In Full Bloom

Not unlike our fond, if vague, remembrances of Chad Allen, we distinctly recall being mesmerized by Brian Bloom and his dreamy eyes back in the 1980's, though we'll be damned if we can think of exactly where and in what context we watched him. Also like Mr. Allen, we were creeped out by the adolescent pin-up photos we came across of this bloomin' beefcake from his stint as a Tiger Beat centerfold; luckily, he matured quite nicely, and we were able to use this tasteful study from a 1996 Playgirl spread.

Brian Bloom turns 38 today, and is still a handsome devil; we never watched Oz, although we're sure the sparks that flew when Bloom and Chris Meloni began a tryst must have short-circuited more than a few television sets.

Isn't She Lovely?

The incomparable Miss Lena Horne celebrates her 91st birthday today.

Something in the Water...

TOM TRYON


RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN


GEORGE NADER


KERWIN MATHEWS


TAB HUNTER


SAL MINEO

...in Hollywood, c. 1955-1965, produced a bumper crop of gorgeous gaiety.

The Borden Twins

Everybody remembers Teensy and Weensy from I Love Lucy (episode "Tennessee Bound") -- played by The Borden Twins, alike as "two watermelons in a patch." These adorable gals parlayed that legendary 15 minutes of fame into a lifelong career; Marilyn and Roz kept up an exhausting schedule of nightclubs, cruise ships and TV appearances right up until Roz' death at age 70 on January 23, 2003. The remarkable Marilyn Borden just keeps on going, still performing, giving lectures, and contributing to AIDS awareness rallies.

This f-ing brilliant commercial for "Cock o' the Walk" canned fruit will enrich your life immeasurably.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

1) Burt Bacharach music. 2) Michael Bennett choreography. 3) Donald Brooks costumes. 4) Donna McKechnie's head snaps.

Absolutely crazy-brilliant-insane genius.

Keir Today...

HANDSOME KIER DULLEA, WHEN HE WAS APPEARING ON BROADWAY IN BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE

Unsettlingly blond and handsome, Keir Dullea's almost delicate beauty carried a sinister quality with it; not surprisingly, he specialized in roles calling for psycho-erotic tension. His first starring role was as a disturbed youth in David & Lisa (1962); a few years later, he gained cult fame as Carol Lynley's off-kilter, possibly incestuous brother in Bunny Lake is Missing (1965). The Fox (1967) found him romancing Anne Heywood, much to the dismay of her lesbian lover, Sandy Dennis; and he even got to portray the depraved Marquis in De Sade (1969).

Dullea is of course best known for 2001: A Space Oddysey (1968), which effectively overshadowed his past and future work; but we feel it's a shame to relegate Mr. Dullea's legacy to one film. Especially when his others include perverts, psychos, lesbians and Carol Lynley.


KIER DULLEA AS DAVID BOWMAN IN 2001: A SPACE ODDYSEY (1968)

J'adore Jean

CATHERINE ROUVEL EYES JEAN SOREL IN CHAIR DE POULE (1963)

Another Reason We Love Carroll Baker

Before I Die...

...I must see Sylvia, a 1965 pulpish, neo-noir flick starring Carroll Baker and George Maharis. Plus Viveca Lindfords, Peter Lawford, Joanne Dru, Aldo Ray, Ann Sothern and Lloyd Bochner! The mind boggles.

Here is a tantalizing glimpse:




MUST. SEE. THIS. MOVIE.


PAUL GILBERT (C) AS "LOLA DIAMOND."


KINKY LLOYD BOCHNER ROUGHS UP CARROLL BAKER


JOANNE DRU

ANN SOTHERN


SIGH.

It's Sunday...

...worship at the altar of Saint Joan of Crawford.

JOAN AS A POLITICO IN GOODBYE, MY FANCY (1951). IF HILLARY CLINTON HAD WORN ENSEMBLES LIKE THIS DURING HER CAMPAIGN, WE MIGHT HAVE SUPPORTED HER.


JOAN AS JENNY STEWART, THE BITCHY MUSICAL COMEDY STAR OF TORCH SONG (1953) -- REQUIRED VIEWING FOR ALL FLEDGLING GAYS.


JOAN IN MID-CENTURY FABULOUSNESS


JOAN WITH TWO OF HER TRADEMARKS: A PEPSI-COLA BOTTLE (LIKELY FILLED WITH VODKA), AND A PAIR OF ANKLE-STRAP FUCK-ME PUMPS.


THIS PHOTO NEATLY SUMS UP JUST WHY WE LOVE JOAN CRAWFORD SO.


REST IN PEACE, MISS CRAWFORD. WE LOOK TO YOU FOR DAILY INSPIRATION.

