Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Into the Groove (1985) 

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) Madonna begins this song by telling us, "I'm waiting." What's something you're waiting for today? For the rain to stop.

 

2) She sings that dancing gives her a feeling so good she hopes it will never end. What reliably lifts your spirits? Cuddling a cat.

 

3) As a school girl in Michigan, Madonna was a good student but could be disruptive. Classmates recall her doing cartwheels in the halls between classes. Can you do a cartwheel?

X Do Not Want Stickerfrom X Stickers

 

4) It's not surprising that a girl from the Detroit area would love cars. Madonna's car collection is valued at more than $2 million. The one she seems to drive most often is a 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV. Insurance industry data tells us Americans typically keep their cars for 8 years. How long have you had your current vehicle? I don't have a car.

 

5) She has referred to Nancy Sinatra as one of her idols, saying "These Boots Were Made for Walking" and its accompanying video impressed her when she was a little girl. What pop song brings back memories from your childhood? As a 3-year-old girl, I got very excited whenever this came on the car radio and sang along as best I could, much to the amusement of my parents.

 

 

6) Madonna suffers from brontophobia, or the fear of thunder and lightening. Are you afraid of storms? Not usually. I get a little concerned when tree branches slam into my living room window, but that only happens when the wind really whips up.

 

7) In 1985, when this song was popular, the Titanic wreckage was discovered. There have been at least a dozen movies about that ill-fated ship. Have you seen any of them? I saw Leo and Kate, of course. There's one from the 1950s starring Robert Wagner and Barbara Stanwyck that I've seen a time or two, also.

 
8) Also in 1985, Bruce Willis became a star with a hit show about a detective agency. Can you name it? (Extra non-existent points if you can recall the agency's name.) Moonlighting, and the Blue Moon Detective Agency. Wherever shall I spend those extra points?

 

9) Random question: Describe your perfect ice cream sundae. Vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, chopped nuts and a cherry. Pretty standard, huh?

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #434

The undercover edition. The other morning my go-to channel, TCM, ran back-to-back-to-back Man from UNCLE movies. Here in the States, these originally aired as two-part episodes of the TV shows, while in Europe they were theatrical releases. 

 

At first I was excited. When I was a little girl, I loved The Man from UNCLE. Ilya, Napoleon, Mr. Waverly ... in the mid-60s, they brought glamour and excitement to my young life.

 

I couldn't make it through 15 minutes of the first movie. While Ilya and Napoleon were still very handsome and unflappable, I realized I do not like spy tales. Yet people do. It's an enduringly popular genre.  

 

So this week I give you 13 famous fictional spies.

1. James Bond. There have been 27 movies 63 books, and people all over the world are consuming them.

2. Napoleon Solo. The senior agent in The Man from UNCLE series. The American, who looked great in a suit/tux and got laid all the time. Played by Robert Vaughn on TV and Henry Cavill in the 2015 movie.

3. Ilya Kuryakin. Napoleon's intense junior partner. He was more serious and reserved than Napoleon and introduced me to karate. Though played by Scottish actor David McCallum, Ilya was Russian.

4. Austin Powers. A British secret agent with bad teeth, thick glasses, a Beatles haircut and irrepressible, irrational optimism. There have been three movies and they made me laugh.

5. Maxwell Smart. Now that I'm in a jokey mood, let's look at Max. Don Adams won an Emmy for his portrayal of the inept spy. Steve Carrell played him in a 2008 movie. I watched the show when I was a kid because, well, it was on. But I wasn't really a fan. Except for Hymie. A robot, Hymie was very literal and awfully sweet and I remember him fondly. 

6. Agent 99. She was a massive big deal when I was a little girl. She was Maxwell Smart's partner and she was the competent one. She always kept her head, wore great clothes, and kicked ass. Barbara Feldon is over 90 now. I hope she realizes she what a mid-60s role model she was.

7. Emma Peel. Thinking about the ladies, I must give a nod to Mrs. Peel. I never saw The Avengers, but was aware of her as the partner of John Steed. Played by Diana Rigg, she had the distinction of confusing two of my gay friends when they were very young. John and Patrick never knew one another, but they separately confessed being madly in love with her back in the day.

8. John Steed. Mrs. Peel's Avengers partner. Again, I know nothing of the show, but I assume he was a proper English gentleman because he wore a bowler.

9. John Drake. Played by Patrick McGoohan, he was the title character of Secret Agent. I never saw this show either, but the theme song is indelibly imprinted on my memory. "Secret agent man! Secret agent man! They've given you a number and taken away your name ..."

10. Simon Templar. He was The Saint. Roger Moore played him. Along with Perry Mason, it was my icky grandmother's favorite show. I just remember I had to be very quiet when it was on.

11. Boris Badenov. I have no idea why he was assigned to "get moose and squirrel," but he tried his best to destroy Rocky and Bullwinkle at every opportunity. He worked for Fearless Leader, who in turn answered to Mr. Big. I suppose I should be embarrassed by how much I remember about Rocky and Bullwinkle, but I'm not. I loved that show.

12. Natasha Fatale. She was Boris' statuesque partner, called everyone "dah-link," and flashed a lot of animated leg.

13. Jack Ryan. I know nothing about him, except that former Cub manager Joe Maddon invokes him all the time. Created by Tom Clancy, Jack Ryan was a Navy man who went on to work for the CIA. There have been novels and movies and mini-series and video games and apparently all the world but me is into him.

Do you like spies? Did I leave out your favorite? 

 
Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Murder on a Mystery Tour by Marian Babson. The library recommended this one to me because I read so many cozy mysteries. As a Beatle fan, I saw the phrase "Mystery Tour" and snapped at it like a trout at a worm.

 

Reggie and Midge have taken possession of his family's great old English mansion. The thing is – as those of us who watch Downton Abbey know – maintaining these houses is expensive. So they turn it into an inn and are barely scraping by when an opportunity arises: they can rent the mansion out to an American company that hosts "mystery tours," aka staged murder mystery weekends for well-heeled tourists. Yeah, you know what happens next. Someone gets dead for real. Of course, there's an unexpected storm. I don't have to be especially prescient to know it's going to effect electricity and phone reception.

 

So far, this formulaic mystery is still fun, but for unexpected reasons. I'm getting a kick out of all that goes into preparing for the mystery events. They have been scheduled to promote a pair of celebrity authors' books, so we get to meet the writers. Then there are the actors who view gigs like this as a way to make incremental cash. That's a lot of creative temperament and competing interests right there.

 

I like the vibe so far.  

2. What did you recently finish reading? Richard Nixon: The Life by John A. Farrell. I'm so glad I read this long (750 page) biography. His story is so American, and its echoes are making themselves heard today.

There's evidence that Nixon committed treason in 1968, sabotaging LBJ's negotiations and prolonging the Vietnam War so he could be elected that fall. Appalling. The sins of Watergate are enumerated in numbing detail (at least for me, who followed it in real time). So it would be easy to dismiss him as evil.

But there are so many instances when he truly wanted to do good. Where he did do good. He care about the environment. He wanted world peace and worked hard to make the Soviet Union and China play nice with the US. In those ways, the world is better for his having been here. These contributions cannot be dismissed.

On a personal level, his diary notes after the Kent State Massacre touched me. He responded as the father of two girls he loved. His kindness toward Jacqueline Onassis when she returned to The White House for the unveiling of her and the President's official portraits was sincere and extraordinary. Look at Trump, who said at a memorial service that he "hates" his opponents. Can you imagine our current President mourning young people who protested against him, or extending himself for the Obamas or Bidens? 

So this book was fair and thought provoking and it touched a chord in me by presenting the man in totality. My only gripe is that Farrell devoted so little to Nixon's post-presidency. He loved power so much, he was so proud. He was so paranoid and could be batshit crazy. What was his world like after he resigned in shame? And how I wish I could find an acclaimed biography of Pat Nixon. She sounds fascinating.  

