good-bye karl

man, considering the gravity of the occasion, i wish i was a bit more 'up' for posting tonight. but i wouldn't allow myself not to at least try to do my best to kiss karl malden good-bye. he died today. he was 97. and i was thinking, since i was born in 1972, and he was all over tv as the American Express guy, or the detective in 'Streets of San Francisco,' there probably was never a time when i didn't know who he was. but it wasn't until the early-to-mid 90's that i discovered him 'for real' and fell in love with him. and when i say i was in love with him, i want to be very clear.... it wasn't just that i admired his gritty 'real-man,' method-acting chops... i mean i was truly, romantically, swooningly in love with him. i thought he had one of the most incredible faces in the business. and i can't listen to his voice without my temperature rising. just thinking about him now, my cheeks and chest are blushed and hot. i don't think i need to go into a long, dry listing of his best-known roles, or his 'real-life' personal achievements... all that information is easily found these days. i just want to take this opportunity to let karl know something i've told him many, many times before, in many, many different ways; i loved you, karl... madly and deeply and romantically. i have imagined kissing you... having you, countless times. i have never seen a better actor. i read your book, your autobiography... i have literally seen every bit of film of yours i could find. i will miss you. thank you so much for being so brave, so handsome, so resilient, and so damn good at what you do. tonight, there'll be an angel that will kiss you with deep reverence, solemn gratitude, and uncharacteristic depravity. that angel, karl... will be me. (this shot was captured by me from the 'streetcar named desire' dvd. his performance of 'mitch' won him an academy award. i chose this shot because it spotlights his gorgeous eyes. click to enlarge.)