Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention: 2010 Recap

A fan of Zorro dressed up in costume for the event.

At the time I write this, preparations for the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia convention will be under way. The dealer room is completely sold out (as usual, we have a waiting list) and all indications point to this year's show being the best ever. Last year the convention was held at the Hunt Valley Marriott, a hotel best described as a country club and the first time we utilized the hotel's large ballrooms. Prior to this, the event was held annually at The Clarion in Aberdeen, Maryland. But realistically, unless the hotel redesigned the facilities with rubber walls, we outgrew the hotel and had to move to large facilities. And I am proud to say that of the 22 conventions I attended last year, MANC was one of only two with a growing attendance. In fact, the attendance has grown every year since it began in 2006.

Mary Ethel, who runs the front registration desk every year.

MANC has an agenda: to help preserve nostalgia and promote museums, fan clubs, historical societies and preservation efforts. After all -- and let's be frank and honest here -- it's an aging fan base and a declined economy we're fighting. If someone doesn't keep it going, who will? And since two conventions this year are closing doors, MANC will (hopefully) carry the torch.

Mixing all breeds of nostalgia, the convention centers on silent movies, pulp magazines, fifties and sixties television, old-time radio, pre-code classics, comic books, vintage movie posters and more. Rather than focus on one particular genre, MANC promotes all forms of nostalgia. At past MANC events, Ken Stockinger hosted a fascinating look at glass slides ("Ladies, please remove your hats..."). Michael Hayde and Derek Tague presented video clips of Dragnet spoofs. Michael Henry talked about the Vox Pop program. Buck Biggers, co-creator of Underdog, talked about the creation of the popular cartoon character. Fred Berney talked about the retro children's program, Big John and Sparky. Pete Klaus offered us a retrospective of The Phantom, a creation of Lee Falk. Author Brian Taves gave us a glimpse into the personal and professional career of P.G. Wodehouse.

One of the vendors who attend every year with goodies.

Besides presentations and seminars, MANC also boasts more than 200 vendor tables, a drive-in movie theater outside the hotel in the parking lot, a charity auction to help benefit the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a movie room screening classic films 24 hours a day, and old-time radio recreations on stage.

If you are still with me, allow me to share some of the great moments and photos from last year's event. The Fifth Annual Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention. I am certain after reviewing the recap below, you'll want to check it out for yourself. And you should. It's like Disneyland for those who want to wear a 'coon skin cap or do the hola hoop. I cannot list everything (we have almost three things going at the same time all three days), but here's a sample.

Fran Striker Jr. and Terry Salomonson on the morning of the opening day just as people arrive.

Bill Parisho, a fan of James Bond and sixties spies, offered us rare behind-the-scenes video clips of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and thanked the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement for their permission to do the presentation. Of course, the audience got the joke. Rob Farr of Slapsticon hosted rare Buster Keaton film shorts that even the die-hard Keaton fans probably never knew existed. Don Ramlow hosted a slide show documenting the history of Astounding Science Fiction Magazine (1939-1960). Author and historian David Saunders offered a slide show presentation of his own displaying the pulp art of H.J. Ward, giving the audience to understand the complexities that went into created the oil paintings featured prominently on the cover of pulp magazines. Fran Striker Jr. sat up on stage with historian Terry Salomonson and discussed how his father created The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet. That presentation was so packed it was standing-room only. 

Movies are certainly a treat, especially when attendees were given the opportunity to see House of Wax (1953) with Vincent Price in eye-popping 3-D. Glasses were provided and the paddle ball sequence really rocked!

Marsha Hunt looks over a book given to her by a fan.

Actress Marsha Hunt, one of the celebrity guests of the weekend, attended a screening of Thunder Trail (1937) and then came on stage to talk about her scenes after the movie concluded.

Joel Blumberg, host of Silver Screen Audio, chatted with Mark Goddard (Lost in Space, Johnny Gringo) and Will Hutchins (Sugarfoot) to discover what it was like to be cowboys on television. Other celebrities took their turns throughout the weekend, scheduled, to do a Q&A on stage and answer questions audience members wanted to ask.

Don Ramlow directed two superb old-time radio dramas on stage complete with microphones, scripts and sound effects. A "lost" episode of The Mysterious Traveler and a "lost" 1934 Lone Ranger broadcast that revealed a different side of the Masked Man. (for more information about that particular Lone Ranger broadcast, click here.)

Jack French and cast in rehearsals of The Mysterious Traveler.

Leah Biel introduced For the Record, an original and highly-praised documentary about record collectors and collecting. Also screened was Alex Flaster's documentary on Moe Berg, the famed baseball player who served the U.S. Government during World War II in a capacity that surprised many baseball enthusiasts. 

The Three Stooges impersonators showed up to perform fake wallpaper skits, slam pies into people's faces (but only to those who asked to be treated to such a spectacle), and posed for photos with fans. In previous years, Abbott and Costello impersonators entertained the crowds.

Sample of what people were able to find in the Vendor room.

Sample of what people were able to find in the Vendor room.

Neal Ellis and co-hosts Chris Holm, Leah Biel and Prof. Mike Biel broadcast live from the event over Radio Once More. Some of the seminars (but not all of them) were broadcast live for the benefit of those who lived too far away to attend. Listeners called in from Hawaii, Canada and Finland.

