VII

EPISODE 7

NOT SO LONG AGO...IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY

MORRIS ANKRUM DAY

The Vermilion Heritage Foundation/The Fischer Theatre in Danville, IL was originally a Grand Opera House, built in 1884, and later a movie theater that entertained generations of Danville residents. While they have not begun restoration of the theater's auditorium itself, they have created the beginnings of an Entertainment Museum in the theatre lobby to recognize the many wonderful entertainers who have called the Danville area home.
The museum opened in 2012 with displays featuring the entertainers who had been included on a mural opposite the theatre the year before: Dick Van Dyke, Jerry Van Dyke, Gene Hackman, Bobby Short, Donald O'Connor and Helen Morgan. As a starting point, they also included a wall of photos of a few of the other many wonderful people in the entertainment industry, including my father, Morris Ankrum, who was from Danville.
This year, they expanded the display honoring my father's work. Saturday, September 27th was Morris Ankrum Day. Very cool. They included a life size cut out of him that stood in the lobby. They also had 1950's soda pop tasting and screenings of a couple of his old sci-fi films.

YODA TRUCK

IMPERIAL WALKERS

Amazing stop-motion work on the Imperial Walkers. Mr. Beswick (far left in background), alongside Jon Berg and Phil Tippett animated these models frame-by-frame, unimpeachable work that stands alongside any visual effects made since.

LYNN REDGRAVES WEDDING RECEPTION

 

THIS IS A PARTIAL LIST OF LYNN REDGRAVES WEDDING RECEPTION THAT WAS HELD AT MY MOTHER'S ART GALLERY IN 1965. I WAS SIXTEEN AND IT WAS SUCH A THRILL TO MINGLE WITH HOLLYWOOD'S BIG STARS!

 

AT THE BEWITCHED FANFARE WITH ERIN MURPHY WHO PLAYED TABITHA ON BEWITCHED AND BRUCE KIMMEL ON THE RIGHT WHO PLAYED ADAM STEPHENS IN THE UNSOLD TABITHA PILOT FOR ABC. I PLAYED ADAM ON THE TABITHA SERIES THAT RAN ON ABC ONE SEASON IN 1977.

...AND HERE IS A PICTURE WITH ALL THREE ADAMS. BRUCE KIMMEL PLAYED ADAM IN THE UNSOLD TABITHA PILOT. I PLAYED ADAM IN THE TABITHA SERIES ON ABC. AND DAVID LAWRENCE PLAYED ADAM ON BEWTICHED. HE AND HIS TWIN BROTHER GREG BOTH PLAYED THE PART. A BIT OF HOLLYWOOD TRIVIA. THE TWINS WERE ADOPTED IN REAL LIFE. THEIR BIRTH FATHER WAS ACTOR TONY CURTIS.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEWTICHED

BEWITCHED 50 YEAR REUNION!

DARTH AND CHEWIE

GREAT PICTURE OF DAVID PROWSE AND PETER MAYHEW.

STAR WARS EPISODE VII

SUPERMAN SET

THE SET OF SUPERMAN WITH ACTOR CHRISTOPHER REEVE...

GAME OF THRONES SIGHTING

MAISIE WILLIAMS WHO PLAYS ARYA STARK IN GAME OF THRONES WAS VISITING A HOLLYWOOD COFFEE HOUSE RECENTLY. CAFE ETC. THIS COFFEE HOUSE IS AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY OFFICES ON HOLLYWOOD AND VINE.

THE WALTONS

HERE I AM ON THE FAR RIGHT. THE WALTONS. JOHN BOY'S FIRST DAY AT COLLEGE.

A very cool Star Wars trailer....I did the voice of Wedge Antilles..."Look at the size of that thing"!! check it out...

The Coolest Star Wars Trailer Ever Created

thesoundla.com

It even has good music to it. :)

BEWTICHED FAN FARE 2014 WEBSITE--CHECK IT OUT!

www.bewitchedfanfare.com

BEWTICHED FAN FARE 2014!!

