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- “Art is theft, art is armed robbery, art is not pleasing your mother.” — Janet Malcolm
- “I’m one of those people who thinks you can have a happy life and still be an artist.” — Shelley Duvall
- “There’s a difference between writing about something and living through it. I did both.” — poet/novelist Margaret Walker
- “I believe what Camus says. When the curtain rings down, your job is done.” — Warren Oates
- Physical Media Booklet Essay podcast interview
- “My voice isn’t an instrument I can just hang up on a hook.” — Audra McDonald
- “You can’t be on top all the time. It isn’t natural.” — Olivia de Havilland
- “If I don’t feel it, I can’t play it.” — James Cotton
- “I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.” — Lena Horne
- “But man has always succeeded in rising again.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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Category Archives: Actors
“You can wake up now, the universe has ended.”
For James Dean’s birthday: posted to my Substack the piece I wrote in 2013 about Rebel Without a Cause. No paywall. Thank you so much for stopping by. If you like what I do, and if you feel … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged James Dean, newsletter, Nicholas Ray, Rebel Without a Cause, Sal Mineo
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R.I.P. Cindy Williams
A classic bit. An acting friend of mine from college said she learned about physical comedy from watching Laverne and Shirley as a kid. I mean, watch the build of the bit above. They are CLOWNS, in the best sense … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, RIP, Television
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R.I.P. Lance Kerwin
For my Substack, I wrote about Teen Idol Lance Kerwin, who just passed away at the age of 62. (It’s a free post, available to all. I do have some subscriber-only posts in the pipeline, but figured this one would … Continue reading
Backting, the continuing story
William Wyler knew Bette Davis could say more with her back than most actresses can say with their faces. This is why Davis plays the majority (literally, it’s got to be about 75-80%) of The Letter with her back to … Continue reading
Mirrors #11
Bette Davis giving one of her greatest performances (and one of the greatest movie performances of all time) in Little Foxes. She basically avoids looking herself in the eyes. For obvious reasons. You can click on the “mirrors” tab to … Continue reading
R.I.P. Sam Schacht
My acting mentor and friend Sam Schacht has died. I’m so mournful. How do you talk about someone who made such an impact? Who was so wonderful? I love you, Sam. Thank you. Thank you for all you gave me. … Continue reading
“I will stand with the families of the prisoners and murdered and demand their rights.” — Taraneh Alidoosti
Taraneh Alidoosti, one of the most famous actresses in Iran, has been arrested. Nobody knows where she is. [UPDATE: It’s been confirmed by her father that she’s in Evin Prison. Where they put “political” prisoners. Where they put Jafar Panahi. … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies
Tagged Abbas Kiarostami, Asghar Farhadi, Golshifteh Farahani, Iran, Iranian film, Jafar Panahi, Taraneh Alidoosti
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Dynamic Duo #37
Jitka Cerhová and Ivana Karbanov, Daisies, 1966 (directed by Věra Chytilová)
Dynamic Duo #36
Edith Sitwell and Marilyn Monroe, 1953
Keep your eye on the star
When Tommy Lee Jones came and talked at my grad school, he was asked how he prepared for his role in The Fugitive. He said he talked to a US Marshal and basically got the expected answer … “I don’t … Continue reading