RYAN O’NEAL, BARBRA STREISAND, AND TAYLOR WHAT’S-HER-NAME
And later, better than a spicey meatball, a hunky Italian footballer tells us.
RYAN O’NEAL CRAPPED OUT – AND THAT’S NOT THE HORROR STORY
I was handed an assignment by Gentlemen’s Quarterly’s editor to do a cover story of actor Ryan O’Neal. By then, I had done a couple of profiles and a by-lined column called “Pulse.” I jumped right in.
Step One – I was met by Ryan, his son Griffin, and famous Tatum in their Hotel suite at the Pierre. When I arrived Tatum and her brother were tossing a beanbag. Ryan and I were able to chat intermittingly talk along the way.
Next, we all headed to a photographer’s studio where O’Neal who had just completed filming The Main Event (ideal casting,) with Barbra Streisand to be photographed in boxing shorts. I estimate, the photographer took hundreds of shots, 300? By then, I had enough to go home and begin a draft for my article.
O'Neal was born in Los Angeles. His father was of Irish and English descent, while his mother was of paternal Irish and maternal (gratuitous information?) Jewish ancestry. He had trained as an amateur boxer before beginning an acting career in 1960. He had landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC nighttime soap opera, Peyton Place, an instant hit that boosted O'Neal's career. He later had big success in films, most notably in the romantic drama, Love Story (1970). He was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe as Best Actor Motion Picture Drama. He would go on to star in Peter Bogdanovich’s What's Up, Doc? and Paper Moon. After that, he earned a nomination for the Golden Globe for the title role for Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. Next, it was Richard Attenborough's A Bridge Too Far; and Walter Hill's The Driver.
I messenger-ed my first draft to GQ’s editor Jack Haber and waited word on his thoughts when I got a call from him. Out of the hundreds of pictures taken of Ryan O’Neal in boxing gear, none were usable. He had gained weight since completing the movie and there was fat hanging over the sides of his boxing trucks. Worse news, the actor refused to show up for another photography session. Though I’d been paid the full amount, the cover story was canned. I found it mildly depressing, and if memory serves, I instantly contacted the editor of Blueboy magazine who gladly accepted the piece I was paid a second time. I would have preferred the cover story had appear in Gentlemen’s Quarterly, where I already had several credits, but I went with it -- more resilient back then, I moved on. All well and fine.
Then on December 8, 2023, Ryan O’Neal died from leukemia and prostate cancer. A hot three weeks after, on December 27, 2023, The New York Post dropped… splashed a jaw-dropping double truck – two full pages – on Ryan O’Neal, his four children, and several ex-wives written by veteran Post reporter Dana Kennedy, every line a shocker. What?! Infighting. Not speaking to one another. Some turned away at the funeral?! I don’t know if the world knew, or maybe merely Hollywood was privy, but it sure knocked me out. So now, I wonder, will there be lawsuits on who-gets-what of his $35 million estate. Vegas could take odds on it. The other shoe hangs in the air.
Barbra Streisand
Ten points of light - words unsaid about her. Could there be anything left unsaid about Barbra on this planet?
TEN: BREAKING NEWS: Barbra Streisand at 81, worth $ 420 million, Forbes says… At one time, Bette Midler was employed via her Barwood Films Company as “executive support” and ran “personal errands” for her… During the pandemic, she received $200,000 Pandemic Assistance for her garden and gardener—all this according to the January 13, 2024, New York Post.
NINE: I might have previously shared with you that at 18, I enrolled at The University of Miami, Florida as a freshman fresh from a small-town. To support my unwise decision (a long story for another time), I got a job at a supermarket called Stevens at the edge of campus on Dixie Highway. While there, I encountered a cross section of humanity and inhumanity that became a large part of my education. Many of the workers there, I was not prepared for, but my favorites were older (not always elderly) retired Jewish men who had moved South and got jobs at the supermarket to give them something to do.
EIGHT: En passant, those nice, old gents used words I was unfamiliar with. Being a curious sort, I invariable asked “What does that mean?” and was enlightened with definitions that were known as Yiddish. Asking for clarification of those terms was a wise move on my part. Years later, when a New York person and an aspiring writer, I was able to insert those colorful colloquialisms in my work as well my day-to-day conversations…I am grateful for those fascinating fellows, coworkers, and mentors.
