What is Good?

Went to the Pasadena Museum of California Art today (literally across the street from The Maryland..).  Two shows there seemed like they might be interesting--  The main one, 'Franz A. Bischoff Gardens and Grandeur' was fantastic (actually both were..) -- got me thinking--  Bischoff (1964-1929) immigrated to Pasadena from Austria around 1900.  He is known --it seems-- for his earlier work--- rose laden painted porcelain vases---  Very 'Grandma'--- I'm sure popular in their time--  I went into the show with judgement about that--  His later work--  Large oil paintings of --again-- roses..  was absolutely beautiful---
He managed to pull off them off--  transcending what might have been stupid overly sweet paintings into something interesting--  I thought to myself,  I can't think of one painter today that can do this--  there is a gutsy honest direct quality--  immediate too--  they are not just 'pretty'--  although they were--  This is something I'd like to have in my work.  I'm adding Bischoff to my list of artists that gets/got a bad rap--  Sargent, Leroy Neiman, Norman Rockwell, Georgia O'Keefe--  plus a whole lot of illustrators--  Solid good painting--  only to be dismissed by the general opinion of what is good--

Chet Baker

Chet Baker was the epitome of what I value in an artist.  Just effortless--  It all rolled out--
Somehow he had that mysterious thing--- knowing the right choices---   iconic---   Beautiful and free--  I've played his music for years--   yet never seen the Bruce Weber film on his life until tonight--  I've kind of gone about it backwards---   Like several artists I admire--  Judy Garland, Joan Mitchell, Karen Carpenter, Cass Elliot --  he had a (hell of a) dark side---  somehow that fed into what made them great---  a bittersweet edge---  Well, on that happy note I'll say goodnight---   

A Star isn't Born

I didn't do any theatre for three years after, "The King and I"---  those years were spent learning the guitar---  I was obsessed with The Carpenters and to a lesser degree, John Denver---  My guitar 'period' (1975-78) was an extension of that.  I became good enough to play at rest homes and (strangers...) weddings.  To this day I'm not bad....

My first trip back to the stage was a big lead in, "Mame"---  followed by playing a scrubby child at Newport Theatre Arts Center musical version of, "A Christmas Carol"--- Then began  the beginning of my Hollywood career---   Joining "South Coast Actors Studio" ---  this place was fantastic---  located 'off Bristol' in Costa Mesa---  They offered all sorts of classes--  acting, improve, cold reading, dance (tap-- a big love..) and on and on---  Also they had an in house agent---  booking interviews---  I loved the place---  soon I was landing some work--  My first gig was my biggest (so far....)--   a commercial for an alcohol rehab hospital----  I played a young boy angry at his drunken father---  screaming "I'll never be a drunk; I don't want to be like you!" followed by  hurling fishing poles across the garage..... very dramatic....  I did one or two more commercials--  in addition to 'featured extra' work in two films--  From there I landed an agent in LA---  I was discovered in an acting showcase---   (doing an 'improve' in which I was a paraplegic walking for the first time---)

My new agent,  Don Schwartz was 'big time'---  his office was on Sunset across the street from Le Dome--
He schooled us adolescents at his Sunset plaza adjacent home--  We would study Garbo films--- then have discussions about it--   Acting interviews came maybe three times a week---  Nothing delivered---  The whole thing became a burden and I quit---  Today, I'm glad I experienced the acting thing---  It's so far away from my life now--  Still I see actors every day---  They arrive on my show and I so get it---

Beatrice Lambe

My maternal Grandmother was born Beatrice Lambe in 1897.  The story is vague regarding her early childhood--    her mother died (Beatrice was two...)  from then on she was raised by her paternal grandmother--   ending up in Chicago.  Beautiful and outgoing--  and yearning for a life of glamour---  She managed to land a contract  at Essanay Studios---  a big deal--  Essanay also handled, Gloria Swanson, Tom Mix, Wallace Berry, and eventually even Charlie Chaplin--
Her first (and sadly only...) big role "In The Palace of the King" (1915)  was shot in Chicago--  The studio asked her to come to 'Hollywood'---- my great great aunt forbid the idea--  This was one of my grandmothers favorite stories--  how fame was snatched away--  preventing her destiny!  There is lots of documentation on "In The Palace..." --  None list Beatrice Lambe as the star--  still I'm believing her--

She married at around 20--  Had my uncle Jack in 1920--  Sadly the marriage was brief and was annulled--
For the next few years she worked doing X-rays in a dental lab--  She met my Grandfather, Tom Burns (my namesake..) married and had my aunt Betty in 1926 followed by my mother Marilyn (after Broadway star Marilyn Miller) in 1928.  Aunt Betty (or "Beppy") inherited my grandmothers aspirations--  she too was a knock-out and ambitious--  (always being mistaken for Betty Grable...) in the late forties my aunt moved to Los Angeles and married--  Soon to be followed by the rest of the family--  My aunts new husband was good buddies with my father Jack Early---  It was at the bar at the Biltmore hotel (Palm Springs) where the date for my parents was set up---  early in 1950--  but I digress--  back to Beatrice--

