There are not many superstar agent-managers around but Jack Rollins, who just died at the age of 100, was one of 'em. His list of clients included, first and foremost, Woody Allen and also had on it at various times David Letterman, Dick Cavett, Harry Belafonte, Robin Williams, Lenny Bruce, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, Billy Crystal and lots of other folks you've heard of. He and his partner Charles H. Joffe shaped most of those careers and served as executive producers of many of their clients' TV shows and movies. Read all about him here.
Jeb Bush is saying that if we elect him president, he'll make 4% economic growth happen every year. How? Well, I guess that's the part he'll figure out after we swear him into office. Never mind that neither his brother or father ever managed that and that the only president lately who came close was the husband of his probable Democratic opponent. Anyway, Matt Ygelsias tells us how ridiculous this campaign pledge is.
We have in the past here plugged Raised Eyebrows, a fine book by my pal Steve Stoliar. Steve worked for Groucho Marx for the last few years of the great comedian's life and was therefore in the midst of the stormy presence of Erin Fleming in Groucho's life. I probably don't have to remind anyone who would come to this site what that was all about but just in case, I wrote about it here.
Congrats to Steve. It was announced yesterday that his book is to be turned into a movie directed by rocker-turned-director Rob Zombie, screenwriter Oren Moverman and other folks you can read about in this news item. If you read that, don't read the comments, most of which are from people condemning the project because of some idea they have of this film looking like other Zombie projects. They know not how passionate and loyal to Groucho's memory Steve is; how he'd never be a part of anything that didn't serve this subject properly. (This is something that often annoys me about the Internet…this rush to review movies that haven't gotten anywhere near a camera yet. The screenplay isn't finished, the picture isn't cast, not one frame of film has been shot but somehow, you know exactly what it will be like.)
As I've written elsewhere here, I had two brief in-person encounters with Groucho and Ms. Fleming during those years…enough to believe that Steve, who was present for most of it, got the story exactly right in his book. I don't mean just that he knew what was going on but also that he set it down in an accurate manner as opposed, say, to making himself look like more of a hero than he was. He did though do much to help his employer and idol, and that story is well worth the wide audience that it will get from a movie of this sort. So I view this as good news, not just for Steve but for those of us interested in the sheer history going on there.
The San Diego Central Library is about to open an exhibit called The Art of Comic-Con, a gallery of artwork done over the years in connection with Comic-Con International. I would imagine it's mostly art done for the souvenir book or advertising and it's by some wonderful artists. My partner-in-crime Sergio Aragonés will be appearing at the opening reception, which is this Saturday from Noon to 2 PM. Sergio did an amazing cover for the con's 40th anniversary book, Comic-Con: 40 Years of Artists, Writers, Fans and Friends! and they'll be unveiling an unusual and somewhat large display of that work of art.
The exhibit runs through the end of August so if you happen to be in San Diego before then — say, for Comic-Con in three weeks — you might want to pop over and take a gander at it, especially since admission is free.
The San Diego Central Library is located at 330 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 which is — I just Google Mapped it — six-tenths of a mile from the convention center so it's eminently walkable. More details are available here.
Sorry to hear of the passing of comedian Rick Ducommun, one of the funnier stand-ups I recall seeing during the eighties. He was a Canadian gent who I recall doing some of the funniest sets I ever saw on the stage of Budd Friedman's Improv up on Melrose. A lot of folks would know him best as an actor in quite a few movies including Spaceballs, Die Hard, Groundhog Day, The Hunt for Red October and a particularly standout role opposite Tom Hanks in The 'Burbs. He headlined at least one HBO standup special which I wish they'd rerun so I could get a copy.
Nice guy, too. I actually brought him in once to do the voice of a stand-up comedian mouse in an episode of Garfield and Friends. We talked a bit about our mutual weight problems and I was pleased to see that he soon got himself down to a more human size. He died "due to complications from a protracted illness," reports a friend of his, another very funny guy named Rick…Rick Overton. I hadn't seen Ducommun anywhere for quite a while and I guess that illness was the reason.
Here's a short set he did at the 1989 (I think) Comic Relief show. The topics are not for the easily offended but I think the guy was nothing but funny…
So how is it that whenever politicians pick a recent piece of popular recorded music to use as a theme song for their campaigns, they almost invariably pick a record by someone who is against their candidacy? Donald Trump used Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" as his entrance and exit music for yesterday's announcement and, of course, today we have Neil Young saying nobody got his permission and he's supporting Bernie Sanders.
Is it my imagination or does this happen all the time with every politician? Newt Gingrich used "Eye of the Tiger" in his hapless campaign without getting any sort of clearance and okay from its composer or the artists who performed the record. Michele Bachmann, back when she thought she might get more than eleven votes for president, was using "American Girl" by Tom Petty against the wishes of Mr. Petty. Petty also objected when George W. Bush used his "I Won't Back Down." I seem to recall Sarah Palin doing this several times and I'm sure there must be Democratic candidates who did the same thing.
The folks at ASCAP, the composers' society, have put together a FAQ about the use of such music. Here it is in a PDF file. It took me five seconds to find this online. Does no one running a political campaign ever bother to check to see if they need permission? Or do they just not care if they violate a musician's rights?
Matthew Dessem has a more detailed account of the finding of the lost reel of Laurel and Hardy's film, Battle of the Century. We are, of course, very happy of this and eager to see the complete film…and by "we," I mean anyone with any affection for great comedians.
Stu Shostak has landed another great guest for his Internet Radio Talk Show. It's Peter Isacksen, who may be best known to you as "the tall guy" in many movies and TV shows like C.P.O. Sharkey. I worked with Peter years ago on a short-lived series and found him to be a bright, talented gent and it didn't surprise me one bit when he segued from acting to directing and producing. He's got some great tales to tell of his work both in front of and behind the camera, and Stu's just the guy to get him to tell them.
Stu's Show can be heard live (almost) every Wednesday at the Stu's Show website and you can listen for free there. Webcasts start at 4 PM Pacific Time, 7 PM Eastern and other times in other climes. They run a minimum of two hours and sometimes go to three or beyond. Shortly after a show ends, it's available for downloading from the Archives on that site. Downloads are a measly 99 cents each and you can get four for the price of three. The more you buy, the more you save. In fact, if you buy 'em all, you'll probably save enough money to retire.
Okay, so Trump's running for the G.O.P. nomination, at least for now. I'm waiting for someone to ask him, "Are you in the race for keeps or are you in it until it's time to report for work on Celebrity Apprentice?" If I were a supporter of Mr. Trump — I suppose there are such people — I wouldn't lift a finger to help him or even begin hoping he'll win until I got the right answer to that question.
Worried about him maybe winning? Don't be. As Harry Enten notes, "Trump is the first candidate in modern presidential primary history to begin the campaign with a majority of his own party disliking him. A whopping 57 percent of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Trump, according to an average of the three most recent polls." And I have a feeling that as Republicans see him sucking up air time and attention and donations that could go to their first choice, the more that number will grow.
Trump, by the way, is the only person in the race I've ever been in the same room with. (I did see Hillary get out of a limo in New York once.) I was up at David Letterman's studio back in his NBC days when Trump was on. I saw him in the halls, yelling at people and being quite obnoxious, and then I was about twelve feet away when he was sitting in Dave's guest chair saying things that caused the audience to boo him. Do you remember that Monty Python sketch about eating dead relatives that ended with the studio audience rising from its seats and rushing up to strangle the actors? That came close to happening.
On another occasion, Trump and the current Mrs. Trump barged into a recording studio where I was working on some TV thing. They were in the wrong room and not at all apologetic for interrupting us.
These tiny brushes do not equate to me having any more insight into Trump than anyone else can get from watching him on television. But I sure didn't see anything to counteract the arrogant and nasty image he's carefully cultivated.
Michael Kinsley on how the old "wedge" issues aren't working for Republicans any longer and they have to come up with new ones. I'd like to see the next election turn on the question of whether the potato salad at Cassell's is made with horseradish or hot mustard. Whatever issue it is about probably won't be much more important.
Jonathan Chait thinks the key issue is or ought to be Paul Ryan's budget. If there's a Republican president and a Republican Senate to go along with the surely-Republican House, they ought to be able to pass Ryan's wish dream which I think is that the poor and middle class will not only pay all of the taxes with rich folks paying nothing but we'll all have to donate several hours a week to go over and trim the lawns and gardens of the 1%.
I used to write here about a place down on 6th Street in Los Angeles called Cassell's which served one of the world's great hamburgers. Though inconvenient as to location, parking and hours (they closed at 4 PM), I went there often, starting way back in the era when Mr. Cassell still owned and operated the place. He invented a unique grill and all sorts of grand recipes for mayo and potato salad and really wonderful lemonade and a few other items and it all made Cassell's a special dining experience. It wasn't just another hamburger place. At lunchtime, he literally had a line out the door.
The hamburgers were cheap and delicious. A lot of people called them the best in L.A. and while something like that could never be unanimous, people didn't look at you like you were crazy if you said that.
The old Cassell's
Some folks went for the potato salad which looked like mashed potatoes and which had a special "kick" to it. The big controversy was whether it was from horseradish or hot mustard. I don't know how many of them are still up but there used to be hysterical arguments on restaurant review websites over this with people swearing they knew the secret and calling anyone an idiot should they believe otherwise. One guy would say Mr. Cassell had personally told him it was horseradish and shown him the vegetables themselves…and then some other guy who hit him with every synonym there is for "liar" and insist that he'd worked there for a time and personally added the Coleman's Hot Mustard. The debates about Obamacare, Gay Marriage and Abortion are minor squabbles compared to that discussion.
I decided to remain agnostic on the subject lest someone take a swing at me. But then I never liked the potato salad as much as others did. To me, it was okay if you didn't get an overly-volcanic batch.
