|
|
Post by Dramatwist on Mar 3, 2019 7:57:32 GMT -5
As some of you may know, I was the co-owner of a theatrical costume shop in Manhattan in the 1980s. We made costumes for Broadway shows, television and cinema.
One time, we landed a contract to construct costumes for a television show starring Art Carney. Art Carney? I LOVED him as Ed Norton in the Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason.
Once the initial work was done, we scheduled him to come in for a fitting.
Art Carney!
The day rolled around. He arrived.
He came into my office, I extended my hand and said... "Hello, Mr. Carney."
Looking at me with what seemed a "jaundiced" eye, he barked... "Got a water cooler?"
I told him we did, and walked him into the main area of the shop, where the cooler was. He grabbed a little paper cup, filled it, and took a drink.
Then he said, to no one in particular... "this is a f***ing pain in the a**!"
The Fitters took over from there, and my impression of "Ed Norton" was forever shattered.
Of course, he may have just been having a bad day...
He passed away a year or two later.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Location:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2019 8:49:09 GMT -5
I was friends with one of the owners of the original Stage Deli on 7th in Manhattan, NY. All the way in back of the Deli was a fairly well hidden area for actors and other well known people that frequented the deli. A few times I had the pleasure of having lunch with Carrol O’Oconnor. He was the exact opposite of the character he portrayed, Archie Bunker on “ All in the Family “. He was one of the kindest, most generous people I had the pleasure of meeting in my lifetime.
What was heart breaking was the day Carrol O’Connors son Hugh ( adopted when he was a infant ) committed suicide. Carrol was never the same, he was completely heartbroken. Carrol spent years trying to help his son, even made sure Hugh had a part in Carrol O’Connors TV series......” In the Heat of the Night “.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldcajun123 on Mar 3, 2019 9:44:10 GMT -5
 Sometimes people are sometimes never who we imagine them to be. My son who is a Surgical Tech now started his career as a Chef, went all over starting Hard Rock cafes, started one in Hollywood, He walks over to Sylvester Stallone, now he was the Chef, Stallone says I thought I told them I don’t meet no staff. This from a punk that wears 4 inch lifts , and is uglier than a dog. No class, Rocky.! 
|
|
|
|
Post by Legend Lover on Mar 3, 2019 12:26:20 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Cramptholomew on Mar 3, 2019 13:00:55 GMT -5
As some of you may know, I was the co-owner of a theatrical costume shop in Manhattan in the 1980s. We made costumes for Broadway shows, television and cinema. One time, we landed a contract to construct costumes for a television show starring Art Carney. Art Carney? I LOVED him as Ed Norton in the Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason. Once the initial work was done, we scheduled him to come in for a fitting. Art Carney! The day rolled around. He arrived. He came into my office, I extended my hand and said... "Hello, Mr. Carney." Looking at me with what seemed a "jaundiced" eye, he barked... "Got a water cooler?" I told him we did, and walked him into the main area of the shop, where the cooler was. He grabbed a little paper cup, filled it, and took a drink. Then he said, to no one in particular... "this is a f***ing pain in the a**!" The Fitters took over from there, and my impression of "Ed Norton" was forever shattered. Of course, he may have just been having a bad day... He passed away a year or two later. I love the Honeymooners. I grew up watching reruns on WPIX (channel 11 NY). "Can it core a apple?" "Ch-ch-chef o' da fyootcha! Ha-ha!" "I call you killer, cuz you SLAY me..." "Well I'm callin' Bellevue cuz YOU'RE NUTS!" Sorry Mr. Carney was such a wet blanket. That makes me sad. |
|
|
|
Post by toshtego on Mar 3, 2019 14:17:10 GMT -5
For many years, I visited the Laurel Canyon Dog Park every late afternoon with my Alaskan Malamute. This was from the late 1980s to mid 2000s Many actors brought their dogs. Mostly, they were friendly enough if "fan" behaviors were avoided and the talent was treated like just an ordinary schmo. The only exception was Lolita Davidovich. She seemed to expect lesser mortals should keep well back from her presence. She had a Russian Shepard dog, a breed I was unfamiliar with. So, I asked....
In the early 1990s, Brigitte Nielson was a regular park visitor. A more down to earth woman and fine physical specimen at 6 feet 1 inch, I will likely never meet again. She probably had a dog with her somewhere but I never noticed.
Jack Lemmon was probably the highest ranking park visitor. I am happy to recall he was as anyone might expect if his characters are remembered. He might not have been noticed in the park at all.
