Janet Elizabeth Lynn's Blog, page 3
April 22, 2017
1950s Mystery
Korla Pandit
Turning on the TV on 1950s Los Angeles, you could have come face-to-face with a young man in a jeweled turban with a dreamy gaze accentuated by dark eye shadow. Korla Pandit played the piano and the organ, usually simultaneously, creating exotic music.
Pandit was born in New Delhi, India, the son of a Brahmin government worker and a French opera singer. He studied music in England and later moved to the US, where he mastered the organ at the University of Chicago. Not once in the 900 performances did he speak on camera, preferring to communicate with viewers with hypnotic gazes.
He became one of the first TV stars, with friends like Errol Flynn, and Bob Hope. Because of a contract dispute he ceded his TV performances to the young pianist, Liberace. And the way Pandt came to fame is a "only-in-America fable" where the audience and the performer are both invested in the illusion.
So, who was the mysteriously mystic Korla Pandit?
Korla Pandit was really born John Roland Redd on September 16, 1921 in an African-American family from St Louis Missouri. In the 1940’s he played for a few years under the name "Juan Rolando" to some success.
In 1944, he married Disney artist Beryl June DeBeeson, and the two reinvented his image, replacing "Juan Rolando" with "Korla Pandit" and fabricating the romantic history. They had two children.
Pandit died in Petaluma, California of a myocardio infaction. Two years after his death, it was revealed he was John Roland Redd from Missouri.
Those who knew Pandit described him as a gentle soul. He was a musician, composer, pianist, organist and television pioneer and known as the Godfather of Exotica.
Turning on the TV on 1950s Los Angeles, you could have come face-to-face with a young man in a jeweled turban with a dreamy gaze accentuated by dark eye shadow. Korla Pandit played the piano and the organ, usually simultaneously, creating exotic music.
Pandit was born in New Delhi, India, the son of a Brahmin government worker and a French opera singer. He studied music in England and later moved to the US, where he mastered the organ at the University of Chicago. Not once in the 900 performances did he speak on camera, preferring to communicate with viewers with hypnotic gazes.
He became one of the first TV stars, with friends like Errol Flynn, and Bob Hope. Because of a contract dispute he ceded his TV performances to the young pianist, Liberace. And the way Pandt came to fame is a "only-in-America fable" where the audience and the performer are both invested in the illusion.
So, who was the mysteriously mystic Korla Pandit?
Korla Pandit was really born John Roland Redd on September 16, 1921 in an African-American family from St Louis Missouri. In the 1940’s he played for a few years under the name "Juan Rolando" to some success.
In 1944, he married Disney artist Beryl June DeBeeson, and the two reinvented his image, replacing "Juan Rolando" with "Korla Pandit" and fabricating the romantic history. They had two children.
Pandit died in Petaluma, California of a myocardio infaction. Two years after his death, it was revealed he was John Roland Redd from Missouri.
Those who knew Pandit described him as a gentle soul. He was a musician, composer, pianist, organist and television pioneer and known as the Godfather of Exotica.
April 15, 2017
1950s Television
The Bob Cummings Show
TV series
The Bob Cummings Show (also known as Love That Bob) was an American sitcom starring Robert "Bob" Cummings, aired from January 2, 1955 to September 15, 1959. The Bob Cummings Show was the first-ever series to debut as a midseason replacement.
The show featured the romantic misadventures of Bob Collins, a sophisticated bachelor and photographer operating in Hollywood, California. The show centered around his womanizing with his models, and his sister's consistent attempt to get him to settle down.
Regulars in the show were Bob Cummings as Bob Collins, Rosemary DeCamp as Margaret MacDonald – Bob's sister who tried her best to raise her brother's morality, Dwayne Hickman as Chuck MacDonald – Margaret's son and Bob's nephew, a crazy teenager try to get some of his uncle's action, and Ann B. Davis as Charmaine "Schultzy" Schultz – Bob's hilarious young secretary who pined for him and occasionally screwed up his love schemes. Ann B. Davis won two Emmy's for playing "Schultzy".
