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Asta's Mastah's Interests
General
Vintage film, Swing Music/Dance, Baseball, travel, ships, cooking, historic preservation and study, sailing, being with people that I like, helping run vintage festivals, Historic Theatres/Movie Palaces. My first love- my passion for Laurel and Hardy! Since 1984, I've had a long affiliation with the SONS OF THE DESERT. I belong to Way out West Tent of Hollywood and Early To Bed Tent of South Pasadena.
AFFILIATIONS: Hollywood Heritage, Inc.,American Cinematheque, Alex Film Society, LA Conservancy, Autry National Center, Al Jolson Society, Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society, Sperdvac, Sybil Jason Fan Club, RMS Queen Mary Foundation.
Music
I have diverse musical tastes, but I spend most of my time in the lush time warp of the 1920's and 1930's. Swing is a deep passion, but I also like the sweet bands. (I have a secret fondness for Guy Lombardo! Guy was still living when I was a young kid, so New Years hasn't been the same since) I love Jolson, Cantor, Crosby, Dick Powell, Russ Columbo, Helen Ward, Helen O'Connell, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Kayre Morrison (she sings with Dean Mora, and could melt you), Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Ruth Etting, Judy Garland, Patti Page, Tony Bennett, Sinatra, Perry Como, Frankie Laine, Sammy Davis, Dean Martin, Eddie Fisher, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Steve Lawrence, Ricky Nelson, Buddy Holly, early Beatles, Karen Carpenter, Engelbert, Neil Diamond, and the Beach Boys. From today, I like Michael Feinstein, John Pizzarelli, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Dr. John, Steve Tyrell, Michael Buble, Bette Midler, Brian Setzer, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Big Voo Doo Daddy. I like the early rock and roll of the fifties/early sixties, Stray Cats, clasical music, showtunes, Marches, college fight songs, service themes, Berlin, Gershwin, Warren, Porter, Mercer, Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson. Special mention of the great jazz scores of LeRoy Shield and Marvin Hatley, that made the short subjects of Hal Roach so head and shoulders above anyone elses!!
Movies
For a film buff, the toughest question to ask. I most appreciate the films of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Silent films, and documentaries. As a history buff, I've devoured the works of Ken Burns and have much of his works on DVD. Ok, Ok, I would say, at the present, my TEN favorite all time films are (not necessarily ranked):
1) Libeled Lady
2) It Happened One Night
3) Casablanca
4) Thin Man/After the Thin Man (tie)
5) Mutiny on the Bounty
6) Topper
7)Tin Pan Alley
8)Adventures of Robin Hood
9) Yankee Doodle Dandy
10) Sons of the Desert
and running close behind; Double Indemnity, Hollywood Hotel, A Star is Born (1937), Dinner at Eight, Sunset Boulevard, Best Years of Our lives, Singing in the Rain, The Sting, Pride of the Yankees, Lady Vanishes. Suspicion, 39 Steps, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Lost Horizon, Way Out west, Pack Up Your Troubles, Horse Feathers, Roaring Twenties, Top Hat, Test Pilot, Boys Town, Edison the Man, Rose of Washington Square, Kennel Murder Case, Ex-Mrs. Bradford, My Man Godfrey, Charlie Chan series, Gunga Din, Gentleman Jim, Angels With Dirty Faces, G-Men, ... Okay, you got the hint... I LOVE Classic Movies!
Television
My favorite channels are TCM and History Channel. You'd be more apt to find me watching American Experience or Huell Howser! I think the modern popular culture is at an all time low. The television is just dreadful. Again, I look to the sheer joy and fun of the past and shows such as Brady Bunch, Three's Company, The Honeymooners, Hollywood Squares (with Peter Marshall and the great and hysterical Paul Lynde!), What's My Line, You Bet Your Life, This is Your Life, Cosby, All in the Family, Happy Days, Columbo, Dragnet, and STILL my all time favorite, I Love Lucy.
Books
I mostly look at baseball and classic Hollywood reference books, and periodicals like Classic Images. But I have enjoyed The Thin Man, Dashiell Hammett, Twain, Dickens, The Last Convertible by Anton Myers, and several biographies, historical and show business.
Heroes
I have many heroes ranging from historic figures like Jefferson, Lincoln, TR, and Thomas Edison, to Sportsmen like Ted Williams and Carl Yazstremski (I saw Yaz' last game and went to Cooperstown to see him inducted in 1989) to entertainers like Jolson, WILL ROGERS, Cantor, Gene Autry. Stan and Ollie forever! But one stands out as having been one of my greatest influences, and that's Ronald Reagan. I stood in line overnight to pay respects when he passed on. He took a bullet for this country, so I could do that for the Gipper! And last but not least, I also would mention the heroic film archivists who work tirelessly for not much money (I was one of them once) to pass on our cultural heritage. Finally, to our greatest heroes as always, THANK YOU VETERANS!
About me: I'm Dave-
TEN TIDBITS ABOUT ME:
1) I AM A SWEET, AMIABLE GUY WHO CAN BE A GREAT FRIEND; BUT I CAN BE OPINIONATED AND AM PRINCIPLED....
