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The Classic/Retro Pop Culture Thread

While it's a valid criticism that Elvis's bout of social consciousness may have seemed tacked on, I'd tend to give him a break based on the career context. He was at this point just starting to try to break out of the Movie Elvis persona he'd been stuck in for years and reinvent himself as a more relevant artist. It could be that he'd wanted to do something like this for years but was held back because it didn't fit his image as it was being cultivated at the time. The glass-half-full way of looking at it is, "Hey, Elvis is finally getting with the times, he's actually saying something!"
It's odd when you think about it. He was a superstar who turned everything upside down and helped kick off the Civil Rights Era and the Sexual Revolution just by existing, but personally he didn't seem to want to ruffle anyone's feathers.

Maybe...WWW coming back would be good in the long run, though it doesn't do anything for my attempt to "catch up" with the series by getting to the end during the hiatus. Still seems like they could have found a more appropriate place for The Three Stooges, though...it'd fit much better in their Sunday lineup with all the sitcoms.
They mention that there are no commercials, so I wonder if they're being paid well for this. Maybe it's like one of those Time-Life infomercials where it's there to sell a new Stooges DVD set or something.

Elvis may very well have had a desire to reinvent himself in the mid sixties as a serious artist with musical interests beyond what he'd previously shown, but considering In The Ghetto was, I believe, his only foray into this area, it's hard to believe this to be true.
True. Aside from "Walk A Mile In My Shoes," I can't think of any others.

But, I don't know what was in his heart, so perhaps he did want to do more but was stymied by the Colonel or record company. However, the way it looks, and not having any other information, is that Elvis was simply looking to take advantage of a new trend and grab another hit.
He seems just rather benign on the subject. I think the only time he talked about it was in terms of the origins of his music and he only had nice things to say. I can't remember him ever offering much of an opinion on any of the controversies of the day-- aside from wanting to be Nixon's drug czar or whatever. :rommie:
 
It's odd when you think about it. He was a superstar who turned everything upside down and helped kick off the Civil Rights Era and the Sexual Revolution just by existing, but personally he didn't seem to want to ruffle anyone's feathers.

I would never say he helped kick off the Civil Rights Era. That was already a fiery social (including cultural in terms of entertainment, the popularization of so-called "n****r music") and political matter before Elvis ever came to public attention. Hoover's FBI was already attempting to disrupt the movement before Presley came around because it was a force falsely considered to be a threat to the U.S.


He seems just rather benign on the subject. I think the only time he talked about it was in terms of the origins of his music and he only had nice things to say. I can't remember him ever offering much of an opinion on any of the controversies of the day-- aside from wanting to be Nixon's drug czar or whatever. :rommie:

That part in bold is funny...especially when at the same time he was meeting with Nixon, Elvis was abusing everything he could get his hands on, with a liquid form of cocaine (administered with Q-Tips up the nose) at the top of the list.
 
_______

55 Years Ago This Week
Wiki said:
May 26 – Nelson Rockefeller defeats Barry Goldwater in the Oregon Republican primary, slowing but not stalling Goldwater's drive toward the nomination.
May 27 – Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru dies; he is later succeeded by Lal Bahadur Shastri.
May 28 – The Charter of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is released by the Arab League.
May 30 – Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald are killed in a fiery crash during the 1964 Indianapolis 500.
Mark Lewisohn's The Beatles Day by Day said:
May 30 – Waxwork dummies of the Beatles, a new attraction at Madame Tussaud's, appear on BBC television's Juke Box Jury.


Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for the week:
1. "Love Me Do," The Beatles
2. "Chapel of Love," The Dixie Cups
3. "My Guy," Mary Wells

5. "Hello, Dolly!," Louis Armstrong & The All Stars
6. "(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet," The Reflections
7. "A World Without Love," Peter & Gordon
8. "Little Children," Billy J. Kramer w/ The Dakotas
9. "It's Over," Roy Orbison
10. "Walk On By," Dionne Warwick
11. "P.S. I Love You," The Beatles
12. "Do You Love Me," The Dave Clark Five
13. "Ronnie," The Four Seasons
14. "Bits and Pieces," The Dave Clark Five

16. "People," Barbra Streisand
17. "Every Little Bit Hurts," Brenda Holloway
18. "I'm So Proud," The Impressions
19. "Do You Want to Know a Secret," The Beatles

21. "Wish Someone Would Care," Irma Thomas

23. "Dead Man's Curve," Jan & Dean
24. "Once Upon a Time," Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells

26. "The Very Thought of You," Rick Nelson
27. "Today," The New Christy Minstrels
28. "White on White," Danny Williams
29. "What'd I Say," Elvis Presley

33. "Viva Las Vegas," Elvis Presley

37. "Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)," The Serendipity Singers

41. "Suspicion," Terry Stafford
42. "Can't Buy Me Love," The Beatles

45. "I Get Around," The Beach Boys

47. "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying," Gerry & The Pacemakers
48. "My Boy Lollipop," Millie Small

55. "What's the Matter with You Baby," Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells

69. "Don't Throw Your Love Away," The Searchers

71. "Bad to Me," Billy J. Kramer w/ The Dakotas
72. "Yesterday's Gone," Chad & Jeremy

74. "Beans in My Ears," The Serendipity Singers

78. "No Particular Place to Go," Chuck Berry

82. "Not Fade Away," The Rolling Stones

88. "Memphis," Johnny Rivers

93. "Don't Worry Baby," The Beach Boys


Leaving the chart:
  • "Money," The Kingsmen (11 weeks)
  • "My Girl Sloopy," The Vibrations (9 weeks)
  • "The Pink Panther Theme," Henry Mancini & His Orchestra (8 weeks)
  • "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)," Betty Everett (13 weeks)
  • "That's the Way Boys Are," Lesley Gore (9 weeks)
  • "Twist and Shout," The Beatles (11 weeks)

Recent and new on the chart:

"What'd I Say," Elvis Presley
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(May 23; #21 US; #10 UK; originally a #6 US, #1 R&B hit for songwriter Ray Charles in 1959; Ray's version is #10 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

"Don't Worry Baby," The Beach Boys
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(B-side of "I Get Around"; #24 US; #176 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

"Don't Throw Your Love Away," The Searchers
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(#16 US; #1 UK)

"Bad to Me," Billy J. Kramer w/ The Dakotas
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(#9 US; #1 UK; written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney--really John)

"Memphis," Johnny Rivers
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(#2 US; written and originally recorded in 1959 by Chuck Berry; previously a #5 instrumental hit for Lonnie Mack in 1963)

Total Beatles songs on the chart: 4

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It's odd when you think about it. He was a superstar who turned everything upside down and helped kick off the Civil Rights Era
Yeah, the civil rights movement and Elvis' career (and rock n' roll in general), were on two completely separate tracks. Although, I suppose if you wanted to make a big reach, one might argue that the rock connection comes through that music's connection to gospel music (which WAS a very important part of the civil rights movement), whose amalgam with blues formed the genesis of rock n' roll.

