Lily For President-1982

TV specials are an interesting phenomenon in that they are often built up with expectations that they can never meet and yet after they air they disappear, never to be rerun and with a growing legend of how great they were. Here's a good example. LILY FOR PRESIDENT was a 1982 Emmy nominated (for Best Editing but, hey...) TV special featuring the wonderful Lily Tomlin...well...running for president. I wouldn't be surprised to find it had actually been sitting on a shelf for a couple years as 1982 wasn't even an election year! As in all of her TV specials, Lily portrays many characters. As in all of Lily's TV specials, they never seem as funny as you know they should. Look at that cast, though! Where else can you find Scott Baio in the same cast list as Jane Fonda and good old Howard (radio's SAM SPADE) Duff? Further down in the cast one can even find Paul (Pee Wee!) Ruebens. The problem, of course, is that these are all little more than cameos as Lily overindulges her at that point socially conscious but not particularly amusing character schtick. One sees these things, though, in old TV GUIDES and thinks how great it must have been. LILY FOR PRESIDENT was actually released on VHS about a decade past its original running and those of us who saw it were reminded of its essential mediocrity and, except for rabid Lily Tomlin fans, those who hadn't found little other than a mild nostalgia for its once-in-a-lifetime (if mostly wasted) cast.

The Funnies!-April 17th, 1945

Franklin Delano Roosevelt died on April 12th, 1945. As America's only 4 term president his funeral was, as expected, huge! Someone in Detroit decided to save a copy of their local paper on Tuesday, the 17th of April to commemorate the President's passing. Somehow, said newspaper, in all of its rotting pulp paper glory, ended up in a used bookstore in Cincinnati where I found it 30 years later in 1975. The historical stuff was all well and good but 16 year old me (seen above in an early incarnation of the Library) just couldn't resist clipping out a bunch of the comics! Thus, for no reason other than the fact that I was ignorant enough to deface this historical, collectible newspaper (which I still have but which crumbles more every time I touch it these days), we present a selection of the funnies from April 17th, 1945. BATMAN, THE LONE RANGER, JOHNNY HAZARD, DONALD DUCK, BUZ SAWYER, BARNEY GOOGLE (which was pretty much SNUFFY SMITH by that point in all but name), TILLIE THE TOILER, BLONDIE, BRINGING UP FATHER and THIMBLE THEATER (with Popeye!). BLONDIE and SNUFFY still survive. Does POPEYE?

For the record, apparently the popularity of Maggie and Jiggs and Dagwood and Blondie merited larger publication as the original printings were notably a size or two up from the rest of the strips seen here.

Simonson Ramhunter

I have no recollection as to why this lovely MANHUNTER drawing by Walt Simonson has a ram's head. Anybody? Coming from the man who brought us Beta Ray Bill, I guess it shouldn't surprise me, though. Clipped from CBG back in '78 or '79 (the art is dated '78), it is a nice piece no matter how horny the guy looks!

Bionic Ads

At one point in the seventies, everything in pop culture went bionic! At least it seemed like it had. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN was freakin' HUGE. Since bionic jokes and twists and characters were turning up everywhere, it made since for the production company to cash in themselves with the proverbial spin-off, in this case, THE BIONIC WOMAN. Looking at the two series today, they seem a tad dull. Lee Majors was a good lookin' fella and all but he was about as exciting as watching ink dry (and I say that with all love and respect as he's my wife's fourth cousin!). Even the slo-mo usage of "Steve Austin's" bionic powers (with accompanying music cues) seems to draaaaag in these quick cut post-MTV days. While the same could be said of Lindsay Wagner's "Jaime Sommers," at least it was obvious that she was an actress of some skills. Although not really a part of the seventies "T 'n' A TV that begat CHARLIE'S ANGELS, WONDER WOMAN and THREE'S COMPANY, she was naturally sexy and had a deft way with a funny line when she got one.

In the comics, Charlton, of all people, published the exploits of the characters in a packaged series that included art by fan favorite Neal Adams and his studio. Here, totally seperate from any of that, are three ads for some TV tie-in toys from the height of Bionic-mania!

Peter Cushing and the Exorcist

Here's a 1974 article on the late great horror star Peter Cushing's feelings toward the biggest horror film of its day, THE EXORCIST. Guess he wasn't a big Linda Blair fan. There was a REASON they call him "Saint" Peter!

Movies That Fell Through the Cracks # 50

CHU CHU AND THE PHILLY FLASH was a 1981 comedy that took itself a tad too seriously...or was it a drama that just seemed a bit too silly? Don't know. Didn't last long in my neck of the woods for me to see it and, as I stated last week, after FIRE SALE the mere presence of Alan Arkin did not automatically guarantee that I would see a movie the way it earlier had.

In this case, the picture seems to have been a family affair. Co-written by Arkin's then-spouse, Barbara Dana, and featuring a number of other "Arkins" (Adam included) as you zip down through the cast. And oh, what a cast! The wonderful Carol Burnett in one of her several less than satisfying attempts at big screen success (THE FOUR SEASONS and ANNIE were others) aside, there are some amazingly enjoyable character actors listed for this one--Jack Warden, Vincent Schiavelli, Danny Aiello, Lou Jacobi, Vito Scotti, Dabbs Greer, Danny Glover (in only his second feature!), Steve McQueen's ex Neile Adams McQueen and SID F-ing HAIG!!

Directed by David Lowell Rich who had done some passable TV work for years but seemed stymied by transitioning to the big screen, the movie tells the story of a former big league baseball star turned homeless alcoholic as he's given the chance to try out for a minor league team if he can come up with the money for the trip. Local music teacher and street performer "Chu Chu" finds a briefcase with documents she's convinced will get him that money only to have the briefcase's owners attempt to take it back the hard way. Along the way, Chu Chu and the former Philly Flash fall in love.

Doesn't sound THAT bad and with all those great actors...still, would depend very much on the tone. Have you ever seen it? Apparently it was out there on cheap VHS at one point but I don't know if it's been on DVD. I'd be willing to bet that the most rabid fans of Arkin and Burnett have not seen this one.

DC Golden Age Ad

It's Father's Day and the last few days have been a little rough so I'm taking the day off. Here, drool over this truly nifty Golden Age DC ad whilst I'm gone!