Monthly Archives: September 2015

An Interview With Brian Kellow, Part 2

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Yesterday, Paleo Retiree kicked off part one of our two-part interview with Sue Mengers biographer Brian Kellow. Today we conclude our conversation. We cover, among other topics, how to write a biography, Brian’s reaction to Janet Maslin’s pan … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing, Interviews, Movies | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

An Interview With Brian Kellow, Part 1

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: Yesterday I raved about Brian Kellow’s new book about the legendary Hollywood agent Sue Mengers. It’s a smart and fun biography, an informative joyride through the life of a colorful and fascinating character who peaked during the 1970s, one … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing, Interviews, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Law Without Lawyers in Ancient Greece

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Lawyers never secured a stable foothold in the societies of ancient Greece. Athenians showed little enthusiasm for the practice of law, although they enthusiastically indulged in philosophical speculations about the nature of legal systems. Indeed, they sought to … Continue reading →

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Brian Kellow’s “Can I Go Now? The Life of Sue Mengers, Hollywood’s First Superagent”

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: Like Robert Evans (who produced “The Godfather” and ran Paramount), Sue Mengers was one of the great behind-the-scenes figures of ’70s Hollywood. The agent (first at Creative Management Associates, then at ICM) for many of the era’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Archaeology at the Y

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Fenster

Fenster writes: You can tell things about your surroundings by taking a closer look at objects you’d ordinarily overlook.  I was at my local YMCA today, hanging in the lounge waiting for the end of my wife’s workout rather than … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal reflections | 6 Comments

Five Books About The Opera Business

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Eddie Pensier

Eddie Pensier writes: The Toughest Show On Earth: My Rise And Reign At the Metropolitan Opera Joseph Volpe and Charles Michener Volpe was the Met’s General Manager from 1990 to 2006. In retrospect his tenure may have been conservative, but … Continue reading →

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Naked Lady of the Week: Franchesca

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: At first glance I thought Franchesca was Spanish or Portuguese. Turns out that she, like approximately two out of every three chicks who pose nude on the internet, is Ukrainian. Is the Ukraine trading for outside … Continue reading →

Posted in Photography, Sex, The Good Life | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Juxtaposin’: Stairs

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes:

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Architects That Don’t Suck: John Gaw Meem

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: John Gaw Meem — native of Brazil, an amateur architect trained as a civil engineer — popularized the Pueblo Revival style in New Mexico. This 1992 New York Times article, which notes that Meem “married the spirit of native pueblo … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Listing Movies: 101 American Movies

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: In July the BBC published a list purporting to represent the “greatest” examples of American filmmaking. I put the key word in quotes because I’m not sure what it means. The only clarification offered by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | 23 Comments