January 27th - January 31st
Friday January 27th
One of the world’s most famous composers, Mozart, would have been 250 years old today. Even two centuries later, his music and his legend still resonate. Considered by many to be a child prodigy, gifted with extraordinary talent by God, his compositions are some of the most recognizable. There is even an unproven scientific theory known as the “Mozart Effect” which states that children who listen to Mozart as babies will develop a higher IQ. On this momentous occasion, I am writing to five contemporary people closely connected with Mozart and his music.
Milos Forman
Mozart was famous for over two centuries, but it took an Academy Award winning film (based on an award winning Broadway play) to bring him to the masses in the 1980’s. Academy Award winning Czechloslovakian director Milos Forman (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) brought Mozart to life in the somewhat truthful biography “Amadeus” staring Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham. Since then, Forman has directed films like “The People Vs. Larry Flynt” and “Man on the Moon” which also portray misunderstood figures.
YoYo Ma
A world famous French-Chinese-American cellist, Mr. Ma is considered one of the best musicians in the world. He has played all types of music, from bluegrass to Mozart, and appeared on a variety of TV shows from “The west Wing” to “Sesame Street.”
Itzhak Perlman
An Israeli violinist and teacher, Perlman overcame a polio disability to gain acclaim as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century. Even people who don’t follow classical music know his name. He received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in 2003.
James Levine
One of the finest conductors in the world, and an expert on Mozart, Mr. Levine was in charge of the Metropolitan Opera for years, and now conducts the Boston Symphony. He also conducted the orchestra for Walt Disney’s “Fantasia 2000.”
Sir Neville Marriner
Originally a violinist in the London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Marriner is the founder of the Academy of St. Martin In the Fields and was the conductor for the soundtrack of the film “Amadeus.”
Saturday January 28th
A record was just broken in New York City, as Billy Joel added his twelfth consecutive concert at Madison Square Garden. I’ve always been a fan of his (playing his albums non-stop during high school) but I wasn’t fast enough to buy a ticket for his show. The next best thing is to write him a letter telling him how much I admire him.
Billy Joel
Author of a staggering number of pop hit songs, Billy Joel is still going strong thirty years later. His most famous song, “Piano Man” is instantly recognizable from the first few bars. He’s sold over 100 million albums and is a member of both the songwriters and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Sunday January 29th
Happy New Year! No I’m not 28 days late, this is the start of the the Chinese New Year 4703. Each year is named for an animal, and 4703 (2006) is the year of the dog. To honor that, I’ve decided to write to some of the most famous “dog” related Americans.
Benji (Joe Camp)
Since Lassie has retired, Benji is the most famous dog in Hollywood. I remember seeing the first Benji movie in the 1970’s, and one was just released last year. I’d love to write to Benji, but I don’t think I’ll get much of a response, so I’m writing to his trainer, Joe Camp, who launched Benji’s career thirty years ago.
Frank Welker
The current voice of Scooby Doo, the most famous cartoon dog in TV history, Welker started out as Fred on that series and replaced the original Scooby voice, Don messick, when he died. Welker is alegend in the voice-over world and can be heard on thousands of cartoons.
Howard M. Lorber
Hot dogs are an American tradition, invented in 1870 by a German immigrant, Charles feltman. One of his employees, Nathan Handwerker, opened his own restaurant on Coney Island in th early 20th Century. Nathan’s is still the preeminent hot dog brand, and the current CEO, Mr. Lorber, is continuing that fine tradition.
Calvin (Snoop Dog) Broadus
A rapper, record producer and actor, Snoop Dogg is one of the most successful people in show business. His unique style of speaking (“fo-shnizzle my nizzle) has even entered mainstream culture. He even has his own channel on XM Satellite radio.
Michael O’Higgins
Michael B. O'Higgins is CEO of his own money management firm, O'Higgins Asset Management, Inc., based in Miami, which was recently rated the number one new fund by Smart Money and number five by the Wall Street Journal. He is an oft-quoted expert and is most famous for his financial system, “Dogs Of the Dow“ His theory of investing states that the 10 highest dividend paying Dow Jones Industrial Average components have consistently beaten the Dow by wide margins with below average risk.
Tracy Paige Johnson
The creator and voice of one of my son’s favorite characters, and one of the most popular in TV history, Blue the dog from “Blues Clues.” This show has been running nonstop on Nickelodeon for ten years, and shows no signs of fading away.
Monday January 30th
Last night the Screen Actors Guild Awards were held (I am a voting member) and the biggest upset of the evening came when “Crash” was announced as best picture (technically “best ensemble cast”.) This thought provoking film, which examines the way racial stereotypes affect all of our lives, was, in my opinion, the best film of 2005. I’m writing to the film’s director and co-producer (who also played a lead role onscreen) to congratulate them.
