Hello all. I have been SICK. I mean ground-glass-in-the-throat, coughin'-up-a-lung, voice-diminishing, head-pounding with-every-move, sleeping-sitting-upright-in-a-chair-for-four-days, eyes-burning, nose-running/burning, ears-plugged up and aching teeth-SICK. And that's just from the neck up. We won't discuss what has been happening with the rest of my body, becausee no one wants to hear about that.
I think what I have is RSV. Dallas actually had it before I got it, but since he is healthy, on the young side of mddle-aged, he seems to be pulling out of it quickly. I am in the age group that it affects more severely, so I have to watch it. I am having the breathing problems they warn against. I know there is a vaccine for it, but I did not take it. I had my flu shot and am consulting with my doctor as to whether or not I should get the vaccine after I recover from this thing. Sadly, this RSV can occur over and over, which is not normally the case with most viruses. So, I'll see.
Speaking of doctors, for those Whovians out there, Doctor Who Day was November 23, 2023. 60 years ago on that day, Doctor Who's first episode called, 'Unearthly Child,' was shown on BBC. It was aired on November 23, 1963. This was originally a children's television sci-fi show, and it reportedly had children 'hiding behind the sofa.' in the UK. We had 'Star Trek' over here in the states, but I don't think it affected us in the same way. Each November 23 is considered 'Doctor Who Day' ... aka 'TARDIS Day.'
If this were a Doctor Who (notice that the 'Doctor' in Doctor Who is always spelled out, never abbreviated, and his spaceship, the TARDIS 'Time And Relative Dimension In Space' ... that anagram has a few different meanings) webpage, I could go on and on about the Whoniverse, which I am very familiar with. However, it would make no sense to those not interested, so I will spare you that ... only to say that David Tennant is returning as the14th Doctor (Tennant also played the 10th Doctor) for three episodes (first one is today, next two are the next two Saturdays). Having just viewed the first special called 'The Star Beast.' and my reaction was lukewarm.
Then our 15th Doctor Who will begin his reign in 2024. Try as I might I still can't find a solid release date. The BBC is strange that way. Will keep us guessing until the last minute. What I can say is that we have had all sorts of Doctors, except a gay (bi, yes, but strictly gay, no) one, a trans one, or one other than a Caucasian. We will break the norm this time by having a blackmale Doctor. And he is absolutely gorgeous. We have already had a black woman Doctor (kind of). However, If the content of the show itself doesn't get better than what I saw today, I question if there will even be a 16th Doctor, and the move to Disney+ is still questionable in my mind. I like the sharp, adult edge it was getting. Now if they are going to revert back to a kids' show, I will definitely lose interest.
One of the trailers I saw had something to do with one of the most 'beloved' aliens in Doctor Who ... the Daleks. I found that twist to be interesting. I also know that Neil Patrick Harris is returning villian 'The Toymaker' and drag queen Jinkx Monsoon will also appear in one of the upcoming specials.
A Dalek all dressed up and ready to go for the holidays. If you are a Whovian, you will catch the many references to Doctor Who in the stained glass panels.
Obviously, I also missed Thanksgiving. I never do much for this day, anyway, as I give thanks each and every day for the many blessings I have had throughout my life, and I loathe turkey. These days, my thanks are for my daughter and son, that they are happy and healthy. I live much less extravagantly than I used to. I no longer have a maid. I do own my home, in fact, I have owned several during my time in Modesto, CA., but I no longer need the larger ones that I did when I was raising my children and had extended family living with us at various times. What I have now suits me just fine. I am thankful for the security I have provided for myself.
Many years ago, I found this somewhere online. I used it on my various Facebook groups and on my personal Facebook timeline. Then I lost it for a few years. I found it again a few years ago, and I'm sure that you have probably seen it in one or another place.
