John Cassavetes
American filmmaker and actor (1929–1989)
John Nicholas Cassavetes (December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American filmmaker and actor. He began as an actor in film and television before helping to pioneer modern American independent cinema as a writer and director, often self-financing, producing, and distributing his own films. He received nominations for three Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and an Emmy Award.
After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Cassavetes started his career in television acting in numerous network dramas. From 1959 to 1960 he played the title role in the NBC detective series "Johnny Staccato". He acted in notable films, such as Martin Ritt's film noir "Edge of the City" (1957), Robert Aldrich's war film "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), Roman Polanski's horror film "Rosemary's Baby" (1968) and Elaine May's crime drama "Mikey and Nicky" (1976). For "The Dirty Dozen", he earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
As a director, Cassavetes became known for a string of critically acclaimed independent dramas including "Shadows" (1959), "Faces" (1968), "Husbands" (1970), "A Woman Under the Influence" (1974), "Opening Night" (1977), and "Love Streams" (1984). His films employed an actor-centered approach which prioritized raw character relationships and "small feelings" while rejecting traditional Hollywood storytelling, method acting, and stylization. His films became associated with an improvisational aesthetic and a cinéma vérité feel. He received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay ("Faces") and Best Director ("A Woman Under the Influence").
He frequently collaborated with American actress Gena Rowlands (to whom he was married from 1954 until his death in 1989) and friends Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara, and Seymour Cassel. Many of his films were shot and edited in his and Rowlands' own Los Angeles home.
He and Rowlands had a son named Nick and two daughters, named Alexandra and Zoe, all of whom followed them into acting and filmmaking.
Early life and education.
John Nicholas Cassavetes was born in New York City on December 9, 1929, the son of Greek-American actress Katherine Cassavetes (née Demetriou), who was later featured in some of his films, and Greek immigrant Nicholas John Cassavetes. His early years were spent with his family in Greece; when he returned to New York at the age of seven, he spoke no English. He was then raised on Long Island, where he attended Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School (then known as Port Washington High School) from 1945 to 1947 and participated in "Port Weekly" (the school paper), "Red Domino" (interclass play), football, and the "Port Light" (yearbook).
Cassavetes attended Blair Academy in New Jersey and spent a semester at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, but was expelled due to his failing grades. He spent a few weeks hitchhiking to Florida and then transferred to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, encouraged by recently enrolled friends who told him the school was "packed with girls". He graduated in 1950 and met his future wife Gena Rowlands at her audition to enter the Academy in 1953. They were married four months later in 1954. He continued acting in the theater, took small parts in films, and began working on television in anthology series such as "Alcoa Theatre".
Career.
Acting workshop.
By 1956, Cassavetes had begun teaching an alternative to method acting in his own workshop—co-founded with friend Burt Lane in New York City—in which performance would be based on character creation rather than back-story or narrative requirements. Cassavetes particularly scorned Lee Strasberg's Method-based Actors Studio, and the Cassavetes-Lane approach held that acting should be an expression of creative joy rather than the "moody, broody anguish" associated with Strasberg's teaching.
Shortly after opening the workshop, Cassavetes was invited to audition at the Actors Studio, and he and Lane devised a prank: they claimed to be performing a scene from a recent stage production but in fact improvised a performance on the spot, fooling an impressed Strasberg. Cassavetes then fabricated a story about his financial troubles, prompting Strasberg to offer him a full scholarship to the Studio; Cassavetes immediately rejected it, feeling that Strasberg did not know anything about acting if he had been so easily fooled by the two ruses.
An improvisation exercise in the workshop inspired the idea for his writing and directorial debut, "Shadows" (1959; first version 1957). Cassavetes raised the funds for the production from friends and family, as well as listeners to Jean Shepherd's late-night radio talk-show "Night People". His stated purpose was to make a film about modest-income “little people”, unlike Hollywood studio productions, which focused on stories about wealthy people. Cassavetes was unable to gain American distribution of "Shadows", but it won the Critics Award at the Venice Film Festival. European distributors later released the movie in the United States as an import. Although the box-office returns of "Shadows" in the United States were slight, it did gain attention from the Hollywood studios.
Television and acting jobs.
Cassavetes played bit-parts in B pictures and in television serials, until gaining notoriety in 1955 as a vicious killer in "The Night Holds Terror," and as a juvenile delinquent in the live TV drama "Crime in the Streets". Cassavetes would repeat this performance credited as an “introducing” lead in the 1956 film version, which also included another future director, Mark Rydell, as his gang mate. His first starring role in a feature film was "Edge of the City" (1957), which co-starred Sidney Poitier. He was briefly under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and co-starred with Robert Taylor in the western "Saddle the Wind", written by Rod Serling. In the late 1950s, Cassavetes guest-starred in Beverly Garland's groundbreaking crime drama, "Decoy", about a New York City woman police undercover detective. Thereafter, he played Johnny Staccato, the title character in a television series about a jazz pianist who also worked as a private detective. In total he directed five episodes of the series, which also features a guest appearance by his wife Gena Rowlands. It was broadcast on NBC between September 1959 and March 1960, and then acquired by ABC; although critically acclaimed, the series was cancelled in September 1960. Cassavetes would appear on the NBC interview program, "Here's Hollywood".
1960s.
In 1961 Cassavetes signed a seven-year deal with Paramount. Cassavetes directed two movies for Hollywood in the early 1960s: "Too Late Blues" (1961); "A Child Is Waiting (1963)" starring Burt Lancaster and Judy Garland. He starred in the CBS western series "Rawhide" in the episode "Incident Near Gloomy River" (1961). In the 1963–1964 season he was cast in the ABC medical drama about psychiatry, "Breaking Point". In 1964, he again co-starred with his wife, this time in an episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" anthology program, and in 1965, he appeared on ABC's western series, "The Legend of Jesse James". In the same year, he also guest-starred in the World War II series "Combat!", in the episode "S.I.W.", and as the insane nuclear scientist Everett Lang in "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", season 2, episode "The Peacemaker".
With payment for his work on television, as well as a handful of film acting jobs, he was able to relocate to California and to make his subsequent films independent of any studio, as "Shadows" had been made. The films in which he acted with this intention include Don Siegel's "The Killers" (1964), the motorcycle gang movie "Devil's Angels" (1967), "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Guy Woodhouse lead (originally intended for Robert Redford) in Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), and "The Fury" (1978). Cassavetes portrayed the murderer in a 1972 episode of the TV crime series "Columbo", titled "Étude in Black". Cassavetes and series star Peter Falk had previously starred together in the 1969 mob action thriller "Machine Gun McCain". The two later starred in Elaine May's film "Mikey and Nicky" (1976).
