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Sunday, June 7, 2009

SUNDAY FAVORITES-GEORGE HAMILTON IS STILL HOT..I MEAN TAN!





I am joining the delightful blogger, Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday Favorites.



This post originally appeared on my blog on November 1, 2008.






Well, I can tell you this....George Hamilton is still tan and still very attractive, and George Hamilton is a riot! He is 69 years old and had young women swooning over him when he came to our little town last week (as if we old women weren't swooning too). He appeared at our local theater. It used to be a movie theater, but was converted to a "live" theater venue in the early 70's.








George (excuse me, Mr. Hamilton) lived in our small town (Blytheville, Arkansas) until he was about 11 years old, so he used to watch movies at this theater. He has just written a book, and he was kind enough to come back to our little town to help raise money for the Arts Council's children's programs. Tickets were sold, and the plan was that he would be interviewed on the stage.


The first question the interviewer asked him was "How do you keep your tan?" George (hey, I was sitting on the front row, and I did hug him, so I think we're on a first name basis now--even if he doesn't know MY first name!) started talking and didn't stop. He kept the audience entertained for an hour and a half. I did not expect him to be so funny. The audience was laughing the entire hour and a half!


He explained that when he left our little town, he, his mother and his brothers moved to Florida. He said that girls had never paid any attention to him, although he had tried to get their attention. When he got to Florida, he didn't know anyone, and the girls he tried to talk to didn't seem interested. He finally got bored and just laid on the beach. The resulting tan led to girls being all over him! That's when he made up his mind that he would never be without a tan again. When he has filmed in a place where the sun is not available, it was in his contract that he would be flown somewhere each weekend where he could soak up rays. (Don't ask me why his skin doesn't look like an orange peal, as mine would if I did that). He made fun of himself about his tan being so important to him, but he did say that he often does not wear makeup for t.v. shows, and he did not wear makeup when he did "Dancing With the Stars".

That was an easy segue into a story about the "Dancing With the Stars" show. (George and I are very similar in our speaking abilities-we both just go from one story to the next without taking a breath--I think the interviewer asked 2 more questions in the hour and a half they were on stage!) Just before he was scheduled to participate in "Dancing With the Stars", he cracked several ribs in an accident and was put on medication. He claims that is what caused his foolishness (apparently lusting after his partner) on the show. He also takes credit for changes in the show. His "old man lusting" was such a hit that since then, every season, Dancing With the Stars has an older person on the show, making a fool of themselves, just as he had done.



George's grandfather was a doctor in our little town, and George said he always thought that he would also be a doctor. (His father was a "big band" director at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, which is about 60 miles from here). Several people in our town tell stories about George's grandfather delivering them at birth. When the new parents had not selected a baby name, they asked George's mother for suggestions. She was always enamoured with Hollywood, and she would suggest the name of a movie star, and that is how some people in our town got their names! I understand she loved Gary Cooper, so that may explain why we have a lot of men named "Gary" in our town.


He entertained us with stories about going to the movie theater in Blytheville. He said that, in elementary school, he figured out that if he dated the girl whose parent's owned the theater, he got in free (she really was a pretty girl though-still is). He also said that his mother knew that she could give each of her three boys a quarter, send them to the movies on Saturday afternoon, and not have to put up with them until that evening.


While in Florida, George was in a school play. He enjoyed the stage, and decided he would go try his acting out in Hollywood. He only had enough money to have one picture made for his portfolio, but it must have been a good picture, because it landed him a part in a movie right away. He said his mother and older brother were so excited that, like locusts, they immediately descended upon him in Hollywood. They bought a mansion with his money, and his brother furnished it in beautiful French and English antiques. George said it was a long time before he realized just how much money his mother and brother had spent. He did say he was glad that his brother (whom he referred to as half brother, half sister) had such good taste! He said he always thought his brother was in love with Betty Grable until he found out that his brother wanted to BE Betty Grable!



George' s mother, Teeny, always wanted to be a movie star, or at the very least, date one. She dated several stars and married several very interesting men. The mansion she bought (with George's money) was in the Mary Pickford compound. Mary was married to Buddy Rogers, and Buddy and George's mother had an on-going affair, which Mary Pickford knew about. (I'm tellin' ya, this was a whole different way of life!) Teeny also dated Ronald Reagn, Clark Gable, and Howard Huhges. George said he thought everybody grew up not knowing what famous person might be at their breakfast table in the morning.


I had forgotten that George Hamilton had "dated" one of Lyndon Johnson's daughters (while LBJ was president). He told about going to the ranch to meet the Johnsons. He said, LBJ drove him out in a jeep, and there were big rifles in the jeep. He had no idea that he and LBJ would be hunting on the ranch, but after seeing the guns, he was glad to know they were going hunting. At some point, he was sitting in the jeep, when President Johnson got out of the jeep and began "relieving" himself while talking to George. George joked about answering questions from the President of the United States while the President was relieving himself (do you look at the President when you speak to him .... even if he's doing that?)


