Waldina

Today is the 138th birthday of the artist Carl Sammons. His paintings of the California North and Central Coast landscapes are his most popular. I first experienced his art sitting at the kitchen table of a fourth generation Northern Coast Californian friend of mine. She casually mentioned that her mother had commissioned the paintings when he had come through the area on one of his painting tours. The soft, muted palate and calming vistas are very pleasing and in turn, very collectible. The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

Today is the 95th birthday of the actor and comedian Don Rickles. He is quoted as saying “I always pictured myself facing the audience as the matador.” which is easily translated into almost everyone’s life: show up, give them a performance, and dodge the bull. The man was brilliant. The world was a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

This episode is also available as a blog post.

Today is the 120th birthday of the actor Gary Cooper.  You don’t have to be a fan of Westerns to be a fan of High Noon and of his.  It changed the entire genre for me and broadened my understanding.  Also, the man dated nearly every important Hollywood actress of that time, a lot of my favorites. The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

Today is the 126th birthday of silent film star Rudolph Valentino.  His rise to stardom and untimely death is as incredible as it is tragic and compelling.  He falls into the timeframe of Hollywood that I find most fascinating, I spent this morning down an internet rabbit hole looking at photos of his home.  The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

Today is the 107th birthday of the actor Tyrone Power. Witness for the Prosecution and The Razor’s Edge are my favorite films of his. The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

Today is the 92nd birthday of Audrey Hepburn.  Have you seen Charade, How to Steal a Million and Funny Face lately? Then watch Wait Until Dark and your mind will be blown. The woman is more than an actor, she makes you care for her well being. You forget that she is playing a character and you simply want to protect her. There is no surprise everyone loves her.  The world is a better place because she was in it and still feels the loss that she has left.

This episode is also available as a blog post.

Today is the 105th birthday of Dick Proenneke.  Who doesn’t love a recluse?  Especially one that is not writing a manifesto and sending letter bombs, but is simply building a log cabin in the Alaska wilderness and talking to himself.  A lot.  I will watch this series on PBS whenever it is on, it is my “Law and Order,” so to speak.  The take away from Dick’s story is that he did all this after he retired, so it is never too late to follow your dreams.  The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

Today is the 63rd birthday of the artist and activist Keith Haring. He is someone whose work you know. You have seen it everywhere from MTV in the early days to yesterday on the side of a bus. His influence and legacy are far-reaching with no visible end in sight. I remember I bought a Keith Haring shirt one summer in Traverse City Michigan, it must have been 1990. It depicted a snake getting cut in half with the words “End AIDS” running under it. I loved that shirt, it made me feel powerful and involved and it gave me a voice. The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

Today is the 82nd birthday of the actor Paul Gleason. You know him from The Breakfast Club. He has some of the most-quoted lines in the film. The world is a better place because he was in it and still feels the loss that he has left.

Thirty-seven years ago today, the film Sixteen Candles premiered. I have a fondness for any film that has John Hughes in the credits, partially because they were released at pivotal points in my life and spoke directly to my core friend group and partially because of the soundtracks. The music introduced me to bands that would become some of my favorites. You need to see this film.