William Williams in Repeat Performance (1947)

Joan Leslie and Richard Basehart

Repeat Performance (1947) is unusual among film noirs. First, it blends elements of fantasy (namely time travel) with film noir. Second, among its characters is William Williams (played by Richard Basehart in his movie debut), a coded homosexual who is distinct in that he is portrayed somewhat sympathetically at a time when many coded homosexuals were portrayed as villains. 

Repeat Performance (1947) opens with actress Sheila Page (Joan Leslie), standing over the body of her dead husband, Barney (Louis Hayward). She flees to a party where she asks her friend William Williams for help. William suggests that they visit theatrical producer John Friday (Tom Conway) to seek his advice. As Sheila and William are going up to John's apartment, she suddenly finds herself thrown back in time to exactly a year ago, from New Year's Eve 1946 to New Year's Eve 1945. She then finds herself living 1946 again and seeking to change things for the better.

Repeat Performance (1947) was based on the 1942 novel of the same name by William O'Farrell. The novel differs a great deal from the book. In the book it is actor Barney Page who strangles to death his costar Fern Costello and is then forced to live the past year over. In the movie, Barney is a playwright and  he is killed by his wife Sheila Page. As to Sheila, in the book she is an alcoholic who committed suicide. William Williams is also dramatically different in the book. He is a mildly insane cross-dressing poet who goes by the name "William and Mary." For the movie, he remains a poet who apparently has some mental disorder, but he was changed from a crossdresser to a coded homosexual. For those unfamiliar, with queer coding, it is assigning traits stereotypically assumed to be queer to a character without coming out and saying that they character was queer. 

In Repeat Performance (1947), Williams Williams is Sheila's friend and close confidant. When she realizes she has killed Barney, it is to William she goes for help. Along with theatrical producer and friend John Friday, he is one of two people to whom Sheila confides that she believes she has jumped backwards in time. Overall, William is portrayed very sympathetically. He has a good deal of with and seems bemused by most situations. William is sensitive to the needs of others, so it is little wonder that Sheila confides in him. He is fiercely loyal to his friends, and stands by Shelia throughout the movie.  William is also a bit eccentric, and even claims to be "quite mad." In truth, as a poet who lives for his art, it might be more accurate to say that the is just little out of touch with the harsh realities of life. To wit, William has no difficulty accepting that Sheila travelled back in time or that Destiny may just guide people's lives. Despite his empathy for others, William may also be a bad judge of character in some cases.  He makes the mistake of accepting the patronage of Mrs. Eloise Shaw (Natalie Schafer), a rich woman who supports young male artists, presumably in expectation that she will get something in return. 

While William is largely portrayed sympathetically, to some degree William Williams conforms to a trope quite common from the Thirties well into the Seventies, where by homosexuality was related to mental illness. He tells Sheila very early in the film that he is "quite mad." Of course, here it must be kept in mind that homosexuality itself was considered a mental disorder in 1940s. It would even be included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a sociopathic personality disturbance when it was first published in 1952.  By the standards of the 1940s, William would have been considered mad simply because he was gay.

As it is, despite Willliam's claim to be "quite mad," he often seems to be the most reasonable person in Repeat Performance. While he is eventually committed to an insane asylum in the film, the circumstances under which this is done seem suspect to me. First, we are told that "it was Mrs. Shaw's fault" that William was committed. Earlier in the film, when Mrs. Shaw offers a concert tour to a pianist, she comments how some young talents she had "inspired" have been "ungrateful" while looking directly at William. It seems possible that Mrs. Shaw got William committed merely out of spite and that, despite William's claims, he really isn't crazy at all. Quite simply, as a homosexual (and possibly a poet as well), he was a victim of the times. 

While William may or may not be mad, in the end he is portrayed much more sympathetically than other coded homosexuals in movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood, to the point that it can be argued that he was one of the heroes of Repeat Performance (1947). His portrayal is certainly much more positive than that of other coded homosexuals in films from the era, from Joel Cairo in The Maltese Falcon (1941) to Waldo Lydecker in Laura (1944) to Brandon Shaw and Philip Morgan in Rope (1948). Even given the movies plays with the trope of homosexuals and mental illness, the portrayal of William Williams in the film was a small step forward for the portrayal of gay men in American films.

Sixty Years Ago Today "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones Hit No. 1 in the US

It was sixty years ago on this date that "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones hit no. 1 on the BillboardHot 100. It is certainly one of the all-time most popular Rolling Stones songs and it has been my favourite Rolling Stones song since childhood. I already did a somewhat in-depth post on the song years ago, so I won't repeat myself, but I would like to discuss something that wasn't really relevant at the time I made the original post.

Ever since I was a kid, I knew that "Paint It, Black" was about death. To be more precise, it is about someone whose love has died. While I loved the song, for most of my life I really couldn't identify with it. All of that changed on August 30, 2018. Immediately following Vanessa's death, I listened to "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones, as well as "I Don't Believe in Love" by Queensrÿche, "Gone Away" by The Offspring, and "Don't Go" by Matthew Sweet, on repeat. Quite simply, given the song is about loss and grief, I could identify with it in a way I had never been able to before in my life. Beyond the fact that it is an immensely listenable song, I have to think the fact that it is about loss and grief is the reason it has remained so popular. Quite simply, anyone who has gone through extreme grief can identify with the song.

Here's the official lyric video for "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones. I have to point out that they have one error with regards to the lyrics. The line is not "Don't wanna see the sun/Flyin' high in the sky," but rather "I wanna see the sun/Blotted out from the sky," which IMHO has a much darker connotation.

Godspeed James Handy

James Handy, who appeared in such films as Arachnophobia (1990) and The Rocketeer (1991), was murdered by the son of his girlfriend on June 3 at the age of 81.

James Handy was born in New York City on March 19, 1945. He began his acting career in the late 1970s. He made his television debut in two guest appearances on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. He made his movie debut in Taps in 1981. In the Eighties, he guest starred on such shows as Search for Tomorrow; CBS Schoolbreak Special; ABC Afternoon Specials; Spenser: For Hire; Our Family Honor; Cagney & Lacey; Popeye Doyle; Matlock; Stingray; Wiseguy; Hard Time on Planet Earth; Mancuso, FBI; Midnight Caller; and Equal Justice. He appeared in the mini-series Doubletake and A Dangerous Life.He appeared in the movies The Verdict (1982), Brighton Beach Murders (1986), Burglar (1987), Jake's M.O. (1987), Bird (1988), K-9 (1989), and Arachnophobia (1990).

In the Nineties, he appeared on the TV shows Equal Justice; Reasonable Doubts; The Young Riders; Quantum Leap; The Commish; The Fifth Corner; Angel Street; Wings; Civil Wars; Murder, She Wrote; The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles; Silk Stalkings; L.A. Law; Picket Fences; NYPD Blue; Under One Roof; Beverly Hills, 90120; Melrose Place; The X-Files; Walker, Texas Ranger; The Pretender; Promised Land; EZ Street; Law & Order; Early Edition; Dellaventura; Prey; Profiler; To Have and To Hold; ER; L.A. Doctors; Third Watch; and Gideon's Crossing. He appeared in the movies The Rocketeer (1991), Point of No Return (1993), Guarding Tess (1994), Rave Review (1994), Jumanji (1995), Murder in Mind (1997), Gang Related (1997), Every Dog Has His Day (1998), Deterrence (1999), and Unbreakable (2000).

In the Naughts, James Handy guest starred on the shows U.C.: Undercover; The West Wing; Becker; The Practice; Breaking News; Without a Trace; MDs; The Dead Zone; Crossing Jordan; E-Ring; Cold Case; Commander-in-Chief; Alias; The Closer; Smith; Raising the Bar; The Lynch Pin; Criminal Minds; Castle; and The Young and the Restless. He appeared in the movies 15 Minutes (2001), The Donor (2001), The Trip (2002), Ash Wednesday (2002), Rounds (2008), The Waiter (2010), and Lifted (2010).

