December 2009 – Page 5

Funny Friends

Posted on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 2:38 PM

Speaking of Buster Keaton, as I was earlier today: I'm intrigued by this photo which someone sent me a year or three ago. It's a shot of two stars of the TV show Bonanza, Lorne Greene and Dan Blocker, with comedians Ed Wynn and, of course, Mr. Keaton.

I'm presuming it was taken on the set of the one episode of Bonanza in which Mr. Wynn appeared — an episode called "The Ponderosa Birdman" which, research tells me, first aired on February 7, 1965. Keaton wasn't in that show but he was filming a lot of guest appearances then in various TV programs and movies, so I'm guessing he was shooting on the lot and came by to see his old pal, Ed. And there's something amusing to me about the fact that Buster is perfectly in character…and not smiling.

More Blacklist Memories

Posted on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 11:32 AM

The L.A. Times archive folks dug up a 1959 article about a man named Louis Pollock. Pollock was a screenwriter who was blacklisted in 1954 not because of any political activities on his part — that would have been bad enough — but because some folks had him confused with a storeowner named Louis Pollack. Pollack (the storeowner) refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee and the mix-up seems to have harmed the career of Pollock (the writer).

It would be a nice ending to this tale if, after the confusion was cleared up, the career of the writer Pollock had flourished. But a check on his IMDB listing does not list a whole lotta work after things were cleared up. It only lists one 1985 job on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which was quite a coup for Mr. Pollock when you consider that he passed away in 1964.

I couldn't help noticing that IMDB lists him as having been an uncredited writer on Lady and the Tramp. Since that movie came out in June of '55, it's possible — though I should think unlikely from the timing — that Pollock did whatever he did on it after he was blacklisted. Mr. Disney, despite all the tales of his right-wing politics, was willing to surreptitiously employ blacklisted writers. As I explained here, my old neighbors Al and Helen Levitt worked on several scripts for Walt during the period when they were effectively barred from writing under their own names. You'll notice that in that piece I wrote, I mentioned that one of the points they made about the blacklist was how sloppy its enforcement was, often confusing one person with another and blacklisting the wrong guy. Well, now here's Louis Pollock as a perfect example of that.

Money Matters

Posted on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 3:23 AM

This chart has appeared on a couple of other websites lately. I stole it for mine because I think it summarizes a fundamental problem we have in this country. In every poll, Americans say they want lower taxes, a balanced budget and deficit reduction. Fine. So do you. So do I. So does just about everyone. But when you ask people to get more specific about where they want to see cuts, you find that the answer is "Almost nowhere." They want more money spent on education. They want more money spent on veterans' benefits. They want more money spent on health care. Et cetera. The only place where there's any substantial willingness to slash is foreign aid…and foreign aid is less than 1% of the federal budget so cutting there isn't going to save much cash.

I don't have any great insights or ideas here. I just thought we need to stare this problem in the face. It's political dynamite to start slashing in any of these categories. If you cut education, you're harming children. If you cut veterans' benefits, you hate the troops. If you cut health care, people die. And so it goes.

The Sound of Lincoln

Posted on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 2:05 AM

According to this article, the Disney folks are about to unveil a new, improved Animatronic version of Abraham Lincoln at Disneyland and, one assumes, at its other theme parks later on. The new robotic Abe is capable of hundreds of different facial expressions…which is more than can be said for the last dozen-or-so men to occupy the Oval Office, unless you count talking out of both sides of their mouth at the same time.

The old voice track by actor Royal Dano has been retained despite suggestions that they opt for a new one…say, one by Sam Waterson, who is said to be closer to what The Great Emancipator actually sounded like. In the linked piece, it says, "To be sure, no one living today has ever heard Lincoln speak — and there are no recordings. Much of what scholars have deduced about Lincoln's delivery comes from contemporary accounts of his relatively high-tenor voice."

Far be it from me to quibble with Lincoln scholars…but I'm quite sure I remember reading or hearing somewhere the opinion of poet-historian Carl Sandburg on the subject. Sandburg, of course, never heard Lincoln speak having been born in 1878. But I'm certain he said somewhere that his research had led him to conclude that Lincoln sounded very much like the late Pat Buttram.

You all remember Pat Buttram, perhaps as Gene Autry's sidekick, perhaps as Mr. Haney on the TV series, Green Acres. He was a lovely, funny man and I had the pleasure of directing him a half-dozen times for his recurring role on Garfield and Friends. In fact, I once asked him about the Sandburg remark and he said he'd heard it, too. Pat had a squeaky voice filled with highs and lows, often at different ends of the same word, and he said, "People would never believe ol' Honest Abe sounded like me."

He may have been right about that…and the current flock of experts may know that. Look at that line above about our 16th President having a high-tenor voice. And look at this quote: "He often was so nervous at the beginning, he would almost shift up into a falsetto before he settled himself," said historian Ronald C. White Jr., author of "A. Lincoln: A Biography." Sure sounds like Pat Buttram to me.

Today's Video Link

Posted on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 12:06 AM

You got 22 minutes? If not, come back here when you do and watch One Week, a wonderful comedy made in 1920 by that grinning fool, Buster Keaton.

