A mystery meat, a President, an architect, a dude who plays with puppets… I do not know him personally (save for the delicious snack of unknown origin), and yet, I love him. He piques my interest, indulges my senses, and entertains my intellect. This is the life of one man- Frank. He’s a diverse fellow, and I’d like to share a few of my favorite versions of Frank.
1) Frank Miller
Eccentric, passionate, and a little bit crazy. The man was a collector and an obsessive, and he built my favorite place in the entire world (at least thus far, I haven’t been many places yet)- the Mission Inn. The place was started by his father in 1876, but it was the passion Frank that made it into the place I know and love.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Riverside, the Mission Inn was constructed obsessively, in widely varying styles- Mediterranean, Moroccan, Gothic, Chinese, and more. There are castle towers, a five-story cascading rotunda staircase, exquisitely tiled ceilings and roofs, lush gardens and fountains, Japanese pavilions, catacombs, and a few wings of the building constructed specifically for his sister, who was a little person. Frank also was a collector, and many of his collections are on display at the Mission- stained glass windows from Tiffany, over 800 bells (only a few are left on display at the Mission currently), and religious figurines. Personal favorites of mine at the Mission Inn are the Wall of Flyers, a corner of the hotel covered with the signatures of famous aviators (Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart are among the notables), the massive gold-leafed altar in the chapel that was smuggled from Mexico under a bed of manure (or at least that’s what they tell me), and the random doors and corners that local folks (and maybe the Discovery Channel) say are haunted. Frank labored on the lovely living space until he died in 1935. See more about Frank and his hotel at the Mission Inn website.
2) Frankfurters
You know what I mean- hot dogs, weenies, mystery meat, and, according to Wikipedia, tube steaks (gross). I rarely ever eat them, because if I think about it too hard, I realize that I don’t know what I am eating. Also, if you think about it even harder, you will realize that bologna is a flattened hot dog, and I hate bologna. But once in a while the craving hits me, and I just have to have one- burnt black on the outside, slathered with yellow mustard, and a touch of dill relish dabbled on top.
The history of hot dogs is often as much a mystery as the meat that it’s compiled of. No one is really sure when hot dogs were specifically invented, but the name “frankfurter” comes from a town in Germany, coincidentally called Frankfurt, where it is said that sausages were first consumed inside a bun. Also according to Wikipedia (where the best parts of my knowledge are founded), the first recorded hot dog-type-sausage eating was in Greece, in at least 850 BC. Hot dogs came to America around 1870’s, when according to which story you chose to believe, they were either introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair or at Coney Island (by Bavarian and German sausage sellers, respectively).
3) Frank Miller
A more different Frank Miller! This Frank Miller, born in 1957, spins stories. Graphic novels, to be more precise. Miller is responsible for some of the most influential moments and stories in comic book history- from the political tones of The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again, to the death of Electra in Daredevil (he was not, however, responsible for resurrecting her), to the grungy noir style of Sin City (the lighter Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot was great too).
Frank has penned for both major universes, Marvel and DC, and has also used his craft for Dark Horse- and he’s responsible for some famously gritty and dark storylines. His graphic and mature style has brought him notoriety- he disputed with Marvel over censorships- and fame. More recently you’ll have seen his darkly and decrepitly beautiful film Sin City, a series he wrote, drew, and helped bring to life on film. In 2008, Will Eisner’s series The Spirit was brought to life under the watchful eye of Miller as director, and we can all look forward to Sin City 2, coming to a theater near you in (hopefully) 2010.
4) Frankenstein
The monster, the man, the myth. Playing god with the universe, creating life from death, and the ultimate destruction of both monster and man- what more can you ask for from horror fiction? I know! You can ask for a Mel Brooks Parody! Mary Shelley, a teenage prodigy well before that kid who penned the dragon books, wrote Frankenstein in 1818, when she was only 19 years old. How’s that for a gothic chick?
Anywho… The novel has been made into dozens upon dozens of movies as early as 1910 (for the record, Rocky Horror Picture Show is indeed a parody of Frankenstein). What’s interesting to note is that in the original novel, Dr. Frankenstein does not say how he created his monster- it was in the earlier versions of the movies that they crafted the lightening bolts horror fans have come to know and love. Same goes with the monster- Mary Shelley said he was ugly, but not flat topped- that was creative expression on some director’s part. Theatrics aside, the over-all themes remain the same- a creature was created, inherently good, but turned wretched at the hand of mankind. He seeks to destroy that who gave him life- and ultimately allowed him a life of pain by abandoning him- and in the end, no one wins. The only question left to ask yourself is this- Peter Boyle or Robert DeNiro?
5) Frank Oz
Director, actor… puppeteer? Frank Oz has been working with actors both live and puppetish for decades. We know him best as the voice and puppeteer behind Jedi master Yoda, though you may also know Frank as one of his many other characters: Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Bert, Cookie Monster, Animal, Swedish Chef, Grover, and others. His voice and puppet styling has been beloved by children since the 60’s, and he still occasionally lends a hand to movies today- take for instance, his small part in Monsters Inc., playing Randal’s assistant Fungus. Not only has he lent his voice and well, body, to bringing the characters to life, Frank has been responsible for the creation and engineer of many of the Muppets and the Sesame Street characters. Frank Oz, whose real name is Richard Frank Oznowicz, directs as well, delving into adult themes and dark comedies. His movies include some of my personal favorites: What about Bob?, Little Shop of Horrors, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Bowfinger, and most recently he oversaw Death at a Funeral(I own and have seen this movie a hundred times and didn’t even realize it).
