FINALLY, ON THE 87TH TAKE, EVERYTHING SEEMED PERFECT … UNTIL HENRI SUFFERED AN UNFORTUNATE ERUPTION OF FLATULENCE.
Tag Archives: Humphrey Bogart
CAROL-A-THON 2012: RICH LITTLE’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (1979)
If you’re into celebrity trivia from the 1970’s and earlier Rich Little’s Christmas Carol will have you laughing from start to finish over all the sly jokes and riffs that abound in this Canadian- made special. For those unfamiliar with Little he was the Frank Caliendo of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, a first- class celebrity impressionist. The Canadian comic’s first venture into using the voices and personas of iconic celebrities as characters in the Charles Dickens classic began in the 1960’s. Part of Rich’s stand-up act was a several minute sendup of A Christmas Carol with John Wayne, Jack Benny and other figures playing roles in the famous story.
In 1979 Little expanded the story into an hour-long television special in which, through the aid of trick photography, costumes and makeup, he impersonated all of the entertainment legends that he worked into the Yuletide epic. Here is a rundown of the celebrities that Rich Little appeared as in this enjoyable Christmas special:
For the central role of Ebenezer Scrooge Little impersonated W.C. Fields, the whiskey- soaked and curmudgeonly comedian whose misanthropic humor made his persona perfect for the role. Little impersonated Hollywood Squares mainstay Paul “The JM J Bullock of his time” Lynde in the role of Bob Cratchit and long-time Tonight Show host Johnny Carson as the cheerful and charming Nephew Fred. Rich did a turn as Laurel and Hardy as the Charity Solicitors to Continue reading
Filed under A CHRISTMAS CAROL
ELEVEN MORE NEGLECTED BAD MOVIES FOR HALLOWEEN
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are very familiar with my Bad Movie page where I examine plenty of under the radar movies that are hilariously awful. Last Halloween season I ran a list of the top Eleven Neglected Bad Movie Classics for Halloween. That tradition continues this year with a list of eleven more neglected bombs. As with last year’s list my Bad Movie page features full-length reviews of each of the movies I’m offering a synopsis of here.
THE RETURN OF DR X (1939) – The notorious film in which the legendary Humphrey Bogart played a zombified mad scientist named Dr Xavier who was brought back from the dead by another mad scientist named Dr Flegg. Much of the fun comes from Bogie’s unmistakable disdain for finding himself in the kind of stinker that Bela Lugosi often waded through. Bogie’s Dr X kills bunny rabbits, surgically drains blood from the hearts of living humans and experiments on babies in a movie desperately searching for a decent script and a likeable character.
DIAL HELP (1988) – Believe it or not Ruggiero Deodato directed this ridiculous horror film. A plucky heroine who has just been dumped by her boyfriend finds herself being haunted by … living phones. No I’m not kidding. These phones kill by strangling people with their cords, using high-pitched noises to Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies, Halloween Season
BAD MOVIE PAGE UPDATED: HUMPHREY BOGART AS AN UNDEAD MAD SCIENTIST? IT’S “THE RETURN OF DR X” (1939)
For some variety I’ll do my usual Monday feature, the Cool-Named Team Of The Day, tomorrow instead and go with my fresh new addition to my bad movie page. It’s the role Humphrey Bogart wanted everyone to forget, as he invades Bela Lugosi/George Zucco territory to portray an undead mad scientist in the enjoyably campy film The Return Of Dr X. And for more Bad Movie entries click here: https://glitternight.com/bad-movies/
THE RETURN OF DR X (1939) – Category: Enjoyably campy bad movie elevated by kitsch-value in the casting. Yes, it’s the famous “Humphrey Bogart as a zombie mad scientist” movie. The tale goes that Jack Warner inflicted this role on gangster-flick star Bogart as punishment for Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies
LINDENWOOD NEWS NETWORK: WITH GUEST COMMENTATOR TIBBS
This time my guest commentator is Tibbs, a cat who belongs to one of my other sisters – Debbie. Tibbs wants equal time for cats after my sister Rosemary’s dog Bogie (named after Humphrey Bogart, not a golfing term) acted as a Guest Commentator a few weeks ago. Tibbs thinks she would make a great mascot for a feline-named sports team so to underline that fact she wanted to do her guest stint for the Lindenwood Lions. Tibbs’ comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Balladeer’s Blog.
Tibbs: In women’s ACHA ice hockey, Lindenwood will host the Robert Morris (IL) Eagles this weekend. The Eagles and the Lady Lions have won the last 6 ACHA Hockey Championships. Personally I like to hunt Eagles down and then deposit them on my Mommy Debbie’s front doorstep, but she’s too uncivilized to appreciate this gesture.
Tibbs: The 6th-ranked Lions football team will be hosting the Culver-Stockton Wildcats this Saturday afternoon for Lindenwood’s Homecoming Game. Since both teams are named after cats I’m torn on this game and will probably just root for individual stats like I did last week when the Lions played Baker. Speaking of last week’s game, Lindenwood’s QB “Phootball” Philip Stabek (My uncle, the guy who usually writes this blog, is forcing me to use that lame nickname) set a school record with 6 touchdown passes in that 48-14 win. Since Culver-Stockton is winless at this point, the 5-1 Lions should have another huge win to please the Homecoming crowd.
Tibbs: The Lady Lions volleyball team is ranked #21, sports an 18-11 record and this weekend hosts the Lindenwood Invitational. Before that event they face the MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers and then in the Invitational will face the Avila Eagles, the Oklahoma City Stars and the Olivet Nazarene Tigers among others. I’m really going to “dig” this tournament! Get it? I “kill” me! Volleyball term jokes: I’ve never met anyone who DOESN’T love them!
TIBBS: The Lindenwood men’s soccer team is also ranked #21 and is off to a 9-3 start. This coming Saturday they play at the #14 Benedictine Ravens. Insert your own “Cat mascot devouring a bird mascot” joke here since I already used one above.
TIBBS: The men’s ice hockey team is still ranked #1 and is 5-1 so far in its non-conference slate. This week they travel to Indiana, whose team is currently 3-3. Last year the Lions crushed Indiana by scores of 12-0 and 9-1 so Lindenwood can definitely say “Hoosier” Daddy? to Indiana.
Well, that wraps up my turn as a guest commentator for my uncle. To tell the people at Lindenwood to just photoshop a lion’s mane on to my picture and use me as their new mascot click here: http://www.lindenwoodlions.com/
Filed under college sports
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