But, that is a distant connection and Elvis, I don't think, contributed enough to the actual music to be considered as part of any civil rights/gospel/rock n' roll connection.
 
I don't know about civil rights per se, but one could argue that rock & roll played a substantial part in breaking down racial barriers. A fundamental element of its genesis was white kids out in their cars and away from their parents tuning in to black stations because they liked the music better.
 
I would never say he helped kick off the Civil Rights Era. That was already a fiery social (including cultural in terms of entertainment, the popularization of so-called "n****r music") and political matter before Elvis ever came to public attention. Hoover's FBI was already attempting to disrupt the movement before Presley came around because it was a force falsely considered to be a threat to the U.S.
That's why I said helped. He didn't start it, but he was such an entertainment phenomenon that his influence was disproportionate. Really, you can trace the modern Civil Rights movement back to the 20s.

That part in bold is funny...especially when at the same time he was meeting with Nixon, Elvis was abusing everything he could get his hands on, with a liquid form of cocaine (administered with Q-Tips up the nose) at the top of the list.
Yeah, I love that. :rommie:

"What'd I Say," Elvis Presley
An entertaining Rock'n'Roll song with words and phrases in it.

"Don't Worry Baby," The Beach Boys
You'd think they'd be bored with producing classics by now.

"Don't Throw Your Love Away," The Searchers
This is okay.

"Bad to Me," Billy J. Kramer w/ The Dakotas
Also okay.

"Memphis," Johnny Rivers
I love this one.

(#2 US; written and originally recorded in 1959 by Chuck Berry; previously a #5 instrumental hit for Lonnie Mack in 1963)
See? :rommie:

But, that is a distant connection and Elvis, I don't think, contributed enough to the actual music to be considered as part of any civil rights/gospel/rock n' roll connection.
I didn't say intentionally, I said just by existing.

I don't know about civil rights per se, but one could argue that rock & roll played a substantial part in breaking down racial barriers. A fundamental element of its genesis was white kids out in their cars and away from their parents tuning in to black stations because they liked the music better.
Exactly. He was a disruptive influence, and a massive one.
 
_______

50 Years Ago This Week
May 25 – Midnight Cowboy, an X-rated, Oscar-winning John Schlesinger film, is released.
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May 26
  • The Andean Pact (Andean Group) is established.
  • Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth, after a successful 8-day test of all the components needed for the upcoming first manned Moon landing.
May 26–June 2 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono conduct their second Bed-In. The follow-up to the Amsterdam event is held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Lennon composes and records the song Give Peace a Chance during the Bed-In.
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May 29 – Cordobazo: A general strike and civil unrest break out in Córdoba, Argentina.
May 30 – Riots in Curaçao mark the start of an Afro-Caribbean civil rights movement on the island.
Mark Lewisohn's The Beatles Day by Day said:
May 30 – First UK release of the single 'The Ballad of John and Yoko', accredited to the Beatles but featuring just John and Paul on all instruments and vocals. ABC, the Australian Broadcasting Commission, like some American radio stations, issues a ban on the playing of the song because it considers the usage of the word 'Christ' to be blasphemous.


And The Old Mixer is the size of a turnip. Are turnips really bigger than apples, lemons, and avocados? I'll trust that these people know their baby business, but I question their expertise in produce.


Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for the week:
1. "Get Back," The Beatles w/ Billy Preston
2. "Love (Can Make You Happy)," Mercy
3. "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In," The 5th Dimension
4. "Oh Happy Day," The Edwin Hawkins Singers feat. Dorothy Combs Morrison
5. "Hair," The Cowsills
6. "These Eyes," The Guess Who
7. "Atlantis," Donovan
8. "Gitarzan," Ray Stevens
9. "In the Ghetto," Elvis Presley
10. "Grazing in the Grass," The Friends of Distinction
11. "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet," Henry Mancini & His Orchestra
12. "The Boxer," Simon & Garfunkel
13. "Goodbye," Mary Hopkin
14. "Bad Moon Rising," Creedence Clearwater Revival
15. "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," Marvin Gaye
16. "It's Your Thing," The Isley Brothers
17. "Hawaii Five-O," The Ventures
18. "Time Is Tight," Booker T. & The M.G.'s
19. "More Today Than Yesterday," Spiral Starecase
20. "Pinball Wizard," The Who
21. "Morning Girl," The Neon Philharmonic

23. "One," Three Dog Night
24. "Cissy Strut," The Meters
25. "The Chokin' Kind," Joe Simon
26. "Where's the Playground Susie," Glen Campbell
27. "Day Is Done," Peter, Paul & Mary
28. "I Can't See Myself Leaving You," Aretha Franklin
29. "Heather Honey," Tommy Roe
30. "Everyday with You Girl," Classics IV feat. Dennis Yost

32. "Black Pearl," Sonny Charles & The Checkmates, Ltd.
33. "Stand!," Sly & The Family Stone

35. "Don't Let the Joneses Get You Down," The Temptations
37. "The Windmills of Your Mind," Dusty Springfield

41. "Israelites," Desmond Dekker & The Aces
42. "Don't Let Me Down," The Beatles w/ Billy Preston
43. "See," The Rascals

45. "Love Me Tonight," Tom Jones

48. "Let Me," Paul Revere & The Raiders

57. "Good Morning Starshine," Oliver

59. "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)," Jr. Walker & The All-Stars

63. "I Turned You On," The Isley Brothers

66. "I Can Sing a Rainbow / Love Is Blue," The Dells

69. "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida," Iron Butterfly
70. "My Cherie Amour," Stevie Wonder

72. "Moody Woman," Jerry Butler

74. "Color Him Father," The Winstons

76. "Baby, I Love You," Andy Kim

78. "Spinning Wheel," Blood, Sweat & Tears

81. "The Popcorn," James Brown

85. "But It's Alright," J. J. Jackson

88. "I Want to Take You Higher," Sly & The Family Stone
89. "I Threw It All Away," Bob Dylan

96. "Hurt So Bad," The Lettermen


Leaving the chart:
  • "The Composer," Diana Ross & The Supremes (6 weeks)
  • "Do Your Thing," The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (17 weeks)
  • "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'," Crazy Elephant (13 weeks)
  • "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I'll Get It Myself), Pt. 1" James Brown (8 weeks)
  • "Lodi," Creedence Clearwater Revival (4 weeks)
  • "Only the Strong Survive," Jerry Butler (13 weeks)
  • "Sweet Cherry Wine," Tommy James & The Shondells (10 weeks)
  • "You've Made Me So Very Happy," Blood, Sweat & Tears (13 weeks)

New on the chart:

"The Popcorn," James Brown
(#30 US; #11 R&B; WARNING: This single does not contain words or phrases.)

