Classic Film : What You Always Wanted to Know About… But Were Afraid to Ask

Mine is so simple:
User name: my first name is Linda last name Mayberry
Avatar: Me at about age 3 sitting on my tricycle

I was part of IMDb before the WWW when it was text only and I was using a service called Delphi. I had been on Prodigy. I did not have much of an online presence except on the Television Without Pity West Wing board, when I posted under the name of Neurosturgeon and after being banned I became Gordon Shumway.

So no big stories or hidden meanings.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

Hi, Linda. Hey, you looked very nice and very cute when you were 3 years old!! Did you keep your old tricycle?

You are one of the oldest IMDb members, no doubt, but with one of the youngest avatars.

"No big stories or hidden meanings": that's good!!

No big stories or hidden meanings with me either, that's why I explained very clearly why I chose my moniker & avatar. A very transparent thing.

My tricycle was destroyed in an unsuccessful attempt to turn it into a unicycle.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

Yes, but WHO tried to turn it into a unicycle? You when you were 3? I would call that early engineering

The unicycle project was my dad's and the welder who lived across the street. I had just gotten my first two wheeler, so I let them have fun. My dad built a lot of our toys, but this one just didn't turn out right.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

A dad building toys for his children? That's really fine!!


I never owned a trycicle or a bicycle, and never learned how to ride: I preferred to spend my whole budget in comics and in going to watch movies. The birth of a film buff

My mother made me give up bike riding after I fell off and knocked myself out.

My brother was the comic book collector. Even though he loved his Superman and Bataman, he had fairly complete collections of Marvel comics. One of his prized possessions was the #2 edition of Mad Magazine when it was still a comic. He also colllected Faamous Monster magazines.

I started collecting movie books when. I was about 11 and have a pretty good collection. I don't know what will become of them, but it was fun having them.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

Jeezuz! You don't have a natal Sun in Aries, or the Ascendant/rising sign in Aries, do you?

I never had any problem, since as I said I never learned how to ride a bicycle or a horse. I don't drive either: sheer infantry. Mountain Infantry

Ah, Mad Magazine I loved it and I still have a few, but my favourite comic wasand isFlash Gordon, Dan Barry's.

One thing I learned about books is that as wonderful as they are to own they are the biggest nuisance whenever you move.

The majority of my books are today in my Mother's attic. She keeps reminding me that someday I will have to decide what to do with them. (Where I live I simply don't have the space.)




Mice work in mysterious ways.
No, dear. That's God.

Hey LMay You, me and Spiderwort .. all March 2000.

A triple anniversary party we could have had .. !

Were you there the night they turned off the lights at Prodigy ?
Bunch of us were "The Welcome Wagon" on the Help Board.

Admins didn't want "regular" posters to help the but we made a place for them to practice their posting skills and it was a great way to make new member comfy before they ventured out into the wild wild world of the WWW.

Have to wonder about Admins sometimes.


Sorry for the tangent OP

I dumped Prodigy when they started charging for the amount of time you were online. Shortly thereafter, I blew up my computer and couldn't afford to replace it until late 1999 when I got a job promotion. I was working as a computer tech and was able to sneak online once in a while. I haven't been able to use anything but my iPad for the last year and a half.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

On P* I was one of the last to switch over from DOS had only a phone line modem connect thingy.

You might have left before they took to charging extra for e-mails talk about a FUSS among the membership.

I was fortunate and was finally given a comped account as an official "contributor" on one of the boards course that was right before they pulled the plug ..

>


I have frequently been very tempted to "blow up my computer" but so far have resisted .

I was mostly on the Laserdisc board with all the other losers trapped into that format.

The only significant thing I ever did was asking a question of Leonard Maltin about why "A Matter of Life and Death" aka "Stairway to Heaven" was not available on home video. That did prompt an investigation which not only got a reply on Prodigy but also in m local newspaper. It was still years before it was released, but it did get the ball rolling.

Nowadays, most of my posting is on Twitter and reflects my politics. On there, I am@Neurosturgeon just in case you want to find me.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

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I was mostly on the Laserdisc board with all the other losers trapped into that format.

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Ah but, Linda, you and I know that, until the introduction of DVD nearly 20 years later, it was the creme de la creme of both home video technology and title availability, offering quality and content that simply couldn't be come by on VHS or Beta. And of course, you deserve your share of credit for that.

Every week, there were exciting new releases of classic films (in the proper aspect ratio) that mass marketing ignored, and rather than "losers trapped" in the format, we felt privileged to be part of a "niche market."

Now, the Selectavision CED Disc ("needlevision") acolytes, those were the ones we looked upon as "losers." Yes, we were snobs in our own small way.



