Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Remarking on remarkable dead guys no one remarks on anymore

Ricardo Montalbán (DOD 1/14/09). I mean COME ON, who didn't love Montalbán as Khan in the original Star Trek series and later in The Wrath of Khan movie? Look at that shirt-thing he's wearing. I want to play with his nipples right now!

And need I even mention the Mr. Rourke roll in Fantasy Island?

Oh. I guess I just did.

Best of all, behold the 1975 Chrysler Cordoba commercial. Aw baby, you and I could make beautiful music on that soft Corinthian leather.

um ... HELL YEAH.



* * *

Peter Jennings (DOD 8/7/05).  Peter Jennings was my favorite anchorman of all time. I watched him religiously on ABC's World News Tonight, but I fell for him in earnest one night as he reported on then-Duchess Sarah Ferguson. It was the last story of the broadcast--the "human interest" piece--and featured footage of Ferguson in loud ill-advised clothing. The copy covered the media's obsession with her weight gain.

After he finished reading from the teleprompter, Jennings set down his papers, folded his hands and looked straight into the camera.

"I don't think you're fat, Fergie," he said. I exhaled as my pupils morphed into gleaming hearts.

*  *  *

Lee Hazelwood (DOD 8/4/07). I could listen to the opening lyric's of Hazlewood's "Some Velvet Morning" 100 times and not tire of them:

Some velvet morning when I'm straight
I'm gonna open up your gate
And maybe tell you 'bout Phaedra
And how she gave me life
And how she made it in


Oh hell, listen for yourself:



If that's not enough Hazlewood for you, go dig a 2006 interview wherein he smokes, picks his nose, talks about the making of "Some Velvet Morning," and the misbegotten youth of today. Who cares? I still dig Hazlewood like crazy.

Open up my gate ... hmmmm ...

*  *  *

Dan Rowan (DOD 9/22/87).  Laugh-In notwithstanding, Dan Rowan was just hot.


Add the facts that Rowan was born on a carny train in 1922 and was a fighter pilot in WWII and there you go.

*  *  *

Adam West, I am not proud to admit I had to see if you were still kicking. And you are. So if you're out there my little Batmanian, know that you'll be on this list as soon as you head on up to that ol' Bat Cave in the sky. I so love you baby.

Aside to readership, you will want to watch at least a few minutes of this 1985 footage from the WEWS Cleveland "Morning Exchange." Notice how West calls the chick "Kathy" again and again. I wonder if they made it after taping the segment.



* * *

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

it's amazing how many things in common you and i share. Jennings was my all time fave as well. And Ricardo. And Rowan. And your John. And. And. And. Oh...and Cleveland, course.

Erin O'Brien said...

It's nice to know I'm not alone in placing Montalban, Jennings, Hazlewood, Rowan and West in the same post.

WHERE ELSE CAN YOU GET THAT PEOPLE?

erm ... by my "John," do you mean my toilet with the bottles in the tank?

God I love the Internet.

Ms Amanda said...

West is so charming!
Loving it!

Erin O'Brien said...

Some advice for those having trouble with comments today.

Mrs. C said...

Oh, God...isn't this where we started having problems before that last big 'blogger meltdown? In commenting? I hope it doesn't bite it again...

Ben said...

"Cordoba."

I can only hear it in Ricardo's voice.

Erin O'Brien said...

The comment function is acting a bit bonkers today, peeps. Sorry.

Anonymous said...

Ooo, yea, there you go, you reminded me...thanks to you, we do that as well. But the REAL John I meant was your brother. Natch.

Word verification: alierns. ALIERNS, you hear?

Judy said...

Great list of great guys...

Erin O'Brien said...

Somewhere my brother is snorting and laughing over me getting him confused with a toilet.

Ironically, I just finished listening to an NPR segment about "John School" where those who've been repeatedly arrested for solicitation of prostitution are sent for some sort of important learnin'

And now he's REALLY laughing.

Dudesworthy said...

West is still out there, but he mainly does animation there days; he's the mayor in family guy, amongst other things.

Kirk said...

One thing that always cracks me up is the last line in the 1966 Batman movie, based on the classic TV series. It wouldn't nearly be as funny if it was said by someone other than Adam West. Let me set it up. Joker, Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman have dehydrated all the ambassadors to the Gotham City equivalent of the United Nations, reducing them to organic dust. During a climatic fight scene, the test tubes of dust get knocked on the floor, and scattered all over the place. Batman takes to the batcave, and tries his best to separate the now-mixed up dust. At UN headquarters (or the Gotham equivalent), he rehydrates the dust. It seems to have worked, as each of the ambassadors seem to be in one piece. On closer inspection, things didn't quite turn out the way Batman planned. The German ambassador is now speaking French, the French is now speaking Japanese, the Japanese is now speaking Italian, etc. Unruffled, Batman utters a line as timely now as it was back then:

"Who knows, Robin? This strange mixing of minds may be the greatest single service ever performed for humanity. Let's go, but, inconspicuously, through the window. We'll use our Batropes. Our job here is finished."

The Living End?

Hal said...

You always had a thing for bedhead and Cosby sweaters, didn't you Erin? That "Kathy" chick is certainly digging that look ain't she?

Erin O'Brien said...

A commenter on my Facebook page said that Montalbán was an illegal alien.

heh heh

I love Adam West's voice. He is truly charming in that segment. Jeez. I really hope he and ol' "Kathy" got it on.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Bill said...

The drag chute is ready. Pardon the expression! lol, brilliant!

Ben said...

Speaking of Batman, my kids cannot quite appreciate the humor I find in Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy; since the only Batman they know is the Dark Knight.

Anonymous said...

Erin, I love this post. It’s so you.
I, too, cannot say “cordoba” without hearing Montalban’s voice, “Corinthian,” too. I’m more interested in the commercial than in Montalban actually. Was the leather really from Corinth and did Corinth really exist past ancient times?
I had to look up Lee Hazlewood. That song was working for me until Nancy Sinatra started singing even though it makes complete sense that she's there being Phaedra (I have to look that up, too). Did you ever see a film of her trying to dance? She can't dance, AT ALL. It's pretty shocking.
This post reminds me of the song "Those Were the Days."
I hope you get to play with Montalban's nipples in heaven some day, if you believe in such things as heaven.

Contrary Guy said...

I thought I knew all the obscure celebs of yore that none of my friends are old enough to know... but I've never heard of Lee Hazlewood. Sorry, Lee.

Who else would fit on this list... hmm... Orson Welles is probably not your type, but he was remarkable. Charlton Heston, surely (how could you say no to 'the better actor'?) You could compare dueling nips between him and equally buff Yul Brynner in the Ten Commandments. Not sure I could nominate a news guy though.

Erin O'Brien said...

WOW. Yul was on my draft list, but the post was getting long and Yul seemed a bit too Hollywood A-list for the group.

Contrary Guy said...

coming back to this post (better than trying to offer up a Barbie anecdote, not my scene) I don't think Yul ever made it to A-list, after Westworld, he was pretty much done. He was a heavy smoker, and near death's door did some anti-smoking ads, which may have been his last stints on cam. Still, a striking visage, and bod for those who are into it.

Anonymous said...

Erin, remember Marty Cordova, journeyman ballplayer, had a decent season for the Tribe in '01?
I always wanted to ask him if his glove was made with 'fine khorrr-in-teeaan leather'
Mike R

great wv: 'unmed'-"The lazy f**k left the bed unmed again"

skepticalsinner said...

Erin, you need to watch a lot more family guy.

N-e-e-d.