Remembering Charles Southwood

Charles Allen Southwood was born in Los Angeles, California on August 30, 1937. He moved to Oregon in 1945 and later attended Oregon State University as a Philosophy Major. After college he decided to see the world and went to Lyon, France where he worked as a dock worker. Later he worked as an Auto Insurance Executive from 1964-1966 selling insurance to American GI’s stationed in Europe. While in France he became interested in acting and his first experience with film work was as a stand-in for Lex Barker in “Woman Times Seven” (1966) starring Shirley MacLaine. This led him to a role in a French TV film “The Battle of Hastings”. He was spotted and signed by an agent who got him a role in his first film role in “The Stranger Who Made the Sign of the Cross” (1967) a Euro-western directed by Demofilo Fidani. He then participated in four more Euro-westerns before his last film appearance in 1981’s “Documenteur” directed by Agnes Varda. Returning home to the United States, Charles founded Death Tobacco Company which produced the cigarettes of the same name. He later worked as a private research physicist in Grants Pass, Oregon where he died on April 8, 2009.Today we remember Charles Southwood on what would have been his 75th birthday.

RIP Florencio Amarilla

Soccer player, coach and actor Florencio Amarilla Lacasa died Saturday August 25, 2012 in Velez Rubio, Andalusia, Spain. He was 77.

Born in Coronel, Bogardo, Paraguay, on January, 3, 1935. He never knew his mother. Part of his childhood was spent in Argentina and later he returned to Paraguay and began his career as a soccer player. He became a professional in Asunción National.

He was left-handed, fast and hit the ball with such power that those who saw him play say that his shot would have envied Cristiano Ronaldo. He had powerful legs, stamina and a pure unbridled nature. Amarillo’s greatest day was on July 14, 1957 when Paraguay and Uruguay fought for a place in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. Paraguay won convincingly 5-0 Amarillo scored three goals and become a national hero. Then came the World Cup where he scored again and Paraguay did well. He served as a star and anchor in the Spanish League.

He joined Real Oviedo in the First Division where he played three seasons. His last club was the 1st Elche, but an injury he suffered the year before weakened his chances of success in the top bracket. He then ended his long career with Club Deportivo Almeria in the 1967-68 season. He never left the province. Midway through the following season he retired from Almeria Amarilla and found his second vocation: film.

 

Florencia crossed paths with cinema by chance. "I was at the Grand Hotel having a beer when I was approached by a man six feet tall, Antonio Tarruella, an assistant director who told me I had the face of an Indian and asked me if I wanted to participate in a movie." The film was “100 Rifles” (1968) starring Raquel Welch, Burt Reynolds Jim Brown.

From there he became a fixture in Almeria cinema. He was much more than an extra. By his physical power, riding skill and attractiveness, it helped him to the foreground of the Actors Studio, he steadily kept working in movies. He appeared in such films as “El Condor” (1970), with Lee Van Cleef, and “Catlow” (1971) with Yul Brynner.

Amarilla combined his film work with soccer, but from the bench. He coached the top clubs in the province. From the mythical Almeria Athletic Association to the Roquetas de Mar, Vera, Garrucha, Poli Ejido, Macael ..., until he retired in Níjar County. His players remember with nostalgia those workouts. Amarilla was a kind and excellent coach for goalkeepers and they scored goals for the squad. Often arriving in costume directly from the set of a film he was working in.

His eldest son, Luis Alberto Amarilla, described the final battle against the disease Guarani which took him: "His struggle against death was heroic, tough, and brutal at the end of the journey. No quarter, no reprieve, and he fought with courageous patience and encouragement."

Soccer in Almeria, the world of cinema, his children, relatives and friends mourn this irreparable loss.

Amarillo appeared in thirteen Euro-westerns from “Tepepa” (aka “Blood and Guns”) (1968) to “Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold” (1984).

Now They Call Him Sacramento screening

Now They Call Him Sacramento [1972]

With Special Guests Michael Forest and Roger Browne

Portland, Oregon McMenamins Mission Theatre

Sunday, September 23, 2012

1 p.m. doors; 2 p.m. screening

Minor with parent or guardian

$3 per person

More Details

Now They Call Him Sacramento is a 1972 spaghetti western, directed by Alfonso Balcazar.

A trio of friends rumble with a team of bad guys who are planning to rob a cash shipment from a locomotive's strong room. The trio believes that the money belongs to the government and so they take it for themselves but the cash actually belongs to a community of farmers who now face eviction.

This link is for the McMenamins Mission Theatre, Portland, Oregon http://www.mcmenamins.com/210-mission-theater-home

Mike will also be the emcee for three showings of The Fantastic Argoman starring Roger Browne at McMenamins Bagdad Theatre on September 22nd. Check out their website. Both actors will be signing autographs at these showings - both theatres also are famous for their pub fare.

Link: http://www.mcmenamins.com/219-bagdad-theater-pub-home

 

Remembering Barry Sullivan

Patrick Barry Sullivan, the star of scores of movies and over one-hundred TV shows, was born on August 29, in 1912 New York City. While never a star, he was one of those elite supporting actors who were still in demand until the day they decided to retire.

