Farewell, Pink Panther and Miss EMERAC

Two more movie celebrities died this week, one more well known than the other, and if they don’t both appear in the Oscars tribute next year I’m going to storm the Academy.

My first thought upon hearing that director Blake Edwards died Wednesday at the age of 88 was of his wife of 42 years, Julie Andrews. I remember sitting in front of the two of them a few years ago at the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and they were acting like real lovebirds. I just started reading Andrews' autobiography, “Home,” and while I didn’t think my admiration of her could go any higher, it has. “He was the most unique man I have ever known—and he was my mate,” Andrews said in a statement yesterday. “He will be missed beyond words, and will forever be in my heart.” Edwards and Andrews worked together many times from the badly received “Darling Lili” to the underrated “The Tamarind Seed” to the exquisite “S.O.B.” and “Victor/Victoria.”

Much has been written about Edwards' success with the Pink Panther films. I remember seeing the first (and best) one during its opening weekend at the Lakeshore Theatre in Chicago a million years ago. Of Edwards' early films, my favorite is “Operation Petticoat” starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis (who also died this year). The wacky film starring a bevy of army nurses on a submarine (I only remember the beautiful Dina Merrill) was a precursor to some of his crazy funny films that would follow.

But while I admire many of the director’s comedies (it’s probably harder to pull off a truly funny film than an effective drama), my favorite Blake Edwards film is definitely “The Days of Wine and Roses,” a riveting, tragic, and no-holds-barred look at alcoholism starring Jack Lemmon (Edwards’ favorite actor) and a very young and powerful Lee Remick. I saw this film at the American Cinematheque recently and it haunted me for months. That same year Edwards made “Experiment in Terror,” also starring Remick—a gripping film but, in my opinion, less successful than "Wine and Roses."

  

Edwards’ “10” was one of the Big Movies of my teen years and it transformed Bo Derek into an instant cultural icon. But one of my other favorite Blake Edwards movies, one that I don’t think did very well, was the autobiographical “That’s Life,” one of the first films I saw after moving to Los Angeles in 1986. Jack Lemmon stands in for Edwards in the film, playing a neurotic man celebrating his 60th birthday while waiting for the results of a throat biopsy. Julie Andrews plays the wife, Edwards and Andrews' children and Jack Lemmon’s son play the kids of Lemmon and Andrews, and the whole film was shot at Edwards and Andrews’ actual Malibu film. Talk about life imitating art.

Did I mention Edwards’ “Breakfast at Tiffany’s?” A near-perfect film except for the outrageously offensive performance of Edwards’ former roommate Mickey Rooney as Audrey Hepburn’s Japanese neighbor. (Forgive me, Mickey—you’ll be happy to know that we introduced Charlie to several Andy Hardy films on Turner Classic Movies last night and every time Andy came on the screen, Charlie yelled “Da-Da!”)

We were also very sad to hear that actress Neva Patterson died on Tuesday at the age of 90. Patterson was a friend of Kendall and her family and I remember well when Kendall used to visit her regularly, especially after her husband, writer Jimmy Lee, died in 2002. Kendall and her mom meant to bring Charlie over to Neva’s for a visit but it unfortunately never happened. Most of Patterson’s obituaries focus on her role as Cary Grant’s fiancée in the 1957 tearjerker, “An Affair to Remember.” After a successful career on Broadway (she originated the role of the cynical wife in “The Seven-Year Itch”), Patterson was thrilled to get to kiss Cary Grant her first day on the set.

My first memory of Neva Patterson was as the nervous mother in the excellent and unusual film “David and Lisa” and in a bunch of TV appearances, from “The Patty Duke Show” to “The Waltons” to “Maude” and “St. Elsewhere.” She was a regular on one of my favorite if long-forgotten TV shows from 1970, “The Governor and J.J.” She played the hard-boiled secretary of Governor William Drinkwater, played by Dan Dailey. Anyone remember that show?

But my most vivid memories of Neva Patterson are from the wonderful, if dated, Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movie “The Desk Set,” written by Phoebe and Henry Ephron (parents of Nora, Delia, and Amy). Patterson played the no-nonsense woman who is responsible for the room-sized computer called EMERAC (a parody of the early UNIVAC computers) that efficiency expert Spencer Tracy was installing at a TV network to replace the human-operated reference department led by Katharine Hepburn.