SEVEN: Good Example of their usefulness: In her November 7, 2023, New York Times book reviewer Alexandra Jacobs included several Yiddish words used by Barbra Streisand in her autobiography: Gonif, thief (ex-boyfriend Jon Peters.). Fakakta, what her then-agent called the Isaac Basheva Singer’s short story, “Yentl, The Yeshiva Boy” … “Tush,” how a character in Prince of Tidesflung his “tush” around. And the ubiquitous chutzpah, Streisand wrote “…generous dollops of chutzpah…”.
SIX: An appropriate aside: Invariably, The New York Times is on top of the news and many times is the first to report worldwide stories. In that November 7, 2023, Times and Alexandra Jacobs review, and I add, one of the original weigh-ins to critique Barbra Streisand’s then-newly released, long-awaited autobiography, 970-page doorstop-heavy autobiography, My Name Is Barbra, with a well-written, interesting, and even amusing critique from critic Jacobs. Before going on…
FIVE: AN ASIDE: An aside within aside, notice what a savvy businesswoman Barbra Streisand is. Her autobiography book title was also an album name and also what she called a television show – plus a song. Streisand is not one to let a tie-in go wasted. Now that’s a keen business sense.
FOUR: More on that Times critique: In the last paragraph reviewer Jacobs lists Barbra Streisand as ”…singer, actress, director, producer, philanthropist, activist, lover, mother, wife, friend autobiographer …”. Nowhere in that roster or the article does Jacobs give credit to Streisand as to songwriter, composer of “Evergreen.” “Evergreen.” ("Love Theme from A Star Is Born") from the 1976 film A Star Is Born, was composed and performed by Miss Streisand with lyrics by Paul Williams and arrangement by Ian Freebairn-Smith. The cut was released on the soundtrack album to A Star Is Born. To this long-time fan, that was a sin of omission — no small thing. At the 49th Academy Awards, the film won Best Original Song for its love theme "Evergreen."
THREE: “SHE TOUCHED ME…” a lyric from one of her songs, I met Miss Streisand at the Tavern On The Green at a press party for A Star is Born.* By then, the 1976 feature had already received a couple of not-so-complimentary reviews. When we were introduced, I stuttered to her, “I don’t think A Star Is Born, should be reviewed by anyone over 30.” Shrug. At least I didn’t gush.
*BACKGROUND PARAPHRASED NOT PLAGIARIZED FROM WIKIPEDIA: A Star Is Born is a 1976 American musical romantic drama film directed by Frank Pierson, written by Pierson, John Gregory Dunne, and Joan Didion. Starring Barbra Streisand as an unknown singer and Kris Kristofferson as an established rock and roll star who fall in love, only to find her career ascending while his goes into decline. A Star Is Born premiered at the Mann Village Theater on December 18, 1976, with a wide release by Warner Bros. the following day. A huge box office success, grossing $80 million on a $6 million budget in North America, the film became the 2nd highest-grossing that year. Reviews praised its performances and musical score but criticized the screenplay and runtime. At the 49th Academy Awards, the film won Best Original Song for its love theme "Evergreen."
TWO: Another time, Barbra and her then-husband Elliott Gould were in a row in front of me at an upper east side movie theatre…And of course, I had already caught one of her early, sold-out performances of “Funny Girl” on Broadway from a front Balcony seat. Does that count as seeing her in person?
ONE: A TIDBIT: In my early New York City days, I had dinner with then name director Bert Shevelove, a musical theater playwright, lyricist, librettist, and director. A few of his credits: Hallelujah, Baby!, No, No, Nanette, And, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum…
Shevelove told me a story at dinner that may or may not be true. When Streisand, as Diva, was throwing her weight around on the Hello, Dolly!, set co-star Walter Matthau said to his co-star, “Listen missy, I was on this sound stage when Betty Hutton was a star.” (It’s Ok if you don’t know who Betty Hutton was. Hutton was an up-and-coming actress who took over for the movie version of “Annie Get your Gun” when Judy Garland wasn’t cutting it. Judy had even already recorded the songs.)