Poe! You areavenged!

For 19 months, I was a laserdisc mastering operator, doing the transfer from videotape to the laser master. It was a great job for me because I got to watch movies and get paid for it. When IBM sold off their share to Pioneer Video of Japan, I was laid off. That was in 1982. I didn't buy a player until 1992. I have about 500 discs and a working player. Most of them have been replaced on DVD or blu-ray. The one real treasure is the set of "Hollywood" the British series on the silent era. If I ever get home again, I hope to transfer it to DVD.

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

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The one real treasure is the set of "Hollywood" the British series on the silent era.

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Oh, that IS a treasure. I have it only on Beta from an early-'90s PBS b'cast (and a 1986 Betamax I'm still nursing along).

I still have hopes that Thames or whoever controls the rights will one day allow a domestic DVD or Blu-ray release. It was once on DVD in the UK, but it's no longer available. Nuts. And we got a region-free player just a couple months back.



Poe! You areavenged!

It does amaze me that something's that were available on laserdisc have not made it toDVD. You would think people would want to make money.

I tried for sometime to get the mini-series, "Blind Ambition" about Watergate lawyer John Dean. I finally got a copy from a friend in England, but both John Dean and the star Martin Sheen have no idea why it hasn't been released. And, yes, I did personally ask .both of them

All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.

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You would think people would want to make money.

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As I understand it, that's the very issue.

With so many film clips originating from so many extant business entities, too many hands grabbing for a piece of the action have made getting clearances too cumbersome to accomplish.



Poe! You areavenged!

Hi Aloysius.

I've always been intrigued by your avatar, it's always looked to me like a cross between George Sanders and Trevor Howard.

No real mystery with mine. I used to post for years here under my full name, shortened it to just my nickname and the film era(classic)that I love the most. That is me you see in the photo.




Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .

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I used to post for years here under my full name, shortened it to just my nickname and the film era(classic)that I love the most. That is me you see in the photo.

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Mystery solved!

Yeah, I'm aware this may have come as the biggest shock ever.


Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .

Hi, farne. Since you don't volunteer, let me conscript you and ask you something directly. No problen with your avatar, which happens to be one of my favourite actors/characters/films, but does your nickname have something to do with Lindisfarne, Holy Island and the Vikings? I often wondered

PS. Please don't feel obliged to answer, especially if by any chance you work for MI5 or MI6.

I chose my username because it was short, fairly vanilla and, I thought, suitably enigmatic. But yes, the name comes from the islands.

Thank you. I was pretty sure, but I needed your confirmation.

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and, I thought, suitably enigmatic

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Both intelligent and beautiful, isn't it? (I mean, aren't they? )

Very nice, but sadly it stops just before "Nimrod".

Sorry about that. I meant it to be a mere sample, a musical illustration. Your link does not complete it either:

3.1 Theme (Enigma: Andante)
3.2 Variation I (L'istesso tempo) 'C.A.E.'
3.3 Variation II (Allegro) 'H.D.S-P.'
3.4 Variation III (Allegretto) 'R.B.T.'
3.5 Variation IV (Allegro di molto) 'W.M.B.'
3.6 Variation V (Moderato) 'R.P.A.'
3.7 Variation VI (Andantino) 'Ysobel'
3.8 Variation VII (Presto) 'Troyte'
3.9 Variation VIII (Allegretto) 'W.N.'
3.10 Variation IX (Adagio) 'Nimrod'
3.11 Variation X (Intermezzo: Allegretto) 'Dorabella'
3.12 Variation XI (Allegro di molto) 'G.R.S.'
3.13 Variation XII (Andante) 'B.G.N.'
3.14 Variation XIII (Romanza: Moderato) ' * * * '
3.15 Variation XIV (Finale: Allegro) 'E.D.U.'



And for God's sake, we avoided a pissing contest a few days ago on your Adrian Messenger thread; let's not start now a linking contest!!

Hi, Maddy

Say a mix of Adonijah or Lord Ashwood and Lord Cardigan! Well, I like both actors, so no problem. But as I explained on my OP, it's Hans Albers (I suppose you saw this film: Münchhausen (1943)

But I don't look like him: my nose is not so big and I wear a Marcus Aurelius-like beard

No, no mystery at all about your nickname, and I always took for granted that you were the nice young lady of your avatar.

Hi Aloysius. I guess mine is the "anti story" - I have the same moniker I received automatically when I registered with IMDB in May 2005 and I never changed it. By coincidence it includes the name I had growing up (but not quite the same as the name I've used for years since) - I suppose that's why I never changed it. Or maybe I was just lazy

I wish I could remember what avatar(s) I used in the past, but at some point I changed to a photo of old-time football player Charlie Krueger I've been a San Francisco 49er fan for 45 years and Krueger represents that older, rough-and-tumble era of pro football - almost a relic from the past. He didn't look much like modern-day players and later in his career, already looked like he was 45 years old. If it looked better in our small "avatar space" I might have used this one:

http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1109/nfl-classic-photos/images/X17264-200.jpg

I know I've already lost the non-U.S. and/or non-football crowd no need to read further, but a bit more detail about Krueger the character, since we're killing time on the Titanic

Krueger was the last lineman I recall who didn't use the "bird cage" (full) face mask that all linemen use now as a result he was even more susceptible to offensive linemen continually grabbing his face mask, jabbing, eye gouging, etc. - back in those pre "slo mo video" days, anything and everything went on in the trenches.

Unfortunately, Krueger also represents the real-life underbelly of the sport I grew up loving like a lot of players, he left the sport with permanent injuries. I believe he was one of the first (if not the first) NFL player to successfully sue his former team for injuries sustained while he played.

I got a chance to meet some old-time 49ers at the NFL Alumni chapter in Redwood City a few years back including (49er legend) R.C. Owens, before he passed away. They were all nice, even sweet gentlemen but unfortunately, most of them were also somewhat hobbled. It's a rough sport.



California ber Alles

Hi tay-15. I thought of Victor McLaglen, but one day I augmented the image and saw that it wasn't him.

Honestly, I know about sports in general about as much as about quantum physics or Bosnian literature. I never heard of Charlie Krueger (my fault, not his). But look, I am always willing to learn new things, so I read your post and, as I still have a relatively good memory, if someone ever mentions his name I will tell some of the things I just learned now thanks to you, and someone might exclaim: "Hey, this Aloysius is so knowledgeable! He knows about everything except quantum physics and Bosnian literature!!

Did you get your lifejacket? No sharks this time, I hope

Well, my choice of name is simple to understand. A Canterbury Tale is my favourite film. As for my avatar, that is Earl Cameron in a shot from Pool Of London. He was a pioneering Black actor in British film of the 1950's, achieving the rare distinction of 'above the title' billing (although not always-sigh). He is still very much with us, and celebrates his 100th birthday this year.I had the pleasure of attending an on-stage interview with him at the BFI a few months ago, and he was engaging, charming, and razor sharp. I admire him so much, and love Pool Of London, and many of his other films such as Emergency Call. Sapphire and Flame In The Streets.

"Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian."

Not my favourite film, but among my favourites. It's poetic and magical.

I missed 'Pool of London', but I saw all the others you mention. The ones I like most are 'Simba' (one of the first VHS videotapes I bought; now I own well over one thousand!), 'Guns at Batasi' (unforgettable Captain Abraham) and 'Inception' (also because of Hans Zimmer's score).

How could I forget to mention Guns At Batasi..? Such a fantastic film, and finally seen as a result of a recommendation on this very board from MaddyClassicfilm.I enjoyed Simba too, and thought Earl was very good in that.


"Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian."

Mau Mau films are a "sub-genre" within the 'Black Africa' genre (genres again ;-). 'Safari' (a terrific and terrible Victor Mature); 'Something of Value' (white Rock Hudson, black Sidney Poitier and an in my opinion miscast Juano Hernandez, born in Puerto Rico!), and one or two more, but my favourite one is Simba beyond any doubt. The most purely British, with an excellent Earl Cameron as Karanja.

I watched Something Of Value late last year, and I agree, Simba is the better film.

"Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian."

I'm afraid mine is fairly straightforward and unimaginative, Aloysius.

hob my initials.

nob added to "hob" to create a word denoting socializing or engaging in conversation

53 my year of birth

Which means, if I'd had my wits about me when creating this moniker almost 11 years ago, I might have dispensed with the numerics and been:

hobnobyob

which really would have made no sense.

Never took an avatar, though. Never even looked over the selection. Alas, perhaps, Aloys.

PS: DID YOU GET MY PM OF THE OTHER DAY? Please reply if you can. Thanks!

I always thought yours referred to the hobnob biscuit. Laughing so much right now, about how wrong I've been.

Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .

That's funny, Maddy! No, but I've had Hobnobs when in Britain. (They're unknown here in the States.) My wife also got a chuckle about giving them to me as Christmas presents several years running!

If I'd chosen a British snack for my moniker I suppose it'd have been WineGums53 or something. Or Battenbergs!

What, no love for Bakewell Tarts or Bourbons?



Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .

Bakewell Tarts are good. Don't believe I've had Bourbons. (What are they?) Mr. Kiplinger is a hoot, but he has good cakes. For my cooking, I'm glad to have used some of Mr. Schwartz's seasonings. And who makes those oven seasoning bags Magi? And Shreddies for breakfast!

Ah yes, the miracles of western cuisine! But I do find the way you package Oreos in Britain a bit bizarre.

I love the descriptions on so many British food products: "6 absolutely scrumptious" or "12 delicious" and the like. When someone puts out something labeled "10 lousy" inside I'll consider that a breakthrough!

Bourbons are another type of biscuit, very hard to bite into though. I tried Oreos when I was in the US, and all I can say is once was enough, I don't get the appeal of them at all.



Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly .

I discarded both the biscuits and the verb: he looked and sounded too serious for something like that.

But now you mention these things I wonder if Liquorice2763 (or even better: MALTESER2763) wouldn't have been a better moniker for me (I registered on IMDb in MMDCCLXIII a.u.c.).

In that case, my avatar could have been http://www.imdb.com/board/10033870/mediaviewer/rm2440291584

hobI thought of the Book of Job, but there's no Job 53 (just 42 chapters, I think), so

nobnob idea.

1953 was quite clear to me from the very beginning, besides you like very much some films of your year, especially 'The War of the Worlds' and so do I, so I came across you on that board several times.

"hobnobyob" sounds Byelorussian or Ukrainian to me. Even cossack: Ride, Filipenko! Ride, Hobnobyob!Taras Bulba (1962)

Your "avatar" suggested something like The Invisible Man (1933)

PS: YES, I DID. I will reply before the IMDb Titanic sinks. You're welcome!

hobnobyob does suggest something from the steppes (all 39 of 'em), but I'd put it farther east in origin, maybe the moniker of someone who was first cousin to Genghis Khan, a.k.a. The Duke.

It just occurred to me that Taras Bulba sounds like Cossakese for Taurus the Bull (allowing for the absence of a, or should I say the, definite article). There may be some further clarification of this on the Tony Curtis website.

Yes, my absent avatar does suggest "The Invisible One" as he's listed in the film's cast. I suppose that was a subtle dig from the avatar-encouraging IMDb board when they cared about such things, accompanied by the goad at the bottom of each draft post about how much more meaningful your post would be if it only had an avatar.

Glad you got the PM, I look forward to your reply. In the words of hobnobyob whilst galloping through the land of the Rus, spasibo.

The 39 Steppes could be a great title for a novel or even a film!

Back during the Cold War, MAD magazine ran a feature that made suggestions for changing book titles to conform to anti-Communist ideals. Buchan`s classic was re-titled, The 39 Prairies.

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Liberty E Pluribus Unum In God We Trust

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53 my year of birth

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A vintage year, hobnob. Same year that both Mrs Valentine and I were born.

My best to you and yours in the days following Oblivion.

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Liberty E Pluribus Unum In God We Trust

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A vintage year

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A good year for films, for Korea and for D.D. Eisenhower!!

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We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more.

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C.G. Jung

Yes.

Hey, I used to think that you selected "hobnob" because, maybe in your youth, you were hobnobing with the ladies.

Just teasing.

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Proud to be Canadian!

My user ID is a bit complex.

I actually live outside of the city limits of Jonesboro, GA, but that's where the USPS delivers my mail.

I'm an atheist living in the buckle of the bible belt. If I have learned anything in my lifetime, it is the fact that most so-called christians have absolutely no understanding whatsoever of the teachings of the man whom they have proclaimed to be a god. I mean the people who believe that "God" hates certain folks, who pray for gift cards at Christmas time, and whose manger scenes have Santa Claus landing his sleigh on the roof.

Add to that the fact that "Jesus" is a Latinized corruption of the Prince of Peace's real name and you'll understand why I do not capitalize my user ID.

Had I been born in any country other than the US, I'd have been killed by now.

My avatar is Gypsy from Pacific Rim (2013). No real connection - just a cool picture.

jj

Feedback.

I got the jonesboro and, for some reason or something you said once, I knew or assumed it was the one in Georgia.

Your non-capitalised "jesus" intrigued me, though.

I am not a Christian (my parents and ancestors were for many generations) because it's literally impossible for me to believe the basic story, theologically speaking (and mind, this is not a prejudice, I studied it in depth). But I wouldn't define myself as an atheist, as you do, because I admit that the idea of a deus otiosus or even more, a deus absconditus, appeals to me.

Culturally, I find some aspects of Christianity attractive enough, from J.S. Bach to Anglican choirs, from Gothic cathedrals to some authors, etc.