10.28.2010
ALOHA: DANNO (JAMES MACARTHUR) PASSED AWAY TODAY
Jack Lord and James McArthur "Steve and Danno"
LOS ANGELES – Stage and screen actor James MacArthur, who played "Danno" in the original version of television's "Hawaii Five-0," died Thursday at age 72.
MacArthur's agent, Richard Lewis, said the actor died in Florida of "natural causes," but no direct cause was specified.
In a career that spanned more than four decades, MacArthur was most recognized for his role as Detective Danny "Danno" Williams on "Hawaii Five-0," which aired from 1968 to 1980. Episodes often ended with detective Steve McGarrett, the lead character, uttering what became a pop culture catch phrase: "Book 'em, Danno."
Jack Lord, who starred as McGarrett, died in 1998.
"Hawaii Five-O," one of the longest running crime shows in TV history with 278 episodes, was shot on location in the Hawaiian islands. It was the first Hawaii-based national TV series.
I grew up with a giant crush on James MacArthur in many of my favorite movies back in the 60's. Spencer's Mountain which was converted later on TV as The Waltons. My all time favorite James MacArthur role was Fritz Robinson on the Swiss Family Robinson. A story of a family cast away at sea. The family adjusts to living on an island and builds a huge gorgeous tree house. They fight pirates and live of course, happily ever after.
My gang as little kids, tried to copy building the tree house and pretended to be the Robinson family for fun on the weekends. Couldn't find a tiger to put in a pit though...
Here is a clip from the film and The story is HERE
MacArthur, born Dec. 8, 1937, seemed destined to become an actor. He was the adopted son of playwright Charles MacArthur and Helen Hayes, an award-winning actress often referred to as "First Lady of the American Theater." Silent film star Lillian Gish was his godmother.
"They did teach me a lot about the theatre just through my life with them," he said of his parents in a 1957 interview in Teen Life magazine. "They never pushed me in any direction. Any major decision has always been my own to make."
We will close out with my friend Deniz Tek and Chris Klondike Masuak on Aloha Steve and Danno! Here is one last Bookem Danno!
10.27.2010
CHILLER THEATER'S JOHN ZACHERLEY: THE COOL GHOUL!!
Elvira and John Zacherley aka The Cool Ghoul!
Zacherley's bio HERE
Chiller Theatre was a Saturday night show on Channel 11 WPIX in New York City that showed classic horror movies. Chiller Theater actually began on WPIX during 1961 and in 1963 included Zacherley ("The Cool Ghoul") as the on-air host.
However, by 1965, Zacherley left the show and a new opening was created using a montage of clips from various 1950s sci-fi films. This montage of clips started with the classic scene from Plan 9 from Outer Space with Vampira coming out of the woods.
Then, the clip from The Cyclops, showing Actress Gloria Talbot just inside a cave looking at the Cyclops. Various other clips continued throughout the montage, concluding with the classic "goof" from Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, with the giant alien from outer space, picking up one brand of car and then shown throwing a completely different brand of car into a ditch.
The entire montage was permeated by a frightening library music track ("Horror Upon Horror" by veteran British composer, Wilfred Josephs). Many "Baby Boomers" from this era growing up in the Tri-State Area, have said that this opening provided many nightmares and sleepless nights, forcing some to change the channel when this opening began.
The montage opening served until the late 1960s when another introduction was produced, featuring the word "Chiller" rendered in white paint on a black board, then lifted up, the gooey white paint slowly running down the board like blood while creepy chamber music played in the background. The bumper to this version simply showed the painted "Chiller" as a title card.
ZACH IS BACK! When Ghouls, Goblins and Creatures of the Night appear, rest assured that Zacherley is near! Enter his world for some fun and a thrill, but do so carefully and of your own free will! HERE
10.25.2010
10.24.2010
THE INFAMOUS HIT ON JOEY (CRAZY JOE) GALLO
Recently I was talking with a friend who lived in the Park Slope area of Brooklyn NYC circa 1960-1964. He was a member of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church located about three blocks away from Gallo's social club/headquarters at Carroll St at 4th Avenue/President St Tenement House.
