jim henson

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When these advertisements appeared in the UK in the March, 1971 issue of Films and Filming magazine, only the British-made 'The House That Dripped Blood' was making its premiere.

'Beyond the Valley of the Dolls' and 'Myra Breckinridge' and 'The Honeymoon Killers' had each had their distinctive initial runs in the U.S. almost a year prior.

'Davey' was a recurring comic strip that ran in issues of Extension Magazine, 'the Catholic Saturday Evening Post', appearing on its back page.

I scanned these from the same issues where I found the Bill O'Malley cartoons I've posted previously.

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Above, ▲ from August, 1946

I don't know a thing about 'Davey', or the strip's creator, Joseph Berger. I'd love to hear from anyone with any information to share on the topic.

Having only these five examples as references, the storyline of the strip is a bit mysterious.
The light-hearted lessons of the '46 strip above and the '52 strip at the bottom of the post are sandwiching a serialized plotline involving two sinister 'foreign agents'.
I guess we can assume that everything works out okay - -? (Though I notice that something has happened to Davey's eyes by '52 - - IF that's even the real Davey. Hmmm...)

That range in storylines and the nature of the relationship between wide-eyed Davey and Father Paul makes this strip seem like it may have been sort of a twist on Little Orphan Annie.
'Little Catholic Andy', if you will.

So is Davey an orphan? If not, where are his parents? He seems to be living with Father Paul, is that right? He's an altar boy, yes? And what did happen to his dog, Spot??
So many questions, and for now, so few answers...

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Above, ▲ from November, 1946

Above, ▲ from March, 1947

Above, ▲ from June, 1947

Above, ▲ from March, 1952

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Please drop a line or comment on this post if you have any insights regarding 'Davey' or cartoonist Joseph Berger!

Groundhog Day is coming around again; It's celebrated in the U.S. and Canada every February 2nd.

As folks begin to anxiously anticipate an end to the Winter season, it's time to haul out a traditional batch of tunes honoring an often under-appreciated friend of ours.

Whether viewed as folklore's harbinger of Spring or as maligned garden pest, whether as a euphemism for a
triflin' woman (?!?), as merely a handy lyrical device or just plain good eatin', the groundhog stands tall in American song.

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!!






- Click here for a
big mess o' Groundhog Day Carols...
(posted for a limited time)

- ... and here's a playlist.
(follow link)


See also:
- Groundhog.Org: The Official Site of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club

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This article appeared in the January 1962 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.

The layout and (of course) the fashions are very much of the era, and they're currently making me anxious for the return of 'Mad Men', coming back for its 3rd season this Summer.

(For more of 'Madmen' follow links, while they last.)

In addition to this spread, photographer Richard Heimann shot the cover images for several jazz and pop record jackets back around this same period.

Heimann was also the second husband of pioneering supermodel Carmen Dell'Orefice.

- Follow link to Fabulon for more of Carmen.


The outfits in the article are all touted as home sewing projects from Simplicity Patterns.

- Follow link to Cemetarian for more on the history of Simplicity.

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I've been working on updating some of the previously posted Archie Comics-related material I've gathered here on the blog, adding some more examples of how those comic books mirrored various aspects of 1960s and '70s pop culture.

Here's a little preview
(more below), one that might benefit from just a little background info...



Scopitones were the name of one variety of 'film jukebox' that first appeared in the early 1960s. ▶

It's also the name of the films themselves, which were precursors to today's music videos.

They were popular in Europe and in the U.S. throughout the sixties, and on the wane by the seventies.

Scopitones weren't part of my experience at that time, but I've been a big fan of Scopitones.Com (sister site to Bedazzled!) for several years.

- Follow the link to Scopitones.Com NOW and watch some fascinating and groovy musical performances!

Betty and Veronica's brief interlude below at Pop's Chok'lit Shoppe occured in
Archie's Joke Book #93 (1965).

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- Follow link to another informative site,
Scopitone Archive,
for a bit more history and background.

It's sad to have lost two charismatic fan-favorite actors this week.

It's sad and it's a shame that it's been their fate to have news of their passings lumped together more often than not, but that seems to be the way these things always go.

You can also be pretty sure that the headline in each of their obituaries will more often than not attempt to 'sum up' a long career with a catch-phrase or reference to just one of many roles they played in long and varied careers. Another shame.

The good news is that both of these actors leave behind ample evidence of a body of work that we all can enjoy for years to come. There's still much to revisit and to discover.

Thank you gentlemen, each of you, for a job well done.



















Ricardo Montalbán, 1920 - 2009.

- An obituary. (follow links)



















































- Ricardo sings!
Click over to YouTube for a 'tribute' video that includes Mr. Montalbán performing
'Chihuahua Choo Choo' as its soundtrack.

Originally the song had been featured in a 1955 stage revue, 'That's Life'.
It was written by the Oscar-winning songwriting team of composer Jay Livingston and
lyricist Ray Evans, whose credits included 'Mona Lisa', 'Buttons And Bows', 'Silver Bells', 'Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)', and others.
Ricardo's recording first appeared on a 1957 LP, 'Premiere: The Top Motion Picture Stars of Hollywood Make Their Record Debut', arranged by Bob Thompson.



















Patrick McGoohan, 1928 - 2009.

- An obituary (follow links)































- Follow link to YouTube for a film trailer to the 1962 drama 'All Night Long', an 'Othello' update featuring
Patrick McGoohan as a scheming
Jazz drummer...

Hopefully you enjoyed the recent post of ''Strictly Personal' illustrations by Charles Rodrigues', because I've just stumbled onto an old paperback collecting some of his one-panel magazine cartoons.

- Follow the link to that previous post for some bio and background links about this cartoonist who was often known for his 'sick' material - - especially when he began working for National Lampoon in the 1970s.

'Spitting On The Sheriff And Other Diversions' was first published in paperback in 1966. ▶
According to Rodrigues' intro notes, many of the cartoons within had originally appeared in the magazines Stag, Male, Men, For Men Only, and Rogue, and some had never appeared in print before.

Scroll down for a few excerpts, click on the images to enlarge in a new window.

Truth be told, the reproduction of many of the cartoons in the book was pretty poor, so I've concentrated on some highlights that 'read' more clearly.


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UPDATE, 7.11.09: A couple more specific cartoons added, by request of a reader with a long memory...