Who Knew

My Little Brother Tom

Its been more than 18 months since I had the courage to add a line or two to this page. My brother who would have turned 70 this January escaped this level of life awareness and went on to his new experience of existence in the afterlife. I hope He's a lot happier.

When we were kids back in Chicago, Tommy was the rebel... Always took the alternate choice and often was berated or punished for it. He grew to possess a real lack of self confidence and repeatedly denied his abilities and ambitions. 

He was a beautiful human being and was worthy of respect. I miss this guy a lot. We're only together for the time we allow ourselves. We can extend that period or shorten it and that is based on how we accept our self and attempt to be of service. RIP Tommy. You were loved by your family, friends and those you never had an opportunity to get to know.

For personal reasons of his own his addiction to cigarettes was much more attractive than his addiction to just throwing those cancer sticks in the trash and staying healthy. A recent television public service announcement highlights this message.

Marty Weiss turned 85

 For a few years back in the late 70s Marty was the music editor on "Happy Days" and he and his wife Dana were my close personal friends. They wrote film scripts together and were known by everyone as 'one crazy couple' - In fact their tv pilot was called "Crazy Corners" Marty also is a real estate agent and can be found on the web at eRealEstateMan.

On June 11th this year, Marty turned 85. I invited him to lunch at Mel's Diner on the Sunset Strip, the former home of Ben Franks, a restaurant that fed luminaries like the Rolling Stones and Andy Warhol.. We used to hang out there in the mid-sixties after a night of rock n roll'n at the whiskey or boozing at Barney's.

I ordered my favorite meat loaf sandwich and he had his 'french dipped'... In this video senior moment you'll discover a very active Marty that's incredibly involved in 'The chocolate cake and candle scandal'. You will hear the fat lady sing! You'll discover new meanings to the term 'four score and seven years ago'. And meet Angel his beautiful waitress who presented him with a free Mel's Diner Tee Shirt! "Gotta say being 85 is tasty" says Marty...

Marty goes fishing every Thursday rain or shine.  

My friend Author Jack DeBar Smith

I met Jack back in 1995 when he needed someone to make a web page for his book The Iconoclast goes to Sea: Dilemma in Blue, a personal diary of his exploits joining the navy in 1942 and sailing aboard the USS Antietam an aircraft carrier.  We became great friends and I realized much can be learned from the experiences of those who participated in World War II. The Iconoclast Goes to Sea: Dilemma in Blues Upon discharge from the navy, he attended the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, on the GI Bill, where he obtained his bachelor degree in business administration with a minor in aviation. 

Jack recently asked me to assist him on promoting his new book THE ILLIMITABLES ~ Nicky Levitation a novel about a couple of guys who find an old manuscript written by the famous inventor Nikola Tesla (known for electrical energy distribution). See: http://www.theillimitables.com
The real fun was getting to video tape an interview with him which included escorting him to The Los Angeles Times Festival of BOOKS at USC. 

Enjoy the embedded video... and look for Jack on facebook!

The poems of RUMI are yours to share...

"Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, or Zen. Not any religion or cultural system. I am not from the East or the West, not out of the ocean or up from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not composed of elements at all. I do not exist, am not an entity in this world or the next, did not descend from Adam and Eve or any origin..."

this is my truth and self realization as a gift from the Sufi poet Rumi.

1966 was 45 years ago...

Most people I encounter weren't even born until after 1966. This can make one feel really creepy. Back then anyone over thirty was 'old' and over forty was scheduled for a rest home if they haven't already secured their mansion in Beverly Hills.
Sunset Strip 1966 was a playground for twenty-somethings and teener groupies... and I was there... Bell bottom leather slacks, green wool Norfolk jacket and the dream of being a star :)

The boutique was on the Sunset Strip one block west of Pandora's Box, next door to the Fifth Estate in 1966. During the Summer of Love. Belinda the designer, brought to Hollywood custom made micro mini skirts, backless, bra-less, cut on the bias knit dresses. After trying on any one of the Belinda designed dresses, the customer could order another one in any fabric or color and pick it up within an hour because everything was made there at the shop. Featured in Vogue Magazine and modeled by Cher. Clients included singers Cass Elliot, Michelle Phillips, Tina Turner, Carole King, Janis Joplin, Grace Slick. Petula Clark, Julie Christie, Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli.

