Tuesday 27 August 2013

1966, Deaths: Montgomery Clift

Montgomery Clift died on 23 July, 1966, of a heart ailment in his house at 217 East 61st Street. He was found dead in bed in his New York apartment, he was 45. The cause of death was listed as a heart attack, but a major contributing factor was the cumulative effect of pain killers and liquor.
He was born in Omaha on February 17, 1921, and appeared in public for the first time at the age of 13 in an amateur stage production of "As Husbands Go". During the 1950's Montgomery Clift was one of Hollywood's finest actors, but his life went downhill after he was seriously injured in a car accident in 1956. He made 18 movies and was nominated for an Oscar four times, but never took a statue home. The movies were: "The Search" (1948), "A Place in the Sun" (1951), "From Here to Eternity" (1953), and  "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961).
Elizabeth Taylor & Montgomery Clift in "A Place in the Sun" (1951)
He often played outsiders like the social climber in "A Place in the Sun", the anguished Catholic priest in "I Confess", the doomed soldier Prewitt in "From Here to Eternity", and the Jewish GI in "The Young Lions".
Montgomery Clift & Donna Reed in "From Here to Eternity" (1953)
Montgomery Clift, Marilyn Monroe & Clark Gable in "The Misfits' (1961)

Wednesday 14 August 2013

1965, Music: The Beatles receive MBE


On October 26, 1965, the Beatles receive the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) awards from Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. Earlier that year on June 12, 1965, a spokesman for the British government announced that the Beatles have been named to the MBE list.

At a lunchtime press conference at Twickenham Film Studios, Paul said that "MBE must stand for Mister Brian Epstein". The Beatles' names were put forward for this honor by Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
Several previous recipients of the award felt the award was demeaned, and returned theirs. John Lennon's reaction: "Lots of people who complained about us receiving the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war – for killing people… We received ours for entertaining other people. I'd say we deserve ours more."
Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr with MBE
Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison with MBE

The Beatles awarded (Dutch News Flash, 1965)


Interview on June 12, 1965


Interview October 26, 1965

Friday 9 August 2013

1964, Film: “L'Homme de Rio”

"L'Homme de Rio" (English: "That Man From Rio") premiered on January 29 1964 in France. The adventure film starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Françoise Dorléac was directed by Philippe de Broca. It was the first film to be made by the French subsidiary of United Artists. The film was immensely successful, becoming the 4th highest earning film of the year in France.

At the 37th Academy Awards the film was nominated for the Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. The movie was heavily influenced by the Belgian cartoonist, Hergé and his Tintin adventures. Many plot points can be traced directly to Tintin books.

Synopsis
Adrien Dufourquet (Jean-Paul Belmondo) embarks on an 8-day leave in Paris to see his fiancée, Agnès Villermosa (Françoise Dorléac). Two South American Indians steal an Amazon statuette from a museum and force Professor Catalan (Jean Servais), the curator, into their car. Catalan was Agnès' father's companion on an Amazon expedition during which her father died. Adrien arrives in time to see the Indians abducting Agnès...
Françoise Dorléac & Jean-Paul Belmondo
Main Cast
  • Jean-Paul Belmondo as Adrien Dufourquet
  • Françoise Dorléac as Agnès Villermosa
  • Jean Servais as the Professor Norbert Catalan
  • Simone Renant as Lola
  • Roger Dumas as Lebel
  • Daniel Ceccaldi as Police inspector
  • Milton Ribeiro as Tupac
  • Ubiracy de Oliveira as Sir Winston
  • Adolfo Celi as De Castro
Françoise Dorléac & Jean-Paul Belmondo
Jean-Paul Belmondo & Françoise Dorléac
Awards
  • New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1964)

Trailer
 

Wednesday 7 August 2013

1963, Music: Lesley Gore


On May 30, 1963 New Jersey teenager Lesley Gore makes her first appearance on television singing "It's My Party". Lesley Gore (real name Lesley Sue Goldstein) was just a few weeks past her 17th birthday when she performed on the music show American Bandstand.

Three months earlier producer Quincy Jones saw and heard her in a Manhattan nightclub. In late February Jones helped her select "It's My Party" from among hundreds of demos he'd brought for her to consider. Six weeks later, Gore's debut single was finished and soon thereafter it was on its way to the top of the pop charts. "It's My Party" was followed by many other hits, including "Judy's Turn to Cry", "She's a Fool", "You Don't Own Me", "That's the Way Boys Are", "Maybe I Know", "Look of Love", and "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows".
"It's My Party" (1963)
Lesley Gore
Lesley was later nominated for an Oscar for co-writing the song "Out Here On My Own" from the movie Fame (1980).
 
Lesley Gore "It's My Party" (1963)