ROSE TATTOO HOUSE UNDER RENOVATION

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I sleep with the television on. It probably comforts me. If I wake in the middle of the night, I merely have to look up and I am into a movie till I fall back to sleep again.

I woke at 3 this morning. Playing was The Rose Tattoo. A 1955 hit movie. It starred Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster. Magnani won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance. The story takes place in an Italian-American neighborhood in Louisiana. Most of the movie takes place in a house.

The movie was not made in Louisiana. It was shot in Key West on Duncan Street.

Tennessee Williams had written the Broadway play. He later helped with the writing of the movie. Williams lived in Key West some 40 years. His home was on Duncan, also. One block from The Rose Tattoo house where the shooting took place.

The Rose Tattoo house was forgotten for many years. Rarely lived in. Permitted to run down. It was difficult to see from the street because of the huge uncared/uncut foliage which had grown.

I drove down Duncan recently. On my way to daughter Lisa’s home. Lisa lives two blocks from the Rose Tattoo house and one block from the Tennessee Williams home.

I was shocked and pleased at the same time! I could see the Rose Tattoo house. The foliage was down. Even better, the house was under what appeared to be total renovation. A beautiful home! A jewel uncovered! A large swing around porch. The outside already painted white. It will make a wonderful home when completed.

Did my blog talk radio show last night. I enjoy doing the show. I enjoy the opportunity to pontificate. I received several telephone calls immediately following the show. Two topics were of primary interest to the callers. The bit about Greece wanting to sell 110 of its beaches to help pay its Euro Union debt. The other involved the 1,800 plus suicides this year already of those in the military.

Per my usual custom, I grabbed a bite at Roostica before the show. I am continually surprised at how good the food is. And, reasonably priced. I had three meatball sliders last night. Huge meatballs.  A small salad came with it. I had to force myself to finish the last slider. Cost: $7. Need I say more!

This morning’s KONK Life E-Blast has an article concerning the construction of the new City Hall on White Street. The Glynn Archer school building is being renovated for the purpose. The thrust of the story was that everything was moving along well and within projected costs. The project was at the stage where interior demolition had begun.

I worry about renovating old buildings. I dealt with many in my former life as an environmental attorney. Asbestos and other problems rise up which were not contemplated in initial estimates. There is always a surprise. With surprise, costs shoot up.

I am sure that the architects involved took into account any asbestos removal and other such problems. However, there is always that surprise.

I wish the City and project good luck and hope the inevitable does not occur.

Back to the gym this morning at 11! I survived monday. Should today, also. I never made day 2 back in December when I first tried.

Enjoy your day!

 

PATRICK “PATTY CAKES” HAYES

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I am alive and almost well. Blood pressure ok. My back has 20 per cent to go. However, the back is sufficiently better that I am able to move around experiencing only an occasional twinge of pain.

I am stir crazy. I have been confined to bed and home a few days. Have to get out! Tonight!

Today’s KONK Life E News Blast features a picture of one of Key West’s most beloved persons. Patrick Hayes, aka Patty Cakes. Patrick was at a charity fundraiser yesterday afternoon at Square One and shed his dreds to help with the fund raising. They were almost down to his butt. I will not say Patrick looked good in them. From my perspective, he did not. He was like a wild man from Borneo. I am glad they are gone. The Patrick I knew has returned!

Patrick is a good friend. For more than 20 years. He is also Lisa’s friend. Her best friend after her husband. Patrick is also unofficial godfather to Robert and Lisa. They know him well and love him, also.

Patrick tells the story that he came to Key West straight and ended up gay. He lived with Les for many years. Les made Patrick an honest person two years ago. They ran off to Iowa and married. I attended their wedding reception on Shark Key when they returned.

Patrick seems to have worked forever as Square One’s bartender. He is pure goodness and always available to lend a helping hand.

I am having dinner tonight at Square One. I look forward to seeing the new Patrick with normal hair.

On this day in 1956, Italian actress Anna Magnani won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The movie was The Rose Tattoo. The screenplay and movie were written by Tennessee Williams when he lived in Key West.

