Crum on Showbiz

By Steve Crum

I made Forry Ackerman laugh. Forrest J. Ackerman aka Forry aka The Ackermonster was a special guest at the fun Area 51 Festival held June 15-21, 2001 in Independence, Mo. He spoke on stage between screenings of classic science fiction movies The Day the Earth Stood Still and The Thing From Another World. Forry watched the films as an audience member too–films he had undoubtedly seen a hundred times since his 1916 birth. 

Actors Billy Gray and Robert Cornthwaite were also there in person. As a child actor, Gray secured his place in movie history with 1951’s The Day the Earth Stood Still. Cornthwaite’s portrayal of the driven lead scientist in The Thing has immortalized him to sci-fi buffs. 

Incidentally, it is Forry Ackerman who created the phrase “sci-fi,” repeatedly used in his classic, influential magazine, “Famous Monsters of Filmland.” Ackerman, who died on Dec. 4, 2008, was a major cultural influence by legitimizing horror and sci-fi movies to the masses. He shared his passion for being awed by fantasy and terror with the world, a love geeks like yours truly have maintained. In fact, we are no longer considered geeks. 

That is, unless one dresses up like a superhero or creature outside of Halloween. That is pretty geeky. 

During a lengthy break in the Area 51 festivities, Ackerman sat behind a table, signing photos of himself for fans. I stood in the long line to meet and greet the man, and get a signed pic. He had brought stacks of 8×10’s with him in various poses. There was one of him with Vincent Price, one with Boris Karloff, and one by himself. I chose the one with Price. 

Before he signed, however, he asked for the $5 fee. I proceeded to pull a five inch wide $5 bill facsimile out of my wallet, adding, “I’m sorry, I just brought a little money with me.” It was a guaranteed groaner I have pulled on friends for years. 

Forry Ackerman laughed. Big time. In fact, he guffawed. 

This is the man known for writing excruciatingly bad (which means good) puns in his magazines for decades. 

He checked over my fake bill as he kept laughing. Then I traded it for a real five spot. He signed the photo for me, and I thanked him. He was still laughing when the next in line approached.
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Let’s take a personally guided tour of The Ackermansion with none other than Forrest J. Ackerman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WFRsm0-PTc

One of the great love stories, this animated musical version is also a Broadway hit. Check out the non-musical versions from ’46 and ’63. Also see the very stretched interpretations from 1933 and 1976: King Kong. (Don’t forget the former’s closing line: “Twas beauty that killed the beast.”)

LADYHAWKE (1985)

ROMANTIC MUSICALS

ROMEO AND JULIET (1936, ’66, ’68)

THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940)
Purely romantic vehicle of two who work in the same store, unknowingly writing pen-pal letters to each other. Remade as the musical In the Good Old Summertime with Judy Garland nine years later. 

And remember that love means to kindly rewind. (This was my original videotape-referenced tag line.) 
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My favorite date flick, Camelot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zezwYtRW6m4

[Note: This review originally appeared in The Kansas City Kansan on Nov. 10, 1995. The KC performance was part of a world tour that began when the Broadway run ended.]

By Steve Crum

From his puffed-smoke entrance 10 minutes into Act 1 (as Applegate, the devil) to the rousing curtain call finale, King Clown reigns. Even at 69. Even though there is at times just the suggestion of that wiry, frenetic Borscht Circuit comic kid. Even when he is not on stage. If only Charisma by Jerry Lewis could be bottled.

Lewis is complemented by a polished cast and company, helmed by director Jack O’Brien, many who were part of the original Broadway revival troupe. Together they musically tell the story of a middle-aged Joe Boyd (a solidly heartwarming turn by Dennis Kelly) who trades his soul to the devil in return for a chance to be a young  baseball home runner with the Washington Senators. As young Joe, David Elder is exceptional, particularly in the “A Man Doesn’t Know” number.

Valerie Wright’s Lola, who is showcased in the originally Bob Fosse choreographed “Whatever Lola Wants” and the always fun to see “Who’s Got the Pain” number, is electric. Rob Marshall’s adapted choreography throughout, in fact, is clever and precise. Note the nifty “Blooper Ballet.” 

Susan Bigelow’s Meg (Joe’s loving, lonely wife) and Linda Gabler’s sports reporter, Gloria Thorpe, give energetic, fine work. The 1955 score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross has never sounded fresher, even after repetitions of “Heart,” the play’s most enduring tune. 

But it comes back to Lewis’ Applegate to clearly steal the show. It happens during an Act 2 point in the devil’s solo, “Those Were the Good Old Days,” when it becomes Lewis’ Lewis. That is when he interpolates the tried and true Jerry Lewis cane catching routine. 

At 123 long, long minutes, The Eddy Duchin Story (1956) remains an incongruous musical biography centering on 1930’s-‘40s society pianist-bandleader Eddy Duchin, impressively portrayed by Tyrone Power. The script meanders through bouts of mental and physical illness sandwiched between great interpretations of a dozen or so tunes from the Great American Songbook. That said, this is arguably the darkest movie musical ever produced…outside the death-themed All That Jazz (1979).

However, there are two magical scenes that have made me watch The Eddy Duchin Story at least a dozen times. One is set during WWII when Duchin is stationed on a Pacific island. At this stage in the story, Duchin is wallowing in depression, having given up playing the piano due to tragic circumstances back home. 

While in a native village, he stumbles upon a dilapidated upright in a shack, and starts noodling “Chopsticks.” A local boy enters and encourages Duchin to play more. Duchin has the kid bang some keys in accompaniment as he goes full force into the old standard. An appreciative crowd immediately gathers amongst the surrounding bomb rubble in what turns out to be a joyful, energizing sequence.

The other memorable moment is the film’s celebrated tearjerker finale, wherein Duchin and his young son Peter (Rex Thompson) sit down at twin, facing grand pianos to duo-play the film’s theme song, “To Love Again” (adapted from “Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 in E Flat Major”). By this time, Eddy’s imminent death (due to leukemia, but never said in the film) is known by his son and others, so it is an emotional wallop when a closeup shows his hands convulse and move out of view. The camera then pulls back, revealing an empty seat where Eddy was sitting. His son is still playing—now solo. Music segues into a full orchestra conclusion. Just try to swallow and hide the tears when “The End” appears on screen. 
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Now, 58 years later, Eddy’s son Peter is an elderly, semi-retired pianist who has had a fine career himself. 

Incidentally, Tyrone Powers’ piano playing was dubbed by Carmen Cavallero. It is his hands we see playing in closeups, but Powers is totally convincing in his body language. 

Eddy Duchin died of acute myelogenous leukemia at age 41, five years before The Eddy Duchin Story opened. 
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Enjoy the great “Chopsticks” sequence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Se7MrKrpY