After the "interview", George Hamilton was so gracious to us little town folk. He stood in the lobby of the theater and talked to and hugged anyone who wanted to talk to him or hug him. You will be surprised to hear, that I was only able to mumble a few words to him (something about how much I enjoyed his visit), but I was able to hug him and have my picture made. (Of course, I almost swooned-he is one hot 69 year-old guy!)


I don't know what my DH did to my camera when it came time to take my picture with the star, but the pictures he took did not turn out. (I'm still trying to forgive him!) Someone else took one of me with George, and if I get that picture, I will add it to this post (just to prove that I did hug George Hamilton, and that my knees didn't completely buckle...until I got outside the theater!)


PHOTO ADDED LATER:




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Thank you for coming to see my re-post. Be sure to go to Happy to Design to find all of the links to other blogger's favorite posts.


laurie

15 comments:

Dixie said...

Wow Laurie... you and George look Hot!

Have I ever told you that my grandparents and great grandparents lived in Blytheville? I spent many many happy days there as a young child...

hugs. Dixie

KBeau said...

Great picture of you and George, Laurie, but I think it's time for you to take a vacation to the beach. LOL!!

Chandy said...

Laurie, well written post! You must have been enamored enough to write as if we were all there right in front of you! I loved reading each word! GH is one good lookin' man!

Chandy said...

Me again, I wish the picture of you and him was bigger. It looks great for sure! ;-)

A Collector At Heart said...

Laurie,
What an interesting and funny story! And, oh my goodness, your picture with a movie star! Can I have your autograph?! Thanks for sharing a once in a lifetime experience!
Hugs,
Cindy

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Laurie! What a great post...I could easily imagine how much the crowd enjoyed him....every time I've seen him (oh yeah, NOT in person) he's been hilarious. I love somebody with a great sense of humor. How delightful that he was willing to come and do the show for you. I wish I had been there.....ahhhhh....the STAR power.

Hugs,
Spencer

Helen said...

Mornin' little groupie! Have a great Sunday. How did the beach theme dinner go? Table was spectacular!!!!!

Soosie said...

Laurie Eve..what a great post about George..I have been to that Mary Pickford home filled with antiques and beautiful things and the largest fireplace that I have ever seen..his mother and brother entertained the Blytheville dancing troop while out there with such a lovely party..his brother had black patent slipper/loafer shoes on..for some reason that made quite an impression on me..My daddy claims to have had a date with Ann Hamilton Spaulding but that might have been "wishful dreaming"..I learned several new things from the post..wish I could have been there..Well, Blytheville has George Hamilton and Conway has Kris Allen..it's only fair. Susie

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Ooooh Laurie! I remember this post! That George IS a hottie, isn't he? Have a great week...hugs...Debbie

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

HI Laurie,
What a fabulous read! I would have been so excited too, and what a cute pic of you and George! He still is a hottie! His family sure was interesting too, what a story! Thanks for sharing this I never saw this post before and I sure did enjoy it. Thank-you Laurie for teaching me about the big pic process and I tried it and it worked! hugs to you, Cindy

BittersweetPunkin said...

Oh how wonderful...yes he IS very handsome indeed! Good for you, lucky gal!

xinex said...

What a great story, Laurie. How did I miss it the first time you posted it? I like your pic with George. I saw him in a hotel in Vegas and you're right, he is still tan (and hot too!)...Christine

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Laurie, I am just now seeing this!! What fun to see GH in person! I know it had to be delightful! I'm so happy you were able to get a photo with him.

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hello Dearheart...

My friend, I remember this post...I love George Hamilton!!! I loved watching him in "Dancing With the Stars"...I thought he was marvelous and he really made the show!!! I think that was the first time that I realized that he had a comical side to him...I had only seen him in serious roles before that! Wow...he really is an interesting man...and quite entertaining!!! Too cool that he's from Blytheville!!! Ohhh Girlfriend...I love the photo of the two of you together! Were you swooning at the time? Hehe! I'm sure that I would have been!!!

This was a great post Darlin'...thank you so much for joining in with Sunday Favorites this week...I enjoyed reading about George Hamilton!!!

Love ya,
Chari
PS...so sorry that I'm so late at getting over. We had our big family estate sale this weekend and I was sooo busy!

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed your entertaining post about George Hamilton and by the way great picture with him. Who can forget GH in "Where the Boys Are"-one of my favorite movies - and didn't it start the college craze to Florida every Spring break!

Teacup Lady (Sandy)