In the Teens, James Handy appeared on the shows Touch; Vegas; CSI: NY; Rizzoli & Isles; Mulaney; Documentary Now!; and NCIS: Los Angeles. He appeared in the movies Logan (2017), Thru: The Hereafter Remains Unknown (2017), and Suburbicon (2017). In the 2020s, he appeared in the movies Senior Entourage (2021), Street to Table (2022), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). 

James Handy played a wide variety of roles, some of which were only on screen for mere moments. He played everything from priests to law enforcement officers to politicians. He was an FBI agent in The Rocketeer, the sarcastic county coroner Milt Briggs in Arachnophobia, and CIA director Arthur Devlin on the TV show Alias. Even when he was on screen briefly, James Handy made an impression. He was a fine actor who leaves behind a career filled with solid performances. 

Scroll Break: Instagram's Annoying New Feature

The past few years I have found myself complaining more and more about Instagram. Last night I observed something that gives me even more to complain about the platform. After only scrolling through four to five posts last night, the feed paused and there was this message reading, "Time for a break?  Pause for a moment and considering taking a break. Load more posts." If you click on "load more posts," it does exactly that.

Now I have to say if this message appeared after one had spent a straight half hour on the app, I wouldn't have too much of a problem with it. There are probably people who spend a half hour or more straight on the app and may well feel fatigued after doing so. The problem is that the message is appearing after only scrolling through a few posts and less than five minutes. For people like me who don't spend a whole lot of time scrolling through their feed, it can be annoying. 

To make matters worse, at the same time that I noticed the "Scroll break" message, I also noticed that my feed was slowing down after scrolling for a while and once or twice even froze. I have to think this is related to the "Scroll break" message, which makes things even more frustrating. Indeed, it can test my patience when dealing with Instagram.

I honestly hope this is only a test being rolled out to a few users and not a feature that Instagram has decided to make permanent. If it is test, I hope Instagram realizes it is a bad idea and does away with it. If it is a permanent feature, I hope they give users a way to turn it off. I also hope they fix the feed so it isn't lagging and even freezing up. 

As it is, this is just one more thing that makes me want to spend much less time on Instagram. The only reason I am still there is that I do manage accounts not my own and I have a lot of friends there. As it is, it seems to me that Meta almost has a death wish when it comes to Instagram, given the various things they have done to ruin the experience for many of us: an overemphasis on Reels; no longer saving posts to one's phone's gallery; removing the option to filter searches by "most recent;" altering the algorithm so that one's posts get far, far fewer views than in the past; changing the grid profile previews from squares to oblong rectangles that aggressively crop one's photos; and limiting hashtags on posts to a mere five. Honestly, if I didn't have friends on Instagram and didn't manage other accounts, I would just give up on it entirely.

Instagram used to be one of my favourite social media services. I posted up to two or three photos to it a day and posted to it every day. Now a whole week can go without me making one post. And far too often these days I have to scroll and scroll and scroll just to see posts from my friends, which makes the "Scroll Break" feature even more frustrating. Honestly, Instagram should just ditch every single change they have made to the app since around 2017 and just revert the app back to the way it used to be. Honestly, I would probably start using it more often.

The Late Great Anthony Head

Anthony Head, best known for playing Rupert "Ripper" Giles on the classic TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, died on June 1, 2026 at the age of 72. The cause was complications from pneumonia. He also starred in the shows Little Britain, Merlin, and Ted Lasso. With Sharon Maugham, he appeared in a series of commercials for Nescafé Gold Blend coffee from 1987 to 1993.

Anthony Head was born on February 20, 1954, in London. His father was documentary filmmaker Stewart Head and his mother was actress Helen Shingler. His older brother is actor and singer Murray Head. Antony Head attended the London Academy of Dramatic Art and Music. Among his earliest roles was in a production of Godspell. He made his television debut in a guest appearance on the TV series Enemy at the Door. He made his movie debut in Lady Chatterley's Lover in 1981. In the late Seventies, he guest starred on the shows Lillie, Accident, Jackanory Playhouse, The Mallens, Secret Army, and Love in a Cold Climate.

In the Eighties, he gained a good deal of visibility in a series of commercials for Nescafé Gold Blend coffee in the UK and Taster's Choice coffee in the United States. He and Sarah Maugham played a man and a woman who developed a romance over coffee. He guest stared on the shows Crown Court, Bergerac, BBC2 Playhouse, Celebrity Playhouse, C.A.T.S. Eye, Howard's Way, Boon, Pulaski, Rockliffe's Babies, The Comic Strip Presents, Les Girls, and Hard Cases. He appeared in the movies Lady Chatterley's Love (1981), A Prayer for the Dying (1987), and The Zero Option (1988).

In the Nineties, Anthony Head had a recurring role on the short-lived American series VR.5. It was in 1997, that he began his run as Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character proved popular with fans and following the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, creator Joss Whedon wanted to do a spinoff series, Ripper, with the BBC, although rights issues prevented him from doing so. During the decade; Anthony Head also guest starred on the shows Woof!; The Detectives; Highlander; NYPD Blue; Ghostbusters of East Finchley; Jonathan Creek; and Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.

In the Naughts, Anthony Head continued to appear as Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He provided a voice for the animated mini-series Doctor Who: Death Comes to Time, Doctor Who: Excelis Decays, Doctor Who; The Infinite Quest,.. He played the Prime Minster on the show Little Britain and Uther Pendragon on Merlin. He was a regular on the shows Manchild and Free Agents and appeared in the mini-series The Invisibles. He guest starred on the shows Spooks, Filmore!, New Tricks, The Story of Tracy Beaker, Monarch of the Glen (on which he appeared in four episodes for himself), M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team, My Family, Rose and Maloney, Hotel Babylon, Doctor Who, Sensitive Skin, Sold, and Freezing, He appeared in the movies I'll Be There (2003), Fat Slags (2004), Framing Frankie (2004), Imagine Me & You (2005), Scoop (2006), Sparkle (2007), Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and Repo!: The Genetic Opera (2008).

In the Teens, Anthony Head continued to appear on Merlin. He reprised his role from the original British series on the short-lived American remake of Free Agents. He starred on the show You, Me & Them. He had a recurring role on the shows Dominion, Still Star-Crossed and Girlfriends. He appeared on the mini-series Dancing on the Edge, Vanity Fair, and The Stranger. He guest starred on the shows NTSF:SD:SUV::; Warehouse 13; Galavant; Guilt; Yonderland; Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments; The Split; Jack Ryan; and Robot Chicken. He began appearing on Ted Lasso in 2020. He appeared in the movies The Inbetweeners Movie (2011); The Great Ghost Rescue (2011); Ghost Rider:Spirit of Vengeance (2011); The Iron Lady (2011); Metegol (2013), Percy Jackson, Sea of Monsters (2013), Convenience (2013), The Unbeatables (2013), Death of a Farmer (2014), Flying Home (2014), Despite the Falling Show (2016), The Brother (2016), A Street Cat Named Bob (2016), Feedback (2019), Pinky (2020), and Sideshow (2020).

In the 2020s, Anthony Head continued to play Rupert Mannion on the show Ted Lasso. He starred in the mini-series The Canterville Ghost and a voice on the animated mini-series Adventure Time: Distant Lands. He guest starred on the shows Back, Feel Good, Bridgerton. and Motherland. He appeared in the movies Schools Out Forever (2021), Let the Wrong One In (2021), and Upgraded (2024).

Chances are good that Anthony Head will always be remembered as the prim, proper, serious, but very protective Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. James Marsters (who played Spike on the show) referred to Anthony Head as the best actor on the show in his tribute to Anthony Head. Of course, Anthony Head played other roles beyond Giles. On Merlin, Anthony Head played a character as far from Giles as one can get, the tyrannical and autocratic Uther Pendragon.  On Free Agents, he played the puckish and sex obsessed Stephen, In the movie The Iron Lady, he played Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Howe. He received critical acclaim for his role on Ted Lasso. Anthony Head was an excellent actor capable of playing a wide variety of roles. 

