No-one is recognised as knowing more about Hollywood and celebrities than David Hartnell MNZM. He’s not only spent a lifetime reporting on Hollywood’s trivia, gossip and scandals, but he counts many celebrities among his personal friends. Every Monday morning David will give you an exclusive weekly update on the gossip, scandals and trivia of Hollywood’s elite.
David is an award winning broadcaster and columnist he’s also the patron of The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc. Her Majesty The Queen, awarded David the Insignia of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (formerly an MBE) in the Queen’s birthday Honours list 2011. In 2012 he was made an Ambassador St James Saviours, the trust formed to save the iconic Auckland theatre. In 2014 he was made an Ambassador to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.
Visit David’s Website
Known by some as the ‘Godfather of gossip’, David Hartnell MNZM has amassed a fabulous resource of detail about Hollywood and television movies and stars throughout his long career interviewing celebrities and reporting on trivia, gossip and scandals. His knowledge ranges easily from the 1950s to the present day.
Now David has written this quiz book as a celebration of the rich variety that the movies and television have brought us over many decades, and the personalities who’ve been working in both industries. Presented in an entertaining but informative fashion, the more than 1,700 questions and answers are arranged in rounds of three, with answers close by. There are also specialty feature quizzes with questions related to a single subject, such as Oscar-winning films, Lord of the Rings, Sequels and Remakes, even TV pets. Collected trivia about celebrities and stars also feature as interesting snippets through the book. People love to be an authority on celebrities – the celebrity pages are the most popular pages of any magazine.
Whether it is used for pub quiz nights, parties or even long car trips, David Hartnell’s Celebrity Quiz Book will highlight to a wide audience the important milestones in the development of this most popular of cultures, and test how well you really know the world of entertainment.
This book will appeal to everyone who watches television or film.This is his ninth book.
Available in all good books store’s and on line, published by New Holland $19.99.;
View David Hartnell
‘Written in the stars – David’s triple celebrations‘ in the NZ Woman’s Weekly. View the article here on David’s website.
Be in to win monthly DVDs
…simply answer a question correctly, from this week’s column and you will be entered into the draw.
Question: Who played Jim Rockford in the US TV series The Rockford Files? Answer by clicking here.
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Monday 4th July
I’m not one to gossip but………………. There is nobody else like her – the last surviving star of Hollywood’s Golden Age. I’m talking about Olivia de Havilland who I’m sure you read in the press that last week turned 100!
Heres some clips and history on her extraordinary life and times in Hollywood:
Probably best known for her role as the sweet Melanie Wilkes in Gone With The Wind, Olivia de Havilland won Oscars for The Heiress and To Each His Own and starred in eight on-screen romances with Errol Flynn as well as in such films as Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, The Snake Pit, Hold Back the Dawn, and My Cousin Rachel.
Olivia was “shocked and saddened” by the death of her Oscar winning sister Joan Fontaine of Suspicion and Rebecca fame three years ago at the age of 96 even though the two had not been in touch for nearly 40 years.
It was no secret that these two film legends never got along but I found many photos online where they appeared to be on friendly terms. The one at the bottom is from the mid-70s and they are with their mother, Lillian Fontaine and are believed to be the final image of them together.
Here is Miss de Havilland in her late 80s appearing at the Academy Awards
to introduce an amazing collection of past winners.
And here, Olivia de Havilland Wins Best Actress: 1950 Oscars.
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Joanna Lumley has recalled a ‘bizarre’ encounter with Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The Absolutely Fabulous actress claims that she was asked to meet the
businessman in character as Patsy Stone after the first series of the show
aired.
She told the Hollywood Reporter: “This was years ago, this must have been in the first series when Patsy admitted that she admired Ivana Trump.
“Donald Trump heard of this, although he’d never heard of the show, never heard of us, but at a party thrown for him it was decided that I should be brought along so he could have a look at the person who admired Ivana, to whom he was no longer married.
“He’d now married Marla, but he wanted to have a look at me. It was the most bizarre thing.” Lumley revealed that she did, in fact, go along to the party but couldn’t face actually meeting Trump in character.
“Well I put on some high heels, red lipstick and put my hair up,” she said. “I went “Hello, Mr. Trump.” But I couldn’t do it as Patsy because he didn’t know who Patsy was. So I just did my gushing Joanna “hello.” It was a shocking moment.”
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Daniel Radcliffe recently revealed that he had a bizarre run-in with Trump after the first Harry Potter film was released.
Reminiscing about the odd meeting on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the British star said that he had asked spoken to Trump backstage ahead of an appearance on The Today Show.
“It was my first time in New York,” he said. “I was really nervous, 11-years-old, had never been on live TV before and was terrified.
“[Trump] was a guest on it, and presumably somebody went up to him and was like, ‘you wanna meet the kid that plays Harry Potter?’ I remember having some idea of who he was but not really a full concept.”
After explaining to Trump that he was nervous and asking for advice, he apparently told Radcliffe: “You just tell them you met Mr Trump.”
“To this day, I can’t even imagine that level of confidence,” Radcliffe added.
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Dame Judi Dench may be 81, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to start a
tattoo collection!
The legendary Oscar-winning actress got her first tattoo, the words “carpe
diem” on her wrist, as a gift from her daughter Finty.
“That’s my motto: Seize the day. Finty gave it to me for my 81st birthday –
she’s wonderful with surprises,” Judi told the Mirror newspaper. “Mind you
the company of A Winter’s Tale, which I was doing at the time, used to say
that it said fish of the day.”
“I am tempted to have a tattoo to mark my birthday. Finty’s very keen on me
having one,” Judi added. “There’s an Indian symbol that I like which
supposedly represents life and love and everything. One of the cameramen who worked on The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel told me what it meant, but I’m a bit nervous in case I’m being set up. It might be unbelievably rude!
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Built in 1927, this five-bedroom Dutch colonial home is the perfect combination of rural and city life – and an iconic piece of Amityville
architecture.
Ever heard of the Amityville Horror?
If you’re not a fan or horror or, indeed, particularly gruesome stories, it
might only ring a faint bell, so let us get you up to scratch. Based on the eponymous book, the films tell the story of a family being haunted by paranormal occurrences in their home.
The Dutch colonial home is an iconic piece of Amityville’s architecture. And they’re based on real events: on 13 November 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. killed his parents and four younger siblings in their family home.
In his police report, he claimed the ‘voices from the house’ made him do it. But that’s not where it ends – if anything, it’s where the really creepy part starts.
A year later, the Lutz family bought the home, complete with the DeFeos’ furniture, and according to the book encountered some terrifying things.
George, the father, would apparently wake up at about 3:15 every night – the time the murders happened – while his wife said she sometimes felt as if an unseen person embraced her. They’re also said to have heard demons speak, and there were droves of flies although it was winter.
After 28 days, they moved out again.
That said, not everyone had creepy occurrences; for all it’s worth, the last owners said there was no problem with the house, apart from the outside people.
Over the years, the original address at 112 Ocean Avenue has been changed to 108 Ocean Avenue, as have the iconic eye windows, to deter curious fans trying to get a peek .
Inside, the previous owners have given it just as much of an overhaul, from restoring the sagging boathouse to turning the five bedrooms into a welcoming, un-creepy home.
It even has access to the creek, with a porch, boat slips and a boathouse. Boasting 11 rooms in total, the stately property also features 3.5 bathrooms, a generously sized eat-in kitchen and a large, formal dining room, also used as a family and living room, with a functioning fireplace.
The ground floor benefits from large, floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in plenty of sunlight and offering unobstructed views over the property’s 11,850 square foot lot – complete with access to boat slips on the neighbouring creek.
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Caitlyn Jenner wears a gold look on the cover of Sports Illustrated,
celebrating her successful Olympic run forty years ago.
Here’s what the 66-year-old reality star had to share:
On winning the Olympics vs her life today: “Sports. It’s not real life. You go out there, you work hard, you train your ass off, win the Games. I’m very
proud of that part of my life. And it’s not like I just want to throw it out. It’s part of who I am. What I’m dealing with now, this is about who you are as a human being. What did I do for the world in 1976, besides maybe getting a few people to exercise a little bit? I didn’t make a difference in the world.”
On her body at the time of the Olympics: “It disgusted me. I was big and
thick and masculine. The rest of the world thought it was this Greek god
kind of body. I hated it. But it’s what I was given, so I just tried to do
the best I could with it.”
On Bruce: “I loved Bruce. I still love him today. I like what he did and the
way he set an example for hard work and dedication. I’m proud of that part
of my life. But this woman was living inside me, all my life, and it reached the point where I had to let her live and put Bruce inside. And I am happier, these last 12 months, than I’ve ever been in my life.”
For more from Caitlyn, visit SI.com.
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Here are the 2017 celebrities that are getting their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In the category of MOTION PICTURES:
Amy Adams, Jason Bateman, Goldie Hawn, Dwayne Johnson, Chris Pratt, Brett Ratner, Ryan Reynolds, George A. Romero, Mark Ruffalo and Rita Wilson
In the category of TELEVISION:
Tyra Banks, Andre Braugher, Ken Corday, Lee Daniels, Hugh Laurie, Eva Longoria, Wolfgang Puck, Keri Russell, Haim Saban, George Segal, Sarah Silverman and Jeffrey Tambor
In the category of RECORDING:
Clarence Avant, Jerry Goldsmith (posthumous), Hall & Oates, Ice Cube, John Legend, *NSYNC, New Edition and Selena Quintanilla (posthumous)
In the category of RADIO:
Elvis Duran
In the category of LIVE THEATRE/LIVE PERFORMANCE:
Criss Angel, Jeff Dunham and Gustavo Dudamel
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Liev Schreiber gets up close and personal on the cover of Esquire magazine’s new issue.