"Moody Woman," Jerry Butler
(#24 US; #3 R&B)

"I Turned You On," The Isley Brothers
(#23 US; #6 R&B)

"Hurt So Bad," The Lettermen
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(#12 US; #2 AC; originally a #10 US, #3 R&B hit for Little Anthony & The Imperials in 1965)

"My Cherie Amour," Stevie Wonder
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(#4 US; #3 AC; #4 R&B; #4 UK)

"Spinning Wheel," Blood, Sweat & Tears
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(#2 US; #1 AC; #45 R&B)


And new on the boob tube:
  • The Ed Sullivan Show, Season 21, episode 31, featuring Sam & Dave, Mary Hopkin, Ernest Montego, and Ron Carey

_______

Yeah, I love that. :rommie:
I've heard it told somewhere that Elvis's meeting with Nixon was really about wanting a badge to add to his collection.

An entertaining Rock'n'Roll song with words and phrases in it.
But even the King has nothing on Ray doing Ray.

You'd think they'd be bored with producing classics by now.
Someone's gotta make the Beatles feel like they have competition at this point.

This is okay.
Also okay.
British...Invasion...GOOD!!![/frank]

The instrumental version definitely loses the heart of the song. Here's another cover from the era that uses words and phrases.
 
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I don't know about civil rights per se, but one could argue that rock & roll played a substantial part in breaking down racial barriers. A fundamental element of its genesis was white kids out in their cars and away from their parents tuning in to black stations because they liked the music better.
I wouldn't use the word "substantial", especially when compared to other more direct actions like civil disobedience, voting (and it's related necessities, like enfranchisement and registration etc). Also, I would take issue with the value of listening to recordings they liked by black artists causing much movement in entrenched racism by white rock and roll fans in the 50's in particular. Liking black culture has never negated hatred for black people.

However, rock and roll concerts did provide the opportunity to demonstrate against segregated concerts.
I didn't say intentionally, I said just by existing.
Can you explain how Elvis' mere "existence" had any affect whatsoever on the civil rights movement? Because I'm not seeing it.
"Memphis," Johnny Rivers
I don't think I've ever heard a Johnny Rivers song I didn't like. His "The Poor Side of Town" remains one of the great rock ballads of all time.
 
And The Old Mixer is the size of a turnip. Are turnips really bigger than apples, lemons, and avocados? I'll trust that these people know their baby business, but I question their expertise in produce.
Well, turnips need trucks and apples just need bushels.

"The Popcorn," James Brown
(#30 US; #11 R&B; WARNING: This single does not contain words or phrases.)
:rommie: There's actually another instrumental called "Popcorn" that's a bit catchier, if less substantial.

Kind of meh.

Kind of amusing.

"Hurt So Bad," The Lettermen
Now we're getting somewhere.

"My Cherie Amour," Stevie Wonder
Here's a classic.

"Spinning Wheel," Blood, Sweat & Tears
And another classic.

I've heard it told somewhere that Elvis's meeting with Nixon was really about wanting a badge to add to his collection.
He probably thought that enforcing the rules would make him exempt from the rules. :rommie:

Liking black culture has never negated hatred for black people.
I disagree. Art is a defining characteristic of humanity and brings people together and teaches them about each other. It humanizes people that may have seemed strange or different or scary just because they're in a separate place.

Can you explain how Elvis' mere "existence" had any affect whatsoever on the civil rights movement? Because I'm not seeing it.
As I said, by being a disruptive influence. By making kids think-- not in a painful after-school-special kind of way, but in a this-is-pretty-cool kind of way. This is exactly what happened to my Mother, for one example. She had zero exposure to Blacks when she was a kid, but Elvis and his connection to Black music, plus the bizarre reactions of the establishment, like smashing records on the air, made her aware and sympathetic.
 
Liking black culture's has never negated hatred for black people.
I disagree. Art is a defining characteristic of humanity and brings people together and teaches them about each other. It humanizes people that may have seemed strange or different or scary just because they're in a separate place.
You are creating a bit of a straw man. What you write above can be considered to be generally true. But that truth does not necessarily apply to this particular discussion. Your mother's situation may have happened but i anecdotal and cannot be applied generally.

It sounds great, just not a universal truth and certainly not generally applicable to the black experience in America.

Even back in the days of slavery there were plenty of white people who loved watching slaves perform, sing and dance. But I don't think many (any) were able to use it to buy their freedom. Musical forms like the blues and jazz, both known as American "classical" music, were born in the black community and were loved and even imitated by white Americans, yet racism against black people flourished right alongside that "love".

I know this is also anecdotal, but I think it was and is quite common, there was this ultra racist self professed KKK member who used to be a regular guest on the old Howard Stern Show. He was a typical white supremacist lowlife who enjoyed being who he was. But do you know who his favorite actor was? Eddie Murphy. He loved Eddie and all his movies. But that had NO effect on his overall feelings about black people. It has been written that Thomas Jefferson "loved" a lot of things about Sally Hemmings, with whom he had several children, but he still kept his slaves. In fact his children ith Sally were born into bondage.

Hatred for black people and love for black culture many times exist simultaneously in the same person.

Love for black culture can be, but is no certain panacea for a person's racist feelings towards black people. No doubt this same thing is also true for the person who is anti semitic.
As I said, by being a disruptive influence. By making kids think-- not in a painful after-school-special kind of way, but in a this-is-pretty-cool kind of way. This is exactly what happened to my Mother, for one example. She had zero exposure to Blacks when she was a kid, but Elvis and his connection to Black music, plus the bizarre reactions of the establishment, like smashing records on the air, made her aware and sympathetic.
I seriously doubt that any significant number of young white Elvis fans back in the 1950's had any conscious idea that Elvis' performance style owed a heavy debt to black gospel performers who Elvis said he'd seen in his youth.

