Sybil Bruncheon's “A Few of My Favorite Things”… The Good Wife and Archie Punjabi...

Apropos of my advice every week on being "present, mindful, and grateful", I'm starting a new series called Sybil Bruncheon's My Favorite Things! In this world of so much angst and anguish, and "calling out" all those things and people we DON'T approve of or value, I want to make a point of saying what DOES give me pleasure, lights up my world, and fills all my senses, my heart, and my head with joy. These are a few of my favorite things; people, objects, works of art, food, animals, wonders of Nature… you get the idea! Stay tuned...

I watched THE GOOD WIFE when it was aired originally from 2009 to 2016, and then, thanks to technology, I binge watched it again and again as the years passed. It remains one of my very favorite TV shows ever, and, more than being just another TV show, I think it may become an iconic piece of art over the next decades and an artifact representative of American urban life at the opening of the 21st century. Rarely do actors get cast in roles that "no one else could play" so to speak, but this show, season after season, used both its core cast and all of its guest and cameo actors brilliantly. Although we've seen all its stars in many other great projects (Julianna Margulies on ER, Christopher Noth in LAW & ORDER and SEX AND THE CITY, Christine Baranski, Nathan Lane, and Alan Cumming in theatre and films, etc.), their roles on THE GOOD WIFE have become their individual touchstones; something that they can be particularly proud of. And I admire and celebrate them all.

But for me, it’s Archie Punjabi as the enigmatic Kalinda Sharma who dazzles! Throughout the entire series, she never raises her voice, never erupts, never explodes or loses control. Indeed, even when she kicks, punches, or shoots, she does so almost placidly, as if breaking a thug's nose or kneeing him in the crotch is a matter of course. She has none of the fireworks or emotional pyrotechnics that every other character gets. As an actress, she has only her personal beauty (stunning!) and an equally stunning wardrobe a la a 21st century Emma Peel to embellish her character. But the writers capitalized on Punjabi's imploded method-acting style of mumbles, shrugs, and askance-glances to create something rare in all fiction; a soft-spoken, gentle-mannered, highly sophisticated but implacable force of Nature… as a woman! It's Kalinda who becomes the weekly fixer of everyone's dilemmas, tip-toeing her way into homes and psyches to find the weak point, the missed detail, the subtle clue, and often the ultimate solution.

After five seasons of close calls, narrow escapes, and happy hour cocktails with Cary, Alicia, and unwitting adversaries, including her violent and psychotic ex-husband Nick, Kalinda finally had to solve a life-and-death situation by turning in an infamous drug dealer to save her coworkers. And in an unrelated situation in that same episode, she had to dispose of Nick, once and for all. She arranges for the drug dealer and his cohorts to be caught by the Feds, and she confronts her ex in a scene that ends vaguely, leaving the resolution up to the audience's imagination. But when I see her reactions and interactions with Nick, and when I think of all that she's seen and gone through throughout the whole series, there's nothing vague about it to me. I'm convinced that she settled on the "final solution" to her violent and uncontrollable ex. It explains her rye farewell to Alicia. Somehow or other, she managed to kill Nick and dispose of him without a trace. She ends up being her own fixer, solving her own dilemma as she strolls out of the show that final time. Nick is "gone... permanently"! And it explains that wonderful enigmatic smile in the last shot. For me, she will always be one of the most beautiful, mysterious, and alluring characters in ALL fiction... and additionally one of the most perfectly written and inhabited by one of the most wonderful actors... ever. Thank you for being one of my favorite things, Archie Punjabi.