Author Jim Rosin attended the convention, not only offering an inside look at television's The Invaders and Peyton Place, but interviewed the leading stars of those programs, Roy Thinnes and Ed Nelson. Since Rosin was instrumental in arranging for the celebrities to attend, he asked to interview them on stage and the spotlight was all his. Thinnes had never attended a convention before, and MANC marked his first autographing for fans.

Author Jim Rosin and actor Roy Thinnes at MANC 2010.

Will Hutchins (Sugarfoot) shares a laugh with his fans.

Dawn Wells (Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island) was a joy to spend the weekend with. She spoke to everyone, answered their questions, made the crowds laugh and enjoy the show, and posed for photographs. She even offered a tee shirt with a ballot box.

Mike Amowitz and Dawn Wells pose for the camera.

Dawn Wells signed autographs all three days for fans who lined up to meet her.

The Drive-In movie of the weekend was The Brain Eaters (1958), a classic science fiction film rarely seen on television and never commercially released on DVD yet. Ed Nelson, the star of the movie, was our weekend guest so it seemed only fitting that we screen the movie. Right before the picture started, viewers were treated to a pie fight put on by The Three Stooges, a vintage cartoon and a couple movie trailers.

Karen Lerner displays Radio Spirits products.

Chris Holm gets the Three Stooges treatment.

Photos, lobby cards and memorabilia for sale.

Members of the Solar Guard fan club.

Gene Carpente, comic book expert, chats with a customer.

Mark Bialek of the Drive-In Exchange takes care of customer requests.

For the crowd that came to watch the movies, the theater screened such rarities as a 1956 Bob Hope Christmas special with Mickey Mantle, the uncut preview print of Pardon Us (1931) with Laurel and Hardy, unaired TV pilots with Dale Robertson and Roy Thinnes, and Edgar Kennedy film shorts, among others. The rarely-seen Trucolor print of Springtime in the Sierras with Roy Rogers was a highlight -- a film print that will not likely appear or Turner Classic Movies on the Westerns Channel in the near future.

This year's event is sure to draw an even bigger crowd and a number of magazines have jumped in on the action. Scarlet: The Film Magazine, Monsters From the Vault and the Non-Sports Update will be offering back issues for sale as well as special subscription rates. The charity auction offers movie props seen in the original Night of the Living Dead (1968), an autographed photo with Elizabeth Taylor, dinner tickets with some of the celebrities (a rare treat when you consider the bidding includes dinner for two!), vintage comic books, and other autographed memorabilia from Hollywood celebrities. The event room and movie room have been relocated for everyone's convenience and are now twice (if not three times) the size of last year's, to ensure ease with electronic scooters and "no more standing room only."

Celebrities this year include Patty Duke, Karen Valentine, Davy Jones, Tony Dow, Billy Gray, Lauren Chapin Charles Herbert and Jimmy Hunt.

This year's convention dates are September 22 to 24, 2011. The hotel rooms are expected to sell out and the dinner banquet tickets for Saturday night might also sell out (which means dinner tickets for the first time in six years may not be available for sale at the convention). The convention web-site, for more information, photos, complete schedule of events and everything you need to know to book your room is www.MidAtlanticNostalgiaConvention.com

I Love A Mystery: The Unaired TV Pilot

Carlton E. Morse

A few years ago at the Friends of Old Time Radio Convention in Newark, New Jersey, a good friend of mine, Brendan Faulkner, told a story that intrigued me. "Back around 1970, a film club that I belonged to in New York City was screening all three of the Columbia I Love A Mystery films," he recalled, "plus the (at that time) unaired TV movie of I Love A Mystery (with Ida Lupino). One of the fellows that ran the club was Chris Steinbrunner, a noted film and mystery historian, who told me that he had tried to arrange for an I Love A Mystery pilot made by ZIV as a special treat. I forget now why this didn't happen. Until he mentioned this pilot to me, I never knew it existed." Until Brendan told this to me, I never knew this existed, either.

Unfortunately there was no way to get any more information since Chris passed away a number of years ago. If my memory serves me correctly, the details are more intriguing. If I recall accurately, Chris had acquired a copy but apologized in person to the fan club. It seems someone broke into his house and stole the only print of the 25-minute TV pilot. It was never screened and the fans spent the night watching all three Columbia pictures and the Batman-camp-style made-for-TV pilot movie with Ida Lupino.

Flash forward a couple years. Browsing the Ziv-TV archives with the assistance of John Ruklick, I mentioned the unsold pilot to John and asked him to copy whatever he finds about I Love A Mystery, provided there is something. Everything was filed away alphabetically and following I Led Three Lives was nothing. But persistence pays off because looking over everything, following the letter Z was one file all by itself. It was labeled, "I Love A Mystery." ZIV really did produce a pilot of the same name! Sadly, the shooting script was not available in the archive. And imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the proposed series was not based on the I Love A Mystery radio program, created and written by Carlton E. Morse. It was nothing more than an anthology of mystery stories.

