Fun Fact Friday: The Shawshank Redemption



"Like something out of a Robert Frost poem"

While working in the office of Spitalfields City Farm the other day, I overheard a cameraman (yes, quite a few come to the farm; in fact, the other week a whole film crew came to shoot a scene for Whitechapel. . .go figure) on the telephone mention The Shawshank Redemption.  I have no idea what the mention was in reference to but it took a tremendous amount of energy on my part to not pipe up with 'Hey, that film was shot in locations near my hometown!!'.  So I'm now sharing this information with those out there that may actually give a damn (well, who knows, maybe that guy would have too).

Weird Coincidence:  The 'Shawshank Tree' (see above photo) where Andy leaves buried money for Red is actually a tree across the road from Malabar Farm State Park but is meant to be in Buxton, Maine in the film.  What's the address of Spitalfields City Farm?!?!?  Yep,  Buxton Street.  Could this be a connection to that cameraman's discussion on the phone?

Filming Location Video
NPR's 'On Location:  Mansfield, Ohio 'Shawshank' Industry'
List of Filming Locations for 'The Shawshank Redemption'
Fan travels along the Shawshank Trail as part of his Bucket List

Perhaps the Devil IS from Akron

Max von Sydow as Leland Gaunt
in Needful Things (1993)

In the 1993 movie "Needful Things," Leland Gaunt (Max Von Sydow) proves to be something far more dangerous than the shop owner he claims to be when he arrives in the Maine town of Castle Rock, which isn't surprising due to it being based on a Stephen King tale.   What's surprising is that Gaunt claims to be an Ohioan, despite his obvious European (Swedish) accent.  Brian Rusk (Shane Meier), a kid who meets Gaunt early in the movie, wonders and asks about his background:

BRIAN: Are you from overseas somewhere?
GAUNT: I'm from Akron.
BRIAN: Where's that? England?
GAUNT: That's in Ohio.

Ray Wise as Satan in Reaper

Ray Wise, who may be best known as Leland Palmer, Laura Palmer's father, in the iconic Twin Peaks, also gave a chilling and comical portrayal of Satan in one of my favorite series, Reaper.  Wise is from Akron, Ohio.

From Lucky Slob to "The King of Hollywood" and Glamour God

Flip through any free newspaper in London now and you'll see the advertisement to the left for a photo exhibition in the National Portrait Gallery.  It still amazes me how influential Ohioans were in Old Hollywood especially since we're not typically considered synonymous with glamour nowadays despite being the home of Victoria's Secret.  Many of the early movie moguls and stars came from Ohio roots, which undoubtedly includes 'The King of Hollywood'  Mr. Clark Gable.  I have always cringed when I hear lines from Gone with the Wind being recited and because of that I was reluctant to appreciate 'The King'.  Yet, if you ever catch It Happened One Night, for which he won an Oscar, you'll find a whole different creature, a witty and charming fellow, who apparently was much like Gable himself.

Born in Cadiz, Ohio, on February 1, 1901, William Clark Gable lived and attended school in Hopedale from 1903 to 1917.  After several years as a stage actor, he went to Hollywood, where he made sixty-seven movies in a remarkable career that spanned four decades.  In 1942, following his wife Carole Lombard's death, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and was off the screen for three years while flying combat missions in Europe.  Although he was forever changed by the loss of Lombard, he always remained the man that women wanted to be with and the man that other men wanted to be.....incredibly masculine and utterly charming.

“All this ‘King’ stuff is pure bullshit. I eat and sleep and go to the bathroom just like anyone else. I’m just a lucky slob from Ohio who happened to be in the right place at the right time.”-- Clark Gable

Biography.com Article & Documentary

Better Blog Post about Clark Gable: The Lucky Slob from Ohio
The Man, the Myth, the Museum
Clark Gable - The Postal Service

Fun Fact Friday: Once a Buckeye, Always a Buckeye

This tidbit was brought to my attention by my sister-in-law, Julia:   Comedian Richard Lewis, who may now be better known as Larry David's friend in Curb Your Enthusiasm, graduated from The Ohio State University in 1969 with a degree in advertising.

Comedy Archive at Ohio State

Doris Von Kappelhoff: A Little piece of Ohio in Hackney, London

Albums displayed in case at V&A Museum of Childhood, May 2011

During my visit of the V&A Museum of Childhood last week, which was either prompted by my homesickness or my feeling a bit old lately, I was surprised to stumble upon at least two Ohio-related items.  One was part of a display that had interview snippets from Hackney residents about their family and childhood.  A resident mentioned that some of her happiest childhood memories was listening to the radio and to singers like Doris Day.

Doris Day was born 'Doris Mary Ann Von Kappelhoff' on April 3, 1924 in Evanston, Ohio (neighborhood of  Cincinnati).  Little Doris aspired to be a professional ballerina but an automobile accident dashed that dream by crushing her leg.  Fortunately, this setback led to the discovery of her gift for singing and after some lessons she began singing professionally at the age of 15 with the Les Brown Band.  After a screen test with Warner Bros (more Ohioans), she would become America's sweetheart and star in over 39 films in the 50s and 60s with the likes of Clark Gable (another Ohioan) and Rock Hudson. She is currently staging a musical comeback at the age of 87.

Talking about homesickness:  Doris Day singing 'Ohio'
Fun Doris Day Trivia

‎"I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source." -- Doris Day

The Lady of The Pixies. .. .She's kind of a big Deal.

While watching a great band, Bleech, at a rockin' birthday party last night, I was reminded how much I love female bassists and of my favorite female bassist, fellow Ohioan Kim Deal.  Deal is best known as the bassist for the Pixies, founder of the Breeders and being just plain cool.

Not My Job: Kim Deal
Fascinating Interviewee
It isn't easy being as cool as Kim Deal
Feel It

Not all Sheens are from Mars

Martin Sheen, Hollywood, 1996 by Paul Joyce

Ah, well, I had planned on posting this months back during the media frenzy surrounding Charlie Sheen, which although dissipating is still continuing, but a recent visit to the Whitechapel Gallery reminded me how much I enjoy Martin Sheen.  In the small theatre, a series of films played and the most engaging one was Dinh Q. Le's split-screen film simultaneously showing clips of Charlie Sheen in Platoon and Martin Sheen, in Apocalypse Now.  Amazingly to me, the film even included a clip that I didn't remember but found incredibly interesting and relevant:  Willard (Martin Sheen) states, “Fuck. You don’t get a chance to know what the fuck you are in some factory in Ohio.”  So, while Charlie Sheen is declaring himself a 'total freaking rock star from Mars' and the media is eating it up and following him like the train wreck that he is, I find myself wishing to hear more about my preferred member of the Sheen clan, Martin. Sheen the Elder (birth name: Ramon Gerardo Antonio Estevez) was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio by immigrant parents.  After leaving Ohio at the age of 18 with bus fare he borrowed from his parish priest, Sheen struggled to attain his acting dreams in New York and married a young Ohio art student (Janet Templeton) before landing a major breakout role in the play 'The Subject was Roses' and later his iconic role in 'Apocalypse Now'.  Despite his newfound fame and wealth, he like his son Charlie, had demons and addictions to battle.  Yet, he managed to surpass them and has maintained his marriage and a strong and ultimately happy family life.  In addition to all the work he has done on his own life based in Malibu, California, Sheen continues to visit Ohio to do good works and is involved in the development of his hometown and homestate community.

Sheen Family Therapy
Augsberger/Estevez scholarship
For a pacifist, Martin Sheen plays a pretty good president
Martin Sheen on his own addictions and 'Apocalypse Now'
What Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez were doing during Charlie's media and mental frenzy