My apologies up front here today. I fully expected to write something short and merry for the Christmas holidays, but I can not let this post go by without mentioning yet another loss, and this one very close to my heart.
I seem to recall William Shatner saying something along the lines, "So the countdown has begun," back when DeForest Kelley passed away. Indeed he was right for it does sometimes feel like one is living in a 'countdown to death' as one gets older and more and more of those individuals who meant so much to your life, just vanish "into the great unknown mystery".
I had quite a 'run' 10 years back; it was just one after another. I was in critical need of a support system and it literally vanished in death within months. Still we go on, but at the beginning of this month, this time it was my Aunt Betty M. (Findahl) Johnson (my mother's sister) who said 'good-bye' at the age of 94. I am very thankful we had her for as long as we did, but I've long since learned that no matter what the age or how well life had went, we're never prepared for it. Nor are we overjoyed by the outcome, because someone has just been ripped out of our lives.
I suppose we all can find some comfort in the idea that the more we feel the loss, it only means the more we felt the love. Everything seems to come back to that. Our lives are intertwined with love. It is love that provides the balance and I do believe that love is all you need, at least for the most important part of us and that is our foundation. If our foundation is made up of love, we can seem to conquer anything.
Christmas is a rough time to lose a loved one. I know when my Dad passed away in 1990, I so much dreaded the coming holiday because I knew I just couldn't bear the constant reminder of his absence. I've always been so grateful I was able to escape to Brazil that year and spend it far away in another land and in another situation that took almost all of my attention away from what had happened. I just needed that at that time, and although I was leaving my mother behind, I knew her concern for me during my trip would help keep her mind occupied a bit more on something else, something immediate, which I couldn't provide had I stayed home that year.
I recently read a wonderful blog from a Dr. Peter R. Breggin who really brought it all together for me. In it he says, "Love and empathy are key to our social nature. We are not loosely connected separate entities," but in fact we are, "literally made of each other, physically, psychologically and socially." He goes on to define love as "joyful awareness--the experience of happiness over the existence of something or someone, including whatever or whomever inspires us, from family and friends, to nature and God. Love is an enthusiastic engagement in life."
I hope you can find as much inspiration in those words as I have. Christmas, of course, is a time of renewal for all in which we can celebrate a great promise. Love is eternal.
*Rex Stout, creator of Nero Wolfe (shown in 1916, top photo).
*Four of the many novels of "Nero Wolfe" written by Rex Stout.
*After "Meet Nero Wolfe" was made in 1936, Columbia Pictures followed it up with "The League of Frightened Men" in 1937. This time Nero Wolfe was played by Walter Connolly (shown with returning Lionel Stander in the photo 2nd from the top). Eduardo Ciannelli, also in the film, is shown at the bottom.
*"Meet Nero Wolfe" [1936] with Edward Arnold, Lionel Stander and Dennie Moore (2nd photo from top).
*Maury Chaykin
*Timothy Hutton
*Santos Ortega played Nero Wolfe on radio from 1943-44 (top photo) followed by Francis X. Bushman from 1945-46 (2nd from top) and then Sydney Greenstreet from 1951-52 (3rd from top). An illustration of the famous detective is shown at the bottom.
*Bill Smitrovich
*Colin Fox
*Thayer David would play Nero Wolfe on television in 1977 (shown below in a still from "House of Dark Shadows in 1970).
*A couple of more illustrations from Nero Wolfe publications.
Frederic Dannay & Manfred B. Lee (creators of Ellery Queen) below. Ellery Queen was first played on the radio by Hugh Marlowe with 'love interest' secretary, Nikki Porter portrayed by Marian Shockley (above).
*Santos Ortega (top photo on the left, shown with Hugh Marlowe and Marian Shockley) played Ellery's father, Richard Queen from the beginning of the radio show in 1939 until 1947. Ms. Shockley (top 3 photos), who's character Nikki Porter was created for the radio adaptations, continued on until 1944, working with Mr. Marlowe's replacements, Carleton Young [1942-43] and Sydney Smith [1943-44], who is shown here below (and with his back turned to the camera in the photo 2nd from the top).