This is What's Missing Today in New York...

On any given night, in the 1950's or 1960's, you could see a fabulous performer at The St. Regis, or The Plaza, or The Waldorf, or any of the legendary nightclubs around town. I mean, who even knew that charming French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont and his beautiful wife, Marisa Pavan, had a nightclub act?! But they did, and apparently packed 'em into The Persian Room night after night.

Noonanism Strikes Again

Undoubtedly, the strangest crush we've had around here is on 1950's and 1960's television personality, Robert Q. Lewis. We just love his geeky-yet-sophisticated charm, and his trademark glasses are fabulous. Robert Q. Lewis (the self-appointed middle initial stood for "anything you want!", as he put it) was also reputedly a "confirmed bachelor," wink wink.

So that's what the "Q" stood for.

Voices In My Head

LAUREN BACALL


BARBARA STANWYCK


ANNE BAXTER


LIZABETH SCOTT

Say it Loud...

I'm here, I'm an Ethel Merman fan...get used to it!

From Mame to Millie

The always-fabulous Angela Lansbury, performing the title song to Thoroughly Modern Millie. Which is probably the gayest thing I'll type all day.

Jacques Dutronc

We're not quite sure how we've avoided the charms of Jacques Dutronc until now, but leave it to Our Girl In L.A., Donna Lethal, to rectify the situation.

Here is Jacques' big hit, "Les Playboys," in two forms. This is the straightforward version...



And here is the completely insane, gay version...



It's with some sadness that we recognize that the non-gay version is the cooler of the two (and Jacques is wearing a suit and tie that we'd KILL for); but you can't win 'em all.

Scenes From a Marriage

Ernest Borgnine and Katy Jurado.

IF ANYONE HAS ANY PHOTOS OF ERNIE & ETHEL, PLEASE SEND THEM IN AS A PUBLIC SERVICE!

She May Have Been Born Just Plain White Trash...

...but Fancy was her name!

The enigmatic Miss Bobbie Gentry exploded onto scene in 1967 with "Ode to Billie Joe," a murky story-song wrapped in mystery and tantalizing secrets. That #1 hit made Bobbie an immediate superstar, with variety show appearances and Vegas contracts beckoning. But by the mid-1970's, she had shucked it all, went incognito, and has barely been heard from since; personal details are hazy, at best, and she seems to have succeeded in disappearing altogether. Wherever you are, Miss Bobbie, we miss your fabulous lower lashes, your Delta Queen backcomb, and, most of all, that spectacular, smoked-hamhocks-and-braised-greens voice. 

Shortly before she dropped off the face of the planet, Bobbie's most famous song became the basis for a cheesy, made-for-TV flick starring Robbie Benson. In 1976's Ode to Billy Joe (note the more "masculine" spelling), the film offers this explanation of just why Billie Joe jumped off the Tallahatchee Bridge:

'cause he got cornholed by another man. Quelle horreur!

Come to think of it, this travesty of a backwoods soap opera may have been what forced Bobbie Gentry into early retirement.

Her Way of Life

Actually, there is something that screams gay even more than gathering a bunch of Joan Fontaine fans together and sampling her recipes -- and that would be gathering a bunch of Joan Crawford fans together to sample the meat loaf from La JC's seminal 1971 memoirs, My Way of Life, aka in our household as The Sacred Testaments.

So says Joan Crawford:

Meat Loaf: I use two pounds of ground sirloin, a pound of ground veal, and a pound of sausage meat...thoroughly mixed with three eggs, a bottle of A-1, a good lacing of Worcestershire, a lot of seasoned salt, and finely chopped purple onion and green peppers. I hide four hard-boiled eggs inside the loaf and before it goes into the oven I dribble over more A-1 and Worcestershire and seasoned salt so that a crust will form.

Wilted Spinach Salad: I pour hot bacon grease and vinegar over the spinach leaves until they sag, and then sprinkle crisp bacon on top. You can do this with lettuce or dandelion greens, too.

Salad (best served with fried chicken or baked ham): ...made with kidney beans, purple onions, green peppers, celery, and hot red peppers--all chopped very fine and tossed with vinegar, Tabasco, kosher salt, and black pepper. It should be refrigerated overnight to marinade...

Coleslaw: I must brag...that I'm famous among a small group of regulars for my coleslaw. The basic ingredients are shaved cabbage, green peppers, finely chopped pimiento, and pineapple. Over this goes a dressing of mayonnaise, a liberal amount of both dry mustard and prepared mustard, the juice of six lemons, olive oil, cider vinegar, hot peppers, and a magic mixture of spices and herbs that I buy from a restaurant in Hollywood, the Cock 'n Bull.