Sophie Feldman - AKA Totie Fields

Totie Fields (1930-1978) was a groundbreaking comedienne in the 1960’s. She took a page from Phyllis Diller and turned it into a full length persona. At a time when “thin was in” she was unafraid to poke fun at herself- and in doing so made us all more comfortable with ourselves and our own shortcomings.

Born Sophie Feldman in Hartford, Connecticut in 1930, she began her career as a singer in local nightclubs around Boston. She was still in High School at the time. As her popularity rose she changed her name to Totie, which was a childhood nickname, and changed her last name to Fields.

In New York she began doing the nightclub circuit. With her combination of singing and comedy she caught the eye of Ed Sullivan one evening at the Copacabana. Her first big break would come on his show. Soon she was performing on all the talk shows such as Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and on The Tonight Show as well. She was everywhere, including the Brighton Beach Swimclub where I saw her in 1965. She was dressed in a wildly patterned shift dress that would have been the envy of "Mama Cass."

Her struggles with her weight were a big part of her act. In 1976 she was diagnosed with a blood clot and her left leg was amputated above the knee. This brought a new meaning to the phrase “break a leg” and she soldiered on, if only briefly, before her next health crisis. She did a one woman show in 1977, unheard of at the time, and opened the show in her wheelchair.

Suffering 2 heart attacks and breast cancer, she kept performing, using her infirmities as part of her act. In 1978 she was voted “Entertainer of the Year” and "Female Comedy Star of the Year” by the American Guild of Variety Artists. The honors came just in time.

In August of 1978 she was appearing at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas when she suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism. Originally buried in Las Vegas she was later moved to Los Angeles and buried beside her husband who passed away in 1995.

But she's still around- you can bring her up on You Tube anytime you like. She's still funny and in some ways; particularly in issues about body image; more relevant than ever.

Sammy Davis, Jr. - Entertainer.

You need only one word to describe the essence of Sammy Davis, Jr; that word is Entertainer; with a capital E and a period at the end. Fluent in the arts of singing, dancing, impressionism, and everything in between, Mr. Davis is one of those who came out of the last days of vaudeville; touring with his Uncle in the Will Maston Trio at the age of 3. The man was literally born on stage. And then dominated it, in spite of racial and physical difficulties which would make it hard even in today's enlightened era.

After serving in the army during the 2nd World War Mr. Davis took to the stage and from there went on to Hollywood and Las Vegas. It was during that period when he made the acquaintance of Frank Sinatra, beginning a friendship which would last until the two men died. Sinatra was the one who brought Mr. Davis into the fabled Las Vegas "Rat Pack", making him part of a legend even while they were still performing.

His solo career soared after the release of his first #1 single "Hey There" in the early 1950's. With his signature voice and suave style of performance it was not too long before he was headlining on that new medium, television.

This film is from one of the literally hundreds of TV appearances he made during the late 1950's and 1960's. I don't know which show it's from; if you recognize it please let me know. What really makes this a great clip to watch is that it's longer than the average 3 minutes, and Mr. Davis gets to show off his unique range of talents.

To really hear Mr. Davis at his best; using his fantastic vocal power and range; then listen to this song which is usually associated with Robert Goulet; the heckler is Frank Sinatra. The recording was made in Chicago in October 1963. And, for a really good book on Mr. Davis' life, I'd recommend his autobiography, "Yes, I Can."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhJkEMapV_0

"Lucky You" with Drew Barrymore and Robert Duvall (2007)

Eric Bana plays Huck Cheever, the son of a great poker player named L.C. Cheever in this father and son drama set in Las Vegas amid the world of high stakes poker. Huck has inherited his father’s gift for cards. He can compute the other player’s hands in his head and make sharp bets. He also has a reckless side which keeps him from ever really being the big winner his father was, and still is. Huck wants to show him up and become the big winner himself.

In the weeks leading up to the big Las Vegas Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Series Chuck must find a way to raise the entry fee of $10,000 in order to play. He will do anything to play in this game, if only to show his Dad that he can do it. He embarks on a week- long spree in which he begs, borrows, gambles and even “steals” in order to come up with the money.

When Huck meets up with his Dad, L.C., played by Robert Duvall, he is a bit shaken, the man is a legend. But with a new love in his life, Billie, played by Drew Barrymore, he is more determined than ever to be a winner. He gets his chance to show his famous Dad up by winning the series in which the old man plays against him, but will he be able to do it? L.C. claims that Huck lets his emotions get in the way, preventing him from winning. Is he right?

