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droughtofapathy · 6 months

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The Gilded Age's Broadway Divas: Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski)

Christine Baranski plays the curmudgeonly head of the van Rhijn household who always has a sharp word for everything. A bastion of Old New York, Agnes detests change and challenges to tradition.

In contrast, Christine Baranski has had a long and illustrious career in the theatre, even before earning mainstream recognition in movie musicals such as Chicago (2002 - a delight), Mamma Mia (2008 - an icon), and Into the Woods (2014 - the highlight in a dismal movie). In the theatre, she has taken on seven of Sondheim's finest works to much better success, including the original pre-Broadway workshop of Sunday in the Park with George (Clarisse, later named Yvonne), regional productions of Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett), and the exquisite Encores! production of Follies (Carlotta) alongside Donna Murphy, our Mrs. Astor at large.

Christine is a two-time Tony winner for Best Featured Actress in a Play for The Real Thing and Rumors. We all know her iconic Tanya Chesham-Leigh of the Mamma Mia cinematic universe, so you'll forgive me if I neglect those performances in this list.

#1: "A Little Priest," Sweeney Todd (1999)

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With Sweeney Todd raking in over $1.7 million weekly, let's start with one of many Sweeney Todd productions that's just so much better than what they've got going on at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre these days.

The act one closer is considered by many as Sondheim at his lyrical best. A comedic killer of a number, nailing the intricate lyrics would give even the strongest theatre veteran anxiety (I have seen many a delightful disaster and brutal butchery of this number), but Christine does so with aplomb.

This performance alongside Kelsey Grammar as Sweeney is from the 1999 Reprise! L.A. 20th anniversary concert production at the Ahmanson Theatre. Three years later, Christine would go on to reprise her role as Mrs. Lovett at The Kennedy Center opposite Broadway's leading man Brian Stokes Mitchell. Also featured in this production is another Gilded Age actress, but more on that later.

#2: "Everybody Wants to Do a Musical," Nick & Nora (1991)

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Based on the book/film/tv Nick and Nora Charles, this musical is infamous for being one of the most notorious flops in Broadway history. It had a then-record breaking preview period of 71 shows, and closed after just nine performances, proving not even an all-star cast (including Joanna Gleason, Chris Sarandon, Debra Monk, and Faith Prince) and creative team can make a hit.

Here, Christine plays Tracy Gardner, a fading starlet whose comeback is threatened by an untimely murder. There's really not much that can be said about the plot, but if anyone wants me to recite an oral history of everything I know about this flop, DM me.

It's a miracle we even have a cast album to commemorate this...special show. A full bootleg can be found HERE on youtube, if you want to see this masterpiece for yourself. I can't imagine why you'd want to though.

#3: "A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing," Promises, Promises (1997)

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Once again proving her comedic chops, here Christine plays a one-scene wonder barfly named Marge MacDougall in the 1997 Encores! production of Promises, Promises opposite Martin Short. The height difference really elevates the comedy. Her character shows up for one scene (and a half) and in every production, has stolen the show. You can see why. The number really has no plot value, but it's perfect in every way.

A note: Encores! for those unfamiliar, is a series of limited run concert-style productions put on by New York City Center. It was originally conceived 30 years ago to highlight hidden gems and forgotten pieces, but has included more mainstream shows in recent years (y'know, to keep the lights on).

Incidentally, Christine is not the only Gilded Age actress to take on this role to great success. The other actress has a...wildly different approach to the role. But more on that later...

#4: "I'm Still Here," Follies (2007)

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I love Follies. I would commit atrocities you cannot fathom to have seen the 2007 Encores! production of Follies, starring fellow Gilded Ager Donna Murphy as Phyllis, Victoria Clark as Sally, and featuring Christine Baranski as Carlotta. Here, singing one of Sondheim's greatest hits, Christine plays an aged former Follies girl whose big number was cut, but is happy to serenade her audience with it now. My kingdom for a high quality bootleg of this show, please someone must have it.

Full disclosure: this is not my favorite rendition. That honor goes to Elaine Stritch in the Sondheim 80th Birthday Concert. But this one is damn good, now that I'm reviewing it. It showcases Christine's fantastic vocal and acting abilities, and that's Sondheim for you.

In 2015, Christine would go on to play Phyllis in the Royal Albert Hall production of Follies. And I love you, Christine, but you are a Carlotta through and through.

#5: "Welcome to the Theatre," Applause - Kennedy Center Honors (1997)

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This past week, Christine Baranski honored opera diva Renee Fleming at the Kennedy Center Honors, but that was not only time. In 1997, she was one of three mega talents honoring the gorgeous, the glamorous, the golden girl from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Lauren Bacall.

She opened the tribute with a song from Bacall's Tony-winning Applause, a musical based on All About Eve. Side note: people have divisive opinions on Lauren Bacall's singing voice. I love it.

While Christine's isolated performance can be found, I elected to link to the full tribute so you can all enjoy this delight. Following Christine is my beloved Bebe Neuwirth, and the late Ann Reinking (singing songs unrelated to Lauren Bacall, but fuck it). The final trio of all three women is the stuff of my dreams. I need you to witness it too.

Bonus: "Hot for Howie"

Nothing I can say will add to this. I'll just let the song speak for itself.