It could be posted at any time of the year, really, but I like to put it up around Thanksgiving:
A homage to Norman Rockwell's "Freedom From Want" substituting famous gay/bi people. Since I really have no way of knowing whether all these people WERE gay or bi, I think it is best to say they were advocates of the LGBT community. Clockwise from the top: Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Alan Turing, Greta Garbo, Rudolph Valentino, J. Edgar Hoover, Walt Whitman, Jason Collins, Tennessee Williams, Rock Hudson, Ellen DeGeneres.
As those who read my blog regularly are aware ... I blog pretty consistently about Rudy & Natacha. For today's blog post, I tried to think of instances that they may have been thankful for the situation they were in. I'm sure there were many, and I think one of them must have been their one and only chance to work together and have total control over a film. That film was 'Monsieur Beaucaire." (Mr. B).
All Rudy fans have heard the story of how Natacha caused the rift between 'Famous Players-Lasky' (FP-L) and Rudy. Well, in a side-ways way, I suppose it could be considered as truthful, but it was not of Natacha's doing. Allow me to elaborate on this. There is proof of this which exists, but after hearing the tale and how it played out, I don't think it would require anyone digging up paperwork that is around a century old. It is really just common sense ... which the tabloids had about as much of then as they do today.
Rudy was very, very upset with 'FP-L' for many things, and one of them was what he perceived as insulting and unforgivable treatment toward Natacha following the Mexicali wedding. "Mr. B" would be the chance for both Rudy and Natacha to show their artistic sides - Rudy as an actor and Natacha as the director's assistant.
Even though Natacha was ultimately uncredited as such, she definitely performed the duties of an assistant for director Sidney Olcott (who did not come at a low expense to the production) and I think that we should remember that the costumes that Natacha designed were both colorful and luxurious. A description by a reporter of one of Rudy's outfits went as follows:
"Created by designer Georges Barbier's and Max Weldy's Paris costume houses, a team who for many years created the leather and sequins outfits worn by Follies-Bergere dancers - the ensemble [Rudy wore] was of pale, grey velvet with chenille braid. Lined with purple and red taffeta it had a coat of pink velvet-embroidered with silver, and breeches and boots of grey suede."
We cannot know the color schemes of ALL of Rudy's outfits, but this is another take I like on how he might have looked:
Rudy in 'Monsieur Beaucaire.'
Rudy and Natacha selected Barbier as a costume designer after seeing his work on Broadway when they attended a performance of Maurice Rostand's 'Casanova' at the Empire Theatre. Upon their return to Europe, not only did they love the costumes, but they were very impressed by the actor, Lowell Sherman, who would be cast as King Louis XV in "Mr. B."
While both Rudy and Natacha were anxious to be liked and accepted by the cast and crew of "Mr. B," they had different ways of going about achieving this goal. Rudy was warm and gregarious, wanting to be called 'Rudy.' Natacha was more distant and insisted on being called 'Madam' (shades of Nazimova?) and felt she would earn (or demand) the required affection through respect from the cast and crew.
Rudy was known to take up his guitar and give impromptu solo performances for everyone when he wasn't needed for shots. Lois Wilson (who played Queen Marie of France) described Rudy's carefree behavior in the following way:
"He was a hard worker who got to the studio at five each morning to train and exercise for two hours before shooting began, but who could also be a bundle of deviltry' as expert in flourishing a bon mot as in handling a rapier. He was a kidder whose jokes were not at my expense - oh no! - he is too entirely a gentleman to be rude - but they have that continental flavor that is fascinating and sometimes so risqué. He reminds me of an overgrown little boy. One of those kiddies with huge brown eyes and a guileless expression caught in the act of robbing the family jam closet. You would wipe away the incriminating evidence and kiss away the hurt look in his eyes."
Wilson may have been slyly referring to Lowell Sherman, in this case. During shooting, Sherman, during a scene in which the King is watching a court performance while knitting, had whispered to Wilson:
"Don't worry, Queenie, I'm just knitting you a little bra."