Hollywood gave Betty Hutton a hard time of it, but she showed up and did her best. Technicians, union members, grips, all loyal to the beloved Judy were gratuitously mean to Betty. Even when she came to New York for the “Annie’s” early press, Ethel Merman was her rude self to her. Know this: I liked Betty Hutton. When you see her work you realize, she got up there and gave her all every time out. If you’re unfamiliar with any of these players, Google them.
FOOTNOTES AFTER POSSIBLE FOOT IN MOUTH re: YIDDISH:
A BOOK & AN ARTICLE:
There’s a fascinating, comprehensive book edited by Ilan Stavans, Professor of Humanities, Latin American Culture, and Latino Culture at Amherst College, How Yiddish Changed America and How America Changed Yiddish.
THE ARTICLE: Out of left field and quite welcome to me, a piece a The New York Times, September 2, 2023, “Yiddish Is Having a Moment, by Ilan Stavans.
The end of Barbra Streisand rant. I overdid it.
Taylor Swift
WHATEVER TAYLOR WANTS TAYLOR GETS. SWIFT, TAYLOR – Stop the presses. Hold the phone!
This time, it’s serious stuff. Back in the 1970s, Australian-born entertainer Peter Allen penned (with Carole Bayer Sager), a much played and frequently performed showstopper, “Everything Old is New Again” which can still be heard on many music outlets. (Allen was once married to Liza Minnelli which makes him Judy Garland’s onetime son in law.) Which brings me to the point, way back I wrote songs and produced records when lp’s (long playing vinyl albums) were the thing and the only thing. So, I’ve hung in long enough to see formats go through multiple dizzying-making and costly stages. It wasn’t easy to keep up and maintain plus replicate one’s collection (cassettes, 8-tracks, CDs, MP3s, streaming. What did I leave out?) Due to yet another earth-shattering event from ubiquitous pop queen Taylor Swift with her worldwide appeal -- we’ve recently seen the most rigorous resurgence of vinyl since the late 1980s.
What we have here is a new generation of music mavens who have fallen in love with the retro format and are also obliged to buy (gulp) a record player. The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) confirms vinyl records recently grew by one percent totaling the tune of $ 632 million and now accounts for a whooping 72% of physical-format revenue(s). Why, the British Phonographic Industry reported that across-the-pond’s vinyl sales recently surged 12 percent to a hefty 5.9 million. One week alone racked up 250,000 in vinyl lp sales. What we’re in for is vinyl taking over and unexpected revenue for hardware sellers (expense for others who need to buy a player) from turntable sales as Peter Allen predicted in “Everything Old is New Again.”
Once more, the continual phenomenon and presence of Miss Taylor Swift generously contributed to the global economy. And to this long-time music afficionado, it’s a welcome relief and comfort to see news stories like this one replacing the barrage of horrific war footage we’ve been subjected to as of late. Thank you, Taylor Swift, once more, Gracie.
FOOTNOTE: Taylor Swift is in multiple newspaper and television news-entertainment articles every day for a multitude of reasons. Here are the titles of two more offbeat pieces I found startling: New York Times Opinion columnist Paul Krugman, “Is Taylor Swift Underpaid? And private practice psychiatrist Suzanne Garfinkle-Crowell founding director at Icahn School of Medicine, “Taylor Swift Has Rocked My Psychiatric Practice.” The Taylor Swift beat goes on and on and there doesn’t seem to be an end to it.
SHECKY WHO?
SHECKY GREENE - High-Energy, stand-up comedian Shecky Greene passed away at 97 on Sunday December 31, 2023. In 2027, during an TheWashington Times interview, Greene shared that he would frequently wake up from a deep sleep yelling, “Why did I do that? Why did I do that?” I found that telling and fairly funny since I find myself many times wide awake doing that during the day, uttering the same words, “Why did I do that?” … “Why did I do that?”