There is a shining light at the end of the tunnel. Recently, Brendan came across an oddity on eBay and brought it to my attention. "On eBay a good while ago there was a fellow selling a letter that was from Dick Powell (representing Four Star) looking into the rights to the show," he explained. "The weird thing was that the actual reproduction of the letter was not coming up. It was a picture of something else. I emailed the seller and asked exactly what the letter entailed and explained that the reason I was asking was because a photo of a different item was coming up. He answered that he would correct the error, but he never did. He just took the listing off. I contacted him again about this letter but he never got back to me." This comes as no surprise to me. In 1961, Broadcasting magazine reported that Four Star had secured the television rights to The Adventures of Sam Spade, another popular radio mystery, and that filming has recently been completed with Peter Falk in the title role. To date, neither the Sam Spade or the I Love A Mystery pilots produced by Four Star have surfaced for collectors and fans of the program. That is, if ILAM was truly produced by Four Star.

So for all you die-hards who are curious to look over the production paperwork, the following might be of interest so I am reprinting them below (with some explanation).

Inter-office memo dated September 12, 1955

Inter-office memos like this one often reveal juicy details of what was going on behind the scenes. While pursuing the Warner Brothers television files, for example, I discovered that Ty Hardin (Bronco) was showing up at the set not knowing his lines and this was pre-empting production. It seems a number of directors had complained and the inter-office memo revealed the studio heads' various options at how to approach the actor.

  

Another inter-office memo between executives at NBC (East Coast and West Coast) asked that each other keep tabs on a certain radio celebrity because, as they mildly put it, "is one of the slickest operators we have." Seems when the show was making the move from one coast to another, they wanted to make sure he wasn't going to try pulling off the same stunts he already accomplished. 

A recent trip to the Library of Congress with my good friend Neal Ellis revealed an inter-office memo about Ed Wynn being reprimanded for leaving cigarette butts in the studio! This inter-office memo also reveals the official name of the company, Ziv Television Programs, Inc., evident by the letterhead. The memo was also carbon copied to William Castle, the director, so he was made aware that Sidney Blackmer's participation had to be limited to one day (which meant no retakes or staggering behind in production).

Operation Sheet

For those who are not aware, television production from the fifties and sixties did not extensively credit every person involved. Unless they were a member of a union or guild, in which their contracts stipulate on-screen credit, or they played a major part of production, the crew (regular or irregular) were not usually credited on the screen.

 

Operation sheets were drafted for every television production, revealing who exactly was involved with the production. The first assistant cameraman (Dave Curlin), the assistant prop man (Robert Murdock), the electricians (Charles Stockwell, Charles Hanger, Harold Kraus, Richard Brightmier and E. Newbaur), and the recorder (Ken Corson) were among the handful of people who were never credited during the closing credits.

I do want to apologize in advance for the scans. Most of the production sheets were on legal paper, not letter. My scanner is not long enough to scan them in their entirety, so I was forced to cut off the bottom inch or two of each scan.

Hence, "Operation Sheet" (with the caption below it) is missing some of the details such as gaffer (Joe Wharton), set labor (Sol Inverso) and construction chief (Dee Bolhius). It should also be noted that production sheets were not always accurate when it came to the spelling of cast and crew. So if you ever consult such sheets for your write-up, I suggest you double check the spelling of the names. Sometimes this can be very difficult when the last name is spelled two different ways in the closing credits of the same series (I've come across that before)!

The first sheet reveals, as you can see, the exact days of filming. In this case, September 15, 16 and 17, 1955. While the name of the series is I Love A Mystery, the name of the actual drama is "I Owe You." Obviously, the next episode would have had a different title (such as.... "The Case of the Queer Poison). You might have also observed the type of film they used, 35mm, which was standard in TV production.

Also note that the episode was filmed in black and white. This is a clear indication that the pilot was not filmed in color. Way too many times I have read where a program or specific episode was supposed to be in color and those ignorant of the facts, hurt themselves by not buying a commercial DVD when they believe there is a better print elsewhere. For years I had a copy of a television pilot for The Phantom, with Lon Chaney Jr. and Paulette Goddard, in black and white. Boy, was I surprised when someone turned up a 16mm print in color!

For ZIV Television, this can be confusing. All of The Cisco Kid television episodes were filmed in color. Yet, black and white prints exist in collector circles. For I Led Three Lives, which ran three seasons, only season two was filmed in color. This confuses fans who "believe" that all three seasons were shot in color.

For Science Fiction Theatre, Ziv shot the first season in color and the second season in black and white. Why? Because enough stations renewed the series for a second season, but not enough to warrant the additional expense, so Ziv agreed with producer Ivan Tors that he could have a second season if he was willing to have the series filmed in black an white. Tors agreed. So the belief that every episode of any particular series was shot solely in one format needs not apply. (Heck, remember F-Troop? The first season was shot in black and white and the second season was shot in color.)

The last Operation Sheet reveals how many extras and standins were available during filming, and exactly which day or days each actor was needed for filming. Most of us know that television episodes are never filmed in sequential order. Scene 24 can be filmed before Scene 3, to accommodate for the actors' schedules. 

