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scjacka · 6 months

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Last episode. Let's all make our Christmas wish this year that it doesn’t come back

I don't even really remember how the stupid thing started (I may have been drinking to get through it XD). This is going to be disjointed because I rage paused a lot and I WILL NOT be rewatching any of this to get it correct. This show doesn't care about my time so I'm not wasting any more of it by rewatching, lol.

Kris is completely useless. Like there was zero point to him being in this season at all. I was also of the mindset that he was going to be a bigger role and maybe take over for Scott but he was completely pointless. I JUST REMEMBERED HE WAS THE KID THAT SAW SKINNY SCOTT WITH THE CANOE AND THAT WAS HIS SANTA ORIGIN STORY OR WHATEVER AND I STARTED YELLING AT THE REVISIONIST HISTORY AND MY HUSBAND WAS LIKE, ARE YOU OK?! AND I WAS LIKE DO I LOOK OK?!!?!

I may be wrong, but is this the first time we've actually seen the factory floor in this whole damn show? Like we're always in Scott's office, the stables, the real world, or the monitoring room. Have they even made any toys in these TWO SEASONS?! Maybe they have and

I liked the Betty/Olga fight (but like why a fake sword?) but the way it was cut back and forth with the Mad Santa/Scott discussion was annoying

The gnomes are just pissed cause they can't make toys... that's like all it took? Feel like we shoulda figured that out sooner. Same goes for Noel just being like, hey gnomes, just come help us.

The mug is the "amulet". Ok, sure. I didn't pause the show in anger about it. Like, not only did we rewrite and destroy the magic-powered watch from 2 earlier this season now we re-wrote the mug. None of this is helped by them bringing up the damn thing 2 episodes before the end like we knew anything about it and it wasn't just shoved in at the last minute. Does each Santa have a different "amulet" (for god sake just call it a talisman or something not associated with a necklace) or do they all get their power from the same ones? Did Judy technically drug him into being Santa then. Like got him drunk on Christmas power? If it's tied just to Mad Santa then why on earth would Judy still have it if there was a coup and all that shit to get rid of the man? Wouldn't it also be locked away somewhere?

Didn't Scott say he made Cal's vest out of the coat? Maybe I misinterpreted that in the early episodes but now he's just wearing it like no big.

Laughing really hard at Scott not realizing he's been a douche until the "villain" says he is with regards to Cal. MS should just be Santa and Scott can go live at the fake Santa village with Fluffy.

Laughing really hard at suddenly remembering Charlie exists and pretending like you get some kind of Christmas powers from him.

Sandra is all-powerful. Good for her I guess.

I still love Befana. Like she's the only character I consistently enjoy watching

Elizabeth Mitchel is too good for this show and is acting much harder than she should with this garbage.

"We fixed EB he's good now but we didn't have the budget to bring back Tracy Morgan or he didn't want to be in the makeup again or something so we're just not gonna show him, but take our word he's fine!"

Why are they singing again and especially that song? Something about a child elf and the lyrics "I touch you once, I touch you twice" is unsettling to me.

Cal's gonna go to college... wouldn't he have to like, go to real school first and have transcripts and whatnot (I'm sure they'd magic it away or whatever). Also, he's not that bright so like, how's he gonna fair in higher education?

Everyone that goes on Kribble Krabble doesn't come back. I swear to god that's the plot of one of the few Hallmark xmas movies I've ever watched. But I guess that means Curtis isn't exploded. With the logic that they all Kribble and don't come back, I'm convinced that was actually Judy working in the bad xmas village which is just a sad development for her and really a downgrade from being at the Pole

So we basically end this season right where we started at the beginning of season 1. Like, Cal's not gonna be Santa and Scott's just gonna be Santa forever and never retire. Mad Santa is there now too I guess (also, there are werewolves in TSC canon... ok, sure). He's with Fluffy in the fake Santaville I guess, but whatevs

I forgot until I realized I took a picture of it, the line from Carol about leaving her job and her life behind and not complaining about it. Like on the one hand yes, please go off queen cause you deserve so much better. But also, you've kinda been complaining about it since the 3rd movie.

Oh right, Tim Allen got to mention Jesus one last time just to make sure it got in there. I literally had to turn on the closed caption cause I was like, did he just say "The King" and sure enough he did, capital K and everything. YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS ALLEN!! Like pick silly fantasy Santa show or pick something religious. IDK it irks me so much

I feel like I had more to ramble about but I'm tired just from having to remember all of this from last night, lol. Just needed to get this junk outta my head. Honestly, very glad Jack wasn't in here to be slandered by this show. Same for the Millers. Same for Bernard again (besides in name and that dumb picture that still makes me mad) and Charlie again.

#the santa clause #the santa clauses #please let us be done with this #it's just not canon my brain can't deal with it being part of it #scott is just the worst like way to ruin it tim #i'm very glad it's over #if there is a S3 I don't think I can make myself watch it #please let the blood pact be paid and don't come back next year #I need to go watch the original trilogy as a cleanser #Sally screams

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motownfiction · 10 months

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nephew

Steph knows that Cal isn’t exactly her nephew, but she feels obligated to him, anyway.

The way she sees it, he could have been her nephew. She hesitates to say he should have been, seeing she doesn’t want to think about a world where she doesn’t end up with Katie Sheehan, but even Katie would get it. If Steph had ended up with Sam, then Charlie’s kids would have been her niece and nephew. But Cordelia and Cal are Judy and Jenny’s cousins, and that has to be a little bit the same.

Plus, when your dad sucks as much as Cal’s does, you need all the help you can get.

Charlie and Carrie bring the kids back to Michigan every summer. Maggie and Mike haven’t lived there for about fifteen years – they moved to Florida about a year after Sam died – but they still come back. It’s like Charlie’s on a warpath or something. Maybe looking for passive forgiveness. They stay in hotels, and no one sees them except for Andie, who has suddenly developed the patience of a saint, and Steph, who wants her kids to have a family as big as it can get.

She also wants Cal to know that she’s there for him. You know. If he ever needs to talk to somebody who really knew his uncle.

This year, Steph takes the girls and meets Charlie, Carrie, and Cal at a restaurant in Ann Arbor. Cal’s thirteen, and he’s not interested in much but TikTok and listening to Post Malone on his phone. Steph’s heard this song before. She makes it a point to listen to all the new music (because Sam can’t). Over soft pretzels and Coca-Colas, Steph nudges her would-have-been nephew in the arm.

“Hey,” she says. “Is that ‘Better Now?’”

Cal nods.

“Cool,” Steph says. “You know, that song reminds me a little of this song by The Byrds. It’s called ‘I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better.’”

Cal scrunches up his face.

“When’s that from?” he asks.

“1965,” Steph says. “A couple years before I was born. Sam went through a phase where he really liked The Byrds, so I heard that song a lot.”

Cal nods, like he’s really considering it.

“You think he would’ve liked Post?”

Steph nods.

“I think he would have liked a lot of the stuff you do,” she says. “It was hard to find a song that Sam didn’t like. I mean, the only one I can think of off the top of my head was ‘Kokomo,’ but no one likes that song. Even fewer people like the movie it’s from.”

“You mean something with the Muppets?”

Steph laughs.

“Sort of,” she says. “It depends on whether you consider Tom Cruise a Muppet.”

Cal nods, a little too seriously. Steph kind of loves it. Judy is twelve now, and she loves when she can see her wheels really turning. Apparently, it’s something she loves in all kids. She just didn’t know.

“My dad doesn’t like Post,” he says. “He doesn’t like really anything I listen to.”

Steph sighs. She catches a glimpse of Charlie out of the corner of her eye, and her heart sinks. He’s just sitting there, blowing bubbles in his Coke in a futile attempt to make Jenny laugh. But Steph almost hates him. She probably should hate him. It’s just that she can’t stop hating herself. Sometimes, she doesn’t know how she makes it through these lunches … how she sits there across from Carrie when they both know about Steph and Charlie in that motel room fifteen years ago, on Christmas … when they both know there could be another child at this table, between them. They are not a family, but they could have been. Maybe they should have been.

But for now, Steph will go on pretending Cal is her real nephew.

“Your dad needs to get with it,” she says. “Tell him I said Sam would have liked all your stuff.”

Cal almost smiles. Sort of.

And that’s enough.

(part of @nosebleedclub july challenge -- day xiii! yes, this is a valiant and perhaps futile effort, lol)

#drabble #writeblr #ch: steph armstrong #ch: cal doyle #year: 2019

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floatingonalowvibe · 1 year

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always forever - chapter 7

Bernard pov(two days before m/n arrives)

long weeks, unmet deadlines, sleepless nights, all of the things that I'm used to at this point. It becomes the norm after a few hundred years being in the position that I am in. The constant weight of what feels like the entire world, the pressure I have found comfort in. I wouldn't necessarily call it a comfort, more like a familiarness.

The constant work of my job as the Head Elf has become one that I love, but at the same time, I find myself doubting if I ever know what in the world I am doing. With the date of Christmas coming closer and closer every passing second, the work shop and my office become the only things I see for weeks on end.

The brightness and chatter of the workshop become a blur as I go from station to station, making sure everything is alright, working fine.

The only thing that has been racking my brain is making everything go smoothly. My only worry in the world. But, I remember, at the height of my worry, soon, he would be here. Who may you ask? Why m/n of course! His letters have been very prominent on his stress about the world he lives in. His stress, constant reminders of the horrid things, the things he has mentioned to me, things that no person, especially not someone as loving, kind, and wonderful as him should have to go through. The way he talks about it, I can tell it has really taken a toll on him. Not even to mention the years of childhood trauma he has faced. I don't even know the half of it but even the little bits he trusts me with are horrid.

I can't put it into words how excited I am to see him. I can't wait to see how much his appearance has changed, since he told me he started testosterone. I have most likely made Judy’s ears bleed with how much I have talked to her about seeing him. Other than charlie, i have never really made friends with a human, and with m/n, it's an adventure story almost, getting his letters explaining his human life, how things work there, it's very interesting. And in contrast, I tell him all my life as an elf of the north pole. I laugh ( not in a mean way, that’s rude) at his amazement of how normal things are around here.

For these few weeks since Santa had told me that he would be visiting, I couldn't help but think about him. I find myself in the middle of paperwork zoning out, staring at the small trinkets on my desk, thinking of seeing him.

Other than that, I've been working hard at getting things ready for Christmas. It was only a month away, and at the pace we’re going, I can't see us hitting the quota. It frustrates me, because no matter how many times I tell the elves that it's almost time, they never listen, it's like I'm talking to a wall.

(time skip due to lack of motivation/ ability to figure out what else to write)

Finally, a time to sit down.It was the end of the day, at least of me walking around the workshop giving advice to elves that won't listen to anything that is said to them.

I sat down in my chair behind my desk, letting out a small sigh. I slipped off my hat, setting it off to the side. I stared at the pile of work on my desk, feeling something in me wanting to just rip it all up and go home. But i know i can't do that, i needed to get this done, no matter how long or tiring it was.

—-

It must have been an hour or two before I got a knock at my door. I had a few thoughts as to what it might be, maybe it’s judy. What I was not expecting when I opened my door was Curtis.

“Curtis! What in the name of snowflakes are you doing here this late at night?!”

“I could ask you the same thing.” he remarked, giving me a look of pure attitude.

I pursed my lips, looking down on him. “Well, what do you want?” I crossed my arms, already annoyed with what was happening.

“Well, Santa wanted to tell you something earlier today, but,” he paused, “ I forgot, so i'm here to tell you now.” I let out an annoyed noise, throwing my arms up in annoyment.

“Well, what was it?” I can't believe he would forget something like that. What if it was something important? What if it was about m/n??

“ he wanted me to tell you to not come into work tomorrow, due to the fact the m/n is visiting. In fact, his exact words were “ You need to rest up so you don't scare off poor m/n when he gets here”

I could feel my facial expressions change, as I relaxed.

“oh..” I was shocked. I don't know why, but i do know that i 1) never would ever disrespect Santa, And 2) never want to scare off m/n, i want him to feel welcomed.

“Well, I'm going home, and I think you should too.” I said before I turned and closed my door.

I stood in the middle of my office for a minute. How were things going to function in the workshop without me? I can’t just leave, everything will fall apart!I guess ill have to talk to Santa tomorrow.

a/n: omfg im am so sososo sorry for not posting, i just kinda lost all my motivation, and y’know life, she can be a bitch. Hopefully I can get back on track with uploading. also I feel this chapter and the next one will be a bit slow but after that I've got some big stuff coming. Make sure to drink a bunch of water and eat today <3.

#bernard the elf #bernard the head elf #bernard x reader #bernard the arch elf #bernard the elf x reader #bernard #x reader

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mariacallous · 3 years

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What’s Up, Doc? would be Madeline’s feature film debut and her first collaboration with Bogdanovich. That she didn’t audition for the role, but won it instead as herself, proved an exceptionally ill omen.

Eunice was “my great good fortune, and sort of a blow to my spirit,” Madeline said in 1989. “I knew that Eunice was as far removed from my essence as she could be - as opposed to what Streisand got to do, which was to play herself. And her first role [Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1968)] encompassed many wonderful features - comedy, singing, adorableness. So she was always perceived that way. And here I am the ugly stepsister, which was absolutely not true! So then, what do I do? Continue to be the ugly stepsister to everyone - Cybill Shepherd, Tatum O’Neal, and everyone else in the entire world?”

“Ugly” is a key word. Eunice isn’t supposed to be pretty. In the screwball paradigm, it’s the woman who chases the man, and in What’s Up, Doc? O’Neal is the object of desire. Bogdanovich and his production team heighten the contrast by making Eunice as unattractive as her fiancé is tanned and tempting. Her wig was bad enough, but her costumes gave her still zaftig figure barely any shape at all. And while the world hadn’t yet learned to apply the word “beautiful” to Streisand’s distinctive features, in the film as in life, she gets the man (O’Neal had dated Streisand just before shooting began). Now Madeline grew concerned that she really was unattractive and that people were laughing at her. Every night, she called her brother “Is this really how people see me?” she would ask, in tears. She wound up in therapy.

Funny women are often insecure about personal appearance, Martin Charnin says. “They never think they’re pretty, until they learn that part of what makes them attractive is that they’re funny.” Madeline hadn’t reached that point of understanding. What made her attractive, so far as she could see, was her best behavior, her carefully polished exterior. In her personal life, propriety (one of Eunice’s pet words) had been her first defense. Comedy was a way to make a living, and always before, she’d looked pretty when she did it. Now she looked awful, and the cast and crew - and, later, audiences - reacted uproariously.

Charlie Rose once asked Madeline whether she thought she was “naturally funny”. “I’m very smart,” she replied. “I’m very understanding. I’m serious...I always see sort of the tragedy beneath what’s funny. And that’s only important to me. Then that tells me how to make something work, or I think it’s what makes something work, beneath it all. The gravity. And I also am funny. I can see the humor.” Yet until the end of her career - on the set of Judy Berlin in 1997 - Madeline still expressed surprise when she got a laugh. As her friend David Marshall Grant observes, her quest for the “gravity” of a character enhanced her comedy, because she took ridiculous situations so seriously. But that same empathy sometimes blinded her to the reality that the character herself might be ridiculous, as Eunice is. In private, Madeline had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh, but as an actor she remained “someone who said things funny, not someone who said funny things,” as Lily Tomlin describes her.

“Why are they laughing?” Where Eunice Burns is concerned, Madeline also wondered: Are they laughing because that’s what they really think of me? Bogdanovich, who found Madeline perfectly attractive and who knew little if anything about the fathers who left when she was ugly, didn’t detect the anxiety underlying the question. He did become increasingly aware that “She didn’t like the way she looked in our pictures.” Her unhappiness would become a bigger problem for him with each successive film.

Madeline Kahn: Being The Music - A Life by William V. Madison

#madeline kahn

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formeandmyfics · 3 years

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Jugenea Fan Fic

WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT

When the power goes out while filming a scene for Summer Stock, Judy and Gene use the extra time to get back into their old ways...

January 1950

MGM

“Oh, what the hell?!”

Charles Walters yelled as the entire soundstage went pitch black.

“Cut!”

“What happened,” Judy’s distinctive voice asked surprised as she sat in a chair, opposite of a kneeling Gene, in the dressing room set of their current production Summer Stock.

“Blown fuse, I think,” Gene replied standing up.

Visible sunlight light was scene from the cracks of the large steel doors of the soundstage, but that was it.

“Somebody get some damn flashlights, come on!”

“Charlie’s sounding more like Buzz B,” Joe Pasternak said as he walked near the couple, as Charles walked away.

“We have some lanterns and flash lights in the closet over there,” a lighting tech shouted.

“Where the fuck is the generator?!”

Again, Charles’ yell echoed from further away now. His cursing made Judy giggle. She’d known the man for years, and only counting on one hand, had she heard him say the F-word.

“Ooo, he is angry,” Joe replied.

“He was already having a bad day, this just twisted his last nut,” Gene said to his producer buddy.

“Excuse me,” Judy interrupted casually.

“Hey,” Gene said quickly grabbing her hand, “Where you going?”

“To my dressing room.”

“In the dark?”

“Yeeees, Gene,” she said sighing.

“Why?”

“Because I want to. We’re obviously not finishing the scene right now.”

“Well, do you want me to...”

She immediately cut him off, “I have an emergency lantern in there. I’m a big girl, I’ll be alright,” she simply said and walked off.

“I think that’s a tell-tale sign of a lady who wants to be left alone, huh,” Joe said teasingly.

“Yeah, but that’s not like her, not with me.”

Pasternak heard the serious tone in Gene’s voice and he placed a hand on his back, “You know how it’s been for her doing this. She’s just tired.”

“Hey, Joe, come give me a hand with this,” a man said and he immediately walked over.

The woman was practically living with him at his apartment, now publicly and officially separated from Vince, so he watched her closely, as in a type of protection knowing how vulnerable she was doing this film after her mental and physical progress in Boston.

She was getting a lot of rest, a full night’s sleep even, which made her late to work most of the time. Of course they all didn’t mind. And the times she didn’t show up, she was resting from anxiety. He knew what was what where she was concerned. And she was perfectly fine today. This was something else, and he had a feeling it had something to do with him.

“Well, damn,” Kay Thompson said in her usual brass voice as she came through Judy’s on-set dressing room door, “When I came to say ‘hi’, I didn’t know I’d be walking into a game of Marco Polo.”

Judy dimly smiled at her friend as she pounded a carton of cigarettes against her palm.

“Oh, good, they’re opening the stage door,” Kay said as she turned to shut the door, “Now I won’t have to worry about tripping over some damn wires on my way out.”

As Judy lit a cigarette, her small dressing room filled with the lanterns light, Kay sat down on the twin-sized day bed next to Judy’s make up vanity where she sat.

“When did the lights go out in Georgia?”

“Oh, not ten minutes ago.”

“It’s after 3. Have you not filmed anything yet?”

“Yes, finished the first part of our scene with Marge.”

“Then what are you wearing?”

“This is my costume,” Judy said with a giggle as she tugged on her blue robe.

“Oh,” Kay let out a chuckle, “Too bad that’s not all the time.”

“I know. It’s quite a bit more comfy this way.”

“And easy access.”

“For what,” Judy asked absent-minded as she offered Kay a cigarette which she shook her head at.

“For what,” Kay asked a bit shocked, “For a little in-between takes romp. It’s much easier to do than with all those layers and poofs and such from the other film’s costumes.”

Judy licked her lips as she pounded out her fresh cigarette which got Kay’s attention immediately, “Hey, if you’ve told me you were going to waste a perfectly good Marlboro, I would have taken it.”

“Then have one already,” Judy said offering her one which this time she took.

Kay lit it and crossed her legs, “You know, I’m surprised Gene isn’t in here right now, especially with the lights out and such. Might be fun,” she said wiggling her eyebrows.

Judy ignored her and checked the desk-clock on the corner of the table, “Gee, I hope they get things going, or at least dismiss us. I don’t want to sit here for the rest of the God-damn day.”

“You said it’s only been ten minutes, Judy,” the blonde stated calmly, exhaling the smoke. She knew the signs of when the star was getting irritated.

“Well, how long does it take to flip the breaker or turn on a generator?”

“What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean,” Judy said, looking at her almost offended and self-conscious at the same time.

Kay’s red lips turned upwards in a calming, but amusing smile, “What’s bothering you, and don’t say the freaking lights.”

When Judy gave her a sly glance before turning back to the mirror, Kay spoke up in true girl-friend fashion, “Fine, if you don’t want to tell me, I can take a hint. I’ll leave you be for now, but I’m sure this has something to do with Gene..”

She started to get up, but Judy quickly grabbed her arm sitting her back down with a plop.

“Jesus, why do you have to come in here and start talking about him like he’s still a secret lover. Everyone’s known about us since I came back from Boston.”

“Why is it bothering you so much?”

“Because he’s my boyfriend. We’re not how we used to be.”

“So?”

“Soo,” Judy emphasized, “He doesn’t come in here and start tackling me in between scenes like you so candidly suggested.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know, Kay,” Judy said in a dark tone, “Why don’t you go ask him?”

“Ooo,” Kay smiled, “Alright, so *that’s* what’s bothering you,” when she saw Judy give her a look that did not deny her statement, she leaned forward, “Alright, spill.”

Gene stood off the side of the breaker, holding his elbow as he bit impatiently on his thumb nail, softly swaying side-to-side, as the men failed in fixing the problem. After a second try, and another failed attempt, Gene held up his watch toward the light coming from the open sound stage door and checked his watch. He didn’t want to be there all day. He and Judy had dinner plans at the Derby with some friends.

“Hi there, legs,” Gene heard as Kay walked up behind him, a nickname she gave since seeing him do his Pirate ballet dance.

“Oh, hi there yourself,” he chuckled and gave her a peck on the lips, “What are you doing here, doll?”

“Came to play hide-and-go-seek in the dark, apparently.”

“Yeah, our power went out in the middle of a scene. Still no luck.”

“I see that.”

“Judy’s in her dressing room, if you’re looking for her.”

“One step ahead of you, babe.”

Gene looked at her curious, “How’s she doing?”

“That’s a funny question.”

“Why?”

“Because you were just filming scene together. Not to mention, you two nearly live together. I should be asking you the same question.”

Gene shrugged, “I only asked because she’s been a little preoccupied from me lately. You know what I mean? I can’t put my finger on it, but I think it’s just what she’s going through with working her ass through this picture.”

When he saw the almost naughty expression on Kay’s face, her lips pressed together, looking down amused, he furrowed his eyebrows.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Kay...what do you know?”

“Come here,” she chuckled and they walked away from earshot.

Gene crossed his arms and leaned his body forward a bit, all ears and she lowered her voice, “Let me ask you this. Are you still excited with Judy?”

“What do you mean,” off her knowing look he realized what she was referring to with ‘excited’ and he stepped back with an appalled expression, “Oh, Jesus, of course I am. Why the hell are you asking me that?”

She put her hands up, and was about to speak, when he stopped, “What did she say to you? And if she said otherwise, then she’s a damn liar or a damn good actress in the sac.”

“Gene, calm down,” she laughed.

“I’ve been with that girl since she was nineteen. I know her and her body, and let me tell you, she enjoys herself. So, whatever she said, she’s looking for damn attention.”

“Wow. Our manhood’s pride is a little sensitive right now.”

“I don’t even know why we’re discussing this. I’m done...”

He went to walk but she stepped in front of him and put her hand up to his chest, “Would you just shut up and listen? My God, the lights go out and you and Judy’s overacting hits it’s the roof. Save it for the cameras.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Judy didn’t complain to me about that. She just is a little disappointed.”

“Disappointed? In me,” he asked nearly in shock.

She shrugged, “Not in that way at all, darling. She just feels like ever since you two came out to everyone with your relationship, and especially her living with you half the time, that it’s not...” she tried to find the right word as to not set Gene off again, or hurt him, “...as exciting as it used to be before this.”

“But what do you mean by exciting? We’re officially an item now. We can go out together, we can be together at my place freely, we don’t have to sneak around...”

“And she loves that you’re both official now. She specifically told me that. She loves that you two can come home together multiple times in the week and you can go out together with the kids like a family. But I think she misses the secret stuff.”

Gene paused a moment, realizing, and spoke up curiously, “Did she say that?”

“Not in that way. She said she misses the spontaneity. She’s a little confused with herself because she’s wanted to be with you out in the open for so long, but now that she has it, she misses the excitement of sneaking around. I think she might be afraid that the relationship might turn dull, like it did with Vince. She wants to keep things alive, her words.”

“Oh,” Gene chuckled and covered his face with his hand, “That silly, silly girl,” he sighed and looked up shaking his head at another one of Judy’s ideocracies that never failed to amaze him, “God, I love her so much.”

“We both know it’s not true, that you’ll...”

“Fizzle out,” he interrupted with a chuckle.

She nodded, “But you know how she is with her insecurity.”

“Well,” he stated thinking before biting his lower lip, “Then I better do something about it.

Judy walked slowly around the soundstage, feeling antsy. She didn’t speak to anyone as she did so. Her mind was elsewhere. Others stood around talking as crew continued on trying the generator. With her hand grasping her opposite wrist behind her, she had glanced around for Gene as she mindlessly walked but didn’t see him.

When the generator made a loud sound from one side of the room and then a group of crew members suddenly erupted into laughter, sounding rowdy, at the other side, Judy felt a little sensitive to all the noise. She made her way to the back of the set, still minding her own business. Back there, it was darker, not pitch black, but more quiet. Leaning on the back of the wooden wall, she sighed, as if relishing in the sudden escape of it all.

Just then the entire studio made a loud sound as the power went back on, enveloping the set in very bright lights. Judy was behind the set, but the head lights were very bright above her, she had to squint.

She pushed herself off the wall and took a few steps to head back around when the power failed again. She could hear everyone’s groans, and some colorful language again from Charlie.

Before Judy could react, Gene rounded the corner, but he stopped short when they made eye contact. She smiled a bit, to acknowledge him, but her smile faded when she saw the expression on his face.

He was looking at her with intensity, almost...primal...and sexy. She was taken back by it and a little alarmed. She didn’t know what she had done, but he didn’t look happy.

Then he headed towards her, slowing his steps the closer he got. His chest was heaving. Judy didn’t feel like backing away, didn’t need to, she knew who she was dealing with, even if he was about to yell at her for something.

In one fast movement, he took her wrists, took a step forward, and pinned them above her head onto the wall as she was backed up into it.

Judy slightly gasped, no control over her reaction. As his face hovered over hers, she swallowed and looked down at his lips. Was he upset? She didn’t feel scared by any means. Was he going to kiss her? He just stood there not moving.

“Gene,” she whispered stunned.

“Shhh,” he whispered back. She could smell the menthol from his cigarette on her lips.

Judy’s eyes became bigger, asking him silently what he was doing, but he ignored it. Coming in close to her lips, Gene saw her eyes close, awaiting his kiss, but he ignored that, too.

He left a kiss on her chin then moved to her cheek, and with his free hand, he placed it on her jaw, moving her head back so he could kiss down her throat.

Judy couldn’t help the tiny whimper escape her lips as he left some delicious open-mouth kisses on her neck. Oh, he felt heavenly. He stopped at the ‘v’ of her robe and brought his face back up to hers. He felt a rush of adrenaline as she still had her eyes closed and her lips parted. Opening them, she was staring straight into his. He felt her move her arms, but then his hold got stronger.

“Don’t move,” he whispered against her lips, which were dangerously close.

He traced his finger down her cheek, down her neck and down the lining of her robe costume. Resting his forehead against hers, his fingertip traced the curve of her breast through the material. He knew she had a slip on underneath the robe, but the robe wasn’t very thick material, and neither were her camisoles.

After tracing her breast around her nipple, teasing her, he finally went over it. Then again. And again. Her nipple getting more firmer under his touch made his cock harden.

The more his finger went back and forth over her, made her arousal even stronger between her legs. When he did the same to the other one, she felt herself suddenly get wet and she unsteadily gasped in some air, a little sound with it. She was instantly aroused, and by such little touch, that it excited and surprised her. She could feel Gene’s hard on getting more profound himself, which also excited her.

Judy bit her bottom lip suggestively, trying to make eye contact with him. When Gene’s head lifted off her forehead, her eyes quickly darted to the corner where they both had walked around, making sure no one saw them. She knew what he wanted, and my goodness she wanted it, too.

His hand slid to her lower back and he pressed his nose against hers at the same time pushed his lower body into her as well. When she instinctively moved her wrists again, Gene let them go. His other hand reached up and their fingers connected on each side of her head. She leaned her face forward to finally kiss him, but he pulled back. She tried again, he pulled back again. Judy moved her hands to grab at him, but he pinned them back against the wall again, with a slight bang, his fingers still connected in hers.

Judy found his roughness sexy amusing, and she couldn’t help but let out a surprised giggle. It made him smile. He was having fun, too.

Oh, God, that mouth, he thought. Sure, he even got a passionate kiss from her that morning, but in arousal, her lips and mouth were like a new exploration each time...as were the sounds she made before and during sex.

Gene leaned forward to her mouth again and she closed her eyes, instantly opening her mouth. He hovered there a moment, his mouth parted slightly, ready to take her.

“WE GOT IT!”

Judy and Gene both jumped apart a bit startled when the soundstage lights went back on.

“Generator is up and running,” they heard a lighting tech yell.

“Let’s get this scene done before the damn generator goes out, too,” Charle’s voice was heard getting closer to the set.

Judy and Gene both looked at each other. They didn’t look amused, or disappointed. They shared an understanding look: they were aroused but had to get back to work. It hadn’t been the first time they’d been interrupted in this regard.

“Where the hell did Judy and Gene go? Can someone go find ‘em?!”

Judy glanced up at Gene, as she smoothed out her robe, but Gene turned his back to her and took a few steps away. She knew he needed a minute to ‘de-escalate’ , so she quickly darted out from the corner before people came searching.

“Oh, there you are, sweetheart,” Joe said standing next to Charles.

“Here I am,” she returned in a chipper voice.

“We’re gonna try to get this scene done before the damn generator fails again. Are you ok with that?”

“Of course.”

“Where’s Gene,” Joe asked.

“Uh, he’ll be here shortly. He’s finishing a cigarette.”

“He can finish the cigarette after. We’re way behind. GENE! WE’RE WAY BEHIND!”

Judy wrapped her arms around Charle’s arm, giving him her best Dorothy voice, “He’s been under a lot of strain too, let him finish his cigarette, hm?”

“Ya, alright,” Charlie said melting under her spell, “Go check yourself so we’re ready when he’s done.”

“Yes, Sir,” she teased saluting him.

As Judy got her hair and makeup retouched, Gene reappeared. The two didn’t even exchange looks until they entered the scene.

Neither knew how they got through it, but they did. And they did it in only two takes, with no mess ups on their lines. In character, the scene was sweet, genuine and full of love. Inside, they were both burning.

When Joe leans in to kiss Jane’s cheek, Judy took an intake of breath, holding her breath as she did so. She didn’t intend to. She could see the sparkle in Gene’s eyes as he leaned back, but as much a sparkle, there was also such adoration. And that turned her on even more.

“Good luck,” he said softly.

Judy took a second to respond, her heart bursting, “Good luck.”

“ANDDD CUT! PERFECT! PRINT!”

Everyone applauded.

“That’s it for today everyone. Great job and thank you for all your help,” Charles said before turning to his stars.

“Judy, baby, that was amazing,” he said giving her kiss on the cheek. “Gene, my man, great job,” he continued and shook his hand.

Judy smiled, looking anxious, as she glanced at Gene.

“Remember, no filming tomorrow, but you have a pre-record of ‘All For You’. That's at noon.”

“Is that all you need from me?”

“That’s it, baby.”

Without another word, Judy left their side. Gene knew where she was headed.

“See you Monday, Charlie,” Gene said with a slap on his back before following Judy.

Without knocking, Gene opened the door with Judy Garland monogrammed in cursive on it, before slamming it shut and locking it behind him.

The early evening sky had a hue of orange above MGM as Judy and Gene walked out of the large stage door. The air was crisp and cool and the lot was clearing of players and crew as dinnertime approached.

The two didn’t speak as they left the soundstage, they didn’t rush either. Their steps were lazily, as was Gene’s arm that hung over her shoulder. She even rest her head back on it, as they comfortably walked together.

Judy could feel her cheeks still flushed from their rendezvous', but she didn’t care. She felt absolutely satisfied, though her back thighs were a little sore where Gene’s hands had grabbed at her skin there, his fingertips digging into her flesh, keeping her in place, as he ground into her against her dressing room wall. She didn’t feel it at the time, all she felt was him fucking her to orgasm, and all those other feelings of being with him that went with it.

Gene smiled slightly when he felt Judy rest her head against his arm. He knew she was as spent as he was. It still amazed him that after all these years different encounters with her affected different reactions in him. They had made love two days ago yet his sexual feelings towards, and the sex, felt like he had gone weeks without it. He had to admit, he hadn’t realized how much he missed those spontaneous, and secret, encounters with her, ones that their relationship had been built on. He didn’t know how they managed to stay as quiet as they did as they were both equally turned on and had such a strong release.

Gene couldn’t help but chuckle recalling how his legs gave out and he fell back onto her makeup chair, with her straddling him. She didn’t stop either, grinding back and forth, whispered whimpers coming out of her mouth over and over until she came. Oh, God, she felt so fucking good. Holding her, he stood her up and placed her on the makeup vanity, almost topping the bulb mirror over, pumping into her until he came himself. There was a perfectly fine twin-sized daybed next to them, but instead they picked every other object to fuck on.

“What’s gotten you so giddy,” Judy teased hearing him chuckle.

“Guess,” he said looking at her mischievously.

Judy’s giggle vibrated against his lips as he leaned down to kiss her a few times. As they kept walking, Judy noticed a few people staring their way. Though they were still both legally married to other people, everyone knew they were an item by now. But, it still never failed to get them some wide-eyed stares, whispers or naughty smiles from mutual friends.

“You know something?”

“What?”

“I think that’s the first time we’ve kissed out in the open like this.”

“Is it? Here, let’s do it again,” he said and leaned down to kiss her again.

“You’re crazy,” she giggled.

“You’re crazy, too, which makes us a good match.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“I’m not complaining at all, but what brought that on back there?”

Gene opened his mouth but then just nudged his shoulders and made an ‘I don’t know’ sound.

“What do you mean...” she then made the same sound he did.

“I felt like it.”

Judy kneaded her eyebrows looking at him skeptically, “We were filming a scene then you just decide you want to seduce me like you did?”

Gene couldn’t help the guilty laugh and embarrassed he rubbed the side of his face trying to hide it. But she knew when he was lying.

“What,” she laughed.

“Did you like it?”

“Well, of course I did.”

“Well, then, that’s all that matters.”

All of a sudden they heard a honk before Kay drove by waving. They waved back but Judy quickly opened her mouth looking at Gene. He saw it, and urged her to keep walking.

“Kay told you.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Well, then, remind me to thank her later.”

“Honey,” he asked getting a little more serious now, “I gotta be honest with ya. You know, spending all the time together that we have since I got the apartment, it hadn’t even occurred to me to put some spontaneity in there. I mean, we’re definitely not routine, but I was just enjoying being able to be with you whenever I want now, without having to sneak around.”

“Gene, I...”

“No, listen, after what just happened, I didn’t realize how much I missed it. It does put the excitement in there, to keep up what we had for all those years. I know that sneaking around and being secret is what we’re built on, and it’s only natural to want to keep up some form of that. I will promise you though, nothing will ever get boring, not between us.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it. I was a little embarrassed because I never want to take for granted what we have now. It’s what I’ve wanted for so long.”

“Me, too.”

“And I felt guilty for missing encounters with you.”

“Never feel guilty for what you feel. But you have to talk to me about it so I know. And I mean this with everything. And vice versa. That way, any problem we do have, we can work out together.”

“Deal. And just so you know, it doesn’t always have to be that way. Even just sneaking into the shower once and a while is exciting enough.”

“You got a deal back,” he smiled, “Or in a car, that was always fun back in the day.”

“Not sure our backs could handle that now.”

“Well, I’m definitely going to make it and effort to keep having encounters like that, ‘cause, wooo boy...” he blew out a breath making his point how it made him feel and she cracked up.

Her cheeks turned even more red.

