Get New York City Transit Info on Google Maps
Bronx, Brooklyn, Google Maps, Manhattan, MTA, New York City, NY Subwat, Queens, Staten Island
John McCain Totally Pwned That Guy Obama in the Last Debate
Alaska, Biden, debate, Election 2008, Obama, Palin, PoliticsBatman Surfing
Comic Books, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Music, Music Scoring, Musician, Television, VideoNeal Hefti dies at 85; former big band trumpeter, arranger and composer
By Dennis McLellan
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 15, 2008
Neal Hefti, a former big band trumpeter, arranger and composer who worked with Count Basie and Woody Herman and later composed the memorable themes for the movie “The Odd Couple” and the campy hit TV series “Batman,” has died. He was 85.
Hefti died Saturday at his home in Toluca Lake, said his son, Paul. He did not know the cause of death, but said his father had been in good health.
“Everybody in the music business loved Neal Hefti,” radio and television personality Gary Owens, a longtime friend, told The Times on Tuesday.
“He was one of the really great arrangers and composers of all time,” Owens said. “He worked with all those guys — Charlie Spivak, Harry James, Woody Herman — and he made arrangements that were just spectacular.”
Described as “one of the most influential big band arrangers of the 1940s and ’50s” in “The Encyclopedia of Popular Music,” Hefti turned his attention to composing for film and television in the 1960s.
Among his credits as a film composer are “Sex and the Single Girl,” “Harlow” (one of his most famous tunes, “Girl Talk,” came out of the score), “How to Murder Your Wife,” “Boeing Boeing,” “Duel at Diablo,” “Barefoot in the Park,” “A New Leaf,” “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” and “The Odd Couple,” whose theme he reprised for the 1970s TV series.
Hefti also gained wide notice for composing the energetic title theme for “Batman,” the over-the-top 1966-68 superhero series that became an overnight sensation.
It was, Hefti later said, the hardest piece of music he ever wrote.
“I tore up a lot of paper,” he told Jon Burlingame, author of “TV’s Biggest Hits,” a 1996 book on television themes. “It did not come easy to me. . . . I just sweated over that thing, more so than any other single piece of music I ever wrote. I was never satisfied with it.”
“Batman,” he said, “was not a comedy. This was about unreal people. Batman and Robin were both very, very serious. The bad guys would be chasing them, and they would come to a stop at a red light, you know. They wouldn’t break the law even to save their own lives. So there was a grimness and a self-righteousness about all this.”
Hefti said it took him “the better part of a month” to come up with the theme.
“I was almost going to call them and say, I can’t do it,” he said. “But I never walk out on projects, so I sort of forced myself to finish.”
Hefti’s “musical solution to a combined dramatic and comedic problem,” Burlingame wrote in his book, “was perfect: bass guitar, low brass and percussion to create a driving rhythm, while an eight-voice chorus sings ‘Batman!’ in harmony with the trumpets. It was part serious, part silly: just like the series.”
Hefti’s “Batman” tune became a Top 40 hit — for both the Hefti and the Marketts’ versions — and won a 1966 Grammy Award for best instrumental theme.
The son of a traveling salesman, Hefti was born Oct. 29, 1922, in Hastings, Neb. He began playing the trumpet at age 11.
His family was poor, and in high school he started playing in local bands during summer vacation to help his family financially.
Hefti began writing arrangements in high school for local bands, and some of his arrangements also were used by the Earl Hines band.
In 1941, two days before his high school graduation, Hefti was asked to tour with the Dick Barry band, which had lost some of its musicians to the military.
The short-lived job ended in New Jersey. But other band jobs followed, including playing with the Bob Astor, Charlie Barnet, Bobby Byrne, Horace Heidt and Charlie Spivak bands.
Hefti, who was classified 4-F during World War II after being hit by a car in New York and breaking his pelvis, joined Woody Herman’s band in 1944.
