In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed actress Glenn Close for my House Call column in the Mansion section (go here). Glenn is an Emmy- and Tony-winning actress best known for her roles in the films “Fatal Attraction,” “Dangerous Liaisons” and “The Wife.” She talked about her early years, after her parents joined a cult in the 1950s. She explained why they felt the need, the impact it had on her and her sister, and how she finally broke from the group in her early 20s. She also talked about the impact that Dick Cavett's interview with actress Katharine Hepburn had on her. Currently, she co-stars in the Netflix film Back in Action, out now. [Photo above of Glenn Close in Back in Action, courtesy of Netflix]
Here's the Back in Action trailer. If you liked Knight and Day, you're gonna love this one...
And here's Dick Cavett's captivating interview with Katharine Hepburn:
Here's Part I. What I find most interesting about Hepburn, beyond her spirit and stories, is how she was conditioned by the movies to come in with her line on top of the other person's last words. She did that all through her career, most often with Spencer Tracy. Her actress instincts told her exactly when to overlap Dick's last words...
Here's Part 2...
Here's Part 3 (outtakes)...
And here's Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in a wonderful scene from Woman of the Year (1942). Perhaps the best "OK" in Hollywood history...
Chuck, Frank and me. Next weekend—on Sunday, January 26, at 2 p.m. (PT)/5 p.m. (ET)—I'll be on Chuck Granata's Sinatra Standard Time for two hours on KSDS-FM in San Diego (streaming live at Jazz88.org). We'll be chatting about a pair of epic Frank Sinatra LPs for Capitol—Songs for Swingin' Lovers and A Swingin' Affair! Both albums will be played in full. Listen next week live by going here.
Here's Chuck's promo...
My favorite streaming series, ranked...
- Babylon Berlin
- My Brilliant Friend
- Killing Eve
- The Crown
- The Americans
- Younger
- Band of Brothers
- Landman
- Friday Night Lights
- The Old Man
- Feud: Bette and Joan
- Downton Abbey
- The Blacklist
- Goliath
- The Gentlemen
- Turn: Washington's Spies
- Unbelievable
- Justified
- Voiceless (Bella da morire (2020/MHz)
- Black Doves
- Web Therapy
Just viewed and highly recommend...
On Call (2025)—Produced by Dick Wolf (Law & Order) and co-created by his son Elliot Wolf and Tim Walsh, this fictionalized police procedural drama series is riveting. Each episode runs a half hour and stars Troian Bellisario and Brandon Larracuente. The series follows veteran Long Beach, Ca., police training officer Traci Harmon and her rookie partner Alex Diaz as they respond to emergency calls while the department tries to solve the murder of an officer. (Prime Video)
Here's the trailer...
Younger (2015-2018)—I missed this series when it first came out and now can't stop watching it. Pure addiction. Created and produced by Darren Star (Sex and the City, Emily in Paris), Younger's premise is genius. Set in New York City, the comedy focuses on the personal and professional life of Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), a 40-year-old divorcee and mom who has trouble getting back into the workforce—until she says she's 26. The series follows her struggles to hide her real age from her boss, co-worker and to adapt to the lingo and mores of a new and confusing generation. (Netflix)
Here's the trailer...
Stuff I liked that starts soon...
- American Primeval S1 (now/Netflix)
- Back in Action (now/Netflix)
- Zero Day (Feb. 20/Netflix)
- Long Bright River (March/Peacock)
Recommended series, films and documentaries...
