Great Days

JUST JANUARY 1

2023-01-18T09:30:00.002-05:00

To be really upbeat I am going to name all the famous people we lost in 2022:

We first lost Peter Bogdonvich and he was 82 on January sixth. He co-wrote the Last Picture Show, Paper Moon and Mask. On the same day we lost Sidney Poitier at the age of 94. He was the first Black man to win an Oscar. Then we lost Marylin Bergman at the age of 93 on the 8^th. She with her partner Alan wrote some very good songs Bob Saget at the age of 65 on the 9^th. He was the star of Full House. On the 12^th we lost Ronnie Spector she was 78. Then we lost Meat Loaf (Marvin Lee Aday) on the 20^th. He was 74. On the 21^st we lost Louie Anderson who was only 68. On the 29th we lost Howard Hesseman who was 81. He was most famous for WKRP in Cincinnati.

In February we lost Sally Kellerman on the 24^th. She was the original Hot Lips in M*A*S*H. She was 84. In March we lost William Hurt. He won an Oscar for Kiss of the Spiderwoman. He was also in the Big Chill and Body Heat. He was 71 on the 13^th. On the 23^rd we lost Madeleine Albright who was the first female Secretary of State. In April we lost Estelle Harris who played George Constanza’s Mom on Seinfeld. She was also the voice of Mrs. Potato Head in the Toy Story movies. On the 12^th we lost Gilbert Gottfried. He was in Problem Child one, two and three. He was only 67. On the 20^th we lost Robert Morse. He was 90 and his biggest role was on AMC’s Mad Men. On the 30^th we lost Naomi Judd. She was 76 and spent her entire career saying that she had hepatitis C, but she and her daughter won five Grammys and six AMA’s. She died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In May we lost Ray Liotta who was only 67. He was the star of Corrina, Corrina, Goodfellows, Field of Dreams, and Hannibal. We didn’t lose anyone in June but in July it picked up again. In July we lost Tony Sirico on the 8^th. He was the star of the Sopranos. On the 14^th we lost Ivana Trump as it was reported she was pushed down the stars. On the 25^th we lost Paul Sorvino. He was 83. Je was the star of Reds; A Touch of Class and he was in Moonlighting. On the 27^th we lost Tony Dow at the age of 77. He was the star of Leave it to Beaver. On the 30^th we lost Pat Carroll. She was 95. She was the voice of Ursula in the Little Mermaid. She was an Emmy, Drama Desk and Grammy winner and a Tony nominee. Also, on the 30th we lost Nichelle Nichols. She was Nyota Uhura on the Star Trek series and all the movies. She was the first interracial kiss on television.

In August we lost Olivia Newton John on the 8^th. She was 73 and the star of Grease with John Travolta which I just watched. She also is a Dame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Speaking of being made a Dame Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. On September 8^th. She was the longest reigning Monarch in History. Her family has totally embarrassed her. Glad she didn’t live to see the Harry and Meghan debacle. She had enough to deal with during her rein.

On the 23^rd we lost Louise Fletcher who was 88. She was the star of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the Exorcist II: the Heretic, plus High School High. On 10/4 we lost Loretta Lynn at the age of 90. She was a Country Music Superstar who gave us Coal Miner’s Daughter which won an Oscar for Sissy Spacek. On the 11^thwe lost Angela Lansbury at the age of 96. She was an actress and singer.

On 11/25 we lost Irene Cara who was only 63. She was a singer and actress who did the soundtrack for Fame and Flashdance. On the 30^th we lost Christine McVie who was with Fleetwood Mac. She was 79 and Fleetwood Mac was one of my favorite bands.

In December we lost Kirstie Alley on the 5^th. She was the star of Cheers and the Look Whose Talking Movies. I saw one just the other day. Also, on the 30^th we lost Barbara Walters who was 93. She was the host of the Today Show, the first female anchor woman. Pope Benedict died on 12/31. He was the first pope to resign. Also, on the 31^st we lost Anita Pointer who was 74. She was a member of the one of the greatest groups of all time……” The Pointer Sisters”. They gave us “So Excited” and have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

DELIGHTFUL DECEMBER - 2

2022-12-29T11:09:00.001-05:00

The week of Christmas I had to endure chemo which was fine. Just let me get well. I had to wait two hours at the doctor’s office because they didn’t tell me that I needed to drink the horrible stuff which I had to endure. Our Christmas was special even though I had to wear a mask.

We watched Christmas Vacation, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34^thStreet and Home Alone Lost in NY. All my favorites! I did watch Elf as well.

Other than Christmas it is the same old stuff in the news. Old Joe took a vacation to Turks and Caicos while the country is in ruins. He avoided the snowstorm while Mayor Pete blamed Southwest’s failures on SW. There is a surge of illegals entering our country and Old Joe escaped this one. The Hyena continues to lay low

and they are the worst President and VP in history. Then there is the case of Sam Bankman-Fried who in my opinion is a bit chubby, but he’s been released on $250 million bail. He has been released to his parents.

This is also the month where we have been married 45 years, our Granddaughter turned 11. My Husband’s parents were married on the 10^th. My parents were married on the 29^th. It is a big month for us. My Husband bought all the Christmas gifts and our Daughter wrapped them all. Wish I could have done that.

Delightful December

2022-12-15T07:11:00.003-05:00

It is now the first of December and my birthday. On my first birthday Rosa Parks decided not to give up her seat on the bus which earned her national recognition. It has been a bad month as I didn’t have to do chemo on my birthday which was totally good, and I got to spend the day with my family.

It has been a bad month as from the start we got news of three deaths. The first was a man my husband’s age who had been battling cancer. The second was a friend’s mom who lived to be 102. She was in the same home as mom. The third was a cousin of my Husband’s who lived to be in her 80’s.

My Husband and I will be married 45 years on the 17^th. If only we could get the pictures. Our Granddaughter will be 11 on the 19^th.

Then there is Christmas, and my Husband has bought all the presents this year. He doesn’t trust me to order anything, which is fine. I don’t trust myself to do it either. We go back to the hospital on the 23^rd which is so close to Christmas. It alarms me.

So, I’ll close for now telling you that the Dog is fine. It has been a bizarre month as crime is at an all time high. Samuel Bankman-Fried has been arrested in the Bahamas and claims he only eats a vegan diet, and everyone is covering up for him. Sam Brinton has lost his job for stealing luggage. The Hyena is laying low and Old Joe is saying he’s not too old to run for President in 2024. AOC made a documentary and so did Harry and Meghan which garnered low reviews. The country has gone crazy!

NUTTY NOVEMBER

2022-12-03T06:19:00.000-05:00

It is now November 1^st and I’ve spent the last month at the doctor’s office which was really unnecessary. I have lung cancer and have been given less than a year to live. I think I’ve told all those close to me but who knows? I’ve lost my taste for Chick Fil A milkshakes when I used to get one every day. Election day is looming and Oprah has chosen not to endorse Dr. Oz who she made famous. Crazy world we live in.

It has been a hub bub of doctor’s appointments. Can’t keep up with them all. I did finish my radiation treatments today. So that’s the good news. I am completely bald and we are going to have to have family pictures made later this month. The day before Thanksgiving which our Daughter-In-Law has so graciously decided to host. My 68^th birthday is ruined and so is Christmas. Will I ever get back to normal? So enough of my news.

Our Granddaughter had her 8^th birthday today and we didn’t attend the party. I’ve bought Dirty Dancing, Both Father of the Brides movies, Now and Then, Ghost and of course Pretty Woman.

In 1949 David Foster was born in Victoria British Columbia, Canada. He is the winner of 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. He has a star awarded on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013. He is now married to Katherine McPhee and became a father at the age of 72. He turned 73 today.

In 1972 Toni Collette was born in Wales, Austrailia. Her first US acting role was in the “Sixth Sense” for which she was nominated for a Oscar. She has starred in the “United States of Tara” for which she won an Emmy and a Globe. She also won a Critics Choice award for “Little Miss Sunshine”. She has been married to musician Dave Galafassi since 2003 and they have two children. She turned 50 today.

In 1986 Penn Badgley was born in Baltimore, MD. As a child he acted in the Seattle Children’s Theatre and the Pine Nut players. His parents divorced when he was 12 so that’s brought them there. His first big role was as Phillip Chancellor IV. He was also in “Easy A” with Emma Stone. He was also in “Gossip Girl” and the one I love “You” for which he was nominated for several awards where he was also had relationships with Blake Lively *2007- 2010”, Zoe Kravitiz from 2011-2013. He then began dating singer Domino Kirk in 2017 and they had their first child in 2020. He is a supporter of Obama and turned 36 today.

In 1985 Phil Silvers died at the age of 74. He was best known as Sgt Ernie Bilko for 143 episodes for which he won two Emmys. He also won two Tonys for “Top Banana” in 1952 and “A Funny Thing that Happened on the way to the Forum” in 1972.

In 1999 Walter Payton died at the age of 46. He played his entire career for the Chicago Bears and his number 34 has been retired. He was the number one draft pick, pick 4 of the Chicago Bears. He is considered one of the greatest Bears of all time.

Here's what happened on the 2^nd. James K. Polk the 11^th President of the US was born in Pineville, NC. He was the 9^thGovernor of Tennessee and served on the Tennessee House of Representatives. He was a graduate of UNC-CH. He married Sarah Childress who was far better educated than the women of her time and they had no children.

It was a big day for Presidents as Warren G. Harding was born in Blooming Grove, Ohio. He was the 29^th President of the US and a Senator and Congressman from Ohio. He was married to Florence King and had a child by Nan Britton.

In 1913 Burt Lancaster was born in NYC. He was nominated for four Oscars winning for “Elmer Gantry” and nominated for “Birdman of Alcatraz”, “From Here to Eternity” and “Atlantic City”. He served in the US Army during WWII and was married three times and had five children. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His final role was in “Field of Dreams”.

In 1914 Ray Walston was born in Laurel Mississippi. He was “My Favorite Martian”. He also appeared as Luther Billis in “South Pacific”, Mr. Applegate in “Damn Yankees”. Poopdeck Pappy in “Popeye” and one I just recently watched as Mr. Hand in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”.

In 1942 Stephanie Powers was born in Hollywood as Stephania Zofya Paul. She received two Emmy nominations and five Globes nominations for her show “Hart to Hart” with Robert Wagner. She was also in “McLintock!”, “Stagecoach” and most recently “The Artist’s Wife” in 2020. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1992. She turned 80 today.

In 1966 David Schwimmer was born in NYC. He was best known as Ross Geller on “Friends” and Robert Kardashian in “The People vs. OJ”: American Crime Story”. He turned 56 today.

In 1996 Toni Stone died at the age of 75. She was a woman baseball player. In 2011 Sid Melton died at the age of 94. He was Alf Monroe on “Green Acres”.

It is now the 3^rd. In 1933 Michael Stanley Dukakis was born in Brookline, MA. He was the 65^th and 67^th Governor of MA. He has been married to Kitty since 1963 and has four children with her. He is the cousin of Olympia Dukakis who I’ve seen a lot of lately as “Steel Magnolias” is one of my favorite movies. He delayed his tenure at Harvard as he served in the US Army from 1955-1957. He turned 89 today.

In 1990 Mary Martin died at the age of 76. She was the title character in “Peter Pan”. She was born on my birthday in 1913. She was born in Weatherford, Texas and the mother of Larry Hagman.

Now it is off to the 4^th. In 1842 Mary Todd Lincoln married honest Abe. In 1916 Walter Leland Cronkite was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was known as Uncle Walter, King of the Anchormen. I’ll never forget the day in 1963 when he shed a tear because JFK had been assassinated. He was married one time to Mary Elizabeth Maxwell. He married her in 1940 and they stayed married to her death in 2005. They had three children including Kathy. He died in July 2009 at the age of 92.

In 1969 Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, Texas. He won an Oscar for “Dallas Buyers Club” and is a major sex symbol. Not to worry has he has been married to Camila Alves since 2012 and has three children. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2008 Michael Crichton who was the writer of “Jurassic Park” franchise.

I’ve gotten to the end of the month and my mind is in a blur. Other things that happened in this month was 59 years ago JFK was shot. The horror of it all. This was followed by his assassin being shot by Jack Ruby. I’ve spent the entire month at the doctor’s office.

So many things have happened in this month. Old Joe is an imbecile. The Hyena is MIA. Tic Tok has become a Chinese entity. Pretty soon we'll be beholden to China.

It was a bad month and one I not care to repeat!

STUPID SEPTEMBER -3

2022-10-05T06:57:00.001-04:00

It has been a tough month for me intermingled with some joy. My Brother’s birthday was on the 13^thand on the 24^th it was our Sons. On the 16^th I visited a old friend in Danville, VA. We had a great lunch and got to see some of the downtown area which I had probably never seen before.

Then it got worse as a spent the last three nights of the month in the hospital. They think I have lung cancer which has been confirmed now. Our Kids stepped right up to the plate as did our Family and Friends. I’ll have to go through a battery of tests in the coming weeks. So I’ll just take October off.

STUPID SEPTEMBER - 2

2022-10-04T04:09:00.002-04:00

I’ve been told the China Virus crazies could last a year. Which is really disappointing for me. I just watch old movies and never the news as we all what that’s like. Old Joe is senile. The Hyena has gone MIA when she is the border Czar. Thousands of people enter our country each day and no one seems to care. Plus, crime is at an all-time high.

Here's what else that happened on the 8^th. In 1915 Frank Randolph Cady was born in Susanville, California. He was the youngest of three children born to Leon and Clara Cady. His family later moved to Wilsonville, Oregon. He studied journalism and drama at Stanford University. He was involved in the campus humor magazine the Stanford Chapparal. He joined the US Army when WWII broke out serving in Germany, France and Germany. He played in the “New Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” from 1954-1965. His role was as Doc Williams and appeared in 71 episodes. From 1963 to 1970 he was in “Petticoat Junction” for 168 episodes, as Sam Drucker. “Green Acres” for 142 episodes and the “Beverly Hillbillies” for 10 episodes. He was married to Shirley Cady since 1940 and they had two children, three grandchildren and three grandchildren. They were married 68 years until her death in 2008. She died when she was 91. He hung on for another four years dying at the age of 96.

In 1932 Patsy Cline (Virginia Patterson Hensley) was born in Winchester, VA. Her mother Virginia was only 16 when she got married and Samuel Lawrence who had been married before. He brought into the marriage two half siblings, who lived in a foster home following their mother’s death. She lived temporarily lived with her mother’s family in Gore, Virginia. Her family relocated several times during her childhood. So her father Samuel could find work as a blacksmith. They lived in Elkton, Staunton and Norfolk. Her father deserted the family in 1947. When she was 14 she told her mother that she was going to audition for a local radio station in the Winchester area. At 15 she wrote the Grand Ole Opry asking for an audition. She recorded “Crazy”
“Walkin’ After Midnight” and “I Fall to Pieces”. She was married two times to Gerald Cline from 1953 to 1957 and Charlie Dick from 1957 until her death in 1963 from a plane crash. She had two children. She was 30 at the time. Along with her manager and three others. She was the first woman to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973 and the Grammy Music Hall of Fame in 1992, 1995 and 2001. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. If you haven’t seen “Sweet Dreams” with Jessica Lange and Beverly D’Angelo you are really missing out. Plus, if you haven’t seen “Patsy a Loretta” with Megan Hilty as Patsy and Jessie Mueller as Loretta Lynn. This chronicled their friendship.

On the 8^th Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. Charles became King Charles the III. She is the longest serving Monarch. She served 17o Prime Ministers during her reign and eleven Presidents. From Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, both Bushes, Obama ,Trump and Old Joe. She was married to Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh for 74 years until his death in 2021. All of her children have been divorced. Including Charles, Anne, Andrew. The only one who has never been divorced is Edward. The ladies on “The View” said she was racist.

So I’ll skip to the 11^th. In 1862 William Sydney Porter (O.Henry) was born in Greensboro, NC. His father Algernon was a physician and his mother Mary died after giving birth to their third child and they moved his father moved to the home of his paternal grandmother. He graduated from his aunt Mary’s Porter Elementary school in 1876. He then enrolled in Lindley Street HS. He became a licensed pharmacist at the age of 19 in 1881. He showed his natural artistic talents by sketching the townsfolk. He moved to Austin, Texas where he led an active social life in 1844. He played the guitar and mandolin. He eloped with Athol Estes in 1887 and they had one child. She died in 1897 from TB. He then married Sarah Lindsey Coleman from his home state of NC in 1907, she left him in 1909. In he was convicted to prison for embezzling $854.08 from a bank he worked in Austin. He was sentenced to prison time at the Ohio State Penitentiary. Because he was a pharmacist he was allowed his own room in the prison. He died in 1910 at the age of 47 in NYC, always a heavy drinker he died of cirrhosis liver. Numerous streets have been named after him and numerous schools, including many places in Greensboro. Such as an elementary school, William Sydney Porter Elementary. The O-Henry Hotel is named after him. A stretch of US 29 is named after him. In Austin there is the O Henry House, O. Henry Hall owned by the Texas State University System,

which once served as the site for his embezzlement charges. He has schools in Austin, Texas named after him called O. Henry Middle School. Plus, an elementary school an Garland. Texas called O. Henry Elementary. He was a short story writer and wrote “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Ransom of Red Chief”. His legacy includes the O. Henry Award which was established in 1919.

In 1924 Tom Landry was born in Mission, Texas. To Ray an auto mechanic and Ruth He was the second of four children. He attended Mission HS. Where he was the star of the football team. He led the his team to a season 12-0 season. Mission HS renamed their stadium the Tom Landry Stadium after him. He attended the University of Texas at Austin where he majored in industrial engineering. He interrupted his studies to join the US Air Corps. He received the rank of Second Lieutenant. He joined to avenge the death of brother Robert who had died during the raid of Pearl Harbor. He died somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean near Iceland. He returned to college in 1948 and earned his master’s degree from at the University of Houston. He got a masters in Industrial engineering. He was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-1988 and took them to two Superbowl’s. He was married to Alicia from 1949 until his death in 2000, they had a son and two daughters.

In 1967 Harry Connick Jr was born in New Orleans, LA to a mother Anita. She was a lawyer and judge. His father Harry Sr. was a district attorney. His mother died of ovarian cancer. He and his sister Suzanna were raised in the Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans. He started learning keyboards at the age of three. When he was nine Connick performed Beethoven’s Number three Opus with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. He played with Eubie Blake He attended Lakeview School and the New Orleans Sound Center for the performing Arts. He moved to NYC and lived on 92^nd Street. He attended Hunter College an the Manhattan School of Music. With his reputation growing Rob Reiner asked him to provide the soundtrack for “When Harry Met Sally”. He won his first Grammy for this. He won three other Grammys. He was also an actor and starred in “Memphis Belle” and then “Hope Floats” starring Sandra Bullock. His first starring role. He has been married to Victoria’s Secret model Jill Goodacre since 1994 and they have three children. He turned 55 today. He was also “Annie” in 2021 which starred Taraji P. Henson as Miss Haversham.

Speaking of Taraji P. Henson she was born in Southeast Washington, DC on this day in 1970. Her maternal grandmother Patsy Bullard accompanied her to the Oscar night when she was nominated for her Oscar as Best Supporting Actress with Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”. She is the daughter of Bernice a corporate manager at Woodward and Lothrop. Her husband Boris was a janitor and medal fabricator. She graduated from Oxon Hill HS in Oxon Hill, MD in 1988. She attended NC A&T State University her major was electrical engineering and she attended Howard University with a BFA to study drama. She put herself through college working as a secretary for the Pentagon and by night worked as a singing dancing waitress on the dinner cruise ship the Spirit of Washington. She had a son named Marcell whose father was LaMarr Johnson who was murdered in 2003. He was her HS sweetheart. She got engaged to NFL player Kelvin Hayden on May 13, 2018 and disclosed the end of their engagement on October 19^th, 2020 on an episode of the Breakfast Club. She was Katherine Johnson in “Hidden Figures” in 2016 and Cookie on “Empire” from 2015-2020. She turned 52 today.

Here is what I put on Facebook today:

On 9/11 2001 I worked for Coty and my job was to call on Walmart stores to make sure they were stocked with our products. On this day I was going to Lexington and listening to Murphy in the Morning. The show was known for some pranks and when I heard that an airplane had crashed into the Twin Towers in NYC, I thought it was a joke. Then I heard about the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA and I knew it was the truth and not a tasteless prank.

I got to the Walmart and there was not a greeter or cashier there as everyone was in the back of the store watching accounts of what happened on the televisions there. Needless to say, I didn’t work that day my first thought was to get home and rescue our Daughter from their middle school and our Son who was in his first year of HS. School was released shortly after I got home. I found that my Husband was ok and also in shock. Then I pulled out everything red, white, and blue in the house and put it on the front porch. I was doing the HS school newsletter at the time and a lady called me to ask that her daughter be featured in the newsletter. Didn’t she know what was going on? I never felt the same about her after that.

We had already had a bad year as my Dad had died in March. Not as bad as Sandy Bradshaw’s family the only one from our area who died as a result of the attacks. She grew up on her parent’s 90-acre farm near Climax, NC, and she and her four siblings had to tend to 30,000 chickens’ to be raised for a poultry producer but were encouraged to get other jobs. She did taking a job at McDonald’s until her HS graduation in 1981 but she always had dreams of being a flight attendant. She married US Airways pilot Phil Bradshaw and got her coveted job as a Flight Attendant. They held off having children so they could travel the world. They went to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and the Caribbean and most of the US. They had their first child in 1998 followed by another one a year later. She lightened her flight load after her children were born and she just happened to be on Flight 93.

Almost 3,000 Americans were killed which were associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda causing a war which lasted for almost twenty years which is over now or so we hope. The UK lost 67, the Dominican Republic lost 47, India lost 41, Greece lost 39, South Korea lost 28, Canada lost 24, Japan also lost 24, Jamacia lost 16 and so did the Philippines also lost 16, Mexico lost 15, Trinidad and Tobago lost 14, Ecuador lost 13 and Australia lost 11 followed by Germany with 11, Italy lost 10, Bangladesh lost 6 and so did Ireland, Pakistan, and Poland.

President Bush had only been in office since January and Rudy Giuliani had been in office since 1994. What they did was totally heroic on this day. Hundreds of firefighters and police officers died in these attacks. It has been considered the worst terrorist attack in history. I am so lucky that I got to see the now rebuilt One World Trade Center which was rebuilt 15 years ago and all the memorials to that tragic day. In addition Todd Beamer died on this day.

In 2003 John Ritter died six days before his 55^th birthday. From 1977-1984 he was Jack Tripper in “Three’s Company” for a 174 episodes. He won an Emmy and a Globe in 1984. From 2002-2003 he was in “8 Simple Rules for…..Dating My Teenaged Daughter” as Paul Hennessey. He was also in “Problem Child” one and two in 1990 and 1991 where he met his second wife Amy Yasbeck and got married in 1999. They had one child together. He was the star of “Hooperman” from 1987 to 1989. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with his father Tex and they were the first father son to be honored in two different categories. His for acting and his father for music.

STUPID SEPTEMBER - 1

2022-09-14T16:24:00.000-04:00

Old Joe did something really stupid today. He blamed all that is wrong on the MAGA supporters and Donald Trump. We know that didn’t happen. He was flanked by a dreary red background and flaked by two US Marines. We are now the most divided than we’ve ever been. Good thing is that the Hyena lying low. She is the border Czar and people enter each day and come to crime and a hate filled country.

Here’s what else that happened on the 1^st. In 1922 Yvonne De Carlo (Margaret Yvonne Middleton) was born in Vancouver, Canada. Her nickname was Peggy. Her mother Marie was born in France and was a wayward and rebellious teenager. Her father was William Middleton a salesman from New and their marriage was troubled. They ended up living with her mother’s parents and never heard from her father again. They eventually took the name DeCarlo from her grandparents. She wanted to be a writer but her mother wanted her to be and actress so they moved to LA in 1940. She won second place in the Miss Venice Beauty Contest and placed fifth in that year’s Miss California Contest. She was also a singer. Her first big role was in “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston in 1956 and appeared in many westerns as she was a skilled horsewoman. Her most famous role was as Lily Munster in the “Munsters” from 1964-1966. She was also in the “Munster’s Revenge” in 1981. She was married one time to Robert Drew Morgan from 1955 -1973. She had two children. She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television and movies. She died in 2007 at the age of 84.

In 1939 Lily Tomlin was born in Detroit, MI. She was born to Lillie Mae a housewife and nurse’s aide and Guy a factory worker. She has a younger brother named Richard. Her family moved from Detroit to Paducah, Kentucky where she was a 1957 graduate of Cass Technical School and attended Wayne State University where she studied biology and later changed to theatre. She began doing stand-up comedy in Detroit and then NYC. Her first claim to fame was when was cast in the comedy show “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In”, her characters were Ernestine and Edith Ann from 1969 to 1973. In 1975 she was in “Nashville” as Linnea Reese and “9-5” in 1980 as Violet Newstead. She teamed again with Jane Fonda in “Grace and Frankie” and Dolly Parton was in the last episode. She is the winner of six Emmys, one Grammy, and was nominated for an Oscar for “Nashville” as Best Supporting Actress. She was also Miss Hathaway in “The Beverly Hillbillies” movie. She also won two Peabody Awards, in 2003 she was awarded the Mark Twain Prize and in 2014 she was an honoree at the Kennedy Center Honors. She has been married since 2013 to Jane Wagner and turned 83 today.

In 1946 Sir Barry Alan Compton Gibb was born in Isle of Man to Hugh Gibb a drummer and Barbara who was a stay at home mom. Sadly, she saw her three sons die as she died in 2016. In November of 1977 they released the soundtrack to “Saturday Night Fever” which became the best selling soundtrack of all time. His career has spanned for over 60 years. With his brothers were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and as a member of the “Bee Gees” were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. They have won five Grammys for “How Deep is Your Love” for Best Performance by a Group in 1978, Best Performance by a Duo or a Group for the soundtrack of “Saturday Night Fever” in 1979, Best Arrangement of Voices for “Stayin’ Alive” also in 1979, Album of the Year for “Saturday Night Fever” and Producer of the Year for once again “Saturday Night Fever”. They were awarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame also in 1979. They were awarded the Legend Award at the Grammys in 2003, the Hall of Fame Award in 2004 and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2015. They have also won 5 AMA’s . He was married twice to Maureen Bates from 1966 to 1970 and Linda Gray in 1970. He has five children. He turned 76 today.

In 1950 Phillip Calvin McGraw was born in Vinita, Oklahoma. He moved with his father to Kansas to pursue his life-long dream of being a phycologist. He graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School and played middle linebacker on the football team and earned a scholarship to the University of Tulsa where he played football under coach Glenn Dobbs. He later transferred to Midwestern State University with a BA, MS, and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. He rejoined his father in Kansas where the elder McGraw had a psychology practice. He was instrumental in getting the Oprah cattle thing cleared up and she invited him on her show where he guest starred every Tuesday and became such a big hit that he became Dr. Phil syndicated talk show. He won an Emmy for “The Doctors” in 2010 and was nominated 8 times between 2009 and 2013. After a brief marriage to Debbie McCall from 1970 to 1973. He married Robin Jameson in 1976 and they have two children Jay and Jordan. He is also a private pilot flying single-engine airplanes. He received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020. He turned 72 today.

In 1957 Gloria Estefan was born in Havana Cuba to parents Jose and Gloria. Her mother was nicknamed “Big Gloria” . Her father became ill with multiple sclerosis due to his exposure to Agent Orange when her served in Vietnam. She became a US citizen in 1974 under the name Gloria Garcia Fajardo. She was raised Catholic and Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami where she was a member of the National Honor Society. She also attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables and she earned a BA in psychology and a minor in French. She was a part of the Miami Sound Machine. She has won three Grammys. Plus a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has been married to Emilio Estefan since 1978 and has two children. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Obama in 2015 for her contributions to American music. She was the first Cuban American to be honored at the Kennedy Center. She had a devastating bus accident while touring on the Cut Both Ways in 1990. She was seriously injured Scranton, PA where her tour bus was hit by a semi-truck during a snow storm. She suffered a fractured spine and has completely recovered. “On Your Feet!” premiered on Broadway in 2015 and I’ve seen it. She turned 65 today.

In 1977 Ethel Waters died at the age of 80. She was a singer and appeared on Broadway. She was also the first Black actress to have her on sitcom “Beulah” from 1950 to 1952. She was nominated for an Oscar for her role in “Pinky” as Best Supporting Actress. She won the Grammy Hall of Fame Awards for “Dinah” in in 1998, “Stormy Weather” in 2003 and “Am I Blue” in 2007. In 1996 Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman was born in Oakland, California to teachers Claire of German and Scottish and Kazembe who was Black. She attended Fruitvale Elementary School where her mother taught for two decades. At the age of 6 she became interested in the theatre. At eight she joined the Hip Hop group Future Shock. She spent two years as doing the hula with the Academy of the Hawaiian Arts. When she was in the seventh grade her family moved to LA and she graduated from Oak Park HS while pursuing an acting career. She began her career working as a model for Macy’s, Mervyns and Old Navy. She is also a singer and is on the Hollywood Republic Label. She was in “Spiderman: Homecoming” in 2017, “The Greatest Showman” in 2017, “Spiderman: Far from Home” in 2019 and “Spiderman: No Way Home” in 2021, “Dune” also in 2021 and she’s filming “Dune: Part Two”. She competed in Season 16 of “Dancing With the Stars” at the age of 16 she was the youngest woman ever to participate. She danced with Valentin Chmerkovskiy. In May they finished in second place behind Kelly Pickler and Derek Hough in 2016. In 2020 she earned an Emmy for her work in “Euphoria”. She turned 26 today.

I’ve done nothing but watch old movies lately. The country is going to Hell and my Husband stays angry all the time about the stock market. We’ve all become animals because there is so much trash on the roads. I stay away from the news. I can’t stand it anymore. Old Joe is blaming everything on President Trump when we all know he’s responsible for the shape our country is in.

Here's what else that happened on the 2^nd In 1929 Hal Ashby was born in Ogden, Utah. He was born to Ellen and James a dairy farmer. His parents divorced in 1936 and his father never remarried. When he was 12 years old his father committed suicide. They then moved to Portland where his mother opened a restaurant. They moved back to Ogden. He was a HS dropout. When he entered adult life he moved from Utah to LA where he became a film editor and director. He was married five times from 1947 to 1970. He was the director of “Harold and Maude” in 1971, “Shampoo” in 1975, and “Coming Home” in 1978. He died two days after Christmas in 1988 at the age of 59.

