The dancing Douglases
Does love of dance run in the family? If so, then actress/producer Illeana Douglas has traced her dance gene. Illeana, a great film buff, is hosting Turner Classic Movies’ “Second Looks” programming on Friday nights of this month. Her marvelous, quirky film curation is catalogued in a wonderful essay written for TCM by Roger Fristoe. ...
Ballet bends-and-stretches for Marilyn 2
The photos are from a Life Magazine ‘A Day in the Life of a Starlet’ photo spread. Pictured are ballet instructor Nico Charisse (husband of Cyd) and his keen pupil, Marilyn Monroe. Writes Joshua Ireland, who shared the photos with arts·meme: * * * “I am working on a research project about Los Angeles dance ...
Marsha Hunt’s wartime Saturday nights at the Hollywood Canteen 1
May
9
2013
It was a touching and exceptional march back through time. Wednesday night at the historic American Legion Hall (Hollywood Post #43 ) just south of the Hollywood Bowl, we attended a marvelous event mixing military veterans and classic film buffs, members of Hollywood Heritage. After pledging allegiance to the American flag, the strange bedfellows shared ...
A royal Hollywood evening with Astaire & Travolta 1
A Rat-Packy night in L.A. — so much royalty, show biz and more. The memorabilia comes from arts·meme pal Larry Billman, founder of the Academy of Dance on Film. From Larry’s photo archive, a groovy snapshot of cocktail hour preceding the 22nd annual ball of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honoring Fred Astaire. ...
Elgart’s aquatic adventure @ the Music Center 1
A marvelous event opened the annual Dance Camera West film festival Thursday evening. At dusk, we gathered ’round the Jacques Lipchitz “Peace on Earth” sculpture-fountain that anchors the plaza of the Los Angeles Music Center, one of our city’s rare pedestrian hobnobbing spots. Suddenly a tall tube of ruby fabric mysteriously appeared and began to ...
Capitol Records “Hollywood Jazz” mural celebrated
May
2
2013
“Hollywood Jazz – 1945-1972,” a jazz mural, image posted above, commissioned by the Los Angeles Jazz Society, deteriorated since its unveiling on October 27, 1990. But great news — it has just been beautifully restored by Capitol Records. Artists featured in the mural include Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Charlie Parker, Tito Puente, Miles Davis, ...
Fountain frolic by L.A. choreographers @ Dance Camera West
In the city that spawned Esther Williams’ aquatic dance-pageantry, I really like the commissioning of fun, site-specific water dances fashioned by a cadre of top Los Angeles choreographers. Some of the names may not be fully known to followers of “concert” dance. And that’s not right. The list comprises four highly successful film, television, stage ...
Commemorating George Balanchine who died 30 years ago 1
Apr
30
2013
Thirty years since he left us, we are still in his thrall. Here’s a wonderful historic photo of the great Russian-born choreographer-genius George Balanchine, provided to us by the chief archivist of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Norton Owen. In this beautifully composed photograph, Balanchine instructs Mary Ellen Moylan. Photo credit: Hans Knopf, 1942, Jacob’s Pillow ...
Paul Taylor’s gorgeous, sprawling “Brandenburgs” on PBS
Apr
29
2013
“This piece is meant to be very dancey, but it has a theme. I would say it’s about gallantry. The men are gallant towards the women. The women are more playful. Each of the women has a distinct personality. There’s a leading man, too. His relationship to the women, it’s gallant, but it’s not a ...
We love the women of TCM Classic Film Festival 2013
Apr
28
2013
This was our fourth year attending the marvelously programmed, super well-organized TCM classic film festival right in the center of our city. The Festival opened with a bang — a screening of Barbra Streisand’s powerhouse film debut in FUNNY GIRL (1968). It continued through the weekend, highlighting many admirable women of the classic Hollywood community. ...