DVDs, Movies

Ignite Films ignites film fan fervor with restored ‘Invaders From Mars’

Ignite Films, the Dutch company formed in 2005 by Jan Willem Bosman Jansen, lives up to its motto, “Classics for the Future,” with the award-winning sensational 4K restoration of William Cameron Menzies’ Invaders From Mars, the first title released under the Ignite Films label. The groundbreaking sci-fi classic will be released in partnership with MVD for retail sales in stores including Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and through online retailers including Amazon.com, on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on July 11, 2023, with pre-orders open now, announced Jan Willem Bosman Jansen, founder of Ignite Films.

Special bonus features include a restored 4K version of the original 1953 trailer and a newly commissioned 2022 trailer, an interview with the film’s star, Jimmy Hunt, an in-depth look at the restoration process led by Scott MacQueen, Restoration Supervisor, plus a new documentary about the film featuring interviews with directors Joe Dante, John Landis, Multiple Visual Effects Academy-Award winner Robert Skotak and other luminaries. These extras and the documentary were produced and directed by award-winning

filmmaker Jeremy Alter.

“I’m excited for audiences, old and new, to finally be able to watch this masterpiece of both film and restoration on Blu-ray and 4K UHD,” says  Ignite Films Director Jan Willem Bosman Jansen.
“We have taken great care to cover as many aspects of the movie in our bonus materials and design to bring it back to life for as wide an audience as possible. The work we have done is also a homage to the overall genius of William Cameron Menzies, and I cannot speak for him of course, but I think he would be thrilled with how his movie looks today.”
Fearful memories of this timeless 1953 bone-chiller still haunt the dreams of fans who have never forgotten the story of David MacLean, a young boy (portrayed by Jimmy Hunt) who witnesses an alien invasion. Invaders from Mars was filmed from a child’s point of view, using exaggerated sets and upward angles. It became a modern classic and was also one of two early ’50s classic alien-invasion science fiction films (the other is Robert Wise’s The Day the Earth Stood Still) reflecting Cold War tensions, the Red Scare and paranoid anxiety typical of many films in the ’50s.
The restoration of Invaders from Mars has been much hoped for and a long time coming. But the process was not an easy one. Leading the effort was longtime enthusiast and preservationist of classic cinema Scott MacQueen, who previously was head of preservation at UCLA Film & Television Archive for more than a decade, before retiring in 2021.
The biggest challenge for MacQueen was that the color negative confirmed for printing in SUPERcineCOLOR lacked many shots and needed to be sourced from 70-year-old prints.
“Invaders from Mars was one of the most complex projects I have ever undertaken,” MacQueen says.  “In the days of analog restoration, it would not have been possible, but 21st century digital tools have been game-changers. Released in an archaic process that is irretrievable today Invaders from Mars was pieced together from five different sources. Additionally, eight minutes of European scenes and an alternate ending, and the original trailer, have been preserved. As star Jimmy Hunt says, ‘Invaders from Mars has never looked so good.'”

The 4K restoration process of the sci-fi classic required a lengthy search for the final elements, which was conducted by Ignite’s Janet Schorer. Additionally, it was imperative to locate the elements necessary to fill in the gaps in the original camera negative, which was stored with great care at the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The George Eastman Museum and National Film and Sound Archive of Australia were instrumental in supplying additional key elements which were essential to completing the film.

Bonus Features
  • Restored 4K original 1953 trailer AND a newly commissioned 2022 trailer
  • Interviews with star Jimmy Hunt, William Cameron Menzies’ biographer James Curtis and recollections of Menzies’ eldest granddaughter Pamela Lauesen
  • Featurette with acclaimed film directors John Landis, Joe Dante, editor Mark Goldblatt, special visual effects artist and two time Oscar Winner Robert Skotak (foremost expert on Invaders from Mars), and enthusiast and film preservationist Scott MacQueen
  • John Sayles’ introduction at Turner Classic Movie Festival in Hollywood, April 2022
  • Before/after clips of restoration: Original negative and archival film elements,  with film restoration supervisor Scott MacQueen
  • Restored segments in 2K of the Alternate International Version– alternative ending and extended Planetarium scene
  • Gallery with original Press Book pages, behind the scenes photos from the restoration process
  • Twenty page extensive essay on the restoration process: Invaders From Mars: A Nightmare of Restoration by Scott MacQueen
DVDs, Movies

Cohen Film Collection offers two important French classics

One of Cohen Film Collection’s August DVD and Blu-ray releases feature two titans of French Cinema: Simone Signoret and Alain Delon.  They are brought together for The Burned Burns, a crime drama set in the snow-covered French countryside on the border with Switzerland. The body of a young woman is found savagely murdered near the isolated Burned Barns farm run by Rose (Signoret ) and her family.

The police work begins and the investigating judge, Pierre Larcher (Delon), soon comes to suspect that Rose’s family, and in particular her sons, may have played a role. Signoret and Delon are outstanding as two forces playing a game of wits with profound consequences. Keep your eyes and ears open—Jean Chapot’s film features a stunning soundtrack by electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre.

The second must-have flick: Symphony for a Massacre. In this stylish heist noir from director Jacques Deray, master director of the French crime film, five men tied to businesses with varying degrees of legality pool their money to go in on one huge narcotics deal that can set them up for life—and test their loyalties.

Restored in 2K from a 4K scan of the surviving 35MM interpositive (the negative is lost), the film boasts stunning black and white photography, supported by a lush and memorable score. Deray assembled an impressive cast of stars, including Charles Vanel, Michel Auclair, future director José Giovanni who also co-wrote the film, and Jean Rochefort, in a brilliant casting against type from his largely comedic roles up until then. This rediscovered crime thriller is sure to please fans of classic film noir.

Music, Theater, Travel & Leisure

Norwegian Cruise Line offers three (Donna) Summers and lots of “Hot Stuff”

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 55-year history of breaking boundaries, has risen the curtain to announce the cast of its highly-anticipated headlining show, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, premiering aboard the all-new Norwegian Prima beginning in August 2022.