Daily Production Sheets are commonly found for each and every television episode. Since the entire production was filmed in a studio and not on location, the first sheet (dated Wednesday, September 14, 1955) reveals the exterior of the roadside diner was constructed inside. The word "format" on the top right and the narrator, Paul Kelley, used for the opening voice over narration, means that production on this evening was for the title sequence, which would have been used for each and every episode of the series.

Recognizing the emerging importance of television, in 1950 Ziv signed a five-year $100,000 lease with California Studios in Hollywood to produce television programming. By 1952 Ziv Television Programs Inc. had nine series available for syndication including Sports Album and Yesterday’s Newsreel as well The Cisco Kid, Boston Blackie, The Unexpected, The Living Book, and Story Theatre. 

Ziv also offered a package of feature films reportedly leased from distributor Budd Rogers, and a cartoon package leased from Walter Lantz. Realizing that the company was truly in the television production business, Ziv purchased American National Studios (formerly Eagle- Lion Pathé Studio) on Santa Monica Boulevard in late December 1954 for a reported $1.7 million. I mention this because you'll notice that American National Studio was listed on the Daily Production Sheet.

Howard Duff and Maria Riva carried most of the scenes on I Love A Mystery, as evident not only because they were among the cast for all three days of production, but the only actors required for the first day of filming.

Notice how the studio kept track of when the actors appeared for hair and makeup, how long their lunch breaks are, and number of film produced including "negative waste."

Keeping tabs of how much film was put into the can, by the day, was very important. This let the studio know if they were falling behind or ahead on schedule. 

On the final Daily Production Sheet, you'll notice the notation that the camera crew was dismissed at 6 p.m., but sound continued until 6:15. That means one of the actors, Dennis King Jr. (as you can see on the "Time In Studio") was providing his voice for an audio recording to be played on the program (the voice on the other end of the telephone).

Such notations are not uncommon and often reveal who tore their pants on the set, when a battery backup went dead while filming on location, and other factors that explained why a brief delay in production.

Ziv dominated the field. Of the six distributor categories in Billboard’s fourth annual TV film service awards, ZIV-TV won first place in four and was second in one. As far as the poll was concerned, ZIV-TV in 1955 (the same year this pilot was made) maintained its leadership in TV film syndication. The company’s status in the Billboard polls remained constant through most of the 1950s in the same manner.

No one knows why I Love A Mystery never sold. Historians only speculate that the title of the program might have been a conflict with the Carlton E. Morse program, but that is only speculation. “Most of our shows were not offered to the network,” Ziv recalled to interviewer Irv Broughton. “A program like Sea Hunt, for example, was turned down by the network. We showed it to each of the networks, showed them the pilot. They liked the pilot, but they figured—and each one seemed to be of the same opinion—‘Well, what do you do the second week and what do you do the third week—you’ve done it all the first week.’ Well, of course, they were wrong; we produced it year after year.”

The Cast Sheet reveals which actors played what fictitious roles, the name of the actors' agents, and phone numbers for both actors and agents. The Breakdown sheets reveal which scenes in the script were filmed (in which order), and props used on the set. 

While most major film studios operated five days a week, ZIV Television worked six days a week excluding Sundays—unusual for television production during the fifties. “Filmmaking was fun, but it was also hard to be a Latter-day Saint and work in the picture business during Hollywood’s heyday,” recalled director Henry Kesler. “The system itself worked to make it difficult to observe church teachings.”

“The folks at ZIV were more concerned with budget than our creative talents,” recalled director Leon Benson for a trade column in the early seventies. “I often felt the pressures when something went wrong. They passed around an internal memo one afternoon reminding those of us underpaid that each television production was to be completed within two shooting days. The next day a power outage put us a full hour behind schedule one morning and I was sweating every minute we waited for the power to return to the set.”

Howard Duff, by the way, had worked with Ziv Television before. In March of 1955, six months prior to filming this pilot, Duff made a guest appearance for Science Fiction Theatre. The episode was titled "Sound of Murder." During a top-secret conclave of scientists in Washington, one of the group, Dr. Kerwin, receives a phone message from his superior, Dr. Tom Mathews (Duff), to meet him in a certain hotel room. 

Kerwin is later discovered murdered, and key papers concerning a top-secret project are missing. Mathews is arrested both because of the phone call and more importantly because he had disappeared for six hours that evening, deliberately losing an FBI agent assigned to guard him. Tom’s only explanation is that he went for a walk. But the ensuing Justice Department investigation turns up a number of phone calls which Mathews allegedly made to the other scientists on the project, in each case requesting secret information. Mathews is indicted, regardless of how much he claims innocence. His case seems hopeless, until Mathews and a scientist friend mathematically figures out how the phone calls were made, and how not only his voice was duplicated, but also his knowledge of the workings of the project, through the use of an intricate instrument called a “Sound Synthesizer,” used to replicate another man’s voice and calculates an answer to a question by the recipient. By this means they trap the real murderer and traitor.

 

What you will find below the Breakdown Sheets are the Standard Contracts for each and every actor who appeared in the pilot. Like the Operation Sheets and the Daily Production Reports, I did not scan the very bottom of each contract, because the actors' social security numbers were listed and for obvious reasons, I do not feel that providing such social security numbers would be appropriate.

In closing, while I found a copy of the unaired I Love A Mystery pilot, it is in the original 35mm format and I have no means of having it transferred to DVD. There is (as described above) proof that there is at least one 16mm master available in collector hands. If anyone comes across this pilot, even in 16mm format, please contact me privately so we can work out a deal. Like many fans of Howard Duff and I Love A Mystery, I would personally like to watch this film.

Book Reviews

As an author and researcher with credentials, it comes as no surprise that I get solicited with a number of books from other authors, asking for testimonials. I rarely do it unless the testimonial is for the back of a book. I’m touched when someone asks me to write a foreword, a request I get from someone in what appears to be every month. I suspect the reason for this request is to help sell books -- my foreword would be considered some form of endorsement that graces the front cover. But in almost every case I have to decline either because I know nothing about the subject or never got to review the book in advance to write some praise. After all, why endorse a book I have never seen?

Getting back to reviews, I received a package the other week from Bear Manor Media, containing half a dozen new books. I just spent the past week and a half reading and skimming through each tome. Some are quite impressive. Bear Manor Media, for those who haven’t been keeping in touch with the hobby, has become a force of thunder in the publishing industry. Before Bear Manor, the only companies specializing in reference books about vintage movies, television and radio programs were McFarland, Scarecrow and Midnight Marquee -- the latter of which primarily dealt with classic horror and science fiction movies. The first two, regrettably, cater to the college and university market and are dreadfully expensive. Like McFarland, Bear Manor Media has successfully published books about my favorite subjects, with varying degrees of quality and comprehensiveness -- all depending on the authors. (Hey folks, no publishing company can have a successful track record all the time. There’s always going to be  a few winners and a few losers.)

Author Michael Hayde standing behind Bear Manor Media's table at the 5th Annual Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention.

Before I offer my reviews, I’d like to make mention of a few things. As a researcher with vast connections and sources, I am in the rare position of finding room for improvement when I know of an archive that features valuable information and discover that the author did not consult those sources. The general public wouldn't know of this and therefore not be as critical. My expectations are higher than most, but I try to take this into account before typing my opinions. Second, with some name status I find myself the victim of poison pen e-mails from people such as “so you reviewed his book but you didn’t review mine?” Remember that these books were sent to me with a request to review them. It doesn’t mean I’m trying to shun someone else.

RAWHIDE: A History of Television’s Longest Cattle Drive

by David R. Greenland

This was a pleasant surprise. While I saddled up for what appears to be the first fill-length account of the television Western, I’m still surprised someone has not done so prior. The history of the program was an enjoyable read. The photographs are reproduced and easy on the eyes. There’s a good interview with Gregory Walcott, who was a frequent guest on the program. My only complaint is the author did not do much legwork. He did interview a few of the actors such as L.Q. Jones, Warren Stevens and the late Richard Devon, and it would have been nice to see a lot more recollections from the cast. (I’m not referring to Clint Eastwood. We all know he doesn’t like looking back on his past.) There’s certainly many actors still around and many were interviewed in the past in magazines and they did comment about their appearances on Wagon Train. I would have liked to have read more of those. The only flaw of the book is the episode guide. I’m sorry, but when the author listed the episode number, title, broadcast date, teleplay credits, director, cast and plot, there isn’t anything here that makes the book stand out above the internet. Heck, the closing credits list more information. Imdb.com (as much as we know how inaccurate that site is) lists more detail such as the names of the fictional characters each actor played. In short, I could add more information to the episode guide myself simply by watching the episodes. But ignore that criticism. The history of the series along is worth the cover price. 

I, RED SKELTON, EXIT LAUGHING or, A Man, His Movies, and Sometimes His Monkeys
by Wes D. Gehring

 I don’t know what to make of this. I’ve never seen a book like this before. In what the author describes as “the creative fruits of an academic haunting,” it’s an autobiography of Red Skelton, written by someone else. The author, Wes D. Gehring, met, interviewed and sometimes hung out with Red Skelton during his performing visits to Ball State University. He even gave the keynote address at the BSU ceremony in which Skelton received an honorary doctorate. Since then, Gehring has written 30 film books, generally about comic personalities, including two biographies about Red Skelton. So putting himself into the mindset of Skelton, sat behind the keyboard and typed an autobiography through Skelton’s lips, as Skelton would have done so if he was alive today. At first I thought was this is a disaster. And a bit confusing for the first few minutes as I tried to envision Skelton’s voice beginning with the opening lines, “I was born four days late….” But as I continued to read through the pages, I began devouring everything. And it works. If the author had wanted to commit fraud and claim he found Skelton’s long-long autobiography, he would have fooled me. Gehring did a great job, and you can tell the man did his homework. 

My only concern is how many people might be confused and begin quoting from this book in future reference guides (and magazine articles), quoting what they think is Skelton’s own words. Or worse, they quote from the book and then someone else sees that quote and makes the mistake, thus starting a long-time problem of deciphering what is and is not really Skelton’s own words.

YOU’D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME TO

edited by Ben Ohmart

This book was meant to be a supplement to Ben Ohmart’s biography on Paul Frees, Welcome Foolish Mortals: The Life and Voices of Paul Frees, but never came to be. Perhaps it was just as well. The biography would have been too thick and these letters are more personal than professional, and would not have been of interest to most readers. So a separate book about two war-time lovers works by itself. For the most part, these are love letters to and from Paul Frees’ first wife, Annelle, during their heartbreaking years of separation during World War II. While the horrors of the war are only hinted at, we might say that on the plus side, because of the war, there’ a more permanent record of Frees’ early years, before he became a showbiz professional, than we otherwise would have had. The letters are featured chronological from 1943 to 1945, and even if you don’t know who Paul Frees is (but I’ll wager you money you’ve heard his voice), it’s a collection of love letters during World War II that is welcome anytime. While it’s not a documentary or reference guide, if you enjoy this kind of thing, it comes recommended.

A number of years ago, my mother, a friend of mine (Arlene) and myself typed hundreds of love letters from a man who was stationed overseas during World War II. While they never got published, we succeeded in preserving part of our past which I encourage anyone to do because paper ages and one day most of the WWII love letters won’t be easily available.

JEFFREY HUNTER AND TEMPLE HOUSTON: A Story of Network Television

by Glenn A. Mosley 

When NBC-TV abruptly pulled The Robert Taylor Show from its fall primetime schedule in the middle of July 1963, Jeffrey Hunter’s Temple Houston Western series was rushed into production and into the spotlight. The cast and crew had just a few chaotic weeks to get their one-hour weekly dramatic series underway. Hunter described the series as “a different kind of Western, a whodunit on horseback.” Well, the real mystery is why the series has not yet been released on DVD. Television westerns are popular and thanks to companies like Timeless Media Group, they’ve been coming out on DVD faster than cattle drives. At this point in time, it’s probably the last major television Western that hasn’t been made available yet.

This book isn’t very big. 139 pages, and that includes three appendixes, the bibliography and the index. But the author proved that sometimes thin books are great when they are able to compile everything. I don’t think the author overlooked anything. My favorite books are those that are so comprehensive, you know that you won’t ever have to buy another book on the same subject. The author interviewed a ton of actors, even those who did not appear on the program but did work or know Jeffrey Hunter, the star of Temple Houston. The author also did his legwork and toured archives to ensure the most comprehensive and accurate information possible. Example? The episode guide cites the exact dates of when each episode was filmed, Hunter’s salary for each episode, behind the scenes trivia and working titles. Titles and authors for unused plot proposals are also listed.

My only complaint is that while Mosley lists the complete cast list, he doesn’t list the corresponding fictional characters for all of them. One episode features Ben Wright in the cast. I know what he looks like and if I saw the episode, I could tell you what character he plays. Sadly, that’s lacking. But that’s a minor gripe. Seriously, I wish a lot of books about television Westerns were like this one.

YOU WOULDN’T LIKE ME WHEN I’M ANGRY!
A Hulk Companion

by Patrick A. Jankiewicz

“Doctor David Banner, physician, scientist, searching for a way to tap into the hidden strength that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of Gamma Radiation alters his body chemistry. And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs…”
With Marvel’s heroes now among Hollywood’s biggest stars, it seems fitting to revisit The Incredible Hulk, the television series that was their first live action success. For five seasons, David Banner traveled the back roads of America (which resemble the Universal Studios back lot) on his quest for a cure. With over 500 pages of Gamma-powered goodness, including exclusive interviews, rare photos and a foreword by Lou Ferrigno, this book documents the history of the television program in detail. Almost every episode has two or three comments, recollections and anecdotes from actors, writers and directors who were involved with the series, offering behind-the-scenes stories. That means the author did a lot of work to get the facts.

While reading the book, I was reminded of how fun the series was when I was growing up. I personally enjoyed the episode, “The Antowuk Horror” which was a salute to old horror movies, including characters named Bates and featured the clock tower from the Universal Studios back lot, to name a few surprises. “Married,“ the second season opener, was the only episode in which Banner confronted his raging alter ego on the program. “My Favorite Magician” featured Ray Walston in a fun episode that brings the viewers back to the days of the comedy sitcom that needs to introduction. “Homecoming” was the episode in which Banner went back home to confront his father and learned what motivated him. Remember the two-parter when Banner was fused into a Demi-Hulk and left him stuck in mid-Transfusion? Or the episode when Banner finally finds a cure and is forced to use it on the duplicate Hulk running around, ruining his chances for a self-made cure?

I enjoyed an early chapter about the comic books, explaining the difference between the comics and the television program, and which plots were borrowed for the series. I have all of the comics and always felt that those first six (the first run of comics) with Jack Kirby’s Frankenstein impression of The Hulk was some of the best art ever created for comic books. I still rave about them today. As much fun as it was to revisit the series, some of the trivia was troubling. What made me sad was knowing that Ang Lee’s Hulk received the highest ratings of any movie debut on USA Cable and the SyFy Channel in over a year. How can that be? The movie sucked. I mean, c’mon. Hulk dogs? A villain that vaporizes into nothing? The second movie, The Incredible Hulk, starring Ed Norton, was much better and very enjoyable. (I also liked the fact that the second movie retold the origin of The Hulk through the opening credits, so we wouldn’t waste half the movie revisiting what we already know.) Until I read this book, I never knew they created a She-Hulk television pilot, which now tempts me to find a bootleg and watch it for sheer enjoyment.

There are plenty of behind-the-scenes photos, but sadly, a couple appear pixeled as they were blown up too big. This is no fault of the author or the publisher -- just technology. In the introduction, the author states that The Fugitive template had been used many times over the years, for many different shows. He is correct. I’ve been saying that for years. “It’s another Incredible Hulk” is the terminology I’ve been using for years. Thankfully, this book stands out as a fantastic reference guide and if you love the television program (or the comics), it deserves a place on your bookshelf.

FLIGHTS OF FANTASY: The Unauthorized but True Story of Radio and TV’s Adventures of Superman
By Michael J. HaydeSmall disclaimer: Mike is a friend of mine. But even shelving friendship aside to do an honest book review, with or without this disclosure, I’d like to state that this is a great book. With so many books about Superman out there, it’s pleasing to know that one book has everything you’d want to know under one cover. Trivia, background production and numerous behind-the-scenes stories make this a must-have for everyone’s shelf.

The subtitle speaks for itself. This is not a history of the character in the comics, but rather a history of the radio program and television program. Mike not only covers the history of the programs, he also explores various aspects such as racial intolerance (did you know that Superman battled the KKK on the radio program?), the origin of Kryptonite (which appeared on radio before the comic books), the lack of continuity in the later years (circa 1947 to 1949), and why the television producer created the Stamp Day for Superman film short that has soared across the internet (including YouTube).

The episode guide for the television program reveals bloopers, in-jokes, which episodes were adapted from radio scripts and script dialogue from deleted scenes taken right from the scripts. The complete storylines for two unproduced TV episodes are included. George Reeves’ personal appearances are also documented throughout. My only alarm is why the curator of the a museum in New Jersey allowed Mike a personal tour of the archives, which contained all of the radio scripts, but never granted the author a chance to browse or read the scripts to gather plot summaries. What’s the point of owning a museum in your basement (no joke) and allowing researchers the opportunity of touring the archives for show-and-tell, but not allow them to do any serious research? I know the curator of the museum personally and it’s not surprising.

When someone writes a bad book, it leaves room for improvement and encourages others to out-do the first attempt. For the author that doesn’t do a superb job, this fact becomes front door reality one day in the future and the fault belongs to no one but the author. When good books like this are well-researched and the ego of a museum curator is the only thing that prevents the book from being “definitive,” it’s a damn shame. But ignore my complaint -- the first paragraph of this review speaks for itself. There’s no room for improvements and if you love The Adventures of Superman (radio and/or TV) and have always wanted to write a book about the series, forget it. Mike did it justice.

All of these books are available at www.BearManorMedia.com

Bruce Lee on The Green Hornet

In early March of 1966, The Herald Tribune in New York reported news of The Green Hornet coming to television in the fall. Al Hodge, former radio actor and star of the radio series, having noticed a few discrepancies in the article, wrote to producer William Dozier in the hopes of correcting a few false statements. Dozier was aware the editor of the paper misspelled Kato with a “C.” Dozier told Hodge casting for the series would not begin for two to three weeks, and that the only person signed up definitely was the role of Kato. “We have a superb American-born Chinese actor named Bruce Lee to play Kato. He is a black belt karate and will be able to do all his own stunts in that area.” Dozier also assured Hodge that The Green Hornet would not be an imitation of Batman, which had been labeled by critics as “camp treatment.”

On YouTube you can find what everyone keeps labeling as Bruce Lee's screen test for The Green Hornet. The truth is, Lee's screen test was made for a proposed television program based on the fictional Charlie Chan character.

“Mike Axford and Lenore Case (Casey) will present no particular casting problem,” William Dozier said in a letter to George W. Trendle on November 16, 1965. “I have a superb Oriental in the bullpen for Kato and will be able to show you a piece of test film on him when you come out. He is actually an American-born Chinese, but can play any sort of Oriental or Filipino. I don’t think we should ever say what sort of nationality Kato is: just let him be what he looks like — an Oriental. The actor I have in mind for the role is a Black Belt Karate, incidentally, and can perform every trick in the Karate book.”

William Dozier in a promotional sales film.

Bruce Lee, born in San Francisco in 1940, was the “Oriental in the bullpen.” As a child, Lee had moved with his family back to Hong Kong and appeared in motion pictures there from the age of 6. He returned in 1959 to attend the University of Washington, where he met his wife. In early 1965, Lee went to Oakland, California, to appear in a screen test — though not for The Green Hornet — at the expense of Greenway Productions. What Dozier had in mind was Number One Son, in which Lee would portray the eldest son of Charlie Chan, the fictional Honolulu detective. Television’s Number One Son, in continuing the legacy of the famous — and now, departed — detective would be something of a cross with the James Bond formula proving so popular in movies at the time.

Lee gave a kung fu demonstration at the first International Karate Championships, which was organized by Ed Parker, a martial arts instructor whose most famous student was Elvis Presley. In the audience for the tournament was Ed Sebring, a Hollywood hairdresser, who passed along Lee’s name when Dozier mentioned he needed a Chinese actor. For the screen test, Lee sat before a camera to answer questions and also demonstrated powerful, yet controlled, leaping, kicking and punching.

