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Well, my goodness, edgar. That's an interesting footnote. So many things that we don't know and eventually learn. Thanks for that, Texas.

satt helped me with this one, and he and I were really surprised to learn that Belafonte did it.

Harry Belafonte - Gomen Nasai (Forgive Me) Lyrics

Gomen nasai I'm so sorry gomen nasai
I am so sorry I made you cry
Won't you forgive me dear
Goman nasai nights have been lonely
My days are blue, because I made a fool of you
Won't you forgive me dear

My butterfly heart has brought you pain
Won't you forgive won't you forget
Let's be sweethearts again

Goman nasai nights would be heaven
Love fill my days
If you'd believe me when I say
I love you gomen nasai
I love you gomen nasai
I love you gomen nasai

C. S. Forester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cecil Scott Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (August 27, 1899 - April 2, 1966), an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of adventure with military themes. His most notable works were the 11-book Horatio Hornblower series, about naval warfare during the Napoleonic era, and The African Queen (1935; filmed in 1951 by John Huston).

Born in Cairo, Forester had a complicated life, including imaginary parents, a secret marriage and a debilitating illness. He was educated at Alleyn's School and Dulwich College in Dulwich, South London. During World War II he moved to the United States where he wrote propaganda to help get that country to enter the war on the Allied side, and eventually settled in Berkeley, California. He married Kathleen Belcher in 1926, had two sons, and divorced in 1945. The eldest son, John Forester is a noted cycling activist and wrote a biography of his father. In 1947, C. S. Forester secretly married a woman named Dorothy Foster. He suffered extensively from arteriosclerosis later in life.

The popularity of the Hornblower series, built around a central character who was heroic but not too heroic, has continued to grow over time. It is perhaps rivalled only by the much later Aubrey-Maturin series of seafaring novels by Patrick O'Brian. Interestingly, both Hornblower and Aubrey are based in part on the historical figure, Admiral Lord Dundonald of Great Britain (known as Lord Cochrane during the period when the novels are set). Brian Perett has written a book The Real Hornblower: The Life and Times of Admiral Sir James Gordon, GCB, ISBN 1557509689, presenting the case for a different inspiration, namely James Alexander Gordon. In his work "The Hornblower Companion", however, Forester makes no indication of any historical influences or inspiration regarding the character Hornblower. Rather, he describes a process whereby Hornblower was constructed based on what attributes made a good character for the original Hornblower story, "A Happy Return" (published in America as "Beat to Quarters").

The original conception of the popular American television series Star Trek was based in large measure on the Hornblower books, and was pitched as such to NBC television by creator Gene Roddenberry.

Forester also had a life outside the Hornblower series, writing many other novels, among them The African Queen (1935) and The General (1936); Peninsular War novels in Death to the French and The Gun; psychological murder stories like Payment Deferred (1926) and Plain Murder (1930); and seafaring stories that did not involve Hornblower, such as Brown on Resolution (1929), The Ship (1943) and Sink the Bismarck! (1959). Several of his works were filmed, most notably the 1951 film The African Queen directed by John Huston. Forester is also credited as story writer for several movies not based on his published fiction, including Commandos Strike at Dawn (1942).

In addition to his novels of seafaring life, Forester also published two children's books. One, in 1943, Poo-Poo and the Dragons, was created as a series of stories told to his son to encourage him to finish his meals while Forester was left alone to care for his son as his wife was absent [1]. The second, in 1953, The Barbary Pirates, is a children's history of those early 19th century pirates.

Martha Raye
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Martha Raye (August 27, 1916 - October 19, 1994) was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television.


Childhood

Raye's life as a singer and comedy performer began very early in her childhood. She was born backstage at a local vaudeville theatre in Butte, Montana as Margaret Teresa Yvonne Reed, where her Irish immigrant parents, Peter Reed and Maybelle Hooper, were performing as "Reed and Hooper". Two days after Martha was born, her mother was already back on stage, and Martha first appeared in their act when she was three years old. She performed with her brother, Bud, and soon the two children became such a highlight that the act was renamed "Margie and Bud".

Raye continued performing from that point on and even attended the Professional Children's School in New York City, but she received so little formal schooling -- getting only as far as the fifth grade -- that she often had to have scripts and other written documents read to her by others.

Career

In the early 1930s, Raye was a band vocalist with the Paul Ash and Boris Morros orchestras. She made her first film appearance in 1934 in a band short titled A Nite in the Nite Club. In 1936, she was signed for comic roles by Paramount Pictures, and made her first picture for Paramount in 1936. Her first picture was Rhythm on the Range with crooner Bing Crosby. Over the next 26 years, she would eventually appear with many of the leading comics of her day, including Joe E. Brown, Bob Hope, W.C. Fields, Abbott and Costello, Charlie Chaplin and Jimmy Durante. She joined the USO soon after the US entered World War II.

Martha Raye was best known for the size of her mouth, which appeared enormous in proportion to the rest of her face. This relegated her motion picture work to largely supporting comic parts. She became known as "The Big Mouth" and was often made up in such a way that her mouth appeared even larger than it already was! For example, she appears in the picture The Big Broadcast of 1938 where Bob Hope first sang what became his theme song, Thanks for the Memories (however, it is not sung to Ms. Raye, but rather to the female leading actress that she supports). Her title as "The Big Mouth" made her a natural to be the spokesperson for Polident denture cleanser in the 1970s and 1980s.

USO

During World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, she travelled extensively to entertain the American troops -- even though she had a lifelong fear of flying.

