February 16, 2011

A favorite pic from "The Little Kittens' Nursery Rhymes", a thin book (only 12
such shots, including the cover and title page) I first saw in the early 1960s.

There were various other such books and reprints over the decades. Except for
a set of lengthwise black & white books several years back, all of them are new
to me.

Mine, similar to the 10 cent Whitman books of that period, actually has a 1941
copyright and had the typical statement in front that, "These unusual photo-
graphs...were made possible only by patient unfailing kindness on the part of
the photographer at all times."

That was Harry Whittier Frees (1879-1953), who created them for kids' books
and popular postcards. He had a number of rather cursory imitators, but Frees' always seem to have that certain extra something the others lack.


I won't argue here about the relative wisdom or mercy of such enterprises, or the 'psychological damage' in posing a preschool pig or dressing a baby cat. I take them at their word that the animals weren't tormented, with wires or staples or the like. They look contented enough under the circumstances. Maybe a little baffled. I enjoy looking at them.

These two look like they're part of the same story. Can't say I'd like bread with
cat hair. Though it would have more fiber.

Kittens seemed to've worked best and look best. Tho' there are some good ones with puppies, rabbits, & occasional others. Even a doll or two.

'You bend, I'll pump.'

Some are stranger than others. But, surely they are a few notches above hopping overstressed circus poodles, the utterly pointless 'Puppy Bowl' of recent years, and the ugh-pew factor of toy piano peckin' chickens.

And not even in the criminally crippled running with the needled shins of
high stepping horses and endless lab animal abuses. Anyone pulling their
hair out over the spectra of more colossal abuses, probably won't like this
stuff either. I have no real defense for it, if it even needs one. It's just
something else I took in as a kid.

Maybe their only violation is their wardrobe. (Too many pajamas?). But,
even on the 'Planet of the Kittens' we can't wear pinafores ALL the time.

Anyhow, he had a great name for auditory mangling...Harvey Prettier
Wheeze, "Hurry, Fritterer of Peas!", Purry Kittner Knees or so, and
you're off on another oddball character name.

February 3, 2011

Here are those other members of the Apes jury. What strikes me here is how
often, even with brow makeup, the actors in these simian roles are still recognizable. In the middle is James Whitmore, whom I mostly knew then as the ant-crushed cop from "Them!", and "The Next Voice You Hear", where his family and the world hear the voice of God on the radio, (always belatedly, or from a transcript, et cetera) so he's shamed into finally getting along with his pis headed crank of a neighbor (Art Smith) and has to get over being married to Nancy Davis (Reagan).

On the left, as 'Dr. Maximus', is Woodrow Parfrey (1922-1984), who was adept at playing varying degrees of mean-to-craven wheedlers who easily cracked when pushed, to reveal their yellow lachrymosity. According to imdb Woodrow was a P.O.W. after the Battle of the Bulge, the assumption being that he observed such behavior close at hand. Anyway, he was great at it, the epitome of such, to my mind, probably via his many television appearances, particularly episodes of "Mannix".

On the other end, again and of course, is 'Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius'. (Maurice Evans).

But, they all look like themselves! Here is Woodrow Parfrey in a rare happier role in "Dirty Harry". See? Now you know who it is. And you can readily see it's him in that orangoutang makeup.




My personal favorite, tho'---small town banker 'Harold Young' in "Charley Varrick".

Here's a lousy shot of an engrossing scene: the late great, lofty pain-in-the-ass John Vernon laconically intimidating "Harold" to the point of nausea over lifted mob money supposedly safely hidden in the bank, but now stolen unexpectedly in a stylish but ordinary heist by 'Charley Varrick' (Walter Matthau). Vernon is obliquely comparing "Harold" to the cows in the nearby field, stupidly waiting for a colorful slaughtering. He more than gets the message.

With Parfrey's 'Apes' connection and 'Varrick' now on my mind, to take this further, I wondered just what were the real perameters for casting those apes? It seems to have been mostly men with a certain type of uncertain accent, usually a bit shorter (excepting some gorillas and extras) than six feet.

But why shouldn't they have included others? How about a Clint Walker gorilla? Or Billy Barty? I woulda watched them. Or Alan Hale, Jr.??

Or to take some of the others in the "Charley Varrick" cast, Matthau would've made a great old chimpanzee. Or even Andy Robinson some sort of 'urban' funlover ape. Sheree North's appeals would have been mostly wasted in the '70s makeup and army tent clothing, but as a chimp she certainly would be better than the bizarre Mrs. Burton's Michael Jackson lookalike in the remake.


But, what about Joe Don Baker (whose 'Molly' is a real piece of work)?

Maybe those parameters were a good thing. Unless he could be some cracker albino gorilla visiting from the mysterious 'Southern Zone'. "Day-um!! It's hot!"