Jack Sheldon.

I just read that the great trumpet player and singer Jack Sheldon has died.
I may have written about this before.
If that's the case, I'm writing about it again.
He was probably best known as the trumpet player on the Merv Griffin Show.
He and Merv traded banter all the time.
Also as the voice for the animated "I am a Bill" for Conjunction Junction.
He had a rich unmistakable twangy voice.
I have all of his albums.
In the late seventies I wrote a pilot for CBS called "The Love Birds".
I composed the theme music for it.  Along with lyrics for it.
Lyrics are always written for themes of TV shows.
They are often not used.
But  the ones for the Love Birds were.
A lot of that comes down to "Do we have the right singer for it?"
I thought I did.
I got the great song-and-dance man Bobby Van.
And he was just dandy.
That was the problem.
He was JUST dandy.
It wasn't until about six months later that I realized who I should have gotten.
It was Jack Sheldon.
He would have been more than dandy.
He would have been fabulous.
A few years ago I reached out to people who knew him.
I still thought he would have been charmed by it.
I was told that he had a debilitating stroke.
And was currently trying to relearn the trumpet.
I stopped trying to pursue it.
Sometimes, it's just hard to be smart when you have to be.
 

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My books, "Show Runner" and "Show Runner 2" can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store,

along with newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".

They are all compilations of blog entries have since been removed from the blog.

So this is the only way you can find them.,

You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.

Check them out.

You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.

Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.

The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not e-books.

But they are available for people without Kindle.

I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.

If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, there's my reading of my screenplay of my unmade "Laverne and Shirley" movie on "YouTube".

i

Report Card---"Joker"

"Joker" is a thorough mixture of  "Taxi Driver", "King Of Comedy" and "Batman".
I found it very compelling.

On to the scoring.

Is it interesting?

Fascinating
A+.

Compelling even?

Asked and answered.
A+

Is it good storytelling?

Very.
A.

Is. it well written?

Yes.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?

Totally.   Joaquim Phoenix. Deniro, Frances Conroy...
A+.

Did the director put such a personal stamp on it so that no one else could have made it?

Absolutely.
A+.

How long does it take to establish the film's locale and time period?

Immediately.  The early 1980s.
A.

Is it too long? Too short?

Perfect.  But over  the top with goriness.
A-. 

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?.

Yes, and yes.

A+.

Is it predictable?

Not a bit.
A+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Sometimes.
A.

  

Is it funny?

Often hilarious.
A+.

.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Yes.
A.

Is it impressive?

Truly.
A+

Overall grade: A.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books, "Show Runner" and "Show Runner 2" can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store,

along with newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".

They are all compilations of blog entries have since been removed from the blog.

So this is the only way you can find them.,

You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.

Check them out.

You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.

Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.

The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not e-books.

But they are available for people without Kindle.

I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.

If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, there's my reading of my screenplay of my unmade "Laverne and Shirley" movie on "YouTube".