Zorro Swashbuckling News and Updates

Zorro Swashbuckling News and Updates

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Guy Williams Biography



From Bear Manor Media:
Guy Williams - TV's "Zorro" was apparently "a walking paradox, masculine yet sensitive, firm yet gentle, conservative yet non-conformist, macho yet intellectual, simple yet complicated" according to Antoinette Girgenti Lane who has written the definitive biography of GUY WILLIAMS, THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK. Lane finds a man who was lucky but had major disappointments in life, but those gave him character and made him the person he was. For true insights into Guy's life and career, Lane worked for over 5 years with Williams' widow, and dozens of co-workers such as Dennis Weaver, Wright King, Britt Lomond, Don Diamond, Buddy Van Horn, Suzanne Lloyd and dozens more. Extremely detailed and well written with a definitive listing of Guy's stage, film and TV work. Over 500 pages with many personal rare photos.


Available from Bear Manor Media for $32.95 plus postage at the link below! http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com/id58.html

Also available from Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Guy-Williams-Man-Behind-Mask/dp/159393016X


Visit Guy Williams - The Man Behind The Mask on Facebook at: 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/GUY-Williams-The-Man-Behind-the-Mask/122605604480183#!/pages/GUY-Williams-The-Man-Behind-the-Mask/122605604480183?sk=info 

Visit Guy Williams - The Man Behind The Mask on Myspace at:






Patricia Medina dies at 92

Patricia Medina, widow of actor Joseph Cotton, has died at the age of 92. The British born actress will be forever remembered by Zorro fans as Margarita Cortazar the love interest of Esteban de la Cruz (Cesar Romero) in the four part story arc The Gay Caballero on the Disney series.

Medina enjoyed success in Hollywood beginning in the 1950's. She played the lead in movies such as "Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion" (1950), Francis The Talking Mule with Donald O'Connor (1950), "Sangaree" with Fernando Lamas (1953), "Plunder of the Sun" with Glenn Ford (1953), "Botany Bay" with Alan Ladd (1953), "Phantom of the Rue Morgue" with Karl Malden (1954), and Snow White and The Three Stooges (1961). She co-starred with such Hollywood notables as Jimmy Stewart in Jack Pot and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in The Fighting O'Flynn. She also starred in the early '50s adventure films "Fortunes of Captain Blood," "The Lady and the Bandit," "Lady in the Iron Mask" and "Captain Pirate" opposite Louis Hayward. In addition to movies she made appearances on such great television series as Disney Zorro with Guy Williams, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, and The Man From UNCLE.

She is also the window of actor Joseph Cotton.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

New World Zorro season 1 on Hulu



The first season of New World Zorro (1990) starring Duncan Regehr, Patrice Martinez, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Michael Tylo and James Victor is now available to watch on Hulu.

http://www.hulu.com/search?query=zorro&st=0&fs=

Duncan Regehr - Actor, Artist, Poet




Duncan Regehr famous for playing ZORRO, the swashbuckling hero of Spanish California, on The Family Channel's New World Zorro TV series from 1990-1993 is very talented actor. He's acted in every facet of the entertainment world: television, movies, theater and radio. You're very likely aware that he is considered one of the greatest Zorro's of all-time. After all when it comes to Zorro he's mentioned in the same breath as Guy Williams, Tyrone Power, Douglas Fairbanks and Antonio Banderas. In fact, in most polls he ranks in the top 2 all-time. He's even considered to be among the best actors to ever play the role of Dracula. His performance as the Transylvanian Count in the 1987 horror/comedy film The Monster Squad is a masterpiece reminiscent of the great Bela Lugosi. But here's something that you may not know, one of histories greatest Zorro's is also an incredibly talented artist as well. He paints, he sculpts, he draws. He even writes poetry. In fact, Mr. Regehr has works of art on exhibit in many of the finest museums in the world.

You can see the art of Duncan Regehr in person in the United States at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., Focus on Masters Ventura Archives for the Getty Museum in Ventura California, and Signature Gallery in Brookings, Oregon. In Canada at The Saatchi Gallery in Victoria, British Columbia. The Jilin Collection in China, The Syllavethy Collection of Scotland in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and in many more collections and museums throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.You can also see the artwork and creativity of Duncan Regehr for yourself online by going to his website. And if you like what you see you can even purchase one of his marvelous creations to add to your own collection.

Duncan Regehr will be having two exhibitions coming up. One will be at the Legacy Gallery in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada). It is a retrospective of Duncan's work called "Transformation." It opens June 13th with an opening reception for the public on June 14th. The exhibit will remain open for viewing until August 18th.
All are welcome. The other exhibition will be at the Winchester Galleries in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada). It will run from July 7th - July 28th. The opening reception for the public will be on July 8th. Details can be found on Duncan Regehr's website.


http://www.duncanregehr.com/

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

A Review of "Zorro, The Musical" by Kathryn Grant



Zorro aficionados are sure to appreciate this review of Zorro The Musical by Zorro fan Kathryn Grant.