Sunset Canyon Drive Christmas 2010

Robert and Sunnie are my next door neighbors on Sunset Canyon. They're fabulous people who I have gotten to really like... Every year Robert starts putting up a few strings of lights on his home just before the holidays and it always turns into a classical noel artwork of lights and music. So I said to Robert "would it be ok if I grabbed a camera and shot a little footage of your work". 

The viewer should also understand that we were having a rain storm in Southern California this week and we witnessed about six inches of rain... 

So I grabbed these images between rain drops.
click below and enjoy what I look at when I exit my front door.

 

Sunset Canyon Drive Christmas 2010

Personal Realization

consider first your moment

of personal realization
your thoughts of life
of sunny days and dreams


experience emotion as an art
and touch the self
allow the energy of light
flowing gently eternal


and remember
we are one
and as one
we are perfect


realize the beauty of
excitement in a child's eye
the innocence of
discovery of truth
the games we've learned
and played


the hope that
in this incarnation
we will exhilarate
happiness forever


the search continues
through eons of karma
always in the present
always alone


then remember
we are one
and as one
we are perfect
 

cf lange

http://www.langemedia.com/theContent_theMessage/lange_grandcanyon.html

Sydney passed away but he had a lot to say...

I met Sydney at a dinner party in Hollywood. He was outrageously funny and very human. I was sorry to hear that diabetes took his life later that year. But that film he was featured in never leaves my immediate consciousness. We all are very human, sensitive creatures who deserve to be recognized for just existing in the time we had here on earth. This I sincerely try to remember every time I meet anyone who may be totally difficult to tolerate and accept. Or who for no reason other than their own insecurities try to take away your energy by putting down anyone's ideas other than their own, as unacceptable. This life is too short not to realize the wonderful differences in everyone we meet. There's magic in that sentence from the Lord's Prayer... "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us..." The word trespass only reveals someone or some action that was committed without thought as to the effect it could cause on another human being. And for that we must realize forgiveness to realize happiness.

Chubby, antsy, and distinctive character actor Sydney Lassick was born on July 23, 1922 to Jewish Russian immigrant parents in Chicago, Illinois. Lassick first began acting in both films and TV shows in the late 50s. Portly and bespectacled, with a high-pitched voice and a nervous disposition, Sydney was usually cast as peevish neurotics, obsequious toadies, and fretful everyman types. Best known for his outstanding portrayal of the whiny and infantile manic depressive mental patient Charlie Cheswick in the acclaimed "One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,"

click above to join in the freedom dance

I'm not just talking about my wife, I'm talking about my LIFE, I can't seem to get that through to you. I'm not just talking about one person, I'm talking about everybody. I'm talking about form. I'm talking about content. I'm talking about interrelationships. I'm talking about God, the devil, Hell, Heaven. Do you understand... FINALLY? (quote from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest...)

my secretive luncheon host :)

Michaels Bar and Grill offers imaginative menus showcasing a truly delicious selection that features the best Steaks, best Seafood, and finest salads in Burbank. And...a original Mardi Gras menu that presents the absolutely the best Louisiana style Cajun food in Los Angeles! (jambalaya, even alligator po'boys and popcorn shrimp)
So when my host *who also does their tv commercial and website art invites me to lunch - Its yes, yes, yes....  I even brought along my Sony DVCAM to capture the joy  :)

THE GREAT RUSSIAN ICE SHOW

First performances in North America of the Soviet Ice Ballet arrived at The Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia to preview their show for arena managers and local audiences creating fantastic reviews as highlighted in this Highlights Reel. The Great Russian Ice Show was produced by Bolshoi Enterprises, Inc. Tom Crangle, the national marketing director asked me to write and produce two commercials and a marketing video to send to arena managers through out the USA.

I designed the commercial announcements to capture the intimate details of the skater's actions during the show preparation and the curtain entrance. "My Work", "My Heart", "My Life" spoken in Russian for an American audience. It was cool. Three camera's were set up in the arena, one in the balcony for wide shots and one hand held for audience reactions between acts.

This production was fantastic. The artists were incredible. The choreography, the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion and form were totally original. The opening act was a ice ballet interpretation of Faust.

Faust is bored and disappointed. He decides to call on the Devil for further knowledge and magic powers with which to indulge all the pleasures of the world. In response, the Devil's representative Mephistopheles appears. He makes a bargain with Faust: Mephistopheles will serve Faust with his magic powers for a term of years, but at the end of the term, the Devil will claim Faust's soul and Faust will be eternally damned.