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LINK TO MASTERPOST

#the gilded age #agnes van rhijn #christine baranski #sweeney todd #nick & nora #follies #promises promises #applause #broadway #musical theatre

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petervintonjr · 9 months

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"A first-class citizen does not beg for freedom. A first-class citizen does not plead to the power structure to give him something that the whites have no power to give or take away. Human rights are human rights, not white rights."

Meet "Glorious" Gloria Hayes Richardson (later Dandridge), the first woman to found and lead a grassroots civil rights organization outside of the Deep South, the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee (CNAC). Born in 1922 Baltimore, Maryland during the Depression, Gloria was fortunate to be born into a reasonably privileged Black family --her father's family, the Hayes, owned real estate and operated businesses; and her mother's family, the St. Clairs, were politically active and well-connected --her maternal grandfather was the sole Black member of the Cambridge, Maryland city council. Gloria graduated from Howard University in 1942 and worked for various Federal agencies during World War II, but was unemployable in social services after the war due to her race. In 1948 she married schoolteacher Harry Richardson and spent the next 13 years raising their children, where the story might be expected to end.

It was her own teenage daughter Donna that changed Gloria's life trajectory. In 1961 Donna became involved with the Freedom Riders and then the SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), in an attempt to desegregate Cambridge's public accommodations. Gloria also joined in the efforts but pointedly did not subscribe to, nor endorse, the SNCC's prevailing commitment to non-violence. When desegregation actions faltered, Gloria instead created the aforementioned Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee (CNAC) as an adult-run SNCC affiliate. With the advantage of being in a so-called "border" state rather than in the Deep South, the CNAC was able to expand its scope of grievances, such as housing discrimination and health care. It also pursued its protest actions more aggressively (and with more violent consequences) than was the hallmark of the SNCC. In the summer of 1963 protest actions were sufficient to prompt Maryland Governor Millard Tawes to enact martial law. In an iconic photo (the basis for my illustration), Richardson visibly and angrily pushes back against a National Guard bayonet rifle. In July of that year Richardson actually landed a face-to-face meeting with then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and made it plain to him that the civil rights movement was not just about desegregation and voter registration drives, but also about systemic poverty and joblessness (Black unemployment ran to nearly 40% that year). In the aftermath of that meeting, the Treaty Of Cambridge was negotiated, which proposed to desegregate Dorchester County public facilities, establish provisions for public housing, and create a human rights commission.

Unfortunately Richardson's unapologetic means and methods, while certainly inspiring and headline-grabbing (and also placing her at No. 2 on the Ku Klux Klan's target list, just after Martin Luther King), also bore a cost: barely a month later, while she and five other women from the CNAC had been specifically invited to sit on the stage with King at the March On Washington, she was not allowed by its organizers to actually speak and only managed a quick "hello" to the assembled crowd that day, before her microphone was cut.

After the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, after two years of near-continuous demonstrations, an exhausted Gloria resigned from the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee and moved to New York. In later years she divorced Harry Richardson and married Frank Dandridge, a freelance photographer. For the rest of her life Gloria remained steadfastly committed to pushing back against entrenched white supremacy, and never compromised in her advocacy. Notably she did not support Barack Obama's presidential campaign, viewing him as lacking the same depth and background of the civil rights advocates of the 60's. However she did live to the age of 99 --long enough to be able to watch from her New York apartment window the hopeful spectacle of a new generation of angry protestors taking their outrage to the streets, after the murder of George Floyd. Gloria died shortly afterwards, on July 15, 2021. The city of Cambridge, Maryland now features her likeness on a 50' x 20' mural, just adjacent to a depiction of a fellow Dorchester County native, Harriet Tubman.

"This Supreme Court is backward and extremely right-wing. They did a job on affirmative action and will certainly go after Roe v. Wade." --from a disturbingly prophetic interview in 2008

#black lives matter #cnac #sncc #treaty of cambridge #march on washington #gloria richardson #teachtruth #dothework

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silvermarmoset · 1 year

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if you had to pick one outfit from each nuwho doctor's era which ones would you pick? could be from anyone

terrific question!!

Nine

my first thought was the subtlety of any of Nine's jumpers and my second thought was Jabe and her beautiful dress, but I think I'm going to have to cop to my love of character-based costume design and say Rose's insane scarf outfit from Boom Town. if i really wanted to be normal I'd point to her white tank top outfit in Dalek—which does such a stunning job of setting Rose as the moral touchstone in a dark, angry episode—but I have a big weak spot for Rose going full silly and wearing a big loud scarf and a tiny skirt and her hair in those nonsense braids. it's the first time in series 1 we see Rose kind of lean into the I'm-a-glamorous-time-traveler-outside-the-laws-of-normie-fashion, so it's kind of a precursor to her choices in s2 but also such a fun break from her s1 hoodie-and-a-jean uniform. I love the hoodie-and-a-jean uniform, but if we're going to pick fave looks, this is it for me.

runners-up:

the dalek tank top

rose's hot pink loudmouth shirt in 'wwiii'

jabe <3

Ten

Rose's Tooth and Claw look is my definition of perfection. I love all the story elements it covers: Rose's sass and youth and flirtiness, that little bit of messy that always shows up when she's at her best, how it's both jaunty and ready to adventure but also so (SO) much an outfit for a cute date. And then there's the visual pun of the crown right on her chest—my GOD that's a fun touch. RTD once said this is the episode he'll be playing on endless repeat at the old folks home and for the crown T-shirt alone I'd agree with him.

