The Tournament of Roses Parade will be on TV today, broadcast from Pasadena, California. The Grand Marshall was named last May and I have a link to that announcement just here. It would have been Louis Zamperini. Louis Zamperini died in July of 2014, but they will still have as the theme of the parade, "Inspiring Stories" and the mascot of the University of Southern California, a horse called "Traveler" will walk riderless in the parade in honor of Louis Zamperini. You may read about it here. And we must not be sad about Louis Zamperini not being able to be the Grand Marshall for the parade today, as John Naber, his long-time friend and fellow Olympian has said, "He will have the best seat in the house." I agree! (Okay, technically, he said this about Mr. Zamperini seeing the movie, "Unbroken" but the same applies here, I think!)
One of the main things that I hope people will learn from reading about Louis Zamperini is his amazing ability to "roll with the punches", so to speak. His cheerful attitude and amiable nature is something that comes across in his writings and in his talks. He very much reminds me of one of my favorite authors, David Niven. And if you are reading this and thinking that this is disrespectful to Mr. Zamperini, please know that this is not my intention. I have written of my admiration for Louis Zamperini in several posts, but you might not know that I have read the books by the actor David Niven, "The Moon Is A Balloon" and "Bring On The Empty Horses", and believe that the two men have a lot in common. That last book, "Bring On The Empty Horses" was from a quote by the director Michal Curtiz and when in one of his movies,the riderless horses were to be brought forward into the shot, he yelled out, "Bring on the empty horses!" Michael Curtiz had a bit of a struggle with the English language, and David Niven found some of his sayings to be very amusing. I can just imagine Louis Zamperini laughing at some of his stories and jokes. I wonder if they ever met? It is possible. Louis was even in the movie "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in 1939 as an extra. Also, David Niven was a World War II vet, and being English, was one of the first from Hollywood to enlist. I think Louie would have believed him to be "a prince of a guy", just like I do!
Happy New Year to everyone! Laughter and joy to you all!
Happy New Year to you and your family, Kay! I've read The Moon is a Balloon but had not heard of Bring On the Empty Horses. So I'll be seeing if my library has it...I always learn something from you!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you! I love the books by David Niven....such a sweet charming man and he was a very good writer. I read and re-read his books so many times, they always made me laugh.
DeleteHappy New Year and all the best in 2015 to you! David Niven was always an elegant gentleman as a movie star. I read "The Moon is a Balloon" a gazillion years ago when I was still a teenager, I think. Haven't seen "Unbroken" yet but it's on my list to go!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you too!
DeleteYes, David Niven had that easy elegance that eludes so many men today (my husband has it!). I also read "The Moon Is A Balloon" as a teenager. Most of his stories made me laugh out loud! "Bring On The Empty Horses" is about a lot of his fellow actors, and is also very funny.
Let me know what you think of "Unbroken". I liked it, you knew I would.
Happy New Year! I read the book Unbroken. It took me three months to read it, it was so intense. Louis was a true American hero and he does have the best seat in the house! God bless him, he was one amazing man and outlived most of his phamily.
ReplyDeleteHey! Thanks for your comment!
DeleteLouis Zamperini is a hero to me, but he always said that the real heroes were those who didn't make it back or those who were injured. What a guy, glad that others can see that from the book and now, the movie!
Happy New Year! Thank you for the head's up about the tribute to Mr. Zamperini in the parade.
ReplyDeleteYes! Hope you got to see it! Also, I loved the little speech that John Naber gave during the parade. Loved his Mr. Zamperini's family, they all look like movie stars, so good looking!
DeleteDavid Niven was the epitome of elegance! Happy 2015 to you!
ReplyDeleteYes, I do love David Niven, and when I saw that the riderless horse would honor Mr. Zamperini, I couldn't help but think of David Niven. I hope folks can follow my line of thinking, but still know how much I admire Louis Zamperini.
DeleteI watched the parade today. As always it was spectacular. David Niven is a favorite of mine also. How he combined suave and sophistication with humor I will never know.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I really admire a keen intelligence coupled with a sense of humor. I think both of these men had that.
DeleteDavid Niven, the quintessential Englishman! His films were always favourites of mine to sit down with my Grandma where she would practically swoon :-) Happy 2015 xx
ReplyDeleteI am with your Grandma!!
DeleteHappy 2015 to you too!! xx
Happy New Year to you and your lovely family, dear Kay!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that David Niven wrote books. I think I'd much enjoy them.
And the very same is wished for you and yours!
DeleteI have read that David Niven was very fond of exaggerating his stories for comic effect, but I don't care, I thought he was hilarious.
A good new year and lots of photos from you sweet young thing!
ReplyDeleteSweet and young....yeah, we'll say that's me! HA!
