Who's Jumping?

Name the four people jumping in the picture below! (Sorry there is no prize for answering is correctly. It's just something to amuse yourself with for a few minutes.) It really shouldn't be too hard. (: Have fun!

Movies in LALA Land

So for my brother's Senior trip my family went to Los Angeles, California. I have two things to say about it 1) The city is absolutely awful and I hate it and 2) the trip was a lot of fun!

While there we toured three movie studios: Sony (who bought out Columbia), Warner Brothers and Paramount. Lots of classic movies were made in these three studios. We even got to see Lucille Balls office! It was lots of fun. We were shown places where the Brady Bunch was filmed, and discussed different old stars that had contracts with certain studios and explored the world of film. It was great!

During the old days studios pretty much owned their actors. Nowadays actors act at any studio the movie they are making is being filmed. However, back in the day an actor or actress signed a contract, for whatever amount of time, to "stay true" (so to speak) to one certain studio. They were paid a certain amount and basically sat around the studio from 8 to 5 every day waiting for a job to drop into their lap. Big name actors usually had a sort of "living quarters" where they spent their time when they were filming a movie. Once they were hired for a movie they would spend several weeks on the film then the lull would start all over.

If there was a studio that wanted a certain actor, but didn't have a contract with them, the studio that did have the contract with that particular actor could "lend them out". For example, say Cary Grant was signed on with Columbia but Universal wanted him for a movie, Columbia would share him while the movie was being made. This could be costly for Universal as they would have to pay both Cary Grant and Columbia. With the way movies are made now, though, is much more flexible for both the studios and the actors.

Back in the Golden Age of movie making studios could film anywhere from 20 to 30 movies in a year. Now movies are made much more slowly and carefully to make them just right and make sure they are quality, and in the end most studios only shoot 4 to 7 movies a year.

I suggest that if people were to visit LA they take at least one tour of a movie studio. I also suggest that it's not Universal as that is more of an amusement park, and less of the "real deal". Have any questions of the history of filming movies? Please leave a comment!

Autopsy Report: Myths and Truths, You Decide

There are thousands of Elvis fans to this day. For those who were alive when he died there was great devastation. Many couldn't believe it, many didn't want to believe it, and some strongly believed it wasn't true. Whether it was because they were doubters, knew it for a fact or were so in love with the rock'n'roll king that they convinced themselves he was still alive is a mystery. So here I present to you facts and stories and will let you take away from this what you want. Enjoy.

On August 16th, 1977 Elvis Aaron Presley died.

It is believed Elvis had had a late night dentist appointment on the night of the 15th, and went home to Graceland to finish some final details on a tour he was starting on the 17th. He went to bed at about 7 in the morning to rest up for his evening flight. While getting ready for bed he must have died. He was living with his fiancee, Ginger, but they were staying in separate rooms, so no one was with him during his final hours.

Some reports indicate that Elvis was naked and in the bathroom when he died, while others say he was in blue pajamas and in his dressing room. It's also possible that he was in blue pajamas in the bathroom or naked in his dressing room. Nevertheless he was discovered by his then fiancee, Ginger.

He was found in the afternoon and there was an attempt to revive him. Later it was believed that he had been dead for several hours before he was found, and resuscitating would have been pointless. Police said there appeared to be no "foul play".

Autopsy reports said that he had anywhere from 8-14 drugs in his system. Some people believed he died of a drug overdose while others said all the drugs in his system were prescribed to him and were not enough to kill a man. It has been reported that Elvis died of a massive heart attack. Many people believe Presley would have died whether he had drugs in his system or not because he had such a bad heart.

The news of Elvis' death hit the world hard. People went into mourning faster than they did when JFK was assassinated. Fans stormed Graceland wanting to be there during the funeral. Could Elvis Presley, the King of Rock'n'Roll really be dead?

There was a viewing and thousands of people went to see their rock'n'roll idol's lifeless body. It's reported that 75,000 people wanted to see the body and about 30,000 people were able to. Is it possible to say that if this many people saw the King dead that he really was and still is dead to this day? Apparently this isn't good enough for some fans because rumors and "sightings" of Elvis being alive are still flying around to this very day.

Much like the stories of Kennedy's death being a conspiracy, and the moon landings being a hoax are the stories of Elvis faking his own death. Whether these stories are true or just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, I'll let you decide.

