JAMES MASON
James Mason (15 May 1909 – 27 July 1984) was an English actor. After achieving much success in the United Kingdom (he was the top box office attraction there in 1944 and 1945), he made the transition to the United States and became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, starring in iconic films such as The Desert Fox, A Star Is Born, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Lolita, North by Northwest, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Bigger Than Life, Julius Caesar, Georgy Girl, The Deadly Affair, The Boys from Brazil, The Verdict, Murder By Decree, and Salem’s Lot. He was nominated for three Academy Awards and three Golden Globes (winning the Golden Globe in 1955 for A Star is Born). (More from Wikipedia)
There were personal connections to many of Jim Sullivan’s songs that were not at all obvious to the casual listener. “Jerome” opens the album and is about a ghost town in Arizona – but it also happened to be the name of Kathie Doran’s hometown. “So Natural” was written in honor of his older brother, Jack Sullivan, an insurance salesman who died of a heart attack on his way home from work. “Whistle Stop” was inspired by the 1951 film Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (a personal favorite of mine as well), starring James Mason as the cursed seaman who was able to escape his fate with the help of a beautiful and spoiled village girl played by Ava Gardner.
(October 2011)