In 1946 Billy Preston was born in Houston but moved to LA with his mother Robbie Lee Williams. He was noted as a child prodigy, he was self-taught and never had a music lesson. He was nominated for nine Grammys and won two. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. He composed 25 albums. He was best known for “Will It Go Round in Circles” in 1973 and Nothing From Nothing” in 1974. He was sometimes known as the “Fifth Beatle”. He died in 2006 also at the age of 59. His funeral was held later that month which lasted almost three hours. Joe Cocker sang, Little Richard reminisced and letters were sent by Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton. He hid his homosexuality until his death for religious reasons.

In 1948 Sharon Christa Corrigan (Christa McAuliffe) was born in Boston. She was the oldest of five children to accountant Edward Christopher Corrigan and Grace a substitute teacher. They moved to Framingham, MA. When she was a child and she graduated from Marian HS in 1966. She graduated to Framingham State University with a BS and Bowie State with a MEd. She married longtime boyfriend Steven J. McAuliffe in 1970. He was a graduate from VMI and moved closer to DC so he could attend the Georgetown University Law Center. They moved to New Hampshire when Steven accepted a job at the as the assistant to the attorney general. She then was a teacher at Concord HS teaching American history, law and economics before teaching at Concord HS in 1983. In 1984 President Ronald Reagan announced the Teacher in Space Project and she was one of the 11,000 applicants. We all know what happened. On January 28, 1986 she died when the Challenger exploded killing all seven on board. I had just returned to work after maternity leave and was shocked to hear this. She left behind two children Scott and Caroline who were nine and six. She has been awarded with many awards since the explosion. Including the Presidential Space Medal of honor given by President George W. Bush which included members of Challenger and Columbia disasters. Approximately 40 elementary schools have been named after her including the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center in Ogden, Utah. She has an asteroid 3352 named after her and a crater on the moon called McAuliffe. Her husband remarried in 1992 and is now a federal Judge. He son Scott completed his masters in Marine Biology and her daughter Caroline went into the same profession as her mother. In 2019 Christa McAuliffe coin act was signed in law by President Trump and passed by Congress. The coins were minted in 2021.

In 1951 Mark Harmon was born in Burbank, California to Tom Harmon a Heisman Trophy winning football player and Elyse Knox who was an actress and model. He is the youngest of three children. His sister’s were Kristen and Kelly. Kristen was married to the late Rick Nelson and Kelly was married to John DeLorean. He graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in 1970. He attended Pierce Jr. College in California and played football for UCLA. From 1983-1986 he was Dr. Robert Caldwell on “St. Elsewhere” and from 1996 -2000 he was in “Chicago Hope” playing another doctor. From 2003-2021 he was in NCIS as SSA Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He was also Executive Producer. He has been married to Pam Dawber since 1987 and they have two children. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012 and turned 71 today.

In 1952 Jimmy Connors (James Scott) was born in East St. Louis in the town of Bellevue, Illinois. During his childhood he was coached by his mother and grandmother. When he was nine his mother Gloria took him to California to be coached by Pancho Segura. He and his brother Johnny attended St. Phillips grade school and attended UCLA. He turned pro in 1972 and retired in 1996. He won the Australian Open in 1974. Wimbledon in 1974 and 1982 and the US Open in 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982 and 1983. He won the Davis Cup in 1981 and was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998. He was engaged to another tennis great Chris Evert. They were dubbed the Lovebird Double from 1974 to 1975 they briefly reconciled from 1976 to 1978 before splitting up for good. In 1979 he married Playboy model Patti McGuire and they have two children. The reside in the San Barbara, California area. He turned 70 today.

In 1964 Keanu Charles Reeves was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He was the son of Patricia a costume designer and performer. His father Samuel abandoned the family when he was three and they divorced in 1966. She moved her family to Sydney, Australia and then to NYC where she married Paul Aaron a Broadway and Hollywood director. The couple moved to Toronto, Canada. They were married just a year. She then married rock promoter Robert Miller and then hairstylist named Jack Bond. No wonder he never got married. Paul Aaron was his mentor. In 1989 he was in “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” followed by “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey” in 1991. “Speed” in 1994 and he teamed up with Sandra Bullock again for the “Lake House” in 2006. He was also in 2004. He was also in “Something’s Got to Give” in 2003. His most famous roles were in “John Wick” in 2014, John Wick” Chapter 2” in 2017 and “John Wick Chapter 3. in 2018. He’s currently filming “John Wick: Chapter 4” which is in Post-production. He was partners with Jennifer Syme from 1998-2001 and is now partners with Alexandria Grant since 2018. He turned 58 today.

In 1966 Salma Hayek was born in Veracruz, Mexico to wealthy parents of a strong Catholic faith. He once was of Lebanese descent Sami and still owns an industrial-equipment firm and is an oil company executive. Her mother Diana is an opera singer and a talent scout. She is from Spain. She moved to LA in 1991 and she was dyslexic and had limited English ability and she studied under Stella Adler. Her breakout role was in “Desperado” with Antonio Banderas in 1995. In 1996 she was in ”From Dusk till Dawn” in 1996 where she did her famous snake dance. “Fools Rush In” in 1997 with Matthew Perry, “Wild Wild West” in 1997 with Kevin Kline in 1999 and “Frida” in 2002 which earned her only Oscar nomination. She won a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2021. Her most recent movie was “House of Gucci” also in She has been married to Francois-Henri Pinault since 2009 and the have a daughter. She turned 56 today. In 1973 J.R.R. Tolkien died at the age of 81. He of course was the author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”. In 2005 Bob Denver died at the age of 70. He of course was in “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” as Maynard G. Krebs from 1959 – 1963 and starred in “Gilligan’s Island” from 1964-1967. He died following throat cancer surgery at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, NC. I’m so far behind that I’ll skip to the 8^th.

AWFUL AUGUST - 4

2022-09-08T09:36:00.000-04:00

It has been a long two weeks. We went for a six mile hike and I walked through the grass and we were eaten up with bug bites. We kept the Grands on Saturday Night and my oldest Granddaugher wanted to watch this superficial show called “Rain Bow High”. Of course, I didn’t cook for them and went to Chick Fil A to pick up dinner. At breakfast the next morning my Husband tried to make them breakfast but added to much milk to the pancake mix so he went to McDonald’s. Earlier in the day I picked up Mom. Our Daughter and her Boyfriend came to pick up her desk and we picked up Libby Hills and went to Lake Reidsville. On Tuesday we went to Town Creek Indian Mound when we found out we could take the Dog. My Husband hadn’t been there since he was a child and I had never been there. We drove 175 miles in day and ate at McDonald’s. It was amazing! So was the staff. We drove to the Sandhills and back in a day.

In the real world Old Joe is blaming everything on the MAGA Republicans as to why our country has gone so wrong. Gavin Newsome has decreed that all people should drive electric cars. Everyday people can’t afford them. Novak Djokovic has been banned from the US Open for not having his cootie shots when people illegally cross our borders each day and haven’t had them. Certainly a crazy world we are living in. We’ll all be beholden to China soon.

I’m going to skip ahead to the 30^th as I can’t keep up. In 1898 Shirley Booth born Marjory Ford was born in Brooklyn to Albert and Virginia Ford. When she was seven her family moved to Philadelphia where she first became interested in acting after seeing a stage performance. Her family then moved to Hartford, CT when she was a teenager. She dropped out of school and traveled to NY to further her career. Her father forbade her to use the family name professionally. She initially used the name Thelma Booth and changed it to Shirley. She was the winner of three Tony’s in 1949 she won for “Goodbye, My Fancy”, “Come Back Little Sheba” in 1952, and “The Time of the Cuckoo” in 1953. The won the Oscar for “Come Back Little Sheba” in 1952 and then she became “Hazel” from 1961-1966 for which she won two Emmys in 1962 and 1963. She was married twice to Ed Gardner from 1929 to 1942 and William H. Baker until his death in 1951. For her contributions to the film industry she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She had no children. She died at the ripe old age of 94 in 1992.

In 1908 Fred MacMurray was born in Kanakee, Illinois. He was the son of Maleta and Fredrick a concert violinist. When he was an infant his family moved to Madison, Wisconsin where his father taught music. He attended school in Quincy, Illinois where he earned a full-scholarship to Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He played the saxophone for numerous local bands and did not graduate from college. He starred in numerous films and his big role was in “Double Indemnity” in 1944. From 1960-1972 he was the star of “My Three Sons”. In 1961 he was in “The Absent-Minded Professor”, followed up with “Son of Flubber” in 1963. He was married twice to Lillian Lamont in 1936. They adopted two children. She died of cancer in 1953. He married actress June Haver the following year and they adopted two more children. He was the first person to win the Disney Legend Award and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was a lifelong heavy smoker and died at the age of 83 in Santa Monica, CA. After his success in films, he became a highly successful businessman.

In 1930 Warren Edward Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the second of three children only son of Leila and Congressman Howard Buffett. When he was a child they moved to DC and due to his father’s urging he did not skip college. In 1947 he entered the Wharton School of Business at the University of PA. He also got a MS from Columbia University. He married Susan Butler in 1952 and they remained married until her death in 2004. They had three children. He then married longtime companion Astrid Meeks in 2006. He is currently the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and one of the most successful investors in the world. He is also a philanthropist giving so much money away. He is ranked one of the richest people in the world with a net worth of $5. 8 billion. He was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008. He turned 92 today.

In 1935 Papa John Phillips was born in Parris Island, SC. His father Claude was a retired US Marine Corps officer. His mother was Edna. He grew up in Alexandria, VA and played basketball for George Washington HS and graduated in 1953 and gained appointment to the US Naval Academy and dropped out in his first year. Then he attended Hampton Sydney College but dropped out in 1959. He then went on to form the Journey Men who had moderate success and produced three albums and made several appearances on “Hootenanny”. While in Greenwich Village he met future “Mamas & the Papa’s” members Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot. The rest is history. The Mamas & the Papas gave us “California Dreamin”, “Monday, Monday” , “I Saw Her Again”. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. They were inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001 and 2008 and they won three other Grammys in 1967. He was married four times to Susan Adams of a wealthy VA family and they had two children Jeffrey and Mackenzie. While touring California with the Journeymen he had an affair with teenaged Holly Michelle Gilliam who later became Michelle Phillips and they had one child Chynna. He and Michelle divorced in 1969. He married his third wife Genevieve Waite in January of 1972 and they had two children Tamerlane and Bijou. In 1995 he married his fourth wife Farnaz Arasseth in 1995. He died in 2001 at the age of 65.

In 1946 Peggy Lipton (Margaret Ann) was born to an upper middle class family in NYC. She attended Lawrence Jr. High School and the Professional Children’s School. Her father arranged for her first modeling jobs and she became a Ford Model at the age of 15. Her mother encouraged her to take acting lessons which she did. In 1964 her family moved to LA and she became a Topanga Canyon Hippie who explored meditation and yoga. She first became a hit with “The Mod Squad” from 1968 to 1973. Her Julie Barnes became a fashion icon of that day. She won a Globe for this role. She married Quincy Jones in 1974 and they divorced in 1989. They had two children Kidada and Rashida. She took 15 years off from acting to raise them. Her final film role was in a “Dog’s Purpose” as an adult Hannah. She died in 2019 of colon cancer at the age of 72.

In 1972 Cameron Diaz was born in San Diego to Billie an import/export agent and Emilio a foreman of the California oil company Unocal. She has an elder sister, Chimine. Her family settled in Tampa, Florida and moved back to LA her father’s birthplace. While attending HS she signed a modeling contract with Elite Model Management at the age of 16. At the age of 21 she was in “The Mask” as Tina Carlyle in 1994, “My Best Friend’s Wedding” in 1997, “There’s Something About Mary” in 1998, “Being John Malkovich” in 1998, “The Sweetest Thing” in 2001 which I have watched recently. “Charlies Angels” in 2003, “In Her Shoes” in 2005, she was also the voice of Princess Fiona in The Shrek” moved from 2001 to 2010. “Bad Teacher” in 2011. She has been married to Benji Madden since 2015 and has one child. She turned 50 today.

In 2003 Charles Bronson died at the age of 81. He was most famous for the “Death Wish” movies and served in the US Army. In 2019 Valerie Harper who was one of the stars in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and had her own spinoff “Rhoda” died at the age of 80 a week after her birthday.

I’ll skip to the 31^st. In 1903 Arthur Godfrey was born in Manhattan. His mother was from a well to do Oswego, NY family which disapproved of her marriage to his father Arthur Hanbury Godfrey. He was a sportswriter and considered an expert on surrey and hackney horses. He was the eldest of five children. When he was 12 his family moved to Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. He dropped out after a year at Hasbrouck Heights High School. He then joined the Navy in 1920 lying about his age. He then joined the Coast Guard from 1927-1930. After which he was admitted to the Radio Materiel School at the Naval Research Laboratory. He returned to help care for his dying father. His mother Kathryn was a gifted artist and composer and got the family through some difficult times. She played music in silent movies, made jams and jellies and even sold her floor length hair to get the family through their struggles. He played the ukulele. He was the original host of “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” which lasted to 1958. He won the NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation Award in 1950. He was also a flyer. National Association of Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame, National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1987, the Radio Hall of Fame in 1988, The Peabody Award in 1971, he has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio, TV and Recording and the Ukulele Hall of Fame in 2001. He was married two times and had three children. He died in 1983.

In 1928 James Harrison Coburn III was born in Laurel, Nebraska to Mylet Coburn and James II. His father owned a garage business which was a victim of the Great Depression. He was raised in Compton, California and attended Compton Junior College. He was drafted into the US Army where he served as a truck driver and disc jockey. He attended Los Angeles City College. His first big role was in “The Magnificent Seven” in 1960. He was in “In Like Flint” in 1967. He was in “Sister Act: Back in the Habit” in 1993. He won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for “Affliction” in 1997. He was in numerous Western’s on television He was also served as a pallbearer in Bruce Lee’s funeral. He was married two times to Beverly Kelly in 1959 and they divorced after 20 years of marriage. They had two children. He later married Paula Coburn in 1993 and she died of cancer in 2004. He died of a heart attack in 2002.

In 1935 Frank Robinson was born in Beaumont, Texas. He was the youngest of Ruth Shaw’s ten children and the only child with Frank Robinson. His parents divorced when he was an infant and his mother moved with her children to Alameda, California. He attended McClymond’s HS. He played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1956 until 1965. The Baltimore Orioles from 1966-1971, the LA Dodgers in 1972, the California Angels from 1973 to 1974 and the Cleveland Indians from 1974-1976 as an outfielder. He was coach of the California Angels in 1977, the Baltimore Orioles from 1978 -1980, the California Angels from 1978-1980, Milwaukee Brewers in 1984 and the Baltimore Orioles from 1985-1987. His number 20 was retired by the Cleveland Indians in 2017, the Cincinnati Reds in 1998 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1972. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. He was married one time to Barbara Ann Cole who sold real estate. They had two children. He died in February 2019 at the age of 83.

In 1949 Richard Tiffany Gere was born in Philadelphia. He was the eldest son and second child of Doris Ann a housewife and Homer Gere an NMIC insurance agent. He was raised in Syracuse, NY and attended North Syracuse HS where he excelled in gymnastics and played the trumpet. He attended the University of Amherst on a gymnastics scholarship but did not graduate. In 1977 he was in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” based on Judith Rossner’s novel of the same name. In 1980 he was in “American Gigolo”. In 1982 he was in “An Officer and a Gentleman”. “Breathless” in 1983, “Pretty Woman” in 1990. I’ve watched “Pretty Woman” and “An Officer and Gentleman” recently. He was in the “Runaway Bride” in 1999. “Chicago” in 2002 for which he won his only Globe. He was in “Nights in Rodanthe” in 2008. He has been married three times to Cindy Crawford for 1991-1995, Carey Lowell from 2002-2016. Alejandria Silva since 2018. He has three children. I used to like him until I read that he donated $2,700 to the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. His next work is in “Maybe I Do” He turned 73 today.

In 1997 Diana Princess of Wales was killed at the age of 36. Also killed was Dodi Fayed who was 42. They were killed in a car crash while being chased by the paparazzi. Diana left a 15 year old son who is now the Duke of Cambridge. Prince Harry who was 12 at the time. The event caused a national mourning and the best thing that came out of it was Elton John’s “Goodbye English Rose”. In 2021 Michael Constantine (Gus Efstrantiou) died at the age of 94. He was best known for his role in “Room 222” from 1969 -1974 and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” as Gus Portokalos in 2002 and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” in 2016. He always carried a bottle of Windex.

Even though my Brother and Son were born in September, I’ll call this month Stupid September.

AWFUL AUGUST - 3

2022-09-02T08:31:00.002-04:00

It is now the 19^th. The big news today is that Dr. Frankenstein is retiring in December. Old Joe relieved all college debt. Good news is that the Hyena is laying low. Crime abounds us and you just never know what will happen next. Plus, there is trash thrown out by careless people.

Here’s what else that happened on the 19^th. In 1871 Orville Wright was born in Dayton, Ohio. He and his brother Wilbur was two of seven children born to Milton Wright and Catherine Koerner who were of German and Swiss ancestry. Their father was a bishop in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and they frequently moved twelve times before finally settling in Dayton in 1884. While living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa their father brought home a helicopter for his two younger sons. It was based on the design of French an aeronautical Engineer, Alponse Penaud. It was what sparked their interest in flying. In 1903 they made their first flight on December 17^th at Kill Devil Hills, NC. The brothers gained their skills by working in Dayton, Ohio based shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors and other machinery. They were never married. Wilbur lived to be 45 and was taken out by Typhoid Fever and Orville lived to be 76 dying in 1948 from a heart attack.

In 1919 Malcolm Forbes was born in Englewood, NJ to Adeline Mary and Scottish born financial journalist B.C. Forbes. He graduated from Princeton University. He served in the US Army from 1941-1946 during WWII and won a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He was Staff Sergeant. He was married once and divorced in 1985. He and his wife Roberta had five children. He was known as the publisher of Forbes magazine and an avid collector of all fine things. He died in 1990 and the magazine has been run by his son Steve and granddaughter Moira.

In 1940 Jill St. John (Jill Arlyn Oppenheim) was born in LA to Edward a prosperous restaurant owner and Betty who became her stage mother. She has no siblings. As a young girl she was a member of the Children’s Ballet Company with Natalie Wood and Stephanie Powers. Her mother Betty changed Jill’s last name to St. John during her adolescence. She attended the Professional School and received her HS diploma at the age of 14. At age 15 she enrolled at UCLA’s Extension School. After appearing in numerous movies and television shows. She was the diamond smuggler Tiffany Case of James Bond in “Diamonds Are Forever” opposite Sean Connery in 1971 . She was the first American to play a Bond girl. She left Hollywood behind in 1972 to move to Aspen, Colorado where she focused on personal interests and cooking. She eventually became a culinary personality appearing on weekly cooking segments on ABC’s “Good Morning America” thought the 80’s. This culminated into The Jill St. John Cookbook was published in 1987. She has been married four times to Neil Dubin an heir to linen fortune when she was 16 from 1957 to 1958, Lance Reventlow from 1960-1963 he was the son of Barbara Hutton heir to the F.W. Woolworth fortune. Also, Jack Jones from 1967 to 1969. She has been married to Robert Wagner since 1990 and has three step-children. She turned 82 today.

In 1947 Gerald Lee McRaney was born in Collins, Mississippi and was the son of Clyde and Edna McRaney. He was a graduate of the University of Mississippi. Before finding success as an actor her worked in the Louisiana oil fields. From 1981-1989 he was in “Simon and Simon” and from 1989 to 1993 he was in “Major Dad”. He won his only Emmy for “This Is Us” where he played Dr. Nathan Katowski for Best Supporting Guest Actor in a Drama Series. He has been married three times to Beverly Root from 1967 to 1971, Pat Moran from 1981 to 1989. He has been married to Delta Burke since 1989. He has three children and turned 75 today.

In 1963 John Stamos (Stamatopoulos) was born in Cypress, California. His father owned a chain of restaurants. He attended John F. Kennedy HS and played in the marching band. At the age of 15 he attended his first Beach Boys Concert and later played with the band. With the blessing of his father he did not attend Cypress College for the 1981 term. In just three weeks he began his acting career with the role of Blackie Parrish in the soap “General Hospital” from 1982-1984 for which he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy. His biggest role was as Jesse Katsopolis on “Full House” from 1987 to 1995. He was on “ER” from 2005 – 2009 as Dr. Tony Gates. He also appeared in such shows as “Friends”, “You”, and “Glee”. From 2016-2020 he starred in “Fuller House” where he was also Executive Producer. He was married to model Rebecca Romjin and from 1998 and they divorced 2005. He has been married to Caitlin McHugh since 2018 and has one child. He turned 59 today.

In 1969 Matthew Langford Perry was born in Williamston, MA. His mother Suzanne was the former press secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. His father was an American actor and former model. His parents divorced before his first birthday and she married Canadian born broadcast journalist Keith Morrison. He was raised by his mother in Ottawa, Ontario and was enrolled in Ashbury College. While growing up, he took an keen interest in tennis and became a top-ranked junior player. When he was 15 he moved from Ottawa to LA to pursue acting. He attended The Buckley School graduating in 1987. His biggest claim to fame was when he cast as Chandler Bing in “Friends” from 1994-2004. From 2015 to 2017 he was Oscar Madison in “The Odd Couple” where he was executive producer and played Ted Kennedy in “The Kennedys: After Camelot” in 2017 where he was also executive producer. His movies included “Fools Rush In” in 1997 which also starred his father. He has never been married and was partners with Yasmine Bleeth until 1995. Julia Roberts from 1995-1996, Lizzy Caplan from 2006 – 2012 and Molly Hurwitz from 2018-2021. He turned 53 today.

In 1977 Groucho Marx (Julius Henry) died at the age of 86. Of course he was a member of the Marx brothers and hosted the show, “You Bet Your Life”. In 2001 Betty Everett died at the age of 61. She gave us the songs “You’re No Good” in 1963, “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in his Kiss)” in 1964 and “Smile” with Jerry Butler in 1965. In 2009 Don Hewitt died at the age of 86. He was the creator of “60 Minutes” and worked for CBS from 1948-2009.

Now it off to the 30^th!

AWFUL AUGUST - 2

2022-08-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

Here’s what happened on the 17^th Liz Cheney was defeated by Trump backed Harriet Hageman. She will turn 60 in October and is from Fort Laramie, Wyoming. She graduated from Fort Laramie HS and earned her BS degree in business administration from the University of Wyoming and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming College of Law. Her father James was a longtime member of the Wyoming House of Representatives. She was previously a candidate for the Wyoming gubernatorial election and placed third in the Republican Primary. In this latest one she received 66.3% of the vote. Liz Cheney is not even from Wyoming. She was once a critic of Trump and supported Ted Cruz in the 2016 election. She is married to Cheyenne based malpractice attorney John Sundhal. Not sure if she has children because she’s a nasty Republican.

In other news Texas Governor Greg Abbott is busing migrants to NYC and Eric Adams is not happy about it. If you counted all the migrants who came into our country in the past year you could fill up a football stadium and a large one at that. However, Old Joe has built a $500,000 wall around his Delaware home on the tax payer’s dime. You hear about someone being killed each day and the trash on the roads is disgusting. Good news is the Hyena is laying low and so is Dr. Frankenstein.

In 1887 Marcus Mosiah Garvey was born in Saint Ann’s Bay a town in the Colony of Jamacia. His father Malchus was stonemason and his mother Sarah was a domestic servant. Malchus had a book collection and was self-educated. However, he was reckless with money over the course of his life lost most of the land he owned. He was an intolerant and punitive father and husband. He was brought up in the Wesleyan. In 1905 he moved to Kingston and secured work at the P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing Company and rose quickly through the ranks becoming their first Black foreman. His mother and sister joined him as they were estranged from his father. In 1907 an earthquake reduced most of the city to rubble and he, his mother and sister slept in the open for several months. His mother died in 1908. While in Kingston he converted to Catholicism. He was a political activist, journalist, entrepreneur and orator. He was married two times and had two children.

In 1893 Mae West (Mary Jane) was born in Brooklyn, NY to John who was a prize fighter known as Battlin’ Jack West who became a special policeman and later owned a private investigations agency. Her mother Tillie was a corset and fashion model. She was five when she first entertained a crowd and started appearing in amateur shows at the age of seven. She began performing professionally at in vaudeville in the Hal Clarendon Stock Company at the age of 14 appearing under the name Jane Mast. Her first major role on Broadway was in the 1926 play entitled “Sex” which she wrote, produced and directed. She was arrested for this and she could have paid the fine off but she chose jail time instead. She left NYC buy train for California and by then she was nearly 40 years old. She starred with some of Hollywood’s leading men. She was married twice and never had children. She was a big supporter of the LBGT community. She once quipped that she believed in Censorship. I made a fortune out of it.

In 1920 Maureen O’Hara (FitzSimons) was born in the Dublin suburb of Ranelagh. She earned the nickname Baby Elephant for being a pudgy infant. She was a tomboy and enjoyed fishing, swimming and soccer. She was born to Charles who was in the clothing business and bought into the Shamrock Rovers Football Club for which she considered her second home.. She got her signing voice from her mother Marguerite who in her younger years was widely considered to be one of Ireland’s most beautiful women. She was the only redhead in her family of six siblings. She first attended the John Street West Girl’s School and was the youngest pupil to graduate from Guildhall School of Music. She moved to Hollywood in 1939. She appeared in “How Green Was My Valley” in 1941, “The Black Swan” in 1942, “Miracle on 34^th Street” in 1947. She made her first film with John Wayne in “Rio Grande” in 1950, “The Quiet Man” in 1952, “The Wings of Eagles” in 1957, “McLintock!” in 1963 and “Big Jake” in 1971. People assumed that they were married or in a relationship but they weren’t. She was married three times and had one child. Her autobiography “Tis Herself” was published in 2004 and was a NY Times bestseller. She received an honorary Oscar in 2014 and in 2020 she was named number one on “The Irish Time’s” list of Ireland’s greatest film actors. She died in 2015 at the ripe old age of 95. She was also a nasty Republican and is buried in Arlington National Cometary.

In 1960 Sean Penn was born in Santa Monica, CA to actor and director Leo Pann and actress Eileen Ryan. He was raised Malibu, CA and attended Malibu Park Junior HS and Santa Monica HS because Malibu didn’t have a HS at the time. He began making short films with actors Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen who lived near his home. I really don’t like him that much but he’s a great actor. He made his screen debut in “Taps” in 1981 and was Jeff Spicoli in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” in 1982. Which we have seen just recently. He was nominated for an Oscar for “Dead Man Walking” in 1995, the “Sweet and Lowdown” in 1999 and “I Am Sam” in 2001, He won for “Mystic River” in 2003 and “Milk” in 2008. He has been married three times to Madonna in 1985-1989, Robin Wright from 1996-2010, he was partners with Charlize Theron from 2013-2015 and Leila George from 2020 – 2022. He has two children from Robin Wright. He is a violent loud mouth and turned 62 today.

In 1983 Ira Gershwin died at the age of 86. He with his younger brother George who died at the age of 38 created some of the most memorable songs of the 20^th Century such as “I Got Rhythm”, “Embraceable You”, “You Can’t Take that Away from Me” and “Someone to Watch Over Me”. He married Leonore in 1926 and they were married 57 years. In 1988 UCLA established The George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Musical Achievement Award in recognition for the brothers musical abilities. Recipients were Angela Lansbury in 1988, Ray Charles in 1991, Mel Torme in 1994, Bernadette Peters in 1995, Frank Sinatra in 2000, Stevie Wonder in 2002, k.d. lang in 2003, James Taylor in 2004, Babyface in 2005, Burt Bacharach in 2006, Quincy Jones in 2007, Lionel Richie in 2008 and Julie Andrews in 2009.

In 1991 Austin Butler was born in Anaheim, California. He is the son of Lori an aesthetician, she died in 2014and David Butler. They divorced when he was seven. When he was 13 he was approached by a representative from acting management company at the Orange County Fair who helped get him started in show business. He found that he enjoyed it and soon began taking acting classes. He taught himself how to play the guitar at 13 and piano at the age of 16. From 2007 -2008 he was in “Zoey 101” and the “Carrie Diaries” from 2013-2014. He was Tex Watson in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and in 2022 he was “Elvis” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 where it received a 12 minute standing ovation the longest at the year’s festival. He won critical acclaim for this role and praise from the Presley family. If he doesn’t win an Oscar for this, there is no justice. Maybe Will Smith will not punch him out. He was in a relationship with Vanessa Hudgens from 2011 – 2020 and has been in relationship with Kaia Gerber. He turned 31 today.

It is now the 18^th and I can’t remember what I did today. I’m sure someone was killed or beaten up. Someone undoubtedly threw trash out side their car window. Someone entered illegally across the border. Our country is in complete chaos. Old Joe took another weekend off.

In 1920 Shelley Winters (Shirley Schrift) was born in St. Louis, Missouri and was the daughter of Rose a singer at the St. Louis Opera Theatre and Jonas a designer of men’s clothing. Her family moved to NYC when she was nine years old. She relocated to LA when she was 16. She returned to NYC to attend The New School where she studied acting. As a young woman she worked as a fashion model. She was in nine shows on Broadway. She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscars for “The Diary of Anne Frank” in 1959 and “A Patch of Blue” in 1965. She was nominated for “A Place in the Sun” in 1951 as Best Actress and nominated for “The Poseidon Adventure” in 1972 as Best Supporting Actress. She won a Globe for this role. She starred as Nana Mary on “Roseanne” from 1991-1996. . She was married four times and had one child. She died in 2006.

In 1936 Robert Redford was born in Santa Monica, California to Martha who died when he was 19 and Charles who was an accountant. His family moved to Van Nuys in LA while his father worked in El Segundo. He attended Van Nuys High School after graduation in 1954 he attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and he lost his scholarship for drinking heavily. He then went on to live in France, Spain and Italy. He later studied painting at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and later took classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (class of 1959) in NYC. Like many other actors in the 50’s he got his start on Broadway. His biggest Broadway success in the 1963 cast of Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park”. He starred in many television roles after that. He was in “Inside Daisy Clover” in 1965, “Barefoot in the Park” in 1967, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” in 1969, “Jeremiah Johnson” in “The Sting” in 1973, “The Way We Were” also in 1973. He was the star of “The Great Gatsby” in 1974 and “All The President’s Men” in 1976. He won an Oscar for directing “Ordinary People” in 1980. He has been married twice and has four children. He turned 86 today.

