Wednesday 26 June 2024

Rare Advance 60 sec Teaser for The Enforcer

Rare Advance 60 sec Teaser for The Enforcer 
Every now and then, something still manages to come along that really catches us by surprise. I have to thank our friend Davy Triumph for discovering this little gem. It’s a very curious, advance 60 second Warner Bros Trailer for Clint’s third Dirty Harry outing, The Enforcer (1976). I initially wondered if it was an early TV spot – but the scope frame would seem to suggest otherwise. 

On first viewing, I was left a little confused, as the trailer doesn’t contain a single frame from the film? Instead, we get a very cool, edited montage consisting of clips from both Dirty Harry and Magnum Force – supported by an equally cool voice over. What puzzled me further is the fact that I have a full set of 5 TV Spots for The Enforcer on 16mm (as Warner Home Video failed to include any on the Blu-ray release) and this one is certainly not included on that reel – and added additional weight to it more likely being a cinema teaser.

Of course, we know it’s an advance teaser – with the ‘coming soon’ opening logo, and the fact that a Christmas date is also mentioned (it was released stateside on December 22nd 1976) – but it would be interesting to know how far ahead of its release this was actually shown? It’s still very strange that nothing is featured from The Enforcer – yet ‘The Dirtiest Harry of them all’ tagline is already in place and mentioned in the voiceover.  The Enforcer was shot during the summer of 1976, and by the fall it was in post-production, so I would guess it was around this time, possibly October or November that this teaser may had been screened. 
Aside from it being a quirky mystery, one thing’s beyond any doubt – it’s a real thing of beauty! 

Sunday 23 June 2024

Clint Eastwood: A Life on Both Sides of the Camera by Michał Talarek

Clint Eastwood: A Life on Both Sides of the Camera by Michał Talarek
Independently published (31 May 2024), English Edition, 550 pages, ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8322480341.

I’d been aware of Michal Talarek’s original book a couple of years ago, when it was released in Talarek’s native Polish. As Talarek once explained to me, it was an exercise ‘to share more insights with Polish audiences’, which was of course an honourable thing to do. Nevertheless, it’s perhaps no surprise to find that books presented in a foreign text often have a rather limited appeal and a limited market outside of its domestic home. Yet, despite its limitations due to language, Talarek’s book was still stirring up a healthy degree of respect – which finally convinced the author to go with an English translation. A brave move, but one that displays a real sense of confidence in his product. The market on Eastwood books is quite a healthy one, despite the fact that most of the best books are long out of print or extremely hard and expensive to track down – and this is what makes Talarek’s book the perfect solution. 
Spanning more than six decades, Clint Eastwood's career is a story of relentless reinvention and commitment. The cinematic maverick has directed more than 40 films, including true masterpieces, smash hits, and a few misfires. This book explores Eastwood's journey, from his early days of struggle to his rise to stardom and unparalleled success as a director. It offers a synthesis of perspectives on both his celebrated and lesser-known works.

Beyond a stoic screen persona lies a filmmaker of deep introspection and versatility, whose works span the broad spectrum of human experience. From the raw edges of "Dirty Harry" to the haunting silence of "Unforgiven" and the intricate morality of "Million Dollar Baby", Eastwood's films invite us into a world where the lines between right and wrong are blurred in the shadow of reality. Not to mention the ambiguity that surrounds his perception in the public eye.

"Clint Eastwood: A Life on Both Sides of the Camera" is more than a chronicle of Eastwood's cinematic achievements. Through detailed analysis of his films, personal anecdotes from colleagues, friends, and family, and insights into his unique directing style, readers will discover Eastwood's philosophy on life, filmmaking, and the relentless pursuit of authenticity. This is a journey through the career of a man who has forged his own path, defying the conventions of Hollywood without ever compromising his vision. 
 
