Writer Ralph McInerny R,I.P.

Ralph McInerny, author and Catholic theologian best known for his series of Father Dowling mysteries, passed on January 29 at the age of 80.

Ralph McInerny was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 24, 1919. In 1951 he received a bachelor's degree from St, Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1954 he received a master's degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1952 he received a master's degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1954 he received a doctorate from Laval University in Quebec. He taught for one year at Creighton University in Omaha, then started teaching at Notre Dame in 1955.

As a theologian Ralph McInerny was one of the top scholars on the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas. In fact, his first published book was a scholarly work, New Themes in Christianity in 1969. He would go onto write nearly twenty nonfiction works, not only on Catholicism but also on writing and Church Latin. His first published novel was Her Death of Cold, published in 1977. It was the first in the long running Father Dowling series. Father Dowling was a priest who had some very hard knocks earlier in his life. As a result he developed an acute concern in the welfare of humanity, including solving crimes. In all there would be 29 Father Dowling mysteries, with the final one, Stained Glass, published last year.The popularity of the series led to a TV show starring Tom Bosley as Father Dowling. It ran from 1987 to 1991.

McInerny also wrote other works of fiction. Under the pseudonym Monica Quill he wrote the Sister Mary Theresa series, about a crime solving nun. In all there were ten Sister Mary Theresa novels. He also wrote the University of Notre Dame series, centred on crime solving professor Roger Knight. In all there were six books in the University of Notre Dame series. He also wrote several individual novels. In all around 80 works of fiction. His final novel, Sham Rock, is going to be published this April.

Ralph McInerny was an extremely prolific writer. Indeed, it is somewhat amazing that he was able to not only publish a good many works of fiction, but a number of scholarly works as well. He was a very popular writer, his Father Dowling mysteries and University of Notre Dame series selling very well. If McInerny was a success as a writer, it was perhaps he had an innate understanding of character. His books also had an authenticity about them, informed as they were by his knowledge of Catholicism. It is for that reson that he has a legion of fans.a

Rihanna at "Rude Boy� Music Video Pics

Rihanna at "Rude Boy� Music Video Pics

Beyonce at Music Video Set in Rio De Janeiro Photos

Beyonce at Music Video Set in Rio De Janeiro Photos

Gumby Creator Art Clokey R.I.P.

Art Clokey, the creator of popular clay animation character Gumby, passed on January 8 at the age of 88. Recently he had fought off a number of bladder infections.

Art Clokey was born Arthur Farrington on October 12, 1921 in Michigan. As a young child on his grandparents farm he would make figures out of mud. Not long after his parents divorced, when he was 8 years old, his father was killed in the car wreck. His mother moved with him to California and abandoned him soon afterwards. He lived in a halfway house until he was adopted by famous educator and composer Joseph W. Clokey. It was Joseph W. Clokey who taught Art Clokey how to shoot film, draw, and paint.

Art Clokey attended the Webb School of California in Claremont. Clokey served in the military during World War II, and conducted photo reconnaissance over North Africa and France. After World War II Clokey studied to be an Episcopalian minister in Hartford, Connecticut. It was there that he met Ruth Parkander. The two eventually married. They also moved to California with the goal of entering the film industry. To make a living Clokey taught at the Harvard School for Boys in Studio Studio by day. At night he attended the University of Southern California. It was there that he studied under Slavko Vorkapich, the filmmaker best know for his work with montages.

It was while he was at the University of Southern California that Art Clokey made the experimental film Gumbasia in 1955. He also made another short film, The Clay Peacock, which featured a clay rendition of the NBC Peacock. Gumbasia would lead directly to the creation of Gumby. Sam Engel, then president of 20th Century Fox, saw the short film and asked Clokey to create a children's show based on the short. Clokey made the first pilot for The Adventures of Gumby on his own. He took this pilot to NBC, who signed Clokey to produce the new series. It was decided to give the new series a test tun on the popular Howdy Doody Show. The Adventures of Gumby episode "Robot Ruckus (actually the third one made) debuted on The Howdy Doody Show in August 1956. On March 19, 1957, The Adventures of Gumby debuted as its own show on NBC.

