Topic: What are your interests/hobbies aside from classic comedies?

[HomokHarcos]

What other topics are you into? I like to see what other people like. I know Metaldams is into hard rock metal and baseball (you can elaborate more if you'd like).

I'm into the whole classic Hollywood era up to the 1970s, so I'll leave that aside for. But I'm also into:

Pro sports: Before I got into classic Hollywood this is what I mainly watched. I grew up watching the Toronto Maple Leafs with my stepdad, the Detroit Lions with my mom and the Detroit Tigers when I stayed with my aunt and uncle during the summer.
Pro wrestling: I don't watch the product anymore (there's just way too much content now, does WWE really need 7 hours of weekly programming?) but I still like to talk about 1980s and 1990s wrestling. That was my favorite period even though it was actually before my time.
Video games: Mainly a retro gamer. When games went HD and became dominated by "AAA" games I lost some of the interest.

[metaldams]

Classic horror films:  I think I’ve seen every major horror from the 30’s and 40’s.  I like all the classic actors, especially Bela Lugosi.  I like Hammer and British stuff and am getting into Italian films lately.  I love Mario Bava.

Music.  Beatles, NWOBHM, thrash metal, 70’s and 80’s hard rock.  Play bass, do covers on a YouTube channel.

Sports:  Huge Boston Red Sox fan.  Not into much else.

I was into wrestling and video games the same era you like Homok, but not much into the modern stuff.

[Shemp_Diesel]

A few of mine:

Classic horror: Mainly Universal and Hammer, although I've seen some of Vincent Price's work (and would like to delve deeper into it), especially the Roger Corman stuff. Also a big fan of Peter Lorre.

Sitcoms: Frasier, Bewitched, Sanford & Son, Get Smart, and a few more like the old A & C tv series...

Sports: Baseball, pro wrestling, the NBA and the NFL....

Music: Led Zeppelin--mainly collecting bootlegs, along with having all the studio albums. Rush, STP, Rolling Stones, basically mostly "Classic Rock,"...

[metaldams]

A few of mine:

Classic horror: Mainly Universal and Hammer, although I've seen some of Vincent Price's work (and would like to delve deeper into it), especially the Roger Corman stuff. Also a big fan of Peter Lorre.

Sitcoms: Frasier, Bewitched, Sanford & Son, Get Smart, and a few more like the old A & C tv series...

Sports: Baseball, pro wrestling, the NBA and the NFL....

Music: Led Zeppelin--mainly collecting bootlegs, along with having all the studio albums. Rush, STP, Rolling Stones, basically mostly "Classic Rock,"...

I’m a big Vincent Price fan too.  Love the Corman/Poe films and love the late 60’s - mid 70’s stuff of his.

[HomokHarcos]

Classic horror films:  I think I’ve seen every major horror from the 30’s and 40’s.  I like all the classic actors, especially Bela Lugosi.  I like Hammer and British stuff and am getting into Italian films lately.  I love Mario Bava.

Music.  Beatles, NWOBHM, thrash metal, 70’s and 80’s hard rock.  Play bass, do covers on a YouTube channel.

Sports:  Huge Boston Red Sox fan.  Not into much else.

I was into wrestling and video games the same era you like Homok, but not much into the modern stuff.

I've been wanting to watch the Hammer Frankenstein and Dracula movies. Do you know if there are box sets for them?

[metaldams]

I've been wanting to watch the Hammer Frankenstein and Dracula movies. Do you know if there are box sets for them?

Unfortunately not.  Hammer was a small studio and used various distribution companies for their films.  Sometimes with Warners or Columbia or Universal, etc.  A definitive Hammer box would involve a ton of cross licensing.

[Umbrella Sam]

Here are some of mine:

Classic cartoons: Should be pretty obvious by now, but I love the classical theatrical cartoons from Warner Bros., MGM, Disney and others. I also like some modern 2D cartoons as well, particularly the DuckTales reboot (which is sadly ending in a couple weeks ). I don’t mind 3D animation, but I find 2D animation more appealing; even though it’s done on computers now, it’s like a reminder of animation’s beginning when the simple idea was to see 2D drawings move.

Music: My favorites are obviously Elton John and the Beatles, but I love all kinds of classic rock. I like some modern stuff too, particularly the works of Adele and Sara Bareilles, but in general I feel that a lot of the stuff that’s popular these days tends to sound the same.

