Neil D.'s Comments
As a kid I worked in a neighborhood grocery store. One day the owner asked me if I'd like to go out on his boat the following day. Never being on a boat before, I jumped for the chance.
The next morning we headed out, got to where we were going and launched the boat. I was having such a good time but not prepared for what was about to happen... just a half mile out from shore I heard the sound of a helicopter in the air above us yelling "action!". I looked up to see where the sound was coming from, and low-and-behold... it was the Batcopter!!!! I turned back to look around the cove we had just left, and there was the Bat Boat with Batman (Adam West) standing on it and a lot of lights around the deck. Holy crap!!!! They were shooting the Batman movie or TV show and I was there! To a young boy who watched Batman at the time, it was indescribable beyond words! It was the best day ever!
Later I discovered that not too far from the grocery store where I worked putting soda pop bottles away and sweeping the floor was the actual mansion they used as the "Wayne Manor". I passed it almost everyday and until I saw a crew filming there one day through the hedges, I never knew I was in the midst of a crime fighting action hero!
The next morning we headed out, got to where we were going and launched the boat. I was having such a good time but not prepared for what was about to happen... just a half mile out from shore I heard the sound of a helicopter in the air above us yelling "action!". I looked up to see where the sound was coming from, and low-and-behold... it was the Batcopter!!!! I turned back to look around the cove we had just left, and there was the Bat Boat with Batman (Adam West) standing on it and a lot of lights around the deck. Holy crap!!!! They were shooting the Batman movie or TV show and I was there! To a young boy who watched Batman at the time, it was indescribable beyond words! It was the best day ever!
Later I discovered that not too far from the grocery store where I worked putting soda pop bottles away and sweeping the floor was the actual mansion they used as the "Wayne Manor". I passed it almost everyday and until I saw a crew filming there one day through the hedges, I never knew I was in the midst of a crime fighting action hero!
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Blood from John's throat after singing "Twist and Shout"? Gosh... there is so much I don't know about The Beatles that I find so interesting all because of Eddie Deezen's expert articles. Thanks - They are very interesting !!!
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Fred Gwynne was a perfect balance of comedy and acting. Isn't it funny how we go through cycles? "Monster and Science Fiction Shows", "Westerns", "Variety Shows", "Half Hour Situation Comedies featuring stupid Dads", "Reality Shows"... what's next?
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Your story is very interesting Eddie!
Whenever I hear the name "The Beatles" or think of the group, one of the first images I have is that shot of them crossing Abby Road. Part of that is due to all the people who travel there just to take their own photos of themselves in the same spot.
I'll bet that the town will never alter or touch that street because of all the interest it generates.
Whenever I hear the name "The Beatles" or think of the group, one of the first images I have is that shot of them crossing Abby Road. Part of that is due to all the people who travel there just to take their own photos of themselves in the same spot.
I'll bet that the town will never alter or touch that street because of all the interest it generates.
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Wow... this is how doors open in life. One thing leads to another. I'll bet if Nichols didn't do "Star Trek", this opportunity would never have arrived!
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I remember having a four cubed game called "Instant Insanity" that I would play with for hours trying to line up all the colors. They were separate blocks with different colors on all the sides... then Rubik's Cube came out and it was like Instant Insanity eight times over!
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Thanks Eddie, You wrote a lot of facts I didn't know!
I remember when Lucille Ball married Gary Morton. He was 13 years younger than she was. I always wondered what she saw in him, but he was also a comedian and maybe they both could relate the same way.
I remember when Lucille Ball married Gary Morton. He was 13 years younger than she was. I always wondered what she saw in him, but he was also a comedian and maybe they both could relate the same way.
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In my high school years I was lucky to have been working as an associate to a Vice President at NBC where Elvis taped his comeback special. I was equally lucky to have met Elvis and be able to spend a bit of time with him.
It's funny to reflect back to those days now. You almost have to put yourself back into that period of American history to fully understand the feelings and presence of mind a lot of us had during that time.
Elvis' popularity grabbed hold in the mid 1950's when families of the post WWII era were happy that the war had ended, but thoughts and fears still lingered in their minds.
When Elvis emerged on the scene, it seemed that he was swaying the younger minds away from those memories and filling their heads with Rock and Roll music. Parents didn't want their kids to forget, and Elvis was, to some parents, like another enemy.
As the years moved on and away from the remembrances of war, Elvis was being accepted by parents more and more... but then it started happening again... history was staring to repeat... we were at war again in Vietnam. Our soldiers were on the news every night... and not just a blurb about them, but they were the lead story and reporters were there on the fighting front.
