Posts from Hawkswill in thread „General "RIP" announcements that might be of interest“

Sherman and Chad, you each made your marks in your own way. I have enjoyed you both in different things. Hope you are up there with the rest making movies and shows for those of us who will be lucky to wind up there also! KPKEITH

Well Sally, you paved the way. Now the rest of the women who want to can "RIDE"! Thanks.

Quote from BatjacAuburn

Sally Ride, the first American woman in space died at age 61 of pancreatic cancer.

http://www.boston.com/news/nat…oman_in_space_dies_at_61/

Sorry there May2. I didn't know of her or the series, but I know how you must feel. I cried all day when Dan Blocker and Ward Bond died. DUKE had to die on my Mom's birthday. She was 57. She was one of his biggest fans.
Sleep with the angels Miss Rees. KPKEITH

LOL,Mark, that is why I said they didn't have a CLUE about Duke. I believe they were his son and a friend.....after the Duke part, you hear one say, "Heh Dad, ask this guy how far it is to the 188". Very possible he might have meant I-88. Anyway, I think they were just kids. I got a real kick out of watching him obviously having a great time driving and talking about old times. What a fine laugh old Ernie had. Sounded great when he said Duke fell on the floor! How goes it BUD? KP

Quote from dukefan1

That was an interesting clip with Ernie. I enjoyed it, but really wanted to smack that interviewer in the head. "Big Jake? The Shootist? McLintock?" COME ON MAN! REALLY?

Mark

Found this also.

The Navy Band wishes to pay great respects to the family of Ernest Borgnine on his passing. The Navy veteran and honorary Chief Petty Officer was a tremendous friend of the band, visiting us for 2 of the US Navy birthday concerts. Fair winds and following seas, shipmate. (Photo by Mark Faram)

KP

This is late but just saw it. Go to minute 5 in this interview with Ernest Borgnine. Whoever was interviewing him, might have been his sons?.....well, let's say they didn't have a CLUE about Duke, but there are a couple of good stories about them and the showing of True Grit.

[extendedmedia]

Well, glad to know that Pavorotti wasn't so horrible because he didn't like our hotel. Domingo is superb! Didn't know about the piano part.

Is Chasen's still there? Is Holmby Hills still way upper class? Friends lived up above the Hollywood Sign or somewhere way up the hill. Billy came down in his Rolls and met us at a liquor store to guide us up there, LOL! KPKEITH
OK, no more OT. PMs. Sure we probably know some people together.

WOW again, Tenn! If you ever want to share them, there are Private Messages, and I would love to hear about them. Shoot, we may have known some of the same people in the LA area. I was there when Sinatra made his first pitiful attempt at a comeback with Old Blue Eyes, (think that was what the show was called....think it was at Caesars. Have an old tape of it around somewhere as we all flew over for it. Ya know, he said that Vic Damone had the best "pipes" in the business.....just had absolutely no stage presence...nice guy though. My aunt studied Opera in college. She was considered to have a real shot at it. Then she married an Episcopal minister, got pregnant, and 3 children later, it was too late. She kept her voice until she was about forty or so, then she stuck to just singing regular songs at which she was very good. You know, Pavoratti came to the Hotel one time for a couple of days. I had loved him. By the time he left, that had done a complete turnaround. NEVER have I met such a rude, demanding man in my whole life, and I have been around and around, LOL!
KPKEITH Really would love to hear your stories. And you are right....at 18, with the kind of influences out there, you might not even still BE here!

Well Tennesseean,
I had a long answer for you, and it is no longer available! It has been a long time since I was 17 or so, (I am 62 now). I guess I forgot a lot about Oklahoma, although you have brought it mostly all back talking about it.
I used to play golf with Gordon when he came to Atlanta, (I was the Jr. City Champ and was assigned to him once to show him around the Atlanta CC. Anyway, he and Gene Kelly had always been favorites of mine. I loved Gordon's voice.....even his speaking voice. Those were his drinking days though and he had fallen into the city by city Theater Under the Stars type of thing. When I went to Palm Springs to be golf pro at Mission Hills CC, I don't think he was in good shape then. Besides, I ran in the Sinatra, Hope type circles and he didn't. So, I never saw him there. Was very glad to hear he had stopped drinking after I left The Springs, I believe.
WOW, so you had a voice like Gordon's? And could act to boot? That is fanTAStic. Do you do city shows now? Must have been a terribly hard choice to make. A chance at fame and fortune, or the fulfillment of a family dream. I am sure your family was very happy with your decision. But, I imagine you have wondered all your life. Was it worth it......just wondering myself as I gave up a career in golf.