The new Umberto's Clam House, a Little Italy restaurant, a block away from the Old Police Headquarters building, rests on the laurels of one of New York's most famous nearby mafia murders. Joseph 'Crazy Joey' Gallo was killed in the old 'original' Umberto's Clam House in 1972, in retaliation for the 1971 shooting of Joseph A. Colombo Sr. at a Columbus Day Italian American Civil Rights League rally one year previous, at Columbus Circle.
The Copacabana
Joey Gallo had celebrated his 43rd birthday at the Copacabana nightclub with a group of arty friends that included the actor Jerry Orbach, comedian David Steinberg, and columnist Earl Wilson. The party finished and Gallo, his bodyguard, and four women went to Little Italy in downtown Manhattan, looking for a place to eat.
The only restaurant open was Umberto's Clam House on Mulberry Street, owned by the mobbed up Matthew 'Matty the Horse' Ianniello. Robert Daley, Deputy Police Commissioner, said the party ate 'Italian delicacies.' Gallo and his bodyguard, Pete Diapoulis, sat with their backs to the door. (BAD IDEA)
New York -- A rope with a sign stating 'Crime Scene, Search Area, Stop' is stretched across the intersection of Hester and Mulberry Streets in the Little Italy section of lower Manhattan, blocking off Umberto's Clam House, where reputed mobster Joseph 'Crazy Joe' Gallo was slain early April 7, while celebrating his 43rd birthday with family members and friends. Officials said his slaying might be the first salvo in a new gangland war. Gallo was the third man killed in gangster style in as many days. (1972)
The assassin (from the Colombo mob family) put four bullets into Crazy Joey Gallo at about 5 a.m. Gallo staggered out the front door onto Mulberry Street, where he collapsed and died.
Joey Gallo gravesite in Brooklyn
Twenty shots were fired in all. The assassin escaped. Pete Diapoulas was wounded. He refused to talk to the police. The shooting left 'Little Italy' (the surrounding neighborhood) in an agitated state. A witness said they saw pistols in tenement windows. Deputy Commissioner Robert Dailey said, 'He made a mistake, Crazy Joe did. He should have gone home to bed last night.'
The old Umberto's is now gone. (The old Umberto's Clam house was at 129 Mulberry St.) This, the new one, is at 386 Broome St. It has the macabre glamour of the old restaurant — sans bullet holes. It is owned by the same family that owned the old Umberto's, although Matty the Horse' Ianniello (one of the owners) went to jail for tax evasion. Tourists love the place. It is pure old New York, just one block from the Old Police Headquarters on Centre Street.
10.22.2010
HARRY BENNETT'S CASTLE 1984 PHOTOS
Front of Harry Bennett's"castle" on the Huron River 1984
An old friend from Jr. High was kind enough to share the interior and some of the outbuildings photos with us! Not very well decorated in the 1980s but it has been redone since then. I wish we could go inside now!
Front of "castle" 2009 with a lot of trees removed
REAR VIEW 1984
When I shot the castle last fall it has been painted a sage green color with the windows trimmed in white.
Harry had his own theater built on the property
Donna said:
Many years ago, my girlfriend and I stayed there. She lived next door and house-sat when the previous owners were out of town. Pretty cool place.
Abandoned pool
The place is pretty cool and scary. We went in the tunnels and were able to take personal tours with no one looking over our shoulders. I even stayed several nights, once left alone while my friend went to the bar, you talk about being scared, I was up all night looking over my shoulder.
Dining room
Large Staircase goes down to the river is gone now
The Bennett stables (above). This is where HB housed the lions and tigers he used to keep in case of an enemy attack.
Another view of the Theater
Dining room with large dining table
Stone Fireplace
Italian Stone Fireplace Close up
Music room off dining room notice dining chair
Narrow staircase to the upper level
Family Den with beautiful wing back chair and wood paneling with secret panels for hidden weapons. shown in this video
Theater above and an outbuilding below
Horrible wallpaper was in a bathroom, hopefully, gone now
Read more of my Harry Bennett Stories
The Castle
The Lodge
Rise and Fall of Harry Bennett
The Cabin
NEW* PM Magazine Video Tour of the Castle
Thank you Donna!!!
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