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

  

 

Sunday Stealing

Tune In

1. Name a TV show you've seen every episode of. 

2. On which device do you do most of your viewing (television, tablet, computer, phone)? TV

3. Name an actor/actress who would make you less likely to watch a show. Roseanne Barr Arnold. A roseanne by any name still stinks.

4. When you were a kid, what show did you love?

5. What show do you recommend everyone watch? Columbo. I can't recall why I didn't watch it back in the day, but now I'm hooked. That show is so perfectly constructed, it's like a Swiss watch. 

6. What show do your friends like, but you don't? My friend Amy watches/rewatches Game of Thrones and its spinoff. One of the girls at the card shop tells me I would love Hunting Wives. I watched the first episode and she is very wrong. However, it's still a free country – despite the Trump-led FCC efforts – and I'm glad they enjoy themselves.

7. When you watch TV, do you also busy yourself with something else (jigsaw puzzle, folding laundry, etc.)? Depends on the show. I have been known to pay bills or put laundry away while watching TV.

8. Do you eat a meal or snack while watching TV? Usually. I watch a lot of TV and therefore have a very large ass.

9. What's your preferred genre (comedy, drama, reality, etc.)? Sitcoms.

10. Do you prefer mini series (shows that tell their stories in a pre-determined number of episodes) or shows that come back season after season?) or shows that come back season after season? I don't care. For me it's the content more than the format. 

 

And it's a wrap!

 

The Cubs lost 3-1 last night to the Milwaukee Brewers. This was not unexpected, as the Brewers are the better team.  I'm just so proud of my guys that they forced a Game 5 in this best-of-5 series. That took grit.

I'm also proud that the first two games were played here in Chicago, within the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. It showed the country that Donald Trump and Kristi Noem are lying sacks of shit. Chicago is not "a killing field." There are not riots in the street, unless you consider tipsy young people tumbling out of Wrigleyville bars "a riot." 

No need to fear them

This was the season that we gave Ryne Sandberg his due and welcomed Anthony Rizzo back home. Pete Crow-Armstrong became a superstar and the team finished 22 games over .500. It was a more emotional and entertaining season than I could have imagined back in April.

I love being a Cub fan. It has enriched my life in so many ways. October baseball has been a gift.

Now all I want is for my heroes in Cubbie blue to have a wonderful winter in warm climes, filled with days on the water or on the links. 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Mambo No. 5 (1999)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) Lou Bega namechecks a lot of women in this song. Is there an Angela, Pamela, Sandra, Rita, Monica, Erica, Tina, Mary, or Jessica in your life? I can account for two of them.

 

2) Can you think of a song that includes your first name?

 

 

 

3) Lou sings that flirting is like a sport. Do you enjoy flirting? I am terrible at it. Back in the day, one of my running buddies said with disdain, "You don't recognize a pass until he has his hand in your bra." I was not quite that clueless, but close. I was always surprised when conversation veered to the intimate.

 

4) While Lou Bega's recording became a big hit worldwide, it enjoyed great popularity, where it was used during televised cricket matches. Do you know anything about the game of cricket? Not a thing. However I do know that the Chicago Cubs are still alive in the playoffs. Go, Cubs, Go! Obviously I don't expect a World Series. I got to see one in my lifetime and it would be rude and greedy to expect another. However I am thoroughly enjoying the unexpected gift of October baseball.

 

 

 

5) When Lou was riding high with "Mambo No. 5," Cher invited him to open for her on her 1999-2000 tour. Cher has more than 50 hit records, two television series, a Broadway show and an Oscar under her belt. Can you think of another performer who has succeeded in so many areas of entertainment?

 

My Queen

6) Lou turned 50 in April of this year. Are you soon celebrating a big birthday (one that ends in a 0 or 5)? Not till 2027.