I have seen a few places where they say the best songs are Oklahoma and I Can't Say No. But, I STILL find myself, all of a sudden singing, Oh What a Beautiful Morning and can just see Gordon with his smile wide and his face a beaming. I mean, "the corn is as high as an elephant's eye"....such a good song. R and H were quite a team. Did you have a favorite song? Loved Poor Jud is "daid". WOW, still can't believe it. That was quite something Tenn. Thanks so much for posting. I practically DRUG it out of you with my mistakes in casting, LOL. Thanks again, KPKEITH

Quote from The Tennesseean

Thanks for the kudos.

Just a clarification - Shirley Jones played the female lead (Laurie) in the film version, and Gloria Grahame played the part Celeste originated in '43...Ado Annie, the 2nd female lead.

I played Curley in summer stock (semi-pro production) in 1979, right out of high school. I was offered the understudy role for Curly in the National Touring Company's revival of Oklahoma, but since I was going to the University of Tennessee on a voice scholarship that fall, I (right or wrong) turned it down.

I was the first person in my family to attend college, and I fell that was most important.

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Most correct Tennesseean. It was Shirley Jones, I believe, with Gordon and although she was good, Celeste was much better. Thanks for correcting me.

KP

Although Gordon McCrae certainly didn't need any help in his roles, Celeste really worked great with him in Oklahoma. I saw him in a summer theater production of the same. Once, he got his gun caught getting up out of a chair......he went on and just put it into the show as if it was supposed to be like that. As Pappy said, "accidents happen", its what the actors make out of them that makes them good or bad. Very long and productive life.

Well, thanks very much May2. You can sure tell how I keep up with the movie stars. Didn't even know Sly had a son. I have like Sly in many things....especially the Rockies. Sad for a father to lose a son. Thanks again, I will look, it up........no,I don't watch TV, LOL. KPKEITH

Please clue me in as to "SLY" and "SAGE". Somehow or other these have totally gotten by me. As for "SLY"....all I can think of is Stallone.
Thanks ahead of time. KPKEITH

Loved your post, my friend. I learned a lot. Made me feel almost as if I knew him. You sure know a LOT about him. Thanks, KPKEITH

Quote from Gorch

The world is a little sadder place for me now that Ernie has passed. He was one of my top ten favorite actors ever since I saw him playing Kirk Douglas' FATHER in "The Vikings"
He kept popping up in old movies on TV - "Jubal", "Bad Day at Black Rock" and "Vera Cruz", and continued to grind out decent performances in current movies.
"McHale" was funny in part because Ernie played it straight against Tim Conway, Joe Flynn and Bob Hastings. Ernie had been offered the role of McHale but was on the fence about it. An academy award winner didn't do TV back in 1961. As luck would have it, a kid came to his house selling candy and remarked that Ernie looked familiar. Ernie said he was James Arness. The kid told him Arness was in Gunsmoke. Ernie said he was really Richard Boone. The kid said that was Have gun Will Travel.
The kid left, Ernie called the studio guy and said he'd do McHale. The honcho asked what changed his mind and Ernie said "Richard Boone".
Ernie's performance as Dutch in "The Wild Bunch" 1969 is understated, complex and touching. It's my favorite performance of his. Watch his face as he watches his friend Pike Bishop riding alone into the desert after being humiliated by the Gorch brothers.
Hopefully TCM will rerun their hour long interview with Ernie as a memorial. I think he was 93 at the time and was sharp as ever.
I'll miss him but at least have the comfort of being able to watch his performances.
Vaya con Dios!

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OH, I dearly loved him in Marty and a great many other movies. Last things I saw him in while researching were Wagon Train roles. He was superb as usual! He could always make me cry or laugh almost at the same time. Such a ripe old age he lived to. Hope his last years were great, because he surely deserved it.KPKEITH

I had never heard of him. But that doesn't mean I can't give him a nice "send off" message in my heart. To you, Eric!

Darn...liked everything he was in especially Matlock. He was born right down the road from here.

Make some movies up there Andy. Sure would love to see you and Duke do one if I do indeed make it UP there some day! Who knows? You and Ward would really make a good pair, also......how about the three of you?
KPKEITH

Awww, Robbie. Feel like I lost a piece of my childhood. Hope you are in the arm of the BEST! KP KEITH