runners-up:

donna's beautiful red shirt we see for 14 seconds in 'turn left'

pretty much everything of martha's but i'd be lying if i said i don't think of her 'family of blood' military jacket nigh-constantly

all of ten's ties but mostly the fruity ones

Eleven

i was going to write a long screed about how unjust forcing me to pick one outfit from the era of amy pond is, and then I remembered River Song's gold dress exists and i have no other opinions. this. this this this. give it to me.

runners-up:

there aren't any

give me the dress

ugh fine amy's wedding dress and her big red sweater can be here too

Twelve

SO SO SO DIFFICULT. bill is here and bill is the icon. I'm going to go with her stripe-shirt-and-overalls gorgeousness from Knock Knock. It really doesn't have any character relevancy or bigger meaning, I just think it's cute as fuck and I want to shake Hayley Nebauer's hand.

runners-up:

clara's 'into the dalek' blue-eyed pun shirt

bill's french fry shirt

river song's gorgeous christmas dresses

Thirteen

i haven't watched thirteen's era entirely so I'm on the wrong foot here, but I'm going with Aisling Bea's wonderfully noxious outfit because she was a delight and I would have liked to see more of her barely contained rage buffeting Thirteen for about twenty more episodes.

(this woman would have been an iconic companion and nothing can convince me otherwise)

runners-up:

i like thirteen's color-reversed coat!

jo martin <3

#doctor who #doctor who costume design #rose tyler #bill potts #river song #dw analysis

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roy-dcm2 · 1 year

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MyDCU - The Crime Syndicate

From time to time I like to think about, what would be the modern Legion of Doom? Because the "Superfriends" version has guys like Brainiac and Grodd, who I think wouldn't want to team up with humans, and also the Riddler, who doesn't have powers.

I think picking members for the Syndicate is easier than the LoD because you only need to look at the iconic members of the JLA as a major sign post on where to go, and I decided to aim for 13 members just for fun. One thing to keep in mind is that they're NOT 1:1 analogs of the main JLA. For instance, Owlman is Thomas Wayne Jr, who had a younger brother (Bruce) who died. In the most common version, Super Woman was Lois Lane, but the "Crisis on Two Earths" version was Mary Marvel, meanwhile the New 52 version is Donna Troy. You could say that remixing all the characters is part of the fun of having Infinite Earths

Two big change ups: I would leave out Johnny Quick/ Power Ring. I think if you have an Evil Flash, you got to wonder why he wouldn't time travel all the time. Meanwhile, Power Ring makes you wonder, where's the rest of the Evil GL corps? Or why don't you get GOOD Brainiac to help you? So, leave out most of the Space Stuff.

SO, you've got to start off with the Big 3: Ultraman, Owlman, Superwoman.

Ultraman: I like the version that was a human astronaut who was "super evolved" by aliens while on a mission, but the process made him evil. Its a nice allusion to the versions of Superman that's an advanced human.

Owlman: Gotta go with Thomas Wayne Jr. This evil "Batman" decided to conquer/ kill the criminals that killed his family. Batman's mission is this never ending quest for "the one that got away." In Owlman, we see a version that decided to control everything. Also, in the main DCU, Thomas Wayne Jr. was "Talon" a champion of the Court of Owls.

"Superwoman" - I'd go with a new version that is either Diana, or Hippolyta. A "Herald" of the Roman Gods, there to start a war that will end the world. Except she's taking her sweet time, enjoying "man's world." Alternatively, if I could have infinite time to tell a story, then I would make her Lois Lane, but this time she's a Star Sapphire. (WW and Star Sapphire used the have basically the same origin.)

Let's look at some other CS members based on the some classic JLAers. I don't know these other members very well, so I'm going cover them really quick

Sea King - basically a version of Aquaman that instead of growing up on Land, became the tyrant of the seven seas.

Grid - a version of Cyborg that fully embraced his machine side.

DeathStorm - an Evil Firestorm that is technically controlled by Dr. Martin Stein.

Atomica - An Evil version of The Atom, also happens to be a woman.

Silver Cyclone - an evil version of Red Tornado. Secretly hates all humans.

Black Siren - an evil Black Cannary. Alternatively, there was a version called "white cat.

Angelique - an Evil verison of Hawkgirl.

Vamp - an Evil Version of Vixen.

Black Power - Evil Black Lightning

"Stretch man" - I don't think he officially has a name. He's just evil Plastic Man. Very important character because he's famously unkillable.

Yeah. really quick. Again, I don't really know the members of the Crime Syndicate all that well. I guess the next thing would be to break them up into Sub-families like it was illustrated in "Crisis on Two Earths." Its tough because the Syndicate would not tolerate anyone that could be a threat to their power. So you wouldn't want to shove every single DC hero into one of these things, but i would like to see an evil version of the Outsiders, or the extended Superman family.

#MyDCU #Roy-DCM2 #DC comics #dccomics #DC Universe #Justice League #Crime Syndicate #Superman #Batman #Wonder Woman #Legion of Doom

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harrytheehottie · 2 years

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Donna Martin my style icon 😭😭😭

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thoughtfullyrainynightmare · 2 years

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Hi Laura! Guess who 🙈 Anyway, if you could make a playlist based on your life, which songs would be included?

