HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FATHER, HARRY LANGDON

On this, my father's birthday, I am proud to announce the forthcoming publication of "Nothing on a Stage is Permanent: the Harry Langdon Scrapbook." I have been planning this book for several decades, and it is my great pleasure to announce that it will be available this Fall.  For all of the details please visit the Facebook page "The Harry Langdon Scrapbook." Happy Birthday Dad!

Harry Langdon, Jr.

FROM THE HARRY LANGDON ARCHIVES, RARE BTS FOOTAGE OF OINGO BOINGO FROM 1979

I have located a treasure trove of “Behind the Scenes” (BTS) 70’s and 80’s film footage and videos, filmed under my direction at different studios in Beverly Hills and West Los Angeles, and even some rare interviews and personal films.

Today I am publicly sharing for the first time, rare, never before seen super 8 footage (transferred digitally to YouTube), interspersed with still photographs of the wildly popular, American Alternative Rock Band, ‪#‎OINGOBOINGO‬. I hope you enjoy it, (by the way, they designed their set backdrop and also did their own costuming and make-up!)

Original publicity photo of

Oingo Boingo,
photographed by Harry Langdon
(1979)

Special thanks to Lysa Nalin for her assistance in editing. If you share this on social media networks, please include this hashtag "‪#‎HarryLangdonPresents‬" so I know where it is being viewed. Thank you so much, have a great day! - HL Harry Langdon Jr.

HARRY LANGDON'S ANGELINA JOLIE (FIRST) TEST PHOTOS, FEATURED ON CNN - JUNE 2, 2016

(Click on the photo of Angelina Jolie to be taken to CNN.com and
and interview CNN's Kyle Almond conducted, with Harry Langdon.)

Thank you Kyle at CNN! - HL "Before They Were Famous", featured on today's #ThrowbackThursday on #CNN (June 2, 2016), featuring 11 of the first test photos I took of #AngelinaJolie who has grown into a remarkable woman, doing incredible good deeds for humanity. All photos by #HarryLangdon. Angelina Jolie (Getty Images) #OfficialHarryLangdon

THE SPECIAL EDITION TIME MAGAZINE COVER PHOTO "REMEMBERING THE REAGANS"

Former US President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan
Photographed by Harry Langdon
Los Angeles, CA
Spring, 1981

ONE MEMORY OF FRANK SINATRA IN HONOR OF #SINATRA100

FRANK SINATRA

Photographed by

HARRY LANGDON

Palm Springs, CA

(mid-90's)

When I was 15, I was a busboy at a very famous Italian restaurant frequented by celebrities.  It was Frank Sinatra’s favorite place since the management would follow the "Old Italian Custom" of allowing certain dignitaries to have a small table for two set up in the kitchen.  Mr. Sinatra would often come in with Dean Martin, both dressed in Tuxedos and both served in the kitchen.  This custom was reserved for only High Italian royal family. Another memory I have is, one night I was bussing tables and Sinatra came in with Ava Gardner, she was dressed in a clinging Turquoise cocktail dress. I had just seen her starring in the film "The Barefoot Contessa".

Then years went by and fatefully I achieved the honor of being a favorite photographer of Mr. Sinatra’s. I never mentioned to him I used to take away his dirty dishes at Mazzarino's Italian Restaurant.  I have wondered whether or not I should have?

I have a client who is a female Psychiatrist, and once I asked her about her clients dream messages. She said Sinatra would often appear romantically in their dreams, why,  I asked - "he is a symbol of, danger, intrigue and romance", she told me. 

Mr. Sinatra (He much preferred being called) was something to everybody.  And when people ask me, "who was your favorite client", I immediately answer, Frank Sinatra!

                                                                        - Harry Langdon
Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, December 12, 2015

In honor of #Sinatra100

E-MAIL. PRIVATE OR IS IT PUBLIC?

Social Commentary by,
Harry Langdon

Way back when, we used to send military directives by a carrier pigeon or by waving various flags on a ship. Today top secret e-mails are being sent by e-mail. Same thing, possible military directives that we would dare not want a foreign government to intercept. After all there are 320 million American citizen’s lives at stake.

There is a way of securing your e-mail, encrypting it. It costs about $400.00 a year and it is totally secure, I could have the device downloaded to my computer in 15 minutes. By the way ISIS uses that encrypted coded system ---- What happened! This is supposed to be the most technologically advanced country in the world. Rockets to Mars etc., I can hear the Chinese, North Koreans and Russians laughing.