Time is going fast!!

We've got 3 months until the event!! It's important that you make your contribution and purchase your Day Passes TODAY!! Please don't wait until the last minute!!

If you're a Bewitched fan, do your part to make this important 50th anniversary event a success!!

checkout the site---!      http://bewitchedfanfare.wix.com/bewitchedfanfare2014
 

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF LINKS TO A VERY COOL PLAY I'M PRODUCING.

FACEBOOK 

https://www.facebook.com/johngoffsthewait  PLEASE LIKE OUR PAGE

AND OUR INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN.  PLEASE DONATE WHAT YOU CAN. THERE ARE SOME FUN PERKS WE OFFER. INCLUDING SOME AUTOGRAPHED STAR WARS PHOTOS...!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-wait--5/x/7034378

CLASSIC STAR WARS GROUP PHOTO

R2D2--GOTTA LOVE KENNY BAKER

KENNY BAKER--THE ACTOR WHO PLAYED R2D2....

WEDGE ANTILLES--STAR WARS VII

Wedge Antilles Won’t Be Back For ‘Star Wars Episode VII’

Posted on Monday, May 12th, 2014 by Germain Lussier

Wedge Antilles Star Wars 7

When Return of the Jedi ends, the whole gang is there: Luke, Leia, Han, Lando, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, even Hayden Christensen, via the “magic” of Special Editions. There’s also a very special X-Wing pilot: Wedge Antilles, played by Denis Lawson. The Rebel pilot has been with the Rebellion longer than most of the main characters, having contributed to the destruction of both Death Stars and more. Along with Luke, he’s one of the outfit’s few surviving fighter pilots.

Wedge’s tangential importance in the Star Wars universe, coupled with a huge fan following, made the character a good candidate to return in J.J. Abrams‘ Star Wars Episode VII. However, a few months back, the actor said he’d only return if the role was bigger this time around. Now, it seems Lawson was approached to return for the film but turned it down.

This is a pretty crushing disappointment for Star Wars fans. You have to respect Lawson’s decision, and it’s not like J.J. Abrams didn’t approach the actor. But a new Star Wars movie, without Wedge, feels a little less complete. He was never an integral part of the franchise (hence Lawson’s obvious distain towards the series) but he was a crucial part of the Rebellion. I hope, at some point, we get a canonized explanation of his demise.
Do you think Lawson is telling the truth? Is it Star Wars without Wedge?

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!

STAR WARS VII TABLE READ

STAR WARS VII TABLE READ...

STAR WARS VII CAST REVEALED

HERE'S YOUR STAR WARS VII CAST:  At the first table read of the script. JJs chatting with Harrison Ford. Mark Hamill is chatting with new addition Max "Ming" Von Sydow. Andy Serkis is on Hamill's left. Carrie Fisher's in the mix with Daisy Ridley. EMPIRE STRIKES BACK writer Lawrence Kasdan is next to JJ (he's writing the entire trilogy with JJ).  Peter Mayhew (Chewie), reading the script. Also, newcomers John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac,and Domhnall Gleeson are featured as well.

ALIENS

ALIENS  (1986)  CAST REUNION...WITH SIGOURNEY WEAVER, MICHEL BIEHN AND BILL PAXTON....

•  SOME BACKGROUND  ON WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER WILLIAM CASTLE
•  
• Orphaned at 11, Castle dropped out of high school at 15 to work in the theater. He came to the attention of Columbia Pictures for his talent for promotion, and was hired. He learned the trade of filmmaking and became a director, acquiring a reputation for the ability to churn out competent B-movies quickly and on budget. He eventually struck out on his own, producing and directing thrillers which, despite their low budgets, were effectively promoted with gimmicks, a trademark for which he is best known. He was also the producer for Rosemary's Baby.
   