In October 1966, she came to Soc Trang, Vietnam, to entertain the troops at this base, which was the home base of the 121st Aviation company, the Soc Trang Tigers, the gunship platoon, The Vikings and the 336th Aviation company. Shortly after her arrival, both units were called out on a mission to extract supposed POWs from an area nearby. Raye decided to hold her troop of entertainers there until the mission was completed so that all of the servicemen could watch her show. During that time, a serviceman flying a "Huey Slick" carrying troops recalls that his ship received combat damage to the extent that he had to return to base at Soc Trang.

As there were no replacements, the servicemen could not return to the mission. While the servicemen waited, Raye played poker with them and helped to keep everyone's spirits up. When the mission was completed, which had resulted in the loss of a helicopter, gunship and a Viking pilot, there was also an officer who had been wounded when the ship went down. When he and the two remaining crewmen were returned to Soc Trang, Raye volunteered to assist the doctor in treating the wounded flyer. When all had been completed, Raye waited until everybody was available and then put on her show. Everyone involved appreciated her as an outstanding trooper and a caring person. During the Vietnam War, she was made an honorary Green Beret because she visited U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam without fanfare, and she helped out when things got bad in Special Forces A-Camps. As a result, she came to be known affectionately by the Green Berets as "Colonel Maggie".

TV Career

Martha Raye was an early television star when that medium was very young; for a while she had her own program, The Martha Raye Show (1954 - 1956) in which she was the lead and her awkward boyfriend was portrayed by retired middleweight boxer Rocky Graziano. Other stars who appeared on her show included Zsa Zsa Gabor and Cesar Romero. Following the demise of her TV variety show, the breakup of her fifth marriage, and a series of other personal and health problems, she attempted suicide with sleeping pills on August 14, 1956. Well wishers gave her a St. Christopher's medal, a St. Genesius medal and a Star of David. After her recovery she wore these faithfully, although she was neither Catholic nor Jewish. At the end of her TV programs she would also thank the nuns at the The Sisters of St. Francis Hospital in Miami, Florida where she recovered. She would always say, "Goodnight, Sisters" as a sign of appreciation and gratitude.

Later career

In 1970 she portrayed Boss Witch, the "Queen of all Witch-dom" in the feature film Pufnstuf for Sid and Marty Krofft. This led to her being cast as villainess Benita Bizzare in The Bugaloos (1970), which the Kroffts produced the same year. Thanks to the cult following of The Bugaloos, Benita Bizzare remains one of Raye's best known, best loved roles.


She often appeared as a guest on other programs, particularly ones that often had older performers as guest stars, such as The Love Boat and on variety programs. She also appeared for two years as Mel Sharples' mother, Carrie, on the sitcom Alice. She made guest appearances or did cameo roles in such TV series as "The Andy Williams Show", Murder, She Wrote, and McMillan and Wife. At one time, rumours circulated that Raye and Rock Hudson, the star of McMillan and Wife were romantically involved, but those rumours were obviously untrue in light of Hudson's homosexuality, of which Raye was very aware. She was never attracted to him sexually but did form a close friendship with him.

Personal life

Raye's personal life was complex and emotionally tumultuous in that she was married seven times, with most of her marriages lasting less than two years and her first marriage lasting only three months. She was married to Hamilton "Buddy" Westmore from May 30, 1937 to September, 1937, filing for divorce on the basis of extreme cruelty; to conductor and composer, David Rose from October 8, 1938 to May 19, 1941; to Neal Lang from June 25, 1941 to February 3, 1944; to Nick Condos from March 9, 1944 to June 17, 1953--which resulted in the birth of her only child, Melodye Raye Condos on July 26, 1944; to Edward Thomas Begley from April 21, 1954 to October 6, 1956; to Robert O'Shea from November 7, 1956 to December 1, 1960; and to Mark Harris from September 25, 1991 until passing in 1994.

Raye's marriage to Harris in a quick Las Vegas ceremony made headlines. Martha was 75, and Harris was 42, and Raye had known Harris for less than a month. Harris was a self-proclaimed gay man and acknowledged that the marriage was never consummated. Also, it was apparent to many that Raye was already suffering from the dementia associated with advancing Alzheimer's disease, and other ailments which plagued her, and so the marriage was clearly an exploitive one in which Harris was motivated most by a desire for control of Raye's fortune and for publicity.

Also, a tug of war ensued between Martha's daughter Melodye and Mark Harris over Martha's possessions, her will, and eventually her burial. Raye left the bulk of her estate to Harris, with a portion going to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), as Raye was a great animal lover. Ironically, Harris used a large portion of his inheritance from Raye to fund his own line of furs for his fashion company.

Raye's final years were spent dealing with ongoing health problems. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease and had lost both legs in 1993 due to circulatory problems. She died of pneumonia on October 19, 1994, after a long history of cardiovascular disease. Raye was 78 years of age, and residing in Los Angeles, California at the time of her passing.

Raye was deeply patriotic and, thanks to her work with the USO during World War II and subsequent wars, special consideration was given to bury her in Arlington National Cemetery upon her death. She was buried with full military honors in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Raye has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Martha Raye
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Martha Raye (August 27, 1916 - October 19, 1994) was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television.


Childhood

Raye's life as a singer and comedy performer began very early in her childhood. She was born backstage at a local vaudeville theatre in Butte, Montana as Margaret Teresa Yvonne Reed, where her Irish immigrant parents, Peter Reed and Maybelle Hooper, were performing as "Reed and Hooper". Two days after Martha was born, her mother was already back on stage, and Martha first appeared in their act when she was three years old. She performed with her brother, Bud, and soon the two children became such a highlight that the act was renamed "Margie and Bud".