Now, there has been a significant amount of attention paid to this since the 50's ended, so perhaps in retrospect it seems "logical" to think that white Elvis fans, knowing his influences, would follow that back to black performers. But this was the 1950's, not the 80's or 90's, when following and artist's influences became somewhat commonplace. But even in the 80's, I shudder to think of the number of white Blues Bros fans who needed to be told about the incredible Stax/Volt catalogue from which those guys pretty much pulled their entire act.

But regardless, this was a discussion about Elvis' effect on the civil rights movement and I remain unconvinced that his career had any effect on it at all, despite your mom's curiosity about black music after hearing Elvis.
 
_______

The Wild Wild West
"The Night of the Underground Terror"
Originally aired January 19, 1968
Wiki said:
During Mardi Gras in New Orleans, West is grabbed by a Major Hazard, the leader of a gang of crippled Civil War prisoners-of-war who are seeking revenge on Mosely, the camp's commandant...yet things do not turn out as they seem...

Jim's Mardi Gras date in the teaser is China Hazard (Sabrina Scharf), and Artie came as Hamlet with a gas-spewing skull. China takes Jim into the sewers to meet her father, Major Hazard (Nehemiah Persoff), a paraplegic veteran living underground. Red West is back again as one of his followers, Lt. Maberly, who's missing an arm. Two of Hazard's men wear masks because they're said to have no faces. Hazard and his men were victims of Mosely, and want revenge.

Jim is able to convince the reluctant Hazard to give him Mosely's current identity and appearance (a beardless Jeff Corey), and Jim infiltrates Hazard's household to put the bag on him with Artie's help, after briefly being held captive. Jim smuggles Mosely out in a grandfather clock, and Artie evidently tries to take Mosely's place by assuming his general appearance, but still looking like Ross Martin in make-up. Back at the train, Jim is confronted by Hazard and his men.

Mosely and Jim are taken to the POW camp that Mosely commanded for the trial, where Jim is to serve as Mosely's defense. But Jim's first motion is to reveal that all of the supposedly crippled former POWs are faking their handicaps and has deduced that they're actually Mosely's former lieutenants. They tie Jim and Mosely to whipping posts, as they do have a genuine beef with their former commandant--they want to know where on the grounds he hid a gold shipment in the closing days of the war. Artie--having gotten a Morse code message that Jim poked in a newspaper back on the train--stumbles into the scene in a deerstalker cap pretending to be searching for gold with a divining rod. He rather lamely convinces Hazard's Heroes that he's the genuine article and gets them to toss all their guns in a pile, after which he frees Jim and a climactic brawl ensues. Hazard ends up buried in the gold, which comes pouring out of a water tower spout.

This one has a very brief coda, but with a cute visual gag, which involves a trick table that's top flips over to reveal a wine pitcher and glasses, which presumably would have just been upside-down, to the wordless amazement of the official of the week (Douglas Henderson).

______

Well, turnips need trucks and apples just need bushels.
You're upsetting the cart.

:rommie: There's actually another instrumental called "Popcorn" that's a bit catchier, if less substantial.
This isn't the end of James's fascination with the Popcorn, which was reportedly a dance craze at the time.

Kind of meh.
But he's still got that voice.

Kind of amusing.
Sounds a little too much like "It's Your Thing".

Now we're getting somewhere.
Finally, a version of the song that Grandma can listen to on WSBT!

Here's a classic.
Now we're getting somewhere!

And another classic.
They're on a roll.
 
It sounds great, just not a universal truth and certainly not generally applicable to the black experience in America.
I never said it was universal, just that it was significant because of the unprecedented cultural phenomenon that was Elvis.

Even back in the days of slavery there were plenty of white people who loved watching slaves perform, sing and dance.
True, but that's not the same thing as being a celebrity or a teenage heartthrob.

Musical forms like the blues and jazz, both known as American "classical" music, were born in the black community and were loved and even imitated by white Americans, yet racism against black people flourished right alongside that "love".
That's very true. It wasn't a magic spell that cured the problem with a wave of the hand. It was one aspect of a long process that upended centuries of cultural inertia.

It has been written that Thomas Jefferson "loved" a lot of things about Sally Hemmings, with whom he had several children, but he still kept his slaves. In fact his children ith Sally were born into bondage.
This is quite a different century and subject. Jefferson lived at a time when his social status and political career could have been destroyed by his relationship with Sally Hemings-- in fact, he did love her and she was essentially his wife for much of his life, but they had to keep it in the closet. But that has nothing to do with the Civil Rights movements of the 20th century (aside from him helping to create a country where it was possible).

Hatred for black people and love for black culture many times exist simultaneously in the same person.
No argument there. But bigotry and prejudice and segregation are not always about hatred, either. Very often it's just discomfort or the assumption that a group of people are not as smart or civilized, just because that's what's been passed down.

I seriously doubt that any significant number of young white Elvis fans back in the 1950's had any conscious idea that Elvis' performance style owed a heavy debt to black gospel performers who Elvis said he'd seen in his youth.
I think they did, since there were radio stations who refused to play his music and DJs who theatrically smashed his records on the air because it was "n*gger music." Everybody knew what that meant.

But regardless, this was a discussion about Elvis' effect on the civil rights movement and I remain unconvinced that his career had any effect on it at all, despite your mom's curiosity about black music after hearing Elvis.
Your mileage may vary, of course, and I'm not saying that Elvis was the Jesus of the Hippie movement, but I do think that he helped bridge a gap and that his contribution was magnified by his humongous celebrity. The people who opposed his music because it was Black were meanies who became the enemy and in turn made Blacks more sympathetic to White kids. This is how you make progress: By winning hearts and minds. That's why one Sidney Poitier is worth a million rappers. It's also why the Boomer Generation was an unprecedented success while the Millennial Generation is a catastrophic disaster. So what do you think of Ed Sullivan's contribution to the Civil Rights Era?

Mosely and Jim are taken to the POW camp that Mosely commanded for the trial, where Jim is to serve as Mosely's defense.
I'm not sure I understand how Jim and Artie got caught up in this. It doesn't seem to be an assignment. Did they just agree to help Hazard because they thought he had a genuine beef at first? Or were they trying to expose him from the start?

But Jim's first motion is to reveal that all of the supposedly crippled former POWs are faking their handicaps and has deduced that they're actually Mosely's former lieutenants. They tie Jim and Mosely to whipping posts, as they do have a genuine beef with their former commandant--they want to know where on the grounds he hid a gold shipment in the closing days of the war.
That's kind of a cop out. What was the purpose of the ruse?