The Tennessee Williams’ home is on Duncan Street. Two blocks from Lisa’s home. A lovely well maintained house presently owned by my friend Evan Roberts.

The Rose Tattoo was filmed in Key West. Probably at Tennessee Williams’ insistence. The house it was filmed in is on the same block as the Tennessee Williams home. Williams is at one end and The Rose Tattoo home the other. The filming  took place in Key West and on the same block as Williams’ home probably for Williams’ convenience. All he had to do was roll out of bed in the morning and walk less than 100 yards to his place of work.

I do not believe Key West had anything to do with the movie. Magnani played a Sicilian widow. Her co-star, the great Burt Lancaster, a lusty truck driver.

Williams insisted Magnani have the starring role. He said at the time she was “…..the most explosive emotional actress of her generation.”

Burt Lancaster was one of the outstanding male actors of his day. His day being in my life time. He was a contemporary of Kirk Douglas who is still alive. Lancaster was a man’s man and played such roles. He died about 15 years ago. I was disappointed that many younger than me were not aware of who he was. How soon  a great can be forgotten!

The Rose Tattoo house has not been well maintained at all. Run down. Someone started renovating it two years ago. However, it appears the renovations stopped in their early stages.

Syracuse won its first game in the big tournament yesterday. Easily defeated Western Michigan 77-53. Tomorrow at 7, Dayton.

Notice how calm I am.

Enjoy your day!

THE ROSE TATTOO

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The Rose Tattoo was a mid 1950s movie. Starred Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani. Lancaster was a big time hero type Hollywood star of that era. Magnani was an Italian star.

Magnai played a wild woman in the film. Lancaster loving and submissive to her. An unusual role for Lancaster. The movie won Magnani the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress.

The significance of the movie is that it was filmed in Key West.

Hal Wallis was the producer. During this week in 1954 he was in Key West scouting locations for the film.

The selected site was a small house on Duncan Street.

Duncan Street is key here.

Tennessee Williams wrote the play from which the movie was derived. Williams lived two blocks away on Duncan at the time. My lovely Lisa lives on Duncan today. Her home is three blocks from the Rose Tattoo house and two blocks from Tennessee Williams’ home.

The Rose Tattoo house still stands. Run down. Covered with unkept shrubbery. I believe it is presently a rental.

The Tennessee Williams house is owned by others now. The house looks terrific.

A lovely morning here in Key West. Sun shining. A few white clouds. Water green.

I spent my day time yesterday researching and writing. The writing has altered my life style. Most of my days lately are spent inside typing away.

It was the Chart Room last night.

Merri bartending. Notice I have spelled her name differently. One of my readers emailed me and told me her name was not spelled M A R Y. It was M E R R I. I asked Merri last night if it was so. Yes, she said. Merri is a loyal blog reader. I asked why she never told me I was misspelling her name. She said it made no difference to her.

Sat next to Brian. First time I met him. A Key West local. He works for a boat towing operation. An interesting business! I learned much from him. His company comes out to get you if you run out of gas or get stuck on a sand bar. They also do salvage work.

I wanted Italian for dinner. Stopped at Roostica on Stock Island on the way home. Enjoyed baked ziti. I have thus far eaten three pastas at Roostica. Lasagna, spaghetti and ziti. The pastas were all good. The sauce leaves something to be desired. Too light. Tends to be watery. I enjoy a thicker and more bodied red sauce. My Italian upbringing!

Roostica has been open less than a year. It is a gold mine. Always crowded. I must be the only one the sauce bothers. Actually the place is more of a pizza restaurant than pasta one.

You will recall when I returned from Italy in August, I flew Delta from Atlanta to Key West and seated next to me were Paul and his daughter Katlyn. Paul was a reservist and also a fire lieutenant in the keys. Katlyn a high school student. We had a great time. The conversation most enjoyable.

At the Key West Airport, Paul introduced me to his wife Tracey.

As I was eating, a woman came over and said hello. It was Tracey. She called over to Paul and Katlyn. Nice people all. I was happy to see them again.

Show time tonight! Blog talk radio! My show!

Join me at 9 for a half hour of interesting chatter about world events. Some topics eye openers. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!