 

7) In 1999, when "Mambo No. 5" was on the radio, the movie American Pie premiered and was so popular it inspired three sequels. Have you seen any of the American Pie films? Nope.

 
8) Also in 1999, Walmart opened its first store in the UK. Do you often shop at Walmart? Not often. I find the retail experience rather unpleasant. However they are the best for ordering groceries online. Deliveries are always on time and accurate.

 

9) Random question – Have you recently fallen asleep somewhere other than your bed? If yes, where did you doze off? On the sofa. It was a mistake and resulted in a pinched nerve in my neck. Ow!

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #433

To a special Graduate of the Class of 1975. I spent all summer dodging invites and info about my 50th high school reunion. I really had no interest in it. High school was a turbulent time for me, for my family (my parent's marriage unraveled quickly and in ugly ways), and the country (Vietnam and Watergate) and I did not wish to revisit it.

But I have been thinking about Her – the 17-year-old gal who donned a cap and gown and walked through the auditorium to get her diploma in June, 1975. Here is what I would tell Her. 

1. Take care of your teeth. First when I was in my 30s, and then again in my 60s, I spent a fortune at the dentist. Maybe if I'd been more vigilant in my teens and 20s, I could have saved myself time, money and pain.

2. Cut your hair. From the back, my mane of wavy, light brown looked lovely. But my face is too round to be framed by long hair. I finally cut it when I was in my mid-20s and it was a game changer

3. Mother does not know best. I love my mom and I miss her. But when it came to my appearance, she gave me bad advice at every turn. From clothes to makeup to hair, she never seemed to see me as I was ... and I trusted her. Once I moved out of the house and began paying attention to other women in my life and took tips from magazines, I developed my own style and looked better for it.

4. Be grateful you don't look your age. How I would cringe when anyone – especially men – saw me as younger than I was. Maybe it's my deep dimples or the oily skin that hasn't wrinkled that much, but I still don't look my age and I gotta say, it's pretty terrific. 

5. Don't squeeze your zits.  I can still see the scars from those days.

6. Stay out of the sun. You will never tan. You will only burn, peel and damage your skin. It's like the long hair thing. Doesn't matter what the style happens to be, it's not for you.

7. Don't obsess on the unibrow or the stray hairs on your big toes. It's hormones. One day – soon – you will go to remove those offensive dark hairs and suddenly they won't be there anymore. All that embarrassed worry was just wasted energy. 

8. Go to college. Do I think a degree would have made a difference in my career? Not at all. But I spent decades dying inside whenever anyone in a professional setting asked me where I went to school. If I had at least an associate degree, I would have felt like I belonged in The Club. 

9. Ride those rails! Break ranks with your family (see #3) and follow your heart. You are not a small-town girl and your future is indeed in the great City of Chicago. It's full of opportunity and diversity and it will change your life in wonderful ways – and Donald Trump can fuck himself. 

10. Tell Uncle Ted you love him. He was my favorite uncle and often my champion when I was growing up. Now that he's gone, I truly can't recall a time I told him I loved him. While I am confident that where he is now he knows, it might have done both of us a lot of good in the moment if I'd said it.

11. Continue to ignore your older sister. I can reassure you that she will always be toxic and never worth the effort. As you suspected 50 years ago, she is indeed like the Periodic Table of Elements in that she will always be completely irrelevant to your life. Unlike algebra, she can harm you.

12. Your love can't make anyone stronger, healthier or happier. It's a mistake I have made over and over (and over) in my life. There's a limit to the impact I can have on someone who is unwilling or unable to change. I either have to accept them as they are or move on. Funny, I know it's true as I write it, and yet it still sounds cold and harsh. At 67, I still have some evolving to do.

13. Nurture your passions. In some important ways, you will never change. You will always find joy in cheering the Cubs and cuddling a cat, and you'll be celebrating your 68th birthday watching Sir Paul McCartney in concert. 

 

How about you? What advice would you give you? Do you think you would listen? 