"Faces" (1968) was the second film to be both directed and independently financed by Cassavetes. The film starred his wife Gena Rowlands—whom he had married during his struggling actor days—John Marley, Seymour Cassel and Val Avery, as well as several first-time actors, such as lead actress Lynn Carlin and industry fringies like Vince Barbi. It depicts the slow disintegration of a contemporary marriage. The film reportedly took three years to make, and was made largely in the Cassavetes home. "Faces" was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. Around this time, Cassavetes formed "Faces International" as a distribution company to handle all of his films.
1970s.
In 1970, Cassavetes directed and acted in "Husbands", with actors Peter Falk and Ben Gazzara. They played a trio of married men on a spree in New York and London after the funeral of one of their best friends. Cassavetes stated that this was a personal film for him; his elder brother had died at the age of 30.
"Minnie and Moskowitz" (1971), about two unlikely lovers, featured Rowlands and Cassel. "A Woman Under the Influence" (1974) stars Rowlands as an increasingly troubled housewife. Rowlands received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, while Cassavetes was nominated for Best Director. In "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" (1976), Gazzara plays a small-time strip-club owner with an out-of-control gambling habit, pressured by mobsters to commit a murder to pay off his debt.
In "Opening Night" (1977), Rowlands plays the lead alongside Cassavetes; the film also stars Gazzara and Joan Blondell. Rowlands portrays an aging film star named Myrtle Gordon, who is working in the theater and suffering a personal crisis. Alone and unloved by her colleagues, afraid of aging and always removed from others due to her stardom, she succumbs to alcohol and hallucinations after witnessing a young fan accidentally die. Ultimately, Gordon fights through it all, delivering the performance of her life in a play. Rowlands won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 28th Berlin International Film Festival for her performance.
1980s.
Cassavetes directed the film "Gloria" (1980), featuring Rowlands as a Mob moll who tries to protect an orphan boy whom the Mob wants to kill, which earned her another Best Actress nomination. In 1982, Cassavetes starred in Paul Mazursky's "Tempest," which co-starred Rowlands, Susan Sarandon, Molly Ringwald, Raúl Juliá and Vittorio Gassman.
Cassavetes penned the stage play "Knives", the earliest version of which he allowed to be published in the 1978 premiere issue of "On Stage", the quarterly magazine of the American Community Theatre Association, a division of the American Theatre Association. The play was produced and directed as one of his "Three Plays of Love and Hate" at Hollywood, California's Center Theater in 1981. The trio of plays included versions of Canadian playwright Ted Allan's "The Third Day Comes" and "Love Streams," the latter of which served as the blueprint for Cassavetes' 1984 film of the same name.
Cassavetes made the Cannon Films-financed "Love Streams" (1984), which featured him as an aging playboy who suffers the overbearing affection of his recently divorced sister. It was entered into the 34th Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Golden Bear. The film is often considered Cassavetes' "last film" in that it brought together many aspects of his previous films. He despised the film "Big Trouble" (1986), which he took over during filming from Andrew Bergman, who wrote the original screenplay. Cassavetes came to refer to the film as "The aptly titled 'Big Trouble,'" since the studio vetoed many of his decisions for the film and eventually edited most of it in a way with which Cassavetes disagreed.
In January 1987, Cassavetes was facing health problems, but he wrote the three-act play "Woman of Mystery" and brought it to the stage in May and June at the Court Theatre, Los Angeles.
Cassavetes worked during the last year of his life to produce a last film that was to be titled "She's Delovely". He was in talks with Sean Penn to star, though legal and financial hurdles proved insurmountable and the project was forgotten about until after Cassavetes' death, when his son Nick finally directed it as "She's So Lovely" (1997).
Filmmaking style.
Cassavetes spent the majority of his directing career working 'off the grid' and in a communal atmosphere "unfettered by the commercial concerns of Hollywood." His films aim to capture "small feelings" often repressed by Hollywood filmmaking, emphasizing intimate character examination and relationships rather than plot, backstory, or stylization. He often presented difficult characters whose behaviors were not easily understood, rejecting simplistic psychological or narrative explanations for their actions. Cassavetes also disregarded the "impressionistic cinematography, linear editing, and star-centred scene making" fashionable in Hollywood and art films. Often unable to interest Hollywood studios in financing his work, Cassavetes typically worked with small but dedicated crew of friends and technicians. He said: "The hardest thing for a film-maker, or a person like me, is to find people … who really want to do something."
Cassavetes worked to create a comfortable and informal environment where actors could freely experiment with their performances and go beyond acting clichés or "programmed behaviors." He dismissed Method acting as "more a form of psychotherapy than of acting" which resulted in sentimental cliches and self-indulgent emotion. Instead, he held that acting should be an expression of creative joy and exuberance, with emphasis put on the character's creation of "masks" in the process of interacting with other people. Cassavetes also said that he strove "to put [actors] in a position where they may make asses of themselves without feeling they're revealing things that will eventually be used against them." He frequently filmed scenes in long, uninterrupted takes, explaining that:The drama of the scenes comes naturally from the real passage of time lived by the actors [...] The camera isn't content to just follow the characters' words and actions. I focus in on specific gestures and mannerisms. It's from focusing on these little things—the moods, silences, pauses, or anxious moments—that the form arises.
Cassavetes also rejected the dominance of the director's singular vision, instead believing each character must be the actor's "individual creation" and refusing to explain the characters to his actors in any significant detail. He claimed that "stylistic unity drains the humanity out of a text [...] The stories of many different and potentially inarticulate people are more interesting than a contrived narrative that exists only in one articulate man's imagination." The manner in which Cassavetes employed improvisation is frequently misunderstood: with the exception of the original version of "Shadows", his films were tightly scripted. However, he allowed actors to interpret characters in their own way, and often rewrote scripts based on the results of rehearsals and performances. He explained that "I believe in improvising on the basis of the written word and not on undisciplined creativity."
Cassavetes worked with jazz musicians Charles Mingus and Shafi Hadi to provide the score for "Shadows". Mingus's friend, Diane Dorr-Dorynek, described Cassavetes' approach to film-making in jazz terms:
The script formed the skeleton around which the actors might change or ad lib lines according to their response to the situation at the moment, so that each performance was slightly different. A jazz musician works in this way, using a given musical skeleton and creating out of it, building a musical whole related to a particular moment by listening to and interacting with his fellow musicians. Jazz musicians working with actors could conceivably provide audiences with some of the most moving and alive theater they have ever experienced.
When asked by André S. Labarthe during the making of "Faces" whether he had the desire to make a musical film, Cassavetes responded he wanted to make only one musical, Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment". Cassavetes was passionate about a wide range of music, from jazz to classical to rock, saying "I like all music. It makes you feel like living. Silence is death."
