El Aguila Negra

....or the Adagio Dancer. I'm currently in Manhattan, about ten blocks from the hotel in which he died--suddenly--at 31.

A choice little wiki-bitty: 'In 1919, just before the rise of his career, Valentino impulsively married actress Jean Acker who was involved with actress Grace Darmond and Alla Nazimova. Acker got involved with Valentino in part to remove herself from the lesbian love triangle, quickly regretted the marriage, and locked Valentino out of their room on their wedding night. The couple separated soon after, the marriage never consummated.'

Dramaturgy

The Emperor's Funeral

A gorgeous 3-card set from Japan. Can't read Japanese, but I think the funeral commemorated here is that of Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji, or Meiji the Great (1867-1912). The date and details here match up with an extraordinary account of Mutsuhito's funeral in the New York Times, October 13, 1912. Click on final image for composite.

Bambi Degree Zero

When I was a kid television images looked like this, and were always flicking upwards (uncontrollably, it seemed) when the reception was bad. One had to get up off the floor and fiddle with the 'Vertical Hold.' Usually to no avail.

Favorites: Howdy Doody, Mickey Mouse Club (with Annette F.), To Tell the Truth, This is Your Life, and the Ernie Kovacs show, esp. when it featured Percy Dovetonsils and the Nairobi Trio. Also liked the shimmery-exciting beginning of the Loretta Young show, when she flung open the double doors and came through in a ball gown.

Please Send Me a Telegramma...

. . . followed by Jean Seberg

Potted Plant Fancier

Seaside Vignette

Entirely mysterious hand-tinted photograph. Everyone obviously looking for something, but why would they have taken a picture just at this moment? The woman on hands and knees looks jauntily dressed (in Land Girl breeches?), but why is she down and no one else? And what's in the strange sack?

Prompts fleeting memory of To the Lighthouse and the search for Minta's lost brooch in the sea wrack and rockpools.

The Opposite of Rare

....but a classic nonetheless. I've really come around on beets.