Bad Boy Johnnys...eating my Heart out!

How popular is the name Johnny anyway?  And, where did the name Johnny come from?  Some say the name Johnny is French, some say the name is of Hebrew origin, and, others say Johnny is English...hmmm.  Well,  I studied French, the name Johnny is seen as Jean.  The meaning of the name according to the Hebrew definition is "of Grace or favor", and, "God is Gracious".  As it turns out, the name Johnny is the #2 most common name, with James being the #1 most common name!  The graph above depicts a decline in the popularity of the name Johnny in the late 1940's and 1950's-then, as time goes on, it mellows out for the next, say, 15 years, throughout the 1990's into the millennium.  It 2012, girl babies given the name Johnny ranked at 5 vs. 281 boy babies given the name.

***  But enough of this serious stuff!  You didn't come over for a lesson in baby names, did you?  Let me  chauffeur you through time with film characters named 'Johnny'!

Introducing the BAD BOYS of film named JOHNNY!
(Well, a few of them anyway)

"Hop on the back, Dearies!"

~ Nicholas Cage as 'Johnny Blaze'
'Ghost Rider' * 2007

George Raft

~ Johnny Allegro * 1949

'Johnny Allegro' is a crime drama about a florist, whose shop is in a popular hotel.  Played by George Raft,  (isn't he handsome!) Johnny Allegro meets a gorgeous blonde, who, of course, is married, and gets drawn into a dangerous situation with her and her husband on a secluded island in Florida.  The lady's husband knows that Johnny Allegro is infatuated with his gorgeous wife, and, uses his own goons to hunt Johnny down in an intense chase on foot through the island.  Johnny almost loses his life trying to help the authorities solve a counterfeit crime, as the husband tries to get rid of him and his wife.  Johnny manages to escape, and bring them all to justice.  I really liked this film done in black and white, the scenery and home on this Florida island really added to the suspense of the story.


~Bobby Driscoll and Robert Newton

* Treasure Island * 1950 * Robert Newton as 'Long John Silver'

Long John Silver is a fictional character created by Robert Louis Stevenson in his 1883 novel
'Treasure Island'.  Long John is a 'bad boy' at its best!  Played by Robert Newton, Silver is a one-legged tyrant of a pirate.  He signs on to the ship 'Hispaniola' as a cook, and manages to keep his cover for a time, while the crew is busy hunting for treasure.  Long John just can't keep a lid on it and loses patience in his wait to take over the ship and treasure.  He kidnaps Jim, and takes over the ship.  Jim eventually gets free, wins the ship back, and, sends Long John Silver packing!
(Well, you know there's more to the story, lol!)

~Marlon Brando

* Johnny Strabler * The Wild One * 1953

This story is based on a real-life incident that occurred in a California town in 1947.  The film paves the way for the 'bad boy' stereotype of bikers who exhibit anti-social behavior.  Johnny Strabler, played by Marlon Brando, (hubba, hubba!) is the leader of the 'Black Rebels' bike gang.  The gang rides into town where a motorcycle race is being held, and, because of their unruliness, they are kicked out of the race, and out of town.   On their way out, Johnny steals the trophy for 2nd place (the 1st place trophy is too large to carry on a motorcycle), and the race is literally on!  Sensationalism at its best! LOL!

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I know this may seem grueling, but, please bear with me-just a bit more to go!
  These guys are special!

~Patrick Swayze

* Johnny Castle * Dirty Dancing * 1987

Well, what can I say here...I already have tears in my eyes!  This movie was on while I was writing this post.  What draws us to this Johnny?  Well, he is a 'bad boy' of sorts.  He is desired by most women who encounter him.  His handsome good looks and svelte physique lend to the overall awesomeness of his dancing talent!  AND...he looks good in a white t-shirt and blue jeans (my opinion!)!  How most of us ladies would like to have been in 'Baby's' shoes!
And...oh, that famous line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!"
You are sorely missed Patrick Swayze!

And now...on to the ultimate Johnny!