Here’s what the 48-year-old Ray Donovan star had to share:
On meeting his partner Naomi Watts; “She said, ‘What are you doing later
on-you want to go dancing?’ And I was like, yeah. So I went down to this club that she told me to meet her at, and of course she was there with Sean Penn and Benecio del Toro, and I’m kind of standing around like a bump on a
log, waiting for my turn. I think I was nervous, and I felt very embarrassed
being there, and self-conscious, because all these movie stars were hovering, and I felt awkward and out of my element. And I wasn’t going to make a good impression. So I said, ‘I’m sorry, but I gotta go home.’ She chased me outside and said, ‘Don’t you want my digits?'”
On the greatest thing he’s ever done: “I remember [skydiving] profoundly.
Being on the plane and edging toward the open door and thinking, ‘What the
hell am I doing?’ – every instinct in my body saying ‘Get away from this’ – and then I said to myself, ‘No, it’s OK. I’m gonna die.’ And then I jumped and it was the greatest thing I’ve ever done.”
For more from Liev, visit Esquire.com
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The actor, who is most famous for playing Sean Tully in the ITV soap Coronation Street said he was “absolutely gutted” not to be reprising the role of Damon for the new film version of the comedy.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, the 40-year-old said he was “thrilled” to be written into the movie; however he was forced to pull out of the shoot due to Corrie commitments.
Antony commented: “I was supposed to be [in the Ab Fab picture] but I
couldn’t get the dates to work.”
The soap star continued: “Jennifer [Saunders] very kindly wrote me into the script and I had three days filming. Coronation Street was very good to say that I could go and do it, but the dates just couldn’t work. It all changed.
By Jessica Farnshow Express
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Ellen DeGeneres isn’t banning Donald Trump from her daytime talk show even if she considers him to be a ‘bully.’
‘Sure, I’d have him on the show,’ she tells ABC News while promoting her blockbuster animated film Finding Dory.
‘I don’t think he’d do the show but I would have him on.’ Asked what Trump represents to her DeGeneres was calm but did not mince words: ‘He’s a bully. He represents a bully.
‘He can deny that but I think anybody that looks up the definition of a bully (will see that). He says, “Oh, I just attack back. If someone attacks me I’m gonna attack back.”‘
DeGeneres has recently welcomed Hillary Clinton onto the show and President Barack Obama several times but she insists her opinion of Trump is not based on partisan politics.
‘I’m not saying anything about Republicans – I’m not anti-Republican, I’m not anti anything. I’m pro human being. I just don’t like bullies.’
Back in 2008 DeGeneres welcomed then-Republican presidential nominee John McCain as a guest on her show and gently confronted him on gay marriage.
But 2012 Republican hopeful Mitt Romney never appeared and DeGeneres had said publicly she thought it would be ‘very scary’ if Romney were to win.
Both men lost to Obama.
Trump is now the presumptive Republican nominee expected to face off against Clinton in November.
*………………….. Until next week my lips are sealed!
David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2016
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Monday 27th June
I’m not one to gossip but…………………… Here’s a special update on Thursday June 3o! The 2016 Church Tour presents four legendary New Zealand songwriters, recording artists, and performers together on stage in a unique concert collaboration: Sharon O’Neill, Shona Laing, Debbie Harwood & Hammond Gamble.
Their songs are part of the national lexicon, songs that they will revisit in the stunning environs of some of the country’s most beautiful churches and cathedrals. The shows are sure to be full of not just wonderful music, but stories, banter, and a whole lot of laughter.
While all four artists have worked with each other previously in various capacities – Sharon, Shona, and Debbie all performed together as part of the Auckland Zoo series in 2015, and Debbie features as a vocalist on Hammond’s last two albums – the Church Tour will be the first time that the four have shared the stage together.
One of the most prolific and respected writers of her generation, Sharon O’Neill first caught the attention of CBS Records in 1979, quickly becoming the darling of early 80s pop in New Zealand. Sharon has penned some of the biggest and most well-known hits in New Zealand music history including Words, Asian Paradise, Let Love Go, and the iconic Maxine.
Shona Laing signed to Phonogram at just 17 years old, a phenomena the likes of which New Zealand had not see before. She was named ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Recording Artist of the Year’ in 1973 as a result of the overwhelming success of the singles 1905 and Show Your Love (both Gold). Perhaps best known for the smash hit single (Glad I’m) Not a Kennedy, which was voted No. 24 in the Top 100 NZ Songs Of All Time in 2001, Shona has forged a reputation as one of the hardest working artists in New Zealand music.
As a member of some of our nation’s favourite bands, including “When the Cat’s Away”, Debbie Harwood has accumulated a stack of awards including ‘Most Promising Female Vocalist’ in 1985 and ‘Most Promising Group’ in 1987. Debbie will draw from an extensive back catalogue for the Church Tour shows, but also promises to debut new material, currently being recorded at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios.
