Regular readers will note that there are certain recurring characters in this blog. It’s rare that I go more than a few weeks without a mention of Stephen Sondheim, for example, or Isaac Asimov. Not quite at their frequency but still an often mentioned personage is the Queen of Crime, Dame Agatha Christie. Hard as … Continue reading Dial Seven for Agatha
Books
January 2, 1920
Isaac Asimov didn’t know exactly when he was born. As he wrote in his autobiography: The date of my birth, as I celebrate it, was January 2, 1920. It could not have been later than that. It might, however, have been earlier. Allowing for the uncertainties of the times, of the lack of records, of … Continue reading January 2, 1920
We’re Having a Baby
I’ve published excerpts from both Todd Purdum and Jess Oppenheimer’s books, but I’ve avoided the parts where they write about the I Love Lucy show. (By the way, Madelyn Pugh, one of the Lucy writers, also published a book of memoirs, but it doesn’t seem to be out in an ebook format and I gave away … Continue reading We’re Having a Baby
Lucy Goes to School
Quote of the day: The man who says his wife can't take a joke forgets that she took him.—Oscar Wilde In Jess Oppenheimer’s memoir Laughs, Luck…and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time he relates how he got to work on Fanny Brice’s radio show, “Baby Snooks”, and when … Continue reading Lucy Goes to School
The Obvious Question
Quote of the day: From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it.—Groucho Marx Jess Oppenheimer’s memoir Laughs, Luck…and Lucy: How I Came to Create the Most Popular Sitcom of All Time is filled with anecdotes about his time in radio. … Continue reading The Obvious Question
An Unintelligible Radio Moment
Quote of the day: There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.—Alfred Hitchcock Todd Purdum’s book on Desi Arnaz reminded me that years ago I had read another book that covered some of the same material. It was Jess Oppenheimer’s memoir Laughs, Luck…and Lucy: How I Came to Create the … Continue reading An Unintelligible Radio Moment
Desi III
Quote of the day: Never ruin an apology with an excuse.—Benjamin Franklin Still reading Todd Purdum’s Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television. I’ve long been fascinated by those unexpected chains of events that take a person from point A to point X or whatever. From our perspective we view the I Love Lucy show as … Continue reading Desi III
Desi Congas New York City
Quote of the day: You are not judged by the height you have risen, but from the depth you have climbed.—Frederick Douglass Still reading Todd Purdum’s Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television. Here’s the thing you need to understand about Desi Arnaz. He didn’t learn the English language until he was in his teens, … Continue reading Desi Congas New York City
Desi and the Birth of a Dance Craze
Quote of the day: Money means nothing. It does not create inner happiness and peace in a man. Honor and honesty does. —Desiderio Arnaz II explaining to his son Desiderio Arnaz III (better known as Desi) why he didn’t join the corrupt US-backed Machado regime in looting the gold reserves of Cuba in 1933. (Why … Continue reading Desi and the Birth of a Dance Craze
Put Up a Parking Lot
Quote of the day: All people are born alike—except Republicans and Democrats.—Groucho Marx When I moved to Philadelphia in August of 1980, I had to give up my car (my sister ended up with the blue VW Rabbit) because the cost of living in Philly was so much higher than it had been in Harrisburg, … Continue reading Put Up a Parking Lot