The Classic/Retro Pop Culture Thread

[The Old Mixer]

It was interesting to see his very first appearance, and funny to be reminded how mesmerizing he was-- that may be part of the reason that I never liked him as a kid (which I feel kind of bad about now, since he was such a great guy).

You might have been a bit older than his intended audience when he started the show. He was, of course, appointment viewing in my preschool/early school years. "Mesmerizing" is a perfect description...I experienced that myself watching the clip.

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Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for 55 years ago this week:

2. "Ruby Baby," Dion
3. "Walk Like a Man," The Four Seasons
4. "Walk Right In," The Rooftop Singers
5. "Rhythm of the Rain," The Cascades

7. "You're the Reason I'm Living," Bobby Darin

9. "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," The Miracles
10. "Wild Weekend," The Rebels
11. "He's Sure the Boy I Love," The Crystals
12. "Little Town Flirt," Del Shannon
13. "Send Me Some Lovin'," Sam Cooke

15. "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," Bobby Vee
16. "Mama Didn't Lie," Jan Bradley

18. "Up on the Roof," The Drifters
19. "Loop De Loop," Johnny Thunder

21. "The End of the World," Skeeter Davis

23. "In Dreams," Roy Orbison
24. "Alice In Wonderland," Neil Sedaka
25. "One Broken Heart for Sale," Elvis Presley

27. "Our Day Will Come," Ruby & The Romantics

29. "Call on Me," Bobby Bland

31. "Greenback Dollar," The Kingston Trio

33. "I Wanna Be Around," Tony Bennett
34. "Let's Turkey Trot," Little Eva
35. "It's Up to You," Rick Nelson

40. "Let's Limbo Some More," Chubby Checker

43. "Hitch Hike," Marvin Gaye

50. "South Street," The Orlons
51. "Tell Him," The Exciters

67. "Don't Make Me Over," Dionne Warwick

70. "Two Lovers," Mary Wells

77. "Twenty Miles," Chubby Checker
78. "Laughing Boy," Mary Wells

86. "Don't Set Me Free," Ray Charles
87. "He's So Fine," The Chiffons


Leaving the chart:

• "Everybody Loves a Lover," The Shirelles
• "Telstar," The Tornadoes

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12 O'Clock High
"Falling Star"
Originally aired January 3, 1966

An old friend (James Daly) of Gallagher's, traumatized by losses in his life, endangers his crew by trying to prove himself.

James Daly credit pic here.

Col. Gus "Pappy" Wexler is Gallagher's old instructor but also a rival for a wing commander promotion, but in the weaker position because he's been out of commission for too long. It turns out that he actually wants Joe's current command, assuming Joe gets the promotion. When Gallagher's leg gets shot up, Wexler takes over as temporary commander of the 918th and tries to prove that he's still got it. Gone is the easygoing mentor that the men under him had come to know him as. But once he gets in the left seat of the Lily, he starts having delusional flashbacks to an old mission. Sandy takes the heat when his account of what happened in the cockpit differs from the colonel's.

Meanwhile, Joe temporarily fills the wing position and has to get tough on his old mentor. Joe grounds Wexler from the next mission and a young lieutenant whom Wexler had started to treat as a surrogate son gets killed in the colonel's absence. Wexler is back in the left seat and Gallagher fills the right seat for the Act IV climax mission. Wexler goes into flashback mode again and Joe has to slug him to get control of the plane and complete the run. In the coda, Wexler gets a formal diagnosis and is heading for a desk job (evidently not the wing command, though that doesn't seem to be ruled out as a future possibility).

Judy Carne's back as another Archbury pub gal for a couple of scenes...apparently a different one from the name in the credits. Last time she was Floy, now she's Doris.

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[RJDiogenes]

You might have been a bit older than his intended audience when he started the show. He was, of course, appointment viewing in my preschool/early school years. "Mesmerizing" is a perfect description...I experienced that myself watching the clip.

Definitely. I don't remember seeing it until we had moved from Dorchester, which would have made me about ten.

Judy Carne's back as another Archbury pub gal for a couple of scenes...apparently a different one from the name in the credits. Last time she was Floy, now she's Doris.

So cute.

 

[The Old Mixer]

_______

51st Anniversary Viewing

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Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for 51 years ago this week:

1. "Kind of a Drag," The Buckinghams
2. "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," The Supremes
3. "Ruby Tuesday," The Rolling Stones
4. "I'm a Believer," The Monkees
5. "Georgy Girl," The Seekers
6. "The Beat Goes On," Sonny & Cher
7. "Gimme Some Lovin'," The Spencer Davis Group
8. "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye," The Casinos
9. "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet," The Blues Magoos
10. "Baby I Need Your Lovin'," Johnny Rivers
11. "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," Cannonball Adderley
12. "98.6," Keith
13. "Green, Green Grass of Home," Tom Jones
14. "Sock It to Me, Baby!," Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
15. "Pretty Ballerina," The Left Banke
16. "Go Where You Wanna Go," The 5th Dimension
17. "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)," The Electric Prunes
18. "It Takes Two," Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston

21. "You Got to Me," Neil Diamond
22. "Tell It Like It Is," Aaron Neville

24. "Music to Watch Girls By," The Bob Crewe Generation
25. "For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound)," Buffalo Springfield
26. "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game," The Marvelettes
27. "Darling Be Home Soon," The Lovin' Spoonful
28. "Snoopy vs. The Red Baron," The Royal Guardsmen
29. "Epistle to Dippy," Donovan
30. "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star," The Byrds
31. "I've Been Lonely Too Long," The Young Rascals

36. "Pushin' Too Hard," The Seeds

41. "Happy Together," The Turtles
42. "There's a Kind of Hush," Herman's Hermits
43. "California Nights," Lesley Gore

52. "I Think We're Alone Now," Tommy James & The Shondells

54. "Ups and Downs," Paul Revere & The Raiders

56. "Let's Spend the Night Together," The Rolling Stones
57. "Dedicated to the One I Love," The Mamas & The Papas

