THE PERENNIAL GROUCH: Character actor Ned Sparks (1883-1957) wrote his own lines and was insured against smiling by Lloyd's of London.
Hollywood's sourpuss —
the nasal-toned sharp-wit you've
seen somewhere before.
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The Scoop
- Hollywood Haiku
- Los Angeles, California
- I BEGAN WRITING and publishing "Hollywood Haiku" (i.e., entertainment industry themed and inspired poems in haiku form, under the aforementioned title) years ago on Hometown AOL, Geocities and MySpace. Since then, numerous imitators have sprung up and two of the three hosting sites have shut down. But I believe (at least, I hope) that my original concept, style and voice remain distinctive.
I am a lover of all things Hollywood, from the industry's humble and innovative beginnings to its technologically astounding present. It is because of my passion for the cinematic and theatrical arts (and due to my penchant for observation and scribbling) that I offer my poetic perspective. Enjoy! - G. M.
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They should have named him Groucho!!
ReplyDeleteYou're going to hate me but I'd never heard of him until I read this!! Argh the drawbacks of being British!
ReplyDeleteI'm always delighted when I can introduce readers to a great, old performer that they might never have heard of otherwise.
ReplyDeleteSparks is a gem, truly one of American cinema's treasures. One of my favorite Sparks roles is that of Elmer Smith in the 1934 version of "Imitation of Life," starring Claudette Colbert. His portrayal is nothing short of endearing.
Sparks' Wikipedia listing can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Sparks