Saturday, December 05, 2015

My Annual Birthday Post


My lazy man's birthday post.

From December 5, 2011, I repost my birthday thoughts on fame and fortune. What have I learned in three four years? A kind word opens many doors, and that no man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a homunculus.

Also, writing a novel is a butt buster. Thank God I'm almost finished . . . with the book, that is.






Thank you very much to all who have, so far, wished me Happy Birthday. In thinking of this day, I am reminded of several famous Americans who share my date of birth. I will list three and examine their accomplishments as compared to mine.

1. Martin Van Buren - b. Dec. 5, 1782

2. George Armstrong Custer - b. Dec. 5, 1839

3. Walt Disney - b. Dec. 5, 1901

4. John P. McCann - b. Dec. 5, 1952

1. Martin Van Buren succeeded greatly in becoming the 8th President of the United States but was hardly remembered even in his own day. He had a large bull frog stuffed and used as an ink well in the White House. However President Taft later sat on it by accident and they had to throw the thing out. That's about it.

2. George Armstrong Custer succeeded greatly as a soldier in the Civil War but had a mixed record fighting Indians. (1-1-2, I think.) He is best remembered for his spectacular fail at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. At first, everything was going well; then it all fell apart under an Indian tsunami. In later years, Custer had a park named after him as well as a monument and a movie where his part was played by Errol Flynn. That's a whole lot more than Van Buren ever got.

3. Walt Disney succeeded greatly in animation, a pioneer in the field, creator of iconic characters—but not the word 'iconic' which has been seized upon by junior execs.—established Disney studios and Disneyland and is fondly remembered to this day. Nonetheless his body is frozen in a vault beneath Disney's Burbank lot and should Walt be reanimated and start making decisions again it could effect his legacy.

4. John P. McCann was greatly successful as a Hollywood atmosphere player. McCann was the ship-board stand-in for a Canadian actor portraying Errol Flynn in My Wicked, Wicked Ways. In addition, he is visible catching Dennis Quaid's jacket at around 1:19 in a clip from Great Balls of Fire.
More successful in animation, McCann created the non-iconic character of The Huntsman. For the next fifteen years, he piggy-backed onto as many successful shows as his friends would allow. While the record is still being written, outsiders agree that McCann will be remembered by Bank of America and several other creditors who might reasonably feel aggrieved should he pass from the scene within the next several months.

Images: whitehouse.gov, Parcbench, fold3

10 comments:

Keeper said...

Happy birthday, dude!

JP Mac said...

Thanks, Keeper.

May your piano playing be ever festive.

Authors 4 Characters said...

Belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I got you a lovely gift. I bought Fifty Shades of Zane Grey yesterday. It will arrive just before Christmas and I will write a review as soon as I finish. Looking forward to that weekend being very RELAXING!!! A good book, good coffee = HEAVEN.

JP Mac said...

That is, indeed, a most lovely gift.

Chill out and bask in the, hopefully funny, satire.

Authors 4 Characters said...

I SOOOO shall. I just wish I could send you a piece of chocolate cake (home made). I trust it would be a good laugh. Doug Walker (Nostalgia Critic) and some fellow critics actually read the book to audiences (original 50 Shades....) and got a weird laugh.

Unknown said...

Happy (late) Birthday, Mr McCann! Sorry I missed it by a couple of days, I hope you had a good one. =)

JP Mac said...

It was tough to parody, because the original is so stinking funny.

JP Mac said...

Better late than never, Dexter.

And I had a dandy birthday, thank you very much.

Authors 4 Characters said...

So I've heard. I'm gonna watch those NC read throughs again. Need a good chuckle. Still, I'm sure yours will be a ...smidge more wholesome than what I've been hearing.

Authors 4 Characters said...

https://youtu.be/WtZ4pnwkDGc Nostalgia Critic and friends read 50 Shades of Grey.

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