This is a much nuanced film with an ending that will make you smile to yourself when you realize that winning takes many different forms.

"Lost In America" with David Brooks and Julie Hagerty (1985)

In this fast paced, and hilarious comedy, Albert Brooks plays David Howard, an advertising executive who gets passed over for a promotion because he is doing a great job in his current position. This sets off a mid-life crisis which causes him to dramatically quit his job, sell his home and embark on a cross country trip with his wife in a Winnebago. Their first stop is in Las Vegas, where his wife Linda, played with exceptional sweetness and naiveté by Julie Hagerty, decides to join her husband in casting caution to the wind. She does this by losing all of the money they got from selling their house in one of a casino.

Of course this is only the beginning of a wild and hilarious adventure; along with a clash of wills; as David and Linda seek to recover their money, as well as the lives they have traded away. The message in this film is pretty clear; the hell you know is almost always better than the hell you might be trading for.

This film was first released in 1985, and became an instant favorite of mine. This is the first time I have re-screened this gem in several years, and even with all the changes in technology which have occurred since then, the film remains fresh and vibrant. The desire to cast it all to the wind and “live among the Indians”, as David puts it, is still alive in most of us. We just don’t get the opportunity to do it. And after seeing this film, you may be glad that we don’t!

The First Elvis Impersonator

The best thing about this little clip is that Elvis and Johnny Cash were still very much in contact with one another at the time it was made. This video is from the mid-late 1950's when both were still growing in popularity as members of the so-called "Million Dollar Quartet", the group of musicians from Sun Records on which the show of the same name is based. It's a great clip of a fun time in musical history. Also, this may be the first professional "Elvis" impersonator on record!

Farewell, Josephine

Last November I reviewed "The Making of Some Like It Hot" by Tony Curtis. That book chronicled the making of a movie that broke box office records and set the stage for a new and more liberal type of comedy. This still shot, taken from the movie, shows Mr. Curtis, in character as Josephine, aka Joe, with Jack Lemmon, sans wig, as Daphne, aka Jerry, in one of the hotel room scenes.

Yesterday evening at 9:25 PM, Mr. Curtis passed away at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was 85 years old and his film career spanned 6 decades. During this time he played a slave in "Spartacus", a fugitive chained to fellow escapee Sidney Poitier in "The Defiant Ones", and a spineless gofer opposite Burt Lancaster in "The Sweet Smell of Success." The entire index of his films would be too long to list here.

Married at one time to Janet Leigh, he was also the proud father of actress Jamie Lee Curtis. You might say that acting ran in the family.

There is not much that I can cover here which you will not read in today's papers, or hear on the news. So I thought I would re-run a review of Mr. Curtis' hilarious and insightful book about the fiming of the classic "Some Like It Hot", which I reviewed here last November. Mr. Curtis is one more of the "old" Hollywood crowd that seems to grow thinner with each passing year. Thanks, Mr. Curtis for some wonderful movies, and for this very entertaining book about a landmark film.

This is a delightful book. "Some Like It Hot" has long been a favorite of mine and to get a glimpse behind the scenes through the eyes of one of the principal actors is a treat!

Mr. Curtis spares nothing in his recollections of the filming of one of Hollywood's best loved masterpieces. There is a little bit of "kiss and tell" here, but not too much. The book is more a narrative of what it was like working with the creative genius of Billy Wilder.

The book is filled with anecdotes and tidbits of information about not only the movie but Hollywood itself. The rift between George Raft, who plays one of the gangsters, and Edward G. Robinson is explored. This goes back to the filming of "Manpower" with Robinson and Raft as Linesmen in love with the same woman, Marlene Dietrich. In reality they were both smitten with her and came to blows on the set. There was a Life photographer there who got it on film. Due to this , Robinson turned down the part to play opposite Raft in "Some Like It Hot."

The parts of the book that are the most entertaining involve Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon learning how to dress and act like women. The big surprise for Mr. Curtis was how well Jack Lemmon adapted to the role. He revelled in it!

The creative process is explored extensively. Billy Wilder never made a film with a complete script. He would film what he had and then rewrite or revise as necessary. This gives his films the spontaneity they are known for.

Filled with photographs from the studio and some of the authors own collection this book is a great read for holiday travel. The color photos are a real treat as the movie was shot in black and white.