In 1952 Patrick Wayne Swayze was born in Houston, Texas. He was the second child of Patsy Swayze a dancer, choreographer and dance instructor and Jesse Wayne an engineering draftsman. He lived in the Oak Forest section neighborhood of Houston. He went to Waltrip HS and San Jacinto College Central. He also played football hoping to win a football scholarship but a knee injury In 1972 he moved to NYC to complete his formal dance training at the Harkeness Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet schools. His first professional appearance was as a dancer for the Disney Theatrical Group called Disney on Parade. He then starred as Danny Zuko in one of the replacement casts of “Grease”. In 1979 he made his film debut as “Ace” in “Skatetown U.S.A” in 1979. He made his television debut in “The Comeback Kid” in 1980. From 1985 to 1986 he was in “North and South, Book I” and “North and South Book II”. In 1987 he starred in one of my favorite movies of all time “Dirty Dancing” which was a low-budget movie, planned for only a one-week release after which it was supposed to go to video. He played resort dance instructor Johnny Castle along his frequent co-star Jennifer Grey. “Dirty Dancing” coming of age story was a surprise hit and achieved enormous international success. He co-composed “She’s Like the Wind” with Stacy Widelitz which was said to have been composed for his wife Lisa Niemi who he met when he was 18 and she was 14 and began taking dance lessons from his mother. They were married 34 years until his death in 2009. He was also in one of my other favorite movies “Ghost” in 1990. “Ghost” was the highest grossing film of the year. In 1991 People Magazine voted him the Sexiest Man Alive. He was nominated for three Globes for “Dirty Dancing”, “Ghost” and “To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar”. He did the famous Chippendales performance on SNL with Chris Farley. He died on September 14^th, 2009 at the age of 57 from pancreatic cancer. He had no children and would have turned 70 today.

In 1969 Christian Michael Leonard Slater was born in NYC. He was the son of Michael Hawkins also known as Michael Gainsborough an actor and Mary Jo Slater a acting agent turned casting director executive and producer. He attended Dalton School , the Professional Children’s School and the Fiorello H. LaGuardia School of Music & Arts and the Performing Arts. He started acting from an early age. At the age of eight on the ABC soap opera “One Life to Live” following a run on “Ryan’s Hope” he made is Broadway Debut as the lisping Wintrop Paroo in opposite Dick Van Dyke in 1980 revival of the “Music Man” in 1980. His other Broadway credits include “Copperfield” in 1981, “Macbeth” in 1982 and “Merlin” in 1983. He made his big screen debut in 1985’s “The Legend of Billie Jean” playing Billie Jean’s brother Brix. At the age of 18 he played the dark character J.D. in the film “Heathers” in 1988. He appeared in the movies “Young Guns II” in 1990 and “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” in 1991. In 1994 he was in “Interview with the Vampire”. He gained the role after the death of his friend River Phoenix who was originally cast. He donated his earnings from the film to Phoenix’s favorite charities.

More recently he was in “Mr. Robot” as Mr. Robot which he also served as executive producer where he won a Globe for this role in 2016 as Best Supporting Actor from 2015-2019. Most recently he was in “Dr. Death” and earned another nomination as Best Supporting Actor. This was a Critics’ Choice Television Award. In 2000 he married Ryan Haddon daughter of Dayle Haddon. They have two children Jaden Christopher born 1999 and Elaina Sophia born in 2001. She was arrested when she threw a glass at him after a fight on vacation at the Hard Rock in Vegas causing him to have 20 stiches in his face. They divorced in 2007. He is now married to Brittany Lopez since 2013 and they have a daughter. He turned 53 today.

In 1970 Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was raised by has divorced mother Pamela who served as his manager. His career started as a child performer and later was a graduate from The Professional Children’s School in NYC. His first claim to fame was in “The Cosby Show” as Theo Huxtable. He was chosen by Cosby himself the show lasted from 1984-1992. He was a series regular in “Malcolm and Eddie” from 1996 to 2000. From 2002 until 2004 he was in the show “Jeremiah”. In 2016 he was in American Crime Story based on the events of the OJ Simpson trial as Al Cowlings. He is now one of the stars on “The Resident” as Dr. AJ Austin since 2018. He had a relationship with Michelle Thomas who was his girlfriend Justine Phillips on “Cosby Show” from 1988 until 1994 and at her bedside when she died in 1998. He was in a relationship with Karen Malina White for seven and a half years. He dated Regina King from 2011-2013. He is married and has a daughter and has a daughter and has not disclosed his wife’s name publicly citing privacy concerns. He turned 52 today.

In 2014 Don Pardo (Dominick George) died at the age of 96. He was a member of the Television Hall of Fame since 2010. He worked for NBC News and was the first to announce that JFK had been shot. He was the announcer for “The Price is Right”, “Jeopardy”, “Winner Take All”, “Three on a Match”, “Winning Streak” and “Jackpot”. He was best known as for announcing SNL for 38 seasons. He was married to Catherine Lyons from 1938 until her death in 1995 and they had five children.

Now it is off to the 19^th and no telling what joy this will hold.

AWFUL AUGUST - 1

2022-08-21T06:46:00.001-04:00

It is now the 16^th and I’ve taken half a month off. We celebrated Mom’s 87^th birthday on the 13^th at a party hosted by my Son and his Wife. I was supposed to see Smokey Robinson on the 20^th, but my Friend has the China Virus and had to cancel. So, my Husband will go with me, and we’ll only have to leave the Dog for a few hours. She sleeps during this time anyway.

In 1928 Eydie Gorme (Edith Gormezano) was born in the Bronx to Jewish parents Nessim and Fortuna. Both her parents were born in Turkey. After graduating from William Howard Taft HS. Which she attended with Stanley Kubrick. She found a job as a translator by day at night she studied at City College. On weekends she sang in a band led by Ken Greengrass. She married Steve Lawrence in 1957 who she met on the “Tonight Show” set and formed a duo with one of its staff singers Steve Lawrence. She won her first Grammy with him as Best Performance by a Vocal Group with “We Got Us” in 1960. She also won another Grammy for Best Female Vocal Performance “If He Walked into My Life” in 1966. She won two Emmy’s for Outstanding Variety Music or Comedy Special for “Our Love is Here to Stay” with Steve Lawrence in 1976. She won another one for Music or Comedy Special for Steve and Eydie Celebrate Irving Berlin again with her husband in 1979. She and her husband Steve were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995. She and Steve had two sons. David and Michael. David is an ASCAP Award winning composer who did the score for High School Musical. Michael died at the age of 23 from an undisclosed heart condition. She and her husband were in Atlanta performing at the Fox Theater. Frank Sinatra a family friend sent his private plane to NY where their son was attending school. They suspended touring for a year. She died in 2013 six days before her 85^th birthday.

In 1930 Francis Newton (Frank) Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California. He was the son of Lola Mae and Weldon an oil driller. Upon his death his wife Kathi Lee said that her late husband grew up in a poverty stricken home and moved to 29 places before he attended high school. He graduated from Kern County Union HS now Bakersfield HS. He was unable to gain an athletic scholarship to USC because of his low GPA. So, he went to Bakersfield Junior College until he was accepted at USC. He played his entire career for the NY Giants where he was Round: 1, Pick 11 in the 1952 draft. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1977. After he retired, he was an Emmy winning sportscaster for ABC’s Monday Night Football, Wide World of Sports and the Olympics. He married his college sweetheart Maxine Ewart in 1952 and they had three children. One Victoria was married to Michael Kennedy. He was next married to Astrid Lindley from 1978 – 1986. Both marriages ended in divorce. He then married Kathi Lee Johnson who was 23 years his junior who shared the same birthday and they had two children Cody and Cassidy. On August 9^th a week before his 85^th birthday he died in his CT home.

In 1933 Julia Chalene Newmeryer (Julie Newmar) was born in LA to Don and Helen. Her father was the head of the physical education department at LA City College and played football professionally with the LA Buccaneers of the NFL. Her mother was a fashion designer who used Chalene as her professional name and later became a real-estate investor. She has two younger brothers She began dancing at an early age and performed as a prima ballerina with Los Angeles Opera at the age of 15. She won a Tony for Best Featured actress in a play for 1958’s production of the “The Marriage Go Round” when it came to the movies she was nominated for a Globe as most promising newcomer. She was Rhonda the Robot on the television series “My Living Doll” with Bob Cummings from 1964-1965. She was best known for her role as Catwoman from 1966-1967 for 13 episodes. She is an advocate for LBGT rights as her brother is Gay. She was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the Gay and Lesbian organization in 2013. She was married to J. Holt Smith a lawyer in August of 1977. They moved to Fort Worth where she lived until their divorce in 1984. She has one child born in 1981 who has a hearing impairment and Down Syndrome. She turned 89 today.

In 1948 Babe Ruth probably the greatest baseball player ever died at the age of 53. He had a fondness for women and alcohol which led to his demise. In 1954 James Cameron was born in Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Philip an electrical engineer and Shirley an artist and a nurse. His family moved to Brea, California when he was in HS. He attended Sonora HS and moved to Brea Olinda HS. He enrolled in Fullerton College in 1973 to study physics and dropped out in 1974. His classmates said he was not a sportsman but enjoyed building things that went up in the air or into the deep. After his excitement of seeing Star Wars in 1977 he quit his job as a truck driver to enter the film industry. All and all his films were nominated for 41 Oscars and won 21 times, His films were nominated for 26 BAFTA’s winning 26 nominations and winning five, his movies have been nominated for 17 Globes winning 7. His films include “Escape from NY” in 1981, “The Terminator” in 1984, “Rambo: First Blood” in 1985, “True Lies” in 1994, my favorite movie ever “Titanic” in 1997, and “Avatar” in 2009. He has been married five times to Sharon Williams from 1978 to 1984, Gale Anne Hurd from 1985-1989, Kathryn Bigelow from 1989 -1991, Linda Hamilton from 1997-1999 and Suzy Amis who he met on the set of “Titanic” in 2000. He has four children. In 2008 he received a star on the Canada Walk of Fame and a year later he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He turned 68 today.

In 1958 Angela Evelyn Bassett was born in NYC. She was the daughter of Betty a civil servant and Daniel a preacher’s son. Ten months after she was born Betty gave birth to D’Nette leading her to be sent to live with her father’s sister Golden in Winston-Salem, NC. At the age of four her parents divorced, and they relocated with her sister to St. Petersburg, Florida. At Boca Ciega HS she was a cheerleader and member of the Upward Bound College prep program, the debate team, student government, drama club and choir. During HS she was the first Black to be admitted to the national honor society. She attended Yale and was the first of her family to earn a BA and MFA. She was in “Malcom X’ in 1992 as Betty Shabazz. Her other roles included playing Katherine Jackson in “The Jackson’s: An American Dream” also in 1992. She had her breakthrough performance with her portrayal of Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do with It” in 1993 which garnered her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. She won a Globe for this role. Her other notable film roles included her portrayal of Bernadette Harris in “Waiting to Exhale” in 1995, Stella Payne in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” in 1998 she also starred as Rosa Parks in the television movie “The Rosa Parks Story” in 2002 and Queen Romonda in “Black Panther” in 2018 and its upcoming sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in 2022. In 2018 she began producing and starring in the drama series “9-1-1 playing LAPD patrol sergeant Athena Grant. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008. She has been married to Courtney B. Vance since 1997 and they have two children. She turned 64 today.

In 1962 Steve Carell was born in Concord, MA. His father Edwin was an electrical engineer, and his mother Harriet was a psychiatric nurse. His father’s sir name was originally Caroselli but was changed to Carell in the 50’s. He was the youngest of four brothers and raised in nearby Acton, MA. He earned a degree in history from Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 1984. He was in “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” as Brick Tamland which led Judd Apatow to cast him in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” which they developed and wrote together from there he starred in “Get Smart” as Maxwell Smart in 2008, “Dinner for Schumcks” in 2010 which I have just recently watched, “Battle of the Sexes” in 2017, “Beautiful Boy” and “Vice” both in 2018. From 2010 to 2017 he was the one of the voices in “Despicable Me”. From 2005 to 2011 and again in 2013 as Michael Scott. He also wrote two episodes and directed 3. He produced seasons 3-7. From 2016-2018 he produced and created “Angie Tribeca” starring Rashida Jones. From 2019 – 2021 he starred in 14 episodes of “The Morning Show”. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016. He has been married to Saturday Night alumna Nancy Carrell since 1995 and they have two children. He turned 60 today.

In 1977 I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard Elvis Presley had died. We were planning my December wedding and heard the news on the radio. My Mom was devastated. He was 42. He won three Grammy’s. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018. He got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. In 2018 Aretha Louise Franklin who was referred to as The Queen of Soul died at the age of 76. She won 18 Grammys. She got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1981. In 1987 she became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1994. She won the National Arts Medal in 1999. She won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, The Pulitzer Prize in 2019. In 2020 she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Both posthumously. In 2019 Peter Fonda died at the age of 79. In 1969 he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for “Easy Rider” and won a Globe for “Ulee’s Gold” as Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. He won another Globe for “The Passion of Ayn Rand”. He of course was the son of Henry Fonda and the brother of Jane Fonda.

Now it is off to the 17^th.

JOLLY JULY -9

2022-08-17T06:59:00.001-04:00

It is now the 31^st which would have been my Father-In-Law’s 101st birthday. He died at the age of 91. In 1875 Andrew Johnson died at the age of 66. He of course was the 17^th President of the US and the only President to be born in NC other than James K. Polk. He was born in Raleigh and Polk was born in Pineville. He came to office when Lincoln was assassinated. Something to be said for the Kennedy/Johnson thing and the Lincoln/Johnson thing.

In 1912 Milton Friedman was born in Brooklyn, NY to Sara and Jeno Friedman who were Jewish working-class immigrants from the Ukraine. They worked as dry goods merchants. He was their fourth child and only son. Shortly after his birth they relocated to Rahway, NJ. He was a talented student and avid reader graduating for Rahway HS in 1928 just before his 16^th birthday. Although no family had gone to a university, he was admitted to Rutgers and graduated in 1932. He graduated from the University of Chicago with a MA and Columbia with a PhD. He intended to become an actuary or mathematician however the country was going through the depression, so he became an economist. He was a nasty Republican and Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1988. He met his wife Rose at the University of Chicago in 1932 and they got married in 1938. They had two children. He died in 2006 at the ripe old age of 94.

In 1932 Theodore Crawford Cassidy (Ted) was born in Pittsburgh. He was raised in Philippi, West Virginia. In his youth he was academically gifted and attended third grade at the age of six. He was 6’9” so of course he played basketball. His Alma mater is Stetson University. After graduating with a degree in speech and drama he married Margaret Helen Jesse in 1956. They divorced in 1975 and had two children. Then they moved to Dallas. His acting career was launched when he worked at the midday DJ on WFAA in Dallas. He gave an in-studio report on the day JFK was assassinated. He was best known as Lurch from “The Addams Family” from 1964 to 1966. You rang! He was also the narrated the “The Incredible Hulk” television series from 1977-1982. He died in 1979 at the age of 46 so I guess his narration days were over. He appeared in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” in 1969, “Mackenna’s Gold” also in 1969. He co-wrote the screenplay for “The Harrad Experiment” which was released two years after his death.

In 1944 Geraldine Leigh Chaplin was born in Santa Monica, CA. She was the first child with Charlie Chaplin’s fourth wife Oona O’Neill. Charlie was 55 and Oona was just 19. When she was eight her family took a vacation to Britain and Europe and the set sail and US Attorney General James P. McGranery signed an order to refuse Chaplin to re-enter the country. So, they moved to Switzerland. She became fluent in French and Spanish. Her material grandfather was Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Eugene O’Neil. She dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer and when that ended, she followed her father into what was to become a prolific acting career starring in “Doctor Zhivago”, “Nashville” and “Chaplin” in the role of Charlie’s mother Hanna. She has had two serious long-term relationships with Carlos Saura and Patricio Castilla and has two children.

Also, Sherry Lansing (Sherry Lee Duhl) was born in Chicago. Her parents were Margot who fled from Nazi Germany at the age of 17. Her father David who was a real estate investor died when she was nine. Her mother remarried and died in 1984 from ovarian cancer. She attended the University of Chicago Laboratory School and graduated in 1962 and graduated from Northwestern University in 1966. She tried her hand at acting appearing in “Loving and Rio Lobo” starring John Wayne but she was dissatisfied with her acting skills. She decided to learn more about the film industry from the ground up. She took a job at MGM as the head script reader and worked in two successful films “The China Syndrome” and “Kramer vs. Kramer” in 1979. Her work at MGM eventually led after a stint at Columbia led to an appointment with 20^th Century Fox in 1980. At the age of 35 she became the first female production president of a major studio. She resigned in 1982 and formed a partnership with Stanley R. Jaffe to form Jaffe-Lansing Productions leading to “Fatal Attraction”, “The Accused” and “Indecent Proposal”. In 1996 she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 2007 she was presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award presented by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. She has been married twice to Michael L. Brownstein and most recently to William Friedkin. She has two stepchildren by him. Both these great ladies turned 78 today.

In 1945 Gary Lewis (Gary Harold Lee Levitch) was born in Newark, New Jersey. He is the son of Jerry Lewis and singer Patti Palmer who was performing at the time with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra. He was drafted into the US Army and spent time at the Saigon Airport during the Viet Nam War and the remainder in South Korea. He received a set of drums for his 15^th birthday and formed the band Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Their hits include “This Diamond Ring”, “Count Me In” and “Everybody Loves a Clown”. In the summer of 2013 he along with Gary Puckett, Mark Lindsey and The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie were in the Paradise Alley’s “Happy Together” tour. They are still touring on cruise ships and at casinos and fairs. He has been married to Donna Grow since 2003. He turned 77 today.

In 1954 Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows got married. In 1958 Mark Cuban was born in Pittsburgh. His father Norton was an automobile upholster and his mother Shirley was described by him as someone with a different job or career goal every other week. He first ventured into business at the age of 12 he sold garbage bags to pay for an expensive pair of basketball shoes. Some years later he earned money by selling stamps and coins. At the age of 16 he took advantage of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strike by running papers from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. Instead of attending High School in his senior year he enrolled as a full-time student at the University of Pittsburgh. He graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley Business in 1981 with BS in management. He then took a job at Mellon Bank. All in all, he is a television personality and media proprietor whose net worth is estimated at $4.7 billion, and he owns the Dallas Mavericks basketball team. He is also one of the main “shark” investors of the ABC reality television show “Shark Tank” which continues to this day. He married Tiffany Stewart in private ceremony in the Barbados in 2002 and they have three children. He turned 64 today.

In 1962 Wesley Snipes was born in Orlando. He is the son of Marian a teacher’s assistant and Wesley an aircraft engineer. He grew up in the Bronx and attended the HS of Performing Arts of Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS of the Performing Arts but moved back to Florida before he could graduate. He earned his Black Belt at the age of 12. He did graduate from the State University of NY at Purchase with a BFA. He also attended Southwestern College in California. At the age of 23 he was discovered by a talent agent and made his film debut in the 1986 vehicle “Wildcats” with Goldie Hawn. He was then discovered by Spike Lee after his performance in Michael Jackson’s video “Bad”. He turned down a role in “Do the Right Thing” for a larger part in “Major League” as Willie Mays Hayes 1989, “Mo’ Better Blues” in 1990, “New Jack City” in 1991, “White Men Can’t Jump” in 1992, “Passenger 57” in 1992 and the “Blade” movies from 1998 to 2004. For which he was producer and martial arts coordinator. He was married two times and has five children. He turned 60 today.

In 1965 J.K. Rowling (Joanne) was born in Yale, Gloucestershire. Her parents had met the previous year on a train sharing a trip from King’s Cross station in London to their naval postings in Arbroath, Scotland. They got married in on March 14^th, 1965. There names were Pete and Anne and both 19 at the time. He started work at a job as an assembly line worker at the Bristol Siddeley factory which later produced Rolls-Royce. He worked his way into management as a chartered engineer. Anne later worked as a science technician. They both didn’t have university degrees. She earned a BA in French from Exeter in 1987. Of course, she wrote the Harry Potter series was spawned a global media franchise including movies and video The series has sold over 500 million copies and has been published in 70 languages. She has been married twice and has three children. She turned 57 today.

In 1966 Dean Cain (Tanaka) was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan to Roger Tanaka a US serviceman and actress Sharon Thomas. He has never met his biological father and after his birth she moved to California to pursue an acting career. He and his brother Roger were adopted by director Christopher Cain who his mother married in 1969. He attended Santa Monica HS and graduated in 1984 where he excelled at sports. He then attended Princeton where he dated Brooke Shields. He set a Princeton season record with 12 interceptions in just 10 games. He graduated in 1988 with a BA in History. After his graduation he signed on as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills but a knee injury during training camp ended his football career prematurely. With the hope of returning to sports he turned to screenwriting and acting appearing on volleyball themed spot for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and appeared in 4 episodes of “Beverly Hills 90210”. In 1993 he took his biggest role ever in the television series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” with Teri Hatcher. This lasted until 1997. In 1998 he started the Angry Dragon Entertainment Company which produced “Ripley’s Believe or Not” which he also produced and hosted. In 2004 he played Scott Peterson in “The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story”. In addition to dating Brooke Shields, he dated beach volleyball player and model Gabrielle Reece. He was engaged to Mindy McCready and the split the following year in 1997. He has a son Christopher Dean Cain with his ex-girlfriend Playboy playmate and Spanish model Samantha Torres. He was born in 2000 and named after his adoptive father. He is a vile Republican and turned 56 today.

In 2012 novelist Gore Vidal died at the age of 86. In 2022 basketball great Bill Russell died at the age of 88. He was born in February 1934 to Charles and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. To escape racism, they moved out to Oakland, California. His mother died when he was 12 years old. He was a good runner, jumper and had large hands he was cut from the team at Herbert Hoover Junior High School. As a freshman at McClymonds High School in Oakland he was almost cut again. He attended college at the University of San Francisco. He was also the Round 1, Pick 2 of the St. Louis Hawks. He played most of his career for the Boston Celtics from 1956-1969. He was the coach of the Boston Celtics from 1966-1969, the Seattle SuperSonics from 1973-1977 and the Sacramento Kings for 1987 to 1988. His position was center as he was 6’10”. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, in 2009 the NBA Finals MVP award was named in his honor. In 2011 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2013 Shortly after his death the NBA retired his jersey number 6 league wide becoming the only player in NBA history to receive this honor.

On the fourth of August I went to the doctor, and he said the China Virus crazies could last months. I was supposed to have blood work done and get a chest x-ray so I spent the whole day in the doctor’s office. I had thrown away my masks a fortunately my Husband had some. I saved the one he gave me. No telling when I’ll have to go to the doctor again. My Husband’s car also went into the shop, and they said it would be two weeks to get it back.

It is now the 15^th of August and I’m just going to give up. My days are just spent watching movies. Sandra Bullock ones are my favorites. I watched “Miss Congeniality”, “Miss Congeniality: Armed and Fabulous”, “The Lake House” and the “Premonition” "The Net" and my latest is "The Blindside". I did spice it up a bit and watched “Uncoupled” with Neil Patrick Harris. Really good show. I’ve also been watching “Seinfeld” in its uncut version. Most episodes are just twenty-two minutes long.

On August 8^th President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate was sieged by the FBI. They even broke into his safe and Melania’s closet. Here’s what they found.

1. Thousands of McDonald's receipts: Immaculate record keeping!

2. Three pallets of Norvell Premium Sunless Tanning Solution, Dark 1: Only the best for our President!

3. World's best president mug: The mug has been detained for questioning.

4. Barron's Xbox controller because he's grounded from Xbox: This is a relief. We thought he was ghosting us on Xbox Live.

5. The kickstand for Biden's bike: Sneaky!

6. Obama's actual birth certificate: Everyone was wrong. He was born in Zap, ND. Weird.

7. A note that reads "You FBI guys are low IQ. Sad! Not good!”: This was found in a safe within a safe.

8. Free verse, reflective poems: So sensitive!

9. Several dozen copies of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York: Probably the inspiration for all the booby traps federal agents had to evade.

10. The actual nuclear codes and not the fake ones he slipped to Biden: Wait a minute, wouldn't the real president have the nuclear codes?

11. Little tiny shampoos which were stolen from the White House bathroom: Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!

12. Over a million unsent tweets: Carefully recorded and cataloged on papyrus scrolls.

13. A signed agreement between Trump and Pence that he would not "mean tweet" Pence: Appears to be scrawled in crayon on a KFC napkin.

14. The Mirror of Erised: When he looks into it, he sees world peace.

Thank you Babylon Bee! Disgusting! I guess they didn’t get enough traction from the January 6^ththing. Also, on this day Dame Olivia Newton John died at the age of 73 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was a four-time Grammy winner whose music career included “If You Love Me, Let Me Know” in 1973, “I Honestly Love You” in 1974, she also won a Grammy for Best Female Vocal Performance for this song. In 1982 she won the Video of the Year for “Physical”. She won ten AMA’s including “Have You Ever Been Mellow” and nine Billboard Awards. In 1978 she was in “Grease” with John Travolta which spurned the hits “You’re the One That I Want” and “Summer Nights”. It became the highest grossing film ever and the soundtrack album was one of the highest grossing in 1980 she was in “Xanadu” with Gene Kelly. In 1981 she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was married two times to Matt Lattanzi from 1984 to 1995 and they had a child named Chloe who was born in 1986. She has been married to John Easterling since 2008. She died almost a month before her 74^th birthday.

On August 12^th actress Anne Heche died at the age of 53. She was partners with Ellen DeGeneres from 1997-2000 which I always thought was a publicity stunt to further her career. In all fairness her father did die of AIDS in 1983. She was married to Coley Laffoon from 2001 to 2009. She was also partners with James Tupper from 2007-2018. She was in “Six Days, Seven Nights” with Harrison Ford in 1998 she was cast in this role before her same sex relationship with Ellen DeGeneres came out and “Psycho” also in 1998. She was in “Hung” from 2009-2011. On August 5^th, 2022, she was involved in a car crash in the Mar Vista neighborhood of LA which resulted in fire which left her severely burned. She ran into a house resulting in a house fire which required 59 firefighters to handle and was extinguished in 65 minutes leaving the house structurally compromised and uninhabitable and the tenets survived. She was deemed to be under the influence of something such as narcotics. She was an organ donor, but it took a couple of days to find the recipients.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is sending busloads of people to NYC and Eric Adams is not happy about that. Our country has gone to Hell! Now it is off to Awful August.

JOLLY JULY -8

2022-08-11T12:57:00.001-04:00

It is now the 28^th. I actually don’t remember what I did today. I know we are being sold to China and Old Joe is an imbecile and so is the Hyena. So, I’ll get down to the business of the day.

In 1929 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was born in Southampton, NY. She died on May 19^th, so I’ve already sung her praises. In 1945 James Robert Davis was born in Marion, Indiana. He grew up on small Black Angus Cow farm. His parents were Jim and Betty, and his brother was Dave Davis. He attended Fairmount HS and joined the staff of his school newspaper “The Breeze” where he eventually became art editor. He is a graduate of Ball State University and now he is an adjunct professor. He created “Garfield” whose life parallels his own. Jon is a cartoonist, raised on a farm who celebrates his birthday on July 28^th. Garfield is one of the most syndicated comic strips. He won three Emmys for Garfield in 1984-1985, 1986 and 1988-1989. He has been married twice to Carolyn who was allergic to cats though they owned a dog named Molly. They have a son. In 2000 he married Jill. He turned 77 today.

In 1947 Sally Anne Struthers was born in Portland, Oregon. She is the second of two daughters born to Margaret and Robert a surgeon. He abandoned the family when she was nine years old, and she was raised by her single mother in in the Concordia neighborhood of northeast Portland by working at the Bonneville Power Administration and suffered significant depression during her childhood. In 1970 she was cast in “Five Easy Pieces” along with Jack Nicholson and in “The Getaway” in 1972. Producer Norman Lear found the actress dancing on “The Smother’s Brother’s Comedy Hour”, and she landed the role of Gloria Stivic on “All in the Family” for 182 episodes and she reprised her role in “Archie Bunker’s Place”. She won two Emmys for “All in the Family” in 1971 and 1979. She was the voice of Pebbles Flintstone from 1971 to 1978. In 2000-2007 she was Babette Dell in “Gilmore Girls”, and she reprised her role in the 2016 mini-series. She was also the voice of Charlene Sinclair on the ABC sitcom “Dinosaurs” from 1991-1994. She was married one time to psychiatrist William C. Rader from 1977-1983 and they had one child. She turned 75 today.

In 1948 Georgia Bright Engel was born in DC. Her father was a Vice Admiral in the US Coast Guard his name was Benjamin Franklin Engel. Her mother was Ruth. She attended the Kodiak Island School in the Borough School district and Walter Johnson High School and the Academy of the Washington Ballet from which she graduated and earned her theatre degree from University of Hawaii. She moved to NYC in 1969 and worked on Broadway. In 1971 she moved to LA and appeared in the off-Broadway production “The House of Blue Leaves” and was seen by Mary Tyler Moore and her then husband Grant Tinker and they signed her up as Georgette Franklin Baxter who was married to Ted Knight’s (Ted Baxter) character from 1972-1977 when the show ended. She won two Emmy nominations for this role. She was in “Coach” from 1991 -1997 for 17 episodes. She was the voice of several movies. Her voice was distinctive. She was the voice of Love-a-lot Bear in the “Care Bears” movie in 1985 and the voice of the giraffe in “Dr. Dolittle 2” in 2001. She was in “Everybody Loves Raymond” from 2003-2005 as the mother-in-law of Ray Barone’s character for which she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress. She was in “Hot in Cleveland” for 18 episodes which reunited her with Betty White. She was adherent of Christian Science and died at the age of 70 in Princeton, NJ on April 12, 2019. She was never married and never had children.

In 1978 “Animal House” was released. One of the stars was Tim Matheson to which is now in “Virgin River” as Dr. Vernon Mullins who is married or was to Annette O’Toole. I just watched the fourth season. It has been renewed for a fifth season. In 1984 John David Washington was born and raised in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of LA. He is the son of Denzel and Pauletta. He is the oldest of their four children. At the age of 7 he was featured in Spike Lee’s feature film “Malcolm X” which starred his father. He attended Campbell Hall School in LA. He graduated from HS in 2002 and Morehouse College in 2006 where he excelled at football. He signed with the St. Louis Rams as an un-drafted free agent. He played for NFL Europe Rhein Fire. He played professional football from 2006-2012. He began acting in 2015 in the HBO series “Ballers” and had a major role in “BlacKklansman”. He turned 38 today.