62. "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage," Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

69. "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)," Harpers Bizarre

79. "The Return of the Red Baron," The Royal Guardsmen

82. "Dry Your Eyes," Brenda & The Tabulations
83. "Strawberry Fields Forever," The Beatles

85. "Penny Lane," The Beatles

89. "Jimmy Mack," Martha & The Vandellas
90. "With This Ring," The Platters


Leaving the chart:

• "Colour My World," Petula Clark
• "Good Thing," Paul Revere & The Raiders
• "Knight in Rusty Armour," Peter & Gordon
• "Nashville Cats," The Lovin' Spoonful
• "Standing in the Shadows of Love," Four Tops
• "Wild Thing," Senator Bobby feat. Bill Minkin
• "Words of Love," The Mamas & The Papas

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The Monkees
"Captain Crocodile"
Originally aired February 20, 1967

The Monkees' appearance on popular children's show The Captain Crocodile Show is sabotaged by its host (Joey Forman), who fears that his guest's popularity is diminishing his own.

So the Captain already has it in for them from the teaser. They're just tryin' to be friendly....And they're popular enough not only to get on TV, but to be seen as a threat. Unless he's just generally anti-rock-'n'-roll like the circus folk.

"Valleri" (original version)

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The single version is still just around the corner a year later in 50th Anniversary Land.

Along the way we get brief parodies of What's My Line and To Tell the Truth; and some general spoofing of the TV business.

In one of the Captain's hate letters, the Monkees are described as "loathesome teenagers."

TOS guest: Oliver McGowan (Caretaker, "Shore Leave") as a TV executive.

It's kind of disturbing how the Captain uses cult-like influence over children to send them after the Monkees:

"Your Auntie Grizelda"

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The boys actually get their own kiddie show at the end, though the gag is that they're treated just as badly. I guess we're to assume that it didn't last and they were back to square one before long....

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The Rat Patrol
"The Two Against Time Raid"
Originally aired February 20, 1967

A cave-in traps Troy and Hauptmann Dietrich together in a tunnel being used as a munitions depot, and Moffitt's orders are to demolish the tunnel before the arrival of an oncoming German tank force.

This one is a relative bottle show cast-wise--There are several extras as German soldiers, including at least one with a speaking role, but no credited guests.

The cave-in in the way-too-well-lit mine serving as a depot doesn't even happen until over halfway in; Troy and Dietrich's alone time isn't played meaningfully, just as a complication in the plan.

The coda rather lightly acknowledges that Troy had an opportunity to kill Dietrich and "didn't even try." As the two privates smile and nod at this confession, Moffitt's reaction is to quizzically raise an eyebrow at these illogical Americans....

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The Fugitive
"The Ivy Maze"
Originally aired February 21, 1967

Fritz Simpson is a college professor doing research on sleep deprivation; he is also a close friend of Kimble as he, Richard, wife-to-be Helen, and Fritz's wife Caroline were college pals. One of his patients is the one-armed man, Fred Johnson, who works as a grounds keeper at Wellington College under the alias Carl Stoker. Fritz contacts Kimble, who verifies that it is indeed Johnson. Fritz arranges for Stoker/Johnson to participate in his dream withdrawal experiments to try and extract a confession from him. Caroline, however, sees Kimble and calls Lt. Gerard, still bitter because as youths Fritz had loved Helen before her. Fritz and Kimble finally draw a recorded confession from Johnson -- until Gerard bursts into the experiment and a three-way chase ensues.

Guest Stars: William Windom as Fritz, Geraldine Brooks as Caroline, and Jill Janssen (David Janssen's sister) as a student.

Barry Morse and Bill Raisch appear in this episode.

I guess that last bit is considered noteworthy.

Minor guests include Don Mitchell (Mark from Ironside) as one of Simpson's student assistants; Victor Brandt (Tongo Rad, "The Way to Eden") as one of the research volunteers; and Bill Quinn (Frank Sweeney, The Rifleman) as the local police chief.

On the matter of jurisdiction, it seems that Gerard's even HQ'ed in Stafford, IN, when he's not hot on Kimble's trail.

For a guy who doesn't seem overly bright, Johnson manages to beeline for exactly the right place to quickly destroy the tape that Simpson made of his coerced confession...a jar of sulphuric acid in a science lab, clearly labeled as such on the opposite side from where he approached, for our benefit. (Though he has been working as a janitor at the college, so he may have taken notice of it previously.) Gerard didn't seem to care a bit about the tape anyway.

FWIW, Kimble mends fences with Mrs. Simpson, and she helps him make his getaway in the end. One of the students on a bus that the police search (where Kimble is hiding in the baggage compartment) makes a little noise about police brutality.

This is the last of the handful of Fugitive episodes that I recorded from that Daily Binge.

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"A Tenor's Loving Care"
Originally aired February 23, 1967

A famous opera singer (Carroll O'Connor) makes a play for Ann while Don tries to get an interview with the temperamental celebrity.

It turns out that Ann's a big opera fan, and Casanetti will only let her interview him, as he's annoyed by the amateurish questions of reporters like Donald...

"Stifle yourself, Donhead!"

Casanetti's a bit of a prima donna (primo donald?), keeping his room and beverages a certain temperature to nurse his throat. In the climax, Ann puts an abrupt end to his advances by pretending to have a cold. What's more, we learn in the coda that he's gotten all cooperative with Donald after learning that Ann had a tape running in her purse while he was making the moves on her.

Donald sprouts a new work buddy, Tom, but I know that won't last. Maybe Jerry's still on his honeymoon.

"Oh, Donald" count: 9

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[Christopher]

I guess that last bit is considered noteworthy.

Well, Gerard was in only 37 out of 120 episodes (despite being a main-credits regular -- that's a pretty cushy gig), and the One-Armed Man was in only 10 or so episodes, so an episode that featured both of them would be kind of a big deal, yes.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

The Monkees
"Captain Crocodile"
Originally aired February 20, 1967
So the Captain already has it in for them from the teaser. They're just tryin' to be friendly....And they're popular enough not only to get on TV, but to be seen as a threat. Unless he's just generally anti-rock-'n'-roll like the circus folk.

