The Little Church Around the Corner
(Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration)
Frank Langella
(keynote speaker)
He spoke of his shyness to speak, of that infamous day when he was unable to perform in "The Father", and instead landed in the hospital, of how it had both frightened and humbled him, of the departed ones he called 'Blue Shadows', naming a few of the many he knew personally and touching on what they had meant to him, of the importance of preparing for the end. He shared a few amusing anecdotes and was eloquent, ending with what he called 'cheap sentiment' by quoting from 'Portrait of Jenny' when Joseph Cotton said:
"There is no life my darling until you love and have been loved, and then there is no death."
He spoke of his shyness to speak, of that infamous day when he was unable to perform in "The Father", and instead landed in the hospital, of how it had both frightened and humbled him, of the departed ones he called 'Blue Shadows', naming a few of the many he knew personally and touching on what they had meant to him, of the importance of preparing for the end. He shared a few amusing anecdotes and was eloquent, ending with what he called 'cheap sentiment' by quoting from 'Portrait of Jenny' when Joseph Cotton said:
"There is no life my darling until you love and have been loved, and then there is no death."
Annual Memorial Service
Sunday November 13th 2016
For all members of the Entertainment Professions
who departed life this year.
Sacred Songs were sung
and Sacred Words intoned.
All two hundred and fifty eight names were read in alphabetical order by several actors. I'll site the ones I knew of, or encountered, and in a few cases been friends with in my own brief acting career:
Norman Abbott, Edward Albee, Muhammad Ali, Kenny Baker, Chief David Bald Eagle, David Bowie, The Lady Chablis, Michael Cimino, Leonard Cohen, Natalie Cole, Gloria DeHaven, Patty Duke, Zelda Fichandler, Tammy Grimes, Anne Jackson, George Kennedy, Julius La Rosa, Harper Lee, David Marguilles, Bill Nunn, Hugh O'Brian, Nancy Reagan, Alan Rickman, Morley Safer, Sir Peter Shaffer, Frank Sinatra Jr., Elizabeth Swados, Abe Vigoda, Haskell Wexler, Gene Wilder, Holly Woodlawn.
After refreshments and mingling in the chancery, outside the night felt almost quiet for New York City.
(Morpheus)
I accompanied an old friend and former building neighbor back to his place at Gramercy Park East
(Brotherhood Synagogue on 20th Street)
And continued on home
~*~
Post Script
https://youtu.be/QQhILiXjLIs
~*~
LINKS
http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-little-church-around-corner.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Langella
Post Script
~*~
LINKS
http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-little-church-around-corner.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Langella
~*~
2 comments:
Thank you for sharing a beautiful and profound evening right down to that quote that so moved me. I was a young teen the first time I sat through that old film and remember my stoic self falling apart in front off my mother who didn't mock me for it.
The third anniversary of Jimmy's death is the 17th. For many years,we had a running joke about whether or not Joseph Cotton was dead. And we named an award after Frank Langella , the Smarmy Vampire award went to whatever movie star provoked the kind of sexual escapades that couldn't wait till we got home from the movie. Thanks for the fond memories, my friend.
Beautiful post Michelle. It has been some year thus far, hasn't it?
Dee, thank you for sharing such heartfelt memories. I can't believe it has been 3 years already. xoNancy
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