rear-projection footage of live actors to be synchronized and filmed with his stop-motion creatures. The results were some of the most incredible special effects in motion picture history.

Ray Harryhausen died yesterday at the age of 92. As a tribute, here are our picks for his seven best films:

1. Jason and the Argonauts. The first 45 minutes establishes the backstory for this version of the Greek myth about the Golden Fleece. It's all quite well done, but once our heroes set foot on the island of Bronze, the movie becomes a magical experience, courtesy of Harryhausen's sensational special effects. Every fan has their favorite Harryhausen sequence, but my top two are both from Jason: the capture of the winged Harpies and Jason's dual with the "dragon's teeth"--or as I call it--the breath-taking swordfight with the skeletons.

2. The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad. This colorful Arabian nights' adventure has Sinbad (Kerwin Matthews) fighting a two-head roc, a dragon, a skeleton, a four-armed siren, and a cyclops. Plus, Kathryn Grant's princess gets "reduced" to palm size by Torin Thatcher's evil magician. The skeleton fight is terrific--though Harryhausen one-upped himself with the skeleton army in Jason and the Argonauts.


Battling the giant crab in Mysterious Island.

3. Mysterious Island. Union soldiers escape from a Confederate camp, steal a hot air balloon, and wind up on the title island in this adaptation of Jules Vernes' novel. On the island, they encounter a giant crab, giant bees, a giant chicken (actually a prehistoric bird), and a squid-like creature. This film also features Capatin Nemo's submarine, the Nautilus, and an erupting volcano.

4. First Men in the Moon. This entertaining tale of a Victorian space voyage to the Moon is a questionable choice on this list--if one goes strictly by the quantity of Harryhausen's special effects. There are few spectacular set pieces in this H.G. Wells fantasy, but the film is well-made and nicely acted, almost on par with Mysterious Island.

5. One Million Years B.C. Raquel Welch in a fur bikini made the movie famous, but Harryhausen's dinosaurs are what make it memorable. The battle between the Ceratosaurus and the Triceratops is a highlight, although the winged Pterosaur that snatches Raquel is almost as impressive.


The grown-up Ymir.

6. 20 Million Miles to Earth. A spaceship returning from Venus brings back a specimen, a small reptilian creature called a Ymir. Unfortunately, the Ymir starts growing...and growing...and then goes on a rampage. The climax finds the 20-foot tall Ymir in a showdown with military forces atop Rome's Colosseum.

 

7. It Came from Beneath the Sea. A giant octopus wreaks havoc, culminating in an incredible sequence where it destroys San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. In his highly-entertaining Film Fantasy Scrapbook, Harryhausen points out that the octopus is actually a sexopus. Due to budgetary constraints, it only has six tentacles!

Honorable Mentions: Earth vs. the Flying Saucers; The Golden Voyage of Sinbad; and The Valley of Gwangi.

"Z" for Zorro--Tyrone Power's 1940 Version

Tyrone Power in full Zorro guise.

For me, Errol Flynn dominated the swashbuckler genre from his appearance in Captain Blood (1935) through Against All Flags (1952). However, I freely admit that I can't envision him as the lead in one of the best swashbuckler pictures of that period. Simply put, The Mark of Zorro is not a Flynn vehicle--but it fits Tyrone Power like a glove...or rather, a black mask with holes for the eyes.

There may be some of you that argue The Mark of Zorro isn't really a swashbuckler film at all. You would be wrong, of course. The setting may be Los Angeles in the early 19th century, but the plot and sword fights are straight out of Sherwood Forest with perhaps a dash of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Power plays Diego de Vega, a Spanish officer-in-training known for his prowess with a sword and his cocky attitude (due to his American upbringing, his nickname is the California Cockerel). When Diego's father suddenly calls him back to California, the dispirited young man tells his friends: "Think of me in the land of gentle missions, happy peons, sleepy caballeros, and everlasting boredom."

Diego playing the aristocratic dandy.

Of course, shortly after his arrival back home, Diego learns that things have changed for the worse. A greedy buffoon has replaced his father as alcalde (i.e., magistrate), the cruel Captain Pasquale mistreats the villagers, and taxes are high and going higher. Assessing the situation quickly, Diego decides to play the role of an aristocratic fop more interested in fabrics, scents, and lotions than politics. His deceit not only fools the alcalde and Pasquale, but also Diego's parents. Meanwhile, the young Spaniard dons a black mask and takes up the people's cause as the defiant Zorro--who steals from the rich and distributes the gold to the villagers through the local padre (Eugene Pallette).

No, Eugene Pallette is not playing Friar Tuck!