Mephistopheles helps him to seduce a beautiful and innocent girl, who is destroyed. However, naive innocence saves her in the end and she enters Heaven. However, Faust is irrevocably corrupted; when the term ends, the Devil carries him off to Hell.

For those of you who view this video, you'll be captured by true art on ice.

The Great Russian Ice Show from Charles Lange on Vimeo.

European Champion Igor Bobrin, a true ice master, one of the most innovative contributors to the world of figure skating, the king of exhibition skating and performer of world renown "Cowboy", "Paganini", and "Invisible Partner", united a group of like-minded skater friends. Olympic Gold Champions, Natalya (Natasha) Bestemyanova, and skating partner Andrey Bukin, joined Bobrin a year later and continue to star with the Moscow Stars on Ice.


The theatre's authentically original choreography, unique skating styles and complex dramatic compositions are celebrated around the world. Guest Star List includes many European, World, and Olympic champions. Among them: Elena Valova/Alexander Vasiljev, Irina Vorobjeva/Igor Lisovsky, Larisa Selezneva/Oleg Makarov, Marina Yeltsova/Andrey Bushkov, Marina Pestova/Marat Akbarov, Oksana Kazakova/Artur Dmitriev, Vladimir Kotin, Alexey Urmanov, Andrey Vlashchenko, Kira Ivanova.

The Newport Harbor Concours d'Elegance

htt One of the really great moments of shooting video was being introduced to Tim Allen of The ATSC which is a wonderful charity for assisting children with emotional problems and broken families in Orange County. Each year they offered a special event to benefit those children. The 20th Annual Newport Coast Concours d'Elegance was an opportunity to record this event.


This highlights reel features the early morning placement of the cars on the Hidden Valley Field Park, Irvine, CA where the judging process of more than 200 vintage and classic automobiles under the direction of Mark Tuttle, Chief Judge took place. Then the announced winners and Best of Show presented by honorary guests Sir Stirling Moss and Lady Moss.


A Concours d'Elegance (French, literally "a competition of elegance") is an event open to both prewar and postwar collector cars in which they are judged for authenticity, function, history, and style. Classes are commonly arranged by type, marque (manufacturer), coachbuilder, country of origin, or time period. Judges select first-, second-, and third-place finishers for each class in the event, and the judges confer the "Best of Show" award on one car from the group of first-place winners. In addition, a group of honorary judges, individuals who have made significant contributions to the automotive industry or motorsports, award a number of subjective awards to recognize standout vehicles regardless of class ribbons, as well as memorial awards created to honor specific automotive industry personages.

Written, produced and edited by Charles Lange with additional camera and visual consultation Howard Koby, Studio 19

1970 was 40 years ago this year

1970 - Paul McCartney announces that the Beatles have disbanded. 100,000 people demonstrate in Washington DC against the Vietnam War. National Guards fire on and kill 4 protesters on May 4th at Kent State University. Music continues to make a significant impact with the largest ever rock festival held on the Isle of Wight with 600,000 people attending, including some of the biggest name in music including Jimi Hendrix and The Who. This was also the year the age of voting is lowered to 18 in the US.

1970 was 40 years ago this year, and I found myself working for my father-in-law Burton Browne, who had become famous for creating The Gaslight Clubs. Private 'men only members' key clubs in Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Paris, France. As VP of Operations it was my job to help select the entertainment venue, audition the singers and dancers, work with the musicians, check out the best restaurants and night clubs in the markets where we had a club to steal recipes, presentation techniques and generally just try not to get into too much trouble.

Burton Browne, The Ace Of Clubs 1970

from Charles Lange on Vimeo.

NBC Chicago in 1970 wanted to do a television bio doc on the man who started it all in the private key club business. Burton Browne was an incredible entrepreneur, who owned an advertising agency on Michigan Avenue that dedicated one room and called it The Sundown Room (a place to get a drink on a tab after 5pm). Hundreds of associated ad types and clients frequented the room every day, so Burton in 1953 opened a private club for his friends and called it The Gaslight Club. It became the standard bearer for all key clubs, and was soon copied by one member Hugh Hefner who did his version ultra modern calling his place The Playboy Club.

Success On The SuperHighway

Success On The SuperHighway with Shirley Jones

           from Charles Lange on Vimeo.