 

 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

Sunday Stealing

During September, did you ...

1. Drink alcohol? I had a margarita last Tuesday, which was September 30, so it came in just under the wire.

2. Try a new recipe? Nope.

3. Go shopping with friends? Nope.

4. Eat an entire box of cookies by yourself? Yes, but I live alone so it isn't quite as gluttonous as it sounds. 

5. Dye your hair? Technically speaking, no. I paid someone to dye it for me.

Saturday 9

 

Saturday 9: That's So True (2024)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 
1) In this song, Gracie Abrams can't stop thinking about her ex. Who is on your mind this morning? The Chicago Cubs, who are moving on in the NLDS! I'm delighted and surprised by how good they have been this season, and October baseball is the best. Go, Cubs, Go!

 

2) She wonders if she should warn his new girl about him. Think of the last time someone offered you advice. Did you take it? No. It was from one of my new managers on duty at the card shop. She told me I should encourage people who are just buying a card to also buy something else. I'm not going to do it. Someone who is only buying a card only wants a card. They'll be annoyed with me if I get all pushy and salesgirly with them. 

3) She concludes her old boyfriend wasn't worthy of her love and attention, and now sees him as "just another dude." What is something you regret spending time on? (It doesn't have to be a romance.) I have a love-hate relationship with lazy days. First I look forward to an empty calendar as an opportunity to relax and recharge, then later I chastise myself for wasting time I could have spent on chores and bringing order to my life.

 

4) On July 31, Gracie Abrams performed at Lollapalooza in Chicago. More than 100,000 attended the first day of the outdoor festival. It was sunny and 79º. Describe your perfect day (weatherwise). Yeah, sunny and 79º sounds pretty perfect.

 

5) Gracie's father is J.J. Abrams, perhaps best known for directing the 2009 Star Trek movie and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Would you rather watch Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek. It tends to be quieter and easier to sleep through. I really don't like sci-fi.

6) She is very much a 21st century artist in that she doesn't rely on radio to introduce her music to her fans, often sharing demos on TikTok. Do you watch, or create content for, TikTok? Nope.

7) In 2024, when "That's So True" was released, Madonna set a record. Her free concert in Brazil drew the largest audience (1.6 million) ever. What's your favorite Madonna song? I really cannot stand Madonna, except for this song. This is lovely.

 

8) Also in 2024, former President Jimmy Carter died. In addition to his work in politics and philanthropy, Mr. Carter wrote more than 30 books. Who wrote the last book you finished? I finished a cozy mystery by MC Beaton around Labor Day. Since then I have been ploughing my way through John Farrell's 750 page biography of Richard Nixon. I'm glad this book and I found one another now. Right now it's early 1972. Nixon and Kissinger are each "secretly" worried the other is crazy. They were both under enormous pressure, with China and Russia and Pakistan and India and, of course, Vietnam. On top of all that, they were worried about re-election. Because of the stress and their own substantial personal flaws, they have been making bad decisions and soon will make historically worse ones. I keep telling myself that if this nation was strong enough to survive Nixon and Kissinger and Vietnam, we may just be strong enough to survive the current administration.

9) Random question: What sound stresses you out? I hate the sound of cardboard scraping against cardboard. We get many shipments at the card shop and opening and breaking down the boxes often makes my skin crawl.

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #432

Nepo Babies. Nepotism has always existed, but for some reason in the 2020s, the term "nepo baby" took off. It's been defined as a second generation star, and the implication is that they succeeded in large part because of their parents' connections. Well, duh. If your dad was a dry cleaner and shared his knowledge and business contacts as you went into dry cleaning, you'd have a leg up, too.

Anyway, since it's been a topic of conversation in the blogosphere, on TikTok and in the podcast world, I've decided to list out 13 nepo babies who did well.

1. Jane Fonda. Daughter of Henry Fonda. With 7 Oscar nominations and 2 wins, it's fair to say her career has surpassed her dad's.

