Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tuesday, November 30th, 1976

Eventful day. 1 degree F at 6 AM! Big coat day for sure!

Got some info on tomorrow's measuring.

Weird teacher in Government.

Learned Dale knew Jimmy!

Kinda fell out with Mona.

Finished LOGAN.

Got home and found TV GUIDE and TWO TBG's in the mail and then I ate TEN coneys Dad had brought in!

Confirmed ten buck Hot Wheels sale.

Wrote and read KING KONG paragraph to mixed reactions from myself.

Godfrey Cambridge and Judith Lowry both died.

NOTES: A day of one liners.No clue on the measuring, the weird teacher or why I fell out with Mona. Hopefully THAT wasn't about the measuring!  AHEM! Dale was a guy in my class that wasn't a friend really but wasn't a jerk. 


Ten coneys...Ah, those were the days. Today in 2011, I only ate six!


Don't know about the Hot Wheels sale thing, either. My memory was that my mother gave all my Hot Wheels stuff to a woman she worked with (with my permission) because she couldn't afford toys for her son who was much younger than me. I hadn't touched them in several years anyway. 


Judith Lowry was an actress who had played little old ladies for many years. At the time, she had been a regular on TV's PHYLLIS.


Godfrey Cambridge, above, was one of my first favorite African-American performers, seen on television many, many times on everything from THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW to NIGHT GALLERY. He had also starred in the controversial race-themed comedy, WATERMELON MAN and also in a couple of films that would become favorites later on--COTTON COMES TO HARLEM and COME BACK CHARLESTON BLUE. He was positively brilliant in THE PRESIDENT'S ANALYST.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Monday, November 29th, 1976

Icy but school was open. Not too different than normal either. I took LOGAN'S RUN and read most of it. Gave the STARLOG to Mona with little results. The whole day was a downer and an upper alternately.

HUSTLER's Larry Flynt gave 8700 bucks to the poor on 25. TODAY sent anti-war pamphlets and became news headlines.

I see in the paper where my one-time buddy from when I was four and five years old, Jimmy Miller, has become Lloyd's big football hero!

NOTES: I love snow but I hate ice. Back in my day, my school system hardly ever closed for weather. Once when we lived only three blocks away there had been an ice storm but the school was open. I tried to go. I really did. I fell down about a dozen times in the first block and a half so I turned around and crawled back home!


Not sure what I meant by Flynt giving away money "on 25." We never had a channel 25 then.  Seems an odd amount, too. The next sentence throws me, too. Not even sure if I was talking about the TODAY SHOW or not. 


"Jimmy Miller" lived around the block from us when I was five but I could climb the wall in our back yard and be in his back yard. We climbed up onto the roof of his garage a lot and crushed mulberries with our feet...which were constantly stained. We were young enough that his mother would give us baths together afterwards! His dad, unlike mine who didn't drink at all, was a big beer drinker and once we snuck a can out of the fridge and tried it. YUCK! Only once since have I tried it...at age 23...with the exact same reaction I had when I was 5! He had always been a big kid. His family moved a couple of times within the city but we stayed in touch up through about age 10. I found out about him being the big football star (at Debbie's school yet! She may have dated him!) when the newspaper ran an article about him having a # 1 shaved into the back of his head! Never have seen him again. 


Not sure what i expected from Mona when I passed on the STARLOG to her but I apparently didn't get it. Seen here is the issue she wanted with the SPACE 1999 cover.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Sunday, November 28th, 1976

Watched an amateurish local parade taped Thursday on early morning TV.

Decided to skip WOODSTOCK again. Instead listened to a six hour radio show (well, not all) with Dick Clark.

Dad bought me Ringo's new album as well as the Beach Boys Christmas Album. I couldn't wait and played them!

Watched neat Lucy and Brady Bunch specials on TV.

Lots of snow right at trash time tonight. Was almost a blizzard by bedtime tonight.

NOTES: One reason I kept skipping WOODSTOCK was that it was only playing at a theater pretty far out in Cincinnati where I would have to take two buses for about an hour and a half trip to get to (about 20 minutes if I drove but i didn't). That theater was said to have the biggest curved Cinemasope screen in the state of Ohio so it was always fun to go there but I only ever made it three times. 1776 in 1972, AIRPORT 1975... and WOODSTOCK. Yes, I would eventually catch it there.


When it comes to the Beach Boys, I now recognize that they were two groups--Brian Wilson's Beach Boys with their melodies, high harmonies and experimental music and lyrics, and Mike Love's Beach Boys with their pop riffs, imitation surf guitar and lyrics about girls, cars and waves. I kind of like SOME of the latter's stuff but I'm a huge fan of the former's! I did NOT like the Christmas Album and "The Little Saint Nick" still makes me cringe when I hear it.