He did the arrangements for many of the Herman band’s popular recordings, including composing and arranging “The Good Earth” and “Wild Root.” He also co-arranged, with Ralph Burns, “Caldonia.”
In 1945, Hefti married the Herman band’s lead female vocalist, Frances Wayne. They remained married until her death in 1978.
Hefti formed his own band in 1951, with his wife as lead vocalist. But after two years of touring, he returned to arranging and studio work.
As a composer and arranger for Basie in the 1950s, Hefti composed numerous tunes that were featured on various Basie albums.
That included the Grammy Award-winning album “Basie,” which Hefti produced. Known as “Atomic Basie” because of the atomic explosion pictured on the cover, the album featured 11 songs composed and arranged by Hefti, including “Splanky,” “Kid From Red Bank” and “Lil’ Darlin,” which Hefti wrote for his daughter.
“If it weren’t for Neal Hefti,” legendary trumpeter Miles Davis said in a 1955 interview, “the Basie band wouldn’t sound as good as it does.”
As head of A&R (Artists and Repertoire) at Reprise in the early ’60s, Hefti arranged and conducted “Sinatra and Basie: A Historical Musical First” and “Sinatra and Swingin’ Brass.”
Hefti retired in 1976.
In addition to his son Paul, a music composer, Hefti is survived by a brother, Joe; a sister, Pat Wacha; and three grandchildren.
Services will be private.
Instead of flowers, Paul Hefti suggests that donations be made to Boys Town, P.O. Box 145-Memorial, Boys Town, NE 68010, or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123. Both Hefti’s wife and daughter, Dr. Marguerita Hefti, died of cancer.
McCain Tries To Blame Financial Crisis On Democratic Takeover Of Congress In 2007
Wall Street
In April, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) claimed that “you could make an argument that there’s been great progress economically” since President Bush took office. He then revised that argument in August, releasing an ad that declared “we’re worse off than we were four years ago.”
Now McCain is revising his timeline again. In an interview with right-wing radio host Michael Medved this past Friday, McCain agreed with Medved’s assertion that “the economy was really progressing pretty well under most of President Bush’s term” before Democrats took control of Congress in January 2007:
MEDVED: Let me ask you one other thing senator, which again, I think is on the minds of lots and lots of our listeners. The economy was really progressing pretty well under most of President Bush’s term. Then the Democrats took over in Congress in 2007 and now we’re in this horrible crisis. Coincidence?
MCCAIN: No, it isn’t.
McCain went on to place the blame for the financial crisis on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, claiming that Democrats “were willing co-conspirators with this game of three-card monty that went on and then it collapsed.” Listen to it here:
Medved and McCain’s claim that “the economy was progressing really well” before Democrats took control of Congress is laughable. As Center for American Progress Senior Fellow Christian Weller’s economic snapshot from December 2006 shows, the economy was already in rough shape:
Famly Debt Was Rising: By September 2006, household debt rose to an unprecedented 130.9% of disposable income. From March 2001 to September 2006, personal debt relative to disposable income grew each quarter by 1.6 percentage points—almost five times faster than in the 1990s. In the second quarter of 2006, families had to spend 14.4% of their disposable income to service their debt—the largest share since 1980.
The Housing Market Had Slowed: The supply of homes for sale each month averaged 6.9 months of supply for the six months ending in October 2006—the largest supply since 1991.
Savings Had Plummeted: The personal saving rate of -1.3% in the third quarter of 2006 marked the sixth quarter in a row with a negative personal saving rate.
As for McCain’s claim that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the central cause of the current economic crisis, McClatchy thoroughly debunked it over the weekend, writing that “private sector loans, not Fannie or Freddie, triggered crisis.” McClatchy notes that the “weakening of underwriting standards for U.S. subprime mortgages” began in late 2004 while Republicans controlled both the House and the Senate.