TV series
- The Affair—(2014-2019/Hulu)
- Alaska Daily—(2022/Prime)
- The Americans—(2013-2018)/Prime)
- Anatomy of a Scandal—(2022/Netflix)
- Apples Never Fall—2024/Peacock)
- Babylon Berlin (2017-2024/MHz via Prime Video)
- Band of Brothers—(2001/Netflix)
- The Bay (2019-current/BritBox)
- Black Doves (2024/Netflix)
- The Blacklist (2013-2023/Netflix)
- Belgravia—(2020/Prime Video)
- Blue Lights—(2023/BritBox)
- Bosch—(2014-2021/Prime)
- Bosch: Legacy—(2022-current/Prime)
- The Crown—(2016-2023/Netflix)
- Cherif—(2013-2019/Prime)
- Dark Winds—(2022/AMC)
- The Diplomat—(2023/Netflix)
- Downton Abbey—(2020-2015/Prime)
- The Dropout (2022/Hulu)
- Elizabeth 1 (2005/Max)
- Emily in Paris—(2020-present/Netflix)
- Feud (S1): Bette and Joan—(2017/Hulu)
- Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans—(2024/FX, with streaming on Hulu)
- Fisk—(2021/Netflix)
- Friday Night Lights (2006-2011/Netflix)
- The Gentlemen—(2024/Netflix)
- Godless—(2017/Netflix)
- Goliath—(2016-2021/Prime)
- The Gilded Age—(current/Max)
- High Water—(2022/Netflix)
- Homeland—(2011-2020/Showtime)
- Jane Eyre—(2006/Britbox)
- Justified—(2010-2015/Hulu)
- Killing Eve—(2018-2022/Netflix)
- Life & Beth—(Seasons 1& 2, 2022-present/Hulu)
- Lincoln Lawyer—(2022-present/Netflix)
- Lioness—(2023-current/Paramount+)
- Loudermilk—(2017-2020/Netflix)
- MI-5, the Series—(2002-2011/BritBox)
- Monsieur Spade—(2024/AMC)
- Murdaugh Murders: The Movie, Parts 1 and 2—(2023/Lifetime)
- My Brilliant Friend—(2018-current)
- 1923—(2022-present/Paramount+)
- 1883—(2021-2022/Prime)
- The Old Man—(2022/Hulu)
- Outlander—(2014-present/Netflix)
- The Perfect Couple—(2024/Netflix)
- Poldark—(2015-2019/Prime)
- Reacher—(2016-present/Netflix)
- Ripley—(2024/Netflix)
- Scott & Bailey (2011-2016/Prime)
- Turn: Washington's Spies—(2014-2017/Prime)
- Unbelievable—(2019/Netflix)
- Under the Banner of Heave—(2022/Hulu)
- Veronica Mars—(2004 to 2019/Hulu)
- Voiceless (Bella da morire—(2020/MHz)
- The Watcher—(2022/Netflix)
- The Way Home—(2023-current/Peacock)
- Who Is Erin Carter—(2023/Netflix)
- The Woman in the Wall—(2024/Showtime)
- The Veil—(2024/Hulu-FX)
- Web Therapy—(2011-2015/Fandango)
- Wilder—(2017-current)
- WPC 56—(2013-2015/Britbox)
- Yellowstone—(2018-present/Paramount Network)
Films
- The Accountant—(2016/Hulu)
- American Gangster—(2007/Max)
- Armageddon Time—(2022/Prime)
- The Ballad of Buster Scruggs—(2018/Netflix)
- The Ballad of Lefty Brown—(2017/Netflix)
- Blackout (2022/Netflix)
- The Bricklayer—(2024/Netflix)
- The Commuter (2018/Netflix)
- The Dig—(2021/Netflix)
- Eiffel—(2021/Prime)
- Enola Holmes 1 and 2—(2022/Netflix)
- The Equalizer 1, 2 and 3—(2014-2024/Prime)
- The Great Lillian Hall—(2024/Max)
- The Family Man—(2000/Netflix)
- Fury—(2014/Netflix)
- God's Country—(2022/Hulu
- Guy Ritchie's The Covenant—(2023/Prime)
- I Used to Be Funny (2023/Netflix)
- Jack Reacher (the movie)—(2012/Paramount+)
- Just My Luck (2006/Paramount+)
- Kill Chain—(2019/Max)
- Killers of the Flower Moon—(2023 (Apple+)
- La Palma (2024/Netflix)
- Knight and Day—(2010/Roku)
- Last Night in Soho—(2021/Prime)
- Last Seen Alive—(2020/Netflix)
- The Little Things—(2021/Netflix)
- Lonely Planet—(2024)/Netflix)
- Man on Fire—(2004/Max)
- Manchester by the Sea—(2016/Prime Video)
- MI-5—(2015/Max)
- The Mule—(2018/Netflix)
- The Night Agent—(2023/Netflix)
- Nobody—(2021/Prime)
- Nobody Wants This—(2024/Netflix)
- Ordinary Angels—(2024/assorted platforms)
- The Pledge—(2011/Peacock)
- Purple Hearts—(2022/Netflix)
- The Queen—(2006/(Paramount+)
- The Queen's Gambit—(2020/Netflix)
- Queenpins—(2021/Pluto TV)
- Reptile—(2023/Netflix)
- Ruthless—(2023/Hulu)
- The Secret: Dare to Dream—(2020/Netflix)
- Self Reliance—(2023/Hulu)
- Seraphim Falls—(2006/Netflix)
- Some Girl(s)—(2013/Amazon Prime)
- Somewhere in Queens—(2022/Hulu)
- The Spy—(2019/Netflix)
- Spy(ies)—(2009/Prime)
- The Stranger—(2022/Netflix)
- Toscana—(2022/Netflix)
- The Two Popes—(2019/Netflix)
- Up in the Air—(2009/Max)
- Woman in Gold—(2015/Max)
- Wonder Wheel—(2017/Prime)
Documentaries
- Aftershock: Everest and the Nepal Earthquake—(2022/Netflix)
- The Beach Boys—(2024/Disney)
- Carole King: Live in Central Park—(2023/PBS)
- The Comeback—(2005 and 2014/Max)
- Cunk on Earth—(2022/Netflix)
- Cyndi Lauper: Let the Canary Sing—(2023/Paramount+)
- Facing Nolan—(2022/Netflix)
- Five Came Back—(2017/Netflix)
- Jane Fonda in Five Acts—(2024/Max)
- Kate Hepburn: Call Me Kate—(2023/Netflix)
- Only Girl in the Orchestra—(2023/Netflix)
- Suzi Q: Suzi Quatro—(2019/Prime)
- The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari—(2022/Netflix)
- 'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris—(2007/go here
Two for the Seesaw. Following my post last week on Two for the Seesaw's theme, also known as Second Chance, Bill Kirchner sent along a link to Jackie Cain (above) singing the song. Go here...