Paul Haggis
Though he’s been around Hollywood for a while (winning Emmys as a writer and producer of “thirtysomething”) Haggis gained acclaim last year as the writer of “Million Dollar Baby”, which won Best Picture. His follow up effort was to direct “Crash.” He’s currently working as writer and producer on a film about the battle of Iwo Jima called “Flags of Our Fathers”, directed by Clint Eastwood (who directed “Million Dollar Baby”) Haggis’ next directorial effort is the 2006 release “Honeymoon With Harry”
Don Cheadle
An amazing actor, Cheadle has played everything from a cockney thief in “Oceans 11” to Sammy Davis Jr. in “The Rat Pack.” He is so well respected in Hollywood that when he asked A list actors like Sandra Bullock and Matt Dillon to take minimum salaries to do his film “Crash” they agreed. His efforts paid off in a magnificent film.
Tuesday January 31st
Today is one of my favorite days of the year, when they announce the nominees for the Oscars. It’s done live at 8:30AM on all the morning shows here on the East Coast. (5:30AM in Hollywood.) One of the best parts is watching the film critics give their predictions just before the announcement and then giving their opinions about the nominees afterwards. I am a big fan of film critics and I take their evaluations seriously. One of my unfulfilled career goals as a child was to be a film critic. Today I’m writing to some of my favorite ones.
Roger Ebert
The current dean of all critics, Ebert is perhaps the most famous of them all. His syndicated 1980’s PBS TV show “At the Movies” teamed him with fellow Chicago newspaper critic Gene Siskel, and a sensation was born. Ebert became an overnight celebrity and he popularized the “two thumbs up” method of rating a film. His name is still the most sought after in publicizing positive reviews, and his reviews have the power to make or break a film.
Richard Roeper
When Roger Ebert’s on air partner Gene Siskel died tragically at an early age of cancer a few years ago, he went through a series of temporary co-hosts looking for the right fit. He didn’t have to look far. He chose Siskel’s’ Chicago newspaper successor Richard Roeper to fill the aisle seat. Since then “Ebert and Roeper” have become the new standard in judging films.
Leonard Maltin
A personal favorite, Mr. Maltin has not only been reviewing films for Entertainment Tonight for over twenty years, he’s also an expert on the history of animation and Walt Disney (he’s written many books on the subject.)
Jeffrey Lyons
The local film critic for WNBC, Lyons is also a passionate baseball fan and lived just a few blocks away from me in Jersey city when I was growing up.
Joel Siegel
A fixture on ABC for three decades , Mr. Siegel has a great sense of humor and adds comic touches to his reviews. He was a close friend of Gilda Radner and helped found Gildas Place, a support center for people with cancer. When he developed cancer, Mr. Seigel wrote an incredible book, “Lessons For Dylan” full of life lessons for his young son. (I highly recommend it!)
One of the world’s most famous composers, Mozart, would have been 250 years old today. Even two centuries later, his music and his legend still resonate. Considered by many to be a child prodigy, gifted with extraordinary talent by God, his compositions are some of the most recognizable. There is even an unproven scientific theory known as the “Mozart Effect” which states that children who listen to Mozart as babies will develop a higher IQ. On this momentous occasion, I am writing to five contemporary people closely connected with Mozart and his music.
Milos Forman
Mozart was famous for over two centuries, but it took an Academy Award winning film (based on an award winning Broadway play) to bring him to the masses in the 1980’s. Academy Award winning Czechloslovakian director Milos Forman (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) brought Mozart to life in the somewhat truthful biography “Amadeus” staring Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham. Since then, Forman has directed films like “The People Vs. Larry Flynt” and “Man on the Moon” which also portray misunderstood figures.
YoYo Ma
A world famous French-Chinese-American cellist, Mr. Ma is considered one of the best musicians in the world. He has played all types of music, from bluegrass to Mozart, and appeared on a variety of TV shows from “The west Wing” to “Sesame Street.”
Itzhak Perlman
An Israeli violinist and teacher, Perlman overcame a polio disability to gain acclaim as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century. Even people who don’t follow classical music know his name. He received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in 2003.
James Levine
One of the finest conductors in the world, and an expert on Mozart, Mr. Levine was in charge of the Metropolitan Opera for years, and now conducts the Boston Symphony. He also conducted the orchestra for Walt Disney’s “Fantasia 2000.”
Sir Neville Marriner
Originally a violinist in the London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Marriner is the founder of the Academy of St. Martin In the Fields and was the conductor for the soundtrack of the film “Amadeus.”
Saturday January 28th
A record was just broken in New York City, as Billy Joel added his twelfth consecutive concert at Madison Square Garden. I’ve always been a fan of his (playing his albums non-stop during high school) but I wasn’t fast enough to buy a ticket for his show. The next best thing is to write him a letter telling him how much I admire him.
Billy Joel
Author of a staggering number of pop hit songs, Billy Joel is still going strong thirty years later. His most famous song, “Piano Man” is instantly recognizable from the first few bars. He’s sold over 100 million albums and is a member of both the songwriters and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Sunday January 29th
Happy New Year! No I’m not 28 days late, this is the start of the the Chinese New Year 4703. Each year is named for an animal, and 4703 (2006) is the year of the dog. To honor that, I’ve decided to write to some of the most famous “dog” related Americans.