Hammond Gamble is a long-time fixture on New Zealand’s live music scene, his distinctive vocals and guitar prowess have fired a career that has now spanned more than four decades. Renowned for his soulful blues-inspired performances, the charismatic singer-songwriter is also recording new material which will be showcased on the Church Tour, along with the songs we know and love.
And as always with the Church Tour, the spectacular venues and their stunning acoustics will bring an extra dimension of magic.
Promoters Brent Eccles and Campbell Smith are delighted with the line-up for the Tour in 2016, with Eccles saying that concert-goers should prepare themselves for an exceptional night out.
“The Church tour has a tradition of bringing out spine tingling collaborative & individual performances and I can already feel that this year is going to be exceptional in that way”.
Making nine stops in seven cities across the country, the 2016 Church Tour will be delighting audiences and sending them home with golden memories this September. Tickets are on sale from www.ticketmaster.co.nz and www.churchtour.co.nz from midday Monday July 11th.
SEPTEMBER
Tuesday 20 Napier St Johns
Thursday 22 Hamilton Chapel of Christ the King
Friday 23 Auckland Holy Trinity Cathedral
Saturday 24 Tauranga Holy Trinity
Monday 26 Wellington Old St Pauls
Tuesday 27 Wellington Old St Pauls
Thursday 29 Dunedin Knox Church
Friday 30 Christchurch St Michael & All Angels
OCTOBER
Saturday 1 Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral
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Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders tell Graham Norton that they didn’t initially hit it off and their first meeting was extremely awkward.
Joanna Lumley had reservations about doing Absolutely Fabulous and did not ‘hit it off’ immediately with her co-star Jennifer Saunders, she has said.
The actress, best known for playing Patsy Stone, told of the awkwardness of
the first script read-through with Jennifer for the show’s pilot.
The BBC sitcom first broadcast in 1992, introducing viewers to Jennifer’s PR character, Edina Monsoon, and her boozy magazine editor friend, Patsy.
Joanna told Graham Norton: “It was very awkward at the read-through. It was just the two of us and she just stared at me. I told my agent I didn’t want to do it and she said, ‘It’s just a pilot, just do it.'”
Jennifer added that initially Joanna was not ‘what I had in mind for Patsy’.”I saw her as a low-life journalist,” she said. “But Joanna brought so much more to the role and we had fun inventing the character.”
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie will be released on July 1 and features a number of big-name celebrity cameos from the likes of Kate Moss and Mad Men’s Jon Hamm. Jennifer said: “The funny thing was I had sold the idea of the movie
to the studio and the BBC and then realised I hadn’t actually asked Kate. Luckily she said yes and was really cool about it.”
Graham with all of his celebrity guests (Ian West) Australian actress Rebel Wilson, who also has a cameo in the film, said she wrote a letter to Jennifer begging her for a part. She told Graham Norton: “I had hoped to be Patsy’s long-lost child – the one she forgot she’d had!”
American singer Iggy Pop, 69, spoke about retiring, saying: “I will step back at some point. Another album would be a big undertaking from an old git like me!”
That episode airs here on Friday this week.
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For eight years, Sean Hayes played one of the most openly gay characters on television. But during the 1998-2006 run of NBC’s Will & Grace, the actor refused to discuss his own sexuality.
It’s something the now completely out and proud actor wishes he had handled differently.
‘I had personal issues inside of myself that I regret,’ the 45-year-old admits to Playbill programme magazine.
‘I regret not coming out sooner and helping more people, and I regret not
coming out during the show.’
Hayes had been out since his teens to all who knew him but when fame came, there was suddenly pressure to also share this news with the world. He simply wasn’t ready.
‘I got Will & Grace, and I thought, “Oh, this is different. I don’t know how to handle this. I’m not bright enough, I’m not quick enough, I don’t have the DNA to be a spokesperson for any kind of group of people.”‘
When he landed the iconic role of flamboyant and hilarious Jack McFarland, Hayes had just become known for his role as a gay filmmaker in the independent movie Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss.
‘Everybody in the gay community knew I was gay, but it was this fight I had with the press because they want you to come out on their terms, and other gay people want you to come out on their terms, and if you don’t come out on their terms you’re just an asshole, and you’re wrong,’ he says. ‘Well, each individual human being has a lot of stuff that nobody knows
about. Nobody knows what anybody else is going through at any point in their lives.’
Hayes married Scott Icenogle in 2014 after eight years as a couple. He is currently starring on Broadway in the play An Act of God and is a busy television producer with such credits as Hot in Cleveland, Grimm and Hollywood Game Night.
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Jayne Mansfield’s Pink Palace Set the Bar for Over-the-Top Celebrity Homes. The Hollywood bombshell’s legendary home was known for its heart-shaped pool built by husband Mickey Hargitay. …….And lots and lots of pink.
Long before we were talking about Kim and Kanye’s backyard vineyard or Lady Gaga’s bowling alley, screen siren Jayne Mansfield was making news with ostentatious home in Los Angeles, the aptly-named “Pink Palace.” Mansfield
bought the seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom Spanish Colonial in 1957, and then-husband Mickey Hargitay (parents of actress Mariska Hargitay) built her a heart-shaped pool with “I Love You Jaynie” spelled out in gold mosaic tile.