Tom and Beatrice lived first in the valley, then Granada Hills---finally settling in Sun City California in the early sixties--  My grandfather died of cancer in April 1964--  I was born nine months later-- remaining in Sun City, Beatrice married once again--  to Fred Rogers---  This time is the first memory of my grandmother--  She loved to perform, garden and was up for anything---  husband Fred became mentally unstable--  began to threaten her---  I won't even go into the scary stuff he pulled--  like earlier the marriage was annulled--  (as a side note--  25 years later --she met my dog Fred --  her response:  "Why would you name him that"...)
My family moved her to Orange County during the drama with Fred--  I'm guessing 1978--  soon after my uncle Jack passed away--  a huge blow to my grandmother--  From there she moved to Laguna Hills into a 'retirement hotel'---  while there she met her fourth husband,  Paul Fulton--  a sweet man who adored her---  They were very happy, having their honeymoon at the Hotel Laguna--  She was 82-- Paul
passed on  maybe five years later--

One could easily see the appeal of my Grandmother--  remaining beautiful and always up for fun--
She lived to be 102--  When she was 99 I won an Emmy award for my work on 'Days of Our Lives'
(Please forgive if I seem like I'm name dropping---  I hate that stuff.....)  Anyway--  Showing her the award---  the way she grasped it with 'iron hands'....  I was thrilled that it made her so happy---  after that, when I would visit her---  she would always ask, "where's the Emmy"....  It meant so much to her---   Her original spirit was still going---  Truly, I miss her today--- but love that into her hundreds---  she was proud---  we got each other--

Red Clay no Chips

This is my third try at writing about Catalina Island.  Felt my earlier attempts were confusing --  being my favorite place in the world--  there's too much to cover in one post--  So my goal here is to keep it simple---

I've collected the pottery made on Catalina since around 1995--  The operation began in the late twenties--- Island owner William Wrigley was looking for a trade that would employ the islanders--  It was discovered that the native clay on the island could be used for tile and pottery--  He decided to take advantage of that and built a tile factory near Avalon @ Pebbly beach.  The Casino building, built in 1928 used Catalina roof tiles---  shops were set up on the island and 'Alvaro Street' in Los Angeles--  Soon it was discovered that the island clay was unstable--  around 1932--  and was mixed with 'white clay' to add strength---   Tiles, vases, ashtrays, dinnerware, backgammon tables, urns and wall murals were created---  The depression eventually took it's toll on pottery sales and production moved to Glendale in 1937--  Today Catalina is known to be the most sought after of all California pottery of that era..
The first piece I bought was a 'Mandarin yellow' ashtray--  very exciting--  From then on I was completely addicted! This was in the days before ebay--  there were deals everywhere---  also lots of it tended to end up in Pasadena.  My friends, Jim, Gerry and Larry and I would dream of what we might find next--- We scoured antique stores in all parts of Southern California.  I even went diving in the ocean where pottery had been pushed into the sea--  amazingly there were fragments laying on the ocean floor!  Between us we amassed quite a collection--  even befriend the 'inner circle' of the 'Catalina world'. Around the year 2000 prices went crazy and we all stopped buying---  To this day, however I continue to love my pottery---  It reminds me of beautiful Avalon--  Plus it looks fantastic in our new home at 'The Maryland'--

Christine Ebersole

About 12 years ago--   I was invited by a friend to see a coworker of his sing at the Cinegrill in Hollywood--  He worked on the short lived sit-com "Ink"--  She was on his show, Had never heard of her--  The tickets were free--  so I was game--   In Los Angeles, lots of things crop up to see--  Through the years I've seen dozens these shows...  Some okay, some bad--  whatever--  give me a glass of Chardonnay and I'm happy--   I'm a tough customer-- few are memorable--

Well, the lights go down and out romps Christine Ebersole--  Her first number was "Shanghai" a cute song I knew from Doris Day--   kind of a 'throw away' novelty song--  I thought-- OK, well that was cute---  After that everything falls into a blurr--  She must have sung a ballad next, I don't know.....  Her voice was so pure, clean, sincere---  A mix of Joni Mitchell/Judy Collins/Kathryn Grayson/Kate Smith--  Fabulous--  I was in a trance---  Then came her between song banter---  Funny!  Seriously---  I've never enjoyed a show more than that one---  Thank god they recorded the evening---  (I can hear my laughter on the CD!)

