It would have been Madeline Kahn's 67th birthday today.

And she'll be gone 10 years this December. RIP.

NEW BOOK ALERT: And Party Every Day: The Inside Story Of Casablanca Records

from Amazon.com

7782 in New York City: The Dakota

7782 in New York City: Missed it by that much...

I missed Carrie Fisher talking about her drug and alcohol abuse onstage at Studio 54 by 1 week. It doesn't get more 7782 than that!

I've now been inside the Studio 54 entry hall. Wooo.

7782 in New York City: Q, the Winged Serpent

The Chrysler Building, home of Quetzalcoatl from Larry Cohen's Q the Winged Serpent (1982) as seen from the Empire State Building.

7782 in New York City: The Daily Planet

A.K.A. The New York Daily News building on 42nd St., NYC

Also the site of this scene:

Faces of 7782: Happy Birthday, Valerie Perrine

"Lex, my mother lives in Hackensack!"

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It's too bad that Can't Stop the Music squelched her career as a major star, especially since she was the least problematic thing in that troubled film.

Compare her '30s screwball performance as Eve Teschmacher in Superman & Superman II to Parker Posey's 'why bother' presence in a similar role in Bryan Singer's recent Superman Returns.

Also great in Bob Fosse's Lenny Bruce biopic.

The Valerie Perrine 7782 Canon:

Superman (1978)
The Electric Horseman (1979)
Can't Stop the Music (1980)
Superman II (1981)
The Cannonball Run (1981)

Speaking of High Anxiety

Here's the brilliant Mel Brooks lounge singing scene, with one of the greatest 'singing in the shower' songs of all time:



I love Madeline Kahn's reactions in this.

Another Sunn Classic - Beyond and Back (1978)

Beyond and Back, a movie so intense it inspired the title of one of LA punk band X's earlier classic songs, performed here in Penelope Spheeris' 1981 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization:

Faces of 7782: Vincent Van Patten

Above: A sleeping Lynda Carter and a Star Wars Cantina Creature are no match for Vince Van Patten.

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This dude was all over 70s TV and even managed to sneak his way into a couple of features. I remember him most for playing an alien dupe in Wonder Woman (above). So powerful a presence that he spawned Vince Van Patten imitators -- I could have sworn he was in The Karate Kid (1984) and Just One of the Guys (1985) but he's not. That's William Zabka, a fake Van Patten.

Vince is a member of the royal family of 7782 which includes his dad Dick Van Patten (High Anxiety, Eight is Enough), his aunt Joyce Van Patten, brother Jimmy Van Patten (Roller Boogie, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again) and his half-uncle the great Timothy Van Patten (Class of 1984, The White Shadow, The Master).

Vince is currently serving as the spokesface for Milwaukee's local indian casino, apparently in conjunction with his World Series of Poker gig. I actually saw him in the flesh a couple of months ago when I attended a Brewers vs. Twins game at Milwaukee County Stadi...I mean Miller Park.

The VVP 7782 Canon:

Wonder Woman (1977)
Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)
The Love Boat (1981)
Hell Night (1981)

Now THAT'S more like it

Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett in The Runaways (2010)

Joan Jett at Milwaukee's Summerfest

Two-fifths of the Runaways are appearing at Summerfest this year -- Lita Ford performs this Friday night and Joan Jett was there last night. She played three Runaways songs -- Cherry Bomb, I Love Playing With Fire and You Drive Me Wild -- no doubt because she has the band on her mind due to the biopic that's shooting right now. I am pretty sure Kristen Stewart was in attendance last night, doing some research for her role as Jett.

Jett played all of her hits as well as three or four tracks from her most recent album Sinner. The liveliest numbers were the Runaways songs and her cover of Sweet's ACDC probably because she hasn't played them 5000 times over the last 30 years. I would have liked to hear School Days which is My favorite Runaways-era Jett song but I am more than happy with the show as it was.

If Joan is casting about for an idea for a new album, I suggest a The Hit List, Vol. II with nothing but 70s Glam Rock songs -- even better an album of nothing but Mike Chapman/Nicky Chinn songs -- her version of Chapman/Chinn's ACDC is awesome. But she could do Bowie's Rebel Rebel and Diamond Dogs justice as well. How about the first all-female rock supergroup with Jett, Ford, Suzi Quatro, a Go-Go and a Bangle?