2. Michael Douglas. Son of Kirk Douglas. With 2 Oscars and an Emmy, it's fair to say his career has surpassed his dad's.

3. Liza Minnelli. In 1973, when she appeared on the covers of both Time and Newsweek, she was called "Little Miss Show Biz" because she is the daughter of director Vincente Minnelli and legend Judy Garland.

4. Mariska Hargitay. Daughter of 50s bombshell Jayne Mansfield, she has played the iconic Olivia Benson on Law and Order: SVU for more than 25 seasons, so her work has been seen by more people than her mother's.

5. Jamie Lee Curtis. Like Liza, she has star power on both sides of the equation. Her mother was Janet Leigh and her father was Tony Curtis. Both of them were Oscar nominated, but Jamie Lee is the one who brought home the gold.

6. Kate Hudson. Daughter of actress-comedienne Goldie Hawn, Hudson is an actress and entrepreneur with her own line of activewear (Fabletics). 

7. Tracee Ellis Ross. Daughter of Diana Ross, Emmy-nominated star of TV's black-ish.

8. Billie Lourd. A nepo baby's nepo baby, she's an actress and the daughter of Carrie Fisher.

9. Carrie Fisher. Actress, author and daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher.

10. Kate Burton. Daughter of Richard Burton, she works constantly and has had recurring roles on TV's Scandal and Grey's Anatomy.

11. Angelina Jolie. Oscar winning daughter of Oscar winner Jon Voight.  

12. Ben Stiller. Actor and producer and son of TV staples Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller.

13. Bryce Dallas Howard. Jurrassic Park actress and daughter of Oscar winning director and former child star Ron Howard.

These are just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are dozens more. Can you think of any that didn't crack my thirteen? 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

Sunday Stealing

Memememe -- Part 2

11. You can build a dream house anywhere in the world. Where would it be located? I wouldn't need to build my dream home because it already exists. It's the condo on the top 3 floors of Chicago's Palmolive Building. It's the smallish building center-left, the one with the bright light. That rotating light dates back to 1930, when the Palmolive was one of the tallest buildings on the skyline and its beacon could help aviators flying over Lake Michigan. That condo offers spectacular views of the Lake and of Michigan Avenue. As a plus, the penthouse was once the home of Playboy Magazine. I think Hugh Hefner was a dangerous, terrible man, and I like the idea of this unreconstituted 70s-era feminist erasing all traces of him before resting my head there.

  

12. Have you ever taken a photo in a photo booth? Not since I was a little girl.

13. What's your favorite kind of mustard (dijon, spicy brown, bright yellow)? Not a big mustard fan, though sometimes I like a little bright yellow on a sandwich.

14. What did you do on New Year's Eve? Watched a movie with my online movie group. Was in bed before midnight because as a group we celebrated on EST.

15. Did your parents ever share memories of their high school days? My mom did all the time. She said those were the happiest days of her life. You know, she's the only person I've ever met who described herself as popular in high school.

16. What's the most famous thing to happen in your home town? I wish I could say something upbeat and positive, like Michael Jordan's unprecedented career as the best there was and the best there ever will be. But I suppose it's really the unique way Al Capone observed Valentine's Day. Both Mayors Daley strenuously objected to any glorification of those days, and so I thought it was funny that this lifelong resident of Chicagoland had to go to Vegas to see what's left of the famous garage wall.

 

The red dots are bullet holes.

 

17. Did you ever have a MySpace page? Nope.

18. Will you eat a cookie today? God willing.

19. Who is the last person you spoke to – not texted with – on the phone? I booked limo rides to/from the airport for my upcoming visit to Michigan. I never used this service before and I wanted to get a feel for the company.

