“America’s Mermaid”Much like Elvis, Esther Williams starred in films that were… less than acclaimed. It was her charm and stunning, theatrical swim routines that made them watchable.
If you’ve never seen one, take a look and enjoy some innocent fun with lots of splash. At the very least view some of the YouTube tributes to the effervescent star of screen and pool. Williams was 91 when she passed away last week.
Cult LegendEven one of Kyle MacLachlan‘s iconic roles would solidify him as a cult legend, but he’s making a career of it.
For David Lynch, he brought to life Agent Dale Cooper! Blue Velvet‘s Jeffrey Beaumont and Paul Atreides in Dune. He was even behind the most hilarious sex scene ever put to film in the incomparably bad/good Showgirls! And don’t forget the sci-fi B-movie and former Brix Pick, The Hidden, like everyone else has.
Now, as the silver fox Mayor of Portland in Portlandia, he is racking up more hip cred even after taking on more mainstream roles in Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives.
I love him. There’s just no one else that has his combination of quiet strangeness and sunshiney naivete. He’s like one of those truly cool guys that is even cooler because he doesn’t act “cool” at all (you know?).
Plus, he dated Linda Evangelista.
Plus, he is aging beautifully.
RIPI didn’t grow up with The Jeffersons, I discovered it later in life during Nick at Night marathons (and wrote about it here). I was sad to hear of Sherman Hemsley‘s passing. He was a cultural icon and quite funny, though extremely private in his personal life. He was 74.
Brown SugarIf you’ve heard The Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar” you know of Marsha Hunt. Mother to Jagger’s child, she was also once married to Mike Ratledge of Soft Machine and was romantically linked to Marc Bolan.
But Hunt was no career groupie. She was a singer in bands like The Ferris Wheel, an actress – she was literally the poster child for Hair in which she starred, and an author.
She is also a strong woman who is gorgeous and rocked an enviable, amazing afro.
RIPThe Band was one of the most effortlessly cool groups in rock and roll ever and one that is still influencing musicians and men who aspire to a sort of timeless hipness that grows from American roots that is hard to capture (but oh so relevant, especially today – look at any mustached bar keep or farmer-chic butcher).
The heart of the band was the charismatic drummer and singer Levon Helm. He played backup for Bob Dylan, had a solo career as musician and actor (notably in Steven Seagal’s Fire Down Below, and continued making music out of Woodstock, NY).
After a long battle with cancer, Helm passed away a few days ago but his legacy lives on and his work is fondly remembered by those who knew him and those who were moved by his music.
Poor Little FoolRicky Nelson isn’t necessarily remembered as a hit maker, even though he was as popular as Elvis on the charts for a time.
He’s also forgotten as a heartthrob even though he’s clearly down right adorable.
Maybe it’s that squeaky clean Ozzie and Harriet image that makes people omit him in their remembrance of hunks past.
Though, a perusal of his bio proves it was only that – an image.
His life was filled with affairs, illegitimate children and drugs not to mention sons who went on to become Nelson.
The images though are of classic boy next door good looks. There’s a slight mischievousness in his smirk but overall the boy looks wholesome and heartbreakingly cute.
Classy and Often Creepy ActorClaus von Bulow, pervy twin gynocolegists, Humbert Humbert, a Die Hard villian, the voice of Scar, and Dungeons and Dragon’s Profion… Jeremy Irons hasn’t exactly made his stunning career playing heartthrobs, but it doesn’t make his any less one.
There’s more undefinable charisma in his sly smile than most young Hollywood put together.
He seems like someone who could talk high minded chit chat over wine, maybe about the Renaissance or Quantum mechanics then surprise you with a wry low brow joke. He’d probably be blowing his cigarette smoke my way, and be about the only person in the world to get away with it. (Just bare with me on this wine drinking on a veranda with Jeremy Irons fantasy ok?)
I am currently loving him in Borgias (which starts again soon) and look forward to what it is rumored to be an amazing performance in Margin Call, but his back catalog could make for one awesome film festival (don’t forget Brideshead Revisited!).
Character ActorSo long Ben Gazzara. You were awesome.
Those looking to partake in a Gazzara marathon in tribute? Let me recommend a few gems starting light and ending depressing: Big Lebowski (Jackie Treehorn!), Hysterical Blindness, Roadhouse, Anatomy of a Murder, Dogville, and Husbands.
(Told you he was awesome.)
Jim has been using the imperfect but pretty awesome program called Tune Up to match our sprawling music library with titles and cover art.
Because of this, when the AM Gold classic, Baby Come Back came on, I beheld one of the most brazenly extreme 1970’s displays of questionable men’s taste. Tinted glasses, deep V necks, silver belts, indescribable coifs, handle bar mustaches and their name is PLAYER!.. Of course, I was instantly in love.
But, wait just a second… That guy in the blazer and silk scarf(!) doesn’t he look familiar?
Could it? It couldn’t. But maybe it could be… Is that the hunk from one of the best films ever made – Hard Ticket to Hawaii??
Oh my goodness, friends. I found out that indeed, it is the same man.
Rowdy Abilene from Hard Ticket sang Baby Come Back.
I’ll just let that sink in.
His real name is Ronn Moss and apparently everything he touches is pure gold. Which means I should probably have been watching The Bold in the Beautiful where he played a fashion magnate named Ridge Forrester!!!
Austrian ActorWell, hello Helmut Berger!
While several of his films have been on my radar of movies I should probably see one day (The Damned, The Garden of the Fitzi Continis) I have to admit I’ve never seen those devilish Giallo worthy eyes and devastating cheek bones in action.
(And unfortunately the one film of his in Netflix instant Beast with a Gun seems largely unwatchable.)
Still, he is undeniably, irrefutably a very very handsome man who would have been a perfect Jaime from Game of Thrones in his day.
Thanks to one of my favorite sites, Chained and Perfumed for introducing me.
Click here for the rest of Helmut Berger