"Airplane!" Viewing

While in Orange County, California last week, I stayed at my former roommate's mom's house. One night, we decided to pop in a DVD of Airplane! (1980). It had been ages since I last viewed the movie (I have it on VHS, but have (at present) no working VHS player).

It was fun seeing Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) before the upper deck roadway and other changes were made just before the 1984 Olympics. 

Above, Howard Jarvis in the taxi cab in the movie.

Many of the actors in the movie have since passed on, such as Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Peter Graves, Leslie Nielson and Howard Jarvis (the man who sat in a taxi at the airport throughout the movie). Jarvis is best known for Proposition 13, the Jarvis-Gann property tax reduction initiative.

The first time I saw Airplane! was during its initial release in a double-feature with Caddyshack at the theaters in the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, California. The theater was full and the audience enjoyed both movies. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

I was going to post this one last Monday, but I was on the road to Lake Havasu to spend Christmas with friends. I was too exhausted that night to post after I got there.

For the last week in 2024, we have Journey with their 1980 hit, "Any Way You Want It". The song was featured in the comedy, Caddyshack.

From Wikipedia:

Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band as of 2024 consists of Neal Schon on guitars and vocals (the last remaining original member); Jonathan Cain on keyboards, guitars and vocals; Deen Castronovo on drums and vocals; Arnel Pineda on lead vocals; Jason Derlatka on keyboards and vocals; and Todd Jensen on bass.

Journey had their biggest commercial success between 1978 and 1987, when Steve Perry was lead vocalist; they released a series of hit songs, including "Don't Stop Believin'" (1981), which in 2009 became the top-selling track in iTunes history among songs not released in the 21st century.

Cindy Morgan, R.I.P.

Above, Cindy Morgan by Harry Langdon. Photo from her 'X' page.

On Twitter, or 'X' as it is now called, I had been a follower of Caddyshack actress Cindy Morgan for quite some time. She posted some interesting and funny stories there.

At around the same time of Caddyshack, she made a commercial for Continental Airlines titled, "Suave Pilot". That's where I first noticed her.

Stunning news was posted at AOL today:

Cindy Morgan, best known for her role in “Caddyshack,” has died.

In a statement provided by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to an investigation in Lake Worth Beach, Florida and met with a woman who said she lived at the residence with Morgan.

After returning from a holiday trip, she did not see her roommate and said that she knocked on Morgan's door but received no response, noting there was a “strong odor” coming from the room. Morgan was last seen alive by her roommate on Dec. 19, 2023.

The actor was found deceased in her bedroom in the evening of Dec. 30, 2023. Police suspect no foul play. 

This was her last post at 'X":

 R.I.P. Cindy!

To read more, go here.

Well? We're Waiting!

A few minutes ago, I checked the IRS stimulus payment website and this came up:

It should be direct deposited since that's how I receive my Social Security payments.

So far, it hasn't arrived.

Harold Ramis Dies At 69

Sad news that comedian, director and writer Harold Ramis passed away at age 69.

My first thought was, "I didn't know he was that old!" Then it occurred to me that he was only nine years older than me. Still, 69 is not that old (I can say that now, eh?) in this day and age.

It is hard to believe that Ghostbusters was released in 1984, thiry years ago. Thirty years?! Yeesh!

Ramis had a hand in many of the comedy classics of the 1970s and 1980s including Animal House, Caddyshack, Stripes, the aforementioned Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day.

It appears that the much-talked-about Ghostbusters III will be proceeding anyway. It was reported that Ramis's role was to be limited and that the focus would be on a new generation of Ghostbusters.

R.I.P., Harold Ramis.