First lies the question of Elvis' gravestone. It's said that it was originally spelled wrong. Elvis' name was Elvis Aaron Presley and on the gravestone it was spelled Elvis Aron Presley, but when I tried to look up proof of this I couldn't find any. Either the error was corrected or it never happened and was just a rumor started by someone who believed Presley was still alive.



Then there was the coffin and the body inside the coffin. Wax you say? It's possible. People are reported to have said that when they were carrying the 900 pound coffin they felt a cool air, supposedly because of an air conditioner to keep a wax body cool. Maybe this was the realistic body people saw when they went to view his body.



A story of Elvis faking his own death has drifted around hoping to make people believe that Elvis is an undercover agent fighting the war against drugs. Because Elvis was so against the use of drugs it was decided that Elvis should "die" so he could fight this drug battle without anyone suspecting him. (Read more here.)

There is a story that Elvis was going to expose some criminals, possibly those who were apart of the Mafia. If he did this his life would be in grave danger. So much in fact that he would have to become apart of witness protection and disappear. Someone so famous couldn't possibly "just disappear" so a cover story was formed so he would be gone for good. Wouldn't be funny if the criminals were caught or died and Elvis "came back from the dead"?

How would a person fake their own death? Apparently Elvis was "a pharmaceutical expert" and knew exactly what drugs to take to make it look as though he were dead (I believe that this would backfire though when the autopsy starts seeing as how they have to cut you open). Shortly after his death a man, looking remarkably like Elvis Presley, boarded a plane head for Buenos Aeries. He went by the name John Burrows, a name Elvis supposedly used every once in awhile when he didn't want publicity. (Read much, much more on the topic here.)

The myths of Elvis faking his own death and still being alive to this day continue to circulate everyone around the world. People are constantly "seeing the King". But what is true, and what is not? Is any of it true? You decide.

(This post has been dedicated to my friend Wendy. The biggest Elvis fan I know! And to be honest she has helped my own love of Elvis to blossom. Love you, Wendy!)

Alfred Nobel and His Prize

For some reason I have been fascinated with the Nobel Prize recently. So here is a tiny bit of history on Nobel and his prize.



Alfred Nobel invented dynamite. It's destructive powers were incredible. Nobel hated the fact that he was die being known as the one who created dynamite. This simply couldn't happen. So with this in mind and a bank account that was full to overflowing he had a plan. Why not be the one to promote peace?

Nobel wrote his will in the most peculiar way:

"The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the most work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. The prizes for physics and chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; that for physiological or medical work by the Caroline Institute in Stockholm; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm, and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting. It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be a Scandinavian or not."



(Read Nobel's entire will at nobelprize.org.)

To learn a more complete history of Nobel and his prize by clicking here.

Photo of the Week June 10, 2011

Bonita Granville playing Nancy Drew, 1939.

Is There Anybody Going to Listen to My Story?

Hello everyone. I am putting together a page of 200 old movies (from before the 1980s) that are a must see. But I need help! Please comment with a list of old movies that you like and I'll add them to my list.

Thanks!

Resa

A Conspiracy Still in the Making

I wrote about the day of President John F. Kennedy's assassination from the perspective of Mary Ann Moorman yesterday. But what happened after the assassination? Who was the assassin or was accused of being the assassin? Why did he kill JFK? What happened to the accused assassin afterward?

President Kennedy and the First Lady before the assassination

Lee Harvey Oswald was considered a "disturbed" young man. He was raised by a single mother and at a young age diagnosed as "schizoid". He joined the Marines in 1956 but by 1959 moved to the Soviet Union. Growing weary of the novelty of being an American in the Soviet Union, Oswald and his Russian bride, moved to the United States. Oswald has always been considered the person who pulled the trigger of the gun that killed President Kennedy on November 22, 1963. After the assassination he was confronted by a police officer by the name of J. D. Tippit whom he shot to death, four times. Later he was arrested when a witness told the police he was in a movie theater. Oswald resisted arrested and was intensely interrogated on the assassination of the President.

He denied everything.

Oswald declared, "They're taking me in because of the fact I lived in the Soviet Union. I'm just a patsy!" This statement has made people wonder if there is a lot more to the picture than what we have been lead to believe.

Lee Harvey Oswald

It was November 24th when Oswald was being transferred to a different location. Television was broadcasting live the move, and what should happen on live TV? Jack Ruby walked up and shot Oswald in the abdomen. Oswald was rushed to the same hospital Kennedy had died in two days before. Lee Harvey Oswald died at approximately 1:07 PM that day.

