Happy 29th Birthday wishes go out today to my pal, Mr. Tuba Heatherton!
Saturday, February 07, 2009
RINGLING PR: Liberty Science Center in Jersey City Today!
Dan Berkley and I will be performing a Science of the Circus show to day at the Liberty Science Center 222 Jersey City Boulevard Jersey City, NJ (right in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty) at 1:00 and 3:00 PM to promote Ringling's upcoming appearances in Newark and the Meadowlands.
INSIGHT FROM THE DALAI LAMA
"Humans are not machines - we are something more. We have feeling and experience. Material comforts are not sufficient to satisfy us. We need something deeper - human affection."
BUSTER KEATON: "Pest of the West" (1938)
Buster Keaton attempts to serenade a senorita and discovers it's more trouble than it's worth. Made for Jules White at Columbia (same producer and studio as the Three Stooges) this is from Buster's first Columbia short"Pest from the West" made in 1938.
Knowing that he's going to be hit, and when he's going to be hit, but continuing to play on anyway makes this a "mechanical gag" (my own description, don't look it up) like Andy Kaufman's "Mighty Mouse", The Muppets "Mah Na Mah Na" or Ernie Kovacs' "Nairobi Trio" where the action continues "mechanically" despite some physical obstacle.
Friday, February 06, 2009
BILLY LEVISHON: Kansas City Star (1962)
Billy Levishon (dressed for Coco's Painters and Decorators gag) and friend at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1962.
MYSTERY CLOWN
Photo courtesy of Robin Shaw-Bickford
That's Jimmy Graham in the back and Jimmy Briscoe on the right but who is that on the left?
That's Jimmy Graham in the back and Jimmy Briscoe on the right but who is that on the left?
INSIGHT FROM THE DALAI LAMA
"Time never waits but keeps flowing. Not only does time flow unhindered, but correspondingly our lives too keep moving onward all the time. If something goes wrong, we cannot turn back time and try again. In that sense, there is no genuine second chance."
CHARLIE CHAPLIN: One AM (1916)
Chaplin plays the role of a homeowner who, after a night on the town, comes home late, drunk and unable to find his key. He only wants to go to bed, but the inanimate objects around him prevent him.
For the next twenty minutes he staggers into, out of, and through the house in an inebriated confrontation with the house itself
One A.M. was a unique Charlie Chaplin silent film created for Mutual Films in 1916.
It was the only film he starred in alone, except for a brief scene of Albert Austin playing a cab driver.
Directed by Charles Chaplin
Edward Brewer (technical director)
Produced by Henry P. Caulfield
Written by Charles Chaplin (scenario)
Vincent Bryan (scenario)
Maverick Terrell (scenario)
Starring Charles Chaplin
Cinematography William C. Foster
Roland H. Totheroh
Editing by Charles Chaplin
Distributed by Mutual Film Corporation
Release date(s) August 7, 1916
Running time 2 Reels (full length unknown)
c. 34 mins.
JOE E. BROWN: The Circus Clown Trailer (1934)
Joe E. Brown plays a dual role in The Circus Clown, as would-be circus entertainer Happy Howard and his rustic old father. When dad, a former circus man himself, disapproves of Happy hitting the sawdust trail, the boy does so anyway, smitten by a beautiful female bareback rider. So naïve is our hero that he doesn't realize that the "girl" is actually female impersonator Jack (Don Dillaway), who strings Happy along just for laughs.
Once this plotline is straightened out, Happy becomes the hero of the day by substituting for a drunken aerialist -- and there is no more proud or enthusiast spectator than Happy's happy dad. If Joe E. Brown looks genuinely frightened in his scene in the lion's cage, he should; the lion affectionately pawed Brown during one take, resulting in six stitches in the comedian's arm.
More serious than most Brown vehicles, The Circus Clown is distinguished by the star's spectacular acrobatics (the real thing -- no doubles), and by some excellent split-screen work during the "father/son" scenes.
Joe E. Brown - Happy Howard / His Father
Patricia Ellis - Alice
Dorothy Burgess - Babe
William Demarest
Donald Dilloway - Jack
Gordon Westcott - Frank
Charles Wilson - Sheldon
Harry Woods - Ajax
John Sheehan - Moxley
Bobby Caldwell
Spencer Charters
Ernest Clark
Ronnie Cosbey - Dickie
William B. Davidson
Tom Dugan
Poodles Hanneford
Earl Hodgins
Lee Moran
Thursday, February 05, 2009
THE REVIEW IS IN!
"Circus Silliness" review by Chris Shelton
Andrew Scharff, Michael Rosman, Pat Cashin & Mark Lohr
Andrew Scharff, Michael Rosman, Pat Cashin & Mark LohrBaltimore Entertainment
Chris SheltonHi All,Just writing to say that myself and fellow clowns Keith Crabb, Brian Raboin, Brian's wife Noelle and daughter, Giavanna went to see "Circus Silliness: The Clown Symposium" in the Baltimore area this past Sunday. The first half of the show the performers were all kids, with some familiar last names: Ethan and Sophia Rosman (Recently of "Ellen Show" fame), Grace and Genevieve Lohr, and Veronica, Vonya, Valeria. Vayla, and Viahna LaMarra.
Sadly, missing from the cast was Shane Cashin. Shane was busy representing his school in the finals of a prestigious Spelling Bee contest! Congratulations Shane!
And all of the kids did a wonderful job in the show.
Two year old Giavanna was riveted throughout and so was I.The second half performers were Pat Cashin, Mark Lohr, Michael Rosman, and Andrew Scharff. They did a first rate job and all worked well together. Pat's new character looks great! And his work with Andrew was very polished. Andrew's contortion was really cool. Mark did some wonderful physical comedy! And Mike was really great. His diabolo routine was the funniest I have ever seen (reminiscent of the style comedy of Andy Kaufman). Great job guys! Thanks for the entertainment and thanks for hanging around after the show (special thanks to Pat for making the extra effort to win over Giavanna...she was waving to you from the window as we left)!
Chris
Thank you, Chris! Your check is in the mail ; )
INSIGHT FROM THE DALAI LAMA
"We humans have existed in our present form for about 100,000 years I believe that if during this time the human mind had been primarily controlled by anger and hatred, our overall population would have decreased. But today, despite all of our wars, we find that the human population is greater than ever. This clearly indicates to me that love and compassion predominate in the world. And this is why unpleasant events are "news"; compassionate activities are so much a part of our daily life that they are taken for granted and, therefore, largely ignored."
IN MEMORIAM: Erick Lee "Lux Interior" Purkhiser, October 21, 1946 – February 4, 2009
For Immediate Release:
February 4, 2009Lux Interior, lead singer of The Cramps, passed away this morning due to an existing heart condition at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California at 4:30 AM PST today. Lux has been an inspiration and influence to millions of artists and fans around the world. He and wife Poison Ivy’s contributions with The Cramps have had an immeasurable impact on modern music.The Cramps emerged from the original New York punk scene of CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, with a singular sound and iconography. Their distinct take on rockabilly and surf along with their midnight movie imagery reminded us all just how exciting, dangerous, vital and sexy rock and roll should be and has spawned entire subcultures. Lux was a fearless frontman who transformed every stage he stepped on into a place of passion, abandon, and true freedom. He is a rare icon who will be missed dearly.The family requests that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
BUSTER KEATON: Ringling Clown (1948)
Gary Cooper as Robinson Caruso and Buster Keaton as Friday performing a walkaround at a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus benefit show for to St. John's Hospital in Hollywood.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)