Hiya! Aaaa 😭 Anshi uses that emoji most out of my mutuals, but Kit is the music mastermind kdnshdhe Or Donna perhaps 👀 (now I'm just going to go burrow away because I don't know for sure 😭 XD)

Hmmm...

Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez

Hollow by Icon for Hire

Devil on my shoulder by Faith Marie

Breathe by Tommee Profitt

Odds are by The FifthGuys

In the name of love by Martin Garrix

This mountain by Faouzia

Exothermic by Faouzia

Those I think I would include in there 🤔

Thank you for the question!

#Ask game #anon flamelets

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domyoujihive · 1 year

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#donna martin #kelly taylor #brenda walsh #brenda walsh icons #kelly taylor icons #donna martin icons #tori spelling #shannen doherty #jennie garth #kelly x donna #brendakelly #beverlyhills90210 #bh 90210 #bh90210 icons #omg 90s #omg icons #90s nostalgia

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airasilver · 3 months

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Dean Martin's 8 Children: All About His Sons and Daughters

GET TO KNOW DEAN MARTIN’S EIGHT CHILDREN: CRAIG, CLAUDIA, GAIL, DEANA, DEAN PAUL, RICCI, GINA AND SASHA

By LYNSEY EIDELL  Published on March 10, 2024

Dean Martin was a legendary talent — he rose to fame as part of a comedy duo with Jerry Lewis, left his mark on the world of television with The Dean Martin Show, recorded countless hits and starred in more than 50 movies throughout his decades-long career.

He was also a member of the famous Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and others, which gained him a reputation as an irresponsible party-goer. But that on-screen and onstage persona was nothing more than a gimmick, according to his children.

"He is not as out-to-lunch as his image makes him. The truth is that he is very complex. If he drank as much as everyone says he does, he would be dead," his son Dean Paul told PEOPLE in 1978. Rather, in real life, his children have said Dean was a dedicated father — reportedly making it home for dinner every night at 6 p.m. when the kids were young.

Dean's eight children came from three different marriages. He had a son, Craig, and daughters Claudia, Gail and Deana with his first wife, Betty McDonald. They divorced in 1949, and Dean married a model named Jeanne Biegger (later known as Jeanne Martin) the same year. The couple, who were married for 24 years, had three children together: sons Dean Paul and Ricci, and a daughter named Gina.

The crooner's third and final marriage was to Catherine Hawn; he adopted her daughter Sasha after their wedding in 1973. The singer died on Christmas Day in 1995 from respiratory failure — but his legacy lives on through his iconic work and his large family.

Here's everything to know about Dean Martin's eight children, Craig, Claudia, Gail, Deana, Dean Paul, Ricci, Gina and Sasha.

Craig Martin, 81

Dean's first child from his marriage to McDonald was a son named Craig, born June 29, 1942. Craig's early childhood was lived mainly out of the spotlight save for his parent's divorce in 1949 when he was around 7 years old. His father gained sole custody of Craig and his three siblings, who were raised by Dean's second wife, Jeanne, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Craig followed his father's footsteps into the entertainment industry, working as a television producer. He began his career in the late 1960s as a production coordinator on The Dean Martin Show. Craig is credited with working as a production supervisor and associate producer on the variety show as well as working as an associate producer in the late 1970s on the show Sha Na Na.

Through his work in television, Craig met Carole Costello — the daughter of another famous entertainer, Lou Costello. They were eventually married and remained together until Costello's death in March 1987 at the age of 48. She died of a stroke, just eight days after Craig lost his younger brother Dean Paul in a plane crash, per the Los Angeles Times.

Since those tragedies, Craig has lived a life of privacy. His sister Deana posted on X (formerly Twitter) in June 2022 to pay tribute to the eldest of the Martin clan. "Happy 80th birthday to my sweet brother Craig," she wrote, alongside an old image of the family.

Claudia Martin

Dean's eldest daughter, Claudia, was born on March 16, 1944.

As a child, Claudia was also bitten by the entertainment bug. She made her big screen debut in the 1956 film Hollywood or Bust, and later appeared in For Those Who Think Young, The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini and Ski Fever. Claudia also had roles on the television shows My Three Sons and The Donna Reed Show.

The actress married fellow performer Kiel Martin in 1969 and the couple had one child together, a daughter named Jesse. Following their divorce in 1971, Claudia was married three more times: to actor Vincent Lucchesi, Thomas Brown and lastly, Jim Roberts. She and Roberts moved to Reno, Nevada, where they opened a printing business together.

Claudia remained in Reno until her death in February 2001 from breast cancer — she was 56 years old.

Gail Martin Downey, 78

Dean and McDonald welcomed their third child, a daughter named Barbara Gail, on April 11, 1945. Gail — who goes by her middle name — has shared several recollections of what it was like being a part of such a large, famous family.

Growing up, Gail's best friend was Liza Minnelli, she babysat for a young Jamie Lee Curtis and she knew Frank Sinatra as her "uncle." Gail told Vanity Fair in 2009, "Somebody asked me a long time ago, 'So what's it like to be Dean Martin's daughter?' You want to say, finally, 'Compared to what?' I always was, you know?"

Dean's second-born daughter also took her turn in the entertainment industry as a singer, opening for her father's Las Vegas performances and touring around the country. But Gail abandoned her singing career early on to get married and raise a family. In 1968, at the age of 23, she married 42-year-old attorney Paul Polena in her parents' backyard in Beverly Hills. The couple had two daughters, named Cappy and Liza, according to her brother Ricci's book, That's Amore.