The Adventures of Gumby, also known as The Gumby Show, centred on the clay figure called Gumby and his sidekick, the talking pony Pokey. Together they would journey to the moon, competed in rodeos, and hunted lions. Gumby's shape was largely dictated by practicality. The figure had to be able to stand up during the stop motion process. The shape of his head may have been based on pictures of Art Clokey's biological father, Art Farmington, whose hair style featured  a prominent bump at the top. Gumby was made green simply because it was Art Clokey's favourite colour.

The Gumby Show would prove to be an incredible success. The original series would run until the end of the 1967-1968 season. The Gumby shorts would continue to be popular in reruns and were revitalised by the advent of the VCR. The character made an appearance in The Puppetoon Movie in 1987 and a new Gumby series was produced in 1988. In 1995 the movie Gumby I was made. Since then the character has been the subject of a video game and a comic book. Starting with YouTube in 2007, The Gumby Show is now available on many video sites.

Art Clokey was also responsible for the creation of Davey and Goliath, which followed the adventures of a boy named Davey and his dog Goliath. The show's genesis went back to 1958 when Franklin Clark Fry, president of the United Lutheran Church in America, allocated $1 million for the production of a children's show which would promote the church's values. In 1959 the Lutheran Church contacted Art Clokey about the producing a stop motion programme for children. Produced by Art Clokey and written by children's author Nancy Moore, Davey and Goliath ran from 1961 to 1975.

Art Clokey was also responsible for the clay animation titles for the movies Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965).

There can be no doubt that Art Clokey was one of the most talented stop motion animators of all time. Working with a limited budget on television, he created some of the most inspired animated shorts of all time. The quality of Clokey's work was incredible. What is more, The Gumby Show may well have been one of the best written children's shows of all time. The show was so imaginative and intelligent that it could easily be enjoyed by adults. As the creator of one of television's most memorable characters and a great stop motion animator, Art Clokey will be remembered for years to come.

English Actor Ian Carmichael Passes On

Actor Ian Carmichael OBE, who played both Lord Peter Wimsey and Bertie Wooster, passed on 5 February at the age of 89.

Ian Carmichael was born on 18 June, 1920 in Hull, Yorkshire. He attended Scarborough College and then Bromsgrove School in Worcestershire. Not particularly interested in school, he played with a dance band for a time before he took an interest in acting. He trained for a time at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He made his stage debut in 1939 as a robot in Karel and Josef Kapek�s RUR at the People�s Palace, Mile End, London. That same year he played Claudius in Julius Caesar at the Embassy in Swiss Cottage, London.

In 1940 Mr. Carmichael toured in the revue Nine Sharp before being commissioned in the British Army at Sandhurst. During World War II he served as a major in the 30th Armoured Brigade. Following the war Ian Carmichael returned to the stage. He made his first appearance on screen in Bond Street in 1948. In 1949 he appeared in uncredited roles in Trottie True and Dear Mr. Prohack. He also did a seven month tour in The Lilac with veteran comic actor Leo Franklin that year. He believed that gave him his best training as a light comedic actor.

The Fifties saw Mr. Carmichael appear in revues on the West End, such as The Lyric Revue (1951), The Globe Revue (1952), High Spirits (1952), and At the Lyric/Going to Town (1954).  It was in these revues that Mr. Carmichael established the sort of roles for which he was best known: bumbling Englishmen who nonetheless had perfect manners. He also continued to appear in such films as Ghost Ship (1952), Miss Robin Hood (1952), Meet Mr. Lucifer (1953), and Betrayed (1954). He made his television debut on Here's Television in 1951. As the Fifties continued, he appeared on the West End in such light comedies as Simon and Laura (1954)  Tunnel of Love (1957), The Love Doctor (1959), and The Gazebo (1960). He appeared in the films The Colditz Story (1955), the movie adaptation of Simon and Laura (1955), Private's Progress (1956), Lucky Jim (1957), I'm All Right Jack, and School for Scoundrels (1960). On television he appeared on Here and Now and BBC Sunday Night Theatre.

