Hunks and Legends

Today is the birthday of Varina Howell Davis, Frank James (Gary) Cooper, and George (Gabby) Hayes. What a variety of personalities and experiences. (Some day, I will write a book on the lives of folks named for Frank and Jesse James. Somehow, they're always interesting.)

Varina Howell (left) was the oldest of a bunch of a kids. The oldest girl of many siblings is a character-forming experience and it defined her personality forevermore. I admire her so much. She was a whole woman--bright, loving, giving, petty, funny, sensitive. While her husband, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, was too ill to attend to his affairs, she decided who would see him, what bills or letters would be signed, what orders would be issued. I would like to have known her.

Gary Cooper (top). What a hunk. Born in Montana in 1901 (though his parents were British), he was at one time the highest paid person, not just actor, in the United States. One of my favorite "Coop" movies is Along Came Jones. The scene where he's walking down the street eating canned peaches is a priceless slice of history, and just so real. He won two Academy Awards, one for High Noon the other for Sergeant York. He was awarded a special Academy Award in 1961 "for his many memorable screen performances and for the international recognition he, as an individual, has gained for the film industry." He asked Jimmy Stewart to accept the award for him because he was too ill. He died shortly after.

"Yer durn tootin'!" Gabby Hayes (right) was born in New York in 1885. NEW YORK?? No kidding. An erudite, educated, well-groomed gentleman, he was consistently listed as one of the top ten Western stars, right along with Gene and Roy. It's ironic, really, because Gary Cooper was just being himself and George Hayes was being someone entirely different.

Happy Birthday to these legends one and all. What a rich and wonderful country we have.

________________________________
John Brown as Opera

I'm off to the Lyric Opera in Kansas City to see Kirke Mechem's John Brown. There have been articles in the newspaper, interviews on Kansas Public Radio, and much hype among the hysterians we know. I'm really looking forward to this. Terry Hobbs is driving. Life is good.

____________________________________

Norman Marshall

. . . portrayer of John Brown, was in town recently and lo, I was gone. But Norman did a splendid performance at the Kansas Museum of History and sent me this photo of himself and Annie Brown's great-great-granddaughter, Alice Mecoy. (Annie was john Brown's daughter.) This was taken at the gala just prior to the opera's premier in Kansas City.

Politically Correct Targets

If you're an albino or a dwarf or a giant, preferably one with a goiter or slant eyes, and have a hillbilly accent, have we got a job for you.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Pennsylvania) ran an article about a film company's seeking odd extras to portray West Virginians. "Holler" people to be exact.

"Some of these 'holler' people -- because they are insular and clannish, and they don't leave their area -- there is literally inbreeding, and the people there often have a different kind of look. That's what we're trying to get," said a company executive in the newspaper. According to the Tribune-Review, the press release said:

"Extraordinarily tall or short. Unusual body shapes, even physical abnormalities as long as there is normal mobility. Unusual facial features, especially eyes. . . . a 9-12-year-old Caucasian girl with an other-worldly look to her. . . .Could be an albino or something along those lines -- she's someone who is visually different and therefore has a closer contact to the gods and to magic. 'Regular-looking' children should not attend this open call.'"

For some reason, West Virginians are offended. So am I. Virginia has always considered traitorous and untrustworthy those counties that seceded from the Commonwealth after the Commonwealth seceded from the United States. West Virginia has been the butt of our jokes since 1863. But there are many commonalities among the mountain folk, many family ties, much culture and tradition in common.

I understand a film company's wanting unusual looking people; what irks me to no end is that they appear to believe their warped view is reality. Also, pity the poor child whose hopeful stage mother drags him or her to this audition, proudly pointing out, "See, my boy's crosseyed!"

My Grandpa worked in the coal mines in West Virginia as a young man, the 1910s and 1920s. He worked alongside Greeks, Italians, Russians, Czechs. The population was as diverse in some areas as New York City. And what about the places without diversity? The places where the same mountain folk lived and struggled since before the American Revolution?

Well, those are my people. I come from the same culture, pretty much the same gene pool, and I'm not apologizing to Hollywood or anyone else. And you know what? I am sick and tired of every body in the world being off limits to ridicule except white Southerners. I don't care who you are, it's okay to pick on them. And I only knew one albino family growing up. Okay, maybe two.

Read the story and the followup comments: Film's casting call wants that 'inbred' look - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review At top, National Geographic photo of albino pygmy monkey twins, born not in West Virginia, but in Sweden. Perhaps there's a role for them. . . .
_____________________________
Pitiful Criminals

The Civil War Bookshelf, authored by fellow blogger Dimitri Rotov, recently linked to a most interesting crime story. Seems a guy in Monroe, Georgia, held up a Kangaroo convenience store by brandishing a “hand cannon,” a Civil War-era cap-and-ball revolver which had a 9-inch barrel. The suspect made off with $55. Turns out he is homeless--but thankfully he kept his highly collectible gun. He should have contacted Ed Kennedy or Dave Chuber who would have offered him more than fifty bucks for the weapon. Would-be crooks--there is a socially acceptable way to show off your Civil War era firearms. Call me next time and I'll put you in contact with a gun nut, er, collector. Okay, okay. . . I'm furthering the Southern stereotypes. . . . Sometimes the shoe just fits.

Speaking of the Civil War Bookshelf, Dimitri recently plugged one of Tom's books and mentioned my blog as well. He said it was "feisty and entertaining." I am so tickled. It has been my lifelong ambition to be considered "feisty and entertaining."

_________________________________
Listen Up

. . . "thou bawdy flap-mouthed whey face!" I'm not exactly sure what a "whey face" would look like, but it doesn't sound pretty. From our friend, Norman Marshall, comes this link for Shakespearean insults. Priceless!!

http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/a2-shakespeare-insult-generator.htm