Avengers Floating Head Covers

Signed Lost Girl Copies

I won't be there but this weekend, Kathy Coleman will be in New Jersey at the Chiller Theatre show. It'll be her first time signing copies of our book and the first time fans will be able to get  their copies signed! Also present will be her co-stars, Wesley Eure and Phil Paley, all still celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first season of LAND OF THE LOST.

If you're nearby, you can also meet Ann-Margret, Mike Nesmith, Dick Miller, Gilbert Gottfried, Ron Jeremy, Michael Parks, Anson Williams and Donny Most and a bunch more really cool, nostalgic faces! Tell Kathy I said hi!

http://www.chillertheatre.com

Alan Kupperberg Art Sale

https://www.facebook.com/alan.kupperberg?fref=ts

Yours Truly Johnny Dollar...Starring ME-1996

The late great announcer Fred Foy now has a tribute website set up by his daughter. It has lots of videos including several hours from the 1996 Cincinnati Old-Time Radio and Nostalgia Con including the re-creations. This was the first year where we met the lovely Karen Hughes (then 11) but I had forgotten it was also the year where I played the lead role in an episode of YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR opposite Mr. Foy and Parley Baer.

I didn't much care for the lead, actually. I had to do a straight voice and I was on mike the whole half hour. Never got to sit down or think about my line readings. I was okay, but I was better as Burly Scott in the LONE RANGER episode, also seen here! Still! Much fun then and now! I hadn't seen this in 19 years. Check it out here: http://www.fredfoy.com/#/ 

Am I An Archie Character?

In 2010 and 2011 I was privileged to not only interview Archie (and CRACKED) writer George Gladir twice but to also have him just call up to chat a few times when he remembered something else he thought I might find interesting. He also mailed me a number of scans for possible use in the Archie history I had contacted him about initially. So he knew my name. 

The current JUGHEAD DIGEST features this story in which Archie acts as a big brother to...Steven Thompson! George passed in 2013 so this is obviously a reprint but from when? If it was 2010 or 2011, was this a shout-out to me that he just never mentioned or perhaps he needed a name and mine was the first one he thought of since I had just called him? Maybe? 

It's important to note that it is, in fact. "Steven" as opposed to "Steve" or the more likely "Stevie."

We may never know but I like to think it was a shout-out.

Thanks, George!

R.I.P. Herb Trimpe

From all evidence, he had an enjoyable weekend at the East Coast Con in New York but then he died yesterday. The definitive Hulk artist! Rest in Peace, sir. And thanks.

R.I.P. Stan Freberg

Donavan Freberg is reporting the passing of his father, one of my heroes for many years.

Booksteve Reviews: Glamour, Gidgets and the Girl Next Door by Herbie J. Pilato

Between the various issues of the past year and all the work I’ve been doing to keep our heads above water, I’ve also been slowly reading some new books. The cleverly titled GLAMOUR, GIDGETS,

AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Herbie J. Pilato is one of them.

If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Herbie is THE quintessential expert on all things BEWITCHED and author of several obsessively delightful books on that classic series and its beauteous star, Elizabeth Montgomery.

Here, he expands his outlook to take a look at other now-iconic female performers from what has turned out to be television’s classic years of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

If you’re looking for in-depth bios, cheesecake fantasies, or scandalous memories, you won’t find them here. What you WILL find is a warm and pleasant revisiting with old friends in an almost scrapbook-style environment. Each woman gets a picture, a brief but respectful biography, a listing of career highlights and some often fascinating quotes.

For those of us who grew up with these people as our imaginary friends, GLAMOUR, GIDGETS, AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is a real treat. In fact, the biggest complaint one can lodge against this thick volume is who ISN’T included. I didn’t worry TOO much about that, though, because I was busy enjoying who IS included!

As one would expect, you’ll find Liz Montgomery, Farrah Fawcett, Julie Newmar,  Stefanie Powers, Donna Douglas and Lynda Carter. Less expected but perhaps even welcomer, one also finds Sally Field, Valerie Bertinelli, Elinor Donahue, Barbara Hale, Inger Stevens, Anne Francis and even the once mega-popular Lennon Sisters! And that’s just the beginning!

Far from being just a cold reciting of the details of these ladies’ careers, Herbie offers up his own occasionally insightful observations in each chapter. By the end of the book, I felt as though I’d sat down and had a long conversation with someone who’d known all the same people I used to know and remembered so fondly from my youth.

If, like me, your best friends growing up dropped by the house courtesy of the rabbit ears on top of your television, here’s your chance to revisit a wonderful selection of them. GLAMOUR, GIDGETS, AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Herbie J. Pilato is a book that will make you wistful even as it makes you smile.

Booksteve Recommends!