The Tony-nominated musical narrates the story of Summer’s prolific rise to fame, showing the Queen of Disco at three of the most pivotal stages of her career: Diva Donna, Disco Donna and Duckling Donna. The Brand has announced the cast who will take on the mantle of Donna Summer through her most memorable moments in life:

· Beloved American Idol season two finalist, Kimberley Locke, takes on her first theater project at sea and will star in the breakout role of Diva Donna, playing Summer as she reaches the height of her career. Fans will be able to see the same charisma that got Locke to the final three contestants on her season of American Idol in this role. Locke is also well known for her work on television and Broadway, where she most recently performed in Kristin Chenoweth’s one-woman show, For the Girls.

· Taking on the role of Disco Donna is Valerie Curlingford, an extraordinary talent from the Netherlands. Curlingford will play Summer in her late teens and early twenties as she first finds success in the iconic ’70s disco era. 

· Duckling Donna will show Summer as she grows up in Boston in the 1960s. The role will be played by D’Nasya Jordan, who most recently starred as Little Inez in Hairspray.

“It is an incredible honor to play Donna Summer along a very talented cast in this highly-rated musical,” said Locke. “Summer’s inspirational story and pioneering talent led the way for so many of today’s brightest vocalists. She has left an immeasurable impact on music and culture, and I am excited to bring her story to guests around the world aboard the beautiful Norwegian Prima.” 

A group of people holding microphones Description automatically generated with medium confidence

The show-stopping production will feature more than 20 of Summer’s mega-hits, including “Bad Girls,” “Last Dance, and “Hot Stuff,” and will also provide viewers with a deeper understanding of the inspiration behind some of Summer’s most memorable songs. The 85-minute musical will be a first at sea, where the Prima Theater itself transforms into a full disco, allowing guests to become part of the show and live out their on-stage dreams as they dance along to Summer’s greatest melodies. 

“The legendary Donna Summer is an inspiration to many, and we cast performers who would honor her and match the same level of star power and talent,” says Richard Ambrose, senior vice president of Entertainment and Cruise Programs for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We continue to bring Broadway-level entertainment and world-class talent to our fleet, and we are excited for guests to be able to watch a musical they actually get to be part of. The new Prima Theater allows for a truly exciting show, and we know guests will find themselves enthralled with Donna Summer’s moving life story and timeless music.” 

Kimberley Locke, one of the Summers daze

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical is just one of the captivating shows available aboard Norwegian Prima. Also sharing a residency at the Prima Theater will be Noise Boys! an original, award-winning beat boxing experience produced by Nic Doodson, creator of “Choir of Man,” NCL’s best-rated entertainment show currently residing on Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Escape.

As part of the additional entertainment offerings on Norwegian Prima, the Brand will also debut live game show experiences that allow the audience to be part of the show and have an opportunity to win incredible grand prizes. These immersive productions take the Prima Theater and Nightclub and transforms it into a larger-than-life production set where guests can be participants in some of the world’s most iconic game shows including, The Price is Right LIVE, Supermarket Sweep LIVE and Press Your Luck LIVE. The ship also features “Sensoria”—a Vegas-style nightclub party presenting a journey through Coachella, Woodstock and Burning Man, all in one.  Plus, guests will be able to experience the first “Improv @ Sea” Comedy Club, and the guest-popular “Syd Norman’s Pour House” and so much more.

For more information about Norwegian Cruise Line’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or visit www.ncl.com.

Books, Celebrity Chatter, Just Plain Odd, Movies, Music, Pittsburgh Events

“Pack rat” doesn’t begin to describe Andy Warhol . . . Hoarder, indeed!

He wore a toupee and a girdle, suffered from bad, pasty skin and disdained physical contact. Yet he would be seen at all the big events and major openings, rubbing tuxedo-clad elbows with the rich and (in)famous, the high and the sober. He was a celeb’s celeb, posing with, then photographing, the likes of Liza and Dolly and Diana and Liz, then painting their portraits … then asking them for their autographs.

You and I know him as Andy Warhol, the Pop Art prophet whose posthumous profits have earned him first place among artists at auction and who is forever honored with his own artful museum.

Yet to paint an accurate portrait of Andy, we need to forget (just for a few paragraphs) Marilyn and Mao and those dollar signs he so obsessively silk-screened. The real star in Andy’s life was his obsession with “stuff.” He collected everything — and, after a recent visit to the Warhol archives proved — I mean everything.

He was the ultimate Pack Rat, and I don’t use the capitalization lightly.

Starting in 1974 and continuing through 1987, Andy would toss this and that into corrugated cardboard boxes — things he bought, things he was given, things he got for free, things he “borrowed” from hotels — “time capsules,” he called them.

Image 1 - Andy Warhol Signed Photo with Beckett Letter of Authenticity 8" x 11"

Armed with a $650,000 grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Andy Warhol Museum is embarking on an effort to photograph, digitally scan, catalog and preserve the contents of hundreds of capsules. They’ve already opened and begun to inventory 100, and have 472 more to go, a project that should take six years.

During a recent visit, I browsed through Time Capsule No. 20, the contents of which spanned 1982-85. The latter was the year Andy went to Los Angeles for a guest spot on “The Love Boat” — there’s a healthy stack of unused stationery from Beverly Hills Hotel, a box of bath soap, a pile of phone messages, one of which is from B-actress Mamie Van Doren.

Wearing ill-fitting white gloves that allow me to safely handle the “art,” I open a small sampling of the many letters and notes addressed to the artist (no gossip, no secrets, just cryptic missives from unknowns). There’s a rough skin scraper (bought in Manhattan at Duane Reade), hair dye, mascara, nail polish, lipstick, vials of perfume samples. There’s junk jewelry, a gay porno magazine, a promotional brochure from a Russian airline, several bottles of homeopathic drugs and enough pimple medicine to keep the teens of Fox Chapel acne-free for years.

And I haven’t even begun to snoop what’s on the other shelves.