Considering the sheer amount of Eastwood books that have been published over the decades, it’s going to be pretty hard to come up with something completely new or original in regards to a general career retrospective – it’s important to establish that fact. But there is nothing wrong with being inspired and taking a good concept, collecting the best information and presenting it as a new, fresh perspective. And this is what Talarek does incredibly well. Yes, if you already own some 80 or 90 books on Eastwood – then the chances are you’re going to recognise certain pieces and passages. Talarek makes no apologies, as a fan himself, he is open about the influences behind this book – in fact, his sources, references and acknowledgments at the back consists of 924 entries – so the author has clearly done his job well. 
Too many books of late have simply rewritten an existing book – it’s a cheap and careless way of presenting the same old story, following the oh so familiar path – and too often you are simply left with the feeling that you’ve already read this book! But this really isn’t the case with A Life on both sides of the Camera – simply because it’s been afforded the most crucial of elements - time, effort and research. Talarek has done what any good fan would do, used the best sources and presented them in a way that provides a refreshing new concept. For anyone investing in an Eastwood book for the very first time – you’ll undoubtably feel greatly rewarded. In fact – if you have a dozen books on Eastwood already on the shelf – I’m sure you will still discover plenty of new information here. 
The book does not contain any images – it’s solid reading material all the way and takes a more scholarly and academic approach rather than a picture-based book. When questioned, Talarek explained to me that it was an initial consideration – but again, it would have only increased the costs – and Talarek simply wanted to keep costs down to help the consumer.
 
Self-publication is a fairly expensive business, but I have to say, the binding of this hardback edition is solid and beautiful presented. Broken down into easy chapters, with some concise additional lists to awards and TV appearances etc – the book really doesn’t miss a beat, the best and most enjoyable I’ve read in a very long time. Highly recommended. 

Mainstream Actor
Captivating a broad audience with iconic roles.

Tough Conservative
A champion of traditional values and strong politics

Efficient Filmmaker
Renowned for his quick, no-nonsense approach to filmmaking.

Seasoned Legend
A veteran with his finger on the audience's pulse.

Sensitive Director
Delving into the depths of human drama with a tender touch.

Advocate for Freedom
Supporting individual freedoms and standing up for human rights.

Devoted Family Man
A dedicated parent, friend, and behind-the-scenes companion.

Master Craftsman
Deeply experienced, with a keen eye for the essence of storytelling.

Eternal Learner
An adaptable explorer, always open to new lessons and perspectives.

"Clint Eastwood: A Life on Both Sides of the Camera" is more than a chronicle of Eastwood's cinematic achievements. Through detailed analysis of his films, personal anecdotes from colleagues, friends, and family, and insights into his unique directing style, readers will discover Eastwood's philosophy on life, filmmaking, and the relentless pursuit of authenticity. This is a journey through the career of a man who has forged his own path, defying the conventions of Hollywood without ever compromising his vision. It is a tribute to an artist who, in his search for storytelling, became history.

The book is available in Hardback HERE with a softback edition also on the way. 
There is also a Kindle Edition available HERE
Michał Talarek’s Eastwood website can be found HERE 
               

Thursday 20 June 2024

Donald Sutherland, Star of Kelly’s Heroes, Klute and Space Cowboys Dies at 88


Donald Sutherland, Star of Kelly’s Heroes, MASH, Klute and Space Cowboys Dies at 88
I was very saddened to receive news this afternoon that the legendary actor Donald Sutherland had died aged 88. Sutherland was always an incredibly popular actor among Eastwood fans. Rick Schultz of Variety wrote:
Donald Sutherland, the tall, lean and long-faced Canadian actor who became a countercultural icon with such films as “The Dirty Dozen,” “MASH,” “Klute” and “Don’t Look Now,” and who subsequently enjoyed a prolific and wide-ranging career in films including “Ordinary People,” “Without Limits” and the “Hunger Games” films, died Thursday in Miami after a long illness, CAA confirmed. He was 88.
For over a half century, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor memorably played villains, antiheroes, romantic leads and mentor figures. His profile increased in the past decade with his supporting role as the evil President Snow in “The Hunger Games” franchise.
Most recently, he appeared as Judge Parker on the series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves” and in the “Swimming with Sharks” series in 2022. His other recent recurring roles include the series “Undoing” and “Trust,” in which he played J. Paul Getty, and features “Ad Astra” and “The Burnt-Orange Heresy.”
Sutherland won a supporting actor Emmy for HBO’s “Citizen X” in 1995 and was also nominated in 2006 for the Lifetime miniseries “Human Trafficking.”
After what Sutherland called “a meandering little career,” including roles in low-budget horror pics like 1963’s “Castle of the Living Dead” and 1965’s “Die! Die! My Darling!,” he landed a part as one of the bottom six in 1967’s “The Dirty Dozen.”
Sutherland told the Guardian in 2005 that he originally had one line in the film, until Clint Walker refused to play a scene requiring him to impersonate a general. According to Sutherland, director Robert Aldrich, who didn’t know his name, suddenly turned to him and said, “You! With the big ears! You do it!”
The smart-alecky role was a perfect fit for Sutherland, whose wolfish sideways smile and boyish charm caught the attention of producer Ingo Preminger, who cast him as the anti-authoritarian surgeon Capt. “Hawkeye” Pierce in 1970’s comedy smash hit “MASH.”
“MASH” turned Sutherland, and co-star Elliott Gould, who played Capt. “Trapper” John, into major stars. But the tradition-bound actors had trouble adjusting to director Robert Altman’s improvisational and often chaotic approach. According to Sutherland, Altman tried to fire him during the shoot, but Preminger held firm.
In a 1976 Playboy interview, Altman gave a different view, recalling that Sutherland loved his directorial style. “His improvisation was profound,” Altman said. “He’s a hell of an actor.”
Sutherland also co-starred with Gould in 1971’s inspired Alan Arkin-helmed black comedy “Little Murders” and again in director Irvin Kershner’s 1974 misfire “SPYS.”
In the 1970 WWII actioner “Kelly’s Heroes,” Sutherland joined Clint Eastwood, portraying Sgt. Oddball, an absurdly conceived but scene-stealing proto-hippie tank commander. (Sutherland reteamed with Eastwood in 2000’s “Space Cowboys,” this time playing a former hotshot pilot.)
With 1971’s “Klute,” a thriller/character study directed by Alan J. Pakula and co-starring Jane Fonda, Sutherland emerged as a credible romantic leading man. He portrayed a troubled detective who falls in love with a call girl (Fonda) whom he’s protecting from a sadistic killer.
Fonda later gave Sutherland credit for her Oscar-winning best actress performance, because of “all the intense feelings I was experiencing” with him.
The two were having a love affair at the time, and the relationship stoked Sutherland’s antiwar politics. He got involved with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and, along with Peter Boyle and Howard Hesseman, Fonda and Sutherland put together a traveling revue called FTA (Free the Army, popularly known as F**k the Army). The Pentagon unsuccessfully tried to keep troops away from the shows; the FBI put both Sutherland and Fonda under surveillance.
In Nicholas Roeg’s influential 1973 psychological horror film “Don’t Look Now,” Sutherland’s intriguing passivity and pared-down acting style helped highlight Julie Christie’s performance. They portray a grieving married couple who flee England to Venice after the death of their little girl.
The film became controversial for an integral explicit sex scene between them, edited in a fragmented style. Roeg intercut their post-coital dressing to go out to dinner as the sequence unfolds. Even in a sex-obsessed era, the scene became — and remains — one of the most memorable ever filmed.
At the height of his success, Sutherland began to make eccentric career choices. 

He turned down John Boorman for “Deliverance” and chose Paul Mazursky’s “Alex in Wonderland” (1970) over Peckinpah’s “Straw Dogs.” He acted with Fonda again in “Steelyard Blues” (1973) and played Christ in Dalton Trumbo’s “Johnny Got His Gun” (1971). Both fizzled at the box office.
Sutherland received mixed notices for his role as a hick in John Schlesinger’s “Day of the Locust” (1975), played the title character in 1976’s arty bomb “Fellini’s Casanova” and a psychopathic fascist in Bertolucci’s “1900” (1977). He had a memorable cameo in 1978 hit “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” playing a professor who is discovered having an affair with a student (Karen Allen). He took a small upfront fee for his work instead of an offered percentage of the profits. The actor estimated the choice cost him $14 million.
Sutherland rebounded with 1980’s “Ordinary People,” convincing director Robert Redford to cast him as the grieving father trying to hold his family together after his older son’s accidental death. Redford had originally offered him the part of the psychiatrist that eventually went to Judd Hirsch.
In 1981 WWII thriller “Eye of the Needle,” Sutherland gave one of his last romantic leading man performances on the big screen, albeit as a heavy — a stranded German agent who falls for a lonely married woman (Kate Nelligan).
Another career peak came in 1998, when Sutherland convinced director-writer Robert Towne to cast him as coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman in “Without Limits,” about U. of Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup). He was also memorable in 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice” as Keira Knightley’s father.
Sutherland made a lasting impression in smaller roles, such as Mister X, a high-placed Pentagon official who claims to know why JFK was murdered, in 1991’s Oliver Stone-helmed “JFK.”
Remarkably, Sutherland was never nominated for an Oscar, though his work in such films as “Ordinary People” and “Without Limits” is often cited by critics as among the finest of their respective decades.
Other noteworthy roles include President Snow in “The Hunger Games” (2012) and its sequels; a safecracker in “The Italian Job” (2003); the father in “Six Degrees of Separation” (1993); a stylish safecracker in “The Great Train Robbery” (1978); and the lead in Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”
Sutherland also appeared with son Kiefer in 1996’s “A Time to Kill.” He turned down an offer to play the father of Kiefer’s character, Jack Bauer, in “24,” his son’s successful TV series. The two appeared together in the 2014 Western “Forsaken.”
In 2014 the actor also starred with Brie Larson in the India-set musical comedy “Basmati Blues,” written and directed by Dan Baron.
Sutherland’s TV work includes “The Superlative Seven” episode of “The Avengers” (1967) and two episodes of “The Saint” (1965, 1966). He starred as Patrick “Tripp” Darling III in “Dirty Sexy Money” (2007-09) and as Nathan Templeton in “Commander in Chief” (2005-06). His TV miniseries work includes 2010’s “The Pillars of the Earth,” based on Ken Follett’s epic novel.
In one of his best TV roles, Sutherland portrayed Clark Clifford in John Frankenheimer’s “Path to War” (2002). In 1995, he won a supporting actor Emmy for “Citizen X” (HBO).
Born in Saint John, Canada, he studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before getting roles in British TV shows and films such as “The Avengers” and “The Saint.” “The Saint” star and director Roger Moore recommended him to the producers of “The Dirty Dozen,” and after the success of that film he moved to Hollywood.
Sutherland is survived by his wife Francine Racette, sons Roeg, Rossif, Angus, and Kiefer, daughter Rachel, and four grandchildren.
Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to his friends and family, RIP Sir