20. Do you play poker? Not well at all.

 

 

Saturday 9

The Entertainer (The Theme from The Sting) 1973

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

Chosen in memory of Robert Redford: Aug. 18, 1936 - Sept. 16, 2025

1) The Sting marked the second teaming of Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The two enjoyed almost 40 years of friendship. One passion they shared was sports cars. Newman raced Porsches professionally and Redford was deft behind the wheel of a classic Karmann Ghia convertible. Think about one of your longest friendships. What did you two first bond over? My oldest friend and I have been obsessed Beatlemaniacs together since we first saw The Lads on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was 1964, and we were in first grade.

2) During their first movie together – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Redford was late so often that Newman joked they should change the title to, "Waiting for Lefty." Do you have a friend who is perpetually tardy? Or are you that friend? I suppose I am that friend, although I'm never more than 5-10 minutes late. It feels later and more consequential to me because I took public transportation all the time before I retired, and trains will and do leave without you if you're late.

 

3) Back in 1936, when Redford was born, baseball's Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown. Coincidentally, two members of his high school class of 1954 are represented in the Hall: Redford, with memorabilia from his baseball film, The Natural, and his teammate on the Van Nuys Wolves, Don Drysdale. "Big D" was inducted for his stellar Dodger pitching career. Have you recently spoken to, or corresponded with, one of your high school classmates? Earlier this summer I had dinner with Joan. We went to high school together (gulp!) 50 years ago.


4) Redford admitted he had a few run ins with law enforcement during his teen years. He specifically recalled being picked up for breaking into the neighbors' back yard and swimming in their pool. Were you a mischievous kid? Not much.

5) Redford went on to CU Boulder. He confessed to being a distracted student and only lasted a year and a half. While not good in class, he was popular with his coworkers at his after school job, mopping floors and cleaning bathrooms at a restaurant called The Sink. The restaurant is still thriving, and Redford returned whenever he was in Boulder. He wore a Sink t-shirt during a national press conference in 2018 and when asked what The Sink was, he was happy to plug his former employer. Do you often wear graphic tees, decorated with a favorite band, restaurant logo, team mascot, vacation destination, etc.? That's pretty much all I wear if I'm not working. Right now I'm wearing a Leathernecks shirt from WIU, purchased when my nephew was a student.

 

6) When he was a struggling New York actor, he and his wife lost their first child to crib death. Redford told AARP magazine that he blamed himself, and said it's a wound that never healed. Tell us about a time you felt guilty but shouldn't have. My oldest friend relocated to Los Angeles and it's been a disaster. I kinda foresaw this and tried to dissuade her, but at a certain point, I just put my concerns aside and helped her prepare her home for sale. After she got out there, as things began to slide downhill fast, I thought I should have been more forceful in stopping her from going. Or at least I shouldn't have facilitated her move. I know now that wasn't my place. She's an adult. It was her choice. I did what I could but now all I can do is love her.

7) Legendary costume designer Edith Head said she liked putting Redford in hats because they balanced his strong, square jaw. Do you take your figure flaws into consideration when you choose your clothes? I don't tuck blouses in because I am trying to camouflage my expansive behind.

8) Forever fit, Redford credited his physique on exercise and genes, not diet. He said, "Healthy food is good for the conscience, but Oreos taste a helluva lot better." What's the last cookie, candy or treat you indulged in? Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Cheesecake cookies. They were delicious.

 
9) Random question: Do you prefer to bathe or shower first thing in the morning, after work, or before bed? In the morning. 

 

 

 

Thursday Thirteen #431

 

 

 

The "more than hot" edition. I was not surprised this past week when Robert Redford died. He pretty much abandoned public life after he lost his son a few years ago. I was not sad, either. To die at home, in your sleep, at age 89 seems like the best possible exit. 

But I felt it. He was a huge part of my growing up. I loved him so that, when I was in high school, my favorite grandma gave me a photo cube with pictures she'd clipped of Redford from the newspapers. He was so popular, so culturally pervasive, that in the 1970s you could pretty much count on seeing his face every day. He was a great idol for this young gal to have. He had integrity and kept trying to stretch as an artist. When we were talking about him after my yoga class, just about everyone – even the younguns! – mentioned a movie of his they loved. As one of the women said, "He was more than hot." I think that is a fitting epitaph. So I use that to introduce my 13 favorite Redford films. 

