Cheers

 

Have a great week!

 

 



Veteran's Day 2013

Monday November 11th is Veteran's Day, and I just wanted to pay my heartfelt respects to all who have ever served, like Steven Paul Keitz. Our veterans are not the ones who declare war, but they are the ones who are sent off to it.  So let us listen to them always, whether they are still here or not, let us pray for them always, love, respect and remember them always.  

And by the way, being a combat veteran can really weaken a person's foundation, making anything they experience in life - major or small - seem overwhelming....and this can be for the rest of their lives.  I have been told so by certain veterans, personally.  Every case is different and I cannot speak for everyone but please, give them your full attention when they return home and not just right after, but from that point on. They have a heavy load to carry in their heads and in their hearts, and if they were fortunate enough to make it home alive, in many cases, their battles have only just begun.   

Our soldiers/veterans have witnessed unspeakable horrors and death during war, no matter what their position was - air or ground.  And then when they return home, they often find they've lost friends/fellow soldiers they served with, to suicide and they must find the strength to process that and go on.  Many do not even discuss it...ever, they carry it inside, where it grows.  It affects them the rest of their lives. 

So please join with me in honoring, loving, respecting and remembering all of our veterans.  You may also get involved by volunteering at V.A. Hospitals and writing our men and women who are serving and who have served.....from any war!    Tomorrow I will watch the movie 'Hair' and also, an episode of Toma called, '50% of Normal'....in honor of Steven.....and all vets.   

I know I've posted this first photo before, but it says it all, it's my way of getting to touch our soldiers....with love.  God bless you Steven, and all veterans....past, present and future.  

 

*Salute*

-KeatsFanKat

aka 

OneMeditator

Mamma's in the kitchen

baking somethin' sweet....



Could it be....

Harold from 'Harold & Maude'?

or
 a would-be Beatle? 

 

 Steven, suit n' tied n' serious in the 70s



Seventies Suspense

an outstanding performance.....

Bravo! 



They call us Mellow Yellow

A seventies Steven and his number one fan.....

I so dig the search results sometimes (^_^)

Hollywood Heart

This is a lovely song I found just by chance, by a band named Keats!  Since the band name is the same as his, and since it has Hollywood in it, I thought it would be a cool & fitting song to share here.  So relax and enjoy!

Keats

Hollywood Heart

1984

Kool Keats Kuote

"Look, one day I look in the mirror and say, 'Who am I and where am I going?'  The next day I pick up my bags and decide I'm going to come to New York and become an actor, something I'd always wanted to do."

The Telegraph, 1973



TFOEC

Dave Grusin did an amazing job on the music for The Friends of Eddie Coyle and here is a link to listen to the highlights, which also has scenes from the movie.  The uploader didn't make video available for "sharing" on other sites, so follow the link over to Y/T and listen there.  

Enjoy! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozm5Lv7xhjE

(Highlight/copy/paste in2 ur address bar)  

-KeatsFanKat
 aka OneMeditator

Note: This is not the same TFOEC music video that I have on an earlier blog post, where the video is all Jackie Brown.  This one is different and shows the entire cast.  Both are so cool - great editing!   

Primetime Crime in the 1970s

 

And he means business too!

 



Outstanding Lead Actor



The Emmy awards show aired last night and even though I didn't tune in,  I did a search and found a page on their site for Steven.  I was happy to find it.  I wish they'd add a summary and a photo of him.  Maybe they will eventually.   The page is for his nomination for the role of Jay Blackman in Seventh Avenue - 1977 (not pictured above).
 

He was such a stellar actor and deserved so much more in the way of nominations, recognition, and awards.  He truly loved the craft of acting and really poured himself into every role.  As a result, he is one of a select group who helped make 70s, 80s & 90s television far more thrilling and exciting.   That goes for his contributions to theater and movies as well.   

In a long ago post of mine, I awarded him an Oscar and an Emmy, for a few of his most noteworthy performances.  Of course all of his performances were amazing.

I realize awards and award shows don't matter to everyone but I'd still like to see this incredible actor get the credit he so deserves.

Anyway here is the link. 

http://www.emmys.com/bios/steven-keats


KeatsFanKat
aka
OneMeditator

a friend of Eddie Coyle's

 

Hester Street among films to be screened at University

I was delighted to find this!  

There is a free film series which will be screened at a University library, and will include one of Steven's movies Hester Street.  The other films to be included in this series are: Lincoln,  Malcom X,  A Streetcar Named Desire.  These will be hosted and are open to the public.