Cassavetes worked with composer Bo Harwood from 1970 to 1984 on six films in several different capacities, even though Harwood had initially only signed on to do "a little editing" for "Husbands", and "a little sound editing" for "Minnie and Moskowitz". Harwood composed poignant music for Cassavetes' following three films, and was also credited as "Sound" for two of them. During these projects Harwood wrote several songs, some with Cassavetes contributing lyrics and rudimentary tunes. During his work with Cassavetes, Harwood claimed the notoriously unpredictable director preferred to use the "scratch track" version of his compositions, rather than to let Harwood refine and re-record them with an orchestra. Some of these scratch tracks were recorded in Cassavetes' office, with piano or guitar, as demos, and then eventually ended up in the final film. While this matched the raw, unpolished feel that marks most of Cassavetes' films, Harwood was sometimes surprised and embarrassed.
The relationship between Harwood and Cassavetes ended amicably. When asked by documentarian Michael Ventura during the making of Cassavetes' last film "Love Streams", what he had learned from working with Cassavetes, Harwood replied:
I learned a lot through John. I've done a lot of editing for him. Picture editing, sound editing, music editing, shot sound, composed score, and I've learned a lot about integrity ... I think you know what I mean. You know, thirty years from now, I can say I rode with Billy the Kid.
Personal life.
Marriage.
Cassavetes was married to American actress Gena Rowlands from 1954 until his death in 1989. Many of his films were shot and edited in his and Rowlands' own Los Angeles home. He and Rowlands had a son named Nick and two daughters named Alexandra and Zoe, all of whom followed them into acting and filmmaking.
Death.
A long-time alcoholic, Cassavetes died in Los Angeles from complications of cirrhosis at the age of 59 on February 3, 1989. He is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park cemetery in Los Angeles.
At the time of his death, Cassavetes had amassed a collection of more than 40 unproduced screenplays, as well as a novel, "Husbands". He also left three unproduced plays: "Sweet Talk", "Entrances and Exits", and "Begin the Beguine", the last of which, in German translation, was co-produced by Needcompany of Belgium and Burgtheater of Vienna, and premiered on stage at Vienna's Akademietheater in 2014.
Legacy and reception.
Cassavetes is the subject of several biographies. "Cassavetes on Cassavetes" is a collection of interviews collected or conducted by Boston University film scholar Ray Carney, in which the filmmaker recalled his experiences, influences, and outlook on the film industry. In the 2005 Hollywood issue of "Vanity Fair", one article features a tribute to Cassavetes by three members of his stock company, Rowlands, Gazzara, and Falk.
Many of Cassavetes' films are owned by Faces Distribution, a company overseen by Gena Rowlands and Julian Schlossberg, distributed by Jumer Films (Schlossberg's own company), with additional sales and distribution by Janus Films. In September 2004, The Criterion Collection produced a Region 1 DVD box set of his five independent films: "Shadows", "Faces", "A Woman Under the Influence", "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" and "Opening Night". Also featured in the set is a documentary about the life and works of Cassavetes, "A Constant Forge", a booklet featuring critical assessments of the director's work and tributes by old friends. Criterion released a Blu-ray version of the set in October 2013. In 2005, a box set of the same films was released in Region 2 by Optimum Releasing. The Optimum DVD of "Shadows" has a voice-over commentary by Seymour Cassel. Then, in 2014, the Faces/Jumer library became the property of Shout! Factory, which acquired the films' holding parent company, Westchester Films.
Cassavetes' son Nick followed in his father's footsteps as an actor and director, adapting the "She's Delovely" screenplay his father had written into the 1997 film "She's So Lovely", which starred Sean Penn, as John Cassavetes had wanted. Alexandra Cassavetes directed the documentary "" in 2004, and in 2006 served as 2nd Unit Director on her brother Nick's film, "Alpha Dog". Cassavetes' younger daughter Zoe wrote and directed the 2007 film "Broken English", featuring Rowlands and Parker Posey.
"The New Yorker" wrote that Cassavetes "may be the most influential American director of the last half century"—this in announcing that all the films he directed, plus others he acted in, were being screened in a retrospective tribute at the Brooklyn Academy of Music throughout July 2013. AllMovie called Cassavetes "an iconoclastic maverick".
The Independent Spirit Awards named one of their categories after Cassavetes, the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award. A one-person show about John Cassavetes titled "Independent" premiered at Essential Theatre in Atlanta in August 2017. The play was written by John D. Babcock III and starred actor Dan Triandiflou as Cassavetes. The song "What's Yr Take on Cassavetes?" by the band Le Tigre is about misogynistic themes within John Cassavetes' films and whether they can still be praised after those themes are identified. The song "Cassavetes" by the band Fugazi parallels John Cassavetes' independence from the film industry with the band's own independence from the record industry. In concert, singer Guy Picciotto introduced it as "a song about making your own road."
Filmography.
As director
Awards and nominations.
As a filmmaker, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for "Faces" (1968) and the Academy Award for Best Director for "A Woman Under the Influence" (1974). The Independent Spirit Awards named the John Cassavetes Award in his honor.
References.
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External links.
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Minnie and Moskowitz
1971 film by John Cassavetes
Minnie and Moskowitz is a 1971 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by John Cassavetes and starring his wife Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel in the title roles of Minnie and Moskowitz, respectively.
Plot.
Seymour Moskowitz is an eccentric and uncouth parking attendant who has just moved from New York City to Los Angeles. Minnie Moore is a museum curator in an abusive relationship with a married man named Jim. Following their fight, she becomes disillusioned with love and meaningful relationships. Minnie talks with her co-worker and friend Florence about getting older and her chances of finding the right man.
The next day, Florence sets Minnie up on a blind date with a bitter and loudmouthed widower, Zelmo. The date goes badly and ends with Zelmo chasing her out of the restaurant. Seymour, working the parking lot, witnesses the commotion and engages in a physical altercation with Zelmo. Seymour wins the fight, bloodying Zelmo's face, and Zelmo drives away crying, stranding Minnie. Seymour offers to give her a ride, which she refuses, but he pursues her in his truck and forces her inside. He drives her to her workplace, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Jim is waiting inside with his son and ends the relationship, revealing that his wife has attempted suicide. Infuriated and hurt, Minnie slaps Jim.
Seymour appears at Minnie's house to confront her about costing him his job at the parking lot. He takes her to a bar for a drink and then proclaims his love for her at a hot-dog stand. He berates her for taking herself too seriously when she does not return his affections. After leaving Minnie, Seymour brings a woman to his apartment who stays overnight.
Seymour takes Minnie to an ice-cream parlor and a country-and-western bar. In the parking lot, they dance to the music and kiss. When Minnie fails to introduce Seymour to her wealthy friends on the way into the bar, he angrily drives away and strands her, just as Zelmo had done. A wealthy male friend drives her home, where Seymour is waiting. The men fight, injuring Minnie in the process.
Seymour brings Minnie inside to recover, where she admits that she does not see a future with Seymour. Insisting that they are meant for each other, he threatens to kill himself and then cuts his walrus moustache in a frenzy. Minnie finally agrees to marry him and tells her mother about the news. Minnie and Seymour go to dinner with their mothers, who are hesitant and dubious about the marriage. Seymour's mother calls him a "bum" and tells Minnie that she could do much better than her son. Minnie's mother is overwhelmed and nearly speechless at the abruptness of the news and Seymour's appearance and personality.
