samurai (part 1)

John Belushi — a more fearsome samurai there never was.

josh pincus is crying blog

barbara pepper

Barbara Pepper - Hollywood glamor girl of the 30s and 40s.

Read her story on the josh pincus is crying blog.

tyler lambert

A story of family... JPiC style.
HERE on my blog.

trent lehman

Remember Trent Lehman? I do.
Read his story HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

elizabeth hartman

Actress Elizabeth Hartman remembered HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

some like it hot (and some don’t)

A special post for Marilyn Monroe fans (and you know who you are).

Read about her HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

monkey

Read about Dave Garroway and J. Fred Muggs, the first hosts of the Today show HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

paul lynde

It’s hard to believe that an entire generation missed out on the humor of Paul Lynde.
Read his story HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

caricature

Despite the on-stage jabs at each other, George Burns and Jack Benny were the best of friends. George Burns hosted several episodes of Jack Benny's radio show in 1943 when Jack was sick with pneumonia.

Jack and George had a running gag in their friendship. George had no problem getting Jack to laugh, but George was always stone-faced in Jack's attempts to do the same. One evening, at a party they were both attending, Jack pulled out a match to light a cigarette. George announced to all, "Jack Benny will now perform the famous match trick!" A bewildered Jack had no idea what Burns was talking about, so he proceeded to strike the match to flame. George observed, "Oh, a new ending!" and Jack collapsed in laughter.

In 1974, Jack Benny was cast in the film version of the Neil Simon play, The Sunshine Boys. Just prior to filming, Jack was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was too ill to continue his plans for the movie. He suggested his best friend George Burns take over for him, eventhough George had not appeared in a film since 1939. George went on to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1975.

Jack Benny passed away in December 1974. George was heartbroken. He tried to deliver one of the eulogies at Jack's funeral, saying, "Jack was someone special to all of you but he was so special to me…I cannot imagine my life without Jack Benny and I will miss him so very much." But, George broke down in tears and had to be helped to his seat. Afterwards, George immersed himself in his work, appearing in ten films before his own death in 1996.

He never got over the death of his best friend.

gail russell

Gail Russell got an "introducing" credit in the 1944 supernatural thriller "The Uninvited" with Ray Milland, although she had made two earlier films. "The Univited", one of the first Hollywood movies to present a ghost story in a serious manner (as opposed to comedies), made Gail an overnight star. She starred in a host of films opposite some of Hollywood's biggest stars like Alan Ladd and John Wayne. Gail was rumored to be carrying on a secret affair with Wayne that allegedly led to his divorce. Wayne maintained that his relationship with Gail was nothing more than platonic.

Gail suffered from terrible stage fright and began drinking on the set of "The Univited" to ease her nerves before appearing in front of the camera. As her career progressed, so did her alcohol consumption. She married actor Guy Madison, but that union ended in divorce due to her alcoholism. She was unable to get acting roles for five years, until her friend John Wayne cast her in the western "Seven Men from Now" with Randolph Scott in 1956.

In 1955, Gail left the scene of the crime after rear-ending another vehicle while intoxicated. In 1957, while driving under the influence of alcohol, Gail drove her convertible into the front of Jan's Coffee Shop on Beverly Boulevard in Hollywood. When her hearing was scheduled, she failed to appear. Officers were sent to her home and found her drunk and unconscious. The hearing was held in the hospital where she was bedridden with severe effects from alcoholism. She joined Alcoholics Anonymous but it did no good.

In August 1961, she was found dead in her Brentwood, California apartment, a victim of liver damage and malnutrition. She was 35.

judith barsi

Read the sad story of child actress Judith Barsi HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

roy kinnear

Roy Kinnear began his career in repertory theatre before making his film debut in the early 1960s. He worked mostly in his native Great Britain appearing in popular sitcoms and variety shows. He was most successful in films directed by his good friend Richard Lester, including Help! with The Beatles, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum, How I Won the War and the Three Musketeers series of the late 1970s and 1980s. He is most recognized as Veruca Salt's exasperated father in 1971's Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

In addition to film roles, Roy lent his voice to several cartoons including Watership Down, The Princess and The Goblin and the British favorite Super Ted.

In September 1988, while filming The Return of the Musketeers in Spain, Roy fell from a horse and sustained a broken pelvis. He was taken to hospital in Madrid, and died from a heart attack the following day. He was 54 years old.

The film's director, Roy's longtime friend Richard Lester, was so distraught over the incident that he never directed another film.

martha mansfield

Martha Mansfield was an active and popular actress in silent movies.

On November 30, 1923, while working on location in San Antonio, on the film The Warrens of Virginia a Civil War costume epic. Martha was playing the role of Agatha Warren and had just finished her scenes and retired to a car when a crew member accidentally tossed a lit match. The flame ignited Martha's hoopskirt costume. Her leading man, Wilfred Lytell, threw his heavy overcoat on Martha's face to protect her from the quickly spreading fire. She was rushed to a hospital in San Antonio, where she died in less than twenty-four hours. Martha was 24 years old.

Although she made over twenty-five films in her short career, few of them survive.

teresa graves

The neighbors in Hyde Park knew her as "Tootie", the devoted daughter who came to take care of her ailing mother. She had the back porch enclosed and turned into a bedroom so she could stay with her mother full time. She was a devout Jevhovah's Witness and was active in raising awareness of the persecution of fellow Jehovah's Witness in Malawi. On October 10, 2002, Tootie was asleep in her bedroom when a space heater malfunctioned and burst into flames. Tootie's mother managed to escape, but emergency workers removed an unconscious Tootie from the home. She died from burns and smoke inhalation. Her neighbors never knew of Tootie's prior life of fame.

Tootie was Teresa Graves, the iconic star of the 1974 police action series Get Christie Love! Patterned after 70s blaxploitation films, Get Christie Love! was very popular, despite only lasting one season. Teresa had worked her way up in show business, first starting as a member of the easy listening group The Doodletown Pipers, then becoming a regular on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in its third season. But, it was Get Christie Love! that made Teresa a household name. She retired from acting in 1983.

When she died in that house fire in 2002, she was just "Tootie" to those closest to her.

hope summers

Remember Hope Summers? See if you do HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

tod browning

Another of Hollywood's forgotten - director Tod Browning.
Read about him HERE at the josh pincus is crying blog.

alberta nelson

Alberta Nelson - forgotten by Hollywood, remembered by josh pincus is crying.

clara bow

Clara Bow, forgotten beauty from Hollywood's silent era.
Read her story HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

doug kenney

The tragic story of screenwriter Doug Kenney HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.

cracked

Read bout the fleeting fame of Dickie Goodman HERE on the josh pincus is crying blog.