More Bunuel for the Blogathon
Written by Joe D on September 25th, 2007
Here are some posters from my collection. Belle de Jour and two one sheets from Robinson Crusoe. I saw Crusoe as a kid. It played on the wonderful Million Dollar Movie on WOR-TV Channel 9 New York. It fascinated me even when I was 10 years old. I bought the DVD and there is an interview with the star Dan O’Herlihy. He tells of how the American producers were pushing Bunuel to hire Orson Welles for the part of Crusoe.
One of the producers knew Welles and felt he could talk him into accepting the part. Bunuel refused, maybe he sensed that two genius directors on one set might prove difficult. The producers arranged for a screening of Welles MacBeth so Bunuel could see Welles in period dress and with a beard. Bunuel watched the film. ” I don’t want Welles” he said, “Get me that guy.” Bunuel pointed at Dan O’Herlihy who played MacDuff and that’s how he got the part.
26
AM
Can’t wait for you to cover THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE….one of my all-time favorites!!!
26
PM
“Get me THAT guy!” I love it.
Million Dollar Movie…we’re practically neighbors. I grew up on Long Island. The voice of the announcer on WOR was a constant…day or night, he was there.
Thanks for offering these shots. And I agree with Gary: something on Obscure Object would be great to read.
26
PM
Okay . The people have spoken, I will obey, Obscure Object coming up.
19
PM
To ‘Flickhead’: Which announcer might you be referring to? Ch. 9 had an array of announcers over its many decades on the air. On “Million Dollar Movie,” by the 1980’s, there were basically two announcers handling the program: station veterans Phil Tonken and Ted Mallie. (Tonken was the well-modulated baritone voice who was also heard on many a radio commercial, industrial, training film and newsreel over the years; Mallie’s voice was more tenor-ish and deliberate in delivery.) Other voices associated with WOR-TV over the decades (pre-1987) included Carl Warren (whose association with WOR dated back to radio days in the 1930’s, and who died in 1968), Frederick Manness (d. 1970), Joe King, Cable Spence (a former WPIX-FM disc jockey from the early ’70’s), Bob Jordan (d. around 1977), Ray Marlin, Frank McCarthy, Russ Dunbar, Jesse Elin Browne and Barbara Korsen.