Minnie and Seymour marry, laughing as the minister forgets his lines and fumbles for his notes. A flashforward shows a sunny backyard birthday party, possibly for their own child.
Cast.
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>* Gena Rowlands as Minnie Moore
Production.
"Minnie and Moskowitz" is among a small number of low-budget (less than $1 million) films bankrolled by Universal Studios in the early 1970s in an attempt to copy the success of "Easy Rider". Several months after the film's release, Universal Studios shortened the film's running time by excising a scene near the beginning of the film, but doing so violated the studio's contract with Cassavetes. All releases (including the DVD) since that time are missing this scene.
Principal photography took place from late March to mid-Jun 1971 in Los Angeles and New York City.
Reception.
The film received generally positive reviews. In 1973, Cassavetes was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 82% based on 17 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10.
In other media.
The characters Big John and Little John spend Halloween night smoking marijuana and watching "Minnie and Moskowitz" in the 2021 horror film "Halloween Kills".
References.
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Minnie Devereaux
Native American actress (c. 1869 – 1923)
Minnie Devereaux (c. 1869–1923) was a Native American silent film actress. She was a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma.
More commonly known as Minnie Provost and occasionally "Indian Minnie", or "Minnie Ha-Ha", she held at least 14 roles, beginning in 1913 with "Old Mammy’s Secret Code" and ending with the 1923 release of "The Girl of the Golden West". A few sources say she was a Cheyenne and the daughter of a Chief Plenty Horses. However, her father is often confused with Plenty Horses who was Lakota and born the same year as Minnie. In a 1917 interview published in the "Mack Sennett Weekly" Provost states that she was born to Cheyenne parents who fled G. A. Custer's Army during the Battle of the Little Bighorn, an event that took place when she was eight years old.
Early life.
Provost was born in the Choctaw Nation in a small town called South Canadian (now Canadian, Oklahoma). Movie trade magazines claimed she studied at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, a Pennsylvania boarding school for Native American students, and she appears on the Carlisle rolls as Minerva Burgess of Cheyenne and Arapaho heritage. Her father is listed as "Plenty of Horses", not to be confused with Plenty Horses.
Early career.
"Fatty and Minnie He-Haw".
The actress starred alongside Roscoe Arbuckle in the 1914 silent comedy film "Fatty and Minnie He-Haw", directed by Arbuckle. She is featured as a Native American, whom Arbuckle reluctantly marries after being rescued by her tribe. Arbuckle pursues a white woman in town, played by his real-life wife Minta Durfee, but is driven back when He-Haw discovers his disloyalty. Outraged, the tribe prepares to burn him for his traitorous behavior, but He-Haw spares him in an act of love. He-Haw chases her man but ultimately loses him when he disappears into the hills with angry warriors trailing behind.
Other works.
Provost worked with producer and "king of comedy" Mack Sennett on "Fatty and Minnie He-Haw", as well as the 1918 film "Mickey" and the 1922 film "Suzanna", both directed by F. Richard Jones. In 1920 Minnie worked with director James Cruze on "Food for Scandal," the cinematic version of Paul Kester's play "A Picture of Rare Delight." Provost was an actress in demand, working with various production companies on the east coast, including Kay-Bee Pictures, the New York Motion Picture Company, and Sennett's Keystone Studios.
Reputation.
The actress was heralded as a dignified professional who could easily perform slapstick comedy as well as melodrama.
She was subject to typecasting, with roles that capitalized upon her heavy frame and her Native American heritage. Reviews at the time often referred to Indian women as a squaw in reference to her characters' titles within such films. Peter Milne, a film critic and eventual screenwriter, berated Provost for her age and appearance, calling her "ancient" in his review of "Mickey"; she was only 49 years old at the time of the film's release.
In an article in "Photoplay" Provost recalled an encounter between her and a belligerent white woman. On a crowded street car, the woman intentionally took up available space in order to prevent Provost from sitting nearby. Provost interrupted the conductor of the street car, who insisted that the woman move her belongings. The woman replied saying that she would rather stand than sit next to such a woman.
Despite this unease, many in the film business were aware of, and respected Provost's wit, dignity, and talents as an actress. "Motion Picture Magazine" recounts a chance encounter between Provost and actor Bertram Grassby, who commented on the actress' persona:
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />During the conversation, the name of Minnie, a fat, old Indian woman who has almost become a moving picture institution, was mentioned and he commented laughingly on her way of always saying and doing the unexpected.
The encounter involved Grassby tipping his hat toward Provost, which prompted her to question the meaning of the act. She often poked fun at other actors and directors during the production of a film.
References.
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Katherine Cassavetes
American actress
Katherine Cassavetes (; née Demetriou; June 24, 1906 – March 29, 1983) was an American actress of Greek origin. She was the mother of actor-director John Cassavetes and mother-in-law of actress Gena Rowlands. Her grandchildren are actor-directors Nick Cassavetes, Zoe Cassavetes, and Alexandra Cassavetes.
Biography.
Cassavetes was born in New York City, She appeared in four films, three of which were written and directed by her son, including "Minnie and Moskowitz" (1971).
References.
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Minnie Marx
Mother and manager of the Marx Brothers (1864-1929)
Minnie Marx (born Miene Schönberg, 9 November 1864 – 13 September 1929) was the mother and manager of the Marx Brothers, a family of top-billed vaudevillians, top Broadway stars and, finally, film stars. She was also the sister of comedian and vaudeville star Al Shean.
Early life.
Marx was born Miene Schönberg in Dornum, Kingdom of Hanover. Her parents Fanny née Salomons (1829–April 10,1901) and Levy "Lafe" Schönberg (1823–1919) were members of the local Jewish community. Her mother was a yodeling harpist, her father a ventriloquist. Her younger brother, Abraham Elieser Adolf, the future "Al Shean," was born in 1868.
About 1880 the family immigrated to New York City, where Minnie married Samuel "Frenchie" Marx in 1884.
Her son Manfred died in infancy in 1886. Her other children were Leonard Joseph (born 1887), Adolph (1888), Julius (1890), Milton (1892) and Herbert (1901), who would grow up to perform as the Marx Brothers.
Career.
While managing the Marx Brothers, she went under the name of Minnie Palmer, so that booking agents would not know that the agent representing the Marx Brothers was their mother. She played the harp.
As a tribute to her, all the brothers' daughters were given names that began with 'M': Chico with Maxine; Harpo with Minnie; and Groucho with Miriam and Melinda. Gummo and Zeppo had no daughters.
Minnie lived long enough to see her sons' 1929 film debut in "The Cocoanuts", but died later that year of a stroke.
Death.
Marx died from a stroke on September 13, 1929, aged 64. She was buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Glendale, Queens. When her husband died four years later, he was buried next to her.
