Philip Yordan... The Rest of the Story

In addition to my article about Phil Yordan, (here's a link to the Film Noir Foundation website, http://www.filmnoirfoundation.org/), here are some other interesting details gleaned from my research about Yordan:

Claimed to have watched every movie with Jean Gabin who served as a model for his Western characters in Anthony Mann’s movies.

Believed that The Bravados wasn’t successful because director, Henry King, was too old.

Wanted to use the standing sets from Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) for something called, Luke the Magnificent for $1million from Paramount but Samuel Bronston turned him down.

His approach toward Joan Crawford to convince her about the script revisions on Johnny Guitar: “I’ll do anything you want. Anything you want, I gotta do”

During his glory days with Samuel Bronston, Yordan lived in a Paris apartment that had 28 foot ceilings in a 2 story complex at the foot of Avenue Victor Hugo.

Originally tried to cast Richard Burton as Jesus in King of Kings (1961), but after having trouble with his agent, used the $200,000 ticketed for Burton to cast all eight principal actors except the title role that ended up going to Jeffrey Hunter.

Yordan on Method Acting:

“If you asked a New York actor to sit during a scene, he would ask ‘Why’? ‘Why should I sit down?” I’m standing. What is my motivation to sit down’ I cured that by telling the asshole if he stood and the other actor sat we couldn’t get both of their faces in a close shot”.

Producer Sam Bischoff:

“Nice fella, but this is a guy that should be running a bookie joint”.

Yordan and the King Brothers

Frank King was like a “300 pound Chinaman with a fresh cigar between his lips and his file desk drawer was filled with chocolate peanut Hershey bars. He was puzzled why he was overweight. Maurice King had an undistinguished career as a pugilist and subsisted principally on black coffee.”

“The rumor persisted that they were gangsters. They weren’t, but they did own a string of slot machines. If they had any other illegal enterprises, I never found out about it.”

“I had to repeat my offer to Mama King in Boyle Heights when I asked for a cash advance to live on. She had to approve each film. She treated me like the fourth King Brother (God, help them).”

About his long term friend and colleague, Bernard Gordon:

“Had Bernie been given a proper budget, I truly believe he could have been a vital force in cinema”

On screenwriting:

“Do not drown your script with endless dialogue and long speeches. Every question does not call for a response. Whenever you can express an emotion with a silent gesture, do so. Once you poise the question permit it to linger before you get a reply. Or better yet, perhaps the character cannot reply, he or she has no answer. This permits the unspoken response to hang in midair’.

“Don’t let an actor pull a gun or knife without using it”

About himself:

“I guess I was a whore whose services were always in need”.

Robert Ryan Centennial Tribute At the Egyptian

 

Please join me at the Egyptian Thetre on Wednesday November 11th for a Centennial Birthday Tribute to the great Robert Ryan. The American Cinematheque will be screening two of Ryan's best films, The Set-Up (1949) and The Naked Spur (1952). I will introduce the screenings with Ryan's daughter, Lisa and the one and only... Marsha Hunt in attendance.

For information on ticket prices and other details on the screening, please open this link
http://www.americancinematheque.com/archive1999/2009/Egyptian/specialevent_NOV_ET_2009.htm#THE%20SET-UP

 

Celebration of a life well lived... and a new tome

My initial shock about director/producer Arnold Laven's death last month has morphed into regret and appreciation.  Regret for only knowing him for slightly under a year and appreciation for the brief time we spent together talking about his career and the movies..

After attending a celebration of his life at Arnold's residence today, I was awed with the outpouring of genuine love for a man who literally spent his life giving of himself to his friends and family. Yes, there were some of his old television and movie friends present; Dick Van Patten, Dennis Dugan and Johnny Crawford who spoke movingly of his close relationship with Arnold that began with multiple auditions for The Rifleman. However, many of Arnold's friends have nothing to do with show biz. There were his old tennis buddies,(for many years, Arnold ran the Arnold Laven Memorial Tennis Tournament at his place every Memorial Day Weekend) there was the guy who had the locker next to him at the health club, his CPA, old friends from his days in the 1st Moton Picture Unit, neighbors in Encino along with the sons and daughters of old friends who had passed on and looked upon Arnold as a surrogate Uncle or Father.