Call Her Savage (1932)

Call Her Savage (1932) is not particularly well-known among the general public today, but the film is notable for several reasons. It was the first movie Clara Bow made following her nervous breakdown in May 1931, which resulted her in taking a break from making movies. It was also the penultimate film she ever made, the last being Hoop-La (1933). Many have credited it with what may be the first portrayal of a gay bar on film.

Call Her Savage (1932) centres on Nasa "Dynamite" Springer, a young heiress from Texas who defies her father. She starts living a life of brawling and partying that sees her go from Chicago to New Orleans to New York City. As might be expected, her life of pleasure and sin eventually takes a toll upon her. 

Call Her Savage (1932) was based on the 1931 novel Call Her Savage by Tiffany Thayer, who was known for his tawdry romance novels. The novel Call Her Savage was apparently quite tawdry, and was summed up by Colonel Jason S. Joy, then head of the Hays Committee as being "...as far wrong as possible" Among other things, the book contained themes of incest, lesbianism, promiscuity, attempted rape, sadism, and syphilis among other things. Even by the standards of the day, the book could be considered racist. 

Clara Bow's contract with producer Sam E. Rork gave her story approval on Call Me Savage, something she had never enjoyed on a film before. She also received a salary of $75,000 and an additional $25,000 if the film's rentals exceeded $800,000. Clara Bow also had to agree to loose weight until she was 118 pounds and then to stay at that weight. She was provided with a masseuse to help with her weight loss. For the role of Nasa Springer, the studio also hired a "voice culture specialist." 

Clara Bow also requested that Fox's Western Avenue studio, which had sat unused for some time, be used for shooting the interior scenes. Clara Bow approved of the hiring of director John Francis Dillon, who had earlier directed the 1930 film adaptation of the play Kismet. Joel McCrea tested as Clara Bow's leading man in the film, but the role ultimately went to Gilbert Roland. 

As to the script, The Hays Committee wanted Fox Film Corporation to remove as much objectionable material as possible,  Despite this, when Jason S. Joy read the first draft, he thought "most of the real flavour of the story" had been taken out of the script. Jason S. Joy and his assistant Lamar Totti then held meetings with producer Sam E. Rork and the Fox studio to find a happy medium between the racy novel and the somewhat bland first draft of the movie's script. Jason S. Joy's successor at the Hays Office, James Wingate, ordered more cuts, in particular to a scene in which Nasa's estranged husband tries to rape her and a sequence involving streetwalking. 

Jason S. Joy had written a letter to censorship boards in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Kansas, Manitoba, Halifax, New Brunswick, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, and Saskatchewan in which he emphasised the importance of the film as Clara Bow's comeback. The letter more or less fell on deaf ears, as most of the censorship boards demanded cuts anyway. Indeed, the New York Censorship Board outright rejected the film unless specific buts were made. As for the United Kingdom, the British Board of Film Censors out right rejected the movie without giving any specific reason.

Call Her Savage (1932) premiered at the Roxy Theatre in New York City on November 24. 1932. The Los Angeles Times approved of Clara Bow's return to the screen, stating, "It is generally conceded that her acting has improved, having become more restrained, but she is still sufficiently exuberant in her technique to qualify as a natural actress rather than a cultivated one. Her vitality and sincerity unite [in a] likable personality that disarms criticism and wins for her the whole-hearted approval of the masses." The New York Times questioned the film's plausibility, writing, "It is scarcely an offering that can be recommended for its plausibility, but who knows but that there may be a girl somewhere like Nasa Springer. Miss Bow does quite well by the role of this fiery-tempered impulsive Nasa, but whether the flow of incidents makes for satisfactory entertainment is a matter of opinion." Other publications, from Variety to The Film Daily, generally praised Clara Bow.

While critics may have appreciated Clara Bow's return, audiences were not quite as enthusiastic. While Call Her Savage (19320, would make $34,000 in its first week at the Roxy Theatre in New York alone, the film ultimately made only $17,407. 

Even for a Pre-Code film, Call Her Savage (1932) can be somewhat shocking. In addition to the scene in which Nasa Springer's estranged husband, obviously suffering from nurosyphilis, tries to rape her, there is also a cat fight between Nasa Spring and Sunny De Lane (Thelma Todd), a drunk and obvious paedophile who goes after a little girl, the death of an infant due to smoke inhalation, and a scene in which Nasa Springer is obviously streetwalking.

Of course, while it is no longer shocking today, the scene that attracts the most attention today is one that is set in what many believe to be the first gay bar in American film. While in New York City, Jay Randall (Anthony Jowitt) takes Nasa to what he says is one of the seedier places in Greenwich Village. There they see two campy performers dressed in filly maid aprons and wielding feather dusters singing a bawdy song about sailors. There can be no doubt that the two men are gay. Call Her Savage (1932) was released at the tail end of what historian George Chauncey in his 1994 book Gay New York would call "the pansy craze," a period from the late 1920s to the mid-1930s when the LGBTQ+ community was more visible in American society, especially in such large cities as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The Pansy Craze would pretty much end around the same time as the Pre-Code Era, as Roman Catholics in the United States became concerned about perceived immorality in American cinema.

Sadly, Call Her Savage (1931) relies upon tropes regarding Native Americans that would be considered racist by today's standards and were regarded as racist by some even in 1932. Quite simply, much of the blame for Nasa's rebellious nature is placed on the fact that she is half-Native American (and, yes, I realize is a stretch to believe, fair-skilled, red-haired Clara Bow could b part Native...). The film seems to equate untamed emotion and scandalous behaviour with being Native American. Unfortunately, "the savage Indian" trope was common at the time of the release of Call Her Savage (1931) and would persist in films and later TV shows well into the Sixties.

Seen today, Call Her Savage (1931) is an uneven film. It is remarkable for Clara Bow's performance and the very tawdriness of much of its plot certainly makes it entertaining at times. At the same time, the film is certainly episodic and often has dramatic shifts in its tone. The film's attitudes towards Native Americans might make it uncomfortable viewing for some people (as someone is part Native,  that was certainly the case for me). Regardless, it has a place in history as possibly the first film to feature a gay bard and Clara Bow's next to last film. 

The 22nd Anniversary of A Shroud of Thoughts

It was 22 years ago today that I made the "Famous First Post" on A Shroud of Thoughts. From about 2002 to 2006, blogs were a bit of a fad. At the time, I had a lady friend who had a blog and it looked like fun, so I started my own blog. As to the title, in the early to mid-Naughts, titles with words like "thoughts" or 'similar words were in fashion, so I borrowed a phrase from  Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. I have always regretted it, as it has occurred to me I should have chosen a title more befitting a pop culture blog. Unfortunately, by the time I thought about changing the name, A Shroud of Thoughts already had a following and I worried it might confuse people if I changed the name. Originally, A Shroud of Thoughts was devoted to pop culture in general (I did review current movies and TV shows), but as time went by it evolved into a nostalgia blog. This was not a conscious choice, but simply a case of my interest in the popular culture of the past simply taking over.A Shroud of Thoughts does share its anniversary with some significant movies and TV shows. Mrs. Miniver  premiered on this date in New York City. On this day in 1949, the TV show Cavalcade of Stars debuted on the DuMont Television Network. It would eventually give Jackie Gleason his first hosting job on a TV show. In 1963, The Nutty Professor, directed by and starring Jerry Lewis, was released. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, still my favourite Star Trek movie, came out. Several of my favourite actors were born on this date too, including the lovely Rosalind Russell, Dennis Weaver, Geoffrey Palmer, and Bruce Dern.

Twenty-two years ago I could have never imagined keeping this blog up for 22 years. As it is, I think the blog will be around long after I am gone (or at least until Google deletes it). In many ways, it has become my life's work. 

Each year on A Shroud of Thoughts' anniversary I list what I think are the best posts of the past year. Without further ado, here they are.

"Mi Vida Loca (1993)", August 7, 2025

"Sunset Boulevard (1950) Turns 75", August 16, 2025

"Sweet 15 (1990): A Mexican American Focused Episode of WonderWorks", August 23, 2025

"The 70th Anniversary of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp", September 6, 2025

The 50th Anniversary of the TV Series Ellery Queen", September 11, 2025 

"Quatermass and the Pit (1967)", September 20, 2025

"Let's Do the Time Warp Again!: 50 Years of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)", September 26, 2025 

"The 70th Anniversary of the Sitcom The Honeymooners", October 1, 2025

"The Rise and Fall of the Sexy Halloween Costume", October 24, 2025 

"Trick 'r Treat (2007): The Halloween Cult Film That Wouldn't Stay Buried", October 29, 2025

"Phantom of the Paradise (1974): The Cult Horror Rock Musical That Premiered on Halloween",  October 30, 2025

"Hammer Film Productions' The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)", November 7, 2025

"The House That Dripped Blood (1971)", November 8, 2025 

"Powwow Highway (1989)", November 14, 2025

"In a Lonely Place at 75", November 19, 2025

"Happy 100th Birthday to Dick Van Dyke", December 13, 2025

"80 Years of Christmas in Connecticut", December 17, 2025

"85 Years of Remember the Night (1940)", December 20, 2025

"The 85th Anniversary of Inner Sanctum", January 6, 2026

"The 90th Anniversary of the Radio Show Gang Busters", January 15, 2026

"The 50th Anniversary of Laverne & Shirley", January 27, 2026

"Beauty, Brains..., and a Badge: Get Christie Love!", February 7, 2026

"The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: 'The Mad, Mad Tea Party Affair", March 21, 2026

"William Holden in Stalag 17 (1953)", April 17, 2026

"The Way of the Dragon (1972)", May 30, 2026

"The Fall" by ELO

The past few days have been hot and muggy here, so that even though it is still astronomically spring, it feels more like summer. Summer always bring to my mind the Electric Light Orchestra, perhaps because that is when my brother or I bought most of their albums. And, of course, the movie Xanadu (1980) was released in the summer. It used several songs written by Jeff Lynne and performed by ELO, my favourite being "The Fall." I will then leave you with "The Fall," performed by the Electric Light Orchestra.

Andy Griffith at 100

It was 100 years ago on this date that Andy Griffith was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The Andy Griffith Show is one of the first shows I can ever remember watching as a child, and it has remained one of my favourite shows ever since. As a kid, I can remember hearing Andy Griffith's monologue "What It Was, Was Football" on oldies radio stations. As I grew a little older I saw his movies, including Angel in My Pocket (1969), Onionhead (1958), No Time for Sergeants (1958), and A Face in the Crowd (1958) As I grew older I also learned how versatile Andy Griffith was. He could play the kind-hearted Sheriff Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show, but he could also play the malevolent Lonesome Rhodes in A Face in the Crowd (1957).

Of course, as impressive as Andy Griffith's film debut in A Face in the Crowd (1957) was, it has always been The Andy Griffith Show that resonated with me the most. I remember for many years during my childhood, CBS would air repeats of The Beverly Hillbillies and The Andy Griffith Show back to back on weekday mornings. Later syndicated reruns would air on local stations around the country, including KRCG in Jefferson City and KPLR in St. Louis. As a someone who grew up on a farm outside a small town, The Andy Griffith Show appealed to me. I could sympathize with the characters who lived in Mayberry. As to Andy Griffith's character, Sheriff Andy Taylor, he reminded me a lot of my father, although my dad was a farmer rather than a sheriff. Both Andy Taylor and my father were laid-back. Both my father and Andy Taylor were empathetic and preferred solving problems with common sense instead of discipline. And, most importantly, both liked telling stories and had a bit of mischievous streak. I am sure I am not the only young viewer who saw a lot of his father in Sheriff Andy Taylor.

Regardless, The Andy Griffith Show would prove to be a game changer when it came to television. Prior to The Andy Griffith Show, the only rural sitcoms were The Real McCoys and Guestward ,Ho! (which debuted only a few days before The Andy Griffith Show). The Andy Griffith Show proved to be a smash hit and started a cycle towards rural comedies that lasted for most of the Sixties. The Andy Griffith Show would prove to be revolutionary in one other respect. It was very early in the show's run that it shifted from Sheriff Andy Taylor being the primary source of humour on the show to Sheriff Andy Taylor playing the straight man to the citizens of Mayberry, particularly his Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts). The Andy Griffith Show then became much more about Mayberry and, as a result, would inspire every show about eccentric small towns ever since, from Northern Exposure to Newhart to Gilmore Girls to Parks and Recreation.

Besides Andy Taylor, I have to think Andy Griffith's most significant role is Lonesome Rhodes in A Face in the Crowd (1957), even it if it isn't as well-known as Ben Matlock on the TV show Matlock. Sadly, A Face in the Crowd (1957) seems more pertinent now than it was when it was first released. The film centres on Lonesome Rhodes, who goes from being a drifter to the host of a successful local radio show which goes national and turns Rhodes into a figure with considerable influence, although one who is extremely dysfunctional as well. Rhodes was one part, Arthur Godfrey, one part Will Rodgers, and one part Huey Long. I have to suspect he reminds many viewers of a certain individual, although that individual lacks Rhodes's folksy style. Andy Griffith gave an incredible performance as Rhodes, one that should be counted among the greatest film debut performances of all time. Amazingly enough, Andy Griffith was not nominated for an Oscar for a performance. Even more amazing is that A Face in the Crowd (1957) was not nominated for any Academy Awards. 

Of course, Andy Griffith might not have played Lonesome Rhodes if it had not been for another, much more pleasant character. Andy Griffith played Will Stockdale, the country bumpkin who is drafted into the United States Air Force, in the United States Steel Hour episode "No Time for Sergeants," which was based on the novel No Time for Sergeants by Mac Hyman. He reprised the role of Will Stockdale in the Broadway production No Time for Sergeants, which was an expanded version of the United States Steel Hour teleplay. The play would be adapted as the 1958 movie of the same name, in which Andy Griffith once more played Will Stockdale.No Time for Sergeants in its various forms would not only launch Andy Griffith' career as an actor, but an argument can be made that it had an impact on American popular culture over all. It seems likely that, along with The Real McCoys and The Andy Griffith Show, it was partially responsible for the cycle of rural comedies on American television in the Sixties. Indeed, there would be a sitcom based on No Time for Sergeants (with Sammy Jackson as Will Stockdale) and, for that matter, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (itself a spinoff of The Andy Griffith Show) was pretty much No Time for Sergeants, but in the Marines instead of the Air Force.

Andy Griffith played many other roles over they years. His show Matlock ran for nine seasons and is still seen in reruns to this day. He played Western movie extra Howard Pike in Hearts of the West (1975). Over the years he appeared on several TV shows, in several TV movies, and feature films.

Of course, Andy Griffith was a complicated figure. He was hardly like Andy Taylor in real life. On th one hand, his co-stars on The Andy Griffith Show, such as Don Knotts, and Ron Howard, always spoke highly of him. Barbara Eden, who guest starred in the episode "The Manicurist," has praised Andy Griffith as being both police and professional. On the other hand, there were former cast members of the show Matlock who have said that he was difficult to work with. He was known to be a perfectionist and known to have a severe temper. Andy Griffith was a far cry from Andy Talyor, but he was a far cry from Lonesome Rhodes as well.

While Andy Griffith may not have been the avuncular, gentle Andy Taylor he played on television, he left being an incredible legacy. He not only gave great performances, but even had an impact on television history. And, for many fans, he would have a lasting impact. To this day, The Andy Griffith Show remains one of my favourite shows. 

The Way of the Dragon (1972)

When The Way of the Dragon (1972) was released in the United States in 1973, Bruce Lee was already something of a name in the United States. He had played Kato on the cult television series The Green Hornet, guest starred on shows like Ironside and Blondie, played Li Tsung on the TV series Longstreet, and appeared in the movie Marlowe (1969). Unhappy with only playing supporting roles in the United States, Bruce Lee went to Hong Kong where he got a deal with Golden Harvest. Afterwards he formed his own production company, Concord Production Inc..

