Goodbye Lena

30 June, 1917 to 9 May, 2010

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."


Growing up I was very aware of Lena Horne. My father always thought she was one of the most beautiful women in the world, and my mother loved her sass.
I knew her mainly as a singer, having never seen one of her movies. She crept up on shows I watched (The Oscars, The Cosby Show, The Tony's and re runs of The Muppet Show and Sesame Street) and I remember always knowing exactly who she was.

It was only in later years, when I began to seek out her music and research her career, that I realised that this stunning woman had such a struggle within the Hollywood system. It is a sad and all to familiar story for many non white actors.
However as a child, when ever she graced the screen, I thought her the biggest and brightest star in the world.

Sometimes that is really what matters. A star that can shine on their own.


"You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way."

Rest in Peace

Now the show did get a little silly, but my word was it full of snappy one liners. Sadly Betty herself lost the novelty after a while and bordered on whingey. However there were others in the cast that made it worth watching for these past four years.
Namely: Michael Urie, Vanessa Williams, Becki Newton, Mark Indelicato and Judith Light.



Oh yeah, and Miramax folded today.

R.I.P.

Such sad sad news. Whatever the reasons do not matter. So sad when someone who showed great talent is taken away so young

No one puts Baby in the corner.

I remember being a young teen watching 'Dirty Dancing' for the first time and being very upset by the way shirtless Patrick Swayze made me feel. I wanted so badly to be Jennifer Grey, old nose and all, and feel those hands on me.

May he rest in peace and always be remembered.

RIP Eartha Kitt

Read this to understand how great the woman was.

R.I.P. Sophia.

Paul Scofield has died.

The 'In Memorium' section at he Oscars will be especially sad this year. Read the whole article here. Something is in the British air this March. First Minghella and now Scofield. At least he lead a great life.

Rest in Peace Mrs. Murdock.

Of course I first knew of Alice Ghostly, who passed away yesterday at 81, as the sassy teacher (what subject did she do again?) in “Grease”, but she had a long and illustrious career before and after this. However it was Mrs. Murdock that first made me notice her, she was a bit player, but had such an ease with line reading…I wished she was one of my teachers.

”The car’s as hot as the parts on it”

Her only foray in the world of the Oscars is when, in 1969, accepted an Oscar on behalf of Maggie Smith who won for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brody”, for the two had starred on Broadway together.
Ghostley made her Broadway debut in "Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1952." She received critical acclaim for singing "The Boston Beguine," which became her signature song. In the 1960s, Ghostley received a Tony nomination for various characterizations in the Broadway comedy "The Beauty Part" and eventually won for best featured actress in "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window."

From 1969 to 1972, she played the good witch and ditzy housekeeper Esmeralda on TV's "Bewitched." She played Bernice Clifton on "Designing Women" from 1987 to 1993, for which she earned an Emmy nomination in 1992.
She was well aware that she would never be the leading lady, and she knew of the types of roles she should pursue.
"I knew I didn't look like an ingenue. My nose was too long. I had crooked teeth. I wasn't blond. I knew I looked like a character actress. But I also knew I'd find a way,".

Aren’t these always the best actors.

I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!

Sad new that Bob Clark, the director of my annual Xmas eve movie 'A Christmas Story' has passed under tragic circumstances. sniff

May she find some peace.

I am rather sad about this people. I have no idea why as I never really paid close attention to her 'career' (insert jokes here). I guess she symbolized everything that is wrong with celebrity these days, a vicitm of her own making. But alas she is gone, soon after her son's 'mysterious' death and the birth of her daugher. I don't want to think that she died of her own making, but rather the family of J. Howard Marshall had something to do with this......which actually makes more sense.....nobody is greedier than those who don't need it. Have a martini (and a hot dog) in the sky babe!!!