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- “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
Yankee Doodle Boy
It’s James Cagney’s birthday today (thanks for the reminder, Kim), which I didn’t realize yesterday when I wrote the post about Cagney’s death scenes, so in honor of his birthday today, here is a clip I love from 1955’s The … Continue reading
“The Animal Died In A Slow and Amazed Way.”
Peter Bogdanovich, in his essay on James Cagney in Who the Hell’s in It: Conversations with Hollywood’s Legendary Actors, writes: One of the guests asked [Cagney] how he had developed his habit of physically drawn-out death scenes, probably the best … Continue reading
Cousin Mike On His Emmy Nomination for Glee
Times have been crazy in the O’Malley dynasty the last couple of days with the news that my cousin Mike has been nominated for his role on Glee. Not a surprise – he’s terrific on the show, and his scenes … Continue reading
Jimmy Stewart: “That’s what I mean by the moment.”
Jimmy Stewart to a British Film Institute interviewer in 1972: I’m beginning to believe that, in films, what everyone is striving for is to produce moments–not a performance, not a characterization, not something where you get into the part–you produce … Continue reading
20 most surprising performances
Here are the 20 most surprising female performances I have chosen: Part 1 and Part 2. Don’t worry, those of you who like symmetry: I’m working on the 20 most surprising male performances.
Posted in Actors
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20 most surprising female performances (Part 2)
Here is Part 1 of the series, great conversation going on in the comments. Join in! HEDY LAMARR, Comrade X Hedy Lamarr, is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women in the history of cinema. Cameramen fell all … Continue reading
“He tried to get into the Brat Pack, but he wanted to change it to The Smile Bunch.”
So says Molly Ringwald about Ralph Macchio. His “niceness” was what held him back, apparently. Not anymore. No more Mr. Nice Guy. A gripping new documentary about his struggle back to superstardom: Wax On, F*** Off.
“This time give us a little awe.”
Excerpt from Bradford Dillman’s book Are you Somebody? An Actor’s Life: In The Greatest Story Ever Told [John] Wayne was cast as a Roman captain who visits the scene of the Crucifixion and says, standing at the feet of Christ, … Continue reading