On A Pale Horse

I was raised in a two-paycheck household. Mom & Dad both worked and for awhile there Mom was working full time as well as going to college. Because of this situation I grew up in one big hurry-up-and-wait atmosphere. It was like “Hurry up, get ready we had to leave the house now, now, now!!!! I’m already 10 minutes behind schedule and I still have to drop you off at school!!!! Spoiled brat!” and then 20 minutes later was “Quit whining!!! I don’t care if it’s 6:45 and they don’t unlock the doors until 7am and school doesn’t start until 8:30 get out of the car and sit outside in this 50 morning weather and wait”.

So as life would have it I was 12 and my friend K had a slumber party on a Friday night. Everyone else’s parents picked them up by noonish on Saturday leaving just me hanging out which wasn’t a bad deal because K was my bestest friend in the whole wide world. It was the middle of November and we were stuck out in a house in the middle of Armada so K’s dad took us out, rented some movies and got some pizza. The first movie was FireFox with Clint Eastwood and then, after it got dark, we watched the second movie, Poltergeist. I remember my mom coming in during the middle of it, talking with K’s mom (loudly) and then asking me if I was ready to go… Now. I started to get up but K’s mom AND dad both said that we were in the middle of watching a movie and I couldn't leave now. It was awesome… I got to sit around until I was ready to go. I got to watch that entire movie, uninterrupted and the only time I was scared was when that creepy psychic lady was on the screen. That creepy psychic lady was Zelda Rubinstein.

Zelda Rubinstein attending both the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California and had been a technician at a blood bank before changing career paths and entered acting at age 47. Her first major screen role was in 1981’s awesomely craptastic film "Under the Rainbow” (“The peweral is in de liver”). In 1982 she was cast as Tangina Barrons in Poltergeist (25th Anniversary Edition) a role that she reprised in two sequels.

She was advocate for little people’s rights (she was 4'3") as well as one of the first actors involved in promoting public awareness and education for HIV/AIDS.

Ms Rubinstein suffered a heart attack in December and had been hospitalized at Cedars Sinai in Los Angles. From all that I’ve read is that she didn’t have any family but it was reported that her family and a close companion decided to remove her from life support due to kidney and lung failure shortly after her heart attacked. It seemed like she was making some improvement but on January 27, 2010 she passed away.

R.I.P. - March 28, 1933 – January 27, 2010

SOURCES: PICTURE, IMDB, WIKIPEDIA, NYT

Labels: 1933 births, 2010 deaths, actress, heart attack

In 1985 I was banished once again to summer camp. I wasn't really thrilled about the whole camp experience until 1987 when I lost my virginity... then it wasn't so bad. But before then I wasn't really all that into it; a lot of the girls didn't like me so I spent a lot of time by myself or reading or with my friend, A. (I found out in during my last summer there that the reason why no one wanted to hang out with me was because of A - whatever). But the point is that I read a lot. I would sit in my cabin and read everything I could get my hands on. The camp had it's own little library one of the books was "The Amityville Horror". Not really a good choice when you're in the middle of the forest in a creaky cabin with no electricity. After finishing the book the slightest sound would creep me out. For awhile there I laid awake most of the nights listening to the wind, woodland creatures and A snoring. But slowly I got over and by the time I made it home in August I begged my dad to rent the movie. That wasn't such a good idea either, just because it kinda sucked, well at least for me it did. The 2005 version wasn't much better but at least it had Ryan Reynolds shirtless, mmmm.

The 1979 file was directed by Stuart Rosenberg who in 1967 directed the classic "Cool Hand Luke" (audio). His directing career was pretty prolific with directing over 300 television shows as well as "The Drowning Pool", "Brubaker" and "The Pope of Greenwich Village". He won an Emmy for directing an episode of "The Defenders" and won a couple awards at the 1961 Berlin International Film Festival for "Question 7". He directed his last film, "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys", in 1991.

He passed away from a heart attack.

August 11, 1927 - March 15, 2007

Sources

image - I think that's him, page is in French

Canada.com

Labels: 1927 births, 2007 March deaths, director, heart attack

I'm not as cool as I think I am. Truth be told, I'm a half hearted nerd - not the kind that ends up building an empire like Microsoft or musically inclined like Wierd Al Yankovic just socially inept. I am, in fact, one of your run of the mill zit faced, pencil chewing, glasses wearing, stringy hair, comic book reading, Star Trek watching, slightly OCD, band geek. If it wasn't for Maybelline, Lasik, hair dye and cigarettes I'd never get a date (well I've had a few in my life - not recently though). I've gotten some pretty strange looks when I open my mouth and talk about things that I'm interested in (case in point - this site). I've been looked at like I have a second head and heard the words 'freak' and 'abnormal' to describe me, whatever. I've always held the stead fast belief that one should stand out, not be classified, be abnormal. In my case that means that I'm pretty proud to be called a nerd.

I wouldn't characterize John Waters as being a nerd. I think he understands the nerd mentality, those that live life outside of the normal accepted pattern of living. I like that. One of my all time favorite movies is "Hairspray" the 1988 classic with Divine, Ricky Lake, Debbie Harry & Shawn Thompson (drool). *Sidenote... I'm not too excited about this remake that's coming out with John Travolta - but that's for another time.* One of the more colorful characters (not trying to make a pun) was Motormouth Maybelle played by one Ruth Brown. I loved her - she was loud - proud - funny - she rhymed (Oh Papa Tooney. We've got a Looney!).

