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Post by Doghouse6 on Oct 29, 2018 22:53:34 GMT
Good point about singing vs speaking voices. And I never thought of Townes as "elfin," but as the photo BATouttaheck posted, he was in those early days. Ah, youth! Funny thing about the Coppola film version: I liked it much more seeing it years later than I did when it was first released. I suppose that after a decade away from them, 1968 audiences were expecting another "Fred Astaire musical," which it very much wasn't, and perhaps in the sociologically-charged atmosphere of the time, a light musical of the immediate postwar period with underlying political and racial commentary was considered miscalculated timing. The funny thing is, that although the film remains not well-regarded critically, it probably has more relevance to an audience today than at any time since its initial release. Well said. It may be one of the peculiarities of our age that when statements are most relevant, those needing to hear them are are at their least willing to do so. |
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Post by telegonus on Oct 29, 2018 23:17:55 GMT
I don't have a picture to post but I imagine most people here would remember the face of longtime character actor Harry Townes, who appeared in many episodes of dramatic TV series of the Fifties-Sixties. Fans of Perry Mason should recognize him right away. He appeared in a number of " Perrys" over the years. Townes also appeared in episodes of many horror and supernaturally (sic?) themed anthology series such as The Outer Limits, One Step Beyond, The Twilight Zone, Thriller and The Outer Limits. Townes was the D.A. who prosecuted Dennis Weaver's character in the Shadow Play episode of The Twilight Zone; and later that year an unusual pair of spectacles came into his possession in The Cheaters episode of Thriller. With his refined features and classically trained voice, Townes was particularly well suited to playing professional men, though he seldom played strong men, as he seemed to specialize in playing secondary characters, not heroic ones. I've always liked his acting, was pleasantly surprised to learn that in late middle age Mr. Townes enrolled in divinity school and became in time an ordained Episcopal minister. Love that shot of Townes from Finian's Rainbow, tel. Was this on Broadway? Did he replace David Wayne, or is this another production altogether?
Whatever the case, he certainly had the voice for the pulpit. I'm betting he had no problem holding his congregation's attention!
I can think of another 'reverse' instance in addition to Sam Kinison: child evangelist Marjoe Gortner, who left the revival show circuit in disgust, once he reached the age he could escape from his manipulative parents' authority. His story is compellingly recounted in the documentary Marjoe, and he's had a modest film and tv career over the years.
Harry T looks quite odd in that picture, doesn't he? It's like he channeling Howard Morris  . A fey, festive look isn't something I'd expect from the actor, but who knows? I guess he pulled it off. He was apparently more versatile than he was generally allowed to show on television (lots of Shakespeare, mostly on stage). |
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. A fey, festive look isn't something I'd expect from the actor, but who knows? I guess he pulled it off. He was apparently more versatile than he was generally allowed to show on television (lots of Shakespeare, mostly on stage).