The freindship between Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis is beautifully expressed. This will be of interest to all Monroe fans. He has a unique ability to let you peek inside without being sleezy. He obviously recognizes Marilyn Monroes faults but also gives her credit for the complex and sensitive person she was.

Originally I picked this off the shelf as a quick selfish read. It turned out to be so much more than that. I'm glad I took the time to look behind the magic of the movie and see how it was accomplished.

"Hollywood In A Suitcase" by Sammy Davis, Jr.

It has been 30 years since this book was written. Mr. Davis was 54 years old when he wrote it. It's fortunate for us that he did as he passed away in 1989 at the pre-mature age of 64. And with his passing we would have missed out on alot of great memories and stories of Hollywood during the 1950's and 60's.

Unlike his first book "Yes I Can", which was released in 1965 (My Mom had it and I read it then as well as in my 20's) this one is not "ghostwritten" and doesn't seem to even have a co-editor. It is a book shot "straight from the hips." There are a few errors here and there concerning dates, but they are forgiveable.

Mainly the book is a collection of Mr. Davis' memories of his friends and the people who really helped him overcome barriers, both racial and later physical, as he struggled to make the transition from Vaudeville to Hollywood. Readers of "Yes I Can" will already be familiar with his early years as part of the Will Mastin Trio, of which he became a member at age 3. This is a man with show business truly in his blood. That first book also covered his service in Alabama during World War Two as well as the tragic car accident which cost him an eye.

This book is not a memoir, it is a collection of stories. Some of the best involve his friendships with Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, John Wayne and of course, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. He has an uncanny ability to "spill the beans" concerning some of these legends without being offensive or even intrusive about it. Perhaps it is the honesty with which he reviews his own life that makes it work without seeming to be a "kiss and tell" type book.

His freindships with Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak, Judy Garland and others are equally fascinating as they were all during a time when racial tensions were high. There were times when this caused danger for Mr. Davis as well as his freinds.

The most enjoyable part of this book for me was the insight into Bogart and how his freindship helped open doors for Mr. Davis in Hollywood. And the introduction of Sammy Davis to Frank Sinatra is interesting in and of itself. The whole book is written without pretense and in a very personal way, like a freind telling you stories. It seems as if this man never lost his humility, and yet he was able to dominate an entertainment arena that was, for the most part, "whites only." What a contrast!

For fans of Sammy Davis, Jr. and Hollywood in general, this book is a quick read and an unusual look at some of the legends that Mr. Davis was privleged to have worked alongside. An ideal read for a rainy day.

Sophie Feldman aka Totie Fields

Totie Fields (1930-1978) was a groundbreaking comedienne in the 1960’s. She took a page from Phyllis Diller and turned it into a full length persona. At a time when “thin was in” she was unafraid to poke fun at herself- and in doing so made us all more comfortable with ourselves and our own shortcomings.

Born Sophie Feldman in Hartford, Connecticut in 1930, she began her career as a singer in local nightclubs around Boston. She was still in High School at the time. As her popularity rose she changed her name to Totie, which was a childhood nickname, and changed her last name to Fields.

In New York she began doing the nightclub circuit. With her combination of singing and comedy she caught the eye of Ed Sullivan one evening at the Copacabana. Her first big break would come on his show. Soon she was performing on all the talk shows such as Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and on The Tonight Show as well. She was everywhere, including the Brighton Beach Swimclub where I saw her in 1965. She was dressed in a wildly patterned shift dress that would have been the envy of "Mama Cass."

Her struggles with her weight were a big part of her act. In 1976 she was diagnosed with a blood clot and her left leg was amputated above the knee. This brought a new meaning to the phrase “break a leg” and she soldiered on, if only briefly, before her next health crisis. She did a one woman show in 1977, unheard of at the time, and opened the show in her wheelchair.

Suffering 2 heart attacks and breast cancer, she kept performing, using her infirmities as part of her act. In 1978 she was voted “Entertainer of the Year” and "Female Comedy Star of the Year” by the American Guild of Variety Artists. The honors came just in time.

In August of 1978 she was appearing at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas when she suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism. Originally buried in Las Vegas she was later moved to Los Angeles and buried beside her husband who passed away in 1995.

But she's still around- you can bring her up on You Tube anytime you like. She's still funny and in some ways more relevant than ever.