The new word to inspire on Inspire Me Thursday is “fuse”.
If you were not a moviegoer before 1948 or at least a film buff, you most likely don’t remember Edgar Kennedy. A former professional boxer, Edgar started his active film career in 1911. He was one of the original Keystone Cops. He worked with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers and Harold Lloyd. He also appeared in the Our Gang comedy shorts. Edgar played the same hapless character. He was the easily irritated, often aggravated, victim of mortification, unable to cope with the star’s absurdities. Possessing a monstrous temper and a short fuse, Edgar perfected the comedic technique known as “the slow burn”. The slow burn is an exasperated facial expression, performed very deliberately. Edgar embellished this by rubbing his hand over his bald head and across his face, in an attempt to harness his fury. Whether he was playing an agitated policeman or a perturbed customer, Edgar delighted audiences with his masterful display of bridled anger. His most famous demonstration is as a lemonade vendor in a short, yet hilarious encounter with Harpo and Chico Marx in 1933’s Duck Soup. Edgar roars to Chico, “I’ll teach you to kick me!” to which Chico answers, “You don’t have to teach me, I know how!” and he kicks Edgar. All during this exchange, Harpo is dancing barefoot in Edgar’s lemonade dispenser.
Three days before Edgar was to be honored by fellow actors at a gala dinner, he passed away from throat cancer at 58. Still in demand, Edgar had appeared in over 400 films and directed 25 by the time he died.
The word of inspiration on Inspire Me Thursday is “elephant”.
The first thing I thought of was a joke that I, unfortunately, couldn’t use. My second thought was the classic line by Grouch Marx (as Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding in the 1930 classic Animal Crackers ): “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don’t know.”
Groucho goes on to say: “Then we tried to remove the tusks. But they were embedded so firmly we couldn’t budge them.
Of course, in Alabama the Tuscaloosa, but that is entirely ir-elephant to what I was talking about.”
The first word of the new year on illustrationfriday.com is “resolve”.
“You may be whatever you resolve to be.” —General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was arguably the most well-known Confederate commander after General Robert E. Lee. Military historians consider Jackson to be one of the greatest tactical commanders in United States history. His Valley Campaign of 1862 and his envelopment of the Union Army at Chancellorsville in 1863 are still studied worldwide as examples of innovative and bold leadership. He excelled as well at the First Battle of Bull Run, the Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg.
Darkness ended the Confederate assault at Chancellorsville. As Jackson and his staff were returning to camp on May 2, 1863, they were mistaken for a Union cavalry force by a Confederate North Carolina regiment who shouted, “Halt, who goes there?,” but fired before evaluating the reply. Jackson was hit by three bullets, two in the left arm and one in the right hand. Several other men in his staff were killed. Jackson was dropped from his stretcher while being evacuated. Because of his injuries, Jackson’s left arm had to be amputated. He was thought to be recovering, although he complained of a sore chest. This soreness was mistakenly thought to be the result of his rough handling in the battlefield evacuation. It was, however, a symptom of pneumonia.
As Jackson lay dying in a make-shift hospital in a southern plantation, General Robert E. Lee sent a message to him through a Confederate chaplain, saying “Give General Jackson my affectionate regards, and say to him: he has lost his left arm but I my right.” Jackson died of complications from pneumonia on May 10, 1863. He was buried in a family plot in Lexington City, Virginia. His left arm is buried one hundred and thirty-one miles away in Ellwood Family Cemetery in Spotsylvania, Virginia.
For my first post of 2009, I’ll relate an interesting story that I recently came across.
As I write this, incumbent Norm Coleman and challenger Al Franken are battling for the lead in a heated race for a US senator from Minnesota. A tedious recount has taken place since November 2008 and a winner has still not been determined. A former writer for Saturday Night Live, Al Franken is an Emmy Award–winning comedian, radio host, political commentator, and politician.
Israel-born grade-school teacher Gene Simmons, the former Chaim Witz, formed the rock group KISS in 1972 with his friend New York cab driver Stanley Eisen, later known as Paul Stanley. Gene parlayed his stint as a blood-spewing, fire-eating bassist in an over-the-top heavy metal band into a multi-faceted career as a musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, entrepreneur and marketer.
In 1982, Al Franken and Gene Simmons’ paths crossed.
Al Franken left the writing staff of Saturday Night Live briefly between 1980 and 1985, although he still maintained residence in New York City. One day in 1982, Franken was waiting for a friend at a New York City racquetball club for some scheduled game time. While Franken was waiting, in walked Gene Simmons, looking for trouble. Franken didn’t recognize him because Simmons was not sporting the Kabuki-monster makeup that made him and KISS household names. Simmons challenged Franken to a game. Franken politely explained he was waiting for somebody else. Simmons, the voice behind “Calling Dr. Love,” growled, “I’ll kick your ass!”
Annoyed, but ready for a challenge, Franken agreed to a match and proceeded to humiliatingly defeat the rocker in a matter of minutes. Furious, Simmons demanded another opportunity and still taunted Franken with claims of “I’ll kick your ass!” By then, Franken’s racquetball partner had arrived. Franken explained he would have to pass on a pointless rematch. Simmons began to cluck his famous tongue in mock chicken noises. The “buck-buck-buck” teasing pissed Franken off. Franken grudgingly agreed to another round, but only for a $500 stake. This caused multi-millionaire Simmons to back off and sheepishly exit.
Franken’s friend asked, “Do you know who that was?” Franken had no clue. “That was Gene Simmons from KISS!”, his friend informed. Franken shrugged and replied, “I thought he was just some creep who liked to pick fights at racquetball courts.”