Friday 7 June 2024

Clint’s arrival on UK Home Video Cassette

Clint’s arrival on UK Home Video Cassette
Back in August, 2017, I posted a little piece about Clint’s first arrival on Home Video here in the UK. With some recently discovered photos, I decided to dig a little deeper and update this original post. 


I originally based this simply on a rather old VHS slipcase from the InterVision video release of The Good, the bad and the Ugly (front and spines only). I’ve had this in my collection for quite some time, and in 2017 digitally restored it purely for reasons of nostalgia. We generally agreed that this originally came from late 1980.


InterVision was one of the earliest VHS labels in the UK. Managed by Mike Tenner and Richard Cooper, the company distributed major film releases (namely those from United Artists) as well as horror films through Alpha Video. The company eventually folded following the rise of major VHS distributors in the UK, but not before they released The Good, the bad and the ugly (UA A B5010). 

I remember the campaign quite well, and the whole TV campaign that ran on UK television. I remember a number of clips contained in that advert alongside The Good, the bad and the ugly, such as Network, Carrie, Lenny, Annie Hall and Rollerball – all of course from the United Artist catalogue of film titles.
The packaging came in the shape of a cardboard slip case and the film was naturally a panned and scanned version, which was something of a travesty when it came to Sergio Leone's beautifully crafted widescreen vision. I could never recall if these titles could be bought at the time? 

The sleeve always seemed to have ‘rental only’ which probably explains why there are very few of them floating around to purchase. Perhaps some were sold off as ex-rentals once they were worn down to the bone? However, it did prompt me to go and dig out the wonderful cover (front and spines) which I have in my collection. One of the spines is a little worse for wear; remember these were made of card (and it is some 44 years old now). But I did a quick digital restoration on it before presenting it here. It is near impossible to find a good image or a scan of the packaging anywhere on the internet, so I wanted to change that. I suppose it represents a little piece of history in some respects. It was Clint’s first film ever to be available on the new format and could be watched at any given time. It certainly would shape things in respect of how we would come to view movies and arguably signified something of a revolution.

Just lately, I came in contact with someone who actually has a couple of these old tapes in his collection – and as a result discovered a few more things. It was nice to actually have some pictures of the labels on the video cassette – 2 different in fact. Firstly, there is the more common yellow version but also a much rarer pinkish version of the labels. We are also lucky enough to now have an image of the reverse of the slip case. As well as the brief story outline, it also confirms all 20 titles in InterVision’s initial launch selection. 
I looked a little deeper into the mainstream film magazines of 1980, such as Photoplay, and it was around November and December that the word ‘Video’ started to become more regularly featured in the publication, devoting a full 4 pages to the revolutionary new format! The December 1980 issue of Photoplay provided a couple of paragraphs on InterVision’s new rental releases along with a hint of a couple of reviews promised for the January 1981 issue.  