2) I AM MOSTLY GERMAN, ENGLISH, AND CANADIAN...
3) I'M A "TR" AND REAGAN REPUBLICAN...
4) I'M NOSTALGIC, AND LOVE TO LIVE IN THE PAST!...
5) I LOVE BASEBALL, OLD MOVIES, AND SWING MUSIC...
6) DAVID BRINKLEY WAS MY GREAT UNCLE...
7) I DON'T SMOKE, DRINK (HARDLY), AND HAVE NEVER TAKEN DRUGS...
8) I'M KNOWN FOR MY BAD JOKES AND MEDIOCRE IMPRESSIONS!...
9) I AM A PATRIOT!
FINALLY...
10) I'M A SWEET, BUT SOMETIMES SHY GUY WHO FEELS A BIT AWKWARD AROUND GIRLS, BUT HAVE A WONDERFUL CAPACITY TO LOVE AND WOULD LOVE TO HOOK UP WITH A CUTIE!
As Paul Harvey says- And now, the REST of the story!....
I have diverse and eclectic interests, but I'm most into the Vintage and Nostalgia scene! I'm into Cinecon, American Cinematheque, Alex Film Society, LA Conservancy, (Gene) Autry Museums, Queen Mary Foundation, and the preservation advocacy group, Hollywood Heritage, Inc. (www.hollywoodheritage.org) [of which I am a member of the Board of Directors]... which champions the integrity and preservation of the historic Hollywood. I'm also big into the "Swing" scene- I'm a loyal follower of LA's best, authentic vintage swing band, Mora's Modern Rhythmists Dance Orchestra! I go all over SoCal to hear them and sometimes dance! I have a particular fondness for the 1920's and 1930's- everything- the movies, music, pop culture, jargon, fashion, antique cars, antique radios, juke boxes, old time radio broadcasts! EVERYONE tell me I was born in the wrong era! (I'm a real history buff too, so that's part of it!) I love learning about the history of Los Angeles and Southern California. Two of my favorite get-a-ways are Catalina Island and Palm Springs; And I adore the RMS Queen Mary! I like going to the gym, taking long walks, going to museums, exploring movie personality graves in cemeteries, fishing, sailing, anything having to do with ports, marinas, boats, ships, lighthouses, coastlines. I like flea markets & Palm trees. I also love architecture- art deco, neon, and Spanish. [I would give anything to own a 1920's bungalow with a Spanish roof!] I'm from Natick, Massachusetts, and have two sisters, 2 nephews, 3 nieces. I'm a diehard baseball fanatic- my two favorite teams are my native beloved RED SOX and my adopted DODGERS (I like to joke that I bleed Dodger Blue while wearing Red socks!) For football, I follow the New England Patriots and, for college ball, the TROJANS/BRUINS locally. My sensibilities and values are conservative- I love the Indians and the "old west," and currently work for the Gene Autry museums. My favorite presidents are Jefferson, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and Ronald Reagan. I have many heroes: Public figures, sportsmen like Ted Williams and Babe Ruth, & entertainment personalities. My favorite actors include William Powell, Clark Gable, James Cagney, and Cary Grant. For the ladies, I especially love Myrna Loy, Carole Lombard, Jean Harlow, and Claudette Colbert. I am an avid collector when I can. I run the Al Jolson Society here in SoCal; so besides Jolie, I love WILL ROGERS, Bing Crosby, Russ Columbo, Jimmy Durante, Maurice Chevalier, and Eddie Cantor. I appreciate a good sense of humor and honesty in people- (if you don't like me, punch me in the face; at least I'll see the punch coming, but don't stab me in the back) I'm turned off by chronic lateness, bad communication (especially accompanied by lame excuses), dishonesty, prima donas, girls who smoke, telemarketers, cell phones in theatres, "cell phone drivers," slow or reckless driving habits, disrespect for the flag and our armed forces, and people who can't take or read a simple direction. I'm an unabashed patriot, believe we should always support our troops wherever they may be deployed, and am incensed by subversion or anything that undermines them. I have a real soft spot for the World War II Vets, since my late Dad was one of them. To sum me up- "I have three principle passions- vintage film, Swing music, and Baseball, and I must have an equal amount of all three in my life!" So there you are, ladies- I'd love to hook up with some cute gal who shares my passions! I'll give you the adventure of your life! :)
Who I'd like to meet: Vin Scully and Tommy Lasorda!
And I really want to meet Cass, Tammara, Sarah, and Chlse!!
...for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
“Do not destroy that immortal emblem of humanity, the Declaration of Independence. ”
'bout to turn in. Still don't have my sched for next week, but Sunday seems fine for our sojourn to the Autry. I sent you your pic from Sunday. Check your AOL account.
Heya!! Just checking in to see how you've been and how your holidays were. It's been a while, so I started to worry about you:o( I hope you are doing well!! Cheryl
Hey Sonny Boy, Jolie thought he'd stop by and wish you and your mom a Merry Christmas. Oh yeah --- Jolie forgot! Eppy sends his fondest regards to you too! AL JOLSON --- THE WORLD'S GREATEST ENTERTAINER