Sort of. It was a coment on the then-real trend of old time kids' TV hosts being pushed aside in favor anything new and/or trendy. While the real Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) did not suffer this kind of fate, other live hosts did. Of course, The Monkees turned up their commentary by making Crocodile paranoid, his writers desperate hacks, and the network execs utterly indifferent.

"Valleri" (original version)
The single version is still just around the corner a year later in 50th Anniversary Land.

The TV version has its own unique place in rock history because DJs were so eager for the release of this latest Monkees song that the simply recorded it straight from the TV to play on their shows, to an equally eager audience. Such was the power of and interest in The Monkees at this time. Personally, I like this version, and the official rerecording from The Birds, The Bees and The Monkees. (1968) Its a song versatile enough for a straight rock and brassy version.

Along the way we get brief parodies of What's My Line and To Tell the Truth; and some general spoofing of the TV business.

...with the most memorable parody being "Frogman and Reuben the Tadpole" send-up Dozier's Batman.

"Your Auntie Grizelda"

Quirky and one of their most memorable songs--a rare combination for most bands.

The boys actually get their own kiddie show at the end, though the gag is that they're treated just as badly. I guess we're to assume that it didn't last and they were back to square one before long....

Well, those "long haired weirdos" (as they were often referred to on the show) could not become successful, right?

 

[The Old Mixer]

So it looks like starting March 5, Decades is going to start having a regular weekday lineup...that is, showing the same shows in the same slots Monday through Friday, like any other retro channel, rather than rotating programming. It remains to be seen how often they'll rotate their lineup, or how radically. I hate to see the channel lose its unique identity, but they will still be doing the Weekend Binges, it seems. Also, they found a regular slot for Honey West...I recently watched through most of it, but still glad to see that.

Well, Gerard was in only 37 out of 120 episodes (despite being a main-credits regular -- that's a pretty cushy gig), and the One-Armed Man was in only 10 or so episodes, so an episode that featured both of them would be kind of a big deal, yes.

Sounds like Jack Colvin got the standard deal, then. And I guess OAM episodes were the original's equivalent of Cure-Related Episodes.

...with the most memorable parody being "Frogman and Reuben the Tadpole" send-up Dozier's Batman.

GAH! I just looked that up on YouTube...Antenna cut that out completely!

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

GAH! I just looked that up on YouTube...Antenna cut that out completely!

They cut that out? Wow.

 

[RJDiogenes]

So the Captain already has it in for them from the teaser. They're just tryin' to be friendly....And they're popular enough not only to get on TV, but to be seen as a threat. Unless he's just generally anti-rock-'n'-roll like the circus folk.

An evil Captain Kangaroo, as Trek_God observed. I was a little past my Captain Kangaroo days when The Monkees was on, but I loved the show when I was a kid. Especially Bunny Rabbit and the ping pong balls.

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"Valleri" (original version)

I like this, though it's not very Monkee-ish. Maybe because of the name.

It's kind of disturbing how the Captain uses cult-like influence over children to send them after the Monkees:

It takes a village of the damned....

"Your Auntie Grizelda"

This is great, and much more Monkee-ish.

The cave-in in the way-too-well-lit mine

There was a lot of bioluminescence in caves in those days.

...a jar of sulphuric acid in a science lab, clearly labeled as such on the opposite side from where he approached, for our benefit.

Next to a brain labeled "Abnormal."

View attachment 4004

Cute.

What's more, we learn in the coda that he's gotten all cooperative with Donald after learning that Ann had a tape running in her purse while he was making the moves on her.

Was he married or something, or is it just immoral to put the moves on women?

So it looks like starting March 5, Decades is going to start having a regular weekday lineup...that is, showing the same shows in the same slots Monday through Friday, like any other retro channel, rather than rotating programming.

Ah, well. I'm kind of surprised it lasted this long.

Also, they found a regular slot for Honey West...I recently watched through most of it, but still glad to see that.

I have the DVD set, but it's good to know it will be out there for people to see.

 

[The Old Mixer]

They cut that out? Wow.

Yeah, I could tell they were making substantial cuts because of the length of their commercial breaks. Feel free to chime in if I fail to mention other items that would seem like they'd be of interest. I'd certainly have mentioned the Batman spoof if they'd shown it. I could sense that sequence was missing a beat, too...they spoofed TV news, game shows...it seemed like there was a third subject missing.

An evil Captain Kangaroo, as Trek_God observed. I was a little past my Captain Kangaroo days when The Monkees was on, but I loved the show when I was a kid. Especially Bunny Rabbit and the ping pong balls.

I was also a Captain Kangaroo viewer in the '70s! But while the name was based on that Captain, I was under the impression that Crocodile was more of a Soupy Sales type. (I don't have first-hand experience with his kids' show, but was familiar with him in my childhood, I think from his game show work in that era.)

I like this, though it's not very Monkee-ish. Maybe because of the name.

I hate to ask, but how is the name un-Monkee-ish? It ultimately became one of their big hit singles, that's Monkee-ish enough for me.

There was a lot of bioluminescence in caves in those days.

Not that you'd be able to tell under the overwhelming glare of those studio lights.

Was he married or something, or is it just immoral to put the moves on women?

I got the impression it was just a reputation thing. He was a respectable opera singer, not some no-good rock 'n' roll star.

Ah, well. I'm kind of surprised it lasted this long.

I guess the writing was on the wall. They'd been veering toward more regularly scheduled programs on weekdays for a while, and had gone through various permutations since their original post-launch format of running the same six-hour block four times a day. (I knew that was in trouble when they started running a commercial explaining how to watch their channel for the benefit of viewers who didn't get it.) They've stuck with the Weekend Binges throughout, so I guess that's been working for them.

You seem to get a lot of info about Me from their newsletter. Maybe I should sign up for the Decades equivalent. It looks like they want me to give all my mailing info and whatnot and write them a note to subscribe to it. Have you had any issues with spam from Me? And what did you say, "Gee, I love your channel?"

 

[RJDiogenes]

I was also a Captain Kangaroo viewer in the '70s! But while the name was based on that Captain, I was under the impression that Crocodile was more of a Soupy Sales type. (I don't have first-hand experience with his kids' show, but was familiar with him in my childhood, I think from his game show work in that era.)

I forgot that he even had a kids' show. I never saw it either. The shows like that that I watched were Captain Kangaroo and Romper Room.

I hate to ask, but how is the name un-Monkee-ish? It ultimately became one of their big hit singles, that's Monkee-ish enough for me.

That was me being unclear. I meant maybe I like it because of the name. There's also a Steve Winwood song named "Valerie" that I love probably more than it deserves due to the name. Back in the 60s, Valerie was my "girlfriend," as much as one can have a girlfriend at that age. I was the awkward, bookish kid with glasses and she was a long-haired blonde tomboy who could climb to the top of a streetlight pole like Spider-Man. Quite an odd couple.

Not that you'd be able to tell under the overwhelming glare of those studio lights.

I got the impression it was just a reputation thing. He was a respectable opera singer, not some no-good rock 'n' roll star.

Ah, yes, no sex drives for respectable people.

(I knew that was in trouble when they started running a commercial explaining how to watch their channel for the benefit of viewers who didn't get it.)

I saw that. The only channel to ever come with instructions.

Have you had any issues with spam from Me? And what did you say, "Gee, I love your channel?"

No spam at all. The emails are mostly links to articles on their site ("How Much Do You Know About Such-And-Such?" or "Twelve Interesting Facts About Such-And-Such" and so on), interspersed with reminders about shows and their streaming music service and their store. Their guess-your-age quizzes usually place me at 2-4 years older than I am.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Romper Room

That was one of my shows as well. Fire drill!

I neglected to mention the Decades Presents: 1968 topic for March:

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[RJDiogenes]

That was one of my shows as well. Fire drill!

I liked the cardboard cars.

I neglected to mention the Decades Presents: 1968 topic for March:

Star Trek or women? I'm down with it either way.

 

[The Old Mixer]

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50th Anniversary Viewing

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The Ed Sullivan Show
Season 20, episode 24
Originally aired February 18, 1968
As represented in The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show

From a Best of that we'll be revisiting in more detail on Mar. 24, we get this one bit of business business for this week:

"Business Business," The Muppets

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A cute, clever bit of social commentary...and prescient of the hippies turning to stockbrokers in a couple of decades.

Checking what else was in the original episode, it seems that the most noteworthy act was Bobbie Gentry, performing a couple of numbers from her then-new album The Delta Sweete:

"Louisiana Man"

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(Charted Apr. 20, 1968; #100 US; #72 Country)

"Courtyard"

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Other acts confirmed to be in the episode...

--Jane Powell sings "On A Wonderful Day Like Today" and "Beautiful Things."
--George Chakiris - "West Side Story" medley (with dancers)
--Paul Mauriat (pianist) - "Love Is Blue"
--Franco Corelli sings "Tu Lo Sai" (in Italian).
--The Victorians sing a medley (which includes "Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?" and "Just Because").

Comedy:
--Rodney Dangerfield - does Santa Claus jokes.
--Will Jordan (comedian) - does impressions of various celebrities.

Audience bows:
Cale Yarborough (race car driver), Gil Hodges (NY Mets manager), Tommy Steele (British actor), Anthony Rouse, Marion Lindstrom

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Mission: Impossible
"The Town"
Originally aired February 18, 1968

In an "off-book" mission, Phelps accidentally discovers that a small town is filled with enemy sleeper agents; he is drugged and declared paralyzed by a stroke, but Rollin smells a rat. Will Geer guest stars.

Well, this was different! Starting with no tape or dossier scene, the evil townsfolk only have to deal with Jim because one of them drops her gas gun and it starts spewing brightly-colored blue gas. The spies then decide that the best thing to do is to take Jim straight to one of their secret meetings! For a town-wide conspiracy, these spies sure are bumbling idiots.

While Jim's in his induced paralysis, we're treated to the unusual device of hearing his thoughts as he tries to figure out a way to convey a message to Rollin. Eventually Rollin picks up on his blinked SOS and they use the Pike Method: "one blink for yes, two blinks for no". Rollin then improvises a team assembly on the spot, getting the ball rolling by calling Cinnamon and addressing her as Jim's wife. Mrs. Phelps is driven in by her chauffeur, Barney, while Willy comes into town under separate cover. They quickly get control of the doctor's office and Jim briefs them via Morse Code...said to be quicker than the yes/no method, but that's questionable considering how long it was taking Jim to get out his binary blinks.

Rollin rather quickly whips up a mask of the doctor, considering he has to start from scratch by making a cast of the doctor's face. And of course, he masters mimicking the doctor's voice even more quickly. All the while, we're treated to lots of shots of the two agents that Jim originally ran into driving to deal with a defector in L.A., which serves as a sort of ticking clock via highway signs. The IMF team fakes killing Jim off and smuggles him out of town in a casket. They then call in not-too-local police (state police, I assume) to mop up the spies.

Despite a clumsy setup that didn't take full advantage of the potentially Twilight Zone-ish setting and some implausibilities, this was a pretty fun formula-changer.

TOS guests: Brioni Farrell (Tula, "Return of the Archons"); William O'Connell (Thelev, "Journey to Babel")

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Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Season 1, episode 5
Originally aired February 19, 1968

Kaye Ballard, Richard Dawson, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Larry Hovis, Peter Lawford, Dinah Shore, Walter Slezak, Pamela Austin

Dick reminds us that there's still no John Wayne; finds an excuse to reference Tiny Tim; and gets in three gags about what they could do if they were on the Smothers Brothers show. There are also two references to timeslot rival Lucille Ball, including one that she's watching the show.

Timely references include:

• Frank Sinatra splitting up with Mia Farrow
• Valley of the Dolls
• Jim Garrison
• Joan Baez
• Bonnie and Clyde
• Twiggy

MR. SPOCK FOR PRESIDENT!

How come they can put an astronaut out in space but they can't invent something to clear up pimples?

Kaye was then one of the leads in The Mothers-in-Law, which was on NBC Sundays opposite Ed Sullivan. They reference her show with a Salute to the Mother-in-Law segment, in which Kaye is awarded as Mother-in-Law of the Year.

News from 1988: Now Stokely Carmichael's Governor of Alabama.

Mod Mod World takes a look at fashion and glamour.

Is there any chance of bringing back The Man from U.N.C.L.E.?

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Batman
"I'll Be a Mummy's Uncle"
Originally aired February 22, 1968

After King Tut discovers a deposit of precious metal under Wayne Manor, Batgirl, Batman and Robin prepare for Tut to blast in.

Something that made my day: They finally used the Subterranean (Blue) Grotto Exit that I'd been asking about before!

Tut's a little too quick to recognize the Batcave; there's not so much as a pause before a moment of realization after he crashes through the wall.

A full-on Batfight in the Batcave is a relative novelty...as is a Season 3 Batfight that doesn't include Batgirl.

If Gordon, O'Hara, and Batgirl had been a little brighter, they might have been able to put 2 + 2 together with Tut having a secret to reveal about Batman and Robin that involves a shaft going under Wayne Manor....

To address a question that Christopher had two years ago, an IMDb trivia contributor asserts that H. L. Hunter was named for oil tycoon H. L. Hunt.

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Ironside
"Something for Nothing"
Originally aired February 22, 1968

A singer helps Ironside catch a loan shark expecting his payment - with interest.

The episode opens with the singing duo, played by James Farentino and Susan Saint James, doing a folkish easy listening cover of Petula Clark's "Downtown" at a club with Team Ironside in the audience. She then sings a song about Flower Children. Another bit of a song later plays dramatically over a horse racing scene. In an even later scene, he does a solo rendition of what I'm pretty sure is the song from "The Man Who Believed," the episode featuring Marcia Strassman as a murdered folk singer.

The episode's villains, the eye-patched Faber and his creepy henchman Zahn, are a bit larger-than-life for this usually grounded series. I wouldn't say that they're Batman villains like one IMDb reviewer put it...more like penny-ante Bond villains. When the Chief goes on for a bit about owing favors to Faber, it sounds like a scene from Airplane!

The bulk of the episode is about convincing Farentino's character Cusack to testify against Faber, without much actually happening in the meantime. The basic story here could have easily fit into a half hour. Why set up such conspicuously colorful bad guys and then not have them fulfill their menacing potential?

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"Odpdypahimcaifss"
Originally aired February 22, 1968

A scandal erupts when Donald's mother is invited to Ann's place and finds his pants in her closet.

We almost get an "Oh, Donald" in the episode title this time! In case you were wondering, it stands for "Oh, Don, Poor Don, Your Pants Are Hanging in My Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad"...which Ann actually says in slightly altered form at one point in the episode.

This one takes on the scandalous nature of premarital sex head-on via Donald's extremely high-strung and prudish mother. Before she even finds the pants, she wants to know how Donald knows where Ann's bedroom is, and is outraged that Ann has a frilly nightgown that Donald bought her.

I couldn't help thinking of Bronze Age Superman when Mrs. Hollinger bickers with Ann over whether or not Donald likes beef bourguignon.

Ann: Yes, he's learned to experiment.
Mrs. Hollinger: Oh?
Ann: In food!

At one point, talk about taboo subjects...a marijuana reference!

Mrs. Hollinger is so overbearingly impossible to please that she gets argumentative about Ann's word choice when Ann explains how Donald had spilled pizza on his pants. Then we get the comedic twist of Mr. Marie calling, getting the dry-cleaner who routinely lets himself into Ann's apartment, and finding out about the pants (which she'd told the dry-cleaner were his), which sends him running down from Brewster. The episode climaxes with Mr. Marie and Mrs. Hollinger butting heads. Those two were made for each other!

You think I don't know what men his age are like. Well don't believe it, I've been there, Charlie Brown!

In the coda, it turns out that the Hollingers eat pizza with a knife and fork!

"Oh, Donald" count: 1
"Oh, Daddy" count: 0

_______

Tarzan
"Jungle Ransom"
Originally aired February 23, 1968

A woman enlists Tarzan's help in freeing her husband from a band of outlaws.

TOS guest: Barbara Bouchet, doing double duty on NBC tonight, as her Trek episode aired directly after this...and looking pretty cute with her hair down in the requisite safari outfit and go-go boots.
TOS and so much more guest: Ted Cassidy, sporting a mustache and a Latin American accent as a bandit lieutenant named Sampson.

While Tarzan does prisoner escort duty, with one hand tied to the bandit chief, played by Fernando Lamas, Jai and Cheeta get side-quested, trying to catch up with Tarzan's party after they discover the vanity case full of money that Bouchet's character, Angela, left behind...with a greedy riverboat captain tagging along for a shot at grabbing the loot. The regulars reunite in time for Jai and Cheeta to be involved in the climax.

The opening of the episode includes a tribal chief with a substantial speaking role who goes oddly uncredited.

_______

Star Trek
"By Any Other Name"
Originally aired February 23, 1968
Stardate 4657.5

The Enterprise's command crew must thwart an invasion by aliens from another galaxy who plan to conquer this one.

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See my post here.

_______

Get Smart
"The Wax Max"
Originally aired February 24, 1968

An amusement park attendant inadvertently gives Max and 99 a kewpie doll at a shooting gallery game. The doll is really a way for KAOS to smuggle plutonium out of the country. Shortly after, KAOS finds out and hunts down 86 and 99 at the park, ultimately leading them to the evil Waxman, a villain who turns his victims into wax statues. Will Max and 99 become permanent wax statues?

Note: Exteriors filmed on location at Pacific Ocean Park.

They shoulda filmed there for the Fugitive spoof!

We get a Dr. Spock reference in this episode.

It doesn't make a lot of sense how Max gets out of the guillotine with "the old inflatable head in the cloak trick" when KAOS provided the costume and put him in there.

_______

Star Trek or women?

THE WOMEN!!!

 

[The Old Mixer]

_______

50 Years Ago This Week

February 25 – Vietnam War: Hà My massacre.
February 27 – Ex-Teenagers singer Frankie Lymon is found dead from a heroin overdose in Harlem.

"Why Do Fools Fall in Love," Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
(Charted Feb. 11, 1956; #6 US; #1 R&B; #1 UK; #307 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

March 2 – Baggeridge Colliery closes marking the end of over 300 years of coal mining in the Black Country.

Not on the Wiki timeline for Feb. 27:

CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite delivers a scathing editorial on America's chances of winning the Vietnam War

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In reaction to this report, President Lyndon B. Johnson reportedly said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost middle America."


Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for the week:

1. "Love Is Blue (L'amour Est Bleu)," Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra
2. "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls," Dionne Warwick
3. "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay," Otis Redding
4. "I Wish It Would Rain," The Temptations
5. "Simon Says," 1910 Fruitgum Co.
6. "Spooky," Classics IV
7. "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)," The First Edition
8. "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight?," Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart
9. "Bottle of Wine," The Fireballs
10. "Everything That Touches You," The Association
11. "Baby, Now That I've Found You," The Foundations
12. "Nobody But Me," The Human Beinz
13. "Goin' Out of My Head / Can't Take My Eyes Off You," The Lettermen
14. "Green Tambourine," The Lemon Pipers
15. "Words," Bee Gees
16. "We're a Winner," The Impressions
17. "Walk Away Renee," Four Tops
18. "Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)," John Fred & His Playboy Band
19. "La-La Means I Love You," The Delfonics
20. "There Is," The Dells
21. "I Thank You," Sam & Dave
22. "Bend Me Shape Me," The American Breed

24. "Woman, Woman," The Union Gap feat. Gary Puckett
25. "Too Much Talk," Paul Revere & The Raiders feat. Mark Lindsay
26. "The End of Our Road," Gladys Knight & The Pips

28. "Itchycoo Park," Small Faces

30. "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde," Georgie Fame
31. "Sweet Sweet Baby (Since You've Been Gone)," Aretha Franklin
32. "Different Drum," The Stone Poneys feat. Linda Ronstadt
33. "Tomorrow," Strawberry Alarm Clock
34. "Dance to the Music," Sly & The Family Stone
35. "Kiss Me Goodbye," Petula Clark
36. "Sunshine of Your Love," Cream

41. "Mission: Impossible," Lalo Schifrin

45. "Playboy," Gene & Debbe

47. "If You Can Want," Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

60. "Cry Like a Baby," The Box Tops
61. "Scarborough Fair / Canticle," Simon & Garfunkel

66. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," Hugo Montenegro, His Orchestra & Chorus

68. "Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)," Manfred Mann

85. "Love Is All Around," The Troggs

87. "Young Girl," The Union Gap feat. Gary Puckett
88. "Sweet Inspiration," The Sweet Inspirations
89. "Summertime Blues," Blue Cheer

Leaving the chart:

• "Chain of Fools," Aretha Franklin
• "My Baby Must Be a Magician," The Marvelettes
• "Susan," The Buckinghams
• "You," Marvin Gaye

New on the chart:

"Sweet Inspiration," The Sweet Inspirations
(#18 US; #5 R&B)

"Summertime Blues," Blue Cheer
(#14 US; originally a #8 hit for co-writer Eddie Cochran in 1958)

"Scarborough Fair / Canticle," Simon & Garfunkel
(#11 US; #5 AC; originally released on the 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme)

"Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)," Manfred Mann

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(#10 US; #1 UK; written by Bob Dylan)

"Sweet Sweet Baby (Since You've Been Gone)," Aretha Franklin

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(#5 US; #1 R&B; #47 UK)

"Young Girl," The Union Gap feat. Gary Puckett

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(#2 US; #34 AC; #1 UK)

"Cry Like a Baby," The Box Tops

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(#2 US; #15 UK)


New on the album chart, Something Else by the Kinks, which includes:

"Waterloo Sunset," The Kinks
(#2 UK; #42 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)


And new on the boob tube:

• The Ed Sullivan Show, Season 20, episode 25, featuring Gladys Knight & the Pips
• Mission: Impossible, "The Killing"
• The Monkees, "Monkees Mind Their Manor" *
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Season 1, episode 6
• The Rat Patrol, "The Hickory Dickory Dock Raid" *
• Batman, "The Joker's Flying Saucer"
• Ironside, "Barbara Who"
• Tarzan, "Four O'Clock Army: Part I"
• Star Trek, "The Omega Glory"
• The Saint, "The Best Laid Schemes"
• Get Smart, "Operation Ridiculous"

* To be reviewed at a later date.

_______

 

[Christopher]

"Business Business," The Muppets

A cute, clever bit of social commentary...and prescient of the hippies turning to stockbrokers in a couple of decades.

Whoa. Creative, but kinda cynical. Henson's work always did have an edge that modern Muppet productions generally lack. (I guess the recent sitcom tried to be edgy, but not in a way that worked.)

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Batman
"I'll Be a Mummy's Uncle"
Originally aired February 22, 1968
Tut's a little too quick to recognize the Batcave; there's not so much as a pause before a moment of realization after he crashes through the wall.

In 1968, what else would it be? We're supposed to think its the most advanced room on earth not matched by any other organization or person. Besides, the well-known Batmobile was sitting right in front of his face when he crashed through the wall. That, and Batman's habit of placing large labels marked "Bat-" on everything was kind of the giveaway.

A full-on Batfight in the Batcave is a relative novelty...as is a Season 3 Batfight that doesn't include Batgirl.

...and the second it breaks out, one can see how energetic it is without Batgirl, (swinging kicks, hurling large rocks at villains, and wild violence overall) as nothing had to be dumbed down for slow-motion pirouettes and convenient wooden planks laying around.

If Gordon, O'Hara, and Batgirl had been a little brighter, they might have been able to put 2 + 2 together with Tut having a secret to reveal about Batman and Robin that involves a shaft going under Wayne Manor....

The GCPD were never been too bright about...anything. O'Hara constantly laughed at the idea of Wayne being Batman, and in one case, Gordon agreed with how nonsensical the theory was. Its a wonder the Joker did not own Gotham City long ago.

H. L. Hunter was named for oil tycoon H. L. Hunt.

Hunt would be a forgotten figure today if he had not been implicated (by Madeleine Duncan Brown) as being a conspirator in the JFK assassination, being fingered at a Texas party the night before the murder also attended by an allegedly fiery, revenge-minded (against JFK) LBJ. Don't try to figure that one out.

Get Smart
"The Wax Max"
Originally aired February 24, 1968

KAOS agent Waxman was portrayed by character actor Richard Devon, who might be familiar to Monkees fans as the hostile, circus knife-throwing Victor in the "Monkees at the Circus" episode.[/QUOTE]

Santa Monica's Pacific Ocean Park was--once again--used as a location in a TV series. Later that year, it would be seen in "Bad Man on Campus", the second episode of The Mod Squad, (aired October 1, 1968) which guest starred Booker Bradshaw (TOS' Dr. M'Benga) as an ill-fated high school student.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

"Summertime Blues," Blue Cheer
(#14 US; originally a #8 hit for co-writer Eddie Cochran in 1958)

In the 60s, there were endless, updated remakes of 50's hits, but none were more of a radical departure from the source than this Blue Cheer remake. Like it or hate, it is rather unforgettable.

"Scarborough Fair / Canticle," Simon & Garfunkel
(#11 US; #5 AC; originally released on the 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme)

Never gets old.

"Young Girl," The Union Gap feat. Gary Puckett
(#2 US; #34 AC; #1 UK)

Criminally underrated group. Their musical insight was far above nearly every usually celebrated act (e.g. British Invasion groups) of the era.

 

[RJDiogenes]

"Business Business," The Muppets

I missed this one. Very insightful and cautionary. As we've seen in the current political climate, even the most noble ideas become corrupted when they're turned into an ideology.

"Louisiana Man"

"Courtyard"

I'm not familiar with either of these, but there's some nice slice-of-life storytelling going on there.

While Jim's in his induced paralysis, we're treated to the unusual device of hearing his thoughts as he tries to figure out a way to convey a message to Rollin.

Definitely sounds like a Mission: Impossible, Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents threesome.

Rollin rather quickly whips up a mask of the doctor, considering he has to start from scratch by making a cast of the doctor's face.

It's a crime that he never won an Emmy for makeup.

There are also two references to timeslot rival Lucille Ball, including one that she's watching the show.

Arte Johnson's German soldier is always talking about Lucy.

In an even later scene, he does a solo rendition of what I'm pretty sure is the song from "The Man Who Believed," the episode featuring Marcia Strassman as a murdered folk singer.

That's a nice bit of continuity.

This one takes on the scandalous nature of premarital sex head-on via Donald's extremely high-strung and prudish mother.

She should have more faith in her prudish son.

In the coda, it turns out that the Hollingers eat pizza with a knife and fork!

My Uncle Ken did that.

"Jungle Ransom"

Wouldn't want to confuse it with Big-City Ransom.

THE WOMEN!!!

Groovy.

"Why Do Fools Fall in Love," Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers

A classic indeed.

In reaction to this report, President Lyndon B. Johnson reportedly said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost middle America."

Boy, could we use Walter Cronkite right now.

"Sweet Inspiration," The Sweet Inspirations

There's a nice little Lost 45.

"Summertime Blues," Blue Cheer

Has there ever been a bad cover of "Summertime Blues?" Even the Flying Lizards' version was amusing.

"Scarborough Fair / Canticle," Simon & Garfunkel

Simon & Garfunkel. 'nuff said.

"Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)," Manfred Mann

Oh, I love this.

"Sweet Sweet Baby (Since You've Been Gone)," Aretha Franklin

Aretha. 'nuff said.

"Young Girl," The Union Gap feat. Gary Puckett

Another all-time classic.

"Cry Like a Baby," The Box Tops

And another all-time classic. Good week for music!

"Waterloo Sunset," The Kinks

Very nice. Not one of their higher profile songs, but the Kinks always did fine work.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Whoa. Creative, but kinda cynical. Henson's work always did have an edge that modern Muppet productions generally lack. (I guess the recent sitcom tried to be edgy, but not in a way that worked.)

I missed this one. Very insightful and cautionary. As we've seen in the current political climate, even the most noble ideas become corrupted when they're turned into an ideology.

FWIW, it's in a Best of episode that also includes Diana Ross & the Supremes, Spanky & Our Gang, and George Carlin (all from Mar. 24, 1968).

In 1968, what else would it be? We're supposed to think its the most advanced room on earth not matched by any other organization or person. Besides, the well-known Batmobile was sitting right in front of his face when he crashed through the wall. That, and Batman's habit of placing large labels marked "Bat-" on everything was kind of the giveaway.

It's the way he played it...like Tut was expecting to find the Batcave, even actively looking for it. It should have been less "oh joy, I've finally found it," and more "Woah, I can't believe what I've stumbled onto!"

...and the second it breaks out, one can see how energetic it is without Batgirl, (swinging kicks, hurling large rocks at villains, and wild violence overall) as nothing had to be dumbed down for slow-motion pirouettes and convenient wooden planks laying around.

I knew I was leaving things wide open for that. I'll say that it did offer a bit of a nostalgic vibe for Seasons 1 and 2, which is accentuated by knowing that the series is nearly over.

Its a wonder the Joker did not own Gotham City long ago.

In this series, it would have been the Riddler.

KAOS agent Waxman was portrayed by character actor Richard Devon, who might be familiar to Monkees fans as the hostile, circus knife-throwing Victor in the "Monkees at the Circus" episode.

Ah, I thought he looked familiar from something.

Santa Monica's Pacific Ocean Park was--once again--used as a location in a TV series. Later that year, it would be seen in "Bad Man on Campus", the second episode of The Mod Squad, (aired October 1, 1968) which guest starred Booker Bradshaw (TOS' Dr. M'Benga) as an ill-fated high school student.

Alas, in their attempt to cover episodes from all five seasons this weekend, that's one that Decades has skipped. I won't have much for the first half of Mod Squad Season 1 unless they fill in the gaps in the meantime.

I'm not familiar with either of these, but there's some nice slice-of-life storytelling going on there.

It's easy to hear why she was a one-hitter, though. Nothing that really pops out and crosses over like "Ode".

That's a nice bit of continuity.

I was thinking that. While likely motivated by TV budgetary concerns, using that song again works well in-setting, as it was supposed to have been a big, recent hit in the Ironsideverse.

My Uncle Ken did that.

Did he ever spill it on his trousers?

Groovy.

The subject is "Year of the Woman" specifically. It'll be interesting to see what they pull together on the subject that's specific to 1968.

A classic indeed.

And a pretty cute little TV spot there in the video...straight from rock 'n' roll's breakout year.

Boy, could we use Walter Cronkite right now.

What the world needs now
Is Walt, sweet Walt...

(Needs a little work.)

There's a nice little Lost 45.

While it was a nice find in its own right, at the same time it's easily understood why it was lost. It doesn't really do anything much to stand out among its peers. I suppose it goes without saying that the Sweet Inspirations are strictly one-hit wonder territory.

In the 60s, there were endless, updated remakes of 50's hits, but none were more of a radical departure from the source than this Blue Cheer remake. Like it or hate, it is rather unforgettable.

Has there ever been a bad cover of "Summertime Blues?" Even the Flying Lizards' version was amusing.

It definitely distinguishes itself from the original with its acid-drenched sound. It does rely a bit on being familiar with the original to fill in the blanks where it skips lyrics. (Also one-hit wonders, for the record.)

Never gets old.

Simon & Garfunkel. 'nuff said.

Not quite 'nuff...it's one of their more striking songs that I'm familiar with, and makes that short list of prettiest songs with "God Only Knows." I just this past week got the PSR&T album as part of my backed-up exploration of albums of the era that I've been covering...my first non-compilation Simon & Garfunkel album. It's worth noting that although the release of "Scarborough Fair" as a single is a bit belated--motivated as it was by the song's use in The Graduate--50 years ago this week, PSR&T was still their most recent album (if one doesn't count the Graduate soundtrack itself), Bookends being just around the corner. (We shall know of its coming by the charting of the single version of "Mrs. Robinson".)

Oh, I love this.

This one doesn't do too much for me, but it's one of those friendly, familiar oldies radio staples. I like the video with all the dancing girls. Manfred Mann's history of hit singles on this side of the pond is a bit spread out...this is all that will be coming up in 50th anniversary context.

And I also bought my first non-compilation Dylan album about a week back...Blonde on Blonde. I was never much of a Bob fan in the past, but I'm starting to hear what all the fuss was about.

Aretha. 'nuff said.

It's a bit weaker / less memorable than her preceding singles output...but that's strictly judging her work by its own standard.

Another all-time classic.

Criminally underrated group. Their musical insight was far above nearly every usually celebrated act (e.g. British Invasion groups) of the era.

Woah. I like Puckett & the Gap...they've got a good, enjoyable sound...but they're not playing in the same league as the Beatles or the Stones. (Not that the Stones' recent outings 50 years ago this week are much to go by, but they'll be finding their voice in the year ahead.)

Also, am I the only one who thinks that the girl in the video doesn't look "much too young"? She really does hide the secret of her youth quite well.

And another all-time classic. Good week for music!

Not as strong as "The Letter" or as distinctive as "Neon Rainbow," but another friendly, familiar oldies radio staple.

My 50 Years Ago This Week playlist is starting to sound more distinctly 1968 and less leftover '67.

Very nice. Not one of their higher profile songs, but the Kinks always did fine work.

It does appear to have been much higher profile across the pond. Get a load of this:

In the UK, the song is commonly considered to be Davies' most famous work, and it has been "regarded by many as the apogee of the swinging sixties". Highly esteemed for its musical and lyrical qualities, the song is not uncommonly the subject of study in university arts courses.[...]

Pop music journalist Robert Christgau has called the song "the most beautiful song in the English language". Pete Townshend of The Who has called it "divine" and "a masterpiece". AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine concurred, citing it as "possibly the most beautiful song of the rock and roll era". On his album The Interpreter: Live at Largo, singer Rhett Miller calls it "the greatest song ever written by a human being."

It's a nice song, but I'm not getting where all of that is coming from. Must be one of those "lost in translation" things.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

Re: Quinn the Eskimo by Manfred Mann.
Probably a little known fact is that Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton played together for a couple of weeks in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers before they were in The Cream when Jack replaced a temporarily fired John McVie.
Jack then joined Manfred Mann as their bassist and left just before one of their biggest hits 'Quinn the Eskimo' to form The Cream with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker.
Jack Bruce's replacement in Manfred Mann was Klaus Vorman, who was also responsible for the cover to The Beatles album Revolver.
Also, if you haven't already, check out Alex Chilton's work with Big Star.
He uses his natural signing voice which is actually in a higher register than on songs like 'The Letter' and 'Neon Rainbow'.
A cover version of his and Chris Bell's Big Star song 'In The Street' was used as the theme tune for the series 'That 70s Show'.