Although based on Johnston McCulley's serialized 1919 novel The Curse of Capistrano, The Mark of Zorro is highly derivative. The premise of a bold hero disguised as a fop has appeared in numerous literary works, most notably Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel. Not only is the plot lifted from the Robin Hood legend, but whole scenes are strongly reminiscent of The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), such as robbing the coach, appearing on his love's balcony, and the climatic sword duel with--yes--Basil Rathbone. I would also be remiss to not mention Douglas Fairbanks' splendid 1920 silent Mark of Zorro, which undoubtedly provided the impetus for this remake.

Power and Rathbone cross swords.

Yet, while The Mark of Zorro lacks originality, it is executed with flair (underlined by Alfred Newman's rousing Oscar-nominated music score). I disagree with Leslie Halliwell, one of my favorite film critics, who wrote in Halliwell's Harvest that Diego is "unsatisfactorily played by a chubby young Tyrone Power, who simply can't manage, without unseemly grimaces, the elements of self-mockery which came so easily to Errol Flynn." I think Power is well-cast as both the effeminate Diego and the robust Zorro. He certainly handles a sword well, with the big showdown opposite Rathbone (a fine fencer in real life) ranking as the film's highlight.

Linda Darnell dressed in black and white.

The rest of the cast lends solid support, except for the lovely Linda Darnell. Granted, her role is barely developed as the film's heroine (in contrast to Merle Oberon's prominent role in the 1934 Scarlet Pimpernel). My chief complaint is that her line readings simply sound too contemporary. Perhaps, it was just a young actress still learning her craft--this was easily her biggest part to date.

Michael Curtiz might have directed a more lively film, but Rouben Mamoulian adds his own distinctive touches. His use of deep black contrasted against white is highly effective, especially when Zorro makes his first appearance--dressed head to foot in black aboard his black stallion as he rides swiftly through a sleepy village filled with drab off-white colors. (I have no idea why Fox bothered to colorize the film for one of its DVD releases, thereby ruining Mamoulian's photography.)

The success of The Mark of Zorro led to other action hero roles for Power (e.g., Captain from Castille, Prince of Foxes, The Black Rose). Zorro continued to be a popular character and has been played by: Guy Williams (in a Walt Disney TV series); Frank Langella (in a made-for-TV movie); George Hamilton (in a spoof); Antonio Banderas; and others.

Farewell, My Falcon

Raymond Chandler--the creator of Philip Marlowe, one of literature's great detectives--signed a contract in 1941 for RKO to film his novel Farewell, My Lovely. The price: $2000. According to Frank McShane's The Life of Raymond Chandler, it was a decision the writer later regretted, blaming the "unparalleled stupidity on the part of my New York agent."

Even worse, RKO took Chandler's now-acclaimed novel and adapted it as The Falcon Takes Over (1942), a "B" detective film. It was the third entry in the Falcon film series, based on a gentleman detective created by Michael Arlen in a 1940 short story. In fact, the film's opening credits state the screenplay was "based on the character created by Michael Arlen" and then in smaller letters, it includes "From the novel Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler."


George Sanders as The Falcon,
with Lynn Bari.

Surprisingly, the plot adheres pretty closely to Chandler's novel with a big lug named Moose Malloy (Ward Bond) looking for his girlfriend Velma. Moose has recently escaped from the state pen, where he spent five years taking the rap for Velma's boss. Now, he's mad--and that's neck-breaking bad news for anyone getting in his way. After Moose kills a nightclub owner, Gay Lawrence (George Sanders) takes an interest in the case, especially the whereabouts of Velma. He also becomes involved with an alleged necklace theft, a beautiful icy blonde, and a fake psychic. Since this is a plot devised by Raymond Chandler, one can rest assured that somehow it all ties together. (Chandler often interwove plots from previously-written short stories into his novels; for Farewell, My Lovely, the stories were "Try the Girl" and "Mandarin's Jade.")

For anyone who has read Chandler's novel or has seen the superior 1944 adaptation Murder, My Sweet, it's jarring to see George Sanders' upper-class detective filling in for Marlowe. Marlowe's cynical first-person narrative and the seedy settings have been replaced with lighthearted title music and a bumbling assistant named Goldy (Allen Jenkins) who provides comic relief.

Brothers Tom Conway and George
Sanders, with Jane Randolph.

Sanders, after five movies as The Saint--a similar character--and two as The Falcon, looks relatively bored. He would make one more Falcon movie, The Falcon's Brother, in which Gay Lawrence is killed off and replaced with his brother Tom Lawrence (played by Sanders' real-life brother Tom Conway). This clever idea was good news for Sanders' career and for The Falcon series, which improved with Tom Conway and produced a low-budget gem with The Falcon and the Co-eds.