In popular culture.
Marx and some of her sons appear briefly as characters in Glen David Gold's novel "Carter Beats the Devil"; the narrative identifies her as Minnie Palmer, and only gradually offers clues that the struggling vaudeville act traveling with her are the later-famous Marx Brothers. Marx (played by Shelley Winters) was also the main character in the stage musical "Minnie's Boys".
References.
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Minnie Mouse
Disney cartoon character
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse


Hawthorne Heights
American rock band
Hawthorne Heights is an American rock band formed in Dayton, Ohio in 2001. Originally called A Day in the Life, their lineup currently consists of JT Woodruff (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Matt Ridenour (bass guitar, backing vocals), Mark McMillon (lead guitar, unclean vocals), and Chris Popadak (drums, percussion).
The band found commercial success with their first two albums, "The Silence in Black and White" (2004), and "If Only You Were Lonely" (2006), both achieving an RIAA gold certification. Their second album additionally peaked at No. 1 on the "Billboard"'s Independent Albums chart and No. 3 on the "Billboard" 200 chart. They are also well known for their 2006 single "Saying Sorry", which reached gold status and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. On November 24, 2007, guitarist Casey Calvert died, leaving the band as a four-piece. Their third album and first without Calvert, "Fragile Future", was released in August 2008, surprisingly through Victory Records again, after a lengthy legal battle between the two parties.
The band's fourth album "Skeletons" (2010) peaked at No. 50 on the "Billboard" 200. The band's former label, Victory, released their first greatest hits album, entitled "", in November 2010. Shortly afterward, Hawthorne Heights left Wind-up Records to begin their own record label, Cardboard Empire. Via this new label, the band released an EP trilogy, beginning with "Hate" released in August 2011 and followed by "Hope" released in June 2012. After signing with Red River Entertainment in 2013, the band postponed the release of the third EP in the trilogy, and released a full-length concept album titled "Zero" in June 2013. The band played on the 2013 Vans Warped Tour.
In June 2014, original drummer Eron Bucciarelli left the band. In January 2015, it was announced that Micah Carli (lead guitar, unclean backing vocals) had left as well. Later that year, the band released Hurt, the third EP of the trilogy. The band's sixth studio album, titled "Bad Frequencies" followed in 2018, followed by their seventh album "The Rain Just Follows Me" in September 2021 via Pure Noise Records.
Hawthrone Heights are regarded as "one of the biggest breakout successes of the new millennial emo-punk explosion."
History.
Early days (2001–2003).
A Day in the Life were formed by JT Woodruff, Jesse Blair, Andy Saunders, Josh Bethel, and Andy Lazier in Dayton, Ohio, in 2001. They took their name from the popular Beatles song "A Day in the Life".
Their first record was a demo titled "Four Bullets for One Girl", which sold its 500 copy run in 2 months. This brought them to the attention of Confined Records, with which they released an album titled "Nine Reasons to Say Goodbye". Finally, they released a 6-song EP titled "Paper Chromatography: The Fade from Dark to Light" (which was partially re-released as part of the compilation "From Ohio With Love") in the winter of 2003.
In 2003, Matt Ridenour, bassist and backing vocalist, would pass a hotel called Hawthorn Inn & Suites on his way to work. He decided to add an e and Heights to make Hawthorne Heights. The rest of the band agreed.
"The Silence in Black and White" and "If Only You Were Lonely" (2004–2006).
Their first album "The Silence in Black and White", was recorded over a four-week period, and was released in 2004. The album was slow to build sales at first; however, soon the video for the song "Ohio Is for Lovers" began getting airplay on MTV, and the band enjoyed breakout success at radio as well as a growing nationwide fan base, and the album became Victory Records' highest selling debut. "The Silence in Black and White" peaked at number 56 on the Billboard charts. The singles "Niki FM" and "Silver Bullet" were released in 2005.
When their second album "If Only You Were Lonely" was released on Feb 28, 2006, it debuted at number 3 on the Billboard charts, powered by the lead single "Saying Sorry" which has received regular airplay on MTV, VH1 and Fuse. The Legion of Doom remixed a song from the album, entitled "Where Can I Stab Myself in the Ears?" and it appeared on the "". The remix was re-titled "Where Do I Stab Myself in the Ears".
The band performed on the 2006 Nintendo Fusion Tour. A live CD/DVD was intended to be recorded from this tour, but was cancelled, likely due to complications with Victory.
Death of Casey Calvert (2007).
Casey Calvert, the band's rhythm guitarist, was found dead on the band's tour bus at the age of 26 on November 24, 2007. The band had begun its American tour just the day before in Detroit, Michigan. Toxicology and autopsy reports stated that Calvert died of combined drug intoxication. A statement issued by the members of the band said that Calvert died in his sleep, and that his body was discovered before the band was to carry out a sound check before its show at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. The members of the band spent a few days mourning, reflecting, and writing a song about the death.
This song, titled "Four Become One", would appear on their third album "Fragile Future". The members also dedicated another song to Calvert called "Sugar in the Engine". In the end of the song, JT Woodruff can be heard speaking of Calvert. When the band plays old hits from either "The Silence in Black and White" or "If Only You Were Lonely", Carli stepped in and did all of Calvert's parts, until he left the band in 2015. Mark McMillon is now the current unclean vocalist for the band.
According to the results of an autopsy performed by the office of the chief medical examiner in Washington, and released in December 2007, Calvert's death was accidental. Dr. John Mendelson, a pharmacologist at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, told MTV News that "Cases like Calvert's are so rare that they're almost nonexistent. It's so rare that you can't even put a number on it," and that "It's exceedingly rare that 26-year-olds die of "anything" medical. This kind of death is one in several million." Both citalopram (also known by the brand name Celexa) and clonazepam (also known by the brand names Klonopin and Rivotril) are prescription drugs, the former an antidepressant and the latter used to treat seizure disorders and panic attacks.
Drummer Eron Bucciarelli issued the following statement:
From the time of the incident we suspected a possible drug interaction as the cause. Casey wrestled with depression for as long as we knew him. He saw numerous doctors and took an ever-changing array of medicines to get better. He finally had his depression under control. According to the toxicology report, the cause of death was due to a fatal interaction between depression meds, anxiety meds, and an opiate. Opiates being mentioned along with the term "substance abuse", coupled with "rockstar" stereotypes immediately conjure up images of hard drug use and addiction, which simply couldn't be further from the truth in Casey's instance. What the toxicology report doesn't show is that before our leaving for tour, Casey had a root canal, and he was prescribed Vicodin (an opiate) for the pain. Once again, Casey was not involved in anything illegal, nor was he a substance abuser.
JT Woodruff has stated that "We won't add another guitar player or add another screamer", and that "In our albums, it'll always say 'Casey Calvert: guitar/vocals.'" Bucciarelli stated in another interview that, "We don't need another screamer ... If the fans want screaming, they can provide it themselves."
