You knew I couldn't let this go, didn't you?
Albert Finney
Fictional actor - The Dresser
Real-life lawyer - Erin Brockovich
Fictional detective - Gumshoe (I used to have the poster for this movie on my bedroom wall)
Comic strip character - Annie
Seasonal classic character - Scrooge
I'm not sure when I'll be back tomorrow, but I'll try to check back in at some point to see if I'm right.
Oh, by the way -- it wasn't even your last "Ann" clue that gave it to me: I just finally realized that the "seasonal" character must be Christmas-related, which led me to Scrooge, which led me (eventually) to Albert Finney.
Yes, I had a feeling you wouldn't let it go.
I thought my repeated "raggedy" would be the giveaway. I didn't think of and never saw Gumshoe. I was thinking of Hercule Peroit, Murder on the Orient Express. I just looked up Gumshoe. Sounds like a fun movie. Did you know Andrew Lloyd Weber wrote the score for it? Or would you rather not know. (lol)
Yes, those "raggedy" clues should have given it to me, but for some reason they just didn't sink in last night! And no, I didn't know the score for Gumshoe was written by my least favorite composer -- but maybe his music isn't as annoying when it's in the background, not the forefront, as it is in a musical (or maybe I'm rationalizing).
Our next actor has played:
King
Prince
Emperor
Dictator
This is a tough one (in my opinion, although you may find it easy), so here's an early clue: you're looking for characters of four different nationalities.
I'm off to do some errands -- I'll check back in a couple of hours.
I'll guess Alec Guinness, although this is the first time you have neglected to mention that the character is real-life - so I could be off track here.
King - Cromwell (King Charles I)
Prince - Lawrence of Arabia and The Swan
Emperor - Fall of the Roman Empire - Marcus Aurelius
Dictator - Hitler, the Last Ten Days
And to think I thought this was a tough one! It's Alec Guinness, and you got all the movies, despite my unaccountable lapse in failing to mention that they were all real-life people.
Alec Guinness was the first one to come to mind. (Probably because TCM has been showing clips from Lawrence of Arabia.)
Real-life mobster
Real-life reporter
Comic strip character
Lawyer
Alec Guinness came to my mind because he played Jacob Marley's ghost in Scrooge -- which I was all set to use as a clue, if only you had needed one!
I believe the answer to your question is Dustin Hoffman:
Real-life mobster - Billy Bathgate (as Dutch Schultz)
Real-life reporter - All the President's Men (as Carl Bernstein)
Comic strip character - Dick Tracy (as Mumbles)
Lawyer - Runaway Jury
Dustin Hoffman has a small role in Finding Neverland (which I saw last week) as the long-suffering producer of J.M. Barrie's plays, who's convinced that no one will come to see "Peter Pan". He's charming in the role. I was surprised to see him in the movie, since none of the reviews I had read mentioned him -- they all focused on Johnny Depp (who's also very good in it).
Yes to Dustin Hoffman. He was a lawyer in "Sleepers" also.
I'm trying to remember a movie in which some performers were devastated when they heard Charles Frohman was aboard the Lusitania when it went down. I don't see it on IMDb, probably because his name was only
mentioned in the movie. You might find this interesting:
http://rmslusitania.info/pages/saloon_class/frohman_charles.html
I wonder why a movie was never made about Frohman's life
I enjoyed Finding Neverland, too. They did a great job of showing how real-life spurred Barrie's imagination. The more familiar you are with Peter Pan, the more fun it is.
I had no idea that Charles Frohman was on the Lusitania. It's probably just as well I didn't know it when I saw Finding Neverland -- there was enough to cry about in that movie. That web page about him was very interesting. In fact, the whole website looks interesting -- I'll have to explore it when I have more time. Re your suggestion about a movie based on Frohman's life: since TCM aparently watches this thread to determine what movies to program, maybe a biopic about Frohman will be in the works before long!
I don't have a new question at the moment, and I may not have one for a while because I promised myself I'd get my Christmas cards written and Christmas presents wrapped before the weekend was over, and of course I haven't started on either of those things. (I just finished my Christmas shopping this afternoon). But rest assured that, if an idea for a new question occurs to me while I'm wrapping and/or writing, I'll rush right back to A2K and post it!
Well, I know TCM won't show a new movie about Frohman, but they just might show "Til the Clouds Roll By", Jerome Kern story, which is the movie I was trying to recall.
Bree, you are not permitted to post a new question until every Christmas card and gift to be mailed is at the post office. I suggest you go to bed as soon as your tasks are completed so that you do not oversleep in the morning and can be first in line at the post office when it opens. There's nothing more discouraging that receiving a Christmas card the following year.
Wow--thanks Aggie--I was clueless about Frohman as well. An amazing site and would make an awesome biopic...well, if not done badly!
I must return to the last of the wrapping and mailing of my own items as well, so will step aside until tomorrow!
I'm watching Penny Serenade with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne right now. Do you see the tears on this post? Anyway, I'm not here to talk about that magnificent tear-jerker.
This is a reminder that the Kennedy Center Honors is on TV tomorrow evening. Honorees are Warren Beatty, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Elton John, Joan Sutherland and composer John Williams. (I may have a problem getting it as CBS is airing its annual Children's Hospital Benefit show at the same time here tomorrow, but I read that another cable channel will show it and as of now, I have access to that channel. )
Raggedy, I think we should have a Kennedy Center Honors thread in Performing Arts. Would you like to start it, or shall I?
Good idea, but I'd like to leave it in your capable hands, Mac. I may not even see it because of the station change.
I'm going to tape it. If worse comes to worst, I'll mail you my tape!
Here's the Kennedy Center honors
thread.
Thank you for your kind offer, Mac.
I've found the alternate TV channel WNPA and hopefully they'll broadcast it. Are you listening WNPA?
Whew -- all done! (Well, almost...) So here's the long overdue next question.
Our next actor has played:
Real-life king (twice - the same king both times)
Real-life emperor
Real-life artist
Real-life naval officer
