Friday, October 14, 2022

Mad House Party

Started off the morning with breakfast and Charlie & Lola. Charlie shows Lola his first-prize-winning rocket made from recycled objects. He's proud of his creation, and is furious when his sister breaks it, despite him clearly telling her not to touch it. "It Wasn't Me!" claims Lola, first blaming a toy elephant, then her imaginary friend Soren Lorenson, before finally confessing the truth.

Made a few e-mails and text first. E-mailed Vanessa at Abilities Solutions about their finding me a job. She e-mailed me back later in the day to say they're just about ready. Their report should be in the mail next week. Had less luck with Jodie. She says the funeral home that creamated Dad should have the death certificate. 

Spent the rest of the morning working on Acting Blank. Gene admits that, while he loves hosting Match Game, he feels a bit typecasted. He's gotten work on a few TV shows (including The Love Boat), but what he really wants is a soap opera. Bill's only real interest is in broadcasting. He'd tried other businesses that hadn't worked out. 

Broke for lunch at noon. Watched Match Game '75 while I ate. Producer and actor Sheldon Leonard, known mostly for playing tough guys and gangsters, made his only appearance on the show this week. Joining him was Cuban bombshell Louisa Moritz, who got a close-up view of Gene standing on her desk and crowing to show her what a rooster on a weather vane looked like. 

Headed out to work just as the show ended. Work was a pain. First, they put me in a register, then pulled me ten minutes later because the head bagger wanted to cashier, and I'd rather not deal with people. I'd try to sweep and gather carts, but people kept calling me to return cold items and go in for cashier's breaks. The carts got backed up because I had no time to gather them. Barely had time for the overflowing outside trash. The night bagger quit, too. Apparently, he got fed up and found a better job. Wouldn't even take his two weeks. He just left. I had no help at all once the head bagger left, and there were barely any cashiers.

Rushed home the second I could get out. Fed the cats for a friend, then had popcorn while watching Match Game '77. Patti Deustch was on a roll tonight, getting almost every answer right for once. Meanwhile, Arte Johnson and Barbara Rhodes helped the others with two tie-breaking rounds in a row. 

Heard from Mom when I got home. She texted me a photo of little Aurora. Apparently, while she's still in the hospital, she's now drinking from a bottle instead of a tube. It's only electrolytes, but it's still not a tube. Sounds like she's getting much better (and oh, is she ever cute!). 

Finished the night on Kanopy with The Old Dark House. This is the prototypical "scary house of horrors" story from 1932. A group of people are stranded in an old Welsh manor house with with a none-too-friendly older brother-sister pair and their mute hairy manservant Morgan (Boris Karloff). Morgan drinks heavily, too, and chases the ladies when he does. While Phillip Waverton (Raymond Massey) defends his wife Margaret (Gloria Stuart) against Morgan, comely chorus girl Gladys DuCane (Lillian Bond) falls for handsome playboy Roger Penderel (Melvyn Douglas). The brother and sister, however, have a secret they keep in a locked room. When Morgan lets that little secret out, all hell almost literally breaks loose!

James Whale, who also directed Frankenstein with Karloff, mixes scares with a bit of sophisticated comedy in this enjoyable hybrid. That "old dark house" really is creepy, with its creaks and groans and mysterious cackles behind locked doors. Everyone does well with the mix of scares and subtle laughs, including Douglas as the gad-about who finds himself falling for a girl and Charles Laughton as her jovial titled protector. If you're like me and prefer your scares to be on the more subtle, menacing side, this is one "old dark house" worth checking out. 

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