What can one say about a comedy that just limps along, even when an attractive cast does fine work every step of the way? Even the bit parts are creatively cast in this odd romp infected with a really bad case of The Cutes. Natalie Wood is at her best, but in service of dumb gags: let’s blow bubble gum bubbles! The result so upset Natalie that she ditched her studio contract. The roster of engaging talent includes Peter Falk (in suave leading man mode!), Dick Shawn (less grating than usual), Lila Kedrova & Lou Jacobi (showing real style), Jonathan Winters (wasted) and, of all people, Ian Bannen as Natalie Wood’s uncomprehending husband. Bannen is so good, he drags a real laugh or two from the material. The show has been beautifully remastered.
Penelope
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date January 26, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Natalie Wood,...
Penelope
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date January 26, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Natalie Wood,...
- 1/25/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Star Trek – and we’re talking the original 1966-69 series here – was a lousy TV show. I was 11 years old when the series debuted on NBC and I thought it was a lousy show then.
That’s why I couldn’t stand the Trekkies even back before there was a name for them. My first run-in with a pre-Trekkie Trekkie was Vincent DePalma. In seventh grade, Vincent had his mother make a sparkly Star Fleet emblem for a corduroy pullover to make it look like the uniform blouses on the show. He wore it to school which I thought was him begging to get his ass beat. He’d built a full-sized replica of the helm/navigation console from the Enterprise bridge in his basement. His father worked for Bell Telephone and had gotten him banks of light-up buttons that really worked. His dream was to eventually recreate the entire bridge in his basement.
That’s why I couldn’t stand the Trekkies even back before there was a name for them. My first run-in with a pre-Trekkie Trekkie was Vincent DePalma. In seventh grade, Vincent had his mother make a sparkly Star Fleet emblem for a corduroy pullover to make it look like the uniform blouses on the show. He wore it to school which I thought was him begging to get his ass beat. He’d built a full-sized replica of the helm/navigation console from the Enterprise bridge in his basement. His father worked for Bell Telephone and had gotten him banks of light-up buttons that really worked. His dream was to eventually recreate the entire bridge in his basement.
- 3/20/2013
- by Bill Mesce
- SoundOnSight
Character actor Carl Ballantine ahas died at age 92. He was one of the comedy industry's favorite second bananas and was also acclaimed for his stand-up act in which he played a bumbling magician. Ballantine, who received a lifetime achievement award on behalf of the magic industry in 2007, continued to perform until last year. His film credits include The Shakiest Gun in the West, Speedway and Mr. Saturday Night. He was also known for his role as the con-man Gruber on the McHale's Navy TV series. For more click here...
- 11/6/2009
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Comedy magician and actor Carl Ballantine has died of natural causes at his home in the Hollywood Hills. He was 92.
A U.S. TV favourite, Ballantine became beloved for his cabaret act on variety shows but he's perhaps best remembered as Lester Gruber on 1960s sitcom McHale's Navy, which also featured Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway.
Billed as The Amazing Ballantine, the actor played an inept illusionist on shows like the Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show.
He received a Lifetime Achievement Fellowship from the Magic Castle in Hollywood in 2007.
Funnyman Steve Martin, who presented Ballantine with the honour, tells the Los Angeles Times newspaper, "Carl Ballantine influenced not only myself but a generation of magicians and comedians. His was also the most copied act by a host of amateurs and professionals."
Another fan, David Copperfield, tells the Times, "Carl Ballantine created comedy magic. The combination of magic and comedy had perhaps been done before, but he truly defined it and made it his own."...
A U.S. TV favourite, Ballantine became beloved for his cabaret act on variety shows but he's perhaps best remembered as Lester Gruber on 1960s sitcom McHale's Navy, which also featured Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway.
Billed as The Amazing Ballantine, the actor played an inept illusionist on shows like the Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show.
He received a Lifetime Achievement Fellowship from the Magic Castle in Hollywood in 2007.
Funnyman Steve Martin, who presented Ballantine with the honour, tells the Los Angeles Times newspaper, "Carl Ballantine influenced not only myself but a generation of magicians and comedians. His was also the most copied act by a host of amateurs and professionals."
Another fan, David Copperfield, tells the Times, "Carl Ballantine created comedy magic. The combination of magic and comedy had perhaps been done before, but he truly defined it and made it his own."...
- 11/5/2009
- WENN
By Wrap Staff
Actor Carl Ballantine, whose career spanned vaudeville, television, Vegas and Broadway, died Tuesday at his Hollywood home of natural causes. He was 92.
Born Meyer Kessler, he started performing magic tricks as a kid, learning them at age 9 from his barber. By 13, he was a successful enough performer to support his family.
One night a magic trick went haywire and he threw out some funny lines to cover it. Thus the Amazing Ballantine was born.
Ballantine caugh...
Actor Carl Ballantine, whose career spanned vaudeville, television, Vegas and Broadway, died Tuesday at his Hollywood home of natural causes. He was 92.
Born Meyer Kessler, he started performing magic tricks as a kid, learning them at age 9 from his barber. By 13, he was a successful enough performer to support his family.
One night a magic trick went haywire and he threw out some funny lines to cover it. Thus the Amazing Ballantine was born.
Ballantine caugh...
- 11/5/2009
- by Lisa Horowitz
- The Wrap
Carl Ballantine, who performed feats of bumbling comic magic on Vaudeville and on television, the movies and in Las Vegas, died Tuesday of natural causes at his Hollywood home. He was 92.
Perhaps Ballantine's most famous role was as confident con artist and torpedoman Lester Gruber on 1962-66 ABC comedy "McHale's Navy."
Ballantine, born Meyer Kessler on Chicago's South Side, learned magic tricks at age 9 from his barber. By 13, he was performing and supporting his family.
One night, a trick went haywire and he threw out some funny lines to cover things. The audience loved it, the club owner told him to "keep it up" -- and the Amazing Ballantine was born.
Ballantine caught the end of Vaudeville and the early days of television. He played the Palace in New York City, the Hippodrome in Baltimore and many other huge venues of the day.
On TV, he did magic on the shows of Garry Moore,...
Perhaps Ballantine's most famous role was as confident con artist and torpedoman Lester Gruber on 1962-66 ABC comedy "McHale's Navy."
Ballantine, born Meyer Kessler on Chicago's South Side, learned magic tricks at age 9 from his barber. By 13, he was performing and supporting his family.
One night, a trick went haywire and he threw out some funny lines to cover things. The audience loved it, the club owner told him to "keep it up" -- and the Amazing Ballantine was born.
Ballantine caught the end of Vaudeville and the early days of television. He played the Palace in New York City, the Hippodrome in Baltimore and many other huge venues of the day.
On TV, he did magic on the shows of Garry Moore,...
- 11/4/2009
- by By Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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