Ruth Browns career took off with Atlantic Records in the 1950's with songs like "So Long" followed by "Tear Drops From Her Eyes". She retired from singing in 1961 after going to another record label and having less then steller sucess with her subsequent releases. In the mid Seventies she experienced a career comeback. She started recording again, staring on Broadway (she won a 1989 Tony for her role in Black & Blue) and then going on to Hollywood to star in television and movies. In 1993 she was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Ms. Brown passed away in Las Vegas from complications following a heart attack and stroke she suffered after surgery in October 2006

January 30, 1928 - November 16, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1928 births, 2006 November deaths, actor, broadway, deaths, heart attack, singer

I don't know about other states football rivalries but here in Michigan we've got this huge one - The University of Michigan Wolverines versus Ohio State Buckeyes. Whoo hoo. I suppose I care a little more now that I don't have to hide my head in embarrassment. My ex and I would walk into our local watering hole and he would wear his Ohio State shirt among a sea of Blue & Maize. Well this would usually raise a few insults and some back & forth stat throwing generally ending up in someone saying "Well Ohio just sucks" and/or "UofM is just a bunch of spoiled rich kid brats". Good times.

Bo Schembechler is a LEGENDARY football coach. He coached the Wolverines from 1969 through the end of the 1989 season. He won 235 games. He went to 17 bowl games in 21 years, 10 of those games were the Rose Bowl. Even though he was born in Ohio (and earned his Masters Degree at Ohio State), Schembechler became a fixture in Michigan sports. He was the Athletic Director at UofM from 89-90, President of the Detroit Tigers from 90-92 and stayed on as a sports anaylst for the show "The Big Ten Ticket" at Channel 7 - Detroits ABC affiliate.

The UofM & OS game is traditionally the last game of the year for both teams. This year is particularly an important match up because Ohio State is ranked Number 1 while UofM holds on to the Number 2 spot in the Big 10. Schembechler recently stated about this weekends upcoming game that it was "About as big as it gets, I see this game as being a great classic." I'm sure it's going to be although shrouded with this unfortunate tragedy.

Mr. Schembechler collapsed during a broadcast in October. He was hospitalized and device was implanted in his chest to regulate his heart beat. He returned to work shortly after the procedure. He again collapsed again while taping his show and passed away from an apparent heart attack.

April 1, 1929 - November 17, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1929 births, 2006 November deaths, heart attack, Michigan, sports

What makes a person a genius? Determination? Hard Work? Timing? Talent? Luck? A set of balls the size of Texas? Who the hell knows. I know I'm not one. Hell, if you've read any of this blog you should know that by now.
I started doing this write up about how much I loved 'Citizen Kane' and that his talent was unappreciated, that was until I started doing more research on him. There is no doubt that this man was talented but I think some of the eccentricities were far more interesting.

He did the voice over for the Star Wars original trailer.
The voice of Unicron for Transformers: The Movie
The introduction to an episode of Moonlight "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice"
A Pea Commericial
A commerical appearance for Paul Mason Wines

After his death a former neighbor of Elizabeth Short (a.k.a. the Black Dahlia) accused Orson Welles of being a suspect in the actresses murder.

He passed away from a heart attack in his home in the Hollywood Hills

May 6, 1915 - October 10, 1985

Labels: 1915 births, 1985 October deaths, actor, director, heart attack

I love, I love, I love the movie “Heaven Can Wait” mostly because Warren Beatty played a soprano saxophone…my dream instrument - that was before Kenny G hit big. Yes, I do realize I was a band fag.The movie was pretty good – it was littered with so many ‘name’ actors: Beatty, Buck Henry, Jack Warden, James Mason, Dyan Cannon, Charles Groden and Hamilton Camp.Camp was one of those actors whose face you know but the name escapes you. He did many voice overs in movies like Doctor Dolittle, All Dogs Go to Heaven and The Pebble and the Penguin and played in numerous movies over the course of his career his latest movie, Hard Four (trailer) will be released later this year. His talents also included being an accomplished folk singer & song writer.

He passed away from a heart attack.

October 30, 1934 – October 2, 2005
RIP

Labels: 1934 births, 2005 October deaths, actor, heart attack

The man that invented TV dinners passed away on July 21st.
This man is credited, in our little dysfunctional family at least, for feeding the family when there wasn't enough cash for McDonalds or Little Ceasers. The Swanson dinner aided in the downward spiral of the nuclear family. Mom can rush out to the bar and get hammered while the kiddies can dine on gelationous mystery meat, dried out corn and blazing hot styrofoam mashed potatoes with the icy cold center. I remember skipping the first 6 aisels at the grocery store then stocking up on Tide, Bounty then finishing off with six or seven 2 Liters of Diet Coke and rounding out the trip by picking out two weeks worth of turkey pot pies, Stoffers Mac & Cheese, and Swanson's Heat and Eat. Ahhh memories...
Here's to you Mr. Thomas.

1922 - July 21, 2005

Labels: 1922 births, 2005 July deaths, heart attack, personality