Raye continued performing from that point on and even attended the Professional Children's School in New York City, but she received so little formal schooling -- getting only as far as the fifth grade -- that she often had to have scripts and other written documents read to her by others.

Career

In the early 1930s, Raye was a band vocalist with the Paul Ash and Boris Morros orchestras. She made her first film appearance in 1934 in a band short titled A Nite in the Nite Club. In 1936, she was signed for comic roles by Paramount Pictures, and made her first picture for Paramount in 1936. Her first picture was Rhythm on the Range with crooner Bing Crosby. Over the next 26 years, she would eventually appear with many of the leading comics of her day, including Joe E. Brown, Bob Hope, W.C. Fields, Abbott and Costello, Charlie Chaplin and Jimmy Durante. She joined the USO soon after the US entered World War II.

Martha Raye was best known for the size of her mouth, which appeared enormous in proportion to the rest of her face. This relegated her motion picture work to largely supporting comic parts. She became known as "The Big Mouth" and was often made up in such a way that her mouth appeared even larger than it already was! For example, she appears in the picture The Big Broadcast of 1938 where Bob Hope first sang what became his theme song, Thanks for the Memories (however, it is not sung to Ms. Raye, but rather to the female leading actress that she supports). Her title as "The Big Mouth" made her a natural to be the spokesperson for Polident denture cleanser in the 1970s and 1980s.

USO

During World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, she travelled extensively to entertain the American troops -- even though she had a lifelong fear of flying.

In October 1966, she came to Soc Trang, Vietnam, to entertain the troops at this base, which was the home base of the 121st Aviation company, the Soc Trang Tigers, the gunship platoon, The Vikings and the 336th Aviation company. Shortly after her arrival, both units were called out on a mission to extract supposed POWs from an area nearby. Raye decided to hold her troop of entertainers there until the mission was completed so that all of the servicemen could watch her show. During that time, a serviceman flying a "Huey Slick" carrying troops recalls that his ship received combat damage to the extent that he had to return to base at Soc Trang.

As there were no replacements, the servicemen could not return to the mission. While the servicemen waited, Raye played poker with them and helped to keep everyone's spirits up. When the mission was completed, which had resulted in the loss of a helicopter, gunship and a Viking pilot, there was also an officer who had been wounded when the ship went down. When he and the two remaining crewmen were returned to Soc Trang, Raye volunteered to assist the doctor in treating the wounded flyer. When all had been completed, Raye waited until everybody was available and then put on her show. Everyone involved appreciated her as an outstanding trooper and a caring person. During the Vietnam War, she was made an honorary Green Beret because she visited U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam without fanfare, and she helped out when things got bad in Special Forces A-Camps. As a result, she came to be known affectionately by the Green Berets as "Colonel Maggie".

TV Career

Martha Raye was an early television star when that medium was very young; for a while she had her own program, The Martha Raye Show (1954 - 1956) in which she was the lead and her awkward boyfriend was portrayed by retired middleweight boxer Rocky Graziano. Other stars who appeared on her show included Zsa Zsa Gabor and Cesar Romero. Following the demise of her TV variety show, the breakup of her fifth marriage, and a series of other personal and health problems, she attempted suicide with sleeping pills on August 14, 1956. Well wishers gave her a St. Christopher's medal, a St. Genesius medal and a Star of David. After her recovery she wore these faithfully, although she was neither Catholic nor Jewish. At the end of her TV programs she would also thank the nuns at the The Sisters of St. Francis Hospital in Miami, Florida where she recovered. She would always say, "Goodnight, Sisters" as a sign of appreciation and gratitude.

Later career

In 1970 she portrayed Boss Witch, the "Queen of all Witch-dom" in the feature film Pufnstuf for Sid and Marty Krofft. This led to her being cast as villainess Benita Bizzare in The Bugaloos (1970), which the Kroffts produced the same year. Thanks to the cult following of The Bugaloos, Benita Bizzare remains one of Raye's best known, best loved roles.


She often appeared as a guest on other programs, particularly ones that often had older performers as guest stars, such as The Love Boat and on variety programs. She also appeared for two years as Mel Sharples' mother, Carrie, on the sitcom Alice. She made guest appearances or did cameo roles in such TV series as "The Andy Williams Show", Murder, She Wrote, and McMillan and Wife. At one time, rumours circulated that Raye and Rock Hudson, the star of McMillan and Wife were romantically involved, but those rumours were obviously untrue in light of Hudson's homosexuality, of which Raye was very aware. She was never attracted to him sexually but did form a close friendship with him.

Personal life

Raye's personal life was complex and emotionally tumultuous in that she was married seven times, with most of her marriages lasting less than two years and her first marriage lasting only three months. She was married to Hamilton "Buddy" Westmore from May 30, 1937 to September, 1937, filing for divorce on the basis of extreme cruelty; to conductor and composer, David Rose from October 8, 1938 to May 19, 1941; to Neal Lang from June 25, 1941 to February 3, 1944; to Nick Condos from March 9, 1944 to June 17, 1953--which resulted in the birth of her only child, Melodye Raye Condos on July 26, 1944; to Edward Thomas Begley from April 21, 1954 to October 6, 1956; to Robert O'Shea from November 7, 1956 to December 1, 1960; and to Mark Harris from September 25, 1991 until passing in 1994.