Transcript:
MEDVED: Let me ask you one other thing senator, which again, I think is on the minds of lots and lots of our listeners. The economy was really progressing pretty well under most of President Bush’s term. Then the Democrats took over in Congress in 2007 and now we’re in this horrible crisis. Coincidence?
MCCAIN: No, it isn’t. Although, as you know, and you and I have had this discussion in the past, the Bush administration let these spending bills be signed and him not doing what Ronald Reagan used to do and that is veto them, make them famous, and fight against it. But also, more interestingly, 2006, there was a group of us, as a result of an investigation, and I think it was the Inspector General, that said, look, this Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are completely out of control, if we don’t do something about it, we’re going to have an incredible financial crisis. And we sent a letter about it. We introduced legislation to rein them in and Senator Obama at the time said that these subprime loans were, quote, “a good idea.” And the Democrats in Congress were specifically talking about, the ones who got all the money, were defending, defending, and saying we can’t re-regulations on Fannie and Freddie and were actually encouraging, as you know, people to borrow money that they couldn’t pay back. A fundamental of economics, so they were willing co-conspirators with this game of three-card monty that went on and then it collapsed, you know.
Did PBS bury controversial torture documentary under pressure from Bush administration?
Abu Graib, Dick Cheney, Election 2008, George W. Bush, Guantanamo, Johh Yoo, John Ashcroft, PBS, Politics, TortureTHINK PROGRESS
Scott Horton reports today that PBS may have refused to nationally air a controversial documentary on the use of torture by the U.S. government in order to protect its funding. Previously, the Bush administration threatened to cut PBS’s funding after it aired Bush’s War, a Frontline special critical of the war in Iraq:
On Thursday evening WNET in New York will air an important new documentary by Emmy and Dupont Award winning producer Sherry Jones entitled “Torturing Democracy.” It appears on WNET and several other affiliates independently because PBS would not run the show. […]
According to producer Sherry Jones, PBS told her that “no time slot could be found for the documentary before January 21, 2009″ — the day after George W. Bush and Dick Cheney leave office.
Watch a clip from Torturing Democracy here.
Tina Fey Unsure Whether She Will Portray Palin This Weekend on Saturday Night Live
Comedy, Sarah Palin, SNL, Tina Fey, Video
By FRAZIER MOORE
AP TELEVISION WRITERNEW YORK — It’s the question dominating the political scene: When will Tina Fey be back on “Saturday Night Live”?
“I don’t know,” Fey said.
Over coffee Tuesday during a rare morning off from her NBC sitcom, “30
Rock,” Fey noted that “SNL” will be on live this Saturday, as well as
airing a 9:30 p.m. EDT Thursday edition, but as to whether she will
take part in either broadcast, “I haven’t heard.” (A spokesman for the
NBC late-night comedy show echoed her comments.)
The former “SNL” cast member/head writer thus far has been drafted for three
appearances as Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The
sketches were a huge hit for the show and Fey alike.
“It’s been really fun,” she said, “and really freeing since I don’t actually work there anymore.”
But it’s put an extra burden on her already heavy workload at “30 Rock,”
where she’s an executive producer and writer as well as star.
“Thankfully, the `SNL’ schedule is the opposite of the `30 Rock’ schedule, so I can go to `SNL’ around 10:30 Friday night and rehearse,” she said,
explaining that the Palin pieces were written by current “SNL” head
writer Seth Meyers. “Then on Saturday, I go in around 4 o’clock.”
For her most recent appearance (on Oct. 4) “I had a `30 Rock’ writer come
for the dress rehearsal. I did my sketch, worked on the `30 Rock’
outline with the writer, then did the live show.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Fey added with a laugh. “But it does catch up with you by Sunday.”
Fey hopes the attention drawn to her Palin impersonation will bring more
viewers to “30 Rock,” which begins its third season Oct. 30.
“When people say, `Oh, I love you on your show,’ I say, ‘”Saturday Night
Live” isn’t my show. But there’s another show that will be back on
soon, and it’s called “30 Rock.”‘
“I should go to Kinko’s and make some fliers,” she cracked.