This 30 minute Infomercial was produced to sell internet marketing. Written and directed for direct response company Universal Mediatek to highlight the amazing opportunities of setting up a free marketing website on their servers.  But the real joy was to actually work with Super Star Shirley Jones. And she was totally professional. Almost no retakes, we completed her stuff in two short days... The testimonials were fun. Everyone had a good time and as always there was a great 'wrap party'.

Spirit Rock

There has been many occasions when I know I must refocus and re-center. That's when I head north to the Spirit Rock Meditation Center which is dedicated to the teachings of the Buddha as presented in the vipassana tradition.

Spirit Rock just north of San Francisco... drive to San Rafael and follow the signs west to Fairfax on Sir Francis Drake Blvd, to Woodacre, in west Marin.

 click here to hear Jack Kornfield 

Jack Kornfield "Insight & Opening"This is the  practice of mindful awareness, called Insight or Vipassana Meditation

 

Govinda in Culver City

An amazing feast awaits you at Govinda's
3764 Watseka Avenue, just off Venice Blvd Culver City

Hours: Monday to Saturday 11 am to 3 pm, 5 pm to 8:30 pm Closed Sunday for feast that begins at 5:30 pm

Pure Vegetarian Indian and American Menu: Has reasonably priced excellent lunch and dinner buffets. Veggie burgers, pizzas, curried vegetables, steam vegetables, rice dishes and excellent desserts. Managed by the Hare Krishnas. The food is great and very reasonably priced. Recommended. Laid-back, casual, spiritual atmosphere. Has a good Indian Gift shop upstairs selling books, clothing, incense, religious items, deities and gift items. 

Then go next door to the temple and become enchanted with the Krishna
Celebration. I'm not a Krishna follower but Hare Hare Hare ...


It'll stay with you and you'll feel uplifted :)

when I was old not young

When I was young not old 

I believed in fear 

and announced my goals 

which tolls a desperate journey  

of an unknown traveler
without a map searching
an identity of possibilities 
to awaken in a garden of gifts 
to be amazed by what was delivered 
Not remembering the path 
was life I've known 
and forgotten I created 
when I was old not young.

in this amazing zoo of you and me

Yesterday I saw a friend
who has shared many personal
insights from another point of view in this amazing zoo
of me
and you.







Everywhere I go 
There I AM and
I AM everywhere
I go...

Sometimes in silence I AM and sometimes the noise is so intense I can't hear myself and haven't a clue as to where I am.  Even when I haven't gone anywhere.

Sometimes silence IS the noise deep within the insights from another point of view in this amazing zoo of me and you. 

A Book Of Poems

I bought a blank paged leather covered book at a side walk flea market in San Francisco. This allowed my inner soul to talk to me -- and
It was all good.
 

- to all those alone and searching

this cosmic dance of humanity.

"here I am

just look between 

these pages

and read between
the lines

and when you find me
it's my turn
to look for you...

Enlightenment Journal

On The Road to San Francisco

In 1972, I made it a point to drive to San Francisco, find an apt and get a job... Rock n' Roll on ABC's KSFX (now KGO FM) had the guts to hire a guy who never sold air time before or produce a legitimate radio commercial... It was a fabulous experience. San Francisco was everything I wanted a city to be and life was a daily happening. A thousand waterbed commercials later I was "King Coils" on Rock FM. In one spot I voiced in a very deep god like tone, I described the therapeutic benefits of waterbeds as in the background sfx we heard the lash crack of a whip and the repeated moan of a female delighted by the experience. The radio station got hundreds of requests to play the commercial again and Waterbed Experience stores sold hundreds of units.

hello is there anyone in there :)

in retrospect I believe I may have over indulged my ability to charm young redheaded aspiring artists into believing that I possessed most of everything they would ever want from a man...
They later realized it was an act of immature, naive hope that I had stacks of dollars hidden somewhere in the immediate future :)
Which was Not Realized...
 
check out the book: Here Among the Hypnotized... a series of juxtapositions of man and God, the nature of man and the nature of God, the state of man apart from God and the state of man at peace with God. These works run the gamut from the utter folly and hopelessness of man when he worships himself and rejects God to the utter peace and joy of man when he admits his shortcomings and accepts God as his hope and salvation in this world and beyond.
-the author: "a new perspective of virtually everything ever seen and experienced. This perspective is reflected in an increasing appreciation for the power and purity of God our Creator, and for my own and mankind’s reconciliation with Him. This is what I am hoping to express to others through this book.”