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beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Beck Jones
@beckjoneshere.bsky.social
1.2K followers 780 following 1.6K posts
Writer

#books, #booksky
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beckjoneshere.bsky.social
She claimed the controlling Willy made her a writer; he also took the copyright to her works, leaving her broke. He was the first of multiple husbands and lovers -- below with stage and romantic partner Mathilde "Max" de Morny. Gabrielle-Sidonie Colette, #botd in 1873.
#booksky #writer #filmsky
Image of Colette standing close to de Morny, who wears short-cropped hair and is dressed in a coat, and jodhpurs, Colette is wearing a floor length dress; he hair is pulled into a bun. The adjacent quote is "You will do foolsh things. Do them with enthusiasm."
January 28, 2026 at 12:46 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
We know nothing, we know nothing, we know nothing except today is John Banner's birthday! #botd as Johan Banner in Austria, he emigrated in 1938, served in the U.S. armed forces during the war and lost relatives in the Holocaust--as did other Hogan's Heroes cast members.
#filmsky #moviesky #tv
Image of John Banner as Sergeant Schultz in Hogan's Heros. Adjacent text is Mike Johnson's spiritual ancestor. (Except Schultzie was a nice Naz).
January 28, 2026 at 12:39 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Even Middle Earthers get middle aged.
#filmsky #movieky
Image from Lord of hte Rings poster with Frodo holding the ring. Copy has been replaced with I'm middle aged. Adjacent test s Goodness gracious, sakes alive, Frodo Baggins is 45! Happy Birthday, Elijah Wood!"
January 28, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Reposted by Beck Jones
dansheehan.memyon.org
Good morning.

#BOTD #filmsky #moviesky
(tap for more) A closeup of a young man with bushy brown hair is turning his head toward the camera with a slight smile on his face. Elijah Wood, born on this day in 1981, as Frodo Baggins in a scene from the film THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS (2001) Tags Filmsky moviesky MOVIES films botd happy birthday Hollywood legend actor drama fantasy Tolkien
January 28, 2026 at 12:23 PM
Reposted by Beck Jones
tom.medsky.social
Downfall Bovino Edition. You're welcome.
January 27, 2026 at 5:36 AM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Actually, current usage of "snark" is supposedly not related to The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll, #botd in 1832. Still our world does seem to get curioser and curioser. Maybe Carroll (writer, mathematician, photographer and deacon) might be able to explain it.
#booksky #writer
Black and white illustration of the Mad Hatter from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Adjacent text is "In honor of Lewis Carroll's birthday, the Mad Hatter wishes you a peaceful, cheery day. (Snark.)"
January 27, 2026 at 12:16 PM
Reposted by Beck Jones
neckties-of-noir.bsky.social
#filmsky #moviesky #BOTD
The image features actor Paul Newman sitting in a water taxi in Venice, Italy, likely during the 1963 Venice Film Festival. 
January 26, 2026 at 12:12 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Bessie Colman, #botd in 1892, became the first African American woman and first Native American to earn a pilot's license. Born to sharecroppers in Texas, she had to save enough money to train in France, since opportunities at that time didn''t exist in America.

#womenshistory #DEI
Colman's aviation license issued in French in 1915. There's a photo of her in an aviator's cap.
January 26, 2026 at 1:07 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
He had a long filmography, but lots of roles were uncredited, so William Hopper, #botd in 1915, is best known as the world-wise Paul Drake, he of snazzy sports coats, active social life and ace operatives, on Perry Mason. His (controlling) mother was Hedda Hopper.

#moviesky #filmsky #tvsky
Black and white still from Perry Mason, showing Wiliam Hopper on the left and Raymond Burr on the right. Both look very serious. The headline is "No dice, Mister."
January 26, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Beck Jones
dansheehan.memyon.org
Good morning.

#BOTD #filmsky #moviesky
(tap for more) A fully clothed man is sitting in a bathtub and he's soaking wet, looking a bit surprised and disgruntled. Paul Newman, born on this day in 1925 (d. 2008) as Henry Gondorff in a scene from the film THE STING (1973) Tags Filmsky moviesky MOVIES films botd happy birthday Hollywood legends sexy actor star drama comedy award winning humanitarian good guy who we love
January 26, 2026 at 11:01 AM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
I really shouldn't post until after noon. Reposting Edith Wharton's birthday post sans idiot mistake.

#booksky #writers
January 24, 2026 at 3:59 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Evidently, Model was far more competent than he is portrayed in the film, but a) it's hard to feel sorry for a nasty Nazi and b) the movie is well worth a watch not just for the stars and spectacle. Those who said "we'll be greeted as liberators" would have done well to see it.
#moviesky #filmsky
Film still from A Bridge Too Far showing actor Walter Kohut playing Generalfieldmarschall Walter Modal. Text underneath is "It's Walter Model's birthday. A good day to watch A Bridge Too Far."
January 24, 2026 at 1:22 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Michael Haneke claimed he wrote his mind-bender movie Cache for Daniel Auteuil, #botd in 1950, because Auteuil acted as if he had a secret. Below, Auteuil in 1990's A Heart in Winter--a little mysterious maybe and definitely glum. He's also a director and screenwriter.

