Passamaquoddy

As I was putting together a computer for a friend of ours and listening to the radio last night, I heard that Shelley Winters passed away yesterday at the age of 85. Although her most famous roles are for her Oscar wins in The Diary of Anne Frank and A Patch of Blue, I most remember her in two roles. The first is as the voice of Crystal in the Frosty the Snowman specials, Frosty's Winter Wonderland and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July.

The second, and most burned in my memory, is as the abusive, adoptive mother, Lena Gogan, in the Disney movie Pete's Dragon. I loved watching that film growing up! What's not to like? It stars Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, roaring woman Helen Reddy, and even a cartoon dragon named Elliot. The funniest musical number in the film is about how to pronounce the fictional Maine town in which the story is set, Passamaquoddy (pronounced pass-ah-mah'-qua-dee). I need to go rent this now. RIP, Miss Winters.