Grandfather says he has from time to time discussed how his country place is a refuge in this time of troubles and that he continues to enjoy the art of our culture as it was in our heyday. So, what cultural expressions does he enjoy, exactly?
The TV comedians of that age: Jerry Lewis in the early days with Dean Martin, Johnny Carson, George Gobel, Lucy Arnaz, Red Skelton, Robin Williams, Fanny Brice, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Redd Foxx, Jonathan Winters, Victor Borge, Phyllis Diller.
Music, mostly longhair: Five of the great Requiem masses; JS Bach; Motzart; Berlioz; Verde; Brahms. Bach keyboard works, as played with great abandon by Glenn Gould on the piano, and meticulous scholarship by Gustav Leonhardt, Bach’s fifth Brandenberg concerto, Louis Couperon, Wagner Ring Cycle Belioz, Stravinsky. Others escape my aging mind, until I re-discover them as I rummage through my CDs. Same for the movies and TV series: I have CDs of them all.
And old-fashioned movies. For example, Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times; Casablanca; Shadowlands; Pretty Woman; Atonement; Toy Story; The Lion King; On Golden Pond; One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest; Five Easy Pieces; The Bridges of Madison County; Sophies Choice; 2001: A Space Odyssey; ET: The Extra Terrestrial; and Driving Miss Daisy.
And well-acted TV series (in my opinion): Gunsmoke, Upstairs Downstairs, All Creatures Great and Small (the original version), Doc Martin, Downton Abbey, Northern Exposure, The Thornbirds, and Lonesome Dove.
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About the Author: RD Blakeslee is a nonagenarian in West Virginia who built his net worth by only investing in that which can be enjoyed during acquisition and throughout life, as opposed to papers in a drawer, like stocks and bonds. You can read more about him here.
Original oil painting by: Grandfather’s wife
You included some people no longer with us. It’s a good list to be sure, but it’s missing a few!
Patrice O’Neal
Lenny Bruce
Kathleen Madigan
Sam Kinison
Lewis Black
John Mullaney
Thanks, Anna. I’m afraid the only one of yours that I recognize is Lenny Bruce.
For comedians, I loved the recently deceased Norm MacDonald.
As for movies (by decade): Terminator (80’s), Seven (90’s), The Lord of the Rings (00’s), and Inception (10’s)
Thanks for your nominations, JWP. I’m an old-time traditionalist and I didn’t choose to see many movies in my day. The only one of yours I’ve heard of is “Lord of the Rings”. I believe I’ve seen snatches of it on TV, that’s all.
I always enjoy seeing lists of other people’s favorite things.
I definitely agree on “Bridges of Madison County”. Great movie! You can’t beat Clint Eastwood.
Speaking of Clint Eastwood, I also loved everyone of his “Dirty Harry” movies and “Gran Torino”!
Thanks, Susan.
As I told JWP, I wasn’t watching many movies in midlife, so I heard of “Dirty Harry” (“Go on. Make my day”, but never watched those early Clint Eastwood movies. But I’ve become an admirer of his, for his steadfast personal and artistic integrity, which he has maintained in the face of the Hollywood culture.
One day he was playing golf with Toby Kieth, who asked him, “how do you stay so active at your age (Clint is well up into his 90s)? Clint said “I just don’t let the old man in”.
Well, that inspired Toby to write and perform a beautiful song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc5AWImplfE#action=share
Thanks for this Dave. What an eclectic and interesting list!
Since everybody is chipping in with some their favorites (keep ’em coming!) I thought I’d share a few of mine (for what it’s worth, which ain’t much).
Comedians: Jerry Lewis, George Carlin, Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles, Will Farrell, and Brian Regan.
My favorite movie(s) of all time is The Godfather trilogy.
As for music … way too many bands and artists to mention. If I steal a page from JWB and list a few of them by decade
(70s): Led Zeppelin; Jefferson Starship
(80s): Tears for Fears; Hall and Oates
(90s): Matchbox 20
(00s): Maroon V
(10s): Bad Suns; 21 Pilots
You’re welcome, Len.
Your taste goes more to the contemporary popular music than does mine Len, and the more overt comedians. Most people your age would share that with you, I think.
I know it is a holiday movie, but “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a GREAT movie that I never get tired of watching.
I have a DVD of that movie, Connie. I have long admired Jimmy Stewart. I suppose you know he piloted a B17 as it flew twenty bombing missions into Germany in WWII.
A dangerous job to be sure, but he should thank his lucky stars he wasn’t the tail gunner. That was THE most dangerous job in any Air Force.
Yes, it was.
While I have no recordings of his work, I have heard Johnny Cash sing many times on TV over the years and I’m aware of his unconventional and interesting life. “I Walk the Line” comes to mind. (Which he didn’t) 😀
A few months before he he died, he did a deeply introspective short movie, which I have on DVD:
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=i+hurt+myself+today+johnny+cash&atb=v1-1&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8AHCfZTRGiI
The local university used to broadcast the old radio shows at night. I miss them. “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows.”. Jack Benny, The Amazing Gildersleeve, Fibber McGee and Molly, and Burns and Allen too.
Art does a lot for the inner being. Expanding my mind helps clear out the dust, and cobwebs. I have been privileged to see a lot of fabulous artwork at the museums in Houston. I kept memberships at them for years. I am so ready for COVID to be over, and my fun to resume.
I like everything from what you called Long Hair to contemporary Christian music. I like the big band singers, jazz artists, and 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s pop too. I listen to a lot on YouTube.
A study showed the effects of music on the brain and behavior. Mozart’s Sonata For Two Pianos In D Major was shown to lessen anger and stress. It had a calming effect on troubled children. I read that note a few months ago, and started to listen to it when I felt really stressed. It’s done wonders for me. I highly recommend Barenboim & Argerich playing it.
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows.. Jack Benny, The Amazing Gildersleeve, Fibber McGee and Molly, and Burns and Allen too.
“From out of the paths come the thundering hoof beats of the great horse Silver! the Lone Ranger Rides again! HiYo Silver, Away”
“Who is that masked man? I dunno, but he left this-here silver bullet”.