Artist Ed Ruscha elaborates on the way Jack Kerouac’s novel “On the Road” influenced him in 1958 and continued to affect his work through the years. Read the report from the Associated Press via ABC News here.
June 23rd, 2011
Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’ App a Big Hit
Mediabistro.com reports that Penguin Books’ new app for Jack Kerouac’s legendary novel “On the Road” is selling well and ranked at #4 on Apple’s iPad apps list. Read the news bulletin here.
June 19th, 2011
Ultra Digital Version of Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’: New App
“On the Road” goes to an iTunes app. If you are into Kerouac, check this out.
May 17th, 2011
First Glimpse of Marketing Design for ‘On the Road’ Movie
May 15th, 2011
‘On the Road’ Film News Update in Variety
Film distributors far and wide are signing deals to show the film adaptaton of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” in their countries. No US distributor yet, oddly enough. Read the update in the entertainment industry sheet Variety, picked up from Tess A. on Facebook.
March 25th, 2011
Katy Perry Inspired by Kerouac
The Kerouac House (writer in residence program in Orlando, Fla.) posted a link on Facebook to a video of singer Katy Perry talking about her new song “Firework,” which she says was inspired by the writing of Jack Kerouac in “On the Road.” The source link is at fabulousbuzz.com. Katy Perry performed at the KISS 108 FM Jingle Ball at the Tsongas Center last December.
Katy Perry (Web photo courtesty of zimbio.com)
December 29th, 2010
Kerouac’s Letter to Marlon Brando, ca. 1957
I picked up this item from the latest newsletter from the Beat Museum in San Francisco (www.kerouac.com). There’s a link to the Christie’s auction house site where you can see the letter from Jack Kerouac to Marlon Brando, urging the actor to acquire the film rights to Kerouac’s then-redhot novel “On the Road.” The letter is undated, but the novel was published in 1957. Brando’s Estate sold the letter.
The letter is fascinating, so click to enlarge the document when you get to the Christie’s site. You’ll be surprised to read what Kerouac had to say about his ambition, theatre and movies in America, and his vision for the “On the Road” film, which has finally been made. Here’s the item from the Beat Museum newsletter:
KEROUAC’S LETTER TO MARLON BRANDO
I mentioned in the last newsletter that Jack Kerouac wrote a letter to Marlon Brando in 1957 or 1958 (it’s not dated) detailing how Jack and Marlon should co-write a screenplay for On The Road and that Brando would play Neal Cassady (Dean Moriarty) and Jack would play himself (Sal Paradise). So many people wrote to ask where they could see that letter that I thought I’d post a link to Christie’s website so you can see it for yourself. You’ll note the letter sold for $33,600. A greater association between a writer and an actor is hard to find. I especially like how Kerouac ended the letter: “Come on now, Marlon, put up your dukes and write!” – an obvious reference to “I coulda been a contender” from 1954′s “On The Waterfront”. NOTE to anonymous buyer: If you’d like to donate or loan this prize possession to The Beat Museum, we’ll put it on display for the world to see… much better than being locked up in your vault.
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August 22nd, 2010
Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’ Being Filmed in Canada
Shooting has begun for the long-awaited film version of Jack Kerouac’s classic novel “On the Road.” The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) posted this report from a city in Quebec that is doubling for Denver. Actors Viggo Mortenson of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Amy Adams, Kristen Stewart, and Kirsten Dunst have lead roles. The film has a $28 million budget. There’s no Lowell parts in ”On the Road,” but let’s hope the film is a huge hit so that one or two of Kerouac’s Lowell-based novels will get made in the city—with a $30 million budget. Maybe “Visions of Gerard” as a Franco-American family drama or “Doctor Sax” with live action and animation—and the flood scenes in 3-D. Read about the filming here.
July 6th, 2010
Jack Kerouac & Tom Hayden
Prof. Bob Forrant forwarded the following quote about Jack Kerouac’s influence on the emerging political activist Tom Hayden in 1960. He’s reading a book by James Miller about the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and ther rise of the New Left to prepare for a history course he is teaching in the fall at UMass Lowell–”The U.S. Since 1960.” Tom Hayden spoke at UMass Lowell about 20 years ago. I believe he was there campaigning for a candidate in the New Hampshire Primary at the time. Someone reading this post may remember the details.—PM
“But it was Kerouac who proved instrumental in changing his [Tom Hayden's] life. After reading ‘On the Road’ in the spring of 1960, Hayden resolved to hitchhike across the country to California. His ultimate destination was Los Angeles, where he planned to cover the Democratic Convention for The Daily (University of Michigan student newspaper). But his first stop was Berkeley—the once and future Mecca of radical student politics.
” ‘I got to Berkeley,’ Hayden recalls, ‘and I went up to a woman who was giving out leaflets at Sproul Plaza. I asked if she knew anywhere I could meet with political people and maybe get an apartment or someplace to stay. I wanted to see where the sit-ins and other things happened, where students had been arrested.’ ”
—James Miller, “Democracy Is in the Streets: From Port Huron to the Seige of Chicago” (Harvard University Press, 1994, p. 45)
Culture, Education, History, Lowell, Politics | 
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