Gail and Polena eventually divorced, and she remarried newspaper columnist Mike Downey in Las Vegas in July 1999, per the Los Angeles Times. The pair reside in Rancho Mirage, California.

Deana Martin, 75

Dean's fourth and final child with McDonald was a daughter named Deana, born Aug. 19, 1948. In 2019, Deana told Fox News that her dad missed her birth because he was in Los Angeles performing with Lewis at the famed nightclub Slapsie Maxie's.

The constant presence of Hollywood stars in her life — particularly Rat Pack members Sinatra and Davis Jr. — inspired Deana to pursue an entertainment career herself. "Growing up, I was given tap, ballet and piano lessons. I guess performing was just in my genes. And, to tell you the truth, I think all the Martins are kind of hams," Deana told the Northeast Times in 2014.

She began by frequently performing on her father's variety show in the late 1960s, moving on to theater work and appearing in films including 1969's Young Billy Young and Strangers at Sunrise then Paesano: A Voice in the Night in 1975. Deana has also had an accomplished singing career, recording five albums between 2006 and 2016.

Throughout Deana's career, she's frequently paid tribute to her iconic father. Her first album, Memories Are Made of This, featured covers of several of Dean's most famous songs, including "Everybody Loves Somebody" and "That's Amore." She celebrated what would have been her father's 100th birthday with a show called Deana Sings Dino, which showcased her performing his hit music in Las Vegas and his hometown of Steubenville, Ohio. Deana also published a New York Times best-selling book in 2004 called Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes.

"I have to recognize what Dean Martin did for the world, the joy he brought to everyone," she told the Los Angeles Times in 2017.

In her personal life, Deana wed film and music producer John Griffeth in 1990 after meeting on a blind date the year prior. The couple renewed their vows on their 25th wedding anniversary in 2015.

Dean Paul Martin Jr.

The first child from Dean's marriage to Jeanne was a son named Dean Paul Martin Jr., born Nov. 17, 1951. It didn't take long for Dino Jr. (as he was called growing up) to earn himself a reputation as a "golden boy."

"The problem with Dean is that he was too good at too many things," his friend Morgan Mason told PEOPLE in 1987.

Those things included tennis (he played as a child, at the University of Los Angeles and was ranked as a professional), singing (he had a rock band called Dino, Desi & Billy with friends Desi Arnaz Jr. and Billy Hinsche) and acting (he received a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the 1979 movie Players).

Dean Paul — as he was called as an adult — also tried his hand as a semi-professional football player, race car driver and pre-med student. The multihyphenate appeared to have found his calling when he became a pilot with the Air National Guard in 1981.

"I’m proud of him," Dean said of his namesake. "I’d be proud even if he didn’t become a jet pilot, because he’s a good boy. He just doesn’t know what he wants to be.”

In his personal life, Dean Paul was married twice. In 1971, when he was 19, he wed actress Olivia Hussey. The couple had a son together, named Alexander, and split after four years. In 1982, he wed Olympic figure skater Dorothy Hamill; they were divorced by 1984.

Tragedy struck in March 1987 when Dean Paul's plane crashed into the side of a mountain during a routine training exercise — he was just 35 years old. The death was said to have crushed his father.

Ricci Martin

Dean's sixth child and youngest son, Ricci, was born on Sept. 20, 1953. Like many members of his talented family, Ricci took to performing from an early age. "I grew up with it. Not that we would ever walk into the house and hear Dad's songs playing on the stereo. Or even Frank's. It was always someone else. But there was always music," he told the Deseret News in 2007.

Ricci released an album in 1977 titled Beached, in collaboration with Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys, and had a hit song called "Stop Look Around." By the late 1990s, Ricci began performing alongside his late brother Dean Paul's former bandmates Arnaz Jr. and Hinsche in the group Ricci, Desi & Billy — an homage to his older brother's former rock band.

In 2002, Ricci wrote a memoir titled That's Amore: A Son Remembers about growing up with his famous family in Beverly Hills. In the book, he recounted his 21st birthday party that was attended by the likes of John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Elizabeth Taylor, David Bowie and Elton John, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Ricci was married to Annie Rasmussen and the pair had three daughters, Pepper, Montana and Rio. In August 2016, the performer was found dead in his home at the age of 62.

At the time of his death, Ricci's older sister Deana posted a tribute on Facebook. "My family and I are devastated. He was one of the sweetest souls I have ever known," she wrote. "Ricci's kindness, sweetness and loving nature will be missed more than words can say."

Gina Martin, 67

The youngest child from Dean's marriage to Jeanne was a daughter named Gina, born on Dec. 20, 1956. Compared to her siblings, Gina has led a life relatively out of the spotlight. She appeared with her family on a holiday episode of The Dean Martin Show in 1967; 20 years later, Gina acted in a television movie called Action Family.

She wed Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys in 1987 after seven years of dating, according to Ricci's memoir, That's Amore. The wedding was "a nice glimmer of sunshine in what had been a gray season for our family" after the passing of Dean Paul earlier in the year, Ricci wrote.

Gina remained married to Wilson until his death from lung cancer in 1998, per the Los Angeles Times.

Sasha Martin

Dean married his third wife, Catherine, in 1973. She was a receptionist at a Beverly Hills hair salon and had a daughter named Sasha whom Dean adopted after their wedding.

