"Lily Munster" Dies

ABC- AP ^ | 1/10/07

[MaestroLC]

Yvonne De Carlo (1922 - 2007)

[Rte66]

Wasn't she pretty? I was hoping more FReepers would post on this thread for her, but, *oh well*.

One of my favorite movies when I was a kid was "Band of Angels," in which she played opposite Clark Gable. Sidney Poitier also made one of his first starring appearances in it. He was named "Rau-Ru" ("raw - roo") and I always thought of him by that name when I saw him in movies later.

Set in the pre-Civil War era and following the war, it was about "Manty" who was a Kentucky colonel's debutante daughter who found out after he died that she had a small amount of Negro blood and would be sold at a slave auction.

She tried to escape with the help of some friends but didn't make it. She commanded more money than the others, because of her light skin. She eventually wound up with Hamish Bond (Clark Gable) in New Orleans.

They fell in love and much of the show is about her struggle with who she was, her close friendships with both blacks and whites in her life, and the ups and downs of her romance with Hamish.

One of the more memorable scenes, to me at age 8, was when they were at his New Orleans townhouse, in the courtyard, and a hurricane came up. As a child, I was acutely aware of hurricanes here on the Gulf Coast and of being in courtyards in NOLA, so it was quite a striking scene for me.

I haven't watched the movie again in many years, although I tried not to ever miss it on the Late Movie and did buy the video. Now it's coming out on DVD the end of this month, for the 50th anniversary of the movie's release in Aug 1957.

In fact, I know where Yvonne deCarlo was exactly 50 years ago next week! She was at Ashland Belle Helene Plantation on the River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, on location for Band of Angels, which started shooting on Jan. 18, 1957.

Here are some pix of the plantation Great House, now owned by Shell Chemical and on the property of one of their plants. Several other movies were shot there, too. These are an individual's travel photos:

Ashland-Belle Helene Great House - 2001

Interesting archaeological info about Ashland Plantation

About the Shell Chem plant

Brief history of Ashland

1920s Photo of Ashland

And some lagniappe - a real south Louisiana recipe from the former owner of the plantation

Hot Turnip Greens and Tasso Dip - Ashland-Belle Helene
PREP TIME: 1 hour
MAKES: 5-6 cups

Though turnip, mustard and spinach greens were often cooked as vegetables in South Louisiana, it wasn't common for them to be used in any other fashion. Duncan Kenner, builder of Ashland, loved turnip greens and when he combined them with the tasso of the Germans from St. Charles Parish, this appetizer emerged.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch fresh turnip greens, or
1-10 ounce package chopped turnip greens
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced garlic
1/2 cup minced tasso ham
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp grated orange rind
1 cup béchamel sauce
1-6 ounce package garlic cheese spread
dash of Worcestershire Sauce
salt and cracked pepper to taste
Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce to taste

METHOD:
If tasso is unavailable in your area, you may wish to substitute ham, bacon or heavy smoked sausage. If using fresh turnip greens, wash them well and rinse at least twice. Peel the spine from the leaf and chop. Boil in lightly salted water until tender. Remove, drain and reserve one and a half cups of greens. If using frozen, cook according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In a heavy bottom black iron skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté three to five minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add tasso and mushrooms and continue to cook an additional three to five minutes.

Add turnip greens and orange rind, blend well into seasoning mixture and place all ingredients from the skillet into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth.

Return the ingredients to the skillet and combine with bechamel sauce, cheese and Worcestershire Sauce. Stir constantly until mixture is well blended and cheese is thoroughly melted. Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold. This dip should be served hot with a basket of garlic croutons, crackers or vegetable sticks.