Why didn't Helen Gilbert
get better roles?

Still, at 65 minutes, The Falcon Takes Over is a watchable mystery and features good performances from Ward Bond as Moose and Helen Gilbert as the chilly Diana Kenyon. Judging from this film alone, it's surprising that Gilbert didn't get better parts. Although she appeared in major film series like Andy Hardy and Dr. Kildare, her career stalled after the mid-1940s, although she made a handful of television appearances in the 1950s.

The supporting cast in The Falcon Takes Over also includes Turhan Bey as the fake psychic (foreshadowing his role in The Amazing Mr. X), James Gleason as a police detective, and Hans Conrad (who is unbilled).

A third version of Farewell, My Lovely (with that title, for a change) appeared in 1975 with Robert Mitchum as Marlowe. It earned generally positive reviews, although I was less enthused, principally because Mitchum seemed at least a decade too old to be playing Chandler's detective.

Julie Adams Chats with the Café about James Stewart, the Gill Man, Elvis, and Her Autobiography

Julie Adams' amazing career as a film and television actress has spanned six decades. She worked with screen legends such as James Stewart, Rock Hudson, Angela Lansbury, William Powell, and even Elvis Presley. Her most famous leading man was the tall,
silent--and wet--type, the Creature from the Black Lagoon. In 2011, she wrote her autobiography, with son Mitchell Danton, The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections from the Black Lagoon. Ms. Adams is currently on a book tour, but took time out of her schedule to talk with the Café.

Café: You co-starred with James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, and Rock Hudson in one of the finest Westerns of the 1950s: Bend of the River. What was it like working with that all-star cast and director Anthony Mann?

Julie Adams and Arthur Kennedy in
Bend of the River.

Julie Adams: Some of my fondest Hollywood memories came from acting in Bend of the River. Working with James Stewart was an incredible learning experience for me; he was such a fine screen actor. Arthur Kennedy was also a real pro. He had a great deal of stage experience and that brought a unique acting style to the ensemble. Rock Hudson and I became pals and later co-starred in another one of my favorites, The Lawless Breed. I also became friends with Lori Nelson, a lovely young actress. Today, we share a bond through the Creature trilogy of films. Lori played the Gill Man's object of desire in the second movie, Revenge of the Creature. I also loved working with director Anthony Mann, who had great energy. It was an action picture, so his upbeat nature brought a good tempo. We all enjoyed working with him. There was a sense of unity in trying to make the movie good.

Café: Nineteen years later, you played James Stewart's wife on the television sitcom The Jimmy Stewart Show. How did you come to be cast in that role?

James Stewart and Julie Adams
in The Jimmy Stewart Show.

JA: As I recall, a lot of women read for the role of Martha Howard, the wife of Professor James K. Howard (Jimmy Stewart). The day I tested for the part with Jimmy, I brought into play my genuine friendship and admiration I had for him as a person. I think that came through on the screen; we had nice chemistry together. After the screen test, he gave me a little nod and as I walked back to my dressing room I thought: "I think I have this part!" I was so thrilled. The show was not a success, and only lasted 24 episodes. But, as I've often said: "My idea of heaven was going to work with Jimmy Stewart every day for six months." 

Café: You're probably asked this a lot, but what do you remember most fondly about Creature from the Black Lagoon?

One of the most famous stills
in 1950s science fiction cinema.

JA: I think it was all of the creative people who worked on the movie. Jack Arnold did a magnificent job directing, making a fantastic story believable. Makeup artists Bud Westmore and Jack Kevan were great friends and so very talented. The look of the Creature still captivates audiences today. I also became good friends with Ben Chapman and Ricou Browning, the men who portrayed the Creature on land and underwater. Of course, Richard Carlson and Richard Denning are compelling as two of the lead scientists on the expedition. The astonishing afterlife of this film never ceases to amaze me. I'm proud that it has entertained so many movie fans for so long.

Café: You began your career while there was still a "studio system" that groomed stars. Do you think the demise of the studio system was a good thing or a bad thing?

JA: I know several actors who had varied experiences with the "studio system." For me, it was a chance to work a lot and establish a name for myself in the movies. I had virtually no contacts when I came to Hollywood, and having a home base at Universal was a wonderful thing for me. I got to work with movie stars that I never would have even met were it not for the studio system. I'm not sure if its demise was a good or bad thing. Personally, I think it's harder for newcomers to establish themselves these days without the resources of a major studio behind them.

Julie Adams and Elvis Presley
in Tickle Me.