*The first person to take over the role of Ellery Queen after Hugh Marlowe was Carleton Young [1942-43] shown at the top with Rose La Rose and Evelyn Ankers from the film, "Queen of Burlesque" [1946]. Sergeant Velie was initially played by Howard Smith (2nd from top) but the part was taken over by Ted de Corsia (shown 3rd photo from the top on the left) who stuck with it from 1939 to 1947. Original Ellery Pop, Richard Queen, played by Santos Ortega is again shown 3rd from the top and at the bottom with the 3rd Ellery, Sydney Smith [1943-44].
*There would be quite the handful of "Fu Manchu" movies produced, starting with "The Face of Fu Manchu" [1965] top photo, through to "The Castle of Fu Manchu" [1969] bottom photo.
*"The Brides of Fu Manchu" [1966] was the first sequel.
*The saga continued with "The Vengeance of Fu Manchu" [1967]
*"Eve" [1968] top photo, "Mozambique" [1965] center photos and "The Million Eyes of Sumuru" [1967] below, all Harry Alan Towers Productions.
*"99 Women" [1969] is a Harry Alan Towers Production.
*"The Bloody Judge" [1970], a Harry Alan Towers Production.
*"The Million Eyes of Sumuru" [1967], a Harry Alan Towers Production.
*Christopher Lee as his most famous portrayal, "Dracula"! I believe the photo just above this one is on the set of "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" [1966].
*Christopher Lee as "Frankenstein's Monster" (above 3 photos).
*Christopher Lee as "The Mummy" (above 3 photos).
*Christopher Lee as the evil "Dr. Fu Manchu"
*Christopher Lee once more as "Count Dracula" [1970]
*Christopher Lee as himself and in "The Oblong Box" [1969] (above).
*"The First Nudie Musical" [1976] art and stills featuring Alexandra Morgan (2nd from top).
*"The First Nudie Musical" [1976] art and stills featuring Bruce Kimmel (2nd from top).
*"The First Nudie Musical" [1976] promo and stills featuring Cindy Williams (2nd from bottom).
*"The First Nudie Musical" [1976] promo and stills featuring Stephen Nathan (top photo).
*"The First Nudie Musical" [1976] promo stills and photos of its non-commercial soundtrack LP, front and back covers (top two photos).
*Lawrence Dobkin (top photo) would take over the role of Ellery Queen in 1947. Richard Queen would eventually be portrayed by Bill Smith in 1947 and then Herb Butterfield (2nd photo from top) from 1947-48. Barbara Terrell (3rd photo from top) would take over the role of Nikki Porter in 1945 and then Gertrude Warner (below) from 1945-46.
*The final actor to play Ellery Queen for radio would be Howard Culver (top photo) who worked on the show near its end in 1948. (Many thanks to this Ellery Queen website for use of some of these rare photos.) Alan Reed (2nd photo from top) would play (after Ed Latimer) Sergeant Velie from 1947 until the end. Virginia Greg (3rd photo from the top) would take over the roll of Nikki Porter (after Charlotte Keane) in 1947 and Kay Brinker would play the final Ms. Porter in 1948.
*"The Blood of Fu Manchu" [1968] was next in line.
*Our story comes to its conclusion with "The Castle of Fu Manchu" [1969] even though the mighty doctor warns that he will return!
*Maury Chaykin in "Dances With Wolves" [1990 - top] and "Whale Music" [1994 - 3rd from top].
*Maury Chaykin in "Production Office" [2008 - top], "The Adjuster" [1991 - 2nd from top], "Wild Thing" [1987 - 3rd from top] and "Nero Wolfe" [2001-02, bottom].
*William Conrad headed 14 episodes of Nero Wolfe on television in 1981 with cast members, Lee Horsley, George Voskovec and Alan Miller (shown 2nd from top photo).
*"Meet Nero Wolfe" [1936] with Edward Arnold and Lionel Standler (top) and Rita Hayworth and John Qualen (below).
*Timothy Hutton
*Bill Smitrovich
*Colin Fox
*Kari Matchett with Timothy Hutton and Gage Golightly (below).
*"The Million Eyes of Sumuru" [1967], a Harry Alan Towers Production.
*Kari Matchett
* Supplemental images are noted with an (*) asterisk. My intention is to only enhance the reading experience and not take away from the original publication
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