In 2021 Johnny Ventura died at the age of 81. He began his career as a singer and was the Mayor of Santo Domingo, Capital of the Dominican Republic from 1998 -2000. Also, Ron Popeil who founded Ronco died at the age of 86.

It is now the 29^th. I’m so far behind that I’ll go to events of the day. In 1938 Peter Jennings was born in Toronto. He and his younger sister was the children of Elizabeth and Charles Jennings a prominent radio broadcaster for the CBC. He began his broadcasting career at the age of nine hosting “Peter’s People” a half hour Saturday morning CBC Radio Show for kids. His father was on assignment in the Middle East when the show debuted harbored a deep dislike of nepotism was outraged to learn that the network had put his son on the air. When he was 11, he began attending Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario where he excelled in sports. After the CBC moved his father to Ottawa headquarters in the early 1950’s he transferred to the Lisgar Collegiate Institute, and he dropped out after he failed 10^th grade. He was the first Canadian Journalist to arrive in Dallas after the assassination of JFK. The CTV sent him to the Democratic Convention in Atlantic City, NJ. There he ran into Elmer Lower than President of ABC News offered him a job as anchor for ABC News. He was the youngest anchor at 26 to host an evening news broadcast. He couldn’t keep up with Cronkite (CBS) or Huntley Brinkley (NBC). He resigned after three years to become a foreign correspondent. In 1972 he covered his first breaking news story at the Munich Olympics and the massacre of Israeli athletes. Roone Arledge took over as President of ABC News in 1968 he made Jennings the Anchor of ABC Evening News from 1983 to 2005 and a news reporter from 1964 to 2005. He has won numerous awards during his career including 16 Emmys and two Peabody Awards. He was inducted into the Order of Canada and on February 21^st, 2006. He died on August 7^th, 2005, at the age of 67. He was married four times and had two children.

In 1966 Martina McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas. Her parents Daryl and Jeanne Schiff owned a dairy farm and a cabinetry shop. She has two brothers and a sister. Her brothers played in her concert band as of 2017. She grew up listening to country music. She was in band her father fronted called “The Schiffters” from the age of 8 or 9. She began performing in a local rock band The Penetrators in Wichita. She has been nominated for 14 Grammys but has never won. She signed with RCA Records in 1991 and has sold over 14 million albums worldwide. She has won the CMA Country vocalist of the year four times tying with Reba McIntire. In 1987 she met John McBride and took his name. They have three children. She turned 56 today.

In 1981 I took the day off from work so I could watch the wedding of Lady Di and Prince Charles. The country is now in the hands of China, so I’ll go on with the events of the 30^th. In 1936 Buddy Guy (George) was born in Lettsworth, Louisiana. His parents were sharecroppers. He moved to Chicago in 1957 and fell under the influence of Muddy Waters. He has won 8 Grammys plus the Lifetime Achievement Award, National Medal of the Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. He was married two times and has eight children. As of 2019 he still performs at least 130 nights a year including a month of shows each January at his Chicago Blues Club Buddy Guy’s Legends. In 2018 December 8^th was designated as Buddy Guy Day. A stretch of Highway 418 through Lettsworth was designated “Buddy Guy Way”. He turned 86 today.

In 1939 Peter Bogdoanvich was born in Kingston, NY. He was the son of Herma and Borislav who was a pianist and a painter. He graduated from NYC’s Collegiate School in 1957 and studied acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory. He was married to Polly Platt from 1962-1971 and Louise Stratten from 1988-2001. He was partners with Cybil Shepherd from 1971-1978 and Dorothy Stratten from 1980-1980 when her ex-husband killed her. He was the director of “The Last Picture Show” in 1971, “What’s Up Doc?” in 1972 “Paper Moon” in 1973 and “Mask” in 1985. He was in 14 episodes of “The Sopranos” from 200-2007 as Elliot Kupferberg. He died just this past January at the age of 82.

In 1941 Paul Anka was born in Ontario, Canada to Camelia and Andrew who owned a restaurant called Locanda. His mother died when he was 18. He sang with the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir under the direction of Frederick Karam. He attended Fisher Park High School where he was the part of a vocal trio called the Bobby Soxers. He recorded his first single “I Confess” when he was 14. From there he recorded “Diana” in 1957 which was the biggest single ever recorded by a Canadian Artist. He followed up with “Lonely Boy” in 1959 and “She’s Having My Baby” in 1974. He wrote the theme for the “Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and the English lyrics Frank Sinatra’s hit “My Way” and one of Tom Jones’s biggest hits “She’s a Lady”. He became a US citizen in 1990. In 1972 a street in Ottawa was named Paul Anka Drive. He was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2005. He was married three times and had six children including Amanda who has been married to Jason Bateman since 2001. He turned 81 today.

In 1947 Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria to Gustav Schwarzenegger and his wife Aurelia. His father was the local chief of police. He began his career as a body builder and won Mr. Universe in 1967. Then he became one of the biggest movie stars of all time. He was in “Conan the Barbarian” in 1982, “Conan the Destroyer” in 1984, “Twins” in 1988, “Total Recall” in 1990 and “Kindergarten Cop” also in 1990, “Jingle All the Way” in 1996 and “Batman and Robin” in 1997 where he played Mr. Freeze. He was the Governor of California from 2007 to 2011. He was also married to Maria Shriver from 1986 -2021 when their divorce became final. He has five children including Katherine and Patrick. They separated in 2011 after he admitted to having fathered a child with a housemaid. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He turned 75 today.

In 1954 Ken Olin was born in Chicago. He was the son of a former Peace Corps official and pharmaceutical company owner. He graduated from The Putney School in Putney, Vermont in 1972. He then completed his college career at the University of PA. He has been married to actress Patricia Wettig since 1982 and they have two children. From 1984 he starred in “Hill Street Blues” as Detective Harry Garibaldi for 29 episodes. From 1985 to 1986 he starred in “Falcon Crest” as Father Christopher. Then came “thirtysomething” which ran from 1987-1991 where he played Michael Stedman who was married to Mel Harris’s character. He went on to become a director and did six episodes of “thirtysomething”, twenty-three episodes of “Alias” from 2001-2005, twenty episodes of “Brothers and Sisters” from 2006-2011 and 28 episodes of “This Is Us” from 2016-2021. He turned 68 today.

In 1956 Delta Burke was born in Orlando, Florida to a single mother, Jean. She married Frederick Burke an Orlando realtor, and he adopted her. She never met her real father. She graduated from Colonial HS in 1974 and won Miss Florida in 1974 and was the youngest Miss Florida ever. She was in “Designing Women” as Suzanne Sugarbaker where she was nominated for back-to-back Emmys. She was fired from the show after a rift with Dixie Carter and the Thomason’s. She has been married to Gerald McRaney since 1989 and they have no children. She turned 66 today.

In 1961 Laurence Fishburne III was born in Augusta, Georgia. He was the son of Hattie, a junior high school mathematics and science teacher. His father was Laurence Fishburne Jr, and he was a juvenile corrections officer. After his parents divorced, he moved to Brooklyn with his mother. His father saw him once a month. He is a graduate of Lincoln Square Academy in NYC. He appeared in “Apocalypse Now” as Tyrone “Mr. Clean” Miller in 1979 “Rumble Fish” in 1983 “The Cotton Club” in 1984, “The Color Purple” in 1985 and “Boyz in the Hood” in 1991 where he was credited as Larry Fishburne. He was in “The Matrix” in 1999 and “The Matrix Reloaded” in 2003 and “Matrix Revolutions”, “John Wick” Chapter II” as the Bowery King ad “John Wick: Chapter 3 where he was reunited with Keanu Reeves. There is a “John Wick: Chapter 4 in the making. He was in “Hannibal” from 2013-2015 and “Black-ish” from 2014-2022 for which he also served as executive producer. He was nominated for an Oscar for “What’s Love Got to Do with It” in 1994. He won three Emmys for “TriBeCa” in 1993, “Miss Evers’ Boys” in 1997, and for #Free Rayshawn” in 2020. He also won a Tony for “Two Trains Running” in 1992. He was married two times to actress Hagna O. Moss in 1985 and they had two children together. In 2002 he married Gina Torres “Suits”, and they had one child. He turned 61 today.

In 1963 Lisa Valarie Kudrow was born in LA to Nedra a travel agent and Lee Kudrow a physician who specialized in the treatment of headaches. She also has a sister and two brothers. She graduated from Taft HS in Woodland Hills and Vassar College where she intended to become an expert on headaches like her father. She worked with her father for eight years while breaking into acting. In 1993 she was cast in “Mad About You” as Ursula Buffay a waitress which lasted until 1999. She was cast in “Friends” in 1994 a show which lasted until 2004. She starred as Ursula’s sister massage therapist Phoebe Buffay. She was the first cast member to win an Emmy for this role as Best Supporting Actress. While she was on “Friends” she was in “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” in 1997. In 1997 she was in “Analyze This” and “Analyze That” in 2002. She has been married to Michael Stern since 1995 and they have a son. Her pregnancy was worked into the fourth season of “Friends” when she was having triplets for her younger half-brother Frank (Giovanni Ribisi) and his wife Alice (Debra Jo Rupp). She turned 59 today.

In 1974 Hilary Ann Swank was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her mother Judy was a secretary and dancer, and her father was a Chief Master Sergeant in the Oregon National Guard and later a traveling salesman. After living in Spokane, Washington her family moved to Bellingham when she was six. Her parents separated when she was 15 and she moved to LA and lived in her mother’s car while she supported her daughter’s desire to act. They saved money to rent an apartment. She dropped out of South Pasadena HS. Her first big role was in “Boy’s Don’t Cry” as Brandon Teena. She won her first Oscar for this role. She again won an Oscar for “Million Dollar Baby”. She was married to Chad Lowe from 1997 -2007 and Philip Schneider in 2018. She turned 48 today.

In 1996 Claudette Colbert died at the age of 92. She won an Oscar for Best Actress in “It Happened One Night”. She married Norman Foster in 1928 and they were divorced in 1935. She then married Dr. Joel Pressman in 1935 until his death in 1968. In 2022 Grace Dell Nichols (Nichelle) died at the age of 89. She was born in Robbins, Illinois. She was the third of six children born to Samuel a factory worker who was elected the town mayor of Robbins in 1929. Her mother Lishia was a homemaker. She disliked her first name, so she asked her parents for a new one which led to Nichelle which “victorious maiden”. Her family moved to an apartment in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. She graduated for Englewood High School in 1951. From the age of 12 she studied at the Chicago Ballet Academy. She began her professional career as singer and dancer in Chicago. She toured the US with the bands of Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. She caught the attention of Hugh Hefner who booked as a singer for his Chicago Playboy Club. She was the first Black woman featured in role on “Star Trek” as Nyota Uhura. She resigned and at the urging of MLK she stayed on. He said that that it was the only show that he and his wife would let their children stay up and watch. He told her that if she left the show the door can be closed because a Black role, not a Female role. He further stated the role could be filled with an alien. Gene Roddenberry had already torn up her resignation letter. When his health was fading, she co-wrote the song “Gene” for him which she sang at his funeral. With William Shatner she had the first intertrial kiss on television. After the cancellation of “Star Trek” she volunteered her time with a special project with NASA to recruit minority and female personnel for the space agency. Asteroid 68410 Nichols is named in her honor; she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame awarded in 1992. She was married twice and had one child.

Now is off to the 31^st.

JOLLY JULY - 7

2022-08-05T13:05:00.000-04:00

It is now the 26^th and I’m so far behind. The Covid Cooties have played their toll on me. I no doubt went to Food Lion and got a milkshake. I noticed gas prices have come down. It’s about time. Our country will be in the hands of China soon as Old Joe and the Hyena are complete imbeciles. Where is the border Czar when you need her? Old Joe is the most unpopular President ever and people are starting to realize this. However, we’d be left with the Hyena and that would not be good.

In 1922 Jason Nelson Robards Jr. was born in Chicago. He was the son of actor Jason Robards Sr. and his wife Hope. The family moved to NYC when he was still a toddler and they moved to LA when he was still in grade school. His parents divorced shortly thereafter. He went to Hollywood HS where he excelled in athletics running the 4:18 minute mile during his junior year (the California state record was 4:26). Although his process in sports attracted universities to him, he choose to join the US Navy where he served from 1940 to 1946. He was a Radioman First Class. He moved to NYC upon his discharge and graduated from American Academy of the Dramatic Arts in 1948. He was in 23 Broadway Shows. He received two Oscars for “All the President’s Men” in 1976 and “Julia” in 1977 as Best Supporting Actor. He was also nominated for his role in “Melvin and Howard” in 1980. He was one of the 24 actors to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting. Winning a Tony for “The Disenchanted” and an Emmy for “Inherit the Wind” in 1988. He was married four times to Eleanor Pittman from 1948-1958, Rachel Taylor from 1959-1961, Lauren Bacall from 1961-1969, and Lois O’Connor who he married in 1970. He had six children.

In 19 he was among the receipts of the Kennedy Center Honors and American Theater Hall of Fame, and he was inducted in 1979. In 1997 he received the US Medal of the Arts.

In 1928 Stanley Kubrick was born in NYC to Jewish parents and was the first of two children born to Jacob and Gert. His father was a doctor which made them wealthy by West Bronx standards. He had a high IQ but was a dismal student. He learned the game of chess at the age of 12 and became a member of the US Chess Federation. When he was 13 his father bought him a Graflex camera which led him to a lifelong pursuit of photography. He was a photographer for his HS William Howard Taft from 1941 to 1945. He was eventually hired by Look Magazine. In 1948 he was sent to Portugal to document a travel piece and covered the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus in Sarasota, Florida. He then went to directing 1953’s “Fear and Desire”, 1956’s “The Killing”, 1960’s “Spartacus” 1962’s “Lolita”, “Dr. Strangelove” in 1964, “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1968. He also directed, wrote and produced “A Clockwork Orange” in 1971, “Barry Lyndon” in 1975, “The Shining” in 1980, “Full Metal Jacket” in 1987 and “Eyes Wide Shut” in 1999. He was married three times to Toba Metz from 1948 to 1951, Ruth Sobotka from 1955 -1957 and Chistiane Harlan in 1958. He had two children. He died in 1999 at the age of 70.

In 1943 Sir Michael Philip Jagger was born in Dartford, Kent. His father Joe was a former gymnast, and his mother was a hairdresser and active member of the Conservative party. In September 1950 he met Keith Richards while they were classmates at Wentworth Primary School in Dartford before the family moved to Wilmington, Kent and he a Richards lost contact. He met Richards again on October 17^th, 1961, on the platform of the Dartford Railway Station and they became roommates. With Brian Jones they became the Rolling Stones. He is a member of the dead at 27 club. He died on July 3^rd. On July 5^th, 1969, the Stones played a previously scheduled show at Hyde Park as a tribute to him with their new guitarist Mick Taylor and in 1975 he was replaced by Ron Wood. They released butterflies in his memory. They got their first Grammy in 1982, winning again in 1987, 1990, 1991 and again in 1998 for best Rock Performance as a Duo or Group. They won the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986. They were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, 1999, 2005, 2012, and 2014. In 1989 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2002 he was knighted. He had a relationship with Marsha Hunt in late 1969 and she had his first child. He was married one time to Bianca Perez- Mora Marcias and they had one child named Jade. He was in a relationship with model Jerry Hall, and they had four children. He was in relationship with designer L’Wren Scott from 2001 until her suicide in 2014 and she left her entire estate to him estimated at $9 million. He set up at the L’Wren Scott at the London’s Central Saint Martins College and he donated it all to a scholarship in her memory. He is now with Melanie Hamrick and became a father again at the age of 73. He is the father of 8 children. My favorite video of him was to “Dancing in the Street” with David Bowie. I had the great pleasure of seeing the Stones in concert in 2015. He turned 79 today.

In 1945 Dame Helen Lydia Mirren (Mironoff) was born in London. She was the daughter of Kathleen was working-class woman and a father who worked mostly as a cab driver but did play the oboe for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He left the orchestra after Helen’s birth and resumed driving a taxi. She has an older sister and younger brother. She attended Hamlet Court Primary school in Westcliff-on-Sea where she had the lead role in a school production of Hansel and Gretel. She attended St. Bernard’s High School for Girls in Southend-on-Sea where she also acted in School productions. She attended a teaching college the New College of Speech and Drama in London where she played Cleopatra in “Anthony and Cleopatra” at the Old Vic in a role which launched her career and led her to signing with agent Al Parker which she said launched her career. She is one of the few actresses to win an Oscar “The Queen” in 2007. Emmy’s for “Prime Suspect 4: the Scent of Darkness” in 1996, “The Passion of Ayn Rand” in 1999, “Elizabeth I” in 2006 and “Prime Suspect: The Final Act” in 2007. She also won a Tony in 2015 for “The Audience”. In 2003 she was made a Dame. In 2013 she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 2021 she was announced as a recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. She started dating Taylor Hackford in 1986 and they got married in 1997. They have no children as she stated she lacks the maternal instinct whatsoever. She turned 77 today.

In 1956 Dorothy Hamill was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her father was a mechanical engineer. Shortly after her birth her family moved to the Riverside neighborhood of Greenwich, CT and she spent the rest of her childhood. She has two older siblings. She started figure skating at the age of 8 taking weekly group lessons. Her father said he spent $20,000 a year on her skating expenses, including lessons, living expenses and costumes. Until the spring of 1970 she attended schools in Riverside and attended and graduated from Colorado Academy HS. She won the Gold in 1976 at the Innsbruck Olympics and the Gold also in 1976 at the World Championships in Gothenburg. She was married three times once to Dean Paul Martin from 1982-1984, Kenneth Forsythe from 1987 to 1995 and from that union they had one daughter. She married her third husband John MacColl in 2009. She turned 66 today.

In 1959 Kevin Spacey Fowler was born in South Orange, NJ to a Secretary Kathleen and a technical writer and data consultant. His family relocated to southern California when he was four. He attended Northridge Military Academy, Canoga Park HS and graduated co-valedictorian along with Mare Winningham in 1977. He starred in the Senior Production of “The Sound of Music” playing the part of Captain Georg von Trapp with Winningham as Maria von Trapp. He attended Julliard and worked as a comedian for several years in bowling alley talent contests. He won an Oscar in 1996 for Best Supporting Actor in “The Usual Suspects” in 1996 and Best Actor for “American Beauty” in 2000. He won a Tony for “Lost in Yonkers” in 1991. He was nominated for a Grammy for Beyond the Sea. In this movie he played Bobby Darin. He made this movie in 2006. Then came the “House of Cards” and he was nominated for five Emmys. He did win a Globe for this role and a SAG. In 1999 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2017 actor Anthony Rapp accused him of making a sexual advance toward him in 1986 he was 14 at the time. Netflix cut ties with him and the last season of “House of Cards” was made without him. He had a role as J. Paul Getty in Ridley Scott’ “All the Money in the World” was reshot with the late Christopher Plummer in his place. He turned 63 today.

In 1964 Sandra Bullock was born in Arlington, VA. Her mother was an opera singer and a part time voice teacher from Germany Helga and her father John was an Army Employee. The family lived in Germany for 12 years and she only spoke German. Her family moved back to Alington worked with the Army Materiel Command before becoming a contractor for the Pentagon. She went to Washington-Lee HS where she was a cheerleader and performed in school theater productions. She attended ECU after graduating in 1982 she attended East Carolina University in Greenville, NC where she earned a BFA in Drama in 1987. She then moved to Manhattan where she supported herself as a bartender, cocktail waitress while auditioning for roles. She took acting classes with Sanford Meisner and appeared in several student films and later landed a role in Off-Broadway play “No Time Flat”. He breakthrough came when she starred in “Speed” with Keanu Reeves. My favorite movies of hers are the “Miss Congeniality” movies. She has been “A Time to Kill” in 1996, “Two Weeks Notice” in 2002, “The Proposal” in 2009. For playing Leigh Ann Tuohy in “The Blind Side” she won her an Oscar for this role. She was engaged to actor Tate Donovan who she met while filming “Love Potion No. 9”. She has also dated Troy Aikman, Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Gosling. She was married once to Jesse James from 2005-2010. They met when she arranged for her ten-year-old godson to meet him as a Christmas present. She has two children. They split up due to his infidelities. She is the founder of the production company Fortis Films and has produced some of the films which she has starred including “Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous” in 2005, “All About Steve” in 2009 and is executive producer on the ABC sitcom George Lopez (2002-2007) to which she made numerous appearances. She has been dubbed as America’s sweetheart and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005. She turned 58 today.

In 2015 Bobbi Kristina Brown died at the age of 22. She was found unconscious in a bathtub in her home on January 31^st, 2015, which was similar to the fate of her mother Whitney Houston. She was also the daughter of Bobby Brown. In 2020 Olivia de Haviland died at the age of 104. She was born on July 1^st, so I’ve already sung her praises.

It is now the 27^th and we are about to lose our country to China. Old Joe is an imbecile and so is the Hyena. I’m so far behind that I’ll will do four births and deaths each day.

Here’s what else that happened on the 27^th. In 1931 Jerry McCord Van Dyke was born in Danville, Illinois. His mother was Hazel was a stenographer and his father “Cookie” was a salesman. He is the brother of Dick Van Dyke. He pursed his stand-up comedy career while a student in Danville HS. He signed on with the Air Forces in 1954 and served in the Korean War During the mid-fifties he worked at WTHI-TV in Terre Haute Indiana and had his own show. “The Jerry Van Dyke Show”. He first appeared in his brother’s “The Dick Van Dyke Show” as his brother Stacey from 1962-1965. He was the star of “My Mother the Car” from 1965-1966 which was poorly received. However, I loved it. Ann Southern was the voice of his late mother. From 1989 to 1997 he was Luther Van Dam in “Coach” for which he was nominated for four consecutive Emmys from 1990-1993 as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He was married two times and had three children. He died in January of 2018 at the age of 86.

In 1948 Peggy Fleming was born in San Jose, California. She was the daughter of Doris and Albert a newspaper journalist and former US Marine. She began figure skating at the age of nine. When she was twelve her coach William Kipp was killed in the crash of Sabena Flight 548 enroute to the World Figure Skating Championships along with the rest of the US Figure Skating team. She was then coached by Carlo Fassi. She won the Olympic Gold in the 1968 games in Grenoble. She also won the Gold in the World Championships in Davos in 1966, Vienna in 1967 and in 1968 she won the Gold in Geneva. She married her teenaged sweetheart Greg Jenkins in 1970. He is a dermatologist and a former amateur figure skater, and they have two sons. She turned 74 today.

In 1972 Maya Rudolph was born in Gainesville, Florida to singer/ songwriter Minnie Riperton and composer Richard Rudolph. Her mother was Black, and her father was Jewish. They moved to California when she and her brother Marc were very young. Her mother died of breast cancer in 1979 tw0 weeks before Maya’s seventh birthday. In 1990 she graduated for Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California where she befriended Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black. She was a graduate of the University of California in Santa Cruz graduating with a degree in photography in 1995. She was with the improve troupe the Groundlings where she met Will Forte who got her on SNL. Prior to joining SNL, she was a backing singer for the group “The Rentals” with whom she toured. She was with SNL until 2007. She won three Emmys for her various characters in 2020 and 2021. In 2000 she was in “Duets” with her friend Gwyneth Paltrow. In 2006 She was in “A Prairie Home Companion” which was her first big role. She was in “Bridesmaids” in 2011 with Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy. She has done voice work for several movies including “The Angry Birds” movie in 2016, “The Emoji Movie” in 2017 and “Shrek the Third” in 2007. She has been in relationship with Paul Thomas Anderson since 2001 and they live in the San Fernando Valley with their four children. She turned 50 today.

In 1984 Taylor Jane Schilling was born in Boston. She is the daughter of Patricia an MIT administrator and Robert a former prosecutor. She grew up in West Roxbury and Wayland dividing her time between her divorced parents. After she graduated from Wayland High School in 2002, she attended Fordham University’s campus at the Lincoln Center and earned a Batchelor in Fine Arts. She entered the graduate acting program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts to continue her acting studies but left after her second year. While attempting to break into acting she supported herself by working as a nanny for a Manhattan based family. Her big break came when she was cast as Piper Chapman in “Orange Is the New Black”. For her work on the show, she was nominated for a Globe and an Emmy. The show lasted from 2013 to 2019. She turned 38 today.

In 2003 Bob Hope died at the age of 100. He was born on May 31^st, so I’ve sung all his praises. In 2022 Anthony (Tony) Lee Dow died at the age of 77. He was Wally Cleaver in the iconic television sitcom “Leave It to Beaver” from 1957 to 1963 and “The New Leave It to Beaver” from 1983-1989 to which he wrote one episode. He directed “Field of Fire” Star Trek Nine, several episodes of “Babylon 5” and several episodes of “Coach”. He was also a sculptor and was chosen as one of three sculptors to show at the Société Nationale des Beaux in Paris, France.

Now it is off to the 28^th.

JUST JULY - 6

2022-08-01T08:44:00.000-04:00

It is now the 24^th and we had the most wonderful day. We were invited by my Husband’s Brother and his Wife to swim in their pool. Our Grandchildren, our Son and his Wife joined us as well as our Daughter and her Boyfriend. My Husband couldn’t find his bathing suit but my Brother-In-Law had one he could wear. I don’t own a bathing suit for obvious reasons. My Sister-In-Law had a veggie tray, chips and homemade ham biscuits. She also baked a blue berry pie and made chocolate chip cookies. It was hot so we went inside except for those playing in the pool. I was the official photographer and got some great pictures. We got home at about four and I started watching “Marry Me” with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez. I didn’t see any news today as why spoil a good day?

Here's what else that happened on the 24^th. In 1862 Martin Van Buren the 8^th President of the US died at the age of 79. In 1887 Amelia Mary Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas. Her best friend was her sister Grace Muriel Earhart. Known as Pidge. She lived until 1998. She was two years her Jr. She was the daughter of Edwin Earhart (1867 – 1930) and Amelia Otis (1869 – 1962). She was born at the home of her maternal grandfather Alfred Gideon Otis who was a former federal judge and president of the Atchison Savings Bank. He had not favored her parents marriage as he was not satisfied with Edwin’ progress as a lawyer. Which was good as Edwin became an alcoholic. Her Five years later in 1907 he took a job as a claims officer for the Rock Island Railroad in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1915 her father found work at the Great Northern Railway in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her mother Amy took her daughters to Chicago. Her grandmother Amelia died suddenly leaving a substantial estate and placed her daughter in a share of the trust. She feared that her father’s drinking would deplete the funds. In 1919 she prepared to enter Smith College but changed her mind to join her parents who had moved to California. Where Amelia discovered her love of flying. In 1923 she became the 16^th woman in the US to earn a pilot’s license. Her parent’s divorced in 1924. She became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. She married George Putnam in 1931. When she was on a speaking tour in late November a fire destroyed their house in Rye, NY. The couple then moved to the West Coast where he became head of the editorial board of Paramount Pictures. He had two children from a previous marriage. She disappeared at the age of 39 in the Pacific Ocean enroute to Howland Island from Lae, New Guinea. Three weeks before her 40^th birthday. She was presumed dead in 1939.

In 1949 Michael Richards was born in Culver City, California to Phyllis a medical records librarian and William an electrical engineer. His father died in a car crash when he was two and his mother never remarried. He graduated from Thousand Oaks HS in 1968 and was drafted into the US Army in 1970 and was honorably discharged in 1972. After that he got a BA from Evergreen State College. I first saw him in 1990’s “Problem Child”. He then went to “Seinfeld” as Cosmo Kramer. He won more Emmy’s than any Seinfeld character taking home the Outstanding Supporting Actor in 1993, 1994 and 1997 beating Julia Louis-Dreyfus. During a performance at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, CA in 2006 he launched into a racist tirade to people who were heckling him. He actually had the audacity to say the N word. He even called Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to apologize. He went on Letterman to explain himself and his career never recovered. He was married to Cathleen Lyons a family therapist for 18 years and they had a daughter. In 2010 he married his girlfriend Beth Skipp and they have a son. He turned 73 today.

In 1951 Lynda Jean Cordova (Lynda Carter) was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She is the daughter of Juanita and Colby Carter. Her mother was of Mexican descent. She has one brother and one sister. She made her public television debut on Lew King’s Talent Show at the age of 5. When she was 16, she joined her two cousins in a group called “The Relatives” whose drummer was Gary Burgoff. She attended Arizona State University and was voted “Most Talented”. She dropped out to pursue a career in Music. In 1972 she entered an Arizona beauty contest and won Miss World USA representing Arizona. She reached the top 15 in the Miss World pageant. Her big break came when she was cast as “Wonder Woman” from 1975 to 1979. She was quickly given “Lynda Carter’s Special” in 1980, “Encore!” in 1980, “Celebration” in 1981, “Street Life” in 1982 and “Body and Soul” in 1984 and Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess” in 1983. She appeared in 11 movies and got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013 which included Patty Jenkins (who also has a birthday on this day) she approached Carter in 2017 to set her up with the Wonder Woman movie and former CBS chairman Leslie Moonves. She was briefly married to Ron Samuels from 1977-1982 and Robert Altman until his death in 2021. She turned 71 today.

In 1968 Kristi Dawn Chenoweth (Kristen)was adopted when she was five days old by Junie and Jerry Chenoweth both chemical engineers who were from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. She eventually met her birth mother. She graduated from Broken Arrow Senior HS and earned a degree from Oklahoma City University in 1990 in musical theatre in 1990 and a master’s in opera performance in 1992. She was second runner up in the Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant in 1991. She turned down a scholarship to Pennsylvania Academy of Vocal Arts to move to NYC to pursue a career in theatre. And that she did. She won a Tony for “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” and was nominated for “Wicked” and won the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Award for “On the Twentieth Century” which I had the pleasure to see her in. She has been in numerous television shows, movies and of course she has appeared on Broadway. Since 2018 she has been dating Josh Bryant, guitarist for the country band Backroad Anthem, they got engaged in 2021. In 2012 the Broken Arrow Theatre was renamed the Kristin Chenowith Theatre. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015. She turned 54 today.