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A New Sybil's "WHO'Z DAT?"... FRANK CADY (September 8, 1915 – June 8, 2012)

Darlings! Mummy has made a decision! After reading dozens of posts and having hundreds of conversations with well-meaning folks who just don't know about the great CHARACTER actors who gave films the depth and genius that surrounded and supported the so-called "stars", I am going to post a regular, special entry called "SYBIL'S WHO'Z DAT?"....there'll be photos and a mini-bio, and the next time you see one of those familiar, fabulous faces that you just "can't quite place".......well, maybe these posts will help. Some of these actors worked more, had longer and broader careers, and ended up happier, more loved, and even wealthier than the "stars" that the public "worships". (I think there may be a metaphor in that! What do you think???). Here's our next guest!! Many of you know him on sight! You’ve seen him everywhere on TV and film: FRANK CADY! (September 8, 1915 – June 8, 2012)

Born in Susanville, California, the youngest of three children of Leon and Clara Cady. The acting bug bit him early when he sang in an elementary school play. In high school he worked at a local newspaper, The Lassen County Advocate. Cady's family later moved to Wilsonville, Oregon. He studied journalism and drama at Stanford University, where he was involved with the campus humor magazine, the Stanford Chaparral. Following college graduation Cady served an apprenticeship at the Westminster Theater in London, England, appearing in four plays. In England he made an early (very early!) television appearance on the BBC in late 1938. When World War II broke out he was already in Europe, so he enlisted in the Army Air Force and spent the next several years in postings all over the continent. After being discharged from military service in 1946, Cady appeared in a series of plays in the Los Angeles area which led to movie roles, beginning in 1947. One of his earlier--and more atypical--roles was as a seedy underworld character pulled in for questioning in a cop's murder in the noir classic HE WALKED BY NIGHT (1948). Later Cady was type cast mostly as humble soft-spoken shopkeepers, henpecked husbands, and as the long-suffering “common man”. In 1950, he had an uncredited speaking role in the classic film noir drama D.O.A. starring Edmund O’Brien and another uncredited role in FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950) starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. He had a small part in the noir classic THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) playing a witness who refused to identify a robbery suspect. He appeared in George Pal’s film WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951), and later worked with Pal again in 1964 in THE 7 FACES OF DR. LAO. 

Cady had a prominent role in Billy Wilder’s ACE IN THE HOLE (1951) starring Kirk Douglas. He had a small non-speaking role in Alfred Hitchcock’s REAR WINDOW (1954) as the man on the fire escape whose dog was strangled. His appearances included a very memorable turn as Mr. Daigel with Oscar nominated Eileen Heckart as his drunken wife in THE BAD SEED (1956). He appeared again as Heckart’s husband much later in ZANDY’S BRIDE (1974). On television, Cady guest starred on the “Make Room For Daddy” episode with Danny Thomas that was the pilot for “The Andy Griffith Show”. He appeared on some radio programs, including “Gunsmoke” episode #140 ("Outlaw Robin Hood") on January 8, 1955.

Cady had a small but recurring role as Doc Williams in “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” (1954-55), along with numerous supporting parts in movies. He also appeared in television commercials for (among other products) Shasta Grape Soda. Perhaps best known for his popular role as storekeeper Sam Drucker, Cady was prolific in television and holds the record of being the only actor to play the same recurring character on three different television sitcoms all at the same time, “The Beverly Hillbillies”, “Green Acres”, and “Petticoat Junction”, from 1968 to 1969. He also was one of only three co-stars of “Petticoat Junction” who stayed with the series for its entire seven-year run along with Edgar Buchanan and Linda Henning, appearing in 170 of the show's 222 episodes. His final acting role was in the television movie RETURN TO GREEN ACRES (1990). He then retired with his wife to his hometown of Wilsonville, Oregon. Cady spoke of his television career: "You get typecast. I'm remembered for those shows and not for some pretty good acting jobs I did other times. I suppose I ought to be grateful for that, because otherwise I wouldn't be remembered at all.” Shirley Cady died on August 22, 2008 at the age of 91. The Cadys, who were married 68 years, were the parents of two children — daughter Catherine Turk and son Steven Cady. They had three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Frank Cady died at his home on June 8, 2012 at age 96. He was interred at Meridian United Church of Christ Cemetery in Wilsonville, Oregon.

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