The Sixties saw Ian Carmichael appear on the West End in Critic�s Choice (1961), Devil May Care (1963). Say Who You Are (1965), and Getting Married (1967). He made his only appearance on Broadway in Boeing, Boeing in 1965. He appeared in the movies Double Bunk (1961), The Amorous Prawn (1962), Heaven's Above (1963), Hide and Seek (1964), and Smashing Time (1967). It would be his television work in the Sixties that he would be best known for .  Ian Carmichael starred as P. G. Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster in The World of Wooster from 1965 to 1967. From 1970 to 1971 he played Peter Lamb in Bachelor Father (not to be confused with the American show of the same name). He also appeared on television in Armchair Theatre, The Root of All Evil,and Play for the Day. 

It was in 1972 that Ian Carmichael was cast in one of his more famous roles, as Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsley in the TV series Lord Peter Wimsley. It ran from 1972 to 1975. He appeared in the films The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971), From Beyond the Grave (1973), and The Lady Vanishes. In 1983 he was the voice of Rat in the animated television adaptation of Wind and the Willows and the narrator of the subsequent series series The Wind and the Willows, which ran from 1984 to 1988. In 1989 he appeared in the film The Diamond Skulls.

The Nineties saw Mr. Carmichael doing more television. He was the narrator on the series Oh! Mr. Toad in 1990 . From 1992 to 1993 he starred as Sir James Menzies in the series Strathblair and in 1999 he appeared in four episodes of Wives and Daughters. His last work was on the series The Royal, on which he appeared from 2003 to 2009 as T. J. Middleditch.

As an Anglophile I cannot help but be saddened by the passing of Ian Carmichael. He was possibly the most English of actors, playing bumbling Englishmen with an alarming ease. He was perfect as the failure Henry Palfrey in School for Scoundrels and, although I have never seen the series (I want to), I have it on good authority that he was great as Bertie Wooster in The World of Wooster. Mr. Carmichael could play lovable losers, who nonetheless had perfect manners, with such aplomb that one could not help but root for him. Not that he was limited to playing bumblers. After all, he also played Lord Peter Wimsey, Dorothy L. Sayers' brilliant bon vivant detective who was always one step ahead of criminals. He was utterly convincing in the role, so much so it is hard for me to picture anyone else playing Lord Wimsey. Ian Carmichael was a great and beloved actor, whose passing, even at his age, no doubt makes many of us sad.

The Young Women Who Would Be "Lolita"

Most movie buffs know that Sue Lyon was an unknown when she was cast as Dolores "Lolita" Haze in Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Many might also know that nearly 800 girls auditioned for the part. What they might not know is that Kubrick had also considered some young actresses who were actually somewhat famous at the time.

Of course, casting Lolita presented Kubrick with some significant problems, as did the entire production of the movie. The novel Lolita had been a source of controversy from the beginning. Nabokov finished the novel in 1953, but due to its subject matter was unable to find a publisher until resorting to Olympia Press in Paris, who published the book in 1955. Even after Graham Greene gave the novel high marks in an interview with The Times, the novel proved scandalous in the United Kingdom. The editor of the Sunday Express referred to it as sheer "unrestrained pornography." The Home Office ordered British Customs officers to confiscate all copies of the novel. This would be followed by a ban in France that would last for two years. Amazingly enough, in the traditionally more puritanical United States the novel was published with little ado. In fact, it became the first novel in the United States since Gone with the Wind to sell 100,000 copies in its first three weeks.

Even today it is easy to understand the controversy over the novel and why it presented Stanley Kubrick with problems in its motion picture adaptation. After all, the novel centres upon the middle aged Humbert Humbert who becomes obsessed with Lolita, who at the start of the novel is only twelve years old. The portrayal of an obviously disturbed, middle aged man in a relationship with an adolescent would obviously have difficulties meeting with approval from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Indeed, it is because MPAA would permit no suggestion of paedophilia that at the start of the film Lolita is fourteen years old. Beyond making Lolita older, the MPAA also required that Stanley Kubrick cast someone who looked more mature. He had been warned strongly against using a less mature looking actress in the role. Beyond having to find a young woman who looked mature and could be convincing as a fourteen year old, Kubrick also had to find someone who could be convincing as the sexually precocious Lolita. Casting the part would prove to be easy.