For ore information, please visit the news link below.

Just highlight/copy/paste into your address bar.

http://www.fairfield-sun.com/16148/free-film-series-announced-at-fairfield-university/


-KeatsFanKat
(aka OneMeditator) 


 

Amazed & Amused



And here you go!!

The Wrath of Zeus - Archive radio show starring Steven Keats & others.  

As he would say, Enjoy this! 

http://archive.org/details/OTRR_Sears_Radio_Theater_Singles

(This is not hyper-linked & so you have to highlight/copy/paste into address bar above).  

:) 

On the radio

In 1979, Steven did a Radio Theater performance called, The Wrath of ZEUS.   I hope one day that this is made available, I'd love to hear it!   I'm in contact with some fellow fans, and so if I happen to find it, or they do, I'll share the info here. 

 

-KeatsFanKat

 (OneMeditator)





Steven's unusual co-star

Backgammon!

I notice in a few of Steven's movie and television appearances,  there is a Backgammon board in the scene with him. I'm a pro-player, and that's why it stood out to me.

Steven and Backgammon co-star together in: 

Zuma Beach - (he leans in on an ongoing BG game and rolls the dice)

Matlock, The Hunting Party - (he & his accomplices roll dice on a BG board to decide which one will perform a task later)

Saturday Night Live - (he's not playing but once again, another BG board is nearby) 

Pretty cool, my favorite actor & my favorite game, together! 

-OneMeditator 

Listening



Kool Klose-up

The Last Dinosaur

One of the local libraries I go to had this movie on DVD.  I've seen it before but it was nice to come across it. I actually like this movie and the music.  Steven plays Chuck Wade, and as usual, steals the show.

Oh and by the way, the dinosaur in the movie is not real.  

-OneMeditator

a splash of seventies

On a beautiful beach

in the middle of a scene

on location far away

in Seventies-Nineteen!

Resulting in comedy

Lol - I just love the search results sometimes....

Jackie Brown eyes an Amazon....

(JB & Me)

You talkin' to me??



He's no Rookie

A fellow fan sent me these links showing Steven from when he guest-starred in the The Rookies, back in the 70s.  This is from an episode called One Way Street to Nowhere and he played Comstock.  Unfortunately, these aren't close-ups or front shots but you can still see him.  Below are the three links; they are not hyper-linked, so you'll have to highlight/copy/paste into your address bar, one link at a time, to view.  You may even need to be signed in to F-B.  And very cool Rookies page by the way, thanks for posting these - and thanks also to the person who told me of them. 

The links are long so I made them small...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=382095981840440&set=pb.159215440795163.-2207520000.1374986541.&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=382095971840441&set=pb.159215440795163.-2207520000.1374986541.&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=382096165173755&set=pb.159215440795163.-2207520000.1374986525.&type=3&theater

Enjoy.



-KeatsFanKat - (OneMeditator)

Acting - early years

"I got my first paying job in the theater, I did everything including sweep the stage"

-Steven Keats



Advice to aspiring actors

"Don't talk about it, just do it" 

Steven Keats / 1977

Closing the gap

I've been noticing the differences in Steven's guest-star appearances, from how they were in the 1970s, to how they were in the 1980s and 1990s. I'm only expressing my personal opinion here, and I realize I could be wrong in many areas, but I wanted to write about some of my observations. 

It seems that in many of his later roles, and during his career in general, he was being held back and required to be a lesser version of himself. For instance in certain 80s & 90s television roles, his sexuality appeared to be censored and sanitized, his personal flare suppressed and toned way down, through no decision of his own. I can't help but think of his quote in an interview where he was saying how he shouldn't have to close the gap between his two front teeth - in order to be an actor, and I agree.  There were many roles later in his career where that trademark gap was either narrowed down so much that it was barely visible, or closed up entirely. Now I realize when you're playing different characters, changes in appearances are necessary but there were many roles that Steven played, where it wasn't necessary to do so.

For instance, I was recently watching Steven in a guest starring role on a popular 80s TV show.  In that episode,  he plays an escapee from prison who's on the run and who ends up holding a couple of people hostage.  In this episode he is clean cut, clean shaven, wearing light and friendly neutral colors, including a neck high t-shirt - underneath a jacket and button down shirt - which is completely covering his chest hair, and the gap between his two front teeth is nearly closed. It seemed far too polite and proper for this character, who was an extremely dangerous criminal. The character should have been dressed all in dark threatening colors, and wearing say; a big leather jacket, torn jeans, weather-beaten boots, a worn out open shirt underneath - mostly unbottoned revealing his full hairy chest,  the gap in his two front teeth completely showing, his hair long and unkept - sort of like an uncaged lion.  This guy he played was on the run and up to no good and should have been allowed to look that way!

