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Post by snsurone on Aug 29, 2019 19:19:58 GMT
My research has unearthed a few more Sonny facts
He really wanted to be an opera singer.
He was considered a pin up: This is for me the most incredible aspect of his success: I can't see him giving Gregory Peck or Turhan Bey any sleepless nights - can you?
I'm not alone in my low opinion -He has a whole chapter devoted to him in the Medved's THE GOLDEN TURKEY AWARDS - GOVERNMENT GIRL the winning film.
His drinking got the better of him and he was sued twice for biting women on the thigh! Can't imagine he tried that on Olivia. Barbara Payton I can see... He looked like a combination of Popeye and the Skipper from GILLIGAN'S ISLAND! LOL
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Post by Doghouse6 on Aug 29, 2019 19:46:55 GMT
but that beefy, barrel-chested and even slightly weathered, been-around-the-block look Slightly weathered?
Been around the block?
He's more weathered than the Ancient Mariner or the Flying Dutchman... and suspect he dates from before the block was built... but to each his own I guess
That was meant to encompass the other examples I gave, but I hasten to add that they aren't tastes that have typically been my own ('course, it's different for someone with whom you've lived for over 30 years; we'll always see each other as young, in spite of all the weathering the mirror may betray).
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Post by telegonus on Aug 30, 2019 7:48:30 GMT
Sonny was a novelty star, and in this typical of the early Forties. While his career didn't go too far at least his name was remembered, if only by nightclub comics. I remember it being used in an early Dick Van Dyke Show.
Other novelty stars: Victor Mature (who, after One Million, B.C. went more or less mainstream, retained his oddness mostly in his looks and sloppy diction); and over at Universal there were Jon Hall, Maria Montez, Turhan Bey and, for fifteen minutes, Acquanetta. MGM had comedian Rags Ragland for a spell; while RKO had radio bandleader Kay Kyser for a few films; and then there was the acromegliac Rondo Hatton, whose baleful features made him a novelty horror star for a brief period.
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 30, 2019 10:25:25 GMT
Sonny was a novelty star, and in this typical of the early Forties. While his career didn't go too far at least his name was remembered, if only by nightclub comics. I remember it being used in an early Dick Van Dyke Show. Other novelty stars: Victor Mature (who, after One Million, B.C. went more or less mainstream, retained his oddness mostly in his looks and sloppy diction); and over at Universal there were Jon Hall, Maria Montez, Turhan Bey and, for fifteen minutes, Acquanetta. MGM had comedian Rags Ragland for a spell; while RKO had radio bandleader Kay Kyser for a few films; and then there was the acromegliac Rondo Hatton, whose baleful features made him a novelty horror star for a brief period. Yes - true - but the main "novelty" with Tufts seems to be a lack of star quality! He was overshadowed at paramount by Eddie Bracken for Pete's sake! But mock as I do he had a 15 year star run and we are still discussing him...
Oh my - Acquanetta - The Venezualan Volcano ! She was a doll.
I liked Turhan Bey immensely
and cannot resist any Maria Montez (seen all but two of her early bit parts) - she may not be the world's strongest actress but by God she has star quality - you can't look away when she is onscreen - COBRA WOMAN is a great favourite. Gif me the Cobra Jool!
Stood next to Rondo I'll agree Sonny is a hunk.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Aug 30, 2019 12:15:27 GMT
But then how did the likes of Nicolas Cage ever become a leading man ? Plus … He can't even spell his name right ! <tongue in cheek emoji>
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 30, 2019 12:33:00 GMT
But then how did the likes of Nicolas Cage ever become a leading man ? Plus … He can't even spell his name right ! <tongue in cheek emoji> But wasn't his real name Coppola? .... I'm imagining that must have helped. Cage interesting example of oddball looks - but in the 80s he was certainly a plausible romantic lead to Cher, Kathleen Turner, Holly Hunter et al... and yes he has (more or less) maintained leading man status although not in romantic roles or films people actually want to see.
Other examples of unlikely leading men pop up in my mind - Brod Crawford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Steiger, Lee Marvin - in most of these cases it was case of an Oscar win leading to temporary leading man status then regression into secondary roles (Marvin possibly excepted)
Obviously Sonny does not fit into that category!
Some of today's guys are surprising - Adam Driver not conventionally handsome but he is quite charming and seems to choose hip projects - I believe him as a romantic lead (FRANCES HA etc)
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Post by BATouttaheck on Aug 30, 2019 13:17:35 GMT
cynthiagreen Early Cage .. I had a physical aversion to him thanks to his character / performance whatever in Peggy Sue Got Married. I could NOT see him at all as a romantic / leading man at all … he was so cringy and just …. all that I can describe it is is .. "icky" AND I like character looks and character actors almost more than leading men "types' and I like Tim Carey … who has similar looks and oddness, BUT as a leading man / romantic lead ? NO WAY ! Since Moonstruck ..I can (almost willingly) sit through Cages movies without thinking about a barfbag . Often I will watch a Cage movie despite him being in it. He's still always kinda creepy.
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Post by cynthiagreen on Aug 30, 2019 15:06:28 GMT
cynthiagreen Early Cage .. I had a physical aversion to him thanks to his character / performance whatever in Peggy Sue Got Married. I could NOT see him at all as a romantic / leading man at all … he was so cringy and just …. all that I can describe it is is .. "icky" AND I like character looks and character actors almost more than leading men "types' and I like Tim Carey … who has similar looks and oddness, BUT as a leading man / romantic lead ? NO WAY ! Since Moonstruck ..I can (almost willingly) sit through Cages movies without thinking about a barfbag . Often I will watch a Cage movie despite him being in it. He's still always kinda creepy.
Nor can Yahoo Images see him as romantic
I searched on Nicolas Cage kissing and this is what came up
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Post by BATouttaheck on Aug 30, 2019 15:21:31 GMT
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