"Fragile Future" and "Rhapsody Originals" (2008–2009).
Hawthorne Heights released a demo for their new song "Come Back Home" on their MySpace page in 2007. A reprised version of the song became one of the twelve tracks that were selected for the band's third studio album. A second song was released on their Myspace, a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins song "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", which was contributed to MySpace Tribute to The Smashing Pumpkins. This cover song, however, did not become a track on the album.
Hawthorne Heights and Victory Records patched up their relationship and the band's third album, "Fragile Future", was released with the label on August 5, 2008. Jeff Schneeweis produced the album. The lead single "Rescue Me" was released on July 22, 2008. Hawthorne Heights played "Rescue Me" live as special guests on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno as host after the album's full release, on September 18, 2010, as promotion for "Fragile Future".
"Rhapsody Originals" was released exclusively for Rhapsody as the first EP by Hawthorne Heights on August 26, 2008. It was recorded by Rhapsody, and released as promotion for the studio album "Fragile Future". It contains three live acoustic songs from "Fragile Future", and one from their second studio album, "If Only You Were Lonely".
Hawthorne Heights performed at Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution 2008 tour this year on the Revolution Stage with former labelmates Atreyu, Armor For Sleep, Street Drum Corps, and 10 Years. Joining Linkin Park on the Main Stage was Chris Cornell, The Bravery, Busta Rhymes, and Ashes Divide.
"Skeletons" and "Midwesterners: The Hits" (2009–2011).
Hawthorne Heights posted a blog through their MySpace profile stating that they had officially been signed to Wind-up Records, and had been writing and recording for a new record. The band revealed that while there is not a new member of the band and no replacement was made for Hawthorne Heights former vocalist, Casey Calvert, the new album would feature a new "screamer". While on tour, Hawthorne Heights announced that Micah Carli would now be providing screaming vocals for the band.
As the album was being recorded, lead singer JT Woodruff and drummer Eron Bucciarelli named two songs from the record on several occasions, leading many to believe that they would be released as singles. Acoustic versions of the two songs were also said to have been recorded. The songs are entitled "Here I Am" and "Nervous Breakdown". "Nervous Breakdown" did become the first single from the album on March 23, 2010. On October 2, 2009, both Woodruff and Buicarelli posted updates on their Twitter pages saying that they had just finished gang vocals for the record. Woodruff stated "Just finished up doing gang vocals on a few songs. Return to hardcore!"
On October 14, an e-mail was sent out to the official mailing list telling fans that the new album would be titled "Skeletons" and would be released in early 2010. The e-mail stated:
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />Lots of big HH news for you today folks!
For starters, we will release our new album, titled "Skeletons", in early 2010! Secondly, as you should know already, we're kicking off Never Sleep Again '09 with Just Surrender, Monty Are I, Punchline, Anarbor, and Nightbeast on November 2! Get your tickets here and get them today because we will be giving away a limited amount of collectible download cards at each show which include one of our new songs, "Unforgivable" along with some other goodies.
This is your first chance to hear some of our new music, so make sure you get your tickets early and get to the shows early, because once they're gone, you'll have to wait until the album comes out! We'll see you this Fall!
Not all of the bands mentioned, however, ended up joining Hawthorne Heights for the 2009 Never Sleep Again tour.
As promised, download cards for the song "Unforgivable" were distributed while on tour. In addition, a song entitled "End of the Underground" has been performed live.
After the Never Sleep Again 2009 tour, frontman JT began performing several solo acoustic shows with songs he had written outside of Hawthorne Heights.
The track listing for the album was announced on February 5, 2010. "Skeletons" was released on June 1, 2010. According to JT Woodruff's February "SayNow" voice message (also uploaded on the band's Twitter), Micah Carli plays ukulele, mandolin, and various other "weird instruments" in the lute family for many of the bonus tracks on "Skeletons".
Victory Records announced the release date for their "best of" compilation of Hawthorne Heights songs, entitled "". The album was released on November 9, 2010, and contains 16 songs taken from the band's first three Victory Records' studio albums.
Cardboard Empire and EP trilogy (2011–2012).
In July 2011, Hawthorne Heights parted ways with Wind-up Records and created their own record label, Cardboard Empire. The band will be self-releasing a trilogy of EPs, beginning with "Hate", released August 23, 2011. Each EP will be released within four or five months of the prior release. Between releases the band will embark on various North American tours.
On August 11, 2011, the album art and track listing for "Hate" was revealed. The next day the band premiered one of the EP's tracks, "Four White Walls". The EP leaked onto the internet on August 21, 2011. Hawthorne Heights plans to release a music video for each track from "Hate", the first for the song "Is This What You Wanted?".
On April 24, 2012, the band announced that the second EP in the trilogy, titled "Hope", would be released on June 5, 2012. They also announced dates for their Summer of Hope tour, in support of the EP, which began on June 1 and will end on July 14. Their first single from "Hope", entitled "New Winter", is the only song by Hawthorne Heights to be featured on MTV in almost 5 years. During their Autumn of Hope European tour, they did an interview in a bathtub.
"Zero", line-up changes and "Bad Frequencies" (2013–2020).
It was announced that the band has signed with Red Entertainment. They released a new album titled "Zero" on June 25, 2013. The band played at Vans Warped Tour 2013 on all dates. It was as part of this announcement that Mark McMillon of The Story Changes was formally introduced as part of the band, though he had been a touring member for many years.
On June 1, exactly 10 years after Hawthorne Heights' debut album "The Silence in Black and White" was released, an acoustic version of the album was released via InVogue Records. The band embarked on a tour to celebrate the albums 10-year anniversary, kicking off the European leg in Fibber Magees, Dublin, Ireland. On June 18, it was announced that Eron Bucciarelli had parted ways from the band shortly after its release. On January 20, 2015, it was announced Micah Carli had also departed. On February 13, it was announced on the band's Facebook page that they are recording new material. The Band performed at Emo Nite LA in March 2018. "Hurt", the final part of the EP trilogy was released on September 18, 2015. "Pink Hearts" was made available for streaming on March 1, 2018. The group's next album, "Bad Frequencies", was released on April 27 through Pure Noise Records. The band supported Silverstein on their 15-year anniversary tour of their debut album "When Broken Is Easily Fixed".
"The Rain Just Follows Me" and "Lost Lights" EP (2021–present).
During their first post-pandemic tour with peers Bayside and Senses Fail, the band released their 7th full-length album titled "The Rain Just Follows Me" on September 10, 2021, via Pure Noise Records. The 10-song LP was produced by Grammy-winning producer Cameron Webb. The album's lead single, "Constant Dread", features guest vocals by Counterparts frontman Brendan Murphy.
On September 8, 2023, the band released a 5-track EP called "Lost Lights".
Musical style and influences.