Ringo's album was RINGO'S ROTOGRAVURE, the third album with the "gimmick" of having lots of superstar help. In this case, the mediocre songs featured guest playing, singing and songwriting from Paul and Linda McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Peter Frampton, Dr. John, Melissa Manchester (who my three year old son would one day nearly knock off a balcony by accident---looong story there), Harry Nilsson and Eric Clapton. A shame the album wasn't better.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Saturday, November 27th, 1976

Up early to read today.

After ten years, today I saw the return of my childhood favorites, SPACE GHOST and FRANKENSTEIN, JR.

At last I finally saw KING KONG VS GODZILLA.

Mom got next year's Marvel calendar for Rick at Kidd's and I comically wrapped it.

I sat down and figured out that there are currently 21 monthly or bi-monthly comics that I collect. Almost 10 mags (counting the over-18's).

Watched a rerun of JAMES PAUL McCARTNEY on 19. Saw MONTY PYTHON tonight. Seen it before, too!

NOTES: JAMES PAUL McCARTNEY was the 1973 syndicated TV special Paul used to promote his then-new group, Wings. By this point in '76, it was an entirely different group almost!


One of the first movies I remember seeing on the big screen was KING KONG ESCAPES, the Japanese sci-fi film from the mid-sixties that sort of led to the TV cartoon series. Kong was a guy in a really bad ape suit. It was, however, a sequel to KING KONG VS GODZILLA which, as a big fan of teh Big G, I'm surprised I hadn't seen until this date.
   

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Friday, November 26th, 1976

Saw BEWITCHED'S very first episode...and I kind of remembered seeing it the first time!

Decided to skip the flick after all due to a lot of new comics out.

Rain all day. Dad got us chili!

We were over at SS as early as 5 so back in plenty of time to catch a really neat tribute to John Wayne on TV with everybody!


NOTES: As much as I liked coneys (and still do!) sometimes it was cool to just have the chili from Covington Chili. It came in a small, thick, round cardboard container and they sent along bags and bags of the little round crackers. Umm---MMM! Good stuff!


We all seemed to instinctively know that John Wayne wouldn't make another movie after THE SHOOTIST and tributes started pouring in while he was still alive. To his credit, he discussed his next film and even did a few TV ads. AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE TO JOHN WAYNE, presented by Variety Clubs International, starred Frank Sinatra, Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Ron Howard, Glen Campbell (from TRUE GRIT), Jimmy Stewart, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis, Angie Dickinson, Maureen O'Hara, Clare Trevor and, for some reason, also Rowan and Martin, Henry Winkler, Monty Hall and John Byner. The Duke said the following on the broadcast, recorded earlier in the month, " And to all you folks out there, I want to thank you for the last fifty years of my career and I hope I can keep at it another fifty years...or at least until I get it right!" 

Friday, November 25, 2011

Thursday, November 25th, 1976

Thanksgiving Parades and kidvid on TV all day including a British ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

Today's theme was turkey, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes, baked beans, green beans and marshmallow treats!

I pried out the shelf in my desk and then rearranged everything so it wouldn't stick.

Dad won twenty dollars on the Lottery, first time on Double Play.

Psyched myself up for WOODSTOCK.

Chose Nixon--maybe--for my Government report.

NOTES: We usually would go to my cousin's house or my Aunt's house for Thanksgiving but every once in a while we'd stay home and my Mother would go all out. She'd spend the whole morning stuffing a turkey and baking it. We never had anyone over on these occasions. It was just us. And the turkey was always big enough to leave at least 3 days of leftovers. 


This year in 2011, all we could afford was a tiny turkey breast, cans of yams and baked beans and microwavable mashed potatoes on paper plates. Sigh...Things change. Still, we find ourselves much better off than many so we are thankful. And I'm thankful for you for reading this and for the nice response you've given to seventeen year old me this past year. Hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving no matter what your circumstances in these trying times. Things will get better for all of us. The one constant in life is "things change."  

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Wednesday, November 24th, 1976

Awoke to snow both in the air and on the ground. Continued until around noon.

Took an INSIDE COMICS to school to read.

Came home after school and then over the river. All I ended up buying was Mona's STARLOG and dinner but when I arrived back home, dad had brought coneys!

He had also gotten out turkey-bird for tomorrow!

IT. I destroyed the alley picture and then played records all evening.

NOTES: The "alley picture," for those who've forgotten (or weren't here) was a black and white hardcore photo I had found in the parking lot next to the alley out back. It had born torn from a book and was the first image of this sort I had ever seen! Keep in mind that in those pre-Internet days, actual pornography was not as easily seen...especially in Cincinnati.


INSIDE COMICS was a cranky, short-lived fanzine/magazine from a couple years earlier about more serious aspects of comics. It was edited by THE MONSTER TIMES' Joe Brancatelli, now a well-respected travel writer with whom I corresponded briefly a few years back.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Tuesday, November 23rd, 1976

Finally settled "paper" deal on way from Library after a long comics talk with Mr. T.