Hazard ends up buried in the gold, which comes pouring out of a water tower spout.
There's an obvious joke here that I will not stoop to.

But he's still got that voice.
True enough.

I saw a very weird episode of Sea Hunt yesterday that involved Lloyd Bridges being called in by a friend to investigate a sea monster. It scared whales, nearly upset boats, and tore through fishing nets-- and when Lloyd went down to investigate, it tossed him around like a cork. But nobody ever really got a good look at it. It turned out to be an "underwater satellite," of unknown origin, and did indeed look a lot like Sputnik. It had no visible means of propulsion and was about the size of a medicine ball, yet was able to speed through the water at incredible velocity, causing shock waves and tearing through nets. At the end, it was taken away for examination by Lloyd's friends in the Navy. I'm not really very familiar with Sea Hunt, but this was strangely Sci-Fi B-Movie-ish, and quite different from other episodes I've seen.
 
_______

50th Anniversary Viewing

_______

The Ed Sullivan Show
Season 21, episode 31
Originally aired May 25, 1969
As represented in The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show

Ed said:
These guys are sensational. Here are the rock & rolling Sam & Dave!
The duo open the Best of installment by revisiting their last major hit, early 1968's "I Thank You". It's a strong performance and sounds very live. They're accompanied by an onstage band that includes an eight-man horn section standing right behind them, dancing as much as playing.
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Ed said:
Ladies and gentleman, a frail(?) of a singer from Wales, Mary Hopkin, here she is!
Mary's performance of "Goodbye," for contrast, sounds very much like the single audio, despite her having an acoustic guitar in some shots of what's clearly a prepared video, which has multiple Marys appearing onscreen at the same time against a black backdrop. I wouldn't be surprised if the video was sent in and she wasn't even in the studio.

Ed said:
For the youngsters, here is West Germany's Montego!
In a very brief clip of what was likely a larger performance, the unicyclist is aided by a female assistant as he balances spinning balls from his forehead, mouth, and hand while spinning hoops on an arm and leg, all while keeping stationary on his cycle.

Ed said:
Now here's a bright new comic, Ron Carey!
Carey opens by doing a facial profile impersonation of Nixon, then proceeds to do a skit of a priest at his church reading announcements.
Father Murphy said:
Thursday night there'll be a lecture in the school auditorium on the evils of gambling; Friday night, Bingo!


Ed once again said:
Here are the rock & rolling Sam & Dave
The Best of installment closes with the duo plugging "Born Again," their most recent charting single (charted Mar. 22, 1969; #92 US; #27 R&B), which will be their last to make it into the Hot 100. It's not a bad number, having a gospelish sound; and once again it's a strong, very live performance, which ends with Ed coming over to them. I couldn't find a clip of it, but here's the studio version:
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Also in the original episode according to tv.com:
Music:
--Sam & Dave - "Soul Man"
--Mary Hopkin sings "Love Is The Sweetest Thing."
--Theodore Bikel - "Those Were the Days."
--The Primo Family sings "I Dig Rock 'n' Roll Music," "Where Is Love?" and "Fool on the Hill."
Comedy:
--Louis Nye - stand-up routine about an Army sergeant talking to troops.
Also appearing:
--Berri Lee (magician) - with Ed assisting, does rope trick, burning book, etc.

_______

I'm not sure I understand how Jim and Artie got caught up in this. It doesn't seem to be an assignment. Did they just agree to help Hazard because they thought he had a genuine beef at first? Or were they trying to expose him from the start?
That's kind of a cop out. What was the purpose of the ruse?
It was an assignment, one in progress involving bringing Mosely in to stand trial. Hazard knew Mosely's whereabouts and current identity; and pretended to divulge that information reluctantly to get Jim to do their dirty work for them, bringing Mosely to them.

I saw a very weird episode of Sea Hunt yesterday that involved Lloyd Bridges being called in by a friend to investigate a sea monster. It scared whales, nearly upset boats, and tore through fishing nets-- and when Lloyd went down to investigate, it tossed him around like a cork. But nobody ever really got a good look at it. It turned out to be an "underwater satellite," of unknown origin, and did indeed look a lot like Sputnik. It had no visible means of propulsion and was about the size of a medicine ball, yet was able to speed through the water at incredible velocity, causing shock waves and tearing through nets. At the end, it was taken away for examination by Lloyd's friends in the Navy. I'm not really very familiar with Sea Hunt, but this was strangely Sci-Fi B-Movie-ish, and quite different from other episodes I've seen.
I've had it on low in the background in the wee hours on This on occasion. That does sound unusual. Typically he seems to be diving into grottos and such to retrieve things or rescue divers.
 
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Liking black culture has never negated hatred for black people.
This is quite a different century and subject. Jefferson lived at a time when his social status and political career could have been destroyed by his relationship with Sally Hemings--
No, different century but same subject. The point I was trying to make had nothing to do with thinking Jefferson should have 'come out' with his relationship with Sally. I probably didn't make myself clear. My point in bringing up Thomas and Sally was to give an example of a white person having positive feelings for things "about" a particular black person while still feeling hatred for black people in general (as well the feeling that blacks aren't fully human).

This went to my point that just loving black culture is not a sure path to loving black people. Ergo, white people loving Elvis probably would not have led most of them to think anything more positive about black people other than "those people sure can sing and dance". This has been a common refrain among racists for centuries and does continue to this day.
in fact, he did love her and she was essentially his wife for much of his life, but they had to keep it in the closet.
This is a bit off the subject but I think it is something you should be aware of; Sally Hemmings was never "essentially Jefferson's wife." She was literally Jefferson's property for much of Sally's life. The children she bore for Jefferson were also his property until he freed them after they came of age.

And speaking of those children, because Sally lacked the autonomy to refuse to have sex with him, this made Thomas a rapist in addition to being a human trafficker, kidnapper, thief, murderer (likely), and human rights violator. Please don't think Sally and Thomas were some Hallmark fairy tale romance.
But that has nothing to do with the Civil Rights movements of the 20th century (aside from him helping to create a country where it was possible).
Umm, there would not have been a need for a civil rights movement were it not for men like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and so many others of their ilk.
I think they did, since there were radio stations who refused to play his music and DJs who theatrically smashed his records on the air because it was "n*gger music." Everybody knew what that meant.
Most accounts from teenagers at the time, showed they loved Elvis because he was performing a "different" type of music. Not because they knew he was performing music influenced by black people.