Some people would call it junk. It’s a word at which archivist and project supervisor Matt Wrbican bristles. “Andy considered the capsules to be works of art — they are pieces of a larger historical timeline,” he  said, adding that the “strangest thing” found to date was a mummified human foot, analyzed by scientists at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and confirmed to be a relic from Ancient Egypt.

But sometimes even timelines show their age, and lines must be drawn. For a Time Capsule, that means destruction. Collections manager Allison Smith reveals the museum junked a “leaking half-empty bottle of Chloraseptic,” but not before the over-the-counter medicine was photographed and all pertinent info logged into the database.

Many people have trashed Warhol while he was alive, but this causes a lump in my throat. Maybe a spritz of Chloraseptic would help?

Matthew points to a sandwich bag of AA batteries that have leaked; they will also hit the garbage bin. “Actually,” he explains, “we’ll put them in a battery recycling program.” Once, of course, they are photographed and cataloged.

I ask nicely if I can have the batteries, sort of an awesome alkaline souvenir from my visit.

I also figure that in some circles, I could claim to have an original Warhol.

I am nicely told, “No.”

I leave empty-handed, but brimming with reminders to do some spring cleaning.

And have that garage sale.

IF YOU GO
The Andy Warhol Museum
117 Sandusky Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
412.237.8300
warhol.org

Autographs for Sale

HISTORY FOR SALE 2022 AUTOGRAPHS & MEMORABILIA, DISNEYANA, TRUE CRIME + MORE!

Hello. After decades of collecting, I have decided to sell (most of) my lifetime collection. I hope you find something you like. These items were given to me by celebs, I found them or I bought them. I could not always place the photos in the right direction, so some are sideways or upside down. I will email scans of any photo(s) upon request.  Contents of letters will be told upon request. Some photos show reflections and shadows from the light. These are not on the items.  Most items are in great shape, with normal minor handling wear. Postage depends on size and weight, and if first-class  mail goes into priority.  Unless noted, postage should average about $6. I combine postage for multiple items.  Items $100 or more include free postage and insurance, Keep in mind that the postage for framed items is high; any excess postage of $1 or more will be refunded.  All sales final. Thank you. And feel free to make your best offers!
To order: Email me at [email protected].  We do not take credit cards or PayPal. We accept money orders, checks, cash (at your risk).  Thanks!

AUTOGRAPHS
PRINCESS DIANA Hotel plaque signed by Diana with a witty “reprimanding” inscription. Gotten in person in a London hotel. One-of-a-kind gem! $1250, free postage and insurance.

JACQUELINE ONASSIS large, fascinating folder of paperwork from alarm company responsible for coverage of her home in NYC and on Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, alarm activity, false alarms, diagrams, invoices, personal home phone numbers, contact numbers, etc. etc. Also includes John F. Kennedy Junior’s apartment in NYC and on Cape Cod, possible secretarial signature. Also Joan Kennedy, Edward Kennedy, Sergeant Shriver. $250, free postage and insurance.

LAUREN BACALL Handwritten envelope and return address sticker with red AIDS ribbon. $5

JOHN GIELGUD SP, 5 by 7 $8

ROCKWELL KENT Full pagination and color separation of colors to make complete 1939 Christmas Seal stamp. Original glassine separation sheets; final sheet signed by Kent in center stamp. Only a few sheets are scanned here.  Extremely rare! $350, free postage and insurance.

ARMISTEAD MAUPIN Signed title page from “Back to Barbary Lane,” ripped from book $5

BRETT SOMERS 1960 California tax certificate. $20.

HOWARD ZINN + NOAH CHOMSKY Poster for speaking engagement, $10

SQUIRE FRIDELL Played Ronald McDonald, SIgned Xmas card. $5

LORETTA LYNN TNS on postcard. $5

MALA POWERS TLS, $10

MARY HIGGINS CLARK DS $5

KENNY ROGERSUnsigned invoice to Redbook for his work. $5

DIANE LADD Signed 8 X 10 $5

EDITH FELLOWS Xmas card and ALS from tragic child star $10

PATSY RUTH MILLER Signed mail receipt $6

JOAN LESLIE ALS $6

PAM GRIER
Manila envelope written to recipient and return address $7

OLYMPIA DUKAKIS ANS on calling card to Army Archerd $4

JULIE HARRIS Inscribed SP from The Haunting $7

MARIE CLIFFORD 2 vintage SP $25

HOWARD ZINN Signed poster for his play $7

RACHEL CROTHERS Important feminist playwright ALS $20

PEARL S. BUCK Vintage signature on album page $20

JUSTINE BATEMAN Signed notecard $6

BOBBY SHORT TLS to Army Archerd $7

STEPHEN COLLINS ALS $5

BILL CLINTON + HILLARY CLINTON Xmas card, facsimile signatures $10

 

JULIA MARLOWE Clipped signature $25

LARRY CLINTON + ELAINE BARRIE Signed postcard; reverse is Elaine Barrie, wife of John Barrymore $15

MARGE CHAMPION Inscribed, signed SP, 8 by 10 $12

EDWARD ALBEE Signed small photo $5

JEAN HERSHOLT TLS on “Dr. Christian” stationery $15

WILLIAM WINTER JEFFERSON DS $15

SHIRLEY BOOTH SP 5 x 7 $15

VIOLET HEMING ANS, 1926 $15

GALE GORDON ANS $10

EDGAR ROSENBERG Gas receipt, husband of Joan Rivers $20

LOWELL THOMAS Vintage signed album page $8

BABY LEROY Vintage album page April 30, 1934 $15

J. EDGAR HOOVER TLS, May 5, 1949 $100 free postage & insurance

 

 

RUTH ROLAND Inscribed SP 4 x 6  $20

GERALD DU MAURIER SIgned photo postcard $12

EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS signed vintage check, 1937 $150, free postage & insurance

