I'm just what is around you

[sovay]

In my defense, Whit Bissell was not in "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" (2018), but he sure was in Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954). I may write about this movie; I ordered it from the library last week when I was thinking about prison noir based on Brute Force (1947) and I wish I'd seen some intermediary examples to compare with, but it's fast, ferocious, and the punch of its Pyrrhic victory for prison reform has only gotten more extra-diegetically upsetting in light of what hasn't changed—or has worsened—in the last sixty years. Cast entirely composed of character actors, most of whom I've never seen anywhere near a leading role before. So who plays the unsympathetic screw turned favorite hostage of the prisoners forced to bargain for their own rights?



Me to spatch: "Did I accidentally summon him? Is he just in my movies now?"

Comments

[gwynnega]

Character actors do seem to do that, once one becomes aware of one of them. On the other hand, the phenomenon could make a great weird story.

[sovay]

Character actors do seem to do that, once one becomes aware of one of them. On the other hand, the phenomenon could make a great weird story.

spatch had to listen to me grousing recently that I couldn't get hold of a DVD of Canon City (1948), which had crossed my radar on the general theme of prison noir.

Later tonight: "Want to hear something funny? Whit Bissell's in Canon City."

[moon_custafer]

Like a benign version of handful_ofdust’s Background Man.

[sovay]

Like a benign version of handful_ofdust’s Background Man.

Increasingly it feels that way!

[gwynnega]

Exactly!

[thisbluespirit]

Me to [personal profile] spatch: "Did I accidentally summon him? Is he just in my movies now?"

Ah, we've reached the bit where now he's actively stalking you round everything you watch.

[sovay]

Ah, we've reached the bit where now he's actively stalking you round everything you watch.

At least I went looking for Ralph Richardson!

[thisbluespirit]

Some actors you have to work hard to stalk and other just come along and stalk you!

[moon_custafer]

Ok, I was looking over a bio of Jayne Meadows who was in a 1958 play on Broadway called The Gazebo, and I realized I’d seen her in The Fat Man a few weeks ago.

[sovay]

Ok, I was looking over a bio of Jayne Meadows who was in a 1958 play on Broadway called The Gazebo, and I realized I’d seen her in The Fat Man a few weeks ago.

Oh, my God, she was on Square One TV. The Mathnet episode with the debonair jewel thief, Archie Leach. Meadows played the owner of the Despair Diamond, Lady Esther Astor Astute. Hooray.

[moon_custafer]

debonair jewel thief, Archie Leach

I see what they did there.

[sovay]

I see what they did there.

They had an entire spoof noir episode once revolving around the Maltese Pigeon.

[moon_custafer]

Yeah, but every show back in the day did a Maltese episode. I think one of those Scooby-Doos where Batman and Robin showed up had a “someone’s trying to steal the Maltese Bat” story. (googles) No wait it was an actual Batman animated show from before they did the good one? http://superheroshows.blogspot.com/2012/03/crisis-of-infinite-episodes-in-again.html

[sovay]

Yeah, but every show back in the day did a Maltese episode.

Well, I was either five or six at the time, so it was the first one I saw. In keeping with my usual approach to pop culture, long before I saw (any version of) The Maltese Falcon.

[davidgillon]

Not prison noir, but waterfront noir, so I instantly thought of you when I stumbled on this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Cover_the_Waterfront

[sovay]

Not prison noir, but waterfront noir, so I instantly thought of you when I stumbled on this

With Ben Lyon! Thank you. Did you stumble on it in the sense of watching it, and if so, how was it?

[davidgillon]

I was googling some naval stuff, and hit on a mention of two US vessels that had the annual job of picking up elephant seals for the San Diego zoo*, with a mention that the book's author had used the story, so followed the link, and hey, Sovay candy...

The page I was reading is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle-class_patrol_craft, and as well as linking to the page on the film, it links to an extract from the book at https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2004/feb/19/i-cover-waterfront/?page=2#

TLDR: no, only thing I saw was the wiki page.


*Needing to do it annually does not impress!

[sovay]

with a mention that the book's author had used the story, so followed the link, and hey, Sovay candy...

Thank you for bringing it to my attention!

Needing to do it annually does not impress!

The zoo traded them. To other zoos, for animals they couldn't collect themselves. I just found out. I had no idea there was such a barter system among early zoos!

[selkie]

To be fair to the month of October, the number of films he acted in is between hella and hrair.

[sovay]

To be fair to the month of October, the number of films he acted in is between hella and hrair.

I hope you are told on a regular basis that you are a national treasure.

[alexxkay]

That is a very evocative numerical phrase!

[dhampyresa]

Did I accidentally summon him? Is he just in my movies now?
Iä! Iä! Characteractors-gurath!

[davidgillon]

The dark goat of the Hollywoods with a thousand bitparts?

[sovay]

The dark goat of the Hollywoods with a thousand bitparts?

I mean, this almost explains Hans Conried.

[ashlyme]

*In my defense, Whit Bissell was not in "The Woman Who Fell to Earth"*

No, but I'm sure he'll be in tonight's episode... Should I be afraid?

[sovay]

No, but I'm sure he'll be in tonight's episode... Should I be afraid?

I have liked him everywhere I've seen him. He can only add class!