Grease

Hey there friends! As you know, I'm trying to finish up my novel for National Novel Writing Month, so I am a little swamped! I am still trying to post every day, but don't have time this week to respond to a lot of comments. I hope you understand! I really value your feedback and get inspired to post again because of it. Please, please, please keep commenting! I promise I will be back in full force after the 30th when the novel is due!

One of my favorite movies is Grease. I thought I would give you a little trivia about the film and some images for a Tuesday. Enjoy!

--Henry Winkler, who became a sensation as "Fonzie" on "Happy Days" (1974), was considered for the role of Danny Zuko. However, he turned down the role for fear of being typecast.

--Susan Dey and Deborah Raffin were the first choices for the role of Sandy (Dey declined the role after her manager advised against it). Marie Osmond later claimed on "Larry King Live" (1985) that she had been also been offered the role but declined "on moral grounds" though she later admitted this to be untrue.

--Lucie Arnaz was first choice for the role of Rizzo but was rejected after her actress mother Lucille Ball refused to allow her to screen test at Paramount Studios (she wrongly claimed that she used to own it).

--Due to a zipper breaking, Olivia Newton-John had to be sewn into the trousers she wears in the last sequence (the carnival at Rydell).

--Jeff Conaway had to walk slightly stooped so that John Travolta would appear taller.

--Set in high school, most of the principal cast were way past their teenage years. When filming began in June 1977, John Travolta was 23, Olivia Newton-John was 28, Stockard Channing was 33, Jeff Conaway was 26, Barry Pearl was 27, Michael Tucci was 31, Kelly Ward was 20, Didi Conn was 25; Jamie Donnelly was 30, and Annette Charles was 29. Only Dinah Manoff, Lorenzo Lamas, and Eddie Deezen, all 19, were still teenagers.

--"You're the One That I Want" took just an afternoon to film.

--When Olivia Newton-John was cast as Sandy, her character's background had to be changed to accommodate Newton-John's own background. In the original Broadway musical Sandy was an all-American girl and her last name was Dumbrowski. In the movie version, she became Sandy Olsson, foreign-exchange student from Australia. Also, because of Newton-John's casting, John Farrar (Newton-John's frequent songwriter) had to write two new songs for the film while other songs from the Broadway musical were dropped.

--Carrie Fisher was considered for the role of Rizzo.

--For a time, it was the third highest grossing movie of all time behind only Jaws (1975) and Star Wars (1977).

--Danny's blue windbreaker at the beginning of the film was intended as a nod to Rebel Without a Cause (1955).

--The original stage play had more sexual references than the censors wanted to allow. Among these was the use of plastic wrap as protection. To overcome the censors, there weren't any blatent references but Danny rubs plastic wrap over his crotch during "Greased Lightning".

--The scene in Frenchy's bedroom while Rizzo is singing the line about Elvis was actually filmed the same day that Elvis Presley died.

--In the scene where the cast are near the bridge after the car race, the water on the ground was stagnant and dangerous. Some cast members became ill from filming as the setting was a derelict place full of dirt and rubbish.

--"Greased Lightning" was supposed to be sung by Jeff Conaway's character, Kenickie, as it is in the stage version. John Travolta used his clout to have his character sing it. The director felt it was only right to ask Conaway if it was okay. At first he refused, but he eventually gave in.

--Rizzo's hickeys were real. Stockard Channing said in an interview that Jeff Conaway insisted on applying them himself.

--Jeff Conaway stated in an episode of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" (2008) that while filming the scene/song "Greased Lightning" he was dropped by his fellow cast members and injured his back leading to his addiction to prescription painkillers.

Interesting huh?

American Music Awards--Fashion "Don't?"

I normally don't even watch the American Music Awards, but happened to catch them last night and wondered "What happened to fashion?" Am I alone, or was anyone else disappointed with the outfits? I know these awards are supposed to be a chance for stars to dress a little more edgy, but I didn't see one outfit I was impressed with. Carrie Underwood is just gorgeous, but who dressed her in that awful shorts thing with bright silver boots for her performance? What did you think? Have a great Monday friends!

Ohio State Reformatory--Mansfield Prison

My brother recently moved to Canton, Ohio. My parents went to visit him and took a trip to Mansfield Prison, which was used in the film Shawshank Redemption. The prison was built in 1886 and held over 150,000 hardened criminals. The prison is supposedly one of the most haunted places on earth.

I happened to be up last night watching the Travel Channel and there was a documentary on the prison. It was so interesting that I thought I would share some information about the dreary place with you all.