Raye's marriage to Harris in a quick Las Vegas ceremony made headlines. Martha was 75, and Harris was 42, and Raye had known Harris for less than a month. Harris was a self-proclaimed gay man and acknowledged that the marriage was never consummated. Also, it was apparent to many that Raye was already suffering from the dementia associated with advancing Alzheimer's disease, and other ailments which plagued her, and so the marriage was clearly an exploitive one in which Harris was motivated most by a desire for control of Raye's fortune and for publicity.

Also, a tug of war ensued between Martha's daughter Melodye and Mark Harris over Martha's possessions, her will, and eventually her burial. Raye left the bulk of her estate to Harris, with a portion going to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), as Raye was a great animal lover. Ironically, Harris used a large portion of his inheritance from Raye to fund his own line of furs for his fashion company.

Raye's final years were spent dealing with ongoing health problems. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease and had lost both legs in 1993 due to circulatory problems. She died of pneumonia on October 19, 1994, after a long history of cardiovascular disease. Raye was 78 years of age, and residing in Los Angeles, California at the time of her passing.

Raye was deeply patriotic and, thanks to her work with the USO during World War II and subsequent wars, special consideration was given to bury her in Arlington National Cemetery upon her death. She was buried with full military honors in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Raye has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Tommy Sands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tommy Sands (born August 27, 1937) is an American pop music singer and actor.

Born Thomas Adrian Sands into a musical family in Chicago, Illinois, his father was a pianist and his mother a big-band singer. While still young, he moved with his family to Shreveport, Louisiana. Sands began playing the guitar at age seven and within a year had a job performing twice weekly on a local radio station. He was only fifteen when Colonel Tom Parker heard about him and signed him to RCA Records. His initial recordings garnered little in the way of sales but in early 1957 he was given the opportunity to star in an episode of "Kraft Television Theatre". On the show, his song presentation of a Joe Allison composition called "Teenage Crush" went over big with the young audience and, released as a 45 rpm single by Capitol Records, it went to No.3 on the Billboard Hot 100 music charts.

Sands' sudden fame brought an offer to sing at the Academy Awards show and his teen idol looks landed him a motion-picture contract to star in a 1958 musical drama called Sing, Boy, Sing. In 1960, he married Nancy Sinatra and for a time they were the toast of Hollywood. Sands performed in several films including Babes in Toyland in 1961 and The Longest Day in 1962 but both his singing and film career had faded by the 1970s.

He was divorced from Sinatra in 1965 and has a daughter, model Jessica Sands, born in 1977 from another relationship.

Tommy Sands' pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Tuesday Weld
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biography

Tuesday Weld (born Susan Ker Weld on August 27, 1943) is an American film actress.

Weld was born in New York City. Her father died when she was three, leaving her widowed mother and two older siblings in difficult financial circumstances. Weld's mother capitalized on her daughter's beauty and put her to work as a child model to support the entire family.

Using Weld's résumé from modelling, her mother secured an agent and Tuesday (an extension of her childhood nickname, "Tu-Tu") Weld made her acting debut on television at age twelve and her feature film debut at age thirteen in a bit role in the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock crime drama, The Wrong Man. That same year, Weld got the lead in a film celebrating the advent of rock and roll called Rock, Rock, Rock that featured record promoter Alan Freed and singers Chuck Berry, Frankie Lymon, and Johnny Burnette. In the film, Connie Francis performed the vocals for Weld's singing parts. In 1959, still only sixteen years old, she was given a role in the CBS television show, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Although Weld was a cast member for only a single season, the show gave her considerable national publicity, and she was named a co-winner of a "Most Promising Newcomer" award at the Golden Globe Awards. Only a year later, in 1960, she appeared as Joy, a free-spirited university student in High Time, a collegian comedy starring Bing Crosby and Fabian.

Despite talent, beauty, and early success, Tuesday Weld was frequently described as a poster girl for self-destruction. The product of a dysfunctional family, she claims to have suffered a nervous breakdown at the age of nine. With no parental guidance from a mother (with whom she would have a lifelong strained relationship), by age ten she had begun smoking and drinking. In her early teens, she lost her virginity in a hapless relationship that, combined with her other problems, led to a suicide attempt. The teenage Weld dated a series of much older men and was known for going barefoot and displaying public behavior then considered shocking and abrasive.

In 1961, after starring opposite Elvis Presley in Wild in the Country, the two began an off-screen romance. However, in Hollywood, her reputation for recklessness was fodder for pulp magazines and the more malignant gossip columnists of the day. Louella Parsons reportedly said, drily, "Miss Weld is not a very good representative for the motion picture industry."

Tuesday Weld appeared with Jackie Gleason and Steve McQueen in the 1963 comedy/drama, Soldier in the Rain, and although her performance was well received, the film was only a minor success. Although frequently typecast as the "blonde in the tight sweater," critics and others in the film industry have acknowledged her talent. However, Weld never achieved the level of stardom many thought her looks and abilities would bring, partly as a result of her turning down roles in films that became great successes and that made mega-stars out of others, such as Lolita, Bonnie and Clyde, Rosemary's Baby, True Grit, and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. Actor Roddy McDowall, who co-starred with her in a 1966 film, said: "no actress was ever so good in so many bad films."

