Archives: What’s Happening in HTG Town

Visitors to HTG Hollywood have a lot to look at and a lot to experience. Perhaps one of the most unique experiences is a stay at the Roosevelt Hotel, AKA the Haunted Hotel. As they say about the historical downtown locale: “If you don’t believe in ghosts when you check in, you will before you check out… that is, if you check out.”

Sightings of stars of yesterday are not infrequent, according to hotel staff. Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable are just two of the alleged spirits who occupy the building.

“I was taking some towels up to the fourth floor just last week” a room service employee began. “I turned the far corner and guess who was standing there. It was Paul Reubens, Pee Wee Herman himself. Yeah, I know he’s not dead, but isn’t his career? Anyway, just a few feet behind him was floating the image of Bob Keeshan, ol’ Captain Kangaroo. I looked for Mr. Green Jeans, but didn’t see him. I wasn’t frightened, ‘cuz I see ghosts all the time here. Besides, it was Captain Kangaroo. He wouldn’t hurt anyone, would he? But Pee Wee freaked. He fled downstairs and out the front without even checking out. We had to hold his belongings for someone to pick up later… some clothes, toiletries and a few ‘magazines,’ if you know what I mean.”

According to new sightings at the hotel, recently deceased actor Ricardo Montalban has found a home at a far corner of the main lobby. Guests, when entering that part of the room, have described a “cool tropical breeze” and the feeling of “rich Corinthian leather” when they sit on one of the chairs with wool-covered cushions. An apparition of the late Washed Up and Fantasy Island star has not appeared yet, but hotel visitors are anxious to see one.

“It would be major cool, I think” commented an employee of the hotel restaurant. “I wonder if the ghost would grant wishes, just like on the TV show. If he did, I’d wish for a new car and something nice for my girl Jacquita. Maybe a new dress or something.”

Visitors to the Hotel Roosevelt are reminded that flash photography is not allowed in the building.

“Can you imagine all of those flashes going off all the time?” questioned a desk clerk. “Heck, we don’t even let those papp fools in here. We do have some decorum, you know.”

Perhaps the most-used talent in HTG Hollywood, actress Parker Posey is known for her quirky indy-style performances that have endeared her to fans. Posey has participated in seventeen projects in HTG (according to the movie database) and it seems that no end to her work is in site. Flip Brothers Studio has picked up the rights to Dog Gone Shorts, a comedy satire from Baseball Mogul’s Pedro. Not suprisingly, Posey is a part of the cast. Perhaps Posey’s greatest admirer, Pedro has employed the actress ten times out of those seventeen credits. The new role will be familiar to people who have been keeping track of her HTG work.

In Dog Gone Shorts, Posey will be providing the voice of Amy the Dog. Posey has three prior HTG credits as Amy the Dog… 2005’s Blind Money and two current films, Grand Theft Dog and Are You There, God? Based on Pedro’s own pet dog, Amy, the character tends to be foul-mouthed and leads toward violence. According to the pitch provided by Pedro for Dog Gone Shorts, which seems to keep Amy true to past form…

“Dog Gone Shorts follows a group of dogs who live in the same neighborhood as one another and have their own little intertwining short stories. Most of the stories poke fun at the real life antics that some people do, such as politics and religion. This takes place in a somewhat surreal universe, where dogs can understand each other and talk with various humans, but are still ruled by them, even if they don’t like it. The dogs are trying to make it on their own. The stories follow Sunshine, a foul mouthed cocker spaniel who is a political activist; Bradley, an intimidating black labrador who wants to “bring down the man;’ Amy, a foul mouthed golden retreiver, who eats everything in sight and her favorite past time is killing child molestors; and Jeff, a very flamboyantly homosexual chihuahua who has a man crush on Antonio Banderas.’

Coincidentally, Posey has had repeat character performances in other HTG works. Soap opera spoofs Generations and Generations 2 had Posey play Polly Goodin. In The Film Protectors and its sequel, she was Lucy Sands. Posey portrayed Gwendolyn “Wendy” Miller in Marlowe’s The Dark Side of the Moon and in the Hunt Club segment of Tales of Terror and Suspense.

Posey fans won’t have to wait long for Dog Gone Shorts. The John Waters directed film is scheduled for March 13.