He was performing rock and roll, which was brand new to most white kids. The reason given by most DJ's and ministers who railed about Elvis' music was that it was rock and roll, "devil music". It was understood that that style of music was also played by blacks, but that wasn't the reason given when those DJ"s and ministers were questioned about why they didn't want their kids listening to Elvis.

In fact, for many white kids who did like black artists, Elvis was a "palatable" alternative to black artists who performed in similar style. It could be argued that Elvis may actually have actually "led" many white kids away from black artists.
Your mileage may vary, of course, and I'm not saying that Elvis was the Jesus of the Hippie movement, but I do think that he helped bridge a gap and that his contribution was magnified by his humongous celebrity. The people who opposed his music because it was Black were meanies who became the enemy and in turn made Blacks more sympathetic to White kids. This is how you make progress: By winning hearts and minds.
You know, it's like you have this strange idealized view of the 1950's and civil rights movement that has nothing to do with reality, which you keep implying is a matter of opinion. You can have an "opinion" about reality but reality itself is not opinion.

It's like you've somehow smushed together the 50's and 60's. Rock and roll's influence on the civil rights movement and the hippie movement didn't start until the 60's. The modern civil rights movement began in the mid 50's and at that time even prominent black musicians weren't actively involved.

Elvis and his cultural influence (on white kids) was pretty much a non factor in the civil rights movement directly or indirectly. Now, if you have some proof otherwise (other than your opinion), I'd like to see it.
That's why one Sidney Poitier is worth a million rappers.
Sounds like you don't know much about rap. :lol:
So what do you think of Ed Sullivan's contribution to the Civil Rights Era?
Ed did nothing but exploit black artists for ratings. But because his show exposed many of those artists to an audience who might never have heard their music otherwise (despite Elvis), Ed's interests and those artists were temporarily in alignment. I'm not calling him a racist, he exploited all rock artists he had on his show, but he was certainly no philanthropist hoping to change people's minds about black people.

Not the same feeling about Dick Clark, however, who I believe would have completely integrated American Bandstand many years earlier than he actually did (because of the success of Soul Train), had he been able. Clark had a genuine interest in bringing people together with music. His interviews of black artists on his show were as sincere and respectful as they could be. Clark doesn't get enough credit for what he meant to black musical artists of the day.
 
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The duo open the Best of installment by revisiting their last major hit, early 1968's "I Thank You".
That's a good one.

Carey opens by doing a facial profile impersonation of Nixon, then proceeds to do a skit of a priest at his church reading announcements.
If this is the guy I'm thinking of, he later became a regular on Barney Miller as the Gay uniformed officer who was always pestering Barney to make him a detective-- which eventually happened.

The Best of installment closes with the duo plugging "Born Again,"
Kind of catchy.

It was an assignment, one in progress involving bringing Mosely in to stand trial. Hazard knew Mosely's whereabouts and current identity; and pretended to divulge that information reluctantly to get Jim to do their dirty work for them, bringing Mosely to them.
Ah, okay, that makes sense.

I've had it on low in the background in the wee hours on This on occasion. That does sound unusual. Typically he seems to be diving into grottos and such to retrieve things or rescue divers.
There was one other where he ran up against an enemy agent planting surveillance equipment or something, but this one was really off the wall.

My point in bringing up Thomas and Sally was to give an example of a white person having positive feelings for things "about" a particular black person while still feeling hatred for black people in general (as well the feeling that blacks aren't fully human).
And, of course, Jefferson didn't hate Sally-- quite the opposite. And it's more often about prejudice than hatred, which is something that can be cured through education.

This went to my point that just loving black culture is not a sure path to loving black people.
I never said it was a sure path. I said it was a contributing factor, and a large one because of Elvis's stature.

This is a bit off the subject but I think it is something you should be aware of; Sally Hemmings was never "essentially Jefferson's wife." She was literally Jefferson's property for much of Sally's life. The children she bore for Jefferson were also his property until he freed them after they came of age.
That was the world they lived in, which I'm well aware of, having studied it most of my life.

And speaking of those children, because Sally lacked the autonomy to refuse to have sex with him, this made Thomas a rapist in addition to being a human trafficker, kidnapper, thief, murderer (likely), and human rights violator. Please don't think Sally and Thomas were some Hallmark fairy tale romance.
No, he was none of those things, and their relationship was definitely a romance. I don't have the time or patience to write a biography of Thomas Jefferson here, but there are a number of good ones available that can serve as an antidote to ideological propaganda. Remember that we live in a world dominated by two extremist conservative ideologies, the Right Wing and the Left Wing. The Right Wing will have you believe that Jefferson would never have consorted with a lowly Black slave, because that's their bigotry; the Left Wing will have you believe that Jefferson was a bigoted misogynist, because that's their bigotry. The truth is much more human.

Umm, there would not have been a need for a civil rights movement were it not for men like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and so many others of their ilk.
Hardly. Again, I don't have time to outline the history of civilization or the state of the world in the 1700s, but let it suffice to say that these guys changed the whole direction of humanity.

Most accounts from teenagers at the time, showed they loved Elvis because he was performing a "different" type of music. Not because they knew he was performing music influenced by black people.
I never said they liked it because they knew it was Black music; I said they were aware of it.

It was understood that that style of music was also played by blacks, but that wasn't the reason given when those DJ"s and ministers were questioned about why they didn't want their kids listening to Elvis.
Both of those reasons were given.

In fact, for many white kids who did like black artists, Elvis was a "palatable" alternative to black artists who performed in similar style. It could be argued that Elvis may actually have actually "led" many white kids away from black artists.
It may be true that some kids found Elvis an alternative-- or, more likely, some radio stations found Elvis an alternative-- but I doubt if many White kids would have found Black music without Elvis to lead them astray. :rommie:

It's like you've somehow smushed together the 50's and 60's. Rock and roll's influence on the civil rights movement and the hippie movement didn't start until the 60's. The modern civil rights movement began in the mid 50's and at that time even prominent black musicians weren't actively involved.
Not at all. I just understand that there's a process to historical change and that there are a lot of contributing factors with a greater or lesser degree of synergy involved. The modern Civil Rights movement, along with Women's Lib and the Sexual Revolution, which were all intertwined, began in the 20s, but were interrupted by the Depression and the Second World War. It resumed in the 50s, with the rise of protests and marches and incidents like Rosa Parks. Part of this was the mainstreaming of Black music, and Elvis was a part of that. Nothing happens in a vacuum. The 50s primed the country for the revolution of the 60s.