Hard work at SS tonight but at least I got out early.

Feeling depressed about being different again.

May finally get to see WOODSTOCK.

Saw Larry Hama on M*A*S*H tonight. Weird!

Went to bed early.

NOTES: I remember seeing ads for the WOODSTOCK movie in the newspapers way back in 1970 and not really caring. Didn't even pay close enough attention at the time to know what it was all about. By this point, as a fan of the Who, CSN and others from the legendary concert, I really waned to see it and it was about to be re-released.


Larry Hama is a comic book writer/artist/editor known now for his work with Wally Wood and his role in the creation of the revived G.I.JOE franchise. Ironically, he's also now one of my Facebook friends! 
At the time, I knew him for his work on such titles as WULF THE BARBARIAN and IRON FIST. He also worked in the seventies as a small part actor. I caught his name in the closing credits of M*A*S*H that night and just presumed it was the same guy. A couple of weeks later, it was confirmed in an issue of TBG. That's Larry as the passenger in the clip below.


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Monday, November 22nd, 1976

JFK's death day. I wrote about him in my school journal today.

Somewhat scared thinking about CARRIE today--the effects that is.

Heard and read a lot about "Suzie" and Al Jardine today.

Best part of the day was lots of snow! Only flurries really but a lot of them!

Mona left early but she did tell me to go ahead and get her STARLOG.

Saw Sally on DINAH.

Sadly, the robot I sold was returned broke. Oh, well.

Angels were on with Daryl and Toni tonight!


NOTES: Technically I was born during the Eisenhower administration but I always considered Kennedy, elected nearly two years later, to be "my" President. My mother always said my earliest words came from television--"Kennedy," "Nixon," 'Playtex" (don't ask on that last one). When I was three years old, my mother actually took me to see JFK when he came through town to stump for a local candidate. I remember it so very well.


His death on this date in 1963 only really bothered me at the time in relation to the hours of cartoons it preempted over the next few days. In later years, I read extensively about the assassination and have long been convinced that Lee Harvey Oswald killed Kennedy and acted alone.


On this year's anniversary, I'm enjoying audio of Stephen King's book about time travel being used in an attempt at preventing the assassination.


"Sally" was Sally Struthers.


"Daryl and Toni" were THE CAPTAIN AND TENNILLE, whose variety series apparently featured Charlie's Angels that night. 


"Suzie" was SUZI CINCINNATI, a song by the Beach Boys. The group--or most likely jusy Al Jardine--bought an ad in local newspapers describing a chatty female cabbie they had met the last time they had been in town that they were trying to find. Jardine had been so impressed that he wrote a song about her. 


With the help of local media, "Suzie" was found to be a woman from Newport rather than Cincinnati. The group invited her to attend their concert with her family and posed for pictures with her. Turned out she had all sorts of personal problems and, at least for a time, the group helped with those also.

 

Monday, November 21, 2011

***EXTRA*** Social Security Office Pepsi Machine-1976

Just ran across this picture. Not such an odd sight nowadays I suppose when one can pack soft drink machines with whatever drinks you like. But in 1976, this was something I had never seen before! A Pepsi machine that sold Coca-Cola! I had to snap a picture.

Sunday, November 21st, 1976

Up early to help Jack at SS for a few minutes.

Terry and I finally went to see CARRIE, today. Not quite up to my expectations--either empathetic or frightening--but Terry loved it!

Saw a little bit of snow today!

Watched the really neat NBC 50th Anniversary party tonight! It was also the longest TV show I ever saw in one sitting! four and a half hours!


NOTES: Interesting how opinions change in time. In my mind now, CARRIE was frightening on both psychological and visceral levels, with that one scene at the end being one I often cite as the scariest movie moment I've ever seen! Certainly my favorite Stephen King film after THE DEAD ZONE.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Saturday, November 20th, 1976

Saw the best part of KING KONG on Channel 2.

Got an Adams book and the new CINEFANTASTIQUE and STARLOG in Cincy.

Several good comedy-dramas on tonight, especially ALICE.

Stayed up to watch Beatle George with Paul Simon on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE with videos directed by Eric Idle!

NOTES: The best part of KING KONG is, of course, the ending where he breaks loose in Manhattan and climbs the Empire State Building. I had first seen the film in a big screen revival circa 1972 where it became an immediate favorite. I've since seen it numerous times on both the big and small screens. By contrast, I saw the '76 remake once a few years afterwards on TV and the Jack Black version once on DVD from the Public Library.