The cornerstone laid on November 4, 1886 evolved into this magnificent Chateauesque structure. Cleveland architect Levi T. Scofield designed the Ohio State Reformatory using a combination of three architectural styles; Victorian Gothic, Richardsonian Romanesque and Queen Anne. This was done to encourage inmates back to a "rebirth" of their spiritual lives. The architecture itself inspired them to turn away from their sinful lifestyle, and toward repentance. This grand structure is comprised of more than 250,000 square feet and houses the world's largest free-standing steel cell block.

The Reformatory doors were opened to its first 150 young offenders in September 1896. After housing over 155,000 men in its lifetime, the doors to the prison closed December 31, 1990.

No matter what their crime, some sent to Mansfield have never left. They rest unclaimed in a cheerless graveyard just outside the fence. 215 numbered markers laid out row on row. Most were victims of disease, influenza, tuberculosis, but some died of less natural causes; From the violence, that is all to common inside any prison and was far from unknown in this one. And the worst of it occurred well away from the main cell block with their rows of cages stacked tier on tier, and inmates, one or two to a cell. There were too many eyes, too many witnesses here, no the worst of it was reserved for a far lonelier place, deep beneath the prison ground. A place called local control, or solitary, by some, known by everyone else as the hole. Near total isolation can crack all but the toughest of cons, but none was so alone that there wasn't room for death. At least one inmate managed to hang himself, another set himself on fire, once two men left too long in a single tomb like cell, only one walked out, leaving his cellmate's body behind, stuffed beneath a bunk.

Even when they're empty, some swear something walks these halls. It isn't enough for contemporary visitors not to wonder off alone while sight seeing, what‘s become one of Mansfield's more popular tourist attractions. But the bloodiest single incident in the old prison's history occurred outside it's walls. In July 1948, when the Reformatory's farm boss, his wife and daughter were kidnapped and shot to death by two parolees bent on revenge. A six state manhunt for the so called mad-dog killers ended in a shootout that left Robert Daniels of Columbus in custody and his partner, James West dead. "I'll get the Chair" Daniels told police as he signed the confession. And on January 3rd, 1949, he did. A year later in 1950 disaster struck again. This time, here in the living quarters of the Warden himself. The Warden's wife, removing a jewelry box from a closet shelf dislodged a pistol from it's hiding place. When it hit the floor, the gun went off inflicting a fatal wound. And within the decade, even more bad luck. The Warden, hard at work in his office, suffered a heart attack and died. All this was nearly 40 years ago and more, how then to explain the voices shaken tour guides swear they hear today? Man and woman talking, to faint to understand, too persistent to ignore and chilling to listeners who think they're alone, only to find themselves apparently eavesdropping on the warden and his wife locked forever in an endless conversation from beyond the grave.

The tour guides often have experiences they cannot explain. The photos my parents took had hundreds of orbs all over them. I can't wait to visit. Enjoy your Saturday friends!

All information provided by: Ohio State Reformatory

Snow White

Many of you know that I adore Snow White. I collect anything with her image on it, especially anything vintage or retro looking. I even have one of the songs from the film on my playlist! Every time I visit Disneyland I make sure to head over to the Snow White wishing well to make my wish. My fascination with Snow White started as a young girl. My mom said I would stand outside the ride, look up and see the Evil Queen, and start crying hysterically. I often have more interest in the Evil Queen than Snow White herself. How could I not? She is so gorgeous!

You might not know the story of the voice for Snow White. The film came out in 1937, making it Disney's first full length feature. There were many actresses who auditioned for the role of Snow White, but none had the childlike quality that Walt was looking for.

Adriana Caselotti had been an opera singer. Her father worked for many people in the industry. Someone from Disney called to ask him if he knew of anyone who had a childlike voice who could sing. His daughter Adriana was listening in the extension and started speaking like a child. She got the audition and the rest is history! Check out these images of Adriana and the classic animated Snow White. Have a fantastic Friday!

Patty Hearst

On this day in 1976 Patty Hearst is let out on bail. If you don't know who Patty Hearst is, she is the granddaughter of the legendary publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. Hearst’s ordeal began on the night of February 4, 1974, when, as a 19-year-old college student, she was kidnapped from her Berkeley, California, apartment by armed gunmen. The kidnappers, members of a political terrorist group called the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), beat Hearst’s fiancé and drove off with the heiress in the trunk of their car to a hideout near San Francisco.