Fey believes her portrayal of the Alaska governor has “been responsible and really pretty gentle.”
As demand builds for another Palin spoof, Fey said: “I don’t know how much
more I should do or could do, so I’m taking it week by week.
“It’s getting large, it’s getting too large, the question `Are you gonna show up? Are you gonna do it?’
“I don’t know,” Fey said. “I’ve got a lot of `30 Rock’ work to do!”
—
NBC is owned by General Electric.
—
On the Net:
It's an Eminence Front, Dress Yourself to Kill
StoriesPeople Forget….
Alec Baldwin on SNL | "It's A Great Time To Invest"
StoriesEntourage Producer Mark Wahlberg Gets Owned By Andy Samberg
Comedy, Samberg, SNL, VideoInstant Classic!
As the kids say, pwned….
Vodpod videos no longer available.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Win a Playoff Game Before a Record-Breaking Crowd and Vin Scully at Chavez Ravine
Stories
Dodgers Beat Phillies, Fight Way Back Into NLCS
LOS ANGELES (AP) -Tired of getting brushed back in the NL championship series, Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers came out ready to fight their way back against Philadelphia.
Blake DeWitt’s bases-loaded triple off Jamie Moyer capped a five-run first inning, and the feisty Dodgers beat the Phillies 7-2 on Sunday night to trim Philadelphia’s lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
The benches and bullpens emptied moments after Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda threw a pitch over Shane Victorino’s head, with an angry Ramirez barking at the Phillies during the dustup.
But there were no punches or ejections, and the Dodgers played with poise all night.
Kuroda pitched effectively into the seventh for Los Angeles, which will try to even the series Monday night. Game 1 loser Derek Lowe, working on three days’ rest, will face Philadelphia’s Joe Blanton in a matchup of right-handers.
Kuroda buzzed Victorino in the third, apparently an attempt to retaliate for Philadelphia’s Brett Myers throwing behind Ramirez in Game 2.
Plate umpire Mike Everitt immediately warned both teams. Victorino shouted at Kuroda while pointing at his own head and upper body as if to say: “It’s OK to throw at my body, but not my head.”
Victorino grounded out to first baseman Nomar Garciaparra and then exchanged words with Kuroda near the bag. Both dugouts emptied and the bullpens followed, but no punches were thrown and there were no ejections.
Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa and Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes appeared to be two of the angriest participants in the near-scuffle, yelling at each other before the teams cleared the field. Ramirez also came in from left field to bark at the Phillies and had to be restrained by teammates, manager Joe Torre and an umpire.
Myers threw behind Ramirez in the first inning of Game 2 on Friday, and Los Angeles’ Russell Martin was brushed back as well. The soft-tossing Moyer hit Martin with a pitch in the first inning Sunday night, and reliever Clay Condrey knocked down the Dodgers’ catcher in the second.
Martin was hit by another pitch in the seventh, by Chad Durbin, drawing a boos from the crowd and prompting Ramirez to climb to the top step of the dugout, but he took first base without incident.
The Phillies and Dodgers don’t have a recent history of animosity, unlike Boston and Tampa Bay, the ALCS participants. The Red Sox and Rays have played two peaceful games in their series after a nasty brawl in June.
The Phillies and Dodgers have played 11 times this year including eight in the regular season, with the home team winning every game. And the Dodgers’ 23-9 record at home after the All-Star break was the best in the majors.
Kuroda, a 33-year-old rookie making just the second postseason start of a career that includes 11 years in the Japanese Central League, gave up only five hits and two runs with one walk and three strikeouts before being relieved by Cory Wade with two on and nobody out in the seventh. Wade retired the next three batters to end the inning.
Kuroda worked 6 1-3 shutout innings in the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory over the Cubs in the division-clincher Oct. 4. He was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against the Phillies during the regular season, allowing four hits and two runs in 13 innings.