In 1979 Mary Rose Byrne was born in New South Wales, Australia to Jane a primary school administrator and Robin a semi-retired statistician and market researcher. She was the youngest of four children. She studied at the University of Sydney with were she studied for an arts degree. In 1999 she studied acting at the Atlantic Theater Company which was developed by David Mamet and William H. Macy. She came to the US in 2007 and the rest is history. She starred in “Get Him to the Greek” in 2010. In 2011 starred in “Bridesmaids” which I’ve seen recently as Helen Harris III. “Spy” in 2013 and “The Meddler” also in 2013. “Peter Rabbit” in 2018. In 2020 she starred as Gloria Steinem in “Mrs. America”. She has been a relationship with Bobby Cannavale since 2012 and they have two sons. She turned 43 today.

In 1980 Peter Sellers died at the age of 54 from a heart attack. He was known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in “The Pink Panther Series”. In 1982 Elisabeth Moss was born in LA to Ronald and Linda Moss who were musicians. She was raised a Scientologist. She aspired to be a professional dancer. In her adolescence she travelled to NYC after which she studied with Suzanne Farrell at the Kennedy Center in DC. Her first screen role was in the NBC series “Lucky/Chances” as Lucky aged 6 in 1990. From 1999 to 2006 she starred as Zoey Bartlett in 25 episodes of “The West Wing” and then in 2007-2015 she was the star of “Mad Men”. In 2009 she had a role in “Did You Hear about the Morgan’s” as Sarah Jessica Parker’s assistant which I have watched recently. Then came “The Handmaid’s Tale” from 2017 to present which she also produced and directed. It won Outstanding Drama series in 2017 and she all won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama series at the Emmy Awards. She also starred in “The Kitchen” in 2019 with Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish. She also was the star of “Shirley” in 2020 as Shirley Jackson. She holds both British and American Citizenships. She met Fred Armisen in 2008 I suppose when Jon Hamm hosted SNL with Coldplay. They divorced in 2011. She turned 40 today.

Also turning 40 today is Anna Paquin who was born in Manitoba, Canada. She is the daughter of Mary Paquin and Brian who were teachers. She moved to LA after her parents’ divorce in 1995. She made her acting debut portraying Flora McGrath in “The Piano” and she won an Oscar for it at age 11 making her the second youngest person to win an Oscar behind Tatum O’Neil. From 2008 – 2014 she was in “True Blood” as Sookie Stackhouse” for 80 episodes for which she won a Globe as Best Actress. She met actor Stephen Moyer on the set, and they got married in 2010 in a private residence in Malibu. She gave birth to fraternal twins in 2012. She starred as Joanie Lockhart on “The Affair” for eight episodes and “Flack” in 2019-present where she also served as executive producer.

In 2012 Chad Everett died at the age of 75. He was best known as Dr. Joe Gannon on “Medical Center”. He was married to actress Shelby Grant in Tucson, AZ in 1966. They remained married for 45 years until her death in 2011. She died on June 25^th, and he died on July 24^th. They had two daughters. Also, Sherman Hemsley died at the age of 74. He was best known as George Jefferson on “The Jeffersons”. He served in the US Air Force. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. He was never married, and the sole beneficiary of his will was Flora Enchinton. A Philadelphia man named Richard Thornton claimed to be his brother and this halted progress for months. On November 9^th, 2012, the legal battle over Hemsley’s body ended when Judge Patricia Crew ruled in favor of Enchiton.

It is now the 25^th and our country is being sold to China. Old Joe is the worst President in the history of this country even the Libs agree. However, if he should die, he’s tested positive for the China Virus we would get the Hyena which is much worse. Only the ladies on The View support him.

Here's what else that happened on the 25^th. In 1894 Walter Brennan was born in Lynn, Massachusetts. His father was an engineer and inventor and he also studied engineering at Rindge Technical HS in Cambridge, MA. While working as a bank clerk, he enlisted in the US Army and was a private with 101^st Field Artillery Regiment during WWI. He served in France for two years. While there he suffered an injury to his vocal cords from exposure to mustard gas leaving him with a distinctively reedy, high-pitched reedy voice which was a favorite for celebrity impersonators for decades. After the war he worked as a financial reporter for a newspaper in Boston. During the 20’s he made a fortune in real estate market but lost most of it due to the 1925 real estate slump. Finding himself penniless, he began taking parts as an extra in films at Universal Studios in 1925. That sure paid off as he won Best Supporting Actor for “Come and Get It” in 1936, “Kentucky” in 1938 and “The Westerner” in 1940. Then came “The Real McCoys” about a poor West Virginia family that relocated to Southern California which ran from 1957-1963. His success with “The Real McCoy’s” led him to successful recording career making him the oldest person ever to have a top 5 single at the age of 67. In 1920 he married Ruth Caroline Wells, and they had three children. They were married for over 54 years, and he was a nasty Republican.

In 1925 Jerry Paris was born in San Francisco, California. After serving in the Navy during WWII he studied at the Actor’s Studio in NYC. After graduating he moved to LA where he attended UCLA and studied acting at the Actors Lab in Hollywood. After directing some episodes of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” he played a recurring role as dentist Jerry Helper. He won an Emmy for Outstanding Directorial Achievement for Comedy for the series in the 1963-1964 season. He later devoted himself to directing film and television including “The Partridge Family” and “Here’s Lucy” including the famous third season opener featuring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. He worked most notably on “Happy Days”. He directed 237 out of the shows 255 episodes. Imitating Hitchcock he appeared uncredited in at least one show of every season. He also directed episodes of “Laverne & Shirley”, “The Odd Couple”, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Ted Knight Show”. He returned to directing feature films in 1985’s “Police Academy 2: The First Assignment” and 1986’s “Police Academy 3: Back in Training”. In 1954 he married Ruth Benjamin and they remained married until her death in 1980. In 1986 he was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where doctors discovered he had a brain tumor on March 18^th, 1986. He remained hospitalized to his death on March 31^st. He was 60 years old. In 1934 François Coty died at the age of 60 from pneumonia. I once worked for Coty.

In 1954 Walter Payton was born in Columbia, Mississippi. He was one of three children born to Peter and Alyne Payton. His father was a factory worker who played semi-professional baseball. He was an active member of the Boy Scouts, Little League and was active in his local church. He began to play football when he was a junior in HS. His brother Eddie also played for the team, and he opted out to because he didn’t want to compete with him. When Eddie graduated, he agreed to play as long as he could continue playing for the band. Outside of school he played drums for jazz-rock groups. He was a graduate of Jackson State University with a degree in communications in 1974. From there he was the NFL draft Round 1 – Pick 4 and played his entire career for the Chicago Bears from 1975 – 1987. He was a running back. His number 34 has been retired by the Bears. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. He married Connie Norwood in 1976 and they resided in a home on the north side of Arlington Heights, Illinois. They had two children. He died at the age of 46 from a rare liver disease.

In 1967 Matthew Steven LeBlanc was born in Newton, Massachusetts. His mother Patricia was an office manager, and his father Paul was a mechanic. He attended Newton North High School and attended the Wentworth Institute of Technology and dropped out shortly after his second semester. He moved to NYC at the age of 17 to pursue a career in modeling but he told he was too short to be in the industry. His acting career began after a woman invited him to accompany her to an audition. He appeared in 1987 Heinz Tomato Ketchup commercial and was in “Married…. with Children” playing the boyfriend of Kelly Bundy. He was down to his last eleven dollars before he got the role as Joey Tribbiani on “Friends” which lasted ten years from 1994-2004. He was nominated for three Emmys for this two Globes. He was cast as Joey Tribbiani on “Joey” which lasted from 2004 – 2006. After the show was cancelled, he took a one-year hiatus from acting on television which turned into five years. From 2011-2017 he starred in “Episodes” as himself for which he won a Globe. From 2016-2020 he starred in “Man with a Plan” as Adam Burns for which he was also Executive Producer. He married Melissa McKnight in 2003 and were divorced in 2006. They had one child born in 2004. Since then, he has two partners Andrea 2006 – 2015 and Aurora 2016 -2022. He turned 55 today.

In 1978 the world’s first test tube baby was born. She was Louise Joy Brown and she turned 44 today. In 1997 Ben Hogan died at the age of 84. He was an American golfer and winner of two Masters, two PGA Championships, four US Opens, and The Open Championship. He was married one time to Valerie Fox, and they got married in 1935. His wife died two years later. Now it is off to the 26^th.

JOLLY JULY - 5

2022-07-29T08:35:00.000-04:00

It is now the 22^nd and we had a much better day. We woke up to airconditioned comfort. We had to pick up our Grandson at his school and take him to Safety Town. We got him delivered and visited my Husband’s parents’ graves. My Mother-in-Law never got to know how much I learned to love the Dog. Then we had dinner with our Grandchildren and our Son and his Wife. We ate at LaBamba, and the service was excellent. We so enjoyed being with them. We haven’t seen them in weeks. I didn’t see any news today as it is too depressing.

Here's what else that happened on the 22^nd. In 1890 Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Boston, MA. She was the eldest of six children born to John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald at the time was a member of the Boston Common Council. At the age of 7 her family moved to Concord, MA. She wanted to attend Wellesley College, but her father refused. She met Joe Kennedy in her teens and married him on October 7^th, 1914, when she was 24. Much to the disapproval of her father. He provided well for his family and embarked on several affairs including one with Gloria Swanson. She temporarily moved back in with her parents during her 4^th pregnancy. Her father told her divorce was not option, so she depended on medication to get her by. She outlived four of her children. Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. died in 1944. Kathleen died in 1948, JFK in 1963 and RFK in 1968. Both were taken by assassination. JPK Jr’s remains were never found. He was 29. Kathleen died in a plane crash in France. She was 28. In 1995 she died at the age of 104 from complications from pneumonia six months before her 105th birthday. In 1951 Pope Pius XII granted the title of countess for her exemplary motherhood and many charitable works becoming the sixth woman in America to receive this honor. She was a devout Roman Catholic.

In 1934 Louise Fletcher was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Her parents were both deaf and her siblings were born without any hearing loss. She was taught to speak by an aunt who wasn’t deaf. Her father founded more than 40 churches for the deaf in Alabama. When she won the Oscar for Nurse Ratched in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” 1975 and she used sign language to thank her parents. She was the only actress to win an Oscar, BAFTA and Globe for a single role behind Audrey Hepburn and Liza Minelli. In 1977 she was in “Exorcist II” The Heretic”. “Flowers in the Attic” in 1987. “High School High” in 1996. My favorite role of hers was in “Shameless” as Peg Gallagher, Frank’s mom from 2011-2012. She turned 88 today.

In 1940 Alex Trebek was born in Ontario, Canada. He was the son of George (Terebeychuk) a chef who emigrated from the Ukraine as a child and his mother Lucille was a Franco-Ontarian. He grew up in a bilingual French-English household. He almost got expelled from a boarding school his parents sent him to and shortly thereafter he attended military college but dropped out when he refused to cut his hair. He graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in philosophy in 1961. He moved to CA in 1973 and became a US citizen in 1998. He was the host of “Jeopardy!” from 1984 -2021. In 1997 “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak and Trebek traded places as an April Fool’s Joke. He was awarded Outstanding Game Show host Emmy Awards in 1989, 1990, 2003, 2oo6, 2008, 2020 and 2021. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Canada Walk of Fame. He was married to Elaine Howard from 1974 to 1981 and was married to Jean Currivan in 1990 and had three children. He died at the age of 80 in 2020 from pancreatic cancer. In August of 2021 the Sony Pictures Studios sound stage Studio 10 was officially renamed as “The Alex Trebek” stage.

In 1964 David Spade was born in Birmingham, Michigan to Judith a writer and magazine editor. His family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona when he was four years old, and his parents divorced soon thereafter, and they were raised by his mother. He attended Saguaro HS and later Scottdale Community College and the University of Arizona dropping out shortly thereafter as he decided he could make a decent living doing stand-up. He was spotted by a talent agent while performing at The Improv in LA and he was cast in 1987’s “Police Academy 4”. With the help of his friend Dennis Miller, he joined SNL in 1990 first as a writer and then as a cast member. He left the show in 1996. His acting credits included “Tommy Boy” in 1995, “Black Sheep” in 1996 with the late great Chris Farley, “Joe Dirt” in 2001, “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star” in 2003, “The Benchwarmers” in 2006 “Grown Ups” in 2010 and its 2013 sequel. “The Do-Over” in 2016 and “The Wrong Missy” in 2020. He received an Emmy nomination and two Globe nominations for “Just Shoot Me!” from 1997-2003. In 2003 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He turned 58 today.

In 2008 Estelle Getty died at the age of 84 three days before her 85^thbirthday. She was born Estelle Scher in NYC to Charles and Sarah who were Jewish immigrants from Poland. Her father installed glass windows on cars and trucks and her mother was a homemaker. As a treat every Friday night her father would take her to the Academy of Music on 14^th Street to watch live vaudeville shows and she decided she wanted to become an actor. She had two siblings. After graduating from Seward Park High School, she continued to live at home with her parents and worked as a secretary. Her father was doubtful that she would make it as an actor but working as a secretary she could be free to audition for roles in the late afternoon and evenings. She married Arthur Gettleman in 1947 and stayed married to him until his death in 2004 and they had two sons. He didn’t accompany her to LA when she made it on “The Golden Girls”. Her role was Sophia Petrillo, and she was a year younger than her daughter on the show Bea Arthur who played Dorothy Zbornak. The show ran from 1985-1992. She won a Globe and an Emmy for her role in 1986 and 1988. In 1982 she was in “Torch Song Trilogy” as Mrs. Beckoff on Broadway. She helped her nephew open Beacon Place in Greensboro, NC for HIV/AIDs patents in 1996.

It is now the 23^rd and we had the day off. I watched the movie “A League of They’re Own” which I had seen a hundred times. It has such a great cast. I didn’t see any news as it is too depressing.

Here’s what else that happened on the 23^rd. In 1885 Ulysses S. Grant the 18^th President of the US died at the age of 63. His resting place is Grant’s Tomb in NYC. In 1960 Jack Nicklaus married Barbara Bash. They have been married 62 years today. In 1961 Woodrow Tracy Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas. His mother was a secretary, and his father was a convicted hitman for killing federal judge John H. Wood Jr. and sentenced to life in prison. He has two brothers. In 1973 he moved to his mother’s native city of Lebanon, Ohio where he attended Lebanon HS for which he graduated in 1979. He spent the summer working at Kings Island amusement park. He attended Hanover College where he studied theatre and English. He graduated in 1983. He was widely known for his work in the NBC sitcom “Cheers” replacing Nicolas Colasanto who died in 1985. He played Woody from 1985-1993 and he was nominated for five Emmy’s winning once in 1989. He was in “Doc Hollywood” in 1991, “White Me Can’t Jump” in 1992, “Indecent Proposal” in 1993, “Natural Born Killers” in 1994, “The People vs. Larry Flynt” in 1996 for which he was nominated for an Oscar, Globe and a SAG. He was also in “No Country for Old Men” in 2007 and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” in 2018 and in 2022 he was in “The Man from Toronto” with Kevin Hart. He was married to Nancy Simon daughter of Neil from 1985-1986. He has been married to Laura Louie since 2008. She is the co-founder of the organic food delivery service Yoganics. They met in 2007 when she was his personal assistant. They have three daughters and reside in Maui, Hawaii. He turned 61 today.

In 1971 Alison Maria Krauss was born in Decatur, Illinois to Fred and Louise Krauss. Her father was a German immigrant who came to the US in 1952 at the age of 12 and taught his mother the native language while he earned a doctorate in psychology. He later went into the real estate business. Her mother played banjo and the acoustic guitar, so she was exposed to folk music at home. In 1979 her mother saw a notice for an upcoming fiddle competition at the Champaign County Fair, so she bought a blue grass instruction book and Alison learned to play by ear. She began playing the violin at the age of 5. With Union Station. She has won 27 Grammys, the most by a female, she has won 14 International Blue Grass Awards, 8 CMA’s, 2 Gospel Music Association Awards, 2 CMTs. One of her biggest hits is the album “Raising Sand” with Robert Plant and they are planning they are planning a 2022 tour. In May 2012 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Berklee College of Music. In March of 2015 her hometown of Champaign, Illinois designated the 400 block of West Hill Street as “Honorary Alison Krauss Way”. She was married to musician Pat Bergeson from 1997 to 2001 and their son Sam was born in July of 1999. She turned 51 today.

In 1973 Kathryn Marie Hahn was born in Westchester, Illinois. She grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She attended Northwestern University where she obtained a BA in theatre. Afterward she earned her MFA in Drama from Yale. She has starred in some of my favorite movies “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” in 2003, “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton” in 2004 and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” also in 2004. “Revolutionary Road” in 2008, “Bad Moms” in 2016 and “Bad Mom’s Christmas” in 2017. On television she was in “Hung” in 2010, “Girls” in 2012, “Parks and Recreation” from 2012-2015, “WandaVision” in 2021 and she’s set to star in “Agatha: Coven of Chaos” which will come out in 2023. She has been married to actor Ethan Sandler since 2002 and they have two children. She turned 49 today.

In 1982 Victor Morozoff (Vic Morrow) died at the age of 53. He came to prominence in the ABC drama series “Combat” for which he was nominated for an Emmy. He was cast in “Twilight Zone: The Movie” directed by John Landis about a racist going back in time and he was killed when he was filming the Vietnamese segment in Santa Clarita. He and two children seven-year-old Myca Denh Le and six-year-old Renee Shin-Yi Chen. They were killed in a helicopter crash. Morrow and Le were decapitated and mutilated by the helicopter blades and Chen was crushed by the helicopter skid. In 2011 Amy Winehouse became a member of the Dead at 27 Club. At the 50th Grammy awards in 2008 she won five Grammys tying the record for most Grammys in a single night and the first British woman to win Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year (Rehab) as well as Best Pop Vocal Album. In 2012 Sally Ride died at the age of 61 from pancreatic Cancer. She was born on May 26^th, so I’ve already sung her praises. It is off to the 24^th.

JOLLY JULY -4

2022-07-27T10:11:00.000-04:00

It is now the 20^th and I’ve taken a few days off. The country is still in a state of turmoil and run by total idiots. Old Joe can’t even put a sentence together and the Hyena continues to cackle. The good news is that Dr. Frankenstein has announced his retirement. Other than that, it is the same old stuff crime, the price of gas and the never-ending Old Joe blaming everything on the Republicans. He went to a meeting about climate change yesterday and said he had cancer, but he lies all the time. Now he has the China Virus. AOC and Ilhan Omar were arrested yesterday to protest the end of Roe v. Wade. Such marvelous people we have in Congress. Then Prince Harry dissed America. I have an answer for that take your wife and go back to England.

Here's what else that happened on the 20^th. In 1919 Sir Edmund Hillary was born in Auckland, New Zealand. His father Percy had served at Gallipoli with the 15^th (North Auckland) Regiment and was discharged for being medically unfit and married Hillary’s mother Gertrude upon his return. He was educated at Tuakau Grammar School and then Auckland Grammar School where he finished two years early at age 11. He became a beekeeper and got 12-100 bee stings daily and his mother was famous for breeding and selling queen bees. At the outbreak of WWII, he applied to join the Royal New Zealand Airforce. He was sent to Fiji and the Solomon Islands, where he was badly burned in an accident. He achieved the rank of Sergeant. He was also the first person to scale Mt. Everest. He was married two times and asked his mother to propose on his behalf. He married Louise Mary Rose, and they had three children. Louise and his daughter Belinda died in plane crash enroute to the village of Phaphlu where he was helping to build a hospital in 1975. They were married in 1953. He married June Mulgrew in 1989 the widow of his close friend Peter Mulgrew who also died in a plane crash. In 1953 he was Knighted. His son Peter became an explorer, and he was born in 1954. In 1985 he accompanied Neil Armstrong in a small engine ski plane over the Arctic Ocean. They landed at the North Pole and created a phenomenon known as the Three Poles Challenge. In 2008 the Lukla Airport in Lukla, Nepal was renamed the Tenzing-Hillary Airport in 2008. In 2011 New Zealand’s highest mountain was renamed Hillary Ridge. He died in 2008 at the age of 88. He was survived by his wife and two children.

In 1938 Natasha Zacharenko (Natalie Wood) was born in San Francisco to Maria who was born in southern Siberia and her second husband carpenter Nicholas Zacherenko. Her parents were married in 1938 five months before her birth. A few weeks before her fifth birthday Wood made her film debut in “Happy Land” and attracted the notice of director Irving Pichel. When she was seven, she played a post WWII orphan in “Tomorrow Is Forever” with Orson Welles and Claudette Colbert in 1946. She was also in the “Miracle on 34^th Street” in 1947. She made the transition from child star to ingenue in 1955’s “Rebel Without a Cause” with James Dean and Sal Mineo for which she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She was also in “Splendor in the Grass” in 1962 for which she was nominated for another Oscar. “West Side Story” in 1961 and “Gypsy” in 1963. Inside Daisy Clover in 1965 and “Bob & Carol & Ted and Alice” in 1969. She died at the age of 43 by drowning aboard the yacht “Splendor” in 1981. She was married two times to Robert Wagner (twice) from 1957 to 1962 and again in 1972. She was also married to Richard Gregson from 1969 to 1972. She had three children including Natasha Gregson Wagner who is married to Barry Watson since 2014.

In 1947 Carlos Augusto Santana Alves was born in Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico. He learned to play the violin at the age of five and the guitar at the age of eight under the tutelage of his father who was mariachi musician. They move to SF in 1966 and he formed the Santana Blues Band. One of the greatest nights in my life in 1974 was when my suite mates at ECU drove to the University of Maryland to see him perform. We went in my friend’s TR-6. In 2015 Rolling Stone Magazine listed him as number 20 of 100 greatest guitarists. He is the winner of ten Grammys and three Latin Grammys. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2013 and was induced with his namesake band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. He has been married twice to Deborah King and Cindy Blackman and has three children. He became a US citizen in 1965. He was scheduled to stage a concert at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Michigan on July 5, 2022, and he collapsed on stage. A statement from his publicist said it was only heat and dehydration. On July 8^th his management company said he would cancel his next six concerts. He turned 75 today.

In 1969 Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. In 1980 Gisele Bundchen was born in Brazil. To Vania a bank clerks’ pensioner and Valdiar (John) a sociologist and writer. She has four other sisters and aspired to be a volleyball player but in 1993 her mother enrolled she and her fraternal twin sister Patricia in a modeling course to teach them confidence and better posture. The girls were rewarded with a trip to Rio de Janeiro, and she was discovered by Elite Models. She debuted at NY Fashion Week in 1996. In 2000 she had appeared on 37 International Vogue covers. She was listed at number 53 by Forbes in their list of the most powerful celebrities in 2007. She was partners with Leonardo DiCaprio and in 2004 they made People’s Most Beautiful Couples List and then she married Tom Brady in 2009 and they have two children. She turned 42 today.

In James Fuller Fixx (Jim) died at the age of 52 from a heart attack. His books the Complete Book of Running and his Second Book of Running which were like bibles to me during my running days. He had a congenitally enlarged heart and an unhealthy life, he was a heavy smoker, had a stressful occupation and had gone through a second divorce and gained a tremendous amount of weight. He weighed 214 pounds. He died during his daily run-on Vermont Route 15 in Hardwick, Vermont. A carved granite monument now stands in Hardwick National Park.

In 2007 Tammy Faye Bakker Messner died at the age of 65 from colon cancer. She was married to Jim Bakker from 1961-1992 and they founded the PTL Club. She married Roe Messner in 1993. In 2012 a shooting took place at the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, CO during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises”. Twelve people were killed and 70 were wounded. The Perpetrator was James Holmes.

It is now the 21^st and we had the most interesting day. We were sitting outside with the Dog as we often do, and I came into clean Larry’s bowl and water my indoor plants. Alexia warned me that a thunderstorm was coming but I really don’t pay much attention to anything Alexia says. Then a bolt of lightning happened, and the power went out. We lost it for almost ten hours. We got it back at 10 pm. We have generators and my Husband hooked them up. We could have our fridge, my computer and television but we had no AC. The Dog was not happy about that, but we did have a fan. Funny thing is the Dog, and I went to pick up dinner from Wendy’s and they had power. The traffic lights closet to our house had power. The guy who lives on the end of our street had power. Just not us. Needless to say, I didn’t commune with the news today.

In 1924 Jesse Donald Knotts (Don) was born in Morgantown, WV. He was the youngest of four sons of William Jesse Knotts and his wife Elsie. She was 40 at the time of his birth which was unheard of in those days. His father suffered from schizophrenia and alcoholism and sometimes terrorized him with a knife died of pneumonia when he was 13. He and his brothers were raised by his mother who ran a boarding house in Morgantown. He served in the Army from 1943-1946 and graduated with a BA in education and minor in speech from WV University in 1948. He appeared in the daytime soap “Search for Tomorrow” as Wilber Peterson from 1953-1955 and his first big break came in “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1960-1968 as Barney Fife which earned him five Emmys. We still watch this show every day. During this time, he starred in “The Incredible Mr. Limpet” in 1964 and “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” in 1966. From 1979 – 1984 he starred in “Three’s Company” as Ralph Furley. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000. He was married three times and has two children. He died in 2006 at the age of 81.

In 1951 another great comedian Robin Williams was born in Chicago. His father Robert was a senior executive in Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury Division and his mother Laurie was a former model. He attended public elementary school in Lake Forest at Gorton Elementary and Deer Path Jr. HS. When he was twelve his family moved to Detroit after his father was transferred. The family lived in a 40-room farmhouse on 20 acres in suburban Bloomfield Hills and he attended Detroit Country Day School where he excelled in school and was on the school’s wrestling team and was elected Class President. When he was sixteen his father took early retirement and they moved to Tiburon, CA. He attended Redwood HS and upon his graduation in 1969 he was voted “Most Likely Not to Succeed” and “Funniest by his classmates in 1969. He enrolled in Claremont Men’s College in Claremont, CA to study political science and dropped out to purse acting. In 1973 he attained a full scholarship to the Julliard School. He was one of the 20 members including Christopher Reeve who also got the nod. They remained friends until his death in 2004. John Houseman said there was nothing more that he could teach him. During the summers of 1974, 1975 and 1976 he worked as a busboy at The Trident Studio in Sausalito, CA. His first big break came in 1978 and he was in two episodes of “Happy Days” which led to the spin off “Mork and Mindy” which lasted from 1978 t0 1982. In 1980 he starred in “Popeye” followed by “The World According to Garp” in 1982 and 1984’s “Moscow on the Hudson” in 1984, “Good Morning Vietnam” in 1987, “Dead Poets Society” in 1989, “Hook” in 1991, “Aladdin” in 1992 and my favorite “Mrs. Doubtfire” in 1993. He won one Oscar for “Good Will Hunting” in 1997 as Best Supporting Actor. He won two Emmys, five Grammys, six Globes and two SAGS. In 2005 he won the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Globes. He was married three times and had three children. On August 11^th, 2014, he died by suicide at his home in Paradise Cay, California. His autopsy revealed undiagnosed Lewy body disease. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Truly the day that the comedy died.

In 1969 on the Apollo 11 mission Neil Armstrong became the first person to step on the moon at 2:56:15 am. Speaking of astronauts Alan Shepard died at the age of 74. He was the first American in space and in 1971 he walked on the moon. Also, Robert Young died at the age of 91. He was in “Father Knows Best” and won two Emmys from 1954 to 1960. He then went on to star in “Marcus Welby, M.D” and won another Emmy and a Globe. He was married to Betty Henderson for 61 years until her death in 1994 and they had four daughters, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for film, television and radio. In 2017 John Heard died at the age of 71. He appeared in a number of successful films “The Trip to Bountiful” in 1985, “Big” in 1988, “Home Alone” in 1990 and “Home Alone Lost in NY” in 1992 and “The Pelican Brief” in 1993. From 1995-1997 he played Roy Foltrigg in the television series “The Client”. He was married three times and had three children.

It is now off to the 22nd.

JOLLY JULY - 3

2022-07-25T06:35:00.000-04:00

It is now the 5^th and my Film Friend, and I took Mom to see “Elvis” which was directed by Baz Luhrmann and written by him as well. Austin Butler was an amazing Elvis and Tom Hanks was totally unrecognizable as Colonel Tom Parker. It told the story of Elvis’s humble beginnings and rise to fame. It had a 12-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival after the screening was over. It was just that amazing. It topped 100 million at the domestic box office becoming one of the rare films without superheroes or dinosaurs to reach that mark. Only problem with this it was really long 2 hours and 39 minutes. I then took Mom home and we had a wonderful time. Can’t go wrong with a movie about Elvis. I give it an A+.

In the real-world Old Joe is an imbecile and the Hyena continues to cackle away while the little people can’t afford gas, crime is at all-time high and food prices are astronomical. Then there is Fentanyl issue but since the pandemic started, we all prefer to drink and get high. It kind of alleviates our misery in a world where people still wear masks.

Here's what else that happened on the 5^th. In 1810 Phineas Taylor Barnum was born in Bethel, Connecticut. He was the son of Philo Barnum a tailor, storekeeper and innkeeper and his second wife Irene Taylor. He was the mayor of Bridgepoint, Connecticut from 1875 to 1876 and a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1866-1869. He was the founder of the Barnum and Bailey Circus with his partner James Anthony Bailey which ran from 1871-2017. He was responsible for bringing the “Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind to the US. He paid her $1,000 a night for 150 nights which she did from 1850-1852. He entered the Circus game at the age of 60. In 1829 he married Charity Hallett, and they had four daughters. She died in 1873. Then he married Nancy Fish who was 40 years younger than he was. His legacy has been immortalized in “Barnum” 1986 which was played by Burt Lancaster and “P.T. Barnum” in 1999 which was played by Beau Bridges. “The Greatest Showman” in 2017 with a cast that included Hugh Jackman who was also co-producer which also included Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya. I saw it twice.

In 1929 Katherine Helmond was born in Galveston, Texas. She was the only child of Thelma and Joseph Helmond. She was raised by her mother and grandmother who were devout Catholics. She attended Catholic primary school and appeared in school plays. For a semester she attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. Then she made her way to NYC and was nominated for a Tony as Best Supporting Featured Actress in Eugene O’Neill’s “The Great God Brown”. She later ran a summer theatre in the Catskills for three seasons. She starred in “Soap” from 1977-1981 as Jessica Tate matriarch of the Tate Family. She won a Globe for Best Actress in 1980 and was nominated for Emmys in 1978 and 1981. She also appeared in two episodes of “Benson” as Jessica Tate for two episodes which she also directed. From 1984-1992 she starred in “Who’s the Boss” as Mona Robinson for which she won a Globe in 1989 as Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for another one in 1986. She was also nominated for Emmys as Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1988 and 1989. From 1995 she starred in the ABC sitcom “Coach” as Doris Sherman the eccentric owner of the fictional Orlando Breakers Football team for 11 episodes from 1995-1997. From 1996-2004 she appeared in “Everybody Loves Raymond” for 14 episodes as Lois Whelan Ray Barone’s mother-in-law for which she was nominated for another Emmy as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy series. She was also the voice of Lizzie in “Cars” in 2006 and “Cars 2” in 2011 and “Cars 3” in 2017. She was married to George N. Martin in 1957 and divorced him in 1962 and then she married David Christian in 1962 and they stayed married until her death in 2019.

In 1950 Hugh Anthony Clegg II (Huey Lewis) was born in NYC. His father was Hugh Anthony Clegg, and his mother was Maria. He was raised in Marin County, California. His parents divorced when he was 13. He attended Strawberry Point Elementary school where he skipped the second grade. In 1967 he scored a perfect 800 on the math portion of the SAT and was also an all-state baseball player. He attended Cornell University and majored in Engineering but didn’t finish. His mother had an affair with Beat Generation poet Lew Welch, and they eventually married. In 1980 his band Huey Lewis and the News reached the Billboard Top 100 with such songs as “I Want a New Drug”, “The Heart of Rock and Roll’, “Power of Love” and “If This is It”. He turned 72 today.

In 1963 Edie (Edith) Falco was born in NYC. She was the daughter of Judith Anderson an actress and Frank Falco a jazz drummer who later worked for an advertising agency. She has two brothers and a sister. From the age of four she lived on Long Island first in Hicksville, North Babylon and finally West Islip. Her family eventually moved to Northport where she attended HS graduating for Northport HS in 1981. She also studied acting at State University of NY at Purchase and graduated in 1986 with Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting. Her big break came as Carmela Soprano wife of Mafia boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfi). The show won worldwide acclaim from 1999-2007 for which she won three Emmys. She went on to star in “Nurse Jackie” which she also won an Emmy. She appeared in “Impeachment: American Crime Story” as Hillary Clinton in 2021. She has two adopted children and has never been married. She turned 59 today.

In 2002 Ted Williams died at the age of 83. He spent most of his baseball career with the Boston Red Sox. He took time out to fight in WWIII and the Korean War in the US Navy and Marines. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1966 winning 93.4% on the first ballot. In 1991 President George H.W. Bush awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2021 Richard Donner (Richard Donald Schwarzberg) died at the age of 91. He was the director of “The Omen” in 1976, “Superman” in 1978 and all the “Lethal Weapon” 2, 3, and 4. He also was the director of “The Goonies” in 1985 and “Maverick” in 1994. He was married one time to film producer Lauren Shuler in 1986 and they merged their respective film companies to create Shuler-Donner production which is now “The Donner’s Company”.

It is now the 6^th, and I can’t keep straight of all the horrible things that are going on the world. Russia is still at war with Ukraine, gas prices are surging, crime is at an all time high and Old Joe blames it all on Putin and the Republicans.

Not before I go to all the many things that happened in Jolly July. On July 6^th James Caan died at the age of 82. He was the star of “Brian’s Song” as Brian Piccolo for which he was won an Emmy nomination. He came to prominence for playing Sonny Corleone in the “Godfather” in 1972 and reprised his role in “The Godfather Part II” in 1974. He garnered an Oscar nomination for the first one. He was born in the Bronx to Sophie and Arthur Caan a meat dealer and butcher. He was one of three siblings. He attended Michigan State University and wanted to play football but was unable to make the team. He then transferred to Hofstra University and became intrigued with acting. His classmates were Francis Ford Coppola and Lainie Kazan. His other roles included “Funny Lady” in 1975, “Dick Tracy” in 1990 and “Misery” also in 1990. “Elf” in 2003. He supported President Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election. Tributes were paid by Rob Reiner, Francis Ford Coppola, Barbra Streisand, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall and Will Ferrell among others. All of which didn’t vote for President Trump except for maybe Ferrell. He got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.

On the 7^th in 1940 Sir Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) was born in Liverpool, England and best known as the drummer for the Beatles. The greatest group ever. He married Barbara Bach in 1981 and they have been married for 41 years. He turned 82 today.

On July 8^th Larry Storch died at the age of 99. He was born in NYC and the son of Alfred Storch a cabdriver and broker and his wife Sally a telephone operator, jewelry store owner and a rooming house operator. During WWII he served in the US Navy where he received a Distinguished Service Medal. He was a voice artist playing Mr. Whoopee on “Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales” and was the scheming Corporal Randolph Agarn on the sit-com “F Troop”. He was nominated for an Emmy for this role. Don Adams won and was his lifelong friend and he told him “You kept it on the block”. He appeared in more than 25 Hollywood films and many television shows including “Car 54, Where Are You”, “Get Smart”, “That Girl”, “I Dream of Jeannie”, “Gilligan’s Island” and “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C”. He married actress Norma Greve on July 10^th, 1961, and they stayed married until her death in 2003. A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California Walk of Stars was dedicated to Storch in 2014, Wild West City an amusement park in New Jersey was renamed the “Larry Storch Silver Dollar Saloon” in his honor.

Also, on the 8^th I went to Raleigh to spend the night with my dear friend. I got there at about lunchtime, and we ate at our favorite restaurant “Winston’s”, and I ate all my Shrimp and Grits. We shopped at one of our favorite stores and then we went to the NC Museum of Art. When we were leaving my Daughter called and wanted to meet us for drinks at a bar where she plays trivia. I had one beer that was 3.8% alcohol which I am not used to. I drink only beer which for 10 is equivalent to a six pack. I’ve completely lost my taste for beer. There was a thunderstorm, and I drank to glasses of water to get us home. When we got there, we watched “Bridesmaids” and drank some tequila. Which I haven’t lost my taste for. I was home by 9 o’clock the next morning. There were dogs in the bar, so I was really missing ours.

On July 14^th Ivana Marie Trump (Zelnickova) died at the age of 73 from a fall down the stairs. She was born in Czechoslovakia in 1949. Her father was an electrical engineer, and her mother was a telephone operator. Her father encouraged her skiing abilities, and she started skiing at the age of four. She attended Charles University in Prague where she obtained a Master’s degree in physical education. In 1971 she married Alfred Winklmayr and Austrian ski instructor and a platonic friend to obtain Austrian Citizenship. They divorced in 1973. She was romantically linked to lyricist and playwright George Staidl who was killed in car accident in 1973. She was linked to George Syrovatka who she had dated since 1967. They lived in LA where she worked as a ski instructor. She moved to Canada in 1971 and worked as a model. She was in NYC with a group of models and met President Trump in 1976. They married in NYC in Marble Collegiate Church in NYC. The wedding was officiated by Norman Vincent Peale. They had three children Donald Jr. born in 1977, Ivana Marie (Ivanka) born in 1981 and Eric born in 1984. Donald Jr. learned to speak fluent Czech with the help of his maternal grandfather while Ivanka gained only a basic understanding of the language and by the time Eric came along her parents had mastered English. They became tabloid figures in the 80’s and worked together on the Trump Tower on 5^th Avenue in Manhattan, the Grand Hyatt Hotel in NYC and the construction of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Then came Marla Maples which destroyed their marriage. She was married four times and became a naturalized US citizen in 1988. In October 1990 Ivana’s father Milos Zelnicek died suddenly from a heart attack and President Trump stood by her side at the funeral. Her marriage to Italian entrepreneur and businessman Riccardo Mazzacchelli in 2008. He was 36 and she was 59. A $3 million dollar wedding was held at Mar-a- Lago estate and was hosted by her ex-husband President Trump. Ivanka was her maid of honor, and the wedding was officiated by her ex-sister-in-law Judge Maryanne Trump Barry. The marriage lasted two years. She briefly married Rossano Rubicondi, and they were married from 2008 until 2009. She was partners with Roffredo Gaetani until his death in 2005. She had ten grandchildren. Now they will say President Trump pushed her down the stairs.

Also, on the 14^th my mom’s sister-in-law died, she was 86. On the 16^th we visited our Daughter and her Boyfriend in Cary and we had a nice Mexican lunch and some really great ice cream. Of course, we took the Dog. Then in turn came to babysit for her on the 17^th while we went to the funeral. We never leave the Dog. It was so delightful to see family that we hadn’t seen in a while considering the circumstances. I called two people by their wrong names. My cousin’s husband and my aunt’s sister. I still have the China Virus crazies.

In 1999 JFK Jr's plane went down on July 16th and he and his wife Carolyn were killed including her sister Lauren. He was almost three years old when his father died and attended Brown University. Thank goodness his mother didn't live to see this.

Old Joe fist pumped the Israeli Prime Ministers Naftali Bennet and Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid getting the China Virus cooties. Ben and JLo finally got married.

I will now go to the 21st.

JOLLY JULY -2

2022-07-18T06:28:00.000-04:00

It is now the 3^rd, and we did our Staycation today. We picked up Jersey Mikes and went to Gibsonville one of our favorite places to get ice cream. Of course, we took the Dog. In the real world everyone took the day off because it was Sunday. Old Joe did and the Hyena did. No one can afford gas anymore; crime is at an all time high and then there is the crisis at the border.

Here's what else that happened on the 3^rd. In 1947 Betty Buckley was born in Big Spring, Texas and was raised in Ft. Worth. She was the daughter of Betty a dancer and a journalist. Her father was a lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force and former dean of Engineering at South Dakota State University. She was the oldest of four children. She is an actress and singer. She also appeared in “Eight is Enough”. She joined in the second season when the original star Diana Hyland died in the first four episodes. She was cast as Tom Bradford’s love interest Abby Abbott, and they eventually married and was on the show for 102 episodes. From 1977-1981. She played the gym teacher Miss Collins in the movie “Carrie” in 1976. She won a Tony for “Cats” in 1983. She was in “Tender Mercies” and sang the Oscar nominated song “Over You”. She was married one time and has no children. She turned 75 today.

In 1962 Thomas Cruise Mapother IV was born in Syracuse, NY. His father was an electrical engineer, and his mother was special education teacher. Even though his parents were gainfully employed he said he grew up near poverty. He attended 15 schools in 14 years. He spent much of his life in Canada. While he was in the sixth grade his mother left his father and in 1978, she married Jack South, and they moved back to the US. At the age of 18 with the blessing of his mother and stepfather he moved to NYC to pursue an acting career. After working as a busboy in NYC he went to LA to audition for roles on television. He signed with CAA and began acting in films. He was nominated for three Oscars for Best Actor for “Born on the Fourth of July” in 1990 and “Jerry Maguire” in 1997 and for Best Supporting Actor in “Magnolia” in 2000. He has appeared in “Risky Business” in 1983. “Top Gun” in 1986, “A Few Good Men” in 1986, “Rain Man” in 1988, “The Firm” in 1993, “Mission Impossible” in 1996, 2000, 2006 which he also produced and “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022 which he also produced. He was married three times first to Mimi Rogers, then to Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes. He has three children and he turned 60 today.

In 1970 Audra McDonald was born in Berlin, Germany. She is the daughter of American parents. Anna who was a University Administrator and James a HS principal. At the time of her birth her father was stationed in the US Army. They moved back to Fresno, CA where his father was a native. She attended Theodore Roosevelt HS. She got her start in acting with Dan Pessano and Roger Rocka’s Good Company Players as a child and graduated from the Julliard School in 1993. She is the winner of two Grammys for “Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” in 2008. She is the winner of an Emmy for 2015’s “Sweeny Todd (Live from Lincoln Center)”, six Tonys for “Carousel” in 1994, “Master Class” in 1996, “Ragtime” in 1998, “Raisin in the Sun” in 2004, “Porgy and Bess” in 2012 and “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” in 2014. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 by Obama the most racist President ever until Old Joe came along. She is currently starring in “The Good Fight” as Liz Laurence-Reddick. She married bassist Peter Donovan in 2000. They have one child together Zoe Madeline named after her close friend and “Master Class” co-star Zoe Caldwell and the late Madeline Kahn who filmed a TV pilot together. She found out she was carrying a girl the same day she sang at Kahn’s memorial. They divorced in 2009. She married Wil Swenson in 2012 and in 2016 they became the parents of a girl. She turned 52 today.

In 1971 Jim Morrison of “The Doors” died at the age of 27. Making him one of the members of the dead at 27 club which includes Brain Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. The first was Alexandre Levy in 1892. The last was Benjamin Keough grandson of Elvis his mother was Lisa Marie. He died from suicide by gunshot. “The Doors” gave us Light My Fire. In 1993 Don Drysdale died at the age of 56. He was a right-handed pitcher for LA Dodgers. He won the Cy Young Award in 1962 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. His number 53 was retired by the LA Dodgers. In 2001 Jason Bateman married Amanda Anka. They’ve been married 21 years today. In 2012 Andy Griffith died at the age of 86. He was born on June 1^st, so I’ve already sung his praises.

It is now the 4^th of July, and we didn’t do much today. Our Daughter and her Boyfriend came by, and we went to get Outback. The whole country refused to celebrate Independence Day and to make myself not like the grinch I went to the Dollar Tree and bought some decorations. It is still the same old nonsense Old Joe is an imbecile and the Hyena took the day off.

Here's what else that happened on the 4^th. In 1826 John Adams the second President of the US died at the age of 90. On the same day Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the US died at 83. In 1831 James Monroe the fifth President of the US died at 73. In 1872 John Calvin Coolidge Jr. was born Plymouth Notch, Vermont. His father developed a statewide reputation of being a prosperous farmer, storekeeper and public servant. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives. His mother was Abigail Franklin and she died when he was twelve years old. His father married a Plymouth School Teacher in 1891. He graduated cum laude from Amherst College. He became a lawyer. In 1905 he married Grace Goodhue a University of Vermont graduate of the University of Vermont and a teacher at Northampton’s School for the deaf. They had two sons John (1906-2000) and Calvin Jr. (1908-1924). He died at age 16 while playing tennis on the White House courts and developed sepsis and when Coolidge ceased to function as President which led us to the Great Depression. He was the 30^thPresident of the US, the 29^th VP of the US and the 48^th Governor of Massachusetts.

In 1902 George Murphy was born in New Haven, CT. He was the son of Charles “Mike” Murphy who was an athletic trainer and coach, and his mother was Nora Long. He graduated from Yale in his hometown of New Haven. He began his career as song and dance man. Appearing in “Broadway Melody of 1940” in 1940 and “For Me and My Gal” in 1942. All his movies were big budget. He entertained the troops during WII. He was the 7th President of the Screen Actors Guild from 1944-1946 and was VP of Desilu Productions. He retired from acting at the age of 50. He became a Senator from California. He was married two times to Julie Johnson a ballroom dancer in 1926 who died in 1973. They had two children. He then married Bette Blandi from 1982 until his death in 1992. He is the only Senator to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1910 Gloria Stewart (Stuart) was born in Santa Monica, CA on her family’s kitchen table. She was the first child of Alice and Frank Stewart who was a lawyer who represented the Six Companies. Her father died when she was nine years old. Hard pressed to feed her family her mother accepted the proposal of Frank Finch a local businessman. She attended Santa Monica HS and appeared in the school play “The Swan” and to escape her stepfather she enrolled at the University of California at Berkley. At the end of her Jr. year there she married Blair Gordon Newell a young sculptor and they moved to Carmel by the Sea. Stuart’s performance in Anton Chekhovs “The Seagull” caused casting directors of Paramount and Universal to flip a coin as to who would get her. Universal won and she began her movie career. She and her husband George Newell divorced because he was unhappy with Hollywood life. In 1933 on the set of her film “Roman Scandals” she met Arthur Sheekman until his death in 1978 and were married in 1934. She abandoned her acting career in 1945 she went to NY with Sheekman where she began an interest in decoupage. In 1983 she met Ward Richie a close friend of her first husband George. She invited him to dinner, and they fell in love. They married he was 78 and she was 72. After an almost thirty-year absence from the screen, she returned to the screen in 1975. She only got bit parts and was an accomplished painter and gourmet chef. In 1996 she got the call of a lifetime a female voice was calling from Lightstrom Entertainment about a movie being shot on location maybe Poland. It was “Titanic” directed by James Cameron. Five days after her 86^th birthday casting director Mali Finn called and asked her how would she like to be Old Rose? She in turn was nominated for an Oscar, Globe and won a SAG. She died in 2010 at the age of 100.

In 1911 Mitchell William Miller was born in Rochester, NY. His mother Hinda was a seamstress, and his father was a wrought-iron worker. He had four siblings two of whom survived him. He took up oboe as a teenager as it was the only instrument available for his Jr. HS orchestra. After graduating from East HS, he attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester and played for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and then moved to NYC. His show “Sing Along with Mitch” lasted from 1961 to 1964 which featured Leslie Uggams and pianist Dick Hyman, accordionist Dominic Cortese and the singing Quinto Sisters. Other guests included George Burns, Milton Berle and Shirley Temple. Other guests included not necessarily known for their singing ability were Johnny Carson, Jerry Lewis, Wally Cox, Buddy Hackett and Joe E. Ross in his police officer’s uniform from “Car 54 Where Are You? The show was cancelled because of changing musical tastes. He was never a fan of Rock and Roll. He was married for 65 years to Frances Alexander who died in 2000. They had two daughters, a son, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren. He too died in 2010 four weeks after his 99^th birthday.

In 1927 Marvin Neil Simon was born in the Bronx to a father Irving who was mostly a garment salesman and to a mother Mamie who was mostly a homemaker. He has an older brother Danny. Soon after graduating from HS, he signed up with the US Army Air Force Reserve obtaining the rank of Corporal and was assigned to Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, He attended the University of Denver from 1945 to 1946. He was the winner of four Tony’s for Best Author for “The Odd Couple” 1965, Best Play for “Biloxi Blues” in 1985 and “Lost in Yonkers” 1991 and a Special Tony in 1975. He was nominated for four Oscars for “The Odd Couple” in 1968, “The Sunshine Boys” in 1975, “The Goodbye Girl” in 1977 for which he also won a Globe and “California Suite” in 1978. In 1983 he became the only playwright to have a NYC theatre named after him. The Alvin Theatre on Broadway was named the Neil Simon Theatre. In 1991 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Lost in Yonkers”. In 1995 he was a Kennedy Center Honoree and in 2006 he won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was married five times and had three children. He died in 2018 at the age of 91.

In 1938 Bill Withers (William Harrison Jr.) was born in Slab Fork, WV. His mother Mattie was a maid, and his father William was a miner. He was the youngest of six children. His parents divorced when he was three and he was raised by his mother’s family in Beckley, WV. He enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 17 and served for nine years and during this time he became interested in singing and writing songs. He worked as an assembler for several different companies including Douglas Aircraft Corporation, IBM and Ford. When he recorded “Ain’t No Sunshine” in 1971 he refused to resign from his job as he believed the music industry was fickle. He was nominated for nine Grammys winning three for “Ain’t No Sunshine” in 1971, “Just the Two of Us” in 1981 and “Lean on Me” in 1987. He married actress Denise Nicholas during her stint on the sitcom “Room 222”. They divorced in 1974. In 1976 he married Marcia Johnson, and they had two children. Marcia eventually assumed direct management of his publishing companies, in which his children became involved in when the became adults. In 2005 he was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and in 2015. He died in 2020 at the age of 81.

In 1995 Eva Gabor died at the age of 76. She was a socialite, singer and businesswoman. She was known for her wig line, clothing line and her marketing of beauty products. She voiced Duchess and Miss Bianca in “The Aristocrats”, “The Rescuers” and “The Rescuers Down Under”. She played the wife of Eddie Albert’s character Oliver Wendell Douglas in “Green Acres” as Lisa Douglas. In 1997 Charles Kuralt died at the age of 62. He was known for his “On the Road” segments on CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite and was the first host of “CBS Sunday Morning” a position he held for 15 years. He won two Grammys for Best Spoken Word Album in 1998 and 1997. In 1996 he won the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. Plus, he won two Peabody Awards. In 2003 Barry White (Barry Eugene Carter) died at the age of 58. He was a two-time Grammy winner out of eleven nominations. He was known for his deep baritone voice. He was a solo singer with The Love Unlimited Orchestra and gave us “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Babe” and “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” among so many more. In 2004 he was posthumously induced into The Dance Music Hall of Fame and in 2013 he got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame which would have been his 69^th birthday.

In 2008 Jesse Helms died at the age of 86 in Raleigh, NC. He was a US Senator from NC from 1973 -2003. He was a nasty Republican but in all fairness to him he was a Democrat until 1970. He married Dot Coble in 1942 and had three children one of which was Charles an orphan who wanted a mother and father for Christmas, so they adopted him. His Alma mater was Wake Forest College. He served in the Navy for 1942-1945. Although he was Racist, he hired James Meredith most famous for being the first Black Man to be admitted to the University of Mississippi as a domestic policy advisor. Meredith noted that he was the only Senator to respond to his offer.

Now it is off to the 5^th.

JOLLY JULY - 1

2022-07-13T06:36:00.000-04:00

It is now July 1^st which I will call Jolly July. Our country has gone to Hell, and we have Old Joe the worst President ever and the Hyena is the worst VP. Crime is at an all-time high, and people are soon going to have to choose between buying gas and eating.

We began our Staycation today. We can afford gas. If the prices get any higher, we too will have to choose between driving and eating. We picked up Libby Hills in Reidsville and went to Lake Reidsville. Of course, we took the Dog. She got a hamburger while we had fish.

Here's what else that happened on the 1^st. In 1908 Josephine Esther Mentzer (Estee Lauder) was born in Queens, NY. Her mother Rose emigrated from Hungary in 1898 to join her husband, Abraham Rosenthal. In 1905 she married Max Mentzer a shopkeeper who had also emigrated from Hungary in the 1890’s. Her mother wanted to name her after her favorite aunt in Hungary Eszti, but they decided to use Josephine. She was called Estee through her youth. She spent most of her childhood working at her father’s hardware store where she got her first taste of business and entrepreneurship. She graduated from Newtown HS in Elmhurst, Queens. She worked in her uncle Dr. John Schotz business of selling beauty products such as creams, lotions, rouge, and fragrances. She was twice married to Joseph Lauter who changed his name to Lauder, and they had two children. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004. I still use her products.

In 1916 Dame Olivia de Havilland was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her mother Lilian Fontaine was educated at the Royal Academy of Art in London and her father was an English professor at the Imperial University in Tokyo. Their marriage suffered due to his infidelities. In 1919 Lilian persuaded her husband to take her family back to England to sooth her ailing daughters. Her sister was Oscar winning actress Joan Fontaine. They sailed aboard the SS Siberia Maru to San Francisco and settled in Saratoga some 50 miles south of San Francisco. Their father remained in Japan and married their Japanese housekeeper. In 1925 Lilian remarried to George Milan Fontaine who the store manager of O.A. Hale and Company in San Francisco. He was a strict causing rebellion of both his stepdaughters. She continued her education at Los Gatos High School after graduating in 1934 she was offered a scholarship to Mills College in Oakland, CA to pursue her career as an English teacher. She was offered a role of Puck in the Community Theatre Production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Nights Dream”. That summer Austrian director Max Reinhardt came to California for a major production of the same play at the Hollywood Bowl. One week before the premiere lead actress Gloria Stuart and understudy Jean Rouverol left the project leaving 18-year-old De Haviland in the major role which led to a career that spanned for over 50 years. She was nominated for four Oscars winning twice for “To Each His Own” in 1946 as Best Actress in a Leading Role and again in 1949 for “The Heiress”. In 1986 she won a Globe for “Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna”. She and her sister Joan Fontaine are the only siblings to win an Oscar. At the time of her death on July the 26th 2020 she was the oldest living Oscar winner. She died at the ripe old age of 104. She got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and received the Medal of the Arts in 2008. She was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth at the age of 101. She was married two times and had two children. Also, in 1916 Dwight D. Eisenhower who was 25 married Mamie Doud who was 19 at her parent’s home at her parent’s home in Denver, Colorado.

In 1952 Dan Ackroyd was born in Ontario, Canada. He was born to a civil engineer Samuel Ackroyd who was also an advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. His mother Lorraine was a secretary. His father lived to be 98 and his mother lived to be a 100. He attended St. Pius X and St. Patrick’s high schools. He studied sociology and criminology at Carelton Univeristy and dropped out before completing his degree. He was a member of the Second City Comedy Troupe in both Toronto and Chicago. He gained fame when he became a writer on SNL and was the youngest member of the cast who called themselves the Not Ready for Primetime Players. He did impersonations of Jimmy Carter, Vincent Price, Tom Snyder, and Julia Child. With Jane Curtin he starred in the Weekend Update Segments. He was known for calling her “Jane you ignorant Slut”. He had recurring roles as Beldar father of the “Coneheads” which was made into a movie of the same name. He appeared with Steve Martin as “Two Wild and Crazy Guys”. He also appeared with his friend John Belushi as “The Blues Brothers” as Elwood J. Blues in 1980. His most famous role was in “Ghostbusters” as Dr. Raymond Stantz. He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for “Driving Miss Daisy”. He was also in “My Girl” one and two as Harry Sultenfuss. He has been married to Donna Dixon since 1983 and they have three children. He turned 70 today.

In 1961 Diana Frances Spencer was born at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk. She was the fourth of five children of John Spencer Viscount Althorp and Frances Spencer. They were hoping for a boy. The Spencer family had been closely allied with the British Royal Family for generations her grandmother’s Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer and Ruth Roche, Baroness Fermoy had served as ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother. The Royal Family frequently holidayed at the Sandringham estate and the Queen was known as Aunt Lilibet. She played with her sons Andrew and Edward. She was seven when her parents divorced, and her mother began a relationship with Peter Shand Kydd and married him in 1969. In 1976 Lord Althorp married Raine the Countess of Dartmouth who Diana described as a bully. She did not perform well academically failing her O-levels twice. She excelled in swimming and diving. She studied ballet and tap dance. She first met Charles, Prince of Wales the Queen’s oldest son in 1977 when he was dating her sister Sarah. She was 16 at the time. He took interest in her as a potential bride. They got married in on July 29^th, 1981, just after her 20^th birthday. The marriage was watched globally by 750 million people while 600,000 spectators lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple enroute to the ceremony. She became the Princess of Wales that day. They had two children William born in 1982 and Harry born in 1984. It is speculated that because of Harry’s resemblance to Major James Hewitt he was his father. The same year Prince Charles resumed his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. The divorce was finalized in August of 1996. She died in August of 1997 with her companion Dodi Fayed while fleeing the paparazzi. She was killed in France. A re-written song “Candle in the Wind” was performed by Elton John at her funeral. The only occasion it was performed live. Released as a single in 1997 the proceeds have gone to her many charities. She danced with John Travolta and her dress raised over 800,000 pounds at an auction in London. She visited the White House during the Reagan and Bush administrations. She would have been 61 today.

In 1991 Michael Landon died at the age of 54 from pancreatic cancer. In 1957 he starred in “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” and was a bit of a teen idol. He sang on the “Dean Martin Show” and “Hullabaloo”. He also sang in other venues plus on stage. He was Little Joe Cartwright in the series “Bonanza” from 1959-1973, “Little House on the Prairie” from 1974 – 1983 as Charles Ingalls/Narrator and “Highway to Heaven” from 1984-1989 as Jonathan Smith. He was married three times and was the father of nine children. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame awarded in 1984.

In 1995 Robert Weston Smith known as Wolfman Jack died at the age of 57 in Belvidere, NC. He appeared as himself in “American Graffiti”, “The Odd Couple” both in 1973. He was a disc jockey. Jim Morrison’s lyrics for the WASP. He is mentioned in the Grateful Dead song “Ramble on Rose”. He hosted the Knotts Berry Farm which was called Knotts Scary Farm each year at Halloween the most successful event of any theme park in the country. He was married to Lou Smith until his death, and they had two children.

In 2000 Walter Matthau died at the age of 79. He starred in ten films alongside Jack Lemmon including “The Fortune Cookie” in 1966 for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, the “Odd Couple” in 1968, “The Front Page” in 1974, “Buddy Buddy” in 1981, “JFK” in 1991, “Grumpy Old Men” in 1993, “Grumpier Old Men” in 1995, “The Grass Harp” in 1995, “Out to Sea” in 1997 and the ”Odd Couple II” in 1998. He won two Tonys for “A Shot in the Dark” and “The Odd Couple” and won a Globe for “The Sunshine Boys. I loved him the most in “Dennis the Menace” in 1993. In 1982 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2004 Marlon Brando died at the age of 80. He is considered one the greatest actors of the 20^thCentury. His career spanned six decades. He won two Oscars out of eight nominations all for Best Actor. He won for “On the Waterfront” in 1954 and “The Godfather” in 1973. He also won a Globe for the “Godfather” in 1973 and refused the award in protest of US imperialism and racism. He was married three times, had two partners, and had 11 children. He got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

In 2005 Luther Vandross died at the age of 54. He was a singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the winner of eight Grammys including Best R&B performance four times. He sold over 40 million records worldwide having eleven consecutive Platinum albums. He got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014. He was never married or had children.

It is now the 2^nd, and we did our second day of Staycation. We went to the Porterhouse Burger Company and just rode around. Of course, the Dog went with us. They treated her so well. We rode by our old neighborhood and were surprised at how it had changed. We are avoiding the news as it is too depressing. It is the same old thing we are all racist, Old Joe is an imbecile, the Hyena no longer can put together a coherent sentence and neither can Old Joe. Crime is at an all time high, while persons come through the border each day. Then there is the gas issue.

Here's what else that happened on the 2^nd. In 1908 Thurgood Marshall was born in Baltimore, MD. He was a descendant of enslaved persons on both sides of the family. His father William worked as a railroad porter and his mother Norma was a teacher. His parents instilled in him an appreciation for the US Constitution. He attended Frederick Douglass HS in Baltimore and graduated early with a B average and was placed in the top third of his class. He also attended Lincoln University. It is commonly reported that he wanted to study medicine or become a dentist. In September 1929 he married Vivien Buster Burey and began to take his studies seriously graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American literature and philosophy in 1930. He wanted to attend the University of Maryland but because of segregation issues he was not allowed to attend. He then attended Howard University school of Law. He graduated from Howard Law in 1933 and ranked first in his class with LL.B. magna cum laude. He then began his law career first in private practice and began his 25-year association with the NAACP. His first wife died in 1955 and he married Cecilia Suyat the same year and they had two sons. He was named Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the US in 1967 by the most racist President ever LBJ. I’m listening to a Candace Owens book, and he was quoted as saying when we pass the Civil Rights Bill, we’ll have every N ($%er voting Democrat for the next 200 years. He died in 1993 at the age of 84 and laid in repose of the Great Hall of the US Supreme Court Building and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The major airport serving the Baltimore/DC area was renamed the Thurgood Marshall Airport in 2005.