#moviesky #filmsky
January 24, 2026 at 1:15 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
It's Django Reinhardt's birthday! #botd as Jean Reinhardt in 1910 in Belgium; Django was his Romani nickname. He made it through WWII, not easy for a Romani in occupied France, but died of a brain hemorrhage at 43.
#jazz
Django Reinhardt CLIP performing live (1945)
YouTube video by Per Christensen
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 1:02 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
#BOTD in 1783 as Henri-Marie Beyle, Stendhal got the idea for The Red and The Black from a newspaper account of a similar crime of passion. But Julien Sorrel is uniquely his own. Stendhal's understanding of human psychology in that book and The Charter House of Parma, was acute

#booksky #writers
Color portrait of Stendhal. Adjacent text is a quote of his: "A novel is a mirror walking along a main road."
January 23, 2026 at 12:50 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
The story of science in America, until now, has been one of progress. (Leeching was still around during Blackwell's time.) The good news is that medical professionals are pushing back at some of the idiocy coming out of HHS, which could easily propose bringing back leeches.

#science #women
Sepia photo of Elizabeth Blackwell sitting in profile. Adjacent text is "Jan.23, 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to be trained as a physician in the United States."
January 23, 2026 at 12:43 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
A lot of tv comedy, especially late night, comes from the innovative routines and attitude of Ernie Kovacs, #botd in 1919. But his film performances were notable--like the generally inebriated writer looking for witches in Bell, Book and Candle. Amusingly bemused.

#moviesky #filmsky #tvsky
Still from Bell Book and Candle showing Ernie Kovacs wearing a suit with his hair disheveled, holding a cigar in one hand and a drink in the other. The headline is Seriously Funny.
January 23, 2026 at 12:33 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
A good day to watch (or rewatch) 1994's The Madness of King George about a real king (not self-appointed) who did go mad (not just Xtreme narcissism + age + stupid) over a colony (that really did belong to England at the time). Blue urine suggests it might have been porphyria.

#moviesky #filmsky
Film still showing actors showing actors Roger Hammond, Geoffrey Palmer and Cyril Shaps portraying medical advisors. They are wearing powdered wigs and holding various implements-- a chamber pot, something to bleed the king and something for cupping.
January 22, 2026 at 1:31 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
"Live fast, die young" could have applied to George Gordon Byron, #botd in 1788, the Romantic poet who left an unequalled artistic legacy when he died at only 36 from a fever he caught during the fight for Greek independence (one of many long stories in a short life).

#booksky #writers #poetry
Painting of Lord Byron set against black. Adjacent text is "Today, let's all work in beauty (like the night). It's Byron's birthday.
January 22, 2026 at 12:57 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Non-fiction writer, novelist and screenwriter Joseph Wambaugh, #botd in 1937, was a police officer for 14 years, and it showed. Below, John Savage & Ted Danson (in his film debut) in The Onion Field, a wrenching non-fiction story of cop who unravels after his partner is shot..

#filmsky #moviesky
Still from the film The Onion Field showing Ted Danson and John Savage standing in front of a vending machine. Text below is a quote from Joseph Wambaugh: "When I wrote The Onion Field, I realized my first two novels were just practice."
January 22, 2026 at 12:44 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
He's better known (and beloved) as Thomas More in 1966's Man for all Seasons, but Paul Scofield, #botd in 1922, is terrific in The Train as a Nazi trying to carry off artistic treasures. (Lancaster also excellent). Nazis, mad power-crazed kings: A man and movies for all reasons.
#filmsky #moviesky
Film still from The Train showing Paul Scofield as a Nazi officer in the foreground and a dirty-faced Burt Lancaster in the background. The headline is Always wanting More.
January 21, 2026 at 2:17 PM
Reposted by Beck Jones
dansheehan.memyon.org
Good morning.

#BOTD #filmsky #moviesky
(tap for more) A black and white image of a woman, sitting on the edge of a bed, wearing a sleeveless white top. She's leaning one arm on the headboard, smiling wryly at someone, with a cigarette in her hand. Patricia Neal, born on this day in 1926 (d. 2010) as Alma Brown in a scene from the film HUD (1963) Tags Filmsky moviesky MOVIES films botd happy birthday Hollywood legends sexy actor actress star drama
January 20, 2026 at 12:34 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Even if you've never seen a movie by screenwriter and director Federico Fellini, #botd in 1920, you've probably seen a movie influenced by him. His producer Dino De Laurentis wanted Paul Newman for La Dolce Vita, but Fellini insisted on the relative unknown Marcello Mastroianni.
#flmksky #moviesky
Photo of Marcello Mastroianni wearing a white sports jacket standing on a beach. He's holding his hands up and out in a gesture of bemusement. Adjacent text is "What can I say? It's Fellini's birthday. Time to party."
January 20, 2026 at 12:52 PM
beckjoneshere.bsky.social
Oscar winner Patricia Neal, #botd in 1926, faced challenges: an unhappy affair with Gary Cooper (they starred in The Fountainhead, still below); a devastating stroke at only 39; a child that died of measles and a marriage to Roald Dahl ending with his affair. She kept working.

#filmsky #moviesky
Film still from The Fountainhead showing Patricia Neal wearing an fur-trimmed evening dress. She looks concerned. Adjacent text is "So much talent So much heartbreak.
January 20, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by Beck Jones
dansheehan.memyon.org
Good morning.

#BOTD #filmsky #moviesky
(tap for more) A woman is wearing a salmon colored dress and her blond hair is in a big perm. She is standing at a desk, putting out a cigar in an ashtray, looking at someone with a knowing, determined expression. Dolly Parton as Doralee Rhodes in a scene from the film 9 TO 5 (1980) Tags Filmsky moviesky MOVIES films botd happy birthday Hollywood legends sexy actor actress star comedy music songwriter Nashville country superstar
January 19, 2026 at 1:07 PM