Bit of a different chirp today. The entertainment industry lost a couple of great ones recently. Both of them were from my younger days and bring back a lot of memories. James Caan is best known for his role as Sonny Corleone in the Godfather, one of the greatest movies ever made. I remember tha day I saw this movie, Easter Sunday, in Toronto, 1972. I was in high school. (Yes I am that old). But, I remember him in an ABC Tuesday Movie of the Week, tear jerker, Brian’s Song, in 1971. Caan, played Brian Piccolo, a running back, for the Chicago Bears, who passed away from Cancer, while playing for the Bears. The movie detailed the friendship between Piccolo and his Black team mate, star running back, Gayle Sayers, of the Bears. I pointedly mention Sayers’ colour because this was 1971, a different era. The movie covered how Sayers was there for Piccolo as he was dying and how Piccolo was there for Sayers, when Sayers was recovering from a devastating injury. In the movie, as Sayers was thinking of giving up on his rehab, Piccolo called him a “chicken n—“. Remember, this was 1971, a different era. Sayers called Piccolo out on it and they both broke down in laughter. My one daughter remembers Caan from another generation. He was the dad in the movie Elf.

Where I remember Caan from high school, I remember Olivia from university. I went to the University of Windsor. Like I said this was a different era and I had somewhat different tastes in music, at that time. (No, disco was never one of my tastes). Back then, AM radio still played music and CKLW was the top station. FM was just starting to make it big, with rock stations like WWWW and WRIF. I digress. Olivia was best known for her movie Grease in 1978. That was a special year for me, but that’s another story. Olivia had a number of great songs for her era and I won’t forget them. Might not play them now, but they are in my memory banks.

Ok. Enough mooshy. Maybe this chirp will bring back memories for others of my generation. Take care.