Happy Birthday, Ozoners!

Seventy-nine years ago tonight, the world's first drive-in theatre or ozoner, as we in the motion picture exhibition business call them in-between making fun of the idiots paying our ridiculous snack prices, opened.

Wikipedia tells how moon movies flicked forth:

Richard Milton Hollingshead, Jr. (February 25, 1900 - May 13, 1975) was the inventor of the drive-in theater.

In the early 1930s, he was working as a sales manager in his father's auto parts company, Whiz Auto Products. According to one story, his mother was a large woman who was uncomfortable sitting in a regular movie theater.[1] So he began experimenting at his home in Camden, New Jersey, using his car, a 1928 Kodak movie projector, and two sheets nailed between two trees for a screen. Eventually, he came up with a ramp in each parking space, so that patrons could elevate the front of their cars to see the screen without being blocked by other vehicles.[2] He applied for a patent on August 6, 1932[2] and was granted number 1,909,537 on May 16, 1933.

With three investors, his cousin John Smith, Edward Ellies, and Oliver Willets, he formed a company called Park-It Theatres, Inc.[2] Their 400-acre (1.6 km2) "Automobile Movie Theatre"[3] opened on Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden on June 6, 1933. RCA Victor provided three six foot (1.8 m) by six foot speakers to go with the 40 foot (12 m) by 50 foot (15 m) screen. The first movie shown was "Wives Beware," starring Adolphe Menjou. The charge was $0.25 per person and $0.25 per automobile, with a maximum cost of $1. Hollingshead sold the theatre in 1935 and opened another one.

Park-It Theatres licensed the concept to Loews Drive-In Theatres, Inc., but had trouble collecting royalties in 1937. Eventually, after Loews was taken to court, Hollingshead's patent was ruled invalid in 1950.

And thanks to same Mr. Hollingshead, Jr., lifelong funding efforts for my global countryside chain of pogo stick-in theatres have come to, basically, nil.



More: Mike's Video: "Scenes From a Drive-in Movie"

Big Weekend

Big weekend, watching SUMMERTIME (1955) to entice summertime 2012.

"Summertime" (1955) Movie Trailer via YouTube
We liked this movie, but I was creeped the show was written for Shirley Booth. Director David Lean hired Katharine Hepburn instead.

Makes me ache for Kate as Hazel, chasing Mr. B. and Bobby Buntrock with a spatula.



 "Hazel" (1961-65) Opening Titles via YouTube

Bass, Herrmann, Hitchcock, and Me

I loves me some superior movie main title sequences. I've written before of my devotion to the design artistry of Saul Bass ("It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World," "Walk on the Wild Side," "Around the World in Eighty Days"). He changed how movies handled the obligatory credits during the 1950s and '60s by making his celluloid minutes not only handsome lists of names, but also an integral part of the thematic tones of the whole production. His influence continues to shape the films we see in theatres today.

At the creative and popularity heights of Alfred Hitchcock, Bass came on board to front three of the suspense director's most revered motion pictures: "Vertigo" (1958), "North by Northwest" (1959), and "Psycho" (1960). Those men had the good fortune to be musically orchestrated by film composer Bernard Herrmann ("Citizen Kane," "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "The Man Who Knew Too Much"), yielding the three masterful sequences below.

Watch, listen, and enjoy -- then, read a true anecdote which happened to me earlier this day.

Saul Bass Title Sequences for Alfred Hitchcock via Vimeo.
While playing this main titles video on my computer, I heard a fly buzzing in the bathroom. It was befuddled by the window glass. The "North by Northwest" theme neared conclusion when I stepped onto the commode seat to help the panicked insect escape. I raised the pane and removed the screen, as the "Psycho" score pulsated through the room. Providing guidance, I maneuvered the trapped creature through the new opening and out into the external fresh air.

At that moment, something crossed my mind. I recalled a bit of film dialogue from "Psycho" matron Mrs. Bates:

They're probably watching me. Well, let them. Let them see what kind of a person I am. I'm not even going to swat that fly. I hope they are watching... They'll see. They'll see and they'll know, and they'll say, "Why, she wouldn't even harm a fly..."

Okeydokey, 'Oklahoma!'

I love "Oklahoma!" Of the numerous bright moments in the movie and stage play, this is my favorite:



"Oklahoma!": "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top (Reprise)" (1955) via YouTube

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's transformative 1943 Broadway musical world-premiered its motion picture incarnation at the Rivoli in New York on Oct. 11, 1955.

I, however, had to wait until the 1963 re-release to see the film. I hate to enter in the middle. It took awhile to first catch up with "Alabama!" through "Ohio!"

All were surprisingly bald on show tunes.

And, to be honest, Rodgers and Hammerstein's "American Samoa!" stunk.

I had thought, erroneously, there would be roasted marshmallows and chocolate succulences between parallel graham crackers.

"Oklahoma!" made up for everything. The title song is one of my earliest memories, from around age 3. I'd hear it on television and the radio. Long before I knew what "stirring" meant, I was stirred.



"Oklahoma!": "Oklahoma!" (1955) via YouTube
And I keep coming back for s'more.

Buster Keaton: Rock Wrangler

Image via Wikipedia

The amazing, seemingly fearless physical comedian Buster Keaton was remembered on his birthday, Oct. 4. Some of his admirers, including me, corresponded on the occasion. Me:

Here is one of the most memorable and breathtaking stunt sequences I've seen. So risky as a film-maker's challenge, too. I could not believe the eyes on my first viewing of "Seven Chances."

I'm so glad I wasn't a grip on this picture.

Buster Keaton: "Seven Chances" (1925) Chase Scene via YouTube

Frank Thompson shared this clip ... and says, "Let's celebrate Buster's 116th birthday by showing this brilliant scene from "Seven Chances" in which he's chased by at least 116 rocks."

Thanks for counting.

Birthday 'at Tiffany's'

"Breakfast at Tiffany's," Blake Edwards' romantic comedy, starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, celebrated its 50th anniversary Wednesday. The film premiered on Oct. 5, 1961 in -- where else? -- New York City.

I've scribbled about the movie multiple times on this site, which is kind of surprising to me. I mean, writer Truman Capote's main characters are morally bankrupt and/or creepy. I wouldn't care to hang with any of them -- well, except Cat, of course.

Nevertheless, I have an undeniable warm spot for "Breakfast at Tiffany's," most likely due to the effervescent Ms. Hepburn, plus the lush and bubbly Henry Mancini musical soundtrack.

Savoring 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'
Here's a 2009 piece with video clips, including the fine opening title sequence and the "Moon River" fire escape scene, alongside the original theatrical coming attractions trailer.

Movies in the Movies: 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'
A bit of product placement trivia has become one of the most visited of the 2000-plus posts on this ol' blog.

And I located several other personal "Breakfast at Tiffany's" mentions:

Spending too much time prepping [Fox Theatre] screening of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. First hints: sleep deprivation & legal name change to Mikey Golightly.

My mother probably saw BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S in original release (probably at the Fox), but she certainly saw Audrey [Hepburn]. She took to Holly Golightly's upswept hair look and that was Mom's style for years.

I was tackled and forced into crewcuts.

Upswept crewcuts.

Too Nutty: 'My Ding-a-ling' and 'My Toot Toot'

Friend Susan mentioned on Facebook that her teenagers didn't know whether to believe their mother when she said she used to listen to the songs "My Ding-a-ling" and "(Don't Mess With) My Toot Toot" on the radio.

Yeah, kids, it happened, way back in the olden times, between beating clothes on a rock and toting parasols under Pterodactyls.

Here comes the proof.



Chuck Berry: "My Ding-a-ling" (1972) via YouTube
I posted this comment to the discussion:

I was a DJ on WIIN-97 in Atlanta in 1973-74 when MY DING-A-LING was released. We played it every 90 minutes or so, while other radio stations would not. We took some heat for doing it, too, and worried about having our FCC license pulled. I don't recall the toot toot song, although mine can be quite the symphony.

Rockin' Sidney: "My Toot Toot" (1985) via YouTube

Big Weekend

Big weekend, attending the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta, where it occurred to me I am in my 50th year of watching movies inside this venue.

Oh, I occasionally go a decade or two between visits.

*sigh*

I got homework (elementary school, high school, college school, spouse).

But, that's cool, my darling.

*sigh*

The first movie I saw at the Plaza was back in 1962, on a Saturday afternoon. The latest, on Saturday evening.

From "The Ten Commandments" to "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," it's like we've got a theme going.

I Got Nuthin'

Consolation Video: The Moylan Sisters: "My Little Buckaroo" from "Toyland Casino" (1938) via YouTube

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Thanks to Frank Thompson

Slackjaw Dumbstruck: The Ladybugs: 'I Saw Him Standing There'

The "Petticoat Junction" Girls as The Ladybugs: "I Saw Him Standing There" via "The Ed Sullivan Show" and YouTube
Source annotation:

Airdate March 22, 1964. The Ladybugs were Jeannine Riley, Pat Woodell and Linda Kaye Henning (from "Petticoat Junction") & Sheila James (formerly of "Dobie Gillis").

Zelda?!

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Thanks to Charlie Flashbacks.

Meet The NBC Penguin

Continued From: "101 Things About Me #183: A Boy of Color" | "On Loving Color: The NBC Peacock" | "Cock Tails for Two"

In 1967, at the dawn of the full-color era of television, a problem arose. The Beatles' popular black-and-white movie, "A Hard Day's Night," was slated to make its broadcast debut.

"Oh, no! We're the "Living Color" network! The picture is in black-and-white!"

Solution: The NBC Peacock was given the night off and the film was proceeded by The NBC Penguin.

I am not making this up. Here's the video.



"The NBC Penguin" via YouTube

Cock Tails for Two

Continued From: "101 Things About Me #183: A Boy of Color" | "On Loving Color: The NBC Peacock"

With the blessings of the National Broadcasting Company, color television's NBC Peacock logo was turned over to a pair of irreverent animators, John Kricfalusi, creator of "The Ren and Stimpy Show," and Nathan Love, inspired by the aforementioned Mr. K.

Watch the birdies.



Spümcø - NBC "Peacock 1" (1993) by John K. via YouTube


Spümcø - NBC "Peacock 2" (1993) by John K. via YouTube


The Origins of The 'NBC Peacock" (2010) by Nathan Love and NBC Artworks via YouTube


"NBC Peacock Thanksgiving" (2010) by Nathan Love and NBC Artworks via YouTube

On Loving Color: The NBC Peacock

Continued From: "100 Things About Me #183: A Boy of Color"



"NBC Peacock" (1957) via YouTube
Color television broadcasts eventually transmitted on an irregular basis in America during the 1950s, increasing until full-color production morphed onto all channels, circa 1966-67. NBC positioned itself as the "in living color" network, branded with incessant appearances of an iconic peacock, fanning vibrant tailfeathers at our faces before each program.

While color television may not seem like a huge deal generations later, NBC continues to trot out the trusty rainbow fowl on occasion. It's nice to see the bird getting work, considering parent company RCA has plucked a few dollars from color TV manufacturing since 1954, with, I hope, infinite gratitude to its dandy corporate spokesbottom.

Here's a batch of The NBC Peacock appearance videos, starting with a late '50s incarnation (above), followed by a 1968 surprise from "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" and a 2010 salute by the motion picture stars of "Despicable Me."



"The Sneezing NBC Peacock" via YouTube


"'Despicable Me' Peacock" via YouTube
More to come...

100 Things About Me #183

A Boy of Color 

I made a conscious decision as a teenager that I would not grow up to be The Old Man. You know, the coot who spews on about how life was much better when he was a lad. Cats' pajamas, poodle skirts, salt water taffy, muskets, Buddy Ebsen, and all that junk.

So, I'm not doing it here. I'm being delightfully informational in a happ'nin' gnarly bebop sort of Fizzies Party.

Kids today don't have any idea of what hell is.

Hell is watching "color presentation" logos, like the NBC Peacock below, in front of every television show on a black-and-white set for years and years until Mom sees a need to upgrade to the new technology.

"Michael, color TV? Reds and blues and yellows? You don't need reds and blues and yellows. Have you done your homework? Take out the garbage. Have you done your homework? Eat this orange. It's orange...."

NBC Peacock Logo (1960s) via YouTube
I was monochrome 'til age 16, when we got color and I had begun to gray.

I am scarred.

I'm mooning the peacock and these kids today....


100 Things: #1 | Previous | Next

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Thanks to Yowp

His Name ... José Jiménez, Astronaut

NASA's shuttle Atlantis launched into outer space this morning, marking the end of an impressive half century for American primates. I remember life before the race to penetrate the heavens and, strangely, find myself living in the future where no more of our astronauts will pop up beyond the Earth's atmosphere strapped inside USA vehicles.

My comment on Twitter got me to reminiscing.

I was around for the USA's first manned space flight & the last. The best thing the NASA programs gave me was José Jiménez.

I was being silly, but, to be truthful, not much.

