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The death of Christopher Hitchens hits like the 2008 death of Tim Russert. Both were men you really wanted to hear from during  a looming presidential election.

The word being tossed about in reference to the passing of Hitchens is “contrarian,” and that strikes me as a little unfair. Hitchens could be infuriating and even wrong, but there was nothing dishonest or insincere about the man. Though it’s not the perfect definition of contrarian, I don’t believe for a second that Hitchens ever once took a stand simply to be provocative or contrary.

Hitchens was a truth-teller. Whether it was the war in Iraq, Mother Teresa, or Bill Maher’s trained seal audience, Hitchens always told what he believed to be the truth.

It was never as simple as opinion with Hitchens. What he was for or against rose above opinion. Again, he wasn’t always right (especially when it came to Mother Teresa), but his arguments never failed to be so beautifully designed that even when he was wrong, you had to respect the fact that so much study and thought and reasoning went into them.

Hitchens was incapable of lying and of insincerity, which is more complicated than being a contrarian, and that’s why I both admired and respected him.

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I remember Morgan best from his brilliant turn as the appropriately named Oily Perkins in the Western-comedy “Support Your Local Sheriff” (1969). RIP, Oily.  – JN

New York Times:

Harry Morgan was born Harry Bratsburg on April 10, 1915, in Detroit. His parents were Norwegian immigrants. After graduating from Muskegon High School, where he played varsity football and was senior class president, he intended to become a lawyer, but debating classes in his pre-law major at the University of Chicago stimulated his interest in the theater. He made his professional acting debut in a summer stock production of “At Mrs. Beam’s” in Mount Kisco, N.Y., and his Broadway debut in 1937 in the original production of “Golden Boy,” starring Luther Adler, in a cast that also included Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb.

After moving to California in 1942, he was spotted by a talent scout in a Santa Barbara stock company’s production of William Saroyan’s one-act play “Hello Out There.” Signing a contract with 20th Century Fox, he originally used the screen name Henry Morgan, but changed Henry to Harry in the 1950s to avoid confusion with the radio and television humorist Henry Morgan.

Mr. Morgan attracted attention almost immediately. In “The Ox-Bow Incident” (1943), which starred Henry Fonda, he was praised for his portrayal of a drifter caught up in a lynching in a Western town. Reviewing “A Bell for Adano” (1945), based on John Hersey’s novel about the Army in a liberated Italian town, Bosley Crowther wrote in The New York Times that Mr. Morgan was “crude and amusing as the captain of M.P.’s.”

He went on to appear in “All My Sons” (1948), based on the Arthur Miller play, with Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster; “The Big Clock” (1948), in which he played a silent, menacing bodyguard to Charles Laughton; “Yellow Sky” (1949), with Gregory Peck and Anne Baxter; and the critically praised western “High Noon” (1952), with Gary Cooper. Among his other notable films were “The Teahouse of the August Moon” (1956), with Marlon Brando and Glenn Ford, and “Inherit the Wind” (1960), with Spencer Tracy and Fredric March, in which he played a small-town Tennessee judge hearing arguments about evolution in the fictionalized version of the Scopes “monkey trial.” In “How the West Was Won” (1962), he played Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

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R.I.P. an American visionary who changed the world…

New York Times:

Steven P. Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple who helped usher in the era of personal computers and then led a cultural transformation in the way music, movies and mobile communications were experienced in the digital age, died Wednesday. He was 56.

The death was announced by Apple, the company Mr. Jobs and his high school friend Stephen Wozniak started in 1976 in a suburban California garage.

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Last year, while we were still living in Los Angeles, my wife and I visited a number of the Catholic missions that dot the State of California’s coastline. Imagine our surprise when we discovered that none other than Bob Hope is buried at the San Fernando Mission in Mission Hills, California.  It’s a beautiful, serene and private spot with a plot right next to Bob’s reserved for his beloved wife.

Of course the passing of Dolores Hope is a sad occasion and our condolences go out to her loved ones. But there is some peace in knowing Bob won’t be all alone anymore and that he and his bride of 69 years are side by side once again.    

Washington Post

Dolores Hope, who throughout her 69-year marriage to comedian Bob Hope oversaw their charitable giving and played a key role in establishing the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., has died. She was 102.

Mrs. Hope died Sept. 19 at her home in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, publicist Harlan Boll said. No cause of death was reported.

