The Blue Max

In the 1960s, Americans remained fascinated with the biplanes and aerial dogfights of World War I. Thus the appearance of comics like ENEMY ACE and Snoopy's Red Baron fixation. In the movies this was met by the appearance of THE BLUE MAX, a big hit in '66.

Billboard Ads-May of '66

Ronald Reagan

'66 was a big year for former Warner Brothers contract lead Ronald Wilson Reagan, seen here in a  LIFE photo that year. His final acting appearances appeared and he moved into politics, campaigning for Governor of California on a very conservative platform...and winning. He would, of course, go on to even bigger government office. Love him or hate him, whether one discusses the history of Hollywood or the US  itself--or even the world of the 20th Century--it can't be discussed without discussing this man.

F-Troop Comics

F TROOP was ostensibly a western sitcom but was filled with anarchist, MAD-style humor, all built around the antics at Fort Courage and highlighted by the unofficial comedy teaming of once and future tough guy actor Forrest Tucker with former Vaudevillian and cartoon voice actor Larry Storch. The series itself ran for 2 seasons beginning in 1965. The first two issues of the comic book series came out in late '66.

You can help LarryStorch get a well-deserved Walk of Fame star! Go here to contribute!

The Man Who Never Was

Unrelated to the 1956 movie of the same name, this was a short-lived but well-done Cold War spy drama featuring Robert Lansing--then recently fired from 12 O'CLOCK HIGH--as an agent who assumes the identity of a lookalike millionaire playboy when he is killed, a plot also used around that same time in the MARTIAN MANHUNTER series in comics!

George Carlin

From 1966, when a clean shaven, short-haired George Carlin was a familiar TV presence with characters like Al Sleet, the Hippy Dippy Weatherman.

Louis De Funes in Le Grande Restaurant

In 1966, veteran French character actor Louis De Funes was well on his way to becoming even higher on that country's totem pole of comedy than Jerry Lewis and his vehicle here was le Grand Restaurant--although the German poster above capitalizes on the actor's mere presence by calling the fikm, translated, LOUIS THE SPAGHETTI CHEF!

He never quite caught on in the US, his biggest attempt probably being the early seventies comedy., THE MAD ADVENTURES OF RABBI JACOB. Although highly touted by some influential critics, the American public stayed away.