Photoplay kept to their word and the following piece on InterVision’s rental of The Good, the bad and the ugly appeared in their new year January 1981 issue – confirming that the initial UK launch was probably aimed for the Christmas market of 1980.  

Saturday 1 June 2024

Albert S. Ruddy, Producer Who Won Oscar for The Godfather and Million Dollar Baby Dies at 94


Albert S. Ruddy, Producer Who Won Oscar for The Godfather and Million Dollar Baby Dies at 94

Richard Sandomir of The New York Times reported: Albert S. Ruddy, who found early success in television as a creator of “Hogan’s Heroes,” the situation comedy about Allied prisoners outwitting their bumbling Nazi captors in a P.O.W. camp, and then became a movie producer who won Oscars for “The Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby,” died on Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 94.
His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his wife, Wanda McDaniel, and his daughter, Alexandra Ruddy.
The gravelly-voiced Mr. Ruddy was a former systems programmer and shoe salesman who, by the time Paramount Pictures was preparing to film “The Godfather,” had become known for the unlikely success of “Hogan’s Heroes” and for producing a couple of movies that had come in under budget.
“Ruddy is a tall, thin, nervously enthusiastic man who sees himself as a shrewd manipulator,” Nicholas Pileggi wrote in The New York Times Magazine in 1971 about the making of “The Godfather,” an adaptation of the best-selling Mario Puzo novel about the Corleone crime family. “Ruddy had always been able to talk his way through obstacles.”

Among the many hurdles he faced as producer of “The Godfather” was the animosity toward the prospective film shown by Italian Americans, civic-minded ethnic groups like the Sons of Italy and members of Congress, who thought the movie would perpetuate gangster stereotypes. Paramount feared economic boycotts.
The person who concerned Mr. Ruddy most was Joseph Colombo Sr., the reputed Mafia crime boss who had founded the Italian American Civil Rights League. Mr. Colombo had persuaded the F.B.I. to stop using the terms Mafia and Cosa Nostra in its news releases.
Mr. Ruddy hoped that dealing with the league would be a guarantee against any trouble during production, as it turned out to be. He agreed to scrub offending Italian words from the script, to let the league review the script for anything else that might damage Italian Americans’ image, and to donate the proceeds from the movie’s New York premiere to the league.
Mr. Ruddy appeared at a news conference at the league’s office in Manhattan to announce the deal. But he didn’t anticipate the backlash from its coverage in the news media.
“The next morning, there’s a shot of me on the front page of The New York Times with organized crime figures at a press conference,” he was quoted as saying in a Vanity Fair article in 2009 by Mark Seal, who expanded it into a 2021 book, “Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of ‘The Godfather.’”

The presence of Mr. Ruddy at the news conference so enraged Charles Bluhdorn, the combustible chairman of Gulf & Western, Paramount’s parent, that he fired him. But when Mr. Bluhdorn told Francis Ford Coppola, the director, and Robert Evans, the studio’s vice president of production, to find another producer, Mr. Coppola intervened.
“Al Ruddy’s the only guy who can keep this movie going!” he told Mr. Bluhdorn.
“The Godfather” won three Oscars, including Mr. Ruddy’s for best picture; Marlon Brando’s for best actor, for his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone; and Mr. Coppola and Mr. Puzo’s, for best adapted screenplay. It has been widely praised as one of the best movies ever made.

Its first sequel, “The Godfather Part II” (1974), also won the Oscar for best picture, but “The Godfather Part III” (1990) was widely skewered. Mr. Ruddy had nothing to do with the sequels. Fred Roos (who died on May 18) was a producer of both, as he was of other films by Mr. Coppola, his daughter, Sofia Coppola, and his wife, Eleanor Coppola (who died last month).
Mr. Ruddy was born Albert Stotland on March 28, 1930, in Montreal. His father, Hyman, manufactured uniforms. His mother, Ruth (Rudnikoff) Stotland, was a clothing and luxury fur designer. After his parents divorced when Albert was 6, his mother moved to New York City with him, his sister, Selma, and his brother, Gerald, and changed the family surname to Ruddy.
After studying at the City College of New York, Albert attended the University of Southern California and graduated with an architecture degree in 1956. He was briefly the architect for a construction company in New Jersey but chose to go back to the West Coast. There he was a programmer for the RAND Corporation, a shoe salesman and the producer of the 1961 Los Angeles production of“The Connection,” a play about drug addiction, and of the movie “Wild Seed” (1965), about a teenage runaway searching for her biological father.

That year, he and the actor and writer Bernard Fein wrote the pilot episode of “Hogan’s Heroes.” The setting, a prisoner of war camp run by stupid Nazis, seemed tasteless to American viewers 20 years post-World War II. He later recalled that when he sat down to pitch it to William S. Paley, the chairman of CBS, Mr. Paley offered his verdict: “I find the idea of Nazis as comic characters to be reprehensible.”
But as Mr. Ruddy acted out his script, Mr. Paley began to laugh. Two weeks later he agreed to buy the series, which ran for six seasons, through 1971.
Mr. Ruddy went on to produce the movie “Little Fauss and Big Halsy” (1970), about dirt-bike racers played by Robert Redford and Michael Jay Pollard, and “Thunderguys,” a TV movie, both for Paramount. Those movies helped lead to his being hired for “The Godfather.”
He produced many other films, including “Farewell to the King,” with Nick Nolte; “The Cannonball Run,” with Burt Reynolds and Farrah Fawcett, and its sequel; and “The Scout,” with Albert Brooks. He also produced TV series, among them “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which he created.
But Ms. McDaniel, his wife, said that he had been proudest of conceiving “The Longest Yard,” a 1974 film about a nasty prison warden (Eddie Albert) who coerces an incarcerated ex-pro quarterback (Burt Reynolds) to put together a football team to play against a squad of sadistic guards.
“He knew that ‘The Godfather’ was really Francis’s movie,” Ms. Ruddy, his daughter, said of Mr. Coppola in a phone interview. “And he felt this was really Al’s movie.”
Tracy Keenan Wynn, who wrote the screenplay based on Mr. Ruddy’s two-page story, said by phone, “I worked with Al the whole time, telling him which of his characters I was going to use and which I wanted to add.”

Decades later, Mr. Ruddy gave introduced Clint Eastwood to the evocative boxing short stories written by F.X. Toole. Mr. Eastwood went on to direct “Million Dollar Baby” (2004), based on stories by Mr. Toole. The movie, about the moving relationship between a boxer (Hilary Swank) and her trainer (Mr. Eastwood), won four Oscars, including best picture, which Mr. Ruddy shared with Mr. Eastwood and Tom Rosenberg (below).

In addition to his wife, an executive vice president at Giorgio Armani, and his daughter, an actress, producer and writer and a partner at Albert S. Ruddy Productions, Mr. Ruddy is survived by a son, John. His marriages to Kaye Farrington, an actress, and Francoise Wizenberg Glaser ended in divorce.
In 2022, Mr. Ruddy’s memories of making the “The Godfather” formed the story of “The Offer,” a 10-part series streamed by Paramount+. Mr. Ruddy was played by Miles Teller.
One scene in that series takes place in Chasen’s, the West Hollywood celebrity restaurant, where Mr. Ruddy and Mr. Puzo had dinner one night. Mr. Puzo was introduced to Frank Sinatra, who hated Mr. Puzo’s novel, especially the character of the singer Johnny Fontane.
Fontane was believed to have been modelled on Mr. Sinatra, who did not want to see the film made. Mr. Seal described Mr. Sinatra screaming at Mr. Puzo, calling him a pimp and telling him, “Choke!” The series shows Mr. Sinatra (played by Frank John Hughes) grabbing Mr. Puzo (Patrick Gallo) by his jacket collar.

As Mr. Ruddy drove Mr. Puzo home, Mr. Seal wrote, the novelist said that he was heartbroken by Mr. Sinatra’s treatment of him. Growing up, he said, his mother had two pictures in her kitchen: one of the pope and one of Mr. Sinatra.
“Mario, there’s nothing I can do about that,” Mr. Ruddy said. “Frank has it in for all of us.”
My kind thanks to Kevin Walsh
                 

Photo Opportunity #50

Photo Opportunity #50

Our June Photo Opportunity features a great shot from Where Eagles Dare that I had never seen before. It was sent to me last month, so decided to hold it back for our first-of-the-month Photo Opp. 

The shot features both Clint and Richard Burton, taken on location during the shooting of the film. As well as featuring it here I will also be adding this to our Where Eagles Dare 10x8 b/w Photo Gallery (here) which currently stands at 163 superb stills.