1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). It's not only sea of blue eyes that I love. The Oscar winning screenplay was by my favorite writer, William (The Princess Bride) Goldman. He infused these two with cool.

2. The Way We Were (1973). This is my favorite movie, but it's really a Streisand movie. She would not have been as good if he weren't as substantial. Hubbell was talented, smart, patient and gorgeous. Alas, with all that, he still wasn't good enough for Katie, and in his bones, he knew it. I don't think she ever saw her value. That's what makes them so heartbreaking.

3. The Natural (1984). The best baseball movie ever. I named my cat Roy Hobbs, and I think we can all agree there is no greater tribute. PS Do not read the book! It is dark and I like my heroes more, well, heroic.

4. Ordinary People (1980). Redford's directorial debut and it's very important to me. I grew up a disaffected teenager in a Chicago suburb. While my hometown was nowhere near as affluent as (la de dah) Lake Forest, the mores were the same. Redford got it right. Achingly so.

5. All The President's Men (1976). This film wouldn't exist without Redford. In the mid-1970s, the studios said Americans were sick of Watergate and wouldn't pay to see a movie where they already knew the ending. He used his star power to will it into existence, and he was wise to hire William Goldman for the screenplay.

6. The Sting (1973). It's a better film than Butch Cassidy. In fact, in terms of plotting, cinematography, performances (Redford's only Oscar nom for acting) and score, it's the best movie on this list. Highly original and great fun. I just think Butch and the Kid had more heart.

7. The Great Gatsby (1974). You really can't get better source material than The Great American Novel, can you? I think it's not a great movie because it's too damn faithful to the book and some moments (Gatsby reaching for the light on Daisy's dock) are better on the page then on the stage. But as a movie romance, well, it's like the Bizarro World version of The Way We Were. Gatsby was always too good for Daisy, and he never saw it.

8. The Candidate (1972). "Bill McKay for a Better Way." Redford made the best baseball movie, the best newspaper movie, and the best political movie. Not a bad legacy. See? "More than hot."

9. This Property Is Condemned (1966). You've never heard of this one, have you? Imagine Pretty Woman written by Tennessee Williams. Redford is a railroad efficiency engineer who arrives to eliminate jobs in small southern town, thereby destroying it. Natalie Wood is the town slut most popular girl in town. They try to escape who they are by falling in love. It's not a great movie, but she's so pretty and he's so handsome and I love listening to them with this dialog. I wish everyone spoke like Tennessee Williams was writing for them.

 

10. The Electric Horseman (1979). Redford and Fonda did four movies together, and this is my favorite.It's so 70s! He's a rodeo champion who resents being merchandised to sell breakfast cereal. She's an ambitious journalist who senses a story here. There are evil corporate executives, a fabulous horse, beautiful scenery and some tacky wardrobe choices. It's romantic. I love it.

11. The Horse Whisperer (1998). Redford directs Redford. He's a cowboy who, with an assist from a noble horse named Pilgrim, helps a family heal. Look for a very young Scarlett Johanson in a sensitive performance. PS He's over 60 in this movie and still gorgeous. 

12. Three Days of the Condor (1975). I didn't like this one when I saw it the first time. I thought the plot was too convoluted. Now I really enjoy it. Redford is a very low level CIA researcher who somehow becomes embroiled in matters of life and death. He's no suave, accomplished Bond. He's just scared and fighting to stay alive. So I guess it's a spy movie for people like me who don't like spy movies.

13. Barefoot in the Park (1967). Redford's first hit is his least Redford performance. Paul Bratter is buttoned-down, unimaginative, conservative ... yet very funny. Mike Nichols directed him as Paul on Broadway and once said he pictured Redford making movies kinda like Hugh Grant's – lots of witty dialog and rom-com's. But he became The Sundance Kid instead and his career went another way.

Did your fave make my list? 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.