In 1937 Richard Petty was born in Level Cross, NC. He became a racing legend. His car number was 43. He was the son of Elizabeth Petty, and his father Lee was also a NASCAR driver. He was a graduate of Randleman High School where he was an All-Conference guard for the football team. After his 1955 graduation he took a business course at Greensboro Junior College and after that he took, he joined his father’s racing team. He began his career as a NASCAR driver 16 days after his 21^stbirthday and the rest is history. He was married to Lynda Petty since 1958 until her death in 2014. They had four children including Kyle who followed in his father’s footsteps and became a NASCAR driver. I remember where I was when I heard the news that his son Adam had died while qualifying for a practice race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. I was waiting for my Kids at their middle school when I heard it on the radio. The Victory Junction Camp was named in his honor. The Richard Petty Museum was in Randleman, NC and moved back to Level Cross in 2014. He was inducted into the first class of the NASCAR Hill of Fame in 2010. He was honored with the Medal of Freedom by President H.W. Bush in 1992. The only person from motorsports to ever win this award. He was the voice in the animated movie “Cars” in 2006 and his wife Lynda voiced the role of “The King’s” wife. He did not appear in “Cars 2” in 2011 but returned to “Cars 3” as the crew chief of his nephew who was voiced by Kyle Petty. My Children and I have had the great pleasure of being photographed with him. He appeared on stage with the evil Donald Trump. He turned 85 today.

In 1947 Larry David was born in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated for the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He served in the US Army Reserve from 1970-1975. He was a writer for SNL in the first season and quit and showed up two days later like nothing had happened. Which was the basis of an episode of “Seinfeld” called “The Revenge” where the same thing happened to George Constanza. He teamed up with Jerry Seinfeld toe create a pilot for NBC called “The Seinfeld Chronicles” which was the basis for “Seinfeld” one of the most successful shows in television history. It won two Emmys in 1993 for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. He was the voice of George Steinbrenner. He made multiple SNL appearances as Bernie Sanders. Then came “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on HBO where he was nominated for 14 Emmys. It has been on since 2000 and is still going strong. His net worth was estimated at $900 million in 2015 and of course he is a Democrat.

In 1973 Betty Grable died at the age of 56 from lung Cancer. She was an actress, dancer, and singer. Her WWII poster was a bestseller which showed off her million-dollar legs. In 1997 James Stewart died at the age of 89. He was born on May 20^th, so I’ve already sung his praises. In 1999 Mario Puzo died at the age of 78. He wrote “Godfather”. In 2019 Lee Iacocca died at the age of 94. He was the former Chrysler Chairman and was the President of Ford Motor company. Now it is off the 3^rd.

JUST JUNE -11

2022-07-07T05:34:00.000-04:00

It is now the 29^th and our Country is in ruins because we have Old Joe who continually tries to be Woke. His son Hunter’s drug addiction has been covered up by the media and where is the Hyena?

In 1930 Robert Evans (Robert J. Shapera) was born in NYC. His mother Florence came from a wealthy family and his father Archie was a dentist in Harlem. Of course, they lived better than the people living through the Great Depression. In his early years he did promotional work for Evan-Picone a fashion company founded by his brother Charles. He did a variety of voice work on radio with a clear deep voice and a knack for foreign accents before he turned 18. He got a leading role in “The Aldrich Family” situation comedy. He was spotted by Norma Shearer next to the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 1956 and she cast him in her late husband’s Irving Thalberg’s “Man of a Thousand Faces” and “The Sun also Rises” based on a novel by Ernest Hemingway and he was cast in the role much to the dismay of Hemingway and co-star Ava Gardner. He became dissatisfied with his acting he became a producer. He took over production at Paramount and during his tenure the studio turned out such films as “Barefoot in the Park”, “The Odd Couple”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Love Story”, “The Godfather”, “The Godfather II”, “Serpico” and “The Great Gatsby”. He was married seven times and had one child Josh Evans by his marriage to Ali McGraw. In 2002 he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1943 Little Eva (Eva Narcissus Boyd) was born in Bellhaven, NC. She was born to a family of twelve siblings. As a teenager she moved to the Brighton Beach section of NY in Brooklyn. She worked as a maid and earned extra money as a sitter for Carole King and Gerry Goffin. Her biggest hit was The Loco-Motion my go to karaoke song. It hit number one the US Charts and number one on the US R&B Charts. In 1963 American Bandstand signed her to Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars national US tour. They were scheduled to appear on November 22, 1963, in Dallas and we all know what happened then. She died in April of 2003 and a report by WRAL in Raleigh noted that her grave was marked by a simple white cross. In November of that year a new grey gravestone that has the image of a steam locomotive which reads “Singing with the Angels”.

In 1944 William Gary Busey was born in Goose Creek, Texas. He was the son of Sadie a homemaker and Delmer a construction design manager. When he was in the 4^th grade the family moved to Tulsa, OK. He went to Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas on a football scholarship. His attention shifted to acting. He began his career as drummer for The Rubber Band. He was nominated for an Oscar for playing Buddy Holly in “The Buddy Holly Story”. He also appeared in “Rookie of the Year”, “The Firm”, “Black Sheep”, “Lost Highway” and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”. He was also in “Lethal Weapon” and “A Star is Born”. He was married twice and has three children including Jake. He turned 78 today. In 1956 Marilyn Monroe married Arthur Miller.

In 1967 Jayne Mansfield (Vera Jayne Palmer) died at the age of 34 in a car accident where she received serious head injuries. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and her daughter Mariska Hargitay’s star was placed next to hers in 2013. In 1968 the Hollywood Publicists Guild declared a Jayne Mansfield Award for the actress who received the most publicity and exposure in a year. Raquel Welch was the first winner. In 1978 Bob Crane star of “Hogan’s Heroes” for which he was nominated for two Emmys was bludgeoned to death at the age of 49 in Scottsdale, Arizona while appearing at a dinner theater. In 1995 Lana Turner died at the age of 74. She was a Hollywood leading lady appearing in such films as “Peyton Place” for which she was nominated for her only Oscar in 1957. She was also in “The Postman Rings Twice” in 1946 and my favorite “The Imitation of Life” in 1959. She was married eight times and her daughter Cheryl Crane killed her lover Johnny Stompanato with a kitchen knife resulting in the scandal of the late fifties.

In 2003 Katharine Hepburn died at the age of 96. She was born on May 12^th, so I’ve already sung her praises. In 2020 Carl Reiner died at the age of 98. His Alma mater was Georgetown University. He was drafted into the US Army Air Forces in 1942 serving as a Corporal. He met up with Major Maurice Allen and Captain Allen Ludden and was transferred to Special Services. He entertained the troops until his honorable discharge in 1946. In the fifties he performed in several Broadway Musicals including “Inside U.S.A” and “Alive and Kicking” and had the lead role in “Call Me Mister”. He teamed up with Mel Brooks and they wrote for “Your Show of Shows” with Sid Caesar. In 1958 he wrote 13 episodes of “Head of the Family” based on his personal and professional life. He was disliked for the role and the series was recast and re-titled “The Dick Van Dyke Show” making stars of Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. The show ran from 1961-1966 where he appeared as Alan Brady, Van Dyke’s boss. In 2000 he was honored for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center. He won 11 Emmys, one Grammy and two Writers Guild of America Awards. In 1960 he received a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He and his son Rob are the only father-son duo to have their footprints and handprints added to a concrete slab at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. He married Estelle Lebost in 1943. They were married 65 years until her death in 2008. They had three children including Rob.

It is now the 30^th and I had the strangest day. My Film Friend and I were going to see “Top Gun: Maverick” and after a nice lunch we went to the movie theatre and the power was out there. We had a hard time getting out of Friendly Center because the traffic lights were out, but we finally made it to the Red Cinemas and the power was out there too. In the news it is the same old nonsense. Old Joe is an imbecile. Crime is out of control. We have to choose between gas or eating.

Here’s what else that happened on the 30^th. Susan Hayward (Edythe Marrenner) was born in Brooklyn. She was the youngest of three children of Ellen and Walter. She was educated at Public School 181 and graduated from Prospect Heights HS in 1935. She was named “Most Dramatic” in her class. She began her career as a model and left for Hollywood in 1937 to audition for the role of Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind”. She was nominated for four Oscars as Best Actress. The first was “Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman” in 1947, “My Foolish Heart” in 1949 and “With a Song in My Heart” in 1952 for which she won a Globe and “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” in 1955 for which she won a Globe. In 1958 she won for “I Want to Live! playing Barbara Graham based on her true-life story. She also won a Globe for this one. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and died from a lung tumor in 1975. She was married twice to Jess Barker, and they had fraternal twin sons born in 1945 they were divorced in 1954 and she married Floyd Eaton Chalkley a successful rancher, businessman from Georgia. He died in 1966 and she left Georgia.

Also, Lena Horne was also born in Brooklyn. She was a dancer, singer and civil rights activist. Her career spanned for over seventy years. She was born to a middle-class family. Her father Teddy Horne Jr. was a one-time owner of a hotel and restaurant. He was a gambler. Her mother Edna was an actress with a Black theatre troop. When she was five, she was sent to live in Georgia and lived with her uncle Frank S. Horne. He was the dean of students at Fort Valley Industrial Institute. In the fall of 1933, she joined the chorus line of the Cotton Club in Harlem. She is the winner of four Grammys and in 1984 she won the Kennedy Center Honors and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for motion pictures and recording. In 2006 she was inducted into the International Civil Rights Hall of Fame. She was married two times to Louis Jordan Jones from 1937 to 1944 and to Lennie Hayton from 1947 till his death in 1971. She had two children. She died on May 9^th, 2010, at the ripe old age of 92. In 1971 Monica Gregg Brokaw (Monica Potter) was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Nancy and Paul Brokaw. Her mother was a secretary in a hospital and her father invented the first flame-resistant car wax. She spent her early part of her early years in Arab, Alabama. She relocated to LA in 1994. Her first role was a Sharon Newman in “The Young and the Restless” and from there she appeared in movies such as “Con Air” with Nicolas Cage, “Patch Adams” with Robin Williams and “Along Came a Spider with Morgan Freeman which was based on the James Patterson best-selling novel. From 2004-2005 she was in “Boston Legal” as Lori Colson. In 2010 she began a role on “Parenthood” as Kristina Braverman for which she was nominated for a Globe for Best Supporting Actress. She was married to Tom Potter from 1990 to 1998 and had two sons Daniel and Liam. She married Daniel Christopher Allison in 2005 and they have a daughter Molly born in 2005. She turned 51 today. She is currently in “Goliath”. In 1975 Cher married Gregg Allman.

In 1982 Elizabeth Anne Caplan (Lizzy) was born in LA. Her father Richard was a lawyer, and her mother Barbara was a publicist who died when she was 13 years old. She was the youngest of three children. She graduated from Alexander Hamilton HS and attended the school’s academy of music. She focused on piano but decided to pursue drama. She was also on the school’s soccer team. She graduated in 2000 and didn’t attend college as she decided to focus on acting. Her first role was a Sara on “Freaks and Geeks”, and she appeared in “Mean Girls” as Janice Ian. Her big break came when she started playing Virginia E. Johnson on the Showtime series “Masters of Sex” which was her first dramatic role resulting in nominations for an Emmy, Satellite Award and a Critics Choice Award for all for outstanding Lead Actress. She became engaged to in NY to British Actor Tom Riley in 2016 and they were married in 2017

In 1985 Michael Phelps was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother Deborah was a middle school Principal, and his father was State Trooper. His parents divorced when he was nine years old. By the age of 10 he held the national record for his age of 10 he held the national record for his age group in the 100-meter butterfly. He graduated from Towson HS in 2003. He swam under Bob Bowman since he was 11 years old. He holds the all-time record for Olympic gold medals (23). He won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympic games breaking Mark Spitz’s record of seven. However, Johnny Weissmuller is reported to have broken 67 official world records. He is married to former Miss California USA Nicole Johnson, and they have three children. The family lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona where he volunteers alongside Bob Bowman as an assistant coach for the Arizona Sun Devils swim team. He holds the Swimming World world Swimmer of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2016. He is considered to be one of the greatest swimmers of all time. He turned 37 today.

In 1995 Gale Gordon (Charles Thomas Aldrich Jr.) died at the age of 89. He was the second Mr. Wilson in “Dennis the Menace” replacing Joseph Kearns who died. The two had starred in “Our Miss Brooks” with Eve Arden and Richard Crenna. When “Dennis the Menace” ended in the spring of 1963 he joined “The Lucy Show” as banker Theodore J. Mooney first as her executor and later her boss. He was the first pick to play William Frawley’s character in “I Love Lucy” but had commitments to play in “Our Miss Brooks” and radio shows. He had two guest shots on the show as the owner of the Tropicana where Ricky (Desi Arnaz) worked. He and his wife Virginia lived in the tiny community of Borrego Springs, CA and he was the honorary mayor of the town. He drove 160 miles to and from while working on the “The Lucy Show”. He was an accomplished author penning two books in the forties. He died on lung cancer at Redwood Terrace Health Center in Escondido and his wife died there a month before. They had been married 60 years and had no children. In 1999 he was posthumously inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2003 Buddy Hackett (Leonard Hacker) died at the age of 78. He enlisted in the US Army serving for three years during WWII in the anti-aircraft battery. He appeared opposite Robert Preston in the film adaptation of “The Music Man” in 1962 and a “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World” in 1963 and was the voice of Scuttle in “The Little Mermaid” and “The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea” in 1989 and 2000. He appeared many times on “Hollywood Squares” in the late 60’s and 70’s. He appeared with his roommate Lenny Bruce in the “Patrice Munsel Show” from 1957 to 1958 and they called themselves the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” twenty years before SNL used the same name. He was rewarded with the last appearance on “The Late Show with Jack Paar” and trivial pursuit declares that he had the most appearances on “The Late Show with Johnny Carson”. He was married to Sherry Cohen since 1955 and they had three children. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

We now are off to July, and I’ll be optimistic and call it Jolly July.

JUST JUNE - 10

2022-07-05T06:38:00.000-04:00

And it is now the 27^th and Monday, I think. It is still blazing hot so once again I watered my outdoor plants. In the news it is the same old stuff. Old Joe is an imbecile. Crime is at an all-time high, and the little people can’t afford gas. I filled up today and it cost me over 40 bucks for a half a tank. I saw today that a school in Greensboro the American Hebrew Academy will start housing migrants in July. Or I should say children who have been abandoned. Fentanyl is being smuggled in by unknown sources and is killing children. Our country has gone to Hell in a handbasket.

Here's what else that happened on the 27^th. In 1880 Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She died on June 1^st, so I’ve already sung her praises. In 1949 Vera Ellen Wang was born in NYC. Her mother worked as at translator for the United Nations and her father was a graduate of MIT and owned a medicine company. She began figure skating at the age of eight. She gave it up when she failed to make the US Olympics team and switched to fashion. She earned a degree in art history from Sarah Lawrence College. In 1968 she was presented as debutante to high society at the International Debutante Ball at the Waldorf Astoria. She was hired to be an editor at Vogue immediately after her graduation from Sarah Lawrence and became the youngest editor at the magazine. She stayed there for 17 years. At 40 she resigned and became an independent bridal wear designer. Her dresses were worn by Ivanka Trump, Alicia Keys and Khloe and Kim Kardashian. Figure skaters have worn her costumes at the Winter Olympic Games including Nancy Kerrigan in 1992 and 1994, Michelle Kwan in 1998 and 2002, Evan Lysackek in 2010 and Nathan Chen in 2018 and 2022. She was inducted in the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009 for her contribution to the sport and as a fashion designer. She has designed the uniforms worn by the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders. She was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. She married Arthur P. Becker in 1989 and they separated in 2012. They have two daughters. She turned 73 today.

In 1951 Julia Margaret Hinds (Duffy) was born in Minneapolis. She was the youngest of four children and when she was seven her father died, and her mother later remarried and worked as a real estate agent. In 1970 she moved to NYC and enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts from which she graduated in 1972. While attending she worked as a waitress and a hatcheck girl. Her early career was parts in soap operas such as “One Life to Live”, “The Doctors” and “Love of Life”. She joined the main cast of the sitcom “Newhart” during the second season in 1983 as the infatuated upper class maid Stephanie Vanderkellen one of her most popular roles which she played for seven seasons. She was nominated for Emmys for Best Supporting Actress for every year from 1984-1990. She was pregnant during the 1985 season and wore baggy clothes and stood behind furniture. She remains close to Bob Newhart. On “Designing Women” she replaced Delta Burke who was fired after quarrels with producers. She played Allison Sugarbaker Burke and Dixie Carter’s previously unseen cousin on the show. She also appeared in four episodes of “Shameless”. She married Jerry Lacy in 1984. He was the c0-star of “Dark Shadows” and “Love of Life”. They had two children Kerry who was born in 1986 and Daniel in 1989. He died by suicide in 2019. She is set to appear in “Mrs. American Pie” which is an upcoming mini-series. She turned 71 today.

In 1966 Jeffrey Jacob (J.J.) Abrams was born in NYC to veteran television producer Gerald W. Abrams who is alive and well. He is a Peabody Award winning television producer. They relocated to LA while his mother worked as a real estate agent. He attended Palisades HS and after graduation he planned on going to art school rather than a traditional college. He ended up at Sarah Lawrence. He wrote “Regarding Henry” with Harrison Ford in 1991 and “Forever Young” with Mel Gibson in 1992. “Armageddon” in 1998. He directed “Mission Impossible III” in 2006 and wrote it. He directed “Star Trek” in 2009 and “Star Trek into Darkness” in 2013 and in 2015 he directed, produced and wrote “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and in 2019 he wrote, directed and produced “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”. He was also the creator, director, writer and Executive Producer, and theme composer of “Felicity” from 1998 to 2002, “Alias” from 2001 to 2006 and “Lost” from 2004-2010. He married Katie McGrath in 1996 and has three children. He turned 56 today.

In 2001 Jack Lemmon died of bladder cancer at the age of 76. In 1956 he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Mister Roberts” and won Best Actor for “Save the Tiger”. He was nominated for “Some Like It Hot” in 1960, “The Apartment” in 1961, “Days of Wine and Roses” in 1963, “The China Syndrome” in 1980, “Tribute” in 1981 and “Missing” in 1983. He won three Globes for “Some Like It Hot”, “The Apartment” and “Inherit the Wind” in 2000. He also won the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1991. He won a SAG Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990 and in “Tuesdays with Morrie” in 2000. In 1996 he won the Kennedy Center Honors and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame awarded in 1960. He had a fruitful collaboration with his friend Walter Matthau with the “Fortune Cookie” in 1966, “The Odd Couple” in 1968 and its sequel “The Odd Couple II” in 1998, “Grumpy Old Men” in 1993 and “Grumpier Old Men” in 1995. In 2012 Don Grady died at the age of 68. He was known foremost as one of the Mickey Mouse Mouseketeers and Robbie Douglas on the long running ABC/CBS television series “My Three Sons”. In 2014 Bobby Womack died at the age of 70. He was a songwriter, musician and record producer. He was the lead singer of the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke’s backing guitarist. In 2009 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

It is now the 28^th and our country is still in a state of turmoil. Old Joe is a bumbling idiot, and the Hyena can’t find her way out of the rain. Dr. Frankenstein is lying low as we are all sick of masks. There is a fentanyl crisis, and the Squad is in control now. When did they last go to the border? Never!

Here's what else that happened on the 28^th. In 1836 James Madison the 4^th President of the US died at the age of 85. He was known as the “Father of the Constitution” and is probably rolling over in his grave now. He was married to divorcee Dolley Todd which I can’t prove who was born in Guilford County, NC.

In 1902 Richard Charles Rodgers was born in NYC. He was the son of Dr. William Abrahams Rodgers who was a prominent physician and his mother Mamie I suppose was a homemaker. His father changed the family name from Rogazinsky. He began playing the piano at the age of six. His Alma mater is Columbia University. He met Lorenz Hart and later collaborator Oscar Hammerstein while he was there. He is one of the first performers to win the EGOT an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. He won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “It Might as Well Be Spring” from “State Fair”. He won two Tonys for “South Pacific” and “No Strings” and an Emmy for “Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years”. Rodgers and Hammerstein won 37 Tonys, 15 Oscars, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Grammys and two Emmys. He was an honoree at the first Kennedy Center Honors. The Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway was named in his memory. He wrote songs for “The Sound of Music”. In 1930 he married Dorothy Belle Feiner, and they were married until his death in 1979. They had three daughters and his grandson Adam Guettel is a musical theater composer.

In 1926 Mel Brooks (Melvin Kaminsky) was born in NYC. His family were Jews from the Russian Empire (present-day Ukraine). His parents were Max and Kate (nee’ Brookman). His father died of tuberculosis when he was two. He was a small sickly boy teased by his classmates because of his size. He taught Buddy Rich how to play the drums. He changed his name in his teens to Mel Brooks after being confused with trumpeter Max Kaminsky. He scored highly on the Army General Classification Test and served in WWII and was discharged in 1946. After his discharge his mother secured him a job as clerk in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but he got into a taxi and ordered the driver to take him to the Catskills where he worked as a drummer and pianist. When a performer was too sick to perform, he started working as a stand-up comic, telling jokes and doing movie star impressions. He met up with Carl Reiner and they were writers in Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows”. Carl Reiner when he created “The Dick Van Dyke Show” based Buddy Sorrell’s (Morey Amsterdam’s) character on Brooks. He is one of the few people to win an EGOT, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. He was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2009 and got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was married to Broadway dancer Florence Baum from 1953 until their divorce in 1962 and they had three children. He was married to Anne Bancroft until her death in 2005 and they had a son Max. He turned 96 today.

In 1948 Kathy Bates was born in Memphis, Tennessee to a mechanical engineer father (Langdon) and a homemaker mother (Bertye). She was the youngest of three daughters. She graduated from White Station HS in 1965 and was a graduate of Southern Methodist University in 1969. She moved to NYC in 1970 to pursue an acting career and more than one casting agent told her she wasn’t attractive enough to be an actress. She sure showed them. She won the Oscar for Best Actress for “Misery” in 1991 and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “Primary Colors” in 1999, “About Schmidt” in 2003 and “Richard Jewell” in 2020. She won two Emmys for “Two and a Half Men” as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2012 and “American Horror Story: Coven” in 2014. She has won two Globes for “Misery” and “The Late Shift”. She has won two SAGs for “The Late Shift” and “Primary Colors”. She was Molly Brown in “Titanic” and teamed up with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in “Revolutionary Road”. She also had role in “Six Feet Under” and also directed many episodes. She got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016. She turned 74 today.

In 1971 Elon Reeve Musk was born in Transvaal, South Africa. His family was wealthy during his youth. His father Errol was an electromechanical engineer, pilot and property developer who was half-owner of the Zambian emerald mine near Lake Tanganyika. His mother Maye was a model and dietician with Canadian roots. His parents divorced in 1980 and he went to live with his father. A choice he later regretted. Using his mother’s Canadian citizenship, he applied for a Canadian passport. He attended the University of Pretoria for five months which made him avoid the South African draft. He attended Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. Long story short he founded SpaceX, Tesla and is now buying Twitter. He turned 51 today.

In 2009 Billy Mays died at the age of 50. He was the loud-mouthed pitchman for OxiClean, Orange Clean, Orange Glo, Kaboom and so many others for the Home Shopping Network. He claimed to be an avid user of all he promoted. He was known as the King of Pitch. He appeared on “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” five days before his death. His business partner was Anthony Sullivan who appeared on the show with him. He had signed a deal with Taco Bell to film informercial type commercials for the chain which were to begin filming in August of 2009. After his death he was honored with a tribute special called “Pitchman: A Tribute to Billy Mays”. He was survived by all his family and his daughter was three at the time of his death. He was also an evil Republican. In 2014 Meshach Taylor died at the age of 67. He was best known as Anthony Bouvier on “Designing Women” for which he was nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series from 1986-1993. From 1993-1997 he was in “Dave World” as plastic surgeon Sheldon Baylor. He appeared in such feature films as “Mannequin”, “Mannequin II”. “On the Move” and “Damien Omen II”. He married Bianca Ferguson in 1983 and they had four children and four grandchildren. He was survived by his mother, his wife, the kids and grandkids.

Now it is off the 29^th!

JUST JUNE - 9

2022-07-04T07:15:00.000-04:00

It is now the 24^th and the uproar is still the Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade. Clarence Thomas has become the big villain in this nonsense. There have been lots of peaceful protests. Not! Old Joe is still an imbecile, and the Hyena continues to be MIA. My Husband is beginning to expect she’s on drugs. We can’t afford to buy gas as prices have skyrocketed. We all know who is pulling Old Joe’s strings. Obama. I filled up my car today and I paid $40 for a half a tank. Soon the little people are going to have to choose between eating and gas.

In an effort to catch up I’ll just do two things that happened on the 24^th. In 1908 Grover Cleveland died at the age of 71. He was the 22^nd and 24^th President of the US. The 28^th Governor of NY. The 35^th mayor of Buffalo. He married Frances Folsum until his death, and they had six children.

In 1919 Al Molinaro (Umberto Francesco) was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was the second youngest of ten children and his father was a prominent tavern/restaurant owner and leader of the Kenosha Italian community. At school he discovered a talent for public speaking although he struggled at HS taking an extra year to graduate. In 1940 he left home on a bus to seek fame and fortune as an actor. He started his own collection agency and ended up in real estate speculation. His investments paid off when a conglomerate opted the build one of the largest retail shopping malls which made him financially independent and pursing his lifelong dream of becoming an actor. He took an improvisation class in which Penny Marshall was one of the other students. She introduced him to her brother Garry Marshall, and he offered took the role of police officer Murray Geisler in the “Odd Couple” with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. The show aired for five years until 1975. He then moved to NYC. Garry Marshall also hired him to play the owner of Arnold’s malt shop Al Delvecchio which took him back to his home state of Wisconsin. The show lasted from 1974 to 1984. In the episode “My Favorite Orkan” he suggested Robin Williams for a part that John Byner had turned down making him one of the biggest stars ever. He was married to Jacquelin Martin from 1948 to 1980 and Betty Farrell in 1981. He lived to be 96.

In 1942 Michele Lee (Michele Lee Dusick) was born in LA. She is an actress, singer, dancer, producer and director. She began her career on Broadway in “Vintage 60” in 1960, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”. She made her film debut in the film version of the latter in 1967. Her other movie appearances include 1968’s “The Love Bug” and “The Comic” in 1969. Her best-known role was as Karen Cooper Fairgate MacKenzie on the show “Knot’s Landing” from 1979-1993. She was the only performer to appear in all 344 episodes of the show. She was nominated for an Emmy for this show and won four Soap Opera Digest Awards. After “Knot’s Landing” ended she appeared as Dottie West in “Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story” in 1993. She became the first woman to star in, direct and produce a TV movie for Lifetime “Color Me Perfect” in 1996. She played Jacqueline Susann in “Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story” in 1998. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that was awarded in 1998. She returned to Broadway in 2015 to star as Madame Morrible in the musical “Wicked”. She was married to James Farentino from 1966-1983 and they had one child. She is now married to Fred A. Rappoport. She turned 80 today.

In 2006 Patricia Ann Ramsey (Patsy) died at the age of 49. She graduated from West Virginia University with a BA in journalism in 1978. She was also Miss West Virginia in 1977. She was 23 when she married John Ramsey. He had three children from his first marriage which had ended in divorce. Patsy and John’s first son were born in 1987. They are most famous for the murder of JonBenet. She was a killed at the age of six on the morning after Christmas day. She competed in beauty contests and a cloud of suspicion followed them for twelve years until it was proven that they didn’t do it. She didn’t live to see this.

It is now the 25^th and the Grandchildren spent the night with us. We took them to Pita Delight and ate outside as the Dog went with us. We were going to take them to the lake, but ice cream cake loomed. So, we didn’t go. We got home and ate the cake and I stuffed them with popcorn while we watched a movie. My oldest Granddaughter chose a series called Rainbow High about a bunch of superficial girls addicted to their cell phones. If you haven’t seen it “The Summer I Turned Pretty” on Amazon is pretty amazing but I couldn’t let them watch this as it was rated PG-13.

Here's what else that happened on the 25^th. In 1945 Carly Simon was born in the Bronx. Her father Richard L. Simon was the co-founder of Simon & Schuster and a classical pianist. Her mother Andrea was civil rights activist and singer. She was raised in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. She had a short-lived career with her sister Lucy as the Simon Sisters. In 1989 she won the Oscar for “Let the River Run” from the movie “Working Girl” which also won a Globe. In 1972 she won a Grammy for Best New Artist and again for “Let the River Run”. She became the first artist to win a Grammy, Oscar and Globe for a single performance. She has had hits with “Anticipation”, “The Right Thing to Do”, “Nobody Does it Better” and “You’re So Vain”. Among many others. She was married to James Taylor from 1972 to 1983 and they had two children. She and he recorded “Mockingbird” which was a number one hit. She was married to James Hart from 1987 to 2007. She turned 77 today.

In 1961 Ricky Dene Gervais was born in Berkshire, England. His father Jerry Gervais was a laborer and hod carrier. His mother was Eva. They met during a blackout and settled in Whitley in Reading, and they had four children over a sixteen-year period. He was the youngest child. He graduated from the University of London in 1983 and while there he met Jane Fallon who he has been in a relationship with since 1982. He was responsible for “The Office” both the British versions and the American one. He has won seven BAFTA, two Emmys and three Globes. He hosted the Globes in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 and in 2020. His most frequent collaborator is Stephen Merchant. From 2012 to 2014 he was the star of “Derek” about a mentally challenged guy working in a nursing home his co-star was Kerry Godliman. She also appeared with him in “After Life” which ran from 2018 -2020 as his late wife. Not sure which one I loved the most. He is a fervent supporter of Gay Rights and same sex marriage. In 2015 he donated a signed guitar to help raise funds for the Story Book Farm Sanctuary. He won the Genesis Award in from the Humane Society in 2015 for his promoting awareness of animal rights on social media. He turned 61 today.

In 1983 Denzel Washington married Pauletta. They’ve been married 39 years today. In 1987 Julia Louis-Dreyfus married Brad Hall. They’ve been married 35 years today. In 2006 Nicole Kidman married Keith Urban. They’ve been married 16 years today. In 2009 was a day that I will never forget what I was doing. I was with my future DIL at Old Time Pottery selecting stuff for their wedding and my Daughter called to tell me that Michael Jackson had died. She called when we had just walked in the door and I was completely shocked. He was only 50. Farrah Fawcett died on the same day at 62 but her death was overshadowed by the King of Pop’s death.