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New York Times:

James Arness, who burnished the legend of America’s epic West as Marshal Matt Dillon, the laconic peacemaker of Dodge City on “Gunsmoke,” one of the longest-running dramatic series in television history, died on Friday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

A family spokeswoman, Ginny Fazer, confirmed the death. Mr. Arness was terribly shy and had almost no training as an actor. A wartime leg wound made it painful for him to mount a horse. But he became the best-known tin star of his era, portraying the towering, weathered marshal for 20 years, from 1955 to 1975. He also made some 50 films and television movies, mostly westerns, in a career that stretched across five decades.

To a generation of television viewers, Mr. Arness and “Gunsmoke” embodied a new, more adult vision of the mythic Old West: a quiet, vulnerable lawman facing not stereotyped villains and clichéd situations but a chaotic frontier freighted with moral judgments and occasional failure. He might be too late to stop a killing. He could save a girl from kidnappers, but not from her father’s brutality.

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I won’t argue with a single one of the films you’ll be hearing about in the obituary pages and tributes to come. Network, Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men, Serpico and especially The Verdict are all standalone masterpieces brought to visceral life by a one-of-a-kind director who leaves behind a legacy that will live on for as long as there’s a civilization. Anyone with just one of those films on their resume could sit back in the satisfaction of knowing that they had achieved something very rare today – artistic perfection. “Fail Safe” and “The Pawnbroker” both come romantically close to that kind of perfection, as well.

But I’m a “deep cut” kind of movie lover, someone who likes to see absolutely everything in the hopes of digging up a gem everyone else appears to have missed. The only thing I love more than my secret stash of  cinematic gems, is the sharing of them. And the beauty of Lumet is that he had a number of sleepers, chief among them one of my wife’s all-time favorites, A Stranger Among Us with Melanie Griffith. The film was written by our own Robert Avrech and not only ranks as a terrific murder mystery/urban thriller, but also a delicately crafted love letter to both human dignity and the Jewish faith. Beneath all the drama and mystery, you’ll find a life-affirming subtext and thematic drive that tenderly examines the big issues of  fidelity, faith, and loyalty in ways movies then, and especially now, simply don’t anymore. For this reason it stands out in Lumet’s work, which is both a credit to the director and my friend Robert.  

Here are some others worth seeking out if you haven’t already…

Garbo Talks (1984): One of Lumet’s few escapist films with a perfectly cast Ron Silver as a Manhattan worker bee who drops everything to fulfill his dying mother’s (a never better Anne Bancroft) wish to meet the elusive Greta Garbo.

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Though most famous for his two films with director Alfred Hitchcock, “Rope” and “Strangers on a Train,” I would nominate Granger’s performance in  Nicholas Ray’s terrific noir piece “They Live By Night“ as his best and Anthony Mann’s “Side Street” as the best film Granger did that not enough people have seen. 

Granger’s Hollywood career-high was, unfortunately, short-lived. Though it was his own decision to buy his way out of a contract with producer Sam Goldwyn in order to work on the stage, it’s hard to imagine that inner-tremble quality he brought to his best roles was as effective on the stage as it was on the screen.

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The New York Times:

Elizabeth Taylor, the actress who dazzled generations of moviegoers with her stunning beauty and whose name was synonymous with Hollywood glamour, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. She was 79.

The cause was congestive heart failure, her publicist, Sally Morrison, told The Associated Press.

In a world of flickering images, Ms. Taylor was a constant star. First appearing onscreen at age 9, she grew up there, never passing through an awkward age. It was one quick leap from “National Velvet” to “A Place in the Sun” and from there to “Cleopatra” as she was indelibly transformed from a vulnerable child actress into a voluptuous film queen.

In a career of more than 70 years and more than 50 films, she won two Academy Awards as best actress, for her performances as a call girl in “Butterfield 8” (in 1960) and as the acid-tongued Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (in 1966). Mike Nichols, who directed her in “Virginia Woolf,” said he considered her “one of the greatest cinema actresses.”

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We lost a another irreplaceable legend yesterday and one of our own, an outspoken Republican — an independent-thinking feminist in the best sense of the word.  Here are some of my favorite Jane Russell quotes:

–”I have always been a Republican, and when I was in Hollywood long ago, most of the people there were Republican. The studio heads were all Republican, my boss Howard Hughes was a raving Republican, and we had a motion picture code in those days so they couldn`t do all this naughty stuff. We had John Wayne, we had Charlton Heston, we had man named Ronald Reagan, we had Robert Mitchum, James Stewart, Clark Gable.”

–”These days I am a teetotal, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot, but not a racist.”

–Asked what she thinks of Hollywood liberals George Clooney, Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn: “I think they`re not well.”

–”I had a botched abortion and it was terrible. Afterwards my own doctor said, `What butcher did this to you?` I had to be taken to hospital. I was so ill I nearly died. I`ve never known pain like it.”