Sullivan was a theater usher and department store employee at the time he made his first Broadway appearance in January 1936, in "I Want a Policeman" at the Lyceum Theatre, which lasted only 47 performances. Other plays he appeared in on the Great White Way were the drama "St. Helena" (1936) and the 1938 comedies "All That Glitters" and "Eye On the Sparrow." All three plays were flops. He finally appeared in a hit play when he transferred into the role of Bert Jefferson in "The Man Who Came to Dinner," by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman.

In the 1941-42 season, he appeared in three more flops: "Mr. Big," "Ring Around Elizabeth," and "Johnny 2 X 4." Wisely, he stayed away from Broadway for a decade, when he again transferred into a hit, taking over the role of Barney Greenwald from Henry Fonda in "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial." His last appearance on Broadway, was in the original "Too Late the Phalarope" in 1956.

In the late 1930s, Sullivan gained movie acting experience in two-reel comedies produced by the Manhattan-based Educational Studios. After giving up on his Broadway career, Sullivan made his "official" film debut in a 1943 western "Woman of the Town." Sullivan never caught on as a lead, but excelled at supporting roles in which he could play tough, aggressive characters. His most notable roles were as the eponymous "The Gangster" (1947), his Tom Buchanan in the Alan Ladd vehicle "The Great Gatsby" (1949), and his movie director in "The Bad and the Beautiful." He continued acting in films until 1977, rounding off a near 40-year movie career with an appearance in "Oh God." He continued to appear on television until 1980, though he had one last role in 1987. Sullivan appeared in one Euro-western “Take a Hard Ride” (1975).

Barry was married to actresses Gita Hall [1933- ] (1958-1961) and Desireee Sumarra [1938- ] (1962-1965) and is the father of actress Jenny Sullivan [1946- ] and model Patricia ‘Patsy’ Sullivan [1955- ]. Sullivan died of a respiratory ailment in Sherman Oaks, California on June 6, 1994. Today we remember Barry Sullivan on what would have been his 100^th birthday.

THE NEW LAND

Nybyggarna – Swedish title

La nueve tierra – Argentinian title

Nybyggerne – Danish title

Raivaajat – Finnish title

Le nouveau monde – French title

Das neue Land – German title

Új haza – Hungarian title

La nuova terra – Italian title

Osadnicy – Polish title

La nueve tierra – Spanish title

The Settlers – English title

Unto a Good Land – English title

The New Land – English title

A 1972 Swedish production [Svensk Filimidustri (Stockholm)]

Producer: Bengt Forslund

Director: Jan Troell

Story: “Nybyggarna” by Vilhelm Moberg (Carl Moberg)

Screenplay: Bengt Forslund, Jan Troell

Cinematography: Jan Troell [Eastmancolor]

Music: Bengt Ernyrd, Georg Oddner

Running time: 204 minutes

Cast:

Karl-Oskar – Max von Sydow

Kristina – Liv Ullmann

Robert Nilsson – Eddie Axberg (Jan Axberg)

Arvid – Pierre Lindstedt

Danjel – Allan Edwall (Johan Edwvall)

Ulrika – Monica Zetterlund (Monica Nilsson)

Jonas Petter – Hans Alfredson (Hasse Alfredon)

Fina Kajsa – Agneta Prytz (Ingrid Prytz)

Anders Månsson - Halvar Björk

Pastor Jackson – Tom C. Fouts (Thomas C. Fouts)

Samuel Nöjd – Peter Lindgren

Pastor Törner – Per Oscarsson

Petrus Olausson – Oscar Ljung

Judit Olausson – Karin Karin Nordström-Järegård (Karin Nordström)

Mr. Abbot – Larry Clementson

Mario Vallejos – Georg Anaya

Medical Officer – Ed Carpenter

Fredrik Mattson – Bengt Ottekil

Brothel mum – Elsa Hofgren

Whore – Margita Nyström

Sven – Hans Elfin

Ragnhild – Solveig Samzelius

Neighbor – Leif Sandberg

Karl-Oskar’s sons – Lasse Martinsson, Pelle Martinsson, Frans Oddner

Karl-Oskar’s daughters – Sara-Lena Arnoldsdotter, Yvonne Oppstedt, Linn Ullman

Elin – Eva-Lena Zetterlund

A sequel to ‘The Emigrants” (1971). Starting a new life in the New World from almost nothing was not easy. The winters and summers are more extreme than in the Old World. But the immigrants are rewarded for their hard work. They now live a better life than they did in Sweden. Bad times also come, however. When the civil war starts the Sioux Indians make a bloody uprising against the white settlers. Karl-Oskar's family survives all of this. His brother, Robert, decides to seek his fortune in the gold fields of California. He never reaches California but acquires a fortune from his boss who dies of yellow fever on the way to California but an immigrant Swede dupes him of this fortune. Robert returns to his brother where he dies from a disease contracted on the trip. Kristina, whose thoughts never leave Sweden, gives birth to several more children and gets pregnant again against the advice of her doctor. This last pregnancy kills her. The children grow up and take over the farm. Karl-Oskar becomes old and lonely. He spends his last days dreaming of his youth in the Old World.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWbQFs_8bOo