In February, Lee’s father died, so the actor went to Hong Kong to handle family business. He returned to the States in mid-March. A couple of weeks later, Dozier assured Lee that plans for the Chan television series were underway, but it might take another three months until there was noticeable progress. In late April, the producer suggested Lee hire an agent: “I am taking the liberty of suggesting a reputable and honest agent to you, one William Belasco, President of Progressive Management Agency here in Hollywood.” After signing with Belasco, the agent also said that any action on Number One Son wouldn’t occur until July, so Lee took the opportunity to travel back to Hong Kong with his wife.

Van Williams, George W. Trendle, Bruce Lee

In the meantime, Lee offered Dozier several ideas of his own for Chan, writing that “I can establish an exciting characterization by supplementing cool and concise ‘small action’ to make every ‘ordinary’ action into something unusual.” Lee also watched many television programs to improve his speech. It must have worked. At least, Lee was able to joke with a Canadian journalist in 1971 that he got the role of Kato simply because he was the only Chinese actor who could pronounce the name Britt Reid. 

Finally, at the end of February 1966, Dozier had a first draft of a Number One Son script ready. A month later, the show itself was rejected by the network, but by this time Dozier had the TV rights to The Green Hornet. There was never any doubt about who would play the part of Kato. Lee was hired at a salary of $400 per episode ($800 per two-part episode), which rose to $550 per episode effective November 30, 1966. By the first week of April, Lee was learning from actor Jeff Corey about camera shots, lighting, placement, matching and other factors involved in television production. Corey sent his bill to Greenway Productions and Dozier charged it off specifically to The Green Hornet show. Corey also played the heavy in one of two test films that were made.

After only a few episodes Lee was unhappy with the depth of his role. “[It’s] true that Kato is a house boy of Britt, but as the crime fighter, Kato is an ‘active partner’ of the Green Hornet and not a mute follower,” he wrote to Dozier. “Jeff Corey agrees and I myself feel that at least an occasional dialogue would certainly make me feel more at home with the fellow players.”

He didn’t need to convince Dozier, who replied it was Trendle who insisted Kato remain in the background as an ally, not a companion. But Dozier said he would also ask the writers to incorporate more material involving Kato, hoping this would offer Lee some satisfaction.

Despite limited screen time, Kato proved a more popular character with children than did The Green Hornet, judging by the amount of fan mail sent to the actors. Many requested a copy of the mask worn by Lee, and Dozier complied, telling recipients that enclosed was “a genuine authentic Kato mask, and one which was actually worn by him in Green Hornet.” That was a stretch — Dozier had masks in his office that went straight from a box to an envelope for mailing, never having seen the light of a soundstage. Even so, maybe one of them was good enough to earn viewer Ricky McNeece of Clinton, Iowa, an “A” from his teacher — he said he wanted a Kato mask for a school project, hoping it would win him a high grade.

SALARIES
Van Williams (The Green Hornet) - $2,000 per half-hour episode
Bruce Lee (Kato) - $400 per half-hour episode
Lloyd Gough (Mike Axford) - $1,000 per half-hour episode
Wende Wagner (Miss Case) - $850 per half-hour episode
Walter Brooke (District Attorney) - $750 per half-hour episode

The procedure for writing a Green Hornet script was the same as for most television programs. The script writer would draft a plot synopsis of two to 30 pages. (The average was six pages.) If the producer liked the idea, he would then commission the writer to compose the first draft or pay an inexperienced author for the plot and then commission a seasoned script writer for the larger work. A number of plot summaries were proposed, but not all of them were feasible as television scripts. Among the reasons for rejection, besides a producer declaring the story unacceptable, would be cancellation of the series. The following is a plot summary following my review of Bruce Lee's 13-page plot proposal for an episode. To my knowledge, this was the only plot proposal submitted by Lee that never made it to production.

“The Cobra From the East” by Bruce Lee
Dated: October 28, 1966
There is an old saying in the rackets: “In the East there is The Cobra. In the West, The Green Hornet.” Dope racketeer deMarco survives a vicious attack by The Cobra and his men, and begs The Green Hornet for protection against the master criminal. The Hornet agrees, only to learn the whereabouts of The Cobra — who uses poisonous snakes for his murders-for-hire. A confrontation between the men results in Britt Reid bitten on the forearm. The Cobra makes a getaway as Kato rushes to The Hornet’s aid. Kato takes his friend back to Reid’s living room. A doctor explains to Casey and Scanlon that Reid’s system seems to be a strange mixture of various poisons. Angry, Kato starts a rampage across town to locate The Cobra, kicking doors down and beating up bodyguards. Stealing The Cobra’s luggage, he finds the antidote and rushes back in time to administer the serum. During a second confrontation, The Hornet uses his Hornet Sting to disarm The Cobra and, while Kato battles The Cobra’s henchmen, The Hornet forces The Cobra to fall on his own stick. A snake exits the cane and bites the criminal, taking his life. Bruce Lee’s plot proposal featured a number of details to display the artistic use of the fighting poses.

This blog consists of copyrighted excerpts from The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television. Reprinted with permission.