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I'm All In: My Observations on Voice Over and Theatrical Acting
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Hi everyone, Da Harv here. And the music that’s coming up and under is that of a gal named Sarah Vaughn and her trio. It was recorded about 20 years ago in a place called Mister Kelly's in Chicago.
The other night I was having a dream, which I tend to do now. I put a book down after catching a couple hours of sleep and next thing you know something pops into my head. I think I’m awake, but I’m not. I’m having a dream. And this one is called: “Notes on a Scorecard”. But I’m not gonna keep score… But here’s the question: Who's keeping score? It used to be a mom, a dad that made me happy and glad. If I was a good boy, a new baseball glove would be coming my way. Who put them in charge? At home it was my mom. I never got to vote on what was right or wrong. “Just wait until your father gets home” she warned me. More often than not. Did they go to school and study the art of telling all of us what to do? No, nothing I can say for sure. Other than one simple rule: Under their roof they took total charge. So, when I opened my eyes in the morning. Uh oh it was a dream. So, I grabbed the pad that’s on the side of my bed and jotted some notes down and here’s what came out:
Try talking about nothing
Praying nothing is in the air
No need to create a space
Don’t concern yourself with dreams
Often they might bring despair
Whatever happened to good dreams?
Like school was out
Riding a horse on a carousel
Changing into play clothes
Before the playground
Returning home a winner
Every breeze seemed gentle
It was always summer
I dreamed my dreams without despair
A little boy, free without a care
Till next time. So long from Da Harv
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Hi everyone, Da Harv here and welcome to my library. Besides my Dad… He became my next favorite…WIT! Winston Churchill, November 30, 1874 - January 24, 1965. That would make him a Sagittarius just like Da Harv. |
It was on or about 1965, when I had reached the ripe old age of 32. It was then when I began devoting an almost monthly experience into the life and times of perhaps the greatest world leader that ever lived. He was Sir Winston Churchill. In May 1940, Churchill, “British Bulldog”, as he was known, became “Prime Minister '' of Great Britain. For over fifty years, I’ve been sporadically enjoying listening to words of inspiration being offered by my favorite “Nobel Prize Winner”, for Literature, my hero as well, Winston Churchill. I’d like to offer to all that know Da Harv as an educator my recommendation of a book I am currently in the process of personally enjoying. It’s titled, “The Definitive WIT of Winston Churchill”. It was edited by Richard Langworth. |
In my opinion, you won’t find a more definitive work than what Richard M. Langworth has been able to compile. The sheer volumes of Winston Churchill’s work are represented in the most comprehensive compilation of “Churchill Witticisms" I’ve ever come across. |
Philip Clark was a voice-over actor who for many years came to our studio to audition for voice over commercials. Aside from being a very talented performer, Philip was a “Winston Churchill”, high-powered buff, and prideful enthusiast of “Winnies” work, and it goes nice together. He would’ve enjoyed that. Of course, it also talks about drinking and cigar smoking habits. I enjoyed Philip’s stories, and he in turn showed equal relish for mine. (although I would never claim to have risen to the comprehensive heights of Churchill's expertise Philip did). Philip and I enjoyed every discussion we ever had about “Bulldog”. It made us both laugh out loud I might say. My favorite to tell Philip about was how I worked many of our Winston Churchill stories into my teaching repertoire. Especially when the class was made up of younger people who hadn’t known much about this great man. And one remembrance discovered by Richard Langworth that is particularly charming: “The British Empire and the United States will have to be somewhat mixed together in some of their affairs for mutual and general advantage.” And then Winston might’ve coughed, cleared his throat and began singing. …Like the Mississippi, it just keeps rolling along. It was 1940 Winston Churchill sang all the way back to Downing Street in the back of his car after his BBC Broadcast of that speech. And from my musical volume three of Great Speeches of the 20th century (cut #3). Prime Minister Winston Churchill has duplicated his Address to the nation on the R.A.F (Royal Air Force). “… this was their finest hour.” And that little phrase in that one speech that one time was taught in every college that even remotely touched on politics. In that moment, the city of London Number 10 Downing Street was the prime target of the German Luftwaffe. That term: “this was the finest hour” was from the greatest leader of that era. He walked, or you could say barged out on to the street knowing it was the most dangerous thing he had ever done in his life. And huddled with people in the streets as bombs fell around him. It was London, England, June 18th, 1940. A time for the world to remember and never ever forget. And please listen closely my dearest of friends. At the time of this broadcast, our great world leader may have been tired, but never out as his country’s foremost leader. |
For some reason, children love hearing about how close the USA and Great Britain our friends across the pond were and remain with us today. You're all very welcome to listen. Love and learn. Truly yours, the very humble, Da Harv. And were Churchill here today, he would say as a Bulldog: “As well you should be!” -da harv |
https://vimeo.com/911017477?share=copy
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There'll be a change in the weather;
And a change in the sea
From now on there'll be a change in me;
My walk will be different, my talk and my name --
Nothin' about me gonna be the same
I'm gonna change my way of livin'
And if that ain't enough
I'm gonna change the way I strut my stuff
Cause nobody wants you when you're old and gray --
There'll be some changes made today
There'll be some changes made.