'Zorro: The Musical' Dazzles and Delights

The lights dim. The energetic strums of a Spanish guitar fill the theater. But it’s no recording — a live guitarist is standing on the stairs in the middle of the audience. His music pumps excitement into the room, building until a group of players burst onto the stage in a high-energy flamenco dance. And the dance ends with—what else?—a flaming Z in the center of the stage.

We’re at the Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley City, Utah, just outside Salt Lake. This relatively small theater-in-the-round seats just over 600, and today it’s packed with an audience who has come to see the US premiere of “Zorro: The Musical.”

In this retelling of the Zorro story, Don Alejandro de la Vega is the alcalde of Los Angeles. He has two young sons, Ramon and Diego. Ramon is older and more serious, and he yearns for his father’s approval. But Alejandro seems to favor the more playful, less responsible Diego. Ramon's jealousy grows over the years and finally comes to a head when Alejandro chooses Diego to succeed him as alcalde. Diego panics, however, not wanting the responsibility, and he runs away to Spain.

Fast-forward several years. Luisa (Diego’s childhood friend and love interest) comes to Spain looking for him. When she discovers him living an idle life with a band of gypsies, she informs him that his father has drowned in an accident, and his brother Ramon has become the tyrannical new alcalde of Los Angeles. Luisa persuades Diego to return to California (the gypsies, of course, insist on coming along) and the stage is set for the birth of a hero.

HCT’s plays are double-cast. I attended a Saturday performance. Sitting on the third row, just feet from the actors, I could see them clearly. Their enthusiasm for the story was evident. The acting was superb and believable. Diego/Zorro combined earnest intensity with romance and a good measure of playfulness. Luisa was genuine with an undercurrent of strength—a perfect companion for the masked man.

Ramon wasn't just a one-dimensional villain, but a complex adversary who was his own worst enemy. Don Alejandro added support as the well-meaning father whose unintended favoritism had consequences he never anticipated. Sergeant Garcia and the gypsies provided comic relief and added heart to the play. And the flamenco dance numbers delighted the audience with their precision and energy—the product of hard work, practice, and the expert tutelage of flamenco dancer and choreographer Solange Gomes.

The stage itself was revealed to be unexpectedly complex. Different sections raised, lowered, and split apart, allowing for a great deal of flexibility in staging the various scenes. There was a lot of lively swordplay, though it was obviously carefully choreographed. The costumes were colorful and interesting without being obtrusive and detracting from the play (which in my mind is one of the best compliments one can give a costume designer).

And the music—the music was integral to the play’s success on several levels. First, it fit the story and the period without being clichéd. And the leads all had excellent stage voices. They sang beautifully and with intensity, but without any straining or belting to detract. Highest praise goes to the duets by Diego and Luisa (Derek Smith and Jacquelyne Jones). It’s hard to put into words the quality of the music they created. Their voices didn’t just harmonize, they blended at the place where singers go beyond themselves and find the best way to complement their partner’s voice, making the music come alive.

And the same Spanish guitarist who began the play, Raúl Adrián Benitez, was on stage with his guitar for most of it. What a great touch his presence and talent added to the play! He was as much fun to watch as the dancers, his fingers dancing expertly on the guitar.

The bottom line—this memorable retelling of the Zorro story is well worth seeing, with top-notch acting, dancing, and singing. Kudos to the Hale Centre Theatre! The bottom line—this memorable retelling of the Zorro story is well worth seeing, with top-notch acting, dancing, and singing. Kudos to the Hale Centre Theatre!                                                                                 
                                                                                                    ~ Kathryn Grant


Friday, March 23, 2012

New World Zorro (1990) Sound Track Now Available


The sound track from the New World Zorro (1990) television series composed and created by Jay Asher is now available for purchase. The compilation offers 25 tracks including both versions of the original theme song. The series starred Duncan Regehr and Patrice Martinez.

You can find the New World Zorro soundtrack at the following sites.

CD Baby Audio Download
http://www.cdbaby.com/Search/amF5IGFzaGVy/0

CD Baby - CD
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jayasher2

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=jay+asher

Friday, February 24, 2012

The Mark of Zorro nominated for two 2012 Audie Award for best Audio Drama

 
The Mark of Zorro starring Val Kilmer, Ruth Livier, Meshach Taylor, Armin Shimerman, Elizabeth Pena and an outstanding cast has been nominated for two 2012 Audie Awards - Best Audio Drama and Distinguished Achievement in Production.

http://www.audiopub.org/press/2012%20Audies%20Finalists%20press%20release.pdf