#jugenea #fan fiction

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edie-k · 3 years

Text

The Art of Segue

Title: The Art of Segue

Pairing: Ron/Hermione

Rating: PG (language and mild suggestive dialogue)

This is a sequel to a story I recently re-posted called “The Art of Christmas Tree Selection”. Originally written prior to the publishing of Half Blood Prince, this is slightly AU but not so much that it significantly bucks canon. It can be read separately but I really like the first one so, you know, read it.

Disclaimer: HP and it’s characters aren’t mine.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“What has you so happy?” asked Warren Granger as he entered the kitchen of their home.

“Oh, it’s Christmas time! What’s not to be happy about?” asked Judy, drying her hands on a kitchen towel and turning from the sink where she was finishing washing the dishes. “Everything is so beautifully decorated, everyone is in such good moods, our daughter is home for the holidays…”

“With her boyfriend,” Warren said, as he pulled a chair away from the table and sank into it.

“Whom we both love,” Judy reminded him, as she opened a cupboard door.

There was a lot of truth in all of her statements. Warren was ecstatic to have his little girl at home. Since Hermione finished school three years ago and the violence that troubled the magical world had been over almost as long, they were able to see her more often. Still it was never enough. Having your child home for the holidays was the best present a parent could receive. And Warren enjoyed having Ron there as well. After four years of dating Hermione, Ron seemed comfortable among their family.

Warren wondered if he was too comfortable.

“It seems different this year, doesn’t it?” Warren asked.

Judy smiled and turned to her husband. “Do you need me to explain why it’s different?”

Warren sighed. “Definitely not.”

Judy laughed. “It’s the exact opposite of Ron’s first Christmas.”

Warren chuckled at this as well. When Hermione brought her boyfriend home over Christmas holiday during her seventh year, Ron avoided the two of them as much as possible and clung to Hermione as a buffer. Warren managed to drag the boy away for proper questioning by forcing him to come along to retrieve a Christmas tree. Ron looked as though he might have jumped out of the moving vehicle. However, when pressed, Ron gathered up the courage to tell him in plain terms what Hermione meant to him and Warren admired his bravery in an uncomfortable situation. Warren felt a bit guilty for cornering the poor kid (although it lessened when he remembered how pale Ron became when he mentioned keeping his hands off his daughter) because he could remember very vividly being questioned by Judy’s father. Ron would understand someday when he did the same thing to his own daughter’s boyfriend.

He and Hermione’s daughter.

Because Ron wanted to marry Hermione.

Oh yes, Ron made it clear three Christmases ago that he wanted to marry her someday. And for the past three years, Warren happily lived in the world of “someday”. But this year was different.

“You can’t avoid him forever!” Judy said with a smile.

“I’m not avoiding him!” Warren insisted.

Oh Lord, was he avoiding him. Or at least being alone with him. Ron and Hermione had arrived two days earlier. During the day, both Judy and he saw patients at the office and the only time they saw Ron and Hermione were in the evenings. Today marked what was supposed to be the beginning of he and Judy’s ten-day holiday, but Warren had offered to fix a patient’s broken crown even when a perfectly capable on-call doctor was available. After this, he went shopping for Judy’s Christmas present, which occupied most of the afternoon. He arrived home shortly before dinner to a knowing but disgruntled look from his wife and a scolding from his daughter.

“Where have you been?” Hermione screeched the instant he entered the living room.

Warren stepped back, startled at her outburst. Ron glanced up from the magazine he had been flipping through and gave Warren a sympathetic look. Warren realized that Hermione had been fuming about this all day.

“I was out Christmas shopping,” Warren said quickly.

“All day? You were only shopping for one person!”

“I-I treated a patient this morning,” Warren said. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was reminded that even though she was an adult, he was the parent and Hermione was his daughter. However, it was hard to validate this when Hermione was in the right.

“Don’t you have a perfectly good on-call doctor for that?” Hermione asked.

“Love, maybe you should just-” Ron started to say but Hermione gave him a withering look and he mumbled, “Never mind.”

“Yes,” Warren said. “But this particular patient is very squeamish about dental work and he preferred to have me as the attending dentist.”

“Well, I hope it was worth wasting a day that you could have spent with your only daughter,” Hermione huffed, sinking into her seat on the couch next to Ron and returned to her book. Ron looked up at Warren and threw him another sympathetic smile.

And he still had not found a proper gift for his wife.

“Are you continuing not avoiding him tomorrow?” asked Judy.

“Well I-I haven’t quite finished my holiday shopping,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Can I suggest taking your daughter along? She may be helpful and I think she would enjoy the time with you,” Judy suggested.

“An excellent idea. I think I could use a female perspective,” Warren answered. “But wait. That means you’ll be here alone with Ron tomorrow.”

“I’m not the one that’s scared of him,” Judy answered, a large grin forming on her lips.

“Ha, ha,” he said dryly. He stood from the table slowly and stretched. “I suppose I will find Hermione and run the plan by her.”

“Now wait one second,” Judy said, putting a hand up to stop him. “Hermione isn’t the only one who wasn’t happy with your all day disappearing act. But I do have a way for you to make it up to me.”

“Do tell,” he smiled, noticing his wife had gathered various bowls and other baking tools on the kitchen counter.

“You can run to the store and pick up these ingredients so I can start my Christmas baking,” she answered, handing him a slip of paper.

“I think I can handle that,” he replied with a smile.

“Can I come with you, sir?” The sound of the unexpected voice caused Warren to jump in surprise. He turned to meet the eyes of his daughter’s boyfriend. Warren could feel Judy’s smirk penetrating the back of his head.

“I’m just running to the store,” Warren said weakly.

“I know,” Ron replied. “But I’ve been cooped up in the house with two women all day. No offense, Dr. Granger.”

“None taken Ron,” she said, now smiling broadly. It was horrifying how much pleasure the love of Warren’s life could take in his pain. “And I’ve told you- Dr. Granger is unnecessary. You’re an adult, you may call me Judy.”

“Sorry,” he replied, ears reddening slightly. “So, is it alright if I tag along?”

“I think it’s a splendid idea,” Judy replied. “Warren got so distracted while shopping this afternoon, it will do him good to have someone to keep him on task.”

Warren nodded numbly.

“I’ll just run upstairs and get my coat,” Ron replied, turning and leaving the room.

Warren turned to his wife, mouth open.

“He is scary. Look how he crept up on you like that!” Judy exclaimed, the mocking evident in her voice.

“What should I do?” he asked.

“Get your keys and your jacket,” Judy said. “And maybe your checkbook. I heard that the wizarding world is a bit old-fashioned so they may require a dowry.”

“JUDY!” he cried. How could she even joke about this?

“Relax,” she chuckled. “You’ll be fine.”

He sincerely doubted it.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The first time he and Ron were alone together, there were a few moments of awkward silence before Warren began his interrogation. In the times they were together since than, conversation flowed naturally with comfortable pauses. But Warren knew that this time, if he left a lull in the conversation, Ron was liable to make his move. So in the five minutes Warren had prior to meeting Ron at the car, he brainstormed for every topic unrelated to Hermione that he could think of to fire off questions about.

“Is it difficult to be spending Christmas away from your family?” Warren asked first. Ron was related to so many people that it was a topic that could keep him talking for awhile.

Ron snorted. “It’s fine. I see plenty of them the rest of the year and we’ll be spending New Year’s there. Besides, I know exactly what I’m missing.”

“And what’s that?” Be descriptive. I want all the details.

“Bill and Fleur will be arguing over baby names. Mum will be nagging Charlie and Cory about when they’ll have a baby, Fred and Angelina about wedding stuff, George about settling down, and Percy and Penny about the baby’s cough. Dad will try out some Muggle device he has no clue about. Mum will continue to not-so-subtly hint to Harry and Ginny that the love of their lives may be right under their noses and make way too much food.”

“It sounds like you know the routine,” Warren laughed.

“Oh, there’s variation. Sometimes Bill and Fleur argue over who the godparents will be,” Ron said with a grin.

That exchange ate up about 45 seconds of the car trip. Warren grasped for another topic.

“Harry is joining your family for Christmas?” Ron nodded. “How is Harry? We haven’t seen him around recently.”

“He’s fine. He likes being an Auror and I think he’s enjoying no longer having the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

“Ah, yes. And how does it feel to actually be out in the field?” Warren asked. Warren glanced toward Ron. Ron was a specialized law enforcement officer now. He must carry some sort of weaponry right? Did he have it on him right now? Warren knew that Ron didn’t have a firearm because two years ago, they viewed a program on television and Ron had not known what a pistol was. Perhaps he carried some sort of knife? Or did wizards just hold the perpetrators at wandpoint? Wandpoint did not sound very intimidating but then again, Warren was not familiar with what exactly a wand could do. Wandpoint also did not sound like a real word, at least not in his dictionary. He made a mental note to ask Hermione about it later.

“The increase in wages is definitely something that I enjoy,” Ron said with a laugh. “It’s nice to be out there making a difference.” Warren glanced at Ron and noticed that he looked a bit hesitant.

“Is something wrong?” Warren asked and then mentally slapped himself. Yes, he could be nervous about asking his girlfriend’s father for his permission to marry her, Warren chided himself. But don’t worry; you were right there to prompt him along.

“No, no. Not really. I’ve just had a difficult choice to make and I think I made it but- I find myself second guessing.”

This could not be regarding Hermione. Even if he did not want Ron to propose, he knew that Ron was certain about Hermione. So what was he uncertain about? “Maybe I can offer some guidance?” Warren suggested.

“The afternoon before I started my vacation, my sister-in-law called me in her office.”

“I thought she taught Interrogation to trainees,” Warren said.

“She does but Cory is also the assistant interrogator in the Auror department,” Ron said.

“I don’t understand why she would call you in,” Warren said, confused.

“She called me in to tell me she received a promotion. She’s the head of interrogation for the Aurors, in addition to her training duties.”

Warren nodded. He could see where this was going but was baffled as to what the problem was.

“She told me that her and Shacklebolt, who heads the Aurors, were offering me the assistant interrogator’s position. And that’s a huge job. There’s room for all sorts of advancement and the pay is excellent.” Ron paused for a second and reddened slightly. “Told me it’s rare that someone with as little experience as me would be offered the position but I was one of the best at interrogation. I mean, they have all sorts of other people that are already in the interrogation department that would die for that job.”

“Then I fail to see the problem Ron,” Warren replied.

“At first, I was worried about not making a difference. Field work, catching the bad guys- that’s why I have wanted to be an Auror since I was fourteen. It’s why I went through all those years of training.”

“But interrogation is an important part of the justice process,” Warren argued.

Ron chuckled. “Believe me, Cory made sure to point that out many times. The fact is that even three years after the war-” Warren still cringed every time he heard that word and thought of Hermione’s involvement in it. “Death Eaters and war criminals are still being caught. With all the rebuilding and with how corrupt the prosecution department was prior to the war… without thorough Auror interrogation, people are going free,” Ron said and his eyes darkened slightly. “I can’t stand the idea of any of those bastards- er, I mean-”

“No, it’s okay,” replied Warren, thinking of the man who left Hermione unconscious in a hospital bed for two painstaking days. Bastard seemed to be the only appropriate term.

“I just don’t want any of them to go without punishment,” Ron said. “What’s the point of field work if they aren’t going to prison?”

“There isn’t one,” Warren answered. “That’s why they want the best people possible.”

“I feel sort of guilty being promoted above all these other people already in the department but Cory says we have personality traits that make us naturals for this work. She calls it persistence but I’m not sure that’s what our family members would call it.”

Warren laughed. He himself was feeling a bit guilty for avoiding Ron this week. He did like the boy. He liked that Ron was soliciting him for advice and seemed genuinely interested in his opinion. It was almost a conversation between a father and a…

Bloody hell.

“There’s another reason why I’ve decided to take the job,” Ron said and suddenly, Warren was thrown back in time.

It was two summers ago and Warren was sitting outside with Judy during a gathering at the Burrow. Ron, Hermione, and Harry were sitting at the opposite end of the picnic table as Warren and Judy. Hermione was quizzing both boys on terms for their Interrogation exam and Ron seemed to be doing well. Harry on the other hand-

“What’s the best way to get all the details from a reluctant witness Harry?” Hermione read from the pieces of parchment in front of her.

“Take their word for it?” suggested Harry. “Bloody hell, I don’t know! What does this have to do with being an Auror? Why do I need to learn about questioning witnesses? I’m never going to be an interrogator!”

“Not with that attitude!” scolded Hermione. Ron smirked at his friend from across the table. Hermione sighed. “Ron, do you know?”

“Make the witness feel comfortable, talking about matters unrelated to the case. Be sure to obtain responses from them. Smoothly transition into your actual questions and do not let up until you have your answers. The lull and ambush,” Ron explained.

Harry scoffed “That will never work.”

Without even realizing it, Warren had been lulled. And here came the transition.

“First of all, it’s safer. There’s still plenty of risks, although I do have to be on emergency field call two nights a month. Criminals have been stripped of wands and weapons prior to interrogation, so they can still be dangerous but much less so.”

“Uh huh,” replied Warren. He wanted to stop Ron so badly but he felt compelled to listen and respond. Harry was wrong; the lull and ambush worked brilliantly.

“And I already mentioned the raise. And the hours are excellent. Except for those two nights on-call and the emergencies that are few and far between, it’s daytime hours. Hermione hated me working nights. She’ll be so happy. It couldn’t have come at a better time.” Ron stopped and took a breath. “Because I have something to ask her and something to ask you as well.”

In her sixth year, Hermione wrote her mother a letter that he wasn’t supposed to read. She informed Judy that she and Ron were dating and exuberantly listed all his virtues. Of course, she had left “master of segue” off of the list.

They approached a stoplight and Warren let his eyes close. This was it. He had three options. He could throw the car in park, get out, and run like mad. He could shove Ron out of the passenger’s side and slam on the gas pedal.

He really didn’t like option one. He loved this car. He had waited years to have this car. The thought of abandoning it broke his heart. And option two seemed even less viable. Ron was a bit taller and due to his Auror training, much fitter than him. He doubted that he would be able to push him out. That just left option three.

Accepting his fate. Warren kept his eyes closed as Ron began to speak.

“D-Dr. Granger, I-I love your daughter,” Ron started. Warren’s eyes flew open. Was he actually nervous? After that brilliant ploy to lull him into complacency? He stared at Ron for a moment until he heard a car horn sound angrily behind him. Warren pressed on the gas and drove under the green light, still processing this shocking revelation.

“And she makes me- she makes me the happiest man in the world,” Ron continued. He was stuttering!

“Hermione, she’s-she’s perfect. She’s everything that a person could possibly be. There’s no one that is even close to being worthy of her, no one that can give her everything she deserves. But out of everyone, I think I would try the hardest.“

Ron looked so serious, so earnest. Warren had no clue as to how he should reply but before he could open his mouth, Ron charged on.

“Sir, I want to marry your daughter and- and I’m asking your permission to do that,” Ron said. He paused and wrung his hands. “To ask her to marry me,” he clarified unnecessarily.

Warren took a deep, calming breath and turned to take a good look at Ron. He was extremely white; his freckles standing out against his pale cheeks and his hands were shaking ever so slightly. Realization hit Warren like a ton of bricks.

He held the power. All week, Warren was- all right, Judy, scared- of Ron and there was absolutely no reason to be. Ron held no power in this situation. Ron was forced to seek out his permission! He was practically begging! All Warren had to do was say no, send this boy on his way, and keep his daughter a little girl forever.

But even as the delicious thought formed in his mind, he knew that it was wrong.

Here was a boy- no, a man- that promised him long ago that he would defend Hermione and do anything for her. He was a man whom his daughter loved and whose name never failed to bring a smile to her face. After today’s conversation, it was obvious that his job would allow him to be able to take care of her (not that his daughter could not take care of herself but it was reassuring nonetheless). Ron even admitted that he could never be worthy of Hermione but still swore to give her everything that he possibly could.

Could he really say no to that?

Sure he could. But Hermione was going to marry him whether she had his blessing or not. And since Ron had properly and respectfully come to him, Warren may as well resign himself to maturity as well.

“Well, Ron, if you’re going to marry my daughter, you’ll need to drop this ‘sir’ and ‘Dr. Granger’ nonsense,” Warren said, forcing himself to be more jovial than he really felt. “But uh, let’s hold off on, Dad. Warren will be fine.”

Color flooded back into Ron’s cheeks and his tense face relaxed began to relax. “Really?” he said, his tone a bit incredulous. “You mean, you’ll let me marry Hermione?”

Warren laughed, more genuinely this time. “Yes, I will.”

“Wow,” he said quietly. “Wow. Now I just have to get her to say yes.”

“I doubt that will be much of a problem,” Warren replied. Ron still looked somewhat uneasy about how Hermione would really answer.

“When’s the big day?” Warren asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t even know if she’ll agree to marry me yet.”

“No,” Warren chuckled. “When are you proposing?”

“Oh, um, I have it sort of set up for New Year’s Eve. Do you want to be there? I mean, you and Judy? My whole family is going to be there and I know my mum would love to have both of you there,” Ron said nervously. “We’re all- I mean, we’re all sort of going to be family I hope.”

Warren glanced back at Ron for a second. As Hermione got older, she became more and more involved in the wizarding world and one of his fears concerning Hermione marrying Ron was that it would draw her completely away from their world. Maybe those fears were unfounded. Ron often joined them for holidays and the Weasleys regularly invited him and Judy to join them for family gatherings.

“I’ll have to check with Judy but I doubt we have anything more important happening,” Warren answered, as he steered the car into a parking space. He and Ron exited the car and head into the store.

“Oh, and would you not tell Hermione?” Ron asked.

Warren laughed as he fished Judy’s list out of his jacket pocket. “I’m not going to ruin your proposal!”

“No, about the job. I haven’t told her about it yet. I was waiting- well, I was just waiting to tell her. I thought I would surprise her after I was able to actually accept the job,” Ron said. His ears started to turn red. “I just- I just thought it would be better to tell her once we were back home.” His face had begun to catch up with his ears. “So it wouldn’t interfere with our Christmas.”

Warren looked at him curiously. Why would he be holding off on telling her? “I would think that it would make a nice Christmas present for-”

Ron was staring straight ahead, face aflame as Warren put the pieces together. Ron wanted to wait until he could properly celebrate with his daughter, which couldn’t happen under her parents’ roof. Warren glanced down at the items on Judy’s list.

He may need to add a bottle of scotch.

The Grangers’ parent names are shout-outs, Judy to sproutgirl and Warren to lavenderbrown. Love both of those stories.

Also, I want to thank allybee for permitting me to use Ron’s line about trying the hardest from her story “Love, or Something Like It” on Checkmated. It’s my second favorite romantic line (I swear, one day, Ron will say “I remember everything.”) and I’ve been dying to use it. Blatant plagiarism is only cool with permission.

#hp fanfic #ron x hermione #romione fanfic #au romione #christmas fanfiction #Ron Weasley #Hermione Granger

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wonkasmissstarshine · 4 years

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The Chocolatier’s Rose {Willy Wonka x OC} Ch.28

GIFs not mine. Credit go to owners.

Summary: Rose and Willy have begun planning their wedding. They take Charlie with them to see their new friend Lucy about making a very special dress.

Tagging: @holdmeicant @willymywonkers @sleepiesapphicxoxo

Rose and Willy began planning their wedding just days after they got engaged. Willy let Rose handle most of the planning, but he was happy to provide some input when she asked for it.

"Cocoa bean, we need to think about who we're inviting" Rose said to Willy.

"Well, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out" Willy said. "We have a small circle of friends and I want them all to come"

"That's true" Rose said, scribbling a note down in her notebook. "Do you...?" She trailed off, afraid to bring up what she was thinking with Willy.

"Do I what, starshine?" Willy asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Do you want to invite your father?" Rose asked him. She could see Willy tense up. Yes, they had reconciled, but he still got nervous whenever his father was brought up.

"I-I don't know" Willy answered. He fiddled his hands against the table. "Do you think he'd want to come?"

Rose reached over and placed her hands on top of his. "Of course he'll want to come, Willy. I saw all those newspapers on the wall. He's proud of you, and he'll be even prouder that you're getting married. I think he'd like to be here to witness that"

Willy smiled. "Yeah, you're right, starshine! Let's invite my father!"

"Great!" Rose added Dr Wonka's name to the guest list. "That's it for the the guest list" She looked up at Willy. "Where do you want to have the wedding?"

"The meadow, silly!" Willy giggled as he reached over to boop her on the nose. "Where else would we have it? A boring old church?"

Rose grinned and giggled. "I was only kidding, cocoa bean! Of course I want the wedding to happen in the meadow"

Willy propped his elbow onto the table and rested his chin in his hand. He stared and smiled at Rose as she went on about the kinds of things she wanted for the wedding. He loved how excited she was getting.

"And I'm gonna have to talk to Charlie. You two are gonna become brothers, and it'll be weird if he keeps calling you Mr Wonka" Rose said. Even though Willy was staring at her, she knew that he wasn't really paying attention. She could tell by the way he was staring at her with that dreamy look. "You're staring at me again"

"I can't help it, starshine" Willy he said dreamily. "You're just so gosh darn beautiful!" No matter how many times she heard Willy call her beautiful, she still always managed to blush.

"Willy, you're making me blush..." Rose said shyly.

"And you look so pretty when you do" He couldn't help but tell her. At this point, Willy was just trying to get some attention out of Rose. She had been working on that list all morning. She didn't even give him his morning kiss yet. "Starshine?" He drew out the word as he scooted his chair closer to hers.

"Yes, cocoa bean?" Rose said, not looking up from her work.

He placed his chin on her shoulder as he pouted his lips. "You've been busy all morning"

"Planning a wedding is busy work"

"You forgot to do something very important this morning"

Rose looked up. She looked at Willy and furrowed her eyebrows. "Did I?"

"Yeah. You didn't kiss me yet"

"I'm sorry" She said. Rose gave Willy a quick peck on the lips. "There, is that better?"

Willy smiled as he shook his head. Then he took Rose's face in his hands and pulled her into another kiss. Only this one was deeper and longer. "Now I feel better" He said afterwards, resting his forehead against hers.

Rose smiled and hummed. "So do I"

******

That afternoon, Rose took Charlie and Willy with her to go meet Lucy. Rose needed a dress, and she knew that Lucy would be able to make her the one she wanted. They went into the dress shop to find her. "Okay, let's split off and find Lucy" Rose said. Willy raised his hand like he had a question. "Yes, Willy?"

It turns out he did have a question. "What does Lucy look like?"

"She's got fiery red hair. You can't miss her" Rose explained.

"Excuse me?" a woman's voice said. The three of them turned their heads to see a fifty-something, sharply dressed woman approaching them. Her name tag read Judy. "Did you say you were looking for Lucy?"

"Yes" Charlie answered with a nod. "Is she here?"

Judy looked between Rose and Charlie. "I remember you two from the other day. You here with a woman"

"Yes, that was our mother" Charlie mentioned. "Do you know where Lucy is?"

"I'm afraid she doesn't work here anymore" Judy explained.

"You fired her!?" Rose shouted at the top of her lungs. Charlie jumped from beside her, and Willy was giving her a wide eyed look from under his goggles. It was weird to hear Rose raise her voice like that. "How could you!?"

Judy quickly shook her head. "No, no, I didn't fire her. She quit on her own accord. Said something about following her dreams"

"Oh" Rose visibly calmed down. She flashed Judy a small smile. "Sorry for yelling"

"It's alright dear" Judy assured her. "When you work in the retail business, you get used to customers yelling at you"

"Do you know where we can find Lucy?" Charlie asked.

"Yes" Judy reached into the pocket of her blazer. She pulled out a piece of paper. "Lucy wanted me to give this to you if you ever came by again. Has her address on it"

Rose grabbed the piece of paper. "Thank you. And if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you like Lucy's designs?"

"Oh, I loved them!" Judy admitted. "But I didn't think they would sell well in this setting. Everything here is so formal. They would just look out of place" Judy sighed. "I regret being so harsh towards her" And with that, she went to attend to other customers.

"Good! We know where Lucy lives now so we can go see her!" Willy said excitedly.

"Let's go" Charlie said. The three of them left the store.

******

The elevator landed in front of Lucy's house. Charlie walked on ahead, while Rose and Willy followed behind him hand-in-hand. Charlie walked up the steps to Lucy's door and rang the doorbell.

The door was opened by a little girl around the same age as Charlie. "Hello?"

"Hello" Charlie said back to the girl. "Is Lucy home?"

The girl's eyes widened and she smiled brightly. "Oh, you must be her new friends"

"And you are?" Rose asked the girl.

"I'm Jenny, Lucy's little sister" the girl introduced herself. She opened the front door wider and motioned for them to come in. "You can all come in and make yourselves comfortable. I'll go get Lucy" Charlie, Rose and Willy followed Jenny inside the house. She brought them into the living room, and told them to take a seat on the couch, before parting to go get Lucy.

"This is a cozy little home" Rose commented, scanning her eyes around the living room. She sat in between Charlie and Willy. "And Jenny is a cute girl" Rose smirked down at her brother. "Don't you think so, Charlie?"

Charlie blushed. "Rosie!"

Willy suddenly jumped in his seat when he felt something brush up against his leg. "Something just touched me!"

A faint meow followed. Rose leaned over and saw an orange tabby cat rubbing against Willy's leg. Rose giggled at the sight. "It's a cat and I think it likes you!"

The cat hopped up onto Willy's lap. This caused him to grimace and hold his hands close to his chest. He was never really fond of cats or dogs. "Why would it like me?" Willy questioned. He looked to Rose for an answer. "It just met me"

"I see you've met Creamsicle" a new voice said. It belonged to Lucy. She and Jenny joined them in the living room. She laughed as she saw that Creamsicle was already curled up in Willy's lap. "She seems to really like you"

Creamsicle started purring and Willy started panicking. "She's vibrating now!"

"Willy, do you know anything about cats?" Rose asked him with a tilt of her head. Willy shook his head and this caused Rose to giggle again. "Well she's not vibrating, she's purring. That means she's content with you. You're telling me you've never had a cat, dog, or a pet of any kind?"

"Do the squirrels count?" Willy asked and Rose shook her head. "Then no, I've never had a pet before. Not that I've really wanted one. I don't really like cats. Or dogs even" He glanced down at the cat in his lap. "What do I do?"

"You pet her" Rose answered. She grabbed one of Willy's hands and began to guide it along Creamsicle. "Just like this"

"Oh!" Willy grinned. He looked at Rose again. "I do this to your hair sometimes when we're laying in bed" Rose let go of Willy's hand, and he continued to pet Creamsicle on his own. "I like cats now! Well, this one at least"

"Lucy," Rose moved her attention towards the redhead. "If you haven't guessed already, this is Willy Wonka, my fiance"

Jenny's eyes went wide. "This is Willy Wonka!? The amazing chocolatier!?"

Willy looked to Jenny and smiled. "That's me!"

"I'm sorry" Lucy spoke up. Her eyes darted between Rose and Willy. "Did you say fiance? Because when I met you, you said he was your boyfriend?"

"He proposed to me that night" Rose said. She looked to Willy and giggled dreamily. She held onto his arm and leaned against him. "It was so romantic"

Willy copied Rose's dreamy giggle. "This pretty little truffle is going to be my wife" He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Rose then tilted her head upwards and puckered her lips, indicating that she wanted a kiss on the lips. "Oh, does my pretty truffle want a kiss?"

"Your pretty truffle is always wanting a kiss from you" Rose purred at him as she batted her eyelashes at him.

"In that case," Willy cupped Rose's face in his hands. "Come here, pretty little truffle" Their lips connected in a passionate kiss, completely forgetting about the fact that there were others in the room with them.

Lucy smiled awkwardly and folded her hands together in her lap. She looked over to Charlie. "Are they always like this, Charlie?"

Charlie nodded. "They tend to forget that other people are in the room"

Lucy cleared her throat, which caused Rose and Willy to pull away from each other. They both blushed from embarrassment. "Sorry" Rose muttered out.

"Yeah, sorry" Willy repeated.

Lucy smiled at them both. "Oh, it's alright. You should never apologize for being in love. Now, what brings you guys by?"

"I need a favour from you, Lucy" Rose started. "I was hoping that you could make my wedding dress for me"

"Really? Well, I'd be honored to make your dress for you!" Lucy clapped her hands together and bounced with excitement. "What were you thinking of for it? Mermaid, ball gown, trumpet? Lace, sparkles, satin?"

Willy's eyebrows furrowed as he listened to Lucy list of the many ways a wedding dress could be made. "I didn't realize there were so many kinds of dresses" He said. He looked to Rose. "But you know what you want, don't you, starshine?"

Rose nodded. "I sure do! You said you could make a dress out of anything, right Lucy?"

Lucy grew a proud smile and crossed her arms over her chest. "I sure can"

"Do you think you could make a dress made out of cotton candy?"

Lucy's mouth fell open slightly and she stared blankly at Rose. "Cotton candy?"

"Oh, I knew it was ridiculous..." Rose muttered, her smile and shoulders dropping with a sigh. Willy pat her on the knee.

"No, it's not ridiculous" Lucy quickly said. This made Rose perk up again. "In fact, it's the greatest idea for a dress I've ever heard. A wedding dress made out of cotton candy!"

"Does this mean you'll make the dress for me?" Rose asked hopefully.

"Yes!" Lucy squealed, jumping up onto her feet. "It'll take me a bit, considering it'll be made out of cotton candy. And I'm gonna need somewhere where I'll be able to make it"

"You can make it at the factory!" Willy suggested. Lucy absolutely beamed at the suggestion. "And the the Oompa-Loompas would be willing to help you"

Lucy and Jenny shared confused glances with each other. "Oompa-Loompas?" The sisters both said.

"Yeah. The wedding is all they've been talking about for the past couple of days. They're very excited about it and want to help out in anyway they can"

"Okay!" Lucy said with a nod. "I'd love the Oompa-Loompas help! All I need you guys to do for me is give me a room to make the dress in. I'll come to the factory first thing tomorrow morning"

"Could I come too?" Jenny asked.

Charlie looked over to Rose and Willy. "Can she?"

"It's alright with me" Rose answered. She looked over at her fiancé. "What about you, cocoa bean?"

"I don't see why not" Willy said. "It'll be good for Charlie to have a friend his own age to spend time with" He looked over at Charlie. "Not that we don't like spending time with you, it's just—"

"I know what you mean, Mr..." Charlie stopped himself. He remembered what Rose told him earlier before they left. He should start calling him Willy now that they were going to be brothers. "Willy" Rose smiled proudly at Charlie and gave him a pat on the head.

With their visit with Lucy over, Rose could cross of the first thing on her wedding to do list. The perfect wedding dress. And she couldn't wait to see how it would turn out.

#willy wonka x oc #willy wonka x reader #willy wonka #rose bucket #my oc #rose and willy #the chocolatier's rose

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papermoonloveslucy · 4 years

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LUCY & BEDROCK! (TWIST! TWIST!)

Lucille Ball & “The Flintstones”

“The Flintstones” was TV’s first primetime animated sitcom. It was produced by Hannah-Barbara animation and ran on ABC TV from 1960 to 1966. Following the show's cancellation, a film called The Man Called Flintstone, a musical spy caper that parodied James Bond, was released that same year. The show was revived in the early 1970s and several different series and made-for-TV movies. The original show also was adapted into a live-action film in 1994, and a prequel, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, which followed in 2000.

Although not officially recognized by its creators, the show bears a very strong resemblance to TV’s “The Honeymooners”. Fred and Wilma Flintstone are reminiscent of Ralph and Alice Kramden, and they have best friends and neighbors Betty and Barney Rubble that are very similar to Ed and Trixie Norton. The original “Honeymooners” (1955-56) also was spun-off into future iterations, including musical episodes, just like “The Flintstones.”

Lucille Ball admired “Honeymooners” creator and Jackie Gleason and Gleason even played Ralph Kramden on “Here’s Lucy.” Ball also worked with the show’s other stars: Art Carney (in “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye” and “What Now Catherine Curtis”), Audrey Meadows (in “Mother of the Bride” on “Life With Lucy”) and even Jane Kean, who played Trixie in the color “Honeymooners” (who was seen on a 1966 episode of “The Lucy Show”).

CAST CONNECTIONS

Jean Vander Pyl (Wilma Flintstone / Pebbles) worked with Lucille Ball on several episodes of “My Favorite Husband” radio show in 1948.

Alan Reed (Fred Flintstone) played a train station luncheon counter attendant in “Lucy Visits The White House” (TLS S1;E23) in 1963, while also playing Fred Flintstone on ABC. He later appeared on an episode of Desi Arnaz’s “Mothers-in-Law”.

Bea Benadaret (Betty Rubble) was one of Lucille Ball’s favorite performers. She played Iris Atterbury on “My Favorite Husband” and was Ball’s first choice to play Ethel Mertz. Instead, she played Miss Lewis in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15).

Mel Blanc (Barney Rubble) was a master of voices best known for Bugs Bunny. He also worked extensively with Jack Benny, once with Lucille Ball. He did two films with Lucille Ball: The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) and G.I. Journal (1944). In 1969, Blanc did some ADR (dialogue replacement) work on “Here’s Lucy.”

Hal Smith (Various Voices) is probably best known as Otis the Drunk on “The Andy Griffith Show”. He appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1963 film Critic’s Choice and did three episodes of “The Lucy Show” and one of “Here’s Lucy.”

Howard Morris (Various Voices) played Howard Coe in “Lucy and the Golden Greek” (TLS S4;E2) in 1965.

Allan Melvin (Various Voices) is best remembered as Sam the Butcher on “The Brady Bunch” and Barney Hefner on “All in the Family.” In 1956, as Corporal Henshaw on “Sergeant Bilko,” he did was seen with Ball in “Bilko’s Ape Man.” Melvin and Ball also appeared together on the 8th Anniversary of “The Ed Sullivan Show” In 1954.

Harvey Korman (The Great Gazzoo / Various Voices) is best remembered for his work with Carol Burnett on “The Carol Burnett Show”, several times with Lucille Ball. He also appeared on “The Lucy Show” three times.

Janet Waldo (Mrs. Slaghoople / Hedda Rocker / Various Voices) is best remembered for voicing Judy Jetson on another Hanna-Barbera cartoon series, “The Jetsons” (1962-87). She played Peggy “Keep Jiggling” Dawson on “I Love Lucy” and Lucy Carmichael’s sister Marge on “The Lucy Show.”

Frank Nelson (Rockbind / Rocky Stone / Various Clerks) did two recurring characters on “I Love Lucy” - Freddie Fiillmore and Ralph Ramsey, in addition to other characters. His distinctive voice was heard on “My Favorite Husband” and he made one appearance, as the harried train conductor, on “The Lucy Show.”

June Foray (Granny / Nurses) was one of the most famous voice artists in Hollywood, most famous for Rocket J. Squirrel. Coincidentally, Warner Brothers recruited Foray to replace Bea Benadaret as Granny in their cartoons. On “I Love Lucy” she provided the bark of Fred the dog.

Paula Winslowe (Mrs. Slate / Various Voices) played Mrs. Martha Conklin on “Our Miss Brooks” opposite Gale Gordon. On “I Love Lucy” she was one of the passengers on the S.S. Constitution in “Second Honeymoon” (ILL S5;E14) and a patient (in wheelchair, above) in “Lucy Plays Florence Nightingale” (TLS S2;E14). She was the voice of Bambi’s mother in the 1942 Disney film Bambi.

Verna Felton (Pearl Slaghoople) received two Emmy nominations for her role in the Desilu series “December Bride,” playing Hilda Crocker from 1955 to 1959. She did two episodes of “I Love Lucy,” including playing Lucy’s stern maid, Mrs. Porter. Felton voiced many characters for Disney.

Howard McNear (Doctor) played Mr. Crawford, Little Ricky’s music teacher on “I Love Lucy.” McNear went on to play Floyd the Barber on “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1961 to 1967, filmed on the Desilu backlot. He was also seen in Lucy and Desi’s 1953 film The Long, Long Trailer.

Herb Vigran (Cop) was one of the busiest character actors in Hollywood. He played Jule, Ricky Ricardo’s music agent on two episodes of “I Love Lucy” in addition to playing movie publicist Hal Sparks in “Lucy is Envious” (ILL S3;23). He was seen in the Lucy-Desi film The Long, Long Trailer and six episodes of “The Lucy Show” - all as doctors!

Ginny Tyler (Daisy) voiced Clementine the sheep in “Lucy Buys a Sheep” (TLS S1;E5) and the bird voices in “Lucy Gets the Bird” (TLS S3;E12) and one episode of “Here’s Lucy.” She did the voice of the sheep in Disney’s 1964 hit Mary Poppins. Although she died in 2012, her voice can still be heard in the chorus of birds outside The Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Willard Waterman (Gus Gravel) was a versatile voice actor who appeared on hundreds of radio shows in the 1930s and 40s. He is probably best remembered for playing “The Great Gildersleeve” on both radio and TV. He was seen on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy and The Plumber” (above) and “Lucy the Rain Goddess” (S4;E15).

Jerry Hausner (Clyde) was best remembered for playing Jerry, Ricky’s agent on “I Love Lucy” (including the pilot). He also did one appearance on “The Lucy Show.”

Sam Edwards (Agent) played the star-struck bellboy in “Lucy Meets the Queen” (ILL S5;E15). He was also the voice of the adult Thumper in Bambi (1942).

Sandra Gould (Various Voices) was best remembered as Gladys Kravitz on “Bewitched”. She made two appearances on “I Love Lucy” and one (above) on “The Lucy Show.”

Ann-Margret (Ann Margrock) was one of several celebrity guest stars to be honored with character on “The Flintstones”. She was also a guest star (as herself) on “Here’s Lucy” in 1970 and had appeared on Ann-Margret’s 1969 special.

Elizabeth Taylor (Pearl Slaghoople in The Flintstones live action film, 1994) was one of Hollywood’s most glamorous and popular stars when she guest starred with husband Richard Burton on “Here’s Lucy” in 1970. It is odd, then, that she was cast as Pearl Slaghoople, a character that was previously considered frumpy.

Paul Winchell (Umpire / Thief / Reporter in "Wind Up Wilma” - 1981) was best known as a ventriloquist, but he was also an accomplished character actor who appeared in two episodes of “The Lucy Show” and two of “Here’s Lucy.”

Arte Johnson (”Flintstone Kids” - 1989) was best known as a cast member on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In”. He also did an episode of “Here’s Lucy” as an eccentric bird watcher.

George O’Hanlon (”Flintstone Kids” - 1989) was best remembered as the voice of George Jetson on “The Jetsons,” another hit Hanna-Barbera cartoon. On “I Love Lucy” he was one of two actors to play Charlie Appleby.

"I Love Lucy” and “The Flintstones”

First, Lucille Ball bears more than a passing physical resemblance to Wilma Flintstone. In “The Flintstones” it is clear that Fred is the leading character and most stories revolve around Fred and Barney, rather than Lucy and Ethel. The tried and true formula of a leading couple and the best friends / neighbors as the secondary characters is used in “I Love Lucy”, “The Honeymooners” and “The Flintstones”.

Here are a few more tangible connections:

The animated Lucy and Desi that opened pre-syndication airings of “I Love Lucy” were created by the Hanna-Barbera unit at MGM.

And both shows were sponsored by cigarette companies; “I Love Lucy” by Philip Morris and “The Flintstones” by Winston.

Wilma and Betty trying to sneak into the Water Buffalo convention in "Ladies Night at the Lodge" (1964) while disguised as men was very close to Lucy and Ethel disguising themselves as male reporters to infiltrate Ricky’s daddy shower in “Ricky Has Labor Pains” (1953).

The plot of “Operation Switchover” (1964) recycles the premise and many of the same plot elements of “Job Switching” (1952) especially with the domestic disasters on Ricky and Fred's end: scorched clothes while ironing, a fallen cake, and overflowing rice on the stove.

Like Lucy Ricardo, Wilma Flintstone’s pregnancy was incorporated into the storyline. It was originally thought that like Lucy, Wilma would have a boy, but merchandisers pointed out that there were more opportunities for products for girls, so Pebbles was born. Like Lucille Ball, Jean Vander Pyl (who voiced Wilma) was pregnant at the time of recording and gave birth to her son on the day "The Blessed Event" originally aired on February 22, 1963.

Fred and Barney undertake a rehearsal for the big moment, including Betty rehearsing telephoning the doctor, just like Ricky and the Mertz’s do for Lucy when ‘the time has come’.

Wilma seems to get cravings for unusual foods including hot fudge and sardines that Fred dutifully supplies, just like Ricky did for Lucy.

In the father’s waiting room, a man worries his wife might deliver more than one baby, just like Mr. Stanley (Charles Lane) on “I Love Lucy.”

In “Operation Switchover” a character named Hedda Rocker from Good Cavekeeping Magazine is obviously inspired by Hedda Hopper, the famous gossip columnist who appeared on two episodes of “I Love Lucy” as herself.

Arthur Murray, who’s innovate dance instruction method and dance studios became iconic, is parodied on “The Flintstones” as Arthur Quarry. In a 1965 episode, he was named Arthury Murrayrock.

In “Lucy Meets the Mustache” (LDCH S3;E3) Lucy wants to open a sealed letter so she tries a inserting a knitting needle under the flap, a method she says she saw in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The scene is underscored with “Funeral March of a Marionette” by Charles Gounod, which served as the theme tune of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”. On “The Flintstones” he is parodied as Alvin Brickrock.

Hollyrock star Rock Quarry is a tribute to Rock Hudson, but talks like Gary Cooper. Hudson guest-starred on an episode of “I Love Lucy” set in Palm Springs. Previously, Lucy dressed as Gary Cooper (complete with his trademark ‘yup’) to fool near-sighted Caroline Appleby.

An episode titled “The Soft Touchables” is modeled after Desilu’s hit gangster series “The Untouchables.” “The Lucy Show” parodied their own show in an episode titled “Lucy The Gun Moll” (TLS S4;E25) in 1966 starring “The Untouchables Cast” but using different character names.

Wilma and Betty’s favorite television show “Peek-A-Boo Camera” catches Fred and Barney acting silly in a 1963 episode that is clearly modeled after TV’s “Candid Camera” created by Allen Funt. In 1971, “Lucy and the Candid Camera” (HL S4;E14) also featured Funt in hidden camera shot plot. Lucy Carmichael also get involved in a hidden camera television show in “Lucy and the Beauty Doctor” (TLS S3;E24). In that show, the program was called “The Boiling Point.”

The hit Broadway and movie musical movie My Fair Lady inspired many satires (some in name only) including “My Fair Freddy” (1966) and “My Fair Lucy” (TLS S3;E20) in 1965!

In “Fred Flintstone Woos Again” (1961) Wilma convinces Fred to renew their wedding vows after realizing the official who originally married them wasn’t fully licensed! On “I Love Lucy” Lucy realized that their wedding was also invalid when she found an error on their license. They go to the spot they first wed to renew their vows, just like “The Flintstones”.

In “Dial ‘S’ for Suspicion” (1962) Wilma's devotion to a murder mystery novel causes Fred to wonder if Wilma is trying to away with him. In “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Do Away With Her” (ILL S1;E4) Lucy's devotion to a murder mystery novel causes her to wonder if Ricky is trying to do away with her!

When Wilma can’t keep up with the housework, she hires a maid in “Wilma the Maid” (1963). The same situation happened in the Ricardo home in “Lucy Hires a Maid” (ILL S2;E23). While the Flintstone’s maid is an earthy Italian woman named Rockabrigida, the Ricardo’s maid is a humorless woman named Mrs. Porter. Coincidentally, Mrs. Porter was played by Verna Felton, who voices Pearl Slaghoople on “The Flintstones”.

When superhero “Superstone” is hired for a birthday party but can’t make it - Fred takes his place. On “I Love Lucy” when Superman is promised for Little Ricky’s party, but can’t make it, Lucy takes his place - nearly!

In “How To Pick A Fight With Your Wife” (1966) spats between spouses escalate to such a degree that the couples split: Fred and Barney are thrown together as roommates, while Wilma and Betty are bunking together at the other house. In “Vacation from Marriage” (ILL S2;E6) much the same thing occurs between the Ricardos and the Mertzes!

The real comparison with Lucy and Desi is something Joe Barbera could have only hoped for in 1960 — enduring popularity. Lucy is still justifiably loved by hoards of fans and “I Love Lucy” is on the air somewhere. “The Flintstones” remains a part of the popular culture, 60 years after the show’s debut.

#The flintstones #I Love Lucy #Lucille Ball #Jean Vanderpyl #Bea Benadaret #Lucy #Fred Flintstone #Mel Blanc #Hanna-Barbera #Alan Reed #Ann-Margret #Elizabeth Taylor #The Honeymooners #Hedda Hopper #frank nelson #Janet Waldo #Verna Felton #Willard Waterman #paul winchell

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purplesurveys · 4 years

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1018

When was the last time you were in pain? Did you take a painkiller? Last Saturday when I stubbed my toe and it made my nailbed bleed. Nah, I just dabbed tissue on it and covered it up a Band-Aid. It didn’t really need one, but I placed one anyway so that I didn’t have to see the cut.

What was the last question that someone else asked you? I was showing my mom some photos of the typhoon’s aftermath in our city and she was asking me where exactly one of the photos was taken. It’s honestly so bad over here rn and I feel kinda guilty for taking surveys when so much of the city still has chest-deep flood...but this is the one thing keeping me from going insane while we still don’t have electricity and internet at home, so.

Do you recall what you were doing last time 7pm came around? Wrapping up work, watching the newest episode of Good Mythical Morning, and was also probably looking for a survey to answer.

What was the last thing you consumed, that tasted sweet? Churros with chocolate dip.

Do you know who Mr Blobby is, or have you ever heard of him? I have never heard of it. Them? Him?

Have you ever befriended someone named Tom? What is/was he like? I don’t think so. I’ve never heard of a Tom where I live. I know Tims though, lol.

Does your father have any hobbies? What are they? He loves cars and motorcycles, and I also always catch him watching compilations of dumb vehicular accidents. He’s also into the latest gadgets and I know he’s been wanting a drone for ages now.

Name a food you enjoy, that starts with the same letter as your surname. Curry. :)

What did the last face mask you wore look like? I always wear those thin plain blue disposable ones because they are light and breathable. < Yeah, same. My mom buys boxes of these all the time so this kind is my only choice, really. I never minded it though.

Do you enjoy any songs by The Pet Shop Boys? The name is familiar and I probably know one or two songs of theirs that I enjoy, but I just can’t place any at the moment.

Is there a specific song that you always request at parties? What is it? Eh, not really. I let other people take over the music. Sometimes my friends will request Paramore for me hehehehe and it’s always nice when everyone ends up enjoying whatever song by them is played. But I’m personally often too shy myself to do the requesting because I’m scared it’ll turn out to be a flop.

Have you ever read 'The Railway Children?' Did you like it? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that.

What was the last thing someone said or did, that made you chuckle? So we have a card game at home wherein each card has a certain category and the game is simply a race to come up with an example under that category. So for example if the game master pulls out a card that says ‘fruit,’ you wanna be the first person to yell apple or orange or something. Anyway, my family pulled it out again because of the current power outage, and while we were playing earlier my mom excitedly yelled “CEREAL” when the category was “breakfast cereal.” All of us died laughing.

Have you ever met anyone named Joyce? What is/was she like? I know multiple people whose second name is Joyce, but I dunno anyone who has that as their main name or preferred nickname.

Who was the last relative you visited? My grandma. Needed to pick up the box of revel bars that my uncle had made for my mom.

Does anyone close to you have blue eyes? Nah, especially not in this part of the world. Who was the last person you messaged on social media? Andrew. He was simply checking up on me because our city is one of the hardest-hit areas of the typhoon so far.

^ Do you know when their birthday is? June or July 20something...I can’t remember at the moment.

Is there anyone you love, whose name starts with H? Hmm Hannah is a good friend of mine, and I guess I can say I love her, sure.

Do you own a hairdryer? What color is it? Yeah, pink. I’ve since given it to my sister since she needed a hairdryer in her dorm, but it was originally a gift for me.

What CDs do you have in your car, if any? I don’t keep CDs in my car anymore. If I wanted to listen to my music, I just link my Spotify to the stereo via Bluetooth.

One hour from now, what time will it be? 4:35 PM.

{found @ pinkchocolate}

When you woke up today, did you find unread messages from anyone? Yeah, because I still talk to my ex like a dumbass. Did the last message you received contain any emojis? No, Angela didn’t use any. Have you recently told anyone that you miss them? Yeah, I said it to Hans today because he messaged me for the first time since my birthday this year. Are you wearing a scrunchie in your hair today? What color? Not right now. I used my hairtie to tie up the bag of chips I wasn’t able to finish earlier, so unless I finish that up soon I won’t be able to tie my hair up in a ponytail for a while haha. Have you sent or received any friend requests on Facebook lately? Yuh, the people I interned with - Angel, Justine, and Bianca - added me on there recently. My cousin Maggie also made an account and added me. Can you recall the last time you turned down an offer, of any kind? My mom offered me the last churro earlier because she knows I love them, but I didn’t feel like eating anymore so I let her have it. What was the last film that you saw for the first time? I’m Thinking of Ending Things. ^ Did you enjoy it? I had a hard time with it, especially with the last 20 or so minutes; and it was the first time I found myself struggling with a Charlie Kaufman work. I wouldn’t say I didn’t enjoy it, though. I guess I just found it a little too complex, and films that make me THINK think are generally a hit-or-miss for me. Which swear word did you utter most recently? Probably fuck or a local swear word. ^ Was it because you were annoyed in some way? A little bit, yeah. My phone’s adapter was missing for a few moments. Do you ever find the smell of your pets’ food unpleasant? No. We feed them the same things we eat, so it would be kind of odd to call that unpleasant. When was the last time you reheated leftovers? Tuesday. It was a burger I failed to finish over the weekend. What was the last thing you ate, that was from a bakery? Can’t even remember the last time we ordered from a bakeshop...a pandesal is my best guess, but I can barely remember the last time I had one of those. Which fruit would you say you eat the most often? Haaaaaaaaaaaa. Is there a lake close to where you live? Nope. There’s a river, though. What was the last song you recall singing along to? Broken-Hearted Girl by Beyoncé. Have you uploaded any photos to social media today? Of what? No. Literally everyone has been posting photos of their flooded houses and neighborhoods all day, and it’d be insensitive to post pics of my otherwise (fortunately) normal and relatively unaffected neighborhood or some other type of photo. Are you in the process of reading a book? Which one? Nope. ^ Are you enjoying it? - How recently did you charge the battery on your mobile phone? This morning, but I had to charge from my car because no electricity. I have to do it again, actually – my phone’s barely hanging on at 9%. Is there anyone you interact with every day, on social media? Yeah, my co-workers. In my new job, I’ll have to communicate with Ysa, Bea, and Steffi the most as I was placed in their team. What do you typically do to unwind at the end of the day? Watching the new episode of Good Mythical Morning and GMMore. Sometimes I’ll watch some wrestling too.

{found @ pinkchocolate}

Has anything fallen out of your pocket at any time recently? My vape pen. Luckily I was in my room because I would’ve been a dead daughter if it fell out in front of my parents. Do you have any books that you plan to read sometime soon? Yeah. I plan to resume Midnight Sun one of these days. It’s just a little hard at the moment because I first got it and read it during a rough phase two months ago...opening the book just brings back the memories. It’ll be a while before I’m able to dissociate from those thoughts and enjoy the book. Did anything disturb your sleep at all last night? Yes, the typhoon. The wind was loud enough to wake me up. The electricity also went out a little after midnight, so that also made it hard to fall back asleep. What kind(s) of Facebook groups are you active in, if any? Too many, but I deactivated Facebook again so it doesn’t matter. Do you enjoy any films with Judi Dench in them? Which ones? I respect her contributions as an actress but I’m generally not a fan of the films in her repertoire, so I haven’t seen any of them. I do remember wanting to check out The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, but I just never got around to it. Do you enjoy any herbal or fruit teas? What kinds? No, I don’t like tea. Are you currently wearing anything grey? Yeah, my current shirt is gray. Nice timing :) Name any object in your household that is purple. The pen on my work desk is purple. I also have a purple highlighter that I used while still in college. What was the last food item that you used your hands to eat? Churros. Have you seen anyone today that you consider to be attractive? Nope, I’ve only seen my family and even though I wouldn’t call them ugly, I don’t find them attractive in ~that way either. Do you recall what you were doing at 9:30 this morning? Trying to take a survey before realizing I wouldn’t be able to finish it because I felt a breakdown coming through. Do you use a moisturizer? What brand? No. My skin doesn’t really require lots of maintenance, so I’ve left it be for the most part. Do you currently own or use any toiletries with a fruity scent? I don’t think so. My shampoo has that original scent that just smells like...shampoo, I guess, my conditioner smells like milk, and my toothpaste is minty rather than fruity. Does anyone close to you have a beard? Dad, but he shaves it off all the time. The last time you were in your kitchen, what task(s) did you carry out? I made myself coffee. Name some pop groups that you loved as a child. Wasn’t into any as a child, but as a teenager I liked One Direction. Ok fine, as an adult too heheh Do you recall the first CD you ever owned? The High School Musical soundtrack lol Have you ever worked with anyone named Sophie? What was she like? I went to school with multiple Sophies but I never had to work with them. What terms of endearment do you mostly use when speaking to others? I use “b” or “bb” with nearly everyone, as long as it’s appropriate. Is anyone in your family currently pregnant? No. I used to think I was next, but I think I’ll be waiting a lot longer now. I don’t even know if it would still happen to me...which is sad, because I’ve always wanted a kid of my own. Do you have any specific plans for this weekend? If the typhoon subsides by this week I’ll be expecting my cross-stitch kit that I ordered online, and I can’t wait to start learning all weekend. {found @ pinkchocolate}

#survey #surveys

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sleepykittypaws · 4 years

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Easter Favorites

Looking for a little holiday viewing egg-citement? (Yes, that was terrible. I regretted it instantly.) There’s plenty of Easter-specific entertainment readily available, so hop on over to find some of my favorites. (I’m sorry. Can’t help myself. It’s a sickness, really.)

Updated: April 2, 2024

Movie Favorites

Easter Parade (1948) - It really doesn’t get better than this Judy Garland-Fred Astaire classic. Singing, dancing, romance and a classic Garland holiday song, that rivals Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Rise of the Guardians (2012) - This under-seen Dreamworks animated movie spans multiple holidays but it’s tough-as-nails take on the Easter Bunny, voiced by Hugh Jackman, is among its most memorable, making it perfect Easter family viewing.

Peter Rabbit (2018) - This live-action, animated hybrid should really not be good, and yet a star-studded cast—James Corden, Domhnall Gleeson, Sam Neill, Margot Robbie, Daisy Ridley and Rose Byrne, to name just a few—and a clever, yet still sweet take, on the classic Beatrix Potter tale over performs for all ages. There’s even a slightly less good, but still fine sequel.

Hop (2011) - This is about the Easter Bunny’s teenage son who eschews the family business to head to Hollywood and become a drummer and ends up roommates with James Marsden. And, no, I did NOT make that plot summary up. Much better than you’d expect based on that premise, including an appearance from Hugh Laurie as the Easter Bunny, and David Hasselhoff as, well…The Hoff.

Steel Magnolias (1989) - Melodramatic and occasionally overacted? Sure. But this story of a supportive group of Southern ladies with iron will, played by Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah and Julia Roberts always—and I do mean always—makes me cry. What makes this an Easter film you might ask? An unforgettable egg hunt scene.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) - For all those Christmas babies that think sharing Jesus’ birthday is bad, try being mistaken from him. One of the Python’s less quoted, but still supremely funny, movie efforts.

Harvey (1950) - I maintain there’s a Jimmy Stewart movie for every holiday, and this is one of his best. OK, so this Oscar winner isn’t set at Easter, but it’s hard to find something more appropriate for the holiday than a giant bunny.

Cookie’s Fortune (1999) - This Robert Altman dark comedy/murder mystery is set over an Easter weekend, and is one of his more under-rated efforts, in my opinion.

The Half of It (2020, Netflix) - Alice Wu’s take on Cyrano is set in a (fictional) small town and culminates at an Easter church service.

Pieces of Easter (2013) - An under-seen road trip rom-com set at the holiday. Kind of fun, plus it’s available on Amazon Prime.

BONUS NON-SUGGESTION: Do ‼️ NOT ‼️ Watch either the 1978 animated or 2018 BBC versions of Watership Down. It’s just the thing to give your kids life-long, bunny-related nightmares. Source: My 7-year-old self.

Favorite Specials

It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974, CBS) - The Peanuts gang brings holiday heart and laughs for the whole family, with Linus once again pining for another little-known holiday hero.

Here Comes Petter Cottontail (1971, ABC) - A Rankin-Bass classic that's actually better than many of their lesser-tier Christmas offerings, featuring the classic and catchy Easter song.

The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town (1977, ABC) - Another Rankin-Bass holiday must see, this one narrated by the late, great Fred Astaire.

Daffy Duck's Easter Show (a.k.a. Daffy Duck's Easter EGG-citement, 1980, NBC) - Original primetime animated special sponsored by McDonald’s; Loved this as a kid, because it’s one where the animator and his characters interact.

The Velveteen Rabbit (1973) - This original, award-winning, live-action version of the classic tale is a little hard to find, but absolutely magical and completely heartbreaking, in the best way.

Easter Yeggs (1947) - This Looney Tunes cartoon, which originally debuted as a theatrical short, has Bugs meeting a depressed Easter Bunny.

The Velveteen Rabbit (1985, HBO) - Not quite as lyrical as the hard-to-find 1973 short, this animated version is narrated by Christopher Plummer, and is very true to the original book.

A Family Circus Easter (1985, NBC) - Dizzy Gillespie plays the Easter bunny in this lesser-known animated special.

Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (2016, FOX) - We don’t get many modern, Easter specials and this one was slight, yet fun.

A Claymation Easter (1992, CBS) - This very weird, stop-motion animated special from Will Vinton won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program.

More to Explore

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) - This Gene Wilder classic isn’t technically Easter-set, but it’s the perfect viewing for a post-chocolate bunny binge.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) - Ditto the above if you, for some reason, prefer this creepy Johnny Depp version.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) - Yes, this is one of my favorite classic Christmas movies, but there are also several Easter pivotal scenes in this gorgeous Judy Garland classic.

Mall Rats (1995) - Definitely a different tone, but for those that like their holiday viewing a bit (OK, a lot) less sweet, there’s an extremely memorable encounter with a mall Easter Bunny in this Kevin Smith classic.

Hank and Mike (2008) - Slight, but not unenjoyable comedy about Easter bunnies hitting the unemployment line.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021) - Live action-animation hybrid sequel.

Miss Potter (2006) - Renee Zellweger plays Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter giving it a tangential Easter connection.

Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse (2020) - This UK-made Sky movie original is a Christmas story, telling the fictionalized story of a real-life meeting between Beatrix Potter and a six-year-old Roald Dahl.

Zootopia (2016) - This very good Disney animated offering would definitely be in my top 10 if it was at all Easter-centric, but it’s bunny-heavy plot still makes it a solid holiday adjacent option.

Alice in Wonderland (1951) - If we’re expanding to Disney bunny-centric stories this White Rabbit-centered story, or the definitely inferior 2010 live-action version, are totally on the table.

The Santa Clause 2 (2002) - Yes, it’s mostly Christmas, but Jay Thomas does play a wry Easter Bunny in this Disney sequel.

1969 (1988) - This Robert Downey Jr.-starring, anti-war drama starts on Easter, with Downey and Kiefer Sutherland hitchhiking home to see one of their friends ship off to Vietnam.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) - In case you missed that this James Dean classic is a very obvious death and resurrection allegory, the story also literally begins on Easter Sunday at the police station.

Annie Hall (1977) - The pivotal scene where the very Jewish Alvy, played by Woody Allen, meets Annie’s (Diane Keaton) family is set on Easter with a tense family dinner highlighted by a giant ham.

Easter (2003) - Film festival indie about a church-burning wife.

Redemption for Easter (2021) - A family comes together for the holiday for the first time since being rocked by tragedy.

Easter Sunday (2022) - The highly anticipated Jo Koy, Filipino family comedy was released theatrically in 2022—well after Easter—to not-great reviews, but is now available to watch at home if you’re curious.

A Walton Easter (1997, CBS) - Holiday reunion movie of the long-running, family-centered series.

Risen (2016)- Remember that short-lived 2010s trend of making Bible stories into truly ridiculous, big-budget, action movies with A-list(ish) stars? (Here it’s Joseph Fiennes and Tom Felton) Well, this one’s a doozy. Not so much “good,” as so bad it’s almost kind of sort of fun.

Mary Magdalene (2018) - Bigger stars—Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix and Chiwetel Ejiofor—headline this ripped-from-the-pages of The Bible tale.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - This new testament allegory based on the C.S. Lewis series certainly makes a fitting Easter watch.

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) - Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning portrayal of Jesus’ life is very well done, but definitely not much fun.

The Passion of the Christ (2004) - Mel Gibson’s extremely gruesome crucification tale.

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - Less blood, more music, same story.

Godspell (1973) - Just as much music, even more camp.

Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) - This Bollywood classic follows three brothers, abandoned and raised by parents from three different religions. The imagery for Anthony, the Christian-raised brother, includes him popping out of a giant Easter egg in one of the film’s many signature musical sequences.

Greed (1924) - OK, I admit I’m not sure where you’d find this Erich von Stroheim silent classic, but this morality tale features an Easter-set betrayal and Christmas comeuppance, in case you didn’t get the symbolism already.

Lilies of the Field (1963) - Faith-based classic starring Sidney Poitier.

The Ten Commandments (1956) - Annual TV-airings make many feel this Charlton Heston, Bible-based film is specific to Easter, despite its Old Testament story.

Ben-Hur (1959) - This other Heston-starring Biblical epic was not only the most expensive movie made of its time, and the biggest hit of 1959, but it actually tells a Jesus-set, Bible story.

The Prince of Egypt (1998) - A well-done animated tale of Moses is not particularly Easter (Old Testament once again), but the religious overtones, with kid-friendly appeal, make it something that often gets holiday airtime.

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) - Max Von Sydow plays Jesus in this New Testament-based story that was Claude Rains’ final film. The story of the production behind this legendary boondoggle—like how 20th Century Fox pulled out after spending 2.3 million (about $865 million in 2020 dollars) without director George Stevens shooting a single frame—is probably a lot more interesting than the movie itself.

King of Kings (1961) - MGM’s much cheaper, and finished far sooner, version of The Greatest Story Ever Told.

The Robe (1953) - Richard Burton plays a commander of the Roman unit who crucified Jesus, who later converts to Christianity.

Barabbas (1961) - Another BCU (Bible Cinematic Universe) character tale, this time with Antony Quinn playing the criminal that was spared from crucification, in lieu of Jesus.

Jesus of Nazareth (1977, ITV) - This Italian-British TV co-production was directed by the legendary Franco Zeffirelli.

Son of God (2014) - Mark Burnett and Roma Downey cut down their 10-hour History Channel miniseries, The Bible, to make this mediocre, at best, 2-hour movie.

Jesus Revolution (2023) - A soft and fuzzy look at the origins of the modern Evangelical church in the U.S. that elides a lot of the real details, but has been fairly well reviewed for an explicitly faith-based film.

Praise This (2023) - Chloe Bailey leads this original gospel-themed musical contest story being released on Peacock just in time for Easter.

The Miracle Maker: The Story of Jesus (2000) - Animated take on Jesus’ story.

The Dog Who Saved Easter (2014) - Extremely generic family film.

An Easter Bunny Puppy (2013) - David DeCoteau family film.

Easter Under Wraps (2019, Hallmark) - Hallmark’s first attempt at an Easter-themed romance. How well did it go? Well, they didn’t attempt to make another until 2023 (see below).

The Blessing Bracelet (2023, Hallmark) - The Dayspring-branded, faith-based story starring Amanda Schull and Carlo Marks is set over Easter and premieres April 8 on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

An Easter Bloom (2024, Hallmark) - Faith-based, holiday-set romance starring Aimee Teegarden.

The Easter Egg Adventure (2004) - Did you know there was an animated Easter movie starring Brooke Shields and James Woods? Yeah, me neither.

Baby Heuy’s Great Easter Adventure (1998) - Direct-to-video animated movie

Yogi the Easter Bear (1994, syndicated) - One of the last performances of voice great Don Messick.

The Easter Chipmunk (1995, USA) - Not on par with the original holiday Alvin and the Chipmunk specials, this is still fairly sweet.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (1995) - Direct-to-video animated movie.

Easter Bunny Adventure (2017) - Low-budget animated movie starring William McNamara.

Rabbit School: Guardians of the Golden Egg (2017) - Animated, Easter-themed movie based on German children’s book, A Day at Bunny School.

Rabbit Academy: Mission Eggpossible (2022) - Animated, Easter-themed sequel to Rabbit School.

An Easter Story (1983, Showtime) - Paul Fusco puppet special.

The Fat Albert Easter Special (1982, CBS) - Primetime special based on the characters from the Saturday morning animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

The First Easter Rabbit (1976, NBC) - Rankin-Bass’ take on the Velveteen Rabbit story.

Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004) - Direct-to-DVD Disney animation, that’s A Christmas Carol take, but for Easter.

Springtime for Pluto (1944) - Original Disney theatrical short.

Funny Little Bunnies (1934) - Disney Silly Symponies short.

VeggieTales: An Easter Carol (2004) - Direct-to-DVD animated special that, yes, apes the Winnie the Pooh take.

VeggieTales: ‘Twas The Night Before Easter (2011) - Yet another direct-to-DVD animated special from the faith-based, produce pals.

Pooka Lives (2020, Hulu) - Part of the, Into the Dark horror movie series from Blumhouse, and its first sequel, a follow-up to the 2018 Christmas movie, Pooka, this features a resurrection (get it?) of the cuddly stuffed animal turned killer.

Critters 2: The Main Course (1988) - In this horror sequel, the titular Critters kill the Easter Bunny

Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! (2006) - Holiday horror movie from Chad Ferrin.

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smol-scully · 5 years

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dark grace and frankie (aka dead to me) thoughts

which i will tuck behind a read more for anyone who is avoiding spoilers. this sucker’s gonna cover the whole season so settle in.

SO SO MUCH can be said about this show on the macro and the micro levels.

we’re all head over heels for the “what” of the story-- realistic depictions of grief!!!! female friendships!!! murky morality!! -- and I’ve seen a lot of love in posts for it so i won’t go into that much. (even though, again, the pilot has such a strange and wonderful queer energy / intimacy, one that resurfaces later especially while Judy may be pregnant, and i am torn between loving this as a gorgeous depiction of female friendship and shipping the hell out of these two disasters. but i don’t have the braincells for that right now.)

but as much as the “what” is so fucking compelling, I’m finding myself especially gobsmacked by the “how” of this story.

the methods of storytelling, the attention to detail has literally left me bowled over. and there are still details I haven’t been able to figure out; be it what they mean as a symbol, or where they land in the grand scheme of the story. but I see them and I know they were meaningful choices, and I can’t help but be in awe.

1- costuming thing: stripes. in every episode, judy wears stripes — horizontal stripes — at some point. more than most people tend to own in their wardrobe. does it mean anything? maybe not. it’s probably just a style move to have her style be distinct from jen’s, a little more vibrant, a little more carefree. but could it be a nod to the old school striped prison jumpsuits? maybe.

2. story telling thing: everyone’s a liar! we haven’t had a single reliable narrator. which is amazing and reflective of life, but so cool to see reflected to the degree of real life in a story. obviously lying is a huge part of the plot, but it feels like the characters lie outside of the major plot driven ones.

a. Judy. such an obvious character to note as being unreliable but the most brilliant piece of show writing/story telling for me was Judy’s first scene. Jen warns her off of the coffee, and Judy looks at her with her big sad eyes and says “I made it,” and confesses to the joke after Jen squirms for a second. The first thing she ever says is 1- a lie 2- to break the ice with Jen / make her laugh (!!!!!!!!!). it’s the perfect foreshadowing. we’ve been warned!!!!!!

b. Jen!!!! obvious example is a lie that we’re in on, or at least let in on pretty easily -- jen tells nick, “ted hates running shoes; he always ran in vans.” no way in hell was a guy who ran in 5ks and 10ks for charity running in skate shoes. (and then this lie is revealed quickly thereafter in that episode.) but the next one, really did throw me, because it felt like a lie we weren’t in on. a lie jen told to us, rather than to another character. it’s in the middle of a TON of shit hitting the fan, but the gun????? charlie wants it, but “oh it’s in your dad’s safe, but I don’t even know the combination.” and maybe it’s because the [chekov’s] revolver doesn’t come around until a couple episodes later, but Judy tells her the truth and she immediately goes for that safe, and starts keeping that gun on her. I knew the gun would come back up, but the knowledge that she was going to be choosing for it to reappear really threw me. Jen’s our main character, and the majority of the plot centers around her being lied to -- but here we get the knowledge that she’s keeping things from us as well. wow. just so impactful. we cannot trust a single bitch. (and i love it)

c. oh holy shit back to judy -- the follow up that the flashback to her in the hospital was actually her in the hospital after the miscarriage was BRILLIANT on so many levels. especially as a way to make our relationship with her more complex. first of all i got so incredibly sympathetic. FIVE miscarriages? how utterly overwhelming. secondly, it develops judy’s character in two amazing ways. one that acts as foreshadowing, and one that’s just heartbreaking-- 1- she is so bad at being bad, and this sucker (that she killed ted) is gonna bust wide open. why? she sought jen out at this grief group, and faked that her fiance was dead, when she could have instead used the grief over her VERY REAL miscarriages. she added another layer of lying and deceit and jeopardized the whole ordeal early. but if I had to guess, and here comes the heartbreaking part-- 2- she’s put herself down and been put down so much throughout her relationship with steve and probably because of the accident as well, that she literally just didn’t consider her miscarriages as a valid and real loss to grieve about.

3. LOVE abe piecing together that Judy did it, AND that he forgave her for it. it was so fucking compelling to see that sweet, kind old man decide that he didn’t care that judy committed manslaughter. such a strange morally gray thing that i wasn’t expecting to see.

4. the dialogue!!!!!!!!! i fucking LOVE the dialogue in this show. it does such a great job of bringing us above the tempestuous waves of the drama -- and trauma -- buoying us for some laughs amidst the chaos. I also specifically love how natural it feels -- every funny line isn’t necessarily a perfectly articulated joke (the way that many multicam sitcoms get) but rather something you’re laughing at because you could have said it. charlie: bet you didn’t know you let a stalker come and live with us. jen: well, actually i did, so ... (charlie leaves) fuck!!!!! // like what a funny moment that also feels like how i’d react to the fucking chaos. we’re literally just scrambling to fucking hold it together. also i love the amount of profanity, it feels true to the degree of absolute calamity. there’s more to be said about why the dialogue feels so real and good but i just can’t put my finger on it in this moment.

5. the music!!!! i love the opening credits, there’s some beautiful symbolism behind the letters being the only ‘see through’ part, about how we’re only viewing part of the story / everything is obscured currently. but i also love the balance of music in the show. the [creepy music](?) i think as netflix close captioned it, which is usually behind the credits, contrasted with the peggy lee tunes of the 40′s and 50′s, and then some girl rock at various points too... it’s such a strong factor in how the ambience of the show pivots and changes so thoroughly. at some points we’re just straight up watching grace and frankie (just gals bein pals), sometimes we’re watching bad moms (we smash a cake! we smash a car!!!!!), and sometimes we’re watching big little lies or gone girl (flash backs! dramatic tension!) it’s actually kind of disorienting and surreal but i’ve absolutely loved every minute of it. it felt like three movies wrapped into one. I think i dissociated a little. I literally cannot wait for season 2.

6. okay fine on the topic of jen/judy i literally cannot believe how softly and tenderly they looked at each other on the bed in the studio when they were waiting for the pregnancy test results, and the forehead touch, and the “we’ll be a three child mothering team” i am *clenches fist* so full of emotion

#dead to me #dead to me spoilers #i'd say 'that's it' but it's not i'm sure i'll think of something later #dark grace and frankie #christina applegate.#linda cardellini.#dead to me.

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maddie-grove · 5 years

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Bi-Monthly Reading Round-Up: March/April

PLAYLIST

“Hey, Little Songbird” from Hadestown (The Wager)

“New Slang” by the Shins (Spinners)

“Auto de Fé” from Candide (October Wind)

“Let’s Generalize about Men” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure)

“Juice” by Lizzo (Shrill)

“Love’s Been Good to Me” by Frank Sinatra (Sex and Violence)

“Heroes” by David Bowie (Cracker Jackson)

“Listen to Her Heart” by Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers (The Cybil War)

“Satellite of Love” by Lou Reed (The T.V. Kid)

“Distant Shores” by Chad and Jeremy (Love’s Willing Servant)

“Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod?” by the Mountain Goats (The Cartoonist)

“Ghost World” by Aimee Mann (Summer of the Swans)

“Floating Vibes” by Surfer Blood (Not the Duke’s Darling)

BEST OF THE BI-MONTH

The Wager by Donna Jo Napoli (2010): Don Giovanni de la Fortuna, a nineteen-year-old nobleman in medieval Sicily, loses his entire fortune to a tidal wave and soon finds himself on the brink of starvation. That’s when the Devil comes knocking with an offer: endless money for the rest of his life if he doesn’t bathe, cut his hair, shave, or change his clothes for three years, three months, and three days. This is a retelling of a lesser-known Sicilian fairy tale and, next to the sublime Breath, it’s Napoli’s best work. Instead of taking the easy route of making Don Giovanni a stupid brat who learns to be nicer and more frugal, she complicates things by making him sweet and resourceful from the beginning, as well as callow and somewhat thoughtless. (His first action after seeing the damage wrought by the tidal wave is to go out and help bury the dead for three straight days.) This makes the message of the book more powerful; if someone deep-down good and intelligent can stand to think more about others and help the less fortunate, then clearly that lesson applies to everyone, not just the worst sort of rich people. Don Giovanni’s unprocessed grief over his long-dead parents and longing for human connection are also very affecting.

WORST OF THE BI-MONTH

Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli and Richard Tchen (1999): In medieval-ish Scotland, a poor tailor longs to marry his sweetheart, a spinner, but her father will only consent if the tailor can show he’ll be a good provider. The tailor tries to make a dress that appears to be made of gold and succeeds; however, he still loses his sweetheart to a rich miller and his health to a magic spinning wheel (as one does). Years later, the sweetheart’s daughter, now a skilled spinner in her own right, finds herself in trouble when a king gets the wrong impression about her being able to spin straw into gold. File this one under “cool idea, half-assed execution.” After a certain point, Napoli seems to run out of her own ideas and just follows “Rumpelstiltskin” to its original conclusion. This wouldn’t be great for any fairy-tale retelling, but the ludicrous “Rumpelstiltskin” needs more reworking than most. Also, the tailor’s sweetheart is such an ableist tool! I’d get it if she chose the rich miller out of concern for financial security, but she just dumps the tailor because the magic spinning wheel basically gave him a supernatural stroke and she thinks it made him evil? You can do better, baby!

REST OF THE BI-MONTH

The Cartoonist by Betsy Byars (1978): Alfie Mason, a quiet eleven-year-old, takes refuge from his unhappy family in the tiny attic of his ramshackle house, drawing faintly absurd cartoons. Then his ne’er-do-well older brother Bubba loses his job, prompting a way-too-excited Mrs. Mason to decide to renovate the attic into a bedroom...so Alfie barricades himself in the attic and throws the family into chaos without saying a word. I first read this book when I was eleven, and even then I found it deeply upsetting. Mrs. Mason seems incapable of seeing anyone but Bubba as a full human being, and she never regrets hurting Alfie or her daughter Alma in order to benefit her eldest. The best Alfie and Alma can do is call her out on it--Alfie through his silent protest, Alma by finally standing up for herself and her little brother--and try to move on. It’s certainly an unvarnished message for a middle-grade novel, but it’s not a bad one, given that some parents are just like that.

Shrill by Lindy West (2016): In this memoir, Lindy West reflects on her personal experiences with fatphobia, the general strangeness of having a human body, abortion, the ethics of comedy, and Internet trolls, among other subjects. This book was genuinely inspiring and amusing to me at a time when I greatly needed a lot of confidence and some laughs, and for that I am eternally grateful. The humor can feel very social-media-circa-2015, but there are worse things than a book capturing a specific moment.

Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars (1985): Eleven-year-old “Cracker” Jackson Hunter realizes that Alma, his beloved former babysitter, is being physically abused by her husband. Even though his divorced parents forbid it and Alma herself warns him against angering her husband, he tries his best to help her, with mixed results. By all rights, this middle-grade novel should be a tonal mess--Jackson and his best friend Goat get involved in some legit Wacky Schemes--but instead it’s a moving portrait of a kid who has to deal with gut-wrenching adult realities while also navigating sixth-grade drama. I also loved Jackson’s three parental figures. They’re all flawed--Jackson’s mom is a worrywart about stuff that doesn’t matter, his dad can’t hold a conversation with him without lapsing into Dracula impressions, and Alma sometimes treats him more like a peer than a kid--but they all clearly care about him and try to make things okay.

Not the Duke’s Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt (2018): Years ago, a horrific murder and a dubious attempt at revenge tore apart the lives of Christopher Renshawe and Lady Freya de Moray. Now he’s a widowed duke with severe claustrophobia and a blackmailer on his case, while she’s an undercover spy for a secret society of Scottish witches who help women. (Awesome.) (Also some of them are lesbians.) When they end up at the same house party, she vows to keep hating him for wronging her family, but does that last long? No, because they’re reasonably good at communicating and can appreciate each other’s goals! This spooky Georgian romance didn’t knock my socks off, but it’s a good start to Hoyt’s new Greycourt series and it has a light touch with the serious issues it handles.

Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan (2019): Violetta Beauchamps, a sixty-nine-year-old* bookkeeper, is cheated out of her pension by her landlord boss. In desperation, she hatches her own retirement plan: swindling Bertrice Martin, a wealthy seventy-three-year-old widow, by pretending to be her insolvent nephew’s landlady. Bertrice has refused to pay her nephew’s debts on principle, but she’s willing to make an exception if Violetta will help pester him into vacating his lodgings. Shenanigans and old-lady romance ensue. This mid-Victorian-set romance novella is like an ambiguous image (for example: that picture that’s either a vase or two faces in profile). Look at it as the tale of two L.M.-Montgomery-style elderly women falling in love, and it’s delightful; look at it for deep social commentary, and it’s pretty simplistic and sometimes even callous. I enjoyed it, but it only works on certain levels.

Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars (1970): Lately, fourteen-year-old Sara Godfrey has been feeling awkward and out of charity with everyone: her absentee father, her plainspoken aunt, her beautiful older sister, the other kids at school, and even her little brother Charlie, who has been mostly nonverbal and easily disoriented since sustaining serious brain damage during a childhood illness. When Charlie goes missing in the night, though, her only thought is to find him. Despite loving Byars, I avoided this Newberry winner as a kid because it looked kind of boring. It is a little sedate in a classic-American-coming-of-age-story way--part “The Scarlet Ibis,” part Judy Blume--but I still loved Sara, who is always ready to throw down, and I found the depiction of Charlie to be surprisingly sensitive for the time. (The language is outdated, but the passages from Charlie’s POV aren’t condescending, plus he isn’t killed off, as I initially feared.) The descriptions of the coal-ravaged West Virginia countryside are also very evocative.

The TV Kid by Betsy Byars (1974): Lenny, a preteen living with his single mom at the kitschy Kentucky motel she owns, struggles in school and has no friends. (His family moves around a lot and he probably has a learning disability.) He has two sources of solace: watching TV and sneaking into the abandoned lake houses in his neighborhood. One day, though, his favorite hobbies get him into trouble. This was one of my favorite Byars books as a kid, even though I was not familiar with the TV landscape of 1974. I liked it a little less this time, but not because it was dated; instead, I was disconcerted by how pro-getting-bitten-by-a-rattlesnake it is. Also, a significant portion of the story is devoted to a child suffering horrible pain from a snakebite, which is harder to take as an adult reader. Still, it’s got some of that classic Byars melancholy.

The Cybil War by Betsy Byars (1981): Eleven-year-old Simon has had a crush on his classmate Cybil for years, because she does awesome stuff like advocate for more active roles for girls in the yearly school pageants. He’s not inspired to act on his feelings, though, until his awful best friend Tony decides he likes Cybil and starts talking shit to her about Simon. There’s a lot to like about this book. Cybil, with her nonchalant confidence and kindness, is a wonderful character, and Simon’s thorough admiration for her is adorable. I also like how Byars ties Simon’s complicated feelings about his deadbeat dad to his efforts to navigate small-scale fifth-grade drama; both weigh heavily on him, and Byars is never condescending about this. Yet the book’s not Byars’s best, mostly because of the lack of generosity towards Cybil’s fat friend Harriet and, to a lesser extent, Tony.

Sex and Violence by Carrie Mesrobian (2013): Seventeen-year-old Evan doesn’t do serious relationships, instead preferring to hook up with girls and ghost them when he starts having feels. (His family moves around a lot and he’s got some trauma.) Then one girl’s jealous ex orchestrates a horrific assault on them both, leading Evan’s distant widowed dad to take his traumatized son back to their Minnesota hometown. It turns out okay. I liked this novel a lot more once I accepted it as an intentionally messy coming-of-age novel, rather than an issue novel...but it was still a little too messy for its own good. I felt like I was supposed to condemn Evan for having casual sex, something that’s both morally neutral and natural enough for a teen who moves every year, yet the narrative all but endorses his contempt for lower-class girls. I was also uncomfortable with the revelation that Evan was a survivor of statutory rape. It seemed like he was being punished by the narrative only for hyper-sexuality that clearly stemmed from trauma--with a physical assault with some strong sexual implications, no less--but let off the hook for his thoughtless middle-class-boy prejudices. I did feel for him, though, and that carried me through most of the book.

October Wind by Susan Wiggs (1991): In late-fifteenth-century Spain, Cristóbal Colón (aka Christopher Columbus) tries to convince Queen Isabella to fund a westward expedition. Meanwhile, nobleman Joseph Sarmiento learns an enormous secret about his background and must decide whether to alter the course of his life. During this time, Rafael Viscaino, a young scribe, strives to rise in the world while his friends, aspiring doctor Catalina and cheerful but troubled half-Roma Santiago, have their own struggles. This historical novel (which just barely qualifies as a romance) has a lot of potential, but it wastes too much time on Columbus and Isabella, plus it gives them more credit than they deserve. Wiggs should’ve focused on Joseph, the sexiest and most likable character, and made more of his eventual relationship with Anacaona, a Guanahani woman. Or else she should’ve just made it a poly romance with Rafael/Catalina/Santiago, which she comes this close to doing.

Love’s Willing Servant by Avis Worthington (1980): Left penniless by her father and betrayed by her childhood sweetheart, Lettice Clifford decides to take herself to her sister’s home in colonial Virginia and get a rich husband. She’s surprised to find herself sharing a ship with Geoffrey Finch, a neighbor who has been betrayed by his evil twin and sold into indentured servitude. When his indenture ends up getting bought by her brother-in-law, they grow closer, but multiple creepy people and Bacon’s Rebellion threaten their love. Maybe I’ve just seen too much, but I was pleasantly surprised by the relative inoffensiveness of this Old School romance. Geoffrey is a reasonable person, there’s not a sexual assault every other chapter, and the racism issues are more “the black characters should be more central” than “this is just a defense of slavery” or “calm down with the n-word, Quentin Tarantino.” These small mercies aside, I also enjoyed the absolutely bonkers plot and the use of historical details. I didn’t care much for Lettice, though, because she’s usually either boring or kind of a dick.

*Nice.

#books #reading #theme of the bi-month: his family moves around a lot #rewritten because tumblr ate it

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gusgrissom · 6 years

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NASA’s Day of Remembrance

In loving memory of the remarkable men and women who gave their lives advancing the frontiers of exploration.

Theodore Cordy “Ted” Freeman (February 18, 1930 – October 31, 1964) - Ted was a quiet, dedicated guy with a wry sense of humor and an unbridled passion for flying. In high school he was student body president and had a reputation for standing up to bullies. He rode his bike to work every morning and around the neighborhood with his wife and daughter every evening. Ted loved Danny Kaye and bird-watching and his work in the space program, and dreamed of flying to the moon. He saved countless lives at the cost of his own on the day he died.

Elliot McKay See, Jr. (July 23, 1927 – February 28, 1966) - Elliot, previously a naval aviator and General Electric test pilot, was wholly dedicated to being an astronaut. He was close friends with Neil Armstrong and was instrumental in developing plans for lunar missions, such as electrical systems and lighting conditions. El was also kind and humble, with smiling eyes, a deep faith in God, a love for the show Bonanza, and a desire to make a contribution to mankind. The best comedy sketch writer in the astronaut corps.

Charles Arthur “Charlie” Bassett II (December 30, 1931 – February 28, 1966) - The first thing you’d notice about Charlie was his grin, the brightest smile and the warmest eyes. In addition to being an astronaut, he was a jack of all trades—an amateur chef, a skillful MC, and an avid reader, who loved old cars and watching ballet. He was a strong advocate for education, in both the arts and sciences. He dressed up in a suit and tie for every school visit because kids were the most important in his book. Above all else, Charlie loved flying and dreamed of the moon.

Virgil Ivan “Gus” Grissom (April 3, 1926 – January 27, 1967) - One of the original astronauts, the second American in space, the first human to fly in space twice, likely scheduled to be the first man to walk on the moon. Gus earned a reputation as a serious, dedicated astronaut who didn’t say a word unless it was worth saying. He was also a masterful goof—practical jokes, driving too fast, playing Napoleon in the jungle, evading the press by wearing disguises, falling asleep while flying supersonic jets at 35,000 feet... From the start, his fellow astronauts “thought the world of him.” He loved flying more than anything and was beyond proud to serve his country in a way that would allow him to achieve his dreams. To me, he’s more than just a hero. I owe more to Gus than I can put into words, and more as the years go by. Thank you, bubba.

Edward Higgins “Ed” White II (November 14, 1930 – January 27, 1967) - Ed, our Dwarde, was an All-American boy in the truest sense. With his red hair and huge grin, his near-Olympian superhuman strength, his deep laugh and poetic soul, it was impossible not to love him. He performed the first American spacewalk and was a natural born leader. In the words of a fellow astronaut, people “instinctively felt better” just being around Ed. A beautiful man with a beautiful heart. A runner, a loving husband and father, a true friend to anyone who needed one.

Roger Bruce Chaffee (February 15, 1935 – January 27, 1967) - One of the sweetest, brightest men to ever join the space program. Roger was intelligent but modest, practical but a dreamer and an optimist, an incredible engineer. Responsible and kind and fun and devoted to his family and his career. He had bright eyes and a playful smirk and boundless excitement towards his first spaceflight and the program as a whole. Roger was a pioneer in every sense of the word. He already had his eyes and his big, passionate heart set on Mars.

Edward Galen “Ed” Givens, Jr. (January 5, 1930 – June 6, 1967) - Ed, known as Galen to his family and Give to friends from the Naval Academy, was everything you could want in an astronaut. Flight was his first and utmost passion. He helped develop the AMU (later used by astronauts during spacewalks) and served on the support crews for Apollo 1 and 7. He was incredibly close to his parents and devoted to his wife, their four children, and his “girlfriend,” a Dalmatian named Cleo. He was a talented pilot, a generous, motivated man, and an astronaut.

Clifton Curtis “C.C.” Williams, Jr. (September 26, 1932 – October 5, 1967) - C.C. was a tall, funny, gregarious Marine from Alabama, with a puppy named Lord Percy Plushbottom and “an unbelievable amount of faith” in God. For a time he was the first and only bachelor in the astronaut corps, until he met his wife Beth and they started a family. Though he only had a short time with them, he passed his philosophy for life down to his daughters—“work hard, be dedicated to your goals, and have a sense of humor.”

Michael James “Mike” Adams (May 5, 1930 – November 15, 1967) - Mike was an Air Force pilot who flew combat missions in Korea and served as an aerospace research pilot before joining the MOL program and qualifying for astronaut status on his final flight. He was quiet and serious, but had a sharp, deadpan sense of humor. He was a theater star in high school and dabbled in music throughout his life, including taking up accordion. Most of all he loved old cars, hunting, and flying his planes.

Robert Henry “Bob” Lawrence, Jr. (October 2, 1935 – December 8, 1967) - Bob was a remarkable and incredibly talented young pilot who joined the MOL program after serving as an Air Force flight instructor and test pilot. He was also a brilliant mind with an early interest in science, graduating from high school at 16 and later earning a PhD in Physical Chemistry. His test pilot work later contributed to development of the space shuttle. He had a soft spot for animals, was a talented piano player, and loved fast cars and fast planes. Bob was the first African American astronaut, and humble yet proud of his accomplishments and his position as a role model for young black kids across the country.

Francis Richard “Dick” Scobee (May 19, 1939 – January 28, 1986) - Dick, or Scob, was the definition of the word ‘perseverance.’ Hard work and dedication throughout school, his military service in Vietnam, and test pilot career led to his selection as an astronaut and shuttle commander. He was an extremely down-to-earth, kind, and genuine man. Flying was his passion and he was a remarkable leader and inspiration for his crew and everyone who knew him. “We have new worlds to build.”

Michael John “Mike” Smith (April 30, 1945 – January 28, 1986) - Mike was curious about everything—he was handy, could build anything, taught himself to sew, loved flying and dreamed of becoming either a Blue Angel or an astronaut. He drove fast and loved Carly Simon and ran along the river in Southern Maryland and was beyond excited for his first space flight. Mike kept an H.G. Wells quote on his dresser: “For man, there is no rest and no ending. He must go on--conquest beyond conquest... And when he has conquered all the depths of space and all the mysteries of time, still he will be but beginning.”

Ellison Shoji “El” Onizuka (June 24, 1946 – January 28, 1986) - Born in Hawaii, El was the first Asian American astronaut to fly in space and was always proud of his roots. He was fascinated by aerospace from a young age, and when El set his mind to something, he got it done. He was committed to sharing his experiences with students in Hawaii and encouraging kids to follow their dreams as he did.

Judith Arlene “Judy” Resnik (April 5, 1949 – January 28, 1986) - Judy was one of the first women in space and the first Jewish American to fly in space. She was gifted in school, a classical pianist, a perfectionist but fun and headstrong. She had a crush on Tom Selleck. Her friends called her a live-wire and an astronaut’s astronaut. Her legacy lives on through her passion for education and science and the lives she touched.

Ronald Erwin “Ron” McNair (October 21, 1950 – January 28, 1986) - Ron had a brilliant mind and an equally beautiful soul. Before becoming an astronaut, he was an MIT graduate and nationally-renowned physicist. While studying for his PhD, Ron was mugged and lost two years worth of data. He immediately went to work and recollected all of it in less than a year. His drive was incredible. He was the second African-American to fly in space, a black belt in taekwondo, and loved jazz and playing saxophone.

Gregory Bruce “Greg” Jarvis (August 24, 1944 – January 28, 1986) - Greg’s passion and excitement in the space program was palpable. His enthusiasm for everything else in life was just as evident—backpacking, rafting, skiing, surfing, marathons, and especially cycling. He was quiet but friendly, a dedicated engineer with an untiring work ethic powered by endless energy. Greg’s big smile and genuine thoughtfulness impacted hundreds of lives throughout his own.

Sharon Christa McAuliffe (September 2, 1948 – January 28, 1986) - Christa's excitement towards her first space flight was infectious. Chosen to fly on the shuttle as part of the Teacher in Space program, Christa exemplified all the best things about education and learning. She was an inspiration not just for children, but fellow teachers and adults across the country. She loved teaching and her students and her family. She became close with Greg Jarvis, the other civilian on the flight crew. Christa was fun and magnetic, and left a lasting legacy on spaceflight and education.

Manley Lanier “Sonny” Carter, Jr. (August 15, 1947 – April 5, 1991) - Before joining the astronaut corps, Sonny (also known to friends as Billy Bob) played professional soccer while attending medical school. He was a Boy Scout, a wrestling champion, and loved the L.A. Dodgers. He helped develop space-walking techniques during his six years at NASA and was well-loved within the Astronaut Office.

Richard Douglas “Rick” Husband (July 12, 1957 – February 1, 2003) - Rick, above all else, was devoted to his God, his family, and his crew. His faith informed every aspect of his life and he was beyond honored to lead such an incredible group of people. He went out of his way to make sure everyone he met walked away with a smile on their face. Rick’s kindness, generosity, and faith cannot be overstated. His favorite Bible verse was Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Jesus was real to him.

William Cameron “Willie” McCool (September 23, 1961 – February 1, 2003) - Willie was one of the most energetic and upbeat astronauts in a crew of enthusiastic people. He changed his name from Willy to Willie because of how much he loved Willie Mays. He was an incredible athlete who loved competition. He was equally dedicated to his job, getting things done and helping others in any way he could. Willie loved his wife and their three sons, he wrote poetry, he ran on air. He touched an incredible number of lives with his selflessness and drive throughout his life. His life wasn’t easy, but it was good, and he made it good for those around him.

David McDowell “Dave” Brown (April 16, 1956 – February 1, 2003) - Dave was a genuine Renaissance Man, a “humble overachiever.” A doctor, a gymnast, a pilot, a filmmaker, a cyclist, a former circus performer, an astronaut. He was extremely close to his parents and Duggins, his Labrador Retriever and best friend. His enthusiasm for spaceflight was contagious and inspired not only the rest of the crew but everyone he met. He filmed everything the STS-107 crew did together and planned on making a video of their time together.

Kalpana “K.C.” Chawla (March 17, 1962 – February 1, 2003) - Growing up in India, K.C. was inspired by her older brother and was set on becoming a pilot. She was quiet but brilliant and unwaveringly optimistic. Her smile lit up the room and she had a brain “the size of a planet.” K.C. was funny and loving and appreciated every moment she had with her family, with her crew, and in space. One night before the flight, she and her husband hosted the crew and their families for dinner and had a fashion show with all the crew children dressed up in her Indian clothes and jewelry.

Michael Phillip “Mike” Anderson (December 25, 1959 – February 1, 2003) - Mike was soft-spoken, sweet guy with a bright smile and an even brighter mind. He had an insatiable curiosity in science, in chemistry and computers and spaceflight. He always dreamed of becoming an astronaut. As a kid, he wore goggles while mowing lawns to protect his eyes because an eye injury could prevent him from flying someday. Mike started a bible study along with Rick and had an abiding faith in God. He loved his wife and two daughters more than anything.

Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961 – February 1, 2003) - Laurel was a natural-born explorer—hiking, diving, submarines, helicopters, and then the space shuttle. One of eight siblings, she was also a medical doctor, a wife, and a mother. Her optimism and excitement about spaceflight carried over into her enthusiasm for children and education. She buoyed the spirit of the crew throughout their many delays and setbacks, always uplifting and ready to share her passion. In her last letter home to family, she wrote, “Thanks to many of you who have supported me and my adventures throughout the years... I hope you could feel the positive energy that beamed to the whole planet as we glided over our shared planet.”

Ilan Ramon (June 20, 1954 – February 1, 2003) - Ilan was the first Israeli astronaut. The son and grandson of Holocaust survivors, he was extremely proud and humble to represent Israelis and Jews across the world. He ate kosher food during his shuttle flight, carried a Torah scroll from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and prayed the Shema when they flew over Jerusalem. Ilan was warm, always smiling, “a twinkle was always in [his] eye,” and had an incredibly loving family. He didn’t eat breakfast, just coffee.

“If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business, and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life.” -Gus Grissom

Ad astra per aspera.

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formeandmyfics · 5 years

Text

Where Did He Go?

JUGENEA FAN FICTION

1963

Author note: I re-watched a dinner scene from ‘Burton & Taylor’ and it was so very Jugenea that I decide to build a snippet around it. That scene is not mine, just edited to fit the Jugenea universe.*

“You’re going to be great, darling,” Judy said holding June Allyson’s face in her hands adoringly.

They two sat in opposite chairs on the CBS soundstage of The Judy Garland Show during the last rehearsal of episode 5, which would tape in front of a live audience the following day.

June’s husband, Dick Powell, had died earlier that year and it left her good friend deeply depressed. So, Judy invited her to perform on her show. It was the first time she had performed since his passing so it left June nervous on how she’d sound. Judy helped her friend with the melodies and showered her with nothing but love and reassurance. But, the hard work on the show and the energy she had been putting out to others left Judy drained. Not to mention, there was current tension at home with her husband.

Gene was the director of the show, their creative baby, as they called it, and at first everything was amazing. He understood her better than anyone, and he had experienced how she had been treated at MGM. She had been overworked, criticized, scrutinized, it goes on and on. Here, he was patient and understanding and open-minded. They were a ‘hell of a team’, even back to the old days when they acted opposite each other. Plus, Gene absolutely loved directing, especially in this medium. When she did her TV Specials, he was only a producer. Now, he was both and they could call all the shots.

But, a month and a half rolled by, and Judy noticed he would stay at work long after she had left. Most days he would come home and continue working for next week’s episode. She’d go to bed alone and wake up alone, as he’d already be out, or he’d be asleep in the adjoining bedroom. They didn’t go out on their usual date nights and any spare time they had was with the children. She knew this work was important, but she also noticed the two were becoming more like housemates than the lovers that they were.

This past week, however, Gene had started to act harder on the cast and crew. He was irritable, becoming too stern, and not as playful with screw ups as he had been previously. Judy knew Gene was a perfectionist, but she never thought he would treat her like some of his female costars in the movies he was with. Debbie Reynolds, for instance, whom he was very hard on because of her unskilled, ingénue stage.

June replied with relief, “Aw thank you, Judes; we’ll see how it goes tomorrow. That laryngitis really got me this time.”

“Nah, you sound like a bell. See you tomorrow, darling.”

“Bye, sweetheart.”

As the two walked off the stage, Judy looked over at her husband who stood in a group of men going over some things. When she caught his attention from across the way, she motioned to him if she was okay to leave. Gene nodded and shoo’d her away.

When Judy got to her dressing room, she noticed a note taped up on her mirror next to all the pictures of the children hanging there. Leaning in closer, she immediately recognized the handwriting and furrowed her brow as she ripped the paper off to read it.

I’ll be working a little late again tonight. Meet me for a late supper and a drink at Musso and Franks in our usual spot. I’ll be there around 9.

Love you sweetheart,

Judy smiled. That was her honey. Feeling better, she left the studio right away to go home and get ready.

Precisely at 9 p.m., Judy walked into the popular bistro on Sunset dressed in a sleek, black cocktail dress with her highest stiletto’s, something Gene thought was sexy ever since she started wearing spiked heels during her concert career. She had washed off her thick stage makeup and applied a more natural look but still had her black lashes and fire red lips, something her husband also loved and her short hair was pulled back to look like a French twist.

Tony, the restaurant’s main maître d, held up his hands graciously as she walked through the door.

The short, bald man’s thick Italian accent filled her ears and she smiled warmly, “Ahh, Mrs. Kelly,”

The two were acquainted since the 40’s, when she first started coming there with Vincente, as it was his favorite restaurant. Tony was a new employee and always addressed her by her husband’s last name. The restaurant was known for its discretion. As a popular celebrity spot, it was always private and respectful to its well-known diners.

“You haven’t been here for months, yes?” he asked taking her hand. “Afraid not. We have been busy with work.”

“New television show. I’ve seen it. Magnifico.”

Judy laughed gleefully, “Thank you, Tony. I appreciate that. Is my husband here?”

“Ah, no. But Mr. Kelly did call ahead. We have your favorite booth over here for you.”

“Thank you.”

He led her to a booth directly behind Charlie Chaplin’s booth, a booth named after the actor, one of the restaurants first celebrity diners.

She had just ordered a glass of her favorite German wine, when Gene walked in. He was in one of his business suits, but not a dinner suit and his expression looked a little stressed as he walked up to her.

“Hi, doll,” he bent over and gave her a kiss on the cheek before sitting across from her.

“I got your note.”

“I knew you’d see it. Sorry I’m late.”

“You’re not.”

“Can I get you something to drink, sir?”

Gene turned to the waiter, “Scotch rocks, please.”

When the waiter walked away, Judy smiled at her husband in comfortable silence.

When he smiled back just the same she spoke up, “This is lovely. Very intimate.”

Gene noticed a couple across the way staring at them in awe and Judy noticed him staring back and she inquired, “What?”

“Bizarre. I mean, all these years and they’re still interested. You’d think they’d tire, but…”

He looked around again and seemed a little distant and Judy sighed, “Are you going to be like this all night? Just drifting off?”

“I was just thinking of the old times at Ciro’s. It’d mostly be all our friends and such but you’d have some tourists or newcomers come in and they’d sit there staring at all of us like they were watching a movie or something. Do you remember?”

“Sure do.”

“Do you ever think of those times at Ciro’s or The Coconut Grove?”

Judy blinked tenderly at the memories still very much alive for her, “Every day.”

The waiter set his drink down, “Here you are, Sir. Would you like to order?”

“Give us a few, thank you,” Gene took a sip of his drink and perched his lips together, “Did you hear about Saul and Patty?”

“No.”

“They’re getting divorced.”

Judy’s mouth opened a tad, “What? You’ve got to be joking.”

“Nope. They’re the last people I thought would get divorced.”

“Under what pretenses?”

“Not entirely sure. I know a while back he mentioned they were drifting apart.”

Judy raised her eyebrows as she looked down fiddling with her nail, “That’s a shame.”

“It’s funny isn’t it?”

“Hm?”

“What’s at the heart of a good relationship? I mean, love obviously, but that’s a catch-all, really. It’s the main area where all the other bits reside under. The question is: what’s the critical element of a fresh relationship, what keeps a couple together?”

“Err, passion for the heart and soul of one another.”

“Maybe.”

“Sex.”

“Hm. Important. Very.”

“Trust.”

“That’s probably it. I always feel I can trust you when it comes to our relationship.”

Judy smiled mischeviously,“Even before we married?”

“Our affair wasn’t about trust, we both know that. It was about perfect timing.”

“Really? That’s what you think bound us: timing? I always thought it was because of my legs.”

They both chuckled.

“Yes, well, they clearly had a role. They’re still magnificent by the way.”

Gene’s eyes shined as he took another sip of his cocktail and she almost blushed.

“So,” he said breaking the trance, “Are you ready to order or…”

“Darling, listen, listen, listen…” she cut him off gently, “I want to say some things. I’ve wanted to say them for a while. I almost did the other night but you seemed stressed…”

He immediately chimed in with a tired sigh, “I am stressed. I mean, we just got the show going and that damn CBS Aubrey is…”

Judy furrowed her brows a little taken back, “No, I’m not talking about the show, Gene. I’m talking about you and me and how our relationship has been since the show.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re overworking yourself and—“

“Judy, please,” he leaned forward on his elbows and lowered his voice, “Can I say something, now that’s it’s on my mind?” Judy nodded apprehensively and he continued, “There are a couple of things which have crept in over the beginning run of the show. They’re tiny things, but, the way you play to the audience, for instance, you seem too involved in knowing you’re on camera. I don’t mean knowing where to hit your mark, because you do that on point, but your confidence level. I think you should play it as if you are back on stage, you know at the Palace or Carnegie Hall…”

Judy stared at him appalled, “You’re giving me notes? I’m trying to talk to my husband, and instead my director is giving me acting notes?”

“No, I…”

Judy pushed her wine glass away from her not interested in the meal anymore, “Jesus, Gene. Why did you ask me out tonight?”

“What?”

“Why did you ask me out to supper tonight? Why did you do that?” she demanded.

“Because I wanted to have dinner with you and get a drink after a hard week at work.”

Judy giggled almost pathetically shaking her head.

“You’re my wife. It’s perfectly natural for me to want to get dinner with you, isn’t it?”

“I thought my husband was asking me out, not my director. I thought we were going on a date. I got all dressed up and was looking forward to spending time alone with you. You were just flirting with me and now you’re giving me god damn notes.”

Gene let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his seat, “For Christ sakes, Judy. I was just making conversation.”

Judy leaned forward and lowered her voice pointing at him to prove a point, “When we worked together in the past, you never discussed our work when we went out for dinner. Why now?”

“I told you I’m stressed. It’s a lot of pressure on me to…”

She cut him off, “It’s a lot of pressure on me, too, but you don’t see me giving you notes on how to be a better director.”

Gene clenched his jaw, “I beg your pardon.”

Judy rephrased herself, “You’re a great director, but lately, you’ve started acting the way you promised me you wouldn’t act.”

“Such as?” he demanded back.

“You’ve been hard on me. You’re irritable and impatient with everyone.” He opened his mouth to speak but she put her hand up, “At home, we’re drifting apart. I thought you noticed and that’s why I assumed you asked me out for a date. We haven’t gone out, we don’t spend time alone at home, and we barely even sleep in the same bed for goodness sakes.”

Gene acted like he barely listened as he pound his finger on the table now making a point himself, “I want our show to be perfect.”

Seeing that he didn’t reply to anything she said of them, she hissed, “Fine, in which case, I’ll take that note. Where did my Harry Palmer go, remember?”

Gene looked at her incredibly at the mention of his first on-screen character from their first picture.

“Or Serafin or Joe Ross…the man who would’ve risked everything for me. Who did! He risked his marriage and his career; he tossed it all against the rocks so he could be with me. Where did he go, Gene?” Her voice rose as she stood up, “Tell me where my fucking husband went!”

With that, she threw her napkin down on the table and stormed out as diners stared their way.

The next afternoon, it was past 12 when Gene finally emerged from the spare bedroom. He made his way to the kitchen where Judy was still in a bathrobe and making tea. When he walked in, looking well rested, she turned to look at him as if to see who it was, then turned back to her tea.

“You slept late,” she said surprised.

“I guess I needed it.”

“You did.”

Gene stared at the back of her a moment as if pondering something before he walked up to her. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and placed his hand on her back, “Hi honey.”

She gave him a side eye, but her expression was soft and she didn’t nudge him away. It was good enough for him so he pulled her closer to speak softly into her ear as she stirred honey into her cup.

“Listen, I…”

Suddenly the sounds of the children piling through the front door interrupted them. Then teenage Liza came through the kitchen door.

“Hi, Papa Gene!” Liza exclaimed as she embraced him.

“Hi, baby, when did you here?”

“Yesterday afternoon.”

“How was the park?” Judy inquired.

“Good. The kids behaved themselves.”

“Went to Holmby Park again, huh?”

“Yep. Guess, what, Mama said that she’s going to do a Christmas show and that all of us can perform on there with her.”

“Oh, I know, it was my idea.”

“Was not…” Judy mumbled.

“Was so,” he repeated just the same.

Liza sensed some tension, “Ah, I’m going to make sure the kids get cleaned up,” and she quickly skedaddled out of there.

“I’m the one who mentioned it to you,” she said matter-of-factly.

“I’m the one who set up the sketch.”

“But it was my idea, Gene.”

“Okay, it your idea sweetheart. It always is,” he said quite sarcastically.

“Don’t do that,” she sighed.

“Here is my idea. At the end of the show, I want you to sing Rainbow.”

Judy looked at him to protest but he quickly stopped her, “I know you don’t like doing it much on television, but I think if you do it with the children, it will be very special.”

She gently smiled, “I like that idea.”

“Good. You know, I did a lot of thinking last night about what you said…” he trailed off.

“And?” Judy took a sip of her tea.

“And, I have been quite a jerk haven’t I?”

“I wouldn’t say that, Gene. You’re not vindictive; you’re just being too hard on everyone all of a sudden. Including me.”

Gene hung his head and nodded, “I’m sorry. I know you’re under pressure, too, but I think for me that’s the reason why I’m suddenly short with everyone.”

“Maybe you should find ways to cope with that. Start swimming again. You always did that when you were stressed.”

“I think I will.”

“And what about us?”

“I miss you, too,” is all he said as he leaned over to give her a kiss, “Can I ask my wife out for dinner and dancing tonight after the show?”

“It’s tape night. Won’t you be too tired?”

“Darling, for you, it’s worth it.”

Judy smiled as he gave her another kiss.

#judy garland #gene kelly #jugenea #tjgs #jgfans #june allyson #fan fiction

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