6) Frank Lloyd Wright
Architect extraordinaire! Born in 1867, Frank designed 400 structures that were built- that’s not counting the many he designed and never broke ground on. His innovative styles have been mimicked a re-created- he popularized a style called “organic architecture,” notable for fluid lines, natural wood and stone, and in general, being unified with the natural surroundings of the structure (most famous of these homes is Falling Water, built over a waterfall in Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright was well-respected and well known in his field- but his private life hurt his reputation and made it difficult for him to gain work commissions. He had numerous affairs on his wife (and mother of 6 of his children), including one with Mamah Cheney, who’s life with was ended in a gruesome axe slaying at Frank’s home Taliesin (one of his servants set fire to the home and murdered seven people). After her death, he divorced his first wife, became addicted to morphine, and married two more women. Can’t keep a good man down, eh?
Once he was finally settled in his third domestic life, Lloyd Wright set about designing some of the most celebrated structures in American architecture, including Falling Water, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Monona Terrace, which was proposed to the city of Madison, WI in 1938 and not opened until 1997. Though many of his structures were demolished after his death in 1959, at least 300 still stand today, and for a price (no small one, to be sure), you can even rent and occupy several of his lovely living spaces.
7)Frank Black
Ok, so he also goes by Black Francis. It’s similar, alright? Anyway, I best know him as the singer of the Pixies, the alt rock band that changed my perspective on music. Born Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (that’s a mouthful), he’s a creative genius- his musical talent is widely varied, as shown by his many vocal stylings, his amazing lyrics, and great compositional aptitude. He’s released 18 studio albums, solo, with the Pixies, and also with his other bands, like Frank Black and the Catholics. One great thing about Frank- he likes his music honest. He admits his music doesn’t need to be about pain or loss, as much of mainstream music is about (you know, girls breaking hearts and such- I’m looking at you Carrabba) [As taken from the Wikipedia entry on Frank.]: “Pixies were quite abstract in their repertoire, it was kind of surrealist, kind of drop-out lyrics, but instinctively I knew I wasn’t going to sing about all of my ‘hard times’ or whatever because it wouldn’t have rang true. Now I’ve had a good life, I’ve had some ups and downs like everybody and so you feel you could be a little more Leonard Cohen or something.”
Well said. Frank can still be seen performing solo and with the Pixies, who reunited in 2003, with his wife Violet Clark with whom he formed the band Grand Duchy, or behind the scenes, producing music for indie band Art Brut.
8) Frank Sinatra
Who hasn’t heard at least one of Old Blue Eyes’ swinging ballads? The man started his career in the 40’s, laying down songs that manifest in rom coms, action movies, and Italian restaurants alike. When he was first signed, his contracted salary was $75 a week- try getting that shit to fly with kids these days. He was also a critically acclaimed actor, starring in both dramas and musicals, and earned Grammys and Academy Awards throughout his career. Born the child of Italian immigrants (his mother in particular was an avid political activist and at one point ran an illegal abortion clinic), Frank was quite the character- he was very politically active and a good friend of JFK, he suffered from what’s thought to be bipolar disorder, he was married four times, and the FBI tracked him for the majority of his professional life because of his alleged ties to the mob. Though his career had multiple ups and downs during his lifetime, today he remains one of the most celebrated voices in music history. It’s definite that that lovely baritone voice will get under your skin.
9 ) Frank’s Red Hot
Though I am personally not an avid buffalo wing lover, I can still appreciate the delectable spiciness of Frank’s line of sauces. The history of this company dates back to 1896, when, according to the Frank’s website, the Frank Tea and Spice Company was founded by Jacob Frank. Later, in 1920, the company changed its name to Frank’s Louisiana Red Hot Sauce, and from there the spicy sauces we know and love today were born. Also according to the website, Frank’s boasts being the secret ingredient in the first ever buffalo wings- how’s that for a claim to fame? Tailgating surely would never be the same again. The company has a line of six sauces- Original, Xtra Hot, Buffalo Wings, Chile N Lime, Hot Buffalo, and Sweet Heat BBQ- enough flavors to satiate the spice craving in anyone.
10) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
At a time when the country was in great crisis, the people relied on Franklin Roosevelt to bail them out- and some of his greater policies are still intact today. FDR redefined liberalism for the US, and introduced something conservatives hate- new taxes. Some of his New Deal creations, such as the FDIC, the Social Security Act, and repealing the very unpopular 18th Amendment (Prohibition people, I hope they still teach that in school), are still helping United States residents out today. He was the only President to be elected for more than two terms- he was elected a grand total of four times- and though some of the things he did in office were set-backs in civil rights (take for instance, the horrid Executive Order 9066- Japanese American internment camps), it’s generally accepted that he did a pretty good job as President. Though he presented a strong front to the public- he was only seen in a wheelchair in private- Franklin was paralyzed for his entire career as Commander in Chief (contrary to popular belief, this was not caused by polio). He toiled as President into his fourth term, when shortly after election, he died from multiple complications, including emphysema, atherosclerosis, and heart disease.
And so, it’s been a good one, Frank, but it’s time to get this show on the road. Frank, honey, I’ll always love you. Except you Muniz.
–Caitlin Elgin