Benji (Joe Camp)
Since Lassie has retired, Benji is the most famous dog in Hollywood. I remember seeing the first Benji movie in the 1970’s, and one was just released last year. I’d love to write to Benji, but I don’t think I’ll get much of a response, so I’m writing to his trainer, Joe Camp, who launched Benji’s career thirty years ago.
Frank Welker
The current voice of Scooby Doo, the most famous cartoon dog in TV history, Welker started out as Fred on that series and replaced the original Scooby voice, Don messick, when he died. Welker is alegend in the voice-over world and can be heard on thousands of cartoons.
Howard M. Lorber
Hot dogs are an American tradition, invented in 1870 by a German immigrant, Charles feltman. One of his employees, Nathan Handwerker, opened his own restaurant on Coney Island in th early 20th Century. Nathan’s is still the preeminent hot dog brand, and the current CEO, Mr. Lorber, is continuing that fine tradition.
Calvin (Snoop Dog) Broadus
A rapper, record producer and actor, Snoop Dogg is one of the most successful people in show business. His unique style of speaking (“fo-shnizzle my nizzle) has even entered mainstream culture. He even has his own channel on XM Satellite radio.
Michael O’Higgins
Michael B. O'Higgins is CEO of his own money management firm, O'Higgins Asset Management, Inc., based in Miami, which was recently rated the number one new fund by Smart Money and number five by the Wall Street Journal. He is an oft-quoted expert and is most famous for his financial system, “Dogs Of the Dow“ His theory of investing states that the 10 highest dividend paying Dow Jones Industrial Average components have consistently beaten the Dow by wide margins with below average risk.
Tracy Paige Johnson
The creator and voice of one of my son’s favorite characters, and one of the most popular in TV history, Blue the dog from “Blues Clues.” This show has been running nonstop on Nickelodeon for ten years, and shows no signs of fading away.
Monday January 30th
Last night the Screen Actors Guild Awards were held (I am a voting member) and the biggest upset of the evening came when “Crash” was announced as best picture (technically “best ensemble cast”.) This thought provoking film, which examines the way racial stereotypes affect all of our lives, was, in my opinion, the best film of 2005. I’m writing to the film’s director and co-producer (who also played a lead role onscreen) to congratulate them.
Paul Haggis
Though he’s been around Hollywood for a while (winning Emmys as a writer and producer of “thirtysomething”) Haggis gained acclaim last year as the writer of “Million Dollar Baby”, which won Best Picture. His follow up effort was to direct “Crash.” He’s currently working as writer and producer on a film about the battle of Iwo Jima called “Flags of Our Fathers”, directed by Clint Eastwood (who directed “Million Dollar Baby”) Haggis’ next directorial effort is the 2006 release “Honeymoon With Harry”
Don Cheadle
An amazing actor, Cheadle has played everything from a cockney thief in “Oceans 11” to Sammy Davis Jr. in “The Rat Pack.” He is so well respected in Hollywood that when he asked A list actors like Sandra Bullock and Matt Dillon to take minimum salaries to do his film “Crash” they agreed. His efforts paid off in a magnificent film.
Tuesday January 31st
Today is one of my favorite days of the year, when they announce the nominees for the Oscars. It’s done live at 8:30AM on all the morning shows here on the East Coast. (5:30AM in Hollywood.) One of the best parts is watching the film critics give their predictions just before the announcement and then giving their opinions about the nominees afterwards. I am a big fan of film critics and I take their evaluations seriously. One of my unfulfilled career goals as a child was to be a film critic. Today I’m writing to some of my favorite ones.
Roger Ebert
The current dean of all critics, Ebert is perhaps the most famous of them all. His syndicated 1980’s PBS TV show “At the Movies” teamed him with fellow Chicago newspaper critic Gene Siskel, and a sensation was born. Ebert became an overnight celebrity and he popularized the “two thumbs up” method of rating a film. His name is still the most sought after in publicizing positive reviews, and his reviews have the power to make or break a film.
Richard Roeper
When Roger Ebert’s on air partner Gene Siskel died tragically at an early age of cancer a few years ago, he went through a series of temporary co-hosts looking for the right fit. He didn’t have to look far. He chose Siskel’s’ Chicago newspaper successor Richard Roeper to fill the aisle seat. Since then “Ebert and Roeper” have become the new standard in judging films.
Leonard Maltin
A personal favorite, Mr. Maltin has not only been reviewing films for Entertainment Tonight for over twenty years, he’s also an expert on the history of animation and Walt Disney (he’s written many books on the subject.)
Jeffrey Lyons
The local film critic for WNBC, Lyons is also a passionate baseball fan and lived just a few blocks away from me in Jersey city when I was growing up.
Joel Siegel
A fixture on ABC for three decades , Mr. Siegel has a great sense of humor and adds comic touches to his reviews. He was a close friend of Gilda Radner and helped found Gildas Place, a support center for people with cancer. When he developed cancer, Mr. Seigel wrote an incredible book, “Lessons For Dylan” full of life lessons for his young son. (I highly recommend it!)
posted by Chris Lucas | 11:52 PM
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