Julie London was a mainstay in our country at the time. Lots of arguments going with what’s going to happen to advertising, but the fact was if you were around it did nothing but good. And if you happen to be interested…I directed Julie London on a VO audition a little more than 40 years ago. The biggest money spenders on TV advertising at the time were the tobacco companies, mainly cigarettes. I mean you couldn’t watch a movie without seeing a noted star smoking. “Julie London” was one of them. Who was known to smoke three packs every day. Her cause of death was attributed to lung cancer. Didn’t come as a surprise.
Never the less we had an awful lot of good things going on to look up to. On April 1, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed legislation officially banning cigarette ads on television and radio. You could safely say my dear friends, that- that legislation by our congress, men and women, have been some of the great moves ever by our politicians. Some fifty plus years ago! Can you imagine that? The diminishing factor of not smoking has considerably helped cut into the main cause of lung cancer. Not just in our beautiful United States of America, but all over this planet. FYI: What was a twenty cent per pack of cigarettes then. Today in many places costs as much as six bucks.
But long before that, there was a time that I was in the group known as little kids it was a given. Dad came home from work, and somehow, some way we played catch. It became our father and son ritual. Most importantly, my father was teaching me how to learn a thing or two of value each and every day we were together. Baseball became his driving force for making it easy for him to teach me things. Well, here's kind of an example:
It was just one single day, I guess. When he came home from work. He was saying to me: “Well, there's going to be a lot more scoring in baseball next year.” And I said: “What do you mean by that, Dad?” And he said: “Well, rumor has it that they're going to make the ball livelier, there's going to be more scoring because people are going to be hitting more home runs.” And I said to him: “How in the world, did you know that?” I was interested. He had my attention. He said: “Well, the inside of a baseball, was stuffed with things. You find out that what's inside is pretty dead. You know, the ball doesn't bounce very well anymore. So, baseball, it's just made to be hard and last a little longer.” That was the year of buying something and making it last. As opposed to the enjoyment it gave you. “But now whatthey're talking about doing is. Putting a livelier like piece of cork inside so that when the batter hits it, it'll go further.”
He went on to tell me how it wasn’t really that difficult to do. He pointed out to me the people who run baseball did the very same thing many years ago. When a ballplayer named “Babe Ruth” broke the home run record and hit sixty in one season. The owners were giving the people what they wanted: More excitement at the games. (Well, It’s just like today. The more people who come out to the ballpark, the more money the team owners make. It’s good for all concerned. They call it “Capitalism”)
The clock kept ticking, I kept growing and low and behold then came along… “Only In America”
Many years ago, I read a book entitled “Only In America”. It was written by an author named “Harry Golden”. Hard to believe, the year was 1958. (The not yet da harv was twenty-five years of age). Free of being as prideful as I am today. (It wasn’t any comparison; I still had a long way to go with the army and all.) About our American accomplishments, “Harry Goldens” in-depth observations struck a lasting note with me forever more.
Thinking back often times for me has been the direct stimulus for forward movement. The story of the greatest country in the history of the world continues to be told. Writers, politicians, and the most ardently meaningful human contributors to life and the betterment of man continue to unabashedly sing the praises of what the American way of life continues to build from within.
Please listen to my patriotic credo that musically follows.
It’s entitled: “Vote Them Out. It’s What Americas All About”.
Music by Todd Carlon
Lyrics by Harvey Kalmenson AKA da harv
Have you noticed? There's been a change in the weather?