Friday, June 29, 2012

Cast a Giant Shadow



CAST A GIANT SHADOW was one of those big-budget war flicks with an all-star cast, many of whose appearances amount to little more than glorified cameos.  In this case, the war, although you can't really tell it well from the marketing, was the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Based on a more-or-less true story, Kirk Douglas stars as a former American Army Colonel who is called on to help the Israeli troops. John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and Yul Brynner have nice billing but don't appear nearly as much as Kirk. The whole thing was put together by Mel Shavelson, better known for comedies with Bob Hope, Cary Grant and Danny Kaye as well as for TV's MY WORLD AND WELCOME TO IT.


















Monday, June 25, 2012

My First Supermen


I had known who Superman was all my life via the endless reruns of the fifties' TV series, THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN. It wasn't until '66, however, that I read comic books with him and the so-called "Superman Family." Seen here are my first issues of the major Superman titles, all from '66, in the order which I discovered and purchased them.








 

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Aurora Frog Model


In an era where Aurora put out monsters, pirates and Green Berets as popular plastic model kits seen everywhere and advertised on the back covers of comic books, The frog--left--always seemed a bit incongruous. Here's what it looks like apparently.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

In My Life-Judy Collins and Friends



Here we have a very early appearance from folk singer Judy Collins, later the inspiration for Stephen Stills' SUITE: Judy Blue Eyes. Doing  aversion of one of John Lennon's prettiest and most wistful songs here, she introduces her back-up musicians. Chuck Israels is a Jazz arranger, composer and bassist best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio. He later became a Jazz teacher.Eric Weissberg went on to some fame as the banjoist on classic theme from DELIVERANCE, DUELING BANJOS. Nearly 4 decades later, my wife would actually meet Judy Collins unexpectedly...at the United Nations.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Donovan-Sunshine Superman






The signature single from the Scottish pop-folk troubadour was released in mid-66 in the US and later in the year in the UK. In 66, though, Donovan was also the first big name pop star busted for possession which kept him unable to come to the states until late the following year.






Friday, June 15, 2012

Bang! Bang! You're Dead! aka Our Man in Marrakesh

Tony Randall and Klaus Kinski! Throw in Terry-Thomas, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Herbert Lom...to say nothing of beautiful Senta Berger... and you have a surprisingly good Hitchcock homage.










Batstuff # 34



I actually used this trash can until the early 1990's! The only thing is that back when I first bought it I painted glow in the dark paint on the bat...which ultimately caused the original paint to simply peel off. It was in pretty bad shape by the time I gave it up. But it was also my last remaining non-comic souvenir of Batmania.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Chevy Camaro Commercial

Tarzan of the Apes


In 1966, Ron Ely became the face of TARZAN on television and so Ballantine Books added his face to their latest reissue of the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, too.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Spicks and Specks-The Bee Gees



The Bee Gees' biggest hit before hitting the international market after years of success since they were children. R.I.P. Robin Gibb.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Fighting American


FIGHTING AMERICAN began as a 1950's attempt by longtime partners Joe Simon and Jack Kirby at redoing their biggest triumph of a decade earlier,  CAPTAIN AMERICA, in a Cold War setting. Somehow it very quickly turned into a superhero spoof, though, which is where the short-lived series gained what popularity it had. Apparently Simon retained the rights and here, along with introducing a number of new characters at Harvey in '66, he revived FA (and sidekick Speedboy!) in this one-shot quarter book, cashing in on both the renewed popularity of superheroes and the newfound Marvel fame of his former partner. I believe one of the stories was a previously unpublished inventory story but the rest were reprints. There was no second issue.   

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Bat Stuff # 33


Seen poste on FB by Jerry Beck. Never seen this before but I would have loved it!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Bowie's First Single


The first single release crediting Britain's OTHER David Jones as David BOWIE. From '66.