Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Special Treat – Ron Gold

November 15, 2006

ANTIQUE JEWELS

By Ron Gold

My wife changes channels when television stations repeat old shows.  When it comes to entertainment, she prefers new stuff; originals, first runs.  This from a woman who

also loves antique jewelry.

I see old movies and quality popular songs as antique jewels; precious baubles, audio-

visual gemstones of bygone years.

The movies featured bigger-than-life actors with unique faces: Clark Gable, Tyrone Power, Robert Taylor, Richard Widmark, James Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda, James Cagney and Robert Mitchum.

And the always dependable Warner Brothers’ stock company players: Pat O’Brien, Frank McHugh, George Raft and Alan Hale. 

Character actors like Paul Muni, Edward G. Robinson.  The one-of-a-kind actresses: Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, Garbo, Veronica Lake/, Bette Davis.

Giants like Orson Welles, Billy Wilder, Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers

.

Cowboys like John Wayne, Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.

Fuunymen like Milton Berle, Henny Youngman, Danny Kaye and Jackie Gleason.

Song-and-dance people like Betty Grable, Betty Hutton, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and The Nicholas Brothers.

World-class singers like Bing Crosby. Dick Haymes, Mel Torme, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald. Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRae.

To underscore this screen aristocracy, I prefer music by Victor Young, Alfred and Lionel Newman to a bunch of guitar twangers or rappers.

Today’s stars, look and sound alike.  No Bing Crosbys to lift popular music to new levels.  No multi-talents like Steve Allen, Mel Torme, Cole Porter or Irving Berlin.  Few composers on a George Gershwin-Jerome Kern plain. Few lyricists like Oscar Hammerstein II and Ira Gershwin.

The Entertainment Industry has changed from a small art-driven world to a mega-numbered celebrity marketing mish-mash. As one critic described rock acts:  here today, gone this afternoon.  But, oh, what glorious paychecks!

I also recall funnyman Ernie Kovack’s comment on TV:  Television is truly a medium.  It’s rarely well done.

Now I understand my wife’s enthusiasm for antique jewels.

Ron Gold

outhinkresumes@aol.com