February 6 Birthday Wishes

Ruth Royce [1893 - 1971]

Jay Wilsey (aka Buffalo Bill Jr.) [1896 - 1961]

Ronald Reagan [1911 - 2004]

Rip Torn [1936 - ]

I have not heard of Ruth Royce, but since I'm always on the look out for silent westerns, I'm sure I'll run across one her movies. I'm not that familiar with Jay Wilsey, either.

I know we try not to get political here, but in my opinion, Ronald Reagan was the greatest President of the past 50 years. Not a bad actor, either.

Rip Torn is a good character actor, most recently remembered from the Men In Black movies. He just needs to stay away from the bottle!

Well Boy Howdy Tinhorn!!

I can't believe ya called one of my favorite actors( Rip Torn) a drunk!! Jest fer that, I'm jest gonna hafta say sumpthin derogatory bout yer favorite President. There are only 2 thangs that come ta mind, when I thank of Ronald Reagan. One is when he spent half a BILLION dollars to refurbish 3 WWII battleships, one of which blew up and killed about 50 sailors. The other thang is, the only film I ever bothered to watch, with him in it, was Bedtime For Bonzo and the star was a chimpanzee!!! Between the 2 of them, I thought the chimpanzee was the better actor!! SO THERE!!

Now, back to Rip Torn.With the exception of Robert Duval, Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones, Rip Torn is one of the finest dramatic actors in Hollywood. Having been around since the mid 50's and with a firm base in Broadway stage work, he is one of the most experienced actors in Tinsel Town. I will admit, he hasn't always made the perfect choice in his film work, like the Gary Shandler show and Men In Black, but if you ever get the chance to see an ole 80's film titled Flashpoint with Kris Kristofferson, or a film with Jeff Bridges and Kim Bassinger titled Nadine, you'll see what I'm talking about. Granted, when he hit Norman Mailer, the star and director of Maidenstone in the head with the hammer and Mailer bit him on the ear and they had to be separated by the crew doesn't look to good, but the fight scene was so good, they left it in the film and cut out the part where Mailer's kids are screaming in the background!! Guess he didnt like Mailer's direction too much. And don't pay any attention to the rumor that Dennis Hopper circulated on the Jay Leno show about their disagreement about the 1969 film Easyrider, which Torn withdrew from and in turn opened up the part which catapulted Jack Nicholson back into the limelight. Dennis Hopper told the world that Rip Torn pulled a knife on him. The facts came out in the 2 trials,( the original and Hopper's appeal) and it was Hopper who pulled the knife. The judge ruled in the original that Hopper must pay 475.000 dollars to Torn and when Hopper appealed, the 2nd judge ruled that Hopper must pay an additional 475,000 dollars to Torn in punitive damages!! Trained at the prestigeous, Lee Strasberg school of drama, there isn't a better actor in Hollywood IMHO!! The man is 81 years old and if he wants to drink Canada Dry( pardon the pun), I say let him!! I will agree, he should give up carrying the gun when he's stoned out of his mind and might ought to rethink breaking into the bank, because he thought it was his house!! Being 81 years old, I figger ole Rip probably comes from a ultra-conservative background and so he naturally had his house built in the same ultra-conservative motif as a bank, so he jest figgered it wuz his house!! I personally, can't hold this small error in judgement against him!! Obviously, the judge agreed with my opinion, or he was also a fan, because he gave him a suspended sentence!! I also think we owe him a debt of gratitude for introducing his cousin, Sissy Spacek to the film industry!!

Ed

Ed, we'll just have to agree to disagree on Dutch Reagan. Also, chimpanzees upstage everybody!

I could tell a Rip Torn story, but I won't. Nuff said on that because it ain't anybody's business ceptin' his and the other fellow who was involved. He is a VERY talented actor and I enjoy watching his work. Ed, if you haven't seen The Golden Boys with David Carradine, Rip Torn and Bruce Dern as three old bachelors that decide they need a cleaning woman so one will have to get married It is Mariel Hemmingway that responds to the ad and it is a really funny story. Rip Torn, Bruce Dern & David Carradine have never been better, so if anyone be a fan of either of three stars you will do yourself a favor and watch "The Golden Boys." I think it came out around 2008. Jim has the DVD and we enjoyed it so much that we sent Ray & Marilee one as a gift. They liked it too.

Howdy Tom!!

Thanks for the tip, Tom!! I AM a huge fan of ole Rip's, when he plays dramatic roles and even when he plays a role for a laugh, like his role in Defending Your Life with Meryl Streep and Albert Brooks. I havn't seen the film Golden Boys, and I will make sure I get my hands on a copy of it!!

Thanks Again!!

Ed