Memorial Day

Since Monday is Memorial Day, I'll be keeping the candles burning brightly all weekend.  It's my way of paying my respects, not only to our fallen soldiers but also, to all who have ever served,

like Steven Keats

 

"Never forget, Ever honor"



Tributing our soldiers & veterans, not war

1974

Cannon

'The Prisoner'

 In this episode of Cannon, entitled The Prisoner, 
Steven plays a former Vietnam P.O.W. seeking revenge on his captain.
(Air date:  December 11, 1974)

(There were two episodes of Cannon with the similar title -

One called Prisoner(s) - and one called The Prisoner

Steven was in the second)

Something for Steven

Embers of you

your campfire once was burning

so beautifully high and bright

and everyone was gathered around your flames

to feel your warmth, your love and light

many years later when i arrived

i found your fire had long died down

i had missed you completely, and so i started to cry

because you were no longer around

i was sitting alone by your campfire circle

when i felt a warmth rising up from the ground

i saw crackling wood chips that were still all aglow

in orangey-reds, yellows and browns

i may have missed your campfire

but there's still the loveliest afterglow

these embers of you are eternally burning

and everyone's love for you makes them grow

-By: OneMeditator

Kool Keats Kuote

"Nobody told Kirk Douglas to fill in the dimple on his chin, so why should they tell me to fill in the gap between my two front teeth? 

-Steven Keats 1977 / NY Times  



Elvis-ish



Nineteen

This coming week, on May 8th, it will be nineteen years since Steven has been gone.  I just wanted to re-share a quote I posted here long ago because it makes me think of him.  It's from a book by Ruth Fishel called, 'Hang in Til the Miracle Happens'.  She dedicates the book to her late son with these heartfelt words:

"To my dear, loving, generous and much talented son, Bob Fishel (1963-1992) who could not wait for the next miracle. May your pain be transformed into healing energy for all of those who still suffer on this earth."

I'd also like to share a link to a book called:  Truth be Told:  A Memoir on Success, Suicide & Survival....

http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Be-Told-Success-Survival/dp/1402779879
 
And to Steven, 

You are really missed and loved by your fans.  I hope the future brings more out on you - articles, a documentary-biography,  interviews,  rare photos,  performance footage & perhaps even a book. Then you will be truly memorialized - you deserve it!  May God bless you and all who love you.

I'll end here with a song on Hollywood called Celluloid Heroes:

Steven Keats

Sunrise 1945 - Sunset 1994 

Graceful Ghost

I just wanted to post this beautiful piece of "rags" piano music called Graceful Ghost by William Bolcom.  So what does this have to do with Steven Keats you may ask?  Well it was Bolcom who did the music for one of Steven's movies Hester Street....and it was Steven who suggested him to the filmmakers.  What a wonderful musical tie-together!   Anyway, when I heard this song today,  I wanted to share it here.  

This is such a lovely piece of music and I'm sure you'll shed a tear or two while listening.

So here now is William Bolcom's Graceful Ghost, (performed by Paul Jacobs).  

Enjoy!

Workin' out

 

& then taking a deep-thought break...

(in a scene) 

Groomed for Stardom

I was watching Death Wish on DVD the other day. There is a scene where Steven, who plays Jack Toby,  is walking out from the bedroom where his wife is resting, and into the living room with Charles Bronson.  In the scene, Steven is wearing a long button down black (or dark blue) dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up a little.  He's also wearing a pair of beige bell bottom dress slacks with dress shoes.  He looks alarmingly handsome, cool and confident.  He looks like a total STAR - the classy old-school type of movie star like Cary Grant.  

Steven had a great career and was a big success however, he should have been a major star - legendary.  He deserved it and he had everything it took.  Charisma, looks. talent, personality, flare, and an acting style all his own.  Not to mention, the ability to completely change his look.  In my opinion, he'll always be up there as one of the performing greats - stage & screen.  He is most certainly a star now, and the most dazzling kind you can be.  The kind that sparkles and shines eternally, in the night sky.