It was his first solo comedy to be released. For several years, he made films in support of Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, turning down offers to go off on his own. When he finally did, he first made a movie called The High Sign. As the story is told, when The High Sign was completed, Keaton decided it wasn't good enough and that it should be shelved. But once that decision was made, Keaton — being a compulsive perfectionist — went back and did rewrites, reshoots and re-editing on The High Sign and then, once he was convinced he'd made it as good as it could be, then he shelved it. The film would be released a few years later when Keaton injured himself and had to take some time off to recover. Only then did he agree to its distribution so that audiences, eager for the next Buster Keaton comedy, would not be disappointed.

In any case, after The High Sign was squirreled away, Keaton made One Week…a remarkable comedy and one that was recently selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. When you watch, you might keep in mind that no miniatures or camera tricks were used to make things happen. Obviously, Keaton's crew knew how to rig things up with wires and breakaway materials…but the big clunky mobile house was actually the size it appears to be, and they made it do all the things it does in the film. That credibility was one of the things that made Keaton's silent films wonderful. Even better was the fact that they were just plain funny.

VIDEO MISSING

Such a Deal

Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 at 10:54 PM

Earlier this week, I linked you over to a great deal on closeout copies of MAD's Greatest Artists: The Completely MAD Don Martin, a fine two-volume set that Barnes & Noble was selling for a ridiculously low price. Over the next day or three — and I'll take full credit for the rush — they sold out of copies. In fact, two different readers of this site have told me they ordered the book online only to later receive e-mails that said the company had exhausted its supply and the orders would not be filled.

I told you to check out your local Barnes & Noble (you know, actually go into a bookstore) to see if they have copies because apparently, some of them have piles of 'em. For those of you who shudder at this prospect, you still may be able to procure one from your computer chair. Daedalus Books seems to still have copies for $29.98 — more than the Barnes & Noble price but still about $120 below the original list. Books-A-Million claims to have them for about the same price. I'll bet there are others.

I don't make anything off these referrals so I'm going to guilt-trip you a bit. If because of me you get one of these books at this tremendous discount, send ten or more dollars (of the $120 or so you're saving) to my favorite charity, Operation USA. No one you'll ever give money to will put it to better use.

Today's Political Rant

Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 at 9:31 PM

Much ado was made about nothing yesterday when Al Franken, presiding over the Senate debate on Health Care, refused a request by Joe Lieberman to extend his speaking time beyond the allotted ten minutes. I first heard about it in an online link that referred to a "smackdown" and said something about "payback." But when I clicked and watched the video, it turned out to be a perfectly normal, civil exchange. Franken was enforcing a policy that applied to all, not just to Lieberman, and he said nothing insulting about Lieberman or the speech in progress. Lieberman accepted it with a smile. No fits, no fights, no feuds and no egos.

Two things made this into more than it was. First, tempers are raging about the Health Care Reform Bill and both sides saw a way to spin the exchange to their advantage. If you were for the bill, you could view it as that putz Lieberman finally getting slapped. If you were against the bill, you could see it as Al Franken demonstrating how rude Democrats can be to a fine statesman like Joe Lieberman. But if you think it was either, I think you weren't paying attention.

And then to make it worse, along comes John McCain, who rarely lets not knowing what he's talking about stop him from talking about something. He grabbed the floor and with outrage in his voice, insisted he'd never before seen a Senator refused an extra minute or so to conclude his remarks. In fact, as many have since noted, it has happened before. It had happened an hour or so earlier in the same debate yesterday and there are cases where McCain himself has cut someone off. I am so glad this man is not President.

And yeah, there's this other factor, as there always is: The insatiable lust of cable news for reportable melodrama. They made it out to be a big story…but we don't have to believe it is. And we shouldn't. There are enough real fights going on in Washington — some even about things that matter — that I don't see why we have to make them up.

A More Congenial Spot?

Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 at 12:42 PM

Director David Lee is staging a new version of Camelot early next year at the Pasadena Playhouse. Ordinarily, the show is performed with huge sets, elaborate costumes and a large cast. The original Broadway production had 56 people on stage. Mr. Lee is dispensing with the huge sets and elaborate costumes and trimming the cast down to…wait for it…eight. We are intrigued.

Get 'em While You Can!

Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 at 1:31 AM

Over at www.juneforay.com, we arranged things so you could order a copy of June Foray's autobiography and get it autographed by the first lady of cartoon voicing, herself…the voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Nell Fenwick, Granny and countless others. Many of you realized what a great opportunity this was and you ordered. Others of you have been putting it off…so here's fair warning. When our current supply is out, we're going to stop shlepping copies over to June's house to sign or making her come over to my place.

The book will still be available after that…and if you happen to be someplace where June's appearing, she'll be glad to sign a copy for you. But you'll no longer be able to just buy an autographed copy for a few clicks. It will only get more difficult.