Our older generation's memories came flooding back... the patriotism was bigger than ever, but many in the younger generation didn't want to relive those stories their parents tried to tell them growing up. They wanted that music that soothed and made them happy when they were younger.
It's no surprise that many musicians excelled their careers by becoming war protestors, leading waves of younger adults, into rebellion. "Down with the draft" and "Make Love Not War" were the chants. Elvis was replaced by the Beatles and Bob Dylan's who were more their generations age. Drugs were on the rise, (perhaps the alcohol of the new generation) to ease the fears of having to go through the rigors of what their parents experienced. The though of being drafted and being wounded or killed was being replayed, and everyone was looking for an answer to stop the cycle.
The country was now being split... patriotic service men and vocal draft dodgers...
Elvis' own political views would have been split by the public also. It was best he kept them to himself. He was drafted and was stationed in Germany when he was younger, but never brought up the subject after his tour of duty ended. Elvis was wise to separate politics from entertaining. He was a true American, and had desires of making the world a better place, but was cautious about how he spoke. He would record "An American Trilogy" and would visit the White House if asked, but never held a sign or spoke of what direction things should be going in. He trusted the American system and that elected officials would eventually fix the problems amongst themselves.
Flash forward to today... I don't think we have a united country anymore. In the sixties we were spit two ways... today I think we are split in dozens and dozens of ways. It's not the same America. It is more segregated today than ever. Many people here don't speak or understand the language and don't want to. Many are here to take advantage of the system... they don't consider themselves to be a patriot or an American.
I must point out that there are many who do... but I feel from my point of view, that there are many who don't also.
Thanks for such an in-depth story Eddie! I guess to try and understand how Elvis felt, we would have to get into that Deloren and travel back to remember what it was like at the time.
It's funny to reflect back to those days now. You almost have to put yourself back into that period of American history to fully understand the feelings and presence of mind a lot of us had during that time.
Elvis' popularity grabbed hold in the mid 1950's when families of the post WWII era were happy that the war had ended, but thoughts and fears still lingered in their minds.
When Elvis emerged on the scene, it seemed that he was swaying the younger minds away from those memories and filling their heads with Rock and Roll music. Parents didn't want their kids to forget, and Elvis was, to some parents, like another enemy.
As the years moved on and away from the remembrances of war, Elvis was being accepted by parents more and more... but then it started happening again... history was staring to repeat... we were at war again in Vietnam. Our soldiers were on the news every night... and not just a blurb about them, but they were the lead story and reporters were there on the fighting front.
Our older generation's memories came flooding back... the patriotism was bigger than ever, but many in the younger generation didn't want to relive those stories their parents tried to tell them growing up. They wanted that music that soothed and made them happy when they were younger.
It's no surprise that many musicians excelled their careers by becoming war protestors, leading waves of younger adults, into rebellion. "Down with the draft" and "Make Love Not War" were the chants. Elvis was replaced by the Beatles and Bob Dylan's who were more their generations age. Drugs were on the rise, (perhaps the alcohol of the new generation) to ease the fears of having to go through the rigors of what their parents experienced. The though of being drafted and being wounded or killed was being replayed, and everyone was looking for an answer to stop the cycle.
The country was now being split... patriotic service men and vocal draft dodgers...
Elvis' own political views would have been split by the public also. It was best he kept them to himself. He was drafted and was stationed in Germany when he was younger, but never brought up the subject after his tour of duty ended. Elvis was wise to separate politics from entertaining. He was a true American, and had desires of making the world a better place, but was cautious about how he spoke. He would record "An American Trilogy" and would visit the White House if asked, but never held a sign or spoke of what direction things should be going in. He trusted the American system and that elected officials would eventually fix the problems amongst themselves.
Flash forward to today... I don't think we have a united country anymore. In the sixties we were spit two ways... today I think we are split in dozens and dozens of ways. It's not the same America. It is more segregated today than ever. Many people here don't speak or understand the language and don't want to. Many are here to take advantage of the system... they don't consider themselves to be a patriot or an American.
I must point out that there are many who do... but I feel from my point of view, that there are many who don't also.
Thanks for such an in-depth story Eddie! I guess to try and understand how Elvis felt, we would have to get into that Deloren and travel back to remember what it was like at the time.
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Eddie... FINALLY you wrote something I know a little bit about...none other than the greatest entertainer in the world, Dean Martin! For over two decades now I have been presiding over "The Dean Martin Fan Center."
Actually, I go way back with Dino to the beginning of his TV Variety Show years. You see, I started in my teens as an Associate VP at NBC where Dean taped the show. We did a LOT of shows from those studios in Burbank... Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in, The Flip Wilson Show, The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, The Midnight Specials, Hollywood Squares, Sanford & Son, Chico & The Man, The Elvis Comeback Special, all the Bob Hope Specials, The Mac Davis Show... well you get the idea.