The SNL episode was the famous one where George Harrison appeared to plug his then new album with videos fro THIS SONG AND CRACKERBOX PALACE. He also did the classic comedy bit with Lorne Michaels in the beginning where the former is apologizing and explaining the deal was for all FOUR Beatles (referring to his tongue-in-cheek offer to fund a Beatles reunion the week before). According to both John and Paul, the two were having a rare visit at the Dakota and actually considered (under the influence of who knows what) going down to the studio and surprising all and sundry. I've always been confused as to whether George had actually taped his bits a day or so earlier and wasn't actually there.


The reason I'm thinking George pre-taped his bits was that his main part of the show was a two song duet with host Simon and there are outtakes and additional songs from this concert scene that wouldn't have been possible on a live broadcast. George, of course, passed on a few years ago but Paul Simon is in town this week (or just was). Wish I could (or could have) seen him. 


Saturday, November 19, 2011

Friday, November 19th, 1976

Depressed again today.

Went to the Library in English and later wrote my thoughts on school.


NOTES: Not sure if these were the "thoughts on school" I wrote that day but the following was written in my Creative Writing class journal a couple of days later.


I do not like this Senior Year of school. The main reason is that I don't like endings. After a dozen years, a person falls into a routine and it's difficult to change it. Then in the final year they suddenly treat you differently. You're no longer just a student. You're a Senior and Seniors get special treatment. I don't like that. 


While I'm at it, I should add that I don't like extracurricular activities. It's my feeling that I came here to learn. A school should be for education. At 3:26 I exit for home and try not to give school another thought until the next day. 


I never join clubs and I certainly don't fall into the bizarre fanatical support of athletics that we see here. The school schedules a pep rally and then makes it mandatory to attend. This is supposed to make me proud of my school? I refuse to be forced into screaming or cheering or even applauding. I'm useless at pep rallies. And yet I'm forced to attend. Why?


Senior year features other activities that you're expected to participate in including the Prom, the variety show and the absolutely ludicrous "Kiddie Day." In order to participate, you're expected to pay class dues! So I avoided the problem by refusing to pay them, thus eliminating my eligibility for the majority of activities. I have every intention of skipping school on Kiddie Day. I mean, once in twelve years couldn't hurt.


If it were up to me, I'd skip graduation even. It's not like most of these people actually learn all that much and then, in the end, they're congratulated for it! All of the traditions about graduation--the intricate tassel instructions for example--are all just pointlessly ceremonial and silly. My mother really wants me to go though so...


It is my feeling that if I neither enjoy myself nor incite others to enjoy themselves at these events, then I should be allowed the prerogative not to attend. 


You'll note that I was not exactly big on school spirit. That said, last night in 2011, I returned to the school yet again to watch a school play that one of my son's friends was associated with behind the scenes. 


In case you're wondering, even though we argued about it right up until the week before, I did actually attend graduation. I ended up graduating 12th in my class of several hundred. Seen above is me posing in my cap and gown. Having never eaten lunch once during the three years I attended the school, when they announced that students could pick up their caps and gowns in the cafeteria...I had to ask for directions!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Thursday, November 18th, 1976

Not fully recovered but I returned to school. Felt fine much of the day until I had Wendy's. Lots of new books out including PLAYBOY.

No Mona at school again.

Quite a bit of good stuff on TV tonight.

Learned of Raquel finally doing a topless appearance!

NOTES: Raquel Welch was undoubtedly THE biggest sex symbol of the 1960's. Originally coming to some prominence as weekly window dressing on TV's HOLLYWOOD PALACE, in 1966 she appeared in a major role in FANTASTIC VOYAGE on the big screen. From there, she quickly grew in popularity, gaining major roles in other films and having a number of sexy posters--mainly from BEDAZZLED and ONE MILLION YEARS, B.C. Never praised for her acting, in spite of her sex symbol status in the most permissive decade ever, she  never once appeared nude or topless in a movie. Jane Fonda did, Vanessa Redgrave did...just about every actress did in fact. It was just the thing to do at that time. But not Raquel. 


In the seventies her career slowed even as she started getting better reviews for films like THE THREE MUSKETEERS. She started a nightclub act and toured extensively with it. I almost got to see her at the ill-fated Beverly Hills Supper Club. BUT...to the best of my knowledge, she never DID appear topless in anything. Even in a long-awaited PLAYBOY appearance in the early eighties, her sexy photoshoot kept her surprisingly covered. 

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Wednesday, November 17, 1976

TERRIBLE DAY!! Awoke at 3:30 AM with sudden vomiting and diarrhea that lasted all morning and most of the day. Needless to say, I did NOT go to school. Felt horrible all day. Dad stayed home, too, to keep an eye on me it was so bad.

Didn't even feel like watching much TV today. Did see the cats of THE PRACTICE on with Dinah and there were a couple of good specials on tonight.

IT.

NOTES: "IT?" Really? As sick as I was, I still did IT? That right there gives you some indication of just how important that was/is to a 17 year old male. Jeez. Today, if I'm that sick, I guarantee you that would be the last thing on my mind! Sheesh! 


