“Nobody Does It Better”
Until last week, I had never heard of Recovered Voices, an ambitious program by the L.A. Opera to revive and stage works created by Jewish composers whose lives and work were suppressed by the Nazis. Under the guidance of L.A. Opera music director James Conlon and general director Placido Domingo, the L.A. Opera inaugurated Recovered […]
Makin’ Whoopee With Eddie Cantor
He’s not a household name today (though his character appears in episodes of “Boardwalk Empire”), but Eddie Cantor was the original renaissance man of the entertainment world in the early 20th century, conquering vaudeville, Broadway, records, Hollywood, radio and TV. Cantor began in vaudeville in 1907 in New York, moved to the Great White Way […]
Stardom, Celebrity, Fame and Narrative
I’ve often wondered about Jennifer Aniston’s stardom. Here’s an actress who’s become a star of sorts despite her middle-of-the-road looks and just-average acting abilities. After the demise of “Friends,” she went on to star in a host of comedies, most of which — because of her co-stars or director or a good script — have […]
The Nude Marilyn
As some of you know by now, earlier this year I co-authored with another Los Angeles writer — under the pseudonym A.J. Laurence — The Hollywood Guide to Marilyn Monroe, a loving look at Marilyn’s life and films. The eBook includes a comprehensive timeline of Marilyn’s life; fascinating details about her films (both on and […]
Late Nights With FM Radio and the Firesign Theatre
In the late sixties — like so many kids of my generation who were “revolting” against the status-quo and the all-too-narrow and straight pre-fab lifestyle of our parents (and many friends our age, as well, who opted for marriage and family right out of high school) — I would listen to the then-new phenomena of […]
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