Jack Ruby assassinating Oswald

The Warren Commission was put together by President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination. They concluded that Oswald had acted alone in killing both President Kennedy and Office Tippit.

Setting that aside for just a moment we're going to go back to Jack Ruby. When asked why he had killed Oswald he said it was because he didn't want Mrs. Kennedy to have to suffer going through trials with Oswald there. Later he said that a lawyer put him up to it. He was sentenced to death for the murder of Oswald in 1964.

Mug shot of Jack Ruby

Ever since the assassination a thousand different conspiracy theories have arisen. Was it really Oswald who killed Kennedy? Was he really just a patsy? Were there more deep seated reasons to the murder than a disturbed individual? Was he hired by someone who wanted revenge on the President? Question after question. Will the mystery ever be fully solved? or has it already been?

President John Fitzgerald Kennedy

The Silent JFK Witness SPEAKS

1960s is really the era I am most familiar with. I'm not sure why, it's just fascinating. There is so much history with the Space Race, Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam, rock 'n' roll music, the rising of hippies, the John Fitzgerald Kennedy's assassination, the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination and so much more!

On May 24th, 2011 my Mom and I went to a special talk on JFK's assassination. It was filmed and viewed live on a website called iAntique.com. The special guest who was interviewed was a lady by the name of Mary Ann Moorman. Mary Ann Moorman is famous for taking a picture of John F. Kennedy the moment he was assassinated. Ms. Moorman has kept silent these 48 years on what happened the day of the assassination and finally she has come out to tell the world what she saw and heard and experienced on that fateful day.

Mary Ann Moorman

It was November 22, 1963. President Kennedy was in Dallas. Mary Ann and her friend Jean Hill decided they wanted to be there to see the President drive by and, if they could, get a picture of him. It was an exciting day! Mary Ann had a Polaroid camera with her. It had two pictures left in the roll. One she took of Jean and the other Jean took of her. They ran to a department store to get more film for their camera and hurried to what is now known as "The Grassy Knoll". They wanted to be away from the crowds and get the best shot of the President as he drove by as possible.

They waited for several hours taking pictures of police that were ahead of the procession. Mary Ann had known some of these police officers during high school. It was around 12:30 (Central Time) when the car Kennedy was in finally showed up.



Mary Ann put the camera to her face and "focused" her shot. She followed the car the President was in with her eye to her camera, waiting to get the perfect angle in which to snap her picture. Jean called out, "Hey Mr. President! Look over here! We want to take a picture of you." A moment later Mary Ann clicked to take the picture, at the same moment she heard what she thought was a firecracker. She pulled the camera away from her face and heard the sound again two more times. The Presidential motorcade almost halted to a complete stop. Mary Ann heard Jackie Kennedy, who was at that time sitting next to her husband in the back of the limousine they were riding, yell "Oh my gawd! He's been shot." And watched as the first lady attempted to jump off the back of the car. The next moment the limousine went shooting forward at a much high speed.

Puzzled Mary Ann noticed her friend running up the Grassy Knoll. She was gone for several minutes when a man approached her and asked her if she had just taken a picture? She said she had but had not looked at it yet. She pulled it out and together the two looked at what she had captured in a single moment.



It was in fact an image of President Kennedy the moment after he had been hit by a bullet. Whether it was the first bullet to hit him (this bullet went through him and hit the governor of Texas who was sitting in front of him) or the fatal bullet that killed him remains a mystery to this day. Nonetheless she had captured at close range what no one else had.

Jean Hill (in red) and Mary Ann Moorman (in blue) on the grassy knoll during the shooting

The following hours were confusing as Mary Ann and Jean were rushed to the Sheriff's office and the press room there. She told and retold her story. Within 30 minutes of the declaration of Kennedy's death Mary Ann's photo appeared across the country on television sets in every home. By 6 o'clock that night Mary Ann was home. At around 12:30 that night the FBI showed up on her doorstep asking to see the picture she took. In the following months the CIA, Secret Service and FBI again, took the picture to examine and study it.

Mary Ann Moorman explained she didn't feel like her life had all changed because of what had happened and what she had experience. She did tell the interviewer that she has remained silent for all these years because of her friend Jean Hill. Jean and Mary Ann had had such different remembrances of what happened on that day and she didn't want to speak up because she realized it was cause a lot of controversy. Several years ago Jean Hill died and with the upcoming 50th anniversary of the assassination people's interests were rising as to what happened that day, for these reasons Mary Ann felt she should come forward with her story. Even if it was no new information it is a new story and an addition to a fascinating history.