The one show I use to always "hang around" was Dean's show. Over the course of 9 years (and 9 more after that on his Celebrity Roasts specials) I think I only missed being there ONE week.
While everyone my age was into "acid rock", I was into Dean... Frank... Ella... Tony Bennett... Mathis.... Steve Lawrence... etc. Dean was the nicest and actually funniest man I ever met. Talk about real talent! I never would have thought that after all these years, Dean would still be "with me" in spirit working to keep his "flame" alive.
There are even more things people might not know about Dean... like he was always put on the right side of his guest stars because he was so use to working on that side with Jerry... or that he hosted the first Muscular Dystrophy telethon with Jerry way back in those golden years.
Dean's tuxedo was specially made by Sy Devore with the collars being made a little taller and the sleeves a little bigger to hide Dean's big hands that he bruised and battered when he was an amateur boxer under the name "Kid Crochet".
Eddie... thanks for writing an article on Dean... as time goes on, it's important that the younger generation know what a truly talented man Dean Martin really was! I can't wait to see what you write about next!
Actually, I go way back with Dino to the beginning of his TV Variety Show years. You see, I started in my teens as an Associate VP at NBC where Dean taped the show. We did a LOT of shows from those studios in Burbank... Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in, The Flip Wilson Show, The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, The Midnight Specials, Hollywood Squares, Sanford & Son, Chico & The Man, The Elvis Comeback Special, all the Bob Hope Specials, The Mac Davis Show... well you get the idea.
The one show I use to always "hang around" was Dean's show. Over the course of 9 years (and 9 more after that on his Celebrity Roasts specials) I think I only missed being there ONE week.
While everyone my age was into "acid rock", I was into Dean... Frank... Ella... Tony Bennett... Mathis.... Steve Lawrence... etc. Dean was the nicest and actually funniest man I ever met. Talk about real talent! I never would have thought that after all these years, Dean would still be "with me" in spirit working to keep his "flame" alive.
There are even more things people might not know about Dean... like he was always put on the right side of his guest stars because he was so use to working on that side with Jerry... or that he hosted the first Muscular Dystrophy telethon with Jerry way back in those golden years.
Dean's tuxedo was specially made by Sy Devore with the collars being made a little taller and the sleeves a little bigger to hide Dean's big hands that he bruised and battered when he was an amateur boxer under the name "Kid Crochet".
Eddie... thanks for writing an article on Dean... as time goes on, it's important that the younger generation know what a truly talented man Dean Martin really was! I can't wait to see what you write about next!
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I can tell you first hand why "The Monkees" TV series had slipped in ratings. When the show first appeared in about 1966, it's premise was that of our culture... everything was "wacky" and insane... Innocent and fun... colorful and psychedelic.. It was the "Batman" era... just goofy FUN.
A couple years later, towards the end of the Monkees run on TV, "Acid Rock" along with "The British Beat" had emerged on the social scene, changing our musical culture
I remember going to my high school prom party. There was a game that if you won, you could choose one of ten vinyl record albums as your prize. Well, I won and when I went to pick my album, all there was were albums by "Iron Butterfly", "Hendrix", "Beatles"... except one Monkees album. That's the one I chose. I was one of those kids who didn't embrace the change in music. I couldn't get 'into' the sounds of Janis Joplin, Deep Purple, Hendrix... sure they were great musicians, but I liked the "sweet" harmony VOCAL sounds... not so much songs that had a message and interjections of drugs or war. Too negative for me... all I wanted to do was smile.
Well... it was just a matter of numbers... People grew out of one thing into the next. It's just like today - Miley Cyrus has changed from the sweet Hannah Montana to a "Oh My God!" shock performer. The Monkees era was over and television wasn't as fast to embrace the times. They cancelled the show rather than let it become something it wasn't meant to be (and probably couldn't be).
Fame is fleeting, but the memories are still there otherwise Eddie wouldn't be writing an article about a crazy group of four guys who just had fun.
Oh... P.S. Ami Dolenz (Mickey's daughter) ... When she came down that staircase dressed for a date in the movie "She's Out of Control" I would have given anything to 'be that date'! WOW!!!!
A couple years later, towards the end of the Monkees run on TV, "Acid Rock" along with "The British Beat" had emerged on the social scene, changing our musical culture
I remember going to my high school prom party. There was a game that if you won, you could choose one of ten vinyl record albums as your prize. Well, I won and when I went to pick my album, all there was were albums by "Iron Butterfly", "Hendrix", "Beatles"... except one Monkees album. That's the one I chose. I was one of those kids who didn't embrace the change in music. I couldn't get 'into' the sounds of Janis Joplin, Deep Purple, Hendrix... sure they were great musicians, but I liked the "sweet" harmony VOCAL sounds... not so much songs that had a message and interjections of drugs or war. Too negative for me... all I wanted to do was smile.
Well... it was just a matter of numbers... People grew out of one thing into the next. It's just like today - Miley Cyrus has changed from the sweet Hannah Montana to a "Oh My God!" shock performer. The Monkees era was over and television wasn't as fast to embrace the times. They cancelled the show rather than let it become something it wasn't meant to be (and probably couldn't be).
Fame is fleeting, but the memories are still there otherwise Eddie wouldn't be writing an article about a crazy group of four guys who just had fun.
Oh... P.S. Ami Dolenz (Mickey's daughter) ... When she came down that staircase dressed for a date in the movie "She's Out of Control" I would have given anything to 'be that date'! WOW!!!!
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I kinda 'loved' Lucy, but as a kid I loved Romper Room and Captain Kangaroo much better.
I kinda am suspecting that "I Love Lucy" may be a government conspiracy to brainwash the public. Why would that show be on the air day-after-day, week-after-week, month-after-month, year-after-year, lifetime-after-lifetime if there wasn't some hidden meaning?
Yeah, the episodes were funny... but so was Mr. Ed and Ozzie and Harriet, yet I don't see Ricky Nelson popping up with a funny storyline and singing "Hello Mary Lou" every few months like I see Lucy making that twisted face and crying like she should be in a Charlie Brown cartoon.
So what is it that keeps Lucy re-runs on the air? After reading Eddie's story, I am convinced that it was the comic genius of that show was actually William Frawley. After Lucy had it's run, Frawley took his talent to another series called "My Three Sons" where he played "Bub" for about five years before his health gave out. In his lifetime, Frawley made over 100 movies. His first was in 1916!!!! But... I'm drifting off the subject. My attention span isn't very good. The doctor says it's because I watched too much television as a child.
Ooohhhhhhh... maybe I just figured out the government conspiracy.
I kinda am suspecting that "I Love Lucy" may be a government conspiracy to brainwash the public. Why would that show be on the air day-after-day, week-after-week, month-after-month, year-after-year, lifetime-after-lifetime if there wasn't some hidden meaning?
Yeah, the episodes were funny... but so was Mr. Ed and Ozzie and Harriet, yet I don't see Ricky Nelson popping up with a funny storyline and singing "Hello Mary Lou" every few months like I see Lucy making that twisted face and crying like she should be in a Charlie Brown cartoon.
So what is it that keeps Lucy re-runs on the air? After reading Eddie's story, I am convinced that it was the comic genius of that show was actually William Frawley. After Lucy had it's run, Frawley took his talent to another series called "My Three Sons" where he played "Bub" for about five years before his health gave out. In his lifetime, Frawley made over 100 movies. His first was in 1916!!!! But... I'm drifting off the subject. My attention span isn't very good. The doctor says it's because I watched too much television as a child.
Ooohhhhhhh... maybe I just figured out the government conspiracy.
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Very clever!
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Wow... I remember seeing pictures of the car, but never knew that it was John Lennon's car or the story behind it. You do know the most interesting facts Eddie!
Isn't it funny how everyone seems to have "little things" that make them happy in life. Gosh... I'd just be happy with a plain car that runs, has less than 150,000 miles on the odometer and the paint isn't peeling!
Isn't it funny how everyone seems to have "little things" that make them happy in life. Gosh... I'd just be happy with a plain car that runs, has less than 150,000 miles on the odometer and the paint isn't peeling!
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I really learned something from this article! Now, what to do about bed bugs?
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A strange baseball story is now circulating...
In the movie "Back to The Future II", writer Bob Gale and Director Robert Zemeckis (whom Eddie Deezen has worked with) predicted The Chicago Cubs would be in the 2015 World Series in the BTF movie.
During the 1989 Hollywood blockbuster, Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, travels 30 years into the future. There he reads a fictitious USA Today headline which reads: 'Cubs Sweep Series in 5' against Miami on October 22, 2015. Above him, holograms appear, telling residents the 'Cubbies' had won.
Terry then tells him: 'Yeah, it's something, huh? Who would have thought? 100-1 shot! I wish I could go back to the beginning of the season, put some money on the Cubs.'
The Cubs, which have not taken home baseball's coveted crown since 1908, made it through to the next stage of the playoffs. I'd love to see the Cubs win just to make the movie "Back To The Future" a wonderment and maybe bring more awareness of baseball to more people!