Anyway, I just wanted to comment on that scene.   

-KeatsFanKat

This month

This month on March 30th, it will be Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.   I'm posting this early because ceremonies are taking place all month long.  I just wanted to remember & pay tribute to all of our Vietnam Veterans - like Steven Keats. 

For more information, please visit my blog as I have posted many links and videos.  I post often over there, so if the blog post becomes buried in the following days, here is the direct link to the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day - 2013 - post:

http://sweetsingingsister-sweetsingingsister.blogspot.com/2013/03/welcome-home-vietnam-veterans-day.html

Thank you for reading
God Bless

50% of Normal

I sure would love to watch Steven's gripping performance again in the above-titled episode of TOMA.   

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0726129/

Perhaps soon, they'll release this series on DVD.  

Master of disguise

Somewhere in suburbia, a lady's doorbell rings.....



"Mornin' ma'am.  Pardon me for the trouble but we've been on the lookout for a master of disguise, a brilliant character actor by the name of Steven Keats.  He's been seen around the area lately, randomely showing up on people's doorsteps.  We don't have a wanted poster or a solid description yet because he has been known to change his appearance drastically, from role to role, sometimes within a matter of only seconds.  However, there is one definining feature of his that reportedly never changes.  According to all witnesses, he has a big gap between his two front teeth and has an extremely charming and handsome smile.  The department strongly suggests that everyone be on the lookout by viewing all of his television shows and movies..." 



"So please call us if he happens to show up at your door.  Thank you so kindly for your time ma'am.....you have a lovely day now!" 

Shadow of a doubt



Starring & guest starring: Steven

Here are some guest starring, lead and supporting roles, Steven would have been fabulous in.  (Some of these movies and TV shows came out after 1994 but as I watch them, I can still totally "see" him in some of the different roles.)  I would have loved to have seen him in:

Television

All in the Family 

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Bob Newhart

Sanford and Son

The Jeffersons

The (original) Twilight Zone

Night Gallery (Rod Serling's other show)

Hogan's Heroes

The Sopranos

Six Feet Under

Curb Your Enthusiasm (w/ Larry David)   

News Radio (w/ Phil Hartman)
The Pacific (the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks mini-series HBO) 
Family Ties 
Ironside 
Bonanza
The Big Valley
Get Smart
I Dream of Jeanie
Emergency!
The Equalizer 
Little House on the Prairie 
Mash

Movies

Talk Radio

Glengarry Glen Ross  
Blood Simple
Body Double
Flashdance (Michael Nouri's role)

Jagged Edge

Mike's Murder (w/Debra Winger) 

The Accidental Tourist

Platoon 
The Firm
9 1/2 Weeks

Looking for Mr. Goodbar

Fatal Vision  (mini-series/movie)
E.T.

American Gigolo

An Officer and a Gentleman
Ghosts of Mississippi

The Big Chill

Coming Home (w/ Jane Fonda)

The Green Mile

Casino 
Crimes and Misdemeanors (w/Woody Allen)
Husbands and Wives (w/Woody Allen)
Wall Street
Ordinary People 
A Civil Action 
Hair 
The Rose 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Tim Curry's role) 
Mash (Robert Altman movie - '70) 

When you're watching the movies,  you'll be able to tell exactly which role Steven would have been perfect in, lead or supporting.  I'm also a big watcher of independent films and so there are many of those, which I won't even begin to list, that he would have been good in too.  

Steven was such an amazing actor because he was in touch with all sides of himself;  his dark side, light side, comedic side,  and deeply passionate side.  He had a great sensitivity and a unique rhythm as an actor, which he would tap into and adjust, from role to role.  I can only imagine what movie/TV/stage projects he would have gone on to act in, direct & produce!

I'll definitely be editing/adding to this list, as I do with all of my posts, since I often think of more things after the fact.   

Thanks for reading. 

 



Also starring:  OneMeditator