Here’s a funny scene of Patterson with her beloved computer, which probably cost millions of dollars and was less powerful than my old cell phone:

 

God, I love that film, also starring Joan Blondell, Gig Young, and, again, the lovely Dina Merrill.

Rest in peace, Blake and Neva. And Academy, if you know what’s good for you, do NOT forget either of these folks in your tribute!

Comments

[Neil]

I also had an encounter with Blake Edwards in a movie theater! I wasn't with you, was I? Just shows you -- LA life...

I'm a big fan of Blake Edwards. I think I've seen all of his movie. He was clearly the Billy Wilder of his generation, working on some of the funniest, and dramatic films for decades.

[Gordon]

Dear Danny,

I will agree with you on "Desk Set." It's a film that I've seen countless times, and remains in my top ten. It shows the principle cast at the top of their form. And, the writing and directing and editing were brilliantly done.

But, "Breakfast at Tiffany's ?" Yikes. Edwards took a fine Truman Capote story and absolutely destroyed it (maybe it was done in the editing room) to the point where it's difficult to even figure out what the film is about. But, yes, the Mickey Rooney character was especially painful to watch.

Thanks,
Gordon

[susie specter]

can i just tell you that i was also watching the Andy Hardy movies on TCM the other night, adoring every wonderful moment! thank you for sharing marvelous insights and anecdotes; much appreciated and enjoyed. i hereby dub you Sir Hollywood Film History Mavin! xoxo

[The Pliers]

It's funny...

I have occasion to reflect, here in la France profonde upon things like the extent to which a man I never met--and never will, given the news announced in your wonderful post here today--had a profound influence upon my psyche over a period of decades.

"The Days of Wine and Roses" is a difficult film to separate from the actual events that occurred in the bosom of my own family and I recently used a film clip of it in a post of my own at "an ersatz Frenchwoman." Almost all of his films, I realize upon reading your tribute here, were seen by me in the context of life with my parents--"Operation Petticoat" at the drive-in in Tulsa, Oklahoma when I was 6 or 7...

You have intrigued me with the reference to "That's Life." I may never have seen that one and it sounds like it would be spot on as I close in on the last years of my 50s. (I believe that you may want to reread that section of your article and change "actual Malibu film" to "...home.")

The last thing that I want to mention is how it hit me that Lee Remick's "Kirsten Arnesen" reminded me vividly of the young, naive secretary in "Mad Men."

Happy Holidays, Danny and best wishes for the waning days of 2010 and the impending brand spanking New Year of 2011!

[Wendy Oborne]

Danny this is why I LOVE your blog. Only you would pay tribute to Miss EMERAC! Neva Patterson was FABULOUS in that role. I always thought she was ravishingly beautiful too. Even though "Desk Set" isn't technically a Christmas movie, I watch it every year about this time, primarily for the Christmas office party scene and Joan and Kate and the Mexican Avenue Bus. Thank you for this. RIP Neva.

[DebbieW]

Thank you, once again, Danny. For this thoughtful post. Yes, I remember the Governor and JJ. I loved that Dan Dailey always looked like he was having a wonderful time. The show had a breezy charm not often seen.

And thank you Wendy Oborne for the "Mexican Avenue" reference. I, too, love this movie for the same reason you do. It is never shown on the otherwise superb TCM and I always wonder why. And yes, I watched as much Andy Hardy as I could get away with Thursday.

[Pam G]

I was home from work sick one afternoon in the middle of last week and Days of Wine and Roses was running on TCM. Hadn't seen it in years but it was great, and had Jack Klugman in a supporting role. After the film ended, news reports of Edwards' death came on shortly afterward. Odd coincidence. Thanks for the info. on Neva Patterson. I read a brief obit. of hers on one of the theatre web sites but knew nothing about her. YES I do remember the Governor and JJ--there's a blast from our past. RIP to Blake and Neva and all those greats we've lost this year. They will be missed and can't be replaced!

[Chris Taus]

My condolences goes to Julie Andrews family.. May God gives strength and comfort to all of them..