Thursday, March 29, 2007

Wall of fame


You all know this place outside Grauman's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard where famous actors and actresses have left their footprints? Well, I've found something similar last night where I attended an excellent show of Manu Payet (a stand up comedian) in Le théâtre du Splendid. At the entrance, right after the ticket booth, you can see a wall where several actors left their hand prints on little clay tiles. Most of the names are well known to the French (Christian Clavier, Marie-Anne Chazel, Thierry Lhermitte, Dominique Lavanant...) as they appeared in very very famous French comedies such as Le Père noël est une ordure, les Bronzés or Les visiteurs.

65 comments:

  1. How modest of you Eric...you didn't photograph your handprint!

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  2. I've been to the Chinese Theater and did the usual: took several photographs near the famous handprints!
    I'm afraid I don't know any of these french actors though, unfortunately.

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  3. Is Fernandel (my favorite) among them? I have to admit the other names are not familiar to me.

    I wonder why the American's went for feet and hands at Grauman's and the French, just hands?

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  4. No i think it's... there, Michael... up there on the left. Isn't it? lol.

    I love the idea of this, i still remember doing hand prints of my sons when they were tiny. Only thing was, they were in cement in the front garden as some new surface was laid. Then we moved... :( I went back some years later and the silly new owners had re-done the whole front garden, obliterating those three wonderful little hands.

    Anyway, smiley face again; lol; i don't know these people or their films i'm afraid but i'd love to see them.

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  5. Michael: I tried that other address to find out about the July get together info and couldn't figure out the log on . Count me in if you can decide on a date before June 15th, which is when I prepare the next months schedule. Thanks

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  6. YAY Phx i'm not the only one who can't log on! I'd like to try to make it too but Phx? I think the entry pass is being able to log on! doh.

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  7. I want to check out Le Theate du Splendid...Are there other imprints like those of Danielle Darieux, Catherine Deneuve, Micheline Presle, etc? What about Juliette Binoche, Audrey Tatou? I love French actresses. Of course my favorite is Jeanne Moreau. She is fabulous, even better than Simone Signoret....one man's opinion, of course. My French teacher and my French class students have dubbed me "ChouChou" which she translates "mascot". Anyway, it is cute.
    Eric should be enshrined in a bronze statue....forget a handprint on a tacky tile.

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  8. Whoever has not seen the movie Les Visiteurs (The Visitors) should see it. It is hilariously funny.

    They did a similar movie here in the U.S., based on the French one, and actually one of the French actors(Jean Reno)palyed in it. I don't think it was as good as the French production.

    Nice picture, and I like that the tiles cover a wall and not the pavement, probably last longer.

    I also like the warmth of the color. Beautifully done Eric.

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  9. Lynn. Just trying to hang on for the next seven weeks at this job. They have me working a most ridiculous project. One day I will look back at it and still feel angry and insulted. Sorry for the ranting.

    Get the moovie it is really funny and it will make you forget the "Barking Parking."

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  10. lol ok then. Well Clo i reckon they're doing the well-known "he's leaving us so let's give him the worst s..t to do. It's hard working that out, but once you leave, you never need see them again. Order some choc from yesterday's post to keep in your desk. At least you'll be yummily bored.

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  11. They have been doing this for the last 31/2 years just assigining boring things to do. People are leaving left and right. Pretty sure they did not want to get rid of all of us.

    Funny, I just bought the same chocolate for you Lynn.

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  12. It is not anonymous above. it is clo.

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  13. Le pere noel est une ordure, les visiteurs .... Now, now, now... What I wonder is why these movies have been sooooooo popular in France?!!!! I've seen them recently because I heard so much about them, and to tell the truth, I really did not care for either one of these movies! They're passé, slapstick, silly ... (I'm only stopping because I'm running out of adjectives!)

    Now, Fernandel, that was different! I'll take Fernandel anytime. Not only he was funny, but he was also clever and endearing, too...

    Here are a few French comedies I thought were worth spending the time watching them:

    Le Placard [called "The Closet" in the US](with Daniel Auteuil):

    http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1804576081/info

    Le Diner de Cons [The Dinner Game in the US]:

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119038/

    Le Gazon Maudit [French Twist in US]:

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113149/

    Un Air de Famille (movie,not the play) [Family Resemblances in US] (anyone with a dysfunctional family will dig that one, big time!)

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118015/

    Last but not least, Amelie :

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/

    (although technically, this may not be considered a comedy).

    I just saw La Cage aux Folles last month on PBS and thought the US translation came across better. Well, that's my contribution for today. Good night everybody!

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  14. Johnny Parsons: Have you ever heard Jeanne Moreau sing?

    Try "Jeanne Moreau Chante Bassiak" it's a great album.

    Here is a little present for you (and all those who like J.Moreau) on YouTube:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqwLx0DG7qQ

    Enjoy!

