Tribute to a Talented Beauty
RIP Gina Lollobrigida, 95, not only a wonderful actress but a talented photographer. There are 69 titles under her name at IMDb. She was nominated for three Golden Globes, winning one: World Film Favorite — Female 1961. She was nominated six times for the German Bambi Award, winning four. She won seven David di Donatello Awards in Italy, three for acting, four honorary. She was adept at both drama and comedy. Here are some of the films she graced: Beat the Devil (1953), Solomon and Sheba (1959), Come September (1961), Strange Bedfellows (1965) and Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968). I remember my mom, who spoke almost no English, laughing at Gina’s tirades in Trapeze (1956). She was perfectly cast as Esmeralda in the 1956 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, an otherwise disappointing film. She made two appearances on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and five on Falcon Crest. In 2013 she sold her jewellery collection and donated nearly $5 million to benefit stem-cell therapy. Married twice, she was a mom of one, a son. Here’s a quote attributed to her: “I’ve had many lovers and still have romances. I am very spoiled. All my life, I’ve had too many admirers.” The lucky so-and-so’s. Grazie, bella. Bravo. Photos from Google Images, the third one of hers:
RIP original Met Frank Thomas, 93. Born in Pittsburgh, his career spanned 1951-’66. He played the outfield or third base for seven different teams, the Braves twice. A three-time All-Star, he finished with 285 home runs and a BA of .266. In 1958 as a Pirate, he had career highs in homers and RBIs, 35, 109. He bashed 34 homers and knocked in 94 runs, perhaps the only highlight for the Amazin’s that woeful ’62 season. Married in 1951, his wife passed away in 2012. They had eight kids. Well done, sir.
Headline from nypost.com: “China records 1st recent population decline as births plunge.” Sources believe the government under-reports Covid deaths.
Triple whammy headline from NYP: “Crapshoot Oil tycoon lost billions with Enron, invested with Madoff, and struck out with FTX.”
This may be the most amusing headline of the day, from NYP: “Shakira taunts ex-mother-in-law with ‘witch’ doll on her balcony: report.”
Although I don’t use pot, I don’t oppose the march toward its legalization, but I am fascinated by the unintended consequences of the move. Here’s another, headline from newsmax.com: “Increase in ER Visits by Older Adults Due to Marijuana.” California.
No luck selling stuff curbside on another mild January day. My thanks to the four kind folks who dropped off books.
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