If an individual is elected or deemed to be in charge of our country's current and future safety, would they not be trained in how to work a simple device like a couple Blackberry's, or... Plus the placement of the Server of that e mail, to be in a secure location. But where it, or they were stored, could have been bagged by the average break-in bandit. Then fenced or sold at the local flea market sale the next Sunday for a couple hundred. A spy would have a ‘Motherload‘ or do they now?

When I was kid, don’t ask how long ago, my Grandmother had a cabin in Cambria, California. It had a phone which by today’s standards is basic and primitive, with a dial you would twirl to get a number. Everyone in the neighborhood would hear the ringing that was going to or from each others' phones. As a kid I would observe my parents pick up the receiver and quietly listen in on each others calls. That system is obsolete now. It was called a ‘Party Line’.

But what was devious was, they would purposely give inaccurate messages to the other party, so that when it would get back to the sender, they knew that it was somebody eavesdropping. Got-Cha!

Now in the year 2015, top Government officials are using something like a 'Party-Line' for their e-mails. Totally insecure, no $400.00 encrypting device.--- I am wondering if it was like my Grandma used to do, give out false gossip to trap a eavesdropping neighbor, or is it sheer ignorance of today’s technology.

It is now cyber water under an invisible bridge. We have to pray that the information that I am sure hostile and friendly governments have gotten, from an insecure server, monitored by an insecure tech representative with no credentials to handle Top Secret information. As an aside, he has pleaded the 5th amendment now, so he is talking.

Well I hope we have made more progress since Grannies time, Very high tech security encrypting devices and we have our own listening in on our neighbors ‘Party Lines. Back then, it was just innocent gossip on the old Party Line. But now the stakes are much more serious and the security of 320,000,000 Americans is at stake.

- Harry Langdon

Los Angeles, CA

Sept. 9, 2015

JADED? Need to REBOOT?

Social Commentary by
Harry Langdon
Saturday, September 5, 2015

Our minds work very closely akin to a computer, or a computer works very similar to a human mind. When my computer gets on overload and 'confused', I call my Tech support and they will often say "reboot". I hesitate to do this action since a great deal of unsaved information gets deleted; but it is an extremely healthy action to take for our computer’s extended health and longevity.

The news today has been a threat to our senses and hopefully our healthy minds. The gruesome taped shooting of two innocent news people. With his own camera on the air. Beheadings, another school shooting, is now ho-hum. Police shootings, both of them, and the perpetrators, have become a matter of normal life. How much farther can it go?

I believe becoming jaded to adversity and injustice is dangerous. When I was a kid, it was shocking to hear of a Rape. Perhaps only once a month we would see newspaper headlines about this crime. Let alone a murder. What has happened? Is sex and mayhem so titillating that we have become fixated on it?

Forgive my sounding old fashioned but, back then there was something called the Johnson office, they were in charge of censoring obscene footage in the movies. Today? Give me a break, did we try to watch the MTV/VMA’s show with our children in the room? You have to be very jaded in order to witness all that in our living rooms no less.

We know it is all about getting better ratings. The video games are numbing kids minds to violence, it is closely becoming akin to winning the game. Scary stuff.

I know, I know, it is freedom of speech etc. but my concern is that if we humans don’t begin to be more conscious of how minds are being bombarded with these images, becoming numbed to violence… this is not normal behavior. And we wonder what has happened to our children.

Our parents and teachers today, plus the police, have given up trying to guide the children right from wrong. I think it is because the adults aren’t sure anymore between the two. Lawyers have become so clever that with enough money, a criminal can get away with etc., etc., anything.

Working as a photographer, I monitor what decisions are being made on a shoot about how ‘Far to Go ‘when it comes to sensuality. Both by me and my client. I have had to forfeit being chosen to do shoots that could be considered ‘Over the top‘ sexy. I believe taking the High Road is by far the best choice, even if it means losing lucrative shoots that are blatantly sensual. At least I can sleep at night. I wish many in the creative community that have tremendous influence, would begin taking the high road.

We have all had to reboot at times when confused and disoriented, too many errors. Just like my computer. It is the most drastic solution. So I monitor very carefully what information I install in the mind of my computer, so I, nor 'Tech Support' will be forced to do the dreaded reboot.

~ Harry Langdon

Los Angeles, CA

Sept. 5, 2015