Oliver Hardy 1931/1934

 

The Four Marx Bros-1925-1933

 

Bobby Clark-1947

One of the great but now-forgotten comedians was Bobby Clark, with his painted on glasses and his fast-talking, Groucho-like patter. Many people seem to have discovered Clark--myself included--from Leonard Maltin's 1970s book on great comedy teams. He was part of a double act, Clark and McCullough, with his childhood friend Paul McCullough, who tragically committed suicide in 1936. Many of the team's once buried films have popped up on YouTube in recent years. 

What people don't realize is that Clark, although he never made another film, continued on as a stage comic, and even did quite a bit of early, live television. 

 

My First Drive-In

 

In November of 1970, I talked (as in begged) my parents into taking me to see HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS at the Dixie Gardens Drive-In. Unlike many families in that era, we simply didn't do drive-ins. Ever. But the movie, based on my then-favorite TV show, had opened in September and never came to our neighborhood theaters so what else were we gonna do? Drive-ins usually offered triple features (or more!) but after the main picture, we left. I have long wondered what the movies were we missed that night. Now, I know. Ya gotta love the Internet!

EYE OF THE DEVIL was a 1966 film re-released in 1970 to exploit the then-recent death of its star Sharon Tate.

KELLY'S HEROES is the all-star Clint Eastwood anti-war war comedy which I had already seen at the Madison Theater in Covington.

Baby Bear Comes Back by Merrie Spaeth--Review/Promotion

 

Baby Bear Comes Back is the new illustrated children’s book written by my friend Merrie Spaeth. Merrie, as some of you may recall, has done everything from acting in hit movies, writing comic books, advising a US president, and running her own consulting business. One thing she had NOT done was writing a children’s book. That has now been rectified.

 

Although it has undeniable echoes of some of the timeless themes of Toy Story, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Giving Tree, and even Calvin and Hobbes, Baby Bear Comes Back most definitely presents its own unique take on them. It’s about the importance of imaginary friends in our lives, of stability, something familiar to hold on to as you slowly become aware that everything else constantly changes.

  

I teared up reading it. I really did. Yes, Baby Bear Comes Back is a book for children, and Merrie does a really good job channeling the feelings of very young children, but I consider it a book for adults, too. It reminds us of feelings we forget as we grow up, deep feelings that meant so much to us that we knew we couldn’t live without them…and yet in time they’re lost. 

 

It also comes with a coloring book and a beginner’s comic book!

 

Booksteve recommends, for your kids, your grandkids, and for yourself. To remember. 

 

You can order copies of Baby Bear Comes Back here: https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Merrie-Spaeth/dp/B0C7S44KLZ

 

And Merrie has stated that a portion of any books sold in the next two weeks will go toward my medical fundraiser. I had two stress tests this week and now we’re looking at an angiogram.  

 

If you’ll be in San Diego next month at Comic Con, Merrie Spaeth will be a special guest and will have copies of Baby Bear Comes Back on hand. Tell her Booksteve sent you!

CBS TV Comics-Style Ads-1969

Comic books were just starting to be really hip in 1969 so CBS decided to launch its new season with a  series of TV GIDE ads with comics-style word balloons. Some had lines from the series, some had new jokes, some were serious. They even included THE SANDPIPER and DOUBLE TROUBLE, the feature films that premiered that week.