Café: You starred opposite Elvis Presley in Tickle Me (1965), once describing the plot as "the reverse of a boss chasing the secretary around the desk." What was your impression of Elvis as an actor? 

JA: Despite his status as a superstar singer and stage performer, Elvis took his acting very seriously. He was always prepared, and did a good job in the roles he was given. When he did his musical numbers in Tickle Me, sometimes walking from table to table in a nightclub set, he did them perfectly in one take! 

Café: You guest-starred in some of the most memorable TV series of the 1960s, from Perry Mason to Alfred Hitchcock Presents to 77 Sunset Strip. If you had to name one favorite, what would it be?

JA: I loved working on all of them, but the one that stands out for me is Perry Mason. I guest-starred in four episodes between 1963 and 1965. Fans still remember one of my episodes vividly: "The Case of the Deadly Verdict," which is said to be the only case Perry Mason ever lost. I've gotten a lot of fan mail about that one, which is wonderful. I also thought Raymond Burr was one of the finest actors on television at that time, so working with him was always a pleasure.

Adams as Eve Simpson in
Murder, She Wrote.

Café: You played real estate agent Eve Simpson in several episodes of Murder, She Wrote. What was it like working on that show with Angela Lansbury?

JA: My character, Eve, was quite eccentric. She liked money and she liked men, and I had a lot of fun playing her. Eve would often say something outlandish that would leave Angela's character, Jessica Fletcher, speechless. Of course, Angela was a joy to work with. Playing comedy with an actress of her caliber was like driving in a fast car without the danger. I felt like I always had to be at the top of my game when I was playing a scene with her. I feel blessed to have had an opportunity to play a part on her hit show, Murder, She Wrote.

Café: How would you describe the experience of writing your autobiography The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections from the Black Lagoon?

JA: It was a lot of work putting my life story into words, but I enjoyed reliving the memories from my long career. Working with my son on the book was a lot of fun. He helped me research some of the lesser known projects I was involved with. The book is also filled lots of photographs that help bring the story to life for the reader. It has been rewarding that people who have read the book have enjoyed it. That is the greatest gift of all!

Café: John Wayne, William Powell, Rock Hudson, Tyrone Power--you've worked with many of the most famous actors of the classic film era. Excluding James Stewart (we know he's a favorite), what actors did you most enjoy working with and why?

Rock Hudson and Adams in
The Lawless Breed.

JA: Rock Hudson and Tyrone Power were so great, each in their own way. Rock and I were about the same age, and many of the leading men I worked with were a decade or more older than me. So when Rock and I got to star in a movie together, The Lawless Breed, it was like the kids had taken over the candy store. I must confess that we goofed around a bit between takes, but I think our friendship and fondness for each other came though on the screen. Tyrone was a thrill to work with on The Mississippi Gambler. He was a real movie star, and when he walked on the set, it was as if a row of flood lights had been turned on. He just radiated charm and charisma. Despite being such a big star, he made everyone on the set feel at ease, which was so wonderful. We lost both of these handsome and talented leading men much too soon.

Piper Laurie, Tyrone Powers, and Julie
Adams in The Mississippi Gambler.

Café : You keep a busy schedule with your appearances at movie conventions and signing copies of your book. Are there any upcoming events you'd like to share with our readers?

JA: These events come out of the blue sometimes, but two that I've booked months in advance are the San Jose Super Toy and Comic Book Show (August 17) and Spooky Empire in Orlando, Florida (October 25-27). Ricou Browning (who portrayed the Creature underwater) will be at Spooky Empire as well, which should be exciting for fans of Creature from the Black Lagoon.

You can learn about Julie Adams and order signed (or unsigned) copies of The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections from the Black Lagoon at www.julieadams.biz. You can also "friend" Julie on her Facebook page.

We Describe the Movie...You Name It!

This is our 4th edition of this type of quiz. The rules are easy: Name each film below based on our vague description. Be sure to include the question number with your response. Please don't answer all the questions so others can play, too. There is one film that is the single best answer to each description.