Weld married screenwriter Claude Harz in 1965 and bore a daughter, Natasha, in 1966. The same year she appeared in the successful Norman Jewison film, The Cincinnati Kid, opposite Steve McQueen. Some of her most notable screen performances include Pretty Poison (1968), co-starring Anthony Perkins; I Walk the Line (1971), opposite Gregory Peck; and Play It As It Lays (1972) for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

In her thirties, Weld gave memorable performances in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award as best supporting actress; Who'll Stop the Rain (1978) opposite Nick Nolte; and Michael Mann's acclaimed 1981 film Thief, opposite James Caan. Weld has also appeared in a number of made-for-television movies, including Reflections of Murder (1987) and A Question of Guilt, in which she plays a woman accused of murdering her children. In 1993, Weld played a convincing role as a neurotic policeman's wife and aging former beauty in the film Falling Down.

After divorcing her first husband, Weld married famed British comedian/actor Dudley Moore, in 1975. In 1976 they had a son, Patrick, and in 1980 after a number of separations, were finally divorced. Weld married the renowned Israeli concert violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman in 1985. After thirteen years, that marriage also ended in divorce.


Tuesday Weld continues to makes occasional appearances in film and television.

Barbara Bach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Barbara Bach (born August 27, 1947 in Queens, New York) is an American model and actress, best known as the Bond girl from the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. She is married to former Beatle Ringo Starr.

Bach was born Barbara Goldbach to a Jewish American father and an Irish American Catholic mother. When she was 16, Bach left school to become a model, rising to the ranks of top models by the time she reached 17. At 18, she married Augusto Gregorini and they had two children in Italy; one of them is singer-songwriter Francesca Gregorini. Consequently, she had several small roles in Italian films, although in 1975, Bach separated from Augusto and moved back to the United States.

In 1977, Bach's role as Anya Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me gained her recognition and awareness as an international sex symbol.

British musician Ringo Starr and Bach met on the set of the film Caveman in 1980. They were married on April 27, 1981, just a few weeks after the film's release. Since the mid-1980s, Bach has been inactive as an actress; in recent years, she has accompanied Starr on his tours.

Paul Reubens
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paul Reubens (born Paul Rubenfeld on August 27, 1952, in Peekskill, New York), is an American actor, writer, and comedian, best known professionally for his character "Pee-wee Herman".

Early development

Paul Rubenfeld grew up in Sarasota, Florida, where his parents owned a lamp store. During winters, The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus called Sarasota home, and young Paul counted such big-top families as the Wallendas and the Zacchinis among his neighbors. The circus sparked his interest in entertainment. When he was 11 years old, he joined the local Asolo Theater, and during the next six years, he appeared in a variety of plays. After graduating from Sarasota High School in 1970, he attended Boston University for one year before deciding to seek his fortune as Paul Reubens in Hollywood, where he enrolled as an acting major at the California Institute of the Arts and accepted a string of pay-the-rent jobs ranging from pizza chef to Fuller Brush salesman.

In the 1970s, Reubens performed at local comedy clubs and made four guest appearances on The Gong Show. He soon joined the Los Angeles-based improvisational comedy team The Groundlings and remained a member for six years, working with Bob McClurg, John Paragon, Susan Barnes, and Phil Hartman. Hartman and Reubens became friends, often writing and working on material together. Reubens wrote sketches and developed his improvisational skills. He also forged a significant friendship and working relationship with Hartman, with whom he developed the "Pee-wee Herman" character. Pee-wee was an eccentric man-child in a gray houndstooth suit which is a size too small for him, a short sleeved white shirt, and a small red clip on bow tie, with a buzz cut and a perpetually giddy disposition. His distinctive "Ha Ha" laugh became the character's catch phrase, as has his insult comeback "I know you are, but what am I?"

The Pee-wee Herman Show

DVD coverReubens auditioned for Saturday Night Live for the 1980-1981 season (along with future stars Jim Carrey, John Goodman, Dom Irrera, and Robert Townsend), but wasn't accepted into the cast. Instead, he started a stage show with the Herman character. Originally, Reubens imbued "Pee-wee" with a sexuality that was later toned down as the character made the transition from raucous night club to children's television (though sexual innuendo was still readily apparent, especially with the "Cowboy Curtis" and "Miss Yvonne" segments; Curtis was played by actor Laurence Fishburne and Miss Yvonne was played by Lynne Marie Stewart). The stage show was immortalized by HBO when The Pee-wee Herman Show was aired in 1981.

The show featured the writing and acting of Groundlings alums Phil Hartman and John Paragon, who would both reprise their characters on Pee-wee's Playhouse. The Pee-wee Herman Show played for five sellout months at The Roxy Theatre in L.A., whereupon HBO filmed it and aired it as a special on September 11, 1981.

In 1980, Reubens landed a small role in the film The Blues Brothers. He also appeared in Cheech and Chong's Cheech & Chong's Next Movie in 1980 and Nice Dreams in 1981, and Meatballs Part II in 1984 with Misty Rowe.

Pee-wee's Big Adventure

Main article: Pee-wee's Big Adventure
While on a Warner Bros. set, Reubens noticed that most of the people rode around on bicycles, and asked when he would get his. Warner Bros. presented him with a refurbished 1940s Schwinn; Reubens then abandoned the Pee-wee Herman script he was writing in favor of one about Herman's love for his bike and his efforts to locate it once it was stolen. Hartman, Reubens and Michael Varhol co-wrote the script for Pee-wee's Big Adventure, and in 1985 the film, directed by Tim Burton, was released. Reubens was the originator of the "Pee-wee dance" in the movie, and he had performed it publicly many times previous to the making of the film.

