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Post by flossieskid on May 13, 2021 6:26:12 GMT -5
The Walton fans are the best! Now, you are thinking to yourself, “Tell me sometimes I don’t know!” The following story is about 2 devoted fans who changed my life, forever!
As I have mentioned before, I attended the Waltons 40th Anniversary celebration in LA many years ago. My family couldn’t attend, so I decided to go by myself and found a nice seat in the first row of the balcony. Two elderly women were seated to my left. After exchanging pleasantries, I asked where they called home. I just assumed they lived in Los Angeles. The woman closest to me seemed to be the spokesman for both. She told me they had flown in from Florida and were staying at a nice hotel nearby.
Then, the lady next to me asked who was my favorite character on the show. Needless to say, I answered “Flossie Brimmer” and told them she was my Mom. Good Lord - you think I had just given them a winning lottery ticket!! They both became very animated, were talking over each other, were asking questions fast and furious, telling me all about their favorite episodes where my Mom appeared. They told me about the Fan Appreciation Night the evening before and the great reception my Mom got when they showed the final scene in “The Firestorm,” These ladies were both so endearing.
I could never really understand how people seemed to go crazy when they met celebrities - or anyone with a close connection to a celebrity. I grew up with huge stars like Jack Lemmon, Art Carney and Bob Newhart in our home regularly. These stars are from bygone days and many Walton fans may not even know who they are. But, they were just wonderful people and very down to earth and incredibly nice. So, I didn’t really view celebrities like the heart-stopping, hyperventilating,
speech preventing type of fan many celebrities create. Until....
In 1997, I accompanied my “2nd Mom” actress Jeanette Nolan(Jen) to Montana where she played Robert Redford’s mother in the movie “The Horse Whisperer.” Now THAT is a movie star!! Nothing in my past experience with major celebrities prepared me for the moment “Bob” put both his hands on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eye and began to speak. As his sexy voice echoed throughout Jen’s trailer, I could do nothing but stare into his gorgeous blue eyes. After a few seconds (when I was SURE stars would start to shoot out of his mouth!) I realized he was saying something that I probably needed to remember!! “Get it together, Tracey, you need to understand what the heck he is saying!” Finally, I was able to pull my focus away from his mesmerizing eyes and back to the instructions he was giving me for Jen’s upcoming scene! In that moment I realized that EVERYONE can be impacted by a celebrity! But, I digress......
The lady to my left finally said, “May I ask you a special favor?” “Of course” I replied. She dragged out the request v e r y slowly with great hesitancy. Finally, she spoke: “May I touch you?” I was flabbergasted! I was so utterly surprised that my first thought wasn’t “how weird” or “she is SO strange” or “get me away from this loon”. I was just extremely moved. She loved “The Waltons” so much that it was important to her to touch someone who had some sort of connection to the show. I immediately put my hands on her arm and told her that her request was so lovely and I knew my Mom would have been thrilled to meet her and her friend. She put both her hands on top of my own and thanked me profusely. I told her SHE is the one to be thanked for being such a true Walton fan. Then, she asked for my autograph, saying, “It is the closest I will ever be to anyone on the Waltons.” She handed me her program and I wrote that it was wonderful to meet such a true Waltons fan and signed it with my name and then wrote underneath, “Flossie Brimmer’s daughter.”
As I said in the subject line that I was changed forever. They showed me how to be unfiltered with joy and enthusiasm and to be in the moment asking for what you want. I think we could all use a little of that strength in our lives. I apologize for the length of this post, but I am not very good at editing. But I promise to work on that so you won’t need to drink 5 cups of coffee to just get through any future posts!
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Post by Easton on May 13, 2021 8:56:52 GMT -5
I hate to think about what you would have left out if you had edited it for length. Please, do us a favour and Do. Not. Edit. yourself.
I grew up watching Jack Lemon (Mr. Roberts), Art Carney (Edward 'Ed' Lillywhite Norton... I kid you not!), and Bob Newhart (I still own my vinyl album 'The Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart).
And thank you for reminding me of Jeanette Nolan. I never saw The Horse Whisperer, but I loved Jeanette's character 'Dirty Sally' on Gunsmoke and then in her short-lived series, 'Dirty Sally'. The Horse Whisperer was Jeanette's final role before her death in 1998.
Loved the story of your two ladies. You have never forgot them and I'm sure they never forgot you.
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Post by Brenda on May 13, 2021 11:46:41 GMT -5
I was there that night, sitting in the balcony with my husband and my friend Peggi. What a wonderful evening it was. I’m a bit envious of those two ladies. I wish I had met you.
Thank you for sharing this story. Please don’t feel that you need to edit your posts. I enjoy reading every word of them.
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Post by Johnny on May 14, 2021 3:20:19 GMT -5
Thank you Tracey. There is no need to shorten your posts on our account. They are an enjoyable read, as is.
I believe many Walton fans here recall the actors you mention. Besides his appearances on the Honeymooners, I felt Art Carney's portrayal of Harry in the film Harry & Tonto (1974) was outstanding. Evidently the Academy did too. I hear he was a pretty good piano player also. Jack Lemmon was one of my favorite comedic actors, in so many good movies. Bob Newhart I only recently discovered in his appearances on the sitcom Big Bang Theory. I wonder if Walter Matthau ever popped in for a visit?
For those two avid Walton fans you met at the Anniversary, I can tell you made their day.  |
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Post by flossieskid on May 14, 2021 5:39:23 GMT -5
It is great to know there are still a few diehard old Hollywood fans out there. I was only 5 years old when I begged my parents to let me take a nap so I could stay up and watch Jack Lemmon, hopefully, win his first Oscar for “Mr. Robert’s”. He did! Trivia note: Jack is the FIRST person to win a Best Supporting Oscar and then go on to win a Best Actor Academy Award for “Save the Tiger.” Many others have followed but he was the first. Both Jack and Art Carney were GREAT piano players - which they played together on more than one magical night at our house. Jack even did an album called “A Twist of Lemmon”. What a treat for anyone to hear them!
Jack was such an amazing friend. When I was Editor-in-Chief of my high school yearbook in my senior year, we needed some money to add a color insert in the yearbook. I thought we could hold a talent show and maybe I could ask Jack if he would be our emcee. Nothing like, literally, “reaching for the star!” He and my Dad played golf every week so I thought maybe my Dad could ask him. My father said this was “my gig” and I needed to ask him myself - with my Dad pointing out, “What’s the worse thing that can happen - he can say no, right?” So I asked him and he graciously accepted. Not only did he say yes, but he arrived in his beautiful brown Bentley with an incredible in-car telephone! This was long before ANYONE had a phone. Jack was so incredibly sweet that he allowed EVERY SINGLE GIRL who was in the talent show to get in his car and call their parents!! That is the kind of man Jack was.
The lifelong lesson I learned from inviting Jack stays with me today and I raised my children the same way: Don’t ever be afraid of asking someone for a favor or request. The worse thing is that they say no - and you can survive a “no”. But, even better, the answer could be
“yes” and what transpires after that can be amazing!
When I sent him an invitation to our wedding, he sadly told us he was going to be in NY and couldn’t make it. So, imagine our utter surprise and delight to see him and his beautiful wife, Felicia, walk through our front door about 30 minutes into our wedding reception. They flew back early and had their driver take them directly from LAX to our house where we got married and had the reception. We were wonderfully shocked, but again, that was the type of wonderful friend Jack Lemmon was!
Speaking of trivia, Easton mentioned Jeanette Nolan and her role on “Gunsmoke” playing an old, no tooth, Western loner who befriends a young cowboy” and then they travel together to find a homestead. She was such a physical mess, they called her “Dirty Sally”. That character was the very first “spin off” character of an established show - meaning, she played the role on one TV show (Gunsmoke) and it became the first “spin off series” of the SAME character on her own show at the same network- CBS. Not that it will ever come up in a trivia game - but if it does, you will be perfectly prepared! Another trivia question that is a good one is name ALL the shows that are spin offs from the original show. There are so many now, but “Dirty Sally” was the first!
Jen was a truly beautiful woman who worked in radio and knew Earl Hamner quite well when she did shows he had written in New York. Jen starred as “Lady MacBeth” in Orson Welles production after they both started as two of many members of the “Mercury Theater Players.” Most radio shows ended at 10 minutes to the hour and then several actors had to be at a studio a few blocks away to begin another radio show right at the top of the hour. So, the actors would hire an old, out-of-service ambulance (with a working siren!) to make sure it could rush the few blocks and get them to the second radio station on time. Clever and not quite illegal at that point in time! But, one day, Jen was running (in high heels!) to get to the ambulance and she ran straight into a large glass door and shattered all her teeth! She had a full set of removable dentures and loved nothing more to take them out so she could look like a toothless hag anytime she wanted, like during her “Dirty Sally” series.
I think Jen was on one episode of The Waltons, but l’m not sure. I will have to do some research on that - or perhaps someone knows if she was on an episode or not.
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Post by Brenda on May 14, 2021 7:57:27 GMT -5
She did appear in a Season 7 episode of The Waltons, The Calling, as Sister Scolastica.  |
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Post by Easton on May 14, 2021 7:58:28 GMT -5
I think Jen was on one episode of The Waltons, but l’m not sure. I will have to do some research on that - or perhaps someone knows if she was on an episode or not. She did, indeed, appear in The Waltons. Season 7, Episode 2 - The Calling. She portrayed Sister Scolastica.
Loved your stories of Jack Lemmon (and my apologies to Jack for misspelling his last name). He did comedy so well, but he could handle drama equally well. 'China Syndrome' comes to mind.