The Way of the Dragon (1972) centred on Tang Lung, a martial artist from Hong Kong, who travels to Rome to help Chen Ching-hua (Nora Miao) and her Uncle Wang (Huang Chung-hsin) when they are terrorized by a gangster who wants their property. Among the highlights of the film was a fight in the Colosseum between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. 

It was in 1972 that Bruce Lee formed Concord Production Inc. with Raymond Chow, the co-founder of Golden Harvest. The responsibilities between Bruce Lee and Raymond Chow were divided equally, with Bruce Lee handling the creative ends of things and Raymond Chow handling the administrative end of things. Golden Harvest distributed Concord's films. Because Bruce Lee had complete control of The Way of the Dragon (1972), he wrote and directed The Way of the Dragon, as well as starred in it. Bruce Lee also choreographed the fight scenes.

Indoor shots were filmed at Golden Harvest's studios in Hong Kong, but many of the exteriors were filmed around Italy. While filming in Rome, Bruce Lee filmed many scenes using what would become known as "gorilla-style" shooting, with Bruce Lee not bothering to get the proper permits. Among the famous locations in and around Rome appearing in The Way of the Dragon are La Villa d'Este in Tivoli, Piazza Navona, Piazza Navona,Via Vittorio Veneto, and, of course, the Colosseum. Its budget was $130,000 in American dollars, which its pre-sales in Taiwan alone paid for. 

The Way of the Dragon (1972) was released in Hong Kong on December 30, 1972. In Hong Kong, it earned $5,307,350.50 in Hong Kong dollars, making it Bruce Lee's highest grossing film in Hong Kong so far and the highest grossing flim in Hong Kong in 1972. It would go onto gross $4 million more in Hong Kong dollars, making it the highest-grossing film ever in Hong Kong until that time. 

The Way of the Dragon (1972) was originally produced for the East Asian market, but circumstances would lead to its release in the West. Between the TV series Kung Fu (1972-1975) and the 1972 movie King Boxer (re-titled 5 Fingers of Death in the United States),  a kung fu craze swept through the United States and elsewhere. With kung fu movies making big money in the American box office, it was quite natural for The Way of the Dragon (1972) to be released in the US. It was then in September 1973 that The Way of the Dragon (1972) was released under the title Return of the Dragon. It proved to be a smash hit in the United States just as it had in Hong Kong. In its first five days alone, it made $1 million. During its initial run, it earned $5,200,000. With re-releases, it would ultimately earn $85 million. Sadly, it would be the last of Bruce Lee's films to be released during his lifetime.

The success of The Way of the Dragon (1972) would have an immediate impact. Warner Bros. decided to import more kung fu movies to the United States. It was also the success of The Way of the Dragon (1972) that also led Warner Bros. to decide to co-produce Bruce Lee's next film, Enter the Dragon (1974). Perhaps its most lasting legacy was that it turned Bruce Lee from a well-known supporting player to an action movie superstar.  His death on July 20, 1973, and the posthumous release of Enter The Dragon (1974), turned him into a legend. 

Victor Sen Yung--Chinese American Pioneer

Today Victor Sen Yung is best known for playing the Cartwrights' cook Hop Sing on Bonanza and Charlie Chan's Number Two son Jimmy in the Charlie Chan movies. Regardless, Victor Sen Yung played many more roles in his career, as well as an accomplished chef who wrote his own cookbook. He was also a pioneer among Chinese American actors.

Victor Sen Yung was born Sen Yew Cheung on October 18, 1945, in San Francisco. His parents had both immigrated from China. His mother died from influenza during the 1919 epidemic. His father then placed both Victor Sen Yung and his sister Rosemary in the care of a children's shelter, while he returned to China. He remarried there and returned to the United States, where he once more took guardianship of young Victor and Rosemary. 

To earn more income for the family, Victor Sen Yung began working as a houseboy when he was eleven, He attended the University of California at Berkeley and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in economics. He moved to Los Angels to pursue post-graduate work at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. He entered the film industry in uncredited bit parts in such movies as The Good Earth (1937), Double or Nothing (1937), and Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937). Billed as "Victor Young," he finally received billing in a film with Shadows Over Shanghai (1938).

When Keye Luke, who had played Charlie Chan's Number One Son Lee, left the Charlie Chan series, he was replaced by Victor Sen Jung as Charlie Chan's Number Two Son Jimmy. Like Lee Chan, Jimmy Chan was a thoroughly Americanized, modern young Chinese American, although bungling to the point that it sometimes interfered with his father's investigations. He ultimately played Jimmy in eleven Charlie Chan films. 

Victor Sen Yung received a meatier role in The Letter (1940), in which he played Ong Chi Seng, a young lawyer who served as attorney Howard Joyce's (James Stephenson) clerk. The role owed something to current stereotypes about East Asians--Ong was both conniving and self-serving. At the same time, however, Victor Sen Yung does give a marvellous performance in the role, showing he could do more than play Jimmy Chan.

Across the Pacific (1942) and Okono in the overly racist Little Tokyo, U.S.A. (1942).  Victor Sen Yung's service in World War II would be interrupted by his service in World War II. He served in the United States Army Air Forces. 

Following the war, Victor Sen Yung returned to the role of Jimmy Chan in the Charlie Chan movies, as well as other roles. Among his most notable roles during this period was amusement park attendant Sam Fong in the film noir Woman on the Run (1950). Later, Flower Drum Song (1960) would present Victor Sen Yung with another well-known role, that of Frankie Wing, the fast-talking, wisecracking emcee of the Celestial Gardens. He later played Wing Young in Confessions of An Opium Eater (1962) and Wei Chi in The Killer Elite (1975).

Like many actors during the era, Victor Sen Yung's career shifted to television in the 1950s. He made his television debut in an episode of Front Page Detective in 1951. Throughout the Fifties, he guest starred on such shows as Adventures of Superman, Medic, Death Valley Days, Mike Hammer, Bronco, and Thriller . On Bachelor Father, he played the recurring role of Charlie, quick witted cousin of Bentley Gregg's (John Forsythe) houseboy Peter Tong (Sammee Tong). It was in 1960 that he started a 14 year run playing Hop Sing, the cook of the Cartwrights on the long-running Western Bonanza. 

During the Sixties, Victor Sen Yung continued to appear on Bonanza and, early in the decade, Bachelor Father as well. He also guest starred on such shows as The Barbara Stanwyck Show, The Rifleman, Hawaiian Eye, The Wild Wild West, Here's Lucy, Get Smart, and The F.B.I. Continuing to appear as Hop Sing on Bonanza for the first few years of the Seventies, Victor Sen Jung guest starred on such shows as Kung Fu, Police Woman, and How the West Was Won. 

Not only did Victor Sen Jung play a cook on television, but he was a talented chef in real life as well. His cookbook The Great Wok Cookbook was published in 1974. He was reportedly working on a second, which would remain unfinished when he died. It was November 9, 1980, that Victor Sen Jung died from natural gas poisoning due to a natural gas leak in his home. His death was ruled accidental. His Bonanza co-star Pernell Roberts not only delivered his eulogy, but payed for his funeral as well. He would make his last appearance on film in The Man with Bogart's Face in 1980.

Throughout his career, Victor Sen Jung would play his share of stereotypes, including to some degree Hop Sing , but he also had the opportunity to play roles that went well beyond stereotypes. He played a doctor in his guest appearance on Medic. The role of Frankie Wnig in Flower Drum Song also went beyond stereotypes. On Kung Fu he guest starred as characters that were fully developed, rather than the sometimes simple Chinese stereotypes of the Golden Age of Hollywood. In the Adventures of Superman episode "The Riddle of the Chinese Jade,"  he played an antique dealer who is tricked into stealing a jade figure.

While Victor Sen Jung was never an activist in the modern sense of th word, he did help pave the way for future Chinese American actors. Even when his roles could sometimes be stereotypes, he brought a dignity and warmth to the characters giving them more depth than that might have had otherwise. And while he could hardly be described as an activist, Victor Sen Jung addressed the lack of roles for Chinese American actors in the television and film industries of the Seventies, as well as the discrimination Chinese actors often faced. In his own way then, Victor Sen Young was a pioneer when it came to East Asian American representation.