Pee-wee's Playhouse era

Main article: Pee-wee's Playhouse
The following year (1986), Pee-wee (along with Hartman) found a home on the small screen with the Saturday-morning children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse on the American CBS network for the next five years (Hartman, Shirley Stoler, Johann Carlo, Gilbert Lewis and Roland Rodriguez only appeared on the show for the first 13 episodes before their characters were dropped from the show). In the case of Lewis, he was fired and a new actor, William Marshall, was hired to play the King of Cartoons. The show starred Pee-wee living in a wild and wacky house, known as the Playhouse, full of talking chairs, animals, robots, and other puppet and human characters. During the time Pee-wee's Playhouse aired it garnered 22 Emmy Awards.

In 1986, credited as '"Paul Mall'", Reubens provided the voice of the spacecraft's robotic commander, Max, in Disney's Flight of the Navigator.
In 1987, he provided the voice of REX, the bumbling pilot droid in the Disneyland attraction, Star Tours.
In 1987, he reprised the role of Pee-wee Herman in a cameo appearance in the film Back to the Beach.
In 1987, Reubens filmed an insert for Sesame Street as Pee-wee, reciting his own version of the alphabet.
In 1988, Reubens reprised the role of Pee-wee Herman in a sequel to Pee-wee's Big Adventure, entitled Big Top Pee-wee.
In 1988, "Pee-wee" was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1988, he starred in Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special.
In 2006, Pee-wee's Playhouse was reaired for the third time on Adult Swim on Cartoon Network for 45 episodes. The second time it was reaired was in 1998 on Fox Family (now ABC Family).

First arrest

Reubens following his arrestOn July 26, 1991, Reubens was arrested in Sarasota, Florida, for allegedly masturbating in public during a screening of the adult porn film, Nurse Nancy in an adult movie theater. The news media went into a frenzy and the scandal marked the near-death of the character "Pee-wee Herman," reducing both the actor and the persona to a ubiquitous punchline. Although the series Pee-wee's Playhouse had already ended by that time, CBS reacted by dropping its reruns from their lineup. Reubens made a deal with the Sarasota County court: in exchange for a fine and a few public service announcements, he was given a clean record.

Reubens appeared as Pee-wee for the last time in the September 5, 1991, MTV Video Music Awards, where he was given a standing ovation when Pee-wee asked the audience, "Heard any good jokes lately?"

Post-arrest work

Reubens continues to appear in film and on television, with notable film roles in Batman Returns, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Dunston Checks In, Matilda, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, Mystery Men, and Blow, as well as TV guest appearances on Murphy Brown, Fairy Tale Theater, Everybody Loves Raymond, Reno 911! and Ally McBeal. He hosted a short-lived TV game show based on the popular computer game You Don't Know Jack. He also provides the voice for a raccoon in the Eddie Murphy version of Dr. Dolittle.

For a short time in 1998, Pee-wee's Playhouse re-aired on Fox Family (now known as ABC Family). Now, Pee-wee's Playhouse is airing on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

In 2001, Reubens announced plans for bringing Pee-wee Herman back for another film or two, or maybe a re-launch of Pee-wee's Playhouse.

Second arrest

Reubens was arrested again in 2002 in connection with an investigation involving child pornography, which coincided with an unrelated child pornography case involving actor Jeffrey Jones. Public news stories concerning his case cast doubt upon the suggestion that Reubens intentionally acquired child pornography, as he stated that he was a collector of "erotic artwork" and that he had a sizable collection of vintage erotica with samples dating back to the 18th century. On March 22, 2004, child pornography charges against him were dropped by Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo after Reubens pleaded guilty to a separate "misdemeanor obscenity" charge.[1]

According to NNDB.com, "The DA waited 364 days (one day before the statute of limitations would have run out) and then alleged that some of it was 'child pornography' -- decades-old physique poses, old art photos, and yellowed nudist magazines. Some of the nude photos were of minors -- when the pictures were taken, but most of the models would have been dead of old age before Reubens was born. All of the photos, Reubens maintained, were legal when they were first published. Again, though, he settled. The charges were reduced to 'obscenity', and Reubens pleaded guilty and paid a $100 fine in exchange for probation." [2]

Said Reubens: "Personally, I think we're living in a very scary time. Do we let the legal system decide in a courtroom what's obscene and what's not obscene? I didn't want to be in a situation where there was a possibility I could go to jail... I mean, that just seemed insane to me."

"One thing I want to make very, very clear, I don't want anyone for one second to think that I am titillated by images of children. It's not me. You can say lots of things about me. And you might. The public may think I'm weird. They may think I'm crazy or anything that anyone wants to think about me. That's all fine. As long as one of the things you're not thinking about me is that I'm a pedophile. Because that's not true."

Current activity

Reubens resides in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California.

In a 2004 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reubens said that he was working on a few television and movie ideas, and that Hollywood, he hopes, has not seen the last of Reubens or his alter ego, Pee-wee. Reubens has also stated a strong possibility of a Pee-wee's Playhouse movie on an NPR interview with Terry Gross on December 27, 2004. A third Pee-wee movie was also suggested. Both, said Reubens, are actively being worked on, but no dates or official announcements were made as of this date.

Reubens reprised his role as Lock in the video game The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge.

Reubens appeared in the second music video version of the Raconteurs song "Steady, As She Goes". It showed the band in a comical soapbox car race.

In early June 2006, Cartoon Network began running a promo during its Adult Swim lineup. The promo consisted of a black screen with the text, "Remember This?" displayed, while the beginning of the Pee wee's Playhouse theme song played in the background. The commercial then faded to the text "Coming July 10 2006." A later press release and many other promos confirmed that the show's 45 original episodes would air on the block Monday to Thursday at 11 P.M.(EST) starting on that date. However later on in August 2006, Adult Swim started airing Pee wee's Playhouse at 12:00 A.M. (EST).