Over the years, the area changed — fewer companies full of employees who needed a place to lunch — and Cassell's did less and less business. Not long before he passed, Mr. Cassell sold out to a Korean family that kept the same location, facilities, menu and even the same guy manning the grill and cooking the burgers. Everything was the same…but it wasn't. Somehow — and I sure couldn't explain what it was — the place seemed less wonderful. The burgers were occasionally just as good and they hadn't changed the signature potato salad. But it all felt less special…like it was turning into just another hamburger place. A few years later, it closed and what remained of Cassell's was purchased by the company that was then refurbishing the nearby Normandie Hotel. They announced that Cassell's would be reborn as part of the Normandie.
And then we waited. For a lot longer than they said it would take.
The new Cassell's
Late last year, Cassell's reopened at the Normandie. Well, it's called Cassell's and they proudly display a lot of the old signage in what is a much nicer, newer room. They have the same potato salad and the burgers, we're told, are made with the same recipe using the same grinder and the same grill, though served on a different bun. But much is different.
The old place was set up cafeteria-style. You waited for your burger to be cooked, then moved down the line to dress it at a little mini salad bar of condiments and a few side dishes like cottage cheese, pineapple slices and — of course — the potato salad. The new place is all server-style. You order it, they bring it to you…so no all-you-can-eat side dishes. The menu and hours have been expanded so Cassell's can serve as the hotel's coffee shop. They now have milkshakes, cocktails, a lot more other menu items and even serve breakfast.
A week or two ago, my friend Paul Dini and I ventured down there to check it out and see how much of the old Cassell's remained. It turned out for me to be (a) the name, (b) the old signs placed around the new space, (c) the potato salad and (d) really nothing else. Paul had a lemonade that he thought was as good as what Mr. Cassell used to make. I believe his secret ingredient was actual lemons.
The hamburger I had was a decent one but I did not recognize a connection to the Cassell's burger of yore. It's a nice place that seems to serve decent chow but it is just another hamburger place. That's not to say I won't go back but if I do, I'm going to do it smart and not expect the old Cassell's. To do so would be to do a disservice to a nice new restaurant and also to myself. As I get older, I have to keep reminding myself that the world changes and if you expect it not to, you're setting yourself up for a lot of disappointment.
So Donald Trump has some sort of big announcement today, perhaps that he's entering the 2016 presidential race because, you know, they don't have quite enough candidates who don't have a chance of winning and he can't pass up an opportunity to promote himself. If that's it, then the question is whether he's serious enough to stay in past the moment when he'd have to either quit the campaign or quit Celebrity Apprentice. Me, I'm guessing he doesn't want to give up that show for the prestige of finishing in fifteenth place behind Carly Fiorina.
Besides, why does he want to be a candidate? Doesn't he know what a miserable life they lead? Just listen to Ted Cruz complain about it.
In 1927, very early in their teaming, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy made a rather famous short film called The Battle of the Century which featured an epic pie fight. The Boys didn't throw a lot of pies in their movies but in that one, they sure did. It was a two-reel comedy and the last half of the second reel was a street scene with dozens of people hurling hundreds of pies at one another.
Like most silent comedies, Battle of the Century was forgotten for a long time. In 1957, a man named Robert Youngson was assembling a compilation feature called The Golden Age of Comedy using clips of great silent movies. He got access to the negative of The Battle of the Century, duped the big fight at the end and used it in his film. What he didn't know was that in so doing, he was preserving that footage for all eternity. The negative was in bad shape and within a few years, it had completely decomposed. There was no other known copy of the film anywhere.
So it became a "lost film" but for the portions Youngson had saved. He had done some edits within the pie fight scene so he hadn't saved all of it but he had saved most of it…and for a long time, that was all we had. Laurel and Hardy fans wished, prayed and otherwise urged Fate (or something) to find a complete copy of the film but with each passing year, it looked more like an impossible dream.
But wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles! One day, a complete copy of the first reel turned up! It was a great find…and there was one added bit of film history, above and beyond the obvious. The first reel is about a prize fight with Laurel as a fighter and Hardy as his manager. In a few shots, a man is visible in the fight audience working as an extra. His name then was Louis Cristillo and years later, he would change his last name to Costello and team up with Bud Abbott. It's the only known path-crossing of Laurel and Hardy with Abbott and Costello.
Okay. So what we had then was the entire first reel and most of the last half of the second reel…not bad. Someone assembled a version of the film using all the footage known to exist plus stills and captions to explain the missing segments. That's the video I'm embedded below. It's the one we Laurel 'n' Hardy fans decided we'd have to live with since it was really, really unlikely that the rest of reel two would ever be located.
Well, guess what. The really, really unlikely thing has happened…or so we hear. According to this article, a good quality 16mm print of Reel Two has been found. This is such good news that some of us are worried it's a hoax of some kind. If it isn't, you may soon be able to watch a version of The Battle of the Century more complete than this one…