Sid Gribetz sent along a recent version by baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan with the Israel Camerata Jerusalem. Go here...
Artie Shaw interview. Following my post last week on Joe Smith's off-the-record, Library of Congress interview with bandleader Artie Shaw (above), Bob Waldman sent along an informative email:
Hi Marc. Joe Smith’s interview with Artie Shaw is great. Thanks for posting! Have you checked out Joe Smith’s other interviews that he did for his 1988 book, "Off the Record?" He interviewed everyone from Paul Weston to Paul McCartney—225 interviews in all—and they are available for listening online here.
More Artie Shaw. I also received this wonderful email from Francois Zalacain, founder of Sunnyside Records, and a clip:
Hi Marc. In 2002, I attended the International Association for Jazz Education conference held in Long Beach, Ca. All I remember about that event now is the on-stage interview conducted with Artie Shaw. I bought the cassette of the event and I want to share an mp3 with you and you JazzWax readers. Artie was great even at 91.
To listen, go here...
Artie Shaw speaks at IAJE Conf (2002)
Dutch treat. Following my post on drummer Eric Ineke's fabulous new album, Dutch singer Louise Alexandra Koopman (above) sent along a selfie of herself with Eric in the Netherlands celebrating his new album. Both are enormously gifted and both are lovely JazzWax friends.
Jack Sheldon. Following my post on Jack Sheldon, Lee Prout sent along the following clip of Frank Marshall talking about the music he recorded that appears now on Chet Baker and Jack Sheldon in Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album (Elemental) on The Paul Leslie Hour. Go here...
Johnny Winter. I interviewed blues-rock guitarist Johnny Winter twice for The Wall Street Journal and wrote the paper's appreciation of him when he died. During that time, I spent a few evenings with him—watching from the audience and the wings and backstage after at New York's B.B. King's. Johnny was astonishing on those nights, even though he was up in age and forced to sit while playing. As I watched, I pitied the poor strings on his Erlewine Lazer guitar as he tore into song after song. He made the instrument sound like a crying saw.
Last week, Brett Lehocky sent along a link to Down and Dirty, a new documentary on Johnny, who died in 2014. Go here...
Here Johnny Winter on TV's Midnight Special in 1973...
Los Angeles AM radio. 93 KHJ ("Boss Radio") was the city's most listened-to AM station in the 1960s and '70s. When you heard the station's jingle—"93 KHJ, Los Angeles," you were in the city that made the music that inspired the youth-culture upheaval—an endless summer of pop and soul, fast cars, surf and going steady. Here are the famed station jingles and a few promos:
Here's the standard station jingle...
Here's a Beach Boys promo for the station in 1965...
Here's a Batman promo in 1966 for the station...
And here's how the magic was made in Los Angeles in the 1960s...
Eydie Gormé. Last week, Larry Pluth sent along a link to an interview of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé's son, David, reflecting on his mother's Spanish-language albums and hits, a now-forgotten side of the great singer. Go here...
Bluesette. Here's pianist David Thompson's rendition of Toots Thielemans' Bluesette...
Antonio Carlos Jobim radio. WKCR-FM in New York will present its annual Jobim Birthday Broadcast next Saturday, January 25, playing the singer-songwriter's bossa nova for 24 hours, starting at midnight (ET) on Friday. To listen from anywhere in the world, go here.
And finally, to get you in the mood, here's Antonio Carlos Jobim's beautiful Stone Flower album in full...