Gail Patrick

Gail Patrick (1911–1980) is cast as the spoiled, wisecracking, socialite sister in the screwball comedy My Man Godfrey (1936)

Her elegant patrician beauty far and away transcends the role she was meant to play and could handily overshadow the star had it been anyone but the inimitable Carole Lombard.

Oil 24 x 20

Canasta Player

Canasta: a card game involving 4 players, diamonds, pearls, injections and raps.

She's self absorbed, high maintenance and materialistic.

Her overbearing and intense scowl suggests equal concern about; her card game (a loosing hand), her recent needless purchases, and malicious, seditious scandal.

She may come off as frightening, but my intent is to amuse.

Oil  16 x 20

Isaach De Bankolé

Not the poster boy for Pepsodent, this benevolent and cheerful francophone Haitian, communicates laudably, in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), OK, that title is really dumb.

Isaach's kindly character is comic relief among the pathetic mobsters, contract killers and complications.

Befitting his intellectual, compassionate spirit I introduced a chess board, he raises the checkmated king triumphantly celebrating his optimistic persona.

Oil 16 X 20

Richard Portnow

Portnow's cameo in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai  (1999) Jim Jarmusch -Director- is about to get wacked, his tough guy stare required some tweaking; I jacked up the irony by primping him  in pink satin polka-dot shorts, an earing and a tattoo his mom could be proud of.

The painting required great detachment so as not to confuse him with my bank manager....

Oil 18 x 24

Gene Ruffini

In this movie Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)-Gene's monologue is sputtered in Tourette syndrome staccato.

In any case words are unnecessary for this hambone.

As ever Gene's mug is a panic, his intimidating presence, chilling.

 Oil 18 x 24

At the Movies

This gentleman makes his all too brief appearance in a wonderful movie by Preston Sturges "Sullivan's Travels" (1941).

The setting is a negro community church temporarily converted to a movie theater and the invited mostly white cell inmates are guests for the evening (scandalous and ironic for its time)

The painted figure is sitting next to our hero who realizes that the most important necessity in life is laughter and in his state of epiphany questions himself  "Am I laughing?" 

Oil 16 x 20

Faye Dunaway

In the opening scene of Bonnie and Clyde (1967), director Arthur Penn has imprisoned Bonnie Parker in bed, does the metaphor allude to her dysfunctional sexuality, or a desire to free herself from a bridled existence?
Either way, her allure captivates me.
Pastel 18 x 12

John Barrymore

Charlie Jasper, a shady oddball, in True Confessions (1937) starring Carol Lombard and Fred MacMurray
See the movie at this website (not great quality, but free):
http://www.classiccinemaonline.com/index.php/movie-billboards/comedy/3636-true-confession-1937
Pastel 18 x 26