Sports: I only really watch baseball and sometimes hockey. I usually watch the Super Bowl, but in general I find football kind of boring. Not really a fan of wrestling either, sorry.

Books: Mainly biographies, but tying into my love for classic cartoons, I also enjoy classic Disney comics, particularly the Carl Barks Duck comics and Floyd Gottfredson’s Mickey Mouse comic strip.

Video games: Mainly Nintendo, including some modern stuff like Super Mario Maker 2. I did grow up with Pokémon, but I haven’t played any of the main series games in years (although I do still enjoy the Mystery Dungeon games). I’m not into any of those really popular games like Fortnite or Minecraft, although I do know people who do like them.

[HomokHarcos]

Here are some of mine:

Classic cartoons: Should be pretty obvious by now, but I love the classical theatrical cartoons from Warner Bros., MGM, Disney and others. I also like some modern 2D cartoons as well, particularly the DuckTales reboot (which is sadly ending in a couple weeks ). I don’t mind 3D animation, but I find 2D animation more appealing; even though it’s done on computers now, it’s like a reminder of animation’s beginning when the simple idea was to see 2D drawings move.

Music: My favorites are obviously Elton John and the Beatles, but I love all kinds of classic rock. I like some modern stuff too, particularly the works of Adele and Sara Bareilles, but in general I feel that a lot of the stuff that’s popular these days tends to sound the same.

Sports: I only really watch baseball and sometimes hockey. I usually watch the Super Bowl, but in general I find football kind of boring. Not really a fan of wrestling either, sorry.

Books: Mainly biographies, but tying into my love for classic cartoons, I also enjoy classic Disney comics, particularly the Carl Barks Duck comics and Floyd Gottfredson’s Mickey Mouse comic strip.

Video games: Mainly Nintendo, including some modern stuff like Super Mario Maker 2. I did grow up with Pokémon, but I haven’t played any of the main series games in years (although I do still enjoy the Mystery Dungeon games). I’m not into any of those really popular games like Fortnite or Minecraft, although I do know people who do like them.

The theatrical shorts of the Golden Age is still my favorite period for animation. The animation still looks very good today. I'm currently watching the Disney shorts in order and am in 1931.

[Paul Pain]

Genealogy: I have a Sicilian family tree that stretches back into the 1400s in a couple spots.  It's fun reading the old scripts and deciphering the meaning, and you get a history lesson while you're at it.

Sports: Mainly motorsports and baseball these days.  We're split between the Fish (Marlins) and Seabats (whom I call the Rays) in this house.  I also co-host a weekly podcast where I interview retired motorsport figures.  I also maintain one of the world's largest databases on European and American open-wheel racing.

Books: I mostly read theology, particularly G.K. Chesterton.

Music: I am trained in both classical piano and liturgical organ and play a variety of pieces from pre-1900 composers (with a few exceptions in there).

[Shemp_Diesel]

I've been wanting to watch the Hammer Frankenstein and Dracula movies. Do you know if there are box sets for them?

No big boxsets, but these might work for you:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A06193751O0A9Q24C66DR&url=%2FWerewolf-Paranoiac-Nightmare-Creatures-Frankenstein%2Fdp%2FB00KXQL6CW%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1_sspa%3Fcrid%3D140SW06A3R20O%26dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Dhammer%2Bhorror%2Bcollection%2Bdvd%26qid%3D1614709105%26sprefix%3Dhammer%2Bhorror%252Caps%252C2018%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26psc%3D1&qualifier=1614709105&id=486220440391536&widgetName=sp_atf

https://www.amazon.com/Film-Favorites-Draculas-Dracula-D/dp/B000U1ZV7G/ref=sr_1_3?crid=140SW06A3R20O&dchild=1&keywords=hammer+horror+collection+dvd&qid=1614709105&sprefix=hammer+horror%2Caps%2C2018&sr=8-3

[Shemp_Diesel]

Books that interest me; mainly biographies and world history. I've been telling myself I need to read more history books, but finding the spare time to do it is something else entirely...