1. Young man falls in love with his aunt (!)...but he doesn't trust her.

2. At the snap of one's fingers, a klutz becomes a master swordsman.

3. Newlyweds have trouble leaving town; the groom shoots people at the climax.

4. Young girl displays unique talent of spinning her head 180 degrees.

5. Compelling evidence that the 1968 Mustang had good shock absorbers.

6. Newlywed can't get along with the head of the housekeeping staff.

7. A bottle of 1934 Pommard.

8. Woman learns about men by reading a dog training book.

9. Don't take that brain!

10. That lovely green dress...kinda looks like your old curtains!

11. The only film in cinema history featuring a mermaid and a motorcycle gang.

12. Guy tells girlfriend not to fall asleep, but then she does and he gets really upset!

13. Milady Soap: "The soap that sanctifies."

14. Happy Soap. (Two soap questions...what a squeaky clean quiz!)

15. And in a powerful scene, a man tries to pawn his typewriter.

John Frankenheimer: Interviews, Essays, and Profiles

In his new book John Frankenheimer: Interviews, Essays, and Profiles, editor Stephen B. Armstrong lets his subject largely speak for himself. The result is a fascinating look inside the mind of a filmmaker whose career ranged from bonafide classics--such as The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days in May--to unmitigated disasters. Frankenheimer discusses his work in unflinching terms, defending some critical failures (e.g., Prophecy) while acknowledging that others were made to pay the bills (e.g., The Extraordinary Seaman). His realistic approach to his craft can be summarized in this marvelous quote: "Every movie you make is a compromise."

Twenty-six of the thirty-one chapters are either interviews with Frankenheimer or essays penned by the director. The remaining five chapters are written by Frankenheimer's family, colleagues, and the editor. Armstrong has done a masterful job in selecting the articles, which were originally published between 1964 and 2010. The chronology of the articles allows the reader to learn how the acclaimed director viewed his films at different points in his life.

Frankenheimer fondly discusses his early career in live television in several articles ("I look back on that as the highlight of my life"). He directed over 125 television dramas, earning Emmy nominations for five consecutive years, starting in 1956. In this "Golden Age of Television," he worked with established stars (Robert Mitchum, Claudette Colbert, James Mason, etc.) and actors destined to become stars (e.g., Paul Newman, Ben Gazzara, and Lee Marvin).

Frankenheimer was just 26 when he made his first theatrical film, The Young Stranger (1957), which he describes as "a lousy movie" and a terrible experience with the crew and studio. He credits David O. Selznick with reviving his interest in a theatrical film career. He and Selznick collaborated on the script for F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night (which Selznick abandoned). After making The Young Savages in 1961, the first of five films with Burt Lancaster, Frankenheimer directed Birdman of Alcatraz and The Manchurian Candidate (both 1962)--and sealed his place among the great directors of the 1960s.

Lansbury as one of cinema's worst mothers.

Some of Frankenheimer's best anecdotes focus on the casting choices in his films. Frank Sinatra wanted Lucille Ball to play the maternal role made famous by Angela Lansbury in The Manchurian Candidate. In Seven Days in May,  Frankenheimer originally wanted Paul Newman to play Colonel Jiggs Casey with Kirk Douglas as the scheming General James Mattoon Scott. Douglas eventually played Casey instead and Burt Lancaster gave one of his best performances as Scott. The race-car drama Grand Prix was written for Steve McQueen and James Garner was cast only because McQueen was unavailable. And in Seconds, Frankenheimer had convinced Laurence Olivier to play both the old and "young" versions of the film's protagonist. When the studio insisted on Rock Hudson as the star, the director decided to cast two actors, with John Randolph playing the middle-aged Arthur Hamilton and Hudson as the transformed Hamilton.

Burt Lancaster in Birdman of
Alcatraz.

Frankenheimer excels at capturing the frustrations and challenges of making movies. For example, his 1971 film, The Impossible Object starring Alan Bates, was never released. Even Birdman of Alcatraz proved to be a difficult shoot. Frankenheimer reveals that the first cut ran four hours and ten minutes, with the birds not appearing for the first two hours. Deciding that there was no way to cut the film, Frankenheimer convinced the producer to let him rewrite and reshoot the first half: "We put the film together and it is what it is. But we shot (it) one and a half times."

Editor Stephen B. Armstrong, a professor at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, includes a comprehensive filmography, a bibliography, and an index. His book is a must for any library with a film reference collection and for anyone interested in what goes on behind the scenes in the making of a motion picture.


Scarecrow Press, an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield, provided the Cafe with a review copy of this book.

Bad Movie Theatre: Liz and Dick in "The Sandpiper"

Richard Burton dominated the silver screen in the mid-1960s, delivering several of his finest performances in films such as: The Night of the Iguana (1964); Becket (1964); The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966); and The Taming of the Shrew (1967).

Then there’s The Sandpiper.

After the disappointing Cleopatra and the banal The V.I.P.s, Burton and then-wife Elizabeth Taylor were due for a successful pairing. Unfortunately, they chose a mushy, poorly-written soap set in Big Sur. Perhaps, they just wanted an expense-paid vacation on the beach.