The kidnappers demanded the release of two SLA members in prison for murder, a request that was denied, and called for Hearst’s family to donate millions of dollars to feed the poor. The Hearsts eventually established a program called People in Need (PIN) to distribute $2 million worth of food, but negotiations with the SLA deteriorated after the group demanded additional millions for PIN.

After being abducted, Patricia Hearst was locked in a closet by her captors for two months and subjected to mental and physical abuse. As a result, she later claimed, she was brainwashed into becoming an SLA member, adopting the name Tania and renouncing her family.

In April 1974, the SLA robbed the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco and surveillance videotape captured Hearst holding a gun. In May of that same year, six SLA members, including the group’s leader Donald DeFreeze (who called himself Field Marshall Cinque Mtume), were killed when their house went up in flames during a shootout with police in Los Angeles that was broadcast on live television. Hearst, along with several other SLA members not in the house at the time, remained on the lam for another year.

Law enforcement finally caught up with Hearst in September 1975 in San Francisco, where she was arrested and charged with armed robbery and use of a firearm during a felony, in connection with the Hibernia Bank heist. When authorities asked her occupation, Hearst famously replied "urban guerilla." During her widely publicized trial, Hearst’s famous defense attorney, F. Lee Bailey, claimed she’d been brainwashed and made to believe she’d be killed if she didn’t comply with her captors and go along with their criminal activities. However, in March 1976, a jury found her guilty of armed robbery and she was sentenced to seven years in prison. In November of that year she was released on bail while lawyers tried to appeal her conviction, but the appeal was later denied and Hearst went back to prison.

Hearst spent almost two years behind bars before her sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. Shortly thereafter, she married Bernard Shaw, her former bodyguard, and went on to raise a family in Connecticut. She later became a writer and actress. In 2001, President Bill Clinton granted Hearst a presidential pardon.

Interesting story. Do you believe that she was brainwashed or willingly took part in the robbery?



All information provided by "This Day in History."

Little House on the Prairie

One of my all time favorite shows is "Little House on the Prairie." I know its not as vintage as some of my other posts, but I wanted to write about it anyway. Of course, I read the books as a child by Laura Ingalls Wilder, but the show was just amazing. How could you not love Pa?

There were many successful actors on the series, including Michael Landon, and Melissa Gilbert. What became of them after their stint on the series from 1974-1983?

Melissa Gilbert--played Laura. Went on to star in many t.v. movies. She did a total of 192 episodes and was one of 500 girls who auditioned for the role of Laura. She has since directed and became President of SAG (Screen Actors Guild).

Michael Landon--played Pa Ingalls. Michael was in 183 episodes, after being cast following his Bonanza role as Little Joe. He went on to act in "Highway to Heaven" with fellow "Little House" actor Victor French. He died in 1991 of cancer.

Karen Grassle--played Ma Ingalls. Karen was in 170 episodes. Karen went on to do quite a bit of t.v. work including series such as "Murder, She Wrote." "Little House" was probably her most famous role.

Katherine MacGregor (also known as Scottie)--played Harriet Oleson. Katherine was in 153 episodes and was often the favorite because of her nasty, gossiping character. She also went on to do other minor t.v. roles.

Richard Bull--played Nels Oleson. Richard was in 148 episodes. He was a likable character, and no one could understand how he could be married to Harriet. He also continued to do minor character work.

Melissa Sue Anderson--played Mary Ingalls. Melissa was the only character from the show to receive an Emmy nomination. She also turned down the lead in the film "The Blue Lagoon." She continues to do acting work.

Alison Arngrim--played Nellie Oleson. She was the one we loved to hate! Alison has a traveling comedy show, does tons of charity/foundation work, and even conducts a Hollywood tour you can go see!

There are many other characters, but these were the main. Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane today. Have a great Wednesday friends!

Louise Brooks

I came across photos of Louise Brooks completely by accident this morning. I could not believe how beautiful she was and how amazing she looked in photographs. I really didn't know that much about her.

She was born Mary Louise Brooks and was known for her bobbed haircut. She was a dancer and singer, who had no support from her parents. She was even molested as a young child, causing her to never feel comfortable in her relationships with men. She was born in Kansas and became one of the most recognizable silent film actresses of all time. She was an alcoholic since age 14, and had a poor reputation with men. She was married twice, but never had children. There were many rumors throughout her life about her possible bisexuality, but she merely chalked it up to being more comfortable with women. Here are some amazing images of Louise Brooks. Have a fantastic day friends!