It was originally aired on NBC in 1955 then CBS 1955 thru 1957, back to NBC from 1957 to 1959. It was retitled Love That Bob and appeared on ABC's daytime line up from October 12, 1959 to December 1, 1961
TV series
The Bob Cummings Show (also known as Love That Bob) was an American sitcom starring Robert "Bob" Cummings, aired from January 2, 1955 to September 15, 1959. The Bob Cummings Show was the first-ever series to debut as a midseason replacement.
The show featured the romantic misadventures of Bob Collins, a sophisticated bachelor and photographer operating in Hollywood, California. The show centered around his womanizing with his models, and his sister's consistent attempt to get him to settle down.
Regulars in the show were Bob Cummings as Bob Collins, Rosemary DeCamp as Margaret MacDonald – Bob's sister who tried her best to raise her brother's morality, Dwayne Hickman as Chuck MacDonald – Margaret's son and Bob's nephew, a crazy teenager try to get some of his uncle's action, and Ann B. Davis as Charmaine "Schultzy" Schultz – Bob's hilarious young secretary who pined for him and occasionally screwed up his love schemes. Ann B. Davis won two Emmy's for playing "Schultzy".
It was originally aired on NBC in 1955 then CBS 1955 thru 1957, back to NBC from 1957 to 1959. It was retitled Love That Bob and appeared on ABC's daytime line up from October 12, 1959 to December 1, 1961
April 8, 2017
1950s Ladies Handbags
Ladies Handbags
The 1950s were a groundbreaking decade for handbags. It’s not that women were using them more than before or for different purposes, but designers went out of their way to be different and it showed.
Today almost every woman has a purse with her. But until the 1950s, few women carried one. It was considered too much to coordinate handbags, gloves and hats. Only matching shoes and belts were necessary.
Then it became important for women to maintain a well "put together" appearance. Handbags and purses were very much thought of as an integral accessory with which to complete the overall "look". Hats, shoes, belts, scarves, bags and gloves, were all expected to coordinate.
Women preferred short-strapped handbags that stayed close to the body. Duffel bags weren’t unheard of, but didn’t provide the slender, graceful look that women wanted.
The materials used for purses in the 1950s were varied. In the early 1950s, most purses were made from crocodile, alligator, turtle or snake skin. Some fashion designers used lucite (a transparent material similar to Bakelite, or plastic) boxes that functioned as purses.
Women also bought wicker purses, leather purses and straw. Popular high fashion purse designers of the 50's included Gucci, Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Wilardy and others.
Just like the little black dress, every lady had to have a black leather purse by her side.
The 1950s were a groundbreaking decade for handbags. It’s not that women were using them more than before or for different purposes, but designers went out of their way to be different and it showed.
Today almost every woman has a purse with her. But until the 1950s, few women carried one. It was considered too much to coordinate handbags, gloves and hats. Only matching shoes and belts were necessary.
Then it became important for women to maintain a well "put together" appearance. Handbags and purses were very much thought of as an integral accessory with which to complete the overall "look". Hats, shoes, belts, scarves, bags and gloves, were all expected to coordinate.
Women preferred short-strapped handbags that stayed close to the body. Duffel bags weren’t unheard of, but didn’t provide the slender, graceful look that women wanted.
The materials used for purses in the 1950s were varied. In the early 1950s, most purses were made from crocodile, alligator, turtle or snake skin. Some fashion designers used lucite (a transparent material similar to Bakelite, or plastic) boxes that functioned as purses.
Women also bought wicker purses, leather purses and straw. Popular high fashion purse designers of the 50's included Gucci, Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Wilardy and others.
Just like the little black dress, every lady had to have a black leather purse by her side.
April 2, 2017
1950s Homes
A look back at kitchens of the '50s
In the Fifties, kitchens were considered the heart of the home. Pastel colors such as turquoise, aqua, and pink gave the space a carefree and warm touch. These rooms were so frequently used, it became normal for a family to eat in the kitchen even if they had a formal dining room. Both formica and chrome dinette sets were a popular choice for kitchens.
