Happy Birthday, Jerry Houser!

OK!  Maybe NOT the greatest actor in the world, but the guy has certainly carved out a niche for himself in the voice-over industry.  Plus, he was in one of THE greatest sports movies of ALL time:  “Slap Shot”!  (Dave “Killer” Carlson)

He somehow had an early shot, as a toddler, in an episode of “I Married Joan”.  Then had a normal childhood until the age of 18-19 when he landed the role of Oscy in “Summer of ’42”.  After that he’s had very steady work in both the movies and especially in television.  Lacking in leading man looks, he has been *gifted* with a fairly high-pitched voice, which allows him to sound, very convincingly, like the perpetual teenager.  He has also been the voice of one of the Keebler Elves (not Ernie) since 1980.  AND, the lucky stiff got to marry the girl of my  (and millions of other guys) dreams, Marcia Brady!  Not too shabby!

Here’s to you, bro!

Additional birthday wishes go out to Stan Shaw (“The Boys in Company C”) and Eric Laneuville (“The Omega Man”).  Both of these guys ARE very good actors, and have had very steady careers.  They both had some recurring roles on one of my favorite television shows “Hill Street Blues”.  Eric is actually enjoying a second career, and is in great demand, as a television director.

And, how about Chris Cross of Ultravox!?!?  (“Reap the Wild Wind” and “The Voice”)

All these cats are 58 years old today!  I wonder what was going on around Thanksgiving 1951???

YUR

(Treasonous?) Cryptoquote Spoiler – 07/14/10

“Let us not look back in anger, or forward in fear, but around in awareness.”   — James Thurber

(I’m sure that’s what most right wingers – and some factions of our federal government – would say of this.  Not to mention a certain incongruous “state” on the eastern Mediterranean.)   — YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 07/14/10

Visual Description:  Woman expressing her concern for the skycap.

CAINP  =  PANIC,  ORGUP  =  GROUP,  JELIGG  =  JIGGLE,  GLEFUN  =  ENGULF   —   Giving us:   PIRPIGNG

Clue/Question:  The baggage handler found his job was . . .

Answer:  “GRIPPING“

(Nice scrambling of the answer letters.  But, this one didn’t exactly have me on the edge of my seat.)   — YUR ;~p