In the July 10, 2006, TV Guide, Reubens says that he's delighted that Cartoon Network's Adult Swim will be airing the original series, plus the Christmas Special, and that when he was asked by the network, he said, "Of course!" He feels that the show will be a perfect fit. Also mentioned were the two new Pee-wee feature films, with one being a more "adult-oriented" film, "A 'Valley of the Dolls' Pee-wee." The other is a movie that delves more into the visitors of the Playhouse, like Miss Yvonne and Cowboy Curtis. Reubens is prepared to don the tight gray suit once again.

On July 11, 2006, Reubens made a rare talk show appearance to promote Pee-wee's Playhouse on The Late Show with David Letterman, and made mention that a script was completed for a Pee-wee's Playhouse Movie which would take the characters from the 80's television show out of the playhouse for the first time and into the real world. In a Time magazine interview, Reubens said production would start early next year for the film.[3]

On July 13, 2006, Reubens made an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. When O'Brien compared a Pee-wee doll to his own Conan action figure, Reubens held the Pee-wee doll and called the Conan figure a "little shrimp" in the trademark voice to cheers and applause. Conan later produced a Pee-wee suit and tried to convince Reubens to wear it, though Reubens only tried wearing the pants over the clothes he was already wearing. Reubens then did his famous dance as the Max Weinberg 7 performed "Tequila." Though he ultimately didn't appear in character as Pee-wee Herman, he came significantly closer than any other moment in the nearly 15 years since his last official Pee-wee appearance. He also appeared in VH1's The Best Week Ever on July 14, 2006.

On July 30, 2006, Reubens played Lt. Rick of the citizen's patrol on the popular Comedy Central show Reno 911!. The character, Lt. Rick, wore a red beret with numerous pins, a pair of gloves, and a small cape. Lt. Rick spoke with a scratchy whisper throughout the entire episode until near the end when officer Dangle plays a voice recorder where Lt. Rick is making chicken noises and laughs like Pee-wee Herman.

On July 31, 2006 Reubens was shown on Entertainment Tonight in an "exclusive interview". In the interview he talked about the future Pee-wee movies and Pee-wee's Playhouse being shown on Adult Swim.

On Saturday, August 5, at a showing of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure in the Hollywood Forever Cemetary in Hollywood, CA, Reubens made an appearance on stage before the show, bringing with him almost the entire cast of the film. To the uproarious applause and 15 minute standing ovation. E.G. Daily - Dotty, Judd Omen - Mickey - the escaped convict in the movie, Diane Salinger - who plays Simone, Daryl Keith Roach - Chuck the bike shop owner, and Mark Holton - the dastardly Francis in the film were all present.

On August 16, 2006, he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

On August 17, 2006, he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Florida Hurricane Season Notes:

We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season in
Florida. If you're new to the area, you're probably
wondering what you need to do to prepare for the
possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one." Based on
our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple
three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1. Buy enough food and bottled water to last your
family for at least three days.

STEP 2. Put these supplies into your car.

STEP 3. Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Thanks-
giving.


Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not
follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay
here in Florida. We'll start with one of the most important
hurricane preparedness items:

HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: If you own a home, you must have
hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap
and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic
requirements:

(1) It is reasonably well-built, and...

(2) It is located in Nebraska.

Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida, or any
other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most
insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane
insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU
money, and that is certainly not why they got into the
insurance business in the first place.


EVACUATION ROUTE: If you live in a low-lying area, you should
have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether
you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license;
if it says "Florida", you live in a low-lying area.)

The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being
trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you
will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from
your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees.
So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.


Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane
draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast
of the situation by turning on your television and watching
TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean
and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for
everybody to stay away from the ocean.

Good luck, and remember: It's great living in Paradise

Welcome back, hawkman, and thanks for the great bio's. Our listeners always appreciate learning something about the celebs that here-to-for was unknown.

Ah, BioBob, I do wish you had ended with a funny anecdote as opposed to a Florida paradise reminder.

Ernesto has now become a hurricane.

I was intrigued with C.S Forester, Bob, because I loved his Passage to India. It was quite insightful and I hope our Prince has read the book or seen the movie.

Before commenting further, I will await our Raggedy with her outstanding photo's.

Good morning on this lazy Sunday. I should be getting along with chores, but…


Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Marvin Gaye Lyrics

Oo oo aa mercy mercy me
Ah things aint' what they used to be no no
Where did all the blue skies go
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east.

Oo mercy mercy me
Mercy father
Ah things ain't what they used to be no no
Oil wasted on the ocean and up on our sea
Fish full of mercury.

Ah oh mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be no no no
Radiation underground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live near by are dying.

Oh mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't the way they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand
Oh na na my sweet Lord
No no na na na
My, my Lord, my sweet Lord.

Well, folks, evidently our Try does not know the man. <smile> Hey, buddy, you do know Marvin, however. Did you hear about him through the grapevine?


Song: I Heard It Through The Grapevine Lyrics

Ooh, I bet you're wondering how I knew
About you're plans to make me blue
With some other guy that you knew before.
Between the two of us guys
You know I love you more.
It took me by surprise I must say,
When I found out yesterday.
Don't you know that...

(Chorus:)
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine.
Oh I heard it through the grapevine,
Oh and I'm just about to lose my mind.
Honey, honey yeah.

I know that a man ain't supposed to cry,
But these tears I can't hold inside.
Losin' you would end my life you see,
Cause you mean that much to me.
You could have told me yourself
That you love someone else.
Instead...