–”People should never, ever have an abortion. Don`t talk to me about it being a woman`s right to choose what she does with her own body. The choice is between life and death.”

–Asked why modern Hollywood is so liberal: “I think the Sixties have happened between when I was there and now. A lot of the actors and actresses, their parents were Sixties people and they just have a Democratic left wing – they flipped.”

–Asked about the apparent conflict between her faith and her image, Russell replied, “Christians have bosoms, too, you know.”

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Here’s a link to the AP story. Not much there, unfortunately. You’ll get a better feel for the man through this terrific Vanity Fair interview that ran just last month in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of “The Empire Strikes Back,” the best of the “Star Wars” film and quite possibly the greatest sequel ever made:

Vanity Fair:

One of the biggest surprises in the book is that, in 1980, you had to convince interviewers you were not just following George’s direction. Obviously no one thinks that today. What was the biggest argument you and George had over a particular scene?

There was really only one disagreement. It was the Carbon Freeze scene when Princess Leia says, “I love you.” Han Solo’s response in the script was, “I love you, too.” I shot the line and it just didn’t seem right for the character of Han Solo. So we worked on the scene on the set. We kept trying different things and couldn’t get the right line. We were into the lunch break and I said to Harrison try it again and just do whatever comes to mind. That is when Harrison said the line, “I know.” After the take, I said to my assistant director, David Tomblin, “It’s a wrap.” David looked at me in disbelief and said something like, “Hold on, we just went to overtime. You’re not happy with that, are you?” And I said, yes, it’s the perfect Han Solo remark, and so we went to lunch. George saw the first cut and said, “Wait a minute, wait a minute. That’s not the line in the script.” I said ““I love you, too’ was not Han Solo.” Han Solo was a rebel. George felt that the audience would laugh. And I said, that’s wonderful, he is probably going to his death for all they know. We sat in the room and he thought about it. He then asked me, “Did you shoot the line in the script?” I said yes. So we agreed that we would do two preview screenings once the film was cut and set to music with the line in and then with the line out. At the first preview in San Francisco, the house broke up after Han Solo said I know. When the film was over, people came up and said that is the most wonderful line and it worked. So George decided not to have the second screening. (more…)

Fox News:

Even decades after the show ended, Barbara Billingsley expressed surprise at the lasting affection people had for “Leave it to Beaver” and her role as the warm, supportive mother of a pair of precocious boys.

The actress, who gained supermom status for her gentle portrayal of June Cleaver in the 1950s television series, died Saturday after a long illness. She was 94.

“We knew we were making a good show, because it was so well written,” Billingsley said in 1994. “But we had no idea what was ahead. People still talk about it and write letters, telling how much they watch it today with their children and grandchildren.”

Billingsley, who had suffered from a rheumatoid disease, died at her home in Santa Monica, said family spokeswoman Judy Twersky. (more…)

Character actor Harold Gould is probably best known for his showy turn as the dapper Kid Twist in “The Sting,” Rhoda Morgenstern’s father in both the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” and later “Rhoda,” and his recurring role as a suitor of one of the “Golden Girls.” Regardless, anyone who watched network television, most especially during the 1970s, is as familiar with Gould’s flashy, gray mustache as they are with his warm and competent screen presence.

I remember Gould best from a ”Sting”-like two-part episode of “The Rockford Files” called “Never Send a Boy King to do a Man’s Job” (two of my favorite hours of television … ever), where he plays Richie Brockelman’s dad. After a sleazy sports promoter steals away his business, Richie (Dennis Dugan) and Rockford (The Mighty James Garner) team up to swindle the thug out of a half-million dollars using a splendidly intricate con involving phony Egyptian artifacts and an ancient curse. There was also a storyline in the sitcom “Soap” where Gould played a twice-widowed heart attack patient who shares a hospital room with Billy Crystal’s Jodie. The old man mentors the younger man through a suicide attempt. Finally, there’s his small but memorable turn as Henry Winkler’s exasperated theatre director in Carl Reiner’s near-brilliant and criminally under-appreciated comedy “The One and Only.” 

Purely by chance I came across Gould’s obituary late last night. He had the misfortune of dying Saturday, the same day as Kevin McCarthy, who along with the 9/11 remembrance ceremonies sucked all the air out of the news cycle. But like all great character actors, he’s deserving of our recognition and respect if only for the many, many moments of pleasure his presense gave us over the decades. There’s simply nothing quite like that moment — big screen or small — when the familiar face of a great character actor arrives. No matter how good or bad the production, you know things are about to improve because you’re now in the hands of a master. (more…)

Though she was in her mid-fifties at the time, the first time I ever laid eyes on Lena Horne had enough of an impact that I still remember it today. And as much as I would like to say that the introduction occurred in some classy venue like a concert hall or one of those MGM movie musicals where she might not have starred but still stopped the show with a specialty number, it wasn’t. Truth be told, it was a 1973 episode of “Sanford and Son” where Fred told a whole bunch of lies to get his idol and dream girl,  ”The Horne,” over to the house.