Common in the 1950s was the effort to evoke a kind of jet-age, modern look with sleek lines. Paradoxically, this would also be countered by the frequent use of rustic, country styles. Built-ins were big in the 50s, reducing the haphazard jumble of appliances that was standard in kitchens of years past. Dishwasher snuggled in under the counter and a refrigerator and stove continued the countertop line.
Kitchens during this era sucked up electricity, because of the great expansion in the power grid.
Another overlooked innovation of the 1950s is the open layout that allowed for a large table in the kitchen for dining. In the 1940s, dining was typically done in a dining room, with the kitchen reserved exclusively for cooking--or at most featuring a small breakfast table. A typical 1950s kitchen was a center for dining as well as cooking.
Photos go to: http://vintage1950s.blogspot.com/
In the Fifties, kitchens were considered the heart of the home. Pastel colors such as turquoise, aqua, and pink gave the space a carefree and warm touch. These rooms were so frequently used, it became normal for a family to eat in the kitchen even if they had a formal dining room. Both formica and chrome dinette sets were a popular choice for kitchens.
Common in the 1950s was the effort to evoke a kind of jet-age, modern look with sleek lines. Paradoxically, this would also be countered by the frequent use of rustic, country styles. Built-ins were big in the 50s, reducing the haphazard jumble of appliances that was standard in kitchens of years past. Dishwasher snuggled in under the counter and a refrigerator and stove continued the countertop line.
Kitchens during this era sucked up electricity, because of the great expansion in the power grid.
Another overlooked innovation of the 1950s is the open layout that allowed for a large table in the kitchen for dining. In the 1940s, dining was typically done in a dining room, with the kitchen reserved exclusively for cooking--or at most featuring a small breakfast table. A typical 1950s kitchen was a center for dining as well as cooking.
Photos go to: http://vintage1950s.blogspot.com/
March 26, 2017
1950s Cars
1955 Thunderbird
The epitome of 1955 new cars was the new Ford Thunderbird. It was custom designed for the "American Road". It promised a new kind of sports car, though it is said to be more of a "brisk luxury tourer" and not a sports car per se.
The Ford Motor Company called it a personal car, competing against the Chevrolet Corvette introduced in 1953. Some unique features were four-way powered seats push button interior door handles. Telescoping steering wheel and a tachometer. As with all cars of that era the brakes were not good. As the heated brakes would fade decreasing stopping ability on the street. One of the factories that made the Thunderbird was in Long Beach, California.
Ford unveiled the Thunderbird at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. The first production car came off the line on September 9, 1954, and went on sale on October 22, 1954 as a 1955 model, and sold vigorously. 3,500 orders were placed in the first ten days of sale. While only 10,000 were planned. A total of 16,155 were sold by the end of 1955.
As standard, the 1955 Ford Thunderbird came with a removable fiberglass top, but the fabric convertible top was the most popular. A total of 53,166 cars were made from 1955 to1957. You could buy them with an automatic or manual transmissions.
The hardtop was often a different color, the most popular combination was aqua and cream.
Many dreams came true when a young man or woman drove the car, a sign of freedom. They'd "arrived".
The epitome of 1955 new cars was the new Ford Thunderbird. It was custom designed for the "American Road". It promised a new kind of sports car, though it is said to be more of a "brisk luxury tourer" and not a sports car per se.
The Ford Motor Company called it a personal car, competing against the Chevrolet Corvette introduced in 1953. Some unique features were four-way powered seats push button interior door handles. Telescoping steering wheel and a tachometer. As with all cars of that era the brakes were not good. As the heated brakes would fade decreasing stopping ability on the street. One of the factories that made the Thunderbird was in Long Beach, California.
Ford unveiled the Thunderbird at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. The first production car came off the line on September 9, 1954, and went on sale on October 22, 1954 as a 1955 model, and sold vigorously. 3,500 orders were placed in the first ten days of sale. While only 10,000 were planned. A total of 16,155 were sold by the end of 1955.
As standard, the 1955 Ford Thunderbird came with a removable fiberglass top, but the fabric convertible top was the most popular. A total of 53,166 cars were made from 1955 to1957. You could buy them with an automatic or manual transmissions.