(Chorus)

People say believe half of what you see,
Son, and none of what you hear.
I can't help bein' confused
If it's true please tell me dear?
Do you plan to let me go
For the other guy you loved before?
Don't you know...

(Chorus)

So I said to Marvin…

Morning Has Broken
Cat Stevens Lyrics

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the word.

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation on the new day.

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the word.

The Morning After
Song from "The Poseidon Adventure"
Maureen McGovern Lyrics

There's got to be a morning after
If we can hold on thru the night
We have a chance to find the sunshine
Let's keep on looking for the light.

Oh can't you see the morning after?
It's waiting right outside the storm
Why don't we cross the bridge together
And find the place that's safe and warm.

It's not too late, we should be giving
Only with love can we climb
It's not too late, not while we're living
Let's put our hands out in time.

There's got to be a morning after
We're moving closer to the shore
I know we'll be there by tomorrow
And we'll escape the darkness
We won't be searching anymore.

There's got to be a morning after
There's got to be a morning after
There's got to be a morning after

Good afternoon.

I never heard of Stephen Coates, Letty ---- and I don't know about outstanding, but here are the B.D. photos .

There's our pup, folks, right on the heels of the hawk.<smile> Yes, honey, always outstanding:

Thanks for the quintet of celebs, Raggedy. We recognize them as Barbara, PeeWee, Martha, Tommy, and Tuesday, right? :wink:

Try, I love the Cat song and the Morning after, buddy; however, did NOT like the remake of The Poseidon Adventure. (adventure was an understatement)

Back later, folks, with a song from the sands. <smile>

Don't recall if I've played this one on here before, but I love it enough to do a reprise. Recorded by Judy Collins, written by Leonard Cohen.



Priests

And who will write love songs for you
when I am lord at last
and your body is some little highway shrine
that all my priests have passed,
that all my priests have passed?
My priests they will put flowers there,
they will stand before the glass,
but they'll wear away your little window lawn,
they will trample on the grass,
they will trample on the grass.

And who will shoot the arrow
that men will follow through your grace
when I am lord of memory
and all your armour has turned to lace,
and all your armour has turned to lace?

The simple life of heroes,
the twisted life of saints,
they just confuse the sunny calendar
with their red and golden paints,
with their red and golden paints.

And all of you have seen the dance,
that God has kept from me,
but he has seen me watching you
when all your minds were free
when all your minds were free.

And who will write love songs for you ...

My priests they will put flowers there ...

Wow!, edgar. Those lyrics just made me shiver, really Texas. What a writer was that man. Leonard Cohen was something else, Thanks, buddy. Wonderful song, and I am afraid this one pales in its shadow:

However, folks, it is amazing how many artists did do this one:

GRADUATION DAY
(Joe Sherman / Noel Sherman)

The Rover Boys - 1956
The Four Freshmen - 1956
Tommy Sands - 1957
The Lettermen - 1963
The Arbors - 1964
The Beach Boys - 1964
Tony Rivers & The Castaways - 1964
Laverne & Shirley - 1976


It's a time a for joy, a time for tears
A time we'll treasure through the years
We'll remember always
Graduation day

At the senior prom we danced 'til three
And there you gave your heart to me
We'll remember always
Graduation day

Though we leave in sorrow
All the joys we've known
We can face tomorrow
Knowing we'll never walk alone

When the ivy walls are far behind
No matter where our paths may wind
We'll remember always
Graduation day

Though we leave in sorrow
All the joys we've known
We can face tomorrow
Knowing we'll never walk alone

When the ivy walls are far behind
No matter where our paths may wind
We'll remember always, always
Graduation day

We'll remember always
Graduation day

A source of inspiration from your PD, folks:

For my son whose birthday is today.

The Tree with the Twisted Limb:

It growns in the woods where the lights are dim,
Where the sunbeams seldom shine.
I call it the tree with the twisted limb,
And I love it because it's mine.

Its boughs are leafy and straight and slim,
All slender and straight but one;
That is the knotty, twisted limb
I have fastened my swing upon.

A robin has built her nest, I know,
And her babies peek over the rim,
Just to watch me swinging to and fro
'Neath the tree with the twisted limb.

A bird and a swing and an old oak tree,
A tree with a twisted limb;
I love them all, they belong to me,
Where the forest lights are dim.

A smile of remembrance, and that poem was by Stella M. Jensen

Have you seen…
The Most Beautiful Girl
Charlie Rich Lyrics


Hey, did you happen to see the most beautiful girl in the world?
And if you did was she crying, cryin?
Hey, if you happen to see the most beautiful girl, that walked out on me
Tell her I'm sorry, tell her I need my baby
Oh, won't you tell her, that I love her.

I woke up this morning, and realized what I had done
I stood alone in the cold gray dawn
And I knew I'd lost my morning sun
I lost my head and I said some things
Now come the heartaches that the morning brings
I know I'm wrong and I couldn't see
I let my world slip away from me.

Hey, did you happen to see the most beautiful girl in the world?
And if you did was she crying, cryin?
Hey, if you happen to see the most beautiful girl, that walked out on me
Tell her I'm sorry, tell her I need my baby
Oh, won't you tell her, that I love her.

Did you happen to see the most beautiful girl in the world?
And if you did was she crying, cryin?
Hey, if you happen to see the most beautiful girl, that walked out on me
Tell her I'm sorry, tell her I need my baby
Oh, won't you tell her, that I love her

Did you happen to see the most beautiful girl in the world?
And if you did was she crying, cryin?