 

[metaldams]

No big boxsets, but these might work for you:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A06193751O0A9Q24C66DR&url=%2FWerewolf-Paranoiac-Nightmare-Creatures-Frankenstein%2Fdp%2FB00KXQL6CW%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1_sspa%3Fcrid%3D140SW06A3R20O%26dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Dhammer%2Bhorror%2Bcollection%2Bdvd%26qid%3D1614709105%26sprefix%3Dhammer%2Bhorror%252Caps%252C2018%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26psc%3D1&qualifier=1614709105&id=486220440391536&widgetName=sp_atf

https://www.amazon.com/Film-Favorites-Draculas-Dracula-D/dp/B000U1ZV7G/ref=sr_1_3?crid=140SW06A3R20O&dchild=1&keywords=hammer+horror+collection+dvd&qid=1614709105&sprefix=hammer+horror%2Caps%2C2018&sr=8-3

The first one, which I own, is Universal.  The second, which I have a variation of (six DVD box I have), is Warner Brothers.

Yeah, you gotta go real piecemeal with Hammer, and it’s frustrating.  Some available in box sets, others only single DVD’s, it’s quite expensive.  A few horror Hammer titles I’ve yet to see, though I’ve seen most.

[metaldams]

Genealogy: I have a Sicilian family tree that stretches back into the 1400s in a couple spots.  It's fun reading the old scripts and deciphering the meaning, and you get a history lesson while you're at it.

Sports: Mainly motorsports and baseball these days.  We're split between the Fish (Marlins) and Seabats (whom I call the Rays) in this house.  I also co-host a weekly podcast where I interview retired motorsport figures.  I also maintain one of the world's largest databases on European and American open-wheel racing.

Books: I mostly read theology, particularly G.K. Chesterton.

Music: I am trained in both classical piano and liturgical organ and play a variety of pieces from pre-1900 composers (with a few exceptions in there).

Interesting hobbies.  I’ve only traced parts of my family back to the 1850’s.  As far as the theological hobby, pretty cool.  I was raised Catholic and go back and forth with it.  More open to it now than when I was in my twenties, shall we say.

Cool you have a podcast and congrats.  I would love to do something like that, it’s just that I’m a better writer than speaker and don’t think I can carry one.

[metaldams]

The theatrical shorts of the Golden Age is still my favorite period for animation. The animation still looks very good today. I'm currently watching the Disney shorts in order and am in 1931.

One of these days I need to dig deeper into classic animation.  I watched old cartoons as a kid but never reconnected with it later on as an adult like I did The Three Stooges.  If I do, I know I have you and Sam to turn to.

[HomokHarcos]

One of these days I need to dig deeper into classic animation.  I watched old cartoons as a kid but never reconnected with it later on as an adult like I did The Three Stooges.  If I do, I know I have you and Sam to turn to.

It was my interest in classic cartoons that lead me to Laurel and Hardy and The Three Stooges. As a kid I liked to watch Looney Tunes and Popeye, so decided to research them. I ended reading about the whole theatrical short period for animation. That lead me out of curiosity to found out what other short subjects there were from the time period.

[metaldams]

It was my interest in classic cartoons that lead me to Laurel and Hardy and The Three Stooges. As a kid I liked to watch Looney Tunes and Popeye, so decided to research them. I ended reading about the whole theatrical short period for animation. That lead me out of curiosity to found out what other short subjects there were from the time period.

I had a similar situation starting with The Three Stooges and getting into other comedians because of similar writers, gags, directors, plots, etc.

Are there any animators or particular cartoons that have direct link with any live human comedian?

[Umbrella Sam]

I had a similar situation starting with The Three Stooges and getting into other comedians because of similar writers, gags, directors, plots, etc.

Are there any animators or particular cartoons that have direct link with any live human comedian?

I’ll have to think about it more, but one direct connection would be Frank Tashlin. I know he’s known more for his work with people like Jerry Lewis, but he actually started off as an animator/director for the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Porky Pig’s Feat and Plane Daffy are probably my favorites of his cartoons.

[metaldams]

I’ll have to think about it more, but one direct connection would be Frank Tashlin. I know he’s known more for his work with people like Jerry Lewis, but he actually started off as an animator/director for the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Porky Pig’s Feat and Plane Daffy are probably my favorites of his cartoons.

Looked him up and saw he worked on the last two Marx Brothers films as well.

[Umbrella Sam]

Looked him up and saw he worked on the last two Marx Brothers films as well.

Oh yeah, forgot about that connection too.

I remember when I was reading The Magic Behind The Movies by Randy Skretvedt, one thing that really interested me was the fact that there was a “bomb in a piano” gag cut from SWISS MISS. This caught my attention because this, of course, became a recurring gag in the Warner Bros. cartoons and Tashlin claimed that he did work at Hal Roach at one point, which made me think those were connected. Unfortunately, when I looked more into it, the dates just didn’t line up. Tashlin claimed his stint at Roach was before his first return to Warner Bros. in 1936, so he most likely wouldn’t have known about that gag.