Ed did nothing but exploit black artists for ratings. But because his show exposed many of those artists to an audience who might never have heard their music otherwise (despite Elvis), Ed's interests and those artists were temporarily in alignment. I'm not calling him a racist, he exploited all rock artists he had on his show, but he was certainly no philanthropist hoping to change people's minds about black people.
And I'm not saying he did it deliberately. But large swaths of America saw Sullivan, on a weekly basis, treating Black artists with the same courtesy and common decency that he treated White artists. Again, the psychological effects of this cannot be underestimated.

Not the same feeling about Dick Clark, however, who I believe would have completely integrated American Bandstand many years earlier than he actually did (because of the success of Soul Train), had he been able. Clark had a genuine interest in bringing people together with music. His interviews of black artists on his show were as sincere and respectful as they could be. Clark doesn't get enough credit for what he meant to black musical artists of the day.
Yes, I agree. Dick Clark is another great example of this aspect of cultural change in the 50s and 60s.
 
If this is the guy I'm thinking of, he later became a regular on Barney Miller as the Gay uniformed officer who was always pestering Barney to make him a detective-- which eventually happened.
The unctuous Officer Carl Levitt was played by Ron Carey.
11B8B30C-52BF-4B19-B52F-544531131B2A.jpeg
The gay cop, Officer Zatelli, was played by Dino Natali.
DAC19F17-2F3F-4A0E-A371-AADFEF694DA9.jpeg
 
And, of course, Jefferson didn't hate Sally-- quite the opposite. And it's more often about prejudice than hatred, which is something that can be cured through education.
:wtf: Who said he hated Sally? But the feelings he did for her, the "love", if you will, was similar to the "love" one has for a favorite pet. You don't keep a person for whom you feel real love, in bondage. As I said, Sally was his property, the same as his horses, dogs, chickens, etc. Perhaps you don't quite get the concept of "slavery"?
I never said it was a sure path. I said it was a contributing factor, and a large one because of Elvis's stature.
Prove it. At least provide a cite where you might have picked up the bizarre notion that Elvis was a "large contributing factor" in the civil rights movement.
That was the world they lived in,
Surely you aren't saying that because this was the "world they lived in", that made it acceptable, right?
No, he was none of those things, and their relationship was definitely a romance. I don't have the time or patience to write a biography of Thomas Jefferson here, but there are a number of good ones available that can serve as an antidote to ideological propaganda. Remember that we live in a world dominated by two extremist conservative ideologies, the Right Wing and the Left Wing. The Right Wing will have you believe that Jefferson would never have consorted with a lowly Black slave, because that's their bigotry; the Left Wing will have you believe that Jefferson was a bigoted misogynist, because that's their bigotry. The truth is much more human.
You have no idea of what you're talking about. There are two indisputable facts here; Jefferson was a slave owner (who "owned" Sally Hemmings among others), and he fathered children with Sally. The descendants of Thomas and Sally live today. Even Jefferson's side of the family acknowledges them as Thomas' descendants.

Those two facts mean that Jefferson was a rapist, because Sally lacked the ability to consent to sex. He was a human traffcker because he bought and sold humans. He was a thief because he stole freedom from his slaves. He was a kidnapper because he paid to have people stolen from their homeland and brought to the US. He was a human rights violator, because of the torture he used on his slaves, starvation, forced labor, psychological torture, and a thousand other things. I just assume because he was a slave owner he probably killed or allowed one or more to die because the cost of medical treatment was more than the value of the slave.

The only one of the aforementioned "crimes" Washington may not have been guilty of was possibly rape. I know that what I've written here goes against what you've been taught about Jefferson and Washington, but believe me, I was taught the same BS about them.

If you believe any of what I have just written is in any way untrue, please explain why you feel that way and if you have any cites that support your belief. And considering Jefferson was a slave owner, please explain to me how he could NOT be, at the LEAST, a bigot.
Hardly. Again, I don't have time to outline the history of civilization or the state of the world in the 1700s, but let it suffice to say that these guys changed the whole direction of humanity.
They changed the "whole direction" for white American humanity in a positive way. Washington and Jefferson changed nothing for black people, who stayed slaves even after Thomas wrote "all men are created equal". The "whole direction" in which they, and others, changed for blacks, is an entirely different, and very sad and sordid story.
It may be true that some kids found Elvis an alternative-- or, more likely, some radio stations found Elvis an alternative-- but I doubt if many White kids would have found Black music without Elvis to lead them astray. :rommie:
That laughing icon is perfectly placed. ;) As I have been requesting, please provide some type of cite that might support this ridiculous notion. You had to have gotten this stuff from someplace. Or I don't know, maybe someone has been feeding it to you.
The modern Civil Rights movement, along with Women's Lib and the Sexual Revolution, which were all intertwined, began in the 20s, but were interrupted by the Depression and the Second World War. It resumed in the 50s, with the rise of protests and marches and incidents like Rosa Parks. Part of this was the mainstreaming of Black music, and Elvis was a part of that. Nothing happens in a vacuum. The 50s primed the country for the revolution of the 60s. Nothing happens in a vacuum. The 50s primed the country
The modern civil rights movement has roots going back even further than the 20's. The Harlem Renaissance played a much bigger role than the Women's Movement in the 20's.

Howver, Rosa Parks was the person whose actions in 1954, sparked the most significant part of the civil rights movement. That set off MLK's non violent civil disobedience method of affecting change which led to significant changes in America.

These events would have occurred if Elvis had never even been born. He was as irrelevant to the movement as one human could possibly be. Again, give me a cite, any cite, where you picked this stuff up.
And I'm not saying he did it deliberately. But large swaths of America saw Sullivan, on a weekly basis, treating Black artists with the same courtesy and common decency that he treated White artists. Again, the psychological effects of this cannot be underestimated.
Maybe you never saw the Sullivan show, but he treated most rock artists on his show with the same perfunctory greetings and "banter". But Ed did at least present black artists on his show ,and even this meager contribution dwarfs anything Elvis did.
 
The unctuous Officer Carl Levitt was played by Ron Carey.
View attachment 9760
The gay cop, Officer Zatelli, was played by Dino Natali.
View attachment 9761
Well, I'll be darned. I could have sworn it was Levitt. I don't even remember the other guy, even after seeing his picture.

Yep, that's the same guy. I'm not overly familiar with Barney Miller, but as soon as RJ brought it up, his face clicked with me. (And IMDb confirms it.)
It seems like there were a few people who we know as actors and talk show hosts who started out as stand-up comics.

