Edited by lash on 9/11/2025, 10:00 am
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Maybe stretching things a bit, ....here goes. Watched a movie today "A Face in the Crowd". Made in 1957, starred Andy Griffith and Patricia Neal. Directed by Elia Kazan. Reasons for watching, (A) having a lazy day, (B) Hoping to see the "Black" Martin D 18 that , as the story goes, was rescued by Andy Griffith after the filming so he would have it brought back to its original finish. We've all heard the story of how he was given the guitar after filming. As the story goes, he patiently sanded the black paint off the guitar while he was in NYC doing the stage play of "No Time for Seargeant's". The story goes on to say that he'd noticed a guitar shop near his hotel, had no idea whose shop it was, and took it in to have it properly re finished. The shop was that of Arch top legend builder John D'Angelico! Sooooooo I watched the entire movie and NO black D 18. That is until shortly before the end of the film he was handed a "Martin"?? dred sized guitar and slung over his back immediately without ever showing the front. It may or may not have been black on the back, the scene went so fast I couldn't tell. Hmmm. I did notice one interesting piece of a scene, about 10 seconds or less. The scene took place in a restaurant, a character walked along and there sat, Burl Ives. Someone said "hello Burl", and that was it. Curious about that scene. 1957, I believe was in or near the McCarthy era. The Weavers had been black balled then and if I'm close to correct so was Elia Kazan. Wondering if there was a connection. And NOW wondering if the story on the "Black" D 18 is correct! I've been told that Marty Stuart now owns that guitar. Curious.
Kazan was not black balled, he named names for HUAC
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