One other thing that comes to mind too is the fact that the silent comedians in particular were a large influence on the major cartoons. Chuck Jones cited Buster Keaton as an influence on his work and allegedly Walt Disney suggested Harry Langdon as an influence for animating Dopey in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

[HomokHarcos]

I had a similar situation starting with The Three Stooges and getting into other comedians because of similar writers, gags, directors, plots, etc.

Are there any animators or particular cartoons that have direct link with any live human comedian?

Walter Lantz, the producer behind the Woody Woodpecker, Andy Panda and Chilly Willy cartoons previously worked for Hal Roach and Mack Sennett during the 1920s as a gag writer.

[HomokHarcos]

Oh yeah, forgot about that connection too.

I remember when I was reading The Magic Behind The Movies by Randy Skretvedt, one thing that really interested me was the fact that there was a “bomb in a piano” gag cut from SWISS MISS. This caught my attention because this, of course, became a recurring gag in the Warner Bros. cartoons and Tashlin claimed that he did work at Hal Roach at one point, which made me think those were connected. Unfortunately, when I looked more into it, the dates just didn’t line up. Tashlin claimed his stint at Roach was before his first return to Warner Bros. in 1936, so he most likely wouldn’t have known about that gag.

One other thing that comes to mind too is the fact that the silent comedians in particular were a large influence on the major cartoons. Chuck Jones cited Buster Keaton as an influence on his work and allegedly Walt Disney suggested Harry Langdon as an influence for animating Dopey in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd were big influences on Mickey Mouse as stated in Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History.

Here's Walt Disney with Hal Roach, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

[metaldams]

Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd were big influences on Mickey Mouse as stated in Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History.

Here's Walt Disney with Hal Roach, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

Speaking of influence on Mickey Mouse - Steamboat Bill, Jr. begat Steamboat Willie.

[Umbrella Sam]

Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd were big influences on Mickey Mouse as stated in Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History.

Here's Walt Disney with Hal Roach, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

Not going to lie, I did not think anyone else on this forum owned that book. Possibly the most expensive book purchase I’ve ever made, but definitely worth it considering the wealth of information it provides.

[GreenCanaries]

Music: personal tastes mostly rooted in classic rock and '80s/'90s alternative.

Research: kind of tied in with "classic comedy," but I've been a regular contributor to Dave Lord Heath's website "Another Nice Mess" for almost seven years now. This includes research on various actors (usually those missing dates and any info at all, or who have the wrong info), identifying actors in films, etc. I love finding out and stumbling on facts and details about those bit players we see in old films and comedies -- the Al Thompsons, the Chet Brandenburgs, and the Jack Hills that populate the sidelines -- but know fairly little about beyond the "basics," so one can paint a fuller picture. Also do genealogy with regards to my family, but haven't revisited that in a while.

Drawing: mostly cartooning and doodling. Actually realized I haven't picked up a pencil in a while, but even then, I usually find myself "air doodling" when bored. Also like reading about animation history (Leonard Maltin's OF MICE AND MAGIC is a favorite of mine), and I even took a college course on the history and culture of animation in my final semester (fall '19).

[HomokHarcos]

Music: personal tastes mostly rooted in classic rock and '80s/'90s alternative.

Research: kind of tied in with "classic comedy," but I've been a regular contributor to Dave Lord Heath's website "Another Nice Mess" for almost seven years now. This includes research on various actors (usually those missing dates and any info at all, or who have the wrong info), identifying actors in films, etc. I love finding out and stumbling on facts and details about those bit players we see in old films and comedies -- the Al Thompsons, the Chet Brandenburgs, and the Jack Hills that populate the sidelines -- but know fairly little about beyond the "basics," so one can paint a fuller picture. Also do genealogy with regards to my family, but haven't revisited that in a while.

Drawing: mostly cartooning and doodling. Actually realized I haven't picked up a pencil in a while, but even then, I usually find myself "air doodling" when bored. Also like reading about animation history (Leonard Maltin's OF MICE AND MAGIC is a favorite of mine), and I even took a college course on the history and culture of animation in my final semester (fall '19).

Of Mice and Magic is an excellent book covering the major animation studios of the theatrical era.