I can only imagine how scary-awesome this episode could have been, had he really been allowed to cut loose artistically with the role. There were certain scenes in the kitchen, living room, on the staircase and especially in the bedroom - where he backs one of the female hostages up against the dresser - that could have been so frightening, so sexually charged and electrifying, that housewives across America - along with the rest of the female viewing audience - would have fallen over in a dead faint, dropping their irons, dishes, pots n' pans, and coffee cups in the process. Who was that guy!?  (Pardon the household humor, I'm just trying to make a point.)  He had a very raw and rugged type of handsomeness, even wild and animal like at times.  Back in the 70s, he was allowed to really show it - not only in what he wore in certain roles, but also as an actor. 

I really feel that Hollywood, and the powers that be, couldn't recognize pure gold when it was staring them square in the face. Steven was often handed the same types of roles and yet, he was able to take each one and make it entirely different, new and interesting, every single time.  That is how skilled, gifted and charismatic he was. Steven had a very successful career but I don't feel he received the types of roles or the credit, he so deeply deserved. I think of a Ferrari that's stuck in the slow lane, that should have been freed up - and allowed to really fly down that freeway.  And he never should have had to close that gorgeous gap! 

Anyway, like I said before, this is all just my personal opinion.  And for the record, I didn't create this site to put him up on a pedestal, I created it as a heartfelt tribute and memorial - where he could be celebrated.  Thanks for visiting and for reading.

-OneMeditator 

 (the picture in the post below is not from the above-mentioned show)

Say what!?



Twosyllable

I love Steven's two-syllabled "Hi" - which always has a touch of laugh to it....(sort of a "ha-hi").  I'm hearing it in many of his performances. 

Definitely a steven-signature and a greetings unique!

Taking notes



Taking orders

Sometimes I wonder

I've been reading both past and present reviews on The Friends of Eddie Coyle, and sometimes I wonder if some of these critics have actually even seen the movie.  For instance, a few of them have described the character Jackie Brown (played by Steven Keats),  as "stupid",  "incredibly dumb"  "naive" and/or "spaced out".   In all fairness, that may be how some of them viewed the character, but it seems to me - and this is only my personal opinion - that they either didn't have a chance to see the movie, or they were in a rush to review and were only relying on clips.  Whatever the case, I don't know.

I found the character Jackie Brown to be extremely street savvy and smart ~ look how he outfoxed and turned the tables on the group of guys, who during one deal, were trying to ambush him. Pretty impressive!  He was rough around the edges because he had to be, but he was professional, honest, and he knew his merchandise inside and out.  He was far from being high and was unfortunately, quite leery and weary - always feeling every single jagged inch of the steely-sharp-edged blade of stone cold reality - prompting him to say lines like, "This life's hard man, but it's harder if you're stupid!" and "Life is hard, lover."    Jackie Brown also had a flare and style all his own.  That is the impression I got from the character.....and so did a majority of the reviewers.

Anyway I just wanted to put in my two cents. I appreciate the difference of opinions, as that is what makes life interesting, but it just seemed to me that a small handful of movie reviewers/critics - who were commenting on Jackie Brown - hadn't actually seen the movie.

That's all, dolls.  Thanks for reading.

-OneWonderingMeditator 

"This life's hard man, but it's harder if you haven't actually seen the movie!' 

;-)

Glasses Galore!

The glasses thing....I'm so lovin' it!

 

 



Keats Kuotes

Early years; on growing up.....

"I always felt like the oddball out. I didn't think the way everybody thought.  I didn't behave the way everybody behaved.  I never did anything the way everybody else did."  


Early career; on Yale Drama School

"The formalized approach to acting wasn't for me, and not being one to want to follow anyone's rules, I left after eight months." 

-Steven Keats

Do not cross that yellow line!

Yellow tape, red tape, it's all the same...and like...so totally annoying!



Lights, Camera, GLASSES!

 

 

 



Primetime crime

 



Professional P.I. - at your service!

 On the job....

And on a break....

 

Meeting through the Mesh



Playing it up in plaid

 

Runnin' from the Law



Hands Free