Roddy McDowall in 1963

I've called Roddy McDowall one of my favorite actors since the early '70s. Unlike many child actors, he actually took acting lessons as he grew and conquered the stage, then worked his way back to television and movies. This look back from 1963 was five years before PLANET OF THE APES.

 

Doctor Who Does Yellow Submarine

 

SPOILER ALERT: My son just told me he read this online and it makes SO much sense to me. The Beatles episode of DOCTOR WHO, "The Devil's Chord," is an updated adaptation of YELLOW SUBMARINE!

You have the androgynous, over-the-top villain in blue who wants to take all music away. 

 

We're shown the dark, gray results of this. The heroes arrive in a most unusual mode of transportation and have to save Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and bring back LOVE.

  

When they learn that newer meanies are on the horizon, they even do what the Beatles did--they go out singing! With a bunch of other people! All Together Now!

There's even a Butterfly Stomper (although it's in the previous episode)! Foreshadowing!

Archie and Bob Montana

 

Stan Lee's Film International, 1975

Here's something one rarely hears about. In 1975, Magazine Management--formerly Martin Goodman's publishing empire--put out at least 4 issues of an odd hybrid magazine called FILM INTERNATIONAL. The covers of issues 1-4 could pass for adult mags, and about half of the content could as well. An article about Kirk Douglas, for instance, is followed by a nostalgic piece about Greta Garbo, and then a feature on XXX film star Jamie Gillis, complete with lots of naked pics! Every issue mixes porn articles and reviews with typical mainstream movie star articles of the day.

The kicker here is that Stan Lee is the publisher, and even writes some of his notoriously unfunny captioned photos! His old Marvel cohort Sol Brodsky is VP, his wife Joan is listed as Art Assistant, and some of the other names I recognize from Marvel mags as well.

PLAYBOY film critics Hollis Albert and Arthur Knight are the only names I recognize among the writers. Leonard Maltin reviews books and gossip columnist Army Archerd shares gossip. I wouldn't be surprised if their pieces were reprinted from elsewhere. Maybe not. Alan LeMond, who also edited MM's NOSTALGIA ILLUSTRATED at the same time, is the editor.