•  
• House on Haunted Hill (1959). Filmed in "Emergo". A skeleton attached to wire floated over the audience in the final moments of some showings of the film to parallel the action on screen when a skeleton rises from a vat of acid and pursues the villainous wife of Vincent Price's character.^[6][p. 16] Once word spread about the skeleton, kids enjoyed trying to knock it down with candy boxes, soda cups or other objects at hand.
• The Tingler (1959): Filmed in "Percepto". The title character is a docile creature that attaches itself to the human spinal cord. It is activated by fright, and can only be destroyed by screaming. Castle purchased military surplus air-plane wing de-icers (consisting of vibrating motors) and had a crew travel from theatre to theatre attaching them to the underside of some of the seats (in that era, a movie did not necessarily open on the same night nationwide). In the finale, one of the creatures supposedly gets loose in the movie theatre itself. The buzzers were activated as the film's star, Vincent Price, warned the audience to "scream – scream for your lives!"^[6][p. 17] Some sources incorrectly state the seats were wired to give electrical jolts. Filmmaker and Castle fan John Waters recounted in Spine Tingler! how, as a youngster, he would search for a seat that had been wired in order to enjoy the full effect.
• 13 Ghosts (1960): Filmed in "Illusion-O". Each patron received a handheld ghost viewer/remover. During certain segments of the film, a person could see the ghosts by looking through the red cellophane, or remove the ghosts if they were too frightening by looking through the blue.^[6][p. 18] Without the viewer, the ghosts were somewhat visible. The DVD release included red/blue 3D glasses to replicate the effect.
• Homicidal (1961). There was a "fright break" with a timer overlaid on the film's climax, as the heroine approaches a house harboring a sadistic killer. The audience had 45 seconds to leave with a full refund if they were too frightened to see the remainder of the film. In an early showing, more wily patrons simply sat through the movie a second time and left at the break to get their money back; to prevent this in future, Castle had different color tickets printed for each showing.^{[6][pp. 18–19]} About 1% of patrons still demanded refunds. John Waters described Castle's response:

"William Castle simply went nuts. He came up with 'Coward's Corner,' a yellow cardboard booth, manned by a bewildered theater employee in the lobby. When the Fright Break was announced, and you found that you couldn't take it anymore, you had to leave your seat and, in front of the entire audience, follow yellow footsteps up the aisle, bathed in a yellow light. Before you reached Coward's Corner, you crossed yellow lines with the stenciled message: 'Cowards Keep Walking.' You passed a nurse (in a yellow uniform?...I wonder), who would offer a blood-pressure test. All the while a recording was blaring, "'Watch the chicken! Watch him shiver in Coward's Corner'!" As the audience howled, you had to go through one final indignity – at Coward's Corner you were forced to sign a yellow card stating, 'I am a bona fide coward.'"^{[6][p. 19]}

In a trailer for the film, Castle explained the use of the Coward's Certificate and admonished the viewer to not reveal the ending to friends "or they will kill you. If they don't, I will."^[7]

• Mr. Sardonicus (1961). The audience could vote on the villain's fate in a "punishment poll" during the climax – Castle appeared on screen to explain two options. Each member of the audience was given a card with a glow-in-the-dark thumb they could hold up or down to decide if Mr. Sardonicus would be cured or died. Supposedly no audience ever chose mercy, so the alternate ending was never screened.^[6][p. 20] Though Castle claimed in his autobiography that the merciful version was shot and shown occasionally, many suspect otherwise. In the drive-in version, drivers were asked to flash their car headlights to choose.
• Zotz! (1962). Each patron was given a "Magic" (gold colored, plastic, glow-in-the-dark) coin.^[4][p. 178]
• 13 Frightened Girls (1963). Castle launched a publicized worldwide casting hunt for the prettiest girls from 13 different countries.^[6][p. 20] He filmed slightly different versions, highlighting each girl for the release in her country.
• Strait-Jacket (1964). Advised by his financial backers to eliminate gimmicks, Castle hired Joan Crawford to star and sent her on a promotional tour to theatres. At the last minute, Castle had cardboard axes made and handed out to patrons.^[6][p. 20]
• I Saw What You Did (1965). The film was initially promoted using giant plastic telephones, but after a rash of prank phone calls and complaints, the telephone company refused Castle permission to use them or mention telephones. So he turned the back rows of theatres into "Shock Sections". Seat belts were installed to keep patrons from being jolted from their chairs in fright.^[6][p. 21]
• Bug (1975). Castle advertised a million-dollar life insurance policy for the film's star, "Hercules" the cockroach.^[4][p. 255]