Liz plays Laura Reynolds, a free-spirited artist who lives in an ocean-front cabin with Danny, her nine-year-old son. The home-schooled Danny has “issues” that prompt Judge Thompson (Torin Thatcher) to place the boy in a boarding school run by Episcopalian priest Dr. Edward Hewitt (Burton).  Laura and Edward clash immediately, with her shouting that Danny is “a healthy normal boy who hasn’t been brainwashed yet.” Keep in mind that this is the same lad who went before Judge Thompson three times for offenses such as killing a yearling.

From their first meeting, it’s apparent that the married Edward is very interested in the young, single mother. Even Laura’s beatnik friend (Charles Bronson) notices Edward’s frequent gazes when he asks her: “Are you gonna seduce him?” Still miffed at having her son taken away, she retorts: “It would serve him right if I did.”

Along the way, though, she falls in love with Edward and the couple spends a blissful week cavorting on the beach. Are we supposed to feel happy for these characters and then sad when—inevitably—they are torn apart? Surely not, because Edward is cheating on his dutiful wife (Eva Marie Saint) and devoted mother Laura seems to have forgotten about her son. Indeed, the weakest aspect of The Sandpiper is that it’s built around two characters that never gain audience sympathy.

The poster makes the film look steamier that it is.

The film’s failure is surprising given its pedigree. Vincente Minnelli directed from a script written by former blacklisted writers Dalton Trumbo (Spartacus) and Michael Wilson (Lawrence of Arabia). One can blame them for the dreadful pacing and the stilted dialogue (poor Robert Webber has to end almost every sentence with “baby” to show he’s a “player”). 

Still, everyone involved in The Sandpiper needs to share the blame for the general air of disinterest and gaps in logic. For example, Laura and Edward are having a clandestine affair, but gaze lovingly at each other in a local, very public restaurant. Laura’s “shack” on the beach turns out to be a charming private cabin with an amazing view—perfect for a starving artist. Finally, I assume that the little bird (a sandpiper) with a broken wing was supposed to be symbolic—though I’m not sure what of.

As for the cast, Burton walks through his role and Liz alternates between being mellow (in a groovy way) and going into histrionic mode. Eva Marie Saint isn’t in enough of the movie to make a difference. Charles Bronson probably comes off best as Liz’s cynical fellow artist (supposedly, Liz wanted Sammy Davis, Jr. cast in that role).

The Flight of the Sandpiper, as it was originally called, was intended as a vehicle for Kim Novak. She allegedly had a falling out with producer Martin Ransohoff, but it also could be that she felt the ill-fated affair plotline was too similar to her earlier (and far better) film Strangers When We Meet (1960).

Of course, before I dismiss The Sandpiper altogether, I need to point out that it received a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Original Song with “The Shadow of Your Smile.” It beat out “What’s New, Pussycat” and “I Will Wait for You” (from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg). It just goes to show that watching a bad movie can be like panning for gold. There may be a lot of wet sand, but sometimes there’s a nice little nugget hiding in there.

James Cagney Blogathon: Roles Cagney Turned Down

How James Cagney might have looked in
The Adventures of Robin Hood.

The history of cinema is filled with movies not made and actors who turned down intriguing roles. Once he achieved stardom, James Cagney got typecast in tough-guy roles--but he was always looking for characters that stretched him as a performer. Ironically, many of the parts he turned down were ones made famous by other actors.

The most famous role that Cagney rejected was the one that cemented Errol Flynn's superstar status: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). I have great difficulty imagining the 5' 6" Cagney as the charismatic bandit of Sherwood Forest. Warner Bros., though, considered him seriously after the success of its all-star A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), which featured Cagney as Bottom (and also Olivia de Havilland, destined to be cast as Maid Marion). Cagney as Robin Hood was a risk, but Warner Bros. was willing to gamble on a career-changing performance. The studio soon began developing a treatment for its Sherwood Forest tale, which would have co-starred Guy Kibbee as Friar Tuck.

However, Warner Bros. became concerned after learning rival studio MGM planned to make a Robin Hood operetta with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. That production never came to fruition, but it delayed the Warners version. Meanwhile, Cagney sued Warner Bros. in 1935 for breach of contract, a lengthy lawsuit eventually won by the actor. By the time Cagney returned to the studio in 1938, Flynn--who had scored big hits with Captain Blood and The Charge of the Light Brigade--was attached to The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Here's a quick look at other films that could have starred James Cagney:

Lady for a Day (1933). The role of Dave the Dude was originally written with Robert Montgomery in mind. When he wasn't available, Frank Capra considered James Cagney and William Powell. The part eventually went to Warren William (shown on left with May Robson as Apple Annie).