Not one inch of the home was left undecorated, and standout features include a bathroom with a heart-shaped tub and ceiling-to-floor pink shag carpeting, a balcony that overlooked white grand piano, and an outdoor fireplace (one of seven) with heart-shaped stone work.
After Mansfield and then-husband Sam Brody died in a car accident in 1967, it is reported that Hargitary refused to return to the Pink Palace. In the years that followed, the Pink Palace was occupied by several different owners, including celebrities Ringo Starr, Cass Elliot of the Mamas and Papas, and Englebert Humperdink, who claims that the ghost of Mansfield had appeared to him in the home, Hollywood.com reports. There were several other unexplained occurrences tied to the home, including the claim that after Starr had the house repainted white several times, the pink colour would mysteriously seep through.
The house was demolished in 2002 by its new owners, but it will always live
on in Hollywood (and decor) legend.
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As grumpy Eric Pollard on the British TV soapie Emmerdale, his personal life
has been far from smooth sailing.
But in real-life, soap star Chris Chittell couldn’t be happier after tying the knot with his co-star Lesley Dunlop in Cornwall.
Hundreds of miles away from the Yorkshire Dales, the couple wed in an
intimate ceremony in the coastal village of Coverack.
Mother-of-two Lesley, 60, was a blushing bride in an off-white gown as she
joined her dashing groom, 68, at St Peter’s Church.
Lesley completed her bridal style with a garland of flowers and a veil on
her head, with Victorian-esque lace ankle boots.
Meanwhile, the groom wore a beige three-piece suit, a blue shirt and teal
suede shoes.
It’s the second marriage for Chris, who was previously wed for 26 years to Caroline Hunt before splitting in 2005, while Lesley has two daughters with ex-partner Christopher Guard.
Chris and Lesley started dating soon after she joined the soap in 2008 and announced their engagement last year. In an interview four years ago, Chris spoke about working with his real-life partner, who plays Brenda Walker.
He told the Daily Record: ‘It was weird. Somehow we’d never met before and we just kept bumping into each other at work.
‘I can’t even remember if I asked her for a date or she asked me but she is wonderful and we’re very happy.
‘For some people, working together would be a nightmare but we love it. We make a point of not talking about Emmerdale when we’re at home, though – that would be just too sad, wouldn’t it?
‘And we do get strange looks when we’re out sometimes. You can see people getting confused.’
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Angelina Jolie, 41, recently opened up about her children in an interview
with BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, and revealed that none of them are leaning towards following in their parents’ acting footsteps.
“None of my kids want to be actors,” Angelina said. “They are actually very
interested in being musicians. I think they like the process of film from
the outside. Mad is interested in editing. Pax loves music and deejaying.”
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Nicole Kidman stars in a short film for Etihad Airways shot on one of the
airline’s luxury planes using a 360 degree virtual reality camera.
The video gives people the chance to experience what a flight from New York
to Abu Dhabi is like and you get to see all of the different classes on the
plane, from economy to the super luxurious suites that Nicole is seen staying in.
“Some things need to be experienced, not explained,” Shane O’Hare, SVP of
Marketing for Etihad, told Adweek about the video. “You don’t explain the
taste of a meal at a high-end restaurant or the feel of good linen in a five-star hotel bedroom. In the same way, our incredible A380 product cannot adequately be described by words alone, or by traditional film, or even by 3-D film alone. It has to be experienced. Virtual reality allowed us to make
that experience real for viewers.”
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It sounds like the beginnings of a mid-century romance novel: Once upon a time in 1945, Transylvania-born photographer Andre de Dienes was looking for a muse.
He had briefly moved to Hollywood from New York City in search of a model
willing to pose for his experimental nude projects. And it was only after
many unsuccessful calls to modeling agencies that a girl named Norma Jean Baker walked into his life.
Baker had reportedly been camping out at Blue Book Modelling Agency’s office, laser-focused on jump-starting a career in Hollywood, so they sent her over.
A mere 19 years old, Baker was described by de Dienes in a memoir as a “miracle” that happened to him and a “sexy looking angel.” See the photos and continue reading at Huffington Post.
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Hollywood actress Lupe Velez was known as the tempestuous “Mexican Spitfire” and she lived up to her name both on and off the screen. The petite Latin beauty was a very familiar personality in Hollywood’s social scene back in the thirties.
From 1933 to 1938 she was married to Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller. In 1944 she was pregnant and up to her ears in debt when she decided to end it all at the age of 34. After finishing a good spicy Mexican meal, she dressed herself in the best evening gown she owned in her favourite colour silver. Then she lay down on a couch that was surrounded by fresh flowers and candles splaying out her gown and taking on a pose like something you’d see in a fashion magazine, and swallowed an entire bottle of strong sleep pills.
