Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - Mini-Ep #4: Pennies From Heaven and the Great Lon Chaney Jr.

Episode Date: April 9, 2015

Each week, comedian Gilbert Gottfried and comedy writer Frank Santopadre share their appreciation of lesser-known films, underrated TV shows and hopelessly obscure character actors, discussing, dissecting and (occasionally) defending their handpicked guilty pleasures and buried treasures. This week: Steve Martin goes dramatic, Lon Chaney Jr. brings classic literature to life and when will Gilbert pick a COMEDY? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Applying sunscreen to your dad's back. Yep, definitely the best summer ever. Squeeze more summer out of summer with Skip. Did somebody say Skip? See me April 10th, 11th, and 12th at Laugh Out Loud, San Antonio, Texas. April 18th, Brokerage Comedy Club, Billmore, New York. April 19th, live podcast with Louis Black at Caroline's on Broadway, New York, New York. April 30th, Caroline's on Broadway, New York, New York. Check my website, gilbertgodfrey.com, for more information. Hi, it's Gilbert Gottfried,

and this is another episode of Gilbert and Frank's Amazing Colossal Obsessions with my co-host Frank Santopadre, where we pick movies that we enjoyed and you might enjoy, too. And maybe at some point down the road we'll pick some TV shows and some other things. But for now, movies are our focus. And I find it interesting, we were talking about it before we turned the mics on, focus and i find it interesting we were talking about it before we turn the mics on that that one of the one of the world's most recognized comedians has yet to recommend a comedy uh yeah three tries yeah i i guess i'm i'm like the academy awards like i don't take comedy seriously

discriminate against comedy yes or maybe you're comedied out what's your pick for this week, Gil? This week, it was funny because I already, I was on with Robert Osborne. Oh, yeah. Who was nice enough to be a guest on the show. Right. And on his, you know, Turner Classic movies. And one of the movies I picked was the original of Mice and Men. And then it came out in 1939 which was a ridiculous i think it was up for an award but it was a ridiculous time period to be up for an academy award because wizard of oz

oh 39 yeah right wizard of oz Gone with the Wind, Stagecoach. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Right. How Green Was My Valley that year, too? It may have been. Maybe. Maybe I got my years wrong. The most insane year.

Gunga Din, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Like, just ridiculous year for movies. Great films. And how did it do, by the way, at award time? I don't know that it got anything. Interesting.

Because it wound up getting lost in the shuffle. Sure. But it was, you know, based, of course, on a John Steinbeck book. It was based on a John Steinbeck book. That's a tongue twister. It is. And I read the book. You actually read the book?

I read the book after seeing the movie. This is two episodes in a row when you've actually read the book. Back when I could still read. I'm impressed. And I think this kind of paved the way for what would later be all these buddy movies where two guys have big dreams right right right and uh you know it does sort of have that formula yeah like like midnight cowboy and scarecrow and a million other films like that and uh a ridiculous cast um I keep saying the word ridiculous. Okay.

Burgess Meredith, who depending on what you remember him from, either the coach in Rocky. That's right. Or the penguin. Or the penguin, depending on when you were born. Being married to the fetching Paulette Goddard. Oh, that's right. Who also married Chaplin. Yes.

Yes. And so it was him as George and as Lenny Lon Chaney Jr. Your favorite actor. Yeah. I always, how long can I go without mentioning Lon Chaney Jr.? You didn't make it to four weeks. Yes. And we're sitting in your apartment and there's a Lon Chaney Jr. life mask hanging on your

wall. And an autograph of him from the Wolfman. An autographed Wolfman picture. And it's his greatest performance without question. Well, I think it's one of the few times he was taken seriously as an actor. Yeah, because then later on, I mean, he was born Creighton Chaney. And the studios and the business finally said to him, look, we can push you as Lon Chaney Jr. And then we got a gimmick.

And so he went along with that. And I think he regretted it from the beginning of his career. Yeah. His father. But this was just a surprising performance. It's a sad film. Oh. It's a heartbreaking film to watch.

The first of your choices that I've actually seen, by the way. And then he, Betty Field is in it as like, you know, the floozy wife of the character Curly. And Chaney and Betty Field would both be in the same episode. And this goes to another thing we always talk about. Oh. Root 66. Right. Yes.

Yeah. What was the name of that episode again? Oh, I forget. He plays like the long lost father. Yes. I know the one you mean. Yeah. And they don't have any scenes of Chaney and Betty Field together.

Right. Weird. Which is insane. Kind of like the Marx Brothers and that Irwin Allen movie. Oh, yes. And they're all separated. Story of mankind. And while you're mentioning Burgess Meredith, it'd be a perfect time to point out that when we interviewed Adam West,

he paid you the biggest compliment of your career. Yes, he said I would have made a great penguin. Yes. You would have. Oh, and also in A Mice men is uh cowboy actor bob steel as curly and bob steel what would he wind in years later well i knew him as duffy on f troop exactly right so we've already had on larry stort and we've talked about Bob Steele. And Ken Berry.

Right. And so if only Bob Steele were alive today. He'd be about 122. Yes. If he were here. And he'd be our youngest guest. And of Mice and Men, because it's in the story, and because it's in the story,

I heard that there were some schools that banned the book because they said it promotes euthanasia. Really? Yeah. And when I say euthanasia, I meant like young people in China. It's euthanasia. And I thought this movie has nothing to do with Chinese people. Was it bad in Asia? That's what I'd like to know.

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That's BetterHelp.com. Visit BetterHelp.com to see what it can do for you. That's BetterHelp.com. I'm going to talk about something. I like that picture very much. Great, great. And tell the folks what I got you, what I gave you as a gift for your birthday. Oh, you got me a photo, an original photo of Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney Jr. Not a reprint.

From Of Mice and Men. Not a reprint, pal. Oh, here we go. Our crack research team, led by Darren Foster, informs us that Of Mice and Men had four nominations, but no wins. Oh, see? It was a tough year. Yeah. 39 was a tough year.

Sad film. Chaney's tough year. Yeah. 39 was a tough year. Sad film. Chaney's best work. Yeah. And then later on, you know, he would be known as the Wolfman. Sure. And then... And typecast as the Wolfman. Yeah.

And quickly relegated to the... He would wind up in the lowest of the low of horror and cowboy movies. But you're keeping the dream alive. Yes. Personally. Yes. Personally. I just want to switch gears and talk about a movie from the 80s. And fuck you,

we will have Janet Ann Gallo on this show. I am not resisting Janet Ann Gallo. I don't care. I just think she's terrifying. I don't care if it's a three-second interview. I think Janet Ann Gallo's terrified of you. interview. I think Janet Angelo is terrified of you. Now people are going to Google down Janet Angelo. This is a movie that I absolutely love.

I saw it in a movie. Sometimes you fall in love with a movie because of the experience connected to when you first saw it, what was happening in your life. I saw this at the Ziegfeld Theater in a snowstorm. It just had such an effect on me. It's called Pennies from Heaven. Steve Martin starred in it with Bernadette Peters, who was his girlfriend at the time, written by the British writer Dennis Potter. And of course, it was based on a TV series also called Pennies from Heaven starring Bob Hoskins. And it's a really very, very difficult film to define. It's a musical.

It's not really a musical. It's a musical tragedy. And Steve Martin was really taking a leap because he had made The Jerk and he was Steve Martin. He had a brand. And he was Steve Martin, the wild and crazy guy. And he agrees to star in this film, which I think is kind of what

didn't do it any favors at the box office is that people just did not understand. They went to it thinking it was... For a wacky Steve Martin film. Steve Martin comedy. He might have made one... He might have made Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid at that point,

but I'm not even sure. I think it was just The Jerk was under his belt. I actually have to check the dates. And it's a remarkable film. There's nothing like it. The songs are all period songs.

They're all songs from the 1920s and songs of the Depression, the 20s and the 30s, and they're lip-synced. So nobody does any actual singing in the movie. And the conceit of the film, of Potter's story, was that these films, the Depression-era films would take you away from your problems.

Yes. And that you would get lost in the musical comedies of the day. And this kind of manages to combine both things. It's a musical, but as I said, it's also a musical tragedy. And it's a fascinating picture. Bernadette Peters is wonderful in it. Christopher Walken we have to talk about for a second. Christopher Walken, who was a dancer.

I heard Christopher Walken, who was a dancer. I heard Christopher Walken, his dream in life was to be like Fred Astaire. Well, he was a hoofer. Yeah, and that's what he really wanted to be. His scene is show-stopping. He plays a pimp. I remember that scene. He's amazing.

Amazing. If you've ever seen any of the music videos where Christopher Walken dances, I think it's a Weapon of Choice video, you have to see this picture. It's bleak. It was interesting. I looked up Leonard Maltin's review of it last night in the Indispensable Leonard Maltin movie guide, and it said, troubling as entertainment. Yes.

Which I find is an apt description. It's a very strange film. And I mean, Christopher Walken is a surprise. Yeah. How great a dancer he was. And nobody knew at that point. I think he'd done The Deer Hunter. People had seen him in things.

But he just exploded off the screen. And I don't think anybody knew. Certainly I didn't, know he just exploded off the screen and i think anybody knew certainly i didn't think he's a dancer and um it is one of those movies that just uh yeah it's a musical tragedy musical tragedy martin is great in it uh uh there are so many great set pieces uh check it out jessica harper who we talked about j talked about Jessica Harper who would then later be in Phantom of the Paradise I think it was before this she did Phantom of the Paradise

which stars Paul Williams one of our favorites who sings in the theme song the Phantom who stars in it oh, let me see do a little Paul for me The theme song. The Phantom. Oh, Starz. Oh, that's right. Yeah. Oh, let me see.

Do a little Paul for us. Okay. Days get cold and the nights grow longer. Some people get wise, but you just got older and you never listened anyway. That's the hell of it good for nothing bad in bed nobody loves you you're better off dead goodbye goodbye goodbye goodbye we all came to say goodbye i love paul williams i met him backstage at the view and it just i and I was starstruck. See, and you know, see, I like to be able to do a Paul Williams imitation because the kids go for it.

They love it. Yeah. They love it. The only thing they go for more is a DeMond Wilson. Pop. So to sum up, pennies from heaven. Now, how does the singing detective fit in? There was another English production.

There was a British production of the singing detective, and then it was made as a Hollywood feature with Robert Downey. Yeah. And I'm sad to say that I have not seen it. It's very similar to pennies from Heaven in that they break into song. Yes. Yes. It was the same gimmick.

Yeah. And Potter also wrote a film starring Vincent Price's wife, Coral Brown, called Dream Child, which is another film I recommend and I'll talk about on another show. Ah. So anything else you want to add? Yes. Take us out with some Paul Williams. Okay.

Paul Williams. We have to get him on. Take us out with some Paul Williams. Okay. Paul Williams. We have to get him on the show. You mentioned the goodbye girl. Yes. Can't wait to see the connection you're making here. Okay. Well, Neil Simon also did Cinderella Liberty. I think was that Neil Simon?

No, that was his wife, Marsha Mason. I knew there was a connection. James Caan. Yes. James Caan and Eli Wallach. Right. simon no that was his wife marsha mason i knew there was a connection james khan yes james khan and eli wallach right and uh and the theme song to that was composed by john williams best known as sure spielberg spielberg is a favorite composer. Yes. And with lyrics by and sung by Paul Williams. I did not know this. This is good stuff.

Hello, with affection from a sentimental fool to a little girl who's broken every rule, one that leads me up when all the others seem to let me down. One that's nice to be around. Should I say that it's a blue world without you? Whisper words I remember from all love songs.

But all wrong, because I never called it love before. This feeling's new. It came with you. I love it. You never cease to amaze me. It sounded a little like Will Gere, but I'll give it to you. Paul, we mean it affectionately. We want you on the show.

Paul Williams also, when I start imitating him, it also at times falls into, oh God, what was the great philosopher? Oh, Eddie Lawrence. Eddie Lawrence. Like, that's what's bothering you, monkey.

You see, your dog Eddie Lawrence. Like, that's what's bothering you, monkey. What's bothering you, monkey? You see, your dog walked out on you. Wow. All the way from Of Mice and Men to the old philosopher, Eddie Lawrence. We run the gamut on this show. I even forgot what movie I was talking about. So as always, if you like the show, tweet, follow us on Facebook, post on Facebook. What else am I leaving out?

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