Jack Kelly - "These Are Our Old Masters" :)

Hello Everyone!

I guess something strange happened with this blog on April 1. I heard some of the pictures and links were acting funny. Must have been sunspots or something. ;->

Anyway, I hope everything's working okay today, because you'll definitely want to see this:

It's a pic of Jack and Donna/May Kelly from a wonderful 1958 TV Radio Mirror article I found which ties right into my earlier posts about the Kelly's home. Unfortunately, none of the pix are in color, so we can't see any of the watermelon pink. However, they do give some fascinating peeks into the home and provide more clues about the Kelly's unique flair for decorating.

The article states, "The Kellys live in a picturesque farmhouse that hugs a cliff on one of the hills of Hollywood. The rooms all flow together, and are filled with the implements of their joint projects, and souvenirs and symbols of their lives together. Two unusual oil paintings dominate the living room. [The Kellys] bought them in a junk shop for $1.50 apiece; then spent over $90.00 having them cleaned and framed. 'These are our Old Masters,' says Kelly. There are also assorted paintings of clowns and horses.

"Everywhere about are souvenirs of their travels. There is a carved man with delicate hands, bought in Hong Kong because Donna likes delicately carved hands. And there is the bolo knife, brought from the Orient as a gift for a friend, but rejected by him because it looked too 'murderous'. On every nook and cranny there are curious objects of all sorts that have significance only to the Kellys. And everywhere, on shelf and on chair, there are books, books and more books.

"There is a den with a low, round table which is always cluttered. It generally contains half-filled coffee cups, a half-played game of Chinese checkers, and reams and reams of typing paper. For the Kellys collaborate on writing projects of all sorts, chiefly television scripts. Their creative efforts dovetail beautifully. Donna does research and collaborates on plotting, and each is an excellent critic of the other's ideas."

The Kellys are hard at work on a script, or maybe a cookbook.

Speaking of hard work, JK is crafting a fountain that will go outside their bedroom window, because "Donna thought it would be romantic".

But, all work and no play makes JK a dull boy (never!),
so here he strums the guitar. As the caption says, "Jack believes in serenading his fair lady, Donna, even after he's won her."

The story also provides a sweet look at the Kellys' courtship and elopement, and JK explains how married life changed this maverick. That, and more pix, next time! :)

Jack Kelly - "Choose Accessories Carefully" :)

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

And "Welcome" to our newest follower. It's alway great to meet another Jack Kelly fan! :->

Now, here are the rest of the Kellys' home decorating hints from Photoplay:

"'Carpet,' the Kellys suggest, 'as many rooms as you can afford to, in the same carpeting.'

"'Pull furniture away from walls,' say the Kellys, 'and arrange it for easy conversation.' Jack and May wisely placed their living-room pieces around their fireplace, just as we have done in our composite sketch [below]. If you haven't a fireplace as a focal point, try grouping furniture around a window with a view, a painting or picture grouping, or a handsome music piece--piano, TV, phono.

"'Choose accessories carefully,' the Kellys urge, 'because they can make all the difference between a distinguished and run-of-the mill decorating job.' For their early-American home, they scoured antiques shops for a pair of wonderful old Spanish andirons, a fine old Boston rocker, and their prized find--two beautiful old still-life paintings.

"The Kellys believe that 'if you choose these small things because you love them and can see their value, others seem to, too, and treat them as you do--with T.L.C. (tender loving care).'"

Very interesting, and very inspiring! I think it's time to lose the milk crates and futons and redecorate Casa Bartista the Kelly way. ;->

Jack Kelly - "Be Brave With Color" :)

Hello Again!

Continuing with my adventures in antiquing:

I stopped at another antiques store before driving home, and, wouldn't you know, it was right before closing time. So, I scrutinized each aisle as quickly as I could. Nothing of interest seemed to appear.

However, bloodhound Bartista finally found a booth with some vintage Photoplays tucked away. I snatched up the ones that looked the most promising and made the trek home.

Later, I thumbed through my purchases. Hmmm...no JK in this Photoplay. How about this one? Nope again.

It looked like a strikeout, until I picked up a 1959 issue. Let's see, what's in this one?

"Has Debbie Reynolds Gotten Over Eddie?" (Apparently.)

"Will Connie Francis Get Bobby Darin Back Again?" (Nope.)

"Edd Byrnes Quazy Love Quiz: Are You Kookie, Too?" (Probably.)

I was just about to toss this one aside, too, when I saw this:

Hey! A picture of JK and May Wynn! They weren't listed in the table of contents.

So, I flipped back a few pages to the beginning of the article:

"Add a Touch of Hollywood to Your Home - 13 Decorating Ideas."

JK and May were part of "Photoplay's first decorating panel", comprised of "young Hollywood couples whose ideas are realistic enough to work within your budget, too." The panel gave their decorating advice on two rooms, the living room and the bedroom.

Here are the Kellys' recommendations:

"'Be Brave With Color,' advise the Jack Kellys, who acted on their own advice--using Jack's favorite and remembered-from-childhood color, watermelon pink, generously in their home.

"'Coordinate Color,' add the Kellys. "Let the color flow from one room to another, so that your home looks all of a piece instead of cut up.' Jack and May used some of their favorite pink in living room, dining room, and kitchen--and coordinated fabric colors throughout their home."

Next time: The Kellys' thoughts on carpet, furniture and accessories!