At the height of his popularity, he had a fan club with 250,000 members.^[8][9]

Rosemary's Baby

According to Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story, he mortgaged his home (again) and obtained the movie rights to the Ira Levin novel before it was published, hoping to finally direct a prestigious A movie himself. He made a deal with Paramount Pictures, which however insisted on hiring director Roman Polanski.^[10] Castle had to settle for producing the film. He had a cameo, playing the grey-haired man standing outside the phone booth where Rosemary, played by Mia Farrow, is attempting to get in touch with the obstetrician.
Castle was unable to build on the film's success. He suffered kidney failure soon after its release.^[10] By the time he recovered, all momentum was lost, and he went back to making B movies. His most significant acting role was also his last -- as the director of the doomed "Waterloo" epic in The Day of the Locust in 1975.

13 GHOSTS

TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN WILLIAM CASTLE'S 100TH BIRTHDAY....

Billy Dee...

The Plane! The Plane!

My good friend Herve Villechaize (Fantasy Island) at my wedding reception back in 1979......

SIR ALEC!!

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sir Alec Guinness would have been 100 years old today. The Force will be with him. Always.

DAVEY CROCKETT

The No. 1 hit on the Billboard charts on this date in 1955 was Bill Hayes' recording of "The Ballad of Davy Crockett." Photo of Fess Parker, who played the hero on ABC's "Disneyland" miniseries, "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier," Walt Disney and director Norman Foster.

LEAPIN' LIZARDS

ON THE SET OF "CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON"...1954
A LITTLE FUN INBETWEEN TAKES....

Flash Back--Star Wars

The Victim award in Vienna

Michel Biehn and Jennifer Blanc-Biehn receiving the award for The Victim for Blanc Biehn Productions at the Film Ball Vienna. A film I Associate Produced....

BOMBAD RADIO PODCAST

CHECKOUT THIS LINK TO THE BOMBAD RADIO PODCAST I DID ON MARCH 8TH...!

http://thegungancouncil.podbean.com/2014/03/08/episode-131-red-two-report-in-to-days-of-our-lives/

STAR WARS HUMOR

ACADEMY AWARD SECURITY

While it's always nice to have added security on the red carpet, we had to deny these gentlemen. On their background check a red flag came up mentioning something about blowing up an entire planet called Alderaan.

ON THE SET OF TABITHA

BETWEEN TAKES ON THE SET OF TABITHA, 1977 --
WITH ROBERT URICH, AND LISA HARTMAN

STEAMPUNK R2D2

MY FIRST FILM ROLE

 

THE FIRST FILM I ACTED IN WAS EVERY LITTLE CROOK AND NANNY (1972) STARRING 

VICTOR MATURE AND LYNN REDGRAVE. I HAD ONE SCENE WITH VICTOR MATURE. I PLAYED A HIPPIE GOING THROUGH CUSTOMS AT THE AIRPORT.

A COOL SCHOOL

THIS SCHOOL HAS SOME SCI-FI INFLUENCES....

R2D2---PARIS

Kenny Baker-- Paris Comic Expo 

SUGARFOOT

A STILL FROM AN EPISODE OF SUGARFOOT...STARRING WILL HUTCINS. THE WESTERN SERIES RAN FROM 1957 -1961.  THE ACTOR STANDING NEXT TO WILL ON THE LEFT IS TOMMY RETTIG FROM THE SERIES LASSIE. I HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH WILL HUTCHINS IN THE 1970'S IN A THEATER COMPANY.  A TERRIFIC EXPERIENCE FOR ME...