Her plan was to be found in a state of serene and peaceful beauty. But the red-hot Mexican spices and the sleeping pills just didn’t mix, she got up and staggered to the toilet, slipped on the tiles and fell headfirst into the toilet bowl – and drowned! Believe me, this was not the way she’d planned to be found.
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HEAR HEAR!
A BEST OF BRITISH MUSICAL FANFARE TO CELEBRATE THE QUEEN’S 90th!
Auckland Live and Auckland Symphony Orchestra present Last Night of the Proms – Performed by Auckland Symphony Orchestra & Stellar Singers
It’s the Queen’s 90th birthday and Auckland’s Symphony Orchestra is to celebrate in true British style! Last Night of the Proms serves up the best of British music on Saturday 2nd July at the Bruce Mason Centre, and at the stunning Auckland Town Hall on Sunday 3rd July.
Last Night of the Proms’ jolly good musical selection is conducted by Peter
Thomas and features over 150 performers including Celtic dancers and
bagpipers, with organist Philip Smith, solo cellist Sarah Spence, and
Auckland choir Stellar Singers, all performing in Last Night of the Proms for the first time.
Performed by the acclaimed Auckland Symphony Orchestra, this concert will take you on a musical journey of British pomp and ceremony that would make Her Majesty proud. Last Night of the Proms has become a popular annual event
on the Auckland music calendar, with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra – along with various collaborating artists, enlivening audiences for the past 16 years.
Musical Director of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra Peter Thomas has led a fruitful career in music, with colleagues describing him as ‘visionary’ and ‘a natural born leader’. Thomas has worked with a variety of orchestras in NZ and internationally, either during master classes or as a guest conductor.
“Every year I look forward to this lively evening. It’s a fantastic feeling for everyone on stage to see the audience joining in and singing along to some of Britain’s most iconic music.” – Peter Thomas
The evening’s repertoire brings together much loved popular and classical concert hits from the soaring ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ through to the rousing ‘Rule Britannia’, as well as iconic British pop and cinema favourites.
Last year’s performances saw audiences raving about the buoyant atmosphere and top quality musicianship.
“Fabulous!! The entire orchestra was exceptional.”
“I sang till my throat was sore!”
“Loved every minute and wonderful to go home smiling”
Polish your tiara, practise your royal wave, and get ready to toast Old Blighty at Last Night of The Proms!
Last Night of the Proms
Sat 2 July, 7.30pm Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna
Sun 3 July, 5.30pm Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall
Tickets: Adult $59.90*, Senior $49.90*, Groups 6+ $54.90*, Family of four $199.80*+ *Service fees apply.+ Family two adults and two children or one adult and three children.
Tickets from Ticketmaster
Duration: 2.5 hours including interval
For more info visit aucklandlive.co.nz or call 0800 111 999
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P.G. Wodehouse’s JEEVES AND WOOSTER in Perfect Nonsense
Written by The Goodale Brothers
AWARD-WINNING WEST END COMEDY JEEVES AND WOOSTER BRING SOME ‘PERFECT NONSENSE’ TO WELLINGTON
St James Theatre, Wellington from 8 – 11 September
Producer’s pre-sale starts today
On sale to general public 1 July
Following a sell-out year on London’s West End, three successful UK tours
and a season in Mumbai, the charmingly incompetent English gentleman Bertie Wooster and his unflappable valet Jeeves are packing their bags for a trip to Wellington. The iconic double act will be appearing in Perfect Nonsense for a strictly limited season at the St James Theatre from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 September.
The producer’s pre-sale starts today. Tickets go on sale via Ticketek on Friday, 1 July.
Winner of Best New Comedy at London’s 2014 Olivier Awards, the highly acclaimed comedy Perfect Nonsense layers joy on joy and joke on joke in a hilarious evening of theatrical absurdity.
Bertie Wooster, the dim-witted, calamity-prone English toff, and his suave, shrewd manservant and solver of all problems – Jeeves, were the most famous creations of renowned English author P. G. Wodehouse. They first appeared
in 1915, and thereafter in a total of 35 short stories and 11 novels recounting their hilarious escapades, making their final appearance in 1974 in Wodehouse’s last completed novel ‘Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen’.
Perfect Nonsense is based on and adapted from Wodehouse’s literary works, and is written by brothers Robert and David Goodale.
When a country house weekend takes a turn for the worse, Bertie Wooster is unwittingly called on to play matchmaker and also to steal a silver cow-shaped cream jug from Totleigh Towers. Naturally, the ever-dependable Jeeves is there to save the day and prevent Bertie from making a fool of himself.
The supremely talented cast of three – Joseph Chance as Jeeves, Matthew Carter as Wooster and actor/writer Robert Goodale as Seppings the butler – recounts the weekend’s escapades in an evening of raucous comedy, playing a
colourful array of Wodehouse’s well-loved characters including Gussie Fink-Nottle, Madeline Bassett, Sir Watkin Bassett, Aunt Dahlia, Roderick Spode and Constable Oates.