Mostly, these actors were much as anyone else. They enjoyed their dog(s) and the opportunity to be in a quite place with trees and grass away from the city hustle.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dramatwist on Mar 3, 2019 14:30:55 GMT -5
...for the most part, this was my experience as a young man with well-known people... they were "just folks" and desired to be treated as such... Andy Warhol was an exception, but that's a topic for a future post...
|
|
|
|
Post by sperrytops on Mar 3, 2019 15:45:36 GMT -5
Can't wait to hear about Andy Warhol.
|
|
|
|
Post by qmechanics on Mar 3, 2019 15:59:31 GMT -5
...for the most part, this was my experience as a young man with well-known people... they were "just folks" and desired to be treated as such... Andy Warhol was an exception, but that's a topic for a future post.. Now, now as you brought it up you are required to tell us your Andy "Dandy" Warhol story or stories  |
|
|
|
Post by pepesdad1 on Mar 3, 2019 16:01:26 GMT -5
People are people...some good some bad...they all have the same ending....a dirt nap.
|
|
|
|
Post by Baboo on Mar 3, 2019 16:12:01 GMT -5
If they loved their dogs and cats, they were ok by me...
|
|
joeman
Full Member
Posts: 566
First Name: Joe
Favorite Pipe: Grabow Hillcrest
Favorite Tobacco: Sutliff Barbados Plantation
Location:
|
Post by joeman on Mar 3, 2019 16:54:36 GMT -5
I'm hoping Art was just having a day and not typically speaking to folks like that. But like the Stallone story above...sometimes they forget that aside from the path they ended up on...they're people just like those they're talking 'at'.
My dad was born in 1921, so of course I grew up watching re-runs of shows like the Honeymooners. One thing I couldn't believe when I got older was the fact that all of those episodes they did happened in ONE season. When Jackie was asked why one season...he said that they wrote episodes for all the ideas they had...and one season was all they needed. Fini.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Location:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2019 19:04:20 GMT -5
In interviews seen over the years, I can see that blustery and crusty side to Mr Carney's personality.
Regarding Honeymooners: Bus driver is a solid middle class job these days and even in 1950, I don't think it was poverty level employment, leaving Ralph and Alice to live in a 2 room walk up apartment. I always thought they got that detail wrong.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Location:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2019 19:11:14 GMT -5
The Honeymooners is like a window into a different era, much more than I Love Lucy or whatever. It's raw and realistic, and still funny as hell. It depresses a lot of people (like my mom who grew up in that era and had a father who shouted all the time like Ralph; and my wife who grew up in extreme poverty). Taken at face value, Ralph Kramden was an abusive, ignorant, misogynistic jerk. But a lot of the humor came from Alice being smarter and wiser that him. She was the real boss and always showed up Ralph for the a-hole he was. But he learned from it, apologized, and they made up every time. Just like real life.  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Location:
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2019 19:42:20 GMT -5
Art Carney, a pipe smoker. Hopefully he just had a bad day, as we’ve all had more than once in our lives.  |
|
|
|
Post by Dramatwist on Mar 3, 2019 20:15:17 GMT -5
...for the most part, this was my experience as a young man with well-known people... they were "just folks" and desired to be treated as such... Andy Warhol was an exception, but that's a topic for a future post.. Now, now as you brought it up you are required to tell us your Andy "Dandy" Warhol story or stories ...lol... I'll gather my thoughts and try to post this evening... |
|
|
|
Post by Dramatwist on Mar 4, 2019 1:08:16 GMT -5
Art Carney, a pipe smoker. Hopefully he just had a bad day, as we’ve all had more than once in our lives. I'm sure that's what it was. I hate to think of Mr. Carney as grumpy as he was that day. I still love his work and revere the man. |
|
|
|
Post by JimInks on Mar 4, 2019 4:20:33 GMT -5
Art Carney, a pipe smoker. Hopefully he just had a bad day, as we’ve all had more than once in our lives. I'm sure that's what it was. I hate to think of Mr. Carney as grumpy as he was that day. I still love his work and revere the man.
I've always heard Carney was grumpy and difficult. Your story just amplifies everything I ever heard about him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dramatwist on Mar 4, 2019 7:31:40 GMT -5
...I think back to that experience with Art Carney every so often, and I wonder if he wasn't a bit bitter about being in Jackie Gleason's shadow... to my mind, he was the more talented actor of the two... in any case, I was thrilled to meet him, grumpy as he was...
|
|
Sometimes people are sometimes never who we imagine them to be. My son who is a Surgical Tech now started his career as a Chef, went all over starting Hard Rock cafes, started one in Hollywood, He walks over to Sylvester Stallone, now he was the Chef, Stallone says I thought I told them I don’t meet no staff. This from a punk that wears 4 inch lifts , and is uglier than a dog. No class, Rocky.! 
