I have a book written by Russell Johnson {the professor on Gilligans Island} it's stashed away someplace, and I can't even remember the title, but it's an episode guide/memoir type book.
At one point he started talking about Reagan, he said he despised him because of his surly macho image and that he was constantly popping off about pinko commies. They had exchanged words about it on the set of some movie, and Reagan had ended up labeling him a communist symphathiser...and that was all unfair and totally false, just because he didn't walk around thinking and talking like a "Cowboy" did not make him a commie.
In the next paragraph he went on to tell about going to several of those secret parties in hollywood, and he thought that they had some really good ideas...swell bunch of guys....etc.
Edward G Robinson did not name any names in his autobiography, but he pointed out that certain "cowboy actors" were actively working to get him blackballed. He said that out of WW II he contributed to many causes to fight Nazi-ism. He couldn't check the histories of every single group that asked him for money; he just gave because they spoke out against the Nazis. The names of some of those groups were used in the action that killed his acting career.
John Wayne said he wanted the one responsible for High Noon blackballed because at the end of the film, the marshall took off his badge and ground it in the dirt with his foot. Anyone who has watched High Noon knows that was his private answer to some cowardly citizens who left him to die, not repudiation of America.
2PacksAday wrote:I have a book written by Russell Johnson {the professor on Gilligans Island} it's stashed away someplace, and I can't even remember the title, but it's an episode guide/memoir type book.
At one point he started talking about Reagan, he said he despised him because of his surly macho image and that he was constantly popping off about pinko commies. They had exchanged words about it on the set of some movie, and Reagan had ended up labeling him a communist symphathiser...and that was all unfair and totally false, just because he didn't walk around thinking and talking like a "Cowboy" did not make him a commie.
In the next paragraph he went on to tell about going to several of those secret parties in hollywood, and he thought that they had some really good ideas...swell bunch of guys....etc.
The professor wrote the book? Wow, amybe he really was the genius he played on TV. Excellent.
edgarblythe wrote:Edward G Robinson did not name any names in his autobiography, but he pointed out that certain "cowboy actors" were actively working to get him blackballed. He said that out of WW II he contributed to many causes to fight Nazi-ism. He couldn't check the histories of every single group that asked him for money; he just gave because they spoke out against the Nazis. The names of some of those groups were used in the action that killed his acting career.
John Wayne said he wanted the one responsible for High Noon blackballed because at the end of the film, the marshall took off his badge and ground it in the dirt with his foot. Anyone who has watched High Noon knows that was his private answer to some cowardly citizens who left him to die, not repudiation of America.
Interesting Edward G. didn't name any names. Do you think it's because he thought he'd never work in that town again? Wasn't Reagan the head of the actors union-- he probably had a lot of power, being the good looking chiseled B actor he was...
Sentana,
That's the second time you've pointed out that I referred to McCarthy as a congressman. He was, of course, a senator.
Catch me once, shame on you. ahhh shame on you, no, aah
shame on me ....Aaaaahhhhhhh, well you know what I mean.
Cliff Hanger,
If you were serious...
Nah, it's mostly just an episode guide to Gilligans Island, not really much of a book. Most episode guides are written by someone else, and they find one of the cast members to lend their name along with some antidotes to help sell the book.
If you were kidding....
Hell yeah the professor was a genius, he was the original MacGyver wasn't he. Yeah I know, if he was so smart why didn't he build something that could get them off that stupid island....well, if I were stranded on an island with Ginger and Mary Ann...I'd be trying to get off all right...but not off the island.
BillyFalcon wrote:That's the second time you've pointed out that I referred to McCarthy as a congressman. He was, of course, a senator.
Well, Boss, actually, a man who serves in either the Senate or the House is a Congressman--i was just pointing out that MacCarthy sat on a Senate committee, and not HUAC, which was the
House Un-American Activities Committte. Anyway, HUAC had Tricky Dick Nixon, who made it all the way to the White House, which is far more damage than Tailgunner Joe ever did . . .