I actually have always had a very good immune system but if something hits me, it usually hits hard. I don't think I've thrown up at this point, though, since just before I had my gall bladder removed back around 1998 but I did recently help with the writing of THE OFFICIAL BARF BOOK by Craig Yoe which will be published in December. As a writing assignment, I had to take things slowly as even the research made me nauseous. Yuck!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Tuesday, November 16th, 1976

Mona was finally back. Wasn't quite the same as it would have been had I seen her last Friday as expected I guess but it was okay.

No TBG yet but a fair day otherwise.

Finally started reading UNKNOWN WORLDS OF SCIENCE-FICTION.

A sad and downbeat episode of ONE DAY AT A TIME tonight as my empath, David, was written out, apparently as scheduled.

NOTES: UNKNOWN WORLDS OF SCIENCE-FICTION was a Marvel black and white magazine of sci-fi stories, many of which were adapted from the works of famous authors. For a while it was my favorite magazine in the seventies. It had been canceled in 1975 however so I'm assuming that here I was re-reading them all in a row.


"David" on ONE DAY AT A TIME was a character played by actor Richard Masur in the first season and part of the second. He was in love with the main character played by Bonnie Franklin but she turned down his proposal and he was written out of the series. I always felt he was the only sensible character on the show (and remember I loved the show) and that it was a mistake to, as they say, leave the asylum in the hands of the inmates after that. 

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Monday, November 15th, 1976

Kinda depressed but relatively healthy I guess. 
Did the first draft of my book report. Mr. T practically suggested I choose EC for a research topic for class!

No sign of Mona again today. 

NOTES: As a comics fan for most of my life, I hate to admit this but I had never even heard of EC Comics until the 1971 publication of the Nostalgia Press volume seen here, HORROR COMICS OF THE 1950's, a book I never even had. I remember reading the reviews and plugs for it, though and really getting the feeling I had missed something special. 

I know now that horror comics were the major theme in the field in the early fifties. Most were just cheap and gory but EC had not only a surprising literary bent but also art that was miles ahead of the competition. I knew Wally Wood. I had copied his Marvel and Tower stuff teaching myself to draw. I knew Jack Davis from TV GUIDE. I remembered Reed Crandall and Al Williamson from the black and white CREEPY and EERIE mags. And of course I knew William M Gaines and Al Feldstein from MAD. What I didn't have a clue of was that all of these people had been EC COMICS. In time, when I had money, I bought all of the hardcover slipcase edition box set reprints of EC Comics, the best comic book company of all time. 

Monday, November 14, 2011

Sunday, November 14th, 1976

Another Beatles day with lots of reading and music! I also finished my book for the book report but didn't write the report yet.

Did my SS work late tonight rather than go tomorrow morning.

Not much on TV tonight other than Joey on MUSIC HALL AMERICA.

Went to bed just feeling very tense.

NOTES: Sometimes we would go clean the Social Security building next door in the evenings when we all did it but when I was doing it myself, I would often get up early and do it before school. There was a stereo system hooked up throughout the building and I liked to go over in my slippers, kick it up to eleven on WSAI AM or WEBN FM and sing along as I cleaned up before the folks started arriving at 8, by which time I was on the bus to school!


MUSIC HALL AMERICA was a short-lived series taped at Opryland, USA. It featured a different guest host every week including Burl Ives, Ray Stevens and Vicki Carr who introduced an eclectic group of musical performers from week to week...this week including Joey Heatherton whose derriere just absolutely fascinated me. When I would see her live twice over the next couple years at charity shows, I actually took mini-binoculars just to get a really good look at it in her dance outfits! Ahem! In later years, Joey, of course, had some well-publicized personal issues and sadly has not weathered the years well. In 1976, however, she practically defined the term "sex appeal" to me. 

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Saturday, November 13th, 1976


Sat up in bed 'til 2 AM with a Beatles special on WSAI with underground music! MARY JANE, SUZY PARKER and the "naked" LONG AND WINDING ROAD. Gave up pretty much the whole day to Beatles music and that great new book!

Terry called and made me miss Bob and Mary tonight.

Some good shots of Wonder Woman's tits on BATTLE OF THE NETWORK STARS tonight. Farrah, too!

NOTES: Man, I really was becoming a bit obsessed with female mammary glands! What can I say? I was really appreciating the "jiggle" years of television.

Speaking of television, in case you couldn't tell, "Bob and Mary" refers to Bob Newhart and Mary Tyler Moore, both of whose MTM sitcoms were fixtures of Saturday night viewing for years for those of us who never had a date. In 2011, on ME-TV, Bob and Mary are back on Saturday nights in reruns. There wasn't much jiggle on either of them but they sure were funny!