Everyone spoke of Arnold's humility, his righteous  love for his wife and family, an unabashed zeal for all things living (he would stop a tennis game to have everyone observe a squirrel) and generosity of spirit about everything.  Although I only knew Arnold more than slightly, every moment rang true. Arnold was one of those rare people who could converse about any subject and was interested in everyone else. A microphone was passed around and everybody had an opportunity to remember what Arnold Laven meant to them. It was joyfully moving. We sat next to a young man that Arnold and his wife virtually adopted and raised as a grandson. In addition to Arnold's sister and his daughter and son, I chatted with an old Army buddy of Arnold's who grew up on the Universal backlot and was an extra in The Bride of Frankenstein.  There were so many other nice people and they were all there for Arnold. 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the presence of  99 year old Arthur Gardner, now the last surviving member of Hollywood's most enduring production partnership of  Levy- Gardner- Laven. The three of them had  a handshake agreement for over a half a century and that was all that was necessary.  Arthur remains in amazing shape for his age- walking around kibitzing with a glass in his hand- with his son confiding to me that he finally took his car keys away only last year.

Arthur was much grieved for his friend and said that "Arnold was the artistic one, Jules was the business end and I was themin-between." They just don't make them like Arnold anymore. R.I.P Arnold Laven, a very good man.

Here's a link to my interview with Arnold that dates back to 2008 and was published this year. I have more of Arnold Laven on tape talking about workingwith William Wyler on The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) , the Rifleman etc. Will have to get all that great stuff out into some sort of piece soon.

http://www.filmnoirfoundation.org/arnoldlaven.pdf

On another note, I recently read Gregory Mank's new tome, Karloff and Lugosi: The Expanded Story of A Haunting Collaboration  that is coming out next month from McFarland. The word, "tome" is appropriate. You can put the dumbbells in storage and do arm-curls with this book! It is a massive, lavishly illustrated volume that, once dipped into, provides immediate CPR from the hefty $75 cover price. Mank, a renowned film historian and accomplished author,  made this particular volume an obsessive crusade  over several decades. The sheer number of interviews encompassed  from the original 1990 book along with this major revision is simply amazing. I stopped counting at 63 distinct personages many who appeared in the original Universal Horrors films with the legendarystars. To do this book justice, the  "expanded story" equates to an entirely new book.  Mank's book is about much more than a collaboration; it is a wonderfully synthesized biography of both men and the final word about many of their famous films along with details about their complex personal lives. 

If you are a horror film buff or simply love the minutaie of vintage Hollywood, Karloff and Lugosi is a must.

Final Round for Budd Schulberg

The timekeepers bell finally sounded for Budd Schulberg who died aged 95 today. Although he became one of the more astute chroniclers of Old Hollywood,  his seminal writing  including the novel What Makes Sammy Run? and screenplays for On the Waterfront, The Harder They Fall (Bogart's last film that ranks with The Setup as the best boxing movie ever made) and A Face in the Crowd will continue to enthrall future generations. 

Here's a link to a New York Times interview with Schulberg from 2006. I enjoyed that he thought the best scene in On the Waterfront was also my favorite as well.

 http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/last-word/budd-schulberg/1247463843103/index.html

Examining Film Noir... On Campus

For those who are interested in the historical study of film noir, a close friend and colleague- Chris D., ace programmmer at the American Cinematheque- will be teaching "Examining Film Noir" at the Academy of Art in San Francisco during the month of September.  This course is available to EVERYONE and I wouldn't recommend something like this unless I knew it was worthwhile. Here is the additional detail :

Writer, filmmaker, musician and on-sabbatical American Cinematheque programmer Chris D. will be teaching a Film Noir history class (called EXAMINING FILM NOIR) in the Liberal Arts department at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, starting mid-September, 2009. The class runs 15 sessions (or modules as they call them in academic-speak) on Tuesday afternoons, 3:30 PM – 6:20 PM. Classes consist of lecture, film clips (clips from between 5 - 6 films each session discussed in context of each session’s theme) and a 1 page written assignment each week based on an assigned film watched at home. Session themes include What is Film Noir?, Outlaw Couples, Amor Fou (Self-Destructive & Doomed Love), Going Straight (Prison Life & the Plight of the Ex-Con), The Sociopathic Killer, The Heist, Cops & Hoods, Social Issue & Docu-Drama Style Noir,  The Doomed Man (or Woman) & Their Impossible Quest, The Private Eye and Others, Suburbs Gone Haywire, Noir from Europe, Neo-Noir (1960-1979) and Neo-Noir (1980-2009).

Chris D. co-programmed the American Cinematheque’s Film Noir series at the American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood with Eddie Muller & Dennis Bartok (1999-2005) and with Eddie Muller & Alan K. Rode (2006-2009).

Anyone can enroll in Examining Film Noir (an undergrad class), and they do not have to be a full time – or even part time -- student. People can also enroll in the class as personal enrichment or an elective for a student from any “school” within AAU. Faculty, staff and employees can also enroll in the class. Potential students can sign up by going to registration at 79 New Montgomery, call the main number 800.544.2787 or visit www.academyart.edu.
For more specifics on the course and tuition: