Vaiden,

Mississippi

Memories of a Mississippi Childhood

PART 1

Click On The YELLOW Links To Go To A Bookmark Or To Open A File.

We’ve traveled a long road since the old days. . . Oh, the lazy days; the warm, still country twilight. . . the golden warmth and security of those days. . . Gone With The Wind.

I should’a seen it comin.’ I wrote The War of the Mighty Treehouse years ago, but lost the file somewhere. In August 2000, I decided to write the Treehouse story again. Doing so brought back so many fond memories of my childhood that I decided to create this Nostalgia Page. Well, as life goes, on Sunday, May 20, 2001, while looking through some things at my mom’s house at Vaiden, I ran across the original story. I’ve included it on the treehouse page.

This nostalgia page is a work that will be ongoing for quite some time, and will cover the things I remember in my childhood years from 1955 – 1976 (and more), divided into different topics. This is a HUGE page, which will (possibly) be divided into several smaller, faster-loading pages at a later date. If you know of anything you’d like to see included on this page during this era in Mississippi, please feel free to Contact Me.

And…when you’re through visiting here, be sure to take a look at the Sixties Toys and all the wonderful links at Wes Clark’s Avocado Memories site. You’ll be glad you did !

Subjects

THE MIGHTY TREEHOUSE

FOOD & CEREAL DRINKS MODELS COMICS

CANDY GUM MOVIES TELEVISION

BICYCLES MOTORCYCLES TOYS & GAMES

READING MATERIALS MUSIC

ICONS

HOME PRODUCTS & PERSONAL CARE

ASSORTED TRIVIA

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES PART 2

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES PART 3

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES PART 4

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Movies

In the early 1960s, Disney introduced a new hero to the screen. It was Dr. Syn, alias the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. Based in 1736 in England during the reign of King George III, Dr. Syn, played by Patrick McGoohan, was a Vicar (pastor) by day, and a smuggler by night. He and his two henchmen (rectors of Dr. Syn’s church, Dymchurch), Hellspite and Curlew, robbed from the King, who unjustly taxed the farmers of Romney Marsh, and gave the loot back to the poor. Later, Disney released Dr, Syn, Alias the Scarecrow on videotape, but the movie has since gone out of print. The novel by Vic Crume, of the movie Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow, described the Scarecrow as follows: " The Scarecrow ! His name struck fear in the hearts of the king's soldiers. Dressed in tattered clothes and straw, he prowled the countryside with his band of 'Gentlemen'. To the rich, he was a smuggler and a villain. But to the poor, he was a hero ! Only his trusted aides, like John Banks, the judge's son, knew his real identity. In the dark of night, from the marshes to the coast, his men would ride. Amidst thundering hooves, all England would hear the fiendish yell of - The Scarecrow ! " Although this story originally appeared on Disneyland (as it was originally called before Disney changed the name to The Wonderful World of Color and then to The Wonderful World of Disney), I will list it under the MOVIES heading, since it was also released on videotape. UPDATE: Thanks to two of my friends who taped it for me from the Disney Channel, on March 11, 2001, my boys and I were able to see The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. Thanks to my friends, I now have a copy of a great Disney classic. Here’s my short story about the Scarecrow:

I was in the 4^th Grade in 1964 – in Vaiden, Mississippi – when the SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH was on Disney’s Wonderful World of Color. I would invite my friends, and we’d sit in our living room on those Sunday nights, glued to the tube – an old Zenith 25” color TV – and we’d be totally oblivious to anything else until the show was over. Shortly thereafter, I would meet with one of my henchmen (who just happened to be the son of our Baptist preacher), during recess behind the school buses and decide who our next “recruit” would be. One of the boys in our class seemed to resist membership, so the preacher’s son and I donned our Scarecrow garb after school and “terrorized” him by making a quick trip to his house and “torturing” him into submission. From that day forth, he was an ever-faithful servant of the Scarecrow. Our lair was created at the preacher’s house, by entering a “secret door” in the back of the chicken coop, which is where we stashed our garb until our rides for justice throughout the town of Vaiden, Mississippi. We were ready to fight the wrongs of the world and fight against the oppression of the masses. The Scarecrow was a true hero to us and an enemy to the “over-taxed” society. Now that I’m in my 40s and pay way too much tax every year, I call out to the Scarecrow for justice. Maybe one day, he’ll ride from the jaws of Hell once again.

Want to hear the Scarecrow theme ? It’s available in 3 different versions. Download the longer zipped file HERE (Version 1), or HERE (Version 2) or listen to a shorter one (Version 3) HERE. The lyrics are below. For more Scarecrow images, click on the following:

Image 1 – Image 2 – Image 3 – Image 4 – Image 5 – Image 6 – Image 7

Scarecrow Comics 1 -- Scarecrow Comics 2 -- Scarecrow Comics 3

Scarecrow Comics 4 -- Scarecrow 45rpm Record

Scarecrow Wanted Poster -- Scarecrow Movie Poster

Scarecrow Children’s Costume

NEW ! Scarecrow of Romney Marsh Trailer (5 Mb)

THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH

Scarecrow, Scarecrow

The Soldiers of the King feared his name

On the southern Coast of England

There's a legend people tell

Of days long ago when the great Scarecrow

Would ride from the jaws of Hell

And laugh – with a fiendish yell

With his clothes all torn and tattered

Through the black of night he'd ride

From the marsh to the coast

Like a demon ghost He'd rob the rich, then hide

And he'd laugh - ‘till he split his side

Scarecrow, Scarecrow

The Soldiers of the King feared his name

Scarecrow, Scarecrow

The country folks all loved him just the same

Scarecrow

He would always help the farmers

When there was no gold to bring

He'd find a way for the poor to pay

The taxes of the King

"Scarecrow" -- every man would sing

So the king told all his soldiers

“Hang him high or hang him low

But never return 'till the day I learn

He's gone in flames below

Or you'll hang -- with the great Scarecrow”

Scarecrow, Scarecrow

The Soldiers of the King feared his name

Scarecrow, Scarecrow

The country folks all loved him just the same

Scarecrow…

Scarecrow…

Scarecrow !!!

Patrick McGoohan – Rest In Peace

March 19, 1926 – January 13, 2009

HORROR OF PARTY BEACH

Perhaps one of the cheesiest, corniest horror movies made, it’s still a cult classic. I saw this movie when it was released in 1964 at the Winona Theater. Directed by Del Tenney, this movie cost only $60,000 to make. The “monsters” are clearly men in a rubber suit, designed to closely resemble the Creature from the Black Lagoon. A magazine (1) was published for a short time, and the movie was also released on video. Regardless of its “B” rating, I’ll still buy a copy, if I find one. UPDATE: On March 15, 2001, I received my copy of The Horror of Party Beach. It’s 72 minutes in Black and White, and is truly as corny a movie as can be made. However, it’s a “must have” classic. Here’s a scan of the front and back of the tape box. It’s also considered to be the “first monster musical,” with the Del-Aires playing “The Zombie Stomp” (“Oh, Everybody do the Zombie Stomp, You plant your foot down with an awful clomp…”).

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

This has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. Based on Harper Lee’s novel, Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck, struggles to see that justice is served. Now available on DVD, this 1962 movie is surely one for any avid movie fan to have.

STAND BY ME

Although this move is more recent than 1976, it still brings back many memories of childhood. Be sure to see the “Barf-A-Rama” scene. You can read the Barf-A-Rama portion of the actual movie script HERE. This is another one for the movie collector, and is also available on DVD.

Other Movies

Christmas Story, Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, Frosty the Snowman, Gone With The Wind, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Journey To The Center Of The Earth, King Kong vs. Godzilla (1), Krakatoa: East Of Java (Krakatoa is actually west of Java), Little Drummer Boy, Marooned, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Night Of The Living Dead, Porky’s, Psycho, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, SSSSSSS, The Day The Earth Stood Still (“Klaatu Barada Nikto

” .wav file) (poster) (Gort Robot) - The Exorcist, The Goonies, The Oblong Box, The War, The Year Without a Santa Claus (remember Snow Miser and Heat Miser ?), Three Days of the Condor, War of the Worlds, Witness for the Prosecution, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Man in the Iron Mask, Plan 9 From Outer Space, House of Dark Shadows, House of Seven Gables, The Monkey’s Paw, The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Abdominable Dr. Phibes, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, Planet of the Apes, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Vanishing Point, The Van, When Worlds Collide, The Gnome Mobile, Summer Magic, Andromeda Strain, Tale of Two Cities, Absent Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, The Three Lives of Thomasina, Old Yeller, Savage Sam, P.T. 109, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, Gargoyles, First Men in the Moon, The Blob, Ode to Billy Joe, Earth vs. Flying Saucers, It Came From Outer Space, Phantom of the Opera, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, House that Dripped Blood, The Shining, Killdozer (which was also released as a comic book), By Dawn’s Early Light, Clash of the Titans, Jason and the Argonauts – James Bond Series – Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Ghost & Mr. Chicken – No Time For Sergeants – Tales of Terror – Barbarella – Easy Rider – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – They Call Me Trinity – Trinity Is Still My Name – Darby O’Gill and the Little People – Peter Pan (with Mary Martin) – The Love Bug – The Wizard of Oz – Rosemary’s Baby – Race With the Devil – Billy Jack – Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Night of the Grizzly – Davy Crockett – Davy Crockett and the River Pirates – Grease – Jaws – Salem’s Lot – Walking Tall – Cannonball Run – Cannonball Run II – Smokey and the Bandit – Smokey and the Bandit II – Smokey and the Bandit III – Daniel Boone – Jewel of the Nile – Romancing the Stone – 2001, A Space Odyssey – Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back – Return of the Jedi – Fright Night – Close Encounters of the Third Kind – Scanners – The Fury – The Omen – The Howling – An American Werewolf in London – Saturday Night Fever – Halloween – Friday the 13^th – Saturday the 14^th – Nightmare on Elm Street – The Fog – Excalibur – Legend of Boggy Creek – Night of the Creeps – Something Wicked This Way Comes – Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - E.T. – Forbidden Planet (poster) – Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – My Favorite Martian – At the Earth’s Core

Television, Including Cartoons

R.I.P. Adam West – 09/19/1928 – 06/09/2017

The ONLY Batman to me

R.I.P., Old Chum

Batman TV Show Theme Song

*******

R.I.P. Tony Dow (Wally Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver)

04/13/1945 – 07/27/2022

BONANZA THEME

(sung by Lorne Greene)

[Lorne Greene speaking: “Welcome to the Ponderosa, my friends, for an evening of songs and stories about the American West…a land of legend, of romance, of friendship and courage…a motherlode of remembrance…a true Bonanza.”]

Bonanza

We chased Lady Luck, ‘till we finally struck

Bonanza

With a gun and a rope and a hatful of hope,

We planted our family tree

We got a hold of a pot full of gold,

Bonanza

With a horse and a saddle, and a range full of cattle,

How rich can a fellow be?

On this land we put our brand, Cartwright is the name

Fortune smiled, the day we filed the Ponderosa claim.

Here in the West, we’re livin’ in the best,

Bonanza

If anyone fights any one of us, he’s got a fight with me !

[music]

Bonanza

[music]

Bonanza

Hoss and Joe and Adam know every rock and pine

No one works, fights, or eats, like those boys of mine

Here we stand in the middle of a grand

Bonanza

With a gun and a rope and a hatful of hope,

we planted our family tree

We got a hold of a pot full of gold,

Bonanza

With a houseful of friends where the rainbow ends,

How rich can a fellow be ?

On this land we put our brand, Cartwright is the name

Fortune smiled the day we filed the Ponderosa claim

Here in the West we’re livin’ in the best

Bonanza

With the friendliest, fightin’est, lovin’est band

That ever set foot in the Promised Land

And we’re happier than them all

That’s why we call it

Bonanza…Bonanza…Bonanza…BONANZA !

Q.: What was “Hoss” Cartwright’s “real” character name ? A.: Eric Haas Cartwright.

What were your favorite episodes of Bonanza? Mine were “Hoss & the Leprechauns” (Season 5, Episode 146, December 22, 1963), and “A Man To Admire” (Season 6, Episode 179, December 6, 1964). In “Hoss and the Leprechauns,” Hoss is convinced that he’s seeing Leprechauns on the Ponderosa, but no one believes him. In “A Man to Admire,” Hoss is charged with murder in a pool room, and a young attorney proved him innocent. The attorney turns out to be none other than Abraham Lincoln.

Here’s the Cartwright Clan, without Hop Sing the cook.

Here’s Hop Sing !! Photo 1 – Photo 2

Here’s the map of the Ponderosa.

Bonanza songs and lyrics.

Other Television Shows

If I’ve Listed Some more than once, please be patient. This section will eventually be divided into 2 sections: “TV Cartoons,” and “Regular Programming.”

Jonathan Harris

(Dr. Zachary Smith of TVs Lost in Space)

REST IN PEACE

November 6, 1914 – November 3, 2002

Lost in Space Theme – 1965 1967

Amos & Andy -- Astro Boy -- Augie Doggie -- Batman (click HERE for TV trailer) -- Beanie & Cecil (with Dishonest John and his famous laugh (“Nya Ha Ha”) (More “Nya Ha Ha” (1), (2), (3) -- Bewitched -- Black Beauty -- Branded -- Bat Masterson -- Bugs Bunny -- Casper the Friendly Ghost -- Daniel Boone -- Dark Shadows -- Davy Crockett – Disneyland (changed its name to Walt Disney Presents when the Disneyland Theme Park opened in California; then to Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color; The Wonderful World of Disney; Disney’s Wonderful World; Magical World of Disney; Disney Sunday Movie; and back to the Wonderful World of Disney (and includes all the Disney characters)) -- Ed Sullivan -- Father Knows Best – Flintstones – Fury – Ripcord -- Gene Autry -- Gilligan’s Island -- Gong Show -- Green Acres -- Green Hornet -- Gunsmoke -- Hazel -- Huckleberry Hound – Snagglepuss - I Love Lucy (Ricky, Lucy, Fred & Ethel, and later, Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon)) – Dennis the Menace (Gale Gordon (Lucy’s “Mr. Mooney” played Mr. Wilson for a while)) -- Jack Benny – Jetsons -- Jonny Quest -- Kukla Fran & Ollie – Lassie -- Leave It to Beaver --Lone Ranger (The Lone Ranger! "Hi Yo Silver!" A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty "Hi Yo Silver!" The Lone Ranger. "Hi Yo Silver, away!" With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early west. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. The Lone Ranger rides again! ) -- Lost in Space -- Magilla Gorilla -- Mighty Mouse -- Mr. Magoo -- My Friend Flicka -- Ozzie & Harriet -- Peter Pan (with Mary Martin) -- Petticoat Junction -- Popeye -- Queen For A Day -- Quick Draw McGraw -- Rin Tin Tin -- Ted Mack Amateur Hour – Ripcord -- Roy Rogers -- Schoolhouse Rock -- Sea Hunt -- Sgt. Preston of the Yukon – Shazzan -- Sky King -- Space Ghost – Superman – Tarzan -- The Addams Family -- The Andy Griffith Show -- The Beverly Hillbillies -- The Brady Bunch -- The Cowsills -- The Herculoids -- The Monkees -- The Munsters -- The Partridge Family -- The Price is Right -- The Real McCoys -- “Time for Timer” (This was the little Yellow Cowboy Guy that sang “I hanker for a hunk of, a slab, a slice, or chunk of, I hanker for a hunk of cheese. When my get up and go, has got up and went, I hanker for a hunk of cheese. When my 10-gallon hat’s feelin’ 5 gallons flat, and I’m feeling kinda weak in the knees…I hanker for a hunk of, a slab, a slice of, I hanker for a hunk of cheese…If you’re headin’ for a show down, and yer feelin’ kinda lowdown, feeling kinda weak in the knees…It’s a real winner, and yet won’t spoil my dinner…I hanker for a hunk of cheese.” CLICK HERE to see “Hanker for a Hunk of Cheese.” He also did “Sunshine on a Stick,” which was made by pouring fruit juice into an empty ice cube tray, covering it with plastic wrap, poking a toothpick into each cube, and freezing it for several hours) For more of Time For Timer, CLICK HERE – The Rifleman -- Top Cat -- To Tell The Truth (hosted by Garry Moore) -- The Time Tunnel -- Truth or Consequences -- Woody Woodpecker -- Wizard of Oz -- Yogi Bear – Zorro – Whirlybirds – Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea – Land of the Giants – Banana Splits – Mighty Thundar – Pip the Piper (Pip was a flying first cousin to Peter Pan and a half-brother to the Pied Piper. Pip, who played the flute and dressed like Robin Hood, floated down on a cloud from the magical city of Pipertown at the start of each show. In Pipertown, food and musical instruments grew on trees. Pip was accompanied by Miss Merrynote (Phyllis Spears) and Mr. Leader (Lucien Kaminsky). Pip the Piper aired on ABC in 1960-61 – CLICK HERE for the 1960 Episode of Pip the Piper entitled “Planes”) – Winky Dink and You – Beat the Clock – Match Game -- $10,000 Pyramid – Make Room For Daddy – Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts – Perry Como Show – Red Skelton Show (Gertrude & Heathcliff (the two seagulls), Freddie the Freeloader, Sheriff Deadeye, Clem Kaddiddlehopper, Willie Lump Lump, Bolivar Shagnasty, San Fernando Red, Cauliflower McPugg and Junior, The Mean Widdle Kid, whose favorite phrase was "I dood it!”) (Red’s favorite phrase at the end of the show was, “Good Night, and God Bless”) – Untouchables – 77 Sunset Strip – Adam 12 -- Alfred Hitchcock Presents – Outer Limits – Twilight Zone – Dragnet – Highway Patrol – F.B.I. – Many Lives of Dobie Gillis (Bob “Gilligan” Denver, as Dobie’s Friend Maynard Krebs) – Dinah Shore Show – Steve Allen Show – Lawrence Welk Show (Ben Vereen, Lennon Sisters) – Mickey Mouse Club – American Bandstand – Dating Game – Newlywed Game – Jeopardy – Price is Right (with Bill Cullen) – Name That Tune -- $64,000 Question – Let’s Make A Deal – Hogan’s Heroes (Colonel Klink and Sgt. Schultz (“I know nothing; NOTHING!”) – Munsters – Addams Family – You Bet Your Life – What’s My Line? – Twenty Questions – Tic Tac Dough – Family Feud – Hollywood Squares – I’ve got a Secret – Match Game – Concentration (Hosted by Hugh Downs) – Password – Candid Camera (hosted by Alan Funt) – Sanford and Son – Art Linkletter Show – Milton Berle Show – Honeymooners (“One of these days, Alice ! POW! Right in the kisser!”) – The Millionaire – Perry Mason – Peter Gunn – Rawhide – Star Trek – Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo – Charlie’s Angels – Happy Days (remember, the first season, Richie and Joanie Cunningham had an older brother named Chuck, that never had much of a speaking role, and played basketball all of the time) – Six Million Dollar Man – Bionic Woman – Flipper – Daktari – Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion (originally appeared on Daktari) – F Troop – McHale’s Navy – Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. – Family Affair – Mod Squad – The New People (only 17 Episodes in 1969 on ABC) – Sigmund and the Sea Monsters – Rocky and Bullwinkle – Linus the Lion-Hearted – Magilla Gorilla – Heckle & Jeckle – Woody Woodpecker – Tom and Jerry – Lariat Sam (and his horse, “Tippytoes”; also appeared on Captain Kangaroo) – Herman & Katnip – Snuffy Smith and Barney Google – ‘Lil Abner – Little Rascals – Ruff ‘n Reddy – Soupy Sales Show – Courageous Cat & Minute Mouse – Sooper Snooper & Blabber Mouse – Deputy Dawg – Davey & Goliath – Felix the Cat – George of the Jungle – H.R. Pufnstuf – Gigantor – Moby Dick, the White Whale – Mighty Mightor – Rocky & Bullwinkle – Dudley Do-Right – Wally Gator – Where the Action iS – Pink Panther – Road Runner – Scooby Doo – Secret Squirrel – Underdog – Shindig – Wagon Train – Tennessee Ernie Ford Show – Grape Ape – Bugaloos – Gumby (1), (2) – Groovie Ghoulies – Archie – Alvin & the Chipmunks – Hong Kong Phooey – Jabberjaw – I Dream of Jeannie – Josie and the Pussycats – Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp – Land of the Lost – My Favorite Martian – Mr. Ed – Mickey Mouse Club (with Frankie and Annette) – Perils of Penelope Pitstop – Spiderman – Shazam! – The Fugitive – Danny Thomas Show (Make Room For Daddy) – Dick Van Dyke Show – Abbott & Costello – Three Stooges – Laurel & Hardy – Adventures of Pow Wow – Ant and the Aardvark – Around the World in 80 Days – Atom Ant – Batfink – The Beagles – Beetle Bailey – Birdman – Bucky & Pepito – Cattanooga Cats – Chilly Willy – Clutch Cargo – Cool McCool – Crusader Rabbit – Dastardly & Muttley in their Flying Machines – Dick Tracy Show – Diver Dan – Dodo, the Kid From Outer Space – Dudley Do-Right – Dynomutt, Dog Wonder – Mr. Magoo – Fantastic Four – Aquaman – Adventures of Batman – Adventures of Superman – Adventures of Superboy – Farmer Alfalfa and his Terrytoon Pals – Fearless Fly – Fireball XL-5 – Flash Gordon – Colonel Bleep – Go Go Gophers – The Hunter – Inch High, Private Eye – Inspector Gadget – Godzilla – King Kong – Journey to the Center of the Earth – Krazy Kat – Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har – Little Lulu – Marvel Superheroes – Matty’s Funday Funnies (usually with Beanie & Cecil) – Mighty Hercules – Mighty Mightor – Milton the Monster – Motor Mouse and Auto Cat – Muggy Doo – Penny Penguin – Prince Planet – Road Runner Show – Rocky and His Friends – Roger Ramjet – Rod Rocket – Samson and Goliath – Sealab 2020 – Sinbad, Jr. – Space Angel – The Blue Angels – Speed Racer – Soider-Man – Spunky & Tadpole – Stingray – Submariner – Stuffy Durma – Super Chicken – Super Friends – Tennessee Tuxedo and his Tales – Thundarr the Barbarian – Thunderbirds – Tom of T.H.U.M.B. – Tom Terrific – Touche’ Turtle – Yogi Bear Show – My 3 Sons (Here’s the sequence: Started with William Frawley (“Fred Mertz” on “I Love Lucy”) as Uncle “Bub” O’Casey (Steve Douglas’ Father-In-Law), dad Steve Douglas (Fred MacMurray), Mike, Robbie, Chip, and Tramp the dog. Mike got married and moved east; “Bub” went back to Ireland (William Frawley died). “Uncle Charley O’Casey” (“Bub’s” brother), played by William Demarest, moved in. The Douglasses adopted Ernie (one of Chip’s friends (and real-life brother)). Robbie fell in love and married Katie and they had 3 sons of their own (triplets). Chip eloped with Polly. Fergus McBain (Steve Douglas’ cousin (also played by Fred MacMurray)) moved in. McBain becomes interested in cocktail waitress named Terri Dowling. Steve married again. Wife, Barbara, already had a daughter named Dotie. It is not known whether or not Tramp the dog ever got lucky, got married and/or moved away.) – Get Smart – Fish – Diff’rent Strokes – Night Court – Angie – Mork & Mindy – Police Squad – Hullabaloo – Loveboat – Fantasy Island – What’s Happening? – Too Close for Comfort – Nanny and the Professor – Land of the Lost – Sons of Will Sonnet (“No brag, just facts”) – Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman – Soap – High Chaparral – Big Valley – Cimarron Strip – Paladin – Laredo – Family Affair – Chico and the Man – The Lawman – Mod Squad – Star Trek – Gidget – 77 Sunset Strip – My Mother, the Car – Car 54, Where Are You? – Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In – Flying Nun – Ghost & Mrs. Muir – Route 66 – Room 222 – Love, American Style – Courtship of Eddie’s Father – Horton Hatches the Egg (“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant…An elephant’s faithful, 100 percent” (1939 Warner Brothers cartoon)) – Pixie, Dixie, & Mr. Jinks – Shari Lewis, Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse, & Hush Puppy – The Huntley-Brinkley Report – Sesame Street’s Roosevelt Franklin --

On the Warner Brothers cartoon “Horton Hatches the Egg,” did you ever wonder what Horton was singing as he traipsed from to place? It was called The Hut-Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade) by Horace Heidt. The words are: Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla brawla sooit; Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit. Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla brawla sooit; Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit. In a town in Sweden by a stream so clear and cool; a boy would sit and fish and dream when he should have been in school. Now, he couldn’t read or write a word but happiness he found; In a little song he heard and here’s how it would sound. Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla brawla sooit; Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit. Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla brawla sooit; Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit. Now the Rawlson is a Swedish town, the rillerah is a stream; the brawla is the boy and girl; the Hut-Sut is their dream. Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla brawla sooit; Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit. Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla brawla sooit; Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.

Poor Horton didn’t sing it correctly, though. He sang, “Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a so on so on so forth; Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a so on so forth.”

In the 1950s and early 1960s, local Mississippi TV stations produced “driving traffic commercials,” in which they would show a picture of an intersection and would place toy autos in certain locations to show drivers how to turn, parallel park, detour, avoid collisions, and generally, how to drive well. They would also use these tiny autos to show scenarios of wrecks and how to avoid them. Primitive, but effective.

Do you have a list of people that influenced your life (other than family members)? Mine are: Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo) 06/27/1927 – 01/23/2004; Roy Rogers 11/05/1911 – 07/06/1998; Jonathan Harris (Dr. Smith from Lost in Space) 11/06/1914 – 11/03/2002; Red Skelton (remember his characters – Freddie the Freeloader; Clem Kiddlehopper; Junior, the Mean Widdle Kid; Willie Lump Lump; San Fernando Red; Sheriff Deadeye; Cauliflower McPugg; Bolivar Shagnasty; George Appleby; Mickey the Rat; Gertrude and Heathcliff, the Two Seagulls, and his famous “Good Night, and May God Bless”?) 07/08/1913 – 09/17/1997; Shari Lewis (with Lambchop, Charlie Horse, and Hushpuppy) 01/17/1934 – 08/02/1998; Ronald Reagan 02/06/1911 - ; Gene Autry 09/29/1907 – 10/02/1998; Clayton Moore (The Lone Ranger) 09/14/1914 – 12/28/1999; Walter Brennan (Amos McCoy from The Real McCoys ) 07/25/1894 – 09/21/1974; Dan Blocker (“Hoss” Cartwright from Bonanza ) 12/10/1928 – 05/13/1972; Walt Disney 12/05/1901 – 12/15/1966; Fred “Mr. Rogers” Rogers 03/20/1928 – 02/27/2003; Pat Buttram (Mr. Haney on Green Acres) 06/19/1915 – 01/08/1994; Lawrence Welk 03/11/0903 – 05/17/1992); Thurl Ravenscroft (voice of “Tony the Tiger” from the Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”) 06/09/1914 – Buddy Ebsen (“Jed Clampett” (04/02/1908 – 07/06/2003)); and Don Knotts (Barney Fife) 07/21/1924 - .

Captain Kangaroo

Robert “Bob” Keeshan – Captain Kangaroo

06/27/1927 -- 01/23/2004

REST IN PEACE

From 1955 – 1984, the children of America were entertained by one of the best programs ever to air for kids. Captain Kangaroo, the star of the long-running series, was played by Bob Keeshan, who greeted the children each day from his Treasure House. His “sidekick,” Mr. Green Jeans, was played by Hugh “Lumpy” Brannum (01/05/1910 – 04/19/1987). A variety of other characters, such as Dennis the Apprentice and Bainter, the Painter (1, 2), were always on hand to entertain his viewers. Among these were Dancing Bear, Sean Sean the Leprechaun, the Magic Drawing Board, Grandfather Clock and the hand-puppets of Cosmo Allegretti; Mr. Moose, who always tricked the Captain with “knock-knock” jokes to lure the Captain into some sort of situation where he would drop hundreds of ping-pong balls on the Captain’s head (Mr. Moose could talk); and Bunny Rabbit, who never spoke, but always seemed to have a joke or two of his own, and would stop at nothing to trick the Captain into giving him a carrot. The Captain Kangaroo theme you heard when you first opened this page, is actually called “Puffin’ Billy,” written by British music composer Edward White, who was apparently inspired by a visit to the Puffin’ Billy steam engine in Melbourne, Australia. Keeshan appeared in other roles before and during Captain Kangaroo. He was Clarabell the Clown on the Howdy Doody Show in the late 40s and early 50s, but left Howdy Doody in 1955, at the age of 28, to help produce Captain Kangaroo. On Saturday mornings in 1964 and 1965, Keeshan starred in “Mr. Mayor,” as Carny the Clown, Mr. Mayor, and Tinker the Toymaker. The character of the Town Clown “migrated” into Captain Kangaroo, when the Mr. Mayor series ended. Mr. Mayor’s characters were Aunt Maude (played by Jane Connell), and her friend Rollo the Hippopotamus.

Tom Terrific

In addition to all the “live” talent on the show, Captain Kangaroo also introduced children to the cartoon “Tom Terrific with Mighty Manfred, the Wonder Dog” -- click HERE for the Tom Terrific theme). Tom had a funnel hat that blew steam every time he was thinking hard or got mad. His nemesis was the villain, Crabby Appleton, who described himself by a song: “My name is Crabby Appleton, I’m rotten to the core, I do a bad deed every day, and sometimes three or four. I can’t stand fun for anyone, I think good deeds are sappy, I laugh with glee, it pleases me, when everyone’s unhappy.” Pine Comics, in association with CBS Television, produced a Tom Terrific comic book. Beginning on September 10, 1962, the show also featured another short cartoon called The Adventures of Lariat Sam. Lariat Sam was a cowboy that appeared for three seasons (13 stories from 09/10/1962 through 08/27/1965), along with “Tippytoes,” his horse.” Tippytoes wore a derby hat and loved poetry. Together, the two would fight the villain “Badlands Meeny,” to insure that justice prevailed in the west. Lariat Sam never wore a gun, and always lived up to his theme song; “Yippy-yi-yippy-yo, yippy-yippy-yi-yay, His name is Lariat Sam; Yippy-yi-yippy-yo, yippy-yippy-yi-yay, In the West he’s the best that am…” “Brave and bold with a heart of gold, His name is Lariat Sam, Strong for the right, for the right he’ll fight, His name is Lariat Sam, Yippy-yo !”

It was also on Captain Kangaroo that a lot of kids, including myself, learned of “The Little Engine That Could,” and “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel,” among many other stories for young readers. After CBS cancelled the show in 1984, Keeshan moved it to PBS, where it ran for several more years. I’m sure there are many others out there that share the same sentiment as I do, when I say that, if asked to make a list of anyone that I’d like to meet in person, or would liked to have met, Bob Keeshan has to be on that list (along with Lawrence Welk, Ronald Reagan, Roy Rogers, and others I’ve listed above). If you never saw Captain Kangaroo, you can have no idea of the positive impact this man made on the lives of children for three decades.

Fred Rogers

(“Mr. Rogers” of TVs Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood)

REST IN PEACE

March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Theme from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood)

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood

By the time Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood appeared on television in 1968, I was too young to become an avid viewer of the show. However, after watching a few episodes, I could see the value of this program to younger viewers. Mr. Fred Rogers would appear and son his sneakers and zip-up cardigan while singing his trademark theme song, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” which later became a staple song of children’s programming. Fred Rogers was a humble man, and an ordained Presbyterian minister, who only sought to bring entertainment and education to younger children, but, in effect, his program touched “children” of all ages. Rogers wrote many of the songs he sang and did much of the puppet work and voices for the characters that appeared from time to time. Some of the most memorable are King Friday XIII, Queen Sara Saturday, Prince Tuesday, Henrietta Pussycat, X the Owl, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, and Daniel Striped Tiger. His show won four Emmy Awards and one Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1993, Rogers was awarded the George Foster Peabody award in recognition of “25 years of beautiful days in the neighborhood.” The final episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was taped in December 2000, and aired in August 2001. Fred Rogers died at his Pittsburg, PA home on February 27, 2003 from stomach cancer. “I have never considered myself a TV star.” Rogers said in a 1995 interview. “I always thought I was a neighbor who just came in for a visit.”

SchoolHouse Rock

One of the most famous television cartoons really wasn’t a cartoon series at all. It was actually an infomercial that appeared between cartoon shows, called SchoolHouse Rock. This series of cartoon “shorts,” described different school subjects in song and video, in five different subjects. The five subjects are listed here, in no particular order (my personal favorites are listed in green).

(1). GRAMMAR ROCK – Unpack Your Adjectives; Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here; Conjunction Junction; Interjections; Rufus Xavier Sarsparilla; Verb: That’s What’s Happening; A Noun Is A Person Place Or Thing; Busy Prepositions; The Tale of Mr. Morton

(2). AMERICA ROCK – No More Kings; Fireworks; The Shot Heard ‘Round The World; The Preamble; Elbow Room; The Great American Melting Pot; Mother Necessity; Sufferin’ ‘Till Suffrage; I’m Just A Bill; Three-Ring Government

(3). MULTIPLICATION ROCK – My Hero, Zero; Elementary My Dear; Three Is A Magic Number; The Four-Legged Zoo; Ready Or Not, Here I Come; I Got Six; Lucky Seven Sampson; Figure Eight; Naughty Number Nine; The Good Eleven; Little Twelvetoes

(4). SCIENCE ROCK – The Body Machine; Do The Circulation; Electricity, Electricity; The Energy Blues; Interplanet Janet; Telegraph Line; Them Not-So-Dry Bones; A Victim Of Gravity; The Weather Show

(5). SCOOTER COMPUTER & MR. CHIPS – Introduction; Hardware; Software; Number Cruncher

If you want to know more about Schoolhouse Rock, and to hear the songs, see the characters, or view each “short” listed above, go to the SchoolHouse Rock Page.

Romper Room

Romper Room was wonderful ! Remember Mr. Do Bee, who encouraged the kids with “Do Be a Do-Bee; Don’t Be a Don’t-Bee,” by saying “I always do everything right; I never do anything wrong; I’m a Romper Room Do-Bee; a Do-Bee all day long?” Mr. Do Bee would then break into a dance: "Start buzzin' buzzin'. Here's your chance. Everybody's doing the Do Bee dance. Just let your wings fly, your arms fly too. Then buzz around round and round... Do-body-doo!" What about the Magic Mirror? We would always sit around to see if our name would be called on the “Magic Mirror.” The saying would go like this. . .”Romper Stomper Bomper Boo, Tell me, Tell me, Tell Me Do; Magic Mirror Tell Me Today, Did All My Friends Have Fun At Play?” The leader (“Miss Ann,” “Miss Debbie,” “Miss Sandra,” or whatever) would then say, “I see Billy, Sallie, Johnny, Sue, Michael,” etc. (picking kids names at random), and we would always hope she would call our name. There was also “Mr. Do Bee” (sometimes a drawing; sometimes a person in a bee costume) that would always urge all the boys and girls to be helpful and to obey their parents. And, no one can ever forget. . .”Bend and stretch, reach for the stars. Here comes Jupiter, there goes Mars. Bend and stretch, reach for the sky. Stand on tippytoes, oh, so high.” Kids learned about how to be courteous, kind, honest, and the basics of a pre-school education. When music was needed, “Miss Whatever” would say “Mr. Music. . .Please!” All the boys and girls also got to hop around on the giant bouncing balls. In Mississippi, Romper Room usually came on after Captain Kangaroo, and was followed by Mighty Mouse. To see more about Romper Room and view some clips, go to its page at TVParty. To hear the Do Bee Song, click on the Do Bee below.

CLICK HERE For More Cartoon Favorites.

TV Trivia

Thurl Ravenscroft

(Voice of “Tony the Tiger”)

(Click to Enlarge)

REST IN PEACE

February 6, 1914 – May 22, 2005

NPR Clip About Thurl

Did you know that the voice of Tony the Tiger was Thurl Ravenscroft, the same person that sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Grim Grinning Ghosts” at Disney’s Haunted Mansion? Despite the popularity of the Grinch movie, Thurl’s name was not listed in the credits. Hear him talk about the movie HERE. Read the news about his life HERE. Read the Kellogg’s announcement HERE.

More Pictures of Thurl: 1 2 3

Did you know that the Andy Griffith Show theme song (whistled at the beginning and end) was called “The Fishin’ Hole and actually had lyrics? Here they are:

THE FISHIN’ HOLE (Andy Griffith Show Theme Song)

Well, now, take down your fishin' pole
and meet me at The Fishin' Hole,
We may not get a bite all day,
but don't you rush away.
What a great place to rest your bones
and mighty fine for skippin' stones,
You'll feel fresh as a lemonade,
a-settin' in the shade.
Whether it's hot, whether it's cool,
oh what a spot for whistlin' like a fool.
What a fine day to take a stroll and wander by
The Fishin' Hole,
I can't think of a better way
to pass the time o'day.

We'll have no need to call the roll
when we get to The Fishin' Hole,
There'll be you, me and Old Dog Trey,
to doodle time away.
If we don't hook a perch or bass,
we'll cool our toes in dewy grass,
Or else pull up a weed to chaw,
and maybe set and jaw.
Hangin' around, takin' our ease,
watchin' that hound a-scratchin' at his fleas.
Come on, take down your fishin' pole
and meet me at The Fishin' Hole,
I can't think of a better way
to pass the time o'day.

CLICK HERE to download The Fishin’ Hole in a zipped .mp3 format.

The Our Gang/Little Rascals Page

The Abbott and Costello Page

The Laurel & Hardy Page

The Three Stooges Page

Candy

Seven-Up Bar ((no affiliation with the drink) that had seven different sections – with seven different candies --creamy caramel, double vanilla cream, maple walnut cream, Brazil nut caramel, apple butter pectin jelly, chocolate pudding, coconut cream. Each bite would produce a different taste sensation) – Giant Sweet Tarts – Jolly Rancher – Necco Wafers – Now & Later – Charleston Chew – Laffy Taffy – Pixy Stix – Sky Bar – Zillions – Warheads – York Peppermint Patties – Cadbury Eggs – Candy Cigarettes (1) – 5^th Avenue – Caramello – Mr. Goodbar – Heath Bar – Krackel – Reese’s – Rolo – PayDay – Skor – Twizzlers – Boyers Mallo Cups – Hundred Thousand Dollar Bar/100 Grand – ButterNut – Chick-O-Stick – Clark Bar – Curtiss Baby Ruth – Curtiss Butterfinger – Milk Duds – Milkshake Bar – Black Cow – Dots - Sip-It-Stix – Red Hots – Atomic Fireballs – Sixlets – Slo-Poke – Sugar Babies – Sugar Daddy – Nik-L-Nip Wax Bottles (1) – Wax Lips – Zagnut – Zero Bar – Lemonheads – Jujubes – Jujyfruits - Hot Tamales – M&M’s – Mars Bars – Milky Way – Candy Necklaces – Bit-O-Honey -- Snickers Bars – Three Musketeers – Oh Henry -- Peanut Rolls – Coconut Bars (usually red, white and yellow colored) – Tootsie Roll Fudge (in 1” x 1” x ½” squares) – Pez -- – Long Boys Coconut – Ayds Diet Candy (1” x 1” x ½ “ squares) – Boston Baked Beans – Kits – Cinnamon-flavored toothpicks – Valomilk Candy – Lik-M-Aid – Pop Rocks – Sugar Mama – Brach’s Sweethearts Valentine Conversation Candy Hearts (with messages such as “Be Mine,” “My Gal,” “Love,” “Not Now,” etc.) – Whitman Samplers – Chunky – Look Bar – Tom Slick Candy – Bounty Bar – Black Crows – Good ‘N Plenty – Groovie Ghoulies – Scooter Pies – Wish-Nik Candy – Peco – Super Chicken Candy – Whoppers – Robin’s Eggs – Candy Corn – Orange slices – Chocolate Crème Drops (Used to be called, very inappropriately, “Nig**r Toes”) – Marathon Candy Bar (8” of braided chocolate and caramel) – Chuckles – Jolly Joes (now Mike & Ike) – Ice Cubes Candy – Hot Dog Gum – Lemonheads – Mary Janes – Squirrel Brand Nut Chews – Smarties – Sweet & Sour – Forever Yours – King Leo Peppermints --

Gum

Fruit Stripe Gum – Bazooka (with Bazooka Joe Comics) – Beeman’s – Adams Blackjack – Adams Clove – Dubble Bubble (1) – Gum Cigars – Clark’s Teaberry – Adams Sour Orange (and other sour flavors) – Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, and Doublemint – Weird-Ohs Bubble Gum (with Weird-Ohs cards) – Beechnut Gum – Aspergum (with aspirin) – Chiclets --

Food and Cereal

Food

Stage Planks -- Moon Pies –– Spam – Treet – Trend – Burger Chef Restaurants (CLICK HERE for a Burger Chef commercial)– Shoney’s Big Boy – Shake-a-Pudding – Orange Ice Cream Push-Ups – Dreamsicles – Fudgesicles –– Lick ‘em Aid – Wonder Bread (builds strong bodies 12 ways) – Whip-n-Chill – Jiffy Pop Popcorn (“Jiffy Pop, Jiffy Pop, The Magic Treat – As Much Fun to Make, as it is to Eat”) – Eskimo Pies – “Nabs” – Tom’s Peanuts and Potato Chips – Nutty Buddy Cones – Oleo Brand Margarine –– Space Food Sticks – Danish Go-Rounds – Ding Dongs – King Dons – Godchaux Sugar –– Hostess Twinkies – Hostess Snowballs – Hostess Cup Cakes – Jif Peanut Butter (with the Jifaroo Kangaroo) – Koogle Chocolate Peanut Spread – Hostess Ho Ho’s – Aunt Jemima Pancakes – Chiffon Margarine – Imperial Margarine – Rice-a-Roni (“The San Francisco Treat”) – Popeye Biscuits – Colonial Bread – Sugar Canes (we used to take pieces of sugar cane to school) – Black Strap Molasses – B’rer Rabbit Molasses – Karo Syrup – Fruitcakes (yes, I love them) --

Cereal

Post Super Sugar Crisps – Quisp – Quake (1) – Kellogg’s Sugar Pops – Kellogg’s Sugar Smacks (1) – Kellogg’s Sugar Frosted Flakes – Puffa Puffa Rice – Malt-O-Meal - Crispy Critters – Maypo – Kellogg’s Corn Flakes (with Cornelius the Rooster) – Jets – Kix – Trix (“Silly Rabbit ! Trix are for kids ! (Teaches kids NOT to share ? Give the rabbit a break every now and then ! After all, it’s HIS picture on the box ! -- Old Trix Commercial – Trix: The Way It Should Be?)) – Quangaroo’s – Twinkles – King Vitamin – Wackies – Boo Berry – Frankenberry – Count Chocula – Cap’n Crunch: Regular; Crunchberries; Peanut Butter; Vanilly; Cinnamon; Choco; Punch – Honeycomb – Kellogg’s All-Stars – Frosty-O’s - Nabisco Wheat Honeys – Nabisco Rice Honeys – Post-Tens (10-pack) - Quaker Oats (“Nothing is Better for Thee, than Me”) – Quaker Magazine Ad - Kellogg’s Product 19 – Alpha-Bits - 40% Bran Flakes – Apple Jacks (when they actually tasted a little like apples) – Carnation Corn Flakes – Cocoa Hoots – Cocoa Krispies – Cookie Crisp – Corn Bursts – Corn Chex – Wheat Chex – Rice Chex - Sugar Chex – Sugar Frosted Chex - Sugar Crisp – Super Sugar Crisp – Sugar Corn Pops – Corn Krackos – Corn-Fetti – Corny-Snaps – Rice Krispies: Snap !, Crackle !, Pop !, 1939 Rice Krispies Commercial, 1960s Rice Krispies Commercial -Crazy Cow – Crispy Numbers – Crunchy Nuggets – Dinky Donuts – Freakies – Froot Loops – Fruit Brute – Grape-Nuts Flakes – Great Honey Crunchers – Grins & Smiles & Giggles & Laughs – Instant Ralston – Kaboom – Kellogg’s OJ’S – Malted Shreddies – Moonstones – Mr. Wonderfull’s Surprize – Muffets Shredded Wheat – Oat Flakes – Kellogg’s OKs – Orange Kombos – Kellogg’s Pep Wheat Flakes – Pink Panther Flakes – Post Toasties – Puffed Rice – Puffed Wheat – Shredded Ralston – Shredded Wheat – Shredded Wheat Juniors – Sir Grapefellow – Sugar Coated Corn Flakes – Sugar Puffs – Sugar Rice Krinkles – Sugar Sparkled Flakes – Sugar Stars – Cocoa Pebbles – Post Bran Flakes – Kellogg’s Pep Bran Flakes - Cheerios – Grape-Nuts – Life – Lucky Charms – Raisin Bran – Wheaties – Total – Kellogg’s Special K – Team -

Drinks

Frostie Root Beer (1) -- Double-Cola – Fla-Vor-Aid – Flavor Aid (newer) – Jolly Aid – Nu-Grape – Nesbitt’s of California - Coca-Cola (was actually available in the 1950s, in a 26oz. Bottle) -- RC Cola -- Orange Crush – Pepsi - Nehi (in various flavors: Grape, Peach, Cream, Vanilla, Strawberry, Orange, Lemon) – Sun-Rise – Grapette (1), (2) -- Grapico (1) – Yoo-hoo – Kist (1), (2) - Chocolate Soldier – Ski - SunCrest (1), (2), (3) -- 7-Up -- Dr. Pepper – Orangette, Grapette, & Lemonette – Diet-Rite (1) -- Sun-Drop -- Upper 10 (1) -- Up and Up -- Bubble Up (1) – Mission (1), (2), (3) -- Barq’s -- Welch’s – Fanta – Teem (1) -- ‘Lil Brown Jug Hillbilly Brew -- Kickapoo Joy Juice – Moxie – Smile - Mountain Dew (remember “It’ll Tickle Yore Innards” and “Yahoo! It’s Mountain Dew ! ?)” CLICK HERE for the Mountain Dew commercial – Birch Beer – King Stir – Fizz-Nik – Flav-r Straws (with a flavor wafer inside) – Fizzies Soft-Drink Tablets (Buzz ‘N Berry; Groov ‘N Grape; Chug ‘N Cherry; Ooz ‘N Orange; Pop ‘N Punch; Rock ‘N Rootbeer – originally, there was a Hula Punch, Cola, Lemon-Lime, regular Cherry, Grape, Orange, and Root Beer) -- Drink Aid (Pink Lemonade; Pink Lemon; Pink Python; Strawberry; Tropica; Punch; Peach; Orange; Lemon; Lemonade; Kangablue Brew; Grape; Fruit Punch; Cherry; Boppin’ Redbird) – Wyler’s Powdered Soft Drink Mix – Pillsbury Funny Face Drink Mix (Lefty Lemon; Goofy Grape; Rootin’ Tootin’ Raspberry; Injun Orange; Chinese Cherry; Freckle Face Strawberry; Loud Mouth Lime; Chug-A-Lug Chocolate (Injun Orange was later changed to Jolly Olly Orange and Chinese Cherry was later changed to Choo Choo Cherry, to avoid any ethnic conflicts) – others were added later: Baron von Lemon, Captain Black Cherry, Chilly Cherry Cola, Crash Orange, Lefty Lemonade, Loud Mouth Punch, Pistol Pink Lemonade, With-It Watermelon; Rudy Tutti-Frutti, Rah ! Rah ! Rootbeer; Tart ‘N Tangy Lemon, Sir Reginald Lime-Lime, Tart ‘Lil Lemonade, Tangy Orange – CLICK HERE for the Funny Face Commercial) – Shasta – Tab – Fresca – Tang – Hires Root Beer – A & W Root Beer – Mug Root Beer – Canada Dry Ginger Ale – Schwepp’s Tonic Water -- Ovaltine – Bosco (1) – NovelTee Tea Flavored Powdered Drink -- Nufizz (also came in “cartons”) – Big Shot Chocolate – Great Shakes – Clanky Chocolate – Bev Fizz – Fizz-Ade – Miracle Aid – Clanky’s Noom Syrup – Kool Pops – Kool Shake – Pop Drops – Pop Ice – Otter-Ade – Happy Ade - Cocoa Marsh Milk Booster – Gorilla Milk Instant Breakfast (Liquid) – Redi-Magic Milk Shake – Quik Shake – Ship Shake Liquid Cereal - Moo Juice – Lucky Pop – Carnation Instant Breakfast – Metrecal Liquid Meal – Hawaiian Punch (“How’s about a nice Hawaiian punch?”) – Pep Up – Big Giant – Brownie – 76 – Squirt -

Booze

Falstaff Beer (1) – Jax Beer – Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer – Schlitz Beer (Ad 1), (Ad 2) – Billy Beer – Red, White, and Blue Beer (1), (2) – Dixie Beer – Colt 45 Malt Liquor – Miller High Life – Busch Bavarian Beer – J.R. Beer – Mississippi Mud -

Home Products & Personal Care

Wildroot Hair Cream -- Jeris Hair Tonic – Aspercreme -- Old Spice -- Hai Karate (remember the self-defense “instructions” that came with each bottle?) (CLICK HERE for the commercial) -- British Sterling – Brylcreem (“A little dab’ll do ya”) – Vitalis – Jergens Lotion – Brut – Barbasol - Burma Shave –– Pepsodent Toothpaste (“You’ll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent”) – Doan’s Pills – P-S-S-S-S-S-S-T Dry Shampoo – Noxema Medicated Comfort Shave (“Take it off; take it ALL off”) - Salvo Detergent Tablets (about the size of a hockey puck – SALVO COMMERCIAL) – Duz Detergent (with a free dish rag or glassware item) – Oxydol -- OXYDOL COMMERCIAL – Geritol – Sachet Perfume – Enjoli Perfume – Bactine – Bufferin – Excedrin – BC Powder – Stanback Powder – Goody’s Powder -- Liquid Bandage -- Dash – 20 Mule Team Borax – Lux Liquid and bars – Lux Detergent - Lava Soap – Prell Shampoo – Halo Shampoo – Tame Cream Rinse – Toni Wave Hairstyle Kits – St. Joseph’s Orange Chewable Children’s Aspirin – Fletcher’s Castoria – Paregoric – Black Draught Cough Syrup – 666 Tonic – Glo-Coat Floor Wax – Aero Wax - Yuban Coffee – Soltice Quick-Rub (1) – Alberta VO5 – Lustre_Cream – Vel Dishwashing Detergent -- -- Lifebuoy Soap – Real-Kill Insect Spray (in pump bottles and the old “handgun-type sprayer”) – Hot-Shot Insect Killer – Black Flag Insect Killer – Poll Parrot Shoes – Buster Brown Shoes – Keds – Sears Roebuck and Company catalogs that featured pleasure boats, Allstate motor scooters, rifles and shotguns, and an assortment of everything under the sun – Penny Loafers – Platform Shoes – Earth Shoes - Bell-Bottomed Pants – “Pedal Pushers” Stirrup Pants – Nehru Jackets – Monkee “Love Beads” – Wide Watch Bands – Wide Belts – Pamper Shampoo – Body on Tap Beer Shampoo – Milk Plus 6 “Milk” Shampoo – Agree Shampoo -- Fruit-Scented Herbal Essence Shampoo – Jergen’s Lotion – SSS Tonic and Tablets – Father John’s Medicine – Creomulsion Cough Syrup – Absorbine Jr. Liniment (was there ever an Absorbine Sr.?) – Carter’s Little Liver Pills – Doan’s Pills – Tuf-Nut Jeans – Granny Glasses – Dickies – Turtlenecks -- Gleem Toothpaste – Top Job – Ajax (White Tornado) – Mr. Clean – Camay Soap – CB Radios (Whiteface Johnson; Blackface Johnson; Super Magnum Antennas; CLR-II Antennas; Long-John Beam Antennas; Super Sidekick Microphones; Turner Plus 3 Microphones - Walkie Talkies – Toy CB Base Station Radios – Crystal Radios (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) - Rinso Detergent – Haley’s M.O. – Dristan – Anacin – Bromo Seltzer – Alka-Seltzer (“Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz; Oh what a relief it is” (with the “mascot,” Speedy)) – Phillip’s Milk of Magnesia – Ivory Soap (“99 44/100 % pure – So pure, it floats”) – Curtis Mathes Televisions – Black Flag Ant & Roach Spray – Luzianne Coffee – Maxwell House Coffee (“Good to the last drop”) – Folger’s Coffee (with Mrs. Olsen) – Charmin Tissue (“Please don’t squeeze the Charmin” (Mr. Whiffle)) – DX gas – Lion gas – Red Bird gas - Union 76 gas – Cities Service gas - Gulf gas – Humble, Esso, and Enco gas (which combined to form Exxon) – Pan-Am gas – Standard gas – Sinclair gas (with the Sinclair dinosaur) – Imperial gas – Personna Razor Blades – Cold Power detergent – Axion detergent – Sylvania televisions and radios – Breck shampoo – Supp-Hose stockings – Rise shaving cream (went on as a gel, then turned to foam) – Palmolive Rapid Shave - Beacon floor wax – Yuban coffee – Quasar televisions – Gravy Train dog food – Arco gas – Milk Bone dog biscuits – Protein 21 hair spray – Maxim Freeze-Dried Coffee – Spic & Span – Teri paper towels – Ultra-Brite toothpaste – Punch laundry detergent – Super Suds Detergent – Pruf Spray Starch – QT (Quick Tan) – Dove dishwashing liquid – Bonus Detergent (with towel) – Puss ‘N Boots cat food – Godcheaux Sugar - Dippity-Do hair gel – Mennen Skin Bracer – William’s ‘Lectric Shave – Adorn hairspray – Bravura after shave – Borateem laundry detergent – Hot One shaving cream (went on cold, then turned hot once applied) – Lavoris mouthwash – Wilkinson Sword razor blades – Prime dog food – Gaines Burgers – Karo Syrup – S.O.S. Scouring Pads – Kava coffee – Cashmere Bouquet Soap – Biz Detergent – Bubble Club Bubble Bath – Chocks Vitamins – Crazy Foam – Ivory Snow Detergent – Kaiser Foil – Monster Vitamins – One-a-Day Vitamins - Mother Goose Shoes – Palmolive Soap – Pals Vitamins – Scuffy Shoe Polish – Silly Soap – Zestabs Vitamins – Teem Detergent Tablets – Nehru Jackets – Elgin Boat Motors (1), (2), (3) (4)– Allstate Tube Repair Kits – Allstate Under-Dash 45 RPM Car Record Player (1), (2) – Surfer Crosses – Remember wearing your belt buckle on the side? – Speed Queen wringer washers – Maytag wringer washers – Ad Detergent – All Detergent – Tide Detergent (1), (2) – Bold Detergent – Fab Detergent – Cheer Detergent – Wisk Detergent – Hand-Pump Fly Sprayers (1), (2), (3) –

Remember the Bayer Children's Aspirin Commercial of the early 1970s? --
A little boy at the door asks a little girl's mom if her daughter can come out to play. Mom replies that her daughter is sick and can't come out. The boy looks concerned and asks "does she hurt and have a tempature?" Mom replies that she gave her daughter Bayer Children's Aspirin and she would watch over the child to which the boy says with a smile "mothers are like that, yeah they are". CLICK HERE for the commercial.

Smokes & Chews & Dips

Although not HEALTH Care, the old smokes & chews & dips: Kent (with the Micronite filter); Viceroy; Salem (“You can take Salem out of the country but….you can’t take the country out of Salem”) - Raleigh; Old Gold (“Not a cough in a carload”); Chesterfield (“They satisfy” or “Blow some my way”) – Parliament – Oasis – Eve – Lark - L&M (“Just what the doctor ordered”) – Picayune – Spring - Tareyton (“I’d rather fight than switch”) - Silva Thins – Chesterfield 101s (“A silly millimeter longer” – some people claim to remember this as being a Benson & Hedges commercial, but reliable sources indicate that it was, in fact, a Chesterfield 101s ad, which is how I remember it) – Winston Longs responded to the long cigarette ads with “It’s not how long you make it; it’s how you make it long.” - Philip Morris (“Call for Philip M-o-r-r-r-i-s-s”) – Pall Mall (“Over, under, around and through. . .Pall Mall flavor satisfies you” or “Wherever particular people congregate” or “Outstanding…and they are mild”) – Winston (“Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should.” English teachers from around the world complained that the slogan should be “Winston tastes good as a cigarette should.” Winston responded with a counter ad of “Want do you want? Good grammar, or good taste?”). – Camel (“I’d walk a mile for a Camel”) – Marlboro (“Come to Marlboro country,” and “You get a lot to like with a Marlboro, filter flavor, pack or box”) – Virginia Slims (“You’ve come a long way, baby.”) – Lucky Strike (“L.S./M.F.T.” (“Lucky Strike means fine tobacco”)) – Newport (“Alive with pleasure”) – Belair – Bull Duram Tobacco – Bull of the Woods Chewing Tobacco – Garrett Snuff -

Icons

Smokey the Bear (1) – Reddy Kilowatt – STP – Mr. Zip (1), (2) – Jolly Green Giant and Sprout – Pillsbury Doughboy -

1960s Green Giant Commercial 1 1960s Green Giant Commercial 2

Bicycles

Spyder Bikes -- V-rroom Bicycle “Motor” -- Za-zoom Bicycle “Motor” – Sears Bicycle Motors (pressed against the front tire to propel the bike) – Bicycle Sirens – Bicycle Handlebar Streamers – “Colored Rubber” Bicycle Tires -- Schwinn Sting-Ray Bike – V-rroom Bike (motor) - Apple Crate Chopper bicycle (1) – Pushbikes – Sidewalk Scooters (similar to push bikes) (1), (2) (3) – R-R-R-Raw Power Handgrip – Monster Bike Buddy – Bike Console Shifters -

SEE THE V-rroom Commercial HERE

MORE BIKES & STUFF

Apple Krate 1 Apple Krate 2

Cotton Picker 1 Cotton Picker 2

Grey Ghost 1 Grey Ghost 2

Huffy Wheel Bike 1 Huffy Wheel Bike 2

Lemon Peeler 1 Lemon Peeler 2

Orange Krate 1 Orange Krate 2

Pea Picker 1 Pea Picker 2

Sting Ray 1 Sting Ray 2

Wheelie King Add-On Wheelie Bar for Bikes

Wham-O Wheelie Bar Commercial

Motorcycles & Vehicles

LITTLE HONDA
Little Honda
 
By the Hondells
 
I'm gonna wake you up early
Cause I'm gonna take a ride with you
We're going down to the Honda shop
I'll tell you what we're gonna do
Put on a ragged sweatshirt
I'll take you anywhere you want me to
 
First gear (Honda Honda), it's alright (faster faster)
Second gear (little Honda Honda), I lean right (faster faster)
Third gear (Honda Honda), hang on tight (faster faster)
Faster, it's alright
 
It's not a big motorcycle
Just a groovy little motorbike
It's more fun that a barrel of monkeys
That two wheel bike
We'll ride on out of the town
To any place I know you like
 
First gear (Honda Honda), it's alright (faster faster)
Second gear (little Honda Honda), I lean right (faster faster)
Third gear (Honda Honda), hang on tight (faster faster)
Faster, it's alright
 
It climbs the hills like a Matchless
Cause my Honda's built really light
When I go into the turns
Lean [Tilt] with me and hang on tight
I better turn on the lights
So we can ride my Honda tonight
 
First gear (Honda Honda), it's alright (faster faster)
Second gear (little Honda Honda), I lean right (faster faster)
Third gear (Honda Honda), hang on tight (faster faster)
Faster, it's alright
 
First gear (Honda Honda), it's alright (faster faster)
Second gear (little Honda Honda), I lean right (faster faster)
Third gear (Honda Honda), hang on tight (faster faster)
Faster, it's alright

Mini-Bikes (1), (2) – Allstate Motor Scooters (1) – Cushman Scooters – Motobecane Mobylette Mo-Peds (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) – Customized “Chopper” Motorcycles (My Honda 450) – Go-Karts (here’s mine (1), (2)) – Rocket-Powered Go-Karts -- Honda Cub 50 (here’s mine) – Kawasaki H2 750 Mach IV (here’s mine) – Customized Vans (here’s my Ford Econoline (1), (2), (3)) – 1972 Plymouth ‘Cuda 340 4bbl., 4-speed (here’s mine) – Honda V65 Magna (here’s mine (1), (2), and the ad that stated “0 to 55 Faster Than You Can Read This”) – Nissan 300ZX Turbo (here’s mine) – Honda CA77 Dream – Honda 305 – Honda CB 160 – Triumph Bonneville - BSA – Can-Am – Norton – Husqvarna – Benelli – Bridgestone – Allstate – Laverda – BMW – Cagiva – Ducati – Harley Davidson – CZ – Hodaka – Jawa – KTM – Maico – Moto Guzzi – Royald Enfield – Aprilia – Montesa – Bultaco – Indian – Monkeemobile – Honda Express -

More Motorcycles: Honda ZR 50 (1) - Honda Super Cub 50 (1), (2) – Honda Super Sport 50 (1), (2), (3) – Honda CB 50 (1) – Honda Sport 65 (1) - Honda 90 (1), (2) – Honda CB92 125cc Twin (1), (2), (3) – Honda CB 150 Twin (1), (2) – Honda CB 160 Twin (1) – Honda CL77 305 “Dream” (1), (2) – Honda CB 350 (1) – Harley-Davidson 1968 Rapido 125 (1) – Bridgestone Hurricane 175 Scrambler (1), (2), (3) – Honda CB175 – Honda CL450 Scrambler – Honda Passport -

Remember the “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda” Advertisements ?

More motorcycle ads: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12)

Reading Materials

Grit Newspaper – National Geographic Weekly Readers – Dr. Seuss - Boy’s Life Magazine – Highights Magazine – Mad Magazine (with Alfred E. Newman) – Jack & Jill – Cracked Magazine – 16 Magazine – Fifteen Magazine – Flip Teen Magazine – Teen World Magazine – Heathkit Catalog – Allied Electronic Catalogs – Creepy Magazines – Hot Rod Magazines – Reader’s Digest – Twisted Magazines – Weird Magazines – Warped Magazines – Eerie Magazines – Crazy Magazines – Panic Magazines – Witchcraft Magazine –

Bobbsey Twins Series

By Laura Lee Hope (Ghostwriter)

Character Information: There are two sets of twins in the Bobbsey family; Nan and Bert, 8, and Flossie and Freddie, age 4. Mr. Bobbsey is a lumber merchant, and Mrs. Bobbsey has no first name. Their two colored servants are Sam and Dinah. Their family sometimes includes Aunt Sally Pry. The Bobbsey’s pets are their cat Snoop, who mysteriously changes sexes throughout the series, and their dog Snap, who changes names throughout the series, as well. The “local” bully is Danny Rugg, who later becomes friends with the Bobbsey Twins, and then reverts to his bullish ways once more. The Bobbseys live in Lakeport, at the head of Lake Metoka.

1. The Bobbsey Twins; 2. In the Country; 3. At the Seashore; 4. At School; 5. At Snow Lodge; 6. On A Houseboat; 6. At Meadow Brook; 8. At Home; 9. In a Great City; 10. On Blueberry Island; 11. On the Deep Blue Sea; 12. In Washington; 13. In the Great West; 14. At Cedar Camp; 15. At the Country Fair; 16. Camping Out; 17. And Baby May; 18. Keeping House; 19. At Clover Bank; 20. At Cherry Corners; 21. And Their School Mates; 22. Treasure Hunting; 23. At Spruce Lake; 24. Wonderful Secret; 25. At the Circus; 26. On an Airplane Trip; 27. Solve a Mystery; 28. On a Ranch; 29. In Eskimo Island; 30. In a Radio Play; 31. At a Windmill Cottage; 32. At Lighthouse Point; 33. At Indian Hollow; 34. At the Ice Carnival; 35. In the Land Of Cotton; 36. In Echo Valley; 37. On the Pony Trail; 38. At Mystery Mansion; 39. At Sugar Maple Hill; 40. In Mexico; 41. Toy Shop; 42. In Tulip Island; 43. In Rainbow Valley; 44. Own Little Railroad; 45. At White Sail Harbor; 46. And the Horseshoe Riddle; 47. At Big Bear Pond; 48. On a Bicycle Trip; 49. Own Little Ferryboat; 50. At Pilgrim Rock; 51. Forest Adventure; 52. At London Tower; 53. In the Mystery Cave; 54. In Volcano Land; 55. And the Goldfish Mystery; 56. And the Big River Mystery; 57. And the Greek Hat Mystery; 58. Search for the Green Rooster; 59. And Their Camel Adventure; 60. Mystery of the King’s Puppet; 61. And the Secret of Candy Castle; 62. And the Doodlebug Bystery; 63. And the Talking Fox Mystery; 64. The Red, White & Blue Mystery; 65. Dr. Funnybone’s Secret; 66. And the Tagalong Giraffe; 67. And the Flying Clown; 68. On the Sun-Moon Cruise; 69. The Freedom Bell Mystery; 70. The Smokey Mountain Mystery; 71. In a TV Mystery Show; 72. The Coral Turtle Mystery

Hardy Boys Series

By Franklin W. Dixon (Ghostwriter)

Character Information: Fenton Hardy, former detective for the New York Police Department, is now operating independently as a private investigator. Laura Hardy is Fenton’s wife, and mother of Frank and Joe. Frank, 18, and Joe, 17, also are aspiring young detectives. The Hardy’s live in Bayport. Fenton’s sister, Aunt Gertrude, lives with them and often worries about their adventures. Other characters are: Chief Ezra Collig of the Bayport Police Department; Oscar Smuff, a bumbling private-eye; Sam Radley, Fenton’s operative; and Jack Wayne, Fenton’s pilot. Frank and Joe’s friends are: Allen “Biff” Hopper, Tony Prito, Callie Shaw (Frank’s girlfriend), and Iola Morton (Joe’s girlfriend), who is the sister of one of their closest friends, Chet Morton. Chet is a stocky lad, who likes to eat, and is always falling victim to some scheme. Throughout the series, Chet is an astrologer, airplane builder, taxidermist, fly-fishing lure maker, scholar of Indian heritage, propeller sled builder, ventriloquist, skin diver, spelunker, painter, shot-putter, magician, scrimshaw cutter, self-defense expert, boomerang maker, golf-ball scavenger, film-maker, hot air balloonist, gold artifact hunter/expert, and a model rocket builder. Chet abandons each of these hobbies when they become too complicated or when he picks up a different hobby.

1. The Tower Treasure; 2. The House On The Cliff; 3. The Secret Of The Old Mill; 4. The Missing Chums; 5. Hunting For Hidden Gold; 6. The Shore Road Mystery; 7. The Secret Of The Caves; 8. The Mystery Of Cabin Island; 9. The Great Airport Mystery; 10. What Happened At Midnight; 11. While The Clock Ticked; 12. Footprints Under The Window; 13. The Mark On The Door; 14. The Hidden Harbor Mystery; 15. The Sinister Sign Post; 16. A Figure In Hiding; 17. The Secret Warning; 18. The Twisted Claw; 19. The Disappearing Floor; 20. The Mystery Of The Flying Express; 21. The Clue Of The Broken Blade; 22. The Flickering Torch Mystery; 23. The Melted Coins; 24. The Short-Wave Mystery; 25. The Secret Panel; 26. The Phantom Freighter; 27. The Secret Of Skull Mountain; 28. The Sign Of The Crooked Arrow; 29. The Secret Of The Lost Tunnel; 30. The Wailing Siren Mystery; 31. The Secret Of Wildcat Swamp; 32. The Crisscross Shadow; 33. The Yellow Feather Mystery; 34. The Hooded Hawk Mystery; 35. The Clue In The Embers; 36. The Secret Of Pirate’s Hill; 37. The Ghost At Skeleton Rock; 38. The Mystery At Devil’s Paw; 39. The Mystery Of The Chinese Junk; 40. Mystery Of The Desert Giant; 41. The Clue Of The Screeching Owl; 42. The Viking Symbol Mystery; 43. The Mystery Of The Aztec Warrior; 44. The Haunted Fort; 45. The Mystery Of The Spiral Bridge; 46. The Secret Agent On Flight 101; 47. Mystery Of The Whale Tattoo; 48. The Arctic Patrol Mystery; 49. The Bombay Boomerang; 50. Danger On Vampire Trail; 51. The Masked Monkey; 52. The Shattered Helmet; 53. The Clue Of The Hissing Serpent; 54. The Mysterious Caravan; 55. The Witch-Master’s Key; 56. The Jungle Pyramid; 57. The Firebird Rocket; 58. The Sting Of The Scorpion; The Hardy Boys Detective Handbook

Happy Hollisters Series

By Jerry West (Ghostwriter)

Character Information: Mr. & Mrs. Hollister, the parents of the five Hollister children, seem to have no first name; Pete Hollister, 12; Pam Hollister, 10; Ricky Hollister, 7; Holly Hollister, 6; Sue Hollister, age 4. Their pets are Zip the Collie, and White-Nose the cat. The Hollisters live on Pine Lake in Shoreham. Mr. Hollister owns the Trading Post (a combination hardware, sports and toy shop), and Mrs. Hollister is a housewife. Roy Tinker is Mr. Hollister’s hired hand at the Trading Post. Dave Mead, 12, is Pete’s best friend, and Ann Hunter, 10, is the best friend of Pam. Uncle Russ Hollister (Mr. Hollister’s brother – which has a first name), his wife Marge, and their two children Teddy and Jean, often share in the Hollisters’ adventures. Officer Cal Newberry is a friend of the Hollisters, and a policeman on the Shoreham Police Department. Joey Brill and Will Wilson are the local bullies and are constantly causing trouble for the Hollister children. Meet the Hollisters.

1. The Happy Hollisters; 2. The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip; 3. The Happy Hollisters at Sea Gull Beach; 4. The Happy Hollisters and the Indian Treasure; 5. The Happy Hollisters at Mystery Mountain; 6. The Happy Hollisters at Snowflake Camp; 7. The Happy Hollisters and the Trading Post Mystery; 8. The Happy Hollisters at Circus Island; 9. The Happy Hollisters and the Secret Fort; 10. The Happy Hollisters at Pony Hill Farm; 11. The Happy Hollisters and the Merry-Go-Round Mystery; 12. The Happy Hollisters and the Old Clipper Ship; 13. The Happy Hollisters at Lizard Cove; 14. The Happy Hollisters and the Scarecrow Mystery; 15. The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Totem Faces; 16. The Happy Hollisters and the Ice Carnival Mystery; 17. The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery in Skyscraper City; 18. The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Little Mermaid; 19. The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery at Missle Town; 20. The Happy Hollisters and the Cowboy Mystery; 21. The Happy Hollisters and the Haunted House Mystery; 22. The Happy Hollisters and the Secret of the Lucky Coins; 23. The Happy Hollisters and the Castle Rock Mystery; 24. The Happy Hollisters and the Cuckoo Clock Mystery; 25. The Happy Hollisters and the Swiss Echo Mystery; 26. The Happy Hollisters and the Sea Turtle Mystery; 27. The Happy Hollisters and the Punch and Judy Mystery; 28. The Happy Hollisters and the Whistle Pig Mystery; 29. The Happy Hollisters and the Ghost Horse Mystery; 30. The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Golden Witch; 31. The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Mexican Idol; 32. The Happy Hollisters and the Monster Mystery; 33. The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Midnight Trolls

Nancy Drew Series

By Carolyn Keene (Ghostwriter)

Character Information: Nancy Drew, 18, lost her mother as a small child, and lives with her father, attorney Carson Drew, who treats her as an equal, rather than as a daughter. The Drew family live in River Heights. Their servant is Hannah Gruen. Nancy’s pets are her pet Terrier, Togo, and her cat, Snowball, who only appeared in Volume 17. Nancy’s friends are Helen Corning, a boorish girl, who was later dropped from the series; her cousins, George Fayne and Bess Marvin; and her boyfriend, Ned Nickerson.

1. The Secret of the Old Clock; 2. The Hidden Staircase; 3. The Bungalow Mystery; 4. The Mystery at Lilac Inn; 5. The Secret of Shadow Ranch; 6. The Secret of Red Gate Farm; 7. The Clue in the Diary; 8. Nancy’s Mysterious Letter; 9. The Sign of the Twisted Candles; 10. The Password to Larkspur Lane; 11. The Clue of the Broken Locket; 12. The Message in the Hollow Oak; 13. The Mystery of the Ivory Charm; 14. The Whispering Statue; 15. The Haunted Bridge; 16. The Clue of the Tapping Heels; 17. The Mystery of the Brass Bound Trunk; 18. The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion; 19. The Quest of the Missing Map; 20. The Clue in the Jewel Box; 21. The Secret in the Old Attic; 22. The Clue in the Crumbling Wall; 23. The Mystery of the Tolling Bell; 24. The Clue in the Old Album; 25. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall; 26. The Clue of the Leaning Chimney; 27. The Secret of the Wooden Lady; 28. The Clue of the Black Keys; 29. The Mystery at the Ski Jump; 30. The Clue of the Velvet Mask; 31. The Ringmaster’s Ring; 32. The Scarlet Slipper Mystery; 33. The Witch Tree Symbol; 34. The Hidden Window Mystery; 35. The Haunted Showboat; 36. The Secret of the Golden Pavillion; 37. The Clue in the Stagecoach; 38. The Mystery of the Fire Dragon; 39. The Clue of the Dancing Puppet; 40. The Moonstone Castle Mystery; 41. The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes; 42. The Phantom of Pine Hill; 43. The Mystery of the 99 Steps; 44. The Clue in the Crossword Cypher; 45. The Spider Sapphire Mystery; 46. The Invisible Intruder; 47. The Mysterious Mannequin; 48. The Crooked Bannister; 49. The Secret of Mirror Bay; 50. The Double Jinx Mystery; 51. The Mystery of the Glowing Eye; 52. The Secret of the Forgotten City; 53. The Sky Phantom; 54. Strange Message in the Parchment; 55. Mystery of Crocodile Island; 56. The Thirteenth Pearl

Dana Girls Series

By Carolyn Keene (Ghostwriter)

Character Information: Louise, 17, is dark-haired and serious-minded (similar to Frank Hardy), and Jean, 16, is fair and impetuous (similar to Joe Hardy). In reality, the Dana Girls are a combination of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys’ characters. In almost every episode, the girls commingle with Uncle Ned, a ship captain, and his sister, Aunt Harriet and attend Starhurst Academy, an upscale boarding school for girls. Their mysteries are often intermingled with school dances, classes, dorm rooms and other school activities. Louise and Jean were always accompanied by their best friend Evelyn Starr, a fellow student whose family owned the Starhurst Estate before it was converted to Starhurst Academy. Chris and Ken were the Dana girls’ boyfriends in some of the episodes and their arch-rivals were Lettie Briggs and Ina Mason. There were 30 volumes in the First Series (1934-1944 , where it stopped for 8 years, probably because of WWII, and resumed from 1952 to 1968) and 17 volumes in the Second Series (1972-1979). Leslie McFarlane wrote volumes 1 – 4; Mildred Wirt Benson wrote volumes 5 – 16; and Harriet Adams wrote volumes 17 – 30; all under the mystery writer name of “Carolyn Keene.” The first 13 books of the Second Series were updated versions of books in the First Series. In 1962, Parker Brothers made a Dana Girls board game based on Volume 19, The Winking Ruby Mystery. This game is scarce and is considered highly collectible.

First Series

1. By the Light of the Study Lamp; 2. Secret of Lone Tree Cottage; 3. In the Shadow of the Tower; 4. Three-Cornered Mystery; 5. Secret at the Hermitage; 6. Circle of Footprints; 7. Mystery of the Locked Room; 8. Clue in the Cobweb; 9. Secret at the Gatehouse; 10. The Mysterious Fireplace; 11. Clue of the Rusty Key; 12. Portrait in the Sand; 13. Secret of the Old Well; 14. Clue in the Ivy; 15. Secret of the Jade Ring; 16. Mystery at the Crossroads; 17. Ghost in the Gallery; 18. Clue of the Black Flower; 19. Winking Ruby Mystery; 10. Secret of the Swiss Chalet; 21. Haunted Lagoon; 22. Mystery of the Bamboo Bird; 23. Sierra Gold Mystery; 24. Secret of the Lost Lake; 25. Mystery of the Stone Tiger; 26. Riddle of the Frozen Fountain; 27. Secret of the Silver Dolphin; 28. Mystery of the Wax Queen; 29. Secret of the Minstrel’s Guitar; 30. The Phantom Surfer

Second Series

1. Mystery of the Stone Tiger; 2. Riddle of the Frozen Fountain; 3. Secret of the Silver Dolphin; 4. Mystery of the Wax Queen; 5. Secret of the Minstrel’s Guitar; 6. The Phantom Surfer; 7. Secret of the Swiss Chalet; 8. Haunted Lagoon; 9. Mystery of the Bamboo Bird; 10. Sierra Gold Mystery; 11. Secret of Lost Lake; 12. Winking Ruby Mystery; 13. Ghost in the Gallery; 14. Curious Coronation; 15. Hundred-Year Mystery; 16. Mountain-Peak Mystery; 17. The Witch's Omen

Tom Swift, Jr. Series

By Victor Appleton II (Ghostwriter)

Character Information: The Swift family includes Mr. Tom Swift, Sr., Mrs. Mary “Nestor” Swift, Sandra “Sandy” Swift, and Tom Swift, Jr. Tom is an inventor, like his father, who owns Swift Enterprises. The Swifts live in Shopton, and have two pet bloodhounds, Caesar and Brutus. Other characters are: Miss Trent, secretary to Tom Sr.; Harlan Ames, Chief Security Officer; Hank Sterling, Chief Engineer; Arvil “Arv” Hansen, head of the Swift model-making division; Phil Radnor, Security Assistant at Swift Enterprises; “Uncle” New Newton, Mr. Swift’s oldest friend; and Charlie “Chow” Winkler, the Swift’s cook on all their expeditions. Tom Jr.’s best friend and co-pilot is Bud Barclay. Tom Jr.’s girlfriend is Phyllis Newton, daughter of “Uncle” New Newton, and best friend of Tom’s sister, Sandy.

1. Tom Swift and His Flying Lab; 2. And His Jetmarine; 3. And His Rocket Ship; 4. And His Giant Robot; 5. And His Atomic Earth Blaster; 6. And His Outpost in Space; 7. And His Diving Seacopter; 8. In the Caves of Nuclear Fire; 9. On the Phantom Satellite; 10. And His Ultrasonic Cycloplane; 11. And His Deep-Sea Hydrodome; 12. In the Race to the Moon; 13. And His Space Solartron; 14. And His Electronic Retroscope; 15. And His Spectromarine Selector; 16. And the Cosmic Astronauts; 17. And the Visitor From Planet X; 18. And the Electronic Hydrolung; 19. And His Triphibian Atomicar; 20. And His Megascope Space Prober; 21. And the Asteroid Pirates; 22. And His Repelatron Skyway; 23. And His Aquatomic Tracker; 24. And His 3-D Telejector; 25. And His Polar-Ray Dynasphere; 26. And His Sonic Boom Trap; 27. And His Subocean Geotron; 28. And the Mystery Comet; 29. And the Captive Planetoid; 30. And His G-Force Inverter; 31. And His Dyna-4 Capsule; 32. And His Cosmotron Express; 33. And the Galaxy Ghosts; Tom Swift, Jr. Activity Book

Adventure Series

by Troy Nesbit

The Diamond Cave Mystery; The Jinx of Payrock Canyon; The Forest Fire Mystery;

The Indian Mummy Mystery; The Mystery at Rustler’s Fort; The Sand Dune Pony

Lassie Series

(Partial List)

Forbidden Valley; The Secret of the Summer; Lassie Finds a Way; Lassie’s Great Adventure; The Mystery at Blackberry Bog

Pre-School Series

Little Golden Books, Mickey Mouse Club Books, School Textbooks, and Others: Three Little Pigs; Three Billy Goats Gruff; My Little Golden Book About God; Bugs Bunny; Captain Kangaroo; The Country Mouse and the City Mouse; Donald Duck’s Adventure; Donald Duck and Santa Claus; Donald Duck and the Witch; The Five Chinese Brothers; Frosty the Snowman; Fury; The Fuzzy Duckling; The Gingerbread Man; The Little Red Hen; Chicken Little; Little Black Sambo; Our Flag; Pussy Willow; Santa’s Toy Shop; The Shy Little Kitten; Smokey the Bear; The Three Little Kittens; Tom and Jerry; The Ugly Duckling; Uncle Remus; Woody Woodpecker; Peter Cottontail; Billy’s Neighbors; Billy’s Friends; Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel; The Little Engine That Could;

More of my Favorite Literature

The Highwayman; The Cask of Amontillado; The Tell-Tale Heart; The Raven; The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; So We’ll Go No More A-Roving; The Oblong Box; The Monkey’s Paw; Gustav, Son of Franz; Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield; Robinson Crusoe; Ivanhoe; Swiss Family Robinson; The Three Musketeers; War of the Worlds; The Time Machine; Le Morte D’Arthur; Beowulf; ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus; Dracula; Frankenstein; The Invisible Man; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Hans Christian Andersen Tales; Brothers Grimm Tales; and, of course, Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes; Highlights Magazine; Weekly Reader Magazine

CLICK HERE FOR THE TEXT OF SOME OF MY FAVORITES

Comics

Batman -- Superman -- Justice League of America -- Flash -- Green Lantern -- Doom Patrol -- World’s Finest -- The Brave and the Bold -- Detective Comics -- Action Comics -- Adventure Comics -- Atom -- Showcase Presents the Metal Men -- Superboy -- Captain Atom -- Captain Action -- Fantastic Four -- Spider Man -- Mighty Thor -- Incredible Hulk -- X-Men -- Magnus the Robot Fighter -- Teen Titans -- Legion of Super Heroes -- The Avengers -- Aquaman -- Challengers of the Unknown -- Metamorpho the Element Man -- Captain America -- Blackhawk -- Sgt. Fury -- Blue Beetle -- Popeye -- Journey into Mystery -- Daredevil -- Iron Man -- Tales to Astonish -- Hot Stuff -- The Defenders -- Marvel Tales -- Jimmy Olsen -- Doctor Strange -- Silver Surfer -- Strange Tales (with Nick Fury) -- Sea Devils -- Tales of Suspense -- The Phantom -- Richie Rich -- Sad Sack -- Archie -- Beetle Bailey -- Spectre -- Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner -- Supergirl -- Green Arrow -- Wonder Woman -- J’onn J’onzz, The Martian Manhunter -- House of Mystery -- Hawkman -- Lois Lane -- Inferior Five -- Man from U.N.C.L.E. -- Dr. Fate and Hourman -- The Phantom Stranger -- Wendy -- Casper -- Sgt. Rock (Our Army at War) -- Little Lulu -- Little Lotta -- Little Dot -- Little Audrey -- Baby Huey -- Doctor Solar: Man of the Atom -- 3-D Comics and 3-D Glasses – Out of the Shadows – Plastic Man – Rat Patrol – Shazam ! – Bonanza – Roy Rogers – Smokey the Bear – Kid Colt, Outlaw – Matt Slade, Gunfighter – Outlaw Kid – Rawhide Kid – Ringo Kid – Two Gun Kid – Uncle Scrooge -

Comic Trivia

POPEYE first appeared in 1933, in a Betty Boop cartoon, appropriately entitled “Popeye the Sailor.” The love of Popeye’s life, Olive Oyl, was the daughter of Cole and Nana Oyl, and had one brother, Castor Oyl. Olive’s voice was done by Mae Questel, who also did the voice of Betty Boop. Swee’Pea was an “orphink,” adopted by Popeye, after being abandoned. Many characters made regular appearances on the show: Wimpy (“I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today”), Bluto/Brutus, the Sea Hag, Alice the Goon, Eugene the “Jeep,” and Popeye’s quadruplet nephews (Peepeye, Poopeye, Pipeye, and Pupeye), whose origin remains a mystery. Popeye appeared in at least 3 “long” cartoons – around 15 to 20 minutes each: Aladdin and His Magic Lamp; Popeye Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves; and Popeye Meets Sindbad the Sailor. The U.S. Army adopted the name “Jeep” for their military vehicle from Eugene the Jeep, due to it’s “go anywhere” capabilities. There are rumors that the word “goon” was first used on Popeye. Brutus was originally named Bluto and Olive Oyl was always ugly. The Popeye characters were fashioned after real people. Popeye eventually got his own brand of Spinach. Popeye’s group is shown HERE.

The Popeye Song

I'm Popeye the sailorman,

I'm Popeye the sailorman,

I'm strong to the finich,

Cause I eats my spinach,

I'm Popeye the sailorman.

I'm one tough gazookas,

Which hates all palookas,

Who ain't on the ups and square,

I biffs em and boffs em,

And always outroughs em,

And none of ‘em gets nowhere.

If anyone dasses to risk me fisks,

It's boff and it's wham unnerstand?

So keep good behavior,

It's your one life-saver,

With Popeye the sailorman.

I'm Popeye the sailorman,

I'm Popeye the sailorman,

I'm strong to the finich,

Cause I eats my spinach,

I'm Popeye the sailorman !

SUPERMAN had three known weaknesses: (1) Kryptonite, which was radioactive rock that plummeted to Earth when Krypton exploded. It was available in various forms: Green (which killed him), Red (which affected him differently for 24 – 48 hours with each exposure), Blue (which killed Bizarros), White (which killed plant life), Yellow (which was fake), Silver (which was also fake), Anti- (effects unknown), X- (effects unknown), Jewel (which focused his telepathic abilities) and Gold (which removed his powers forever). There was probably Chartreuse Kryptonite with a Mauve Paisley Pattern, that he never discovered, as well. (2) Magic, mystical assult or spell (3) A Red Sun. Superman’s derived his powers from Earth’s Yellow Sun. Although he fought hundreds of villains, several seemed to give him fits: Gorilla Grodd, Lex Luthor, Brainac, and Solomon Grundy. In addition to villains, he was plagued one “pest,” in particular: Mr. Mxyzptlk, who would only disappear if Superman could trick him into saying his name backwards (which Superman managed to do many times). evidently, Mr. Mxyzptlk never caught on, and fell for it every time, in one way or another. Superman built the “Fortress of Solitude” in the Arctic, and often visited the City of Kandor, a miniaturized Kryptonian city, that was stored in a bottle at the fortress. Kryptonian criminals that managed to escape when Krypton exploded, were usually sentenced to eternity in the Phantom Zone, by the use of a special “projector.” Superman, Superboy, and Supergirl (Superman’s cousin, known by the “Earth” name of Linda Danvers) also had several “Super-Pets;” Krypto, the Super-Dog (who masqueraded as “Chip,” Clark Kent’s dog, and had his own “Doghouse of Solitude” in outer space); Streaky the Super-Cat; Comet, the Super-Horse, who eventually assumed a human form and married Supergirl (I won’t even comment on that one); and Beppo, the Super-Monkey, who was tricked into the far reaches of space by Superman, because he always caused so much trouble on Earth. It took Beppo years to find his way back to Earth (also see Revolt of the Super Pets). Superman’s friends on Earth were Perry White (Editor of the Daily Planet, where Kent worked), Lana Lang, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen. Lana and Lois were also Superman/Clark Kent’s love interests. When exposed to a particular color of Kryptonite (I forgot which), Superman would “produce” an alter-ego called Bizzaro, which had a very low I.Q., and was exactly the opposite of Superman – evil, ugly, and stupid – proving that nothing’s changed with today’s criminals. Superman lived in Smallville, as a foster son of Mr. and Mrs. Kent, when he was a boy, but moved to Metropolis (New York City) as an adult – a classic example of “country boy, done good.”

BATMAN, however was the man. Although he had no super-powers like Superman, he had the gadgets: Batmobile, Bat-Boat, Bat-Copter, Bat-Cycle, Bat-Sub; Batarang; and the BatCave. Give me the gadgets any day. He was a multi-millionaire and had a butler (Alfred) to clean up after him at home, and Robin, the Boy Wonder, to take his crap while crime-fighting. Batman’s pet dog, Ace, was also “Bat-Hound,” Like Superman, he was plagued by a pest called “Bat-Mite,” a Batman wannabe, who always got in the way. Batman’s main enemies were the Joker, Two-Face, the Riddler, Cat-Woman, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy (later) and the Penguin. His/Bruce Wayne’s main friends seemed to be Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara, not counting, of course, every available woman (including Bat-Woman and Bat-Girl) in Gotham City (which, like Metropolis, was probably New York City). Also, in 1966, Batman had that cool song, which could be heard every week; same Bat-Time, same Bat-Channel. To hear it, click HERE.

The TEEN TITANS were a group of teenaged Super-Heroes, composed originally of Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad. They were later joined by Wonder Girl and Speedy (Green Arrow’s kid partner).

The LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES were a diverse group of teenaged crime-fighters, with various powers and from various worlds. The original members were Lightning Lad, Cosmic Boy and Saturn Girl. Over the Pre-Crisis (Silver-Age) years, the roster included: Cosmic Boy, Lightning Boy/Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Triplicate Girl/Duo Damsel, Phantom Girl, Chameleon Boy, Colossal Boy, Invisible Kid, Supergirl, Brainiac 5, Superboy, Reflecto/Ultra Boy, Pete Ross/Sir Prize/Star Boy, Shrinking Violet, Bouncing Boy, Marvel Lad/Mon-El, Matter-Eater Lad, Mystery Lad/Element Lad, Light Lass/Lightning Lass, Miss Terious/Dream Girl, Command Kid (expelled as a criminal), Dynamo Boy (expelled as a criminal), Cosmic King (expelled as a criminal). Lightning Lord (expelled as a criminal), Saturn Queen (expelled as a criminal), Blackout Boy (expelled as a criminal), Magnetic Kid I (expelled as a criminal), Ferro Lad, Karate Kid, Nemesis Kid (expelled as a criminal), Princess/Queen Projectra/Sensor Girl, Shadow Lass, Chemical King, Timber Wolf, Wildfire, Tyroc, Dawnstar, Blok, Invisible Kid II, White Witch, Magnetic Kid II, Polar Boy, Quislet, and Tellus. The Legion of Super-Pets (Krypto the Super-Dog, Comet the Super-Horse/Biron the Bowman (in human form), Streaky the Super-Cat, and Beppo the Super-Monkey) and Proty II/Blockade Boy II (Proty II was Chameleon Boy’s Protean pet), Kid Psycho and Insect Queen/Lana Lang, were members of the Legion Reserve. Porcupine Pete, Polar Boy, Night Girl, Chlorophyll Kid, Fire Lad, Stone Boy, Color Kid and Infectious Lass, were members of the Legion of Substitute Heroes. The Substitute Auxillary members included Antennae Lad and Double-Header. Many, if not all, of the Substitute Heroes or Substitute Auxillary members were eventually made members of the Legion Reserve. Jimmy Olsen and Rond Vidar were honorary members of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA (Golden Age) – Original members included Atom I, Dr. Fate, Flash I, Green Lantern I, Hawkman, Hourman, Sandman, Superman (guest member), Batman (guest member), and Spectre. Later members included Plastic Man, Johnny Thunder, Starman, Dr. Mid-Nite, Wonder Woman III (Hippolyta), Mr. Terrific, Wildcat, Black Canary I.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (Silver Age)– Original members were Aquaman, Black Canary II, Flash II, Green Lantern II, and the Martian Manhunter. Superman and Batman were honorary members, and Hawkman was replaced by his Golden-Age counterpart. Wonder Woman later joined. My favorite issues were the “Crisis” series.

THE DEFENDERS: Original members were Dr. Strange, Hulk, Sub-Mariner.

THE AVENGERS: Original members were Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Ant Man, Wasp.

THE X-MEN: Original members were Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel. They were led by Dr. Xavier.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: Original members were Mr. Fantastic, the Thing (“It’s Clobberin’ Time), Invisible Girl, the Human Torch.

THE INVADERS: Original members were the original Human Torch, Toro, Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and (arguably) Bucky.

THE CHAMPIONS: Original Members were Hercules, Black Widow, Iceman, Angel, Ghost Rider.

THE METAL MEN: Original members were Tin, Lead, Gold, Iron, Mercury and the female robot, Tina (Platinum). They were led by Doc Magnus.

THE CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN: Original members were Kyle “Ace” Morgan (test pilot), Matthew “Red Ryan” (mountain-climber/daredevil), Leslie “Rocky” Davis (heavyweight boxing champ), and Prof Haley (underwater explorer).

THE DOOM PATROL: The Doom Patrol first appeared in the 80th issue of My Greatest Adventure, a DC comic that had hitherto featured non-series fantasy stories (usually told in the first person). There were four members. Racecar driver Cliff Steele had survived a near-fatal crash only to wake up in the hospital and find his brain had been transplanted from his ruined body to that of a powerful robot. Actress Rita Farr's career was ruined when a chemical accident caused her body to grow and shrink — she eventually got the transformations under control, but by then the movie industry had forgotten her. Pilot Larry Traynor had a weird accident that gave him the power to control a powerful energy being, but cut him off from the rest of humanity by making him dangerously radioactive. Robotman, Elasti-Girl and Negative Man, as they came to be called, were brought together by a mysterious figure who, at first, identified himself only as "The Chief". The name chosen for the group reflected the bitterness engendered by their estrangement from the world.

THE BLACKHAWKS: The Blackhawks were introduced in the August, 1941 issue of "Military Comics." Drawn by Chuck Cuidera, and later Reed Crandall and other artists, the Blackhawks were an international band of volunteers whose mission was to fight the Nazis. Each volunteer brought a special talent to the team that complemented strengths of the other members. They were a finely tuned fighting machine as ruthless and efficient as their Nazi foes. The characters' physical features, language, and personalities tended to be stereotyped by nationality. Their leader was Blackhawk, a native of Poland until the United States entered the war, at which point he became the handsome, authoritative American. Joining him were Andre, the suave and romantic Frenchman; Olaf, a large, "dumb Swede;" Hendrick, also known as Hendrickson, an older, stout Dutchman; Stanislaus, the Pole, who was the only member given any notable degree of individuality--perhaps because his namesake, comic artist Stan Powell, was himself of Polish extraction; Chuck, another American added to the Blackhawk team after the United States entered the war; and finally, the loyal, subordinate Chinese sidekick, Chop-Chop.

The Sidekicks: Many of the Super-Heroes had Sidekicks. Here are a few: Superman – Jimmy Olsen; Green Arrow – Speedy; Captain America – Bucky; Martian Manhunter – Zook; Batman – Robin; Flash – Kid Flash.

Remember the Green Lantern Oath? “ In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight ! Let those who worship evil’s might, beware my power . . . Green Lantern’s light!”