At one time, Cagney was attached to a film called The Padre about an unconventional priest. When he nixed the idea, the film became Going My Way. It earned star Bing Crosby an Academy Award for Best Actor. One year later, he was nominated again for the same role in The Bells of St. Mary's.

Stanley Holloway as Mr. Doolittle.

Cagney retired from acting after appearing in Billy Wilder's 1961 comedy One Two Three. Three years later, he was offered the part of Eliza Doolittle's father, Alfred, in My Fair Lady. When Cagney declined, the role went to Stanley Holloway, who originated it on Broadway.

At the age of 74, Cagney turned down Harry and Tonto (1974), the story of an elderly man making a cross-country trek with his cat. Art Carney took the part and won an Oscar for Best Actor. Ironically, Cagney's last role was in the 1984 made-for-TV movie Terrible Joe Moran, which co-starred Carney.


According to Robert Osborne, James Cagney turned down the role of Vito Corleone in The Godfather; other sources claim he also declined to play Hyman Roth (Lee Strasberg) in The Godfather Part II.

One role James Cagney wanted, but did not get was the lead in Knute Rockne--All American. In a TCM article, Robert Osborne explained: "Notre Dame's administration had a say in who'd play their famous football leader and said 'no' to Cagney because of a stance he'd taken at the time on a controversial political matter."

Click here to check out all the posts in the James Cagney Blogathon hosted by The Movie Projector.

Annette Funicello Lights Up the Small Screen in The Mickey Mouse Club's "Annette"

Annette Funicello, one of our favorite stars at the Cafe, died today at age 70. In her honor, we're posting this 2009 review of her self-titled Mickey Mouse Club serial.

I first saw the The Mickey Mouse Club serial Annette when I was a youngster and then again in college (go figure). But I didn't become a true Annette Funicello fan until years later and, by that time, Annette was nowhere to be found. To my surprise and delight, it was released in 2008 as part of the Disney Treasures collectible DVD line.

The 19-part serial was originally shown in 1957-58 during the third season of The Mickey Mouse Club. Each installment ran for about 10 minutes, which means it took up over one-third of each Mickey Mouse Club episode. The serial’s premise was a familiar one: Annette is a country girl who goes to live with her aunt and uncle in the city; everyone likes her but a rich, snobby girl whose boyfriend seems interested in Annette! It's a flawed premise, of course...how could anyone not like Annette? Though she was only 14, her sweet disposition and sky-high likability quotient were already evident.

The cast is peppered with now-familiar faces: Richard Deacon (Leave It to Beaver, The Dick Van Dyke Show) as Annette’s uncle; Tim Considine (My Three Sons, Spin and Marty, The Hardy Boys) as love interest Steve; Roberta Shore (Betsy on The Virginian) as the mean girl; David Stollery (Spin and Marty) as nice guy Mike; Mary Pickes in her typical role as a meddler; and Shelley Fabares as one of Annette’s friends. Mousketeers Sharon Baird and Doreen Tracy also appeared in supporting roles.

While there are no musical production numbers in Annette, there are several songs integrated into natural settings: Roberta Shore sings at a teen party, Annette and David Stollery duet at the malt shop, Sharon Baird and Rudy Lee dance up a storm at a barbeque, etc. The surprise of the series, though, came when Annette sang a sweet Sherman Brothers tune called “How Will I Know My Love” standing in front of a mirror (and reprised on a hayride). An avalanche of fan mail followed and Disneyland Records eventually released “How Will I Know My Love” as a single.

Annette with David Stollery.

The Annette serial confirmed that Annette Funicello was quickly becoming a Disney star. One of her lastThe Shaggy Dog, which featured her Annette co-stars Tim Considine and Roberta Shore (as a friendly French girl this time). The rest of her career is, as we say, history.
supporting performances was in 1959’s

By the way, if you rent or buy the Annette serial on DVD, be sure to skip Chapter 1 “An Introduction.” It’s such a thorough “introduction” that it pretty much condenses the serial’s whole plot into a ten-minute summary!

What's the Movie? We Describe It...You Name It!

This is our 3rd edition of this type of quiz, so you probably know the drill. If not, well, the rules are easy: Name each film below based on our (rather) vague description. Be sure to include the question number with your response. Please don't answer all the questions so others can play, too. There is one film that is the single, best answer to each description.