Producer James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, said “Jeeves and Wooster are some of the funniest characters in English literature, and are brilliantly brought to life on stage in this hilarious play – which earned outstanding reviews across the London media. It is all delightfully dotty, and a perfect dose of silliness and frivolity to transport you to another world.”
Though born in England, P.G. Wodehouse spent the first two years of his life in Hong Kong, where his parents lived, his father a magistrate. He later worked for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank in London for two years before becoming a full-time writer.
From 1902 until his death in 1975 aged 93, Wodehouse was a prolific writer of short stories, novels, scripts for both plays and Hollywood films, as well as lyrics for musical comedies – at one time he had five musicals running simultaneously on Broadway.
Jeeves and Wooster have become world-famous fictional characters, appearing in film, television and stage adaptations, most notably the British TV series ‘JEEVES AND WOOSTER’ starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie respectively. Both the name and character of Jeeves have over the years become known as the quintessential name for a valet or butler, and for all things associated with the role of a gentleman’s gentleman.
Perfect Nonsense stars three acclaimed actors from London’s West End. Joseph Chance has performed in numerous Shakespeare productions, including seasons with the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Company. Matthew Carter has
also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, has appeared in the West End’s longest-running play The Mousetrap, and his film and television credits include Wallander and The Bill. As well as co-writing Perfect Nonsense, Robert Goodale is an experienced Shakespearean actor with numerous Royal Shakespeare Company roles to his credit, as well as film and TV appearances, including Midsomer Murders, The Bill, Heartbeat, Foyle’s War and Holby City.
With clever and inventive staging, in the intimate setting of the Drama Theatre, Perfect Nonsense is laugh-out-loud funny, capturing the eccentricity and innocence of a bygone English era.
Original Director – Sean Foley. Adapted by The Goodale Brothers. Perfect Nonsense is produced by Mark Goucher and Mark Rubinstein and presented in Australia by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions.
“Devour every last drop of this Wooster sauce with relish”
Tim Walker, Sunday Telegraph, UK
“Just go… Besiege the box office!”
Libby Purves, Radio 4 and theatrecat.com, UK
*London Evening Standard
“P.G. Wodehouse would have loved this production”
Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, UK
“An inventive evening of bonkers comedy”
Quentin Letts, Daily Mail, UK
“Hilarious!”
Daily Express, UK
Ticketing information
JEEVES AND WOOSTER in Perfect Nonsense
Venue: St James Theatre,
Wellington
Performance Dates: Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 September
Ticket Prices: From $69.90
*
The thrills are multiplying. Grease is the word this spring — It’s ELECTRIFYING
. 25 cities nationwide
. 40 performances
. The biggest jukebox musical ever
Tickets on sale now
Get out your leather jackets and pull on your bobby socks with Rydell High’s senior class of 1959.
The producer of HMS Pinafore, Buddy, The Pirates of Penzance and South Pacific, Ben McDonald Productions brings you GREASE the musical.
Featuring all those unforgettable songs from the movie, and dazzling costumes, GREASE is the original High-School musical, featuring all the unforgettable songs from the hit movie including You’re The One That I Want, Grease Is The Word, Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Sandy, Greased Lightnin’ and many more.
Packed with explosive energy, this high-octane rock ‘n’ roll party is ready to rumble through 25 New Zealand cities from Kerikeri to Invercargill and play some 40 times in what will be an ELECTRIFYING tour.
Since the show’s Broadway premiere in 1972, followed by the 1978 hit movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John — which went on to become the highest grossing movie-musical of all time — GREASE has triumphed across the globe, striking a universal chord with its irresistible mix of adolescent angst, vibrant physicality and 1950s pop culture.
Set in 1959 at Rydell High School, GREASE follows 10 working-class kids as they navigate the complexities of love, cars, and drive-ins. Danny Zuko, the hot Greaser, falls in love with the wholesome and pure Sandy Dumbrowski and when their worlds collide, it’s a-wella-wella-umph!
Then there’s Rizzo, the tough and sarcastic leader of the Pink Ladies, whose world turns upside down when she thinks she’s pregnant; Frenchy, the ditzy beauty school dropout; and Vince Fontaine, the egotistical, slimy radio disc jockey trying to relive his teenage years.
So throw your mittens around your kittens and hand-jive the night away with the show that’ll make you want to stand up and shout, ‘A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop A-wop-bam-boom!’
Be there or be square!!!