MYRNA LOY Unsigned receipt from druggist $10

KATHLEEN FREEMAN SP 8 by 10, $12

PAIGE O’HARA ANS, $8


GEORGE NADAR signed 8 x 10 photo $15

DEANNA DURBIN vintage signed and inscribed 8 x 10 $50

ONA MUNSON oversized vintage album page signed $25

PINO BARGELLINI Mayor of Florence, Italy 1974, SP 4 x 6 $5

WILLIAM H. CRANE Signed vintage card $20

MARY WICKES ANS, personal stationery written to Vincent Price and his wife Coral Brown $20

MADGE BELLAMY 3 page ALS $8

DONALD B. MACMILLIAN and wife signed booklet $35

PATRICIA O’NEAL Two ALS written to editor of Photoplay Magazine. Great content, with envelopes $25

 

JAMES GANDOLFINI TNS with envelope $10

CRAIG REYNOLDS 5 x 7 SP $15

HUGH HERBERT VINTAGE ALBUM PAGE $20

MAY BRITT DAVS 1960 income tax form $10

JOHN FRANKENHEIMER ANS to Army Archerd $10

STEVE BRODIE SIgned card $10

MELISSA MANCHESTER TLS + signed index card $7

GUS BACKUS SP postcard photo $3

PETULA CLARK signed 8 x 10 as Norman Desmond from Sunset Blvd. $20

DIANA SANDS signed index card $20

CHARLES BUSCH ALS + inscribed SP, 8 x 10, crease, $6

DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS Signed menu for dinner for him and Gertrude Lawrence crease, $15

JOHNNY HEATH SP, 4 by 6 $15

KITTY CARLISLE Signed trading card $5

MARVIN KAPLAN Signed vintage album page $3

RODDY MCDOWALL Signed vintage album page $8

CONNIE FRANCIS TLS, great  content about songwriting $20

CHARLES DURNING Signed 8 x 10 photo $7

ADOLPH GREEN Signed vintage album page $7

EVA LE GALLIENNE ANS on personal card $20

GLENDA JACKSON TLS on personal stationery $10

HERBERT BEERBOHM TREE Vintage SP $25

ANNE JEFFREYS SP 8 X 10 $10

MARGARET SULLIVAN + JOSEPH COTTON Sabrina Fair photo, slightly chipped Playbill $20

MARVIN HAMLISCH SP 8 X 10 photo with musical note $100, free postage & insurance

BOBBY DRISCOLL vintage fan photo, facsimile signature $10

LA WANDA PAGE Inscribed 8 x 10 photo $25

BRUCE JENNER Inscribed 8 x 10 photo $20

POLLY THOMPSON ALS, Hele Keller’s housekeeper/private secretary, great Keller content $100 free postage & insurance

TOTIE FIELDS Signed index card $15

DEWOLF HOPPER Vintage signed postal card $20

VALLI VALLI Signed vintage photo postcard $25

MARGARET WEBSTER Signed vintage album page $12

JAMES MONTGOMERY FLAGG Self-portrait in pencil on reverse side of menu, crease $300 free postage & insurance

ROGER WILLIAMS ANS to Army Archerd $5

GERALD DU MURIER Signed calling card + ANS from his secretary $10

HAROLD PRINCE TLS to John Willis, personal letterhead $75

CAROL BRUCE Signed photo postcard $10

NOEL COWARD Unsigned Xmas card, Les Avants Switzerland $15

BUTTERFLY MCQUEEN Signed “Strange Tales of Gone With the Wind” $15

JACK HALEY Signed check 1967 $25

MARY MARTIN Signed check 1984 (The Sound of Music Company) $20

JOANNE WOODWARD NEWMAN Signed check 1974 $25

KARL MALDEN Signed credit card slip for Shell gas $15

BARBARA BUSH Signed and inscribed bookplate, dated Oct. 26 1998, $50

JERRY ORBACH SIgned Annie Get Your Gun souvenir program starring Ethel Merman $10

ANN JILLIAN Xmas card $5

GENE NELSON 3 page ALS to Army Archerd $12

GENE RAYMOND 5 x 7 SP $10

PEGGY CASS TLS $20

BUCK OWENS SIGNED Hee Haw envelope $10

ARNOLD STANG Inscribed, signed vintage album page $12

LILY TOMLIN ANS to Army Archerd on personal stationery $12

PEARL WHITE Signed picture postcard $35

FREDDY Signed photo postcard $3

GOGI GRANT ALS 2006 $8

JUNE HAVOC Signed  Sadie Thompson theatre program $5

CORAL BROWNE Signed theatre program $5

SAX ROHMER Rare TLA on Fu Manchu letterhead $150 free postage & insurance

BEVERLY GARLAND Lot of 3 pieces, business card, SP, ANS $10

ARNOLD STANG SP inscribed 8 x 10 $25

GALE GORDON SP inscribed 8 x 10 $15

LESLIE NIELSEN + ROBERT GOULET ANS to Army Archerd on London Hilton stationery $15

JIM NABORS Personal Bank of America check for $289.72 for water bill $15

MALACHI THRONE Large manila envelope addressed ion his hand to a Cape Cod theatre, with added “Photo Do Not Bend” written by him 3 times. Home address return address stamped in left corner. $5

KATHARINE HEPBURN lot collected from her rubbish, including handwriting in red Flair on fan envelopes, pieces of paper, greeting cards, personal stationery with mistakes, even a make-up sponge $100 free postage & insurance

MALACHI THRONE ALS $5

RUDY VALLEE Irate TNS to fan 1985 $10

JACK OAKIE Unsigned contract for Tin Pan Alley $8

LOUISE BEAVERS Vintage album page $25

FANNY BRICE vintage album page + GENEVIEVE TOBIN, RICHARD BARTHELEMESS on reverse $30

CHIEF JUSTICE CHARLES EVANS HUGHES Vintage album page $15

ED WYNN ANS $10

LUCREZIA BORE Vintage SP $20

GERALDINE FARRAR Vintage SP $20

HUGH HUBERT ALS + envelope $30

WILLIAM GILLETTE ANS, November 6, 1916 $50

WILLIAM GILLETTE ALS, June 9, 1926 $75

GOOGIE WITHERS Vintage SP $30

JOSEPH JEFFERSON ALS, July 28, 1902 $50

HOWARD ZINN Signed program $10

RICHARD LE GALLIENNE ALS May 31, 1917 to Sect of Treasury William McAdoo $20

PHIL SILVERS + GARSON KANIN + NANCY DUSSAULT + others, Signed theatre program $10