Stanley Kubrick's first suggestion as to who should play Lolita must have seemed obvious at the time and still seems obvious today. Tuesday Weld was already an experienced actress, having appeared in several movies and the first season of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Although still a teenager, her image was already somewhat sexualised. Indeed, it has been reported she was dropped from the cast of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis because she was too sexy for a family sitcom. While Tuesday Weld seemed perfect for the role of Lolita, she turned it down. Years later in an interview, when asked why she turned down Lolita, she simply said, "I didn't have to play Lolita. I was Lolita."

Another young actress considered for the role of Lolita was the still relatively unknown Joey Heatherton. Although today Heatherton is remembered as a sex symbol of the late Sixties and early Seventies, at the time she was just beginning her acting and singing career. Joey Heatherton was the daughter of vaudevillian and Broadway veteran Ray Heatherton, who had appeared on Broadway in Babes in Arms and as host of the children's television show The Merry Mailman. In 1960 Joey Heatherton appeared on Broadway in There was a Little Girl and had appeared on The Perry Como Show and Route 66. Heatherton was among Kubrick's top choices as to who should play Lolita, but her father Ray Heatherton turned the part down for her. Ray Heatherton worried that his daughter might be typecast as a sexually precocious sex kitten. Ironically, this would be the sort of image that Joey Heatherton would cultivate as she grew older. In 1963 she made her film debut in Twilight of Honour, playing the rather untamed young wife of Nick Adams. The following year Heatherton played a role that was quite similar to Lolita Haze in Where Love Has Gone, in which she played a teenage girl who competed with her own mother (Susan Hayward) for the same man. By the late Sixties she would be one of the sex symbols of the era.

At the time the choice of Tuesday Weld to play Lolita must not have seemed very surprising. In retrospect the choice of Joey Heatherton to play the role does not seem very surprising either, although it must have at the time. That having been said, Stanley Kubrick had in mind another actress for the role whose choice would have seemed shocking then and still seems shocking now. Hayley Mills was the daughter of legendary British actor Sir John Mills (who had appeared in such films as Great Expectations and Goodbye Mister Chips). Her sister Juliet Mills had also gone into acting and already had a healthy career by 1960. Hayley Mills had made her film career while still a baby, alongside her father in the film So Well Remembered. It was in 1959 that Hayley Mills appeared in the film Tiger Bay, also alongside her father. The film attracted the attention of Disney, who cast her as Pollyanna in the 1960 film of the same name. She would then begin a long association with Disney, making six films for the studio. One film she would not make would be Lolita.

It is unclear today why Hayley Mills turned down the role of Lolita. In 1960 it was reported that it was Sir John Mills himself who made the decision. It would hardly be surprising if this was the case, as it is would be reasonable for any father to have concerns over his daughter playing such a role. Indeed, Ray Heatherton had exactly those same concerns. Later it was reported that it was Walt Disney who made the decision. This would not be surprising either. Historically Disney was very protective of the images of actors under contract to his studio. When Annette Funicello appeared in the "Beach Party" films for American International Pictures, Disney even placed restrictions on the sort of bathing suits she was allowed to wear. Both Sir John Mills and Walt Disney would have had very good reasons for not letting Hayley Mills play Lolita, and it even seems possible that both men made the decision. In fact, it even seems possible that Hayley Mills made the decision herself. As of 1960 Hayley Mills was only fourteen years old and her career was just beginning. It seems quite possible that Hayley Mills may not have felt ready for such a role or that she realised he possible repercussions it could have on her career.

Regardless, in retrospect it would seem that Hayley Mills was right in turning down Lolita. She had already appeared in Tiger Bay and Pollyanna. By the time Lolita was released, she would have appeared in The Parent Trap as well. With an image as a wholesome, if sometimes flippant teenage already in place, it seems doubtful that audiences would accept her as Lolita. Indeed, audiences would have trouble accepting her as a young newlywed in The Family Way (directed by her father) and as the object of Oliver Reed's affections in Take a Girl Like You. It seems possible that audiences would have outright rejected the idea of the girl who played Pollyanna playing Lolita outright.