The 45-year-old Moyer, who became the oldest pitcher to start a league championship game, lasted only 1 1-3 innings for his shortest outing since July 4, 1998 and gave up six hits and six runs.
The Dodgers had a 1-0 lead by the time Moyer had thrown five pitches on singles by Rafael Furcal, Andre Ethier and Ramirez. Casey Blake singled in another run before DeWitt lined a 2-2 pitch into the right field corner to clear the bases and send the towel-waving, blue-clad fans at Dodger Stadium into a frenzy.
The Phillies got a run in the second on Ryan Howard’s leadoff double and a two-out, RBI single by Pedro Feliz, but Furcal hit Moyer’s first pitch over the left-center field wall to make it 6-1.
Moyer’s night was done after he retired Ethier on a fly to center. Six of the 11 batters Moyer faced hit safely, and he also hit a batter.
Nomar Garciaparra, making his first start of the postseason, hit a two-out, RBI single off J.A. Happ in the fourth to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 7-1.
The Phillies didn’t have a base runner after Feliz’s second-inning hit until Chase Utley doubled to start the seventh. Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell followed with singles to make it 7-2 and chase Kuroda. Wade worked out of trouble by striking out Jayson Werth before retiring Feliz on a fly to center and pinch hitter Greg Dobbs on a grounder to short.
Utley drew a two-out walk in the first for his fifth free pass in six plate appearances dating back to Game 2, and was thrown out trying to steal with Howard batting. It was the first attempted stolen base by either team in the series.
Ramirez, who entered with 18 hits in 53 at-bats 10 homers and 20 RBIs against Moyer in his career, raised his postseason RBI total to 72 – eight shy of Bernie Williams’ record. Ramirez also walked twice and flied to right.
The announced attendance of 56,800 – 800 over listed capacity – was the largest crowd in Dodger Stadium history. Tiger Woods was a guest in Dodgers owner Frank McCourt’s box, wearing a Dodgers cap and NL West division champions T-shirt.
Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the last time the Dodgers won the NLCS, shutting out the New York Mets 6-0 in Game 7 at home. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series, beating Oakland in five games. This is the first time they’ve advanced past the first round since that time.
Notes: Moyer, who turns 46 next month, became the second-oldest pitcher to start a postseason game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The oldest was Jack Quinn, who was 46 years, 99 days when he started Game 4 of the 1929 World Series for the Philadelphia A’s. … The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by Steve Garvey, Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey, who made up the Dodgers’ infield for a big league-record 8 1/2 seasons and played in the World Series in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1981 World Series. … Martin stole second in the seventh for the first steal of the series.
MLB DOT COM
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers finally responded Sunday to perceived bullying tactics of the Phillies with an emotion-charged 7-2 victory in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, which was interrupted by a benches-clearing standoff in the third inning.
Blake DeWitt capped a five-run first inning with a bases-loaded triple off Jamie Moyer, who also allowed RBI singles to Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake. The Phillies answered with a run off Kuroda in the second on a double by Ryan Howard and RBI single by Pedro Feliz, but Rafael Furcal homered on Moyer’s first pitch in the bottom of the second.
Benches and bullpens cleared shortly after Kuroda threw behind the head of Phillies leadoff hitter Shane Victorino with two out in the top of the third inning, triggering a warning to Kuroda and both clubs by plate umpire Mike Everitt.
Everitt interpreted the pitch to be retaliation for Phillies reliever Clay Condrey knocking down Russell Martin with a pitch at his chin in the bottom of the second inning. It was the second knockdown this series of Martin, who also was hit by a Moyer curveball in the first inning Sunday.
Hiroki Kuroda, who triggered the confrontation with a retaliatory purpose pitch, allowed one run over six-plus innings, another clutch postseason start after he beat the Cubs in the clincher of the NL Division Series last weekend.
The New York Herald Sun 