2PacksAday-- both versions are good. Thanks for the laugh.
Marrianne was the one for the Professor, and Ginger was suited to the lusty though G-Rated Skipper.
About McCarthy, not only was he a senator, he was a do nothing senator. The "red scare" was a way to hitch his wagon to a star-- albeit a faulty ride, etc....
I always liked the fact the McCarthy died as a drunken bum.
I don't know if any of you remember the Oscars/Academy awards / whichever, when director Ella Kazan was honored with a lifetime achievement and about half the audience refused to applaud because Kazan named names during the Mccarthy Hearings.
*Boy oh boy, and some people call women drama queens.
McCarthyism always did & still does amaze me, especially after
watching the disintegration of the Soviet States as we apparently
(didn't) know them.
*The picture painted for consumption of US citizens at this time in
history about the Soviet States described them as the hungry wolf;
fierce, strong, dangerous, powerful, rampant, ravaging force of
evil ie. of communism; as though they were truly our equal, a force
to be reckoned with; our match (or perhaps even better) in military
strength, in finance and I remember the concept that the Soviets
were so dangerous that they and communism truly had a real &
genuine shot at overpowering the government of the United States.
That the American way of life & the "democratic" concepts we
valued SO very highly were actually in danger of being snuffed
out.
*It must have taken a monumentally huge propaganda effort
to keep American citizens believing that a mortally
wounded guppie :wink: was in reality, a ferocious shark at
our very throats. Only in America - in America, life is like
one big Hollywood film. Is there a shred of truth in there anywhere?
Who cares ... as long as it sells tickets. When the Soviet states
fell apart and we got our first long and honest look at these, our
cultural, political, mortal enemies - what a shock!! Here we saw
a poverty stricken group of states who couldn't even get along
with each other. A nation full of people living in one bedroom
apartments even though they were a family with 2 parents and
three children. A nation of people whose biggest conceren was
how to avoid starvation. When it comes to a Hollywood actor
playing the part of a president ... this is actually a more honest
perception of the office of the Presidency of the United States
than you are likely to see anywhere else. Some Presidents have
got along throughout their entire term in office without ever doing
a thing, never even meeting any of their Cabinet or their staff.
I must admit to preferring to see Ronald Reagan in that office
rather than scum like Bush. In fact I think that I would rather
see Arnold Schwartzenegger in the office of Presidency over
most of the 'dangerous politicians' plotting for the next election
for the office of the Presidency of what was once upon a time
OUR country.
Well, it was paranoia that ruled. Truman's and Churchill's exaggeration of the Soviet threat didn't help much. They had a good point to oppose Stalin, but he wasn't going to invade the west.
I really don't understand why there was a huge arms race though. Sure there was a PR thing, but that's no excuse. You don't need an amount of nuclear weapons that could destroy the other country 50+ times in order to defend yourself. DeGaulle was smarter in knowing that only a few nuclear weapons is all you need to have other countries take you seriously.
What is really the most scary is that the same thing could
easily happen again. We are so unfortunately gullible and
none of the press feel a duty to inform the people. They
have a duty to tell the people what they want the people to
think. Or, to do our thinking for us.
I think the media (in terms of news) is doing an okay job. It's hard to tell whether they've manipulated or coated the actual events though (like saying that there is a lot of people attending a protest, and showing it at an angle to produce a feeling that there is a lot of people when there is only about 20 or a few).
There's also too much secrecy in the world of modern politics. It's worse enough that there are speculations of whether the Government knew about 9/11 beforehand, or whether the excuse made to invade Iraq was bad intelligence or a straight out lie.
(Please pardon the interruption to your discussion, but can any of you recommend some good films & literature set in the McCarthy era? I'm really interested. Loved Angels in America, Good night, and Good Luck, Daniel & have read various novels (of varying quality), the last being Douglas Kennedy's The Pursuit of Happiness. .... Any tried & true recommendations?)
OK, please proceed now.