"Underground music" was what they called bootlegs in those days. Had a bit less of a negative connotation I guess. THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD was and is my all-time favorite song. It was also the last Beatles single before the breakup...and the first Beatles record I ever bought. Earlier this year, 2011, I downloaded about 35 versions from half-finished takes to live McCartney concert versions of the song. I made a CD of same. I really love that song!


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Friday, November 12th, 1976

Hell of a day! Mainly 'cause my glasses were missing! Turns out Dad grabbed 'em by accident. I got them back when he arrived home with my first Gold Star Chili coneys! Good..but not great.

I put up the McCartney poster again.

Avoided the two movie problem by watching ROCKFORD instead. Switched over to BOY IN THE PLASTIC BUBBLE during commercials thiugh. Got a nice view of Glynis's tits! Finally gave in and just watched the last 65 minutes of it. Magnificent, breathtaking ending.


NOTES: A red letter day as Gold Star Chili coneys are today my favorite food! I was raised on Covington Chili and it's still there but at one point, they were sold and the recipe was never quite the same since. I still go there when I can afford it. Picked up a couple the other day when I went to the Post Office. Mostly, though, Gold Star is our fast food of choice these days...again, when we can afford it!


THE BOY IN THE PLASTIC BUBBLE was a TV movie that proved that John Travolta was more than the teen idol flavor of the month. He played a young man who had spent his entire life inside an enclosed germ-free room due to an immunity disease. Glynnis O' Conner who had co-starred in my "movie of the year," ODE TO BILLIE JOE, co-starred here also and, apparently, showed some...exposure of a sort that was aesthetically pleasing to my teenage self. Ahem!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Thursday, November 11th, 1976

Had a good morning but for a bad SH. I left at 1:20 and got up to the bus stop in time to catch the 1:30 bus.  IT within the first hour after I got home. So much for cutting back.

Watched most of my least favorite (or is it most hated?) episode of ALL IN THE FAMILY.

Terry called and I talked with him a while. Then I went over the river and got new books.

I found that STARLOG I was looking for so I'll give Mona mine and then get another copy on Saturday for myself.

SS was cut short tonight by a strong desire to go to the bathroom.

NOTES: I guess the reason we got out early was for Veteran's Day?


No, I have no idea which episode of ALL IN THE FAMILY that would have been. There was no primetime episode as it was on Saturday evenings so it must have been a daytime rerun. 


Do they still make STARLOG? STARLOG was a sci-fi entertainment magazine that had the good fortune to premiere here not that long before STAR WARS the following summer. It was successful out of the gate and much more so after that. I collected it--as well as its spinoffs such as FUTURE LIFE and COMICS SCENE for years but eventually there was too much substandard product so I dropped it and sold everything off but the first few issues. I seem to recall that the issue here with its cover-noted SPACE 1999 episode guide was the one I was planning to give Mona. 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Wednesday, November 10th, 1976

Today's letter indicates we're out eighteen bucks but I have no intention of quitting.

Not much out over the river. Got CRAWDADDY and HIGH SOCIETY.

Got a  copy of LOGAN'S RUN at school (no pictures from the movie). Also got my report card today. Good as usual. Felt very down and pressured all day, though.

Learned that Beatle George will be appearing on SATURDAY NIGHT!


NOTES: The copy of the LOGAN'S RUN novel I got through a school book club was not a movie tie-in addition which was apparently a bit disappointing. 


No idea why we were out 18 bucks. Something I ordered maybe? That was an awful lot of money for me to have been spending on mail-order stuff at that time, though. 


CRAWDADDY was sort of an upscale version of CREEM, the hipper than ROLLING STONE rock mag of the era. George Harrison was in the midst of a mini-comeback (even though he hadn't really gone anywhere) and thus was all over the place. As I mention, he was even about to appear on SATURDAY NIGHT (the LIVE part was added later) in what would prove to be a most memorable appearance. Oddly enough, today, in 2011, my cousin just posted a video that would debut on that very episode--THIS SONG. 

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Tuesday, November 9th, 1976

Was greatly harassed today. 

Alone with Mona in Study Hall (sorta).

Research booklet turned my FF ideas to EC.

WE get out early on Thursday. In fact, got out early today as we somehow ended up with no teacher for 6th period! Missed the Rosedale bus.

IT.

Both M*A*S*H and ONE DAY AT A TIME were reaffirmed as my two favorite programs.

NOTES: Neither M*A*S*H nor ONE DAY AT A TIME holds up particularly well these days in my opinion. Doesn't change the fact that they were great in their day. Just means that the timeliness that gave them both their something special means that they could never achieve that timelessness that shows like THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW still retain. 

Unfortunately this is a problem with many of the series in the 1970's that tried for "relevance." ALL IN THE FAMILY, CHICO & THE MAN, SANFORD AND SON and a score of other series suffer that same fate. 