As surprising as the choice of Hayley Mills to play Lolita might seem today, another choice at the time might seem even more surprising. James Mason, who would play Humbbert Humbert in the film, initially turned the role down to for a part in a Broadway play. Mason did recommend his daughter Portland Mason for the role Lolita. Portland Mason had already appeared in a film short directed by her father (The Child in 1954), the film The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, and several television shows. Eventually the part in the Broadway play fell through and Mason accepted the role of Humbert Humbert in the film. While it is unclear whether Portland Mason was ever in serious contention for the role, it seems likely that the casting of her father would have prevented her from being cast in the part. As the tale of a rather sick professor (Humbert Humbert) obsessed with a teenager, Lolita was already disturbing enough. It would have been much more disturbing had the man who played the professor also been the real life father of the teenager. Not only would the relationship between Humbert and Lolita have smacked of ephebophilia, but for many it might have smacked of incest as well. Of course, even if James Mason had not been cast in the role, it seems likely that Portland Mason would have never played the part. She would have turned twelve years old as of November, 1960. That would have made her far too young to play Lolita, who in the film starts out as a fourteen year old. Portland Mason's acting career would not last long. By 1968 she was no longer acting. Her most famous role may have been that of Georgina in The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery.

Not having found an already established actress to play the role of Lolita, Stanley Kubrick was forced to conduct a talent search in which nearly 800 young women auditioned for the part. In the end it would be fourteen year old Sue Lyon who would be cast in the role. Lyon had been born in Davenport, Iowa, and had little acting experience. As of 1960 her only roles had been guest appearances on The Loretta Young Show and Dennis the Menace. Regardless, she was precisely what Stanley Kubrick was looking for. Although only fourteen, Lyon looked mature for her age, which would assuage the concerns of the MPAA. She also proved to be a capable actress, holding her own with such experienced actors as James Mason, Peter Sellers, and Shelley Winters. She even won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer � Female.

Although Lolita proved very controversial when it was released in 1962 (by which time Sue Lyon was sixteen years old), it also performed quite well at the box office. Unfortunately, while Lolita made her a star, her stardom would not last. In 1964 she played a role quite similar to Lolita, that of Charlotte in Night of the Iguana. This film also proved controversial. Unlike Tuesday Weld, Lyon would not be stuck in sex kitten roles. She played a missionary worker in 7 Women and the wealthy love interest in The Flim-Flam Man. Unfortunately, her star tbegan to decline in the late Sixties. By 1971 she was appearing in such roles as Evel Knieval's wife in Evel Knieval and making guest appearances on television shows. After 1980 she retired from acting.

Because of its very nature, Lolita  proved to be a very difficult film to cast. The MPAA made it clear that it would allow no suggestion of paedophilia, so that Stanley Kubrick needed an actress who was young enough to be convincing as a teen, but looked mature enough that she would not be seen as a total child. At the same time the film's subject matter would prove to be a stumbling block in casting the role. Both Joey Heatherton and Hayley Mills turned down the role because of the subject matter itself. It is not surprising that in the end Kubrick had to conduct a talent search in which nearly 800 young women auditioned for the role.

Even today, when so much more is permitted on the screen, Lolita is a very disturbing film. After all, it is the story of a obviously troubled middle aged man who becomes obsessed with a girl who is only fourteen at the start of the movie. The movie made for uncomfortable viewing in 1962 and it continues to do so today. It is little wonder that Stanley Kubrick had some difficulty making the film.

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards

The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, held last night, received higher ratings than it had in several years. Unfortunately, this year's Oscars held few surprises. Here I do have to point while the awards held no surprises, they were historic. Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Best Director award. On a more dubious note, Sandra Bullock became the first actor to win both an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year.

