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Entertainment industry often produces doers
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Posted by editor Fri May 19, 2006 16:50:00 PDT
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2 responses 1 comment My wife and I have always enjoyed performances by the late actor Roddy McDowall who appeared in nearly 150 movies and probably twice as many television shows. He was one of the most delightful villains who ever did nasty things on the screen.

In real life, Roddy was what could be termed a renaissance man, one who had endless talents in other directions, notably in writing and photography. His most rabid fans included other well-known show business heavyweights who were subjects of his professional caliber photography and commentary. Had he lacked acting talents, it's a good bet that Roddy could have made a comfortable living with just his camera and typewriter.

My limited interest in celebrities focuses on people like McDowall who can do other useful things, as contrasted with bed-hopping and throwing telephones at hotel clerks.

I gained enormous respect for he-man actor Harrison Ford, who continues to make female hearts flutter even as he prepares to cash his first Social Security check, after I learned that he entered the movies literally through the kitchen door. A gifted finish carpenter, Ford first mingled with the Hollywood crowd when word got around that he could work magic in remodeling kitchens, a trade he practiced while waiting for his big chance in show business.

Wayne Rogers, who in the role of Trapper John helped make the television series MASH perhaps the most successful comedy series in TV history, scraped off the grease paint decades ago to become a respected financial adviser. I see him often on Fox News, holding his own in discussions with other fiscal experts with more conventional backgrounds.

On the female side, actress and one-time model Kathy Ireland may be one of the wealthiest women in the country thanks to her business sense rather than her curvaceous body. Kathy appeared 11 straight years in the Sports Illustrated bathing suit issue. Her movie credits are modest but the performance of her company, Kathy Ireland Worldwide, is anything but modest. Sales of her furniture and clothing lines bring in a cool billion dollars a year, thanks to her competent management.

While men might prefer to simply ogle this gorgeous creature, members of the National Association of Women Business Owners have named her America's businesswoman of the year. I would guess that shrewd Kathy no longer can afford to waste time on a sound stage.

The late Edgar Buchanan, whose gravelly voice and rough exterior made him one of the most prolific character actors in movies and on television, was a licensed dentist. In between acting gigs, Edgar was known to fill in for practicing dentists who were on vacation. It's hilarious to think what might have gone through the minds of patients who suddenly came face to face with a screen icon hovering over them with sharp objects in his hands.

My wife just told me she would like some upgrades in her kitchen. Does anybody have Harry Ford's telephone number?

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Comment From: Stephen

Thank you for taking the time to develop this blog and talking about Kathy. I agree with everything you had to say. Not only is Kathy beautiful and a powerhouse entrepreneur, she has an amazing heart. I recently read the story on her mentoring program in People Magazine and I must say she is so inspirational. Yes, she is a mentor for all of these young women, but she may not know that she is a mentor for so many others. My daughter read her book Powerful Inspirations and it has made a huge impact in her young life. She is a teenager starting her senior year in high school. I thank Kathy for being willing to talk so freely about her life. As a parent you can talk and talk about things you feel are important, but when your child has a chance to see that someone they look up to outside of the family rebelled against bad influences, in Kathy's case the many perils found in the modeling industry, it sure hits home... For the longest time, I only knew Kathy because of her modeling, but I have recently learned that she is soooo much more than a beautiful woman. My family purchased some of her products for our home that you talk about in your blog. They are fantastic. The designs are beautiful and durable. Kathy's mission ...finding solutions for families, especially busy mom's is perfect because that is what she is doing (but forget about us guys). As a single father of one wonderful young woman, I have benefited greatly. Everyone should check out Kathy's website, www.kathyireland.com. It is full of useful information. Thanks for this chance to write about a woman I have come to greatly admire.