Senior Ramblings

Show Biz Chat

About 40 years ago, while living in Los Angeles, I was at the Greek Theatre attending a concert given by Judy Garland. Who should be sitting next to my left, right next to me?  It was that marvelous foreign Oscar winning actress, Luise Rainer. She won opposite William Powell in “The Great Ziegfield,” as Anna Held. A year later, in 1938, she won her second Oscar as the wife of Paul Muni in a magnificent film, “The Good Earth.” They both played Chinese peasants. Unfortunately, Hollywood in those days didn’t hire the appropriate actors to play their own race.

As I look back on that evening I realize I was shy and didn’t initiate a conversation with Luise.  Around the same time, I was sitting next to Ginger Rogers, her French boyfriend at the time, and her mother Leila. Still shy, I said nothing.

However, at a benefit dinner I attended I decided to come out of my shell. I was sitting next to Polly Adler, the famous Washington, D.C. madam who had just published her biography, “A House Is Not a Home.”  Confidential Magazine bought information then, but it was too risky, and there were important politicians and gangsters involved. According to gossip at that time, Confidential made a deal with Rock Hudson’s agent. The deal was that George Nader would take the fall for Hudson. That way Hudson became a major star and Nader became a successful book author.

I liked Polly Adler. She came across as a nice Jewish mother figure.

While recalling Luise Rainer, I also remember the two sisters who have been mad at each other for nine decades. It’s the Oscar winning sisters, Joan Fontaine, now 94, and Olivia de Havilland, 95. They still haven’t made up.  Boy do I wish some of these magnificent icons would appear again.

Wise Chat

“The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu.

Father’s Day Chat

“I talk and talk and talk, and I haven’t taught people in 50 years what my father taught by example in one week.” – Mario Cuomo

There are three stages of a man’s life. He believes in Santa Claus; he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus. – Author unknown

“A king, realizing his incompetence, can either delegate or abdicate his duties. A father can do neither. If only sons could see the paradox, they would understand the dilemma.” – Marlene Dietrich

And now, whether or not you have a father, go on out and hold someone’s hand.

(C. David Kulman can be reached at Presidio Sentinel, 325 W. Washington Street, Suite 2-181, San Diego, CA 92103.)

Category: Life Style