Always with a joke - Monty Python

After they had successfully entertained television viewers from all around the world in the late sixties and early seventies of past century, the group Monty Python started making full-length movies and publishing books.

Although their fans expect similar gags in their movies, hardly anyone expected from silly Britons to make pell-mell even in publishing venture.

For a book titled "The Brand New Monty Python Bok" (sequel to Monty Python's Big Red Book with striking blue cover), Terry Jones hired his sister-in-law Katharine Hepburn (accidentally with same name as the famous American actress) to assist them.

The cover was realistically made to look like it was greasy and filled with dirty fingerprints. It was made so realistic that many readers didn’t wanted to buy the book, asking for "newer" and more preserved copy.

However, there was also another thing - the cover could be peeled off and reveal hidden pictures of naked girls. 

read more...

Despised poetry - Oscar Wilde

One could say that the British writer Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was not a big fan of Alexander Pope’s (1688-1744) poetry, despite the fact that Pope was an eminent English poet.

On one occasion, Wilde wrote:

“There are two ways of disliking poetry; one way is to dislike it, the other is to read Pope.”

read more...

Vacation in Italy – Lana Turner

During one of her visits to Italy, American actress Lana Turner (1921-1995) was staying in a small town of  Positano believing that there she would be safe and that the fans will not be disturb her.

For two days she enjoyed exploring the city, but on the third day she was arrested in the middle of the street and taken to a police station.

Although they were very kind to her, the police officers behaved strangely. When they wrote down her data into their registry, they asked from Lana to take of her shoes and stand on a piece of paper. When she asked them why must she do that and why did they arrest her, they refused to reply. When she put her feet on a piece of paper, they carefully marked them with a pencil.

After that, they told her not to leave town in the next 24 hours, and returned her to her hotel.

The next day a package arrived for her in her hotel room. In it was a very beautiful pair of sandals – a gift from her fan, the Mayor of Positano.

read more...

Prodigy – Julian Hawthorne

Unlike his father, American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), Julian Hawthorne (1846-1934) loved to appear in public. Every time when somebody heard his famous family name, he would think that Julian was the older Hawthorne, the well-known writer.

That was the case and during one dinner party when a fan of his father approached Julian Hawthorne and enthusiastically said to him:

- Oh, dear Mr. Hawthorne, I read your "Scarlet Letter" and there is just one thing I could say: that is a masterpiece!

- You think? - Julian wittily replied. - Dear Madam, that book was published when I was only four years old.

read more...

Sarah Bernhardt: Passion is definitely important!

Longtime fan once sent a letter full of blame to the famous French theater actress Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923).

She was complaining how the actress continuously plays in the role of women impassioned with love, and this respectable lady has never been able to bring her minor daughter into the theater with her.

Sarah Bernhardt really cared about her fans opinions and she made an effort to respond to this lady.

She wrote her a letter: “Dear Madam, please, keep in mind the following: if you yourself weren’t impassioned, you wouldn’t have a daughter now, and, the concern as whether to bring her to the theater or not.”

read more...