Florence Foster Jenkins always wanted to be a famous opera singer. Mrs. Jenkins may well have become one. Not because she was good but because she was so horrid. Her voice is at best a shriek and at worst a harridan's painful keening. Fingernails on a black board is an apt description of her vocal range.
Born to wealthy parents in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania Narcissa Florence Foster wanted to study opera in Paris and her father being of sound mind and hearing said no he wouldn't pay for it. So she eloped with Frank Jenkins a Philadelphia physician. They were married for nearly 20 years. One can only take so much off tune singing in ones life.
After her divorce in 1902 Mrs. Jenkins taught piano. she then took up with a (gasp) man, a stage actor named St. Clair Bayfield. He later became her manager. It was upon her wealthy father's death she was able to support her new musical career. With her "manager" Florence was able to get herself booked into a few parties and smaller society shows even though she was obviously tone deaf and had little sense of rhythm. Her performances were considered a must see as they were so awful. Even though people left in droves and openly laughed during performances the delusional Florence dismissed these people as "jealous".
Her coup d'etat was her performance at New York's Carnegie Hall that she produced. She was known for wearing elaborate and extreme costumes that she designed herself. It seemed her sense of design was on par to her singing. Mrs Jenkins was also known to throw flowers into her audiences and once accidentally threw the basket into the audience. Her assistant would then go out and collect the flowers for later performances.
Florence was aware of the critics and their derision of her "talent" and their backhanded reviews. " People may have said I can't sing, but they can't say I didn't sing"
After a taxi cab accident Mrs. Jenkins found she could sing a higher F than ever. She rewarded the cabbie with a box of expensive cigars.
Florence Foster Jenkins voice was silenced in 1944 at age 76.
The other day I happened to see the 1969 film version of "The Odd Couple". I had forgotten that Walter Matthau had played the role of Oscar Madison. Not only did he play the role in the movie he originated the role on Broadway. Funnily enough he was replace on Broadway with Jack Klugman who made the role of Oscar his own in the 1970's television series.
I then had to re-watch some Odd Couple episodes and my conundrum is who played Oscar best. I decided that as it was originally written Matthau's version is masterful but Klugman's version is more fully fleshed out as he had more time and situations to be in.
I should be ashamed to say this but oddly I am not. I am obsessed with the Home and Garden Channel's shows especially House Hunters and House Hunter's International. If i had to pick House International is my favorite. The thing I really like is the American's moving to Europe and Asia leaving their suburban tract houses to live in a foreign land but wanting their split level ranch house. There always seems to be one of the couple who is pretty much a pill when the real estate agents show them properties. The wives all seem to want huge kitchens and the husbands all seem to want enormous showers and "man caves". They always seemed shocked that Parisian apartments are small or expensive or Asian homes are tiny. It is like they have never been to the country they are moving to. One of my favorite things is the shock over refrigerators. It seems Americans are also obsessed with closet space.
I do wish Home and Garden would do some reverse shows with Europeans moving to the US to see what it is they are appalled by. What do we take for granted that foreigners find horrid?
There was a time when if you were making a movie and needed a stuffy dowager you knew who to cast. You needed Florence Bates. Her most memorable role was that of the stuffy and pretentious Mrs. Van Hopper in Alfred Hitchcock's 1939 film version of the Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca". She went one to play dowagers and fussy spinsters up until just before her death at age 65.
Ms Bates was born Florence Rabe in 1888. She was raised in Texas where she studied mathematics at the University of Texas. She taught math for a while but became dissatisfied and went on to study law and at the age of 26 became the first woman in Texas to pass the bar and practice law.
After the death of her parents she left her practice and took over their antique business. It was then she met her husband a wealthy oil tycoon William Jacoby. He lost his fortune and the two of them moved to Los Angeles and opened a bakery. Florence auditioned for and got the role of Mrs. Bates in Pasadena Playhouse's version of Jane Austin's "Emma". She took her professional name from the character.
It was in 1938 she caught Hitchcock's eye and started her film career. After playing Mrs Van Hopper her career took off and she played versions of that character in over 75 films and television shows.
Florence Bates died from a heart attack in 1954.
Ann B Davis is known by different generations for two different roles. To an older generation she is Schutzy the lovelorn secretary on "The Bob Cummings Show" from the 1950's. She was given a star of the walk of fame for that role. She is known by later generations as Alice Nelson the lovelorn maid on the "Brady Bunch". Alice B Davis always played the gal who wanted a guy. Be it her boss or Sam the butcher.
Ann B. Davis (87) was born in Schenectady, New York and was raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. Retired and rolling in Brady Bunch money she sold her home in Los Angeles Davis joined an Episcopal church sect and lives with them now.
Oh yeah, she is also one of a set of twins.
Doris Mae Paine has struck again! Ms Paine is a jewel thief and she is also 83 years old. Doris has had a long career as a thief and done time for her thefts. She was recently just nabbed again for attempting to steal a $22,000 ring from a Palm Desert, California jewelry store. Doris Mae just recently got out of the slammer after a 2 and 1/2 year stint for stealing an $8,000 ring from a San Diego department store. Doris say she has stole over 2 million bucks worth of gems in her lifetime. Her thefts have taken her to New York and Monte Carlo where she has pinched ice and lived off the precedes of her crimes.
Doris is also the subject of a documentary "The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne". There is also talk of a biopic in the works in which Doris is played by Hallie Berry although Doris would rather see Queen Latifa in the role.
Today is a sad day. Lou Reed has died. His voice was a voice of a generation that is slowly disappearing. He was the voice of the Factory and Warhol's whole set. His solo work after Velvet Underground was some of the most exhilarating rock music ever recorded. "Walk on the Wild Side" made the Warhol Superstars part of the American rock and roll lexicon. Holly from Miami Fla, Little Joe, Candy from out on the island, Sugarplum Fairy and Jackie will be remembered forever. Only Holly and Joe are left now. Thanks Lou!
