HBO-Tom Hanks and Vin Bugliosi what do they....

[John Dolva]

more on "Tom Hanks and Vin Bugliosi what do they have in common?":

Funny coincidence, the theme song for 'Biglove' is a Beach Boys* song.

(*Whatever happened to 'Surf's up' and "Landlocked" left over uncredited material from the "Surf's Up" master tapes? How influencial was Manson? Bugliosi and his Manson trial fame to Cultist Propaganda. The circle comes around to where it started? Or just meaningless coincidences?)

"Victor Kempner served as production designer for both "That Thing You Do!" "(a Tom Hanks Movie about a beach boys 'sound alike' band) "and Stone's "JFK." Kempner recently told Entertainment Weekly that "Tom is the antithesis of Oliver in his outlook." "

The year "Saving Private Ryan" was released the Oscars was a strange affair where it took place in a lecture room format and an old person connected to the blacklistings of the 50's received a controversial lifetime award. Spielberg and other notables deliberately showed their contempt and didn't applaud. (I don't know whether Hanks applauded or not.)

(Some people see a "Forrest Gump" and the founder of the KKK connection. There were complaints about "Saving Ryan" and the total absence of black soldiers.)

("Saving Private Ryan" is interesting to JFK assassiantion as it shows a sequence at the end a rapid sniper rifle-bolt operation.)

It's probably all benign. It's just business with wierd coincidences.

At the same time Reagan was a FBI informant in the 50's-60's.

Method acting:

"Konstantin Stanislavski, .. emigrated to America and established The American Laboratory Theatre. (His) teachings are best defined in the following quotes: The more an actor has observed and known, the greater his experience the clearer his perception of the inner and outer circumstances of the life in his play and in his part. This work is not done by the intellect alone but by all your creative forces, all the elements of your inner creative state on the stage together with your real life in the sense of the play. Therefore, to follow the teachings of Stanislavski it is necessary for the actor to totally immerse himself, body, soul and mind, in the part that he is playing."

"Joseph Papirofsky American theatrical producer and director, founder of the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Public Theatre. He was a major innovative force in the American theatre in the second half of the 20th century. Papp studied acting and directing at the Actor's Laboratory Theatre in Hollywood from 1946 to 1948"

NYT: "The creators of "Big Love," Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer (who along with the actor Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman are the executive producers of the series), ..Mr. Olsen said. He and Mr. Scheffer are partners in real life."

Will Scheffer...one of the members of the Joseph Papp Public Theater...

All in the "Family"?

"Smith returned to prominence in the 1960s, seemingly appearing from ‘nowhere’ with

Elmer Gantry (1960) and How the West Was Won (1962). It is possible that his low profile during

the 1950s was related to the blacklist. William Wyler had recently been directing Gregory Peck

in Roman Holiday for Paramount (filmed in the summer of 1952). They were keen to work

together again and, after considering a number of projects, they eventually co-produced Big

Country in 1958. They shared similar liberal democrat politics and, along with others such as

Humphrey Bogart and Danny Kaye, Peck and Wyler had been founding members of the

Committee for the First Amendment, the organization which hoped to combat the anti-communist

witch-hunt in Hollywood and the blacklist. Peck was particularly outspoken when his Jewish

friend John Garfield was blacklisted—Garfield had been Peck’s inspiration for his role in

Gentleman’s Agreement, the 1947 cinematic assault on anti-Semitism. Peck himself was ‘investigated’

by California’s State Committee for Un-American Activities, who brought up his

membership of supposed communist front organisations (including the Actor’s Laboratory, the

China Conferences Arrangements Committee, Committee for a Democratic Eastern Policy and

the Progressive Citizens of America), but he was cleared by State Senator Hugh Burns and was

never called to answer before McCarthy."

Edited June 9, 2007 by John Dolva

[J. Raymond Carroll]

Debra Conway reports that "Inside sources tell me the HBO project is dead, wasn't really ever alive. I even took down the petition -- but I am still mailing it to Playtone."

[Bill Cheslock]

Debra Conway reports that "Inside sources tell me the HBO project is dead, wasn't really ever alive. I even took down the petition -- but I am still mailing it to Playtone."

Yes, I read the same report from Debra Conway. Perhaps HBO took a look at the dismal sales of the

book, which doesn't even make it on USA Today's "150 best selling book database" for June 27, 2007.

Bugliosi, it seems, has tainted his reputation in a irrevocable way.

Bill C

[William Kelly]

Debra Conway reports that "Inside sources tell me the HBO project is dead, wasn't really ever alive. I even took down the petition -- but I am still mailing it to Playtone."

That's a real shame. I was looking forward to the HBO series and was counting on it to continue the media surge of interest in the JFK assassination, necessary to get the Congress to conduct oversight hearings on the JFK Act.

No one should have been afraid of such a series, even it it pins the tail on Oswald as a lone-nut, because they couldn't put so much time on tv without raising the interest level a few significant degrees.

While I don't belive Debra's petition or the low sales of the book had anything to do with the HBO series being cancelled, if it indeed has been, they have other cards not showing a stack of chips to put in the kitty that will makes the stakes even higher as we get closer to the truth.

Without the HBO series, it will be necessary to find other kindling for the fire.

BK

[William Kelly]

Debra Conway reports that "Inside sources tell me the HBO project is dead, wasn't really ever alive. I even took down the petition -- but I am still mailing it to Playtone."

I'm glad Debra was wrong about this, and see no reason for a petition.

Let them make it.

It's interesting that their intention isn't to make a good drama, or develop the truth, but to convince most Americans they are wrong about a conspiracy and to change their minds.

The only way they can change people's minds is if everybody sees it and doesn't read or watch anything else, which isn't going to happen.

BK

[John Simkin]

Let them make it.

It's interesting that their intention isn't to make a good drama, or develop the truth, but to convince most Americans they are wrong about a conspiracy and to change their minds.

The only way they can change people's minds is if everybody sees it and doesn't read or watch anything else, which isn't going to happen.

What I find strange about this story is that a few months ago Bill Paxton approached a JFK researcher about the possibility of making a television series that attacked the "lone-gun" theory. Is it possible that when the CIA discovered that Paxton intended making this series that they arranged for him to be made an offer he could not refuse?

I also know that there was interest in turning David Talbot's book, Brothers, into a television series. Maybe this Paxton project is a spoiler. I cannot see it as a commercial proposition. It is true that the ruling elite are desperate for the public to believe the Warren Commission, however, the masses much prefer an exciting conspiracy story. As the sales of "Reclaiming History" has shown, it is difficult to make profits out of the lone-gunman theory. There is just no market for this stuff.

[Tim Gratz]

John, despite our disagreements which are legion we are both strong believers in a conspiracy, and I submit rightly so.

I think your point is well-taken, however, that regardless of the actual substantive evidence that supports a conspiracy, "conspiracy theories" will always be more fascinating than the Oswald did-it-alone scenario. Excellent writers can accomplish a lot but I find it difficult to believe that Hollywood could make "Reclaiming History" exiting.

Edited September 21, 2007 by Tim Gratz