Elvis Presley

~Frankie and Johnny * 1966

Elvis plays a riverboat singer named 'Johnny' with Donna Douglas as his girlfriend, 'Frankie'.  And, what a pair!  Who would have thought to put these two together in a musical production?  What! You say I'm just jealous?  Well, sure I am!  And, Frankie becomes very jealous when she spies Johnny dancing with a beautiful red haired girl.  It turns out that Johnny, although a great performer,  is a sorry gambler in debt, and trying to score a change in his bad luck.  A 'tea reading' fortune teller has told Johnny that he will meet a red haired lady that will change his luck.  So he gets the red haired to touch the dice for him, and, by and large, he starts winning.  Frankie throws all of Johnny's winnings out the window, and later shoots Johnny in a moment of passion, not realizing the gun was holding blanks!  So, of course, Johnny survives.
Well...we couldn't let Elvis die, could we?  LOL!

***  Thank you so much for sticking around to see my favorite 'Johnny's'!  We know there are many more popular 'bad boy' Johnny's, in the film industry, and, in real life!  haha!
I took the liberty of bringing over a great clip from the musical
Frankie and Johnny from 1966, featuring our own Elvis, and his costar
Donna Douglas as Frankie!  
*** This is my own special Valentine to you my gracious readers!

Please enjoy!

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Looks like we've covered a lot of ground here, my dearest readers.  And, I hope you haven't been disappointed in my choices of Johnny's.  I know there are hundreds more Johnny characters we've seen, but, I believe this group to be of a special breed!

Much Thanks to:
Google
Yahoo
http://www.ourbabynamer.com
www.thinkbabynames.com
www.babycenter.com
http://imdb.com
http://www.filmsite.org
Wikipedia
*** and many more***

*** Thank you Shady Del Knight for the Liebster award!
* here are a couple of questions Shady asked the blogger recipients
of this award, actually it was question #11:

Shady:  If you could time travel, which decade or century would you most like to visit?  Where in the world would you go? Would you stay in that place and time, or return to the present? 
My answer:  Well, I would like to go back to the 1950's, and travel to Europe-France, Venice and England specifically...I would also need to spend some time in California and New York!  And, my happiness would play an important part in my decision to stay-but, I venture to say that I would probably return to my native American soil!  (maybe not in the present tho!)

***a special thanks to Elvis Presley ***

Happy Valentine's Day to you Special Folks!
Stop by and say hello...Love to you all!

Be kind...give love and laughter! ♥

Cupid...You send me!

Good day my Valentines!  Here is Cupid at the mailbox, sending his Valentine greetings for 2013.  Wow...that time of year again, when we think about our loved ones (our ROMANTIC loved ones, that is!)  I have to confess, when I was just a girl in school, I always seemed to be minus a boyfriend when Valentine's day came around...why?  Beats me!!! If I did have a special boyfriend earlier in the year, he made sure to break up with me before Valentine's day.  Oh well, so I would go to the Valentine dance in my red dress alone, but, I still had fun!  There was always someone to dance with!

 
So, who is this sly looking chap?

Why it's the 'impish', incorrigible, Cupid!  Cupid is the most popular among the love gods...the Roman god of love, and, is said to be the son of Venus, from Mt. Olympus.  He is also known by other names, such as Eros and Amor, depending on your personal preference.  Cupid was in love with love itself, and believed he could spread this emotion on a whim!  He would use his arrows to capture the hearts of those he felt needed love, and, bring two unsuspecting candidates together.  Nah!  Actually, I think he was a predator, who just hunted around for someone to shoot at.   He used gold-tipped arrows for a positive love result, and lead-tipped arrows that would, later, cause the subject to be repulsed by his or her love.  And, sometimes, Cupid's matchmaking backfired on him!  

In fact, it has been said that Cupid's mother,Venus was behind his misbehavings and, would urge him to shoot a beautiful woman with his arrow, thus, eliminating the competition between the goddesses and the human women!  One such incident caused a major event in their lives, and, an impromptu wedding!  I had no idea Cupid was married...did you?  It seems his mother set him off to shoot his arrow into a beautiful human woman, to send her quickly into some monster's arms.  Instead, Cupid fell madly in love with her, himself!  He just couldn't stay away from her, but, the stipulations of their marriage were rather strange.  I guess, being a human, we would never be allowed to set eyes on one of the Roman gods or goddesses, so, Cupid's wife, Psyche, was not to ever gaze upon him.   Well, curiosity got the best of her, she took a look at Cupid and, he left her.  She wandered about for some time, eventually finding her way to the temple of her 'mother-in-law', Venus.  Venus, still has no love for Psyche and, in an attempt to be rid of her, gives her some tasks to perform.  One such task was to deliver a box to the underworld, and to obtain some of the beauty of Pluto's wife...and, NOT to look in the box!  Oh, WELL,  of course, Psyche could not heed the warning and looked into the box.  A deadly spell was cast over her, and she went into a deep, deadly-like sleep!  Meanwhile, poor Cupid is still madly in love with Psyche and proceeds to go looking for her.  He does find her laying under a tree in the woods (did I make that up?), 
and, in a deadly sleep (this part is true)!


Cupid finds his distraught wife, Psyche

Cupid, upon finding Psyche, captures the deadly sleep from her body, and, returns it to the box.  He forgave her for not heeding his warnings, and, Venus also forgave her-Psyche was then made a goddess.  Cupid and Psyche were allowed to spend the rest of their time together.
Happy ending after all!  

Cupid and Psyche in earlier days

This all sounds a little 'off-the-wall' and confusing doesn't it?  I mean, is this chubby, arrow-wielding, winged, naked cherub the real Cupid?  He is depicted as being a bit mischievous, but, spreads good love throughout the universe!
  Give me a break!  Here's what really happened!

Turns out that in England, the early 1800's, Valentine cards were just being designed, with the United States following later on.  Oh, the cards were lacy with flowers, and, then the cherub was added...sometimes little girl and boy angels kissing, sitting on a heart.  Eventually, the bow and arrow were added, since, Cupid was already well known to have experience in matters of the heart! HA!  And, eventually, the chubby cherub just kind of became our loving Cupid!

***
In reality, Cupid, the Roman god of love, was an adult.  Oh...I know I shouldn't pick on him!  It's not his fault, he had a jealous mother, and, had to perform many 'un-lovable' tasks on her whims!  It seems as though the Roman gods weren't interested in love for happiness, as Cupid's main duty was to make sure that the beautiful human women were not available, and be eliminated from the competition of the goddesses.  I guess I'm still stinging from the last time he shot me, lol!     

Nevertheless, heed my warning!  If you spot the 'REAL' Cupid...should he come knocking on YOUR door...'BOOK 'EM'!!!

***
HaHa...I hope you found this to be not only informative, but, a bit of fun too!  I mean, who knew that cupid was married?  They even lived in a castle, until Psyche disobeyed Cupid's wish that she not ever lay eyes upon him...well, I would have succumbed to the mystery, and, I, too, would have looked at him!  

Thank you so much for heading over this way.  February is such a busy month, what with Abe Lincoln, George Washington, and, acknowledging all of our Presidents!  We kicked off the month with Groundhog day...Shady, did you say he came out and  did NOT see his shadow...meaning, early spring?   Then, there's Chinese New Year, February 10th, year of the snake!  A religious day, Ash Wednesday takes us to Valentine's, Day.  And, then the month wraps up with the full Snow Moon on February 25, 2013.
Phew! Quite a lot on February's plate, n'est-ce pas?

My Valentine thanks to:
Google
Yahoo
Wikipedia
'Cupid', of course!
http://voices.yahoo.com
http://valentinesday.fundootimes.com
http://www.theholidayspot.com

I want to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day...may your love wishes come true!  The KardKorner guru has made a few Valentine cards this year, I have a special one for our grandson Scootie, of course.  And, I hope to find him a fun balloon-'Sponge Bob', you say? And, I do have a card made for Karo...he always finds a wonderful card for me, and a nice dinner out. 

***
So...with that I will leave you, my gracious readers, with this:

"Cupid, draw back your bow,
And let your arrow go-
Straight to my lover's heart for me."

The above verse is taken from a popular song written and recorded by Sam Cooke in 1961.  The Song charted on US Billboard Hits 100 at #17, and, on the UK Singles chart at #7.  Sam Cooke was a popular 1950's and 1960's gospel, R&B, soul & pop singer/songwriter.  
He was known to some as 'the man who invented soul'.

~ Sam Cooke 
January 22, 1931 * December 11, 1964

see you soon!♥