One of my favorite subtitle fails is on the 2005 Warner Bros. DVD of StageDoor. Lucille Ball, cautioning Ginger Rogers before they go on a date with two well-heeled men, warns “Don’t start anything here or I’ll wrench your back.” (See here for example.) The subtitles? “Don’t start anything here. I’ll rinse your bag.” (here)
Another favorite and earlier Lucille Ball movie that is also available on a Warner DVD is 1933’s Roman Scandals. Yes, she is mostly just one of the many eye candy Goldwyn Girls in the background, but her 22-year-old face and voice are easily recognizable in 2 scenes where she actually has lines. Just before Eddie Cantor sings “Build a little Home” she echoes, “He said the city put us here and we should live here!” At the end of the movie, however mellifluous her voice, she runs through the street, waving her arms and screaming what sounds like “Ma! Eddie’s Coming! Ma! Eddie’s Coming! Ma! Eddie’s Coming!” She wears a white top and a long dark gray skirt in the non Roman wrapper of the story, but still (or animated as she seeks attention), 22.
There is a Wagon Train that has Lou Costello and Harry von Zell in it. I guess George Burns finally made his firing of von Zell(a common occurrence on “Burns and Allen” stick).
There is an episode of “My Three Sons” that has Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart make a speech to Robbie’s school and giving him a sweater. Yes, the actor was also a general in the Air Force reserve.
Here’s a weird one. I was watching The Godfather a couple of months ago and was really watching the background for things I might usually missed. I noticed something unusual. When Sonny is beating Carlo for hurting Connie I noticed an extra who seemed very familiar. If you look behind Sonny when he tells Carlo “Touch my sister again…I’ll kill ya” you can see Frank Sivero watching the fracas. Don’t tell me you don’t know Frank Sivereo? Of course you do, he played Genco in Godfather II! The guys actually plays 2 roles in both Godfathers. He is also played Frankie Carbone in Goodfellas who was found frozen in the meat truck.
I was just watching Airplane! and who do I barely recognize, Mike “Jonathan Banks” Ehrmantraut playing the Radar Tech that checks the radar range to see if it is ready.
Last night’s SVU rerun had John “Uncle Jesse” Stamos as a reproductive abusive man. He was very charming, seduced women, and always used a condom that he punched a hole in. He had 42 children! One of his victims killed him by “pulling a Bobbit.”
Raymond Bailey, Mr. Drysdale from the Beverly Hillbillies, playing a tough police commissioner on 77 Sunset Strip.
I did not know that the man could act.