I must confess I do not have very much of an opinion on the awards themselves, not having seen most of the films nominated this year. I have to say that it seems to me that they were predictable for the most part, with most of the front runners winning in their given categories. Mo'Nique took Best Supporting Actress. Christoph Waltz took Best Supporting Actor. Sandra Bullock took Best Actress. Jeff Bridges took Best Actor. The Hurt Locker took both Best Picture and Best Director. There only three categories in which I believe there was a bit of an upset. The Hurt Locker took both Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing, technical categories in which I think most expected Avatar to win. Another possible upset may have been in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. I think many thought it would be the only Oscar that Up in the Air would take. Instead it went to Precious. While it may not be particularly objective and while it may be a bit petty, I must say I am glad Avatar lost Best Picture and James Cameron lost Best Director. While I have not seen either The Hurt Locker or Avatar, I have to say to this day I hold a grudge against Cameron for ever making Titanic...

At to the ceremony itself, it was a mix of good and bad--sadly, mostly bad. As to what was good about the ceremony, I thought the opening number with the ultracool Neil Patrick Harris was well done and entertaining. I also thought the memorial montage was well done, with James Taylor singing The Beatles' "In My Life." I also have to say I appreciated clips of the Best Song nominees being shown rather than the songs performed. To me performing the songs always dragged the ceremony out. And too often the songs that were nominated were, well, not very good (anyone remember "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp?").

Sadly, there were only a few of the moments in the ceremony I really appreciated. Indeed, I fear Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin may go down as among the worst hosts in Oscar history. While a few of their gags were very good, there were many others that simply fell flat. To be honest, I am not sure that they can be blamed for their performances. I think the Oscar hosting duties may be something best performed by one person and one person alone. Of course, even at their worst, Baldwin and Martin were far more bearable than the interpretative dance sequence performed to the Best Original Score, which seemed dull to the extreme. I do appreciate that the Academy included a tribute montage to horror films, but I believe it was very poorly executed. First, I think they could have gotten someone better to introduce the montage. Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are best known for their work in the Twilight films, which are not horror movies. Second, some of the clips shown not horror movies (New Moon, Edward Scissorhands, et. al.). Even worse, outside of Nosferatu and scenes from some of the Universal classics, the montage concentrated primarily on films made in the past thirty years. Wholly ignored were the classic Hammer horror movies, as was Val Lewton.

Another complaint I have is the way that the Best Actor and Best Actress awards were handled. Just as last year, fellow actors were brought out to pay tribute to the nominees before the award was presented. While this year this went better than last year (they at least got individuals who had worked with the nominees), to me it still drags the ceremony down. I do not want to hear what one actor has to say about another before the award is presented. I just want to see clips of the nominees' performances and then to see the award presented. That's it.

Of course, I must confess I generally do not expect much of Oscar hosts, and bad dance sequences seem de rigueur for the Academy Awards. One of the things that really displeased me about last night's ceremony was the seven minute tribute to John Hughes. I am sure that there are those who felt it was touching, but to me it was very, very objectionable. Quite simply, why should John Hughes have been singled out for a tribute apart from the memorial montage? This was not done for Alfred Hitchcock when he died in 1980. There was no individual tribute to Paul Newman last year. To me, to single out John Hughes above and over the others who died last year (who included Jennifer Jones and Karl Malden) is, quite simply, unfair.

Indeed, I am particularly irked by the John Hughes tribute  given the short shrift given to Lauren Bacall, Roger Corman, and Gordon Willis, who won honorary Oscars this year. All we were given was a very short piece discussing the ceremony (held some time back), a few clips from their careers, and then an exceedingly brief shot of Miss Bacall and Mr. Corman. Not only did  they not get to say anything, but the camera did not linger long on them. Indeed, they even cut the ovation they received rather than letting it simply fade out! To me this is not the proper treatment of legends such as Lauren Bacall, Roger Corman, and Gordon Willis, who made much more significant contributions to film than John Hughes in my humble opinion.

Over all, I must say that this year's Oscars was overly dull and not particularly well executed. I do hope in future years they do away with having actors pay tribute to the Best Actor and Best Actress nominees before those awards are presented. I also hope that they have no more interpretative dance sequences. And most of all, when someone wins an honorary Oscar, give them the time they deserve and let them say something!