Did You Grow Up With Me, Too? is the story of the Queen of Voiceover, the legendary June Foray. My pal Earl Kress and I helped her with the text and designed the book…but it's June's story, told in (mostly) her own words. You'll read how a short person from Springfield came to have the biggest — well, let's say most in-demand — mouth in Hollywood. June writes of her days working for Warner Brothers cartoons for Chuck Jones and other legendary directors there; of performing with Stan Freberg on his records and radio show; of working on the top radio programs of the forties, including a series with Steve Allen; of becoming the Squirrel half of "Moose and Squirrel" for Jay Ward; of founding the Hollywood chapter of ASIFA, the International Animation Society; of looping and dubbing major motion pictures…and so much more. All of this is illustrated with photos from June's private collection.

Enough sales pitch. If you're a fan of June's — and how could you not be? — get your order in while we're still doing this. You'll regret it if you don't.

Today's Video Link

Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 at 12:45 AM

Jon Stewart on Sesame Street…

Go Read It!

Posted on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 7:16 PM

Foreign Policy magazine picks The 10 Worst Predictions for 2009. I'm kinda bummed that mine about the Washingon Nationals winning the World Series didn't make the list.

Vocal Boy Makes Good

Posted on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 12:12 PM

My pal Joe Alaskey has written his autobiography. Joe's a little young for that but the book is a treasure for those of us interested in cartoons and especially cartoon voicing. One of most versatile talents in our field, Joe has been heard on dozens of animated shows including Rugrats and darn near everything funny the Warner Brothers studio has done in the last decade. Even while Mel Blanc was alive, Joe was (with Mel's blessing) taking over a number of his roles. In Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Mel did Bugs and Porky and several others but that was Joe you heard playing Yosemite Sam. Since Mel's passing, Joe has assumed other classic Blanc roles. When you hear Daffy Duck in anything new, you're probably hearing Joe…who even won an Emmy for the Duck Dodgers series. He also does a lot of original characters and once in a while, someone drags him in front of a camera to act or do impressions. Nobody does a better Gleason. In fact, if Gleason were still around, he wouldn't sound as much like himself as Joe does.

So consider this a plug for That's Still Not All, Folks, the autobiography of Joe Alaskey. It's full of great anecdotes about his life and the folks he's worked with…and there are even cartoons by Joe. There's gotta be something he can't do.

Briefly Noted

Posted on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 9:43 AM

If you missed the fine piece by R.C. Harvey about our pal Shel Dorf, it's now available to read here.

Hey, remember that link I posted to buy the big Don Martin book dirt-cheap from Barnes & Noble? Well, my link moved over 100 copies for them and the online offer is now sold out. A few folks, however, have written to say they've seen them in the bargain section at their local Barnes & Noble stores. So if you still want one at that price, that's the place to go.

And lastly: Saturday memberships at the 2010 Comic-Con International are disappearing faster than Joe Lieberman's credibility. Both will be totally gone in about 48 hours.

Today's Video Link

Posted on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 12:22 AM

This only runs ten seconds but folks who lived on the West Coast in the sixties will have their memories jogged. We had an airline out here called Western Airlines. It went away in 1986 when Delta absorbed it and did away with the name, which has since been adopted by an unrelated carrier. The old Western had low cost fares all around this half of the United States…and if the two or three times I flew it were indicative, a pretty terrible on-time record. They were especially good at overselling flights and not offering compensation or alternatives if you got bumped.

What kept them solvent for a while was a very friendly ad campaign. They blanketed the airwaves with short spots featuring a bird character reclining on the tail of one of their planes. The character's voice was not done by Jim Backus, as was occasionally reported. It was supplied by an actor named Shepard Menken, whose name for some reasons is often spelled "Menkin." Shep was heard on a ridiculous number of radio and TV commercials and also dabbled in TV animation, most notably speaking for that great inventor, Clyde Crashcup of The Alvin Show.

He was also a cast member on the greatest comedy album ever made, Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America, Volume One. I hired him once for Garfield and Friends and at the session, he told me he was prouder of being part of that record than he was of anything else he'd done in a very full career. In 1995 when I helped Stan assemble Volume Two, he wanted to bring back everyone who was on the first album who was still alive…and I tried but was unable to locate Shep. His agent couldn't find him. The Screen Actors Guild couldn't find him. It finally turned out he'd dropped out of sight due to illness. He passed away in 1995.

Obits noted he'd voiced some of the most-heard commercials of all time and one cited some staggering sum he'd made voicing the Western Airlines bird. He probably did make a lot off them. These spots ran for years and there were an awful lot of them of varying lengths. Here's one that's just long enough to let you hear Shep's voice as he delivers the Western Airlines catch-phrase…one of the most successful in the history of advertising…

Those Who Can't Do…

Posted on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 10:23 PM

This is a little far in advance so I'll try to mention it again closer to the date. Every year when I go to WonderCon in San Francisco, I stop by a fine school/workshop there that teaches the art of voiceover and I conduct a class. The operation is called Voice One and on Monday, April 5, 2010, I'll be teaching a class called Cartoon Connection, all about how to do voices for animation. If you're attending WonderCon and/or reside in the area, you might want to hear whatever it is I have to say about how you should say whatever someone like me tells you to say. Say what?