"I never referred to her as my step-sister or adopted sister," Ricci wrote in That's Amore. "Through three marriages and eight kids, we were always one family. The Martins."

Catherine and Dean would eventually divorce in 1976, but the father-of-eight always made sure Sasha "was taken care of," according to Ricci's memoir.

Sasha would go on to have a brief career in acting, playing Marina Cooper on the soap opera Guiding Light from 1997 to 1999 and appearing in the 1997 film Private Parts as Howard Stern's daughter.

#dean martin #children #family

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entertainmentcore · 10 months

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Unraveling the Mystery: Exploring Season 3 of "Only Murders in the Building"

August 7, 2023 — The comedic intrigue of "Only Murders in the Building" continues to captivate audiences as the third season sets the stage for a new murder mystery. In a dynamic blend of humor and suspense, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez reprise their roles as dedicated true crime podcasters, embarking on another investigation that promises twists, turns, and unexpected revelations. As we delve into the intriguing details of the season three premiere, it's clear that the show's creators are crafting yet another spellbinding narrative.

A Recap of the Season 2 Finale

In the final moments of the second season, "Only Murders in the Building" set the stage for an intriguing continuation. The trio of podcasters, Charles-Haden Savage, Oliver Putnam, and Mabel Mora, portrayed by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, respectively, were preparing to delve into another murder mystery. Paul Rudd's character, Ben Glenroy, appeared to be the victim in question, signifying a promising new case for the inquisitive trio.

A Twist in the Tale

However, the season three premiere, titled "The Show Must," adds an unexpected twist to the narrative. The death of Ben Glenroy, initially presumed to be a central element of the new case, takes an intriguing turn. While the murder initially appeared to have occurred during the events of the second season, the premiere clarifies that Ben's death was short-lived, revealing that he survived his apparent demise on stage. The new season introduces a fresh mystery, inviting the audience to uncover the truth behind Ben's ultimate demise.

The Suspects Unveiled

As the third season unfolds, a cast of intriguing characters is introduced, each with their motives and potential ties to the murder. The show paints a complex web of relationships and circumstances that could provide insights into the mystery. Let's explore some of the primary suspects who could hold the key to solving the case:

Loretta Durkin

The introduction of Loretta Durkin, portrayed by the iconic Meryl Streep, adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative. Loretta, a struggling actress, becomes entangled in a web of relationships with the podcasters and other characters. With her connection to Oliver and the strained ties with Ben, Loretta emerges as a potential suspect, given the tensions that surround her.

Dickie Glenroy

Ben's brother and manager, Dickie Glenroy, portrayed by Jeremy Shamos, presents another layer of suspicion. As a key figure in Ben's life, Dickie's involvement in Ben's diet and health raises questions about his potential motives. The relationship between the two brothers and the circumstances surrounding their interactions could hold clues to the murder.

Tobert the Documentarian

Jesse Williams' character, Tobert, adds a layer of mystery as Ben's documentarian. With cryptic statements that hint at his potential involvement, Tobert's role in capturing Ben's life on film becomes a focal point of intrigue. His presence in the narrative raises questions about his true intentions and whether his camera holds secrets.

Donna and Clifford DiMeo

Mother-son duo Donna and Clifford DiMeo, portrayed by Linda Emond and Wesley Taylor, respectively, introduce an intriguing dynamic. The strained relationship between Ben and the producers of "Death Rattle," along with their potentially criminal demeanor, positions them as possible suspects. The unsettling kiss and their interactions with Ben set the stage for suspicion.

Howard and the Arconia Residents

Considering that the murder occurred within the building, residents like Howard, played by Michael Cyril Creighton, come under scrutiny. Howard's upgraded role in the series and his potential motivations add complexity to his character. As a resident of the building, he becomes a prime candidate for investigation.

Unveiling the Truth

As "Only Murders in the Building" continues its third season, audiences are poised to unravel the intricate web of relationships, motives, and secrets that shroud the murder mystery. With a cast of compelling suspects and a narrative that promises unexpected twists, the show invites viewers to piece together the puzzle and discover the truth behind Ben Glenroy's death.

FAQs: Exploring the Intrigue of "Only Murders in the Building"

Q1: What is the premise of "Only Murders in the Building" season three? In season three, the trio of podcasters from "Only Murders in the Building" investigates a new murder mystery involving the death of Ben Glenroy, portrayed by Paul Rudd.

Q2: What is the central twist in the season three premiere? The season three premiere reveals that Ben Glenroy's death was short-lived and that a new murder mystery is at the heart of the narrative.

Q3: Who are some of the main suspects in the murder mystery? The suspects include Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep), Dickie Glenroy (Jeremy Shamos), Tobert the Documentarian (Jesse Williams), Donna and Clifford DiMeo (Linda Emond and Wesley Taylor), and Howard (Michael Cyril Creighton).

Q4: How does the show blend humor and suspense? "Only Murders in the Building" skillfully combines humor and suspense as the podcasters navigate the complexities of solving murder mysteries while dealing with personal dynamics and relationships.

Q5: What sets "Only Murders in the Building" apart as a series? The show stands out for its unique blend of comedy, mystery, and character-driven storytelling, making it a compelling and entertaining watch for audiences.