IRENE BORDINI Signed photo postcard $15

JANE WYATT Signed vintage album page $10

JOHN GUNTHER Signed card; card is not mounted to cardboard seen, mint $20

ALICE STONE BLACKWELL ALS $20

RUDY VALLEE Check to Benny Rubin $12

ROBERTA SHERWOOD ALS to Army Archerd $8

BRAD ANDERSON Original sketch of Marmaduke with sentiment and signature $50

DAME EDNA Signed and inscribed souvenir program $10

JOHN RITTER Signed, inscribed SP 8 x 10 $15

DAN ROWAN ANS $10

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN TNS $12

BEVERLY SILLS Complete 1969 issue of Newsweek signed and inscribed to producer Anna Sosenko, $20

MONTE BLUE Signed inscribed vintage 8 x 10 SP $15

HOWARD ZINN Signed Playbill $6

EVA LA GALLIENNE Quote from The Master Builder on her calling card $20

MINNIE DUPRESS ALS $20

ROSE MARIE TLS $8

RUE MCCLANAHAN Check endorsed $12

FARLEY GRANGER Vintage photo postcard $8

JANE COWL Vintage oversized album page + signed card $12

ROBERT ALDA Signed index card $5

CHARLOTTE GREENWOOD Vintage 5 x 7 SP with smiley face $25

DAVID MERRICK Document signed to Leonard Lyons giving him permission to use this image on Xmas cards. + prototype Christmas Card. Lyons has Merrick looking like Santa as a thief $35

MIKE MAZURKI Signed card $5

JOSEPH MANKIEWICZ Signed quote from “All Above Eve” $30

CHERYL CRAWFORD 2 TLS $20

STEPHEN SONDHEIM Important 2-page TLS, references to Oscar Hammerstein, Pearl S. Buck and Pacific Overtures, free $200 postage & insurance

HELEN HAYES TLS 1968 personal stationery $5

MILLICENT MARTIN Signed London Playbill $5

ESME PERCY Signed photo postcard $20

MAUREEN STAPLETON SP 4 x6 photo $6

AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS
SO FAR… First edition, signed by Kelsey Grammer $5

CINDY AND I Signed by Joey Adams $5

CINDY AND I Inscribed, signed by Joey Adams $7, foxing

THE IMPOSSIBLE ART First Edition Inscribed and signed Matthew Aucoin $12

MAYBE YOU NEVER CRY AGAIN First edition, inscribed and signed Bernie Mac $25

NOW First edition, signed by Lauren Bacall $12

THE END OF INNOCENCE First edition, signed by Chastity Bono $12

FROM CRIME SCENE TO COUTRTOOM Signed by Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, first edition $12

OUR PARIS Signed by Edmund White, first edition $10

DIAHANN Inscribed and signed by Diahann Carroll, first edition $5

WUNNERFUL! WUNNERFUL! Signed by Lawrence Welk $5

BAREFOOT GIRL ON BROADWAY Inscribed and signed by Ruth Hunter $5

A THEORY OF RELATIVITY Inscribed and signed by Jacquelyn Mitchard $5

HARD-TO-FIND BOOKS
JULIE HARRIS TALKS TO YOUNG ACTORS, Unsigned, Ex-lib, first edition,  long out-of-print $10


NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHS: 1850-1950 Huge coffee table book from the library of Julie Harris. Bookplate attached. This was given to Harris as a gift for participating in 1985 Night of 100 Stars $15

THE BROTHERS SHUBERT First edition, unsigned, long out-of-print $8

THE JEWISH MOTHERS’ HALL OF FAME Bob Dylan, Abbie Hoffman, Steven Spielberg, out of print, softcover $3

SHOW PEOPLE Kenneth Tynan $3

TRUE-CRIME MEMORABILIA
CHARLES MANSON Made out to himself, so signed twice; Monopoly check for $1,000,000, two swastikas $750 free postage and insurance

CHARLES MANSON Check for $69, two swastikas $600, free postage and insurance

JOHN DILLINGER Original FBI wanted poster, framed  about 12.5 by 12.5, $650, free postage and insurance

BONNIE & CLYDE Original FBI wanted poster, framed about 12.5 by 12.5 $650, free postage and insurance

BRUNO RICHARD HAUPTMANN Sentenced TO DIE Front page Santa Fe New Mexican, framed, MINT, 27 by 22.5, $100 postage + $50, refund postage of $1 or more will be refunded

RUTH, JUDD MUST DIE cut from front page of The Cleveland News, about 20 by 14 $30 + $10 postage

DILLINGER Die-cut movie promo for the opening of “Dillinger” in Spain starring Lawrence Tierney, Anne Jeffreys and Edmund Lowe. Framed.  Rare! $30

 

DISNEYANA
WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS

SPORTS GOOFY Cel, info on reverse about 18 by 16 $200 + $20 postage and insurance

GOOFY Lot of 8 animation drawings in a sequence of Goofy at the Gym/Prototype drawings for a toy. Unsigned. Graphite with red and blue pencil on paper 9 ¾ by 10 ¾, matted, unframed. Some with minor, unobtrusive staining/soiling. These were listed in Boston’s Skinner auction house catalog for $3000-$5000!  $100 + $20 postage and insurance

GOOFY Stat storyboard model sheet of Goofy from “Fly Fishing”” 11 by 14 framed. Information/ID on reverse. $100 + $20 postage and insurance

GOOFY  Stat storyboard model sheet of Goofy from “Double Dribble”” 11 by 14 framed. Information/ID on reverse. Information/ID on reverse. OK Jack Hannah. $100 + $20 postage and insurance

GOOFY Stat storyboard model sheet of Goofy from “They’re Off”” OK Jack Hannah. ABout 11 by 14.  $100 + $20 postage and insurance

.

GOOFY Breakfast poster promoting healthy meals during World War II, framed,  1943, California War Council 20 by 13. $100 + $20 postage and insurance

DISNEY ARTISTS Nude women model sheet done (unknown) Disney artists; sent to WWII soldiers, unsigned, framed, quite heavy. Background paperwork included. 24 by 20.5. This will be sent via UPS; $300+ $50 postage and insurance, with any excess of $1 being refunded

 

GOOFY Set of  5 moving toys, including Hot Wheels (1979) $10

GOOFY Set of 3 Marx. Bros. toys, 1960s, scarce $15

GOOFY  Animation drawing of Goofy from “Clock Cleaners” (1937). Inscribed in pencil lower right. Graphite and red pencil on paper $75

GOOFY Mickey Mouse Club plush, 1950s, original price tag of $95  from Walt Disney World still affixed, $45

GOOFY Goof Troop Set of four toys from the TV series. These toys had never been removed from their box until these photos were taken $10

GOOFY, MINNIE MOUSE & SCROOGE MCDUCK Christmas ornaments from Avon/”Mickey’s Christmas Carol” in original boxes, long retired, 1980s. These have been taken out of the boxes for the first time to take these photos. $20

GOOFY Marx Bros. bendable figurine, original clothes, rare $30

DON BLUTH PRODUCTIONS
Anne-Marie and the Boys from “All Dogs Go to Heaven”, gouache on celluloid. Framed. Information/ID on reverse. $100 + $20 postage and insurance

THEATRE
THE TAP DANCE KID  Small steel tray that was the opening night gift given to cast by producers, sealed in original bag $20

HELEN HAYES ELIA KAZAN Souvenir program for “Harriet” crease $5

KATHLEEN TURNER “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” Playbill inscribed and signed $10


THE PAJAMA GAME souvenir program Liza Minnelli at 20 years old $25

9 to 5 Original window card signed by the stars and crew, including Dolly Parton. These were only given to VIP press members . Very rare! $250 + $20 postage & insurance

BLACKSTONE THE MAGICIAN Program from St. Paul, 1947 $5

GLENDA FARRELL Program for “Brief Moment”, 1943 $5

COMPANY souvenir program Elaine Stritch, Larry Kert Autographed twice by Barbara Barrie $12

I DO! I DO! souvenir program  Mary Martin, Robert Preston $10

KATHLEEN TURNER Original promo photo of her as Mrs. Robinson in “The Graduate”, Boston, show info on reverse $10

GEORGE M! souvenir program Joel Grey, Bernadette Peters, Jill O’Hara $15

FORBIDDEN BROADWAY Promo photo with David Gaines $5

MAME souvenir program Angela Lansbury, Beatrice Arthur $12

STAR TIME souvenir program with Lou Holtz, Tony and Sally DeMarco and Benny Fields $5

 

THE TAP DANCE KID Alan Weeks, Hinton Battle $10

MY DEAR CHILDREN John Barrymore $25

MAME Original promo photo of Celeste Holm and a very young Loretta Swit,  Legendary photographer Friedman-Abeles credit stamp on reverse $15

ODDS & ENDS
FRANK SINATRA attends Ernie Kovacs funeral, UPI photo, 7 by 9 $10

GROUCHO MARX Silkscreened Mylar poster [21 inches by 21 inches] for his 1982 Carnegie Hall appearance. Minor bumps and dings, unsigned. Designed by Glen Christensen. Scarce! $75

LYLE TOWNSEND Vintage Broadway contract for the play The Blue Ghost $10

JANE WYMAN Funeral mass program #1, 4 pages stock card, color $25

JANE WYMAN #2 Funeral mass program, 4 pages stock card, color photo on cover $25

JANE WYMAN Funeral mass card $25

 

JEAN CARSON Funeral mass card $25



WILLIAM HAINES Facsimile signature, 8 by 10 $10

DUDLEY MOORE + JOHN GIELGUD Lot of 5 promo stills from Arthur $12


PATTY DUKE, SHARON TATE, SUSAN HAYWARD, BARBARA PERKINS VALLEY OF THE DOLLS Japanese movie poster 10.5 by 9.5, when unfodled, measures 20 by 10.5, near  mint and scarce! $75

WILLIAM POWELL Lot of 7 movie stars photos, includes Ruth Chatterton, William Powell, John Boles (2), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (2),  Loretta Young, Gary Cooper (2),  crackling, 5 by 7, $10

SANDY DENNIS + BETTY GARRETT 3 publicity photos from “And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little” $10

RICHARD BURTON & MAGGIE MCNAMARA original promo still from Prince of Players, 1956 date stamped on reverse about 7 by 9 $5

ATKINSON, TOPEKA AND SANTA FE RAILWAY official letter on letterhead $7

VAN HELFIN Publicity photo for The Shrek, 8 by 10 $5

LUCILLE BALL candid b/w photo with mother, 4 by 6 $8

LUCILLE BALL 8 by 10 b/w negative with Ginger Rogers $12

LIZA MINNELLI Invitation for private concert/dinner given by Hearst Magazines $10

 

LIZA MINNELLI age 18 holding awards, candid, 4 by 6 $10

PETER ALLEN + Chris Allen original promo #1, minor wear $15

PETER ALLEN + Chris Allen original promo #2, minor wear $15

LIBERACE “Sincerely Yours” promo 8 by 10  $5

ALMA RUBENS Photo with facsimile signature + negative photo was made from $10

REBA MCENTIRE Lot of 15 candid photos in concert, extreme close-ups 4 by 6, $12

MORTON DOWNEY SR. Promotional photo, facsimile signature $2

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER Candid color snapshot of him entering Wilbur Theatre in Boston about 4 by 6  $3

FABIAN Trading card $1


JOAN COLLINS #1 Redbook cover test Polaroid photo, unretouched, rejected by magazine $40

JOAN COLLINS #2 Redbook cover test Polaroid photo, unretouched, rejected by magazine $40

JOAN COLLINS #3 Redbook cover test Polaroid photo, unretouched, rejected by magazine $40

JOAN COLLINS #4 Redbook cover test Polaroid photo, unretouched, rejected by magazine $40

ELIZABETH TAYLOR Redbook cover test Polaroid photo, unretouched, rejected by magazine $40

JOHN GLENN 2 11 by 14 b/w candid photos during parade in Boston $20

 

AL HIRSCHFELD Bottle of sparkling wine given as promos to VIP theatre critics, 1980s. Note NINA label. Very rare! Never opened. $100 + $10 postage and insurance

PATTY DUKE, SHARON TATE, BARBARA PARKINS VALLEY OF THE DOLLS 11 by 14 lobby card, framed, in Spanish,  rare, $100 + postage and insurance $20

LIZA MINNELLI Sheet music to “Come Saturday Morning” from “The Sterile Cuckoo” $3

THE WHITE HOUSE Envelope from The White House during Reagan era $2


NINOTCHKA 11 by 14 Lobby card, framed, in Spanish, crease, rare $100 + postage and insurance $20

WOODY ALLEN Invitation to a party for his 60th birthday

KENNY ROGERS Promo photo on set of “The Gambler” 4 by 6 $3

HANS CONRIED Unusual promo Easter photo, crackling. About 7 by 9,  $6

ELIZABETH TALOR & RICHARD BURTON Scene from
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”? $10

LIZA MINNELLI AS BABY WITH DAD VINCENTE MINNELLI Wide World stamped on reverse 8 by 10 $20

MOVIE STAR LOT OF 14 PHOTOS, LOT 1 Linen-finished photos handed to movie patrons when the films listed under stars’ names opened at theatres. This lot includes W.C. Fields, Grace Moore, Will Rogers (color tinted), Alice Faye, Franchot Tone,  Henry Fonda, Gary Cooper, Rosalind Russell, Alice Faye, Ross Alexander, Margaret Sullivan, Joan Bennett, Rudolph Valentino (tear), Irene Dunne. Near mint! $25

MOVIE STAR LOT OF 11 PHOTOS, LOT 2, Linen-finished photos handed to movie patrons when the films listed under stars’ names opened at theatres. This lot includes Bette Davis,  Joan Crawford,   (color tinted), Robert Taylor,  Norma Shearer,  Fred MacMurray, Charles Boyer, Janet Gaynor, Errol Flynn,   Louise Hovick (Gypsy Rose Lee with movie ad on reverse), Jean Arthur, Constance Bennett. Near mint! $25

 

JFK and Marilyn Monroe Hell notes $5

WEEGEE A reprint from the original copy $20

THE BEATLES, BIG BANDS, TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD Set of 3 promo photos, 8 by 10 $7

FOREST LAWN Two books about the famous cemetery, both out of print, great photos! $10

LARRY HAGMAN Two napkins from  a 1980s party at his house in Malibu, CA $5

ARTHIUR ASHE Photocopy of his agreement to buy a NYC apartment for $700,000. Unsigned. $10

SHIRLEY TEMPLE cobalt blue cereal bowl, no chips, mint $30

PRE-COLUMBIAN FUNERARY PIECES decessioned from the Boca Raton Museum of Art, inventory numbers attached, wonderful lot. Various sizes.  $250 free postage & insurance

DVDs, TV

“Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” return in fully restored Americana glory

There’s nothing like keeping it all in the family.

One of the most popular series in television history is making a comeback,  fully restored,  in association with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, and from the original 35mm picture and sound elements. Welcome The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: Seasons 1 and 2 (MPI Media Group), arriving to entertain old fans and new viewers  on four-DVD sets on June 21, 2022. The two sets contain 39 episodes each, representing the complete first two seasons (78 episodes) of the long-running sitcom ranked number 6 on Vulture’s list of “The 50 Most Definitive Family TV Shows.”

For a record-breaking 14 seasons and 435 episodes, the series aired on ABC from 1952 through 1966, becoming one of the most cherished cultural touchstones of the 20th century. The positive, wholesome series epitomized an idyllic American ’50s lifestyle, its gentle humor brought to the screen by the real-life Nelson family: Ozzie and wife Harriet with their sons, David and Rick, all portraying themselves in a trend-setting blend of fact-meets-fiction comedy decades before Seinfeld and other semi-reality-based shows.

The series humorously chronicled the daily lives of the Nelsons as David and Ricky grew up before millions of weekly viewers. While Ozzie  had been a real-life bandleader and Harriet a singer, the series would help launch the musical career of their younger son, Ricky, who would become a teen idol with such enduring hits as “Travelin’ Man” and “Hello Mary Lou.”

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was the longest running live-action sitcom in U.S. television history until It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia surpassed it on December 1, 2021, when that series debuted its 15th season. But Ozzie and Harriet still hold the record for most episodes produced: 435. Among its Emmy nominations and many other accolades, TV Guide placed Ozzie Nelson at number 21 on its list of “50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time.”

O_HSeason1Cover-300dpiRGB.jpeg

And now, for the very first time, in association with the Nelson family, the entire series has been digitally restored for its 70th Anniversary with complete episodes from the original film negatives for superior picture quality.

OzzieHarrietDVDS2.jpeg

Season One contains all 39 full, fun-filled episodes on four DVDs, starting with the premiere show and other rare adventures not seen on television in decades. Don DeFore appears as Ozzie’s neighbor pal Thorny along with guest stars from classic television and films, including Hal Smith, Ellen Corby, Janet Waldo, Joseph Kearns, Frank Nelson and other familiar faces. Season Two also contains 39 episodes––with more lost moments appearing for the first time since originally broadcast—and features such guest stars as Frank Cady, John Carradine and Lurene Tuttle.