"When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge

It is hot and muggy today, and our air conditioner is broken down. As a result I don't feel up to a full post today. I will then leave you with a song. It was sixty years ago today that "When a Man Loves a Woman' hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, and was initially recorded at FAME Studios at Muscle Shoals. It was re-recorded at Norala Studios in Sheffield, Alabama. "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge not only hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it hit no. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart. 

Samsung Should Not Discontinue Samsung Messages

For several months now, those of us who use Samsung Messages for texting on our phones have seen the message "Samsung Messages will be discontinued on Jul 6 2026. Switch to Google Messages to keep chatting with powerful features." In some respects, this is hardly surprising. As early as July 2024, Samsung Messages no longer came pre-installed on the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6. For a time starting in September 2024, users started seeing a message to "upgrade" to Google Messages on their phones. Fortunately, those prompts would stop for a time. In January 2025, Samsung Messages was removed from the Google Play Store, although it remained available in the Samsung store. Oddly enough, Samsung Messages will remain available outside the United States. 

I already did a post on how Samsung Messages is superior to Google Messages for many of us back in February 2025, so I won't repeat myself here. I will say that I am angry at Samsung for discontinuing Samsung Messages, as are many on the Samsung Members Community. I first started using Samsung Messages when I got my first smart phone, a J3, way back when. By the time I got a new phone, an A54, Samsung Messages was no longer pre-installed on Samsung phones, but I simply transferred it from my old phone to my new phone and disabled Google Messages. I dislike Google Messages and I consider it a downgrade, not an upgrade, from Samsung Messages. Never mind the useful features Samsung Messages has that Google Messages does not, but Google Messages is one of the ugliest, most unwieldy text messaging apps I have ever seen. It is also less user friendly than Samsung Messages. I am a fan of many Google apps (I used Google Maps until they started labelling "the Gulf of Mexico" with an incorrect name), but they really dropped the ball with Google Messages.

Now I know that Google Messages has support for RCS (Rich Communications Services), but I actually hate RCS and really have no desire to use it. If I want my texts to look like chat, then I'll use a chat client, not a text message app. Too, I have to point out that Google already has a a bit of a choke hold when it comes to Android apps. Samsung Messages being discontinued means there is one less alternative to a Google app. 

Of course, much of what angers me is that Samsung often has a lot of bloatware on their phones. I don't use Bixby, Samsung Health, Samsung TV Plus, or Samsung Wallet, most of which can't be uninstalled, although fortunately they can be disabled. Instead of discontinuing these, Samsung is insisting on discontinuing one of the Samsung apps people actually like and use. What are they going to do next? Discontinue Samsung email or the Samsung browser? All the while insuring we keep Bixby and Samsung Wallet?

I still don't know what I plan to do come July. I really don't want to "downgrade" to Google Messages. I have considered Textra, but I haven't heard much about it. At any rate, I will miss Samsung Messages. 

Character Actors Who Served in World War II

Usually when classic movie actors who served in World War II are discussed, it is big names such as Gene Autry, Clark Gable, and Jimmy Stewart, but the fact is that several character actors also served during World War II. Here is a short list of character actors who served during the war, although there were many, many more.

Eddie Albert: Now best known for Green Acres, Eddie Albert was a genuine war hero. He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in September 1942. It was in 1943 that that he was discharged from the Coast Guard he could become a lieutenant junior grade in the United States Navy.It was during the Battle of Tarawa that he rescued 47 Marines at incredible risk to his own life, and supervised the rescue of 30 more. The Marines had been pinned down by Japanese gunfire. For his bravery during the Battle of Tarawa Eddie Albert was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V". In later years Eddie Albert would be asked about his courageous action during World War II. Rather than talk about himself, Mr. Albert preferred to discuss the courage of the Marines at the Battle of Tarawa and others with whom he served.

Neville Brand: Known for playing heavies, Neville Brand served as a soldier during World War II. It was in October 1939 that he enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard. It was in March 1941 that he enlisted in the United States Army as a corporal. He was a part of B Company, 331st Infantry Regiment of the 83rd Infantry Division (Thunderbolt Division), serving in both the e Ardennes, Rhineland and Central European campaigns. He was wounded  along the Weser River on April 7, 1945, and very nearly bled to death. He was awarded the Silver Star and discharged in October 1945.

James Doohan: Today James Doohan is best known as Lt. Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, the Chief Engineer on the starship Enterprise, but during World War II he served in the  Royal Canadian Artillery and as part of the 22nd Field Battery of the 3rd Canadian Division was part of a reconnaissance party in the second wave to land at Juno Beach. He lost his right middle finger during the fight, and during his acting career wore a prosthetic. He later graduated from Air Observation Pilot Course 40 and served as an Observation Pilot supporting the 1st Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery.  

Clive Dunn: Clive Dunn is now best known Lance Corporal Jones of the Home Guard on the classic Britcom Dad's Army, but he actually saw action during World War II. At the start of the war, he enlisted in the British Army and served as a trooper in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars. Initially posted with them in the Middle East, he later served with he 1st Armoured Brigade in support of the 6th Australian Infantry Division during the Greek Campaign. In 1941 he fought in an action at the Corinth Canal. Unfortunately, when his unit was overwhelmed by German forces, he was among 400 taken prisoner. He spent the remainder of the war in POW camps in Austria.

Charles Durning: Like James Doohan, Charles Durning also saw combat during D-Day. Having been drafted into the United States Army at age 20, he was among the first wave to land at Omaha Beach. He later took place in the Battle of the Bulge. Charles Durning had a distinguished military career, earning the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. Even France recognized him for his service in liberating France. He was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour in April 2008.

Jerry Fujikawa: Following World War II, Jerry Fujikawa would play Japanese officers in various movies and TV shows, but during the war he served in the United States Army. Sadly, like many Japanese Americans, he was interned at Manzanar at the start of the war. It was while he was at Manzanar that he volunteered for the Army. He served as a messenger in the segregated Japanese American unit, Charlie Company in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was wounded in combat near Castellina, Italy, on July 9, 1944. He later served in France.

Lee Marvin: Lee Marvin not only played a military man in several movies, but he actually was one during the Second World War. On August 12, 1942, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served as a quartermaster before completing the School of Infantry, and then served as a scout sniper in the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific Theatre. During the war, he took part in 21 amphibious assaults on various islands. It was during the Battle of Saipan that he was wounded during an assault on  Mount Tapochau. His sciatic nerve was severed by machine gun fire and then he was shot in his foot. He received medical treatment in various Naval hospitals for over a year before receiving an Honourable Discharge. 

Larry Storch: Today Larry Storch may be best remembered as Corporal Randolph Agarn on F Troop, but during World War II he served not in the cavalry, but in the United States Navy. During the war he served aboard the submarine tender Proteus in the Pacific Theatre. Among his shipmates was a fellow named Bernie Schwartz, later to become better known as Tony Curtis. The two would remain friends for the rest of their lives. The crew of the Proteus, along with the submarines of Submarine Squadron 20, witnessed the surrender of Japan aboard the U.S.S. Missouri.

The Late Great Clarence Carter

Clarence Carter, the legendary blues and soul singer and guitarist known for such songs as "Slip Away" and "Back Door Santa," died on May 13, 2026, at the age of 90. 

Clarence Carter was born on January 14, 1936 in Montgomery, Alabama. He listened to the blues records his stepfather bought, and as a result he took an interest in music while still young. He learned to play guitar as a result. He graduated from Alabama State College in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science in music. 

He briefly taught school before beginning his music career. He and his friend Calvin Scott formed a music duo and their single "I Wanna Dance But I Don't Know How" was released under the name "Clarence and Calvin" on the Fairlane label. They signed to Duke Records as The C & C Boys and released four singles there. They recorded "Step By Step," which was released on Atlantic Records. None of their singles saw any success. It was after Calvin Scott was injured in a car accident that Clarence Carter began his solo career. He had his first hit with the single "Tell Daddy," released on the Fame label in 1967. It went to no. 35 on the Billboard R&B chart.