:wtf: Who said he hated Sally? But the feelings he did for her, the "love", if you will, was similar to the "love" one has for a favorite pet. You don't keep a person for whom you feel real love, in bondage. As I said, Sally was his property, the same as his horses, dogs, chickens, etc. Perhaps you don't quite get the concept of "slavery"?
I don't think you realize that all of these people were human beings.

Surely you aren't saying that because this was the "world they lived in", that made it acceptable, right?
Bloody Hell. :rommie:

You have no idea of what you're talking about.
All righty then. We've digressed enough. Enjoy the Internet. :rommie:
 
_______

Dragnet 1968
"The Big Amateur"
Originally aired January 25, 1968
Xfinity said:
A phony police officer is discovered when he wins a businessmen's club's "All-American Policeman" award.
Sgt. Joe Friday said:
This is the city: Los Angeles, California. Like cities everywhere, visitors accept it at face value. And like cities everywhere, all is not what it appears to be. A high school can hide a gang of car thieves. A slum can be the home of a poet. A quiet suburban street can be the scene of a double homicide. The trained observer takes nothing at face value, he learns to look beneath the surface. Some observers look for their own game. I look for yours. I carry a badge.

Monday, May 5 (1958 or 1969): Friday and Gannon are working the day watch out of Frauds Division, Bunco Section, when Captain Lambert brings in Mr. Finch (Del Moore), who wants to present an award on behalf of the Southwest Businessmen's Association to an outstanding neighborhood police officer, Gideon C. Dengle. Lambert informs him that there's no such officer or on the force or badge number on issue. Finch is asked to stay mum about what he's learned while Friday and Gannon go out to question other members of the association who've dealt with Dengle routinely, while not letting on to them why they're asking about him. The first is a Chinese restauranter (Keye Luke!); the second a nursery school teacher (Carol Byron); the third a banker (Bert Holland). All seem completely taken in by Dengle and describe his helpful deeds, from keeping an eye on the man who cuts the restaurant's ducks into portions, to helping the kids cross the street, to rescuing a cat from a tree for a customer at the bank! Back at the station, it begins to seem to the detectives that Dengle isn't necessarily doing this as part of a criminal scam, but may just be some sort of a kook. Then Captain Lambert comes in with a handful of phony tickets that Dengle has been writing up--which the recipients have insisted on paying--and a couple of high school students report in for having been caught by Dengle for violating curfew!

Just as the bank manager has come to the police administration building to inform Friday and Gannon that Dengle has quit the force, Lambert informs them that he's gotten a report from the scene of a fire of Dengle posing as a fire department battalion commander. The detectives go out to arrest Dengle (Stuart Nisbet), who maintains his impersonation the entire time, even mentioning that he used to be a cop!

The Announcer said:
On June 15, trail was held in Division 86, Municipal Court, Los Angeles Judicial District....The suspect was found guilty of violating sections 538 D and E, Penal Code of the State of California, in that he willfully impersonated both a peace officer and fireman, misdemeanors which are punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months or by a fine not exceeding $500, or by both.
Dragnet58.jpg

_______

The Wild Wild West
"The Night of the Death Masks"
Originally aired January 26, 1968
Wiki said:
James West is attacked and knocked unconscious. He awakens in a strange deserted town filled with assailants wearing masks in the likeness of Emmett Stark, an escaped murderer whom West had imprisoned years earlier — and now Stark wants revenge.

At a stagecoach stop, Jim rescues a pretty young lady named Amanda (Judith McConnell) from some rowdy soldiers, and she addresses him by name, claiming to have been present at an incident five years earlier when Jim and Artie stopped a man named Emmett Stark. Jim doesn't remember her, but accompnies her to the coach, which, after she excuses herself to powder her nose, turns out to be rigged for abduction, with shutters closing over the windows and doors and gas filling the compartment. Jim wakes up to find himself in the coach, now open, wearing different clothes that show off his chest. He's in a seemingly empty town named Paradox, where he wanders the streets in a Twilight Zone-ish manner, with the requisite music being heard in the saloon and so forth.

Artie's on a date in Virginia City when Colonel Richmond informs him that Stark, who'd vowed revenge on West and Gordon when sentenced, has escaped. Amanda shows up at the train, claiming to have had a date with Jim and making a show of acting stood up, but Artie and Richmond see through her ruse and the colonel says he'll have her followed.

There are multiple incidents of Jim being shot at (and hit in the leg in one case) and chasing the shooters to find dummies wearing masks of Stark. (It's not made clear if the dummies are mechanisms or decoys for the actual shooters.) He's also jumped by several men in the seemingly empty saloon and overcomes them, but falls unconscious. After he awakes, a young woman named Betsy (Patricia McCormack) wanders in, claiming to be lost. She gives Jim the idea to go to the telegraph office, where he tries to send out a message, but gets a threatening one back signed by Stark, saying something about how Jim will regret what he's going to do. The next day Betsy seems to get shot outside and then disappears when Jim's trying to pursue the shooter. After that a stage rides in with a driver and three strangers who all act like normal passers-through. Jim is initially skeptical of them, but lets one of them, a doctor, take care of his leg...and gets drugged up, with the four make a show of leaving on the coach without him.

Artie goes to the coach station from which Jim was abducted and finds the trio whom Jim had just met in Paradox, who claim to have run into West on the road. Artie sees through them after they try to gas him, but is knocked out by something they'd put in his coffee while he was chatting with them. Artie wakes up on the stage in Paradox, unaware that he's wearing an unconvincing disguise that somebody else put on him, which I assume is supposed to make him look like Stark. While Jim is temporarily unconscious again in the hotel, a man dressed in the same clothes comes out of the establishment and shoots at Artie. When Jim comes to and stumbles out, disguised Artie shoots at him and the two engage in a gunfight, in which Jim wounds Artie and then is seemingly shot down by Artie. But when Artie approaches Jim's body, realizing what he's done, it turns out that Jim is faking, having been cued in by Artie's initials on the empty pistol that he's previously thrown at Jim. When the real Stark (Milton Selzer) and some goons arrive to gloat, Jim and Artie surprise them, but they're held at bay in turn by a shotgun-weilding Betsy, who turns out to be Stark's daughter. Jim and Artie nonetheless find an opportunity to overcome their captors, and they wind up using the shutters on the trick stage to take Stark and Betsy prisoner.

This one sort of reminded me of an Avengers episode.

_______
 
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