Traditionally, Hawthorne Heights' music has been characterized as "angst-fueled." The band has been categorized as emo, post-hardcore, screamo, and pop-punk. Likewise, Hawthorne Heights's albums have been tagged as alternative rock by iTunes. Hawthorne Heights also have been described as indie rock and indie emo. Eron Bucciarelli, the band's drummer, noted that the band's sound has "always been pigeon holed as emo or screamo". In the same interview he said that the band prefers to be referred to simply as "a rock band".
While commenting on the band's first album, "The Silence in Black and White", Eron said that the "triple guitar attack" allows them to "add a lot of layering effects and intricacies to our music along with legitimately pulling in different musical styles." The album also includes feminine backing vocals provided by band member Micah Carli's sister, Graci Carli. This gave many of the songs a broader emotional spectrum not limited by gender.
Hawthorne Heights began to be recognized as melodic hardcore due to the release of "If Only You Were Lonely". After "softening their lyrical stance, incorporating melancholy keyboards and adding upbeat melodies that were a perfect counterbalance to their screaming backup chants" their unique sound became more recognized.
Even after the death of one of the guitarists, Hawthorne Heights continued to allow its sound to evolve. With the release of "Fragile Future", the band used elements of power pop. Hawthorne Heights' fourth album, "Skeletons", stylistically reverts to "music similar to their first two albums", yet is much softer. The album, however, "refuses to stomp over old ground" by incorporating "electro" and "pop punk" elements into a few of the tracks. The album also "broke new ground by adding a unique electronica sound." In addition, various other musical styles are incorporated into "Skeletons". The acclaimed blues rock track, "Gravestones," opens with "uncharacteristic western acoustics, and then delves into a more fascinating chorus, leaving the wild wild west sound and replacing it with pianos and ethereal presence."
After forming their own record label, Hawthorne Heights made plans to release a trilogy of EPs. The first of the trilogy, "Hate", lyrically deals with feelings of hate, anger, and solitude. According to Woodruff, "Hate" features more "aggressive songs" that are "a lot heavier than anything we've ever done." The EP has been compared to other screamo albums, such as releases by Senses Fail. Screamed vocals and breakdowns are prominent features throughout the album, reflecting the musical style of the band's first two albums. One review states "this aggressive side, dormant for the past few years, has finally boiled over all at once."
Hawthorne Heights' influences include Sunny Day Real Estate, Metallica, The Get Up Kids, Taking Back Sunday, The Beatles, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Blink-182, Death Cab for Cutie, Tool, Jimmy Eat World, and Iron Maiden.
Controversy.
Incident with Ne-Yo.
In February 2006, as the band was readying the release of "If Only You Were Lonely", Victory Records issued two statements to fans through the band's mailing lists as well as their MySpace profile, stating that "ROCK music needs your support" and that "the No. 1 slot belongs to us." They also pleaded with fans to go into chain stores and make sure Hawthorne Heights CDs are in stock and to sabotage the sales count of Ne-Yo's record "In My Own Words", which was being released the same day. The statement said:
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />As for Ne-Yo, the name of the game is to decrease the chances of a sale here. If you were to pick up a handful of Ne-Yo CDs, as if you were about to buy them, but then changed your mind and didn't bother to put them back in the same place, that would work. Even though this record will be heavily stocked and you might not be able to move all the stock, just relocating a handful creates issues: Even though the store will appear to be out of stock, the computer will see it as in stock and not re-order the title once it sells down and then Ne-Yo will lose a few sales later in the week.
They ended their rallying cry by quoting Winston Churchill: "Victory at all costs, Victory in spite of all terror, Victory however long and hard the road may be; for without Victory, there is no survival."
Later, group members claimed that the statements were issued by their record label without their consent.
On August 7, 2006, the band announced they would be leaving Victory Records, and sued the label for breach of contract, copyright and trademark infringement, fraud and abuse.
Victory Records then countersued for breach of contract and libel in September 2006.
In October 2006, a Chicago judge dismissed two of the three main claims in the band's suit, ruling that the trademark and copyright violation allegations were unsound.
On March 5, 2007, a federal judge in Chicago ruled that Victory Records does "not" hold exclusive rights for the band's recording services and that the band can record for any label. Specifically, the Judge stated: "The agreement contains no exclusivity provision, nor does any of its language appear to prevent [the band] from recording elsewhere during the life of the agreement".
The judge later reaffirmed this ruling on May 17, 2007, stating that Hawthorne Heights is still contractually bound to deliver two albums to Victory, but may record albums which are released elsewhere.
Wild Justice Records lawsuit.
On October 16, 2007, Wild Justice Records sued Hawthorne Heights for breach of an oral contract, stemming from a dispute over the management company's share of the band's revenues.
Band members.
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References.
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Saying Sorry
"Saying Sorry" is a song by American rock band Hawthorne Heights. It was released on May 22, 2006, as the debut single from their second studio album, "If Only You Were Lonely". "Saying Sorry" was released to radio on January 31, 2006. The song peaked at #7 on the "Billboard" Alternative Songs Chart.
References.
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Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry
1996 single by Ace of Base
"Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" is a song by Swedish band Ace of Base, released as a single on 11 March 1996. It was the third single taken from the band's second album, "The Bridge" (1995). In Europe, the song peaked at number six in Hungary, number 12 in Denmark and number 17 in Finland. In the US, it reached number six on the "Billboard" Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. And in Canada, it peaked at number 53 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.
Background.
The song was written by band member Jonas Berggren, who was hoping to reproduce the flavour of their 1993 hit "All That She Wants". He specifically mentions the similarities between the two songs in the liner notes of the booklet for "The Bridge" album. He said, "We decided early on to do an "All That She Wants" arrangement and drums because it's always fun to have something old on a new record."
Chart performance.
"Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" didn't reach the same level of success as "Lucky Love" and "Beautiful Life", but was a notable hit. It made it to the top 10 in Hungary, where it hit number six. Additionally, the single was a top 20 hit in Denmark and Finland, a top 30 hit in the band's native Sweden and a top 40 hit in Iceland. It didn't chart on the UK Singles Chart in the UK, but peaked at number 78 on the Eurochart Hot 100. Outside Europe, "Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" reached number seven on the "RPM" Dance/Urban chart and number 53 on the Canadian Hot 100 in Canada, number six on the "Billboard" Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and number 18 on the "Billboard" Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart in the United States, number 12 in Chile and number 79 in Australia.
Critical reception.
J.D. Considine from "The Baltimore Sun" felt that the song "tops its "All That She Wants"-style arrangement with a vocal so tinged with regret that it's hard not to wince at the irony in lines like "I will make you happy, make you laugh."" Steve Baltin from "Cash Box" wrote that songs like "Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" "work because the band downplays the dance sound, displaying some nice understated pop hooks." Larry Flick from "Billboard" described it as a "wise single selection" from the act's current album, "The Bridge". He added that it "takes this Swedish foursome right back where they began—chirping atop a glossy reggae/pop melody that instantly triggers memories of the breakthrough hit "All That She Wants". It worked once, and chances are good that it will work again. Even the act's harshest critics will have to admit that the hook is instantly memorable."
Dave Sholin from the "Gavin Report" concluded with that "by providing the planet with all that it wants in the realm of pop music, this Swedish foursome has yet to disappoint its ever-growing legion of fans. Thanks to the creative power of Jonas Berggren, the Ace of Base sound remains distinctive without getting stale. Early spins paint a positive future for single number three from "The Bridge"." Robbie Daw from "Idolator" described it as a "bouncy" tune. Brian A. Gnatt from "The Michigan Daily" stated that the song "carries through with the good ol' familiar style". Pan-European magazine "Music & Media" noted it as a "mid-tempo dance tune with a dominant, deep beat and the bouncy melodies which have become Ace of Base's musical trademark. Short and snappy, this single can be played at any time of the day." Bob Waliszewski of "Plugged In (publication)" commented in his review, that on the song, "the singer refuses to compromise who she is". Chuck Campbell from "Scripps Howard News Service" wrote that "Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" "is an unapologetic and propulsive reworking of the band's "All That She Wants". It stands to be another smash."
Music video.
The accompanying music video for the song was directed by British director Richard Heslop and released in 1996. The video includes computer-generated imagery and mirror effects designed to make the video feel like a funhouse, much like the video for ABBA's "SOS". In the USA the video was never released as Arista Records was dissatisfied with the video and opted not to release one to accompany the single release.
In Europe the single was accompanied by a short promotion tour by the band and two alternate videos. In the USA the only promotion consisted of tiny misspelled stickers on the CD packaging, although the record company did send out promotional copies of the Sweetbox Radio Mix to radio stations. With the band members away in Europe and with no other form of promotion, the single failed to enter the official US charts, peaking at #106. It was the first Ace of Base single to fail to chart inside of the Top 40 in the US.
Though the US version of the "Lucky Love" video was filmed later, "Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" was chronologically the last video that was released with major participation from Malin. It was later published on Ace of Base's official YouTube channel in January 2015. As of August 2023, the video has amassed more than 22 million views on Youtube.
Track listings.
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Hard to Say I'm Sorry
1982 single by Chicago
"Hard to Say I'm Sorry" is a 1982 power ballad by American rock band Chicago. It was written by bassist Peter Cetera, who also sang the lead vocals on the track, and producer David Foster. It was released on May 17, 1982, as the lead single from the album "Chicago 16". On September 11 of that year, it reached No. 1 for two weeks on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It was the group's second No. 1 single. It was their first top 50 hit since "No Tell Lover" in 1978 and it spent twelve weeks in the top 5 of the "Billboard" Hot 100. The single was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in September of the same year. Songwriter Cetera, a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), won an ASCAP Pop Music Award for the song in the category, Most Performed Songs.
History.
The song, as well as the album on which it is featured, was a marked departure from Chicago's traditional soft rock, horn-driven sound, taking on a polished and modern feel. With minimal horns, the track instead featured more layered synthesizers and heavier distorted guitar in a 1980s power ballad styling. A second movement of the song, "Get Away", prominently does feature the Chicago horns, and it was co-written by Robert Lamm.
Deviating from Chicago's practice of having mostly band members playing on their albums, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" featured several session musicians. The song featured producer David Foster on the piano, Michael Landau and Chris Pinnick on guitars as well as two members of the American rock band Toto, including David Paich and Steve Porcaro both contributing synthesizers. The song's vocals were performed by Peter Cetera, who also plays acoustic guitar. The only other member of Chicago besides Cetera that played on the track was drummer Danny Seraphine.
"Billboard" called it a "stately pop ballad" with "even more of an orchestral sweep than usual."
The song was also featured as the ending theme in the movie and soundtrack for "Summer Lovers", a 1982 film written and directed by Randal Kleiser, starring Peter Gallagher, Daryl Hannah and Valerie Quennessen, and filmed on location on the island of Santorini, Greece.
Music video.
Chicago made a music video for the song. According to Cetera, the videos for "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" and "Love Me Tomorrow" were shot on the same day. The band appears in a black colored room with diamonds on the wall.
Charts.
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Az Yet version.
American R&B group Az Yet included a cover version of "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" on their 1996 self-titled debut album, which was produced by Babyface. A remix version by David Foster was released as a single on February 3, 1997 and features vocals from Peter Cetera. Foster won a BMI Pop Award for this version. The song peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart and number eight on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It reached platinum status and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Performance by an R&B Group or Duo with Vocal. Aside from the David Foster remix, the single includes the album version (without Cetera), an a cappella version, and an extended remix.
Track listing.
CD-single
Charts.
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References.
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Say Anything (band)
American rock band
Say Anything is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band was formed in 2000 by Max Bemis and his friends, and within two years, they had self-released two EPs and a full-length album.
In 2003, the band signed with their first label, Doghouse Records. A year later, they released their second album, "...Is a Real Boy". To support the album, they picked up new members and began touring; however, despite rapidly growing critical and fan acclaim, Bemis' health problems, including bipolar disorder and drug addictions, sidelined the band in 2005 as five band members left during the year.
Say Anything signed with J Records in 2005 and, following Bemis' successful rehabilitation, re-released "...Is a Real Boy" with their new label. They went on co-headlining tours with Saves the Day in 2006 and Hellogoodbye in 2007. In 2008, Say Anything went on a headlining tour across the US and UK and appeared on every date of Warped Tour.
Bemis announced Say Anything's disbandment in 2018, months before the 2019 release of their eighth LP, "Oliver Appropriate". The band reunited in 2022 and released their ninth album, "...Is Committed", in 2024.
History.
Early years (2000–2004).
The band was formed in 2000 by Max Bemis and four of his friends as Sayanything. Within two years, they self-released two EPs, "Junior Varsity" and "In Your Dreams", and the full-length "Baseball: An Album by Sayanything".
In 2002, Sayanything added a space to their name to become Say Anything. In late 2002, Bemis and Linder recorded the "Menorah/Majora" EP and released the album online. By this point, Say Anything's releases had generated "a major bidding war". Drive-Thru Records pursued the band and called Max Bemis "the next Bob Dylan." Brett Gurewitz of Epitaph Records recorded "A Boston Peace," one of the dorm-room demos, with the band. In early 2003, Say Anything signed with Doghouse Records stating sarcastically that Doghouse "put out such obscure, borderline D.I.Y. records as "The All-American Rejects"."
After signing with the label, Bemis began writing songs for his band's Doghouse debut. Bemis went into the studio with Florida producer Paul Trust. They recorded 3 songs that were not released although one of the songs entitled "Spider Song" would later appear on a Doghouse compilation. With tremendous self-created pressure, he threw himself into pushing the sonic boundaries of the band and maturing their sound, incorporating elements of math-rock, indie-pop and theatrical pomp. He and Linder also started the search for a producer. The two met several