As the third season of "Only Murders in the Building" unfolds, the intriguing narrative promises to captivate viewers, keeping them engaged as they piece together the clues and uncover the truth behind the enigmatic murder mystery.

#explore #only murders in the building #season 3 #trending #tiktokviral #web series #viral

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back-and-totheleft · 10 months

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"When I'm angry, I make documentaries"

"I don't lose my temper like I used to. Of course, that doesn't mean I intend to retire and write my autobiography." The humor of the man who says this is something important. When America seemed to have made its peace with Vietnam in the 1980s, he got angry, made Platoon and changed forever the way wars are shot on film. When the Warren Commission's work was too little for him, he released JFK and opened a decade of conspiracy culture around the assassination of President Kennedy. The injustice to be appeased, the mess to be unraveled, the giant to be brought down…all this has made Oliver Stone's career - which this year celebrates its third decade - unusually relevant in Hollywood. And he wants more. "I still wonder about the meaning of the eras I've lived through," he announces. "I still rage."

The son of a Republican and Jewish Wall Street broker and a Parisian, Stone still maintains that what matters in his craft, filmmaking, is to entertain. But he is best known as a 67-year-old Lisa Simpson: a compulsive denunciation machine, a troubadour of what America doesn't want to hear. Whether it's the interviews with Fidel Castro (in the documentary Comandante) and Palestinian leaders (in Persona Non Grata). Whether it is the drama of the soldiers of Vietnam (Born on the Fourth of July), of the terminal victims of capitalism (Wall Street) or of the Great American pasttime (Any Given Sunday). When he put himself in a positive key, it was to remind us that Richard Nixon also had his virtues. Such is his ability to go against official narrative that the heirs of Martin Luther King blocked a biopic he was preparing about the civil rights leader, afraid that the film would be about a man of flesh and blood, an adulterer shattered by conflicts with his movement, instead of an iconic orator.

Some say Oliver Stone is just a prima donna. It is possible. One only has to misinterpret the driving force behind his creation, his rage, for pretensions of transcendence. There are also those who say that the medals he won in Vietnam convinced him of the need to divide the world into those who take it seriously and those who do not. That is also possible. For that, one need only review the fable of his life: the one that began when he dropped out of Yale University to join the Army, wrote a shattering autobiographical novel called A Child's Dream, and ended up in jail for drug and alcohol abuse. These events led Stone to become someone who could be defined as addicted to truth (or at least one truth). Since then, when he has believed a story (whether it was something that was sold as true, but was proven to be a hoax, such as Midnight Express, which he wrote, or the conspiracy delusions of JFK), he has come forward.

And the money. For his most ambitious project to date, The Untold Story of the United States - a 10-hour documentary that dismantles 70 years of his country's official history - he has taken $1 million out of his own pocket out of the $5 million needed. And for the definitive version of Alexander, he unilaterally decided to rework the film, which failed in 2004, from start to finish. It is always unpredictable to know where his rage will surface.

Who was the first recipient of his rage?

My father, Louis, I think. I decided to go to war [in Vietnam] when everybody was looking to put it off, and he was a conservative Republican who raised me on the Upper East Side in terror of the globalization of Russian military power and hatred of communism. He didn't want me to go. Like every father, he was against the war. And above all, he felt it wasn't necessary for me to go, something I never agreed with.

Conflict sometimes brings people closer. What does part of Louis does Oliver carry inside him?

My father was an honest man and worked very hard. He was not a broker for money and did not gamble with other people's funds. He hated Roosevelt, as many did at the time, because he had forced a lot of rules on the stock market and created a flood of taxes. But those who came after, political leaders like Reagan or Thatcher, did worse, favoring all kinds of privatization without bothering to build a true free market. Those policies have led us to madness. In the end, my father's financial company was devoured by Sandy Weil, the former CEO of the financial giant Citigroup: the world's first mega-banker, the man who wanted it all. My father ended up paying commission after commission. And yet I saw how he remained loyal to his clients until the very last day. The stock market was a different world then. Banks reinvested large profits in social projects. They didn't take 70% of the profits into their pockets like Goldman Sachs does.

It must not have been easy for him to accept that he had an artist son.

For a long time he thought I was just a bum. At a certain point I started to think so too…. Although he was telling me that when I was 20 years old and had not yet established myself. He didn't believe in the movie business. It was something beyond his horizon, beyond his limpid but austere vision of life. However, before he died, he told me: "I was wrong. This movie thing will work out, people will always go to the movies." And he was right: in the 80s, the film industry exploded and I was ready to reap the fruits of my perseverance. I had a lot of insecurities when I was young, but they have been the forces that have inspired me throughout my life. I still haven't lost the desire to do more and more. Every director does what he does because he feels insecure about facing life.

Why are conflict and violence key in your art?

Corruption, distorted governments and war are at the heart of my experience of the world since I was born. As an artist, I have tried to show what I saw as best I could, as realistically as possible. Violence is something I know well, but I don't think my films are violent: rather they show the effects of violence. All except one, Natural Born Killers, where I wanted to be grotesque and had the two main characters kill 55 people.

Does anger lead you to make certain films and not others?

In my case it's the genre that changes. When I'm really angry, I make a documentary: I use the direct way to say it. If I tell a story, on the other hand, it means I'm calmer.

You seem to be able to handle ups and downs well. I've heard you say: "I like Nixon." And yet, it was not successful.