In 1961, before manned rocket flights, a comedy routine jumped to the top of the airplay on Top 40 radio stations, and elsewhere, becoming a swift national sensation. Comedian Bill Dana released an in-depth Q&A with his comic character, José Jiménez. It seems the endearing innocent somehow positioned himself to become "the first man in space!"

I was nine and completely devoted to this piece of comedy brilliance. So consumed, I demanded -- as much as a kid could dare -- that my mother purchase the 45 RPM double-sided single, which I played on our turntable incessantly, memorizing and simultaneously performing the material in response to interviewer Don Hinckley.

I found "The Astronaut" at YouTube to share here, but this particular copy has an added puppet show performance video inserted by a fan. Underlying, however, is the uncut audio I still adore and enjoy as if it were emanating from a news broadcast.

Before listening, Wikipedia adds an anecdote about José's superstar fame:

Perhaps surprisingly, the character of José Jiménez caught on amongst the seven Mercury astronauts, and Dana became good friends with them. "Okay, José, you're on your way!" Deke Slayton quipped as Alan Shepard's famous first flight launched, in reference to the astronaut parody.

For his role as José the Astronaut, Dana was officially made an honorary Mercury astronaut.

José Jiménez: "The Astronaut" via YouTube

Barney Fife and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution

Attaboy, Barney. 

"The Andy Griffith Show: Barney Fife and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution" via YouTube and Flashbacks.com

I Got Nuthin'

Consolation Video: Phyllis Diller: "The Pruitts of Southampton" (1966) Opening Theme via YouTube

Cartoon Carnival: June Bugs 4

Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd in "What's Opera, Doc?" (Chuck Jones, 1957) via Spike


Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd in "Hare Tonic" (Chuck Jones, 1945) via YouTube

Bugs Bunny, Marvin the Martian & K-9 in "The Hasty Hare" (Chuck Jones, 1952) via YouTube

Movies in the Movies: 'Lucky Me'

Doris Day: "The Superstition Song" from "Lucky Me" via YouTube

Star Doris Day opens the 1954 musical "Lucky Me" by singing a cheery song across the Floridian streets of lovely Miami -- except the entire enterprise was faked on the Burbank, CA lot at Warner Bros.

I've been fortunate to visit the studio twice and stroll the much photographed outdoor set, although I didn't warble show tunes or get gunned down by James Cagney.

Maybe next time.

As Doris passes along the movie theatre's sidewalk, we see posters for "The Command," an actual Warner production released in Feb. 1954. "Lucky Me" hit screens in April, so this ploy was a smart up-to-the-minute product placement to entice sharp eyes.

I do so wish Miss Day had lingered. I'd be under that theatre marquee beside her in a scant 43 years.

We'd have lunch at the commissary, croon the obligatory duet, bungalow in Carmel, and rescue puppies.

"The Command" advertisement boasts its presentation in the months-old technological process of CinemaScope, yet the picture was produced twice for non-compatible cameras. Here's an interesting bit of trivia, found at Internet Movie Database:

Filmed in two separate versions - 3-D and CinemaScope - with different aspect ratios (1.37:1 for the 3-D, and 2.55:1 for the CinemaScope print). Only the wide screen version was ever released, though the 3-D elements still exist in Warner Bros. vault. Also the first wide screen Western of the 1950's. The flat (i.e. non 3-D) 1.37:1 version was also made available to theatres who were not yet equipped to project CinemaScope.

"Lucky Me," by the way, is reported to be the first musical in CinemaScope, although there is conflicting research.

It appears the Judy Garland version of "A Star Is Born" was the first musical to go before the CinemaScope camera. It's 10-month schedule to completion, however, delayed release until October.

"Lucky Me" lucked out.

Cartoon Carnival: June Bugs 3

Bugs Bunny came face-to-face with Wile E. Coyote in the super genius prairie wolf's second screen outing, "Operation: Rabbit." It is interesting to note at the outset of his screen career, the crafty predator (Canis latrans) was not forever linked to his preferred object of desire, The Road Runner. He was freelancing.

'Twas Bunny vs. Coyote five times over the years. Here are three encounters.



Bugs Bunny & Wile E. Coyote in "Operation: Rabbit" (Chuck Jones, 1951) via YouTube



Bugs Bunny & Wile E. Coyote in "To Hare Is Human" (Chuck Jones, 1956) via YouTube



Bugs Bunny & Wile E. Coyote in "Rabbit's Feat" (Chuck Jones, 1960) via YouTube