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Monday, November 8th, 1976

No HOLMESPUN again. I left the 1999 books at school to show Mona tomorrow since I didn't see her at all today.

I learned that Linda Blair will be playing Liz Taylor's daughter in a TV Entebbe film.

I got 9 1/2 on the English paragraph from Thursday. I did Comp vocab homework at SS from a dictionary I thought I'd never see. Every obscure word and thought ever seems to be listed--even "fuck." So weird!

I saw part two of WONDER WOMAN.

NOTES: VICTORY AT ENTEBBE was the first of two TV movies with all-star casts about the Israeli commando raid that saved hostages hijacked to Uganda. Besides Liza and Linda, this one co-starred Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Richard Dreyfuss and others. See above. It was first on the air as it was shot quickly on videotape.


The second was a tad lighter on the star power with Charles Bronson, Peter Finch, Yaphet Kotto and HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS' Kim Richards. It was a much better film, though. 

Monday, November 7, 2011

Sunday, November 7th, 1976

Up at 5 AM but back to bed at 6. No Laurel and Hardy. Don't know what happened.

Paper shows several good-looking films opening this week.

Somehow I felt closer to Mom and Dad today.

Spent the afternoon on homework.

Taking two 1999 books to show Mona tomorrow.

Saw Bogey at 2 and then bathed and washed my hair.

Big trash fire at the grocery store at 9:15!

Saw the new Mousketeers for the first time on Disney tonight and then finally watched GONE WITH THE WIND.  Not that impressed really.

NOTES: Oddly enough, Laurel and Hardy are running all night long tonight on TCM in 2011. 


Presumably I was referring to SPACE 1999 books that I was planning to show Mona. In yet another odd tie-in to the present day, I offered several SPACE 1999 paperbacks fro sale on my Bookstore blog last week!


The new Mouseketeers were a mixed bag with the cute one--the new Annette-- being little Lisa Whelchel who would go on to fame as Blair on THE FACTS OF LIFE. My favorite was POPS (I think that was his name), the young African-American kid. 


This would have been my first time watching GONE WITH THE WIND. As a film buff, that was a big deal. That said, as I wrote, i really wasn't that impressed. I love the photography and the sets and the spectacle and the costumes...but I dislike all the characters and the story drags SO much to me. 

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Saturday, November 6th, 1976

An inability to decide what books to get brought me instead to pick up a couple of magazines and a German Beatles import album instead. Wow. $6.79. The most I've ever paid for an album!

A very real-seeming sci-fi dream last night.

Saw an unseen (or un-remembered) episode of STAR TREK today.

Also watched a pretty fair Elton John special on TV and tonight saw Wonder Girl on WONDER WOMAN. Also learned the Wings TV special will be rerun.

NOTES: I still have the Beatles album I bought that day--a German vinyl version of HELP. At that point, the American version included incidental film music. This was the original song lineup including YESTERDAY which, in the US, was not on an album. 


Be funny if that unnamed STAR TREK episode was THE NAKED TIME as I'm watching that with my 15 year old son as I type this in 2011. 


The Wings special mentioned was a late-night concert/documentary called WINGS OVER THE WORLD I believe. Until the belated release of the concert film ROCK SHOW, it was the only place to relive songs from the Wings concert I had seen earlier in the year. 


Debra Winger, briefly a fairly big movie star, played a variation on the Wonder Girl of the comic books in a two-part episode of WONDER WOMAN. She was short, seemed a tad plump, but was funny and sexy. As she became more popular I liked her less and less.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Friday, November 5th, 1976

Last night I dreamed of (CeNsOrEd)'s tits! WOW!

Yesterday, Terry turned 18.

Took CFO to school. Mona wants to see more. Got a copy of the school paper from her. Played games in Spanish. Dumb Ol' Hitch sent us down to room 217!

Got TBG and learned Marvel has canceled three of the black and whites! I may order LITTLE ANNIE FANNY.

I plan to get Laurel and Hardy and Beatles hardcovers tomorrow.

Dad brought home a mag with one good article.

NOTES: I've always said you can't help what you dream about. I'm not a "breast man," though. Apparently I was then. That would explain my desire to see Kurtzman and Elder's LITTLE ANNIE FANNY, too. I never did order that LITTLE ANNIE FANNY collection (seen here) but many years later Denis Kitchen published two annotated volumes that are quite marvelous.


"Yesterday, Terry turned 18." Told ya.


"CFO?" Again, I apologize but I am at a loss. 


"Hitch"would have been Miss Hitch at school. I had been kind of an aid to her in a previous grade and normally didn't think of her as "dumb." Not even sure now what she taught so I'm not sure why room 217 was such a big deal that day that I resorted to name-calling.


