And the winner is….[Help us choose a new book cover design!]

44 Comments

Update May 1st, 2013: Based on your response posted here in comments, on Facebook and the now hundreds of emails I’ve received on the topic of the new cover design, the clear winner is:

Cover 5

Of course, all of the covers received tremendous support and valid comments as to the pros and cons. We will be using some of your favorite other shots on the back cover of the book as well.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this survey.

And, as requested, I am looking into the option of offering a few different covers for the collector who would like them all. Stay tuned!

Update April 19: At the moment the 5th cover option is the winner by a long shot. However, since a few people have requested we try the candid of Jeanette and Nelson together during “Smilin’ Through,” I’d like you to take at look at the new 6th cover. If you had to choose between cover #5 and #6, which would be your favorite? Please take a look and leave your feedback either as a “comment” to this post, or email us with the link below.

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the publishing of the book Sweethearts. We are surveying with you for a new cover for the next edition (designed by our wonderful graphic designer Don Schumann). (And yes, we are preparing a Kindle edition as well for later this year.) Please look  at the photos below (you can click on them to see them larger) and email us which choice you would like for the cover…or if you have a couple of favorites, let us know which ones you like, in what order. Do you prefer using any photos from the current book cover? Or, if you have any comments about a different photo or design to use, let us know that as well. Thanks for your input!

Cover 1
Cover 1

 

Cover 2
Cover 2

 

Cover 3
Cover 3

 

Cover 4
Cover 4

Cover #5 below.

Cover 5

Cover #6 below

Cover 6

 

 

 

Own Nelson Eddy’s pants from “Bitter Sweet”!

0 Comments

Nelson_Eddy_Bitter_Sweet Another piece of Hollywood memorabilia for sale from Debbie Reynolds. You can own the black pants that Nelson wore in this scene from the 1940 movie “Bitter Sweet.” Below is the tag showing that he wore it and the pants themselves, priced at $450.00. To purchase it click here. The item description:

Nelson Eddy “Carl Linden” black pants designed by Gile Steele from Bitter Sweet(MGM, 1940)  Black wool pants with two pockets, front button closure and accented with black satin ribbon down sides.  MGM label handwritten “NELSON EDDY 451 8409 33 ½ 33”.  Designed by Gile Steele.  Worn by Nelson Eddy as “Carl Linden” playing the piano and singing with his wife (Jeanette MacDonald) in Bitter Sweet.

Nelson Eddy's Bittersweet pants  Nelson Eddy

Own a Nelson Eddy costume from “Sweethearts”!

1 Comment

Nelson Eddy

For $2,000 you can own a costume designed for Nelson Eddy but never worn on-screen in the film “Sweethearts.”

Debbie Reynolds is selling it…and you can get it right from her website at this link.

Here’s what she writes about it:

(MGM, 1938) Ivory wool military style jacket with shoulder applets, blue velvet accents, trimmed in silver bullion and filigree buttons.  Coordinating pants with double stripe of silver bullion trim.  Jacket has MGM label handwritten “N. EDDY 1055-84” and “5” in sleeve.  Exhibits very light soiling on back.  A few tiny holes. Pants have MGM label handwritten “N. EDDY 55 OPE” and “3”.  Two inch tear along back inseam.  .  Designed by Adrian.  Made for Nelson Eddy as “Earnest Lane” in Sweethearts but not in the final version of the film.  Coordinates with the male chorus outfits from the number “On Parade”.  Most likely in order for him to stand out from the rest of the backup singers he wears a different outfit.

Here is a shot of the back of it as well as Nelson’s name in the label.

Nelson Eddy  Nelson Eddy tag

If you decide to purchase this please let us know!

Jeanette MacDonald’s Baked Beans Recipe

1 Comment

If you have read the book Sweethearts you know that the “beans and bacon” scene was of personal significance to Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.  And that they returned to Lake Tahoe for periodic “anniversaries” and even if they couldn’t return, they occasionally had a ceremonial meal of beans and bacon as a reminder of happy times.

Here is Jeanette’s recipe:

Jeanette MacDonald’s Baked Beans

Most effective if made in an old-fashioned pot. use any favorite brand of canned beans – use only one half can at a time. To beans add:

1 tbsp Karo molasses
1 tsp India relish
1 tbsp chili sauce
1/2 tsp chopped onion
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 large crushed tomato (peeled)
1 tbsp maple syrup

Add the rest of can of beans. now repeat the entire process over again, using as many as three or four cans of beans, according to the amount desired. When pot is filled, spread strips of bacon across the top, and sprinkle with brown sugar. If you do not like your beans sweet, use less maple sugar and brown sugar. Also, if you like them less liquid, squeeze out some of the tomato juice before adding to the overall mixture. Place in hot oven for about 1 1/2-2 hours. Serve with hot Boston Brown Bread.

Variation: Pour a layer of cooked beans into a pot (most effective if an old-fashioned bean pot is used), slice tomatoes over them, season with salt, pepper, a sprinkle of brown sugar – drop pork chops on top of it all – bake covered for 1 1/2 hours – then back without cover for 1/4 hour until chops are brown. (Make sure the pork chops are well cooked.)

For those who are not familiar with India Relish, I looked up the ingredients online: “Pickled cucumber, onion, cabbage and spices entrained in the regular sweet pickle relish consistency offering a broader taste, less sweetness and greater vinegar flavors. It is often used to reduce the sugar content of slaws and salads. It seems a cross between chow-chow and sweet pickle relish.”

Pinterest: Join us on the new Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy board!

0 Comments

pinterest

It’s here, our official Jeanette MacDonald – Nelson Eddy Pinterest page!

Pinterest is the latest, hot social networking site, set up for folks to post and share beautiful photos and things that inspire them. It’s like an online personal pin board.

I and a few other club members have been busy this last week setting up categories and posting up interesting Jeanette and Nelson photos and links. The beauty of Pinterest is that you can easily see what’s there and you can re-pin photos you like on your own personal board. You can also easily upload photos to share from your own computer, from your smartphone camera, from other websites, etc. You can comment about the pictures or comment about other photos you see on Pinterest. It’s like your online scrapbook of things that are meaningful to you.

To sign up and follow our Jeanette/Nelson board, here is the link. Once you sign up you can follow our board (“maceddy”).

To learn more about Pinterest, click here. For an easy-to-follow instruction video about it, watch this YouTube video. (I did and that’s how I learned to use it.) Once you’re signed up you can access Pinterest anytime with your browser. With Firefox, for example, there is an add-on that allows you simply to right-click your mouse on a photo you find and then save it to your pinboard. The link for the Firefox add-on is here. For the Chrome browser add-on, click here. Pinterest also has a “Pin It” button for Internet Explorer and other browers. Plus if you have a smartphone or tablet you can download the free Pinterest app. In other words, it’s quite easy to use and integrate into your internet browsing.

At this writing we have over 500 photos pinned up for your enjoyment. We will be constantly adding more interesting photos of Jeanette and Nelson to our Pinterest page so it’s always a work in progress. Check back often and have fun using it!

«‹ 44 45 46 47›»