DeleteHappy New Year, girl! All the best to you and your beautiful family.
ReplyDeleteHey, Martha, sweet gal, hope you and yours have a wonderful year! xx
DeleteI saw "Unbroken" today. I like the movie a lot. Of course, the book was better, in my opinion. So many more details. I felt overwhelmed, just as I did reading the book, that one man can endure so much and live.....and then forgive. I went straight to the rest room and cried after the movie.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, I wanted to read the credits at the end, but since I was so tearful, I wasn't able to!
DeleteI saw the riderless horse today and I thought of you and how much I learned about this remarkable man from your blog. Have a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you, I was so happy to have my blog so that I could have a few posts about Mr. Zamperini! Now, millions will know his story! (From the movie, of course, not from my blog.. LOL!!)
DeleteHappy New Year! (Hope you are feeling better.)
Happy New Year Kay. I will watch Unbroken when It comes out on DVD for sale as I never go to cinemas these days. Having watched Noah twice now I've decided I really like it.Very refreshing interpretation but maybe that just me. I like dark films:o) They had a few David.Niven films on here over Christmas on the movie channels.
ReplyDeleteI don't go to the movie cinemas very often. ONLY if it is for something like this, something that I really care about! I will have to let you know what I think of Noah whenever I see that one! I don't think I like dark films very much, life seems dark enough, I want hope and happy endings. :-)
DeleteYou really make me jealous....you have no idea how much I love David Niven!
What a wonderful honor to him. We haven't seen the movie yet, but plan to next week. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteYes, and they also had the family of Louis Zamperini riding along in a car in the parade, a very nice touch.
DeleteHappy new year to you too!
Happy new year to you too. Unfortunately I don't really recognise either name but it sounds like the world lost a heck of a guy last year. I'm glad he'll be honoured in the parade as he can't be there himself, but I'm sure he'll be there in spirit.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, Mr. Zamperini was one heck of a guy. And I think you are right too, about him being at the parade in spirit. I believe that he was.
DeleteFor the first time that I can remember I missed watching the Rose Bowl parade yesterday. I was watching one of my grandchildren and too busy to think I guess. Hope you and yours have a wonderful New Year !
ReplyDeleteI have always loved seeing the floats made of flowers and seeds, but this year, but this year with the tribute to Louis Zamperini, it was very special to me.
DeleteHappy New Year, Kay! Loved this post! David Niven is a favorite actor of mine, and I admire Louis Zamperini for all the reasons you mentioned above. I still have to see "Unbroken" and the RB Parade, and ...! LOL! Have a happy day!
ReplyDeleteHey Louise!
DeleteLet me know when you see "Unbroken". I think you will like it too.
Take care and keep on living in exclamation marks, you know that Louis Zamperini did! xx
Watched a good interview with Angelina Joli on the Daily Show. I really admire her tenacity in getting this film made. I would like to see it and appreciate more the life of Mr. Zamperini.
ReplyDeleteYou should type the name "Matt Baer" into a search engine...he truly worked for years and years trying to generate interest in a movie about Louis Zamperini! I think Angelina Jolie did a great job in directing this and am grateful that she became such good friends with Louis Zamperini. I think her great love and respect for the man came through loud and clear.
DeleteQuite by coincidence a few days ago I was talking to a friend about the David Niven books (both of which I read and still have somewhere on the bookshelves in the loft). I suspect many people now will never even have heard of him. Of course I remember David Niven but if it wasn't for your posts I'd never have heard of Louis Zamperini.
ReplyDeleteI love both of those books by David Niven! I thought he was a good writer, lively and entertaining and he seemed to be such a nice guy. As always, that is the main thing for me. HIs stories are just so doggone funny! Both books made me laugh out loud and just now thinking of his stories I am smiling at the thought of them.
DeleteI just read the new book by Louis Zamperini and his book also made me laugh out loud in places. The two men had a lot in common, I believe.
I'm really impressed with Mr. Zamperini. I was disappointed that he was never able to see his abuser, M. Watanabe in Japan. I imagine Watanabe must be filled with shame now for what he did, knowing that everybody now knows about him too. Other Japanese guards also said he was too cruel. On the other hand, Watanabe did take responsibility for his own wrong choices saying he wasn't following orders. War is a terrible thing.
ReplyDeleteMr. Zamperini wanted to meet with Watanabe but Watanabe refused to meet with him. I don't know that he felt shame, people like that can always find an excuse for their cruelty. As you say, he did admit that he went beyond what was expected of him but at the same time, he didn't seem very remorseful.
DeleteI wish it was mentioned in the movie about the POW camp becoming a park for peace. Maybe there will be another movie? Hope so!