There were a lot of beautiful women on television at the time so there had to be something more to her than just the physical. Obviously it was that special “thing” that separates the attractive from the star. In Lena Horne’s case that thing came from the effortless way in which she carried herself. Dignity, class, whatever you want to call it, “The Horne” had it to spare, even in a 1970’s sitcom. Without even trying she was also damn sexy. Maybe sultry’s a better word, or seductive. Let’s just leave it at ”wow.”

Ms. Horne also had talent to spare and while the legacy of recordings and film appearances she left behind is plenty rich, you have to wonder what might have been had skin color not been a hindrance to her film career. And we don’t have to wonder all that much. Not to take anything away from Ava Gardner’s memorably heartbreaking performance as the doomed Julie LaVerne in 1951’s “Show Boat,” but the fact that Gardner looks nothing like a mulatto woman hangs over the entire picture. It’s just too much disbelief to suspend. Horne was considered for the role but in the end lost it based solely on race. In 1951, the idea of casting a for real black woman as the love interest to a white man was a bridge too far. (more…)

Terrible news. Fox News just reported that actor Patrick Swayze lost his fight with pancreatic cancer today at the age of 57.

Swayze arrived on the scene in a big way in 1983, with a starring role in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Outsiders.” Distinguishing yourself among the likes of Tom Cruise, Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Matt Dillon in that film was no small feat. And while all would go on to enjoy very successful careers, none would star in “Road House” and “Red Dawn.”

My definition of a great actor is one who convinces in the role; one who doesn’t take you out of the story with all the tics and technique. By that standard Swayze never disappointed. A trained dancer, his physical abilities sold the action, his sincerity brought heart to the romance and a complete lack of pretension made him accessible — made him something that is all but extinct today: a real-live movie star.

Time is what creates the classic film, not critics or box office, and time has made clear that Swayze made a mark on cinema few might have expected twenty years ago. “Road House,” “Point Break,” “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost” live endlessly on cable television and DVD players everywhere.  They are a immortal part of our culture and … they are Patrick Swayze movies.  (more…)

It was a little over 30 years ago that I first laid eyes on the remarkable Larry Gelbart.  The occasion was our high school’s 50th anniversary.  I had been selected to host the celebration in the auditorium.  It was also my duty to talk about what Fairfax High had been like when I was there during the 1950s.  It was Larry’s job to report on the 1940s.  As I recall, producer Mike Frankovich handled the 30s and singer Martha Tilton recalled the 1920s. Although I got to introduce Gelbart to the audience, we didn’t actually meet.

Several months later, in a weekly column I was then writing for the L.A. Times, I took exception to the constant trashing of TV.  For all its obvious faults, I pointed out that over the years TV, not Broadway, books or the movies, was the place to find the best comedy in America.  I went on to mention ten or twelve of the anonymous men most responsible for writing the funniest lines.  Naturally, Larry Gelbart was one of the names on my list. (more…)

OBITUARY                           August 27, 2009                     Ned Rice

The whole world suffered a terrible loss yesterday with the passing from cancer of a great American icon who overcame unspeakable family tragedies and his own alcoholism to become a legendary advocate for justice.  Born to privilege in a large and wealthy Irish Catholic family, he attended elite prep schools, served in the military, and after a family member’s murder devoted the rest of his life to social causes and fighting injustice wherever he found it.  This larger-than-life character’s quick wit and compelling speaking style made him a friend to all who knew him – even those of different political beliefs-and helped advance the many causes he believed in so passionately.

May you rest in peace, Dominick Dunne.   

OTHER DEATHS YESTERDAY:  Ted Kennedy           

Iconic filmmaker John Hughes is dead of a heart attack at 59.

Anyone who came of age in the 80s and early 90s can’t help but remember the John Hughes era thanks to the many, many hours of warm, hilarious and unforgettable memories that sprung from the great man’s Midwestern mind.

John Hughes: 1950-2009

As producer, writer and director, Hughes created timeless stories that teenagers and parents alike will continue to discover a hundred years from now. Rich in universal theme, populated with lovable, relatable outcasts, and told by a creative genius who understood us and never talked down to us, John Hughes enjoyed nearly two decades of Hollywood success before retiring to private life in Chicago sometime in the 90s.

Long before today, we were missing John Hughes. (more…)