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  15. I have seen some advertising for this spectacle on TV5...I like his name..Mabu!

    tomate farcie!! Merci beaucoup pour le "link"...j'adore Jeanne Moreau!! Did you watch the Vanessa Paradis and Jeanne Moreau link it led to...parfait!!

    Gazon Maudit is great! Also.."Tatie Danielle"..."Ma Vie en Rose"[could be from Belgium though]..."le Placard"..also quite funny!!

    By the way, what is the great cafe two blocks from the consulat?? I agree, Cafe de la Presse is a bit much..and trop cher!

    A Chocolate blog for all you chocolate lovers from a "Chocolate blogger" in Paris!

    http://www.davidlebovitz.com/index.html

    Jean-Paul Hevin is unbelievable!! It is a chocolate lovers dream...la Motte Picquet is my location of choice! Superbe!!

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  16. TomateF.: you have endeared yourself to me over Fernandel! Can't wait to check out all your leads on movies and you tube.

    Lynn: anyone who can't figure out this electronic stuff is a friend of mine, too!

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  17. Well phx-cdg, Lynn, and others...let me try to help you with the City Daily Photo blog stuff.

    To register to join the forum, you should just need to CLICK HERE.

    You should arrive at the Register page, where you need to fill in the form. The tricky part here (for some, ahem) is when after you enter the anti-spam numbers & letters, it asks you to "Check off the rightmost box". This is another anti-spam measure apparently, and you simply need to click on the box that is the furthest to the right of the 4 shown. (not the one on the left, second from the left, third from the left, but the one on the far right!)

    After you've completed the rest of the form, you click on Submit.

    The rest should be self-explanatory, but let me know if you have a problem.

    Eric & Igor, it might be helpful to put a "help" note on your Forum link somewhere for the technically-challenged...whadya think?

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  18. Love these handprints - I still have mine from kindergarten. It sits on my nightstand as a tray...

    I didn't recognize these names until I clicked on the links, and then I recognized Christian Clavier & Thierry Lhermitte from American movies they were in ("Just Visiting" & "Le Divorce")

    Tomate, thanks for your opinions on the movies and for the new tips. I've gotten into renting French films from Netflix here in the States. I just saw "Nathalie" and liked it a lot (not a comedy, though).

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  19. KP, I've heard that Vanessa Paradis is a terrible actress and has been somewhat ridiculed (in the past) for her singing. I've never seen any movie with her in it or heard her singing so I have no opinion.

    What are your reactions to the riot at Gare du Nord and the candidates politicizing it?

    I've very interested in hearing the French readers comments on this and the candidates. The election is right around the corner!

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  20. It's great to image someday your hand print could be there in there!! too...

    perhaps we will have such virtual walss on the net with blogger typrints!!

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  21. Hello Johnny Parsons : "Chouchou" they call you ? So you should definitly try this link :
    http://www.warnerbros.fr/movies/chouchou/
    It's about a quite famous Comedy (in France at least !), which I believe you might enjoy !
    ;o)

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  22. Ok Michael i'll have yet another go in a while, can't right now but thanks!

    re: your note to Eric, OR... and here's a novel idea ... just make it more simple in the first place! Ditch the smoke and mirrors.

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  23. "Mais ma pauvre Thérèse! Vous êtes parfois d'une naïveté qui confine à la sottise excusez-moi de vous le dire! Et je sais de quoi je parle, j'en ai fait les frais."

    Je t'encule Thérèse, je te prends, je te retourne contre le mur, je te baise par
    tous les trous, je te défonce, je te mets Thérèse

    le pere noel est une ordure...

    putain tu fais chier je sais pas ce qui me retient te casser la gueule
    la trouille peut etre
    ouais ca doit erte ça allez on rentre
    les bronzes...

    "-Le seul grand homme de la famille c'est gaspar de montmiraille, c'etait le meilleur copain de Lafaillete, il etait pour l'abolition des privilèges et le partage des terres avec les payasans..."
    "-Ah mon jacouille, quelle infamie ce temps ou les gueux sont rois!!!"
    "-Mais malheuresment il a ete guillotiné sous robespierre..."
    "-AAh quel bon sang ce Robespierre

    "Mais si vous comprenez pas qu'il vaut mieux s'appeller jacquart que couille, mais prenez d'la juvamine bordel!!"

    les visiteurs...

    et dire que ce n'est que du Jean Marie Poiré

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  24. oh it would be great to have a wall like that in each neighborhood!

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  25. Well Eric, this photo doesn't seem to be drumming up much interest today. I guess the world of French cinema is just a bit difficult to comment about (except Johnny and Tomate who, admirably, seem to know all there is to know about the subject).

    I did happen to find a little movie starring YOU however! Quite funny because the camera angle makes you look a little bit like a goldfish...but the interview is good.

