That is not my dog

Sigh. Here we go again.

After another all-too brief weekend, enjoying some much-needed warmer weather, it's time to work out if - or more likely (as I hate working from home) how - I'm going to get to the office during yet another strike by those greedy bastards in the Tube drivers' union!

Meanwhile, a celebration...

The Goon Show, The Ladykillers, I'm Alright Jack, The Millionairess, "Balham - Gateway to the South", Two-Way Stretch, Dr. Strangelove, After the Fox, What’s New Pussycat, Being There, Murder by Death... Many and varied were the roles played (in some of my all-time favourite films and productions) by one of this country's funniest ever actors, Mr Peter Sellers, whose centenary is is today.

However, it's for one classic role for which he is undoubtely best known - "Inspector Clouseau" in the Pink Panther films, from the best of which came these two brilliant scenes:

Does your dog bite? [The Pink Panther Strikes Again]

The Pavlova of the Parallels [The Pink Panther Strikes Again]

Yes, he was completely mad. Yes, he made life difficult for a number of people he worked with (and lived with). However, anyone who can make me laugh until the tears run down my face and my ribs hurt is OK in my book!

I haven't forgotten it's a Tacky Music Monday, either, dear reader - what more appropriate number could fit that slot today but this?

Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren - Goodness Gracious Me

Boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom,
Well, goodness gracious me!

Indeed

All hail, Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers, 8th September 1925 – 24th July 1980)

[NB Remarkably, he shared his birthday with fellow "Goon" Harry Secombe, as well as another odd assortment of "names" including Asha Bhosle, Antonín Dvořák, Patsy Cline, Siegfried Sassoon, Martin Freeman, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Sid Caesar, Pink, Judith Hann, Bernie Sanders, Lady Margaret Hodge, Avicii and Richard the Lionheart!]

Have a good week, folks.

Fountain of youth

"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age."

Many happy returns to the gorgeous Signorina Sophia Loren (born Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone, 20th September 1934)

Sophia Loren - Americano

One can always rely on her to cheer us all up!

Boom boody-boom

“Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.”



“After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It's better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe."

The stunning Sophia Loren blows out 82 candles on her cake today! To celebrate, here's one of her most memorable musical moments, in the company of the much-missed Peter Sellers...

Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren - Goodness Gracious Me

Her: Oh doctor, I'm in trouble.
Him: Well, goodness gracious me.
Her: For every time a certain man
Is standing next to me.
Him: Mmm?
Her: A flush comes to my face
And my pulse begins to race,
It goes boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom
Boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom-boom-boom,
Him: Oh!
Her: Boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom
Him: Well, goodness gracious me.

Him: How often does this happen?
When did the trouble start?
You see, my stethoscope is bobbing
To the throbbing of your heart.
Her: What kind of man is he
To create this allergy?
It goes boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom
Boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom-boom-boom,
Him: Oh!
Her: Boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom
Him: Well, goodness gracious me.

Him: From New Delhi to Darjeeling
I have done my share of healing,
And I've never yet been beaten or outboxed,
I remember that with one jab
Of my needle in the Punjab
How I cleared up beriberi
And the dreaded dysentery,
But your complaint has got me really foxed.
Her: Oh.

Her: Oh doctor, touch my fingers.
Him: Well, goodness gracious me.
Her: You may be very clever
But however, can't you see,
My heart beats much too much
At a certain tender touch,
It goes boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom
Boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom-boom-boom,
Him: I like it!
Her: Boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom
Him: Well, goodness gracious me.

Him: Can I see your tongue?
Her: Aaah.
Him: Nothing the matter with it, put it away please.
Her: Maybe it's my back.
Him: Maybe it is.
Her: Shall I lie down?
Him: Yes.
Her: Ahhh...

Him: My initial diagnosis
Rules out measles and thrombosis,
Sleeping sickness and, as far as I can tell,
Influenza, inflammation,
Whooping cough and night starvation,
And you'll be so glad to hear
That both your eyeballs are so clear
That I can positively swear that you are well,
Ja-ja, ja-ja-ja-ja.

