egan trying to think about television and movies that have stayed with me over the years. One of my earliest recollections of a TV series I loved was the one starring Fess Parker who played Davy Crockett in the mid 1950's in a Walt Disney television series. Every boy dreamed about having a musket and a coonskin cap. In an interview many years after his retirement Fess Parker stated there's no telling how much money in today's dollars was made in merchandise alone from that series. I am sure I dreamed many adventures of "Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!" That was the theme song in case you didn't know.I remember seeing the movie "Strategic Air Command" with June A
llyson and Jimmy Stewart. It was made in 1955, therefore, I assume I went with my cousins in Port Arthur, Texas since we didn't go to that many movies when I was a kid in Louisiana. I no doubt wanted to fly huge bombers after seeing that movie. I don't know when I saw "A Place In the Sun" starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery C
liff but I can still remember how gut wrenching this movie was. It may have been the first "love story" that really made an impact on me. It involved a commoner played by Montgomery Cliff who had a girl friend played by Shelly Winters. However, he eventually falls for Elizabeth Taylor who is part of the country club set. In his desire to break away from his commoner girl friend they are in a boat and she falls overboard and drowns. Cliff is put on trial, found guilty and eventually faces execution. This movie was made in 1951 but I still vividly remember it.
llyson and Jimmy Stewart. It was made in 1955, therefore, I assume I went with my cousins in Port Arthur, Texas since we didn't go to that many movies when I was a kid in Louisiana. I no doubt wanted to fly huge bombers after seeing that movie. I don't know when I saw "A Place In the Sun" starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery C
liff but I can still remember how gut wrenching this movie was. It may have been the first "love story" that really made an impact on me. It involved a commoner played by Montgomery Cliff who had a girl friend played by Shelly Winters. However, he eventually falls for Elizabeth Taylor who is part of the country club set. In his desire to break away from his commoner girl friend they are in a boat and she falls overboard and drowns. Cliff is put on trial, found guilty and eventually faces execution. This movie was made in 1951 but I still vividly remember it.One of my favorites of all time is the movie "The Vikings" (1958) star
ring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Vivian Leigh, and Ernest Borgnine. Many many nights I replayed this movie in my dreams. I even became connected to the musical score which of course would not have been playing back in the day when vikings did their thing. But it had a real impact on me and what a cast! Kirk Douglas was the bad boy who eventually gave his life for something other than himself. That's the way movies used to turn out.
ring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Vivian Leigh, and Ernest Borgnine. Many many nights I replayed this movie in my dreams. I even became connected to the musical score which of course would not have been playing back in the day when vikings did their thing. But it had a real impact on me and what a cast! Kirk Douglas was the bad boy who eventually gave his life for something other than himself. That's the way movies used to turn out.I 
went on a blind date once and it was the most horrible experience but we double dated with the couple who had set us up and we all went to the movie up in Many, Louisiana. This had to have been in the early 1960's but guess what was playing? It was "The African Queen" with Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. I had never seen this film even though it was made in 1951. Wow! The date was miserable but the movie was terrific. Maybe I was looking for an escape but I will tell you that movie has to be one of the all time greats!
went on a blind date once and it was the most horrible experience but we double dated with the couple who had set us up and we all went to the movie up in Many, Louisiana. This had to have been in the early 1960's but guess what was playing? It was "The African Queen" with Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. I had never seen this film even though it was made in 1951. Wow! The date was miserable but the movie was terrific. Maybe I was looking for an escape but I will tell you that movie has to be one of the all time greats!I also fell in love with the girl who played in "North to Alaska" (1960). 
She was the love interest of all the characters from John Wayne, Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, to Fabian. She was a french actress who went by only one name 'Capucine' and she was a looker. She played the part of a lady named Michelle and for a teen aged boy from the country she was exotic, her name was exotic, and I felt like had I been able to get up on that screen I would have been in there fighting over her as well.
She was the love interest of all the characters from John Wayne, Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, to Fabian. She was a french actress who went by only one name 'Capucine' and she was a looker. She played the part of a lady named Michelle and for a teen aged boy from the country she was exotic, her name was exotic, and I felt like had I been able to get up on that screen I would have been in there fighting over her as well.T
he last one I will mention is the three hour documentary styled movie "The Longest Day" (1962). This movie may be one of the reasons I fell in love with reenacted historical dramas. It not only had a cast of hundreds of the very best actors but it gave a sense of one being there in all that took place in the build up and eventual landing on D-Day. Here's a few you might recognize from the cast: Eddie Albert, Paul Anka, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Fabian, Henry Fonda, Jeffrey Hunter, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowall, Sal Mineo, Robert Mitchum, Edmond O'Brien, Robert Ryan, Tommy Sands, George Segal, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner, Stuart Whitman, and John Wayne. It was filmed in black and white for effect but it's a great movie and one that tells a story we all need to remember.
he last one I will mention is the three hour documentary styled movie "The Longest Day" (1962). This movie may be one of the reasons I fell in love with reenacted historical dramas. It not only had a cast of hundreds of the very best actors but it gave a sense of one being there in all that took place in the build up and eventual landing on D-Day. Here's a few you might recognize from the cast: Eddie Albert, Paul Anka, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Fabian, Henry Fonda, Jeffrey Hunter, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowall, Sal Mineo, Robert Mitchum, Edmond O'Brien, Robert Ryan, Tommy Sands, George Segal, Rod Steiger, Robert Wagner, Stuart Whitman, and John Wayne. It was filmed in black and white for effect but it's a great movie and one that tells a story we all need to remember.Okay, there you have it. I'm sure there are others but these are the ones that came to my mind this morning. The moral of this story is that what we see does make an impact on us, and often it is a lasting impact. We should think about t
his as we consider all the images that our children and grand children are absorbing each day. Maybe it's time for me to say they don't make movies like they used to but I bet you knew that already, right? Have a great week and may God bless. ....more later.
his as we consider all the images that our children and grand children are absorbing each day. Maybe it's time for me to say they don't make movies like they used to but I bet you knew that already, right? Have a great week and may God bless. ....more later. 
1 comment:
The Searchers,Its a wonderful life ,Little big man, Papillon. Wizard of Oz. On the waterfront. The Shining.
Those are some of mine.
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