Here's some trivia for you. In 'Some Like It Hot', Jack used his own voice as Daphne. Tony Curtis was dubbed.
And speaking of Some Like It Hot, here is, without a doubt, the funniest last line ever in a movie courtesy of Joe E. Brown and Jack's expression:
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Post by flossieskid on May 14, 2021 13:12:13 GMT -5
Thanks for the info about Jen’s episode on The Waltons. I thought I’d seen every episode, but I missed that one. Will try to find it somewhere. Also, I agree about the scene with Jack Lemmon and Joe E. Brown - funniest line ever!!
I did not know Tony Curtis’ voice was dubbed. They can do magic with dubbing or blending voices. Did you know that the voice of Norman Bates’ mother in “Psycho” is credited to Jeanette Nolan? But the studio also blended 2 other actresses, Virginia Gregg and Mercedes McCambridge into the final cut. Jen’s husband, John McIntire, played the sheriff in that movie, and since Jen was on the set a lot, and she was incredible with voices and accents, she was asked to dub the voice of Norman’s mother. Mercedes McCambridge also did the voice of the devil in “The Exorcist”. But, to keep the illusion up for the movie goers, none of their voices were given credit. But, those ladies are part of movie history, for sure!
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Post by Easton on May 14, 2021 13:49:14 GMT -5
The Calling was about Mary Frances Conover, the Baldwin sisters' young cousin. She is Jim-Bob's age and they develop a relationship. Unbeknownst to Jim-Bob, Mary Frances is on a 'search' for herself. ('The Calling' refers to her.)
The only thing I could find on YouTube is a short episode opening preview featuring Jeanette and Mitzi Hoag:
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Post by patriciaanne on May 14, 2021 17:10:14 GMT -5
Thanks for the info about Jen’s episode on The Waltons. I thought I’d seen every episode, but I missed that one. Will try to find it somewhere. Also, I agree about the scene with Jack Lemmon and Joe E. Brown - funniest line ever!! I did not know Tony Curtis’ voice was dubbed. They can do magic with dubbing or blending voices. Did you know that the voice of Norman Bates’ mother in “Psycho” is credited to Jeanette Nolan? But the studio also blended 2 other actresses, Virginia Gregg and Mercedes McCambridge into the final cut. Jen’s husband, John McIntire, played the sheriff in that movie, and since Jen was on the set a lot, and she was incredible with voices and accents, she was asked to dub the voice of Norman’s mother. Mercedes McCambridge also did the voice of the devil in “The Exorcist”. But, to keep the illusion up for the movie goers, none of their voices were given credit. But, those ladies are part of movie history, for sure! Tracey, I can read your stories all day! Don't you dare edit anything!! 😊🥰 I grew up watching all those great actors. My parents loved Jack Lemmon. We still watch Art in episodes of the Honeymooners when it's on Sunday nights. I never missed any episodes of either of Bob Newhart's two series in their first runs. I saw The Exorcist with my friend when I was 13. I was not so affected by scary movies -- I loved them! But my friend was quite a bit more timid than I. I found out I did a good imitation of the devil voice. I used to love scaring her by coming up on her unexpectedly and saying her name that way. Oh well, what's a good Catholic girl to do for fun??? 😇🤣 I loved the Horse Whisperer. Surely anyone can be forgiven for being starstruck by Robert Redford!! |
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Post by Johnny on May 14, 2021 19:31:03 GMT -5
I didn't know Jack Lemmon also enjoyed piano. Tracey, I was going to ask in my last post, if you happened to have a piano in the house. Must have been terrific hearing Jack and Art play. Here is a short clip of Jack playing in an interview (please excuse the out-of-tune piano). In other interviews, he admits being self-taught. Plays by ear. I can hear in his interpretation, a distinct jazz influence using arpeggiated chords. Extra points to those who can identify the tune he is playing.
Dad served in the Navy (South Pacific) so of course, he enjoyed watching naval themed films like Mr. Roberts. To prime us, whenever it was going to be aired typically on a Sunday, in his best Cagney he would walk around the house saying, "All right who did it? Who did it?" And we all knew what film we were going to see. 
I wonder if you've met his son Chris? He penned a tribute book by the same name as the album you mention Jack recorded. Chris adapted the book to a play of the same name where he portrays his Dad in A Twist of Lemmon.
clip from the play, A Twist of Lemon
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Post by JessicaGirlSpy on May 14, 2021 20:14:28 GMT -5
I like Bob Newhart. I like the movie Elf. Of course I like most Christmas movies.
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Post by Johnny on May 15, 2021 19:08:47 GMT -5
Extra points to those who can identify the tune he (Jack Lemmon) is playing.
Ok, I'll let you know. He is playing a lounge club version of Someone to Watch Over Me by George & Ira Gershwin (1926). I think intentionally, Jack played this in tribute to a film he performed in, Three for the Show (1955) which used this as the title song and was also featured within the film.
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