SERIOUS COCKTAIL PATTER -- THAT TRULY MATTERS TO ME, IN MY HEART OF HEARTS
Addressing my favorite record albums: I had an article way back in “The Huffington Post,” that had been accepted by Adriana Huffington herself, which she put out there as writ. In that decades-old piece, I named some of my all-time favorite vinyl records albums. To this day, they are still my favorites:
“Francis Albert Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim,” 2) “Margaret Whiting Sings The Jerome Kern Song Book, Vols. 1-2,” 3) Eydie Gormé – “Don't Go to Strangers/Softly, As I Leave You,” 4) Peggy Lee “If You Go,” and “Latin Ala Lee!”
Of course, there are individual record-cuts I cherish but those are my most loved long playing (lp’s)-favorite albums. (One example of songs I love: “The Very Thought of You, “ sung by anyone even someone in the shower.) And as I want to repeat, vinyl albums are on their way back and just may take over as the next big thing… However.
However and a but, if we were at an actual cocktail party, I may say something completely different… my favorites are…“Almost every record waxed by Ella Fitzgerald.” Not a bum cut in the bunch. And to add to the flavor…recently, a new biography was released on inimitable Ella worth reading, Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song, by Judith Tick, Norton Publishing. For those out there who are unfamiliar with American Popular Standards, you have a treat in store, like no other.
I don’t want to steal thunder from Judith Tick’s book on Ella, but I will share a morsel or two: Ella didn’t make it past junior high… Ella thought she might become a dancer…Some music people thought she’d never make it because she was “too plain-looking,” but her multi-octave voice and high spirits over came all doubts…. Her first hit was, A-Tisket A-Tasket.” I still love it. Legendary pianist Oscar Peterson once said she had “imperturbable musical confidence.” I ask, what could be better compliment than that? On some nights when the musicians got careless, she would run over to them and keep right on going--in their ears… Ella did eight Song Book albums for Verve records between 1956 and 1964, all with… “impeccable taste…”. She revisited and modernized songs of eight great songwriters--our finest songwriters. Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, George and Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, and Johnny Mercer… Ella couldn’t cook but collected hundreds of cookbooks--and loved to read them. With all that, Ella Fitzgerald contributed humongous-ly to what would be called The Great American Songbook. Gracie tutti, Miss Ella Fitzgerald.
ARMSTRONG, LOUIS – A little story I’ve been wanting to share for a long time. Way back when I first came to New York, I was desperately trying to get into the music business. I made appointments, contacted publishers, chatted up record producers...did anything do get in. Along the way, I met an old-timer, respected guy who had an office in the Brille Building, and while talking, the executive told me a tidbit that stayed with me.
(If you’re wondering how I met so many people early on, know this: New Yorkers are open and keen to meet new people. We’re continually looking for new friends and a fresh audience. That’s why cocktail parties were so popular in the old days (and the drinks were free). I miss them. The point, if you’re the least bit interesting and presentable, you could get their attention, at least back then, and you would be invited places. I sure wish that were still true.)
As I was speaking with a music exec, I could see he was enjoyed passing on this vignette:
Early on Louis Armstrong had signed an exclusive contract with Decca Records. He was an original with an identifiable sound. One day, a bigwig called Satchmo in to his office. The Executive reached over and put a record on the turntable…they both listened. Afterward, as the gent picked up the needle, he said, “Mr. Armstrong is that you on that record, uncredited. Did you do a record session for our competitor to make some extra money or something?”
PAUSE. SILENCE.
Louis Armstrong moved forward and said softly. “No. And I’ll never do it again.”
It seems Louis Armstrong was much more: a Jazz Czar* -- during the Cold War, it’s been reported trumpeter Louis Armstrong was America’s most powerful non-nuclear weapon … music, not bullets contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall. See:
FOOTNOTES: 1) Superb Opinion Essay in the New York Post, April 29, 2023, *“Secret Weapon… jazz help beat the USSR,” by Ivana Stradner. 2) Also worth a look-see, A documentary out there “Satchmo’s Wonderful World,” culled from his own camera footage.
