Olga San Juan -- Halloween 2016 -- October 31, 2016

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Happy Halloween, everyone.  Actress Olga San Juan, the Puerto Rican Pepperpot, was born in Brooklyn, but her parents had emigrated from Puerto Rico. 

Madame Mystery -- October 26, 2016

Film Daily, 19-April-1926

Theda Bara was a big star in the mid-Teens, playing vampish characters in Fox movies.  When the craze for vamp pictures cooled down, so did her career.  In the mid-Twenties, she made a comeback, appearing in a series of short comedies for producer Hal Roach.

The cast of "Madame Mystery" included Roach stalwarts Oliver Hardy, James Finlayson and Martha Sleeper.  

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Grauman's Chinese -- Jimmy Durante -- October 21, 2016

Sid Grauman was a San Francisco showman who came to Los Angeles and built three major houses, the Million Dollar, the Egyptian, and the Chinese. The theater has hosted many film premieres, but is most famous for the hand and footprints (and hoofprints and nose prints and other types of prints) in the forecourt.

Beloved performer Jimmy Durante left hand and schnozzola prints in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese on 31-October-1945. Jimmy began his show business career as an excellent ragtime pianist. He was a member of an early New York jazz band, the Original New Orleans Jazz Band. He went on to star in vaudeville as a singer and a comedian. Over the years, he starred in radio, movies, and television. He was famous for many catch phrases including "Ha-cha-cha-chaaaaaaa," "Dat's my boy dat said dat," "Everybody wants ta get inta the act," and "Umbriago!" I took this on 18-July-2009.  DSCN4150.

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Farewell to the Fox -- October 20, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Fox Theater at 1350 Market Street in 1963.The Fox opened in 1929, and was considered the most beautiful theater in the city.  It was a great tragedy when the theater closed and was demolished in 1963. 

I sat on seats from the Fox at the Richelieu Theater, a repertory theater at Geary and Van Ness. 

This is the last of The Best Show in Town series. 

Pierre Étaix, RIP -- October 19, 2016

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I was sad to learn of the passing of Pierre Étaix, comedian and director.  He started as a clown.  He worked as a gagman on Jacques Tati's Mon Oncle.  He made short films and then features.

We only Show the Good Ones -- October 13, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Strand Theater at 1127 Market Street in 1928. The Jewel opened in 1917 and went through many names before it became the Strand in 1928.  By the 1970s and 1980s it was a revival house.  I saw Let it Be there.  I saw Apocalypse Now and the line about unspeakable rites made me wonder what was going on in the balcony.  It continued to decline and started showing dirty movies in 1994.  It closed after a raid in 2003 and I waited for someone to tear it down. 

Instead, ACT, the American Conservatory Theater, purchased the building, restored it, and used it while the Geary Theater was being restored.  They continue to use its two spaces as smaller venues than the Geary. 

Andrzej Wajda, RIP -- October 11, 2016

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I was sad to learn of the passing of Polish director Andrzej Wajda.  I think the first Polish movie that I ever saw was Man of Bronze at the Royal on Polk Street.  I was shocked that Wajda was allowed to shoot the film, release it, and send it to the west.  It was a strong criticism of Stalinist methods of encouraging productivity.

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A few years later, the Royal showed Man of Iron.  I was even more shocked.  I had been reading about martial law and the suppression of Solidarity.  This movie even gave a role to Lech Wałęsa. It showed the growth of Solidarity and the unrest at the shipyard in Gdansk. I understood when I learned that Wajda had been exiled.  I was happy he didn't get shot. 

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Always the Best Show in Town -- October 6, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Embassy Theaters at 1125 Market Street in 1964.  The American Theater's construction was interrupted by the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.  It opened in early 1907.  After going through other names, it became the Embassy in 1927.  It was the first San Francisco theater to present Warner Brothers Vitaphone movies.  For a time it was called the Warner Brothers Theater, but it became the Embassy again by 1933.  I remember avoiding the Embassy because creepy people hung out there.  It was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and torn down in 1994. 

Brother Sun, Sister Moon -- October 4, 2016

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In honor of the Feast of Saint Francis, here is a poster forFranco Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon.  It is a beautiful, simple movie.  I think it captured some of the spirit of Francis.

Vin Scully Retires -- October 2, 2016

Vin Scully was a fan of the New York Giants.  Mel Ott was his favorite player.  In 1950, he began announcing Brooklyn Dodgers games.  Today, after 67 seasons, he is retiring as announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Ironically, the last game of the Dodgers' season is against the San Francisco Giants, at Pac Bell Park.

I have always hated the Dodgers, but admired Vin Scully.  When I was young, I discovered that I could tune in Los Angeles AM stations at night, including KFI, which carried the Dodgers.  I like his voice.  It is soothing. I wish him well. 

Vin Scully, or his voice, has appeared in many movies, usually as the Dodgers' announcer.

Ironically, his first wife, who died tragically young, was Joan Crawford.  Not that Joan Crawford.

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 For Love of the Game is one of Kevin Costner's baseball movies.  He plays a Detroit Tigers pitcher who is dealing with many issues while pitching a perfect game at the end of the season.  Vin Scully calls the game. 

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Experiment in Terror was set in San Francisco, but Vin Scully's voice is heard during a Giants-Dodgers game. 

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Vin Scully doesn't get a credit, but he appears in The Party, a Blake Edwards movie starring Peter Sellers.