in the 1940s many movie comedies dealt with heaven
hell, reincarnation, the devil, angels, body snatching
I get a channel called Classic Reel with my Roku
The movies shown are from the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s
I saw three of these shows this week
the one about hell was spooky in black and white
maybe more creepy than if it had been in color
they were plausible, warm, and witty
I got reintroduced to Betty Grable, Betty Hutton
Bob Hope, Bing Cosby, and Jimmie Stewart
They were intriguing shows, amusing
I was not bored, I was intrigued
Plots much more entertaining than today’s movies
Betty Grable and June Havner
Brought the Dolly Sisters to Life on the big screen
It was 1945
They should have both had top billing
Somehow John Payne sneaked into the middle of them
in every single promotional advertisement
I think this is a reflection of how women are treated
as second class citizens
Dolly sisters, studio, not Dolly end caps!
I loved the movie, every bit of it
but do not like the way the producers
decided to write up the billing
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy
Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene
Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal
Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello
Loved them all, that was cinematic art
The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Elizabeth Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more
The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
And the giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy
Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene
Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal
Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The newsreel of the day plus a cartoon
Loved them all, that was cinematic art
The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Liz Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more
The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
The giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again
Brrrrr my alarm clock wakes me with a start. I open heavy eyelids to see sun streaming through a chink in the curtains. Bounding out of bed I hurriedly dress in my bikini and cover up with my shortest shorts and tightest tee-shirt. With my arthritic knees and varicose veins I am no Betty Grable, but I’m gonna prove once and for all that I can still cut it! Grabbing my surf board I head off to the local beach where my family are gathered for my 100th birthday celebrations. There is an air of anticipation as I strip down to my bikini and dip my toes into the freezing water. White spume crashes up the beach as I paddle out on my surfboard, everyone cheers as I stand and begin cresting huge waves eventually coming to rest on the damp sand. My son wraps me in a fluffy towel and hands me a steaming mug of hot chocolate. He presents me with a telegram from the Queen and a gold envelope containing a voucher for my next challenge of wing walking ...I just cannot stop smiling!
centenarian
surfs like flipper the dolphin
palm trees blow in breeze
Hey Write a Happy Haibun Contest
Sponsored by Caren Krutsinger
2/7/19
Sleaze Bag Who Has Been Inescapable
On long label was willing and able To write a fabulous, funny fable
About rambunctious Betty Grable;
Tore her torso on long leg of table.
Rode away on horse from a stable;
Write this much me she did enable,
Now that I am sturdy and capable;
Sleaze bag who has been inescapable.
James Hilarious Nefarious Horn
I was eating a bagel,
With the late Betty Grabel
When I accidentally,
Dropped lox on the floor
I thought it was cool,
Ya know, that three second rule
So I ate it
Before someone had walked through the door
I thought it was stable
Near the edge of the table
But it dropped off,
When Mrs. Grable had suddenly sneezed
But nothing got on it
It just tilted her bonnet
Thank goodness, luckily...
Her nostrils were squeezed
Betty Grable, Hedy Lamarre, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner
Stars of the forties, how many can remember
What century am I from
Was in love with every one
Much too young but old now and wearing dentures
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy
Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene
Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal
Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello
Loved them all, that was cinematic art
The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Liz Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more
The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
And the giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again
© Jack Ellison 2014
On the right of the screen is this St. Ives ad.
That young brunette there doesn’t look half bad.
Every once in a while, she pops up there.
She smiles while wearing only her underwear.
That young lady looks young, and quite able.
She has the best pair of legs since Betty Grable.
I have only two more lines left to rhyme.
She can pop up on my screen at any time.