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By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer
Published on Thursday, Sep 11, 2008
Regardless of the location, if it's Thursday, this still must be the mailbag . . .
Q: I would like to know what was the name of the well-known orchestra leader who made the popular song ''Begin the Beguine.'' I saw it played in Cleveland at the Palace Theater in the '60s. Was he a horn player?
A: Written by Cole Porter, Begin the Beguine is most often associated with clarinetist Artie Shaw.
Shaw, who died in 2004 at the age of 94, had performed in Cleveland in his teens, including with bandleader Austin Wylie. But you did not see him play in the '60s, since Shaw stopped performing in public in 1954. He always had activities outside music, such as writing, farming, target shooting and marrying; his eight wives included actresses Ava Gardner, Lana Turner and Evelyn Keyes, and author Kathleen Winsor.
Q: Are James Arness, Peter Graves and Pete from the ''Fury'' TV series related?
A: James Arness and Peter Graves are brothers. Their original last name was Aurness. Arness is, of course, best known for starring in Gunsmoke, while Graves' credits include Mission: Impossible and the Saturday-morning show Fury. That show revolved around an orphan (Bobby Diamond) living on a ranch owned by Graves. The chief ranch hand was Pete, played by William Fawcett. While Fawcett was a Minnesota native like Arness and Graves, they were not related.
Q: I saw a movie called ''Carol for Another Christmas'' by Rod Serling and starring Sterling Hayden in the early '60s. It was shown by our neighbor who was a Xerox executive. It was about Hiroshima and isolationism. I've never seen it on television. Can you tell me anything about it?
A: The drama originally aired on ABC in 1964 as one of a series of movies meant to promote the goals of the United Nations. It starred Peter Sellers in his U.S. TV dramatic debut. The cast also included Hayden, Ben Gazzara and Eva Marie Saint.
Xerox helped fund it, which might explain your neighbor's screening. It has no relation to Elizabeth Ann Scarborough's book of the same name, other than that both are variations on Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I do not know of an authorized release of the TV production on video.
Q: There is a TV show called ''Charmed'' on TNT Monday through Friday. What is the name of the theme song and who sings it? And is this show sold anywhere on DVD or VHS? Please help me. I want this song out of my head.
A: The opening theme, How Soon Is Now?, was originally by the Smiths but the show used a version by Love Spit Love. The song is featured on the first CD soundtrack for the series. It is also on the soundtrack of The Craft, the 1996 movie about young witches.
The complete run of Charmed, which originally aired from 1998 to 2006 on the old WB network, has been released on DVD.
Q: Years ago my husband and I saw a movie starring Susan Hayward and Dana Andrews called ''My Foolish Heart.'' We haven't been able to find it. I hope you can find it for us.
A: If you will settle for a tape, the 1949 film was released on VHS and I have seen copies for sale on Amazon.com. I do not know of an authorized release on DVD. I have seen it for sale online in that format, including at http://www.joesclassicmovies.com, but I cannot vouch for the source or quality.
Do you have a question or comment about movies, TV and other popular culture? Write to rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com or the Akron Beacon Journal, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44309. Please mark the note for Mailbag and do not phone in questions.
Letters may be edited. Individual replies cannot be guaranteed.
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://www.ohio.com. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 and rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.
Regardless of the location, if it's Thursday, this still must be the mailbag . . .
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