Her: Put two and two together,
Him: Four,
Her: If you have eyes to see,
The face that makes my pulses race
Is right in front of me.
Him: Oh, there is nothing I can do
For my heart is jumping too.
Both: Oh, we go boom boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom
Boody-boom boody-boom boody-boom-boom-boom,
Her: Goodness gracious,
Him: How audacious!
Her: Goodness gracious,
Him: How flirtatious!
Her: Goodness gracious,
Him: It is me.
Her: It is you?
Him: Ah, I'm sorry, it is us.
Both: Ahhh!

Many happy returns, Signorina Sofia Villani Scicolone, aka Sophia Loren (born 20th September 1934)

Un delizioso diversione

We're taking a little diversion away from our countdown to our Spanish holiday today...

But, darlings, I think you'll forgive us - as we take a little drive with Sophia Loren (courtesy of Soft Tempo Lounge, of course):

Soft Tempo Lounge - A Drive With Sophia '63

Divine.

[Music: Vida Bandida (Longe de Você) by Mario Albanese]

Tu vuo' fa' ll'americano

Born in Rimini 90 years ago yesterday, Federico Fellini was indeed one of the most influential film directors in European movie history. A pioneer of the so-called "neo-realist" style, he collaborated with Ingrid Bergman's hubbie Roberto Rossellini, Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren and her husband Carlo Ponti, Anna Magnani, Anita Ekberg and even Goldie Hawn. His film Le Notti di Cabiria was later adapted by Neil Simon, Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields as the musical Sweet Charity.

Even today, his film 8½, having been adapted as a musical in the 80s, has become a big hit in its film version Nine. A good enough excuse, really to post this (again)... Be Italian, indeed!

Fergie - Be Italian

Similarities, anyone?

Sophia Loren - Americano

Federico Fellini on IMDB

A captivating diva

Happy birthday today to the ultra-glamorous sex symbol Sophia Loren, looking great at 74!

Always the most captivating of European screen stars, Ms Loren has turned her hand to all genres - tragedy, serious drama, comedy and indeed singing... Happy birthday to a true Diva!

Sophia Loren tribute

Sophia Loren - Mambo Bacan

Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti

"You have to be born a sex symbol. You don't become one. If you're born with it, you'll have it even when you're 100 years old."

"Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti."
Sophia Loren

Happy Birthday Sophia Loren! Widely considered to be the most popular Italian actress, the diva was 73 this week.

Sophia Loren was born Sofia Villani Scicolone in Rome. Her father Riccardo Scicolone was an engineer and her mother Romilda Villani was an aspiring actress and piano teacher. Loren grew up in poverty in wartime Pozzuoli near Naples, sharing a small flat with her sister Maria, her grandparents and her uncles and aunts.

Loren was discovered by her future husband, the much older and already-married film producer Carlo Ponti, and they wed on September 17, 1957, three days before her 23rd birthday. Their first marriage had to be annulled in order to keep Ponti from being charged with bigamy. The couple remarried on April 9, 1966, but only after Sophia, Ponti, and Ponti's first wife all obtained French citizenship, thus enabling Carlo to divorce his first wife and marry Sophia in France, where at the time Catholic doctrines regarding divorce did not prevent legal civil marriage. The couple remained together until Ponti's death on January 9, 2007.

Sophia has made more than 90 films, and won the Best Actress Oscar for Two Women in 1960 - the first awarded for a foreign film. With her voluptuous figure, she became one of the major sex symbols of the 1960s, competing with Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot and Jane Fonda. Even in her sixties she was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history, and in 2006 at the age of 72 she became the oldest woman to pose seductively for the Pirelli calendar! She was a very close friend of major stars such as Cary Grant and Peter Sellers, with whom she performed two duets, Goodness Gracious Me and Bangers and Mash which were major hits in the UK pop chart.

In 1991, Loren received an honorary Academy Award for her contribution to world cinema and was declared "one of the world cinema's treasures". Long may she reign, and continue to delight her many many fans!

Sophia Loren on IMDB