Books, Kiddie Fun, Kids' Books, Young Adult Books

“Is This My Home”? takes a delightful, interactive look at a traveling nurse’s adventures

It’s just what the doctor ordered, a most delightful interactive children’s book that follows Nanette, a young nurse travels across the country caring for wee ones who find themselves needing a nurse’s love.
Is This My Home? (Made For Me, $16.95/$12.95) is the first book in the Tales of a Traveling Nurse series, a most welcome treat that gives young readers ages 4-8 a look into the adventurous profession of travel nursing. Kids will have fun searching for Nanette as she enjoys a new city while following the children who find themselves needing a nurse’s care, from California to New York, Texas to Hawaii and beyond. With her big smile and fun bubble necklace, Nurse Nanette helps make a scary ‘trip to the doctor” that much easier!Inline image
Is This My Home? goes beyond engaging educational adventures: Shay Larby’s colorful and interesting illustrations give kids a look inside hospitals’ pediatric emergency departments while highlighting the importance of child safety and accident prevention.
The book is based on first-hand experiences: Author Sheri Sturniolo has been a registered pediatric nurse for more than 20 years. She started her career as a traveling nurse and her many adventures became the inspiration for the Tales of a Traveling Nurse series.  She enjoys writing children’s books that help little ones better understand the world around them while opening up important conversations between the reader and child. (Sheri began her author journey with her first series, You Were Meant for Me, written for her own children.) See more at talesofatravelingnurse.com
A must-have prescription for fun, facts and educational filled journeys!

Books, Young Adult Books

“Young Cyrano” introduces young readers to the teenage de Bergerac

We could toss about many so-little known (or unknown). We’ll choose two: Benoît-Constant Coquelin, Edmond Rostand. We’ll add a third: Sir Paul Cicchini.
Yet they all are related. Sort of.  Coquelin was a legendary French actor who originated the role of real-life Hercule Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac whose life was fictionalized in Rostand’s legendary play Cyrano de Bergerac back in 1897. Yep, he’s the Cyrano known for his large, misshapen proboscis; (mis)adventures of fighting, courageous sword fighting, action and, of course, the kiss given to gal pal Roxanne.
Cyrano was, and remains, hot. There have been many stage and screen adaptations. A new stage version starring James McAvoy takes centerstage at Brooklyn’s Academy of Music; little person and Big Star Peter Dinklage stars in the new big-screen musicalization.
And so enters New Jersey school psychologist Cicchini.
He has written Young Cyrano ($12.99), a novel that takes a breezy look at Cyrano when he was an awkward teenager. Before he became a self-assured hero, Cyrano and his best friends Le Bret and Roxanne took part in many of those teenage exploits with which today’s teens find pleasure . . . and perhaps pain.
Young Cyrano is written with a  flair that guides those in grades 7 through 12 into  playful and perplexing periods of youth, mystery and mayhem with the welcoming and wonder of what is to become.
To learn more about Young Cyrano or its author Sir Paul Cicchini, visit paulcicchini.com.


 

Books

The problem with ‘The Art of Bob Mackie’? The book was already written, back in 1979.

It’s a large, lavish coffeetable book, this expensive ($50) book that celebrates the fashions of Mackie and the women he (un)dresses. The Art of Bob Mackie (Simon & Schuster) has Mackie’s approval, but it was written by two die-hard fans.
Yet nearly 50 years, Mackie himself wrote (with co-author Gerry Bremer) Designing for Glamour (A& W Publishers), a smaller $14.95 volume that is packed with lots of color BM costume photos,

scores of dos and don’ts for fashion-driven success, even a (first) foreword by Carol Burnett. Sure, the book is long out of print,. but I stole a copy on eBay for $5, postage included.
The Art of Bob Mackie is an embarrassment of riches. Balancing the book on your lap is tough enough, but after a while, page after page after page of Mackie illustrations look that same, as seen below.

Most of the same  ladies are covered in both books (Carol, Cher, Diana, Ann, Mitzi, Bette, Barbra) and some of the photos are duplicated.
Perhaps if Dressing for Glamour was updated, and there was less Carol Burnett gab and more of Cher’s (or reversing the two). The Art of Bob Mackie would have more style.

2021 Holiday Gift Guide, Books, Carole Estby Dagg, William McKinley, Young Adult Books

History As It Happened: Carole Estby Dagg’s New Book Recounts a ‘Walk Across America’

As Santa’s elves—sometimes known as book publicists—continue to drop “gifts”—sometimes known as review copies—under our tree, we remain steadfast, promising to find the best of the best.
And then recommending those titles.
When we stumbled across Carole Estby Dagg’s new book, The Year We Were Famous: Helga and Clara’s Estby’s Walk Across a Changing America ($15.49), we were as impressed not only by the subject (more in a bit) but by her professional tagline, that she spends her time “writing about history as ordinary people  lived it”.
In this, Estby novelizes the true tale of her her suffragist great grandmother, Helga Estby, and Helga’s daughter, Carole’s grand aunt Clara, who walked 4,000 miles from their farm in Mica Creek, Washington, to New York City in 1896 in a heroic attempt to win $10,000 that would save the family’s farm . . . and prove women were invincible.
Inline image
Equipped only with satchels containing compass and maps, first-aid supplies, journals, pistol and a curling iron (!), they headed east along the railroad tracks. The walk began on May 6, 1896 in Spokane, Washington, and ended in New York City  232 days later, on December 23. The women  crossed mountains, deserts and plains; survived a highwayman attack, a flash flood and several blizzards; and went days without food and water. Let’s not forget that Helga and Clara wore out a total of 32 pairs of shoes.
During the year they walked and talked, they became famous, meeting governors and mayors, camping with Indians, and visiting the new president-elect, William McKinley.
Helga and Clara intended to write a book about their adventures, but the publisher reneged on her big-buck promise. Fortunately, newspapers across the country reported on their travels, so Carole was able to write her book based on those articles, with her imagination filling the gaps between facts.
By the way, we aren’t the only ones who were pleased by such a gift from the Jolly Fat Man’s helpers: The Year We Were Famous
won the Will Rogers Medallion; the Sue Alexander Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators; and the Willa award from Women Writing the West. It was also selected by the American Library Association for its 2012 Amelia Bloomer List of Best Feminist Fiction.
Santa’s elves have delivered a perfect pick for gift giving.
To order the book and for more info on the author, click caroleestbydagg.