It is now the 26^th and the kids were up bright and early, and my Husband made them waffles and bacon. He tends to make more waffles than they can eat but they sure love the bacon. Our Son came and picked them up at 7:15 and got the car seats back into his car. He was playing golf that day. After they left, we did nothing. I finished watching the movie “Duff” in honor of Mae Whitman’s 34^thbirthday. I watered my outdoor plants as it was blazing hot. I didn’t watch any news this day as why ruin a good day? I’m sure it is the same old nonsense gas prices; Old Joe is an imbecile, and the Hyena continues to be MIA.

Here's what else that happened on the 26^th. In 1911 Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias was born in Port Arthur, Texas. Her family moved to Beaumont, Texas when she was four. She is considered one of the greatest female athletes of all time excelling in golf, basketball, baseball and track and field. She won two Gold Medals in the 1932 LA Olympics for hurdles and the Javelin throw. Already famous she married professional wrestler George Zaharias in 1938 and they remained married until her death in 1956. She became a golf professional in 1947. She was one of the initial Hall of Fame Inductees. She was named the 10^th Greatest Athlete of the 20^th Century by ESPN and the 9^thGreatest Athlete of the 20^th Century by the Associated Press. She was given a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom by the evil President Trump. This happened on the 7^th of January, and I suppose it was to draw attention away from January 6^th. The Babe Zaharias Park is located in Beaumont adjacent to her museum. Several golf courses have been named after her. In 1975 the movie called “Babe” based on her life was released. It starred Susan Clark as Babe for which she won an Emmy and Alex Karras played her husband George. They met on the set of the movie and later married.

In 1970 Christopher Eugene O’Donnell was born Winnetka, Illinois. He was the son of William Charles O’Donnell Sr. who was the general manager of WBBM-AM. He was the youngest of seven children. He is a graduate of Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois in 1988 and Boston College in 1988 with a BA in Marketing in 1992. He began his acting career as a teenager appearing in numerous commercials for “Cap’n Crunch” cereal and Fruit Roll UP snacks. He appeared in a McDonald’s commercial serving NBA great Michael Jordan. He then went to movies and appeared in “Scent of a Woman” for which he was nominated for a Globe as Best Supporting Actor. He then starred as Dick Grayson in “Batman Forever” in 1995 “Batman and Robin” in 1997. He now stars in “NCIS: Los Angeles which first appeared in 2009 and still goes on. He married Caroline Fentress in April of 1997 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in DC and they have five children. He is a practicing Catholic. He turned 52 today.

In 2003 Senator Strom Thurmond died at the age of 100. He served in the US Army from during WWII as Major General, and he won the Purple Heart. He was the President pro tempore of the US Senate from 2001-2001. He was a Senator for SC for 1956-2003. He was also the 103^rd Governor of South Carolina. He was a Democrat until 1964 and then he became an Evil Republican. In 2007 Liz Claiborne died at the age of 78. She founded Liz Claiborne Inc. which was the first company founded by a woman to make the Fortune 500 list. She was the first woman to chair and CEO of a Fortune 500 company. In 2012 Nora Ephron died at the age of 71. She was a journalist, writer, director and filmmaker. She wrote “Silkwood” in 1983, “Heartburn” in 1986, “When Harry Met Sally…” and she directed “Sleepless in Seattle” in 1993 and “You’ve Got Mail” in 1998, “Bewitched” in 2005 and “Julie and Julia” in 2009. She had a BA from Wellesley College.

Now it is off to the 27th.

JUST JUNE - 8

2022-06-30T04:22:00.000-04:00

It is now the 21^st and my Brother-In-Law and dear friend had birthdays today. I had my car inspected and it finally got a bath. It was a big week in the news as the Supreme Court ruled that guns could be carried in NY State and Roe v. Wade was overturned. This just makes the states decide for themselves. I’ve heard there is a morning after pill which can terminate a pregnancy immediately. The States can decide for themselves as to what they want to do. What about our 2^nd Amendment rights? Old Joe continues to be an imbecile and so does the Hyena. We just can’t win. We are afraid to drive anymore as the price of gas is so high.

Here's what else that happened on the 21^st. In 1810 the 12^th President of the US Zachary Taylor married Margaret Smith. They were married 40 years until his death in 1850. In 1921 Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (Jane) was born in Bemidji, Michigan. She was the eldest child of five children and the only girl. Her father was a First Lieutenant in the US Army, and her mother was an actress in a road troupe. They lived in Edmonton, Alberta before her birth and moved back nine days after her birth. Then they moved to southern when she was two years old California where she attended Van Nuys HS. In 1940 she was signed to a seven-year contract with film mogul Howard Hughes and made her motion picture debut in “The Outlaw” in 1943. Her measurements were 38-24-36 and she was a popular pinup during WWII. Her biggest roles were with Bob Hope in “The Paleface” in 1948 and “Son of Paleface” in 1952 and “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” in 1953. She also had a successful recording career and headlined a show in Vegas at the Sands Hotel in 1957. She died in 2011 at the ripe old age of 89. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and her handprints and footprints are immortalized at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. She was a nasty Republican and pro-life as a botched abortion in her teenaged years left her infertile.

In 1940 Richard Nixon married Pat Ryan. In 1973 Juliette Lewis was born in LA. She is the daughter of Geoffrey Lewis and his first wife. She was Audrey Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” in 1989. She was in “Cape Fear” in 1991 which earned her an Oscar and Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress, “Husbands and Wives” in 1992, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” in 1993 and “Natural Born Killers” in 1994. She now acts in television and her current show is “Yellowjackets”. She turned 49 today.

In 1979 Christopher Michael Pratt was born in Virginia, Minnesota. His mother worked at a Safeway Supermarket and his father worked in mining and remodeling houses. When he was seven his family moved to Lake Stevens, Washington. He graduated from Lake Stevens HS in 1997. His wrestling coach in HS asked him what he wanted to do with his life, and he said I know I’ll be famous and make a S&*T ton of money. He dropped out of community college halfway through the first semester and relocated to Hawaii and ended up homeless. When he was 19, he waited tables at the Bubba Gump Shrimp company in Maui and was discovered by Rae Dawn Chong who cast him her directorial debut a short film called “Cursed Part 3” which took him to LA. His first regular television role was as Harold Brighton “Bright” Abbott in “Everwood” with Treat Williams and Emily VanCamp which aired from 2002 to 2006. He began playing Andy Dwyer in “Parks and Recreation” from 2009-2015 and 2020. He has appeared in “Zero Dark Thirty”, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise, the “Jurassic World” franchise beginning in 2015, “The Lego Movie” franchise beginning in 2014. He was married to Anna Faris, and they were engaged in 2008 and married in Bali in 2009. They split in 2017 and had one child who was born nine weeks premature weighing 3 pounds, nine ounces which really confirmed their spiritual beliefs. He began a relationship with Katherine Schwarzenegger in 2018 and they were married in 2019 they have two daughters. Which makes him a member of the Kennedy Family. His prediction to his wrestling coach was right. He turned 43 today.

In 1982 Prince William (William Arthur Philip Louis) was born in St. Mary’s Hospital in London. His father was Prince of Wales, and his mother was Diana Princess of Wales. His mother wished he and his brother to lead a normal life and took them to Disney World, McDonald’s, AIDs Clinics and shelters for the homeless. His parents were divorced in 1996 and in the early hours of August 31^st, 1997, she was killed in an auto accident while fleeing from the paparazzi. He was only 15 at the time. In 2014 the brothers inherited their mother’s wedding dress, diamond tiaras, letters, paintings and the original lyrics and score of “Candle in the Wind” by Bernie Taupin and Elton John which was performed by John at her funeral. He studied at Eton which went against the Royal tradition of attending Gordonstoun. Diana’s father and brother both attended Eton. He took a gap year upon his completion and took part in the British Army’s training exercises in Belize. In 2001 he was back in the UK and enrolled in the University of St. Andrews where he met his wife, Catherine Middleton. In 2006 he was admitted to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He married Catherine Middleton on the 29^th of April 2011 at Westminster Abbey the estimated Global audience was over 300 million. They have three children Prince George born in 2013, Princess Charlotte in 2015 and Prince Louis in 2018. He turned 40 today.

In 2018 Charles Krauthammer died at the age of 68. He was paralyzed from the waist down after a diving board accident in his first year at Harvard which left in wheelchair for the rest of his life. He graduated to become a psychiatrist. He wrote for the Washington Post which earned him the Pulitzer Prize for outstanding Commentary with was both witty and insightful on national issues. In 1974 he married Robyn a lawyer who stopped practicing law to become an artist. They had one child Daniel Krauthammer.

It is now the 22^nd and I’m so far behind that I’ll just go to what happened on this day. In 1906 Billy Wilder (Samuel) was born in Sucha, Austria-Hungry. He moved to Hollywood in 1933. His most recognized films are “Double Indemnity”, “The Lost Weekend”, “Sunset Boulevard”, “Stalag 17”, “Some Like it Hot” and “The Apartment”. He was the winner of 7 Oscars out of 21 nominations. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1990. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He died in March 2002 at the age of 95.

In 1949 Mary Louise (Meryl) Streep was born in Summit, New Jersey. Her father was a pharmaceutical executive, and her mother was an artist. They relocated to Basking Ridge, NJ in 1963 and was selected cheerleader and homecoming queen at Bernard’s HS. She has a BA from Vassar and MFA from Yale. She has been nominated for 21 Oscars winning as Best Supporting Actress for “Kramer vs. Kramer” in 1979. She won Best Actress for “Sophies Choice” in 1982. The “Iron Lady” in 2011. She is the recipient of six Grammy nominations, five Emmy nominations with three wins for “The Holocaust” 1978, “Angels in America” 2003 and for Outstanding Narrator in “Five Came Back” in 2017. She had a role in “Big Little Lies” and “Prom” in 2020. She has been in more movies than I can name. All big successes. She was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2004, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2011. Obama awarded her with the National Medal of the Arts in 2010 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014. She was awarded the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2017 and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She married Don Gummer in 1978 and has four children and one grandchild. She turned 73 today.

In 1987 Fred Astaire died at the age of 88. He is considered one the greatest dancers in film History. He was born on May 10^th, so I’ve already sung his praises. In 1993 Thelma Catherine “Pat” Ryan Nixon died at the age of 81. She was the First Lady of the US 1969-1974 and the Second Lady from 1953-1961. As First Lady she promoted a number of charitable causes such as volunteerism. She was the most traveled first lady in US history until Hillary beat her 25 years later. In 2003 Adam Sandler married Jackie Titone. They’ve been married 19 years today. In 2011 Daniel Craig married Rachel Weitz. They’ve been married 11 years today. In 2013 George Lucas married Mellody Hobson. They’ve been married nine years today.

In my effort to catch up I’ll go to the 23^rd. In 1940 Wilma Rudolph was born in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee. Shortly after her birth the family moved to Clarksville. She was born prematurely weighing in at 4.5 pounds. She was the 20^th of 22 children from her father’s two marriages. She had several childhood illnesses and wore a leg brace until she was 12. She was a graduate of Tennessee State University in 1963 with a Bachelors Degree in Education. She won three Gold Medals in the Rome Olympics for track and field in 1960. She became the first woman to win three Gold Medals. She was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974, in 1980 the Tennessee State University named its indoor track in her honor. She was elected to the US Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983. In 1994 a portion of US Route 79 was renamed Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. In 1995 nine months after her death the University of Tennessee erected a dormitory in her honor. In 1997 TN Governor Don Sundquist declared June 23^rd as Wilma Rudolph Day. In 2012 the city of Clarksville, TN built the Wilma Rudolph Event Center, and her life-sized statue was moved there.

In 1948 Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Clarence Thomas was born in Pin Point, Georgia. He was the second of three children born to M.C. Thomas a farm hand and Leola Pigeon Williams a domestic worker. His father left the family when he was two years old, and his mother worked hard, and they survived on pennies a day. A house fire left them homeless, and he and his brother Miles went to live with their maternal grandparents where they experienced indoor plumbing and regular meals for the first time. He briefly attended Conception Seminary College. No one in his family had ever attended college. He left the seminary after in the aftermath of the Martin Luther King Jr. heard another student say “Good, I hope the son of a bitch died.” He left the seminary shortly thereafter. At a nun’s suggestion he enrolled as at the College of Holy Cross in Worchester, Massachusetts as a sophomore transfer student. He graduated in 1971. He entered Yale Law school and earned a JD in 1974 graduating in the middle of his class. Dean Louis Pollack wrote in 1969 that Yale was expanding its program for Black applicants with 24 entering that year in a system that deemphasized grades and LSAT scores. After graduation he studied for the Missouri bar at the Saint Louis University Law school. He was admitted to the bar in 1974. He then moved to DC and became the Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Ronald Reagan. He became the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1991 and replaced Thurgood Marshall. Anita Hill came up with some sexual harassment complaints flash forward to Christine Blassey Ford who did the same thing to Brett Kavanaugh. Thomas referred to this as a modern-day lynching. He was confirmed 52-48. He is widely held to be the Court’s most conservative member. He turned 74 today.

In 1957 Cynthia Ann Smith (Frances McDormand) was born in Gibson City, Illinois. She has been nominated for seven Oscars winning for “Fargo” in 1996, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri” in 2017 and “Nomadland” in 2020 which she also produced. She also won an Emmy for “Olive Kitteridge” which she also produced in 2015 and she won a Tony in 2011 for “Good People”. She has been married to director Joel Coen since 1984 and in 1995 they adopted a son from Paraguay when he was six months old. She turned 65 today.

In 1980 Melissa Rauch was born in Marlboro Township, New Jersey to a Jewish family. Her Bat Mitzvah had a “Melissa’s Comedy Club” theme. She graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in 2002. She is best known as Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz in “The Big Bang Theory”. She was made a series regular in season 4. She starred in “The Bronze” in which she starred as Hope Annabelle Gregory a bronze medal winning gymnast still clinging to her glory days twelve years earlier. She co-wrote the story with her husband Winston. She has been married to him since 2007 and they have two children. She turned 42 today.

In 1995 Jonas Salk who was virologist and medical researcher who developed the polio vaccine died at the age of 80. In 2011 Peter Falk died at the age of 83. From 1968 to 2003 he starred as Lieutenant Colombo in “Colombo” for which he four Emmys. He won another Emmy for his role in The Dick Powell Theatre”. He also won a Globe for “Colombo”. He was nominated for back-to-back Supporting Actor Oscars for “Murder, Inc” in 1961 and again in 1962 for “Pocketful of Miracles”. He received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013. In 2015 Dick Van Patten died at the age of 86 from diabetes. His career spanned seven decades of television, stage and movies. His best-known role was as Tom Bradford in “Eight Is Enough” which ran from 1977 to 1981 and the subsequent movies “Eight Is Enough Family Reunion” in 1987 “An Eight Is Enough Wedding” in 1989. He was married to Patricia Helon Poole since 1954 who was a June Taylor Dancer on the “Jackie Gleason Show”. They had three children Vincent, Nels and Jimmy. Talia Balsam is his niece. His sister Joyce was married to Martin Balsam. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985. He was also the founder of Natural Balance Pet Foods and National Guide Dog Month.

Now it is off to the 24^th.

JUST JUNE - 7

2022-06-28T08:08:00.002-04:00

It is now the 19^th and Father’s Day and Juneteenth. In 1865 Union General Gordon Granger declared slaves free in Texas. Yay! We got our wish and were left alone the entire day. We didn’t even leave the house. In the news it’s the same old nonsense. Of course, Old Joe took the day off as it was Father’s Day. He was riding his bike with a mask on and fell off. He’s the worst President ever and his numbers prove it. He’s even worse than Jimmy Carter, bless his heart. Although many think President Trump was the worst one ever. He sure knew how to get other countries from attacking us.

In other news Stephen Colbert’s staffers were arrested on June 16^th for unlawfully entering a congressional office but they’ll get away with it. Just like all the other people who rape, kill and steal. We live in a free for all world right now. John Hinkley was released from prison after 41 years after he tried to kill President Reagan and damaged James Brady for life. All in a quest to impress Jodie Foster.

Speaking of Jodie Foster, it is now LBGT month and no body cares who you sleep with as long as you are a good person and she’s one of the best. The best transgender person is Caitlin Jenner but now they are trying to indoctrinate kindergarteners into changing their sex which is an insult to Susan Blow. Crazy world we live in.

Here's what else that happened on the 19^th. In 1786 Nathanael Greene died at the age of 43 from sunstroke. He was a General in the Revolutionary War. His most famous battle was the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Numerous places have been named after him 14 counties the most populous Greene County, Missouri. Greensboro, NC, Greensboro, Georgia, Greensburg, PA, Greenville NC and SC. Greeneville, Tennessee was also named in his honor. Statues of him are found at the Guilford Courthouse, the Rhode Island State House and he has a monument in his honor in Savannah, GA. In 1896 Wallis, Duchess of Windsor was born in Blue Ridge Summit, PA. She had been married twice and caused Prince Edward to abdicate the throne. Her last husband was Ernest Simpson. So, she came into the marriage as Wallis Simpson and after his death in 1972 she led a life of seclusion.

In 1897 Moses Harry Horwitz (Moe Howard) was born in Brooklyn. He was of course, the leader of The Three Stooges which was the farce comedy team for over four decades. His brothers were Curly and Shemp. On June 7^th, 1925, he married Helen Schonberger a cousin of Harry Houdini and they had two children Joan and Paul. Howard and the Three Stooges received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983. He died on May 4^th, 1975, at the age of 77.

In 1914 Lester Raymond Flatt was born in Overton County Tennessee. He played guitar, did vocals and played the mandolin. His specialty was bluegrass. His collaboration with Earl Scruggs was epic. They first received fame on “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” the theme for the television series “The Beverly Hillbillies” in the early 60’s. They appeared in several episodes and his wife Gladys was played by Joy Lansing. He died in 1979 a month before his 65^th birthday. He was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame with Scruggs in 1985 and was also inducted as an inaugural member of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor in 1991.

In 1916 Pat Buttram (Maxwell Emmett) was born in Addison, Alabama. After a stint with Roy Rogers, he was picked by Gene Autry and co-starred in more than 40 films with him and 100 episodes of his television show. He is best known as Mr. Haney on “Green Acres”, “Petticoat Junction” and “The Beverly Hillbillies”. CBS cancelled all these shows because of their rural settings, and he quipped CBS cancelled everything with a tree in it. He also did voice roles in many movies such as “The Aristocats”, “The Rescuers” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”. He was a nasty Republican who helped Ronald Reagan spice up his speeches. He also was credited for writing two episodes of Hee Haw. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1988 and one on the “Alabama Stars of Fame in Birmingham, Alabama.

In 1928 Nancy Lou Marchand was born in Buffalo, NY. She had a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and studied theatre at the Herbert Berghof Studio in NYC. She made her Broadway debut in “The Taming of the Shrew” in 1951. She starred in “Lou Grant” from 1977-1982 as Margaret Pynchon for which she won four Emmys. In 1988 she was in “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” as Mayor Barkley. She starred as Livia Soprano for 21 episodes of “The Sopranos” for which she won a Globe and a SAG for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She died a day before her 72^nd birthday in 2000. She was married to Paul Sparer since 1951 and he died in 1999. They had three children.

In 1930 Virginia Cathryn “Gena” Rowlands was born in Cambria, Wisconsin. Her family moved to DC when her father was appointed to a position in US Department of Agriculture. They moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1942 when he was appointed manager of the Office of Price Administration. They later moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and she attended the University of Wisconsin where she was a popular student renowned for her beauty. She then went to NYC where she studied drama at the American Academy of the Arts. She was nominated for two Oscars as Best Actress for “A Woman Under the Influence” in 1974. She won Honorary Oscar in 2015. She won a Globe for “A Woman Under the Influence” her portrayal as Betty Ford in “The Betty Ford Story”. She also won an Emmy for this role. She also won two others as Outstanding Actress for “Face of a Stranger”. She won as Supporting Actress for “Hysterical Blindness” in 2003. She was married to John Cassavetes from 1954 until his death in 1989. They had three children all actors and directors and her son Nick was the director of “The Notebook” which she was featured in. In 2012 she married retired businessman Robert Forrest. She turned 92 today.

In 1948 Phylicia Ayers-Allen was born in Houston, Texas. She is an actress, singer and director. She has a BFA from Howard University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Then she made it to Broadway appearing in “A Raisin in the Sun” in 2002 and the “Skelton Crew” for which she won Tonys. She is best known for her role as lawyer Claire Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” from 1984-1992. In 2012 she played Clariee Belcher in “Steel Magnolias” a role that was originated by Olympia Dukakis. There was an all-star cast Queen Latifah as M’Lynn, Jill Scott as Truvy, Alfre Woodard as Ouiser and her real-life daughter Condola Rashad as Shelby. She was married three times to William Lancelot Bowles who was a dentist in 1972 and their son William Lancelot Bowles III who was born the next year. The marriage ended in 1975. In 1978 she married Victor Willis who was the original lead singer of the Village People. They divorced in 1982. She then married Armand Rashad in 1985 who was a former NFL wide receiver and sportscaster. They had a daughter Condola born the following year. She has retained the name Rashad. Her next role is in “Creed III” which is set to be released at Thanksgiving. She turned 74 today.

In 1953 Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for spying for Russia. He was 35 and she was 37. In 1954 Mary Kathleen Turner was born in Springfield, Missouri. She has a BFA from the University of Maryland in 1977. She was from a strict Christian family and her father said acting was one step up from being a streetwalker. He was in the Foreign Service, and they lived in Canada, Cuba, Venezuela, and London. Out of four children she was the only one born in the US. She moved to NYC in 1977 and became a star of Broadway. While working on Broadway she was in the NBC soap “The Doctors”. In 1981 she was in “Body Heat” as Matty Walker. Her career took off after that. She was in “Romancing the Stone” in 1984 and “Prizzi’s Honor” in 1985 and she won a Globe for Best Actress in both. She was nominated for an Oscar for “Peggy Sue Got Married” in 1986. She teamed up with Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito for 1985’s “Jewel of the Nile” in 1985 and again in “War of the Roses” in 1989. My favorite role of hers was Charles Bing/Helena Handbasket in two episodes of “Friends”. Chandler’s cross-dressing father. From 2019 to 2021 she was in “The Kominsky Method” as Michael Douglas’s ex-wife and was reunited with him for the first time since “War of the Roses”. She married real estate entrepreneur Jay Weiss in 1984 and they have one daughter Rachel Ann Weiss. They divorced in 2007 and she still calls him her best friend. She turned 68 today.

In 1962 Paula Julie Abdul was born in San Fernando, CA. Her Alma mater is California State University at Northridge. She began a career as cheerleader for the LA Lakers at the age of 18 and then became head choreographer for the Laker Girls and was discovered by the Jacksons. She choreographed for Janet Jackson “What Have You Done for Me Lately”, “Nasty” and “Control” videos. She released her first album “Forever Your Girl” in 1988 setting a record for the most number one singles from a debut album. Among the songs “Straight Up”, “Opposites Attract” and “Forever Your Girl”. She also choreographed for movies such as “Big”, “Jerry McGuire” and “Coming to America”. She was also one of the original hosts of American Idol with Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for recordings. She turned 60 today.

In 1978 Zoe Yadira Saldana was born in Passaic, NJ. She has two sisters Cisely and Mariel and their father died in and auto accident around her ninth birthday and her mother moved back to the Dominican Republic where she was raised by her stepfather Dagoberto Galan and her biological father Aridio Saldana. Her mother was Puerto Rican. Her family returned to NYC in her sophomore year in high school. Her first film role was in “Center Stage” in 2000, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” in 2003. She has appeared in the five highest grossing films of all time “Avatar”, “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: End Game”. She played Uhura in “Star Trek” in 2009. She was also in “The Terminal” in 2004 as a Trekkie. She had never watched the show and director Stephen Spielberg taught her the Vulcan salute five years earlier. I just recently watched her in “Guess Who” made in 2005 about a young woman who brings her boyfriend Ashton Kutcher home to meet the parents and he is White much to the chagrin of her father Bernie Mac. She is married to Italian Artist Marco Perego since 2013 and they have three children. She turned 44 today and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2013 James Gandolfini died at the age of 51 he was best known as Tony Soprano on “The Sopranos” for 86 episodes and I watched every one of them. He won a Globe, three Emmys and a SAG for his role. Upon his death Governor Chris Christie ordered all New Jersey flags to fly half-staff. He died in Italy and when his body returned home the lights on Broadway were dimmed in his honor. He died on the same day as his mother “The Sopranos” Nancy Marchand was born.

It is now the 20^th and once again we didn’t leave the house today as it is so hot. You know the drill Old Joe is an imbecile, we can’t afford gas and on and on. So, I’ll get right to what happened on the 20^th. In 1925 Audie Murphy was born in Kingston, Texas. He was an actor, songwriter and rancher. He was born into a large family of sharecroppers and his father abandoned them and his mother died when he was a teenager. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor his sister falsified documentation to get into the Army but he was turned down because of this weight by the Army, Navy and Marines. He was accepted by the Army and became one of the most decorated officers. He was a First Lieutenant and a Major. After the war he embarked on a 21-year acting career appearing mostly in westerns. He died a month before his 46^th birthday in a plane crash in Roanoke, VA. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, and he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His is the most visited grave after JFK’s.

In 1931 Olympia Dukakis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. She died six weeks before her 90^thbirthday so I have already sung her praises. In 1942 Brian Wilson was born in Inglewood, California. Shortly after his birth his family moved to Hawthorne California. He is a singer, songwriter, record producer and co-founder of the Beach Boys with Al Jardine and cousin Mike Love. His younger brothers Dennis and Carl were born in 1944 and 1946. He exhibited an extraordinary skill for learning by ear from as early as a year old. During his Jr. High years, he did nothing except play the piano. He began composing original music when he was 12. In HS he was quarterback of his team at Hawthorne High. The Beach Boys were a nine-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner in 2005 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow” and in 2013 for Best Historical Album for “The Smile Sessions”. In 1988 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys. And in 2007 he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He has co-written songs from 1963 “Don’t Worry Baby” and “I Get Around” from 1964, “California Girls” from 1965 and “Wouldn’t it be Nice”, “God Only Knows” and “Good Vibrations” from 1966. The Beach Boys were kind of overshadowed by the British Invasion and when Paul and Linda McCartney showed up at his doorstep in 1974, he wouldn’t let them in. In 2000 Sir Paul became the bigger man when he was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. He turned 80 today.

In 1949 Lionel Richie was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. His father was a US System Analyst, and his mother was a teacher. He grew up on the campus of Tuskegee Institute and graduated from Joliet Township HS in Joliet, Illinois. He was a star tennis player there and ended back at Tuskegee Institute where he earned a degree a BA in Economics. In 1968 he became a singer and saxophonist for the “Commodores” who gave us “Brick House” and “Machine Gun”. He went solo in 1982 and gave us “Truly”, “You Are”, “Dancing on the Ceiling” and “My Love”. He married his college sweetheart Brenda Harvey and they informally adopted Nicole Camille Escovedo the two-year-old daughter of a member of his band and she is now known as Nicole Richie. The adopted her when she was nine years old. They were married for 18 years. He married Diane Alexander in 1995 and they had two children. He became a grandfather in in 2008 when his daughter Nicole gave birth to a girl in 2008 with the leader of Good Charlotte Joel Madden. She had another child in 2009. He has won four Grammys for Song of the Year in 1985 for “We Are the World” which he co-wrote with Michael Jackson. Album of the Year in 1984 for “Can’t Slow Down”, Producer of the Year (Non-Classical in 1984 and Best Male Vocal Performance for “Truly” in 1982. He teamed up with Diana Ross and they gave us “Endless Love” which was nominated for an Oscar. He won one for “Say You, Say Me” featured in the film “White Nights”. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame given in 2003. He is currently one of the hosts of American Idol. This amazing man turned 73 today.

In 1952 John Goodman was born in Affton, Missouri. His father who was a postal worker died when he was two years old. His mother was a waitress at Jack and Phil’s Bar-B-Que and was also a retail store worker and took in laundry to support her family. His brother Leslie was 14 years his senior and his sister Elizabeth was born six months after her father’s death. He played football for Affton HS and after a gap year he earned a football scholarship to Missouri State University. After an injury he headed to NYC. He found modest success doing voice-overs “Thanks’ I Needed that” in the iconic television ad for Mennen Skin Bracer. He rose to fame as Dan Conner on “Roseanne” which ran from 1988-1997. He was in “Raising Arizona” in 1987, “Barton Fink” in 1991 “The Flintstones” in 1994 as Fred. He won a Globe for “Roseanne” and was nominated for seven Emmys. He finally won in 2007 for “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”. He hosted SNL 13 times. In 2000 he provided the voice of Pacha in Disney’s “The Emperor’s New Groove” and the voice of Sully in Pixar’s “Monsters Inc.” and all the sequels. In 2013 he was inducted as a Disney Legend and in all the sequels. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame awarded in 2017. He has been married to Annabeth Hartzog in 1989 and their child Molly works as a production assistant. He turned 70 today.

In 1967 Nicole Mary Kidman was born in Honolulu, Hawaii her parents were there on student visas from Australia. Her mother was a nursing instructor, and her father was biochemist, clinical psychologist and author. Shortly after her birth they moved to DC in protest of the Vietnam war. Her family moved back to Australia three years later. She began her career in Australia and since has won an Oscar for “The Hours” and received nominations for “To Die For” and the “Rabbit Hole”, and “Moulin Rouge!” “Being the Ricardos” for Best Actress and for Best Supporting Actress for “Lion”. She has won six Globes for “To Die For, “Moulin Rouge!”, “The Hours”, “Big Little Lies” in 2016 and 2017 and “Being the Ricardos” in 2021. She won two Emmys after three nominations for “Big Little Lies” in 2017. She has also won one SAG for “Big Little Lies”. She was also in “Bombshell” and “Bewitched”. She was married to Tom Cruise for 11 years and married Keith Urban in 2006. She has four children from each marriage. She turned 55 today.

In 1975 “Jaws” was released. In 1997 Lawrence Payton of the “Four Tops” died at the age of 59 from liver cancer. As a member of the “Four Tops” was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997. In 2005 Jack Kilby died at the age of 81. He was the co-inventor of the handheld calculator and won a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000. Now it is off to the 21^st.