The hardtop was often a different color, the most popular combination was aqua and cream.
Many dreams came true when a young man or woman drove the car, a sign of freedom. They'd "arrived".
March 18, 2017
1950s dessert
Pineapple Jello Rings
1 (3 ounce) box of lime or strawberry Jello
1( 20 ounce) can of Pineapple Rings/Rounds
Just pour off the liquid of a No. 2 can of Dole Pineapple. Replace with gelatin made with half the liquid in package directions. Chill until set. Run a little hot water along the sides and bottom to loosen. Then cut bottom of can and use to push mold out. Cut between pineapple rounds and serve.
1 (3 ounce) box of lime or strawberry Jello
1( 20 ounce) can of Pineapple Rings/Rounds
Just pour off the liquid of a No. 2 can of Dole Pineapple. Replace with gelatin made with half the liquid in package directions. Chill until set. Run a little hot water along the sides and bottom to loosen. Then cut bottom of can and use to push mold out. Cut between pineapple rounds and serve.
March 12, 2017
1950s Unsolved Mystery
George Reeves
Actor
George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer) was an actor from Woolstock, Iowa who appeared in Gone with the Wind, From Here to Eternity, and Samson and Delilah. He was best known for his role as Superman in the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman. His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains a mystery. The official report was suicide, but some people believe he was murdered or was the victim of an accidental shooting.
The Case
Reeves died of a gunshot wound to the head on June 16, 1959 at his Benedict Canyon home at the time. In the home were his fiancée Leonore Lemmon and three other guests.
Theories
Though ruled a suicide, the fact that those in the house waited to call the police and stray bullet cases were found near the body led some to believe Reeves was a victim of homicide. He had been having an affair with Toni Mannix, the wife of an MGM executive. One theory holds that the jilted Toni had Reeves killed, another was that the her husband, Eddie Mannix, used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed.
Where the Case Stands Today
In 1999, a Hollywood publicist, Edward Lozzi, said Toni Mannix confessed to killing Reeves. However, no proof was offered or found. The case remains, officially, a suicide.
Actor
George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer) was an actor from Woolstock, Iowa who appeared in Gone with the Wind, From Here to Eternity, and Samson and Delilah. He was best known for his role as Superman in the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman. His death at age 45 from a gunshot remains a mystery. The official report was suicide, but some people believe he was murdered or was the victim of an accidental shooting.
The Case
Reeves died of a gunshot wound to the head on June 16, 1959 at his Benedict Canyon home at the time. In the home were his fiancée Leonore Lemmon and three other guests.
Theories
Though ruled a suicide, the fact that those in the house waited to call the police and stray bullet cases were found near the body led some to believe Reeves was a victim of homicide. He had been having an affair with Toni Mannix, the wife of an MGM executive. One theory holds that the jilted Toni had Reeves killed, another was that the her husband, Eddie Mannix, used his underworld connections to have Reeves killed.
Where the Case Stands Today
In 1999, a Hollywood publicist, Edward Lozzi, said Toni Mannix confessed to killing Reeves. However, no proof was offered or found. The case remains, officially, a suicide.
March 4, 2017
1950s Men's Shoes
1950s Men’s Casual Shoes
1950s causal men’s fashion included the right shoes. Casual shoes came in many forms, mostly slip on and same lace ups oxfords. The crepe sole was a new detail that changed the shoe look from sleek to rugged.
The penny loafer (named because a penny could be placed in the cutout piece that ran across the vamp) was daily wear for Ivy League kids and mature men. Most penny loafers were a medium brown. A few slightly more formal styles came in black or brown with a tassel tie. Some loafers came in two tones as well.
Saddle shoes have been common since the 1920s. In the 1950s saw more color combinations such as blue and white, grey and white, brown and white, and brown and tan. Mature men hardly worn them but they did wear other vivid colors for lace up oxfords.
Blue suede shoes were not only the topic of a popular Elvis song but were popular casual men’s shoes. Embossed leather like heavy reptile skin, corduroy, rough suede, woven canvas and even printed plaid were also popular. Textured shoes, both lace up and slip on style were big fashion items for trendy fashionable men.