Life is hard and it's good to look at it as a whole. Some of my films have been successful, others have not; depending on which way the wind was blowing and whether I was lucky or not at the time. Meditation has had a great influence on my way of seeing things. It's a pity I didn't practice it when I was young. I started in 1993, and although it can be very frustrating, if you manage to be regular at it, it becomes a way of life. And a part of you. It has made me more aware.

Who else was important to your inspiration?

My mother. Even for me, she's been a discovery. If you see Alexander again, you will understand. When it premiered in 2004, I was forced to make it less than three hours and with very tight work schedules. So, in 2007 I took it up again. The new version I presented at the San Sebastian Festival last year is what I had in mind. I have retouched all the material shot and I have proposed a totally new journey, three hours and 26 minutes long, through the soul of a man, from the moment he is born until he dies. Of a man who had to go to the end of the world to resolve the conflict with his parents.

Your mother, like Alexander the Great's Olympias….

…she was, exactly, a very strong woman. Like my father. Which was for the best: if one of the two had dominated, there would not have been that conflict, that friction within me between father and mother, capable of unleashing a battle that has become my driving force. I was an only child and, like everyone else, I had to endure many more emotions than a child normally manages. When you're alone and your life is falling apart, everything is much more demanding.

Separation is painful. How have you protected your children from the end of your marriages?

I was married for seven years the first time, 13 years the second time, and 18 years [so far] the third time. In practice, it's as if I've been married forever. I'm a father of three. I've had my ups and downs, and I'm certainly still learning a lot about relationships. But I try my best to keep it all together. Even though I am very close to my son Sean and have listened to him and helped him, he suffered a lot from the end of my second marriage. I wasn't able to spare him.

Sean is a young director, just like you.

That's true. He's not yet 30 and he's already looking for his first success, which I had at his age. But I had no contacts in the industry, while Sean has always been surrounded by directors. Frankly, I'm not sure it's an advantage. It's very dangerous to have a father like me: it's like drinking wine and getting drunk. And it's easy to get lost. I wish him well. I would like him to be convinced that I don't care what he does or what he will become. Only love counts for me. So even if he ends up in jail, as I have, I will stand by him and love him for who he is.

You once said: "In my life there has been a lot of madness, but luckily it has always gone with the work."

Making films has calmed me down, given me confidence, brought out all the rage I had inside. Scorsese was my film professor in college [at NYU]: he was full of energy, full of passion. He was very important to me. One day he said to me, "You were in Vietnam, are you full of rage? Put it in your films." Over the years I have matured and learned to transform it into a positive emotion, but anger is also useful to search for the truth that continues to change as we grow.

So, little by little, I have matured and turned my anger into something positive and beautiful. And if - when I was young - I saw only war, crimes, corruption and lies, now I have more subtle antennae: now it is relationships with others that are at the center of my attention.

Any new inspiration?

Maybe I'm closer to death… [bursts out laughing]. I'd like to shoot something Visconti-like, similar to Bellissima. I always found the passion of that mother extraordinary, and I was fascinated by the relationship between father, mother and son. And, besides, I adore [Anna] Magnani.

-Christiana Allevi, "When I'm angry, I make a documentary," El Pais, Apr 20 2014 [translated from Spanish]

#oliver stone #el pais #parenthood #parents #anger #mental health #alexander #documentaries

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vickiabelson · 1 year

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Today, Live! Good things can come from bad. Tim Busfield, who took years to say yes to guest, found out on Monday that he has a make-up shoot on Wednesday with no leeway. Sick and panicked, I made “the face.” What’s a fella to do? This is not the first time this guy saved the day. Four and half years ago he jumped in at the last minute when another guest fell ill at the last moment.

My hero. In innumerable ways.

Musician/Composer Snuffy Walden, has won over 50 BMI awards, was awarded BMI’s Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement, and has been nominated for 13 Emmys, winning the Emmy for Outstanding Title Theme for The West Wing. Snuff performed his iconic masterpiece for the 2020 special. Get out your hankies. https://www.facebook.com/HBOMax/videos/385733205881479

He’s toured with Chaka Khan, Eric Burdon, and Donna Summer to name but a few. Fronting Stray Dog in the early 70s, he opened for Emerson, Lake & Palmer around the globe and if not for… well, story to be told, live @5, we would’ve been at the same place at the same time a whole lot sooner. Snuffy's originals rock like hell. Stray Dog’s cut of ZZ Top's Chevrolet is better than the original in my unbiased opinion, and one of my favorite tunes. He's a friggin' rock star. How I heard of this man for the first time in 2018 thanks to Pete George, makes no sense to me. Right up my tree. Check this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sbEdHgb2Oo

Mark Maxey’s doc, Up to Snuff, has won 21 awards, been an official selection in 61 film festivals, features, Aaron Sorkin, Martin Sheen, the beforementioned Tim Busfield (who’ll be with us in May), and Tom Arnold singing Snuffy's praises, exposing a few foibles, and is a stupendous entertainment about this genius of a man. Available to stream, it's crazy fun, and musically delicious. As is its namesake.

With a few tracks on albums about to hit the can and very recent live performances, Snuff’s back doing what he loves and what I love watching and hearing him do.

We’ll be Live from the dining room, no doubt with a special, not-so-surprise guest.

Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wed, April 5th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streaming Live on The Facebook

Daily by Toni Vincent & @peter_and_paul_ Cartoons

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