Since then--  Christine has won Tony's and is now the darling of Broadway---  Love, Love, Love her---  I'm a big fan---

Truths about Art

In 1986 I took my first life drawing class---  Signing up because I felt it was glamorous and classy---  before then, hardly any art was offered in school.   I had a good feel for it---  but as far as talent---  growing up Glen Coffey took the prize---  Anyone who starts life drawing finds it daunting.......  It's tough!  First of all, people can tell when the figure is drawn wrong----  maybe they don't know how to fix it, but they can tell---  This goes for the artist too---  It's a slippery slope.  We all judge our own work--  that can stop us from taking risks---  The tricky part is, no risk-- no improvement.  Also with risk, the quality of the drawing will suffer as you figure out where you are going with it.  Then and now I see people give up---their artist's ego can't weather the readjustment--  They get stuck in a safe zone, don't improve--  their work becomes stagnant and they quit.  At art school I really struggled---  The level of my work was somewhere in the middle--  drawing did not come as easily for me--  My eye was good, but my hand couldn't follow--
I just decided to work at it......  I improved through pushing harder--  Deni Ponti a favorite teacher of mine says there are two kinds of artists--  those who draw beautifully and easily--  but have trouble finding the quirk that makes it interesting-- or--- the artist who struggles with getting the drawing right--  and yet has  an interesting take on it.  Out of school I worked as an illustrator for about a year--  then settled into my career as a Set Decorator---  From 1991 until 2000 I didn't draw at all--     The thought of it just reminded me of  Art Center--  everyone in a competition!  Happily I began again--  It was wonderful not feeling it as drudgery--  It's a great thing--  challenging!  So every week I go at it---  Meridy Volz has a wonderful class every Saturday--  We are a united team--

Why Judy Garland?

There are three "Whys?" I get regularly---  Los Angeles Westsiders ask "Why Pasadena?", then theres "Why, 'Days of Our Lives'?" won't get into who asks that---  The third is, "Why Judy Garland?"
It's no secret that of all my loves--  Judy Garland remains at the top--  I truly believe Judy gets/got a bad rap---  Many have felt and feel that, although talented--  She was an unhappy, boozed up-- pill popping mess---  This has been the predominating theory since at least the fifties---  Here's my take on all this---
I believe that on rare occasions,  people are born special--  Judy Garland was blessed with a mix of intelligence, wit, instrument and empathy----  And on top of that--  star quality/charisma--  I feel it when I see her films and hear her voice---  it all shines through.  She always gave her all--  took risks--  challenged herself---  Meant the best--  these are qualities  I admire--  her life was filled with craziness and yet she was able to channel something miraculous and beautiful---

Think Pink!

Jim and I have been assigned to head the new paint color committee at "The Maryland".  Have said our building is "pink"--  really it's a pastel peach.....  normally a color I hate----  to my shock, it's almost working--  but believe it could be better....  Have always loved 'old spanish' architecture painted pink---  Seems to evoke vintage Los Angeles with a jolt of whimsy--  My first thought was to match existing structures where color is working--  ie. Beverly Hills Hotel, and stately 20's homes around town--  Have learned, however it's not that easy--  Those pinks work with lots of landscaping/breakup --  Our building rises straight up like a tower--  on either side are low parks... So it can't be so pink.  There are hundreds of samples---  and painting them directly on the building looks like hell---  Whittled it down to Benjamin Moore "Odessa" and three or four others---  I've become obsessed with this task---  often daydreaming about it while I drive...

Dress Me Up

It's funny how little my taste in clothes has changed since I was a child.....  What I wear to work on an average Tuesday might be the same as what I sported in 1974.....   Levis, 'Topsiders', Chunky belt topped off with an 'alligator' shirt---  Now that I think about it--  my choices were maybe gutsier back then.....
For instance, the outfit above--  those striped pants with brown ringed 'Fry' boots---  at church no less--
I remember going to the Bayshores school bus stop---  enjoying the 'woosh' my bell bottoms made as I walked.....  There were favorite items too--  a burgundy turtleneck nylon sweater---  vertical textured stripes with a zipper---  the end of which had a ring---  or a short sleeve shirt--  red placket front had small red (again...) naive drawings of birds---  Fabulous!  It's true in the eighties ( my twenties...) There were some horrible choices..... Most notably---  Black pointy toed cowboy boots--  awful!  Or moccasins--- a scarf around my head and shorts (granted we were going dancing....)  It cracks me up that 'the kids today' emulate that aesthetic---  It's cool however to, 'throw it all away' and just do whatever-----  I still believe that---

The Maryland

Recently we moved to "The Maryland".  Located behind Pasadena City Hall---  The Deco/Spanish (pink!) building was built in 1926---  It's all that remains of the great Maryland hotel--  built in 1903 rebuilt (in 9 months....) after a fire destroyed the main structure in 1915--   Pasadena was originally a resort town---  The Maryland was one of five huge hotels.  The Raymond, Vista Del Arroyo, Green, and The Huntington.  Only The Huntington (Langham) remains in operation....  Our unit consists of what was 4 hotel rooms--- They converted one of them into a kitchen in the early fifties---  Hazle Lande lived here before us for forty years ---  feisty and eccentric--  The place was loaded up with a fabulous mix---  earthy pottery, art books, 'Joy' perfume, take out containers from Jullians---  and Japanese block prints---  Grey Gardens only better--- We're told Hazel would have loved us---  which makes me happy---