By late 1967, he had signed with Atlantic Records. There he would have a string of hits that lasted into the early Seventies, starting with "Slip Away," which went to no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. It was followed by such hits as "Too Weak to Fight," "Back Door Santa," "Snatching It Back," "Doin' Our Thing," and "Patches." 

Unfortunately, after 1971, Clarence Carter saw fewer successes. He left Atlantic for Fame and then in 1975 signed with ABC Records. It was in 1985 that he signed with Ichiban Records and found new success with his album Dr. C. C. Its single "Strokin'" proved to be a hit in Australia and the UK.He released several more albums, many of which did very well. His final studio album, Sing Along with Clarence Carter, was released in 2011. He continued to release more live albums afterwards. 

Clarence Carter was a true talent, particularly as a composer. His lyrics could be very descriptive, which sometimes ran him into trouble, as in the case of "Strokin'," which considered by many radio stations to be too suggestive. He was also an impressive balladeer, and no one could write or sing about the anguish of love the way he could. In is songs, he often addressed complex romantic situations with sensitivity and intelligence. All of this was aided by impressive baritone voice, which could be extremely emotive. Clarence Carter was a great R&B and soul singer, and possibly one of the most underrated performers in the field. 

"I Can Se for Miles" by The Who

This has been a stressful week for me, so today I will simply leave you with one of my all time favourite songs. 'I Can See for Miles" was written by Pete Townsend and performed by The Who. The lyrics were inspired in a fit of jealousy on the part of Pete Townsend any time he saw his then girlfriend with other men. Pete Townsend was certain the song would be a smash hit and considered the best song he had written up to that point. 

"I Can See for Miles" was recorded over several different recording sessions. Backing tracks for the song were recorded from May 6 to May 7, 1967, at CBS Studios in London. The vocals and overdubs were recorded at Masters Studio in New York City from August 6 to August 7, 1967. The Who's manager and the song's producer, Kit Lambert, then had the song mixed mastered at Gold Star Studios in Los Angles on September 10, 1967. It was included on their album The Who Sell Out.

"I Can See for Miles" was released as a single on September 18, 1967 in the United States. To promote the new single in the US, The Who appeared on The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour, where they also performed "My Generation." It remains one of The Who's best known television appearances, if not their best known television appearances. Allegedly, Keith Moon bribed a dodgy stagehand to let him put ten times the usual amount of explosives into his drum kit for the explosion at the end of "My Generation." The explosion was so great that Peter Townshend would experience tinnitus afterwards. 'I Can See for Miles" was released in the UK on October 13, 1967, although none of the song's promotion there was quite as, well, explosive as their Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour appearance in the United States.

"I Can See for Miles" peaked at no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at no. 10 on the UK singles chart. It did better in Canada, where it went all the way to no. 4. In the United States, it was the highest ranking Who single to date. While many composers would have been happy with the song's performance on the charts, Pete Townsend was disappointed, to say the least. He later said, "To me it was the ultimate Who record, yet it didn't sell. I spat on the British record buyer." 

Regardless, "I Can See for Miles" remains one of The Who's best known songs and the favourite of many fans (it is for me). It would also be the inspiration for a Beatles song. Paul McCartney read a description of the song in an interview with Pete Townsend as The Who's loudest song to date. Paul McCartney then wrote "Helter Skelter," arguably the loudest Beatles song ever recorded.

Without further ado, here is The Who's "I Can See for Miles."

Pat Suzuki: Miss Pony Tail

Most people probably remember Pat Suzuki for originating the role of Linda Low in the Broadway production of Flower Drum Song. She had a successful recording career, and also appeared on movies and on television. She has a place in American entertainment history as one of the earliest Japanese American performers to enter the mainstream.

Pat Suzuki was born Chiyoko Suzuki on September 22, 1930, in Cressy, California. Her father was a musician who specialized in traditional Japanese instruments and also operated a farm. Pat Suzuki took to singing while very young. Sadly, after World War II began, like many other Japanese American families, Pat Suzuki's family were sent to an internment camp. Initially they were interred at the Mercy Assembly Centre in California. Later they went to Granada War Relocation Center in Colorado.

Although she would become a singer, Pat Suzuki majored in education in college. When she ran out of money for her schooling in New York, It was while the production was in Seattle that she got a job at The Colony. She appeared at the club for three years. It was while she was ar The Colony that she earned the nickname "Miss Ponytail."

Bing Crosby caught one of her performances at The Colony, and she made such impression on him that he got her a recording contract with RCA Victor. Her first album, The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki, was released in 1958. She frequently appeared as a singer on various variety TV shows in the late Fifties and early Sixties, including The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The George Gobel Show. The Frank Sinatra Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, and others. She also appeared on the interview show Person to Person and the game shows What's My Line? and The Match Game.

It was an appearing on Tonight Starring Jack Paar that Richard Rogers offered her the role of Linda Low in Flower Drum Song. She turned the role down before accepting it. For her performance, she received a Theatre World Award. She would not play the role in the movie, which would go to Nancy Kwan (whose singing voice was dubbed by B. J. Baker). As it was, Pat Suzuki couldn't have played the role in the movie, as she had given birth to her son not long before the movie started shooting. 

After her son was born, Pat Suzuki semi-retired from the entertainment business, with appearances become rarer. She guest starred on such shows as The Red Skelton Show and Charlie's Angels, and was a regular on the short-lived sitcom Mr. T and Tina. 

At 95 years of age, Pat Suzuki no longer performs, but she is hardly forgotten. Her cover of "How High the Moon" was used in the movie Biloxi Blues (1988). On top of her career as a singer, Pat Suzuki was also a pioneer with regards to East Asian American performers, particularly Japanese American performers. She paved the way for other East Asian performers to come.

Here is her version of "How High the Moon" from her debut album The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki.

Firefox Should Let Users Disable Searching from the URL Bar

I have never searched from the URL bar on Firefox. I don't want to search from the URL bar on Firefox. To me, the URL bar should be exclusively for visiting websites. For that reason, I have always disabled searching in the URL bar. Unfortunately, I learned today that it has been re-enabled. Every way I tried to disable it again failed.

To me, this is a case of Mozilla doing a disservice to Firefox users. I know I am not the only one who dislikes searching from the URL bar. Indeed, it can cause problems. Too many times I have typed a URL in the URL bar only for it to launch a Google search. Beyond that, one of the many reasons people use Firefox is that it is more customizable than Chrome or Edge. Take away the customization and Mozilla might find themselves losing users.

Regardless, I hope in the next update that Mozilla returns the ability to disable search in Firefox's URL bar. I really won't be too happy with Mozilla until they do.

Godspeed Ann Robinson

Ann Robinson, best known for starring in the sci-fi classic War of the Worlds (1953), died on September 25, 2025, at the age of 96. Her death was not made publicly known until the past few days.

Ann Robinson was born on May 25, 1929 in Los Angeles. Her father worked at the Bank of Hollywood, located in the Equitable Building of Hollywood at Hollywood and Vine. Her father started teaching her to ride horses when she was only three and she became an accomplished rider. She attended Hollywood High and Sacred Heart Academy in La Canada Flintridge.

Ann Robinson broke into film as a stunt rider in the film Black Midnight (1949). She was the stunt double for June Havoc in The Story of Molly X (1949) and Shelly Winters in Frenchie (1950). She joined the Circle Theatre in Hollywood. Paramount signed Miss Robinson for $125 a week. In addition to performing stunts in Black Midnight, she also had an uncredited part as a girl serving punch at a square dance. She appeared in similar uncredited parts in such films as The Damned Don't Cry (1950), I Was a Shoplifter (1950), Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950), A Life of Her Own (1950), and All About Eve (1950). She was an extra in A Place in the Sun (1951), and director George Stevens gave her one line of dialogue.