    If you want to see and hear Eric talk about journalists who blog, CLICK HERE.

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  26. Tomate thanks for the movie tips.

    I´ve seen ´The closet´, it´s very funny.
    The last french comedy I saw was
    ´Combine tu m´aimes?´,
    with Depardieu and Monica Bellucci. This one is a little odd I must say. It´s a comedy but maybe I didn´t get the french humour in it.

    And the one I enjoyed the most in the past months, which is not a comedy, was
    ´Cing fois deux´ (de François Ozon).
    Very interesting story about a couple, but it´s told backwards, from their divorce to the first time they met. I think this one is worth watching it.

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  27. Ahh but Monica, you and hubbie seem so cute together that I can't imagine you wantching a movie going from divorce to first meeting. We'd much prefer your version of the love story. ;-)

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  28. he he Michael, that´s cute! Love is beautiful and sweet but it´s no fairy tale...!!! that´s something I knew even before getting married!
    ;-)

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  29. The video of you Eric is cute. I don't understand the french but I did understand when you said "bloggeur" and "Paree Daily Photo".

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  30. Add trying to get to see Eric electronically as a no go for me, too.

    Back to the pix, I thought I would mention Fouquet's on the Champs Elysee where they hold the French version of the Oscars, the Caesars. On the way into the restaurant, the sidewalk is paved with the imprints of VERY famous French movie stars. Everyone a typicial foreigner would be familiar with and more. A very easy spot to check out on anyone's trip to Paris. Can't remember what month the Caesars are held. April?

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  31. Michael said, " you and hubbie seem so cute together." Have I missed a video from Monica?

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  32. Tomate. Some slapstick comedies can be original The Visitors, while it falls in that categorie, has its funny moments. The idea that people from the middle ages can be transported in to the 20th century, is just an idea; but what you do with it is important.

    For example, the author does hypothesise over how, the two characters, with their strong sense of smell, react to asphalt, or to soap and taking a bath. True there is the slapstick again as you mention, but there is also a bit more in the creative part; such as knowing how, and not fearing, to ride a horse, but questioning the box of a car etc...etc...etc.... I admit that I saw this more than ten years ago so all the details are not there for me to remember. Maybe we can bothe watch someday and then have a debate about with the rest of the French residing in the Bay Area. Cafe Claude, Bastille or La Folie or Fleur de Lys. I think the first two are much easier on the pocket.

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  33. That cool. We have something similar in St. Louis. It's in the University City loop. Famous people who come from the area or contributed greatly to the culture of the area get their own stars on the sidewalks down a stretch of Delmar Ave. Famous people such as Maya Angelou, Josephine Baker, Harry Caray, Scott Joplin, Charles Lindbergh, Kevin Kline, Phyllis Diller, Harold Ramis, T. S. Elliot, Red Fox, and Tina Turner (Just randomly picked a few people would know). Looking at the list it's really hard to believe so many great people came from or lived in St. Louis!

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  34. Just realized I spelled Redd Foxx and T. S. Eliot wrong. Sorry history buffs!

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  35. Lynn: I did it! When you put in your confirmation code on Citydailyphotoblog, make SURE it is in capital letters.

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  36. Phx-cdg great that you logged in! Now let´s see if Lynn succeeds in it too. Come on Lynn, if I did it you can do it too!!!

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  37. I wouldn't count on it Monica ;( the whole world could be doing it and i'd still be whining howwwwww? I'll have a go now.

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  38. Ok i really could swear quite badly now. I have just tried six times. Yes i did capitals yes i ticked the rightmost box yes i put in the code i did everything except show them my tits!

    "You have entered an incorrect code"

    Well they're not GETTING my tits.

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  39. Aww. Poor lynn. You'll get it. Just do like the Little Engine that Could did: "I think I can I think I can I think I can..." And if you're still getting really ticked at it, take a breather and hop over to my blog. Lots of exciting stuff! Anyone else can too, if you want.

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  40. Lynn you crack me up. I am sure Michael would not mislead you with his instructions on how to sign in onto city daily photo. On the other hand.....

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  41. Lynn...it may have worked and you might have received a validation email. If not, drop me an email I'll walk you through it or sign up for you. I don't want you to embarrass yourself here any longer ;-)

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  42. Thanks to Tomate & GG....I love your tips. I must admit I have trouble with French comedy movies. I just saw Le Extraterrestial (sp?) and it was ridiculous. I did see a good comedy with Ariale Dombasle called "Les Faux-fuyants"..it was hilarious. Also, an older comedy "Pedales Doux" was really funny and with top stars. I bought the cd soundtrack because I liked the music. Lynn shocked me but who knows what will happen when the girls get their knickers in a twist??

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  43. Love the color, the color reminds me of the colors of Sedona, Arizona. The angle is great, the wall seems to never end.