MY NAME IS BARB… I mean, MY NAME IS JIM-MY – Oh, hell, WHAT’S IN A NAME? Juliet agreed, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
My birth certificate reads James Anthony. My parents, siblings, relatives, friends--everyone I knew called me James. An odd thing happened somewhere along the way. In the third grade, my moniker appeared on some homework and a library card as Jim. In a huff, my mother sent a succinct note to the teacher that read: “Miss DeVita: My son’s name is James, not Jim.” And that was that. I was for sure James from then on… until junior high. Seventh graders were now required to go to a separate location, with fresh-faced schoolmates—ideal for telling a few unsuspecting chums and teachers, I was Jim. Slowly, I became Jim to the world and that lasted through college. Forward, in the early geographic days of my New York City move, I was still Jim. Then a powerful woman boss at a great job I lucked into (Assistant to Syndicated Daily News columnist Liz Smith) decided I was Jimmy. Not overnight, but slowly, surely, then snowballed-ly, it caught on; quite a few New Yorkers associated with the workplace and socially picked up on it. I was now Jimmy. More rapidly than we realize, the years passed… a decade or two or three later, a full-circle lap, you might run into me in a sport coat executing a little wave, or the tip of a hat, with a lowkey “howdy.” All considerations considered, James seems more appropriate to this time, place, and period … suddenly, it’s James again. And that’s fine by me. My mother would be pleased.
THAT’S ITALIAN – ONE SPICY MEATBALL - You don’t have to know Tommy DeVito to love Tommy DeVito. At 25, he seemed to come out of nowhere, in the press most every day. He is the third-string quarterback for the New York Giants. In November of 2023, he threw one of the first professional touchdowns. And, after that feat, he raised a hand in the air and gave us a “hand gesture heard round the world:” right hand in the air, pinched together finger with thumb. It’s an ancient Italian gesture I knew well; I’d seen it hundreds of times as a kid back hone the Italian section of my hometown, Clarksburg West Virginia.
That gesture, DeVito immortalized after that game last November means “Whatddaywant?” I got it a lot when I annoyed my grandparents. “Whatdday want?”
The unmarried, hunky, footballer’s nickname is “Cutlet” appropriated from the favorite meal his mom still prepares for him, chicken cutlets. And now the New York Giants quarterback is getting media coverage and tie-ins for being Tommy DeVito and chicken cutlets, up the wah-zoo. He likes to say, "You can do anything with a cutlet. Sandwich or dinner." You bet.
DeVito grew up in northern New Jersey and went undrafted earlier this year while embracing his Italian culture plus doubling the Giants' season win total in his first four starts, which just goes to show you don’t need a winning season to have a hometown hero. Giants and other fans can't seem to get enough of their local quarterback. Coo-coo-ca-choo Joe DiMaggio. SONG CUE:
“Coo, coo, ca-choo, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know
Wo, wo, wo
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey.”
From Simon & Garfunkel’s song, “Mrs. Robertson.” Remember Mike Nichol’s The Graduate and Dustin Hoffman?
FOOTNOTE: Apropos of nothing… “Tommy, The Classic Rock Opera” is returning to Broadway, March of 2024. Let’s get it right, to be accurate the title is: “The Who’s Tommy.” Welcome Tommy and Welcome Back, “The Who’s Tommy.”
THE FUTURE: UP NEXT MONTH: I’ve been meaning to write about the Healing and Therapeutic Power of music and plan to do so the next time out. All kinds of music, all walks of life… A tall order and I’m not sure I’m equipped to handle it, but it’s been in the back of my mind… “Music has the power to touch our souls, lift our spirits and heal. But can music actually act as medicine?” …Music has been known to help people heal on a physical level by providing relaxation techniques that reduce stress levels and improve cognitive function. It also provides emotional healing by helping us express feelings of grief, fear or sadness which often accompany hospital stays…” . It’s worth a serious look. Gracie.
Great article, Jim! I love reading your pieces! It’s so much fun to learn about you as you insert your own stories and your experiences with each so we get a glimpse of your fun world!
James .....Wow quite the article. Lots of interesting history you have witnessed!!!
It was really interesting and enjoyable to go through!!! Thanks for putting the hard work
in to write a Great Article!! Thanks Mark Wycallis