Wilson had cracked up, causing a retake on the scene. These were the types of pranks that Rudy did not fall to, but Sherman certainly had no issue with pulling them.
André Daven had journeyed from Paris to try his luck in films, at Rudy's suggestion; and André was playing Rudy's brother, the 'Duke of Nemours,' Daven's presence is powerful, although his part was minuscule. He only appears in a few scenes; mostly in one, the dressing scene. Looking at the film, I only see Daven in a few other scenes and in some walk-throughs.
Andre Daven (left) as the 'Duke of Nemours' & Rudolph Valentino (right) as the 'Duke of Chartre' in "Mr. B."
Daven also did some publicity work for "Mr. B," and his most famous connection to Rudy seems to be concerning an unpaid dental bill he left Rudy and Natacha with ... but that is left to conjecture. Daven claimed Rudy authorized it; Rudy had a different story. Either way, I think Rudy went ahead and paid the bill. Daven had his teeth fixed and had left the country.
In a letter he wrote to a friend in Paris, Daven outlined his current "Mr. B" salary, adding on his publicity salary and also mentioned that Rudy had expressed that a larger role in the next picture was expected for Daven. According to Daven, Rudy went to great lengths to arrange for the two men to spend ten days alone:
"The two of us are in a little bungalow, away from everything. It's restful."
As I mentioned above, though, Daven's return to France was sudden. He did not make a second picture with Rudy. I'm going to stop short of saying this was a sexual affair because I was not there and how could I possibly know either way? I do believe there was a bromance happening.
Many thought Natacha's designs were genius. Others did not. The Dutch-born actress Jetta Goudal was in the latter group. Goudal was hired to be in "Mr. B" and yet she quit the film due to an on-going difference of opinion in costume design with Natacha. Goudal claims that "she had just as much of a creative streak as Natacha, yet it did not matter since Goudal did not have an 'in' with the leading man." She was nicely let out of her contract. She did say she appreciated 'FP-L' doing this for her, though.
Natacha interfered with magazine and newspaper interviews at times on the set of "Mr. B." She would not allow them to speak with Rudy, instead insisting they speak with 'Madam.' At last, one interviewer refused to speak with Natacha and left the return message saying that if 'Madam' had anything to say, she could call that interviewer's wife at the times he specified.
Natacha may have been putting on a few airs - she did seem to attempt to emulate her own former mentor - Nazimova - even going so far as to invite Russian ballet director Konstantin Stanislavsky (Nazimova's former mentor) to the "Mr. B" set for lunch when his company was in town for a performance. Natacha assumed the cast and crew would be honored to meet Stanislavsky.
The person most impressed (at first) seemed to be Stanislavsky, himself. He was initially amazed at the ability of Lois Wilson to repeatedly cry in the re-shoots of a scene. In the end, although he respected the "process of filmmaking" he seemed to think it not so lofty of an ability as his own art. Stanislavsky told his interpreter that Rudy did not know how to dress properly in the period wear, but he failed to say what he found to be the problem with Rudy's style of dress ... I think Rudy did just fine.
So it is easy to see how Natacha could be blamed, at this point, for interference in Rudy's career with 'FP-L.' There were many other instances where she was unfairly accused of interference when she was only attempting to do the job that Rudy asked her to do. The rumor persists today that she was barred from a movie set via a contract that Rudy signed. No matter how many times I say it ... people continue to believe it. IT WAS NOT SO. This never happened. I've gone over this many times, and will gladly do it again if anyone has questions at this time. Please ask in the comments section below. Otherwise, the issue will be addressed at the proper time with the correct blog post when it comes to the making of 'The Eagle.'
My last little catch-up bit is something I post each and every year, although I usually do it on my Facebook timeline. Since I no longer use that area on the internet, I'd like to share it here on my blog. It is a tea-light candle holder. It belongs to my friend, Hans-Dieter Probst.
This is my comfy winter photo:
Darkmum
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