1950s causal men’s fashion included the right shoes. Casual shoes came in many forms, mostly slip on and same lace ups oxfords. The crepe sole was a new detail that changed the shoe look from sleek to rugged.
The penny loafer (named because a penny could be placed in the cutout piece that ran across the vamp) was daily wear for Ivy League kids and mature men. Most penny loafers were a medium brown. A few slightly more formal styles came in black or brown with a tassel tie. Some loafers came in two tones as well.
Saddle shoes have been common since the 1920s. In the 1950s saw more color combinations such as blue and white, grey and white, brown and white, and brown and tan. Mature men hardly worn them but they did wear other vivid colors for lace up oxfords.
Blue suede shoes were not only the topic of a popular Elvis song but were popular casual men’s shoes. Embossed leather like heavy reptile skin, corduroy, rough suede, woven canvas and even printed plaid were also popular. Textured shoes, both lace up and slip on style were big fashion items for trendy fashionable men.
February 25, 2017
1950s Scandel-Mickey Cohen
Mickey Cohen
King mobster of Sunset Strip
Meyer "Mickey" Cohen was born either 1911, 1912, or 1913, his birth records seem to have disappeared. When he was six years old his family moved from Brooklyn, New York to Boyle Heights, California. At an early age Mickey was delivering booze for his older brother, a gin mill operator. He never had a formal education and was illiterate all of his life.
He became passionate about boxing and started competing in illegal prize fights in Los Angeles. After consistent losses, Cohen hung up his gloves in 1933.
Cohen moved to Chicago and became an enforcer in Al Capone's gang. He also began running card games and other illegal activities. While there he survived arrests, and prison. After an assassination attempt on his life he moved back to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Cohen partnered with Bugsy Siegel acting as the extension of the East Coast syndicate for Capone. Here they controlled narcotics, gambling and union operations. Cohen also helped Siegel run the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
After Siegel's murder in 1947, Cohen became the top West Coast mobster. Challenged by rival Jack Dragna, a war soon broke out between Cohen and Dragna. Cohen survived numerous attempts on his life and a bombing of his Brentwood home. In the end, Cohen won.
Soon after the infamous mobster Johnny Stompanato became his bodyguard. Cohen was known to have affairs with several Hollywood actresses including Ava Gardner.
It was important for Cohen to be liked. He did everything he could to be thought of as a gentleman throughout his life. If you were his friend, he did anything he could for you. Though he was ruthless with enemies, he took pride in never hurting an innocent person.
In the early 1950s after being investigated by the Kefauver Commission, Cohen was sentenced to four years in prison for tax evasion. After his release he became a media celebrity, appearing on the Mike Wallace Show and befriending big name actors, like Redd Foxx, Sammy Davis Dr., George Raft, Sarah Vaughn, and others. In 1961 he was again convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to 15 years. While in Alcatraz, he was attacked with a lead pipe by another inmate resulting in Cohen's partial paralysis.
After his final release from prison in 1972, Cohan became a "gentleman mobster". Though best known as a cold blooded gangster, documents show that he had a big heart. He pulled strings and donated money to help people in need. Even if they were friends of a friend, he was there to help.
Cohen passed away peacefully in his home on July 29, 1976 from cancer.
King mobster of Sunset Strip
Meyer "Mickey" Cohen was born either 1911, 1912, or 1913, his birth records seem to have disappeared. When he was six years old his family moved from Brooklyn, New York to Boyle Heights, California. At an early age Mickey was delivering booze for his older brother, a gin mill operator. He never had a formal education and was illiterate all of his life.
He became passionate about boxing and started competing in illegal prize fights in Los Angeles. After consistent losses, Cohen hung up his gloves in 1933.
Cohen moved to Chicago and became an enforcer in Al Capone's gang. He also began running card games and other illegal activities. While there he survived arrests, and prison. After an assassination attempt on his life he moved back to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Cohen partnered with Bugsy Siegel acting as the extension of the East Coast syndicate for Capone. Here they controlled narcotics, gambling and union operations. Cohen also helped Siegel run the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
After Siegel's murder in 1947, Cohen became the top West Coast mobster. Challenged by rival Jack Dragna, a war soon broke out between Cohen and Dragna. Cohen survived numerous attempts on his life and a bombing of his Brentwood home. In the end, Cohen won.
Soon after the infamous mobster Johnny Stompanato became his bodyguard. Cohen was known to have affairs with several Hollywood actresses including Ava Gardner.
It was important for Cohen to be liked. He did everything he could to be thought of as a gentleman throughout his life. If you were his friend, he did anything he could for you. Though he was ruthless with enemies, he took pride in never hurting an innocent person.
In the early 1950s after being investigated by the Kefauver Commission, Cohen was sentenced to four years in prison for tax evasion. After his release he became a media celebrity, appearing on the Mike Wallace Show and befriending big name actors, like Redd Foxx, Sammy Davis Dr., George Raft, Sarah Vaughn, and others. In 1961 he was again convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to 15 years. While in Alcatraz, he was attacked with a lead pipe by another inmate resulting in Cohen's partial paralysis.
After his final release from prison in 1972, Cohan became a "gentleman mobster". Though best known as a cold blooded gangster, documents show that he had a big heart. He pulled strings and donated money to help people in need. Even if they were friends of a friend, he was there to help.
Cohen passed away peacefully in his home on July 29, 1976 from cancer.
February 19, 2017
1955 movie Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp, the animated romantic musical comedy film produced by Walt Disney was released June 22, 1955. It was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen format. Based on Happy Dan, The Whistling Dog (Cosmopolitan Magazine) by Ward Greene, Lady and the Tramp tells the story of Lady, a Cocker Spaniel who lives with an upper-middle-class family and Tramp, a male stray mutt. When the two dogs meet, they embark on romantic adventures.
The idea for the story originated in 1937, and the rights to “Happy Dan” were purchased in the early 1940s. It took until 1955 to get the movie out. Disney Studios switched its focus during WWII, working on propaganda films. When Disney went back to the film, he felt his animators had lost their feel for the characters. He removed them from Lady and the Tramp and had them switch to Sleeping Beauty for about six months. The change worked; Disney believed that when the artists returned to the dogs, they “tackled the project with new enthusiasm.”
The film score was composed and conducted by Oliver Wallace. Sonny Burke, a composer and Peggy Lee, a singer and songwriter, wrote some of the songs to the movie. In the film, Lee sang: "He's a Tramp", "La La Lu", "The Siamese Cat Song" and "What Is a Baby?".
My all time favorite part in the movie is Bella Notte, the famous spaghetti scene from Lady and the Tramp. Here is the YouTube address. Click on the link below and be transported down memory lane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nWNX...
Lady and the Tramp, the animated romantic musical comedy film produced by Walt Disney was released June 22, 1955. It was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen format. Based on Happy Dan, The Whistling Dog (Cosmopolitan Magazine) by Ward Greene, Lady and the Tramp tells the story of Lady, a Cocker Spaniel who lives with an upper-middle-class family and Tramp, a male stray mutt. When the two dogs meet, they embark on romantic adventures.
The idea for the story originated in 1937, and the rights to “Happy Dan” were purchased in the early 1940s. It took until 1955 to get the movie out. Disney Studios switched its focus during WWII, working on propaganda films. When Disney went back to the film, he felt his animators had lost their feel for the characters. He removed them from Lady and the Tramp and had them switch to Sleeping Beauty for about six months. The change worked; Disney believed that when the artists returned to the dogs, they “tackled the project with new enthusiasm.”
The film score was composed and conducted by Oliver Wallace. Sonny Burke, a composer and Peggy Lee, a singer and songwriter, wrote some of the songs to the movie. In the film, Lee sang: "He's a Tramp", "La La Lu", "The Siamese Cat Song" and "What Is a Baby?".
My all time favorite part in the movie is Bella Notte, the famous spaghetti scene from Lady and the Tramp. Here is the YouTube address. Click on the link below and be transported down memory lane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nWNX...