1. Hitchhikers make good use of bed linens.

2. Man visits his best friend, Morgan, every night--but Morgan won't let the guy in the house.

3. Why is that glass of milk glowing?

4. Seawater ruins healthy plants.

5. Cake raffle goes all wrong!

6. Guys kidnap women--everyone falls in love.

7. Vip!

8. Don't belittle Raquel Welch in this movie.

9. Ah, the old postmaster-who's-a-homicidal-master-of-disguises trick!

10. Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

11. Dead man swimmingly narrates the film.

12. Young, single woman moves in with seven guys.

13. You can do more with mashed potatoes than just eat them!

14. On the one hand, there's love...

15. Irresistible impulse.

Douglas Sirk vs. Delmer Daves for the "King of the Movie Soaps" Title

OK, Douglas Sirk fans, I'm calling you out! It's not that I don't enjoy Douglas Sirk soaps like Imitation of Life and All That Heaven Allows. They're glossy, well-crafted, and entertaining. It's just that Sirk has been anointed as "King of Movie Soaps" (helped in large part by 2002's Far from Heaven, a classy Sirk homage which sparked renewed interest in his films). I'm contending that there's another director with a claim to the Movie Soap crown--and that's versatile writer-director and Stanford law school graduate Delmer Daves. So let's get down to this clash among movie soap titans (ignoring their work in other genres, of course):

Sirk's favorite leading man and Daves' principal star.

Round 1 - Daves did more with less in regard to his stars. For a leading man, Douglas Sirk had Rock Hudson...but Daves had Troy Donahue. While good-looking and likable, one could never confuse Troy with a good actor. Cinema history validated Rock as a genuine star and Troy, well, he pretty much faded after the 1960s. It's not a knockdown, but this round goes to Daves. (Of course, Sirk did use Troy as a bad boy in Imitation, but that doesn't count.)

Round 2 - Delmer Daves did a masterful job of integrating story locations into his films. The most lasting image from A Summer Place is of Troy and Sandra Dee holding each other passionately on the beach... desperately in love, aching to be together, trying to find a secret place to be alone...as the ocean splashes on the shores (OK, it's not From Here to Eternity, but it's still memorable). Likewise, the New England tobacco fields in Parrish and the stunning California coast of Susan Slade enhance these tales of young love. In contrast, it seems like the settings are incidental in Sirk's films, with the possible exception of Written on the Wind (and even then, most of the action takes place indoors).

Susan Slade: An example of Daves' integration of location.

Round 3 - Douglas Sirk used film like a canvas, skilfully employing color, framing, and objects to enhance character traits and themes. In Written on the Wind, Lauren Bacall's conservative character sports a wardrobe of muted colors while the "bad girl" (Dorothy Malone) drives a bright red car. At the end of the film, Malone's character--who has lost Rock to Lauren--clutches a phallic model oil well in her office. Delmer Daves' soaps are lushly photographed, but the nod here goes to Sirk.

Hudson and Bacall in muted colors in Written on the Wind.

Round 4 - No soap director used music better than Delmer, but then he had a great composer come up with great themes: Max Steiner's Theme from A Summer Place is still the best-selling instrumental of the rock'n'roll era and I'll never understand why Steiner's equally melodic love theme from Parrish seems to have been forgotten. Sirk, on the other hand, frequently employed Frank Skinner, whose scores ranged from lush (All That Heaven Allows) to mush (Magnificent Obsession).

Round 5 - Sirk's admirers claim that his soaps are rife with subtext: All That Heaven Allows is an indictment on social conformity; Imitation of Life takes aim at racial inequality, etc. Of course, one could make similar arguments for Daves' films: out-of-wedlock pregnancies play a key role in Parrish, A Summer Place, and Susan Slade. In the latter two films, the teenage mothers become social outcasts (societal conformance is so strong in Susan Slade that the pregnant girl's mother passes the child off as her own!). This is pretty much a draw, but I'll give the edge to Sirk because his films have garnered more documented critical acclaim--and even got the Criterion treatment.

Grant Williams worked for both directors.

Round 6 - Both directors were adept at peppering their films with great supporting actors. Sirk's soaps featured Agnes Moorehead, Juanita Moore, and Dan O'Herily. Delmer Daves had Dean Jagger, Dorothy Maguire, Lloyd Nolan, Dub Taylor, and Constance Ford. This round is a close one; we'll call it a draw. (Interestingly, in addition to Troy Donahue, both directors used Grant Williams. He played Conn White in Susan Slade and Biff Miley in Written on the Wind--gotta love those character names!)

If you've followed my scoring of this fight, it's three rounds to Delmer, two to Doug, and one tie. The winner--by decision--is Delmer Daves. He's now the undisputed "King of the Movie Soaps." It's a title he has long deserved. Anyone interested in staging a rematch? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts.