Hollywoods Loss..

So.. we lost yet another actor, sigh.. Maureen Stapleton. The movie I loved most that she was in was Cocoon (and return of..) That is one of those movies. You know, one of those that when it's on television I have to watch it. Sadly, with the passing of Maureen Stapleton, the only one of the fine actors below that is still alive is Wilford Brimley, who you can now see doing commercials.

Which got me to thinking... there are a number of movies I feel the same way about. Sometimes it's the movie itself and other times it's a certain actor or actress that I can't seem to let go by once I know their movie is on. A few movies are those of younger actors .. like anything with Dakota Fanning. Another movie i have to watch is Rudy ... and always cry. My brother always watches The Color Purple and cries at that one. (heck if he even talks about that movie he begins to get choked up!)

But for the most part I have found that many of the movies that I have to watch are stories with older actors and actresses. Now that I am old myself one might think that is why they are have to see movies to me. But that wouldn't be true.

One of my favorite movies from when I was very young is called The Enchanted Forest, and starred an old actor named Harry Davenport. That old man was such a good actor that I wanted nothing more then to live in that forest with him.

Filmed in Cinecolor this is a remarkably effective story about a lost child (Billy Severn) raised by an old Hermit and who is taught about life amid nature in the forest. Endearing character actor Harry Davenport (Dr. Meade in Gone With The Wind) is just wonderful as Old John with his dog Bruno at his side and pet crow on his shoulder.

I think it was then that I began my love affair with movies containing older actors. There have been a number of movies with the story revolving around one or more of these actors, and as I thought about it today, I realized what really good stories they are. And how I wish there were more movies like them. They are almost always seasoned actors, having been in many movies, and having stretched their talents with oh so many parts.

It makes me wonder why many actors and actresses of today have gone so far as to ruin their own looks with all the plastic surgery and such. While I know it's true that there are fewer parts for the older actor and actress, I also know that the ones that do come out.. are really great stories.

Some of those favorite movies of mine (the ones i can't pass up) are: Cocoon (naturally), Driving Miss Daisy, Fried Green Tomatoes, Batteries Not Included, How to make an American Quilt, On Golden Pond and Whales of August.

A few of these star Jessica Tandy, whom you already know i adore. (and her real life husband Hume Cronyn). Others in these really great movies are: Morgan Freeman, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Maya Angelu, Bette Davis, Lillian Gish, Vincent Price, Ann Sothern, Harry Carey Jr, Kate Hepburn, and Henry Fonda.

Now I know those of you under a certain age, may not even know some of those names,but you can count on one thing... they were fantastic at their craft. Note that I said "were", because most of them are gone, however, there are a few (very few) that are still alive.

If I were a movie maker, I would find some really great stories to be told and round up as many of our older actors and actresses as possible and hire them to make movies before they too are gone.