In addition to playing Sylvia Van Buren in War of the Worlds, for the remainder of the Fifties, Ann Robinson appeared in the movies Goodbye, My Fancy (1951), Callaway Went Thataway (1951), I Want You (1951), The Cimarron Kid (1952), Son of Ali Baba (1952), City Beneath the Sea (1952), The Glass Wall (1953), Bad for Each Other (1953), Dragnet (1954), Gun Brothers (1956), Julie (1956), Gun Duel in Durango (1957), Damn Citizen (1957), and Imitation of Life (1959). On television, she guest starred on the shows Biff Baker, U.S.A.; The Web; Racket Squad; The Ford Television Theatre; Rocky Jones, Space Ranger; Waterfront; Passport to Danger; Stage 7; Studio 57; It's a great Life; Fury; The Bob Cummings Show; The Millionaire; Schlitz Playhouse of Stars; Mike Hammer; Man and the Challenge; Johnny Midnight; The Texan; Shotgun Slade; Goodyear Theatre; Perry Mason; Bachelor Father; Rawhide; and Manhunt.

The Sixties saw Ann Robinson appearing exclusively on television. She guest starred on the shows The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp; Dante, Sugarfoot, Peter Gunn, Hawaiian Eye, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Surfside 6, Ben Casey, The Roaring 20s, Death Valley Days, 77 Sunset Strip, and Gilligan's Island.

In the Seventies, Ann Robinson appeared on the shows Police Woman and Days of Our Lives. In the Eighties, she reprised her role as Sylvia Van Buren on the TV show War of the Worlds. She also guest starred on The New Adam-12. She appeared in the movie Midnight Movie Massacre (1988). She had a cameo in the movie My Lovely Monster (1991). She played a character named Dr. Sylvia Van Buren in the movie The Naked Monster (2005) and in the same year had a cameo in the movie War of the Worlds (2005). She appeared in the movies Tales of Frankenstein (2018) and The Last Page of Summer (2020)

Chances are very good Ann Robinson will always be best remembered for War of the Worlds. She told author Tom Weaver in his book Attack of the Monster Movie Makers, "I’ve gotten more mileage out of War of the Worlds than Vivien Leigh did on Gone With the Wind." While that may be true, she did play many more roles in her career. In the movie Dragnet (based on the radio and TV show of the same name), she actually played a police officer. In the Perry Mason "The Case of the Slandered Submarine," she played the wife of a Naval commander in charge of a submarine project, whose father owns an electronics company providing technology for the project. In the Rawhide episode, "Incident of the Challenge," she played a woman reputed to have magical powers. Ann Robinson was always a welcome presence on the big and small screen, and she played a wide variety of roles.  

Donald Gibb Passes On

Donald Gibb, perhaps best known for playing the hulking but none-too-bright Ogre in Revenge of the Nerds (1984), died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 71. The cause was complications from cancer.

Donald Gibb was born in New York City on August 4, 1954. He grew up in California, where he attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks. He attended the University of New Mexico on a basketball scholarship and then University of San Diego, where he was on the football team. He played in the NFL in the San Diego Chargers before an injury from an auto accident curtailed his professional football career.

Given his size, early in his career Donald Gibb primarily played heavies. He made his movie debut in 1980 as a henchman in Any Which Way You Can. He made his TV debut in 1981 in the unsold TV pilot Nichols & Dymes. It would be Revenge of the Nerds in 1984 that would change the trajectory of his career. With casting directors discovering Donald Gibb had a gift for comedy, he began appearing in more and more comedy movies and TV shows. During the Eighties, he appeared in the movies Stripes (1980), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Meatballs Part III (1984), Lost in America (1985), Transylvania 6-5000 (1985), Jocks (1986), They Still Call Me Bruce (1987), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987), Amazon Women in the Moon (1987), and Bloodsport (1988). On television, he was a regular on the HBO sitcom !st & Ten. He guest-starred on the shows Alice, Simon & Simon, Hardcastle & McCormick, The A-Team, Just Our Luck, Magnum P.I., Knight Rider, Otherworld, Benson, The Facts of Life, 227, Hunter, My Two Dads, Dear John, Night Court, and Doctor Doctor. He also appeared in a few TV movies.

In the Nineties, Donald Gibb reprised his role as Ogre in the television movie sequel Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love. He guest starred on the shows Sons and Daughters, Amen, MacGyver, True Colors, Quantum Leap, Stand by Your Man, Cheers, Harry and the Hendersons, Dark Justice, Renegade, The X-Files, Daddy Dearest, Hearts Afire, Empty Nest, Boy Meets World, Muddling Through, Seinfeld, Murphy Brown, Kirk, Unhappily Ever After, Weird Science, Homeboys in Outer Space, Pacific Blue, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, Days of Our Lives, Arli$$, The Steve Harvey Show, Secret Agent Man, Early Edition, and Veronica's Closet. He appeared in the movies Missing Pieces (1991), Breakfast of Aliens (1993), Magic Kid II (1994), Broken Bars (1995), Bloodsport 2 (1996), American Tigers (1996), High Voltage (1997), U.S. Marshals (1998), and Durango Kids (1999).

In the Naughts, Donald Gibb guest starred on the TV shows Black Scorpion, Philly, She Spies, and The Young and the Restless. He appeared in the mini-series The Fantastic Two. He appeared in the movies Grind (2003), Lightning Bug (2004), Window Theory (2005), The Biggest Fan (2005), 8 of Diamonds (2006), and Hancock (2008). He appeared on the TV show Secret Mountain Fort Awesome in 2011 and the movie Hands in 2026.

Donald Gibb certainly had a flair for comedy, so that it is little wonder that he may be best remembered as ogre in the Revenge of the Nerds movies. It also little wonder that he appeared in many comedy movies, including Lost in America (1985), Transylvania 6-5000 (1985), Jocks (1986), They Still Call Me Bruce (1987), and Amazon Women on the Moon (1987), and such sitcoms as Benson, 227, Night Court, and Cheers. Of course, he could play other roles. His second best known role may be Ray "Tiny" Johnson in both Bloodsport (1988) and its sequel. In the X-Files episode "Conduit" he played Kip, a bartender who apparently had an encounter with aliens. In the MacGyver episode "Split Decision," he played Herman the German, a boxer who also serves as a thug for fight organizers. Of course as mentioned earlier, Donald Gibb played many heavies throughout his career. Regardless of what role he played, whether comedy or drama, whether nice guy or thug, Donald Gibb always gave a good performance.

Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story Now Available on Prime Video

Long-time readers may recall that I reviewed Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story back in 2022. The movie is a mockumentary, but it's also so much more than that. This documentary-style Hollywood biopic is written and directed by Scott Fivelson. It centres on Oskar Knight, a director (utterly fictional), once critically acclaimed, who holds the record for having been nominated for an Academy Award more times than any other director in history.  I have said more than once that  Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story is a movie that deserves to be seen. If you enjoy films about the history of Hollywoood and a life in the movies, I'd call it a must-see. And, now you can see it, as it is available on Amazon Prime Video in the United States, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

For those of you who interested in watching the movie, here are the links below: 

Prime Video in the US:

Prime Video in the UK

Prime Video in Australia

Prime Video in New Zealand

"She" by The Monkees

It was 59 years ago today that the album More of The Monkees hit no. 1 on the UK album chart. More of The Monkees was the brainchild of then music supervisor of The Monkees, Don Krishner, meant to cash in on the band's popularity. He chose the songs for the album and released it with neither their consent nor their knowledge. The Monkees wouldn't learn of the album until, while on tour, they were browsing a music store only to find a Monkees album none of them had either seen or heard. Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, in particular, were unhappy that an entire album had been released without their knowledge or consent. Michael Nesmith even went so far as to refer to the album as "the worst album in the history of the world." 

While More of the Monkees does leave a lot to be desired, I have to disagree with Michale Nesmith that it was "the worst album in the history of the world." In my humble opinion, it's not even the worst Monkees album. Indeed, it features some of my favourite Monkees songs, including "Mary, Mary," "(I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone," "The Kind of Girl I Could Love," and my all-time favourite Monkees song "She." "She" was written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, the two songwriters most identified with The Monkees and the ones responsible for their first hit, "Last Train to Clarksville." Without further ado, here is "She" by The Monkees.