Los Angeles Hall Of Records

The Pulse of Entertainment: Jim Car...

Jim plays a divorcee father of two, Tommy Popper, a highly successful real estate developer in Manhattan whose life suddenly changes when he inherits six penguins from his world-traveling father. His kids fall in love with the Arctic animals and Popper tries to maintain life with the penguins while closing a business deal just to connect with his kids.

Carla Guigino plays Mr. Popper’s ex-wife Amanda and Angela Lansbury plays Mrs. Van Gundy the client Mr. Popper seeks to make a business deal with while joggling six penguins. Lansbury, who has been performing more in Broadway musicals, said taking the part in Mr. Popper’s Penguins was an “unexpected adventure in my life. It coincided with my career (break from Broadway)… It’s been 6 years since my last movie.”

Mr. Popper’s Penguins is based on a novel published in 1938 which producer John Davis fell in love with. Davis enlisted Mark Waters to director the family oriented movie.

Jim Carrey said he really enjoyed working with the penguins, though some scenes used CG (electronic) penguins most of the time, he inform me that real penguins were used.

When I asked what would the cast (director and producer also) do if they inherited six penguins Jim Carrey was the first to speak out saying, “I’d eat them,” but of course laughter rang out and mine was the loudest because I wasn’t expecting that reply!

“I’d make a sequel,” producer John Davis quickly added seriously.

Director Mark Waters followed up with a smile, “I’d sign them up… for merchandising rights!”

I think John and Mark are thinking big and Jim may have been a little hungry, but what is for sure is that Mr. Popper’s Penguins will bring big summertime laughter, big family fun and big emphasis on the theme of the movie, discovering the importance of family.

Carrey talked of his own family when discussing where his talent came from, such as his funny faces. “My face has a life of its own,” Jim laughed. Also a painter, Carrey credits his father for having a major influence on his comedic talents he boasted that his father is even funnier than he is.

Mr., Popper’s Penguins starring Jim Carrey is sure to be a summertime favorite movie to see with the entire family. Rated PG, Mr. Popper’s Penguins hits theaters June 17 .

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I'm a retired Army Nurse. I have time to travel the world on tours, or with Operation Smile where I volunteer as an operating room nurse to help fix children's cleft lip and cleft palates. Sometimes I work at the Hawaii State Legislature doing graphics for live television. I have been doing family research, in one way or another, for forty years. With the advent of the internet my researrch time has increased and I'm trying to document my ancestors' lives in ways besides statistics. I've lived in the following places (in chronological order): California, Nevada, Germany, Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Colorado, Hawaii, North Carolina,and back to Hawaii. My ancesstors lived in: California, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Indiana, Mass., Conn.,Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Nova Scotia, Wales, England, maybe Northern Ireland (Scot Irish). My heritage is mostly Welsh, English and Scottish. With the earliest puritan ancestors coming to New England in the 1600s. My latest immigrant ancestors were Jane Rees and John Pearce in 1880/1881 from Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales. The fabulous Jamboree of the Southern California Genealogical Society in Burbank , Calif. is over.  I had a wonderful time attending lectures, looking at the exhibits, attending the day-long Family History Writers' Workshop, eating delicious food, and best of all -- meeting fellow Geneablogger s in person.  They have speedily and beautifully written about the Jamboree, and I can only sigh, wishing I was so organized and disciplined as to write so soon and in such detail about the amazing past days.      Sooo.... I'll try to write more about the Jamboree later... Now, before I forget, I want to write about what happened today.   I checked out of the Marriott Burbank and checked into the less costly Ramada Burbank .  With much trepidation, I tried to plan my route to downtown L.A. - only about 12 miles away - but dreading the freeways and traffic of the Civic Center .  Despite having a GPS, I sought out the nearest AAA office and used the GPS to drive there.  After nearly an hour there pouring over maps and getting advice, I got into the car and disregarded everything but the GPS.  I cannot look at maps or routes while driving the freeways.

Old Los Angeles and Pasadena

Los Angeles Magazine

Bulletin of the Public Affairs Information Service, annual cumulation

Los Angeles Magazine

Historical murals in the Los Angeles County Hall of Records Board of Supervisors' Hearing Room, a Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration