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- “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
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- “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
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Category Archives: Actors
Tribute to Gena Rowlands
Gena Rowlands in “A Woman Under the Influence,” 1974, directed by John Cassavetes The great Gena Rowlands is being honored with a Career Achievement Award from the L.A. Film Critics Association. The 84-year-old actress is still working. Known primarily for … Continue reading
Happy Birthday, Udo Kier
My friend Kim Morgan writes a gorgeous and funny tribute to German actor and muse-to-many Udo Kier. (I love his turn as the snooty man in Melancholia, who puts his hand up as a barrier-wall between him and anything unseemly … Continue reading
Posted in Actors
7 Comments
“But at that point in my life, I was done playing transgender characters in the hospital, going to the hospital. I was done wearing the gown!” – Alexandra Billings
A beautiful interview (it made me cry, dammit!) with Alex Billings on her role as Davina in Transparent. As she mentions in the interview, she does work “through a lens of kindness.” In every aspect of her life. It’s such … Continue reading
R.I.P. Jan Hooks
Nathan Rabin has written a wonderful obituary for this talented woman who has died at the age of 57. It’s a beautiful tribute. The Sweeney Sisters will be emblazoned in my mind forever. In college, my friend Jackie and I … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, RIP
2 Comments
King Creole (1958): The Dreamspace of “New Orleans”
Young Danny Fisher (Elvis Presley) in King Creole (1958) is a high school flunky a couple times over (“I’m not going back to school. Before you know it, I’ll be a freshman again”), working jobs as a busboy in seedy … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, Music
Tagged Elvis Presley, King Creole, Michael Curtiz, musicals, Sam Phillips
11 Comments
R.I.P. Marian Seldes
My friend Dan Callahan does this legend justice in his gorgeous eulogy over at Rogerebert.com. It’s a must-read.
R.I.P. Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers has died at the age of 81. I pay tribute to this icon over at Rogerebert.com.
Posted in Actors, RIP
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Mitchell Fain Presents, Part 3: A Conversation About Joan Rivers
Mitchell and I have been discussing having another conversation about various pop culture icons. We did a two-parter a while back, and are both very happy with how it all came out. Part 1, where we discuss Justin Timberlake, Lena … Continue reading
Posted in Actors
11 Comments
Happy Birthday, Maureen O’Hara
Maureen O’Hara was one of those “old” movie stars whom I grew up knowing about because of the yearly showing of Miracle on 34th Street on television, as well as my absolute obsession with Parent Trap. I wanted to be … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, On This Day
Tagged Charles Laughton, Ireland, John Ford, John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara
34 Comments
R.I.P. Lauren Bacall
This was the magazine cover that started it all. Howard Hawks was looking for a protege, a girl he could mold into his perfect woman who could play in those fabulous macho movies he made. His wife, “Slim” Hawks, saw … Continue reading