Marvel's black and whites were mostly horror mags designed as rivals to Warren's CREEPY, EERIE and VAMPIRELLA. At their best, I felt they were better. In 2011, it's rather surreal that one former seventies editor of the Marvel black and white mags is an online friend and a fan of my blogs!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Thursday, November 4th, 1976

Headache. Bad back pain, too. Couldn't concentrate. Made a lot of mistakes in class today.

A lot out in Cincy but I didn't end up getting anything today except dinner.

Snow flurries today of all things.

Found a neat STAR TREK article at SS. ANGELS one, too.

NOTES: Jeez, these entries were sure getting sparse. It looks as though I did NOT keep a journal for 1977 but I HAVE found a full and compete 1974 Journal. I asked on Facebook if anyone would be interested in seeing what would essentially be a prequel to this blog. What do YOU think? Want to read about me watching TV, listening to music, reading books and going to movies as a Freshman and a Sophomore, too? Let me know, please.


In yet another coincidence across the years, I've spent today with a headache and really bad back pain!


Odd that I didn't mention it but November 4th was my friend Terry's birthday. In 2011, I wished him  a happy one earlier today on the phone. It's also my wife's birthday! Her 50th!


You know the end of the year is getting near when the song that was about to hit number one on the charts actually would end up remaining at the top right into 1977! A big year for Rod Stewart. 



Thursday, November 3, 2011

Wednesday, November 3rd, 1976

Busy lunchtime with a lot I wish hadn't happened. Mona was there. Almost blew my secret inadvertently.

Skipped the first bus and Cincy. The TANK tax is out! Big news!

Learned tonight of a big Beatles show coming to the Emery Theater. Looks like about an 80% chance I'll get to go. November 11-14th!

NOTES: The "big BEATLES show" was BEATLEMANIA, fresh from its New York run. It was a multimedia show in which four men appear live as the Fabs at various stages of their career performing live on stage while film clips detail the backdrop of the sixties all around them. Many called it a rip-off but I did get to see it and I called it pretty darn groovy!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Tuesday, November 2nd, 1976

Election Day. For the first time it's kind of exciting. Carter won!

Got my hair cut. Badly. Hope it grows back quick. It's still somewhat "up" but just doesn't work.

Cleaned and rearranged my room. Again.

Finally wrote Yoshiko and also the CR Shop.

Saw Bill Bixby and "Debbie" lookalike wife on DINAH.

Watched unseen BRADY BUNCH and Clint's first big hit tonight instead of the actual election coverage.

NOTES: I had spent all my life going to barbers but a year or so before this I started going to "hairdressers" in an effort to look at least a little more modern. These guys with their fluffy hair and porn star mustaches taught me to use blowdryers and brushes and treat my hair right...for what little time it had left before it started thinning. 


Bill Bixby, star of MY FAVORITE MARTIAN and COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER, had been a favorite for most of my life. He was married to a woman named Brenda Benet who was very cute but looked absolutely nothing like Debbie although I seemed that day to have thought there was a resemblance. Sadly, Ms. Benet would take her own life just a few years later after the death of her child.


As for the election, yeah, it was kind of exciting. Not exciting enough to actually watch the coverage, mind you! I liked Carter, though. Still do. I think part of the issue with his generally ineffective presidency was that he was too honest. Too good for the job, really. It's easy to admore everything he's done since, however.


When Jimmy took office a couple of months later, the newspaper featured a surprise editorial cartoon (above) by Selby Kelly, widow of POGO's Walt Kelly, in which the Okefenokee Players congratulated a fellow Georgia boy for getting elected. 

 

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Monday, November 1st, 1976

Off school today! Paper arrived by 1 for a change. Despite being really down again lately, I felt really optimistic this afternoon. Extremely optimistic in fact about virtually everything.

Saw previews for THE ENFORCER. Looks great!

I took clothes in for Dad, mail for Mom and SS cans as I went to Cincy. Dropped the new SEX IN FILMS book and got HIGH SOCIETY mag instead. IT. Twice.

Saw a previously missed HAPPY DAYS.

NOTES: From a fairly young age, my dad had me dropping off and picking up his suits and clothes from the laundry or the dry cleaner. In the late sixties, there was an old-fashioned Chinese laundry right down the street from my barber. It was hot and steamy and a very large Asian gentleman who seemed to speak little English would come out of the back wearing silk clothes and sweating profusely! He scared me. That closed by the early seventies, though, but there was no shortage of laundries around town and the dry cleaners were a block away on one side and down by the last bus stop over the river on the other. 


Mom often had me drop off mail as I went also. She wrote a lot of letters to relatives and old friends.


The trailer for THE ENFORCER did look good but I wasn't thrilled when I eventually saw the movie. The first two films had been favorites of mine and re-introduced me to Clint Eastwood after I had been a RAWHIDE fan as a child. Seemed a different character in this one and it just got worse in the next one. Still like those first two, though.