Month Date City & Time Venue Tickets
Nov 3 Takapuna – Gala – Red Carpet Bruce Mason Centre
Ticketmaster
4 Takapuna – Opening Night – 8pm Bruce Mason Centre
Ticketmaster
5 Hamilton – 8pm Claudelands Arena Ticketek
6 Kerikeri – 8pm The Centre The Centre
7 Whangarei – 8pm Forum North Ticketek
8 Tauranga – 8pm Baycourt Ticketek
9 Tauranga – 8pm Baycourt Ticketek
10 Gisborne – 8pm War Memorial Hall
12 Taupo – 8pm Great Lake Centre Ticketek
13 Kapiti – 8pm Southwards Ticketek
15 Rangiora – 8pm Town Hall Ticketek
16 Timaru – 8pm Theatre Royal Ticketek
Nov 17 Oamaru – 8pm Opera House Ticketdirect
18 Christchurch – 8pm Isaac Theatre Royal Ticketek
19 Christchurch 4pm and 8pm Isaac Theatre Royal Ticketek
21 Nelson – 8pm Theatre Royal Ticketdirect
22 Nelson – 8pm Theatre Royal Ticketdirect
23 Blenheim – 8pm ASB Theatre Ticketdirect
24 Ashburton – 8pm Event Centre Ticketdirect
25 Gore – 8pm SBS St James Theatre www.iticket.co.nz
26 Invercargill – 8pm Civic Theatre Ticketdirect
27 Dunedin – 8pm Regent Ticketdirect
29 Palmerston North – 8pm Regent Theatre Ticketdirect
30 Carterton – 8pm Event Centre Eventfinda
Dec 1 Napier – 8pm Municipal Ticketek
2 Wellington – 8pm Opera House Ticketek
3 Wanganui – 8pm Opera House RWOH
4 New Plymouth – 8pm TSB Showplace Ticketek
6 Rotorua – 8pm HMPAC Ticketmaster
Dec 7 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
8 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
9 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
10 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
11 Auckland 4pm and 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
13 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
14 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
15 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
16 Auckland – 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
17 Auckland 4pm and 8pm Sky City Ticketmaster
………………….. Until next week my lips are sealed!
David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2016
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Monday 20th June
I’m not one to gossip but…………………… TV favourites Ant and Dec are out of contract at the end of the year and bosses are desperately trying to get the Geordies to sign a new deal.
Ant and Dec’s talk over a bumper new contract are being held up – because
they are not sure if they want to remain as host of Britain’s Got Talent.
They may eventually be handed a £30 million deal over three years but one of the main hurdles is whether they remain as front-men of Cowell’s programme.
A source said: “The pair are threatening to quit BGT which jeopardises the
current BGT renewal negotiations with ITV.
“They have fronted BGT for 10 years now and are looking at their options
Sources say that their relationship with bud Simon Cowell, 56, has come under pressure and that could influence their decision.
It comes soon after ITV chiefs offered Ant and Dec, who become famous after appearing on 80’s kids show Byker Grove, a new deal worth a bumper £30 million over three years. The network’s most popular presenters currently earn £8.4 million a year between them. Bosses – determined to keep them – began negotiations earlier this year.
The new three-year offer would see the Geordie duo earn an annual £5 million each, and would ensure they remain on their hit shows, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, Britain’s Got Talent and Saturday Night Takeaway.
An industry source said at the time: “The deal isn’t up until later in the year, but rest assured the bosses aren’t standing by letting it just run out – they’re already considering their options.
“It goes without saying they’re a huge part of ITV’s schedule and nobody wants to see them walk away, so they’re planning a new deal which will be very tempting for them.
“The conversations are coming over the next few months so they’re working on their offer well in advance to make sure it all goes smoothly.”
A spokesperson for Ant and Dec said: “Their ITV contract is up at the end of the year, so everything will depend on if they re-sign.”
By Janine Yaqb
*
Prince Harry has written a letter to the Mayor of Orlando, Buddy Dyer, to express his sympathy and support to those affected by the horrible tragedy in Orlando on June 12.
Here’s what the 31-year-old royal had to say:
“Dear Mayor Dyer, I wanted to write and express my most sincere condolences to the people of Orlando after the horrific attack on the Pulse nightclub on Sunday,” Harry expressed (via People). “Having just spent time in Orlando I know what a warm and welcoming community it is. In spite of this senseless act, I have no doubt that the love and friendship of your city will remain strong.
“I would also like to pass on my deepest admiration to the law enforcement
officers who attended the nightclub during the attack for their extraordinary bravery and professionalism. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones at this most difficult of times. You are all in our prayers as you face the days and weeks ahead. Best wishes, Harry.”
Orlando helped Harry host his 2016 Invictus Games back in May.
*
British screen legend Michael Caine has blasted the gender pay gap debate
in Hollywood. Several A-list women film stars claim they are paid far less
than men.
But Sir Michael said: “It’s rubbish. I worked with Elizabeth Taylor and she
got 10 times more than I did – and that was over 30 years ago.
“I don’t agree about the pay gap because she got a lot more money than me.”
In 1972, the pair starred in X, Y & Zee. Caine played an architect whose wife (Taylor) goes to extremes to get revenge on him and his mistress.
Double Oscar winner Michael’s comments come after Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson and Salma Hayek have spoken out about being paid less than their male co-stars.
Hacked emails from Sony Pictures revealed Lawrence earned significantly less than the leading men in the film American Hustle
When Patricia Arquette collected her Oscar for best supporting actress last year, she said: “To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s time to have wage equality once and for all.”<