Toys and Games

Pogo Sticks -- Wheelo -- Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun -- Daisy Pump BB Gun -- Skates – “Hang-Ten” Skateboards and others (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) – Motorized Skateboards (1), (2) -- Mighty Mo Cannon -- Super Snooper Periscope -- M-80s -- Cherry Bombs -- Thinkatron Computer -- Johnny Seven O.M.A. (One-Man Army) (1), (2) -- Super Helmet 7 -- 007 Attache Case -- Secret Sam Attaché Case -- Time Bomb -- AgentMZero Spy Camera/Pistol -- Johnny Eagle Pistol -- Vac-U-Form -- ThingMaker -- Creepy Crawler -- Mattel Power Shop (here’s more (1), (2), (3), (4), (5))-- Lie Detector --– Slinky – Wham-O Superball (1), (2) – Wham-O Frisbee - Wham-O Boomerang (1)-- Duncan Yo-Yo’s -- Clackers -- Play-Doh -- Silly Putty (1), (2) -- Pix Pix Pick-up Sticks – Pixie-Magic Magnetic Pic-up Stix - Barrel of Monkeys -- Magic 8-Ball -- Ouija Board (1), (2), (3) -- Kreskin’s ESP Game -- Getaway Chase Game (1), (2), (3), (4), (5)-- Booby Trap Game -- Joy Buzzers -- Magic Rocks (1), (2), (3) -- Rubber-band Balsa Airplanes Photo 1 - - Photo 2 – Photo 3 – Balsa Glider Planes Photo 1 – Photo 2 -- “Remote Control” Battery powered Airplanes (1), (2) and Helicopters -- Parachute Blow Toy – Marx Cape Canaveral Atomic Missile Base (1), (2) - Cox .049 Airplanes -- Lionel Trains (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) – Marx Trains – Other Trains - Viewmaster Viewers (1) and Projectors (1), (2) – Underwater “Baking Soda Propelled” Submarines (1), (2), (3) and Diving Frogmen (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9) – Fort Knox Bank and Safe – Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head (used real potatoes) – Frenchy the Fry – Cooky the Cucumber – Katie the Carrot - Cootie (1), (2) – Gyroscope (1), (2), (3) – G.I. Joe – Wham-O Shoop-Shoop Hula Hoop (1) – Etch-A-Sketch – Whitman 4-5-6 Pick-Up Sticks – Don’t Spill the Beans Game – Uncle Wiggily Game (1), (2), (3) – Candyland Game – Mouse Trap Game (1) – Kaboom Game – Clue Game – Aggravation Game – Concentration Game – Stratego Game – Dominoes – Old Maid Cards – Rook – Spirograph (1), (2) – Super Spirograph – Risk Game – Potato Gun – Sneezing Powder – Halloween Noisemakers (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24), (25) - Halloween Masks (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) - Black Lights – Strobe Lights – Hole-in-the-Head Game - Fly-Eating Plants (Venus Fly Traps) – Gumby and Pokey (1), (2) - Sea Monkeys – Magic Soap Powder – Stretch Armstrong – Monster Magnets – Trick Hot Gum – Stink Bombs – Whoopie Cushions – Pedal Cars – Hot Wheels – Big Wheel – Remco Barracuda Submarine – Rock-‘Em, Sock-‘Em Robots – Toy Service Stations (1), (2), (3) - Frosty Sno-Man Sno-Cone Machine – Easy Bake Ovens – Hartz “Teach Your Parakeet to Talk” records (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) – Tinker-Toys (1) – Lincoln Logs – Lego – Mr. Microphone – Stilts – Trampolines – Crazy Clock Game – Rock Tumblers – Sea Horses – Pet Turtles – Microscopes – Telescopes – Chemical Sets – Slot Cars – Erector Sets – Coon Skin Caps -- Toy Cash Registers – Toy Typewriters (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9) – Electric “Vibrating Magnetic” Football (1), (2), Baseball (1), (2), (3), (4) and Basketball Games – Clown Jack-in-the-Box (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) – Magic Snake Fireworks – Booby Trap Fireworks -- – Lunch Boxes – Magnetic Wooly Willy Face w/Pen (back), (set) – Tumble Bug Game (more (1), (2)) – Tickle Bee Game (more (1), (2), (3)) -- Sixfinger -- Trolls – Mattell Spinning Whizzer Top -- MagneTop -- Ugly Stickers (there were at least 44 different ones: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 – 13 – 14 – 15 – 16 – 17 – 18 – 19 – 20 – 21 – 22 – 23 – 24 – 25 – 26 – 27 – 28 – 29 – 30 – 31 – 32 – 33 – 34 – 35 – 36 – 37 – 38 – 39 – 40 – 41 – 42 – 43 – 44 ) – Mood Rings – Life Game – Séance Game – Mystic Skull Game – Operation – Spy Detector Game – Thimble City Union Station – Wham-O Slingshots and Ammo – Whoopee Cushions – Colorforms – Jacks – Jump Rope – Stick Horses – Mexican Jumping Beans – Silly Sand – Marvel the Mustang Horse (“Marvel the Mustang he's almost for real. You saddle him up, with spurs on your heel. No winding, no batteries, what a horse, too! Marvel the Mustang he'll ride with you...”) – Flying Jenny – Drinking Birds – Lava Lamps – Lotto Game – Magnus Chord Organ (1), (2), (3) – Emenee toys: Chord Organ; Xylophone; Trumpet; Guitar’ Clarinet; Accordian – Red Ranger Cap Pistol – Western Cap Gun – Roll Caps (1), (2) – Robots – King Zor – Ant Farms – Ant Farm Game – Dobbin Riding Horse – Mailbox Bank – Odd Ogg – Doctor Kits – X-15 Rocket Trikes – Tiddledy Winks Game – Wham-O Super Stuff – Wham-O Air Blaster – Wham-O SuperElasticBubblePlastic – Rifleman Rifle – Wacky Packs Stickers – Beatnish – Blaze Riding Horse – Charley Weaver Bartender (1), (2) – Super Show Projector – ViewMaster Projector Junior – Krazy Ikes – Foney Cards – Funny Face Clay – Monkey Bank – Jifaroo Kite – Noisemakers – Give-A-Show Projector – Emenee Mr. Peanut Butter Maker – Sparkle Guns – Deep Sea Dive Pinball – Toy Electric Boats – Trick Slate – Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Game – See Rock City Cards (1), (2), (3) (remember when “See Rock City” was painted on every barn?) – Ruby Falls Cards – More Rat Finks (1), (2), (3) – Barney Google Glasses – Moon Shoes (with springs on the bottom for bounce) – X-Ray Glasses – Toy Soldiers – Wood-Burning Sets – Tempo Organ – Limbo Game – Paddle Balls – Wham-O Monster Bubbles – Feeley Meeley Game – Great Garloo – Mr. Tricko Magic Set – Johnny Reb Cannon – Computron Talking Computer – Sears Ten Transistor Base Station (1), (2), (3) – Gym Dandy Surrey (with the Fringe on Top) (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) (9) – Cox .049 Airplanes: German Stuka (1), (2), (3), (4); Corsair; P-51 Mustang (1), (2); Curtiss A-25 (1), (2); P-40 Warhawk (1), (2) – Sneaky Snakes – Mickey Mouse Valentines – Dishonest John Hand Puppet (1), (2) (pull the string to hear and his famous laugh (“Nya Ha Ha”) (More “Nya Ha Ha” (1), (2), (3))- Dishonest John Game – Potato Clocks (used real potatoes to generate electricity to run the clock) – Operation X500 (1), (2), (3) -- Crystal Radios – Captain Kangaroo Animal Dominoes Card --

Wham-O SuperElasticBubblePlastic Commercial

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES PART 2

(Includes old toy and product commercials)

Models

Aurora Monsters and other models: Dracula (box), Dracula’s Dragster (box), Frankenstein, Frankenstein’s Flivver (box), Giant Frankenstein, Wolfman (box), Wolfman’s Wagon (box), Mummy (box), Mummy’s Chariot (box) (large), The Vampire, Vampirella, Phantom of the Opera (box), Salem Witch, Forgotten Prisoner of Castle Mare (box), The Pendulum (box), Dr. Hyde, Godzilla (box), Godzilla’s Go-Kart (remake) (box), King Kong, King Kong’s Thronester (box), Creature from the Black Lagoon, Creature’s Crate, Bellringer (Hunchback of Notre Dame), Bride of Frankenstein (box) -- Weird-Ohs: Daddy-Oh (1); Davey-Oh (1), (2), (3); Mama & Baby-Oh; Francis the Foul; Endsville Eddie; Hot Dogger; Leaky-Boat Louie; Huey’s Hut Rod (box); Beach Bunny; Freddy Flameout; Digger; Drag Hag (figure); Woodie; Weird Ohs Mobile Ad – Visible Human and Animal Models (Heart, Ear, Lung, Eye, Nose, Skeleton (1), Skull (1), Brain, Tooth (1), Hand, Head, Nose & Mouth, Foot, Man, Woman, Dog, Horse, Cow, Pigeon, Reptiles, Trout, Turbo, Auto Chassis, V-2 Rocket Bomb) – “Human Senses” Models (Smell, Touch, Five Senses) - Visible V-8 Engine (box)– AMT-Ertl Models – Testors Models – Polar Lights Models – Lindberg Monster Models: Creeping Crusher, Krimson Terror, Mad Mangler, Green Ghoul – Revell-Monogram’s Ed “Big Daddy” Roth Models: Rat Finks (1), (2), (3), (4), (5); Mr. Gasser; Beatnik Bandit I; Beatnik Bandit II; Road Agent; Mysterion; Tweedy Pie I; Tweedy Pie II; Drag Nut; Surf Fink; Brother Rat Fink; Outlaw with Robbin’ Hood Fink (1), (2); Super Fink; Rat Fink Truck; Boss Fink; Fink Eliminator (box); Mother’s Worry; Angel Fink (box) – Hasbro Kooky Spookys –-- Nutty Mad Models – Addams Family Mansion (1) – The Guillotine (box) – Batman – Robin - Superboy – Superman – Saber Tooth Tiger –– Boot Hill Express – Green Hornet’s Black Beauty (1) – Cat in the Hat Model – Horton the Elephant Model – Ghost of the Red Baron – The Pain Parlor – Lindy Loony Series: Blurp, Glob, Scuttle Bucket (pic) – Predicta – Tarzan – Robby the Robot – Pirates of the Caribbean – Li’l Coffin – Glo Monsters (pic) – Neanderthal Man – Neanderthal Woman – CroMagnon Man – Munster’s Koach (box) – Munster’s Living Room – Honda 305 – Marx Nutty Mad Series: Manny the Mariner; Chief Lost Teepee; Bullpen Boo-Boo; Rocko the Champ; Roddy the Hot Rod; The Mailman; Waldo the Weight Lifter; Mad Donald; Dippy the Diver; Flame-Out; Mad Daddy – Mod Rods – The Thundertaker – Mad Maestro – Bachman Dogs of the World: Collie – Mister Mulligan Plane – Assorted Monsters (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) – SnapDragon – SeaView and Flying Sub from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea -

Music

Although there are about a million songs I like, I’ll eventually try to limit the list to several hundred, with the author’s or performing artists’ name in parenthesis, if known. This list doesn’t include cartoon, television, or movie music, unless the song was produced as a separate recording. Check the other categories for music concerning those categories.

Slap “Er Down Agin, Paw (Arthur Godfrey) – If I Could Only Learn To Yodel (Patsy Montana) -- Big Rock Candy Mountain (Burl Ives) – Johnson’s Old Grey Mule (Mainer Band) – Take Me Back To Tulsa (Bob Wills) – Old Dan Tucker (Burl Ives) – Secret Agent Man (Johnny Rivers) – Let it All Hang Out (The Hombres) – Where The Action Is (Freddy Cannon) – Ode to Billy Joe (Bobbie Gentry) – Ringo (Lorne Greene) – Puppet Man (Tom Jones) – How Dry I Am (unknown) – We’re In The Money (Ginger Rogers) – Happy Trails (Roy Rogers and Dale Evans) – Bobby Darin: Wait by the Water, Lillian; 18 Yellow Roses; Not For Me; Things in this House; Treat My Baby Good; You’re the Reason I’m Livin’) – Monster Shindig (Songs: Monster Shindig – Super Snooper – Monster Jerk)

CLICK HERE to download Slap ‘Er Down Agin, Paw in a zipped .mp3 file

CLICK HERE to download If I Could Only Learn To Yodel in .mp3 format

Musical Instruments

Kustom Amplifiers – Standel Amplifiers (1), (2) – Farfisa Organs (1), (2), (3) – Hammond B3 Organ – Silvertone AutoHarp by Oscar Schmidt (1), (2), (3) -

Assorted Trivia

In 1975, the world was astonished by an advertising revelation. On Page 602 in the 1975 Sears Fall and Winter Catalog, an advertisement for boxer shorts turned into a major scandal when a male model appeared to expose more than his modeling ability. Sears officials tended to deny the rumors, saying that the “exposed glamour” of the model was nothing more than a water spot on the master copy from which the catalogs were printed. A country singer/comedian, Zoot Fenster (A.K.A. Jack Barlow), memorialized the incident with a song called “The Man on Page 602.” Click HERE to view Page 602. Click HERE to listen to the song. Both the picture and the song will take a few minutes to download, but they are worth it. Look at the picture and decide for yourself. The words to the song are below.

The Man on Page 602

Look and see,

You’ll agree,

He’s got personality.

Hey, have you heard the latest story,

That’s bringing on the smiles?

It had caused some blushing laughter,

And some anger for a while.

For those who shop by mail, for all their family clothes,

In the Fall and Winter Catalog, more than fashion is exposed.

Yeah.

In the Fall and Winter Catalog, on Page Six-Hundred Two,

I see this advertisin,’ that makes me come unglued,

The picture’s got me out-of-sorts, ‘cause I don’t understand,

Are they advertising boxer shorts, or are they tryin’ to sell the man?

I don’t know . . .

I’d send them all my money, if I could make a wish come true,

I just wish I was that man,

On Page 602

Look and see,

You’ll agree,

He’s got personality.

You know, when these Wish Books are delivered,

Anxious people start to look,

And when they price them there boxer shorts, they,

Suddenly get shook,

Some say it’s all in error; some say, all in fun,

He could be tarred and feathered,

Or maybe even hung

In the Fall and Winter Catalog, or the Wish Book, so it’s called,

In my mind, there’s no question, of what I’d like most of all,

I’d send them all my money, if it would make a wish come true,

I just wish I was that man,

On Page 602.

Yeah.

I just wish I was that man,

On Page 602.

The Jetsons

Q.: What was the episode and name of the song that Judy Jetson and George sang and danced to?

A.: It was Episode # 2, entitled A Date with a Jetscreamer , which first aired on 09/30/1962. Pop star "Jet Screamer" organizes a quiz, first prize: a date with the celebrity himself. George tries to make sure Judy won't win, but Judy is the lucky girl. Without her knowing it George acts as a chaperone. Featuring the song "EEP OPP ORK AH-AH". Here are the words:

Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah

Eep
Opp
Ork
Ah ah
Get in the capsule, baby
We are blasting off.

Eep opp ork ah ah (whooooo)
Eep opp ork ah ah (whooooo)
Eep epp ork ah ah
And that means I love you.

Well now, I took my baby for a ride in space
(Eep epp ork ah ah)
And met a funny little man with a funny face
(Eep epp ork ah ah)
He taught us both to wail this way
(Eep epp ork ah ah)
And nobody digs a word we say
(Eep epp ork ah ah).

Eep epp ork ah ah (whooooo)
Eep epp ork ah ah (whooooo)
Eep epp ork ah ah
And that means I love you.

Yeah I read my baby loud and clear
(Eep epp ork ah ah)
She just said I love you dear.
(Eep epp ork ah ah)
Now when I reply the way I do
(Eep epp ork ah ah)
I just said I love you too
Come fly with me!
Up high with me!
Come on fly with me
And now Eep epp ork means I dig you.

you heard the word that crazy word
That word you heard Eep epp ork ah ah means I love you.

Hop on baby, I'll put you in orbit.

Here’s the Version from the Show

Here’s a Version by the Violent Femmes

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES PART 2

(Includes old toy and product commercials)

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES PART 3

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES PART 4

BLAST FROM THE PAST

(Click on the Rat Fink to hear the Rat Fink song by The Misfits)

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