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  44. I'm also not much for French comedies but if you want to see a pretty good French drama, I suggest: Pépé le Moko. Especially if you like old black and white movies. It is from 1937.

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  45. lol Johnny sorry i shocked you and i apologise wholeheartedly to Eric for saying tits on his blog (oops there i go again).

    Michael thank you, you're a gentleman to save my blushes. Okay maybe we can get it sorted out of the glare of the Parisian community. I'm just so astounded at my ability to cock it up every time (oops sorry Johnny & Eric). lol.

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  46. Lynn: my husband is rooting for your possible failure, so he can help you and possibly see your u know whats.

    the artist now known as Philly-filly: Your're right, the pix. does have that Sedona glow!

    JohnnyParsons: I'm with you and your lucid commentary--it's just that I am sacred AND profane! I am also taking French at this stage in my life--what level are you on?

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  47. Ohhh..Ms Lynn...Since you are the recently crowned PDP Tech "guru"...could you post in your perfect English how one would insert a "link" into a comment??? We will all be forever indebted to you!!! LOL!! I know it is after midnight there, but I suspect you are a "Night-Owl" and if you're not toooooo busy....???!! LOL!! Big Merci in advance!! ;-) kpg

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  48. Kpgallant: Gosh i'm all buoyed up now! Gone are the techie-blues now that YOU have asked ME for techie info. Wow indeed, i'm so honoured and brought back to the brink. Thank goodness i can put my t shirt back on now with some dignity (sorry Phx's hubby ROFL at that by the way. Neeever gonna happen.) Well. Never say never, huh.

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  49. Kpgallant i can't put the instructions into a comment box it won't work so if you email me i'll send it back to you. Look at me, huh, Michael??? lol! ;)

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  50. Lynn: since ROFL dosen't mean Not In This Lifetime, what does it mean?

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  51. Merci Lynn....Will do!!

    phx-cdg...ROFL=Roll On the Floor Laughing!! Sort of like...LMAO[Laughed My A** OFF....]Ah...ha ha!!!

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  52. Oh Lynn, I'm going to cry. You have made me so proud...

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  53. Wow Michael and Lynn...you guys are up soooooo late!! LOL!! We're having a warm spell in SF!!

    Don't cry Michael...you'll dilute the vin rouge!! I'll sing Lynn's praises here when it all works!! ;-)

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  54. Though in that case, it could also mean Not In This Lifetime!

    Michael we ARE up late aren't we? Let's have a late coffee together. Oh how i wish i could say to you let's meet at such and such a 24 hour bar for a coffee/hot chocolate. Such decadence! You're proud of me.... ahhh i love it. Crying too. Blowing my nose in a most unattractive way. Though i've not succeeded yet i will keep trying.

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  55. LOL-- thanks for the translations!!!!

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  56. Though, Michael, you could have been even more proud of me had you gone to read my coffee-break-fiction. lol.

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  57. Oh Lynn, you are impossible! I can't take my eyes off you cause when I come back I see you're driving the boys crazy with your you know what talk! You just can't help it can you?!
    And later I'm gonna find out they're blaming me too for stirring things up here!!!
    I've been called a black sheep by an anon, can you believe it?!?!

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  58. Pepe Le Moko was a great black and white classic starring Jean Gabin..It was remade with Cyd Charisse's husband, Tony Martin (in color}. Did you know that Pepe really existed? He fathered a famous, now living, drag queen who has written a book about his mother and his notorious father.
    Phx...I speak "Tarzanian French". Moi,Jean-yves; toi, Jeanne. Don't you just love Michael's and Lynn's banter? I do.

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  59. You know, Johnny, i reckon Michael loves it too ;)


    I know, Monica! It's so unjust, you're not a black sheep and neither am i. Just tinged with a little grey on occasions. In truth, we are spring lambs, jumping mischievously around to entertain and make people smile. Where's the harm? lol.

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  60. Oh and guess what? You won't be at all surprised to learn that i can't listen to Eric talk about journalists who blog (and i am a journalist who blogs so it is VERY interesting to me GRR). It just wouldn't work for me. It's official. The whole world of web tech is against me. His face there, waiting to talk to me, was SO tantalising. Zut alors! Or something much worse. No, not mes seins this time. Not quite that desperate. Yet.

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  61. I don´t understand what happens between you and the digital world Lynn...! I thought I was computer challenged!

    All I can say is keep on trying, it will work eventually. Actually I think that´s how this world web, computer thing goes, one day it ´feels´ like working, the other day it doesn´t.

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  62. How's this, Ms Tech Guru Lynn?

    <*a href="INSERT URL HERE"*>INSERT TEXT YOU WANT TO IDENTIFY LINK WITH HERE<*/a*>

    Take out the *'s, put the info where instructed and voila!

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  63. Thank you so much for posting this great article, I am so interested on what I read, good and useful content about the Wall of Fame.

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